Free Saturday Parking in Forest Hill

Lewisham Council car parks will be free all day Saturday on 6th, 13th and 20th December 2014. This includes Pearcefield Avenue and Perry Vale car parks in Forest Hill.

This will give you a chance to load up on goodies in the wide range of independent business around Forest Hill. More information on some of the local shops can be found at http://totally-locally.co.uk/foresthill/category/hidden-gems/

The car parks are less than 10 minutes walk from Horniman Museum and Gardens which holds Saturday morning markets and many other exciting events.

The Edible High Road 2014

The Forest Hill Society joined with Chelsea Fringe’s Edible High Road scheme again this year when we distributed 100 tubs of plants sponsored by local businesses throughout Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park.

Linking with the RHS’s 50th ‘Golden’ anniversary of their ‘In Bloom’ competition, we chose sunflowers, poppy and strawberry seedlings and, at the station forecourt launch in May, accompanied by music from Holy Trinity School band, more than 200 vegetable plants donated by the Horniman Gardens were given away.

Has it been a success?   Well, many people stop to check the labels and admire the tubs.  The shopkeepers, on the whole, have been watering and are pleased (intrigued?) to see their sunflowers getting taller and taller - and the strawberries being popped into passing mouths!

So, yes, decorating the main streets of our town centre with plant life seems generally to be considered to be a good thing.

Going forward ... if the Edible High Road is about anything at all, it is to raise awareness of the simple way in which edible plant products can be produced.  

Anyone can grow their own using an old bucket, tub, window sill or grow bag and with little effort beyond regular watering the pleasure of watching seeds turn into things you can eat is immense.  It's an educational experience for children to observe the natural world evolving, especially those living in the inner cities.  It's good for children, too, to take responsibility for care of plants by becoming the official waterer or weeder.  In Forest Hill the local shopkeepers, having invested in procuring a tub, seem happy to take on this role too.

Forest Hill Traders’ Association

There’s been some exciting developments in Forest Hill over the last few years, and as traders we’re thrilled to witness the continued regeneration of our town centre and the increased visibility of our creative community.

Local regeneration was given a boost a couple of years ago when a group of residents and traders (including members of the Forest Hill Society) pitched for and won a Portas Pilot grant for high street regeneration in Forest Hill, Sydenham and Kirkdale. One of the scheme’s conditions was that each of the areas involved should have an active traders’ association, so we duly resurrected the then-dormant Forest Hill Traders’ Association in support of the new SEE3 initiative that was born as a result of securing the Portas funding.

In the words of the SEE3 website: “The Forest Hill, Sydenham and Kirkdale’s Portas Pilot vision is of a high-street where established independent traders are an integral part of the community, new traders bring innovation and further quality, boundaries between retail, culture and community blur, energy of active citizens is harnessed, new ideas are championed and space that is secured for start-up enterprises to develop is readily accessible.”

We’ve been proudly involved in the many SEE3 initiatives that have taken place since, from exciting pop-ups and new markets through to community events and the Forest Hill Fashion Week (visit http://www.see3.co.uk/ for more details). We believe the scheme’s benefits have been both tangible and highly visible, making our neighbourhood a more varied and interesting place to live.

Totally Locally is a nationwide social enterprise which provides “support for independent retailers with a free branding and marketing campaign for their town.”

One of our local traders (Serge Sumerling of B Cards on Darmouth Road) had the idea to establish a Totally Locally hub for Forest Hill (http://totally-locally.co.uk/foresthill/), and this has now become the online “home” for the Forest Hill Trader’s Association and its members: a place where people can learn about what Forest Hill businesses have to offer, and where they can keep abreast of forthcoming initiatives, special offers and events.

We’re excited about the forthcoming Forest Hill Film Festival, with some of our members hosting screenings and events, and we’re due to install a map outside the station that will encourage people to explore Forest Hill’s hidden retail and other gems - so keep an eye out!

We’re especially keen for new members to join us. Established businesses, newcomers, market traders and home businesses are all welcome. This is a relatively young organisation and you’ll get a chance to help shape the future of independent business in Forest Hill.

Please contact Julia Channon (allinnone@btconnect.com) if you’re interested in joining, or even if you’d just like to attend our next meeting.

Doopo Doopo and Forest Hill’s Creative Heart

Agata Zielinska-Hryn has transformed a neglected retail space on 15 Dartmouth Road into a colourful social enterprise supporting the creative community in Forest Hill and surrounding areas. Doopo Doopo sells a range of pieces (many locally themed) created by local artists and designers, whilst also offering workshops, events and film screenings to help people of all ages develop their skills and kindle a love for art and creativity.

