What's happening to The Island pub?

[Franklin_Delano_Roosevelt]

So, to compare, you'd have happily seen the Post Office go the same way, instead of wait for the right person to come along, the one with vision and integrity to do things right?

Your comparison of The Post Office to the Island Pub is bizarre in the extreme. For a kick off The Post House is a large, 18th Century Georgian building in the centre of town that has English Heritage listed status and significant history of being not only the town post office but before that the seat of the town's MP.
The Island Pub on the other hand is a small run down former boozer that has no listing and sits in the middle of a busy roundabout.

The idea that if it was left boarded up to rot further someone with a great taste in windows and doors who also boasts bottomless pockets would have ridden into town on a white charger to save the building from UPVC crimes against glazing is laughable.

 

[1JKz]

I'd wait, in the mean time (and ideally, if the council had the powers that be) have the owner/landlord make sure no further damage was caused to the building, be it; making the place water tight; visually appealing; etc, and yeah, wait.

If you're saying the council owned the building, then they should have made a better upkeep of the building, until the right developer did come along.

A lot of us live in cloud cuckoo land (of course me included), all's i'm saying is, i don't like to see an old building developed with what looks like disregard for its overall look now and in years to come, so ideally yes someone with vision (above bogstandardom) and make the building look great and in turn Stafford and in turn further Stafford's standing as a great place to live, work and play!

I see this latest change as further proof there is a slow but steady erosion of our great town, though there are some great places being maintained and developed.

...and, have i said i don't like the windows and doors?

 

[proactive]

I'd wait, in the mean time (and ideally, if the council had the powers that be) have the owner/landlord make sure no further damage was caused to the building, be it; making the place water tight; visually appealing; etc, and yeah, wait.

If you're saying the council owned the building, then they should have made a better upkeep of the building, until the right developer did come along.

A lot of us live in cloud cuckoo land (of course me included), all's i'm saying is, i don't like to see an old building developed with what looks like disregard for its overall look now and in years to come, so ideally yes someone with vision (above bogstandardom) and make the building look great and in turn Stafford and in turn further Stafford's standing as a great place to live, work and play!

I see this latest change as further proof there is a slow but steady erosion of our great town, though there are some great places being maintained and developed.

...and, have i said i don't like the windows and doors?

Is it not better to have it open, employing people and being used, albeit looking less 'pretty', than shut, looking great and doing nothing?

 

[Franklin_Delano_Roosevelt]

I'd wait, in the mean time (and ideally, if the council had the powers that be) have the owner/landlord make sure no further damage was caused to the building, be it; making the place water tight; visually appealing; etc, and yeah, wait.

If you're saying the council owned the building, then they should have made a better upkeep of the building, until the right developer did come along.

A lot of us live in cloud cuckoo land (of course me included), all's i'm saying is, i don't like to see an old building developed with what looks like disregard for its overall look now and in years to come, so ideally yes someone with vision (above bogstandardom) and make the building look great and in turn Stafford and in turn further Stafford's standing as a great place to live, work and play!

I see this latest change as further proof there is a slow but steady erosion of our great town, though there are some great places being maintained and developed.

...and, have i said i don't like the windows and doors?

I could understand your argument more if the building hadn't been empty for long but the fact is that it had been empty for years and the reality is that in tough economic times no one else was going to come along and do something else - if they were going to chances are they would have done.

I think it is the right decision in this case as others have said to get it open, get it being used again providing a service, employing people and perhaps even providing much needed tax revenue - ALL of these things outweigh the requirement to endlessly wait for some mystical person to come along and furnish an unlisted building with pretty windows. This is fantasy land stuff and I'm sorry I just don't follow the argument that it is better off boarded up at all.

 

[1JKz]

alright alright, cripes.

 

[Gramaisc]

Some of us can remember Brian's Wallpapers.....

 

[proactive]

Some of us can remember Brian's Wallpapers.....

I thought that was a lovely shade of blue. Added much needed character to the place.

