You may have heard of GoodGym a not for profit company based in London, we mentioned it’s expansion into Hackney a while ago on the site. They are a great organisation that add additional benefit and motivation to getting fit, but adding a community aspect to it. I first heard about GoodGym when I saw founder, Ivo Gormley talk at Tedx Hackney in 2012 (you can watch that talk here), I was rea... »
Hoxton Mini Press is a great new venture to create books celebrating East London from photographer Martin Usborne and partner Ann Waldvogel. They are currently fundraising on Kickstarter. I caught up with them to find out more a bit more about the project. What is the Hoxton Mini Press? I love living in Hackney and love both photography and books. I wanted to bring all of this together and so I se... »
Who is behind the project? It’s sort of been a self financing thing. All the money that we have made over the last two years at the Empress has been ploughed into this. We have been promised a rent rebate on some of the money that has been spent on the pub but that’s about it. What are you changing about the Crooked Billet? We just want to change it so that people come in! Since weR... »
Here at yeah! Hackney, we applaud people doing things because they love them and even better if they are helping others in the process. One such person is Helena Smith from Eat Hackney. I caught up with her to find out about her Eat Hackney cookbook project. What is Eat Hackney? Eat Hackney is a blog about food and community. Rather than being a restaurant review site, it’s about the people ... »
Land of Kids hits Dalston this bank holiday weekend (6th May). I chatted to Gilly Fox, Creative Programmer to find out what we should expect. What is Land of Kids and who is behind it? Land of Kids is brought to you by the creative team behind the annual Dalston Take-over, Land of Kings, namely Nick Griffiths and Connie Harrison. Land of Kings was Launched in 2009 to celebrate the area’s est... »
Stories is a new venue joining Hackney’s Broadway Market on the location of the former Market House Pub, I caught up with creative director Heather Lawton to find out more. What is Stories? A bar, kitchen and gallery teaming daytime brunching and delicious cocktails with a programme of special events and contemporary art. Who is behind the project? Mothership Group – we’re an independ... »
Hackney is full of amazing people doing amazing projects that are making a real difference, I caught up with Lucy Moorehead to find out more about a project she is involved in running called What’s Cooking? What is What’s Cooking? It’s a social enterprise that gets young people working in the real world. Young people learn how to cook delicious, healthy food and how to run a cafe... »
There has been talk on the forums recently about the new owners of The Windsor Castle on Lower Clapton Road. The pub has been closed in recent times after some trouble, but has recently been taken over by a new venture. I caught up with it’s new landlords Martin Wade Thomas and Ross Allmark to find out more. Who is behind the project? Martin Wade Thomas: As well as me and Ross there’s ... »
Like many others I’m always keen to see a new place to get a good flat white in the area and so was happy to see Hunt and Darton Café appear on Lower Clapton Road. Some further investigation showed that it was more than your average cafe, but instead a project set up by artists with an interesting take on transparency in business. I spoke to Jenny Hunt and Holly Darton to find out more. Who ... »
I recently had the chance to visit E5 Acupuncture to help relieve some back pain, I’d heard about Sean Cleere before and had seen some flyers around the local area. Intrigued I found out from his website that he has worked as far as India working with both yoga students and grass routes organisations. He is now bringing affordable acupuncture to the people of Clapton. I caught up with Sean t... »
In a subterranean bar below Off Broadway only accessible via a door disguised as a toilet cubicle is PortSide Parlour, a pop-up cocktail bar dedicated to showcasing some of the finest selection of rum available in the UK. This pirate-themed, rock n’ roll, dive bar is a collaboration between girlfriend and boyfriend team Charlie Otth and Robbie Acres and Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum. To test t... »
Andy Bates is well known around Hackney (and beyond) for his pies, he is starting a new venture Eat My Breakfasts, a takeaway breakfast pop-up. I asked Andy to tell us more: Can you introduce yourself. My name is Andy Bates, I am the Owner of Eat my Pies and do a bit on the telly now & then. I also have a book out. http://www.foodnetwork.co.uk/celebrity-chefs/andy-bates.html 1st series was aro... »
