Louisa

More breaking news on the new shops front. I've just noticed that Costa Coffee have put forward an application to turn Unit 1 at the Aylesham Centre on Rye Lane into a new branch. Is this good or bad? I don't drink coffee, but I know many people do and from a commuters point of view this is potentially a very good thing. I'm assuming this move was inevitable from one of the big coffee chains eventually, seeing as how Rye Lane had been lagging behind on the coffee shop front for some time. From a negative point, is this yet further evidence that Peckham is gentrifying at a pace now? What do we all think? What with Foxtons, Turtle Bay and a few other chains putting in planning applications is this the point at which chains are going to move in on mass? Here's the link to the application on Southwark's Planning Portal: planbuild.southwark.gov.uk:8190/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_STHWR_DCAPR_9566268 Louisa.

Hello Isserlis. Thankyou for asking this question. Brockley does have an online forum which is linked to this address; http://brockleycentral.blogspot.com/?m=1 Having had friends and family who have lived around Brockley and Telegraph Hill for decades, let me reassure you that is possibly one of the friendliest and most community spirited neighborhoods in London. There is a weekly market, and some great little independent restaurants, delis, coffee shops and pubs dotted around the station, which incidentally also now has two small Sainburys stores for other essentials. Aside from the great community spirit, fantastic housing stock (better than ED in my opinion), numerous parks and green open spaces - Brockley is also better connected than ED. you are on the Overground and just two stops to Canada Water. I think some of the neighborhood is covered by a conservation area too, being as it is one of the greenest and almost perfectly preserved Victorian neighborhoods in London. Get in quick before the rest of them 'discover' it. Louisa.

Foxy don't bother trying to persuade them. They will find something negative about local long standing businesses at all costs! (Not aimed at Jez directly I hasten to add). It seems the philosophy of the new intake ED is that, if it's old and been there forever knock it because it's not trendy or authentic enough (even though it's a successful indepedent and local institution). Even the posh newbie businesses promote the ventured which have come into the neighborhood in the last five years, almost as though ED before 2007 didn't exist. Yawn. Louisa.

I don't wish to step on anyone's toes here, but really JoeLeg you are rather patronising in your responses to others on this thread, and if you are trying to make a point it has escaped me. Foxy is simply giving the thumbs up to businesses which have struggled and survived the longhaul in what is (as you rightly point out) a tough industry with many hidden costs. Many pop-up restaurants (not all), are simply fad bandwagon jumpers trying to make a fast buck out of a bunch of posh foody trendies in down at heel London neighborhoods. Half of these 'concept' ideas stuck in scruffy old VW camper vans, are not wanting to service the community and be around long term. They just want to make some money and run. That isn't what this industry should be about. I nod my hat to the likes of the various curry houses, kebab & wine, manzes who have been around for decades and continue to be successful at what they do. Louisa.

*Bob* my friends dad is probably dead, but I'm sure he would have said the same in 1929. Louisa.

The loss of Londis will be detrimental to the neighborhood, and I've already discussed this with James Barber over PM who is looking into it. We have already lost a number of convenience stores over the years, and the former 7/11 site is absolutely crucial to the retail mix of the area. We do not need more restaurants. We have plenty already. I also do think that the M&S/Iceland situation has probably in some way influenced this change of use application either directly or indirectly. Once a precedence has been set, bring on the flood of applications. Louisa.

DaveR Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I'm a bit lost now - is the argument that Sweaty > Betty moving in will kill ED (or Peckham, or > London) or that it will kill Lowestoft (presumably > by moving into ED rather than there)? DaveR, Sweaty Beaty in and of itself will make no difference. It's just another shop. But the process of high end chain wntrenchment will kill ED and yes even Lowestoft, indirectly, in time. Mark my words! Poor London neighborhoods gentrified get the high end chains and disappearing social diversity further enhancing the notion London is a country all by itself, which indirectly continues to damage outlying towns and cities (Lowestoft and Bognor etc) which are already poor and will just get poorer!! Louisa.

