FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 1

It gets worse... news..org.uk FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News is produced by residents and volunteers and distributed free to all businesses and residential addresses in Fitzrovia Issue 132 Spring 2014 Exemplar “hell bent” on removing history of Hospital

Exemplar the property developer Now the only remaining part ing of this last memory to the name Middlesex in a street name which is creating the huge new of the original hospital — The institution that brought life into on the site, but Exemplar rejected building complex in Fitzrovia has Chapel — is the world and saved countless their collective plea. been condemned by an interna- to be re-branded in Exemplar’s more. Even the hospital chapel is tional community of health work- own corporate image. Exemplar on behalf of the not sacrosanct in the developer’s ers and patients for trying to Gone will be Middlesex and consortium which includes Aviva desire to eradicate the name erase the name Middlesex from Hospital and instead Exemplar and Kaupthing ignored the wish- Middlesex. the site of the former hospital. plan to call the Grade II* listed es of local people and former staff Harriet Griffey wrote to say: The site which will be com- building Pearson Chapel after the of the hospital by refusing to “Exemplar seem to be hell bent had pleted later this year was to be architect who designed its interi- have any mention of Middlesex on removing all historical refer- called Fitzroy Place, then when or. in the name in the new street ence to the hospital”. that name was over-ruled by Local people, former staff and through the development. She was joined in condemna- a joint locally authorities, the name Pearson patients of the hospital are furi- Over a thousand people tion of Exemplar by other hospi- Square was chosen. ous at Exemplar’s crass re-nam- signed a petition to retain the tal workers. See comment on p2-3. in more ways than one Suspected See page 16 killer of Norwegian student still evades justice Full story on page 5

Beatles 50th

Canadians flocked to the Tower Tavern in Clipstone Street to watch Olympic ice hockey live on the big screens, writes Richard Simpson. “For the gold medal game on Sunday the was due to open at 11am anniversary but I ended up opening the doors half an hour earlier because a queue was forming outside,” says bar- tender Samu Makela. “Some were even there with packed suitcases ready to head to the airport once the match was done — I’d never seen anything like it!” Photo: Phil McErlean See page 9 GIGS est. 1958 The home of traditional Fish & Chips Fully licensed Greek restaurant “One of ’s top fish & chip shops” (Metro, 2013) 12 Street 020 7636 1424 FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 2

2 — Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News Formerly The Tower Letters, emails and comment established 1973 news.fitzrovia.org.uk Write to [email protected] or post to Fitzrovia News, Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association, 39 Tottenham Street, London W1T 4RX twitter.com/fitzrovianews facebook.com/fitzrovianews Why do Exemplar want to change the name of the Middlesex Hospital Chapel? [email protected] 020 7580 4576 I trained at the Middlesex Hospital in the 1950’s and I am against the use of the name worked there for several years. “Pearson Chapel” for the former Issue 132 Spring 2014 The Chapel was a very impor- Middlesex Hospital Chapel. The Published 4 March 2014 tant place for the staff and developers have not consulted patients of the hospital, a place local people or businesses about Editorial Team of peace and refuge. When I was this name change. I feel that Mike Pentelow: working in the oncology ward in they are being insensitive and editor and features editor 1958 I used to accompany a ter- disrespectful to the Fitzrovia Linus Rees: minally ill 17 year old organ community. assistant editor scholar at Lancing College down Kirit Patel Pete Whyatt: to the chapel during my lunch store owner news and production editor break to play the organ, a very Clive Jennings: moving experience which I still remember vividly.I have lived When Exemplar came along arts editor change of name is crass and of The Middlesex Hospital and worked around Fitzrovia they criticised Candy and Candy Brian Jarman: insensitive. The Chapel is the Chapel alive in keeping the spir- since then and we have always for their Noho rebranding, now writer and sub-editor only part of the Hospital that is it and history of this special felt some reassurance that the they are trying the same trick. Barb Jacobson: still left and it is very important location. This in turn would chapel was there for us if we They were given planning per- associate editor that it is still available for the give respect to the developers needed it. The hospital was mission to build this massive Jennifer Kavanagh: community to use and it is not and Fitzroy Place. open 24 hours a day and we block as long as they renovated associate editor just a corporate venue only Laurence Glynne partner at could wander in and out at will. the chapel and made it available Jess Owens available to those who can pay LDG estate agents, Foley Street. I was pleased when I heard that for community use. Now their associate editor to hire it. Jill Hutchings the developers were obliged by motives are questionable. How Curwen and New Academy Why do the developers their S106 agreement to keep the can we trust these people to set Contributors: Gallery, Windmill Street Exemplar want to change the chapel available for community up the chapel trust? They have name of the Chapel? They use. However I am concerned not said anything about who Peter Arkell I was born in the Middlesex should stick to their job building that the charity is set up in a will be trustees or how they are Sue Blundell Hospital and have spent a con- the site. transparent way and it will be to be chosen. Jayne Davis siderable part of my working Eddie Duke Low, accountable to the local commu- Martin and Linda Moore Clancy Gebler Davies life in the area. I think it would Cleveland Street nity which it serves. I think the New Cavendish Street Simon Glyndwr John be appropriate to keep the name Oku Ekpenyon Maddy Fisk Clifford Harper Exemplar seem to be hell bent on removing all Christina Latham Angela Lovely Eugene McConville historical reference to the hospital from the site Phil McErlean that it will become a magnet for Richard Simpson We asked members of The hours taking patients to the the building has to be retained old Middlesexers? Please let Sunita Soliar Middlesex Hospital Facebook Group chapel or sitting in there after a as it was including the name for there be a small piece of care Alexander Stevenson to comment on the plans to re-name difficult shift. the respect for those of us who and humanity on this issue. Kipper Williams The Middlesex Hospital Chapel. Jenny Hall saw it as a central part to our life Here are some of the responses. at the Middlesex Hospital. The Come on gentlemen.... What harm can it do? Printed by: I understand that the chapel will hospital pioneered treatments Sarah Price Sharman & Co Ltd, I trained at the Middlesex be coming into ‘community use’. and we all have experience of Newark Road, Hospital and know the chapel I really hope that the Chapel will caring for people who could Why would you want to re Peterborough PE1 5TD well. Exemplar seem to be hell be treated with dignity. For only get the expertise at our hos- name the chapel which is The sharmanandco.co.uk bent on removing all historical those who worked or were pital. To not retain the named reference to the hospital from patients at the Middlesex the link to the Middlesex Hospital Middlesex Hospital Chapel ....”the building of which was Fitzrovia News is produced the site — but not sure why the chapel was a refuge and place of would be an insult to staff who begun in 1890 as a memorial to quarterly by the : all the memorial plaques calm in an uncertain and trau- dedicated their lives at the hos- Major A H Ross MP a former Community Newspaper inside are to ex-hospital staff & matic world. The aura of peace pital and the patients who trust- chairman of the Board of Group, ISSN: 0967-1404 people related to the hospital & and tranquility that over- ed us with their lives. it's where was whelmed you when you entered Julie Hargreaves Governors”...”the surgeons Sir John bland Sutton and Lord Published by the Fitzrovia laid to rest after he died. is memorable even now. Webb Johnson paid for much of Neighbourhood Association Harriet Griffey Karen Kick I sat in the beautiful hospital the decorations the chapel...” (registered charity no. 1111649) Chapel often and took patients (Sacred Spaces by Joan 39 Tottenham Street, I am appalled but not surprised. Oh for goodness sake Exemplar, there for church services and on Crossly...a wonderful book London, W1T 4RX Exemplar — and, I suspect, cer- please display some taste and a special days like Christmas. As a tain elements of the council — respect for history which also part of a mark of respect to peo- about the London hospital chapels...”the oases of calm, fitzrovia.org.uk have wanted to bury the history means respect for all the people ple who used that Chapel at a places for reflection and google.com/+FitzroviaOrgUK and heritage of the Middlesex who have been born, died and time when they were at their prayer”). twitter.com/FitzroviaNA Hospital all along. I organised a worked at the Middlesex. The most vulnerable, and for the Sarah Hays facebook.com/FitzroviaNA petition calling on hospital was a centre of excel- people who died at the hospital City Council to commemorate lence in both training, practice and who recovered from their the Middlesex in the name of the and research for years and it illness then the Chapel should Why not just admit The Public editorial Square -- despite support from would be such a good example retain its name. Why is it that Middlesex Hospital never exist- meetings are held at thousands (including support to other developers to show companies are so keen to change ed and we never trained or the names of things? I am sure it worked there. It is a travesty 7 pm, first Tuesday of from certain councillors) I was some sensitivity and intelligence informed that the naming of in your treatment of this site. is a lack of understanding and and I am appalled at the devel- every month at Pearson Square was a done deal. Your reputation (as Property ignorance on their part. opers complete lack of sensitivi- Fitzrovia Neighbourhood I rather suspect that this will be Developers generally rather than Frances Barbour ty. Their ability to ride Association, too, but truly hope that I am your company specifically) is roughshod over everyone is astounding. 39 Tottenham Street wrong. This building IS the not good; here's a chance to Developers gone mad! Keep it Middlesex Hospital Chapel. redeem it and gain the respect of up Fitzrovia News. Frances Taylor London W1T 4RX Always was, always must be. thousands of people. Sharon Peppard Subscribe to Fitzrovia David Marriot Phyllida Barnes More comments at: News for regular Why is there such a desire to bit.ly/middlesexchapel updates: It is sad to see the developers The chapel was a place of sanc- remove all memory of the Sign the petition: Middlesex hospital from the petitions.westminster.gov.uk/ bit.ly/fitzrovianews wanting to remove the traces of tuary for staff and patients alike. the Middlesex. I spent many The tranquillity and beauty of site? Are the developers afraid middlesexhchapel FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 3

facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 — 3 Unanswered questions 22 May 2014 is election day about the Middlesex On 22 May 2014 there will be London European Parliamentary elections, and local government elections in all 32 London bor- Hospital Chapel oughs. All residents in Fitzrovia should have received and By Linus Rees councillor Jonathan Glanz can returned their electoral registra- help with my enquiries, espe- tion forms last year. If you have Trying to get straight answers cially as he recently posted a recently moved there is still time out of director of Exemplar picture on Twitter of himself and to register either with Mark Younger is a near impossi- (fellow Conservative Party or ble task. After several email member and former Camden Camden Council who are exchanges where our questions councillor for ward) responsible for maintaining about the future of the Grade II* Rebecca Hossack visiting the voter registrations. listed Middlesex Hospital Middlesex Hospital Chapel and Tuesday 6 May is the dead- Chapel went unanswered, he saying: “Useful meeting to bring line for receiving completed reg- finally rejected my last email as the Chapel at the old Middlesex istration forms for the upcoming spam. Hospital into community use”. European Parliamentary and I’d asked him about the The S106 agreement says that Local Government Elections. plans to change the name of the ward councillors from the West chapel — Pearson Hall or End Ward should be trustees. Pearson Chapel? However, Glanz now says Lipstick on a pig I wrote: I understand that that he will not be a trustee of The cosmetics company Estée you are intending to rename the the Chapel. Not enough space at Fitzroy Place? Cubbit House want to open a high class Lauder is in the process of taking chapel and so abandoning the “On legal advice, I am con- eating destination that is bigger and open for longer hours than the entire office space at what is name Middlesex Hospital cerned as to any potential con- Westminster City Council would normally allow. presently called 1 Fitzroy Place — Chapel. I also understand that flict between my role as a 140,000 sq feet according to you are now picking and choos- Councillor and Trustee. I have Property Week. It will leave only the smaller 80,000 sq ft at 2 Fitzroy ing trustees to look after the agreed to attend and participate Cubitt House plans 230 seat Place available. Annual rents are chapel. in discussions as an observer expected to be £90 per sq ft. The name Middlesex and to help ensure that the Hospital Chapel is held in high objectives of the original desire restaurant at Fitzroy Place regard by not only local people to keep the Chapel in communi- but also an international com- ty use are met.” By News Reporters does not allow customers to be News in brief munity of former hospital work- So still no clarity as to who is on the premises before 8am and Derwent London’s demolition ers and patients. To remove the a potential trustee from this usu- Hospitality business Cubitt after 11.30pm Monday to derby in has name Middlesex Hospital from ally reliable source. House is planning to open its Saturday and not before 10am commenced in earnest. The the chapel name is to ride As regards the name of the biggest restaurant to date, at and after 11pm on Sundays and walls of the former Margaret roughshod over the feelings of chapel, he’d obviously been to Fitzroy Place on the site of the bank holidays. The condition is Pyke Centre have been set this community. seek legal advice on his choice former Middlesex Hospital. there “to make sure that the use upon with an arsenal of rubble It appears that you may have of words. Planning permission is now will not cause nuisance for peo- making equipment. Normally a more corporate agenda in “The Chapel is and was built being sought to create what ple in the area”, according to the vehicles and debris removal mind particularly as there is with a specific purpose and I would be one of Fitzrovia’s existing planning permission. from building sites cannot be now a planning application for favour the on-going use of the largest restaurants. It would The applicants want to open done before eight in the morn- what will be Fitzrovia’s largest name ‘Chapel’ rather than ‘Hall’ occupy the “retail” area next to at 7.30am and close at midnight ing, but Camden Council has restaurant right next to it. or some other word,” he wrote. the former hospital chapel, Monday to Saturday, and open allowed Derwent London a The reply I received dodged But no mention of Middlesex under the Lifschutz Davidson at 8am and close at 11pm on concession to have the lorries the question about the re-nam- and Hospital. Sandilands designed office Sundays and bank holidays, rumble in at 7.30am. Why the ing of the chapel. He had however read the building near the Mortimer DP9 say the restaurant will favouritism? It doesn’t sur- “The process to select direc- S106 agreement and was ready Street side of the site. be “marginally beyond 499 prise anyone that Bagnall, tors to the charitable trust has to repeat it to me: Cubitt House has existing square metres”. But the actual Derwent's contractors, are not not commenced. The S106 “I wish to see the Chapel and hotels in , figure is an increase from 499 part of the Considerate Agreement clearly sets out the used for community use as , and square metres to 688 square Construction Scheme. Will use of the chapel and there is no anticipated by the S106 . They are proposing metres — an extra 189 square Camden also be a pushover intention to deviate from this — Agreement. Even though to call their 230 seat Fitzrovia metres. It is not unusual for when Derwent demolish the there is no ‘corporate’ agenda as Exemplar have spent £2million restaurant Percy & Founders, planning consultants to play fast far larger Saatchi & Saatchi you suggest,” he wrote in an refurbishing the property and named after the Duke of and loose with language and building farther up Charlotte email. will be providing a dowry of Northumberland (known as numbers. Street next year? I responded by saying that £300,000 (as the Section 106 Percy) who laid the foundation The management plan sub- At 18-30 Tottenham Court the details of its objects and ini- Agreement provides) there will stone of the original Middlesex mitted with the application Road Derwent are about to tial trustees should have been be running costs for heating, Hospital in 1755. states that customers will enter boot out the current row of set out by now — specifically lighting and maintaining the The restaurant is intended to and leave the restaurant from a retailers and the Odeon cine- within 6 months of commence- Chapel for community use and be of “distinctive quality” an single entrance that leads ma as they create larger retail ment of development. these must be covered. “independent high-class opera- through what will be called and restaurant units for what He replied: “There has been “It is important that a robust, tor”, modern and stylish, serv- Pearson Square. The plan states they are calling Tottenham no delay in setting up matters — well-funded and well organised ing “locally, sustainably sourced that the nearest taxi drop off Court Walk. the provision in the S106 you group of interested parties from and artisan-prepared ingredi- point is along Mortimer Street. Meanwhile Derwent boast refer to is the ‘mechanism’ to set the local community are includ- ents”. But aside from all the No mention is made of cus- that they are raking it in. up the trust, not the actual cre- ed in the management of the marketing language there is no tomers using public transport, Results for the year ended 31 ation of the trust. The trust does legal entity which takes on mention of what food is likely to walking, or the availability of December 2013 state they’ve need to be finally established 6 board the 125 year lease to be be on the menu. facilities for customers arriving never had it so good with months prior to the completion granted of the Chapel. As I Planning consultants DP9 by bicycle. rents in Fitzrovia up 12.5% to of the development but that date understand it the legal process submitted an application to While those living and work- £67.50 per square foot (£727 has not yet occurred.” for the necessary arrangements amend two conditions attached ing on site might benefit from it per m2). All this money of Obviously Exemplar have is now well advanced to enable to a previous planning permis- being closed to motor traffic, course is being generated on been too busy flogging pent- this to happen,” he wrote. sion for the site. Westminster those in the homes and work- the back of the publicly-fund- houses to billionaire overseas At least he didn’t mark my Council is asked to remove a places surrounding the site will ed Crossrail. Socialism for investors to bother with details emails as spam. condition that says no more than be concerned about disturbance Derwent, capitalism for the that local people — and a large Yet we are still clueless as to 499 square metres of the area from taxis and mini-cabs, wait- rest of us. community of former hospital the actual details of the identified as “retail” can be used ing, dropping off and collecting A planning application for workers — are concerned about. Middlesex Hospital Chapel for class A3 (restaurants). customers from such a large the redevelopment of the for- Nearly all the apartments at Trust or confirmation of what The applicants also want to restaurant. mer Strand Union Workhouse Fitzroy Place have been sold for name the Chapel will actually remove the condition limiting A decision on the planning on Cleveland Street (front between £1m and £15m. have. the operating hours of the application is due to be made in Perhaps ward restaurant. Currently permission the spring. Continues on page 5... FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 4

