Completely London // Issue 19 // Autumn/Winter 2015

Completely London Completely London • No.19 – Autumn / Winter 2015

No.19 – Autumn / Winter 2015

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Organic pursuits Comfort and joy: pie and mash please! ~ Bricks of beauty Postcode hot spots ~ Hearth and home ~ Roll out the barrel fall guys

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Donna Hardie, editor donna@completelylondon.co.uk

Completely comforting

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AUTUMN

P ORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY: PAUL MITCHELL. COVER: CHRIS TERRY

IN LONDON

Woolly jumpers, hearty food, sofa surfing, TV marathons – what’s not to love about autumn?

And London comes alive with its own seasonal magic. Discover the city that never sleeps. Meet the experts keeping your home fires burning. Feast your eyes on our Capital’s glorious pie and mash shops. Get the lowdown on postcodes on the up. Be inspired by those harvesting a living from the land. And find your own home sweet home with our properties for sale or rent at kfh.co.uk. Fired up by London?

Share your enthusiasm with donna@completelylondon.co.uk

20 WHAT’S INSIDE? 04 BRRRR: EMBRACING AUTUMN! 13 NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH 18 A GOOD HARVEST 26 HOUSE OF THE SEASON 34 BUILDING BEAUTY 39 SOMETHING’S BREWING 44 THE TWILIGHT ZONE 46 RISING STAR: CATFORD C 50 WHAT CAN I BUY IN ZONE 3?

52 THROUGH THE KEYHOLE 60 HEARTH AND HOME 64 A NEW LEASE OF LIFE 66 COCKNEY CUISINE 74 MY LONDON: ABIGAIL AHERN

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PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRISTOPHER PLEDGER/EYEVINE

Completely changing

Horseriders bask in the glow of an earlyautumn sunrise along the Serpentine in Hyde Park

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Completely changing

‘Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns’ George Eliot kfh.co.uk

Completely dazzling

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AUTUMN / WINTER 2015/16

D   IARY

A change of season brings a renewed lease of life in London. As the nights get darker, so the city lights up with a sense of mystery and magic. Hello autumn!

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Completely dazzling

LOST IN SPACE Featuring the greatest collection of Soviet spacecraft and artefacts ever exhibited outside Russia, the Science Museum’s Cosmonauts exhibition lets you get up close to many of the key innovations that made space exploration possible. Incredibly, you can look inside Vostok 6, the actual capsule that carried Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to travel into space, safely back to earth in 1963. Until 13 March 2016.

P HOTOGRAPHY: BORIS STARIS, THE FAIRY TALE BECAME TRUTH, 1961. PUBLISHED BY THE YOUNG GUARD (MOLODAYA GVARDIA), © MEMORIAL MUSEUM OF COSMONAUTICS; ALAMY

sciencemuseum.ac.uk

PRIVATE VIEW One of the most illustrious art institutions in Britain has teamed up with decorative wall specialist Surface View to bring you the Royal Academy Collection, featuring distinguished works of art largely unseen outside the Academy. Turn each exquisite piece of art into a mural, wall hanging, print or canvas. surfaceview.co.uk

WINGING IT If you live in a leafy part of London, chances are you’ve caught sight of a flock of incongruously green birds.

You’re not seeing things – these feral rose-ringed parakeets are thought to have descended from an escaped single breeding pair, and now number some 200 birds.

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GO POSTAL

The World of Charles and Ray Eames is the Barbican Art Gallery’s major new autumn exhibition, surveying the careers of this powerhouse duo who brought us highly collectible designs such as their Eiffel Tower mesh chair and who rank among the most important designers of the 20th century. Until 14 February 2016. barbican.org.uk

ANY OLD IRON At the grand old age of 160, Westminster Bridge’s iron superstructure was replaced in 2005. Now, reclamation company Lassco is putting up for sale the original Victorian Westminster Bridge that was removed for restoration – the first time a historic London river crossing has been for sale since the 1831 Portland stone London Bridge was sold to a US businessman in 1968. lassco.co.uk

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postalmuseum.org

P HOTOGRAPHY: THE WORLD OF CHARLES AND RAY EAMES. WIRE CHAIRS WITH BIRD, 1953. PHOTO CHARLES EAMES. © EAMES OFFICE LLC; ROYAL MAIL COURTESY OF THE BRITISH POSTAL MUSEUM & ARCHIVE; SHUTTERSTOCK; SILVER SCREEN COLLECTION, GETTY IMAGES

ICONS OF OUR TIME

You’ll soon be able to explore London’s secret rail network, the Mail Rail, for yourself. Deep under the streets of central London, the six miles of track used by the London Post Office Railway lie eerily dormant after it was abandoned over a decade ago. Its driverless trains once carried 12 million items of post per day from Whitechapel to Paddington, passing through eight stations along the route, the largest of which was at Mount Pleasant, EC1. By the time it closed in 2003, only two stations were in use as the sorting offices above the others had been relocated.

The British Postal Museum & Archive has plans to open this forgotten piece of London’s past to the general public for the first time in 2016, with an underground ride following a few years later.

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Completely dazzling

SEEING STARS Marking the 30th anniversary of her pioneering work against HIV and AIDS, a collection of never-before-seen pictures of Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor will go on display at the Getty Images Gallery. Grit and Glamour offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the most photographed women of all time, featuring exquisite studio portraits, contact sheets and unguarded backstage shots that span her Oscar-winning career.

The show includes shots of her with Giant co-star James Dean and with on-off husband Richard Burton. And there are early photos of her in London, including images of her attending the Lord Mayor’s Show in 1932, standing on Westminster Bridge and feeding the pigeons in Trafalgar Square in 1948. Until 7 November. gettyimages.com

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Completely newsworthy

KFH

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news

P INK FLOYD H OUSE FOR SALE THROUGH KFH The house where the founding members of legendary rock band Pink Floyd spent their formative years is on the market through KFH after extensive redevelopment following its sale in 2012. This outstanding seven bedroom period house now provides a stylish contemporary family home situated in a quiet location near Highgate Tube. The property’s refurbishment was designed by Philip Masterman Architects and includes a stunning Poggenpohl kitchen with Siemens appliances, underfloor heating, bi-fold doors and a fantastic landscaped garden.

Contact Matthew Smith at KFH Highgate, 020 8341 6666, msmith@kfh.co.uk

B LACKHEATH R EOPENS A FTER REFURB KFH’s Blackheath branch is to reopen in October following an extensive six-month refurbishment. Julian Peak, Regional Sales Director for KFH’s South East Division, said: ‘We are proud to have been part of Blackheath’s close-knit community for two decades and we are completely committed to the area, which is why we’ve given the branch a face lift.’

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Completely newsworthy

K FH.CO.UK S HORTLISTED F OR THREE D IGITAL AWARDS The relaunched KFH website has been shortlisted for three awards: Wirehive 100’s Best Corporate Site of the Year and two Digital Impact Awards – Best Corporate Website and Best Use of Digital in the Property Sector. The user-centric site is fully responsive, easily navigable and compatible with the latest devices and screen resolutions. The site now offers enhanced search functionality to enable customers to find properties in a number of ways, from ‘by school’ to ‘by Tube/ train station’ and includes an innovative ‘draw search’ that allows users to create their own search area on a map. The London Property Market blog brings users all the latest news and insights on property in the Capital. kfh.co.uk

WHAT NEXT FOR INTEREST RATES?

K FH HIGHGATE S UPPORTS P INKNIC KFH Highgate recently sponsored Pinknic in aid of the Alexandra Wylie Tower Foundation, a charity set up in memory of a local teenager who died from a rare form of cancer in 2010. Highgate Lettings Manager Khan Cohen said: ‘We’re proud to support the charity’s work helping vulnerable local children.’ awtf.org

‘Too many risks for the MPC to assume a rate rise before 2016’

Shifting economic conditions in China and continued Greek woes in Europe have once again put the timing of the Bank of England’s decision to raise the base rate in the spotlight.

Robin Johnson, Managing Director of KFH Chartered Surveyors, says: ‘With unemployment rising over the summer, I believe there is growing support for the “lower for longer” view for the Bank of England base rate. The reported growth in wages, a key inflationary driver, is not yet embedded enough in the economy. The Chinese stock market crash; the slump across global equity markets; and the dawning of a new age of cheap oil are all deflationary pressures that undermine the case for an increase.

‘At home, London property remains a safe haven for overseas money. With limited supply for this demand, robust prices mean the case for low rates remains a compelling one.’

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Completely promising

A guide to London: #3 UP AND COMING

FROM SMALL ACORNS Words Sarah Holmes Illustration James Taylor/DebutArt

London might be enjoying a property boom right now, but there are still those housing hot spots that are just ripe for investment. We look at the neighbourhoods that are about to take their moment in the spotlight

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STREATHAM, SW16

WHY INVEST? With a mixture of £1m-plus properties, pristinely maintained converted flats, and a growing supply of modern apartment blocks, Streatham has something to suit most pockets. House prices have increased 64%* in the past five years, so buyers can depend on a promising return whatever their budget.

SW16 IS BEST FOR: Greenery. Events like the Streatham Common Kite Day foster a lively sense of community, while the sloping lawns and babbling ponds of The Rookery gardens provide a tranquil escape for families and young couples looking to find a leafy retreat.

BRICKS & MORTAR: Telford Park conservation area boasts the best of the area’s three-storey Edwardian Arts & Crafts homes, with stunning views over Tooting Bec Common and the Telford Park Tennis Club right on its doorstep. Meanwhile, south Streatham’s pretty Edwardian rows boast spacious two and three bedroom flats.

