| Author |
Message |
Deanos
Joined 01-12-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, 10 October, 2006 - 09:00 am: | |
Seems to be closed... GAH! He was closing for a holiday and yesterday the whitewash was up on the windows. Anyone have any idea what's going on? Surely not another victim of the infamous HOP rent increases?! |
Liz
Joined 26-04-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, 10 October, 2006 - 09:10 am: | |
The owners of a nearby shop said Anthony (the guy who runs the deli) was taking a bit of a sabbatical but were confident he was opening up again. But whitewash on the windows doesn't sound good. They did mention the landlord was being difficult at the moment. |
Jbird
Joined 13-02-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, 10 October, 2006 - 05:18 pm: | |
I wouldn't be surprised if that was the end. The landlord (and I hope they read this) seems to be doing everything they can to drive business out of HOP. Rent rises, restrictions on trading, conversion to residential property. Anthony told me he would like to open up early and sell coffee to people on the way to the train station, but the terms of his lease wouldn't allow it, or a whole number of other things that would have let him make a bit of money.
The stupidity of the landlord's behaviour beggars belief. So, apart from supporting our shops with our wallets, what else can we do to put pressure on the landlord to contribute and make this area better? Any ideas? |
Bosco
Joined 16-07-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, 10 October, 2006 - 05:39 pm: | |
Without wishing to defend unscrupulous landlords, the restriction on selling coffee to take away from a deli is more likely to be a planning issue than anything else.
Equally, Landlords generally do not have the right to just put up rents willy nilly - these Tenants can't all have entered into leases without rent review provisions surely?! |
Jbird
Joined 13-02-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, 11 October, 2006 - 09:11 am: | |
I don't have first hand knowledge of commercial tennancies, so I'm sure you're right, Bosco. It just seems that every shopkeeper I speak to on that little arcade says they're being squeezed financially and held back commercially, all at the same time. |
Theotherbrian
Joined 28-03-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, 11 October, 2006 - 05:26 pm: | |
I have spoken to one of the shopkeepers and his tale is a very sorry one concerning loss of income at the hands of his landlord and by all accounts some shabby dealings. I've made this point before after the Red Room shut but the landlord does seem to be doing the utmost to turn the Honor Oak shops into something you only see in local history books. I am sad if the latest story turns out to be so as the deli was a real asset to the area - more than I can say about the cheap and shabby flat conversions. |
Tapastry
Joined 10-09-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, 12 October, 2006 - 01:24 pm: | |
had a chat with anthony today-he's planing to re launch this week sometime, but has a problem with flooding upstairs...
he's invested in some new equipment and products... as a tenant myself it's important people like anthony stay. honor oak is only just blossiming... we need all the shops full to make this community to bloom.
jason |
Deanos
Joined 01-12-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, 12 October, 2006 - 02:08 pm: | |
Great news and a massive relief! COME ON YOU DELI!!!! |
Theotherbrian
Joined 28-03-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, 12 October, 2006 - 06:20 pm: | |
That is such good news! My Sunday breakfast of Portuguese custard tarts and coffee is safe. |
Jbird
Joined 13-02-2006
| | Posted on Friday, 13 October, 2006 - 09:14 am: | |
Magic. Looking forward to popping in again soon. |
Catherine
Joined 06-04-2005
| | Posted on Friday, 13 October, 2006 - 01:39 pm: | |
That is fantastic news....Anthony's shop is a lovley addition to Honor Oak Park, and I would be so sorry to see it go. Perhaps the landlord is more interested in creating flats (I agree with Theotherbrian - the conversions are dreadful), but that would make Honor Oak Park just another nondescript area with no soul. |
Gman
Joined 22-10-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, 24 October, 2006 - 01:38 pm: | |
I have just joined Se23 and moved to Honor Oak Park in December 2005.
We bought in the area because we really like the variety of shops / bar etc on the High street such as the Red Rooms and the Deli.
It seems such a same that shops are closing down and made into flats since I feel that this will change the nature / character of the area and could possibly stop the area from developing.
I understand from previous posting that the majority, if not all, of the shops along the High Street are owned by one individual and that Willmotts acts as agents on behalf of the individual / freeholder.