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EXCLUSIVE FOR FITZROVIA FRIENDS, COMPANIESCOMPANIES AND WORKERS THURSDAY 20TH MARCH 9AM-8PM. 41 WINDMILL STREET,STREET, W1T 2JU NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY - JUST DROP IN AS SEEN IN: FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 5

facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 — 5

Continued from page 3... Six years after murder at Great Portland page FN131) has been delayed (again) as the unlisted Victorian buildings of the site have recently been recom- Street the suspect still evades justice mended for a local listing. If Camden do locally-list these buildings UCLH will likely have to revise their plans for By News Reporters the site. Lap Dancing club This month it will be six years Spearmint Rhino has failed to since a Norwegian student was seduce Camden's licensing found murdered in a basement committee into letting them in . To date extend their sexual entertain- no-one has been charged or ment at 161 Tottenham Court brought to trial and the only Road. suspect continues to evade jus- Camden Council adopted tice. the Fitzrovia Area Action Martine Vik Magnussen was Plan after the government killed in London on 14 March inspector passed it off. 2008. She was 23 years old. Her Whether it'll stem the flow of friends and family still hope that damage on the neighbourhood there will be justice for Martine. currently being heaped on us The have by property developers and the only suspect listed among overseas investors, or improve their most wanted. Farouk the delivery of affordable Abdulhak (born 18/02/1987) is housing and open space, is of Yemeni and Egyptian origins, anybody's guess. was at the time studying at Martine Magnussen was found in a basement at 222 Great Portland Street in March 2008. Camden and Westminster Regents Business School, councils will also be deciding London and is known to have calling for Mr Abdulhak to be Abdulhak was prepared to Magnussen says he has been on a number of neighbour- fled to Yemen immediately fol- extradited to the UK. answer the allegations but only repeatedly assured that the UK hood area designations in lowing the murder. He is known Demonstrators in Aden carried at a trial in Yemen. However, is making its best efforts. He met Fitzrovia under the Localism to have connections in Europe, banners calling for “Justice for Yemen uses the death penalty with Hugh Robertson, minster Act this spring. U.S.A, Egypt and other Middle Martine” and showing a mock- and this is not supported by of state for foreign and common- Neighbourhood Forums Eastern countries, say the Police. up photograph of the suspect either the UK or Norway and so wealth affairs, in January this could then be formed to allow Campaigners and press behind bars. Lawyers for prevents the trial being held on year. local people to have more say reports say that he is living in Abdulhak say he is innocent but legal grounds, says Magnussen. “Although they cannot go on land development. That’s Yemen under the protection of will only agree to stand trial in “The suspect’s father last into any details on the police’s assuming the current govern- his father, Shaher Abdulhak. Yemen. year took further steps to initiate continued efforts, I feel confi- ment doesn’t continue to rip Yemen has no extradition treaty Martine’s father, Odd Petter a dialogue with Oslo and UK dent that they are doing their up more planning guidelines with the or Magnussen, continues to cam- authorities via his representa- best to progress matters within leaving neighbourhood Norway. paign for his daughter’s suspect- tives. We thought the combined legal boundaries. forums so little to play with. It Martine Magnussen was ed killer to be brought before a pressure from various actors and “Public support for the case is hardly worth the bother. born in Oslo on 6 February 1985 British court. But with no extra- the wealthy father’s desire to in the UK will make all authori- This month Camden will and after finishing school she dition agreement between the improve on his legacy may have ties involved aware that this announce plans for turning came to London to study inter- UK and Yemen, it seems unlike- opened up for a just and volun- case is not going away.” and national business. It was at ly that Abdulhak will face a trial tary return by his suspected son Gower Street into 2-way, and Regents College where she met here. to the UK.” Visit the Justice for Martine Westminster council will Farouk Abdulhak who was also However, Mr Magnussen But it appears the father was campaign at: announce the same for Baker a student there. He was a known and friends of Martine are still deliberately stalling for time and Street and Gloucester Place. associate of Martine Magnussen hopeful of justice being done. In was simultaneously trying to justiceformartine.com and two days before her body an email to Fitzrovia News Mr arrange a marriage for his son. was discovered the two of them Magnussen praised the “It was still encouraging to were seen leaving the Maddox Metropolitan Police for their learn that two Yemeni fathers nightclub in . That was efforts and those of the British denied having their daughters the last time anyone saw her government but expressed frus- married to the internationally 6 : The Perfect Venue alive. tration with Norway and the wanted suspect. Despite the eco- Friends then reported delaying tactics of the family of nomical aspects that may have The perfect venue for meetings, launches, Magnussen as missing and Abdulhak. been part of such a proposed seminars, dinners, wedding receptions and shortly after police discovered “Although I am pleased with arrangement, it is interesting to other corporate events. her buried body in the basement UK authorities efforts in the case see that for some the same uni- of an apartment block at 222 till now, I have been disappoint- versal ethics, parental standards Great Portland Street where ed on the lack of efforts and and care for daughters are the The Georgian Group’s elegant Abdulhak had been living. She pressure excercised by same in Yemen as with most eighteenth-century headquarters had been raped and strangled. Norwegian authorities in the others throughout the world,” overlooking Fitzroy Square provide Reports in the press last year case,” writes Magnussen. says Magnussen. a unique location for all types of say that pro-democracy activists Talks with the suspect’s “I think any civilized human private and corporate events in the staged demonstrations in Yemen lawyer in Yemen indicated that being understands that today’s heart of . legal vacuum is absurd. Today anyone can be beyond the law by crossing a border following We cordially invite local any crimes, be it traficking, kid- businesses and individuals to visit napping, money laundry, stab- our building and get a taste of the bing, rape, murder or terror. authentic Georgian experience… “Two years ago I addressed this legal vacuum with Norwegian legal experts. For booking enquiries, “My wish is that this in turn availability and rates please contact: may produce new international Rob Kouyoumdjian on law that will fill the legal vacu- 020 7529 8921 or um and lack of extradition [email protected] treaties between countries. Making the world safer for all in this way will also mean that Martine did not die in vain in Great Portland Street in March Martine was just 23 when she was murdered. Photo: justiceformartine.com six years ago,” he writes. FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 6

6 — Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Sports bar given yellow card

Westminster council has cut lected in support of Jetlag. ness and the residents that were back the opening hours of a However, the petition incorrect- adversely affected by closing the sports bar in Cleveland Street ly stated that there was “real premises 30 minutes after licens- after examining complaints from risk” that Westminster council able activities.” residents about noise nuisance. would force the bar to close. This would mean that cus- The council’s licensing sub-com- Nowhere in the licence review tomers would have to leave mittee conducted a formal application did it state that there before 12.30am. review of the premises licence of was a desire to close the bar. In The licensing committee stat- the Jetlag Sports Bar in fact Julien stated clearly in the ed: “Jetlag was not generally a December. application that she was not badly run venue [but] there Ms Denise Julien, a resident against the licensed premises were occasions when patrons of Holcroft Court, had applied and only wanted to see it oper- emerged from the venue noisy for the licence review because of ating appropriately in a residen- and apparently drunk or in high nuisance caused by noise from tial area and suggested a num- spirits and public nuisance was the premises, customers shout- ber of conditions on the existing experienced by some of the local ing while watching televised licence. residents. It was a sports bar in a sports, noise from outside of the Ahead of the review hearing residential area which did cause premises, and noise from cus- Wilson offered to accept condi- public nuisance to some of the tomers leaving late at night. tions to be added to his licence residents living there. ” Westminster Council’s and also offered further reme- Ms Denise Julian told Environmental Health depart- dies including removing the Fitzrovia News she was pleased ment, 15 local residents and two tables and chairs from outside ing the day. times of the day and evening with the council’s decision. residents associations supported the bar and extra sound insula- The councillors in their deci- and did not observe disorder or Mr Scott Wilson owner of the review of the licence and tion. sion commented that “the evi- drunken behaviour. The man- Jetlag declined to comment as wanted to see action taken to During the review hearing dence of Ms Davis particularly agement he believed were per- there are outstanding issues control the noise nuisance. which lasted around six hours at convincing and compelling.” fectly sensible. from the review to be resolved. The licensee Mr Scott Wilson Westminster City Hall several However the co-chairman of There was a discussion about Ms Denise Julian was repre- had urged local residents and witnesses were heard and video Holcroft Court Residents why sale of alcohol ended at sented by Mr Leo community groups to come to evidence was seen by the licens- Association spoke in support of midnight on Fridays and Charalambides and Mr Richard his support. Westminster ing sub-committee. Jetlag. He said that he had not Saturdays but the premises Brown (Citizens Advice Bureau Council recorded 55 interested Cleveland Street resident Ms received complaints about the stayed open until 2.30 in the Licensing Advice Project). parties including 22 local resi- Susannah Davis spoke about her bar. He accepted that he was too morning. Mr Scott Wilson was repre- dents/workers in support of experience of being disturbed far away from Jetlag to be affect- The committee decided “the sented by Mr Philip Kolvin QC Wilson. late at night, in the early hours ed by noise in his flat but he did balance could best be achieved and Mr Marcus Lavell. There was also a petition col- of the morning, and often dur- walk past the bar at different between the interests of the busi-

