It would be interesting to find out more about these 11 or so local nurseries approached allegedly by TLRA. I actually cant think of 11 nurseries which could be described as 'local' to Forest Hill at least a year or so ago. There are however several pre schools which technically are also 'nurseries' as they take 2 1/2 year olds, but these operate term time only and then from 9am to 3 pm and some only do half days. Then there is Fairlawn and Eliot Bank which also have nurseries but operate on a part day term time only basis.
Piplings is a wrap around nursery which caters for the children of working parents from early morning until early evening. It would not be appropriate to compare apples with pears and I wonder if that is what the TLRA have done rather conveniently to assauge itself of guilt.

I have a daughter aged 4 `1/2 and twins of 2. I started looking at nursery places when my daughter was 3 weeks old. I was told then by several that there was a long waiting list. She stayed on that waiting list , going instead to a childminder, for one particular nursery for over 3 years until over 3 years of age and went to that nursery for a year. My twins fortunately benefitted from the sibling policy and got in at the same time.
I had looked at others, well the two that were in Forest Hill, and they said the same thing. One of these had not got a good reputation at that time and the other had just opened but was almost completely full having had another branch in East Dulwich. That was the entire choice a few years ago. To have put her name down for more would have been expensive as the registration fee was around £50 each time. You cant therefore go and try and bag every nursery in the area unless you are well off.
It was also extremely hard to find a suitable childminder for my daughter and I had to start her somewhere 5 months before I needed it in order to secure her place. Things were very tough then and I dont see how that suddenly changed in 2010.

I have to say that I drive past Piplings almost every day to and from work at what is probably peak drop off and pick off time and have never seen anyone go in or out of it, nor hang around smoking in the street.

I think the whole TLRA response is nothing more than another weak unevidenced excuse for its unfortunate and vexations actions.