Topic: What businesses has the 'vid affected in your town?

[Blue Jam]

Asking because I'm genuinely anxious.

Just had a morbid wee browse of Zoopla and found that the premises of the Castle Terrace restaurant are available to let. A Michelin-starred restaurant with a months-long waiting list, leasing all their top-drawer kitchen equipment too, that's a real shock. I never went (tried to book once, hence knowing about that waiting list) but that doesn't bode well for other less award-winning restaurants here.

Also a sushi bar near my flat, along with an oat-themed cafe that did cranachan, overnight oats etc at ludicrous prices.

One of the G1-owned places, Pisspoor Southpour looks fucked, but owner Stefan King makes Tim Martin look genuinely deserving of a World's Best Boss mug so good riddance. That location was already doomed before the 'vid so I'm just surprised it lasted as long as it did.

Bit worried to hear The Stand comedy clubs in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle are in trouble. Got so many good memories of the Embra one, not least with Mr Jam.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I'd heard about The Stand but I don't actually know who else are in trouble because I've been living like an anchorite.

The GFT is reopening soon but I'll not be rushing back. They had the Glasgow Film Festival just before the lockdown though, so hopefully that'll have been a bit of a boost for them before this.

[buttgammon]

My favourite Korean restaurant is closing, sadly. I don't know what I'll do without their zigae.

Unfortunately, the lockdown has coincided with Wetherspoons trying to get a bigger foothold over here and as pubs that don't serve food are still closed, there's a real worry that a lot of good, old school pubs will close, while the big chains will prosper.

[flotemysost]

At a glance, things look almost normal - I suppose it's so densely populated here (Southwark) that even smaller businesses will likely have some footfall, and now that tourist attractions like Tower Bridge have re-opened there's lots of day trippers willing to spend money. A few branches of chains (Pret, Pizza Express) remain shut.

I'm worried about the theatres though. Bigger ones like the Bridge have a revised programme of socially-distanced performances from September (and I imagine even then they'll struggle), but there are a few smaller ones and pub venue type places round here - I'm sure things are probably quite tough for them at the best of times. I'm trying to donate where I can, and I've been getting coffees and pints at those which have re-opened their cafes/bars, but it would be really sad if they were wiped off the map.

[Pink Gregory]

Nothing gone that I know of yet (Bristol), though some bookings I have at the Tobacco Factory are being further and further rescheduled - and they also had to lay off about half of their staff, which is fairly horrific.

It's my most visited comedy venue since moving here, so if that goes, deso.

[Uncle TechTip]

Interested, i had a look at the only Michelin starred restaurant in Chester https://www.stickywalnut.net/ which on Maps you can see is in an old shop converted from a terraced house so they weren't seating many parties to begin with, maybe 10 at a time if they use upstairs as well, but goodness knows how many they serve now. However checking the site they are open and taking all the steps, but importantly I notice it's part of a group of six "Elite Bistros" in the North West so maybe they've been able to survive because of that.

Presumably every bill is way into three figures so will probably be fine.

[thenoise]

 Chiquitos gone, fuck am i going to get a tex mex fajita so big it gives me stomach ache with cocktails and silly hat?

[Blue Jam]

Chiquitos gone, fuck am i going to get a tex mex fajita so big it gives me stomach ache with cocktails and silly hat?

On the subject of Tex-Mex I am very concerned about Illegal Jack's in Embra. They were originally on Lothian Road but had to relocate after the dodgy landlord who owned the slum student flats above their premises refused to fix a leak and their ceiling collapsed. Despite running a successful business with a load of Observer Food Monthly awards the owners couldn't get a business loan anywhere and only survived thanks to a crowdfunder. They reopened on St. Patrick Square and were thriving once more until the 'rona hit. Now business loans are even harder to get and another crowdfunder might not be an option.

As I type they are still closed and the interior has been stripped. It's not looking good and I have been feeling like I could have murdered some of their fajitas for months now. Seriously, I really feel for the owners- they sell a great product and get all their ingredients from small local suppliers and they've just had such rotten luck. Meanwhile 'spoons will be alright...

