Brockley Bites - outsourced

Catherine wrote to us with a couple of unrelated topics - one mystery and one lost cause:

Dry cleaners

"I wanted to ask fellow Brockley residents if they know what has happened to Express Dry Cleaners - we have popped around there twice in the last few days to pick up laundry and the shop is closed with no signs to indicate why the shop isn't open. Phone number is not working either.. it is not looking very good."

Satellite dishes

"Sorry if you've discussed this before but I'm wondering what can be done about all the satellite dishes that have been put at the front of residences in the conservation area (even though they are not supposed to be able to be viewed from the street). Does anyone know who to contact to get people to put these unsightly things on the roof or at the back of properties. is it a case for enforcement? And if so, would we need to get these reported individually or any chance someone from the council can do a sweep of the area?"

We're conflicted about the dishes - they're unsightly, sure. But less so than, for example, the hundreds of wheelie bins that clog our streets or the condition that many of us keep our front gardens in. Many people regard them as a necessity and there are technical reasons why they sometimes need to be stuck on the front of houses. The dishes seem like a minor public nuisance, whereas to remove them would be a major private intrusion. Therefore, we wouldn't want any action to be taken, even if the Council was willing and able. In any case, it would seem a hugely difficult exercise, certain to enrage a large number of voters, so we don't believe it's a battle they would ever choose.