Reg Smeeton

I remember 20 years ago there was much mumbling about trendy invasion when somebody from Islington moved in a couple of doors down. Plus ca change. Somehow I've managed to spend half a lifetime in East Dulwich without being called a pig, not even in the last four years. Must try harder.

It looks like a low quality imitation of http://www.lordshiplane.co.uk/ (which is itself a website of limited value that I have visited only a couple of times in ten years). If I had come across your site without seeing this thread, I'd have assumed it was a here-today-gone-tomorrow website that will soon be out of date. Is the plan to have reviews of the various eateries and schools? Without reviews, it's of little use, but I trust the reviews on the EDF (where reviewers have long track records that you can check) more than I'd trust them on a restaurant review site, where any vindictive competitor can have an anonymous pop. Sorry to be negative, but you did ask for feedback.

The worst congestion seems to be between Dulwich Library and Denmark Hill station - often about one third of the bus empties at Denmark Hill - at which point other bus options appear, especially the 68. A suggestion a few years back on the forum was to have a shuttle bus between 8am and 9am (say) between those two points. If a small shuttle bus stopped only at Dulwich Library, Goose Green, ED station and Denmark Hill that might alleviate a huge part of the problem. I can imagine lots of reasons why this might be nice in theory but difficult to implement in practice, but it is frustrating that the Goose Green/Denmark Hill section is such a bottleneck.

What's even more galling is the amount of money estate agents earn for such sloppy, unprofessional work. Here's an ad from Haarts for a flat in a "Quite road" at which viewing is "Recomened" and which apparently has a nearby fishmonger called "Moxtons". Sigh. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-45512843.html

Sorry that your daughter is having a tough time, but a public gossip forum is not the place to make allegations like this, especially when you are anonymous and there is no way of knowing the full facts behind the story. Heber, like all the local primaries, is a good and caring school and not the sort of place that would ignore complaints of this nature. You were right to talk to the teacher etc, but if you aren't happy with how things have been dealt with, I would suggest that you talk to a governor at the school.

I'm all for community involvement, knowing your market and all that, but if this cinema opens, I hope they are wise enough to be able to decide for themselves which range of films to show. Deciding what films to show based on a public vote would be dismal. I promise not to tell you what films I want to see, if you promise not to impose your personal tastes on me either. With three screens, I hope there will be something for everyone.

The Peckham cinema is cheap for a reason, with its sticky carpets, noisy audiences and couldn't-be-bothered staff, which is why I hardly ever go there. Lordship Lane cinema would be creating a new market rather than pinching an existing one.

Whichever the year was when they put up a marquee on Goose Green and had a comedy festival. Maybe 2001? I remember that feeling like a golden period. Also the late-ish 90s when "Thistells" became Le Chardon, and suddenly we had what felt like a cool smart restaurant to go to (yes there was a time when I loved that restaurant).

This topic doesn't belong in the main gossip section, it probably belongs in the Lounge. However, my personal suggestion would be: * think about improvements you can make to your flat that will add value, for example a loft conversion, new kitchen or side extension. ?30k spent wisely on improvements can add ?50k to the value of your flat - and the gain is entirely tax free. And you get to enjoy the benefits too. * if there aren't any improvements that will add value, then I'd use most of your lump sum to pay off part of the mortgage. There aren't any investments at the moment that give you as good a guaranteed return as the rate you pay for your mortgage (unless you have a stupendous deal). * treat ?5-10k as "rainy day" or long-term savings money and put it in a low/medium risk share ISA. Reg.

DulwichBorn&Bred Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Reg, has the neighbour complained about the skip ? > I most certainly would. Check out who the owner of No.68 is, it might help explain why the immediate neighbours aren't complaining.

