I agree with John that we need to entice people from the Horniman end of FH down towards Dartmouth Road, especially the outside visitors and those who are relatively new to the area and may not yet know what gems are there. The Totally Locally stall at the market is a great idea.

I don't think the market is to blame for the downturn solely - I believe it has had some degree of impact. As have a number of other factors as I have posted elsewhere (John - thank you for your post on the other thread as I think we were talking at cross purposes and I do appreciate your follow up comment) but a reasonable part of it is also as John posted - just one of those things that happen in retail.

I don't use the market because I work most Saturdays but I use the Butchery and other fresh meat / veg / fish places that I encounter through my job and am sure I'd use it if I was free to do so. But I'd walk to it rather than drive.

Dartmouth Road is very tricky for a traffic issue at the moment and parking can a problem, but then so it is around Horniman Drive etc every weekend because of the sheer numbers of visitors but there are several car parks near the centre of FH. And I always wonder why should that should deter people from going anyway. I live at the far end of Dartmouth Road - almost in Sydenham - but I almost always walk to the Horniman, because it's not that far, parking is a nightmare, its healthier, its greener and given traffic, almost as quick. I have a child and we've done that since he was in a buggy.

For those looking for the child friendly option, there are places with wonderful playrooms like the Montage but tbh, those things are not needed for a place to be child friendly. We take our son to the Montage, to the Dartmouth Arms and Sylvan Post and to St Davids as well as using many of the shops. I would consider all these to be child friendly in that they allow children. Kids don't need to have a playroom to be welcomed. Many of these places have books / games for the kids to sit and use.

Forest Hill is a wonderful place and, having lived here for 10 years I love it. It would be amazing to have a few more nice shops replacing the empty, shuttered ones. Lets all use Dartmouth Road, London Road etc more and when we do so then more wonderful entrepreneurs like Pauline, like Stag & Bow, like St Davids and like Aga will see the potential. I'd love it to be full of more brilliant places like the ones that we have.

Soon, things will settle down and all those involved wil lwork the way through it.

Then we just need to solve the traffic light issue don't we John ;-)