Urban Fox - December 2019 by Community Matters Media Ltd

TA L E S F R O M S O U T H L O N D O N December 2019

Issue 5

Lalalalala

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December 2019

Issue 5

TA L E S F R O M S O U T H L O N D O N

Come fly with me The dynamic duo taking Peckham to new heights

6-7: Flying Fantastic founders, Chris and Edel Wigan

25-47: Our curated pick of festive trimmings

Editor’s Letter

Laura Burgoine

elcome to the December edition of the Urban Fox, our monthly love letter to south London. Locals Chris Mullany and Kevin Quinn have

been at the helm of London’s last paid-for independent local paper, the Southwark News, since 2002. The Fox is their latest creation. In this issue, Cara Cummings gets swept off her feet at Flying Fantastic’s newest aerial studio in Peckham. We countdown to Christmas with a round-up of festive markets, theatre and pantos, and events in your neighbourhood. And, as always, we go out on the town with Brixton Buzz’s Mike Urban, star-gazing with the

22: From the woman who brought you the New Zealand Wine Cellar, comes Laundry in Brixton

Royal Observatory Greenwich, into the garden with Jackie Power, and into the mind with life coach Carrie Brooks.

5 Home Secretary: Our curated pick of the month

Follow the Fox as we bring you all the latest stories and

6-7 Local Faces: Flying Fantastic swings into SE15

goings on around town.

8-13 South London Sounds: Your local gig guide

About us Editor Writers

15-17 South London Larder: Food news and Brixton’s hottest new restaurant

Laura Burgoine Cara Cummings, Katherine Johnston, Michael Holland Cover Photography Hakob Muradyan Marketing Tammy Jukes, Clarry Frewin, Lorraine Wood, Katie Boyd, Samantha Ratcliffe Media Partnerships Anthony Phillips Design Aurelio Medina, Ann Gravesen Finance Emrah Zeki Managing Directors Chris Mullany, Kevin Quinn Contact us Email enquiries@urbanfox.london Phone 020 7231 5258 Printed by Iliffe Print Published by Southwark Newspaper Ltd

20 South London Hemisphere: Greenwich astronomer explores the galaxy

25-47 The Final Countdown: Your festive season in the south

27 Family: Where to meet Santa this month

50 Wellbeing: Survive the stress of the silly season

53 Home Turf: Jackie Power gets tangled up in ivy and holly

56-60 Homeward bound: All eyes on Old Kent Road Our next issue hits the streets in January. Contact us to get involved: enquiries@urbanfox.london or 0207 232 1639

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Home Secretary

The local line-up for your diary O COME ALL YE FEARLESS...

Calling all shivery Santas: the Brockwell Lido Christmas Day swim is back! If the thought of spending all day with your relatives is enough to make you want to dive headfirst into a freezing outdoor pool, book your place now - and bask in an extra special glow, as all proceeds go to charity. And fancy dress..? Actively encouraged. Jingle bells!

25 December, 9am-10.15am, Brockwell Lido. £5 tickets must be purchased in advance.

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT BATTERSEA’S BIG APPLE

Mark the dawn of a new decade in style at Evolution’s ultra-decadent New Year’s Eve bash in the heart of Battersea Park. The New Yorkthemed soiree features a four course dinner, onsite fun fair, a late-night casino and DJs until 3am. Glad rags mandatory.

31 December, 7.30pm-3.00am, Evolution London, Chelsea Bridge Gate, SW8 4NW. Tickets £190. www.smartparties.co.uk

BAKE OFF, XMAS STYLE

Nothing says Christmas like freshly baked treats - and sparks flying in the kitchen. Unleash your inner Mary Berry at the Big London Bake’s special festive contests throughout December, where you and a teammate can face off against other amateur bakers all hoping to be crowned The Winner. Never fear: a pro baker will be dishing out tips on how to avoid soggy bottoms…

38 Tooting High Street, SW17 ORG. £45 including all ingredients. www.thebiglondonbake.com

CHRISTMAS MOVIES - SUPERSIZED

GET YOUR WREATH ON

What’s more festive than kicking back to watch a Christmas film? Exploring an immersive winter wonderland en route, that’s what. Backyard Cinema ’s latest yuletide experience promises a secret snowcovered world of Victorian shops, a hidden festive food court and even a magical ball pit river - all before you settle in to screenings of classics including Home Alone, Love Actually and Elf. Why Wandsworth, you’re really spoiling us.

Capital Studios, Wandsworth, SW18 1ET. Tickets from £18.99. www.backyardcinema.co.uk

Handy crafters, assemble: Balham favourite The Devonshire are hosting a wreath making workshop that’ll have your neighbours Rudolph-red with envy every time they spy your door. Tickets include a welcome drink, three hours of tips from Wimbledon florists Gray and Greenery and all the materials you’ll need to bring your festive foliage vision to life. Backyard Cinema

4 December, 39 Balham High Road, SW12 9AN. £60. www.devonshirebalham.co.uk

...And for those already Christmased out

Praise be for The Southbank Centre, keeping us sane with two MEGA announcements without a reindeer antler in sight:

Phoebe Waller-Bridge talks Fleabag

Arguably the most famous woman of the year will grace the Southbank Centre for just one night this month, to mark the publication of her script compilation Fleabag: The Scriptures. Hosted by Guilty Feminist podcast host Deborah Frances-White, it’s an exclusive UK appearance for the elusive Waller-Bridge. Ergo: beg, borrow or steal for tickets.

8 December, 7.45pm, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX. £30-£50. www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Grace Jones to curate Meltdown 2020

Disco fans, your prayers have been answered: diva extraordinaire Grace Jones will be in the driving seat for next June’s nine-day music festival on Southbank. “It’s about time I was asked to darling, don’t you think?” was her official response. Icon incoming.

12-21 June 2020, Southbank. #MeltdownFest

URBAN FOX 7

Local Faces

Up, up and away By Cara Cummings First things first - what is aerial fitness? Anything that gets you in the air and gets you fit! We do a number of traditional circus disciplines and try and bring them in to the mainstream things like aerial silks, which is lengths of material hanging from the roof where you can climb up, wrap yourself in knots and then let go and do drops, figures and tricks; through to rope, aerial hoop and trapeze. Our static trapeze class involves using two ropes connected with a bar, whilst our aerial hoop is a large metal ring and involves lots of spinning. It’s great for creating sequences and flows of different movements, figures and shapes. Why work out in the air? Fundamentally, using your body as levers to haul around in the air is going to get you fit. It’s an incredible workout for your upper body, your core and your legs. The fact that your bloodflow is having to change direction because you’re upside down is very good for your circulation - it wakes the whole system up. If you look at things like aerial yoga, there are some specific health benefits like decompression of the spine. It’s fantastic for depression as well because you have to concentrate 100%. Even if you’ve had a helluva day, when you get on the apparatus you switch off all your other worries and give this your full attention. You step away from your problems. It’s gravitational mindfulness. The exciting bit for me is falling through the air and completely defying gravity. It’s so exhilarating. Honestly, it gives me goosebumps every time. How did you discover aerial fitness? In 2008 my wife and I moved to South America to work for some charities. One day in Buenos Aires, I went looking for a gym and ended up at a small

8 URBAN FOX

London’s hottest fittest craze is coming to Peckham: Flying Fantastic aerial fitness. As their fifth studio opens, the Urban Fox sits down for an exclusive Q&A with founder and ‘Ringmaster’ Chris Wigan.

warehouse. There were crash mats all over the floor - you know that something exciting happens where there’s crash mats - and a load of ropes and material hanging from the roof, which was all completely alien to me. I’m not a gymnast; I’ve never done acrobatics. In my first class, we were all sat on the floor trying to touch our toes and I was about a foot higher than everyone else. They were all there in lycra, and I was in rugby shorts; it was all very embarrassing. But I loved it. I started going three times a week and it was hard - muscles hurt that you never realise you had, and you get the odd bump and bruise because that’s the nature of hurtling yourself around in the air. But

after about a month - and I’m not a particularly vain bloke - I looked in the mirror and suddenly thought: ‘Woah - abs! Where did they come from?’ Why should fitness fans try Flying Fantastic? We always say: anyone can come and give this a go. You don’t need to be classically trained with gymnastic background; we do all we can to make it as accessible as possible. If you can’t get on the apparatus, we will lower the apparatus. Our classes are flexible, so you can come and go whenever you want. We run all levels of classes - in a typical class of 12, we have two trainers working so that no matter who turns up, or whatever level you’re at, we’ll have students who are there or thereabouts too and a dedicated trainer looking after you. It’s a really sociable activity. You’re always working with a buddy partner and you’re relying on them as much as they’re relying on you. It’s not competitive; circus generally has a really supportive atmosphere and there’s such a nice sense of everyone helping everyone else out. What’s the best thing about helping people fly? The bit that I love is that people always exceed their expectations. It sounds very cheesy but I genuinely get goosebumps when people overcome their fears. Inverting in the air is a big deal - it takes something both mental and physical, and that’s a really big thing. When we get people coming to us who haven’t inverted, or who have maybe been coming for a couple of weeks and they can’t quite do it - when they get it, there is always whoops and cheers from the studio. It’s so supportive. That’s really, really rewarding.

Five classes for £65 launch offer. Studio at: Unit 1 Bellenden Road Retail Park, SE15 5BA. www.flyingfantastic.co.uk

Local Faces

““

Fundamentally, using your body as levers to haul around in the air is going to get you fit. It’s an incredible workout for your upper body, your core and your legs.

Photos by Hakob Muradyan

URBAN FOX 9

Read more at brixtonbuzz.com

Burlesque

Happy Queermas

Queen Bitch NYE

NYE at Hootananny

performances, aerobic workouts and an extreme game of pass the parcel.

Shake off the mince pie blubber with a shirt-ripping night of jungle, ragga, DnB and dancehall as Serum, Ed Solo, Deekline, Ray Keith and Phibes mash up the dancefloor, backed by residents Jessi G and Acee, with Flex FM’s Rasta Fou busying himself with dub and reggae in room two.

Tues 31st Dec, SW2 NYE Mexflex at Barrio

See the New Year in with an onslaught of uplifting, melodic, disco-infused house music, courtesy of French house DJ/producer Folamour.

Fri 27th Dec, SW9 Burlesque at Courtesan

Tues 31st Dec, SW9 Queen Bitch NYE Pop Party at The Dogstar

69-73 Atlantic Road, Brixton SW9 8PU, 10pm, Free Tucked away in Atlantic Road, Courtesan’s striking interior recalls a backstreet Shanghai bar from the 1920s. Serving as a dim sum restaurant during the day, the venue transforms into an artistic speakeasy at night, hosting cabaret, live music, and a club night, with fiery Brazilian bombshell, Miss Cherry On Fire your exotic entertainer for the night.

