The Greenwich Visitor February 2014 by The Greenwich Visitor

chosen by residents & VISITORS every day since 2010

GreenwichVisitor THE

FREE

February 2014 No 40

TAKE ME HOME

50% OFF MASSAGE HISTORIC PAPER THE NEWS FROM THIS MONTH IN 1894 - INSIDE

SPECIAL OFFER FOR FEBRUARY SEE AD ON P9

INSIDE

FEB, MARCH, APRIL

CRIME SCENES SEE Page 5

@GreenwichVisitr

FREE ENTRY AT

THE CLASSIC COMEDY CLUB IN GREENWICH - SEE P9

Statue pictured in back of a delivery van

FREE GIANT MAP FREE EVENT GUIDE

NELSON lies broken in the back of a van...the last sighting of the missing Greenwich statue of Britain’s greatest Naval hero.

The life-size bronze – facing the Thames by the Trafalgar Tavern – was damaged in an attempted scrap raid. This final sad photo of the statue was taken by artist and photographer Townly Cooke as workers placed it in the back of a van to be taken away for repairs in November 2012. Nelson hasn’t returned... The statue’s owners Inc Group told The Greenwich Visitor it couldn’t be put back because the council had refused to grant new planning permission for its return. But Greenwich Council claimed Inc had told them the statue had been stolen “without trace”. The statue was commissioned Turn to Page 4

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 2

repare for fireworks! Councillor John Fahy, who has broken ranks and declared Greenwich SHOULD help fund the famous Blackheath Fireworks. In 2010 Greenwich pulled out, leaving neighbouring Lewisham to pay...despite so many Greenwich residents enjoying the display. He has started a poll to see how many people agree. Go along to johnfahy.org.uk and click Yes! e’re too embarrassed to say much... apart from thank you to mystery blogger The Greenwich Phantom for your kind words (right). uge changes are planned to the rail service from central London to this part of south east London from January 2015. Commuters will find getting to work and back tougher as London Bridge

About the GV THE Greenwich Visitor is published once a month – on the first day of the month – and is distributed every day. We print on average 40,000 copies every month. Of those around 30,000 are taken by RESIDENTS and 10,000 by VISITORS. Readers CHOOSE to read The Greenwich Visitor. And all our copies are taken locally, by people within easy reach of your business. Find your copy at: Waitrose, Greenwich: Dreadnought Wharf, Victoria Parade, 1 Thames St, SE10 9FR Sainsburys Greenwich: 55 Bugsby’S Way London SE10 0QJ. Co-Op Greenwich: 200 Trafalgar Road SE10 9ER Sainsburys Eltham: 1a Philipot Path SE9 5DL Sainsburys Lee Green: 14 Burnt Ash Road SE12 8PZ Asda Charlton: Bugsby Way, Charlton, SE7 7ST And at selected hotels, bars and restaurants. If you’d like to stock the Greenwich Visitor for your customers please call 07731 645828. And from our street distributors, Chris, Debbie, Liba & Papa. Publisher and Editor: Matt Clark Matt@TheGreenwichVisitor.com For all editorial and advertising enquiries call us on:

07731 645828

Browse past editions at:

TheGreenwichVisitor.com Thanks for reading!

The Greenwich Visitor’s social diary, brought to you by the spirit of Horatio Nelson

wo big live music events are mooted for Blackheath this autumn – On Blackheath is apparstation is redeveloped. Rightly the ently trying for the third time to Greenwich Line Users Group are stage a two-day festival on the making a noise. But there’s a hidden Heath in September. The Jimmy danger too. Greenwich needs tour- Mizen Foundation wants to hold a ists yet it’s about to get an awful lot community concert in August. The harder for them to travel here... Blackheath Society has objected

to events on the Heath in the past. It’ll be an interesting summer... e’re pleased to be the paper that coined the phrase Pavement Tax for the “street trading licence charge” threatening shopkeepers here. The name has stuck...like the charge, unfortunately, as @MattHartley100 pointed out on Twitter.

here’s what YOU ask US We came to see the Market but I London’s best TIC. And the heard it’s going. Not any more! excellent staff there won the Gold Greenwich Hospital, which owns the Award in the 2013 Information site, won permission to build a hotel Provider of the Year category of the but the recession has changed all Visit England excellence awards that. We were first to report the plan (after landing Silver last year). You had been delayed. Then the landlords don’t HAVE to be a tourist to make announced it was OFF. They have the most of their expertise either. just applied for planning permission Get advice, buy tickets for boats, for a new roof and to put a smaller tube, DLR, rail, bus and coach market in a yard next door. Historic journeys, book a tour, buy tickets b u i l d i n g s – l i k e t h e b a n a n a for other London attractions (if you warehouse – due to demolished have must!). Discover Greenwich next now been reprieved. There’s been a door is great for kids. market here since the 1300s. We watched the Olympics in There’s another market, isn’t Greenwich. It looks a lot different there? Yes, there’s a weekend now. There was a huge 20,000 market called the Clocktower Market seater stadium here in 2012 but along Greenwich High Road. It’s Park staff have been working hard more retro. to put it back in shape. It was very I saw the cable car mentioned on controversial, but most people TV. Yes, the Emirates AirLine has agree the Games were amazing. had a lot of publicity recently. It’s an There’s a new/old orchard in the amazing structure and we’re pleased Park now well worth a visit. it’s here. Unfortunately it’s proved – I spotted some street signs that as we predicted when we were the say Greenwich is now a Royal first paying customers in June 2012 Borough? We have 1,000 years of – to be a tourist attraction rather links with the monarchy. than a transport link. Henry VIII and Elizabeth Figures uncoverd by I were born here and www.snipelondon. christened at St com show only Alfege Church, FOUR regular right in the town commuters use it. WANT TO ADVERTISE? centre.The It’s near the O2 Queen bestowed HAVE A STORY? a t N o r t h Royal Status in Greenwich and February 2012. Call Matt on 07731 645828 it’s not cheap, at Hence the signs. £8.60 for a return. Matt@TheGreenwich I read that But we recommend Greenwich is a Visitor.com a flight – go at offWorld Heritage Site? peak times, when it Yes, it was awarded UN moves more slowly. Avoid World Heritage Site status in high winds! It may be suspended...so the 1990s. It means our buildings will you! and history are so amazing they’re Is the foot tunnel open yet? UN-protected. Mostly, yes. But you can never be sure. As you can see from our story Museums. Are they free? Yes – on Page 9, work should finally be except the Fan Museum, which has finished by Spring – FIVE YEARS no public funding but a worldafter an £11.5million refurbishment leading collection of fans. And the started. A Friends group has been Wernher Collection of art at established to try and protect the Ranger’s House, run by English historic walkway under the Thames. Heritage. You pay to stand on the Updates at www.greenwich.gov.uk/ Meridian Line now too. Greenwich/Travel/foot-tunnels.htm There are a few empty shops If you have a bad experience down right now? What’s that all about? there – or a good one email us – Even glorious Greenwich isn’t immune from the recession. The Matt@TheGreenwich Visitor.com What should we do today? You’ve Olympics didn’t bring the promised picked up a Greenwich Visitor – boom. Some shops closed because good start. Next visit the Tourist o f b u i l d i n g w o r k t o u p d a t e Information Centre at Pepys House, Greenwich Market. Others blame 2 Cutty Sark Gardens (just next to high rent and repair bills, and have the Cutty Sark). It’s officially decided not to renew leases.

USERS’ GVIDE

NELSON’S COLUMN

O W

ur literary editor highly recommends Penny Hancock’s novel The Darkening Hour, set here. She devoured it in a day! Read the start on Pages 6&7 then head for a bookshop... e think you’ll love our centre pages today. It’s thoughtprovoking to read the news here from 120 years ago. An England v Ireland rugby international at Blackheath; and a robbery at the railway station afterwards. There are tragedies and comedy. And don’t those adverts make fascinating reading? Plots of land for sale (is your house one of them?) for a few pounds. Maybe in another 120 years people will be intrigued by historic pages from our own paper. What’s that you say? “There won’t be newspapers in the future!” Don’t be so sure. You’re holding the future in your hands right now. et another blockbuster movie has been filmed here.....Inbetweeners. Hope the residents in St John’s Park put a swearbox in the street!

GreenwichVisitor

Supermap - See Pages 10 & 15

OneNear.com STARTING a business is never easy – but when you’re a family in Greenwich and your competitors are $64million US start-ups it’s tough… When you’re already doing a full-time job it’s really tough… And when you’ve just had a new baby it’s even tougher… But we’re about to launch a local pilot of our new business OneNear.com and the experience has been amazing. We plan to empower anyone to launch a low risk business by buying and selling services in our community. From music teachers and personal trainers, hairdressers and cleaners to photographers can sell their skills through their own free and simple to use ecommerce site. There are no hosting charges, a free merchant account and checkout page, free advertising and marketing, free gallery to showcase past work, free online booking system, social media integration, and sellers get paid straight into their bank account. Customers can book services, buy products directly, and outsource tasks and receives bids from Shop Fronts. For example: A tourist could raise a task in minutes with the OneNear iPhone app for a “guided tour around Greenwich” and receive bids. The Shop Front rating system is unique too; stars rate the quality of work and smiles rate the personal experience. There are no listing fees like auction sites, no external adverts, no web hosting charges, and it includes free advertising and marketing. Unlike other sites – where skilled individuals have to repost adverts – Shop Front listings don’t timeout. As well as task outsourcing OneNear offers a low-risk solution to sell products and service like a shop, so anyone can build a scalable online business. Another first is that all these features fit seamlessly into one integrated and safe payment service. With the escrow system payments are only released when the job is completed and OneNear is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority. We have some heavy competition – US startup TaskRabbit achieved $64m in funding and has just launched in London. The past 18 months have been tough. I’ve launched the business while maintaining a full time job and my wife Amalia had our baby recently. But we believe in the business and feedback has been great. To mark our launch here in Greenwich we’re offering an exclusive VIP Shop Front offer to people here. Visit onenear. com/go/greenwich, or email greenwich@onenear.com for more information. We are the eBay for task outsourcing, the Amazon for local services, and the Facebook where you make money. Try us. RICHARD FOSTER

WHY WE’RE HERE

3-month listings – 20,21,22

GreenwichVisitor

LOVE ON THE LINE THE

WHY is this pack of pirates posing like General Wolfe’s statue? We don’t know…they just aargh!

The band of brigands are members of Sparrows UK – a group of Jack Sparrow lookalikes who meet regularly and raise money for charity. They called after seeing our picture of their amazing van (above) in The Greenwich Visitor last month. “We’re a bunch of lookalikes and pirates based on the films and go around events raising money for charity,” says Captain Nutty Nick. “We were there for the day in my black pearl Chevy van ZZ4. She’s running a small block V8 and has won at every show she has entered.” Parts of the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie starring Johnny Depp were filmed at Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College. “If you see some cranky pirates in Greenwich, chances are it’s us,” says Nick, from Orpington. “Savvy!” Info: www. facebook.com/pages/The-Black-Pearl

HELM ON WHEELS: Wooden steering aparatus

February 2014 Page 3

Padlocks craze along Meridian

HEARTIE PARTY: Pirates at Painted Hall

K H G R A A A P H IC W N E E GR

A GLOBAL love phenomenon has arrived in Greenwich...

Sweethearts have been leaving padlocks on railings at the Meridian Line, just outside the Royal Observatory, as tokens of their love. The padlocks are inscribed with the sweethearts’ initials or a love messages, then locked to the railings. The sweethearts usually throw away the key so the token of their love cannot be removed. The phenomenon is thought to have begun in Rome around 10 years ago, where lovers began attaching padlocks to the Ponte Milvio after being inspired by a romantic novel. The craze spread across the globe, with the Ponte des Artes in Paris festooned with locks. Thousands of padlocks have been removed from bridges in Paris, Canada and from the historic Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence because they could damage the structures. Closer to home, love locks have been fixed to the Millennium Bridge. At the moment there are only a few padlocks here in Greenwich. Park managers will be hoping the craze does not take off...

g+DIF GENEROUSLY THE brilliant outdoor Greenwich + Docklands International Festival is back this summer and is asking for your help. The huge free arts festival – packed with epic dance shows, night-time spectaculars and street entertainment – returns from Friday June 20-28. But organisers are appealing for financial help to raise £25,000 to make the Opening Night Spectacular by Argentinian company Voalá just that! A spokesman said: “Please help us kick off in spectacular style by donating whatever you can today.” Info www.festival.org

thevanbrugh.co.uk +44 (0)20 8305 1007 91 Colomb Street Greenwich, SE10 9EZ

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 4

Miles Hedley’s pick of this month’s best events. Full listings begin on Page 18

JOY DIVISION The London Theatre presents Harry Denford’s harrowing drama about the thousands of young women at Nazi labour camps forced to join the sicklynamed Joy Division and become sex slaves for officers who were posted to the Russian front. Feb 4-8

HOSPITALITY Award-winning South London indie dance label Hospital Records celebrate their 18th birthday at Building Six at the 02 with a spectacular club night featuring some of their top acts such as High Contrast, Camo & Krooked, Fred V & Grafix and S.P.Y. Feb 7

FEBRUARY

ALAN DAVIES Is there a more popular comedian on TV today? The star of Jonathan Creek and QI is back on the stand-up circuit for the first time in a decade and brings his Little Victories tour to the wondrous surroundings of the Cutty Sark for Valentine’s Day. Feb 14

CHINESE NEW YEAR Come and welcome in the Year of the Horse with day-long celebrations at the National Maritime Museum for all the family which include workshops and p e r fo r m a n c e s a n d e n d u p w i t h a traditional lion dance. The fun starts at 11am and it’s all free. Feb 15

MARK STEEL Blackheath Halls hosts the left-wing comic, political activist - he ran for the London Assembly in 2000 - author, columnist, TV panellist and Crystal Palace fan. He once made a programme for Radio 4 called Dedicated Troublemaker. What’s not to like? Feb 15

THE BRITS The annual music gongs jamboree at the 02 arena is once again hosted by James Corden. Katy Perry and the Arctic Monkeys are booked to perform live and their fellow prize nominees include the likes of Lady Gaga, Jessie J and, of course, One Direction. Feb 19

