Montage Cafe [Closed]

Sign on Montage suggests the lease is for sale. Does anyone know anything? We really like it and would be sorry to see it go.

Only know as much as the listing says:

£15k p.a
Premium on application
Lease assignment (8 years left)

Agree that it will be a shame to see it go. The gallery space in particular is a great asset for the area, even if it is a bit hidden.

Oh no! This is our favourite coffee shop (amazing place to have brunch whilst keeping the kids occupied).

I hope it can carry on

25k premium.

If it’s not too off-topic, can you explain what this means?

Yes. I’ve seen this before but have no idea myself.

A premium is an upfront one off payment to take on an existing businesses lease, with the monthly rent, business rates etc still having to be paid as normal by the new tenant.

Normally businesses asking for a premium would show a history of accounts to merit this.

Am not saying this is the case here but quite a few businesses do this sort of thing to ‘test the market’. It does necessarily follow that they are leaving.

There’s a big TO LET sign up on the upper part. Since the cafe is still running it seems to imply that the space to let is above?

The whole of the property is TO LET as per listing -

Ground Floor Retail - 48.60 sqm 523 sq ft
First Floor Office 42.90 sqm 462 sq ft
Basement 13.25 sqm 142 sq ft

Montage currently occupies the whole building.

Any news updates of if the Montage has managed to sell their business? And if there’s a new business opening?

Montage posted on Facebook that they are looking for another premises.

Don’t know if anyone has taken it on yet Mr.

I’ve heard today that what was “The Montage” will now become a hairdressers…

“Kids on the Hill” is now closing for good too.

About time Forest Hill had a hairdressers.

Spotted a licensing application on the window of the Montage earlier. Looks like whoever is taking over the shop wants to be able to sell alcohol. As yet, no sign of it on Lewisham’s list of current licensing applications.

Forgot to take a photo of the applicant’s name for further digging, but doesn’t sound like a hairdressers. Anyone know any more?

@weepy made me aware of this a few days ago & I spoke with @MajaHilton about this too at the weekend.

As far as I was aware it was going to be a hairdressers (this info came from the Montage owners) so I don’t have a clue what’s happening now.

Well maybe a hairdresser where you can have a glass of champagne while being pampered

Maybe, I thought that too

A hipster barbers and craft gin house?

Sounds great unless the barber likes the gun too much, - proper male grooming parlour would be good! And I mean grooming as in grooming

Get you two @Starman & @anon10646030 your ideas are not bad BTW I think

Fingers crossed for a trendy place to drink cocktails etc

That could well be possible, but only what I’ve been told rather than what will happen

As we hope to house @FHGinClub in our basement I do hope not.

There had been a previous application for a bar in this site, but it isn’t really a good site for such an establishment (the layout is quite limited). That application from 2011 was withdrawn by the applicant.
It would also be a shame to lose another A1 retail unit unless it were for a seriously good bar. A vibrant high street requires enough A1 retail and related shops that are open during the daytime - not just pubs and take aways that open in the evenings.
And then there is the problem of the position - next to a pub, opposite a pub, with two pubs within 1 minute walk, and another four pubs/bars about three minutes away!
I look forward to viewing the application whatever it is for.

My problem with dartmouth road is that everything is closed by the time commuters come home so there can be as many shops as they like but useless if the opening times don’t reflect the working public so bars and pubs make more sense to me, I totally understand the need for independany shops to have a life outside the shops but unfortunately I cannot support them as much I would like too, if I want to get some bread from an independent shop at 6 on my way home I find them closed so no point to venture up dartmouth road, same with flowers etc, don’t get me wrong I do understand the challenges but for me that’s the reason why I go straight home and do not walk up the road or go straight to Sainsbury’s

I can sympathise with this.

I used to run a hairdressing salon at 53a from 1987 -1995 and soon learned that I needed to take on staff who wanted to work later into the evenings - up until around 9pm - because, prior to that, most of our potential clientelle was walking past the shop either on weekdays en route to or from the station when it was closed or on a Saturday when we were at full capacity with pre-bookings.

