Empty commercial properties

Do any of the members who have lived here for many years know more about these two properties?

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I’ve lived in the area for almost 12 years and these two places have not changed. Is there a reason they have stayed empty for SO long?

I realise they are not great for shops - there is not a great deal of passing foot traffic there really, but they might make decent offices (as at least one of them appears to have been). Is there some grisly past we should know about that means no-one wants to use them? I recall that @catherine73 was looking for possible office space for example.

(I do know about the now empty Home-to-Home Estate Agents’ office just up from these)

From recollection it is simply the foot fall that let’s them down. A coffee shop was one of the last attempts of a business I recall there. Something bean maybe… Hmm

The of course there were the dance and fitness studios to the left.
It’s just a horrible spot and a prime location for repurposing to commercial or residential.

yes, it would be awful for a coffee shop, I agree.

however, if you had an office of some sort, it might be OK, no? Maybe a bit noisy, but it would give you visibility to the passing traffic and it has great connections being close to the station for staff and visitors …

Totally agree with that. In fairness the speed of the traffic is usually low anyway, so minimal traffic noise with the right glazing.

I suppose though that is really dictated by the internal layout, and I fear the insides are in a rather dire state after so long. Lots of money to invest before it is viable, so maybe the return wouldn’t be worth it.

surely that should also be up to the landlord? Someone must own it and not be seeing any return on that property which, I’m guessing, is paying some sort of rates?

they do make a very ugly sight for those entering / leaving Forest Hill

Playing the long game hoping for a mass buyout? Who knows, there are some very strange property owners about these days. I agree though, not very pretty at all. Interesting to see the Hornimans name on it though.

The shop on the right was a Blue Mountain cafe IIRC but not a great place for a cafe as mentioned. The exterior is just some public art to brighten it up a bit. I think there may be an application to squeeze some poor tenants in upstairs. The South Circular is a bit of an issue at that point IMO.