Angelina

It would be incredible if the community supported small businesses rather than a chain (Gail's being a very large chain). Sadly, consumers don't realise their power - as you can see also by the number of coffee cups etc that are still being bought and contribute to landfill - it' not hard to be responsible, just inconvenient.

well - that is disappointing. We know the impact of foreign buyers on the housing market.

That is the similar issue with Peckham Rye - the council have prioritised commercial interests over the community (residents and environment), and utterly shameless in doing so. For a council to be wilfully cirumventing legal ruling, is more than alarming. Their actions should always be transparent and beyond reproach, not shady and biased for particular commercial interest. It raises the question of where else they manipulate commercial interests and generally look to break rules.

the insult and frustration is that we have no recourse given the council turn a blind eye.

We find that just adding your own favourites is the best way - everyone likes different things and your guests will likely be happy enough

Is there a forum to chat with our councillors? I think it would be worthwhile - there is a lack of engagement and complete silence on something that is having such a negative impact

We used to have local councillors posting on this forum - are there any who are still members?

maybe in the future, there will be so much traffic flowing freely that we will be so glad we have three separate crossing points.

yet we still shop there?

I'd say hold on to it in case you need it. There may be a time when it helps you get around more easily. You'd know if that's easily done, if you've got somewhere to park it etc

have you tried contacting the park ranger? very disappointed in the councillors - but sadly not at all surprised

how many dogs do you walk at a time?

why not expand the NC Rd market? I can't imagine a small indoor market attracting footfall

It is disgraceful if it means small businesses have to close and people are displaced.

Yet we can. Given the development of the shopping centre, the expensive flats, lack of social hosing, closure of the stalls and hairdressers around the station to make room for the new square, I think it's quite clear where this is going. It's not improving the area for the existing, its removal of the existing to make it better for the upgrade of the area.

I'm not saying that at all - I think it's great to have nice spaces. But it is already pushing out the smaller stalls - you can't deny there is a plan of gentrification

absolutely spot on CPR Dave - there is little point in making an area pretty if it's not in keeping with the area. I very much doubt a new square will remain nice for long, unless there is an element of social cleansing, which I'm sure is on the cards

Thank you for the warning. There have been instances of vulnerable people targeted by scammers in this area, so we do need to be mindful of our neighbours.

Step Free Access is down the to the Rail company and not the council. It definitely needs to be done, although Denmark Hill is Step Free and not too far, which may be why they haven't done it (yet)

you're really boring - why don't you bicker privately?

the reason Tories have lost votes is because they have lost trust primarily. the voters didn't vote for what the Tories did, but what they promised. you can't blame the voters for the outcome, just because they voted for the party. Labour are in a position of influence so we will have to see what they do. Reform are there, as quite a presence should Labour continue to fail. It feels as if we are on a very thin line

The sad reality is that the failures of the Tories and Labour cannot solely be attributed to Brexit, as convenient as that may be

Try and read before commenting Sep, or you will, as you have done, not be relevant

It's not incredibly difficult to understand that people vote Reform because they don't want the Tories back and they don't like Labour and they don't like the state the country is in. It hardly makes them "criminally negligent" - in fact, Sepiroth, you can just stop insulting people just because you don't like what they have to say - it doesn't really add to your credibility. While Sep says "What the country needs is a serious, mature electorate", what the country REALLY needs is a party that we can trust - and that we do not have. There is no point at all in having a serious and mature electorate if we don't have a serious and mature party to get vote for.

mine's the same - use shears, then mow, but I only do a part of the lawn - the rest is covered in daisies, violets and other flowers, so I leave it. I have to be very careful though - we have slow worms