Sweaty Betty - the final nail in the gentrification coffin?

[Seabag]

Louisa

Guide me to your planing portal

This is not a euphemism

[DulwichFox]

The plans show a seating plan..

Any branded chain would have their own seating plan that fits in with their layout style.

Looks like M&S killed off Iceland and now looks to of had some influence on the closure of Londis.

Anyway this is the Sweaty Betty thread so off topic..

DulwichFox

[LondonMix]

What on earth are you on about? How has M&S done anything to Londis?

Also, if the idea that this is being developed for a chain, surely the chain would be involved in the design phase to make sure its appropriate.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Londis is of course a chain. The replacement may be a chain, or possibly an independent. I'm not sure what the point is either way. There is no shortage of convenience stores on LL, so I don't know why anyone woudl be particularly exercised about the change without even knowing what's going to be there. Is it evidence the ED is dying. Not really.

[Cassel]

I agree with rahrahrah - I also like the diversity of this part of SE London and it is only a small outlet. Is this a good time to mention that there's a special competition on the Sweaty Betty East Dulwich Facebook page? Don't shoot the messenger I just thought anybody who is interested/likes their clothes might like to check it out.

[DulwichFox]

I don't care what it becomes..

I don't sit down to eat Pasta... Pizza... Burgers.. Fried Chicken.. Ribs... and all the rest of that sort of crap.

..So very unlikely I will ever use the place.. Whereas I use Londis most days..

DulwichFox.

[Louisa]

The loss of Londis will be detrimental to the neighborhood, and I've already discussed this with James Barber over PM who is looking into it. We have already lost a number of convenience stores over the years, and the former 7/11 site is absolutely crucial to the retail mix of the area. We do not need more restaurants. We have plenty already. I also do think that the M&S/Iceland situation has probably in some way influenced this change of use application either directly or indirectly. Once a precedence has been set, bring on the flood of applications.

Louisa.

[LondonMix]

What are you talking about Louisa? There was no change of use for M&S! Its one supermarket chain taking over another supermarket chain.

The only change of use on that application concerns converting the office to residential units, which isn't part of the Londis application as far as I can see.

[NewWave]

*Bob* Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Other places recently pronounced 'dead' also

> include New York, Berlin, Sydney, Paris, Madrid,

> Melbourne and so on.

>

> Two millennia of continuous capital civic

> evolution and I just happen to be born at the when

> they all die. Just my luck.

I'M sorry but speaking as someone who spent time in the late '70's and 80's in New york, It IS DEAD.

Ok, street crime is down, once no-go areas like Alphabet City ( I had a friend lived on Avenue A in the 80's when visiting you'd stay over rather than risk the junkies on the doorstep and the shootings at night) are now gentrified full of hip bars and resturants.

But Gone are the interesting places CBGBS, Mars Bar, Yaffa Cafe, Chelsea Hotel is being turned into an overpriced soulless 'boutique hotel'.

Gone are the quirky independent stores in the East Village, Ditto SoHO..now home to the likes of TopShop and H&M

I could go on and on.

Berlin is now going the same way.

The very people and shops that made an area interesting and dare I say it 'Cool" are being priced out

And in their place come psudo hipster bare brick oh so ironic 'we only play vinyl' hangouts.

I'm a city girl, always have been-I love the diversity, the edge the creative buzz of cities.

But soon I fear everywhere will be the same.

[*Bob*]

My friends Dad says NYC was over in 67. Dead. You were too late.

[Louisa]

*Bob* my friends dad is probably dead, but I'm sure he would have said the same in 1929.

Louisa.

[*Bob*]

It's a peculiar thing isn't it; to believe that for all the hundreds of years something has been in existence, the bit of it that just happened to coincide with a prime bit of your life just happened to also be the very time when that place was at its best, then all downhill.

A whole lot of teenagers these days are going to have to suffer their parents banging on about amazing squat parties in NWSomething. They will roll up heir eyes, just as surely as their parents did at the previous generation. Then they'll go on to do exactly the same. That's just how it works.