HIGH STREET HANGOUTS: Need to keep the kids busy?

Visit the Capital’s only Olympic-sized ice rink on Streatham High Road, where independent cafés sit next to a vast Tesco superstore – the perfect blend of culture and convenience. For a family-friendly lunch, head to The Manor Arms on Mitcham

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Lane, or indulge yourself with award-winning sourdough pizzas at Bravi Ragazzi on Sunnyhill Road.

SEATS OF LEARNING: Dunraven is cream of the local crop, with private options such as Dulwich College, James Allen’s Girls’ School and Alleyn’s School just 20 minutes’ drive away.

COMMUTE: London Bridge is 30 minutes by train from Streatham Common, while the proximity of the A23 means a speedy escape come the bank holiday exodus.

WHAT’S THE PRICE TAG? Prices for a two bedroom flat range from £375,000 for a new build to £550,000 for a spacious period conversion. Family properties start from £700,000 in the south, with houses in the Telford Park conservation area achieving over £1.5m.

‘Priced out of the likes of Balham and Clapham, young professionals and families are flocking to Streatham to get more for their money’ Robert Cornthwaite, Sales Manager, KFH Streatham Nearest KFH branch: Streatham, 020 8769 8744

SPRING INTO ACTION: In the 1700s, the health-curing reputation of Streatham Wells became so great that residents started to bottle and sell the local water along with the daily milk round

S OURCES: *HOMETRACK, **GALLIARD HOMES

Venture beyond Streatham’s bustling high street into its tranquil Edwardian suburbs and sprawling parklands, and you’ll discover a place that’s every bit as spacious and serene, but much more affordable, than its more affluent neighbours Clapham and Dulwich

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Completely promising

DEPTFORD, SE8 Deptford’s transformation from defunct dockyard into covetable riverside locale has unlocked a world of property potential, not least the opportunity to enjoy high-rise views over Canary Wharf from the comfort of your sofa. Despite its central location, the area still retains a thriving independent arts scene fuelled by the nearby Goldsmiths College WHY INVEST? Deptford Creek’s new crop of swish apartment complexes has made riverside living more affordable than ever.

With house prices growing by 10%** in the past two years, those buying off-plan are enjoying a considerable return.

SE8 IS BEST FOR: City professionals and arts graduates who are looking for a sophisticated first home within easy reach of central London.

BRICKS & MORTAR: The ornate terraces of Albury Street, where the 18th-century shipwrights used to live, pay testament to Deptford’s naval past but are a rare treat in a largely redeveloped landscape of glittering, riverfront new builds and swathes of converted ex-council flats. There are also pretty Victorian terraces overlooking Deptford Park.

HIGH STREET HANGOUTS: Renowned for its boisterous marketplace, Deptford High Street is a clash of cultures where pie and mash shops like Manze’s line up next to Jamaican patty joints, and the historic railway arches play host to a mix of creative workshops. Local designers peddle their wares from the open studios of Cockpit Arts, while The Albany theatre provides a showcase for local dramatic talents.

SEATS OF LEARNING: A good variety of primary schools serve the Deptford area, including Grinling Gibbons and Tidemill Academy, with many children progressing to Deptford Green secondary in New Cross.

COMMUTE: Trains run from Deptford and St Johns to London Bridge in under 10 minutes, while the DLR provides fantastic connections throughout Docklands and East London.

WHAT’S THE PRICE TAG? Two-bedroom ex-council flats start from £275,000 and rise to £350,000-plus for new builds nearer to Greenwich. Riverside apartments in luxury developments such as Aragon Tower are available for £500,000. Small cottages on the borders of Brockley can still be found for under £450,000.

‘Private investment has transformed Deptford’s ex-council flats into covetable homes that promise a great return for first-time buyers’ Julian Peak, Regional Sales Director, South East London Nearest KFH branch: Canada Water, 020 7231 3800

JOLLY ROGER: The skull and crossbones sculpture on the gate of St Nicholas Church supposedly inspired Captain Morgan’s pirate flag. Sailors would pray here before a voyage

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Completely promising

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NEW CROSS, SE14 With its tree-lined terraces, colourful Saturday markets and panoramic views over the City, New Cross is a bucolic Victorian suburb sandwiched between the trendy triangle of Deptford, Camberwell and Peckham. As the home of Goldsmiths College, famous for an art department that spawned the careers of Damien Hirst and other YBAs, the area benefits from a rich cultural heritage that remains undisturbed by the south-east’s property overdrive WHY INVEST? It’s not all student digs. With a plentiful range of grand Victorian houses, New Cross is a fantastic launch pad for families looking to break into the Brockley property market.

SE14 IS BEST FOR: Architecture. The same architect designed nearly all of New Cross, leaving a pleasing uniformity of threestorey Victorian semis generously spaced along roomy streets.

BRICKS & MORTAR: Families love Telegraph Hill, with its picture-perfect Victorian terraces running up from New Cross Road to the eponymous park. Here, locals make the most of a great playground and the Hill Station, a community-run café on Kitto Road. Further north, Hatcham Park provides an ample supply of three bedroom, flat-fronted terraces.

HIGH STREET HANGOUTS: Head to Birdie Num Nums on Lewisham Way for a Turkish-inspired menu of lavender cakes and chocolate-infused chilli, while The Royal Albert pub serves a rustic range of craft ales and beers. The Allotment fruit and veg store boasts the best deli counter in the southeast, a claim hotly contested by Brockley’s bright and bustling food market. For a spot of culture, head to the magnificent

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Lewisham Arthouse located in a Grade II-listed Carnegie building on Lewisham Way. SEATS OF LEARNING: Renowned for its outstanding music scholarships, Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College is the smart choice, with Addey and Stanhope rated ‘good’.

COMMUTE: New Cross Gate and New Cross stations have regular services into London Bridge, as well as the Overground service to Canada Water, Shoreditch High Street and beyond.

WHAT’S THE PRICE TAG? Two bedroom period conversion flats in New Cross fetch around £350,000, while entire Victorian houses start at £400,000. Three- and four-storey period family homes in the desirable area of Telegraph Hill can command upwards of £1.4m.

‘Families are drawn to New Cross’s good mix of Victorian properties, all within a short distance of the local station’ Julian Peak, Regional Sales Director, South East London Nearest KFH branch: Brockley, 020 8469 0202

FAMOUS FACES: New Cross has its fair share of celebrity action. Actor Gary Oldman was raised here, and Simon Pegg filmed Shaun Of The Dead at the former Duke Of Albany pub

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Completely promising

STROUD GREEN, N4 Ever seen a muntjac deer in the city? Head to Stroud Green and you just might have a chance. For while it may boast a London postcode, there’s something distinctly pastoral about life around these parts. From the expanse of Finsbury Park, with its boating lake and running track, to the rustic charms of The Old Dairy gastropub on Crouch Hill, there’s no denying Stroud Green’s village-like appeal. Even the pub is ivy-covered WHY INVEST? The proximity to Crouch End is a big plus, but Stroud Green has merits of it own. For starters, it’s home to the Capital’s longest nature reserve, the Parkland Walk.

Come summer, this 7km stretch of recycled railway line is teeming with joggers and families out cycling. For a unique sense of freedom, you can’t beat it.

N4 IS BEST FOR: Well-heeled professionals and families looking for a homely environment north of the river, where the riot of greenery makes everything feel more countrified.

BRICKS & MORTAR: As Stroud Green thrived, the grandeur of its architecture increased so that, by 1880, red-brick, three-storey houses in the Queen Anne style became the norm. Today, most have been split up into airy flats, with the smaller, Gothic-style villas of Stapleton Hall Road ideal for families. A perk of Stroud Green’s conservation area status is that most houses retain their original Victorian exteriors, such as pointed windows and decorative gables.

HIGH STREET HANGOUTS: Stroud Green Road has an abundance of bars, cafés and restaurants, but for the real

gems you’ll need to search a little further. Tucked away in the backstreets is The Faltering Fullback, a striking, ivy-covered establishment boasting a three-decked beer garden.

SEATS OF LEARNING: Popular options include St Aidan’s Primary School on Albany Road.

COMMUTE: Finsbury Park station offers an overland link to Old Street and Moorgate, as well as the Victoria and Piccadilly Tube lines, with average commutes taking 30 minutes.

WHAT’S THE PRICE TAG? Average prices for a two bedroom flat range from £400,000 to £650,000 if a garden is included. Three bed family properties start at £750,000, while larger four and five bedroom houses can command up to £1.3m.

‘A raft of new cafés, restaurants and bars gives Stroud Green a village-like feel that’s very appealing to families’ Robert McLaughlin, Regional Sales Director, North West and Central London Nearest KFH branch: Crouch End, 020 8348 8181

GO ONLINE: For more useful information on London’s neighbourhoods, have a browse of the KFH area guides at kfh.co.uk/london-area-guides

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Words Veronica Peerless Photography Chris Terry

Completely inviting

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REAPING

REWARDS

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THERE’S A CURE FOR THAT!

Completely artisanal

We track down city-dwellers who are finding a balance between the call of nature and the demands of urban living by turning their hands to everything from spoon carving to cheesemaking Words Peter Watts Photography Chris Terry

The Salmon Smokers HERMIONE CROSS & JAMES EAGLE SE5

When James Eagle began preparing his alcoholinfused smoked salmon at home in Camberwell, his girlfriend Hermione Cross was quick to encourage him to go full time. ‘I loved what he was producing and the way he was so enthusiastic,’ she says. ‘And because it’s a process that takes up a lot of time, I ended up working with him because it was taking over my life anyway.’

