New bar for Sydenham?

[Big Ben]

It looks like something is finally happening on the site between the DIY shop and the railway line - where there are currently two empty shops (formerly Jan's hairdresers and a dry cleaners - 278-280 Kirkdale). The site has been bought by the owners of Jam Circus in Brockley Road and they are applying for planning permission for 7 flats above and a pub/bar below. This is excellent news as Jam Circus is an exciting and well-run venue - anything like it will be a huge plus for the area. The plans are in the 1930s 'Moderne' style and look classy. We could soon have a quality building gracing this part of Sydenham and an exciting new venue.

[Thomas]

The link to the application can be found here:
http://acolnet.lewisham.gov.uk/LEWIS-XS ... mkey=51330

This seems like goods news to me - does at least show that there are people prepared to reverse the local trend of pubs being closed and should help to convince more people that they can have a good night out in Sydenham.

[georgemichael]

Not more 1 bed flats!!!

Not good for Sydenham residents trying to move up the property ladder!

I can see The Greyhound, Nickels, The Postal Sorting Office, The Church on Queensthorpe Road, Man of Kent, etc. are all going to become rabbit hutches!

New Bar = Good news

Token flats = Bad news

[user100]

My goodness! are we ever happy?

Most people are unhappy about the new flats and token bar being proposed for across the road at the Greyhound.

Now we have complaints about a new bar and token flats (whatever they are!).

Or should that be the other way round?

Now I am seriously confused.

[Weeble]

Well with a location next to a railway line and main road and over a pub, they're never going to be the most desirable flats in the world, so surely it makes sense to go for one bed room flats as a cheap 'foot on the property ladder' style developments for first time buyers? It's never going to be a location for family homes is it?

I'm not entirely sure what the 1930's 'moderne' style is but I'm cautiously optimistic about a bar in this location.

[poppy]

Is this near Cobbs Corner or Darmouth Road?

[The Eagle]

Is this near Cobbs Corner or Darmouth Road?

Nearer Cobbs Corner (near where the accident happened yesterday) opposite the Railway Public House

[sydeman]

I believe this site used to be the entrance to the original up platform of the station (travelling to London), before it was moved to its present position opposite the current station building. I don't think any of the original station building remains, and must have been knocked down for the present structure.

Glad someting is happening here. Agree, this is a good location for 1 bed flats, near the station. This area around Cobbs Corner looks like it could become something over the next 5 years, once the ELL opens up. Hope it spreads up to the upper end of Kirkdale, around the Fox and Hounds/Woodman pub area.

[The Eagle]

I believe this site used to be the entrance to the original up platform of the station (travelling to London), before it was moved to its present position opposite the current station building..

I don't think you are correct
!
The entrance used to be just past there, about 5 yards past the phone box (if it's still there) just on the bridge. You entered from the main road and went down the stairs

[nasaroc]

Just been looking at the plans for this development (the actual paper plans, not the ones on the Lewisham website) and they look excellent.

The developer has agreed to look at the preponderance of one-bed flats and to alter these to include a greater number of two-bed flats in the final submission.

Let us hope that this plan is passed swiftly and that building can commence ASAP. With the cooperation of the owners of the Greyhound site, the area between the railway bridge and the roundabout could soon become a blueprint for the regeneration of the rest of Sydenham Road.

[biscuitman1978]

Permission was granted in November 2007.

The site (with planning permission) will be auctioned on 28 October 2009 - see http://www.eigroup.co.uk/auctioneer-tem ... &a=2&c=and

[Whiftoff]

So I take it the owners of Jam Circus have no longer got anything to do with this?

[sydenhamboy]

Aw that'll be annoying since a 'Jam Circus' bar is exactly what we need at that end of the street. Whoever wins the auction (if it is a bar) will make a killing from trade from the street AND the station. Anyway we can attract a decent bar company and suggest they apply ... we need to attract decent businesses ..

[DanW]

Good to see the site attracted some bidding interest (although unsold) -'the last bid was £422,500 and is available at £430,000', according to the auctioneer's site.

[scarpetta]

sydenhamboy I totally agree with you. It would be fantastic to attract some decent bars. Sydenham so badly needs it.

I would love to go out locally rather than having to go to Crystal Palace and East Dulwich and I am sure a lot of locals would relish that too.

[tulip1]

Exciting news IF it becomes a reality! While I do love the Dolphin, I would really welcome another fab smart bar. "Variety's the spice of life" and all that.... So do hope that Jam Circus really do set up shop in Sydders.

[Whiftoff]

I couldn't agree more. I've been living here for just over two years. The Greyhound had just been boarded up then. I never would have thought it would take this long to reopen. Like you say the Dolphin is cool, more so when you can make the most of the beer garden. From reading the posts on this forum over the last couple of days it does seem that there is a lot of local support for improvements and better facilities. I couple of decent bars and maybe a restaurant wouldn't go a miss. Palace is only up the hill but it would be nice to have some immediate options when jumping off the train after work.

[Ulysses]

Agree with the majority sentiment here. If I have friends staying for the weekend I'll make sure the Dolphin is on the menu for one of the nights - 100%. IF we're looking for a bit of a dance or some later drinks we'll head into town or Clapham way for the other night.

That's not why I'm posting on this thread though. I hope the new-build does incorporate somewhere with a later license or somewhere to throw some shapes *ahem*. I did hear recently that they were going to give that place by LA Fitness another go. Refurb it and put some nights on. I suppose it would depend on how well they did it up and what sort of music they played as to whether or not it would work. Is the place called 'Chequers' or something?

Hopefully this new-build place will be a little like Matt&Matt in Islington, somewhere I used to like going to. The last time I was out in Crystal Palace Whiftoff it was rubbish. The Blue Bottle (although I think it has changed hands and re-branded yet again!) had the worst loos ever and the whole place was run down. We did find a nice little bar that was sort of in a basement near the Blue Bottle...think it might have been called Numidie or something? That was about the only decent place in CP we could find.

[scarpetta]

Unfortunately the plot wasn't sold at the auction. Does anyone have an idea when/if a future auction would take place? Desperate for some positive news!

[Ulysses]

The biggest dissapointment for me scarpetta is how close it seemed to be. Based on DanW's post the bidder needed only another £7,500, before auctioneers fees, to secure the plot [or put another way a mere 1.16%].

So close! Surely the developer could have clawed this back fairly easily either by charging a tiny bit more for the flats or cutting the odd minor corner, maybe by putting in a slightly cheaper bathroom in each of the flats...or something.

I think this also means it is still available should someone stump up the cash?