IMPORTANT: NEW INVESTORS IN SYDENHAM

[leenewham]

Please look at this.

If you are thinking of investing in a shop in the area:

• PLEASE do some research. What is missing from the area?
• If you open a business here, make it look SPECIAL. Have some VISION.

This is a great example of an investor with vision (not far away from sydenham in Bromley) who converted one of the beautiful Kennedy's sausage shops into a cafe.

They kept the old sign and interior. It looks beautiful inside and out.

Originally they wanted to keep the Kennedy's name, but there were legal issues, so they paid homage to the original shop. It's brilliant.

Another example of what can be done with a BIT of thought.




They used the hoarding as an advert. So they created a buzz even before it opened. And they made it look attractive so the works were not an eyesore.

They worked WITH the building. They even kept the old signage. People talk about it. It's interesting.



It's also rather modern, yet timeless.


And beautiful inside and out.





How shops look reflect on the whole street. It makes a difference not only to your business, but to all of them.

Fingers crossed we get more investors with the attitude of the above, sugahill, the dolphin, Tratorria etc and less with the attitude of certain Pharmacy owners and Kente cafes. I hope Julie Sutch is also trying to encourage the same.

[multisync]

And they make wonderful coffee,the pastries are very good and the staff are friendly.They also have chairs and tables outside

[multisync]

Julie Sutch doesn't know her a---! from her elbow when it comes to tasteful shops and businesses

[mikej]

Dear multisync,

Who is J Sutch, for goodness sake?

Please explain & clarify.

[multisync]

She is the town manager for Sydenham,I thought everyone new that!!!! She's been referred to that many times

[leenewham]

I posted this in the History section about the old Sainsbury's in the high street.

Sainsbury's pioneered the modern day 'all under one roof' supermarket and then after Tesco started the whole 'out of town' supermarkets in the 1980's.

I think there is a gap to be filled by looking to the past.

It's interesting that Forest Hill had two Sainbury's side by side. I've said this before that if you had a row of shops that complimented each other, that offered personal service, personal expertise and were attractive, high streets could really compete with the larger supermarkets.

The problem is that generally high street is that shops copy what other shops are doing. That why there are so many pound shops, betting shops, chicken takeaways, hairdressers etc. In football the whole team doesn't run after the ball, there is strategy and shape, people have set positions. The high street needs someone to develop a strategy for the high street along similar lines.

A supermarket is just a high street under one roof, a high street is just a supermarket under many roofs.

For Sydenham high street to survive and prosper it needs to attract more people to the area as a destination, and the shops need to convert footfall into sales. To do that we need a strategy, better advice and guidelines for shop keepers, stronger incentives to attract the right sort of businesses here so we have a diverse, attractive, exciting, high street full of businesses for ALL, of all income brackets.

That's how it used to be. It should and could be again.

[poppy]

I have said this before, but someone must be behind East Dulwich's regeneration? A group of people who worked independently or with Southwark Council or something.

Has anyone tried to investigate this yet?

For example, I think the Sydenham Society were going to look into how Lordship Lane has managed to have so many new trees planted when we are told by Lewisham council that trees could cause a problem for utilities (even though some of the pavements in Sydenham are wider!)

Also, Beckenham town centre must have some sort of co-ordinated approach, surely? I bet their are strict guidelines about shop front design etc to ensure it has a certain look.

It could be worth actually 'asking' other boroughs how they achieve certain things...

[parker]

Yes Poppy, i do believe that these kinds of areas do get the back up from their local boroughs, i mean a good example would be that even around 20% of The Glades Shopping Centre is owned by Bromley Council, and they have had a lot to do with improving the high street in Bromley South. Generally boroughs have about as much to do with high street regeneration as Lewisham will have with Sydenham when they spend the £3,000,000 next year on improvements.

In light of this its pretty certain that we will see a major difference come next year when the high street is actually investable for new businesses regarding some of the high street chains that East Dulwich is home to. If Lewisham support Sydenham they should liaise with such companies once the high street starts to take shape in terms of its landscaping with some sort of Action Plan and help improvement of the transport system, not just the ELL but also the buses.

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres ... pendix.pdf

Also, i believe that chains like Caffe Nero for instance are looking into Sydenham within the next 6 to 12 months when they are in a better economic position to open new shops.

[tulip1]

I walked along to the new KENTE coffee shop today hoping to test it out and have some brunch there this bank hol monday. The decor inside and out looks very smart and inviting indeed (I don't really care about the lack of its ancient signage) - still looks fab and tastefully decorated to me.

Unfortunately and somewhat to my surprise, Kente coffee shop was shut! What a missed opportunity for this new business not to take advantage long weekend trade. So my mate and I went along to the good old "Blue Mountain" which caught our trade instead (and a lovely brunch we had too! It was packed the whole time we were there. Obviously Blue mountain had enough business acumen to benefit from the remaining Sydenhamites over this long weekend.

A missed opportunity by Kente! Although the cafe looks great and a welcome addition to the high street.

[leenewham]

So did the excellent Sugahill, which was also open.

[Big Ben]

Great pix Lee - where are these shops located?

[mummycat]

Big Ben - this is in Bromley High Street, opposite Primark.

PS - I've also worked out who you are - Ding Dong!