Cyclemonkey

I can't speak about other places but as someone who uses Mind in Forest Hill, these small studios are having a boom due to increased working from home. Now I can work two days a week at home, I can use them at lunch time or early evening, it is a short walk from home so I can get changed and shower at home (so the studio does not need a big changing room or showers like a traditional gym), whereas before Covid it would have a been weekend only thing for me. I asume there are many like me so they can make a small space finacially viable. I am biased but Mind is great, it is a very inclusive woman friendly space, classes are very reasonable for instructor led classes, (there are different packages but you can get 10 for £100 if you oay in advance) and the fact there are very few bells and whistles keeps it affordable. I prefer smaller studios as you don't want big classes for pilates and yoga as you need instructors to be able to see everyone and assess and adjust form for safety.

Reviving this to say that Palais is now up and running. We went to a night there yesterday. There is a first floor bar with cocktails and space for a DJ. That I think is intended to be a quieter space for an older/more chilled crowd. There is also a basement club space that can hold 500, it has an amazing sound system. The communal areas are still a bit rough and ready, they still need to do some replastering and painting on the stairways and there is currently no functioning lift. But generally it was well run and thoughtfully restored. It was good to see the space back in use and it feels like a good addition to that end of Peckham. Interestingly, showing a shift in night time cultures, there were signs about not using mobile phones and everyone had to get a blocking sticker put on their phone camera lens before they were allowed in.

I mean I hold no portfolio to defend Gala, but I suspect that is their office. I am a company director, my home address is also not registered with Companies House. Also guys this is Peckham not Royston Vasey. Shoreditch is a mere 20 mins away by train, it's not an offshore bolt hole in Luxembourg.

There you go - it took all of 30 seconds https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09886417/officers

"Mysterious owners" 😆 If only there was a powerful search engine at our fingertips to find out such deep secrets.

Of course they do. Why on earth wouldn't they?

It's on a number of bus routes and for those that are able, it is a fairly nice stroll from Forest Hill and East Dulwich.

Reviving this thread to note it is now for sale ... if anyone has a spare £3m and a need for a concealed stairway of death in their living room https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/87556836#/?channel=RES_BUY

I know this is about taking your own booze, but if you fancy something non alcoholic the Thai herbal tea they serve (which the restaurant is named after) is delicious.

There is also a parkrun on Peckham Park every Saturday morning at 9am and they are a very friendly and supportive bunch.

Not East Dulwich but not far, there is a stall in Borough Market that sells raw milk. I'm sure you know this, but be very careful with raw milk, particularly if any of the people looking to consume it have compromised immune systems.

You need to get your collecting tin out. Here in Forest Hill we have a very smartly decorated Christmas tree, funded mainly by local traders. Maybe some of those poor wretches afflicted with £2m houses could drop a few fivers in.

There was a big burst of fireworks at about 9.30pm last night as well. Very visible and audible in the Forest Hill area.

Oh well. At least an increasingly aged population will be happy in their £2M family homes.

The MP is Ellie Reeves https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/28/woman-jailed-harassing-rachel-reeves-sister-ellie