Everything changes

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I noticed while I was walking today that the old Mary Datchelor School (which then became the Save The Children head office) and the Butterfly tennis courts between Grove Lane and Camberwell Grove have both been acquired by St George PLC. Looks like there’s going to be a big new development there, and judging by their website they deal in pretty high-end housing. I s Camberwell about to become super-chic?

I also saw that police are seeking volunteers to man the front desk of the police station with a view to partially re-opening it, not to station a full squad but to have a place to report crime. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of response the community gives to this.

Finally, Bee’s Auto Bits has closed down. I must get a shot of it’s sign (“You won’t get stung here!”) before it becomes another off licence or fried chicken shop.

Update: Photo of Bee’s Auto Bits added.

Author: Peter

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

16 thoughts on “Everything changes”

  1. Pingback: One Man + His Blog
  2. Hi. I’m one of the owners of the sun and doves. Got here through inspecting web reviews on google. i’m on holiday at the moment and when I get back to camberwell probably won’t have time to follow up with camberwell on line up properly (rent review coming up lot of time taken up with that)

    would anyone taking part in camberwell like to take an interest in SE5 Forum for Camberwell? It’s a community group I’ve been stting up with a few others who are really fed up with camberwell not moving along (a la brixton, peckham, east dulwich & so) and we want to bang local authority headds together to help make camberwell be more functional, have a focus and heart that’s not just absed around the few pubs some people have had the nerve to set up lcoally. better shopping, better facilities — a one stop shop for se5 people to come to to find out what’s really happening in the area instead of relying onrumours all the time (st George plc, camberwell garage, leisure centre et al).

    We need a representative committee to generate ideas, vision and objectives (a development trust? wind farm behind sainsbury’s or on burgess park or maybe a local green power chp network (king’s might be interested in buying))money’s been raised already, (for a website, logo, letterheads and so on and for minute taking and distribution and refreshments at meetings) more can be raised, anythings possible — it would be around three hours a month max and we’ll find and raise funds for an administrator to carry out the committees’ wishes.

    If interested, get in touch and let’s talk! mark@​sunanddoves.​co.​uk

  3. As an old girl of the school I am devastated by what I have found through a google search. To imagine housing, top end or otherwise, on the hallowed fields of my old school, it too hard to bear.
    I would truly love to see plans of what is intended but from my present home in Yorkshire find this too difficult.
    Just have to hope it is not too horrendous.

  4. I lived the first 5 years of my life above my Dads bakers shop at 14 Grove Lane. I remember Mary Datchelor school, but not a lot else.
    does anyone recall our shop please, it was eventually bought by Pride and Clark’s I think. We left in 1955
    Thanks
    pennie Ort

  5. Im interested to know the history of the old buildings at 4, 4A
    & 6 grove lane camberwell. Were they shops or homes? there was a vegetable shop near there about 20 years ago.

    From mary C

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