LM a nandos would accessible to the entire community and I wouldn't personally have a problem with them. However, if it is a high end chain which is overpriced and aimed at a specific affluent demographic I would have raise issue. We have ample eating options at decent quality indepedent restaurants locally (and some low brow chains too), we do not need more restaurants which will isolate part of the community. I wouldn't object to a Pizza Express (despite my hatred for the stuff) and I wouldn't have an issue with a Giraffe or Zizzi type place. If it's a chain coffee shop I will personally be campaigning outside for its closure with leaflets distributed! Louisa.

LM, you are of course in the most part correct. If we were talking anywhere other than London, I would accept your point and move on. Inside this city, if a chain see an opportunity for its business model, despite limited space, they will simply work around it and find a way to open a branch. I don't know what will be going into the Londis site, but I wouldn't mind guessing it will be a chain restaurant of some description. See the planning portal, they're applying to convert the basement into a further seating area for whichever business takes on this site. Louisa.

Foxy I certainly have! In fact, I was once spotted leaving one nameless pub with him on here about three years ago and a certain beady eyed regular passed comment that it could well have been Louisa (they were right, but I didn't acknowledge the post at the time ;-) ). Louisa.

Foxy, I think *Bob* may need a weekend away to Bognor Regis or Lowestoft to gain some real insight into the great consequence of a London bubble. Peckham transforms from villain to hero in half a decade, aforementioned seaside towns have remained in terminal decline for almost five decades (despite fluctuations in our economy). Sums up the whole thing really. Spread the wealth, or you'll end up with a world class city sat inside a second rate post industrial declining and failing state. Louisa.

Mick Mac, if only StraferJack were still walking the halls of the EDF asylum, he would give you the full back story about Mr Louisa. We had many a long PM about the subject. He isn't a figment of my imagination either (though I'm sure *Bob* would love it if he were). Louisa.

The point about high end boutique chains is more relevant to ED than large corporate chains such as McDonalds. The ratio of indepedent stores to chain boutiques has changed and will radically do so even more now M&S are moving here. The Londis site is a perfect case study example. I fail to understand why people cannot acknowledge this point? As the demographic changes, so does the retail diversity. If high end chains cannot find large spaces they will just open up smaller stores (much the same way as they have done in Clapham's Northcote RD). The consequence goes far beyond the retail offering, it's a symptom not a cause. Louisa.

Thanks Peckhamrye, I have had a good read. Both those options sound worth investigating. Sue we have struggled to maintain the garden for some years now and Mr Louisa's health isn't 100%, it is just no longer practical for us to regularly look after a failing lawn as well as maintain flower beds. All the surrounding gardens are in full bloom so I'm pretty sure the wildlife will not suffer. Louisa.

Have to agree with you NewWave. Despite all the writing being on the wall for ED lots of people on here are justifying the fact we are at where we are at, and it's only one chain store replacing another or the area cannot sustain large chains. It's all wishful thinking. Look at the creeping applications on the planning portal if you don't believe me. Believe why you see with your own eyes. Upmarket, trendy chains are moving in and they're homogenising this neighborhood and now Peckham in much the same way that Notting Hill and Islington were numerous decades back. Come back in 20 years and you'll see clean quiet streets, pointless high end chain stores and a less socially diverse neighborhood. Louisa.

Mr Louisa and I are considering AstroTurf in our failing garden. Despite years of hard work to defeat weeds, we have finally decided that battle has been lost and it would be far easier and more convenient for us to replace the flower beds and grass verges with a nice easy to maintain plastic lawn. Now, are there any landscaping people out there who can offer any advice on this? How much does it cost? Is it expensive to install? How long does it last? Does it need maintenance? Ideally we would like a AstroTurf option which would be of a good quality and easily confused with the real thing. I don't want obvious plastic grass in my garden. Something easy on foot too. Happy bank holiday everyone. Louisa.