Free Cakes For Kids Hackney is a local group run entirely by volunteers providing free birthday cakes to children who might not otherwise receive them. They recently turned one and have baked over 50 cakes for local kids. Here is Tessa Lidstone FCFK Hackney baker to tell us more.. Why did you start Free Cakes for Kids? Sophie and Jules heard about the idea from a friend of theirs who bakes for the... »
Bespoke Barware is a new business based in Hackney Wick, creating unique items for homes and businesses. We are currently running a competition to win one of their creations (over here), so we caught up with Sally Curtis to find out more about what they do: Tell us more about Bespoke Barware? Bespoke Barware is a new sister company to Cheeky Tiki who have years of experience in design and producti... »
Nana is a new cafe with a community twist set to open this month, I caught up with founder Katie Harris to find out more: What is Nana? NANA is a comfort food and craft café run by older ladies from the local area. We’re serving up the very best in traditional home cooked food. Customers get delicious, heart-warming grub at a reasonable price, and NANA’s get a chance to put a lifetime ... »
Party-throwing creatives, Dead Dolls Club, have set up shop on Kingsland Road, offering shivering punters comforting stews and throughly British cocktails with a twist this winter. Co-founder, Kate Rosewarne, speaks to yeah! Hackney about how it all transpired… The space looks amazing, what was it before you made it what it is today? Before us it was a restaurant that had been closed for man... »
Can you introduce yourselves? Kate: Hello! We are London Fields Radio, Hackney’s very own micro radio revolution, broadcasting from the corner of the Wilton Way Cafe in E8. I am Kate Hutchinson, station manager at LFR (and Clubbing editor at Time Out) and she is Eleni Thoma, café manager, chief barista and gallery programmer at the Wilton Way Cafe. What is the idea behind London Fields Radio... »
Tell me a bit about you. Long time Hackney resident, first time book editor. I write short stories and the like. I host a spoken word/poetry show on NTS and edit a small satire magazine, Stalking Elk. I was runner up on the awful daytime Channel 5 quiz show, Brainteaser in 2005. What is Acquired For Development By… A Hackney Anthology? It’s a collection of short stories, poetry and journalism writ... »
Land of Kings, Dalston’s annual cross venue festival returns on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th May 2012. The festival incorporates 15 Dalston venues over 2 nights and is a fantastic chance to experience the vibrant Dalston scene in full force. I caught up with Nick and Connie, co-founders/Directors of the festival to ask a few questions. What is the Land of Kings Festival? Nick: A two day, mult... »
What is Bowl of Chalk? Bowl Of Chalk do ‘pay what you want’ guided walking tours around London. At the moment they’re taking place on the last three weekends of each month and Sundays are devoted to a wander around Shoreditch, Hoxton, Columbia Road flower market, Spitalfields and Old Street. The walk is called ‘My neck of the woods’ as I live in Hackney and I’m the person who does the walks.... »
I first heard about the Hackney Pirates when they ran their pilot in 2010 and have been following their efforts ever since. Last year I had the fortune of a random meeting with director Catriona Maclay on a bus and have had her on my “to interview” list ever since! We finally made this happen and here it is: What are the Hackney Pirates? The Hackney Pirates is a locally founded organis... »
A friend recently told me about the wonderful Sugru, an invention that makes your life better and it’s certainly sorted out a few pairs of my shoes. I wasn’t surprised to find out that such an amazing product has its home in Hackney 🙂 I asked inventor Jane ni Dhulchaointigh a few questions to find out more … What is Sugru? Sugru is a new air-curing rubber I invented to give every... »
Recently the crew from the Amazings signed up to yeah! Hackney to tell us about their social enterprise project connecting retired skilled people with those who want new skills. I caught up with Katie Harris the project lead to find out more: Tell us what is The Amazings? The Amazings is a new social enterprise starting in Hackney. It’s all about supporting people that are retired or are abo... »
I recently heard about Hubbub, a company that offers delivery of produce from independent local shops. I was super excited to find out that they are expanding their service to Hackney, as someone who doesn’t have a lot of spare time, but loves good food and wants to support small local shops Hubbub is something that I was eager to find out more about, so asked the founder Marisa Leaf some qu... »
Like a lot of yeah! Hackney members, I was pretty excited to hear that a Brewery was opening in Hackney. I noticed them on twitter, with the bio: “Londonfields Brewery: Two blokes, one brewery, some great grains and hops. Bringing some fantastic hand crafted beers to you soon.: I love the idea of great beer brewed nearby by passionate people and wanted to find out more so I asked one of the ... »
