Could the Greyhound become an M&S Simply Food?

[leenewham]

Oh Ella, you can call me Lee

[dickp]

Dear "dickp"

Thank you for writing to us with your suggestion for a new M&S simply food store in London suburb of Sydenham. I am pleased that you have contacted us about this as our customer's views are very important to us.

Although I am unable to confirm that we will locate an M&S in Sydenham, I have passed your suggestion onto our New Stores Development team at Head Office. They are continually looking for possible new sites and I know they will be happy to give your comments careful consideration.

Thank you again for getting in touch. It is always pleasing to hear from customers who are keen to enjoy shopping with us.

Kind regards
Customer Advisor
Retail Customer Services

[leenewham]

Can you post the address you contacted them on Dickp so anyone who wants an M&S simply food store in Sydenham can write.

If you want this, write. Worst case scenario, it doesnt happen. best case scenario, it does.

They opened one in Blackheath Royal standard!

[dickp]

Certainly (hope this works)

https://www.marksandspencer.com/gp/cont ... Brand=core

or
RetailCustomer.Services@marks-and-spencer.com

[Milfordgroup]

Narsaroc said

A number of alternative potential developers/businesses have offered to buy the site/develop the Greyhound but have been met with blank silence by the existing owners.

Still not heard from any of these developers/businesses wanting to buy the site. Its a " blank silence".

Pat Trembath said

If Milford/Wealdfrost had so wanted, Barter Inns could have continued trading until such time as a planning permission for the future development of this site was determined by the local planning authority. This would have obviated the vandalism, the fly-tipping, the arson and the unsightly hoarding.

I can only again repeat that the Pub was closed and vacant when Wealdfrost took possesion, I do not see therefore how Barter Inns lease with the previous owners was in the new owners control.

We are in discussions with various retail outlets whilst exploring new proposals for the site. As soon as plans are finalised I will brief this forum if that is what forum users would like ?

[Muddy Waters]

The Sydenham Society's facts as to who gave Barter Inns notice of foreclosure of their Lease may be incorrect and we apologise for this minor inaccuracy.

I am confused - I read Pat Trembath's posting as apologising for a minor inaccuracy as to who foreclosed on the Lease.

I think her other point was that Milford could have continued to let Barter Inns trade, if they had so wished. But this is all history now and we need to move forward. Re-running who did what and in what order does not help solve the current situation.

My earlier point that I couldn't see any "well known national high street traders" committing themselves to this site until there is a permission showing size of retail units available and basic layout of the site remains. You seemed to agree with me in your earlier posting.

I for one am pleased for the information that you are in discussions with various retail outlets whilst exploring new proposals for the site. But please confirm that you are also in discussion with Lewisham Council. We dont need to know the details.

And yes, please keep this Forum advised as the proposals proceed.

[rodney]

I understand that the current owners of the Greyhound are interested in selling. There are a number of pub-owning companies who might be interested in buying the site. I wonder if any of the following have yet been contacted? May I suggest to Milford that they contact some, if not all, of the following?

Punch Taverns, one of the country’s largest pub-owning companies are always on the look-out to buy pubs. They have a web-page specifically inviting people to offer them pubs that are for sale:
http://www.punchtaverns.com/Punch/Selling+Your+Pub/

Enterprise Inns, the UK’s other huge pub-owning company, can be reached at this web-site:
http://www.enterpriseinns.com/home/home_noflash.html

The Capital Pub Company, a relatively new company, are looking to expand their estate:
http://www.capitalpubcompany.com/

So are the RealPubs Company. They currently own pubs in north-west London but could they be tempted to buy a pub in the south east, I wonder?
http://www.realpubs.co.uk/x/default.html

And what about Wetherspoon’s?
http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/

I’m sure there are plenty of other potential buyers out there too. The Greyhound’s location makes it such a prime site for a thriving pub, that surely it shouldn’t be too hard to find a buyer who will re-open it as a pub.

[poppy]

Please, do we really want a Wetherspoons or something like that Rodney? Most of the posters on here would prefer something of better quality. There is one on Kirkdale anyway. I would have thought an independent company or small chain would be far better and would suggest contacting some of the successful pubs in East Dulwich, such as The Bishop, Franklins or Green and Blue (a wine bar come-up market offy, I think) to name but a few on Lordship Lane. I don't know how the Jazz Circus/EDT people are getting on with their application for Sydenham Road but the Greyhound site sounds ideal for what they want to do - combining residential with a bar.

[nork1]

There's nothing wrong with Wetherspoons... I wouldn't mind one there although it might kill the Railway which would be a shame.
(There isn't one in Kirkdale btw).

[Big Ben]

Poppy - Rodney is giving Milford a range of ideas - from Wetherspoons through to the smaller independents like Capital (their pubs the Florence in Herne Hill and the Clarence in Balham look fantastic). The Greyhound site is large and will command a high price, and I for one would be delighted if one of the larger pub chains snapped it up. The most important thing to me is that it is properly run and managed, and that this landmark building is restored to its former glory.

