Sergio's

[Jerry]

Dear all

I am canvassing opinion re. the closurse of Sergio's delicatessen in the Village. It closed down simply because they could no longer cope with what they regarded as the extortionate ground rents charged by Dulwich Estates. I am concerned that such treasured assets as The Village Book shop to name but one)will also utimately be forced out of business. I can envisage a time in the near future when all sole traders will be driven out,replaced by High Street chains.

I have spoken to local MP Tessa Jowell and she is keen to challenge Dulwich Estates regading their rapacious stance over ground rents.

Please let me know your thoughts so that I can gauge the depth of feeling in the village community.

Best

Jerry Thomas

[Sue]

But they had a notice on their door saying that they were closing because of the influx of competition from other delis etc in the area? Or words to that effect.

[DaveR]

I have never heard of Sergio's - where is/was the shop?

Also, I have no idea whether the Dulwich Estate charge 'rapacious' rents or not, but there seems to be very little turnover of shops in the Village. Is there any reason to be alarmist based on one closure?

[Jah Lush]

The same thing is already happening on Lordship Lane. The locksmiths being the latest example. Dulwich Estates have always been cunts anyway.

[Jerry]

That was one of two reasons cited the other their ongoing battle with ground rents.

[Jerry]

Er ... yes they do. And there is subsequently a steady turnover of shops. Go and have a chat with some of the shop keeprs.

[DaveR]

I'm pretty sure Dulwich Estate are not the landlord of the old Callow's premises on LL.

Jerry, forgive me for being picky. I'm not suggesting that you're not genuinely concerned, but I am suggesting that I would need a bit more evidence before concluding that there's a real risk that 'all sole traders will be driven out,replaced by High Street chains'. You say that there has been a steady turnover of shops - that just doesn't square with what I've seen in the village in the last ten years or so. Plus, some turnover is good. Was anybody really sad to see the closure of Le Piaf?

[StraferJack]

" Was anybody really sad to see the closure of Le Piaf?"

dear god... It wasn't that long ago but my mind had already deleted any memory of that place until you posted that!

Oddbins went but then they went as a company, nothing to do with Dulwich

I'm not saying landlords aren't squeezing the shops, but I can't recall much in the way of turnover in the Village

[Jah Lush]

DaveR Wrote:

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> I'm pretty sure Dulwich Estate are not the

> landlord of the old Callow's premises on LL.

No, I agree. My point was about landlords in general locally. Rents are constantly on the increase.

Was anybody really sad to see the closure of Le Piaf?

I know I wasn't. And I really like the Italian restaurant, Rocca that replaced it.

[Mick Mac]

High rents mean that only efficient and popular businesses will survive and thrive.

It's a bit survival of the fittest I guess and can result in only higher priced shops surving, but to charge high prices you need to be good.

Gails bakery is perhaps a good example of a shop that seems to be doing well.

[Jerry]

Lol! You make a good point about Le Piaf! I will post Dulwich Estate ground rent figures with comparable figures for similar areas. Go and have a chat with Hazel and Julian in Village Books.

[Jerry]

You are completely disregarding the social aspect of shops that serve the community. Amazon books is certainly efficient but I presume you are not suggesting that they can or should replace the expertsie of Village Books? Its about purchasing yes, but it also about browsing,chatting,talling books,getting reccomendations etc.

The price of everything and the value of nothing?

[spider69]

New shops in Dulwich Village

Published on Tuesday, 12 November 2013 11:06

Increased competition has meant that Sergio?s, the delicatessen in the Village, is no longer. However, all is not lost as the lease has been assigned to another deli operator and the new shop should open in the next few days, a team of shopfitters are working to make it ready sometime this week.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 12 November 2013 11:06 Dulwich Society

One out another in. Life goes on

[Top Girls]

'''

[Mick Mac]

Village books - you may have hit the nail on the head with the flippant Amazon remark Jerry - In very general terms I think many busineses where you can get exacty the same product online for the same price or cheaper will be feeling the heat at the moment.

