During the last year we’ve seen the revival of two much loved Norland landmarks. Julie’s Restaurant in Clarendon Cross may be best remembered for its famous clientele but it’s closure in 2023 was lamented by locals who’d loved its eccentric layout and familiar menu. In May, Julie’s reopened, with a new owner, local resident Tara MacBain, a splendid new interior and an all-day menu, with something for everyone. It’s great to see it open again, .
May also marked a new start for the Academy pub, closed since 2016. Plans are still at an early stage but the new owners – Orion Farmacy Holdings Ltd – held a small community event to share their vision for the old pub. A ground floor bar area is planned where patrons can just pop in for a drink. And above, there will be private dining rooms and an events area for meetings and celebrations. Farmacy is committed to healthy, sustainable food, all from their farms in Kent and Sussex. Opening is a year away but we can’t wait.
Our annual lecture, ‘Piggeries and Potteries’, was a fascinating insight presented by John Coen, into the industry that once characterised Avondale Park. The heavy clay there was perfect for the production of the bricks used to build many of our homes. From 1830 until 1920 this was one of the most depressed areas in London. Many households kept pigs to supplement their income from brick-making. The colony of pig keepers, brick makers and poor tradesmen thrived, but the residents had a reputation for being violent and Pottery Lane was nicknamed Cut Throat Lane! With little drainage or sanitation, the clay digs filled with sewage, offal and rubbish, including one huge fetid pool known as ‘The Ocean’. Dickens described the area as, “a plague spot scarcely equalled for its insalubrity by any other in London”. The one remaining kiln in Walmer Lane serves as a reminder to the area’s surprising past. Thankfully, things have long since changed!
Martin Ingell, Chairman