“It's been said that there are over 600 artists in this area (Forest Hill, Honor Oak, Sydenham, Dulwich) so it's impossible to keep up,” says Agata. “I wanted to give people the opportunity first to display and sell their works, and also for residents of Forest Hill and beyond just to see what beautiful people and art we have in our area. I opened in April 2012, and in May we had the Dulwich Arts Festival and I remember one tiring but amazing weekend when I was dragging my girls behind me and we went through a hundred studios in two days - seeing all the artists, having quick conversations, introducing myself and my idea - asking whether they would be interested in displaying their works ... and that's how it all started really.”

Lowbrow art

With other venues like Canvas & Cream, The Montage, Stag & Bow and soon-to-open V22 at Louise House, there are plenty of opportunities to get creative in Forest Hill. Agata’s philosophy is that there’s room for everyone, and that they all benefit from this increasingly visible creative scene: “I’m happy just selling local artists and to be in the local community. We all know each other here [as traders]. It's so beautiful that you can walk the streets here and you're constantly saying hi to everyone.”

For Doopo Doopo, one important principle is what Agata likes to call “lowbrow” art: “My idea was to create an opportunity for people who may be a bit shy [to show their work]; or for older artists who never succeeded anywhere and became very introverted. So it's not just about having very well known artists and designers here - it's about helping people understand that art is subjective and if they think that they can create and if they feel good creating things, then maybe someone else will like it. Every single piece can have its own fans.”

Creative hub

These days Agata doesn’t need to head out and recruit people, because there’s a constant stream of locals who visit the shop eager to show their work. But selling art and design is only one part of what happens here. There are regular workshops for people interested in oil painting, guitar lessons, printing and jewellery making along with kids’ art classes. Also coming soon are courses in decoupage, lino printing, screen printing, t-shirt printing and up-cycling.

A large downstairs area is being refurbished and will be ready soon, offering studios for rent along with a space for events, theatre, exhibitions and cinema. Amongst the new tenants will be some local musicians and a tattoo studio. In the meantime Doopo Doopo is already active on the Forest Hill film scene through the Vortex Cinema Club which organises regular screenings and other film-related events. Keep an eye out for the Forest Hill Film Festival which kicks off on 14th July.

As a social enterprise, Doopo Doopo trades with an eye on supporting the local community, with clear guidelines stating that profits must be re-invested to further this social purpose. Social enterprises are not automatically entitled to financial assistance (such as business rates relief) from local councils, although this is something Agata and others are working to change. In the meantime the continued active support from the Forest Hill community is vital to ensure its survival, as indeed is true of all our local businesses.

In Doopo Doopo’s case, there’s an opportunity to own a piece of Forest Hill through buying locally-themed and locally-made art, and also to tap into the vibrant, creative community of artists, designers, musicians and filmmakers which together contribute to making Forest Hill an exciting place to live.

More information

• Shop, workshops, studios, exhibitions and events: www.doopodoopo.co.uk - 0203 632 5041 - 15 Dartmouth Road
• Film Festival and Vortex Cinema club: www.vortexcinemaclub.co.uk

John Parris, Parris Cues

Forest Hill Society support, promote and encourage local businesses. In each newsletter we plan to interview successful businesses in the community who are helping to make Forest Hill a vibrant and successful town centre.

Helen Wicks from the Forest Hill Society recently met local businessman John Parris, owner of Parris Cues who manufacture snooker cues in Church Vale Forest Hill.

Q. How did you get into the snooker cue trade?

It started as a hobby, I played snooker and started experimenting with repairs/ fiddling with snooker cues. I was asked by others to repair their cues and it progressed from there. It’s quite a niche market and there are not a lot of competitors just small ‘one man bands’. Obviously larger shops sell mass produced cues much more cheaply, but like any other sport, if you are serious and/or talented, bespoke equipment is recommended.

Q. Why Forest Hill?

I started in Bromley about 30 years ago. We outgrew our premises in Bromley and were looking for a larger site, and then found this building in Church Vale SE23 which was bigger with good transport links by road and rail into central London. Our premises in Forest Hill are very modest and many of our distinguished customers expect to see a grand showroom are surprised to find the business tucked away in the back streets of Forest Hill in an unglamorous shop. We are established here now, we like it – we have no plans to move.

Q. How many people do you employ?

It’s a family business run by myself and my wife and my son looks after the IT side of things. We employ 8 people including an apprentice and I will soon be looking for a second apprentice to work on a new leather snooker case line that I am introducing. I am fortunate to have a skilled and loyal workforce with very little staff turnover producing high quality cues.

