The old HSBC building - what to do...
The old HSBC building - what to do...
I propose something that we probably never have had in Sydenham - how about a really nice crystal and gems shop!!! We've already got enough pubs, cafes, coffee places and eateries - how about something nice and sparkly, very interesting, educational and UPLIFTING...something that the high street desperately needs
cathy
the old hsbc has a nice outdoor area to the side and i think this unit may work best as an independant brasserie or maybe a chain like pizza express or sea cow etc ...something i feel the high street desperately needs.
its a great opportunity to add a bit of alfresco dining and add a bit of life to the high street in the evenings.
does anyone know what its future is...scott?
the old hsbc has a nice outdoor area to the side and i think this unit may work best as an independant brasserie or maybe a chain like pizza express or sea cow etc ...something i feel the high street desperately needs.
its a great opportunity to add a bit of alfresco dining and add a bit of life to the high street in the evenings.
does anyone know what its future is...scott?
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stone-penge
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I think it's too big for a crystal and gems shop and that sort of business relies a lot on passing trade, it's not so much a destination store. Footfall in the highstreet is diminishing.
I agree with smoke it, there is NOWHERE to buy Pizza in Sydenham and the old HSBC building woudl be perfect for such an enterprise. It's in a prominent position so deserves to be something that is a bit more inspirational than McDonalds (the old local choice supermarket woudl be perfect for somethign like that, especially if its one of the rather tasteful McDonalds designer restaurants).
Has anyone noticed that one of the fish and chips shops is applying for a license to turn itself into a friend chicken place (booo hisss) and we have a new 'supermarket' opening in the old photographic store (so declared by a scribbled message on a bit of scrap paper in the window).
I agree with smoke it, there is NOWHERE to buy Pizza in Sydenham and the old HSBC building woudl be perfect for such an enterprise. It's in a prominent position so deserves to be something that is a bit more inspirational than McDonalds (the old local choice supermarket woudl be perfect for somethign like that, especially if its one of the rather tasteful McDonalds designer restaurants).
Has anyone noticed that one of the fish and chips shops is applying for a license to turn itself into a friend chicken place (booo hisss) and we have a new 'supermarket' opening in the old photographic store (so declared by a scribbled message on a bit of scrap paper in the window).
[quote="leenewham"
Has anyone noticed that one of the fish and chips shops is applying for a license to turn itself into a friend chicken place (booo hisss) [/quote]
Pray god not a mcdonalds or another fast food chicken place. Or another pound shop
It would make a fantastic eaterie/ coffee shop with outside seating but not sure if the current climate can take another such venue in Sydenham
Has anyone noticed that one of the fish and chips shops is applying for a license to turn itself into a friend chicken place (booo hisss) [/quote]
Pray god not a mcdonalds or another fast food chicken place. Or another pound shop
It would make a fantastic eaterie/ coffee shop with outside seating but not sure if the current climate can take another such venue in Sydenham
Re: The old HSBC building - what to do...
that sounds like a very useful local convenience....Cathy wrote:I propose something that we probably never have had in Sydenham - how about a really nice crystal and gems shop!!!
I'd like a decent delicatessan/butchers/wet fish shop/cheese shop. Or maybe a proper jewlers (a la bewick). Or a shoe shop.
Please NOT a Macdonalds or Burger King... I can picture it now, turning into a very uninviting looking shop, as unloved and unnappealing as the various rubbish fried chicken establishments around. Sorry, but neither franchise would add value to the high street or fill a gap in the market. Junk food we have in abundance, decent quality food we don't.
Personally I would love a deli-style café/shop with some tables, staying open til late in the evening for light meals and coffee.....
Personally I would love a deli-style café/shop with some tables, staying open til late in the evening for light meals and coffee.....
Another thumbs down for any sort of BK/Mc D's/KFC - Sydenham doesn't need another garish fast-food joint, especially opposite the station where new visitors form their initial impression of the place.
How about an establishment that operates as a deli and coffee shop during the day, then becomes more of an informal restaurant in the evening? Having recently moved to Sydenham, I'm becoming increasingly interested in opening up such a venture on the high street, but the current economic climate means that now isn't exactly the best time to be doing it. The only option for an evening meal is Gurkhas. Their food is lovely, but sometimes you want something other than curry.
So, forumites, would you actually use a deli/coffee shop/restaurant like that, regularly, even though your disposable income is (probably) shrinking? I have to say that the high street isn't exactly the most inviting place in the evenings - in fact from memory about the only thing you can see are neon signs for kebab shops and fried chicken joints; wouldn't they put people off a nearby establishment, no matter how well-executed?
I moved to Sydenham thinking it was a place on the way up, what with the East London line extension, new cafes and planned high street regeneration. However, lately I've been thinking that nothing's really happening to change the current landscape of hairdressers and pound shops. It would be great to improve that, especially by starting up a new, local business. Opinions welcome.
