hONEY… is This DEPTFORD?
I live on Deptford High Street, manage local businesses and pretty much spend most of my social life frequenting the bars, underground clubs and eclectic house parties in and around the area. But the press of late have treated Deptford & New Cross like some sort of media zoo, feeding off the local creative ‘independently generated’ community. Of late there has been many articles and news reviews about Deptford and the local area. One, which stood out to me, as being the most dubious (in the ‘have you actually been here’ stakes), is one by Fiona Hamilton from the London Times. It’s up to you to make your own mind up whether or not Fiona actually visited Deptford, or whether she visited it through Google Maps in fear of bumping into the ‘Druggies, Prostitutes & Gangsters’ which apparently roam the streets. Stereotypes I seem to miss when I go out… Yes there is crime in the area; yes the train station needs a paint job. But why is this bothering so many people who don’t actually live here, or even go out here. Deptford is full of it’s own local Celebes, but if Heat mag starts papping Bob the Bank Robber & Gary the Gangster, the romance of the fairy tales will be ruined. Where else in London can you sunbath on the pavement, buy a cup of tea for 30p (Goddards Pie shop), a Pint for £2 (Deptford Arms), walk to the shop in your PJ’s, buy a whole roast chicken for £3, or discover the most inspiring bands and underground DJs emerging in London?? DEPTFORD. With places in Deptford where a cup of coffee is the same price as a Fry Up there is quite obviously an economic divide in the area. But this is no bad thing. If you walk down the High Street on ‘Market Days’ you can lap up the community spirit. Who cares if some lady just spent £3 for a frappachino in one place and someone else spent the same on ham, egg & chips (with beans on the side), they would still pick someone up if they fell down
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or pass on a tissue if someone was upset. It’s about living together. I wouldn’t totally agree that Deptford can compete with Soho or Westminster with sight seeing attractions, but it’s not like the areas businesses and economy was built on relying from this sort of trade. Of course people from Deptford will welcome tourists to the area, just don’t expect the red carpet, yet! To celebrate the “hype” of Deptford & New Cross the Kate&Tristan Boutique has launched a Limited amount of “I heart Deptford” & “I Heart NX” T-Shirts, on sale from the boutique. wORDs BY TRisTAN sCuTT DEPTFORD REsiDENT, MusiC PROMOTER & BusiNEss PROPRiETOR www.kATEANDTRisTAN.CO.uk