Plumsteadshire: Rubbish

Friday, 23 February 2007

Rubbish

Here's a post to get us going.

Anonymous said...

Off thread - but....

I'm sick of the state of the streets around plumstead..dog shit, spit, rubbish etc. The way they tarmaced the roads etc. Walk from the common to the station and it rapidly gets worse.

Ablairs treat Ennis road as though it's part of their yard. Dodge the forklift as you pass by.

The majority of people round here are chavs and drink 'tinned' lager.

I want to live in greenwich and the sooner I get enough money I'll be moving.

Oh and the ship? It's a shit hole -the owner hasn't a clue.

Discuss...

Dear anonymous,

I can't disagree with you about the streets. Walking to the train station on a morning, I am also gob-smacked by the amount of detritus littering the pavements. Dropping litter is a bug-bear of mine. It's so easy to find a bin, and if there's no bin, then wait 'til you get home. Littering is a brilliant way of keeping the rat population up. [Rant over] I don't know why the streets are less tidy down that way though. Is it the residents? Is it the commuters? Does Griffin Road have hyper-active foxes? Like The Plumster said, just contact Cleansweep. If they don't know about it, they can't deal with it.

It might be annoying when Ablair is loading/unloading, but they definitely don't do it to annoy the people of Plumsteadshire. I've only had good service when buying a handful of 3/4" no 8's.

The majority of Plumstead Common residents are chavs? I must be walking around with rose-tinted spectacles or I've not wandered to the bad side of town. Yes, I've seen the odd yoof in the day-time taking a libation, but the vast majority are probably at work.

I wouldn't say no to Greenwich either, but certainly couldn't afford the prices. Anyway, I've lived in Blackheath with the nouveau riches and there was a severe lack of community spirit there. Being judged by your bank balance and car isn't high on my list of conversational topics.

The Ship Pub........... no comment.

Plumsteadshire does have many faults, but for me these are greatly out-weighed by the many strengths.

So lovely listeners, do you agree with the anonymous resident?
Is it time to get out?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...: No I don't agree with anonymous... but I do agree with you Pangloss!

Plumsteadshire is a great place to live, even if a little rough around the edges.

Re. litter I recommend people go to the pound shop and pick up a handy litter picker. Do your bit! If you see litter, pick it up. It's your village too and we can all do our bit. Litter picking is not an activity just for Cleansweep or the PCEG. If litter bothers you DO something about it rather than moaning, even if it's just making a quick call to Cleansweep. Useful numbers on PCEG website: www.pceg.org.uk/hotline.htm

The chavs... well ok, there are chavs about, but they appear everywhere, even in Greenwich. Most are teenagers with typical teenage attitudes. And those with tins of lager, if you haven't seen that in Greenwich I don't know what Greenwich you go to. You ARE still in London you know.

Plumstead Common's not a place for snobs... if you are a snob, fair dues, and you're probably better off buying a tiny hole to live in in Blackheath or Greenwich (for the same price as a house with garden around here), and not knowing your neighbours.

Really if you'd rather live in Greenwich and can afford it, enjoy yourself there. I'll take Plumstead Common with its village feel, mostly friendly residents, and this fab local blog with quirky comments and people who care about where they live.

Viva Plumsteadshire!; Saturday, February 24, 2007 2:22:00 pm
Anonymous said...: All the people who don't love Plumsteadshire are welcome to leave it! Pleeeeeaaze!!; Sunday, February 25, 2007 3:55:00 pm
Anonymous said...: Dear anonymous
Off you go then. Much less green, vastly more expensive and nowhere to park but if that's what you want its so much less embarrassing for you than admitting you live in Plumstead. But some of us love it here. I have never before lived in a street where I know the neighbours names for at least 10 houses in each direction and many others besides. Then there's the PCEG (see above) which has made and is making a real difference, but you have to "care and be there". When you see litter call Cleansweep - 0208 921 4661 - they WILL respond. But you have to care about the place and feel a sense of ownership of where you live. Are you ready to change? That's the only way the place will change. Get involved. Lobby the council to ban drinking in the street for instance(they're ready for it). Come to MP Safer Neighbourhood meetings. Of course you could try Greenwich on a Friday or Saturday night when its so delightfully free of chavs!; Sunday, February 25, 2007 8:39:00 pm
Anonymous said...: Hi

My name is Lex and i recently set up the new PC forum. Of course Plumstead is not gwich or bheath. But the exciting thing is going to be to see it improve,granted it may be slow but only one person needs to make the gamble to put a middle class venture somewhere in PC and you just watch this space

Lex J
The PC Forum; Monday, February 26, 2007 2:07:00 am
Anonymous said...: I didn’t realise that is was a pre-requisite of living in Plumstead that you had to telephone the council to clean the streets. I’m sorry I must have been mistaken as I actually thought that the £1300+ I pay yearly to Greenwich council actually meant the streets got swept every so often…perhaps once a week at least?

