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Brixton news, rumour and general chat - January 2016

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friendofdorothy said:
but we've already got a poundland - does that mean we will have two?
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I wondered this - surely they can't be allowed to have 2 identical shops within spitting distance of each other? Aren't there planning rules about this sort of thing?

I'll miss the 99p shop. The unpredictable stocking habits of these types of shops meant that having both brands nearby was very handy - I could buy a bunch of cheap stuff from one, then a different bunch of cheap stuff from the other, coming away with a full set of cheap stuff. Not much point in visiting the same shop twice in a row...
 
T & P said:
Those shops are very useful but I do miss the 'next level up' kind of shops, like what they get in Spain. For some reason always run by Chinese people, as well as 1 euro items they have just about everything from leather belts to swimwear to luggage for just a few euros- the kind of products that just could not be offered for a quid, no matter how hard they try.
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Have you tried the Sikh one opposite the Popes Road loo - where Tescos and KwikSave used to be in other words. They have extensive stocks as you describe.

All in the best possible taste as well.

Of course one could open such an emporium in Pop Brixton or the Villaaage and call it "King of Kitsch" or something like that and make a fortune.
 
EastEnder said:
I wondered this - surely they can't be allowed to have 2 identical shops within spitting distance of each other? Aren't there planning rules about this sort of thing?

I'll miss the 99p shop. The unpredictable stocking habits of these types of shops meant that having both brands nearby was very handy - I could buy a bunch of cheap stuff from one, then a different bunch of cheap stuff from the other, coming away with a full set of cheap stuff. Not much point in visiting the same shop twice in a row...
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I've never heard of Lambeth Planning stopping an over-concentration of identical shops? Whatever will Network Rail do if Lambeth adopt such a policy?
 
CH1 said:
I've never heard of Lambeth Planning stopping an over-concentration of identical shops? Whatever will Network Rail do if Lambeth adopt such a policy?
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They're clearly not bothered about endless mobile phone & coffee shops, but exactly the same chain? I know supermarkets have been getting away with it for years, but I wonder if somewhere like Superdrug would be allowed to open another branch so close.
 
EastEnder said:
They're clearly not bothered about endless mobile phone & coffee shops, but exactly the same chain? I know supermarkets have been getting away with it for years, but I wonder if somewhere like Superdrug would be allowed to open another branch so close.
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The council can only get involved if there was a change of use in that example, so if Superdrug were taking over say KFC or McDonald's. There's nothing they can do if no change afaik. So in theory you could have 10 Superdrugs next to each other and the council couldn't act. Thank Thatcher as previously they could act I believe :mad:

So yes, looks like double Poundland action.
 
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EastEnder said:
They're clearly not bothered about endless mobile phone & coffee shops, but exactly the same chain? I know supermarkets have been getting away with it for years, but I wonder if somewhere like Superdrug would be allowed to open another branch so close.
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There's two Sainsbury Locals within 100 yards of the tube (going north).
As regards phone shops maybe that fits in with the council's policy on zones. Like a Phone zone, a hipster eatery zone etc.
Pity that didn't catch on in the 80s - we would have had a Clone Zone and the whole history of Brixton could have been different.
 
The 99p shop concept is mainly an effective strategy for ripping people off. I don't see that we should mourn the loss of them :confused:
 
teuchter said:
The 99p shop concept is mainly an effective strategy for ripping people off. I don't see that we should mourn the loss of them :confused:
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They are great for a few things. Some of the batteries are a proper bargain (don't ever buy Sony). Quite often things are more expensive, especially when you compare sizing.
 
EastEnder said:
Only if one were a bit naive. I only buy things there that I would otherwise buy at a regular store, and I know the cost of those things, so it's piss easy to ensure I'm only ever buying cheaply.
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What are the best bargains?
 
uk benzo said:
Cleaning products, branded toiletries and multipacks of crisps.
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Toothpaste and deodorant, that's true. Cleaning products are often more expensive, I think. Washing up liquid, for instance. And Flash comes in tiny bottles. Cans of pop, are cheaper. Bird seed - but only when they have the large bags in!
 
Rushy said:
What are the best bargains?
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You have to be quite opportunistic in pound shops - I tend to have a mooch around for stuff that I was going to buy anyway (rather than hapless random "bargain" hunting). For example, just the other week I bought a job lot of toothpaste there - not any old crap, but precisely the same type of Colgate that I'd buy in Boots. The only difference was that this was some imported version with French writing on it, but apart from that it's exactly the same stuff in the tubes. Only this was £1 a tube, rather than the £3.90 that Boots charge.
 
EastEnder said:
Only if one were a bit naive. I only buy things there that I would otherwise buy at a regular store, and I know the cost of those things, so it's piss easy to ensure I'm only ever buying cheaply.
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I hope you are careful to check that they are actually equivalent to those things, and not some non-standard slightly smaller size, which is one of the tricks they use.
 
teuchter said:
I hope you are careful to check that they are actually equivalent to those things, and not some non-standard slightly smaller size, which is one of the tricks they use.
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Fear not, I am most fastidious about such things. I check everything twice, and know the equivalent prices charged by non-pound shops. I even write lists to ensure I buy only the things I set out to buy. My mother would be sooo proud.
 
Some may have seen me wittering on on another thread about 12th February being the 30th anniversary of moving to Coldharbour Lane - and being promoted from SW2 to "Proper Brixton" i.e. SW9.

I had been toying with the idea of throwing/gatecrashing a party at the domino club.

Then I was told about this:
Certitude.jpeg
which is apparently a fundraiser for Certitude (the charity formerly known as Fanon) which operate hostel accommodation for black people with mental health problems (in Railton Road and Dulwich Road)

The venue is the gallery in the basement of 336 Brixton Road (formerly Coutts Computer suite, now Age UK, DASL, Lambeth & Southwark MIND etc)

Not normally one to shell out £5 to go to a disco - but to me this looks quite interesting.
 
EastEnder said:
I wondered this - surely they can't be allowed to have 2 identical shops within spitting distance of each other? Aren't there planning rules about this sort of thing?

I'll miss the 99p shop. The unpredictable stocking habits of these types of shops meant that having both brands nearby was very handy - I could buy a bunch of cheap stuff from one, then a different bunch of cheap stuff from the other, coming away with a full set of cheap stuff. Not much point in visiting the same shop twice in a row...
Click to expand...

Read my link on my first post about this. It was referred to the watchdog that oversees competition.
 
friendofdorothy said:
but we've already got a poundland - does that mean we will have two?

To be honest I haven't noticed any anarchy going on in 99p shop and I find the staff in poundland marginally more cheerful, but there's not that much diffence in what they stock.

All these £1 shops have replaced Woolworths in my heart.
Click to expand...

Did use to get on with one of the staff at Poundland. But she got married and left.

I mean the hyperactive manager at the 99 p shop who never kept still. Also saw a few times people doing a runner from the 99p shop with a few items. :p And a few rows when people were accused of shoplifting. Made it more entertaining.

Not so easy at Poundland as they use plainclothes security who pretend to be shoppers , more CCTV and the ultra bright lighting- which I hate.

99p shop was primitive in comparison. Which I liked. Give shoplifters a sporting chance I say:D

I
 
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