Louisa

What this place definitely does not need is any more shops attracting trendy 20/30 something yummy yuppy wannabe pretentious types who failed to get a job good enough to pay for a cosy mid-terrace period property in Clapham. So no more cosy yummy mummy cafes with room for a bugaboo or 6. Lets get in some decent shops for everyone to use. My vote goes to pret a manger. Louisa.

Here come Waitrose! Louisa.

A snub to people who have lived in Peckham all their lives and long for a bit of investment into the station and shopping district. Always the punch line in a joke about Only Fools and Horses, or negatively portrayed in the media, never taken seriously when the people who live and work their want a high street and gateway to the area to be proud of once again. The area along Rye Lane should have enough retail space to serve the needs of everyone. The chain stores we have down there today are not even a glimmer into the areas past, and are not making the most of a large retail opportunity. Why would M&S or Waitrose be so desperate to open up on LL when less than a mile down the road there is so much potential? It's because of the reputation the place has, something which can be changed with this revamp of the station. Please let's not have another decade of indecision. Louisa.

Everyone knows you don't leave expensive items Inside a glove box. First rule of parking a car. Louisa.

David Cameron says... Please can I wear a curly blonde wig and carry a handbag, no say his spin doctors, we're all Blairites now. Just smile and talk b*ll*cks. Louisa.

Will Nigel Farage get a state funeral? Louisa.

Go to Devon and have the real thing. Louisa.

A train station is an important gateway to any community. I personally love what's been made of Brockley station, it retains many architectural features but it's really open and light too. Lovely little independent coffee shop on the station platform too. Louisa.

Of course he won't get a state or ceremonial funeral - he's a former Labour PM. Louisa.

The fact so few people from ED choose to shop in Rye Lane, speaks volumes. When I was a child, people not only came from ED, but from as far afield as Lewisham and Clapham to visit the famous 'Golden mile'. All people do now, is use the station to get to and from work and ignore the ghastly mess which has become of Peckham's town centre. Opening up the station square will attract some decent chains once more as well as some decent independents hopefully too. It will have a dominoe effect on the rest of Rye Lane and create a great shopping destination once more. It's the gateway to ED from further afield now that the Overground extension is open. It's improvement will impact upon us in SE22 too. Louisa.

JDR, the area in front of the station is dark, smelly and dangerous at night. Clearing those 20th century buildings of poor quality will definitely be a good thing. Opening up the piazza and allowing new businesses to come in will to only give the entrance to the area a fresh look, but will reinvigorate retail in the area (hopefully). I am more sympathetic about the artists studios under the arches towards the back of the station and I agree that it would be a terrible shame to remove the catalyst which started the whole process of gentrification and interest in Peckham once more. On this, a balance has to be struck. However, you must be able to appreciate how long some of us residents have been waiting for Rye Lane to regain some sort of pride in itself again. I would love to have a big department store in the area, we definitely have the room for it. Since Jones & Higgins left, it's been a steep 33 year decline to where we are today. I'm sure a clean up, and a mixture of shops along that road could be a happy medium for everyone in the community. Louisa.

I went into a pothole down in Orpington last week. They are dangerous even at a slow speed and cause some serious damage. Councils up and down the country have not been prepared for the recent cold spell of winters and the greater than average amount of settled snowfall which can contribute to these ghastly holes in the road. I think the councils are trying their best to be fair, there is only so much they can do with the funds they have. Annoying I know. Louisa.

What a load of tosh. I remember Rye Lane in its golden years and it was full of chains. Clear the bloody lot of those disgusting dirty buildings and lets bring in some chains and get the place looking and smelling nice again. Is a dump down there at the moment and people like me are forced to shop further afield in Bromley, Croydon and Lewisham because we are so restricted with the awful state that place is in. Louisa.

"The trouble with socialism, is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money." - Margaret Thatcher Louisa.

Indeed, Labours dinosaur approach to world economic change during the late 70s allowed Thatcher to gain a majority in 79, and then with the help of the unforeseen Falklands conflict, she was given an unexpected trump card to give her more time to further pursue her agenda. In fact, her majority increased in the 83 election. Following the splits towards the end of her premiership, and most notably under John Major, the seeds were sewn for Tony Blair and his landslide victory in 97 and so the process continued. Labour enhanced Thatcher, and the Tories created Blair. Louisa.

Interestingly, I think you'll find that views on her are not as one sided as insinuated by you malibu. Down here in the south of England, she won three consecutive landslide victories and people did not find her as divisive as they did in the north and periphery nations (Scotland, Wales notably). Labour was so far to the left - and the splits on the left with the creation of the SDP, almost saw the extinction of the left in swathes of southern England. The deep divisions are as strong now as they ever were during Thatchers premiership. Louisa.

I love how some people are so deluded with their references to the past. Inaccurate, crude, offensive. Many of whom, were not alive or too young to remember the period of which they refer. Simply, sheepishly, they rely on common myth and legend created by aggrieved popular culture from the left and often within their own families. If you are going to condemn someone, use something to back it up with or refrain from typing. Making childish remarks about someone's passing is just pathetic. Louisa.

Kristymac1 Wrote --------------------------------------------- > I've never understood the argument about > conviction in ones belief to be admired. I can > think of a number of historical figures who had > total conviction in their own beliefs but their > actions based on those beliefs we're anything but > admirable...... Well, she won three general elections, all won democratically, even AFTER some controversial policies being enacted. So obviously her conviction in those policies allowed people to acknowledge that through the ballot box. Louisa.

Love her or hate het the conviction of her belief in what she stood for has to be admired. Back in the 1970s/80s we had a clear dividing line between left and right. What we have now is this centred politics where politicians want to 'out centre' their rivals. It's pathetic, and it's a dumming down of the democratic process, lead primarily, by two main political parties who want to keep the status quo. Boring! Louisa.

I love how the earlier argument from some about it being 'a personal gripe and not something that affects anyone for any other reason' has gone out of the window again. Just ban it. Makes a far more pleasant experience. Why not have bouncers on every train and bus to police it too? Would certainly expand the economy. Louisa.

Think we need something more practical like a Greggs or BK. We don't need another pretentious independent shop to add to the rest of the shops aimed at only a small niche middle-class price range. Louisa.

I love Mickey Mouse. Ater all these years, still my favourite Disney character. Louisa.

Anyone else watching it? Louisa.

Most electric razors are quite poor at catching all facial/pubic hair adequately. The condition of some sinks after there use, as RosieH rightly points out, is often an ugly sight, even after extensive cleaning. I wouldn't even want to hazard a guess at the number of stray hairs which could escape with said use of one of these or a cut throat razor on public transport. Where do the boundaries for do's and don't's start that's the question? Louisa.

On I see. I do love fad turn of phrase. I might use this one at the WI meeting next week. Louisa.