Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
I was talking to a friend of mine last night by telephone who still resides in Dover and he told me that the well known cafe/restaurant, The Dovorian was closing its doors.
If that is the case then a good chippy plus a reasonable priced eating house will cease to exist. It used to be very popular with shoppers and especially the oap's.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
That would be very sad. I dont go there often but when I fancy a good 'all day breakfast' thats where I go and as for their white chocolate drink....
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Gosh that surprises me Marek if its true. I was in there myself a couple of times, a fair while ago now, and it always looked busy. I dunno..baffling. We need to be sure though that the info is correct if possible, so if anyone knows anything further let us know.
* * *
By the way Marek as an aside : had some feedback from female readers of Doverforum...
" ooh we love that Marek !"
Independent info that...so there you are, you must be doing something right !!wayhey
Keep up the good work!
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
PaulB
The reason quoted as to Dovorians closure, by my friend,an ex immigration colleague, was a rent hike.He's normally a pretty reliable source of info.
As for the second part of your posting it made the wife smile...her remarks ,even in tagalog are unprintable. But it's quite funny we,Natascha and I were out for a walk through St Helier last week when 4 very attractive young females waved and shouted out my name. They came over and greeted me with a kiss.
Natascha looked on bemused with that "wait til I tell mum" face on. I quickly added they were all young Polish barmaids from 4 different town pubs.......the company I keep says it all....
I forgot to add that I'll have to go a long way to keep up with the editor and his irish charm. with the ladies....lol
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
that would be the only reason that they would close. certainly not a lack of business.
rather coincidental that the pub a few doors away is closing over a rent hike also
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Howard
Thats what led on to the conversation..the proximity to the GL..
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Many people simply haven't got the money any more to eat out, and so many places will probably be closing.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
I was in there Saturday talking to the owner and nothing was mentioned so I would be surprised if it were true !
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Possibly such rumours could be used as a bargaining chippy?
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Alexander - dont be so pessimistic. There are still plenty of us who eat out. Did so twice over the weekend both places were reasonably busy and were so outside of peak times.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
right peoples had a chat with the golden lion landlady tressa,her rent has gone up from £1300 a week to £1500 a week.she allso went on to say tht the dovorian,roys hairdressers and the commputer repair shop has a simular rent hike.my under standing from her was that the company wants all the above buissnessis to move out so they the company can have the land in which that bloke stands on.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Brian - do you know when the last rent review was?
The rent increasing from £1300 to £1500 is 15% which is a lot with inflation at 4% but if it is the first rent review for, say 5 or 6 years, then it would not be so bad.
Dont get me wrong. I am not defending a large rent increase. It is difficult for a town centre business to manage in these difficult times but to be able to judge how bad it is we need to see it in this perspective.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
barry,as far as i an aware its been on going over the last 6 months or more.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
marek
hope its not true i do use the Dovorian lets see how true it is
Dovorian does have a good custom base
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Brian - sorry but that is not the answer.
When was the last time the rent was reviewed?
I was not asking over how long this rent rise has been discussed/planned.
Some commercial rents are annually reviewable or can be other periods, perhaps 5 yearly. If so then businesses should always include an allowance for a significant 5 yearly rent rise in their business plans and allow for that so this would not be a surprise to them. That is not to say that this is not a very bad time for them to face such a rise and the lessee certainly deserves our sympathy and support.
To explain further. If the rent was last reviewed 5 years ago and has been stable since, with another review to come in 5 years time, then this increase is placed in a totally different perspective. It would be the equivilent to a '3% simple' per annum rent rise or about 2.9% compound per annum and not far off inflation over that period. Possibly even slightly under inflation.
If reviewed and increased annually then they are faced with a massive rise this year that is difficult to justify and the motivation of the landlord deserves to be questioned.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
Whichever is the outcome baz it's quite a hike, and 5 years ago if that's correct the landlord probably wasn't facing what he''s facing today.
so let's let the dust settle see who else can get the info
k
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 707- Registered: 1 Dec 2010
- Posts: 75
£1300 squid a week. Beejeezus no wonder businesses in the town struggle to survive. I don't even pay that a month for my premesis. Admittedly i'm out of town with less foot traffic. If i had to find that sort of money a week in rent not to mention the rates and utilities i'd have to double if not treble my prices.
Maybe i'm just lucky that i don't have a greedy landlord.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Commercial rents (annually) are usually around 6-8% of freehold value. Additionally pub rents average 10% of expected turnover net of VAT. If their rent was £1300 a week (£67k per annum) then the pub freehold should be worth £600-800k by the former measure and they should have been taking £13,000 a week by the latter measure. I think those rental figures might be monthly, if not their freeholder needs a reality check. No Dover pub takes anywhere near £13k a week bar the Eight Bells.
Afterthought: Jim at Cullins Yard will be taking more than that in the summer season, but Gawd help him, his landlord is DHB.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Peter is quite right of course - I had not done that particular maths and was just trying to see what the context of this rise is.
Yes, Keith - it is quite a hike at a difficult time but, nevertheless, the context of the hike is important to understand so we can understand it properly.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
barry,cant give you an exact details of the last rental rise but wheather the rent was weekly/monthly.i only spoke to the landlady for a few moments before she had to go back and custermers.how ever she is on the understanding that she pays the rent increase or close which she is doing.during the brief but informative chat the other shops in that block have been aproached,as you may have notised bannana moon shop lies empty and there is no to let sign on the property.