Sydenham Town Forum

Greg - I certainly don't think it's an improvement! The fenced off area behind the gasworks is currently an amazing 'meadow' which supports an incredible habitat of varied plants, birds and insects (see the article in the last Sydenham Society Newsletter for more details) which could have been class...

Dear Kster - the meeting is in the Greyhound, not the Dolphin!

Dedicated school buses are a brilliant idea - while there's much to criticise about the US, the yellow school bus is a winner! Not so long ago there was talk of introducing them in the UK - I wonder what happened? As others have said, they would mitigate the effects of the school run (thus cutting c...

Thanks for that Dave. The restaurant will not be 'drive-thru' - the Sydenham Society (and other concerned locals) kicked up such a fuss that this proposal was revised to a 'destination' restaurant (quaint idea here is that people visit it and sit down!) At the public inquiry Richard Jones, for the d...

The scaffolding has gone up outside, so things are beginning to happen!

There are excellent yoga and pilates classes at LA Fitness, Kirkdale, but you do have to join... otherwise, Felicity Goodison (who teaches one of the LA classes) has a yoga class at St Johns church, Penge on Wednesday nights - from 7.30 I think. There's the chance of another yoga class starting soon...

Just to let everyone know that the Sydenham Society are holding what should prove to be an entertaining illustrated talk tomorrow night at St Barts, Westwood Hill. Called "Seven o'clock and not a baby bathed", it is being given by the actor Robert Holden. Starting at 7.45, non members are ...

Fantastic news - Sydenham is on its way!

Falkor - what a fantastic site! Congratulations!

Greg - re the menus... I don't think the food will be worse, as Michael would not be associated with anything that was not first-class (he doesn't do anything that isn't brilliant!) but its more to do with how you order (possibly at the bar rather than table service) and that the prices (particularl...

At the risk of sounding like someone with a drink problem, I'm very excited about the the Dartmouth Arms rumour, and have got all fingers very firmly crossed! Apart from anything else, Michael, who owns the DA, has a terrific CV - he was involved in the first branch of Livebait and also the Old Fire...

Hi Jules There is a leaflet available from the town hall (I've actually seen it in the planning dept) listing approved hotels in the borough. It might be available on the Lewisham website, or they might send you one if you ring them. I don't know anyone who has used the Astra Palace - the Queens Hot...

Thanks Greg for scanning in that beautiful photograph of the Greyhound which will show users of the forum just what has been lost! The little shop on the side is now part of the bar - when we first came to Sydenham in 1979 it was an off license. In the 80s one of the other large rooms at the back of...

Gillyjp, I think the idea of using the beautiful tiled bar as a cafe is brilliant! And if a chunk of the pub's outdoor seating area could also be cordoned off for the cafe clientele, that would be even better! I think the pub needs to 'soften' the image of its forecourt - getting rid of those picnic...

It's highly unlikely that the Greyhound would be demolished - although it's not listed it is a landmark building and part of an important group of buildings (the old Cobbs dept store, the Old Cedars nursing home, the terrace opposite which includes the Kirkdale Bookshop etc). The Sydenham Society tr...

At last week's Sydenham Road Regeneration Meeting Julie Sutch, the town centre manager, asked people to email her with the top five new businesses they would like to see in Sydenham. Mine are: a spacious coffee shop (Zuckers is great, but tiny!!); a restaurant with an emphasis on vegetarian food - P...

The Golden Lion is a great traditional pub. And they really look after their forecourt - they put on a great show with their flowers and shrubs and really cheer up Sydenham. They should be congratulated!

Draught Busters www.draught-busters.co.uk are excellent - in our experience the nicest and the cheapest! They've done quite a bit of work in the Thorpes - they're based in Forest Hill. Apart from them, there are lots of ads in Living South.

The Public Inquiry continues next week - on Tuesday at the town hall (10-5), Wednesday at the Livesey Hall (10-5), and back at the town hall on Friday. Tuesday's evidence will include the Council making its case for the development, while on Wednesday morning a number of local residents will be voic...

A coffee shop would be great in Lower Sydenham - and an independently-run one even better! A bit of background here - the Sydenham Society is currently campaigning for the huge site at Bell Green to be re-designated, so that an anonymous retail park is not built and, instead, the land developed for ...