William Rose, East Dulwich:
http://www.williamrosebutchers.com/index.htm
I wonder if he would consider another shop? I have heard he used to live around here....Have you seen the queues outside on the weekend? At Christmas there must have been 300 people outside one day as I walked past!!!
Or Moxtons Fishmongers, also on Lordship Lane. I just spent quite a bit of money with the guys who come down from Newcastle selling fish door to door caught fresh that day. They come every 12 weeks and do quite good business in my road. Fish I recently bought in Somerfield was off. I will never be buying fish from there again....
http://www.gourmetbritain.com/shops_entry.php?item=4964
I would love to be able to buy fresh fish, fresh meat and good bread and cakes locally. As would lots of people. Has anyone approached these companies to ask if they would consider opening up here? They would have the whole of Syders and this side of Beckenham and Penge as well as Forest Hill (and perhaps Catford) as their market, which could be a lot of people.
Just some of the businesses we need on our doorstep
That was 15 years ago!
I keep hearing the butchers near bell green is good, but it looks like a health hazard in the making so I haven't been in.
There is a move towards small good quality local shops in recent years. If they are good and build a reputation they can do very well, just like the one Poppy mentions in East Dulwich which always seems to have a huge cue outside.
Perhaps it's the come dine with me generation!
I keep hearing the butchers near bell green is good, but it looks like a health hazard in the making so I haven't been in.
There is a move towards small good quality local shops in recent years. If they are good and build a reputation they can do very well, just like the one Poppy mentions in East Dulwich which always seems to have a huge cue outside.
Perhaps it's the come dine with me generation!
I think Leenewham is right - things change relatively quickly. I moved to to East Dulwich just as the butchers at the Plough was closing down, I remember thinking what a shame, that place could have been useful. It took eight years of no butchers and then William Rose opened their shop only slightly further down Lordship Lane. They were exactly the right business at exactly the right time.
No reason why the same shouldn't apply to Sydenham, or anywhere else for that matter.
No reason why the same shouldn't apply to Sydenham, or anywhere else for that matter.
There is a little parade of shops in Greenwich that do very well where a butchers, deli, cheese shop and flower shops all sit next to one another.
Deptford high street is always busy with independent butchers and fishmongers.
I'd love some great prep/cooking tips from my friendly neighbourhood butcher/baker/fishmonger/flowerpotman. Isn't that one reason people love the DIY shop?
Readymeals in supermarkets are in serious decline, simply more people cook from scratch today than they did 10 years ago. People are worried about health, salt levels in food etc.
Hopefully that might translate into more traditional businesses returning to the highstreet.
Anyway, great post Poppy. I agree 100%.
Deptford high street is always busy with independent butchers and fishmongers.
I'd love some great prep/cooking tips from my friendly neighbourhood butcher/baker/fishmonger/flowerpotman. Isn't that one reason people love the DIY shop?
Readymeals in supermarkets are in serious decline, simply more people cook from scratch today than they did 10 years ago. People are worried about health, salt levels in food etc.
Hopefully that might translate into more traditional businesses returning to the highstreet.
Anyway, great post Poppy. I agree 100%.
A newly improved Somerfield (if they have to stay)
Newly located Boots The Chemist
M&S Simply Food (Small supermarket)
Caffe Rouge (Bistro/Coffee Bar)
Oliver Bonas (Gift Store/Clothing/Furniture)
WHSmith (Newsagent/Bookshop)
The Sea Cow 'gourmet fish and chips' (Takeaway) www.theseacow.co.uk
Robert Dyas (Hardware)
Caffe Nero/Costa (Coffee franchise)
Soup Dragon (Childrens Clothing Store) www.soup-dragon.co.uk
Infinity Foods www.infinityfoods.co.uk (Heathfood Store/Organic produce)
Gourmet Burger Kitchen www.gbk.co.uk/info (Affordable dining out)
BalhamBou (Sydenham's Clothing Store) www.balhambou.co.uk
Sponge Kitchens (Bakery) www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1156/75690.php
Subway (Takeaway/Cafe)
Fruit/Vegetable market selling other bits too somewhere between Venner Road and the Naborhood Centre.
Overall a primary focus on opening businesses in the high street that complement eachother making the high street successful tapping into different consumer needs, i.e. global brands, chains, independent traders. With the right consistancy of different shops there will be a growing need for people to visit Sydenham and turn it into a place that offers a good choice rather than seeing shops come and go because the footfall is not high enough due to lack of choice and combination of different services.
