Louisa

Z list celebrities and smug daytime tv presenters with zero talent putting the world to rights from the comfort of their cosy little London based TV job. Yawn. I'm especially thinking of This Morning and Loose Women here. Awful pointless shows. Louisa.

"*Bob* it's me! it's Lou Lou I've come home! let me in your windowwwwwwww" :-) Louisa.

I agree with you NewWave. I hate to repeat myself but the yummification of our high street is reaching frightening and epidemic proportions. We are now stuck in a cycle where rising rents are forcing out great little businesses like 'The Irish Shop' and leaving us with empty shops. Until of course, something useful like a cinema comes to the area, increases footfall and then attracts chain boutiques and restaurants to satisfy the bored yummy housewife/husband. It is becoming nauseating watching well dressed people with prams and ray ban/Oakley sunglasses poncing their way up the lane showing off the latest Vivienne Westwood bag. Louisa.

Kate Bush inspired me from a young age to just be who you are. WH was a truly majestic song at the time, and the odd music videos with bizarre hand gestures were just a great way of expressing the song and bringing it to life. So sad her later albums were not met with the same accolades as her first, still great to see her return. Louisa.

Jimbo that is of course the limitation around ED. But looking at Chiswick, Fulham, Clapham, Balham, Shoreditch amongst others- if big chains want a presence they won't let something like limited space hold them back. Some of the shops along from GBK and the next stretch up are more than capable of doubling up to house smaller version restaurants of Wagamama and Zizzi et al. They've not come here yet because the nightlife culture hasn't set on fire, with a cinema and M&S nearby ED will appear on the radar, it's a matter of time I tell thee. Louisa.

XIX I really am pro the cin?ma it would be a great contribution. But inevitably, a cin?ma will attract more restaurant/nightlife culture and that will more than likely mean we get more chains. Franco Manca is coming, Zizzi and Wagamama won't be far behind, and we will then all be regretting the day something great such as a small cin?ma chain allowed us to let the free market run ravage on our high street. Let's not forget M&S are limbering up for later this year and they will not stop until that planning application is verified. Along with all the above mentioned, and rising rents we will end up with more chains and gentrification which has been waiting in the wings to finish off it's unfinished job it started on pre-recession ED back in 2007/8 and will finally homogenise the remainder of LL and NCR. Sad but true. Louisa.

Mustard take a look here. It comes in all sorts of varieties. http://www.theirishshop.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=27 Louisa.

Alan Medic of course it's true. The older generation dies off, their kids who are born and brought up here are British. The culture slowly dies off, and what are we left with? Another shop closing cos no-ones going in there. As has been pointed out, go to Kilburn and Cricklewood and you'll struggle to find an Irish Pub these days. Louisa.

WH Smith will arrive soon enough no doubt. Louisa.

Such a terrible shame. I used to go in here to get my fix of Galtee processed cheese and red lemonade. I have to agree with the ain't eminent of some others here, this new cinema may well be a contributing factor. The closure of handy little traditional shops such as this only to be replaced by boutiques is just such a frightening prospect. I must admit, the shop was looking tired these past few years and I'm surprised it managed to stay afloat as so many of the great Irish diaspora which has always been a big part of ED/Peckham culture has gradually spread it's wings or been assimilated. Please let this not be another yummy mummy coffee/baby clothing/trinket shop, or I will be forced to get the angel delight out El Pibe ;-) Louisa.

There certainty seems interest already. Guy from Space NK was there a few weeks ago looking around. Louisa.

Anyone else listening to this? It's lots of hot air and typically polarised so far. But fair play, at least these two are talking about it, where is our Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition? What do you think to it so far? What's your opinion on the whole issue? Louisa.

But have you seen any foxes foxy? Louisa.

Where's Benchley gardens? Louisa.

Right now my idea of luxury would involve being healthy and pain free. That beats anything believe me. Louisa.

Thanks to everyone for suggestions on this one, including the PMs, most helpful. I'm on day three of a two a day antibiotic treatment and I'm eating small but bulky carb filled meals, I'm noticing very small changes in my motions which for the first time in almost three weeks is the only glimmer of hope I've had. I shall keep everyone updated with my recovery as and when it fully takes hold. It's also great to know that so many fellow forumites are so knowledgable, I felt a little lost amidst all the medical jargon. It seems I am not the only one affected by this bug or virus or whatever it is. Louisa.

Thanks PokerTime, I did consider Yakult? Louisa.

For the last three weeks now, I've been suffering from quite a severe stomach bug and no matter what I try it shows no sign of shifting. I've changed my diet, drank lots of fluid, after a trip to kings last night I've been given a 5 day course of antibiotics to rule out a bacterial infection. I know this is a long shot but is anyone else suffering from something similar and if so has it gone on this long? I've lost just shy of a stone in weight because I have a very limited appetite. I just want it shifted. I've been to the GP twice in the first two weeks and they sent a sample away, but would only contact me if anything bad came back. Any suggestions what else I could try? Many thanks. Louisa.

Absolutely PokerTime. I've seen documentaries about a certain famous brand of fried chicken and was shocked by the ill-treatment of the animals involved. This poor quality meat is stuffed full of steroid injections to bulk up the meat and as you say bleached, it's then put in some 'special recipe coating' god only knows what goes into that, and then it's deep fried in a low quality oil. We consume this stuff? I'd rather eat a doner kebab in all honesty, at least you get a bit of salad with it! I agree fish and chips for ?6 is about right, and if you pick the right chippy they'll be more than happy to tell you the source of their fish. Louisa.

Jeremy ultimately no take away meal is going to be healthy. But fish deep fried does not absorb (or shouldn't if cooked correctly) any of the fat. The batter effectively steams the fish inside it. Also the thicker the chips the healthier they are too, which chip shops tend to serve. A fried chicken shop tends to be lower quality, chicken absorbs fat because it's a different kind of batter coating, and the 'fries' are skinny which take in all the unhealthy fats. I wouldn't be surprised if two average pieces of fried chicken with a portion of chips and a pot of coleslaw reached in excess of 1500 calories. Louisa.

It's a recent phenomena. I've noticed it in other British towns and cities too. This notion after a night out that you can dispose of a kebab or box of smelly garlic mayo covered chips in the street or up against a car or shop window. It tends to be younger drunken people but not exclusively. I've been to Tokyo twice and I agree few litter bins around compared to London and absolutely spotless. We have no excuse here other than ignorance and utter laziness. There are rules about alcohol on public transport but certainly none enforced I bet, as for food are there any rules? KK if you want chicken why not do it at home yourself? Far more fresh and healthy, and not served from under some heat lamp. No city needs the number of chicken shops we now have. They're overtaking our traditional healthier take away meals. The chicken shop thing seems very much London based. Louisa.

Good article. Glad it's at least been recognised by the media. No other city in the world puts up with the consumption of food on public transport like we seem to do, even New Yorkers aren't so socially inept, and American fast food is where it all began. These fried chicken shops popping up everywhere are not helping, what kind of people eat from these dumps on a regular basis? Louisa.

Just witnessed the aftermath of this horrific incident. Two gentleman are currently using the damaged green shelter and former shopping trolley house (damaged beyond repair with cordoned off tape around it) as some sort of shelter for their car cleaning equipment. Louisa.

A lovely depiction of PR in the spring. Evokes memories of childhood. Such a beautiful park. Thanks for sharing. Louisa.

Amen *Bob*. Louisa.