N16Life_Autumn

HACKNEY | Autumn 2017
FREE
HACKNEY’S
innovative social
enterprise cafes
LOVE LOCAL
Made by your
neighbours
WHAT’S HOT
on the local
property market
MEET THE
ULTRA
ORTHODOX
Jewish community
HUMANS
OF N16
Stories of people who
live around you
HAPPY AUTUMN
With crisp mornings and vibrant colours, this is
one of the best seasons of the year to be out of doors

AUtumn 2017
ISSUE #4
29
HACKNEY’S SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CAFES
8
WHAT'S ON THIS AUTUMN
Your guide to the comings and goings
in N16 and surrounding
34
HACKNEY PROPERTY
MARKET UPDATE
19
MEET STAMFORD HILL’S
ULTRA-ORTHODOX
JEWISH COMMUNITY
30
WHERE TO GET THAT
PERFECT CUP OF
COFFEE?
24
LOVE LOCAL:
THE PRODUCTS
MADE RIGHT HERE
IN HACKNEY
37
YOUR COUNCIL NEEDS
YOU: JOIN HACKNEY 100
3

from the
editor
‌I
f
about the culture, food, special days and religious rituals of the many
you put aside the grey and rainy days that seemed to
dominate July, we are leaving a fantastic summer behind
us. In its place comes another beautiful season, autumn.
You have in your hands the fourth edition of N16 Life
magazine. In this issue, prepared by a fantastic team, we
learn more about the people of Hackney, home to the most
multicultural population in the country. We aim to tell you
different nationalities speaking dozens of different languages here. In
this edition, we spoke to the Hasidic community of Stamford Hill, one
of the largest Haredi Jewish communities in Europe.
Our “Made in Hackney, Love Local” pages are oozing with some of
the treasured delights – from chocolate and honey to gin and beer –
that are made for you to taste and enjoy right here in the borough.
As with every issue, Humans of N16 has more first-person accounts
from Hackney residents. Some have told us about the film they’ve
made; others about their personal stories.
It feels like the number of businesses based on social enterprise
are increasing by the day in Hackney. They make a range of delicious
wares, from luscious cakes to inventive drinks, and work hard to
support the local community. Read about some of them in this issue.
We also have a packed cultural guide to what’s on in our region and
across London.
Plus there’s travel, property and more. Don’t forget to follow us on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – just search for N16lifemagazine –
and enjoy!
See you in November for our Christmas edition.
EDITORIAL
EDITOR
Yasemin Bakan
SUB EDITOR
Michael Daventry
PICTURE EDITOR
Mehmet Er
PHOTOGRAPHY
Gokce Pehlivanoglu
DESIGN
Umut Senogul
CONTRIBUTORS
Carrie O’Grady
Victoria Gray
ADVERTISING
ENQUIRIES
E-MAIL
info@n16life.com
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020 3652 0541
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N16 Life Magazine
www.n16life.com
N16 Life is a quarterly magazine
distributed to more than 20,000
homes and businesses in N16 and
the surrounding areas.
It is also available in local cafes, pubs,
libraries and supermarkets
in Hackney.
Yasemin Bakan
Editor
Published by Metropol Media Ltd
Metropol Media Ltd cannot accept
responsibility for unsolicited
submissions, manuscripts and
photographs. While every care is
taken, prices and details are
subject to change and Metropol
Media Ltd take no responsibility
for omissions or errors.
All rights reserved.
4

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ISAAC WATTS IS BURIED AT
ABNEY PARK CEMETERY
LION TAMER FRANK
BOSTOCK’S GRAVE
HALLOWED
GROUND
by CARRIE O'GRADY
LAST AUGUST, THE
CEMETERY MARKED A
NEW MILESTONE WHEN
THE MAYOR OF HACKNEY,
PHILIP GLANVILLE, CUT
THE RIBBON ON THE NEWLY
REFURBISHED GOTHIC
CHAPEL AT ITS HEART
Newcomers and visitors
to the Stoke Newington
area often feel they’ve
stumbled upon
something special when
they wander into Abney
Park cemetery.
“What a find!” they exclaim. But in fact,
most of them will have seen it before: on
the BBC’s Autumnwatch, in a fashion
shoot, or on the TV series Waking the
Dead. It’s through this very graveyard
that Amy Winehouse treads a troubled
track, her odds are stacked, in Back to
Black.
The site’s pop-culture credits pale
into insignificance, however, next to its
historical importance.
John Baldock has the facts at his
fingertips: “Abney Park was opened on
May 20th, 1840, as a non-denominational
cemetery and an arboretum of 1,000
trees, which was inspired by George
Loddiges, a local Hackney nurseryman.
“The cemetery looks vastly different
now to how it was, although the
combination of biodiversity and heritage
is still very prevalent.”
He estimates that there are about
200,000 people buried there.
“There's no specific class, just nonconformist
– i.e., not Church of England,”
he says. That’s evident from the
giant monuments facing the
Church Street entrance,
commemorating
William Booth,
founder of the
Salvation Army, and
his wife Catherine.
“Some larger
monuments are a
sign of affluence, and
most have various
meanings,” Baldock
points out. “For instance,
a broken column means 'a life
cut short', a sudden death. Wreaths
symbolise eternal life. Clasped hands
refer to ‘a life together'.”
Another well-loved sculpture is the
white lion that sprawls across the grave of
Frank C Bostock. “Known as 'The Animal
King', he travelled the world with his
entourage of animals,” says Baldock. “He
had a Giraffe House on Yoakley Road. We
also have Britain's first female aeronauts,
Margaret Graham. With her husband, she
made and flew her own hot-air balloons
over the skies of London and beyond.”
If you’d like to find out more about
that history, the Abney Park Trust offers
many opportunities. John Baldock
leads a historical walk there on the
first Sunday of every month
at 2pm. “We also have walks
which focus on Abney's
biodiversity, and
on themes such as
radicals, women and
certain individuals.
We have some talks
and walks on William
Hone, who fought
against government
censorship, on the 1st
and 8th October,” he
says. Theatre groups put
on open-air shows within the
gates during the warmer months,
ABNEY PARK TRUST
OFFICE MANAGER
AND TOUR GUIDE
JOHN BALDOCK
and there’s an outdoor camp for young
people aged 8-14 which runs during the
school holidays, called In The Sticks.
Mind you, it’s not all fun and games
at Abney Park. It’s been said that an
unexploded WWII bomb lies buried
somewhere within the grounds. There
are rumours, too, that the tasty-looking
mushrooms you might see there are
bursting with arsenic, thanks to the
Victorians’ unwholesome custom of
embalming their corpses. And that’s
before we even start on the ghost stories.
Can all this be true? Probably not, but it’s
enough to add an enjoyable shiver to your
stroll among the sarcophagi…
6

Brasserie
Only the freshest and
top quality ingredients
OPeN daiLy fOr breakfast, LuNch & diNNer
60 Newington Green, London, N16 9PX
info@cafeacoustic.co.uk • 020 7288 1235
www.cafeacoustic.co.uk

WHAT'S ON
this autumn
N16 Life’s unrivalled guide to the
theatre, music, outdoor events and
children’s activities in Hackney
and across London in the autumn
CHAMPAGNE GOURMET
ODYSSEYS
CREDIT CLIVE BARDA
THE GOLDEN DRAGON
hackneyempire.co.uk
Music Theatre Wales makes its first
appearance at Hackney Empire with a
thrilling new opera, brought to life with
the company’s characteristic theatrical flair and
musical virtuosity.
Based on the play of the same name by Roland
Schimmelpfennig, Peter Eötvös’s new opera finds a
whole world in a grain of egg fried rice.
Set in a Chinese restaurant found in any city
anywhere, The Golden Dragon is a compelling fable
of modern life. At the heart of this East-meets-West
tale is the discovery of a decayed tooth in a bowl of
soup. It belongs to a kitchen boy, a long way from
home and with no papers. He’s looking for his sister,
but she’s been forced into a very different kind of
service just next door. £10 – £30, 31 October.
LONDON’S
STORYTELLING CLUB
londonrestaurantfestival.com/champagne_gourmet_
odysseys
The London Restaurant
Festival (LRF) is back this
October, showcasing the
very best restaurants and chefs
in London with a packed calendar
across the whole month.
Champagne Gourmet Odysseys
will also return, allowing guests to
explore the breadth of London’s
culinary landscape with North,
West and East London tours. In
North London, guests will enjoy a
three-course lunch with courses
in Trullo, Sardine and Newington
Green’s Perilla.
Champagne Gourmet Odyssey
Discover North
£125, 21 October.
At Spark London you will hear personal stories
told not by professional storytellers but by
anyone who has a great story to share. But
there are three conditions: it must be true, it must
be your own story and it must be under five minutes
long.
With a different theme each time, you soon find
yourself talking to friends and strangers about
moments from their lives. Spark aims to build
bonds through stories and holds regular events at
the Hackney Attic and Upstairs at the Ritzy. They
also put on a monthly show in Exmouth Market
featuring all the best stories plus special guest
storytellers. 74-year-old comic Julie Kertesz, who
gave up her previous career aged 60, is among the
storytellers. You can also subscribe to their awardwinning
podcast. Check the web site for the next
event in Hackney. www.stories.co.uk/london
Entrance £5.
8

