Glemham

Agree with Treacle Rabbit. Zen is a WHICH? recommended provider.

The Dulwich Park Friends might know the answer: dulwichparkfriends.org.uk

On dark nights LTN roads are often too quiet and some people both young and old don’t feel safe walking home alone. Not helped by large trees obscuring the street lighting on some roads. Is it my elderly imagination or is the new environmentally friendly lighting not as helpful to elderly declining sight as the previous lighting? But then the needs of the elderly don’t seem to count for much in LTN and closed roads planning.

Heritage Cheese in Vanity Square closed suddenly yesterday and has a High Court notice on the door “That goods have been secured on site”. Apparently the Dulwich Estate knew nothing about the closure. It might be some time before another tenant can move into the shop……..

The tenants are/have been Stonegate Pub Co. which claims to be the largest pub company in the UK. Last year they were £2.2billion in debt and “seeking to refinance”. Allegedly the Estate has been receiving anything from £50 to £100K in rent.

I understand that The Grove is to be handed back to the Estate in September hence the cleaning up process. Will we ever know why this building was allowed to become so dilapidated and remain empty for so long and who profited?

Meanwhile whilst you are both going down a crime rabbit hole yet another shop has closed on Vanity Square. Heritage Cheese is no more and only a High Court notice about goods being secured on site remains. Will the Dulwich Estate make any comment about the disappearance of yet another business tenant? Don’t hold your breath……..

Oh come on Malumbu don’t be so disingenuous! There are many causes of obesity and LTNs are a minute part of the solution. If active travel is so important to you why not start using your undoubted energy to campaign for it in the form of improved public transport and access to it; to and from, and in and around Dulwich. It’s not too late, although it might have been more sensible to make improvements to public transport before closing roads. Certainly most of our elected representatives don’t appear to have had much interest in doing so. Some facts: Going to Beckenham and Bromley from East Dulwich by public transport - which many people would like to do necessitates two bus journeys, whereas there’s a direct bus to Lewisham. Easier to take the car. Getting across Dulwich from East to West is almost impossible by public transport. There is a single decker but that goes via a congested South Circular. You might say take the train, and indeed in the area covered by Dulwich and West Norwood constituency there are 10 rail stations. BUT only three of these have step free access, Herne Hill - the only one with a lift, West Norwood and East Dulwich. There is one step free northbound platform at Tulse Hill and Gipsy Hill. But the remaining five are problematic. If you are a parent with a buggy, disabled, elderly with heart or breathing problems, have a heavy suitcase and cycling is not an option, then your active rail travel options are somewhat limited. So Malumbu are you willing to try and make difference?

Many of the tradespeople care because their footfall at the junction has fallen since January when even more traffic restrictions in the form of a CPZ were installed. This combined with the high rents levied by the Dulwich Estate and Southwark business rates, are forcing more businesses to close. Romeo Jones, one of the last independent businesses in the Village will close on Saturday and Harold George the hairdresser is moving to smaller premises a few shops away. A Tapas bar is rumoured to be taking that corner site. I realise this posting is not strictly on the topic of the West Dulwich Action Group, but no doubt they will recognise their own concerns in the Dulwich Village problems.

A very balanced article about LTNs from a Guardian journalist who lives in Lambeth. His point about public transport in South London is well made. Local councillors and MPs have failed to lobby for improvements. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/14/low-traffic-neighbourhood-ltn-lambeth-culture-war?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Perhaps someone who works there owns a Tesla and is keen to promote more sales. After all poor Musk needs all the support he can get right now 😢

Isabel Ramirez a journalist with Southwark News wrote an article - sadly behind their paywall - in October last year. “Why has this pub in Dulwich been vacant for twelve years?” There was no response from the Dulwich Estate. Perhaps you could contact her: [email protected] M.07939857532 As the lease is due this year, and nothing has happened since last October she might be interested in asking some more questions. Many years ago Private Eye published an article criticising the Estate’s response to parents in West Dulwich who wanted to adapt their home for a disabled child. I seem to remember that the Eye referred then to the DE as the ‘Village Idiots’.

Now that’s an idea worth considering #ab29! The Grove saga should be coming to an end soon as the lease from the owners - The Dulwich Estate - held by Stonegate Pubs should run out this year. The group recently found financial backers to help with its £2.2 billion debt. The Estate refuses to reveal anything about their plans for the site citing commercial confidentiality. But they have had many years to plan for the lease ending. However they spent three years refurbishing The Crown and Greyhound aka The Dog in Dulwich Village so don’t hold your breath for anything to happen to The Grove in the near future!

Indeed! You are entitled to your opinion and to speak freely as long as you don’t criticise the Council agenda ………….now where have I been reading recently about similar attitudes to “Free” speech?

Please could you explain the difference between being a “political activist” and “people engaging in local politics”? You seem to be suggesting the former is not to be trusted, but the latter is acceptable.