How about a new H&M in Woolworths Peckham?

[INDOMIE]

It may seem crazy at first but actually its not a bad spot for one of their stores!

Camberwell's Woolies may have been snapped up but Peckham's is still empty.........so how about bringing H&M to Peckham!

If enough people show their support on Facebook then we may persuade them to come and take a look at the old Woolies shop in Peckham!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=122108560143

[Louisa]

H&M in Bromley is surprisingly nice actually. I wouldnt say no to this idea, but in all honesty, Rye Lane is in such an awful state I cannot see any branded high street stores moving into that space sadly.

Louisa.

[wee quinnie]

Who has snapped up Camberwell Woolies?

[Huguenot]

H&M would arrive swiftly in Peckham if the local community was likely to buy their products.

Don't beat around the bush Lousia and berate the 'awful' shopfronts, tell it like it is. It's the shoppers you don't like ;-)

[INDOMIE]

Woolies in Camberwell is now a 99p store - it's smaller that the Peckham store which is one reason why there isnt a 99p store in Peckham as well. It would be too expensive to take on the whole space unless the landlord was willing to split the store up into smaller units. I think that would be sad though as this is an anchor site for Peckham Town Centre and is right next to Peckham Rye Station.

[PeckhamRose]

In most cases Woolworths was a 99p store!

I would also like to address the "clientele" in Rye Lane that I think louisa has such an issue with.

Working class largely African and Carribean.

They (if you don't mind me using the word "they") tend to want to buy foods non african and carribean people might not want to buy. So they have turned Rye Lane into their own street much as the main street through Southall has for a long time been known as Little India.

As long as the goods are legal (and as well as illegal foods, illegal skin whitening creams have been found to be sold in some of the chemists) I couldn't give a toss, and welcome the opportunity to learn about foods from different cultures.

I love sweet potato and yam, though hate chillies and "jerk", but I am at least trying! Maybe this should be a new thread about what we think of Rye Lane.

[Huggers]

the facebook group is growing!

[INDOMIE]

I love Rye Lane!! and I think Peckham would do well to work with existing businesses to push the world food label! The shops just need tidying up a bit!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=122108560143

It's all go now for a South London Press photo shoot on Thursday morning at 8am outside Woolworths on Rye Lane!

However, there's a catch!......you need to bring along a prop, a carrier bag in fact! I thought it would be fun if we all brought along a bag from the retailer that we would most like to see set up in Woolworths! lol It could be a laugh and make things a bit more interesting!! (how many will bring a 99p store bag i wonder?!!! ;-P)

I 'm going to try and bring some H&M bags (my personal favourite) and the SLP have said that it shouldn't take too long - appreciate that people do have work or need to drop off kids etc but Peckham really does need all OUR support!!!

It's a one off opportunity to get some positive news coverage for Peckham for a change and the more people that turn up, the more we'll make a splash and get the attention of retailers!!! Everyone says the town centre needs some TLC, now residents have a chance to show they care too!

Any questions then let me know - FEEL FREE TO PASS THE INVITE TO ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO HELP SUPPORT THE TOWN CENTRE!!!

Cheers,

Phil

[LuvPeckham]

Phil

I have to laugh, surely in this day and age when we are encouraged to use less plastic bags - won't everyone turn up with East Dulwich SNUB bags

Luv

[INDOMIE]

time will tell! carrier bags come in all forms these days so who knows! :-p

[Louisa]

It may seem like an odd time to resurrect this thread, but with the Peckham Peculiar today reporting on the plans to submit a planning application http://peckhampeculiar.tumblr.com for the re-development of the area in front of the station and the restoration of the railway arches etc isn't it time we re-visit this question on useable chains who should be returning to the local area and who would benefit the population by producing more choice in clothing without us having to travel far and wide to find the things we want. I'm all for keeping Peckham independent, but a good healthy mix of chain and indy, as was the case in the past would be beneficial for all of us. The former C&A building opposite the current Art Deco building in the station square and between the two railway lines would be an ideal spot for someone along the lines of H&M what does everyone think?

Louisa.

[stringvest]

Sorry I honestly say I haven't shopped in Rye Lane for many years. All my family used to shop there. There was Boots, Marks and Spencer, Woolworths, Sainsburys, C&A, British Home Stores, the large "Grace Brothers" that was Jones and Higgins Department Store. You could go to Rye Lane and get all your Christmas Shopping. It was called "The Golden Mile" in my parents day.