[Mick Mac]

Para 1 - true Bob.

[maxxi]

The Londis devpmnt also includes a two storey extension along NCR to provide 4 two-bedroom flats. Like the M&S site it's an opportunity to shoehorn more luxury flats into the area.

[LondonMix]

I remember they are planning to do a rear extension of the existing building across two levels, right? I think the use is already residential there though so its not a change of use. What's the precedent M&S is supposed to have created: buildings can be extended to create flats? Surely that was already the case and for Londis, they aren't changing the original height of the building as seen from LL are they? Can someone please re-link the planning application?

Anyway, I find the term luxury flats really loaded. Its just more housing. Its not like they are building One Hyde Park above the shop. London needs more housing so unless there is a good reason not to do the residential extensions, I'm supportive.

[Jeremy]

Pretty much every new residential development in London is marketed as "luxury". Of course, they are nothing of the sort.

[RosieH]

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Yes but it's "more than something to sweat in,

> it's a tool for transformation"

>

> That's what Tamara's inspirational omni-channel

> sports retailer of the year, one to watch, award

> winning website will tell you. Even when you're

> paddle boarding in Witterings or mid-run on a copa

> cabana beach, not driving your 1970's VW

> convertible with your dog Ennis thinking of your

> global fitness powerhouse or going to the coffee

> shop on the paddle board

Ok, so I came back for this one. No lattes or bugaboos here, and I freaking love Sweaty Betty.

I'm spending all that money I saved on not procreating going surfing in Bali. There might even be a little yoga. And I'm gonna be wearing Sweaty Betty, baby.

And raising a cocktail to you all in your Decathlon gear.

[DaveR]

DaveR Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm a bit lost now - is the argument that Sweaty

> Betty moving in will kill ED (or Peckham, or

> London) or that it will kill Lowestoft (presumably

> by moving into ED rather than there)?

DaveR, Sweaty Beaty in and of itself will make no difference. It's just another shop. But the process of high end chain wntrenchment will kill ED and yes even Lowestoft, indirectly, in time. Mark my words! Poor London neighborhoods gentrified get the high end chains and disappearing social diversity further enhancing the notion London is a country all by itself, which indirectly continues to damage outlying towns and cities (Lowestoft and Bognor etc) which are already poor and will just get poorer!!

Louisa.

I'm still confused. If Sweaty Betty is successful, how will that kill ED? And if it's unsuccessful, presumably it will be replaced by something that might be, so how will that kill ED?

I think the confusion might be semantic - does 'kill ED' actually mean 'make me and my friends cross'?

[malumbu]

I really liked Grace and Favour when it was a cafe. Back in the late 90s and early 00s it was a treat coming to North cross Road and using the slightly off-beat cafes there.

Shocked at what is has become but hey-ho rarely go there nowawdays in any case and quite like the plant stall (and family like the popcorn).

I also liked the salvage place but rarely bought things due to the cost and now seen its gone. And the charity shops are good. And the Cheese Block (as long as you set a limit on your spending). And that basement place that does music. And from the early 80s the dodgy tailor that sold Levis and kept porn mags. But no LL carpets.

Not really sure of the point of my post.

[DulwichFox]

Don't worry about not having a Point... You have your Point and others have their Point..

..and a Point in every direction is the same as having no Point at all..

Voice. 'Hey. You've gotta point there.. '

Foxy..

[Positivity Rules]

Has something awful happened? Has someone died??!? Has there been a mass disaster in East Dulwich!? A shop opened!? A new one? Selling gym wear!? OMFG!? How on earth will we cope???

And people who shop in said shop "may" have a takeaway coffee sometimes? Or "may" be so rude to have born a child and not only that, push said child in a pram!? Are you kidding!?!?? AND they do yoga to top it all off!? It's all so hideous!

