Mr. Patel wouldn't need a copy, would he, him being a newsagent and all ... except he's not anymore, is he. He gone... I did bump into him in Crouch End the other week, however, and he's enjoying his retirement.
Unless, of course, you mean another Mr. Patel?
Stroud Green Road was in the Observer magazine years ago in the form of The White Lion of Mortimer. It was in about 1998/9. It was when the pub was number 7 in the Weatherspoons chain and it was completely novel to have no music, no smoking areas. It was in the equivalent to a style section and had photos on the big round table that used to be there under the skylight part of the pub. It was all about this being the future of pubs etc.
It also ran an article about Ferme Parks Sales being the future of Estate Agencies. I guess not may of you will remember them but the owner ended up in jail for swindling old ladies on property redevelopment scams. It is quite exciting that we in the Times and I am expecting many phone calls over the weekend .. Did you se the article … etc.
The two single things that changed the “SGR “ High Street” was Weatherspoons and La Porcheta taking the risk to open up,. The rest just followed
I've been away for 3 weeks, and Stroud Green seems to have changed beyond recognition in my absence. New Old Diary, a new 'Hot Deli' section in Tesco...
One of my friends is Jo Jones, fashion editor of the Observer Magazine. I'm going to get her to do a shoot and write up on Londons hottest spot right now. Thanks Hedgetrimmer for putting this area on the map - surely the only follow up is to show how trendy the locals are. Give it a few weeks and Hoxton will be full of hair weave shops, wig merchants and nail shops. Forget bo-ho, it's gonna be RAP & YAP - joggers, weave and pitbull!
Mr Patel is Mr Patel of Nuchem (tho he did used to be a newsagent).
How I mourn for the days when The White Lion was a truly fine pub, before its hideous makeover, full of nooks and crannys and genuinely patronised by the whole community – old men, students, poor people, black people, and middle-class tossers like me. The whole shebang.
I am not a woman. Half man, half hedge-trimmer.
Tomorrow's news, I prefer to imagine, Aggers, will be the day after tomorrow's laminated placemat.
I've seen a copy of the finished product now – indeed, there are a few on the streets already (well, SGR anyway). It''s not bad, even if I do say so myself. Pity about the poor paper quality and the missing full stop, but it could have been worse…
Hang it all, I've got to go away for the weekend – helping Mrs Hedgetrimmer overcome her fear of flying. I hope tomorrow brings you joy.
And I leave you with a strange anecdote. I couldn't find one of my leather slip-on shoes this evening, which I put on when I go down to the bottom of the garden for a fag. I looked everywhere, and was completely bamboozled. I've just found it, down at the bottom of the garden, and it has a few tiny teethmarks in it. I can only assume that a cat, or a squirrel, or a fox, popped into our living room when we weren't looking, assumed the shoe would make a tasty snack, and made off with it… I've found squirrel footprints on my (dusty) video recorder before, but I reckon this is far more audacious.
Any similar incidents of crafty Finsbury Park critters out there?
A fox used to come in through the catflap and steal Birkenstocks to chew.
Perhaps that's your culprit?
I like your article. It reassures me that I don't imagine these things.
I think it's important to tell middle England that the "clash of civilisations" is a load of bollocks.
There were only two copies left when I picked mine up on Ferme Park Road.
At the risk of sounding like a big girls' blouse, I thought it was an extremely heartwarming piece and timely given the agenda of other newspapers who would apparently like everyone to be at each others' throats and living in fear.
Also a reminder that 99% of people get on and that its the 1% of maniacs who spoil it for everyone else.
Slightly tatty!? Pah. Marvellous article and I'm glad you got the lovely guy from the pharmacy. He's such a sweetie.
I do think Ravi from Jacks Off Licence would have been a good one though - wiith his 'security' the elderly Caribbean chap and his shelf stacker from Sri Lanka. I was in there the other day when they were having a great argument about cricket.
I'd have liked to see the Man in the Hat who ran the late Chrysos Hardware. There's also an interesting Indian chap who runs one of the launderettes on SGR, who talks about the Ramayana everytime I go in. And that curmudgeonly old Scottish loon who's always in the Mind shop, although he doesn't work there. Anyone else?
Lizziej's focus group plug got treated as spam because it was not only commercial but crucially _had nothing to do with Stroud Green whatsoever_. It may change in the future but right now we don't have a fixed view about commercial posts and will treat each on its own merits. I suspect Tosscat is just being contrary again _(yawn)_ but thought I'd clear up where we stand on that.
Personally I was grateful for the heads up by HedgeTrimmer and enjoyed seeing my new plant in the Times Magazine. And if there's something going on in our local park, commerical or not, there's room for that on here too.
Nice to have so many positive comments.
Even though I'm a newcomer and as such my opinions carry no weight at all, I have to agree with David re arguably commercial posts, such as the exercise classes in the park. If such information is of benefit to the people who use this site – Mrs Hedgetrimmer was intrigued by it – then surely that's the whole point.
@ Mills I did approach Ravi at Jack's, but he was a bit suspicious, and I soon found I had a surfeit of Indians to take part. But really I could have done twice as many people. My big regret is not having been able to interview the Finnish woman who ran the bakery next to Nando's. Also the Somali guy – Nazir – in the internet cafe next to Tesco. Expect he'd have a tale to tell.
