WOOLWICH is on the up at the moment, says a woman who is bringing "cafe culture" to SE18. 

"You come to Woolwich and it's absolutely alive," says Coffee Lounge manager Cass Briggs.

"There's a spirit here you're not getting anywhere else in the area. Woolwich has had so many ups and downs - at the moment we're on an upsurge."

During a rare sunny spell this month, the new cafe in General Gordon Square saw its outdoor seating swamped with people, something Ms Briggs says is "a little glimpse of how it's going to be over the summer".

Greenwich Council's redevelopment of the square - grinding skateboarders aside - has made a big difference to the atmosphere, arguably more than the Tesco megastore which looms nearby.

The effect was underlined when crowds of people came to watch last summer's Olympics on the square's big screen. It is set to broadcast Wimbledon this year - and Ms Briggs wants to sell strawberries and cream.

The manager, who helps run the Greenwich Comedy Festival, says the response has been "phenomenal" from commuters at the Royal Arsenal, pensioners seeking an afternoon slice of cake made at the Paul Rhodes Bakery in Greenwich and a surprisingly large number of people wanting high tea.

Photos in the cafe include pictures of the Woolwich wall - hoardings covered in messages about the area following the riots which scarred the town in 2011, and which was insensitively painted over soon afterwards.

Clocks mount one wall showing the time in Woolwich along with cities including Budapest, Kathmandu and Kabul - a reflection of the town's multicultural community.

Ms Briggs said: "Cafe culture and coffee drinking, while not up there with booze, is definitely popular. Cafes are popping up all over the place. Woolwich deserves a cafe culture too."

With mammoth new housing projects regularly getting planning approval and the planned arrival of Crossrail, broadsheet papers have been marketing it as a place to buy a home.

The town even has its own blog, The Only Way is Woolwich, set up by an anonymous resident to highlight all the features and culinary treats of a place she says is often unfairly-maligned and under appreciated.

Meanwhile, quirky pub chain Antic are planning a new boozer for the town centre to go alongside the cheap, cheerful Great Harry and the plush but pricey Dial Arch.

And, as well as the Greenwich and Lewisham Young People's Theatre, the town now also features the Woolwich Grand Theatre, set up by Adrian Green to satisfy a demand he thought was not being met.

Upcoming events there include a short play festival and a zombie day where hundreds of people dressed as the undead will enjoy movies, cabaret and other entertainment.

It features regular comedy nights, performances and film screenings while popstar Jessie J has even used it to film a music video.

Mr Green said: "Woolwich is changing. We hope we can maintain that momentum and keep things going. It's good for Woolwich and puts it on the map.

"It has always been overshadowed by Greenwich which has the tourists - this is seen as more of a 'local' area. But we need something to flow out of Woolwich and to grow - it's slowly but surely happening."