On a serious note, I moved to East Dulwich a year ago. I absolutely love it. I have family here, my father was born here. I love it so much... until I see threads like this on this forum. I check into the forum just every once in a while to check in with any new developments in the area or to see if there is something I should know. But then I feel very sad to see people being so negative about something like a new shop opening! I'm sorry, but didn't the Sweaty Betty shop used to be a Deli? Because an artisan cheese and a tub of hummus are essentials, of course. Let's be honest, you can never and will never be able to buy all your essentials on a high street as small as Lordship Lane. However, as long as an area is clean, safe and friendly, whatever somebody's class, job, which schools their children attend, whether they make their coffee at home or buy it out as a treat once in a while, their preference of exercise gear (!!), isn't that surely the most important thing?

This forum gives me the impression that maybe East Dulwich isn't the warm and friendly area that I thought it was, so hopefully I'm wrong.

And just to be clear, Sweaty Betty have written on their blog their recommendations of their favourite places in East Dulwich:

http://www.sweatybetty.com/blog/sweaty-bettys-guide-to-east-dulwich/?__ja=tsid:65551~cgn:20160506EastDulwichUK~kw:swbetty.258522&utm_source=responsys&utm_medium=eml&utm_campaign=20160506EastDulwichUK

You'll see that includes a whole wealth of independent and local businesses as well as institutions we should be proud of (Picture Gallery, Horniman Museum etc.). So it's hardly ruining the area, is it?

Let's all calm down - I hear yoga is very good for that!

[pato]

LOvely! Now few women in Ed look pretty much the same...Thanx to sweaty betty:(

and all just for an extra fiver..:)

[Earl Aelfheah]

Positivity Rules Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Has something awful happened? Has someone died??!?

> Has there been a mass disaster in East Dulwich!? A

> shop opened!? A new one? Selling gym wear!? OMFG!?

> How on earth will we cope???

>

> And people who shop in said shop "may" have a

> takeaway coffee sometimes? Or "may" be so rude to

> have born a child and not only that, push said

> child in a pram!? Are you kidding!?!?? AND they do

> yoga to top it all off!? It's all so hideous!

>

> On a serious note, I moved to East Dulwich a year

> ago. I absolutely love it. I have family here, my

> father was born here. I love it so much... until I

> see threads like this on this forum. I check into

> the forum just every once in a while to check in

> with any new developments in the area or to see if

> there is something I should know. But then I feel

> very sad to see people being so negative about

> something like a new shop opening! I'm sorry, but

> didn't the Sweaty Betty shop used to be a Deli?

> Because an artisan cheese and a tub of hummus are

> essentials, of course. Let's be honest, you can

> never and will never be able to buy all your

> essentials on a high street as small as Lordship

> Lane. However, as long as an area is clean, safe

> and friendly, whatever somebody's class, job,

> which schools their children attend, whether they

> make their coffee at home or buy it out as a treat

> once in a while, their preference of exercise gear

> (!!), isn't that surely the most important thing?

>

> This forum gives me the impression that maybe East

> Dulwich isn't the warm and friendly area that I

> thought it was, so hopefully I'm wrong.

>

> And just to be clear, Sweaty Betty have written on

> their blog their recommendations of their

> favourite places in East Dulwich:

>

> http://www.sweatybetty.com/blog/sweaty-bettys-guid

> e-to-east-dulwich/?__ja=tsid:65551~cgn:20160506Eas

> tDulwichUK~kw:swbetty.258522&utm_source=responsys&

> utm_medium=eml&utm_campaign=20160506EastDulwichUK

>

> You'll see that includes a whole wealth of

> independent and local businesses as well as

> institutions we should be proud of (Picture

> Gallery, Horniman Museum etc.). So it's hardly

> ruining the area, is it?

>

> Let's all calm down - I hear yoga is very good for

> that!

This forum is far from representative of the area (in fact most of the regular posters don't live here). Internet forums in general bring out the worst in peeps. Don't think it's any reflection on real life ED.

[Otta]

RosieH Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> And raising a cocktail to you all in your

> Decathlon gear.

I suspect the vast majority of people wouldn't be able to tell the difference without checking the label.

Or give a shit either way.

[Otta]

Surely most people that are serious about sport / exercise prioritise comfort and practicality before style? (not that they don't want to look good too, otherwise why bother in the first place).