WHAT’S ON
THE PAINTER PRINCESS
www.tate.org.uk
Turkish-born Fahrelnissa Zeid created
extraordinary paintings that mix Islamic,
Byzantine, Arab, Persian and European influences
Trained in both Paris and
Istanbul, Zeid was an
important figure in the
Turkish avant-garde in the early
1940s and the École de Paris
(School of Paris) in the 1950s.
Her vibrant abstract paintings
are a synthesis of Islamic,
Byzantine, Arab and Persian
influences fused with European
approaches to abstraction.
Many of her abstract works
are monumental and demand
attention.
Zeid’s reputation as an artist
was cemented in the 1950s when
she was living between London and
Paris and exhibiting extensively
internationally. She also began
experimenting with painting on
turkey and chicken bones, which
she later cast in polyester resin
panels evocative of stained-glass
windows. In the later years of her
life she unexpectedly returned
to figurative painting, creating
stylised portraits of her friends and
family.
Indulge in Zeid’s obsession
with line and dazzling colour in
this exhibition. Rediscover one of
the greatest female artists of the
20th century in this first major
retrospective.
Zeid said of her portrait work:
“I am a descendent of four
civilisations. In my self-portrait
... the hand is Persian, the dress
Byzantine, the face is Cretan and
the eyes Oriental, but I was not
aware of this as I was painting it.”
Tate Modern, until 8 October
SURVIVAL
TECHNIQUES AT
ATOM GALLERY
www.atomgallery.co.uk
‘Survival Techniques’, an exhibition of paintings
and screenprints of positive and uplifting
statements and actions that have helped people
feeling sad, depressed or lonely, comes to specialist
print gallery ATOM. Designer Naomi Edmondson
began her project almost two years ago after a
period of feeling low. It began as a legal street art
project that aimed to promote hope and optimism
and bring a little light to people having a dark day.
The exhibition, which runs for three weeks, is
Naomi's first solo exhibition and will show both
original paintings and limited edition screenprints
of her work. The exhibition coincides with World
Mental Health Day and 10% of all money raised by
the exhibition will go to the Rethink Mental Illness
charity. Free, 7 October
JAZZ VERSE JUKEBOX WITH
JUMOKE FASHOLA
www.hoxtonhall.co.uk
The eclectic Jazz Verse
Jukebox returns to Hoxton
Hall for a new season,
featuring a stunning line-up of
wordsmiths and singers.
Described as “the perfect jazz
poetry party” (Michael Horovitz),
the jukebox continues the ageold
tradition of intertwining jazz
improvisation and spoken word.
Join them for what promises to be
a thrilling night of diverse spoken
word and jazz from some of the
freshest female exponents on the
scene. Plus an Open Mic for poets &
singers. Hosted by and with music
from broadcaster and vocalist
Jumoké Fashola.
Friday 22 September | 24 November
7.30pm, £9
9

IMPROV COMEDY
NIGHT
mothclub.co.uk
British Comedy Award-winning
sketch heroes Seb Cardinal
and Dustin Demri-Burns host
an impulsive night at MOTH Club in
Hackney, and anything goes! Cardinal
Burns Presents…, produced by
Knock2bag, introduces new characters
and new material, with a few little treats
thrown in. The line-up includes Jamie
Demetrio, Natalie Demetriou and Ellie
White.
19 October, 7.30 - 11.00pm,
Advance tickets £10
CREDIT EDWARD MOORE
SPIRITED
AWAY WITH
THE MUSIC
servantjazzquarters.com
Introduced by their mutual friend
Nicole Atkins, Thayer and Sukie
from Madam bring their Southern
Gothic/Folk Noir sound to the
Servant Jazz Quarters to celebrate
all things beautiful and dreamy.
12 October, 7.30pm
MEDITATION
FOR FREE
www.stmaryn16.org
A chance to discover, or rediscover,
the practice of silence and stillness.
No advanced technique to be
mastered: anyone can do it. The only
requirements are a willingness to
sit still and silently repeat a word.
Simple! A session lasts about an
hour, including teaching, 25 mins
meditation, and time for questions.
Tuesdays 10.30am or Wednesdays
8.15 pm at St Mary's Church opposite
Clissold Park. All welcome. No
charge. Donations accepted.
TROPICAL
TUNES EVERY
SATURDAY
www.rubysdalston.com
We're keeping the summer vibes well
and truly up as we get tropical every
Saturday night in our lounge. Our
resident DJs will be spinning 90s &
00s hip-hop & R&B alongside some
of the finest cuts of disco, funk &
soul. Come and get loose. Bookings
through hello@rubysdalston.com
CANADIAN FOLK
MUSIC WITH
AN EDGE
theoldchurch.org.uk
With flavours of Lucinda Williams,
Nanci Griffiths and Iris Dement
and a wealth of early country
music, the two-time Canadian Folk Music
Award nominee and recent Western
Canadian Music Award nominee’s songs
are faithful to a long-standing folk music
tradition. Often spilling over into modern
themes that are outspoken and edgy,
her songwriting tackles issues from
poverty and midwifery to tongue-incheek
heartache songs and unabashed
Canadiana.
A traditionalist at heart, Sarah Jane
Scouten shows her signature flair for
the roots of folk music. With respect
for these roots, she writes from her own
perspective, playing with style to create
her own distinct voice. This songwriter is
known for hitting hard and close to home,
then laughing it off.
19 October, 7.30-10.30pm, £10 in advance,
£12 on the door
10

KIDS AND FAMILY
THEATRE FOR TODDLERS
AND THE (VERY) YOUNG
www.barbican.org.uk
A
n enchanting
winter’s tale for the
very young. Watch
two friends embark on an
adventure in a magical forest
full of play, puppetry, music
and wonder in this enchanting
tale for babies and the very
young to enjoy with their
families.
Winter has arrived, with
woods covered in sparkly
snow. A child runs outside to
discover it all but soon feels
lonely. Drawn by a sound,
the child finds a sleeping
mouse buried under the soft
white flakes. Together they
explore, sliding, tumbling and
laughing, keeping each other
safe and warm. Snow Mouse
combines an endearing
puppet, one performer, lots
of giggles and a tactile set
perfect for audiences to
come and sit close to the
action. Bath-based the egg
and Bristol’s Travelling Light
Theatre Company make
outstanding theatre for
children, engaging with their
emotions and firing their
imaginations.
40 mins, no interval. Age 3
months – 3 years, 13 - 23
December. Performances at
10.30 am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm.
£8.50
PINOCCHIO
Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jasmin Vardimon is set to
charm audiences once again this half term as she returns
with her joyous and wildly imaginative take on the classic
Collodi fairy-tale. With clever humour, engaging drama and witty
observations, this theatrically innovative piece takes us on a
magical adventure with Pinocchio as he discovers what it means
to be human. In Vardimon’s trademark choreographic style,
breathtakingly physical dancers bring to life the enchanting world
of the famous marionette in this visual delight.
sadlerswells.com, 27-28 October, 7.30pm and 2.30pm
Saturday matinee. Ages 7 and up. £18
AFTER-SCHOOL ARTISTS
During term-time, these after school clubs for 6 to
11-year-olds will explore and expand their knowledge
of different art movements, while using different art
mediums to develop their imagination and artists skill sets in a
hub of creativity and fun.
Term-time courses are designed and structured to create the
right platform for Mini Artists to explore the versatility of each
art medium while developing and supporting their artists skill
sets as an ongoing art development.
miniartists.co.uk
The Old Fire Station, Stoke Newington,
N16 7NX. Ages 6-11, Wednesdays 4-5pm, 1 November – 13
December. £65 for 7 sessions (early bird price £52)
11

