The Guardhouse Mystery
Is it a prank, a joke or a scam? Surely it can’t be for real.
There have been rumours that the Guardhouse in Woolwich is too close or that the Young’s brewery is selling the lease off.
This I can understand, as although the Guardhouse is a great pub, it just doesn’t have the same attraction as the Dial Arch pub, which is another Young’s pub just 50 meters away.
The pub has a lease that expires on 14th April 2139, and they pay a peppercorn fixed rent.
Last December, the local newspaper, the News Shopper, published an article saying the Guardhouse is up for sale at the exclusive Savilles estate agents for £1 million, and it had the viewing instructions as follows:
Viewings:
Staff are unaware of our client’s intention to dispose of this property. Consequently, all customer visits must be carried out discreetly and under no circumstances should any direct approach be made to any members of staff. Should you wish to view the property, then make a prior appointment via the sole selling agents, Savills.
The News Shopper then added at the end of the report that the pub itself had been asked for a comment, so they obviously know about it by now.
I cannot believe this is seriously how Young’s go about treating their staff, if it is true then shame on them.
The fact that this viewing instruction is still up on the Savills website months later makes me wonder if this is really all a prank
As I have said, it would not surprise me if the lease is sold on, but to do it like this is underhanded and ridiculously impractical.
How on earth is a speculative client possibly able to view the property without the staff being suspicious about strangers who are wondering about the place going into places the public have no place being.
Whilst looking at the Guard House lease on the Savills website, I also found that the lease for the Old Mill on Plumstead Common is also up for sale. I hope they have told their staff.
Come on, Savills, the game’s up; everyone knows about the lease sale by now. Take the sneaky wording down from your website. It doesn’t look very professional.
0 Comments