NEWS IN BRIEF OUTWITH AGENCY The Strathbungo Society A quarterly newsletter A Creative Soothing Space on the Queen’s Park and the wide boulevard of Victoria Road, one AUTUMN 2019 A round up of all things Strathbungo: this quarter’s bite-sized Bungo business! Southside thing that surprised Natalie was the way some West Enders viewed the Southside and Govanhill in particular: ‘Some As the Southside changes so new and enterprising initiatives West Enders told me crossing to the Southside would give emerge. One of the most interesting is the Outwith Agency, on them a ‘nosebleed’. It didn’t tally with the friendly, warm and THE END OF A BUNGO ERA AS SUSIE’S RUM DIARIES would have a good chance of finding it Albert Road, set up by Natalie Whittle. This is a welcoming characterful place that I found myself living in.’ Rum Diaries Presents Writers’ Block in Aume. The shop is situated across space where people can come to write, think, reflect, have a STORE CLOSES Now in its fifth year, the Rum Diaries the road from Gnom. If you have yet bit of creative and/or quiet time, and something to have a tea, The Outwith Agency is open and welcomes visits at 14 Albert continues to support and nurture to visit, drop buy and say hello to the coffee and cake. Road, Wednesday-Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 11.30am- Another page in Strathbungo’s history turned on 20 July. brand new writing with page to stage friendly proprieter who will talk you 5pm and details: www.theoutwithagency.co.uk rehearsed readings. “We approached through what she has in stock and Natalie explains that: The idea behind the Outwith Agency is the Rum Shack and pitched our idea of let you know about items she plans that everyone has an ‘unwritten’ part of their life. Something putting on a once a month performance to order in the run up to Christmas. they always promised themselves they’d finally get round to night, promoting new writing. It was writing - a short story, a novel, or an essay.’ My thinking has incredibly important to find a Southside been that: ‘I wanted to create a writing environment that is venue and we were hugely chuffed soothing and a little bit sociable at the same time.’ when they said yes.” said Glen Dickson, Co-organiser of the Rum Diaries. The Natalie moved to Govanhill from London because ‘It’s got a Rum Diaries provides and opportunity brilliant mix of people, with lots of young writers, artists and for new and established writers to other new business owners who are very supportive of one NEW CO-EDITOR - show work-in-progress performances another.’ VIVIENNE WILSON and to test drive them in front of a Our new co-editor, Vivienne Wilson, live audience to get honest, immediate Apart from the beautiful views of Campsie Glen from has lived in the Southside for 24 years feedback. The pieces are prformed by and has been based in Strathbungo for professional actors and some of the the past five and a half of them. She is a writers themselves. Drama, prose, Chartered Public Relations Practitioner poetry, spoken word, stand up, short LOCAL LISTINGS and has worked for the NHS for twelve films and music videos are all on show. years. Most people will have heard Established writers such as Robin Ince about her PR campaigns on public (comedian and writer), Ewan Morrison 16 - 22 SEPT 29 SEPT 9 OCT health issues like alcohol consumption, (novelist) and Victoria Madden (award Doors Open Days Glasgow Park Lane Market Glad Cafe Quiz Night Healthy Working Lives and cancer winning TV and screen writer) have Various Southside Pollokshaws Road Glad Cafe screening through TV and radio news all premiered original work at Rum Locations Joe and Gurmet Deo, the husband and wife who ran Susie’s the original shop in Maxwell Road just a few yards up from or from reading newspapers or news Diaries nights. Diaries presents team MARIANNE HERALDS Store called it a day after an astounding thirty-five years of Kenmure Street.’ From this start they then ‘moved to the websites. Locally, Vivienne sits on the members are Glen Dickson, Vince STRATHBUNGO 28 SEPT 5 OCT 29 OCT serving customers. In an intimate occasion to mark their Strathbungo bridge’ site and the rest is history. board of Govanhill Baths Community Docherty and Karen Fraser. If you Local journalist, Marianne Taylor, has Southside Artist & Makers Southside Soul Strathbungo Society AGM long relationship with Strathbungo, local society chair Jane Trust and runs the monthly Southside would like to submit a piece of writing, done her bit to make us Strathbungo Market Pollokshields Ex- Queens Park Church Carolan presented Joe and Gurmet with a bouquet of flowers Strathbungo Station was closed to passengers permanently on Record Club, which meets at Some please send it to: rumdiaries2014@ residents the envy of the rest of McNeill’s Bar Servicemen’s Club and a plaque. 