Newly located Boots The Chemist
M&S Simply Food (Small supermarket)
Caffe Rouge (Bistro/Coffee Bar)
Oliver Bonas (Gift Store/Clothing/Furniture)
WHSmith (Newsagent/Bookshop)
The Sea Cow 'gourmet fish and chips' (Takeaway) www.theseacow.co.uk
Robert Dyas (Hardware)
Caffe Nero/Costa (Coffee franchise)
Soup Dragon (Childrens Clothing Store) www.soup-dragon.co.uk
Infinity Foods www.infinityfoods.co.uk (Heathfood Store/Organic produce)
Gourmet Burger Kitchen www.gbk.co.uk/info (Affordable dining out)
BalhamBou (Sydenham's Clothing Store) www.balhambou.co.uk
Sponge Kitchens (Bakery) www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1156/75690.php
Subway (Takeaway/Cafe)
Fruit/Vegetable market selling other bits too somewhere between Venner Road and the Naborhood Centre.
Overall a primary focus on opening businesses in the high street that complement eachother making the high street successful tapping into different consumer needs, i.e. global brands, chains, independent traders. With the right consistancy of different shops there will be a growing need for people to visit Sydenham and turn it into a place that offers a good choice rather than seeing shops come and go because the footfall is not high enough due to lack of choice and combination of different services.
Hmm, that's not what I'd be looking for from a revitalised high street - that's just a bunch of chains, most of which would only serve to make current independent businesses go under:
WHSmith (Newsagent/Bookshop) - Kirkdale bookshop sells books and there's a newsagent two doors down.
The Sea Cow 'gourmet fish and chips' (Takeaway) www.theseacow.co.uk - the chip shop halfway up Kirkdale does far better fish and chips than the sea cow (I've been to the one in Clapham, it's nothing special)
Robert Dyas (Hardware) - Sydenham DIY is a great hardware shop.
Caffe Nero/Costa (Coffee franchise) - Sugahill do excellent coffee and Blue Mountain aren't far behind.
Infinity Foods www.infinityfoods.co.uk (Heathfood Store/Organic produce) - Wellbeing already serves this market.
Gourmet Burger Kitchen www.gbk.co.uk/info (Affordable dining out) - Personally, I think that over a tenner for burger and chips is a rip-off. I would like to see more affordable places to eat, in the vein of Trattoria Rafaele, but GBK? No thanks.
Sponge Kitchens (Bakery) www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1156/75690.php - there's an excellent cake shop opposite Somerfield which also sells savoury baked goods.
Subway (Takeaway/Cafe) - Another stinking, gaudy, downmarket takeaway isn't something I'd like to see in Sydenham.
WHSmith (Newsagent/Bookshop) - Kirkdale bookshop sells books and there's a newsagent two doors down.
The Sea Cow 'gourmet fish and chips' (Takeaway) www.theseacow.co.uk - the chip shop halfway up Kirkdale does far better fish and chips than the sea cow (I've been to the one in Clapham, it's nothing special)
Robert Dyas (Hardware) - Sydenham DIY is a great hardware shop.
Caffe Nero/Costa (Coffee franchise) - Sugahill do excellent coffee and Blue Mountain aren't far behind.
Infinity Foods www.infinityfoods.co.uk (Heathfood Store/Organic produce) - Wellbeing already serves this market.
Gourmet Burger Kitchen www.gbk.co.uk/info (Affordable dining out) - Personally, I think that over a tenner for burger and chips is a rip-off. I would like to see more affordable places to eat, in the vein of Trattoria Rafaele, but GBK? No thanks.
Sponge Kitchens (Bakery) www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1156/75690.php - there's an excellent cake shop opposite Somerfield which also sells savoury baked goods.
Subway (Takeaway/Cafe) - Another stinking, gaudy, downmarket takeaway isn't something I'd like to see in Sydenham.
Yeah - parker your list is just a load of over-priced chains.
Agree with Chazza the Kirkdale chippy is WAY better than the Sea Cow and not such a rip-off either.
Subway - never been in one and wouldn't unless desperate.
Gourmet Burger - tried it once - rubbish.
Agree with Chazza on the rest.
