Saturday, 25 June 2011

May suit alternative use

...subject to planning permission of course. Such is the description on many entries for pubs for sale on estate agents’ websites. So, if your local pub closed down, what would you like to see in its place? I asked the question: “Which of these would you prefer on your street?” There were 35 responses, broken down as follows:

A block of Housing Association flats: 5 (14.3%)
A derelict pub: 4 (11.4%)
A kebab shop: 5 (14.3%)
A nail parlour: 1 (2.9%)
A restaurant that is outside your price range: 9 (25.7%)
A Tesco Express: 11 (31.4%)

Perhaps I should have made it clear that the “derelict pub” was one that had zero prospect of ever reopening as licensed premises. Personally I went for a Tesco Express, as that would be handy for my top-up shopping, but a kebab shop within easy walking distance would also be good. None of the others would be of any use to me, and I wouldn’t really want a rotting eyesore just down the way.

Incidentally, the poll was prompted by this thread about whether it would be a good thing for Marco Pierre White to convert a local pub into a poncey restaurant gastropub. I reckoned the locals would probably find a Tesco Express more useful. If there was a poncey restaurant I’d be worried about Mercs and Range Rovers taking up all the parking spaces.

on

4 comments:

  1. Paul26 June 2011 at 20:35

    You say kebab shop - but kebab shops are not all the same. Do you mean an awful kebab shop that serves the most appalling sludge up or a really good kebab shop that does other fine Middle Eastern takeaway foods really well?

    If they're the kind of disgusting monstrosities that you see in many town centres that you're referring to when you say "kebab shop" then I'll go with the Tesco Express. If it's a pot-luck deal, I'll go with the Tesco Express too. :)

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  2. Curmudgeon26 June 2011 at 20:39

    I think you're taking this poll too seriously there ;-)

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  3. Neil, Eating isn't Cheating27 June 2011 at 09:59

    I think you've skewed the results a little bit here. Thor original post you mention talks about a gastropub opening up in a village but your poll is talking about what business opens up 'on your street'.

    The types of business I want in the town I live are VERY different to the businesses I want on the street I live. So yes I agree a tesco express is handy on the street you live, and I wouldnt particularly want a kebab shop down my street, but I wouldnt mind one in the town centre, or a few streets away.

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  4. Curmudgeon27 June 2011 at 10:35

    In a village it is effectively on your street. But, again, not a poll to be taken too seriously...

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