[Marner and Me]

I think a few bars in our area (Chester) won't open up again, however the city centres a shit hole anyway. Only go there to go the pub or get my hair cut.

We've all said the places that'll do well after lockdown are the ones that are lawless. No Covid bollocks.

[Alberon]

I’ve no idea as I haven’t gone into my local town in five months and have no plans to go anytime soon. But then again it is Reading so that might be understandable.

I was in Beaconsfield the other week and a good few businesses have gone there and if they can’t cope God alone knows what it is like in poorer areas.

[Hand Solo]

I think a few bars in our area (Chester) won't open up again, however the city centres a shit hole anyway. Only go there to go the pub or get my hair cut.

We've all said the places that'll do well after lockdown are the ones that are lawless. No Covid bollocks.

I went in City Tavern a few weeks ago and we (3 of us) had to wait outside for a few minutes to be shown to a table, they didn't allow any group larger than 3 at each one. They handed out Track & Trace cards but we weren't required to fill out one, it was table service so I tried their obviously knocked together app to order drinks which wouldn't recognise my credit card the first few times until I got it working, I timed it and it took 5 minutes for them to turn up which wasn't too bad. Then a friend of mine messaged me on Facebook that he was outside and they weren't letting him in so I had to message our table number so they let him in, but he had to sit at another table. We ended up going somewhere small on Northgate Street where they let us all sit together and other than a one way system and table service, no fucks were given. Strange thing was some of the bigger pubs along that street which you'd think have more space for social distancing were closed completely.

[Blue Jam]

Sonder restaurant in Embra won't be back. When I moved to Embra there was a Chinese buffet place in the same premises on Clerk Street. That closed down and Clerk's Bar opened in its place- an excellent craft beer/pulled pork type of place. That was popular and always rammed until the owners sold it to a pubco who, in the time of artisanal gin and craft beer, inexplicably decided that what the area really needed was a Mexican Day of the Dead-themed tequila bar. That lasted six months and then Sonder opened, a molecular gastronomy place that got great reviews and seemed like it would do well, until the 'vid hit... I never went as it wasn't my thing but I'm quite sad about that, it was a proper independently-owned place and the owners seemed to be trying really hard and just starting to see their hard work pay off, they must be heartbroken.

Black Rooster Peri Peri will be the next place to try their luck in this doomed location. As far as I can tell it's Nando's minus any booze. I guess it beats another gourmet burger place.

In other news, Pisspoor will unfortunately be reopening but stuff is also happening at Illegal Jack's. If they'll be back I'll be the first through the door. Finished the last of my homemade pineapple barbecue sauce at the weekend and I'm craving the real deal.

[Blue Jam]

Also had some sad news about The Auld Hoose, Embra's bright and friendly goth pub serving Embra's biggest nachos (and that really wasn't an exaggeration, the biggest portion was the size of a couple of human heads). Apparently the landlord decided it was a good time to quit and now the owners are now looking for a new landlord. That's a real shame as it was one of those places with a low staff turnover and staff who also drank there- that's always a good sign and the staff were lovely. Whoever runs it next I hope they're made aware of that and make an effort to coax them back, but I imagine they're not hanging about waiting for an offer.

[bgmnts]

None of 'em.

I walked into the barbers yesterday, no appointments, no masks. Business as usual.

[Fambo Number Mive]

Not a business but the two Age Uk charity shops near me don't seem to have reopened.

[Dex Sawash]

The appallingly named baby supply store, Buy Buy Baby is gone pbuh.

Nonce Upon a Child, kids consignment shop can't be far behind.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

None of 'em.

I walked into the barbers yesterday, no appointments, no masks. Business as usual.

That's not a barbers THATS A MORGUE BABY

[peanutbutter]

Was in the centre of London for the first time since late June there yday, loads of places seemed to have packed it in since then. Huge amount of stuff in Fitzrovia that's obviously there to cater to office workers that are largely not coming back, bit of a graveyard (especially seeing as Oxford Street itself wasn't _that_ quiet)