Category: Shops

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Art and Culture Community Palmers Green Planning and open spaces Shops Southgate Winchmore Hill

Open Studios and Art Trail is a Blockbuster

Image: Dan Meier
Image: Dan Maier

An exciting new venue has been announced for this weekend’s Open Studios and Art Trail. The building, on Southgate Circus and formerly occupied by Blockbusters, is part of Charles Holden’s station complex built in the 1930s, and is set to provide a stunning showcase for the weekend.

Open Studios connects a love of the area with a love of the creative arts, says organiser Dan Maier.

“Our aim is to connect the public with creatives in the area and show the sheer quality and variety of work which is going on on our doorsteps and in our community. At the same time, we want to show the potential of our high streets, and the way in which art and local creativity could act as a regenerator.

We only have one weekend a year, but we hope the effects will reach far beyond and encourage people to support local businesses – not just those who work in arts and crafts and local workshops, but all kinds of local businesses – cafes, shops, galleries and a range of other venues.”

Over the last two weeks the team has been working with shops and businesses in the area to create window displays, with stunning results – worth a wander round Palmers Green, Southgate and Winchmore Hill in itself to explore. This year, thanks to an Arts Council grant, the weekend also includes a number of free workshops, alongside the opportunity to view work by over 30 artists, designers and crafts people, and a chance to buy from them direct.  Why not download the guide to plan your weekend?

IMG_4090Meanwhile, as we write, the Open Studios team are completing work on a special installation at the new venue in Southgate, focusing on their mission to make our high streets more vibrant and stop the rot of empty shops. Handover of keys was yesterday morning, and the installation needs to be ready by 10.30 on Saturday. It’s a tough call, but you know that somehow they will do it, and what’s more, that it will be amazing.

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Art and Culture Bowes Park History Shops

Kinky boots!

123 Myddleton Road today. Image (c) Richard McKeever
123 Myddleton Road today. Image (c) Richard McKeever

A few days ago Richard McKeever of Bowes and Bounds Connected posted a wonderful story about Spyros Andrea, the kinky cobbler of Myddleton Road, who cobbled for Paul Raymond’s Revue Bar, Joan Collins, Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren. I highly commend it to you – click here.  Richard warns that some of the information in the article comes from some ‘specialist’ parts of the internet, so he has not included links to sources!

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Community Palmers Green Shops Uncategorized

The thatched cottage that went for a Burton

The Thatched Cottage in 1903, image by kind permission of Enfield Local Studies and Archive
The Thatched Cottage in 1903, image by kind permission of Enfield Local Studies and Archive

It may seem hard to imagine it now, but once upon a time Palmers Green was famed for a quaint rural attraction. Until 1938, the site of Palmers Green’s excellent hardware store Westlakes was occupied by “Ye Old Thatched Cottage”, a local landmark.

Alan Dumayne in his book Once Upon a Time in Palmers Green says that in years gone by the mere mention of the Cottage would bring a faraway look of sweet remembrance into old Palmers Greeners’ eyes. The cottage had been built in the late 18th Century by the Governor of the Bank of England Thomas Lewis as a lodge to the big house, The Lodge, which once stood on the east side of Green Lanes.

The Cottage lost its rustic gardens to the widening of Green Lanes in 1906 and had begun to look a little sorry for itself by 1911 when it was rescued by one Percy Whellock, who had it as a garden shop and nursery (there were two acres of ground behind).  The cottage was a well-known attraction, with colourful and abundant bedding plants in front setting off its attractive rural thatch. It was demolished to make way for a branch of Burton’s gentleman’s tailors in 1938.

Well established and possibly at their zenith when they came to Palmers Green just before the Second World War, Burtons were founded in Chesterfield in 1903 by 18 year old Montague Burton (then known as Meshe David Oskinsky – legend has it that he chose his new name having spent several hours on Burton on Trent Railway station).

Burton’s aimed to be an ethical employer by the standards of the time, giving generously to support the arts and even playing a role in the founding of the United Nations. One of Montague Burton’s mottos was ‘Good clothes develop a man’s self-respect’ and a full, smart but affordable three piece suit became known colloquially as the Full Monty.

Burton's foundation stone. Image (c) S Beard
Burton’s foundation stone. Image (c) S Beard

It was a Burton’s tradition that the foundation stone for each new store should be laid by a member of the family, and Palmers Green’s stone, laid by Montague’s son Arnold James Burton, can still be seen. Far from being an elder statesman, Arnold was just 21 when he wielded the ceremonial trowel in Green Lanes.