The pair now sell Pished Fish products each weekend at farmers’ markets, including Oval, Herne Hill and West Norwood, with James masterminding what Hermione describes as ‘smoked salmon cocktails’. James explains, ‘In my job I spent time in Scandinavia and noticed gravadlax was often cured with alcohol so I started experimenting with infusions.’ Working from a purpose-built space in the garden, James mixes alcoholic-flavoured cures with different wood smokes. ‘Something like gin and citrus will get smoked over apple and alder wood, while heavier spirits like rum and whisky go with oak,’ he says. ‘You just need to give up your entire life to do it. I go to Billingsgate at 5am on Tuesday and need to be within striking distance of home until Friday, when we pack for the markets.’

For now, they plan to keep it low-key. ‘People love that it’s made in Camberwell in somebody’s back garden, so we want to keep it artisan and local,’ says Hermione. ‘That way people can meet James and me, and find out how it is done.’ thepishedfish.com

Hackney City Farm runs courses on age-old methods of food smoking. coldsmoking.co.uk

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Completely blooming

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Completely artisanal

The Spoon Carver BARNABY CARDER E2

In his shop on Hackney Road, Barnaby ‘Barn The Spoon’ Carder sits and patiently carves exquisite wooden spoons. ‘I’m the greenest business in the city,’ he says. ‘I take waste wood from central London and turn it, in full view of everybody, into usable products.’ Barn discovered woodcraft at a young age thanks to a neighbour who was a design and technology teacher. When he was 12, he got a lathe and began turning bowls and candlesticks but, after developing a ‘holistic relationship with wood’ and making chairs from trees he’d chopped down, he gravitated to spoons. ‘I realised spoons were the most challenging thing to make,’ he says. ‘They’re very sculptural and it’s hard to get their functionality right. But you can make a spoon in an hour, so there’s instant gratification.’

After living in the woods selling spoons to get by, Barn moved to London to teach woodwork, started a woodcraft school and took a lease on a shop. ‘I couldn’t do this in the countryside,’ he says. ‘People think it’s incongruous, but ever since there have been cities, it’s been where people go to sell things.’ His ambition, though, is to buy his own patch of woodland. ‘I’m into the empowerment of one person and their axe,’ he says. ‘I’m interested in the sort of thing men and women were doing 5,000 years ago: making something that works and finding a spiritual connection to the environment around you.’ barnthespoon.com

‘I’M INTO THE EMPOWERMENT OF ONE PERSON AND THEIR AXE’ WOODEN ART

Learn to carve your own spoons at Barn’s woodworking classes at The Green Wood Guild. the greenwoodguild.com

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Completely blooming

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Completely artisanal

The Cheesemakers

PHILIP WILTON & KEITH SIDES N17

When Philip Wilton (in right of picture left) was made redundant from his role as a management consultant – ‘I wasn’t much good anyway,’ he confesses cheerily – he decided he wanted to change careers and make something ‘real’. After trying baking and contemplating brewing – ‘I thought I’d end up in the Betty Ford Clinic if I did that’ – he set up Wildes Cheese on an industrial estate in Tottenham in 2012 with his partner, Keith Sides (pictured left). This was London’s first ‘urban cheesemaker’ and Philip wanted it to stand out from the crowd. ‘We didn’t want to make cheddar or anything that’s already made beautifully by other cheesemakers, we wanted to try something different,’ he explains. Wildes purchases ingredients locally, gets its milk direct from a farmer and innovates constantly, creating blended cheeses such as St Bruce, flavoured with local ale, or the Londonshire, a soft cheese with a velvet coating.

Wildes is currently making six or seven different cheeses at the rate of 2,500 litres a week (‘10 litres makes a kilo of cheese,’ says Wilton). The company also runs cheesemaking courses, allowing enthusiasts to experiment with bacteria among the vats, chill rooms and plastic moulds that fill the cluttered dairy.

‘It’s a traditional rural skill and everybody is aghast that I’m in Tottenham, but you can do anything in London,’ says Wilton. ‘The logistics are complicated and it’s more expensive, but it can be done, so we did it.’ For stockists see wildescheese.co.uk

Covet the curd…

MAKE YOUR OWN CHEESE AT HOME Philip and Keith’s cheesemaking course teaches you how to make your own vintage with just a bucket, cloth and colander. You’ll take home a stretch curd cheese similar to Mozzarella. Choose from a one day or evening class.

OUT OF THE WHEY

The Forager

JON THE POACHER E5

Every morning, Jon The Poacher takes to London’s marshes with his pocket knife, plastic bag and gardening gloves to see what food he can find.

He’s a forager – ‘the result of a misspent youth,’ he smiles – and after a couple of hours on Hackney Marsh, an area he knows intimately, he will have filled his bag with herbs, mushrooms, salad leaves and fruit salvaged from the unlikeliest places. ‘I’m always looking for food, even when I’m walking through an estate,’ he says. ‘There’s food all over the place and there are parts of the marsh that nobody knows except me.’

Jon trained as a gardener and chef, but ‘prefers to be out here, picking’. His nickname comes from his younger days when he snared rabbits, but now acts as a handy title for his business. He picks for local cafés, restaurants – including Shane’s on Chatsworth, E5, and Stoke Newington’s Oui Monsieur, N16 – brewers like Hackney’s Pressure Drop, and other food producers who value the freshness of produce harvested from their doorstep and are happy to experiment with unusual fruits, roots, leaves and flowers. He also organises walks on the marshes, so amateur foragers can learn how to discern the dead nettle from the real nettle, or discover where to find the best elderflower. ‘Most things are edible one way or another,’ he says. ‘That’s the thing about foraging in London, everybody’s after something different and there’s plenty to go around.’ Tweet Jon at @jonthepoacher

To save it from the Great Fire of London, diarist Samuel Pepys buried his treasured Parmesan cheese in a hole

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Completely blooming

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Completely blooming

The Furniture Makers NAOMI DORAN & DANILO MURRU N16

Promising to act as an antidote to ‘cheap massproduced furniture taken from unsustainable sources’, North London’s ReliCreation forages unwanted timber and ‘bits and pieces we find on the streets’ to craft bespoke furniture. The company is the brainchild of Naomi Doran and Danilo Murru, a couple who began making furniture from reclaimed material four years ago to sell on Gumtree and discovered people loved their designs. Naomi explains, ‘A client will come to our flat, which is like a showroom, and tell us what they need. Then we design it together and Dani will build it in his workshop in Stoke Newington.’

Material is sourced from various places. ‘The main ingredient is scrapped scaffolding boards,’ says Naomi. ‘We also get old Victorian floorboards from timber suppliers, and doors, drawers and legs from discarded sideboards – people leave all sorts of things outside their houses to be taken away.’ Naomi describes the style as ‘industrial contemporary with a bit of rustic charm and a lot of character’, and believes the main value is that people go home ‘with something unique they can keep for the rest of their life’. Dani is a self-taught carpenter while Naomi is an artist and interior designer. Both enjoy finding ‘value in the unwanted and creating something new out of it,’ Naomi says. ‘As a society, we should reuse everything we possibly can rather than fill up the landfill sites.’

Order online at relicinteriors.wordpress.com

Back to life...

RESTORE YOUR OLD FURNITURE The Good Life Centre in Waterloo runs practical workshops on furniture upcycling. Renew old junk, jazz up a car-boot find or restore a treasured piece. thegoodlifecentre.co.uk

PAY IT FORWARD

Charity London Re-use Network collects your unwanted household items and sells them on. londonreuse.com

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BAYSWATER BELLE Noel Bransdon has transformed a once cramped flat into a bright prospect Words Dominic Lutyens Photography Christina Bull Stylist Sally Cullen

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Completely Zen

‘As the flat is north-facing,’ says Noel, ‘one challenge was to make it feel as light and airy as possible while keeping it cosy and warm’

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Completely W2

‘The idea was to create a blank canvas, but equally, I didn’t want bland decor – topto-toe white. So we introduced colour via the soft furnishings’

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Completely Zen

‘IN NEIGHBOURING MAYFAIR YOU WOULD EXPECT TO PAY ANOTHER £1,000 PER SQ FT FOR THE SAME FLAT’

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Completely Zen

‘We replaced a rickety metal staircase in the living room with a new one.’ The elegant new design ascends in a series of graceful curves that give the room a theatrical focal point

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‘I BELIEVE THE PRICE PER SQ FT IN THE AREA WILL INCREASE AS MORE HOTELS ARE CONVERTED INTO HIGH-END APARTMENTS’

Completely W2

Previously the fourth bedroom, the lightfilled space on the mezzanine level is now a chic home office

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Completely W2

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ituated in Bayswater’s Craven Hill Gardens, this newly refurbished apartment in a neo-classical Victorian, stucco-fronted terrace with access to a serene, secluded private square is blessed with double-height ceilings, elegant sash windows and exquisitely finished period details.

Such high specifications surely demand a steep price tag. Yet owner of the apartment and property developer Noel Bransdon thinks that this 1,208sq ft property – with its two bedrooms plus en suite bathrooms, living room-cum-dining room, and kitchen and study on a mezzanine level – represents a good value investment. ‘I’m a real advocate of Bayswater as I feel it is still relatively underpriced,’ he explains. ‘I’m asking around £1,600 per sq ft. Compare that with neighbouring Mayfair where for the same flat you would expect to pay another £1,000 per sq ft. I also believe that the average price per sq ft in the area is likely to increase as more hotels are converted into high-end apartments. So now is a great time to buy into this area before that happens.’ This cleverly redesigned and chic interior is the work of Noel and his company Romore Ltd. ‘Refurbishing properties is rewarding,’ he says. ‘You usually start with something in a bad state and end up creating a much-improved product.’

