The “Shop At My Local” campaign kicks off in Rayleigh High Street this Saturday 5th September 09
We hear that Mark Francois our MP will be there – outside the Half Moon Pub at 12.30pm along with other people involved in the campaign.
We have also heard a rumour that an ASK restaurant could possibly be opening in the old Woolworths…. if they get planning permission.
For those who don’t recognise the name, their website says ‘ ASK Restaurants Ltd is a leading name in the UK casual dining market. With nearly 120 restaurants across the UK, ASK is the perfect place to relax and enjoy mouth-watering risottos, an extended range of hearty al forno dishes and all your favourite pastas, pizzas and salads.”
The Echo has had lots of articles about Rayleigh this week…
On Friday the Echo confirmed that the ASK chain of Italian restaurants is considering an application to open on the old Woolies site. This would be a welcome addition to the town as the existing restaurants (with the possible exception of Marco’s Tapas Bar and Xings Chinese Restaurant) are of very poor quality – food, service and/or decor. Competition of this kind should increase interest in Rayleigh from new shops and restaurants and hopefully drag the existing restaurants into the 21st century.
I was very disappointed, therfore to read, that David Sperring (Rayleigh Town Council) is concerned about the number of restaurants in the town. David shouldn’t be concerned about the number of restaurants in Rayleigh but the number of poor quality restaurants in Rayleigh! People of my age (shall we say youthful forties!) do not visit Rayleigh Town Centre in the evening because there isn’t anywhere civilised to enjoy a glass of wine and there are very few (only two in fact!) decent places to choose to eat. The others have really poor quality food or service or decor or all three . I hope more quality restaurants and bars will follow ASK. Personally I’d love to see a really decent Thai restaurant in Rayleigh for a change!
I agree with the Echo, Given some imagination and investment, there is no reason why Rayleigh couldn’t be as successful as Leigh or Billericay. Both of these towns are worth a visit in the evening sadly the same can’t be said of Rayleigh as it is currently an embarrassment.
[EDITED]
Many thanks for your comments , TWR (I rather hoped you would write something on this).
However , can I mention that under the code of conduct for councillors we have to show respect for other people – that includes resturanteurs – so please avoid criticising individual resturants – or indeed individual people.
I appreciate your position, but the comment was after-all my personal opinion and not meant as a reflection of anyone else’s views. A restaurant critic in any other media would I’m sure be a lot more scathing! I consider myself thoroughly reprimanded…
Just want to give my support to TWR. I too thing a restaurant would be a good idea.
And as for there being too many restaurants in the town what would you rather another barbers or opticians!! That is all that seems to have opened of late.
I feel ASK should be given permission – we’ve had nice meals at their restaurants before and the competition would force the others eateries to improve their game. Not to mention the local jobs this would create – compare that to it sitting empty, waiting for a big retailer that might never arrive, it’s a no brainer for me and will improve immensely that area of the High Street.
TWR – it wasn’t a reprimand 🙂
Restaurant Critics aren’t bound by the code of conduct for councillors. How the code of conduct relates to blog commnents is a very grey area, but we ought to be cautious…
Another retail unit by all means, not a service unit though such as barbers or optician as we are already overrun with those.
Please keep Woolies as a retail unit and not a restaurant!
CCR