Brian up the hill

Nasty piece of work. Targets locations with a healthy independent presence and farmers’ markets; typical vampire capitalism. Great supporter of a Brexit too. All good reasons to go elsewhere, preferably small independent.,

The annual open day in Sydenham Hill Wood will be held on 14th September. This year it will be celebrating the work being done to reunite Sydenham Hill and Dulwich Woods. See the link below..... https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/woodland-festival

I have had them every year since 2020. Unfortunately they tend to visit only once or twice during a summer. I had one visit in June but I’ve not seen one since. They like the phlox, flitting around and hovering whilst feeding on nectar. They are amazing and you would swear you have seen a humming bird. Apologies for the photo not being great as I took it during the first sighting in 2020. The wings are beating so fast, they couldn’t be picked up by the iPhone SE I had back then

Am I right in thinking the cheese shop in the Village has gone?

You can record your discovery here……https://ptes.org/campaigns/stag-beetles-2/

If it is, it’s highly poisonous according to the Wildlife Trusts. https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/black-bryony

Chains moving in is a sure sign that LL is heading for a fall. They are parasites, waiting for the independents to be successful and then, in partnership with rapacious landlords, they move in and force out those very businesses who have created the market they then seek to exploit. They replace a lively diversity with a bland and predictable offering. Then, when a downturn arrives, they move out, leaving boarded up premises and charity shops. Independent businesses who have worked hard to make a success of their efforts will try to see out hard times as they’ve invested so much. Chains look only at the bottom line and think nothing of closing branches. Chains are liable also to expand too fast, be managed badly and then collapse. Think of Brick House being forced out by Gail’s, the closure of White Stuff (although that chain was replaced by another) and JoJo Maman Bebe. . Sadly, I fear that will be the future of LL.

Not local, I know but I swear by the Algerian Coffee Stores in Old Compton St. Fantastic old shop, great staff and huge selection of great coffees.

Ash tree branch. Before speculating as to cause and whether it was deliberate or not, it’s worth remembering that there is ash dieback around. Also tree branches fall off without warning, especially if there’s internal rot or disease which is not outwardly apparent. And yes, there are regular checks done on the health of the trees in the Wood.

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/kent/kent-and-south-east-london-railway-upgrade-plan/peckham-rye-station-redevelopment/

I have always found the Secret Garden in Crystal Palace to have a good selection of plants and probably the largest in the area. Nunhead Gardener is good but I find it’s led by what’s fashionable this season. It is also quite limited by size, same goes for Alleyn Park.

Don’t forget that Forest Hill Rd is closed completely by Piermont Green thanks to yet another leak, so no 63 bus south of Rye Lane and 363 on diversion up Barry Rd. Also there’s a large hole at the top of Forest Hill Rd at the junction with Honor Oak Rd and traffic control, again courtesy of TW. At this rate, the area will be cutoff from the rest of London, as it will be surrounded by a moat. I wonder if anyone has costed how much T.W. costs London as a result of their frequent and endless failures. Still, shareholder dividends and management bonuses all courtesy of a captive market. As Private Eye would say, trebles all round!

And they serve bougatsa!

The refurb has made it brighter and smarter with greater emphasis on weights and other exercise. Seems that cardio is restricted to the quarter of the floor area as you enter. This seems fair enough as I rarely saw more than half the cardio equipment being used at any one time. I have been told that some cardio will be on the newly created gallery space overlooking the main gym floor. Free weights area looks bigger and there is a good range of resistance machines offering to exercise most muscle groups. There are some new types such as a squat machine, whereas core machines for abs and back seem to have disappeared. I have been told that some machines have yet to arrive. Overall, it’s a great improvement. To say it’s still a dump is unfair and untrue. The alternative would be to traipse over to Beckenham where David Lloyd will charge you the same for two months’s membership as you would pay for a year at DLC.

Yes, Southwark Leisure sent an email (see below) to tell me that it’s was reopening on Christmas Eve but that had to be postponed due to the chlorine leak. They’ve been good keeping me updated by email. The website also gives details. Get Ready – Dulwich Leisure Centre gym is about to open! Ho ho ho! Santa has delivered the ultimate gift of fitness just in time for Christmas. We are beyond excited to announce that the brand new gym at Dulwich Leisure Centre will be opening on 24 December! Please note the opening times on this day are 7am to 3pm. We know our Dulwich members have been eagerly awaiting this moment, and we deeply appreciate your patience and understanding. Trust us, it’s been worth the wait! You’re going to absolutely love the new facilities! £2m Gym Refurbishment across seven centres This marks the completion of our £2m refurbishment project across our centres. The feedback has been really positive overall, and it’s been fantastic to see so many of you exploring different centres. To ensure you get the most out of the new equipment, we’ll be hosting additional induction sessions and gym floor classes in the New Year. Let’s kick start your New Year’s resolutions together! Dulwich Update: Main gym complete: The downstairs gym is now complete with cutting-edge equipment, a fresh, modern design, and more functional space. Inspiring BOX12 circuit coming soon: We’re taking your fitness up a level with our brand new BOX12 circuit on the balcony opening in the New Year. If you’ve experienced the BOX12 studio in Camberwell, you know what’s coming. If not, prepare to be inspired by this innovative training! Book Your New Gym Induction: We’re hosting sessions to help you get comfortable with the new equipment and understand how to best use it to help you reach your fitness goals. Book now on the Southwark Leisure App or website. Thank you Thank you once again for your patience while we’ve been working to complete the gym refurbishments. We can’t wait for you to step inside, beat the January rush, and start your new year fitness journey with a bang! Best Regards, Phillippa Gillespie General Manager Dulwich Leisure Centre Southwark Leisure.