If you ask nicely, Westlakes’ staff will proudly show you a picture of the Thatched House and remains of the original fittings from the 1930s store, including a fine parquet floor. They will also cut your keys, supply you with a new phone, and give you DIY advice and the tools to transform your home, and do it all with a friendly smile. You don’t get that at Homebase.

For more information about Montague Burton, see http://www.movinghere.org.uk/galleries/histories/jewish/working_lives/montague_burton1.htm#

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Art and Culture Bowes Park Community Food Health History Music Planning and open spaces Shops Southgate Uncategorized

That was April (and a bit of March) in Palmers Green –a round up of news and events

It was all rush rush rush in Palmers Green April.

Latest data published by the Office of the Rail Regulator revealed what we always knew – Palmers Green station is a tad busy. Roger Preston from FCC kindly furnished us with some additional data on some other stations on the Great Northern route. Some of them were even busier. But most were on the wider part of the route and all were interchanges. Looks like we are the busiest station that isn’t.

2013-04-10 10.30.36Palmers Green residents were distraught to be deprived of their burger fix in April when local Scottish brasserie MacDonald’s was closed for a number of days.  Meanwhile, the gym on Green Lanes suffered from water damage, also briefly closing Westlakes below.

There was much local debate over the suspended coffee scheme. Enfield Chase’s Karen Mercer, owner of My Coffee Stop on the platform, suggested that there might be better ways of helping the homeless than handing over money to Starbucks and other chains. The story was first covered in the local papers, and then went London-wide in the Londonist. In addition to running the coffee shop, Karen is the mastermind behind the Ideas Station, which provides training and support on social media. Sign up to her Facebook group to find out more.

Over in Westminster, our local MP David Burrowes campaigned for longer sentences for Chris Huhne and Vicky Price and opposed amendments to planning legislation which would have allowed individual councils to opt out of plans to relax controls on permitted development, in particular domestic extensions. However, Eric Pickles is understood to have given the red light to a compromise whereby neighbours are required to be consulted over extensions.

Mr Burrowes was back on Palmers Green’s streets in April opposing plans to open yet another betting shop, this time on the ground floor of Trios Banqueting Suite, an issue which is attracting attention on all sides of the political spectrum. Let’s hope the protest is successful in the way that it has been here in the past and more recently in Lewisham. Unfortunately fruit machines make huge amounts of money and betting shops and their ilk can move in because traditional shops are closing. If you don’t want them here, then that’s a big argument for making a resolution to use your local high street.

We unearthed a little more local history this month, including a fantastic piece of footage of a carnival in 1931 celebrating 50 years of Southgate as an independent borough from Edmonton, all shot in Palmers Green. We shone more light on the mysterious history of Truro House, Southgate Station turned 80, and we heard Chas n Dave sing about old Edmonton Green, and learned that the horsemeat scandal that rocked the country was nothing new – we had our own. Meanwhile, Grange Park was rocked by anarchist direct action, and a new local debating society was launched.

Grovelands centenary postcardAs we approach summer, the build-up is beginning for a number of local festivals. The first is next weekend when we celebrate 100 years since the opening of Grovelands Park. It looks set to be a fantastic event, with a pageant evoking the original opening ceremony, boats on the lake, music, food and a host of other activities. June 8-9 sees the return of Open Studios, now in its second year and bigger and even better than in 2012. June 15 is the date for this year’s annual Palmers Green Shopping Festival, organised by local businesses, and 1 September the Palmers Green Festival, with a week’s festival events building up to the big day. Meanwhile, Talkies continues at the Dugdale Centre, with its First Thursday series and some exciting additional events promised. More soon.

open gardenIf you are at a loose end this weekend, why not pop along to Arnos Park Lodge to view Elizabeth Dobbie’s beautiful gardens? The event is a fundraiser for Broomfield Park Conservatory, and there will be refreshments and the chance to buy plants from the local area. The entrance is beside 41 Brookdale N11, and the gardens are open from 2-5 on Sunday. You could perhaps combine it with a trip to see the new exhibitions by Reinhard Stammer, Marina Gruzer and Jasper Jones at the Space Art Gallery.

Finally, our thanks to Tony Ourris of Anthony Webb estate agents, who have kindly agreed to support this website. Thanks Tony!

And so we march on into Spring….

