BrandNewGuy

'Turn on red' is normal in the USA, unless there is a sign indicating "No Turn on Red." However drivers (and presumably cyclists) must come to a complete stop and yield to any pedestrians and oncoming traffic before making the turn. Not so sure about allowing 'straight ahead on red'...

Looks like they have massive issues with numbers of visitors too... “People have literally just arrived and are refusing to leave. Chaos. They booked out all the lane spaces but let people in. Absolute sh*t show.” https://www.the-londoner.co.uk/were-police-called-to-brockwell-lido/

A fun evening! Many thanks, Sue!

Their finest moment...

But people do travel there for non-retail reasons – it's attractive, leafy, it has the park and the gallery – and then fancy a coffee and a cake... Re Romeo Jones, rising costs were the primary reason for closure, but the LTNs had created a situation where revenue has been noticeably down since they were introduced, making businesses vulnerable to any other blows.

More on their dodginess: https://www.the-londoner.co.uk/we-r-blighty-fake-charity/

The Romeo Jones owner blames rising costs, but also the impact of the LTNs, which have significantly reduced footfall in the Village. It was a lovely, friendly place – a shame that it's only chains like Gail's that can afford to take rising costs on the chin.

It's more likely a buzzard – one or two have been seen in recent years, particularly over Dulwich and Sydenham Woods. You don't have to go far to see them regularly – Addington, West Wickham and Biggin Hill, for instance.

RIP David Thomas, lead singer with Pere Ubu. He lived in East Dulwich for several years back in the 90s. https://www.nme.com/news/music/pere-ubus-david-thomas-dies-aged-71-3857769

Great idea! Let's do it, messy or not 😁

The demand for nail bars is often from those who want to <cough> launder money <cough>

Wasn't part of the reason for the extensive C&G refurb that they discovered a very old bowling alley (I think?) and had to allow for archaeological and structural matters to be resolved before they could complete it?

A few of us went to the reopened EDT on Wednesday and opinion was mixed. Plus points - opening the upstairs room permanently (unless there's a function); generally good decor; better furniture (no more wobbly school chairs). Minus points - the prices are up about 10-15% on pre-closure; the food offering is underwhelming and overpriced. Having said that, I never went there to eat - well, the occasional bowl of chips - and I've been going since the late 90s. I fear that the 'mixed' pub of the past in our area is a thing of the past - out of the price range of 'ordinary' people, though things have been heading that way in any case. Pubs as interesting, mixed social spaces in much of London are fast disappearing and there's probably not much the new owners could have done to turn that tide.

The good news is that the Blythe's new leaseholder is Austin Whelan, who runs a chain of very decent Irish pubs, mainly in south London. By all accounts, he has no intention of making any major changes. It reopened last week.

🤣

Yes, Sean is definitely still local. And the High Llamas have two London gigs later this month (Cafe Oto and The Lexington) but both are sold out. Great band, as were Microdisney. You might like to follow Brian O'Neill's Dimple Discs record label, which has released a lot of Cathal Coughlan's music, and Brian puts on great gigs locally: https://dimplediscs.bandcamp.com/

Sparrowhawks don't soar and tend to fly lower than peregrines or buzzards... sneak attacks on their feathered brethren being their preferred method 🙂

It was probably a peregrine falcon, which freaks out even other big birds. Or possibly even a buzzard, one or two of which have been known to stray from deepest Surrey into the leafier bits of South London.

They're very protective of their recently fledged young and will divebomb people who get too close. There was probably a youngster lurking nearby. It happened to me a few years ago on Peckham Rye Common.

Here's my updated list of the dates when swifts were first spotted in ED: 2011 – May 9 2012 – May 1 2013 – May 17 2014 – May 8 2015 – May 9 2016 – May 4 2017 – May 6 2018 – May 7 2019 – May 8 2020 – May 6 2021 – May 9 2022 – May 9 2023 – May 4 2024 – May 7 That 2013 date is rather an anomaly. I checked the weather records for that period and we had a very cold early May with northerly winds for several weeks, so the swifts didn't risk flying north from Europe to be faced with a lack of food, namely flies, moths etc.

If you're feeling charitable, Give A Car will collect your car for scrap and proceeds go to the charity of your choice: https://www.giveacar.co.uk/

Covenience = more expensive. One of the first rules of retail.

Well, it's not really a 'scam' is it? Seems a reasonable way for a cash-strapped council to make a few quid.

Michelin-starred chef Nico Ladenis has died aged 89. His restaurant career started with the first Chez Nico on Lordship Lane in the mid-70s – where the Chinese restaurant 148 is now, I believe. https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/sep/11/nico-ladenis-obituary

Not really – most people on here were really p*ssed off that Brick House Bakery had to walk away because of the rent increase. I was too.