Holly Wilson’s From the frontline

Holly Wilson’s

From The Frontline

Festive fun

Happy festive season everyone! It only seems like a mere moment since we were last here. With face masks mandatory again and Omicron looming it all feels quite familiar, but fingers crossed we make it to the big day this year remaining open.

Ican’t wait for the crazy Christmas Eve which we missed out on last year. It is one of the most fun days of the year: both intensely busy and intensely joyful. Seeing that one guy, frozen in panic, as he realises he needs to buy all his presents and the shops close in half an hour is always funny! And there is always one, always, without fail. Here in Stoke Newington we always come together well as a community at Christmas and other occasions but this year I’m particularly excited as we have gone for it like no other year. Due to all the road closures and confusion with LTNs and ULEZ (Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and Ultra Low Emission Zone) - on top of the pandemic - we have managed to procure a small amount of funding from the council to help us promote our local area and ‘drive’ people to the area (excuse the pun!) Stokey is home to a wellknown illustrator team, Rude Studio, who opened a shop/ cafe during the pandemic. We have managed to get the team to design some Stokey branding for us, which we will use on posters, banners, pin badges, totes and eventually a bus! We have also set up new Facebook and Instagram accounts to celebrate all things Stokey. The campaign is called ‘See you in Stokey,’ and was launched with a Christmas event day on Small Business Saturday (December 4). All the shops and restaurants participated, and the day culminated with our Christmas lights being turned on at the fire station Christmas tree, which is right in the heart of Stokey. There was a children’s choir, as well as carols with a gospel choir, plus mulled wine and nibbles from the local pubs and restaurants. Our local estate agent also made a video highlighting all the local businesses and showing how you can get everything you need in the local area. It has given us all a real buzz and it was such a joy to give our community this really fun day. We are also supporting The Winter Toy Appeal, as we always do, by raising money

and encouraging our customers to donate. The appeal supports families in crisis to ensure every child gets a gift to open on Christmas day, which they otherwise wouldn’t. Last year they gave 5,600 kids presents and they already have more requests from the agencies they work with as so many kids are experiencing hardship this year. It is a wonderful cause and the team who run it are incredible. See www.localbuyersclub.com/winter-toy-appeal By the start of December, Primrose Hill was feeling festive and busy with local shoppers. It is great that Christmas is always early over there as the locals leave town early. We were well organised with our stock orders, so I think we’ll have enough to get us through. However, the bestsellers have been flying out and can’t be restocked so, as always, it is a little tense. Stock is still hard to come by and, in many cases, not available until a couple of months into the new year. We have re-sourced and stocked up where we can, and we are in a better position than I dreaded we might be in earlier this year. I normally rely on quick turnarounds from a few key suppliers in the last few weeks but that would be pushing it in this challenging year. I’m looking forward to smashing it this December. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas in your businesses, but also with your families and friends. Let’s make it a good one.

Inset: Tableware at

Prep Cookshop. Below left: The ‘See you in Stokey’ campaign is encouraging shoppers to visit

Prep and its neighbouring businesses.

Inset: Peanuts mugs are a perfect Christmas gift at Prep. Holly Wilson is the owner of two award winning North London cookshops: Prep in Stoke Newington and Richard Dare in Primrose Hill.