Brockley Max festival 2015

Just a reminder that Brockley Max kicks off today in Deptford borders* - it's a nine-day community arts festival celebrating local talent, and it takes place in lots of different venues across Brockley, Ladywell, Crofton Park and Honor Oak.

Brockley Max is a non-profit festival that everyone can attend and be part of, starting today and running to Saturday 6 June.

Opening night kicks off at 3.30pm next to Brockley station and features the Hummy Mummies Choir, Creekside, festival favourites The Hit Men and Dr Joe Joe, Max Pope, Whisper Anthem and headline act, reggae star Ras Keith and The Borderline Band.



The opening night stage is on the corner of Foxberry Road and Coulgate Street on the approach to Brockley station. You’ll be able to buy food and drink from local cafes and bars and one of this year’s sponsors, Wetherspoons, has come up with a special festival menu that you can buy from The Brockley Barge.

There are also free workshops at the Brockley Rise Centre and art exhibitions at the Lewisham Arthouse, Beecroft Garden Primary School and Crofton Park Community Library.

Saturday 6 June is the Art In The Park family day, based in Hilly Fields; from midday until 6pm the area close to the Hilly Fields stone circle is given over to children’s creative workshops and a live stage with dance and musical performances as well as a craft market, food stalls and a bar.

For more information check out the website or download the free programme here.

*That's what they'll be calling Brockley before too long, mark my words.. 

New cafe/bike shop for Deptford High Street

I've never really quite understood the thing about bike shops with cafes - it's a fact that both bikes and coffee play a major part in my life, but other than parking my bike outside a cafe to have a good strong cappuccino, I find myself somewhat stumped.

But I'm clearly a bit old-school on this; they seem to be popping up all over the country and we've got our own coming to Deptford High Street with London Velo set to open at the end of May.

Aside from being a godsend for anyone who wants to have a chat about their fixie while sipping a flat white, it will certainly be a useful addition for those coffee addicts living in Deptford New Town who otherwise have to schlep all the way down to the Waiting Room for their caffeine fix.

The new shop is right next to Tesco on Deptford High Street, a unit which has been empty for some time, so it's great to see it being brought back into use.

As well as coffee and bicycles, London Velo is promising music, food, free wifi and...beer! They are being ambitious with their opening hours - till 8pm weekday nights, till 10pm Friday and Saturday and 10 till 6 on Sundays. I wholeheartedly support anyone trying to bring a bit more life to the high street outside of the normal shopping hours, so I'll be delighted if they manage to make this work.

http://www.ldnvelo.co.uk

Some may suggest that the opening of London Velo will put the high street in a bit of a hipster clinch, what with skate and BMX shop Curve already established down at the far end. 

I haven't written much about Curve ('Deptford's finest Skate BMX & Clothing shop') since it would mean revealing my shocking ignorance of anything to do with aforementioned sports, but again it's great that an empty shop unit is being used for a small, independent business that adds diversity and attracts more footfall to the high street.