Lordship lane shop gossip (lounged)

[Quaywe]

I can confirm that White Stuff is opening in the old Walsh Glazing site. I have a friend that works for them and he's advised that they've been meeting quite a bit of resistance from the local residents as they are so against chain stores.

I can also confirm that the store next to Green & Blue's Wine Bar is to be taken over by Green & Blue so the wine bar may be extended. The Wine Bar will be on one side and the wine shop on the other. Much better!

Fighting against the opening of chain stores is a tough battle. Being the person that lead the protest against Caffe Nero opening (see my petition: http://www.gopetition.co.uk/online/8081.html) I have learned a few lessons on this subject. The main one being that residents DO have a voice if we stick together and DO take the time to voice that opinion to the right people: your local council members.

Dulwich Community Council

Beverley Olamijulo

Tel: 020 7525 7234

Fax: 020 7525 7498

[email protected]

http://www.southwark.gov.uk

Town Hall

Room 3.16

Peckham Road

London

SE5 8UB

Personally I'm not against ALL chain stores, just the big one's that vanilla-ise the face of ED and take away its character, thereby making it look & feel like every other chain store in London and forcing other smaller operators out of business. After all, let's be realistic, we can't fight against EVERY chain store so it's a matter of choosing your battles wisely. I don't see White Stuff as a big issue personally but I wouldn't want an M&S unless it was replacing one of the supermarkets that are already there.

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Ultimately I as a resident would simply like more say in which stores open and which one's don't. I believe Northcross Rd is already governed by a law that allows the local residents more say in the stores that open on that street. This is what I want for Lordship Lane. This is what I'm fighting for and this is the message we need to get to our local council.

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Dulwich Community Council has a mailing list that you can put your name on that will keep you in the loop for ALL planning meetings to do with East Dulwich and surrounding areas. Drop an email to the address above and request that they put you on the list.

If you have any specific concerns you want to raise with your local council then get along to a meeting. Details of the next one's are:

Next scheduled main meeting

Date: Monday November 6 2006, 7pm

Venue: Christ Church, 263 Barry Road SE22 (780 kb)

Next scheduled planning meeting

(decisions made for specific planning applications):

Date: Thursday November 16 2006, 7pm

Venue: Herne Hill Baptist Church, Half Moon Lane SE21 (479 kb)

NOTE: If any of you expressed your distaste to Caffe Nero opening earlier this year, then you should get along to the meeting on the 16th as the final decision as to whether it's class of use should be changed from A1 to A3 (and hence, allowing them to continue trading) will be made there.

I hope this helps you, the residents of our community, understand better how to get our way when it comes to how our community is shaped in the future.

[Guest]

I've got a good idea - how about opening a boys' academy at the police station? See BBC story http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?scope=all&edition=d&q=Harris+Academy+East+Dulwich&go.x=31&go.y=12&go=go

Hey EDKiwi - should you really be expressing opinions like this when you work for the council?

[Quaywe]

I don't work for the council, not even close. I'm a property owner and resident in ED, that's all. I love the area and care about the changes that happen to it. I want all residents to know how their voice can be heard otherwise the big business will just keep on coming, and all our misdirected complaints will not be heard and will not be able to stop it.

[Guest]

I totally agree Henard! Why should ED become an outpost of Clapham? We like our shops to be independent and colourful here, better a bit rough round the edges than bland SW London boutiques for people with more money than taste.

[Guest]

White stuff moving in is a BAAAAAAD idea!! The clothes are horrible - I cant see there being a market for that. The whole point of moving to ED is that we wanted to get away from clapham and the white stuff clones. I personally cant see it going very well for them. Worse still its opposite my house so I will have to see it every morning!!

I think we need a good Pizza/italian (not a chain) place and I think the tapas idea could work Polly.

Gemma

[Mark]

I agree about the pizza option, I did look into it myself and taking over the old pizza place on Northcross Road but was pipped by the flower shop. What would be a good import from Clapham would be Alba, the small pizza restuarant next to Clapham North tube.

[Guest]

I think chain stores on Lordship Lane is a good thing. The decline of Rye Lane has left many local residents with nowhere to shop, especially the elderly people in the area or those without transport. Unless you enjoy yams and other African foods then there isnt much point going to Peckham. All the decent chain stores like M&S moved out in the 1980's, and anyway, Lordship Lane used to have a Woolworths stores in the 1970's for those of us who remember, so whats so bad about chain stores moving in now?

