Newcastle Area - RESTAURANTS & TAKEAWAYS, the Buildings and the Venues

[newcastlepubs]

It's possible but pretty brave in the current climate.

The previous tenants [not sure if they were freeholders] was a Paramount Healthcare [now at the bottom of Westgate Rd/St James Blvd].

Given than the previous occupant was a colonic irrigation specialist I hope they cleaned the sinks out . Seriously though they would have have to spend a few quid converting a bum flushing facility into a cafe with all of the attendant fixtures and fittings. I'm also not sure if they'd also need to get consent for change of use.

Without a reasonable trading record I can't see how they'd be able to cover the costs. You could be right, but I'm with Occam - simplest explanation etc.

[WilfBurnsFan]

Originally Posted by merleb

Another possibilty is that the owners have bought it, tarted it up, and intend to sell it on with a small profit.

A sort of commercial 'homes under the hammer' style venture. If you can buy run down houses and make profits then why not with small cafes?

What was it before? And does the 'late licence' refer to booze or food? If it weren't licenced in its pre-Vines incarnation you may be on to something.

OTOH - and if it's not already obvious I would stress I know nothing about the commercial property market - £95K sounds pretty small beer for a city centre lease. Not many years left?

[newcastlepubs]

Oddly I can t find a record of it having any licence - though that could be the portal.

Per above it specialised in a'hem bum flushing and floatation tanks. In honesty I can t see it flying in it's current format. the uber quick name change is not a good sign either.

Might have some life as a late night kebab type shop but there's a lot of competition out there.

[newcastlepubs]

A possible Harry Ramsden's update. Having passed it on Sunday Mrs NP checked the website to see if it was still listed - and it was. As of today it's gone...

http://www.harryramsdens.co.uk/find-us.html

Ciao Harry's methinks.

[Seamaster]

I loved that place back in the day. It went downhill with astonishing rapidity in latter years.

[Newcastle Historian]

Originally Posted by Seamaster

I loved that place back in the day. It went downhill with astonishing rapidity in latter years.

Yes, the original Harry Ramsdens on that site was great, huge restaurant, service with proper waitresses, etc . . .



Then, about six years ago most of it was taken over by that "outdoor clothing" (or whatever they were) firm, and Harry Ramsdens suddenly only occupied about a third of the premises and their, now very small, restaurant became more like a cafe!

Yes, it went went down hill at that point.

[newcastlepubs]

Originally Posted by Newcastle Historian

Yes, the original Harry Ramsdens on that site was great, huge restaurant, service with proper waitresses, etc . . .
Then, about six years ago most of it was taken over by that "outdoor clothing" (or whatever they were) firm, and Harry Ramsdens suddenly only occupied about a third of the premises and their, now very small, restaurant became more like a cafe!

Yes, it went went down hill at that point.

Snow and Rock. Owned for a while by the guy who made his fortune out of 'forever friends' cards - got out of that at the right time . S and R [still there] only took about a third of the footprint of the building but put an extra floor into it. I would be very surprised if they extended into the restaurant bit.

I could never see how it would survive - I bought a takeway from there for Mrs NP a couple of times and though good it didn t seem any more expensive than my local chippy - with probably 5% of the overhead...

[Newcastle Historian]

Originally Posted by newcastlepubs

Snow and Rock. Owned for a while by the guy who made his fortune out of 'forever friends' cards - got out of that at the right time . S and R [still there] only took about a third of the footprint of the building but put an extra floor into it. I would be very surprised if they extended into the restaurant bit.

I could never see how it would survive - I bought a takeway from there for Mrs NP a couple of times and though good it didn t seem any more expensive than my local chippy - with probably 5% of the overhead...

When Harry Ramsden had the full building (also including an upstairs function room) their large two-level ground floor restaurant was nearly always close to full.

You had to 'wait' for a seat, quite often.

About six years ago, when they went down to the tiny passageway-like cafe (that they still called 'a restaurant') there was hardly anyone usually in there. They also had an actual cafe/takeaway area (that they called a cafe) which we used occasionally, as there wasn't much difference between it and the restaurant.

They went from very large (and popular) to very, very small (and unpopular).

Amazed that the latter version lasted as long as it did.

[newcastlepubs]

I remember as a kid going to the original and it seemed at the time very grand, nippy type waitresses and [joy] a fresh bottle of Heinz with every sitting. I see that they've closed the place and it's been bought by a competitor. The chain's now owned by Rich List 500-er who also owns FishWorks restaurant and Buxted chicken.

I guess that the reduction in size made a massive difference to the business.

It might be a massive refurb going on, but:

• The gutting of the place
• The removal of the signs
• The absence of any 'we're re opening soon better than before'
• The absence from the site

Doesn't look good does it?

I know some of the snow and rock guys. I ll make enquiries.

[Seamaster]

NH is right, you invariably had to wait for a table back in the day. And the quality, which was exceptional, never varied.

Such a pity.

Aren't the new owners, horror of horrors, proposing to shut down the original Ramsdens in Yorkshire?