BAYSWATER, W2 OIEO £2,000,000 Contact Paul Hyman at KFH Bayswater 020 7724 1222, phyman@kfh.co.uk

The bedrooms are carpeted and the furniture everywhere, including a Regency-style day bed in one bedroom, is plumply upholstered

33 Property on offer in The two larger bedrooms have sizeable en suite bathrooms and both, along with the kitchen, have underfloor heating

BAYSWATER

CLEVELAND SQUARE, W2 This is a beautifully bright two bedroom flat, which boasts a spacious open plan reception, balcony and access to one of the area’s finest garden squares. £1,075,000 Contact Paul Hyman at KFH Bayswater 020 7724 1222, phyman@kfh.co.uk

SUSSEX GARDENS, W2 In a fabulous location close to Hyde Park and Lancaster Gate Tube, this is a spacious three bedroom, three bathroom flat within a handsome period building. £1,199,950 Contact Paul Hyman at KFH Bayswater 020 7724 1222, phyman@kfh.co.uk

WESTBOURNE TERRACE, W2 This is a supremely bright two bedroom, two bathroom flat, which is part of stunning stucco-fronted period building a short walk from Hyde Park and Lancaster Gate Tube. £1,100,000 Contact Paul Hyman at KFH Bayswater 020 7724 1222, phyman@kfh.co.uk

kfh.co.uk

Completely unique

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Completely unique

Jewels in the town The gold standard of London’s housing is its solid Victorian terraces. But there’s much more to our architectural treasure hoard. From Regency villas to Arts & Crafts homes, we root out those beauties that represent a fascinating run-down of styles and eras and tell terrific stories about the Capital’s history

36 Words Oliver Bennett Illustration Mister Mourao

FAIRACRES, SW15

In an area rich in architectural interest, the KFHmanaged, Grade II-listed block Fairacres stands out in Roehampton. Overlooking parkland, Fairacres comes on like a country estate but is a block of 64 flats, sleek with 1930s detailing. Built in 1936 by architects Anthony Minoprio and Hugh Spencely, Fairacres’ flats were made for a smart clientele with three to five bedrooms each, plentiful bathrooms, and even servants’ quarters.

It’s the private gardens that make Fairacres special though: fully six (fair) acres, and access to sports facilities at the Roehampton Club. That Fairacres was competing with houses is shown by a 1937 marketing blurb: ‘If you were blindfolded and taken to one of the flats at Fairacres you would never believe you were in a flat when the bandage was removed.’

I930s style: cruise-ship style porthole windows; •curved brick; sun balconies; green retractable awnings; fitted furniture; curved glass Crittall windows; dedicated servants’ quarters.

A LOVELY SENSE OF INTERWAR LANGUOR S HINES THROUGH AT FAIRACRES, AS IF I T IS ALWAYS TIME FOR TENNIS TOTTERDOWN FIELDS, SW17

A district that possesses down-home charm, Tooting is not known for its architecture. Well, the Totterdown Fields Estate begs to differ. This early 20th-century grid of streets brings together Ebenezer Howard’s garden city movement and picturesque Arts & Crafts architecture – illustrating how social housing can surpass itself.

With designs led by architect Owen Fleming, the ‘cottage estate’ was built in 1911. Totterdown’s houses had detailing like steep gables, Tudor-style chimneys, bay windows and porches, with front and back gardens considered ‘small but civilising’. These were worthy homes for the labouring classes, and a Conservation Area listing and ‘heritage boards’ now underline their historic status.

Arts & Crafts style: heavy gables; front and back •gardens; tall Tudor-style chimneys; gridded, gentlycurved street layout with tree-lined roads. Cottages originally had a coal bunker in the scullery.

CITY SOCIAL

The Totterdown Fields Estate’s roots lie in a London County Council initiative called Housing of the Working Classes

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DUCHY VILLAS, SE11

Kennington’s Duchy of Cornwall Estate is a revelation. As part of an effort to improve the area during World War I, the Duchy of Cornwall commissioned architects Stanley Davenport Adshead, Stanley Churchill Ramsay and JD Coleridge to lay out Kennington’s streets. Courtenay Square, Courtenay Street, Cardigan Street and Denny Crescent all boast neo-Georgian homes in yellow brick with Regency porches, parapets and sash windows.

Much of the estate was sold in 1990. But these houses offer an interesting historical symmetry as the Duchy of Cornwall anticipated the tastes of the future Duke of Cornwall, whose work with architect Quinlan Terry at the Dorset town of Poundbury has continued the Duchy’s taste for architecture of the graceful, classical sort.

Neo-Georgian style: flat-faced terraces in yellow •stock brick; high parapets hiding tiled roofs; castiron entrance porches; sash or casement windows; curved bars to windows and porticos.

DU CANE COURT, SW12

The vast Art Deco Du Cane Court in Balham is a period gem, featuring a lobby like a cruise liner, with curved walls and metal Crittall windows, which enable its substantial flats to be infused with light.

But it’s Du Cane’s history that resonates. Firstly, with 676 flats, it’s reckoned to be the largest private block in Europe. Secondly it was designed as ‘all-inclusive’, with restaurant, bar, shop, club and porters. Thirdly, Du Cane Court is so big that some believe it was used for navigation by German pilots during the Blitz.

It’s still terribly grand – from its lighted entrance to its Japanese gardens. Its enigmatic name comes from Huguenot property owners the Du Canes, who owned the land it was built on, and the only selfeffacing note is its address: 193A Balham High Road, London SW12.

Art Deco style: grand foyer with black and white •marble flooring; metal Crittall windows; Bakelite door handles; curved balconies; leaded light windows above front door; Japanese gardens.

PERIOD STYLING

Du Cane Court was used as a filming location for scenes in Agatha Christie’s Poirot starring David Suchet

kfh.co.uk

Completely inviting

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NASH TERRACES, NW1

If Regency architect John Nash had had his way, London would be more like Paris: an elegant and unified set-piece with sweeping crescents of palatial houses. Such was Nash’s plan in 1810 when the Prince Regent decided to use his clout to create a new London that would ‘quite eclipse Napoleon’.

He employed Nash to create the terraces of Regent’s Park with stucco façades and Greek columns, part of a wider plan that would link the park via the long curve of Regent Street down to Trafalgar Square and St James’s Park.

Much of this town-within-a-city was never developed, but a lot remains. Nash created hundreds of homes for the wealthy between 1813-1825, all part of a fantastical town-planning vision. Even now Nash’s terraces are among the most expensive and stateliest properties in London.

S MALL WONDER THAT S PAN HOMES NOW HAVE A CULT FOLLOWING AMONG ARCHITECTS

style: well-ordered streets; squares •andRegency elegant curved, white stucco-fronted terraces; Palladian-style colonnades; Doric columns; neo-classical, statue-adorned pediments.

SPAN HOUSING, SE3

After World War II, London’s housing stock was severely diminished and the progressive post-war mood demanded that the city be rebuilt. Enter young architect Eric Lyons. Schooled in the Modern movement, Lyons founded Span Housing in 1948 with Geoff Townsend and from 1957 set about building on pockets of neglected land. Their approach brought the benefits of Modernism – light, openness, a sense of order – to a domestic scale. Lyons added a sense of the vernacular to Span homes, using bricks, hung tiles, even pitched roofs.

In London you’ll find Span houses in Ham Common, Twickenham and Blackheath Park, where a quick glance will reveal the real joy of their designs: landscaped communal gardens. Lyons, who died in 1980, may well have created the first ‘branded’ modern housing.

Modernist style: large, high-level windows; •mono-pitched roofs; stock brick work; hung tiles;

Holding on to history…

open-plan, light-filled interiors; car-free village greens out front and garages out back.

If you’re thinking of investing in listed property, bear in mind that there are lots of rules and restrictions on making changes to homes with history. As the guardian of a piece of the UK’s heritage, you have a responsibility to maintain its original character. You’ll find help and advice at historicengland.org.uk Inspired by London’s architecture? Read more at kfh.co.uk/London-Architecture

MODERN MANNERS

BUYING A LISTED PROPERTY

From 1936 to 1937, Eric Lyons worked for Walter Gropius during the Bauhaus designer’s sojourn in the UK

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Completely hopping

There’s a lot been said about the decline of that great institution, the British pub. But craft brewery Late Knights has flown in the face of drinker apathy and piqued a renewed interest in sinking a few down at the local. Welcome to their hoppy London empire‌ Words Jessica Cargill Thompson Photography Sam Christmas

kfh.co.uk

Completely hopping

C

an it really be a mere two and half years since Penge craft brewery Late Knights brewed its first pint (an easy-drinking pale ale called Crack of Dawn, swiftly followed by their popular Worm Catcher IPA – see what they did there?) in April 2013? The same week they opened a three-month pop-up on Gipsy Hill (one that ended up staying put for over a year). In that short space of time they’ve stormed the South London beer scene, notching up bijoux hostelries at Peckham and Brockley, switching to a permanent site in Gipsy Hill and spreading to Islington, Crouch Hill, Brighton and Ramsgate. By the end of this year they hope to have added Sydenham, Carshalton Beeches and Penge to the list of locations of their friendly ale houses.

