WALTHAMSTOW: Historic pub to become supermarket (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)
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WALTHAMSTOW: Historic pub to become supermarket
1:16pm Thursday 22nd December 2011 in Your Local Areas By Daniel Binns
WALTHAMSTOW: Historic pub to become supermarket
THE owner of a former pub is to turn it into a supermarket and has applied for permission to sell alcohol between 6am and 1am seven days a week.
Berivan Sahin is seeking a licence for the new store in the historic Plough Inn in Wood Street, Walthamstow.
Workmen have spent the last few months gutting the building and this week installed shelves.
According to a sign in the building's window, residents have until January 18 to make comments on the plans.
The building operated as a pub for more than 100 years and had become a popular music venue in recent years.
It closed on January 1 this year.
At the time of its closure staff were sent a letter purporting to be from its new owner claiming he wanted to build flats on the site.
The building was sold for between £600,000 to £750,000, according to sources.
Former co-owner Edward Sline said the pub had become non-viable as a business and was losing money.
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Comments(25)
RichieA70
says...
2:16pm Thu 22 Dec 11
I noticed the upper windows have been replaced by plastic framed one. What a disgraceful way to treat such a fine building.
The building is still entirely viable as a pub - the previous owners just ran it very poorly on my numerous visits before it closed.
saddened woodstreeter
says...
2:30pm Thu 22 Dec 11
saddened woodstreeter
says...
3:18pm Thu 22 Dec 11
dbinns
says...
4:16pm Thu 22 Dec 11
Daniel Binns, WF Guardian
Dave mp
says...
4:31pm Thu 22 Dec 11
The pub owners and management were not interested in the pub, that is why it was 'run into the ground.' unfriendly, slow 'can't be bothered staff also added to it becoming unpopular.
Lots of people arranged good music nights, mostly at their own expense and their were some well known artists at The Plough Inn including Martin McCarthy, Wreckless Eris, TV Smith, John Otway, Barry Melton, Bernard Manning (least said!), Amy Wrigby, Robin Williamson and many many others.
This venue needed caring owners and management (and good staff). With them it would have still been open.
Dave mp
says...
4:36pm Thu 22 Dec 11
CDSCDS
says...
9:59pm Thu 22 Dec 11
The success was despite the management rather than because of it - lacking even modest investment. Often there was not even any bar staff to serve a room full of punters wanting to buy drinks! However, it was a popular venue, well located and loved by music-goers. The packed nights for the farewell gigs showed the potential. Although most of the credit should go to the clubs and individuals who ran their own nights, making up for the lack of drive from the owners.
This is a loss to the community and to live music in Walthamstow. The creation of another supermarket does not add anything to the locality...it also is a wasted business opportunity.
With a bit of support and interest from the new owners, it could be great again!
Where is the support and leadership from the local authority? Don't we want to keep our social community together?
I fear it will be another sad loss for grass roots music, and another win for the anonymous "super"market.
Dave mp
says...
1:39am Fri 23 Dec 11
Totally agree. Another sad loss to Walthamstow, which is fast becoming a cultural desert. Where will local musicians be able to 'practise their art' now?
Stendec
says...
10:13am Fri 23 Dec 11
ShinySue
says...
10:24am Fri 23 Dec 11
Robert19
says...
5:52pm Fri 23 Dec 11
ShinySue wrote:I think you will find the answer in the previous post to yours. Councils have very little power over types of retail use any more.
How depressing...why does the council allow this time and time again?
leyton_man
says...
12:06pm Sat 24 Dec 11
I hope there will be an investigation as who is signing off on these conversions, presumably the same signatures allowing the proliferation of all the unwanted residential developments.
leyton_man
says...
12:08pm Sat 24 Dec 11
I hope there will be an investigation as who is signing off on these conversions, presumably the same signatures allowing the proliferation of all the unwanted residential developments.
leyton_man
says...
