Pretty's on North Cross Road

[AmeliaB]

I have spoken to Chris Burgess, who runs Pretty's on North Cross Road. Sadly, he has been unable to reach an agreement with the owner and the locks have now been changed at the shop.

As this was a family business that had been going for five generations I wondered if anyone would want to pay tribute to the shop as a Dulwich institution for a story in the Southwark News?

I do not lift comments from this forum as I consider it a private space for community discussions, but if you want to say anything about the shop, your memories of it etc, please call me on 0207 231 5258, or email me at [email protected]

Many thanks

Amelia

PS if you don't want to say anything but you are interested - the story will be in the paper out next Thursday

[EDmummy]

Nothing to contribute AmeliaB but just terribly sad that this has happened. As an early morning walker down North Cross Road, Chris has always been there with a cheery good morning - I will miss this. I've heard a rumour that it is going to be another hairdressers. Unbelievable if true.

[Twirly]

So sad. I really feel for Chris and his staff. Hope he finds somewhere else to open up.

[alixandjames@btinter]

We r so totally gutted - we walked past at 8.30pm and the bailiffs were changing the locks - Chris had no idea it was going to happen - it seems so underhand of the new owner and tragic that a truly useful shop has been closed against a lot of community resistance. There is so much talk about saving our high streets yet in the end the council was powerless to step in. I can't comprehend why the new owners - landor land ltd - have not been more community focused ?? Prerry's will be hugely missed.

[speedbird]

alixandjames@btinter Wrote:

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

> We r so totally gutted - we walked past at 8.30pm

> and the bailiffs were changing the locks - Chris

> had no idea it was going to happen - it seems so

> underhand of the new owner and tragic that a truly

> useful shop has been closed against a lot of

> community resistance. There is so much talk about

> saving our high streets yet in the end the council

> was powerless to step in. I can't comprehend why

> the new owners - landor land ltd - have not been

> more community focused ?? Prerry's will be hugely

> missed.

This is very sad, but it was a family dispute that went sour. This is not the fault of the new owner but in fact the family that sold it off in the first place.

What was the community resistance exactly?

[Otta]

speedbird Wrote:

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> This is very sad, but it was a family dispute that

> went sour. This is not the fault of the new owner

> but in fact the family that sold it off in the

> first place.

Agreed.

Although I too heard the hairdresser rumour (this was a while ago), and that would be pretty naff (no pun intended).

[peckhamasbestos]

well done to the new owners, congratulations for putting out of business one of the great shops in East Dulwich. tossers.

[AmeliaB]

-- moved topic --

[Help-Ma-Boab]

I'm a claSsic ED blow in. Spoke tae the lads. Fingers crossed, The fruit and veg shoap lives.

[alice]

in the last 10 - 15 years pretty much every shop along that strip has changed hands. how is this different?

[fleur]

Perhaps because Prettys was the only independent green grocers in the area.That said, if they can find a lockup for storage, perhaps they could run a Friday and Saturday Stall in North Cross Road.

[monica]

It is a great shame, Chris and the family will be missed, as will the business. Apologies for digressing slightly, however Threshers has been sitting empty on Lordship Lane for nearly 7 years. I know the rent has ben paid up until 2016. And I know the local councillors have been trying to convince the landlord to lease the place, however is there no regulation in place, where the council, can compulsory purchase a property? I know this happened on Bellenden Rd, when the Bellenden regeneration took place.

I mentioned this because, businesses like the green grocers, may have a chance at starting again elsewhere, locally.

Edited because I cant spell

[Jenny1]

Your suggestion is an interesting one Monica. The best person to give you an informed answer might be someone like James Barber - one of the local councillors who posts on this forum and has a kind of 'online surgery' here. Why not put it to him directly?

I've just popped down Northcross Rd and am pleased to report that Pretty's is open and has a very brief reprieve in its current location. I stocked up eagerly and suggest that all supporters of the business do the same.

I sincerely hope that a new location in the area can be found for this particularly useful and long established business. It would not be an exaggeration to say that I moved to this area almost twenty years ago for the privilege of having shops like this (of which we have very few) on my doorstep.

[NewWave]

There Is possibly a shop On Dartmouth road And maybe one becoming available when Pedders move out of their current shop on London road to larger premises opposite the station.

The Pedder location would be next to a butchers shop so that would be a good compliment.

[zoo]

alixandjames@btinter Wrote:

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

> We r so totally gutted - we walked past at 8.30pm

> and the bailiffs were changing the locks - Chris

> had no idea it was going to happen - it seems so

> underhand of the new owner and tragic that a truly

> useful shop has been closed against a lot of

> community resistance. There is so much talk about

> saving our high streets yet in the end the council

> was powerless to step in. I can't comprehend why

> the new owners - landor land ltd - have not been

> more community focused ?? Prerry's will be hugely

> missed.

[Helina101]

Maybe because Prettys was the only independent green grocers in the east dulwich .But if they can find a lockup for storage, perhaps they could run a Friday and Saturday Stall in North Cross Road.

[Lynne]

Seems to be open again this morning (Saturday)

Lynne

[alice]

Helena101 and fleur The psychic twins

Fleur: Perhaps because Prettys was the only independent green grocers in the area.That said, if they can find a lockup for storage, perhaps they could run a Friday and Saturday Stall in North Cross Road.

Helena101: Maybe because Prettys was the only independent green grocers in the east dulwich .But if they can find a lockup for storage, perhaps they could run a Friday and Saturday Stall in North Cross Road.

[MissKing]

It will be such a shame if we loose the green grocers. Has anyone ever been to that amazing green grocers in Newington Green...open 7 days a week and always a queue out the door. Areas need green grocers!

[sue k]

I have just popped down to find Pretty's closed...it is so sad that this has happened to a family business who has been trading 47years..apparently the petition that Chris, and several of us got together, was not even looked at! Like Jenny, I have lived here a long time...and have been going to Chris all this time and cannot believe that ED has no grocers to speak of (whilst SMB stock a limted amount...it isn't the same at all)

There must be something collectively that all of us, who would like to retain a family run good grocers, can do?? to either write to James Barber (I will certainly get in contact with him)or find out if Southwark can offer something, as Monica says, in regenerating an empty shop like Threshers for a grocers...that is crazy it has been empty all this time! In a time where we have countless food-centric cafes/restaurants in ED,it seems mad we don't have a good grocers!

Come on ED ..let's see what we can all do!

[fleur]

Yes - how bizarre.

alice Wrote:

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

> Helena101 and fleur The psychic twins

>

> Fleur: Perhaps because Prettys was the only

> independent green grocers in the area.That said,

> if they can find a lockup for storage, perhaps

> they could run a Friday and Saturday Stall in

> North Cross Road.

>

>

> Helena101: Maybe because Prettys was the only

> independent green grocers in the east dulwich .But

> if they can find a lockup for storage, perhaps

> they could run a Friday and Saturday Stall in

> North Cross Road.

[dimples]

Yes I agree with all that sue k has said !

[Huggers]

I love Pretty's and hope it can find a good reincarnation locally. Meanwhile there's a greengrocers in Nunhead that's not bad and very cheap.

[paulipedia]

This is the beginning of the end of East Dulwich as we know it.

[RecorderSue]

I have relied on them for years! What a terrible shame. Does anyone know what it is with their lease?

Sue