Issuu

SOUTH LONDonER May 2021

Issue 5

The years of living dangerously Foreign correspondent Colin Freeman on being shot, getting kidnapped and how to handle pirates

SHORT COURSES

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Health, Wellbeing & Movement Business Languages Applied & Social Sciences Humanities Music, Dance & Dramatic Arts Digital Media, Design & Photography Fashion, Millinery & Textiles Visual Arts

Craft a New Chapter. SHORT COURSES ENROLMENT FOR SEPTEMBER STARTS 28 MAY With more than 1,000 specialist short courses on offer, Morley College London has something perfect to get you making and doing again. Whether it’s in-person, online or a combination of both, our Covid secure work practices are designed with your safety in mind.

morleycollege.ac.uk/short-courses

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contents

may 2021

About us ― We’ve been based in the old Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey since 1994. We are proud to be a London Living Wage employer. Our flagship publication, the Southwark News launched in 1987 and is now London’s only independent, paid for newspaper. We also publish the Greenwich and Lewisham Weekender every week.

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We created the Bermondsey Biscuit and Rotherhithe Docker in 2018 with support from sponsors including Sellar, Grosvenor, British Land, and many more local businesses.

Laura Burgoine

Deputy Editor

Cara Cummings

Design

Lizzy Tweedale, Dan Martin, Aurelio Medina

Marketing

Tammy Jukes, Clarry Frewin, Lorraine Wood, Katie Boyd

Media Partnerships

Anthony Phillips

Finance

Emrah Zeki

Managing Directors

Chris Mullany and Kevin Quinn

The East Dulwich journalist who was kidnapped by pirates, shot in the bum in Iraq, and lived to tell the tale

13 Family Royal Observatory Greenwich’s online

planetarium & play sessions for autistic and ADHD children

20-23 Food and Drink Lockdown food trends & the latest restaurant, bar and café news

20-23

27-36 The Home Edition

Hot properties, renovations, and how to spruce up your space for post-pandemic living

42 Books The Bermondsey author formerly known as Frida Kahlo’s next door neighbour

Email southlondonermag@gmail.com Phone

Crystal Palace fun runs, Brixton Jamm’s new beach & the chicest flea market in Peckham

10-11 Local Faces

We use 100% recovered paper from the Ortviken papermill in Sweden, a green energy provider who use biofuel instead of oil and provide heat for 10,000 single family homes.

Editor

Home secretary

45 & 50 History

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Mudlarking, and a tulip tribute for Ada Salter

Website thesouthlondoner.co.uk

A Love Letter to South London

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Flying Fantastic aerial artist Edel Wigan shares her favourite spots, south of the river

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may 2021

HOME SECRETARY

The local line-up for your diary ― Cara Cummings

Peckham Salvage Yard If there’s one thing we’ve all missed during lockdown, it’s rummaging through other people’s stuff. Bargain hunters, rejoice: south London’s chicest flea market returns to Copeland Park this month. Expect more than sixty hand-picked traders selling homeware, furniture, curios and collectables. Perfect for an interiors overhaul or bartering for a vintage gem. 9 May, 11am-6pm. 133 Copeland Road, SE15 3SN. Free.

Brixton Courtyard Back with a bang Longing for sunnier climes? Brixton Jamm’s totally tropical outdoor space can cure your holiday blues. Yes, there’s even a beach. And with a packed schedule of brunch parties, DnB & Jungle BBQs and the return of ‘Socially Distanced Socials’ headlined by the likes of Craig Charles, Horse Meat Disco and Crazy P, who even needs Ibiza anyway? Events throughout May. Visit thebrixtoncourtyard.co.uk for lineups and tickets.

Norman Jay up on the roof at Pow Brixton

Reunion - Summer at Southbank

Time Out has called the terrace at the Prince of Wales “arguably the best of any club in London”. This month, you can catch arguably the best DJ of British DJs - his royal funkess, Norman Jay MBE playing an exclusive POW bank holiday bash. Book a custom made, 6-seater rooftop party booth and let the good times roll.

The UK’s largest multi-arts centre reopens this month, with four months of music, art, literature and dance events planned across the Southbank’s entire site. Highlights include Esa-Pekka Salonen’s final two concerts as the Philharmonia Orchestra’s Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor; Aurora Orchestra with Nicola Benedetti; and Chineke!, an orchestra set up by double bassist Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE to provide outstanding career opportunities to Black and ethnically diverse classical musicians, who launch the season.

30 May, 467 – 469 Brixton Rd, SW9 8HH. Six-seater booths from £120. pow-london.com

From 21 May. Visit southbankcentre.co.uk for lineups and tickets.

Pub in the Park June dates for Dulwich Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge is bringing the mother of all knees-ups to south London next month. Graze on food from legendary pubs and restaurants including Kerridge’s double-Michelin starred The Hand & Flowers, Atul Kochhar’s Vaasu and Sindhu and local favourites The Begging Bowl, and groove to live sets from Toploader, Basement Jaxx, Gabrielle and the Brand New Heavies. The best pub visit, ever. 25-27 June. From £37.28; lineup and tickets at pubintheparkuk.com

Crystal Palace 5k, 10k and half marathon If a different kind of en masse sweating is more your vibe, mass-participation running group Ru Through are staging a day of timed long distance races in Crystal Palace Park this month. Gun for a personal best in either the 5k, 10k or half marathon categories, with a guaranteed medal at the finish line even if you end up walking most of the way round… 9 May, 9.30am, Crystal Palace Parade SE19. Race slots from £22. runthrough.co.uk

may 2021

HOME SECRETARY

Live at the Crystal Palace Bowl! ― Laura Burgoine

Summer concert series will resurrect historical outdoor amphitheatre that has played host to music legends Bob Marley, Pink Floyd, Elton John, and The Cure

brand new series of outdoor gigs is descending on Crystal Palace this summer. Dizzee Rascal, Supergrass, The Streets, Max Richter and The National English Opera are all on the line-up for South Facing Festival’s inaugural outing at the Crystal Palace Bowl in August. Making up the first wave of massive acts in the series of 12 epic performances is Dizzee Rascal & The Outlook Orchestra, the English National Opera (ENO), Supergrass and The Streets. Created by some of the people behind Field Day, Winterville, Cross The Tracks, Wide Awake and Dimensions, South Facing is a new annual event aiming to breathe new life into the Crystal Palace Bowl: a stunning outdoor amphitheatre soaked with a rich heritage of live music, untouched for the last decade. In its 60-year history, the venue (affectionately known as the 'Rusty Laptop’ by locals) has played host to some of the world’s most acclaimed artists - Bob Marley, Pink Floyd, Elton John, The Cure, Lou Reed, Vera Lynn, to name a few - and South Facing aims to tie into this history by curating a standout series of bespoke and diverse concerts this summer. From the pioneering grime of Dizzee Rascal - backed for the first time by the 20-piece, drum’n’bass-inclined Outlook Orchestra - and the iconic UK garage of The Streets, to the platinumselling Britrock of Supergrass, the award-winning compositions of Max Richter and the critically acclaimed English National Opera (ENO) (performing Tosca and featuring Conductor: Richard Farnes, Tosca: Natalya Romaniw, Cavaradossi: David

Junghoon Kim, Scarpia: Roland Wood), South Facing promises to get music fanatics excited and to reboot the Rusty Laptop. South Facing is working closely with the Crystal Palace Park Trust to re-establish its historical role and respond to the desire of park users. The Crystal Palace Park Trust says “the income generated by these events will be an important new revenue source enabling the Trust to start a programme of much needed improvements in the Park, such as the restoration of the concert platform.” South Facing intends to deliver a highly sustainable event series. Challenging targets, focusing on every aspect of the event delivery from supply chain to audience experience to travel, will help achieve as close to net neutral impact by 2024. South Facing Festival Director, Marcus Weedon, says: "After what’s been an extremely difficult 12 months for the live music industry, we can’t wait to put on a fantastic series of events that people can really get excited about. Not only do we have some amazing artists who are itching to put on a great show, we also have the privilege of being able to stage the festival at an iconic and important outdoor London venue, which has sadly been dormant in recent years. "We’re all working incredibly hard to make sure South Facing is a fitting return to glory for the Crystal Palace Bowl!” South Facing runs from August 5-31 at the Crystal Palace Bowl. Early Bird tickets start at £35 + booking fee. southfacingfestival.com

