Spon St, Blue Bistro? Bar/restaurant? (1 Viewer)

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Paxman II

Paxman II

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know about this former place, a medieval building set up as a bar restaurant? Now empty and not in use. was it a good place, a trouble spot or is it in an area that does not attract customers? Any history on it's more recent trading reputation would be great.
 
Paxman II

Paxman II

Well-Known Member
Arh yes i think Iglu is down there too just behind? (a night club) an Indian curry house ,H2o whatever that is? a gallery and stuff and at the end Genting casino.
Just need to know if its worth perusing. Have not lived in Coventry for decades and so much has changed. Is this a popular area? Thanks everyone.
 
LastGarrison

LastGarrison

Well-Known Member
Went there a few times and really liked it.

Great atmospheric building (quite small upstairs for weddings etc though) but was really good food and the staff were great, however, some of the recent reviews before it shut down were less than complimentary, if my memory serves me right, which is a shame.

Spon Street should really be a great little street packed with restaurants and instead is packed with fast food shops! If you are looking to invest then with a good management team and well trained staff and a good bit of marketing I feel it could be a success.
 
Paxman II

Paxman II

Well-Known Member
Council offering a lease so I countered and said I wanted it extending to a 250 year lease with peppercorn rent and 0 ingoings!
Seriously though yes I'm looking into it....
 
LastGarrison

LastGarrison

Well-Known Member
Paxman II said:
Council offering a lease so I countered and said I wanted it extending to a 250 year lease with peppercorn rent and 0 ingoings!
Seriously though yes I'm looking into it....
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Like I say, I really liked it and was by far my favourite restaurant in Cov. Even before when it was 1640 (I think) it always had a good reputation so it is surprising that it has never really succeeded.

Good luck if you take it over and let me know as I will certainly direct some custom your way both personally and through work.
 
Nick

Nick

Administrator
Was 1640 the one that had hundreds of bottles in there scattered about for decoration?
 
Nick

Nick

Administrator
fernandopartridge said:
Tend to find that any places like this that open up in Cov seem overpriced. You find them in other cities fair bit cheaper. The ludicrous planning decisions to build Ikea and the Skydome have done for Spon St.
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Yep, people will go to the Wetherspoons for cheaper drinks and food. Harvester as well.
 
dutchman

dutchman

Well-Known Member
Paxman II said:
Does anyone know about this former place, a medieval building set up as a bar restaurant?
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It's a former-pub called the Green Dragon originally located in Much Park Street. It hadn't actually been used as pub since 1850. Between 1982 and 1984 it was dismantled and reconstructed as part of the Spon Street Townscape scheme. It was actually used as a gift shop for many years in Spon Street before being granted drinks licence.
 
S

scubasteve

Well-Known Member
Went there a couple of years ago and it did really good food, also a good selection of beer, lovely looking building. however went back last summer and the ownership changed and they food quality was not a good probably why it closed.
I don't go out drinking as often at the weekend up town now, but the last few times in the last 6 months places seems a lot more lively and busy, a couple of the bars in spon street they seem to be queuing to get in at the week end. though I tend to go the windmill as I like my ales and craft beer.
 
D

Deleted member 5849

Guest
Paxman II said:
Arh yes i think Iglu is down there too just behind? (a night club) an Indian curry house ,H2o whatever that is? a gallery and stuff and at the end Genting casino.
Just need to know if its worth perusing. Have not lived in Coventry for decades and so much has changed. Is this a popular area? Thanks everyone.
Click to expand...
*Should* be a popular area, council let it down by surrounding half the shops and restaurants with kebab houses.

Spon St is where the restaurant quarter should be, forget Cathedral Lanes!
 
D

Deleted member 5849

Guest
scubasteve said:
I tend to go the windmill as I like my ales and craft beer.
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A fine choice, one of my favourite pubs in Coventry.

As an aside, is WHitefriars back open yet? It seemed to close over Christmas, as the landlord repossessed or something?
 
shmmeee

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
fernandopartridge said:
Tend to find that any places like this that open up in Cov seem overpriced. You find them in other cities fair bit cheaper. The ludicrous planning decisions to build Ikea and the Skydome have done for Spon St.
Click to expand...

The other thing is the rents the council asks for. I was briefly looking at opening a shop in town and you'd have to make a ridiculous profit to afford the rent.

Apparently they see it as a golden goose rather than something to be nurtured, set massive rents in the hope of fleecing anyone who opens up instead of trying to actually get a decent mix in to attract people. Then they spend milllions on grandiose plans like CCS because no fucker wants to go there. It's mental.

Also they do stuff like make Cathedrals lanes the resteraunt quarter rather than a nice area by the theatre and build Fargo instead of bringing in independents to the centr.
 
Paxman II

Paxman II

Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone. I'll be talking to the council and I'll let you know what transpires and if it's viable.
 
D

Deleted member 5849

Guest
shmmeee said:
The other thing is the rents the council asks for. I was briefly looking at opening a shop in town and you'd have to make a ridiculous profit to afford the rent.

Apparently they see it as a golden goose rather than something to be nurtured, set massive rents in the hope of fleecing anyone who opens up instead of trying to actually get a decent mix in to attract people. Then they spend milllions on grandiose plans like CCS because no fucker wants to go there. It's mental.

Also they do stuff like make Cathedrals lanes the resteraunt quarter rather than a nice area by the theatre and build Fargo instead of bringing in independents to the centr.
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Careful now, you've let your mask slip ;)
 
dutchman

dutchman

Well-Known Member
The building looked like this when it was located in Much Park Street, note Simon Templar's
sports car lurking in the archway:
pwUKOVQ.jpg
 
Paxman II

Paxman II

Well-Known Member
Just to update those interested...

This has already had 6 bids all in by 24th February deadline.
Seems I was a little late...

There was more but would be inappropriate for me to post up here. Thanks everyone for your helpful contributions.
 
Otis

Otis

Well-Known Member
Paxman II said:
Just to update those interested...

This has already had 6 bids all in by 24th February deadline.
Seems I was a little late...

There was more but would be inappropriate for me to post up here. Thanks everyone for your helpful contributions.
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A little late, or too late?
 
Nick

Nick

Administrator
So we won't all get a free drink in there now? :(

Always thought it would be good to have a business directory on here, ie if somebody is a plumber for example they can be looked up and use them.

However, can you imagine the "fucking touch my sink you sisu lover
 
D

Deleted member 5849

Guest
Nick said:
Always thought it would be good to have a business directory on here, ie if somebody is a plumber for example they can be looked up and use them.
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Convinced someone from here unblocked my guttering (as it were!) but how the hell do you ask them without looking like a total nutter?
 
Otis

Otis

Well-Known Member
Deleted member 5849 said:
Convinced someone from here unblocked my guttering (as it were!) but how the hell do you ask them without looking like a total nutter?
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I had a fencer do our fence on Saturday morning. It had blown down in the wind.

I told him I was a Coventry City supporter and he just laughed.
 
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