City Centre Supermarkets

[woodhousen]

is the deli still there that used to be by the oxfam up towards marks and sparks or has that gone now..used to love going there!

btw, i know this is moving a little bit away from the topic but i also noticed that mc donalds ion harborne had closed...... what happened?

[Blunther]

Originally Posted by Biosonic

Right in the middle - you know the set-back bit where WHSmiths and the fishmongers is? It is a few doors down from the fishmongers.

It's lovely - breads, preserves, meats, cheese, wine. Perfect. I think Harborne's on the up again, and partly thanks to M&S I suspect.

Harborne will soon be the most desirable place to live in the country, once Blunther moves there in summer

[Biosonic]

The old deli went ages ago Woody. Run by that Italian guy? It was lovely.

Yeah - Maccy D's has gone

You moving to Harborne Blunth? Whereabouts? It is a toss up for me whether it is town or Harborne, and I think town will win...

[woodhousen]

but is this a good thing??? can anyonethink of a place where an mcdonalds have actually closed before????
i hope the plot doesnt stay empty for long..... not a nice looker

[Blunther]

Originally Posted by Biosonic

You moving to Harborne Blunth? Whereabouts? It is a toss up for me whether it is town or Harborne, and I think town will win...

Hopefully yeah. No idea really... wherever we can find a house with three double bedrooms for a reasonable cost I guess!

[woodhousen]

so thats not harborne then?

[MJH]

You want to head over to Erdington, Its on the up, big three storey townhouse, area with ...character, sub 160k

[Biosonic]

Originally Posted by Blunther

Hopefully yeah. No idea really... wherever we can find a house with three double bedrooms for a reasonable cost I guess!

...£300k...

Actually, Harborne Lane (Selly Oak) or Harborne Park Road might be OK. Or bits around the Scarlet Pimpernel pub?

[Sonny97]

They've built some new homes by the Scarlet Pimp - all sold apparently.

Must check out this deli on Harborne High Street. Didn't realise MaccyD has bit the dust - happy days are here again!

[Blunther]

We're renting

Four of us.

I can't afford a one bed flat in Aston, sadly, so I think a three bed in HArborne's a tad out of my league for the next 500 years or so...

ANyone been for a curry at the Pimp yet? My mate went and reckons it's bosting. I've popped in for a drink after the refurb, but not for curry. Clever idea though building it into a pub!

Where do you live Bio? Isn't it Harborne somewhere?

[mahill]

Originally Posted by Biosonic

I am hopeful that with the advent of Bullring, Martineau Place and Martineau Galleries, as well as the new Pallasades (whatever happens to it), they will attract the chains, allowing rents to drop elsewhere and let independents move in.

We are getting sufficient densities now to allow deli's etc open.

Harborne has a new deli!

I really hope so, I really do. I've always felt it reflects badly on Birmingham that in the midst of the city centre regeneration we haven't been able to support independent food shops. A few years ago three delis opened in a short space of time; one at Summerow between Apres and Mechu, Fino in the Mailbox, and Haran & Nichol at Brindleyplace. None lasted very long. The Summerow was converted into Mix@Mechu, Fino moved to a different unit in the Mailbox and changed from a deli/cafe to a straight cafe/bar, and Haran & Nichol closed, be be replaced by a Hudsons Coffee House franchise which has also closed. We do have Paxton & Whitfield in the old Fino unit, and the Hudsons on Colmore Row, but given the number of affluent people living and working in the city centre, and all we get is these chains of coffee shops and bageutte shops, does it show a certain lack of sophistication, or am I just being a food snob?

[mahill]

Originally Posted by woodhousen

but is this a good thing??? can anyonethink of a place where an mcdonalds have actually closed before????
i hope the plot doesnt stay empty for long..... not a nice looker

It was reported here; http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/...name_page.html

"BURGER fans are clearly not "lovin'" their McDonald's - one of Birmingham's oldest branches has had its chips after 22 years of trading.

The closure of McDonald's, in Harborne High Street, could be bad news for trade on a road already struggling with empty shops and high rents and rates.

Harborne is the only branch in Birmingham facing the axe after the fast food chain announced last month that it is closing 25 branches across the country in a bid to improve profits."

I found it interesting that "Phil Stokes, honorary secretary of the Harborne Society, said: "It's very disappointing that this branch is closing because it's always been a great people puller" and "Coun Deirdre Alden, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Edgbaston, said: "It worries me that a company like McDonald's feels trading patterns have changed to such an extent that they feel they need to move out."

They seem to think McD's closing means Harbourne is on the decline, I and several people here seem to think it indicates the opposite. Do the Harbourne Society want a high street of Greggs bakers, Starbucks coffee shops and Burger Kings? Or quality independent shops, bars and restaurants that would make Harbourne a really desirable place to live and drive up house prices (sorry Blunther!)?

[Biosonic]

Originally Posted by Blunther

We're renting

Four of us.

I can't afford a one bed flat in Aston, sadly, so I think a three bed in HArborne's a tad out of my league for the next 500 years or so...

ANyone been for a curry at the Pimp yet? My mate went and reckons it's bosting. I've popped in for a drink after the refurb, but not for curry. Clever idea though building it into a pub!

Where do you live Bio? Isn't it Harborne somewhere?

I used to live in Harborne, but not too far away now, although that should change again soon...

Family or friends to live with? You can always get one on the Quinton Road (leading away from the Golden Cross pub) - they are more affordable and on the edge of Harborne (10 min walk to the Green Man).

