Comments on: Graphic design, parks, pubs, post office

By: j mark dodds

j mark dodds — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:14:37 +0000

A new low. Camberwell post office stinks of
dog shit, trodden in by the down trodden

By: Mark Dodds

Mark Dodds — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:01:57 +0000

@PhilG ten years ago Camberwell was not THAT different — it felt a bit younger and fresher — but of course that’s maybe me projecting — but it certainly felt like something was about to happen — as if Camberwell was going to ‘take off’. The Castle was called Bar Pacific then and I owned it. LePP was the Kerfield, Hermits was as it is now, Funky Munky had just about opened, I think, and bars were busier than now and there was social movement around the area in the evening. That died out over the next few years as nothing much else happened to stir up the centre.

Silver Buckle was as was and Father RedCap became Red Star for a brief flurry of cattle market trading. Shopping was not much different to now although of course Morrisons has made an impact.

There were more small independent shops selling clothes and bric a brac but they were doomed through lack of footfall for the typr of stuff they were selling. One or two upped sticks and went to East Dullwich where they could properly thrive. Camberwell was already struggling to rise above the mire of local authority neglect and absent landlords in the centre which has over the decade not changed significantly. From 2000 to about 2005 Camberwell, as far as my experience goes, certainly slid backwards, fewer people came out at night and business got quieter — I think due to competition from further afield.

It seems like there is a real chance that Camberwell can change a lot for the better now — with new development and interest in retail and bars happening at the same time.

Coordination and communication between all the different things that are going on now would be invaluable. A switched on town centre manager would be rather useful.

Oberon. Interesting. King of the fairies. It used to be the Tiger.

Here’s a link to Camberwell as could have been from a perspective of looking at it from November 1988: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/54/105798046_fca4ae14db_o.jpg

By: Dagmar

Dagmar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:26:32 +0000

Well done, Richard, the interior of Grand Union Camberwell Grove is incredibly seductive. When I went there on opening night, I was tempted to try and live there under another name. Good luck to Rose & co.

By: joedamage

joedamage — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:09:13 +0000

Maybe they could do an exchange of customers of the Silver Buckle and the EDT for an evening, think of it as a social experiment.

I still miss the BRB pizzas and, layout aside, don’t see the Grand Union as an improvement on BRB. However, I do think it’s an improvement on the Grove and wish it success.

Any more on Angels and Gypsies, the previous incarnation served really good Tapas.

By: Gabe

Gabe — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:42:14 +0000

I can imagine the new Silver Buckle as a down-market, but livelier, version of the EDT.

They’re both on a busy corner, right?

I’d guess the Camberwell version will have fewer laptop users and aspirational 30-somethings.

Many occasions I’ve drank in EDT. It’s OK. Fine. Not so much actual character.

By: Gabe

Gabe — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:34:41 +0000

@Rose 75 hours a week? Sounds like a tough job.

That pub chain works ‘em hard, huh.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:13:43 +0000

I hear that The Silver Buckle is to reopen as The Oberon. Same owners as East Dulwich Tavern et al.

By: Richard Raven

Richard Raven — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:11:05 +0000

Hi Guys, I work for The Grand Union Group. I’ve read all your comments over the last few days and generally it seems like the overall opinion is that GU Camberwell has been relatively well received and at least many believe it to be a better alternative to what was there previously, which is great news.

I just wanted to clarify a few of the facts about the company — straight from the horses mouth — so to speak… The Grand Union Group is an independent group of 9 pubs in London — although they all have the same name, and by definition we are therefore a chain, we very much think of ourselves as an independent pub group and each venue is very slightly different. Yes, we have similar decor, menus etc, yet the features & people are what makes each site different. We’re not trying to be pretentious or corporate, just a decent, simple place for everyone to go to undind and feel comfortable — we like to think of ourselves as an extension to your living room with a larger alcohol selection.

The two guys that own the company, Adam and Adam have been lifelong friends and they are extremely dedicated, experienced and hard working — that’s the reason we’ve grown so much this year. We have no corporate backing, no investment bankers malarkey; simply the leases to several decent pubs with 4 different Pub Companies — although we lease off Young’s, Camberwell is definitely not a “Young’s” pub, or Young’s-owned brand. We made a success of Brixton GU and Young’s hope we can do the same with Camberwell. Pretty simple really. It is purely a coincidence that a few of our sites are ex-BRB — we are nothing to do with Spirit Group, and the concept was most definitely not dreamt up in posh offices in Clerkenwell — if only you could see my office!!

Our ‘Brand’ is constantly evolving, and one of our main positive aspects is that we truely value everyone’s opinion about how we run our sites. If you book an area you’ll notice you receive a feedback email to find out how your evening went. If you ever want to send feedback, just email me direct rr@gugroup.co.uk There are bound to be teething problems over the coming months as setting up a new pub in any area is not easy… Rose, the Manager at Camberwell is very experienced and extremely dedicated — doing up to 75-hour weeks ain’t easy, but she loves it really!

Sorry to blabble on, but just thought it’s much easier to clearly state what GU is and where it’s come from… and hopefully where it is going!

Cheers,

Richard

By: Dagmar

Dagmar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:40:22 +0000

Airelle, that’s a nice point about the Grand Junction’s decor, which is thoroughly, totally professional and is sure to work, designed to keep customers there for “just one more”. It has, indeed, the air of Clerkenwell. retail-design computerage. “Put in Singapore, Raffles, Limehouse, opium, tobacco, silk, fog, the Ripper.” Still, the place is a great addition to our repertoire. Other pubs’ styles like that of the Sun & Doves, Joiners Arms and Hermits Cave have been assembled like stones on a mountain cairn over the years — exactly like the faces of the regulars.

By: Regeneguru

Regeneguru — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:51:29 +0000

@Peter and Camberwell Post Office. Worth pointing out that the specific point the journalist is making is the unnecessary strain placed on that PO due to sub-PO closures in outer Camberwell, and the subsequent reduction in quality of service over time at Camberwell Green. Cause and effect, in her opinion. This is different from the analysis of some locals that it is simply a junior management issue within Camberwell Green PO.