Q. Who are your customers?

At the beginning we were basically providing cues to the UK market. During the 1980’s snooker was very popular in England…..thanks to Steve Davis and Jimmy White.

We are now a global business and 60% of our business is export. Our biggest customers are from China particularly Hong Kong, and also Brazil, Canada and Australia. The Crown Prince of Brunei has bought cues and flew me over to deliver them. He has even visited the showroom arriving in 3 limos …blocking Church Vale!

The internet has facilitated this success. We have invested a lot in our website and this has been an important way to reach the world market.

The fortunes of Parris Cues prospered during the 1980’s snooker boom and were further lifted by the Sporting Events Promoter Barry Hearn, who as chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association and the subsequent controlling interest in the commercial arm World Snooker Limited, revitalized the game from 6 tournaments a year to tournaments somewhere in the world every week.

Q. Any well known customers?

Yes, snooker players; Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Stephen Maguire, John Higgins, and Neil Robertson. Other celebrities who have bought cues include: Ronnie Wood, Damien Hirst and Ian Wright.

Have a look at our photos on the website!

www.parriscues.com/gallery

Q. So how did you manage to get such big names on your books?

It all started when I cornered Steve Davis at a tournament… I offered to produce a replica of a cue that he damaged in a tournament…and he liked it! From this stroke of good luck, I built up my reputation on recommendations and to add to this Steve has become a good friend.

Q. How many snooker cues do you make on average every year?

We manufacture about 1500 cues a year.

Q. What materials do you use?

I source wood for the cues from all over the world, exotic wood mainly, ash and maple from North America in addition to British plum and pear tree wood.

Q. Snooker was very popular - Why do you think are there no clubs in Forest Hill?

There were three clubs within walking distance of Forest Hill station, two of which were in Perry Vale behind the station and one at Brockley Rise... a real shame they closed…I believe this was because of high rents, combined with drop in popularity, possibly also because smoking ban and gaming regulations took their toll on profits. However most pubs are not big enough for snooker tables but do have pool tables – incidentally, we also make cues for pool and American Pool!

Q. Can you give any advice to a budding entrepreneur wanting to start up a business in Forest Hill?

Yes, find a niche market product that you are passionate about and spend as much as you can on a website to promote it!

February Newsletter: The Montage

A new arrival at 33 Dartmouth Road, The Montage is true to its name - a hotchpotch of cafe, antiques shop and art gallery.


Heading for tea and cake one Sunday afternoon, we were greeted with a room full of enticing shelves and tables stacked with eye-catching things to see. These ranged from old Ordnance Survey maps rolled up into two umbrella stands, to some bookends constructed from vintage Kellogg's cornflake packets, and a old-fashioned blue enamel pan stand that with some love would look quite happy again. Another wall held a beautifully arranged display cabinet with second-hand hardback books and small dolls in national costume - odd but somehow entirely at home in their setting.

Once I'd been persuaded to stop looking at all these intriguing things, it was time to eat - although there were more goodies to discover, through the rooms and down the stairs - leather armchairs, formica tables, stools, wooden furniture all ready for upcycling, so we made quite slow progress to our table! The Montage, it turns out, is a small warren of different spaces. There are a couple of rooms at the back (one wallpapered with those OS maps we'd found - what a brilliant idea) where you can sit and eat.  Beyond these, if the sun's shining, there's a peaceful small garden with tables and chairs, and a dog bowl for canine companions. The garden's newly planted but looks set to become a little green haven, edged by a fence with flowers growing wild on the other side. When we were there, a couple had ensconced themselves at a table spread with books in the garden and another man was inside working on his laptop - very tranquil.

In addition, they have devoted a whole room to a children’s play area which means kids are well catered for too. It's downstairs so ideal as it's out the way and parents don't need to worry about their kids disturbing other customers. The room is filled with a variety of toys which should keep little ones occupied for a while!

In the main café area there was a very inviting selection of homemade cakes and biscuits on the counter. We sampled a fresh scone with a generous dollop of cream and jam in the middle, and a delicious square of summer berry cake (though the lemon drizzle did also look very tempting). They have proper coffee and tea including ten different kinds of herbal tea, which the lady behind the counter patiently listed for me! Plus the tea comes in individual teapots.

After tea, it was time to investigate the art gallery upstairs. There's a good selection of art scattered about the rooms, but in the gallery space there's a bigger exhibition of work by a single artist which tends to change every month.

