THIS ISSUE BLACK COWBOY COFFEE - Elephant Arcade's king of coffee spills the beans
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Issue 20 / Spring 2021
THIS
BLACK COWBOY MEMORY MAKERS BEZA
COFFEE How The Cinema The Ethiopian
Elephant Arcade’s Museum is preserving restaurant that’s
ISSUE
king of coffee spills local heritage taking London
the beans by storm
2 The Elephant The Elephant 3
THIS IS THE
Published by
Southwark Council
Editor
Richard Wells
Additional copy
ELEPHANT
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective. Nikki Spencer
Noella Pio Kivlehan
Cover photo
Keep yourself safe and protect the NHS by John Otagburuagu
Designer
getting the jab when it’s your turn. Nathan Heins,
Westco Creative
And this is the Elephant Magazine. Printed by
Swiss Post
T
Enquiries
he Elephant Magazine is the publication dedicated to councilnews@
all things Elephant and Castle. We want to celebrate all southwark.gov.uk
that is fabulous about our neighbourhood and our
We welcome your
community. We want to look back with fondness on the
ideas, comments
area’s past and look forward with optimism to the future.
and contributions,
The Elephant is changing and the Elephant Magazine will
so please get
be following every step of the way.
in touch.
Photography from
left to right:
East Street sign;
Adramo Tezgazzi;
Lunch at Tupi; Castle
Centre sign; Sokari
Douglas Camp, artist;
Elephant statue
@lb_southwark facebook.com/southwarkcouncil @southwarkcouncil
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4 The Elephant
The second phase of Elephant
Elephant Park Expands and Castle’s huge new park is
set to open in the spring.
T
he new park has long been the most
anticipated part of Lendlease’s mixed-use
Elephant Park development. Now, following Building on success A playable landscape A landmark pavilion Park promenades
a year of lockdowns, the appetite for wide, green,
open spaces has never been greater. The second phase will retain set amongst The southwest corner of the The original plans for the park were
Elephant Park has already delivered hundreds of and improve the successful mature trees park connects with Sayer Street, constrained by three surrounding
new homes alongside new shops and restaurants. elements that made the first part Elephant Park’s new shopping roads but the latest, improved
so popular. The design continues The whole park will provide a street, dedicated to local food design removes all vehicular traffic
When the second phase of the park opens in the
to be centred around a large, open playable landscape but there will and drink businesses. from these roads – making them a
spring it will mark the next major milestone in this
lawn intended for relaxation and also be a dedicated play hub for This section will be anchored by place for pedestrians. It means the
vast project, set to complete in 2025.
playing games. Vibrant, colourful children. The hub will have a a new plaza and will include a new, park will be a much safer place and
Over the past few years, most locals will have
planting beds and rain gardens natural feel, with a large, landmark pavilion – built around will provide more space for new
enjoyed spending some time in the park, the first
will surround the park and a series interactive water feature at its a mature London plane tree and restaurants, bars and cafes.
portion of which opened back in 2017. It provided
of pocket spaces will provide centre with jets, dams and pumps. featuring a spectacular, public One of the new, pedestrianised
around an acre of welcome green space in-between
some quieter, peaceful spaces Children and adults, alike, will be roof terrace. The terrace will have streets is Ash Avenue (along the
all the construction work.
around the edges of the lawn. encouraged to interact and play fantastic views across the park, as northern edge of the park).
Lendlease has had lots of feedback on the park
with the water. well as providing visitors with the Businesses in Ash Avenue, will be
and has learned some useful lessons from that
The park also retains many of opportunity to stand amongst the able to take advantage of south-
successful first phase. The company also undertook
the existing, mature trees from tree canopy. facing, outdoor seating areas which
extensive community consultation in 2019. This has
the previous site, helping to give The pavilion also includes new open directly onto the park. So Ash
informed the designs for the second phase, as well
the park a unique, established community space and a food and Avenue is sure to be a popular new
as a number of further improvements to the first
feel, right from the start. As with drink kiosk. It’s due to be completed space to meet and socialise when
part of the park.
the first phase, many new trees by the end of the summer, which life finally starts to return to normal.
will be planted as well. means it will open a little while after
the rest of the park.
Twice the size and
open 24 hours
The park will double in size when the
More to come Get involved
second part opens – making it one of the This second phase will deliver the majority of the Remember, Elephant Park is a community park for the
largest new parks to be built in central final, completed park, but there’s still one more phase whole neighbourhood. Local residents and groups are
London for decades. And, with some of the to come. The third phase will deliver the final, encouraged to host events and activities here. If you’re
surrounding streets now complete, the park eastern section of the park and is expected to be interested in holding an event in the park, email
can remain open 24 hours a day (rather than complete in 2025. ele-ask@lendlease.com
having to close at dusk). www.elephantpark.co.uk
The Elephant 7
Southwark Playhouse is set to open a new, purpose-built, 300 seat theatre
THE SHOW MUST GO ON and community hub in Elephant and Castle.