89 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton SW9 8LQ, 10pm-4am, £5/£10 Last year’s QB party at the Effra Social broke all house records, so they’ve moved to the main room of the Dogstar for this beanfeast of party-sized disco bangers, pop thumpers, indie-slammers and arms in the air singalongs. Named after the David Bowie song, this LGBTQ+ friendly night promises a full on night of inclusiveness, fun, hedonism, boozing and partying, with DJs keeping the floor moving faster than a Vaseline power-slide. Expect booty shunters from the likes of Blur, AC/DC, Cyndi Lauper, Ariana, Blur, Fleetwood Mac, Dolly, Bon Jovi, Madonna, Bowie, Beyonce and Cher, plus videos, lasers, confetti cannons, balloon drops and surprises.

Fri 20th Dec, SW9 Jessua Ladybyrds at Habesha Restaurant & Bar 256 Brixton Road, Brixton, SW9 6AQ, 7pm-11.30pm, £12 Live session of jazz, blues and soul classics mixed with originals, courtesy of Jessua Ladybyrds featuring Helen McDonald from Brixton’s Future Groove. DJs Darkwood and Claudia (Pure Vinyl Brixton) serve up a cocktail of World Music club classics.

Sat 21st Dec, SW11 Grand Christmas Party at Clapham Grand 21-25 St John’s Hill, Clapham, SW11 1TT, 10.30pm-3am, £10 The Grand welcomes your worst Christmas jumpers in this full on, flipping bonkers, festive celebration with party bangers, back-to-back throwback tunes and Christmas classics.

Sat 21st Dec, SE19 Live Music at the Great Southern 79 Gipsy Hill, Upper Norwood, SE19 1QH, 8pm-1am, free Live music night at this recently refurbished pub formerly known as the Gypsy Hill Tavern.

Sun 22nd Dec, SW8 Tugboat Captain Xmas Bash at The Cavendish Arms 128 Hartington Road, SW8 2HJ, 6pm, free Bull and the Cold Fins join Tugboat Captain for a Christmas shindig at this delightfully eccentric venue.

Tues 24th Dec, SE27 Railway Christmas Eve Barbershop Chorus The Railway Tavern, 7 Station Rise, Tulse Hill, SE27 9BW, 5.30pm-9pm There’s going to be two performances of this heartwarming Barbershopstyle community choir, with kids taking part at 5:30pm and a more boozy one for the grown ups at 8pm. It was quite beautiful last year.

Thurs 26th Dec, SW9 Jungle Cakes at Jamm 261 Brixton Road, SW9 2LH, 10pm-5am, £22

Sat 28th Dec, SE11 Happy Queermas at Duckie Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, SE11 5HY, 9pm-4am, £8 Hosted by the effervescent Amy Lamé, this packed night mashes up indie/ pop dance with weird and wonderful cabaret acts. Taking to the stage tonight is Duckie L’Orange, a Berlin based performance artist with bonus puppetry.

Sun 29th Dec, SE17 Stroberload at Corsica Studios 5 Farrell Court, Elephant & Castle, SE17 1LB, 6am-6pm, £20 Get thoroughly warmed up for your NYE celebrations at this 12 hour, all-day session on the last Sunday of the year at Corsica Studios. Promising a bill of apocalyptic rave, punishing techno and EBM, expect the decks to resonate and rattle to the likes of Tommy Four Seven, The Horrorist, Manni Dee, Imnotyourmate and Raymundo Rodriguez.

Mon 30th Dec, SE11 Arthur West at Toulouse-Lautrec 140 Newington Butts, Kennington, SE11 4RN, 7.30pm-10.30pm, free Arthur West shimmies in his tinkling treasure house of New Orleans, Chicago and Harlem Stride piano stylings to Kennington.

30 Acre Lane, Brixton, SW2 5SG, 9pm-4am, £15 DJ Nacho Nacho Man brings a menu of cowbell assisted sing-along hip-hop, RnB, pop and Latin to this Mexican themed night.

Tues 31st Dec, SE15 Masquerade NYE at the Prince Of Peckham 1 Clayton Road, Peckham, SE15 5JA, 9pm-4am, £14 The Prince hosts a masquerade extravaganza, with resident selectors Art Dealer, Conrad, DJ Cupid and Luke Dwyer throwing down nowt but club classics, dancehall, hip hop, R&B and UK Garage. Maskaphobia sufferers be warned: all guests are required to don a mask.

Tues 31st Dec, SW4 NYE Disco at the Perky Nel 8 Cavendish Road, Clapham Common, SW4 9DW, 6pm-2am, free DJs spinning disco tunes at this admirably free NYE bash at the former Gigalum venue by Clapham Common.

Tues 31st Dec, SW9 Folamour at Phonox 418 Brixton Road, SW9 7AY, 9pm-5am, £20+

Tues 31st Dec, SE15 Canavan’s NYE party 188 Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4NF, 10pm-4am, £11 The Azals bring vast bags of soulful, electric rhythms and global samples supplemented with floor stompers, house, funk and disco classics to our favourite pool hall bar.

Tues 31st Dec, SE19 NYE at Westow House 79 Westow Hill, Gipsy Hill, SE19 1TX, 8pm-late, free Free NYE celebration with DJs spinning classic and rare 60s/70s/psych/rock/ Northern Soul 45s all night.

Tues 31st Dec, SW2 NYE Live Music Special at The Windmill 22 Blenheim Gardens, Brixton, SW2 5BZ, 8pm-late, £11 PVA, Glows and Norman perform live at this brilliantly tatty and authentic old-school venue, with special guest band and DJs yet to be announced.

Tues 31st Dec, SW9 NYE Lost In Brixton Brixton Village, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PS, 7pm-1.30am, £25 A new venue bolted on top of Brixton Village, Lost In Brixton is demanding a wallet-draining £25 for this earlyclosing NYE event with DJs and - be still my beating heart - “the London fireworks on the big screen.”

Tues 31st Dec, SW2 NYE at Hootananny 95 Effra Road, Brixton, SW2 1DF, 9pm-5am, £25 Gordon Bennett! There’s a mahoosive line up for this NYE special, headlined by the gloriously over the top, Oh My God It’s The Church, who are on a heavenly mission to bring revellers together through funk, soul, disco and Absinthe. Also taking to the stage is UK DJ Champion JFB, heavy bass dispensers, WBBL, The Future Shape of Sound, X-Ray Ted, jungle rumbler Pete Cannon and swingy bass apportioner Dan de’Lion.

URBAN FOX 15

The Gift of Printmaking Buy a class as a great Christmas present for your creative friend – or yourself. Making something is good for the soul! “Thanks again – I really enjoyed it and it was lovely to be in such a supportive and relaxed atmosphere – feeling able to experiment and try things out with your help and encouragement despite my being completely new to all this. Sheer pleasure – I’d love to come again.”

Trace Monotype Taster Saturday 25 January 2020, 1.30– 4.30pm Explore drawing with line and explore mark making, pattern and texture with this immediate and fun introduction to monotype. A good place to start if you have not made prints before. Monotype using Plants and Stencils Sunday 2 February 2020, 11.00– 4.00pm Use plants and other textured materials as stencils to make unique one-off prints. Linocut Taster Saturday 15 February 2020, 1.30– 4.30pm Learn how to draw, cut and print a linocut in black and white. Etching Course: Sugar Lift Thursday 20 & 27 February 2020, 6.00– 9.00pm Learn how to make an etching using sugar lift and aquatint techniques to make a painterly tonal print.

For more information about our courses and how to book please see our website

slaughterhaus.net info@slaughterhaus.net

SLAUGHTERHAUS

Vincent’s Yard 23 Alphabet Mews London SW9 0FN

P R I NT STU D I O

South London Larder

FOOD NEWS Hope and Anchor

by cara cummings Fried chicken aficionados Other Side Fried open their first permanent restaurant in Brixton arches this month, five years since first serving their now-cult chicken strips from a van at the market. Expect clucking epic offerings aplenty at their new digs - BACON AND PARMESAN FRIES, PEOPLE - plus a brand new vegan burger to boot.

Unit 14, Atlantic Road, SW9 8HX

Yet another reason to visit muchloved Crystal Palace local Westow House - from January, 23 boutique bedrooms are opening above the pub. Expect its signature mix of quirky artwork, vintage and upcycled furniture. Perfect for when the post-roast walk home seems just too far.

79 Westow Hill, SE19 1TX.

Beat those winter chills at the Hope and Anchor on 6 December, where punters can warm up by sampling a range of hot gin cocktails at Sipsmith’s festive pop up Frost Fair. Four words: gingerbread gin, heated cabin. Mmm.

6 December, 6pm-7.30pm, 123 Acre Lane, SW2 5AU. Tickets £9-£13 incl. complimentary G&T.

Fancy leaving something a little spicier out for Santa this year? Hot Sauce Society are back with a winter edition of their all-day chilli celebration, taking over all three floors of The Dogstar. Sample the eye-watering wares of 38 traders and use whatever vocal chords you

Other Side Fried

have left afterwards to join in with singalong carols and live DJ sets.

14 December, 11am-6pm, 389 Coldharbour Lane. Free. Make the most of festive-themed Wine Wednesdays at Unwined, south London’s most down-to-earth vino bar “where ponce and fuss are banished”. Christmas fizz, winter warmers and wines for your cheeseboard are all up for discussion - and liberal tasting. ‘Tis the season, after all.

2pm-8.45pm, Unit 16A Tooting Market, SW17 0SN.

Warm up with a taste of Cuba courtesy of Jama Havana , who’ve popped up at Peckham Springs. Expect slow roast pork melts, marinated jackfruit and yucca chips - the perfect antidote to Pret Christmas sandwich ennui.

Harry’s Chocolate Emporium

What’s better than a) chocolate, b) cheese? Chocolate AND cheese at the same time. Head to Harry’s Chocolate Emporium on 17 December for a one-off evening of pairing the greats. You’re welcome.

7pm, 332 Balham High Road, SW17 7AA. Tickets £35 incl. bread, nibbles and a tipple.

Seven Dials porridge perfectors 26 Grains have landed in Borough, opening new all-day eatery Stoney Street. Expanding beyond the grains that made their name, breakfast dishes include slow roasted tomato galette and milk crepes with yoghurt, while lunch and dinner are small plate-centric. Go for the anchovies arreganate, stay for the signature chocolate mousse.

2-3 Stoney Street, Borough Market, SE1 9AA

Mindful eating just got a whole lot easier in Lambeth - look out for new green and gold ‘Healthier Choices’ window stickers in cafes and restaurants, currently being awarded by family wellness body LEAP. Green means you’ll find balanced meals on the menu and a pro-family environment inside; gold signals the team have had nutritional training. Award-winning East Dulwich gelateria Fabulous Ice Fires are throwing open their doors for a series of ‘apericena’ evenings throughout December. Their twist on Italy’s aperitivo-and-canapes tradition sees sweet and savory gelatos added to the mix, alongside cold meats, cheeses, cocktails and fizz. And all you’ll pay for is drinks…

Friday and Saturday evenings, 54 East Dulwich Road, SE22 9AL.