I do not really understand the reason why the shops have closed down since they seemed to be well used by the people in the local community.
Someone posted that the landlord increased the rent and that the tenants could not afford to stay in the premises. This does not really make sense since tenants have certain rights by virtue of their occupation.
I work as a general practice chartered surveyor for a very well established property company. My work involves providing commercial property advice to either tenants or landlords on all property matters.
I am more than happy to donate some of my free time to help the shop occupiers on the high street to receive a fair deal when they have a lease renewal, rent review or indeed take a lease on a unit.
One way to ensure that all of the occupiers on the High are getting a good deal is for all of them to be open with each other so that they can work together to ensure that the landlord does not increase the rent on one unit above market value or above what the other tenants are paying.
On a separate matter perhaps another way of stopping the residential conversion of the High Street is to stop using the agents who act on behalf of the freeholder.
Please note that this posting is not meant to be negative in nature and it is my intention to offer help in order to preserve what I feel is important to the area. |
Jbird
Joined 13-02-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, 25 October, 2006 - 08:58 am: | |
Appreciate your thoughts, Gman. I'm not a trader but it sounds like good sense to me. |
Liz
Joined 26-04-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, 29 October, 2006 - 06:26 pm: | |
The Deli still isn't open! Any more updates? If anyone sees Anthony, they really should advise him to at least put a notice in the window telling his customers what's going on and when he plans to reopen. |
Jbird
Joined 13-02-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, 31 October, 2006 - 08:52 am: | |
Update! I walked past the shop today and there's a new sign in the window requesting applications for staff to work in the shop. Looks like it's repoening which is great news.
Crazy bit of business though, just closing without warning for a few months. |
Evanick
Joined 29-09-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, 15 November, 2006 - 01:55 pm: | |
I don't want to be a spoil sport but my opinion about the deli was rather negative. The man who ran it was just words, he seldom had the stuff I wanted but offered to order it next week or whenever. He never kept his promises and i am hoping someone more organised takes over. Also the local hairdresser did not have anything good to say about him. |
Sandy
Joined 08-10-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, 15 November, 2006 - 10:30 pm: | |
I'm surprised this message has not been moderated out. |
Evanick
Joined 29-09-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, 16 November, 2006 - 11:49 am: | |
It was just my opionion and it was not offensive. I used to like this shop when it first started and was ran by nice Cypriot people. |
Anthonym
Joined 31-10-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, 16 November, 2006 - 03:45 pm: | |
Hear..hear Sandy!i too would have thought given the nature of this site that those type of comments would be moderated out, but it goes to show there are nice people and then there are the rest.
It is just as well that most comments on this site are in the positive and as such extremely welcome. The fact that the "hairdresser" has nothing positive to say simply demonstrates two things:
1)Like minded "individuals" to be generous in description will always find each other.
2)This aptly demonstrates the close knit bond and solidarity......Yeah i am kidding... that exists in the oh so forward thinking zone that is the Honor Oak parade.
There are exceptions to the rule: namely the five or so newer businesses like Tapastry-Jumping Bean-Italian Med restaurant-I.D and of course the del, all of whom are trying to help in developing the sort of parade the majority of the residents want. This is despite the dyed in the wool 1960's throwback, protectionist thinking dinosaurs who would like all the new businesses to dissapear.
Well i can breathe now! and i am sorry to have to dissapoint "Evanick" but the deli is set to
re-open very soon -with a few changes as requested by many of the faithful.
just a thought "Evanick" there are other deli's a bus ride or so away. They perhaps might entertain your special requirements and may well be staffed by nice Cypriot- like people to welcome you and your oh-so non offensive opinions.