How about an establishment that operates as a deli and coffee shop during the day, then becomes more of an informal restaurant in the evening? Having recently moved to Sydenham, I'm becoming increasingly interested in opening up such a venture on the high street, but the current economic climate means that now isn't exactly the best time to be doing it. The only option for an evening meal is Gurkhas. Their food is lovely, but sometimes you want something other than curry.
So, forumites, would you actually use a deli/coffee shop/restaurant like that, regularly, even though your disposable income is (probably) shrinking? I have to say that the high street isn't exactly the most inviting place in the evenings - in fact from memory about the only thing you can see are neon signs for kebab shops and fried chicken joints; wouldn't they put people off a nearby establishment, no matter how well-executed?
I moved to Sydenham thinking it was a place on the way up, what with the East London line extension, new cafes and planned high street regeneration. However, lately I've been thinking that nothing's really happening to change the current landscape of hairdressers and pound shops. It would be great to improve that, especially by starting up a new, local business. Opinions welcome.
Hi Chazza
I would definitely use such a place. I like to stop in to Blue Mountain for brunch & a coffee on the weekend, and I am always lamenting the lack of vaguely decent places to drop in to of an evening. Personally, ideally, I would like somewhere that would cater for an evening coffee and which would also do meals, ie so you have the choice of stopping in for 10mins or for an hour, if you know what I mean?
As far as location being a deterrent - take a look at That's Amore up on Kirkdale. Boyfriend and I had dinner there for the first time on Friday night. Location wise, it's as unnattractive as anywhere on the high street, but when you're inside you're not aware of that at all, you could be anywhere. The food is by no means spectacular but it is very nice, and it's a little oasis and refuge from the chaos and dirt outside! I think that would be a good inspiration for something in the HSBC building - find a way of sort of blocking out the neon and kebab shops.
If the Kirkdale location doesn't put people off That's Amore (and it was pretty busy on Friday night) then the HSBC location wouldn't put people off something equally good there, it's all about being creative....
I would definitely use such a place. I like to stop in to Blue Mountain for brunch & a coffee on the weekend, and I am always lamenting the lack of vaguely decent places to drop in to of an evening. Personally, ideally, I would like somewhere that would cater for an evening coffee and which would also do meals, ie so you have the choice of stopping in for 10mins or for an hour, if you know what I mean?
As far as location being a deterrent - take a look at That's Amore up on Kirkdale. Boyfriend and I had dinner there for the first time on Friday night. Location wise, it's as unnattractive as anywhere on the high street, but when you're inside you're not aware of that at all, you could be anywhere. The food is by no means spectacular but it is very nice, and it's a little oasis and refuge from the chaos and dirt outside! I think that would be a good inspiration for something in the HSBC building - find a way of sort of blocking out the neon and kebab shops.
If the Kirkdale location doesn't put people off That's Amore (and it was pretty busy on Friday night) then the HSBC location wouldn't put people off something equally good there, it's all about being creative....
there are places to go of an evening.... Golden Lion, Dolphin et cetera
As for eateries, there is gurkhas, Gara Masala, The chinese on the high st and the mexican place next to the Golen Lion.
I'd rather have a proper shop. All of this is just fantasy anyway....its not as if we have any say in the matter.
As for eateries, there is gurkhas, Gara Masala, The chinese on the high st and the mexican place next to the Golen Lion.
I'd rather have a proper shop. All of this is just fantasy anyway....its not as if we have any say in the matter.
Sorry Bensonby, but there are many times when I would really prefer to not go to a pub and would actually rather go somewhere with sober people and good coffee... I'm sure I'm not alone in this!
The Chinese on the high street is cheap and tacky looking and the food is really not very good (the Lin Yong on Dartmouth Road is much better but is only a takeaway), and the Mexican just looks too garish to me from the outside.
Bensonby, from previous discussions on the subject it's pretty clear you're not interested in changing the area and you're not keen on the types of venues Chazza and I are talking about, but other people are. And what exactly is it about a deli that makes it not qualify as a "proper shop"?
And as for whether we have a say - we do have a say, we can voice our opinion and if people with the money and inclination to open a business are listening then they may just open something we would like in our area. If we don't speak up then it will just stay fantasy, but if we shout loud enough someone might hear us! Is it really doing us so much harm to talk about it hypothetically anyway?
The Chinese on the high street is cheap and tacky looking and the food is really not very good (the Lin Yong on Dartmouth Road is much better but is only a takeaway), and the Mexican just looks too garish to me from the outside.
Bensonby, from previous discussions on the subject it's pretty clear you're not interested in changing the area and you're not keen on the types of venues Chazza and I are talking about, but other people are. And what exactly is it about a deli that makes it not qualify as a "proper shop"?
And as for whether we have a say - we do have a say, we can voice our opinion and if people with the money and inclination to open a business are listening then they may just open something we would like in our area. If we don't speak up then it will just stay fantasy, but if we shout loud enough someone might hear us! Is it really doing us so much harm to talk about it hypothetically anyway?
