Black Cherry - may have to close

[falcao]

Twenty years to pay for the back extension??? That's stretching it a bit!

[KalamityKel]

I dunno asset... the price of booze is on the up... ;-)

[DaveR]

What were the grounds for refusing permission for the extension? Why are Black Cherry so sure that having the extension will make such a difference to their bottom line?

Personally I couldn't care less if they close

Now Inside 72, that's another matter.....

[KalamityKel]

*Directs DaveR over to the Inside 72 thread*

[mikese22]

A few suggestions that might help perk up the business:

extend the brilliant weekend brunch menu beyond the ridiculously early finish of 1pm (some people like to lie in and ease themselves into the weekend)

sell croissants / pain au chocolat with brunch menu - compete with Nero, the coffee's much better at Black Cherry anyway

liven up the tired lunch / evening menus that don't seem to have changed in ages and don't have any light snacky items on them

extend the evening food service for another hour or so

sell crisps

fix the wifi, which is often not working

ditch the poorly made day-glo cocktails and train the staff to make the original cocktails properly (bring back Jamie - the only one who could make them properly please....!)

improve the service - most of the waitresses are really friendly, but can be a bit scatty - they don't write orders down, forget side dishes, drinks, bills etc.....

[AllforNun]

Christ ! if it was the White Cherry some of those councillors may act on it !

[SeanMacGabhann]

mikese22 - "ana mhaith" for the practical and downright sensible suggestions

Allfornun - just stop it will you?

for the Columbo reference alone, Snorky wins bonus points (sorry katy)

I'm all FOR t'Black Cherry (ahem, I believe I was their first ever customer) but I am worried if their business plan is dependent on the outside area. That has been a non-starter from the get go and even if I agree with the business that locals are being pernickety (which I do) I'm not sure local councilors will do much to aid the situation

I will write and support the Cherry - but there must be more to it than "needing the extra spaces out back"

[bawdy-nan]

I'm not sure that complaining about having a beer garden appear outside your window without planning permission is exactly being "pernickity".

I like Black Cherry and would be sorry to see it close.

[Christopher]

There are other ways this bar can survive... the family own the freehold on the building don't they? So no rent... what are the other huge over heads in running a bar? The biggest is staff... Now why do Black Cherry always have 3 or 4 people doing a job that 1 could do. Fewer, better trained and more motivated staff is what they need. A tightening up of service and an improvement in food (sorry, i know some of you like it).

[Cassius]

Mikese22 - Jamie is back - well he was there on Saturday (been busy with college work I believe).

The story with the garden does go back to when it opened, when you could sit out there until 9.00, then even that stopped, due to complaints about the noise, so I find it hard to believe that not having this area, which really they've never had, would mean that they have to close.

[Keef]

I'm confused, when I read the leaflet they'd put on a table a while ago, I understood that they just wanted to have a "garden" area out back for open air drinking and smoking. They were saying it wasn't fair, as they were the only ones to have been refused this (to be fair, The Bishop has it, and that's only a couple of doors down).

I didn't realise from this leaflet that they had actually planned to extend the building out back... Or am I missing the point here?

RE: Jamie, he is indeed back, but he's in his final year of his studies, so don't expect this to be long term.

[snorky]

Lt. Columbo is very interested in motive here

What would cause an unconnected citizen to embrace this issue with such gusto and go so far as to post us email addresses for councillors and a link to an online petition ?

this must be a very very very special drinking establishment to have such dogged customer loyalty

* buttons up filthy mac & drives off in battered grey car with dog hanging out of the window*

[Brendan]

Actually I know many people who would go to such lengths for their local.

[Keef]

I would, but I can't see the Cherry being anyone's "local" in that way... I could be quite wrong, but I have to admit the original post didn't feel particularly genuine to me either.

However, genuine or not, I like the Cherry, which is more than can be said for most places down Lordship Lane *spits in the general direction of the bishop*, so hope they're okay.

[scor46]

You could write a comedy script just using the posts from this thread!!

Katy - I will sign the petition but I would like the situation clarifed first. Probably going to have a wander down there tonight to see what all the fuss is about.

Any excuse eh!!

[snorky]

to reiterate - I have no beef with the Cherry & its punters at all - Ive been in a handful of times, had a bit of food, but have no great loyalty or view on the place either way - another non memorable / well aimed demographic niche drinking/ food lite establishment in ED - so its hardly unique

Hyperbole about the evil marxist council stakhonvites set to sneeringly shut the place down and cast its weeping destitute staff onto the mean streets of SE22 because of a clerical interpretation would seem to wide of the mark

Hijacking/ starting a thread to promote a possibly hidden agenda may not be a criminal offence, but is most definately a moral one

clarify the situation

[scor46]

Wow! Snorky..

Would hate to meet you in a dark alley. You should run for office - Mayors job is coming up soon....

[Nero]

I'm with Snorky. The original thread smelt fishy. Hope it doesn't close, though. Nero

[macroban]

> ... the family own the freehold on the building don't they? So no rent...

But maybe a mortgage or bank loan.

[mockney piers]

Come on people, what's with the paranoia?

Admin is pretty good at spotting this sort of thing whether self promotion or mud slinging (see headnizm thread). I'm pretty certain Katy is who she said she is.

Do we have to alienate every new poster who finds a reason to break beyond the lurk?

[Brendan]

Yeah I'm with you MP. One would think there were something sinister going on.

[snorky]

Im not trying to denounce anyone and certainly not trying to alienate new posters

anyway, the deed is done and the BC has its publicity now, whether it was planned or not

[*Bob*]

Is it not perfectly possible to both:

a) not want Black Cherry to close

b) accept that BC wants to get the locals on side - and that a timely thread posted on the forum from a relative unknown who just happens to have to hand all the relevant emails of the people supporters ought be lobbying - might be the best way of doing so?

(Columbo accent) "And theres just one more thing that's botherin' me..."

[Black Cherry]

Dear Forumites,

Hello, Hello, Hello,

My name is Angela and I am the owner of Black Cherry. I just want to let you know I did not write the original post nor ask anyone to do it on our behalf. There is a planning issue which we hope will be resolved on the 3rd April. I am happy to update everyone when I know more. Best wishes.

Kind regards

Angela x

[Keef]

Angela, could you just clarify exactly what you guys are hoping to do with the place and what the problem is, as there seems to be a bit of confusion (at least in my little brain).