HOME SECRETARY

may 2021

ow we’re past the April 12 post, Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College is running digital workshops by illustrator Nick Ellwood, outdoor guided and self-guided tours, and has reopened the gift shops and café. Illustrator Nick Ellwood, whose drawings feature in the Painted Hall Family Trail, will have a physical exhibition Mischief and Misadventure, opening this month. Online drawing workshops for children and adults are running ahead of the exhibition. The May workshops bring history to life as Ellwood guides participants through drawing tips and practical activities. Those visiting the Old Royal Naval College can explore the stunning grounds with guided tours provided by knowledgeable volunteers. Tours will run four times daily showing off the beautiful grounds and exteriors of the Sir Christopher Wren-designed buildings. Guided tours will be limited to five people and must be pre-booked. Visitors can also download any of the three free self-guided tours of the Old Royal Naval College on the Smartify app. The Building Detectives tour takes families on a treasure trail around the outdoor spaces, allowing children to enjoy some time learning about their local history outside. The architecture tour takes visitors on a journey around the outside of the iconic domed buildings and the Greenwich Pensioners Tour, which launched in April, allows users to follow in the footsteps of the

Riverside picnics, outdoor tours and online offerings as Old Royal Naval College reopens ― Laura Burgoine

former naval officers and mariners who lived here. The gift shops, in the Visitor Centre and King William Undercroft, are open again while the Old Brewery has resumed outdoor service and is taking bookings on their website. There are popup food stalls on the King William Lawn every weekend offering hot and cold food, a bar and pre-made picnics and afternoon teas to enjoy on the lawns. Visitors can hire a deckchair or picnic blanket. Digital offerings include award-winning British-Nigerian playwright Adeola Solanke’s Phillis in London, which will be available to watch on the Old Royal Naval College website. The play, filmed in the magnificent Painted Hall, follows Phillis Wheatley, the first Black poet published in English, on her 1773 visit to London and the Old Royal Naval College. The exhibition Black Greenwich Pensioners is closing after a successful run since September, and the Old Royal Naval College is making the exhibition available online for free so the public can still learn about the important and complex history of Black naval mariners in Greenwich. Nick Ellwood workshops run on May 13, 20, 27 at 6pm. Cost: £50. The Mischief and Misadventure exhibition is open from May 17-September 5. Cost: free. King William Walk, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NN. www.ornc.org

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may 2021

“There I was, being corrected on my knowledge of the Premier League transfer market by a man with a gun in a Somalian cave...” ―

olin Freeman and I have been talking for ten minutes when we get to what happened in Iraq. “The thing is - when you get shot in the arse, it's different to being shot somewhere glamorous like the arm or leg,” he muses. “People just think it’s funny you got hit in the bum. Even my mum.” Is it polite to laugh about the punctured posterior of someone you’ve just met? Let’s hope so. Speaking to Freeman is like chatting with your favourite wayward uncle - one prone to jetting off somewhere unspeakably dangerous on a whim. The affable journalist and I are supposed to be discussing his latest book, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. But swashbuckling stories from Freeman’s career come thick and fast - “I met an ex-tank commander driving a battered 1981 Nissan, noticed he spoke good English and hired him on the spot” - told with the rollocking charm of one of life’s eternal optimists. It’s like phoning Prince Phillip, God rest him, if HRH a) lived in Dulwich, b) once got kidnapped by his own bodyguards, and c) hadn’t just died. You can feel sheer life radiating from the Sunday Telegraph’s former chief foreign correspondent. And what a life it’s been. Originally from Scotland,

Cara Cummings meets the daredevil foreign correspondent from Dulwich.

Freeman was working for the London Evening Standard when the Iraq war broke out in 2003. “I thought - this is the biggest story of my generation, and I’m going to be stuck at home writing about roadworks,” Freeman remembers. “A colleague said, ‘Why don't you go and cover the war as a freelancer?’ I knew nothing about the Middle East, didn't speak Arabic and had no contacts - but that's what I did. Somehow, against the odds, it worked out.” Although it very nearly didn’t. “I arrived in Iraq on the day the war ended, which isn’t great as a budding war reporter,” he deadpans. But Freeman landed at the right time - as most correspondents left, the rambunctious Scot was on the ground as the US-led military occupation unravelled. “You could see the insurgency beginning to grow,” he recalls. “Barely a day went by without an assasination, or a car bombing. One half wrecked my hotel. I remember it was so cheap, the US military came to see if any bombers had stayed there as their last port of call!” he chuckles. In fact, Freeman speaks so warmly of Iraq that the episode feels like a boisterous holiday camp, just with guns. Which brings us to that moment

may 2021 in Basra. Freeman had been covering a demonstration - “a cleric promised a bounty to any militaman who could capture a female British soldier and use her as a concubine,” he says casually - when he felt a loud bang. “There was a guy with a smoking gun. He pointed it at my translator’s head and I thought, ‘Uh oh - this doesn’t seem very apologetic...’ “Someone grabbed me and marched me into the big, fired up crowd. I noticed an Arabic crew filming. They thought they were going to get an exclusive of me being lynched.” It was only after he’d been rescued by a militia leader that Freeman realised he’d been shot. “I thought it was just a minor cut, until my translator said: ‘Christ - you’ve got a bullet wound in your rear end!’ “I was carted off to a British army hospital and they said, “Yes, sir, you have a .22 bullet in your backside.’ Apparently your arse is the best place for it because it's all tissue, no muscle. “Now there's just a very vague scar,” he reassures, “which my missus occasionally gets me to show people as a party piece.” Post-Iraq, Freeman found himself covering

local faces an emerging frontline once again - this time in Somalia, as the piracy crisis began to hit headlines. Dispatched to investigate a spate of attacks on ships in the Gulf of Aden with Spanish photographer José Cendon, Freeman was en route to catch his flight home when bodyguards, hired to protect the duo, kidnapped them instead. He spent the next 40 days in captivity, his kidnappers demanding $3million - each - for his and Jose’s release. “We were reasonably well treated, mostly,” Freeman says, sombre for the first time. “We weren’t physically harmed, although we got the impression we’d be tortured if the office didn’t pay up. People just need to intimate that they might hurt you to leave you terrified.” Worse, though, was the boredom. “Staring at cave walls got old fairly quickly,” Freeman admits. “Time slows down; you lose the ability to daydream. That's when you think: what is this doing to my mental health?” How did he cope? “You try to keep your morale up,” he says simply. “There’s no guilt in laughing. You have to, to keep yourself going. I mention it to people these days, of course, and you might as well say you've been abducted by aliens...”

After his release, Freeman followed the ongoing piracy crisis closely. He noticed a pattern: whilst hijacked ships belonging to big international firms would be ransomed out after a few months, some seemed to be stuck - for years at a time. “These ships were mainly crewed by seamen from poorer countries and had owners without the money, or the specialist kidnap insurance, to pay a ransom,” he explains. “Crews faced horrendous conditions - getting tortured, becoming suicidal. People literally stuck between the worst of two worlds because of their owners' inability to pay. It was a terrible situation; these poor sailors had been left to rot. “I was going up the wall after six weeks when I was kidnapped. What on earth must it be like to be held for that long?” Freeman answers that question with Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, the incredible true story of how a retired British army officer launched a private mission to rescue long-term captives hijacked off the Somalian coast. Based on first-hand interviews, including with hostages themselves, it’s a gripping and superbly told tale full of Freeman’s signature flair. But why write it now?

“Despite living in a world where people are very aware of rights, that often stops when people take to sea,” Freeman says. “The plight of these guys was known to their governments, yet they fell through the cracks. 90% of world trade happens because of sailors on commercial vessels, but the world only ever hears about pirates when it's an American sea captain or somebody like me getting kidnapped. These people were the ones doing the bulk of the suffering. “When I was kidnapped, it was because I’d gone to dangerous places of my own accord,” he continues. “I thrived on having that kick. The sailors in the book didn’t sign up for that: they were just trying to earn a living and ended up in hell.” Today, you’re more likely to find Freeman doing the school run than donning a flak jacket - humour still very much intact. “Pirates are an obsession at my kids’ school, so I offered to do a talk,” he chuckles conspiratorially. “They haven’t got round to booking yet. Not sure my version is quite what they’re after…” Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is available at all leading bookshops.

p The Albedo hostages enjoy a first meal of freedom after being picked up in the Somali bush (Omar Sheikh Ali)

p From Kenya, the freed sailors of the Albedo send a thankyou note to Leslie Edwards (John Steed)

p Colin recovering in hospital after being shot in Iraq

p Colin (centre) and Jose Cendon (centre right) after release from captivity in Somalia