N Family Club
Transforming family life
in Stoke Newington
N
Family Club want to
prove that nurseries
can be more than just
daycare, building a
7-days-a-week hub
that both kids and
parents love. As well
as offering a nursery with longer opening
hours from 7am-7pm, the club will be
open on the weekend to allow parents
to pursue their own interests and meet
other like-minded mums and dads. With
a strong sense of community, they’re
hoping to create a space for parents to
enrich their children’s early education,
but still focus on themselves.
We spoke to the leadership team, Liv
Stones, Phil Sunderland and Hannah
by VICTORIA GRAY
McGoohan, about why the area is the
perfect location for their first site. They
are from a range of backgrounds: Phil is
the business mind, having worked in the
finance sector and as an entrepreneur,
Hannah has the early years educational
experience, and Liv is the marketing
guru, with previous start-up experience.
They’re passionate about “creating a
new style of nursery, one which focuses
on what’s best for the families” after
becoming aware that parents' lives can
be restricted by a strict nursery. And
they're approaching the sector with a
fresh pair of eyes: addressing everything
from nursery layout and play spaces,
to the customer experience differently
– digitising things where possible, to
make parents' lives easier. They're also
keen to develop their educators and are
supporting their team to degree level.
With local roots, the N Family Club’s
location just off Stoke Newington
Church Street seemed ideal. Phil tells
us: “Stokey has such a clear sense of
community, making it ideal for starting a
new business like ours. While variations
of the ‘Family Club’ model exist in
Central and South West London, they
are prohibitively expensive, curating
for a very different audience and simply
wouldn’t work for families in Stokey, or
North East London more generally.”
Liv agrees: “I think it’s a great area to
set up a business, so long as your product
is geared towards Stokey residents and
12

ADVERTORIAL
their ideals. Current business owners
have been really helpful and know their
audience back to front.”
The building where N Family Club will
be based on Defoe Road was previously
a community hall. Phil tells us that it
was “in disrepair when we took it on. It's
now had extensive refurbishment plus
the creation of a mezzanine level and
additional third floor. It'll be finished to a
high spec, breathing new life into a muchloved
community hub! Everything but
the cafe has been dual-designed so that
from 7-7 Monday-Friday the rooms will
be set up as nursery rooms, but will flip
over to become family club spaces in the
evenings and during the weekend. We've
built in lots of clever storage solutions
to enable this to be seamless and really
flexible.”
The nursery will open on 2 October, and
the Family Club will be soft launching with
trial classes in November and December,
ready to fully launch around Christmas.
There’s a real focus on the education side
where Hannah has all the experience:
“I set up and managed a group of six
nurseries in Brighton and Hove, achieving
Ofsted ratings of Outstanding. My
passion has always been in Early Years
Education, creating warm and nurturing
environments to give children the best
possible start in their early years.
“We've also prioritised finding the
best team of educators, offering staff
opportunities to create a career within
early years, supporting everyone
through to degree level and beyond. We
empower our early years educators to
spend all their time on teaching rather
than spreading themselves too thin on
cleaning and admin work.”
So, safe in the knowledge that their
children are being taken good care
of, parents will have time to focus on
themselves. The ‘club’ side of N Family
Club includes an in-house fitness studio,
cinema club, a cafe serving an all-day
brunch, kids’ activity clubs and adults’
workshops, and a crèche and kids’ fun
zone to keep the kids busy while you are
too. Phil tells us “the intention is that this
should be more informal, focusing on
creativity, wellness and fun.”
And why are they confident it’s going
to be a success in this area? Hannah
says, “Stoke Newington is an area
heavily populated with young families,
many of whom don't have extended
family members living close by. Our
family club gives children and adults
the opportunity to meet up with others
in similar situations as themselves to
build friendships, creating a network for
support around them.”
WE'RE LOOKING TO
CHANGE THE WAY EARLY
YEARS EDUCATION IS
DELIVERED
So what’s next? Liv says, “We hope to
expand in the next few years to establish
a network of family clubs – all of which
will have a different feel, reflecting their
local community. Stoke Newington, as our
first site, will continue to be our testing
ground for trying out new things, which
will keep it feeling fresh and in tune with
families in the area. Long term, I’d love to
see us rolling out the N brand into other
ventures that could transform family life
in the city.”
Hannah’s early years education
experience means they also have
high aims for transforming children’s
education.
“We're looking to change the way Early
Years Education is delivered,” she says,
“by providing highly qualified and trained
staff following a child-centred curriculum.
We will focus heavily on learning through
play and real life experiences.
“I'd like to improve standards
across Early Years Education, valuing
the importance, on children's early
experiences having a positive impact on
their learning and development for the
future.”
N Family Club, 5 Defoe Road,
Stoke Newington, London N16 0EP,
nfamilyclub.com
N Family Club are holding two open
days for local families on the afternoon
of September 28 and the morning of
September 30, please contact
olivia@nfamilyclub.com to RSVP
(Left to right) HANNAH MCGOOHAN, PHIL SUNDERLAND, LIV STONES
13

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Humans
of N16
Inspired by Humans of New York, N16 Life
records the stories of strangers across Hackney.
Here are the latest Humans of N16.
STELLA CORRADI
Writer and Director
“Originally from Italy, I came to London
when I was 5 years old and lived
and studied in Islington and Stoke
Newington. I went to Stoke Newington
school and have always remained in
the area. I graduated from Queen Mary
University of London with a Masters in
Film and then worked in participatory
film projects with young people and
refugees before starting as a director's
assistant in feature films working under
the mentorship of Sally Potter (Ginger
& Rosa, The Party) and Justin Kurzel
(Macbeth, Assassin's Creed). I embarked
on making my own short film Little
Soldier through the London Calling
scheme from Film London in 2015. After a
year on the international festival circuit,
winning best female director at London
Short Film Festival and various special
mentions around the world, Little Soldier
reached a wider audience when it was
released as a Vimeo Staff Pick this year.
“Little Soldier is loosely based on my
own childhood and inspired by people I
know but the events and characters are
fictional. I was interested in telling a story
from a young girl’s perspective. I wanted
to show the intelligence, resilience and
strength that children can have. Woman
and family issues are universal, I think
there is something about a mother and
daughter relationship that many people
can relate to.
“I have recently become a mother and
the love between us is so powerful.
STELLA CORRADI
TELLS ALL ABOUT HER
AWARD-WINNING SHORT
FILM LITTLE SOLDIER,
WHICH SHE WROTE AND
DIRECTED
I've also realised that parents are just
human. We make mistakes but we do our
best in relation to our own limitations.
The relationships within a family are
interdependent: a parent needs their
child's love as much as the child needs the
parent's.
“In many families, the child has to
take on the role of the parent. This is the
dynamic that interested me and pushed
me to write and make Little Soldier.
“The story was always clear in my mind
but when it came to filming there are
always the realities of creating a scene
which works in your mind and does not
always work on camera or within the
story. There were a few scenes which had
to be reworked in the editing room. For
example, the powder paint bomb scene:
this was originally set in real life but it
didn't work very well so we cut it with
scenes of Anya playing and imagining the
scene in her mind instead.”
15

