In April this year I wrote an article entitled Planning blocks change? which highlighted another consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic – planning delays and the effect on some of the empty commercial buildings in the town. The premises featured, the former Rye Shoes at 86 High Street, has been closed now for some time.
When the Cornish Bakery Company agreed terms with the landlord, their planning application was also subject to listed buildings consent, as they needed to install a new shop front and entrance doors, not only for the retail portion of the building but also for the existing residential units on the upper floors.
The number 13 is considered to be unlucky but not for all, as on 13 May 2021 The Cornish Bakery Company had their planning and listed buildings applications approved and will be starting work on the building very shortly. Their application met with quite a lot of opposition from many locals who made their feelings known via Rye News and many supporters also voiced their opinions, but the planners have decided that the business will open.
The landlord and tenant are like minded, they both wish to keep the building in character with the Rye townscape, consequently well in excess of £300,000 will be spent on 86 High Street, including a carefully considered internal refit which together with the new and approved shopfront will start to take shape very soon. Another prerequisite is to keep the fabric of the exterior of the building in first class condition.
Starting this August, the rear of this listed building is to be repainted, all the woodwork refurbished together with a long list of repairs and renewals. Next year, the woodwork to the front of the building will be dealt with, Tolletts builders will be carrying out the necessary works to the exterior of the building. The landlords have informed Rye News that “it is their full intention to keep the property in tip top condition, now and in the future for the benefit of the historic and ancient town of Rye”
The Cornish Bakery Company have stuck by their guns and despite long delays in the planning process, have achieved their objective. They could so easily have walked away but credit should also be given to the landlord for negotiating acceptable terms to enable them to proceed at all.
While there are many who didn’t want to see this business arrive on Rye High Street, there are also as many who must be relieved to know that one of the many vacant commercial properties in our town centre will soon be occupied once more. Rye town centre needs new businesses to invest in the town, we need visitors to spend money as well as just visit and once up and running, the presence of the Cornish Bakery on our High Street might attract other businesses to invest too and more of our many vacant shops will have a new lease of life and open their doors once again.
Image Credits: Nick Forman , Trip advisor .
There wasn’t a single objection lodged against planning permission or listed building consent with Rother District Council so it was never very controversial.
Refreshing to read that local contractors will be employed to carry out the works
I read the objections in Rye News with a sense of bewilderment and sadness. Having been in the food retail trade I fully welcome a new venture like this. I know from first hand experience what it’s like to try and run a business successfully with every other trader around you trying to sell the same thing. This will be completely different to the existing food outlets already on the High Street and will be a breath of fresh air. I really do hope they thrive and they’ll certainly get my full support.
Hooray, something different at last, competition is a healthy thing and if shoppers select their products then it’s time to have a look at what you’re selling.
Locals who prefer their usual outlets can vote with their feet.
From what I have seen of The Cornish Bakery in Dorset (and judging by the photo of the Hastings branch) we can expect a sympathetically restored building and mouth watering goods!!
CB design a vast improvement on the previous which certainly does not look like an historic one you’d wish to preserve.
Is there any news on the neighbouring Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop as I’ve heard it has been let? Be interesting to see what goes in there as I think a clothing shop is needed in the town.
What a fantastic new resource this shop will be for both residents and tourists alike. Let’s encourage more well organised commercial investments like this food outlet, it can only bring good to the High Street here.
Why would anyone want a ” chain ” of no good frozen over priced pasties in this beautiful town. Have the locals not taken into consideration how detrimental this will be for their other food establishments. It is not healthy competition that is such an unintelligent response. Good luck to the other businesses. Especially when you will all potentially face another lock down. Not very good business sense during these very testing times
What do suggest then? Empty or another junk shop?
Local artisan shops would be much better. More money for the local community and opportunity. Why put a chain there? That will try to put the other local ” proper bakeries” out of business. It is unintelligent and inappropriate to put a Chain in such a space. Is this not a Junk Shop?
Good to see you’re allowed to throw about your insults while the res of us can rarely get a comment posted.
Hi, not sure where the ‘no good frozen over priced pasties’ idea comes from? Best to wait and see what they sell, although I hear the one in Hastings/St Leonards is very good. Over priced can indeed be applied to Rye coffee shops – I had a conversation with a very well – heeled North Londoner baulking at the prices of a coffee shop in Rye High Street – £4.50 for a cheese scone mmmm ….
Nothing wrong with healthy competition, if we pick and choose the shops all we do is create a monopoly such as has happened with the super market argument.
If you don’t like a shop then don’t use it but why stand in the way of a business, there’s very little variety now unless you don’t mind paying top end prices.
Odd thing is that Rye 50 years ago was full of national chain stores, Wollies, Home and Colonial, International, Co-Op and Boots to name a few, local shops survived alongside the big guns and everybody shopped in Rye.
A lot of the shops in Rye target London residents as their main source of income which is sad as the locals are just spectators in the tourist circus.
Good luck to the pasty shop and also I hear there’s going to be pizza parlour in the old post office, welcome to the 21st century.
The Cornish bakery are putting their money in investing in our town,and I see nothing wrong with that,as has been said Competition is healthy for all, locals and tourists alike,sadly the negativity of some is becoming repetitious, if you don’t like the shop,stop knocking it, and use the other bakeries Simples.
Apologies for the lame joke, but at least the pasty shop will be a “shoe-in” for the best products of other counties’ fare.