Going over old ground - The Hound that is Grey

[chrism]

This was one of my favourite pubs when I lived north of the river-

http://www.thecamele2.co.uk/

Tiny. The only thing on the food menu was a selection of pies. It was a great local- and very viable. Good mix of people, too.

[blakewho]

Quite right Chris. The Pride of Spitalfields is another cosy local boozer in that neck of the woods.

[Eagle]

The Royal Oak , Tabard St , SE1. is unbeatable for a good old fashioned pub , great Harvey's and other beers and really good food.

It gets 10 out of 10.

[sparticus]

Absolutely agree. There is a very good example of a(very)successful small pub close to home in the Jolly Woodman in Beckenham, and has already been pointed out, the micropub movement shows just how good a small traditional pub can be. The micropubs that work so well in places like Kent do so partly because their premises costs are low and have a gov'nor that is willing to take only a modest living from the place, for the love of it really. I suspect that if Purlake did renovate the Greyhound they would demand such a high rent and premium that it would be impossible to make a living there. It's no accident that the micropub revolution has not taken off in London yet, where premises costs are so high. But sadly, I expect that their strategy is to let the place deteriorate so eventually the only option is to demolish it. The sad fate that so many lovely old pubs in London face, including the Copperfield in Catford.

[Tim Lund]

Of course the Greyhound could be a success on its reduced footprint if the rent was low enough, but this depends on a property landlord who isn't going to demand the highest possible rent, as well as a "gov'nor that is willing to take only a modest living from the place". But Purelake is not going to be this property landlord, and if they sell it, there's no reason to think their buyer would be either. That's the logic of suggesting a CPO. However, I know very little about CPOs other than having a vague sense that they are not done lightly. I don't know why, but I assume it's because it takes a lot of arguing, and the price paid tends to be too high. That's why I think we should move on to thinking about how this space could be used as an open space or pocket park, how it could be managed, and where else in Sydenham there might be premises such as this



owned - as this in Gypsy Hill is- by a landlord who doesn't demand the highest possible rent. If we really want this sort of micro-pub, it's best to work on finding the right landlord first, not banging our heads against a brick wall (which might collapse any day soon) with the wrong one. And it doesn't help being rude about those, like Purelake, who just aren't interested, because even though not all commercial landlords are the same, hectoring potential investors about what they should be doing with their money will put anyone off.

[Tim Lund]

No let's be grateful to Purelake for all they've given Sydenham, Tim!

They're a bunch of amateur shysters.

I wonder if there are any people now living in the housing actually built by Puirelake who are pleased to have been found somewhere affordable to live.

[Tim Lund]

I wonder if there are any people now living in the housing actually built by Puirelake who are pleased to have been found somewhere affordable to live.

You refer the honourable gentlemen to the reply you have given so many times before.

I didn't understand that.

[Nigel]

Tim
Although many of us spout baselessly optimistic twaddle - my self included - you are the only poster that goes out his way to present his twaddle as fact .
From an orderliness point of you , I think your posts should be reserved for a special forum , as I have said before "Nice but Tim" as a handy title . To turn to your points :

Not only could one name a pub that is thriving to disprove everyone of your arguments , one could do so without the massive quoting and Internet linking you feel you need to do .
My big worry is that your wilfully misleading posts will deter supporters from supporting .
Your final point about how many people are happy to have somewhere to leave is cringingly weak - as Rod says are we supposed to be grateful to Purelake ? You do realise that they are a construction company and this is how they make their money ?
Tim I am quite prepared to grit my teeth during your Aramaic jokes or whatever they are in the Town Pub but please stop dominating and misleading everyone else's reasonable deliberations .
A very good evening
Nigel

[JRobinson]

do the current occupiers of the new flats want to see a derelict pub as their view from the window everyday?
probably not, and I suspect that if they were all informed of what has happened, and what Purelake is supposed to be doing about it, they might have a high percentage of them wanting to complain to Purelake.
maybe a leaflet could be created and dropped through some letterboxes?

[admin]

Those that feel the Greyhound development is a bit below par might be relieved to know that when Purelake really try, like selfishly building their new HQ, then they obviously don't spare on cash and it looks quite impressive (more so than the picture link).

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Purela ... 5,,0,-8.95

And I have no opinion - of course except I feel calling Purelake amateur shysters is unfair. I have no reason to think they are not absolutely professional about it!

Admin

[Tim Lund]

do the current occupiers of the new flats want to see a derelict pub as their view from the window everyday?
probably not, and I suspect that if they were all informed of what has happened, and what Purelake is supposed to be doing about it, they might have a high percentage of them wanting to complain to Purelake.
maybe a leaflet could be created and dropped through some letterboxes?

