116 Lordship Lane is to become...

[MadWorld74]

I went to see my physio last night and whilst having treatment, discussed the new arrival of yet another physio clinic in ED.

He was aware of ES Physical Health moving into the area but NOT into 116 Lordship Lane. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this a fairly big space? There have been previous threads on this forum speculating as to the location.

He found out that this was their new site because he actually rang up one of their clinics in Camberwell, and was told by the receptionist that the company were looking for 10 new graduate physios, that the clinic would actually be a 'training and fitness centre' and that it would be open August 07. It pretty much says this on their website.

I; like he, was quite shocked at this. To be looking for such a high number of people just at graduate level means they must be thinking big. Not to mention you've then got all the other staff to make a 'training and fitness centre' work.

I want to make it clear that his is not an attack on the company at all. What I'm concerned about is what happened to the small 'one-man-band' brigade of businesses that made ED special. People striking out on their own to bring us a very personal service? Healthy competition is one thing, but total market saturation?

What do the rest of you think? Having a big shiny physio/training/fitness centre bang on LL?

My physio looked at me last night and said in no uncertain terms "I'm going to be out of business".....and I really, really felt awful for him.

If Books etc pitched up next to Chener Books, I think we'd all be very sad and a little miffed.

Where is Ed going with the influx of bigger businesses?

[Muttley]

There's been reliably sourced info for a while that 116 is to become a "gym", and they've been refurbing the place in the last few months.

[MadWorld74]

Gym/training/fitness/physio centre......but a big one. And right on LL. It's not the sort of thing you get on an already busy high street is it? Is the council going to provide an NCP car park to cope with the influx of traffic?

[TillieTrotter]

Its going to take people like you MW to stick to the independants and good word of mouth. But, alas it probably is a foregone conclusion (td)

[MadWorld74]

So TT do you understand how I'm not very pleased with this....do you feel the same?

[Jeremy]

ES Physical isn't really a big business though. They currently have 2 sites - Camberwell and Harley St. And I believe the Camberwell branch will close when the LL one opens. So they're not exactly the Starbucks (or Books etc) of the physiotherapy world!

It is perhaps a little out of character for LL though. The other businesses are there to serve the local community, presumably a site of this size will be aiming to draw customers from a wider area.

[TillieTrotter]

As a small business person myself, I always feel incredibly sad when the big boys (who could go anywhere they like) muscle out the independents. Happened to me a few time in my varied entrepreneurial attempts. I totally understand your angst.

[MadWorld74]

That's what I think Jeremy.

We all know from threads on this forum how much money it takes to be a successful and lasting business in LL and ED in general. Bringing in people from a further flung area than ED is good for a business but good for the locals? I don't know. I feel a little nervous about the building work and money obviously pouring into the area. It's good on many counts, but it could also tear away our 'community' feeling. (I know they're not the Statbucks of this world, that's not the point. The point is other small physical health businesses could/may/will suffer?)

[MadWorld74]

TT I'm glad you do.

I hope it doen't change the 'feel' of the place when they move in. I work in the City and see dozens of shiny upmarket physio/gym type places. In the City they fit in (well kind of) but in a small South East London high street? Dunno....

[Jeremy]

Despite my slight misgivings, I don't think that ES is a threat to the area. And they are a small business with ambitious plans for expansion, who are taking a big risk - which I actually really admire.

Foxtons are the one I'm worried about.

[MadWorld74]

Jeremy put yourself int he shoes of the other health professionals in the area who are terrfied by this move in. It will be big. They have every right to not want them there. A Harley street company in ED?

Well, the world goes on. We just wait to see who else sets their sites on LL in the months to come.

[Jeremy]

You're right, of course. But generally I believe that smaller businesses can survive if they offer a good service at competitive prices. Especially someone like a physio, who will get a lot of business from word of mouth, recommendation from doctors, etc - it shouldn't be hard to provide a better service than a place packed with fresh graduate physios. I suppose time will tell.

[MadWorld74]

There have been alot of views for this posting, anyone else got any comments?....

[jim_the_chin]

contentious one:

you can't be picky about the type of capitalism you get, independents and larger companies are part of the same system. live by the sword, die by the sword. or get a bigger sword.

[MadWorld74]

If only I knew where to get a bigger sword, Jim_the_chin, I'd be a happy bunny bounding through life with gay abandon.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Madworld

I think people* are disinclined to comment because the big v smal business debate has happened on here many a time - with predictably mixed results

personally, I think that small and big businesses can co-exist. In non-commodified markets such as speci-a-list** health (for the most part)I think that the more businesses in an area offering the service then the more likely that people will be drawn to the area increasing the market (see also bars and restaurants in ED)

I think it's when uber brands and big supermarkets compete with the smaller operations that the competition becomes unfair. To take your Chener v Books etc example, the vastly superior buying power of Books etc would give them a huge advantage over Chener and there would be little (price wise) chener could do about it (althought it MIGHT tempt them to fix the leaky ceiling)

At least in ED I think there is a market which isn't totally price-led and people do seem to prefer a local business so in this case we shall have to wait and see

* of course this SOUNDS like I'm speaking for everybody but I don't mean to - its just my opinion

** Anyone on here who has tried to spell this word correctly will know why I've hyphenated

[MadWorld74]

Thanks SeanMacGabhann, yes it is predictable I suppose that there will always be this big v small debate. I'm glad the forum allows us 'mere mortals' to have a say. I would hate to be in, or thinking about openeing up a business in ED. The stress. Probably the same all over London.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I think you've hit the nail on the head - I thought about it (opening a bar) 5 years ago but I would never think about it now. Fair play to those that do

[jim_the_chin]

yes MW74, i also would hate to be in a small business in the current climate, which is why i work for a big organisation with all the downsides that are attached to that state of affairs.

the reason i do that is that those downsides are less damaging to me than the stress of working independently / freelance. but i don't complain about those downsides because i choose to do it.

[monica]

Madworld is your physiotherapist homebased or does he work from a therapy centre?

[MadWorld74]

No, he opened up recently (a few months back) in East Dulwich in a clinic. Just him and one other. He works all the hours to fit in people after work and was gutted when he found out about this proposed new physio openeing up.

[monica]

Few businesses in ED feel the same but there is not a lot you can do about other businesses opening up.Existing businesses reinvent themselves constantly.Unfortunately people do not do their research properly when they open up a business in a area,people presume we need more gifts,toys and nappies and physio.On the other hand again this is my opinion so please do not make too much of it.

[MadWorld74]

Yes, reinvention and a marketing push is sometimes all you have to rely on.

[karter]

Madworld

Thats how businesses move forward sometimes. :) (check your pms)

[MadWorld74]

yes i suppose. It's all very well to be statistical about this, but if it was me I'd be all over the place with worry. Especially as my house may be mortgaged up to the hilt in order to even have a business in ED. :-S ah the fun of being self employed.