Search found 1342 matches

by Robin Orton
6 Dec 2010 10:28
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: UPDATED Weather and travel
Replies: 79
Views: 51583

Re: UPDATED Weather and travel

in my experience people don't like to hear explanations, only solutions.
Not true in this case, 'Checkmate' so far as I am concerned. I 'm genuinely curious. Something to do with rolling stock being in the wrong place, perhaps?
by Robin Orton
4 Dec 2010 00:28
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: UPDATED Weather and travel
Replies: 79
Views: 51583

Re: UPDATED Weather and travel

Had a speedy journey home from the West End late this evening (11.00) on the 176, but it was uncomfortably overcrowded until about Camberwell Green.

Why are the trains still in difficulty now the snow has stopped (for the moment anyway)?
by Robin Orton
2 Dec 2010 09:45
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Waitrose in Sydenham
Replies: 43
Views: 37111

Re: Waitrose in Sydenham

There's no need to mock the elderly, Lee, just because we didn't have your privileges. There weren't them new-fangled "Comprehensive Schools" or owt like that around when I were a lad. We have lots of choice but not much is 'aspirational'. But what I did learn (at the various Board schools...
by Robin Orton
1 Dec 2010 17:38
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Waitrose in Sydenham
Replies: 43
Views: 37111

Re: Waitrose in Sydenham

Just out of interest Robin, what are the other 'expensive poncy' foodshops in Sydenham? asked Lee. I know of none - that's why I said 'another (expensive, poncy) foodshop' - i.e. shorthand for 'another foodshop and an expensive, poncy one to boot' - rather than just 'another expensive poncy foodsho...
by Robin Orton
1 Dec 2010 11:03
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Waitrose in Sydenham
Replies: 43
Views: 37111

Re: Waitrose in Sydenham

Why do we want another (expensive, poncy) foodshop on the High Street? What's in it for us struggling OAPs? I'm glad to hear that the Labour Party, the champions of the poor, are campaigning against it.
by Robin Orton
23 Nov 2010 22:05
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Praying for Sydenham and Forest Hill
Replies: 4
Views: 3931

Re: Praying for Sydenham and Forest Hill

Just got back from this. A good occasion, which was organised by the Lewisham 'borough deans' representing all the main Christian churches. The council chamber and the public gallery were full, with an overflow on the landing outside. An encouraging introductory talk by Sir Steve who stayed througho...
by Robin Orton
11 Nov 2010 09:53
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Praying for Sydenham and Forest Hill
Replies: 4
Views: 3931

Praying for Sydenham and Forest Hill

Churches Together in Sydenham and Forest Hill will be participating in 'Pray For Lewisham' which is taking place at the Civic Suite next to the Town Hall at Catford next Tuesday 23 November from 7.00 to 8.30 pm. The Mayor, Sir Steve Bullock, will be introducing the event. Anyone who thinks that pray...
by Robin Orton
9 Nov 2010 15:33
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: A little light mugging.....
Replies: 20
Views: 12864

Re: A little light mugging.....

... and, to continue my soliloquy, there are local Met street briefings. Here are the dates and times for FH ward (including Wells Park Road), as notified by 'Michael' on the SE23 forum. http://www.met.police.uk/teams/lewisham/foresthill/index.php No doubt there is something similar in Sydenham ward.
by Robin Orton
9 Nov 2010 09:09
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: A little light mugging.....
Replies: 20
Views: 12864

Re: A little light mugging.....

Looks like I'm the only person in SE26 interested in this. But, for my own information, I discovered on the Government's new 'transparency' website the following item in the Home Office business plan: 1.2.ii. Prepare for publication of ‘street-level’ crime data, produced every month in an open, stan...
by Robin Orton
7 Nov 2010 13:00
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: A little light mugging.....
Replies: 20
Views: 12864

Re: A little light mugging.....

Nobody has commented on my plea (which I've made before on this forum) for street-by-street crime statistics, so that we know whether e.g. Wells Park Road or the footbridge by the German Church really are high-crime areas. I see the Home Secretary has said that 'we will give the public much more inf...
by Robin Orton
5 Nov 2010 18:04
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: A little light mugging.....
Replies: 20
Views: 12864

Re: A little light mugging.....