I don't live in Dulwich Village so I can't comment on the shop as a centre of community, but it was nice on the couple of times I have been in it.

[Top Girls]

PMs

Jah Lush Wrote:

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

> DaveR Wrote:

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

> -----

> > I'm pretty sure Dulwich Estate are not the

> > landlord of the old Callow's premises on LL.

>

> No, I agree. My point was about landlords in

> general locally. Rents are constantly on the

> increase.

>

>

> Was anybody really sad to see the closure of Le

> Piaf?

>

> I know I wasn't. And I really like the Italian

> restaurant, Rocca that replaced it.

[Loz]

Jerry Wrote:

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

> Lol! You make a good point about Le Piaf! I will

> post Dulwich Estate ground rent figures with

> comparable figures for similar areas. Go and have

> a chat with Hazel and Julian in Village Books.

Jerry,

You seem to have an interest here - do you care to declare it?

[LadyNorwood]

Slightly off topic, but I've been into local bookshops, ordered something, watched them go onto their own Amazon account, order it for Amazon's knock down price, then charged me the full price - and they wonder why they're struggling....

[StraferJack]

LadyN - you aren't telling me that shops buy things cheaply and sell at a profit are you? This is some sort of national scandal!

[LadyNorwood]

StraferJack - of course I know they do this, but they might have at least had the nouse to wait until I'd left the shop before legging me over!

[Jerry]

My interest is simply that I liked Sergio, thought the deli was good and that a good guy shouldn't be squeezed out by greedy landlords. Similarly with bookshops having a torrid time it does not help that Village Books are being bled dry.

[Sue]

Jerry Wrote:

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

> My interest is simply that I liked Sergio, thought

> the deli was good and that a good guy shouldn't be

> squeezed out by greedy landlords.

xxxxxxx

But as I said above, the reason they themselves gave for closing down was increased competition from similar businesses who had opened locally.

So presumably the "greedy landlords" only became an issue when their customers went elsewhere and they had less money to pay the landlords?

Clearly somebody thinks they can make a go of a deli in that position, if another deli is opening there, and presumably they will be paying the same if not more to the landlord.

It seems there is a lot more involved than just "extortionate ground rents charged by Dulwich Estates"?

Don't get me wrong, Dulwich Estates may be charging a lot, but surely so would any landlord for property in a prime position in a prosperous area?

ETA: And like any bookshop, I would guess that Village Books are losing customers to the internet, and therefore - like the deli- have less money available to pay the rent. That's an unfortunate fact of life.

[Jerry]

Let the market decide, eh? Are you simply indifferent to the plight of a bookshop that is an asset to the community. Will Amazon be organising any book related events, talks etc in the village any time soon? Fahrenheit 451 anyone?

[DaveR]

"Fahrenheit 451 anyone?"

Closure of local bookstore (speculated) = the return of McCarthyite book-burning. Now you're just being silly.

Which is unfortunate, because there is a serious point to be made. Letting failing businesses fail is one thing, driving profitable businesses out in the pursuit of ever higher rents is another. You would expect the Dulwich Estate, not being under any particular commercial pressure and having an interest in preserving the amenity of the area, to understand that. However, it appears open to question whether Sergio's falls into this category.

BTW, I now know where Sergio's is/was. I knew it by a different name. I went there once and ordered a couple of coffees - I wanted to sit outside, and asked to have them in takeaway cups. The guy refused; he said that would 'defeat the purpose'. I didn't go back.

[Jerry]

Dave, the Fahrenheit 451 ref was obviously a gag! I am sorry that your one and only experience of Sergios was unsatisfactory although perhaps not enough to base a considered opinion on. I thought I had made the point, several times, that Dulwich are demanding the highest possible ground rents. I not suggesting we subsidise unattractive and inept businesses, merely to protect concerns endangered by Dulwich Estates greed.