Grace and Favour is closing!

[buckleypink]

All the best Rose in your new venture. I was unable to pop into your store on Saturday to say goodbye so I hope you are reading this! You were always polite and friendly to me and my twin girls when we came into your store. I can't wait to see what your going to bring to East Dulwich. A little birdie told me residents around here won't be let down...

[wee quinnie]

Buckleypink...is the "little birdie" someone other than the person futher up this thread? I kind of got the impression, (possibly wrongly), that Rose would not be linked to this new venture - the writing on the window implies...farewell.

[buckleypink]

In response to Wee Quinnie, I was refering to what JoJobaby said above in the thread. I have no idea if Rose is linked to this apparent new venture. Sorry if what I wrote may above misled you or anyone else following this thread. Once again, I wish Rose nothing but the best in whatever she's doing!

[ladida]

Nice tea (most of the time)!

[couture]

Rose has another lovely shop in Hastings. Much larger, full of lovely home things, vintage, shabby French chic.

I've gone for days trips with my family many times and never fail to bring something

Back from her store. She said to me months ago she would

Let the east Dulwich store go.

Visit her in Hastings, you'll not be able to leave.

[fleur]

Sorry to see that the shop's closing, I'll miss it.Though it has lacked her character for a while.

What is Rose's shop in Hastings called? Will try to visit.

[mumra]

Oooh we were nosing around the old town in Hastings a few months ago and I saw Rose there, but thought she was on holiday! It is rather lovely down there nowadays - good place to relocate.

[DulwichGlobetrotter]

The Draft is a chain. A good one, but a chain.

[cidered]

So? Do we know what the new shop is going to be?

[Shanikus]

I talked to Rose about a month ago and she said that although it was so very sad she would have to let the shop go as the rents had gone up so much and the independent feel of ED was going... The Hastings shop is where her heart is now... she also hinted that she thought there would be more closures on North Cross road due to rents being doubled almost in past few years.. How sad for all of us who love that area of ED

[Earl Aelfheah]

It is very sad. Really hope that ED doesn't end up just another clone town. Wasn't so long ago that the prospect of Neros on LL generated protest, now there are people calling for chains to come here. I don't get it.

[flocker spotter]

cidered Wrote:

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

> So? Do we know what the new shop is going to be?

Yes, but will wait for a formal annoucement

I would hazard a guess that it may not exactly be welcomed by some other NCR & environs business

[Earl Aelfheah]

What a tease. I reckon its a used tyre yard.

[buddug]

Rent have 'doubled in past two years'?! Who are these greedy landlords?

[esme]

...says opening again next week?

[Otta]

" It is very sad. Really hope that ED doesn't end up just another clone town. Wasn't so long ago that the prospect of Neros on LL generated protest, now there are people calling for chains to come here. I don't get it."

Typical, people rush in to an area, push the prices sky high, landlords run their hands in glee, independents move because they can't afford to stay.

[Sue]

esme Wrote:

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

> ...says opening again next week?

xxxxxx

I believe that's just to sell more of the clothing off before it finally closes.

[LondonMix]

Its much more complex than that. Most less-advantaged areas are not filled with wonderful independent shops. Chains are usually cheaper than independents and poorer areas often suffer from lots of vacant shops. Independent shops need a certain amount of affluence to exist. The high rents are a by-product of a successful high-street with limited vacancies and lots of foot-fall.

Otta Wrote:

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

> " It is very sad. Really hope that ED doesn't end

> up just another clone town. Wasn't so long ago

> that the prospect of Neros on LL generated

> protest, now there are people calling for chains

> to come here. I don't get it."

>

> Typical, people rush in to an area, push the

> prices sky high, landlords run their hands in

> glee, independents move because they can't afford

> to stay.

[Otta]

I completely agree, but once the nice independent shops have come and opened, and made an area very popular, then the rents go up and the independents that made the area popular get priced out.

[LondonMix]

I know what you mean but most chains need to operate on a scale quite a bit larger than the shops that exist in ED. With the new SPD up for discussion, there is a good chance we as a community can decide to block over-development of shops which will likely result in most (though not all) shops remaining independent stores. Still, pricier boutiques will replace the current shops as has already been happening for the past 5 years. In the end, as the area becomes more affluent the best you can hope for if you keep things small scale is something akin to Barnes shopping areas (pricy but still fairly independent).

I?m torn as at the end of the day, I'm not sure that's much better than chains. I like the independent shops personally but when I talk to my in-laws who live on a tighter budget, they get really annoyed when large store planning applications are blocked as they prefer the cheaper prices and convenience of superstores. They grew up with having to visit the butcher and the fishmonger and baker separately and are distinctly less romantic about the whole thing and find it a waste of time. It?s a kind of luxury to be able to support a high street like LL.

[Gidget]

Hampstead residents tried blocking the chains stores and that didn't work. It's full of mobile phone shops now as well as other chains.

[LondonMix]

I didn't say blocking the chains as such, which I agree is not likely (and I don't think blocking specific businesses should be allowed anyhow). However, the SPD can determine planning requirements for LL specifically within Southwark. The SPD is determined with the community and if its agreed that shops cannot expand their footprint, many chains won't be able to move it as currently the premises are too small for their business models. This will maintain the character of the shopping area (small-scale / villagey) even if the mix of shops changes. It?s just a by-product that it will probably prevent certain chains from entering.

[James]

So what is it going to be then? Stop teasing us. Give us a clue, at the very least.

[grecian girl]

What is the SPD please?

[stacey-lyn]

At a guess, the Supplementary Planning Document (rather than the pelvic pain SPD, ouch). Though I could be wrong.