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Old Kids on the BlockAnne Beech
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| . | p16 We've had a bit of a retro moment in this issue of N16. We're
going back in time a little to revisit a couple of the places on Church Street that were
part of the neighbourhood long before gentrification kicked in, and we all started
drinking double lattes and white wine. Not at the same time, of course. 'the Morecambe and Wise of the licensed victuallers' world'Since the unreconstructed 1980s, when Liebfraumilch, Blue Nun and Mateus
Rose were the tipples of choice, Margaret and Jim the Morecambe and Wise of the
licensed victuallers' world have presided over a sea-change in their customers and
their stock. Now it's all New World Sauvignons, demanding customers (Pete Grogan, do we
mean you?), a range that would have been unthinkable only ten years ago and the very best
of service and high-octane banter, with a side order of personal abuse if you're a valued
customer. Son Stephen attempts to keep his unruly parents in order, with occasional help
from his brother Christopher and sister Caroline and, of course, Scully the cat.
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First
up: the venerable Rosa, first established at 3 Church Street by Madam
Rosa herself in 1939. The present owner, Rosanne Berry, and her business partner acquired
the business in 1995 from Madam Rosa's successors, Ena and Cyril Layman. They're now
serving the grand-daughters of some of Madam Rosa's original customers, and ensuring
customer loyalty (eat your heart out M & S) by offering expert fitting, and an almost
bewildering range of quality lingerie, from the old-style hooksided basques, and some
terrifyingly complex anti-gravity corsetry to sports and maternity bras to the tiniest
diamante-bedecked g-strings (Christmas tip, chaps?). 
Next: Clissold
Wines, at 103 Church Street, a relative newcomer in that owners Margaret and Jim
Murphy first threw wide their doors a mere 16 years ago, but in premises that first opened
for business in 1896. The present building (recently refurbished, as regulars will
eventually notice) is the oldest continuously operated business in Church Street, and now
firmly established as something of an institution for its many loyal patrons! 
For (very) serious imbibers,
Jim has a cellar of fine vintage wines. For the rest of Clissold Wines' happy punters,
there's a full party service (wine, glasses, ice, the lot), plenty of choice, and a real!
delivery service, rather than those rubbish arrangements that involve you hanging around
for five hours in the vague hope that something will turn up. Or not. 