Issue 01 Spring/Summer 2015
LONDON ROYALTYMeet the capital’s Pearly Kings, the true upholders of London tradition
FISH ISLANDHackney’s artists’ colony is set to become the coolest place to live in east London
Hot propertyThe best homes to buy and rent across north and east London
OUT AND ABOUTFrom Run Hackney to Box Park in Shoreditch, we’ve got you covered
*Cockney rhyming slang for ‘newspaper’
Established in 1990, Currell is a full service property agency with offices across London.
Call us now for a free valuation.
currell.com
Currell Islington321 Upper StreetIslington, N1 2XQ020 7226 [email protected]
Currell Victoria Park81 Lauriston ParkVictoria Park, E9 7HJ020 3222 [email protected]
Currell Clerkenwell122/124 St John StreetClerkenwell, EC1V 4JS020 7253 [email protected]
Currell Hackney311-313 Kingsland RoadHackney, E8 4DL020 7241 [email protected]
Issue 01 Spring/Summer 20153
Welcome to The Linen Draper
EDITED AND WRITTEN BY: Simon Manuel and Gina Wasikowski DESIGNED BY: Sally Grondowski CONTRIBUTORS: Camilla Bonnar, Georgia Currell, Imogen Williams and Kelly Wright
CONTENTS
4-7OUT AND ABOUT The best of what’s on in and around north and east London
8-11COVER STORYMeet London royalty, Pearly King John Walters
12-15ART’S AND CULTURECDW, fringe theatre and Europe’s best gay men’s chorus
16-19property and interiors
Fish Island – the next London Fields?
24-27FOOD AND DRINK
Charles Phillips of Morty & Bob’s and a BBQ recipe with a difference
28-30LIFESTYLE
The capital’s latest fitness craze and the East London Design Store’s Della Tinsley
The Linen Draper is all about London. To be precise, it’s about our own little corner of London, from Islington
and Clerkenwell in the north, to Hackney and Victoria Park in the east.
Hence the name: The Linen Draper. As those born within the sound of Bow Bells will tell you, it’s Cockney rhyming slang for ‘newspaper’. That explains the apple, pears and stairs on the front cover too, beautifully designed and photographed by the talented Victoria Lees and Amy Currell. (If you’re still confused about the apples and pears, read about the true upholders of London tradition, the Pearly Kings, on page 8).
Inside you can find out what’s going on in Out and About (p4), read about London’s best gay men’s chorus (p14) and salivate over Morty & Bob’s mouth-watering cheese toasties (p24). Plus there’s theatre, fitness, cocktails, recipes and more.
Last, and most definitely not least, is property, our specialist subject. This month we’ve highlighted the Scandinavian-inspired Herringbone House in Stoke Newington (p18) and the more earthy charms of the up and coming Fish Island (p16). And don’t forget, if spring has got you in the mood for buying, selling or renting in the heartbeat of the capital, north and east London, head to currell.com.
We hope you enjoy the first issue of The Linen Draper. We would love to receive your feedback at [email protected].
Gina Wasikowski, Head of Marketing, Currell
Cover image: PHOTOGRAPHY: Amy CurrellSET DESIGN: Victoria Lees
Printed in the UK by Mortons, mortons.co.ukPublished by Currell, currell.com
4 The Linen Draperout and about Issue 01 Spring/Summer 20155
olympian for a day
Returning for its second year, Run Hackney is one of London’s best
new sporting events. Taking over east London for one day only, this half marathon is perfect for city enthusiasts who want to try out new terrain.
The course is flat and fast, so it suits both beginners and those looking to score their personal best. The route takes in some of the best sights and hidden spots in east London, even giving you the chance to feel like an Olympian when the course takes you through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Starting and finishing on Hackney Marshes, the day is a celebration of east London and its community spirit.
Run Hackney, Sunday 10 May runhackney.com
pop out to a pop up
Pop-up food destinations are ten a penny in the London foodie scene right now, so to stand out from the crowd
a pop-up must pack a huge punch. One of the latest to hit town is Christabel’s, a dining experience with heaps of personality.
The creative concepts of all Christabel’s events – which take place in secret locations in N1 – are fun, fantastical and most importantly, delicious. Founder Christabel Beeson aims to “produce culinary and drinking experiences which people cannot recreate at home”. And with previous themes
crafts take centre stage
London Craft Week, a celebration of home-grown talent and creativity, will place the capital’s lesser
known artisans in the spotlight.
In its inaugural year, London Craft Week will see small creative studios and workshops open their doors to the public to exhibit their craftsmanship and creative flair. As the week will show, London’s rich history of craft is still very much alive and well.
Notable events include a traditional printing press demonstration at the New North Press in Hoxton and a photography exhibition at The Prince’s Foundation in Shoreditch.
London Craft Week, 6 –10 Maylondoncraftweek.com
OUT AND ABOUT
including ‘Cocktails n’ Crack’ she may just be right. Every detail of the dining experience is carefully considered, including hand-painted crockery, an abundance of edible glitter and even a portable bar. Christabel’s is one not to be missed.
