Bellenden Brasserie

[all_star]

has anyone noticed how the peckham experiment has changed for the millionth time in a few years?

visited for brunch last week and was shocked at the pigs swill they served!

do not go there, over priced cafe food, tesco value burgers, soggy fries and all pre packed crap

i am so cross about actually going there and that people have the nerve to try and serve that food!

do not go there, save your money and go to anywhere else!!

[Guest]

Yeah

'The Bellenden Road Experiment' in general doesn't seem to have worked-out at all..

[dulwichmum]

Dear All_star,

NEVER venture as far as Peckham. Yes, there is a Primark, but that is not enough. 'Bellenden Experiment' my eye. Just because the folk from Living ETC Magazine bought houses up there and installed lots of sheet glass in their homes, it does not make it a fit environment in which to live, shop or eat 'bruch'.

Oh yes, lets go to Peckham and buy ourselves some bush meat, vegetables that look like they have been harvested on mars and strange looking dried fish - why don't we. And we can have our throats cut and get ripped off while we are there. A great family day out. Hurrah!

[mockney piers]

Very uncharacteristic spleen from you there dulwichmum. Having one of those days? Make yourself a nice cup of tea and put your feet up for ten minutes.

Does anyone know anything about Primark's manufacturing? I was watching a programme about chinese clothing factories and the dreadful virtual slavery that the workers are kept under, the conclusion being that if clothes are so cheap that it seems to good to be true, that's because it is.

I'm not normally a right on tree-hugger but it was genuinely disturbing stuff.

[dulwichmum]

Dear Mockney,

I know, I don't know what came over me! I fancied a bit of controvercy about something other than whether ED is better now or not, and I became mildly hysterical. Perhaps these shoes are cutting off the circulation to my brain, and I have a low blood sugar too.

Is Primark really a bad plan? I shall never go there again. That is dreadful. I think I subcosciously knew that, but I have been too exhausted for it to register properly. It's back to the Boden catalogue for me. Ho hum.

[snorky]

a turdish comment to say the least. Your OTT pastiche of a Dulwich mother is transparent and achingly unfunny. musttry harder 1/10.

[Guest]

Here comes our little ray of sunshine...

[snorky]

This little "ray of sunshine" does not find crass, smug and distasteful sweeping comments very amusing .Strange that isnt it ?

[dulwichmum]

OK now I have been christened by Snorky. Thanks for that.

But, whatever does he mean? I am not trying to be funny. My blog is fact. I consider myself to be - I suppose a type of a bird in a guilded cage - perhaps more of a vibrantly attired drunk trapped in a wine cellar.

[mockney piers]

To be honest I've no idea if Primark is ethical or not, but this story in the guardian isn't very encouraging.

[dulwichmum]

Dear Mockney,

Wow, thanks for that. That article took my breath away. No more clothes for the children from Tesco either!

[Guest]

snorky Wrote:

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

> This little "ray of sunshine" does not find crass,

> smug and distasteful sweeping comments very

> amusing .Strange that isnt it ?

Funny that Dorky, you hate such comments, yet you appear to be quite adept at making such remarks yourself, albeit in a different vein. Tosser.

[Guest]

Come now, Michael. There's room for all sorts of faces in the forum. Even the most miserable ones.

[snorky]

Michael Wrote:

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

> snorky Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > This little "ray of sunshine" does not find

> crass,

> > smug and distasteful sweeping comments very

> > amusing .Strange that isnt it ?

>

>

> Funny that Dorky, you hate such comments, yet you

> appear to be quite adept at making such remarks

> yourself, albeit in a different vein. Tosser.

I love you Too xxx

[Tom]

Having worked for a high st supplier, I can tell you as fact, that anyone trying to fool themselves that stores selling 'value' ie Matalan, Primark etc even the mighty Top Shop use factories that are close to sweatshops.

Any item of clothing that is value will have an elemnet of slave / child labour in it. Maybe not at the factory, but somewhere in the supply chain - for example children picking the cotton crop.

Someone on this link pays ?20 for shoes.... think again.

[dulwichmum]

Oh no, not Top Shop? OK no more Top Shop. Do you think Zara too?

[Ant]

Let's hope Ocado check out OK otherwise we're all doomed.

[dulwichmum]

Yes, apparently they are even fair to lovely grape farmers in South Africa, so we can still drink wine.

[batdog]

Dear D/Mum,

I am shocked that a "Lady of your status" even mentions the word "Primark"...very schocked !!!

Even though Primark joined in May 2006 the Fair Traders Association, a large percentage of its production is still coming out of Sweatshops.... !! As previosuly posted by Tom.

The following is taken out of Wikipedia

Controversy

In 2006, Primark came under criticism for the working conditions in factories overseas, by campaigners who claim that it exploits workers to get cheap prices and fast speed-to-market. Reports such as War on Want's "Fashion Victims" [2] and two reports by Labour Behind the Label [3],[4] are some examples. Both organisations express concern over the following quote from Managing Director Arthur Ryan:

One story tells of how Ryan was approached by a factory owner with a product costing stg?5 that would sell for stg?10. Ryan reportedly told him he was not interested unless he came back with a product that cost stg?3 and could be sold for stg?7. ?I don't care how you go about it - just do it,? he said.[5]

In its defence, Primark's head of Public Relations Geoff Lancaster said the company was trying to raise standards in Bangladesh, adding:

We use huge volumes, deal directly with suppliers cutting out the middlemen and do not advertise. That's how we get best value

So any one of ethical mind, should avoid Primark at ANY costs !!! (td)

[Guest]

DulwichMum, I find it hard to believe I am agreeing with you on the state of Peckham, as it once had a whole host of fine upmarket shops, the most famous being the Jones and Higgins department store, a privately run local business which was in the area for nearly 140 years until it's closure in 1983, it had been part of the John Lewis partnership since the early 70's (John Lewis in Peckham I hear you shout!). For those of us old enough to remember, the Primark store was once a British Home Stores with a Richard's outlet inside it and upstairs cafe. I still love Peckham, but it does lack the classy side it once had, Rye Lane easily rivaled the likes of Bromley, Lewisham and Clapham for high quality retail outlets both chain and non-chain, I cannot think of any place other than Primark along that street now, which is an awful shame!

[batdog]

The only "good thing" remaining along that road is indeed the Rye Hotel ( at the top )

and

the Library ( at the bottom ).

The rest is easily ready for "room 101"

[dulwichmum]

Dear Louisa,

Don't be too traumatised by agreeing with me, most of the time I am in character, and I don't actually agree with myself either! Batdog is not - I suspect a dog, or a superhero (although he certainly is for me) and I rather suspect that he is in fact a terribly attractive man!

[Ant]

Despite the fact that I know you're in character most of the time, dm, I still can't help but respond in all seriousness. I blame the fatigue, it's playing havoc with my sense of irony. I might as well be American for all practical purposes. A sorry state of affairs.

[James]

Christ, what a bunch of snobs! When it's all been gentrified in ten years' time you'll all be getting your knickers in a twist trying to buy there (East Dulwich was pretty much indistinguishable from Peckaham not too long ago).

[dulwichmum]

Dear Ant,

There are some things I do not need to exaggerate - I think you know what I mean. I am still up for the babysitting!