MrBen

Bring your own tumbleweed.... Just kidding - hope to make this one and see you all there. MrBen

Having wangled a few freebies to see him at the O2 I was blown away by Prince and his band. Maceo Parker was on sax that night and it was incredible. The short one played bass,guitar, drums and piano over the courser of the night all amazingly and effortlessly. And then sang brilliantly too. The aftershow jam went on to 4am - he did another 2 hours to about 500 of us. I'm not a fan, dont own any of his stuff but walked out astonished and with huge respect. So if this thread was about all round talent, genius and showmanship, for me he'd win it. But the criteria is "musically creative" and for that , in the present, I give you Mr Jack White. A scary modern day Hendrix who can make himself sound like a whole band. And his Raconteurs stuff was great too - 2nd album due out soon I think.

Best way to find out whats happening to it is to talk to the leaseholder and say you are interested in buying it, is it for sale and if so how much. The fact it has not sold suggests: A: Current leaseholder is asking too much (in which case wake up and smell the roses - commercial property is tanking) B: It needs a lot of work done and the prospective buyers estimates + purchase of the lease are not commercially viable C: There is something fundamentally wrong with it (e.g. do planning regs allow a kitchen?, dry rot or something evil like that.) Whatever it will resolve itself one way or the other and I'm convinced it wont be covered in flaking purple pain this time next year! I do hope they keep it traditional.

City Airport is an awesome thing. Especially for us in SE22. I cant commend it enough. Leather chairs, the quickest check in and security clearance ever (on normal days). And I get to fly BA if going home to Scotland and get 3 whiskys and a meal and nice cabin crew. And its often cheaper than the easyJet or the Ryanscare. Unless any of you can beat me I would like to suggest that I currently hold the world record for Almost Missing a Flight Again thanks to City. My plane was leaving at 09:50. I slept in, left ED at 09:15 by cab, arrived at City at 09:40, walked through the door, did a self check -in at a machine with no queue, cleared security in 3 mins, and got to the gate at 09:47 just as the last passenger was walking across the tarmac..... :)-D

Amazing. The image above from last year is actually the second time a car has ploughed into benches at The Bishop. I had the luckiest escape of my life back in 2005 when, sitting outside with my brother, a car veered off lordship lane towards us at high speed . Missed us by about 2 ft, clipped the bench by the corner far corner sending two girls scarpering see-saw style before ploughing into a garden wall off the side street. Drunk woman driver. I honestly shit my pants but it happened so fast we didnt even have time to react. Thankfully nobody badly hurt but its surely happened enough now to warrant railings to protect people? Sitting outside there is potentially very bad for your health!

I apologise for my earlier comment and have edited it above to remove the offending words "nice tits". This is a serious forum and it has no place for ungentlemanly, sexist comments such as these. Especially from MrBen who was a little the worse for wear at the time. Moral: Dont drink and post! MrBen (apologetic and mortified tail between his legs)

I usually smell too badly to have much luck there....But take more Lynx Java than you need and you'll be alright. If I go it will be my 7th time and thats a lucky number right? So it won't rain will it? Bollocks! I'll still be taking the wetsuit and flippers. Go armed to the teeth expecting swamp like conditions and you can only be pleasantly suprised. The rumoured line up for this year does look a lot better. I would add to that, the rumour that The Boss may be taking the legends slot but who knows! Last years I only recall seeing one or two acts (Bjork and Arcade Fire) the rest of the time predictably spent in the Lost Vagueness casino drinking cava with a trannie. In 2006 when they had a fallow year I compensated with trips to Coachella and Benicassim, both of which offered excellent weather but had none of that special atmosphere that you only get at proper British Glasto.

Sitting under a weeping willow tree by the pond in Peckham Rye park in glorious sunshine watching butterflies. Many wonderful, special meals at the back of The Palmerston. The cheerful friendly vibe around Northcross Road on a sunny Saturday morning. A tangible comforting sense of community in the heart of what is often an unfriendly, impersonal city. And the barmaids offering great service at The Bishop. (Edited to remove boorish, sexist, ungentlemanly but ultimately complimentary comment referred to by Ratty below)

EDmummy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > EDdaddy has always complained that their fish > (grilled plaice/sole etc) tasted soapy. They also > have no knowledge on how to cook Snapper. Admit I > love their chips, though. Spot on. Used to be a regular but that stopped about a year ago when I got some snapper that was so overcooked it was hard. And on the night I went they had stopped cooking to order so I got stuff that had been sitting there for a while depsite asking for a fresh one. It used to be great. Come on Sea Cow - you can get back on track!

