PokerTime

Whilst mental health issues and addiction do not descrminate accross class or any other boundaries, what can be said is that resources for help and support will depend on where you are on those scales. As anyone who has had to depend on NHS funded services will know, mental health resources are woefully underfunded and as a result a lot of people at the bottom of the socio-economic pile will never get anything like the level of treatment and support they really need. That is I think what charles was really saying about his luck of birth.

Louisa, what people 'feel' has no bearing on fact. People can feel things for lots of reasons, including unfounded prejudices they may hold. You now seem to be suggesting that a diverse white population is less diverse than non-white mix? I personally know asians and chinese and black people who are more British than I am btw, more sold into British culture than I am. But even with wealth, there is a problem in definition. House prices have risen yes, but so have multiples of what one can borrow (against salary). I don't think the leap in wealth is as big as you think it is. Also most of EDs accomodation is rental. If anything, the shift is more in terms of professional vs non professional. Remember that Labour classification chart, of A1 through to C (or something like that), that seperates employment types. That's where the shift is (the majority of people in ED work). Of course the shift will reflect property and rental values but again I don't think it's as large a shift as some think. That is where we can argue in socio-economic terms, and there we can argue that this group or that group don't seem to be represented. But even there one has to be careful.

I don't pick and choose anything. I look at the figures as they are. What I don;t do is group white people as though they are all the same against anyone with a darker skin, as though they are all the same too. That's what you are arguing we should do. The census is clear. ED has 58% white British populus now, compared to 63% ten years before. It also sits alongside wards with higher than average comparable ethnic proportions anyway, less than a mile apart, and last time I looked ED was not an island. ED is so small an area that disussions on diversity are pretty much irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

So it's about black and white for you is it? It might suprise you to learn Louisa that the Irish have a culture of their own as do most of Europe. Those people do not identify with being of white British culture or origin. For someone as obsessed with british class as you, I'm suprised you can't grasp this concept. Edited to also correct you. The 2001 census shows 63.28% for white British. So East Dulwich has become more diverse over the past decade, not less.

Hi Amy. Agree with tfswoll. Under the law the tenancy agreement is NOT substitute. Do not accept that from them . They were supposed to give you the folowing information; Within 30 days: the address of the rented property how much deposit they?ve paid how the deposit is protected the name and contact details of the tenancy deposit protection (TDP) scheme and its dispute resolution service your (or your letting agency?s) name and contact details the name and contact details of any third party who paid the deposit why you would keep some or all of the deposit - eg because your tenants damaged the property and you need to fix it how to apply to get the deposit back at the end of the tenancy what to do if they can?t get hold of you at the end of the tenancy what to do if there?s a dispute over the amount of deposit to be returned at the end of the tenancy I'm pretty sure your tenancy agreement does not cover all of that. If it were ok to put reference into a tenancy agreement, the law would say that. So they conceeded fault over the check in report. Well then you can argue, how can you possibly know what condition the property was in, as there was no documented check in report for you to check before moving in. There is only the Landlords word and you did not aknowledge any agreement with him on that. It's a liability issue and I would argue that liability now sits with the letting agent. They should return your deposit in full.

According to the 2011 census, 58% of ED residents are White British. 15% are African or Caribbean. http://www.ukcensusdata.com/east-dulwich-e05000539#sthash.WJd6FGuS.dpbs So seems pretty ethnically mixed to me.

DHLs own website says it is open. http://www.dhl.co.uk/en/express/shipping/find_dhl_locations.html

A better illustration of that AQ is this. David and Victoria Beckham, both as working class as one can be, both now wealthier than even some of the most privileged. It can't be defined by wealth alone. Upbringing, education and childhood privilege all play more of a role surely. I have always thought of class being more cultural than environmental. Having said that though, the children of the Beckhams go to private school no doubt and interact with other privileged children. It could be argued that they will be middle class. Years ago there was a debate I watched that discussed this. They were talking more in terms of successful business leaders than celebrities, but the question was asked, 'how many generations does it take after acquiring wealth to truly move up the class ladder?' The consensus seemed to be two generations. I think it's part of human nature to be tribal and gather around the familiar. Personally nothing would panic me more than to spend a whole life in the same place, around the same people and doing the same job.

It's definitely a letting agent mess up. The landlord may well end up suing them too. Between penalty fines for breaking the law and the landlord suing for loss of compensation for damage, Id say Amy has plenty of leverage in taking them on.

I agree with Otta. They can't do anything about charging you for any aspect of damage until you have completed arbitration. AND the law has been broken. There is a proper form (that is not the tenancy agreement) that landlords must use for giving you the TDS detsils within 30 days. The check in report should have been agreed with you BEFORE you moved in. You should also have received a copy of the tenancy agreement with the landlord's orginal signature on it too. You can pursue both things at the same time. I too agree that you should now seek reimbursement of the full deposit in light of the broken law and the time it took into the tenancy to receive a check in report. My advice would be the same as Otta's. Inform the letting agency that you are going to make a penalty submission and state the legal grounds for doing this.

