Tradescant Road and South Lambeth

Stockwell film locations: Carve Her Name With Pride and Blow Up

2012-02-16T12:03:00.000Z

When the Second World War broke out the 18 year old French born Stockwell resident Violette Szabo was working on the perfume counter in Morley's of Brixton.

Five years later she was dead, executed by the Germans for her activities as a secret agent, working with the French Resistance to sabotage road and rail bridges. Captured in 1944 she had been interrogated and tortured by the Gestapo before being interred in a concentration camp.

A film based on her life, Carve Her Name With Pride, was made by Lewis Gilbert in 1958 starring Virginia McKenna and Paul Schofield.

Admirably, the opening of the film uses Szabo's actual street, Burnley Road in Stockwell for the opening scene (today there is a plaque marking her home at number 18).

The first photograph below is taken from the film; the second shows the street as it is today, little changed.

The next scene picks up with young Violette boarding a bus just round the corner in Stockwell Park Crescent where she meets up with an old school chum, now a clippie, played by Miriam Karlin:

And while we're in Stockwell, Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 swinging London classic Blow Up features a sequence filmed in Stockwell Road.

This site compares the Stockwell Road of the film with that of today (or 2009 anyway).

Lambeth Country Show cancelled

2012-02-15T21:33:00.002Z

"Can anyone explain what, if anything, Lambeth Council is good for?" I wondered in yesterday's post.

I was being disingenuous of course. The answer is that there is a brilliant jewel in Lambeth's tawdry crown and that jewel is the annual Lambeth Country Show, an unmissable, glorious, bonkers event, scheduled to take place on 21/22 July 2012.

Not any more though:

9th February 2012: 'Lambeth police advised council to cancel country show', says leader

Lambeth council leader Steve Reed said today the police, under former borough commander Nick Ephgrave, advised the council not to hold the Lambeth Country show during the Olympics because of heightened security risks.

He said police could not guarantee that extra officers would be available while the Games were taking place in London.

But wait, hang on

15th February 2012: 'We would have gone ahead with show', say police

Lambeth Council claimed last week police had advised it not to hold the Lambeth Country Show at the same time as the Olympics because there would not be enough officers to ensure public safety.

But Lambeth police have since denied the claim, insisting it was the council’s decision whether to stage the event, adding that they would have supported the decision to hold it.

Anyway, if you want to object, someone has started a petition:

The Lambeth Country Show, due to be held very shortly before the Olympics on July 21st and 22nd, has been cancelled with very little consultation. The show attracts about 160,000 people. Its facilities (such as portaloos) and probably its policing are needed for the Olympics. Few children in the borough will actually see the Olympic competitors live, whereas many go to the Country Show. It's a reflection of all that is the best about Lambeth and it's free to all. If the dates were to be rearranged the Show could be held without it being affected by the Olympics. Please consider signing this petition. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-the-lambeth-country-show/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend .

Stockwell Studios - more Lambeth "co-operation"

2012-02-14T14:54:00.001Z

From Stockwell News:

The Guardian has a story about the betrayal of the community of artists who were led to believe that they would be able to sign a long least with Lambeth, spent £70k on the former Annie McCall Hospital in Jeffreys Road - only to learn that Lambeth have sold the property from under them to Henley Homes. Shame, shame. This area has so little in the way of community cultural resources - and now it will have less.

Another stunning "Co-operative Council" own goal. What a bunch of useless tossers. Can anyone explain what, if anything, Lambeth Council is good for? (That bit's not from Stockwell News, or The Guardian. It's from me. I'm still too angry to post coherently about the latest libraries news, by the way)

Hartington Road and Larkhall Lane postcards for sale!

2012-02-13T12:14:00.003Z

I look out for South Lambeth postcards on ebay and they usually go for a few quid although of late I seem to have had a rival bidder who has outbid me on some interesting items. Grr.

Anyway two have just come up for sale which might be interesting to someone with deeper pockets than mine. a postcard of Hartington Road from 1907 (starting bid £30) and one of Larkhall Lane from 1909 (starting bid £35)

Hartington Road, 1907

Larkhall Lane, 1909

PS: And here's another one. Vauxhall Cross.

and one of St Stephen's Terrace in 1909:

Jam jar appeal

2012-02-13T11:56:00.000Z

If you have any jam jars lying around (or any kind of jar really) and you are in the area, could you please deposit them in the box at 17 Tradescant Road before Saturday 18th February 2012?

They are for use at Saturday's South Lambeth Ceilidh after which they will be sent for recycling, since you're wondering.

Another One Nine Elms public exhibition

2012-02-11T22:12:00.000Z

The developers of One Nine Elms are holding another public exhibition on the planning application recently submitted to Wandsworth Council.

Friday 24th February
Time: 4pm to 7pm

Date: Saturday 25th February
Time: 10am to 2pm

At Ground Floor, Market Towers, 1 Nine Elms Lane, London SW8 5NQ

www.onenineelms.co.uk

One Nine Elms Newsletter (Email Version)

Saturday: South Lambeth's Love Market

2012-02-10T13:22:00.001Z

Wearing my "Flowers for the Weekend" hat...

I will be at tomorrow's South Lambeth Market (Saturday 11th February 2012) with Valentine roses and some lovely English tulips.

Wearing my Tradescant Road & South Lambeth blog hat...

Other highlights for this month's markets include:

Robert Lever –costume designer and stylist for TV & film is clearing his warehouse.

Gary Anderson/ Saville Row Silk and Mohair Gents suits £ 100.00
Mens Liberty and Nigel Hall shirts from £ 25.00
Karen Millen cocktail Dresses ( worn once ) £ 60.00 - £ 80.00
Coast evening dresses from £ 65.00

Blueberry Hill Cakes -as seen in Harrods

Iced Vanilla Heart Biscuit with Strawberry & Champagne Jam Filling
Iced Chocolate Heart Biscuit with Pink Marshmallow Filling
Iced Lemon Heart Biscuit with Lemon Curd Filling

Moseley’s Giftware

A range of handmade Valentine’s cards and gifts for him and her

Di Lieto

Not only bread from the cult former-South Lambeth bakery: the Di Lieto stall will have 100% Sicilian olive oil produced from their own olives available to buy. Bring a bottle £12/ltr

Plus the usual range of outstanding stallholders offering a range of hot and cold foods, crafts, gifts and plants.

The market is at The Cavendish Arms, 128 Hartington Road, London SW8 2HJ (map here) and is open from 10am to 4pm.

Desperately Seeking Plumber

2012-02-08T14:55:00.003Z

Tate South Lambeth Library is looking for a reliable local plumber to install a new toilet for the public to use.

Can you recommend a local plumber you have used or someone you know has used?

He or she needs to be:

reliable and competent
reasonably local
ready and able to give a definite quote for the job (Council rules require the library to get three quotes and choose the best value one)

One of the reasons it's so difficult is that most plumbers will charge a call-out fee for turning up to quote and the council will have no truck with that. The other is that there's a one-in-three chance of getting the job.

Oh and payment will be through the Council's invoice payment system. One can imagine what that's like

Still, perhaps between you you can come up with three public spirited plumbers...?

If you can help with this, pass on the details to friendsoftsl@hotmail.com which will forward them to the library.

New Lambeth Archives exhibition at Morley Gallery

2012-02-07T10:23:00.001Z

Thursday sees the opening of Lambeth Prospects, a new free exhibition of items from the Lambeth Archives at Morley College:

This exhibition draws on the most historically and visually interesting images from the 50,000 or so items in the visual collection at Lambeth Archives.

These views, in media including oil, watercolour, print and photography give a rarely-seen insight into Lambeth over the centuries.

If focuses on the north of the borough’s transition from a riverside village, to a Victorian industrial centre and then to today’s diverse 21st century community, but also on the development of its suburbs in Brixton, Streatham, Clapham and Norwood.

Lambeth Prospects
9th - 23rd February 2012

Morley Gallery, 61 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7HT

gallery@morleycollege.ac.uk 020 7450 1825 website

Opening Times:

During Term Time
Mon , Tue, Fri 11am – 6pm; Wed & Thurs until 7pm
Sat 11 Feb 12noon - 4pm
Sun 12 Feb 12noon – 4pm

During half term week (13 – 17 Feb)
11am – 5pm

Walk Vauxhall in the Blitz

2012-02-07T10:06:00.002Z

Bombing aftermath: Fentiman Road

Time to don your sensible shoes...

The Vauxhall Society’s inaugural "Vauxhall in the Blitz" walk takes place this Sunday 12 February (repeated Friday 17 February), starting at 11.00am, and lasting 1½ to 2 hours.

Meet outside the Starbucks at the Vauxhall interchange.

The walk is led by Chris Everett. a professional guide who is donating his services free to The Vauxhall Society.

A £3 donation to TVS funds from walkers would be welcome.

Win a bouquet of flowers...

2012-02-03T14:47:00.007Z

I'm considering adding a second day to my Flowers For The Weekend delivery schedule and need to know which day would be most popular so I've set up a very short survey here.

Fill in the survey and you could win one of five Flowers For The Weekend bouquets.

The old and the cold

2012-02-03T14:42:00.000Z

As you may have noticed, it is cold.

Apparently 90 older people died from hypothermia last year in Lambeth and Age UK Lambeth have been in touch to ask that if you have elderly neighbours you could:

Call on them to check they’re ok
Offer to collect some shopping for them or walk their pet
Tell them about the Age UK Lambeth Warm and Well in Winter scheme:

Warm and Well in Winter

Help is available for older or frail and disabled residents of Lambeth who may suffer because of the cold weather.

If you can’t get out due to snow, ice or extreme cold we may be able to help you to;

Do some light shopping
Collect prescriptions
Have one of our volunteers visit you

Our handyperson service can;

Draft proof your doors and windows
Provide radiator reflectors
Provide a cold temperature alarm
Advise how to keep warm during the cold snap

We can help you prepare for further cold weather by telling you about

Welfare benefits advice
Grants for home insulation
Advice and possible grants about repairing your home
Advice about fuel efficiency

Age UK Lambeth 020 7346 6818 www.ageuklambeth.org.uk

Saturday is National Libraries Day

2012-02-02T19:51:00.000Z

Saturday 4th February 2012. 10.00am-1.00pm

Visit the Tate South Lambeth Library on Saturday to celebrate National Libraries Day in general and our local library in particular.

Find out about the goodies on offer at this very special community resource and new ones planned.

The Friends will also be taking the chance to find out exactly what you like about the library – and what else you want from it in the future,

Find out about:

* The full range of library services (especially IT) with area manager, Michael Towsey
* The (adult) reading group, with Edith Holtham
* Digital Tuesdays/Digital Bazaars, with Christina Burnett
* The older persons group
* Friends of TSL table: get the latest news from Daphne de Souza and Laura Swaffield
* The proposed new adult literacy support group, with Peta Darling
* The Three Scrolls! To record your likes, your ideas and your drawings (for children), with Bene Whitehouse

Madeira So Peixe - a local profile

2012-02-02T17:15:00.001Z

Malika Browne profiles another South Lambeth institution: Madeira So Peixe – The Portuguese fishmonger on South Lambeth Road.

Started in 1996, the fishmonger Madeira So Peixe is one of our neighbourhood’s most precious small shops.

Run by the friendly, efficient Fatima (from Madeira, naturally, like most of Stockwell’s Portuguese community), its green awning and its splendid vegetable display in front of the shop make it easy to spot, between Trend drycleaner and a newsagent and a few doors down from Estrella bar and cafe. Fatima ran a launderette in Earlsfield and a cafe at Clapham Junction until she set up this fishmonger in 1996.

If you visit on a Monday, there will be vegetables in the area where fish should be, because as we all know, fishermen have better things to do on Sundays than fish. However, it is worth mentioning that the vegetables sold in this fish shop far surpass in quality and variety those over the Wandsworth Road at Sainsbury’s. This being a Portuguese establishment, quinces are always plentiful and relatively inexpensive when in season, and quite often you will find dwarf bananas, custard apples, limes, luscious beetroot and fabulous herbs and lettuces alongside the usual green groceries.

And that’s before you even get to the fish. In an ideal world, Fatima would label her fish with English names as well as Portuguese ones. But who are we non-lusophone customers, to complain? (If enough of us request even a list on the wall, she might do it, you never know. Alternatively, see our list below.) Sea Bass fillets here are £10 a kg, (compared to £28 per kg at Sainsbury’s), oysters are 60p apiece (for those days when you need an instant zinc hit), and you can find fish not normally stocked by supermarkets (such as sardines and occasionally, cuttlefish). Squid and octopus are often for sale too and salmon is carved off the fish to order.

The fish comes from Billingsgate Market daily, and the fruit and vegetables from Leighton Market (New Covent Garden being too expensive, apparently).

Once you have made your choice, Fatima – and this is my favourite bit – nods to her brother, the silent, mysterious Brylcremed Heathcliff figure in the background, and he sets to work cleaning and gutting the fish. He never says a single word as he works. When he is done, Fatima wraps your fish in newspaper, does her sums on her pad of paper, and you’re free to go. There isn’t much chit-chat, but that’s mainly because Fatima doesn’t speak much English, unlike her grown-up children who occasionally help at weekends.

But wait! Before you do, a something altogether unexpected awaits you in the fish shop’s back room. Pop your head around the corner, and witness a cafe in a Portuguese fishing village at any point in the last 50 years. The almost entirely male clientele will only momentarily raise their eyes to acknowledge the new face, but they will soon turn back to their grilled meat. For this is Stockwell’s meaty answer to a speakeasy. It’s a grilleasy, if you like, with one barbecue grill and a few plastic chairs. It’s certainly s a sight to behold. A brochette of beef or chicken on a spit will set you back £10.

Fish names in Portuguese

Parguito – snapper
Sargo – bream
Bacalhau - cod
Arinca – herring
Perca – perch
Atum – tuna
Sarda – mackerel
Pollack – Juliana
Pescada - hake
Carpa – carp
Truta – trout
Salmão – salmon

Madeira So Peixe, 121 South Lambeth Road London, SW8 1XA

Open every day including Sunday, from 8am.

Real pizza to hit South Lambeth Road?

2012-02-02T16:39:00.000Z

It may be too much to hope for but a quite Italian sounding Giuseppe Gravino has applied for an alcohol licence for "Pizza Pazza" a new pizzeria restaurant opening at 145 South Lambeth Road SW8 1XN (next door to the Dragon Garden Chinese takeaway).

One Nine Elms - planning application submitted

2012-01-31T10:12:00.001Z

From a press release:

Plans to redevelop two office blocks into 400 homes have been submitted to Wandsworth Council as part of the wider Nine Elms regeneration.

The proposed mixed-use development would see the Market Towers, in South London, transformed into hundreds of homes, a hotel and a new public square with shops, restaurants and cafés.

Called ‘One Nine Elms’, the scheme is a joint venture by CIT and Green Properties, designed by architect Kohn Pederson Fox.

The site is located in the east of Nine Elms - central London’s biggest regeneration project.

The area has already begun to transform with work now underway on St George's Vauxhall Tower scheme and St James Group's Riverlight development.

Enabling works are also underway on the site of the new US Embassy which is expected to open in 2017.

Council leader Ravi Govindia said: “Nine Elms is London’s leading development hotspot. The transformation is now underway and a new residential and business district will soon take shape.

“More than 20 sites are now gearing up for redevelopment and work has begun on some of the most exciting schemes. In all, 16,000 homes will be built here alongside enough new business and cultural space to support 25,000 new jobs.

