tiddles

I am in complete agreement with all the discussion about this school - by golly we need it but the plan is seriously flawed - we are short changing the children who will be attending. However this is a done deal and I very much doubt that the powers that be give a monkeys about what parents/locals think or feel about this. As long as they tick the boxes the career politicians and councillors will spout the usual number crunching stats without ever answering the questions put to them. I applaud you brendapermaul, Edsoc and Dagmarj for your unstinting efforts however this cynic feels that we haven't got a hope in hell and it is going to become a sink school before it has even opened. squash them in - as long as it ticks the boxes, who cares what actually happens to these children.

details please - make/model/colour could well be dumped in local streets if nicked for a laugh

yes, bellenden area is fab - and Peckham rye station is really good. We moved to the top end of lordship lane and do miss the proximity to the station. Bellenden road is much closer to lordship lane than alot of east dulwich

any problems with foxes?? we were toying with the idea but since we often see foxes hopping over the fences during the day, thought they may become a target. I know the new 'runs' are foxproof, didn't want to keep the chickies completely cooped up all day long.

I think Kfords post is very telling - and the reason we really need to avoid these. They are money making and in most cases just not necessary, however I do appreciate that there are certain streets with real parking problems and pain for residents. Twice CPZs were propposed within the bellenden area, and twice each street affected submitted their petitions against. There was no way the council could enforce these with the weight of evidence against, however this was very time consuming for all involved. There were, however streets where they were in favour however the council would not enforce them for such small areas. Herne hill seems to have the pay parking for 2 hours in the day - which seems to keep their roads clearer - could something like that be looked at? - tho I am sure there are drawbacks - somewhere. Once a CPZ is in place, the streets will be crawling with traffic wardens looking to meet their quotas - come hell or high water.

yes, I got caught out there as well - and we have lived here for years, but had never had cause to drive down rye lane before. there is a sign, but not huge - we were behind several buses at the lights (yes, should have been a clue), so didn't see sign or the lettering on the road. If the traffic seems to be driving along somewhere with no problems, one tends to (sheepishly) follow!!

hi - was unable to make the "do" at darrell road yesterday - anything achieved or was it just people getting together for a bit of a (justified) moan?

yes, good idea

went last night for first time in ages - back to usual form thank goodness

That junction is tricky - til you know it! I often turn right with no problem (sorry) but you do have to sit in that box which you are allowed to do if turning right HOWEVER I completely agree with earlier mentions of blatant red light jumping at high speed - usually peak times. I am amazed that nothing serious has happenened at that junction esp as there are quite a few nervous newcomers. A filter would be a very good idea as there are alot of people who turn right!

crikey, that is so scary! Seeing that buggy, not surprised Gran is still in shock. don't want to be a complete doom monger, but what happened to the little lad who was in an accident in a bus lane further up LL? (I think near post office/somerfield). One just wants to know that they were ok in the end.

oh go on, give us a vague geographical idea (up a hill? near a gree? etc )

oh pleeese! a baby shop, or coffe chain ANYTHING but a bookies!! I cannot believe there is the demand!

Both east and west dulwich are great for families - I just think west is a tad more expensive. East offers a bigger high street and more coffee opportunities (I remember these were a life saver!!)also, walkable to peckham pulse soft play - a lovely facility for tiddlers. If you find the SE22 postcode a little pricey, venture into the the SE15 postcode around goose green/bellenden. It used to be the case that you could get a little more for your money in the SE15 area. Actually, that is true also of SE5 (camberwell) going up as far as grove lane (which would get you into lyndhurst school - fab) just don't venture too far into cambersmell itself unless you can afford one of those flippin gorgeous georgian houses off grove lane and adjoining roads!! which reminds me = the dark horse - what a fab place!

I moved here in 1996 as it was the only place we could afford (moving from tooting)AND bring the ??? of negative equity we had accumulated on our one bed flat with us!! I think it is simply the ripple effect as people were being priced out of tooting/balham and latterly clapham. the shops have followed

this place is getting better each week - got some great books, and plan to restock the spice cupboard.

this is either a spoof, or I think Kyle is about 10 and is playing on his dad's computer.......

interesting - I had a direct email from kiranjit gondal with a pdf about the school and an address to send any queries. what I want is an ok local secondary school that my kids could walk to (crikey, there's an idea) so if the boys school was scaled down slightly and was for local kids (like the elm court/elm green school in west dulwich) I would be pretty keen. I won't go near the harris girls school as I heard from an 'inside source' that there is a real clan mentality - I don't want to use the word gang as it has the wrong connotations. Basically, the african girls stick together, the west indian girls, the asian girls and the white girls - they don't mix!! plus behaviour in the school - very bad. I plan to read the pdf in greater detail (hope it is not all puff) and lob off my queries.

hmm tesco express.... I'm signing that flippin petition

hi, popped in for a coffee and they have a petition on the counter - apparently southwark are refusing them their retrospective planning permission (apologies if that is not completely correct) but the gist is that they are being closed down. I did say I would think about it = basically, if nero had not got in, maybe we wouln't have been lumbered with foxtons. I didn't way it in a nasty way at all - not fair on the staff, however several people in the queue agreed with that principal. Yes, very hypocritical I know since I was buying a coffee!!! but I think that was the basis of the main objections to nero = the march of the chains. I suspect that so many people have complained to southwark about foxtons and they want to show that they can throw their weight around from time to time, Just a shame its poor old nero's

I lived in an area which campaigned against a CPZ (no need for it) but I have friends near ED station who desperately need it. i am in favour of the continued 20 - 30 mins on LL but maybe the selected "pay" times as in herne hill. I am very averse to any system that gives the local council a chance to start charging premium rate for half an hours shopping, so completely support resistence to controlled parking (it is just another revenue earner = nothing to do with resident's convenience) but I can appreciate the frustration of residents who cannot park anywhere near their home. (foxtons dontcha hate them - ok lounge me lounge me I don't care.....)

if i were you, I would head to the bottom end of lordship lane, to the SE22/SE15 borders. in the bellenden area, you are close to Peckham rye station which has very frequent trains to city and victoria. The top end of lordship lane is miles from a station which means you have to brave the buses (sorry bus fans). at the goose green end, because of the proximity to LL people tend to walk about - a much friendlier area than the top end near library, where people seem to drive from their houses. If you like quiet solitude and nobody about, then the top end is for you

was it Ron?

used to live in bellenden area = the P13 antics had to be seen to be believed - DG you were lucky not to have had your car damaged (as frequently happened) since moving into SE22 they seem to be more considerate in this area. I can imagine it's not an easy job manouvering a bus round the back streets, but they didn't always help themselves - often saw two P13s locked in combat with each other!

what was the meeting at St Thomas Moore hall like - couldn't attend due to work commitments