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The Catford Tavern / Copperfield

Kap10
Kap10 Posts: 15,577
edited March 2015 in Not Sports Related
is burning :(

58 Firefighters attending



Comments

  • Absurdistan
    Absurdistan Posts: 8,024
    Sad news although seemed to be a white elephant for years.
  • Kap10
    Kap10 Posts: 15,577
    Absurdistan said:

    Sad news although seemed to be a white elephant for years.

    Who knows what will happen but thought with the massive redevelopment of Catford Dogs it had a future.
  • sirjohnhumphrey
    sirjohnhumphrey Posts: 1,860
    Sad news. Have just seen it. A real mess just when there were plans going ahead to renovate it.
  • Kap10
    Kap10 Posts: 15,577

  • sirjohnhumphrey
    sirjohnhumphrey Posts: 1,860
    A company called Solitaire had just acquired the lease and had released their plans for opening in September. Ruined now.
  • Covered End
    Covered End Posts: 52,015
    @kin ell.
  • mickc
    mickc Posts: 573
    Squatters occupying a site in Fordmill Road had plans to move into the Copperfield following injunction being served for eviction.
    More rights than a paid up tenant.
    Real shame was a lovely building.
  • EastTerrace
    EastTerrace Posts: 3,961
    The council will be pleased, they can build some of their housing quota there now.

    Another slice of our culture goes and hardly anyone cares.
  • Fiiiiiish
    Fiiiiiish Posts: 1,671
    Had some great nights in there when it was the tavern. Glad it moved to the Constitutional club about 50m down rather than packing up altogrther but was always hoping the building could still be turned into another pub.
  • Eddie Firmani
    Eddie Firmani Posts: 650
    Just seen it referred to on Twitter as the "old" Copperfield.

    Makes me feel even older as I'm pretty sure it was called the Railway when I first drank in it, 40 something years ago.

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  • lolwray
    lolwray Posts: 4,902
    yes definitely the railway tavern for me ....i think they call it "jewish lightning " in the insurance business ..personally i never thought it would have a viable longterm future as a pub ..such a shame to see it go like this though
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,357
    lolwray said:

    yes definitely the railway tavern for me ....i think they call it "jewish lightning " in the insurance business ..personally i never thought it would have a viable longterm future as a pub ..such a shame to see it go like this though

    sorry to hear about the fire Mikey .. shhhh, it's not 'til next week ((:>)
  • Starinnaddick
    Starinnaddick Posts: 4,345
    edited March 2015
    Eddie Firmani said:

    Just seen it referred to on Twitter as the "old" Copperfield.

    Makes me feel even older as I'm pretty sure it was called the Railway when I first drank in it, 40 something years ago.

    Used it a lot in the Catford dogs days . Eamonn Dunphy was often in there at one time.
  • JorgeCosta
    JorgeCosta Posts: 1,035
    Didn't the Welcome Inn mysteriously catch fire too and flats built on it?
  • Starinnaddick
    Starinnaddick Posts: 4,345
    JorgeCosta said:

    Didn't the Welcome Inn mysteriously catch fire too and flats built on it?

    Yes
  • MrLargo
    MrLargo Posts: 7,991
    lolwray said:

    personally i never thought it would have a viable longterm future as a pub

    It was thriving under Antic's ownership (just as the Catford Constitutional Club is now), hence it had its status as a building to be used only as a pub protected, although unfortunately that came through just too late in that Tesco had already acquired the freehold and booted out Antic. Tesco were then lumbered with a building that they owned but weren't allowed to turn into yet another of their independent-shop killing Tesco Express stores.

    I really think it had all the makings of a success - great location right next to he station, very little competition elsewhere in Catford, a huge housing development being built right behind it and Catford being at the early stages of gentrification, with many of the people who can't afford Forest Hill, Hither Green etc looking at Catford as an alternative. If you can't make a pub work in those circumstances then you never will.
  • ChicagoAddick
    ChicagoAddick Posts: 4,394
    Very sad, one of my first drinking places, The Copperfield.
  • iaitch
    iaitch Posts: 10,234
    Would Tesco still want it considering their financial situation? They've canned a few other local developments as highlighted on here.
  • MrLargo
    MrLargo Posts: 7,991
    iaitch said:

    Would Tesco still want it considering their financial situation? They've canned a few other local developments as highlighted on here.

    I believe Tesco has subsequently sold it. It was in the process of being refurbished prior to the fire. If you read the following two links it then you get a decent idea of what's happened since Antic were chucked out.

    http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jun/26/dilemma-tesco-lose-money-land-rivals
    http://brockleycentral.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/the-future-of-catford-bridge-tavern.html
  • MrLargo
    MrLargo Posts: 7,991
    Just found this, got a few pics of the plans and a brief comment today in relation to the fire.

    http://www.catfordtavern.com/

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  • iaitch
    iaitch Posts: 10,234
    I was in there last year when Antic were running the place, plenty of customers and a good selection of beers/lagers.

