bonaome

lulujames89 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > We have just had our architectural drawings and > room plans completed for a home renovation project > in East Dulwich. We are looking at getting some > quotes from builders for a home renovation. > Recommendations please (and ideally builders that > people have used themselves)! Martins - https://www.martinsbuilders.com - 020 8670 5771 - [email protected] Did a very complicated side return for us whereby they basically had to chop off the back of the house and rebuild it from scratch. They reused a lot of the old bricks and found matching London stock. They did a fabulous job. It ran to the penny budget wise and the only delays to schedule were caused by us! My other tip would be to re-engage your architect. Consider getting them to put together the tender for you. Our architect (Stephen Turvey) did this which meant when we got quotes back we knew we were definitely comparing like for like. He did a very thorough job too which meant that as we progressed there was never any surprise extras. We also had him project manage the build for us. I have done refurbs elsewhere, managing it all myself and I'd never do it again - using the architect for it was not that expensive and was worth every single penny. Back to builders though - Martin's were brilliant throughout and I recommend them.

Cyclemonkey Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Do they? Apart from people with disabilities who > needs to drive to the fishmongers or for a meal > out. Note the word need here not preference or > convenience. Absolutely no one NEEDS Lordship Lane. But Lordship Lane needs people. Many (I have no idea how many, but it?s your word so let?s go with it) won?t come if they can?t drive. The family with a couple of toddlers. The child with their now aged parents. The parents who are in between dropping child A off at the leisure centre to swim whilst child B needs to be picked up 30 minutes later from football on the Rye. Pretty much anyone from Nunhed.

Cyclemonkey Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Well they might drive here but many don't need to. > The public transport is perfectly decent. > Drivers complaining about congestion and parking > always amuse me - the solution is in your hands. But many do need to drive here, don't they, Cyclemonkey?

Bony Fido Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This all just shows how ridiculous was the > decision to close the bus stop when the barriers > were installed - the barriers were not as wide as > the row of parked vehicles, and now, having > restored the parking, we have the potential > hazards of vehicle doors being opened into the > stream of traffic, and of pedestrians venturing > into the road from between parked vehicles - > altogether things are a lot more hazardous now > than when the barriers were there. It would make > more sense on safety grounds to close the bus stop > now !! ( Not that i'm suggesting they should...) The closure of the bus stop had nothing to do with the widening of the opposite pavement. It was closed because it is very close to the building it?s in front of and there wasn?t enough room for people to pass allowing for social distancing if people were waiting at the bus stop. There was a sign on the bus stop explaining this.

@Sue, @Rahrahrah - The closure of the bus stop outside the cinema was not connected to the widening of the pavement opposite. It was closed because there wasn't enough space to pass by the bus stop and allow for social distancing requirements. There was a notice on the bus stop that explained this. @cyclemonkey - yes, I would say people do drive to the area, based on the pattern of parking across the week. If I'm looking for a parking space in the daytime Monday to Friday, there'll be spaces on Bawdale (our street) or if not then nearby on Fellbrigg, or at least on Whately or Hansler. On Sundays, less so - probably only on Whately unless you hit lucky. On Saturdays not a hope of anything closer than the back end of Sylvester unless you hit very lucky indeed. Pre-pandemic that pattern was slightly different. It used to be a lot busier in the evenings, especially Thurs-Sat when the cinema was in full swing. When everything was closed in the OG lockdown, there was acres of empty curbside. So I think, YES, people do drive to the area to use the shops, cafes and restaurants and cinema.

rahrahrah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I take it back. The line of parked cars actually > extend out further than the pavement extension > did. Why did they close the bus stop in the first > place? Because there isn't enough space between the bus shelter and the wall to allow for social distancing - as per the recommendations at the time the bust stop was closed. For clarity, the closure of the bus stop had nothing whatsoever to do with the pavement on the other side of the street.

Hopefully this will change with Everyone Active?s Step 4 changes on Monday. The problem is people who book and then don?t turn up but don?t cancel. It doesn?t seem to be a problem at many other centres. At Dulwich, they need to a) do something about persistent offenders - if there are any and b) have a better system for opening up last minute spaces. E.g. could they not have a 10 min cut off for no-shows and then start letting people in on a first come first in basis? @cantthinkofaname - if not too far to go, looking right now, there?s loads of bookable spots at The Castle Centre and Peckham Pulse today and over the next week, and loads of spots open at Camberwell all week, apart from today.

