Just William - Herne Hill

[Otta]

Agreed.

[Otta]

Also, nothing to do with having a pop at toffs (surely if there are any toffs it's the estate?). Simply pointing out that areas change. There will always be people that have previously been priced out of areas, or moved away because it no longer felt like the area they knew and loved.

If you move to a place because you like what is there, that doesn't give you the right to demand it all stays there.

Good businesses on Lordship Lane have gone sue to rent, but they've been replaced by other businesses that people clearly like. It's often a shame, but it's how it is.

[Jeremy]

I think the "having a pop at toffs" comment probably referred to Grok's idiotic contribution (Jemima/Tarquin/Land Rover/etc).

[Louisa]

Not especially on this issue, but in general, the middle classes do tend to have a sense of entitlement, which is exasperating to everyone else. I was personally gutted when Woolies closed down, lots of items I enjoyed buying, and a great addition to Peckham where lots of people bought the Ladybird clothing brand for their kids (because it was value for money). They closed due to a failing business model, deeply unfortunate but yeah you get where I'm coming from. From reading all the background information on this, I still fail to see how the loss of one branch of a business with a portfolio of four shops (one just up the road) will be a great loss to Herne Hill? It's a brisk walk from Herne Hill to the ED store which will no doubt be a lot busier now. We can't control market forces as individuals, and to suggest we should start petitions screams of middle class entitlement to me. We've lost a lot of things in ED thanks to gentrification, that's not going to change if I start a petition. There's also a lot of other stuff going on in the world, as I previously said.

Louisa.

[civilservant]

Clearly this shop failed to pay its way. it's a hard job making a toyshop pay when so much more is available on-line, and many shops aimed at children sell clothes and books as well.

but I can understand why the kids would be upset, middle class or not - being in a toyshop is lovely, it could even be magic.

Woollies did fit the bill once, now TK Maxx is a source of wonder, all just as valid Aladdin's caves as good sweetshops or bookshops or delicatessens (like Sesame next door)

and even though I admit I rarely bought anything there - only last-minute birthday party offerings, it just didn't have much I wanted to buy - I'll miss it too.

[Otta]

True about toy shops. Growing up I loved going to Zodiac Toys in Peckham (hoping my mum would get me a He-Man, Thundercats or Transformers toy). And a trip to Hamley's was a proper day out!

There was one on Lordship Lane (was it Banister toys or something?) but that didn't do it for me.

[Louisa]

binnister toys, where that posh coffee/sandwich place is. I remember Zodiac toy shop on the corner opposite Clarke's shoes.

Louisa.

[Seabag]

The toy shop to beat all toy shops was in Notting Hill

It was on the corner opposite the launderette

The toys were great, but having a cigarette counter made it somewhat unique

Ah, them was the days. Ironically it burned down once

[Jeremy]

Louisa Wrote:

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> where that posh coffee/sandwich place is.

Yeah that really narrows it down!

[Otta]

I thought it was roughly where Ludlow Thompson / Bossman Wines are now, but it was a long time ago and I'm not sure. Definitely down that way past Northcross Road.

[edhistory]

DuncanW Wrote:

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> Dulwich Estate is their landlord as I read it.

> They even mention the chief exec of DE by name

>

The Dulwich Society eNews 29 just released says the Dulwich Estate is not Bon Velo's landlord.

John K

[Louisa]

Mon Petit Chou was the old Binnister toy shop. It was there between about 1988 and 2000 or so.

Louisa.

[SLad]

richard tudor Wrote:

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> A petition calling for it to charge ?reasonable?

> rents has gained thousands of signatures, as well

> as backing from celebrities including Channel 4

> newsreader Cathy Newman. She tweeted a picture of

> the Just Williams toy shop, which is closing after

> 10 years, saying: ?Much-loved local toy shop shut

> down after astronomical rent rises. Kids gutted.

> #greedylandlords.?

