Potters Fields project approved at London Bridge
Do you remember Bagpuss? And Spacehoppers? And London Bridge? Mad, weren't they?!
Last night, we travelled back from Waterloo to Brockley, changing at London Bridge during rush hour on to a half-empty train. London Bridge's status as our number one commuter destination has gone the way of the Spangle - the East London Line has won the battle for our hearts and minds.
But SE1 is trying to give us more reasons to visit and has confirmed that the former coach park on Potters Fields will be redeveloped. While it's preferable to the "Daleks" design previously mooted and it makes some nice nods to Shad Thames, it's still not a very exciting development and a lot of its appeal will come down to how well done the new public space is and what use the proposed "cultural" centre is put to.
37 comments:
Awful design. To me it looks like a 21st century version of the Heygate Estate in Elephant and Castle and no-one wants that.
Nick, stop picking at the ELL scab! it'll never heal if you do that.
The 1 man ELL marketing board rolls into town again!
I vaguely remember a place (bit of a dump actually) called London Bridge from the dark days before the Orange Revolution.
"Social housing" - does this mean they have to give chavs prime real estate as part of the deal?
I love the area around London Bridge.
There's so much to do round there now - great restaurants, bars, the lovely walk along (or over) the river. The Shard. Wow. Amazing, amazing place - and it's getting better all the time.
And, thanks to the hulking orange beast it is significantly tougher to get there now than it was 18 months ago.
Still, we can always go to Dalston instead and get stabbed.
Are you not keen on the ELL then Lou? You should have said.
Seriously though, haven't you got anything better to do? Stealing sweets from children or punching beggars or something?
significantly tougher
My heart bleeds. And its like a stone so that's an impressive level of sympathy you've evoked.
I can't see how it's tougher, as Nick says the trains are all half empty these days!
I think there is a degree of hyperbole in Nick's statement about the Southern trains to Brockley being 'half empty'. I work in London Bridge and during peak hours in the morning and evening, the trains are always full.
But before you label me as a 'Lou lover', the ELL is ace.
Lou, I'm popping an application in the post, we'll show 'em! David Icke is the guest speaker at our next meet, he has slides PROVING the lizzard menance at the heart of our power structures.
See u next Tuesday.
@Anon - I only said that that particular train (approx 6.45pm) was half-empty, in the sense that there were spare seats and no-one standing, which is a half-empty train by Brockley standards...
But yes, there is a degree of hyperbole in comparing London Bridge to a bag of Spangles ;)
Half full or half empty? Certainly emptier, which demonstrates:
a)People are chosing a different route to work, as the ELL is the only alternative service the conclusion is an obvious one.
b) The commuters are deranged and require a dose of reality. They are making life difficult for themselves - mugs.
c) TfL have secretly paid people to use a cab
d) Lou is wrong
On the development, bring it on. Don;t get the Elephant & Castle analogy. It's a big, monolithic dense housing development. That's not what sunk many of those estates. Dense can be good - I've made a career out of it.
How dense is it as that seemed to be a concern. And I find the photo on the Darlek link quite amusing - not Pidgley and the councillor shaking hands being watched the the third person - they are all grimacing straight at the camera like manic cheshire cats.
Not entirely happy with the cliff like frontage so close to the road on the approach to Tower Bridge (do love the bridge from that angle - a totally different perspective of it) but I suppose something of the kind is inevitable.
Looking again at the orignal post, London Bridge does have a Cranberries in the arcade in the vaults - which wins my heart, mind and stomach every time...
New developments are looking more and more like waking up in the Matrix.
@mb
I half agree with you.
People are choosing a different route to work. It's just that I think they're choosing it because they've been forced to and you think they're choosing it because they really want to.
I wager most people would prefer more frequent trains to London Bridge. You think they want more frequent trains to Dalston.
I know which is more likely. Whatever you think.
PS: No I do not think the world is flat, no I am not a climate change denier and I think David Icke is bonkers.
@Lou I bow to no man in my love of the area around LB but I'm interested to know which bars and restaurants you're such a fan of. Any specifics?
From the SE1 report:
"Those who had submitted written objections include Greenwich Council who say that the development will damage the protected view of St Paul's Cathedral from Blackheath Point.
My journey in and out of Canary Wharf has been greatly improved by the Great Orange Serpent in terms of time, comfort and reliability.
I am looking forward to the Shard and localised improvements to be completed and I too love the waterfront but as an intersection it is awful and the station soul destroyingly bleak.
@Ed
Yes but they are rebuilding London Bridge station soon which will dramatically improve it.
But most stations (save St Pancras) are pretty grim.
It's the area near to London Bridge which is great. I love just strolling along the river - both ways are great.
@Brockley Nick - you just got lucky. The 6:21pm on the same night was packed.
There are still some (lots) of us who need to get to places the ELL doesn't go.
Half agree! come 'ere big man, give me a hug!
@lou I'm glad to hear some praise for the London Bridge rebuild, because that's obviously part of the Thameslink programme, which you are forever slagging off. I swear that you'd dismissed the idea that the new LB is a great benefit when we've discussed these matters in the past, but I can't be bothered to look for the evidence!
What good restaurants are there in the vicinity of London Bridge? I quite like Fish! but can't think of others off the top of my head. Recommendations (from Lou or anyone else) would be welcome.
@nick
I am very pro the London Bridge rebuild AND I am very pro-Thameslink.
My concern with Thameslink is that we'll see no benefit here - which would be ashame.
Though we'll have to wait to see their finalised timetable suggestions.
@Feed me. It's not as well-served as it ought to be at such a foodie hub. But there are one or two.
Wight Bros fantastic for oysters but their hot food is also very good. Brindisa is hard to get into but worth it. Silka is not bad for a posher than standard curry. Roast I like for a cocktail but not the food, which nowhere near good enough for the prices they charge (pretty good breakfast though). The Rake is good for a drink, especially if you're a beer fan.
There's more to offer if you wander towards Tower Bridge, particularly Magdalen and a crop of places on Bermondsey Street. Walking along the river is, as Lou says, rather lovely but I don't think I'd want to eat in any of the riverfront places.
@ben - what about Pont de la Tour? Or The Blueprint Cafe?
@Nick Pont de la Tour the best of the spendy touristy places, although I confess I haven't been for a while. I am, though, enjoying their deli for lunch options: I'm now working in the area. I've got my eye on their wine shop too!
Blueprint Café: good point. Have only had a coffee there to date but I hear good things about the food. Bit of a stretch to call it the London Bridge area though: a good 15-minute walk.
And there's a pasty stall at the station.
What more do you need?
@Lou A bin?
A bin is a very good place for them.
I was so drunk and hungry I once ate two large ones. Felt sick and a little dirty.
I'm a classy guy.
Bermondsey Street rocks. Village East and The Garrison are top class eating and drinking venues. There's also a great 1980s themed coffee bar and The Woolpack pub with its beer garden (does food too)to name the main places. And to verge off food and drink, you can throw in for good measure the Fashion & Textile Museum and one of the UK's best climbing centres tucked under the arches of London Bridge station. One of my favourite areas/streets in London!
Not to mention Al's Cafe and Caphe House... they're the best ones on the street.
Also Delfina,Zucca and Bermondsey Kitchen - all on Bermondsey St. For lunchtime eating - I like the little sister cafe of Zucca, called the Maltings, just on Tower Bridge Rd by Druid St. And as Ben says The Magdalen is very good, on Tooley St.
What good restaurants are there in the vicinity of London Bridge? I quite like Fish! but can't think of others off the top of my head. Recommendations (from Lou or anyone else) would be welcome.
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