Louisa

How is this a specific ED issue? Plus, there's a lengthy thread all about this in the lounge. Louisa.

Just found out that Sainsburys will be opening a 'local' format store almost directly opposite the western entrance to Brockley Overground station, next door to the much loved locally 'Broca Food Market'. I do hope the overground effect doesn't force too many well established and successful businesses into a head on battle with chains, be an interesting one to watch to judge how Peckham will be affected by station regeneration. Louisa.

Grab bag of skittles. Louisa.

Eric and Margaret were quite unique in this day and age in the sense that they had a regular customer base and genuinely enjoyed what they did. They never felt the need to update or change too much, and that was the secret to their longevity IMO. stacey-lyn I've not been to Clacton in years, what's it like these days? Regular visitor are you? :) Louisa.

So very sad. Another old school ED institution going forever. I hope both Eric and Margaret enjoy their well earned retirement, I may be joining you soon and moving away from this area if it becomes anymore poncey! RIP Le Moulin, RIP East Dulwich, Hello Clapham. Louisa.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-22636230 Just found this on the BBC news website. Louisa.

It's also a reflection on big cities in general. People become almost accustomed to violence and other odd acts of behaviour and either switch off to it or choose to bypass it and not get involved. Louisa.

Chicken favourite. Louisa.

Just watching the news and apparently a 'major incident' has taken place over there earlier on this afternoon. Obviously very early on and not all the facts are out there, but IF this incident is related to terrorism, in a relatively quiet suburban corner of SE London, does this raise concern for other suburbs of our city where military bases are located? Anyone have any further details on this incident? Louisa.

DJKillaQueen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > At least drivers have number plates to identify > them when things do go wrong......cyclists on the > other hand? Hallelujah! Exactly! Louisa.

A sprinkling of Brockley Cross for sure. Louisa.

Just to lighten proceedings a little heres a joke I found. The other day on a ride, I was speeding down a narrow, twisting, mountain road. Then along comes a man who was driving very slowly uphill toward me, honking his horn and shouting at me. "PIG! PIG!!" he yelled. "PIG! PIG!!" So I flipped him the finger and shouted back some things I dare not repeat as I buzzed by him. Still thinking about this awful man and his shouting, I turned the corner and promptly collided with a pig. Louisa.

I think cyclists should be banned from dangerous inner city trunk roads. LL is a prime example. Buses, lorries, vans and cars all competing in a small space with pedestrians crossing sometimes without due care and attention. Cyclists just add to this pressure, so how about putting cycle routes along back roads and banning them from bigger roads. Just a thought. Louisa.

Invest in ear plugs. Louisa.

I'm so glad I've stayed quiet on what this thread has turned into. Carry on as you were :-) Louisa.

Why is it whenever someone makes a non partisan and legitimate point on here, other forumites jump to unfounded conclusions? A resident on a street was concerned about an area of land close to their home. How does this from the OP turn into racial stereotyping? Sometimes this forum is unbelievable. And I get it in the ear about instantly bringing everything back to class? A lot of you seem to want to bring everything back to race! Louisa.

All very lovely having the support of the royals, but Wouldn't mind seeing if any of these people would take up the challenge of living in a council flat in Peckham for a week on less than 70 quid each? Hmmm the mind boggles. Louisa.

LadyDeliah, I'm not blaming artists for social apartheid, far from it. I'm suggesting that this process of regeneration followed by an art movement followed by inflated property prices is what always happens when gentrification has taken hold. It's a process which has been seen in Notting Hill, Islington, Hackney, Clapham, Battersea, Chelsea, more recently Shoreditch and Hoxton. All solidly working class neighbourhoods which have been 'gentrified' and are now not socially mixed any longer and unaffordable to large numbers of people. Louisa.

Regeneration via the arts movement is all well and good, but as with all 'gentrification', it starts off innocently enough with a working class community gaining some funding and self confidence, alongside some aspiring artists contributing to the local community and economy. Before you know where you are, we have inflated property prices, large scale demographic and economic change and a gradual process of the pioneer artists alongside the working classes being priced out, and wealthier people colonising the whole neighbourhood. It always happens. We cannot have a city like Paris where a doughnut of wealth surrounds the touristy centre of the city and working class forgotten suburbia beyond that which no one really cares about any longer. Louisa.

Such a great trip down memory lane. I have an absolute tonne of old personal photographs of family and friends dating back to the 1920s/30s. Louisa.

Was watching the Mary Portas show on channel 4 about reinvigorating Margate town centre. And she went to the East-End to encourage 'Londoners' to have day trips to the town. Well, what can I say. A bunch of Home Counties 20/30 something hipsters, most of whom were about as London as a sun drenched sandy beach. If these are the sorts of people we will be attracting to Peckham with their arty farty ways, then god help the area. Working class people forced out to the suburbs to make way for trendy lovies. RIP Peckham. Louisa.

She may seem slightly loopy, but believe me she's the nicest person you will ever meet. I've had the pleasure of interacting with her in a newsagents on east dulwich road more than once. She always holds doors open for people, and is always up for a chat. Brightens my day up at the very least. Louisa.

Here we go again. Middle class self congratulations. It's basically what we called as kids a 'Guy Fawkes' that you'd use to beg for cash and then burn on a bonfire November 5th, but oh now, apparently in some contemporary modern twist it's now a scarecrow with cultural references to Dulwich. Unbelievable. Giant imaginary clap for middle class cultural originality. Louisa.

Twirly Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > In terms of what happens to the Post Office, I can > see both sides of the argument. It would be good > if everyone could benefit in the long run - a good > post office counter, providing all the current > services, and maybe some other retail outlet to g > with it, and TUPE for the current staff. But what > would that be, particularly if it were to be in > the current premises? I can't see a convenience > store going in there with all the food stores > around, and the Londis just over the road already > supplying that need. A stationers could be good, > but I can't really see WHSmiths going into such a > small space (aside from the fact that it would be > another chain). Anyone else have any ideas? I think inner city post offices could take a bit of inspiration from their village/rural counterparts. You don't have to go far outside of London to see how formerly threatened post office sites have been saved by diversifying and mixing with shops. A great one I saw in Gloucestershire last summer was a delicatessen/grocer who had managed to share the former post office space with a separate counter at the back. An independent grocer/deli could easily fit into that space and a few of the PO counters could be integrated into the shared shop space. There is no way a chain like WH Smiths would be able to open up in that small retail space. Louisa.

To lose a major post office and a big part in many people's lives at the heart of our community would be awful. This cannot be allowed to happen. It would leave a huge hole in our bustling high street. Louisa.