28 May 1962 having opened on 1 December 1877: fifteen years Great Reward, with Gerry Hassan. She gmail.com. If you would like to come Scotland by writing an article short of a century. can occasionally be spotted performing and be an audience member or would championing the neighbourhood. In response Joe said that ‘he and his wife had been poems at local literary evenings and is like more information, please join the Her piece appeared in the Scottish overwhelmed in their final week with people coming in We await what future the building that housed Susie’s Store a member of two southside book groups. Rum Diaries group on Facebook. Life section of the Sunday Herald and thanking them, handing in cards and wishing them the best has, but all of us will wish Joe and Gurmet a very happy and Born in London to a Gibraltarian explained where the best places to for their future.’ well-deserved retirement. mother and Mancunian father, she eat, drink and shop are locally and lived in different parts of the UK as a what there is to do in Strathbungo. Susie’s served many of the local needs of the community for child and has a degree in Drama and Marianne states: “This area has it STRATHBUNGO NEWS many years before Sainsbury’s opened and had a host of loyal English, which she managed to gain all: an enviable food and drink scene, and older customers to the end. despite active participation in the early great architecture, a much-loved park Madchester years. She also trained in and a strong community spirit.” Published quarterly by Distribution Imelda Devlin The history of what became Susie’s has a longer history even photography alongside Sam Taylor- The Strathbungo Society than Joe and Gurmet. ‘Susie’s Store’ opened in 1968 emerging Johnson and worked on plays with Sean Registered Charity No. SC038276 Contributors James Spooner, Jane Carolan out of the building of Strathbungo Station. Originally the O’Brien while she was still at school. Andrew Downie, Alison Hunter smaller part of the building nearer the Bungo was Susie’s and “Now that my children have grown AUME www.strathbungo.co.uk the bigger part, including most of the former booking room, up, it’s time for me to do things I’m A new shop selling high quality Send letters and brief articles of general interest was a compressor engineers. interested in and to turn my attention home wares such as vases, candles, Editors Gerry Hassan and Vivienne Wilson to: [email protected] to my local community.” said Vivienne. crockery and glasses has opened up Local Douglas Robertson remembered that: ‘Susie’s was She has previously written for Louder on Pollokshaws Road. Items for sale Layout Katherine Cory owned by Mirza Beag and his wife Susie: hence the name Than War and M62 magazine. You can are stylish and well-crafted. If you are Susie’s. Mirza was a bus driver and Susie was a conductress follow her on twitter: @Viviennewilson looking for an impressive gift to present who took the fares. They chucked the buses and opened and Instagram: @social6thdecade. to a relative or friend, you would have STRATHBUNGO NEEDS YOU! THE INSPIRING STORY OF JANE HAINING GOVANHILL CELEBRATES ITS THIRD CARNIVAL AND FESTIVAL The Strathbungo Society has always We are trying not to be simply re-active, but to look toward Local author Mary Miller has written prided itself on its twin objectives. Green initiatives that can improve life along the lanes . a book telling a story that needed Govanhill International Carnival and Can you help out ? To keep the Society going, we have a to be told - that of Jane Haining. Festival continues to go from strength committee that meets regularly . We need volunteers for to strength. On the one hand it fosters a community spirit and good the committee, but that is not everyone’s cup of tea. We Haining grew up in Galloway and went to work in the Scottish neighbourliness among the residents of the squares and need articles for the newsletter, deliverers , Brighter Bungo Jewish Mission School in Budapest, Hungary, in 1932, after Govanhill International Carnival and Festival continues to go surrounding area . And on the other hand it promotes volunteers ....And we need to hear from our residents about living in Pollokshields and being an active member of the from strength to strength. Now in its third year, it includes conservation and regeneration , and protection of the how we are doing , and whether there are things that we need congregation in Queens Park Church (where commemorative the annual carnival and celebration in Queen’s Park, a host environment in our area.