I’m near Greenwich, so Chelmers is a hike! Have found another shop that I will give a try. I do have a couple of options but they are a drive away. Defeats the purpose of an LBS!
I take your point on buying a few incidentals, Greencat.. but I had also already discussed them replacing my worn out LTS bushings with a painfully tracked down NOS set, so hopefully they could have envisaged a reasonable stream of new business. Plus two sets of wheels needing built, come to think of it.
Oh well.
If I thought there was anything other than guaranteed penury at the end of it or we had more of a scene on this side of town, I would genuinely consider taking out a local unit for a year, hiring a mechanic and opening something retro focused. Hipster roadie shops survive on expensive coffees and heavily marked up vintage Italian frames. Maybe a retro MTB focused shop could wash its face in London. Hmmm.