Plaque for jazz pioneer Paramount Court residents Time for OAPs to sing, eat challenge UCLH over new and relax Southern Syncopated The Older Fitzrovia Project from Orchestra, the ground- hospital plans at Odeon the Fitzrovia Neighbourhood breaking jazz ensemble Association has a number of from New Orleans, of activities for pensioners to enjoy which he was a founder in March, writes Barb Jacobson. member. The orchestra A planning application by not only government guidance Time to Sing is at Fitzrovia was the first to play jazz University College Hospital to but also the Fitzrovia Area Court (24 Carburton St W1W in Britain and Bechet was create a new hospital on the site Action Plan. 5AS) Mondays 11am-12.30pm. considered one of the of the former Odeon cinema and They say the demolition of No experience or skills neces- elite who entertained the Rosenheim building at the north the Rosenheim building on the sary. Come have fun singing higher echelons of society. end of Tottenham Court Road at corner of Grafton Way and familiar songs with a friendly Bechet left an autobi- the junction with Grafton Way Huntley Street is not necessary group of people! For people ography, Treat It Gentle, has met with strong opposition. and that it should be possible to with dementia and their carers, published in 1960 shortly Paramount Court Residents accommodate the new hospital there is also ‘Singing for the after his death, and has Limited has objected to the within it. They say the replace- Brain’ running at All Saints been the subject of several plans as the proposed develop- ment building will be alien to its Margaret Church, 7 Margaret St biographies in both ment is too big, does not pro- context and detrimental to the 10.30am-12.30pm Thursdays French and English. vide enough open space, and the conservation area. until 27 March. Proof of his living at proposed design is alien to this The Fitzrovia Area Action Lunch on Mondays is avail- 27 Southampton Street is part of the neighbourhood. Plan states that the site should able at the George and Dragon contained in a document Paramount Court is a resi- include public open space that pub on the corner of Cleveland issued by the Aliens dential block immediately next will accommodate the demands and Greenwell Streets from Clarinetist and saxophonist Office on 8 September to the proposed development generated by staff, patients and 12.30, at a discounted price of £3 Sidney Bechet, who brought jazz 1922, now in the National and houses hundreds of people. visitors to the hospital. But the for main meal only, drinks extra. to Britain just after the first Archives. In their objection letter they do open space planned on the site This is through a kind donation world war, may soon be com- The Nubian Jak Community not object in principle to the pro- will not be public and so fails to from Sir Robert MacAlpine, con- memorated by a plaque in the Trust was set up in 2004 to com- posed cancer treatment centre comply with local guidance. tractors on the former Middlesex area. memorate historic black figures but they say the plans have poor Paramount Court residents Hospital site. Planning permission to erect in the UK and “to recognise regard for preventing noise and are also concerned that the Massage/Reflexology is it at 27 Conway Street has been some of the most important per- managing traffic properly. building will be too close to resi- available on Wednesdays, 1.30 – applied for by the Nubian Jak sonalities who have made a sig- They say the "desire for com- dents windows and will 3:30pm at Fitzrovia Court, at a Community Trust. nificant contribution to Britain’s mercial gain by UCLH has a encroach on their privacy. cost of £17.50/half hour. If Bechet (1897-1959) lived diverse history.” strongly negative impact on" the Comments on the applica- you’re interested please there in 1922 (when it was called Their first plaque was for Bob residents’ support for this other- tion (number 2013/8192/P) can Philomena on 07931 502 029 to Southampton Street) while per- Marley in Ridgmount Gardens. wise welcome clinical facility. be made until 14 March 2014. arrange an appointment. forming at the Rector’s Club in Since then, the organisation have They say the scheme should be Camden Council's development Tottenham Court Road. erected over 15 plaques around revised to address their criti- control committee will make a Contact [email protected] or He was playing for the the UK. cisms and to bring it in line with decision in late spring this year. 020 7580 4576 more information. FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 7

facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 — 7 Good ingredients make attractive city spaces

By PETE WHYATT Designing parks, gardens and Tim Waterman is a familiar face urban spaces comes from Tim’s around Fitzrovia. He has lived here since 2010 and before then interest in ecology, plants and the he worked in the area at the Landscape Institute in their environment, and also from a office, which was then at Great Portland Street, where he wrote his textbook Fundamentals of deep concern for communities Landscape Architecture. This and his subsequent textbook on and a love of cities urban design have been translat- ed into seven languages. Tim lectures in Landscape Architecture at the Writtle School of Design in Chelmsford on both the postgraduate and undergraduate programmes. Tim started his career as a chef and eventually became a restaurateur in the late 1990s. When he closed his restaurant he decided to study landscape architecture. Designing parks, gardens and urban spaces comes from his interest in ecology, plants and the environment, and also from a deep concern for communities and a love of cities. “I worked on various projects while I was at Central London Partnership that stretched across borough boundaries, such as Legible London, and more local projects such as “Breaking down barriers to Regents Park”. My mission is to promote landscape architecture, which is little known or appreciated, to its rightful place of importance. It really is the profession of the future. I am particularly interest- ed in transport corridors, nation- al parks, streetscapes, squares and the way space defines the Fundamentals of Landscape Architecture. AVA Publishing, 2009. context of community”. Available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Chinese, Korean, and Turkish. VISIONS worked for the US Navy and I North Crescent for some (pre- Each year his students Tim in Crabtree Fields, photo Agnese Sanvito. grew up in many places where sumably top secret) reason, undertake practical sessions vis- my dad was working at the which gives me a great link with iting and researching a site. The what at Alfred Place the college Tim writes for jour- time, all over America and the Alfred Place Garden “design studio project” last year could become. They will be nals and magazines, and he throughout the world including Project”. was for part of Finsbury Park. looking at many aspects; the travels the world giving speech- London. During the cold war in This year his students are creat- local workforce and pedestrian es and lectures on urbanism and the 1980s he worked in the US Tim Waterman blogs about land- ing visions for Alfred Place and traffic flows for instance, landscape architecture. Navy headquarters in Mayfair. scape architecture and food at: which local people are hoping and there are plans for two way Tim was born in California At one point during that time he timwaterman.wordpress.com can be transformed into an open traffic on Tottenham Court into a military family. “My dad visited the Eisenhower Centre in space or park for the residents Road. They will produce design and workers of Fitzrovia. Last templates and ideas for the new month about thirty students public park which will be shown came to visit and talked to local at Writtle, and hopefully become THE DUKE OF YORK residents and a council officer to a part of Fitzrovia’s landscape. begin their work on imagining When he’s not teaching at Opening hours, Mon-Fri, 12-11pm, Sat 1-11pm, Sun closed 47 RATHBONE STREET,LONDON W1T 1NW 020 7636 7065 [email protected] A traditional pub, with a good selection of real ales And varied wine list. Upstairs Bar/Function room available for private parties and Buffets. Bloomsbury ward Check us out on Facebook! councillors’ surgeries 6:00 - 7:00pm first Friday of the month at THE GRAFTON Fitzrovia Community Centre, Foley Street, W1W 6DN 6:00 - 7:00pm second and fourth Fridays of the month at Marchmont Community Centre, 62 Marchmont Street, WC1N 1AB ARMS Third Friday of the month is a 'roving surgery'. Get in touch if you would Opening hours: Mon-Fri 12-11pm, Sat 5-11pm, Sun closed. like us to conduct the surgery at your street or building. 72 GRAFTON WAY, LONDON WIT 5DU Adam Harrison, Milena Nuti, and Abdul Quadir 020 7387 7923 [email protected] Contact 020 7974 3111 or [email protected] Newly refurbished heated roof terrace. Food served 12.-3, 6-10 pm [email protected] [email protected] Parties catered for. Range of real ales. Function area. Friendly service! FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 8

8 — Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Obituaries

photo Catherine Hayes-Allen

Winifred Ekpenyon Peter Preston with Sherry Annie Winifred Ekpenyon, known as Winnie, was born in Fitzroy Mews in 1914. She was one of eleven Peter children of a Parisian born father and English mother. Widowed at an early age and with two young children to bring up she worked at Preston All Souls Primary School. During her working years there was little A barman who enlivened the time and money for holidays and same pub for 13 years has died Billy Smythe travel but she made up for this at the age of 65. later with trips with her daughter Peter Preston entertained A popular publican who ran and decorated it with all his Oku to Italy, France, Austria, customers at The Cambridge four different pubs in the area cherished relics. Prince Holland, Russia, Hong Kong, the US and a safari to Kenya when she pub on the corner of Newman and supported the community Monolulu's sons attended the was 75. During recent years, trips were closer to home and she Street and Goodge Street (now a has died just five days after his renaming ceremony, one of enjoyed farmhouse holidays in Pembrokeshire. restaurant) from 1975 until 1987. 72nd birthday. whom, Peter McKay, revealed Winnie was quiet and When he heard a news item Billy Smyth (pictured above) that when he lived in Cleveland unassuming, she enjoyed about the American President's and his wife Freda first ran the Street he went to the Upper Clubhouse activities and country retreat, Camp David, he Green Man in Berwick Street, a Marylebone School round the walking in Regent’s Park. envisaged a camp individual few yards from Wells Street, corner in New Cavendish Street, Strong both in charac- called David rather like himself. from 1975. Then in 1979 they which also made way for the ter and physically, when So he gave himself the nickname took over the Tower in polytechnic building. He was she had a massive stroke CD after its initials and was Cleveland Street. also proud to have been the in July she survived in known as that ever since. He discovered that Prince Jitterbug Champion of the World hospital for two months. His witty repartee was at a Monolulu, the famous colourful during the war at The Swing In fact the doctors said had relaxed level that endeared him racecourse tipster, lived at 83-85 Club (now the ) in it not been for the stroke to all, including such colourful Cleveland Street, almost next . she would certainly have customers as Sherry Annie, door to the pub on the corner of Billy and Freda also ran the had her 100th birthday in Hungarian Joe, Dave the Dog, Clipstone Street, from just after Cleveland pub (now called Jet 2014. They even said that DJ Pete, and Scottish Mairie. the war until the 1960s. It was Lag) at the same time as the barring the stroke she He lived in the pub with fel- then knocked down to make Prince Monolulu. Billy often would have reached 110!! low bartender, the wry Scouse way for the new Polytechnic of appeared in the columns of To the very end she had no hippy Billy Grainger, and their Central London building at 115 Fitzrovia News at this time for walking aids, not even a sardonic Austrian manager, John New Cavendish Street. the many events he organised to stick and continued to climb the 48 stairs to her flat. Reichle. Billy started collecting mem- raise money for the local com- Winnie was very precious, a wonderful mother and friend who is “His last bar job was at orabilia about Prince "I've got an munity. much missed. She died on the 13th September 2013 in St. Mary’s in 2006 after which 'orse" Monolulu to adorn the Born the second of nine chil- Hospital, . One person who attended the he retired,” said his friend Alan pub. This proved useful when dren in Ireland, he moved to thanksgiving/funeral described it as “deeply moving to learn the Vale. “He died after a short ill- he took over what was then when he was 16 and story of her life and the impact she made on people in Fitzrovia.” ness in Hospital called at 28 worked in the food and drink She was a true Fitzrovian who lived in the area for nearly a century. and is much missed by family Maple Street in 1991, because he industry all his life. Oku Ekpenyon Daughter and friends.” renamed it the Prince Monolulu, “ I was born on the 14th November 1914 in Fitzroy Mews, Cleveland Street, in a cottage with three rooms and three stables and a coach house underneath. I used to go to the dairy in where they had a cow to get The Public Sector - managing the unmanageable the milk and paid a penny a pint. There weren’t bottles, they used to put a china bowl out (after milking the cow) and then we used to help ourselves. In this radical yet practical book, Alexander Stevenson I don’t remember much about WWI but I remember when the Zeppelins (who lives in Fitzrovia) analyses what makes public sector came over we had to take shelter, they were very frightening. When the warden blew the whistle for the all clear we went home. management so difficult, so vital and so fulfilling – and why My first job was in a laundry in Goodge Street. I used to collect the relying on private sector management techniques is not washing and return it when it was clean. I got £3.00 a week, plus cus- enough to manage effectively in the public sector. tomers’ tips. After I left the laundry I worked in showrooms in Store Street putting The book has a foreword by Peter Mandelson and insights lamps and different things on the shelves for display. based on interviews with more than sixty successful public During World War II I was doing gas mask cases, working off Oxford sector managers. Street. I met my husband, in my father’s shop where he was a customer, he was a law student at London University and during the war he was an air For more details and to read an extract visit: raid warden.” Winnie in her own words , extracts from the book “Ebb and flow in Fitzrovia” an oral history project, book is available from the www.alexanderstevenson.co.uk Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association. FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 9

facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 — 9

Word from the Streets

By CHARLOTTE STREET and her family Nude & Chips My name in vain I was idly thumbing through a Another notorious character has Spotlight on Fitzrovia in the emerged in the history of The Evening Standard’s property pages Paintbox burlesque venue before Christmas. “Fitzrovia is that (downstairs at Sergio's on the rare thing – a full on, functioning, corner of Great Titchfield Street central London neighbourhood,“ it and Foley Street). Slum landlo- wrote. So far, so good. “Arty types The Beatles playing at The in 1964 (Getty Images) ord racketeer Peter Rachman have loved it for ages but the east- was involved with it as well as west rail link will bring new fans.” Beatlemania’s golden anniversary his friend , whose Sigh. A sign of the changing link we have previously report- Can it really be half a century ago that the Beatles played at the Scala times, I suppose. And I was dis- ed. According to a new book Theatre in Tottenham Street? Yes indeed. It was in March, 1964, that they tressed to read that one of my (The Secret Worlds of Stephen played a free concert there which was used as part of the film "A Hard favourite haunts, Elena’s L’Etoile Ward; Sex, Scandal, and the Deadly Day's Night". restaurant in Charlotte Street, is up Secrets in the , by It was here that George Harrison met Patti Boyd (playing a school- for sale, along with its sister restau- Anthony Summers & Stephen girl) whom he married two years later. In the film you can see the Beatles rant, the Gay Hussar in . Dorril) Ward and Rachman were being smuggled into the theatre from Chitty Street through Charlotte Mews Dear Elena managed well partners in The Paintbox coffee to the theatre to avoid the huge crowds along Tottenham Street. into her nineties. bar in the mid-1950s. "It featured Two locals who were lucky enough to be there were Fiona Green and But the real shocker was a cap- a small dais on which a nude Valerie Peart, who have both since moved on. Was there anybody else who tion which read: “Well-connected: girl used to pose - as a service was there who is still in the area? Or do you recognise anybody in our pho- Charlotte Street.” Well, really. I for artistic customers who might tograph of the event? know a euphemism when I see one. wish to draw her," they report. It Just because I’m rather friendly was here that Ward met Noel Sergeant Pepper’s disappearance with a few of the boys in the local Howard-Jones, working there as Talking of the Beatles, what happened to the "Sergeant Pepper's taprooms... a waiter when a law student, in Lonely Hearts Club Band" style glass panel of Fitzrovian characters whose flat Ward died of an over- Fatuous advice that used to be in Whitfield dose just before the end of his Gardens on the corner of rigged trial in 1963. Am I becoming a grumpy old Tottenham Court Road and Coincidentally, another local woman or are the public Tottenham Street? restaurant hosted nude models, I announcements at stations It included everybody from becoming more and more fatu- am told by the present owner Illustration by Jayne Davis Nelson Mandela to Quentin who wishes to remain nameless. ous? Crisp, to Apparently the previous owner, Foxy moment The one that really gets my , Charles Darwin many years ago, showed him a goat is in the lift at Goodge to , and Virginia My brother Percy saw a fox in Playboy centrefold which was Street station which advises Woolf to (see pic- Tottenham Court Road at about shot in the eatery. "I recognised passengers to turn left at the ture, left). It and others were 2am recently. "The amazing the frying equipment," he chuck- bottom. A quick glance to the removed "temporarily" when the thing was that it was waiting led. right reveals a solid brick wall! gardens were being renovated, for the crossing lights to go As for reckless advice... did and a public notice promised green," he tells me. Do other the person who painted Look they would be returned on com- readers have any similar tales? Right at the top of Tottenham pletion. Court Road see the traffic com- Toks Osanife, who works Del Boy returns ing from the left? At least it is round the corner at the right next to the hospital for Whitfield Street nursery, is one Many readers will remember anybody who is run over. (aka Derek "Del Picture by Peter Arkell of those demanding their return. Boy" Trotter) from when he lived in Newman Street and was to be CIRCUS TIME seen in pubs such as the One Many readers were amused by the picture of Tun in Goodge Street (see page Bruni, the Siberian wrestling bear, visiting 16). his circus owner Jimmy Chipperfield in My brother Warren remem- Middlesex Hospital in our last issue. So ber seeing David’s screen broth- much so that they requested we publish the er, Rodney "Plonker" Trotter, picture of Bruni emerging from a taxi in played by , Mortimer Street, mentioned in the story. drinking in the Crown & Sceptre Your wish is my command. in Great Titchfield Street. So it is Many thanks again to the UCLH good to see they will be seen archivist Annie Lindsay for supplying it. together on our screens again on The fact that an earlier circus trainer also March 21. It is a special Only called Jimmy Chipperfield was born in Fools and Horses sketch for Sports Tottenham Court Road in 1846 (also men- Off beat Relief. tioned in the story) particularly interested local character Brian Keates. "One of my Sad to report the closure of the On The Beat second hand record shop at 22 school pals also became a circus owner," he Hanway Street after 35 years' trading. Tim Derbyshire (above) has been told my sister Margaret. "He was Peter running it since 1979 and survived several predictions that vinyl would be Pullen who lived at 23 Warren Street." dead. Some gems have been through his hands over the years - including a Do any other readers remember Peter? rare Billy Nicholls album on the Immediate label which sold for £2,000 ten years ago. Two factors have finally defeated him. First, the business rate and the price of a new ten-year lease more than doubled. Second, the building of a new seven-storey development over the next three years is likely to pro- duce much dust, "which is not good for records," Tim told my brother Charlotte Street Mortimer. FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 10

10 — Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews The Drill Hall and Bloomsbury Rifles

2014 will mark 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War. The war memorial is unusual in that it dates the end of the First World War as being when the Versailles treaty was signed in 1919. Most commem- orations of the War’s end use the date 1918. The Cenotaph in Whitehall also uses the date 1919. What the First World

By Alexander Stevenson or public subscription. The hey- day of the drill hall began in the War means to me As you walk down Chenies 1880s, following the Cardwell Street from Tottenham Court reforms of the Army, in which Road to Gower Street you will the Rifle Volunteers were By Simon Glyndwr John for duty. Also waiting apprehen- pass on your right a lovely red formed into Volunteer Battalions An old man sively for the doctor was a brick building. You may notice of the County regiments to My interest in WW1 developed stood next to the policeman who had fought in an unusually large number of which they were affiliated. whilst listening to my parents’ the trenches. The ex-soldier’s young people coming in and out Our own Drill Hall was built childhood memories and seeing bus stop selling health was being reviewed and you will certainly notice the in 1882 for the Bloomsbury limbless men begging in matches out of a because he had been off sick sign proclaiming it to be the Rifles and was designed by London’s streets. Throughout tray and beside three times in the year with RADA studios as well as the Samuel Knight, a captain in the my life I have read as many his- chest complaints, and three sick grand entrance over which is regiment. At this time, the mili- tories, biographies and autobi- him, begging, stood absences were the maximum proudly emblazoned the ‘Royal tary preoccupation was the ographies of the conflict that I a man without an allowed within a year by the Academy of Dramatic Arts.’ So British invasion of Egypt and could buy or borrow from my arm. I asked my police. Ten years police service far, so Fitzrovian you might be this may well explain the hot public library. earned a small pension and this tempted to think. What could weather headgear several of the In late September 1951 I father who the men policeman had served for a few be more appropriate than for the carved soldiers appear to have. went to a new school by bus were and he months short of ten years. His premier college of Dramatic Arts So what went on in the hall? travelling past the Cenotaph in replied, “Soldiers chest complaint related directly to be headquartered in London’s The ordinary routine of drill Whitehall. In the early 1950s to his being gassed in the trench- premier bohemian district? involved marching and rifle drill nearly everyone wore a hat and from the First es, but he was thrown out of the But look a bit closer (and a including cleaning and the dis- on passing the Cenotaph doffed World War.” service that day. little higher) and you will see assembly and re-assembly of their headwear. I had to change We must commemorate that clues to the rather less bohemian weapons. And this would take buses just to the west of the Griffiths, wearing the blue uni- the war brought independence origins of the building. place relentlessly, week in, week Cenotaph where an old man form of a wounded soldier, he’d to many countries including Embedded on the walls are out, in order to develop unques- stood next to the bus stop selling had a toe shot off in 1915. On Finland, Estonia, Latvia, some extraordinary sculpted tioning discipline and proficien- matches out of a tray and beside 1st July 1916 David, serving in Lithuanian, , heads of soldiers, all different cy. him, begging, stood a man with- the 2nd Devonshire Regiment, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. though all seem to have a mous- But it soon became used for out an arm. I asked my father “went over the top,” never to be We must commemorate the war tache of some description. Look disciplines of a more artistic who the men were and he seen again. for the monumental changes it up even further beyond these kind. In the 1900s Diaghilev replied, “Soldiers from the First My mother’s family were brought to British Society. First, heads and you will see the mili- and the Ballets Russes rehearsed World War.” When I arrived at Londoners and my mother it gave women the chance to tary conceit of a tower with bat- there and – with slightly less school we congregated in a Hall remembered that when the show they could perform work tlements. For the building – the distinction but more community that contained the portrait of six Zeppelins came over London in that was once deemed the pre- Drill Hall as it was known until spirit – it hosted gang shows former pupils who had won the 1918 and the anti-aircraft guns rogative of men. Second, the RADA took it over – was origi- during the second world war. Victoria Cross in the WW1: five fired, she and her nine siblings rigid pre-war class structure was nally developed as a place for And it has also been the venue soldiers and the captain of a “Q” hid under the family piano. dealt a blow because living in volunteer soldiers to train, the for art galleries and theatre right ship. So despite being born dur- How did they all fit? the trenches forced men from all 19th century equivalent of a up until the present day. ing the Second World War, see- My father joined the levels to tolerate and understand Territorial Army centre. A nod to its original purpose ing bombsites everywhere in Metropolitan Police in 1929 each other. Finally, we need to The drill hall has been a may be surmised by the proxim- London, I knew about the earlier beginning at Tottenham Court commemorate the sheer num- major part of British military ity of the War Memorial which conflict at nine years of age. Road Police Station. Many of bers of men who fought and and social life since the 1860s, looms over Alfred Place but it is In November 1916 my the men my father served with died as well as those who sur- when Corps of Rifle Volunteers otherwise gently fading except grandmother’s youngest broth- had survived the trenches. My vived or were maimed in the constructed premises for drill, for those who look up carefully er, Stanley Griffiths, a private in father, keen to get promotion, hope future generations will typically funded by benefactors as they walk by. the Welsh Regiment, died of his was zealous in his duties but he learn enough not to blunder into wounds in Swansea after fight- always commented with a smile what some called this war: ing on the Somme. My father, that the trench survivors he “Armageddon”. then aged 8, was taken to see his served with were completely Chenies Street War Memorial uncle lying in his coffin. When different. He said these ex-sol- This is an edited extract from an Before World War II this memorial would have been set in a land- my grandmother saw her broth- diers were never fazed by any- essay which is published as part scaped garden within the half-moon shaped North Crescent. er she said, “I’m going to name thing or anybody, including the of an historical novel about the On the front of the memorial it says: the child I am carrying after my strict army discipline espoused First World War by Simon The Rangers 12th County of London Regt. 1914 - 1919 brother, if it’s a boy,” and so my by their unpleasant superiors. Glyndwr John called The Cotton Remember with gratitude the true and faithful men who in the Great uncle was named “Stanley”. In the early 1930s my father, Spies. Available as a free ebook War went forth for God and the right. The memory of those who Earlier in 1916 my father injured playing rugby, was wait- from: returned not again is hereby perpetuated to be honoured for ever- remembered meeting his moth- ing outside the police doctor’s www.smashwords.com/books/ more. er’s eldest brother, David office to see whether he was fit view/405482 FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 11

facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 — 11 Phone apps to guide punters to food, drink and shops

Wheel of Om Nom – Fitzrovia told it features discounts and food and drink app, by Leagas special offers but I couldn’t find Delaney London; iPhone. any. But it’s good fun — and a brilliant introduction to places Love Fitzrovia – Food, drink that deserved to be discovered. and shopping, loyalty app, by Om Nom is the sound we Apps4 Ltd; iPhone and Android. make when eating, apparently. Love Fitzrovia is an app Reviewed by Clancy Gebler designed to promote local busi- Davies nesses under the headings “eat Fitzrovia”, “art Fitzrovia” and David Buckingham – Hey, Where The White Women At 2010 Hand-cut and welded stainless steel and found metal 121.9 x 160 x Spoilt for choice in where to eat “shop Fitzrovia” and a section 7.6cm (48 x 63 x 3″) and drink in Fitzrovia? Stuck in with offers. There is also a sec- a rut going to the same place tion for loyalty cards but I day after day and eating the couldn’t fathom how to operate same thing for lunch again and this — which gives the app an Dusty relicts muscled again? air of being rather unloved by its The Wheel of Om Nom is a creators (it was commissioned nifty little app that will make by The Fitzrovia BID). into works of art helpful suggestions as to where It does have some good you can go at the spin of a offers buried in its infrastructure wheel from a mini-directory of — 15% off at the excel- is every bit as good as I was told By Christina Latham symbol. around 30 independent eating lent Warren Street Japanese cafe it was going to be. Buckingham’s previous places in Fitzrovia. Mushu, 10% off wine and 5% off Download the app free from Looking for something colour- career as a professional writer There will be some names spirits at The Soho Wine Supply, iTunes and it couldn’t be sim- ful, beautiful yet urban to burst infiltrates his work with the use you will recognise — the Riding 10% off at London Graphic pler. Just spin the wheel and up your Fitzrovia bubble? Then of text and language as a power- House Cafe and the Newman Centre — but it is rather joyless comes a suggestion of where to head to Scream, Eastcastle Street ful mode of communication. Arms for example — but there getting to them. go. One click gets you a photo of to experience their latest exhibi- Buckingham wants the viewer to are plenty more to discover The three directories run A-Z the shopfront, a short descrip- tion: Under the Influence by react and interact with his work. ranging from cafes, pubs and which is useful when you are tion of what they have to offer, David Buckingham. The exhibi- Imbued with irony, humour and restaurants to fish and chips and looking for details of a particular the address with a link to an tion is on until 29 March and I provocation the works in this food from around the world. place but means you get over- excellent map of the location promise you, you won’t be dis- exhibition offer a dialogue and Given the calibre of the places familiar with those at the begin- and a phone number. appointed. insight into the artist’s influ- that I already know on this app ning of the alphabet and rarely It’s not perfect, it would be Buckingham is an American ences and inspirations. — like the properly Greek scroll right to the end, especially useful if there was an indication artist, who upcycles metal The exhibition uses excerpts deli/restaurant The Life since if you look up somewhere of the price level and links to objects and structures that he from movies, song lyrics such as Goddess and coffee alchemists you are returned to the top of websites (where they exist) if has found scattered across the Lou Reed’s ‘Walk on the Wild Store Street Espresso (both on the directory when you navigate you want to know more/see Californian dessert, littering Side’, referencing contemporary Store Street and both highly rec- back. menus. It would be helpful if industrial areas and spoiling pop culture and adding to the ommended) the Wheel of Om You get a short description of there was a link to a list of all run-down towns. The exhibition fun feel of the exhibition. Nom has encouraged me to the establishment links to a map the places featured as it is very demonstrates how the artist has However, as you study the explore the options slightly fur- and — here it goes one step bet- irritating to have to spin the taken something completely use- wording, you can see that the ther afield from my immediate ter than the Wheel of Om Nom wheel lots of times if you want less from somewhere desolate quotes used tackle prejudice and neighbourhood and I am — one click to access their web- to find somewhere again that and hopeless and injected life discrimination in modern socie- chuffed to have discovered that site, if they have one. you liked the look of in a previ- into it again. ty with references such as ‘Hey, the Scandinavian Kitchen is If the business you look up ous spin. And it crashes. I was His latest finds have includ- where the white women at?’ has an offer you can access it much nearer than I thought and ed 55-gallon barrels, wheelbar- from, the film, Blazing Saddles. from their directory page but if rows, tool boxes, road signs, The walls reveal you are just looking for offers tractor parts, car doors, and gas Buckingham’s empathy with the there is a separate section which cans. Buckingham carts all these “outsiders” or the persecuted lists them all. dusty relics to his metal work- minorities of society. The use of Pavitra Yoga Sign up and it asks for your shop in Los Angeles, where they media, film, music and advertis- email address, which is a bit are muscled into works of art ing powerfully conveys the annoying. Worth downloading Vinyasa flow yoga is a dynamic style of yoga that links and large typographical signs. global reach of prejudice. (free from iTunes)? I suppose so. The only aspect of them he The title of the exhibition postures with conscious movement, breath and But not for long if it doesn’t get leaves intact is their colours. refers to the artist’s previous more attention from its creators. concentration. Buckingham’s latest work is substance abuse but also alludes reminiscent of pop art yet the to his new addiction, making Whether you've never stepped foot into a yoga studio or use of the decaying and aban- artworks. It is as though the have been practicing for years, Kathy’s classes are ideal doned metal gives it a realistic works are a comment on him- edge. At the current exhibition self, picking up things that are for both the novice and the experienced. She provides a in Fitzrovia, you can see his ‘Phil damaged and spoilt and making calming environment and attention to individuals’ Spector ¾’ gun which also incor- them significant again. porates wording “Keep the gate His works are a comment on needs that will both challenge and inspire. locked at all times”. The word- language and society in contem- ing reminds you that, although porary culture and, an insurance Kathy is a 200-hr Yoga Alliance (US) Registered Yoga this may seem like a colourful that our epoch will endure and Teacher, and has been teaching since 2005. and interesting article, it has a remain. This exhibition is stun- more serious edge; it is a gun. ning and intriguing at the same Classes are every Thursday from 6 March 2014, 18:30 - The guns in the exhibition time. Look beyond the surface are based on actual weapons and you see emotion and injus- 20:00 at The All Souls Clubhouse, 141 Cleveland Street, used by notorious criminals and tice. Although, made entirely of W1T 6QG. £7 suggested voluntary contribution to the assassins such as ‘Phil Spector’, manipulated metal, it is a very All Souls Clubhouse (charity no. 303292). or guns used in film and televi- human exhibition. sion such as ‘Butch Cassidy’. Contact [email protected] or 07540 950 Buckingham raises a challenging David Buckingham — Under the debate on the use and owner- Influence. Scream, 27-28 Eastcastle 234 for more information. ship of arms and presents the Street, London, W1W 8DH until Love Fitzrovia App gun as a seductive yet menacing 29 March 2014. screamlondon.com FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 12