[georgia]

I agree. There's nothing worse than empty, boarded-up shops that make the area look a bit run-down. I hope the empty shops get new owners soon.

[Guest]

Lordship Lane went through a period of decline after Woolworths moved out in the early 1970's. The late 1990's growth in independent shops is something we should all be proud of, as there are very few local areas with such good quality stores. It's a shame that Peckham has declined so drastically, I can remember the John Lewis department store along with BHS, C&A and M&S back in the 80's. I agree that this decline has to be matched by some of these stores returning to East Dulwich for people who no longer have anywhere to shop, but there should be some restriction on the number of chain stores allowed to open there doors on Lordship Lane. The return of M&S would be most welcome as far as I am concerned.

[Quaywe]

Wouldn't it be nice if we as residents simply had more say as to the stores that could and couldn't set up shop in Lordship Lane? I believe that Northcross Rd is already governed by some sort of law that allows (very) local residents decide on the type of stores that open there, which is why it's so unique.

Lordship Lane needs some mainstream stores, but as a resident I wouldn't like to think that all and any can come and open their doors here without any input from the locals. Personally I would like to see M&S, but only in place of one of the existing supermarkets (preferably Iceland). Again, too many high street chain stores will only turn LL into "just another London high street".

As it stands we have to take the good with the bad. If M&S can open their doors in ED, then there's nothing to stop McDonalds, Tesco, BK, Weatherspoons etc all opening their doors. How would you feel about any of those stores being local?

If we fight for the choice then we may be able to have the power to decide. Not just based on technicalities on planning laws, but based on what we as residents feel fit's into the spirit and image of ED. We need to petition our council members to fight give us this say. See my earlier post for details on how to do this.

[Guest]

Kiwi, i agree it would be a shame if lordship lane became yet another "british high street'", but i have to say there are a few things being overlooked here. before this area became slightly more up market, other lived here too, including myself who is a single parent. iceland is one of the last affordable food stores left in the local area, as the new look somerfield and sainsburys are both well out of my price bracket. iceland has good deals, and can i afford to feed me and my child quite happily with the deals and special offers they have. if m&s moved in its place i dont know what i would do. the nearest stores is in peckham and i have to take my girl to and from school everyday on the bus up to brixton, so would not have toe the time to walk back and forth to peckham. its nice to see the area get more classy, but please remember that some of us cant afford expensive food all the time!

[Quaywe]

Fair comment Laura. I guess my point was that IMO I would only want another supermarket if it replaced an existing one as I think 3 on the Lane would be too many.

[Guest]

Personally I had no problem with Cafe Nero opening in ED. Your point about independent stores vs chains is well taken, and generally I agree.

However, the only other coffee shop I am aware of in this area (ignoring Starbucks in Sainsbury) is Blue Mountain. While I have nothing against them, I am often frustrated trying to find a table in that place. I am only in ED on weekends and am not prepared to queue to get into a coffee shop. At least having Neros around has given me an extra choice.

Having said that, it would have been even better if a local independent had opened up a coffee shop to compete with Blue Mountain, but then again, getting the capital to open up and pay High Street rents is another matter entirely

[Quaywe]

Michael, try the Drum on Northcross Rd (just across the rd from Blue Mountain) and Mon Petit Chou (across the rd from Somerfields on Lordship Lane). Both are great local businesses that serve great coffee (amongst other things) and you'll usually always get a seat.

[Guest]

Proposed new development for the East Dulwich Shopping centre on the site of East Dulwich Hospital.

Stage one of the new shopping centre development has begun with one half of the hospital already being pulled down to make way for the new large indoor shopping mall. The rest of the hospital is closing down over the next two years, with the new development ready for the summer of 2009 according to the report from southwark council. The site is being developed on behalf of Debenhams department stores, and will contain a variety of shops ranging from high street clothing stores to smaller boutique style shops.

My main concern is will this cause further traffic congestion in the area and potentially damage the smaller shops on Lordship Lane? Is there any truth in the article, and where would the car parking facilities be? I live nearby and am very worried about this development. Can anyone shed some further light on the matter?