PECKHAM FLY! Come and ﬂy at Flying Fantastic, a dedicated aerial and circus school in the heart of Peckham. A COVID safe studio oﬀering weekly classes, workshops, family classes, group bookings, as well as professional training. Sessions available for both kids (aged 7+) and adults. No previous experience necessary - we promise! ADULT CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

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WELCOME BACK TO GREENWICH’S GRANDEST SQUARE OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE GROUNDS NOW OPEN • Enjoy outdoor food and drink • Find gorgeous gifts in our unique shops • Join a guided tour or download one of our free online tours

PAINTED HALL, VISITOR CENTRE AND CAFÉ REOPEN FROM 17 MAY • Marvel at the magnificent Painted Hall • Don’t miss Nick Ellwood’s free illustration exhibition in the Visitor Centre, on until September 2021

Visit ornc.org for full details

may 2021

FAMILY

Taekwondo, tiny dancers and train sets ― Cara Cummings

ROYAL ACADEMY OF DANCE CHILDREN’S REPERTOIRE WORKSHOP

SOLAR SYSTEM DISCOVERY WITH ROYAL OBSERVATORY GREENWICH

Tiny dancers can explore the timeless classic Sleeping Beauty with professional artists from the Royal Academy of Dance in this musicality and characterisation-focused workshop. Groups will rehearse a piece of choreography, with ballet steps appropriate to their age and Grade, accompanied by live piano. Suitable for ages 5+.

Budding astronauts aged 7+ and their grown-up sidekicks can explore the Solar System without leaving the sofa, in this live online planetarium show presented by a Royal Observatory astronomer. Journey through our celestial neighbourhood, visiting objects like planets, moons and asteroids, and fly-out to view the mighty Milky Way.

30 May, various classes from 10am-3.15pm. Royal Academy of Dance, 36 Battersea Square, SW11 3RA. From £16.50, book via www.royalacademyofdance.org

Weekends and school holidays, select times from 11am-3pm. £5 per device (members free), book via rmg.co.uk/whats-on

p Circus skills at the Brunel Museum, © Anne Koerber

INCLUSIVE TRAIN PLAY FOR AUTISTIC AND ADHD CHILDREN

DULWICH FESTIVAL CHILDREN’S ART COMPETITION 2021

All Aboard Club provides weekly child-led play sessions for autistic and ADHD children, where they can build and play with huge train sets. Staff all have personal experience of autism, and children are free to play however they like, building their confidence and social skills along the way.

Dulwich Festival may be taking place online this month, but young creatives can still show off their talent in its annual art competition. Prizes are available across four age categories; winners will receive art vouchers and have their work displayed locally. This year’s theme is SPRING - let the judges know what it means to you in a twodimensional, maximum A3-sized piece.

2-4pm every Saturday, SYCT Streatham Youth Centre, SW16 6LS. £12 per child, adults/carers free. Book via allaboardclub.com/play-sessions

Closes 14 May. Enter online via dulwichfestival.co.uk

ONe FOR YOUR DIARY: FREE JUNE FUN AT THE BRUNEL MUSEUM

KIDS' CLASSES AT WALTERS FAMILY SCHOOL OF TAEKWONDO

Learn to juggle, walk a tightrope or hula hoop in Thames Tunnel Fancy Fair Circus skills workshops at the Brunel Museum on Sunday 30 May, when you can also visit the Museum for free or take a tour of the Thames Tunnel Shaft - a whopping sixteen metres underground.

Peckham’s very own dojang has reopened its doors for classes (pictured above). Children can attend either face-to-face, or join in online, with free trial sessions open to all abilities. A range of membership options are available for those who want to continue - with plenty of martial arts, fitness and volunteering opportunities for the whole family also on offer at this community-focused hub.

5-6 June, Railway Ave, SE16 4LF. Free to enter (admission usually £6)

Classes available throughout the week. 135 Rye Lane, SE15 4ST. Walterstaekwondo.com

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may 2021

Top five (covid safe) reasons to visit Streatham this summer #StreathamIsOpen By InStreatham BID

e are ready for the return of visitors to our high street and have started a programme of COVID secure initiatives to keep you safe while staying local. When visiting shops, and restaurants in Streatham, you can expect to find safety measures including social distance signage, hand sanitiser stations, one-way systems, a limit on in-store capacity and even on-street jet-washing around key gateways and community assets. As more restrictions are eased over the next few months, we can return to enjoying our favourite things again. We are exploring the possibility of a pop up outdoor seating area on Streatham Green and a same-day shop and drop service to make you feel extra comfortable. when returning. There are many reasons to visit Streatham, of course, but here's our top five - from great shops to top-notch pubs, find out what’s back open in Streatham. Make sure to follow the latest government guidelines and act responsibly when out and about!

Green spaces Streatham is one of South London's greenest suburbs and there's nothing better than a leisurely stroll on a nice summer day. Soak up the sunshine during a picnic, or take the kids to burn off some energy in a playground. Alternatively, practice your downward dog on Streatham Common and nestled at the north end of the Common is The Rookery Gardens. Indoor leisure is now open again so head to the Streatham Ice and Leisure centre for a refreshing dip!

The luxurious beauty experience Nothing compares to the fabulous feeling you

The Manor Arms p

get when you walk out of the salon door. Luckily, hairdressers, nail salons and spas across Streatham are eager to pamper you! Many provide complete hair care for both men and women with experts in colour, cutting and treatments for Afro and European hair textures. Manicures and pedicures are now available again with safety guidance in place, so visit your local salon to discover what you can treat yourself to. Dry hands from washing and sanitising? You can use collagen gloves at Regal Nails on Streatham Hill. Relax, unwind and book yourself in for that much needed massage with one of the many spa and beauty experiences available. For smooth and hydrated skin Emma Wilson Urban Spa specialises in the ultimate spa experience including massages, waxing and other beauty treatments

The mouthwatering food Streatham is the place for a fantastic dinner out, especially if you’re craving for an authentic dish - all ludicrously good value. Treat yourself to tasty meals at one of Streatham’s alfresco restaurants - pick up some amazing coffee, cakes and bakes to-go from a local cafe or grab a pint in the sunshine at a nearby beer garden. For an indulgent dinner in a classically British setting, look no further than your local pubs. The wondrous beer garden at The Bull is locally famous, most know about Pratts and Payne’s lovely urban oasis out the back, and The Rabbit Hole’s huge garden is a paradise for parents.

The Streatham colouring in print q

Its creative community The vibrant artistic community here is sure to add some colour to your day. From literature events at the

The Deli p

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Brickwood Coffee & Bread p Streatham Tate Library to comedy at the Streatham Space Project. The area is also brimming with talented artists that sometimes exhibit their work in various venues up and down Streatham High Road. If you’re looking for a stress-reducing creative activity, why not pick up the Streatham colouring print available at DrawMyTown. com.

Retail therapy We’ve all missed the sensory experience of traditional shopping. You will find many independent clothing and homeware stores in Streatham selling a wide range of products. In addition to a beautiful collection of mugs, keyrings and postcards, you will also find stunning collections of clothing at Lark London. While you’re on the Parade, pay a visit to Streathams very own

Zero-Waste shop, Healthier without – you can find all the essential goods like tea, grains and pasta as well as other things like oils, sustainable household cleaning and personal hygiene products. Newcomer, The Deli, down in Streatham Village also offers an extensive and exciting wine list. If you're not ready to visit us yet, you can continue to experience the Streathamite lifestyle from your sofa with our online marketplace. The new online marketplace is designed to make it easier for you to shop your favourite Streatham shops, salons and restaurants using one basket and in one simple transaction. You can buy everything from gift cards, beauty products, jewellery, clothing, and art to locally-made gin and spirits, pet suppliers and local produce using one basket and in one simple transaction and have it delivered via our electric cargo bike.

SW16 Bar and Kitchen p

Food & Drink

may 2021

JIM AND TONIC WIN BIG

Bitesize ―

Just when you thought Elephant and Castle-based sustainable gin magicians Jim and Tonic couldn’t get any cooler, their flagship ‘Mercato’ Meditteranean Gin - named after Mercato Metropolitano, where the team’s distillery and flagship gin bar is based goes and wins not one, but TWO awards. Given that each batch is made with fresh cut rosemary, thyme and basil grown at the distillery itself, it’s not hard to see why. Snap up a bottle of this double-medalled beauty, along with 15 specially-matched craft tonics, in a special edition Meditteranean G&T Edition set available for home delivery.

