Former Melody Cafe Could Become An Italian Restaurant

New attempt being made to rejuvenate Bedford Corner with an eatery called Avanti

An Italian bistro style restaurant looks set to open on the site of the former Melody cafe at Bedford Corner, South Parade.

A licence application has been made for Avanti Bistro, by Mr. Hashim Gabbar Khidyer. The applicant is a chef who has been involved with La Toscana restaurant in Chiswick. He has also been associated with companies which ran restaurants in Ealing but which are now dissolved. The premises is described as an Italian restaurant in the submission to Ealing Council. We are trying to get more details about the intended format.

The application is to open the premises from 10am until midnight from Monday to Thursday as well as Sunday and until 12.30am on Friday and Saturday. Alcohol would be served until half an hour before closure.

Residents wishing to make representations should do so by contacting licensing@ealing.gov.uk before 20 February. One objector has said they would be arguing that the application is invalid because the notice appeared in the Ealing Gazette which is not distributed in the area.

Melody Café on Bedford Corner closed after bailiffs took possession of the site late last year. A notice was posted saying that the lease had been terminated and the landlord had re-entered the premises.

In October a reopening had been promised when a note on the widow said it was closed for refurbishment.

The café was a source of controversy throughout its short life. The operators installed an outside gazebo which split local opinion and had to be taken down after Ealing Council had turned down a retrospective application to retain the covered eating area outside the premises.

January 30, 2018