High street improvements

[Rachael]

Agreed about White's Pet Shop. I popped into the Pets at Home superstore out of curiosity the other day. For such a large shop, they have a very small range of products - just lots and lots of the same thing. I couldn't see any of the products I normally pick up from White's, or acceptable alternatives. White's have a little bit of everything, so you can always find what you need.

B&Q is the same. I've tried a couple of times to get stuff I need from there, if I happen to be in Bell Green already. I almost always come away empty handed. The DIY store at Cobbs Corner and Homebase between them always come up with the goods (literally).

[Rachael]

The trees are looking lovely now they are coming into leaf. The open space outside the Co-Op is particular pleasing And the bamboo cages / supports for the trees are so much nicer than the metal cages you usually see around young trees.

[leenewham]

Is it on the pavement?

Is so it will probably need permission if they don't own the land. I think a sensible approach should be taken on these, they are very useful to small cafes etc. But for an estate agents, especially on a corner site like this, it's not needed.

[leenewham]

Let Chris Best know.

They may have got permission, however.

It would be good if a local town team could have a say in what their high street looks like. It's great that you and others are posting about this and actually are starting to care about how Sydenham Road looks.

When we started the conversation about the high street and how it looked 7 years ago on this forum we were constantly told that it didn't matter what whole looked like or that it was none of our business. Then we started the What If Project to raise the issue as a conversation. Hopefully we had a small part in changing the conversation somewhat.

Sydenham is, at last, heading in the right direction with some really exciting new businesses coming to our high street. Momentum means a lot. It attracts investment and attention.

People should care about their local high street. Both consumers and sellers. Having a proper conversation between the two is, I believe, one of the best ways to invigorate the high street and getting both traders and their customers to care about each other. One of the best ways for small shops to compete is to form relationships between customer and shop. It's happening here and it's what our high streets used to be like.

Sometimes you have to learn rom the past.

[mosy]

Bye bye Station Approach loos. Some Riney's people are making a start today and they tell me the structure is scheduled for demolition tomorrow. I wondered who'd do the work being to do with National Rail, so pleased it's Riney who do a good job

[robbieduncan]

Anyone know when the missing tree for outside the coop is coming? The bare earth is just growing unsightly weeds right now

[Pally]

Let Chris Best know.

They may have got permission, however.

It would be good if a local town team could have a say in what their high street looks like. It's great that you and others are posting about this and actually are starting to care about how Sydenham Road looks.

When we started the conversation about the high street and how it looked 7 years ago on this forum we were constantly told that it didn't matter what whole looked like or that it was none of our business. Then we started the What If Project to raise the issue as a conversation. Hopefully we had a small part in changing the conversation somewhat.

Sydenham is, at last, heading in the right direction with some really exciting new businesses coming to our high street. Momentum means a lot. It attracts investment and attention.

People should care about their local high street. Both consumers and sellers. Having a proper conversation between the two is, I believe, one of the best ways to invigorate the high street and getting both traders and their customers to care about each other. One of the best ways for small shops to compete is to form relationships between customer and shop. It's happening here and it's what our high streets used to be like.

Sometimes you have to learn rom the past.

A local town team is a great idea. and for anyone who hasn't seen it the What If Sydenham website is well worth a look. I saw it for the first time a few days ago - good ideas which could easily be taken further to help businesses. Various options could meet different budgets as ofcourse cost is often an issue for businesses.

[mosy]

Anyone know when the missing tree for outside the coop is coming? The bare earth is just growing unsightly weeds right now

I've learned that tree planting has to be around October if they are to survive. A better question might be how to find out if the council intends to replace the missing tree in its current year budget, unless you already know that it will indeed be replaced of course.

[parker]

Brilliant. New toilets, wonder if new steps on that steep corner will be constructed alongside it... Surely the grotty 'flower bed' with the Lewisham sign present is no more too.

[mosy]

@ parker: IIRC the proposed Station Approach steps, which looked fine on paper originally, were shelved after receiving a thumbs down. A post by Christ Best (somewhere) said they'd have to be sloping (left to right, shallow to deep) and that the Post Office similar steps had caused problems. I don't recall any Plan B being mentioned. But who knows? Someone somewhere will know what is (or isn't) planned about the steep bit...

[robbieduncan]

Anyone know when the missing tree for outside the coop is coming? The bare earth is just growing unsightly weeds right now

I've learned that tree planting has to be around October if they are to survive. A better question might be how to find out if the council intends to replace the missing tree in its current year budget, unless you already know that it will indeed be replaced of course.

I don't know if it will be placed. I don't think it was ever planted. As such I expect it's coming out of the original budget. Most likely this is not the case though

[Pat Trembath]

A tree was always planned for this site but before the BT Telephone box was moved it was not possible. The telephone box has now been moved and the plot has been prepared for an autumn planting.

[parker]

The Sydenham Station Approach toilets are being removed by a crane right now as I speak. There is a God.

[mosy]

The "loo" crane's now gone and they (Riney) are currently patiently breaking up the huge slabs of concrete used, bit by bit with a massive jackhammer. I wonder when they were built, seemingly like an air raid shelter, or perhaps in the 60/70s concrete era? Sure ain't no piece of cake demolishing them it transpires.

[admin]

[leenewham]

Bog off.

[leenewham]

Lifting the lid off the toilets of Sydenham:
https://twitter.com/Kent_999s/status/523497957056737282

There is a picture!! Quite a good one too.

[parker]

Brick sh*t house...!

[sydres]

So when is the new toilet arriving? Is santa bringing it on his sleigh? This part of the high street improvements seems to be dragging on and on...