A
fter decades of being based The campaign was successful, and and businesses could pay to include
at various venues around the the Playhouse was promised it could their names and logos on a feature wall
borough, Southwark Playhouse return to London Bridge once Network in the bar area.
finally has a permanent new home in Rail had completed its work. But, in “People have really supported us,
Newington Butts and Artistic Director the meantime, they needed to find a but we still need another £500k to
and CEO, Chris Smyrnios, is delighted. temporary venue. add the finishing touches” says Chris,
“Elephant and Castle has always been After a long search, Chris spotted a adding that COVID has delayed
our spiritual home. To be here, right in large building (old garages) for rent on things and made everything more
the heart of the community, is really Newington Causeway while walking to difficult, financially.
important to us.” work one day. He took on the lease and “When lockdown happened, we had a
The team are currently putting the spent four months converting the space sold-out show which obviously couldn’t
finishing touches to their new theatre, into a fully functioning theatre which go ahead. Thankfully, about 40 per cent
built at the base of the UNCLE building opened in 2013. of the audience donated their ticket
on Churchyard Row. Since then, the Elephant and Castle money to help us keep going, which
COVID permitting, the new venue will venue has staged up to 20 shows a year, was wonderful.”
open in the autumn. attracting old and new fans alike. Over the past year, the theatre
“What’s great about this space is that “A large proportion of our audience has streamed live and pre-recorded
we’ve been involved right from the has been from Southwark and Lambeth, performances and run community
beginning. It’s been built with us in but people have come from all over workshops, online.
mind” explains Chris. London. We’ve also had some national Last summer, they even managed a
“In addition to the main theatre and international visitors who come to number of socially distanced shows.
space, which is adaptable and allows see specific shows” says Chris. “Many performances sold out, and
for different seating configurations, it there has been a phenomenal response
will also have a dedicated youth and to our live-streamed shows” says Chris.
community space.” “As soon as we could, we moved all
As well as staging high quality, cutting- our youth and community work online
edge performances, the Playhouse also too. It’s so important to keep that
offers three, free-to-join, community connection with people, as lockdown
theatre companies. There’s the Young can be so isolating.”
Company for 14-25 year olds; a People’s The new flagship theatre in Newington
Company for 25+ and an Elder’s Butts will be known as Southwark
Company for those over 65. They also CHRIS SMYRNIOS Playhouse Elephant, while the current,
have an extensive schools programme. Newington Causeway venue will be
“For the first time ever, these three With the ‘temporary’ theatre proving a renamed Southwark Playhouse Castle.
companies are going to have their own big success, Chris was now offered the While the new theatre is permanent,
space to make the magic happen” says opportunity to put down permanent the plan is to move the smaller,
Chris excitedly. roots in Elephant and Castle at a new, Newington Causeway operation back to
The excitement is understandable as purpose-built venue. The new theatre London Bridge in 2023.
Chris is the first to admit that the project would be part of a development on the Until then, the two Southwark
has taken much longer than hoped. site of the old London Park Hotel in Playhouses will operate, just a stone’s
“When I started as Artistic Director Newington Butts. throw apart, in Elephant and Castle.
at Southwark Playhouse, in 2010, The development (which eventually Chris is counting the days until they
one of my priorities was to find us a came to be known as the UNCLE can open the doors to the public at
permanent home, but it has proved very building) took a while to get off the Newington Butts. “We’re currently doing
complicated and quite some journey!” ground but Chris never gave up hope. the final bits of fitting out and I can’t
Back then, the theatre was based in “For many years the Newington Butts wait for people to come and see our
railway arches on Tooley Street but site was just a hole in the ground” he shows once the restrictions have lifted.”
the redevelopment of London Bridge says. Eventually, in 2013, things got
Station meant they were asked to moving and by 2018 the team were ready
relocate by Network Rail. to turn their new space – on the ground Southwark Playhouse Castle
A huge campaign was launched to floor of the newly completed, 46-storey 77-85 Newington Causeway, SE1 6DB
save the theatre, backed by a number of tower – into a working theatre.
Southwark Playhouse Elephant
celebrities. These included Stephen Fry The Playhouse needed to raise a lot of
9 Churchyard Row, SE11 4FJ
and Andy Serkis, who had directed one money to fit-out the new theatre. This
of his first shows at the Playhouse and is included a successful ‘Million Pound www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
still a patron to this day. Wall’ campaign whereby local people
8 The Elephant The Elephant 9
THE WALWORTH
LIVING ROOM
An historic church hall in Surrey Square is set to be restored as a new available to the community, whenever time. We shared useful tips like which He says “Up to 25 per cent of the local
community space named the Walworth Living Room. they wanted it?’ It would operate like a
giant living room for anyone who lives in
supermarkets were doing slots for the
elderly or vulnerable.”
population were already skipping
meals before the pandemic. But it’s
the area, from Walworth, the Elephant or Within weeks of the March lockdown, not about food – it’s about employment,
S
Old Kent Road.” Pembroke House had set up an secure homes, debt and finance. We’ve
tep through a side door from the nine months trialling their ‘living room’ is public money, raised from private Having got the keys to All Saints Hall emergency food centre in conjunction been dealing with the symptoms of
street, down the little corridor, concept in the building (an idea some developments and building projects in February 2019, Mike and the team with Southwark Council, Surrey Square poverty and inequality so far, but
and you emerge into a cavernous five years in the making) before the in the area, which is used to fund began the initial renovations using funds Primary School, Villa Street medical now there’s a collective ambition to
space with a high, vaulted ceiling pandemic struck, last March. Decked community projects and to improve from Guys and St Thomas’ charity. With centre and the food charity, FareShare. address the root causes.”
