Forum Topic

Dickins Yard and Christchurch food stalls

They seem to have all gone! Any ideas why?

Peter King ● 54d13 Comments

Roscoe, comprehension first class, would just be good if you actually stayed on topic.Yes, have watched Dickens for a long time,and I am very familiar, had a niece who rented there for a while. Sadly many of the flats whilst sold are left unoccupied. However Berkeley Homes used to offer two years rent free  on the commercial units to encourage tenants to take up occupation, and subsequently reduced rent to assist in them remaining.This is no longer the case.As stated an Equity Investment firm bought the commercial element over two years ago. They do not understand  Ealing. They are attempting massive rental hikes, which are totally without foundation and more tenants will leave.Blow Bar is sadly leaving.Triyoga is a mess financially, in liquidation several times,  AND the building is flooded. It used to be a huge draw. They are relocating to a temporary unit within Dickens Yard.It is rumored that an existing  restaurant is closing in the near future, but the owners of Dickens Yard want to install more restaurants within the site.  One has to question their judgement.

Norah King ● 49d

Mr Goodman - And, of course, when the street level shop units fail to be profitable, they can eventually be turned into ........... FLATS!  ££££££s!  👌Mr Hayes - "Elections in May. Vote wisely." ..... Couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, there is a HUGE Idiot Vote in Ealing Borough. Compounded by those with "vested" interests in ensuring the Liebore trough is maintained. 😉

Rosco White ● 51d

Anyone who thinks either of Dickens Yard or Filmworks had the (now) Class E aspect of them at their core needs to give their heads a wobble.When you lay down with Developers you get.......All about the flats and £££££Far better to have empty Class E units (which are always a ground floor sop to the Planners) as means flats will sell easier.Dickens Yard small units have always looked ideal for a bit of a fashion outlet type set up to me. A very small scale Bicester Village or Wembley Outlet Mall would work in my book but clearly rents need to be right.

Colin Goodman ● 51d

Norah, have you not noticed that the businesses in Dickens Yard have been struggling for years? It was always just a development of expensive flats with some retail space shoved underneath. Like many of Julian Bell’s grand plans it’s proven to be a white elephant.Bell is such a fantasist he thought Ealing could host the Olympics! Sadly we now have an administration run by another self-serving narcissist but one who rather than making grand statements just sneaks things through.Elections in May. Vote wisely.

Simon Hayes ● 51d

Ms King,"..... appear not to have read the question or the answer."I suggest you comprehend better and follow your own advice, neither comment was in reference as to why the food market closed, they were general, "ancillary" comments, most people are very aware it was a commercial decision.

Rosco White ● 51d

Oh Dear SusanYou are completely wrong and appear not to have read the question or the answer.The closure of the food market had nothing to do with Dickens Yard being a wind Tunnel. It was a COMMERCIAL decision. They probably did not take into account your shopping preferences either!The Closure of the food market had nothing to do with the long gone Mr Bell!The Council cannot arbitrarily take over Commercial units!!!Just to further advise Dickens Yard actually has a community centre called OPEN Ealing Arts Centre. A great venue but not well publicized.TRY it sometime

Norah King ● 51d

Ah yes, that Financial Genius, Julian Bell, what a fine, surplus situation he left the LBE coffers in when he was ousted.  🤣

Rosco White ● 52d

Dickens Yard is just slightly too off the beaten track to attract much passing trade and there’s certainly nothing there to make it a genuine destination for most.Ditto Filmworks, which aside from the cinema and a couple of restaurants is still largely unoccupied. All those grand plans of Julian Bell have hit the hard cold wall of reality. It’s a shame but there simply isn’t the demand in Ealing for what was envisaged in either location. Chuck in extortionate rents and rates and you won’t get many takers for setting up shop there.Maybe the council could turn some of the vacant units into community spaces, particularly since they’ve given away the Victoria Hall in the Town Hall.

Simon Hayes ● 52d

'Yes Dickens Yard is a wind tunnel, but that has nothing to do with the topic!'Of course it does if it puts people off going there. It certainly puts me off.

Susan Kelly ● 52d

Yes Dickens Yard is a wind tunnel, but that has nothing to do with the topic!Dickens Yard is being destroyed by the greed of the new owners. They do not understand Ealing or Dickens Yard. They are trying to increase rents and thought that removing the food market would "enhance" the square and secure them a higher rental on No 17/All BAR ONE unit. This has spectacularly back fired!Tri Yoga had a fire last year, (in liquidation again) floods now ... ( using ID studios for yoga classes temporarily) moving into.... a temp unit on the site... guess where...........They are also losing Blo Bar, one of the original tenants in Dickens YardA real mess

Norah King ● 52d

Both it and Filmworks become wind tunnels whenever there's a bit of extra breeze. Poorly designed!

Susan Kelly ● 52d

David Samuel Investments bought the commercial element of Dickens Yard in 2023. They were expected to market Dickens Yard and make it fabulous.  This has not happened, and they have lost the two major tenants. It looks scruffy with no lighting and poor footfall. Business are struggling. The owners believe that putting more restaurants into Dickens Yard is the way to go! The existing restaurants feel that more restaurants will further impact their business and dilute trade.  David Samuel were of the view that the food market was detrimental to the existing restaurants, creating mess and smell. It therefor had to go!

Norah King ● 53d

I'd guess it's because Ealing has never really supported independent dining establishments of any quality.  For all its alleged middle class wealth, they must prefer to spend their money elsewhere.

Bobby Bogavante ● 53d