Until 21st December, from 6pm Thurs-Sat. Peckham Springs, SE15 4QN.

URBAN FOX 17

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Cara Cummings meets the rising hospitality star reviving a piece of Coldharbour Lane history and sprinkling her Kiwi stardust across Brixton’s hottest haunts

THE MAGIC OF MEL ant to see something special? Pop into The Laundry, a newly opened all-day bistro in the iconic Brixton building of the same name, and there’s a 99% chance you’ll find founder Melanie Brown wowing crowds with a talent so natural it must curl the very napkins of her fellow restaurateurs: pure, unadulterated hospitality. The Kiwi chef-turned-wine-impressario and brains behind Pop Brixton’s New Zealand Wine Cellar is the best of hosting, personified: warm, effusive and able to make every punter in a packed house feel like the most important person in the room. In just five years, she’s grown the The New Zealand Cellar from an online idea to a top Brixton bar; expanded into Australian wine, with the rest of the new world club in her sights; and won more industry awards than you can shake a decanter at. Opening The Laundry now adds ‘restaurant founder’ to her already bulging CV. How has she squeezed more into half a decade than most people manage in a whole career? “I get up really early,” Melanie deadpans. She’s not kidding: 3.30am, most mornings. “I’m half Swiss and half Kiwi,” she explains, “so have my Dad’s vivacious Kiwi-ness on one side, and my Mum’s very diligent and time driven OCDness on the other side. It’s a handy combination!” And some. Melanie’s latest venture bears all the hallmarks of her customary ambition: fully renovating one of Brixton’s most popular buildings in just seven and a half weeks. Discovering the building’s 115-year history had a huge impact on Melanie, and her vision for the restaurant as a whole. “This building is old, man!” she laughs. “Construction started here in 1880, before it became a commercial laundry run by the Newland family from 1904 to 2014. It’s kind of scary, taking

Melanie Brown and Dylan Cashman

on someone else’s legacy. But when I walked in, I knew there was a provenance that I loved about this building. For me, it’s about being a custodian in time, maintaining its spirit with nuances that incorporate the Victorian and Edwardian eras.” That means warm belle epoque interiors, vintageinspired typeface on menus and a shared-plates dining style inspired by King Edward VII - yep - and his fondness for salubrious meals involving multiple dishes. Melanie credits her own roots for the welcoming, pull-up-a-chair atmosphere that defines her budding empire. “Growing up, you’d look every person in the eye, even if they were a stranger, and say: ‘good morning.’ It just comes naturally to Kiwis, trying to communicate and engage with people. For me, that’s why restaurants exist.” Mel’s passion for her homeland is infectious, and clearly paramount. Her career to date has revolved around a simple mission: banging the drum for new world winemakers. “I knew I had to create a platform where people could learn about New Zealand and buy wine outside of the supermarket,” she says simply. “That’s how you support people who are actually working tirelessly in the vineyards.” That sense of power within a community made south London a natural home for Melanie’s businesses. “The Pop Brixton community vibe pulled me in initially,” she recalls. “Being a part of a concept that drove small business growth and opportunities for the local community resonated really firmly for me, and I still love being part of it. We try to use as many local shops and providers that we can, and do as much as we can in terms of sourcing out staff by reaching out to local colleges for chefs.” “There’s just an amazing, dynamically cool community in south London. I adore it,” she admits. “The people, the culture, the generations. You can get it elsewhere in London, but not like here. Not like our neighbourhood.”

The Laundry at Walton Lodge, 374 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PL www.thelaundrybrixton.com

URBAN FOX 19

Wine Tasting courses EVENINGS & SATURDAYS

CLAPHAM CENTRE

Whether you have an ambition to become a qualified sommelier or are a wine enthusiast, the Level 1 and 2 Award in Wines will help you better understand wine: from your favourite tipple to the main styles of wine.

Bartending course SATURDAYS

CLAPHAM CENTRE

Level 1 _

Level 2 _

Saturday (one day course) 10am - 4pm*

Saturday (over three weeks) 10 - 4pm*

18 Jan 2020 07 Mar 2020 25 Apr 2020

30 Nov - 14 Dec 2019 01 Feb - 15 Feb 2020 21 Mar - 04 Apr 2020

Tues & Thurs (two day course) 6:30 - 9pm*

Tues & Thurs (twice a week, over three weeks) 6:30 - 9pm*

12 & 14 Nov 2019 14 & 16 Jan 2020 03 & 05 Mar 2020

26 Nov - 12 Dec 2019 28 Jan - 13 Feb 2020 17 Mar - 02 Apr 2020 09 Jun - 23 Jun 2020

Cost: £ 140

Cost: £ 370

Are you looking to take your bartending skills to the next level? Do you want to impress your friends with your ‘flairing’ skills? Whatever your drinks-based ambition, the Level 2 Award in Professional Bartending - Cocktails can help you achieve it. You’ll be taught the skills required to prepare show stopping delicious cocktails, and just what all those bar utensils are used for.

Level 2 _ Saturday (one day course, over six weeks) 10 - 4pm* 01 Jan - 15 Feb 2020 29 Feb - 11 Apr 2020 18 Apr - 30 Jun 2019

Cost: £ 200 ** Where to find us: 45 Clapham Common South Side London - SW4 9BL

APPLY NOW www.lambethcollege.ac.uk 0207 501 5010 *Dates and times may vary depending on numbers registered.

WineBartending_URBAN FOX - 286mm high x 221mm wide V3.indd 1

**Funding available if applicant meets eligibility criteria.

07/11/2019 11:05

Around town

Ghostbusters!

A camp comedy-horror bus tour back in time

By Cara Cummings t’s not every Thursday you find yourself holding hands with your colleagues inside a darkened bus, collectively humming in an effort to conjure the spirit of a dead and hopefully fictional - serial killer. Yet that’s precisely the position we found ourselves in this week, during what can only be described as the ultimate WTF work night out experience: The London Ghost Bus Tour. The macabre cousin of the open-top bus tour bills itself as “the UK’s only comedy-horror theatre sightseeing experience on wheels”. Which, let’s be honest, is one helluva niche. So let’s be clear from the start: The Exorcist, this ain’t. Tonally, The London Ghost Bus Tour occupies full Carry On Ghouling territory, from a liberal use of saucy street name gags (RIP Fanny Scratching of Cock Lane) to the unashamedly am-dram sounds effects and dry ice - yes, dry ice- deployed throughout. If you’re in the market for a genuinely frightening evening, this isn’t the experience on wheels for you. But it’s hard to fault the sheer enthusiasm of our actor host ‘Lucius Fitznicely’ as he whisks us through a whirlwind tour of the darker side of London’s most iconic landmarks, including the Shard, Tower Bridge, Bankside, the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square. Lucius clearly relishes his role as gruesome fact-finder in chief, regaling those assembled with grim titbits that, be warned, really do stick with you - from the image of Admiral Nelson’s sailors drinking brandy from a barrel containing his body to the grizzly end of Edward II atop a red-hot poker. It’s the OMG-ness of these stories that are the Ghost Bus Tour’s main strength; you really do discover a whole new side to the city you think you know. Full marks also to Lucius’s Victorian sideburns, a facial testimony of his total commitment to character rivalled only by the sheer fruitiness of his delivery. It’s like spending the evening with an articulate Um Bongo. Where the Ghost Bus Tour fails, perhaps, is in trying to be too many things. Having established an air of silliness early on, it’s hard to buy into attempts to unsettle the audience with paranormal tales about the bus itself. Likewise, the dynamic between Lucius and ‘Miss Hinge’, an additional character never fully explained, veers towards grating; at times, their banter is more cringe than spectral twinge. But taken with a large dose of salt, the London Ghost Bus Tour certainly provides an unusual and enjoyable addition to the city’s nighttime scene. Whether you’ll look at your colleagues the same way afterwards remains to be seen.

Tours last 1 hour and 15 minutes. Tickets: £23 adults, £15 child. www.theghostbustours.com

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South London Hemisphere

In a galaxy far, far away How big is our galaxy? What is the biggest/nearest galaxy?

Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer Tania de Sales Marques answers your questions about our place in the universe

Our galaxy, the Milky Way, has about 100-400 billion stars, and is about 100-150 million lightyears across. The Andromeda galaxy (M31) is a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way but is about 220 thousand light-years across, making it the largest galaxy in our local group of galaxies. Andromeda’s mass is still debatable, with estimates ranging from about the same as our home galaxy to as high as 50% more massive than the Milky Way. The trophy for largest known galaxy (at least for now) goes to IC 1101, a distant supergiant elliptical galaxy that is home to 100 trillion stars and is about 2 million light-years across.

How old is our galaxy? How did it form?

The formation of galaxies is not completely understood, but it is thought that present-day galaxies are the result of smaller galaxies merging together, and that this is a common stage of galaxy evolution. Our own Milky Way has evolved and grown larger from the accretion of material and mergers, and will continue to do so in the future. Some of the stars in the Milky Way were born just a few million years after the Big Bang, so we could say that the galaxy is almost as old as the universe itself.

Will we collide with Andromeda? When? What will happen?

The Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy are on a collision path and will merge in about 4.5 billion years. Our neighbouring galaxy will appear bigger and bigger in our sky, and eventually the two galaxies will merge in a dance of gas, dust and stars. At the end of that process they will have formed a much larger, more massive elliptical or lenticular galaxy, losing the spiral structures that we’re so familiar with. Head on collisions

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between stars are unlikely to happen because there’s so much space between stars, but some will be ejected out of the new galaxy. But what about the supermassive black holes at the centre of each galaxy? They will eventually merge as well. The full merger will take millions of years to complete.

How many galaxies are there?

The number of galaxies, as with other objects that make up the universe, changes every now and again because the advancement of technology leads to better telescopes, which in turn allows astronomers to detect fainter as well as more distant objects, changing our understanding of the universe. But even with the best telescopes we still can’t see everything. Maybe the galaxies are so far away that their light is too faint for detection (a consequence of the accelerating expanding universe) or perhaps there’s too much dust between us and that object, rendering them “invisible” to our telescopes; the key point is that there are simply too many galaxies out there that we can’t see, so astronomers have to combine the observations with models of the universe in order to have a better estimate of the number of galaxies in the observable universe. The latest simulations indicate that our universe has about 2 trillion galaxies.