Christabel’s Cocktail Lab – Thursday 30 AprilChristabel’s Floral Feast – Sunday 3 MayTo book tickets for upcoming events visit christabels.org
WORDS: GINA WASIKOWSKI
PHOTO: THE HERITAGE CRAFTS ASSOSIATION
6 The Linen Draperout and about Issue 01 Spring/Summer 20157
Since beginning life as a literary and scientific society, the Almeida Theatre has become one of
London’s cultural hotspots. The Guardian has described it as “a theatre which has constantly punched above its size”.
This was certainly the case last year when it made an international name for itself by picking up no less than eight Olivier Awards.
CARMEN reimagined feast on street food
Forget Brighton beach this summer and look no further than Box Park,
Shoreditch for a chance to bag yourself one of the most sought after deck chairs in town. Returning on the back of last year’s success, #BUSKTHEBOX has a sweltering line up of rising local talent performing every Sunday afternoon.
And if you think it should be you up on stage, now is your chance. Box Park is opening a competition for one lucky artist or group to perform on the last Sunday of every month. Entries are by 15 second audition on Instagram.
#BUSKTHEBOX, from 6 Aprilboxpark.co.uk
Street Feast returns to Dalston Yard in May for another summer season of exquisite street food. The event will see 20 food stalls and eight bars come
together to serve up delicious grub and refreshing drinks to suit every taste, all served up in a carnival atmosphere. Be warned – you will almost certainly have to queue.
Street Feast at Dalston Yard, 1 May – 26 September streetfeastlondon.com
Since kicking off in 2007, Field Day festival has become one of the
biggest events in London’s summer calendar. Taking up residence in Victoria Park for two days, the Field Day line-up is dominated by alternative and indie acts, which gives the festival a unique flavour.
This year the headline acts include Caribou on the Saturday and legendary punk singer Patti Smith on the Sunday. Other notable acts include Mercury nominated FKA twigs, Todd Terje and the Olsens and Jack Garratt.
Field Day, 6 – 7 Junefielddayfestivals.com
The UK premiere of Carmen Disruption, directed by Michael Longhurst (Constellations), promises to bring further attention to Islington’s iconic theatre. Written by the award-winning Simon Stephens, (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), the play reimagines Bizet’s opera Carmen and the possibilities of love in a fractured urban world.
Carmen Disruption, Almeida Theatre, 10 April – 23 Mayalmeida.co.uk
“A theatre which has constantly punched above its size”
shoreditch busk Fun in a field
8 The Linen Draper
Forget the Royal Family, meet the Pearlys, the real Kings and Queens of the capital
It’s not often you meet a king, but with this one there’s no standing on ceremony. “Hello, come on in, follow me up the apples,” says John
Walters as he welcomes me into his Archway home. As any self-respecting Londoner knows, ‘apples and pears’ is Cockney rhyming slang for stairs. And John is more than just any old Londoner. He’s the Pearly King of
Issue 01 Spring/Summer 20159 COVER STORY
WORDS: SIMON MANUELARTWORK PHOTOGRAPHY: AMY CURRELL
SET DESIGN: VICTORIA LEES
10The Linen Draper
Finsbury, a true upholder of the Cockney tradition. Before he explains what a Pearly King is, John, who
was born just off City Road, is keen to establish his Cockney credentials.
“To be a true Cockney you need to be born within the sound of Bow bells. But that’s not Bow in east London, it’s the bells of St Mary Le Bow church in Cheapside,” he explains. “That was the curfew bell for London that
signalled the locking of the city gates: Bishopsgate, Moorgate, Newgate etc. In the story of Dick Whittington, Dick heard the bells as far away as Highgate Hill telling him to return to London: ‘Turn again Dick, three times Lord Mayor of London.’”
Now that’s cleared up, John explains what the Pearly Kings, and for that matter the Pearly Queens, Princes and Princesses, are all about.
Issue 01 Spring/Summer 201511
Rhyming slangYou wouldn’t Adam and Eve (believe) it, but Cockney rhyming slang dates back as far as the 1840s. It was used
by market traders to confuse their Billy Bunters (punters). It’s dying out now but it’s still not unusual
to hear Londoners complain that
it’s taters out (taters in the mould, cold), and
they’ve got a problem with their Hampsteads
(Hampstead Heath, teeth) which is a right
pain in the Gregory (Gregory Peck, neck).
The SuitsIt’s Pearly tradition that the kings design
the suits and do all the sewing. There are
two types of suits: smother, in which
the whole suit is covered in buttons
and skeleton, where there are fewer buttons on display.
Designs tend to run in families and include symbols such as hearts representing charity,
anchors for hope and crosses for faith. The suits have since provided fashion inspiration for a host
of rock and pop stars including The Who, The White Stripes and Kylie Minogue, who wore a pearl
studded mini dress at the Queen’s Jubilee Concert in 2012.
