54 replies to this topic

[Senor Buckethead]

See from the Evening Standard that one of our neighbours has been getting some bad press from one of our neighbours, Jo Brand ....

http://www.thisislon...le-7678600.html

Must say I was in company once, miles away and I wasn't exactly singing the praises of St Reatham when fellow guests revealed their home to be there. It was a cringing "think I'll get my coat" moment, but it makes you wonder, does anybody think ill of CP, or Thornton Heath, or Penge etc etc? (or for that matter Jo Brand - E. Dulwich)

[Summit Lover]

I wouldn't like to live in St Reatham personally, but I guess it must have some plus points? (a cinema -assuming there is still one there - good transport links...). I wouldn't dare criticise Penge as some of my good friends live thereabouts - and I do like a bit of retail therapy in the poundshops. Thornton Heath.... no ta.

E Dulwich was the first place I lived in in London at the tender age of 18, and Lordship Lane was a completely different kettle of fish in them days. We popped back for a visit about 3 years ago and I was astonished - the shops were hugely pricey and I didn't really like the 'dull-rich' vibe (sorry AWS - pinched your excellent phrase).

I have no doubt that some look down their noses at CP and that some think it is a bit up itself. Me? I love the area - especially the fact that it has independent shops (as opposed to the loathed, formulaic chains) and a sense of it's own identity. Vive les palacestinians!

[andreas]

You're welcome Summit Lover. I'm actually quite fond of Dull-rich - just the people etc.

St Reatham is one of those classic London misleading places. If you only know it from the main street from the window of a car or bus, you think it's a dump. But away from the busy main road, lots of good houses with gardens. And even on the High Road, look up above the shopfronts and there are plenty of rather fine attempts by the late Victorians and Edwardians to create shopping parades with a Merrie Olde Englande theme. There's also the lovely Common and The Rookery and one or two other interesting nooks and corners.

[Senor Buckethead]

Agreed there are some nice nooks and corners and I particularly like that little bit behind the Odeon - is it Sunny Hill Road and the lovely park with the tennis courts, Hillside Park I think but the problem with Streatham is definitely the A23 and you couldn't exactly do a pub crawl there could you unless I can be told otherwise? The Standard article also referred to famous (assume former) residents, Roger Moore (thought he was Kennington), Paul Merton (thought Tooting).
What St Reatham needs is a by-pass, preferably on the west side, and a few decent pubs.

[Hermit]

I'm actually quite fond of Dull-rich - just the people etc.

I do most of my work in Dulwich and realy like the people. Old school money types with decent values. I actualy turn down work in pseodo posh Beckenham.

[charlie]

St Reatham is one of those classic London misleading places. If you only know it from the main street from the window of a car or bus, you think it's a dump. But away from the busy main road, lots of good houses with gardens. And even on the High Road, look up above the shopfronts and there are plenty of rather fine attempts by the late Victorians and Edwardians to create shopping parades with a Merrie Olde Englande theme. There's also the lovely Common and The Rookery and one or two other interesting nooks and corners.

Agreed there are some nice nooks and corners and I particularly like that little bit behind the Odeon - is it Sunny Hill Road and the lovely park with the tennis courts, Hillside Park I think but the problem with Streatham is definitely the A23 and you couldn't exactly do a pub crawl there could you unless I can be told otherwise? The Standard article also referred to famous (assume former) residents, Roger Moore (thought he was Kennington), Paul Merton (thought Tooting).
What St Reatham needs is a by-pass, preferably on the west side, and a few decent pubs.

I knew Jo Brand would end up on the forum in one guise or other - she's a cinema campaign supporter. I am sure her comment was tongue in cheek. The only thing wrong with St Reatham is the blinkin great A23 which runs through it. Lived there in 1993 for a brief period and really liked it. Great location, well connected, loads of green space and some good shops and a cinema - it's come on leaps and bounds since then.

[St. Lukes Railings]

Jo brand was talking about the high road and I make her right. Why this is news is beyond me. People have always slagged off different areas without reproach.

However if she had said it about SE25 or SE27 no one could argue her....

Edited by St. Lukes Railings, 25 April 2012 - 11:06 PM.

[bawheid]

I take the 249 bus to Tooting every day and therefore travel through Streatham daily and I have to say, the stretch of the high road I travel through is exactly as Jo Brand describes... and some of the crazy people I encounter don't exactly deter me from this point of view. It gets a bit nicer as you head towards Streatham Hill I grant you, but I'd rather live in SE19 cos it's cheaper, has better shops, restaurants, bars, and is more appealing all round. Hopefully the regeneration of the high road where the ice rink used to be will help to improve that area somewhat.

