After more than 20 years on Broad Street in Ludlow, Golden Moments is threatened with closure. An application has been submitted to convert the property into a house (22/01790/FUL; 22/01791/LBC). The application is from a neighbour, who owns the freehold on Golden Moments and town house next door. He wishes to return the streetscene “to a more quiet residential setting”.
I am appalled by this application. Golden Moments is a popular venue. That does of course mean there will sometimes be noise of people arriving and leaving but it is not a raucous establishment. I can’t recall a complaint about noise or behaviour.
What we can’t have is a town centre that takes a vow of silence at 6pm. Town centres should bustling places. They should have places to eat. Places to meet friends. Places to laugh. Places to enjoy good food.
This type of application though which a property owner and neighbour seeks to change the character of the neighbourhood and destroy a successful business is unwelcome in Ludlow. I will be opposing it at every stage.
The building, which was The Jester Inn until the mid-1980s, is Grade II listed. Golden Moments is a well liked venue and will be sorely missed if it is closed down.
The threat of closure comes from the landlord who lives next door. The agents for his company Tancred Barratt Ltd state:
The Applicant is seeking, more generally, to make better use of No 50 Broad Street, to restore the property to a former townhouse and return the street scene to a more quiet residential setting that is located some distance out side [sic] of the Town Centre Zone.”
Golden Moments is within 300 metres outside the designated town centre and primary shopping area. I would not call that “some distance.”
“There is a predominance of residential properties located within the immediate area and it is understood there has been conflict in use given licensing requirements pertaining to the current use as an Indian restaurant.”
This is nonsense. Complete nonsense. What is the conflict in use due to predominance of residential properties? Or licencing requirements? If these were a valid arguments, every pub, café and restaurant in a residential area would have to close when someone has enough money in their pocket to apply to shut a business down.
We need to fight this proposal. A petition is being raised which you can sign in the restaurant. I think an online petition would also help.
Here is how to object directly to Shropshire Council.
It should not up to residents, or for that matter freeholders, to decide, when it suits their convenience, to change an historically established streetscape for reasons of their own taste ( and no doubt profit?)
This is a much loved and valued asset to the whole town and this planning application should be vigorously opposed.
Golden moments has served the people of ludlow and beyond for 20years. It closes at a reasonable time therefore you don’t get the people going in from a night out. The Uddin family are well likes and respected and provide jobs for some of the younger generation keeping them off the streets and offering them a chance to gain some experience in the hospitality sector.