NOT SIMPLY DANCING

10 TO DO

There’s something for everyone on these two evenings at Borough Hall - dance, movement, framing, spacing and connection (not to mention a mobile bar) courtesy of artists such as Neil Callaghan, Simone Kenyon, Rachel Cherry and Annie Lok. Feb 21, 22

LONDON ADVENTIST CHORALE Quite simply one of the glories of the world of gospel music, this internationally renowned and sublime a capella ensemble, conducted by Ken Burton, will sing African-American spirituals in the equally sublime chapel of the Old Royal Naval College. Feb 22

ROBBER/HAMLET/THEBES The Faction company brings its repertory production of three classic dramas - by Schiller, Shakespeare and a cocktail of Sophocles and Aeschylus respectively to Greenwich Theatre after an acclaimed season at North London’s New Diorama. Feb 25-Mar 1

WIELTSCHNIG/JOY Clarinettist Eve Wieltschnig and her Trinity Laban colleague Gennie Joy, playing the extraordinary bass clarinet, join forces for a free lunchtime recital at St Alfege’s church with a programme that includes Brahms’ gorgeous Clarinet Sonata No1 in F Minor. Feb 27

Expert’s verdict on show

Nelson’s admirable exhibition I think the NMM have got the balance just right. Nelson, Navy, Nation is a fascinating place to spend a couple of hours and I can recommend it to anyone, especially as it coincides with the brilliant Turner exhibition the basement. This includes Turner’s I GAVE the National Maritime Museum in moving painting of the Fighting Temeraire a broadside in my book Glory and (she gallantly came to the aid of Nelson’s B*llocks – about ten landmark dates in flagship Victory at Trafalgar) being towed by British history – for sidelining our p a d d l e s t e a m e r T h e N e w Wo r l d t o greatest naval hero to a corner... Rotherhithe to be broken up. presumably because he lived with his A computer display in the gallery explains mistress Emma Hamilton and her elderly the tactics used by Nelson at the Battle of the diplomat husband in a menage a trois. Nile and at Trafalgar. Exhibits describe the Once, it had a Nelson room which told us life of sailors, and cartoons show how they about the man. It showed off domestic items spent all their money when they were on – including letters he left at his home when shore on women and drink. There is a rare he parted from his beloved Emma for the pair of ordinary seaman’s blue striped final mission that ended in his heroic death while defeating the combined French and trousers, displayed beside a cat-o’-nine tails. Spanish fleets at Trafalgar. I found them And there is the sound of a ship creaking in displayed at the entrance in the shiny new the background. It’s a rollicking, roaring, Voyager Hall (with ocean sound effects) with brilliant display. The gallery’s star item is a notice telling visitors: the famous blue, every day “The collection has been “undress” coat that Nelson arranged into groups to was wearing when he was represent six different shot by a sniper from the emotions – Anticipation, Love, Sadness, Pride, rigging of a French warship. Aggression and Joy.” You can still see the hole in History as six the left shoulder made by the emotions? To me, this musket ball. In my earlier was treating history as book Whitehall – The Street soap opera. That Shaped A Nation, I I had gone to discover speculated that the sniper how Drake and the must have used the four English captains defeated medals on his left breast to the Spanish Armada in sight his musket, and missed 1588. I asked a guide for his heart by the rise and fall directions to the Armada of the ships. gallery. I was met with a I still think the NNM blank look because there displays about the Nelson era is no Armada gallery. lack coherence because The main gallery at the items connected with his life NMM is dedicated to the e im rit Ma l na Natio are dispersed around the Atlantic: Slavery, Trade, ich nw ee Museum Gr Empire. Visitors are told: museum. And it lacks a “This gallery is about the hands-on display – a movement of people, goods mocked-up gun deck maybe – and ideas across and around that tells us what it was like Until 21 April the Atlantic Ocean from the being below decks in a British 17th century to the 19th century... man o’war (you have to go to HMS shaping the world we live in today.” Victory in Portsmouth or read the But what about the movement of people novels of Patrick O’Brian for that). up the English Channel in August 1588? I Visitors to the Nelson room used to be met wanted to know how Drake’s small ships had with a neon sign posing the question, defeated the much bigger Spanish warships. I began to see a theme developing here: “Hero?” At least the new gallery no longer The NNM is strong on climate change and poses that question. It tells the truth about the political impact of the movement of Nelson, flaws and all. Coupled with the Turner exhibition, it is people (slavery), but seems to treat the battles against the Dons and the French like a not to be missed by anyone vaguely drunken punch-up on a Saturday night. It interested in the Georgians, the age of sail would rather not dwell on them. I was not and the man who did more than anyone else asking for a jingoistic display, just the facts. to ensure that for the next 100 years, Britain Nigel Rigby, Head of Research at the truly did rule the waves. NNM, assured me that the lack of a clear Glory and B*llocks, The Truth Behind 10 narrative about Nelson and his battles would Defining Events in British History by Colin be put right by the opening of a new gallery. B r o w n i s p u b l i s h e d b y O n e w o r l d i n I went back after the New Year and I am glad paperpback £9.99 and is available at to say that he has met most, if not all, my Waterstone’s in Greenwich. Read his blog: www.colinbrown00.com complaints. THE National Maritime Museum has answered criticism that it is too politically correct with its recently-opened Nelson, Navy, Nation gallery, says Blackheath author and history expert Colin Brown.

WHERE WHEN

STATUE From Page 1 by Trafalgar Tavern owner Frank Dowling in 2005 to mark the 200th anniversary of Nelson’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar. But Mr Dowling’s Inc Group went into administration last November, and the American tycoon is believed to have been questioned over £6.5million in missing VAT and PAYE. His famous Spread Eagle Collection of art treasures was removed from the group’s Spread Eagle restaurant when it shut down before Christmas, as The Greenwich Visitor revealed last month. Administrators are believed to be checking the ownership of the collection as they try to sell some of the group’s many bars and restaurants here. Stephen Hunt, of administrators Griffin, said Mr Dowling was still running some venues, including The Admiral Hardy and the Trafalgar Tavern after setting up new companies. He said Inc’s structure was complicated and added: “We’re finding new bits of land and properties that it owns all the time.” The pictures – entitled Nelson’s Fall – feature in To w n l y C o o k e ’s b o o k o f photos from 1970-2012 – Greenwich Volume 1. The artist, painter and photographer is looking for a publisher. Nelson’s links to Greenwich are strong. After his death at Trafalgar his body was brought to Greenwich in a barrel of brandy. His lying-in-state attracted thousands of visitors to the Painted Hall. His body left Greenwich for burial at St Paul’s on January 8 1806. Visitors and residents have been upset about the missing statue. @GreenwichVisitr follower Rob Murray @ RFM80789455 tweeted: “I will be boycotting all Inc venues until the statue of Lord Nelson is returned #returnnelsonstatue” Follow Townly and see his work at @TownlyCooke

98 years...time it took to build the Royal Naval Hospital

Volunteer at the ORNC TIME on your hands? Need new skills? And fancy a great Greenwich experience? The historic Old Royal Naval College is looking for volunteers to be its public face. Nearly 2million people a year visit. Volunteers are needed to welcome and engage with visitors, raise donations, carry out surveys and even blog. The ORNC offers professional training, hands-on experience and help to develop your future career. Interested? Email volunteer@ornc.org, call 020 8269 4799 or visit www.ornc. org/support/volunteer

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 5

As scene on TV Homes right here that starred in television dramas

EVER watched TV and spotted a house that looks spookily familiar?

If you saw creepy whodunnit What Remains last autumn you might recognise the house with the loft that contained a grim secret. David Threlfall, Russell Tovey and Steven Mackintosh starred in the BBC1 drama – but the most memorable character was the large brooding house itself. The exterior is in Eliot Park, a winding road between Blackheath and Lewisham. But a team of designers led by Lisa Marie Hall created a totally different interior on a set at Ealing Studios. Lisa said the aim was to make the house “a pivotal character, as menacing and awkward as its inhabitants.” Travel over the Heath and as you head down Blackheath Hill look right. You’ll catch a glimpse of the fabulous house where 90s drama Grafters was filmed. Robson Greene and Stephen Tompkinson starred as Geordie builders Joe and Trevor Purves – hired to restore the five-bedroom pile by a yuppie couple. In real-life the house in West Grove HAD just been restored! Owner Steve Frost bought the wreck for £350,000 in 1998 and spent £200,000 on renovations before hiring it out for £55,000. Designers turned it back into a ruin. Steve later sold the famous house for £1million! In the early noughties a whole street in

JAZZ

THE CLARENDON HOTEL

AT THE ROW

JAZZ IN FEBRUARY

EVERY WEDNESDAY WE HAVE FREE JAZZ IN THE BAR. WITH SOME FRESH, CUTTING EDGE, IN VOGUE TALENTED MUSICIANS – STILL FREE FROM 8.30PM

COP: David Threlfall in What Remains

5TH FEBRUARY

Greenwich starred in its own surreal soap. King George Street became Thornton Street for Night and Day, starring Joe McGann and Lysette Anthony. The ITV series began with the disappearance of teenager Jane Harper. For two years it followed the affairs, feuds, intrigue and slanging matches of several families, and suggested their links to her fate. There were ghostly scenes and and it was often shot in a dreamlike blur. Its theme tune Always and Forever was sung by Kylie Minogue. Fans loved it but it failed to get huge ratings and was axed.

DEBORAH CAREW TRIO “A welcome addition to the London Jazz scene” Trudy Kerr, Jazz vocalist Deborah will be playing alongside Nora Bite & Mario Castronari.

12TH FEBRUARY HEIDI VOGEL DUO

Heidi Vogel, vocalist from London, is the lead singer for The Cinematic Orchestra and has toured extensively with the band over the past 6 years.

19TH FEBRUARY

ALMA LANSIQUOT DUO Alma Lansiquot is a captivating singer whose warm, rich tone brings a cool, authentic sound to vocal jazz today.

(and in ad too)

SEEN the new Waitrose ad on TV? Parts are shot at their new store in Greenwich..and we reckon this delivery scene is filmed here too. Coleraine Road? Or Beaconsfield Road? Do you know? Email Matt@TheGreenwich Visitor.com

26TH FEBRUARY ZOE FRANCIS DUO

Zoe Francis, started singing while living in New York for a while attending the workshops of Dr. Barry Harris before going workshops of Dr. Barry Harris before going to sing regularly in Manhattan. on to sing regularly in Manhattan with

JAZZ FROM 8.30PM. GREAT FOOD AVAILABLE. Montpelier Row, Blackheath SE3 0RW. T: 020 8318 4321

www.clarendonhotel.com

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 6

OUR NEW MONTHLY COLUMN reviews

LIFE IN ELTHAM with GAYNOR WINGHAM

elthamarts@aol.com @ @ElthamArts

VOICES: Eltham Choral Society

inging is good for you...official! Oxford Brookes University surveyed 375 people who sang alone, sang in a choir or played team sports. Those in choirs showed the most benefit – psychological and physical. Researchers concluded that it could be a cost effective way to improve people’s health. ut as well as being healthy, singing in a choir is also fun. Terry Timmins tells me he was inspired to join a choir by watching one of Gareth Malone’s TV programmes. She looked around and found the Greenwich Community Choir – part of the Greenwich Academy of Music and Drama – which meets on Monday evenings in term time at Eltham Park Methodist Church. This is a fun choir which singing a range of songs from the shows, popular music and songs from around the world (Check them out at www.gamd.org. uk). Terry says she has really enjoyed the singing and the different styles of music. One bonus has been meeting so many people and making new friends. Joining the choir has even led to her moving to Eltham from Greenwich! erry said: “I’d recommend anyone who might be thinking of whether to join a choir to sign up as soon as possible. You’ve got nothing to lose and you could gain an awful lot!” hoirs have been singing in Eltham for a long time. Maggie Watson from Eltham Choral Society contacted me to tell me about their choir. It was founded around 100 years ago and has an excellent reputation for a classical repertoire. Everyone is welcome to attend rehearsals on a Thursday evening and there are details on their website www.elthamchoral.org.uk. This term they start rehearsals for Elijah by Mendelssohn which they will perform at several venues. They give bursaries to two young people a year to join. With the Rock Choir and the Greenwich Soul Choir both meeting in Eltham, there is a really wide choice if you fancy giving singing a go. There are details of some on the www. thisiseltham.co.uk site. here’s so much going on in Eltham at the moment. Don’t forget to send your entry in to the Tales of Eltham competition. Leaflets all over Eltham High St or on the Eltham Arts website. www. elthamarts.org. Eltham Entertains starts on February 12 at the Eltham Centre. The monthly arts evenings are on the second Wednesday of the month from 7 to 9 with very interesting speakers. Life in Eltham is getting busy! Let me know what you are doing or give me you views on the arts in Eltham. Contact me on 07976 355398 or email elthamarts@aol.co.uk

T C

Orchestra is 1 to watch for! IT was a night of notable firsts at Blackheath Halls – the first performance of the chamber orchestra Siegfried Camerata, the first outing as a conductor of the gifted violinist Manuel Arellano and a genius’s first symphony. Twenty-three Trinity Laban graduate musicians have joined forces to create this new ensemble and it was a nice touch to begin their public debut with Mozart’s Symphony No1, which was composed in London. In fact, more than half the wind section were not required for the opening piece but Arellano – no stranger to Greenwich audiences as a member of the terrific Bedriska Trio – coaxed a richly textured sound from his players as they performed a work that still thrills when seen in the context of having been written by an eight-year-old child. Brilliant flautist Pedro Lopez took centre stage for a second helping of Mozart, his Flute Concerto No2 in D. Lopez’s interpretation was a delight, playful in the allegro movement, mournful in the adagio and his fingers at times a blur in the rondeau. The orchestra swelled to its full ranks for its finale, a piece which presumably inspired its name, Richard Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll. After the glories of Mozart, this felt curiously out of keeping. It was beautifully played but to my ear Wagner is to Mozart what Marlowe is to Shakespeare – great but not sublime. That said, I enjoyed the evening hugely because Siegfried Camerata is made up of obviously talented musicians and listening to them was quite simply a joy. Definitely one to watch. MILES HEDLEY

Hull of a start for ship venue THE Michael Edwards Studio Theatre inside the hull of the Cutty Sark opened for business with an inspired choice of show – a harp concert by Trinity Laban students directed by Gabriella Dall’Olio. The sublime and delicate sounds of the instrument cascading through the huge metal ribs of the wooden giant created a wonderful contrast, which in turn created an evening of spellbinding music it’s hard to imagine will be bettered in this space. Harpists Anna Le Gall, Niina Chamberlain, Laure Genthialon, Tom Xerri, Glenda Allaway, Aileen Henry and Richard Allen were magnificent playing a programme of French solo pieces from the first half of the 20th centrury. The works ranged from the achingly beautiful La Source by Hasselmans to Tournier’s Fievreusement from Sonatine. The evening also included three challenging group pieces, the best of which – for me – was Tomasi’s dazzling Invocation Et Danses Rituelles. For these, the harpists were joined by flautists David Albon, Katherine Birtles and Sandrine Jones, clarinettists Henry Melbourne and Ross Newton, violinist Jenni Thompson and Dickson Fung, viola players Sally Wragg and Jennifer Alexander and cellist Natalie Hancock. The studio theatre has a series of soldout comedy and folk music shows coming up. However, this packed evening proved it is not only a perfect venue for classical chamber groups or soloists but there is also an audience for it. – MILES HEDLEY

Chapter One

PENNY Hancock has done it again... In 2012 we ran the first chapter of her debut novel Tideline. Now here’s a chance to taste her second gripping novel. Penny grew up in Greenwich and now lives with her family in Cambridgeshire where she is a part-time teacher. The Darkening Hour is set in Deptford, where housewife Theodora employs a migrant domestic worker Mona. Her demands increase until Mona is treated nothing better than a slave.

