Sydenham is 15 minutes due south from London Bridge on the line to
Croydon, Gatwick and the South Coast.
Trains
are operated by Connex South Central who have removed most of the covered area
and seating provided for passengers hoping to travel into London. The bus
company have removed the bus stops preventing public transport interchange.
Lewisham Council have thoughtfully converted the bus stands into car parking
areas adding to the congestion of the shopping area.
Looking East down the high street - Sydenham Road. This busy street is
the link road from the South Circular at Catford to Crystal Palace.
The
road used to boast a Woolworths, J Sainsbury and served the 'Carriage Trade'
but now serves as the route to the huge 'SavaCentre' hypermarket which is
slowly, but surely sucking trade away from the centre.
Sydenham still retains a community sense. Here over the Post Office is
the Narborhood Centre where social services provide an oportunity for many
citizens to meet and talk.
Another feature of Sydenham Road is the conversion of many shops into
restaurants. The Pukkabar was until very recently a furniture store.
One of
Sydenham's busiest shops is Slatter's Bakery at the bottom of the Sydenham Road
on the corner of Mayow Road
Freshly baked bread of all shapes and sizes is served in a shop also
filled with photographs of the proprietor demonstrating his skills on Bruce
Forsyth's "Generation Game".
George
Hetherington's shop has been going through a slow but sure transformation from
a conventional Pet Shop into Sydenham's fascinating emporium bringing fine
arts, textiles and more from the third world.
George
is a leading proponent of 'Traidcraft' - the UK's leading force in fair trade
for the benefit of working communities around the world.
Sydenham Now
