Londis Takeover

[Hendrix]

I may be late to the plate on this but was anyone else aware Londis on lordship has been sold? It's store (and apparently) all the flats above will be included in the sale.

I was told to expect a coffee shop (not another!)restaurant (hopefully something different) and new flats.

Any info would be appreciated.

Hendrix

[mariagatty]

I hope we do not get a coffee shop, i find lands so handy from where I am on a Sunday :(

[Sue]

Despite the thread title, there is a discussion about the future of Londis on here:

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1911131,1912555#msg-1912555

ETA: Sorry, that link goes to a post in the middle of the relevant thread, but you can scroll back to the beginning of the Londis bit!

[Bic Basher]

Londis was useful (going back to the 7-Eleven days) when it was the only 24/7 shop and also open on Christmas Day, but with the other shops, especially M&S across the road, their time was up.

[singalto]

It?s still open 24/7 which M&S most certainly isn?t..

[Sue]

See James Barber's recent post on the thread I linked to above for more info about the likelihood (or not) of Londis becoming a coffee shop ......

ETA: Isn't CostCutter down the road (towards Goose Green and on the same side as M&S) 24/7?

[Bic Basher]

The point I was trying to make was with M&S catering more to the ED demographic than Londis, it's no real surprise they're off when there's other convenience stores on that stretch of LL, along with M&S and the Co-op.

Sue, I think the shop on the corner of East Dulwich Road and LL isn't a Costcutter now. The other Costcutter at 395 Lordship Lane rebranded as Payless.

[Louisa]

Comparing M&S with a 24/7 offey/general convenience store is a stretch to say the least. Completely different offering. This place comes in handy for lots of reasons. We don?t need more coffee, or restaurants. This has to remain for the use of the whole community. We?ve lost enough useful shops in recent years, this one needs to stay.

Louisa.

[Sue]

Bic Basher Wrote:

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

>

> Sue, I think the shop on the corner of East

> Dulwich Road and LL isn't a Costcutter now. The

> other Costcutter at 395 Lordship Lane rebranded as

> Payless.

Ah, you're probably right. I haven't been in for a while.

Louisa, unfortunately if a business is losing money, for whatever reason, it is unlikely to stay just because some people find it useful. It isn't a charity!

Anyway, James Barber on the other thread says (if I understand him correctly) that it would not be allowed to become a coffee shop, for reasons he explains.

[Louisa]

Sue, I agree it isn?t a charity, neither was Iceland. If a business model isn?t working, it?s time to move on. However, if the James Barber post is correct, it can?t become a coffee shop/restaurant either. If that?s the case, what will it become? This space is not big enough for anything else. No big chains will be interested. Unless it?s taken on by another convenience store offering.

Louisa.

[Hendrix]

I completely agree Louisa, exactly my thinking when I made the post. Shops like Londis serves a good purpose, it's convenient and has all the basics if you need something last minute or later in the evening. Another coffee shop adds very little to the community for options, we have a mountain of cracking coffee shops already.

[DovertheRoad]

What happened to all the old 7/11's ? They ahould bring them back.

[kford]

I only go in there to drop off Hermes parcels and now they've stopped that too.

[Sue]

Louisa Wrote:

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

> Sue, I agree it isn?t a charity, neither was

> Iceland. If a business model isn?t working, it?s

> time to move on. However, if the James Barber post

> is correct, it can?t become a coffee

> shop/restaurant either. If that?s the case, what

> will it become? This space is not big enough for

> anything else. No big chains will be interested.

> Unless it?s taken on by another convenience store

> offering.

>

Surely there are plenty of shops on Lordship Lane which are neither big chains or convenience stores?

Why is the space not big enough for anything else? It seems like quite a big space to me.

To the best of my knowledge shops like Pearspring, Celestial, Karavan, the jewellery shop, Farmers, the independent food shops, are not part of chains, let alone big chains. However I have no idea of relative rents.

And there is a limit to how many convenience stores a place like East Dulwich with a totally changed demographic over the past couple of decades can support, surely.