PROLOGUE

Deptford, South East London

O-ONE sees the woman push the man in his wheelchair through the market. Amongst the stallholders, shoppers, crack addicts, shaven-haired women, longhaired men, mums with kids heaped onto the backs of buggies, teenagers plugged into iPods, drunks and dealers, amongst the general sense of busyness, of chatter, buying, selling, going somewhere, belonging, no matter who you are or where you’ve come from, this pair do not fit or feature. They dissolve into the background along with the Somali guy sweeping the road in his hi-viz jacket, the thin girl with the old woman’s face selling the Big Issue, the group of Vietnamese huddled around the moneyexchange kiosk. They are of even less interest than the young Ukrainians sorting through textiles in the depot under the arches, or the Bengali chef in a doorway left open to ease the heat of a steamy kitchen. Anyone who did look would notice that the two – the woman and the old man – are not related. The man has pale darting eyes and fragile, crinkled skin, spotted in places with dark patches, the effects of too much sun, while the woman’s brown skin is blotchy from the lack of it. She’s short with soft contours, her sunken eyes dark. There’s another, more striking difference. The man exudes wealth. He’s dressed in good quality trousers, polished leather shoes, a thick wool jacket and a cashmere scarf, while the woman wears tracksuit bottoms and a cheap fleece over a blue overall, and ragged trainers that soak up the puddlewater underfoot. More than this, an onlooker might notice the resigned look in her bruised eyes, the indifference to the colourful shops and stalls and the bright chatter. It’s as if the woman, pushing the man down the street, his bag of fruit clutched on his lap, does not occupy this city at all, as if her mind is in a place so far away and so long ago she isn’t sure it still exists. But no-one is looking,

tideReadlChine apter One of

Penny Hancock’s first novel in our April 2012 edition online at www.TheGreenwich Visitor.com

no one is interested. And even the old man in his wheelchair is not sure who it is that propels him along this jostling street at twilight on an early January evening. As long as she gets him home soon, for he can feel hunger rumbling in his belly, and as long as he has his clementines, firm and fresh in his lap, he’s content. he woman steers the wheelchair through the crowds, towards the broad expanse of sludgy river with its smell of oil and of cargo from other worlds. As they move away from the market, and its sweet aroma of roasting chestnuts, the glow of makeshift bulbs dims behind them, giving the impression they are leaving not just light but warmth as well, though the stallholders’ breath is white in the

the Curious Comb Price

Freeze Makes budgeting a breeze!

same great prices for 2014! www.thecuriouscomb.co.uk

111 Humber Road, Blackheath, se3 7Lw

020 8853 8282

Open evenings and weekends

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 7

of Penny Hancock’s brilliant new novel

She pushes the wheelchair to the top of the steps at Paynes Wharf, pauses and stares down at the murky water of the Thames...

dumbwaiter shaft, floats into the room. “MONA!” “Yes.” “It’s seven o’clock.” “He’s going to bed now. Then I’ll come.” “You’re late.” “I’m coming.” And the old man is demanding her attention at the same time. “You’ve hidden it again! Blast and damn you, woman, you’ve taken my whisky.” And the shout from upstairs. “Now!’ And the man’s grumbling, and her head beginning to pound. arly the next morning, when a mist lies over the river and the The Darkening Hour by Penny ck rba pe pa streetlights continue to glow in d she bli pu is ck Hanco 6 in their fuzzy orange corona, ry rua Feb on er ust Sch & on by Sim ripples falter over something and is available in bookshops larger than the usual rubbish s ne including Watersto – the plastic bottles and beer the tiny bathroom. She cans, the syringes and the takes the peel to the kitchen Greenwich at £7.99. burger containers. The water has and drops it into the full pedal crept up the stairs in the night, bin, takes the liner, knots it and bringing with it a peculiar figure. A torso, puts it ready to take out, replacing it with a new one. She washes his dishes and arms and legs flailing in the deep, with a head tidies up. Then it is time to get him into his that looks as though it’s been mummified, bandaged as it is in a blue overall that the night things. Above, in the main house, footsteps pound police later find resembles one worn by down the stairs and a door slams. Mona feels domestic staff and carers. And when the body has been hauled out and the sounds in her skin; it twitches and her ears ring. Her palms sweat. She longs for the day to put in a bag, when the dead person has been end. Longs for the moment she can lie down in identified and has appeared in the local paper, the corner of her room on the makeshift bed, everyone wants to look, everyone wants to because she’s weary, and oblivion more than know. But it’s too late. anything is what she craves. Then it comes. The voice, echoing down the Mona’s gone.

BUY IT

cold air. She pushes the chair all the way to the alley that lies between a wall and the oncemajestic Paynes Wharf, only its facade of six grand arches remaining. At the end of the little alley they arrive at the top of some slimy steps that lead straight down into the murky water of the Thames. A hidden place, not easy to spot in the daytime but utterly concealed by shadows at night. Here, she pauses and stares into the water for quite some time. Ten steps are visible – the tide is low. After a little while she turns. Moves slowly back away from the river and wheels the old man down a narrow street of Georgian terraced houses. Every doorway is flanked by little angels or figureheads frosting as it grows dark. She reaches the house at the end, takes the side

entrance to the garden, where she helps him out of his chair, and together they descend the basement steps to the front door of his flat beneath the main house. Inside, Mona helps Charles into his reclining armchair with its footrest. Charles feels the hand under his elbow but he doesn’t know or care at this moment who it belongs to. In his chair he asks for his dinner. Mona brings it on a tray, spoons it into his mouth, wipes the dribbles with a kitchen towel and offers him sips of water. hen he’s finished his sausages and mash she peels a clementine for him. The feel of the segments in their loose membranes is similar to his limp penis which she holds while he wees afterwards in

K IDS E AT F REE

Monday to Saturday 12 noon to 7pm terms and conditions apply, visit the website for details 178 Greenwich High Road, London SE10 8NN 020 8293 9270 | www.rivingtongreenwich.co.uk Kids Eat Free Advert_RIVINGTON GREENWICH.indd 1

29/10/2013 13:07:40

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 8

8:00-11:00PM £10/£7.50 conc Book on www.greenwichdance.org.uk

we reach readers every day - not just once a month. adverts start at £33 plus VAT. CAll matt right now on 07731 645828

BLACKHEATH - NOW AND THEN

A celebration by Simon and Jenny Standage, Neil Rhind and young Conservatoire students of the music and musicians from the 19th Century to the present day which have been associated with Blackheath Halls, the Conservatoire and St Margaret’s. Organised by the Friends of Age Exchange in support of Age Exchange. Tickets: £12 to include pre-concert drink. Saturday 22 February 2014, St Margaret’s Church SE13 5EA. Drinks in the Crypt at 7pm, concert at 7.45pm.

Book at www.friends-of-age-exchange.org.uk or call 020 8852 5354

FREE LUNCHTIME CONCERTS In Greenwich’s most beautiful and historic venues. Tue 13.05h The Chapel, Old Royal Naval College Thu 13.05h St Alfege Church Fri 13.05h The Chapel, Old Royal Naval College

trinitylaban.ac.uk/whatson Sign up for regular updates: trinitylaban.ac.uk/subscribe j.harber@trinitylaban.ac.uk

Social Media Workshops David Tearle House 40 Stockwell St, Greenwich Thursday March 20 2014 10am-1: Twitter Know-How 2pm-5: Blogging for Business

Fun. Informative. Great Value for Money 1 workshop £49. Or bag both plus lunch for £88 Call 020 8310 9121 or 07957 106008 or visit... www.socialmatrixhub.co.uk/workshop_march2014.html

Courses from £45

LEARN STAND UP COMEDY Call 0208 694 1888

London Comedy Course www.londondoncomedycourse.com

HALLS ARE A HAVEN NEED a haven during a day in bustling Blackheath? Enjoy a free lunchtime recital, with music from contemporary solo voices to baroque cantatas. Organiser Tom Butler has been running the events at Blackheath Halls since 2011. “They’ve proved extremely popular, “ says Tom, “but there’s always room for a larger audience.” The new series includes Peyee Chen from Taiwan on February 3 and The Guildhall School Cantata Project on March 10. “For Holy week there is a new work for piano by Ian Wilson – Stations – inspired by the Stations of the Cross devotion,” says Tom. Former solicitor Tom adds: “Before working on recitals at Blackheath Halls I ran the lunchtime music at St Olave’s Church in the City for 10 years. “This was the church which Samuel Pepys used to attend ‚– and judging by the blog he writes for The Greenwich Visitor he may still put in an appearance there from time to t i m e . ” More info:www. trinitylaban.ac.uk See listings

Advertisers appear onMUSEUM THE FAN our GIANT SUPESeeRMCentreAPPages

DANCING PARTNERS

NEW directors have been announced at Greenwich Dance – Kat Bridge and Amanda Davey. Kat has become Artisitic Director of the performance space and college at the Borough Hall in the town centre. Amanda is the new Executive Director. The pair say they hope to lead Greenwich Dance into “a new era of creative collaboration.” Chair Peter Conway said: “Together they have a wealth of knowledge and experience and are passionate advocates for change. Kat and Amanda are the future of dance leadership in the UK.” The Borough Hall is planned to become the centre of a new Cultural H ub planned by Greenwich Council, which has promised a £5million fund to revamp the venue in Royal Hill. Info: greenwichdance.org.uk

Advertisers appear onMUSEUM THE FAN T our GIAN SUPESeeRMCentreAPPages

A RECORD FAN YEAR

ParkLife

By Greenwich Park manager Graham Dear Now is the perfect time to see the ducks in Greenwich Park

t’s a little known fact, but only the female duck goes quack. If you feel the need to check this out, come along to the Flower Garden in Greenwich Park. You’ll find a nice little collection of ornamental exotic ducks living happily alongside our own native wildfowl. e have three ornamental duck species – all are types of diving duck. They are; Rosy-Billed Pochard (above), Red Crested Pochard and the European Pochard. The Rosy-bills originate from South America and it’s easiest to spot the males. These are the two glossy black ducks with a bright red bill. The two females are more difficult; they are a uniform chestnut brown but have the same white bottom as the males. he five Red Crested Pochard males are very striking, with heads and crests of brilliant red. The female’s head is brown with a white cheek. Unfortunately there are only four females which is causing a bit of a problem now that the ducks are pairing off! he third introduced duck is our own native Pochard of which there are five males and two females...even worse! They look similar to the Red Crested but are not so colourful. ou will also find on the lake truly wild ducks and some feral exotics that have made it their home. Tufted ducks are also diving ducks and can build up to quite large numbers in winter when the black and white males are very handsome. The most numerous duck of all is usually our native Mallard. Each year these breed on the lake. I was lucky enough to see a brood of eleven as they left the nest for the lake last year. The nest was 6m up in a chestnut tree on Bower Avenue which meant a leap of faith for each little duckling. One by one; they jumped, bounced on the turf, stood up and waddled off to mum, quacking from the bushes. ut my favourite duck isn’t a duck at all– it’s the Moorhen (inset). Three pairs breed on the lake last year. Most early mornings you can see them feeding on the lawns around the lake. ess welcome are the two species of geese that frequent the Park. In winter large flocks of Canada Geese feed on Blackheath and sometimes 20 to 30 of them descend on the lake. They have been joined of late by a newer addition to our breeding population, the Egyptian Goose. These colourful brown geese behave in a most un-geese like manor. They make a ridiculous noise calling from the tops of trees, where they nest and can often be seen walking in an out of Blackheath Gate holding up the traffic. Motorist: Don’t bother sounding your horn. They take no notice! ow is a great time to observe the ducks, which are in their fine breeding plumage. If you feed them please use a modest amount of feed. And grains are better than bread if you can get it.

W T

T Y

B L

GREENWICH’s unique Fan Museum has reported a record number of visitors in a “vintage year.” The museum – in a classic Georgian townhouse in Crooms Hill – says more people than ever went to exhibitions, literary and theatrical events, fan making classes and open days. Curator Jacob Moss said: “To build upon the successes, our 2014 programme of exhibitions and events is exceptionally diverse, with something to suit Art lovers and Culture vultures of all persuasions.” Hatch, Match & Despatch – the museum’s new exhibition – opened last month with a display marking Births, Marriages and Deaths. It runs till June 1. It will be followed by Seduced! Fans and the Art of Advertising from Saturday June 11 till Sunday September 28 – an overview of commercial art applied to hand-held fans. Look out for two one-off performances this spring: Icicles in the Trees: A Family Saga on Saturday March 1 is Adrian Drew’s new “play for voices” and marks the Dylan Thomas centenary. And Admiral Parker of 12 Crooms Hill is an illustrated talk on Monday April 7, delivered by Daphne and Andrew Joynes to celebrate the life and times of naval hero and Greenwich resident Admiral Sir William Parker. Info: www.FanMuseum.org

£33 ADVERTS HERE COST FROM JUST

AND ARE READ BY OVER 1,000 PEOPLE EVERY DAY FOR A MONTH

07731 645828

GO-KART RAISERS

GREENWICH students are raising money to help women fight cancer – by go-karting! Racers will take each other on at TeamSport UK in North London and earn money for Target Ovarian Cancer. Organisers Katie Morley, Julia Nilsson, Jessica Heydel and Calum Nesbitt hope to raise hundreds of pounds at the event on Tuesday March 4. “We’re planning a ladies’ night with a twist,” says Katie, “so that ladies can all come together to help change another diagnosed woman’s life. “There will be go-karting split into teams along with unlimited pizza and soft drinks, a magician from Tunbridge Wells and a photographer.” Tickets cost £40.