Good luck and see you very-very soon. |
Seeformiles
Joined 09-04-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, 16 November, 2006 - 03:56 pm: | |
Does that mean we're only ever allowed to say nice things about local services even if it's not true? Obviously there is a diplomatic way of saying something but I don't agree that this forum exists only to say positive things. We wouldn't get very far discussing the ELLX for instance if that was the case. |
Bosco
Joined 16-07-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, 16 November, 2006 - 04:19 pm: | |
So what you're saying Anthony is that in respect of your business you listen to positive feedback but ignore the negative - rather a dangerous practice IMHO. |
Sandy
Joined 08-10-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, 16 November, 2006 - 11:49 pm: | |
It isn't negative comment per se I object to but negative personal remarks which add nothing to the debate. |
Leaf
Joined 05-08-2006
| | Posted on Friday, 17 November, 2006 - 12:29 am: | |
i dont see what was offensive about evanicks comments?
they were only comments on how he/she found the deli to be,seemed fair to me,if i were the shop owner i would take that as constructive criticism and work on it. |
Deanos
Joined 01-12-2005
| | Posted on Friday, 17 November, 2006 - 09:12 am: | |
Massive overkill. Evanick is expressing a view, that's all, nothing nasty in it at all. Personally I'm looking forward to the Deli re-opening, but I have had issues in the past. For example, I've not been a big fan of their fruit and veg having found it to be off when I'm picking it, solution: I don't buy fruit and veg in there. However, the range of packaged food was great as were the meats, cheeses and houmousy type things (all home made). I can't wait for them to open again and if they have new suppliers for perishables, I'll be even happier. But lay of the poor bloke who dared to critisise. |
Sandy
Joined 08-10-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, 18 November, 2006 - 12:14 am: | |
it was not criticism of the service that was the problem but the comment "Also the local hairdresser did not have anything good to say about him.|" that I objected to. Gratuitous personal remarks do not amount to 'constructive criticism'. Call me old fashioned but I think it is possible to express a view robustly without being offensive. |
Millesens
Joined 21-04-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, 18 November, 2006 - 02:37 pm: | |
It seems that one was expressing simple dissatisfaction with the shop s services. Now if bad things had been said about Sainsubury s we would all approve that the democratic process is in place for consumers to say if they are happy or not, so why can t we use the same process for a small retailer ? Also the comment referring to a chat with another nearby business bore a negative connation on the business running side of things but nobody offended personally the owner, as I understand it ( nobody said he was a criminal, an idiot, he was rude or something like that...). To be honest I think the owner has now gained even more exposure thanks to those negetive comments as well as the positive because they have generated discussion. People like me who did not even know the shop existed will want to test the service for themselves and will go there when it opens. |
Baggydave
Joined 19-05-2004
| | Posted on Monday, 20 November, 2006 - 05:44 pm: | |
More handbags - what's this site like?
Forget the deli - check out the Turkish supermarket on Forest Hill Road - it's great |
Seeformiles
Joined 09-04-2005
| | Posted on Monday, 20 November, 2006 - 05:55 pm: | |
I put my handbag back in the cupboard BG. |
Evanick
Joined 29-09-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, 21 November, 2006 - 11:34 am: | |
My negative comment was not meant to offend anyone but to be a "constructive criticism" as someone mentioned earlier.
Anyway, for soya milk which I used to buy in the deli I found our local Indian shop to be a reliable supplier now. |
Dotcom
Joined 21-04-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, 21 November, 2006 - 01:53 pm: | |
I still think the hairdresser should be allowed to make her own remarks. |
Baggydave
Joined 19-05-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, 22 November, 2006 - 03:00 pm: | |
Indian shop - is that where they sell Indians and if so all sorts? Or is it specific to Indians from the sub continent, American native Indians, West Indians, South American Indians or Indians from the East Indies.
I was lucky enough to live close to a (girl) guide shop once. But when I asked to buy one they called the police, surely there is a Trades Descriptions Act issue here |
Evanick
Joined 29-09-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, 05 December, 2006 - 02:18 pm: | |
obviously meant shop run by Indians or Pakistanis. They provide good service and are always open. |
Tapastry
Joined 10-09-2006
| | Posted on Monday, 08 January, 2007 - 05:40 pm: | |
the deli is now back open with a new look... |
Evanick
Joined 29-09-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, 09 January, 2007 - 12:09 pm: | |
Graet, will pop in on my way back from work. |
Broadbeanster
Joined 12-02-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, 13 February, 2007 - 02:34 pm: | |
Mmmmmm.... portugese custard tarts.... |
