Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

I noticed yesterday that The Nook bar in Ozankoy is up for sale. This means that there are only 2 restaurants and bars directly in the village. Erol's and the Corner House. Over the past year, the Old Mill, Liaisons,(Ceggos) Five Fingers have all closed. Soon the village will be like Varosha, will the last one to leave, please turn out the lights?

We live in the village, the heart has been taken out of it. It was renowned for decent restaurants, you are right it's quickly turning into a ghost village.

Rents to high, no place to park??? Trying to get through the village when the Corner House has people parked all over the place makes it worth using the main road to avoid the village alltogether! Pity!

The Nook will be under new management this week, all being well, so don't give up on the place yet!

As you know, this great venue hosts my open mic night on a Wednesday. We are hoping to have it up and running again next week, 23rd. Sadly we have had to cancel this week.

On a personal note, I wish Gail every success in whatever she chooses to do next. She has kept smiling through all kinds of adversity and deserves our thanks for soldiering on and providing such a welcome at this friendly little bar. She's turned it into a popular music venue too!

Thanks Gavin, I second wishing Gail every success for the future. Please let us know on here, re the open mike nights, hope to see you at the next one.

Probably a victim of its own success - at one stage there were too many Brit type bar restauransts therefore too much competition - including for parking.

The other day I got lost two minutes away from home (in an area of Ozankoy I used to know well from dog walking) and I couldnt get my bearings because there were no gaps to see the surroundings and the sea from street level. I thought I really WAS ina ghost village. Actually very posh housing estate - could have been shown in "Homes and Gardens" - but the only sign of life was one solitary skinny cat meandering down the middle of the road and I almost expected to see tumbleweed!!!, I dont want to re open the "Swallows" debate but it happens all over the world that when the proportion of temporary residents gets too high in comparison to permanent, the heart does go out of a place! And it is July when our swallows have flown to cooler climes!

There are by the way, Owl Lady, two other restaurants in Ozankoy - I have had two very good meals recently in the Rose Garden and this morning I noticed a sign saying the Happy Garden is now open.

Meanwhile can I please appeal to all bar owners and customers to remember that central Ozankoy IS a residential area, drive carefully and park considerately with respect for people trying to get tot heir own homes and pedestrians , and dont overdo the amlifiers..

Sorry, forgot about Rose Garden, which I do like. Who is running Happy Garden, is it still Erby and "mummy?

It certainly suits us as Ozankoy residents,,first of all, we will miss Gail and wish her all the luck in her next venture.
But we will not miss some of the horrid bump bump music,, swearing,foul mouthed drunks,,and it would be very nice to park in your own village,,instead of having,,sometimes,,to park out of the village. long may it be a ghost town.

Cracker: I think that was what I was getting at in my last para but I was trying to put it nicely. For me I would just like to be able to open my front door in rainy weather without me and the hall being soaked by spray from vehicles too large for the road driving too fast - but I think that is people taking a "short cut" as well as restaurants.

Owl Lady: Sorry dont know re Happy Garden - I just happened to notice to sign when I passed this morning. Yes I like Rose Garden too - good food and. well spaced tables and nice and peaceful if you actually want to talk to your companions rather than be drowned out by "entertainment"! . But sh dont say too much, or everyone will start going there! Tropicana - though not quite in the village - is back under the original management btw.

Such a shame I, know we are only Swallows but we do try to patronise the local bars with our custom, we have spent many a good night & day for that matter in the Nook, Good Luck Gail

Gavin
Well said
Gail Keep in touch

Good luck Gail, whatever you are doing. At least you tried pet xx

.............and there is Dream Castle!

Don't forget Rafters Restaurant - excellent food and entertainment. Yes half a mile out of the village but still very good. Enjoy.

All the best for the future Gail.
Got rid of the patch, still got the kits.
Stay in touch

Tony

ps and Denise

I was referring directly to the centre of the village.I know there is also Tropicana.

We dont need loud music etc in the centre of the village !!! long may it last.. Nothing at all wrong with this on the outskirts,,but then i suppose residents there would also get sick of listening to it,,night after night.