More info: www.facebook. com/TargetOvarian Cancer or email Julia.nilsson.045@gmail. com.

GreenwichVisitor THE

GREENWICH’S MINI MARKET

Dog bites a police horse

Febuary 2014 Page 9

A DOG owner will appear in court after her pet attacked a police horse in Greenwich Park The bull terrier bit the upper leg of four-year-old Quixote, who was undergoing training in the Park. The horse needed treatment by a vet for puncture wounds A walker tried to intervene but the dog had already been injured as the horse kicked out. The dog owner, 26, will receive a summons accusing her of allowing a dangerous dog to be out of control and for criminal damage. Greenwich PC Katherine Smith said: “It is the responsibility of owners to keep their dogs under control.”

Shakespeare done simply SEE Shakespeare with a difference next month – The Te m p e s t i s “ s p a r e a n d straightforward response to the script, without gimmickry.” The Oxford Chamber Theatre brings its production to The London Theatre in New Cross. Co-director Arthur Kincaid says: “We rehearsed in the Lake District, with actors staying in a hostel on site, which bore unexpected fruit. Audience members tell us the cast seemed more supportive of each other than usual.” The Tempest is thought to be Shakespeare’s final solo work. Catch it from March 4 to 16. Tickets £12 (£10 cons).

(plus new roof and cobbles) THIS is the new look planned for historic Greenwich Market – with a new glass roof, restored cobble stones and a second market space.

the area. We have engaged with local sentiment and have produced a series of enhancements that Greenwich can be proud of.” Greenwich Hospital Director Hugh Player said: “This will be an opportunity to make essential improvements – particularly the replacement of the 1950s roof – and create accessible public open space, making a much more pleasant environment. “We would like to encourage residents to visit Greenwich on a regular basis, to spend time enjoying the delights of their town as well as the many UK and international visitors.” Greenwich’s planners have until April to consider the application.

Landlords Greenwich Hospital have also applied for planning permission to add retail space in Durnford Street. But the biggest change is the new overspill area in a storage yard at Fry’s Court – on the right in the picture – which will host community events and house stalls when the market is busy. Previous plans to drastically change the historic Market and build a new hotel were ditched in 2011 after public protests and the economic downturn. Jon Eaglesham, Director of architects Barr Gazetas said: “We are designing Tell us what YOU think of Greenwich improvements that sensitively enhance Market and the new plans. Email Matt@The rather than wholeheartedly transform GreenwichVisitor.com or @GreenwichVisitr

programmes at Trinity Laban’s Faculty of Dance at Deptford Creek (10am to 6pm), with dance workshops in contemporary, Hip Hop, ballet and more and the chance to meet dance pros. At 7pm there’s an All-Male Performance Platform. Info: www.trinitylaban.ac.uk

A CHARITY helping disadvantaged children learn vital personal skills is to start work here after winning Big Lottery Fund money. Teens and Toddlers was awarded £286,444 and will expand its programmes to Greenwich and Lewisham. It aims to stop youngsters becoming NEETS (Not in Education, Employment or Training). More info: www. teensandtoddlers.org.uk

voted Best comedy cluB in tHe uK – tHe GuaRdian

AFTER THE SHOW LETS

PARTY! Dance & Karaoke IDEAL pARTy

VENUE

Hen/stag, Birthday, Corporate, Divorcee, Coming Out!

We have relocated

NEET charity coming here

LADS’ DANCE FESTIVAL

TWIST and Pulse star in a free day-long dance festival for young men aged eight to 22 at Trinity Laban this month. The street dance duo perform at Pick up the Pace Revisited on February 22. The event celebrates 10 years of male dance community

SPecial offer for february half Price eizun realignment back Massage – £30 when you mention this advertisment.

eizun Wellbeing, 89 corbidge court, Glaisher St, Greenwich, london Se8 3et. Parking available

www.eizun.com “Beat tHe BlacKout” – up tHe cReeK’s new tHuRsday niGHt sHow

302 cReeK Road, GReenwicH, se10 9sw

live stand-up

COMEDY THURSDAy. FRIDAy. SATURDAy. SUNDAy.

RESERvATIONS 020 8858 4581

BUy ONLINE WWW.Up-THE-CREEK.COm

RECESSION-PROOF FRIDAYS

FREE ENTRY

ON FRIDAy NIGHTS THROUGH FEBRUARy WITH THIS vOUCHER valid February 2014

07738 581683

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 10

THE YACHT

EIZUN WELLBEING LUSH DESIGNS HOY KITCHEN

SAN MIGUEL GODDARDS PIES

UP THE CREEK

NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

TRINITY LABAN CONCERTS

RIVINGTON GRILL GREENWICH DANCE

GREENWICH GALLERY

FAN MUSEUM

Advertisers not on map

THE SOCIAL MATRIX

DENISE GRIXTI TRAINING

PETER KENT ARTIST LONDON COMEDY COURSE

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 15

UP AT THE 02

ZAIBATSU

VANBRUGH TAVERN

GREENWICH YACHT CLUB

MURPHY’S WASTE

THE CURIOUS COMB

CLARENDON HOTEL

FRIENDS OF AGE EXCHANGE

BLACKHEATH HALLS

Conservatoire

February 2014 Pages 11&14

Advertise in another paper you know people read....email Matt@TheGreenwichVisitor.com or call 07731 645828 THE

GreenwichVisitor

THE

GreenwichVisitor

February 2014 Pages 12&13

Advertise in another paper you know people read....email Matt@TheGreenwichVisitor.com or call 07731 645828

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 16

FOGWOFT: TUNNEL IS ON TARGET

FOOT Tunnel campaigners have inspected botched work on the historic walkways and say the final restoration is back on target.

Fogwoft – a community group formed to safeguard Greenwich and Woolwich tunnels – visited the sites last month with engineers trying to finish the job by the end of April after five years of failures. Fogwoft’s Dr Francis Sedgemore said: “Going by the progress made thus far, it looks as if this target may be met. Some of the work is said to be ahead of schedule.” He added: “We have greater confidence in the new contractors retained by the Royal Borough of Greenwich, and trust that the work will be completed on time and to budget.” He said one clue to the repeated failure of lifts could be the sensitivity of modern electronics compared to Victorian engineering. “Modern electronic switching systems are highly sensitive to temperature and humidity, and refuse to cooperate unless the conditions are just right. This could explain at least some of the lift failures experienced in recent times.” The group has also asked for new lighting in the tunnel under the Thames to be reconsidered, because it fears will be too bright and could disorient pedestrians in the confined space. Fogwoft’s findings were announced at its second general meeting on January 23. It’s annual meeting is now schelduled for June. More info: @Fogwoft

HERE’S the Greenwich Visitor in a land far, far a-Bray! Reader Julian Bray packed a paper when he went walking in the Scottish Highlands. Then he posed for a picture with his paper and a pint! “Here’s a picture of me taken by my partner Lucy earlier this year,” says Julian, “outside the most remote pub on mainland UK – T h e O l d Fo r g e i n I n v e r i e Knoydart. There’s no road and it’s only accessible by boat or a daylong slog over wild mountains. It’s a great pub, by the way, for beer,

food and music. Well worth a visit…but only if you earn it doing some of the local Munros!” We’ll take your word for that, Julian. Thanks for sending your picture…now it’s over to YOU. Send us a picture of you and The Greenwich Visitor somewhere exotic. Like Julian, you might win a election of wines from our friends at Spirited Wines of Blackheath. Just pack a paper, pose and ping an email to Matt@ TheGreenwichVisitor.com

SEND US YOUR PICS OF A PERFECT DAY email your photo to: matt@TheGreenwichVisitor.com

In association with

Sell A Door signs deal INDIE theatre company Sell A Door has begun a formal partnership with Greenwich Theatre after working together on several productions. Artistic director David Hutchinson said: “We started in 2008 and came down here because Greenwich had a really good reputation and in 2011 we did the first of 10 productions at the theatre – A Taste of Honey. “We also work with local groups and schools, and the whole thing is really exciting. It would not have happened without Greenwich Theatre. They’ve helped us not only with our work there but also with our wider ambitions.” Joint projects this year include Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped , Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx and Jeff Whitty’s Avenue Q and a new adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland with community performers alongside the professional cast. Info: www.selladoor.com

385m diameter of O2 dome at North Greenwich

GreenwichVisitor THE

Madvertising!

Parked car causes planning battle

IS IT a car? Or an advert on wheels? Greenwich Council has ordered this motor to be removed because – they say – it defies strict planning rules. The Smart car is covered with stickers – including ones for Flyjack shoe shop – and was parked in College Approach for. Then a new sticker was added... b y t h e c o u n c i l ’s p l a n n i n g department, telling the owner: “This sign is illegal. Remove within two days.” It adds: “The

sign is in contravention of Regulation 30 of the Town & Country Planing Act (Control of advertisments) Regulations 2007.” Flyjack owner Raj Singh was shocked when we told him about the legal threat. “How can this be illegal?” he told The Greenwich Visitor. “The car is owned by a member of staff who has decorated it with stickers. It’s her personal choice.” “And other retailers have their names on vehicles anyway.” Raj

got the member of staff to move the car but says he is is now writing to the council to protest. “We’ve had problems with the council before when we wanted to change the colour of the shop front before the Olympics. They don’t do anything to help shops here.” There was no comment from the Royal Borough of Greenwich before we went to press. What do YOU think? Email Matt@TheGreenwichVisitor.com

SMALL PROBLEM: A Smart car

February 2014 Page 17

Swing in to action WORK on a swing bridge linking the Thames Path across Deptford Creek begins this month. The Port of London Authority has warned shipping operators that work is starting on February 11 and will go on for nine months. The bridge – mooted for years – was finally approved by Greenwich Council last summer. It will be funded by Galliard Homes, who promised to build it when they were granted permission for New Capital Quay. Walkers and cyclists can go there from Millennium Quay without a detour along Creek Road.

Comedy Blackout BLACK comedy is on its way to Greenwich – classic comedy club Up The Creek launches The Blackout this month. Audience members can decide which up and coming performers last their allotted five minutes. Those that beat The Blackout get to appear on the hallowed stage, where stars like Jimmy Carr, Jo Brand and Michael Macintyre have played. “The Blackout is a truly unpredictable evening of live stand up,” says Up The Creek’s Pollyanna McGirr. “Try to spot the comedy stars of tomorrow!”

THE

February 2014 Page 18

PETER KENT He lives on the river and writes about the river. His blog is free for all to see take a dip riverwatchreturns.com

www.peterkentgreenwich.co.uk

ot toddlers? They’ll love the new play space at the Rivington almost as much as you! Babies and tots can play on the mezzanine Monday to Friday 12-5 while you dine. There’s a new children’s menu for when they get hungry too. Rivington’s Kids Eat Free offer continues too, from Monday to Saturday 12-7 two kids can eat for free with a paying adult. et another upmarket cafe opens in Woolwich this month. Koffees & Kream in Calderwood Street is open from breakfast till dinner and can be hired after that for private events. pples & Oranges – the popular Blackheath Standard greengrocers – has opened a new branch in Trafalagar Road. ews on Gambardella’s cafe at Blackheath Standard. Look out for new cafe The Scullery opening there any day. Good luck... reenwich’s first Food Fest has caused quite a stir. The free one-day festival brings together quality food and drink producers and multicultural street food vendors. And best of all the whole thing will raise money for people who can’t afford the finer things in life – Greenwich Food Bank. The Food Fest runs from 11am to 7pm on Monday February 17 in Greenwich Market. It’s organised by students from the University of Greenwich – keen to help a great cause while honing their ood event management pay foriefw e W skills. Info: we rev greenwichfoodfest.co.uk.

come dine with

GreenwichVisitor

A N G

REAL T S HONEW REVIE S

thriving TO be a country bee is rather perilous. In the past 10 years bees have had to face many dangers, including insecticides and parasites. Things became so bad that headlines predicted “The end of the bees,” writes Solange Berchemin. But the doom mongers had forgotten to factor in the town bees. Town bees have settled well on roof-tops and in community gardens. And Greenwich Park has not been left behind. The bee hives in the Royal Park are looked after by apiculturist Camilla Goddard, of Capital Bee, which sells Brockley and Greenwich Honey at local markets and shops. “It’s lovely to work in the park mainly because of the trees,” says Camilla. “Trees are very important to bees. Honey from the park chestnut trees is dark in colour with a unique flavour not dissimilar to Greek honey.” In early spring Camilla will add four new hives to the Park collection. The new colony will be placed at the far end of the Queens Orchard by the Maze Hill entrance in the northeastern corner of the Park A

Greenwich bees busy special enclosure has already been erected ready for their arrival. Bees do not travel further than three miles to gather nectar. Not that these will have to, the Q u e e n ’s O r c h a r d a l r e a d y contains a fine variety of heritage fruit trees dating back to the 1500 and an array of herbs and vegetables. However there is a plan to create a bee-friendly space filled with plants such as lavender, t h y m e , s u n f l o w e r, p o p p y, heliotrope, borage, fennel. C a m i l l a s a i d : “ I t ’s v e r y important to maintain a source of pollen during springtime. Spring crocus are ideal as they flower early”. Hopefully, this summer will see a hive of activity in the Queens Orchard. The Queens Orchard is open to the public on Sundays from 1-4pm, from Easter to October. Info: camilla@capitalbee.co.uk 0207 639 6581 or 07984682417 Read Solange’s blog www.pebblesoup.co.uk. Follow @solangeweb

new direction

THE Pilot Inn has had many changes over the years. Factories – and whole streets of homes to house their workers – have sprung up since it opened in 1801. And vanished again.