STORIES
PHOENIX MARTINS
Singer-Producer
“I was born in Lagos, Nigeria. I came to the
UK when I was a year old. I wanted to be an
athlete, actress and musician among other
things, and luckily I'm managing to do all
the things I love most, simultaneously.
I grew up here, near Victoria Park and
it wasn't my choice [laughs] but I'm glad
we moved there as it was and is such a
great place to grow up as I was surrounded
by plenty of diasporas as well as English
culture. Then I moved to South East
London for my studies, which is good but
I'm sure I'll be back in the manor soon.
I was tiny, could have been a toddler,
when I was always banging on something,
or humming a tune to myself.
One of my earliest memories was being
at a friend’s house in London Fields and
in their living room they had an old school
sound system with a double tape player
and interesting faders that I didn't know
anything about, but this made me wonder:
‘what does that thing do?’ In the process,
PHOENIX CALLS
HER MUSIC A SOUL
FOOD SANDWICH,
WITH FLICKERS
OF ATMOSPHERIC,
ETHEREAL, DREAM POP
I taught myself how to record as well as
how to cut & paste audio manually, and
the rest just flowed after that profound
experience.
What is the measure of success for me?
Well, I have been building things musically
and art-wise since I was a child, so seeing
them grow with a great team behind it and
seeing the audience’s expressions and the
way in which they respond back in real
time and over time makes it all worthwhile.
I have a secret show coming up with
Amnesty International in September,
which is in support of the refugee crisis,
with more great projects in the pipeline, so
keep your eyes peeled for updates via my
social media pages.”
JESSICA & TOM JONES-BERNEY
Artists
“Jess and I are a brother and sister
design duo running under the moniker of
Tomartacus. From our Stoke Newington
studio we create art prints that bring
London views loved by locals to life in an
explosion of colour. Our company name
Tomartacus was Jess’s nickname for me
when we were younger. I’ve always enjoyed
drawing and when Jess began pestering
me to do some local artwork for her Stoke
Newington flat it just grew from there
really.
Our very first prints were Jess’
local haunts: Spence Bakery and Auld
Shillelagh. Maintaining that local feel has
been so important to our art; it is always
lovely to see people recognise the areas
we capture and hear them share their
different, individual memories with us.
Jess takes photographs of our favourite
spots in London, I sketch them using a
Wacom tablet, resulting in our unique
brand of hand drawn digital prints.
Each picture begins with a collection of
abstract colourful shapes, layered on top
of one another, then I start honing in on
the details. We like to think our art is a bit
of fun for the eyes, a slightly wobbly and
explosively colourful look at the world.
“We started creating East London art
BROTHER AND SISTER
TEAM TOMARTACUS
EXPLAIN WHY THEY
SPEND THEIR DAYS
SKETCHING LONDON
SCENES WITH SPLASHES
OF COLOUR
because it’s an unendingly interesting
place, where inspiration is infinite. The
Bethnal Green gasworks have been a
huge inspiration: the more you observe
them, the more colour and life you notice
emanating from them.
“We’ve started creating large scale
artworks for office spaces, shops,
residential buildings and restaurants.
We love our neighbourhood so it’s been
amazing seeing our local work span
metres of wall space either as giant
canvases or wallpaper. We’re currently
expanding our collection of art prints
so that we have at least one from each
London borough. Then on to New York,
Paris and Berlin… Or that’s the dream
anyway!”
16

SAM LEE
“My first earliest memory is of me as a
little boy growing up in Kentish Town. I
remember being told how to light a fire
in my back yard and shown how to cook
soup using soup powder on a little pot we
put over the fire. I must have been only
about five years old, but I remember this
being incredible: one could cook over the
fire and make one’s own food. It was a very
inspirational moment.
I wasn’t really ambitious at all. I do
remember being at one point just
assuming I’m going to make art. That was
it. That what was I good at. I didn’t have
any ambition to do this. I still don’t have
ambition as such. I have loads of drive and
excitement to make things happen, but
I’ve never been target driven. But I think
one of my earliest ambitions was to know
how to build a light hut to live in. I was
obsessed with this idea of trying to create
my self-sufficient home, which is why I
went into wilderness survival.
I went to school in Kentish Town. I
went to university art school: I went to
the Chelsea College of Art, Camberwell
College of Art. I was always working, I
worked all the time to just like to make
money from doing lots of odd-jobs, DJing,
I used to be a burlesque dancer, anything.
The art world was really great for teaching
you how to be ingenious and find lots of
ways to make things happen.
I had been singing all my life. My father
is a musician and still plays. I’d sung songs
all my life, particularly at school camps.
In the summers we would be around the
campfire. That was never a professional
thing, just the joy of singing together.
My mentor was a very important person
to me, a Scottish traveller called Stanley
Robertson, who lived in Aberdeen on the
road in caravans all his early life, travelling
across Scotland. He was the last of the
great balladeers and storytellers who
kept old songs and ways alive. I was very
privileged to have four years of very deep
mentorship under him being shown the
old ways and becoming, as he put it, the
keeper of the lore.
My musical influences are from all
over. I’m always looking for interesting
instruments from different cultures and
traditions. So that is very much part of
my artistic process. It’s about discovering
sounds and interesting ways of playing
instruments. I live in Hackney. I live in the
caretakers’ flat over a church in the centre
of Dalston. My flat is unique, very special.
It’s my little sanctuary and oasis, where all
my music and work happens.
I live here because it is an absolute hot
house of culture. Yesterday I went to see a
gig in Hackney and, walking past the glass
front of Cafe Oto, I saw it was bursting
with jazz musicians. I just thought wow,
this area is just full of creativity and
opportunity for artistic endeavours.
So many musicians live on my street.
I’m constantly bumping into other
contemporaries. People whose I work I
really admire as well. So I feel very much
like there is a hubris here and creative
energy that is sort of self-perpetuating.
The idea of the nest came from the
discovery of wider folk community
tradition happening very much in the old
way that it has done for decades. I love
the music, but I couldn’t find anywhere to
hear it that wasn’t full of old people, so I
wanted to create an environment where
that music could be heard by a younger
audience.
It started off where it still is every
month in the Old Queens Head on Essex
Road, Islington, and has grown from being
a monthly night with one or two acts to
150 shows a year. It’s all over the city and
festival stages and also events outside of
MERCURY PRIZE NOMINATED
FOLK SINGER, FOUNDER OF THE
NEST COLLECTIVE, THE SONG
COLLECTORS COLLECTIVE
London. So it’s really become a platform
to host lots of different ways of presenting
all aspects of folk music, world music,
traditional music and acoustic and stuff
doesn’t fit into categories – just great
music.
From that comes The Song Collectors
Collective. The SCC is an organisation
dedicated to the conservation and
preservation of all traditions within UK
and Ireland, and also abroad. It is a place
for learning how to collect intangible
vanishing culture, particularly songs, but
also stories and language and culture
and community - cultural caches can
be discovered and carefully, sensitively
documented and repatriated and made
accessible online.
So it’s an organisation that teaches how
to collect but also presents experts in the
field in places where we can learn from
them, including lots of conferences and
gatherings and places where their stories
can be heard about their engagement
with indigenous communities all around
the place. It worked particularly with
Gypsy travellers communities in the UK
and Ireland, because that’s my speciality
area where the best of the song still
exists.”
17

HACKNEY VENUES
Hold your event in one of the
most creative and thriving
areas in London
Hackney Venues has emerged as a collection of some of the
most sought after event spaces in east London. Currently
featuring seven beautifully restored unique venues in the
heart of the borough including two stunning art-deco town
halls, an eighteenth century mansion house inside of Clissold
Park, a former water pumping station, a RIBA award-winning
sporting centre as well as a purpose-built conference centre
and a converted warehouse a stones-throw away from
Shoreditch High Street. From private parties and stunning
weddings to conferences, product launches, fashion shows
and awards ceremonies; Hackney Venues offers a space for
any occasion. Get in touch with our dedicated events team
for further information or visit our website for more details.
020 8356 5505 www.hackneyvenues.com venuehire@hackney.gov.uk
HDS992

COMMUNITIES OF HACKNEY
Jewish
Hackney
by YASEMIN BAKAN
Hackney’s diversity is an aspect of the borough that makes its residents
proud. Nearly nine out of ten people here say that it is a place where
people from different backgrounds get on well together. In each issue
N16 Life speaks to representatives of different communities. In this issue:
the Jewish community largely concentrated around Stamford Hill.
The roots of Stamford Hill’s
Haredi Jews, known for
being an intertwined and
private community, extends
to 18th century eastern
Europe. The Haredi are also
sometimes called ultra-
Orthodox Jews and the Hebrew term
itself means “one who trembles before
God”.
Their emergence is credited to
a rejection of modernistic reform
movements in Judaism beginning in 19th
century Germany. Many Haredi Jews
saw themselves as the final defence of
orthodoxy and resisted the change in
religious education and practices.
The community was nearly wiped out
during the Holocaust, but migration
to Israel, Britain and North America
has helped rejuvenate them. There are
around 1.5 million Haredi Jews in the
world today and they have one of the
highest birth rates among any Jewish
community in the world, meaning the
population is rising rapidly.
Herschel Gluck is a British Rabbi with
a busy portfolio of responsibilities: he is
president of the neighbourhood watch
group Shomrim (the Hebrew word means
“guardians”) in Stamford Hill; chairman
of the Arab-Jewish Forum; and chairman
and founder of the Muslim-Jewish Forum.
I met Gluck at his home in Stamford
Hill. The family business is a bakery
and he treated me like he was hosting a
relative, bringing his broad smile and a
wide array of dried fruit, cinnamon and
marmalade cakes to the table.
The first Haredi arrived in Britain in the
19th century from Lithuania. When did
the community first settle in Stamford
Hill?
“There are about 40,000 Jews in
the wider Stamford Hill area, including
Haringey,” he said.
“Many of the Jews in Stamford Hill
came here as refugees fleeing the Nazis
in the '30s and after the horrors of the
Holocaust in the 40s and 50s. They came
from Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia,
Austria, Belgium, Holland and many
European countries. In the 50s and 60s
Jews came from Morocco, India, Burma
and Aden [in modern-day Yemen].
Many have family in other countries and
they try to participate in joyous occasions
like weddings.
19

