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Topic ID 1299

24/01/2006 by alison

ex Charlie Browns

Just being nosey and wondering if anyone knows what's happening at the ex Charlie Brown's premises at the end of Fore Street. There was some 'activity' there today which has made me curious. Seem to remember mention of it in the dim and distant past in the Forum but can't quite remember what was said. Apologies if I've missed a link/discussion [:I])


0 replies

Archived Replies

Reply ID 15612

24/01/2006 by Steve

Kwik-Fit are moving there from their premises in Ware Road.


Reply ID 15613

24/01/2006 by alison

Kinda makes sense. So what's going to happen at ex Kwik Fit? More flats? Toy Town townhouses?


Reply ID 15620

24/01/2006 by Steve

Housing development, yes.


Reply ID 15621

24/01/2006 by jez_p

I heard during a chat with the staff at Kwik Fit that they were holding out for a settlement from the landlord for terminating their lease early. I think that the old Charlie Browns Site had already been fitted out as a replacement site ready for them to move in.


Reply ID 15631

24/01/2006 by alison

I wonder if they're going to shoe-horn some 'key-worker' accommodation in there too - handy for the fire station.


Reply ID 15639

24/01/2006 by Frenchie

Yes and allocate 1 parking place per 2 bedroom executive flat....


Reply ID 15646

24/01/2006 by Steve

Well informed by your prejudices aren't you Frenchie! :-) Firstly, small developments are not required to allocate "affordable housing" (a phrase that should be consigned to the bin). Secondly, The position is hardly suited to family homes so executive flats could arguably be the better option. Are we suggesting that all new homes should provide two car parking spaces?


Reply ID 15649

24/01/2006 by farrowandfarrow

quote:
Originally posted by Steve
Are we suggesting that all new homes should provide two car parking spaces?
Very possibly, yes. An awful lot of people have a car each these days due to different jobs, more affordable little cars (if you can call £8k affordable![:)]) and the dire public transport links. Would it not be a better approach for the developers to provide either two spaces per flat or one parking space with a sizeable visitor's parking area to reduce the amount of on-road parking that un-allowed for additional cars would cause?


Reply ID 15657

24/01/2006 by Frenchie

I think its an interesting question, and im not sure of the answer. Many modern houses provide single garages with parking for a 2nd car in front of it, but still residents tend to use the garage as storage and park the 2nd car on the street. My gripe is the likes of Rivier development nr HE. 78 flats, mostly 2 beds with 1 parking place. If 1 out of 3 flats has 2 cars thats 26 cars being parked on the road...which is always full up at 8am with commuters. I genuinly cant see where the cars are going to go. Am is missing something ?


Reply ID 15663

24/01/2006 by Jimbo

Parking densities are determined by national and local government not by developers. The government is under the illusion that providing minimum parking spaces will encourage people to use public transport. I don't think this works. Take a look at Foxholes which was designed to have No on-street parking. People love the freedom of their cars and will not give them up easily and indeed why should they. It is reasonable though to assume that new housing built in the centre of hertford will require at least one of the occupants to commute to london via train to be able to afford housing in hertford?[:D]


Reply ID 15666

24/01/2006 by alison

With all these cars on the road it's a good job Kwik Fit is just moving along the road rather than out of Hertford altogether.


Reply ID 15670

24/01/2006 by thefair1973

quote:
Originally posted by Frenchie
My gripe is the likes of Rivier development nr HE. 78 flats, mostly 2 beds with 1 parking place. If 1 out of 3 flats has 2 cars thats 26 cars being parked on the road...which is always full up at 8am with commuters. I genuinly cant see where the cars are going to go. Am is missing something ?
I think there will be further provision for parking in the underground car park, where an extra space can be negotiated for a fee. There must also be a certain amount of visitor parking too?Surely they will enforce some sort of parking restrictions on the access road


Reply ID 15677

24/01/2006 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by thefair1973
I think there will be further provision for parking in the underground car park, where an extra space can be negotiated for a fee. There must also be a certain amount of visitor parking too?Surely they will enforce some sort of parking restrictions on the access road
There are 112 flats being built and the underground car park has 112 spaces.


