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Hi Annie, I can thoroughly recommend my builder, David O'Brien. He's just finished my kitchen/garage/roof and in my previous house did 2 extensions - 1 kitchen and 1 lounge. His number is 07960 938621. And if you want any advice/support along the way - feel free to ask. I loved the whole process and am just itching to do something again!

We used Duration windows for our aluminium (in white) bi-fold doors. They were totally gorgeous and only cost ?2800 which I gather is a bargain. My builders fitted them (I can recommend them too if you want details). Hope that helps. http://www.duration.co.uk

EDT seconded.

Hi Riggsy, Wow - sounds a very exciting project! I agree with Trizza - a decent builder will work closely with a structural engineer so get in touch with a builder first. And if you want a great one - try David O'Brien. He did 2 extensions on my last house and has just finished my kitchen. I enjoyed the whole experience so much I'd gladly do it all again! If you call him mention me (Vicky). 07960 938621

Hi, I built two extensions in the Dulwich Estate area and am happy to share my experiences. The main thing I would say is to keep your neighbours onside. Mine complained and I had to re-submit my plans. Meaning lots of cost and stress and delay. Applying for planning permission from Southwark is easy and cheap. From the Dulwich Estate it is a disgraceful twice the price and four times the hassle! I was lucky enough to have the best builder ever - let me know if you want his details! PM me if you'd like to discuss further.

I heartily recommend my builder, David O'Brien. He has a team around him from architects to surveyors to every trade you could need. They built two extensions in my last house and have just done my kitchen & roof in the new house. All without any stress at all. 07960 938621.

So sorry babignail - Christmas craziness. Have sent you an email now and hope to welcome you to the team soon!

Festival still has vacancies - particularly in sponsorship

Yes - an erroneous hyphen was to blame! Feel free to email me now - I look forward to hearing from you.

The Dulwich Festival takes place from 10th to 19th May 2013 and we are now recruiting for a number of positions. Some paid a small amount, some voluntary. If you'd like to get involved in your local community, why not get in touch? Press - Handle the press and PR for the Festival. To start 2nd week in January Sponsorship manager - to secure sponsorship from local businesses Finance - assisting the Treasurer, particularly around the time of the Festival itself Stewards Co-ordinator - Recruit and manage stewards to help at Festival events Distribution Co-ordinator(s) - to take delivery of Festival programme booklets and assist Distribution Manager to make sure they are delivered to local houses by our volunteer team For more details or to apply, PM me now, or email [email protected]

That's horrible and I would be completely unnerved too. I hope the police can help.

Shameless plug for my own events: Dulwich Ukelele Club and friends in The Mag on Sat 8th May, and Comedy with Robin Ince and others, in the Crown & Greyhound on Fri 14th. Both will be fab!

What's this - when's it on - sounds good. Details please!

Hello everyone - yes - that's right - we're currently negotiating on 77 Lordship Lane, which is the old sports/mobile phone shop. And right now I'm working on adding products to the website so we can start selling online. Any suggestions for product lines gratefully received.

Thanks for your kind comments. Don't get me started on banners though....okay, go on then. There was a ban on banners from Southwark Council. It was lifted just before the Festival started, but too late to get any banners printed. So the Festival as a whole, and the Green Fair, suffered from a lack of promotion that our banners normally give. Even now we've been told we can display banners only up to a certain size. But no-one seems to know what that size is! It's very frustrating. We had a stall (It's A Green Thing) at the Festival Fair on Goose Green where we met and talked to loads of lovely people. Only about 10% of them knew about the Green Fair. I think this is partly because the Dulwich Festival doesn't have as big a profile in ED as it does elsewhere (which is something I'm trying to change). But have definitely taken everyone's comments about lack of promotion on board, and will be acting on it when preparing for next year. Thanks everyone

You're absolutely right - will add the link tomorrow!! And thank you millions Nero for taking the time to support our fledgling business. The online shop part of the website will be going live later this week. And until we get the shop - deliveries being made in Evie - our electric car. x