Cara Cummings

jimandtonic.com; £54

HOMEBOY LANDS IN NINE ELMS What three words guarantee you’re in for a cracking night out? “Modern Irish hospitality”. Hotfoot to Nine Elms, where outstanding contemporary cocktails can be found by the craicload thanks to Homeboy, a new Irish watering hole in Embassy Gardens. There’s more than Guinness and Taytos here, though. With innovative, cheeky mixes like the Wogan (Teeling small batch Irish whiskey, apricot brandy, lime, sugar and saline), the Flipped Flat White (Grey Goose La Vanille, coconut liqueur, coconut water syrup and Irish coffee bitters) and Tea And A Biscuit (Roe & Co Irish whiskey, Benedictine, Barry's Irish Tea, clarified milk and “hobnob syrup”) it’s no wonder Homeboy made the Spirited Award’s Top 10 Best International Cocktail Bar list last year. Sláinte! homeboybar.com 6 New Union Square, SW11 7DN

PERRY HILL PUB REFURBED AND REOPENED New pub claxon! (Now that’s a sound we’ve missed.) Behold: south London’s latest brilliantlooking boozer. Located between Catford and Sydenham, the Perry Hill Pub has a new interior, a huge garden and an on-site smokehouse. If that doesn’t have you calling for a table immediately Jamie Younger, who formerly ran The Palmerston in East Dulwich for several years owns The Begging Bowl in Peckham, along with head chef Eric Grapt (The Wolseley and The Hurlingham Club) have put together a menu stuffed with dishes like beef brisket, shredded pig’s shoulder and smoked celeriac steak. perryhillpub.co.uk; 78-80 Perry Hill, SE6 4EY

“MICHELANGELO OF PIZZA” ARRIVES IN PECKHAM If it feels like you read about a new pizza place in this column every month, top marks. South Londoners must really love pizza, or pizza really loves us; either way, we’re not complaining. Fresh out of the doughy stalls this time is Mike’s Peckham - with one Gabriele Bonci, the hottest pizza maker of his generation at the helm. This is big, big news: Bonci enjoys a cult following in his native Italy and plans to create a whole new style of pizza from his new Peckham base. Expect 72-hour risen dough, meticulously sourced ingredients from Europe’s finest producers, and outrageously original flavour combinations. Oh, and brunch. PIZZA BRUNCH. *books immediately*

MEGAN’S MAKES OVER CLAPHAM COMMON Tired of damp crisps and warm wine on Clapham Common? Be gone, crap picnics - much-loved neighbourhood restaurant Megan’s have launched The Terrace, a new all-day alfresco restaurant and takeaway deli at the former Recovery Kitchen site on the Common itself. Stock up on Meditteraneaninfluenced treats, including signature sourdough pide, or treat yourself to brunch on… well, the terrace. Dog friendly, too. Woof.

mikespeckham.co.uk Unit 4.1 Copeland Park, 133 Copeland Road, SE15 3SN

megans.co.uk 10 Rookery Rd, SW4 9DD

TAPAS ROOM EXPANDS Small plates fans, rejoice: south London’s most muy bueno mini-chain of Spanish wine and nibbles specialists launch a new site this month. And even better: Tapas Room’s Peckham venue will boast a brunch menu with star dishes including Crumptopus, an octopus crumpet with citrus salsa, and traditional broken eggs with morcilla. Order everything whilst sipping from the expertly curated Spanish wine, vermouth and sherry list and pretend you’re in Barcelona. tapasroom.co.uk 119 Peckham High Street, SE15 5SE

may 2021

Food & Drink

Makeaways, meal kits and the rise of the mini-splurge ― Cara Cummings

New food trends got us through lockdown - but are they staying on the menu?

f, in February 2020, you’d told me I’d soon be popping to a local restaurant for groceries, pipetting truffle mayonnaise onto luxury burgers in my own kitchen and splurging on fried doughnuts instead of flights, no offence - but I’d have laughed in your face. “Shove your mask!” I’d merrily trill. “This isn’t V for Vendetta!” What a difference a pandemic makes. Gone is the gouty smugness of several meals out a week. (Don’t hate the player, hate the game.) Now, bars are selling butter and anyone can become a Michelin-starred sous chef for the evening without leaving home. It’s life, Jim, but not as we know it. The question is: how much of this brave new world is permanent?

EAT, DRINK… SHOP?

RESTAURANT KITS: HERE TO STAY, OR A FLASH IN THE PAN?

Last March, Sergio Leanza - co-owner of Peckham cocktail bar, Funkidory - spotted something unusual on a friend’s timeline. His pal had transformed a locked-down bar into a bottle shop, in just a day. “It made me think: we can do that too,” Sergio recalls. “We used to play records at the bar - why not sell records as well? Now we offer cocktails, natural wines, music and local products for customers to take away.” Sergio and partner Anna never planned to run a shop. But as restrictions ease, the couple have no plans to lose their dual shop-bar offering. “It’s definitely a wider trend,” says Sergio. “Independent businesses pay so much for the little space that we have, that it makes total sense to use it for as many hours as we can. We’re now licensed from 9am to midnight.”

Pre-pandemic, “eating out” meant exactly that: visiting a venue. Not anymore. DIY restaurant kits, or “makeaways”, are booming, as hospitality-starved Brits seek a little haute at home. According to Google Trends, interest in meal kits grew by 300% between December 2020 and January 2021 alone. Mike Brown, head chef at Hood Streatham, was initially skeptical. “Beforehand - and I think I speak for a lot of chefs - I was quite against restaurants doing takeaways,” he admits. “In hindsight, people have really enjoyed doing their own restaurant-style plating up at home. It’s an insight into the magic that happens behind closed doors.” But despite makeaways proving “a lifesaver”, Mike won’t keep them on when Hood reopens this month. Kits will leave their mark, though, in a new pre-order set menu. “That’s one of the few positives to have come out of this,” says Mike. “When people preorder, we know exactly how many portions of something we’re going to sell, so there’s very little waste. “What’s become glaringly obvious is that the draconian business model of the a la carte restaurant, where you might have 15-20 courses, doesn’t work. It’s only become apparent since Covid-19.”

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Food & Drink

may 2021

THE RISE OF THE MINI-SPLURGE

FOOD WITH PURPOSE 2.0

Noticed yourself opting for deliciously unnecessary goodies during lockdown? You’re not alone. “People are definitely buying more treats,” says Trevor Gulliver, co-founder of the iconic St. John group. “Splurges take many forms, whether a Netflix binge or getting books sent to your home. Part of it seems to be spending a bit more and enjoying it. You want something to make you smile.” Queues have often formed outside St. John’s bakery and wine venues in Druid Street and at Borough Corner during the pandemic. “Coming down for doughnuts is a ritual for some people,” says Trevor. “On the online wine side, our sales are up fivefold. Same reason - people are thinking: life’s short, why not? I think that’s absolutely here to stay. “For us, it's about connection,” he continues. “It’s lifeblood, because it’s cashflow, but it's also good for us mentally. People send us pictures of their glasses of wine, or a photograph of their kids covered in custard filling. It puts a smile on our face. Life is about social intercourse.”

Interest in the ethical impact of food had been rising well before Covid-19 erupted. In January 2020, a UKHospitality report revealed that 83.1% of people now expect hospitality brands to engage in sustainability. But has the pandemic stolen the spotlight? Far from it, says Alex Head, founder of impact-focused cafe and catering company Social Pantry. “There’s still a strong sense of consumer consciousness, whether about sustainability issues or social impact,” she says. And it’s spreading. “People are realising these issues matter across all areas of a company, from supply chains to your workforce.” 10% of Social Pantry’s staff are ex-offenders, trained up by the company to reduce reoffending rates. “These guys are so determined and they make great, loyal employees,” says Alex. “It’s not easy, but it's a commitment that we’re really proud of. “There’s more recognition now that they deserve a second chance. When I first started the business, people worried that ex-offenders would rob them at events!” Post-pandemic, Alex sees customers becoming even more strategic in their pursuit of food with purpose. “People might have less money to spend,

KEEPING LOCAL EVEN AFTER LOCKDOWN

COMFORT FOOD AND EATING TO ESCAPE - JUST A SEASONAL SWING?

Lockdowns have sparked a surge in support for local businesses - and new initiatives that take ‘local’ to the next level. Brixton-based entrepreneur Steve Wilson started local gift box company Indebox last year, in an effort to back neighbourhood enterprises. “You get a taste of an area from the small businesses operating there,” he explains. “Particularly in south London, where there’s so many of them. I’m trying to connect people with a community you can share, regardless of whether you live in the same area or a hundred miles away." Indebox has earned rave reviews from customers across the country. Steve believes that’s down to the quality of products offered by small businesses - “they come from people who really care” - and increased public awareness of the impact Covid could have on independents. “Either you buy local, or it’ll be ‘bye, local’,” he says. Could localism develop even further as lockdown lifts? “I think it will be a growing trend,” says Steve. “People will be more inclined to shop local, stay local, eat local. People want to help things survive.”