A&E are actually taking fixed appointments at the moment. Access through calling 111. My experience ... I tore a calf muscle a few weeks ago (running - stupid idea) called 111 (thought I'd snapped my Achille's) spent 10 mins convincing them that I didn't have covid (screening questionnaire) got to speak to a Dr, who then referred me to King's A&E with fixed appointment - I was to turn up at 19:38 (note the very specific time). Turned up, couple of minutes early. Hand gel in reception, social distancing in place, I registered my arrival with receptionist and has just taken my coat off to sit in the socially distanced waiting area - I hadn't even sat down - when I was called to see the Dr. I'm sure I'd have got absolutely nowhere with my GP so I think I was lucky it happened on a Sunday really, otherwise 111 might have just referred me to GP. @Pugwash - Might be helpful if there's further health problems with your relative, albeit their issues are obviously significantly more complicated than a torn muscle.

The Apple version is called screen time. First you need to set up a family group (of Apple IDs) https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201088 Then you can simply control everything under Screen Time; https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201304 You can control which apps they can use, and when, and for how long. It's very easy to follow the instructions - they have pictures of which things to tap etc. And if you get stuck you Apple will help on chat or on the phone https://getsupport.apple.com/

Pete has replaced some broken tiles on our bathroom floor, re-tiled the niche in our shower and fixed the long term problem with it holding water, and retiled the floor in the loft shower room. Everything looks perfect and he came up with some great solutions to some problems we were not expecting (like the replacement tiles I bought being a very slightly different size to the originals). Prompt start, every day. Each evening left his work area tidy and clean. Left the finished site spotless. I would definitely use him again, and I can recommend him without hesitation.

JAGS Sports Club and Dulwich College Sports Club have a number of teachers that use the facilities to do private lessons. But other recent threads here, would indicate that until pool use returns to normal there's no availability. There's people further afield I can recommend - Blackfriars, Victoria, Tower Hill, perhaps London Bridge. So if the travel isn't an issue PM me and I can send you details of where to look.

first mate Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Why is it that on the cycle hangar commonplace map > you can ask for a cycle hangar but as a resident > on the same street you cannot object to it. Again, > seems anyone can ask for hangars and state there > is terrific demand without any proper analysis. > Totally undemocratic. Completely agree.

We have aluminium framed windows in the front of our Victorian house and I would like to replace with timber sash. Any recommendations / advice on ... - Who to get quotes from? - Accoya or hardwood? (I'm leaning towards accoya). Mucha appreciated.

Beckenham Spa has a small pool with a moveable floor they use for babies and which they heat to a suitable temp.

I think it might be worth speaking to Citizen's Advice - if you can get an appointment. I suspect in accepting the vouchers you actually lost your claim to a full refund under the frustrated contract method - but maybe not, and that's why I'd speak to CAB. If it were me, tbh, I'd just write to them with a 'Letter before action' (google it) setting out what's gone wrong and why, stating that you have become aware that you ought to have been offered a full refund initially as your contract was frustrated, that their remedy offered is unacceptable because of XXX and that you'd like them to do YYY within 14 days or you'll begin proceedings in County Court. There are templates available online for the letter. I'd probably just ask for the full refund, but you could ask for a voucher to cover the lost value or cover a similar course (regardless of their increased prices!!). I think your money back would be easiest. Good luck - and do post on how you get on.

Betty orange - They can use the public swimming sessions too. These are not lane swimming sessions and probably better for bigger kids than the family session which tend to be toddlers, babies and younger kids. There?s also Camberwell, Peckham Pulse and The Castle Centre at the Elephant they could use and which might have public sessions at different times. The easiest way to check and book is via the everyone active app. Finally there?s also Forest Hill. All of them easy to get to on buses from lordship lane.

