Daywatch

Milner: Someday. That's a dangerous word. It's really just a code for 'never'.

- Knight and Day

Someday, Ladywell and Brockley town centres will have coherent, high-quality high streets, like Honor Oak and Crofton Park. In Ladywell, En Gedi, El’s Kitchen, Oscar’s, Masons and Geddes have led the way.

The new shop front that used to be video shop Nightwatch also offers hope that things are headed in the right direction, despite all the gloom on these threads – day follows night.

It’s not difficult and it’s not expensive. Big windows. Wood. A decent paint job. No illuminated signs, no tatty shutters. It’s all written down in Lewisham’s guidelines for town centres, it just needs developers to stick to them.

There's no guarantee that the shop will be filled of course, but the developers have given themselves the best shot of attracting a business, although the space is small and will suit only a limited range of uses.

With thanks to Marc for the photos. And to Patrick who tried, but was pipped at the post.