(Except, famously, for a fabulous row of Victorian cottages that beat the bulldozer last Millennium.) Ye t T h e P i l o t h a s s t a y e d t h e r e , steadfastly doing what it does. No wonder it got tired. Now owners Fullers have spent big. It’s been extended and polished up, inside and out. And it’s a big improvement (except for the front door – one of those two-door jobs that open into each other in a tiny space. THE Good only for keeping drunks out!). The bar is tidier, if shorter. There are more spaces to sit and have a drink, a private forEparties K Iroom TCH N with its own

HOY

balcony terrace and 10 bedrooms. The once snug little downstairs room has been opened out, with 50 seats and big doors opening on to the garden come summer. In truth, there was never much particularly wrong with The Pilot. The drink was OK. The food was OK. (The cheese board had loads of fans.) It was all...you know...OK. But the new, improved Pilot is much more than OK. More welcoming. Airier. Cleaner. Nicer. Better. But there is, of course, a price to pay for Better. I took my two daughters for an after-school dinner. Nothing too fancy was planned. There was a decent buzz about the place. Which was admirable, because as anyone in Greenwich knows The Pilot is not a pub that gets much passing trade (until the stickle brick

buildings meet in the middle). Some of the dishes on the promised menu from local chef Sara Gibson weren’t there: No braised belly of pork, celeriac puree, seared scallops, gooseberries and pork jus, for instance. All the classic quality pub food was, though: burger and chips; sausage and mash; fish and chips plus a Pilot Ploughmans and confit of duck. And it was, arguably, a little pricey. (Cheapest dish was an Omelette Arnold Bennett for £9.50 – see, I said Better came at a price). Good news is: The food was really good. A big, bold perfectly cooked burger with chips to match (bacon or cheese was extra so I saved my pennies). London Pride battered cod was part of a well presented and colourful plate (shame the vinegar was provided in a fiddly bottle

193 CREEK ROAD, LONDON, SE8 3BU h o y k i t c h e n @ t w i t t e r. c o m www.thehoykitchen.eu

TRADITIONAL HOMEMADE ENGLISH KITCHEN DINING

Monthly live Flamenco Shows

BREAKFAST

ENGLISH / CONTINENTAL

Join us for a meal or drinks at the bar

LUNCHES

JACKET POTATOES • STEWS • PIES SANDWICHES • PANINIS BAGELS • BAGUETTES CAPPUCCINO • LATTE ESPRESSO • TEAS WE ALSO CATER FOR CORPORATE AND PRIVATE EVENTS WELCOME • WELCOME • WELCOME

Lunch specials from £5.50

BREAKFASTS • LUNCHES SANDWICHES • PANINIS • BAGELS • BAGUETTES

CORPORATE & PRIVATE FUNCTIONS

THE HOY KITCHEN 193 CREEK ROAD, LONDON, SE8 3BU h o y k i t c h e n @ t w i t t e r . c o m

www.thehoykitchen.eu

18 Greenwich Church Street, Greenwich SE10 9BJ 0208 305 1720 www.sanmiguelgreenwich.co.uk

@sanmigueltapas

Sanmiguelgreenwichrestaurant

GreenwichVisitor THE

hives

DAN’S CURRY CORNER in association with The Mitre Hotel

The Mitre, 291 Greenwich High Road. Food served seven days a week

February 2014 Page 19

THE YACHT PUB A GREAT RIVERSIDE

t’s a year since new owners took over Chutney in Blackheath Road. Though not in the shiniest part of Greenwich, the food is good and the welcome warm. The waiter in the small, cosy curry house was more than happy to answer umpteen questions from me on their dishes. A few caught my eye, not least the Napali Chicken (£6.45), a mild but tasty enough dish cooked with green peppers. I recommend spice heads order something with a bit of zing to go with it – a side of Jungle Vegetable (£2.95). So called because it includes fruits of the jungle/forest – spinach, mixed veg, lentils and chilli. It’s thick and tasty and certainly has zing. My waiter said he welcomes discussing dishes with customers. So have a chat. You might even be offered Monpassan, an off-the-menu dish the chefs have been fine-tuning for six months. few years back my “local pub” was an Indian restaurant. It had a large bar at the back and as it was just over the road from the office it became very popular. The owner was happy because he got a steady stream of drinkers, who often ordered spicy snacks at the bar or decided to sit down and have a meal once the gorgeous smells got too much for them. Not every restaurant has a suitable bar. But I can think of a few that do, not least the great bar in the Corian-der by Westcombe Park station. t’s always nice when readers and friends send recommendations, and I’ve had a couple of good ones recently. @Jobeba, who knows his spicy food, reckons Mountain View is serving the best curry in SE10 at the moment. Mountain View, in Trafalgar Road, is the new incarnation of Mehak. And from a man whose friends call the President of Curry, the thumbs up goes to Lazania in Deptford Broadway. There’s an extensive menu and very reasonable prices, with classics such as chicken or lamb Vindaloo, Madras or Korma at just £5.50. Specials such as Salmon Tikka Karahi are still under a tenner. adly, one of the Curry Club’s favourite restaurants, the Curry Garden in Blackheath, has closed its doors. Could it be the case of one too many Indian retaurants for the village? The venue in Tranquil Vale, now gutted and ready for refurb, will apparently be turned into a wine bar. Luckily SE3 spice fans still have the Saffron Club, Everest Inn, Khan’s and the Taste of Raj for their curry needs. ulf, whose Curry Cookhouse can be found in Deptford Market, recently hosted his first pop-up evening as part of Catford Canteen’s Grub Club (grubclub.com). His three-course menu of Pakistani food was priced at £20. More of the same is planned so keep your eye on the website or follow @ CurryCookHouse. I‘ll see you there...

HIVE OF ACTIVITY: Bees at Greenwich

for pilot top which led to a flooding incident.) The sausages weren’t quite up to the same mark and though tasty, looked a little insipid. A bit more mash would have been handy too. Service was fine; staff helpful and engaging. Attention to detail could do with a little improvement. A yellow flower dressing on our table was very definitely past its best! Overall we were impressed with the changes – which had caused some controversy as locals wondered what planning laws had been flouted to allow the big expansion. (The answer is none – The Pilot has had plenty of previous changes since its 1801 and little of it is actually protected.) So congratulations to Fullers for a fine updating. You’ve added much to a popular landmark while taking nothing away. But a couple more dishes under a tenner would bring us in more often – SIMON CLARK

S Z

Daniel Ford

greenwichcurryclub@hotmail.com @greenwichcurry

ONTH LIVE SPORT THIS M

SPECIAL OFFER Free tea or coffee with this ad when you dine from our main menu from Monday to Friday 12pm-6pm

BRITISH PUB FOOD Special Lunch Club offer Monday to Friday 12-5pm @ £5.49

members 10% off ales for CAMRA nctions We cater for private fu

THE RIVERSIDE VIEWS YACHT

zaibatsu Noodles - Sushi - Tempura - Sashimi Soups - Salads - Rice dishes 96 Trafalgar Road, Greenwich, SE10 9UW Tues-Sun 12pm-11pm 020 8858 9317

‘SENSATIONAL’ ‘SUBLIME’ ‘fIvE-STAr’ ‘A BArGAIN’ – GrEENwIch vISITOr rEvIEw

5 Crane Street, Greenwich, SE10 9NP. Supermap Ref K9 Telephone 020 8858 0175 Follow us on Facebook

@TheYachtTW

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 20

February

St Alfege 1.05 MUSIC Turner Piano Concert NMM 6.30 OUR Dark Tales ORNC 7 TALK British Music & The Sea NMM 7 PANTO Sleeping Beauty Alexandra Hall, Bramshot Ave SE7 7HX at 8. £5-£8 alexandraplayers.org.uk MUSIC Icarus Club Pelton JAZZ Hous Bandt Oliver’s

Friday 21

Sunday 2 MUSIC Leos Cepicky, Michael Dussek Violin, piano recital Blackheath Halls 11am KIDS Animal Masks Cutty Sark 11.30 and 2 KIDS Meg The Horse Cutty Sark 1.30, 2.30, 3.30 FILM/BALLET Lost Illusions Link-up to Bolshoi Greenwich Picturehouse 3 MUSIC Taylor Swift O2 TALENT Something for Sunday The Vanbrugh 7 COMEDY Pete Firman, Joe Lycett Up The Creek MUSIC Steve Morrison Oliver’s

The famed London Adventist Chorale come to the chapel of the Old Royal Naval College on February 22.

SALE Going For A Song Amersham Arms, from noon FAMILY Nat Storytelling Week ORNC. Noon PLAY Him With His Foot In His Mouth Greenwich Thtr 2.30/7.30 FOOTBALL Charlton Athletic v Birmingham. The Valley 3 RUGBY Blackheath v Coventry. Rectory Field 3 SCIENCE Evening With The Stars Monday 3 Royal Observatory, from 5.25 MUSIC Payee Chen Soprano recital. MUSIC Junior Trinity Concert ORNC Backheath Halls 1.10 chapel 5.30 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ FILM/OPERA Rusalka Corrie Dick Oliver’s Link-up to New York Met Greenwich Picturehouse 5.55 Tuesday 4 DANCE Strictly Live O2 MUSIC Julia Weatherley Soprano THEATRE The Letters & The recital. ORNC chapel 1.05 Broken Lineage Albany 7.30 MUSIC Taylor Swift O2 MUSIC Karine Polwart Michael JAZZ Beats In The Bar Edwards Theatre Cutty Sark 7.45 Blackheath Halls 7.30 DRAMA Joy Division Lon Theatre 8 COMEDY Dane Baptiste, Holly Walsh, Ben Norris Up The Creek MUSIC English folk Lord Hood DRAMA Joy Division Wednesday 5 London Theatre 8 TALK Jane Sidell Inspector of JAZZ David Lyttle Group Oliver’s Ancient Monuments for London Sunday 9 gives Friends of Greenwich Park DANCE Strictly Live O2 annual lecture. University of TALENT Something for Sunday Greenwich 7.30 COMEDY Richard Herring Michael The Vanbrugh 7 MUSIC Mega Maalai XIV IndigO2 Edwards Theatre Cutty Sark 7.45 JAZZ The Mouse Pack Oliver’s WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton PLAY Him With His Foot In His Monday 10 Mouth Greenwich Theatre 7.30 ARCHIVE Pirates And Piracy THEATRE Glasshouse Nat Maritime Museum. Noon The Albany 7.30 DRAMA Westcombe Shakespeare TALK Richard Grierson Annual Readers All the plays. Mycenae Architecture Lecture House. Details: 07950 707272 Blackheath Halls 8 MUSIC Taylor Swift O2 DRAMA Joy Division PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 London Theatre 8 JAZZ Corrie Dick Oliver’s MUSIC Jazz at The Row Zoe Tuesday 11 Deborah Carew trio Clarendon MUSIC Jose Menor Piano recital Old Hotel 8.30 FREE. Royal Naval Coll chapel 1.05 JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s MUSIC Taylor Swift O2 Thursday 6 ENTERTAINMENT Thomas Tallis MUSIC Hannah Peters Saxophone Variety Show Michael Edwards recital. St Alfege 1.05 Theatre Cutty Sark 7.45 MUSIC Turner Piano Concert MUSIC English folk Lord Hood NMM 6.30 JAZZ Tom Williams Oliver’s PLAY Him With His Foot In His Wednesday 12 Mouth Greenwich Theatre 7.30 TALK Putting On A Show Director MUSIC Trinity Laban Symphony Jennifer Sims at Eltham Centre 7 Orchestra Blackheath Halls 7.30 FILM/OPERA Don Giovanni THEATRE Glasshouse Link-up to Covent Garden The Albany 7.30 Greenwich Picturehouse 6.45 DRAMA Joy Division MUSIC Frank Turner & The London Theatre 8 Sleeping Souls O2 MUSIC Icarus Club Pelton WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton JAZZ Beats In The Bar Oliver’s PLAY Thirsty Greenwich Theatre 8 Friday 7 MUSIC Jazz at The Row Heidi Vogel MUSIC Petalos Ensemble ORNC Duo Clarendon Hotel 8.30 FREE. chapel 1.05 MUSIC Lana Trotovsek, JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s Boris Bizjak, Yoko Misumi Violin, Thursday 13 flute, piano. Backheath Halls 1.10 MUSIC Extreme Sax Trinity Laban SCIENCE Evening With The Stars professors’ recital. St Alfege 1.05 Royal Observatory, from 5.25 MUSIC Turner Piano Concert PLAY Him With His Foot In His NMM 6.30 Mouth Greenwich Theatre 7.30 CHARITY Lawson IndigO2 MUSIC Trinity Laban Symphony PLAY Thirsty Greenwich Theatre 8 Orch Backheath Halls 7.30 JAZZ Louise Balkwell Quintet THEATRE The Letters & The Oliver’s Broken Lineage Albany 7.30 COMEDY Ross Noble Michael Friday 14 Edwards Theatre Cutty Sark 7.45 SCIENCE Valentine’s Evening With DRAMA Joy Division The Stars Royal Observatory 5.25 London Theatre 8 ROMANCE Love In The Archives COMEDY Dane Baptiste, Ben Queen’s House 7 Norris Up The Creek COMEDY Alan Davies Little CLUBBING Hospitality Victories Michael Edwards Theatre Building Six Cutty Sark 7.45 JAZZ Clyde & The Groove Oliver’s JAZZ Rees Hilis Becklet Oliver’s COMEDY Jess Foteskew, Joey Page Saturday 8 Up The Creek FUND-RAISER Book sale For Age Exchange & Blackheath Village Saturday 15 Library. Old Bakehouse 10-4 CELEBRATE Chinese New Year friends-of-age-exchange.org.uk NMM 11-4 KIDS Meet Grace O’Malley KIDS Lantern Lights Chinese New ORNC 12, 1, 2, 3 Year fun. Cutty Sark 11.30, 2

WHAT’S ON

Organising an event you want thousands of residents AND visitors to know about in the biggest and best local listings guide there is? Please email all the essential details and a contact phone number to matt@ TheGreenwich Visitor.com

Saturday February 1 KIDS Animal Masks Cutty Sark 11.30 and 2 KIDS Meet Joe Brown ORNC 12, 1, 2, 3 FAMILY Nat Storytelling Week ORNC. Noon MUSIC Larkin Quartet St Alfege 1.05 KIDS Big Book Tall Tales Backheath Halls 3 MUSIC Kisstory IndigO2 COMEDY Nick Doody, Nick Dixon, Ben Norris Up The Creek MUSIC Taylor Swift O2 DRAMA Mr Quinn’s Radio Theatre London Theatre 8 JAZZ Wild Card Oliver’s

