Nigello

Ah, that's a valid reason. T he large mural on the wall near to The Plough (Queen Bee) had to be painted over after repairs but the owners then allowed a repaint, which looks equally as good. Hopefully the owners may consider having a new image there.

Louisa's

It is the one that was a trippy trip through a garden, yes. I really liked it but have no idea why it was painted over. (I only saw its absence from a car at the weekend so couldn't stop to try to find out more from anyone at the house.)

Romany creams are not really called that, are they? (I'd've thought they must be "members of certain travelling commmunities creams" at least.) To keep it on thread, it will be interesting to see whether CoOp changes for the better with the opening of the new branch of not-just-any-supermarket.

The very eye-catching full-wall mural on the side of the house next to the community centre on Crystal Palace Road (near to the medical centre) is no more. In its place is a large expanse of magnolia.

If the front of your house gets the sun during the day, close the blinds/curtains (I also hang big towels over the back of the closed shutters to prevent more heat building up) and open open windows at the back of the house (and vice-versa). Open the front windows once the sun sets. (I think I read that on here somewhere and tried it and it works.)

Yeah, give them a break. After all, it's OK to break the law and add to the already noxious air that Londoners have to breathe. Whatevs!

Fernando came on time, did the work to a high standard and left the place tidy and clean, so he is very much recommended.

I don't think all the staff at CoOp are rude, in fact most are polite but wear an air of long-suffering stoicism. I agree that it's not well run, on the whole, but it is adequately run most of the time. Not a ringing endorsement, I grant you, but not enough for me not to use it. If something is wrong - like a lack of people on the checkouts or a spillage - I ask a staff member to deal with it and it's always seen to. I like the ethos and values of the CoOp in all its guises so will continue to shop there. As for M and S - despite its '00s ads claiming its exceptionalism - it's just a supermarket, ultimately.

http://www.greenimpact.group.shef.ac.uk/resources/stamp_recycling.pdf is a list of UK charities accepting used postage stamps to raise funds.

Wishful thinking is cheap. Southwark ought to follow through and make sure that enforcement is thorough and consistent. To put the new rule in place and do little to make sure people are following it is wasteful and negligent.

Why not approach them and tell them that it is illegal to enter property - even a garden - without permission? At least they'd then know. Even if they don't know English, it is easy enough to communicate with them through gestures. Maybe you could offer them some of your unwanted goods - it'd save a trip to the charity shop!

I like the idea of reusing/recycling and of using initiative but I don't at all like the idea of people crossing a threshold to try to do so. It just sits uneasily with me.

I have a new edtion of The Escapist (Monocle's special, bumper summer issue) which I would swap for the July/August edition of Monocle. Any takers? Please PM with a contact.

I am glad they are there, even if I had to suffer as the buses ground to a halt around E and C and on B'friars Road but it really gets my goat when I see cyclists (at least one every time I am there) choose to cycle on the pavement/use the pedestrian crossing. Talk about ungrateful. A hard stare from you to such transgressor would be worth more from you than a mere pedestrian or - gasp - motorised vehicle user.

Never seen Withnail and I, Blues Brothers neither.

So three people report something on the forum but - as far as I know - don't let the authorities know: that's only half-hearted community spirit. The police could gather the information, check it against other reports and perhaps apprehend these people and check they are not doing anything untoward and warn them that private property should not be entered.

I really miss Homemade as well. I hear that SM will be another Italian from the same owners. (If only the oringial Homemade gang could come back. Their food and tea/coffee were great and it was a really pleasant place to be...)

Eve, Simba and other "disruptive" firms are getting lots of publicity but what are their mattresses like? The idea of memory foam makes me feel icky: isn't it likely to sag and dip and be overly warm? (Simba uses springs.) Any experiences to share? Ta.

The growth in the number of delivery vans and private hire vehicles together with the loss of road space to cycling have worked against the good effects of the congestion charge: [www.theguardian.com] If you don't want to read it, the boil of it is that congestion is rising, buses can't meet their revenues so the service is likely to diminish in terms of reliability and routes/timetables. Also, bus users are less likely to be "professionals" who know their ways around the system and are confident enough to complain.

If one of you rings 101 and gets a reference number, the rest of you - and anyone else who sees something similar - can then ring in with any more information. It will take a bit longer than coming on to the EDF, which is good as a warning but not much else. So, who will it be?

'Ow you say "virtue signalling" in francais?

Even if your etymology is correct it is a word that most of us associate with the USA, not Britain, and its adoption here over the past ten/fifteen years (probably because of the internet rather than films and music) definitely sounds imported. You hear it in adverts all the time: Asda mums in Pontefract say it, just as middle-class stag-lads do. I much prefer "bloke" or "man". It's become a bit naff, IYAM.

This from a nearby forum: On the Buses Route 185 has been re-awarded to Go-Ahead London with new battery-hybrid buses. This new contract will begin in October, so we should start to see new quieter, less-polluting buses appearing on this route. The peak-hour vehicle requirement on this busy route is going up from 24 to 25, which would suggest a slight increase in peak-hour buses, possibly to one every 7 minutes towards Victoria in the morning and towards Lewisham in the evening. The 363, which runs along Wood Vale and Sydenham Hill, is also going hybrid from October this year.

I said small buses in between rush hours, when I agree that there are half-empty vehicles. I still think a limited stop service - just one or two an hour - could help. The route is not solid traffic from Dulwich Library to Denmark Hill, so a limited stop for only part of the route would be useful. What's your valued input on the idea to help people walk?