CHARITY“Cut a Pearly’s heart open and there’s charity written all the way through,” says John. Recent events have included fundraising for a permanent memorial to the 173 people who died in the 1943 Bethnal Green tube disaster and A Right Cockney Sing A Long Knees Up for the Dream Factory charity. A keen singer in old spit and sawdust London boozers, the recollection of that event prompts John to burst into the opening verse of I’m Henerey the Eighth, I Am while sitting at his kitchen table.
The Pearly Society has raised more than £26,000 for various causes over the last year, including the premature baby unit at the Whittington Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support. The highlight of the Pearly calendar is the annual
harvest festival in September in the Guildhall Yard but they can be found more regularly raising money at Columbia Road flower market.
Pearly history
The Pearly Kings were started by an orphan,
Henry Croft, who grew up in Somers Town,
King’s Cross in the late 1800s. Working as a
sweeper in the local markets he befriended the
larger-than-life traders, (or costermongers as they
were known then), who would identify themselves
by sewing mother of pearl buttons on the seams
of their trousers, jackets and waistcoats.
While collecting money to help the children at his
old orphanage, Henry realised he needed to draw
attention to himself. Taking inspiration from the
costermongers, he filled his entire suit with mother
of pearl buttons picked up as he swept the streets.
And so the twin Pearly traditions of charity and
suits covered in buttons were born.
London culture
John often gives talks at local schools to teach
Londoners about their Cockney heritage. “If a
child is born in London they are Londoners and
they can be proud of their London culture. They
can be proud of their parent’s culture, too, if they
come from another culture, so really they can
celebrate two cultures,” says John.
John thinks the Pearlys are as iconic as the red
London bus. “As long as I’ve got breath in my
body it will continue because it’s a tradition in
London that shouldn’t disappear,” he says.
COVER STORY
Pearly King of Finsbury, John Walters, dressed and ready for action
Pearlys today
Henry Croft roped in many of his
costermonger pals to help with
his charitable work and these
became the first Pearly families.
There were 28 in all, covering
every London borough. The
titles continue along family
lines today and there are still
around 35 Pearlys dotted across
London. But as John points
out: “It’s a tradition that is
dying out with the youngsters.
They don’t want to stand
there collecting money for
charity or going out in the
buttons in the cold thinking,
‘supposing my mates
see me?’”
John was adopted in after doing
charitable work for the Pearlys
for a number of years. On being
handed the kingship of Finsbury
he said, “I wanted to cry as I
was born and bred in Finsbury.
I know my parents would have
been so proud.”
John’s son Darren takes his role
as a Pearly Prince seriously. Last
year he gave up his holiday to
spend a week selling poppies
with John in Covent Garden,
raising £4,244.
PHO
TO: S
IMO
N M
AN
UEL
Up and coming talent
The Platform exhibition at the House of Detention
is the place to spot up-and- coming design talent. Look
out for the sculptural lighting collection by Chelsea College of
Art graduate Louise Tucker.
Best of BritishHead to the Design Factory for
a celebration of the best of British furniture design and craftsmanship.
Dynamic type
Type house Monotype is using a selection
of typefaces to spell out six vibrant words suspended from trees, splayed on pavements,
painted on walls or presented on provocative
signage. This large-scale installation promises to bring type to life.
12 The Linen Draper Issue 01 Spring/Summer 201513
1
“funny, touching and moving”
2
34
5
This April, the intimate, 60-seater Rosemary Branch Theatre is putting on Peter Hamilton’s Bridlington for its
debut outing. Set in a psychiatric hospital in York, Bridlington tells the story of inpatient Ruth, the leading light of the Therapy Unit’s Poetry Workshop who has read Wuthering Heights 49 times. Clutching her teddy bear Heathcliffe, Ruth recalls her doomed love affair years earlier with fellow inpatient Bernard in a ward in Bridlington.
The play is directed by Ken McClymont, who describes it as “a lovely, surreal piece that is funny, touching and moving. Theatre goers can expect something different, an interesting night that will get people thinking.”
Look out for a mesmerising performance from Julia Tarnoky as Ruth, and, if you can take your eyes off her, the set design. McCylmont is also an acclaimed painter and together with the playwright’s partner, artist Susie Hamilton, has created a setting that is sensitive to the mood of the piece.
Bridlington by Peter Hamilton is on at Rosemary Branch Theatre, 2 Shepperton Road, London N1 3DT from 15 April to 3 Mayrosemarybranch.co.uk
Take the specially curated design walk led by a local historian. This consists of five
interactive installations that delve into little-known facts about the area
including man-eating bears and illegal gin.
Clerkenwell’s hidden history
Agora on the GreenNo visit to the event will be complete without a visit to Clerkenwell Green. The forgotten space at the heart of the Green is being transformed into a modern agora reminiscent of the public square’s rich and colourful past.
This May sees the return of Clerkenwell Design Week, the annual three-day festival of design and architecture. Here’s our pick of five ‘not to be missed’ events this year.
