Strange things afoot at the Circle K

[SeanMacGabhann]

well, at the top of LL anyway

That big building with all of the scaffolding near the Plough seems to be part of something else.. The Dry Cleaner AND The motor accessories shop are both empty for "refurb"

I guess the best we can expect is more modern flats but some interesting shops/attractions wouldn't go amiss up there

[ben]

i was told that the motor accessories shop was moving into one of the smaller revamped units but surely we need a posh coffee shop at this end of the lane as well;-)

[SeanMacGabhann]

something.. ANYTHING.. to brighten up the drabness & litter

I don't mind most of the shops as such* but there is nothing to supplement them and make it more interesting. Obviously, if the Plough was to have a serious revamp and have some sort of garden instead of a graffiti-strwen car park we would be getting somewhere

*Exceptions

that Amazing Grace shoe (?) shop - just odd

The latest of the little grocer/offies - think it's just called Dulwich Grocer but it makes me feel like I live in the Bronx circa 1976

Not sure we need the DIY, lighting AND tile shop in a row

[Jeremy]

Well, the DIY shop is pretty useful... saves a drive down to homebase. Never actually been into the lighting and tile shops, but they seem to be doing OK. There are a lot of builders, plumbers, etc based down at this end of lordship lane, which may boost their trade. It also explains the number of greasy spoon cafes, and good-value-but-scruffy pubs.

[ben]

The DIY shop is handy - super selection of tiles as well. Not too sure how either the Chinese medicine or the electrical shop survive as they always seem empty. The gas shop have done a couple of jobs for us and I found them reasonably priced and really friendly. Agree with Sean - that clothing / shoe shop is odd

[Pierre]

I think I'd prefer good value but scruffy to overpriced and overdecorated... ;)

: P

[Joe likes dinner]

Whatever comes along, if they put some money and effort into tidying the pavement, then they are welcome in my book. As for the strange shoe shop, it always strikes me as being a 'ligit business to hide dodgy back-room dealings' kind of place. No evidence, purely based on personal prejudice and having never seen anyone, let alone customers go in that place!

The zin oriental could do with a bit of a make-over also.

[Ant]

I couldn't agree more about that odd Amazing Grace shop. Something about it just strikes me as not quite right. But again I must stress there's no evidence of anything actually dodgy going on. This is just a personal impression of the place.

I'd love for this end (my end) of LL to be tarted up a bit. The DIY place is great, though, and the lighting shop is pretty good too. Dulwich Grocers and Zin Oriental look fit for the chop, and I've little love for the William Hill. (How many does ED need, anyway?)

[snorky]

ben Wrote:

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

> The DIY shop is handy - super selection of tiles

> as well. Not too sure how either the Chinese

> medicine or the electrical shop survive as they

> always seem empty. The gas shop have done a couple

> of jobs for us and I found them reasonably priced

> and really friendly. Agree with Sean - that

> clothing / shoe shop is odd

Psst....theres More to the Chinese medicine shop that you may think.

[*Bob*]

What could you be suggesting, Snorks?

Herb and tree bark preparations round the front.. a secret opium den round the back?

[bawdy-nan]

Zin Oriental is fine and dandy.

The very best shop up this end is the little one next to the newsagents (before you get to the enormous cost-cutters). The veg there is brilliant - always very fresh. The people are great, especially the woman who is glad to give top tips on how to cook things (NEVER cook manioc with garlic apparently - NEVER cook manioc would be alternative suggestion).

I really like the post-office costcutters too. Cash machine on this side of the road and a non-charging one to boot.

Not so keen on the badger bakery - but I think I've been spoiled by lovely bread from elsewhere - if they could pull their fingers out and rustle up some deliciousness I'd be over the moon.

The Plough makes me weep for its hideousness and I often have to walk past its clientele pissing in the alleyway of the strangest, most overpriced dulwichhouse for sale in east dulwich (behing the Zin Oriental - now boarded up, it was once where the street sweeper would park his trolley and settle down for a daytime kip, and where lots of posh kids hang out for illicit smoking and teenage shenanigans ...

[louisiana]

Yup, the veg at that shop is fine for a general grocers.

Badger the greasy spoon of bakeries. I so wish they had better stuff.

Wish the Lloyds cash machine wasn't out of action half the time.

[ratty]

The DIY shop is the NUTZ! I popped in there on Saturday and the people there were soooooooooooooooooo helpful and friendly!

[*Bob*]

Ahh... the magic of a well-staffed & well-stocked DIY/hardware store - great stuff. You walk out of there feeling like a KING.. 'I can do it! I can accomplish anything!'

Oops... just drilled through a hot water pipe.

[SeanMacGabhann]

looks like most people agree with me on what's good and what's not.. but does anyone know what is actually happening to the block of shops

[Mark]

perhaps someone could ask in the DIY store, they sound very helpful

[blinder999]

and Enid Blyton was born above the DIY shop - what a bonus.

[bawdy-nan]

Perhaps its an Enid Blyton themed experience centre?

[Huguenot]

Now that sounds like an excellent idea! Can we talk to some business angels?

[hot-diggedy]

I bullied and pushed off my bike by a badger bakery croissant once - that's how tough it was!

[Ko]

The Chinese medicine place - its run by a Chinese lady who is a qualified doctor (trained in China and also at one of the London teaching hospitals - St Thomas's I think). She also does acupuncture and other alternative therapies. Very nice lady.

The DIY shop is brill - very helpful and never make you feel stupid.

Groceries/newspapers/Post Office is also very useful and the shop part is open all day on Sundays.

Southside Lighting stocks some very good quality lighting and the guy in there is very helpful. Its good to be able to get this sort of thing locally.

Its also useful having the dry-cleaners there. The rest of it I am not bothered about, but I will give that veg place a go. Next time I pop into the Post Office I will ask if they know what is going on. I think a coffee place could do well - there's lots of passing trade especially with the Library and Dulwich Park being 2 minutes from those shops.

[Ant]

That veg place is excellent and getting better. They have a really good range of stuff and it's usually very good quality.

Can anyone remember what it's called... Val's something? Or am I thinking of somewhere else?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Ant

Yep - it's called Val's and they are great (for what they do - there will be no organic freerange chickens sold anytime soon)

Nisha (sp?) is the main lady and is I believe Sri Lankan - as already pointed out she can offer some good ingredient advice although is slightly overworried about Anglo-Saxons and their ability (or lack of) to take a bit of capsicum heat

For the irish among us, it also offers a chance to buy Clonakilty, Tayto and Galtee products somewhere other than The Irish Shop

[Amelie]

The buildings on Lordship Lane which are scaffolded at the moment belong to the Whatmough Trust, I don't know what their plans are. There was a partial demolition at the end of last year and now everything has stopped again.

[bawdy-nan]

I've heard the sweetshop people are in bed with EDD and the newly founded "trendy ED WI" and have formed the ED Enid Blyton Experience consortia. Hark back to the golden age of penny sweets and shite customer service. Pay your guinea at the door (poor renters can just push their noses to the glass) and step inside. Ladies, spend a while with Anne in the kitchen baking scones for Julian and darning socks for Dick; or hunker down with George and her sewing circle. Come rant with Noddy at the problems of a CPZ but watch out for those naughty gollies ...