Forest Hill Rd gossip (new Italian)

[Nero]

The new Italian place is to open in 2 weeks' time, according to the boss there. And Bont interiors is to move, locally, but not sure where. The 2 Trees place is likely to be left unused for some time, as the owners, it seems, thought about opening a cafe but are not likely to do that. Nero

[TillieTrotter]

Brilliant, cant wait.:))

[AnotherPaul]

Good to hear about the Italian, make me happy that will.

The trees folks always seemed a little non-committal for running a bar cafe. they were both closed at the strangest of times, as well as for three week summer breaks and then there's the sickly paint-jobs.

It's a peculiar strip of shops, quite desolate.

The co-op was robbed two nights back. I'd be surprised if the robbers didn't have to queue for 10 minutes before making off with the loot ;-)

[SeanMacGabhann]

While it's not funny that the Co-op got robbed, the 10-minute wait comment did raise a wry chuckle.

And because I never go in to buy much but often end up buying more that is easily carry-able I'm stood wobbling in the queue for those 10 mins

As a parade of shops I've seen worse - but it can't quite settle. The Two Trees suggested better times ahead and the FHT & Herne revamps can only be a good thing but there is still a bit too much tumbleweed. If only the Rye extended another hundred yards, the outlook from those units would be so much better

[Nero]

I am going to ask my neighbour the Labour councillor about the strip. It is better than it was, but it could be a bit nicer. I am NOT against betting shops and laundries, but the pavement and furniture is all wrong. A few trees would do wonders. Nero

[beatnic]

Nero, it would be good to hear how you get on with that, and whether we can do anything collectively via the forum or otherwise.

For me the biggest bugbear is the traffic situation - the junction with Dunstans Road is plain dangerous, especially with the speed people drive up and down Forest Hill Road.

Also there are a couple of unused retail/eatery spaces on the strip - I wonder what would work best for local residents if we could have a say in what might go there?

[shambles]

A good bakery would be nice..pop down of a morning pick up paper and fresh bread..mmm

[citizenED]

It has always been a little odd that strip, but at least it does have some decent shops ie DIY place, the chemists and there are places to eat. Nero is right, the street furniture and paving needs smarting up. Good luck with the new Italian place - hope it works out.

If you want a really impoverished strip - try the one opposite the Harvester. OK so we have Barcelona and a flower shop but the rest is awful. A little cafe opened up there - Coffee@501 - looked smart, nice decor, decent frontage. Looks like someone spent some money. only lasted a couple of weeks before it closed down.

citizen

[val]

Anatolia (sp) is good

[beatnic]

Good call on the bakery - maybe as part of a small deli/caf?...

And agreed, Anatolia is good.

[AnotherPaul]

The building at the corner of Dunstans and Forest Hill looks like an ex-pub but would make a perfect cafe/bakery. Problem is it's in use as a warehouse and it's exterior upstairs is in a very poor state. Would require lots of money to sort out without much of a guarantee that it would thrive - I'd go but there's only so much coffee I can take.

Less expensive would be some trees and a sort out of the street furniture.

[beatnic]

And something to lock bicycles to (apart from the trolleys outside the Coop) would be handy

[hillcourtcouple]

well not that long ago there used to be a bakery on that very strip and was open all hours i wonder who remembers that of course by not long ago i mean ooh what ten years....:))

[AnotherPaul]

Bike locks and somewhere for all those trolleys to go, it often looks like a dump. It is really deserving of some improvement, anyone know of council funding available? I'll look into it too.

[bob]

Nero are you sure about the Italian ( would be good )

Bob S

[Nero]

Sure. Spoke to the signor himself. Nero

[MadWorld74]

I live round the corner from the co-op. You mean to say that the bookies was held up and now the co-op!!!??? I'm shocked. what the hell is going on with all these robberies? It seems a bit bloody un-normal for so many to be happening all at once. I've lived in some rough parts of London before and never seen as many hold ups as in ED.

I like the run down-ness of the stripe of shops in Forest hill. Won't be long before it's a mini version of LL. It reminds me of the old times, greasy spoon, bookies, crap co-op (sorry but the co-op sells nothing and is crap.) It's still awful that it was robbed. What happened does anyone know?

[mrdodgepot]

I don't know much about it, but I was in the co-op the other day when they were talking about it with another customer - apparentley a couple of guys came in and said they had guns stuffed down in their trousers or something and they grabbed the money from the till. i don't think anyone was physically hurt.

i think the co-ops been done a few times, and the bookies, and i can recall the post office getting robbed too a while ago.

by the way, every single co-op shop i've ever been in has had slow service. and smelly fridges :))

[Shaggy]

Back to more important things - has that Italian opened yet?

[val]

and where is it going to be please

[Nero]

Val,

The Italian restaurant will be near to the Coop on Forest Hill Rd. It is the sister restaurant to one in C Palace - Lorenzo, I believe? Nero

[MadWorld74]

Shaggy...back to more important things? yeah cause another f-ing coffee shop is more important than an armed robbery isn't it. The worlds' gone to sh!t it really has.

[val]

Thanks Nero

[Nero]

What is the blue place on the corner, exactly?

BTW, hats off to the barber, the new Lorenzo, the beauty salon, Bonts, the chemist shop and the P Office for doing their bit to make Forest Hill Rd look better. William Hill is not that bad, really, but it is the acres of space outside the shops that make it look like a Tarmac'd ponderosa. Nero

[MadWorld74]

I like the parade of shops as they are. Sorry to rant on about the hold up, but it's a bad thing.

Anyway enjoy the coffee shop! I will pop my head round if they do a decent espresso. (Being half Italian, it better be good!)