ART’S AND CULTURE
Peter Hamilton’s new play Bridlington comes to Shoreditch’s Rosemary Branch Theatre
The play’s main character, Ruth, as painted by Susie HamiltonC
utt
ing-e
dge
CLE
RKENW
ELL
More than 50,000 people are expected to attend this year
WORDS: SIMON MANUEL
WORDS: SIMON MANUEL
Clerkenwell Design Week, 19 – 21 Mayclerkenwelldesignweek.com
14 The Linen Draper Issue 01 Spring/Summer 201515
Loud and Proud
The London Gay Men’s Chorus is Europe’s best-known gay choir, performing in front of sell out crowds at venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, The London Palladium and the Royal Albert Hall. It has come a long way since its first performance, in 1991, when nine gay men sang carols outside Angel tube station to raise money for the Terrence Higgins Trust.
The Linen Draper’s Simon Manuel spoke to the chorus’s chairman, John D. Carrion about Czech folk songs, Bruno Mars and their role in the debate to legalise equal marriage.
Tell us about the chorusThe chorus has about 200 members and is spectacular in terms of its breadth and depth. We have people from all walks of life. Of the original group of nine there are three remaining.
We hold weekly rehearsals where members can learn music and sing, and also can catch up with their mates. We’ve become part of the social fabric of each other’s lives.
Most of our performances are large-scale performances. We have room for about 160 people usually and at any given time there are generally 40 or 50 people not singing for reasons such as job commitments or being on holiday.
We’ve done so much as well. We’ve got an education programme that goes into schools, we’ve just performed at the US embassy in support of LGBT history month and in the summer we’re going to Prague to support the pride parade where we’ll be singing at the British
embassy and at our own concert in a theatre. We’re at the forefront of what a gay chorus can be.
What type of music do you perform?We sing so many different kinds of music, everything from show tunes, to classical music, to music from different cultures and languages. We do some pop, some rock, sometimes we do traditional folk music. For example, in Prague in August we’re going to be singing some songs in Czech.
Do you sing a cappella or are you accompanied?At our big concerts we generally have a band with us. At our last show we had percussion, guitar and a trombone. We also have a separate performance group, the ensemble, and they tend to do the bulk of our performances. The ensemble is 16 people; they are our rapid response group, for smaller events,
weddings, corporate meetings, that sort of thing. They’ll usually be accompanied by a piano.
I understand the chorus actually played a part in the House of Lords debate over equal marriage.Yes, we sang outside the Houses of Parliament for two days in June 2013 while the debate was going on. We had more than 100 people there and I’m told the singing was so loud it could be heard inside the chamber. It was a momentous occasion as we were there when it was announced that the Bill had passed. It was pretty spectacular.
Talking about marriage, have there been many weddings and civil partnerships between members? Quite a few actually, I’ve been to several. Ever since the beginning people have found partners. It’s been incredible to see new families form from people meeting in the chorus.
What are your personal highlights since you’ve been in the chorus?We celebrated our 21st anniversary at the Royal Festival Hall in 2012 and that was a special moment for me as I started our education programme. We had about 60 students perform with us on stage, some of whom had major physical and mental disabilities.
Tell us more about the charitable side of the chorusWe are a registered charity and everything we earn we put back into the chorus. This takes a couple of different forms. The most popular thing
we do is musical workshops in schools. We recently partnered with Stonewall and the Museum of London to go into schools that are interested in diversity
and LGBT issues. The students will go to the museum, study an issue there, the suffragettes say, and we’ll follow it up with a musical workshop, so it all fits together. We’ve
been to about 20 different schools in the past couple of years.
The other side of it is bursaries for our members. The expense can be challenging in terms of performing, travel, costumes, etc. When we go to Prague we want to take as many people as possible and to make a huge statement and some people simply can’t afford it.
What does the future hold for the chorus?We’re gearing up for our silver jubilee next year. Soon, we are going to be putting on our website our 25 goals for 25 years, which is a list of different
things we want to accomplish before the end of 2016. Among the 25 goals will be an international tour, a tour around the UK, including performing at the Royal Festival Hall, and raising £25,000 for charity.
What events have you got coming up this year in London that people can look out for?We’ve got two big highlights coming up. The first is at Cadogan Hall in Sloane Square in June.
The name of the show is The Love Show and it’s a concert that’s focused on different musical styles and ideas of love.
We’ll be singing songs people will know such as Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer, Through The Barricades by Spandau Ballet and Marry You, the Bruno Mars song.
Another highlight is our swing themed concert on 11 and 12 December, at the Roundhouse in Camden in collaboration with the London Gay Big Band, called the Big Gay Swing.
For more information about the London Gay Men’s Chorus or to book tickets for The Love Show at Cadogan Hall in June, please visit their website at lgmc.org.uk
“It’s been incredible to see new families form from people meeting in the chorus”
“When we go to Prague we want to take as many people as possible and make a huge statement”
The chorus performing at their Heroes concert at Cadogan Hall in May 2013
ART’S AND CULTURE
16 The Linen DraperPROPERTY AND INTERIORS
WORDS: SIMON MANUEL
GO FISH!