and large windows which let the sun out with floral sofas, movable café tables local infrastructure. the help of young volunteers (from More than 250 volunteers signed up Mike adds “Having said that, I think
stream in. and chairs, Mike describes the initial The charity will use the £150k Volunteer it Yourself) they began to refit within 24 hours (which has since we’ve done more in the last nine
It’s the perfect welcome to All Saints décor as ‘shabby chic.’ At the heart of (alongside other grants) to give All the space which had already been put to risen to 700) and a bike service was months, than we’ve done in the nine
Hall, Surrey Square, home to the the Living Room is a café, with rentable Saints Hall a complete facelift, ahead numerous different uses over the years. launched to deliver meals to hundreds years previous. Certainly in terms
Walworth Living Room. This community office spaces. of relaunching the Walworth Living “We looked at this building in May of local households. The food bank is of how people have worked together
project, still a work-in-progress, is the Room in April next year. 2019 and thought ‘we could do more still going today. with the council, GPs, the community
brainchild of Mike Wilson, Executive Mike, who is delighted to see the of the capital works now but let’s open It has been a long hard slog but morale sector and businesses.”
Director, and his team at Pembroke
House, a local charity that has An amazing project back on track, explains that
the origins of the Living Room lie with
for a test-and-learn phase instead’”
says Mike. However, after less than
got a big boost when news came through
in January that they’d been awarded
“Now we need to build on this.
Coming out of the pandemic, there
worked in the neighbourhood for
more than a century. legacy of Pembroke House’s legendary Thursday
Lunch Club (running since 2010).
a year, everything had to stop for the
first lockdown.
the £150k for the Living Room project.
The funds will go towards new heating,
will be massive challenges but there’s
amazing stuff to build on and an
The vision is to create a ‘home
away from home’ a community space cooperation “Food is an excuse to bring people
together and it breaks down barriers.
Mike says he was heartbroken. “We
had to close the Living Room, and
lighting and windows as well as creating
a new entrance off Surrey Square.
amazing legacy of cooperation.
That’s why we need spaces like
where local people can come together Whenever anyone came to visit Pembroke House. We tried to make it “We’re planning to do as much of the the Walworth Living Room –
again, when the pandemic recedes. Pembroke House, we’d always say clear from the beginning, that while the capital work as we can, over the summer somewhere we can all learn to
The Walworth Living Room will be a “We wanted to test the concept and make sure you come on a Thursday buildings were closed, we were still here. and autumn so that we can open in April come together again, to reconnect
place where a range of services, events for people to have an idea of their and we’ll give you lunch” says Mike. And, of-course, the community was still 2022” says Mike. “It’s crucial that the and do it in a safe way.”
and activities bring individuals and own involvement, rather than for us to “You’d have all these different people here, too. So how could we help?” Living Room is ready to open, with all
organisations together that otherwise simply build our version of the Living sitting around a table together. It might It wasn’t long before Mike and his team the bells and whistles, next spring, as
might never meet. Room and find out that it didn’t suit the include local service commissioners or refocussed their efforts on providing people are just desperate to get out and Walworth Living Room
The hall was built around the early community” he explains. councillors enjoying a meal with local pandemic support. They drew up meet and socialise again.” All Saints Hall
1900s, in the Arts and Crafts style, Unfortunately, the fledgling project was residents from all walks of life. Soon a three-point plan to provide food, When it’s ready, the office spaces Surrey Square
as an addition to All Saints Church grounded with the advent of COVID and the formalities melted away and each activities and information. will be rented to social enterprises and London SE17 2JU
(completed in 1865). The original the hall has been closed to the public for person would become a name rather “We concentrated on food; flipping organisations working for social benefit.
info@pembrokehouse.org.uk
church was destroyed by bombing in most of the past 12 months. than a job title.” our activities online and keeping in Ultimately, says Mike, the pandemic
020 7703 3803
WW2 which means that the hall is the But it won’t stay closed for long. In “My colleagues and I started to ask touch with people by phone or the has highlighted inequalities but it has
last surviving link to this little corner January, Pembroke House was awarded ‘what would it look like if we had a big internet. We also set up a new website, also accelerated relationships between www.walworthlivingroom.org
of Walworth’s heritage. £150k from Southwark Council’s social space, like the Thursday Lunch WalworthSE17.info due to the lack the various community organisations www.pembrokehouse.org.uk
Mike and the team had already spent Community Infrastructure Levy. This Club, but every day of the week? A space of local information available at that operating in Walworth.
10 The Elephant The Elephant 11
Elephant and Castle’s Cinema Museum is preserving local
heritage rescued from the Coronet Theatre.
Photos by Francesco Zavattari
L
ast September, a small group of
cinephiles gathered in front of
the old Coronet Theatre on New
The Coronet Theatre: photo by Luke O’Donovan
Kent Road, pondering the task ahead.
Stood in front of the imposing, but
somewhat shabby, modern façade, the
group’s mission was to salvage original
“We have original signage, posters, hoping to get planning permission from breakfast that day, but they can often
artefacts from this Victorian venue;
seats, carpets, uniforms, fixtures and Lambeth Council to redevelop the remember going to the movies, maybe
a theatre that had once played host
fittings” says Katharine “they are whole site, incorporating the workhouse 70 years ago” says Katharine. “They
to Charlie Chaplin, a young stage
artefacts but they’re also the things that buildings, but the scheme was rejected handle objects from the collection and
actor yet to take his first steps into
people remember from many happy by Lambeth in January. the smell and feel can bring back old
the world of film.
times spent at the movies.” “We don’t know what will happen memories. We try to make it a holiday
The small band of foragers included
She adds “We’ve got technical next” says Katharine. “Lifestory bought from the pain and stress of not being
Ronald Grant, Curator of The Cinema
equipment such as projectors and this site with a promise to ‘save The well.”
