Greedy Cow Restaurant - Closing Tonight After 14 Years.

 

Tonight the Greedy Cow closes as a restaurant after 14 years.

This is such a sad day for our area.

Without a doubt, Reg's opening of "The Greedy" lifted this part of our area and kickstarted the regeneration of that small row of local shops. The Pizza Room, The Coffee Room and it have formed a wonderful triplet of eateries which have given us a reasonable choice of local places to walk to for a bite to eat. 

How many of us have wandered by and let our stomach choose which to go to? That choice won't be there after tonight.

The owner of the building is converting the first floor into flats and putting another storey or two on top with more flats. The ground floor will be much smaller to allow for a new stairway to the flats. It is disappointing that the planners have allowed this lovely old building to be ruined. Meanwhile 15 staff now start their New Year out of work.

Many residents will have experienced their first exotic burger at "The Greedy" whether that be Camel, Bison or Crocodile to name but a few. For me the venison is my poison (literally as I have haemochromatosis!), but many of us will have started the weekend off with a relaxed Egg's Royale or Benedict.

Painting by local artist Mira Connolly

Before it became The Greedy Cow, it was the Prince of Wales and one longtime Lichfield Road resident was the DJ. His son and daughter have both gone on to work for Reg there. You can't get much more local than that.

The Prince of Wales was originally the Prince of Prussia. But during WWI it was renamed to something less Teutonic after having its windows put through too many times. The photo below shows the building line from those days with the 277 tram partially obscuring the exterior.

Prince of Wales (nee Prussia)

Thank You Reg for being such a part of our community - Yes you donated "Meals for Two" as raffle prizes, but beyond that you have been a genuine friend to many of us. Good luck with your next adventure and good luck to all the staff Pierre and all the front of house staff, and Mani and all the kitchen staff.

2022 hasn't been great for local businesses. The Texaco Garage will be closing shortly and a pretty boring line of tall flats will replace it. Though the 24 hour car wash won't be missed! Tariq's shop by the bus turn around closed so the owners can demolish it and triple the height overshadowing homes in Aberavon Road; and Mile End Sandwich Bar in Mile End Road is changing hands and going all turkey bacon on us. (Many will miss the latter's lovely wraps).