About us

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Sophie Talbot

We’ve just given the About section of this site a quick wash and brush up. It now includes a full list of authors, links to all our social network presences and our latest statistics. Hope you like it.

About us

What is this site for?
The site is written by and for people who live, work or study in Kings Cross. We think it’s London’s most fascinating neighbourhood. It is about efforts by the local community to keep the streets of Kings Cross in London clean and liveable. We act as a community bulletin board as well as an online news and campaigning service. This site only shows the tip of the iceberg of a huge range of activism and volunteering in Kings Cross.

Who writes it?
There is a small team of volunteers who write for the site, currently:

In addition a big pool of readers and supporters provide us with local information of all kinds. We go on holiday, have lives and stuff so it isn’t a 365×24 process.

Where does your material come from?
We mainly write original material sourced from the streets, from readers emailing us or from news that we have picked up from various outlets.  We research our material throughly before publishing and include relevant links to source material wherever possible.

What area do you cover?
King’s Cross is at the junction of two boroughs – Camden and Islington. The railway stations are in Camden, but people who identify as living in King’s Cross reside in both boroughs – in a roughly half-mile radius, or north and south of the Euston Road, and this is the area we cover. (A helpful map of the area has been produced by local charity King’s Cross Community Projects.)

What are your politics?
We work with whoever is committed to helping us. All four main parties have acknowledged the work of the community around this site. We don’t allow comments on party politics and our readers tell us they like it that way.

There is an active tussle between the Liberal Democrats and Labour in the area. The Islington South MP Emily Thornberry is Labour. The Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson is Labour.

How many people read the stuff on this site?
An average of about 500 people read content from this site every day. On our busiest day, 25 July 2012, we had 3,403 unique hits. Readership is split between unique visitors and email subscribers using the excellent Feedburner service, click here to subscribe.

There are over 1,200 articles on the site and about the same amount of comments. The general comparison we make is with community newsletters shoved under doors – a website like this is far cheaper (indeed nearly free) and much quicker. There is no way we could reach this many people with a newsletter. Community email lists are very popular but don’t act as a public knowledge store as this site does.

All posts are automatically fed to our Facebook page where we have 5,400 followers at the most recent count and are generally tweeted to our account where we have nearly 750 followers.

How do you handle comments?
We encourage healthy dialogue and debate. We are realistic about the fact that many open comment sites are ruined by ranters or flamers. This site was never intended to be a blog as such, it just uses blogging software. So comments are moderated before approval. Well over 95 per cent of comments are approved. We do approve comments that disagree with the overall tone of the site or the specifics of a particular post, but we don’t approve comments from ranters or flamers.

How do I set up a site like this?
The site uses the wordpress.com blogging service at a cost of about £100 a year (the cost of a few evenings out drinking or a few football tickets). If you can use, say Yahoo or Google webmail, you can set up and run a site like this. The technology is the easy bit – the content is much more important. Focus on that first and add techno bells and whistles later. If you want to set up a hyperlocal site for your area checkout talkaboutlocal.com.

Where do the videos come from?
We make our own using a mobile phone or cheap camcorder and edit them on a laptop. The video is embedded into the site from YouTube. We also embed other videos that we find on YouTube about Kings Cross. There’s also a prototype online video channel about Kings Cross that we occasionally update.

What else is there on the web about Kings Cross?
This site is related to the Kings Cross Facebook page,  KingsCrossTV and the @kingscrossuk Twitter account. Other notable sites are currently:

King’s Cross Voices (oral history archive)

History of King’s Cross to 2004 (pdf file)

King’s Cross Railway Lands Group (a network of groups and individuals with many years experience of campaigning on local planning issues)

King’s Cross Development Forum (for those interested in planning issues related to King’s Cross Central, N1C)

King’s Cross Community Projects (for those involved in local community groups with an interest in public art, the environment and public amenities)

King’s Cross Neighbourhood Forum (for those interested in shaping the area)

King’s Cross on wikipedia

King’s Cross Station

King’s Cross Central – N1C

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The Upstairs Room

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Sophie Talbot

Theatre review

At the King’s Head, Upper Street until 8th December

 It’s a huge risk putting on a challenging production – new writing, no pandering, paired down, full of questions, ambiguities, requiring a great deal from your audience and a vast amount from your actors. Dirk Bogarde famously wanted film to disturb, educate and illuminate and above all to make him laugh.  Fringe theatre at its best does exactly that. The Upstairs Room is well on the way.

