Royal St Pancras

Posted on November 6, 2007 by William Perrin

St_pancras The Queen arrives this afternoon/evening to open St Pancras.  There is an excellent article on the BBC site here running through the recent history.  And reminding us how close the whole thing came to being demolished and the importance of campaigning for our local heritage.  It you haven’t had a look at the train shed yet it is truly remarkable – you don’t need a ticket – just walk up to the midland mainline platforms and look around.  not clear if the shops or anything will open until the 14th when the first commercial Eurostars run.  Will update.

Posted in Transport | Leave a comment

Autumn Watch King’s Cross

Posted on November 5, 2007 by Sophie Talbot

Autumn_colours BBC Autumn Oddie Watch is with us again… so let’s give them a run for their money and show what autumn brings to King’s Cross. This picture of an Amalanchier Canadensis tree – also known as a Service Berry – was taken last year by Jean James. The Amalanchier gives fantastic spring blossom, delicious berries for the wild birds in June/July and this glorious autumn spread of red, gold,and orange foliage. It’s a view from Gatti’s Wharf toward Battlebridge Court on the Battlebridge Basin behind Wharfdale Road.

If you have autumn images of King’s Cross that you’d like to put up on this site, do email them to autumnwatchkx@cookie.org.uk. Remember to give your name and as many details about your photo as possible.

Posted in Wildlife and Nature | 2 Comments

The police, you wait for ages then, a bit like buses…..

Posted on November 3, 2007 by William Perrin

Police_randells_webSome welcome police activity on York Way the other day – a large crowd of police was pulling vehicles with presumably no tax or other issues and impounding the cars.  I guess they were using automatic number plate recognition technology to scan the cars coming past, linked into the police national computer and the DVLA database. I also suspect that this sort of detection is good for the conviction rate as tax disc offences are pretty cut and dried.  Pulling over people with tax offences can lead to all sorts of other leads.  It is good to see so many police in the area (operating out of Randell’s Road) but it isn’t clear what this does for ultra local crime and ASB, given that York Way is largely a through route.  Will see if i can get a comment from the police.  Thanks to Cllr Paul Convery for spotting and snapping.

Posted in Anti Social Behaviour, Crime etc | Leave a comment

Copenhagen Play and Youth Partnership: Where do you find us :: ARRIVALS FESTIVAL 2007

Posted on November 2, 2007 by Stephan Schulte

Painting


Copenhagen Play and Youth Partnership

As part of the St Pancras International ARRIVALS festival 2007, you are invited to an exhibition by Copenhagen Play and Youth Partnership ArtFlat

Wednesday 14th November – Opening 6pm till 8pm
Press view from 2pm

CYP ArtFlat Window
334 Caledonian Road
London N1 1BD

Exhibition continues: Thursday 15th November to Friday 14th December 2007
Viewing times: 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday

For further information/appointments: Gill Calvert, Senior Manager on (07921) 467-208 or Exhibitions Coordinator on (07852) 284-538.

www.cyproject.org

www.arrivals2007.org.uk

Posted in Arts and Entertainment | Leave a comment

Local young people get own float in Lord Mayor’s show

Posted on November 2, 2007 by William Perrin

Walking_hoody_smlA great honour has been bestowed upon the brilliant Copenhagen Play and Youth Partnership – they have been given £10,000 for a float of their own in the Lord Mayor’s show.  Local young people from the estates are making a float with their artwork including some of their iconic ‘hoodie ‘images.   

It is absolutely fantastic that young people from some of Britain’s poorest areas in our neighbourhood are being featured in the highlight of the City’s year.  Art is a really important way of engaging young people in constructive community activity.  When the show is over the art will be on display at the gallery at 334 Caledonian Road – details below.  The CPYP always needs more help and support – if you would like to volunteer or donate some cash please contact Antonia at this email or call the number in the press notice attached below.  I have worked with CPYP for many years – they are by far our best hope of giving local young people and alternative to anti-social behaviour.

‘The float, designed by CYP, features striking “Hoodie” sculptures made by young people at the ArtFlat in defiance of the negative stereotype. The float’s centerpiece is a colourful crane made from recycled milk crates. Brightly painted images of local landmarks and the King’s Cross skyline, created by children at Crumbles Castle and young mentors at CYP surround it. Young dancers from the Copenhagen Youth Project will accompany the float, as well as children and parents from Crumbles Castle Adventure Playground.

‘The CPYP float symbolises the young people’s creativity and energy, while expressing their hopes for their neighbourhood and the local regeneration taking place around them.

