I know that it used to be a cinema an’ all that, but surely better use could be made of the space currently occupied by the local Wetherspoons? I can’t be the only one who wants to see it earmarked for total demolition and be taken over by a more positive enterprise.
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Better use maybe, but I don’t see the value in demolishing something that has history and isn’t an eyesore. I’d rather see the bookies go first.
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Remember when there was the rumour that Picturehouse were interested?
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I think the building itself is fantastic, and would be a real shame to lose it, it does feel like it isn’t being used to its full potential atm. I have a love hate relationship with it as a business though, I like going somewhere where pints aren’t all £5+, and where you can eat a hearty meal for under a tenner, but I’m not a fan of the working practises of the company, and would be v happy to see it turn back in to a cinema with a good bar.
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I rather like the Capitol. There is a lot of snobbery about Wetherspoons and chat about the politics of their owner, but ultimately they offer an affordable night out for a lot of people and that is not to be sneered at.
That building is a money pit though and I can’t currently imagine a cinema wanting to take it on. The only way they would make money would be to chop it up into three or four separate screens which would destroy the appeal of the place.
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The Spoons App is efficient and the Capitol itself seems to cover the table service for non-app users well. I must admit that if ever full normality returns, I will tend to carry on with app ordering rather than the time consuming scrum at the bar.
It would be nice to have a cinema, but it would be an expensive conversion. I’d rather have the Spoons than an empty building, and overall its good to have a cheaper option compared to the other venues.
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What’s the title about?
It’s a bit of an unkind assessment of the place, but as the discussion shows, other opinions do vary.
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I believe Wetherspoons have tried to sell the building on at least two occasions but without success. As HannahM says, it’s a money pit and we can be grateful that such a rare building is both listed and in use.
And FWIW I agree about the snobbery surrounding Wetherspoons and the politics of Tim Martin. Many’s the English town where the only decent pint of real ale you can get is at 'Spoons.
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Very odd behaviour
I think it’s a shame when a person in business uses their business as a political tool to advance their own beliefs. It can hardly be surprising that the business comes into some grief with the public, or the part of it that is opposed to that political belief.
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I agree, but I bet the politics of some of those who run other pubcos would horrify those who vociferously disagree with Tim Martin. But those owners keep shtum, hence they don’t get boycotted…
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This is a good point - he owns something like 30% of the company and yet is willing to risk damage to the company to further his own political agenda. The board should be displeased.
Edit: There seems to be a few years of history of criticism of his actions, but the vast majority of shareholders still vote for him. Tim Martin re-elected to board of pub chain JD Wetherspoon
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Genuine question - what is his political agenda?
I just thought that he’s a bit of a mouthy character with a particular political belief, as would have any big business boss.
I’d say it appears his agenda includes (pro) brexit and (anti) lockdown ideas.
Well he is very pro Brexit, and very anti lockdown.
Ultimately, if you one doesn’t like Tim, then don’t go into a Spoons! Though that won’t cause Spoons to collapse as it offers cheap booze/food which is popular with a wide range of people.
There does seem to be a lot of strong views around Spoons pubs. Personally I didn’t visit them as it’s not somewhere I would like to socialise and I leave it at that.
Ultimately it’s an open market and if someone could come up with the means and gumption to buy the building they can do with it as they see fit. Seems to be a common line re Spoons sites; “the area deserves better” yet in reality I suspect it turns over more revenue than any other business on the high street in Forest Hill which speaks volumes.
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As it’s a grade 2 listed building anyone who buys the building can’t just do as they see fit with it! There are a lot of rules and regulations covering what alterations can be made. I think that’s one of the main reasons why it was empty for so many years after it stopped being a bingo hall and probably why Wetherspoons have had problems trying to sell it.
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Very true. What I was referring to is commercially it has an A3 licence (sale of alcohol without a meal) so from that point of view you could have almost any commercial use- within planning regulation. You would struggle however to turn a bookshop into a pub with most councils.
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The user classes have all just changed - so a bookshop, which would’ve previously been A1, is now E, which could change to [what was] A3 under permitted development.
By the way, I believe drinking establishments came under a different UC to A3.