The brewery’s founder, Steve Keegan – hardly the corporate kingpin with his baseball cap, Late Knights T-shirt and unapologetically northern accent – looks as surprised as anyone as he surveys the random piles of brewing paraphernalia and miscellaneous junk that surround him in the backstreet Penge brewery, a former slaughterhouse that’s an ongoing renovation project. Or maybe it’s just exhaustion. Among the many new openings and side projects are several local collaborations – most recently with Herne Hill’s Bullfinch Brewery and local blogger Deserter – and sponsorship of local football team Dulwich Hamlet (an honour they won in a raffle), not to mention producing around 100 casks of damn fine ale a week.

‘We may look like a ramshackle company,’ says Steve, ‘but in the last year or so, we’ve got ourselves really bloody organised.’ Don’t be fooled, though.

This is no bunch of enthusiastic amateurs who’ve jacked in City careers to pursue a dream. Steve has been working in pubs since he was 14, most recently for London brewing giant Fuller’s, and the rest of his team come with similar levels of expertise.

‘The reason we’re called Late Knights is because it was my night job. I’d finish work on Friday, drive up to Middlesbrough and brew with a friend of mine who’s got his own brewery. I thought “Late Nights” sounded a bit like a crap club, so I stuck a “K” in because I did feel like a bit of a knight.

‘It was serendipity that a guy called Graham

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‘THE REASON THAT WE’RE CALLED LATE KNIGHTS IS BECAUSE IT WAS MY NIGHT JOB’

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Completely hopping

‘I THOUGHT “LATE NIGHTS” SOUNDED LIKE A CRAP CLUB, SO I STUCK A “K” IN’ Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

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Lawrence who owns Mr Lawrence Wine Bar in Brockley offered us the use of this place, just round the corner from my house. We took some old milking equipment and turned it into brewing equipment.

I brewed in the daytime and me and my girlfriend Bethany served in the Gipsy Hill pub at night.’

In a city swimming in craft breweries, Late Knights stands out for its bare-bones interiors and unpretentious community appeal. Beer tends to be served direct from casks and kegs stacked up around the walls – a format born of necessity when they realised the Gipsy Hill pop-up had no cellar. At the London Beer Dispensary in Crofton Park, there is no bar at all, just a big barrel functioning as a cash desk.

As well as serving their own beer alongside West Country ciders, whisky and local gins, there’s always a good range of ales from other small breweries. ‘The rule is: small independent companies. And we have to know that person. And that person has to be nice.’

September saw the latest harvest for the Crystal Palace Pint, a classic pale ale brewed in conjunction with the Gipsy Hill Brewery from hops grown in the back gardens of local residents. There’s also the annual Hallowe’en beer, Full Moon, to look forward to – a stronger (7%) and warming spicy beer.

‘I grew up in pubs in Middlesbrough and the dodgy parts of Newcastle,’ says Steve, ‘and for all their downfalls, there’s also a sense of belonging. So many customers are trying to find that. When you get a 75-year-old bloke and kids with beards and skinny jeans drinking in the same place, that’s wicked.’

The London Beer Dispensary, 389 Brockley Road SE4, lateknightsbrewery.co.uk Late Knights’ London Beer Dispensary is close to Brockley’s Crofton Park train station

Grow your own pint…

BACKYARD BREWING Hop-growing projects, where local gardeners work in conjunction with local brewers, have really taken off – find your nearest at growbeer.city-farmers.co.uk

kfh.co.uk

Completely alert

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All night long As the Tube goes 24 hours, we take a look at some of the most intriguing things to do in London after dark. You dirty stopouts!

Words Janetta Willis Photography Alistair Humphreys

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Completely alert

24 HOUR BEIGEL BAKE

The purveyors of legendary salt-beef bagels to shift workers and revellers claim they’ve never needed keys to their shop at 159 Brick Lane.

ALL-NIGHT FILM MARATHON

Head to Soho’s Prince Charles Cinema for all-night themed screenings, like the John Hughes Pyjama Party and Quentin Tarantino Marathon. princecharlescinema.com BOWL UNTIL YOU DROP

All Star Lanes in Holborn offers ten-pin bowling until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. allstarlanes.co.uk/venues/holborn CLUB AT CANAVAN’S POOL CLUB

Top DJs, pool tables and bags of oldschool charm at this Peckham hot spot open until 6am. facebook.com/ CanavansPeckhamPoolClub DINING AT DUCK AND WAFFLE

Gaze across the illuminated cityscape from the dizzy heights of the Heron Tower while you enjoy an exquisite late-night dinner or very early breakfast. duckandwaffle.com DOWN WITH THE DINOS

The Natural History Museum and Science Museum are among the growing number of cultural venues which hold regular sleepover events for adults as well as kids. See individual websites for details.

JAZZ IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS

Catch a 1am Late Late Show at the legendary Ronnie Scotts and follow it with an espresso at another Soho institution, the 24-hour Bar Italia. ronniescotts.co.uk HOWLING AT THE MOON

Catch the best in contemporary stand-up at The Comedy Store’s 11pm shows on Fridays and Saturdays. thecomedystore.co.uk NEW ’DO AT NEIL CORNELIUS

Get great hair after a night on the tiles at this 24-hour Bond Street salon (which also has a well-stocked bar). nc1stfloor.com SEA LIFE AFTER DARK

Experience the magic of the London Aquarium after the tourist masses have long since departed at a VIP evening. merlineventslondon.com/sea-life-after-dark WALK ALL NIGHT

The Midnight Run is an all-night walking tour and cultural journey sending a group of strangers on a mission to explore the city with the help of local artists. themnr.com WORK OUT AROUND THE CLOCK

The Gym Group offers 24-hour opening and fuss-free pay-as-you-go sessions. thegymgroup.com

kfh.co.uk

Completely SE6

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SE6 CATFORD

On the

UP AND UP… Bordering the already gentrified Brockley, nearby Catford in Zone 3 has been humbly hiding its light under a bushel. Lucy Abell thinks its time to shine is now…

Words Oliver Bennett Photography Jamie Baker

CATFORD’S RISE ‘Ungentrified’ is a word much used about Catford in deep south-east London, and it carries all manner of connotations: over-prevalent pound shops, sticky-carpet pubs, greasy spoons that have never even heard of quinoa.

But Lucy Abell, who has lived here for two years, thinks it’s all change in SE6.

‘Catford has reached that tipping point where it’s becoming trendy,’ she says.

How can she be so sure? ‘Well, the number of buggies is rising all the time.

Dead cert.’

Step out of Catford’s overground station and the impression is of space not decrepitude. That’s why Lucy’s here.

‘You don’t feel oppressed like you can in built-up areas,’ she says. ‘There are wide pavements, good parks – even access to the countryside. You can be in rolling fields near Sevenoaks in half an hour.’

True, the key reason Lucy moved to Catford from Brockley, on the other side of Lewisham, was cost. Her rent is lower for more room, a sizeable one-bedroom flat in a great road with a share of the garden. ‘While Brockley’s become totally “yummy mummy”, Catford’s still got a real neighbourhood feeling,’ she says.

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

All the same, there are glimmers of change in Catford, the chief emblem being the Catford Constitutional Club, an agreeable vintage-style pub and restaurant. ‘It’s the big thing and started about a year ago,’ says Lucy, 35, who works for mental health charity Mencap.

‘But this being Catford, you still get old chaps at the bar, giving you banter.’ If you get bored of the Con, there’s always the Blythe Hill Tavern in Forest Hill, which wins CAMRA awards for its beer.

Architecturally, Catford’s chef d’oeuvre is the Broadway Theatre, a grand Art Deco edifice sitting pride of place at a key junction. ‘Great building, but the programme’s a romp through lesser tribute bands,’ laments Lucy. The other icon is the big fibreglass black cat leering from the shopping centre. Cat – get it?

CHEERFUL AND CHEAP-ISH While people move to Catford for financial reasons, Lucy says they soon admire its unreconstructed merits. ‘It’s cheap enough to have useful things like car washes,’ she says. ‘But for me, a great thing is that life is lived outside. There’s loud reggae, kids playing out. People use the streets. It’s very neighbourly.’

Lucy Abell on Catford Broadway

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Completely W1

Catford’s most famous feline

Retro cool stores at Catford Vintage and Constitutional Club Mews studios in Avenue

Art Deco charm at the Broadway

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Completely SE6

Despite the lack of a Tube, the transport is surprisingly good, with Catford and Catford Bridge stations whisking workers to Charing Cross and the City. ‘I can be at work in Farringdon in 30 minutes,’ she says. Bellingham and Hither Green are near, and there’s talk of a Bakerloo line extension, which some Catfordians have mixed feelings about.

‘We prefer travelling overground to being pressed in someone’s armpit,’ explains Lucy. Connection-wise there’s also the throbbing artery of the South Circular.

‘People think Catford’s a long way away.

It’s a figment of their imaginations.’

POUND THOSE PAVEMENTS So what of Catford’s shops? ‘Well, it’s stoically holding onto its old character,’ says Lucy. ‘In Catford we’re still thrilled about Costa.’ Catford Broadway has had a cash boost to give it more pedestrian power, and there’s a street food market on certain Sundays. ‘Islington it isn’t, and there’s no Waitrose,’ says Lucy. ‘But who cares? We have an Aldi.’

As for restaurants, Sapporo Ichiban is a ‘brilliant’ Japanese restaurant on the Broadway and Lucy also likes the

Jamaican takeaway on Rushey Green road. ‘They give away free food at Christmas and Easter. It’s the spirit of Catford.’

