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Howard Devoto, Stoke Newington resident and former front
man with legendary bands Buzzcocks and Magazine, came out of rock n’ roll retirement
to perform a short set at the Vortex last month. The occasion was to celebrate the
fiftieth birthday of his old friend, local librarian and ex-Buzzcocks manager, Richard
Boon. Howard performed with the Bikini Beach Band (picture above) and received a storming
reception from the party-goers. Halfway through their performance of the punk classic
‘Boredom’ Howard inexplicably became preoccupied with reading the Hackney
Gazette. N16 has strictly no comment…
People using Clissold Park this summer – one of the
hottest on record – cannot help but to have noticed two things. No water in the
children’s paddling pool, and the remains of the New River all dried out.
The failure to open the paddling pool is the continuation of a long saga in which every
year the council decides – invariably too late – whether there is enough money
in the budget to open the paddling pool and pay for the upkeep of the water quality for
the summer season. Meanwhile the local business charity, Stoke Newington First, the
Clissold Park User Group, council officers and members, are now in discussion to see
whether this matter can be solved once and for all, and the paddling pool completely
refurbished and opened on time next year, and every year thereafter. Much may depend on
how the current lottery bid fares, and whether Hackney Council finally decides to back the
bid in a decisive fashion.
The New River is either leaking or just simply dried up in the hot weather, depending on
who you ask. By the time the water was low enough for even the terrapins to scoot down to
the ornamental lakes, the two black swans and the forlorn white goose had been handed over
to the care of the RSPCA for the duration of the drought. Will they want to come back,
everybody is asking? Fortunately, the fire brigade came to the rescue in the end and
pumped the New River back to the old levels once again.
Despite pretty good management on the maintenance side, the fact is that Clissold Park is
fraying at the edges and crumbling in the middle. The basic infrastructure –
railings, gates, fences, animal enclosures, paddling pool, Clissold Mansion, pathways,
tree programme – is all gently falling to bits. We badly need to win the lottery bid,
so let your councillor(s) know quite firmly that it’s time they made a difference
(Ken Worpole).
 Hassan, owner of
Booth’s Bar in Church Street, is justifiably perplexed about a leaflet
currently circulating in the area. He has acquired the old church hall next door to his
bar/restaurant and is considering turning it into a community centre or function room of
some sort. The 4-page leaflet is highly critical of his intentions for the building –
much of which is news to Hassan as he has not yet made his mind up about what to do with
the old hall – and makes what he feels are unwarranted accusations about his running
of his existing establishment.
The leaflet is unsigned with no indication as to the identity of the author. N16 feels
that, if such complaints are aired publicly, then the accusers should be prepared to
identify themselves. So, if the person(s) responsible for ‘Do you know that the old
church hall is being redeveloped?’ wish to contact us, we would be happy to pass on
their particulars to Hassan, in the interests of friendly dialogue and the eternal search
for harmony on Church Street.
'The New York Post in a recent article entitled ‘True Brit –
the very best of swinging London’sent in by a reader, contains the following:
‘COOLEST STREET'
The East End nabe of Stoke Newington has a rep for being self-consciously
“alternative.” While the sight of women in waist-length earrings shepherding
children in rainbow knitwear along Church Street, the area’s spiritual center, might
be a bit granola, it’s fun. Jam at Vortex Jazz Bar (139 Church St.) or flick through
rare blues LPs at Totem Records (168 Church St.). At Rasa (55 Church St.), you’ll
find excellent South Asian fare.‘
The Yanks are coming…
The Abney Park Cemetery Trust is running a series of events this October,
ranging from history tours, family seed gatherings, half-term workshops and building
structures from nature. For further information and times contact the Trust on 020 7275
7557.
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