Green Cuisine Cookshop on Lordship Lane is closing down

[beesiler]

The Cookshop on Lordship Lane - Green Cuisine - is closing down. It is having a huge closing down sale - massive discounts off all items. Only until 5th March. No extensions. Green Cuisine Cookshop 7 Lordship Lane SE22 8EW 0208 693 7781

[alice]

well it had a good run - never thought it would last as long.

[DulwichFox]

Prices were ridiculous...

On one of the few times I was in there.. The counter assistant continued to talk.. laugh.. and joke

with her 'mate' on her mobile.. I looked around but could not find what I was looking for..

3 Times I tried to get the assistant's attention.. just standing there while she just nattered on..

So I walked out after 10 mins..

Really rude .. bad attitude.. Glad they are going..

DulwichFox

[Rosetta]

Maybe the sale prices are reasonable? It wasn't Sur La Table.

[Peg Board]

I have bought many things from Green Cuisine over the years and have only found the staff very helpful and knowledgable. They had everything from toothpicks for a couple of pounds right up to the Le Creuset cast iron pots which are never exactly cheap anywhere. I even once got free packing boxes which I needed when the manager advertised them on the forum.

I think that it is great shame that a local independent retailer is having to close for whatever reason. If we keep losing shops like this then our individual high street will become homogenised. It must be very difficult for small retailers to compete with the retail giants such as John Lewis etc.

Peg Board

[MissSusie]

It's a real shame that they're going. I really liked their colourful window and I used to go in when I wanted gift inspiration. The staff were always pleasant and helpful and they would normally find me something a bit different in my price range.

[erek22]

I've worked at Green Cuisine for a year and a half now and I'm still finding myself in shock that it's actually closing down... I've absolutely loved working there. I want to say thank you to everyone I've met through it. It being my first job, I'm thankful for how much I've learnt. I've loved meeting new people and having a good laugh with the jolly people of Dulwich! It's makes me laugh the amount of times I've heard aomeone saying that they could spend all day in a shop like Green Cuisine because there's so many different things to look at! It won't be the same without it on Lordship Lane, and I'm very glad that I've had the wonderful opportunity of working there, seeing the regulars, entertaining children whilst their parents browse, and gaining such important experience. Let's remember one important thing here: we need to support local businesses and make sure we keep our area unique. Dulwich is such a wonderful place because of the huge range of interesting shops it holds. Thank you Green Cuisine - for the time you've been here you've done a damn good job!

[Louisa]

Unfortunately the dream of keeping a high street mostly independent doesn't add up with the realities of high rents and cheaper competition from chains. You have to be offering something totally unique and yes pricing needs to be competitive. Many of the independent shops locally are offering overpriced goods which one could get elsewhere much cheaper, and people will eventually stop going and buying stuff when they discover that reality. I understand and fully appreciate to pay the bills indies have to charge more, but that will always come at a cost inevitably. Fortunately for this small retail unit, the chances of a chain taking it on are incredibly small, so another indepdent may get a shot at it. Wouldn't mind seeing something useable like a Greggs personally, but I'll probably get hung drawn and quartered for saying that on here.

Louisa.

[Mystic Mog]

A Greggs would be great, please not another restaurant or cafe!

[Sue]

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

Many of the independent shops locally

> are offering overpriced goods which one could get

> elsewhere much cheaper,

Apart from Green Cuisine, who did you have in mind, and what are they selling which you could get elsewhere much cheaper?

Not saying you're wrong, just interested to know, as the independent shops I go into round here have stuff I don't see anywhere else, though you could probably find it online if you tried.

[Louisa]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Louisa Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> Many of the independent shops locally

> > are offering overpriced goods which one could

> get

> > elsewhere much cheaper,

>

>

> Apart from Green Cuisine, who did you have in

> mind, and what are they selling which you could

> get elsewhere much cheaper?

>

> Not saying you're wrong, just interested to know,

> as the independent shops I go into round here

> have stuff I don't see anywhere else, though you

> could probably find it online if you tried.

Sue, I think with the exception of Farmers and Londis, I could buy most of my items cheaper elsewhere. Cheese, meat, fish, bread, canned groceries, cooked deli items, the list is genuinely endless. If you are wanting one off items which you may struggle to find elsewhere then yes, perhaps to some degree you'll find the, easier in some of the local indies, but when it comes to day to day items you'll find cheaper examples AND independent ones at that, on your doorstep. Always used Sopers over Moxons, much cheaper. Good example, but not the only one.

Louisa.

[Louisa]

And to add to this, my theory of long standing independents surviving a very long time (Ayres, Sopers, Rudd's, Farmers, ) for decades, and other new independents lasting under a decade and losing down, well it speaks volumes.

Louisa.

[DulwichFox]

Peg Board Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have bought many things from Green Cuisine over

> the years and have only found the staff very

> helpful and knowledgable. They had everything from

> toothpicks for a couple of pounds right up to the

Le Creuset cast iron pots which are never exactly

cheap anywhere.

I even once got free packing boxes

which I needed when the manager advertised them on

the forum.

>

> I think that it is great shame that a local

> independent retailer is having to close for

> whatever reason. If we keep losing shops like this

> then our individual high street will become

> homogenised. It must be very difficult for small

> retailers to compete with the retail giants such

> as John Lewis etc.

>

> Peg Board

Yes it is true that Le Creuset cast iron pots are never exactly cheap anywhere.

but their mark up was over the top..

I saw the boxes outside the shop .. dozens of them.. Offering them for free was useful

but did save them the cost of having to pay to have someone take them away.

Small shops like this are best suited to things like Art Galleries selling Local Artists work

(Paintings.. Drawings... Ceramics.. )who can charge what they want for unique items..

Foxy

[EPB]

Just for the record, ROullier White sell a traditional washing-up brush for ?4.00. In Farmers the identical brush is about ?2.50.

[nxjen]

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> And to add to this, my theory of long standing

> independents surviving a very long time (Ayres,

> Sopers, Rudd's, Farmers, ) for decades, and other

> new independents lasting under a decade and losing

> down, well it speaks volumes.

>

> Louisa.

They may have survived a long time because their lease arrangements are more advantageous OR they own the freehold.