Who hasn’t wandered around Dalston or London Fields and thought, if only? If only I’d bought a flat ages ago
when you could pick one up with the change plucked from the back of the sofa. Sure, there wasn’t much going on and it was all but impossible to get there but the flats were cheap. And now look at those areas. Nightlife, coffee bars, trendy markets, creative businesses. Even buses and trains.
Before you say opportunities like that belong to the 1980s and that there is no corner of the capital that hasn’t been developed to within an inch of its life, think again.
Fish Island may not be eloquently named but it has the potential to become east London’s hottest new area. Sandwiched between the River Lea and a busy road next to Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the 50-acre piece of land has long been known among creatives.
There are 600 artists’ studios and workshops on the island, including that of renowned British artist Bridget Riley. It is also is home to Fish Island Labs, a joint initiative between the Barbican Centre and workspace innovator The Trampery. Based in what used to be Victorian stables, Fish Island Labs aims “to kickstart the careers of a new generation of emerging talent spanning technology and the arts”.
At the moment, homes are in short supply but this is set to change with plans for up to 5,500 new homes. Anne Currell, director of estate agents Currell, can see parallels with the rise of London Fields over the last decade.
“Pockets of gentrification sit side by side with pockets of deprivation. There are some fabulous yet decaying industrial buildings, and a pleasant open green space on the doorstep,” she says.
“We believe the area will attract buyers, mainly young professionals working in Shoreditch and the City, who would never choose to live in the new-build villages on the Olympic Park. They’ll enjoy being part of ‘a work in progress’, finding it exciting and cool to be part of the area’s transformation.”
To take advantage of this, Currell is opening a pop-up showroom in Kingsland Road, Hackney. This will have a 3D model of the area, properties coming up for sale and rent, development opportunities, a database of land ownership, transport proposals, and cultural and community initiatives.
The Currell Fish Island Resource Centre at 311-313 Kingsland Road, London E8 4DL will open this summer. If you have any queries in the meantime, please email [email protected] or call 020 7226 6611
“Pockets of gentrification sit side by side with pockets of deprivation. There are some fabulous yet decaying industrial buildings, and a pleasant open green space on the doorstep”
STOKEY meets SCANDINAVIA
Some of London’s most exciting new architecture is tucked away on unlikely streets. It invigorates typical
residential terraces and turns under-used, often neglected, parcels of land into something precious and beautiful.
Herringbone House, completed in 2013 by London-based firm Chan + Eayrs, is at the forefront of this new architecture. Built on a wedge-shaped piece of land in Islington, near Dalston, the house takes a modern, refreshing approach to traditional elements such as brick and gable ends, and has been perfectly designed for contemporary living and modern life.
Tudor-inspired, with herringbone-patterned brickwork, the house has more than 170 square metres of internal
Architects Chan + Eayrs bring cool Scandinavian style to the streets of Stoke Newington
“I drew inspiration from Scandinavian architecture and its light natural palettes”
style WATCH
geometric rugs
ARTISAN tiles
FUSION plates
foliage fabrics
Patterns are this year’s big trend in home furnishing. Our designer Sally Grondowski picks out some of her favourite pieces
‘Chevron’ black-and-white runner, £40, Nextnext.co.uk
Traditionally crafted tiles, from £10 per tile, Bert & May
bertandmay.com
Pols Porcelain Potten Plates, £7 each, John Lewis
johnlewis.com
Amazonia Light Cotton Fabric, £98 per metre, Witch and Watchman
witchandwatchman.com
18 The Linen Draper Issue 01 Spring/Summer 201519PROPERTY AND INTERIORS
The architects of Herringbone House chose warm, natural materials
Every inch of the previously run down space has been used
WO
RD
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INA
WA
SIK
OW
SKI
space laid out over two floors, using every inch of what was previously disused, run down space.Zoe Chan, one half of the duo behind the property says: “I wanted to use materials that are natural but also warm. The idea was to maximise light, but I didn’t want it to be sterile, so I drew inspiration from Scandinavian architecture and its light, natural palettes.”
The final effect is a property that is one of kind, combining bespoke design with a functional family space, all on the doorstep of one of London’s most creative locations.
