New Places to Eat, a Local Identity, and a Plan for the Area

A sign reading “Camberwell” painted on a wall

Second post of the year! I’m getting giddy! As I was writing this I realised that I’ve just missed the 15th anniversary of this blog; I wrote my first post on 1st July 2004. Wow! I would say ‘time flies’, but it doesn’t always.

Anyway, here’s a round-up of some of the more interesting things that have happened recently.

Nandine & More Flour to the People

A couple of new eating establishments have opened. More Flour To The People! is a bakery, cafe, and pizzeria on Coldharbour Lane. If bread is your thing this is the place to go; lovely home-baked loaves for sale, nice brunch options during the day, and very generous and tasty pizza in the evenings. Well worth a visit.

And Camberwell favourites Nandine have opened on Church Street in the former Queen’s (and very short-lived Fat Phil’s). With the new premises they have a full kitchen so can really go all out on the food, and it’s delicious; sweet and spicy and generous. Mostly small plates for sharing, although the kebabs and chicken wings are really big. They have an alcohol license now as well, with a small but well-selected wine list and a few local beers. I think this place is exceptional, and all the feedback I’ve seen has been incredibly positive too.

Also coming soon to Camberwell are New Cross favourites, The London Particular. They’ll be opening in the old Town Hall on Peckham Road soon.

Camberwell Identity

A sign reading “Camberwell” painted on a wall
Lionel Stanhope’s Camberwell sign, Camberwell New Road

The image shown above (and at the top of this page if you’re not using a mobile) shows the new mural on the railway bridge on Camberwell New Road. It’s painted by Lionel Stanhope, who’s responsible for similar murals across South London, and the colours were chosen by pupils at Sacred Heart School.

The mural is part of a new Camberwell identity project by SE5 Forum, Camberwell Society and Camberwell Arts with the community and businesses. Its aim is “to bring to life Camberwell’s unique, vibrant identity and make everyone feel proud of Camberwell”.

The Camberwell identity group is currently raising money to install raised lamppost banners along Denmark Hill; the Mayor of London has pledged to match donations up to the target amount, so please contribute if you can.

Camberwell Area Plan

The Southwark Community Action Network recently held a public consultation for ideas to improve the area. The boards that were shown are all online [PDF download]. There’s a lot to talk about; here are a few things that stood out:

  • Six major new housing/social developments are planned: Camberwell Lanes, on the Butterfly Walk/Morrisons car park land; Respublica, an arts/co-working/shared living space on Valmar Trading Estate; the Camberwell and Abellio bus garages; and the Magistrates Court on Camberwell Green North area.
  • Three public space projects, with better walking routes including part-pedestrianisation, at Windsor Walk, Camberwell Station Road, and the Wilson Road crossing of Camberwell Church Street.
  • A widened Camberwell Green with shared walking and cycling space occupying the existing third south-bound lane, and a ‘super-crossing’ with all-green phase, like at Oxford Circus, to make it easier to cross the junction.
  • The ‘low line’ walking route from the former Camberwell Station along the railway arches to Medlar Street, eventually linking up arches all the way to Bankside.

Some of these ideas are new to me, and some have been carried forward from 2017’s Area Vision for Camberwell. It seems from the boards that the reopening of Camberwell Station is still hoped for despite TfL’s previous lack of enthusiasm.

There’s a lot contained in here so I urge you to take a look for yourself and email camberwellplan@​southwark.​gov.​uk with your feedback.

Showing My Face

The Peckham Peculiar recently ran a special edition focusing on Camberwell, which had an interview with your humble author. I don’t usually talk about myself much here, but after 15 years running this blog I was quite proud.

Author: Peter

Long-time resident of Camberwell, author of this blog since July 2004.

10 thoughts on “New Places to Eat, a Local Identity, and a Plan for the Area”

  1. Another opening coming .. the London Particular from NX are moving in to the old spike and earl space on the corner of havill and peckham roads.

    1. I’m not sure it was ever that busy. I went several times in the evening and it was pretty empty. Also, there was nowhere decent to sit. All the bar stools were really uncomfortable!

    2. Spike and Earl was never that busy, and suffered from charging a bit too much for the student trade locally, and also too far for walking from central Camberwell. Its menu was okay, but also suffered from not starting food till 10am (as in literally chef didnt turn up till 10am) so the breakfast trade was missed.

      Not surprised about Fat Phils either — went once, liked it but it seemed to lack any defining characteristic that made it worth standing out in a very busy and competitive environment. Big fan of Nandines though so fingers crossed for it working out

  2. Happy Birthday Camberwell Online! And thank you to Peter for keeping it going.

    Hands up who went to Nandine’s three times last week? (well twice on C’well Church Street and once at the original place).

    I must try the Flour to the People. I really hope they make a success of that venue. Every place there seems to have been cursed with terrrible design/food! It seems to be busy every time I go past to work.

    On the developments of the town centre. There are some bits that seem like a good idea (The super crossing and the Butterfly Walk development) and some that seem like a pipe dream (the “Low Line”). As for closing the bus garages and so on. I can’t see that happening any time soon.

    1. It looks to me from the plans that the bus garages would be retained, with new building happening above and around them—quite how attractive that would be to new buyers I don’t know, although it’s already happened on one side of the “Camberwell on the Green” development.

      As for the low line, there are a couple of sections open in Elephant & Castle already, between Amelia Street and Hampton Street. I like to think that it could happen here too.

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