Be honest: if there’s one thing that’s made lockdown easier, it’s cheese. Or bread. Or deep-fried Oreos. Yep, Covid has made comfort food boom. “Who doesn't like comfort food when they’re stressed?” says Naz Ramadan, founder of soulmeets-fusion food company Bando Belly. Naz and co-founder Alex Situnayake’s menu features comforting Caribbean, American and Asia flavours with a London twist. But Naz is sceptical about the comfort food craze being any more than a seasonal swing. “I think people are going to want to go out and have small plates with their friends again,” she says. “We’re changing our menu for the summer. But come September, comfort food is always back. People want more stodge in winter.” Naz is ultimately upbeat about what Covid has revealed about hospitality. “People always want to eat out, even if you’re not selling food from a restaurant,” she concludes. “They’ll buy food whether they have to order over Instagram, via an app or pick it up themselves - that’s been proven during the pandemic.”

WE’RE RENOVATING Tower Tandoori has a prestigious reputation as London’s Oldest Tandoori Restaurant. Recently, the COVID-19 Pandemic has forced local businesses to ‘Adapt’ and ‘Diversify’. Since then, we began to contemplate - and rethink - every aspect of Tower Tandoori. Thus, we have decided to go on a journey to refurbish our beloved restaurant. Join us from Mon 17th May 2021* where we hope to enthral you with our new traditional themed interior, improved authentic recipes and a royal service experience. *Subject to Step 3 of Gov’t Guidelines You can still call us on 0207 237 2247 for your takeaway orders. You can also order online through our website or any of our delivery partner (Just Eat, Deliveroo and UberEats)

www.towertandoori.co.uk 72-74 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 4TP

The Blue Bermondsey is a Business Improvement District (BID), an organisation funded by local businesses that has been at the forefront of countless inspiring initiatives in South Bermondsey since being founded in 2014.

In 2019, £2m capital funding was secured from the Mayor of London’s LEAP Good Growth Fund, for major improvements to the Market Place and High Street. The works began in January 2021 and are on schedule to be completed in July.

As a BID we provide services to our member businesses and are dedicated to raising the profile of the area and supporting the local economy and community.

The funding is being used to totally regenerate the market infrastructure, improvements to shop fronts and the creation of better connections to the town centre.

BE PART OF BERMONDSEY’S HISTORY Come along and join us on Saturdays from 12pm to 3.30pm during April and May at Market Place, London SE16 3UQ and etch your design on a tin disc that will form the roofing of the new clock tower at The Blue Market. The design team will be on-site to guide you and develop your design. Workshops are free with social distancing measures in place. Follow @takeshi_hayatsu on Instagram for more details.

STORYTELLING TIME Listen to wonderful stories told by professional storytellers. Our Blue Story Trails are a perfect way to enjoy a few hours with the children while discovering the streets of South Bermondsey. Stories are free to listen online or download

www. bit.ly/bluestorytrails

TAKE PART IN OUR ONLINE SURVEY Tell us what you would like to see happening at the new three screen cinema and arts centre due to be opened in 2022 by The Really Local Group at Market Place SE16.

www.bit.ly/newartscentre

AVAILABLE ON MOBILE TABLET & WEB

www.bluebermondsey.co.uk

BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE Find shops and businesses in South Bermondsey with the help of our business directory. www.bluebermondsey.co.uk/business-directory

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may 2021

the home edition

the home edition Our south London look at home makeovers, grand designs, and sprucing up your space

Slot House by Nimtim architecture

the home edition

may 2021

An expert’s guide to decluttering your home ― Bermondsey organiser and declutterer Katherine Blackler shares her top tips for tidying up, in the pandemic and beyond

s we continue to live with Covid19 and its restrictions, our homes have become increasingly important. Many of us are spending more time at home and are likely to be using the space differently: as a shelter, a work or study location and a reduced socialising space. Being organised and keeping your spaces usable for all those activities have become valuable skills to help manage the current challenges.

Start small Don’t get overwhelmed trying to tackle the entire house at once. Choose a room and focus on just one area at a time (e.g. the floor, countertop, cupboard, drawer). If you ultimately need to tackle the whole house, I recommend starting with your bedroom. It’s the first thing you wake up to and that can influence your energy levels for the rest of the day. Alternatively, tackle the bathroom since expired medicines and congealed toiletries are an easy target for letting go of and it usually contains fewer sentimental items so you’re less likely to hit emotional stumbling blocks. Allocate a box for ‘sentimental stuff ’ or really difficult decisions. Pop things in there so you don’t grind to a halt before you see any progress. Decluttering gets easier with time and practice so you can return to those items when you’ve strengthened your decluttering muscles and you’re enjoying the clearer space you’ve created.

Like with like Gather all your similar items in one place, including shoes, CDs, books, food items, jewellery, paperwork and loose batteries. You’ll be able to see exactly how many duplicates you have, what’s no longer serving a purpose for your household and what could be thrown away or gifted onwards. Once you’ve decluttered, keep similar items together to make it easier to always find them. You can then also point family members towards these defined ‘zones’ and gently suggest “look with your eyes, not with your mouth!” to get yourself off a familiar hook.

A place for everything The goal is for everything to have a dedicated place to ‘live’ so even if you and your household members aren’t

naturally tidy, a short burst of sorting and re-homing will return your space to one you can think straight in. If you’re working and schooling from home, allocate a box for study or work materials which you can use to clear away the dining table each evening and reset the home to relaxation mode. Consider what items you use regularly and their location. Countertops, surfaces and any shelving or cupboard space you can access without overstretching or bending down for is ‘prime property.’ Dedicate this valuable space to storing items your household uses on a regular basis. If you have children who you want to be more involved in the household tasks, make sure the crockery and cutlery they would need to help lay the table are within their safe reach.

Paperwork piles: - Remove bulky items first: phone directories,

catalogues, manuals and magazines to see the immediate progress. Almost all of this is available online these days. - Flip the stack upside down to reveal the (usually) older correspondence. This end of the pile should be easier to let go of as it is more likely to be outdated. - Divide into simple “keep” and “ditch” initially. Don’t dwell on it, you can review the “keep” papers again later but you’ll have already made that project more manageable. - Don't over-classify. Make sure you don’t spend longer lovingly filing in alphabetical or chronological order or labelling folders compared to the time you’d spend potentially sifting through a broader “Car stuff ” file if you ever need to find the MOT certificate. If it seems daunting or is too emotional reviewing your belongings with loved ones, I can help; I’m a professional organiser and declutterer and run my own company: SortMySpace Ltd. I’m conducting virtual consultations for new clients whilst adhering to the latest government guidelines and procedures for a limited number of onsite sessions at this time.

Contact katherine@sortmyspace.co.uk or 07914 612531. Quote “South Londoner” for a 20% discount on your virtual consultation.

may 2021

the home edition

Playing the market

Raising Ravers neon leopard rave bomber

Symz Macdonald

Wee Clothing

Ben Bush photography

Brixton

ou’ll find over 40 makers, designers and unique brands under one roof at the Department store in Brixton, this month. The two-day Designers and Makers Market is a one-stop shop for art, interiors, textiles, clothing, t-shirts, candles, jewellery, sustainable children’s wear, a gin bar and plenty more. The Designers and Makers Market is on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 May from 11am-5:30pm at the Department Store, 248 Ferndale Road, SW9 8FR. Admission: free. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/142246748855

The Boob Pot Company

Corinne Alexander homewares

Earrings at Dear Katiopae

Boudoir Candles art deco skyscraper candles

Pieces of the Puzzle jigsaws

Brixton Botanical Rum

Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. ~ William Morris

Engage Katherine Blackler to help you to consciously create a calm, welcoming and organised space to live or work in 3 key steps 1. Declutter your physical space

Get in touch today:

I’ll help you tackle the jobs you’ve been hiding from; whether it’s organising one cupboard, one room or the entire house.

katherine@sortmyspace.co.uk 07914 612531 sortmyspace.co.uk @sortmyspaceuk

2. Organise & store your belongings I’ll create systems and processes that work for you and your family. I’ll optimise your space by devising space-saving storage products or display solutions.