"The new Nine Elms will have two new Tube stations and more green open space than any other part of Central London’s South Bank. It will be a terrific place to live and work.”

The One Nine Elms application is now being assessed by the authority’s planning department. Once validated, the plans will be made available on the council’s website and a public consultation gage views from local residents and businesses.

Two new Northern Line stations will connect Nine Elms to the London Underground network and capacity increased at Vauxhall Station.

Property value in the area is expected to rise faster than in any other part of London according to property agency Knight Frank. The company has forecast growth of 140 per cent by 2016.

Keep it local: order your Valentines flowers from Flowers For The Weekend

2012-01-29T17:11:00.003Z

And now a word from our sponsors.

Andrew writes...

I’m delighted to unveil my Valentines Day offering for 2012 with options to suit every pocket and discretion assured.

Nothing says "I Love You" like a dozen roses. Apart from two dozen roses.

Either way, I'll be out on my tricycle delivering luscious bouquets of red roses on Valentine's Day.

To take advantage of guaranteed prices place your order before Friday 3rd February. Full details here.

TARA established, website launched

2012-01-29T15:24:00.001Z

The inaugural meeting of the Tradescant Area Residents Association (TARA) took place on Wednesday 11th January 2011 at the Ruby Lounge upstairs at the Vauxhall Griffin pub in Wyvil Street.

An amazing 31 people turned up and joined the new association which covers Tradescant Road, Walberswick Street, Meadow Place, Old South Lambeth Road, Heyford Terrace, Heyford Avenue and the western end of Dorset Road.

The aims of the association include:

Encouraging a community spirit. For example by planning events that bring people together
Representing the common interests of all the residents within the Association area to Lambeth Council and other external bodies
Promoting improvements to the quality of life for local people and their communities

For more information and details of how to join visit www.tradescant.net

A short history of Brunswick House

2012-01-29T14:25:00.001Z

If you missed last week's talk on the history of Brunswick House organised by the Friends at the Tate South Lambeth Library, despair not.

Lassco have helpfully provided a summary in PDF form which you can either read here or below...

Birth Announcement: Benjamin McConnell & Niño

2012-01-29T11:57:00.001Z

Tradescant Road welcomes its youngest resident...

Benjamin McConnell was born to Isabelle Niño and matt mcConnell (TARA chairperson) at St Thomas' Hospital at 10:13pm on 15th January 2012.

Congratulations to matt and Isabelle!

The hyperlocal blog has become the 21st century replacement for the local broadsheet. Please send any news that you think may be of interest to your friends an neighbours to tradescantroad@gmail.com

Various Vauxhall developments

2012-01-26T11:36:00.001Z

Picture by Peter Papp

The Vauxhall Society website has the details of the Friends of Vauxhall Park's formal objection to the planned 32 storey development at 30-60 South Lambeth Road (swimming pool and student accommodation) which will overshadow the park.

The Society also has news on CLS's planning application for Vauxhall Square including news that demolition and construction will rather charmingly take place outside the bat nesting season. Really?

Ffurther afield towards Kennington it turns out that Lambeth's controversial sale of the Beaufoy Institute on Black Prince Road (a building pledged for educational purposes and sought by the local community for use as a crafts centre) has two buyers (subject to planning permission being granted).

The building's car park has been sold to Bellway Homes (yawn) while the building itself turns out to have been bought - much more interestingly - by the Tibetan Buddhist charity Diamond Way Buddhism for use as a community facility, a place for meditation & education and residential accommodation.

According to the Princes Ward counsellors "they intend to offer a facility which would primarily be used by the Buddhist community but would also seek to engage with and benefit local communities."

Diamond Way Buddhism is holding a drop-in session 6pm-9pm, next Thursday 2 February at the Tea House Theatre, 139 Vauxhall Walk, SE11 5HL. This is in advance of their submitting their planning application as they seek your contribution and input to the renovation of the Beaufoy Institute whilst the project is still in its early stages.

Historical footnote

Found this great picture on scanzen on tumblr. Caption reads: This young woman is one of ninety training at the Beaufoy Institute in Lambeth. She is here learning how to use measuring calipers. The women had all paid £1.2.2d (about £1.11p) for a twelve-week course. Jun 28, 1940. London, UK, England.

Millbank Bridge

2012-01-24T18:18:00.003Z

A bit of history for you...

During the Second World War the government was apparently concerned that the Germans might target Vauxhall Bridge and so a temporary bridge known as Millbank Bridge was built 200 yards downstream by the Tate Museum.

According to Wikipedia:

Millbank Bridge was built of steel girders supported by wooden stakes; however, despite its flimsy appearance it was a sturdy structure, capable of supporting tanks and other heavy military equipment. In the event, Vauxhall Bridge survived the war undamaged, and in 1948 Millbank Bridge was dismantled. Its girders were shipped to Northern Rhodesia and used to span a tributary of the Zambezi.

You can see a Pathé video of the bridge being dismantled in 1948 here.

Scams, crimes and other depressing things

2012-01-24T17:13:00.004Z

I try not to cover crime too much on this blog but various pieces of news converged from various sources so....

WINDOW CLEANER SCAM

Around mid-day Monday 23 January a person claiming to be a window cleaner called at houses in the Stockwell Park area. Having given fake name and phone number as ID he tried to get householders to give him a deposit before ‘calling in his boys to do the job’. At least one resident fell victim to this scam (the ‘window cleaner’ promptly disappeared).

The ‘window cleaner’ is a white male, aged about 40, burly build, in working clothes.
The resident correctly reported the scam promptly on the Police non-emergency number 101.

Please be warned: never give money or valuables to anybody in advance of work being done. Do not let anybody into your house/flat without independent verification. If you have doubts about anybody’s credentials, call an identifiable number first e.g. a known utility company etc. if they claim to be working for them. Meanwhile chain your door whilst talking to them.

WATER BOARD AND DIGITAL CHANGEOVER SCAMS

Lambeth Police have just issued a general warning that the Borough is having problems with bogus callers from 'Water Board' companies, and other areas have reported bogus workmen for the 'Digital Changeover' companies.

COMPUTER SCAM

A company phoned a member of the public in Lambeth stating they were monitoring their broadband connection and there was a fault. They asked them to go onto a website, so someone could fix the problem. The member of the public works in IT and knew that they wanted to remotely access their pc. They refused to give any details over the phone or log onto the site and the company rang off.

BANK SCAM

Lambeth Borough Police are warning of a fraud which is being perpetrated in the borough.

Some elderly residents have received a phone call, purporting to be from their bank. The caller asks details about their bank account, including the pin number for their card, to verify that they are the account holder.

The victim is then told that there is a problem with their card and the bank will send a courier to collect it.

When the card is collected, money is later withdrawn from the victim’s account.

Officers from Lambeth Borough Police are currently investigating a number of instances of this.

All residents, particularly the elderly, are warned not to divulge information such as pin numbers for cash or credit cards to anyone, especially over the telephone. Banks will never ask for this information. Banks will never send a courier to collect your bank card if there is a problem with it.

If you receive a call that purports to be from your bank and you are suspicious, ask the caller for their name and a reference number and tell them you will call them back. When returning the call, use a published telephone number from correspondence you know to have come from your bank or from their website.

Police are keen to speak to anyone who has any information regarding this fraud. Anyone who has been a victim of this, but has not yet reported the matter to police should do so by calling the non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

STOCKWELL TUBE STATION CRIME

People in the area of the Tube and nearby bus stops are still being targeted for their iPhones – there have been 11 robberies in the last two weeks. The victims have been mostly on their own, in their twenties, and using their iPhones at the time. The highest risk times are 1730-2100, especially Mondays and Tuesdays. Teams of Police, Police Cadets and Neighbourhood Watch volunteers will be engaged in a new programme to speak 1:1 to commuters advising them not use their iPhones in the area.

FIGHTING CRIME

There is some good news too: Lambeth Police have issued the following commendation:

Two operators at Lambeth CCTV have been instrumental in assisting the police to identify Robbers in Lambeth.

On 12/01/12 the CCTV was being monitored around the Stockwell Tube area due to the number of robberies and snatches in the area when a robbery was seen to take place.

The operators called police and using the CCTV they tracked the suspects and at the same time directed plain clothes police officers to the location. The suspect was arrested and the property located.

Durning Library (for a change)

2012-01-24T17:01:00.000Z

Those in the north eastern quarter of this blog's catchment area might like to know that the Friends of Durning Library (167 Kennington Lane,,near Kennington Cross) have launched a survey to gather views on the future of the service and of the building in the light of the rather bleak view of the library's future expressed by Lambeth's Library Commission (the building would require £750K of capital investment simply to guarantee its structural integrity).

As they explain ...

"Lambeth Council is currently considering the future organisation of its library service. We know that there are to be severe budget cuts and if the community does not step in, our library may not survive.

"As the library’s Friends, we need your help to decide how best to plan for its future, and so we need to hear your views, whether or not you use the library. So please take a little time (it's really not long) to complete theis short survey – available online and as a downloadable PDF. "

There will be a public meeting at the Durning Library on Monday 27 February to enable everyone to give their views and the results of the survey will contribute to this discussion. The deadline is Monday 30 January.

Potential street environment improvements

2012-01-19T20:31:00.001Z

I received this from Stockwell Park Residents Association but presumably it applies to us too...

The Mayor of London though Transport for London has granted Lambeth Council over £5m for transport improvements in the Borough. £1.16m of this money has been allocated to Oval, Stockwell, Vassall, Coldharbour, Ferndale, Larkhall and Clapham Old Town wards and therefore covers our conservation area.
Lambeth Council has set up a Neighbourhood Enhancement Project (NEP) covering the same area to allocate expenditure of these funds.

Improvements could include the following where practical and depending on local priorities:

· 20mph zones to reduce road danger (we understand these could include road width restrictions)
· cycle parking
· cycle training
· car clubs
· tree planting and food growing
· removing street clutter such as unnecessary bollards and redundant signs
· introducing disabled parking bays.

There was a consultation period (now expired) for suggestions on how these funds might be employed, but regrettably neither the SPRA nor individual residents were informed. However SPRA representatives have had a fruitful discussion with one of the Council officers responsible, who has emailed us to say that comments may still be submitted via the Lambeth website at www.lambeth.gov.uk/nep until 24 January.

South Lambeth Ceilidh - tickets now on sale

2012-01-13T12:02:00.000Z

Tickets are now on sale for the social event of the season: the Tradescant Area Residents Association SOUTH LAMBETH CEILIDH* on Saturday 18th February 2012.

Socialise with friends, meet new neighbours, have a bit of a dance, laugh a lot and marvel at the loveliness of our woefully underused (by most of us, anyway) Grade II listed Wheatsheaf Hall.

Oh, and it's a cheap night out too as it's a Bring-Your-Own bar & buffet.

It takes place on Saturday 18th February 2012 from 7pm - 11pm at the Wheatsheaf Hall, Wheatsheaf Lane SW8 2UP

Tickets are £10 and MUST be purchased in advance. They are also very limited - most have already been snapped up.

To buy your ticket email tradescantroad@gmail.com or call Andrew on 07958 314615.

* What is a “ceilidh” (say “Kay-Lee”)? It's a chaotic evening of fun, food, drink and Scottish country dancing! (no experience necessary - a caller leads you through each dance).

Can't make the South Lambeth Ceilidh?

Albert Square resident Neil Sanders draws your attention to the Morley Accordion Orchestra's Burns Ceilidh on Saturday 21st January 2012 from 6.30pm and 9.30pm at St Barnabus Parish Hall, 23 Dulwich Village SE21 7BT. Advance booking recommended. Email morleyaccordions@gmail.com

The idyll of the new US Embassy, Nine Elms

2012-01-13T10:02:00.000Z

Not news, but I was struck by this article's focus on quite how un-fortress-like the new US Embassy will be:

The $USD500 million project, which is set to break ground in just over a year’s time, is to be developed on London’s Nine Elms site in the midst of an urban garden, rather than cement safety wall. The parkland area will surround the building with a connection to the South Thames embankment as well as Vauxhall Station, truly becoming a part of the urban fold. Breaking away from traditional enclosed construction; the park area will be open to the public.

Seems almost too good to be true, but look! Here indeed are people happily walking their dogs along the edge of the moat. And not a gun toting policeman in site.

Vauhall Square plans

2012-01-13T09:33:00.000Z

CLS has circulated the following information about its Vauxhall Square plans:

We are pleased to confirm that Vauxhall Cross Limited, a subsidiary of local Vauxhall investor CLS Holdings Plc is a step closer to delivering the Vauxhall Square redevelopment: a striking, truly mixed-use, commercial and community hub which will bring forward huge investment and much needed leisure and retail facilities to the heart of Vauxhall.

Following extensive consultation on proposals in February and November 2011, a planning application was submitted on 14 December 2011 for the £400m mixed-use scheme.

Key features of Vauxhall Square redevelopment are:

New 4 screen cinema for Vauxhall
New public square at its heart
New childrens playspace
New restaurants, café and shops
604 residential units
Affordable housing
15,231 sqm of Grade A offices
416 student rooms
438 room hotel with a restaurant
Relocated homeless hostel in new modern purpose-built premises

The redevelopment of Vauxhall Square is expected to deliver the following key benefits for the Vauxhall area:

Major employment opportunities – increasing jobs on site by around 1000
Creation of high quality and safe public spaces with a busy new public square as a place for community events and a quieter children’s play area
New pedestrian and cycle routes through the scheme linking Vauxhall Park to the proposed linear park through Nine Elms and the river
Provision of a much needed leisure and retail offer for surrounding residential and commercial communities
Potential contribution to further improvements around the Vauxhall transport interchange

CLS undertook two stages of public consultation: Stage 1 in February 2011 and Stage 2 in November 2011. Stakeholder meetings and public exhibitions were held during both stages of consultation.

CLS distributed 3,600 community flyers in October 2011 where feedback was provided on the February Consultation and what changes were made to the scheme following Stage 1.

CLS would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who got involved in the public consultation and to provide an update to on the feedback received at the November public consultation.

During Stage 2 (November) Consultation, CLS:

· Held 14 meetings with community interest groups, Lambeth councillors and officers, plus local landowners and occupiers

· Held two public exhibitions which 111 people attended

· Had 950 hits (629 visitors) to the dedicated website

· Received a total of 24 questionnaires

Feedback was very positive with the cinema, restaurants, cafes and shops and the new public square proving extremely popular. A summary of the feedback received can be viewed at www.vauxhallsquare.co.uk (click on Nov’11 Consultation – NOVEMBER questionnaire feedback report)

The main issues raised related to the need for Vauxhall Square to improve or enhance:

· Local infrastructure – in particular Vauxhall’s transport interchange and cycle and pedestrian routes

· Safety and anti-social behaviour

· The sense of local community and encouragement of interaction between mixed users

· High quality public spaces being mindful of the impact of the height of buildings

· Inspiring design and architecture in the area

In response to the feedback from stakeholder meetings, public exhibitions, LB Lambeth, and English Heritage the below refinements were made to the Vauxhall Square proposal which was submitted as part of the planning application:

A pavilion was introduced behind the retained terrace providing a community space to address the public realm and provide a visual buffer to the rear of the terrace housing
The use of the community space was changed from a pure café space to also provide a ‘rainy day’ soft play area
The office entrance was focussed on the Wandsworth Road frontage, maximising retail frontages to the main pedestrian routes and the square, as well as providing activity along Wandsworth Road to ensure vibrancy inwards and outwards of the scheme
Miles Square was defined as a play space for children under 5 providing a positive community green space focussed around child play on Miles Street
The details of the cinema were developed in support of the community cinema concept and the number of screens reduced to 4
The lanes and spaces between the buildings to the southern part of the development were developed in character and detail, maximising active frontages and observation of the routes to address safety and vibrancy concerns
The office building massing was cutback and changes made to the elevations in response to concerns raised by the Strategic Planning Panel about its relationship to the retained terrace

The programme for Vauxhall Square, including all previous consultation and anticipated future delivery timetable, is as follows:

Up to Feb ’11 Discussions with Lambeth – to develop initial proposals

Feb ’11 Early public consultation on initial proposals 1

Mar-Apr ’11 Consultation feedback review

May-Oct ’11 Development of masterplan proposals 2

Early Nov ’11 Consultation on masterplan proposals 2

Nov-Dec ’11 Consultation feedback review and planning application preparation

14 Dec 2011 Planning application submission

Jan 2012 Lambeth undertake statutory consultation

Spring 2012 Potential planning decision by Lambeth Council

End 2014 Tenants vacate site

Early 2015 Potential start on site*

End 2017/2018 Potential completion of main buildings*

*The above will depend upon a positive planning decision by Lambeth’s planning committee

As set out in the above timetable, Lambeth will now be undertaking statutory consultation on the Vauxhall Square proposal.