Perhaps Catford’s greatest asset is its plentiful parks. ‘Mountsfield Park is good for joggers and families.’ Ladywell Fields runs along the river Ravensbourne.

And Forster Memorial Park has a patch of ancient woodland and a BMX track.

HOUSE MUSIC But the major draw in Catford is still the housing, which Lucy calls ‘seriously gorgeous, with fab mansions and terraces’. In Zone 3, Catford reflects London’s suburban drift from Victorian through Edwardian through 1930s and the 20th century. The most coveted spots are Culverley Green and the 20thcentury terraces of the Corbett estate.

Yet with all this, there’s still an image issue here? ‘When I tell people I live in Catford they grimace,’ says Lucy. ‘But more fool them.’ Now, she’s keen that whatever Catford does next, it keeps its down-home charms.

Turn over to see what’s for sale in other London Zone 3 areas

•

‘Families are increasingly flocking to the Culverley Green conservation area in particular for its supply of large good value Victorian semis’ James Ankers, Sales Manager at KFH Lee, 020 8857 9494, jankers@kfh.co.uk

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

Grab a pint at the Blythe Hill Tavern

Property on offer in

CATFORD

BARGERY ROAD, SE6

The Blythe Hill Tavern

Charity shop vinyl finds

This impressive four bedroom semi detached family home blends contemporary decor with original features, providing great entertaining and living space. £825,000 Contact James Ankers at KFH Lee 020 8857 9494, jankers@kfh.co.uk

FARLEY ROAD, SE6 This delightful period three bedroom home is located in a quiet road close to Catford Broadway. It boasts an attractive garden, wooden floors and stylish bathroom. £550,000 Contact James Ankers at KFH Lee 020 8857 9494, jankers@kfh.co.uk

Catford’s attractive suburban streets

Get cosy at the Catford Constitutional Club

SAXON TERRACE, SE6 Located close to Forest Hill borders, this refurbished four bedroom, three bathroom townhouse available for rent has off street parking and a private garden. £1,950pcm Contact Toby Gooding at KFH Crystal Palace 020 8670 1688, tgooding@kfh.co.uk

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N6

W5

W4

SE23

SW12

SW2

SE12

SE19

W   HAT ELSE CAN I GET IN ZONE 3?

Looking to upsize or ready to buy for the first time? Find your home sweet home and get more for your property buck in Zone 3

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

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SE12

Completely zonal SE23

BISHAM GARDENS, HIGHGATE N6

GUIBAL ROAD, LEE SE12

RINGMORE RISE, FOREST HILL SE23

Redesigned by award-winning architects Moxon using the latest materials, this outstanding five bedroom family home is a delightful blend of contemporary living and Victorian character. The property is close to the beautiful Waterlow Park. £2,100,000

This is an exquisite four double bedroom semi detached home that is immaculately presented and situated in a popular and quiet residential street, which is close to local amenities and parkland. £825,000

Located on a sought after residential road with panoramic views of London, this is a simply stunning detached four bedroom 1930s house, beautifully refurbished to a high specification and with air conditioning on the ground floor. £1,200,000

Contact Matthew Smith at KFH Highgate

Contact James Ankers at KFH Lee

Contact Javaid Ahmed at KFH Forest Hill

020 8341 6666, msmith@kfh.co.uk

020 8857 9494, jankers@kfh.co.uk

020 8699 1596, jahmed@kfh.co.uk

SE19

SW2

SW12

MOWBRAY ROAD, CRYSTAL PALACE SE19

CRICKLADE AVENUE, STREATHAM SW2

BALHAM HIGH ROAD, BALHAM SW12

This is an exceptional first floor apartment set in a period building close to Crystal Palace station. The property benefits from two bedrooms, beautiful internal decor and spacious rooms. £475,000

This beautiful five bedroom family house has been extended by the current owners to create a lovely open plan living space, and is located in a popular area in Streatham Hill. £995,000

Situated in a convenient location close to the High Street and station, this stylish mews house includes a lovely large reception room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a delightful courtyard style garden. £850,000

Contact Tyrone Eneh at KFH Crystal Palace

Contact Robert Cornthwaite at KFH Streatham

Contact Paul Herring at KFH Balham

020 8766 5920, teneh@kfh.co.uk

020 8769 8744, rcornthwaite@kfh.co.uk

020 8675 1123, pherring@kfh.co.uk

W4

BEDFORD PARK MANSIONS, CHISWICK W4

W5

EATON RISE, EALING W5

This is an outstanding three bedroom apartment set within a beautiful and prestigious mansion block in central Chiswick with a private garage and planning permission granted to extend. £1,675,000

With six bedrooms, this generous semi detached house close to Ealing Broadway station boasts many original, charming period features, double reception room, separate dining room, a 70ft garden and off street parking. £1,999,995

Contact Paul Cooney at KFH Chiswick

Contact Jason Scott at KFH Ealing

020 8987 0090, pcooney@kfh.co.uk

020 8799 3890, jscott@kfh.co.uk

‘Properties in Zone 3 are up to 20% cheaper than those in Zone 2, with the same if not more quality amenities and green spaces’ Lisa Mackenzie, Regional Sales Director, KFH South West London

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Completely vibrant

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Through the Keyhole

Four wonderful properties that let the light flood in during the darker months‌

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Completely vibrant

Property details overleaf

kfh.co.uk

Completely cottagey

W4 GLEBE STREET

This is a beautifully modernised and renovated three bedroom period house located on a much sought after road in the centre of desirable Chiswick. It is located close to the many restaurants, bars, cafĂŠs and boutique shops on Chiswick High Road, as well as being handy for Turnham Green Tube. This idyllic and pretty property boasts a delightful 32ft garden, a fantastic open plan living area, which is perfect for entertaining, three double bedrooms and two bathrooms. The renovations throughout have been finished to an impeccable standard. ÂŁ1,495,000 Contact Paul Cooney at KFH Chiswick, 020 8987 0090, pcooney@kfh.co.uk Photography Christina Bull Stylist Sam Grigg

A Chiswick cottage that matches period charm with sensitive renovations Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

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NW3 PRIMROSE GARDENS

Step into this exceptional triplex apartment forming part of a grand period townhouse and boasting three/four bedrooms, three ensuite bathrooms, an additional WC, its own entrance and access to a residents’ garden. The property is close to Belsize Park Tube and the amenities of England’s Lane, as well as being within walking distance of Primrose Hill Village and Hampstead Heath. It also benefits from an additional storage area at the front of the building. £2,000,000 Contact Jamie Gawthrop at KFH Belsize Park, 020 7483 4302, jgawthrop@kfh.co.uk Photography Christina Bull Stylist Sam Grigg

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Completely convenient

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All the comfort and ease offered by the best in modern property development

SW18 VICTORIA MEWS

This property offers a great opportunity to purchase a house set in a modern mews development centred around communal gardens and located close to Earlsfield station and the amenities of this vibrant neighbourhood. This beautifully presented five bedroom house has been extended and now offers two bathrooms, ensuite and separate WC, utility room, study, underfloor heating and a designer kitchen/ reception room with bi-fold doors opening onto a stunning garden. ÂŁ1,400,000 Contact Rebecca May at KFH Earlsfield, 020 8944 6464, rmay@kfh.co.uk Photography Ben Robertson Stylist Emily Blunden

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Completely lofty

N2 HAMILTON ROAD

Finished for a contemporary feel with Manhattan-loft style touches, such as exposed brickwork and wooden panelling, this is an outstanding four bedroom family home. It has been extended and refurbished to an exceptional standard throughout and is well located for Finchley Central and East Finchley Tubes. ÂŁ900,000 Contact Matthew Smith at KFH Highgate, 020 8341 6666, msmith@kfh.co.uk Photography Ben Robertson Stylist Emily Blunden

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Frosted glass, broad wooden floorboards and exposed brickwork give a highly contemporary look kfh.co.uk

WARMING COC

Completely fired up

THE KLES

There’s nothing like the comforting glow of a blazing hearth on a cold winter night. We meet the Londoners keeping your home fires burning Words Imogen Beecroft Photography Martin Usborne

TIM SMITH STONEMASON UB7 Crouched over an unsteady wooden table in an industrial yard a stone’s throw from Heathrow airport, Tim Smith fiercely polishes the foot of an ornate marble fireplace.

‘This is for a very famous Hollywood actor,’ he says.

Covered in a layer of dust with a piece of rope holding up his trousers, Tim isn’t one for airs and graces, even when he’s working for the A-list. ‘It makes no difference to me whether you want to spend £1,200 or £12,000.

Why should you have a lesser product because you’ve got less money? That’s nonsense.’

All the same his client list is impressive, ranging from landmarks such as Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s to celebrities such as Claudia Schiffer and Elton John.

Restoring and making bespoke fireplaces might be his bread and butter but, Tim says, ‘It’s very subjective work.

You get some people who say, “You’ve cleaned it too much, I wanted all the chips and stains and pigeon poo on it,” and others who say, “Ugh, it looks like it’s 200 years old.” What can you do?’

So he keeps things simple. ‘The whole point is to make stonework,’ he says. ‘It’s a product that can look fantastic if designed and executed well. I just want my legacy to be a really nice job.’

While Tim’s proud of his stonemasonry, he admits to being ‘really bad at anything else to do with building…

I just happen to have an affinity with stone and cope with its challenges quite efficiently.’ In fact, he’s so modest he doesn’t even advertise, reasoning, ‘It’s a big city.