3. Redesign your head space I’ll encourage you to focus mindfully on redesigning your environment, allowing you to gain more clarity on what’s important in your life and what you can let go of.

the home edition

may 2021

Light touch ―

Laura Burgoine

A playful and innovative approach to extensions and design

in addition to a number of social housing projects. Tim studied at Oxford Brookes University, the Bauhaus Universtat and the University of Westminster, where he was awarded the RIBA dissertation prize. He also taught at UCA Canterbury and University of Reading and continues to write on architecture and the practice of architecture for academic quarterlies, architectural journals and international design magazines. Nimtim, The Old Stable House, Unit 4, 53-55 North Cross Road, SE22 9ET. Phone: 0208 693 0878. www.nimtim.co.uk

Nimtim

ast Dulwich architectural practice nimtim has been going from strength to strength since its inception in 2014. Director and co-founder Nimi Attanayake is a UK qualified architect, since 2008, and a qualified garden and landscape designer. She has worked for some of London’s most highly regarded practices including Penoyre & Prasad and Hawkins/ Brown where she was a project architect for Corby Cube and other significant developments like Metropolitan Wharf in Wapping. Most recently Nimi was project architect on the multi-million-pound Duke Street redevelopment in Mayfair for Grosvenor Estates. Director and co-founder Tim O'Callaghan, also a UK qualified architect since 2008, has worked at OMA in Rotterdam and David Chipperfield architects in London. Prior to setting up nimtim architects, Tim was senior architect at RCKa, where he was project architect for the RIBA award-winning TNG Youth Centre in Lewisham

CORK HOUSE, Lewisham 

HIVE HOUSE, Lewisham 

A rear extension and loft conversion to a modest Victorian terrace house. The project evolved through a process of co-creation with the clients: a graphic designer and photography agent along with their two young children. The extension is clad internally and externally with cork that complements the existing brickwork on the original house and will weather to a silvery-grey over time. The cork absorbs noise internally, is breathable, free from synthetic resins, chemicals or harmful materials and is fully compostable/ recyclable. Pink window frames provide a flash of colour against the dark cork. Internally a pale grey resin floor finish allows a continuous surface over both horizontal and vertical floor surfaces with crisp edges. Throughout the house including the new loft level with master suite and renovated first floor the project is defined by bold colours and patterns reflecting the playfulness of both design team and clients. Cork House was shortlisted for the AJ Small Projects award 2019.

A simple but effective stepped rear extension on an Edwardian terrace house for its sociable, book-loving owners. The design is influenced by a modest budget but also a shared vision to create something unpretentious but materially and spatially rich. A timber structure of exposed structural plywood was used for the extension to reduce steelwork costs and provide something that could act as both structure and exposed internal storage. This lightweight timber grid was then draped in a skin of red brick to provide external cladding and robustness where required. Doors and windows are a simple dark grey aluminium frame, the fascias above are patinated lead over external plywood and the floor and worktops are a cast concrete. Kitchen fronts and storage are formed in structural ply to match the exposed new structure. The result is a light-filled family living space that is both modern but also comfortable sitting alongside the main house.

may 2021

the home edition

HUTCH HOUSE, Southwark  Dramatic roofs form a rear extension for an Edwardian terraced house in a Conservation Area, which met the needs of both the clients and their pet rabbits. The existing house is an Edwardian end-ofterrace close to the river Thames, inspired by English vernacular architecture when designed by Alfred Salter - a pioneering doctor and liberal MP in the early 20th century. Internally, arches between different spaces create soft thresholds and echo the openings on the original front elevation; they also house in-built joinery concealing a utility area and additional storage. A soft warm material palette was chosen to compliment the strong roof form. A traditional new oak parquet floor is laid at the front of the house and transitions onto a honed porcelain tiled floor in the kitchen and onto a hammered finish externally. The walls are two-toned in warm off-white hues and sit above the recessed exposed oak skirting.

“The proposals also needed to consider the clients’ two pet rabbits, who enjoy digging and nibbling timber skirting boards” A HOUSE AND A GARDEN, Tulse HilL  A sensitive rear and side extension to create a better connection between this early 20th Century semi-detached house and its mature garden. Inside the new living space, large glazed pivot doors frame the garden and allow the space to be opened to the outside in summer. A large picture window onto the garden is framed by deep timber mullions that provide privacy and reduce overlooking from the neighbours. A slot roof light over the

PITCH PERFECT, Southwark  A playful addition to a 1960s house that uses natural light to create a magical kitchen for a food stylist and her young family. The house forms part of a terrace of identical houses close to Nunhead Cemetery. Nimtim proposed a full width rear extension with a sunken living space stepping up to a raised kitchen and patio area to connect more naturally to the existing ground level. Practically it allowed for a new floor

with underfloor heating to be included without any excavation works. A new compact shower room and under stair utility storage completed the brief. Birch plywood is used extensively as internal panelling, bespoke joinery and kitchen cabinetry. The floor is poured concrete and meets the internal exposed light grey blockwork rear elevation wall. White formica faced plywood is used for the kitchen and island worktop and handmade monochromatic Bert and May tiles form the kitchen splash back.

kitchen and a glazed roof to the side extension flood the new space with natural light. Internally, the exposed timber structure of the roof draws the eye to the timber louvres and the garden beyond. The terracotta tiled floor allows a soft demarcation between inside and out. Finnish plywood coated in a white translucent surface is used for the kitchen cabinetry. An Italian marble with veins of rust running through a grey/ white background was chosen for the kitchen worktops and island.

may 2021

the home edition

A marble-clad masterpiece for East Dulwich ―

Laura Burgoine

chool pals Richard Alexander Bridges and James Owen Webster began their careers working for renowned architect Lord Norman Foster on projects including Wembley Stadium, Edinburgh’s Quartmile Masterplan, the Index Tower in Dubai, and Copenhagen Zoo’s Elephant House, as well as bespoke houses all over the world. They’ve been running their own practice Alexander Owen Architecture since 2013 and are currently based in Peckham Levels.

AO Architecture

Studio 311, Level 3, Peckham Levels, 95A Rye Lane, SE15 4ST. Phone: 07941 692 625. Aoarchitecture.co.uk

AO Architecture added a marble-clad extension and garden room to this Victorian mid-terrace in East Dulwich to accommodate a home office and a well-stocked bar. The owners, a couple with three young sons, wanted a place to entertain and ample space to spend time together as a family. The architects created a single-storey rear extension that adds 13.3 square metres and accommodates an open-plan kitchen, utility room and toilet, plus a 16-square-metre annexe that serves as a work and social space. Separated by a paved garden, the facade of the extension and garden room are clad in two types of precision-cut marble: a lighter version with hazier veining called Arabescato and a dark grey Bardiglio

marble with a more structured finish. The kitchen is finished with stainless steel worktops, while a set of sliding doors with Accoya wood frames opens the kitchen and dining space up to the outside. The garden room is glazed with a set of bi-folding windows and a pivoting door. Alexander Owen Architecture chose robust, low-maintenance surfaces for the kitchen extension, including a poured concrete floor, stainless steel island unit, shot-blasted pewter brick walls and a timber ceiling. Since the pandemic hit, the architects have observed a marked increase in clients wanting to create a home office space.

the home edition

may 2021

Design for life ― Laura Burgoine

How to reconfigure your home for more space, work, sustainability and post-pandemic life

Unfold Architecture

nce the Covid-19 pandemic shifted work online for many workers, the divide between home and office became unmistakably blurred. During this time, Mark Darnell, director at Unfold Architecture and Design, experienced a rise in demand from homeowners eager to extend and reconfigure their homes. The increase in interest is not only due to residents noticing improvements that could be made as they spent more time at home but also people demanding more functionality from their properties during the pandemic, he said. Peckham-based firm Unfold Architecture and Design has been catering extensively to the south-east London market since 2017. The architect and his team specialise in residential property renovations and home extensions. Unfold approaches each project on an individual basis, working with each client to understand how they intend to live in and use their homes. This plays a vital part in preparing the initial design brief for the project that forms the basis from which the design evolves. For example, if the desire is for an open-plan kitchen-living space with a lot of natural light, the inclination may be to maximise the amount of glazing wherever possible. Although natural light may be the aim, expansive glazing could lead to problems such as overheating in the summer or the opposite during the winter unless designed with careful consideration with the house’s site-specific conditions taken into account. Also consider incorporating a cosier snug away from the larger open-plan area and if space allows, a separate utility room for noisier kitchen appliances. “Often when planning an extension, the thought is the ‘bigger the better’, but the more you extend the darker you may make the central part of the existing house. It’s not always the best solution to extend out as far as you can in every direction. By including plans to reconfigure part (or all) of the existing house you can make it work much better for you.” Unfold often integrates modern extensions into Victorian terrace houses, which Mark said usually works better than trying to recreate period styles to suit an open plan style of living. “London’s Victorian and Georgian housing stock were designed with generous room sizes and well-proportioned large sliding sash windows, which is the reason why these are still desirable places to live when compared to some new-build developments.