Spots of Time is a Hackney based social enterprise with a different take on volunteering, its all about giving small amounts of time to make a difference to others. yeah! Hackney caught up with Anna Pearson to find out more… What is the idea behind Spots of Time? The idea behind Spots of Time is to make it easy and fun for people to give small moments of their time and make a difference in t... »
Under the collaborative ‘Fugitive Images’ with Lasse Johansson and Tristan Fennell, local artist Andrea Luka Zimmerman came up with a innovative idea to transform a 1930’s council block that was being boarded up with ugly orange boards through the use of public art. What resulted was one of Hackney’s most photographed and talked about housing estates. Here we chat to Andrea... »
London Fields Tri are yeah! Hackney’s local triathlon club and are based at London Fields Lido. The club was formed after a chance meeting between myself (Chris Skinner) and Guy Holbrow in October 2009. I was hoping to find some people in the area to train with, Guy overheard a conversation I was having with someone from the BTF (British Triathlon Federation) outside the lido, and the club was bor... »
This post comes from Traxcitement and ewebber In 1977 a group of Hackney locals interested in history came together under the collective name of ‘A peoples autobiography of Hackney’ to produce two books about working class jobs in Hackney. The books called ‘Working Lives’ Vol. 1 & 2′ were published by Centerprise and featured a mixture of employees, business owners and self-employed peop... »
I recently heard about 44 Frocks new Hackney frock party location on twitter. I was certain I didn’t need to add any more dresses to my wardrobe, but it sounded so lovely that I went along. It was such a fantastic afternoon; pink fizz, cupcakes, gorgeous dresses at great prices and jewellery from Storm in a teacup. I caught up with Laura Henson to find out more (but not before I left with a ... »
March saw the return of Chatsworth Road Market and with it came the Hackney Homemade and Vintage Market, a small market just off the main stretch, I caught up with Jane Egginton to find out more. What is Hackney Homemade and Vintage Market? Hackney Homemade and Vintage Market sells good quality goods that are either handmade or vintage. We have a very impressive roll call of local traders, selling... »
Just under a month ago Fi Collett from the pub group www.antic-ltd.com joined yeah! Hackney and posted about the group buying the former White Hart on Lower Clapton Road over on this thread. This caused quite a bit of excitement on the site and in the local area. I was keen to find out more… Your initial question on yeah! Hackney was about looking for photos to help with the restoration of t... »
There have been a fair few hotels popping up in Hackney of late, the upcoming Olympics plus parts of the borough area being hailed as a cool tourist destination has provided a perfect market for hotel owners. Those quickest to respond have been small independents and there are some interesting boutique lodgings being talked about. One of the most interesting is a new B&B on Chatsworth Road in... »
In December I was lucky enough to get a place at a new(ish) Hackney supper club with a vegan theme, Vegan Peasant.I first found out about Vegan Peasant at Chatsworth Road Market, where I sampled their lovely tacos. The food at the supper club was equally as delicious, which included artichoke canapés, chestnut and sweet potato wellingon, chocolate truffles and not a marinated tofu chunk in sight. ... »
The Hackney Peal is a fantastic cafe/restaurant/bar in the creative hub that is Hackney Wick. It’s been in this spot for almost a year now and recently won Time Out’s award for Best New Cafe. I caught up with owner James Morgan to ask him a few questions: Why did you open the Pearl? I’ve been working in other people’s restaurants for 20 years. It was time to open my own. I... »
If you have read any blog even vaguely related to food in the last couple of months you would have heard of Ben Greeno‘s Tudor Road Supper Club. A six month long project in a purposely rented flat on Tudor Road, Hackney. Thanks to a super early booking (it pays to spend loads of time on the Internet), I recently had the fortune to visit Tudor Road. Ben has had some amazing reviews and rightf... »
I recently paid Towner and Hoxton on Well Street a visit, it’s a very cool artists space/tea room, I wanted to find out a little bit more, so I asked Adam Towner some questions (photos by Alex Pink) What is the idea behind Towner and Hoxton? We went looking for a studio for us to both work in and they were all shit, over priced or nowhere near our houses or jobs, we saw the derelict shop an... »