Nigello

Why is it negative and snippy to ask about what a council department does with our money to such things as massive, old trees that are difficult to ignore? It is our duty to investigate!

I was talking to another customer at Homemade Cafe just this morning about this. The pollarded ones look barren compared to the others nearby. Perhaps it is nature's way and they will come back to life next year?

'Wearing sandles and black socks with denim shorts' - What's not to like? We all knew the trendies are in our midst, having swapped Dalston for Peckham. They're obviously on the move with their ironic fashions, all the way to Denmark Hill.

You are affording rights to owners who are not worthy of them, Jeremy. Why should we pussy-foot around with those who break the law (littering, illegally parking etc) just because they are providing a service (AKA 'making money') and are part of - that old chestnut - 'the local community' ? The Lane is ill-policed and it should no be so. I do shop there from time to time - at Argos, one of the pound shops, Holland and Barrett but don't spend too much time there as it is often congested and, well, down-at-heel. Hearing ear-splitting sounds being pumped out of shops is a major turn-off, too. Install best practise, fine those who don't do so, and the place would improve markedly even before megabucks are spent.

There are plenty of new books, which is great, but even better is that they have got whole sets or series from a particular author. They have lots of new Ian Flemings and stacks of Margaret Atwood, for example. The acoustics are bad, though: even non-raised voices sound loud. The self-service counters are easy to use and do cut down the queues.

My main bugbear with the 'Golden Mile' is that the traffic wardens - usually so very keen to slap tickets on whichever vehicle they possibly can - strangely allow lots of leeway to the shops and to the vans and lorries that keep on illegally parking. What gives? The bit directly outside the station is grim. There's that Sam Raimi-fied dentist - the one with the dirt-brown paintwork and caged windows - that wouldn't look out of place in 'Saw VI', and the dreadfully grubby hair places, whose lackadaisical stylists discard waste tresses into the street that hobble the poor pigeons. I'd knock the lot down, preserve and upgrade the station itself and get tough with tradespeople who don't do the right thing.

Have you lagged your roof and filled in the gaps between floor-boards? Have you thought of only putting on the upstairs rads about an hour before you go to bed? I do that and have noticed a difference in bill amounts. Do all the usual stuff - turning of the lights, boiling only enough water you need, doing fewer washing machine cycles etc - and you'll hopefully cut your bills.

I agree that Blu-ray is worth it but you need a decently-sized, HD TV set to go with a Blu-ray player. Also, some DVDs say that they are optimised when played on Blu-ray sets, but I am not sure if it is all DVDs or just some that have been 'tinkered with'. Anyone know more about that? Samsung players also have all manner of smart TV technology, I think. Ask at John Lewis.

Hello, I know that Cable - the sister place of the Scooter Bar in Lower Marsh - is a great place for drinks and coffee etc, but is there anywhere nearby (near the big church at Oval) where you can eat, or a decent take away (Cable allows you to take food in.) Cheers, Nigello

Good points, Sue. I might add that it is possible to ask for a sweep or re-sweep by ringing 020 7525 2000 and giving details of the grot-spot. James - the current dirty area is the Peckham end of Crystal Palace Road, near the leisure centre, and also the stretch from Barry to Crystal Palace Road on Goodrich Road. The house on the corner has lots of bins that seem to overflow often. If the dirt is just a can or bottle, then do as I do and pick it up and put it in the nearest bin. It beats doing nothing and works well in tandem with calling the council and letting them know you are dissatisfied.

There is a pedestrianised street just up from the National Portrait Gallery, near to one of the entrances/exits to Leicester Square that has shops that sell travel posters and the like. You could do worse than go there and have a chat with some of the owners.

Who would fit it around here? Would they supply the stove for you as well? Do you have to have your chimney cleaned out beforehand? I am tempted to get one ready for the autumn (which will probably arrive in early July at this rate!)

Back 2 Normal, Shad Thames.

I recommend The Tudors. I have the boxed set, used only once. You can have it for ?20. PM if interested and leave a mobile No.

FYI, Goodrich School had a section of the road outside its railings zig-zagged until last year. Now it is zig-zag free. I have no idea why the council has seen fit to remove them, especially as they used to employ wardens to prevent cars from parking there illegally. Far too many cars come to drop off and collect kids. They can't live that far away from Goodrich, can they?

Yeah, some women are gross. Some men are, so are some children. That's about it, really.

I think it should continue from E and C to Walworth Road (perhaps at Burgess Park) then to Camberwell Green, Peckham Rye, Rye Common, then HOP and beyond. Camberwell really needs public transport other than buses.

The word 'hipster' has been popularised by a small but powerful group of London journos/musos/fashonistas who, wanting to burnish their impeccable Ny-Lon credentials, have imported it. Five years ago or less, 'hipster' was really only used in the US. What's wrong with the lovely, old-fashioned and instantly recognisable '(Shoreditch) Twat' or 'trendy'? I loathe the word (as I do 'cool' and 'guys'.) When The Daily Mail and its ilk use 'hipster' you know its time is well past its prime.

James - Is there a visual plan/diagram of what the plans - all of them, yours included - might look like? Has anyone even done a mock-up of the Tube map? I do hope it happens, even if it is only to Camberwell or Denmark Hill. Also, don't assume that we all know what an SPD is. I don't and would like to know!

I disagree, lanelover. Over the past five years at least there have been more passengers at bus stops and the buses have been fuller at peak times at least. I try to get on at Dulwich Library but by the time you get to two stops after that (Townley Road) the 176, 40 (185 not so much) are getting close to full. Does anyone else support this view?

When The Times has a list of 'cool' places you know it is really time to not use that word ever again. I avoid it when possible as it has lost its meaning. (I also have a problem with people saying 'guys' or 'you guys' to strangers, kids, their pals etc. It doesn't sound right!)

I really do hope this comes true. The pressure on local buses here in SE22 is growing. Many a morning, poor sods have to wait ages, haplessly looking on at the relatively lucky passengers ('relatively' because squeezed in like sardines) on the 176 or the 40. Does anyone know whether the operators of these routes have put on more buses at peak times, by the way?

Glad that the Goodrich Road/Barry Road wall will be painted soon, though I would like to know more about the people behind the decision. IngridB - over to you.

Hello, Does anyone know how to get in touch with him? There is a mural - now spoiled by repairs and subsequent vandalism - on Goodrich Road near to Barry Road that could do with being painted over with something new. Please PM me with any details and I will contact him to see if anything is possible. Nigello

Etang activity.