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NEWS IN BRIEF
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| . | p8 First threaten with sale two years ago, it seems that the money grabbers in Hackney Council have again turned their attention on the old Stoke Newington Town Hall. A very reliable source has told the N16 Magazine that over the past few weeks a number of property developers have been seen wandering around the SN Town Hall complex. When approached at least one of the suited individuals claimed to be working for a none existent Council department. This news only reached us as we were going to press please visit our online edition for more news. The well-reviewed Ruchi restaurant in Church Street, which features food from Kerala, southern India, has announced that it is expanding its menu to include non-vegetarian dishes. After a couple of lunchtime visits, we can thoroughly recommend the new specialties. It's good to talk. We predicted that with the removal of local planning powers from the Stoke Newington Neighbourhood Committee, it would become a mere talking shop. We were wrong. There is no talking. The March meeting was cancelled due to 'lack of any business requiring a decision'. Something worth discussing might have been the current Council rent arrears in Stoke Newington of £3,219,663. Minx is the name of N16's new Acoustic and Comedy Club. Situated beneath the Barracuda restaurant in Church Street, it kicked off on Wednesday 6 March with Bobby Valentino and Catherine Porter for the acoustic session, followed the next night by Adam Bloom, Lee Mack and Greg Burns with comedy. The people behind the venture are Andy Davies Jonathan Ross's TV and radio sidekick Ingrid Ricciardello, from Sydney, where she ran a comedy management agency and Jamie Spencer who runs record company East Central One. The Green Stoker, organ of the local Green Party, is horrified that roll-down metal shuttering has been installed on some shop fronts in Church Street. They say this detracts from the 'village feel' of the place. They do not suggest an alternative. Perhaps some nice bamboo curtains would be preferable. No doubt our local villains, when not dancing round the maypole or feeding their free-range ducks, could be persuaded to respect this environmental initiative.
Local Council elections take place in May. Hackney will have 57 councillors, three less than at present and 19 wards, four less than at present. You won't have to worry about trekking to the polling station, that system is being replaced by postal votes. Ward boundaries have been changed. New ones include Lordship, Cazenove and Stoke Newington Central. Is it too much to hope that we can elect Stoke Newington councillors with enough character to: 1) prevent library closures 2) maintain the facilities in Clissold Park and 3) most importantly, tell the Council Managing Director that they (not he) are our elected representatives? The worst outcome would be another hung Council that would be run by Town Hall staff. The White Hart on Stoke Newington High Street has been completely transformed. Previously a dark and somewhat dingy boozer, the pub is now a bright and spacious drinking spot with a new bar, comfortable furniture and a good range of affordable drinks, including real ale, and a decent wine list. There is also a large TV screen for sports fans. The new owners are extending the garden which, with its ivy-clad walls, was always an attractive spot anyway. It's good to see the High Street make a real effort to compete with Church Street. So farewell Stoke Newington Street Festival which has been cancelled, for this year at least. The organisers blame the late appointment of a new Festival Director, Chris Westwood, as well as the shortfall in funding from Hackney Council. However, other events are being planned as compensation for this disappointing decision. See page 16.
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The Radical Dairy
sounds like an anarchist alternative to Fresh and Wild. It is, however, a collective of
young people, opposed to capitalism and globalisation, who have occupied an old dairy on
Kynaston Road for the last couple of months. They have shown determination and no little
resourcefulness in decorating and furnishing the old building creating a friendly
community space and run courses in, among other subjects, singing, drama, yoga, Shiatsu
and English for non-English speakers as well as organising film and video events and
promoting political discussion groups.