| The N16/Auld Shillelagh Football
Quiz took place at the pub on 16 February and, despite
the relatively low attendance (well, it was the first time we did
it), everyone had a great time. The winners were Kray Wanderers
FC, a scratch team made up of people who just happened to be in
the bar and who joined in enthusiastically. They even knew that
Friday Night Fever was the name of the Tranmere Rovers fanzine.
Generously, they bought
themselves a round with their winnings and donated the remainder
to charity, which will be St Joseph’s Hospice. Thanks also
to Tomas and Aonghus from the Shillelagh for their support. The
next quiz will take place in the pub on 27 April and will focus
on the history of the World Cup. Follow www.n16mag.com for full
details. On me head, son.
The Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) around Church
Street continue to be of great concern to local businesses. The
Stoke Newington BusinessAssociation argues that the existence of
CPZs is having a seriously negative impact on their businesses.
As Heidi Early of Early Birds shop on Church Street said in a recent
letter to Hackney Council, ‘While the majority of businesses
continue to struggle with the effects of CPZ (we have less customers
and those that do come spend less because they have less time to
shop), the side roads in and around the area boast plenty of parking
space during the day, yet the businesses and their customers cannot
park there’. The Association asked for a CPZ review in March
but the Council has postponed the review (with no reason given)
until the second half of this year. N16 urges Hackney Council to
re-consider the timing of
the review. The last thing we want to see is more empty shops on
Church Street.
 The
great and good of Stoke Newington – and many from
further afield – gathered for the launch party of the new
Yum Yum restaurant on the High Street in early February. As the
guests queued up at the entrance to the listed, imposing building,
they were greeted by paparazzi and doormen, in a scene reminiscent
of the Oscars. The place was soon packed, with lengthy queues for
the bar and restaurant, but as the food, music and drink were free,
no-one seemed to mind. The restaurant is by some distance the largest
in the area, with over 260 covers and a downstairs venue area, and
owner Atique Choudhury (pictured at the launch) claims it is Europe’s
largest Thai restaurant. N16 hopes that Atique’s ambitious
venture is matched by the success it certainly deserves. We will
be reviewing the restaurant in our next (June) issue (read Peter
Grogan’s review of Yum Yum’s new wine list on page 40).
Another launch party in this mad Stokey social
whirl, with N16’s movers and shakers again in attendance,
took place at the end of February at Stage B, formerly Bar 98 on
Church Street. Billed as a ‘black tie’ event (to say
the least, rare in Stoke Newington), the music came from pianist
Lily Farthing who played songs from the 1930s and 1940s’,
and a good time was had by all. But where is Stage A?
The Castle Canoe Club are based behind the castle
climbing centre on Green Lanes (at the west reservoir centre) and
slowly becoming a quite a big club. They now have over 130 members.
They are keen to get more people in the local area interested in
the club. All ability levels are welcome. You can find out more
information by visiting www. castlecanoeclub.org
What’s the collective noun for hairdressers?
A crew of crimpers? A batch of barbers? A clutch of cutters? Whatever,
they do appear to have proliferated on Church Street. There are
now no less than six, ranging from old favourites Al and Gino, through
the recently established Beaucatcher and Shine to newcomers Papillon
and Hair Tonic. This is over and above the Turkish hairdressers
on the High Street. Expect a Hoxton Fin competitor to emerge soon.
The Stokey Shark? N16 will be keeping a close eye on tonsorial developments
in Stoke Newington.
The Factory Community Project at Newington Green
on Matthias Road has been selected to become an all encompassing
‘Children’s Centre’ providing a Nursery for 48
children aged 3 months to under-5s and a full range of activities
for the mothers and carers on the borders of Islington and Stoke
Newington. This has been made possible by the Mildmay and Canonbury
East Sure Start putting up the money to buy the building and Islington
Council owning the property and overseeing the 7-month building
project. David Vandivier, the Factory Projects Director, said, ‘The
future looks very exciting for us here at The Factory and we are
going to be able to offer a service to the parents and carers of
the area that is crucial to success for the parents for work, retraining
or further education. The main drawback for parents in achieving
work and training is quality, affordable childcare and that is just
what we will provide in the new Factory Children’s Centre.’
These activities will complement the full range of services provided
by the Factory for over 33 years in the area. The Factory is currently
undergoing £700,000 worth of renovations to take the Children’s
Centre nursery into a ‘state of the art’ facility designed
by Cazenove Architects of Clapton Square and built by Diamond Builders.
Keep up the good work, David.
As part of our policy of publishing occasional
articles on nearby areas in Hackney, we cover Broadway Market in
this issue (see pages 18-19). The article entitled ‘Broader
than Broadway’ was written by Tony Collins who, along with
colleague Adam Wright, produce The Eel fanzine covering Broadway
Market and London Fields, an area in many ways very similar to Stokey.
They welcome contributions in any format or style. Contact them
on eelzine@yahoo.co.uk.
Hackney Council have informed us of the following
changes on Church Street: the widening of the existing central pedestrian
island between Bouverie Road and Defoe Road; the creation of a new
central pedestrian island between Abney Park Cemetery and Kersley
Road; the re-location of the three uncontrolled zebra pedestrian
crossings and an upgrade to signal-controlled crossings; bus stop
‘accessibility improvements’ outside William Patten
School and opposite Stoke Newington Town Hall; and additional eastbound
bus stops opposite William Patten School for all routes and outside
Stoke Newington Library for route 393 only. Finally, and not before
time, the Church Street/Albion Road junction will have traffic lights,
with improved pedestrian facilities. The works should be ‘substantially
complete’ by around Easter. However, ‘there are likely
to be other commissioning works carried out by others which may
take a few weeks longer’. And also ‘owing to the complexity
of the Church Street/Albion Road junction scheme this element of
the package is not programmed for completion until later this year’.
Here we go again.
Answer (page 4): Stoke Newington.
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