I think academies remain state funded schools but are independent of local authority control. Funded by government. Louisa.

Been away for a week to Spain, and noticed on Southwark's Planning Portal that Lordship Lane has another development on the cards? The current Londis store on corner of North Cross is a proposed change of use downstairs from retail to restaurant/cafe facility with new shop front, and a rear two storey extension to provide residential units above. Was anyone else aware of this? Not seen anything on the forum yet. Here are the details. No mention of who the prospective tenant will be, but from the drawings and layout of the shop floor it could be some sort of chain restaurant maybe? planbuild.southwark.gov.uk:8190/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_STHWR_DCAPR_9565748 Louisa.

Cassius Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Louisa - do you create a new post about daffodils > every spring or did you resurrect the 2011 or 2012 > thread? Cassius if I could resurrect that thread without fear of ridicule and being accused of trolling, I most certainly would. But for that reason, I choose not to bring it back every Spring. I do, however, like to mention it in fresh threads just to spark an ounce of decency in any would be vandalists, who may be tempted to desecrate our beautiful parks which are for us all to share and enjoy. Louisa.

You're all crazy. Anyone who thinks we should remain comes up with the same old story. Rather than criticise the other side, why don't you try to convince us sceptics of the pro's of remaining? Not heard ONE convincing argument for us remaining. Not one, and I'm being serious here. As for Chris Bryant, he got a cheer from a predominantly urban, guardianista audience - shock of the century. The polls are far more interesting, with all regions apart from London and Scotland being marginally in favour of brexit, but who cares what they think? As long as a handful of Notting Hill/Islington elitists get what they want? Louisa.

And yet again 'bout now, you use the old chestnut of "rinse and repeat", how many times have you used that this year so far? If you don't wanna contribute then ignore rather than being negative. Louisa.

Think I'd prefer a McDonald's over a subway. The way subway leave certain food items sat around always leaves me uneasy. Louisa.

Yes snowy both! And like any city in the UK they have wealthy areas and poorer ones. But compared to some of the quoted stores above in high end pockets of London, Manchester and Brighton are hardly backing up any claim that this particular brand is somehow exclusive to certain neighborhoods! Louisa.

???? Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ed_pete Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > "Good quality beauty products do not have class > > boundaries, we all want to treat ourselves > > sometimes. " > > > > Which is why Space NK have branches in: > > > > Hampstead > > St. Johns Wood > > Leeds > > Marylebone > > Chiswick > > Manchester > > Harrogate > > Chichester > > Stratford-Upon-Avon > > Chester > > Fenchurch Street > > Kingston > > Wimbledon > > Marlow > > Cobham > > Brighton > > Islington > > Henley > > Harvey Nichols Bristol > > South Molton Street > > Parsons Green > > Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge > > > :) > > Not one in Bromley? And your point is? Selective branch promotion isn't going to take away from the facts. They also have branches in; Leeds Nottingham Newcastle-upon-Tyne Cheltenham Bristol Bournemouth Beaconsfield And as you pointed out Manchester, Brighton, hardly bastions of wealth are they? It's just a shop that sells nice beauty products! Bromley doesn't need a branch it already has a Body Shop. Louisa.

ed_pete Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Louisa - you puzzle me. > > "LM the problem is small independents are being > replaced by small chains. " > "I wouldn't have had a problem with pret a manger > or space nk coming into this space for example. " > > I don't think many would describe Pret as a small > chain and I would have thought a shop selling > moisturiser for ?110 a pop would appeal directly > to the same crowd as Sweaty Betty. Not all their moisturiser is that expensive, that's just a luxury example. For me, they're on a par with Body Shop (who I would also be happy to come and open a branch in ED if anyone from head office is reading this btw). Good quality beauty products do not have class boundaries, we all want to treat ourselves sometimes. Louisa.