Rye Lane may be some peoples cup of tea, but not mine. Mostly smelly chicken shops and afro-carribean hair shops. I have tried to shop there, on a veg stall, I queued, I was continually ignored in favour of other customers, not speaking English in hijabs and gave up. Where in Rye Lane can you now buy

A nice outfit for a wedding by Jaegar or similar?

A set of crystal glasses or other wedding gift, doulton crockery?

A petticoat for your nan?

A childrens sit down meal of fish fingers, chips and beans, and a pot of jelly desert?

Some ballet shoes?

Whatever you could want, you get in Rye Lane, now you can't.

[Louisa]

I agree with some of what you say stringvest. But as has been discussed numerous times before, neighbourhoods are constantly changing, Peckham is no exception. I too miss the days of good quality tailors, numerous department stores and some fine delicatessens (notably kennedys), but they all left as the demographic changed and were replaced with shops aimed at the new population. Once again now, the demographic appears to be shifting once more, and with many younger working age and relatively affluent people around, I feel it is time Peckham's high street reflected the new population alongside the old one. Can't see the likes of M&S or BHS every returning, but certainly wouldn't rule out H&M with all that prime (and relatively cheap by London standards) retail space up for grabs.

Someone needs to start a Facebook page again!

Louisa.

[Nigello]

Louisa, the voice of reason! (No joke, this time)

[The Minkey]

"I have tried to shop there, on a veg stall, I queued, I was continually ignored in favour of other customers, not speaking English in hijabs and gave up."

I shop at Peckhams fruit and veg stalls on a regular basis. Never felt my custom was passed over in favour of anyone else, hijab-wearing or otherwise. Genuinely perplexed that you should have had such an experience.

[Alan Medic]

Is it that long since Woolies closed down in Peckham?

[Louisa]

Yep woolies went just after Christmas In 2009. Seems like only yesterday to me. What a terrible shame that lovely huge retail space was ripped into two like that.

Louisa.

[cella]

Delicatessens......Kennedys?!! Hardly.

[Louisa]

Kennedy's was a traditional London deli. It didn't sell fancy organic crap, but it sold tasty sausages and savoury/fruit pies amongst other things like savaloys, ham, cheese, corned beef. The list is endless. A proper South-East London institution. A small independent family owned business around for well over a century with its factory based in Peckham. Give me that again over any of the overpriced crap on offer locally now prancing around as superior and unique, when it goes bust and closes up within a year or two.

Louisa.

[MarleyLover]

In my opinion, Rye Lane is a slum high street. I shake my head, rows and rows of butcher shops selling rotting fish and meat - how they have passed environmental health I'll never know. Numerous unregulated "hair salons" have set up, again - another accident/incident waiting to happen. Rye Lane is long due a great overhaul. For now I'd just be happy to walk down a clean and tidy high street, without having to feel I am running the gauntlet down Squalor Lane!

[Jeremy]

Admittedly the road is scruffy, noisy and sometimes smelly - but some of the posts here are laughable. Well at least they would be if they weren't so ignorant.

[cella]

Kennedys were great store and I used to love their apricot pies but they were never a deli!

[stringvest]

What posts are so ignorant? If anyone says something derogatory about anything at all doesn't mean it's ignorant. I have been to Rye Lane. Some of us miss the old department stores and are not keen on the smelly shops ?? I suppose to lament old fashioned shops is racist ???? or ignorant ????

[Louisa]

Rye Lane is indeed smelly and as much as I can accept that the post war decline (accelerated by the channel tunnel threat) caused a series of unfortunate events for the area, it doesn't justify the current businesses ripping historic shop fronts off and displaying meat and fish out on the pavements. It's not healthy (especially in summer) and there is no need for it. Rye Lane has some beautiful and historical buildings, and I think to bring them back to life with a good healthy mix of shops would be the ideal compromise. We definitely need a chain revival for some of the larger retail spaces (might even help to tidy up those great buildings). And some of the empty spaces are being filled by new businesses now too which is good news. But the most important thing is retain shop fronts and keep the place smelling sweet. No excuse for filthy pavements. And the hipster kids puking everywhere after a night out are just as much to blame as some of the butchers and hair extension shops!

So what chains would everyone like to see make a return in an ideal world?

Louisa.

[Nigello]

Another bank/building society would be good (Co-Op, Metro?) and a revamped Post Office would go down well. Less realistic would be a Byron/Tas/Wahaca/Strada.