Forum Topic

Mascalzone closes

Apparently last night (11/2/20) was it's last night.What a shame.Just after they'd refurbished too.

Mark Derry ● 2464d12 Comments

Reviews have been absolutely awful for the place for a long time, here of course but especially online. While some seem to like it, quite a significant number really don't. 'Terrible' seems to be a common description: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186338-d919285-r728809296-Il_Mascalzone-London_England.html

Freddie Francis ● 2464d

...and another empty shop on the high street!Do WBC/Landlords not give a F ?

Simon Knight ● 2463d

ooops, that's my review!

Matt Palmer ● 2462d

The high street is becoming a ghost town! Something needs to be done urgently to stem the flow of retailers closing down and leaving our high street. I visited Upper Street in Islington last week and there are virtually no empty shops. Lots of pop ups, independent and big brand shops all seemingly doing well. What are we doing wrong here in Putney? It’s such a sad and sorry sight to see so many empty units and lots of much loved shops closing down.

Lauren Fleet ● 2462d

Being absolutely horrible and at my worst, perhaps Putney is mirroring the loss endured by the north of England? Should we put our thinking caps on and consider that Putney is in fact one of those places where you drive through but never stop? Is it that Putney has lost its character and identity and has morphed into a non-descript place where there is nothing that attracts anything anymore?I am inclined to think the latter is very true, because trying to be very modern, it has destroyed the true nature and character of itself.  I did say I am at my very worst. Sorry!

Ivonne Holliday ● 2462d

Perhaps Putney isn't large enough to have a "critical mass" to attract shoppers and diners? The growing number of residential properties seems to support a large number of estate agents and financial institutions. I think if one looks at Islington some of the establishments are not necessarily long lived. Recently we considered meeting some friends at a cafe/restaurant we'd been to last summer in Islington only to find it was no longer in business. Interestingly, both places seem to support long standing music venues: the Half  Moon, Putney and the Hope & Anchor, Islington. 

Michael Ixer ● 2462d

Has anyone considered (or can confirm) the lease might be up? Isn't the premises part of the site being redeveloped between the high street and Putney Bridge Road?

Freddie Francis ● 2462d

Business closes down and usual cries of blame the council,/ landlords etc.But if the good folk of Putney dont patronize these places then they will shut.It's a case of use it or lose it.

Andy Pike ● 2462d

From the reviews I've seen I don't think it's any great loss. Shame to see another empty shop though. Went once a long time ago. That's all.

Freddie Francis ● 2462d

A few years ago the manager was opening another one in Chester, called something like the machine. I wonder if that is still there. One of the staff used have a flat in Chester.

Barbara Stevens ● 2462d

Putney High Street is relatively narrow and even when Hammersmith bridge is functioning, it absorbs a huge amount of traffic and is thus extremely polluted, making it less than ideal for a pleasurable shopping experience.If new businesses are to be attracted to the High Street, they will require substantially lower rents and rates as well as continued local support. It's important that small new start ups are encouraged because some of them will inevitably be the medium to large businesses of the future.Lauren's reference to Upper Street in Islington is an interesting contrast, I don't know it well but it always strikes me as a very prosperous road and judging by the striking interiors of the estate agent's offices which I have visited, it must be a very wealthy environment!

Tim Warren ● 2462d

"I visited Upper Street in Islington last week and there are virtually no empty shops. Lots of pop ups, independent and big brand shops all seemingly doing well. What are we doing wrong here in Putney"Well while I don't see it as a simple case what Putney is doing wrong...• Upper St is much wider, certainly at the bottom as it used to be a market town where cattle would be gathered before heading into London for slaughter (hence the raised pavement to separate the masses from the animals and the mud and slurry) and at least a third wider for the rest towards Highbury. Even with similar levels of traffic (I would guess), the polution trappinng qualities of the street are lessened.• It's closer to the City by a large margin.• It's a short tube ride (one stop) to catch the Eurostar or to travel north by national rail.• It has a world famous theatre, The Almeida.• It has the even more famous Sadler's Wells a short walk away too.• Islington Assembly Hall...  world famous artistes play there.• There's the O2 Academy. • ...and the beautiful Union Chapel which hosts yet more music and performences.• It has an large exhibition centre, the The Royal Agricultural Hall, now called the Business Design Centre.• There's a famous permanent antiques market.• The demographic is clearly quite different. Larger public housing estates and beautiful Georgian houses behind the main road in which live the great and the good in politics and the chattering classes as well as your cliche (actually, not really a cliche, pretty much a fact) of where your champagne socialists are known to live. More diverse ethnicity. Much more.• No bus stops clogging the traffic midway up the street, causing most of the congestion and therefore a lot of the pollution.• It has a tube station at each end So has Putney (sort of) but Upper St has Northern Line at the south end and Victoria Line and Overground at the north end.That's probably enough for now.Meanwhile• we have the river (and the Boat Race once a year)• we have the commons.• we have an expensive cinema (if you can spot it)• it has quite a few restaurants and pubs.• we have Fulham Football ground (clutching at straws)Erm...

Freddie Francis ● 2462d