Can someone tell me why a smart laundrette (and I do mean smart, and funky, even, as someone showed upthread) would be wrong for this site? As long as the building looks good, I don't see why it can't continue to be a laundrette. If people want something that will attract young professionals and make the area look up-and-coming, a GOOD laundrette is a strong selling point. People working long hours living in flats with no drying space want a decent laundrette where they can drop off the washing for a service wash on the way to work and pick it up on the way home. Add to that a shirt service and home deliveries (also mentioned upthread) and you'll be a busy little laundry. If I got off the train at FH and saw that sort of business thriving in the centre of the town, I'd be impressed, not put off.

There is the potential for a great business here. A clean, busy laundrette is a sign of a thriving area populated by people with busy lives. Moreover, a laundrette that has been made to look smart in a nice looking building is much more impressive than a glossy estate agents, because it shows investment and care in the very essentials of the community.