12:09pm Sat 24 Dec 11
I hope there will be an investigation as who is signing off on these conversions, presumably the same signatures allowing the proliferation of all the unwanted residential developments.
Walthamster
says...
12:45pm Mon 26 Dec 11
Robert19 wrote:No Robert19, councils can make all kinds of stipulations if they want to.
ShinySue wrote:I think you will find the answer in the previous post to yours. Councils have very little power over types of retail use any more.
How depressing...why does the council allow this time and time again?
Waltham Forest council doesn't do anything to protect the area or its people because it doesn't care about them.
Being a councillor provides a large income and many opportunities to further their business interests.
Many people have commented here and on other news stories about the damage being doesn't this borough, either by the council or without any action by the council to prevent it.
Walthamster
says...
12:47pm Mon 26 Dec 11
Many people have commented here and on other news stories about the damage being done, in this borough, either by the council or without any action by the council to prevent it.
pan
says...
10:50am Wed 28 Dec 11
I am a firm believer and supporter in keeping certain buildings as they are and ensuring the character of towns and cities as they once were yet if this is to happen it must come from the residents rather than the council. If you want to keep a facility then use it or lose it. For a pub to survive when they are shutting day by day it must be popular and have a good turn over. If a business is not viable them it will obviously close, that's not the councils problem.
If communities are no longer using the venues they will go. In many areas now community needs and services are not what they were fifty years ago or even twenty years ago. Consumer trends are what dictate the high street and facilities not sentiment and nostalgia.
The pub culture such as we all see in EastEnders is an illusion of yesteryear where the old man went top the pub after work etc. Communities have changed and so has the demand.
Walthamster
says...
2:21pm Wed 28 Dec 11
Look at the Rose & Crown in Hoe Street to see what people can do when they want to bring a place back to life. The Rose & Crown is winning awards now.
An active and competent council would be promoting leisure as part of Waltham Forest's infrastructure. That's part of a council's duty. It not only could stop this area's downward slide - it has a duty to do so. But that would involve lazy our councillors in a bit of effort.
pan
says...
6:19am Thu 29 Dec 11
I am sure with the impending Olympics the council feel that their leisure quota is well and truly fulfilled.
pan
says...
6:19am Thu 29 Dec 11
I am sure with the impending Olympics the council feel that their leisure quota is well and truly fulfilled.
Walthamster
says...
11:19am Thu 29 Dec 11
It IS a council's duty to promote the area's infrastructure, and that includes leisure opportunities and historic buildings.
As you say, not everyone goes to a pub. But events at both the Plough and the Standard brought audiences, and the money they spend, into the borough as well as serving a large local community.
Waltham Forest's last cinema closed nine years ago (a historic building that's been left to rot), the dog track has closed, the market is being run down, it took a long battle to stop the council getting rid of the William Morris art collection. The only thing that's built is cramped housing for newcomers.
Closure of a historic music venue is yet another loss to Waltham Forest's infrastructure. A well-run council would try to protect what little we have left.
Walthamster
says...
11:23am Thu 29 Dec 11
That's the usual fate in Waltham Forest.
Anyone want to lay bets on how long before the supermarket disappears (lots of competition in Wood Street) and plans go in for a block of flats?
Dave mp
says...
11:31am Thu 29 Dec 11
The Plough Inn has already converted the kitchen and back room toilets into additional flats. I believe they have installed a kitchen in the cellar as well.
I also believed that they originally applied to convert both bars into two flats.
Obviously that is what will happen when the shop fails, how many more shops does Wood Street need?
Walthamster
says...
12:07pm Thu 29 Dec 11
Dave mp wrote:Surely this is in breach of planning laws?
In reply to Walthamster.
The Plough Inn has already converted the kitchen and back room toilets into additional flats. I believe they have installed a kitchen in the cellar as well.
I also believed that they originally applied to convert both bars into two flats.
Obviously that is what will happen when the shop fails, how many more shops does Wood Street need?
fabster says...
1:36pm Thu 22 Dec 11