indiepanda

I think what I'd suggest would change according to whether you have access to a car to escape the city or not. If you haven't got a car, go to Bath. Easy journey from Paddington and you could keep yourself busy for a week in between visiting numerous museums, doing boat trips or walks along the canal, going to the new thermal baths etc. Lots of lovely restaurants (No 5 Bistro just off Pultney Bridge is my recommendation) and plenty of pubs. It is quite touristy but it's bigger than Stratford upon Avon so not quite as irritating. If you're willing to go further afield by train/plane, Edinburgh would be perfect. If you have got a car, places like Winchester are fine as you can potter out to little villages or the New Forest.

sophie_e_down Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Has anyone been to any of the following? > > Bristol / Cheltenham. Visited for day trips and stayed here with friends, but not done a romantic break here. To be honest if you were going to go to this part of the world (and I'd include Cheltenham here as I've visited there too) I would pick Bath as being a more romantic spot than either, but if you've already been there then I'd say I'd choose Bristol over Cheltenham - more to see and do there. I would aim to stay in the Clifton part of town. > Winchester I used to live near here, nice town - much smaller than Bristol. Not as much to see and do as Bristol, but depends what you want from a weekend away, there's still probably enough for a weekend. If you have a car you can easily get out into nearby pretty villages from here - Stockbridge has some nice pubs for lunch. > Stratford-upon-Avon It's lovely but will be heaving with tourists this time of year (it's never quiet). I would probably visit here in the spring or autumn rather than summer. If you go here there's plenty of Shakespearean related things to see and nice walks or boat trips on the river. We found a great guided walk that lasted a couple of hours and only cost ?5 each (this is about 4 years ago) which was well worth it. Of these, my pick would be Bristol for a city break and Winchester if you want somewhere a little bit quieter, though I will admit I've spent less time in Cheltenham than the other places. Stratford is in many respects the most romantic, I just would prefer to go outside the main tourist season.

Incidentally, for those of you who don't rent out your whole property, but just a spare room, I gather the budget was quite good news on that front. The government will increase the Rent-a-Room relief from ?4,250 to ?7,500 a year from April 2016. Hopefully will encourage more people to rent out their spare rooms.

If you're after reviews, adverts and useful information, then I wouldn't really spent your time reading the lounge.... It's just a place for people to chat, which will sometimes be frivolous, sometimes interesting, sometimes dull and occasionally offensive.

Loz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > miga Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Yeah, I don't get that either, how can tax on > > profits make you lose money if it's less than > 100%? > > It's not a tax on profit, though. At the moment, > if you charge ?1000 a month rent and have interest > on your mortgage of ?800, then you can deduct that > mortgage interest (plus any other expenses like > insurance, repairs, etc). Basically, like any > business. Rent - costs = profit. Profit is then > taxed at the going rate. > > So I can't work out how this is going to work. > I'm not sure where your tax rate comes into it - > can anyone explain? I imagine it's going to be that the income you get (rent) will be taxed at your marginal rate - which for most BTL landlords I expect is going to be 40%, but the interest that can be offset again this tax liability won't be 40% of the interest, it will be restricted to the basic rate - i.e. it won't be a standard profit calculation. It sounds like a good idea in the long run in as much as it might put some potential BTL landlords off entering into the market / encourage them to sell and give others the chance to buy their own home. What it does in the short term rather depends how worried landlords are about losing good tenants if they try to increase rent at the next contract end date... not as if enough properties are being built that the tenants have lots of other places to go if all landlords try to maintain their current levels of profit...

Anna27 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > rbarton Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Old French Cafe property went back to the land > > lady who wants it back for general repairs. > > My feeling is that it is a way to get the > property > > back tart it up and put it back on the market > with > > a higher rent. > > > > > it certainly isn't - I'm ITK on that So do you know what is going to happen to the old cafe? I have to admit, I assumed the move was to get a bigger space to expand, not because the owner of the old site wanted them out. The French Cafe was often full and the new one is larger.

Forecast suggests by the middle of next week we'll be whinging it's too hot and sticky. Am planning a day trip to the seaside to escape :-)

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > In the 00s there were lots of people in their 20s > living in ED. I suspect less so now due to house > prices / rents. I think you're right. Come to that, friends in their 30s who have rented round here and are now buying are doing so further out - Forest Hill, Catford, Norwood etc, as well as families in their 40s heading for Surrey etc. Frankly the fact I have an asset (which I can't exactly get value for as I am living in it) which has gone up silly amounts in value isn't much compensation for the fact the prices are pushing away people I liked having in the area. Anyway, on the topic, forums are rarely representative, even of the people who post on them, much less of the population as a whole, be that all inhabitants of an area, all fans of a band, all mums etc. I used to post on the forum for a band that made this place look tame - the lounge equivalent could be completely vicious at times. Meet the posters in person at gigs and discovered that some of the most outrageously rude people on line were actually shy and sweet in real life. I don't think I do, but at least some people have different on line persona - and not just like dulwichmum. I am not saying people don't mean what they write, but I suspect a lot of people who might come across as abrasive on line are actually more pleasant if you actually met them.

