20 March 2019

One Hula Of A Night: All The Best Tiki Bars In London

One Hula Of A Night: All The Best Tiki Bars In London
...

The Cock Tavern

Okay, bear with me here. Why is a Kennington gay bar that’s notably not festooned with bamboo and tribal masks on a list of tiki bars? The Cock rocks something it calls ‘Georgian tiki’, which is a throwback to their previous incarnation as London South Pacific, a favourite South London tiki club that was as awesome as it was grimy and fun as it border-line edgy. The Cock seems something far more refined, but they’ve kept some tiki touches allowing us to pop them here, if only as a courtesy to the memory of one of London’s great tiki legends.
Where: 340 Kennington Road, Kennington, SE11 4LD
Website: www.thecocktavernlondon.com ...

What’s on in Brixton – Gigs and club nights this week, Mon 18th – Sun 24th March 2019

What’s on in Brixton – Gigs and club nights this week, Mon 18th – Sun 24th March 2019
... Thurs 21st Mar, SE11
Live Music at Brown Derby
336 Kennington Park Road, Oval SE11 4PP, 8pm, Free
Unspecified ‘live jazz and blues artists’ bring the music to this unpretentious, 1920s-themed boozer right next to Oval tube station. ...
... Sun 24th Mar, SE11
Sunday Jam at The Walcot
171 Kennington Rd, Lambeth, London SE11 6SF, 8pm-11pm, free
Hosted by fast-rising local musician Ese, this jam session sees talented local musicians and singers perform in a CAMRA-pleasing Kennington boozer stuffed with juicy real ales. ...

Why Kate Middleton's New Favorite Top Handle Bag (She Has It in 2 ... | PEOPLE.com

Why Kate Middleton's New Favorite Top Handle Bag (She Has It in 2 ... 

| PEOPLE.com
Visiting the Henry Fawcett Children's Centre in Kennington last Tuesday, Kate matched the lilac version of the bag with a purple Gucci blouse featuring ...

London Underground breaks through its new Bank tube station entrance – IanVisits

London Underground breaks through its new Bank tube station entrance – IanVisits
... There will be a closure of the Bank branch of the Northern line between Kennington and Moorgate in 2021 to allow the tunnelling to be completed, as the new ... ...

Kate Middleton joins the Queen for a rare joint engagement

Kate Middleton joins the Queen for a rare joint engagement
... ... portrait gala and earlier that day, she demonstrated an elegant take on daywear dressing for a visit to the Henry Fawcett Children's Centre in Kennington. ...

London Property Of The Week: Archway Studios, SE17 | OPUMO

London Property Of The Week: Archway Studios, SE17 | OPUMO
... If we all had enough free time we'd be able to visit the best houses for sale in London, but we do not. With so many houses to gawp at and so little time to gawp, ... ...
... 

Where is it?

Add all of this to the fact that the property is situated in the centre of many exciting restaurants, bars and cafes and you’ve got a winner. Easy access to central London via Northern and Bakerloo lines from Kennington and Elephant and Castle stations is the icing on the cake. ...

Vincent van Gogh's London: Walk in the artist's footsteps ahead of major Tate Britain show | London Evening Standard

Vincent van Gogh's London: Walk in the artist's footsteps ahead of major Tate Britain show | London Evening Standard
... (Alas, the cottage in Kennington where he lived after that hasn't survived.) From there you can make your way to Westminster Bridge, which made a profound ... ...

12 March 2019

Lambeth council-owned housing firm sets out building plans | News | Building

Lambeth council-owned housing firm sets out building plans | News | Building
... HFL said a development in the Kennington district of the south London borough comprising 70 new affordable homes at council rent was ready for occupation, alongside 19 homes which will be available for market sale. Proceeds from these sales will fund more council-level rent homes in Lambeth, the local authority said. ... 
... Construction work will also soon start at Knights Walk, also in Kennington, where 16 new homes at council-level rent will be built in the first phase, while phase two will add 68 new homes, of which 23 will be affordable homes and 45 homes for the market. ...