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Shopping

Chic and boutique in Bellenden Jo Johnson opened Form SE15 at 186 Bellenden Road last May, after a stint managing former lifestyle store Bias. Her boutique stocks clothing, gifts, cards and accessories from brands including Folk, L.F. Mackey and Studio Adorn. interview by Cara Cummings

My background is in fashion. I’ve made clothes since I was tiny. My mum was a seamstress, so I was making clothes from a really young age. I come from Norfolk originally and moved to London when I started art college. I’ve lived all over the city and in Peckham for eighteen years. I instantly felt at home here; Peckham is the first place I’ve felt like that. My shop has a lot of print and colour and I think that’s reflective of the area. I’m always looking at what people are wearing around here it’s such a diverse mix of ages, races and cultures. A lot of people were saying, ‘Where am I going to get a really good card, or something unusual to

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wear?’ when Bias shut. Because I’ve managed a store and done fashion buying in the past, I thought I had what it would take to make a shop work. I started asking brands, ‘Would you let me stock you if I open a store?’ You buy clothing a year in advance, so it was a big gamble! Having been on the other side of fashion and knowing what goes into making clothes, traceability and sustainability are huge points for me. When the supply chain is dirty, you often have children being paid pennies to make clothes in unsafe conditions. I knew I wanted to only stock pieces if people can know where they’ve from, who made it and what the factories are like. Ethical fashion isn’t a hippy idea; it’s an essential. If you’re not

doing it, you’re contributing to the issue. We can all make choices to not be part of that. Being an independent means I can do that. Bellenden Road is all independents - we can offer a really personal service and know the vast majority of our customers. I might not know everyone’s name, but I know their dress size. It’s an extra touch that you don’t get from bigger stores. Sometimes we have people coming in who’ve had a bad day, or feel down and just want a break. You create a nice atmosphere and people leave happier than when they arrived. That’s the best thing about running this place: the people.

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Our curated pick of stocking fillers this festive season

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THE FINAL Countdown

Where to meet Santa It’s the most magical time of the year - Santa’s back in south London! Your little elves are spoilt for choice when it comes to places to visit him this year. Here’s our guide to the best Santa spotting days out for the whole family.

Whippersnappers Winter Wonderland in Dulwich Park

Santa’s grotto is supersized at this immersive pop up in aid of Whippersnappers, a local not-for-profit supporting children with disabilities. Visitors can help Santa’s elves in the Toy Testing Workshop, decorate Christmas stars in Mrs. Claus’ kitchen and say hello to ‘Moth Starfrost’ the Christmas Fairy - all before meeting Santa himself.

From 30 November, Dulwich College Lodge, SE217BQ. £22.50 for kids, £9 for adults. Book online in advance.

Pexmas

SE15 gets its reindeer antlers on in style at this huge free-entry festival, where you’ll find over 100 independent boutiques ready to fill your stockings. With music, DJs and mulled wine on offer throughout the day, parents may have to draw straws as to who’s hanging out in the Family Zone with the kids…

7-8 December, 11am-6pm, Unit 8 Copeland Park, SE15 3SN.

The big man in red returns to arguably his most unusually-housed grotto for a day of family festive fun. You’ll find free craft workshops and face painting, carols singing with the Windmill Choir and the chance for your wee elves to help judge the Windmill Festive Bake Contest.

Sunday 15 December, 2pm-5pm, Windmill Gardens off Brixton Hill, SW2 5EU.

Victorian Santa’s Grotto at the Museum of London Docklands

Travel back in time with the family for a snowy experience with a historical twist. Visit the Sailortown gallery, transformed for Christmasses past and hear Victorian carols being sung. Little ones who find Santa in his beautiful grotto will receive a festive gift - and photographs with the man himself are available, too.

30 November - 23 December, No.1 Warehouse, West India Quay, E14 4AL. From £10 per child.

Dulwich Village Christmas Stocking

...and featuring 3,000 Santas: The London Santa Dash 2019

Sunday 1 December, 11am-5pm, Dulwich Village, SE21

Sunday 8 December, Brockwell Park. Adults £22, under-16s £12. Kids under 4 go free.

South London’s favourite village kicks off the Christmas season with an all-day bonanza of family fun. Along with Santa’s Grotto expect carols, mince pies and hot chocolate aplenty, plus a new Mystery Stocking Trail with prizes for successful mini-sleuths, free family entry to Dulwich Picture Gallery and special offers in many local shops.

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Santa at Brixton Windmill

Fancy donning the red suit yourself? Join the dashers and prancers raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital at this year’s Santa Dash. Cross the finish line after a 5k or 10k jaunt and receive a medal, mince pie and hot drink before belting out festive hits with the brass band.

ROLL UP, ROLL UP!

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THE FINAL Countdown Now Dasher, now dancer, now prancer… in Dulwich

The East Dulwich Christmas Cracker returns full of fabulous festive spirit with an exciting array of musical entertainment, exclusive offers from local traders, a wonderfully seasonal North Cross Road market, and the Art Trail Supported by Southwark Council and presented by the Dulwich Festival, the Cracker is now in its eighth year. This year’s street festival programme includes an exciting array of entertainment from choirs, bands and performance groups, exclusive offers from the fantastic local traders, a wonderfully seasonal extended North Cross Road market with tempting gifts and delicious festive food and the return of the Children’s Christmas Treasure Hunt in aid of LinkAge Southwark. The Art Trail will also see many local artists exhibiting throughout spaces in Lordship Lane and beyond.

December 7 from 11am-5pm. Lordship Lane, SE22 8EW

Noir Kringle

East Street is hosting a niche Christmas event for families: the Black Santa’s Grotto Experience. Step into Noir Kringle’s magical Christmas Grotto, set up in Santa’s workshop surrounded by sparkle, presents, stockings, letters piled high posted from boys and girls ready to be read by the man in red. All ages are welcome. You will be greeted by Mr Kringle's helpers and Mrs Kringle, who will guide you through our enchanting Black Santa's Grotto. The workshop tour includes making Mrs Kringle's very own secret magic reindeer feed, a miniworkshop to write a wish list to Mr Kringle and post their naughty or nice letters in the magical postbox. Each tour of the workshop lasts for 30 minutes, including a group meet and greet session with Mr Kringle. Every child will get a chance to talk to Mr Kringle, as well as an opportunity to capture a magical picture with the man in red. At the end of the visit, each child will receive a gift. Each 30 minute session is for small groups of 6 children.

Saturday 21 December at 55 East, 63 East Street, SE17 2DJ. Tickets: £8.06-£16.58. www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Your Christmas RECYCLING and RUBBISH guide

Here are the changes to your recycling and rubbish collection days over the Christmas period. If your normal collection day is:

It will be changed to:

Tuesday 24 December

No Change

Wednesday 25 December

Friday 27 December

Thursday 26 December

Saturday 28 December

Friday 27 December

Sunday 29 December

Monday 30 December

No Change

Tuesday 31 December

No Change

Wednesday 1 January

Thursday 2 January

Friday 3 January

Saturday 4 January

Monday 6 January

No Change

The Nice List

We produce more waste over Christmas than any other time of the year. Please do your bit for the environment by recycling the following items:

Glass bottles and jars

Food and drink cartons e.g. Tetra Paks

Go green this Christmas!

Food tins and drink cans

Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays

Paper and cardboard

Fight festive food waste

Write a shopping list, only buy what you need and remember to use up leftovers in sandwiches and curries. For more information on fighting food waste, please visit southwark.gov.uk/greenchristmas

Sustainable Secret Santa

Cut down on waste this year by buying less and giving better. Try having a Secret Santa with friends and family and opt for gifts with the least amount of plastic packaging.

Doing a pre-Christmas clear out?

Items that cannot be thrown away using your household collection service can be taken to the Reuse and Recycling Centre. Opening times: 8.30am to 4.30pm Open all year round except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Residents using vans to bring items to the centre will need to book in advance.

The Naughty List

Most of us in Southwark recycle, but are we doing it right? These festive items cannot be recycled:

✗

Glitter and foil wrapping paper

✗

Polystyrene and bubble wrap

✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Tinsel

✗ ✗ ✗

Plastic bags and film

Baubles Glittery Christmas cards Christmas crackers

Ribbons and bows Food wrappers and packets

Veolia and Southwark Council wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

THE FINAL Countdown

CHRISTMAS AT THE CASTLE

This Christmas, Elephant & Castle’s Community Hub is spreading the festive cheer by hosting an afternoon party from 3pm – 6pm, filled with free activities for all the family to enjoy in the lead up to Christmas. Held on the Upper Floor of Elephant and Castle’s Shopping Centre, the event is open to all ages to get involved in arts and crafts activities, enjoy dance performances and music, all while savouring festive treats.

Upper Floor of the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, SE1 6TE, Wednesday, 11 December from 3pm-6pm. www.elephantandcastle.org.uk/communityhub

Free festive selfie station Head over to Elephant and Castle’s very own selfie station where you can snap to their heart’s content in the shopping centre’s five different booths, each offering something different – glittery angel wings, snowmen cutouts, an upside-down room, another sporting a picture frame with glittery backgrounds, neon tubes and glitter floor graphic and one room which emulates a winter wonderland snow scene.

Open now. Free at Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre, first floor, opposite Miko’s Café and Café Castello.

Free photo with Santa Santa and his reindeers are coming to the Elephant on December 7 and 14 (12-5pm). Children can have their photo taken for free, and will also receive a gift to place under the Christmas tree.

Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre, first floor, opposite La Bodeguita.

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Community Hub Christmas Party for the over 50s Elephant & Castle’s Community Hub is offering an afternoon party for the over 50s. The festive occasion will be filled with free activities, and an opportunity to chat to new people from the area over a mince pie. Those aged 50+ are invited to enjoy an afternoon of exciting performances, delicious festive treats, arts and crafts, card games, and relaxing massages.

Friday, 6th December 1pm-3:30pm. Elephant & Castle Community Hub, Upper Floor of the Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre, SE1 6TE (nearest tube Elephant & Castle). Cost: free. www.elephantandcastle.org.uk

THE SNOWMAN OF SE1

Follow a festive sculpture trail at this year’s Christmas by the River. Along with family workshops celebrating Raymond Briggs’ quintessential Christmas character, The Snowman, there’s a Walking with The Snowman trail, which features twelve giant Snowman sculptures, each reimagined with designs and decoration relating to the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. Created by one of twelve different artists, each statue will be placed at a different location throughout London Bridge City’s, Christmas by the River market.

Snowman Nightlights: Make your own Snowman nightlights to take home and display this Christmas! 7 Dec from 11am-3pm Snowman Snowglobe: Create your own magical Snowman themed snow globe to display in your bedroom this Christmas! This fun arts ‘n crafts workshop is a perfect way to get into the festive mood. 14 Dec from 11am-3pm

The Walking with The Snowman sculptures are on display from 26 November-Sunday 5 January. London Bridge City, SE1 2DB

SAIL AWAY ON A CHRISTMAS SLEIGH

Kids can meet Santa on the River Thames this festive season. With City Cruise’s Sail with Santa, children receive a present, along with a soft drink and a cookie, while grownups get a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie.

Departing from Tower Pier for one hour, four times a day on Saturdays and Sundays on December7, 8, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22. Prices begin from £28 per person for adults and £16 for children. Under ones free. www.citycruises.com

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The Leather Exchange Sunday Roasts £13.50

Book in advance and present this advert to get 10% off your food bill. Special price of £11 for OAPs if they book in advance.