>

> Why would Cathy Newman appear. Is it the trial by

> media mob calling on favours?

>

> Does she live local.

>

> Whole thing leaves a lot to be desired.

Yes, Cathy Newman does live locally. I think her kids go/went to Rosemead.

[dbboy]

I am sorry to see any independent business close, however there were options that could have been considered, firstly if the business was no longer viable (for what ever reason), the only option is to close down the business and stop the losses. the alternative was that if the business still had potential, then to re-locate to premises somewhere else. Another business will eventually take over the former toy shop and it will transform into something else, If the rents are that high though likelihood is that it won't be an independent.

Although the reason given was due to an apparent significant rent rise, and haven't we seen that happen on Lordship Lane for established businesses to close up, the business could have been re-started somewhere else. I do wish the proprietor well in what ever she decides to do next.

[richard tudor]

They are not down and out.

They have additional shops very close.

[Otta]

Louisa Wrote:

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> Mon Petit Chou was the old Binnister toy shop. It

> was there between about 1988 and 2000 or so.

>

> Louisa.

Sounds about right. Which explains why they don't hold such a special place in my memory, as I'd have been 10 and more in to computer games by then.

[Bastie007]

If my rent was subject to an instant 70% increase I would leave immediately - it simply wouldn't be possible for us to continue living where we do.

Extrapolate that out and a wealthier person with no connection to the area moves in, and the social mix of the area begins to change. With the current governments intention of allowing Housing Association tenants the right to buy the social mix changes completely - the people who run the local shops and bars can no longer live in the local area because it's untenable for them to buy there and the sense of cohesion goes - leaving us with any other anonymous collection of shops and streets - which is quite the opposite of what that community wanted in the first place.

[Bastie007]

Could you stomach a 70% increase in your rent?

I couldn't.

So when a much loved local toy shop goes out of business for this reason, especially when their landlord is a charity that appears to have forgotten why it has charitable status in the first place, and is behaving like a big business, and I see that the Just Williams is the tip of the iceberg and that small independent businesses in my area could fall like dominoes in the wake of this unreasonable, non-negotiable rent demand, I stand up for them. I sign the petition, and I join the protest.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

[edhistory]

There is no 70% rent increase.

This thread is now like an offshoot of Save Southwark Woods.

[Loz]

Bastie007 Wrote:

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

> Extrapolate that out and a wealthier person with no connection to the area moves in, and the social

> mix of the area begins to change. With the current governments intention of allowing Housing

> Association tenants the right to buy the social mix changes completely - the people who run the

> local shops and bars can no longer live in the local area because it's untenable for them to buy

> there and the sense of cohesion goes - leaving us with any other anonymous collection of shops and

> streets - which is quite the opposite of what that community wanted in the first place.

Except that the current set of shops (mostly) came after the influx of wealthier homeowners that happened in the early to mid 90s.

[richard tudor]

With the current governments intention of allowing Housing

> Association tenants the right to buy the social mix changes completely

What changes do they turn into different people?

Getting silly now

[edhistory]

http://www.hernehill.org.uk/news/protest-favour-reasonable-rents-herne-hill

More reputational damage for this web-site.

Somebody called Sebastian Morrison wrote this.

[Otta]

"Herne Hill came to a standstill on Saturday 30th January 2016"

From the look of the photos that is something of an exaggeration.

[DulwichFox]

Otta Wrote:

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> "Herne Hill came to a standstill on Saturday 30th

> January 2016"

>

>

> From the look of the photos that is something of

> an exaggeration.

Come on . be fair.. 700 people.. might not seem a lot..

If there were to be an article saying there were 700 Millwall fans gathered at London Bridge it woud be considered a big crowd. A mob..

Strange what you can do with stats..

Good to see all the young children learning to stand up for themselves.. against the big machine of greedy Dulwich Estates..

DulwichFox

[rupert james]

How many of these children go to the schools that big greedy Dulwich Estates support?