Natbeuk and Chazza - I couldn't agree more about how great it would be to have a cafe/restaurant/deli in the HSBC building. With its outside space and the potential for a 'pocket park' (one of the suggestions in the upgrade of Sydenham Road by TfL) it could be a really lovely spot. Don't despair Chazza - there's lots about to happen in Sydenham! The East London Line may open as early as Jan 2010, and by then TfL will possibly have taken over the station - which will mean better staffing arrangements. The upgrade of Sydenham Rd (new paving, street furniture and greenery) should be starting sometime soon - there will be an update on this at the next Sydenham Assembly (Sept 4, 7pm at the Naborhood Centre). The refurbished Dolphin has only been open for 18 months, and the Blue Mountain and Sugahill for less than a year - it just takes a couple of enterprising businesses to get going and others will follow. It's no surprise that since the Dolphin re-invented itself the Golden Lion has followed with its jazz and blues nights. Hang in there Chazza - your suggestion for the HSBC building is spot on!
not at all....natbeuk wrote:Is it really doing us so much harm to talk about it hypothetically anyway?
One doesn't have to drink in a pub, nor does one have to be drunk. Indeed, one certainly shouldn't be drunk in a pub - its against the law. the whole ethos of a pub is that it is somewhere for a community focus - it is a "public house." As such, it is good business sense for a pub to cater for the desires of the community - many pubs now do provide coffee, (out of interes, does the Dolphin?) and if they don't then you can make your voice heard and request it. If the demand is there then the service will shortly follow. I find this a far more realistic prospect than hoping for some "evening coffee houses."natbeuk wrote:Sorry Bensonby, but there are many times when I would really prefer to not go to a pub and would actually rather go somewhere with sober people and good coffee... I'm sure I'm not alone in this!
Well, its certainly not the best. But its ok-ish (edible) and it is conveniently located. The fact that it has survived for a long time (well over 20 years) is testament to the fact that it must be doing something right.The Chinese on the high street is cheap and tacky looking and the food is really not very good (the Lin Yong on Dartmouth Road is much better but is only a takeaway),
Never judge a book and so on.... I've eaten there once, and it was acceptable. What I really find a shame was the disappearance of the Turkish restaurant just up from Slatters.natbeuk wrote: and the Mexican just looks too garish to me from the outside.
I am certainly not "against changing the area" - far from it. What I am against is faddy gentrification. I would like the high street, and sydenham, to return to what it was like in the early nineties (when I was a nipper) with an eclectic array of old-fashioned shops. Think along the lines of, Hilliers, Buick's, whitrods, greengrocers, butchers, et cetera.natbeuk wrote: Bensonby, from previous discussions on the subject it's pretty clear you're not interested in changing the area and you're not keen on the types of venues Chazza and I are talking about, but other people are. And what exactly is it about a deli that makes it not qualify as a "proper shop"?
I'm not against a deli per se I'd like somewhere where I could buy nice meat and cheese. However, the cafe-stlye setup has been tried before (do you recall Finkels - some 6-7 years ago? near whereGara Masala is...) It closed down within a yar or two. the market simply isn't there and an evening cafe-style setup IMHO does not really fit in with what we are culturally used to and I believe the premesis would be better served by some kind of other service.
However, all of this is of course a pipe dream, if the market isn't there then the business will not follow.
I suppose you have a point, but I wouldn't hold your breath to be honest.natbeuk wrote: And as for whether we have a say - we do have a say, we can voice our opinion and if people with the money and inclination to open a business are listening then they may just open something we would like in our area. If we don't speak up then it will just stay fantasy, but if we shout loud enough someone might hear us!
Bensonby, what you term "faddy gentrification" is simply taste different to your own. By your own admission you want the area to return to what it is when you were young. No offence intended, but I think you need to accept that times have changed and are continuing to change.
I refuse to accept that if I want to go out in the evening I have to go to a pub. I don't have to do that in other parts of London so why should I have to in Sydenham, why should we not have choice?
Deeming the Mexican "acceptable" is not convincing me that I've overlooked a gem that would not be outshone by a nice establishment such as that which Chazza is describing!
As for the place that closed down 6-7 years ago, I would suggest you would find that the demographics of the area have changed enormously since then.
Bensonby, you and I will never agree on what constitutes a good place to go out to for an evening/meal/coffee/night, but surely our aim should be the same - encourage businesses to provide enough quality establishments of different types which will cater to everyone in the area, while simultaneously cleaning up and improving the high street?
It may be a pipe dream, but what's the point of writing it off before we've even tried?
I refuse to accept that if I want to go out in the evening I have to go to a pub. I don't have to do that in other parts of London so why should I have to in Sydenham, why should we not have choice?
Deeming the Mexican "acceptable" is not convincing me that I've overlooked a gem that would not be outshone by a nice establishment such as that which Chazza is describing!
As for the place that closed down 6-7 years ago, I would suggest you would find that the demographics of the area have changed enormously since then.
Bensonby, you and I will never agree on what constitutes a good place to go out to for an evening/meal/coffee/night, but surely our aim should be the same - encourage businesses to provide enough quality establishments of different types which will cater to everyone in the area, while simultaneously cleaning up and improving the high street?
It may be a pipe dream, but what's the point of writing it off before we've even tried?