A heartbroken chippy owner has issued a message to his supporters after learning his popular Nottinghamshire eatery will be demolished. Bambos Charalambous, 51, and his family have run Blue Circles Fish Bar on Front Street in Arnold since 1990, but it will now be demolished after Gedling Borough Council's planning committee approved his landlord's plans on November 30.
The plan for 135-141 Front Street involves the creation of nine apartments as well as two new ground level shops after the demolition of the four existing shopfronts, two of which are occupied by Blue Circles Fish Bar and Front St Café. Bambos was gutted when the plans came to light a year ago, citing that most of his 15 children had worked in the eatery.
A petition against the plans with 1,735 signatories was received by the planning committee prior to their decision. Bambos has now thanked those who had supported the chippy through a difficult year, and the community his family have served for three decades.
Read more: Beloved Arnold chippy to be torn down despite 'gutted' owner's opposition
He said: "I just want to thank the community who have helped us out and supported us, we are very grateful and thankful that we've been able to feed them and they've supported us. It is just out of our hands now - I just hope the council can help relocate me.
"We went to the meeting, but we couldn't speak or anything, we were hoping the councillors would vote against it but they think it is going to make it better. We wanted to find out because this has been going on 13 to 14 months now, it's been a very difficult year.
"We have all the kids to consider, and all the people that work here to worry about as well. I'm hoping to find somewhere else but it is going to be very hard."
In the meeting, Councillor Paul Wilksinson, Labour representative for Carlton, said: "I have tremendous sympathy for the existing businesses that are in this location. I have been on a number of occasions to both the chip shop and the café and I would be sorry to see both of those go.
"However, you can just tell from these photographs this site is in clear need of redevelopment and I think that what has been put in front of us looks like a very good scheme which will make a big difference to that end of Front Street, and for that reason I am minded to support this application."
Applicant and building owner Michael Zucker defended his plans at the meeting, explaining the poor state of the existing shops had resulted in empty units and anti-social behaviour. "Two of the four units are empty and the managing agents are unable to let them in their current state. The owners of the café have contacted us saying they cannot run their business due to the current economic circumstances and are looking to sell on the lease or exit their tenancy early," Mr Zucker said.
"In other words three of the four tenants have already decided that these shops and units are not worthy of running businesses from. This also means that early next year, two or possibly three units will have to be boarded up for security purposes. Combined with these empty units I also have to deal with regular fly-tipping and it is very hard indeed to stop this and other anti-social behaviour on site.
"Far better than the existing state of affairs would be to create modern commercial units that would be attractive to customers and tenants. If you approve these submitted plans then the anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping that currently blights this site would be removed by the creation of high-quality commercial and residential units. We genuinely believe these plans will upgrade the site and be a benefit to the local area and residents."
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