Plans for new restaurant at Parsonage Green

by Lisa Reeves

Wednesday 18^th March 2015

Wed 18^th Mar 2015

Another new restaurant is preparing to open in Wilmslow town centre.

The people behind The Laundrette, which opened in Chorlton in August 2014, are opening a second branch at 52, Parsonage Green.

Their restaurant will serve cocktails and pizza and be located in the premises previously occupied by Bar Sport, which has been empty since it was repossessed on behalf of the landlord in May 2014.

The Laundrette has submitted a planning application for an external deck at the front with perimeter planters and guard rails to form an external seating area. The proposed works also include adding timber cladding to the facade, a fixed weather awning and 3 fascia signs.

The ground floor of the restaurant will include seating and dining for all users, whilst the first floor will be for bookings and special events.

The proposed opening hours are 8am to 2am Monday to Saturday and 8am to 11pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

The Laundrette is expected to create ten full-time and eight part-time jobs.

The planning application can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 15/0106M. The deadline for submitting comments is 8th April and a decision is expected to be made by 30th April.

Tags:: Restaurants, The Laundrette

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Andrew Bloor

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 2:01 pm

I give it 6 months.Sorry but we need to get real here, there are too many fancy restaurants around that end up getting less custom and subsequently end up losing business because the fad wears off after a while. I keep saying this to my partner, put a Nando's there and it will make a killing, whether you like Nando's or not it's a massive chain and if Pizza Express can thrive in the town and that's located on a bigger premises then surely Nandos would too, it's so popular and would bring so much business.

Jon Williams

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 2:02 pm

Timber Cladding - in a town center ---- NO !

Phil Gaskell

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 2:36 pm

i think its a positive move that part of town looks a little run down and if a restaurant wants to move it good luck to them i have infact been to the one in cholton and is great ,it is in not a fancy restaurant and that its been in cholton for the past year is great to expand to our town ,if people want to get real we need more restaurants not empty building ,they have my vote ,ive lived in Wilmslow 25 years and seen lots come and go but locals should be really happy that the town could finally be on the up once again

Alistair Yates

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 2:44 pm

Excellent. Wilmslow is crying out for somewhere half decent to go in the evening. I look forward to this opening.

Phil Hopkins

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 2:48 pm

Cue the doom and gloom merchants.

For pity's sake give them a chance! we all know this is a tough location but I for one celebrate the fact that these people are willing to invest a not too insignificant sum in this business and our town and I hope it works out for them.

Cladding may not be to every ones taste, but it will be a damned sight better than how it looks currently, (Has anyone noticed the cladding going on the St Annes office building?), maybe Tesco's will take the opportunity to refurb their premises as well???

Come on Wilmslow folk get behind them and give some support.

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 2:52 pm

Couldn't agree more Phil & Alistair

DELETED ACCOUNT

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 3:50 pm

This area is just crying out for investment. If only the owners of this site, and Tescos Express could be persuaded to put a pitched roof on these buildings they might look half decent and blend in. No doubt when they were originally given planning permission they passed for "high quality design".

Manuel Golding

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 3:54 pm

I wish the proprietors every luck with their Laundrette venture.

Will we be seeing the Cheshire East hierarchy, i.e. "the great and the good", laundering their dirty linen in public?

Carli Norfolk

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 4:05 pm

Great news and very much welcomed to transform that run down block. Good luck to them and we look forward to visiting. It's a challenge to improve the existing building so it's aesthetically pleasing but I personally think the cladding will be a huge improvement. Let's get behind positive change in the town and show some support to SME's choosing Wilmslow to expand their business. It can only be a positive step forward for Wilmslow.

Sally Hoare

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 4:44 pm

I like the sound of this. It`s a big unit so must be expensive. Ideal for this with it`s outdoor seating area. Look forward to trying it, good luck.

John Jennings

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 4:58 pm

Delighted with this and wish them well.Anything would be better than the eyesore that is there at present.Lets welcome this venture and at least give it a try before condemning it to the scrap heap.

Pete Taylor

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 5:21 pm

Hopefully this venture will turn this eyesore into a thriving business.
It is a difficult-shaped building because it was built as a car showroom/service garage for Lex, who were at that time a major national BMC dealership. It later became a Ferrari agent, then Porsche, before it went into a downward spiral of eateries and drunkeries.
Good luck to them.