Museum, Katharine Ford, Deputy
cameras but we’ve also got unusual, Cinema Museum’. Now we’re in urgent “We also run sexual health and peer
Director of the Museum, Jeremy
quirky things such as the personal discussions with all the interested support projects” she adds “including
Leach, Chair of the Walworth Society aim is to engage the local community Coronet’s legacy, the museum itself,
records of amateur film critics and parties to make sure it happens.” event nights aimed at the local
and representatives from The Bartlett into a reuse and upcycling project that faces closure. An ongoing battle to buy
their bizarre (sometimes hilariously Katharine greets the mere suggestion LGBTQ community, especially those
School of Architecture UCL. will see the items secure a new home its premises on Dugard Way collided
rude and unprintable) reviews of of simply finding another building for who feel isolated.”
The Coronet is set to be demolished, and purpose. with the pandemic, last year, to create
cinema experiences.” the museum with an emphatic ‘no’. Saving material from the Coronet
along with the shopping centre, to She adds “The building has been the perfect storm for the charity.
As a result of the pandemic, the She says “We’ve been here for 23 years – artefacts which will be familiar to
make way for Elephant and Castle’s through a lot of hands over the years Established in 1986 in Raleigh Hall,
museum has been temporarily closed and we’ve invested enormously in the cinema goers of the 50s and the
new town centre. and each successive custodian has Brixton, the museum was a labour of
since last March, and unable to generate engaging with the local community. clubbers of the noughties alike – is just
The venue, which has seen many made changes and stripped parts out. love for founders Ronald Grant and
the income necessary to stay afloat. We’re run by 50 local volunteers and one more way of rekindling memories
changes over the last 140 years, Martin Humphries, who got it started
Thankfully, a recent crowdfunding we’re firmly embedded here in the and connecting communities.
started life as a theatre before it was with their own private collection of
appeal raised £75k which, alongside a Elephant and Castle and Kennington This year, Katharine hopes they will
converted into an ABC cinema in 1932. cinema history and memorabilia.
grant from ArtFund, will keep it going. neighbourhoods.” finally resolve the ‘cliff-edge peril’ that
It eventually closed in 1999 only to
reopen four years later to host concerts,
The things that In 1998, the museum moved to
Elephant and Castle and it’s been
For the last 14 years, the museum has There is also the issue of the museum’s the museum has lived with for more
campaigned to secure its long-term collection, which is on long-term loan. than a decade.
live events and club nights.
For most of its life, the Coronet had
people remember based in what was once the old,
Victorian, Lambeth Workhouse, ever
future at The Master’s House, The “A term of the loan is that we secure “Spending half your time in
Lodge, and The Male Receiving Ward; a future for the collection at The unproductive negotiations, discussions
been one of several picture houses
for which Elephant and Castle was
from many happy since. Appropriately, it was this very
workhouse which had once been home
all of which form part of the Grade-II- Master’s House. If we lose The Master’s and campaigning is a huge drain on
listed workhouse site that it has been House, we must give our collections resources. We just want to get to a
once famed. So it was no surprise
that the nearby Cinema Museum
times spent at to Charlie Chaplin, a child who would
grow up to be Hollywood’s greatest star.
leasing on a yearly basis. back. Then we are nothing. We’re not a stage where we can save these beautiful
“Short-term leases make it impossible museum anymore. No building, no local buildings for public use and throw our
was keen to preserve a little slice of
this local heritage, alongside the
the movies Before the pandemic, the museum
attracted 20,000 visitors a year,
to raise the many millions that need volunteer workforce, no collection.” doors open forever.”
to be spent on these heritage assets” Katharine says the museum’s
Walworth Society. including children, students and
explains Katharine. “You have a large, role in the community cannot be
“We want to preserve old memories tourists. Even those with ambitions to
listed building that needs looking after underestimated.
from Elephant and Castle as it But we managed to rescue quite a lot.” open their own museums, would drop-
and maintaining but you need security “The museum shares its buildings The Cinema Museum
continues to change and develop” says Alongside features such as the art by looking for inspiration.
of tenure to be able to do that.” with the local community. It helps to The Master’s House
The Cinema Museum’s Katharine Ford. deco balustrades, there’s a certain The museum is home to some unusual
The original owners, the South fund community events, projects and 2 Dugard Way
“Once inside the theatre, we walked irony in the fact that the largest item and unique collections but it also
London and Maudsley NHS Foundation meetings but it also runs its own social- London SE11 4TH
around, looked at everything, took salvaged from the theatre was the giant houses cinema artefacts that all cinema
Trust, were due to sell the buildings to benefit projects” Katharine explains.
photographs and agreed what we could curtain pelmet from the stage – literally goers would relish. For Elephant and 020 7840 2200
The Cinema Museum but changed their “We work with hospitals, carers
and couldn’t save” she explains. “The the final curtain. Castle’s older population, in particular, www.cinemamuseum.org.uk
plans and the building was put up for groups and people living with dementia
Cinema Museum will give these items a Another irony is that while The it brings back fond memories of their youtu.be/n93C92ejhDU
sale on the open market. who come here for workshops. They
temporary home. The long-term Cinema Museum is busy preserving the own ‘golden age of cinema’.