Mixing the styles when adding to these buildings clearly defines what's original and new but needs to be done in a considerate manner.” Gaining planning approval for a well-proportioned and well-designed home extension is usually a relatively straightforward process, but clients should be aware of more stringent planning restrictions that apply within Conservation Areas frequently encountered across London. In these areas, you’ll likely be able to extend to the rear of your property, but careful attention will need to be given to relevant local conservation area guidance. Not only should people be making plans for their post-pandemic homes but also considering future proofing and upgrading the existing fabric of their homes, and where possible using sustainably sourced materials. There are a number of ‘easy wins’ to do this (and some more invasive ones) but a holistic approach should be taken when refurbishing and extending in this way to ensure the end result is a comfortable and energy efficient home for many years to come. For more information on Unfold Architecture and Design, phone: 0203 519 2182. www.un-fold.co.uk Instagram @unfoldarchitecture

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The Home Edition

may 2021

LOCALLY SOURCED Seasonal pickings

q Character Oak and oxidised steel dining table. Custom built dining tables to any size and specification. Typically between £2,500-£4,000. Unit 2, Iyz House, 7 Spa Road, SE16 3QP. Phone: 020 7237 7831. https://goldfinchfurniture.co.uk

may 2021

Books

From Diego Rivera’s muse to zombie ghoul ―

Michael Holland

Author Richard Heller’s fascinating journey from the US to South America before Bermondsey became home

ichard Heller is a New Yorker but when his father was grassed up to the House of Un-American Activities Committee for his socialist beliefs he moved the family to Mexico just before the subpoena arrived. Heller Snr was CEO of CBS and worked with broadcasting greats such as Edward R. Murrow in the early days of television, so once he had escaped across the border he helped set up Mexican television with the help of Dolores Del Rio, a big star at the time. Richard was still young but remembers that his next door neighbours in Mexico City were Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, the country’s celebrated husband and wife artists. “Rivera did a sketch of me playing in the garden and gave it to my father, but it was stolen, so if you ever see a Diego Rivera come on the market, of a child in a garden, it’s me and it’s mine!” He laughed loudly, showing that he didn’t take life too seriously. In 1954 it was time for the Hellers to move on. America was still not an option but a BBC correspondent told Richard’s father, “commercial TV is just starting in Britain and nobody knows how to run a commercial station, so come over and there will be an opening for you.” This move was a shock to the six-year-old boy who had been living an affluent lifestyle in South America but now found himself in grey, war-torn London. “I thought we had got poor overnight,” he recalls. “There was bomb damage and rationing and a vast difference to our life in Mexico.” Being the child of socialists he was sent to a state school, which was not a happy place for Richard, so, against their rigid principles, his parents sent him to Sussex House, a private school. Aged 18 and still an American citizen when the Vietnam War came along, Richard had to present himself at the US Embassy to register for the draft. Asked if he had any military experience, the teen replied, “I was in the school cadet force and have an Army Proficiency Certificate.” The Americans’ response was

to immediately promote Richard to officer rank, which he jokes about now. “So this boy with a thick British accent would take charge of an enraged platoon and give motivating speeches like, “Okay, Chaps, we can win this bloody war”. They’d have killed me quicker than the Vietcong!” Richard decided it was time to become a British citizen as England was where his life was, and the Hellers only returned to the US to visit relatives. Thinking of those trips took Richard back, he says “My rich Aunt Joan nearly became Scarlet O’Hara but instead became famous for playing Lois Lane in the radio version of Superman, and then a regular on the panel show The Name’s The Same.” I sensed that Richard was happier talking about his relations than himself, and as fascinating as it was to hear tales of an uncle introducing the VW Beetle to the States, and his father bringing Dave Allen to a British TV audience, I needed him back on track. After school he went to Oxford to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics though only remembers winging the academic work at Balliol College while

writing the Christmas panto. “You really didn’t have to work that hard,” he reveals. “Which was Boris Johnson’s secret, too,” he adds with a glint in his eye as he tries to steer the conversation away from him and on to one of his pet hates. “And I’m pretty much still writing the Balliol Pantomime 60 years later,” he laughs. Ten years in the Civil Service led to Richard becoming chief of staff to Denis Healey where he tells a tale of almost managing to make Tony Benn the party leader. “I was just one week away from changing history!” Deciding politics was not for him, Richard had hopes of being a writer so took off with a handful of film scripts to make his fortune in Hollywood. Alas, his only paid work there was on Cycle Sluts Versus The Zombie Ghouls. Richard was sacked for suggesting one of the flesh-eating zombies could be vegetarian: “You have not respected the artistic integrity of Cycle Sluts,” yelled the producer with not an iota of irony. Back in England he worked on Gerald Kaufman’s team (then Shadow Home Secretary), but was again dismissed for writing an article in the Times attacking Labour’s defense policy. This career faux pas, however,

led to several newspapers offering Richard work, and he accepted the Mail on Sunday’s offer “because they were paying more money.” I began to question Richard’s socialism but he assured me that the MoS was a different paper in those days, before revealing his role in trying to oust Thatcher! And while all this bringing down of governments was going on, Richard lived in South London and eventually ended up in a former Victorian school in Bermondsey that he calls home. It is where he continues to post tweets and write books. His latest, The Prisoner of Rubato Towers, documents his lockdown experience. He kindly signed a copy for me and the praise on the back cover was more than impressive: ‘There is nothing to match this in world literature,’ ‘Richard Heller is the Raffles of comic literature, the elegant burglar of wit and fantasy.’ I have read the book and it does what it says on the cover. The Prisoner of Rubato Towers is published by Xerus Publishing and available at: www.richardheller.co.uk

The Biscuit is back this May

history

may 2021

A Bermondsey tulip tribute to Ada ― Kit Heren

reener Bermondsey has published an Ada Tulip Walk, which maps out the tulips planted in schools, estates, community gardens and churchyards across Bermondsey and Rotherhithe. The Ada in question is Ada Salter: Labour mayor of the metropolitan borough of Bermondsey from 1922 and founder of the Beautification Committee in 1920. At the time, life in Bermondsey was tough for many people, who often lived close together in slum-like conditions. Ada, who moved to the area with her husband, the brilliant doctor Alfred, around the turn of the 20th century, was a socialist and a tireless campaigner for the rights of working people. She believed that improving the environment was key to improving local people’s health and quality of life. Her Beautification Committee, whose motto was “fresh air and fun”, aimed to transform any available space into a garden of some kind, filled with trees and plants. Anyone who wanted plants and compost could have them for free, according to social housing historian John Boughton. The committee ended up planting 9,000 trees and 60,000 plants. About 70 miles of streets were lined with trees, out of 80 miles in the borough, according to Boughton. One of Ada’s preferred trees was the Tree of Heaven, which can thrive amid polluted conditions more readily than other species. There were some 383 in the borough by the late 1920s. Although the lifespan of the Tree of Heaven is about 70-100 years, some of the original trees still survive. Some people balked at the scale of the committee’s ambition, but Ada’s retort was that much of the work was being done by local people who were out of work. As well as being a beautification scheme, it was a public infrastructure programme that brought employment to the area. Some of the more ambitious plans did not come to anything, like a winter garden that Boughton said was slated to encourage “healthful exercise and bodily development.” But the scheme was a huge success overall: the Observer commented in 1931 that “outside the Royal Parks it would be difficult to find anywhere such masses of colour.” In autumn 2020, more than 2,000 Bermondsey and Rotherhithe residents planted over 10,000 tulip bulbs in memory of Ada, as part of the nonpartisan Greener Bermondsey group. The Mayor of Southwark also took part in the planting at the

Tulips planted in honour of the 100th anniversary of a radical plan to improve the health and happiness of people in Bermondsey are in full bloom for spring