It’s not a comfortable tale. Who are these people? Why are they here? What is this room? What’s going on outside? Played beautifully by Anthony Cozens, Gordon invites us to explore the turmoil he’s experiencing. He does it deliciously cynically, he does it with great pathos and he definitely makes us laugh out loud. Finally he holds that mirror up to us in that powerful way that intimate theatre does best – we know, we share shockingly exactly what’s happening and why.

Iris (Lucy Wray) his young guide is a revelation in so many ways. This is an actor who gently leads us in… So vulnerable to begin with yet she packs a huge characterful punch. Initially she seems almost invisible, later I couldn’t take my eyes of her.

Both Liza Callinicos and Brett Jones give very strong performances, bringing body, life, colour and chilling mystery to the piece. It can be very annoying that Liza’s character Stella tends to be sitting so far from Gordon – let it annoy you. It does more than annoy Gordon…

The set could maybe do with a bit of attention – it looks a little too much like a fair amount of resource has gone to make it look like the back of an empty theatre. But that’s a small niggle. The other technical aspects are great – loved the lighting and the additional storytelling.

Go see this for the actors – they will give you a lifetime in an hour and twenty minutes. The Upstairs Room is a quality piece, one I fully intend to see a second time.

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Protest planned for the 25th anniversary of the King’s Cross fire

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Clare Hill

Creative Commons/Christopher NewberryThis Sunday, 18 November will mark 25 years since a ferocious fire swept up the Piccadilly line escalator at King’s Cross underground station during evening rush hour, killing 31 people in the ticket hall.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union has announced it will be commemorating the victims and highlighting safety concerns by demonstrating outside the station at 11am on the day.

RMT secretary, Bob Crow, said in a statement that the demonstration was partly in response to a confidential London Underground document seen by the union last year which indicates proposals to “impose an unattended network including automated trains and would necessitate the ripping up of the safety regulations, including minimum staffing levels, which came about in response to the tragedy.”

A public inquiry (download the Fennell report) following the King’s Cross fire criticised London Underground for its complacent approach to fire safety. Smoking in the tube itself was only banned in 1984 after the Oxford Circus fire, but not on the escalators nor ticket halls. The King’s Cross tragedy led to a ban on smoking in all areas the network, five days later. And the Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) Regulations 1989 was also enacted.

But some of the report’s recommendations were still not in place some 20 years after the fire, and an emergency services radio network that works above and below ground only seems to have been finally rolled out three years ago.

In October last year the union revealed a confidential London Underground report discussing the prospects of measures such as closing all but 30 ticket offices, putting station managers in charge of several stations at once and cutting 1,500 jobs in all. Some changes carried a timetable of 2016.

London Underground’s response was reported as: “This discussion paper was prepared purely to stimulate fresh thinking within London Underground. It has not been adopted by LU senior management, the TfL board or the mayor and so does not represent agreed proposals for change.”

The leaked paper is available to view here on the union’s website.

There is a public memory box for the fire on Friends Reunited.

Posted in Community Health and Welfare, Kings Cross local history, Kings Cross Station Refurbishment, Transport, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How our community can directly support education for girls & boys in Afghanistan

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Sophie Talbot

‘Khaled Hosseini wrote in the Kite Runner that:

“There are many children in Afghanistan but not many with a childhood”

‘We hope that the kindness of those making donations to POP UP 38 will help bring about a dramatic change in the lives of these Afghan children.’ Says locally based Naomi Harper.

POP UP 38 is an exciting new charity shop on Caledonian Road selling designer and vintage clothing, shoes and art. All proceeds  support Kabul’s Lapis Lazuli School (registered charity 1143632) bringing full time education to girls and boys in Afghanistan, a country with one of the worst literacy and attendance records in the world. 

The charity’s name comes from the dazzling blue stone which is mined exclusively in Afghanistan.

