Time Out 'guide' to Lordship Lane

[kristymac1]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> I remember coming to ED 20 years ago - a mate

> lived in a student house round here. It was fine,

> and had the basic ameneties you'd need, but

> honestly... it was basically the cheapest place

> within striking distance of central London, that

> wasn't a complete crap-hole.

Exactly why we moved here similar years ago. Tho' our road was 'bookended' with metal signs chained to lampposts which read "this is an anti social behaviour blackspot area". Woo hoo we could afford to buy a house 😉

[Louisa]

Btw I also disagree with jez and kristymac above. ED has never been well connected, even now with the ginger line within spitting distance at FH, DH and PR- it's hardly the easiest commute into town. Areas such as Brockley and Herne Hill have always been better connected to central, contain bigger cheaper houses and have also been 'no mans land' (not totally crap but not amazing either).

My opinion is ED was saved by her well to do neighbour and the allure of private schooling their, leafy parks and decent (relatively for late 90's) eateries. Without the village, ED would never have excelled.

Louisa.

[*Bob*]

Louisa Wrote:

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> Maybe I'm wrong on this one, but I just think some

> long standing businesses deserve a break, after

> all - they're survivors!

We don't want blow-ins descending on SE22 to buy OUR plastic containers and paper plates.

Keep schtumm, I say.

[kristymac1]

I definitely don't want to give the impression that ed was 'crap before we moved here', it was certainly different to now but definitely not crap (otherwise we'd never have moved here). Places change, some of it's better some of it's worse. It was measurably more affordable and suited our style/needs probably more than now but we're still here, embracing the change!

[Seabag]

The Irish Shop doesn't even get a look in

Rubbish

[Jah Lush]

Seabag Wrote:

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> The Irish Shop doesn't even get a look in

>

> Rubbish

Erm... anyone know what's happening with the Irish Shop? I'd been led to believe that the Dulwich Picture House was buying it for some reason but obviously that was completely wrong. A record store selling vinyl would be pretty damned cool but I doubt they'd be able to afford the rent.

NB: I still want to hunt down and shoot to kill that idiot Time Out journalist that called East Dulwich Easy D. Fecking cockwomble.

[miga]

Hey Jolly L, take a chill pill re: Easy D.

[Jah Lush]

I'm only joking. Needs a kick up the arse though.

[Seabag]

I can't see the Easy D ref, do they edit the stuff after publishing. I guess so, still no Irish Shop mention

Ha!

[Louisa]

There's a planning application to convert the Irish Shop into additional space for the cinema. I would find the link, but I really cba at present.

Louisa.

[LondonMix]

People who work at the cinema have also confirmed to me that they were in negotiations for it a while back so that's not a rumour.

[Loz]

Seabag Wrote:

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> I can't see the Easy D ref

It's in the Franca Manca bit.

[Jeremy]

Louisa Wrote:

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> Areas such as Brockley and Herne Hill have always

> been better connected to central, contain bigger

> cheaper houses and have also been 'no mans land'

> (not totally crap but not amazing either).

Not sure about Brockley, but 15-20 years ago, Herne Hill was definitely more expensive/desirable than ED.

From my memory... around 96-97, ED was a bit unloved and scruffy (but not 'crap'). By 2001 it was on the up and was quite an appealing place to move to - but still pretty cheap. EDT, Franklins, Blue Mountain, etc had sowed the seeds of what was to come. As well as a couple of gems that sadly didn't make it... Jerk Rock, Magdala, and the enigmatic International Cocktail Bar.

[TheCat]

Ah...the "Easy D Forum"....a melting pot of easygoing people.......

[Louisa]

Parts of Herne Hill were certainly way more desirable than here in the late 90's. However, the bits closer to Brixton were still quite scruffy. Again the DV effect played a big part. Brockley was not at all desirable until the ginger line spread its wings. The ingredients were always there, art college, studios, big houses etc but it just didn't really get going until Overground opened up. You could easily get a large 4/5 bed Victorian house with big garden for under 500k well into 2012. That's why I never understood the rise of ED.

Louisa.

[Mick Mac]

Louisa Wrote:

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That's why I never understood the

rise of ED.

Louisa.

Yes - its certainly not the transport that attracts people to ED.

We bought in ED in 2001 and the people we bought from were moving to Brockley for a bigger house, they felt the housing stock was better there.

[Louisa]

Yes Mick Mac, I would agree it isn't the transport but other ingredients. I mean honestly, I don't know what gets the gentrification process going, but ED beat the whole 'let's gentrify everywhere' race that started about 5 years ago. Guessing it had a good starting point being edgy but not rough. Brockley had the same ingredients and yet oddly didn't take off until very recently. And yes the houses in Brockley/Telegraph Hill are pretty stunning.

Louisa.

[LondonMix]

ED wasn't rough, had mostly period housing stock, had proximity to outstanding green spaces and a number of pubs. Also, the amenities of Dulwich Village (the museum, the quaint high street) were nearby and the transport links for Peckham and Denmark Hill are within walking distance.

That's really enough. There were a lot of other places the same price as ED in the early and mid 2000s that were either much further out and suburban or closer in but that felt much rougher.

ED was an obvious compromise to people that wanted some place not too rough and not too far. That's why the feel of the place now is a posh(ish)/ urban(ish) mishmash.