Sue

I will find out. Haven't been up there yet!

The (very) short version is that we had an absolutely appalling meal there on Christmas Day which cost us nearly £200 without drinks (for two people) - which we had to pay in advance. The Plough might be a possibility, but we were in there for a Wake yesterday afternoon, and the (non) service at the bar was terrible.

If there is a major restructuring of Poundland generally, I'd be very surprised if the Lordship Lane one survived. I wasn't one of the NIMBYs before it opened, as I like pound shops usually, but I've been disappointed with this one. Is there any actual evidence either that it's closing or it isn't closing, apart from hearsay? I don't read the Sun, btw, the screenshot below is from a Google search 🤣

Thanks for the suggestions! If the Angel Oak is the pub on the edge of the Rye, it's probably not too far, but there might be more central (to East Dulwich) pubs to try first. No way will Nyge and I ever go to the Cherry Tree again, sorry. Edited to remove a long rant, because our reasons for not wishing to give The Cherry Tree our custom are not relevant to this thread.

This drives me absolutely mad. Why is all the food they sell there so effing noisy? Popcorn, nuts, crisps. Why can't they just sell stuff like rolls and ice cream? Is it because those are harder to store and more perishable? It's so inconsiderate to other people, like having your mobile on loudspeaker on public transport.

The use of robots to do certain types of surgery still needs somebody to operate (sorry can't think of another word) them, albeit at a distance, so I'm not sure how they are going to replace human surgeons? And what happens if they find something unexpected when they have made the incision? There must be something I'm missing, because I can't see how using robots is going to reduce NHS waiting list times?

S24? I just googled Royal Mail complaints and it went straight to this page. If you phone Royal Mail you can also make a complaint, though it takes forever to go through all the options and then to speak to someone. It's probably a lot quicker to do it online. Not that you will actually get anywhere in this case. You are probably marginally better off contacting your MP, not that they will probably get anywhere either.

Fxd is a polite way of saying f***ed, I think.

From what you have described, it doesn't sound like NPD, at least from the description of it I just googled, though it is certainly possible that your neighbour has some kind of disorder.

Thanks to all who came! It was so nice to meet people! We will do it again! If anyone has suggestions for a pub in East Dulwich with a suitable space (not a private room, unless it's free to hire) please let me know. I think it might be preferable and easier to mingle if we could stand up, rather than being trapped on several tables, even though we rearranged them and people did move around them. Also a pub which doesn't have both its ales off at the same time, which was unfortunate 🙄

TODAY!

😢😢😢 😮

Never mind AI, I can't even get to grips with effing OneDrive 🤣

Well unless the heron got them later, there were the two cootlets. I think some others of this year's babies must have escaped the heron. Many years ago (and possibly still, though I never see them any more) there was a whole heron family on the island - mum, dad and youngster. I don't know how long herons live. Maybe this one is the grown up youngster.

Has Jazzer morphed into Trump? Eh? Islands like this are all over the place, or used to be - nothing to do with cyclists, or didn't used to be. Are we talking about the same thing? I can't see how cyclists would fit in there! I'd have been quite happy for my grandchildren to cross there when they were younger. They are grown up now. ETA: I looked at it yesterday while passing, and I see it is intended for cyclists to stop there, but given the vertical island indication (don't know what it's called, sorry) I don't think it's clear that it isn't also intended for pedestrians. I had no idea such things for cyclists existed!

In stations etc You order and pay via an app and then collect your food/drinks at the counter

This new crossing is totally unnecessary, surely. Just a few metres down the road, towards the station, there is a pedestrian island. I just used it this morning after having walked down Melbourne Grove. OK it's not a zebra crossing, but it's a perfectly safe and easy place to cross East Dulwich Grove. Why on earth are so many places for pedestrians to cross needed on such a short stretch of level road?

The Peckham Rye Park heron was eyeing up two quite large cootlets on Sunday. Their parents were swimming around them and presumably trying to protect them. We couldn't understand why the coots didn't swim off, but as they were under a large tree branch, maybe the heron would have been better able to catch one of the chicks in open water. It eventually gave up and flew off. Crikey they have vicious pointy beaks, herons! Is it for spearing fish?

The OP asked for advice from people on the internet. People who replied were trying to be helpful.

Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to help, as they have connections with various relevant people/organisations. Your GP surgery may have access to a "social prescriber" who can similarly help. I was referred to the one attached to my GP surgery when I was very stressed with external issues. There used to be a community police officer in every neighbourhood, and if they still exist, I would say they should be your first port of call. I'm so sorry. It is so stressful living with nasty neighbours, although I agree finding out that other neighbours have also had issues with them at least makes you feel that it is not just you they are targeting. As regards the apparently poisoned plants and trees, if you know someone who is a member of the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society), they have access to a free advice service, who I'm sure could help pinpoint the likely cause of death. Unfortunately I didn't renew my membership this year, otherwise I would have offered to help.

Back on topic (!), just a reminder that the new incarnation of the ED Forum drinks will be in The Palmerston TOMORROW Wednesday 11 June from 7pm. Turn immediately left as you come in by the main Lordship Lane entrance, and we will be in the area there. Hope that at least a few of you will be up for getting to know some of your fellow forum members in real life!

The tables are booked from 7pm. We will be there from 7pm, so come any time after that! There's info on the forum Events page.

You didn't need to be in the gents to smell it. You could smell it as soon as you went into the pub 😵‍💫 Anyway, to return to Wednesday's Forum Drinks in The Palmerston - just two days to go!

Hmmm. I wonder how their performance so far in government will affect local votes for councillors.

What Firkins were they? The only localish ones I remember were the Phoenix and Firkin and the Fox and Firkin. The Plough has changed its name several times, and then back to the Plough, but to the best of my recollection the Uplands Tavern was named that until it became The Actress, and The Bishop was called something else whose name escapes me (though the smell from the gents lingers in my memory) but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a Firkin?