My first ever trip to Streatham was to work in a charity shop near St Leonards Church. Whilst on my lunch break a man jumped out of a car at the traffic lights, the other passengers got out with baseball bats, beat the poor guy senseless, bundled him back in the car and sped off. First impressions count, and I'm afraid that image of the place has never left me.

[charlie]

Must say I was in company once, miles away and I wasn't exactly singing the praises of St Reatham when fellow guests revealed their home to be there. It was a cringing "think I'll get my coat" moment, but it makes you wonder, does anybody think ill of CP, or Thornton Heath, or Penge etc etc? (or for that matter Jo Brand - E. Dulwich)

I am sure they do Senor Buckethead, but like most people when one arrives in an area, make friends etc...... you begin to see the positives rather than the negatives.

Edited by charlie, 25 April 2012 - 11:38 PM.

[andreas]

I do most of my work in Dulwich and realy like the people. Old school money types with decent values. I actualy turn down work in pseodo posh Beckenham.

Only teasing Hermit... I know exactly what you mean. I also agree with SLR that St Reathamites are being a wee bit sensitive given the state of their main road and some of the things that have gone on there over the years.

I've not heard a bad word about Crystal Palace for a long time, even those who've never been here tend to think it sounds a nice place.

[kibitzer]

There will always be some good or bad parts of any area - I was on the 249 on sunday travelling back to my enclave in CP and noticed the new development underway around the old ice rink and swimming pool area - should look OK when finished - everywhere looks a bit shabby in all this rain but Streatham went a bit downwards when Pratts was closed and the heart of the shopping area was extracted, hopefully the area will improve when the new development is completed.

[moc]

The new development is going to included a 2 story Tesco, new ice rink, new leisure centre and 250 affordable housing flats above. I live right behind this development right now (but only for the next week and a half, then I'm moving up by The Rookery - one of Streatham's nicest areas).

When I first went to Streatham to visit a friend, 5 yrs ago, I despised it. Agree with everyone who said the high street itself isn't great, but there are some 'hidden gems' - hidden in the sense that you wouldn't know about them unless you lived here, the Whole Meal Cafe is one example, for really top quality but affordable vegetarian food, the Waterfront/Railway/Earl Ferrers is the BEST triangle/crawl of pubs ever. Apart from the Whole Meal Cafe I mentioned, one thing Streatham IS still missing, is quality restaurants - I still often come to CP to eat. There are also loads of community groups fighting to improve things all the time. Have lived here for 3 years now, and I actually love it so much, that when looking for a new house, we didn't want to move out of Streatham at all. Funny how things change!

I offered Mary Portas a free massage if she came to help regenerate Streatham High Street (when she was involved in the government's high street redevelopment consultation with the Streatham MP Chuka Umunna) - she replied and said yes, but she has yet to take me up on it!

Edited by moc, 26 April 2012 - 07:34 AM.

[Nanazola]

When my partner and i were looking for somewhere to live in London in the mid 80s, Streatham was our first port of call. While consulting a map at the bus stop, we received what we took to be the traditional Streatham Welcome - two teenagers high on glue (we surmised) chucking empty beer cans at us from the middle of the road and exhorting us to 'get back to Battersea'. We were flattered to come across as so posh!

[RachelF]

I am not fond of Streatham and didn't go there very often even when it was within walking distance. A trip to the cinema there was one never to be repeated. (Disruptive scarily big teenage girls who had to be forcibly removed in the end, resulting in the whole audience cheering.) But then I doubt that I would bother to go out of my way to go to Sydenham if I lived further away, except perhaps for the occasional pilgrimage to the PFC. Given the choice of an hour or two in Streatham or an hour or two in Penge, I would probably go for the Streatham option. At least I would get a nice lunch in the wonderful Wholemeal Cafe there.
But any of these places have got to be better than Peckham, where I spent last Saturday morning seeking out the Persepolis shop.
There now I have probably insulted everyone.

[Senor Buckethead]

There now I have probably insulted everyone.

At least it is a considered insult, or I prefer to say criticism. Jo Brand knows how to insult and with her particular nasal intonation I can almost hear her saying ****hole.

I used to live in S. Norwood years ago and a walk down the High Street, or worse Portland Road on a wet Saturday morning was particularly depressing, as was a recent venture to New Cross. However, I have to say, if I can go north of the river for comparison's sake, Tottenham and some of the approaches distresses me big big time.

Strangely, walking in Shoreditch the other day, I found the parts which had not been gentrified had a grungy appeal. There is I think a difference between urban grot and suburban grot and we seem to have a lot of the latter about these parts.