KIDS Meet Joe Brown ORNC 12, 1, 2, 3 KIDS A Real Fairy Story Backheath Halls 3 MUSIC Eliza Carthy The Albany 7.30 TEA DANCE Borough Hall 7.30 MUSIC Kantanti Ensemble St Alfege 6.30 DANCE Swing Night Borough Hall 8 COMEDY Mark Steel Blackheath Halls 8 JAZZ David Vaughan Quartet Oliver’s COMEDY Jess Foteskew, Milo McCabe, Joey Page Up The Creek

KIDS The Cat In The Hat Greenwich Theatre 11am, 1 FAMILY A Wish In A Red Envelope NMM 11.30, 1.30 KIDS Lantern Lights Chinese New Year fun. Cutty Sark 11.30, 2 KIDS Ships Go Passing Chinese New Year fun. NMM 11.30 & 2 DANCE Not Simply Dancing Borough Hall 7.30 COMEDY Ross Noble Michael Edwards Theatre Cutty Sark 7.45 TALK Darryl Clifton-Dey Blackheath Scientific Society hear about eels and the Thames. Mycenae House 7.45 MUSIC Valkania London Thtre 8 PANTO Sleeping Beauty Alexandra Hall, Bramshot Ave SE7 7HX at 8. £5-£8 alexandraplayers.org.uk JAZZ Flekd Oliver’s COMEDY Inel Tomlinson, Sean Percival Up The Creek

Saturday 22

KIDS The Cat In The Hat Greenwich Theatre 11, 1, 3 KIDS Meet Grace O’Malley ORNC 12, 1, 2, 3 VOLUNTEER Drop-In Wildlife Centre, Greenwich Park 1-3 MUSIC Matthew Drinkwater Piano Sunday 16 recital. St Alfege 1.05 KIDS Ahoy Captain! Cutty Sark PANTO Sleeping Beauty Alexandra 11, 12, 1.30, 2.30 Hall, Bramshot Ave SE7 7HX at 2, MUSIC Camerata Alma Viva 6.30. £5-£8 Blackheath Halls 11am alexandraplayers.org.uk FAMILY Emma Hamilton’s FOOTBALL Charlton Athletic Attitudes Queen’s v QPR. The Valley 3 ADVERTS House 11-4 HERE COST FROM JUST MUSIC London COMEDY BasketAdventist Chorale mouth IndigO2 ORNC chapel 7 TALENT DANCE Pick Up Something The Pace for Sunday Revisited Laban Vanbrugh 7 7 MUSIC MUSIC Emmanuele Blackheath Now Fizzotti AND ARE READ BY OVER & Then St Oliver’s 1,000 PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE Margaret’s Church DAY FOR A WHOLE MONTH SE13. 7 Monday 17 KIDS Ships Go 07731 645828 DANCE Not Simply Passing Chinese Dancing Borough Hall New Year fun. NMM 11.30 7.30 &2 COMEDY Inel Tomlinson, Paul F KIDS Dancing Dragons Chinese Taylor, Sean Percival Up The Creek New Year fun. Cutty Sark 11.30, 2 JAZZ John Martin Oliver’s FAMILY A Wish In A Red Envelope Sunday 23 NMM 11.30, 1.30 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ KIDS The Cat In The Hat Greenwich Theatre 11, 1, 3 TALENT Corrie Dick Oliver’s Something for Sunday Vanbrugh 7 Tuesday 18 MUSIC Dennis Greaves Blues Jam FAMILY A Wish In A Red Envelope Pelton NMM 11.30, 1.30 Monday 24 KIDS Dancing Dragons Chinese MUSIC Moricosta String Trio New Year fun. Cutty Sark 11.30, 2 Backheath Halls 1.10 THEATRE Frozen PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ The Albany 11.30am, 7.30 Corrie Dick Oliver’s KIDS Ships Go Passing Chinese New Year activities. NMM 11.30 & 2 Tuesday 25 TALK Anthony Durham G’wich MUSIC Trinity Laban Historic Industrial History Society hear Performance Department ORNC about underground Greenwich. chapel 1.05 Old Bakehouse 7.30 MUSIC Fidelio Trio Peacock Rm, MUSIC English folk Lord Hood King Charles Ct, ORNC 7 PLAY The Robbers Wednesday 19 Greenwich Theatre 7.30 KIDS The Cat In The Hat DRAMA Where There’s A Will Greenwich Theatre 11am, 1 London Theatre 8 KIDS Ships Go Passing Chinese New Year activities. NMM 11.30 & 2 MUSIC English folk Lord Hood JAZZ Lilli Unwin Oliver’s THEATRE Frozen The Albany 11.30am, 7.30 Wednesday 26 KIDS Dancing Dragons Chinese MUSIC Trinity Laban clarinet and New Year fun. Cutty Sark 11.30, 2 bassoon recital Donations: Age FAMILY A Wish In A Red Envelope Exchange & Blackheath Village NMM 11.30, 1.30 Library. Old Bakehouse 1 FAMILY Terrific Tiles Clore friends-of-age-exchange.org.uk Learning Centre, ORNC 1-4 PLAY Hamlet Greenwich Theatre AWARDS The BRITS O2 1.30 MUSIC Jazz at The Row Zoe Alma WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton Lansiquot Duo Clarendon Hotel MUSIC Jette Parker Young Artists’ 8.30 FREE. Programme WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton Blackheath Halls 7 JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s PLAY Thebes Greenwich Theatre 7.30 Thursday 20 DRAMA Where There’s A Will KIDS The Cat In The Hat London Theatre 8 Greenwich Theatre 11am, 1 MUSIC Jazz at The Row Zoe Francis FAMILY A Wish In A Red Envelope Duo Clarendon Hotel 8.30 FREE. NMM 11.30, 1.30 KIDS Lantern Lights Chinese New JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s Year fun. Cutty Sark 11.30, 2 Thursday 27 KIDS Ships Go Passing Chinese MUSIC Eve Wieltschnig and New Year activities. NMM 11.30 & 2 Gennie Joy Clarinet and bass clariMUSIC Trinity Laban Violas net recital. St Alfege 1.05

£33

MUSIC English & American Song Backheath Halls 1.10 MUSIC Turner Piano Concert NMM 6.30 HISTORY Candlelit Tour Queen’s House 7 FILM/PLAY War Horse Link-up to National Theatre Greenwich Picturehouse 7 PLAY The Robbers Greenwich Theatre 7.30 DRAMA Where There’s A Will London Theatre 8 JAZZ Stephen Meliowski Quintet Oliver’s

Friday 28 MUSIC Bach To Baby St Alfege 10.30am MUSIC Trinity Laban Harps ORNC chapel 1.05 MUSIC Beyoncé O2 DANCE Candoco Company Triple Bill Laban 7.30 PLAY Hamlet Greenwich Theatre 7.30 COMEDY Ross Noble Michael Edwards Theatre Cutty Sark 7.45 DRAMA Where There’s A Will London Theatre 8 COMEDY Andrew Bird, Angela Barnes Up The Creek JAZZ Nicholas Miers Trio Oliver’s

Saturday March 1 KIDS Stormy Seas Cutty Sark 11, 12, 1.30, 2.30 DANCE Meeting Mr Boom! Borough Hall 11am, 2 KIDS Whatever The Weather Cutty Sark 11.30, 2 KIDS Meet Nicholas Hawksmoor ORNC 12, 1, 2, 3 MUSIC The Ukulele Orchestra Of Great Britain Backheath Halls 2, 8 RUGBY Blackheath RFC v Cinderford. Rectory Field 3 PLAY Thebes Greenwich Theatre 3 FILM/OPERA Prince Igor Link-up to New York Met Greenwich Picturehouse 5 MUSIC Beyoncé O2 DRAMA Icicles In The Trees: A Family Saga For Dylan Thomas centenary. Fan Museum 7.30 PLAY The Robbers Greenwich Theatre 7.30 DANCE Candoco Company Triple Bill Laban 7.30 DRAMA Where There’s A Will London Theatre 8 CLUBBING Cuff Building Six

Sunday 2 KIDS Ahoy Captain! Cutty Sark 11, 12, 1.30, 2.30 MUSIC Wu Quartet Blackheath Halls 11am KIDS Whatever The Weather Cutty Sark 11.30, 2 FAMILY Tomten Greenwich Theatre 2 MUSIC Beyoncé O2 MUSIC Opera Gala Night Backheath Halls 6.30 TALENT Something for Sunday The Vanbrugh 7 MUSIC Steve Morrison Oliver’s

Monday 3 MUSIC Aubert Trio Backheath Halls 1.10 JAZZ Beats In The Bar Blackheath Halls 7.30 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ Corrie Dick Oliver’s

Tuesday 4 MUSIC Nafis Umerkulova, Lucie Czajkowska Piano recital. ORNC chapel 1.05 CHARITY Target Ovarian Cancer Ladies’ go-karting and raffle at TeamSport UK 6-9, £40 Info: julia.nilsson.045@gmail.com JAZZ Beats In The Bar Backheath Halls 7.30 MUSIC Beyoncé O2 KIDS Macbeth: Blood Will Have Blood The Albany 7.30 MUSIC R5 IndigO2 DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 8 MUSIC English folk Lord Hood

Wednesday 5 TEA DANCE Backheath Halls 2 DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 2 & 8 TALK Angela Byrne Northern Nature & Exploratory Science. G’wich Heritage Centre 6.30 MUSIC Beyoncé O2 DANCE Atomos Laban 7.30 WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s

GreenwichVisitor THE

March Boy George is back! The Eltham-born 80s superstar is at the IndigO2 on Thursday March 3.

Thursday 6 MUSIC Trinity Laban Strings Professors St Alfege 1.05 MUSIC Turner Piano Concert NMM 6.30 TOUR Dark Tales ORNC 7 MUSIC Beyoncé O2 DANCE Atomos Laban 7.30 MUSIC Trinity Laban String Ensemble Blackheath Halls 7.30 DRAMA The Unremarkable Death of Marilyn Monroe Greenwich Theatre 7.30 MUSIC Icarus Club Pelton DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 8

Friday 7 MUSIC Bedriska Trio ORNC chapel 1.05 MUSIC Lady Pank IndigO2 MUSIC Sylvain Blassal Harpist Peacock Rm, King Charles Ct, ORNC 7 DRAMA The Unremarkable Death of Marilyn Monroe Greenwich Theatre 7.30 DANCE Leila McMillan Borough Hall 7.30 DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 8 JAZZ Maciek Psyz Oliver’s

Saturday 8 FUND-RAISER Book sale For Age Exchange & Blackheath Village Library. Old Bakehouse 10-4 friends-of-age-exchange.org.uk COURSE The Sea, The Sea 11.305.30 NMM KIDS Meet Samuel Pepys ORNC 12, 1, 2, 3 SALE Going For A Song Amersham Arms, from noon KIDS Macbeth: Blood Will Have Blood The Albany 1 MUSIC Esther Cavett Piano recital. St Alfege 1.05 FOOTBALL Charlton Athletic v Watford. The Valley 3 COMBAT Gustafsson v Manuwa O2 DRAMA The Unremarkable Death of Marilyn Monroe Greenwich Theatre 7.30 DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 8

Sunday 9 DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 5 MUSIC Ellie Goulding O2 TALENT Something for Sunday The Vanbrugh 7

Monday 10 MUSIC Guildhall School Cantata Project Backheath Halls 1.10 DRAMA Westcombe Shakespeare Readers All the plays. Mycenae House. Details: 07950 707272 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ Corrie Dick Oliver’s

Tuesday 11 MUSIC Trinity Laban Chamber Choir ORNC chapel 1.05 MUSIC Australian Pink Floyd O2 DANCE The Falling Song Laban 7.30 TALK Edward Sargeant on Frederic Eliot Duckham and Millwall Docks G’wich Industrial History Society. Old Bakehouse 7.30 JAZZ Beats In The Bar Blackheath Halls 7.30 FOOTBALL Charlton Athletic v Huddersfield. The Valley 7.45 PLAY Beulah Greenwich Theatre 8 DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 8 MUSIC English folk Lord Hood

Wednesday 12 DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 2 & 8

TALK Russian Folk Art Svetlana Quigley at the Eltham Centre 7 COMEDY Miranda Hart O2 LITERATURE David Hewson: The Killing III Blackheath Halls 8 PLAY Beulah Greenwich Theatre 8 WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s

Thursday 13 ARCHIVES Pirates And Piracy Nat Maritime Museum. Noon MUSIC Zoe Freedman Soprano recital. St Alfege 1.05 COMEDY Miranda Hart O2 FILM Mutiny On The Bounty NMM 7 MUSIC Trinity Laban Sinfonia Blackheath Halls 7.30 JAZZ Beats In The Bar Oliver’s PLAY Beulah Greenwich Theatre 8 DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 8

Friday 14 MUSIC Trinity Laban Symphonic Brass ORNC chapel 1.05 DANCE Free To Fall Borough Hall 7.30 DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 8 PLAY Beulah Greenwich Theatre 8 COMEDY Jimmy Carr Backheath Halls 8

Saturday 15 COURSE Wet-on-Wet 10-5 NMM KIDS Meet Grace O’Malley Old Royal Naval Coll 12, 1, 2, 3 KIDS Mouth Open Story Jump Out The Albany 1, 3 TEA DANCE Borough Hall 2 KIDS Little Bo Peep Backheath Halls 3 FILM/OPERA Werther Link-up to New York Met. Greenwich Picturehouse 4.55 MUSIC C2C Festival O2 DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 8 DANCE St Patrick’s Day Ceilidh Borough Hall 8 PLAY Beulah Greenwich Theatre 8 COMEDY Jimmy Carr Blackheath Halls 8

Sunday 16 COURSE Wet-on-Wet 10-5 NMM MUSIC London Soloists Ens Blackheath Halls 11am DRAMA The Tempest London Theatre 5 MUSIC Mendelssohn’s Elijah Blackheath Halls 6.30 MUSIC C2C Festival O2 TALENT Something for Sunday The Vanbrugh 7

Monday 17 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ Corrie Dick Oliver’s

