cella

There was a programme on recently about LIDL which featured the training of checkout staff and they were told to move customers briskly through and as soon as the goods were put through the till they had to say card or cash to speed things up. In the Peckham branch, on three occasions the cashier picked up my credit card on top of my purse and started to insert it into the machine until I protested. I now make them wait until I've packed all my shopping. I've written to LIDL about this and other issues but they seldom reply. I like the idea of LIDL and they have great prices but their customer services leaves a lot to be desired, particularly in the Peckham branch.

Yes they are working? Am about to go!

ratty Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Has anyone got any ideas why the council might > seem so shoddy nowadays? One reason is that these services are outsourced and/or use call centres to save money. However, the senior officers who are responsible appear to take a more hands off approach and so these areas can be poorly managed. The councillors are further removed from their areas of accountability although I've found them helpful when a complaint is made directly.

I subscribe to the Arts Card each year. I do go to quite a few galleries & museums throughout the year and so I probably get the outlay back as exhibitions are either free or half price depending on where you go. Some places give age concessions in addition to the Arts Card concessions so even better value. They use the funds to buy works of art etc so happy that any funds get put to good use.

None of the shops in Rye Lane have merchandise outside on the pavement. Not quite sure how the LL shops have been alliwed to do this unless they have negotiated with Southwark. Nothing against individual shops but the pavement space should be used for pedestrians.

nxjen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > cella Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > Whether this is a practice that has gone > > unchallenged for many years or whether > individual > > businesses have negotiated with Southwark for > > which there may be a rental cost is an > important > > dstinction. > > I think the point is that the shops are displaying > goods / setting up seating on what falls within > the boundaries of their own property, so there's a > reason it's gone unchallenged and the Council have > no right to charge rental. If they want to keep > that part of the pavement clear, then the Council > should be paying compensation to the shopkeepers. It doesn't seem clear from the original post whether businesses do own the pavement space in front as presumably Southwark wouldn't need to ask for evidence of displays over 10 years if this is the case with this shop - they could display what they wanted on their "land" surely? My point is that pedestrians deserve consideration too and if this is public space then it should all be available to accommodate the increase in footfall.

edhistory Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Cella, > > I don't think you have any expertise in this > area. > > It is unhelpful to post, and continue to post, > incorrect information. > > John K You are right that I don't have too much expertise on local planning issues, just an interest as a local resident. Perhaps you have misconstrued my post? Can you tell me what the incorrect information is as I don't think I gave any did I - merely an opinion?

Everything needs to be reviewed from time to time and the footfall levels are greater now, particularly at weekends during the day. Those pavements are far too narrow to accommodate this. A lot of the shops along LL also display goods etc outside or use the space for additional seating. Whether this is a practice that has gone unchallenged for many years or whether individual businesses have negotiated with Southwark for which there may be a rental cost is an important dstinction. It can be a struggle for pedestrians and fhose who may have pushchairs, wheelchairs etc to have easy access. It's entirely right that cyclists and road users are considered for better road facilities and I do think that pedestrians deserve consideration too.

edhistory Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > I do think that shops should not be able to > encroach further by using valuable pavement > space. > > What does this mean? Any of the exterior pavement space outside shops

I do think that shops should not be able to encroach further by using valuable pavement space. It's nothing personal towards the traders but the very narrow pavements along Lordship Lane are far too small for the increase in pedestrian usage built up over the last 20 years and pavements are for pedestrians I feel. Maybe the many shops who do encroach should consider themselves lucky to have been able to do this for free for so long. Rather than make a charge all pavements should now be freed up for walkers/pushchairs/wheelchairs etc.who have to jostle for the existing space.

I've been to most of the London Cotes and love them. Brilliant food, well priced sat meals and great service. We use often as pre theatre eats. The only crime was their stance on tips but this has now been resolved due to the rightful bad publicity.

At Christmas as kids we used to suck the vinegar off big pickled onions from the jar and then continue to dunk.......I know...

Yes if you are a customer

I use both as a customer.

I always use the 150 which is free if you are a customer. You probably have to pay for the call if not.

It's a shame the mural is located there as it's used daily for football practice by the kids playing on that patch of green and sometimes as a urinal by random men. Not sure what can be done to permanently protect it really.

I loathe that CoOp store for all the reasons already listed by others. It's a shame they have ownership of that flagship store, located in the best part of our high street - everything that modern business is they aren't. If there is to be a new frontage as per the link shown then I think the M&S effect will have served a purpose if it makes others up their game.

Such a useful site - brilliant. Sadly the rug stain is here to stay so I've just moved it around and put something over it! Some of the sofa stain came out with nail varnish remover so now I'm just resigned to living with what's left. Thanks for your help.

HELP! Can't believe I've splashed dark hair dye on my white leather sofa and then, almost immediately, pink nail varnish on the rug under the sofa. Any top tips to remove/lessen the stains? I haven't tried anything yet in case it makes it worse. Grr!

Actually, though it's annoying late at night we have had a spate of daytime parties in our road during the lovely weather. Which is fine but with all the shrieking, singing loudly to even louder music, breaking glasses etc etc it means most of us can't use our own gardens in the sunshine or invite our own guests as they'll all be driven indoors. It's very antisocial and a bit depressing that they don't seem to care about their neighbors feelings. It does feel a bit like they need to make a huge noise to show they are having a great time - unlike the rest of us.

Thanks Cedges. - v helpful. Out of interest, which section is it under when you log on?

Really sorry to see this Lee and I do understand your position. We had 2 separate instances of different noise issues with neighbours over the last year. These included really loud music blaring with all the windows open, a teenager sitting outside his bedroom window on the roof, in his underpants, smoking and just staring into our kitchen/garden (he just stared insolently when we were frantically waving and hand signalling to try and get him to stop being so intimidating) and, in one case, playing recordings of religious chanting/speeches all day next to an open window. Several neighbours were unable to enjoy their gardens in the warm weather and, in some cases, were unable to hold work related meetings at home. I went round armed with diaries and phone recordings and talked to both separately. On the case of the man on the roof his mother was concerned as she hadn't realised her son had been doing this and confronted him on the spot. It stopped immediately. The other case was more difficult but by being (relatively) calm and very persistent (I tracked fown the landlord) and showing I wasn't going away the landlord got it stopped. In your case it's a shame the parents are sending the wrong message to their children about communal living and respect for other people. I can totally understand how this invasive anti social behaviour can really get to you and do hope you can find ways of resolving it and a better quality of life for your family.

Out of interest, how do you get to the classes timetable on the EveryoneActive website. I've looked everywhere but can't find it. The booking system for classes looks complicated and some classes aren't listed in the system. I just want to see the complete timetable. The reception staff don't have hard copies as apparently the timetable is changing frequently.

Don't think the op was talking about bin collection days, more about people who just permanently keep their bins outside on the pavement. In our road the residents have been asked but refuse to do anything about it so nothing to do with holidays, disabilities, age etc. As I mentioned earlier, if they don't respond to neighbours or Southwark letters we are not sure how these issues are formally policed or whether there is anything anyone can do about it.

Well, as the op says, bins are left outside all the time and not inside gates so not just on collection days. The Southwark letter we received was referring to this and not to do with rubbish collection days.