Bricklayers Arms and the Dickens Estate in west Bermondsey. “For us at Greener Bermondsey, the best part of the project was how ready so many others were to join it, people we have never met before the lockdown. In the end, over 2000 people volunteered to plant bulbs. I think that’s the real tribute to Ada,” said Project Lead for Project #ADA100 Anna Bayraktar. “There is something about Ada Salter that speaks to everyone. She knew ‘green’ was good for people. And when she was told ‘no’, she found a way to make it happen anyway.” Following meetings throughout the lockdown period, Bermondsey ward councillor Humaira Ali, said “residents cited housing, crime and the climate emergency as their top three topics.” “[Bermondsey ward councillors] Damian, William and I came together with some brilliant people to found Greener Bermondsey, a nonpolitical group with an open invitation to all residents to help lower the carbon footprint of Bermondsey. Let’s get Bermondsey on the map in the 21st century for yet another great reason.” Greener Bermondsey hopes to take on more projects in the future to make the area a cleaner place to live, and ultimately aims to make Bermondsey one of the lowest-carbon areas in the country. Ada died in 1942 after she and Alfred were bombed out of their home earlier that year in the Second World War. Her legacy remains visible in the Ada Salter Garden in Southwark Park and the memorial to her and Alfred by the Angel pub in Rotherhithe, as well as the many tree-lined streets and green spaces of Bermondsey. For more information about the walk, visit Greener Bermondsey: https://sites.google.com/ view/greenerbermondsey/home

Until 17th May 2021

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18th May- 30th June 2021

SAVER PRICES

OVER 62s

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18-21S

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BARRY KITCHENER UPPER

£450

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£425

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£430

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£410

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ZAMPA’S FAMILY STAND*

£350

£185

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COLD BLOW LANE UPPER

£370

£230

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£360

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ADULTS

OVER 62s

ARMED FORCES

18-21S

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UNDER 12s

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BARRY KITCHENER UPPER

£495

£292

£193

£110

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£468

£286

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£473

£286

£193

£110

£55

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£451

£248

£193

£110

£55

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ZAMPA’S FAMILY STAND*

£385

£204

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£110

£55

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£407

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£193

£110

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£396

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OVER 62s

ARMED FORCES

18-21S

UNDER 18s

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UNDER 12s

UNDER 6s

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£560

£330

£200

£110

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£520

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DOCKERS UPPER

£540

£315

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£110

£55

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DOCKERS LOWER

£500

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£110

£55

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ZAMPA’S FAMILY STAND*

£420

£220

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£110

£55

£30

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£460

£290

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£450

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*Purchasing restrictions apply in Zampa’s Family Stand. Visit millwalltickets.com for more information.

Benefits Include:

We’re back! From the TV to The Den. From the code to the card. From the kitchen to the concourse. From the sofa to the stands. From the door to the roar. From the garden to the pitch. From watching alone... To being

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history

may 2021

There will be mud ― Kevin Quinn

A proposed Thames museum on the south bank of the river would use the foreshore as a classroom and offer daily guided tours and the chance to get your hands dirty

new, beautifully illustrated book tells the captivating story of London and its inhabitants through an extraordinary assortment of artefacts discovered by mudlarks along the banks of the River Thames. But they’re not stopping there; the licensed London larkers are now on the hunt for a site to house the city’s first Thames museum. In recent years, the trustees of the proposed museum have exhibited in the Oxo Tower and the Tate Modern – and they are eager to find a home on the south bank. Twice a day as the murky tidal waters of the river slowly recede, the exposed riverbed becomes the longest archaeological site in Britain. Unique, historically significant artefacts are continually being found here, and the Thames Museum would be a place for academics, visitors and school children to research and learn from these extraordinary finds. Currently the treasures are kept in numerous places from the Museum of London to a mudlark’s home or shed. And some of the most fascinating finds are rarely getting a showing. “Hands-on history will be the most important aspect of the Thames Museum,” says Nick Stevens, who alongside fellow mudlark Steve Brooker, conceived of the idea. “So, the museum would be ideally located along the river with daily guided tours using the foreshore as a classroom, designed for people to get their hands dirty and discover archaeology for themselves.” “The Thames Museum’s collections will be forever changing. With new discoveries being made on a daily basis, each visit will be different from the last. Visitors who participate in the tours of the foreshore will be able to add to the museum’s collections themselves.” Nick, a professional photographer who readers may recognise from the History Channel’s Mud Men, teamed up a with fellow member of the Society of Thames Mudlarks, Jason Sandy, to release their book

p Roman coin from Emperor Constantius Gallus

p 17 Century traders token

p Mesolithic 'Thames Pick' flint adze

Thames Mudlarking: Searching for London’s Lost Treasures last month. The book is packed with 160 incredible photographs of intriguing objects discovered by over 50 mudlarks. Each offers a clue to the past and gives us a glimpse at London from Megalodon teeth to Roman coins, Georgian shoe buckles and shrapnel from the Blitz. London only became a city because of the river, which took people and goods from its shores out to the sea and across the globe. When London was the largest port in the world, the congested river was filled with ships and boats of all sizes, from large ocean-going vessels to small rowboats with watermen transporting passengers from one side of the river to the other. For eleven continuous miles in

London, both sides of the river were densely packed with docks, wharves, warehouses, shipbuilding yards, shipbreaking yards, fish markets, factories, breweries, slaughterhouses, taverns and public houses. The active and vibrant riverfront was home to countless watermen, lightermen, stevedores, dockworkers, sailors, merchants, fishermen, fishmongers, oyster wives, shipbuilders, shipbreakers and mudlarks themselves. “We have well over 100,000 artefacts but not all are ever on display at the same time and the wonderful thing about them is they are often in pristine condition,” Jason Sandy explained. “Over the past 2,000 years countless objects have been intentionally discarded or accidentally dropped into the Thames. These lost objects have been protected and preserved

in the dense, anaerobic mud, which is oxygen-free, so when we find them they are in the same condition as they were when they were dropped in. Some might not have moved from the very spot in which they were discarded.” To go mudlarking in London, you need a mandatory Thames Foreshore Permit from the Port of London Authority. All objects over 300 years old must be reported to the Museum of London. Mudlarks arrange regular appointments with the Finds Liaison Officer at the Museum of London who records the artefacts on the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS). More information about this exciting project can be found on the website: www.thamesmuseum.org

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love letter

may 2021

So what made you want to set up your latest studio in south London?

A love letter to South London ―

Flying Fantastic was driven by the idea that everyone needed a little circus in their lives. It’s difficult to find venues with high enough ceilings in London, so when the Peckham venue became available, we couldn't believe our luck that the perfect space was in such a great location. Peckham has a very unique vibe and feels like a good place to try things - adding circus into the mix just seemed to be a good fit!

Cara Cummings

del Wigan started Flying Fantastic, London’s only dedicated aerial fitness school, with husband Chris in 2011. Their state of the art Peckham studio offers aerial yoga classes and a range of in-the-air circus skills training sessions. Edel shares her favourite south London spots including an unexpected Wimbledon dance floor...

Favourite south London restaurant? Persepolis, Peckham - if you haven’t been - go! - or Patara in Wimbledon. They have amazing purple dumplings. There’s always a lovely vibe in Westland Coffee & Wine at Mountview, too. Best south London bar? Where to start with favourite bars and pubs! The Bussey Rooftop Bar Peckham, The Old Frizzle in Wimbledon… I love how a dance floor casually appears in there. I miss dancing so much at the moment. I’ll dance anywhere! Top park tips? Every Tuesday I try to take my toddler on an "adventure". Cannizaro Park is very pretty. Morden Hall Park has something special all year round. Wimbledon Common is great for getting lost in. Oh and Richmond Park, if you can get there early enough not to be run down by cyclists! Where do you shop in the area? I love the chance to go shopping in some of the independent clothes shops in Brixton like Bella West. I spend a lot of time in leggings, so I’ve also been trying hard to source more ethically produced leggings from companies like Posto9, a sustainable fitness wear company.

Have any fellow south Londoners been an inspiration in chasing your dreams? At the risk of sounding cheesy, my other half Chris has been my inspiration and my partner in crime in all this. We moved to Argentina for a year in 2010, found aerial silks by accident and here we are years later doing our best to make sure everyone has access to a little circus in their lives! How has south London changed since you’ve lived here? Whilst the high street seems to have become more generic, there is a wider range of different types of businesses around which is always exciting. I love all the outdoor summer gigs that usually happen and the huge variety of immersive experiences like Secret Cinema, or events in the Battersea Arts Centre. I love that south London is always changing. There are new businesses, pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and pop ups appearing all the time. I’m always really rooting for a new business when it opens as I appreciate the blood, sweat and tears that will have gone into it. How would you describe south Londoners in a nutshell? Showed up. Got involved. Finally: what’s the one place, thing or activity on our side of the river that everyone should try at least once? Mercato metropolitano in Elephant and Castle. Love that place! Flying Fantastic, 1 Bellenden Road, SE15 5BA. Phone: 020 7639 2556. www.flyingfantastic.co.uk

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