Farewell to another pub:
Office manager Julie Delaney, 46, formerly of Canberra Crescent, used to visit the tavern with her father and family.
“It used to be a really nice pub, you’d take your kids and enjoy a day with your family.
“I know pub culture’s changed but it’s sad to see community places go, whether they’re being replaced with Tesco, M&S or whatever.”
In this case, it’s definitely ‘whatever’…
Stella’s Groceries and Vegetables opened earlier this month, selling a range of African and Caribbean produce.
Manager Stella Osunbol, 55, from Forest Hill, Lewisham, has run her own shops for the past 18 years and fell in love with the building when she first saw it.
“It’s a really nice building in a good area,” she said.
“A really good place for my business.
“It’s obvious not everyone wanted to go to the pub for drinking because it closed.
“These days people go to the supermarket and drink at home. Not everyone wants to drink, but everyone wants to eat so we see the change as a good thing. Pubs aren’t always good things – there can be a lot of unpleasant situations.”
I suppose African food shops are always good things, in Stella’s world?
The Bull is the second pub to change its use in three months, despite Barking and Dagenham Council’s “Last Orders? Preserving Public Houses” supplementary planning order.
Adopted in June 2014, the order only allows pubs to change use after a 12-month marketing period, if “no interest in the free or leasehold as a pub” is expressed in that time.
In February, councillors overturned recommendations to allow the Farmhouse Tavern, in Dagenham Road, to reopen as a licensed function venue and restaurant.
Catering for up to 200 guests at special events, such as weddings, caterer Gulzar Chowdhury bought the pub in 2011.
No wonder Dagenham is changing fast. For the better?
It was never good but Dagenham is part of Africa now.
ReplyDeleteI used to travel to Barking to drink in the Bull as a teen and my nan worked there for a short while while. A sad loss, and the Labour council is of no help in preserving the area. It appears to be encouraging an immigrant led decline. Immigration especially Islamic and other third world immigration is destroying the area with the connivance of Labour
ReplyDeleteI think the pics of Mrs O'Bama in east london today sum the state of this country up, let alone African food shops. What a blood pressure buster!
ReplyDelete"Mrs" O'Bummer?
ReplyDeleteYou sure?
You know how these commy twats were ALWAYS fond of sneeking men into the olympic teams dressed an women.
This one DEFFINATELY looks the part.
In fact more than a few times Buttfuck himself has refered to it as Michael!
"It was never good but Dagenham is part of Africa now."
ReplyDeleteParts of it, yes. Other parts are part of Eastern Europe.
"and the Labour council is of no help in preserving the area."
Why would they want to? They don't live there!
""Mrs" O'Bummer?
You sure?"
Oh, come now! She's as feminine as the next woman!
If the next woman's Bruce Jenner.