taper

Kingsdale's on the same list, but people on here recognise it's improving year on year. Peckham Academy ditto, in the hardest imaginable circumstances. I think Harris are to be commended for their vision for state secondary education in this area. So what lies beneath the ferocity of this campaign? I find it genuinely puzzling. Are people in the anti camp those who are likely to send their kids to the school?

950 with sixth form isn't a particularly big school. Mine was twice that size. Although I'm fairly ambivalent about this issue, the area is crying out for secondary school places; so it's odd the decision has attracted so much animus. Is there something else behind the anti campaign? The NUT's loathing of academies, nimbyism? The EDGE campaign had some rather odd scare stories about creationism (wilful misinformation about Harris academies here). The "local control" dogma was trotted out too as well as misinformation about what it entails to be a specilaist college. And what's all the cr@p about carpet!? Latterly, the space issue has taken centre stage; something that with careful management won't be a problem. I suggest people file this one under "good news" or "not the worst thing that's likely to happen this week"

There were quite a few racist stabbings and murders in and around Welling when the BNP made it their spiritual home. Not sure the "vibe" was particularly good for people like Stephen Lawrence.

Welling was for a long time the headquarters of the BNP, until they were run out of town. Did all those "indigenous" chaps contribute to the contribute to the "British feel" I wonder?

Welling was for a long time the headquarters of the BNP, until they were run out of town. Did all those "indigenous" chaps contribute to the contribute to the "Britsh feel" I wonder?

Primary schools in posh peckham are pretty pants if that's a factor in your move.

It shows that in the 1890s, there is no doubt Talfourd Road was in the Camberwell diocese (probably still is). The line in the bottom map shows the current postcode boundary, which also defines the electoral ward, which sits within the Peckham and Nunhead community council area. I have never heard anyone who lives in this bit of Peckham claim or even want to claim that they live in Dulwich. They are proud to live in Peckham because it means they are cool and gifted.

I promise you Talfourd's in SE15. Come and see the road sign, which proudly bears the legend "SE15". And check your A-Z. Peckham's millionaire's row it is.

Yep, Talfourd is Peckham. And Talfourdite's bang-on about this bit of Peckham.

Macroban - Was thinking of the houses on holly grove, the lyndhursts, denman, talfourd; mid-Victorian and earlier. Nothing in east Dulwich to compare. There's an awful lot of coded racism or fear of the other on here. Why are some of you people living in inner city London! Peckham is a lot more dangerous than ED. But it can offer things that the rather dull and comfortable ED cannot. Ditto Camberwell, which is the true jewell of SE London. The only time I've ever been threatened round here was in ED Sainsbury's car park by some middle class white liberal type.

I'll go with Ofsted on this one. They didn't just make it up.

Area west of Peckham Rye station is lovely, all the way through to Camberwell. Some of the housing stock is far better than the rather limited late Victorian stuff you stuff you get in East Dulwich. And you're 10 minutes from LL without having to live near it, with all that entails (bad transport etc).

"Middle of the road banality" would indeed have been very welcome. But I was served at Pizza Express: I knew Pizza Express. Pizza Express was a friend of mine. Mr Dale, Locale is no Pizza Express.

The Locale discussion is balanced, surprisingly so given how bad it is. Aren't the majority of reviews mediocre to poor because the food around here is mediocre? Apart from a handful of restaurants (Palmerston, Ganapati on a good day, Montpelier if you're hungover) I find the food adequate at best; far better in central and north London.

The Herne on a sunday lunch is a vision from hell. And the service truly woeful (the place falls apart). They do very good beer though.

Mellors has nailed the way of avoiding the Elephant double-death roundabout. I would change his view on what you should do when you get to Southwark Bridge Road. In my view you should cross it, take the road alongside SouthBank University, cross the road at the end of that, and find your way onto Blackfriars Road (dismouting to uise the path for 10 yards if you want). Then straight up that Road (which is a fairly safe) and over the bridge.

Interested in the mix of reviews. It was genuinely dire when I went and no sane person would have concluded otherwise. I wonder if the kitchen in the day or at weekends is poor, but improves at night.

I had that salad as a main. 9 quid for a starter sized fistful of leaves, couple of olives and an artichoke, and a slice of cheese similar in appearance and taste to the space shuttle's heat reflecting tiles.

not as lame as today's fair on goose green. And attracts some hilarious middle-aged goths. beatiful place.

lunch today was grim. underportioned, overpriced, with laughably bad service. depressingly sub-par italian.