12 — Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews

Community organisations in Camden and create fleet of longboats, Turning shirts into sherry knorrs and fishing boats

By Maddy Fisk from mud larking journeys along the Thames, using materials The installation of “Vikings: straight off the water’s edge and Journey of 1000 Boats” was some have been made by fusing exhibited in the Great Court of glass. the from Friday The project is a collaboration 28 February until Tuesday 4 of work with several community March. organisations in Camden and Inspired by the journeys Islington - Fitzrovia Drakes Tabanco at 3 Windmill Street is one of the first to open registering with Camden Council a temporary use of taken by Vikings this project Neighbourhood Association, the premises as a restaurant in September 2013. It was previously a shirtmakers shop. aims to create a fleet of long- British Museum community arts boats, knorrs and fishing boats group at the Mary Ward Centre, By Angela Lovely E17. A4 (drinking establishments), exploring Viking dispersal across Chadswell Healthy Living Another shop to make use of A5 (hot food takeaways), B1 Europe. Centre, the Calthorpe Project, Fitzrovia is losing its variety of the planning changes was (business), D1 (non-residential Working with raw materials CSV/RSVP, Christopher Hatton retail frontages to wine bars and Tesoro on Goodge Street. This institutions) or D2 (assembly and employing natural colours Primary School, Akbar House restaurants as planning regula- was previously Game Focus a and leisure). Any of these use and pigments, the boats show off with ASRA Housing Association, tions are relaxed. It is leading to video game shop, which closed classes can change to A1, A2, A3 simplicity yet each with its own Millman Street Resource Centre, a saturation of places to eat and in April 2012. Tresoro opened as or B1 for a single continuous unique and individual detail – Mildmay Street with Notting drink, a change in the character a cafe and ice cream parlour in period of two years without weaving in raffia, collage with Hill Housing, Women at the of the streets, and the variety of June 2013, then notified Camden planning permission. handmade paper, felting with Well, Argyle Primary School, Fitzrovia is being diluted. that they were going to use the The only exceptions to this is fleece; some boats were created Arlington and SPACE. Four retail premises in the premises as a restaurant from if the premises is more than 150 Charlotte Street and Goodge July. It subsequently became square metres; the flexible per- Street area have now changed Piano Piano a Mediterranean mission has been used before; Freud to cash in on property from retail to restaurants with- restaurant. the building is in a military out the need for planning per- Vagabond at 25 Charlotte explosives storage area or safety The PR firm Freud owner of the company spent mission. Street was previously a Nicolas hazard area; or if the building is Communications looks set to say £22m buying the freehold inter- Drakes Tabanco at 3 wine merchant. Vagabond regis- a listed building or a scheduled farewell to its long-time home est in the PR group’s Newman Windmill Street is an attractive- tered a temporary change of use monument. on Newman Street after Street headquarters. looking shopfront and business of the ground floor and base- After the two year period the Westminster council in The PR company on leaving and is one of the first to open, ment from A1 retail to A3 premises must revert back to its December gave permission for Newman Street will take advan- registering with Camden cafe/restaurant with previous use class unless full the office block to be converted tage to the high price of land in Council a temporary use of the Westminster Council in planning permission is given for into 23 luxury flats. Fitzrovia. premises as a restaurant in December 2013. a permanent change of use. In 2012 Matthew Freud Freud has cashed-in and will September 2013. The premises is Then in February a fourth Will all four sites be given profit handsomely from having less than 150 square metres in retail premises Salento Green planning permission? acquired the freehold and then size and so qualifies for a Life in Goodge Street informed One owner just shrugged his quickly increased the value of change of use without the need Camden Council that it was shoulders when we asked. “If the building by securing plan- for permission under new plan- changing to a restaurant. they don’t give me permission, ning permission for apartments ning regulation which came into Legislation allows for the I’ll just run it as a wine bar which will be within five min- effect in May last year. temporary change of use for a instead.” utes walk of the future Dean The shop was previously two year period of premises cur- Strictly speaking, a wine bar Street entrance of Tottenham Russell and Hodge, bespoke rently classed as A1 (shops), A2 needs to apply for what is called Court Road Crossrail station. shirtmakers who have now (financial and professional serv- A4 use, but increasingly this is moved to a new shop at ices), A3 (restaurants and cafes), not being done or enforced. Howland Street All Saints Church Margaret Street Camden Council have approved an application by Derwent Your neighbourhood and one of the UK’s favourite churches (National Churches Trust 2013) London to change the name of Howland Street. A diverse congregation we warmly welcome you to worship with us in the The order was made under catholic tradition of the Church of England with glorious music from our delegated powers as the street is professional choir in one of London's finest church buildings. entirely commercial in nature Our new address: and no-one lives along it. 179 Tottenham Court Sunday Main Services Government regulations say 11am High Mass Road, London public consultation is not need- 6pm Choral Evensong & Benediction ed if there will be no impact on W1T 7NZ residential amenity. tel: (020) 7636 9222 The church is open throughout the week 7am - 7pm and there are regular The street which has build- fax: (020) 7637 3553 daily services. ings owned by Derwent London [email protected] For more details please see www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk on both sides will be renamed or call the parish office 020 7636 1788 www.goodgelaw.com Derwent London Avenue in a ceremony conducted by If you come new to All Saints because of this advertisement Camden leader Sarah Hayward please tell us that you saw it in Fitzrovia News at mid-day on Tuesday 1 April. FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 13

facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 — 13 A cut above the rest

A familiar face in the Nicholas barbershop at 38 Goodge Street is missing. Jimmy Kleantou (above centre with his col- leagues) had not missed a single day over 44 years working there six days a week from 8am to 6pm, when he retired just before Christmas. "I offered him days off but he said no," said fellow barber Cameramen converge on the Kings Arms Charalambos Charalambous (left in top picture, with his son Nicholas, right). "He knows all Pub filmed for television series the people locally and is very It was a case of "Lights, camera, We have it on good authority popular." action!" rather than "Last orders, from one of the crew though Jimmy started after finishing please!" at the King's Arms in that it should appear on our his army national service in Great Titchfied Street recently. small screens in the coming Cypris, and has now returned to An American film crew were months. Watch this space for that island where his two using the old London hostelry updates. daughters live, one of whom is for a scene in a series, but the Meanwhile, Paul's dreams of about to give birth to his first exact details are hush-hush. canine stardom for his Staffy grandchild. Manager Paul Mathers had to Henry came to nothing. Henry We all wish him well in sign a secrecy clause, promising failed the audition. In fact he Cyprus, but hope he may revisit not to reveal the name of the couldn't be dragged away from Jimmy at work soon after starting 44 years ago Fitzrovia from time to time. series to anyone. the catering truck.

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44"Engxgncpf"Uvtggv."Y3V"6LD"| 2429"7:2";87: |"kphqBeqqrgtuqÞ"qpfqp0eq0wm FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:33 Page 14

14 — Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Georgian facade on Goodge Street demolished after it became unstable

The facade of an 18th century build the scheme wanted by that their proposal should have building which was meant to be developers Dukelease. been allowed. In effect, accord- preserved had to be demolished Although Camden refused ing to Max Neufeld of the in December after it became permission, they did so not Charlotte Street Association, unstable. The building at 1-3 because they wouldn’t allow the although Camden refused per- Goodge Street which was the building to be demolished, but mission they consented to the subject of a campaign to pre- that the proposed design was demolition of the Georgian serve it was demolished in the unacceptable in the Charlotte building — the oldest on autumn of 2013 but the facade Street conservation area. Goodge Street — leaving only was meant to remain and be Camden’s conservation officers the facade. included as part of the redevel- had recommended approving However, after most of the opment of the site. the demolition and the planning building was demolished the Planning permission was committee did not disagree with rest became unstable and had granted on appeal by the gov- this. also to be demolished. ernment’s planning inspectorate This then cleared the way for The owners said they will re- overruling Camden Council Dukelease to appeal to the gov- build the facade as a faithful and who had refused permission to ernment inspector on the basis correct reproduction. Facade of 1-3 Goodge Street held up by girders before it was demolished. No shortage of housing www.rib.co.uk in West End ward

By Angela Lovely

The West End ward in the is now NEW HOMES unusual in that it has an excess of housing. Hard to believe with all the worrying news about shortage of For information on NEW 2014 developments call our New Homes Department on: 020 7927 0616 homes for Londoners. But between the neighbourhoods of Mayfair, Soho and a large chunk of Fitzrovia there are now more individual dwellings than there are people registered to vote. Voter registration statistics out at the end of February (there are local elections coming) show that the West End ward has lost 468 people since 2002. But the 2011 census shows that there are more separate dwellings in this ward (which includes most of the Westminster part of Fitzrovia) than there were ten years ago. The ward now has 1,300 more dwellings than there are voters! In Knightsbridge and Belgravia wards there are nearly 700 fewer voters, Abbey Road and wards have lost over 300 voters, and Tachbrook ward has lost just under 300 voters. Marylebone High Street ward which also includes part of Fitzrovia is down by just under 300 voters. According to the statistics, not everywhere in Westminster is losing voters. Electoral registration has increased in the poorer parts of the City of Westminster, mostly in north Westminster and Pimlico. Harrow Road ward has 1,217 more voters, Vincent Square ward has 974 more, and three more wards have added at least 800 voters – Church Street ward (845), St James’s ward (842) and Queen’s Park ward (811). The Labour group in Westminster sent Fitzrovia News the information and one of their councillors David Boothroyd of Westbourne ward, had this expla- nation: “We’re now seeing in electoral registration sta- tistics the facts which many people have seen on the LETTINGS streets: many homes in Westminster are not lived in by families who are part of the local community, but are If you are thinking of selling or le!ing your property, please contact us today on 0207 637 0821 being used as just investments. Super-prime new prop- erty in Westminster is sold in Hong Kong and Dubai, not London, and then left empty — to be sold a few years later at a profit.” He added “The Council could take action. The Council could impose a council tax surcharge on empty homes, as Labour has been urging since the law allowed it. And the Council could make sure planning policies and decisions deliver homes which people want to live in, not speculate on.” A day after we received this information, the prominent West End ward councillor — millionaire and sacked former Conservative Westminster Council cabinet member of housing — Jonathan Glanz posted an article in the Huffington Post. His solution to the W,teertSycrPe 1 Great Portland Street, W1 Hanson Street, W1 apparent shortage of housing in London? A tax break for people wanting to let out spare rooms. No mention about taxing those who are not registered to vote in his own ward. FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:34 Page 15

facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 — 15 Other people’s problems

