Forum Topic

The Albion PH - Churchfield Road - Planning Application

As Iain has pointed out on another posting, the following is out for public comment - deadline 7 August:Ref: P/2009/1921 - (Mr Yoav Tal)2 THE ALBION PH CHURCHFIELD ROAD, ACTON, W3 6EG Conversion of Public House (Use Class A4) to Restaurant (Use Class A3) and Takeaway (Use Class A5);conversion of existing upper floor bedsits to six x 1 bedroom flats, incorporating a three-storey rear extension and mansard roof extension (following demolition of existing single-storey structures to rear);provision of cycle parking, refuse stores and landscaping to rear Consultation Expiry Date :- 07/08/09

Dee Cook ● 6266d52 Comments

Looks good.

Colin Murphy ● 6266d

The information is rather scanty: nothing on elevation, height, appearance.Nothing on car parking provision - I assume none.Difficult to therefore have an informed opinion.

Sara Nathan ● 6266d

Sara, they propose cycle parking. Car parking if any, would have to be underground or on the roof.Any parking pressure on Churchfield Road (following completion of the tabled application) will therefore be pushed to the surrounding streets.

Dee Cook ● 6266d

Ho hum!Would still rather have it than vacant, unproductive, sqatterridden alternative.

Sara Nathan ● 6266d

Do you think Acton can support another restaurant, so near to the one opposite and the other a few buidings away?Also the property market is stagnant - both letting and selling.So unless this development is going to be an extremely 'cheap' job, there's not much profit in it.That will not say much for the end 'design' result.

Dee Cook ● 6266d

I thought the developer was looking quite high end - but that's only from what I have read here, no other source.There could be synergy in a new restaurant and apartments in the same block.I don't know how you define "need" in this context. i suppose Acton needs what the market for restaurants will bear and that is to do with offer, price, location, USP and target.I am sad to see Mijori close - if that is what it is doing - but that doesn't necessarily mean Acton has a surfeit of restaurants - though I would have thought a good Korean - which it was - might do well. Maybe Japanese would do better.There are those that say more good and varied restaurants close together makes the patch into a bit of a Mecca so that all sorts of people would converge looking for a good night out....and everyone benefits. Dunno how you would demonstrate that though.

Sara Nathan ● 6266d

Presumably the new proprietor will have to apply for a drinks licence - that may give a clue as to what they are planning on site...... but if local people do not have the money to spend in such places, then it will fail ... but they could be aiming at the lower end of the market - judging from the number of abandoned beer cans in the area that might work.

Dee Cook ● 6265d

Ooh, you think they may want to serve drinks?If local people do not have money to spend in such places then indeed, Acton will become a mecca of poundshops.

Colin Murphy ● 6265d

........ and that appears to be what is happening

Dee Cook ● 6265d

what HAS happened!

D Moore ● 6265d

If only everything cost a pound, then the true value would be known.Money is debt!

John Pollastrini ● 6264d

Some places do well - the Rocket seems to be thriving and L'Oriental is often busy...and Chiswick heaves.So it's either got to be cheap enough to appeal to the Acton masses or good enough to appeal to the Chiswick and Acton congnoscenti.

Sara Nathan ● 6259d

Just checked on planning application - it has been withdrawn.P/2009/1921  24/06/2009  2 THE ALBION PH CHURCHFIELD ROAD ACTON W3 6EG LONDON Conversion of Public House (Use Class A4) to Restaurant (Use Class A3) and Takeaway (Use Class A5); conversion of existing upper floor bedsits to six x 1 bedroom flats, incorporating a three-storey rear extension and mansard roof extension (following demolition of existing single-storey structures to rear); provision of cycle parking, refuse stores and landscaping to rearWithdrawn

Dee Cook ● 6254d

Has it? I wonder why...and hope that doesn't mean nothing is going to happen for ages.

Sara Nathan ● 6254d

Mr Yoav Tal maybe has run out of money.  A three storey extension costs a lot of money.

Dee Cook ● 6254d

More likely he has been advised that the current application is unlikely to succeed (conflicts in some way with local policy?0 and he has withdrawn to prepare an ammended application......

Iain Muir ● 6254d

Just to put everyone out of their misery, the Albion should remain as the Rocket as an LP. That was one of the proviso's for the lease.  The place is quite rightly undergoing re-construction, there is no deadline. Whoever said that - it was just idle gossip.  Its a freehold building....that has stopped going through reconstruction becasue there is no deadline and no restrictions.  Trust me. I am very close with five previous owners.  The guy that is carrying out work is very professional, he got rid of the junkies (whom I also know very well) very quickly, work will start again in about 6 days!

Uzma Staite ● 6253d

Uzma, do you know if the flats above are to be sold or let out?

Dee Cook ● 6253d

Huge relief if work is going to continue - will it become a restaurant/gastropub and do you need a change of use for that?Has he decided just to modernise the flats on the current square footage do you know - which sounds fab to me but may not make very good economic sense.

Sara Nathan ● 6253d

We shall have to keep a look out for the next planning application, and see was is being proposed.

Dee Cook ● 6253d

Apparently it has just been withdrawn temporarily for some amendments to be made to the application but he is still looking at a restaurant with flats above and the elevation from Churchfield Road will look as it does now though the extension will be apparently different/bigger from Goldsmith Road.Sounds like it is all still happening and as if it might be OK too. Bit of a relief really.

Sara Nathan ● 6253d

... and they shall all have a good view from their windows of the large pile of mattresses, etc, now deposited next door to number 2 opposite .......