The new owners, Lifestory, had been might not recall what they’ve had for
The Elephant 13
W
hen John Otagburuagu and richer and sweeter and chewier than coffee industry, he used the time to
started his coffee business, other Belgian waffles. I fell in love with create his own range of Black Cowboy
back in 2015, there was only them, instantly.” Coffee beans and ground coffee. He
one name he had in mind. He later shortened the business name now sells the range online as well as
“The Black Cowboy is who I am” to make it snappier, but he still sells in the new shop.
he smiles. a range of waffles. They come with Before the shopping centre closed,
“I’ve always loved cowboy films since strawberries, peanut butter and other John, along with other traders, received
I was a kid and, growing up in Nigeria, I fillings and he even does a spicy chicken help to relocate from the Elephant and
loved helping my grandfather herd and waffle with maple syrup (an authentic Castle Town Centre team and Southwark
feed the cattle on his land.” American recipe). Council. He secured premises in the
John loves the cowboy look and likes to “You might think that chicken and new Elephant Arcade, which had been
dress up and strike a pose (check out his maple syrup wouldn’t work but it does. built by the council, for the former
After five years trading in Elephant and Castle market, Instagram). He’s been wearing cowboy
boots ever since the 80s, when he first
Trust me!”
John started by selling coffee, in the
shopping centre traders, at the foot of
Perronet House.
Black Cowboy Coffee is now bringing a touch of the old came to live in Elephant and Castle, market outside the Elephant and His shop opened in October, and John
having left Nigeria to study in the UK. Castle shopping centre, back in 2015. says he’s delighted to finally have a
Wild West to Elephant Arcade. Later, when he moved to America, He traded from a wooden cart that permanent base in Elephant and Castle.
spending nine years as a truck driver he’d built for himself. He’s started delivering coffee, milkshakes
in Texas, one of the first things he did and snacks (via delivery apps) and has
was to buy himself a Stetson hat. “I’ve even taken on five staff to help with
got through about 50 cowboy hats since the orders.
then!” he says. “Elephant Arcade is an exciting place to
It was while living in Texas that be. It’s got such a good atmosphere and a
John learnt about the important role wonderful ambience” he enthuses.
African Americans had played in the “When I lived on the Aylesbury estate,
cattle industry. all those years ago, a trip to the cinema
“Black cowboys were pivotal in the in Elephant and Castle was a big thing.
creation of the iconic image of the Now, having my own business, right
cowboy that we all know. They worked here in the centre of town, feels like a
as trail leaders, drivers, outriders and great achievement.”
cooks and what kept them going was And while his love for his local
good, strong black coffee” he explains. neighbourhood is as strong as ever,
In John’s new coffee shop, in Elephant “I’ve always known how to build the old cowboy in John can’t help but
Arcade, there are old photos of black stuff. I’ve made all sorts of things over look towards America.
cowboys from the late 1800s, along the years, including bunk beds for my “Elephant and Castle will always
with some of his old cowboy boots. kids” he explains. “With a £2,500 loan I be the home of Black Cowboy Coffee”
There are even saddles and riding couldn’t open a coffee shop but I could he says “but I’d love to open a couple
equipment donated by the Ebony afford to rent a coffee machine and sell of branches elsewhere and my
Horse Club in Brixton. from the pushcart.” ultimate dream is to open a shop
Things didn’t work out in the US and His organic, fairtrade coffee and snacks in New York City.”
John returned to south London in proved popular with local residents,
2013 where he struggled to find work. students and office workers. Trade was
“I was pretty destitute and living in a good and after a while he replaced the
LO
N
Elephant
DO
hostel” he recalls. cart with a horse box which he bought
N
RO
Arcade
AD
It was his local job centre that told on eBay for £600.
ST
him about the Community Enterprise “I went to Tilbury with my daughters GEO
RGE
’S
Programme and start-up loans for to pick it up. Then I spent six weeks ROA
D
small businesses. With support from working around the clock to convert it
a business mentor, he came up with into a mobile café.”
We are NEW
NEWINGTO
the idea for Black Cowboy Coffee John knew his days at the shopping
and Waffles. centre were numbered as the site was
here
N BUTTS
“Before I went to America, I’d worked due to be redeveloped as Elephant and
at various restaurants in the West End Castle’s new town centre. But when the
OAD
ANT R
and I’ve always loved good coffee. So I pandemic hit and lockdown began, the Black Cowboy Coffee
ELEPH
decided to put all my life experience into market closed earlier than expected. Elephant Arcade
my business, and really make a go of it. John couldn’t trade at all for a while 50 London Rd SE1 6FY
All guns blazing!” but he says it gave him time to pause
TS
07947 114 683
BUT
The idea of serving Liège waffles came and think about his business. “For five
TON
WA
from a road trip he made around Europe years I’d been working non-stop so it www.blackcowboycoffee.co.uk
LWO
ING
@blackcowboycoffee
NEW
RT
with friends in his 20s. gave me time to focus.”
HR
Facebook.com/ElephantArcade
OAD
“You will always remember your first Using some financial support from
Liège waffle” he says. “They’re denser the Government and a grant from the
14 The Elephant The Elephant 15
BLACKFRIARS
SETTLEMENT Blackfriars Settlement has supported the local community
for more than a century.
