Ant

Agreed - a decent pub would be great.

Meh means edible but utterly uninspiring. And taking kids to the Harvester is easy. Don't knock easy. I'm not saying the Harvester can't be improved on, because it quite blatantly can. Just that there's obviously still a role for it to play, which is why it's still there.

During an idle moment I found myself musing on a brochure or somesuch to be distributed to people as they arrived to make their homes in ED. It would be called something corny like So You've Decided To Live In East Dulwich, and would tell newcomers all they needed to know about this little corner of London. If it was up to you, what would you put in it?

Dear Mr Admin, The magic code-trickery has removed the http:// from your example above and created the link. Hoisted by your own petard! Mwrah! *twirls Edwardian moustache*

If Peckham Rye is ED enough, how about those leaning trees, not far from that derelict school?

That Harvester's always very busy. It's dead naff and the food's meh, but it's also very easy to take kids to.

I'd like a cinema.

Would I be pushing it too far to suggest the Bastille area in Paris? Bear in mind I haven't been there for a decade or so...

The CPT staff are great. Plough DIY are always very friendly and helpful. The Badger Bakery lot have always been very good to me. The woman in Never Ending Story is ace. The guy in Spot Dry Cleaners at the corner of LL and Landells is really good. But my one vote for absolute, beats-all favourite has to be Val's. Even though I don't know her that well (only know she's called Nisha from reading it here), she's just... great. Always so happy! It's infectious. And the quality and range of her veg just keeps getting better, or so it seems to me.

The owner? ;)

The one near the cafe in the park is quite good - and has plenty of space around it... I know, I know... 'that one in the park' doesn't sound very specific, but you'll know which one I mean when you see it. It's just past the cafe on the way to the pond... lake... whatever.

It's a very busy part of LL, for the reasons mentioned above and also because two bus routes start/end there, with many more coming through. I'm surprised more businesses aren't making the most of the area.

Ah. I see. At first it sounds a bit silly, but then I suppose if it encourages those who wouldn't otherwise have used a bag for life or avoided using too many placcy bags to start doing so then it's probably a good thing. (Whether that's actually the case, though, I don't know...)

I tried googling the trust but got no results...

Now that (James's post) is a good point. If your kids want to run and scream and shout, which they will quite often, then take them to the park. There's a time and a place... different situations require different behaviour and you're doing your kids no favours if you don't teach them that.

There aren't really that many pubs full of kids, you know. Surely it's not too much to ask for the odd one or two where you can go with the the family and enjoy a pint and some food.

*wanders in, gives bagpuss a sherbet dibdab - isn't sure why, it was just the first thing that came into my head*

The what in the who now? I have no idea what this is about. A handbag? From Sainsbury's?

This is all like another language to me. A tasty language, it seems. I have much to learn.

I think LL needs Rumbelow's to move in.

Badger Bakery's not that bad, you know. I'm just glad to have any bakery at all within walking distance; it's something I've never had before.

Limoncello - blargh!

Sounds good to me, the Clock House is a lovely pub. But will it have reopened after its refurbishment? ...goes to check on the thread about this ...ah yes: reopening 3 May.

If I hadn't heard about it from on the forum I doubt I'd ever go in as it looks so thoroughly grotty. As it is, I'll give it a go. I'm not sure any business can afford to rely on its existing customer base at the expense of attracting new clients. It's not snobbish, it's just common sense: the place needs cleaning up a bit.

That veg place is excellent and getting better. They have a really good range of stuff and it's usually very good quality. Can anyone remember what it's called... Val's something? Or am I thinking of somewhere else?