Video Shows Black Man Keep Cool as Wild London Commuters Harass, Taunt Him with Monkey Noise

Video Shows Black Man Keep Cool as Wild London Commuters Harass, Taunt Him with Monkey Noise
... Video of the incident, which took place on the Northern Line just before Kennington station on March 8, shows the group making monkey noises in the direction of a Black passenger, after which one of the men hops on the seats and starts impersonating an ape. ...

Friends Fest is coming back to Manchester this summer - Manchester Evening News

Friends Fest is coming back to Manchester this summer - Manchester Evening News
... FriendsFest returns to Heaton Park from August 2 to 18 before going on to Bristol's Blaise Castle Estate from August 23 to September 1; Willen Lake in Milton Keynes from September 6 to 15; and London's Kennington Park from September 20 to 29. ...

10 March 2019

Gang of six men make monkey noises at black commuter on London Underground train | Daily Mail Online

Gang of six men make monkey noises at black commuter on London Underground train | Daily Mail Online
... The horrific incident took place on the Northern Line, just before Kennington station on March 8, while stunned members of the public looked on. ...

06 March 2019

Spring is coming!

Dear Companions
Another busy year and the holidays behind us, so off we go again…
43 bus routes took us out to Redhill, Surrey in the south and Slough, Berkshire in the west; leaving us 151 still to do - hopefully well before I’m 80 years old!  Amazingly well-recovered from spinal surgery, Harriet joined us, having already met some of the ‘Ladies Who Lunch’.  We rode the #88 from Clapham Common up to Camden Town as the Jewish Museum, which I’d long wanted to visit, had a free Open Day.  I learned from Harriet that many Jewish traditions are kept in Ghana today, not only by those of Jewish ancestry.
The informal ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ met regularly.  Anne T joined us for the newly-refurbished Garden Museum Café, made of glass and set in their lush garden ~ so dramatic when we found ourselves in the midst of a thunderstorm and tropical downpour!  Quite a display!  Last month we were at Mamuska’s new venue near Westminster Bridge Road, next door to the Mandela Exhibition, if you’re interested.  Silvi suggested the Vincent Rooms next and we’re waiting for confirmation before spreading the word.
Mike G invited me to join his family at home for a traditional Ethiopian Sunday lunch served on injera, a sponge-like pancake, piled with delicious spiced foods.  Many of us have known Mike’s four charming children since they were very young but they are now starting at university; Axum to study neurological medicine; and Zewditu is studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics.  A small group of us hopes we might one day go with Mike to visit Ethiopia when the situation there is less volatile.  The recent peace treaty with Eritrea is encouraging.
Stefan was back in Kennington with his family a couple of times this year:  firstly to celebrate his 70th birthday with friends at The White Bear; then to lead a history walk on what was the Common.  It was such a walk years ago, led by Stefan, that sparked my interest in the park’s history and we subsequently both became founder members of the Friends, and each in our own way changed a bit of the history of that park ourselves!
Bola invited me to her royal daughter Kemi’s wedding at St George’s Cathedral.  Yoruba wedding tradition sets out the colours chosen by the bride and groom for the day: Royal Blue and Silvery Grey, so my challenge was to find clothing in those colours.  Apparently I didn’t quite get the right blue but Bola said it was fine.  The groom, Damilola, seemed particularly nervous until he got the girl, and then everyone was able to enjoy the rest of the day!  It was all so colourful and glamourous and such an honour to be invited.
Lucy and I met up in Kent a few times; a couple of visits to the Salt Cave in Tunbridge Wells at the end of last winter, and shopping in High Brooms.  We had thought to visit the towns along the railway line, but that was put on hold when Lucy went back to work.  Good news is that they are having another baby so we can expect to resume before too long.
My vacation this year was a Baltic cruise!  We flew to Helsinki where I was able to join a walking tour around ‘Arabia’.  It is the district where my Ruska dinner collection comes from.  I’ve been collecting it for years; most of it given to me by Miranda after I bought a coffee pot at our first Car Boot Sale at St Mary Newington all those years ago!  Arabia is an old part of Helsinki, where the neighbourhoods have biblical names.  On our return I joined another tour that included a visit to the old factory, now a museum.  Our ‘cruise boat’ was actually the old P&O ferry that used to shuttle back and forward to Bilbao.  Some may remember that I’d been on that, a memorable trip for cigarettes when we got caught in a hurricane in the Bay of Biscay and were lucky to get into port before it was closed.  Anyway, so I knew she was tough but no worries this time as the Baltic was like a mill pond.
Three coach trips this year with Lambeth Horticultural Society:  Polesden Lacy in Surrey, Magdalen College gardens in Oxford with its deer park in the middle of town! and West Dean gardens near Chichester.  I do the check-in at Kennington so you’ll find familiar faces if you’d like to join us.
A resolution this year was to get back to the cinema and theatre and I managed one of each, both true stories.  Carol came with me to see Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman about an African-American detective who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the 70s.  Wow - Powerful stuff!  Anne G invited me to ‘Pack of Lies’ about a north London suburban couple and their teenage daughter who discover in 1960 that their best friends and neighbours are actually Russian spies after their home had become a secret surveillance post for government officials out to trap them.  Both stories resonate today.  Anne and I bumped into Sylvia as we were coming home via the poppy display at the Imperial War Museum. Carol and I have kicked off this year with two more true stories at the Ritzy:  ‘Can you ever forgive me?’ and, our favourite so far, ‘Green Book’.  Fabulous!
A new initiative this year, suggested by Mary v, has been to visit The Cinema Museum.  Several of us saw ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ last month, the first time for me.  Wonderful!  A couple of days later I was out walking with the River Thames Society and Muriel and I sounded them out about a visit there – most had never heard of it! So we’re booked in for October, with coffee at Jamyang beforehand.  Somehow it all comes back to Kennington…
Several Companions are beavering away in the background on neighbourhood matters; like - What happened to the lights on the huge tree at the Cross? How come the shops on Vauxhall and Jonathan Streets are being spruced up? Why are the trees dying on K’Lane?  How on earth do we get a wheelie bin?…
Last year we drew a close to the book sales in aid of the Friends of the Durning Library.  So many Companions worked so hard and gave so generously, raising £1,114.81.  Not bad, eh?
The bulbs are blooming and the blossom is out… Enjoy!
Best wishes
Cathy

