The Been there blog
“The use of travelling," said Samuel Johnson "is to regulate imagination by reality and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.” So welcome to the Been there blog - a little window created by those who are there, to help us who aren't, see destinations as they really are.
If you can give people an insight into a place why not share your knowledge and become a Been there blogger? Click here to find out how.
Brockley begins to wake up by Nick Barron
Brockley has traditionally been seen as a "dormitory", a place where people live and sleep but rarely visit. Tourist attractions are scattered and often hidden, like the wonderful garden of the Toads Mouth Too Cafe. Brockley's undisputed jewel is the Rivoli Ballroom, recently listed by English Heritage for its "luxuriant, exotic and deeply theatrical" 1958 interior, but this is open infrequently. As a result, the quiet charm of Brockley's handsome tree-lined streets and the beautiful Hilly Fields park is often overlooked, in favour of nearby Greenwich, East Dulwich or the nightlife of New Cross.
Instead, the people of Brockley have tended to make their own entertainment and there is a huge calendar of events throughout the year. June is the best time to visit, when Brockley's summer season is in full swing with a Summer Fayre, an arts festival called Brockley MAX and - best of all - the Brockley Open Studios weekend. Thanks to its proximity to Goldsmiths college, its stock of grand Victorian houses and its historically low property prices, Brockley has become home to a large artistic community, which has recently opened a co-operative gallery at Brockley Cross. Every summer, front doors and garden gates are flung open for the public to check out the art work and talk to the artists for one long weekend. Many of the houses are works of art in themselves, particularly Biddy Bunzl's technicolour beachcomber paradise.
While Brockley's populace is often caricatured as a vibrant blend of hippies and a large Caribbean community, the imminent addition of the East London Line (next year) has begun to change things. Ever since Phil and Kirstie pronounced SE4 to be 'up-and-coming' young professionals have discovered the area in increasing numbers, attracted by the short journey times to London Bridge and soon Canary Wharf. While the newcomers have exhibited the same passion for the area as the incumbents, the influx has brought with it a range of new shops and cafes.
Brockley Road is long and sometimes shabby, while parades of shops are strung out between Brockley and Crofton Park stations. As a result, it has so-far failed to develop into a coherent high street and many of the area's best places are dispersed onto side streets making them a little harder to find. Around Brockley Station, check out Harefield Road (Aquarium restaurant and bar and The Shop on the Hill), Coulgate Street (the Broca Cafe, Degustation French food and wine shop, Long Time Vietnamese Cafe and Nu-Spice West Indian takeaway) and Foxberry Road (Smiles Thai Cafe).
The honourable exception to this rule is the stretch of Brockley Road near Crofton Park Station, where the outstanding bar and restaurant Jam Circus is joined by Mr Lawrence's wine bar, Jerk Garden and the newly-refurbished Brockley Jack pub and theatre. To the north, Brockley's boundary is defined by Lewisham Way, which offers the Lewisham Arthouse and a fantastic Turkish restaurant, Meze Mangal.
Without an obvious focal point, the best way to "do" Brockley is to walk it on a sunny day. Head east and south out of the station down Upper Brockley Road (once the area's main thoroughfare), then branch right after the Wickham Arms pub to explore the streets of the conservation area before doubling back to catch the views from Hilly Fields and, from there Ladywell, the cemetery and finally Crofton Park. The do-it-yourself nature of the area means that there is almost certain to be something happening in a park, a churchyard or an arts venue as you go, but check out Brockley Central for a flavour of what's happening at any given time.
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If you can give people an insight into a place why not share your knowledge and become a Been there blogger? Click here to find out how.
Brockley begins to wake up by Nick Barron
Brockley has traditionally been seen as a "dormitory", a place where people live and sleep but rarely visit. Tourist attractions are scattered and often hidden, like the wonderful garden of the Toads Mouth Too Cafe. Brockley's undisputed jewel is the Rivoli Ballroom, recently listed by English Heritage for its "luxuriant, exotic and deeply theatrical" 1958 interior, but this is open infrequently. As a result, the quiet charm of Brockley's handsome tree-lined streets and the beautiful Hilly Fields park is often overlooked, in favour of nearby Greenwich, East Dulwich or the nightlife of New Cross.
Instead, the people of Brockley have tended to make their own entertainment and there is a huge calendar of events throughout the year. June is the best time to visit, when Brockley's summer season is in full swing with a Summer Fayre, an arts festival called Brockley MAX and - best of all - the Brockley Open Studios weekend. Thanks to its proximity to Goldsmiths college, its stock of grand Victorian houses and its historically low property prices, Brockley has become home to a large artistic community, which has recently opened a co-operative gallery at Brockley Cross. Every summer, front doors and garden gates are flung open for the public to check out the art work and talk to the artists for one long weekend. Many of the houses are works of art in themselves, particularly Biddy Bunzl's technicolour beachcomber paradise.
While Brockley's populace is often caricatured as a vibrant blend of hippies and a large Caribbean community, the imminent addition of the East London Line (next year) has begun to change things. Ever since Phil and Kirstie pronounced SE4 to be 'up-and-coming' young professionals have discovered the area in increasing numbers, attracted by the short journey times to London Bridge and soon Canary Wharf. While the newcomers have exhibited the same passion for the area as the incumbents, the influx has brought with it a range of new shops and cafes.
Brockley Road is long and sometimes shabby, while parades of shops are strung out between Brockley and Crofton Park stations. As a result, it has so-far failed to develop into a coherent high street and many of the area's best places are dispersed onto side streets making them a little harder to find. Around Brockley Station, check out Harefield Road (Aquarium restaurant and bar and The Shop on the Hill), Coulgate Street (the Broca Cafe, Degustation French food and wine shop, Long Time Vietnamese Cafe and Nu-Spice West Indian takeaway) and Foxberry Road (Smiles Thai Cafe).
The honourable exception to this rule is the stretch of Brockley Road near Crofton Park Station, where the outstanding bar and restaurant Jam Circus is joined by Mr Lawrence's wine bar, Jerk Garden and the newly-refurbished Brockley Jack pub and theatre. To the north, Brockley's boundary is defined by Lewisham Way, which offers the Lewisham Arthouse and a fantastic Turkish restaurant, Meze Mangal.
Without an obvious focal point, the best way to "do" Brockley is to walk it on a sunny day. Head east and south out of the station down Upper Brockley Road (once the area's main thoroughfare), then branch right after the Wickham Arms pub to explore the streets of the conservation area before doubling back to catch the views from Hilly Fields and, from there Ladywell, the cemetery and finally Crofton Park. The do-it-yourself nature of the area means that there is almost certain to be something happening in a park, a churchyard or an arts venue as you go, but check out Brockley Central for a flavour of what's happening at any given time.
View Larger Map