2009 saw a bit of a resurgence for Whiteladies Road and

here on Clifton People I wrote a lot about the number of new businesses popping

up. But walking down the main drag the other day I felt like things were going

backwards again.

Seeing the ABC cinema with the For Sale sign up outside it

definitely made me feel like things had take a major step back. Even though

nothing has happened to it in years, there was always the vain hope that something

good might come of it. Now it’s back to square one and more waiting to see what

happens.

But also the former Texaco garage site is still boarded up

and dormant which really makes that part of the street look terrible.

It must be a couple of years now since the garage closed and

the boards went up and it’s so frustrating to see that nothing at all has

happened to the site.

I guess the new owner, if there is one, is going through the

machinations of getting what they want built on there. Did I hear that it could

be a site for some new flats, surprisingly? Well I guess there was no chance of

any development in this economic climate.

There seems to be more businesses closing down as well as

the Mariposa bar, about half way up next to Zio's, looks very empty and dark

inside. There appears to be no furniture, although that could be a design

feature and there has been a ‘lease available’ sign up for a while. Anybody

know what’s happening with that?

The bars that are open look to be keeping restricted hours

as BSB seems to be closed a couple of nights a week now, I guess to keep staff

costs down. But it looks worrying if a site that big isn’t open in the evening.

Hopefully 2010 will bring better times for businesses.