As local councillors we’re absolutely committed to keeping East Dulwich special – one of the main reasons I became a councillor. It’s clear from residents responding to our Keep East Dulwich Special surveys that one key characteristic of our area is the preponderance of small local independent shops and businesses. None of us want Lordship Lane to become a ‘clone’ high street with repetitions of all the same shops from national chains. We all want a balance and don’t want more of our local shops to become estate agents, bars or restaurants. As a councillor I’ve helped ensure that we have legally enforceable policies so that at least half of retail units remain exactly that, retail units. But we’d really welcome your thoughts on whether 50% is the right balance.

Perhaps it should be 60%?

However, this policy doesn’t enable councillors to decide which shop is owned by whom, or stop a particular shop being sold from one retailer to another. So the recent Sainsbury’s Local opening near Dulwich Library has caused consternation for many residents. This particular site is a tricky balance between creating something to attract more shoppers, not killing the local small shops but in fact generating more business from residents who previously drove elsewhere for all their shopping.

Fortunately the size of local retail units currently reduces the chance of more chain stores opening in East Dulwich. To help small businesses compete with the national chains we’ve provided over 350 Alertboxes linking them together making them feel safer and more secure without the security guards chains can afford. We’re also talking to the traders via the South Southwark Traders Association about how to promote the area locally. Short term we’ve obtained £30,000 towards this. Longer term we’ve persuaded Southwark Council to fund £1/2M to improve and make safer the streetscape of Lordship Lane. This will include a new Pelican crossing of Lordship Lane outside Somerfield. It is ridiculous that it is so hard to cross our busy high street.

Northcross Road Market is such a great starting point for local small businesses. This summer we will see electricity points installed so market stalls wont need noisy generators and can have stall lighting in winter. This should make it an even better environment for local shopping.

Increasing local trade could increase car parking pressures even further. To reduce this pressure we’ve ensured that East Dulwich will have the first 5 car club cars on Southwark roads and we’ve ensured an extra 10 car club cars via Cleaner, Greener, Safer funding making a total of 15 spaces for East Dulwich. Such cars typically replace 8-15 private cars while saving residents money and car club members lives just that bit easier. The locations for these cars are partly based on where residents have reported parking pressures.

 If you have any thoughts about how to Keep East Dulwich Special do get in touch.