Despite being a fairly small
neighbourhood, Stamford Hill is crammed
with kosher supermarkets, bakeries,
fishmongers, butchers and clothing stores
that sell only the traditional Haredi line.
There are also five community centres, 90
synagogues and 30 Orthodox schools.
The Haredi mainly speak Yiddish. A
Haredi man cannot speak to any woman,
make eye contact with her or shake her
hand unless she is his wife. Unmarried
men and women do not make contact with
one another and there is a firm gender
separation at social events.
This is even the case at weddings, which
tend to be arranged marriages.
“People are generally introduced by
family or friends. People are generally
married by their early twenties. Jewish
families are generally loving and happy
with many children,” Gluck says.
When I ask whether there are any
difficulties living in Britain as a Haredi
Jew, he replies:
“There is, thank God, a very vibrant
and good social and educational
infrastructure to facilitate a Chasidic
lifestyle here.”
The family is at the centre of the Haredi
Jewish lifestyle and special celebrations.
Spending time together, particularly
through eating meals, is an important
part of life. “There are many traditional
dishes. Jews have lived for thousands
of years around the world and this is
reflected in a very eclectic choice of
culinary styles.
“Of course they all comply with the
Torah Laws and are Kosher.”
The Jewish sabbath – Shabbat – is
on a Saturday. It comes with some very
strict laws for Haredi Jews that must be
prepared for ahead of time. Jews devote
themselves to God on this day and pray
considerably more. They do not spend
money or work. They do not even use
machine – which is why they leave the
lights switched on from the night before –
or cook, write, watch television or use the
telephone.
Because of these rules, the Saturday
lunchtime meal of choice tends to be
Cholent, a traditional stew made of meat,
beans and potatoes.
The rules of Shabbat are enforced more
strictly than you might think. I was once
walking down a residential Stamford
Hill street on Saturday morning when
a Haredi gentleman rushed up to me in
a panic and asked me if he could ask a
favour.
“It’s the fuse box in my house. Could
you please come in and flick the switch for
me?”
It’s strange, to say the least, when
someone you don’t know rushes up to you
with that kind of request. I admit I did feel
a little nervous as I walked with him to
his house, but I relaxed a little when I saw
three girls – clearly his children – sitting in
the living room.
Then the gentleman told me the fuse
box was in the basement.
“Don’t worry, it is safe, safe.”
But my nerves had returned with
gusto as we took the steps down into the
basement together and I lifted the main
fuse switch, restoring electricity to the
house. The gentleman thanked me and I
left: the Haredi are so devoted to Shabbat
laws that they won’t even touch a fuse box.
Another traditional Jewish event is
Purim, which is easily one of the most
entertaining holidays. It commemorates
the saving of the Jewish people from
Haman, a royal vizier to the Persian
king, who planned to kill all the Jews in
the empire. The festival celebrates the
heroism of Biblical character Mordecai
and his cousin and adopted daughter
Esther, who had risen to become Queen
HERSCHEL
GLUCK
THE FAMILY IS
AT THE CENTRE
OF THE HAREDI
JEWISH LIFESTYLE
AND SPECIAL
CELEBRATIONS.
SPENDING TIME
TOGETHER,
PARTICULARLY
THROUGH EATING
MEALS, IS AN
IMPORTANT PART
OF LIFE.
20

of Persia. Today Purim is a day of feasting
and rejoicing, and sees children wear
colourful costumes and dance to loud
music. Lots of wine is drunk, songs
are sung and the sound of celebration
travels for miles from Stamford Hill.
Local residents are given gifts of wine
and baked treats, and charitable gifts
are given. The Book of Esther is read at
synagogue that week.
Purim food icludes treats such as
hamantaschen, three-cornered pastries
bursting with poppy seeds or another
sweet filling.
Hershel tells me that Rosh Hashanah,
the Jewish New Year celebration, will
begin on 20 September this year and last
for two days.
“This is followed about a week later by
the Day Of Atonement - Yom Kippur when
all healthy people over the ages of 12 for
young ladies and 13 for young men fast for
about 25 hours.”
He adds: “The area is safe, thank
God, since there are many good
and responsible people living in the
neighbourhood. Also Shomrim together
with the local police have contributed
substantially to the local stability.”
STAMFORD HILL
DUNMSURE ROAD,
N16, A JEWISH
SHOPPING
STREET THAT
BOASTS A KOSHER
SUPERMARKET,
FISHMONGER,
BAKERY AND
CLOTHING STORE
PHOTO: ALAN DENNEY
PURIM CELEBRATION IN STAMFORD HILL

Mulberry School of Dance
It’s September, and that back-to-school
feeling is in the air. But for parents with
very young children, autumn and winter
can be difficult. What do you do once
your babies are too old to sit quietly in
the pushchair, but too young to trot off to
Reception? Here are a few local resources
for when it’s too cold or wet to brave the
playground. (Please note that you need to
stay with your child at all these activities.)
Crawling babies and toddlers will enjoy
burning off some energy at Toddlers’
World, the large-scale soft play zone that
is set up several times a week at Clissold
Leisure Centre. It gets busy, but it’s worth
making the effort to book early; there’s
even a bouncy castle.
Another good rainy-day resource is the
One O’Clock club in Clissold Park: it’s the
small brick hut north of the tennis courts.
Open from 1pm to 4pm each day, it has a
few different activities set out every day
Tots are
HOT TO TROT
by CARRIE O'GRADY
(Duplo, crafts, etc), some tricycles, and a
sandpit with plenty of buckets and spades.
There are similar ones in Highbury Fields
and Victoria Park.
While you’re there, check the leaflet
stand for brochures detailing the fantastic
free services offered by Hackney Learning
Trust. They have many family centres
scattered around Hackney, including ones
specifically aimed at Muslim parents (the
Ihsan on Cazenove Rd) and Orthodox
Jews (the Lubavitch on Northfield Rd).
Not only do they offer stay’n’plays for the
little ones, but there are useful resources
for parents, too, offering support on
pregnancy, breastfeeding, weaning and
other areas. For more information, go to
www.learningtrust.co.uk/fisand click on
‘children’s centres’.
Parents who don’t mind parting with a
few pounds are well catered for at Clissold
House: nearly every day there’s an activity
for tots. Musical shows include Sparky
Songs and Tiny Tempo, both of which give
the kids a chance to join in. Dance classes
include Diddi Dance, which has a bash at
every style from flamenco to Bollywood,
and the Mulberry School of Ballet, which
is more traditional, but just as much fun.
Timetables are available at the house.
Don’t forget to say hello to the deer on
your way out of the park!
Slightly further afield, St Augustine’s
Church at 108 Highbury New Park Rd
runs a playgroup every Thursday morning
from 10am to noon; cost £2. Just round
the corner, there’s a similar stay’n’play
at the St Joan of Arc Community Centre
on Kelross Rd, every Tuesday from 10am
to noon. Gymboree, at 60 Highbury New
Park, is pricey, but members can use its
Open Gym whenever they like.
If your toddler is docile enough to spend
time in a café without tearing it to pieces,
there are several excellent kids’ cafes
that provide toys, books and babyccinos.
Yummy Yummy In My Tummy, at 56 Stoke
Newington High St (across from Tesco
Express), has a soft play area downstairs
and an impressive list of classes, from
science to ballet. To the west, the Little
Highness Play Café (69 Highbury Park)
offers delicious cakes, toys and sippycups.
This is only a sample of the many
activities on offer. For more ideas, visit
www.stokeyparents.com.
22

