Bonnie's florist shut down

[teddyboy23]

Bonnie's florist shut down. Another greedy landlord wanting more money

[Sue]

Was that the reason?

They had quite a bit of competition locally, with the florist by the roundabout and one on North Cross Road, and now M&S also selling cut flowers (whose quality in my experience is better than some of Bonnie's was, unfortunately).

[teddyboy23]

Yes sue it was the landlord wanting more money the people renting the shop wanted to stay on .but not at the new rent

[Sue]

:(

[Jennys]

So sad. The shop that used to be the cookware shop is still empty. I might be wrong but I seem to remember that was also when the landlord wanted more rent.

[NewWave]

Greedy B*****ds this is why our high streets are all becoming hideous homogenised parades of coffee shop chains and

estate agents.

Im starting to hate London...why can't we be more like paris with neighbourhoods boating lovely independent traders?

[Mystic Mog]

How sad, lovely shop with great staff and brilliant service. Will certainly miss them.

[peterstorm1985]

NewWave Wrote:

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

> Greedy B*****ds this is why our high streets are

> all becoming hideous homogenised parades of coffee

> shop chains and

> estate agents.

> Im starting to hate London...why can't we be more

> like paris with neighbourhoods boating lovely

> independent traders?

Is it really greedy landlords or cheapskate punters? There are far more people living in ED than when Bonnie's first opened and a proportionate increase in trade may well have supported a higher rent. But if those extra people choose to buy their flowers somewhere else it doesn't work. The Co-op sells flowers and now M&S; no independent will ever match their prices. We all make choices in how we spend our money. If we want local independent shops we need to use them. Unfortunately in this country we often value cheapness over customer service (which is why Amazon does so well).

[Sue]

It's not just about price, it's also about quality.

I wouldn't see the Co-op's flowers as being much of a threat to a florist, but M&S are.

Unfortunately I stopped using Bonnie's after I had more than one bunch of lilies which collapsed as soon as they were taken out of their cellophane wrapping. Their stems just bent double.

[Pugwash]

We always use the Florist at the corner of Barry Road and Lordship Lane. Very friendly and helpful, have purchased may a bouquet and plants there over the years.

[dc]

Not sure it is closing down.

?New Year, New Floor, New Ceiling, New beginnings? doesn?t have the ring of a closing down notice to me.

Personally I?ve always found Bonnie?s to be excellent and I hope, therefore, that my surmise is correct.

Platform 1 has gone though, apparently.

[tomskip]

What is or was Platform 1?

[Sue]

tomskip Wrote:

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

> What is or was Platform 1?

The place hosting pop-ups which started off with the unfortunate name of Pussy Liquor :))

[NewWave]

I wanted to go to Platform1 but it seemed never to be open..in order to sucseed a place needs to serve lunch and dinner these days, It just never appeared to keep regular opening days or times.

[Bic Basher]

One thing LL isn't short of is independent florists. As well as the one on the corner of Barry Road/LL, there's also Indaco's Flowers next to the Barcelona bar.

[paulu1973]

It's quite easy to blame the landlord for wanting to make more money. My thoughts are that if tenants aren't replaced then the landlord will be bearing the costs until filled. So in essence the person that owns the cookware shop is now losing money.

I agree with peterstorm, if you don't want your favourite independent to go go, then make sure you are a regular patron to them rather than whinging about bas$tard landlords. The onus isn't on the landlord but the consumer. If you don't want a costa or a chain then don't visit. At the same time please remember that these faceless high st chains employ local residents too. just because they are a chain doesn't mean they aren't helping the community

[NewWave]

paulu1973 Wrote:

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

> It's quite easy to blame the landlord for wanting

> to make more money. My thoughts are that if

> tenants aren't replaced then the landlord will be

> bearing the costs until filled. So in essence the

> person that owns the cookware shop is now losing

> money.

>

> I agree with peterstorm, if you don't want your

> favourite independent to go go, then make sure you

> are a regular patron to them rather than whinging

> about bas$tard landlords. The onus isn't on the

> landlord but the consumer. If you don't want a

> costa or a chain then don't visit. At the same

> time please remember that these faceless high st

> chains employ local residents too. just because

> they are a chain doesn't mean they aren't helping

> the community

I actually DO go out of my way to support local independent businesses so PLEASE don't accuse me of whingeing about greedy b****ard landlords without actually spending money in the local shops.

I'd never buy flowers in M&S but would go to the florist near Goose green.

All my perfumes come from Roulier White rather than sending my OH into town to buy in a dept store.

I personally try to buy and support independent and local whenever I can

[indiepanda]

NewWave Wrote:

> All my perfumes come from Roulier White rather

> than sending my OH into town to buy in a dept

> store.

> I personally try to buy and support independent

> and local whenever I can

Roulier White has a better selection of interesting perfumes than most department stores anyway so it's no hardship supporting them. I don't want to smell like everyone else.

I didn't use Bonnie's much as they aren't that close to me and I don't buy that many flowers anyway, but I've had some nice flowers from there in the past and they were helpful in suggesting some combinations of colours / flowers that I wouldn't have thought of that really worked.

I think there are powers for councils to bring unoccupied houses back into use, wish there was similar for commercial property. I don't like the idea of having lots of identikit large chains moving in (especially the chain coffee shops) but I like the idea of places sitting empty long term depressing too.

[mikeb]

I got some flowers a week ago from the ladies who used to run Sally's (now Odono's), who were as friendly as ever. They still seem to be making some money even without a shop. They were pretty clear though that a florist could no longer generate enough to pay the rents required on Lordship Lane.

[wee quinnie]

Are people sure its closed down??? My impression was that they were doing renovations. I think there is a sign up about carrying out repairs to the floor and ceiling.

[PSJ]

I passed it today and it is only closed for refurb.

[mimifantasia87]

its closing down and not for refurbishments 100% ...

[otter]

Trust me it is the greedy B------ landlords having had my own place there for years once it came up a bit and one started to make a little bit instead of just really making ends meet they went berserk!!! Plus I know for a fact that my landlord owned several of the shops free hold so was getting rent from all the others as well as the rent from the flats above-so yes they can hold off until someone is willing to take it on. Greedy yes very.

[monica]

Its being refitted. Not closing down

[nxjen]

Just saw sign in window saying ?Commercial Premises to Rent?. Very sad, I remember when it opened and has been a stalwart on LL for about 25 years.