Lapis lazuli specimen, Afghanistan

‘To Afghans, the Lapis Lazuli represents beauty and truth,’ explains Naomi Harper, Director of Lapis Lazuli Schools. ‘In the same way, we see the precious Hazara children as raw material ready to be fashioned into something wonderful, with the help of a proper education. ’ 

Lapiz Lazuli school has just had its official opening near Kabul. The school currently caters for 300 children aged 5 to 15, with an extra classroom added each year to accommodate them as they grow older. LLS intends to provide schooling eventually right through to A-level.

Alongside the Afghan Curriculum, it offers Cambridge IGCEs in Science and English and has already won prizes nationally in these subjects. The building there is not yet finished and POP UP 38 hopes to raise enough funds to heat at least 12 classrooms and to set up a science lab, as well as to complete the construction of the main school building with the addition of a second floor and a proper roof (to replace the current mud-made version). The charity depends entirely on donations and POP UP 38 will give 100% of its profits to LLS. All of its staff are volunteers.

ONE-OFF ITEMS 

POP UP 38 will sell samples and stock from an exciting selection of designers, all of whom are donating 30% of their income to the charity. POP UP 38’s team all have a background in fashion design or fashion retailing and have edited a unique range of vintage clothing, shoes, vinyls and other artefacts for sale, including items designed by students at the nearby Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design. As its name suggests, POP UP 38 is at 38 Caledonian Road between Addis and Aflorum. It will remain open until February 2013.

You can also make donations directly to the school here.

popupshop38@gmail.com

http://lapisschools.wordpress.com 

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Cally People doing it for themselves…

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Sophie Talbot

Phyllis Broadbent, Pearly Queen of Islington

Saturday 17th November our brand new street market The Cally Market opens!!!!

The good folk in and around Caledonian Road have joined forces to create a new and exciting shopping hub which is hoped to bring a wider choice of goods while complementing the already eclectic mix of established businesses.

Along the Caledonian Road, on Saturday the 17th November 2012 you will find an exciting new street market, ‘The Cally Market’, situated on the wide pavement in front of the shops just left of Caledonian & Barnsbury station.

The exciting little street market has come about by the local people pulling together to create a market that works alongside local shop-keepers: where the original chat began for a street market to try and encourage local people to stop and take a fresh look at the many independent business they have around them. News quickly spread to local residents who were hungry for locally produced and grown foods with a good sprinkle of arts and crafts, designer/maker and little bit of vintage too! Both residents groups and shop-keepers from all sides of the street have worked with Team Cally and Islington Council to gain the necessary support to make this happen. Louise Brewood of Broadway and Exmouth market fame was brought in as Market Operator for her ability to work with all areas of the community to insure the market meets their needs, while meeting the council’s guidelines, but more importantly getting the balance for local shopper’s right.

Janine Dorling, local resident and chair of the local Traders group, has been moved by the depth of positive support and demand for a modern street market. She has been conducting surveys and polls to get local opinion and has been overwhelmed by the proactive response for a rich mix of stalls: which she says “We are all working to try and meet”.

Initially the market will open with an eclectic mix of 20/25 stalls. As it’s the season to be jolly there will be an excellent selection of designer markets, arts and crafts and a little retro and vintage, making it a perfect destination for those special Christmas gifts and indulgence’s – very much earned after a hard days shopping.

The bulk of the stalls will lay out a good variety of fresh produce and specialist goods, from the likes of:

Louise Brewood ‘Channel Fish’ bring along a wide variety of fresh fish depending on what they have caught just of the Brighton coastline.

‘Artisan Bakers’ Klaus Kuhnke, this well established expert baker brings an excellent variety of baked breads and goods.

‘Perry Court Farm’ who currently grow 150 varieties of apples and pears alongside a huge range of seasonal vegetable and salad crops.

‘The Deli Cupboard’ with a wide range of chutneys, pickles, German sausages and much more.

‘Priors Hall Farm’ with an excellent range of farm reared meats of fully traceable feed supply, with traditional recipes and methods use on site for curing, smoking and preparing hand-made products.

