cafe nero - petition

[Brendan]

I still don?t completely get the William Rose thing (the idea that it is such a significant omen of upward mobility). Why is a butchers considered so ?posh?. Yeah they do organic produce but surely any butcher shop in London would do the same these days. It is just supply and demand. The stuff starts appearing in the market where the butchers get their meat, they buy some and find out it sells, so they start stocking it regularly.

If they had been there for 50 years surely it wouldn?t be any different as, presumably, they would have kept up with the current market.

I understand that there is the novelty and (unfortunately with so many people) the snob value of buying from the ?organic butchers? but surely if they were an old established business that had never been forced out by the supermarkets they would still be selling what is available and what their customers want.

Ironically those who buy from a place like William Rose for the snob value are the same sort of people who were flocking to the supermarkets 25 years ago to get their meat in pre-packed plastic containers because it made them oh-so-much-better than everyone else.

[Administrator]

This is not directed at any user in particular but just a reminder that this thread is about the petition at Caffe Nero.

A new and related discussion has been started entitled Who started the regeneration of East Dulwich as a shopping centre? should you be interested.

[BJL]

Keef Wrote:

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> Hmm maybe, but I don't think that yep the mission

> they set out with for the good of ED. I suspect

> that's just where they could get hold of a shop.

I seem to remember that WR moved here from Kennington because they said that the congestion charge was hurting their business. It was a lingerie shop before that.

[Keef]

Yeah and a very weird one too. Zebedee Tring, I wasn't wishing WR anything other than good luck, I was just poking fun at Sean.

Aaanyway, Cafe Nero... Nah, can't bring myself to really give a toss. If forced to vote, I'd vote for them to stay, but couldn't really care either way.

[lozzyloz]

When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have neither, apply for retrospective planning permission.

[Maurice]

Love it!

[Emily]

No darling, I'm more a pictures person.

[lozzyloz]

Ohh! You write for AREA Magazine?

[Administrator]

Please try and stay on topic for the benefit of the majority.

[Emily]

I've never heard of AREA.

[dc]

Zebedee Tring Wrote:

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> So if the Committee refused permission against

> officer advice, Caffe Nero are bound to win their

> appeal and possibly get costs as well.

Not necessarily. If councillors had to follow officer recommendations in every case there would be no point in having a committee for more controversial decisions.

My confusion remains that the officer guidance stated that if permission was granted a situation of less than 50% retail would not occur but when the decision was reached the reasons for refusal stated that a less than 50% retail situation would occur if permission had been granted. Just not sure what happened twixt cup and lip.

Anyway, as far as I can tell looking at this, no appeal has been lodged and Nero are way over the period allowed for making one (six months).

[Frisco]

"Not necessarily. If councillors had to follow officer recommendations in every case there would be no point in having a committee for more controversial decisions."

However, in making their decisions, particularly if it goes counter to the planning officer's advice, councillors should probably be very mindful of local public opinion when they assert their independence of thought and action. Also, I'm not sure that this could be considered a particularly controversial matter.

[Moos]

Hello. New poster here, please be kind.

I agree with the poster that argued that those who don't like Caffe Nero/chains are those that are fulminating most loudly against the law being broken, and those that do like Caffe Nero are those shrugging their shoulders a bit over the regulation-flouting. I'll state my bias in advance: I love Caffe Nero, they do the best hot chocolate in the universe, there's room for my buggy and the lovely staff smile at my son.

Is there an argument that the rules should take local opinion into consideration? If a very large number of people feel that an establishment is worth having, then it should be allowed to stay, and (as someone suggested) get fined instead of shut?

[Sue]

I was very against the idea of Cafe Nero coming to ED, but hey, I have to admit, despite only having been in there once on a cold and rainy Sunday, it was very nice lounging about with free papers and a hot chocolate and watching the rest of ED walk past .......

Now Foxtons, that's a different kettle of fish ..... HTF was that allowed to happen ??????

[Frisco]

I went in today, and I signed the petition while I was there.