“Hate seeing the place empty for so long after it being so unnecessarily abruptly closed.” [comment on social media]
“The illuminated canopy over the door is totally out of keeping with its surroundings.” [comment sent to VGS]
The application has yet to be looked at by both the Town and District Councils – and is out for consultation. Send in your comments!
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Back in the day, CARINAS NIGHTCLUB in Sidmouth was “the ONLY place that young people could go after pubs closed”. As another review would have it, it was Great, But on the right night.
And then it closed – with years of lying empty and different proposals made as to what to do with the space, including an ‘exciting’ offer on the property:
Carinas Nite Club, on Fore Street, was put on the rental market after the former nightclub team announced it would be shutting the club’s doors in February 2018. Planning consent was granted in July 2018 for a change of use on the building from the former Carinas Nite Club to restaurant/cafe use and or a drinking establishment.
Carina’s Nite Club closed in early 2018 after the building’s owners, Residential Trust Ltd, decided to close the club due to insufficient support from customers, making the business model unsustainable.
In February 2018 the former manager Mandy Patch made this statement: “It is with a very heavy heart that I have been asked to make the following statement. Carinas will not be re-opening and is now closed. In the 18 years of being manager I really do have a million memories that I will keep forever, please keep and share your memories too. I want to send a big thank you to everyone that has supported us through the years and especially to my Team Carinas Staff who I couldn’t have it for so long without.”
A year ago, Sidmouth’s Carinas Nite Club went on the market for £200,000:
The property maintains many of its original features and still boasts a good-sized open plan former dance hall which could be suitable for a number of alternative uses subject to planning.
And in October it was formally announced that Sidmouth’s sole nightclub Carinas would become a golf simulator
The former nightclub is now being converted into two-state of two state-of-the-art golf simulators and a relaxing lounge bar. A sign above the entrance of the former nightclub said: “YR Golf, Your Golf Year Round, which is set to re-open in early 2025”.
The news that Carinas will be reopening in a few months has been greeted on social media fairly favourably – in that the building will be used once again. For example:
Brilliant news. Hate seeing the place empty for so long after it being so unnecessarily abruptly closed. The haters will hate, can’t please all the people all of the time, but personally think it’s great for the town and wish it every success. #independentbusiness
The full application is yet to be considered by both the town and district councils – but comments can be made online by members of the public at 25/0442/FUL | Proposed roof mounted air-conditioning condenser units and photovoltaic panels. Proposed reuse of existing openings for mechanical ventilation. | Yrgolf Ltd Dove Lane Sidmouth EX10 8AN
The only consultee comment is from Environmental Health which was still not sure about the likely noise impact from the units on nearby noise sensitive dwellings.
The applicant’s own Design Statement is aware that the site is within the town centre’s Conservation Area:
The proposals are discrete and the roof mounted condenser units and photovoltaic panels have been located where they will not be visible from the surrounding streets. Any perceived harm is considered to be offset by the reuse of a long-dilapidated building within the Conservation Area.
Comments have been informally passed onto the VGS with regard to the development’s position in the Conservation Area – including a copy of what it would look like from the outside:
I think the sign is a bit over the top, but the thing which is really unacceptable is the illuminated canopy over the door. It is totally out of keeping with its surroundings.
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