Grove tavern to reopen. Fact or fiction.

[Otta]

Oh for the love of God. No one was suggesting that the area is crap, just that it's a crap place for a pub. If it wasn't, then the pub would probably still be open.

If it reopened it would do well for a month whilst everyone gave it a go, then they'd realise there was a pub much closer to home, and wouldn't bother again.

I thought it would have worked well as a Wetherspoons (bit like the Fox on the hill), but for a person to try and open it on their own would be crazy IMO. Not that I know much about starting a business.

[Siduhe]

Otta, I don't know about that. It was busy certainly at the weekends when it was a Harvester, and the reincarnated Grove Tavern didn't shut down for lack of business but because of the fire as far as I understand it (though I guess your point is if it was running successfully why not reopen it as a pub after the fire?).

And I didn't mean to sound snippy - what I was trying say (obviously not well) is that the location of the pub at the intersection of a junction doesn't matter to those of us who live there, who'd like a pub as a local.

[Louisa]

Unfortunately Siduhe, those of you who are locals wouldn't be able to provide enough business for this place in any form to survive, chain or indepedent. And as others have said, once the fan fayre of passing trade dies down, you locals will be the only people going in.

Louisa.

[christgill]

Louisa Wrote:

----------------------------------------I ---------------

> ...once the fan fayre of passing trade dies down,

> you locals will be the only people going in.

>

> Louisa

... oh, and I forgot the P4 and the P13 which potentially bring in denizens of Brockley, Honor Oak, Crofton Park, Tulse Hill, Streatham, Brixton, Dulwich Village etc. etc.

If you build it, they will come...

[Jeremy]

.

[ed_pete]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> But it's just round the corner from a station, and

> the pubs/restaurants/shops of Tulse hill...

Name me 6 2 pubs/restaurants/shops that you'd be happy to frequent if you stayed in a place like this...

[Bic Basher]

As mentioned, The Grove in it's various incarnations was busy at weekends for the restaurant.

I remember going into the pub area when it was a Harvester. It had zero atmosphere and felt like the restaurant side was subsidising the lesser used pub.

When Wetherspoons opened the Capitol in Forest Hill, that took customers from the neighbouring streets and estates into Forest Hill for cheap drink.

[Jeremy]

ed_pete Wrote:

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> Name me 6 2 pubs/restaurants/shops that you'd be

> happy to frequent if you stayed in a place like this...

OK - The Railway and the White Hart. Tulse Hill is an infintely better location than the Harvester. You're simply not being objective, Pete.

[keekybreeks]

i pity the poor fool who puts money into a project like this

[SoozieW]

It was definitey busy and not just at weekends and the food was cheapand cheerful.

[Jah Lush]

It's the poncey blow-ins at the other end of the Lane who think it wouldn't work. The very same people who think The Mag/Patch is a bit of a trek. I live around the corner and I'd use it. It was a regular destination on a Friday night for me when I was a teenager living in Dulwich Village. It was a great pub then and could be again.

[keekybreeks]

doesnt matter whether it was full a decade ago or not - the blow ins are the ones who can make or break a business- as you mentioned, the patch is a perfect example - if they wont go to the patch, then it may not look hopeful for the grove

although

people do trek to Barcelona resturant

[Jah Lush]

keekybreeks Wrote:

> although

>

> people do trek to Barcelona resturant

The horror, the horror.

[Siduhe]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> keekybreeks Wrote:

>

> > although

> >

> > people do trek to Barcelona resturant

>

> The horror, the horror.

Except for the sangria, which (during summer happy hour) is aces.

[ladyruskin]

I think it The Grove re-opened as a pub and served good food, then it would work as a viable business. Look at the Rosendale, that's away from public transport, although admittedly in a highly residential area, and they do a roaring trade. It just needs the right amount investing in it and the right vision. A nice garden, function room(s) upstairs, good food at the right price - it would be the perfect pre/post walk destination (it would certainly beat the Woodhouse in that respect), plus it's easy to reach from The Horniman.

[DulwichFox]

One has to consider the History of The Grove Tavern...

I can only go back to the 50's.. when I was a kid..

Living in Peckham the Grove was a bit of a trek for my parents with a small child (No Buggy and no car) and

my parents thought the place was a bit Snobby so we used to go to the White Horse with had a tiny garden

and no car park.

The Grove had a Huge car park and back in those days drinking and driving was not a real issue.

There were no Breathalyzers and even when they were first introduced the Drink/Drive limit

would allow some people to consume 3 - 4 pints.. without being over the limit.

The Grove was mainly a Pub. I don't know if there was a restaurant back then..

But then (80's) The back part became a Harvester

Drink drive laws became stricter and fewer people drove there.

They tried Quiz nights and the place was fairly full one night a week but many people sat

there and made one drink last all night and left after the quiz finished.

Same happened at the Plough, Clockhouse, EDT when they tried Quizzes.

People who were not taking part had to keep quiet so stayed away and went somewhere else.

More of the front bar became pert of the restaurant.. but not very successful.

The place must of been loosing money and then there was a fire.

DulwichFox

[jimbo1964]

There's no pub within a huge radius. You'd have thought it would stand a chance if done right.

[DulwichFox]

It is a Huge building with a lot of land (car park) which is far too expensive to run as a pub / Restaurant.

Just not viable. As housing , the return would be manifold.

If you were an investor where would you put your money to get a guaranteed return

DulwichFox

[Jah Lush]

When I was a regular in the mid 70s it had three bars and a top notch restaurant and it was packed most days and nights of the week. In the summer the garden would be packed. There was also another bar at the rear of the pub to the garden. It didn't become a Harvester until well into the late 90s early 00s.

[steveo]

When they put the splash guards on the salad display

[bob]

Yes there was a restaurant there 80's and a very good it had it's own bar were you could look at the menu have pre dinner drink's and they would come and fetch you when the meal was ready.

Bob S

[JohnL]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> It is a Huge building with a lot of land (car

> park) which is far too expensive to run as a pub /

> Restaurant.

>

> Just not viable. As housing , the return would be

> manifold.

>

> If you were an investor where would you put your

> money to get a guaranteed return

>

> DulwichFox

Motorbike gang bar and cafe ;)

or maybe coaches full of senior citizens.

[DulwichFox]

Car park would make a good area for a Park-&-Ride scheme..

DulwichFox

[Bic Basher]

Also worth remembering that Stonegate Pubs were the last leaseholders of The Grove.

[richard tudor]

bob Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Yes there was a restaurant there 80's and a very

> good it had it's own bar were you could look at

> the menu have pre dinner drink's and they would

> come and fetch you when the meal was ready.

> Bob S

Different residents, appreciated what they had unlike the current crop of residents who complain if a flea farts.

Remember downstairs bar in the garden very well as a child.