Discover Hertford Online Forum

Topic

Topic ID 5914

12/04/2011 by Ewoowar

Old MacDonalds

I heard from a retailer in the town that River Island had enquired about moving into the old MacDonalds premises in Maidenhead Street but backed off after they were told they would not get permission for change of use.


Replies

Reply ID 80641

12/04/2011 by Leo Densian

Maybe if they started to offer cappucino's and manicures?


Reply ID 80642

12/04/2011 by codek2

well that would be a net zero movement then with what Costa have done. So that would be a win win situation for everyone. No Nandos? Runs...


Reply ID 80646

12/04/2011 by Billywindsock

ooooh, is there a Nando's coming then? The River Island thing is interesting, can they not use a site which has the right planning type? There are a few around town, like the one opposite Boots that is closing.


Reply ID 80648

13/04/2011 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by Billywindsock
The River Island thing is interesting, can they not use a site which has the right planning type? There are a few around town, like the one opposite Boots that is closing.
That's much smaller than old Mac's


Reply ID 80665

13/04/2011 by thefair1973

that place has been empty now for what, 3 or 4 years? They would still rather leave it boarded up than have a prime high-street retailer take it over and get change of use. Do they not think that if it was empty during the boom times, how is it going to be filled by a reataurant now?


Reply ID 80669

13/04/2011 by Steve

quote:
Originally posted by thefair1973
that place has been empty now for what, 3 or 4 years? They would still rather leave it boarded up than have a prime high-street retailer take it over and get change of use. Do they not think that if it was empty during the boom times, how is it going to be filled by a reataurant now?
Who are "they"?


Reply ID 80683

13/04/2011 by Billywindsock

'they,' I would guess, are the people at some council level that say yes or no to a shop opening application. [CherylColeVoice] I can see you really want this, but I'm afraid it's a no from me, pet[/CherylColeVoice] Must be a bit like X factor without the celebrity judges.


Reply ID 80684

13/04/2011 by James007

quote:
Originally posted by Billywindsock
'they,' I would guess, are the people at some council level that say yes or no to a shop opening application. [CherylColeVoice] I can see you really want this, but I'm afraid it's a no from me, pet[/CherylColeVoice] Must be a bit like X factor without the celebrity judges.
Do the council own it then?


Reply ID 80687

14/04/2011 by Ewoowar

quote:
Originally posted by James007
quote:
Originally posted by Billywindsock
'they,' I would guess, are the people at some council level that say yes or no to a shop opening application. [CherylColeVoice] I can see you really want this, but I'm afraid it's a no from me, pet[/CherylColeVoice] Must be a bit like X factor without the celebrity judges.
Do the council own it then?
No. But they have a degree of authority regarding change of use.


Reply ID 80692

14/04/2011 by Andrew

quote:
Originally posted by Ewoowar
I heard from a retailer in the town that River Island had enquired about moving into the old MacDonalds premises in Maidenhead Street but backed off after they were told they would not get permission for change of use.
This whole thread seems to be buit on shaky foundations: 1. River Island stores are rarely found in town the size of Hertford 2. Why would it be unlikely that A1 use would not be granted in a prime shopping street? 3. Given Hertford's history of change of uses it seems unlikely that any major retailer would back off because they were "told" something by persons unknown.


Reply ID 80693

14/04/2011 by Marilyn

quote:
Originally posted by Andrew
quote:
Originally posted by Ewoowar
I heard from a retailer in the town that River Island had enquired about moving into the old MacDonalds premises in Maidenhead Street but backed off after they were told they would not get permission for change of use.
This whole thread seems to be buit on shaky foundations: 1. River Island stores are rarely found in town the size of Hertford 2. Why would it be unlikely that A1 use would not be granted in a prime shopping street? 3. Given Hertford's history of change of uses it seems unlikely that any major retailer would back off because they were "told" something by persons unknown.
I think you are right with the number of resturants and coffee shops already here I would have thought planning would be very happy to have a unit changed to retail. I suspect it is another rumour like a few others with little if any foundation [;)] There was a time when almost every other building in Hertford was a pub, now it seems it is a coffee shop or something to do with hair / nails/beauty.


Reply ID 80694

14/04/2011 by Ewoowar

quote:
Originally posted by Marilyn
quote:
Originally posted by Andrew
quote:
Originally posted by Ewoowar
I heard from a retailer in the town that River Island had enquired about moving into the old MacDonalds premises in Maidenhead Street but backed off after they were told they would not get permission for change of use.
This whole thread seems to be buit on shaky foundations: 1. River Island stores are rarely found in town the size of Hertford 2. Why would it be unlikely that A1 use would not be granted in a prime shopping street? 3. Given Hertford's history of change of uses it seems unlikely that any major retailer would back off because they were "told" something by persons unknown.
I think you are right with the number of resturants and coffee shops already here I would have thought planning would be very happy to have a unit changed to retail. I suspect it is another rumour like a few others with little if any foundation [;)] There was a time when almost every other building in Hertford was a pub, now it seems it is a coffee shop or something to do with hair / nails/beauty.
It is possibly just a rumour but it is exactly what I heard from a retailer in the town.


Reply ID 80703

14/04/2011 by Marilyn

quote:
It is possibly just a rumour but it is exactly what I heard from a retailer in the town.
I don't doubt it ........but a large company like that were serious though would they go on hearsay rather than actually finding out before dismissing it or just open up and worry about it later [;)]


Reply ID 80706

14/04/2011 by thefair1973

I heard Selfridges were looking at taking over the old Threshers shop on Fore Street


Reply ID 80709

14/04/2011 by Deveraux

quote:
Originally posted by thefair1973
I heard Selfridges were looking at taking over the old Threshers shop on Fore Street
[:D][:D]


Reply ID 80710

14/04/2011 by James007

quote:
Originally posted by Ewoowar
quote:
Originally posted by James007
quote:
Originally posted by Billywindsock
'they,' I would guess, are the people at some council level that say yes or no to a shop opening application. [CherylColeVoice] I can see you really want this, but I'm afraid it's a no from me, pet[/CherylColeVoice] Must be a bit like X factor without the celebrity judges.
Do the council own it then?
No. But they have a degree of authority regarding change of use.
Well it was once Gateway, Fine Fare and is in a primary retail location. Change of Use from A3 (restaurant) to A1 (retail) would be simple in my opinion, as it was once a retail site. If it were A1 going to A3 (ala Costa Coffee) then there would be a problem. I found this official document from a government website: Changes of use not requiring planning permission In many cases involving similar types of use, a change of use of a building or land does not need planning permission. Planning permission is not needed when both the present and proposed uses fall within the same ‘class’, or if the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order says that a change of class is permitted to another specified class (see table below). For example, a greengrocer’s shop could be changed to a shoe shop without permission as these uses fall within the same ‘class’, and a restaurant could be changed to a shop or a estate agency as the Use Class Order allows this type of change to occur without requiring planning permission. source: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/changeofuse/


16 replies