enya and Abby worked at was hiding: they created fan- the organic food store near A SHORT STORY BY tasies of track marks, bruises Kthe university. Kenya was SUNITA SOLIAR and eating-disorder thinness. ‘I flunking an Anthropology degree, think she’s crazy,’ Abby said. and she had taken this part-time job in order to ‘learn what it was competing and escalating. The ‘Totally,’ Kenya replied. like in the real world’ at the behest only thing that broke their She hesitated, as though unsure of her mother, who was a well- rhythm was if Kenya mentioned if she really wanted to commit known jewellery designer. her dyslexia because she had to her next thought. She went Abby was two years older. actually been diagnosed – it was on: ‘Like she’s really been She had spent the past two years as though she had committed a through something. D’you travelling to underprivileged faux pas. think?’ parts of the world with which On Tuesdays and ‘Maybe.’ she had no natural bond in Thursdays, their shifts coincided The possibility of real hard- order to find herself. This had with the working hours of a ship subdued them into quiet- led to an obsession with all woman named Agnes. She was ness and, although Agnes kept things hemp, from seeds to wiry, with thin blonde hair that to herself, they found it less clothes. She wore a headscarf, she tied up in a ponytail, and comfortable nattering when she tied over her left shoulder, as her movements were brittle and was there. It was like whisper- though she thought it gave her skittish. She was older than ing in a church. the look of purity of the termi- them – Kenya thought she was Then she started to have nally ill. Kenya worked at the in her late twenties, maybe thir- accidents. Over a ten-day peri- checkout; Abby at the hot food ty; Abby said she might even be od, she burnt her hand on a tray; counter. During breaks or when forty. It was hard to tell if she she spilt a new bag of wooden business was quiet, they liked to was old or just harried – she cutlery onto the floor; she broke swap stories about how dys- hardly ever raised her head to the juicer. Had she berated her- functional they were. look anyone straight in the eye. self for her own stupidity, she ‘I’m such a hypochondri- She had been working there for would have won the girls over rest of the day skirting around Illustration by Clifford Harper ac,’ Kenya would say. ‘It’s two months alongside Abby at and they could have laughed the incident, as they might bro- because my Mum wouldn’t vac- the food counter, in which time about these incidents immedi- ken glass. into the kitchen where Agnes cinate me when I was a kid. She the girls had learnt nothing ately. Instead, she trembled and When the manager, Dave, was sitting on a stool, crying. said it was spiritually bad for about her. They had tried to dashed about to put it right. She asked how she was doing, Abby Abby felt herself beginning to you. My family is so crazy.’ chit-chat, but she always cowed did not even squeak in pain over said, ‘I mean, she’s keen. She’s grin – it wasn’t her fault that she ‘Tell me about it,’ Abby away, as though she feared the her blistering hand; she clamped learning the job.’ grinned when she was nervous. would reply, getting a new tray manager was waiting to turn her her mouth firmly shut as she ran ‘A little odd,’ Kenya Agnes looked embarrassed and of pasta from the oven. ‘I’m real- out on her ear. Even when there it under the tap, dabbing her threw in. wiped at her eyes. ‘Are you ly OCD about stuff. I have to was no one to serve, she busied forehead with the back of her ‘Yeah, she keeps to her- O.K.?’ she asked. check that I’ve locked the front herself disinfecting the counters other hand. Abby brought her a self. But she seems nice. She’s Agnes shook her head, door at least twice – I’ll even get or tidying the take-away con- glass of water. It wasn’t that she definitely trying.’ but Abby felt she had meant round the corner and go back to tainers. She always wore long was ungrateful – she gave Abby ‘Definitely.’ ‘yes’ and not ‘no’, because she check. I’m a freak!’ sleeves and the girls had a scab- a tight, little smile – but she was After that, the accidents was getting up from where she They could go on like picking desire to know what she so serious that they spent the stopped happening, but Agnes sat, fidgeting, as though trying this for half an hour at a time, became even quieter, tucking her to dismiss the topic. chin right into her chest so that ‘Hold on,’ Abby said. She customers found it difficult to went out under the pretence of A smarter fish restaurant has sprung up understand what she was say- getting a tissue. She grabbed ing, and Abby usually had to Bonnie Gull Seafood Shack, Kenya and told her, ‘You’d bet- By the DINING DETECTIVE take over serving them. At the 21a Foley Street. and chips, friends and I go for ter come in here.’ them and a bottle of wine quite end of the day, she complained The girls returned to the regularly). But I did see some- to Kenya: ‘I’m doing two peo- kitchen, but Agnes had grabbed Back to Basics, one of my thing slightly disturbing one ple’s jobs. I get that she has her bag and pushed past them. favourite restaurants in the area, evening as I was ordering dou- problems, but she doesn’t need ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. They died, soon after Dorota, its ble chips with my fish. We are to rub it in everyone’s face like remained standing, a thrill pass- beloved and well-known wait- all used now to being given a that. It’s like seeing one of those ing through them. ress, died also, in a car crash in time slot – Bonnie Gull didn’t do Oxfam adverts when you’re ‘Well, what the hell?’ Poland. In its place another, this at first but now it does, like having lunch.’ Kenya said. smarter fish restaurant has many restaurants round here. It went on like this. The The next day, Agnes did sprung up which is full most But I saw one manager kind of girls hardly chatted when she not return; the slackening in the evenings, and has had the great turf out two older women who was in their presence. Once, air told them that she would not idea of opening also on Sundays it seemed hadn’t been given the Abby used the lasagne spoon in come back again. Kenya when you can bring you own time slot: they were still drink- the cous-cous and said, ‘I’m replaced the supply of corn bottle. ing their wine when he asked such a retard!’ She caught her- starch carrier bags. She said, ‘I And as far as I am concerned

them to leave and one of them self up at the sight of Agnes guess it’s bad to feel glad she’s its Beer Battered North Sea Street. Warren and Mews

couldn’t walk very well and, as I scrubbing at the microwave as gone. I mean, she must have Haddock, with Beef dripping Grafton of corner House, Duchess

though her life depended on it. PICTURE PUZZLE ANSWER: ANSWER: PUZZLE PICTURE understood it, would have been in a bad place. But it was Chunky Chips and mushy peas ordered her usual taxi if she’d Later, she told Kenya, ‘It’s get- really awkward.’ (£14.50 ) is a triumph! In fact its known she was to leave at a cer- ting from bad to worse. You can ‘Really awkward,’ Abby chips are on my list of favourite celeric broth, Jerusalem arti- tain time; they hadn’t even been hardly breathe around her. Did said, cutting the chocolate cake chips in London. Its other dishes choke, and baby vegetables given their bill. Outside all the you see how rough she looked? into slices. ‘But she didn’t help are perhaps a trifle confusing (£21); or another of Wild Selsey tables were full, but to call the Do you think she’s even getting herself. She was just so superi- and complicated: one of its Sea Bass, Israeli couscous, shell- taxi the ladies perched uncom- any sleep?’ or.’ starters is Gravalax, Trout roe, fish broth, wild rocket, saffron fortably on two wooden chairs ‘You should talk to Dave,’ Fennel cream, Samphire, Castle and orange dressing (£25). There that the chefs sometimes use in Kenya said. ‘I feel bad for her, Franco and Lime (£8); another is is also always a vegetarian quiet moments to come out and but you shouldn’t have to do Poetry corner Scottish blue mussels, Hogans choice. There is a small dessert have a fag. Unfortunately the her job as well.’ Cider, Bacon and crème fraiche section; the usual wine list of the Geriatric Jiving chairs were beside the outlet ‘Maybe I will.’ (£8); and I once had a complicat- area with the usual prices; and from the kitchen where the smell It wasn’t necessary. The By John Fisher ed mixture of salmon and beet- the usual 12.5% ‘discretionary of fish emerges. I’m sure it was next day, during the lunch hour, I've got the Beat root in which the salmon was service charge’ so it’s over £70 just one manager, and one inci- Abby was waiting for Agnes to But I ain't got the Feet quite frighteningly red (obvious- again, but as I say it is usually dent, and I haven't actually seen bring out a new tray of pasta; No more can I strut my stuff with ly). full both at lunchtime and in the that manager lately so maybe she didn’t come. Abby was frus- joy The main dishes depend on evenings. others complained, but it would trated, and also elevated, by the As once I did man and boy. the catch and the season: there is It also has some extremely never have happened in thought that she had to do In my armchair I'm going wild a dish of Selsey Pollock, quinoa, pleasant managers and waitress- Fitzrovia a few years ago. everything herself. She went Flat on my arse attempting a slide. almond and black rice crust, es (as I am such a fan for the fish FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:34 Page 16

16 —Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Del Boy’s joint in Newman Street

By MIKE PENTELOW

ctor David Jason had his one and only joint in the flat Athat later became the joint he rented in Newman Street. He reveals in his autobiogra- phy "My Life" (published by Century, £20) that it was the fact that the drug made him laugh at anything which put him off it as a comic actor. He and a friend got hold of a couple of joints and decided to smoke them to see what all the fuss was about. After a while they started laughing hysterical- ly at everything, which made their girlfriends disgruntled, which in turn made the two men more amused. After about an hour and a half the girls aban- doned them. "It had been funny and even Watching dodgy euphoric," writes Jason. "But at the heart of it was the thought dealers in that I didn't have control, and that aspect of it I found frighten- Oxford Street ing rather than liberating. If you're a comic actor, the idea of had edgy appeal people laughing at absolutely anything is actually rather wor- and his wife Angie, who became rying... You want to know it's late night drinking companions. tines on milk crates - and flat to which ever theatre I was know the area as a 20-year-old coming from something you've "I loved that bachelor pad bundling everything away and playing in, finally paid off as apprentice electrician in 1960 done - something you could do and I loved the neighbourhood legging it at the first sight of a research in those moments," he when he took his girlfriend to a again if you had to." to, and the sense of being deep policeman. It all had a sort of writes. "Come round a bit closer, film and a meal afterwards in The flat - "a rent controlled in the beating heart of the city," edgy romance to me." would ya? At these prices I can't the Golden Egg cafe in one bedroom apartment in a he writes. "I liked the fact that All this proved invaluable afford to deliver. These were the Tottenham Court Road (now Le Peabody Estate building on everything was just a short walk when he starred as Derek "Del sort of lines I'd picked up on the Pain Quotidien) on the corner of Newman Street" - became his in away - Tottenham Court Road, Boy" Trotter in Only Fools and street and filed aways for some Goodge Street. He liked it the early 1970s when his friend, the One Ton pub in Goodge Horses on television in the reason, and now I could throw because you could sit by the the actress Josephine Tewson, Street... Sometimes I would drift 1980s. There was one particular them into my ad-libbed sales window and "look at the world moved out. up Oxford Street to watch the scene when he was doing some pitch." going about its business, and the He soon befriended his street hawkers at work, flogging fly-pitching in the local market. He also chose the character's world could look in at you neighbours on the other side of their dodgy watches and per- "The time I spent watching the bright "Jack the Lad" sweaters going about your business - eat- the landing, Micky McCaul, a fumes off the pavement, or illegal street traders on Oxford from Oxford Street shops. ing egg and chips." bookmaker turned estate agent, doing cup-and-ball trick rou- Street, while walking from my The actor had first got to His first public appearance under his stage name of David Jason was at the Vanbrugh Theatre in Malet Street, on May Experimental theatre’s heyday celebrated 24, 1965. He played Rev Eli Jenkins in Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, for a split of the By SUE BLUNDELL takings which turned out to be emories of past activism Drill Hall and just over £6 for the week. Also in will be reawakened for the production were Ruth Msome Fitzrovians by the Open Space led Madoc (later to star in Hi-de- exhibition Re-Staging Revolutions, Hi!) and Windsor Davies (later which can be seen at the Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre, the way in 60s of It Ain't Half Hot Mum fame). Library, Theobalds Road, It was at a party after the show till Thursday, May 8. that he was introduced to Ann The exhibition has been ness-raising; and they trans- Callender who became his mounted by the organisation formed theatre practice for ever. agent. It was later transferred to Unfinished Histories, headed by The political situation today the Mayfair Theatre, where it theatre historian Susan Croft. It may well be ripe for new inter- was seen and praised by Dylan covers "a period of enormous ventions of this kind; but now, Thomas's daughter Aeronwy, creativity, experimentation and he believes, the medium may be and helped get him a part in the questioning in theatre, from 1968 different. Perhaps the internet film version in 1972. to 1988, seeing the formation of will be the site for the next stab In the mid 1980s Jason over 700 companies. This includ- at cultural revolution. moved to Wendover in ed street theatre, community Two of the theatres featured Buckinghamshire as his main arts, physical and visual work, in the exhibition were in home, but kept the Newman political theatre, gay, lesbian, Fitzrovia. One is the Drill Hall Street flat on for when he was black, Asian, disabled and on Chenies Street, which closed working in London. And in 1987 women’s companies." as a public venue a couple of Open Space was closed when EMI were redeveloping the Gort Estate. it proved handy when he just The exhibition was officially years ago, and now houses the had to walk round the corner to opened on Feb 11 by actor and RADA studios. Road, in what was then known Fringe. But in 1976 the the office of director Robert TV presenter Tony Robinson, The other began life in 1958 as the Gort Estate. Tottenham Court Road venue Knights who offered him the who in the 1970s worked with as In-Stage, the studio theatre of The theatre put on many of was closed when EMI were part of head porter Scullion in some of the early companies. the British Drama League in Marowitz's adaptations as well redeveloping the Gort Estate. It Porterhouse Blue for . These exciting changes had a Fitzroy Street. In 1968 Charles as works by Strindberg, Beckett moved to temporary premises It was also useful when he was dual impact, he said in his Marowitz and Thelma Holt and Howard Barker. It is seen as on , but folded in recording at Broadcasting House speech. turned it into The Open Space one of the first theatres to suc- 1980. EMI never honoured its in the Week Ending radio pro- They promoted left-wing Theatre, and moved it to a base- ceed in what was to become the promise to build them a brand gramme from the 1970s on and activism and overall conscious- ment at 32 Tottenham Court fertile territory of the London new theatre. Surprise surprise. off right up to 1991. FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:34 Page 17

facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 — 17

Unforgettable characters No 6: FRANK NORMAN From jailbird to best selling writer n illegitimate son aban- By MIKE PENTELOW Rock with the Cavemen. doned by both parents and Fings transferred to the west Abrought up in several insti- Dodgem Greaser (published in end and was judged the best tutional homes was not a great start for Frank Norman (1930-1980). And 1971) was based on his experi- musical of the year in 1960. sure enough before long he was in ences at this time. Frank's next musical play, A prison. Then came his national serv- Kayf Up West, written in 1963, But he ended up as a ice in the army at 18 which suit- was based on the Alexandria in renowned playwright and nov- ed him less. After that ordeal Rathbone Place where he had elist living at Seaford Court in was over he found excitement in met in the 1950s Great Portland Street, not far the Soho scene of the 1950s (before the latter found fame as from the Alexandria cafe in which he described in his mem- an inebriate columnist). Again it Rathbone Place which he used oir Stand on Me (published in was staged at the Theatre Royal to frequent in the early 1950s 1960). This was also the setting Stratford and Frank asked that inspired one of his musicals. for his novel Down and Out in Jeffrey if he would like to listen His mother was a secretary High Society (published in to the first reading. When an at an engineering works and his 1975). actor failed to turn up Joan father was her boss's son. After After being punished for Littlewood called him up from being abandoned by them Frank various petty crimes he was the stalls to read in his place. As was pushed around various finally sentenced to three years a result he got the part of Bill the homes until settling at Dr in prison for bouncing cheques Burglar, plus that of the prison Barnardo's in in 1937 in 1955. He served two years in warder. The play opened in 1964 where he stayed until 1946. , and then Camp and also in the cast was a young During this time he tried to Hill on the Isle of Wight, before Barry Humphries. learn bootmaking and carpentry being released. Again he found Frank and Jeffrey then col- without success, before achiev- these experiences fertile ground laborated on a book called Soho ing skills at gardening. He wrote to write about, this time in his Night and Day in which Frank about his experiences here in a first book Bang to Rights (pub- wrote the text and Jeffrey took book called Banana Boy (pub- lished in 1958), the foreword of photographs, which was pub- lished in 1969). which was written by his admir- lished in 1966. On leaving the home at 16 he er Raymond Chandler. Lock 'em In 1971 Frank moved into a got a job in a tomato nursery for Up and Count 'em, an appraisal flat at Seaford Court, 220-222 FRANK NORMAN (right) with fellow writer Lionel Bart. (NPG). a few months, but because the of prison and planned reforms, Great Portland Street where he pay was so low he got a better was later published in 1970. Littlewood at the Theatre Royal one of Tommy Steele's lived for the last nine years of paid one as a driver's mate, and Two years after his release he Stratford with Lionel Bart writ- Cavemen at the Bread Basket his life. then worked with a travelling wrote the musical play Fings ing music to the songs. Bart was music coffee bar, 65 Cleveland His favourite nearby pub fairground which suited his Ain't Wot They Used T'Be, another who was used to the Street, in the early 1950s. He was the Dover Castle in drifting lifestyle. His book which was produced by Joan Fitzrovia scene having played as also co-wrote their first hit Weymouth Mews, off New Cavendish Street, where he sometimes got very drunk with Jeffrey Bernard. Picture puzzle Frank's autobiographical novel Much Ado About Nuffink THE LONGEST ESTABLISHED was published in 1974 about a working class playwright who wrote a musical Who Do They LOCAL AGENT Fink The're 'Aving A Go At. He died of Hodgins Disease in 1980, after which his final novel, The Baskerville Caper, about a down at heel whisky loving private Soho detective was published.

Keep up to date with the latest Fitzrovia News facebook.com/FitzroviaNews twitter.com/FitzroviaNews and news.fitzrovia.org.uk How well do you know Fitzrovia’s landscape? Can you identify where the picture above was You can also receive our taken by Eugene McConville? The answer is regular newsletter by below the Dining Detective picture on page 15. subscribing here: bit.ly/fitzrovianews Russian book shop Or using your mobile phone text NEWS + your email CALL US information sought address to 447786200236. It’s easy to unsubscribe at any THE FITZROVIA EXPERTS Does anyone have a picture or any information about a Russian Bookshop (possibly called Java time. FOR YOUR FREE VALUATION Head) which was in Tottenham Street from about We have an archive of nearly 1945, and before that at 34 Hanway Street, Great every Fitzrovia News and Russell Street and Shaftesbury Avenue? If so please Tower from 1973 contact Mike Pentelow on [email protected] or Visit our archive website 020 7580 1010 LDG.CO.UK Fitzrovia News, 39 Tottenham Street, London, W1T archive.fitzrovia.org.uk 4RX. FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:34 Page 18

18 — Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews SUE BLUNDELL concludes her series on Secret Families of Fitzrovia Invisible women: why Victorian men loved them

alph Fiennes’ film The was 27 years his junior. The Invisible Woman, based on solution which some men opt the book by Claire Tomalin, R for nowadays, ditching the wife features two of the secret families which I’ve been writing about in for a younger model, was not the Fitzrovia News. The relation- really available to Dickens, since ship between Charles Dickens and divorce was expensive and diffi- the actress Ellen Ternan is its main cult. What’s more, Dickens is a focus. But Dickens’ close friend Wilkie Collins and his first partner celebrity, recognised by a doting Caroline Graves also play impor- public wherever he goes. When tant roles. he visits Doncaster races with It’s an excellent film, beauti- Ellen and her two sisters he is fully written and shot, with swept away from his compan- some fine acting from Fiennes ions by a clamouring mob of himself as Dickens, Joanna admirers. Scanlan as his wife Catherine; Dickens obviously revels in Ralph Fiennes as Dickens with Felicity Jones as Ellen in The Invisible Woman, now on general release. Felicity Jones as Ellen; and his fame. This is a man who will Caroline Graves was at 2a New Kristin Scott Thomas as Ellen’s never risk sacrificing his brilliant horrified. Is this to be her life in help the many prostitutes oper- Cavendish Street. But don’t go mother. career to the scandal that an future – paying social calls on ating in London illustrate force- to The Invisible Woman expect- Like Tomalin’s book, the film upfront affair would ignite. the kept women who are fully the route some working- ing to get a glimpse of these deals pretty even-handedly with Much as he adores Ellen, he is shunned in polite circles? class women were compelled to locations. There are some nice most of the issues. Dickens’ also determined to hide her Ellen’s attitude gradually follow to avoid destitution. At close-ups of Georgian terraces in treatment of the discarded away from the gossips and jour- changes after a poignant scene one point when the novelist is the film, but as far as I can tell Catherine is certainly seen as nalists. She is to remain an invis- in which she overhears her arguing with Ellen in the street a none of them are Fitzrovian. harsh and unfeeling. This comes ible woman for the rest of his mother and sister discussing her passing policeman appears to Unless anyone comes across over most vividly in the scene in life. acting ability. Unlike her sisters, give her a lesson in the sort of any more examples, I believe which the novelist oversees the Restrictive divorce laws and Mrs.Ternan says, Ellen cannot employment opportunities that that I have come to the end of boarding-up of the doorway the demands of celebrity emerge look forward to a successful are available to her. "Is this my series on Fitzrovia’s secret between his dressing-room and as two of the reasons why secret career on the stage. So her finan- woman bothering you, Sir?" he families. The film The Invisible the former marital bedroom, families were so prevalent in the cial future must be secured in asks Dickens. But no, Ellen can Woman reveals very movingly while Catherine looks on tearful- lives of nineteenth century writ- other ways. The Ternans them- do a bit better than this. Instead why the Victorian era produced ly from the other side of the ris- ers and artists. But the film selves have very little money. of taking to the streets, she can so many of them. The hypocrisy ing barrier. The grown-up explores very graphically one Charles Dickens looks like a have a long-term secret affair at the heart of the value system Dickens children are shown to further factor. Ellen is at first good bet. with the foremost writer of his was another element in the phe- be both embarrassed and repelled by the notion of any Most women in the nine- generation. nomenon, and though nowa- shocked by their father’s behav- kind of physical relationship teenth century couldn’t support In real life the homes that days we have more enlightened iour. with the novelist. When Dickens themselves, in other words. If Dickens provided for Ellen divorce laws and far more At the same time it is clear and Wilkie Collins, spiritedly they didn’t marry they had to included lodgings at 31 Berners opportunities for working that Dickens is emotionally played by Tom Hollander, whisk look for other forms of mascu- Street, where she lived from women, to some extent the alienated from Catherine, and is Ellen off to meet Collins’ live-in line maintenance. In the film, 1858 to 1859. The house occu- social hypocrisy may still be deeply in love with Ellen, who partner Caroline, the actress is Dickens’ quite genuine efforts to pied by Wilkie Collins and with us. New literary performance nights in pub A new literature performance will get up to a 15 minute slot night called In Yer Ear takes and you can expect to hear both place on the last Tuesday of up and coming as well as estab- every month in the King & lished writing talent.” Queen in Foley Street. McGowan who is a writer Expect to hear a series of lit- has for the last three years been erary stand-ups with each per- the host at Poltroon: “A literary former giving anything from a saloon held at the Betsey couple of minutes to a 15 minute Trotwood in Farringdon Road, monologue — contemporary which I co-founded with a mate poetry, prose, travelogue, criti- of mine,” he said. cism, and giving somebody a “In Yer Ear is my new project piece of their mind. and as I live in In Yer Ear is the creation of and drink in the French I was father and daughter Dave looking for somewhere with an McGowan and Sam McGowan, upstairs room a little closer to with Julia Bell (senior lecturer in home. A mate suggested the Creative Writing at Birkbeck) King & Queen. I went up for a and Ryan Addison Fletcher look and liked what I saw — a (Morning Star and Vice Victorian free-house with five Magazine). hand pumps, a good top shelf, Dave McGowan told friendly bar staff and the Bob Fitzrovia News: “We intend to Dylan thing meant that I needed bring together a real mix of writ- to look no further,” added ers from all sorts of back- McGowan. grounds, people with stories to In Yer Ear will be held on tell. There will be poets but not the last Tuesday of every month the shouty ones and we’ll end from 7.45 to 10.45pm at the each evening with a bit of live King & Queen, 1 Foley Street, music. At each event, readers London W1. FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:34 Page 19

facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 — 19 Sex slaves kidnapped from Tottenham Court Road

By MIKE PENTELOW away at her living flesh. She never recovered from he murky world of sex traf- ficking in Victorian times her treatment and vomited Twas exposed by author blood for many months. She was Bridget O'Donnell at a Sohemian finally rescued by a Quaker Society meeting in the Wheatsheaf, reformer and journalist, Alfred Rathbone Place. Dyer, who brought her back to One victim was an 18-year- England in April 1880 when she old young woman called had the appearance of "a Adelene Turner, who had just crushed worm." lost her parents when she Dyer publicised her case and bumped into a Belgian trafficker, it led to two trials in Brussels in John Sallecartes, in Tottenham 1880 and 1881 after which Court Road on September 22, Sallecartes and others were 1879. jailed for up to six years, for He offered her a job in Paris bodily injury, illegal detention, and proceded to ply her with Brussels. She and the other girls forgery, and debauchery of wine, gin and brandy. She was were told if they tried to escape minors. then taken to an address in they would be arrested for car- There was no law specifically Oxford Street where a doctor rying false identity documents. against trafficking however in carried out a painful examina- She was so brutally abused the UK until one was introduced tion of her with an instrument to over several months that a visit- as a result of the case in 1885 Dylan Thomas's late daughter, Aeronwy, reading her father's poetry in the certify that she was a virgin. ing doctor diagnosed an "acute which also increased the age of , in her role as president of the Dylan Thomas Society. From there she was hustled case of urethritis" and "pustules consent to 16. Photograph by Fiona Green (who also took the picture of Aeronwy and her with two other girls to Victoria on her vulva." She was then Bridget O'Donnell's book brother Llewelyn in our last issue). and a train to Dover with false operated on only to make her on the subject is called papers claiming she was Ellen capable of continuing to be a "Inspector Minahan Makes A Dylan Thomas played cats Cordon of Manchester. The des- prostitute. She was not given Stand, or The Missing Girls of tination was not Paris, but chloroform during the operation England" (published by Ostend and then to a brothel in while students seemed to tear Picador) and dogs with Tiger Looking back Woman in The Fitzroy 40 YEARS AGO rise blocks of flats. Dylan Thomas: The Pubs, by But he also had a rivalry here 20 YEARS AGO Jeff Towns (published by Y with the novelist and short story Property holder EMI was Camden council opposed it Channel Four and its 560 staff Lolfa, £19.95). writer Julian MacLaren-Ross. accused of "winkling out" ten- "because it would encourage moved after more than 12 years A cat and dog routine was According to Dan Davin, ants on the Gort Estate (between other developers to pursue the of residence in Charlotte Street, carried out regularly in the another novelist and short story Gresse Street and Tottenham same policy of deliberate neg- to Pimlico. Fitzroy Tavern by poet Dylan writer, MacLaren-Ross was "a Court Road) in order to redevel- lect." Its counsel, Conrad It started in Charlotte Street Thomas and the model Betty conversational monopolist op it. Schiemann, said it had winkled in 1981 as a small scale broad- May, reveals this book. demanding total attention from The firm was said to have out tenants, demolished perfect- caster of minority interest and was also known his audience, something Dylan, deliberately neglected its prop- ly good homes in Stephen Street, specialist programmes, and had as Tiger Woman, being conspic- always his own centre, would erties over the past seven years persistently neglected repairs grown dramatically in terms of uously dressed in a tiger skin not willingly concede. and then claimed their seamy and kept houses empty. presence in the area (expanding outfit, and liking to squat down "So when Dylan came into condition justified the case for (From Tower, March 1974). to eight buildings) and as a on all fours in the pub and drink The Wheatsheaf, he always redevelopment. It wished, and 30 YEARS AGO major TV channel. It was the alcohol from a saucer. turned right at the door; Julian subsequently did, build a mas- Little Portland Street library largest funder of British films, Dylan was drawn to her and who never seemed to arrive in sive office block and two high finally closed when a ten-day investing up to £10 million a responded by crawling around The Wheatsheaf but always occupation by local residents, year in independent film mak- the pub on all fours like a dog, seemed to be already there, kept library workers, and councillors ers, such as Derek Jarman and nipping the ankles of drinkers. his station at the corner of the was broken up by Westminster Mike Leigh. It was in the Fitzroy in bar on the left." Council's sheriff. The decision to Shiv Its headquarters were on the Charlotte Street that he was Davin also recalled asking keep it open had been lost by site of the former Scala theatre introduced to the painter and Dylan why he had named his just two votes on the council. and cinema. model , whose book "Portrait of the Artist as a Pharmacy An attempt by the council to Capital Radio documentary successful autobiography was Young Dog" parodying that of get the sit-in declared illegal 70 Great Titchfield Street broadcaster Jane Walmsley called the Laughing Torso. She James Joyce's "Portrait of the failed when a High Court judge revealed: "My first ever docu- asked him if he had read it. Artist as a Young Man." Dylan London W1W 7QN said the occupiers would obvi- mentary was about the squalid "Read it?" he replied. "I cer- claimed he had never read ously not damage the library as Prescriptions conditions that guest hotel tainly have. Had to review it for Joyce, which was proved to be they were trying to defend it. workers lived under in Gower a Welsh newspaper and the edi- untrue. Multivitamins As soon as the council evict- Street hostels. The buildings tor was sued for it, so I was "I already knew from much ed the protesters it crated up all Herbal Medications looked so nice on the outside, sacked." listening to Dylan that he was the books and took them away, but inside they were horrific Indeed in 1933 he had writ- from time to time overcome by a Natural and and suspended two of the with rats running around. ten in the South Wales Evening strange compulsion to give eva- Homeopathic library staff who had supported "The hotel workers had been Post referring to Nina as "the sive answers to simple ques- the occupation in their own produce recruited under legally question- author of the banned book tions, invent unnecessary false- time. able circumstances from places Laughing Torso." As it was not hoods, construct complicated A memorial service was held such as the Philippines. Once banned the paper had to run an fantasies, as if there was some- Friendly Medical to the recently deceased poet over here they had no money apology and Dylan was sacked. thing too boring about simple James Meary Tambimuttu, who Advice and were told they had to pay He later exaggerated the inci- truth, or as if the muscles of his was acknowledged in the Open Monday to Friday back their fare money. They dent, claiming: "I ran the imagination occasionally insist- Oxford English Dictionary as 8.30am to 6pm were completely and utterly Northcliffe Press into a libel suit ed on flexing themselves howev- coining the name "Fitzrovia". He trapped and unable to do any- by calling Miss Hamnett insane. er inappropriate the occasion," Tel/Fax arrived from Ceylon (now Sri thing about their living condi- Apparently she wasn't, that was explained Davin. Lanka) in 1938, sheltered in tions. It was tantamount to the trouble." The book also contains some 020 7580 2393 Gower Street for two days, then being in prison." Also in this book is The fine watercolour pictures of moved to 45 Howland Street. Wheatsheaf in Rathbone Place these two pubs (and the Stags [email protected] (From Fitzrovia Neighbourhood (From Fitzrovia News, where Dylan famously met his Head at 102 New Cavendish News, April 1984) March 1994) future wife Caitlin Macnamara. Street) by Wyn Thomas. FN132_master_Fitz News - Sharman Tabloid - Editors Layout 289x400 02/03/2014 17:34 Page 20