For properties similar to Herringbone House, call Currell Hackney on 020 7241 4111currell.com
currell.com currell.com
Part of a charming school conversion in the King’s Cross regeneration area, is this two bedroom duplex apartment. The property boasts double height ceilings and large windows. York Way is ideally located for King’s Cross and St Pancras International Stations. EPC Rating: F
Featherstone Street, EC1Y
An immaculately presented, three bedroom, duplex penthouse. Located on the fifth and sixth floors, the penthouse has views across the City skyline and benefits from secure parking. Close to Old Street Station and a short walk to Liverpool Street and Farringdon. EPC Rating: C
£1,650,000 LeaseholdImmaculate City penthouse
IslingtonSales: 020 7226 4200
Lettings: 020 7288 [email protected]
Clerkenwell020 7253 2533
A substantial five bedroom Victorian property arranged over 4,233 sq. ft and four storeys. This wonderful home offers rarely available proportions and retains many period features throughout. The property also benefits from a roof terrace with stunning views, a private driveway and an amazing 111 ft mature rear garden. Highbury & Islington Station is a short walk away. EPC Rating: Pending
Large Victorian Highbury home
Highbury Hill, N5£4,150,000 Freehold
The Old School, N1£1,150,000 LeaseholdSpacious duplex
Located in the picturesque Victoria Park Village is this three storey, semi-detached home. The property blends period features with a bespoke contemporary finish. Situated next to the village church, Lauriston Road is only moments from the local amenities and the open green space of the park. EPC Rating: E
A large one bedroom garden flat, set on the ground floor of a 1930s house. Terrace Road is a short distance from Victoria Park Village, the various shops of Well Street and the open spaces of Well Street Common. EPC Rating: E
Victoria Park020 3222 5555
Hackney 020 7241 4111
Set within Albion Square, is this Grade II listed three bedroom house that has views towards the square’s gardens. Laid out at just over 1,800 sq. ft the house boasts period features such as sash windows with shutters, wood flooring, high skirting boards, ceiling mouldings and two beautiful fireplaces in the main living rooms. Albion Square is a highly sought after address in London Fields, combining splendid architecture with outstanding family accommodation within the catchment area of Queensbridge Primary School. Albion Square offers various transport links in to the City, West End or Canary Wharf via the London Overground Line at Haggerston or the many bus routes of Kingsland Road.
Hackney’s premier address
Immaculate family home
Charming garden flat
Albion Square, E8£1,850,000 Freehold
Lauriston Road, E9£1,800,000 Freehold
Terrace Road, E9£500,000 Freehold
currell.com currell.com
FOOD AND DRINK
Wake up and smell the grilled cheeseStreet food is big business, nowhere more so than in east London where food is an integral part of the local culture. We spoke to Charles Phillips of grilled cheese sandwich makers Morty & Bob’s to find out why east London is the birthplace of so many exciting new food trends and to discover his own recipe for food success
Tell us about Morty & Bob’sMorty & Bob’s is the creation of me and my girlfriend Jesse. The original idea came from wanting to make a food stall that we could take to festivals. Everything came from that one idea.
Do you both have a background in cooking?Jesse doesn’t but she is a massive foodie and has always loved cooking. I have worked as a chef, run my own catering company and done some TV food styling in the past. For both of us, street food was an attractive industry to work in as it has a real buzz about it. Living in Hackney, we saw the creativity that is present here and decided to risk it.
So why grilled cheese? For both of us cheese toasties were a comfort food that we ate growing up. It was actually on a night out that we suddenly thought it would be quite cool to make a childhood comfort food in a gourmet style.
How do you make a cheese toasty gourmet?To be gourmet we had to make a sandwich that you couldn’t recreate at home. All our sandwiches go through seven preparation steps before we serve them. Every ingredient included adds something to the overall flavour. The whole thing is quite theatrical. So our stall is specifically designed so that our customers can see the process.
Are all your ingredients locally sourced? Our bread is hand cut to a certain size for us at the Bread Factory in north London. Our cheese comes from Neal’s Yard Dairy in Covent Garden, the only cheese supplier to stock the cheese that goes into our secret blend. Our meat comes from a family butcher on Well Street in
Victoria Park. It is a proper old school butcher and the meat there is really high quality.
Why did you set up in east London? I used to live in west London and I knew that something like this wouldn’t work over there. There isn’t the right kind of audience or the same opportunities for start-ups. East London is a fantastic platform for people wanting to give a new business a go. Within four weeks of our idea we were up and running
at Maltby Street Market on a budget of £5,000. We now have a more permanent base at Netil Market, E8 and it’s transformed the business.
Who are your customers?At Netil Market there is an eight-year-old boy who comes every Saturday
after his piano lesson who loves adding jalapeños to his sandwich. We also have Robert, a 70-year-old violinist who stops by every Saturday to have his lunch. Then we get everyone in between. Contrary to popular opinion we aren’t flooded by hipsters. There are all types of people who come to enjoy what east London has to offer.
What is special about Netil Market? It is a unique set up. You turn up and get given a plot of land where you can build your own stall. Where else could you do that in London? With new developments taking over, it’s a special place that values creativity and community. We plan to stay here until we get kicked out!
So has being based in east London influenced the Morty & Bob’s brand?Completely. There is a great creative buzz here that is not happening elsewhere in the city. Not only that but east London is now known globally for
being one of the coolest places to live and work. It is a destination and in terms of building a brand it really helps us sell. When we travel round the country to festivals people love buying into the east London image.
What’s your most popular sandwich? The Straight Up (three cheese blend, cheese sauce and onion mix). As far as I’m concerned it’s the best grilled cheese sandwich in London.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting a street food stall? Decide if it is a hobby or a business. If it is a hobby, after five weeks of doing it, evaluate if it is still a passion or if the novelty has worn off. Then you can decide if you are going to commit to it as a business and work out how you will support yourself and maintain the passion in the food. The opportunity for success is huge.
Just look at Meat Liquor. That was a street food stall and now it’s a multimillion pound business.