Samuel Bevington room available for Christmas functions. Follow us on Facebook to find out what we’re doing for New Year’s. Function room: Perfect for birthday parties, baby showers, corporate events, funerals, business meetings, and other events. We can cater anything from a casual buffet to a 3-course meal, with an open fire, screen, and view of the Shard. (Mention this ad when booking to get a free bottle of wine.) We show all major sports

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Email info@theleatherexchange.info for all bookings

THE FINAL Countdown WE WISH YOU A MERRY PEXMAS

Peckham’s Copeland Park is hosting a packed calendar of festive, free events with something every weekend celebrating the arts, crafts, and food and drink coming out of SE15. Bussey Collective Winter Fair, 7th & 8th December, Copeland Gallery: free. This year’s Bussey Building Open Studios come to Copeland Gallery. Peckham based artists, makers, crafts people and creators are showcasing their works in an opportunity to meet, buy and commission.

FESTIVE AT THE FARM

Get in the festive spirit at Surrey Docks Farm with carol singing, donkey rides, children's activities, craft stalls, mulled wine, Santa’s grotto and more! The popular wreath-making workshop returns and you can buy beautiful real Christmas trees throughout the day.

Surrey Docks Farm’s Christmas Fair is on December 7 from 11am-4pm. www.surreydocksfarm.org.uk

Pexmas Festive Market, 7th & 8th December, Unit 8: free, Pexmas is Peckham’s home grown festive market, and a celebration of local business, creativity and community spirit. You will find over 100 independent boutique stalls including prints, plants, bath products, ceramics, clothes, accessories, jewellery, homewares, foodie gifts, craft beers and wines & textiles. Plus street food, DJs and their infamous mulled wine.

Bonenkai - Japanese Forget the Year Party, 13th December, Kanpai Taproom: free. In Japan, ‘bonenkai’ is the perfect chance to gather your pals and colleagues, let your hair down and forget any troubles of the last year! Kanpai is putting on special cocktails and drinks deals to get you in the mood, and DJs spinning Japanese tunes on the decks. Grill Jam, 13th-15th December, Unit 8. Admission: £15.50 The 3 day food festival celebrating all things grilled, with BBQ wings, ribs, steaks and seafood. There will be live music, an indoor beer hall, raclette cheese bar, hot wing eating competition and a winter rooftop garden.

Copeland Park is at 133 Rye Lane, SE15 4ST

RIVERSIDE YULETIDE

MEZE CHRISTMAS

In a hands-on cookery class in Borough Market, learn to whip up festive meze, courtesy of the chefs at Arabica. Located in the Cookhouse in the heart of Borough Market, the morning session starts with warm pastries and single origin Workshop coffee at Arabica Bar and Kitchen while the afternoon session kicks off at the cookhouse with some baklava and mint tea. You’ll produce an array of seasonal meze dishes featuring some of Arabica's herbs, spices and larder essentials like Freeke, preserved lemons, wild sumac, pomegranate molasses and Za'atar. The sessions conclude with an informal meal, enjoying the food you’ve cooked, served with Lebanese wine.

December 7 from 9:30am-1:30pm or 2:30pm-5:15pm. Meet at the Cookhouse located above Three Crown Square, next door to the Borough Market reception. Price: £100 per person. shop.arabicalondon.com

London Bridge is lighting up as the picturesque festive market Christmas by the River returns. Boasting over 70 stalls, creative workshops, a stunning array of boutique gifts, and delicious world cuisine, this is a unique Christmas shopping experience with unbeatable riverside views. This year’s Christmas by the River is sure to set hearts racing once more with a vintage ski theme. The ski themed bar at the Scoop is the ideal London hot spot to stave off the cold and enjoy a hot toddy. During the festival’s six week run, there’s live music as well as festive crafts at The Pier’s pop-up winter workshop, including wreath making and Christmas jumper decorating.

Christmas by the River runs from Tuesday 26 November through to Sunday 5 January. London Bridge, SE1 2DB

SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL CAROLS

Coinciding with Alzheimer’s Society’s 40th anniversary, this year’s Carols at Christmas event will be hosted by BAFTA award winning actress, Carey Mulligan, on Wednesday 18 December. Harry Potter actor, David Bradley, will also be among the celebrity guests. The event includes music from an Alzheimer’s Society Singing for the Brain group from Croydon, where some of the members are affected by dementia. There will also be the chance to singalong to the classic carols. Money raised goes towards Alzheimer’s Society services including its Dementia Helpline and Dementia Talking Point online community.

Wednesday 18 December, Southwark Cathedral, SE1 9DA. Tickets range from £45-60, Children under 12 can go for free. To book your tickets visit alzheimers.org.uk/carolsatchristmas or call 0330 333 0804

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FESTIVE & M ERRY AT ELEPHANT PARK The Festive season has arrived at Elephant Park. Sayer street and the newly opened temporary Wildflower Meadow are being transformed into a winter delight complete with music, snow and more Christmas trees than you can wave a candy cane at.

Visit elephantpark.co.uk/festive-events for the schedule and more information Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to discover daily offer and events updates @ElephantParkLondon

From the 29th November through to the 22nd December, Elephant Park will be transformed into a festive playground. A

Merry Elephant Christmas Pop Up Whether looking to purchase your fresh Christmas tree and get some on point decorating tips with the team at ‘Pimp My Tree’, find the perfect craft present at the ‘Gift Shop’ by SoLo Craft Fair or capturing the perfect selfie at the free festive photo booth, then the Merry Elephant is going to be your one stop shop. Open 10am to 8pm Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Snow showers in the meadow Dreaming of a white Christmas? Then you’re in for a treat every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, from 5pm. Head down to the temporary Wildflower Meadow on Deacon street to enjoy a 20-minute snow shower backed by roving entertainment.

Christmas Tree Forest Wander down Sayer street and get lost in the Christmas Tree Forest that has popped up. Take a selfie amongst the trees and laze on the swing chairs with a delicious snack from one of the food options that have recently opened on Sayer Street.

Light and sound windows Get your senses ready as you stroll along Sayer street and be immersed in the light and sound window displays along the street.

Visit elephantpark.co.uk or follow @ElephantParkLondon for all the latest information, offers and event schedules.

THE FINAL Countdown

Christmas spirit is a-brewing

ndependent Bermondsey-based craft brewery Anspach & Hobday are celebrating the festive season by throwing their annual Christmas Carols celebration at their brewery tap room, complete with their annual Christmas beer: the Pfeffernüsse Saison. The Pfeffernüsse Saison is inspired by the traditional tasty German Christmas 'peppernut' biscuit of the same name. The seasonal special is an amber saison style brewed with candied sugar and spiced with ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves and black pepper. These Christmas spices come together with the saison to give a wonderful biscuity, spicy and festive flavour. This year, the label on the bottle of The Pfeffernüsse Saison features the winning entry from the brewery’s Christmas poem competition: the winner of this year’s competition being Chris Green. Founded in 2013 by childhood friends Paul Anspach and Jack Hobday, A&H is undergoing rapid growth following a successful round of crowdfunding earlier this year. Anspach & Hobday are best known for their flagship beer, The Porter.

Christmas Carols & Festive Beer in Anspach & Hobday’s Brewery Tap Room, 118 Druid St, SE1 2HH, on Friday 6 December from 6pm. www.anspachandhobday.com

SPICE IS NICE

The season of pumpkin spice is well and truly upon us but there’s nothing #basic about this evening tipple. For the past century the classic Negroni has been creatively twisted to suit the changing of the seasons or special occasions. Bartender and CAMPARI Brand Ambassador Joe St Clair Ford has crafted a festive Pumpkin Spiced Negroni recipe, sure to impress friends by adding nutty pumpkin pie notes to your or cosy night-in drinks. • 25ml CAMPARI • 25ml Cinzano 1757 Rosso • 25ml Pumpkin Spiced Gin • Stir and garnish with a cinnamon stick and slice of roast pumpkin

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SO FRESH SO CLEAN NYE PARTY 31ST DECEMBER 7PM - 3AM TICKETS FROM Â£5

POP BRIXTON, 49 BRIXTON STATION ROAD, SW9 8PQ Tickets available at designmynight.com/nye-so-fresh-so-clean

@popbrixton

/popbrixton

@popbrixton

THE FINAL Countdown MAKERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; MARKET IN GREENWICH

Find one-of-a-kind gifts and sample the wares of Greenwich artisans at artist hub, the Conservatoire. Championing the works of local artists, makers and craftspeople, the market is on November 24 from 11am-3pm.

Admission: free. 19-21 Lee Road, SE3 9RQ. www.conservatoire.org.uk

A VERY FOXY CHRISTMAS

This Christmas uncover something new at the Crafty Fox's market. The market brings together the best artisanal, sustainable and smallbatch makers, all with a collective passion for creating purposeful design-led products. Check out Charlotte Filshie illustrated dinosaur products and gift wrapping, two separate workshops with Little Dot Loves - pom pom wreaths and holiday card making and Made by Swimmer whimsical handmade toys and gifts.

December 7-8, from 11am-5pm: Mercato Metropolitano, 42 Newington Causeway, SE1 6DR For more information visit: www.craftyfoxmarket.co.uk

MALTBY STREET UP LATE

The gourmet street food market at Maltby Street is holding its first run of seasonal after-dark markets at Ropewalk. Each Friday until Christmas, market-goers can sample the gastronomic delights of winter feasts and flavours under the Dickensian setting and twinkling lights of London's most picturesque railway arches. Do a spot of Christmas shopping in the modern salvage mecca that is LASSCO, pre order an exclusive Maltby Street Christmas hamper packed to the brim with eclectic foodie treats, and cosy down in one of the enclave bars - Tozino and Little Bird Gin. All this will be accompanied by the magical sounds of carollers from local primary school Snowfields, responsibly sourced Christmas trees to take home and adorn, and the smell of hot mulled wine wafting through the crisp night air.

November 22-December 20 from 5pm-9pm.

Maltby Street

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LASSCO

Southwark and Lambeth Urban Fox – 169mm high by 131.5mm wide

SMITHFIELD MEAT MARKET

Europe’s largest meat market right on your doorstep

top quality meat at unbelievable prices poultry • game • pork • lamb • beef • offal sausages • bacon • halal • provisions

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Don’t Be Home Alone on Christmas Day 2019

ble a l i va a l l sti

If you (or someone you know) will be alone on Christmas Day why not come along to our Party at Bacon’s College on December 25th

open to the trade and the public all year round 2am to 8am Monday to Friday

We offer: • Free Traditional Christmas Meals and Entertainment • Free Transport Door to Door

CHRISTMAS TRADING HOURS

Dinner will be served at 1pm Bacon’s College is at Timber Pond Road, Rotherhithe, SE16 6AT

1am to 10am every day from Monday 16th to Tuesday 24th December

nearest Underground stations—Farringdon or Barbican. Free car parking for customers in the West Smithfield car park, EC1A 9DS 15 to 24 December from 9pm until 10am the following day.

