Louisa

Foxy did you enter inside today? It was a double edged sword experience for me. A nice environment has been created, and some friendly staff. But all the memories of Elsie and the Iceland team came flooding back and I still miss them all dearly. Louisa.

hellosailor Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Whoa whoah whoa, hang on there were KIDS in there? > In a supermarket during holidays? Are you shitting > me? > > > Louisa Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Well I have been in and bought some prosecco, > > along with some fancy cheese and chutney. > > > > Ridiculous queues, and people with bloody kids > > blocking the aisles. But overall a pleasant > > experience and very friendly staff. > > > > Louisa. I have no issue with well behaved children entering a retail environment, my gripe comes when some parents, the minority, make the assumption everyone is happy for their little darlings to be running riot and not being kept in check when a lot of people are trying to navigate a relatively small space. Louisa.

If anyone dares to mess with my favourite last old school boozer I will NOT be happy. Louisa.

Well I have been in and bought some prosecco, along with some fancy cheese and chutney. Ridiculous queues, and people with bloody kids blocking the aisles. But overall a pleasant experience and very friendly staff. Louisa.

Well I hate to bring this thread back to life, but a stroll down Crawthew Grove about an hour ago brought to light a full bottle of dubious coloured liquid in a former bottle of water just close to the junction of crystal palace road. Louisa.

I am depressed to be reminded about this fiasco- AGAIN. But the OP has some interesting points regarding the rules book for the 'small' people and the other rule book for the bigger boys. How many times do I have to say this, this particular shop will inevitably increase footfall to LL because M&S foodhall format stores are aimed at bigger shops, hence why most of their other foodhalls have big car parks out the back - this isnt going to be a train station 'Simply Food' commuter shop. Louisa.

Well I was depressed watching back over things that were funny in the 60/70/80's being rehashed with a weakened cast and lack of relevance for a 21st century audience. Slap stick was and is great, there is always room for it in comedy, but why reproduce something that was done well and of its time simply because you have run out of ideas for the present audience. I mean replacing the great Molly Sugden with the 'loose woman' who played Maureen in corrie, what's that all about? Louisa.

Who else is watching tonight? It's apparently part of a number of sitcoms from yesteryear making a one off return for this BBC comedy season. It all seems a little copy cat to me, trying to replicate something which was far too good that went before it. Seems a shame we can't have new ideas rather than rehashing other people's successes. I have turned off half way through. Apart from the odd Mrs slocombe pussy joke, and the masterful acting skills of Roy Baraclough and John Challis. Disappointed. Louisa.

When I next see this lady, hopefully on a sunny day, I shall request my favourite (if somewhat cliche) song to be played on an accordion "La Vie en Rose" - the sound and familiarity of a summers afternoon in Lyon many years ago! Yes I am on the vino! Louisa.

rendelharris Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > intexasatthe moment Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > But is it really just a simple question of > > offering something in exchange for cash ? I'm > > still tending towards thinking that it's a > > situation where someone is having to ask for > money > > and that they'd rather not ,that they'd rather > > have regular employment or a pension . > > The buskers I've been lucky enough to get to know > in Paris and Barcelona (some of them top-notch > musicians who could have made a good living in > second string symphony orchestras) were busking > precisely because they wanted to avoid regular > employment and a pension! Life is not one size > fits all... This. If this forum had a like button I'd be pressing it now. Louisa.

How do we know it's nice? It's a shop, on a high street, selling things. A chain shop at that. Louisa.

kibris Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > She is a begger with an accordion She's also a lovely person, friendly, who puts a smile on faces by using her musical talent to entertain people. Funny how different people have different ways of looking at things. Louisa.

Foxy how was the opening night? I am planning on getting myself a take away tonight, if I mention your name will I get a discount? Louisa.

edhistory Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Change to A3 (restaurant) usage is prohibited > under the legal derogation. This seems to contradict the planning portal. 93-95 (Londis) - taken directly from the planning application. "Change of Use of ground floor of Class A1 retail property to provide class A3 (resturant/cafe) including new shop front, installation of rear extraction duct with existing rear access to bin store and single storey rear extension. New two storey extension to provide 4 no. 2 bed apartments." planbuild.southwark.gov.uk:8190/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=externalDocuments&keyVal=_STHWR_DCAPR_9565748 Louisa.

I too will miss Londis LM, but I assume with the M&S comes the increased destination footfall, and the interest of a chain restaurant. On a positive note, IF it is Bill's, they really are a very decent restaurant chain. They do a diverse and tasty breakfast menu that's for sure. I can certaintly recommend their buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup and back streaky bacon. Went to their Exeter restaurant back in January. Louisa.

Next Wednesday 31st. Louisa.

