You know those bars and restaurants...

[StraferJack]

... That people complain about on here?

Specifically I'm thinking of the bishop, the actress, green and blue

They listened to complaints on here and in many cases adapted accordingly

I have respect for those businesses. Those or ones like them

They get my money. Money which local business appreciated in hard economic times

Good on them I say

[annabel42]

I will not go to any restaurant, bar or pub which refuses to be discussed on this or any other forum.

[Chippy Minton]

Hear, hear SJ.

On occassion I enjoy and frequent the bishop, the actress and green and blue. And others like them.

Of course, there are other places that I have stopped going to.

[Loz]

If you've nothing to hide, don't hide. On the other hand...

[StraferJack]

Of course if any business decided to adopt a "it's 2012, we've read about superinjunctions backfiring on celebs, but we're SPECIAL approach" one shouldn't post anything negative on here

There are, after all, a plethora of multinational websites (and suitably equipped legal teams) where one could post away, happy as larry.

Time out

Trip advisor

London eating

Top table

Och, there's LOADS. So, y'know, do that. But only if you find a bad restaurant. Which I doubt there is in dulwich. Maybe you've been to cricklewood and had a bad experience tho

[Jeremy]

SJ, I reckon you're 100% correct. If you listen to your feedback and adapt, and engage with the local community, it will pay dividends.

The two establishments - which have requested that all posts mentioning them are deleted - are probably going to suffer because of it.

[StraferJack]

"The two establishments - which have requested that all posts mentioning them are deleted - are probably going to suffer because of it."

I'm going to do my bit Jeremy. Standing outside with "careful now" and "down with this sort of thing"

[LuLu Too]

I am utterly taken aback by the attitude of The Establishment That Shall Not Be Named on this forum.

And so I'm with annabel42 and SJ on this one.

And yes, respect to those other local bars & restaurants that are prepared to accept and respond to criticism via the EDF.

Canvas & Cream are another (fairly) local business that was also willing to post in response to negative feedback - along with those mentioned above.

I know where to take my custom.

[Annette Curtain]

Two establishments which cannot & will not be named or even uttered, for fear of being sent to a penal colony

( I nearly wrote 'penile' which was fun )

I know of one (the one of the suspended refractive glass illumination) but pray, which other is caressing the gimp mask of free speech

Do tell (in code of course)

Netts

[*Bob*]

Is the other one 'that' one?

The one that sells the things? To the people?

[showboat]

Fabric is the other. No idea why.

[Annette Curtain]

Which one do you mean *Bab*

The big fat one

Or the other one that requires a lot of dusting ?

(this is rather exhausting)

[Salsaboy]

Just spit it out. What's the worst that can happen???

[Help-Ma-Boab]

The Brakes might get put on...

Salsaboy Wrote:

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

> Just spit it out. What's the worst that can

> happen???

[guna nua]

Right! That's it, I'm never going to that silly cake shop or that new restaurant on Melbourne Grove and as for that fabric shop I wouldn't touch it with a metre stick

[????]

they haven't got that much muscle surely. I for one would be willing to put my hand in my pocket to defend the EDF against such threats from what is a shitty establishment anyway. Let's collectively call their bluff!

[Loz]

I say we just take piss out of a couple of (cough) imaginary local establishments. Say the "Ostentatious Lightfitting" and the "Huge Obese Athenian"?

[Salsaboy]

What Quids said. Rise up and start the Revolution!

[*Bob*]

Places get the online reputation they deserve because they deserve that reputation, not because of a lone marksman on a grassy knoll.

How many times has an establishment suffered some sort lambasting from someone or other on here, only for that place to be defended by a load of other people wading-in to balance the argument?

If several thousand potential customers can't find it within themselves to add balance (like they do with most other businesses) then - as the business in question - you have to ask yourself why, not bury your head in the sand.

Ultimately, if you can't turn a resource like this into an opportunity instead of a threat, then the future does not look bright.

[silverfox]

The business in question does make an illuminating point however: how does a business, especially a small business, respond to the rise of social media?

Twitter, Facebook and online forums allow for instant feedback, positive and negative. In the negative sense the post/tweet has often been sent in haste and anger and would have been better advised not to have been sent immediately, but after calm reflection. Many businesses now have social media units which, while good for job creation and beneficial as an additional route to receive and process new orders, it can also be a strain on the resources of small businesses with employees monitoring comments about the business rather than serving tea and cakes for example.

The ability for a customer can complain about an issue and within a few minutes share his or her complaint with several others who then decide to withdraw future custom from that business, often without the benefit of the full facts, is a worry for any business.

HOWEVER, this is the modern world. It is up to a business to improve its PR and find ways to deal with this. A company cannot silence free speech. If it feels it has been libelled there are remedies under Civil Law.

I doubt the request published in full by Admin has any legal standing. It would be a bit like saying disgruntled customers cannot complain to BBC's Watchdog or Rogue Traders. On the other hand I understand that the forum does not wish to become embroiled in possible legal litigation and being held liable for 'repeating the lie' as libel laws would have it.

If the EDF needs to start a 'Goldenballs' type fund, count me in for a contribution.

[Otta]

They could join in with the social media and try to take things on board, or explain why things are as they are.

To demand that they are never again mentioned on the local forum for their area is just so shirt sighted, and basically just serves to make them look stupid.

[giggirl]

silverfox Wrote:

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

> ....

> I doubt the request published in full by Admin has

> any legal standing....

Could someone please point me in the direction of this.

[red devil]

Sticky thread at top of ED Business section...

[steveo]

However, if I was a family trying to start up say, a Greek restaurant and had invested a load of time and money and was most of the time serving up fine food and wine, and a disproportionate number of moaning tw*ts were finding fault with it, I might also throw my toys far from my pram.

[*Bob*]

Anyway it's not really worth getting that hot-and-bothered about, is it?

I never quite understood the how-very-dare-they-not-present-themselves-before-us-for-divine-judgement attitude.

Up to them. Their loss.