(Go down the LHS of the Rotherhithe Tunnel entrance)

Just phone Les on 0203 355 2619 or book online at southwarkpca.org.uk Closing date Friday, 15th December. We regret we are unable to cater for children. Ethnic and Diet Meals available – please notify in advance.

www.southwarkpca.org.uk SMTA, 225 Central Markets, London EC1A 9LH Tel: 020 7248 3151 Email: info@smithfieldmarket.com

www.smithfieldmarket.com

This Party is for residents of the London Borough of Southwark

We acknowledge the generous assistance of Southwark Council, Local Businesses and Trusts. People Care Association Ltd. is Registered Charity No. 1077651

Meet Santa!

Every weekend in December & Thursday 19, Friday 20 & Christmas Eve.£5 per child. In Aid of Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice.

en et op Marktill 8pm late nesdays Wed ecember h) in D & 18t (11th

Baish Designs

Sandra Millar, Greenwich Printmakers

ARTS& CRAFTS ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Weekends

Coco Barclay

R & R Chown Jewellery

Nearest Station DLR Cutty Sark

#greenwichmarket www.greenwichmarket.london

Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays

Breakfasts • Brunch • Wide selection of freshly made sandwiches Meals • Savouries • Desserts • Milkshakes • Hot & Cold Drinks

Harriskitchen1 Harri_s_kitchen

Mediterranean Luxury Christmas items now available. ² ² ² ² ² ² ² ² ² Ideal Christmas Gifts, stocking Fillers, and Gifts ² ² ² ² ² ² ² ² ² New Christmas Menu available from the 2nd December that include: × Full Xmas dinners × Xmas Sandwiches × Turkey & Cranberry × Christmas Pie × Xmas Desserts ² ² ² ² ² ² ² ² ² New Menu Coming Soon. 401 Lordship Lane, SE22 8JN Tel 0208 299 2060

THE FINAL Countdown SAMPLE SEASON

At Greenwich Peninsula’s new two-day, family friendly shopping experience SAMPLE , you can visit 100 designermakers and explore an extensive programme of live music, street theatre and family-friendly festivities along London’s new elevated linear park, The Tide. There’s plenty of unique gift ideas from the brightest talents in fashion, design, homewares, food produce plus free and paid for workshops, seasonal entertainment and much more. Powerhouse Gospel Choir set the scene as you stroll under an arch created by jewellery designers, Tatty Devine then snuggle up to roast marshmallows and chestnuts, while sipping mulled wine at the fire pits. Fun and games include curling, giant snow globes, disco bingo, name that tune, a lip sync competition, and a Santa’s sustainable workshop.

SAMPLE

December 7-8, The Tide, Greenwich, www.eventbrite.com/o/yodomo-ltd-19123535207.

UNDERNEATH THE ARCHES

Check out ceramics, jewellery, art and street food at the Arches Studios’ Christmas show in Peckham. Look for one of a kind gifts with knives at Blenheim Forge, ceramic globes from Debbie Randall , and more.

December 6 from 6pm-9pm, December 7 from 11am-6pm, and December 8 from 11am-5pm. 48-50 Blenheim Grove, SE15 4QL. www.thearchesstudios.co.uk

AFRO CARIBBEAN CHRISTMAS

Celebrate the vibrancy of African and Caribbean businesses this Christmas at an indoor event representing entrepreneurs from across the African and Caribbean diaspora. Entrepreneurs are displaying high quality products including food, clothing, stationary, books, jewellery, hair and beauty.

Black Culture Christmas Market, December 7-8 from 11am5pm. 3Space, International House, Canterbury Crescent, Brixton, SW9 7DE. Free registration on eventbrite

Black Culture Christmas Market

MAKERS’ MARKET IN NORWOOD

The Upper Norwood library is hosting a one-day makers’ market on December 8 (11am-4pm) with 16 local makers selling their products, including a number of people who are based in Dulwich, Crystal Palace, and Streatham. It's the perfect opportunity to do some Christmas shopping as well as supporting talented local people, and the library. You'll find personalised sweatshirts, exclusive prints, handmade lampshades and candles, and loads of Christmas decorations and cards.

Download your free tickets at EventBrite: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-south-london-makerschristmas-market-tickets-72667712083

Blenheim Forge

Debbie Randall

URBAN FOX 45

YOUR NEW VILLAGE BUTCHER IS HERE! We would like to thank everyone for their support so far it’s great getting to know you all. We are your fully free range butchery stocking meat and poultry from sustainable farms across the country along with some fantastic cheeses, fresh bread, a range of condiments and kitchen cupboard essentials. We use whole carcass animals and are committed to the highest quality. All of our award winning sausages are hand made and gluten free and we aim to keep all of our products as natural as possible.

You can find us at 86 Dulwich Village on the zebra crossing. Keep up to date via our website : proudsow. co .uk

@proudsow

We look forward to serving you ! Oliver ~ Butcher and Owner

50th ANNIVERSARY SPECTACULAR

LISTED IN CULTURE WHISPER’S ‘BEST CHRISTMAS PANTOS’ 2019

GREENWICH THEATRE PROUDLY PRESENTS

“Greenwich… still one of the best in the business” BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE

Written by and starring ANDREW POLLARD Musical Director STEVE MARKWICK

“Has an A-list dame in the magnificently upholstered Andrew Pollard” THE SUNDAY TIMES

FRI 22 NOVEMBER 2019 - SUN 12 JANUARY 2020

BOX OFFICE 020 8858 7755 www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk

AL CHILDRL E TICKETSN’S

HAL PRICEF!

THE FINAL Countdown WINTER WARDROBE

This festive season, the portal into the magical world of Narnia is opening via Tower Bridge. Based on the novel by C. S. Lewis and directed by Sally Cookson, the Leeds Playhouse production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe lands at the Bridge Theatre. Step through the wardrobe this winter into the magical kingdom of Narnia for the most mystical of adventures in a faraway land. Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and say hello to a talking Faun, an unforgettable Lion and the coldest, cruellest White Witch.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is at the Bridge Theatre, 3 Potters Field Park, SE1 2SG, from November 9-February 2, 2020. Phone: 0333 320 0051. www.bridgetheatre.co.uk

CRACKER JACK

Olivier-nominated and award-winning playwright Paul Sirett captures one of the most treasured and classic children’s fairytales Jack And The Beanstalk in this updated production at Theatre Peckham. Directed by Suzann McLean, this festive pantomime is a wonderful coming of age tale set in inner-city London. The cast includes a mix of students from Theatre Peckham’s Academy as well as professional actors.

December 4-22. Theatre Peckham, 221 Havil Street, SE5 7SD. Adults £15, Child£12, Conc £12/Family £40. If you live in Southwark, prices are: Child £9/Adult £12/ Concession £9. Phone: 0207 708 5401. www.theatrepeckham.co.uk

THE BIG SLEEP

The Greenwich Theatre pantomime is even more special this year as it represents a cornerstone in the theatre’s 50th anniversary celebrations – and Andrew Pollard – the dame of dames – can’t wait to get “the family” back together for a Sleeping Beauty that also pays tribute to Ewan Hooper, the man who saved the building from demolition back in 1969. A stellar cast will bring to life the story of a timehopping sleeping princess and an artistic director fighting to save a derelict theatre. The year is 1851 and Princess Anastasia is born of Tsar Ivar the Mildly Irritable and Tsarina Bertha. The fabulous Fairy Fabergé blesses the princess but when the wicked Rasputin appears and casts an evil

spell on the little princess all seems lost. Meanwhile, in 1969, Ewan Hooper is planning his grand reopening of Greenwich Theatre before a peculiar stranger summons him back in time. Can he, with the help of some trusty allies, save both the theatre and the doomed princess?

November 22-January 12. Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, Greenwich, SE10 8ES. Admission: £15.50 – £30. Phone: 020 8858 7755. www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk

URBAN FOX 47

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from all of us at

F.A. Albin & Sons 52 Culling Road, Rotherhithe, SE16 2TN

020 7237-3637 / 2600 / 6366 www.albins.co.uk

Shopping Photos by Hakob Muradyan

Sew hot right now

By L aura Burgoine

arah Robins’ vintage and retro clothing shop, Make Do and Mend, has become a revered Brixton hot spot for lovers of the pre-loved. The retailer began her career in the West End, working in wardrobe for major productions including Les miserable, Hairspray, War Horse, and Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake. “For ten years I toured all around the world and in the UK,” she said. “I studied drama and theatre arts at university and specialised in costumes but I’m completely self-taught at sewing. My grandma, Mum and Aunty taught me to sew and I just picked it up.” From doing alterations and running wardrobe every night on the West End, Sarah moved up to wardrobe mistress, and then head of department, which involved, among other things, maintaining the costumes and making sure the laundry was done for the fast-paced eight performance a week schedule. Sarah opened Make Do and Mend (MDAM) almost five years ago, as one of the original tenants of Pop Brixton; the community pop-up built out of shipping containers on the corner of Brixton Station Road. “I lived in Brixton at the time, I’d already started doing market stalls, I had idea of opening a business and was holding vintage market events in south London, alongside my day job,” she said. “I saw Pop Brixton advertised on Twitter and followed it from the beginning.” “I’ve always loved sewing and I’ve always loved vintage,” she says. “I’ve worn it, bought it, done charity shops -that’s always been my style. Then I wanted to do something for myself, have my own

business, and a vintage shop was obvious to me.” She continued: “I wanted to incorporate that ethos of mending, sewing, repairing, and wearing what’s already been made. It’s a really exciting time to be doing what I’m doing, it’s so in the mainstream now –people’s eyes have been opened to wearing second-hand, and it’s much needed.” Make Do and Mend is dominating south London particularly, Sarah says. “Vintage is so accessible –we have customers from schoolgirls to 80 year olds.” It was important to Sarah to make the clothing really affordable. “That was one of my biggest business choices,” she said. “I was frustrated by going to east London and seeing overpriced things that were so marked up. The attraction of pre-loved clothing is that you’re getting a bargain as well as something unique.” Make Do and Mend is at the lower end of the market, price wise. “We have t-shirts at £8, a blouse is £15, flannel shirts are £15, and original ‘60s dresses are generally between £16-£30.” Sarah sources clothing from all over the world, regularly traveling to markets and fairs in Europe to hand pick good quality garments. MDAM holds kilo sales every month in Brixton, Peckham Springs, and Hanbury Hall selling vintage and retro clothing for £15 a kilo. “For £15 you can get three or four items and we bring a high quality, proper shop mix, not the dregs or things that can’t sell - like wholesalers do.” From the beginning of December, MDAM is open for late night shopping until 9pm on Thursday and Friday.