‘The float is also a celebration of the Copenhagen Play & Youth Partnership (CPYP), which for seven years has enabled the local voluntary sector play and youth workers to fundraise for their projects, and cooperate with other local agencies in order to improve facilities for young people and to create a child-friendly neighbourhood.

After the Lord Mayor’s Show, the artwork created for the CPYP float will be  the centrepiece of an exhibition “Where do you find us”, on display in  the CYP’s  ArtFlat Window at  334 Caledonian Rd, London N1, as part of the St Pancras International Arrivals Festival.  For more information see http://www.arrivals2007.org.uk

The CYP’s exhibition opens 6pm- 8pm on Wed 14 November, Press view from 2 pm . The show continues Thursday 15 November – Friday 14 December 2007. Viewing times 10 am to 5 pm Monday- Friday.

Posted in Arts and Entertainment | Leave a comment

THE REST OF THE WORLD – opening night

Posted on November 1, 2007 by Stephan Schulte

Rotw_21 This in from Sophie: (She’s abit shy about promoting this, but I’m not.)

Hi all!  Well, it’s opening night tonight and this is my first substantial role in fringe theatre.  I play Maggie Marshall in a new play by Paul L. Martin entitled THE REST OF THE WORLD

The show runs every night (except Mondays) until 17 November at The Landor Theatre. Tickets £12/£10 concessions. Box office 020 7737 7276. Tube: Clapham North. (The Landor does lovely food too.)

If you can make it, it’d be lovely to see you.

Very best wishes,

Sophie Talbot
www.cookie.org.uk

Break a leg Sophie!

Posted in Arts and Entertainment | 1 Comment

Big Chill House in Kings Cross….’one of London’s most funkily urban landscapes’

Posted on October 31, 2007 by William Perrin

Big_chill_house Good review of the Big Chill House yesterday on Pentonville Road next to Thameslink

The London Paper says yesterday
‘The result is a place that’s about as London as you can get. And you can’t do better than that….there’s a basement lounge that’s all red and leathery with the world’s cosiest booths, more on the first floor and, upstairs at the back, a wide expanse of wood-lined roof terrace, which satisfies those in need of a fag and those who just want to soak up one of London’s most funkily urban landscapes.’

Fancy a Pint says:
‘Another taster of the future of King’s Cross…plenty of opportunities for louche behaviour in distinct areas such as the Lulworth Lounge, the Finlandia Cabin and the Enchanted Bar, Big Chill House will be there to fill your every need, be that art, music, fine wine or chip butties.’

Time Out says (a year ago)
‘Big Chill House is..club-like, with plenty of space to dance, a late licence, longer DJ sets, and proper screens for audiovisual projections…..The ground floor is an attractive space, high-ceilinged with a central bar and several areas with distinctly different feels, from nooks to chat in to a more café-like area with tables and chairs’

Posted in Food and Drink | Leave a comment

A classical concert date for your diaries

Posted on October 29, 2007 by Stephan Schulte

Flyers This notice just in from our neighbour Lisa Pontecorvo.

A concert date for your diaries. I hope you will want to support our local musicians playing in a KX listed church for the benefit of a local crossborough  Camden/Islingtongroup that campaigns around the  planning issues for KX and the Railway lands.  In aid of  KX Railway lands Group…

The Galliard Trio

Andrew Morris     flute and piccolo
Martin White       oboe and cor anglais
Alec Forshaw       piano and bassoon

The programme will feature music by Dvorak (‘Slavonic Dance’) , Saint-Saens (‘Carnival of the Animals’), Erik Satie (‘Gymnopedie’),  Malcolm Arnold and Albeniz (‘Cantos de Espana’).

The concert will take place at St Pancras Church, Euston Road (on the corner of Euston Rd and Southampton row) on Saturday 8th December 2007 at 7:00 pm

The Galliard Trio was formed twenty-six years ago. Its members are Andrew Morris (flute) , Martin White (oboe and cor anglais) and Alec Forshaw (piano and bassoon).

It gives concerts throughout the south of England for charities and good causes, such as the NSPCC, Cheshire Homes and The Churches Conservation Trust. The Trio has established a reputation for programmes of great variety.  Its repertoire is wide, partly because of the different combinations of instruments available and partly because of its arrangements of music from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This is its first concert in St Pancras church.

Tickets will be £10 and £5 concessions and are available from KX Railway Lands Group  c/o Housmans Book shop 5 Caledonian Rd N1 9DX or on the door.  Please make your cheques payable to KXRLG.

Posted in Arts and Entertainment | Leave a comment