What is to become of the CPT

[ladida]

Having been a patron of the dear little pub for a number of years now I'm fairly anxious/curious about it's future. The staff there don't get told anything by the current lease holder, who's trying to offload it, and there's only conjecture from all other sources. I believe it has to remain a 'recreational' establishment but that's about it.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Lots of debate about this in the past. The ideal situation would be that it continues as a pub, has some money spent on it and maximises the use of the amazing space that it has.

Worst case scenarios are that it either becomes a chain Bar or, the biggest horror is that the Crystal Palace Tavern becomes Crystal Palace Towers having been converted into flats.

[ladida]

The debate has been going on for far too long, but nothing has been resolved. It was meant to have been sold by September, but wasn't. Why. I don't think it can be made into flats unless there is some part of the land used for recreation. Also there is the issue of the listed parts of the interior, namely the cubby hole that leads down to the cellar and the mirrored etched bit behind the bar on the Crystal Palace Road side, not the etched glass strangely enough.

[jimbo1964]

There's not much more depressing than the sight of a once loved boozer converted to flats. The Heber Arms springs to mind.

[Brendan]

Weren't we going to club together and buy the place? I shall go around with a tin at the next forum drinks.

[jimbo1964]

That would be a great idea.

[lozzyloz]

OK let's do it then. I'll front 51% of the cost.

In return I'd like to turn it into a lap dancing bar with a private casino upstairs.

Who's in?

[KalamityKel]

I have a personal licence so can be the designated supervisor...

Y is there a threat on the CPT? I thought it was doing good - in trade I mean

[ladida]

Myself and old g'friend worked out that they need to make ?5,250 a week to break even, I think at the moment they'd be lucky to get that a month. Not sure about the lap dancing, but a casino and maybe an opium den would be great.

[lozzyloz]

I think opium dens are still illegal. Casino's and lap dancing clubs are confirmed money spinners. Would bring much needed revenue to the area plus jobs ranging from tax accountant through to valet parking attendant. The old regulars only have a short walk to the Castle.

[blinder999]

If it remains a pub, child-friendliness & gastroburgers beckon - so get in there and enjoy your child-free beer while you still can.

[Brendan]

I really think that a pub like the CPT. ie. No food or kids, good music, chilled atmosphere, still old school boozerish but a bit trendy, could do well if properly marketed in ED. You just need something to get people to notice it a bit. A bit of a re-spruce (but not changing the entire character or chasing out the locals) a decent wine list and some guest ales. Maybe something gimmicky 1 night a week like the lucky sevens thing at the gowlet.

[barrymarshall]

I have said this before on the forum, but a lick of paint, some plants in the flower beds and a sanding down of the tables at the front is all it needs. From the outside it looks like a dive, but once inside it is lovely. How many people walk past it but hesitate to go in because of what they assume it's like inside?

[ladida]

I think perhaps, to allow children in until 6ish, and what would be really great would be some cheap simple food, sausage & mash and the likes for say ?5 or ?6, it'd better than going up to the chippie or kebab shop and eating your grub outside or inside if it's not busy.

[Brendan]

Yeah maybe a simple kitchen. 1 grill and a fryer. 2-3 menu items. If it could be fit in.

[Jah Lush]

All it needs is a lick of paint here and there and toilets spruced up and as Barry Marshall said, do up the tables on the outside and some nice plants and Bob's yer uncle.

I agree about the wine list and guest beers would also bring in some more punters. It's a lovely old fashioned boozer with great bar staff. It doesn't need changing much just bit of tender loving care.

[Nero]

Agree with Barry. I know it sounds inconsequential and effete, but a few new hardy plants, a clean up of the chairs and tables and it will look a lot better and more inviting. I'm not a great pub goer, but I have been in there a few times and liked it. The staff were good, the beer was nice and the crisps had grooves. But it just looks unkempt. (I speak as one who thinks places like teh Bishop and Black Cherry are wrong in terms of being too froo-froo.) Nero

[ladida]

Definitely a lick of paint, it needs a bit of structural work done first though. I suggested to them last year that we start growing some veg in the planters outside, might be nice.

[Nero]

Well, is there a green-fingered type who knows what kind of plant would work in there? (No municipal pansies, please.) Something green and foliage-heavy, hardy. If it's yuo, why not offer them your help? Nero

[ladida]

I aint bad with my veg, but don't really know much about plants in general, it's probably best to wait and see what becomes of the place later on in the year when I maybe could plant some aubergines, courgettes, spuds, rocket, herbs etc outside.

[MrBen]

Best way to find out whats happening to it is to talk to the leaseholder and say you are interested in buying it, is it for sale and if so how much.

The fact it has not sold suggests:

A: Current leaseholder is asking too much (in which case wake up and smell the roses - commercial property is tanking)

B: It needs a lot of work done and the prospective buyers estimates + purchase of the lease are not commercially viable

C: There is something fundamentally wrong with it (e.g. do planning regs allow a kitchen?, dry rot or something evil like that.)

Whatever it will resolve itself one way or the other and I'm convinced it wont be covered in flaking purple pain this time next year! I do hope they keep it traditional.

[lozzyloz]

So to summarise:

Repair structural damage

Repaint inside and out

Add a kitchen

Improve beer range and wine list

Introduce foliage through out

Lay on some cool weekly entertainment

Sand down furniture

Make it edgy but not too trendy

Well if you do all that then surely it will no longer be the CPT you all cherish? Might as well be the ED branch of Spearmint Rhino.

[Brendan]

I am sure the current paint and the tables were new once.

[Christopher]

It's on the Punch website as a lease transfer. They want ?200K for it... but you're tied to Punch (beers & alcopops at least I think) and God knows what the rent is. Punch are not planning any investment in a refurb - that's down to the new tennant if required.

If it were a free house (not tied) then the ?200K would make it a bargain - but it ain't, so it ain't.

Also - I think its suffering (as quite a few bars / restaurants in the area do) by the fact that it is NOT on Lordship Lane. Thai Pavillion has been for sale for ages...

[Sue]

I was in there on Saturday night.

I had only been in the lounge bar before, which has a homely atmosphere but always seems a bit run-down, but we went in the public bar on Saturday and I was amazed how nice it was with candles on the tables etc.

And so quiet, compared to everywhere else in ED on a Saturday :) Erm, apart from the Uplands of course, but the quiet there is more like the quiet in a mortuary (I imagine).

Good beer, staff are friendly, a nice unpretentious place for a pint imo. And hey, its always riveting/rivetting to watch a telly with the sound turned off, especially when it was that programme with the sleb singer lookeylikeys :))

I agree the front definitely needs sorting, those concrete troughs are awful - surely it wouldn't cost much to replace them and put in a few decent low-maintenance plants???