Somebody always wants a bit of stone.’ timsmithstonemasonry.com

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ED MOSLEY WOOD SUPPLIER SE8 ‘Lots of people get genuinely excited by all this wood. One guy came and wanted to handpick his own logs – just to set them on fire.’

Ed Mosley works at the Deptford yard where The London Log Company houses its collection.

‘Every two weeks we have a lorry’s worth of wood delivered. I unload it all, store it in these crates and then send it on to our customers.’

The London Log Company was born when founders Mark and Debbie Parr asked a tree surgeon friend for his unused offcuts to burn in their home while their central heating was installed. When neighbours started requesting wood, they knew they were on to something.

Some 10 years later, the company not only sells wood to individual homes, but also supplies London restaurants such as Jamie Oliver’s Barbecoa, Gaucho and Claridge’s with wood

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for their ovens, working closely with chefs to advise on the best wood for their requirements.

‘Some chefs want their wood chopped into tiny, finger-sized bits so they can use it in special smoking devices. That takes a while,’ says Ed. ‘Nuno Mendes at the Chiltern Firehouse wasn’t getting what he wanted out of his grill so we developed a combination of woods to give the food an authentic and unique depth of flavour.

We’re trying to promote things that appeal to the European palate. At the moment we really like alder, which has a beautiful, sweet, almost hot-ice-creamy vibe to it.’

And the worst part of the job? ‘I drop lots of wood on my feet, which hurts like hell. But I haven’t had a single splinter since I started working here – touch wood.’ thelondonlogcompany.blogspot.co.uk

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Completely fired up

GRAHAM FIRKINS CHIMNEY SWEEP N13

NADINE DAVIES ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE N1 ‘One morning we came in to eight smashed fireplaces.

That was an expensive night,’ says Nadine Davies, sitting amid a maze of salvaged fireplaces, radiators and antiques, all of which look ready to topple over at the faintest breeze.

Nadine and her husband Jason run the Architectural Forum, salvaging and restoring everything from Victorian and Edwardian cast-iron fireplaces to Georgian and Regency marble fire surrounds. Looking fondly across the shop floor, Nadine says she sees the business as a rehoming centre for abandoned fireplaces. ‘I fall in love with everything, probably because I’m a bit biased and only buy stuff I really like.’

This can make it tough to see items go, particularly when their new homes are a far cry from their original location.

‘We had some fireplaces from Sir Joseph Beecham’s house in Hampstead which we shipped to Thailand. It’s not the way I’d want it to be, but the most important thing is that the item is given a second life,’ she says. ‘We get to buy interesting items and meet interesting people, and marrying the two up is the joy of the business. I don’t think my husband’s back feels very privileged – but we do.

‘People are nervous about putting in a fireplace and making sure it’s proportionally correct and working properly. We do a fireplace fitting service and get H Firkins & Sons to sweep the chimneys to make sure they’re happy with the end product. After all, buying a fireplace is a costly commitment – they’ll be looking at it every day when they walk into their front room.’ thearchitecturalforum.com

BURN BABY

Back in 1860 a boy named Harry Firkins found work as a chimney sweep in Crouch End in order to feed his starving family. Over 150 years later, Graham Firkins, his direct descendant, is still cleaning the chimneys of North London for the family company, H Firkins & Sons.

Although some things have changed since Harry’s day – the use of a vacuum to hoover up soot and a van to drive between jobs – the art of chimney sweeping hasn’t altered that much. ‘What I’ve got here is what they had in 1860,’ says Graham. ‘The rods might have been wooden rather than plastic, but essentially it’s the same.’

The biggest change since 1860? ‘Traffic and parking.’

That’s not to say H Firkins & Sons is stuck in the past. ‘A chimney could be blocked by soot or a bird’s nest. But it could also be that a neighbour has built a loft conversion and there’s a rolled steel joist running through the chimney. So when we come across a blockage, we’ll put a camera up there before we start bashing about.’

With a loyal client base, Graham is kept busy through the winter. ‘We do Claridge’s, Rod Stewart, half of the cast of EastEnders, lots of wood-fired pizza restaurants.

On a long day you can do 10 chimneys.’

Even with the company resting on his shoulders, Graham says he felt no pressure to join the family business.

‘I studied to be an engineer for four years but then my uncle needed someone to drive his van, so I went to work with him for two weeks. Thirty-five years later here I am.’ firkinschimneysweeps.co.uk

Check if your postcode is a smoke control area and whether your appliance is exempt at gov.uk/smoke-control-area-rules

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Completely profitable

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MANY HAPPY RETURNS Want to make your property work for you and for your tenants? Some canny forward planning and just a few small improvements can really pay off when you’re looking to maximise your rental return. Here are our top tips on how to make your home pay its way and benefit your tenants‌

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65 Property on offer for

RENT

AVOID THE VOID If you have your eye on maximising your earnings, then there’s no doubt that employing a shorter, fixed-term contract can be more lucrative in areas of strong rental demand like London. After all, a six-month term lets you react more quickly to rent increases and command the most up-todate market value. However, bear in mind that with increased churn comes a greater risk of voids – periods when your property is empty and no rent is being collected.

When a tenant leaves, you’ll feel the strain of covering overheads like the mortgage, utility bills and council tax (although make sure you let your local council know if your property is empty as you may be eligible for a council tax discount). How quickly you can find a tenant is crucial when it comes to reducing voids. Longer-term tenancies reduce the risk of vacant periods, can be more appealing to tenants and rent increases can be included in the tenancy agreement.

It’s worth seeking advice from KFH’s lettings division, who can help you re-market your property as well as plan for void periods.

ignoring ongoing damage such as damp.

Regular inspections help to spot issues early so they can be resolved quickly and easily.’

A NEW LEASE OF LIFE Maintenance is key when it comes to increasing a rental property’s appeal.

Furthermore, a few changes upfront will prove less expensive in the long run and will also prevent bigger issues cropping up.

‘Keeping on top of your investment is paramount, because it is just that, an investment,’ says Carol Pawsey, KFH Group Lettings Director. ‘You should always reserve some funds to maintain your property. When a problem arises, first assess if it is your sole responsibility or perhaps part of the service charge, or freeholder’s responsibility. Resolve maintenance issues quickly to avoid loss of rental income or reduced rent. Also, ensure that you don’t invalidate your insurance by

DO YOUR SUMS Void periods and wear and tear are part and parcel of letting a property, so make sure the financial impact of these doesn’t leave you out of pocket – have a contingency fund set aside to not only make improvements, but to cover your overheads too. The National Landlords Association recommends budgeting for 10 months’ rent in any 12-month period.

‘The key is to go into such transactions after plenty of research on an area and its rental levels,’ says Pawsey, ‘and ensure you include all costs, not just mortgage interest but maintenance fees and void periods etc.

Investing for the medium to long term – five to ten years plus – is still an attractive option based on likely capital growth.’

KERB APPEAL Use your time between tenants positively to catch up on essential maintenance and repair work and, ultimately, doing all you can to create a good first impression with potential renters. ‘Ensure that all windows and doors function properly,’ says Natalie Brownsmead, KFH Head of Lettings Management. ‘Tenants are impressed by good security, so functioning alarm systems are a bonus, while deadlocks conforming to standards required by insurers are a must.’

A thorough clean is a must too. Make sure the kitchen and bathrooms are free from grime, re-seal or re-grout if necessary, and clean windows. Do all the snagging jobs before viewings commence. ‘There’s no doubt about it, well-maintained properties are more marketable,’ says Pawsey. ‘They let quickly, reducing void periods, achieving better prices and generally having more respectful tenants in them.’

CARRINGTON STREET, W1 Located in the heart of Mayfair and close to Green Park Tube, this fully furnished one bedroom ground floor flat benefits from an abundance of natural light. £2,384pcm Contact Valentina Axenove at KFH Marylebone 020 3040 6270, vaxenove@kfh.co.uk

SHOOT UP HILL, NW2 This is an incredibly spacious modern one bedroom apartment to rent in a purpose built block close to Kilburn Tube, which boasts 600 sq ft and a 24-hour porter. £1,474pcm Contact Cory Devayya at KFH West Hampstead 020 7604 5150, cdevayya@kfh.co.uk

ABBEVILLE ROAD, SW4 In a fantastic location in the heart of desirable Abbeville Villlage, this is a beautifully presented five bedroom home with four bathrooms, cellar and off street parking. £4,984pcm Contact Sarah Burgess at KFH Clapham Common

Words Ben West Photography Alamy

020 3700 6300, sburgess@kfh.co.uk

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Completely comforting

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P   IE H   OPES Once the cornerstone of Cockney cuisine, a handful of family-run pie and mash shops are still keeping the tradition deliciously alive Words Rupert Mellor Photography Rahel Weiss

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

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Completely comforting

WANDSWORTH SW17 HARRINGTONS

‘A lady walked into the shop one day last year,’ recalls Jasmine-Jade Gilbert, assistant manager of Harringtons in Tooting, ‘and said, “I’m a theatre producer and I’d like to put on the musical Sweeney Todd in your shop.” I thought it was a mad idea. I’d seen the Johnny Depp film version, and loved it.

I said, “OK then.”’

For a pie and mash house that prides itself on keeping the menu old-school (‘just pie, mash, liquor and eels, no desserts, no gravy – completely traditional’), the production that followed was quite a departure. But so good was Tooting Arts Club’s portrayal of the demon barber that Hollywood star James Franco and the show’s creator, musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim, took their places among the 35-strong audiences lining the shop’s well-worn benches for every performance.

