Chris Pretty on the closure of the Prettys Green Grocers on Northcross Road.

[Otta]

I heard a RUMOUR last night that it could be another hairdressers. That really would be a crap addition to a road with a couple of hairdressers already in it.

[Ron70]

Otta Wrote:

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> I heard a RUMOUR last night that it could be

> another hairdressers. That really would be a crap

> addition to a road with a couple of hairdressers

> already in it.

I heard Starbucks!!

[Ron70]

Ron70 Wrote:

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> Otta Wrote:

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

> -----

> > I heard a RUMOUR last night that it could be

> > another hairdressers. That really would be a

> crap

> > addition to a road with a couple of

> hairdressers

> > already in it.

>

>

> I heard Starbucks!!

Before the whole forum goes into meltdown.... I'm joking :-)

[Otta]

The rumour was from someone inside, but they stressed that it's only rumour.

[alice]

Sounds like stirring the edf pot

[Louisa]

Otta I heard Space nk, again just a rumour. I'd rather keep the green grocer.

Louisa.

[Sue]

Otta Wrote:

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> Why not Sue? (Serious question, I am no expert on

> these things).

>

> If allowed, then setting up basically a stall in

> front of the cafe seems a good idea to me.

xxxxxx

I'm no expert either, but surely you'd need somewhere to store the fruit and veg.

And where would they put the stall so that neither the stall nor its customers would get in the way of the chairs and tables where people were sitting outside the cafe, which I would have thought were a major part of the cafe's attraction, particularly in the Summer?

Also a stall would not hold anything like the selection of produce which the shop currently has, so I can't see how it would bring in much income.

Plus, many customers would probably prefer to do all their fruit and veg shopping in one place which has all that they need to buy, which they can probably do now at Pretty's but probably couldn't from a stall.

[jamescpr90]

There have been many good and bad changes in East Dulwich in recent years. It is time for this shop to go.

[EPB]

.

[EPB]

jamescpr90 Wrote:

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"It is time for this shop to go."

Why?

[EPB]

.

[giggirl]

Why - because jamescpr90 registered on the forum just this morning and has so far made two snide posts.

[Louisa]

There should be more accountability on the internet. Registering on the forum today and making negative jibes which could affect this great family business is bang out of order. This forum is highly influential whether we like it or not, if you have nothing constructive to say please keep your comments to yourself.

Louisa.

[jamescpr90]

The shop will go because of market conditions that have ruthlessly changed the character of East Dulwich from a mixed and multicultural community to its presen state over the last 30 years that I have lived and worked in the area.

As regards my comments about dumped rubbish , the comment has not been answered ; did the owner of the rubbish on finding it dumped nearby collect it?

[Alan Medic]

Louisa Wrote:

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> There should be more accountability on the

> internet. Registering on the forum today and

> making negative jibes which could affect this

> great family business is bang out of order. This

> forum is highly influential whether we like it or

> not, if you have nothing constructive to say

> please keep your comments to yourself.

>

> Louisa.

How on earth could his comment affect this 'great family business'? It's on its way out anyway by the sound of it. If every comment on the forum had to be constructive it would be one hell of a boring forum.

[alice]

I agree. that shop has passed its golden era when there were queues for the fruits and veg. There would be five staff working all busy I shopped there. The buzz has long gone.

[Otta]

Comments on here can have an effect though. I was at The Castle yesterday, and chatting to the Landlady outside, she was saying that comments on here have contributed to them having a rep as a rough pub where people are likely to get stabbed, which is total bollocks. But people read stuff on here about businesses, and often take it at face value, even if it's a load of shite.

[peckhamasbestos]

I think Chris and his son Nick have really upped their game of late. The quality and variety of the produce has improved noticeably (not that there was anything wrong with it before) over the last year or so.

[Louisa]

Absolutely Otta. People being judge and jury from the comfort of their own home with throwaway comments can show up on Google and other search engines when you search for a particular business. Genuine gripes should always be dealt with first and foremost with the business proprietors before using this forum to spout comments which could potentially cause a lot of damage. I love the castle pub, nothing anyone says on here will ever change my opinion.

Louisa.

[Alan Medic]

Otta Wrote:

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> Comments on here can have an effect though.

Sure, but not the one Louisa was referring to.

[StraferJack]

I love the Castle too - but didn't the pub have a rep long before the forum?

As landlady said tho "contributed to"

In any case, back in the days of regular forum drinks, Castle played host to one of my favourite nights.

And as well as many posts saying how much they hated the Castle, many of us on here posting opposte view so it's swings and roundabouts really

If thr forum didn't exist there is still all of the pub review sites (beerinthevening, fancyapint etc etc) and your tripadvisors et al. It's 2013 so in the real world all landlords and landladies have to engage or at least accept that some people will post negative stuff. Far better to address it in the same arena as some other places have (and some others notably haven't - waves at the Greek place on Melbourne Grove)

[steveo]

Waves goodbye to the Greek place

[jamescpr90]

One of the main problems for traditional shops such as this grocery business is the high rents that are sought by the landlords.Do we know how much they are presently paying?

[Otta]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> I love the Castle too - but didn't the pub have a

> rep long before the forum?

Yep, and well deserved, but I think Jenny has worked hard to change it, and some people (who have never been in there, or not for years) will still type online that it's a rough dump. And I agree that there are pub review sites, but if you're an ED resident you're quite likely to come on this forum.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not having a go at the forum, just those that write negative stuff about places that they've not actually tried for themselves.

[Louisa]

Otta Wrote:

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> just those that write negative stuff about

> places that they've not actually tried for

> themselves.

Like Iceland, classic example.

Louisa.