MichaelNx

Not.

James Barber Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Tomorrow the East Dulwich councillor will be > calling on residents, shop keepers and traders > around North Cross Road market at roughly the > following times: > - North Cross Road residents and market traders > 9-11am > - Nutfield Road 11-12am > - Fellbrigg Road no's 1-13 & 2-10 12-1pm. > - Archdale Road 1-2pm > - Lacon Road 1.30-2.30pm > > OR contact me as per below. Did this happen? I live on North Cross Road and was home until 1:20pm today and no-one called.

@ Jeremy I took the bit about too much money leaving the area to be spent in Sainsbury's to mean he wasn't in favour of them. Although Sainsbury's in DKH and at the top of LL aren't exactly that far out of the area. James does say he feels it would help the area to have an anchor type food store and has a site in mind having specifically named Waitrose and M&S. It seems like lobbying for a Waitrose/M&S on LL to me?

The original question posed was "How do people feel about an aspirational supermarket on LL" but it's been changed now to ask if they'd like a Waitrose or an M&S type food store on LL. James also added that the bit about 'too much money leaving the area to be spent in Sainsbury's etc';' Surely this makes it a slightly different question than the one we started with? Anyone coming new to this thread might be rightly confused by the references to "aspirational" and snobbery etc., in the responses. Given that James now wants money to be spent in the area rather than in Sainsbury's, ought he not to be campaigning for people to shop more locally instead of at an additional supermarket on Lordship Lane. And isn't it a bit odd that James is anti Sainsbury's, and by implication, anti Iceland and Co-op but pro Waitrose and M&S? Is it right to be lobbying for a personal brand preference like this?

"Aspirational" is a marketing term for consumers wishing to define themselves as somehow superior through their brand choice. There is an element of snobbery in the way the original question is posed, i.e., Would people prefer to shop somewhere that is perceived to be more exclusive, luxurious and altogether lovelier than what is currently available and more in keeping with how they would like to be seen? James appears to believe a Waitrose or M&S on Lordship Lane in addition to the already existing supermarkets is a good idea. There is, however, a significant body of evidence pointing to supermarket expansion onto the high street directly causing the decline in numbers of independent local traders, particularly grocers, butchers, fishmongers and specialist food shops of the sort that makes Lordship Lane the thriving place it is. A House of Commons all party committee in 2006 concluded that by 2015 very few small retailers would survive in the face of unfair competition from the supermarkets. Should you care to read it, you can find it at:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/15_02_06_highstreet.pdf I'm at a loss to see how anyone who purports to represent the interests of the local community can be in favour of something that will in all probability have a detrimental impact on the livelihoods of established and,thankfully, currently well supported independent small businesses that make Lordship Lane the vibrant thriving high street it is now just to have a fridge full of food with slightly swankier labels.

Yes, yes, yes of course WE want an ASPIRATIONAL food store and then all WE aspirational people won't have to rub shoulders with the annoyingly non-aspirational people who shop in Co-op and Iceland. An added bonus will be that it might force many of those irritating little local shops and their surly shopkeepers out of business so WE won't be bothered by them anymore either. But, James, I do think you're not being "aspirational" enough. Surely WE can do better than M&S and Waitrose? Am also a little confused by your reference to "anchor type food store". Is that rhyming slang for something?

It's a party of teenagers at Jeanie Avent Gallery.

Please see posting on 17th December in What's On in ED re: Pop Up gallery in Chopsticks.