HOUSE OF LINENS

The place for serious discussion, announcements and breaking news about Sydenham
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leenewham
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Joined: 2 Sep 2007 11:58
Location: SYDENHAM
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HOUSE OF LINENS

Post by leenewham »

Anyone know what's going on?

New shop front going in. Fingers crossed it's an improvement and not just a change...or worse.

Will it stay as house of linens?
parker
Posts: 564
Joined: 26 Mar 2009 21:15
Location: Sydenham Wells

Post by parker »

The shop will be open within the next 1-2 weeks with an exhibition of the regeneration programme. Supposedly there will be models and information regarding the work on the pavements and "pocket parks" outside the Naborhood Centre, the top of Queensthorpe Road, Venner Road and the investment in the East London Line and the area outside the station in Station Approach.
csw
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Joined: 29 Sep 2009 15:01
Location: sydenham

Post by csw »

Went past it at the weekend and it still looks empty and pretty sick-looking. As does the rest of the High Street at the moment with the various holes in the road .... Any idea when this much-anticipated exhibition will be starting? And when the holes will be filled in?!
poppy
Posts: 574
Joined: 1 Sep 2007 20:03
Location: Sydenham

Post by poppy »

It's a shame the other shop front (the one next door) looks unfinished. Are they going to bother changing the sign to match the brown, I wonder?
leenewham
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Joined: 2 Sep 2007 11:58
Location: SYDENHAM
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Post by leenewham »

Seems odd that they spent a few thousand pounds on a new shop front and didn't bother with the sign.

Same with Wear abouts. They refitted the shop but it looks exactly the same outside.

I know there is talk of the east london line going some way to improve the high street BUT in reality this doesn't make much of a difference:

• East Dulwich changed a lot despite having poorer rail links than Sydenham. No shiny new tube going there soon.
• East Greenwich isn't far from the Jubilee line, but it hasn't really improved much.
• The high street in Lewisham didn't really get much better after the DLR arrived. It's still really just a high street. Full of the usual high street shops. Still rather tatty.
• Shoreditch changed a lot despite the fact that they actually shut the tube (soon to be reopened).
• Places like Crouch End have changed dramatically and yet transport there isn't brilliant.
• Blackheath Royal Standard. Totally changed since I first went there yet it has awful travel links.

Why have some of these places changed and not others?

Community. People getting together to make a difference.
Stategy. Community groups working together with business to make a difference.
Focus. Don't try to be everything to everyone. Be a reason to go somewhere. Shoreditch played on it's cool artsy image. Once you went to Charring Cross for books, Farringdon to get your watch or clock fixed, Kirkdale for antiques, Tottenham Court Road for electrical good, Oxford Street for Clothes, Carnaby street for fashion etc etc etc. Get known for doing something and get known for doing it well.

I welcome the ELL but I don't think it will make a massive difference to the high street for a long long time. You have to encourage people to get off the train to do that. Currently Sydenham High Street is a place you walk past on your way home, somewhere local. It's not a destination.
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