News

McDonald's plan revealed for historic pub

By Tim Harris
October 29, 2012

JUST days after a campaign was launched to save a historic Farnborough pub, it has been discovered that the pub may become a McDonald's restaurant.

More than 1,500 people have now joined the new social media campaign to save the Tumbledown Dick pub, in Farnborough Road, after it launched on Friday, October 19.

Since then it has come to light that the Tumbledown Dick, affectionately known as the 'Tumbly,' may have been sold to international fast food chain McDonald's.

Locals fight to save historic pub

Members of the Save the Tumbledown Dick Pub & Live Music Venue campaign recently purchased the freehold document from the Land Registry, which appears to show a sale between land owners Bride Hall Investments and McDonald's Restaurants for the pub, dated August 7.

The lead spokesman for the campaign said: “We are deeply concerned as a community that ultimately this will result in the loss of this historic and much loved building.

“The pub could have been put to very good community use, instead of yet another fast food retail outlet in the area - there is another McDonald's restaurant within a mile of this site.”

The landmark Tumbledown Dick, which is believed to have been around since the 1600s, has previously hosted bands like Reuben, Hundred Reasons and The Jam.

The Farnborough Road pub has been empty since 2008 after failing a health inspection. An initial campaign to salvage the Tumbledown took place shortly afterwards, but ultimately petered out.

For more on this story, see this week's Farnborough News & Mail, out on Friday, November 2.

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UKR - Get thi sen on, T’old lad were reet flummoxed when herd the sprogs bletherin darn saath. Laff? Ee-nearly bot' a-round.

pjt
02/11/2012 at 16:46

@ pjt And once he had got the hang of hills and wooded valleys he returned to Hampshire to create perfection and peopled it with those who could speak proper like wot I do

UKR
02/11/2012 at 11:23

@pjt But He went a bit mental with the refrigeration.

BlisteringBarnacles! , Sheffield / Farnborough
31/10/2012 at 22:00

UKR: Hampshire was just a practice tun. By the time work started oop t'north he'd got the hang of making hills and valleys.

pjt
31/10/2012 at 17:10

@ BlisteringBarnacles! , Sheffield / Farnborough

Ah The Hampshire Hog a noble beast

UKR
31/10/2012 at 16:40

@UKR: If God is Yorkshireman, us Hampshire folk are surely swine...

BlisteringBarnacles! , Sheffield / Farnborough
31/10/2012 at 12:46

@ pjt Welcome to Hampshire Gods country

UKR
31/10/2012 at 12:06

There will be a gathering on Saturday of people showing their displeasure at McDonald's plans, turn up and give your point of view. 12:00.

Phooto, Farnborough
31/10/2012 at 07:02

@pjt: Ee, that's grand! ;-)

BlisteringBarnacles! , Sheffield / Farnborough
31/10/2012 at 01:08

BlisteringBarnacles!

Nice to know that others think the same.

Sheffield eh? Yorkshire folk are great... but I would say that... I am one ;-)

pjt
30/10/2012 at 18:17

@pjt: There are plenty like you out there. I don't exactly boycott large chains but if I've got a choice and it's not too expensive I'll always go to an independent. I've never bothered with Greggs for example, why would you when there is an actual proper nice bakery two doors down? Here in Sheffield, as in many other large cities, there are lots of independent specialised corner shops, whereas Farnborough unfortunately has an over-saturation of Londises.

BlisteringBarnacles! , Sheffield / Farnborough
30/10/2012 at 17:37

Dan B: I did search the Natonal Herrtage lists on their website and I can see no listed status

I did once visit the TDD - in the mid 80s - shabby, but great atmosphere. It is a shame that it has been left to decay. McDonalds! What a sad ending. Unforunately, these big chains seem to be the only ones with money to invest - that's why every town centre looks like the next town. I've decided to boycot all the big chains and eat at independents only! So far its just a one man protest but who knows...

pjt
30/10/2012 at 16:22

Guys, although it's been absoultely hilarious to read what George has been saying using his masters degree in two dimensional thinking. It's probably time to ignore the trolling before we fall to the seduction of persecuting the ignorant. As he says can't relate to it as he was never part of it, for that Georger I am sorry, you missed out.