Kennington Police Station listed as 'asset of community value' [5 March 2019]

Kennington Police Station listed as 'asset of community value' [5 March 2019]
... With the final closure of Kennington Police Station due this month, the building has now been formally designated as an 'asset of community value' under the Localism Act. ...

01 March 2019

Suspect charged with murder of man, 22, who died in luxury London hotel | Metro News

Suspect charged with murder of man, 22, who died in luxury London hotel | Metro News
... Suspect Tashan Brewster, 30, of Kennington Park Road, south-east London, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Saturday. ...

Bowled over in Zone 2: new Oval Village development set to offer thousands of new homes within iconic Kennington gasholders | Homes and Property

Bowled over in Zone 2: new Oval Village development set to offer thousands of new homes within iconic Kennington gasholders | Homes and Property
... This week sees the launch of Oval Village, a 1,309-home project next to the international cricket ground in Kennington SE11. ...

Drug driver who killed graduate while high is jailed for four years | Metro News

Drug driver who killed graduate while high is jailed for four years | Metro News
... Malachi Wheatle, 25, smoked weed before killing Kevin Chang, 24, by mowing him down as he ran across Kennington Park Road in London in the early hours ... ...

Former music pub The Cricketers faces demolition | Brixton Blog

Former music pub The Cricketers faces demolition | Brixton Blog
... It is next to a grade II listed gasholder – one of four in the residential “Kennington gasholder development” that got planning permission last year.
Council officers say that the proposed development would harm neither the setting of this heritage asset, nor of the locally listed Henry Fawcett primary school on Clayton Street nor the nearby Kennington conservation area. ...