Rachel

[moderator's note] The email address [email protected] does not exist, therefore I think Rach Forbes does not exist. I ask people, please do not lie on this forum. Although we do encourage people to register to take advantage of certain benefits, I really don't want to make it mandatory registration for posting messages.

[Guest]

Dulwich Hospital being pulled down? Good grief, that building is a landmark locally, is this serious? I cant see how they can get away with destroying a piece of local heritage which also counts as an essential community hospital, to put up a ugly post modern shopping centre in the middle of a residential area?

[Quaywe]

Google knows all - a search on "Dulwich hospital" and "shopping" or "debenhams" returns nothing relevant. Either this is the best kept secret in ED or it's RUBBISH. Based on the Ed's post about a fake email address being used I suspect it's the latter.

[nharrod]

Anyone whose seen the dulwich hospital over the last couple of months will know its being demolished, the giveaway being half of it being a pile of rubble.....as for whats going to replace it I have no idea but my guess would be more housing as the local press suggests the area is apparently desperate for more accomadation. Anyone know anymore?

[nharrod]

Turns out the hospitals being turned into a.......hospital

Check out http://www.dulwichcommunityhospital.nhs.uk/index.php?PID=0000000254 for more information

[Guest]

East Dulwich will not lose its small premises, the new shops may well be high street brands but they are not the most common of names, and they arnt in excess because the small nature of most lordship lane shops means that a regular retail giant would not go near them anyway.. stop the panic, all is well in east dulwich.. and whats that rubbish about dulwich hospital? only a small part of it has been pulled down, most of the historic buildings will remain!

[Guest]

Have I missed something? You all do have a say in what stays and what goes in East Dulwich. If no-one bought coffe in Cafe Nero (for example) it would shut down. If loads of people buy coffee there other coffee shops will want a piece of the action.

What worries me about East Dulwich is a certain class of incomer who seem to think they speak for everyone. It saddens me to see folk who've lived in E Dul forced out by prices (for houses and other things). As Laura said above, Iceland provides a service for many people (and by the way if some of you can bear to hold your noses and venture in you'll find perfectly good food at sensible prices) and a mix of shops on Lordship Lane is surely better than lots of middle class ponceterias.

[Guest]

hear hear james, its about time someone put these middle class people in their place. they think the whole world evolves around them, i am sure of it. east dulwich still has other people living here too, people born and raised here, not from some wealthy home counties privildged background! we need shops like iceland because they provide a service to local families, and the food is of a high quality. just because its not some poncey pattisserie or boulangerie selling overpriced food most normal people dont eat, doesnt mean it is somehow inferior to be on lordship lane simply because some middle class families decide they want to make ED their home!

[Read the above message with a pinch of salt, see the message below in red]

[Guest]

If it were not for middle class people moving into this area it would be a hell hole, goodness me you people have allowed this area to go to waste. It was surely only a matter of time before it turned into yet another Peckham or Brixton! Be thankful we have begun to put some culture and energy back into this place. The high quality shops along the lane are here to stay, as are people with a higher income, so we need a place to spend our hard earned cash other than many of the inferior high street brands that many people like yourself William have come to get used to because you have no decent form of income. Replace Iceland with M&S and hopefully most of the scummy people will choose to shop in places like Peckham rather than around here!

[Read the above message with a pinch of salt, see the message below in red]

[Guest]

"scummy people" "Peckham" "hard earned cash"

Chris just a quick read through your post, and I have revealed a whole host of deregatory comments regarding nearby areas, certain 'types' of people, and the fact you earn more than others. Why is their such a 'them and us' divide based on income? Surely East Dulwich can accomodate a whole host of shops? Why the need to put people down and claim this area as bein exclusively for one or the other income bracket? Goodness me, lets take a chill pill here and all get along! :-)

[Read the above message with a pinch of salt, see the message below in red]

[Guest]

Chris, you're out of line.

Unless you wish to elaborate on the worthy contributions you have made to our area, then I suggest you keep quiet on what a "hell hole" it was until you showed up.

I'm not a fan of Iceland and I disagree that upmarket eateries are "poncey", "middle class ponceterias" (although I do love this phrase), but as David says, its about getting along as a community, not about our relative income brackets.

These are good discussions, but try not to offend, OK?