My concern, on the basis of 'SydenhamHillAndy's' report of what the police told him, was that they might be unnecessarily increasing the fear of crime by suggesting not just we should always be sensible and vigilant when out and about - obviously right - but that particular areas should in any case ...
by Robin Orton
5 Nov 2010 11:58
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: A little light mugging.....
Replies: 20
Views: 12864

Re: A little light mugging.....

'SydenhamHillAndy' said:
The police reaction was that it wasn't particularly sensible to be walking up there at that time
So the police are actually advising us that we can't safely walk our own streets going about our own lawful business? Has it actually come to this?
by Robin Orton
3 Nov 2010 17:15
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: CARNIVAL MARCH TO SAVE LEWISHAM'S LIBRARIES
Replies: 15
Views: 9481

Re: CARNIVAL MARCH TO SAVE LEWISHAM'S LIBRARIES

John, my assumption that LPBP were 'green socialists' was this 'green socialist' webpage http://westlewishamgreensocialist.blogspot.com/2010/03/lewisham-for-people-not-profit.html where Nick Long says that 'we' have asked the Electoral Commission for permission to change 'our' party name to LPBP. If...
by Robin Orton
31 Oct 2010 19:15
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: CARNIVAL MARCH TO SAVE LEWISHAM'S LIBRARIES
Replies: 15
Views: 9481

Re: CARNIVAL MARCH TO SAVE LEWISHAM'S LIBRARIES

I followed the link to Joyce Treasure's Flickr photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/joycetreasure/sets/72157625278073946/ . From the fuller selection of photographs there, I was led to wonder whether the march might in the event have been dominated by hard Left political organizations, including...
by Robin Orton
28 Oct 2010 09:27
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Closure of Dartmouth Road
Replies: 1
Views: 1932

Closure of Dartmouth Road

Rob the barber in Dartmouth Road told me this morning that it is to be closed for resurfacing for nine days from next week (don't know which day). Knock on effect in Sydenham Road and Kirkdale, I guess.
by Robin Orton
23 Oct 2010 08:45
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: SAVE SYDENHAM LIBRARY
Replies: 72
Views: 63973

Re: SAVE SYDENHAM LIBRARY

Pat Trembath said:
Also the public meeting called by Lewisham to "consult" with local residents about the threatened closure of tthe library is on Monday at 7pm at the Livesey Hall. We hope there will be a good turn out.
Was there? What happened?
by Robin Orton
21 Oct 2010 15:09
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: How much hierarchy does anyone want?
Replies: 3
Views: 3212

Re: How much hierarchy does anyone want?

I used to be civil servant O, and 'Maturin's' Parkinson quotation is too near the truth for comfort! Obviously bosses should not have so many people working directly tothem that they cannot get to know each of them personally. Subject to that, the optimum 'span of command' must surely depend on a wh...
by Robin Orton
13 Oct 2010 16:39
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: weird repeating "pip" sound on dartmouth road
Replies: 4
Views: 3650

Re: weird repeating "pip" sound on dartmouth road

Can you hear it all the time? We occasionally hear an irregularly repeated noise like a very loud car horn from Sydenham Girls' School on Kirkdale, but I've always assumed it's something to do with their games lessons; we never hear it outside school hours.
by Robin Orton
2 Oct 2010 16:49
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Big Society - language and practice
Replies: 15
Views: 7385

Re: Big Society - language and practice

Thanks, Lee, (and for the TED.com link - looks great). I enjoy arguing these things out too. The trouble is, my cast of mind is such that I'm always tempted to focus on the theory rather than the practicalities, and to try to see both sides of the argument. I hope this isn't too irritating for peopl...
by Robin Orton
1 Oct 2010 10:07
Forum: Town Hall
Topic: Big Society - language and practice
Replies: 15
Views: 7385

Re: Big Society - language and practice

Everyone posting on this thread, and related ones about the Lewisham cuts, seems to start from the assumption that one of the most important roles of the state is to redistribute resources (cultural and social as well as financial) from rich people to poor people by providing 'public services', deli...