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We went back to the place that seemed to hold such promise when we looked up at it from the pavement over the road.
In terms of square feet, the fact there were two separate rooms, the position… all great.
However….
…another very narrow staircase, and the rooms were full of mysterious engineering equipment. We were told it was going to be removed, in fact someone was coming to remove the window to enable that to happen! But I don’t think we would easily remove that oily metallic smell, or the fact that the walls and the floors seemed to be coated and soaked in it. I have no idea what it is… but I don’t think it would do very well with fabric and paper. Another no.
On the way out, we had an incidental viewing of another unit. This one ground floor (tick!), good access (tick!), good light (tick!), good space (tick!), outdoor courtyard space for working in the fresh air (BIG tick!) …but… why has every single unit we have viewed on the ground floor been damp? This one could have been a real goer…
Onwards… we creep ever closer… I hope…
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Two more not quite spaces… too small… too dingy…
…and the promise of one that might be the Goldilocks version, but we can’t get in to view till next week… it seems the right size, and the position is good, overlooking the cemetery… quiet at least!
Itching to get inside!
We were also introduced to someone and shown round a unit they had spent a bloody fortune on fixing up as a recording studio. Mind-blowing! This is one of the good things about being shown these places by Ray, because he knows everyone who is already working here, he’s shown them round, helped them get in and started, and pops round for a chat… a sort of central point of access for everyone. He should have a party and invite everyone.
I want to give a flavour of the places we are looking… there are wrought iron sign hangers and lamps, interesting signs…
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A quick post today…
It is interesting to note that I have contacted three independent, private landlords/property agents about spaces that are empty in and around Birmingham. I have looked at websites, emailed, and followed up with phone calls, two of which weren’t even answered. The one that did answer said they would get someone to call me back. To date, over a month later, no one has.
None of the emails were answered.
Is there something going on here that I’m not aware of? Do people own these properties, but don’t actually want the hassle of tenants? I expect it is some tax deal isn’t it?
Ray from Birmingham City Council however, is fab!
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The next property to be viewed is right over the road from the desired studio that needs all the work, that we can’t afford. I am not sure how I would feel looking out of the window every day at the prize I could have won… But we shall see… Got to keep going…
This one is well within budget. And it is just about the 200 square feet we said was our minimum.
Because it ticked these boxes I sent a bit of video to Dan. Dan said on the video it looked too small… Maybe it is…
We are going to view it together tomorrow. There’s no substitute for actually being in the space.
The beauty of the previously desired studio is that it is a suite of rooms, which is easy isn’t it? “That bit is yours, this bit is mine”. But the big square room has different issues… More sharing… More working things out.
Anyway, here’s the bit of scrappy video… I’ll let you know how it goes…
You know… I think it might be too small.
In which case we are going to have to review our criteria. If we need more space but can’t afford more money, it will need more work, which will need more money….. I’m off to buy a lottery ticket…
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My husband thinks I have a nose like a dog. I think he has no sense of smell whatsoever!
My very sensitive nose has its uses, has saved lives (“Don’t switch the light on, I can smell gas!”)
And also saves time…
Today I went to view a few more properties. All still within a very small area, and still with Birmingham City Council. As I park the car and walk up the street, I am convinced yet again that the Jewellery Quarter is the right area for us. It’s really cheery, full of buzz, interesting people and places.
The first one was on the second floor, I swear the staircase was only 18 inches wide… Dan isn’t going to get his amp up there, and you can forget the piano! So that’s a no.
I also had another look at the perfect but too expensive one. It’s still great, but still too expensive. I fluttered my eyes at Ray…. He was having none of it. He probably thought I was a mad old bat with some sort of eye infection.
There was a ground floor office set-up property, he said it was 200 sq ft but I think the humongous office furniture that was in there took up 180 of that! There was a handy little separate kitchen area. He thought this would be perfect for us… Which, had my nose not been functioning, I would have agreed with. I’ve taken to stepping into these places as if doing an impression of Hannibal when he gets a whiff of Clarice. No. Sorry Ray, this one is damp. Is it? Yep. Ok. About turn, lock the door…. Next!