Hackney
FOOD &
RESTAURANT REVIEWS, LOCAL PRODUCTS, BEST COFFEE SHOPS
There are almost too many specialist
coffee shops in the East London
area to conquer all of them, so we’ve
pulled together a tour of some of
our favourite caffeinated spots in
the area, and hopefully there’ll be
something new for you to try. P 30-31

made in
HACKNEY
Love Local
Hackney is not just rich in culture. The borough
has produced some unique businesses and
brands and in each issue N16 Life magazine
charts some of the best of them.
ORGANIC CHOCOLATE
FROM CADBURY’S
DESCENDANT
L
ove Cocoa aims to blend
the best of Britain’s
chocolate traditions
inspired by the founder’s greatgreat-great
grandfather, John
Cadbury, with a touch of the
contemporary by being free from
refined sugars, gluten, palm oil
and other nasties. Founder James
Cadbury, who lives in Haggerston,
can often be found cooking up the
next Love Cocoa chocolate recipe
from his kitchen. Customers
can buy online and attach a
handwritten message in a parcel
that is friendly to your letterbox.
They have some interesting
flavours such as Gin & Tonic and
Earl Grey, and are working on a
new secret Avocado bar. Bars can
be bought at Fortnum & Mason
and (soon) Planet Organic, as
well as independent shops across
London. lovecocoa.com
24

GRANOLA
LIKE YOU
HAVE NEVER
TASTED
T
he siblings behind Husk
& Honey Granola are wild
about their fresh, nutritious,
and indisputably delicious granola.
Verity was an investment banker and
Hedie a psychologist and they now
want to combine the convenience
of store bought granola with the
high quality and fresh taste of
home baking. Hedie describes it as
“traditional granola with a twist”
because puffed organic grains sit
beside all the ingredients you’d
expect. Everything is lovingly
small-batch baked at their London
bakery and distributed
to a range of granola
addicts: premium
eateries, independent
delis, boutique hotels,
gyms and offices.
Many of their stockists
are local East & North
London haunts such as Eat 17,
Pomona Foods and De Beauvoir Deli,
weekend markets in Victoria Park
and Primrose Hill, and Raw Press
and BXR gym. Can also be purchased
online. huskandhoney.co.uk
DELICIOUS SODAS,
ZERO ADDITIVES
I
n 2012 Robyn and Ed
started making fresh
Square Root Sodas,
selling them at the Harringay
farmers’ market. They enlisted
the help of a 1920s delivery
tricycle, Elsie, and soon began
peddling the drinks all around
town. Square Root Soda Works
was formed in a railway arch in
Hackney and demand exploded
for their handmade, zero artificial
additives, small batch fruit sodas.
With an ever-changing range of
fruity seasonal flavours, plus some
perennial classics and three top
notch tonics, Square Root drinks
are truly unique and thoroughly
refreshing.
squarerootsoda.co.uk
GIN AND TONIC
IN SORBET
S
loshed Sorbets bring you
a British favourite – the
gin and tonic – in a brand
new format. Their award-winning
small-batch gin sorbets are handmade
using the finest natural
and dairy free ingredients, and
combine traditional flavours from
across the growing season with the
best British gins from London and
beyond. Alongside their Classic
Gin & Tonic sorbet, which recently
received a Great Taste 2017 award,
their menu features blackberries,
strawberries and seasonal specials
like rhubarb, damson and sloe gin.
Ingredients are sourced locally
wherever possible, and each
sorbet contains just shy of a full
serving of gin – so you can rest
assured they’re suitably boozy,
and probably the most refreshing
thing you’ll taste.
sloshedsorbets.co.uk
25

THE BIRDCAGE
BAR + KITCHEN
58 Stamford Hill, London N16 6XS
thebirdcageN16.co.uk • @thebirdcageN16
Tel: 020 8806 9077

REVIEWS
Based on Newington
Green, the Mediterraneaninspired
menu at Cafe
Acoustic truly has
something for everyone.
Cafe Acoustic
If you walk past on a weekend, you’ll
see the Cafe’s patio packed out with
brunch lovers enjoying their famous eggs
Benedict, full English breakfasts and
menemen bakes, or relaxing al fresco and
lingering over a coffee. But visiting in the
evening for dinner, it’s a more casual affair
- and a good thing too, because you’ll
need a while to indulge. There’s no sign of
hipster pretension, with wooden tables,
an intimate atmosphere and friendly staff,
making it the ideal place to host a catchup
with friends or family.
The homely feel extends to the amount
of choice available on the menu, and
the wonderfully generous portions. The
starters list is dominated by the sharing
dishes-indeed there are so many it would
be easy to order the entire menu and
share with a friend as your meal. We
tried the smooth baba ganoush and the
squeaky pan fried halloumi. The mains
list will be familiar to anyone who’s had to
cater for a range of tastes, and includes a
hearty mix of burgers, pasta dishes and
an amazing aubergine parmigiana-the
cheese stretches for miles-presented
in a golden dish on a wooden board.
Hungry customers should opt for the
grilled skewers, served with rice and
salad. Everything tastes freshly cooked,
and could easily have come out of your
auntie’s kitchen if you went round for
dinner. And this is the true appeal of Cafe
Acoustic - it’s a home away from home.
Showiness is pushed aside in favour of
hearty, wholesome food which you will go
back for time and time again.
60 Newington Green, London N16 9PX
www.cafeacoustic.co.uk
The Lacy Nook
The Lacy Nook has just celebrated
its first year anniversary on
Cazenove Road, a location that
makes the most of the ‘nook’
side of its name, as the proprietors say
most people think Stoke Newington High
Street ends after the Jolly Butchers.
But venturing round to Cazenove, you
will be truly treated by the Lacy Nook’s
generous all-day offering. Starting with
breakfast and coffee, you also can enjoy
lunch, dinner and drinks on their two
floors, or in the beautiful back garden.
Food is inspired by owners Elena and
Jana’s Balkan heritage but with Middle
Eastern and Asian fusions, with sharing
plates ranging from beef cevpai (small
beef sausages) to grilled squid and baked
plantain. All are served with a range of
dips like the roasted pepper relish Ajvar,
meaning you end up with an original mix
of flavours in your mouth with every bite.
The drinks menu is equally exciting, with
Negronis and giant Aperol Spritz glasses
making it a great place to just pop in for
a drink. If you wanted to hang out with
a laptop for a few hours, the coffee and
grandma’s-recipe-inspired baklava is
something to indulge in. In short, The
Lacy Nook caters for all moods, occasions
and will give you something new to talk
to your foodie friends about while you’re
there. On Sundays you can try a little
bit of everything for £25 a head, and we
recommend indulging a few hours to visit
the Balkans via Cazenove.
8 Cazenove Road, N16 6BD Stoke
Newington, London
www.thelacynook.com
27

Italian cuisine coupled with a variety
of other dishes from Europe
We pride ourselves in producing high-quality food as well as creating a
memorable experience for our customers. Come down to our restaurant
in Wood Green today to see what all the talk is about!
185A High Road, Wood Green, London N22 6BA
020 8352 2486 • info@ezraskitchen.co.uk
www.ezraskitchen.co.uk