Great. Crucial must have items at Oliver Bonas: - A floral hole punch (like you, I have always wanted one of those) - A floral garden tool set ( Total floral boll0cks ) - A womens tool kit (as opposed to a mans tool kit) Pink boll0cks ) - A rotating angel tea light candle holder ( Angel boll0cks ) What a load of bollocks. MrBen is not impressed and would much rather a proper men's shoe shop. A hat shop. Or a trendy jeweller.

milly51 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Well in my humble opinion a lot of new builds are > just glorified mouse houses. > > You are investing in surface polish but polish > tarnishes very quickly. I see it all the time > cladding coming away, slick sheen surfaces covered > in crud, shadow gaps swelling around windows and > the public spaces becoming shoddy. It is unlikely > that your freeholders interest in the exterior > will remain, will they update the property in the > future so it holds onto its cache. When these > blocks are sold it is then a case of minimal > maintenance from the freeholder. Maintenance is > only as good as the leaseholders lobby group in > your block. Modern finishes are expensive to > repair. Period property always remains just that - > a property of period. Some folks say that the new > builds will be the slums of the future. Milly51, Whilst I see your point, as always you cant generalise. I know lots of people who prefer good new builds as they are often more spacious, brighter are more eco-friendly due to better windows, construction and heating systems and open plan compared to period properties. Aussies, Saffers and Kiwis in particular seem to love them. I'm guessing thats because its what they are used to back home where new builds are the norm. I have seen lots of very well built new builds. And some awful ones too. The key thing IMO is not to overpay for the superficial cosmetic touches and developer bullsh*t. The DKH flats are good in my opinion. Just not worth ?365K. I've experienced both. I love my Victorian place. But it falls apart too. Dodgy roof, needs repointing, drafty in winter, smaller rooms. It all adds up and can be expensive. Each to their own I guess. New builds can be great -just dont get ripped off into paying an extra 60K for the mahogany veneered doors or the ubiqitous built in plasma. In fact, I just feel lucky to own a small place of my own at all.

This is SE22. So I guess it would have to be.

Urggg. I keep reading these house price threads and try to avoid them but this one is current and is luring me in like an old man with a bag of sweeties saying "come and see my puppies". I take a more optimistic long term view which is that: - Yes values will fall a bit but this is healthy and inevitable. And a real crash only happens when people start defaulting on mortgages. With interest rates still relatively low and City predicting a further cuts I dont see this happening in 2008 as mortgages are still generally affordable. As long as the economic fundamentals remain of course. - Even if we head into recession (v. likely) ED will still be a highly desirable place to live and is if you pardon the pun, is streets ahead of where it was in the 1992 recession. Good, established areas like Battersea in '92 only took a 15% hit then soon recovered. We are in that league now. Take a long term view and I firmly believe property here will be a safe bet - the area has so many great things about it. And this is London. Greatest city in the world. After Edinburgh of course. - A time like this is actually full of opportunities if you know what you are doing. Not many buyers, everyone is taking offers - so try your luck. As for GV15, ?275K for a 1 bed with no garden overlooking train tracks is ridiculous. Any numpty can see that. So those who like them should be throwing the developers an offer. You might get lucky. - Quite a few of the bad estate agents will lose their jobs and will seek the traditional refuge that is becoming a travel rep / timeshare salesman / recruitment consultant. Great unless you have just booked an all inclusive to benidorm / need a new job in which case you will have to face the suckers all over again.

I keep wanting to come and meet all you lovely people. But there is always some very good reason I cant. And this time Jan 25th is Burns Night! However I had a tentative idea for Burns Night and was perhaps looking to send out feelers for a forum bash. To those who have never been Burns night is excellent even if you are not Scottish. The Plough is doing a thing on Thursday 24th with a piper, poetry readings and 3 course dinner with haggis! (think there is a veggie haggis too) , ticket only. I may start a thread nearer the time - but any Scots / non Scots up for it?

1. England fans blaming the manager each time their team fails to get a decent result. 2. Local shops that just sell useless trinket things for filling homes with. Like comedy bread bins and coffee bean grinders 3. Indian call centres where whatever you ask them they still read from a script and fail to understand your problem.F***rs. 4. Little tw@ts in hoodies playing music on their mobiles on the bus. Get some f****ng headphones you twats. 5. Trendy acronyms : DKH, EDT, CPT, FHT etc. Boll0cks to them all. 6. Feeling like Clint Eastwood when I enter the CPT at the wrong time and the piano player stops playing/everyone stops talking. Drunk elderly black woman gives evil stare. 7. People talking about how lovely East Dulwich is. The park is lovely. The oysters are lovely. Use any other word but that. 8. Estate agents lying to me then pretending they havent I will meet you at heavens gate and watch you burn in the bowels of hell you parasites. That is if I havent tracked you down and gunned you down first. 9. Nigerian mini cab drivers adding ?2 onto the price quoted when I phoned then acting all suprised when I tell them. 10. Walworth road. On the bus. Depressing. I shut my eyes at Camberwell Green and only open them after Elephant and Castle.

