UK Pubs For Sale: Property Investment And Change of Use

UK Pub Conversions- Change of Use
6 pubs a week are calling last orders for the last time with the asking price of the buildings low enough to tempt property developers as well as other retailers. Planning laws on change of use may restrict development to residential property on pubs in certain areas; a city centre pub is more likely to gain permission for conversion to a residential property than the only pub in the village, and some pubs are advertised for sale with full change of use/ planning.
Agents at London-based Paramount Investments said the company would prefer to sell to a new pub landlord but would consider other buyers. Paramount managing director Mark Greig said: “Not all pubs which close down are redeveloped as housing. A lot of them reopen again as pubs or as other businesses.” He added: “Falling property prices are creating tremendous bargains within the pub market for licensees and other entrepreneurs”
So if residential conversion is not available, what changes can be made to the use of the pub for other businesses?

The following classes of use for England are set out in the Town and Country Planning Order 1987. Pubs are in the A4 ‘Drinking Establishment’ class, and can be converted without permission being sought to any of the following;
A1, Shops, retail warehouses, hairdressers, undertakers, travel and ticket agencies, post offices, pet shops, sandwich bars, showrooms, domestic hire shops, dry cleaners and funeral directors
A2 Financial and professional services - Banks, building societies, estate and employment agencies, professional and financial services and betting offices.
A3 Restaurants and cafés - For the sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises - restaurants, snack bars and cafes
Paramount managing director Mark Greig said “Pubs often appeal to retailers because there is a natural crossover in space requirements. As pubs are often around 4,000 sq ft (370 sq m) and have a floor-to-ceiling height of around 8 ft (2.4 m), the sales space is ideal. Furthermore, because pubs also need both basement space for heavy duty equipment and space for deliveries, retailers often find they have ready-made sites for storage.”

UK Pub Sales Agents: Paramount Investments are specialists in the sales and leasing of UK pubs, including freehold pubs, leasehold pubs, inns, public houses, pub tenancies and managed houses.

For further details please contact the investments team on 020 7644 2333

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London Property Investment; London Rental Property Market Remains Bouyant

The weak pound, the tumbling property prices, the lowest ever interest rate has turned the UK into the newest European emerging property market. It has been predicted that property prices could fall a further 15% to 30 % in the first half of 2009 and that the pound will fall even further. The experts talk of a 2010 turnaround for the property market, making 2009 the year for Europeans to make that investment in the UK. Once the market begins to swing in the other direction, anyone who has invested in it will be seeing some fantastic returns on their initial investments.
London is the obvious destination for investment, and any investigation onto the property market will tell you that London is definitely a buyers market at the moment; London comes in at number 3 on the International Law Partnerships list of 2009 property investment destination (behind Paris and Miami)
The current market means that there are many people who will be looking for rental accommodation in the coming year; London’s international student community continues to thrive as many students are drawn to the capital, one of the most exciting and culturally diverse cities in the world. Almost 83,000 Higher Education students studying in London are from outside the UK, representing 1 in 5 of all students studying in London. The annual influx of tourist and businessmen looking for short lets comtinues. Any property purchase in London should let well until the capital gain is made.
Central London and the West End as the obvious choice for the overseas investor. It is here that you will find well known landmarks such as Nelson's column, tourist attractions such as Madame Tussaud's and the National Gallery and the shoppers' paradise of Oxford Street and Regents Street. Here too are the London School of Economics, RADA, UCL and many other institutions of learning.
For residential 'West End' see Fitzrovia, Marylebone, Soho, Covent Garden, Mayfair, and Bloomsbury. The purchase of a property in one of these areas, even as a short term investment for the duration of a degree course, could see the bills for tuition fees, student accommodation and living expenses for their child seem very affordable. Factor in the extra rent potential of sub letting and the comfort of knowing your main tenant is going to look after your investment and central London property purchase in 2009/10 is all the more appealing.
Ldg West End Estate Agents have a range of houses, penthouses, lofts, studios, flats and apartments for sale and to rent in the West End, Fitzrovia, Soho, Covent Garden, Bloomsbury and Marylebone areas. If you just need some sound property advice we would be delighted to help without obligation. From studio flats to period houses - cutting edge design to unmodernised lofts ours is a broad church but whatever your requirments our aim is to make your buying, selling, renting, or letting experience as pleasurable and hassle free as possible.