EC1 ECHO APR/MAY 2021 N 9 FREE NEWS FEATURES HISTORY EC1Echo.co.uk Migrateful’s new Lights, camera and A walk along EC1’s @EC1Echo cookery school action – Clerkenwell elusive aqueduct – opens shortly on film the New River EC1Echo@ /EC1Echo P 5 P 12–13 P 14–15 peelinstitute.org.uk Filming ‘The Last Letter’ in Wilmington Square © Filmfixer Welcome to ‘Clerkenwood’ The EC1 area has long been attractive to filmmakers seeking a historic location. Here, EC1 Echo finds out why the area is such a draw BY OLIVER BENNETT here thanks to company FilmFixer With its historic ambience, many How do they mask off modern life? which is, says senior film officer Tim films in Clerkenwell are period dra- “Obviously, visual effects take place With Georgian streets and squares, Reynard, “a third party contractor mas. “Obviously, the architecture and productions do use a ‘green normally busy cafes and streets, and that manages 14 London boroughs, lends itself very well to those kinds screen’,” says Tim. “But it’s abso- a number of period estates and tower including Islington.” of production,” says Tim. “Popular lutely remarkable what they can add blocks, Clerkenwell is one of those With staff that are all passionate locations include Exmouth Market, and remove, whether it’s a parking versatile areas that offer locations for about film, working for FilmFixer is Clerkenwell Green and Clerkenwell sign, yellow lines on a road – which many kinds of films. rewarding. “Everybody’s got a film Close, where the church and build- can be completely covered – or street Hence the high numbers of film and TV background,” says Tim. “It’s a ings really lend themselves well to lights.” Sometimes, a film’s director of crews in the area – and they’re mostly great feeling to bring a production off.” period dramas.” Continued on Page–13 EC1 ECHO NO.9 April/May 2021 Bevin Court staircase by N 9 NEWS 2 Dieter Wagner (over 65s) COLUMN 3 APR / Tom Neumark is leaving The Peel Tech giant moving to Farringdon Barbican due after four exciting years including MAY igns of life are creep- a revamp ing back into Far- supporting the launch of EC1 Echo. ringdon. The video 2021 app company TikTok Although the Centre Here, he says goodbye and notes the is taking space above the new for Music has been st st S 1 Apr 31 May Farringdon East Crossrail cancelled, the Barbican changes he’s seen in Clerkenwell station in Smithfield. The new Centre is now to get a Waning Waning office, called The Kaleido- o plan survives being Gibbous Gibbous scope building, is being seen major refurbishment punched in the mouth, as 81% / 0.55 69% / 0.52 as a vote of confidence in the lans for a £288m London Nthe old saying goes. This post-Covid office climate and Centre for Music – which past year feels as though we’ve TikTok expects to move in Pwas to have been on the site all been punched in the mouth. EC1 Echo is the 2022 with some 850 employ- currently occupied by the Museum of How will we respond, what type area's free community ees. Matthew Bonning-Snook London after the museum’s move to of neighbourhood will we create? newspaper. We of the developers Helical, said: West Smithfield – have been axed in Do we need a plan? publish bi-monthly “TikTok is a perfect business favour of an upgrade to the Barbican It’s a difficult question, not least and distribute 7,500 for both the building and the Centre, which will celebrate its 40th because even before Covid, Clerken- free copies of each area’s ambition to be a destina- anniversary next year. well never felt to me like a place that tion for culture and creativity.” Although the concert hall had EC1 photography competition loves plans. It’s a messy, organic, issue – and we will TikTok joins other tech giants been seen as an upgrade from the higgledy-piggledy kind of place. It continue to do so in the EC1 area, most notably become the first central Lon- Crossrail chief executive said: Barbican Centre’s concert hall, the gets off to an encouraging start feels easier to say what we’re not, people that want to build a more during the ongoing Linkedin, which is in The Ray don station be handed over to “I am delighted that Farringdon anticipated expenditure after a year pictures are taken in Clerkenwell part of Metro’s long established than what we are, or what we want connected community for us all. BY CHRIS WALKER public health crisis. building in Farringdon Road. Transport for London, pending station has been handed over to of Covid and the departure of its or EC1. There is also a special mentorship programme. to be. We’re not the City, we’re not Then Covid hit us all like a punch Meanwhile, the Farringdon Crossrail’s expected