Update: Mel and I viewed the flat at 2pm on 17 June. This is what we found. Below, our notes from dropping by on 15 June.
Mel and I swung by this place and took a few photos. First impressions: it seems like a nice place to live, handy for Great Western Road, but tucked away. You can see from the above picture that it isn't the corner flat. The paintwork deteriorates to the right of the bay window, and so does the upkeep of the windowframes. Fortunately, the flat for sale is the one in much better condition. The corner flat is accessed from a stair round on Holyrood Crescent.
As you can tell from the
curtains and the layout in the schedule, this (left) is the dining room
window. It seems to be in good condition. Judging from the outside,
the estate agents' photo has quite a large fish-eye factor.
The living room seems to be a decent size. It's north facing, but
the view out over the communal garden is probably quite pleasing.
The picture at the front of the
schedule is of 9 Holyrood Quadrant, taken from the garden. Holyrood
Quadrant only has numbers 5 and 9. Number 5 is similar in scale to
number 9, and the garden runs along the whole block, with Holyrood
Crescent curving round the other side. The garden is communal, and
residents do seem to enjoy it on a nice day (which is why I didn't
want to intrude by taking photos). Mel had a chat with the people who
were sitting there, and they told her that the previous occupant of
the flat had been a keen gardener, and that they hoped the new owners
would be similarly inclined. There doesn't appear to be any veg there
at the moment, but Mel got the impression that everyone who was keen
could have some sort of a patch to do their own thing. It looks like
the gardening gang take turns to host tea and a chat about what they
feel like doing. Right enough, the place does look like it's a
collection of different people's choices, rather than something
immaculately dictated.
Left, is the view along Holyrood Quadrant towards Napiershall Road. That's
the only place cars can get into this enclave. Right is the view down Holyrood
Crescent to Great Western Road, which is bollarded and has only pedestrian access.
Noisewise, the place is well tucked away from the main road.
There's a block of Holyrood Crescent and an Episcopalian Cathedral
between the flat and the main drag. From the street, you can detect that there is traffic
out there, but that the birds are locally the more noticeable.
Just over Holyrood Crescent, where the palm tree is, there's a regimental ex-servicemen's club. It looks fairly sedate, to be honest. I took a photo anyway, below right. The scrolly LED sign in the front window advertises some sort of happenings on Fri/Sat/Sun evenings. Bingo, I think.
Great Western Road isn't Sauchiehall Street, so I wouldn't worry so much about people noise. There's one alco-barn, Cooper's and one club, Viper, much further up the road, a couple of blocks the other side of Kelvinbridge, nearer the students. I predict that the noisiest people in the area are the Episcopalians.
I thought I'd do you a
photo of the Episcopalian pile, mostly to show you how handy the place
is for Lupe Pintos. I couldn't say what sort of screaming-kiddie-based
activities they run midweek. All I remember noticing is that one of
their vicars is the Rev Shona Lillie, which I must confess to finding
amusing.
Meanwhile, up Great Western Road, you've got Cafe Cherubini (all I know about them is that they don't take plastic; further research was hampered by cash flow issues). A few doors up is the West End branch of the Republic Bier Halle chain. They do reasonable pizzas and other vaguely plausible foodstuffs, and they stock a healthy range of continental beers, although mostly in bottles. Not a bad place to have for your local.
Anyhow, in the absence of an internal viewing, that as much as I have to say just now. It's certainly a good location, convenient for transport and for many of my favourite shops. I guess it depends what you're into, but my feeling was broadly positive.