Harringtons has seen many ups and downs over the 107 years it has been in Jasmine’s family.

‘Most recently, the recession has definitely hurt,’ she says. ‘But when it’s been passed down through so many years, survived World War I and World War II, you’ve got to keep it going. Around 70 per cent of our customers are regulars, and they remind us why we do what we do, coming in every week for their usual and a bit of banter.’

3 Selkirk Road SW17 Tube: Tooting Broadway

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Completely inviting

BOW, E3

G. KELLY

The canny ‘.london’ URL is the first clue.

Then there’s the description of G. Kelly on its Facebook page as a ‘British restaurant’.

With the recent arrival on staff of Neil Vening, a third-generation family member fresh from graduating from the University of Leeds, the pie and mash shop established in Bow’s Roman Road market in 1937 is setting its sights on a new audience. ‘British food culture has come so far,’ says Neil. ‘You only have to look at The Great British Bake Off to see the interest, and it’s not just in gastronomy. Good, honest, basic food traditions are in the spotlight, too.’

G. Kelly’s response has been to highlight its high-quality local produce suppliers, upgrade its delicious desserts offering with home-made pies and crumbles using fresh fruit, answer an increasing demand for pie and mash wedding catering, and begin a sensitive refurbishment that will reveal vintage tile work and return original mirrors, marble and wrought-iron tables to the shop. The current hipsterisation of the area only makes the timing better. ‘We’re seeing more young people with no nostalgic or family connection to this kind of food wanting to give it a try, and really enjoying it,’ says Neil. ‘Less so the eels, perhaps, although they definitely hold a fascination.’

526 Roman Road E3, gkelly.london Tube: Bow Road/Mile End

Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward

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Completely comforting

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Completely inviting

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Completely comforting

BERMONDSEY SE1 M. MANZE

The ravishing clifftop town of Ravello on Italy’s Amalfi Coast may seem like a far cry from London’s Tower Bridge Road, but it was an emigrant from that sunny spot who established M. Manze pie and mash shop on this Bermondsey street in 1902. Today, Michele Manze’s three grandsons proudly run the family business, which also has branches in Peckham and Sutton, and their adaptable approach has kept trade brisk through changing times.

‘There was a massive revival in the early 1990s,’ says Geoff Poole, one of the brothers now in charge. ‘We couldn’t keep up with demand. It has dwindled a bit since then, but we’ve expanded in some new ways, offering online sales and memorabilia like T-shirts, hoodies and mugs, which are very popular with people who’ve moved out of the area but still want to remember us.’

A Grade II-listed building, the Bermondsey branch is also the firm favourite of many a piepartial celebrity. ‘Danny Baker comes in every time he’s off to see Millwall play,’ says Geoff.

‘Jim Davidson’s a regular, too, and Roy Orbison used to come by in his car and send his driver in with his order. Victoria Beckham was interviewed in here for a TV show, and claimed it’s David’s favourite place. Can’t say I’ve ever seen him, though. Perhaps he comes in disguise.’

87 Tower Bridge Road SE1, manze.co.uk Tube: Borough/Bermondsey

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Completely everywhere

WITH MORE THAN 50 BRANCHES ACROSS THE CAPITAL, WE’RE COMPLETELY AT HOME IN LONDON. VISIT KFH.CO.UK TO FIND ONE NEAR YOU

Behind the scenes EDITORIAL Creative director Jules Rogers Editorial director Sarah Bravo Group editor Kitty Finstad Editor Donna Hardie Art director Richard Murray Chief sub editor Janetta Willis Picture editor Clare Limpus Staff writer Sarah Holmes Production manager David Sharman Thanks to Imogen Beecroft

PUBLISHING Managing director Mark Lonergan Account manager Stephanie King Ad sales 020 7749 3300 KFHads@augustmedia.com Published by August Media Ltd, Zetland House, Scrutton Street, London EC2A 4HJ 020 7749 3300. info@augustmedia.com Printer: Wyndeham Roche Repro: Zebra Cover paper: 275gsm Pavarotti Matt Text paper: 90gsm UPM Star Matt

AWARDS Editor of the Year CMA Awards 2014, APA Awards 2010 Editor of the Year BSME Awards 2012, BSME Awards 2011 Customer magazines (Consumer readership) Designer of the Year BSME Awards 2014

O ur services…

RESIDENTIAL LETTINGS AND MANAGEMENT

CORPORATE AND RELOCATION SERVICES

Lettings Management KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 020 8739 2100 llm@kfh.co.uk Lettings Client Accounts KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 020 8739 2110 lca@kfh.co.uk Lettings Renewals KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 020 8739 2190 lrd@kfh.co.uk

Greater London KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 020 8739 2175 homesearch@kfh.co.uk

CHARTERED SURVEYORS Greater London KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 020 8739 2040 surveyors@kfh.co.uk SURVEYORS ALSO COVERING: Bedfordshire, Birmingham, Cambridge, Essex, Gloucester, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Oxford, South Wales, Suffolk, Surrey 0800 328 8898 surveyors@kfh.co.uk

FINANCIAL SERVICES Greater London Nelson House, 58 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7PA 020 8739 2068 financial.services@kfh.co.uk

LONDONWIDE CONVEYANCING Greater London KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 0800 023 1800 enquiries@ londonwideconveyancing.co.uk

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT Greater London Nelson House, 58 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7PA Richard Benson 020 3542 0147 rbenson@kfh.co.uk

LAND AND NEW HOMES Greater London 180 King Street, W6 0RA 020 8222 7200 newhomes@kfh.co.uk South East First Floor, 44-48 Borough High Street, SE1 1XW 020 3486 2250 newhomesse@kfh.co.uk

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(Consumer – runner-up), CMA Awards 2012 Grand Prix APA Awards 2010 Best Launch APA Awards 2010 Best Use of Photography

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

APA Awards 2010

KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 020 8739 2090 commercial@kfh.co.uk

BLOCK MANAGEMENT Nelson House, 58 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7PA 020 3542 0200 propman@kfh.co.uk

HEAD OFFICE KFH House, 5 Compton Road, SW19 7QA 020 8739 2000 ho@kfh.co.uk Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward is the trading name of Kinleigh Limited, registered in England 913323.

Registered office: KFH House, 5 Compton Road London, SW19 7QA

August Media is a member of The Content Marketing Association (CMA) and the British Society of Magazine Editors (BSME) © August Media Ltd 2015. The opinions herein are those of the authors or persons interviewed only and do not reflect the views of Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward or August Media.

The prices of properties featured for sale and to let in this publication are believed to be correct at the time of going to press. Before arranging to view any of the featured properties, please contact the relevant KFH office to establish whether or not they are still available, the current asking price and, in the case of properties to let, whether or not they are furnished. Any internal photographs

This magazine is printed on paper produced from sustainable managed forests accredited by the PEFC (Programme for the Chair: Dylan Jones, Editor, GQ Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes, pefc.org)

Administration: Gill Branston & Associates, 137 Hale Lane, Edgware, Middx HA8 9QP Tel: 020 8906 4664. Fax: 020 8959 2137. E-mail: admin@bsme.com In association with the Periodical Publishers Association Ltd, Queens House, 28 Kingsway, London WC2B 6JR

are intended as a guide only and it should not be assumed that any of the furniture/fittings are included in any sale or letting.

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Completely cherished

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My London

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Interiors doyenne, designer, Islington resident and boutique owner Abigail Ahern shares some of her favourite city spots for easy autumn days

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WORDS: KARA O’REILLY. PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY, GRAHAM ATKINS-HUGHES

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Dalston has changed so radically since we moved in.

Now we have an open-air pool, an organic farmers’ market, plus the coolest restaurants, food markets and bars, on our doorstep. I love the parks for our dogs, Mungo and Maud, or ‘the two Ms’.

Autumn in the city makes me feel like taking long walks across Hampstead Heath with the Ms. A stroll along Regent’s Canal, with breakfast at the Towpath Café, is a good way to start a weekend. I also like misty early morning swims at London Fields Lido, and food shopping at Borough Market for the abundance of autumnal fare.

My secret escape spot is Pinch, Hackney’s smallest wine bar. It sells the most incredible natural wines. It’s somewhere I potter out to when I need to recalibrate.

Maltby Street Market on the weekend is a must. It’s not as touristy as Borough but just as fabulous. I also love Labour and Wait in Shoreditch for cool household stuff.

Look out for Abigail’s new own-label autumn/winter range. abigailahern.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: 1 Abigail Ahern cactus collection; 2 Abigail Ahern chair; 3 Hampstead Heath; 4 One of Abigail’s dogs; 5 Labour and Wait; 6 Abigail Ahern faux flowers; 7 Sir John Soane’s Museum exhibit; 8 Espresso martini; 9 London Fields Lido; 10 Autumn dahlia; 11 Maltby Street

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My favourite restaurants include Hoi Polloi in Shoreditch for its lovely interiors and good food, and Cecconi’s in town for its fab gentlemen’s club vibe. And an espresso martini at Shoreditch House is always a good thing.

For a great night out, I go to Street Feast night market in Dalston Yard. Korean burritos, crispy fried chicken, gin stores – what more could you want?

Sir John Soane’s Museum is so intriguing. Soane was an obsessive collector and he modified his modest rooms into a splendid cabinet of curiosities.

It’s imaginative and eccentric and definitely worth a visit.

I like to switch up foliage and flowers with the seasons. I’m excited about our new faux flower range and I’ll be overloading on our beautiful new catkins, gnarled twigs and berries, and tons of green and white blooms.

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