As the company who owns the freehold of the site known as 2 - 12 Station Approach we would like to thank all the authors for their comments regarding the need for cafe/deli facilities in Sydenham. We are fortunate to have been directed to the Forum and would like to make the following comments:
The site of the former gym (Unit 10) have been fraught with difficulties for many years due to lease issues with the 2 former gym tenants. More recently we had to apply to the court for reposession of the unit after the latter tenant vacated the premises leaving behind a vast rent arrears bill. The premises have been remarketed but the use class is not restricted to gym use only. We have received limited interest from various users but none have taken the plunge with an offer. We are currently promoting both units to an established deli/restaurant owner who wants to set up a London base. Perfect, wouldn't you agree? We do currently have a very strong interest from a gym franchise although we must stress that this is NOT our preferred use.
Last year we had accepted an offer on the former cab office (Unit 6) for a cafe/deli/florist shop. The prospective leaseholder was applying herself for change of use to A3/A5. Sadly, at the point of signing the lease she pulled out for reasons of cold feet and ill health. Since that time we have again, received limited interest in alternative uses. An offer on this unit has been made by a cab operator although we have not accepted it as yet. Again, it is not our preferred choice of use.
Please bear in mind that the units have been vacant for some time and from a business point of view we must carefully consider all offers whether or not they are from preferred users or otherwise.
We believe you are all spot on in your views that either of these units would make a great cafe/deli/takeaway and we have taken the measure ourselves of applying for A3 use. However, you are also correct in your concerns that if A3 use is granted we have no control over what type of A3 user may take up occupation. To allay such fears we have approached suitable franchise companies and independant coffee chains but the response is rather lacklustre.
The rents for these units are less than those on the high street since the Approach is a secondary parade even though each unit benefits immensely from the station footfall. Business rates are also lower.
Contrary to the comments made by Castiron73 I would like to stress that we do not have a Rocky fixation although I rather feel that most of the Sydenham residents do, judging by the amount of members the former gym had. Neither is it the case that we do not give a toss for the local community, that we are happy to leave the premises empty and that we cannot be arsed to invest in 'doing them up'.
We purchased the entire semi derelict site in 2000 without a penny in bank funding. No bank or lending institution would look at the place. We raised our own funds privately and took the risk. Our knowledge of old buildings is such that we were confident to take on the regeneration project ourselves. We purchased the site, applied for planning and carried out the development ourselves. We received not a penny of grant funding. Please don't assume that we cannot be arsed to invest in our own property.
Further we have no intention of keeping these units empty only to flog them off at a profit later. The only way these units can be sold off at a profit is to acquire good tenants with strong covenants, long leases with uplifts and a solid use classes.
We are currently lobbying Railtrack and LBL to have the pavement resurfaced. Surprisingly neither wish to claim ownership of the pavement although we are to believe that it is the responsibility of LBL. Again it is at our own cost and time that we are trying to improve the cul-de-sac. It is, however, an uphill struggle.
Currently both units are open to offers. It is, by far, our preferred use to have a cafe/deli/restaurant in either or both. We are prepared to negotiate a fit out according to a potential tenant's requirements. We shall, of course, bend over backwards to support anyone who would like to take on the challenge of opening up a cafe in this parade and we are also quite convinced that any interested party will receive the full support of all our tenants in the flats above.
At the end of the day, the old adage prevails: You can take a horse to water......
Sydenham Station Approach
Well, what can I say - a very though-provoking posting!
I must say that Station Approach is hugely improved compared to how it used to be, especially now that it is no longer being used as a tip.
I wish you lots of success in finding good tenants. I would fully support the Coffee shop / deli idea.
Sydenham has a changing resident profile, lots of young professionals / families moving in, and of course it is not just yuppies who are into good food and coffee nowadays.
I must say that Station Approach is hugely improved compared to how it used to be, especially now that it is no longer being used as a tip.
I wish you lots of success in finding good tenants. I would fully support the Coffee shop / deli idea.
Sydenham has a changing resident profile, lots of young professionals / families moving in, and of course it is not just yuppies who are into good food and coffee nowadays.
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annabel mclaren
- Posts: 115
- Joined: 1 Oct 2004 19:55
- Location: thorpes
Dear jfl - you have done a great job with 2-12 Station Approach - the building now looks very smart after years of neglect. As an aside it had an interesting period in the early 80s when it was the Windsors nightclub -does anyone else remember this? A cafe / deli in the shop units would be the ideal use; surely another gym franchise would have difficulty competing with LA Fitness round the corner. If the residents in the flats above are happy with a change of use to A3, I can't see why anyone else would object. Re the road surface - as a result of the East London Line there's a strong possibility that TfL will take over the station and Station Approach, which will then be upgraded.
I am a former tenant of the flats over the shops at Station Approach. I was one of the first tenants to move in and I have to agree that the site is much improved. Well done jfl. The noise from the cab office was painful sometimes but that was about the only downside. I think another cab office there would be overkill and would probably continue to annoy the tenants living over.
I can't believe that so much has been debated re. the need for a decent coffee stop in Sydenham and yet it appears that only one person has approahced the landlords of Station Approach to open one up in the old cab office. Its a fab location and now that Zuckers is due to close or be sold (i'm not sure which) someone must be out there who can see the potential and clean up! A surveyor friend of mine has spoken with the agents re. these units on Station appr. and tells me that the landlords will negotiate a rent/fit-out/lease term etc and have applied for a change of use to incorporate food use.
Maybe Zucker could consider relocating??
I can't believe that so much has been debated re. the need for a decent coffee stop in Sydenham and yet it appears that only one person has approahced the landlords of Station Approach to open one up in the old cab office. Its a fab location and now that Zuckers is due to close or be sold (i'm not sure which) someone must be out there who can see the potential and clean up! A surveyor friend of mine has spoken with the agents re. these units on Station appr. and tells me that the landlords will negotiate a rent/fit-out/lease term etc and have applied for a change of use to incorporate food use.
Maybe Zucker could consider relocating??