Sue

I'm sure many people would look to see if someone needed help, and if so would do something about it, and at least phone the police if necessary if they didn't feel confident helping directly. At least I hope so. I'm sorry you don't feel safe, but surely ED isn't any less safe than most places. It's hardly a hotbed of crime, it's just that people don't post on here if nothing has happened! And before that, there were no highwaymen, or any murders at all .... In what way exactly have we become "a soft apologetic society", whatever that means?

I am sorted now thanks to a very useful PM, thanks everyone for your help!

What a truly horrible post.

I imagine Franco Manca's business dropped off quite a bit when Yard Sale opened (though isn't Yard Sale delivery only?) But in any case, both of those are chains.

There's a food bank off Dog Kennel Hill. Albrighton Community Fridge. https://www.albrightoncommunityfridge.org/ I'm sure they would welcome them, but maybe check first, as they don't actually mention fresh fruit on their website? But apples aren't that perishable. Drop off seven days a week 9 - 5. Be warned if you are going by car, parking can be very difficult, easiest if there are two of you so one person can take the food in while the other can move the car if necessary.

Another lost cat (hopefully soon to be found)? More postal delays? More sofas for sale? Actually, re the post, isn't this the week the delivery days change to alternate days for second class post and nothing at weekends (or something like that)? That must merit a new and exciting thread, surely 😀

Crikey, I had forgotten about that!

I think the East Dulwich one was one of the first ones after Brixton? It was very exciting when it first opened here, but yes they are all over the place now.

The shops selling gifts, interior stuff and clothes all sell different gifts, interiors stuff and clothes. They don't all have identical items, which would be ridiculous. It's a completely different situation. The coffee shops and restaurants mostly also have different vibes, different food etc and cater to different tastes and pockets. The two empanada places have virtually identical displays of identical looking empanadas. I don't think anyone has suggested this move is "malicious" - that would make it even worse. Cheeky, yes, given the proximity to the first shop. I agree this is good advertising, though most people in ED probably don't look at the ED Forum (I stand to be corrected). Re the "organic grocer", if it's the one on the same side as Chango, yes their snacks are very tasty. Unfortunately we were short changed there on several occasions when calling in late at night, and were once asked a ridiculous price for a few items (with no price tickets on the snacks) so we don't go there any more. Hopefully these were all genuine mistakes, and hopefully things have improved since their refurb.

Sorry, thought better of my comment .

No thanks, I've got enough spreadsheets of my own 🤣 But thanks for the offer 🤣

A Google search brought up eleven Chango branches, although they don't all seem to be listed on their website. In the order they came up: East Dulwich, Clapham Common, Mayfair, Wandsworth, City of London, Wimbledon, Parsons Green, Kensington, Highgate, Richmond, Hampstead. I think it is the positioning of this new branch that has mostly got to me. I accept that they would have to go for where a space became vacant, but Lordship Lane is pretty long, even just the part with shops in, and choosing to open a stone's throw away from Chacarero seems mean, to say the least. I wonder if they have made contact with Chacarero. It would be nice to think they had (in a friendly way, obviously!) As regards the apparent marketing spiel, at least one of the online reviewers also refers to a Chango branch (the Parsons Green one in this case) as a "gem". Probably just coincidence and a word in common use to describe such places. I wouldn't know. I'm ancient 🤣

According to what I can see online, Dynamic Vines and Cave de Bruno sell totally different kinds of wine to each other. Dynamic Vines "work with independent winemakers who produce outstanding wine using sustainable practices in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar". Cave de Bruno specialises in French wines and spirits from small independent producers. So two different USPs, and no doubt two different but overlapping customer bases who can afford these wines. Probably different again to the people mainly shopping for wine at Majestic or the Co op. On the other hand, the two empanada shops appear on the face of it to be selling virtually identical products. But time will tell, won't it? Let's see how they are both doing in - say - a couple of years' time. Impossible, of course, to compare that with how they would have done if there had been only one of them. I just feel more sorry for the original one than for the one which can apparently already afford to have a number of shops in places like Mayfair and Highgate. I'm tempted to buy something there every week, and I don't even like that kind of pastry 🤣

Portable ramps are available for businesses to use in this sort of situation, aren't they? I don't know whether one would be suitable for use here, or whether they have the space to store one. Lots of people have permanent or temporary disabilities which mean they have to use crutches or a wheelchair.

But all those examples sell a wide variety of things, and mostly they are well spread out along Lordship Lane. These two shops both sell one very specific thing, albeit in different flavours, and are just across the road from each other. I don't think you can compare the distribution of shops in Roman times to the distribution of shops in Lordship Lane in the twenty first century. Well, you can, but it doesn't feel very appropriate. Haa anybody asked the first shop how they feel? Are they happy about the "healthy competition" ?