Make Do and Mend, Unit S13, Pop Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8PQ. www.popbrixton.org/members/make-do-and-mend

URBAN FOX 49

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Wellbeing Photo by Hakob Muradyan

Cutting edge

t’s 9.30am on a Saturday and I’m watching a video by a Dutch artist dressed as a lycraclad mosquito doing workout routines, tormenting a papier-mache housewife and fantasising about exterminating mankind. It’s complex, hilarious and may or may not be about climate change. But what’s the strangest thing about this scenario? It’s showing in a hair salon. DKUK is the UK’s first gallery-cumhairdressers, where customers are styled in front of art instead of mirrors, and the staff are all art graduates who can discuss the exhibitions as they work.“Our goal is making art more accessible,” explains Daniel Kelly, DKUK’s 38-year-old founder. Since launching in 2014, DKUK has hosted 40 exhibitions by both established and emerging artists. Since it’s new, stunningly designed permanent home opened in Peckham last year, paintings, sculptures and installations have all graced the DKUK walls. “Nowadays for art students, it’s kind of given that you won’t make a living from your art,” he explains. “The best you can hope for is a free studio; it’s very tricky. We’re always open to submissions” As a concept, DKUK is as unique as its softly spoken, down-to-earth founder. “I trained as a hairdresser when I was 17,” he says. “I failed my A

Levels - mainly through clubbing instead of revising - and thought it would be a nice job, wearing nice clothes and chatting to people all day. But I got bored of being in a salon. I wanted to study art.” Daniel came to London in 2004 to study painting at Camberwell College of Arts. “I wanted to leave the hairdressing world behind when I started there,” he recalls, “but my tutor said: ‘Don’t forget how you got here. We don’t get many people from Toni & Guy!’” After graduating, Daniel worked as an artist and an artist’s assistant; he showed at the Saatchi Gallery and Whitechapel. “Which all sounds impressive but is actually really hard work just to earn a living. You’re always working two jobs. I sold a painting for ten grand, which sounds like a lot of money but actually that was all I ever really sold, plus the odd commission. That was it, over seven or eight years; it really doesn’t go very far. “After a while you think: well, shouldn’t you have a holiday every now and again? As you get older, you realise you need time for yourself as well as your job. I was tired.” So, Daniel started offering haircuts in a gallery as an exhibition. “I just wanted to experiment,” he remembers. “That first show was about labour and how artists earn a living. But a lot of people came in to the gallery who had never come in before. They saw it as a salon; as more

Cara Cummings meets the founder of London’s most exciting hair salon to talk art, mirror-free makeovers and why an afro hair specialist is joining the team

welcoming. That was the genesis of it all.” He admits that the body positive, “mirror-free” media buzz about DKUK has been an unexpected surprise. “I never wanted to open a ‘salon without mirrors’,” he stresses. “I wanted to do a project where people look at art. But by framing it that way we realised that we’re doing something bigger. We’ve had people say, ‘I saw this recommended on a blog for people with body anxiety.’ That makes us all so happy, because we’ve always wanted to be a welcoming space.” That drive for accessibility - echoed in DKUK’s gender-neutral pricing and ‘pay what you can’ first visit policies - has just entered an exciting new chapter. Already the sole Peckham stockist of leading afro hair brand Design Essentials, DKUK have just welcomed afro hair specialist Wendy Allick to the team. “Wendy is an artist - a hair artist,” says Daniel. “She’s done a lot of creative editorial work and is so experienced in her field. If you’re looking for that expertise: come and try it here. Come, try it here and see the exhibitions as well. This is a place where creative things happen.”

191 Queen’s Rd, Peckham, London SE15 2NG Phone: 020 3609 0920 www. dkuk.biz

URBAN FOX 51

Wellbeing

Carrie on… the season to be merry Greenwich life coach Carrie Brooks shares her tips

52 URBAN FOX

he Christmas music has started, the relentless TV ads are coming in thick and fast and the shops and supermarkets are assaulting us with all things Christmas. Have you felt the stress building or are you managing to ignore it until you can’t resist it anymore and proceed to launch yourself into Christmas on a wave of Santa fueled panic? Why is it that this time of year is so stressful? Is it because of all the present and food buying? Is it the extra work you have to do before the holiday? Or is it simply the huge expectation that is loaded onto our shoulders, weighing us down with the obligation of it all? I’m chuckling now as I can imagine you shouting ‘Bah Humbug!’ and accusing me of being a killjoy, however I am highlighting how most people feel at this time of year. Ideally, Christmas should be a chilled out and relaxing time, enjoying the company of family and friends, an escape from the everyday stresses and strains, a delightful time out. However has this ever been the case for you? In this article I’m asking you to reinvent Christmas for yourself and decide how you want yours to be before you get swept along with the feverish momentum and fall into the usual yearly stress and panic. I know of some people who buy their presents and are stocking up from September onwards every year. However most of us are super busy in our everyday lives and only react to Christmas when our stress levels have risen to such a crescendo that we are finally propelled into action. It’s quite interesting when you break it down. What actually has to get done, is present buying, getting in enough food and, if you wish, decorating the home. When looked at in this way it all seems quite doable, so what makes this such a big deal? Why all the super stress and panic? It’s because we are reacting to the external stimulus of advertisers and social pressure. Christmas has been on our screens since very early October and by the end of October the supermarkets are in epic, unashamed Christmas full throttle. Is it surprising that by the time December

comes we are fully primed and over saturated for the event, which let’s be real here, is only one day maybe two if you count Boxing Day. We need a reality check here. Why not make the decision that you’re going to do Christmas your way and resist the push and pull from all the external shenanigans. Decide your timeline, set a date for your present shopping and schedule it in as would anything else and also decide a date for your food shop. Be realistic with your timeframes and once it’s in the diary just forget about it until it’s time for action. This way you will feel in charge. A deeper understanding of precisely what causes stress and overwhelm with help us to better negotiate life’s more demanding periods. In a nutshell, overwhelm and acute stress are caused by feeling out of control, when we are behaving reactively to outside pressures and being swept along with our heads barely above water. The way to ensure a stress-free existence is to feel in control by actually taking charge of life events, being organised and good scheduling, so when we look at our calendars we are reassured that everything is in its place. This is the positive mindset to adopt in the festive period if you wish to ensure that you are enjoying all the fun bits and flying through the tougher commitments unscathed. There is also the side of Christmas which doesn’t get talked about much and that’s the family politics. This is normally the one time of year when members of the same family, of all generations are all squeezed together under one roof. This can be a time of psychological stress as the old animosities and unresolved issues bubble up to the surface. Here again, decide how you want your Christmas to be, focus on the good relationships and enter into the spirit with good humour. Duck and dive around controversial subjects and just imagine yourself breezing through your time together until it’s time to leave. By setting a clear intention of how you want this time to be, by ensuring that you’ve thought about it beforehand and have a game plan, you will be ready and prepared for any potential war zones and make the best of your Christmas. Let’s make this festive time a fun time, let’s reignite what this time of the year is meant to be, a heart-warming celebration with friends and family and move away from all the pressure and stress. It’s your Christmas too, your holiday and your friend and family time, decide how you want this year’s celebration to be and as Jean-Luc Picard would say on the Starship Enterprise “make it so.” So the next time someone asks you the age old question… “Have you done your Christmas shopping yet?” instead of finding yourself being taken over by a rising wave of panic, you can smile and calmly answer that it’s all in hand and move on to more interesting and stimulating subjects! Wishing you all a wonderful festive time!

ADVERTORIAL

FOLLOW THESE SIX HEALTH TIPS TO HELP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY STAY WELL THIS WINTER 1 Take care of

yourself at home

MANY COMMON winter illnesses, such as colds and sore throats, get better by themselves over time and are best treated at home.

You can reduce the likelihood of catching or spreading a short-term illness or virus through good hygiene. Wash your hands often with warm water and soap, and bin used tissues as quickly as possible. Catch it. Bin it. Kill it.

Your medicine cabinet

We recommend that everyone keeps a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home. This should include over-the-counter medicines (including paracetamol, ibuprofen and anti-diarrhoea medicine) that can help relieve the symptoms of winter ailments.

If you need advice on medicines that can help relieve symptoms, ask your pharmacist. Visit www.southwarkccg.nhs.uk for a full list of what to keep in your medicine cabinet.

Prescriptions

Make sure you get your prescription medicine before your pharmacy or GP practice closes for Christmas.

2 Keep warm KEEPING WARM during winter can help prevent colds, flu and more serious problems like heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression. • Heat your home to at least 18°C (65°F) • Keep your bedroom window closed on winter nights • Keep active when indoors • Several layers of clothes are better than one bulky layer • Find out if you’re entitled to help with your heating and energy bills: www.gov.uk/phe/ keep-warm • Get someone to check your cooker and heaters are safe: www.gassaferegister.co.uk

The flu vaccination is the best protection we have against an unpredictable virus. That’s why the free jab is available for those aged 65 and over, people with long-term health conditions, and pregnant women. The vaccine is also free for children—who are usually able to have a nasal spray rather than an injection. You may also be eligible for the free jab if you’re the main carer of an older or disabled person. Remember, you need the jab every year. Just speak to your GP or pharmacist, or visit www.nhs.uk/getflujab for more information.

REMEMBER TO keep in touch with your older friends, family and neighbours—they may need a bit of extra help over winter.

Icy pavements and roads may be slippery and cold weather can stop people getting out and about. Ask if they need help, make sure they’re stocked up with enough food supplies and encourage them to wrap up warm if they do go out.

4 Feeling unwell? Ask your pharmacist EVEN IF it’s just a cough or a cold, don’t wait—consult your pharmacist before it gets more serious.

Your pharmacist is a qualified health professional who can recognise common illnesses and recommend medicines. They can advise on things to do at home to help yourself and tell you where to go for medical help if it’s something more serious. Pharmacies are usually open later into the evenings and at weekends—some will also be open over Christmas and New Year.

5 Make sure you get your flu jab ANYONE CAN catch flu, but for some people it increases the risk of developing more serious illnesses—and can be lifethreatening in some cases.

3 Look after others

Instead of booking and waiting to see your GP, you can visit your pharmacy at any time during opening hours—and you don’t need an appointment. If you can’t go to a pharmacist yourself, ask someone to go for you or call your local pharmacist. You can also get your flu vaccination from your pharmacist. Find your local pharmacy and check its opening hours at www.southwarkccg.nhs.uk

6 Need medical help right now? If you need medical help fast, but it’s not a 999 emergency, call NHS 111 or visit www.111.nhs.uk For less urgent health needs, contact your local pharmacist or GP. Extra GP and nurse appointments are available in Southwark from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. Call your GP or NHS 111 to book. If it’s a real emergency and life-threatening, then you can call 999.

