BARBICAN COVER _proof 30/05/2017 10:00 Page 1 Summer 2017 The Magazine for Barbican Residents Blake Tower: First Residents Move In Barbicania n Camden Gin Distillery n The Thomson Way n 4 Hobs n Restaurant Reviews Theatre Previews n Health and the City n A Barbican Flat Design n Oenophilia n Insight Legal Matters n Decor and Design n News Review n View from St Giles n Personal Finance BA Discounts n Flatwatch n Afterthoughts ABRA018_BarbicanMag _AD6 9/5/07 6:04 pm Page 1 smooth operators you’ll feel comfortable, relaxed and refreshed • regular cleaning services daily, when you come back to your home or weekly, monthly. company flat cleaned by abracadabra. • intensive cleaning. • tailored company apartment because you’ll find our standards are as high services. as yours and we are committed to providing • hand finished laundry and you with a reliable, high quality cleaning dry cleaning. service tailored to fit your busy lifestyle. • carpets, curtains, upholstery. • painting and decorating. so put your feet up, give us a call and relax • all staff full-time. in full confidence that we’ll take good care • all services fully insured of you and your home. and guaranteed. • commercial services for a prompt and courteous response call us today: 020 7336 7686 10 glasshouse yard, barbican, london ec1a 4jn serving the www.abraserve.co.uk barbican since 1981 CONTENTS_proof 30/05/2017 10:04 Page 1 Volume 14 No. 2 Summer 2017 The Magazine for Barbican Residents THE BARBICAN ASSOCIATION Contents Officers Features Chair Jane Smith, 307 Seddon House 7628 9132 Deputy Chair Helen Kay, 403 Willoughby House 07922 615573 Secretary Christopher Makin, 21 Speed House 7920 9475 7 Treasurer Tony Swanson 151 Lauderdale Tower 07736 849425 COVER STORY Assistant Treasurer Nigel Dixon, 703 Frobisher Crescent 0203 419 0751 Cover Picture: Membership Secretary Kai Virtanen, 6 Speed House 07765932501 Blake Tower: First Residents Move In : Blake Tower – the Assistant Treasurer Nigel Dixon 703 Frobisher Crescent 7256 8429 The Barbican’s new tower block saw its first Barbican’s newest tower block nears redesign Social Secretary Tony Croot, 316 Bunyan Court 7638 5215 residents move in during April and May and the Auditor Richard Godber, 67 Defoe House. construction completion Subcommittee and Working Group Chairs final penthouse has been released onto the and residents are already moving in. Access and Walkways Robert Barker, 33 Lauderdale Tower 7588 3694 market. Arts Centre Group Jane Smith, 307 Seddon House 7628 9132 10 Communications Gillian Laidlaw, 309 Mountjoy House 7638 0069 A G&T with Tea – Regulars Crossrail Jane Smith, 307 Seddon House 7628 9132 Reviving Camden Lock’s Gin Glory Cultural Hub Jane Smith, 307 Seddon House 7628 9132 5 Barbicania Estate Security David Bradshaw, 143 Cromwell Tower 7638 3005 The editor visits the Half Hitch gin micro distillery at 16 4 Hobs in a Row Licensing Robert Barker, 33 Lauderdale Tower 7588 3694 Camden Lock which produces an award-winning London Underground Richard Collins, 4 Lambert Jones Mews 07546 653009 sipping gin and brings back gin making to one of 34 Theatre Previews Planning Helen Kay, 403 Willoughby House 07922 615573 London’s biggest historical gin-distilling locations. 37 Health and the City Sustainability/Air Quality Sarah Hudson, 192 Shakespeare Tower 7628 5377 38 Coach Corner Bernard Morgan Liaison Fred Rodgers, 100 Breton House 7374 4277 14 LWP/21 Moorfields/Moor Place Helen Kay, 403 Willoughby House 07922 615573 The Thomson Brothers Way 40 Oenophilia Ted Reilly, 192 Shakespeare House 7628 5377 Barbican resident Dr Max Pemberton* guides 42 Insight Arts Review Elected General Council Members Randall Anderson, David Bradshaw, Paul Clifford, Sarah Hudson, Helen Kay, David Kirkby, us through Luke Thomson’s Lauderdale Tower 44 Legal Matters Tim Macer, Christopher Makin, Mark Mallindine, Jane Smith flat and tells us more about the Thomson 47 Decor and Design House Group Representatives Brothers ethos 49 News Review Andrewes House * Mary Jo Hickman [co-chair] [email protected] 18 54 View from St Giles Natalie Robinson [co-chair, 7 Andrewes House 7920 0599 Ben Jonson House * Bruce Badger 338 Ben Jonson House 07726 450183 Restaurants for Carnivores (mostly) 55 Personal Finance Breton House John Whitehead 111 Breton House 7628 3887 Jennie Blouet and Helen Hudson review some 56 BA Discount Scheme Bryer Court John Taysum 701 Bryer Court 07768737131 excellent local area restaurants and we present 59 Barbican Flatwatch Bunyan Court* Gordon Griffiths 312 Bunyan Court 7588 2900 news of some new openings, closures and Cromwell Tower * John Tomlinson 133 Cromwell Tower 7628 3657 64 Afterthoughts Defoe House * Helen Hudson 15 Defoe House 07842 