Aladdin’s Cave shop (and locally-listed former Lewisham Road station) to make way for housing
Two pieces of Lewisham history could be swept away under a new planing proposal submitted to Lewisham Council.
If you’ve every travelled along Loampit Hill in Lewisham you’ve probably noticed the Aladdin’s Cave shop.
Located on the site of a long-closed station and utilising the former station building, it’s actually less a shop and more a treasure trove of odds and ends, junk and treasure.
Sadly we can’t seem to have much of the esoteric anymore, so plans are in to sweep it away and build flats on the site.
Eight flats are planned on the site.
The site was formerly Lewisham Road station on the little known Greenwich Park line which closed 100 years ago, though the station building is still in use by Aladdin’s Cave. It will be demolished under these plans despite being locally listed.
The application states the building is beyond repair.
The former Greenwich Park line terminated at what is now the Ibis hotel.
The line ran from Nunhead via Lewisham and Blackheath Hill.
Upon closure the stretch of line from Nunhead was diverted to Lewisham station and still exists; this now forms the line from Lewisham station towards Victoria.
The Aladdin’s site is sizeable and stretches a good way back behind the road.
Click here to view the planning application. The planning reference is DC/18/105323
Running a site alone takes time and a fair bit of money. Adverts are far from enough to cover it and my living costs as a private renter.
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Shame. I went there once and it really does have an appropriate name, though God knows how they ever made any money. I’m not all that surprised really.
The application states the building is beyond repair.
Quote: “Well they would say that wouldn’t they” ( Slightly altered from the original M R-Davies! )
It can’t be in that bad shape as Network Rail would do something given its beside existing lines? Looks like some work was carried out on it in recent years.
Ideally, it be restored and become a cafe, restaurant, shop and then flats built behind to fund the work.
The site is not very deep, so there would be no room ‘behind’. I used to live in Cliff Terrace and know the building very well. I always thought the site would be a great location for housing, but am surprised at the apparent density.
This would be such a shame – as you say adds real character to the area.
More flats, what’s going to happen to the people who work there like Leon and the business? Now I can’t look in the mirror when I’m at the bus stop! And all those older people won’t be able to sit on the seats there.
So where do the people in the flats go to if , Alladin’s cave isn’t there? Character is needed in an area. Everywhere is going to look the same!
On a less grand scale, is another secondhand furniture and brick-a-brack dealer that stands at the corner of Lewisham Way and Malpas Road.