What will Lordship Lane look like post-Covid?

[LJC56]

I think Pearspring are also a garden design company so have another string to their bow so to speak. Shame about the shop though, if it doesn?t reopen.

I feel optimistic about the future of Lordship Lane and other shopping streets in the area like Bellenden Road, as so many shops have adapted brilliantly to the crisis. The key thing will be for all of us to go on shopping there when we have other options. Personally, having not had a supermarket delivery in months, I don?t miss it as I find I can get everything I need nearby.

[DulwichSal]

Next door won't be reopening from what I heard from one of the staff there - they are planning to make it a bigger fishmongers. Too small to even maintain 1m distancing and many of the customers they relied on are in the older age bracket and they feel will be more at risk. An enormous shame as it a superb restaurant that had spent a couple of years building up its reputation and one we had planned to be first customers back in. Let's hope Mr Moxon changes his mind but I also see it from his side of the fence

[Earl Aelfheah]

That's a real shame about Next Door

[Earl Aelfheah]

I hoped that the council might take the opportunity to widen pavements, slow traffic and make Lordship Lane cleaner, safer and more attractive. Certainly if there is any hope of the local shops recovering as the lockdown is eased, then there needs to be room made for social distancing along the Lane. So far though, Southwark seem happy with narrow pavements, multiple pinch-points and speeding cars.

[Rockets]

I think, deep down, our local councillors and council resent what Lordship Lane has become and aren't interested in helping at all....I am utterly shocked by the lack of action pro-active distancing measures - bar the "Covid" closure of roads around the area, of course.

[Countrlass22]

Incorrect on sogim pharmacy they moved across road to smaller newer premises.

That was in before lock down.

[redjam]

Very interesting post above from sheff and completely agree with Beefcheek that measures need to be relaxed - quickly. Landlords really need to do their bit and work with the shop-owners to enable them to continue trading - greedy landlords were a problem long before Covid so this worries me. Above all, we all need to do our bit and BUY LOCAL, supporting the shops and businesses as much as possible when they reopen.

I'm an optimistic person and I think - and fervently hope - a lot of ED businesses may end up benefiting from more people working from home and shopping locally. But this only works if we all make the effort to shop on LL as opposed to ordering from Amazon and congratulating ourselves on saving two quid (I'm as guilty of this as the next person but really going to make an effort to change my ways). It's essentially up to us if we want to keep the character of LL.

[Nigello]

Buying local is great, but not for everyone. LL prices are sometimes higher than average, for whatever reason. Disposable income for many people (maybe most) will be down for some time to come (though not going on holiday, not having to travel into work - if you actually have a job, not paying for cinema, football, theatre, drinks and meals, etc. will mean money will have been saved) so could savvy businesses offer incentives, such as lower prices, loyalty cards, discount days/times? Nobody needs to buy ?2.50 coffees and teas and ?4 cakes but they do when they feel they can without breaking the bank. I think the makeup of LL will change - fewer eateries, etc. - unless said businesses manage to get the crowds in (safely). I think it will be hard and I wish them luck. I will buy what I can but only what I need, to be truthful. I won?t be eating out, even socially distanced - I just don?t think it?s worth my while. Others?

[KidKruger]

Buying local as a concept is great.

Waiting in queues up and down lordship Lane with people pushing past and very little chance to keep a safe distance, not so great.