Finally, CLS would like to thank you for your involvement in the public consultation which has helped the part you played in shaping Vauxhall Square redevelopment and ask that you share the above information with any interested groups and friends.

If you have any questions or queries regarding Vauxhall Square please don’t hesitate to contact us on 020 7840 7722 or modonnell@clsholdings.com. We will also keep updating www.vauxhallsquare.com

AA Gill on Brunswick House cafe: cheesecake not entirely vile

2012-01-12T10:34:00.000Z

I missed this when it appeared in the Sunday Times on 13 November 2011: AA Gill's withering review of Brunswick House Cafe.

The online version is behind a paywall so I haven't read it all but I came across this excerpt:

I had beans and ham hock, which was a viscous sludge of broad beans with pink shards of salty pig, and came with a piece of very dry bread. It was insistently evocative of the workhouse and amateur productions of Oliver Twist...There was also a plate of salad that was so badly made, it might have been someone's therapy: mutilated vegetables with slimy grey couscous. The counter boasted a dish devised by Edward Gorey, savoury custard in pastry studded with limp parsnips and carrots. Root pie. Mmmm-mmm. Pudding was pumpkin cheesecake. I ordered it as a cynically self-mortifying joke. Grudgingly, I have to admit that it wasn't entirely vile, though obviously not an improvement on missionary cheesecake.

On the other hand John Lanchester was rather more enthusiastic in his Guardian review of 14 October 2011:

The short and simple way of describing Brunswick House Cafe is to say it is perfect. Jackson Boxer has made a place that sends exactly the right signals about itself: it is quirky and personal, and casual and cool, but it's very well run, too, and the underlying commitment to good food isn't casual at all. There is a feeling that the people working here enjoy what they do. That helps the customer relax and enjoy it, too.

The menu is St John-style laconic: "Courgettes and romesco", "Cauliflower, red onion and Stichelton", "Pigeon, lentils and radicchio". The simplicity leaves nowhere for the chef to hide when things go wrong, and there were a couple of points when it did: the pigeon was near-raw and the lentils tasted faintly but unmistakably burnt. Apart from that, the food ranged from good to very good. That cauliflower dish was wonderfully tangy, and the melted blue cheese made the ensemble almost gamey. A terrine of smoked Old Spot pork had masses of herby kick. Mackerel came chopped up with mustard and blackberries, a fresh, light and original take on the fish. A bowl of cockles came with mussels, haddock and a luxurious dollop of aïoli, and was so good that it made me wonder why cockles appear on menus so infrequently.

We covered Faye Maschler's Evening Standard review in March 2011.

Park Life SW8

2012-01-12T10:19:00.000Z

News from the Friends of Vauxhall Park...

AGM & ANNUAL DRINKS PARTY

The AGM takes place on at 10.30am on Saturday 21 January in the Ashmole Tenants Hall, 2 Meadow Road, SW8 1QB. New members welcome. Then you can avail yourself of the Friends annual drinks party in Parco Cafe on Sunday 22 January from 7pm.

TREE PLANTING - VOLUNTEERS WANTED

The Friends of Vauxhall Park will be planting the fruit trees that have been donated to the Park by the London Orchard Project on Saturday 28 January from 10am-1pm. They are being planted on the old dog area, near to Bannerman House. They will need as many volunteers as possible - even if only for an hour. Just turn up.

NEW SECRETARY SOUGHT

Helen Monger will be stepping down as the Secretary of the Friends after the AGM, due to family circumstances. Despite having a job and a more than busy family life, she has been a fantastically efficient Secretary and driving force behind the Friends of Vauxhall Park. She will be sorely missed. The Friends are are looking for someone to become the Secretary in her place.Please contact vauxhallpark@freenetname.co.uk if you can help.

Munt Pianos factory, Wilcox Road

2012-01-12T10:18:00.000Z

From the wonderful Lambeth Archives comes this unexpected view of Wilcox Road from about 1930.

"The world's famed Munt Pianos made here"
Munt Pianos Factory, 69 Wilcox Road, circa 1930

I've not been able to find out much more about Munt Pianos apart from a post by a descendent of the family on the UK Piano Page Piano Discussion Forums:

My grandfather Cornelius Munt and his brother Norman were the last of the Munt brothers to make pianos at 69 Wilcox road Brixton until 1935 when they sold the factory to Chappells. My father has fond memories of going round the factory with his father, and up and down the piano lift. Not only did they make their own pianos, but during the years between 1914 and 1926 the actions of many British pianos came from the Munt factory due to the cessation of imports from Germany, and the Munts had fortunately always made their own.

Another contributor notes that Chappells' archives were lost in a Bond Street fire (in 1964?) and probably Munt's archives with them.

Diary dates for January...

2012-01-09T10:27:00.002Z

Wednesday 11 January
Inaugural meeting for the Tradescant Area Residents Association more

Saturday 14th January
South Lambeth Market more

Saturday 21st January:
Digital Bazaar more
Friends of Vauxhall Park AGM more

Monday 23rd January
Friends of Tate South Lambeth Library Pre-Burns Night Party more

Wednesday 25th January
Talk: History of Brunswick House more

New vision for a Vauxhall "town centre"

2012-01-08T13:04:00.001Z

No gyratory system. No bus station. A town square. A "high street" on Bondway. Could this be the future shape of Vauxhall?

This plan has been produced by Lambeth Council working with TfL by Farrells, SKM Buchanons and Lambert Smith Hampton as part of its revised "Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for Vauxhall" which will go before Cabinet on 16th January 2012.

Actually it looks rather brilliant, if unlikely (would TfL ever consent to the removal of the gyratory?).

Appendix A in the report describes the plan thus (bold emphases are mine):

The plan draws upon some of the history of the area when there was an identifiable High Street and looks forward to create a major transport interchange, a gateway to the city and a modern, vibrant and sustainable district centre. It intends to offer a centre to complement both Lambeth and London, and to be achievable within the framework of the OAPF and Lambeth Core Strategy.

The plan outlines a coherent and legible centre, easily negotiable for residents and visitors, with the historic barriers of the gyratory and the railway lines overcome.

Communities previously isolated to the east and north east, are re-connected to the river, the area's greatest natural resource- itself enhanced through the Thames walkway.

The numerous green spaces enjoyed by the area are now similarly now connected and linked to the proposed Linear Park, facilitating safe pedestrian movements. Pedestrian movement is further facilitated within the plan as road junctions and crossings are simplified from over 30 to 20 and transport barriers are reduced.

Central to the plan is the restoration of a high street at the centre of Vauxhall, to provide a heart and focus, along the Bondway, the strip currently occupied by the bus station.

Rather than a pedestrianised area, this is intended to be enlivened by allowing buses to pass through, and both sides will enjoy active retail frontage, thus providing valuable employment space and contributing further to Vauxhalls economic vitality.

A Civic Town Square is proposed next to the existing station as a potential venue for community and cultural events. It is intended that this is an area of mixed use, both within the streets and the buildings themselves.

The plan allows for the development of tall buildings as described in the emerging OAPF, but describes how streets can be created so that those buildings have a context.

Transport, and the management of Vauxhall as an interchange remains essential and the proposal is to remove the bus station and replace it with a series of bus stops, facilitating the bus routes and journeys.

The plan anticipates the return of two way working in place of the current gyratory... but does not rely upon it.

The full report is here.

Full version of map:

News from the Tate South Lambeth library...

2012-01-08T12:15:00.000Z

Some news from Tate South Lambeth Library. First the nice stuff:

Pre-Burns Night Party

The Friends of Tate South Lambeth Library's annual pre-Burns Night party takes place on 23 January from 7pm at Tate South Lambeth Library, 180 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1QP.

Free Scots culture, haggis (including a veggie version), neeps, tatties, whisky and wine.

If you are not already a Friend of the library, come along and join!

Please email friendsoftsl@hotmail.com if you would like to attend.

Libraries Commission report

The Libraries Commission delivered its report last year. I didn't report on it because I don't really understand the status of it - it's not clear (to me at least) how it expects its recommendations to save the £750k.

Anyway, on the face of it it seems that Tate South Lambeth Library has (for now at least) dodged the closure bullet:

South Lambeth is a smaller Library of similar size and usage to (Kennington's) Durning Library [which would require an investment of £750k to make it structurally sound]. Again customer analysis shows a similar small catchment areathat is predominantly community based. However, the existing building differs from the likes of Durning Library for two key reasons. Firstly, the building is in a good condition comparative to Durning Library and secondly, the library serves the Stockwell area of the borough which is a more densely populated area of the borough comparative to the north. In addition, the next closest library to the south is Clapham and, for these reasons, the Commission believes that a library service is needed in this locality. The Commission acknowledges the submissions from the local community of South Lambeth Library and other existing community commissioning projects taking place in this locality and recommends that co-production of a library service should take place at the earliest opportunity. Finally, whilst the Commission recognises the comparatively good condition of the existing library building, the Commission would support relocating the library service from the building if the community decides that it would be better served by moving the offer.

So, support for a library in the area, although not necessarily in the current building.

The "co-production" in that paragraph refers to one of the more radical proposals in the report:

Integrating Cooperative Council thinking into the Libraries Commission Report

The approach advocated by the Cooperative Council and the ethos of greater co-operation between citizen and state has informed the Commission’s thinking. Key elements of the Libraries Commission report which reflect the Co-operative Council ethos include:

Co-producing Lambeth’s library service:
This report recognises the importance of ensuring that library services are tailored to meet the needs of the communities they serve. As such this report argues thatthe library service should be co-produced, so that the services offered throughout Lambeth meets local need. Specifically the Commissionrecommends that local areas be assigned a fair and transparent budget for their local library service, which they can use to fund their co-produced library service.

Greater citizen involvement in the library service:
The Commission fully recognises the important role specialist library staff play in the delivery of an effective library service. However the Commission does believe that citizens could play a more active support role, assisting library staff with routine tasks and freeing them to undertake services which use their professional skills more fully.

Management of the library service:
A key part of the LibrariesCommission deliberations focused on how libraries could be managed.The Commission is clear that the council should be willing to support local communities, employees or third sector organisations who wish to take on the day-to-day management of a library.

You can read the Friends' response to the report here.

DCMS Library Closures Inquiry

Happily, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee has launched a new inquiry into library closures to look at (among other things) the extent to which planned library closures are compatible with the requirements of the Libraries & Museums Act 1964 and the Charteris Report.

The Friends recommend that you write to express your support for libraries. The deadline is this Thursday, 12th January 2012.

Northern Line Extension - Nine Elms station

2012-01-08T11:20:00.000Z

Poster advertising southen extension to the Northern Line, 1926

Proposals for a tube station at Nine Elms on the site of Sainsbury's car park have been thrown into doubt.

Last month the owners of the Battersea Power Station went into administration, the latest casualties in a long line of doomed BPS would-be developers.

Irish property group REO (majority owned by Treasury Holdings) had pledged to contribute £203m to the Northern Line Extension and one wonders how big a spanner this will be in the NLE works. Funding issues aside, if there's no development at Battersea Power Station, the NLE will provide a train to nowhere until someone does succeed in developing homes and businesses there. Still, at least those looking forward to catching trains into town from Nine Elms station will be able to get a seat.
But it seems the existence of Nine Elms station will be thrown into doubt by the various delays.

Lambeth's Cabinet meets on 16th January 2012 to approve the Council's formal opinion on: the route and the station & shaft locations so that that a Transport and Works Act can be submitted with the council's support. According to the Northern Line Extension report prepared for the Cabinet the Nine Elms tube station is not as certain as it once seemed:

The key issue is likely to be integration with current redevelopment plans by the landowners. Banham’s are currently seeking pre-application advice for a redevelopment of their site and need to replace their current offices within 5 years. Sainsbury’s have a current planning application and if approved would like to be on-site by the end of next year. The NLE is likely to be delivered after both developments.

TfL is continuing to investigate options and discussions are still ongoing with landowners to find the optimal solution.

While continuing to support "Option 2" (tube station at Nine Elms) the report recommends asking TfL to further investigate "Option 4" under which the intermediate station would be in Wandsworth, near the US Embassy site as this has the least impact for both Sainsbury’s and Banham’s redevelopment plans "unless Banham’s or Sainsbury’s confirm that their proposals can accommodate a station that satisfies timescales for development."

If this is the end result then the entire NLE will be in Wandworth and of benefit to few Lambeth residents.

The report also suggests that NLE will mop up a huge amount of the S106 and OA levies, possibly to the detriment of other transport requirements:

Currently envisaged levels of funding (as identified in the VNEB Development Infrastructure Funding Study) will not cover the entire cost. Options to bridge the current funding gap are being investigated with schemes such as Tax Incremental Financing and/or Community Infrastructure Levy being considered, but no option has been confirmed as yet. It is not expected that Lambeth will be asked to provide any direct capital funding to the project although part of the funding will be raised through s106 contributions for strategic transport projects. TfL and the GLA require developers to provide contributions for strategic transport projects in the OA area and part of this funding will be allocated to the NLE, although there are other strategic transport objectives, such as improved bus provision and improvements to Vauxhall station, that require funding.

It isn't even clear how the station itself would be funded:

The station would also allow greater benefit to accrue from the redevelopment sites of Banham’s and Sainsbury’s in the Nine Elms area. Both developments would be required to provide strategic transport s106 contributions but the detail of how the station is funded is yet to be finalised given that the cost would exceed the contributions expected from either of these developments.

I haven't ploughed through the entire report - if you find any interesting nuggets in it, do leave a comment.

Brixton Ice Rink

2012-01-02T12:30:00.000Z

Right, muffs out everyone...

The Brixton Ice Arena or possibly Brixton Ice Rink or possibly Planet Ice should be open for business by now. Lambeth Council said it would be open by Christmas and who am I to disagree?

There's no telephone number so I can't check whether it's open or not but according to the website at www.brixtonicerink.co.uk skating lessons begin 21st January.

Anyway, the temporary rink will only be in Brixton for about two years until its new Streatham home is ready so if you want to take advantage of it you'll have to, err, get your skates on.

www.brixtonicerink.co.uk
49 Brixton Station Road
Brixton SW9 8PQ

The Harry Jacobs archive

2012-01-02T12:23:00.000Z

If you ever had reason to walk down Landor Road during the latter decades of the previous millennium you probably found you were inevitably late when you finally arrived wherever you were going.

