There's plenty of passing trade on foot as well as scope for car owners to stop outside for the 5 or 10 minutes they'd need to buy a few delicacies. The free and immediately accessible parking angle represents an advantage over all of London Road and half of Dartmouth Road. I imagine shop rents would be substantially cheaper here too, so attractive for the small businessperson viz. the Polish Deli on Sunderland Road.

It does take a leap of imagination though. But trhat isn't without precedent. I think most people's perceptions of Dartmouth Road have changed substantiaaly since the Dartmouth Arms was gastro-ed.