How might it benefit Sydenham? Or will it take business away from the town centre?
The goal is that the whole of South London will benefit and especially its town and district centres: Sydenham being a good example. At present a lot of spend goes out of the area because of the attraction of the West End. London is now a very prosperous wo0rld city (even with ‘credit crunches’). By having a major local and global people draw at the heart of South London, the London phenomenon worldwide could be channeled to the advantage of businesses in the existing centres in our area. Having been the founding chair of the Lewisham Chamber of Commerce and then chair of the London East Chamber Partnership – which brought together chambers in ten boroughs both north and south of the Thames – I am very aware of the crucial role that the business community plays in our area. My goal is to strengthen their capability and in a way that complements and works with the present town and district centres. The goal is that the Crystal Palace would not try to compete but enhance district centres