For the window of number 152 was an Aladdin's cave, a social history essay and a time capsule all rolled into one. It was impossible to walk by without stopping and gazing at.

This was the studio of legendary Brixton photographer Harry Jacobs. The window display was filled - over-filled - with portraits dating back decades, mostly taken in front of the same backdrop, often with the same basket of dried flowers and the occasional telephone or parasol prop.

Harry Jacobs retired in 1999 and died at the age of 94 last year, but happily the wonderful Lambeth Archives have ensured that his photographic legacy is not lost.

5,000 anonymous portrait photos stapled to the walls of his office and studio were removed and are now preserved at Lambeth Archives.

Harry Jacobs

The story is told on pages 20 and 21 of the latest Lambeth Talk.

A selection of the images can be seen on the Lambeth Archives photographic website - Lambeth Landmark. Go to the search page, select "Harry Jacobs Photographer" in the right hand column and click on "Find images"

More on Harry Jacobs:

My father the photographer, article by his son, Evening Standard 2002

Times of their lives, article by Dominic Cavendish, The Guardian 2002

Reminder: Residents Association launch - 11 Jan 2012

2012-01-02T10:51:00.000Z

TARA was also the name of the plantation
house in Gone With The Wind. Perhaps we should
get South Lambeth twinned with Georgia.

Some local residents are currently in the process of trying to establish a Residents Association.

It is envisaged that Tradescant Area Residents Association could represent the five roughly contiguous residential streets not currently covered by a Residents Association:

Tradescant Road
Walberswick Street
Meadow Place
Old South Lambeth Road
Heyford Avenue

Forming a residents association will make it easier to represent local people's common interests to official bodies like Lambeth Council and plan events like the Big Lunch street party last July or the Ceilidh coming up in February.

The Tradescant Area Residents Association (TARA) will be launched in January so come along and take part:

When: Wednesday 11th January 2012, 7pm
Where: Ruby Lounge - upstairs at the Vauxhall Griffin, 8 Wyvil Road, SW8 2TH

At the meeting, we hope to discuss the association's purpose, ratify the constitution, and elect officers and a committee.

A draft of the association's constitution is below. It would he very helpful if you'd like to review it and make suggestions. But if you haven't got the time or inclination, it will be equally helpful if you think about what you want out of a residents association and what you can contribute:

What do you like about your area?
What would you like to change in your area?
What sorts events can the RA plan?
How can we work to improve the local environment?
What level of membership fee will be appropriate?
Would you like to take an active role and be on the RA's committee?

It is important for the RA to represent Lambeth Living tenants in the area, and there are committee seats specially set aside. If you are a Lambeth Living tenant, you participation will be particularly valuable.

We hope to hear from you, and see you January 11. Please email tradescantroad@gmail.com

Matt

Next Digital Bazaar - Saturday 21st January 2012

2012-01-02T10:28:00.002Z

The first DIGITAL BAZAAR of the year takes place on Saturday 21st January 2012 from 10am to noon.at Tate South Lambeth Library, 180 South Lambeth Road, London SW8.

The Digital Bazaar involves local people sharing their technology expertise in a friendly, informal setting.

It is perfect for beginners – but also for the very experienced who want to learn some new tricks.

The ‘menu’ for the 21st January session will be made available nearer the time but to give you an idea of the kinds of topics, topics in the most recent session included:

How to take photos with a digital camera
Learn to get the best from your mobile phone
How to search the internet and use email
Set up a blog, use Facebook and/or Twitter
Making free calls with Skype
Make your photos look great with Photoshop
Discover the e-book and online resources from Lambeth libraries
Edit your home movies with iMOVIE or Final Cut Pro
Try an iPad or Kindle eReader
Use Excel spreadsheets to manage your money
Learn more about Microsoft Office Word, Powerpoint and Access

Come and ask questions, see a demonstration, or try things out for yourself. And if you own an item of digital equipment you would like to learn to use better, bring it with you and someone will try to help.

All very relaxed, friendly, fun and FREE. Come for the whole two hours or just drop in.

Dedicated support available so those with visual impairment can take part

DISPOMOS DE UM TRADUTOR DE INGLỆS/PORTUGUỆSPARA AJUDAR QUEM PRECISAR

£5m announced for local transport improvements

2012-01-02T09:58:00.000Z

TfL press release, 15 December 2011:

Mayor announces over £5m for local transport improvements in Lambeth

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has today announced over £5m for transport improvements in Lambeth.

The funding has been allocated by Transport for London (TfL) through the Local Implementation Plan (LIP) process and is awarded to the borough to spend on projects that support the Mayor's Transport Strategy, including safer roads, smoothing traffic flow, rejuvenating town centres and better facilities for cycling and walking.

The £5m funding package in 2012/13 will finance a range of transport projects in Lambeth, including:

£1.16m to help pilot Lambeth's new 'cooperative approach' to designing transport and environment schemes and carry out improvements to pedestrian and cycle facilities in Oval, Stockwell, Vassall, Coldharbour, Ferndale, Larkhall and Clapham Town areas of the borough. As part of its plans to become the country's first cooperative council, Lambeth Council is developing a new 'community led' approach to designing transport improvements, working much more closely with residents through its 'Neighbourhood Enhancement Programme'. The LIP funding will help get this off the ground in the pilot wards of Oval, Vassall, Coldharbour, Ferndale, Larkhall and Clapham Town
£550,000 to encourage more cycling in the borough, including cycle parking (both on street and residential), greenways for off-street cycling and route and junction improvements to facilitate safe cycling
£110,000 for phase one of a two year project to make crossings and residential streets safe around Loughborough Junction.

So, how exactly do we go about co-operating the council into installing a pedestrian crossing at the perilous junction of Fentiman Road and South Lambeth Road? I'll ask.

Update: Cllr Ishbel Brown has forwarded me an email from the Correspondence and Complaints Officer at
Lambeth's Environmental Services and Highways department dated 12 July 2011 regarding plans for the junction:

It has been identified that the scheme requires a small amount of additional design work prior to submitting it on to the Traffic Directorate programme. It is expected that the crossing will be implemented after the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in autumn 2012

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

2011-12-23T13:16:00.001Z

Wishing everyone in the neighbourhood very best wishes for 2012. Looking forward to seeing you at the first Tradescant Area Residents Association meeting on Wednesday 11th January 2012 and the South Lambeth Ceilidh on Saturday 18th February 2012.

Fentiman Road murder: pair jailed for life

2011-12-23T13:10:00.000Z

Not a very cheery Christmas story but there is plenty of news coverage today about the life sentences handed out on Wednesday to the two men who tortured and killed Anthony Bates in a squatted flat in Fentiman Road in January this year. The details make rather gruesome reading but here is the Met's press release:

Today, Wednesday 21 December, two people have been sentenced to a total of 58 years imprisonment for the torture and murder of a man in Vauxhall in January this year.

Gary Speight, 31 (16.10.80) of Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1 and Dean Swift, 44 (13.03.67) of no fixed abode were found guilty at the Old Bailey for the murder of Anthony Bates. Speight was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years imprisonment and Swift was sentenced to a minimum of 28 years.

Anthony Bates was 36 when he was murdered on Monday 31 January, when Speight and Swift tortured and killed him at a flat on Fentiman Road, Vauxhall, SW8.

Speight had begun squatting in the flat on Fentiman Road just a few days before Anthony was murdered. Dean Swift knew Speight and Anthony through the various hostels they had stayed in.

Speight had taken a disliking to Anthony after he found out that he had been seeing an ex-girlfriend of his whilst he, Speight, was in prison. However, at the time of his murder, Anthony had not seen or spoken to the girl for several months.

It is clear from eyewitness and mobile phone evidence as well as CCTV that Anthony went to the flat on Fentiman Road during the early hours on Monday 31 January.

At approximately 10:00hrs Speight launched an unprovoked attack on Anthony, punching, kicking and stamping on him. A solution of boiling water and sugar was also poured on to Anthony.

Swift inflicted burn wounds on Anthony including using a heated poker.

The violence continued all day. Speight and Swift left Anthony in the flat at around 18:45hrs.

Anthony was still alive when they left the flat. However, he was dead on Speight's return just before 23:00hrs that night.

Anthony was reported missing on the night of Tuesday 1 February to police. Following enquiries officers attended Fentiman Road, and found Anthony's body.

London Ambulance Service was called but he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as multiple injuries.

Gary Speight was arrested at a hostel in Vauxhall Bridge Road on the morning of 1 February. Dean Swift was arrested outside McDonald's restaurant on the Edgware Road on 4 February. Both were subsequently charged with Murder.

Detective Inspector, Liz Baker from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: "This was an extremely violent and unprovoked attack and emanated from jealousy on Speight's part as Anthony had had a relationship with Speight's ex-girlfriend while he was in prison.

"Speight has shown absolutely no remorse choosing instead to blame others and denying all but minor culpability.

"Swift also denied any part in the violence; he made no attempts to contact ambulance services, the police or any other assistance despite having the opportunity to do so on several occasions.

"I am pleased that the jury have seen through their lies and I hope this verdict will go some way to ease the pain felt by Anthony's family."

Other coverage:

BBC News

Daily Mail

Update: a woman also on trial for the murder was apparently cleared.

Bonnington Square residents highlight street crime wave

2011-12-20T11:17:00.002Z

An article in yesterday's Evening Standard reported that "Bonnington Square residents have launched their own crime-fighting night patrols after a string of violent muggings and a carjacking in their south London neighbourhood. Up to a dozen neighbours in Bonnington Square, Vauxhall, have patrolled the area with lanterns and created a telephone helpline which lone women can call to be escorted safely home."

Full article here.

Brunswick House history talk

2011-12-16T09:14:00.000Z

The Friends of Tate South Lambeth Library invite you to a talk by Lassco's Ferrous Auger about the history of Brunswick House on Wednesday 25 January at 7pm .

Brunswick House (now the headquarters of Lassco) is the Georgian townhouse on the edge of the gyratory system in Vauxhall.

In the eighteenth century Brunswick House (originally Belmont House) stood in five and half acres of parkland with its own jetty and a handsome frontage.

"Now some two and half centuries later it casts a rueful glance at five lanes of traffic thundering past all hours of the day and night, a railway viaduct and a bus station, overshadowed and cut off from the river by the massive St George Wharf development."

Place: Tate South Lambeth Library

180 South Lambeth Road

London SW8 1QP (directly opposite the Estrela Café)

Date: Wednesday 25 January, 7pm

If you plan to attend, please notify friendsoftsl@hotmail.com or call 020 7622 8673

The South Lambeth Ceilidh

2011-12-14T22:13:00.002Z

So you already have Saturday 18th February 2012 in your diary for the Tradescant Area Residents Association SOUTH LAMBETHCEILIDH, don't you?

What is a “ceilidh” (say “Kay-Lee”)? It's a social evening of fun, food, drink and Scottish country dancing! (no experience necessary -a caller leads you through each dance).

It takes place on Saturday 18th February 2012 from 7pm - 11pmat the Whatsheaf Hall, Wheatsheaf Lane SW8 2UP

Tickets are £10 and MUST be purchased in advance. They are also VERY limited.

You bring your own drink and some food for the buffet

I know you are rather preoccupied by Christmas at the moment but put the date in your diary. And to buy your ticket email tradescantroad@gmail.com orcall Andrew on 07958 314615.

(PS: I'm looking for people to sell tickets to their immediate neighbourhood. Let me know if you can help; it's a good way to get to know your neighbours.)

This is going to be BIG FUN.

Vauxhall Motors plaque

2011-12-11T10:49:00.001Z

I've had no reason to go to the petrol station at Sainsbury's for about 10 years so have never come across this plaque before.

Vauxhall Motors Ltd

The first Vauxhall car was built on this site in 1903

This plaque celebrates 100 years of production.

Christmas with me at South Lambeth Market...

2011-12-09T15:20:00.001Z

Wearing my Flowers For The Weekend hat for a moment...

Tomorrow (Saturday 10h December) I'm taking a stall at tomorrow's special Christmas South Lambeth Market to sell various Christmassy things - some very special wreaths (hand-made by ME!), mistletoe, tree decorations, poinsettias and pre-ordered Christmas Trees.

Do come down and say hello.

I''m particularly excited about my range of avian tree decorations - partridges, robins and other woodland birds.

I've also sourced some magnficant acrylic crystal decorations so if you are looking for something different on your tree this year you know where to come.

The market takes place at The Cavendish Arms, 128 Hartington Road, London SW8 2HJ (map here) from 10am-4pm.

South Lambeth Christmas Market - this Saturday (10th Dec 2011)

2011-12-07T15:30:00.000Z

Support your local market.

The South Lambeth Christmas Market takes place this Saturday 10th December 2011 from 10am – 4pm at The Cavendish Arms 128 Hartington Road SW8 2HJ.

This special Christmas edition of the monthly event will boast:

25 stalls
Christmas trees, holly and mistletoe (courtesy of ME, Andrew. More on this later)
Gorgeous festive food
Christmas cakes
Gifts
Handmade cards and decorations
Face painting and glitter tattoos for children
Five choirs to entertain you
Mulled wine and fruit juice at the bar
For the first time - a fishmonger!

Organiser Ian Beever says, "Come and be part of the fun and have a great day out as the weather forecast is wonderful!"

southlambethmarket.com

facebook.com/southlambethmarket

.twitter.com/sthlambethmkt

Cab wars

2011-12-07T14:53:00.001Z

Presumably enraged by the appearance of the (illegal) new Esskay Cabs in Victoria Mansions, Mahmoud Amel has appealed against Lambeth's refusal to allow him to open a cab office in the laundrette at 137 South Lambeth Road.

So it is now down to Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to decide the matter.

No place like dome

2011-12-07T14:48:00.001Z

Wilcox Close: they've finally knocked down that circular domed, brick structure that used to contain the rubbish bins.

Pop-up gallery in Stockwell Park Crescent

2011-12-03T19:21:00.001Z

Local artist Robert Edward Murdoch has a sideline in producing copies of paintings by 19th and 20th century masters.

There's a chance to view (and buy) them next week when he sets up a pop-up gallery in his studio at 33 Stockwell Park Crescent SW9 0DQ. Artists represented include Monte, Manet, Miro, Picasso, Degas, Kandinsky.

"Original Fakes" is open from Tuesday 6th to Thursday 8th December 2011 from 9am to 9pm.

As the ad says, why pay £14 million for a Degas when you can buy one for £1,400?

Never mind the shadow, look at the terracotta...

2011-12-03T18:37:00.001Z

Architects Journals reports that architect firm Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios has submitted plans for Downey's 32-storey, student-flat skyscraper a 30-60 South Lambeth Road.

Apparently:

Following consultation with Lambeth Council, CABE and the Greater London Authority, the cladding initially proposed was changed to a terracotta material, ‘to reflect the tone and texture of the buildings in the neighbouring conservation area’.

iBefore and After

Just a few places left on Tuesday afternoon's wreath workshop...

2011-12-02T14:22:00.001Z

The evening workshop is fully booked but if you hurry you could still bag one of the few remaining places on the afternoon one -Tuesday 6th Dec 2011 from 2.00pm-4.30pm.

Book now by emailing andrew@flowersfortheweekend.com.

Unleash your creativity under the professional guidance of international florist Guglielmo (“Will”) Bassanello and create an individual winter masterpiece for your front door.

