longtalljohn

I really don't agree with those who think the new Sainsbury?s Local will harm good independent shops in East Dulwich. Let's face it - although The Plough area has got better in some respects, it's still pretty run down, certainly compared to the heart of Lordship Lane. The vacant site has been very bad for the area, and a new shop will really make a difference to the whole feel of the place. Although I also feel somewhat sorry for Val's and the Post Office (the guys who run it are great), I can't say I feel very protective of Costcutter! It's far enough up Lordship Lane not to hurt the good ?indys? and those of us above Heber Road could really do with somewhere decent to shop without having to drop down into East Dulwich proper. I remember people saying similar things when the Sainsbury?s Local opened in Herne Hill, but it really helped the place along. Bring it on!

Just looking at this thread, and I haven't looked at all the posts, but I do have to say that Mr Alan Dale, you have presented yourself as the worst kind of self important idiot. So you work in the City and earn a decent bonus. Fine. As it happens, so do I. But I wouldn't assume that this means that everyone in East Dulwich was living in abject misery until I turned up and ordered a latte. I have to admit many of the points you make are quite true (the Guardian has made a fetish of City bonuses in the same way the Daily Mail has immigration, the idea that economics is a zero sum game is self-evidently incorrect otherwise they?d be no more money around than 3000 years ago and we?d probably have difficulty getting our round in), but you also clearly have no experience of life or the world if you think relative wealth is unimportant. And, as *Bob* has pointed out, if you were really the ultra successful figure you seem intent on portraying, you would not be living in South East London (except possibly Dulwich Village or Blackheath), no ifs or buts. I like East Dulwich. I like my job. I'm proud of what I've achieved, through both hard work and luck. But none of that obliges me to act like a complete and utter tool. It's a question of manners, you see.

Yesterday the tanoy asked for 'Carl Lewis to the check out please'. She didn't have to ask a second time.

Does anyone like Foxtons? It's a good question. And there can only be on answer - 'No'. And there can only be one reason for that answer - 'Because they are complete ****ers'. It's important that we don't beat around the bush here. We do not dislike them because they have a slightly higher carbon footprint than Winkworths. Or because there are a few too many estate agents on Lordship Lane already. We dislike them because they are bad human beings. As *Bob* has pointed out, no crime is too large to be laid at their door. It shows in their fin haircuts, their truly appalling sales brochure which seem to regard the opening of Cafe Nero as a step forward equivalent to the invention of the printing press, their portraits of their management that instantly inspire thoughts of violence, their brown shoes, their pumping of Sky TV into our high street, their targeting of children with MacDonald?s-style balloons, and most of all the complete certainty that every single one of them is a vacuous, moronic ****er who has sold what small soul they have in exchange for a Mini Cooper. There, glad I got that off my chest. Actually the one thing that has heartened me about all this is the rumour that they have a white Testerossa. Truly hilarious.

Well I'm willing to put in a good word for the BBC anway. The ones in SW London have always come up trumps for me. It's true they're more expensive but I'd say the food is as good as Tandoori nights (although half the reason to go to TN is to get into a random conversation with the owner). Got to admit we do have more than enough curry houses already, but let's face it, among the good ones in Tooting and Whitechapel there are plenty of stinkers. Brick Lane in particular has loads of 'add a meat into a sauce and microwave' places - I prefer the Lahore kebab place on Commercial Road for a great feed, if it's open. Think the whole 'is it genuine Indian?' food conversation in this country often misses the real point, which is that most 'Indian' food in this country isn't Indian, it's Pakistani or Bangledeshi. Simply because more immigrants have been from those countries, rather than India itself. It is sometimes eaten in India, but it's a distinct kind of food that called 'Murghal Cuisine'. The nearest food to India in London is the few South Indian (vegetarian) restaurants around - Drummond Street up by Euston certainly beats Brick Land on food (if not a good night out), even for a meat eater like me. For a really good 'Indian wedding' style spread, try the Three Monkeys in Herne Hill for Sunday lunch (although apparently not the evening menu). And the Sikh barman is a top guy. And for the most authentic Indian restuarant experience in London, 'Club India' on the Strand is the only place to go. Right down to the the hand typed menus and dingy decor. Not that authentic means the best... :) Anyway, can't we save new-openings-hatred for Foxtons?!

At the risk of boring everyone with more 'what's the new shop opening' chats, anyone have any idea what the place with hoardings is on the corner of Crawthew Road and Lordship Lane (almost opposite the soon-to-be-White-Stuff)? I dread a chain bar as much as Foxtons. All theories, rumours, half-truths welcome.