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Grove bridge in The Guardian


Maurice

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I just think that this is a very lazy way to write an article about the breakdown of community.


Even if this was neat example of what he was trying to show I think he should have come up with more case studies to explore his theory. There are ineffectual community meetings every day up and down the country. I am sure there are also succesful ones and examples of seemingly disparate communities coming together to achieve great things.


Or maybe not. We are certainly none the wiser from this article.

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True. But it was an opinion piece, not an exhaustive, objective study of local governments and community conhesion. I thought it raised interesting points. And he's in the middle of it so he spoke from his daily experience, like opinion writers do.


He's spot on about Camberwell and Southwark. Spot on.

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I find it staggering how London focused the national media is. It's only when you live here that you realise.


As for the sentiment of the article then I think this response in the comments section sums it up.


woddison


November 13, 2007 11:21 AM


I find Peter Preston's comments rather sad. I live at the top of Camberwell Grove in Grove Park which has been very affected by the sudden and so-called `temporary' closure of the bridge. Grove Park has become a target for rat-runners and the number of garden fences knocked down by speeding drivers has risen dramatically.

Yes, it would be good to see the bridge open once more; yes the discrepancy between those in the Grove enjoying their quiet imposed cul-de-sac and the Peckham tendency is a classic one in class terms if you want to see it like that. Preston obviously wants to put a cynical slant on it and slap down any community spirit that might be going. I find that sad. There's much to be said for community spirit, however faulty it might be at this juncture in the early 21st century. But I'd rather see attempts at its continuation than Preston's throwing his hands up in the air and denigrating it. What would he put in its place? I enjoyed the sense of Covent Garden community when I lived there (admittedly dominated by middle-class activists in those days, in the '70s); but there is plenty around Camberwell, Peckham and East Dulwich that now excites me about local democracy trying to survive. Don't knock it, Peter. Get out a bit more. And point the finger where it should be pointed; not at locals but Network Rail and the council who are together the real culprits. Why don't you turn your fire on them with a bit more venom. I'd take your article a good deal more seriously if you did.



Spot on. Absolutely spot on.

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I thought that message got lost in his community bashing.


"Mrs T, long ago, didn't actually say "there is no such thing as community". But if she had, I'd have known what she meant. Community, whether caustic or politely consensual, has an odd knack of seeming a bridge too far."


That was his overarching conclusion.

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I agree with Alan's earlier point about this article. He's using one evening's events to draw conclusions about an entire area, and the state of "community" in South London.


Now I think the term "community" is used far too much, and I laugh my head off when people try to tell me about East Dulwich's lovely little village community feel, because it's a load of bo!!ocks.


However, things like the street party that was held on Upland Road a while back, this very forum and the projects/groups that have sprung from it suggest to me that "Community" does exist. Even a group of 20 people from 10 houses on the same street getting together and doing something is a nice thing in my opinion. In some areas you're lucky to know the people that live in the flat above you, let alone your next door neighbours.

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Alan Dale Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I find it staggering how London focused the

> national media is. It's only when you live here

> that you realise.


Alan, you get a southern edition, a northern edition, Scottish and Irish editions of the majority of the national newspapers.

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