You get to choose from a wide range of materials including traditional dried foods, nuts, ribbons, baubles & bells, ivy, ribbons etc. And why not bring something personal from home to incorporate too?

The workshops take place at the wonderfully convivial Tea House Theatre in Spring Gardens (139 Vauxhall Walk SE11 5HL map) where they do great tea and cakes. And you’ll get to meet some new folks from the neighbourhood.

The cost of the workshop will be £38 including all materials (to put that in context: you would pay £65 in the posher parts of South London).

It's organised through Flowers For The Weekend.

Book now by emailing andrew@flowersfortheweekend.com.

Learn how to campaign through Parliament

2011-12-01T16:07:00.001Z

The Friends of Tate South Lambeth Library invite campaigners and local interest groups to attend an informal presentation at Tate South Lambeth Library byAlasdair Mackenzie from the Parliamentary Outreach Team.

Mr Mackenzie will explain how groups and individuals can use Parliament to further their cam
mpaign objectives.

After a brief introduction on how Parliament operates, he will focus on those aspects most relevant to campaigning organisations – contacting MPs and Lords, following Select Committee enquiries, tracking subjects on the parliamentary website.

Plus there will be a chance to ask your own questions.

This meeting has special relevance to library campaigners since the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee has just launched an inquiry into library closures. It is inviting written submissions and requesting views on the following issues:

what constitutes a comprehensive and efficient library service for the 21st century
the extent to which planned library closures are compatible with the requirements of the Libraries & Museums Act 1964 and the Charteris Report
the impact library closures have on local communities
the effectiveness of the Secretary of State's powers of intervention under the Public Libraries & Museums Act 1964

More details here.

Campaigning in Parliament
7pm, Monday 12th December 2011
Tate South Lambeth Library, 180 South Lambeth Road SW8 (directly opposite the Estrela Café)
If you plan to attend, please notify friendsoftsl@hotmail.com or call 020 7622 8673.

Nokia launches phone from Millbank Tower

2011-11-29T12:16:00.001Z

Last night Nokia launched its new Lumia 800 phone via a "4D" projection onto Millbank Tower.

As The Telegraph explains: "All the lights in the surrounding buildings and streets were turned off for the 30-minute show, which made the tower appear to spin and fall down.Canadian DJ deadmau5, real name Joel Zimmerman, set the show to music as the images were cast onto the front of the landmark building that sits on the bank of the Thames in London."

Sainsbury's Local at Vauxhall Station

2011-11-29T08:12:00.001Z

Congratulations to Peter P for navigating the Lambeth planning database and finding two of the applications relating to the work going on at three arches next to Vauxhall Station.

As far as I can see the arch adjacent to the station (arch 52) will become part of the station.

The next (arch 51) will be a Sainsbury's Local and the one nearest South Lambeth Place (arch 50) will be another unit for either retail, restaurant, café or drinking establishment. Both units will run all the way through the arches to South Lambeth Road.

The application reference numbers you need to find the information in the database are 11/00333/FUL (Change of use of arch 52 to Operational Railway (Sui Generis) to form part of Vauxhall Railway Station, redesigning and reconfiguration of the canopy and staircase and the installation of bollards.) and 11/02627/FUL (Change of use of arches 50 (to use classes A1, A3 and A4) and 51 (to use class A1), involving alterations to the existing shopfronts and rear elevations (Amended Description).

Design Philanthropy event finds use for Spring Gardens pillars

2011-11-27T10:44:00.001Z

Last week's exhibition and presentation at the library from the RCA students who have been working in Vauxhall on the Design Philanthropy project featured everything from racing cockroaches to an idea for holding planning meetings on roller skates.

But the idea that most fired my imagination was undoubtedly from Neil Usher whose Public Pets project came up with a use for the much derided columns at the entrance to Spring Gardens (aka Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens).

Neil's idea was to put dovecotes on the top and cultivate the resulting guano. Gets my vote.

Explore the projects here: http://www.interaction.rca.ac.uk/philanthropy/

Farrell's Vauxhall vision

2011-11-25T11:45:00.001Z

I haven't had a chance to go to the VNEB exhibition at Market Towers (yesterday and today) but Kennington People on Bikes have a really useful set of pics of some of the panels outlining Farrell's vision for Vauxhall (which was, I think, commissioned by Lambeth).

Many thanks to Paul E for providing the photos below of the (already out of date) model of the area.

The first is a view from Vauxhall, the second is the view from the power station. The glowing buildings are proposals, the solid buildings are either built or under construction.

Beulah House. 274 South Lambeth Road

2011-11-22T22:00:00.000Z

Today's architecture lesson...

Squeezed incongruously between the grand-but-joyless Stockwell Baptist Church and a boxy 1960s housing development sits one of the South Lambeth Road's oldest buildings.

Number 274 was once known as Beulah House. Now divided into flats, it looks rather unloved from the outside. It is set back from the road behind an oversized horse chestnut and a perfunctorily planted raised shrubbery as though the house were embarrassed by its ungracious decline into old age.

View Larger Map

Despite its apparent neglect this Georgian remnant is Grade II listed (NGR: TQ3042376874) and for the architecturally literate its features include:

Circa 1800 house of three storeys and basement, five windows. Stock brick. Rusticated stone basement, first floor cill band and mutuled cornice. Gauged flat brick arches to sash windows with glazing bars and stone cills. Four stone steps to six-panel door in panelled reveal flanked by engaged columns and pilasters supporting cornice head below wide fanlight. Prostyle Ionic porch with enriched entablature and blocking course. One-storey side bays have stone cornice and blocking course holding modern doors with hoods set in original round arched recesses with mask on key block and patterned impost blocks.

The building is described in detail in the 1956 Survey of London: volume 26: Lambeth: Southern area accompanied by plans and elevations.

According to the survey:

In 1791 Crooked Bridge Field was let by John and Sarah Bond on building lease to William Burrows of South Lambeth, plasterer, who erected houses on the site.

No. 274, Beulah House, is a well-proportioned three-storey house with single-storey wings.

The wings and central Ionic porch have been altered or rebuilt sympathetically. The modelled keystones to the arches in the wings are almost certainly of Coade's artificial stone.

The house was first leased in 1798 to Horatio Clagett.

From 1825 until his death in 1849 it was occupied by John Poynder, clerk and solicitor to Bridewell Hospital. He was the author of several theological tracts and “Literary Extracts from English and other Works, collected during Half a Century”. He was also a stock-holder in the East India Company, and as a result of his passionate campaigning the practice of sati was declared to be punishable as culpable homicide in 1829.

Human sacrifices in India: substance of the speech of John Poynder, Esq. at the courts of proprietors of East India stock, held on the 21st and 28th days of March, 1827

In 1852 a lease of the house and premises, including a wash-house, laundry and drying ground in the rear, was obtained by Thomas Cook, William Hill and Henry M. Rogers, “scourers”.

The premises are still used by Rogers and Cook, Ltd.

According to Lambeth Archives: "Rogers and Cook; Launderers, Dyers and Cleaners were situated in a former Georgian dwelling at 274 South Lambeth Road. The laundry was established in 1823 and became royal launderers by appointment to King George V and the Prince of Wales".

From Lambeth Archives. Photograph by M.D.Trace dated 6th November 1967

1957 photograph from the London County Council Photograph Library collection of the London Metropolitan Archives

Christmas wreath workshop - Tuesday 6th December 2011

2011-11-20T10:13:00.001Z

Get creative and have some fun making your own Christmas wreath this year.

International florist & temporary Tradescant Road resident Guglielmo (“Will”) Bassanello will be running two wreath making workshops on Tuesday 6th Dec 2011 – one in the afternoon (2.00pm-4.30pm) and one in the evening (7.00pm-9.30pm).

Under Will’s patient tutelage you will create an individual winter masterpiece for your front door.

You get to choose from a wide range of materials including traditional dried foods, nuts, ribbons, baubles & bells, ivy, ribbons etc. And why not bring something personal from home to incorporate too?

The workshops will take place at the wonderfully convivial Tea House Theatre in Spring Gardens (139 Vauxhall Walk SE11 5HL map) where they do great tea and cakes. And you’ll get to meet some new folks from the neighbourhood.

The cost of the workshop will be £38 including all materials (to put that in context: you would pay £65 in the posher parts of South London).

It's organised through Flowers For The Weekend.

Places are limited so book now by emailing andrew@flowersfortheweekend.com and letting me know whether you would like to attend the afternoon or the evening workshop.

A letter from TfL

2011-11-18T18:30:00.000Z

Our Ref:         1009714067
Date:              15.11.2011

Dear  Mr Pearce

Thank you for your feedback concerning the removal of the hands from the clocks at Vauxhall bus station.

I can fully understand why you might find it frustrating for there not to be a functioning clock at the station. Please accept my sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused.

We aim to provide a reliable service that our passengers can have confidence in.

I have investigated this matter and have found that, due to a fault in the clocks, they were all starting to show the wrong time. The cost of constant repair for these clocks was seen as being economically unsound, and as such the clocks will be removed as soon as possible. This is a problem that has been happening across London.

A new clock will be installed at Vauxhall; similar to what has recently been put in place at Peckham and Canada Water bus stations, where a similar fault was occurring with the clocks. The new clock will be central at the bus station and will have a digital display.

Thank you for taking the time to contact me with this matter. I hope my comments have been of use and that any future journeys you might take by bus are pleasant. Should you have any further queries, please let me know.

Yours sincerely

TfL

Vauxhall: station improvements and subway closure

2011-11-18T11:03:00.001Z

From Network Rail:

Scheduled to be complete in summer 2012, work has started at Vauxhall station to provide easier access, build a more spacious concourse and provide better facilities, improving journeys for tens of thousands of passengers who use it every day.

The upgrade will include:

four new lifts to provide step-free access between the entrance, subway and all platforms
a new gate line with four extra openings to help ease congestion
new customer information screensreconstructing the staircase which leads to the underground station to align with the new concourse
new canopies at the front of the station and on all platforms

The improvements are being funded through the Government's national stations improvement programme to enhance 150 medium sized stations in England and Wales, and Vauxhall is also one of the 148 stations in Britain to receive funding through the Government’s Access for All programme which aims to provide better access at busier stations.

The station will remain open to passengers during construction, however the staircase and subway which links the station with the Underground will close on 21 November 2011 and won't open again until April 2012. During this time access to the Underground will be via the bus station only, and the exit will be at St George Wharf.

From TfL:

From Monday 21 November until April 2012 the subway which connects Vauxhall Tube station to Vauxhall National Rail station will be closed due to Network Rail improvement works.

This will result in Vauxhall Tube station operating a one way system during the weekday peak periods of 0730 - 0930 and 1600 - 1900. Changing between the Tube and National Rail stations will involve crossing roads at street level.

You may find it easier to change between the Tube and National Rail at Waterloo, which has easy access to/from the Victoria line via the Bakerloo line at Oxford Circus or the Jubilee line at Green Park.

Dancing On Ice judge mugged in Stockwell

2011-11-15T16:48:00.001Z

Dancing on Ice judge Jason Gardiner was subjected to a knifepoint robbery by youths who threatened to kill him for his iPhone in Stockwell on Sunday night. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "There has been an allegation of robbery made by a 40-year-old man. It was reported at 11.30pm and is said to have allegedly taken place at approximately 7.15pm on the Stockwell Road. There are no arrests at this stage."

Thanks to Stockwell News for the tip off.

Pillar talk

2011-11-15T16:43:00.001Z

According to the Vauxhall Society, "Lambeth Council is to place ‘temporary urns’ on top of the £300,000 illuminated twin black concrete pillars that mark the remodelled entrance to the newly renamed ‘Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens’ (formerly Spring Gardens) at Vauxhall Cross. The urns will do, say The Friends of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, until the Friends and Lambeth can settle upon ‘a more permanent “Modern Art” solution’ for the pillar tops. " More.

Millbank Tower will be canvas for 4D projection show

2011-11-15T16:30:00.001Z

OK, I have no idea what half of this means (4D? what's a deadmau5?) but thanks to Peter P for drawing it to my attention...

Nokia Press Release:

To mark the launch of the Nokia Lumia 800 with Windows Phone, Nokia is bringing together world renowned producer, deadmau5 and the world’s leading 4D projection artists for a unique collaborative show.

The one-off event will see deadmau5 perform in front of London’s iconic Millbank Tower to a backdrop of spectacular 4D projections on the full length of the 120 metre building.

Using the latest state of the art visuals and echoing the head turning design of the first Nokia with Windows Phone, the show will use the 800 windows of the skyscraper as the canvas for the amazing spectacle. This is the first time a projection of this scale has been matched with a live music performance.

deadmau5 will be performing two new tracks created especially to accompany the projections, which will be played for the first time and broadcast live online to http://www.Facebook.com/Nokia.uk

The event on the 28^th November will be free for all spectators, who will be able to view the half hour performance from the North and South sides of the River Thames.

John Nichols, Head of Marketing for Nokia UK, said: "The launch of the Nokia Lumia 800 really signals a new dawn for the company, and we wanted to celebrate this with a truly innovative and spectacular event to match this stunning phone. The location will allow thousands of people to come and experience something truly amazing, and different to anything they have seen before."

deadmau5 said: "Visuals have always been an important part of my shows, so the chance to work with Nokia and its projection team on a project of this scale and ambition is really exciting. It’s also great to be able to play such an unusual venue and to a UK crowd."

The stunningly social Nokia Lumia 800 smartphone brings content to life with head-turning design, the best social and Internet experience, familiar Nokia elements, such as leading imaging capabilities and new signature experiences. The Nokia Lumia 800 contains an 8 MP instant-share digital camera experience based on leading Carl Zeiss optics, HD video playback, 16GB of internal user memory and 25GB of free SkyDrive storage for images and music

Propositions For A Future Vauxhall

2011-11-15T11:30:00.001Z

Digital Tuesdays & The Royal College of Art Design Interactions Department present
Propositions For A Future Vauxhall - a presentation by the students of the recent design philanthropy project.

Tuesday 22 November 2011
6.30pm-9.00pm
Tate South Lambeth Library, 180 South Lambeth Road London SW8 1QP

Exhibition & Demonstrations 18:30
Presentations 19:15
Discussion 20:15

Admitance free - everyone welcome

www.digitaltuesdays.co.uk
www.interaction.rca.ac.uk

VNEB open days

2011-11-11T16:34:00.001Z

Well, if Lambeth isn't interested in hearing what you've got to say about Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea it appears that Wandsworth is at least prepared to go through the motions:

This from the Wandsworth Guardian:

Residents and businesses will have a chance to discuss massive redevelopment plans for Vauxhall Nine Elms and Battersea VNEB with key decision makers later this month.

The project, rivalled in scale only by the development of the London 2012 Olympic site, will see hundreds of millions of pounds of investment poured into the area, bringing with it new homes, jobs, and businesses.

Leader of Wandsworth Council, Ravi Govinidia, said: “Vauxhall Nine Elms has begun an extraordinary transformation. Hundreds of acres of underused land are being redeveloped and a brand new residential and business quarter is now taking shape.

“The process will yield thousands of badly needed new homes and jobs for local communities alongside two new Northern Line stations.”

The VNEB open days will be held at the Market Towers building, 1 Nine Elms Lane, Vauxhall, SW8 5NQ on Thursday November 24, between 3pm and 8pm, and on Friday November 25, between 8am and 6pm.

Festive Drinks, Dec-18

2011-11-10T11:43:00.000Z

You may call it a lazily re-reused blog post, I'll choose to call it tradition...

