Pub Closures

[Claire]

As more and more things in Bedlington are shutting and the place is becoming a ghost town I thought we could do with some life back in Bedlington. On the Wetherspoons website you can nominate empty properties that they can buy http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/property/ so i entered the details of the Red Lion, which to me seems like a prime spoon's location. I even sent them the sale details http://www.sandersonweatherall.com/html/le...mp;keywordtext=.

And what was there reply - Thank you for this further information. It was very useful, however unfortunately I think the site is not close enough to town for us, at the moment we are concentrating on town centre locations predominantly, however we will keep this suggestion in mind if this changes. With Kind Regards, Cat Melville Property Department.

Err sorry, not close enogh to the town!!!!!!!!!!!

Come on peeps, lets try and get Bedlington going again!

[Guest mrsvic]

Well done Claire for being so proactive!

It's a shame that the bastion of off-pints, no music and burgers with elastoplasts in them could turn our prime town-centre location down, for being too out of town.

We divvint want their manky beer anyway though...

Perhaps the pub-cull is what the town needed and will provide the remaining establishments with a few more punters... as long as the Bell clientelle aren't changing their venue to anywhere we go!

[Malcolm Robinson]

Like most economic variants it's cyclical (pub closures) and probably due to reasons beyond the managements immediate control. Some will survive and they will offer their customers what they want in their preferred surroundings and at a price they are comfortable with.

Wetherspoons has been talked about in Bedlington for many years but obviously the town doesn't fit the potential business criteria in their business models. Had the opportunity been taken years ago to make the town a retail destination by exploiting its pivotal geographic location within SE Northumberland that may have been different. Maybe Tesco's, if they ever do get on with it, can start to address that perception, time will tell but it gets harder not easier as other towns fight to make their own way up the pecking order. Whatever else it needs Bedlington does need a commercial plan for development or it will face the very real prospect of becoming just another dormitory town with a less than salubrious retail heart.

[mercuryg]

......will provide the remaining establishments with a few more punters... as long as the Bell clientelle aren't changing their venue to anywhere we go!

The majority of them are not allowed in anywhere MrsVic. Mind, I'm not allowed in somewhere.

[Guest mrsvic]

The majority of them are not allowed in anywhere MrsVic. Mind, I'm not allowed in somewhere.

I may not be allowed in there anymore either after I was caught by the management frequenting another establishment.

[mercuryg]

I may not be allowed in there anymore either after I was caught by the management frequenting another establishment.

I doubt you'll miss it!

[SPLODGE]

i thought the sunn inn was closing.last day was to be sunday i was led to believe.

anybody got any news on this.

[mercuryg]

i thought the sunn inn was closing.last day was to be sunday i was led to believe.

anybody got any news on this.

Hang fire as the Sun is not yet closed! I believe there are 'interested parties'.

[Big_Geordie]

Hang fire as the Sun is not yet closed! I believe there are 'interested parties'.

The Sun as well? Christ - I remember how vibrant Bedlington used to be on a Sat night, 5/6 years ago. It's been left to rot. Just hasn't moved on with the times.

[Andy Brown]

The Sun as well? Christ - I remember how vibrant Bedlington used to be on a Sat night, 5/6 years ago. It's been left to rot. Just hasn't moved on with the times.

I've heard rumours of the Sun closing for a while, as well as the Top Club !! Bedlington is turning into a ghost town under our noses, maybe if businesess stopped focusing on hair dressing, florist, takeaways, care homes and solicitors there may be a niche no-ones thought of, the pool hall was a good one mooted a while ago, the computer accessories shop didn't last 5 minutes, Video world has gone and so has Johnsons shoe shop (who no-one entered but seemed to be there forever)

There's got to be something people want to come to Bedlington for, but what ?

[threegee]

...there may be a niche no-ones thought of...

Pawn shops?

BTW even solicitors are seeing tough times. A regional one was heard to comment on the budget's new top rate of tax: it didn't matter to him as he wouldn't be seeing a six figure salary again for some time to come!

[Malcolm Robinson]

Maybe if they got back into matrimonial work instead of conveyancing.......