I also didn’t realise that residents of Plumstead (not just Plumstead Common) actually owned the pavement in front of their homes where they were able to deposit mattresses, cupboards, clothes, sofas that they no longer had a use for. And these said items wouldn’t be collected until I telephoned the council and requested they do so.

Another thing I failed to realise was that if you owned a dog whilst living in Plumstead (preferably some sort of pitbull) you had every right to let it foul the pavements and not clear it up. In some streets it’s like a game of hopscotch. So I take it when I walk my children to school I also have to remember to arm myself with plastic bags to pick other peoples dog excrement up?

Streetwise – I really can’t remember saying that I was embarrassed to admit that I live in Plumstead and with regards to your comment about Greenwich being much less green…have you been to Greenwich Park? Take a walk round Blackheath and Greenwich and yes it may be full of your so called ‘nouveau riches’ but at least they appear to take a pride in the streets where they live. This is my biggest gripe about the area – The people just don’t seem to care and Greenwich council seems to care less.

With regards to the chavs(wikipedia it if you don’t know what it means Plumster). I am sick to death of these kids burning about the pavements and roads on their motorbikes – no crash helmet endangering themselves and other people. Hanging around the library and the slade shouting abuse, urinating wherever they feel and generally making life hell for anyone that crosses them.

I also find Ablairs useful. I do however feel they have out grown their location and need to move to an industrial site. I have seen residents cars ‘bounced’ out of the way so deliveries trucks can park in Ennis Road. All those that have commented obviously don’t live in Ennis Road and don’t have to endure the noise and disruption that goes hand in hand with this business every day.

For all the years I have lived in Plumstead I never once got a feeling it was like a ‘village’. It has potential but it has never lived up to that potential. If I was to go out for the evening (which isn’t very often) what does this ‘village’ have to offer – The Ship (no thanks) The Prince Albert (no thanks) The Who’d a thought it (No thanks) The Woodman (No) Possibly the Star and The Old Mill…but not somewhere I’d like to take the wife for a romantic night out and I’m pretty sure that would be the same for most people that read this blog or maybe not? If I fancied going out for meal Spice Island – I’ve been there once and wouldn’t return and other than that I don’t really eat donner’s. Shopping – well yes we have the Coop – how quaint. The butchers in the Slade is ok but what else? Oh I forgot the tool hire company – very useful and yet another off licence selling cheap canned lager. Take a trip to Blackheath or Bexley – they are villages. In the last year alone we have had a shooting in the slade, a dead body dumped on the common, muggings. Does that really sound ‘village’ life?

I have invested a lot of money in my home and I have lived here most of my life but I am not sure I want to bring my children up in this area anymore. Perhaps the positives do outweigh the negatives but from what I have experienced and seen in this area I’m not so sure. I apologise if my views don’t match your ‘rose tinted view’ of Plumstead but I am only commenting on what I see around me. Maybe you are right about Greenwich – perhaps I should look further a field. But what I am sure about is that I would be willing to sacrifice a room or have smaller garden for a better, safer and cleaner environment to live.; Monday, February 26, 2007 6:01:00 pm
Anonymous said...: OK anon - if that's how you feel. . . But I should say that there are actually no houses in Greenwich Park. Up here on the common we LIVE IN a park. If you will ever be able to afford Blackheath then good luck to you. My own feeling is that all the things that upset you are evidence of the gradual depradation of our lives and you certainly won't escape it in Greenwich. and yes that is what I'm saying - we DO need to take ownership and responsibility for our world and not expect our ever increasing rates to do it all for us. Many years of society dumping responsibility on the state and the council has produce the lamentable state we are now in. Don't run away from it - it will find you I fear. Take a stand. Discuss??; Monday, February 26, 2007 10:33:00 pm
Anonymous said...: Indeed, there must be joint responsibility for the community and environment in which we live. Yes we pay council tax, and the council therefore have responsibilities. BUT that doesn't mean we can simply walk around expecting everything to be pristine without getting involved. It's our neighbourhood afterall.

Of course, the biggest problem with problems like litter and anti-social behaviour is the fact that there are people that don't care about where they live and they throw rubbish on the ground, etc. Let's ask the question why there are people who feel so disconnected and disrespectful of where they live? We can't expect everyone around here to care about the area and the effect of dirty streets on our house prices, when so many people can barely afford rent. Those of us that own places around here are still very privileged, and many of us are newcomers. What about those that have lived here their whole lives and can't afford to buy? Let's not sit up on high horses judging chavs drinking tins of lager and throwing rubbish on the street, and worrying about the value of our houses. It might be more effective to engage with the community that is here and perhaps help transform it by getting rid of snobbish attitudes and becoming involved with making plumstead common (more of) a lovely place to live!