I
n ‘normal times’, the Blackfriars our befriending services from in-person developments and building projects in
Settlement, based in Rushworth Street, to by-phone, and we’ve expanded it too. the area. Liz says the funds will be used
would welcome up to 400 people It means that a lot of new people (who to transform the outdoor space into a
through its doors every day. People didn’t get the service before) now get a proper garden.
would be taking classes, joining creative weekly call from a befriender.” Blackfriars’ Rushworth Street centre
workshops, learning a new skill or The befrienders are all volunteers and also has a large hall and a kitchen
simply meeting friends for a cup of tea Blackfriars has had a raft of new recruits that can cater for 100 people. There
in the café. join during the pandemic. are classrooms, art rooms and even
But that was before the pandemic. “These are people who have been a woodwork room. In normal times, with Mary Ward. It works really well Liz reflects on how busy the centre had
A year ago, as with so many other furloughed or simply use their lunch- alongside the Positive Aging and Mental because we were working in partnership been before. “I’m hoping we’ll get back
organisations, Blackfriars, a charity that break to give an older person a call and Health & Wellbeing services, the charity with them anyway to deliver adult to normal as soon as possible” she says,
sets out to improve the wellbeing of have a chat with them for 45 minutes” also offers adult education, a legal education. The merger has formalised “including physical classes, like French,
disadvantaged people, had to close says Liz. advice clinic and free, open-access that arrangement.” ballroom dancing, IT, poetry and baby
its doors and its bustling SE1 building computers, so that locals can drop-in Since the merger, the work has largely massage. We’d like to introduce African
fell silent. and get online. remained the same, but extra funding drumming too.”
But even a global pandemic couldn’t On the social side, they have the Orb and support from various partners, Liz also has plans to provide space to
stop the work of this vital organisation,
which has supported the local
We’re here, Space, which hosts free cookery classes,
film nights and spoken word sessions
including Southwark Council, United
Saint Saviours, The Mercers’ Company
additional, small, grassroots groups who
may not have much money but who can
community for over 130 years (through
Spanish Flu and two World Wars).
we’re back, which help people to explore their
creativity through poetry and speech.
and St George the Martyr, mean that it is
now set to expand.
offer great value to the local community.
“We already have one peer support
Director of services, Liz Ranger and
her 12-strong team, alongside an army
we’re open! The charity, originally named the
Women’s University Settlement, was
Last year, the charity also received
£10k from the Elephant and Castle
group who use the building (Kindred
Minds) and we want others. So if we can
of local volunteers, were quick to swing Come and get established in 1887. Today’s services Since it began in 2012, Community Fund. work with local people and make things
into action, last spring, and ensure that are still very much in keeping with the Elephant and Castle “The £10k helped keep the team happen, I’m keen to do so” says Liz.
their work could continue this time
around, too.
involved! the original ethos of the Settlement
movement which was designed to
Community Fund has working” says Liz. “The money was for
the Positive Aging service and it paid
“But my first task for the year ahead
is simply reopening. How can we
supported dozens of
“The teams that provide our two promote the welfare of people in for additional hours to respond to the welcome people back to the building?
organisations and helped
main services, Positive Aging and poorer parts of London. extra need created by the pandemic. I want to start to celebrate life and
Mental Health & Wellbeing, were both Corporations and businesses have also “Blackfriars was set up by a bunch thousands of local people. It’s enabled us to keep going; to do community again. I want to announce
fantastic. They switched to providing been quick to help out. of feisty women who wouldn’t accept Last year, as well as things differently during a difficult time, ‘We’re here, we’re back, we’re open!
remote services, instantly, and they have Charles Russell Speechlys bought sun the status quo” says Liz, adding “they Blackfriars Settlement, and to make sure we can still be there Come and get involved!’”
continued to help people, in a variety of canopies for the charity’s outdoors wouldn’t accept the fact that all the the Blue Elephant Theatre; for our members.”
innovative ways, ever since” says Liz. space. “It meant we could seat people other settlements were being set up by The pandemic has had a big impact on
Disability Sports Coach;
“They gave telephone support on outside during the summer” Liz men, so they got together, got on and mental health and the charity’s Mental
a one-to-one basis. They made sure explains. “It’s safer than being indoors made it happen. It’s a fantastic history.”
InSpire and Ripe Enterprises Health & Wellbeing service (which has Blackfriars Settlement
people had their prescriptions; that they and the canopies provided some And while its mission is still very all received £10k each, run for more than 50 years) has seen a 1 Rushworth Street, London SE1 0RB
weren’t anxious; had someone to speak shade. We could support more people much in tune with that of its founders, to help with their work huge increase in demand. 020 7928 9521
to and someone to call if they needed and serve communal lunches where Blackfriars has continued to evolve and in the community. “The numbers went up dramatically”
www.blackfriars-settlement.org.uk
anything. The team also delivered about everyone could socialise. It was a change with the times. Most recently, says Liz. “The amount of people needing
Find out more at: If you would like to volunteer as a
100 meals a week to those in need as fantastic help.” in 2018, it merged with the Mary Ward help nearly doubled and, although
elephantandcastle.org.uk/ befriender for the older people or
well as doing emergency shopping.” In January, Blackfriars was awarded Settlement, based in Bloomsbury. they’ve since dropped, they are still
“Older people are now taking exercise £10k from Southwark Council’s “We’re still an independently communityfund higher than they were. They certainly mental health service, email
classes online and they’re singing over Community Infrastructure Levy. This registered charity” says Liz “but we’re won’t return to normal straight away.” info@blackfriars-settlement.org.uk
the phone” says Liz. “We’ve switched is public money, raised from private now part of an integrated structure Thinking about a post-COVID world,
The Elephant The Elephant
BEZA
16 17
Authentic vegan Ethiopian food is on the menu at Beza in Elephant Park.
