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)

[Blue Jam]

There is a bit of a doomed location near me in Embra which has been the site of at least four different bars in the last five years. They've all been pretty rough and bleak, but the second-most recent incarnation, The Mockingbird, was actually quite nice and bright and airy and seemed to have succeeded in turning things round on that front.

It closed just before lockdown, seemingly for refurbishment and relaunch. It reopened very briefly as My Friend The Murderer (not sure about that, it continues the literary theme I guess) selling pizzas and craft beer before having to close, and then it had a blackboard in the window with a cheery "We will be ready to welcome you soon!" scrawled on it...

...then the circuit breaker lockdown was announced, the shiny new sign was taken down and the blackboard message was hastily changed to "NOW CLOSED FOREVER", presumably by a very upset landlord.

It's also sad because The Mockingbird was owned by the same people who own The Earl of Marchmont, a really nice pub which hasn't reopened or indeed shown any signs of life since lockdown began. I don't know what the deal is with them and My Friend The Murderer but it's a worry.

[Head Gardener]

better safe than sorry at the local cornershop

[Blue Jam]

better safe than sorry at the local cornershop

That has to be in Scotland, right?

I was on a bus a few weeks ago and the driver refused to let a woman on for not wearing a mask, though I think the real reason was her being a jakey. She said "Naw, it's awright, I'll just put ma hauns over ma face" but the driver wasn't having any of it.

[Tony Tony Tony]

I was on a bus a few weeks ago and the driver refused to let a woman on for not wearing a mask, though I think the real reason was her being a jakey. She said "Naw, it's awright, I'll just put ma hauns over ma face" but the driver wasn't having any of it.

Can I say a heartfelt thanks for making me look up the term 'Jakey'?

Led me to this quote..

At the other end of the evolutionary scale are the jakeys' drinking dens where they serve Buckie on optics and you can get stabbed for owning more than one pair of shoes.

Also was saddened to see The Tower Restaurant atop the National Museum of Scotland has gone. Had a smashing slap up steak dinner there last time I was allowed in Jockland.

[FerriswheelBueller]

It's also sad because The Mockingbird was owned by the same people who own The Earl of Marchmont, a really nice pub which hasn't reopened or indeed shown any signs of life since lockdown began.

The Argyle is the superior boozer and is right round the corner. For shame.

[Blue Jam]

The Argyle is the superior boozer and is right round the corner. For shame.

I agree, but I didn't mention The Argyle because they've been open and appear to be doing quite well. I've been back twice but there are only four tables inside now and most times I've tried to get in they've all been taken, and it's too cold to sit outside now. No music or TV on either and I used to enjoy the soundtrack and the weird American college sports on the telly.

In other Embra boozer news The Aviator- the pub formerly known as Scotch-Hop and known as The Wayside before that- has closed again and there's a sign up advertising a vacancy for a new landlord. It's also being renovated and it looks like it's going to reopen under yet another new name.

I think it was doing alright- during lockdown they were selling lots of takeaway pints in plastic glasses and it looked busy once it properly reopened- but the latest landlord had probably just had enough. That pub has a reputation as the pub to go to if you've been banned from everywhere else and a succession of landlords have tried and failed to smarten it up a bit. The patrons buying those takeaway pints were making the area really unpleasant for a while, upsetting the locals by using car parks as makeshift beer gardens and nipping behind the bins outside Tesco for a piss.

It's not the roughest pub- not up there with The Grapes or The International Bar- but it's also not particularly great and there are superior boozers nearby.

In other rough Embra pub news The Victoria Bar And Lounge closed last year and the new tenants gave it a major overhaul and reopened it as Damm 27, a more family-friendly licensed restaurant and cafe. It was apparently quite nice but I never got round to checking it out before it closed, and it still hasn't reopened and the windows are still boarded up. That seems to be a theme round here- people trying really hard to make a place all nice and smart and pleasant and managing to some extent before having their dreams smashed :'(

[SpiderChrist]

There was a lovely cafe that specialised in tea (around 200 different types) and did great food, was friendly etc etc. Very cosy though, so it wasn't a surprise when they shut during lockdown and went online with tea and cake deliveries. Went past there the other day and they've shut for good, including the online business.

A lot of businesses struggling in Ely at the mo. Ely Cathedral is the landlord of a lot of properties and was still demanding full rent on the properties when the businesses were shut, which is tremendously Christian of them. Can't have the Bishop of Ely going without, can we?

[Alberon]

better safe than sorry at the local cornershop

Can I just pull my shirt up over my face?