Old George Proctor building

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poppy
Posts: 574
Joined: 1 Sep 2007 20:03
Location: Sydenham

Old George Proctor building

Post by poppy »

Does anyone know what is happening with this vacant shop, at the top of Silverdale.

I saw some youngish people in there moving things about as I drove past this morning.

Fingers crossed it is something good!!
mummycat
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Joined: 8 May 2007 12:10
Location: not se26

Post by mummycat »

No news I'm afraid - I popped in there with a fellow member wearing our SydSoc hard hats and we were told "we're just decorating". The Area Director from Proctors was supervising...
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

I've heard it's been let but no-one seems to know by who.

A deli?
Cheese shop?
Art Shop?
Music shop?
Toy Shop?
Gift Shop?
Cafe?
Bistro?

Anything but anything (even an empty shop) buy another bloody hairdressers or nail bar or a pound shop selling the same stuff as the others...

And for gods sake invest just a little thing thinking about how they will present it, make sure the signage fits with the building and that it follows the guidelines for shops in this conservation area:

http://whatifsydenham.wordpress.com/lew ... uidelines/
mummycat
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Post by mummycat »

You'll be pleased to hear that they're now covering up the orange Proctor logo. Door has been painted black - is that allowed without permission?!

To find out more, Lee you'd better speak to the Area Manager who's based in one of the Beckenham branches. I saw him instructing the decorators, so he must be handling the letting/sale.

Regards,
Emma
Last edited by mummycat on 3 Mar 2010 17:56, edited 1 time in total.
leenewham
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Post by leenewham »

Hi Emma,

is it still owned by George Proctor or is it another letting agency?

I'd love for estate agents to treat empty shops like an advert for the shop.
BEFORE
Image
AFTER
Image

Regards

Lee
Tim Lund
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Location: Silverdale

Post by Tim Lund »

According to a report to the last Town Centre Management Steering group, it had been sold. The agents were Linays.
poppy
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Joined: 1 Sep 2007 20:03
Location: Sydenham

Post by poppy »

It really seems that there should be no excuse this time for work to its facade not to be closely monitored?

I am surprised there is not a system where the Town Hall Manager or/and the Sydenham Society have to receive some sort of written proposal for any plans to the exterior? And an agreement of some kind reached.

Does anyone else agree?

One of the people inside was a woman and looked like she might be a creative type. Which I know will attract comments of "how can you tell?" etc, but it was just an initial feeling from her appearance ok! :)
eugenio@uniplan
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Joined: 2 Mar 2010 16:18
Location: Sydenham

Post by eugenio@uniplan »

Hi

I work next door in Uniplan, and every time we see someone in there we always go and ask. We are still being told its not been let, but as soon as we hear differently we will post any news we have.

Kind regards

Eugenio
Tim Lund
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Joined: 13 Mar 2008 18:10
Location: Silverdale

Post by Tim Lund »

Poppy

You are
surprised there is not a system where the Town Hall Manager or/and the Sydenham Society have to receive some sort of written proposal for any plans to the exterior? And an agreement of some kind reached.
Well, nice thought, but the Sydenham Society can have no such privileged position. For some matters there is of course the planning system, which is just one of the means by which we - as any other citizens may - sometimes attempt to contribute constructively. To this end we attempt to maintain working relationships with all parties involved. But the actual decision makers are the landlords, their tenants, enforcement officers and more remotely those who set planning policies.
poppy
Posts: 574
Joined: 1 Sep 2007 20:03
Location: Sydenham

Post by poppy »

Dosen't the town hall manager have close links with enforcement officers and town hall planners then? She is employed by the council after all.

You'd imagine she'd have a hotline to them....surely, it would save a lot of time and money if things were kept an eye on and acted on immediately if need be.

Just filling shops with anything is not going to help sustain a high street.

Attracting the 'right businesses' has to be high on the list of priorities, surely?!

This will only be achieved with a better looking high street which can be partly achieved by having guidelines about development of shop fronts and making sure people adhere to them, along with other things like much more greenery and a more 'cared for' atmosphere generally.
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