However if ANY of those businesses did move in I wouldn't mind - they'd smarten the place up a bit at the very least.
Agree with Chazza the Kirkdale chippy is WAY better than the Sea Cow and not such a rip-off either.
Subway - never been in one and wouldn't unless desperate.
Gourmet Burger - tried it once - rubbish.
Agree with Chazza on the rest.
However if ANY of those businesses did move in I wouldn't mind - they'd smarten the place up a bit at the very least.
Ah, another variation on the "why can't we just be like East Dulwich?" theme. There is a reason why it's cheaper here you know...
I much prefer Home Park Butchers to William Rose - at least when I go there I actually have time to think what I want and look at what's available. Their meat and poultry is great and quite safe! Yes, a fishmongers would be good, but how many places these days actually do support one? Bread and cakes? Make your own - I do and its great fun!
We have many other good shops/ cafes etc on the high street (as Chazza points out) - you might not notice this because the road looks a bit run-down, but this will be improved shortly, and the tattyness of some shops doesn't help, but let's not ignore what is good about the high street.
I much prefer Home Park Butchers to William Rose - at least when I go there I actually have time to think what I want and look at what's available. Their meat and poultry is great and quite safe! Yes, a fishmongers would be good, but how many places these days actually do support one? Bread and cakes? Make your own - I do and its great fun!
We have many other good shops/ cafes etc on the high street (as Chazza points out) - you might not notice this because the road looks a bit run-down, but this will be improved shortly, and the tattyness of some shops doesn't help, but let's not ignore what is good about the high street.
Exactly. The various Greyhound threads make me laugh. There are quite a few posts where people explain what they'd ideally like the new Greyhound to offer; Sunday roasts, no jukebox or TV, cosy atmosphere etc... which is basically what the Woodman was! We had it, here in Sydenham, but nobody used it, so it closed down.Thomas wrote:let's not ignore what is good about the high street.
Surely it would be nice to be like East Dulwich, there is a reason why Sydenham is cheap and its because it is not as good as East Dulwich and similar places, these brands serve communities with a service that is of a good standard of quality that can be expected from a name. If brand names dont enter the high street, Sydenham will not look the part.Thomas wrote:Ah, another variation on the "why can't we just be like East Dulwich?" theme. There is a reason why it's cheaper here you know...
What is this aversion to becoming more like East Dulwich?
Basically they have a good selection of various shops that cater for all though from cheap greasy spoons, betting shops, chicken shops, kebab houses through to butchers, cafes, restaurants etc.
While we have some good places in Sydenham, we have a lot of places that aren't so good and we don't have the diversity that East Dulwich has. Lots of room for improvement.
Basically they have a good selection of various shops that cater for all though from cheap greasy spoons, betting shops, chicken shops, kebab houses through to butchers, cafes, restaurants etc.
While we have some good places in Sydenham, we have a lot of places that aren't so good and we don't have the diversity that East Dulwich has. Lots of room for improvement.
Slatters cake/bread shop is ok. But their cakes are not that great, ok occasionally. They do not even use real cream I believe. I heard them tell a customer it is artificial!
I do make cakes but with two small kids it is not always possible and I end up eating a lot of them myself
So being able to buy 'one' cake for me occasionally or a selection when visiting some friends would be a nice option. Along the patisserie range.
I know I can buy them at Blue Mountain or Sugarhill, but they are bit pricey to take away really...It would be nice if there was somewhere further down the high street too...
Parker, I have said it before, we need more good quality independents to attract any desirable chains, IMO. And agree about DIY shop, Bookshop, Wellbeing and stationers (there is one next to Somerfield) cover these areas. A good art suppliers would be good, there used to be one next to Lidl, if I remember correctly....
I do make cakes but with two small kids it is not always possible and I end up eating a lot of them myself
So being able to buy 'one' cake for me occasionally or a selection when visiting some friends would be a nice option. Along the patisserie range. I know I can buy them at Blue Mountain or Sugarhill, but they are bit pricey to take away really...It would be nice if there was somewhere further down the high street too...
Parker, I have said it before, we need more good quality independents to attract any desirable chains, IMO. And agree about DIY shop, Bookshop, Wellbeing and stationers (there is one next to Somerfield) cover these areas. A good art suppliers would be good, there used to be one next to Lidl, if I remember correctly....
Last edited by poppy on 15 May 2009 08:39, edited 1 time in total.