Is Hackney the best
place to start your
social enterprise?
by VICTORIA GRAY
THE CENTRE FOR BETTER HEALTH
These days, starting a new business or
a charity is not enough for some people.
With consumers more inquisitive about
where their charity money is going, and
funding for start-up businesses more
competitive than ever, a handful of
businesses have gone down the social
enterprise route: reinvesting some of
their profit into charitable endeavours
that in turn benefit the business itself.
And several of these businesses are
based right here in Hackney.
The Luminary Bakery is a wholesale
bakery and cafe based in Stoke
Newington which provides baking
training and opportunities for women.
They supply bread to local eateries, while
selling cakes and sandwiches in their cafe,
which has just extended its opening hours
to seven days a week.
Founder Alice Boyle wanted to create
baking classes for women, and with seed
funding from Brick Lane’s KAHAILA
- a cafe that takes an active role in
community and supporting local projects
- Luminary started out in Tower Hamlets
before finding their Stoke Newington
home.
Hackney has been a receptive audience.
Alice says: “People get it. We’ve created
a culture of selling diversity.” Locals
are open to both enjoying cinnamon
buns at the cafe, and supporting a local
enterprise.
THE LUMINARY BAKERY
Baking seems to be a winning formula.
The Centre for Better Health, a mental
health charity based in Haggerston
runs three social enterprises: the Better
Health Bakery which has been around
for five years, Better Health Bikes, a bike
repair shop which has existed for two, as
well as wholesale business Better Health
Plastics. The enterprises sit naturally in
Hackney where there’s a lot of eateries
who will buy sourdough bread, feeding
what assistant director Simon Hale calls a
“trendy zeitgeist” in the area, and people
who ride bikes, providing a good market
for both businesses.
What marries this up so well with the
mental health work The Centre For Better
Health does is that both the bakery and
bike shop provide trainee employment
for adults recovering from mental health
issues, adding another branch to that
side of the charity. Assistant director
Simon Heale says that activities like these
are important because, for instance,
“baking is something people do together,
where you get to see the results rapidly.
It’s using employment as a way to recover
from mental health problems.” In that
respect, it’s a win-win situation.
But keeping a business running while
adhering to the values of the social
side of the enterprise is not without
its challenges. The Dusty Knuckle - a
wholesale bakery based in Dalston which
provides training and employment for
young people - strives to practise what
they preach, and not subscribe to the
overworking London culture which can
lead to burnout. Co-founder Max Tobias
tells us “it’s a whole set of different
challenges” to marry up the two sides.
But it’s important to have that business
mind - Max says the enterprise “has
to have legs” to survive: if you can’t
compete, you won’t achieve your goals,
adding responsibility to the social side.
It’s important to be as business-minded
as socially-minded. The Dusty Knuckle
are “still trying to find the sweet spot”,
but Hackney is the ideal area for that and
the audience for the products they’re
selling aren’t going anywhere.
The popularity of social enterprises
is growing, particularly because of the
community values supporting local
businesses fulfils, which is so important
to Hackney residents. Stoke Newington
cafe The Lacy Nook (see page 27) source
as much of their food produce locally
as they can, telling us “community is
everything.”
Social enterprise businesses thrive
in Hackney because of the unique
positioning of the need for their work,
but also a receptive community who
not only want to buy the products these
enterprises are selling, but also to take
the choice to support a local charity.
THE DUSTY KNUCKLE 29

Caffeine tour of
HACKNEY
by VICTORIA GRAY
photo GOKCE PEHLIVANOGLU

For many of us, coffee forms an
important part of many of our
day. Whether it gets you up in the
morning, gives you an excuse to
meet a friend, or just provides you some
refuge as you sip a cup of joe while doing
some work, Hackney coffee shops are a
key part of the area.
There are almost too many specialist
coffee shops in the East London area
to conquer all of them, so we’ve pulled
together a tour of some of our favourite
caffeinated spots in the area, and
hopefully there’ll be something new for
you to try.
CAFFEINE
STOKE NEWINGTON
CHURCH STREET
With a beautiful logo representing the
scientific formula for caffeine, you know
Caffeine is somewhere to pick up a pickme-up.
Stoke Newington Church Street
is possibly the most competitive place
to get a cup of coffee in the area, but the
newcomers to the area are enjoying great
success with their locally sourced coffee,
and always-organic milk for flat white
fans.
134 Stoke Newington Church Street,
N16 0JU
www.caffeinelondon.uk
ESTERS
Esters is a neighbourhood institution.
During the week it’s full of families
catching up, but come a winter weekend
the windows are steaming up thanks
to the huge amount of people clawing
their way inside to get breakfast. And it
wouldn’t be Stokey without a range of
alternative milks available for the perfect
latte.
55 Kynaston Road N16 0EB
www.estersn16.com
TINA WE SALUTE YOU
Tucked away off the main Kingsland Road
strip, Tina We Salute You is a fantastic
hidden spot to show off to newcomers
to the area, who won’t be disappointed
by the coffee which made the place
famous. Breakfast and brunch are strong
offerings too, meaning it’s always full at
the weekend - so much so that they’ve
just opened a second branch in Stratford.
47 King Henry’s Walk, N1 4NH
www.tinawesaluteyou.com
BRUNSWICK EAST
A ustralian heritage means the owners of
Brunswick East are obsessive about their
coffee, and it pays off. This independent
business makes sure everything feels
independent, with all-organic food served
seven days a week, and only the best (in
their eyes) coffee from locals Alchemy,
as well as the newest trend, bright green
matcha lattes.
Unit 3D Stamford Works, Gillett Street,
N16 8JH
www.brunswickeast.london
LIZZY’S ON THE GREEN
Although you can only take full advantage
of your treats from Lizzy’s on a nice day,
given that it is, as the name suggests,
right in the middle of Newington Green,
it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make an
effort to get yourself there. Delicious
coffee is served with a friendly smile, and
don’t miss out on the bacon bap.
Newington Green Park, Newington Green
Roundabout, N16 9PX
www.lizzysonthegreen.com
PALM VAULTS
If you’re looking for a cool place to have
your coffee, look no further. Miamiinspired
Palm Vaults is colourful in every
sense of the word - right down to its lattes
that range from your usual milk and
coffee to those with turmeric, matcha
and even beetroot, for a coffee that you’ll
never forget.
411 Mare Street, E8 1HY
www.palmvaults.com
HATCH
Hatch is truly a spot of variety. Attached
to a barber shop, the cafe has busy long
benches downstairs and a quiet area
upstairs with a library feel. With a quirky
decor and a trendy clientele, you know it’s
going to have good coffee, plus a delicious
mezze board if you’re staying for lunch.
Unit G2, 8 Mackintosh Lane, E9 2AB
www.hatch-homerton.co.uk
MOUSE & DE LOTZ
CAFFEINE STOKE NEWINGTON
Off-setting office and meeting room
costs to coffee shops is big business in
Hackney, so Mouse and de Lotz, right
next to the Hackney Downs arts complex,
is a great tip for a freelancer. Their
coffee is strong enough to push you
through that deadline or meeting and the
sandwiches will keep you going through a
tough day in the office.
103 Shacklewell Lane, E8 2EB
www.mousedelotz.com
31

Rhodes Island:
the Middle Ages alive in the Med
With its long sandy beaches, brilliant turquoise sea,
forests, mountains and eight months of sunshine in
the year, this largest of the Greek Dodacanese islands
truly deserves to be your next holiday destination.
by YASEMIN BAKAN
Imagine an island that is home
to Crusader castles, churches
adorned with beautiful frescoes and
museums aplenty. Imagine historical
relics from the Romans, Byzantines,
the Knights Templar, Ottomans and
Italians.
It is little wonder Rhodes attracts around
two million visitors annually and earns
Unesco World Heritage status for its
old town into the bargain. This is the
largest of the Greek Dodacanese islands,
situated in the southern Aegean Sea to
the southwest of Turkey.
ATTRACTIONS
GRAND MASTER’S PALACE
You reach the Grand Master’s Palace
by walking along the Knight’s Road. Some
of the most striking views of the old town
can be seen here: from the courtyard, you
can reach Kókkini and the Ágios Ioánnis
tower. But much of the Palace is a closed
book: just 24 of the 158 rooms are open to
the public.
LINDOS ACROPOLIS
The Lindos Acropolis (daily 8am–
7.40pm; €6) dates from 408 BC and the
formation of the ancient city of Rhodes.
The 50 kilometres of coastal views and
the reconstructed Temple of Athena are
well worth seeing.
MONASTERY OF FILERIMOS
This monastery is 10 kilometres from
the main city, on a hill above Lalyssos.
It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and
its Gothic architectural style is quite
different from monasteries in the Greek
mainland. It is built on the site of an old
Byzantine site by the Knights of St John
l when they captured Rhodes in the 15th
century. Inside is a holy symbol of Mary
32

