Change to restaurant old Londis

[madger]

Hello,

As ever I know people will have different opinions about this ( ! ) but for anyone else who feels the balance between retail and restaurants is tipping too far in the direction of restaurants, the planning application to turn the old Londis into a restaurant closes on the 18th May. It's a really key retail site and it's hard to see why we need another restaurant..

https://planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_STHWR_DCAPR_9577108

[notiti]

More to the point, it's hard to see why we need a Pizza Express in the building when there are already two chain pizza places on the High Street...

[mikeb]

The applicant PNAM Limited does not appear on Companies House website or on the internet except in connection with a couple of other planning applications.

[Louisa]

Where on the application does it say its going to be a Pizza Express?

If that?s the case I?ve never heard of anything more ridiculous in all my years. Turning a useable 24 hour shop into yet another pizzza based restaurant. The area is saturated with the bloody things.

Louisa.

[Earl Aelfheah]

I can't believe that Pizza Express would do well in that location. There are so many better pizza joints nearby (and also a PE in the Village).

[madger]

The pizza express bit is the word amongst a few local shop owners, not confirmed but apparently very likely.

[Earl Aelfheah]

There are chains which could work there, but not a PE.

[louisemurray]

I asked behind the counter ages ago - she said Costa Coffee

[madger]

Apparently it will be both, with premises extended behind...

[Penguin68]

If Pizza Express was to open this would cannibalise their restaurant in The Village - which is larger (2 floors) - I would guess once cooking and storage areas are taken into account. And lavatories. It's often quite full so I can't see them voluntarily downsizing. Maybe they are losing this site? - but if not it doesn't make sense to move into an area already well served for pizza - and where the passing clientele may not match the target market (families with young children but not babies) - I am not sure the joint in The Village is so full so regularly that they are needing an overflow.

[NewWave]

another bloody Pizza resturant??

what a joke!

[FightingFit]

How utterly depressing

[Louisa]

If you?re going to put a chain restaurant in this space, how about a Las Iguanas with a nice cocktail bar, or a C?te Brasserie with a decent wine list? God knows why Pizza Express would even entertain this space.

Louisa.

[Jules-and-Boo]

Good choice Louisa!

I'd back that. Pizza Express/ Nandos/ Costa are SO depressing. Are we that mindless?

[Ghlpc]

Sorry, are we saying that Lorship Lane is too good for a Pizza Express?

[Jules-and-Boo]

what do you mean 'too good'?

I think it's about variety and opportunity to have something exciting. Another chain is a bit like getting socks for Christmas.

The icing on the cake would be a Starbucks/ McDonald's/ Pret a Manger/ Top Shop/ another estate agent/ another indian/ another pizza place.....

[EDPineapple]

I agree with earlier posts entirely, there are already plenty of pizza restaurants in the area. However I believe one upshot of a Pizza Express (vs a Nando's or Costa Coffee for example) is that they don't seem to have the same impact on their surrounding area when it comes to litter.

I was under the impression that there is something in place to try and limit the number of nationwide chains vs smaller independents on LL, is there any truth to that or have I just imagined it?

Having said this, the Londis plot is prob too big for anything but the larger chains, and Londis was itself a nationwide chain so it's a difficult argument to make in this case.

[Jakido]

Maybe a Wimpy would do well; balloons.

[ED Light]

I?d take wahaca (or similar) or a decent chinese (whose sauces can not be used as adhesive) any day of the week

[DulwichFox]

I like Wimpy. There are not many left .. Locally ? ??

There is one in Bermondsey.. You still get a proper plate and metal cutlery

and there is Salt, Vinegar, Ketchup and paper napkins on every Table.

Also waiter service.

A far cry from McDonalds.

DulwichFox

[uncleglen]

mikeb Wrote:

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

> The applicant PNAM Limited does not appear on

> Companies House website or on the internet except

> in connection with a couple of other planning

> applications.

The PE chain was bought by a Chinese company called Hony

What we REALLY need is a decent chippy.

[Ghlpc]

Jules-and-Boo Wrote:

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

> what do you mean 'too good'?

> I think it's about variety and opportunity to have

> something exciting. Another chain is a bit like

> getting socks for Christmas.

>

> The icing on the cake would be a Starbucks/

> McDonald's/ Pret a Manger/ Top Shop/ another

> estate agent/ another indian/ another pizza

> place.....

You can never have too many socks...

No seriously I do think the site is a bit small for a Pizza Express, if indeed these rumours are true, but they must have done their research on the place and think it a viable option.

I think it's good to have competition between similar food type restaurants...it's keeps them on their toes and maintains standards.

I like Pizza Express. You know what your getting, you can get some great discount vouchers almost all the time which makes it an affordable place to eat, especially for the family.

Anyway a few of the business you mentioned above did start off as independents once upon a time...

[EDBoost]

So many people here moaning about Pizza Express coming, but i bet, if it did open where Londis was, they would be there on a regular.

I for one, wouldn't mind having a Pizza Express on the Lane, there pizza's are great and a good place to eat in.

So what if we have 2 other pizza places on the lane? (3 if you include Pizza GoGo). It's good to have a choice/variety and I personally go to all three depending on what i fancy.

All those who moan about "i want this, i want that" on the lane, acting like a spoilt brat who's allowance has been cut from 5k a month to only 2k ;)

Be happy with what you have, Lordship lane has eveloved over the years and will continue. Yes its nice to have difference kinds of shops/restuarants on the Lane, but its not that easy/practical.

Business on the lane is difficult atm (with rent & rates going stupidly high, I for one, will be happy just to have another shop open so I have another place I can visit and try out.

[Jules-and-Boo]

Herne Hill and the village presumably are too far to trek for a pizza?

It's the lack of variety that is disappointing and actually turns a nice areas into a mainstream boring area.

[madger]

I think the sad thing is that once landlords push all their rents up to amounts that only really big chains backed by corporate hedge funds can afford, then no-one can afford to have a small local business. Even successful ?micro chains? which were born from a real passion can?t afford rents at those levels. I like variety, I like balance, but it?s a shame greed has such a detrimental impact on local business people with good ideas. If anything, these chains are the product of gentrification. The Lane has always been full of local businesses and if that now changes because big investors want to make a quick buck, we will lose diversity. Chains are a bit like Japanese knotweed; pretty and innocuous looking, but ruthlessly suppressing all other growth.