The guy from Terrys DIY is a genius. I'd like to buy him a pint. I genuinely like him for sporting such a glossy sprayed "darts" bouffant and not giving a toss what anyone - you me or anyone on this forum thinks. He is his own man and I very much salute and like him for it. Individuality. Anyone wondering who the slim white guy is in the combat jacket and jeans, walking down Lordship Lane for a William Rose steak and and looking like every other middle class ED 30-something man yet to breed .....well thats me. I ENVY that hair.

Not been in for a couple of years now. Not even sure who owns it these days. Last time I was the only customer but the nice lady behind the bar was very friendly and went out her way to find me some nice wine. Agree entirely with Keef that it is lacking in atmosphere and feels a bit cold. A space of this size and location has solid potential and I'm not entirely sure why it doesnt work at the moment. I think I'd probably give it a make over - it doesnt seem to know whether its a gastro or a traditional boozer and to me its not convincing as either. And I think thats its problem. They could divide up the space a bit, put in some soft seating and atomspheric lighting, redo the blue and gold exterior to something trendy but traditional (respecting its history), get a great chef in, nice well trained bar staff, a retro juke box and a pool table as their differentiator ([plenty of space and where has a pool table/juke box in SE22 these days? They are cool again!) and relaxed DJ's a la Gowlett on Thurs, Fri Sat nights. And what ED pub could exist without the obligatory "character dog"? A sausage dog or labradoodle might work. MrBen is available for business consultancy and turnarounds on once great bars that have fallen by the wayside.

Jeremy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Axing the london bridge to victoria route will be > a disaster. The proposed east london line may have > double the frequency, but is a much less useful > route. Unless you live in Honour Oak and want to visit your girlfriend in Canada Water!

I visited Franklins on Saturday, between Christmas and New Years and it was very good. What a lot of people dont realise is that you dont have to sit in the restaurant at the back. You can just take one of the informal tables at the front and order off the same menu. I just had a couple of starters. And a nice bottle of red too. Sometimes I have cooked at home for friends then all piled down there just for dessert. I find the 2 person tables at the back a bit claustrophobic. But thats my only minor gripe. I like sitting out front in summer too with a pint. Good spot.

I agree with Maurice in respect of architecture (if we remove an areas content from the argument). But the photo of ED above is not too bad - the facades above the shops painted pastels is a nice touch - I've always liked that. I also like the 4 storey buildings you can see opposite the EDT when sitting upstairs. If you look at them closely they are rather nice terraces with some elaborate touches. But they sorely need repairing and repainted. A couple of simple changes that would make the best of LL: - Have a limit as to how long a Hunter Hindwoods Payne (or similar) commercial To Let/Sold board can be kept up for. Because some of the HHP signs on the empty shops have been there for well over a year even though they have let/sold. Other areas have these rules in place. It makes everything less ugly. And why should they get free advertising for that long anyway? - Plant some small trees along the lower stretch of LL. - Get council to incentivise or enforce freeholders in some way to repaint and repair frontages. LL freeholders of commercial premises have reaped a massive return lately. I know of one who has acheived a capital gain of 700% since 1998 and rental increase of even more since this time. That's HUGE. So why cant they be made to keep up repairs on the buildings? - Just have some basic planning laws that require shop frontages to pass planning approval so that they blend in with the surrounding environment. They have this in other areas why not here? Suggest ugly plastic facades and huge flashing Foxstons style neon lights be limited to Blackpool. Finally, and not so easy, is to demolish the police station. They cant catch burglars anyway from what I can see. The building looks like an East German KGB headquarters. And it sucks. *Bob* above, suggests Maurice should prefer people to buildings. Tongue in cheek I know but the bottom line is that the two are inextricably linked. Our surroundings affect the way we feel and have an emotional impact subconciously or otherwise.

Mr Administrator, I vote we change this thread to from "Attempted Break-ins" to "Actual Break Ins in East Dulwich"!

Would advise everyone to keep an eye out - there must be a spate on! Our building (victorian flats) was broken into on Sunday. They buzzed all the buzzers of the flats first asking for a false name to determine who was in then forced the groundfloor sash window with a hammer and chisel and took passports, tickets and booze. And this all happened about 7pm on Sunday night when I was in the flat above. I actually unwittingly spoke to the guy (Jamaican accent asking for "Roger" ) that must have done it over the intercom. We are fitting new locks and a security light. Most of us are in now anyway over christmas and are getting prepared for them coming back. And I now have a Mossberg semi automatic shotgun which should do the trick next time. Makes a bit of a mess but better than a deadlock as has a longer lasting effect.

Issue 6. You have to scroll down the page.

Brilliant. Favourite lines "Even though my house is worth less and less" and "Stop having babies" That says it all really!

Well if its just sex you want with someone hot....