    They lost the lease and opened at the Catford Constitutional Club, the decor there is nothing write home about, in fact the place looks like a ruin, but plenty of customers around the bar and the restaurant.

    I think it proves that pubs can survive if it provides the right product and service.

    I've been to a few Antic pubs and they always seem to have plenty of customers.
  • Kap10
    Kap10 Posts: 15,577
    edited March 2015
  • Friend Or Defoe
    Friend Or Defoe Posts: 18,103
    I cycled past it 2 hours before it got torched must have caught fire. Mental.
  • Riviera
    Riviera Posts: 8,167
    Friend Or Defoe said:

    I cycled past it 2 hours before it got torched must have caught fire. Mental.

    I drove past there about 3 months before it caught fire. Unbelievable!
  • Mortimerician
    Mortimerician Posts: 5,222
    Absurdistan said:

    Sad news although seemed to be a white elephant for years.

    In it's last incarnation as the Catford Tavern it was doing great
  • MrLargo
    MrLargo Posts: 7,991
    Reopened last night, handful of pictures on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/catfordtavern/photos/rpp.1557115771207751/1836739643245361/?type=3&theater

    Not been in yet, but great to see a beautiful old building being used for the purpose it was intended, rather than falling into the hands of developers or supermarkets.
  • Karim_myBagheri
    Karim_myBagheri Posts: 12,731
    whos the brewery/group? or is it a free house? looks like an antic pub but it's not on their website so it cant be.
  • MrLargo
    MrLargo Posts: 7,991
    Karim_myBagheri said:

    whos the brewery/group? or is it a free house? looks like an antic pub but it's not on their website so it cant be.

    After it closed as The Copperfield in 2011, Antic bought it and turned it around. Tesco then obtained the freehold and kicked Antic out with a view to turning it into another totally unnecessary Tesco Express/Metro. Antic moved into the Catford Constitutional Club about 2 minutes walk away and that is now thriving. Tesco were refused permission to "develop" it and a company called Solitaire took it over.

    Don't know anything about them apart from what Google throws up - https://www.google.co.uk/search?num=100&espv=2&q=solitaire+pubs&oq=solitaire+pu&gs_l=serp.1.3.0l10.864.7312.0.8483.12.10.0.2.2.0.90.652.10.10.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..0.12.659...35i39k1j0i131k1j0i67k1j0i131i67k1.Q0wgoCzgtEs

    Incidentally, Antic recently closed The Ravensbourne Arms at the end of Lewisham High Street, as they are moving into what used to be The Market Tavern, bang in the middle of Lewisham Town Centre.
  • Powell Is Pleasant
    Powell Is Pleasant Posts: 1,443
    MrLargo said:

    Karim_myBagheri said:

    whos the brewery/group? or is it a free house? looks like an antic pub but it's not on their website so it cant be.

    After it closed as The Copperfield in 2011, Antic bought it and turned it around. Tesco then obtained the freehold and kicked Antic out with a view to turning it into another totally unnecessary Tesco Express/Metro. Antic moved into the Catford Constitutional Club about 2 minutes walk away and that is now thriving. Tesco were refused permission to "develop" it and a company called Solitaire took it over.

    Don't know anything about them apart from what Google throws up - https://www.google.co.uk/search?num=100&espv=2&q=solitaire+pubs&oq=solitaire+pu&gs_l=serp.1.3.0l10.864.7312.0.8483.12.10.0.2.2.0.90.652.10.10.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..0.12.659...35i39k1j0i131k1j0i67k1j0i131i67k1.Q0wgoCzgtEs

    Incidentally, Antic recently closed The Ravensbourne Arms at the end of Lewisham High Street, as they are moving into what used to be The Market Tavern, bang in the middle of Lewisham Town Centre.
    I saw the other day that it had been closed, and was going to google it once I reached the end of this thread - thanks for saving me a job!
  • Oggy Red
    Oggy Red Posts: 44,957

    Just read the 853 blog regarding the Ravensbourne Arms closing.

    One of the comments below refers to a current planning application for the AntiGallican.
    Anybody up to speed with this?


    31 OCTOBER, 2016 - 5:00 PM
    The Hebridean
    Are people aware of planning app 15/2272/F for the AntiGallican on Woolwich Road Charlton? It has been with Greenwich’s Planning Dept for over a year now. The project is for a reduction in facilities plus part conversion to apartments but is it aimed at pub closure?

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