I always thought Ozankoy was a great place to go when we had the Old Mill, Liasons, Corner House and the 5 mingers, they were all good in their own way. I would visit them all and stagger off into the sunset as happy as larry, shame it's a bit of a one horse town now but there little incentive in the restaurant / pub trade here , long hours and not a lot to show for it and the army of civil servants chasing you at every opertunity, times are changing the sociable Brits are in decline being replaced by Russians and others that mainly entertain at home, so expect the decline to continue.

You are dead right Makum, when we had our restaurant I always said the more restaurants the village has will give the place a social scene that the local and the tourist would want to visit and keep them in the village, one night with that restaurant and on their way home they may choose another as they pass.
BUT alas the powers that be take most of you income and then add a little extra for good measure.
We were very lucky in that we owned our property/restaurant but found it very hard to make a living ( put money in the bank ), we did survive for over 12 years but in the end it was like the Government didn't want anybody to make a living.
Our restaurant was directly in the middle of the village but we never had any type of entertainment, who needs load music on a quite night out.
It is very sad how the village has changed, there is new owners of the Nook lets hope it is well run and no load music.

Karmels and a smashing restaurant it was as well. The first one probably to have HUGE pork chops on the menu. Friends used to come specially from Karaman for them. Who is the new owner of The Nook or is it a closely guarded secret until it reopens. According to Gavin there will still be music as his" open mike night" is to continue.

Must have missed all the action, in the 18months we have lived here Ceggos, The Nook & The corner House were the only Bars/Restaurants open. Never knew what the Five Fingers or The Old Mill Were like but I can honestly say I have never seen the swearing foul mouth drunks but we do live just outside the village.

Old Mill is opening next month i hear

I have lived here for over 9 years and never encountered any trouble re foul language etc. Went to Five Fingers regularly. I think the new owner of the Nook must be a closely guarded secret, as no response!!!

Sorry Owl Lady.
As money has of yet not changed hands, or contracts signed I feel it is not yet the time to say who is the prospective new owner, but they live in the village and have had property here for quite a while.
It is a person who has kept quite a low profile.
Mel.

Ok Mel I understand and wish them the best of luck with their new venture who ever they are.They will certainly need it .

I still miss The Old Mill the way it was when Şenol ran it himself. Best Kebabs on the island and a great atmosphere.

I have quıte often heard noisy drunks using bad language passing on the street - they apparently neither know nor care that it is residential nor that someone might understand what they are saying! I dont know which establishment they were patronising (though come to think of it there has been less this season) or whether they were residents, swallows or tourists! I have never quite got the nerve up to challenge them, though the dogs assure me I would have their full support! Actually that is part of the problem, because these people set all the dogs in the area off, and then the dogs get blamed for being noisy!

Ragged Robin I agree 100% about Senol's Old Mill, never been the same since, good food and atmosphere, you ate what you were given!!

Ragged Robin,,
Well said,,,re...swearing etc.. I also agree with you that is hasnt been as bad this year,,,still the odd one. It has been a lot quieter now that the old mill and ceggos has shut..whatever happens in the village there will always be a few that arnt happy,,, and after all, when its your home and quality time that is affected,,no wonder people have grumbles.

Try the bookshop excellent food snacks daily specials reasonably priced and alcoholic beverages beautiful shaded dining garden
10 to 4 Mon to Sat

Hi Everyone
Not done this before as not one for blowing my own trumpet!
Please call in at The Ozankoy Bookshop where we now have a daytime cafe. Open from 9am to 2pm during the summer heat, only closed on Sundays. We are doing home made quiche, ham, tuna, cheese or egg salads, sandwiches, bacon and sausage and eggs, sausage rolls and chicken and beef pies. Also daily specials such as fish and chips &etc. We have a drinks licence so you can relax with tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine or beer. Lovely shaded garden area and ample car parking.

I agree the Ozankoy Bookshop is good value - but it only open daytimes when I have so many other things to do! If it only opened one or two evenings (say 6 to 10) a week, it would get my custom both as a Bookshop and Cafe.

I will have to think about that one! We do occasional specials with another wine tasting evening planned, a monthly Kens` quiz with set meal, and weekly games evening. All in the pipeline for the cooler weather.