What’s the dream? To create an iconic British food brand. We are looking into opening our first café/diner in Hackney and expanding our menu to attract a wider customer base. It would be fantastic to create a neighbourhood institution that local people really value. East London will always be our home as it is where Morty & Bob’s was born but to expand into a chain of cafés/diners is the big dream.
Where can we find you this year? Netil Market every Saturday 11am to 4pm. We are hoping to be at festivals throughout the summer including Lost Village and Wildlife. Then hopefully repeating the success of last year at Night Tales in Shoreditch at the end of the year.
mortyandbobs.com
Morty & Bob’s Jesse and Charles outside their food stall at Netil Market
“We have Robert, a 70-year-old violinist who stops by every Saturday to have his lunch”
24 The Linen Draper Issue 01 Spring/Summer 201525
WORDS: GINA WASIKOWSKI
Pour the Schnapps and Vodka over ice into a glass. Mix in the Virtue Strawberry and Peach Ice Tea. Top with Champagne for extra fizz and garnish with fresh strawberries and mint leaves.
With what we put in our bodies becoming an almost daily battle as we struggle to stay healthy, The Linen Draper asked Gina Wasikowski to try one of London’s newest drinks brands to see if their healthy Ice Tea does what it says on the can
In homage to Hackney’s hotspot, try this sweet (and almost healthy) cocktail with your spicy summer BBQ (see opposite page)
We are so spoilt for choice on the supermarket shelves that even picking a drink to go with our lunch has
become a lifestyle decision. Hoping to make this a no- brainer, is London-based drinks brand Virtue.
Launched in 2014, Virtue Ice Tea markets itself as an ice tea with added health benefits that does not compromise on the flavour us Brits have come to expect from an ice tea.
The idea for the drink came from founder Rahi Daneshmand’s own struggle with weight in his younger years and his realisation that sugary, fizzy drinks were a key factor in piling on the pounds.
“I did some research and discovered that the main ingredients in most UK drinks products on our shelves are sugar and water, including the top selling ice tea brands,” says Rahi. “We are putting things in our bodies which give us no benefit whatsoever.”
This motivated Rahi to create a drink that is 100% healthy but still tastes great. This involved a lengthy tasting process to find the most popular flavours. The result was the two
flavours that launched the brand: Lemon, and Strawberry & Peach.
From tasting the two flavours, the lack of artificial additives is obvious; it isn’t sticky or fizzy, just really refreshing. The distinct flavour comes from tea extracts and a small amount of plant based sweetener stevia. Added to this are vitamins and minerals, and naturally occurring antioxidants from the tea, giving it a healthy edge. It tastes just how I would want my ice tea to taste. Knowing it’s super-low calorie and packed with vitamins and minerals makes it even sweeter.
Rahi says the aim was to make a healthy, premium product at a reasonable price. “I believe that Virtue Ice Tea can grow into one of the most popular drinks on UK shelves as it offers consumers something better than what they are currently being offered,” he says.
I’ll drink to that. He’s made my daily lunch routine a whole lot simpler.
Virtue Ice Tea is available at Planet Organic, Whistestop, Camden Food Co., Partridges and amazon.co.uk. virtuedrinks.com
Making a virtue out of my soft drinks vice
Yoghurt dip
500ml Greek yoghurtSalt/pepper (to taste)50g Nicoise olives (chopped into a fine dice)1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley1 tbsp chopped chives½ tsp chopped coriander
Monkfish
1.5kg monkfish on the bone20ml olive oil5g curry powder2g cumin powder2 cloves garlic, chopped500g white sprouting broccoli1 lemon (cut into thin slices)
1 shot of Vodka 1 shot of Peach Schnapps1 can of Virtue Strawberry and Peach Ice TeaChampagneStrawberries and mint leaves
Next time you tie on the apron and fire up the grill try something a little different, such as this recipe for barbecued spiced monkfish with white sprouting broccoli, Greek yoghurt, roasted sweet peppers and olives, courtesy of Frederick Forster, Head Chef at Boundary Rooftop in Shoreditch
Method
1. Cut the monkfish into four even sized steaks, cutting through the bone lengthways.
2. Marinate the steaks with the olive oil, curry powder, cumin powder and chopped garlic.
3. Leave in the fridge for four hours.4. Meanwhile, deseed the peppers and roast with the other ingredients until soft.5. Mix the yoghurt with the herbs and olives, add the roast peppers and
seasoning, then place to one side.6. Season the monkfish and grill on the BBQ for 4-5 minutes.7. Grill the broccoli and along with the cooked monkfish, place in the centre of
a warm plate.8. Drizzle some olive oil over and around the dish and spoon some of the
yoghurt and roasted peppers mixture on the side of the fish and broccoli.9. Finish with slices of lemon and then serve.