There's a nail parlour – not Hard as Nailz, I think – run by a Vietnamese chap, staffed by Asian women. Would be interested to know if anyone on this site has patronised it. He virtually marched me out of the shop when I asked to interview him – got the impression, perhaps unfairly, that he has something to hide...
I went and had my feet done in there the other day - seemed fine. Very strange. I used to go to a Vietnamese nailbar in Stamford Hill and the guy who runs it there is a character - saying very strange dark things and talking about how they are asked for protection money all the time...
Those nailbars are great for a brutal pedicure.
Hedgetrimmer thanks for the article - I thought it was great and agree there are loads of people to talk to with interesting stories. But you have to draw the line somewhere. The photography was fantastic and made the florist look much nicer that it actually is.
Also, I love to hear about all kinds of stuff in the area - commercial too - I would have been up for the Finsbury Park classes last year when I was cash rich and pre child. They have to get customers and publicity, nothing wrong with that and working in PR I know how difficult it is. I think the outdoor gym thing is a great idea and like to see new companies getting support.
I find the attitude of some people on here a bit negative and bullying - but then maybe it leads to more discussion!
Comments
It also ran an article about Ferme Parks Sales being the future of Estate Agencies. I guess not may of you will remember them but the owner ended up in jail for swindling old ladies on property redevelopment scams. It is quite exciting that we in the Times and I am expecting many phone calls over the weekend .. Did you se the article … etc.
The two single things that changed the “SGR “ High Street” was Weatherspoons and La Porcheta taking the risk to open up,. The rest just followed
How I mourn for the days when The White Lion was a truly fine pub, before its hideous makeover, full of nooks and crannys and genuinely patronised by the whole community – old men, students, poor people, black people, and middle-class tossers like me. The whole shebang.
I am not a woman. Half man, half hedge-trimmer.
Tomorrow's news, I prefer to imagine, Aggers, will be the day after tomorrow's laminated placemat.
I've seen a copy of the finished product now – indeed, there are a few on the streets already (well, SGR anyway). It''s not bad, even if I do say so myself. Pity about the poor paper quality and the missing full stop, but it could have been worse…
Let's aim higher. Stroud Green - the book - the film - the musical?
Appropriate titles, please.
The Film - "Pak to the Future"
The Musical - "The Sound Of Petek"
And I leave you with a strange anecdote. I couldn't find one of my leather slip-on shoes this evening, which I put on when I go down to the bottom of the garden for a fag. I looked everywhere, and was completely bamboozled. I've just found it, down at the bottom of the garden, and it has a few tiny teethmarks in it. I can only assume that a cat, or a squirrel, or a fox, popped into our living room when we weren't looking, assumed the shoe would make a tasty snack, and made off with it… I've found squirrel footprints on my (dusty) video recorder before, but I reckon this is far more audacious.
Any similar incidents of crafty Finsbury Park critters out there?
A fox used to come in through the catflap and steal Birkenstocks to chew.
Perhaps that's your culprit?
I like your article. It reassures me that I don't imagine these things.
I think it's important to tell middle England that the "clash of civilisations" is a load of bollocks.
I mean the broad, complacent constituency of Times, Telegraph and Mail readers.
Wonder why it's in the women's section?
(Puts on tin hat and waits for scream from flat across the road)
At the risk of sounding like a big girls' blouse, I thought it was an extremely heartwarming piece and timely given the agenda of other newspapers who would apparently like everyone to be at each others' throats and living in fear.
Also a reminder that 99% of people get on and that its the 1% of maniacs who spoil it for everyone else.
Hats off to HT.
I do think Ravi from Jacks Off Licence would have been a good one though - wiith his 'security' the elderly Caribbean chap and his shelf stacker from Sri Lanka. I was in there the other day when they were having a great argument about cricket.
Slide show accompanies the article
Even though I'm a newcomer and as such my opinions carry no weight at all, I have to agree with David re arguably commercial posts, such as the exercise classes in the park. If such information is of benefit to the people who use this site – Mrs Hedgetrimmer was intrigued by it – then surely that's the whole point.
@ Mills I did approach Ravi at Jack's, but he was a bit suspicious, and I soon found I had a surfeit of Indians to take part. But really I could have done twice as many people. My big regret is not having been able to interview the Finnish woman who ran the bakery next to Nando's. Also the Somali guy – Nazir – in the internet cafe next to Tesco. Expect he'd have a tale to tell.
There's a nail parlour – not Hard as Nailz, I think – run by a Vietnamese chap, staffed by Asian women. Would be interested to know if anyone on this site has patronised it. He virtually marched me out of the shop when I asked to interview him – got the impression, perhaps unfairly, that he has something to hide...
Those nailbars are great for a brutal pedicure.
Hedgetrimmer thanks for the article - I thought it was great and agree there are loads of people to talk to with interesting stories. But you have to draw the line somewhere. The photography was fantastic and made the florist look much nicer that it actually is.
Also, I love to hear about all kinds of stuff in the area - commercial too - I would have been up for the Finsbury Park classes last year when I was cash rich and pre child. They have to get customers and publicity, nothing wrong with that and working in PR I know how difficult it is. I think the outdoor gym thing is a great idea and like to see new companies getting support.
I find the attitude of some people on here a bit negative and bullying - but then maybe it leads to more discussion!
Thanks.