Eileens on the radio 94.9 6.30pm now

[bibimax]

Story about Peckham house prices rocketing!

[PeckhamRose]

On BBC Local news there will be an item about this too. By the time you read this it may have been on!

[bibimax]

Just been on the radio - Luke Wooster sounded dire

[PeckhamRose]

It was a bit of a non story on the telly which she was also interviewed on.

Eileen. You can't control market forces.

We're living in a capitalist society. That's what happens.

[Eileen]

Of course we can?t control market forces; never would I have made such a point. A tiny clip edited from a long interview can sometimes give quite the wrong impression. C'est la vie.

[Annette Curtain]

bibimax Wrote:

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> Just been on the radio - Luke Wooster sounded dire

He's a nice bloke, leave him alone

Poor man's got very young twins to contend with

[Jah Lush]

Annette Curtain Wrote:

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> bibimax Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Just been on the radio - Luke Wooster sounded

> dire

>

> He's a nice bloke, leave him alone

>

> Poor man's got very young twins to contend with.

I almost didn't recognise him with the beard. Knew him years ago before he became an estate agent.

[londoner_77]

I had mixed feelings about the BBC clip. It wasn't very insightful at all, but then trying to address such a complex issue as gentrification in a two-minute segment was never going to be I suppose.

I'm sure I'll get vilified for this, but I also don't understand what the problem is with people who have a bit of money wanting to move to the area. Why shouldn't they come here?

I also don't see why people appear to have an issue with all the new restaurants and bars that have opened in Peckham recently and which, in my opinion, have made the area a nicer place to be. There's now far more choice of venues in which to spend a bit of my hard-earned cash, and I enjoy going to Lot9, Peckham Refreshment Rooms, Franks and other places. However, some people seem to deride these places as "hipster" and as the middle-classes taking over.

I feel that people are very much overreacting to it all as well. A few bars may have opened up, but Peckham is still not a posh place overall, and it definitely isn't anywhere near the level of East Dulwich. If you've been down Rye Lane recently (as I do every day), you could hardly call it gentrified. It's still the scruffy place that it always was (in recent times at least - it used to be lovely 50 years ago) and not one of the shops is a place I'd describe as "gentrified".

It also baffles me when people say they don't want to see new money in the area, but they are keen to see the station done up and Rye Lane improved. Surely that in itself is gentrification - it's making Peckham a "posher" and more appealing place to be.

Anyhow, it's an interesting debate and I'd like to hear what others have to say on the matter.

[El Pibe]

Im not sure hipster means 'middle class'.

I think it's more 'trendy' with added derogatory undertones.

[Jeremy]

Surely we all know the downside of gentrification. Rising rates for established local businesses, increasing rent and house prices for existing residents. People can feel they've lost their stake in the local area. People are forced to move out, communities are lost.

The Bellenden Rd area has without doubt undergone substantial gentrification in recent years. Rye Lane is arguably in "stage one" gentrification where we've started to see an artistic community, nightlife (therefore the "hipster" element), events, and unloved properties being put to good use. Time will tell whether this leads to full-on middle class invasion.

From a selfish point of view, I'm happy that there are now a few bars and restaurants around, and that the area's coming up in the world. But the process comes at a price.

[londoner_77]

I agree there are downsides to gentrification - namely, the ones that Jeremy has mentioned.

But is there anything really wrong with, as you put it, "unloved properties being put to good use"? And surely there are lots of positives to gentrification too - for example, more nice bars and restaurants to enjoy and a more pleasant streetscape (as we will hopefully see if the plans for the station go ahead).

Personally I think it's good when an area comes up in the world rather than staying down at heel. Would people rather Peckham was like Catford? Now that is ungentrified!

By the way, with regard to Rye Lane, I really can't see it becoming middle class in my life time. The Greggs near the top is still burnt out and there isn't one shop on the street that is aiming at a middle class clientele. I really can't see it changing any time soon.

(Edited to add in a missing word)

[spider69]

If people are worried about gentrification and the up and downside it brings perhaps pressure could be brought to bear on Southwark Council to renovate properties they own.

This would make the area better for all

A classic example is Chadwick Road from ?Bellenden Village? to Grove Park. Home owners there are defeated in their efforts to make the area acceptable because Southwark does not look after its properties and never have done.

New/old owners who renovated their properties are surrounded by dross on the street. It is amazing that grants were given to all, including ?Bellenden Village? and surrounding streets but not Chadwick Road which has been left. However Grove Park which follows on is looked after very well as is Camberwell Grove and Grove Lane

I have been here 47 years and have seen the Council bigging up some areas/streets to the determent of others.

If the Council wont do anything don?t knock others that come in and do.

[PeckhamRose]

I have no problem with referring to Rye Lane as, or hearing it referred to as Little Africa.

I think it is great. But I do get the feeling there is an underlying wish to 'change it back' to something it probably never really was.

I accept Eileen's point that her quote may have been taken out of context as part of a long interview. That's the problem with TV shows, but Peckham Vision members are hardly representative of the every day people you see down Rye Lane. Neither is The Peckham Society (of which I am a member).

I look forward to the station being opened out!

[londoner_77]

Hi spider69, I haven't walked down Chadwick Road for ages - what are the issues with the council properties there? I know there are quite a few on that street.

And I agree, I don't know why people knock others who come into the area and make improvements to their homes. It brings up the area and makes it a nicer place to live for everybody! I am pleased to see Peckham coming up in the world again.

[spider69]

I would ask that you walk up the road from the "village" to Grove Park on the pavement opposite , then on the house side and look. A picture is worth a 1000 words.