Yet another year has passed, and so please join fellow Tradescant Road blog readers and residents for a festive drink and snacks Sunday, December 18th, from 4pm to 7pm, at my house. It will be a nice opportunity to catch up with neighbours you haven't seen in a while.

Please RSVP; if we haven't met, just drop me an e-mail at tradescantroad@gmail.com to let me know who you are, so I can give you the address.

Matt

New Taxi Stand at 12A South Lambeth Road

2011-11-10T11:07:00.001Z

A new taxi stand has appeared, seemingly overnight, at 12A South Lambeth Road, the site which used to be Sabor da Musica. No planning permission was requested, and none granted for this change of use. Just this May, an application for a similar change a block away at 137 South Lambeth Road was denied, essentially "by reason of the increased vehicle generation and parking of mini cabs within the existing highway network, in an area of existing high parking stress". The new taxi stand has also installed a projecting, lighted sign, which would normally require permission in its own right.
It seems a bit unfair that the law-abiding folks at the laundrette followed the correct protocol and were denied, while someone with no regard for local planning considerations is now operating without license. If you have any concerns about this, please ring Lambeth Planning on 020 7926 1180 or write them at tpac@lambeth.gov.uk.

South Lambeth Market this Saturday

2011-11-08T16:46:00.002Z

Don't forget that the November South Lambeth Market takes place this Saturday 12th November from 10am-4pm.

Start your Christmas shopping early (it says here): cards and gifts galore including children’s books.

PLUS Quality fruit and vegetables come to the South Lambeth Market (Hoorah!)

PLUS An afternoon tea party between 2pm and 4pm inside in front of the fire.

The market takes place at The Cavendish Arms 128 Hartington Road, London SW8 2HJ.

CLS unveils revised Vauxhall Square plans

2011-11-08T16:36:00.001Z

In case you missed the recent public exhibition, don't despair. CLS have put details of their revised plans on the scheme's website, vauxhallsquare.com.

The skywalk idea has been dropped and the little part-Georgian terrace on Wandsworth Road has been retained.

One thing I hadn't picked up on first time round was the sad fact that CLS doesn't own this building (a data centre) which will therefore presumably continue to blight the landscape with its cunning low walled area designed (one must conclude) for accumulating rubbish.

Anyway, the other stuff is just buildings really. No worse than anything else we're likely to be saddled with. The saving grace is the public square which at least provides a bit of space.

The highlight of the exhibition was this display in the corner of the room. Although there was no accompanying explanation I assume it is Lambeth's contribution to strategic transport discussions vis a vis the gyratory system. Surprisingly coherent.

Fentiman Road murder trial under way

2011-11-08T16:13:00.001Z

The trial of three people accused of the Fentiman Road murder is under way at the Old Bailey. It makes for rather gruesome reading I'm afraid.

The Press Association reports:

A London man was tortured to death after finding out his girlfriend's ex-partner was out to kill him, the Old Bailey has heard.

Anthony Bates, 36, was beaten, burnt with a poker and boiling sugar, and cut with a knife.

"This man had been subjected to a repeated and persistent brutal torture," said Brian Altman QC, prosecuting."He was tortured to death."

Mr Bates had suffered multiple injuries when he was found in the kitchen of a flat in Fentiman Road, Vauxhall, south London, in February.

Mr Altman told the jury they would hear details of the injuries. They included multiple blunt force impact caused by punching, kicking and stamping, as well as objects used to beat him and resulting in broken bones and brain damage, burn injuries from a poker heated on a fire in the living room, and cutting wounds on his neck caused by a knife.

Mr Bates had started a relationship with a woman a few months before but learnt later that her previous boyfriend, Gary Speight, was angered by their affair.He returned to his father's home in Stoke-on-Trent for a few days, saying he had to leave London because people were after him, the court heard.

Mr Altman said Mr Bates told his sister that the man had been released from prison "and was threatening to kill him".

Speight, 31, of Vauxhall Bridge Road, Pimlico, central London, and Dean Swift, 44, and Corrina Lowe, 28, both of no fixed address, deny murder.

Thames Tunnel at Albert Embankment construction plans update

2011-11-08T10:47:00.000Z

The SE11 Action Team reports on the latest plans for the Thames Tunnel and its impact on Vauxhall.

The "super sewer" is Thames Water's solution to the 39 million tonnes of untreated sewage which overflows into the Thames each year from London’s Victorian sewerage system.

The idea is const a massive deep tunnel below the river which will take the overflow from the existing sewerage system. According to Thames Water:

After as little as 2mm of rainfall, London's Victorian sewers which capture both sewage and rainfall can fill up and as there is nowhere else for the excess flows to go, it spills into the river from 57 combined sewer overflows, designed as an alternative to sewage backing up into homes and streets.

These sewage discharges occur around 50 times a year on average.

Without tackling this, ten years from now the 39 million tonnes of sewage, which is currently discharged into the river in a typical year, is forecast to rise to an unthinkable 70 million tonnes.

The Thames Tunnel is a sewer the width of three London buses, which will run up to 25 kilometres or 15.5 miles from west to east London, up to 67 metres below ground, broadly following the route of the River Thames.

It will connect up to the 34 most polluting sewer overflows, as identified by the Environment Agency, to capture sewage which would otherwise spill into the Thames, before transferring it to our Beckton sewage works to be treated.

Thames Water is now in Phase 2 of its consultation phase.

As the SE11 Action Team reports: "The most important piece of news for our area is that they have accepted Lambeth's suggestion that works access for the site be alongside Lacks Dock (the slipway used by the Ducktours), rather than across Albert Embankment Gardens. This will protect the Gardens and the historic Embankment wall, and minimise disturbance for residents of Peninsular Heights."

Cllr Mark Harrison said 'I'm really pleased that residents and our green space will be protected from disruption by this decision'.

There will be a public consultation exhibition on Wed 7 and Thurs 8 December 2011 from 10.30am–4.30 pm at Vauxhall City Farm, 165 Tyers St, SE11 5HS www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk or call 0800 0721 086

Full documentation on the revised Vauxhall plans here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/71143131/P2-Albert-Embankment-SIP

A date in your social diary

2011-11-07T11:28:00.001Z

Tradescantians (and friends) - put this date in your diary now:

Saturday
18th February 2012
7pm-11pm

Big social event at the Wheatsheaf Hall.

If you thought the Big Lunch was fun...

Flowers for the Weekend goes live. Sign up for weekly or fortnightly deliveries

2011-11-05T10:19:00.000Z

A shameless piece of self-promotion regarding Flowers For The Weekend, my idea for a new service which allows local people to benefit from living so close to New Covent Garden Flower Market.

The idea is that each Thursday morning I visit the market, buy flowers wholesale, divide them into bunches and deliver them to subscribers by tricycle in the evening.

Halloween was the day of my trial run and 10 lucky people received a sample bouquet which they no doubt arranged better than I did but which gives you an idea of the product:

The trial bunch consisted of Brassica (three cabbages), white and pink Lisianthus, some white September Aster and purple Phlox. The foliage was Eucalyptus with a little Lentiscus (a relative of Pistachio). I will aim to incorporate between four and six elements each week.

It seemed a great success and so I'm going live this week.

The first delivery will be on Thursday evening (10th November 2011).

The service at launch will be “The Basic” (more complicated services such as “European Only” and “Absolutely No Carnations” will follow in due course but I have to start simple!)

The cost per deilvery will be £15 per delivery for a weekly order or £18 per delivery for a fortnightly order (and yes of course you can always skip a week if you’re going to be away).

How to pay: it’s up to you. I can either take COD or I can invoice you (At the moment I can’t take credit cards but that may change soon)

If you are in the delivery area and would like to sign up, just email me at andrew@flowersfortheweekend.com letting me know:

Weekly or fortnightly delivery
Your name
Address
Telephone number
Best time to deliver (e.g. after 6.30pm)
What to do with the flowers on occasions when you aren’t in (e.g. leave with a particular neighbour; hide them behind the bin)

Not ready to sign up yet? Flowers For The Weekend is an emerging idea – to keep in the loop sign up to receive my newsletter containing updates, news and information about special events. You can unsubscribe at any time and your details will never ever be shared with anyone else.

St George Tower nudges above Market Towers

2011-11-04T08:44:00.001Z

In other high rise news: as @markvauxhall on Twitter has observed St George Tower has now overtaken Market Towers as the tallest building in Vauxhall.

Once it is complete, St George Tower (or to give it its apparent proper name The Tower, One St George Wharf) will be twice the height of Market Towers. But then they intend to knock down Market Towers and build a yet bigger penis, I mean skyscraper, called One Nine Elms.

Market Towers: 88 metres (289 ft) 22 storeys
St George Tower: 181 metres (594 ft) 49 storeys
One Nine Elms: 200 metres (656ft) 58 storeys

Actually One Nine Elms will have two towers but at only 160m (47 storeys) the second one is hardly worth mentioning.

In the picture above the heighest marked floor on St George Tower is 27, so imagine a further 22 floors.

Kylun's island site: Council "likely to seek to resist"

2011-11-04T08:43:00.000Z

Lambeth's Planning Applications Committee met on Tuesday 18th October to look at various projects including Kylun's controversial twin towers for the wasteland between the bus station and St George Wharf.

The minutes include the strangely worded resolution that "the Planning Inspector be advised that it is likely the council will seek to resist the granting of planning permission for the development."

If I knew more about planning I might understand why it is will not simply resist, but seek to resist, and apparently even that is only "likely".

Anyway, the strategic objections include:

The proposed development would prejudice the comprehensive regeneration of the Vauxhall area and cause demonstrable harm to the establishment of a sustainable community in this part of North Lambeth. (Say what?)

Detailed objections are:

1. The proposed development will not improve pedestrian accessibility in this area to an adequate level. The Council requires, as a minimum, the need for an at-grade crossing
from the island across Wandsworth Road to the St George development. The applicant has not demonstrated that this can be achieved without an unacceptable impact on the capacity and function of the gyratory and wider highway network. (God forbid anyone should reduce the volume or speed of the gyratory traffic. Doesn't bear thinking about)

2. Due to the increase in activity and pedestrian movements that will be generated as a result of the nature of the proposed development there is likely to be an increase in the demand for pedestrian movements across Wandsworth Road between the northern end of the site to and from the St George Wharf development and the riverside. The absence of an at-grade pedestrian crossing at this location, that can be constructed to the satisfaction of the Highway Authority, would lead to an increase in the potential for accidents involving pedestrians to the detriment of highway safety. (Putting in a pedestrian crossing would increase accidents? Let's ban them.)

3. The proposed development would fail to provide adequate on site amenity space and children’s play space for future residents. This will result in additional pressure on nearby
open space, nearby parks and children’s play facilities in an area of open space deficiency.

4. The proposed development fails to appropriately contribute towards the council’s affordable housing targets.

Kylun has already made a fuss about what it perceives to be Lambeth dragging its feet and has complained to the Secretary of State for Whatever so we'll see what happens next...

Win a £50 LASSCO voucher in the Friends of Tate South Lambeth Library's quiz

2011-11-04T08:39:00.000Z

Take part in the Friends of Tate South Lambeth Library's cunning local quiz and you could win a £50 voucher from LASSCO (the architectural salvage firm in Brunswick House).

I'm not sure you can actually buy anything at LASSCO for £50 (whenever I look at the price tag of something it always seems to be in the thousands) but that's not the point I suppose.

The quiz was devised by Martin Caiger-Smith and has been a popular staple at the Albert Square Summer Fair for several years. Martin has kindly given permission for the Friends to use it and Naomi Klein has painstakingly converted it into an online format.

You have until the end of January to solve the fiendish quiz.

www.tatesouthlambethfriends.org/quiz

Library news: Portuguese books gift and the Libraries Commission

2011-11-04T08:36:00.000Z

Marcia Bogle-Mayne of Lambeth Libraries,
Councillor Alex Bigham and Guilherme Falcão
Rosa of the Banco Montepio Geral

The Tate South Lambeth Library received a gift of educational Portuguese books for local lusophone children yesterday.

The books were presented by Guilherme Falcão Rosa of the Banco Montepio Geral, a Portuguese Building Society.

Meanwhile Lambeth's pioneering co-operative exercise in ducking responsibility, the Libraries Commission, will present its final report this month (14th November). This will the be "received by Cabinet"" (no idea) on 21 November. After that the council may or may not "commence consultation on any specific proposals agreed by Cabinet (where appropriate)".

Who knows, we may end up having a another presentation to hand the books back to the building society if there's no library to stick them in. Providing Europe's banks haven't all collapsed in the meantime.

Conservation at 575 Wandsworth Road

2011-11-03T10:32:00.001Z

Historic paint consultant Patrick Baty reports on the amazing 575 Wandsworth Road in his blog.

From the outside number 575 is a fairly unassuming Georgian house but inside it is a work of frantic interior design blending Islamic, English and African influences through intricate wooden fretwork, paintings and collections of English lustreware and East African objets d’art..

The house is the work of exiled poet Khadambi Asalache who died in 2006 and is now in the hands of the National Trust.

There are also some wonderful pictures in a gallery on the Guardian's website (from which I filched the one above, sorry) and an article on the National Trust's need to raise £4million to preserve the building here.

The good news is that the NT hopes to open the house to the public in 2012.

Follow the progress of the work on the 575 Wandsworth Road blog. They are currently measuring and cataloguing the artwork:

Chilean miners' Fenix 2 rescue cage at IMO

2011-11-03T09:31:00.001Z

Peter P notices that the International Maritime Organisation currently has Fenix 2 on display outside its headquarters at 4 Albert Embankment.

Fenix 2 was the rescue cage which brought the Chilean miners to the surface.

Peter, clearly in a somewhat cynical mood, suggests that "Every hardcore fan of pointless 24/7 news media coverage of banal stories from lives of relatives and mistresses of miners should make a pilgrimage to this holy grail of bad journalism."

Update 7/11/11: Here's a closer picture of it (with Malika's son Aubrey in front):

Two films from Brazil: free screening at Tate South Lambeth Library

2011-11-03T08:03:00.000Z

Tuesday 15th November 2011
Digital Tuesdays presents two films from Brazil
Tate South Lambeth Library, 180 South Lambeth Road, SW8 1QP
Time: 7.00 refreshments, 7.30 screening

ANELLO
(Director Roberta Fortuna, 22min)

Roberta's grandparents left Sicily for Brazil in the early 1900s. Now her father may return to live in his parents' homeland, Sicily.

For Roberta, born and raised in Brazil but currently based in London, it's opportunity to discover previously unknown aspects of her family and her own identity.

What does it mean to live far from the land of your ancestors? And what does it mean to go back? ANELLO premiered at Sheffield DocFest this year.

VISITA INTIMA
(Director Joana Nin, 15 min)
Brazil has some of the most violent prisons in the world, but romance and passion can survive even extreme conditions.

VISITA INTIMA reveals the extraordinary lives of women who wait on the outside - some for many years - for the men they love.
Filmed around the Parana state prison in the South of Brazil,

VISITA INTIMA has won 21 awards, from festivals in both Brazil and Portugal.

Both films are in Portuguese with English subtitles. The screenings will be followed by a discussion with the directors.

Tickets are free on a first come, first served basis. No advance booking. Collect tickets from Tate South Lambeth Library from 6pm on the day of screening.