I think the niche retailers are exactly what Bedders needs. There is already the largest retailer in the country and one of the most discounted ones who between them should be able to supply the staple goods for the immediate population. To get people to come and shop/spend a day in the town other attractions are needed. (Keeping a large FREE car park would be one!) Instead of throwing cash at multi millionaires maybe offering help at the sharp end might be a more productive way of getting out of this recession. Help with business rates and negotiating progressive rent increases so people could at least try their business ideas out and not end up in hock would be my preferred route as that may give the time needed to establish stand alone businesses. A uniform business rate for the country is crazy when applied to places like Bedders! I don't believe empty shops are indicative of a lack of entrepreneurial flair in the district, rather they suggest a cost/possible reward equation as being too far biased one way. Some real help to address that bias might even produce some sustainable local jobs, as well as giving people the chance to try out their ambitions.

There has to be a cohesive commercial strategy agreed for the town, with ALL sides involved, or we continue with the ad hoc arrangements we have now which leaves Bedlington at a complete disadvantage to other towns in the area who have business development managers/town centre managers etc. (We already have a much too commercially underused asset, this web site!)

I say all this knowing that one of the commercial units to be built at the side of the new Tesco's will be one which supposedly looks after this sort of thing in the district. However staffed by ex WDC grandees who have consistently failed the needs of Bedlington for 30 years I see no reason to be optimistic as to their future input!

[Neil]

I see the SOLD signs have gone up at the Red Lion - does anybody have any idea what the plans are for it?

[Guest mrsvic]

I see the SOLD signs have gone up at the Red Lion - does anybody have any idea what the plans are for it?

How odd... I had a nightmare the other night where I couldn't get down the road for charvas queueing to get into the Lion... it was awful. Looks like could come true

[jlogan48]

I was so sad to hear of all the recent closures and those planned. I was brought up in Bedlington and i remember doing the rounds of most of the pubs with my mates. I is the way of the world today im afraid. About 3or 4 years ago, i brought my daughter to Bedlington to look around my old place,what a change their is. I didnt recognise the old woods behind beatty road. When i needed the loo we went into my old local the northumberland arms,only two people were in,one being the barmaid. This was saturday afternoon,i couldnt believe it. When i was drinking there in the sixties you coulndnt get moved on that day,it was a hub of activity. Im so sad, we thought it was dead when we were young, but we did not realise what we had,two cinemas and a strong community spirit.

[maggie]

I see the SOLD signs have gone up at the Red Lion - does anybody have any idea what the plans are for it?

someone told me surestart have bought it, don't know how true that is though.

[charlie]

someone told me surestart have bought it, don't know how true that is though.

I also heard it was going to be some kind of childrens centre,also heard it may be turned into apartments upstairs and retail unit/s downstairs?

Blue Bell also has a new owner and should be opening in a few weeks?

New couple took over the Black bull two weeks ago and the official launch night is this Saturday. ( i hear the previous landlady is now at the Sun Inn with her hubby)

oh and lastly the Dunn Cow is re-opening as a resturaunt.

Anyone else heard any rumours/lies/half truths

[Monsta®]

I also heard it was going to be some kind of childrens centre

no thats what it was a hang out for the local chava kids!

[elf]

someone told me surestart have bought it, don't know how true that is though.

Any idea what kind of restaurant it will be?

[jimmyboy]

The latest rumour is that Weatherspoons have bought the Red Lion, which is strange after reading this thread.

[Neil]

I e-mailed them but they said the Red Lion was too small (even though its much bigger than their place in Ashington).

I also told them about the Elliotts Ford garage but no reply.

[mercuryg]

The latest rumour is that Weatherspoons have bought the Red Lion, which is strange after reading this thread.

No, it's been boughgt by the bloke who owns the old police station.

[Hamburger Pimp]

The metal shutters are gone from the Dun Cow.

Don't know whether this is due to an imminent re-opening or because everything of value has been removed from within and the shutters are needed elsewhere.

[threegee]

The metal shutters are gone from the Dun Cow.

Don't know whether this is due to an imminent re-opening or because everything of value has been removed from within and the shutters are needed elsewhere.

..and... they are hoping for another fire?

[Blank]

I did hear that that they were due to re-open soon (Déjà vu).

Let's hope they do a bit more than dust the place this time around.