ETA: Many or most people will do a regular shop for basics, on or offline, and therefore probably won't run out of them.

I have no idea what the pattern of Londis' sales is, but I suspect after the other food shops close it is mostly alcohol, cigarettes, confectionery and snacks like crisps.

Not onions or stock cubes.

[kford]

Its USP was that it was 24/7, even Christmas Day. However, everything it sold could be got elsewhere on the lane, utility keys, lotto etc or was either cheaper or online (newspapers, magazines), except Hermes drop-off. The staff are always really friendly though.

[wayne10]

The legendary chart topping tune day and night by kid kudi was filmed in our local londis and we will miss londis for the conviencence :(

[worldwiser]

Perfect size for a Little Waitrose. And right opposite M&S too 😀

[Louisa]

worldwiser Wrote:

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

> Perfect size for a Little Waitrose. And right

> opposite M&S too 😀

I couldn?t think of ANYTHING worse!

Louisa.

[Bic Basher]

Louisa Wrote:

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

> Comparing M&S with a 24/7 offey/general

> convenience store is a stretch to say the least.

> Completely different offering. This place comes in

> handy for lots of reasons. We don?t need more

> coffee, or restaurants. This has to remain for the

> use of the whole community. We?ve lost enough

> useful shops in recent years, this one needs to

> stay.

>

> Louisa.

You can buy bread, milk, fruit, newspapers and so on in both. The milk will be cheaper in M&S for starters.

As mentioned on this thread, the services they offer such as Paypoint for example is offered by other shops on the Lane including the ED Local and Co-Op.

It's fair to say that M&S has had an impact on Londis.

[Louisa]

Bic Basher Wrote:

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

> Louisa Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Comparing M&S with a 24/7 offey/general

> > convenience store is a stretch to say the

> least.

> > Completely different offering. This place comes

> in

> > handy for lots of reasons. We don?t need more

> > coffee, or restaurants. This has to remain for

> the

> > use of the whole community. We?ve lost enough

> > useful shops in recent years, this one needs to

> > stay.

> >

> > Louisa.

>

> You can buy bread, milk, fruit, newspapers and so

> on in both. The milk will be cheaper in M&S for

> starters.

>

> As mentioned on this thread, the services they

> offer such as Paypoint for example is offered by

> other shops on the Lane including the ED Local and

> Co-Op.

>

> It's fair to say that M&S has had an impact on

> Londis.

That?s the biggest load of BS I?ve ever heard (with respect Bic Basher). Totally different demographic, in every sense. And different times of the day. If your argument held water, why was Iceland (which basically stocked similar offerings) not able to penetrate Londis?

More like, gentrification has contributed towards the landlord seeing other successsful middle class offerings on the lane, and decided to jump on the bandwagon by shifting out anything remotely working class, and replacing it with yet more accelerated gentrification.

Louisa.

[Sue]

Here we go again .....

[Louisa]

Oh dear the elephant in the room the G word needs to be avoided again incase we upset someone. My bad, sorry!

Louisa.

[Sue]

:)) :)) :))

[DuncanW]

Louisa,

I don't think it's a class thing, it's a profitability thing. If you have a business that appeals to customers who don't sit within the middle-class/gentrification/newcomer set, but remains profitable, they stay open. This isn't meant as a snide value-judgement, but I don't see the bookies or chicken shops on LL closing down... and if I glance through the windows of those outlets, I don't notice them full of yummy mummy types blocking off access to the FOBs with their over-sized buggies.

[intexasatthe moment]

With regard to reassurances re Londis not becoming another coffee shop because planning ensures a balance is retained on the high street ....wasn't Costa's initial application for 8 Lordship Lane to move from a retail shop to become a coffe shop refused ? And then didn't they apply on basis of only doing take away coffee ? And weren't they finally succesful in getting the change of use retrospectively ?

I could be mistaken as I don't remember the details and there's not much on the planning site to refresh my memory only an old application

06/AP/0667 where change of use from retail to coffee shop was refused .