Dee Cook ● 6252d

yes Dee, not a 'great' view for first time visitors in Acton Central travelling by train

Veki Pavlova ● 6252d

Has anyone reported them - I hate to do it if it has been done as am fearful of the contractors being paid to collect twice.

Sara Nathan ● 6252d

If anyone can let me know who put it there I will attempt to do something about it - as this is on private land there could be a problem.

Dee Cook ● 6252d

The hoardings are down...there's still work going on in what will be the cafe area but it does look amazing. I do hope they manage to let it successfully.

Sara Nathan ● 5565d

nice paint job - let's hope they get their act together with regard to their waste collection arranagements.....

Dee Cook ● 5565d

Ever the little bundle of optimism, eh Doris!

Sara Nathan ● 5565d

just wait and see if they get themselves organised ...... dumping of domestic type waste emanating from the property has already been taking place

Dee Cook ● 5565d

Yes more decent restauants are always gd and it looks very attractive -just wondering what kind of rtaurant it will be?

Julie Lyons ● 5563d

I expect they don't know yet - it's quite vanilla in decor from what I can see - maybe to suit anyone.

Sara Nathan ● 5563d

The finish looks really good. I just hope a nice establishment rents it out. I moved from Fulham and anyone who's been to Cafe Plum on Munster Road will know what a social hub it can be at the weekend. Not sure the other greasy spoons would like it though...

Andy Heeps ● 5561d

Lavelli's/the Rocket/station house already do pretty good jobs at being social hubs. I'd be more worried about the effect on them than the greasy spoons

Sara Nathan ● 5561d

Note:  they only have planning permission for the following on the ground floor:Conversion of Public House (Use Class A4) to Restaurant Use Class A3) and Takeaway (Use Class A5)

Dee Cook ● 5561d

We were walking past the other day and asked one of the builders what was going to be put in there. He said it was going to be a lap dancing club. Pretty sure he was joking though! =)

Beth Hippisley ● 5560d

.......is that covered under 'resturant' or 'takeaway'  !!

Dee Cook ● 5560d

I have to say that I think the Albion looks great. And the building is a wonderful addition to the street.

Georgina Burns ● 5559d

You'd think people would be flocking to let it as a restaurant or some such:It's a great location - lots of footfall past the door from the station...plus the attractiveness of it.I do hope it's sorted soon while its still pristine

Sara Nathan ● 5559d

it is a fantastic location for a restaurant, trouble is there are six competitive outlets within 100 yards

Jeremy Thorpe-Woods ● 5558d

As the outlets were there before the planning application was submitted, one wonders what business accumen the developer has?  Let us hope I'm proven wrong.  Unless of course he/she plans to apply for a 'change of use'.I wonder when the flats will be let?

Dee Cook ● 5558d

Are the flats for let or sale?There are those who say that having a wide selection of restaurants (or other services) clustered together is economically the best option - I think its the hotelling principle - though I can't recall why. there are certainly areas it works well: the concentration in west hampstead or primrose hill is much greater and it seems that once you attract enough people by being a foodie mecca, they come and try others.Well, ever the optimist!

Sara Nathan ● 5557d

Harold Hotelling was an economist who said it often made sense for enterprises to make their products as similar as possible. Sometimes called the 'linear city' model. First name Harold. So suppose having several cafes/restaurants close together could work at Acton Central.

Guy Fiegehen ● 5557d

I thought it was about also locating them near each other - the ice-cream sellers on the beach clustering together. Or have I got my economic theories mixed? perfectly possible!

Sara Nathan ● 5557d

Dependent on the catchment area. Clustering works by drawing people to the area, but it depends on the number of people you have available or might draw into the area. Churchfield Rd catchment might be too limited.... However delightful!That being said I'm sure there's room for one more!

Jeremy Thorpe-Woods ● 5556d

A £5.50 eat all you can Chinese Buffet would work well at this location, like the one called the Wok (I think) just up from Acton Park south side - as to does the one in the cinema complex off the western avenue.

Dee Cook ● 5555d

Tends to be pretty poor quality @ £5.50 pp !

Roger Foreman ● 5555d

Can't we be a fraction more aspirational?Such a lovely site now

Sara Nathan ● 5555d

Sara, 'Aspirational' costs money.  If it is not cheapish it won't work. The local population can't afford anything else, they want to take it home with some cheap beer in blue plastic bags and eat in front of the TV - there aren't enough people yet living in the area who can afford £14 for a main course who want to eat local.£5.50 works - see the queues (you can't get into the one on the Western Avenue on a Saturday lunchtime)- so the quality can't be that bad.  It is always full.That's why you see so many Primark bags in Acton and not Westfield ones!

Dee Cook ● 5555d

But 'So Asia' was a cheap 'all you can eat' buffet, and that didn't survive in Acton! My concern with those places is the food not being kept at the correct temperature to prevent possible food poisoning!While I agree many people cannot afford £14 for a main course, I am sure there could be something better - a Pizza Express? Zizzi?

Amanda Knights ● 5555d

Amanda the food is not in the containers long enough to cause food poisoning..... not everyone likes Asian food, Chinese appears to go down much better with the Eastern Europeans - go take a look.One of the chains, yes, or Costa/Pret, etc, would put Acton on the map - plus a Waitrose - unfortunately it has to be said - local enterprise may suffer.

Dee Cook ● 5555d

Dee, So Asia did Chinese and Thai food, as well as Indian - all part of Asia I believe! I think the Albion premises are probably too small for a Waitrose, but maybe the 'retail unit' at the 'Tram depot' site is better? Well, we can dream......

Amanda Knights ● 5554d

How about another hostel for street drinkers seems they're always in demand???

Jeremy Thorpe-Woods ● 5550d