Peckham Palms - a new hair and beauty oasis

[Rolo Tomasi]

The hair and beauty shops around the Peckham Rye station square are set to move to a specially designed, palm-tree themed, beauty boulevard.

As part of the Peckham Rye Station Square project a number of retail tenants, mainly Afro-Caribbean hairdressers and nail bars, currently residing in the units along Blenheim Grove will need to be re-located.

Earlier this year, Southwark Council appointed artists Something & Son and business support specialists Tree Shepherd to work with these businesses to develop ideas for a bespoke centre for Afro-Caribbean hair and beauty in Peckham.

After a number of one to one interviews and group workshops, the team has developed ?Peckham Palms?. This new centre for hair and beauty draws its inspirations from Peckham?s cultural heritage and distinctiveness and will cement Peckham?s reputation as the leading destination for affordable and quality Afro-Caribbean hair styling and beauty in London.

Although some of the businesses are still anxious about how the move will affect businesses, most are looking forward to getting into their new premises.

Tessy, Divine Destiny Hair and Beauty Salon, said: "I am happy to be moving to Bournemouth Close, we don't know if it will be busy but it will be safer for our children and customer's children."

Charlene, PEACE Unisex Hair & Beauty Salon: "I am looking forward to seeing works start and for things to happen. We have been told we will get help for our businesses to move which will be good."

Over a five year period, these new shop units and individual rentable chairs will create an additional 24 part-time jobs and help to train and support up to 100 people, allowing budding entrepreneurs to professionalise and grow their health and beauty business.

Cllr Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration and new homes, said: ?The Palms will see investment into this underused area of Peckham and will create a new destination for Afro-Caribbean hair and beauty in our borough, and will provide key support to local businesses affected by the redevelopment of Peckham Rye Station.?

Paul Smyth from Something and Sons, said: "The Palms will celebrate Peckham's buzzing salon culture and grow on the areas reputation as the best place in London for Afro-Caribbean Hair and Beauty. At the Palms, hair stylists and beauticians will have the space and security to grow their business and visitors, old and young, will have a new place just off Rye Lane to get a haircut, eat some food and hang out with friends and family."

To get involved and help make the Palms brilliant please email [email protected]

[Jeremy]

On one hand it's reassuring to see that the council are making sure these businesses can continue after the redevelopment.

But TBH I kinda like all the businesses mixed in together, rather than partitioned out.. makes the area feel unique and interesting.

[Grok]

As long as they clean up their act and stop all that nasty tumble weave, i don't care.

[Ridgley]

Grok wrote

As long as they clean up their act and stop all that nasty tumble weave, i don't care.

Good one ;)

[JohnL]

Some think it's temporary, some don't want to go.

http://peckhampeculiar.tumblr.com/post/132154588989/hair-today-gone-tomorrow

Not seen any update to that.

[Louisa]

Dedicating specific areas to specific businesses sounds like a way of promoting gentrification, rather than creating a pleasant environment for everyone who lives works and shops in a specific neighbourhood. The whole area needs a deep clean and sprucing up, with mixed retail for everyone. But that shouldn't include moving current businesses off into a quiet corner where they're less visible. We all know how this process goes, the station square will attract big name retail, rents will rise and eventually the dedicated beauty area will be taken on by retail who can no longer afford the rest of the area.

Louisa.

[edhistory]

Oh dear.

Who owns Bournemouth Close?

Who will get the rental income?

Not gentrification but ghettoisation.

Very bad thing.

John K

[Ridgley]

Dedicating specific areas to specific businesses sounds like a way of promoting gentrification, rather than creating a pleasant environment for everyone who lives works and shops in a specific neighbourhood. The whole area needs a deep clean and sprucing up, with mixed retail for everyone. But that shouldn't include moving current businesses off into a quiet corner where they're less visible. We all know how this process goes, the station square will attract big name retail, rents will rise and eventually the dedicated beauty area will be taken on by retail who can no longer afford the rest of the area.

Louisa.

very good point this happen in Brixton, there was a vibrant market and community when I was growing up and now there is some sort of market at the back and the main retails at the front of central Brixton looks like Peckham is becoming that way. I fear in the next few years only the wealthy will live in London and the low paid and middle income will be living on the outskirts.

[DaveR]

As I understand it, the proposal is to re-locate a number of similar businesses that are already close/next door to each other on Blenheim Grove to a specifically themed area, so it seems a bit extreme to talk about ghettos. If it's done right you can see how it might well be a more attractive location for customers, and although it's slightly counter-intuitive, the evidence suggests that businesses of this type do better when they are concentrated rather than dispersed. As ever, the devil will be in the detail - any new location needs to be made attractive and accessible, because it is a bit more out of the way, and it will need a marketing push.

[Nigello]

I like the idea of a "beauty quarter" in some respects. In the way that (in this country) you used to get lots of shops selling the same kinds of things together (which still goes on in some other countries), this may be a way encourage competition and cooperation.

However, I also think that there is a real danger of there developing silos based not on product or services but by class, ethnicity, language etc. so I'd say this idea is not a good one.

[Ridgley]

I have to agree with also Nigello my cynical self feels it is a class and ethnic issues, they don?t want a load of ethnic hair shops lowering the tone plan and simple let be honest.

[alice]

agree too but what could we do

[Louisa]

The station square arches will become chain restaurants, Nandos, Wagamamas, Zizzi et al that's my hunch. Maybe a small tesco/sainsbury too.

Louisa.

[DulwichFox]

Need to reserve one for Phil Mitchell .. :)

Foxy

[JohnL]

The Dentist will be rehoused.

Maybe a dentist ghetto could be created.

[Louisa]

What about a fruit and veg ghetto? And where's TSB going? We can have a bank ghetto? So many niche markets, so little space to fit them all in.

Louisa.

[DulwichFox]

Louisa Wrote:

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

> What about a fruit and veg ghetto? And where's TSB

> going? We can have a bank ghetto? So many niche

> markets, so little space to fit them all in.

>

> Louisa.

TSB. The Station..

Lou, you have just reminded me of something that happened to me around 1985 ish.

I wandered into the Station to buy my Season Ticket, Peckham Rye to Blackfriars. I must of entered via

one of the side entrances.. Holly Grove or Blenheim Grove..

The Station was deserted and no staff present . I kept shouting out 'HELLO' ..

eventually someone popped up from behind a desk or something. Just told me to 'Get out, Get out'

I walked out along the central arcade only to be confronted by loads of armed police.. 'Get out, Get out'

TSB was under attack by armed robbers and the whole area was cordoned off.

Some how I had managed to stroll into the area unnoticed.. Into the station .. and back out..

Could only happen to me..

Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;

for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Foxy

[Charles Notice]

Ridgley Wrote:

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

> I have to agree with also Nigello my cynical

> self feels it is a class and ethnic issues, they

> don?t want a load of ethnic hair shops lowering

> the tone plan and simple let be honest.

How can you lower the tone when most shops and stalls are ethnic?

Raising the tone would seems to be a new direction

[Seabag]

I like the tumbleweave on the street and the outdoor (not plumbed in) hair backwash

[edhistory]

So putting "ethnic" hairdressers in a "courtyard" as a specialist enclave is OK?

[Ridgley]

When gentrification set in Charles that what I mean.