It's all about oil

"Cherchez La Femme, Bucky. Remember that."
- James Ellroy, The Black Dhalia

From time-to-time, something we write about Brockley triggers the suggestion from someone that we are on a secret misson to inflate our own house price.

Enjoy the East London Line? House prices. Good arts festival? House prices. Like somewhere to buy fresh vegetables? House prices. Concerned about shootings? House prices.

So, just so we're all clear - yes, as a resident of Brockley, we bought a property here. Yes, we'd rather the value goes up, rather than down. No, we don't feel bad about that, nor is it a hidden agenda.

Any attempt to improve the area - whether it's reducing litter or planting flowers - will by definition make Brockley more desirable and in the long-term could increase property values in the area. That doesn't make the exercise invalid, but we're flattered that some people think BC has the power to add billions to land values in SE4.