DulwichBorn&Bred Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > No problem at all with someone wanting to build a > swimming pool ( lucky them) and is this first for > East Dulwich?! > But I think 18 months of road issues is a tad too > far . Well I DO have a problem with it, because this swimming pool digging has had such huge negative impact on surrounding homes. If you are going to cause major inconvenience to a neighbour then 18 months is more than just "a tad too far", it is completely unacceptable. The giant skip being used for the project isn't parked in front of the owner's space, it has been parked in front of a neighbour's house for several months. If you are going to inconvenience neighbours in this way, then frankly anything more than a week or two seems unreasonable. Note that in most building projects, if there is a skip, it is always parked immediately in front of the house where the work is being done, so at least the biggest inconvenience is imposed on the owner. Shame on you Southwark Council - and on the arrogance of this antisocial project.

When the Pool house owners finally move in, they are going to have to put on one hell of a welcoming party to appease the neighbours. This project is one of the most selfish, antisocial conceits I have come across. By what perverted process did the planning people let it go through?

Yes. At least twice.

Time to revive this thread...

The mystery hearse is still in Playfield Crescent. It was spirited away for a few days when the road was resurfaced, but then magically reappeared with a renewed 6 month tax disc. And there it sits, day after day, unmoved, rust patches growing, tyres going soft. It is indeed one of East Dulwich's greatest unsolved conundrums. (And no doubt a real pain for the people in front of whose house it is parked.)

LondonMix Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > When Heber launches its appeal, if there are > mitigating facts (credible ones) then I am sure > they will detail these then. However, I'd be > surprised if 67% of Heber's low attaining students > were actually intellectually incapable of > progressing from their starting point, however low > that might have been. It's right that Heber at > the very least needs to improve this or provide an > explanation and this level or oversight seems fair > to me. Yes, but 67% of what? Percentages sound impressive until you realise what small samples they can be based on. In the extreme, 67% of 3 is two. And all sorts of domestic or personal situations can mean that a particular child does not progress, whatever the school does. This whole thread is in danger of becoming sweeping assertions based on percentages with no knowledge of how many children are being represented. Heber has a meeting to talk about the data next week, with people who know the facts and the children involved. Why not wait until then.

...And can I just add, this Ofsted is a real kick in the teeth for some lovely, hard-working teachers. They don't deserve this and need all the moral support they can get. Even if your child's school isn't Heber, remember it could be your school next (unless it's lucky enough to be out of the reach of Ofsted of course).

This Ofsted rating is patently nonsense. Any parent wanting to send their child to Heber should ignore the Ofsted report and just ask a parent of a child currently at the school. Vast majority of parents will tell you (a) this is a really good, happy school (like many others in East Dulwich) and (b) it has got better, not worse, in the last five years, both in the quality of teachers and the physical environment.

Noticed that Callows have now moved to Melbourne Grove, it looks like the new store is up and running. Wish them all the best, we've used them many times and will continue to do so.

Surely a horsefly inside the house is unusual. I had a mosquito buzzing high-pitchedly around my head in bed the other evening as i tried to get to sleep, can't remember the last time I heard one of those indoors at night in London, I'm going to guess that was the source of your bites.

Apparently inside it's in good nick.

Plenty of stables to keep your horses. Price on application. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-43280624.html

I was sorry to see the other day some sort of "Development" sign above Plant Nation, the little garden centre on Upland Road. I assume it will be replaced by houses. I have always liked it as a cheerful and convenient local business, and if it's closing, it'll be a longer trek to pick up something for the garden. One of the features I've always liked about East Dulwich is the little businesses and garages to be found in some of the back streets. Slowly one by one they are giving up the ghost. Perhaps inevitable, but for us old-timers a little sad too.

Beverley Craven was living in a flat in Crystal Palace Road when she recorded this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LMC-2Y-Emw

If all East Dulwich pubs were about to be turned into flats, but you could save just three of them as pubs for heritage reasons, which three would you choose (I'm ignoring what I think of them as current drinking establishments)? I would choose: The EDT - flagship pub as you enter the area; The Plough - ditto, and it used to be a bus route destination; and Great Exhibition, despite its change of name.