I do have an agenda, I want to see every shop as a successful business rather than half of them closed. If you look at the number of empty shops on Dartmouth Road I can't believe anybody really wants it to remain like that.

I completely agree that we don't want Forest Hill to become an enclave for bankers and lawyers to live without being disturbed by the working classes, you will see other threads where I have welcomed the Home Accessories store in the place of Blockbusters, despite some feeling it is too down market. My agenda for Forest Hill is to have all types of businesses for all sections of our community.

The launderette is useful and is very convenient for items that will not fit in the washing machine, but it honestly doesn't need to be in the prime location on the high street. When it opened it was state of the art and a sign of gentrification, aimed at the middle classes who didn't want the drudgery of the mangle but could not afford servants. No wonder it took pride of place at the centre of Forest Hill.

I would like to see a laundrette open in another unit in the town centre, but I really would like this prime position to be something more focal to most peoples lives in the 21st century, and this is exactly what a cafe seems to be in our modern high streets and the more we get the fuller they all seem to be!

One thing I would tend to avoid discussing on a public forum is the terms of employment/termination of an identified individual within our community.

Anotherjohn,
according to http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permiss...angeofuse/ launderettes are considered sui generis - whatever this means in planning terms.