On the topic of the future of Londis, I was under the impression Bill's were interested. They are a higher end small chain of restaurants, with the nearest branch being Greenwich I believe, possibly Clapham too. A modern take on traditional favourites, they also serve breakfast. Initially I was under the impression Nando's were the likely candidate, but it's still all a little hush hush. Louisa's

Elphinstone's Army you are of course ultimately right. Regardless of my reservations, the deal is done and the store is on the cusp of opening. I will certaintly venture in and give it a go. But I can assure everyone I will NOT be adding to existing parking pressures on surrounding streets and I would encourage others not to do so either. Residents are rightly upset and I have a lot of sympathy for them. I still get my Iceland fix so it's fine for me, others however may have to venture further afield now. My mother often spoke fondly of Home & Colonial stores. I think they had one in Preston, Lancashire in the 1940's. Much like the old counter service Sainsburys on Rye Lane in Peckham, they were very much of their age. I don't think with today's impatient shoppers such stores would survive long. Shame. But that's progress for you. If M&S were to make a return to Peckham I'm sure they would make use of their existing store space rather than adapt somewhere else, but of course it's all hear say. Maybe Waitrose would be more interested? Louisa.

I know that Gateway, the predecessor to Somerfield had that LL site built, and probably did own the property. Whether that freehold ownership was passed onto the Co-op when they bought out Somerfield, I do not know? EDHistory? Many years ago, it was standard practice for many large chains to own outright property portfolios. As an example, the freehold on the former M&S on Rye Lane, Peckham - currently occupied by Peacocks and Argos is, I believe, still owned by Marks and Spencer. Louisa.

As P68 suggests above, the offering will certainly be reconfigured to adjust to a more competitive market locally. As well as this, the likes of Waitrose will be watching closely to monitor the success or otherwise of this new M&S, and will no doubt act accordingly in the coming months and years by bidding on a retail spot (move over co-op perhaps?). Louisa.

titch juicy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Louisa Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I have always found Sainsburys to be vastly > > overrated. It is the same as Asda, Tesco or > > Morrisons but tries to market itself as a > > competitor to Waitrose and M&S. If I'm being > > perfectly honest, Lidl and Aldi offer cheaper > and > > better quality produce than Sainsburys and > excel > > in their smaller format shops because they're > easy > > in and out jobs, no messing around. > > > > I don't dislike M&S, I would shop at M&S over > > Sainsburys any day of the week. It is better > > quality and it isn't much more expensive. My > > problem with M&S Dulwich is the fact they've > > picked the wrong location IMHO. They should > have > > opted for Peckham Rye station after the > > redevelopment. A much better punt. Leaving > Iceland > > intact. > > > > Louisa. > > I have used all of the large supermarkets in the > area and Sainsburys is by far the better in terms > of food quality and overall shopping experience. > It's clean, well laid out, usually well-stocked > and the staff are unfailingly fantastic. Mainly > local youths who rightly or wrongly people have > certain expectations of, but are all super > friendly, polite, cheerful and knowledgeable. > Every member of staff seems to know exactly where > every product can be found. We all have different experiences and expectations of supermarkets, but personally, I have never found Sainsburys offering to be any different to any of the other major footprint supermarkets on a national level. They certaintly try to market themselves towards a certain clientele, and they've been rather successful at doing that. Also bare in mind the DKH sainsburys is appealing to a relatively affluent clientele, visit one of their other stores and your experience may be slightly different. Louisa.

I have always found Sainsburys to be vastly overrated. It is the same as Asda, Tesco or Morrisons but tries to market itself as a competitor to Waitrose and M&S. If I'm being perfectly honest, Lidl and Aldi offer cheaper and better quality produce than Sainsburys and excel in their smaller format shops because they're easy in and out jobs, no messing around. I don't dislike M&S, I would shop at M&S over Sainsburys any day of the week. It is better quality and it isn't much more expensive. My problem with M&S Dulwich is the fact they've picked the wrong location IMHO. They should have opted for Peckham Rye station after the redevelopment. A much better punt. Leaving Iceland intact. Louisa.

And there in lies the problem ed_pete. M&S previously had main stores, which contained foodhalls inside them, which was presumably more a destination shopping centre event. And simply food, which was convenience orientated and usually put inside busy footfall locations such as train stations and or near something like a tube station or bus stop. This new high street food specific 'Foodhall' brand is neither here nor there. It gives the impression of being convenience orientated, but tends to be located on a high street a fair distance from any busy transport hubs. It therefore kind of can become a destination shop if the perfect storm exists. I would argue, as others have done, that unlike Beckenham for example, we do not have parking facilities nor do we have a high end alternative nearby (Beckenham has Waitrose). I therefore think we are likely to attract higher footfall, with this store. Louisa.

LM it's going to attract more people as a destination shop, purely because it is sandwiched between affluent and gentrifying areas, all of whom lack a higher end supermarket. They may not come here to get the weekly shop, but they'll certainly come and probably drive if they live somewhere like the village or Bellenden areas as it will tend to be just slightly too far to walk. The transport assessment as jennys points out isn't infallible, and will likely change depending on circumstances. Case study example? There isn't one. This area of inner London lacks many high end stores, which other zone 2 locations have in abundance. We are entering unknown territory. Louisa.

Id personally recommend Rose's. Give it a go and see what you think. I also urge foxy to give them a second chance. Louisa.