B
eza Berhanu began selling “My grandma cooked everything fresh stews, all served up on a giant injera
her home-cooked, traditional and I learnt everything from her” Beza (a sour, fermented flatbread).
Ethiopian food at Camden Market explains. “She was vegan but we never Since opening her new restaurant, the
in 2006. used that expression in Ethiopia. It was food has proved very popular with both
Four years ago, she was offered a pop- only after I came to the UK, as a student, vegans and non-vegans alike. “A lot of
up at The Artworks on Elephant Road, that I first heard the word.” people haven’t tried Ethiopian food
which led her to open Beza in 2019; a Beza studied nutrition and the before but when they do – they love it”
popular 25-seat restaurant, just around knowledge she learned as a student, she smiles.
the corner, in Sayer Street. underlies everything she does today. Everything is freshly made with
And although she lives in north “It’s so important for me to feed people, produce bought locally, at East Street
London, Beza says Elephant and healthily” she emphasises. Market. “I love the market and I always
Castle is very much where her heart is. shop with other small, local businesses.
“I live in Swiss Cottage but the I think it’s important to help and support
moment I arrive here I feel like each other” says Beza.
I’m home” she smiles. “I love the
atmosphere in Elephant and Castle.
It’s so important Reflecting on the past year, she says
“It hasn’t been easy. Especially as we’d
It feels like everyone here is family.”
Since the pandemic began, Beza has
that children only been open for less than six months
when we had to close for the first
done her best to support her Elephant
and Castle ‘family’ as much as she can.
have a nourishing lockdown. But this is something that’s
affected everyone. We all have to try and
“My sister is a nurse and I saw how
tired she was when she came back from
meal and our be strong.”
The restaurant was able to reopen last
work. I decided to do something to help
the NHS workers at nearby hospitals as
food is packed June, boosted by the Eat Out to Help
Out scheme. And in November, top
well as those in need” says Beza, adding
“Having a good nutritious meal is so
full of protein chef, James Cochran cited Beza as one
of his favourite restaurants in a TimeOut
important and Ethiopian food is great for
giving people energy.”
and iron. special, guest-edited by Peckham’s
Ashley Walters. TimeOut went on to run
Beza started a Go Fund Me page and a full feature on Beza in the next issue.
with support from customers, as well as “June was crazy busy and we got a lot of
her landlords, Lendlease, she managed new customers. Then lots of people read
to buy enough ingredients to make about us in TimeOut. Now they can’t
hundreds of meals which she distributed wait to visit once we’re fully open again”
via Feed the Workers and local charity, says Beza.
Pembroke House (see page 8). In the meantime, Beza is still open for
“It’s important to help each takeaways and online orders.
other as much as we can” she says. “Being able to do takeaways has
“The response from local people ensured we’ve survived” says Beza. “We
was wonderful.” have four staff but two are on furlough.
Last year, Beza was nominated for a So I’m working from early morning until
Local Hero Award from neighbourhood late at night. It’s been tough, but I still
initiative, Elephant Says Hi. And, enjoy being here and local people have
throughout the latest lockdown, she been so supportive. They always ask how
continued to provide meals for families we’re doing.”
in need, twice a week, via local schools. While based at The Artworks, Beza Beza says “I’m looking forward to
“It’s so important that children have a cooked both meat and vegetable reopening fully, as soon as it’s safe to do
nourishing meal and our food is packed dishes. But when she was given the so. Now is the dark but we are starting to
full of protein and iron. I make sure they opportunity to open her own restaurant, see the light.”
get plenty of vitamins with lots of beans in Sayer Street, she decided to make it
and spinach and potato.” wholly vegan.
Beza was taught to cook by her “We have an open kitchen so Beza
grandmother in Ethiopia. Abiding by everyone can see me cook. It just 8a Sayer Street
the traditions of the Ethiopian made sense to serve an all vegan London SE17 1FH
Orthodox Church, many Ethiopians menu rather than to have to separate
eat@bezaethio.com
don’t eat meat or other animal everything” she explains.
products on Wednesdays and Fridays. Beza’s speciality is sharing platters with bezaveganfood.com
So a plant-based diet is quite common. colourful lentil, mung bean and split pea
18 The Elephant The Elephant 19
Our first
prevented, disease. This changed in the
mid-Victorian period, in large part, due
to the Crimean War (1853-6).
The Crimean War was one of the first
wars to use modern technology, such
professional
as high-explosive shells, railways and
telegraphs. But technological advances
in health care lagged far behind those
on the battlefield. Hospitals were
understaffed, the staff were overworked,
supplies were short and hygiene was
poor. As a result, wounded soldiers
nurses
faced horrific conditions and infectious
disease. Cholera accounted for far more
deaths than battle wounds.
It would be women, trained in the
pre-Reformation tradition of religious
The music hall, used as part of the temporary hospital
nursing, who stepped into the breech. at the Royal Surrey Gardens, Walworth
And one woman in particular.
Florence Nightingale was a wealthy and in the world and the oldest one attached The original St Thomas’ Hospital was
well-connected British woman. She had to a fully fledged hospital and medical founded in St Thomas Street, Borough.
studied nursing at a Lutheran religious school. It still exists today as the In 1862 it had to move to make way for
Nurses, alongside many other key workers, have played a vital role during the community in Düsseldorf which trained
nurses in the pre-Reformation tradition.
Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing,
Midwifery & Palliative Care (now at
the expansion of London Bridge Station.
It would eventually relocate to the Albert
pandemic and Southwark, especially Walworth, Bermondsey and Borough, She was also a close friend of Sidney King’s College London in Waterloo). Embankment, Lambeth, where a new
Herbert, the chief administrator of the Nightingale possibly chose St Thomas’ hospital would be built in accordance
has a unique place in the history of nursing. British Army, who requested that she because of its connection with Mother with Nightingale’s theories on hygiene.
lead a team of nurses to the Crimea to Mary Clare Moore but also on account of In the meantime, St Thomas’ needed
care for the troops. the hospital’s matron, Sarah Wardroper. a temporary site.
I
She arrived in 1856 with 38 volunteers Born in 1813, Sarah married a Luckily, the Royal Surrey Gardens in
n the middle ages, nursing work saw the closure of monasteries and domestic servants who were unable
she had trained in Istanbul. These physician, Woodland Wardroper Walworth had closed that same year.
was often undertaken by clergy convents across northern Europe. In to get any other job. Charles Dickens’
were soon followed by another group in 1840. Sadly, Woodland died just This former zoo, music hall and public
such as monks and nuns. A perfect the process, these skilled carers, from character, Sarah Gamp (from Martin
of 15 nurses from the Sisters of Mercy nine years later, leaving Sarah with pleasure garden had more than enough
example is the Augustinian canons the church, were removed from their Chuzzlewit) reflects the popular early
convent, Bermondsey. Led by their four children to support. space to host the hospital until the
and canonesses who originally staffed positions in hospitals and almshouses Victorian stereotype of a nurse as sloppy,
Mother Superior, Mary Clare Moore, Although she had little nursing Lambeth site was completed in 1871.
St Thomas’ Hospital. and their training sites were destroyed. incompetent, and often drunk.
they had been nursing Southwark’s experience (outside of her family), she The music hall, alone, could
Founded in the 12th century, St Consequently, right up until the 19th In an era before germ theory and
poor at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals had a good general education as well as accommodate 100 beds, while the
Thomas’ was Walworth’s local century, nursing became the domain of the importance of antiseptic hygiene
since 1839. excellent organisational skills. Possibly giraffe house became a cholera ward
hospital for several hundred years. untrained and often unskilled workers. was understood, hospitals were often
Moore took charge of the stores, combined with some experience gained and the elephant house was used for
The Reformation, in the 1500s, Many were widows or former dirty places that spread, rather than
kitchens and orderlies, and she placed in her husband’s medical practice, it was dissections. Nothing remains of the
her nuns at Nightingale’s disposal. The enough for Wardroper to be appointed temporary hospital but Pasley Park
two remained close friends until Moore’s matron of St Thomas’ Hospital in 1854. marks the site today.
death in 1874. At that time, matrons were the most Wardroper died in 1892. Her memorial,
Sa Flo In the Crimea, Nightingale improved senior nurses in any hospital. They were in the chapel at St Thomas’, was
r ah r hygiene practices (introducing regular responsible for overseeing patient care, created by the Walworth sculptor,
e
handwashing, for example). She management of nurses and domestic George Tinworth.
nc
W
collected valuable statistical data and staff (such as cooks and cleaners) as More recently, Sarah has been
eN
ard
pressured the army to make other well as overseeing the budgets. remembered in the name of Wardroper
igh
rop
improvements. These included the Nightingale admired Wardroper’s House on St George’s Road, one of the
introduction of a prefabricated hospital ability and efficiency, describing her as early rehousing schemes built as part of
ting
er
(designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel) a ‘hospital genius’ and chose her to the regeneration of Elephant and Castle.
a le
that increased the survival rate of be the first superintendent of her new
patients thanks to better ventilation training school.
and hygiene. Wardroper was much less interested
In 1855 the Nightingale Fund was in nursing education than in cementing
For more local history visit the Southwark
established which raised £45k (equivalent nursing as a profession and improving
Local History Library and Archive at
to more than £4m today). Nightingale standards. To this end she hosted tours
211 Borough High Street
used this money to open the Nightingale of St Thomas’ Hospital, to showcase
Training School at St Thomas’ Hospital. professional nursing, and visited other www.southwark.gov.uk/libraries
It was the first secular nursing school hospitals to professionalise their care.COMING SOON TO ELEPHANT AND CASTLE SOUTHWARK HERITAGE CENTRE
& WALWORTH LIBRARY
Southwark Council’s new
heritage centre and library
on Walworth Road opens soon.
20,000 New books
Thousands of new books and
22 1
more study spaces Study Activity
spaces workshop
300 Artworks and artefacts
1 Temporary
exhibition 13 Public
computers
Exhibits from Southwark and
across the globe
1 Lounge / Community
Meeting Room
50 1
Person Permanent
event space exhibition
1
Experiential copper-lined
Faraday Room
The Faraday Room
An Icon Returns
The Elephant statue was removed from
its plinth in January and is now being
refurbished.
The Elephant and Castle
Town Centre team hopes
to unveil the statue in
its new, temporary
location, in Castle Square
later this year.
March 2021
The Elephant Magazine is produced by Southwark Council. We would love to hear your feedback
and welcome suggestions for future features. Drop us a line at councilnews@southwark.gov.uk
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use the word UPDATES in the subject line, followed by your postcode.
Read more about the regeneration programme at www.elephantandcastle.org.ukYou can also read