DIGITAL TUESDAYS APRESENTA
DOIS FILMES DO BRASIL
Terça-feira 15 de Novembro de 20011
Na Biblioteca Tate South Lambeth em 180 South Lambeth Road SW8
Hora: 19:00hrs bebidas refrescantes 19:30 Projeção do Filme

ANELLO
Realizadora Roberta Fortuna (22min)
Os avós de Roberta deixaram a Sicília nos princípios do 1900 e foram para o Brasil. Presentemente, o pai de Roberta poderá regressar e viver na Sicília, Terra Natal dos seus pais. Quanto a Roberta, que nasceu e cresceu no Brasil, mas estabelecida em Londres, é a oportunidade de descobrir aspectos previamente desconhecidos do passado da sua família e a sua própria identidade. O que significa viver longe da Terra dos seus antepassados? E o que significa regressar? ANELLO foi projetado em Première no DocFest 2011 em Sheffield.

VISITA ÍNTIMA
Realizadora Joana Nin (15min)
Algumas prisões do Brasil são das mais violentas do mundo, mas o romance e a paixão podem sobreviver mesmo em condições extremas. VISITA ÍNTIMA revela a vida extraordinária de mulheres que esperam – algumas durante muitos anos – pelos homens que amam. Filmado sobre a prisão estadual do Paraná, no Sul do Brasil, VISITA ÍNTIMA ganhou 21 prémios no Brasil e em Portugal.

Ambos filmes são falados em Português e com legendas em Inglês.

Os bilhetes são grátis e distribuídos por ordem de chegada. Não haverá distribuição prévia de bilhetes. Levante o seu bilhete na Biblioteca Tate a partir das 18:00 horas no dia da projeção do filme.
(A Biblioteca fica em 180 South Lambeth Road SW8, a 10 minutos das estações de metro de Vauxhall e de Stockwell)

Seguidamente à exibição dos filmes terá lugar uma palestra com as realizadoras ROBERTA FORTUNA e JOANA NIN.

Still seeking shelter for tricycle

2011-10-31T13:37:00.002Z

Talk about putting the cart before the horse or something.

I've seized an unexpected opportunity on eBay to purchase the perfect trike for my nascent Flowers For The Weekend enterprise but still haven't found anywhere local to store it.

If you know of an under-used garage or yard with a spare corner in it then please do let me know - andrew@flowersfortheweekend.com

In the meantime, today is "trial run" day and I am busy treating the flowers in preparation for delivery to the prize draw winners this evening.

Expect pictures of the finished result very soon. Sign up for my newsletter to keep abreast of all developments.

Learn to Surf at Digital Launderette

2011-10-28T20:10:00.003Z

Local social entrepreneur Christina Burnett follows up the success of her Digital Bazaar (the monthly Saturday morning IT helpdesk at the Tate South Lambeth Library) with The Digital Launderette - a new resource in Vauxhall for people who want to learn to use the internet.

Based in the shocking pink Dirty Laundry launderette, (255 Wandsworth Road SW8 2NB opposite South Bank Gym), the scheme will offer free internet and computer training every Wednesday afternoon from 1.30pm to 3.30pm until the end of March.

The scheme has been awarded a Nominet Trust/ UK Online Community Outreach grant in combination with Stockwell Community Resource Centre and Lauren Preston who owns Dirty Laundry. The grant has paid for the installation of two computers at the launderette on which to run the training. And you can do your washing while you learn to "Surf", of course (see what I did there? Here's a picture in case you didn't).

Anyway, Wi-fi is also available 24/7 for launderette customers which should make laundry day a whole lot more bearable.

To celebrate Monday 31st October being the first day of Get Online Week there will be an open afternoon. Drop by anytime between 1.30 and 7.30pm for a cup of tea and to see what's on offer.

Those Wilcox Road bins

2011-10-28T19:51:00.003Z

Wilcox Road and Wilcox Close are looking very swish after the recent refurbishment.

Cobbles have been relaid, sleek new paving slabs have replaced the red asphalt on the Close and the whole stretch feels more loved.

But those commercial bins continue to blight the landscape. Weren't they supposed to be disappearing as part of the refurbishment?

Robert Nichols, Strategic Transport Planner at the London Borough of Lambeth tells me:

"We have always intended to erect a 'bin store' around them, which will be a three-sided mesh structure designed to minimise the eyesore and encourage the bins to be stored in the right place. These are currently being designed and are due to be ordered soon, with installation likely towards the end of November."

Phew.

Old clothes wanted

2011-10-22T08:15:00.003Z

Old Textiles and clothes, shoes etc needed

Malika writes: As part of a recycling and fundraising initiative, our school, Herbert Morrison Primary School in Hartington Road, is collecting old clothes, textiles, shoes, towels and bed linen.

A company called "Phil the Bag" (haha) will weigh all the stuff we collect, and in return it will give the school a cheque, which will go towards new equipment, school trips etc. They will sort the stuff and sell some to the rag trade - for this reason it doesn't matter if we give them clothes or towels with holes.

SO... I am asking you, please, to bear us in mind when you have your next clear-out! Don't take the stuff to the charity shop! Don't throw out the things that you think are too worn for the charity shop! Fill an orange recycling bag instead, and bring it round to us at 153 Hartington Road! Please either ring the bell, or just place it by our dustbin and let me know by text - 07849 041 966.

The van is coming to the school on 23rd November so it can be any time before then.
Thank you so much!

Malika x

Vauxhall Square: CLS to unveil revised plans

2011-10-21T13:35:00.001Z

Following on from the public consultation in February CLS is to present a revised design of its proposed Vauxhall Square at two public events next month on 3rd and 5th November 2011.

Notable changes from the original proposals include:

Dumping the rather quirky idea of the elevated ‘skywalk’ replacing it with much duller sounding "wide ground level pedestrian crossings".
The terrace of houses on Wandsworth Road which includes some Grade 2 listed buildings will now be retained and integrated into the scheme
Bizarrely, Wendle Court on Wandsworth Road will be retained for affordable housing and the replacement of the hostel. Update 24/10/11: I thought that sounded bizarre. CLS have written to correct me:"Wendle Court will not be retained but a new modern purpose built development will be built on the site of Wendle Court."

This terrace will now be retained.

The public square as portrayed in the original plan

Public Exhibition
80-84 Bondway SW8 1SF

Thursday 3 November 2011 5pm – 8pm
Saturday 5 November 2011 11am – 2pm

Details will also be made available at www.vauxhallsquare.com/

CLS "Vauxhall Square" Public Exhibition Invitation

M K Hallalway - Local Profile

2011-10-19T15:34:00.001Z

It’s a familiar feeling of panic. There you are, reading an enticing recipe in your copy of the latest must-have cookbook (with the words “lemons”, “journey”, “figs”, or “vine” in the title, and written by someone called Claudia or Yotam), you look down the list of ingredients, and then, disaster! You read the fatal line: “available from Middle Eastern grocers”.

“Help!”, you think. “I don’t have one of those near me. Nor do I live anywhere near a Waitrose, which might stock za’atar, ras el hanout, frozen artichoke hearts, or rose petal jam. It’s back to fish fingers and baked beans for me.”

Flour packaging doesn't
get much better than this

Before you eBay your Moro Cookbook(s), pay a visit to M K Hallalway on Wandsworth Road, a few doors west of the Lost Theatre and Tesco, and across from Larkhall Park.

This unassuming Algerian-run grocer, with its smart maroon awning, is an Aladdin’s cave of delicacies. Once you have bought their herbs (80p for an enormous bunch of mint, coriander or parsley that will last you a week), you will never again buy them in a supermarket. (The herbs need to be asked for, as they are kept in the fridge behind the meat counter.)

The fruit and vegetables, displayed outside, are on the whole reliable, and you will usually find pale green, small courgettes so beloved of Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine. Pomegranates, watermelons and quinces are also plentiful, in season.

But it is inside the shop that you can buy all sorts of things you didn’t know you needed or wanted: delicious rose petal jam from Syria (delicious swirled into Greek yoghurt, do not refridgerate), black date syrup from Basra (ditto), pots of tahini (essential for making hummus), barley couscous, bulghur wheat, pomegranate molasses, loose Verbena leaves for tea, Turkish coffee (and vessels to make it in), wonderful olives in open tubs and much more.

A few products deserve a special mention, namely the outstanding Turkish Gazi yoghurt, that is sold in buckets (the yellow bucket, right, is the extra creamy one), the various sorts of pita breads and flat breads on the meat counter, and the succulent lamb chops. The meat counter also sells minced beef, and spicy and non-spicy merguez sausages made of lamb. Look out too for buttermilk in litre cartons, (which I use for making soda bread or for eating with couscous). It’s much better value than the tiny amounts sold in Sainsbury’s.

A huge range of spices is also sold at the back right of the shop. The Moroccan ras al hanout, the Levantine za’atar and all manner of curry ingredients are here, as are dried limes (very good for adding depth to stews, or with hot water as a cleansing drink).

Before you go, don’t forget to check the freezer section. You will find inside frozen artichoke hearts (even Claudia Roden says they’re ok in her Jewish Book of Cooking!), Filo pastry, Jew’s Mallow (also known as Mloukhieh, an Egyptian favourite), frozen Falafel, among other things
.
I’ll come clean – I lived until recently in Damascus, so this shop provides a huge nostalgia hit for me. But I regularly recommend it as a really good little local grocer which provides the perfect antidote to anonymous, sterile supermarket shopping. The bearded staff are very friendly too. Just make sure you time your Friday visit not to coincide with their disappearance to mosque (around 12 til about 2)!

Next door, under the same management, is the new-ish Andalucia Bakery and cafe, which sells the very best croissants in Lambeth, as well as baklava and other Middle Eastern pastries, baguettes, and lunch-type food, and which deserves a write-up all its own.

Hallalway, 250 Wandsworth Road, London SW8 2JS

Tel: 020 7738 8811

Thanks to Malika Browne for this, the second in our new series of profiles on local shops and the people behind them. If you would like to tell us about your favourite local shop, please email TradescantRoad@gmail.com

Hot Stuff - South Lambeth Eateries

2011-10-18T11:22:00.003Z

Kyra Kellawan (@bittersweetcity) meets the man behind the Wilcox Road institution that is Hot Stuff.

I've arranged to meet Raj for an interview at 6pm at Hot Stuff HQ on Wilcox Road. I am running late, leaving my house at 6.01 (it’s a five minute walk to the restaurant).

As I'm stepping out the door my phone bleeps a voicemail – it’s Raj. He’s running late too, stuck in Balham traffic. He’s hugely apologetic and says he hopes he won’t be too much longer. I feel guilty, as I wasn't going to call or text at all – just show up a bit late (as is my wont). But that’s the kind of guy Raj is: honest and thoughtful, with a real sincerity about him.

We sit down inside Hot Stuff II, the sister restaurant to the original (which is now the takeaway, left). This has only been open for seven months but is seemingly always full when I walk past – although at 6pm there is only one other couple there and staff are still setting up. So we have the place to ourselves.

Raj apologises again with a sincere handshake, and we get started. Most of the Hot Stuff history is on the website so I already feel like I know a bit. Tellingly, the history of their endeavour is on the homepage, rather than a menu or prices.

Raj (right) tells me his mum and dad were both raised in Kenya, part of the 100,000-strong East African Indian community there. His dad, Abdul, came to the UK in 1969 with his childhood sweetheart Naseera. He worked for British Rail and she had a variety of jobs – from being a home help to working for Sainsbury’s and Airfix (Raj smiles at this, asking me if I’m old enough to know the models, and chuckling at the memory of Weebles). Naseera sounds like an enterprising woman: she ran a market stall for a time, selling jeans and shoes, but it wasn’t until 1988 that Hot Stuff was conceived and created, with a family friend who had owned a pizza joint in Telford. Neither of Raj’s parents had experience in catering or restaurants before.

Hot Stuff served three curries when it opened; one chicken, one meat, one veggie. You could have rice, or you could have a naan which had been bought in as there was no tandoor in the restaurant in those days. With that tiny menu, his parents kept the business running for nearly ten years, living in Thornton Heath, his father also working full days at British Rail from 6am-4pm and then back in the restaurant from 7pm until closing. Raj says he didn’t see much of his dad then, which is unsurprising. We talk about the work ethic of immigrant families and agree on how hard-core that generation were. We both know. Raj laughs about how the restaurant looked in those days. He has a creative eye (“done a bit of graffiti in my time,” he chuckles) and remembers the pink walls, net curtains and carpet tiles that adorned the eating area for 28 covers. It was at this time that new dishes started to be added to the menu.

By 1996-7 the family were considering selling the business. Things were slow. Raj was working first in construction and then as an estate agent (with a heart, the website emphasizes!) so wasn’t directly involved. In 1997 his mother fell ill and the family (and the local community) rallied around. The family tried to sell the business but couldn’t, and Raj left his job to help out at the restaurant. It sounds like a tough year.

In 1998 the restaurant had a stroke of good luck: Xanthe Sylvester, who wrote for Time Out, gave Hot Stuff a shimmering review. It was then, Raj says, that things really started to take off and word of mouth rocketed. Being a BYO operation helped, Raj adds, because it made the place popular with Antipodean backpackers and a younger crowd. Reviews started flooding in from all over the place and now have pride of place on the purple restaurant walls.

With Raj involved, Hot Stuff has upped its game. The food is a mixture of East African dishes such as tilapia, green banana and cassava plus Pakistani and Punjabi staples like Biryanis and Karahis. Even Chinese Hakka-style wings are on the menu, something Raj recommends. He leaves it to the chefs to come up with new stuff and is extremely proud of their food. “We came up with the butternut squash curry before most,” he beams.

As with many small restaurants who rely on word of mouth, where the food comes from is key. Fruit and veg come from Covent Garden market every week, and fresh halal meat arrives daily from JR Butchers in Tooting. Spices and sundries are from Bhavins, also in Tooting. Raj knows that his customers are savvier about food than ever before.

“We used frozen chicken in the old days,” he admits. “And then we asked ourselves, why? We wouldn’t eat it at home, so we wouldn’t serve it to our customers now.”

I ask Raj what his favourites are on the menu; those chicken wings come in first, closely followed by King Prawn Karahi.

And when he gets away from the resturant, where does he eat? “I don’t get out much!” His 5 month-old daughter is clearly his priority, meaning that he spends days at home being a daddy and nights doing everything from front of house to making deliveries.

But if he was going to take his wife out for a slap up meal, it would be involve Lebanese at one of the Maroush restaurants. Big favourites at home are nyama choma, a Kenyan roasted meat dish, with an unpronounceable accompaniment made of potato, spinach, and white corn.

With customers flowing in thick and fast, an expansion to the restaurant, increased deliveries, catering for weddings (one in the Peak District was a particular highlight) and events, the Hot Stuff portfolio is looking pretty sweet. What next for the business, I ask?

Raj is careful to avoid complacency. He stresses that they want to keep improving the experience for customers. “I don’t want people to say ‘the food was better here last time’,” he says. “And I want to thank everyone for their patronage”, he adds sincerely. “I hope we’re keeping everyone happy, we want to go onwards and upwards.”

Finally, if nothing else but to please the kids, where else do you get a Mr.Freeze ice lolly for dessert? “A new concept in Indian dining,” Raj laughs.

As I get up to leave, Raj greets an incoming couple with a handshake and a kiss on the cheek. He is clearly adored by his regulars. He gives me that firm handshake again and thanks me for the interview. Once again he apologises for his tardiness.

I am smitten. When I get home, The Mister and I order a Hot Stuff for delivery.