Help-Ma-Boab Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think so *Bob*. Real plates and the tomato sauce > in a red plastic shaped tomato. > > On my way to the Jolly Woodman one day I will > check and report back... Tomato sauce freely available? That's a change. When I worked there we charged 5p a sachet of ketchup, and if they bought and left on their plate unused we'd wipe off any food on the sachet and resell to the next customer. Not sure if this was standard Wimpy policy or if it was just the owners of our franchise. Strangely vinegar sachets were free - don't know anyone who puts vinegar on french fries. Chip shop chips another matter... lashings of salt and vinegar. Oh, and we definitely cooked to order, no pre cooked food hanging around.

I believe it was called a bender.... I thought there was still a Wimpy on Sydenham High Street.

I used to work for Wimpy. Probably prejudiced, but the food always seemed better quality than McDonalds and Burger King. They didn't stick gherkins in everything either (I loathe them). Plus they let me use the ice cream machine to make such delights as the Brown Derby, Banana Long Boat and Knickerbocker Glory which was good fun. Paid lousy rates though - worked there between school and college and after a few months at college got to know a guy who worked at the Homebase round the corner and discovered he was being paid over double the hourly rate that I was, so I changed jobs pretty quick. Not convinced the food there was that cheap - a children's meal cost ?1.99 in 1989 which given a McDonald's Happy Meal is now ?2:49 I reckon that's proportionally cheaper (though probably worse quality)

I can see me using the Jubilee to Southwark and then hopping on the N63 - I do that to pick up the 63 at times already as it stops much closer to my house than the 185/176/40. Not that I go out late enough in central London to need a nightbus that often anyway.

Definitely adds value. I've watched various neighbours properties go on the market (I am on Underhill), some with, some without loft conversions and other extensions and it makes a big difference if they've been extended. I think it's generally accepted things that add more space pay off, whereas a fancy new kitchen might not. The point about being top heavy is fair. My house had the loft converted before I move in, and it does feel like a 2 bed house with an extra bedroom rather than a true three bed. Although my last three bed before I bought this had an integral garage on the ground floor, so I guess that had a similar imbalance between living space and sleeping / bathroom. If you can add in an en suite I would seriously think about doing so. I use the loft conversion as my bedroom but it's a bit of a trek to the bathroom.

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ???? Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Would go to a reunion if someone can be arsed to organise; wouldn't go to regular meet ups now > > > Same here. I don't get enough opportunities to go out to commit to a regular thing, but would > definitely be up for a one off, especially if we could tempt a few people *waves at lurking > Strafer* to visit for the night. So if someone were to volunteer to organise a reunion (i.e. me!), when would be best to do it to maximize attendance? For example, I know we used to meet on Fridays, but would Saturdays be better if we are going to tempt some people who now live out of London to make the journey to join us? Is summer going to be a bit of a write off with people going away on holidays? I know we won't find one date that will work for everyone but I seem to recall the old forum drinks used to get a better attendance outside of summer. Plus If it's a one off, it'd be nice to give plenty of notice and try to get as many people as possible.

I remember a particularly good one in the Phoenix and upstairs at EDT, also the Gowlett and even a lively evening at the Plough which I've probably only been in once since. And yes, SJ was one of the people who made a particular effort to chat to us newbies, as was Cliff. Pretty sure I got first chatting to MrBen at one of the earlyish ones, and recall meeting Quids at least once.. (probably more but my memories are a little blurred... either by time or alcohol!). I do recall being introduced to Otta and discovering the flat I was renting was previously a squat he'd spent time hanging out in some years earlier which was quite amusing. (Underneath the surface it was still a bit of a dump - the landlady used to paint over the damp in between tenants and acting all shocked when it reappeared as I found out from a previous tenant, but it wasn't worth arguing with a barrister over - knew I'd come off worse!)

red devil Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I'm not sure what the problem could be indie, I > created a couple of routes on my laptop and they > appear on my phone ok when I tap on the 'routes' > tab. > Maybe try uninstalling and reinstalling Runkeeper > on your phone?... Always worth a shot - thanks for trying.

red devil Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Try this indie... > https://support.runkeeper.com/hc/en-us/articles/20 > 1110496-How-To-Create-A-Route-and-use-it-0 Thanks red devil. I've done what they suggest for creating the route and it's still there if I log out and back in on the website (i.e the issue isn't that I haven't saved it). However, when I open the app on my phone, the routes button just takes me to a page that tells me I can create and save routes on runkeeper.com, and though there's what looks like a link which should take me to the website, it doesn't work. Very frustrating!

