LVIG is optimistic now (see item below) that works will soon commence on the flats above Coral, so we're looking to you, Ladywell residents and businesses, for a steer on where LVIG should next focus its attention. The decaying tooth in this Ladywell smile is of course the 'Snack Bar' which has remained in this state for more than ten years. But there are several contenders on the other side of the street too, with many of the original features in a poor state or obliterated by tasteless 'improvements'.
In the meantime the Council has confirmed it is taking enforcement action against the illegal advertisments above the shop unit at 79 Ladywell Road.
Robert Sheppard
16 comments:
The block of shops including Peacocks Food and Wine, the Barbers (now part of Peacocks) and the Launderette are very scruffy and could do with some attention. Even just removing some of the signage perhaps? Or a coat of paint above the shop signs(maybe not possible as they are privately owned, but it would be a big improvement). Well done on the Coral flats, brilliant.
Well I would go with the Snackbar - it's in a prime spot I would have thought but then Mason's is still empty so who knows?
If Leyton can do it, so can Ladywell:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2160777/London-2012-Olympics-Leyton-High-Road-gets-new-look-thats-Notting-Hill-EastEnders.html
As much as I hate to look at the Daily Mail, Anonymous above has an excellent point within the link.
How difficult would it really be to get everyone together (council, residents, shopowners) and agree on a style for Ladywell which smartens everything up and makes the entire place more welcoming. It does not need to be on anywhere the same scale as Leyton.
The styling on the Mason's side of the road looks really good. I don't really care too much what your business does but how much nicer would it be if the feel of the area was somewhat uniform.
Cost comes in to it of course but with the right expertise, some cash and (dare I say it) some enthusiatic volunteers why coudln't we do it?
Certainly some of the flats above most of the shops need some desperate attention before we have another Corals on our hands!
What Simon said.
As a local I would be willing to donate £££/time if there was a plan; I'm sure others would too...
Slightly off-topic, but why can Lewisham Council not invest a small amount into tidying up the entrance to Hilly-Fields, with some more attractive signage etc? The current signs in Lewisham's blue and green colours are incredibly tattered and ugly.
It seems as though the Fields are becoming more and more of a local attraction and a small improv,ment like this would make a big difference I think.
Dear ididnt - Just email martin.hyde@lewisham.gov.uk. He is the Council's Parks Manager and usually very responsive. It may also be worth raising this through the Friends of Hilly Fields - see www.hilly.org.uk/.
thanks - email sent.
And I would also be willing to help out with time
Would be good if some pressure could be put on the owners of Masons to do something. I have heard that the lease conditions are not very good and this is why people are not willing to take it on. Could be a really nice place though...
Is the snack bar up for sale? If so who with?
I LOVE that article showing the row of shops in Leyton High Road. I would help in any way I could to turn-around the look of the shops along Ladywell.
What with the Playtower and Streetscape scheme starting in early 2013 this would be a prime opportunity.
The carwash place too is very odd. They do great trade but it is also a bit shabby looking. Was something happening to the corner plot on Malyons Road where the large billboards are?
I met the owner of the snack bar a while ago now. he said he was holding onto the property as an investment. He probably would sell but isn't pressured to do so. The Leyton example is excellent but this involved some Olympic money which doesn't stretch to Lewisham unfortunately. I also think that Masons is key and its very disappointing that this hasn't been re-let. its a prime location and I'm sure can be made to work -does anyone know any budding restauranteurs?
It really doesn't help that people hold onto empty shops as "investments".
The owner of the snack bar would surely do better if he let the unit out to a business even for minimal rent. He's not making any money out of it right now and it will be crumbling inside.
We managed to get 46 ladywell road aka Slater and king
From an ugly sighted empty shop to a thriving new business so come on lvig...can u.pls clamp down on snack bar !
I rang the agents that are handling Masons (is it 38 Ladywell Road) a while ago and spoke to a very snooty woman who told me that negotiations for the lease were ongoing. I think I got her to take my number should negotiations break down - but I sense she probably didn't bother.
I think she said (this is from memory - though I probably wrote it down somewhere) that they wanted £30k a year in rent for the premises (may have been more - I know it struck me as expensive). Businesses like Masons have to pay tax many times once to the landlord (yes it's a tax albeit one confiscated into private hands), then to the council (NNDR), then HMRC (three kinds perhaps, payroll taxes on employees and owners drawings (NI and Income Tax) and then corporation tax on any "profits" and then there's the VAT man. It is hardly surprising that most of the benefit of any entrepreneurial zeal are swallowed by these burdens. Rent in particular is a deadweight loss and job killer and has to be paid to idle landlords at the same level regardless of the profitability of the business. I wonder if the rent is really what killed Masons as it seemed a reasonable place to me that ought to have remained viable.
Then we have the comment above by someone who says they have met the elusive owner of number 40 (the Snack Bar).
Our property taxes are stupid. Essentially owners of near derelict empty property are able to continue owning while letting them rot (the Snack Bar, flats above Corals and other premises in the village and all over the country for that matter). Why would they continue to own them and let them rot while doing nothing? Not even bothering to get a tenant. In order to collect the rents represented by the increase in land value that they can gather without doing anything at all. Meanwhile our tax system allows reductions and exemptions for empty buildings encouraging owners to do this, that is to do nothing.
Tax empty buildings and they will soon do something with them, sell them, do them up and use them themselves or to let them at a reasonable rent (owners will not be able to hang-on for such high rents as their property will be cositng them real money all the time it is empty).
This is land value tax. Henry George - Progress and Poverty - go read about it. It's also Green Party policy (actually it has support across the political spectrum and the media but still dare not speak it's name).
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