Nigello

I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz

To get back on topic: FHR shops are good but let down by a few grotspots. The yellow/blue monstrosity has been like they for years, so I doubt its owner will do anything to improve its looks. I like the bollards and bins that've been painted but lament the uneven shop fronts. Well done to those businesses that are doing their bit to beautify it and boo-hiss to the ones that aren't.

Ah, I thought it was word association. Didn't realise it had more rules. Instead? Wavey

Scalp

There's a ragbag of comments and attitudes about a variety of subjects on this thread; as regards civility and cleanliness etc on and around public transport, let me say this: I spent two months in NYC (based in Brooklyn Heights) recently and have to say that, despite the handed-down lore of the Big Apple being hard-nosed and hard-bitten, London (and the UK in general) takes the cake. The Subway was cleaner and more civilised than the Tube. No-one was eating or drinking, meaning they actually took notice of the signs showing passengers that it was against the rules. Free sheets were read and taken with them: none of that new, reflexive "behind the head and onto the ledge" shoulder move some Tube riders employ to get rid of the City AM/Metro/LES etc they've flicked through. People said "please", "thank you" and "no problem" often and in full voice, not as if they were embarrassed to be seen and heard being civil to a fellow human being. Here in London I challenge people - of all ages, sizes, colours and backgrounds - when they drop peach stones, orange peel, chicken bones etc on the bus or at the stop and, so far, have only got Paddington Bear hard-stares back. I get the impression that people's narcissism is as ramped up as much as their anger is suppressed - not a healthy state for either the individual or the society to which s/he belongs.

I agree with SJ that the bus is more reliable and reasonable than others (perhaps non bus-users) make out, but I still think the providers should do more to reduce overcrowding on certain stretches of their routes. The X68 from Waterloo to Croydon (?) runs at peak times; would a 176 or 12 with similar restrictions help? Instead of a Tube/tram/monorail/cable car, boroughs really ought to consider the guided bus. It's much cheaper than any of those modes of transport just mentioned but lacks their cachet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guided_bus

Boris might not be around for that much longer. A shame that cold, hard politics enters into it, but I'm not that green to think it doesn't. FWIW, the 176 service from Penge into town really ought to have some express options, or at least more buses at peak times. If I do have to use it, which is not that often in the morning, even at Townley Road it is getting full up.

I agree. Bakerloo to E and C and then the overheated, claustrophic trek to over-populated lifts thence to skitter along the packed pavement for a 176 or 12 or 40 is the least appealing thing about living beyond SE1. A station at Walworth Road would be a big boon. Give it twenty years....

In parts of northern Europe (Finland, for example) it's obligatory to wear a reflector if you are a pedestrian. It makes sense there and would do here. This doesn't remove the obligation from the motorist/cyclist/motorcyclist to drive safely!

There is no rail - light, underground, overground - from Camberwell to Denmark Hill. There used to be a station at Camberwell, and - as far as I know - could still be one if the money and effort were forthcoming. This part of the capital is very poorly served by rail. The buses are often overflowing, especially at peak times, so I am for anything that makes travel more civilised from central London to SE15, 5, 22 etc. Can you imagine Clapham without any rail link? It's got two Tubes and an Overground line now and look how it differs from Walworth Road. (This is not necessarily an argument for Claphamification, just an observation, so please, no endless arguments a la Rye Lane thread).

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One Aldwych is good, or the bar at Skylon (which is a walk over the bridge), with its good views of the river.

The council will collect fly-tipped items, so ring the relevant department on 020 7525 5000 as soon as you see anything that's been dumped. In my experience, the council takes it seriously, acting quickly to remove offending items. As for the Heights, I'm going to look around for the service tree, which I've never heard of before. If I see any cans or bottles I'll pick them up and put them in a bin: I recommend it to everyone!

Sue, you'd be much better off sending this to an official at the council and/or speaking to the park attendants. You can't legislate for unmannerly behaviour, but you can make your feelings known to the right authorities.