Reply ID 15679

24/01/2006 by thefair1973

in that case, I stand corrected. Normally there will be extra plots available for negotiation. Also, where are visitors for 112 flats going to park if there's no provision for visitor parking?


Reply ID 15680

24/01/2006 by SMH

quote:
Originally posted by Steve
Kwik-Fit are moving there from their premises in Ware Road.
Indeed the interior looks like it is nearly finished, the builders are working in the wood sidings at the moment and internally the walls are now blue at the bottom a yellow stripe and white up to the top, very QF.


Reply ID 15690

24/01/2006 by SMH

When you are paying Hertford Rent and Business Rates theron you don't want to hang around when it comes to opening up.


Reply ID 15696

24/01/2006 by jez_p

Apparently Kwik Fit Own the Charlie Browns Garage and also the one in Ware. They lease the current site. Makes sense to move really. Especially if somebody wants to take the lease off them. Also I believe the Entrance to Kwik Fit will be from Gascoyne Way rather than Fore Street/South Street


Reply ID 15699

25/01/2006 by SMH

From the building work I am seeing I don't think that will be the case, they have built no new access road from Gasgoine Way and the road up from the access road behind the carpark is not suitable (even if it was repaved) for a high volume of traffic. There is a side access to the building behind Bosphorous Kebabs, but that would be more of a holding area for cars with work completed / delivery vans etc. The gap between 132 Fore St (Employment Agency) and Bosphorus is narrow and someone has already taken the corner off of 132 during the building works so I would hate to think what day to day use would do. All this is observation though.


Reply ID 15707

25/01/2006 by thefair1973

maybe they will come to some arrangement with M&S about getting access & use of their car park? Surely people bringing their cars in for a service will need to park them somewhere first, as you never drive your car straight in to the garage?


Reply ID 15708

25/01/2006 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by thefair1973
Surely people bringing their cars in for a service will need to park them somewhere first, as you never drive your car straight in to the garage?
This was never a problem for Charlie Brown's. Besides, they only do tyres and exhausts so turnaround times are pretty quick.


Reply ID 15716

25/01/2006 by SMH

It looks like they are starting building / restoration on the front of the building now so unless they start boarding that up I guess it will be the way in.


Reply ID 16054

01/02/2006 by m1ckyg

quote:
Originally posted by farrowandfarrow
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
Are we suggesting that all new homes should provide two car parking spaces?
Very possibly, yes. An awful lot of people have a car each these days due to different jobs, more affordable little cars (if you can call £8k affordable![:)]) and the dire public transport links. Would it not be a better approach for the developers to provide either two spaces per flat or one parking space with a sizeable visitor's parking area to reduce the amount of on-road parking that un-allowed for additional cars would cause?
surely your not suggesting developers use up valuable space for parking spaces? end of the day if you have 2 vehicles you need to buy a place which has provision for 2 vehicles....


Reply ID 16087

02/02/2006 by farrowandfarrow

quote:
Originally posted by m1ckyg
quote:
Originally posted by farrowandfarrow
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
Are we suggesting that all new homes should provide two car parking spaces?
Very possibly, yes. An awful lot of people have a car each these days due to different jobs, more affordable little cars (if you can call £8k affordable![:)]) and the dire public transport links. Would it not be a better approach for the developers to provide either two spaces per flat or one parking space with a sizeable visitor's parking area to reduce the amount of on-road parking that un-allowed for additional cars would cause?
surely your not suggesting developers use up valuable space for parking spaces? end of the day if you have 2 vehicles you need to buy a place which has provision for 2 vehicles....
Nothing wrong with underground parking. And with the prices that will probelby be asked for the flats the developers can surely afford the extra work this would take.


Reply ID 20762

10/07/2006 by James007

You heard it here first - Another wine bar with a bit of an upmarket champagne feel. Watch this space....


Reply ID 20763

10/07/2006 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by James007
You heard it here first - Another wine bar with a bit of an upmarket champagne feel. Watch this space....
Er, it re-opened as KwikFit a few months ago. Maybe you're thinking of other premises.


25 replies