Sue from Palmers Green

All through May Space Art Gallery Southgate presents work by Reinhard Stammer, Marina Gruzer and Jasper Jones

Friday 10 May Hill Street Blues Band and Blue Patch at St Harmonicas Blues Club

Saturday 11 May St Paul’s Church May Fair 11am-2pm

Tuesday 14 May Buskers Night at the Step, Myddleton Road

Thursday to Saturday 16-18 May St John’s Players present Hobsons Choice at the St John’s Hall

Friday 17 May St Harmonicas Blues Club

Saturday and Sunday 18-19 May Grovelands Park Festival

Thursday 23 May The New River – a Discover London talk by Peter Berthoud at the Step, Myddleton Road

Friday 24 May St Harmonics Blues Club

Sunday 26 May Plant swap at the Broomfield Conservatory 2.40 to 4.30

30 May to 1 June Acorn Theatre Group present Grease at the Intimate Theatre

Sunday 2 June Live celtic music from Maurice Judge at Broomfield Conservatory 2.30-4.30

Sunday 2 June New River Walk – Hertford to Enfield led by John Polley of the New River Action Group. More walks planned over the summer.

Saturday and Sunday 8-9 June Open Studios and Art Trail

Sunday 9 June Art workshop in Broomfield Conservatory

Saturday 15 June Palmers Green Shopping Festival

Sunday 1 September Palmers Green Community Festival

Categories
Art and Culture Community Food Shops Wood Green

Have your cake and eat it

There is an opportunity to celebrate the highest of art forms – which, though I should not have to spell it out to you, is cake – at the Big Green Bookshop on Sunday.

The bookshop will be host to the Clandestine Cake Club, the idea to ‘Bake, eat and talk about CAKE. Arrive as strangers leave as friends’.  The theme will be “Sweet Reads” and you are invited to choose your favourite book, author or story book character, and bring along an appropriate cake.  Do you like Winnie the Pooh? Then bake a honey cake, and bring in along. Prefer Roald Dahl? Then it’s chocolate all the way…I have no idea what you should bring along if your favourite book is by Irvine Welsh but perhaps you had better just chose another favourite.

Remember to bring enough to share, and bring a container so you can take some cake away with you (if it doesn’t all get eaten). The event is from 2-4, and more details can be found on the Clandestine Cake Club website. www.clandestinecakeclub.co.uk

 Even if you don’t like cake, the bookshop has a great selection of books and is doing wonderful things for Wood Green and the surrounding community. Why not wander along soon anyway? http://www.biggreenbookshop.com/

Categories
Art and Culture Community History Palmers Green Planning and open spaces Shops Southgate Uncategorized

Carnival day Palmers Green 1931

Huge thanks to Nick Cox who alerted us to this wonderful video of carnival day in Palmers Green in 1931.

Made by Camera Craft, the footage was found in a skip by You Tube user Andyvalve100, who we are trying to contact now. He says of this amazing find

The Southgate featured here is the London Suburb and indeed it was while working in the area a few years back that I found this film amongst things being thrown away in a company clearout.

In fact, as you will see, it is all shot in Palmers Green, and gives a wonderful impression of what it might have been like to walk along Palmers Green’s streets over 80 years ago, when many of the buildings were 20 or 30 years old, the streets bustled and the cinemas were still with us.

It shows a wonderful procession of local trades, businesses and groups: the fire brigade, soldiers, nurses, local hospital groups, marching bands, penny farthing riders, peace campaigners (‘truth is the first casualty of war’), polo players, life savers, and a group of ladies with placards showing the evolution of women’s rights. There also seem to be riders from a local hunt.

Among the businesses are Express Dairy, Stapleton and Sons, Northmet, Clayton Homes,  John Eaton, a 1903 Humber car advertising a local garage, and a float from the Cock Forge imagining its own past in 1732. The Easiest Way and Easy Money are showing at the cinema.

The date of the film is September 26 and celebrates the ‘jubilee’ but for the moment I am stumped as to what jubilee this is. George V’s diamond jubilee was in 1935. Does anyone know?

Betty Wright (then Walton) remembers the day well, because it was her fourth birthday – in fact, her birthday often seemed to coincide with annual civic events .

The film taken from there, showing the beginning of Alderman’s Hill…showed where my ‘best friend’ lived…at No 3, above an Estate Agents…her parents were the Care Takers.  It’s a pity the Town Hall wasn’t shown….or at least I didn’t see it.  I feel certain my elder sister and brothers would have been in the Parade…they would have been 14, 15 and 18.

I do remember each year on my birthday (just a co-incidence) the Southgate Fire Brigade gave a display in Broomfield Park (or may be in the grounds at the rear of the Town Hall where the fire station was).  They put on a display of a burning building,  and firemen running up ladders to ‘save’ people.  They also used hook ladders, which my brother excelled at.  Unfortunately, shortly after my son joined the brigade and had set his heart on ‘being as good as Uncle Jack’ with hook ladders…they were banned because of ….yes, you guessed, ‘health and safety’.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSH-R2fgiOk[/youtube]

Please show this film to your friends and relatives  – we would love to hear all your memories, of days like these, what life was like then, and Palmers Green’s people, shops and businesses.