GETAWAY
herself, probably brought here by the
knights from Jerusalem.
DAILY TOUR
There are many day trips to be enjoyed
from the Mandraki port to Symi and
other destinations using the Dodekanisos
Pride/Express catamarans. The vessels
leave at around 8.30am and return to
Rhodes at about 5.30pm.
Symi is a small, colourful island with
many photogenic, pretty streets that
exhibit the best of Greek architecture.
Halki, on the other hand, has a population
of just 450 and is a tiny islet that looks
like a postcard picture. If relaxing on
largely empty beaches and enjoying
delicious food is your thing, Halki is the
correct destination for you.
NIGHT LIFE
The locals prefer tavernas for their
fix of meze, uzo and live music. For
those who want to truly party, the main
destination in Rhodes is the Colarada
Club, where tourists whoop and sway to
the techno music under laser light shows
until daybreak.
The Faliraki region was one of the
most popular for clubbing at the turn of
the century, but a murder and a series
of sexual assaults in 2003 abruptly
halted its popularity and it never really
recovered.
TAVERNAS AND SIRTAKI
There’s live music every day at the Stou
Apostoli Meze Bar. With its traditional
tunes, performances of that popular
Greek dance sirtaki, heartfelt service,
delicious memes and uzo, of course, it is
the locals’ choice and a fine destination
to sample Greek nightlife. It’s on one of
the side streets off Socrates Street in the
old town. Address: Miltiadou 12, 85100.
Telephone +30 693 483 6893. Open every
day, 12 noon to 11pm.
TODO BIEN
Cocktails, music and a Latin
atmosphere in the old town. There
are plenty of rock bars around here
frequented by Greek students too.
Addres: Pithagora 15, Old Town. Open
daily 9pm to 4am.
OUTDOOR CLUB
The vast Paradise Disco Bar, based
completely outdoors, can accommodate
4500 people and alternates between
internationally-renowned DJs every
night, including David Guetta, Bob
Sinclair, David Morales, Aban and Axwell.
Address: Nikiforou Litra street, 851
00, +30 694 444 1888 Open Friday and
Saturday, 11.30pm to 9.30am
BEACHES
The west of the island has long, sandy
beaches and fairly still waters. The
eastern beaches are stonier, windier and
have more waves. The central Elli beach
has a seemingly perpetual turquoise
beach and the water is fantastic!
RESTAURANTS
KOUKOS RESTAURANT
Some traditional Rhodes cuisine –
fresh seafood, local wines and beers, all
exquisitely served – can be found here at
Koukos, easily one of the best restaurants
on the island. You may need to queue for a
table in the evenings, because it’s popular
not just among tourists but local folk too.
The prices are reasonable too: €25-30 per
head. Visit www.koukosrodos.com
TAMAM RESTAURANT
A family business that reinterprets
traditional Greek food in their own
way, this team of a father and his four
daughters creates such delicious
delights that long queues form outside
the restaurant. But the food, wine and
reasonable prices are definitely worth the
wait. They treat you like one of the family
and even kiss you like one if you come
back to visit again! Address:
www.tamamrhodes.gr/en/
WHERE TO STAY
Staying in Rhodes’s old town or nearby
will ensure you are close to the places you
want to see. The restaurants, museums,
palace and Socrates Street are all within
walking distance, although Lindos – at 45
km – will still be a fair distance away.

HACKNEY
property market
Foxtons' Neil McGimpsey explains
what's trending in the Hackney market
Hackney has seen change
in its streetscape for
quite some time now,
although it is evident in
some areas more than
others. Despite the influx
of developers searching
out new opportunities throughout
Hackney, Stoke Newington’s tree-lined
Victorian streets, for example, have
changed little over the years.
Historically popular with families,
the N16 postcode appeals thanks to its
sought-after primary schools, with the
likes of William Patten and Grazebrook
rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Add to
that a thriving high street, tranquil green
spaces and good transport links offering
easy access into the city and Canary
Wharf, and it becomes easy to see why
this pocket of the borough has gained
popularity over the recent years. While
the demographic make-up of families has
been moulded to a certain extent by the
available housing stock, there has also
been an increase in professional buyers
and tenants looking for a home locally.
The supply of flats in the area has
traditionally come from smaller newbuild
apartment blocks and conversions
of large Victorian family homes. However,
Victorian family homes in particular are
becoming much less prevalent in Stoke
Newington and Dalston. Run-down
houses in need of renovation would
typically have been the domain of smallscale
investors and developers, who
would buy in order to break up a property
into smaller flats for sale or to let. More
recently, there has been a new trend
emerging, where un-modernised houses
are snapped up by owner-occupiers, with
a view to renovating them for their own
use.
This trend has accelerated in recent
years with the introduction of the
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
Niche private developers, who have
traditionally created smaller homes for
the area, are now finding themselves
outcompeted by owner-occupiers
for these opportunities. Larger
housebuilders have also been active in
the area, providing entry-level homes for
first-time buyers.
Fears that swathes of new builds could
bring a more transient demographic,
34

PROPERTY
harming both the local economy and the
charming Church Street, have subsided.
While larger scale new developments
are unlikely to ever be wholeheartedly
embraced, when carefully planned and
delivered, they can bring far-reaching
benefits to the local community.
One such example is Dalston Square by
Barratt Homes, built around the largest
public space created in Dalston for over a
century. It is now also home to CLR James
Library, the first new library in Dalston
for the past 20 years.
The number of much-needed new
homes aside, perhaps the biggest
positive effect of new developments is
the array of new amenities they attract
to the area. For that reason, the projects
by Telford Homes, Taylor Wimpey
and Bellway Homes that were built in
and around Dalston were all very well
received, even before Berkeley Homes
took community-conscious development
one step further. Built on the banks of
the Woodberry wetlands on the northern
edge of Stoke Newington, Woodberry
Down has brought Berkeley’s renowned
style of luxury high-rise living to northeast
London. By completion in 2030, the
development will have replaced almost
2,000 neglected homes, replacing them
with over 5,500 new homes, 41% of which
have been set aside for social renting
and shared ownership. The project is
NEIL MCGIMPSEY
FEARS THAT SWATHES
OF NEW BUILDS
COULD BRING A
MORE TRANSIENT
DEMOGRAPHIC,
HARMING BOTH THE
LOCAL ECONOMY AND
THE CHARMING CHURCH
STREET, HAVE SUBSIDED
a fantastic example of place-making at
its best, successfully capitalising on the
estate’s neglected waterside location and
addressing the shortage of amenities.
The provision of three new public parks,
a community centre and library along
with a new academy and extended
primary school underlines the benefits
that carefully considered regeneration
can have for the wider area. The blend
of residents in Woodberry Down was
a natural fit to an existing vibrant
community, culminating in the annual
Hidden River Festival which is now in its
fifth year.
Looking to the future, it is likely that
the aforementioned trend of small-scale
property developers being outcompeted
by owner-occupiers will continue locally,
limiting the supply of converted flats
in the area. At the same time, many of
the limited number of sites suitable for
new homes throughout Dalston and
Stoke Newington have already been
developed. This is pushing housebuilders
to look further north east and east for
opportunities, with Tottenham and
Walthamstow in particular attracting
interest. N16 is sure to retain its sense
of vibrant, diverse community, while
continuing to benefit from the range of
new amenities developments such as
Woodberry Down bring.
The outlook for the next five to ten
years in Stoke Newington and Dalston
remains very positive.
Demand continues to grow and due to
the limited supply of new housing stock
mentioned previously, property prices
are likely to continue to increase steadily
over the medium term.
35

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Call for businesses to
join Hackney 100
Hackney Council has relaunched its
innovative Hackney 100 programme this
year and is calling for local businesses to
sign up to the scheme and support local
young people in realising their ambitions.
Following a successful pilot programme
in 2014/15, the Council is re-introducing its
paid work placement scheme for Hackney
residents aged 16-19. The programme
gives 100 young people who live or study
in Hackney their first experience of the
working world while enabling employers to
attract and retain future talent.
Mayor of Hackney, Philip Glanville,
said: “The Hackney 100 programme
pilot was a huge success with 57 young
people in placements across a whole host
of industries. We want to make this year
an even bigger success with more local
businesses on board supporting even more
young people across the borough.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for
businesses to give back to the local
community while also gaining a committed
and enthusiastic employee that will
complete real work and bring new skills to
their company.”
The roles that the Council hopes to
secure will give young people an insight
into future careers and the variety of
opportunities available in Hackney as well
as providing relevant experience and skills
to make them more employable when they
leave school, college or university.
Berkeley Homes is one of the businesses
that took part in the Hackney 100
programme pilot and is an advocate of the
scheme.
Dan Massie, Head of Development at
Berkeley Homes, said: “Hackney 100 has
created that link between businesses and
young people living and studying in the
borough that we didn’t previously have.
It has given us an opportunity to tap into
some of the best young talent in Hackney
and showcase the wide range of jobs
available in our industry.”
If your business would like to be involved
in the Hackney 100 programme, please
email hackney100@hackney.go.uk. For
more information visit hackney.gov.uk/
hackney100
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