Nice People Thread Part 9 - and so it continues

michaels

PasturesNew wrote: »

No idea where you're looking, and no idea of where's good/bad.... but, here's one (sold) that'd look viewable: http://www.needaproperty.com/property/for-sale/St-Albans-AL49JE/1-Bedroom-Flat-4435323

Except it faces the wrong way as the garden's in shade.

Newgate Close :eek:

I kid you not
http://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/three_st_albans_men_charged_with_murder_1_1134831

LydiaJ

PasturesNew wrote: »

No idea where you're looking, and no idea of where's good/bad.... but, here's one (sold) that'd look viewable: http://www.needaproperty.com/property/for-sale/St-Albans-AL49JE/1-Bedroom-Flat-4435323

Except it faces the wrong way as the garden's in shade.

If I were looking for a one bed flat, I'd like that layout too.

The pics that show the view out through the French windows to the garden table & chairs look as though the private garden is sunny. It's the communal gardens that are shady, which doesn't matter so much.

Perhaps you should move to St Alban's PN. There seem to be flats you like within your budget, there are NP nearby, and it can't be that bad a place for jobs, is it? Or is it just too far from your mum's care home? Oh, and I forgot, you like ocean. Drat. Sorry. Scratch that.

X-posted with michaels :eek:

PasturesNew

Doozergirl wrote: »

What about the time that isn't enforced fun? Do you know what I mean? People who work in card shops don't look especially happy.

I'd like to have something where people could choose a bit of happiness, regardless of the day. A realt lovely ice cream shop probably fits the bill; good enough for people to ignore the weather. Unfortunately, children don't have much spare cash; they're generally the ones who would choose easily.

Open an all night singles ice cream bar

PasturesNew

michaels wrote: »

Newgate Close :eek:

I kid you not
http://www.hertsad.co.uk/news/three_st_albans_men_charged_with_murder_1_1134831

Drugs..... you lot up country are all into your drugs.

michaels

PasturesNew wrote: »

Drugs..... you lot up country are all into your drugs.

In fact that may well be the flat:
http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/news/9757939.Three_friends_in_court_accused_of_murdering_Mohim_Miah/

If you owned it you could run those murder tours. I heard elsewhere that the victim had his spine fractured in the assault and was then left to die...

Before that I had just thought Newgate Close was a bit dodgy cos of the loud music dodgy cars and people loitering....

silvercar

PasturesNew wrote: »

No idea where you're looking, and no idea of where's good/bad.... but, here's one (sold) that'd look viewable: http://www.needaproperty.com/property/for-sale/St-Albans-AL49JE/1-Bedroom-Flat-4435323

Except it faces the wrong way as the garden's in shade.

That fails at the first hurdle: ground floor is out. Doesn't feel safe.

fc123

PasturesNew wrote: »

Homes Under the Hammer right now was an old Victorian building on the sea front of Margate with shops underneath and PP for 6 flats - guide £220k, sold for £245k.

The man's going to put in PP to have it as a Boutique Hotel.

Will update figures/info later when they do the revisit.

Thought this might be of vague interest to NPs who own property there

Update: They created it. Sands Hotel. 20 bedrooms. Bar/restaurant on whole of ground floor. Ice cream parlour. Bar/restaurant thriving; bookings picking up

10 months of build. Nick and Conrad are the two blokes that did it. Put a Manager in place but they will be involved day-o-day

July 2013 - agents visit: "Done exactly the right thing; Margate was overloaded with property". "Lovely, stunningly converted." "Tough one to value". Hotels normally valued after trading 3 years. Hard to put a price on. Building £600-700k; £1.2-1.5 million if sold as a going concern.

Spent: Wouldn't say, but over £1million

Website, but it's broken at the moment sandshotelmargate.co.uk/

Have been to the ice cream bar a couple of times and they have this amazing lampshade cluster hanging off the ceiling. The actual building is lovely and next door to a an even nicer bar that does dance evenings and lessons.
The pictures of their renovation were on the website and it looked like they hollowed out the entire building at one point.

Know some people who stayed there as they went to a Turner event and said it was gorgeous.

As part of my Margate research I read quite a lot on Trip advisor and I think Margate must have some of the worst hotels in the entire UK.

This one was quite funny (unless you stayed there)
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g503912-d589917-Reviews-Pavilion_View_Hotel-Margate_Isle_of_Thanet_Kent_England.html


Sands should do well long term as it is sets a benchmark for 'boutique' type places and, as long as the owners are up to their eyes in renovation debt, can't see it not working.

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

There's a Sands Hotel near Newquay in Cornwall. It's slightly odd. And quite pricey, too.



<whinge mode on>

I should be feeling less sick by now, but I'm getting more sick - had to get off the train twice on the way home to throw up, and the last few days, I've been very sick indeed.

<whinge mode off>

Will the sickness stop at some pint are you going to be feeling like this until the end? Must be grim.

silvercar wrote: »

Flat hunting with parent. I feel like goldilocks, one was too small, one was too dark, one was just strange, one was in the wrong position, one faced the wrong way.....grrrrr!

What is the obsession of putting kitchens in the lounge of flats? Doesn't work if you want lots of cupboard space in your kitchen and room for an american fridge freezer. I would understand if it was flats aimed at the young market who live on take aways, but for older folks who want to cook, it really doesn't work.

Is she moving down near you?

zagubov

LydiaJ wrote: »

If I were looking for a one bed flat, I'd like that layout too.

The pics that show the view out through the French windows to the garden table & chairs look as though the private garden is sunny. It's the communal gardens that are shady, which doesn't matter so much.

Perhaps you should move to St Alban's PN. There seem to be flats you like within your budget, there are NP nearby, and it can't be that bad a place for jobs, is it? Or is it just too far from your mum's care home? Oh, and I forgot, you like ocean. Drat. Sorry. Scratch that.

X-posted with michaels :eek:

I've sometimes wondered whether they should get the people who planned Center Parcs to design new housing estates for people to actually live in. Stunning layout the parks have and they make it seem like you're not overlooking/being overlooked despite the fact that all the villas are about 10 millimetres apart or something. Also they're the only open-plan places I've seen that don't really annoy me.

As for open-plan I much prefer houses subdivided so you can have guest rooms, rooms to use as offices, workrooms etc without listening to the telly etc.

Spirit_2

silvercar wrote: »

That fails at the first hurdle: ground floor is out. Doesn't feel safe.

Just to give naother point of view. My mum moved to a ground floor flat as she could see the street scene from her windows when sitting and it made her feel more included.

Windows were secure and I am pretty sure had locks that restricted the opening, as she like a cool bedroom with fresh air.

A feature she liked was the front door opening onto a communal hallway then having shared front and back doors to the building .

zagubov

There's an interesting article about new house designs on the bbc site here
plus it has links to an article about some interesting houses in Harlow here.