Hello - I am trying to do something that I am not sure if is actually possible. The issue I have is I am training for a 10km with friends and we don't all run at the same pace. We're getting a bit bored with doing laps of Peckham Rye, but if I plan a different route I need everyone to be able to remember it - which I suspect is going to go badly wrong. Does anyone know of software / apps that enable me to plan a route at home on my laptop, save it and then share with friends via an app on their smart phone which then will give them directions when I have got left a bit behind and can't shout which way to turn? I've tried creating a route on runkeeper but can't even find it on my phone so I must be doing something wrong!

???? Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Well. Just that I know of the Forum Drinks are > responsible for at least 2 marriages; 2 babies > (kids now); several long term relationships still > going strong; a couple of shorter term ?liaisons? > (no names); a couple of big spats (but no actual > fisticuffs?)?any advances? Plenty of friendships too, but I guess that's less exciting.

KalamityKel Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Jah Lush Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > No thanks. Count me out. I much prefer my > relative > > anonymity these days. > > It does make the morning after standing at the bus > stop on way to work a little awkward... ;-) What did you get up to at the drinks??! ;-)

I have been using a Pixie for some years now and love it, stopped me from wasting money buying coffees at work as I get my fix at home. Can't comment on the milk side of things as I drink my coffee black.

Bic Basher Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You can also follow the South Circular as far to > Kew Bridge, then join the M4. Can do, but having a boyfriend who used to live in Richmond and done that drive quite a bit, I am not convinced it's quicker. On a good day I could get to Richmond via south circular in 45 minutes, bad day could be an hour and fifteen. Mostly he could cycle it quicker than I could drive... Takes long enough to get to Croydon to pick up the M25 and you've still got half of the southern loop to do that I am sure that route is slower too (not to mention must use more petrol) I usually use the route you suggest tomskip and have found the best way to speed it up is, as suggested, travelling v early or late etc. Wish there was a faster route - the boyfriend has now moved to the Midlands and in terms of travel time, nearly half my journey is getting to the M40.

PeckhamRose Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > However, I know someone with severe mental health > illness and the NHS is not able to help > sufficiently. If you have a broken bit of body > they're there for you till it's fixed. If your > mind is broke, the NHS can't cope. This is so true. I've seen my mother's life destroyed by mental health issues, and in the process, my dad's too. It seems mental health services have always been hopelessly underfunded. I do wonder what would happened if she'd access to talking therapies when she was much younger but all that was on offer for many years was drugs, which in most cases at best control symptoms but don't offer a cure. She's now old enough that even when help has been offered (after a lengthy stay in hospital) she's become too entrenched in her ways to be willing to engage with it. The one real respite my Dad was getting from caring for her was the one day a week she went to a day centre for people with mental heath issues - lasted a couple of months and then the centre closed and the service wasn't offered elsewhere. I do wonder whether some of the priorities in the NHS aren't just a bit screwed. My nan when in her late eighties was treated for bowel cancer, with no prospect of a cure, and the extra months she got were all spent in hospital with some unpleasant side effects that it appears they'd failed to make clear before they started treatment. She said before she died if she had been told about the poor quality of the extra life she'd be given by the treatment she'd have said no thanks. I don't like to imagine how much money was spent on this - felt like they were more concerned about prolonging life at any cost than allowing her to die with some dignity.

I moved to East Dulwich in summer 2008, discovered the forum between signing the rental contract on my flat and moving in. I ended up going on a pub crawl with some of the old forumites the day after I moved in. Think Brendan may have organised it - he definitely gave me his phone number so I could track people down when I joined part way through the day at the EDT. My life here would have been very different without the forum - not sure I'd have stayed as long without it, been a great way of making friends and finding out about things going on in the local area.

Yes, just this morning they've had a story on the (generally left wing) BBC about NHS procurement showing the variation in prices hospitals are paying for even basics like latex gloves. Personally for items like that, I can't quite understand why they have local procurement. Surely it would make sense for those sorts of things to be purchased at a national level and have the scale to dictate the price they pay. Supermarkets seem pretty good at screwing good prices out of suppliers based on their scale, and even in professional services where I work the procurement departments we encounter do a pretty good job of forcing us to give discounts / hold our rates year after year / do extra stuff for free / work a 10-12 hr day and bill for 8. I think the philosophy of free at the point of use NHS is nice and I certainly wouldn't want the American system where vulnerable people are left untreated or bankrupted by medical bills. However, no fee whatsover encourages people to not show up for appointments, wasting resources, and to expect the NHS to be there for them even if they do nothing to look after their health. I hear heavy smokers and drinkers say they've earned the right to use the NHS whenever they need because of the high tax on cigarettes and alcohol. Ok, I agree, they are heavily taxed - but at a macro level, we are not paying enough in tax to cover all government spending, and spending on the NHS is spiraling due to the ageing population in a way other costs aren't. If we're going to continue to fund the NHS in the way we have (all - or most - free at the point of use), something has to change somewhere. I am not convinced anyone wants to pay more tax, so either we make deep spending cuts elsewhere, or get a bit smarter about how we fund health.