If you're wandering along Dartmouth Road in search of somewhere new to explore - and if you love St David's, Canvas and Cream, Doopo Doopo and Aga's Deli - then this is definitely a place to add to your list. There's a lovely unhurried atmosphere for reading, working, and meeting with friends, in between poking around for treasures. I'll be going back for some of those maps…

Review provided by Catherine Wood

Forest Hill and Honor Oak’s Edible High Roads

Forest Hill went back to its roots on May 18th, transformed into an urban orchard by members of the Forest Hill Society and Anne-Marie Parker of Lewisham Gardens as part of the Chelsea Fringe Festival’s Edible High Road - a volunteer-run celebration of plants, gardens and landscapes. Fifty shops and businesses in Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park joined forces to create an avenue of seventy fruit trees celebrating Forest Hill’s history and its current standing as a hub of community gardening.

Close to one hundred people gathered in Forest Hill station’s forecourt to see Channel 4’s Landscape Man, Matthew Wilson, cut the red ribbon to launch the event. Onlookers were genuinely surprised when several hundred free tomato and runner bean plants and various packets of seeds were handed out – as well as an early Harvest Festival basket of fruits supplied by J. Sainsbury’s. Kate’s Sax Quartet provided the opening music, followed by the sweetest renditions from Holy Trinity Primary School’s amazing brass band.

Continuing until Sunday 9th June, a trail map to lead visitors along the route lined with apple, cherry, pear and plum trees is available from Forest Hill Library, the Horniman Museum and various shops. Children taking part can also win gardening prizes with the first 100 correct answers to the puzzle sheet submitted to Shannon’s Garden Centre before June 9th receiving a small herb pot to kick-start their own gardening fun.

Thanks go to all those who volunteered their time and a not inconsiderable amount of energy to making Forest Hill’s first Edible High Road such a success.

Special thanks go to sponsors Shannon’s Garden Centre and Winkworth estate agents, the Horniman Museum and participating stores, Happy Seeds and the Chelsea Fringe.

     

A Colourful High Street

Last year the Forest Hill Society was awarded funding from the Forest Hill Ward Assembly to improve the look of some of the empty shops on the high street. It took us a while to find the right way to do this as empty shops inconveniently started opening as successful businesses up and down the high street.

But the first makeover has now been completed and what was a boarded up and burnt out bakery now has a picture of a friendly Walrus and some Papilio hornimani or 'Horniman Butterflies'.

 

We want the high street to be a fun place to be with surprises on every corner.We also want to bring a taste of the Horniman to the high street. We are currently looking for further empty shop fronts for more Horniman imagery to brighten up the high street. But more than anything else, we would love somebody to take on this unit, which needs a lot of work to bring it back into use as a retail unit.

New Shops coming to Perry Vale

Since City Walk, the Berkeley Homes development by Forest Hill station, was completed a few years ago the shops beneath have remained stubbornly empty despite their prime location.

A licensing application has now appeared on one of the units for the sale of alcohol as part of, what we understand will be, a general grocery shop (not a mini-version of one of the big four supermarkets). Discussions are also well advanced on the other unit which is likely to become a restaurant.

These shops are in a key location in the town centre and we welcome new businesses opening up in this location.

New Butcher for Forest Hill

Address: 49, London Road, Forest Hill SE23 3TY

Ruth and Nathan from The Butchery live in Forest Hill and were attracted to the Forest Hill Food Fair to sell their quality meats. We encouraged them to set up a temporary shop in the run up to Christmas as part of the SEE3 pop-up shops. As well as selling meat they worked with Franklins of East Dulwich (another of our regular food fair stalls) to provide fruit and vegetables.

During December The Butchery did excellent business with 2,000 customers in the first weekend, queues regularly coming out the shop, incredible reviews of their meat on SE23.com, and they realised there was enough demand to turn this into a permanent shop on the High Street.

The Butchery have signed the lease to take on the shop permanently. The shop is currently closed for refurbishment, and is due to open in late February.

Nathan and Ruth will stock a small but special range of meat from native bred animals raised naturally on small English farms. The seasonal Christmas range included: free-range turkeys, ducks, cockerels and geese, as well as beef, pork and lamb roasts. They make their own tasty stuffings, stock and pigs in blankets, and goose fat for the best-tasting roast potatoes, as well as gammon, ham, chutneys and pork pies.

The Butchery Ltd source the best meat they can find, dry age it themselves in Bermondsey and cut from whole carcasses so there is always different cuts for different budgets.

Nathan and Ruth say: “We love the meat we stock, we love to cook, and we love to talk! If people want something special, or something cheap to cook quickly in the week, we have heaps of ideas to get the best out of different cuts. It’s cool to be able to show people something new – and really cool when we get great cooking tips from our customers, too.”