SPICE UP YOUR SUMMER BBQ
FISH ISLAND ICED TEA
Roasted red peppers
2 red peppers peeled 1 sprig thymeSalt/pepperPinch of brown sugar10ml olive oil1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
FOOD AND DRINK26 The Linen Draper Issue 01 Spring/Summer 201527
Boundary Rooftop Head Chef Frederick Forster in BBQ action
Ingredients
Ingredients (Serves 4)
theboundary.co.uk
Being fit is officially in and classes at gyms such as Frame, Shoreditch make getting in shape more enjoyable than ever. But could gymphobic Gina Wasikowski be converted?
FIVE DAYS TO FIT...ISH
day 3Energy back, I went with a friend to a Rebounding class – trampolining to you and me. Despite spending the first 15 minutes actively trying not to overbalance and topple off, once I’d mastered how to bounce the hour flew by. At the end I felt a real sense of achievement and would 100% go again.
day 4Ass and Abs sounds simple enough but by day 4 I am under no illusion that I will sail through unscathed. Attempting this class was not quite as similar to an Eric Prydz video as I’d hoped, and more episode 1 of The Biggest Loser. I can feel that there is a benefit to doing it, it’s just doing it is pretty painful.
day 5Another class? I think I’ve earned the day off.
So has Frame changed my ways? I definitely had more fun at Frame than I’ve had at a gym before and the range of classes that you can do means you don’t get bored. It’s also healthier for my bank account. So, yes, I’ll be back on that trampoline next week.
Frame Shoreditch, 29 New Inn Yard, EC2A 3EYmoveyourframe.com
LIFESTYLEThe Linen Draper
Health and fitness has never really been London’s style, or mine.
But recently an alarming fitness frenzy has swept the capital and is taking my friends with it. Weekends have become home to the half marathon and the spin class, replacing duvets and Domino’s.
Being fit is officially in. And that means lazy people like me having to seriously rethink our daily routines so we don’t get left behind.
Two of my friends have been raving about classes at Frame, a gym they go to as and when they please, with a kind of gym oyster card. This allows them to train without the financial pain if they’ve downed one too many tequilas on a Friday night and don’t feel up to it on the Saturday morning. I was intrigued.
Frame was opened six years ago by two friends Pip Black and Joan Murphy,
with a class only timetable. It is designed to make exercising a social experience for people who want to fit the gym into their lives but not let it run them. With two branches, one in Shoreditch and one in Queen’s Park, and plans to open two more this year, the concept is clearly working.
Its main clientele is busy professional women aged between 18 to 30, so on paper it should be right up my street. I challenged myself to do five classes in five days, to see if Frame could change my ways and make me fall in love with fitness.
day 1Pip suggested I start with a class called Frame Method, a relaxed pilates style resistance class. Relaxed sounded like
A Rebounding class at Shoreditch gym Frame (left), and Gina clearly having fun, despite what she says (right)
just the thing, except it wasn’t quite as relaxed as I hoped. With weights strapped to my ankles, we did a series of exercises involving yoga straps and resistance balls.
After 10 minutes it became clear I have no body strength of any kind. After 45 minutes, I was ready to collapse. If this was meant to be the easy one, I was in for a tough week.
day 2Aching and slightly dispirited after my attempt at Method on the previous day, I rocked up to 80s aerobics with low expectations.
However, the combination of Madonna and the enthusiasm of everyone else in the class got me through to the end. Leg warmers optional.
28
Hackney by designDella and Gideon Tinsley run the East London Design Store on Ada Street, just off Broadway Market. We spoke to Della Tinsley to discuss her love of Hackney and the important role played by the area’s independent retailers
“The changes in east London have driven creativity in the area. There is a cultural tourism element to
Broadway Market now, with people coming here from outside London and the UK.
The other day we had a group of people in their 60s from the Chilterns who visited the area specifically to buy art, after doing research at home. I love seeing that the area is attracting such a range of visitors.
When my husband Gideon and I first moved here, he had to come and collect me from the bus stop after a night out because I wouldn’t dream of walking home alone. Now my children are in excellent local schools and I have no concerns about my 12-year-old daughter walking alone to the Picturehouse.
Opening a shop has been a steep learning curve but I feel strongly that independent retailers like us have an important part to play. People get cross about the hipster thing in east London but without people pushing new things, the economy would stagnate.
Broadway Market is doing well at the moment but all the retailers here understand that it is a delicate economy and we have to be respectful of one
another. It’s a strong community and it’s important not to step on anyone’s toes. You don’t get two shops selling the same things for that reason.
Both Gideon and I like being shopkeepers but thinking practically about what people will buy is tough. It’s a family business so we ask our kids Lola and Dexter for their opinion on children’s products, which they think is cool.
When people walk in the shop they comment that it is welcoming and they like the collection I have curated. I would happily have anything in the store, in my home.
Our shop represents the William Morris maxim: ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.’”
eastlondondesignstore.com
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful”
RICS ValuationsLease Advisory
Commercial AgencyInvestment
Development Consultancy
LIFESTYLE30 The Linen Draper
One shop where it’s impossible not to find something you want to buy
Currell Chartered Surveyors, 309 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 2TU020 7354 5050 [email protected] currell.comWORDS: GINA WASIKOWSKI
East London Design Store’s Della and Gideon are enjoying life as east London shopkeepers
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