A love letter to south London

As told to Holly O'Mahony

Ryan Chandler is the owner of East Dulwich fashion store Meet Bernard. He oversees the men’s shop on New Cross Road while his wife, Daniela, runs the women’s outlet on Lordship Lane. A proper family business, the couple’s kids can be found helping out in the shops too. Here, Ryan toots his favourite places to eat out, his mustsee landmarks and the south London business that inspired his vision.

When did you open Meet Bernard in East Dulwich?

We’ve had a menswear store here for three years now and opened the women’s store just around the corner on Lordship Lane about a year ago. East Dulwich was crying out for a really fashion forward local store!

What does a typical week in south London involve for you?

Monday is usually spent resetting from a weekend of carnage with the kids and having the stores open. It’s always a juggle of kids’ football matches, training and retail as we tend to work most weekends. Tuesday and Thursday are my days off, and I usually spend them cycling to keep my body and mind strong. Wednesday is my wife Daniela's football night. She plays for the local Athenlay hens’ team, which she absolutely loves! We usually go out for dinner as a family on Thursday or Friday night. The kids love our local Japanese restaurant Monkatsu, which is just down the road from the men’s store. Sunday morning I’ll be out for a cycle again and then we finish off the week with a good roast!

Speaking of great meals, what are your favourite south London eateries?

I love Kanella for brilliant sandwiches and amazing pastel de nata; the Blue Brick Cafe for their sublime vegan food; The Actress for a classic pint and a roast; Persepolis in Peckham for Middle Eastern; and South African restaurant Kudu for something more refined.

Where do you shop for clothing and homeware? (Beyond Meet Bernard of course!)

It’s difficult to shop for clothes when you own a clothes shop, but we love interior design studio and furniture store iyouall for homeware.

And your favourite south London landmark?

It’s got to be the Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley. It’s just an insanely beautiful space with its red velvet and chandeliers, and when Andy Smith DJs there the sprung dance floor comes in handy!

Have any fellow local businesses been a help or inspiration to your vision for Meet Bernard?

Creatively, Beckenham-based design studio Skin+Bones has helped us achieve the vision for Meet Bernard as a brand. Their creative director, Indie Mathers, is a legend and so easy to work with.

What’s the one place, thing or activity south of the river that everyone should try at least once?

A visit to our stores for the Meet Bernard experience of course! Followed by a trip to Beckenham Place Park, which is one of the most beautiful spots for hanging out. Be sure to grab a beer and pizza from The Homestead Café, and pay a visit to the second-hand record shop, Cigarette Records, in the middle.

Meet Bernard, 37 New Cross Road, London SE22 9ET (men’s store) / 42 Lordship Lane, London SE22 8HJ (women’s store).

Men’s store open Monday - Friday, 10am - 5:30pm; Saturday 9am - 6pm; Sunday 11am - 4pm. Women’s store open daily from 10am - 4:30pm. www.meetbernard.com/

skyLArking

Is this new listening bar in a Peckham archway the trendiest spot for a night out south of the river?

Quite possibly. Since opening last November, it has steadily upped its game, offering a generous happy hour (two cocktails for £12 from 5pm - 7pm) and running a quiz night on Tuesdays to make it feel like a proper neighbourhood boozer. Except, it’s much cooler than that, with guest DJs spinning the decks from a sizable record collection. There’s woodfired pizzas too, for those looking to make a night of it. The brand is clearly going places, opening a sister site, Peckham Arches (after trialling it last December), as a multipurpose event space with a dancefloor, cocktail terrace and screening room.

26 Blenheim Grove, London SE15 4QL. Tuesday & Wednesday, 4pm - 10:30pm; Thursday & Friday, 4pm - 12am; Saturday 12pm - 12am. www.skylarkingpeckham.com/

HoP burns & bLAck

Draw a venn diagram for craft beer, vinyl and niche hot sauce brands, and you’ll find a certain type of bearded hipster languishing in the middle. Okay, okay, we’re stereotyping horribly here. Perhaps a penchant for this trio means you have great taste. So thinks Jen Ferguson and Glenn Williams anyway, whose business Hop Burns & Black is banking on shoppers coming in to get their hands on all three. From New Zealand originally, the pair are long-term south London residents and have been peddling their wares since 2014. They run tasting events too, and also stock a decent selection of natural wines, ciders and spirits. Call in to their Dulwich or Deptford stores to replenish your stocks or simply to have a natter with fellow craft produce enthusiasts.

38 East Dulwich Road, London SE22 9AX.

Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 8pm; Saturday, 9am - 8pm; Sunday, 9am - 6pm. www.hopburnsblack.co.uk/