Look at this monstrosity shortly to open in Camberwell

[Guineveretoo]

Oh, I didn't know that Cheese and Tomato had gone. I used to go there every few months and, although it wasn't anything special, it was okay as somewhere to go if one was feeling unimaginative but wanted to eat out round there. Shame.

 

[Cowley]

It could only happen in Camberwell.

It's bloody classic to be honest...the fact the sign is still present is hilarious

 

[ajdown]

Coming through on the bus last night I noticed the lights on and it appeared "open for business" - has anyone tried it yet?

 

[strung out]

i thought noodels was a legitimate spelling for noodles in some other countries

 

[kabbes]

Bad signage is not limited to crappy fast food joints though.

Indeed it is not. I recall a massive sign in the window of Boots in Epsom a few years back that had made one of the common homonym errors. It was all done in their official corporate font and colour scheme -- clearly produced by their central design unit. They had hastily taped some A4 paper over the offending word and written the correct spelling over the top.

In other news, I happened to be at a wedding in Camberwell last night. The venue had a nice plastic sign showing me the way to the "LADY'S" and the "GENT'S". Still, at least it wasn't the plastic sign I had seen the day before, which pointed the way to the "LADIE'S" instead.

 

[ajdown]

Camberwell is near to Peckham.

Remember Only Fools & Horses when they repainted the chinese restaurant in dayglo paint stolen from the railway yard?

They're filming for a comeback series. The Trotters bought the restaurant, and it's "New Dels" really.

 

[kabbes]

i thought noodels was a legitimate spelling for noodles in some other countries

I just checked out a few of the more obvious online dictionaries and none of them recognised it as a legitimate variant.

Amusingly, Merriam Webster also failed to offer "noodles" as a suggestion for what I might have meant. "Needless" was about the best they could do.

 

[se5]

It seems that Noodels City opened this past weekend and there has already been an incident involving Police attendance - apparently four Police cars, a broken window and a ladder were involved.

There is a photo of the incident:

(mentioned on the Camberwell online blog http://www.camberwellonline.co.uk/2009/02/camberwell-social/)

i would like to think that it was someone taking direct action to correct the spelling of noodels but more probably just one of the drunks from the Green

 

[teuchter]

There's nothing to stop local authorities regulating it in their urban design SPDs. You could agitate for such a thing if it offends you greatly.

Untethered makes a perfectly legitimate point here.

I agree that planning rules (or lack of them) can indicate just how much an LA "cares" about a particular area. Also, if the area is largely populated by people who care about how the streetscape looks, there is a greater likelihood that the councillors who represent them will push for restrictions to be put into place.

Actually, I often think that the amount of time planners spend fiss-fussing about relatively minor architectural details might be spent paying some attention to signage as it arguably has the greatest impact on the streetscape, especially since it's become relatively cheap to make up enormous multi-coloured backlit signs like the one in the OP. I don't see that disallowing them should impact on the business as long as the same rules are applied along the street and therefore to competitors also.

Having been involved with planning applications for signage in various parts of London I can confirm there is nothing stopping LAs putting restrictions in place, particularly in conservation areas. In Covent Garden nothing backlit at all is allowed and I seem to remember a maximum size for any lettering being specified too, or maybe that was somewhere else. In Bond street they are incredibly strict; down to specifying the exact kind of awning you may have (creating good business for a certain awning company) and the size, angle and colour of the flagpole you are allowed to mount at first floor level.



Having said all this, the amusement value of the Noodel spelling in the sign in the OP almost makes up for the nastiness of the sign itself.

 

[hipipol]

Well they seem to have got a fair bit of free publicity on here - to the extent that should I ever find myself in that vile 6th Circle of Hell, known to sinners as Camber Well - I shall seek it out for a look and perhaps, because garrrrrrriiiiiiissssssshhhhhhhhh signs beguile me, I shall even eat some of their Flouro coloured Toxic Waste Specials!!!!

 

[George & Bill]

Noooooooooooooo(dels)!, that was my nearest pizza place. Luckily the fantastic La Luna isn't too far away up Walworth Road.

BTW the staff of Pomodoro split up the Christmas before. The waiters set up Caravaggios just up Camberwell Church Street near The Castle. Still the same friendly service, food's OK, but no pizzas.

'Caravag' as I like to call it seems to be of a comparable standard to the P&M, but with considerably lower prices. The opening of Caravag really sounded the death knell for the P&M, which was hardly doing great even before afaict.

 

[se5]

'Caravag' as I like to call it seems to be of a comparable standard to the P&M, but with considerably lower prices. The opening of Caravag really sounded the death knell for the P&M, which was hardly doing great even before afaict.

True Caravagio did take away some of M&P's trade but after a down period it looked like it was doing much better towards the middle and end of last year. Although big it was mostly half to two thirds full whenever we went during the week (we used to go fairly often) and reasonably full on Saturday nights. There is now nowhere to get pizza in Camberwell (beyond takeaway) which I think is a real shame and a lost business opportunity.

