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Down the Caff!

One of the great attractions of London is the wide variety of food available ranging from haute cuisine through a myriad varieties of ethnic fayre to purveyors of the great British fry-up and that now increasingly rare breed, eel and pie shops.

Regularly, not only publications like ‘Time Out’ but, also, the mainstream press have joined in lamenting the ‘invasion’ of the bland – for example, ‘cloned’ chains of lookalike sandwich and coffee shops with their sterile atmospheres and long-established and identikit menus, driving out long-established local shops and cafes.

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Deptford High Street is successfully resisting this unwelcome trend and has won plaudits in the past for maintaining its eclectic mix of the individual and esoteric in retail – and long may that continue.

Particular thanks, then, to the Bear Cafe, so called because it was once a notorious pub called the Brown Bear, a fine example of how one particular establishment can create its own identity, attract a wide range of contented customers and provide a focal point for the community in a similar way to the cafe in ‘Eastenders’, except that the Bear is no stereotypical ‘greasy spoon’.

Indeed, the menu, without stretching the pocket, embraces such as freshly made salads, sandwiches, soups and cakes as well as the traditional ‘cheese n pickle sarnie’, if you so require.

Further, the Bear is a welcome outlet for Fair Trade and organic products and caters for vegetarians – what’s more it’s family friendly.

The Bear endears itself even more to P&B Showcase because, as part of the cafe, there is  an art gallery space which features contemporary works by local artists.

Good coffee, healthy cuisine, community spirit and a touch of culture – a fine ‘package’ indeed.

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