The Minkey

Civilservant, I didn't think you were calling for a cull - I was just posting what seemed to be a rather ironic fox story ;-) And it's no bad thing to point out that foxes who come in for so much bad press, can have a positive role to play in an urban environment. 3 years ago, I had some people come stay and one of them saw a hedgehog in my back garden. I was gutted not to have seen it. I'm very close to Brenchley Gdns and One Tree Hill, and seeing as most of the gardens on my side of the street are divided by privet hedges, it's quite possible she did see one as it would be an easy hog run. I live in hope.

When I was on Rye Lane Friday eve, the whole block containing the razed building was closed off to pedestrians so if that's still the case every business in that section will be closed. I had to go round the back to get through to Rye Lane and the damage to the building was total. I should imagine there's a real danger it could collapse in its current state. Pity the poor sods with businesses in that section.

If an area specifically states dogs to be kept on a lead, then dogs should be kept on a lead. It's rather irrelevant whether one knows one's own dog to be well-behaved. The more people set the opposite example, the more others are likely to do the same. And what's the big deal anyway when in so much of the park it's OK for dogs to run free?

The big St Christophers Hospice on LL take furniture, admittedly not a homeless charity but a wonderful cause nonetheless.

I was chatting with a neighbour yesterday who told me how the residents of Foxgrove in Beckenham called in the council to exterminate their foxes only to find once their foxy predators had been removed, the rat population took over instead and they were literally inundated. Given the choice, I'd rather have foxes in my garden.

Apart from easing the sting from nettles, and probably playing host to some insect larvae or other, no idea.. Tomato ripening has commenced in earnest, and I've got some Centaurae Montana plantlets if anyone's interested, seedheads are popular with Goldfinches.

Just be warned that the section of Rye Lane containing the block which housed the burned out building was still completely closed to pedestrians when I tried walking its length around 6.30 this evening, otherwise it appears to be largely open for business.

flint

Wouldn't there be a likelihood of the more dysfunctional folk ending up seeking alternative methods of raising the money to pay the increased cost of private rents, e.g. burglary, mugging, drug dealing, prostitution.. Just a thought.

And where exactly do they go once they've been evicted from their Council/HA accomodation?

"I already said - not all ED residents shop on LL. Many of the shops on LL cater to a narrow demographic in terms of products and pricing." I was about to say something similar. I pop into LL if I'm looking for gifts, to browse the charity shops, occasionally to pick up something a little more special for dinner, but I primarily use Peckham and Brixton. The bottom end of LL largely caters for a very specific and quite narrow demographic. Why would it be frequented by people who may not be able to afford to shop there, or have no interest in the range of goods on offer?

From what I saw when I was dumped off the 343 into the rioting down in Peckham on Monday evening, there were all sorts of people involved, some seriously scary youngsters, other youngsters along for the ride, older elements embarked on more organised actions (like the hooded and scarved guys I saw piling out of vans at the bottom of Jerningham Rd, opposite Sainsburys/Comet). It's very tempting to think the way forward is to hurt the rioters where it hurts, bang them up/stop their benefits etc, but while it may make us feel something is being done, it's a quick and dirty fix. What are we going to do, build more and more prisons, more and more half-way houses no one wants to live near? I appreciate what the OP has to say about the situation and I would like to see the Govt take on board what people who works with the most disturbed and dangerous kids have to say, like Camilla Batmanghelidjh, otherwise I believe we'll be facing more serious problems here in the UK if we continue to fail to address the sort of inner-city issues she highlights so well in this piece: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00jpw1j "Until we show some curiosity as to why this is happening, we are not going to come up with solutions".

I thought it was 'just' one shop that got razed - the clothes shop next to Greggs - or did shops either side cop for it as well?

I came through the bottom end earlier this morning. I wasn't particularly looking to see what was and wasn't open but I did notice Poundland appeared to be open, as my eye was drawn by the amount of people gathered to read and take photos of the messageboard. I should think it will be pretty much business as usual for those traders who's shops weren't wrecked. Still no buses going down the main part of the Lane but the presence of a huge crane parked up opposite the shop that was razed would explain that.

Trip, trap, trop.

Why do people think it will happen again where we saw it last night? Did it happen again in Tottenham?

Have now lodged a complaint about being dumped off the bus into the middle of a riot last night. The woman I spoke to was shocked. Wondering which formulaic response the Customer Services team will dish out. Not holding my breath..

I just did the 343 thing again from Borough up to Cheltenham Rd and all was quiet. Noticeable police presence in both E&C and Peckham. Having seen a few riots now with looting etc, I'd say it won't kick off in the same places that have already been hit for the simple reason that if it was worth nicking, it would have been nicked already. Here's a short vid of the action in Camberwell, shot an hour ago: http://www.twitvid.com/6PC5J

"You OK, Minkey?" Yes, thanks Sue. I got out of there quick and walked to New Cross Gate where my OH came to meet me and we got a cab back the rest of the way. Not before watching 3 van loads of scarved and hoodied guys empty out at the bottom of Jerningham Rd.. I warned as many people as I could not to carry on down to Peckham. One guy I saw on Queens Rd was waiting for a bus so I told him there were no buses. His english was pretty basic so I had to explain what a riot was, which came in useful again when he told me he was trying to get to Lewisham. Poor sod.

I was on a 343 coming back from work earlier this evening. At Elephant, the driver said he was going to have to divert and go straight to New Cross Gate due to riots in Peckham. What he didn't say was that he was going to go there via Peckham High St. As soon as we got to the High St, it was obvious there was trouble going on, down to the right by that burger place there were a load of police vans parked up in the road lights flashing and loads of people milling around. Unbelievably, the driver stopped the bus opposite the bus station and told us to get off as he was terminating. Most of us were still standing there trying to work out a route home when suddenly a mob congealed and started smashing in the windows of the big chemist on the corner just 20ft away. I still can't quite believe TFL would drive passengers into a riot and make them get off into it.

Years ago, this woman turned up in our office selling goosedown duvets. The demo duvet was lovely and several of us bought one. The duvets we opened up at home were spiky with quills and stank of dead bird.

Oh well done. Do you remember when you got the seeds in?

Sounds great, PR, glad you had such a lovely trip :-)

Yay-gulp.

DB - that's good going. Are yours under glass?