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lucerne Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Gah what a demoralising little thread this is at > the end of the year we (& that lovely little cafe > and all others like it) have had and thank the > lord for those of you who chipped up and agree. > little cafes like this one and little tables > outdoors (for the paltry few weeks of the looong > year that's actually possible in UK weather) are > what make ED ED. > > Please redirect all this energy to causes worthy > of such indignation. What Lucerne said

Have a look at what JAGS Sports Club and Dulwich College Sports Club are offering. May not have the details available yet though. The teaching is good and 1:1s are available. If you can go out of the area then Swimming Nature are very good. http://www.swimmingnature.com/sn-public/ They certainly have courses at the Queen Mum in Victoria. You don't have to wait for the summer if you want 1:1s - again, JAGS and DC Sports Clubs both have teachers who offer 1:1s and who can assess the swimming ability and give you an idea of the sort of progress you might expect over what sort of timeframe.

sue k harding Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > mmmmmmm my app still isn't working Delete it and re-install it.

Scouts, girlguides, but mostly the local schools. If you're 18+ you can do Gold direct. AFAIK it's all on hold with everyone because of covid

The app is also working again now.

When you say private, do you mean one-to-one? If that's because your kid is very nervous they may benefit from starting at Beckenham Spa - in the group lessons which means they'll be in with "friends". The teaching pool is warm as a bath and the floor is moveable so they start the tiny ones off just walking across the pool. Before you know it they are dunking them in the deep end of the main pool and have them doggy paddling back. It's well over 10 years since we did this but the teaching then was superb and I know the facilities are still excellent. So may be worth a look. If you do mean one-to-one Beckenham may still be able to connect you to a teacher. JAGS Sports Club certainly can - give them a ring on 020 8613 6500. Dulwich College also has a sports club and there is private swim teaching out of there - https://www.dcsportsclub.co.uk/freelance-swimming/ Both JAGS SC and DCSC do group lessons too but I think the kids may have to already be 4 before they can go on the waiting lists for group lessons. Finally there's also Tigersharks locally - group only, I think, but they do take very little ones, I believe / and you can go with them. Otherwise there are people like Swimming Nature who are good, but not local. Hope that helps, and drop me a PM if you don't get anywhere / want to talk. I've been involved with kids swimming for a long time now, but I'm afraid I am not a teacher.

Quite a lot of people we know, including ourselves, have taken advantage of the superb primaries in the area and then gone private for the transition to secondary. There are good private schools that are not pressure cookers. St Dunstan's and Sydenham High both get good results but are by no means exam factories and offer lots of choice to nurture interests both academically and non-academically. Some of the local state secondaries are fabulous, but of no use to you if you know you won't get into them from where you live. We hoped for state secondary, were aware that we might not get anything we wanted, made a back up plan for private secondary, and in the end our daughter liked the school (Sydenham High) so much that we decided it was the right place for her anyway, regardless of the state offer outcome. If you have more than one, bear in mind you'll very likely want them to go to the same place. It just makes life logistically less challenging. You'll also get a discount after first kid. Nevertheless 2 kids in private school is a lot of money. And for your kids' long term outcomes, you may be better off investing that money into shares for them in a trust fund for when they reach adulthood. Much will depend on how much of an 'absolutely not' your likely state secondaries are. Finally - it's easy to argue from the extremes on this. We all know of kids who've been private all through and come out of it unable to hold a fork and a conversation at the same time. And equally kids who went to failing schools in sink estates where every lesson was disrupted by trouble, and who nevertheless went on to excel academically. But on the whole, private schools get better results, have better facilities, offer more choice to support kids' interests, and are better able to get the best outcomes for kids - exactly because they have better facilities, smaller classes, and less in-class disruption to have to deal with which makes more time and space for teaching and the bit that really makes the difference, discussion about what's been taught. Good luck, whatever you decide.

Interesting. So if I am interpreting those results correctly, the evidence is incontrovertible that if all the people who've ever cycled or walked or skipped or scootered (non-electric) or swam (when the floods were on) through the Herne Hill underpass, had in in fact done that at the same time, each person in their own individual articulated stretch lorry, the queue would have gone all the way to JAGS and back and therefore it's just as well those people who keep cycling up and down Melbourne Grove have nothing better to do. I think I've got it. The LTNs are here to stay.