20 — Fitzrovia News issue 132 Spring 2014 facebook.com/FitzroviaNews :: twitter.com/FitzroviaNews WHAT’S ON AROUND FITZROVIA Email [email protected] by May 19 for the June 2014 issue, and put "Listings" in the subject box.

Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre: The LIVE MUSIC Witch of Edmonton, March 13-22. EXHIBITIONS British Museum, Great Russell The Albany, 240 Great Portland St Street (www.britishmuseum.org): (www.thealbanyw1w.co.uk): UCL, Jeremy Bentham Room, Beyond El Dorado: power and Ukeleles on Wednesdays. Wilkins Building, Gower St: The Tragedy of Thomas Merry, March gold in ancient Colombia, until March 23. From temple to home, Jet Lag, 125 Cleveland St: Jamming 21, 7-8.30pm. until May 25. Wise men from the on Mondays 7pm, blues and boo- east, until April 27. Roman war gie on Thursdays 8pm. CINEMA/FILM games, until April 27. The faacial reconstruction of Richard III, until King & Queen, 1 Foley St : Folk Bolivar Hall, 54 Grafton Way March 16. Germany divided, until once a month on Fridays (visit web (www.cultura.embavenez-uk.org): August 31. A Middle East mustradclub.co.uk). The Shock Doctrine, and The Doctors' Revolution (Cuba), March menagerie, until May 18. Bolivar Hall, 54 Grafton Way TCR Bar, 182 Tottenham Court Rd: 8, 11am; The Mexican Suitcase, and (www.cultura.embavenez-uk.org): See “live mike” under karaoke. Who are the Angola 3, April 13, 11am; Even the Rain (Bolivia), and For Now... And Forever, photo exhibition celebrating the life of The 100 Club, 100 Oxford Street What is a Scam? May 11, 11am. Hugo Chavez, from March 5. (www.the100club.co.uk): The Sex Grant Museum of Zoology, 21 Pistols Experience + Lizzie & The Green Man, 36 Riding House St: The Sex Pistols Experience: See 100 Club under Live Music. University Street Banshees, March 8. Howling Owl London Animation Club, first Lazarides Gallery, 11 Rathbone (www.ucl.ac.uk/museums/zoolo- "Let The Dog See The Rabbit" Tuesday of month. ART GALLERIES gy): Darwin or Bust, entries for a Place (lazinc.com): Brett album launch, March 12. Stompin, 4 Windmill St (4windmill- new bust of Darwin, on display Armory's Twenty-Four in Jay Craig & his Orchestra, March Odeon, 30 Tottenham Court Road: until April 2. street.com): See web. London, March 7-April 3. 17. Straight On Red, March 19. Weekly film details from Royal Institute of British Alison Jacques Gallery, 18 Modern Art, 6 Fitzroy Square Ultrasound, March 20. Northern www.odeon.co.uk or 08712 244007. Architects, Gallery One, 66 Berners St (modernart.net): See web. Soul All-Nighter, March 22, 11pm- (alisonjacquesgallery.com): Ryan National Print Gallery, 56 6am. I am Giant, March 24. The Screen @ Rada, Malet St, opposite (www.architecture.com): The Brits Mosley, until March 15. Tomory Spellkasters, Bare Bones Boogie Birkbeck College (www.rada.org): Maple St Who Built The Modern World, Dodge, March 21-April 17. (nationalprintgallery.com): Band and other bljues bands, War Horse (National Theatre Live), April 3, 7pm. King Lear 1950-2012, until May 27. Art First Projects, 21 Eastcastle Darren Coffield, April 11, 6-9pm March 25. The Mighty Wub, March (National Theatre Live), May 8, UCL, Gower Street St (artfirst.co.uk): Simon Morley, (at 15 Bateman Street). 29. 7pm. Art Museum, South Clister, plus Lewis Betts & Jean Philippe Paradise Row, 74 Newman St Wilkins Building: Time Based UCL Chamber Music Club, Dordolo, until March 22. (paradiserow.com): Mystic Fire Media, until March 28. Haldane Room, Main Campus, UCL film screenings Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and (several American artists), until Main Library, Wilkins Building: Gower Street (www.ucl.ac.uk): Kate MiCrickard, March 26-May April 4. Art and Honour (contemporary (www.ucl.ac.uk/chamber-music): Petrie Museum, Malet St: The 17. impressions of world war one) Pilar Corrias, 54 Eastcastle St Concert, March 13, 1.10-1.55pm. Collector (classical psychological Coningsby Gallery/Debut Art, until December 19. (pilarcorrias.com): Tala Madani, Concert marking centenary of out- thriller starring Terrance Stamp), Octagon Gallery, Wilkins 30 Tottenham St (coningsby- Abstract Pussy, until April 26. break of World War I, March 18, March 20, 6-8.30pm. Building: Collecting Knowledge in gallery.com): Joe Wilson, March Rebecca Hossack Gallery (1), 2a 5.30-6.30pm. 24-April 4. Conway St (r-h-g.co.uk): Motion, until June 21. KARAOKE Wellcome Library, 183 Euston Curwen Gallery, 34 Windmill St Gilchrist Fischer Award Finalists THEATRE TCR Bar, 182 Tottenham Court Road (curwengallery.com): Robin Exhibition, until March 29. Rd: Live mike for singers to live (www.wellcomecollection.org): Richmond, March 6-29. Bernard Rebecca Hossack Gallery (2), 28 , 15 Gordon backing band, Thurdays, 7pm. Foreign Bodies, Common Ground, Dunstan, Naomi Blake, April 2- Charlotte St (r-h-g.co.uk): Street (www.thebloomsbury.com): Hair, March 6-8. Unknown, March One Tun, 58 Goodge St: Last until March 16. 26. Katharine Holmes, Robin Anastasia Lennon, In Another 13-15. The Snowmaiden, March 24- Olins, May 1-31. Saturday of month. Life, until March 15. 29. Funny Brains, April 3. Andrew TALKS England & Co, 90-92 Great Regina Gallery, 22 Eastcastle St Lawrence, April 4-5. One Night Portland St (reginagallery.com): See web. Stanshall, April 8. Stand Up on LIVE COMEDY Sohemian Society, Wheatsheaf, 25 (englandgallery.com): Exploding Rathbone Place: 1914, March 10. Rook and Raven, 7 Rathbone Everest Fundraiser, April 9. College Arms, 18 Store St: Galaxy, until March 8. Sir Dennis Wheatley, March 17. Alan Place (rookandraven.co.uk): Paul Mondays at 8pm. Francis Rose & Volker Johnson, May 21. Dylan Thomas, Fryer, from March 8. Cumulus, Camden People's Theatre, 58-60 Fitzroy Tavern, 16 Charlotte St: Eichelmann, March 14-April 5. from March 21. Road (www.cpthe- June 9. All at 7.30pm. Wednesdays at 7.30pm in base- UCL, Darwin Theatre Jack Bilbo & Ben Woodeson, Rose Issa Projects, 82 Great atre.co.uk): Up Close and Pesonal, , Gower ment. Street, entrance in Malet Place April 11-May 3. Portland St (roseissa.com): a whole night of intimate interac- Wheatsheaf, 25 Rathbone Place: (www.ucl.ac.uk/events): Lunch Gallery Different, 14 Percy St tive theatre, March 21, 7.30. Affairs Parastou Forouhar, Kiss Me, Improvisation on Thursdays, hour lectures (1.15 to 1.55 pm) - (gallerydifferent.co.uk): My (there is no such thing as safe sex), until March 28. 8.30pm, and stand-up on Counting Sheep: The Science of Point of View, Paul Bennet, March 6-7, 7.30. One (playful poke Rosenfeld Porcini, 37 Rathbone Saturdays, 7.30pm upstairs. Sleep, March 14. Energy and Cliate Denis Bowen, Garry Raymond- St (rosenfeldporcini.com): at stereotypes), March 6-7, 9pm. My Son & Heir (an anarchic cele- Change, March 19. The ipact of Pereira, Robin Richmond, Guy Enrique Brinkman, Painting in bration of the everyday heroism of immigration: fact or fiction? March Portelli, Matt Small, Julie Space, until March 29. Robert parenthood), March 8, 7pm. PUB QUIZZES 20. The end of passwords, March Chamberlain, until April 22. Muntean, April 4-May 31. The Albany, 240 Great Portland 25. Gallery at 94, 94 Cleveland St UCL, GO8 Lecture Theatre Richard Saltoun, 111 Great , 269 Tottenham St: Every Tuesday. , (galleryat94.com): See web. Chadwick Building, Gower St: Titchfield St Court Road (www.dominionthe- The Court, 108a Tottenham Gallery Libby Sellers, 41 Legacies of European Colonial (richardsaltoun.com): Viennese atre.co.uk): We Will Rock You, Court Rd: Sundays 8pm, £100 Berners St (libbysellers.com): Slavery, March 12, 6-8pm. Season - Gunter Brus, Otto ongoing. prize. Anton Alvarez, Wrapper's UCL, AV Hill Lectue Theatre, Muhl, Hermann Nitsch, Rudolf One Tun, 58 Goodge St: Every Delight, until April 17. Schwarzkogler, March 6-April 4. , Argyll Street Medical Sciences Building, Gower Tuesday, 8pm. st: Are e-petitions the junk food of Getty Images Gallery, 46 Store Street Gallery, 32 Store St (www.the-london-palladium.com): Prince of Wales Feathers, 8 demorcracy, March 20, 5.30-7 pm. Eastcastle St (gettyimages- I Can't Sing! ongoing. (storestreetgallery.com): See Warren St: Every Monday, 7pm. Grant Museum of Zoology, 21 gallery.com): Slim Aaron's web. New Diorama Theatre, 15 Triton University Street Riviera, from March 15. T J Boulting 59 Riding House St (www.ucl.ac.uk/museums/zoolo- Hanmi Gallery, 30 Maple St (tjboulting.com): Adam St, opposite top of Fitzroy St OTHER EVENTS (www.newdiorama.com): Blue gy): Show'n'Tell, Henry Ferguson- (hanmigallery.co.uk): See web. Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin, UCL, J Z Lecture Theatre, Gower Remembered Hills (seven-year- Gow shows you his favourite Josh Lilley, 44 Riding House St St: Animal, Vegetable Mineral, until March 8. Group painters olds in wartime west country), insect and tells you about it (first (joshlilleygallery.com): Nicholas recreation of classic TV panel game show from early April. until March 15. of a series), March 6. 1pm. Hatfull, until April 11. Woolff Gallery, 89 Charlotte St identifying mystery specimens and artefacts, March 27, 6.30-9pm. Laure Genillard, 2 Hanway (woolffgallery.co.uk): Abstract RADA, Malet Street, opposite WALKS Coopers, 22 Cleveland St: Charles Place (lglondon.org): See web. Group Exhibition, artists from Birkbeck College (www.rada.org): Dickens evening, with guest Wheatsheaf, 25 Rathbone Place: Canada, UK, USA, Chile, and Gielguid Theatre: The Five Wives speaker Dr Richardson, March 28, London Literary Pub Crawl, New Zealand, until March of Maurice Pinder, March 11-22. Advertise in Fitzrovia News book on 0207 580 9658. every Saturday, 5pm. Book 21.Keith Haynes solo show, from GBS Theatre: Mad To Go, March Smart App-Artment, 41 Windmill online [email protected] March 27. 12-22. St: Open Day, March 20, 9am-8pm. LondonLiteraryPubCrawl.com