Why not just approach them? Tell them what they are doing is annoying, potentially dangerous and not acceptable. You might get a bit of cheek but they'll likely slope off, flicking you some Vs and spitting through their teeth as they go. At least it will be quiet then.

I'm glad people are speaking openly on this topic. I'd like it if a shop-owner would join in as well. Anyone...anyone....?

It is not incorrect: I have seen - and challenged - PCN's ignoring the illegal parking. It's been going on for years, nothing happens concretely, hence my reference to "inertia". If it was not designed to be a shopping mile, then any rethink would do well to take this into account. That would be progress, QED. Loud music is played often near to the bus-stop opposite (diagonally) the railway station. It's very loud and off-putting to anyone who doesn't want to have their ears hurt. Refuse sacks are put out after the collections have taken place; such wayward depositing encourages littering. These things happen: it is not my imagination. I take exception to the sanctification of the shop-owners. Yes, they provide services, but they also exist primarily to make a profit. Not all of them are as keen as they ought to be on clearing up after themselves. To pretend that the "Rye Lane shopping experience" is anything approaching optimal is delusional.

"They are an example to the rest of us." Oh, PT, stop being so pompous! It IS smelly and dirty in parts, but not everywhere. It IS down-at-heel in parts, but not all over. I see vibrancy but I also see squalor and inertia, and I hope that a balanced view is one that prevails so that the "shopping experience" can be better. I shop there but don't jump out of bed, beaming from ear to ear, knowing that my trip down the Lane will be one of untrammelled joy. I can see where it can be easily improve (see my post ^) but don't feel confident that such measures will be implemented. People are allowed to say the truth without it being code for UKIP-light feelings!

I am in favour of improvements but only when they're done in sympathy with the daily grind. To start it when there was a hard-hitting Tube strike was stupid; to let it drag on by not having them work late or overnight is unhelpful.

No, but neither should they expect that these business be patronised - in the pejorative sense of the word - by people who turn a blind eye to bad practice. Let's not pretend that the illegal parking, the littering, the loud music is OK to ignore lest those pointing these out be labelled "insensitive" or even worse. The Lane is a good place to shop but it's also - it seems - a bad place to manage.

If you argue for diversity in general, then surely diversity of retail should be your concern as well, by which I mean i would like to see more types of business there. Rye Lane is a dump, in parts, but pretty good in others. I dislike immensely the fact that parking illegally seems to be tolerated, even though it snarls up traffic badly and makes the place appear an effortful place to shop. It doesn't take a committee or bags of cash to make decent improvements quickly. Stop the illegal parking, get the business es to tidy up after themselves, prohibit the playing of music at ear-splitting decibel levels, and clean up the tagging that is left to attract more of the same on shop fronts and already the place would be more pleasant. That could all be done in a day or two, but - and this is the distressing bit - it is very unlikely to happen because councils and even self-help based bodies tend to the sclerotic.

For a real treat try the restaurant at the Museum of Scotland. You get good food, good service and a great view. There's a set menu (at least at lunchtime but maybe as pre-theatre too) as well as a la carte. If the weather is anything approaching nice, you can take yourself and your drink outside to a terrace. Also, ask them to show you the way to the roof garden, which is separate from the restaurant, for great views. The caff in the museum, and the museum itself of course, are well worth a visit. Cocktails at Missoni, a newish hotel, are good (if mainly for the venue and the nattily-kilted door staff). Sl?inte mhath!

Why shouldn't children and mums be potential thieves? Lowlife celebrates its diversity! It's bad that it happened; perhaps your post will encourage others to be ever vigilant.

Of course you should! Also, tell us where in the area you are. Get a couple of dead locks: one's not really enough to deter them.

It was much-vaunted as an upgraded replacement for a popular, common-sensical Routemaster. It cost a packet to design and make, yet its main selling point is being regularly negated for spurious reasons. (The old bus managed very well with a bit of wind and rain and the non-mollycoddled old-school Londoner was trusted with making decisions about when to get on and off.) That, to me, is a waste of money, but perhaps you have it to burn (and like being kept all safe and nice by risk-obsessed bureaucrats).