Jump to content

Surma Curry House closed

Fitzgeraldo
 Share

Recommended Posts

Fitzgeraldo

Fitzgeraldo

Posted
Posted

Wandered down Lordship Lane today hoping for 'As much as you like buffet lunch' and was most disappointed to read a notice that the place had closed. Always called it 'The Beardie Boys' Curry House' as the proprietor and his sidekick both sported wonderful whiskers when I first started going there back in the 1980's.


What is happening to the place and why did it close? Is this closure symptomatic of the decline of the curry restaurant industry in the area? Will I be forced to consume ghastly pizza's instead of prawn dhansak whenever I fancy a cheapo down Lordship Lane?

Link to comment
https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/228987-surma-curry-house-closed/
Share on other sites
herne hilly

herne hilly

Posted
Posted

That is sad and sure this won't be the last of the what we see as the homogenisation of London.

Speaking from experience, immigrants of the 50s,60s,70s would open a business once they saved enough money be it Greeks-hair dressers/cafes/chip shops or Italians-restaurants/deli/coffee shop, Indians-news agents/corner shops or Pakistani's/bengali-curry houses, Chinese-take aways and this gave london its diverse culture. Now those people are at an age to retire, they will disappear.

Now its so expensive to start a business, the only people that can manage it are large companies or a very brave person willing to take the plunge.

Just look at the vitriol the olde sweet shop has had because its a franchise and the shop front its not to everyones taste.

Im sure the pizza would not be ghastly with its artisan sourdough sprinkled with Himalayan black salt and pepper from deepest darkest depths of Peru ;-)

Penguin68

Penguin68

Posted
Posted

Now those people are at an age to retire, they will disappear.


It is quite normal for businesses to be sold-on (where they are not kept in the family). One assumes that a business which isn't sold-on may no longer be viable. Fashions in e.g. food outlets change (as we have seen in LL). As do customers for food outlets.


It is true that some business types do disappear over time - and others emerge. Often in areas where rents etc. are cheaper - which is why the face of london is always changing. That's broadly a good thing. Think of the influx of Vietnamese and indeed Turkish restaurants in Kingsland Road (Hoxton) or of Portuguese restaurants in Newington. LL used to be the go-to place for 'Indian' restaurants - it's less so now, but there is still quality to be found, and now amidst other cuisines.

Penguin68

Penguin68

Posted
Posted
Certainly where you can pay catering staff a pittance (or less if they are family members) then the economics of running a business look better. I have rather mixed feelings about this - I love cheap 'Indian' food, (and the ingredients are certainly rarely expensive) - but I also quite like to see skill (properly) rewarded.
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Sue

Sue

Posted
Posted

DulwichFox Wrote:

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

> Work has commenced on The Old Surma place.

>

> No indication as to what it may become...

>



I thought it was to be a "health food" shop?


https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,2034842,2036063#msg-2036063

Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel

Posted
Posted

I can't think how many Surma chicken vindaloos have disappeared down my gullet over the years, certainly flocks of poultry and several tureens of highly spiced sauce were involved.


From time to time other exotic offerings would tempt me to veer off course but like a meth head I would always go back to the regular - my hot chicken.


Vishnu knows how many crates of Mr. Ali's plonk have left me wobbling and stranded at the top of those vertiginous stairs, considering sliding down on my arse.


Over many years, he fed me, tolerated my mates, gave us a large brandy at the end of the meal and sometimes aware of my predicament even gave me a lift home, and now my Monday evenings at 6.30 will never be the same.


So, goodbye the Surma and Mr. Ali, a great Dulwich institution has passed to be replaced by something I imagine will be considerably less spicy.

DulwichFox

DulwichFox

Posted
Posted

Sue Wrote:

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

> DulwichFox Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Work has commenced on The Old Surma place.

> >

> > No indication as to what it may become...

> >

>

>

> I thought it was to be a "health food" shop?

>

> https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?

> 30,2034842,2036063#msg-2036063


Yes Sue that is right. I think it was suggested elsewhere.


I was speaking with the Owner of Dulwich Tandoori who confirmed this.

It will be a small chain supposedly selling healthy Juices and the like

and not Pills and Vitamins as Holland and Barrett do.


But. Let's wait and see.


Foxy

  • 1 month later...

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
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Advertise Here

  • Latest Discussions

    • pecksniff
      Dancersize or other middle aged womens' exercise groups

      By pecksniff · Posted

      Have you tried Southwark's leisure centres? As a regular attendee at Peckham, Camberwell, The Castle and speaking to friends, the dance routines for all ages are similar to Silver ones. In addition Natty, Bianca and Isac are brilliant instructors. 
    • apocalypsedreams
      Aroma Lab

      By apocalypsedreams · Posted

      I've been there for lunch a few times and the home cooked asian food (as part of Sweat Dreams cafe) is genuinely great and a must try. I think the food side of the business has been slow to be noticed but people are now realising what is actually hidden in plain sight.  As for the Aroma Lab coffee ... it is excellent, they are very welcoming and friendly (and unpretentious!). This Australian coffee snob is mightily impressed!!  
    • Sue
      ED Nature Watch

      By Sue · Posted

      Do you mean put out things like live mealworms for the parents to feed to the young? Or that the parents will eat the food you put out and therefore can save "wild" live food for the young rather than eating it themselves? On another matter, several weeks ago I moved my bird feeders to another part of my (very small) garden because the area they were in was totally scratched up by pigeons, and I lost several plants I had had for decades and was very fond of 😭 It is now just bare earth with no plants,  and I've got to start again. And block up a fox hole in one corner. I suspect the foxes are tunnelling beneath the garden, as there are several holes. I hope the ground doesn't suddenly collapse beneath me! I cleaned everything and put in fresh seed, but so far all that has visited the new area (that I have actually seen)  is one rather fat sparrow. And a cat. Sitting hopefully beneath the feeders 🤬 No goldfinches (I have a niger seed feeder and have seen the occasional goldfinch in the garden) and no tits, though I've heard both blue tits and great tits nearby. Plus the flock of sparrows who used to come and seem to have deserted the garden. Hopefully they will find the feeders. I've cut back some of the greenery, which doesn't help, as they have less shelter. 
    • Sue
      Franklins is being sold

      By Sue · Posted

      So when will we find out? Is it going to be a big reveal on some specified day? If not, why can't you tell us now?! (I'm presuming you mean the new boss of Franklins. It would be too much to hope for that the Palmerston had a miraculous return to one of its better past incarnations. Never mind the food, they could bring back the lovely quirky painted column things of over twenty (?) years ago, and remove the hideous "art" that has sadly been installed. I feel really sorry for the staff, because it can't be just my partner and I who rarely go there any more. I suppose the only hope is that it does so badly that it changes hands again and that the new hands have better taste. Sorry, all off topic.)

East Dulwich Forum

Established in 2006, we are an online community discussion forum for people who live, work in and visit SE22.

Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

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