235268 afternoon teas! Barbican Life is published Frobisher Crescent * Jenny Addison 710 Frobisher Crescent 02072568911 39 by the Barbican Gilbert House * Ian Dixon [co chair] 407 Gilbert House 7628 4107 A Barbican Flat Renovation Association for all Nadia Bouzidi [co chair] [email protected] Barbican residents. John Trundle Court Janet Wells 14 John Trundle Court 7628 8602 With the Barbican residential complex having Additional copies are Lambert Jones Mews Richard Collins 4 Lambert Jones Mews 07546 653009 been built over 45 years ago, residents are available at £5.50 per copy, including UK Lauderdale Tower * Tony Swanson 151 Lauderdale Tower 077368 49425 increasingly looking at flat refurbishment and postage, from: Mountjoy House * Gillian Laidlaw 309 Mountjoy House 7638 0069 redesign. Here we look at the results achieved Barbican Life, 5 Brandon Seddon House * David Graves 209 Seddon House 7628 4371 Mews, Barbican, London by an Islington-based architect in redesigning a Shakespeare Tower * Lew Jackson 322 Shakespeare Tower 7628 4248 EC2Y 8BE Speed House* Christopher Makin 21 Speed House 7920 9475 one-bed type 20 flat in Thomas More House. Tel: 01883 714618 Email: [email protected] Thomas More House * Averil Baldwin 1 Thomas More House 7638 8740 Wallside * Mary Bonar 6 Wallside 07774 864419 Editor: Lawrence Williams Contributors/Assistance: Willoughby House* Hilary Sunman 124 Willoughby House 0207 374 6085 Email: [email protected] Ferhan Azman Adam Jefford Recognised Tenants Association Tel: 020 7588 0898 Jennie Blouet Kevin Kiernan Communications Group Mobile: 07853 836 623 Gillian Laidlaw 309 Mountjoy House 020 7638 0069 [email protected] John Causebrook Max Pemberton Advertising: Stephanie Ross David Kirkby 174 Defoe House 020 3419 0671 [email protected] Michele Cohen Stephanie Ross [email protected]• Robert McKay 352 Cromwell Tower 07885 917082 [email protected] Mobile: 07753 603601 Joe Coten Katharine Rumens Jane Smith 307 Seddon House 020 7628 9132 [email protected] Rebecca Crallan Kate West Maggie Urry 13 Lauderdale Tower 020 7588 1955 [email protected] Design: Sheldon-Mann Kai Virtanen 6 Speed House 07765 932501 [email protected] Email: [email protected] Michele Haynes Website Lawrence Williams 5 Brandon Mews 07853 836 623 [email protected] Tel: 01322 412157 Helen Hudson Helen Hudson Articles published, and opinions expressed, do not necessarily represent the views of Sarah Hudson Geoff Scapelhorn The Barbican Association. Contributed articles are welcome, but insertion depends on Print: The Buxton Press, Buxton space available and editorial needs. © Copyright 2017 The Barbican Association Estate agents in the heart of central London frankharris.co.uk LAUDERDALE TOWER, BARBICAN, EC2Y BRYER COURT, BARBICAN, EC2Y GUIDE PRICE £3,750,000 EPC: N/A GUIDE PRICE £575,000 EPC: N/A A RARE opportunity to acquire this three bedroom 7th floor barrel vaulted studio with kitchen, bathroom, & penthouse set over the top three floors. Approx 2376 sqft good size studio room that (with relevant permissions) can / 222.9 sqm (3032 sqft / 281.7 sqm including outside space) house a galleried sleeping area. (Approx 381 sqft / 35.4 sqm) 020 7600 7000 020 7600 7000 CLOTH COURT, ST BARTHOLOMEW, EC1A BLAKE TOWER, 2 FANN STREET, EC2Y PRICES £725,000 - £750,000 EPC: D ASKING PRICE £1,550,000 EPC: N/A Unusual boutique development of two self-contained, duplex, one Luxurious, three double bed apartment on 14th floor of this landmark bed apartments finished to an exceptionally specification whilst Grade II listed building with striking interiors by Conran & Partners, retaining the appealing Georgian ceiling height & large windows. far reaching views across the city. (Approx 1100 sqft / 102.2 sqm) 020 7600 7000 020 7600 7000 Barbican, City & Clerkenwell Bloomsbury, Kings Cross & Fitzrovia Holborn, Covent Garden & Soho South Bank & Waterloo 87 Long Lane, 81 Marchmont Street, 104 Southampton Row, 123 Stamford Street, London, EC1A 9ET London, WC1N 1AL London, WC1B 4BN London, SE1 9NN [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 020 7600 7000 020 7387 0077 020 7405 4444 020 7620 3400 FRANK HARRIS SALES SUMMER 17.indd 1 30/05/2017 11:16 Estate agents in the heart of central London frankharris.co.uk JOHN TRUNDLE COURT, BARBICAN EC2 BUNYAN COURT, BARBICAN EC2 £360PW £370PW An attractive large studio apartment on the favourable Bright and tranquil one bedroom apartment on the 3rd. side of the building overlooking the courtyard gardens. floor with a fully modernised interior and lovely views. Furnished. Furnished 020 7600 7000 020 7600 7000 SEDDON HOUSE, BARBICAN EC2 WILLOUGHBY HOUSE, BARBICAN EC2 £495PW £560PW Spacious one bedroom apartment which has undergone a Split-level