For more information about how to stay well this winter, please visit: www.nhs.uk/staywell

Home Turf

In the bleak mid-winter

ovember was mostly overcast with higher than average rainfall; this left the ground saturated, making it difficult to finish year-end gardening tasks. A cold snap arrived mid-month bringing low temperatures, and a few welcome bright sunny days. December weather is usually changeable and often becomes milder and wetter as Christmas approaches. This year’s winter Solstice will fall on December 22nd and marks the beginning of winter. All but essential gardening work stops for a month or so. There is still time to organise gifts; the gardening sections in High Street book shops can provide inspiration on every subject from pruning to companion planting. But if time is limited, why not browse Hive books www.hive.co.uk. Alternatively a year’s membership for Kew (starts at £71) or the RHS (£63) may be a welcome gift. Tools are a tricky choice; gardeners can be fussy about what they use! As winter begins, the focus will be on evergreens – Fir/Spruce trees, Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe, as pot or cut plants. They have symbolic meaning in ancient folklore and we continue the tradition

Jackie Power is a horticulturalist and herbalist who lives in Southwark of using these plants for festive celebrations. Ivy (Hedera) is often sold as an indoor pot plant (but found in gardens, scrambling up walls and trees) and was used to decorate rooms during midwinter festivals; it is also supposed to bring luck. Holly (Ilex) with its spiky dark green leaves and red berries is a symbol of fertility and said to protect from witchcraft. It is a useful shrub to grow as a hedge or single specimen tree; tolerating shade and needing little attention. Mistletoe (Viscum album) is a talented and mysterious plant; a parasitic shrub - it grows on a host tree (Apple, Lime, Hawthorne, Poplar). The berries are ‘planted’ by birds wiping their beaks on branches, the seeds get stuck in crevices (birds do not like the acidic sticky seeds). Mistletoe nestles high up in the tree canopy remaining unnoticed during leaf cover. The twigs and leaves of Mistletoe (not the berries which are poisonous) have medicinal qualities and are used in herbal medicine. Always seek professional advice from a qualified Medical Herbalist before using plants/herbs to treat any illness. Mistletoe is a sacred plant to the Druids; it is believed the custom of kissing under the Mistletoe originates from Druid ceremonies! Season’s Greetings!

URBAN FOX 55

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Property

Homeward Bound

New builds, luxury flats, affordable housing and what’s up your street

An industrial site in Bermondsey which is set to be redeveloped into a striking new residential scheme has been sold for £9.75million by leading South London estate agent KALMARs and joint agent Kingsbury. Purchased by established housebuilder Optivo in a joint venture project with housing association Skillcrown, the site is located on Hatcham Road and Ilderton Road, part of the Old Kent Road Opportunity Area, and has resolution to grant planning permission for a nine-storey building providing new homes and commercial units. Sold on behalf of developer Aitch Group, the proposed Hatcham Road scheme provides for 86 homes as a mixture of one-bedroom, twobedroom and three-bedroom apartments, with two large commercial units on the ground floor. Designed by architectural practice Alan Camp

58 URBAN FOX

Architects, the scheme will provide 61,000 sq. ft. of residential space and 7,600 sq. ft. of commercial space in total, and the site received resolution to grant planning permission in November 2018. The purchaser was introduced by Kingsbury, with KALMARs’ extensive local knowledge and experience guiding the deal. The purchased Hatcham Road site totals 0.45 acres across 3 parcels of land; a single storey building which contains three commercial units at 62 Hatcham Road; yard space at 60A Hatcham Road; and a two-storey industrial building with yard space at 134-149 Ilderton Road. Hatcham Road is located just 0.4 miles from Old Kent Road which is undergoing extensive development into a new ‘city’ which will provide 20,000 new homes and workspace for 10,000 new jobs, replacing low-rise retail

INDUSTRIAL SITE IN BERMONDSEY, PART OF OLD KENT ROAD OPPORTUNITY AREA, SET TO BECOME NEW HOMES IN £9.75M DEAL BY KALMARs warehouses and factories. The Old Kent Road Opportunity Area and new Action Plan is a 20 year investment strategy to strengthen the area’s appeal, build stronger communities and provide substantial highly-sought-after homes and workspace. KALMARs recently highlighted in a focused research report that the Old Kent Road regeneration plans have a GDV of £10.7 billion, with the Bakerloo Line Extension and location’s growth potential proving hugely attractive to investors and developers. The Hatcham Road site could prove a very substantial investment as land values along Old Kent Road and throughout the surrounding area are rising; the site at Hatcham Road sold for circa £159 per sq. ft. when based on the potential consented residential space of 61,000 sq. ft., as KALMARs report that new-build private home schemes along Old Kent Road are achieving between £700 up to £800 per sq. ft. once completed. Estate agency KALMARs are very experienced in South London and are handling a number of high profile deals in the Old Kent Road Opportunity Area, having recently also completed on the sale of a 53 unit development that sold out within a month of practical completion at prices achieving within 3% of the £800 per sq. ft. asking terms. Sebastian Kalmar, Director of Residential Development at KALMARs, commented: “KALMARs are delighted to have guided the successful sale of Hatcham Road, an industrial site that is set to be transformed into new-build homes and commercial space. The area within the Old Kent Road Opportunity Area is seeing significant investment and we expect the area’s appeal to grow over the coming years. Given the potential increase in land values once a scheme is completed, Hatcham Road could prove to be a very substantial investment.”

For further information on the sale of Hatcham Road or other KALMARs instructions in the Old Kent Road Opportunity Area, please contact please contact KALMARs at www.kalmars.com or call 0207 403 0600.

Independent London AVOID FINES, GET A TAX BREAK, AND PREPARE FOR THE NEW LANDLORD LAWS WITH THIS BERMONDSEY ESTATE AGENCY

f you’re a landlord you need an informed and cost effective agency. Independent London set up a Central London office in 2008 to try to bridge the gap between High Street agents and Internet advertising options. Since then they’ve established themselves as a landlord friendly, knowledgeable and reliable Estate Agency using a fair fee structure and the latest technology to enhance the landlord’s experience. They stay on the edge of technology and were using online signing back then in 2008 when nobody else was. As of June 1st the Government is banning all fees to tenants. This means that your estate agent will no longer be allowed to charge administration fees to tenants moving into a property. They cannot charge for references or a check in or a check out. Do you know exactly what the Tenant Fee Ban means to you? Is your letting agent passing on the fees to you? Has the Government relabelled Tenants Fees and called

them Landlord Fees? Independent London is taking a pragmatic approach to the Fee ban. If you are confused by what your agent is telling you then call Independent London now for free advice and information regarding the ban. Does your property need an additional House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence? Southwark council requires a licence for a property with three unrelated tenants. Even a couple and a single person living in a two-bedroom property would require an additional HMO licence. Are you legal? Is your tenancy legal? Ask the experts at Independent London and you could avoid a large fine. The agency is also experienced in winding down HMOs and finding families to rent larger properties, thus avoiding the requirement for an HMO Licence. Do you know how to set up a Special Purchase Vehicle to buy your investment property with a Limited Company so you can claim mortgage interest back in your tax return? Could you qualify and incorporate your property portfolio? This could save a landlord with five properties or more thousands in tax and stamp duty. Giving landlords expert advice is what Independent prides itself on. There are plenty of low fee charging run of the mill agencies out there taking fees for with little or no experience in the industry. Independent London backs up their experience with: · A legal mentor · Cast iron contracts · Up to the minute paperwork backed by software

providers Goodlord and Painsmith Solicitors. This provides peace of mind for the agency and its clients. Everything is done online to save time and money. Tenants are given all legal documents at the start of the tenancy including the gas certificate, Energy Performance Certificate, the Deposit Scheme Prescribed Information, all of which they’re required to sign as part of their Tenancy Agreement. Independent London currently has no rent arrears on their whole managed portfolio. They provide an online log in portal for landlords at no extra cost, which means landlords have access to their accounts and paperwork at the touch of a button. No need to call or chase for a missing invoice. Independent London can also provide an end of year tax roundup for your accountant. The agency understands the challenges facing landlords in the modern lettings industry because they are landlords. Their objective is to save landlords money at every turn while guarding them always against punitive aggressive litigation from current or former tenants. If you feel like you are not being properly advised or that you are paying too much tax or you simply don’t understand recent legislation or how it will affect your property or your income then give Independent London a call. Independent London charges 5 percent for a letonly service and an additional 5 percent monthly for management service. Independent London is at Studio 1, 197 Long Lane, SE1 4PD. Phone: 0207 940 7303 Or email: info@independentlondon.net

Now Open Introducing this wonderful collection of onebedroom self-contained apartments for rent to people over 55. We have carers onsite 24/7 to meet your care needs and promote social activity and independent living.

winning provider of housing, care and support across London and the South East since 1966.

Season Senior Living builds wonderful retirement communities at affordable prices. Linden Court is located in Lewisham for local residents who need help to continue living independently but don’t want to move far.

• • • • • • •

Season is part of One Housing - an award-

There are attractive communal spaces, including: Lounge Bar and kitchen Activity room/cinema Multi-purpose room Assisted bathroom Therapy room 4x communal garden spaces

LINDEN COURT

For more information please go to seasonhomes.co.uk or email info@seasonhomes.co.uk or call 020 8821 4781. Steele Road (off Campshill Road), Lewisham, London SE13 6BS

S E A S O N H O M E S . C O . U K 2071_linden_court_advert_265mmx340mm_v2.indd 1

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WHAT’S ON at Morley

SHINE 2019 Discover our Intermediate and Advanced Jewellery students’ exceptional work. Some items will be for sale.

13 November 11 December

PENNY LECTURES

PENNY LECTURES THE ORIGINAL TED TALKS

Our oldest tradition dates all the way back to when we were first founded! Listen to a lecture on an interesting and unusual subject, delivered by an expert, for just a penny. Performance and Positivity, by actor Samuel Blenkin 27 January, 18:00-20:00, 1p

LUNCHTIME CONCERTS Join us every Tuesday for a FREE concert, featuring performances by our staff and students.

Every Tuesday until 10 December, 13:05-14:00

MORLEY CHAMBER MUSIC MORLEY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CONCERT: HECTOR BERLIOZ (1803-1869) CONCERT OVERTURES Morley College London Friday 6 December, 19:30-21:00, £5

Barry Till Gallery, Morley College London, until 16 January

CLARA SCHUMANN: THE ARTIST AND THE WOMAN Cardew Space, Morley College London, until 14 December

A CHRISTMAS TALE Featuring the Morley Chamber Choir, the Morley Choral Society, and the Meridian Choir St Peter’s Church, Vauxhall Friday 6 December, 19:30-21:00, £8

SILENT FILM: PICCADILLY (1929) with live accompaniment 14 February, 19:30-21:00

To find out more about our events or book tickets, visit our website: www.morleycollege. co.uk/events

Develop your English, Maths, and Computing Skills at Morley

ENGLISH

ESOL Advice & Guidance at Westminster Bridge Road Wednesday 8 January 10:00–14:00; 17:00–19:00 Thursday 9 January 10:00–14:00; 17:00–19:00

MATHS

ICT

ESOL Advice & Guidance at the Stockwell Centre

ESOL Advice & Guidance at the Lewington Centre

Wednesday 8 January 10:00–14:00

Thursday 9 January 10:00–14:00

www.morleycollege.ac.uk

Maths (not GCSE) Advice & Guidance at Westminster Bridge Road Wednesday 8 January 10:00–14:00; 17:00–19:00

ENROL NOW

020 7450 1889

in person