Continuing the discussion from What else do Forest Hill and Honor Oak need?:
Its been a while since this topic was visited. But last week on a day trip to Lewes I saw this. I want this. Please.
An entire shop dedicated to this delicious preprepared food.
They sell these in Budgens in Crofton Park
They’ve also got a chest of these in Urban Express in London Bridge. But I need a whole shop. Right by my exit at Forest Hill station.
There’s one not too far away in West Dulwich
Bakery?
As we’ve now got an outstanding craft beer shop with @ClaptonCraft it would be wonderful to have a similar specialist wine store.
Online wine clubs are great but I enjoy discussing good wine pairings with a knowledgeable staff.
Slightly out of our area, there is Bob’s Wines in Sydenham, by the station.
A proper supermarket. The Sainsbury’s in HOP is tiny with no room to walk about and always badly stocked. Sainsbury’s in FH is great but a bit far to walk to if, like me, you don’t drive. Something in the Brockley Rise area would be great.
A REAL gym. Something that has space and a pool/steam/sauna, with top quality classes taught by highly qualified instructors who are paid well. Something a cut above the budget gyms, Energie and Pure.
New management for the Provender 
Bakery, Turkish style grocery store and a TKMaxx ? Or a small Waitrose with fresh bread, fish and meat counters. A couple more small restaurants offering different lunch and dinners options ( Italian, bistro style French and japanese. Ideally located on Dartmouth Road, London Road and in the shopping parade on Perry Vale. I would not object to a few chain restaurants at this point of our town centre development.
There is one of those (COOK) in Blackheath, a few minutes from the station, but of course I know that’s totally out of the area, just saying…
Agree Provender has unfulfilled potential.
My vote would be for a bakery on Honor Oak Park (either conversion of Provender or a different site entirely).
Agree A Virgin gym would be amazing…the nearest is in Norwood sadly…too far for me to get to around work.
We REALLY REALLY need a good whole foods or planet organic style shop.
with good ready meals, bakery,organic fruit and veg and decent deli and dairy items.
also with a small area for suppliments.
We already have a superb butcher but I feel the above is sorely needed
Agree we need another gym. The Honor Oak/Crofton Park/Brockley area is perfect untapped catchment area for a gym.
Energie Fitness is pure rubbish and expensive at that. Fitness4Less in Catford is very good but too far for me to regularly walk to.
Turkish grocery store like the one in Forest Hill Road would be great.
@HOPcrossbun I totally agree with this although the irony in that a gym is too much of a walk to get to is certainly not lost.
Hi @Emak5, why is it so disappointing? I’m a new member but haven’t actually made it in yet…I know they had teething problems but it sounds like there are still some issues? Many thanks.
It would be great to have an Aldi or Lidl a little closer (but I’m being picky as there’s one of each in Catford / Sydenham respectively).
Re gyms I’m a somewhat reluctant member of Forest Hill Pools - a wonderful facility with so much potential but not a pleasant experience because it is Council / Fusion run. I’d quite happily pay more a month for a nicer experience but there’s no decent options in this area.
In the context of things it would be nice to have it’s worth noting some great new initiatives recently - special mention to The Signal, went to a film screening there last week and it was brilliant (Jaws on a big screen with excellent burger, chips and popcorn all for £10!) and I see they’ve just launched an open mic night so thanks to management there for some great new ideas which hopefully people will support.
Energie is advertising at £30/m - seems reasonable to me?