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unusual : places Scratch It! Our new series Scratch It! gets underneath the surface of some places you thought were too far or too frightening to visit... Peckham Rocks! In Peckham you can find everything that a red-blooded Englishman, or indeed anyone from anywhere in the known universe, could desire. Every type of music, dance, theatre, art, museum, creative activity and food variety that you can't read, let alone spell. Most of these are available along the High Street or Peckham Rye (if not they are in the surrounding pubs, clubs or shops in this eclectic area). In Summer there is nothing like a walk round Peckham Rye Park or the Common, or even Nunhead Cemetery which has loads of famous people buried along with the natives of this wonderful part of London. The commoner lies alongside the hoi polloi in this tranquil, wooded Victorian cemetery. Peckham Rye Park is in the throws of being refurbished to restore it to its former Victorian splendour. In the summer it will rival any other park in London. And that is saying something as we are well endowed with the most amazing parks; all different and fascinating! I get a bit excited when I think about Area 10. It's one of those things in London that shouldn't work. There's no money in it for starters, and it's founded on art school principles of chaos and coincidence. And yet this Peckham warehouse has been housing creative and challenging art performances, exhibitions and cabaret on an ad-hoc basis for three years. Their future hangs in the balance, and the venue has almost folded on numerous occasions, so take a chance and drop by for a super one-off, before it folds. Peckham is not known for its bars. Until a year ago there weren't any, but Bar Story changed all that. It's a lovely venue constructed out of a conservatory underneath Peckham's railway arches, which makes an ideal summer lounge location. It has to be remembered for putting Peckham on the map. The shops along Nunhead Lane are amazing. In the space of a few hundred yards you have two excellent butchers, and the fishmonger is one of the best I have ever experienced, stocking quails eggs, sea bass and pickling vinegar and is prepared to fillet the fish and tell you how to cook it. There's also a fab bakery where you can get anything you want made. If you want to make something for the school bazaar, they will give you their day old bread to make bread puddin', or if you want some food colouring, and you can't be bothered to go into town, they will let you have some in a little pot (don't tell anyone as they will all want some!). There's also an excellent chemist, where you can get biscuits, films developed, shoe polish and other bric-a-brac, an electrical supplier (again you can get anything and there is always someone on hand to give you advice and tell you what you want and how to fit it), and an obliging and well stocked carpet supplier and fitter. There is also a lovely little free gallery called the Surgery, where they have open days for local artists. |
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