Nowadays, they'd use inferior quality paint, I suppose...

 

[tek-monkey]

Maybe we could all pay a bit more tax to make a fund to keep buildings in a nice state when people who own them can't be bothered?

 

[My Name is URL]

Is it not better to have it open, employing people and being used, albeit looking less 'pretty', than shut, looking great and doing nothing?

Are the two mutually exclusive?

 

[tek-monkey]

Are the two mutually exclusive?

Of course not, but the new resident is under no obligation to do anything other than they wish. If they want to spend the absolute minimum and make the place look wrong that is their decision, not mine. Don't get me wrong, the windows and doors look proper shite, but I'm not about to help fund them being done better. If that is the look they are going for, then I can't see what right I have to tell them not to.

Plus its just the doors and windows, easily rectified by the next owner. As long as nothing structural is changed then it can all be sorted again when the magic bloke with deep pockets takes it on in years to come. I'm more concerned that the bar will likely go as it takes up so much space.

 

[Franklin_Delano_Roosevelt]

Of course not, but the new resident is under no obligation to do anything other than they wish. If they want to spend the absolute minimum and make the place look wrong that is their decision, not mine. Don't get me wrong, the windows and doors look proper shite, but I'm not about to help fund them being done better. If that is the look they are going for, then I can't see what right I have to tell them not to.

Plus its just the doors and windows, easily rectified by the next owner. As long as nothing structural is changed then it can all be sorted again when the magic bloke with deep pockets takes it on in years to come. I'm more concerned that the bar will likely go as it takes up so much space.

I absolutely agree. Outside of some sort of preservation order no one has any place to dictate to a private business how it should or shouldn't look - this is down to the business in question. For the record I dislike the choice of windows and doors as well but personally I would rather judge the place in terms of what it offers on the inside as a business rather than whether it looks all flashy and blingville.

A business that throws a shed load of cash to make a project look nice might initially get inquisitive people through the bespoke English Oak panelled doors but it is unlikely to get repeat business if what they offer is rubbish - on the other hand a business that perhaps doesn't look great from the outside but that rapidly builds a reputation for a great product and service is likely to thrive and then who knows it might even be able to afford a classier look.

 

[gilbert grape]

I've lost track where we are with this venture?
I dropped some dry cleaning off at Johnsons last night and, although the light was poor, The Island just looked like a pub that wasn't open. Everywhere outside clean, The Island sign in situe and also the real ale blackboards on the wall looked clean too. Certainly didnt look like an impending opening of an Idian.

 

[John Marwood]

I've lost track where we are with this venture?
I dropped some dry cleaning off at Johnsons last night and, although the light was poor, The Island just looked like a pub that wasn't open. Everywhere outside clean, The Island sign in situe and also the real ale blackboards on the wall looked clean too. Certainly didnt look like an impending opening of an Idian.

I must say those slacks have worn really well

 

[gilbert grape]

I must say those slacks have worn really well

Slacks? Gotta be 30 years since I wore my Farahs!

 

[staffordjas]

Had a quick look through the windows yesterday lunchtime. No work actually taking place at that time but lots of workmen stuff piled around everywhere inside. Didn't look much different to months ago when I had a peep in.

 

[darts22]

Star Pubs and Bars is rebranded Scottish & Newcastle (Heinekin). If you go onto the website you will see some proposals to turn it into an Aspirational Community Pub serving quality food. Accommodation on the first floor. Looks like they are trying to choose the signages.

 

[tek-monkey]

That'll be a strongbow and bulmers pub then!

 

[John Marwood]

The King William Dirty Duck Malt and Hops Island Prince George Naamloze Vennootschap Bar will be a welcome new joint to visit I do hope they have comfy chairs and waitress service

 

[John Marwood]

That'll be a strongbow and bulmers pub then!

Tied!

Three months rent up front

£500 legal fees

Redundant footballers wanted ..

 

[Gramaisc]

New gas supply being installed today - still a bit of devastation inside, though...