Tuesday 18 MUSIC Trinity Laban Baroque Strings ORNC chapel 1.05 MUSIC Trinity Laban Jazz Choir Queen Mary Undercroft, ORNC 7.30 PLAY Dracula Greenwich Theatre 7.30 MUSIC English folk Lord Hood DRAMA Angel/Now We Are Pope London Theatre 8 JAZZ Beats In The Bar Oliver’s

Wednesday 19 PLAY Dracula Greenwich Theatre 1, 7.30 ART Portraying The Wrens Queen’s House 1.30 WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton MUSIC Gabrielle IndigO2 FILM/BALLET Sleeping Beauty Link-up to Covent Garden Greenwich Picturehouse 7.15

MUSIC Trinity Laban Sondheim Concerts Blackheath Halls 7.30 DRAMA Angel/Now We Are Pope London Theatre 8 JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s

Thursday 20 MUSIC Trinity Laban harps St Alfege 1.05 TOUR Dark Tales ORNC 7 FILM Master & Commander NMM 7 MUSIC Trinity Laban Sondheim Concerts Blackheath Halls 7.30 PLAY Dracula Greenwich Theatre 7.30 MUSIC Trinity Laban Chamber Choir Cutty Sark 8 DRAMA Angel/Now We Are Pope London Theatre 8 MUSIC Icarus Club Pelton

BLACKHEATH HALLS UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN

Saturday 22 COURSE Print-making 10-5 NMM KIDS Meet Joe Brown ORNC 12, 1, 2, 3 MUSIC Cristina Buga Piano recital. St Alfege 1.05 PLAY Dracula Greenwich Theatre 2.30, 7.30 FOOTBALL Charlton Athletic v Burnley. The Valley 3 RUGBY Blackheath RFC v Henley Hawks. Rectory Field 3 FAMILY X Factor Live O2 MUSIC The Overtones IndigO2 DRAMA Angel/Now We Are Pope London Theatre 8 COMEDY Ruby Wax Blackheath Halls 8 THEATRE Brand New Ancients The Albany 8

Sunday 23 COURSE Print-making 10-5 NMM DRAMA Angel/Now We Are Pope London Theatre 5 MUSIC Extravaganza IndigO2 TALENT Something for Sunday The Vanbrugh 7 MUSIC Dennis Greaves Blues Jam Pelton

Monday 24 MUSIC Drake O2 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ Corrie Dick Oliver’s

Tuesday 25 MUSIC Tom Gamble Guitar recital. ORNC chapel 1.05 MUSIC Drake O2 THEATRE Equsi Soup The Albany 7.30 MUSIC Trinity Laban Wind Orch Blackheath Halls 7.30 DRAMA Lolita London Th’tre 8 MUSIC English folk Lord Hood JAZZ Beats In The Bar Oliver’s Wednesday 26 MUSIC Trinity Laban recital Donations to Age Exchange & Blackheath Village Library. Old Bakehouse 1-2 friends-of-age-exchange.org.uk THEATRE Equsi Soup The Albany 7.30 MUSIC Drake O2 WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton OPERETTA Iolanthe Greenwich Theatre 7.30 DANCE The Point At Which It Last Made Sense Laban 7.30 MUSIC Blackheath Does Broadway Blackheath Halls 7.30 DRAMA Lolita London Th’tre 8 JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s

Thursday 27 MUSIC Corrie Dick Septet St Alfege 1.05 HISTORY Candlelit Tour Queen’s House 7 THEATRE Equsi Soup The Albany 7.30 MUSIC Angell Trio Backheath Halls 7.30 OPERETTA Iolanthe Greenwich Theatre 7.30

MUSIC The Wanted O2 DRAMA Lolita London Th’tre 8

Friday 28 MUSIC Bach To Baby St Alfege 10.30am MUSIC Trinity Laban guitars ORNC chapel 1.05 MUSIC Eason Chan O2 MUSIC Live At The Halls Backheath Halls 7 THEATRE Equsi Soup The Albany 7.30 OPERETTA Iolanthe Greenwich Theatre 7.30 COMEDY Ross Noble Michael Edwards Theatre Cutty Sark 7.45 DRAMA Lolita London Th’tre 8

Saturday 29 KIDS Meet James Thornhill ORNC 12, 1, 2, 3 OPERETTA Iolanthe Greenwich Theatre 2, 6 MUSIC College Of Young Musicians St Alfege 7 COMEDY Russell Howard O2 MUSIC Junior Trinity Spring Concert Blackheath Halls 7 DRAMA Lolita London Th’tre 8

Friday 21 MUSIC Puzzle Piece Opera Charlton House 1 MUSIC Laura Monaghan, Jillian Bain Christie Soprano recital Old Royal Naval Coll chapel 1.05 FAMILY X Factor Live O2 MUSIC The Overtones IndigO2 DANCE Tour d’Horizon Laban 7.30 MUSIC St Paul’s Sinfonia St Alfege 7.30 PLAY Dracula Greenwich Theatre 7.30 TALK Advances In Dentistry Blackheath Scientific Society hears from Dr Dharaka Nathan. Mycenae House 7.45 COMEDY Ross Noble Michael Edwards Theatre, Cutty Sark 7.45 DRAMA Angel/Now We Are Pope London Theatre 8

February 2014 Page 21

Sunday 30

SAT 1 MAR 14.00h & 20.00h TICKETS: £24 | £22

BOOK LAUNCH DAVID HEWSON: THE KILLING WED 12 MAR 20.00h TICKETS: £10 (INCLUDES A FREE GLASS OF WINE FOR OVER 18S)

AS SEEN ON BBC4

Monday 31 MUSIC Carolina Foulkes, Mark Farrall Soprano/clarinet recital Backheath Halls 1.10 MUSIC Blackheath Does Broadway Blackheath Halls 7.30 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ Corrie Dick Oliver’s

Tuesday April 1 MUSIC Justin Timberlake O2 MUSIC English folk Lord Hood DRAMA Romeo And Juliet London Theatre 8

Wednesday 2

ALSO DON’T MISS

POETY SOUTH EAST

WED 14 MAY 20.00h TICKETS: £10 (INCLUDES A FREE GLASS OF WINE)

JIMMY CARR

MUSIC Naufal Mukumi Piano recital. Blackheath Halls 11am WALK Impact of WW2 All Saints, Blackheath, to St Alfege’s, Greenwich 11am-1.30. £9pp info@ blitzwalkers.co.uk FILM/BALLET The Golden Age Link-up to the Bolshoi Greenwich Picturehouse 4 DRAMA Lolita London Th’tre 5 MUSIC Alleyn’s Chamber Music Backheath Halls 6 MUSIC Tinie Tempah O2 PLAY The City And Iris Greenwich Theatre 7.30 TALENT Something for Sunday The Vanbrugh 7

RUBY WAX

MASTERCLASS Geoff Hunt Marine art 10-5 NMM DRAMA Romeo And Juliet London Theatre 2, 8 MUSIC Justin Timberlake O2 TALK Admiral Parker Of 12 Crooms Hill Daphne & Andrew Joynes. Fan Museum 7.30 MUSIC Blackheath Does Broadway Blackheath Halls 7.30 WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s

Thursday 3 MUSIC Trinity Laban recital St Alfege 1.05 MUSIC Boy George IndigO2 MUSIC Four Tops/Temptations O2 DRAMA Romeo And Juliet London Theatre 8 MUSIC Icarus Club Pelton

Friday 4 MUSIC Backstreet Boys O2 DRAMA Romeo And Juliet London Theatre 8

Saturday 5

FRI 14 & SAT 15 MAR 20.00h TICKETS: £15

SAT 22 MAR 20.00h TICKETS: £17.50 | £15

020 8463 0100 BLACKHEATHHALLS.COM

23 LEE ROAD SE3 9RQ

DRAMA Romeo And Juliet London Theatre 2, 8 FOOTBALL Charlton Athletic v Reading. The Valley 3 RUGBY Blackheath RFC v Old Albanians. Rectory Field 3 DANCE Children’s Classes Mixed Bill Laban 3, 4.30 FILM/OPERA La Bohème Link-up to New York Met Greenwich Picturehouse 5.55 MUSIC Gary Barlow O2 MUSIC The Ionian Singers St Alfege 7.30

Continued on Page 22

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 22

Venues

The Forum: Hall hire, parties, business meetings. Trafalgar Road, Greenwich SE10 9EQ. 0208 853 5212. office@forumatgreenwich.org Blackheath Halls: 23 Lee Road, SE3 9RQ 020 8463 0100. blackheathhalls.com Greenwich Theatre: Crooms Hill, SE10 8ES 020 8858 7755. greenwichtheatre.org.uk Greenwich Playhouse: Currently closed. www.galleontheatre.co.uk Laban: Creekside SE8 3DZ. 020 8463 0100 www.trinitylaban.ac.uk NMM: Romney Rd, SE10 9BJ 020 8858 0045 www.nmm.ac.uk 02, Indig02 & Building Six: 0844 8560202 www.theo2.co.uk Old Royal Naval College: SE10 9LW. 020 8269 4799 www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org Oliver’s: 9 Nevada St SE10 9JL. 020 8853 5970 www.oliversjazzbar.co.uk Pelton: 23-5 Pelton St, SE10 9PQ 020 8858 0572. www.peltonarms.com Peter de Wit’s Cafe: 21 Greenwich Church St, SE10 9BJ. 020 8305 0045 St Alfege: Greenwich Church St. 020 8853 0687. st-alfege.org Trinity College of Music: King Charles Ct SE10 9JF. 020 8305 4444. tcm.ac.uk Greenwich Dance: Borough Hall SE10 8RE. 020 8293 9741 greenwichdance.org.uk Blackheath Conservatoire: 19-21 Lee Rd SE3 9RQ. 020 8852 0234 conservatoire.org.uk Morden Arms: 1 Brand St, SE10 8SP. 020 8858 2189 The Railway: Blackheath Village SE3 9LE. 020 8852 2390 therailwayblackheath.co.uk The Royal Oak: 54 Charlton Lane, SE7 8LA. 020 8858 4771 The British Music Experience: The 02. 020 8463 2000. britishmusicexperience.com The Lord Hood: 300 Creek Rd, SE10 9SW. 020 8858 1836 Mycenae House: 90 Mycenae Rd SE3 7SE 020 8858 1749 mycenaehouse.co.uk The Woodlands Farm Trust: 331 Shooters Hill Rd, Welling DA16 3RP 020 8319 8900 thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org.uk Clarendon Hotel: Montpelier Row SE3 0RW. 020 8318 4321. clarendonhotel.com The Eltham Centre: 2 Archery Road SE9 1HA. 020 8921 4344 Amersham Arms: 388 New Cross Rd SE14 6TY. 020 8469 1499 Charlton House: Charlton Rd SE7 8RP. 020 8856 3951 Greenwich Communications Centre: Hire for business meetings. 164 Trafalgar Rd SE10 9TZ. 020 8269 2103 O’Neill’s: 52 Tranquil Vale, Blackheath SE3 0BH. 020 8463 9230 The Old Bakehouse: Bennett Park, Blackheath SE3 9LA London Theatre: 443 New Cross Rd SE14 6TA. 020 8694 1888. thelondontheatre.com Eltham Palace: Court Yard SE9 5QE. 020 8294 2548. english-heritage.org.uk Firepower: Royal Arsenal SE18 6ST. firepower.org.uk 020 8855 7755 Greenwich Heritage Centre: Artillery Square, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich SE18 4DX Up The Creek: 302 Creek Rd SE10 9SW. 020 8858 4581 upthecreekmanagement.co.uk The Albany: Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 4AG. 020 8692 4446 thealbany.org.uk

Long-term events

MARKETS Greenwich Market: 10-5.30. Sat and Sun: Arts & crafts, food, fresh produce. Tues, Wed: Food, fresh produce, homewares. Thurs: food, antiques & collectables, crafts. Fri: Food, arts & crafts, antiques & collectibles Clocktower Market: 166 Greenwich High Rd. Sat, Sun 10-4. 50 quirky stalls specialising in vintage, retro and antiques. 07940 914204 Blackheath Farmers’ Market: Blackheath Station, 10-2 every Sun. lfm.org EXHIBITIONS/CRAFTS/COMMUNITY British Music Experience: O2 bubble 11-7.30 daily. 020 8463 2000 Royal Observatory: Free. Meridian Line £10 (£7.50 cons/Greewich Card) The Fan Museum: Hatch, Match, Despatch. Fans showing birth, marriage, death. Till June 1. 12 Crooms Hill. 020 8305 1441 fan-museum.org.uk Age Exchange: Carers’ group Mon, knitters Thurs, preschool rhyme-time Fri. Old Bakehouse, Bennett Pk SE3 9LA. age-exchange.org.uk. St Alfege’s: Drawings of etched glass screen celebrating life of St Alfege by Sonia McNally. On display daily from March 3 to April 20 NMM: Turner And The Sea. Sammy Ofer wing. Daily 10-5. Till Feb 21. Queen’s House: Yinka Shonibare MBE at Greenwich. 10-5. Till Feb 23. Free Greenwich Gallery: Linear House, Peyton Place SE10 8RS. 9-5 Mon-Fri Paul McPherson Gallery: Mechanical Cabaret Theatre Exhibition till Feb 22, Peter Denmark Mar 3-28, Aleksandar Basic Mar 31-Apr 12. 77 Lassell St SE10 9PJ. paulmcphersongallery.com Ben Oakley Gallery: 9 Turnpin La SE10 9JA. The Forum: Disabled drop-ins, mums’ groups, kids’ classes, advice. Trafalgar Rd SE10 9EQ. 020 8853 5212 Jazz Open Mic Nights: Mondays (exc Bank Hols) Mycenae House SE3, 8.30 Greenwich Heritage Centre: Artillery Square SE18 4DX. 020 8854 2452 WALKS Greenwich Guided Walks: Local experts. Walks daily at 12.15 and 2.15 from the Greenwich Tourist Information Centre. £8, £7 cons. Greenwich Tour Guides Association 07575772298 guides@greenwichtours.co.uk Rich Sylvester: Guide, historian, storyteller. 07833 538143. richs@onetel.com Dotmaker: Alternative guided walks. dotmakertours.co.uk FAMILY ACTIVITIES NMM: Explore Saturdays. Free. Performance and storytelling for over-5s from noon. Discover Sundays. Free. Activities for families from 11.30am. Play Tuesdays. Free. For under-5s from 10.30

April Sunday 6

Want the inside guide to what’s best in Greenwich and Blackheath? NIKKI SPENCER asks a local...