I know that it’s not always easy for shopkeepers to stay on late to get a piece of the commuters’ action due to family commitments etc but I do think they’re missing a trick if they don’t - even for one late-night-opening a week.

Maybe after improvement works there might be a new vibe going on, which could give things a bit of a lift and a renewed enthusiasm possibly for a Forest Hill late night opening until 8pm every Thursday or whatever?

From my point of view, I hope the Montage premises becomes almost anything other than another hair or beauty salon; and, if it is an eatery or bar, it opens for at least a few of the ‘normal’ shop opening hours to help with footfall.

That was my thought where I grew up shop opening times were very restricted and I totally get the need of family times for independent shop owners but we had late Thursdays where shops been open until 8 which was great to know and you actually waited till Thursday to go shopping, I think it would be worth a try😃Just an example and I seriously don’t want to criticise any particular shop, I ordered from forest hill food assembly and thought I got some great meat etc and will pick some bread up on the way down since I have been on dartmouth road already only to find everything shut and had to go to sainos , again it’s a difficult one but worth a thought

Sweeny Todd’s bought a revolver?

Maybe it’s going to run a data disposal service.

Well it could be like 161 which is a genuine asset to the area for both locals and those further afield.

I agree about opening times, I always forget everything closes at 5. I had a hair appointment at 5:30 a few weeks ago and arrived early, thought I’d have a coffee and browse the shops but everywhere was closed. I had to have a glass of wine instead…

You are so brave. We salute you.

Just saying I close at 6 every night not 5

The company referenced on the application is registered (since December) as a hair dressers so …

Fancy hair dressers with champagne treats ?

Good sleuthing. Maybe they are looking for a USP considering the number of hairdressers in FH already!

I notice the licence suggests opening hours till 11 pm so a hairdresser’s seems unlikely.

So it’s sounding like the clientele WILL be letting their hair down then. Whether half cut as well remains to be seen, arf arf…

I think one day late night opebing is a great idea on Dartmouth Road if all traders agreed to it, and it would probably boost the pubs and restaurants also. Worth a try if it can be co-ordinated.

We tried this before, but not enough took part to make it a success.

Happy to try coordinate this again with your help if you don’t mind.

If you can email me your suggestions I can then forward the idea to all Traders & Cc you or just reply here & I can copy & paste your suggestions & keep you up to date on responses.

www.sugarmountain.info@gmail.com

A member PMed me to suggest a split to this topic. What do you think?

Happy to engage in either, just give me a shout

Saw some building materials being delivered to what was The Montage this morning, so I took the liberty of going inside to find someone to confirm what it will be & the builder told me it was going to be a hairdresser, so it another hairdresser after all.

I was just thinking that this exciting news is something that Hillview (pauline’s parrot) will want to report, so i was pleased to see he is an avid reader and was already second with the news.

I don’t think the other forum would have any posts if they didn’t copy all the news from here!

I know your posts get repeated too a while later aswell as some others - shame he can’t find his own news & updates.

Never seems to be any replies on there, so not very helpful to locals I don’t think.

At least we don’t have to worry about posting more than once as it gets copied pretty soon after, less work for us

Twitter is abuzz with reactions to this news:

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Met the new owner today & he seemed really nice.

He said he’s aiming to open in a couple of weeks.

When I asked what it will be he said “pampering & tailoring” he told me he previously worked on Savile Row.

The alcohol license has been granted & he said this is mainly for giving clients complimentary drinks.

Ooooohhh…

Hi Pauline, would you have a contact for the new owner of The Montage please?

Thanks

No, sorry Ged. I just had a quick chat as he was busy doing the shopfit.

New sign up. Kinda opaque as to what it is ?!

Interesting. Can someone post a pic?

Took this pic on my way back from the Library this afternoon. Looking good!

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3 posts were merged into an existing topic: Smoddy Sharp

Interesting! It transpires that the upcoming cafe in Kirkdale, “The Moustache” is a venture by the owners of Montage:

Moustache is now open:

https://se26.life/t/new-to-kirkdale-the-moustache-cafe-and-gallery/1095/10