[poppy]

Big Ben I was also suggesting some ideas. I have not been into a Wetherspoons for ages (used to frequent them as a student because they were cheap) but they did tend to brand their pubs in terms of their interior and exterior design (ie very basic and uninspired) and as we are told that the Firkin chain destroyed much of the original interior features of the Greyhound in the past a chain like Wetherspons would seem inapproriate to me. My post did say "small independents" so if the others Rodney mentioned are, or do run good quality pubs, then I am pleased he went to the trouble to list them for Milford. We are all trying to improve this area are we not?

[Big Ben]

Absolutely - all I'm saying is don't diss Wetherspoons too prematurely - they have some excellent pubs.

[lambchops]

having just moved to sydders, i hope it doesn't get changed into an m&s food.

that would be a real shame.

was it an independant beforehand? there's a few wetherspoons that actually are OK to have a drink in - a lot of them are soul-less though, I must admit.

as long as it is a pub that goes in there, then i'll be happy, just to keep with the history of the place.

[leenewham]

It's all in the management. Weatherpoons have some good pubs and some terrible ones (the brockley barge anyone?).

Fingers crossed. IT's a very visible pub so will have an effect on what people think of sydenham. The pub down the bottom of gypsy hill is nice and looks fantastic (the mansion I think it's called). It was a very nice place to sit and have a drink.

[lambchops]

good point...which is why an m&s food is a bad choice!

[Annie]

well i for one love wetherspoon pubs, i go to the moon and stars in penge for sunday lunch or meet up with friends etc, i find it cosy, lots of atmosphere and don't feel ill at ease in any way

as for the Greyhound i would love it to be a wetherspoons or a harvester
i have been to the much praised Dolphin pub and yes i had a good time, but i felt uncomfortable there,and if the alcohol hadn't been free flowing that evening then i would have left early,im sure for many its the kind of pub they like but i prefer cosy alcoves , mahogany wood and low romantic lights! (your'e never to old)

[simono]

I always love it when people say what local residents want. I am a local resident and I can confidently say that I do not want the Greyhound to be turned back into a pub! I and other neighbours find the fact that we now only get the same level of noise the same as others in Sydenham an absolute god send. No more fights, mobile disco's in the car park and the other anti social bahaviour that we put up for years and years. It is great to talk about well run pubs but the Greyhound has never been one. Pubs are shutting for a reason and the main one is that the Middle Class like those who contribute to this site (including me!) drink their chardonay and claret at home not out.
I am not that interested in whether the building is retained, though with the risk of sounding boring the building with the exception of a small element at the front is of very poor quality and of no architectural merit at all. I would love to see it as a good quality food outlet which would combine well with high quality residential use. Given that this is a conservation area (I never cease to be amazed that Peak Hill Gardens in in a consevation area) then a good quality design will be possible and many developers will be glad to deliver one as I have experienced in my work.
However one thing I do agree on is lets get on with it. There has already been a fire on the site and the property can only deteriorate further. And we need the social housing that will come as part of the development desperatly in this area.
Finally to Milfold - if you were charged £2000 to clear the rubbish you we done as all thy did was shovel it from the back yard to a heap hidden behind the shops at the top of the site!

[Milfordgroup]

It was £4,000. That rubbish was taken away, we have the photos. The pile behind the shops has been deposited by the shops next to the Railway Pub. We have written to them, spoken with them and informed the S. Society.

We are looking at all options and know the above mentioned Pub operators very well ( they have offered us pubs that they can not make work for them) and are talking with some of them and others.


Still not heard from the Developers/ Businesses that Narsaroc mentioned wanted to buy the site and met with a blank silence from us or the owners.

[DigitalFX]

Reading some of your comments I can see that some of you are not pub drinkers. The greyhound site should remain a pub as it has done for many years. Let's not loose this part of Sydenham's history please......

With regards to trouble in the pub from time to time as some people have mentioned, come on guys this is Sydenahm SE26 South London for god's sake not Holland Park, or are some of you forgetting that.

I do not want to walk past cobbs and see a block of flats or M&S on that site. The Greyghound was a great place, my father took me in their for my first pint in my youth, and socally it was a great place to meet, chat and it had a great atmosphere about the place in addition to the history and decoration of the building.

If you have lived in Sydeham for many years like I have then you would have grown up with this building as part of your daily surroundings. I vote to keep it a public house who ever may decide to take it over and fill sad that some people are just happy to pull in down and stick a shop or block of flat's on the site. I hope that we do all that we can to preserve this site, so for now, I will keep my fingers crossed.

Gaz

[Juwlz]

It would be lovely if the Greyhound remained as a pub but we have to be realistic - it seems that these days people use pubs in a different way from in the past. The focus really needs to be on food or else it might as well not bother.
The Greyhound name should remain and the place made into a lovely restaurant with housing and greenery surrounding it. It would be great if an independent company did it as it would have more charm and individuality. And they'd make a fortune.