All closed with the last month
The door shop on the corner of Sydenham Road and Kent House Lane. Shame I was planning on buying a door from there sometime in the future. Was only open for a few months. A victim of the stagnant housing market?
E. Coomes, bookmakers. Had been there for years. Was tatty and tired and couldn’t cope with the closure of the Man of Kent and increased competition from the new William Hill.
Atlantic Trading, formerly Apollo Video. Good riddance! Used to sell Ibis hotel complementary slippers and assorted tat. Was an embarrassment to be honest. I note they applied for an alcohol license and assume application was refused, thank god.
Three more shops gone
I noticed Regal Doors had gone as well, shame as we were planning to get a new front door from them. I noticed on Penge High Street a few shops (as well as Woolworths) had closed since I was last there a few months back.
Guess we should support the shops we like on our high street to help them survive.
Guess we should support the shops we like on our high street to help them survive.
The premier cafe has also shut.
All of these businesses made the high street look rather tatty and rundown. I can't say I will miss any of them.
I think the shop Desire is shutting too (please correct me if I am wrong).
In the long run it may be a good thing. When I first came to London I remember walking down the road in East Dulwich back in 92 and thinking what a horrible area it was. Same in Crystal palace. Lots of shops shut down. Then a few years later new people had moved to the area, new shops had opened that we well presented and people actually wanted to use.
With great ideas such as local indoor markets and some of the 'tat' shutting down we may well end up with a much better mix of shops, better presented, better run that find a proper niche that isn't served by Sainsbury's.
Give it time, I think the high street has a great future IF we can attract the right sort of business. That comes down to having a STRATEGY from a decent, dedicated town centre manager…which it seems we currently don't have.
All of these businesses made the high street look rather tatty and rundown. I can't say I will miss any of them.
I think the shop Desire is shutting too (please correct me if I am wrong).
In the long run it may be a good thing. When I first came to London I remember walking down the road in East Dulwich back in 92 and thinking what a horrible area it was. Same in Crystal palace. Lots of shops shut down. Then a few years later new people had moved to the area, new shops had opened that we well presented and people actually wanted to use.
With great ideas such as local indoor markets and some of the 'tat' shutting down we may well end up with a much better mix of shops, better presented, better run that find a proper niche that isn't served by Sainsbury's.
Give it time, I think the high street has a great future IF we can attract the right sort of business. That comes down to having a STRATEGY from a decent, dedicated town centre manager…which it seems we currently don't have.
I did notice the other day that the old chemist (Machlays?) has been let and saw a man going in there...anyone know what might be happeing?
Also the Old Man Of Kent which became the lavish Premier Snack Bar is again up for rent...we need our own Sugar Hill up that end of the street.
I agree with regard Atlantic trading...the sellling on of ibis slippers, you've got to laugh!
Fingers crossed some bright sparks will get the new shops, but looking at the economic climate it could take some time.
G-Man
Also the Old Man Of Kent which became the lavish Premier Snack Bar is again up for rent...we need our own Sugar Hill up that end of the street.
I agree with regard Atlantic trading...the sellling on of ibis slippers, you've got to laugh!
Fingers crossed some bright sparks will get the new shops, but looking at the economic climate it could take some time.
G-Man
G Man
Do you meant the old pharmacy ( McCrays ) next to the old HSBC at corner of Venner.
Remember this shop in 60's . Used to a very elerly gentleman called Mr Cooper who made up them scripts.
Has been closed for years. Story is the same man owns nearly all the pharmacies and former pharmacies in Se 26 and does not want to create too much competition. May of course just be a story.
Do you meant the old pharmacy ( McCrays ) next to the old HSBC at corner of Venner.
Remember this shop in 60's . Used to a very elerly gentleman called Mr Cooper who made up them scripts.
Has been closed for years. Story is the same man owns nearly all the pharmacies and former pharmacies in Se 26 and does not want to create too much competition. May of course just be a story.
I don't understand where people are coming from who expect expenditure in no short amount to be paid by potential shopkeepers on "frontage", renovation and window space/displays. Anyone done payback periods of £lots investment? Perhaps there's some expectation of a free money pot that doesn't count when considering stocking and potential markup/income just to survive ongoing?
If you don't make your business attractive to paying customers, you will struggle even more.
If you don't attract people through the door you can't sell them your stock.
If more shops looks like they actually meant business then the whole high street would improve.
Good signage isn't expensive. Too many shops opt for expensive back lit displays. simple raised lettering and painted signs can be made for a couple of hundred pounds.
Innovative window displays don't have to be expensive. Less is often more.
Sometimes it's common sense. One dry cleaner has a mouldy wedding dress in the window. That's just daft. Changing that is free!
A coat of paint isn't expensive.
A few changes will make a hell of a difference.
People DO judge books by the cover.
If you don't attract people through the door you can't sell them your stock.
If more shops looks like they actually meant business then the whole high street would improve.
Good signage isn't expensive. Too many shops opt for expensive back lit displays. simple raised lettering and painted signs can be made for a couple of hundred pounds.
Innovative window displays don't have to be expensive. Less is often more.
Sometimes it's common sense. One dry cleaner has a mouldy wedding dress in the window. That's just daft. Changing that is free!
A coat of paint isn't expensive.
A few changes will make a hell of a difference.
People DO judge books by the cover.
-
sydenhamboy
- Posts: 264
- Joined: 8 Oct 2006 10:33
- Location: sydenham
It's no surprise all the sh*te shops are closing. Sydenham has to wake up to the fact that its audience is changing. They relentlessly fill our highstreet with too many crappy stores (and I love a good pound shop once in a while) and then, lo and behold, they shut down because people don't want those sort of shops anymore. A few are fine/appropriate as we've discussed on the forum before - but these rubbish establishments are simply 'not giving the people want they want'. Having a cheeky 'snowday' yesterday I had a tasty soup at the Blue Mountain at 2:00pm and guess what? really, healthily busy. The Premier Cafe and that weird shop where Appollo used to be have closed due to lack of business. You do the math. (to use an annoying American phrase).
When this recession fizzles out, and the Sydenham's tube/overground arrives, Sydenham High St (and the powers that be - who are they?)had better buck its ideas up - and stop pandering to a fantasy 'ultra' working class that clearly doesn't exist in the numbers that they hope.
When this recession fizzles out, and the Sydenham's tube/overground arrives, Sydenham High St (and the powers that be - who are they?)had better buck its ideas up - and stop pandering to a fantasy 'ultra' working class that clearly doesn't exist in the numbers that they hope.