East Dulwich - a new phase?

[edbrummie]

The mix of services in the area is getting dangerously on the useless side. As property prices go up the lower margin businesses are pushed out and these are the guys who provide ourbread and butter services. We recently got one of those planning permission letters through our door saying the garage on hindmans road has applied to be turned into three houses. For a business like that its just a no brainer but for us - if granted -it would be a real loss as they are a great garage.

[Ko]

Many thanks for clearing that up Ultraconsultancy. Makes sense that the legal obligation is under contract law, would be interesting to know what tort law says on this (eg nuisance but could be v difficult to argue?!)

:-S

Yes businesses can get away with ugly! The council certainly will get onto businesses to make them clear up litter on their property (especially forecourts/car parks they own) so that it doesn't spread.

The council also told me that it has fairly harsh words with businesses who dump their bins where they shouldn't. It is only a few who try to do this though as far as I know.

[mamafeelgood]

Blimey, this forum is full of contradictions, we want the old days of grime and grit, but we want it to look good, we don't want chains but seem over the moon when it is hinted that starbucks may open opposite the station (refer to other threads). i just don't get it. also, there are still plenty of units sitting empty on LL that no one is touching: ED is not and never will be the new islington, chelsea or clapham, stop being so negative and move to brixton if you want a reality check.

east dulwich is a lovely place to live that will never seriously interest the big retailer because as suggested above the units just don't fit and the local economy just isn't attractive enough. everyone just needs to calm down, enjoy living in a nice nieghbourhood and stop complaining all the time.

as for changes, what is going on with the old walsh glazing unit? it looks dreadful and all the work has halted.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Yup - full of contradictions that's us. Lot's of people on here with I would say a 40/40/20 split (entirely my own guesswork, backed up by zero stats) of boochains/yaychains/somewhere in between

The walsh glazing unit IS a joke tho right??? Surely after all the threads on here... anyway JUST incase it's not, 2 of the Walsh units are becoming a White Stuff with the 3rd to be sublet by them

[mamafeelgood]

right, sorry i am the last person to know. what is a white stuff? is it (a) one of those interior decor shops that sells only white towels and linen or (b) sports shop? again, please excuse the ignorance.

i think east dulwich is settling into a new phase that probably is not going to change that radically from now, apart from escalating housing costs. walsh really was the last unit on LL that was big enough and apart from that eyesore the rest of the neighbourhood has only increased in charm yet retaining the DIY store, newsagents etc...

it's all good and i'm sure there is much the same debate going on in herne hill but i can guarantee that all my friends in brixton are quite envious that they are not benefitting from any gentrification. that's my friends over 30, we are after all woefully old and unhip ...

[mamafeelgood]

ok, just looked them up. a clothing shop that looks more like it belongs in old street. now there's an area where the locals have lost out to development...

[SeanMacGabhann]

Mamafeelgood (great name btw)

White Stuff is a very...umm Islington chain of tshirt/urban clothes type gear. Overpriced for sure but not nearly as bad as some.

I think you are about right on the worry/balance side of things - we are too small to be invaded by chains but are not stuck in a 70s timewarp. As I've said before I USED to worry about this stuff but have relaxed into thinking it is what it is

Now if only I could stop people playing their songs through their mobile speakers on the back of the bus I'd be a happy man

[mamafeelgood]

ha ha back of the bus juke box, at least the kids aren't interested in hanging out on the street of ED. man, if someone complains that there aren't any hoodies any more due to houseprices/phil and teds/gastro pubs i'll just give up ... move to sw2 if you're worried about gentrification, i'm putting my rep on the line here and saying i like this phase.

[Nero]

Sean, Ask them to stop! You have to be careful, but I've done it. I sound quite sharp, say please and sit down and make like I am perfectly in the right. Also, the bus firms and the tube are putting up stickers regarding this and headphone noise following a petition. Nero

[mamafeelgood]

even though this has nothing to do with the thread i will pitch in that michael hodges and time out in general have funny debate about back of bus juke box. seems to split people evenly between: they're just teenagers leave them alone to get on with their petty rebellion, or, if it bothers you say something. personally smoking on buses is the one that gets me ... i always say something. however, even when i was 7 months pregnant an italian argued me off the bus when i asked him to put it out.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Nero - I have done, with mixed results - but even with a good response it can be so wearying. Today on the 40 for example there were 3 different people getting on/off between ED and E&C... all who decided to sit next to me and blare away

I'm off topic now, so I'll stop. I might start one about 2consideration for others". God I'm getting old

[mamafeelgood]

just looking on the white stuff website, this is back on thread subject, i hope that they're not planning to build a shop like the ones on the site. that would be a terrible eyesore on LL, even more so than the unit as it is now.

i don't like it when shops strip any of the character out of the old shop front (not that this is the case with the old walsh building) but this does not seem to have affected the shop fronts down northcross road.

[Jeremy]

Hmm... I'm not delighted about White Stuff coming, but I think it will be better than 3 scruffy empty units in the middle of Lordship Lane! Anyone know what the delay is? There seems to be no sign of activity whatsoever.

[karter]

Technical Building problem delays at White stuff!;-)

[*Bob*]

Interesting looking at the existing London store locations for White Stuff (on their website)

LONDON

battersea

chiswick

islington

richmond

spitalfields

westbourne grove

[SimonM]

I looked at their web site too, and see that they sell pants but not pants, so to speak. What about us chaps that still wear trousers eh?

[mamafeelgood]

it's a pants revolution on the high street, as the americans say: you're either with us trouser boy or you're against us ...

[SimonM]

Then I'm against 'em, If we must have a tacky chain shop could it at least be a tacky British chain shop that uses proper English by God?!

[Cuthbert Dibble]

I've mentioned this on another thread but a neighbouring business owner said the third unit is going to be a shoe shop - he seemed pretty certain.

[Red_Cat]

Good, I need some new shoes