More details at: http://www.thebutcheryltd.com/

Fiver Fest hits Forest Hill

With over 25 local shops and businesses participating, each with their own festive £5 deal, its sure to be a great time to enjoy what the town has to offer.
The event will run from 8th-15th of December with a late night opening on the Thursday 13th.

Details at Totally Locally Forest Hill.

Pop-up Butcher and Greengrocer

We are very excited that Franklins will be collaborating with The Butchery to provide fresh fruit and veg throughout December at 49 London Road. Both have been regulars at our food fairs during 2012 and it is great to welcome them to the high street for December.

On Saturday, 1st December The Butchery will be providing samples of their own smoked pastrami, sausage rolls and pork pies.  Their range will include Mangalitza Pork from Chipping Norton, native breed Old Spot pork from HMP Hewel Prison Farm, Llanwenog Lamb from the Forest of Dean, 45 day dry aged Dexter Beef from champion breeder Michael Bancroft in Preston Bagat; Fosse Meadows Truly Free Range Chickens, Creedy Carver ducks, wild pheasant, rabbit and mallards.

There will be an opening special of dry aged native breed beef mince at 6.95/kg, and in the afternoon home made Krupnik (Polish Honey Christmas Vodka) to warm up visitors.

There's lots more going on this weekend across Forest Hill, Kirkdale, and Sydenham and you can find out more at SEE3.co.uk or download the full SEE3 brochure for December.

Shutter artwork by Supermundane and Butch.  

Food Fair - Sunday 22nd April

This Sunday (22nd April), the Forest Hill Society will be holding a Food Fair at Forest Hill station from 10am - 4pm.

There will be eight stalls selling Fresh Delicacies - Hot Food - English Cheeses, Pies & Tartlets - Handmade Scotch eggs - Award winning Chutneys - Caribbean Sauces and Spices - Artisan Bread - Delicious Cakes - Fresh Coffee from Fleisch - Hills & Parkes - The Egg Boss - BreadBread - The Forest Hill Cake Company - Mridula’s Kitchen - Pimento Hill - Franklins and On The Hoof.

The majority of the stall holders live locally and are trying the waters out here to see what demand is like. Please come along and show your support.


Once you have made your purchases, why not try one of our local restaurants? The Black Hummingbird, India Gate, Canvas & Cream, Sylvan Post, Question Bar, Dartmouth Tandoori and All Inn One are all running special taster dishes for £1 - £2. The Dartmouth Arms will also be offering free nibbles.

Finally, Sugar Mountain will be selling their sweets at the special rate of £1/100g

Saatchi and Nigella come to Canvas & Cream

Press Release from Canvas & Cream:

Canvas & Cream a new concept art space and dining experience in Forest Hill were host to Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson yesterday, there was a bit of something for both of them in Canvas & Creams’ unique Up-Cycled dining room which adjoins their Gallery/Project Space where artist Raf Zawistowski is exhibiting his new work.

Saatchi...... Raf Zawistowski’s solo debut show was bought outright by Saatchi before the show has opened. Raf Zowistowski’s show Halo curated by Juan Bolivar is showing at Canvas & Cream Gallery/Project Space from Thursday 19th April until 1st June. Zawistowski’s exhibition focuses on the relationship between materiality and his use of religious iconography, what Zawistowski refers to as existing between "the sublime and the anti-sublime". In this new body of work comprising of twelve paintings derived from the imagery of the 265 Popes to have reigned to date, Zawistowski hints at the Apostolic connection they have with the Christian faith, and the succession of spiritual authority embodied by these religious figures. Contact: Joanna Gore at info@canvasandcream.com +44(0)208 699 9589 / +44(0)7745 899462 Gallery Opening Hours: Thursday to Sunday 12-5pm (or by appointment) Canvas & Cream, 18 London Road SE23 3HF www.canvasandcream.com

Above photo by Annie Nilaker © Nigella........ After viewing the artwork in the Canvas & Cream gallery Nigella, wowed by the eclectic selection of cakes tweeted... ‘Fabulous Cakes at Canvas & Cream SE23 ‘You Must Go’,  after being presented with an Up-Cycled gift box made from a cigar box, two glass trinket boxes and fairy lights, containing homemade cakes she sent out a picture saying ‘My enchanting parcel of takeaway cakes, why haven’t I, of all people ever thought of fairy light giftwrap’. Canvas & Cream casually offers a fine dining cook to order menu and/or a tea with ‘fabulous cakes’,diners are surrounded by a creative Up-Cycled environment as they eat. See www.canvasandcream.com for details and events