Family Friendly Caf? in East Dulwich

[AnnieFen]

We are looking to start an exciting new family friendly caf? in East Dulwich with great coffee and enticing food. I would love to hear from anyone who has a view on location and in particular the block of shops on East Dulwich Road at the end of Goose Green. Any feedback or advice on finding and choosing a site would be greatly appreciated.

[Domitianus]

In light of the other current thread on children in cafes, this is almost amusingly timely. I am all for this and hope you find somewhere suitable. A little bit of appropriate segregation might work wonders. If I end up drifting into your cafe and am deafened by kids I will take it in my stride and accept full responsibility for putting myself in that position. It might mean that from time to time I can get a seat in Cafe Nero without having to move every ten seconds to let someone with a tank/pram get past. My prayers are answered! It must be because I went into a church this morning.

[AnnieFen]

hi there Domitianus. I have been following your thread and many of the sentiments raised I agree with. I think the point you raised about Bread of Life caf? is absolutely relevant. Our business plan, we hope, has a clear objective to be family friendly rather than child indulgent. I myself do not have children and hope to strike a healthy balance. I've found it useful reading your thread - thanks

[Domitianus]

A pleasure Annie. A point I think many different people didn't seem to pick up on is my request for balance, not for exclusion of families or kids from public places but a little restraint exercised by parents. I am an uncle of a five-year old myself and oftren baby-sit so am fully aware of the need to balance entertaining a child with being mindful of others around. Best of luck. Keep us posted on your progress.

[garykeene]

Do you mean the parade of shops at East Dulwich Road / Gowlett Road?

Plus points - plenty of footfall / traffic. Good demographics / plenty of demand in the area (look back through the various cafe threads). Not too much competition heading East (although the cfe on the Common may open before it snows). Playground next door.

Negatives - You'd be competing against The Green and All Fired Up (does decent coffee), plus at a stretch Petitou and Lucius & Richards. The forecourt / pavement often gets used as a back-up car park.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Apart from a greasy spoon in Nunhead, there is no good cafe there. You might do better trade - not that you wouldn't be welcome in East Dulwich but there is more competition.

[peckhamboy]

How about the area along Grove Vale/the station end of Melbourne Grove? I know there is a caff there already but it's more of a greasy spoon. And if you were to do take-away Monmouth coffee in the mornings I reckon you could make a killing...

The bottom of the new flats is still up for grabs opposite the station.

[James]

I reckon that place opposite the station would be a winner - the station itself is so manky and unloved that lots of people waiting for a train would be bound to pop in for a cuppa.

[Ganapati]

Here here, we need a good cafe in Nunhead. I think Cheltanham Road is ready for a nice cafe. I know so many young professionals and families priced out of ED that would practically live at a decent cafe in this part of Nunhead.

[monica]

There is a very good cafe as in greasy spoon in Nunhead,Crossways cafe its been there for 20 years,always had a good repuation and the food is good

[Ganapati]

Thanks. Not interested in (another) greasy spoon.

[Dodo1]

Why don'y we settle 2 discussions at once? You can open up in that parade of shops opposite the Plough DIY- then we wouldn't hear anymore about a M&S Simply Food!!

[monica]

Crossways is a cafe ganapati

[Scruffy Mummy]

Sounds like a great venture - you can never have enough cafe's in my book!

If you are looking for someone to do the cakes, the nice woman on Bellenden Road who has the cake shop on Saturdays does DIVINE cakes and chating to her on the weekend, she said she was looking to get her cakes in more outlets. Her shop is at 157 Bellenden Road, SE15 and is only open Saturdays but you can always drop her a line.

Anyway, I think that parade has a lot going for it - but, as was said you will have some compeitition from both All Fired Up and the Green. However, All Fired up is more into the cermic painting thing rather than being an all round cafe i.e. they only do a limited range of food and the Green is more of a restaurant vibe and could do with abit of compeitition anyway to sharpen up their service/food/etc.

Like the idea of doing something on Grove Vale - I reckon there is alot of potential as you've got the train station with comuters in the morning and evening, and people on way to Sainbury's etc. And no compeition really - except a small greasy spoon.

[SimonM]

>>except a small greasy spoon.<<

It is though a very good "greasy spoon" (tu) - and not that small inside anyway - which is long established and quite popular...:)) Has the cafe roughly midway between the Green and the ceramic painting place now closed?

[Scruffy Mummy]

no still open but I've been there several times and the Nescafe Coffee puts off alot of potential punters I reckon. Plus the plastic chairs are abit uncomfy. However, it's always busy and a good 'after swimming' with the kids place.

The cafe on Grove Vale is very well-established and does a nice fry up but again, like alot of the greasy spoons has a different target market than the target market that I reckon these folks are aiming at. Both the traditional cafe and trendy cafe have a place in East Dulwich and more than enough punters wanting different types of dining/cafe experience to be successful.

[SimonM]

>>Both the traditional cafe and trendy cafe have a place in East Dulwich and more than enough punters wanting different >>types of dining/cafe experience to be successful.<<

Yes I agree, but thinking of how many cafes there are already in ED - and I just mean "cafes" both trendy/traditional and excluding all the restaurant/bistro/pubs-with-food/full meals joints - I wonder if we are getting close to saturation point?

[AnnieFen]

Thanks for all these comments - its been really helpful. Does anyone have views on the best non greasy spoon caf?s in ED? Going to check out Nunhead shortly as well. Thanks again for feedback.

[macroban]

> but thinking of how many cafes there are already in ED - and I just mean "cafes" both trendy/traditional and excluding all the restaurant/bistro/pubs-with-food/full meals joints - I wonder if we are getting close to saturation point?

I wonder how many will survive the forthcoming recession.

[Ganapati]

AnnieFen--PLEASE check out Nunhead. I'm talking about Cheltenham Road at the end toward the greasy spoon cafe (it just changed ownership and can't remember the name of it). I think there is even a site for it in what used to be called Mumtaz. It was a post office at one point (or post office outlet). That little triangle of Nunhead has tons of families/young professionals who have been pushed out of ED etc. and who moan on a regular basis of the lack of amenities in the area. Monica--I love a greasy spoon as much as the other person, but sometimes you do want more than eggs and chips.