Would the questionnaire include

• knock it down and use the money saved for other community purposes

as an option?

Might be worth asking.

[Nigel]

Admin
I stand corrected - as you say nothing amateur about them. If they are reading this, and by way of an apology , I replace my previous comment with , "scheming , competent , strategic thinking sheysters".
Whilst I am soothing Purelakes sensibilities, in case they read Tim's post, let me remind Purelake that they are not "an investor" , nobody expects them to run a pub , or hang around .
Just fix the pub , and don't come back .

A very good evening

Nigel

[Tim Lund]

Tim
Although many of us spout baselessly optimistic twaddle - my self included - you are the only poster that goes out his way to present his twaddle as fact .
From an orderliness point of you , I think your posts should be reserved for a special forum , as I have said before "Nice but Tim" as a handy title .

So we disagree, but I do not ask for your views to be marginalised. Why should only the arguments of one side be expressed?

To turn to your points :

Not only could one name a pub that is thriving to disprove everyone of your arguments , one could do so without the massive quoting and Internet linking you feel you need to do .
My big worry is that your wilfully misleading posts will deter supporters from supporting .

If my arguments are so misleading, yours are always there to counter them. Potential supporters of one side of the other can make up their own minds. If there's a problem with how I argue, then doesn't that help your side, in that it will put people off mine? As for naming a pub to disprove every one of your arguments, you only have to go back to my post of 14:26 to see that I understand perfectly well that I'm aware that a pub in this location could thrive - given a few counterfactuals.

Your final point about how many people are happy to have somewhere to [live] is cringingly weak - as Rod says are we supposed to be grateful to Purelake ? You do realise that they are a construction company and this is how they make their money ?

I'm not particularly grateful to Purelake, but in general I think we should be grateful for a system which means decent places for people to live get constructed, even to the limited extent that they are.

Tim I am quite prepared to grit my teeth during your Aramaic jokes or whatever they are in the Town Pub but please stop dominating and misleading everyone else's reasonable deliberations .
A very good evening
Nigel

I think you'll find it was [img=http://sydenham.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... =40#p91459]Rod Taylor who lapsed into Aramaic[/img], though more of a cry of despair than a joke. I stayed out of that one. Well done, you old intellectual, for picking it up, though.

[Tim Lund]

If this was the Wild West we'd gather a posse and run them out of Sydenham. Purelake are cowboys.

Like the posse you rounded up to keep Tescos out of Sydenham Road? All Purelake need to do, really, is to find a popular local cause to support financially, as Tescos did with the mosaic, and everything will be fine.

[leenewham]

Purelake have funded a mosaic Tim…sort of.

Although they need to finish the building to stick it on first.

[Tim Lund]

If this was the Wild West we'd gather a posse and run them out of Sydenham. Purelake are cowboys.

Like the posse you rounded up to keep Tescos out of Sydenham Road? All Purelake need to do, really, is to find a popular local cause to support financially, as Tescos did with the mosaic, and everything will be fine.

I disagree.

Your remarks concerning me are becoming increasingly personal, Tim. I may invite a certain repartee in the pub but I don't think it is entirely decorous here.

Sorry. I apologise for that. You are quite correct to correct me. I was reacting to your attack, also in the Town Hall, on Melissa.

[Eagle]

I have asked six locals and to a man and lady they said pull it down.

Not saying this is scientific survey , but I wonder whether the elite , who frequent this forum , are out of touch with the majority vies.

[leenewham]

It depends on how you asked the question Eagle.

OPTION 1:
Show a picture of the pub as it could look, inside and out with the tiled corridor in place, and that Purelake are committed to finish it and that is the plan and gave you a timetable for how long it would take, and said that Sainsbury's were definitely taking the unit behind.

OPTION 2:
Show a picture of a Sainbury's with some paving and planters in front of it where the Greyhound used to be which would make the shops and flats the most visible building at the entrance to Sydenham, similar to the new (empty) pocket squares.

Then ask them.

[G-Man]

Well said Lee. The idea that it should be pulled down would be another hole in the head for Sydenham. It doesn't make sense. At the moment people want to live in the area, and what they also need is things to do. And like it or not one of those desirable things that people like in an area is a decent family friendly pub. They Greyhound should be that. And will look tremendous when it is finished.

Why the hell are people so defeatist. You can bet this wouldn't happen if the same was going on in Forest Hill where people are a lot more engaged and upbeat.

G-Man

[leenewham]

I agree G-man.

Lets out loud sigh…