I was one of the organizers of the Green Fair in Dulwich Park, and I'm glad to hear it was enjoyed. I was very proud - a massive event organized by a very dedicated band of volunteers. It was advertised in the Dulwich Festival programme, of which 40,000 are delivered to local households and shops, libraries etc. It was also on the excellent website www.dulwichfestival.co.uk. We did put up a few posters, but mainly very locally ie in the Village and the park itself. One of the reasons for this is that the Festival has over 50 events and we can't put up posters for all of them so we leave the posters for the events that really need the extra promotion. As for the suggestion that the layout was rubbish - I agree with that to a certain extent! The reason that, for example, some of the stalls seemed very isolated was that we wanted to make sure that the activities/events that had to be in certain places (like the green tent) weren't left all alone - the idea was to line the route to them with stalls. But I don't think that tactic worked and we probably won't do it again. Any other comments gratefully received. x

I think SMBS would be absolutely delighted if they heard how many times (hundreds) we mentioned them yesterday and will continue to mention them when anyone asks where we're located. We believe that having two such complementary businesses next to each other will actually be beneficial - making that stretch the destination for ethical shoppers. There will be a slight overlap and SMBS are aware of that. It would be rude of us at It's A Green Thing not to make speaking to our next door traders a priority - we want a good relationship with them and all the other traders on the street. To that end, if you speak to any of them and they have concerns about our product range, please do urge them to get in touch. We're not out to aggravate anyone and are always open to discussions. We're going to try our absolute best to keep our prices down to earth. Given how much I've read on this Forum about 'over priced tat' (which I agree with fully) - we want to offer good products at honest prices. So please do come and give us your business! We'll hopefully see some more of you at the Green Fair in Dulwich Park this coming Sunday (12pm to 6pm) - please God don't let it rain again!

Thanks Karter. Unfortunately our hastily purchased Gazebo may have looked nice from the outside but was completely useless under the never ending torrent of rain - everything inside was completely soaked. But we did manage to hand out flyers and speak to a lot of people so it wasn't a complete wash-out! Hope to open in early July. x

I am pleased to tell you that the sports shop definitely WILL be closing down at last. I know this because I am taking over the shop and opening 'It's A Green Thing'. Many of you will know this already as lots of people visited our very wet stall at the Festival Fair earlier today. I'm not sure on the rules mentioning your own commercial enterprise on this Forum but I am a fairly regular poster and active in the local community so hopefully I'll be forgiven for this: www.itsagreenthing.biz - shop selling environmentally friendly products. Would love your feedback. Any suggestions for stock perhaps. Thanks to everyone that we chatted to today, and the great response we received. Vicky, It's A Green Thing

This isn't strictly connected, but if you go into the basement of the 'Grove Vale Barbers' on the roundabout (which is currently up for rent), you'll find a big room with bar type seating and the odd beer mat floating around. Does anyone remember this subterranean drinking hole? Maybe it was a secret members-only type place? It obviously hasn't been used for some time, but is fascinating in that way that old forgotten rooms are. Much like when I worked at the Brighton Sea Life Centre and the back corridors held all sorts of spooky Victoriana. Would be intrigued if anyone can shed light on this.

My vote goes for Mon Petit Chou - always friendly, efficient and smiley :)

I love East Dulwich and am happy to say it's only small things that annoy me: The scruffiness of the lower part of Lordship Lane near Goose Green Shop staff who don't greet you or even look at you, let alone thank you. (but that's UK wide, not just ED) Over-priced shops. I love the variety of shops in East Dulwich but not the prices of many of them. Mind you, I'm from Brighton originally and it's just as bad there so maybe I just haven't got the hang of inflation! The snobbery and lack of tolerance displayed by people who live in East Dulwich, towards those who live in the Village or West Dulwich. I live in West Dulwich but spend probably a third of my time in the village, a third in West D and a third in East D. And I love them all, for different reasons. God forbid everywhere should become the same. On that last point - I was guilty of the same stereotyping of people who live in the village before I moved here so (like a reformed smoker) I notice it even more now. But to reiterate - ED rules!

As the 11th is kick off night for the Dulwich Festival, I won't be able to make it this time - but count me in for next time!

Hi Jenny, I play korfball - it's a mixed team sport with similarities to netball and basketball but better than both those! That's the good news. The bad news is that our season has just ended. However, we'll be doing a demo/try out session at the Green Fair in Dulwich Park on 20th May. Bring your boyfriend along too and try it out - you never know you might get hooked and come along when training starts again in September. x