James

Yes please! Mildreds is fantastic. Do you remember a place called Heathers in Deptford? Amazing veggie place with its own kitchen garden, sadly shut down a few years ago. It would be so nice to have something like that locally.

Can I sign the petition for a healthy veggie place too? We have enough places serving fried cow's brains.

How bizarre. Horses for courses I suppose?

btw forgot to say I loved the Kite Runner too. Also good is the Drink & Dream Teahouse by Justin Hill. Bloke has an incredible understanding of Chinese sensibilities (my partner says so - he's Chinese!)

Did anyone else find Saturday by Ian McEwan a massive disappointment? I totally loved Atonement but I'm wondering whether to bother with On Chesil Beach as I found Saturday so tediously smug. The fact that David Cameron was recently pictured reading it is also putting me off (yes I know, how shallow). Am currently reading Truecrime by Jake Arnott, which is a good gangster romp.

Jim - another example of a law-abiding person being nabbed by the idiots at London Bridge, while a blind eye is turned to the thugs jumping the barriers. The staff are generaly imbeciles. I've regularly had to endure the Spanish Inquisition at London Bridge. Q: "Why are you travelling without a ticket?" A: "Because your staff appear to have pulled a sickie and all your machines are broken. Again." Cue looks of suspicion and grudging "OK, I'll let you off this time..." Let me off what? How the f*** else are you supposed to get a ticket!?

It's amazing they haven't realised what a moneyspinner it could be. I mean the village is a stone's throw away, as is Lordship Lane

There's always the Castle... ED's last bastion against chandeliers and flock wallpaper. What brewery is it Nero? I am excited now. Sean - Rubber Band wasn't one of his laughing gnome/mime act thingies was it?

I hope they are. I have an awful sneaking suspicion that lots of people who flout laws (eg. go through red lights, speed past speed cameras etc.) get away with it as they cannot be traced - probably no insurance anyway. It's like when you see fare dodgers in stations openly jumping the barriers cos the inspectors are too scared to confront them. Sadly we are all subsidising people like this.

Yeah definitely! Maybe a bit like the Boogaloo but less pretentious (if Highgate can do rock & roll why not Dulwich)!? Music in Inside 72 has flashes of brilliance btw (I was in there once when they played Jeepster by T-Rex. You don't get that in the Bishop).

Given the popularity of Inside 72 I reckon there is definitely room for another Camden/indie style hangout. A gastropub with a bit of an edge. We already have more than enough Clapham-style places. Don't think something as raw as the Dublin Castle would work, that's real Camden stylee.

Great news. How about turning it into a decent venue for live bands? Could be posh indie style like the Edinburgh Castle in Camden, that would be ace! With a barbecue in summer. I am dreaming now. PS I have a suspicion that the majority of people lamenting the decline of the traditional spit 'n' sawdust boozer - dare I suggest it? - don't actually frequent them. Anyone who actually likes pubs like the Plough should consider moving to Lewisham, where they are in abundance.

Ditto! The speed camera next to Peckham Rye Park is great - for once we can all drive at an adequate 30 without being jostled along by some impatient, dangerous fool stuck to the tailgate. Christ, I mus be getting old or something...

Well said Polly - it reminds me of how whenever there's a child abuse case some hapless overworked social worker is dredged up and ripped to shreds as if she was the culprit. Here the whipping boy seems to be the Portuguese police in that mildly smug, xenophobic way. Maybe they just do things differently there? Not every country is governed by a rabid know-it-all tabloid press like ours. I would never have left my son alone at that age but then there are no 'rules', are there? We mustn't lose sight of the fact that no child can be 100% safe 100% of the time unless we kept them in a bunker. Poor, poor family. I hope she's found ok.

Ultimately the problem is people's driving, rather than the (admittedly bad) road layout. I've noticed more and more speed humps in SE London over the past few years. No doubt due to the general tendency of people not taking responsibility for themselves or their driving - "it's the road's fault, not mine" - so the council are forced to put in traffic calming, speed cameras etc. to force people to slow down. I'm sure this is going to be unpopular, but how about a speed camera on Barry Road? That might make those idiot boy racers and minicab drivers think twice...

Ruby is getting a bit popular for girls again isn't it? Does this herald the return of 'dinner lady' names like Jean and Betty in an ironic fashion? My partner works in a South London comprehensive where there are a number of Chanels. I also once read a story in Take A Break (yes, I know) about a woman whose kids were called Bentley, Mercedes and (wait for it) Saab. Seriously. Apparentoly she liked cars. Personally I would like to see an upsurge of Redneck American names like Chip, Judd and Hank. Am trying to persuade my heavily pregnant sister to name her child accordingly... alas she is unconvinced :'(

Sorry, I think they are hideous. You might as well wear clogs.

Not more overpriced unnecessary tat! Surely what we really do need is another shop selling designer teapots and lavender soaps for ?15 apiece?

Ooops, sorry Keef. A chacun son gout.

M&S?

Keef, you are joking, aren't you!? Please say you are.

Nice. A bit 90s but nice...

No offence taken Jah. And I bet you smell lovely. Yardley Gold is it? Or Hai Karate?;-)

Just read your account Pierre and it makes me bloody furious to be honest!!! You have my total sympathy and I really hope you're going to be ok. I am fed up with hearing about decent, law abiding people being terrorised, abused and attacked like this. I am your typical Guardian-reading ED-ite but when faced with stories like this I wonder why we can't herd all this scum up (as they are probably already known to the police), incarcerate them somewhere and let them do it to each other.

I do!