WHAT IF no 13: BILLINGS Fishmongers & butchers

[leenewham]

Billings is a new fishmonger and butchers arriving in the high street soon in the old show shop and cobblers.

This is what the shop looks like now.



It's the new enterprise of Amo, who's parents run Fresh and Fruity a few doors away. We were incredibly impressed with the plans for the new business and Amo himself.

I will post the after soon, but you can see it on the What if Sydenham blog now.

Also, please vote in our POLL.

There will be some interesting developments with What If shortly.

[bigbadwolf]

We are rather proud of this one. It is the first What if to become reality and hopefully may prove to inspire other shops in the area to up their game to make Sydenham a more enjoyable, friendly, attractive place to shop, that local people can be proud of.

Congratulations, Lee & Co.

[leenewham]

Thanks BBW.

What is Sydenham will change a little thanks to some more help with the project, but WE (more than 1, not the royal we) will go into this in more detail shortly.

Hopefully we can help local businesses capitalize on all the recent investment, transport, new building projects and high street improvements which are going ahead in the area to a greater degree.

[poppy]

Really happy Lee one of your ideas is finally being put into practice. Well done all of you!

I just had one question. From the picture it looks like the shutter is solid. Is that so you can put the name across the front?
Sugarhill have one which, I think, is solid about half way up and then chain-like. Would that be an option for this?

[leenewham]

Hi Poppy,

We aren't changing anything physically on the shop front. As with all the what if's we change colour, sign and graphic design only. The shutter is the same one they currently have. To change it is very expensive.

These either fully covered or perforated (it has lots of little holes in it) shutters are now longer allowed under the planning regulations, something the yellow shop which used to be Paulros seems to have ignored (what is it now? It looks awful, they spent thousands to make their shop look worse!). You are allowed the type seen on Sugahill and the flooring place next door to it which is more of a chain link style so you can actually see the shop.

I agree that these shutters actually look better. Hopefully Lewisham Council will enforce their excellent guidelines to help make the high street better. To my knowledge, the shoe repairers added this shutter BEFORE the latest planning regulations came into force.

[Weeble]

Looks fantastic and I can't wait for it to open. Well done lee and amo!

[jonekt]

Just did a bit of a detour past Billings and the sign looks awesome! VERY excited about the new addition to the high-street and can really see it taking form.

On my wonder I also noticed Gukhas has a tempory sign up too at the moment. I didn't realise but Gukhas has one of the nicest orginal signs and fronts on the high street. I imagine with very little changes & investment the front could be transformed. I really hope they dont replace the orginal shop front with something neon. Lee- would you be able to a "WhatIf" for them too...? I would love to see it...

[leenewham]

I did contact Ghurkas a while ago about What if and if they would be interested in having one done, they wrote a very nice reply back which was supportive of the while What If Project but that they wouldn't change the frontage. My guess is that they are cleaning and repainting the one they have. Nothing wrong with that, but I think they could do something better. Word of mouth PR is worth wonders, why not mention it to them when you next go there.

I'd like to do something with the Penge Food Centre that is opening soon In the old Budgens store), unless of course this is a rouse by Tesco to invade our high street (they often buy small independent food businesses, then change to a Tesco so it's almost impossible to refuse planning).

[goonerchamp]

Lee,

Im think I have heard somewhere that the old Budgens/Sydenham Supermarket is being taken over by the owners of the Istanbul on Sydenham road (currently have two stores one by Wimpy and the other behind the Prince Alfred)

[leenewham]

Hi Gooner, I don't know if it's the guys behind Instanbul (3 variations of the same supermarket in the same street does seem rather crazy, and the one currently in the high street looks awful...the guys near me down behind the prince Alfred are helpful and friendly). The old Budgens is to become a Penge Food Centre. I'm not quite sure if these guys have done any market research, but my guess is no!

Other rumours are that Tesco is trying to infiltrate our high street. They already have the one in Kirkdale. Has anyone contacted Waitrose? They are looking for space on high streets and the new development where the blind shop is would be perfect for them and would give the more variation more variation, From lidl, to PFC, From The Co-operative to Waitrose, from Tesco to Sainsbury's. Not to mention the independents from Fresh and Fruity and Billings.

Having worked with both Waitrose and Tesco and my intense hatred of the latter, I know which one I'd prefer.

[Weeble]

I don't know if it's the guys behind Instanbul (3 variations of the same supermarket in the same street does seem rather crazy, and the one currently in the high street looks awful...

Does it? OK the backlit sign is ugly, but they've always got a fantastic array of fresh fruit and veg laid out which I think looks nice.

Regardless of what it looks like it's a well stocked little shop. As well as being a good place for fruit and veg, the big draw for me is huge bunches of fresh herbs at bargain prices. And some of the fresh bread is worth checking out - their pitta bread are so much nicer than supermarket fare. If there's something similar planned for the old Budgens, I could think of far worse.

Also I've never been to Penge Food Centre, but I know some people make special trips to Penge from miles away (well, Crystal Palace) specifically to go there.

[multisync]

If this fishmongers is to be so good why did the previous fishmongers closedown.It was only about two shops away from the new one.

[leenewham]

When was that Multisync? I've been here 2.5 years and I don't remember a fishmonger. Was it before then, or did I just miss it?

[mummycat]

They left around 5 or 6 years ago. They were next door to Fresh and Fruity - it's now a pawn shop/jewelers with a blue frontage.

We used it, but their fresh fish was difficult to source and we ended up buying frozen all the time. Then we started having a fish van from Newcastle appear every 6 months asking us to stock up with fresh fish. Haven't seen them for a while, though and would prefer to use a Fishmongers on a weekly basis.

Nice article in today's South London Press, Lee & Amo.... Well done!

[multisync]

I think you'l find it was where thre pawn shop is now.The shop closed down and the owners son now has a caravan outside of Tesco in Catford precinct

[simon]

Nice article in today's South London Press, Lee & Amo.... Well done!

Yes great piece in the SLP; must have a good PR
Good luck to you both.

[hdekretser]

Has anyone got a link to the piece in the online SLP?

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[mummycat]

..

[leenewham]

I have to admit I haven't seen it. I had no idea it was going in today (I knew they were doing an article, many thanks to Michael Stinger for his support for the what if project).

Another reason for shops to get involved with what if, Free publicity!

[leenewham]

This is the article that was in the South London Press:


There is a larger version on the blog http://www.whatifsydenham.wordpress.com