Re: SavaCentre

[Guest]

Local traders do not offer the opening times and products required by most people. I have frequently found local shop keepers rude and unhelpful - despite all those at Wise the chemist who are excellent. I have always made it a policy of mine to use local suppliers such as bakers, florists e.t.c but I cannot find good quality at a reasonable price locally - hence using Sainsbury. Sydenham residents need a better high street that better reflects Sydenham residents not the current mish mash of £1 shops and cheap clothes boutiques. It needs more investment. There is money being spent in areas such as Dulwich and Crystal Palace as there is nothing in Sydenham - that is why Sainsbury is so well used! - Anon

[Guest]

Wholeheartdly agree with the comment about the onslaught of 'one pound shops'.... how many do we need ??!! Dulwich and CP are striding ahead of Sydenham. They have numerous pubs, bars, restaurants and shops offering diversity which attracts people to those areas. It annoys me as Sydenham has far superior travel links and is crying out for an injection of street cred !! - DL

[Guest]

I have lived in the Sydenham area for the past 20 years, originally living in the old Nat West halls of residence on Lawrie Park Road. To be honest, I dont think it has really changed a great deal over the period. Whilst people bemoan the fact that other areas (East Dulwich for example) have become more 'gentrified', I think I prefer Sydenham the way it is. It has a great cross section of people living here, and is still relatively affordable, whereas the likes of East Dulwich have become so expensive, the property prices have priced 'real' people out of the area. If people want to spend 350k on a terraced house, then let them live in East Dulwich. To me, both Sydenham and Forest Hill are two of Londons gems. Sydenham could do with a decent pub though. Why The Greyhound was ever allowed to be so badly messed up, astonishes me. It used to have an amazing bar, which split the 'vault' and the 'lounge'. Now it is just another characterless pub, and as for its exte! rior colour, Arena Pubs must be run by some pretty tasteless (and colourblind) characters.

I used to spend ages checking out Kirks Cameras, and was sad to see it go. Luckily we still have the book shop, and there are a couple of interesting shops further down the high street, one of them a middle eastern shop, amongst the more run-of-the-mill stuff.

We have some superb parks - Sydenham Wells is a great place to spend a peaceful afternoon; it's only the transmitting tower which reminds you where you are. Crystal Palace Park is also excellent, if only I could figure out what Bromley Council have spent all the money on (apart from putting some strange paths in, which appear to wash away with the rain).

Great web site, I will return to waffle on at some later point. - SF

[Sandie]

Over the last 10 years or so I have witnessed various shops appearing then disappearing in Sydenham. Since moving to Sydenham almost two years ago from E Dulwich I have been sadened to see the loss of good local businesses. Perhaps they are due to retirement, I don't know. But do they have to be replace with £1 shops. How many does the High Street have now? I try and make my purchases locally in the smaller shops in order to support local community.There are some businesses obviously trying to give the area a higher profile, alone in Kirkdale there is an Italian restaurant, vast antiques warehouse, very effecient drycleaners, ever-friendly newsagents, accommodating travel agent to point out a few. It seems Kirkdale has avoided the £1 shop. In the High Street it pleases me that a majority of the shops are occupied, unlike in Forest Hill where JS have an unoccupied terrace of shops.