[newcastlepubs]

See my previous post above. Already shut, sold, re opened by new owner

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-16910637

[WilfBurnsFan]

Originally Posted by newcastlepubs

I remember as a kid going to the original and it seemed at the time very grand, nippy type waitresses and [joy] a fresh bottle of Heinz with every sitting. I see that they've closed the place and it's been bought by a competitor. The chain's now owned by Rich List 500-er who also owns FishWorks restaurant and Buxted chicken.

I guess that the reduction in size made a massive difference to the business.

It might be a massive refurb going on, but:

• The gutting of the place
• The removal of the signs
• The absence of any 'we're re opening soon better than before'
• The absence from the site

Doesn't look good does it?

I know some of the snow and rock guys. I ll make enquiries.

The original Guiseley Harry Ramsdens is now called the 'Wetherby Whaler', ownned by the people who have the chippy of the same name in (where else?) Wetherby - I'm sure quite a few of us will have stopped off there during journeys up and down the A1. Much better than a motorway services!

[Seamaster]

Regarding our old, er, favourite, Dixy Chicken — can anyone explain this Wikipedia entry?

In Newcastle upon Tyne, all [Dixy Chicken] outlets are owned by Mohammed Naeem, director of Dixy Chicken (Master North East) Ltd and Dixy Fried Chicken (Newcastle) Ltd since 2004, however, the companies are in a dormant state with proposals to be struck off the Companies House register.

Following the cited sources, looks like late filing of accounts?

[newcastlepubs]

Originally Posted by Seamaster

Regarding our old, er, favourite, Dixy Chicken — can anyone explain this Wikipedia entry?



Following the cited sources, looks like late filing of accounts?

Interesting - looks to me as if it is late filing of acs for both companies. Also found this:

Name & Registered Office:
DIXY CHICKEN GRAINGER STREET LIMITED
1 MARTELLO GARDENS
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
TYNE & WEAR
NE7 7LD
Company No. 05695088
Status: Dissolved 11/11/2008
Date of Incorporation: 02/02/2006

This is an educated guess but when I assume that the 'Master' company holds the regional franchise. It's certainly the terminology usually used to reflect that.

There are an awful lot of Dixy Chicken and Dixy Fried that have been struck off. All wholly above board I am confident...

As to Wikipedia, clearly they are not on someone's Christmas card list...

[DXNewcastle]

The italian restaurant, "La Gabbia", at the end of Boyd Street on the border of Shieldfield and Ouseburn will re-open in a couple of weeks as "Ernest".
Extensively re-furbished and re-positioned in the market.

Pictures at Twitter @weareernest

I suspect that it might be well worth a visit.
(As a personal note, the red gable end always seemed quite appropriate)

[merleb]

Visited Sambuca on the fish quay last week.

Exceptional value and good service. £3.95 for 3 courses is ideal!

[leauk]

Shame about both Harry Ramsdens. Had a meal at the Metrocentre one a few years ago (the takeaway cafe) and it was lovely, and not too expensive.
It's my chippy of choice in Blackpool too.

[newcastlepubs]

Originally Posted by merleb

Visited Sambuca on the fish quay last week.

Exceptional value and good service. £3.95 for 3 courses is ideal!

That is pretty impressive. Good food ?

Passing Boca yesterday it was looking closed but will try and update later

[Godscrasher]

Originally Posted by merleb

Visited Sambuca on the fish quay last week.

Exceptional value and good service. £3.95 for 3 courses is ideal!

I don't trust Sambucas. Something dodgy going on with them. The don't take cards and open restaurants in weird places. It seems to me like they are fiddling something.

I've been a couple of times but the food isn't that great. Check out the trip advisor comments from some people.

[newcastlepubs]

Originally Posted by Godscrasher

I don't trust Sambucas. Something dodgy going on with them. The don't take cards and open restaurants in weird places. It seems to me like they are fiddling something.

I've been a couple of times but the food isn't that great. Check out the trip advisor comments from some people.

They seem to be all over the coast [or east of the city anyway]. Haven't they bought the Duke of Wellington nr the tunnel as a restaurant.

Website is odd, too busy for its own good and difficult to read. There's a reference to the effect of 'if you want to pay the earth for overpriced food go to that pizza shed on Newcastle's quayside'. I don't know if they mean Pizza Hut [which of course isn't there] or Gusto [Est Est Est as was] which might fit the description a bit more.

I can't comment on the food [over to you Merleb] but the tripadvisor reviews are really odd. It s as if there are two different restaurants or at least two different sets of staff; one set of reviews are positively evangelical about the place, the other set would have you calling environmental health in. The only other explanation is that one set of people are expecting [say] Gusto and not getting it.

There was a Sambuca on Jesmond Road:

Name & Registered Office:
SAMBUCA NEWCASTLE LIMITED
133 JESMOND ROAD
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE2 1JY
Company No. 06554456

Dissolved last year

and there is:

Name & Registered Office:
SAMBUCA CAFE LIMITED
c/o ARISTON LTD
117 CEDAR ROAD
FENHAM
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
TYNE & WEAR
UNITED KINGDOM
NE4 9PE
Company No. 05384220

[the c/o is a bit odd - tho' Artiston is listed at the same address].