Also - last bit of rant - living by example is often more effective over time, than being judgemental. So you might not throw rubbish on the streets yourself, that's great. Let's go one step further, and start bending down and picking something up once in a while. I expect to find the pound shop sold out of litter pickers!; Tuesday, February 27, 2007 7:37:00 am
Anonymous said...: Plumstead is not a village and sadly I am not sure it ever will be. There has been so much potential with the 2 vacant pubs to really turn the area around, and the bathroom shop that sits empty by the estate agents near plumstead common could also be primed for something new. Look at Lee Green and even New Cross and Deptford - all working class areas but ones that are full of vibrant shops and eateries, some of which have opened recently but it shows the diversity of the area and the commitment of people wanting to create new pockets - You come out of Lee station and it is ropey and then you have a little gem of haridressers, furniture/gift shops and a restaurant. I dont understand why the area doesnt realise that with a bit of investment it could be a key area to live (the signs about the high street regeneration that started in october make me laugh).
The Evening Standard the other week described some areas to live in that were still inexpensive and Shooters Hill was named as one of these. It is just down the road. Plumstead could be there too, we have a decent link to the City, green spaces, a rugby club on the common and new people moving to the area weekly. Yes some people will never take pride in their houses. We moved here 3 months ago having lived in Fulham and Clapham and the Docklands whilst renting and yes I do find it strange that there are no bars or restaurants, that the Coop is the supermarket of choice and that in all honesty it is a bit of a rough area, but we wanted a house which we have with 3 beds, 2 bathrooms and a garden on 3 floors and we paid under £250k. So for that price you have to sacrifice something. Our neighbours are lovely and I like the proximity to Greenwich and Blackheath and Chislehurst (I would move to Blackheath tomorrow if I had more cash i have to confess) but we dont at the mo the house is eating it all up!
Hopefully the DLR and Bridge (c'mon the bridge) will bring more regeneration to Plumstead and some new builds will start to go up (and not bloody key worker ones) and people will move out here.
At the moment tho it is really not that much of a hardship to have to go to Blackheath or Greenwich for dinner or stay in the City. Plumstead is perhaps not the peoples choice but for those looking as first time buyers or wanting houses for families i think it is a great investment. So come on people of Plumstead rather than just sharing your thoughts on this blog, start targeting Rightmove and other property websites as well as other blogs and newspapers to raise the profile of Plumstead.
The BBC newsreader (the one who was in the Mail at the weekend for being stalked by some BBC blonde) lives in Plumstead perhaps he could drop some hints whilst reading the news!!; Thursday, March 01, 2007 11:27:00 am
Anonymous said...: Do you honestly think the bridge is a good idea??? Do you understand what it will do to traffic levels in the shire? It will certainly prompt some new builds though, and this will probably take the shape of a link road straight through Plumstead and Oxleas Wood to the A2. As long as your house price goes up though Anon.

NO TO THE ROAD BRIDGE!!!!!!!!!!!; Saturday, March 03, 2007 12:44:00 pm
Anonymous said...: I helped campaign to save Oxleas Wods in the early 90s, doing benefit gigs and events. I can't believe it could be under threat again. If the new bridge is presenting a threat, then I say NO!!!; Saturday, March 03, 2007 7:58:00 pm
Anonymous said...: yes to the bridge, i would rather my house rises in price and have easier access out of london rather than save a wood, there are plenty of trees around (and yes i dont care much for my carbon footprint either) long live Ryanair.; Monday, March 05, 2007 9:42:00 am
Anonymous said...: Ugh. Another Estate Agent. Let's all petition against it (-; Seriously though, why do we need another estate agent!?!? They should shove off down to the high street.; Wednesday, March 07, 2007 7:35:00 pm
Anonymous said...: Too right. If anywhere really needs smartenign up, it's the high street. Mind you, great pound shops ;); Thursday, March 08, 2007 8:29:00 pm
Anonymous said...: I lived in greenwich for a while, theres just as many chavs there as in plumstead (mopeds and all). After all, you're right inbetween deptford and charlton and theres that huge estate right near the cutty sark.

As for eating out, apart from a couple of exceptions, you can pay through the nose for tourist rubbish or get the same shit in a tray as available anywhere.

Luckily you'll not be far from lewisham where you can at least find a couple of decent places to eat but you'll probably feel its too downmarket.

I can understand wanting to move out of plumstead but saying you want to go to greenwich just makes you sound like a james blunt.; Tuesday, April 10, 2007 4:46:00 pm