Not tried the curry at the pub but been tempted. I wish they'd finish painting the outside

[Blunther]

Originally Posted by Biosonic

I used to live in Harborne, but not too far away now, although that should change again soon...

Family or friends to live with? You can always get one on the Quinton Road (leading away from the Golden Cross pub) - they are more affordable and on the edge of Harborne (10 min walk to the Green Man).

Not tried the curry at the pub but been tempted. I wish they'd finish painting the outside

We're gonna piss Woodenhouse off with our off-topic ramblings

Living with a couple of mates and me bird. We can share a room, but mates both want a decent size bedroom.. one's a girl, which is self-explanatory (clothes clothes clothes, with a total area equivalent to that of Wales), and the other's lived in our box room for over a year now and he's pissed off, bless him.

We always thought Harborne was far too pricey (paying £650/month at the mo), until we were looking at two beds, and you can get a decent two bed tezza for £475 which astonished me). We'd like to live close to the action (well, the pubs and takeaways at least) and Quinton Road's a bit far for us. 10 minute walk to the green man?!?! Are you 43905 foot tall?!

If not Harbers, then probably Bearwood again. Would like to live in Mose, but that's far too pricey, as is city centre, especially as I'm htinking of going to uni next year.

[Biosonic]

Originally Posted by mahill

It was reported here; http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/...name_page.html

"BURGER fans are clearly not "lovin'" their McDonald's - one of Birmingham's oldest branches has had its chips after 22 years of trading.

The closure of McDonald's, in Harborne High Street, could be bad news for trade on a road already struggling with empty shops and high rents and rates.

Harborne is the only branch in Birmingham facing the axe after the fast food chain announced last month that it is closing 25 branches across the country in a bid to improve profits."

I found it interesting that "Phil Stokes, honorary secretary of the Harborne Society, said: "It's very disappointing that this branch is closing because it's always been a great people puller" and "Coun Deirdre Alden, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Edgbaston, said: "It worries me that a company like McDonald's feels trading patterns have changed to such an extent that they feel they need to move out."

They seem to think McD's closing means Harbourne is on the decline, I and several people here seem to think it indicates the opposite. Do the Harbourne Society want a high street of Greggs bakers, Starbucks coffee shops and Burger Kings? Or quality independent shops, bars and restaurants that would make Harbourne a really desirable place to live and drive up house prices (sorry Blunther!)?

It's cobblers. Good riddance is what I say. The other hot food retailers seem to be managing fine, and might manage even better without McD's.

I would like to see independent clothes shops, another music retailer, couple more resturants, a bar and a food shop open

[MJH]

To be honest I think that problem with Indies is the City too, there is still very much a culture of come - work - go, a lot of people I work with don't even go out for Lunchtimes, which I think is a real shame. I took my Dad to Hudsons on Colmore Row recently and he has been raving about it since, in fact I think he has even taken some colleagues there, he has worked in Birmingham for 30 years, but he doesn't know it at all because he never spends any time here.

I think the City Centre is still perceived as somewhere you don't go and wander, After 5.30 you definately get a sence of exodus, Why is that? How could it be changed?

[SimonTheSoundMan]

Wolverhampton are chucking out the indies as well with their developments.

They are offering a substantial discount for the first year to try to keep them, however, the council havn't noticed that this discount is 3 - 4 times the price they are at now. They will get fleeced in the second year. Bye bye Sevenoaks store in Wolverhampton.

[woodhousen]

in harborne, i am still supprised that the office block that recently got a refurb near all electric has a unit for a wine bar on the ground floor and thats still empty now....wats that all about?

i dont mind McD going, but i hope it doesnt stay empty long!

[Sonny97]

well i won't be sorry to see maccy'ds go, the place was either half empty or full of chavs trying to sell you knocked off bling.

I will admit there is a bit of an identity crisis going on in the High Street with a number of shops closing and perhaps too many charity shops, estate agents and, dare I say it, boozers.

But hopefully with the redevelopment of the old Electric/Rover garage showroom and Vine pub, to be both turned into apartments it may generate new life and more shopping diversity into the area. Especially if professional people move in, it might attract new investment in terms of more interesting shops

[Rigadon]

Originally Posted by mahill

I really hope so, I really do. I've always felt it reflects badly on Birmingham that in the midst of the city centre regeneration we haven't been able to support independent food shops. A few years ago three delis opened in a short space of time; one at Summerow between Apres and Mechu, Fino in the Mailbox, and Haran & Nichol at Brindleyplace. None lasted very long. The Summerow was converted into Mix@Mechu, Fino moved to a different unit in the Mailbox and changed from a deli/cafe to a straight cafe/bar, and Haran & Nichol closed, be be replaced by a Hudsons Coffee House franchise which has also closed. We do have Paxton & Whitfield in the old Fino unit, and the Hudsons on Colmore Row, but given the number of affluent people living and working in the city centre, and all we get is these chains of coffee shops and bageutte shops, does it show a certain lack of sophistication, or am I just being a food snob?

there's some truth in what your saying but the problem with independent places is they are variable in quality.

the three delis you mention all pretty much opened at the same time as the Seflfridges food hall and the revamped HoF World of Food ( which is excellent). Fino- never paid rent and was a stop gap until something else came along, the one at summerow was opened too early before islingtoin gates was finished and hara and nicol was overpriced and Franky not very good. there was also one in JQ all round the same time (Elliots?) but it was poor.

You only have to look at how busy NATA is to see that when its good enough an independent food shop will do well.

There are some lower end foreign delis on Hagley road. Ive never used them though.