I dont know maybe a noodle buffet is whats required for Camberwell's demographic - maybe there are large numbers of people who wouldnt contemplate going to an Italian restaurant but who would consider a buffet Chinese? I'm always amazed at the number of people in Nandos, Camberwell whenever I go past - generally people especially families who you do not see in the other restaurants in the area.

But the decline of specific restaurants is by the bye really the point of my original post was to lament the lack of care taken over Camberwell town centre - either the type of shops or the visual environment both of which seem to be going for the cheapest least attractive option.

If you are coming to it from the West (from Brixton/Kennington along Camberwell New Road) the first thing you see on the right is open ground with lots of buses in (next to the bus garage), on the left the scruffy looking snooker place and then straight ahead a garish misspelt restaurant sign in a historic location which used to be Lyons Cornerhouse. The classic architecture of the row of shops is still there - its just hidden behind garish bright signs.


1900

2009

 

[se5]

I dont know maybe a noodle buffet is whats required for Camberwell's demographic - maybe there are large numbers of people who wouldnt contemplate going to an Italian restaurant but who would consider a buffet Chinese? I'm always amazed at the number of people in Nandos, Camberwell whenever I go past - generally people especially families who you do not see in the other restaurants in the area.

I should add that I have just walked past it and its full with lots of people enjoying the £2.99 all you can eat buffet - whether it will still be so when it is no longer half-term and the opening half price offer has gone remains to be seen

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

on the left the scruffy looking snooker place

Just as an aside, is that place actually open? I always vaguely wonder when I go past there.

 

[hipipol]

I should add that I have just walked past it and its full with lots of people enjoying the £2.99 all you can eat buffet - whether it will still be so when it is no longer half-term and the opening half price offer has gone remains to be seen

Luckily the A&E at Kings is up the mark now, so not so far to stumble when the cramps kick in.....

 

[Cowley]

I wonder if they serve Peckam Spring Water with the special fried Noo-Del

 

[se5]

Just as an aside, is that place actually open? I always vaguely wonder when I go past there.

I'm not sure - there never seems to be anyone going in or coming out. And a friend who tried to enquire about membership got the impression that they werent welcoming new people.

I think they had a planning application in last year to demolish it and replace it with 'executive apartments' or similar but I dont know if it was passed. I guess it could be in limbo waiting for building work to begin. There was talk on the SE5 Forum about it - http://www.se5forum.org/forum/index.php?topic=428.15

There are rumours about that whole area - I think TfL/ Network Rail have eyes on it for a possible future railway station centred on the bus garage next to the snooker place. I also heard that one of the supermarket chains was interested in the site for a new shop. Like lots of things in Camberwell these probably wont happen.

Interestingly the building where the snooker place is used to be one of the three cinemas in Camberwell - http://cinematreasures.org/theater.php/18130/

 

[TopCat]

I wanna eat noodels.

 

[hipipol]

The River Peck came from springs that rose on one tree hill/ forest hill

Thats yer authentic Peckham Spring water - think thats one of the reasons they put the resevoir there

Not so far fetched re a bottling plant on site!!!!

 

[se5]

Presumably also there is potential for camberwell spring water? (the clue is in the title - Camber Well!)

 

[Star Dove]

There's two smaller signs at the bottom of the shop which both spell 'noodle city' the more conventional way.

The price was up to £4.99 though so I gave it a miss. What we're seeing due to the recession is de-gentrification in action, I can see a bit more room in Camberwell for a few more pound shops.

Give it a few months and we'll have a 50p shop and Wetherspoons will buy the Castle.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

went passed the place today....

the buffet was on

feeding trough

well not quite but it does look somewhat industrial

 

[George & Bill]

Just as an aside, is that place [Jono's snooker hall] actually open? I always vaguely wonder when I go past there.

Yes it is. I was last in there a month or so back. They recently had a bit of police 'involvement' which, combined with a bunch of new and rather nervous staff, has led to a tightening of their admitence policy (in the past the place was staffed by one of three different people who knew pretty much all the members' faces and would let you in without your card).

It's pretty rough around the edges although friendly enough and with a very reasonably priced bar open until 6am on week nights and 24 hours over the weekend (fyi ).

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

At least they have broken up their telephone number correctly.

 

[mango5]

... I can see a bit more room in Camberwell for a few more pound shops....Give it a few months and we'll have a 50p shop and Wetherspoons will buy the Castle.

Do you think the rash of pawnshops and betting shops will spread down from Walworth?

 

[twister]

If you live/work/pass through Camberwell you will probably have been familiar with the restaurant Mozarella e Pomodores on the corner of Camberwell Green/ Denmark Hill.

It sadly closed at Christmas

Mozarella - that place was rubbish. It may have been a proper restaurant but their food was awful the one time I went, really awful.

 

[ajdown]

So has anyone been to "Noodels City" and survived to tell the experience? There's a chance we may be going at the weekend.

 

[ringo]

Nope, wandered through Camberwell on Monday deciding where to eat and it looked like it was made of Ming with a side order of Barf. Kept on walking to Caravaggios.

 

[kyser_soze]

Well I just think there's a nasyty racist undercurrant on this thread.

 

[ajdown]

currant? Fruitist!