Sandra Martin

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 6:25 pm

I agree ... this part of town is rather depressing and I welcome the facelift the refurbishment should deliver. We'll try it for sure and hope they can deliver the right product to make it a popular and profitable addition to Wilmslow.

Emma Hayes

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 6:44 pm

The branch in Chorlton appears to be thriving! It's a positive that independent restaurants want to venture into wilmslow so let's not be too negative and put potential businesses off. I say "in with the independent restaurants and bars and out with the mass produced frozen food chains!!"

Lesley Seddon

Wednesday 18^th March 2015 at 7:01 pm

I'm delighted to hear this is finally progressing. The restaurant in Chorlton is fun and the food is good. The staff are really friendly. I wish them well with their new venture and it will vastly improve the look of that building. We need some affordable and decent restaurants in Wilmslow. I'd like to see more like this as the quality is great.

Alison Keeling

Thursday 19^th March 2015 at 7:50 am

Cant wait for it to open - a great addition to Wilmslow! Just what we need, a relaxed, upbeat eatery. We just need to get something done about outdated and generally grotty Grove Street! Good luck to Laundrette and its good to see CAU, the other new kid on the block, adding a good buzz to the town centre!

Steve Savage

Thursday 19^th March 2015 at 9:53 am

Lots of independent shops and restaurants/bars thrive in Chorlton for various reasons. the 2 most obvious are reasonable rents & rates and the local population demographic. I wish Laundrette all the best and applaud the fact that they are willing to invest their money in Wilmslow.

Simon Worthington

Thursday 19^th March 2015 at 12:32 pm

You forgot the majestic French brand Renault Pete!! From the picture it will look like a ski chalet (cue fond memories of Thursdays at the old Valley Lodge Hotel). The proliferation of pizza restaurants and (as Steve put it recently) "mince in a bun" outlets is purely because of the massive mark up available on such food which is the only way to fund the huge running costs. The burger fad in the Centre of the Known Universe (London) and other hip metropolitan areas (see how Wilmslow is immediately excluded) is, as noted, down to demographics. Our schoolkids may enjoy that kind of grub (as do I on occasion) but notice that for most of the year 18-22 year olds are absent piling up debts and what's left of the under 30s have mostly rushed off to the aforementioned COTKU. Unfortunately this venture (and, I suspect, Cau) will struggle after the excitement of sitting at the window so all can see you at the new venue has died off. Best of luck but realistically the whole block needs rebuilding.

Friday 20^th March 2015 at 9:33 am

Thursdays at the Valley Lodge was "grab a granny" if I remember rightly Simon? Tuesdays was the night for us youngsters! :)

Ryan Dance

Friday 20^th March 2015 at 9:57 pm

Simon - On a serious note - i dont think any developer is going to demolish a perfectly functional building (occupied and earning a return) just because it's not ascetically pleasing to the eye. What a ridiculous comment to make.

What do you suggest? any pearls of wisdom or even a few sensible words.

Friday 20^th March 2015 at 11:21 pm

@Ryan Dance, I think you are being slightly unfair to Simon. This is a building which has struggled to maintain a structured purpose since it was divided up for rental to multiple clients. Tesco/Post Office thrives but is short of back-room space; the rest has been in dereliction for some years.
Unlike yourself, I am not party to the financial details of current operations but, having been on a guided tour of the whole building some years ago (including the considerable plant services spaces) I would estimate that Tesco occupies maybe an eighth of the total volume. I really would be surprised if it is "earning a return".
Also your definition of "perfectly functional building" might be debatable; best of a bad job springs to mind.
Good luck to the new venture; this sounds like the most likely to succeed proposal for many years.

Oliver Romain

Monday 23^rd March 2015 at 3:25 pm

I wish it well, however, Wilmslow is a lot smaller than Chorlton in terms of population and has a different night time economy. Chorlton is dominated by student bars. Not sure the cocktails and burger model will work on this scale. It's a big place to fill.

Debra Conroy

Monday 23^rd March 2015 at 7:00 pm

Looking at the reviews of the Chorlton branch, I will not be wasting my money. I agree with a previous comment and will give it 6 - 12 months before it dies of death.

Monday 23^rd March 2015 at 8:20 pm

"cocktails and pizza" and it looks like a sailing center club house, I will give it 3 - 6 months !

Tuesday 24^th March 2015 at 9:28 am

Chorlton is awash with superb independent restaurants and bars, as well as a great many specialist food retailers. Students don't sustain these places.