Has ED started to decline?

[*Bob*]

Always.

I believe most people are quite sane on these matters. But sooner or later, every thread is highjacked and escalated by the relatively small number of people who either want to take a flamethrower to the Moxons queue - or fumigate Iceland.

[eastdulwichhenry]

When do you think we will see a McDonald's in LL?

[DJKillaQueen]

Debates about chain stores and rents aside.....isn't what's happening on LL just the same as what happens on any street of independents/ chains competing for a finite amount of disposable income? Some businesses thrive, and others don't. Obviously, massive rent increases are going to drive some businesses to the wall, and that's very sad.

Decline for me would be signalled when recently vacated retail units can no longer be filled. There are thousands of former shopping streets like that across the country. LL isn't even remotely like that at present.

[DulwichFox]

There used to be a Woolwrths in Lordship Lane..

It closed down many many years ago. Long before the more recent colapse.

There were other shops that failed.

At one point Michelin-starred Chez Nico was on LL.

So there is nothing here now worth shouting about.

Fox

[davidh]

the former chez nico (or at least one of its chefs) is now le chardon and very nice it is too

[DulwichFox]

davidh Wrote:

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

> the former chez nico (or at least one of its

> chefs) is now le chardon and very nice it is too

As I understand it Chez Nico was where Mr Liu is now....

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,49477,page=3

Fox.

[reddulwich]

If people are worried about the decline of East Dulwich/ the death of the independent high street, can I make a suggestion. Stop lobbying for an M&S food - that will sound the death knell for many independent food retailers.

You might not like Iceland, but its not a competitor to the more middle class food shops, that an M&S food will be.

[Catalyst]

Not enough middle class poppets to keep it open

^ what he said.

[*Bob*]

Does this mean there aren't enough working class plebs to keep Iceland open?

How helpful is this sort of language, do you reckon?

[jimbo1964]

As I understand it Chez Nico was where Mr Liu is now....

Correct.

[Moos]

*Bob* Wrote:

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

> Does this mean there aren't enough working class

> plebs to keep Iceland open?

>

>

> How helpful is this sort of language, do you

> reckon?

I love Bob

[laurajaynewoodhouse]

I think I must be the only person who thought green and blue was massively overpriced (for food). I ordered a cheese board for ?10 and it consisted of 4 slivers of cheese! I love independant stores and restaurants but this was ridiculous!

[lane lover]

Jeremy Wrote:

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

> first mate Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Seems like Bellenden may be the new

> ED/Northcross

> > rd, with a number of new little indie shops.

> The

> > Xmas street event was great.

>

> Bellenden Rd is looking great now. I think it

> struggled for a while to attract/retain a good mix

> of businesses, but places like The Begging Bowl

> and Victoria Inn have really brought it up a

> notch.

>

> No doubt in a few years time, people will be

> reminiscing about how it used to be in its heyday.

I think Bellenden Rd area is ok - but nothing great. I rate the Vic Inn, and wish it was in ED. Ganapati is also good. The Begging bowl is very average - food is ok, but service is terrible. Also like the Gowlett for a no-frills pub with great pizza.

[RosieH]

lane lover Wrote:

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

> Also like the Gowlett for a no-frills pub with

> great pizza.

No frills? NO FRILLS? What about the Remi Rough DJ booth? What about Smoked in Peckham? http://www.smokedinpeckham.blogspot.co.uk/ What about my insanely good tunes at Lucky 7s? WHAT ABOUT ELVIS?

I have a sore finger; I may be high on cold and pain medicines.

[LondonMix]

Love Bob too and DJK talks good sense as usual.

Moos Wrote:

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

> *Bob* Wrote:

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

> -----

> > Does this mean there aren't enough working

> class

> > plebs to keep Iceland open?

> >

> >

> > How helpful is this sort of language, do you

> > reckon?

>

> I love Bob

[DulwichFox]

Pleb does not mean poor..

Plebeian means :- Unrefined or coarse in nature or manner; common or vulgar:

Plenty of Rich Plebeians around...

They are the worst kind.

Fox.

[Penguin68]

Actually Plebian means 'not of the senatorial/ aristocratic class' and is one of the two assembly bodies in the Roman Republic - numbers of aristocrats in the last days of the Republic were adopted by Plebians so they could become Tribunes - as part of their positioning in the Cursus Honorem (leading to the elected rank of Consul, an annual appointment).

The derogatory meanings stem from a distinction between aristocrat and not aristrocrat - and are very much anacronistic - in that when the Plebs was actually a defined body it had many refined members, Cicero was a Plebian, for instance. Senators and members of their class were certainly snobs, and many of the Plebs (a very, very much larger body of people) were of course less educated and refined but the general use of the term to mean inevitably unrefined and coarse is a 'new' meaning earned after the fall of the Roman Republic.

[KidKruger]

So does that mean ED is declining or not ?

[TillieTrotter]

definitely or not.

[DulwichFox]

The Bubble is about to Burst...

E.D. is a victim of it's own success, and people are having to jump ship.

The ship will then sink.

East Dulwich was once a good shopping area. With stores and a cinema.

It fell into decline for many years and has become an area mainly full of Eateries.

As rents and rates rise, there is no doubt some of these will be forced out of busines.

Expect to see North Cross Rd. with boarded up shops as it was a few years back.

Might see the occasional Pop-Up shop.

The signs are there to see.

Fox.

[AlexC]

What a load of tosh...

[macrobana]

AlexC Wrote:

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

> What a load of tosh...

Why?

[AlexC]

A few places are closing. Other places have opened. It's not a sinking ship. Rents have risen as the area has risen. Landlords will only raise rents if they think they can get away with it. They would obviously change that if the demand wasn't there. They'd rather have a tenant than a boarded up shop. The signs are not there to see. This stuff happens in all areas. Businesses come and go. You get the odd empty shop. That does not mean that the place is about to become a wasteland of them.

ED seems to have been mentioned quite a bit recently in the press as a great area people don't know so much about. Hardly signs of a decline.

Of course, if by decline you mean some of the independents closing may be replaced by a one or two more chains, then yes, that's not great. ED loses a bit of character. I'd rather that didn't happen. But to say that the place is in decline is, as i said before, utter tosh.

[Ted Max]

Aw look AlexC, Macroban only came back to the EDF to administer the last rites, having got the incense and shroud out a bit prematurely four years ago. Don't spoil her fun.

[Dulwich Squirrel]

Well said AlexC - good to see that somebody is talking sense...