Thursday 17

DRAMA Romeo And Juliet London Theatre 5 MUSIC Gary Barlow O2 TALENT Something for Sunday The Vanbrugh 7

MUSIC Trinity Laban recital St Alfege 1.05 PLAY Cell Greenwich Theatre 8 MUSIC Icarus Club Pelton

Monday 7

PLAY Cell Greenwich Theatre 6.30, 9

PLAY Kidnapped Greenwich Theatre 7 MUSIC Blackheath Does Broadway Blackheath Halls 7.30 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ Corrie Dick Oliver’s

Tuesday 8 PLAY Kidnapped Greenwich Theatre 11am, 3 MUSIC Johnny Matthis O2 FOOTBALL Charlton Athletic v Yeovil. The Valley 7.45 MUSIC English folk Lord Hood DRAMA Package Deals (Gunshots Included) London Theatre 8

Wednesday 9 PLAY Kidnapped Greenwich Theatre 11am, 3 TALK First World War Poets John Wingham. Eltham Centre 7 WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton DRAMA Package Deals (Gunshots Included) London Theatre 8 JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s

Thursday 10 MUSIC Trinity Laban recital St Alfege 1.05 DRAMA Package Deals (Gunshots Included) London Theatre 8

Friday 11 COMEDY Miranda Hart O2 MUSIC Boyce Avenue IndigO2 TALK Firefighting In Tall Buildings Blackheath Scientific Society hears from Adam Carter. Mycenae House 7.45 DRAMA Package Deals (Gunshots Included) London Theatre 8

Saturday 12 FUND-RAISER Book sale For Age Exchange & Blackheath Village Library. Old Bakehouse 10-4 friends-of-age-exchange.org.uk KIDS Dinosaur Zoo Greenwich Theatre 11am, 2, 4.30 SALE Going For A Song Amersham Arms, from noon MUSIC Kristiana Smilovska Piano recital. St Alfege 1.05 MUSIC The Little Sweep Children’s Opera Blackheath Halls 2, 6 COMEDY Miranda Hart O2 DRAMA Package Deals (Gunshots Included) London Theatre 8

Sunday 13 KIDS Dinosaur Zoo Greenwich Theatre 10.30am FAMILY Lambing Day Woodlands Farm Tust 11-4.4.30 MUSIC The Little Sweep Children’s Opera Blackheath Halls 2, 6 KIDS Pirate Gran Greenwich Theatre 4 DRAMA Package Deals (Gunshots Included) London Theatre 5 TALENT Something for Sunday The Vanbrugh 7

Monday 14 MUSIC Matthew Schellhorn Piano. Backheath Halls 1.10 DRAMA Westcombe Shakespeare Readers All the plays. Mycenae House. Details: 07950 707272 MUSIC Blackheath Does Broadway Blackheath Halls 7.30 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ Corrie Dick Oliver’s

Tuesday 15 TEA DANCE Blackheath Halls 2 TALK Julian Kingson: Build The Lennox Greenwich Industrial History Society lecture. Old Bakehouse 7.30 MUSIC English folk Lord Hood

Wednesday 16 MUSIC Elbow O2 WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s

Friday 18 Saturday 19 FOOTBALL Charlton Athletic v Bolton. The Valley 3 MUSIC Wahala IndigO2 PLAY Cell Greenwich Theatre 8

Sunday 20 TALENT Something for Sunday The Vanbrugh 7

Monday 21 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ Corrie Dick Oliver’s

Tuesday 22 MUSIC Blackheath Does Broadway Blackheath Halls 7.30 MUSIC English folk Lord Hood

Wednesday 23 DANCE Reading With Bach Laban Theatre 7 WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton MUSICAL Avenue Q Greenwich Theatre 7.30 JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s

Thursday 24 MUSIC Trinity Laban recital St Alfege 1.05 MUSIC McBusted O2 DANCE Reading With Bach Laban Theatre 7 MUSICAL Avenue Q Greenwich Theatre 7.30

Friday 25 MUSIC Bach To Baby St Alfege 10.30am MUSIC McBusted O2 MUSIC BITES: Remix The Albany 7.30 DANCE Hakeem Onibudo Borough Hall 7.30 MUSICAL Avenue Q Greenwich Theatre 7.30 MUSIC St Paul’s Sinfonia St Alfege 7.30 MUSIC Heidi Talbot Blackheath Halls 7.30

Saturday 26 TEA DANCE Borough Hall 2 MUSICAL Avenue Q Greenwich Theatre 2.30, 7.30 KIDS Alice & The White Rabbit Blackheath Halls 3 FOOTBALL Charlton Athletic v Blackburn. The Valley 3 RUGBY Blackheath RFC v Doncaster. Rectory Field 3 FILM/OPERA Così Fan Tutte Link-up to New York Met Greenwich Picturehouse 5.55 MUSIC McBusted O2 BARN DANCE Borough Hall 8

Sunday 27 MUSIC Gonzalo Acosta Violin recital. Backheath Halls 11am TALENT Something for Sunday The Vanbrugh 7 FILM/BALLET The Winter’s Tale Link-up to Covent Garden Greenwich Picturehouse 6.45 MUSIC Dennis Greaves Blues Jam Pelton

MyLife

ZOE EFSTATHIOU: BEAUTY JOURNALIST

year ago I left my job as a newspaper reporter with the goal of establishing myself as a successful freelance beauty journalist and copywriter (www.zoewrites.co.uk). I now regularly write beauty features for Natural Health magazine and HOTHOTMag and provide copywriting services such as website text, staff profiles and press releases, to a range of clients from educational organisations such as Oxford University to bridalwear designer Dajana Basic London. very couple of months I go back to Oxford where I grew up. It’s a great place to escape to when the hustle and bustle of London gets too much! I moved to London in 2010 to study Newspaper Journalism at Lambeth College. I’ve loved writing since childhood and as a teenager, I started my own music magazine interviewing local bands. I made black and white copies using a photocopier and left stacks of them in local cafes. Looking back it’s pretty embarrassing but it did spark a long-term passion for journalism! am an ambitious person and so I love living in London. I regularly go to networking events and I try to make new contacts all the time. You never know who you will meet in the capital and what doors will open for you. For me, that gives London a unique buzz that makes it an incredibly exciting place to be. fter 18months living here, Greenwich already feels like home. I’m a bit of a bookworm so one of my favourite shops is Halcyon Books on Greenwich South Street. It‚‘s piled high with all novels and everything is a pound, so you can’t really go wrong! A few doors down, there’s The Junk Shop, which has a cute, tiny little cafe hidden away at the back that I like too. ne of my favourite places in Greenwich is the Park. I go there several times a week to walk my dog, Bella. When she isn’t barking or distracting me by chasing other dogs, I find it a really peaceful place to think. Sometimes during a long walk, I’ll go to coffee stall opposite the Royal Observatory and treat myself to a sausage baguette and a latte which I’ll enjoy while sitting on one of the benches overlooking the amazing view of St Paul’s, Canary Wharf and the London Eye. t weekends, I like going to the Greenwich Picturehouse. I’m not really a fan of big cinemas, so the Picturehouse is nice as it’s quite small but usually has a good selection of films. The upstairs bar is a great place to go afterwards to discuss the film over a glass of wine.

E I

O A

Monday 28 MUSIC Blackheath Does Broadway Blackheath Halls 7.30 PUB QUIZ The Vanbrugh 8.30 JAZZ Corrie Dick Oliver’s

Tuesday 29 MUSIC Blackheath Does Broadway Blackheath Halls 7.30 MUSICAL Avenue Q Greenwich Theatre 7.30 MUSIC English folk Lord Hood

Wednesday 30 MUSIC Trinity Laban recital Donations to Age Exchange & Blackheath Village Library. Old Bakehouse 1-2 MUSICAL Avenue Q Greenwich Theatre 2.30, 7.30 TALK Sandra Dunster Sights And Sounds Of The Medway Towns c1790-1830. Greenwich Heritage Centre 6.30 MUSIC Blackheath Does Broadway Blackheath Halls 7.30 WOOLLIES Knitting club Pelton JAZZ Jam session Oliver’s

Tell us your life stories and favourite local places. email Matt@TheGreenwichVisitor.com

GreenwichVisitor THE

February 2014 Page 23

sylvester’s the cat in the hat! WASSAIL that about? HERE’S Rich Sylvester – an old friend of the Greenwich Visitor – entertaining crowds at a fabulous community event in East Greenwich’s historic Pleasaunce. The annual Wassail brought families out to celebrate the New Year and new fruit trees in the orchard there. Storyteller Rich wove his magic alongside singers and the Greenwich Morris Men. Rich used to write the popular One Hour Walk column for our paper...and if he

SEND US YOUR PICS OF A PERFECT DAY email your photo to: matt@TheGreenwichVisitor.com

doesn’t write another soon we may put more pictures of him in paper! Please send us your pictures of a great day out here whether – like most of our readers – you live here or are visiting. Email Matt@TheGreenwich Visitor.com. We hope you enjoy this edition. If you have a business here please consider us for your advertising. Every reader is RIGHT HERE – not miles away – and they CHOOSE to take and read a copy. We’re positive, unique, independent and interesting. And we reach readers evry day for a month. See you in March!

Scout; 7 Copenhagen; 8 Oysters wrapped in bacon; 9 Dave; 10 Picador.

Answers: 1 Richard III’s; 2 40; 3 Between the ears; 4 A string; 5 3-1; 6

Like it? Live

The Pub Quiz

1 According to Shakespeare, whose horse was called White Surrey? 2 What is the maximum number of horses allowed in the Grand National? 3 Where on a horse do you find its poll? 4 What is the collective term for a group of racehorses? 5 In horse racing, what betting odds are known as a carpet? 6 What was the name of the Tonto’s horse in The Lone Ranger? 7 What was the name of the Duke of Wellingtons horse at the Battle of Waterloo? 8 What are angels on horseback? 9 In Only Fools and Horses what did Trigger always call Rodney? 10 What name is given to a matador on horseback?

COME on then cleverclogs. Think of a team name and test yourelf against our legendary quizmaster Deke. Still not authentic enough?

LEAFY Coleraine Road is a great place to live. Five minutes from the Park; Westcombe Park rail station is five minutes walk down the hill too. And there’s a great

Get off the sofa and catch his legendary quizzes at The Vanbrugh Tavern every Monday night. 8.30.

mix of houses...including this substantial six-bed home with views of Canary Wharf. It’s £1.65million. Call Brown & Brooke on 020 8858 0200. Now!

Wordsearch

the year of the horse

Mystery object

In association with

GreenwichVisitor WANT TO ADVERTISE? OR TELL US YOUR STORY? Call Matt on 07731 645828 Matt@TheGreenwich Visitor.com

IF YOU go 2 a big entertainment complex here you might spot this lofty bit of art. Email Matt@ TheGreenwichVisitor.com with

N I P E U E B E O L NO WO O F S N F O A L F E

G N L E R J R O I O R S

your answer. Last month: The anchor in the gardens of Trafalgar Q u a r t e r s i n P a r k R o w, Greenwich.

H T AN N YH A T H AM S TMA C OME O YN A R A P S GWO F AM E R DK E E MAR K T S L E

D N I R D H K T T R E N

D C F L Y C C F A C T N

AYK O C K OO T OH A E R G I R A A J Z C I E HWT T O T R U E U T E

I F y o u r e a d c a r e f u l l y t h i s DAY; PENNY HANCOCK; ELTHAM; wordsearch should be easy. Look MARKET; GAZETTE; FOGWOFT; for: NELSON STATUE; JACK FOOT; TUNNELS; RICH; UP; THE;

SPARROW; PADLOCK; WHAT CREEK; COMEDY; BEES; FOOD; REMAINS; GRAFTERS; NIGHT AND FEST. Happy hunting – SCF

SCAN THESE CODES IN TO YOUR PHONE TO FIND US...

The Blog of Samuel Pepys T

uesday. Today I was walking abroad and a man did approach to offer me employment. I asked him which Royal Board sought me, but he said that he had “a new attraction” and requested that I stand outside the door in my full attire. I was about to refuse the task as unfit for a gentleman when he said that the pay was £5 per hour. With such a sum I could afford a house in Bloomsbury within a six-month so I accepted. ednesday. Upon reaching the address I saw a sign above: “Saucy London. A Museum of Low Life.” I heard the sounds of the clinking of glasses and talking of women within. Outside was a wench wearing a low bodice, ringlets, face patches and silk petticoat. I did congratulate her on being up to the minute in fashion. “Naturally – I’m Nell Gwynn!” she said. “Madam, if you are Nell Gwynn, then I am Oliver Cromwell,” I replied. She thrust a sheaf of papers into my hand and told me to hand them to passers-by. From downstairs I now did hear the sound of toasts being made, of flirtatious chuckles and then moans. I have vainly been seeking the King to find employment with him for months, and now

I knew where he may be. I pushed past the wench and went inside. Was astonished that the sounds and voices came from seemingly nowhere and about the room were moving pictures of scenes of taverns and disreputable places which, when I tried to enter, I walked into the wall. I was nursing my bruise when my employer me told me most rudely to get back to the doorway and “bring the punters in.” “Sir, we are not near a river,” I cried. utside the wench was talking into one of those infernal speaking machines which people carry. “My agent tells me I’ve got a telly job tomorrow,” she told me, “stuff this for a lark.” This was language worthy of Mrs Gwynn so perhaps her rehearsals had been of good use. Later the fellow came up to demand why I had not sent more people downstairs. I did tell him that all the men I did address were wigless, with shirts hanging loose over their breeches, so I did assume they had just come out of an establishment such as this one. So I am now sent home with half a day’s pay: fifteen pounds and twelve shillings, which is more than the King paid me in a fortnight. I shall seek more doors to stand by.

AS IMAGINED BY TONY KIRWOOD: @tkirwood tonykirwood@gmail.com

GreenwichVisitor THE

January 2014 Page 24

‘London’s equivalent of climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge’ The Huffington Post

‘Exhilarating’

‘Spectacular’

Time Out

Evening Standard

Now you can walk over one of London’s favourite landmarks Book your date and time now. UpatTheO2.co.uk