[Moved from New Furniture Shop on Perry Vale -admin]

Can I ask - do people think that this little stretch of Perry Vale could be a good place to start up a patisserie/bakery/coffee shop? I have been considering something like this for a while and did enquire into a few premises in East Dulwich (which weren't cheap to rent). Just wonder if there is enough passing foot traffic and a big enough need for something like this in Forest Hill?!? My biggest worry is that it could only really work at weekends with many people being commuters who don't really make all that much use of local amenities during the week.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Many thanks in advance!

Not sure about your query Savvy. I live the other side of Forest Hill, so don't really tend to pass that way. Hopefully someone who lives in that direction will be able to provide advice.

You could get foot traffic from Platform 2 for a patisserie/bakery/coffee shop. Also the new block of flats they are putting up would also add traffic. I would make sure you put a BIG SIGN up outside the tunnel and the stairs from platform 2 informing people if a coffee shop nearby.

I for one would use it.

Maybe in a retail unit under the new flats, it would need to be right near the station to catch the tthrough traffic. Definitely needed as no shops until the end of PV. Unless you want a snooker cue.

It isn't that near me but I would definitely use it a couple of times a week if the quality was good. There isn't a good patisserie (that I know of) in this area, though i love the Turkish bread and sweet counters in TFC/similar. A patisserie/coffee shop is my idea of heaven - I'd go out of my way for quality.

I'd definitely appreciate a good coffee shop on the Perry Vale side of the station, the optimal place being one of the retail units in the Forest Hill Central. I'd probably use it at the weekend too, on occasion.

The real problem I see is the actual location, which is effectively on a very large traffic island. You aren't going to get any passing trade, and its something that has hit a number of shops that rely on a high turnover. Not least of which was the Blue Mountain coffee shop. Admitedly it was on the other side of the station and may have had other issues, but a serious contributory factor was that it was on the road to nowhere.

The All In One has a restuarant , why not open a coffee shop. Pub has certainly improved leapes and bounds

I'd use it - I use the Lemon Grove and I've been to Tuareg (sp?!). I live on Perry Vale and am looking forward to seeing this bit of town smartened up and joined-up a bit better with the 'other side'.

Re: patisserie/bakery... I don't want to try and lure you over to the dark side (ie, under the subway), but what about that shop directly opposite the station next to the launderette? It used to be MAC supermarket but is definitely kaput. It's directly opposite the station, passing footfall etc. Would be great to sell sandwiches and coffee to early morning commuters etc...

I think I would only use it on the walk to the station in the morning, but there's so many people pass that way, maybe it's an option?

Savy I think it would be a great idea. There are huge amounts of people walking the route to and from the station. It is indeed a lovely stretch of road which has been neglected but I am hopeful for the future. Finches is still a very smart shop and I hope they will never leave Perry Vale. The KafeLa is a fairly recent addition to the parade. THe Westbourne cafe is a favourite but not at all a competition problem becasue it is a cafe serving english breakfast and lunches and closes really early in the afternoon. Also we have so many of these cafes in Forest Hill, frankly if one closed ( not the Westbourne though) it would not be missed. Recently a furniture shop opened and I have to say it looks lovely but many of on this side of the tracks were hoping for a coffee shop/deli. The chinese take away on the corner occupies a very good location but it is an eye sore. It has good seating places but you hardly see a soul in there eating. They could also make good use of the pavement but at the moment I don t see this happening. By the way the pavements have been recently done up and and they look smart. As for Forest Hill Central, well it is getting taller by the day so I can t see why the new residents would not appreciate a lovely coffee shop on their door step. This small stretch of road has a limited amount of car traffic compared to other mayor arteries of Forset Hill, so it is not as noisy. I think a smart indipendent coffee shop and bakery ( and throw in a delicatessen when fully established ) would be a success. I hope you ll go ahead and I will be you first client.

the recent literature (in SE23 Living) seems to imply that a coffee shop is already planned for Forest Hill Central

No
Non
negative

Sourpuss. Time for a new thread: "Is it a good idea to open up a pub/restaurant/coffee shop/deli within half a mile of Shake'n'Vac mountain?"

Oh no. No, no, no ,no , no. Suicide darlings.

I pass on that side of the station every morning, but to be honest I'm always later than late, so I wouldn't stop during the week. However the Westbourne Cafe in the corner is always packed so there are people with time in their hands in the area.
I would definitely use a patissery/bakery at the weekend as long as it had a wide selection of cakes/pastries (something like Patisserie Valerie in Bromley) and proper coffee (like Cafe Italia in Soho), but that maybe would be too upmarket for Forest Hill?

No, it would be wonderful to have places like that that sell really excellent ckaes and good coffee - why would it be too upmarket? I am fed up with places opening up that sell just-about-ok things. OK there are some wonderful, really unusual shops and cafes in south east London, but so many new places that start up are disappointing - they act as if they don't want to try to hard cos this is south london and there's no point in bothering because we won't appreciate it.