Jump to content

Recommended Posts

siousxiesue Wrote:

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

> I seem to remember John posting on here looking

> for interested parties to take over the

> lease/business when he goes, can't find it.


http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,1858837,1864776#msg-1864776


DulwichFox

RubyGraeme Wrote:

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

> I think the freehold is owned by John, a community

> run bookshop sounds a brilliant idea....along the

> lines of The Ivy? Is there anyone out there who

> can advise?



The Ivy House had grants and loans.


Its community shares are only a relatively small part of its finances.


And the turnover/profit on a pub is surely far far greater than anything a bookshop is likely to achieve, particularly given it is competing with the likes of Amazon, let alone Kindles etc.


Plus, it may sound a brilliant idea, but it needs a strong core of very committed and very hardworking people to make it succeed.


The Ivy House had (and has) that, and has gone from strength to strength, but I'm not convinced a small bookshop could work on a similar model.

tomskip Wrote:

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

> It will be a significant loss to Lordship Lane if

> it goes, but I can't see how any independent

> bookshops stay open these days.



Well there are quite a few independent bookshops staying open round here!


Apart from Chener, there is Rye Books in Upland Road, the bookshop in Bellenden Road, one in Dulwich Village, one in Crystal Palace. That's just off the top of my head.


ETA: And four of those are within easy walking distance of my house.

Penguin68 Wrote:

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

> And the money for the rent and a manager would

> come from where?

>

> Presumably from the revenues and profits of being

> a bookshop?



Being run by volunteers? Unpaid volunteers? As in a charity shop?


Do you have any examples of this working anywhere as a financially viable concern? In an area with rents on a level similar to those in Lordship Lane?


It would be nice to think it could work, but I really can't see it.

Sue Wrote:

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

> tomskip Wrote:

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

> -----

> > It will be a significant loss to Lordship Lane

> if

> > it goes, but I can't see how any independent

> > bookshops stay open these days.

>

>

> Well there are quite a few independent bookshops

> staying open round here!

>

> Apart from Chener, there is Rye Books in Upland

> Road, the bookshop in Bellenden Road, one in

> Dulwich Village, one in Crystal Palace. That's

> just off the top of my head.

>

> ETA: And four of those are within easy walking

> distance of my house.


Yes, and one in West Dulwich too. I am surprised they can all stay open, given Amazon et al. Something like 50% of independent bookshops have closed in the past 10 years.

Abe_froeman Wrote:

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

> Apparently the Homemade Kitchen cake shop being

> stripped out on North Cross Road is going to

> become a book shop too.



Really? With two others within a five minute walk of it?


That seems strange, unless it is going to be very specialised.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • There's probably a bigger discussion on why we celebrate Christmas (pagan/religious festival) and why everything has to shut down.  I've enjoyed Xmas days in Spain, Mexico and France where some businesses and restaurants are open, and in a number of non-Christrian countries.  In both sets of occasions it has been festive, but not over the top and the Spanish seem to have a more relaxed attitude in a country where the church is probably more important than the UK.  A Lounge conversation.  I'll no doubt be popping into the Forest Hill Road supermarket on Xmas day for things we have forgotten, with many others in a similar situation who grew up in the Christian faith (I've long since been an atheist).   
    • Would anyone have ends of balls of wool, any colour, to mend an old blanket? Any colour? With thanks Mila
    • I’m not a Gail’s fan but there’s no reason a business shouldn’t open on Christmas Day. However, nobody should be compelled to work the day which, given the widespread coverage of Gail’s questionable employment practices, has to be a possibility here.  The only business I ever use on the 25th is maybe a pub and that’s a rarity these days but buses running would be very welcome for visiting etc. But the swings in the park should definitely remain chained up. Are parks even open on Christmas Day?
    • To be honest, pal, it's not good being a fan of a local business and then not go there. One on hand, the barber shop literally next door to Romeo Jones started serving coffee. The Crown and Greyhound and Rocca serve coffee. Redemption Coffee opened up not far away, and then also Megan's next door to that. DVillage was serving coffee (but wasn't very popular), as was Au Ciel (which is). Maybe also Heritage Cheese, I don't know. There's also Flotsam and Jetsam doing coffee and sandwiches at Dulwich Picture Gallery in the other direction. The whole of Dulwich Village serves coffee. And yet on the other hand, there are enough punters to support all good coffee shops. With the exception of Rocca and Megan's (which are both big spaces) and C&G (which does coffee like everything else - slow and with bad service), all these places regularly get queues out the door. Gail's often has big queues and yet very few people crossed the street to Romeo Jones (which was much better)... Half the staff at Gail's are perfectly fine and efficient. The other half are pretty offhand and rude. It's certainly not welcoming or friendly service. But they're certainly hard working, and no doubt raking the money in for Luke Johnson...
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...