opening London Underground, this is a main cheerleader, the conductor n our last edition we featured £100 prize for the image that best The competition is being sup- the West End and we’re not quite to the mouth and all our plans had Publisher East Crossrail Station has later next year. Mark Wild, huge milestone for Crossrail.” Sir Simon Rattle from the London news of a new local photog- captures the phrase ‘Connected ported by The Peel and EC1 Echo East London. What are we? to be rewritten. The past year has David Floyd Symphony Orchestra (LSO) to Iraphy competition. Now Community’. This is based, says alongside some great sponsors This defiant character has pro- shown everyone both the pain that Munich are thought to have been the Clerkenwell Community Sara Bloch of The Peel, on its and highly recognised judges. duced some incredible things. loneliness and isolation can cause, Editor contributory factors. Photography Competition is “mission for more than 100 years “The competition runs until We’re an area that’s known for and the power of our community. Oliver Bennett Blocks left without heating Instead the City of London is to up and running and has already to make Clerkenwell a more con- July,” says Chris. “The best way creativity, for craft and for radical- We’ve seen office buildings and Designer BY ED SHERIDAN, tinuous failures of their heating in Central Street. revamp the Barbican Centre. attracted some great entries, a nected community.” to keep up-to-date is to keep ism. A place for people to dance, restaurants stand empty, but we’ve Jonathan Duncan LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTER and hot water. Council officers were also crit- “We’re delighted that a major few of which are featured here. Clerkenwell has a great photog- visiting the website. Sign up to study and to design. So much also seen hundreds of volunteers Head of Operations “What would happen is icised, with communications project to renew the Barbican Aimed at everyone from school- raphy heritage. Kodak’s factory to the Newsletter, which will of what makes this an amazing mobilised, hot meals delivered and ouncillors on Isling- Gem, the contractors for with residents on the issue will be launched in 2022, its children with camera phones, and storefront once sat at 41–43 include news of spot prizes, part of the world seems to be Zoom classes attended. Paige Ballmi ton’s housing scru- repairs, would turn up, they slated by Graham as “bloody 40th anniversary, updating to older people with point-and- Clerkenwell Road and many special offers, tips and online impossible to capture in a plan or The Peel has been delighted to play Engagement Manager tiny committee have would get it working, leave condescending”. our iconic venue in line with shoot cameras and pros with all commercial photographers have talks from professionals” a strategy or document. it’s part in this. We’ve all learned a Penny Dampier hit out at both hous- the site, then 10 minutes later The councillor accused cer- sustainability, climate action, the kit, the initiative is intended set up their studios here. The I am now stepping down as CEO lot and I am sure that if we had our Cing officers and contractors over I’m getting another call saying tain officers of “total disre- and the ever-changing needs of to let people share what Clerken- world famous Magnum Photos of The Peel so I will not be con- time over we would have done some Contributors significant communal heating it’s gone down again. Then it spect” in a meeting held on 2 audiences, communities, and our well means to them. are in Clerkenwell, as is Metro tributing my voice to future con- things differently. But let’s hope we Ed Sheridan, Chris Walker, failures on two council-run would take forever for them to March in which his representa- many performers, including our The inclusive, non-profit Imaging – both of whom are versations. I have led The Peel for do not have this time all over again! Tom Neumark, Deiter Wagner, estates in the borough. come back. tion of residents is said to have superb resident orchestra, the competition will be free involved with the project. As part four years. It’s been such a joy to It has been great working with vol- T. Barrington, Gisela Meyer, To get in touch: Residents at the Redbrick “This shouldn’t be happen- provoked eye-rolling amongst LSO,” said Sir Nicholas Kenyon, to enter and will have four of our partnership with Metro Email photographyawards@ witness firsthand the wonders our unteers from all walks of life, setting Yen-Yen Teh, Sean McGovern, peelinstitute.org.uk David Wilcox, Carrie Supple, Estate, Old Street EC1 and ing.