Hot Stuff
19/23 Wilcox Rd 
London
SW8 2XA

Tel: 020 7720 1480 / 020 7627 8181
www.welovehotstuff.com

Other South Lambeth Eatery articles: Rebato's

Local profile: Michael’s Shoe Repairs

2011-10-14T08:19:00.001Z

The first thing you need to know about Michael, the Greek-Cypriot owner of Michael’s Shoe Repairs, is that his name is not Michael; it’s Christopher. Michael is his father, who started the shoe-mending business in 1962. But such is Christopher’s gentle, easy-going nature that he does not correct his customers, most of whom have been cheerfully calling him Michael since he took over from his father at the work bench 31 years ago.

A traditional, local shoe-mender is a rare thing in London, and indeed most British towns, these days. Even rarer is one where you can have a good, unhurried old-fashioned chat (try bringing up Elvis, one of Christopher’s passions) while you have your shoes re-heeled. All the shoe repair work is done to a very high standard on site by Christopher (his wife Myroulla helps out, especially with zips, her area of excellence) and you can also get keys engraved there. The shop also sells shoe polish in impossibly hard-to-find colours (pink, blue, green, gold) as well as shoe laces, bedroom slippers and a wide selection of Dylon dyes. Since discovering these things on my doorstep I have stopped buying them online or from John Lewis.

Christopher’s customers are local but orders increasingly come from abroad, from people who have found him on the internet through his website (www.michaelsshoerepairs.co.uk) or those who have moved away from Vauxhall or Stockwell. His son, a business management and finance graduate, is helping him develop his online catalogue to attract more business via the website.

“An ex-major who now lives in Paris still brings me his shoes when he passes through London”, explains Christopher. “He brings them in two carrier bags straight from Heathrow, and collects them on his way back to the airport after his holiday”.

Christopher says he regularly sends out re-soled shoes to Tokyo, Australia, New Zealand, the US and even Morocco.

“We’ll be fifty years old in March”, explains Christopher, who hopes to pass on his business onto his son Andreas, the third generation, when he eventually retires. “This building dates from 1884,” he continues, “but I saw on a 1914 map of the area that there was a boot-maker on this site at that time, so perhaps the boot-maker started out here with the building”.

Christopher was almost forced to close the business a few years ago when the introduction of the Congestion Charge nearby virtually eradicated his passing trade.

“I began to notice that shoes were piling up during the week, and were only collected on Saturdays”, he says. The doubling of local Pay & Display parking charges, as well as the painting of double red lines on South Lambeth Road outside his shop also contributed to a decline in business. Christopher closes the shop on Thursday afternoons (presumably to go to the post office with his parcels), and Sundays, a practice that dates back to the time when small shops closed one day a week. "Brixton's shops used to close on Wednesdays, so Stockwell stayed open that day and closed on Thursdays instead".

“Other repairers in the area started closing down and I grabbed their business so I didn’t have to close down”, he says wistfully.

And aren’t we glad he didn’t.

Michael’s Shoe Repairs, 45 South Lambeth Road SW8 1RH

Tel: 0207 735 2386

www.michaelsshoerepairs.co.uk

Thanks to Malika Browne for this, the first in a new series of profiles on local shops and the people who work there.

If you would like to write a profile on a local trader for the blog, please email TradescantRoad@gmail.com

Flowers for the Weekend: win a bouquet of flowers for your home

2011-10-12T15:14:00.001Z

As some of you may know I've been working up an idea for a very local service called

Flowers For The Weekend.

The idea is to give people in Vauxhall, Nine Elms, South Lambeth and Stockwell the opportunity to reap the benefits of living so close to the New Covent Garden flower market.

Wouldn't it be lovely to have a magnificent bumper bouquet of fresh, fragrant flowers

… delivered right to your door…

… fresh from New Covent Garden flower market…

... every week...

… by tricycle (the greenest delivery method I can come up with)?

Please let me know what you think – complete this short questionnaire (it’s only nine questions!). Ten lucky respondents will win a free bouquet of flowers.

Many thanks

Andrew Rogers

RCA students explore social philanthropy

2011-10-08T19:48:00.001Z

A group of "Design Interactions" students from the Royal College of Art are currently spending three weeks in the Vauxhall-Nine Elms area as part of a project on social philanthropy.

Their brief says:

"Vauxhall is changing, a shifting society like many other urban areas – how as a designer might you take note of these changes, engage in the present and consider the future? In the London of 2012 how as a single resident do you navigate change brought about by a combination of public policy and private developers. Is there an alternative tone with which to cope with change and ‘the big society’ other than simply marking or mourning the loss of a familiar past?"

Guiding them through on their journey through SW8 culture is local resident Christina Burnett, she of the Digital Bazaar and Digital Tuesdays.

I'll be honest, despite reading the website several times I still haven't a clue what it's about but the students I've met have all been very pleasant.

For more information see the project website at www.interaction.rca.ac.uk/philanthropy

The students watch a film at the Tate South Lambeth Library

Space in yard or garage sought

2011-10-06T09:36:00.003Z

Dear all

I need a bit of help.

I'm looking for a (relatively) secure place near to Tradescant Road to keep a trike and trailer while not in use - a bit of a garage or a corner of a yard for example.

If you have somewhere (or know of somewhere) please let me know! You can reach me at TradescantRoad@gmail.com

In exchange you could have use of it or I might even be able to stump up some kind of rental (at the peppercorn end of things) .

Or do feel free to forward this to anyone else or suggest places or people I might try.

Many thanks, Andrew

Coming up: Digital Bazaar, South Lambeth Market, Vauxhall Society AGM

2011-10-06T07:24:00.001Z

Saturday 8th October 2011 10am-12noon
Tate South Lambeth Library, 180 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1Q
Digital Bazaar
Another session of the highly successful Digital Bazaar, where local people can drop in to learn how best to use digital technology from their neighbours - everything from mobile phones to the furthest reaches of the internet. Every level of knowledge and ignorance welcome. digitaltuesdays.co.uk/wp/digital-bazaar/

Saturday 8th October 2011 10am-4pm
The Cavendish Arms, 128 Hartington Road, London SW8 2HJ.
South Lambeth Market
Only the second outing for this instantly successful community-led initiative - a haven for foodies and lovers of plants, flowers, arts and crafts. southlambethmarket.com/

Monday 10th October 2011 6.30pm for 7.00pm AGM start
St Stephen's Church, St Stephen's Terrace, London SW8 1DH
Vauxhall Society AGM
Guest Speaker - Sue Foster, Executive Director of Housing, Regeneration and Environment, Lambeth Council on the topic of "Regenerating Vauxhall". Friends of Vauxhall Park, Friends of Tate South Lambeth and Vauxhall Memories will be there too.
All welcome (members and non-members). Refreshments. www.vauxhallcivicsociety.org.uk/

Sits Vac: Parish Administrator

2011-10-06T07:24:00.000Z

The Parish of CHRIST CHURCH AND ST JOHN Clapham has a vacancy for an ADMINISTRATOR

16 hours per week . Salary £19,000 pro rata

A part-time administrator required to work in this busy inner-city parish located on Clapham/Stockwell borders. The Parish Office is located at Christ Church, Union Grove SW8 2QJ and is easily accessible by public transport.

For further details of parish please look at website www.christchurchstjohn.com

For a job description and for further information please contact the Vicar, Revd. Penny Rose-Casemore
prosecasemore@googlemail.com or tel 0207 622 3552

Snow Wardens sought...

2011-10-05T08:50:00.000Z

Sadly I don't have anywhere to keep a grit bin, but you might:

This winter Lambeth council is looking for community-minded volunteers to help clear snow and ice from local streets and help keep the borough moving during periods of bad weather.

They are looking for individuals as well as members of community groups to become Lambeth’s first ever snow wardens and make Lambeth pavements and footpaths safer for everyone.

During the winter months Lambeth's focus is on keeping public services and main transport routes running. They're continuing with their usual winter maintenance service this year, but this still means that many quieter residential roads won’t get gritted.

This is why you are being offered an opportunity to get involved and make a real difference in our local area.Lambeth will provide snow wardens all the training and tools they will need, including:
a shovel
hi-visibility jacket
gloves
grit bin
a supply of grit.

Community groups will be provided with additional equipment which can be shared amongst members.Training sessions (!) will be held during the weeks beginning 10 October and 24 October 2011, with some sessions during the early evening and some during the day.
The sessions will be a great opportunity to meet and mix with other snow wardens in your area.
To sign up as a volunteer or to simply find out more about the scheme please email Richard Easthope - reasthope@lambeth.gov.uk or telephone 020 7926 0524. Up to date information on the scheme can also be found at www.lambeth.gov.uk/snowwarden.

River service to and from Vauxhall is up and running

2011-10-05T08:41:00.000Z

The Thames Clippers service from St George Wharf Pier started running on Monday.

I took a trip just for the sake of it. All the way to Embankment.

It's £4.90 with a PAYG Oystercard so I won't be doing it very often but it's nice to know it's there.

Nine Elms stadium for Chelsea FC?

2011-10-04T05:35:00.001Z

The papers are abuzz with stories that Chelsea's owner Roman Abramovich wants to move the club's home to a new 60,000 seater stadium, possibly in Nine Elms.

According to The Sun:

An offer to move near Wormwood Scrubs has been rejected due to a lack of transport links.

But the Earls Court/Olympia site two stops down the district line is owned by Capital and Counties, who would accommodate Chelsea.

Another option is White City, close to Shepherd's Bush and White City tube stations and the M40, but Chelsea are not keen.

It is believed they much prefer Battersea/Nine Elms and an iconic stadium alongside the Thames.

The Telegraph and The Guardian have similar stories.

Seems unlikely. First, is there any space in VNEB not already earmarked for high rises?

Second Abramovich has got to buy Stamford Bridge from the fans' consortium which currently owns the land. As The Telegraph explains:

Chelsea are calling an extraordinary meeting of the Chelsea Pitch Owners association for Oct 27 where they will need to gain 50 per cent approval from the shareholders in attendance.
There are 15,000 shares, sold at £100 each, and 12,000 shareholders although only a few hundred are expected at the meeting.
The CPO is a unique organisation that was established in the 1990s when, as Buck put it, “there was a concern that we might be taken over by developers who would put the club out of business or require the club to move”. The CPO granted Chelsea a 199-year lease.
The idea behind the scheme was to put freehold ownership of the site into the hands of supporters and out of the reach of property developers. It cost £10 million, with Chelsea loaning the money to the shareholders who paid back £1.5 million through cash they raised.
Chelsea are now proposing to pay that £10 million, writing off the £8.5 million they are owed and the £1.5 million, back to the shareholders.
It means the fans will not make any profit out of the deal but as Buck pointed out: “Keep in mind that no one bought these shares as a financial investment. Everyone bought these shares as a way of helping the club.”
If they approve the buy-back, shareholders will be given preference in buying season tickets and will have their names in a walkway or on a roll of honour at any new stadium. Chelsea will guarantee that if they move before 2020 it will be to a ground within three miles of the Bridge with 10 per cent of seats made available to children and under-21s.

We're getting a Waitrose in Vauxhall...

2011-09-30T17:03:00.004Z

Really!!! We're getting a Waitrose! Albeit a small one. And not until November 2012. So anything could happen. But YES!!! We're getting a Waitrose!

The 148 bedroom Travelodge being built next to the Big Issue offices at the bus station will have a WAITROSE below it.

According to the developer's website "the retail element of the scheme has been pre-let to Waitrose".

And sure enough, Waitrose has put in a licensing application with the Council.

We're getting a Waitrose!

SW8 gentrification now official.

What's On This Weekend

2011-09-29T14:56:00.000Z

Friday / Saturday (30 Sep /1 Oct 2011)

If your curiosity for imaginatively bankrupt, dull, densely populated, overbearing buildings is yet to be sated then the Nine Elms - Parkside public exhibition should do the trick. This is the redevelopment of the Royal Mail site off Nine Elms Lane.

Friday 30th September 2pm-6pm
Saturday 1st October 10am-4pm

All Saints Church, 100 Prince of Wales Drive, London SW11 4BD

www.nineelmsparkside.com

Friday 30 Sep 2011 7pm-9pm:

The opening of the new Hartington Road gallery. www.hartingtonroad.co.uk

Saturday 1 Oct 2011 10.30-12.30

The Friends of Vauxhall Park Open Meeting at Ashmole Tenants Association Hall, 2 Meadow Road. All welcome.

Items on the agenda include proposals for a new orchard, the future of the flower beds in the lavender garden area and how to work effectively with the Council in the face on on going budget cut. Plus the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area proposals that will affect the park - particularly the plans for 30/60 South Lambeth Road..

"We would particularly like to invite you to come along if you are interested in joining the committee. The current committee members are already overstretched and we especially need people who could help us with our charitable status and fundraising projects."

www.vauxhallpark.org.uk

Saturday 1 Oct 2011 10.00-5.00

Lambeth Archives Open Day at Lambeth Archives, Minet Library, 52 Knatchbull Road, London SE5 9QY

Exhibition: Festival in Lambeth

10am to 5pm: An exhibition of watercolours, photographs, photos and objects from the archives' collections celebrating Festival in Lambeth over time: from the 18th century entertainments at Vauxhall Gardens and Lambeth's other pleasure gardens, its fairs, pageants and popular entertainers, through to the Victorian crowds at the Crystal Palace and the local church garden party, and on to the Festival of Britain, the various Royal jubilees and visits and the Lambeth Country Show. Whatever the century, people have always loved a spectacle!

Talks

A programme of talks running through the day, mainly linking into our theme of Festival in Lambeth.

10.30am Malign Fiesta: the crowds who came to the gallows and gibbets of south London, Jon Newman

11.15am Charles Edward Brooke: a Lambeth vicar and his legacy, Will Ollard

12 noon Gay Pride in Lambeth: the Gay Pride marches of the 1970s and 80s, Bill Thorneycroft

2.00pm The Art of Celebration: patriotism on display at Vauxhall Gardens, David Coke

2.45pm Michael Tippett and the 1937 Brockwell Park Music Festival, Peter Bradley

3.30pm After the Crystal Palace: a century of London's great exhibitions, Brian Bloice

4.15pm The Festival of Britain: 'bread and circuses' for a post-war world, Len Reilly

Films

12.45 to 2pm A mix of short films from the archives and contemporary work by local film makers including:

Bonnington Square, a history of the 1980s squats by Alistair Oldham, 2011

Stall Stories, a film about Brixton Market

Saida's Story, a Ugandan refugee in Clapham, from the Clapham Film Unit's UG2LON project, 2011

Workshops

Informative workshops by local experts on how to get started with your research.

11am Introduction to House History by Len Reilly, Lambeth Archives

12 noon Photographs and memories: creating a community archive, Fiona Price, Lambeth Archives

2pm Introduction to Caribbean Family History, Kelly Foster of Caribbean Family History Group - Lambeth.

Local Societies stands and book stalls

10am to 5pm: Organisations present include Black Cultural Archives, Brixton Society, Clapham Society, East Surrey Family History Society, Herne Hill Society, Norwood Society and Streatham Society.

www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/LeisureCulture/LocalHistory/LambethArchivesOpenDay.htm?WT.mc_id=archivesopenday

Saturday/Sunday 1/2 October 2011 10.00-6.00
Lambeth Artists Open Day
The creative community of Lambeth open their studios, homes and work spaces to the public. Exhibitors will include painters, print makers, photographers, digital artists, ceramists, video artists, glass makers, embroiderers, mixed media, and jewellers. Discover the many hidden creative gems tucked away in our neighbourhoods.

www.lambethopen.com