Excellent post Penguin. Couldn't agree more.

I fully support what they do. We still have pay gaps where men are paid more in the same role as women.

I'm just wondering why yellow lines have to be used at all? Parking suspension notices seem to work perfectly well elsewhere.

There are signs that the rental bubble is stagnating (for now anyway). Buy-to-let acquisitions in London are down and average rental increases have dropped and stayed at around 3.5% for more than 12 months now. As someone above said, rent levels can only go up so far before too many people can't afford them. There was also a report a few days ago that the end of cheap fixed rate mortgages could be on the horizon. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2609859/The-mortgage-inquisition-Borrowers-face-tough-new-quiz-home-loan-spell-end-cheap-fixed-rates-warns-watchdog.html Clearly the concerns are there regarding potential interest rate rises.

The price of fish is linked to availability and cost to gather and distribute Louisa, and not much else. Salmon has dropped in price because it can be easily farm produced. Fish that can only be caught at sea will always cost more. If you live in a coastal fishing town, you'll find all kinds of fish within easy reach. Transportation to large cities for sale on supermarket shelves is something entirely different. Supermarkets will always go with a range they know they can buy and sell in bulk. I've often bought lemon sole from supermarkets btw. But the fact is that the supply of some types of fish can not be guaranteed on a daily basis in the numbers that supermarkets need. Small fishmongers have always been a better place for variety.

I'll eat any kind of fish, whatever class it is! When did we become a polarised society? We still rely on people from all walks of life for all sorts of things. I always think wealth is relative anyway. The very wealthy aside, most people (whatever they earn) are living just within their means.

'I can't stand people trying to fit themselves and others into boxes. Just enjoy life!' Exactly! Energy spent on despising others is energy wasted.

I'm not sure it is. Look back to Louisa's definitions of a blow-in. Affluence is only the tip of the iceberg. I don't know where from the North the man was WG, but he'd only be trading one accent for another!

Youths like this aren't put off by a police station anywhere and to think an ED police station would be some kind of deterrant is away with the fairies I'm afraid.

There are several reasons why a battery can go flat without it being the battery itself. The alternator could have a problem, or the drive belt could be missing to name but two.

Defintely a Police matter, but also report it to the Safer Neighbourhood Team (as SNT officers have better inroads to local community intelligence on anti-social behaviour). I'd also report it to Southwark's asb unit too. If these kids are local, and their parents are council tenants, there's a lot of leverage that Southwark can apply to deal with them. With summer months coming, and warmer nights, it does tend to draw out anti-social groups. A proactive approach accross all agencies is the most effective way to deal with it in my experience. And if they are riding mopeds, get the licence plates. Edited to add; Sadly misi, if caught for anything other than serious violent crime, they are likely to get nothing more than a community order or service, with a period of tagging.

What I find hard to agree with from the descriptions of the new arrivals to ED above is any idea that the young affluent families moving in are somehow any different from the older people selling up and retiring on the long term equity of their homes. Isn't that still what most homeowners do? They buy a home in which to raise a family and then later on in life move to release equity for retirement? And that is as true of working class homeowners as it is of anyone. The assumption that yummy mummies have moved in for a short term investment gain doesn't make any sense whatsoever. The rest of course (as pointed out by everyone) being just a reflection of the shifting housing markets of London. Of course money brings freedom (to live wherever) and lack of it traps and limits the choice of others. There has always been plenty of money sloshing around various parts of London anyway. I would say that many working class people who get good degrees and then good jobs are also now the middle-class. I just find a partisan prejudice against children of home counties families (the home counties being pretty close to London) a bit strange. And the assumption they are all dull, profiteering and self serving little oiks even stranger.

'I used to work in Safeway, Petts Wood for 22 years' That explains everything!

The South Circular and Lordship Lane is a very good suggestion, but I don't think it's in James Ward? I think the Goose Green roundabout works fine Mason. Don't think there are many accidents there either.

I'm from a poor working class background and understand completely your prejudice Louisa. It's not based on anything but a dislike for people that aren't like you. As for metaphorical meanings, yeah sure, I just love the vandalism and littering of the working classes, because yes, that's what the working classes bring right? Can you not see how stupid your points are? I'm no more a fan of overpriced pubs than you are, but people are in business to charge whatever they can get away with. Areas rise, and equally they decline. London has always been an attractive city for all kinds of migrants, primarily in pursuit of work. It has always been diverse, and the boundaries of that diversity have always shifted back and forth. Of course there will be some arrogant middle-class people. The same can said of people everywhere, of every class. Having lived amongst both working class and middle class communities equally, there are things to like about both of them, and equally there are things to dislike. But what I don't want to see, is a return to a time, not so long ago, where the parks were run down, where North Peckham was a no-go area, where asb and crime were more prolific, where fighting was a regular saturday night event at the local pub etc. There is no charm in any of that.