*civet cat coffee
Quite a “tang” to it.
Anyway, let’s get back to Domino’s as a topic
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Eh? Did I miss Express Pizza’s contributions on the matter? Could you point where the other pizza producers - some who are on SE23.life have waded into this debate?
I guess its a matter of taste but I think that the new Dominos corporate design is very attractive and I’d have to presume they’d be hiring from a local work force as well. If attractive shopfronts and local employment is a major concern, I’m really keen on the new shop branding for Cost Cutter.
I hear you. I’d love to have a Waitrose or a M&S locally though personally, I’d be inclined to only use them sporadically. I much prefer to buy my premium food and groceries from local independents if available rather than national food chains. However, something tells me if either M&S or Waitrose felt there was a sufficient market for them, they would already be here. It took M&S long enough to open in East Dulwich.
I take your (and others) specific point on increased moped traffic. I hope Lewisham planners are looking at this too. Then again, if @Michael’s post becomes true then noise may not be as much as concern.
On a serious note I had thought that could be a problem too.
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I don’t get it. Its a high street. Shops, people coming and going, and people trying to make a living. So what if its another pizza shop. Maybe lots of people in the area want it and disagree with the few on here who think it’s not good enough for their village!
That old bank would have been a bad choice, too nice for something like that, but this shop they want to use. Big deal.
Not sure why people are getting so uptight about it. Why doesn’t one of you open a more appropriate shop if you know better?
Exactly.
Maybe the area isn’t as good or attractive as some would like to believe.
I didn’t claim Express Pizza had been on the forum.
Local shop owners like Luca from Two Spoons, Jason from The Clumsy Mole, and Latoyah from G&G have all joined us here.
This debate is about Dominos. If it were a local entrepreneur about to start this franchise, you’d think they might have googled “Dominos Honor Oak” or “Dominos SE23” at some point. Those searches would bring them right here.
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Just a thought though. If Domino’s (or other shops) are solely reliant on deliveries, I would think a location other than a high street would be more suitable for the company.
Like the stretch on Stanstead Road or the industrial estate off Malham Road.
On a completely dissociated topic, I recently saw really old pictures of that stretch of Stanstead Road and was amazed to see that it was once a thriving parade of shops with lots of people walking the pavement.
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Maybe they have, had a look, and took it on board, or just decided not to engage with such a negative audience. Forums aren’t for everyone.
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A sensible entrepreneur would put personal feelings aside and engage with local people and their opinions on the business idea, whether or not those opinions are the ones (s)he wanted to hear.
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In your opinion… Not everyone thinks the same way. Maybe a small group of people on a forum saying negative things are the wrong group to engage with.
What would your message be to them if they are looking on and just not signing up to this place? Other than you are not welcome?
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From experience, a lot of branches of Dominos have quite a few walk ins too. Passing trade from station for example, like the one on Dog Kennel Hill. Mad busy, and employs quite a few people too.
Anyway, I for one hope it gets the OK.
Sure. Which is why this probably isn’t the right solution for Domino’s on this occasion. But if there was a business which opened solely for delivery purposes then I’d hope they’d look at this option. There used to be a great service which offered a variety of menus, delivery only which did the same.
Fair play, cheers for clearing that up. I would agree.
Which part?
I thought it was the fish & chip shop owner who was trying to open the dominoes franchise? Anyway, rather than arguing the pros and cons of dominoes I would like to lament the loss of chip shop chips in HOP. My drunk food of choice.
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Chippies never open late enough for a post town grub fix, although Wilson’s still open on Brockley Rise if you need some chips after a few jars.
Luckily Morley’s always open late and always the perfect option.
The pro of having a walk in Dominos is that there are always a load of collection only deals that are a lot sweeter than the delivery ones. Having lived pretty much next to the Dominos In Kennington/Elephant & Castle I can say there are mopeds parked outside a lot of the time but rarely more than a couple. I never really noticed it but it was on far less of a high street set up than HOP. I could see it being more obtrusive here.
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As I understood it from a conversation my husband had with the fish & chip shop owner, he was going to ‘add’ Doninos to his shop, enhancing his choice of food available.? I agree we gave enough pizzas places already.
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Everyone seems to have missed the point that if Dominoes does not attract enough business it will close. Given the level of animosity to the opening and the supposed provision of superior pizza/takeaway availability, surely the result will be failure?
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Exactly mate, spot on. Let them try, let that be the test. If it works, it’s wanted, if it fails, point proven.
Rather than stamping all over a new business venture because they use mopeds, and you don’t like their pizza.
Dominos will be a delivery hub serving an area beyond the local community (a local area which is well served by Mamma Dough, Express Pizza, Chandos, Le Querce etc).
So even if not a single Honor Oaker uses the new Dominos, they will probably remain in business. And as a multi-national company (as opposed to a small independent business), Dominos Pizza Group can afford to run loss-leader restaurants. What their model relies on is coverage, and out-competing Papa John et al on delivery times. Among other benefits to their business, the huge signage of a HOP store would advertise their brand to passing traffic, whether or not local people use the restaurant.
I don’t begrudge them for their corporate strategy, or for being a multi-national. I’m just sad to see an identikit chain taking the space that could have been a unique independent shop adding commercial diversity to the high street, like all the other recent arrivals have done. For a high street to become a “destination” it has to offer a selection of unique venues.
But as Dominos say on their own website, they have a “relentless focus on growth.” This branch, or another nearby, is a near inevitability.
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Define local?
With one in Catford, one in Dulwich, Penge, Crystal Palace etc, I don’t think they are going to be delivering as far and wide as you might think.
I am sure if there were someone planning on opening one of these unique independent businesses, they would have tried. Have you ever thought that there is no such business or entrepreneur on the horizon right now? Would it be better to just have an empty building and 10 more unemployed people?
With all this talk of a destination and venues, maybe it’s time to add Honor Oak to Trip Advisor?
What about the rest of Forest Hill and SE23, do their needs not count or is it just Honor Oakers as you call them?
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