The official opening will take place on the market, Saturday the 17th November 2012 at 12.30, with a welcome speech from Cllr Paul Convery –whose support has made this dream a reality. Phyllis Broadbent – Islington’s very own Pearly Queen, will be performing the ribbon cutting followed by a good old fashion knees-up and Market Hamper charity raffle, which can be bought at The Bemerton Community Stall. The 1st of December sees the switching on of the Cally Christmas lights with lots of local Carol Singers, hot spiced apple, mince pies and mulled wine.

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KX green sculpture is born…

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Sophie Talbot

We opened the workshop door to be faced with an entire pod of the sculpture. To say we were over-excited is an understatement!

Three members of our community got together with an idea seven years ago. It was mad, it was impossible. It’s currently being built in a workshop in Essex!

It’s a way of greening a wall using deep and drought resistant planting to maximise sustainability whilst minimising maintenance.

The wall is an unloved empty corner that hits you in the face as you walk or drive from west to east along Wharfdale Road – on the northern section of the King’s Cross traffic gyratory system – a glorified massive roundabout for the A501 ring road. It will sit in front of Places for People’s Battlebridge Court block and adjacent to Complete Offices’ Lighterman House, both of whom are project partners.

It’s a stand-alone ten meter high sculpture designed by locally based Royal College of Art graduate Neil Ayling. It will be his first major publicly sited piece.

Sophie Talbot and John Ashwell (two of the original three – Mike Jackson was away in Lancashire at the time :() visited the workshop on Friday and took hundreds of photos of the sculpture. They’ve put the best up in a slideshow together with shows about how the design was born, the planting scheme and the functions of the sculpture (irrigation, trellis, maintenance and wildlife habitat). They were accompanied on the visit by sculptor Neil Ayling and pro-bono project manager Ed Miller of E C Harris.

Neil is also designing a mini sculpture in the form of a bollard that will protect the larger piece. The bollard will list all the supporters and funders of the project and there’s still time to get your name etched on it forever by making a donation to King’s Cross Community Projects!

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Launch party for the Neighbourhood Forum

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Clare Hill

The Neighbourhood Forum for King’s Cross invites the local community to its launch event on Saturday 10 November at the muesli factory, Alara, in Camley Street. It runs from 2-6pm and there will be entertainment and refreshments.

It was always going to be a tough task forming a local decision-making group, especially in a neighbourhood as complex as ours, with a diverse range of issues and interest groups.  The forum has been slowly but surely taking shape over the past few months, with a group of dedicated local volunteers meeting regularly to thrash out the group’s remit, borders and even the name.

So, what’s the forum’s plan for King’s Cross? How can the Localism Act and the powers given to these forums be harnessed to improve KX?  Come along and find out.

If you can’t make it to the Saturday event, there’s also a get-together the following Wednesday evening – see the flyer for further details.

In the meantime, here’s the forum’s mission statement:

London King’s Cross is a unique and distinctive part of Central London. The King’s Cross Neighbourhood Forum aims to enhance planning to ensure that King’s Cross continues to be an attractive, liveable and sustainable place around its thriving transport hubs.

King’s Cross is rich in history, heritage and architecture, with creative and diverse cultures and changing urban landscapes  around its thriving transport interchanges.

People living, working and studying in King’s Cross have improved powers under the Localism Act 2011. These allow us a stronger role in planning the future of our neighbourhood, collaborating with, informing and guiding the London Boroughs of Camden and Islington, the transport authorities and the Mayor of London.

The group’s aims include:

  • Having a permeable and legible town centre appropriate both for local people and visitors
  • Sustainable development of the built environment with high-quality architecture and street scenes
  • Care for the natural environment and the built environment’s heritage
  • A fair mix of pleasant residential areas and thriving business districts
  • Economic vitality, with attractive, diverse and convenient local shopping and work opportunities
  • Open and green spaces, focusing on health living and biodiversity
  • Accessible and adequate community and health facilities
  • The development of small and large businesses, including evening entertainment
  • Convenient public transport and proper provision for walking and cycling

King’s Cross has over 20,000 local residents and thousands of daily visitors proud to be able to live, work or study in such a vibrant area. The Neighbourhood Forum aims to enhance local engagement with the planning process in order that King’s Cross can continue to be an attractive, liveable and sustainable place. Join us to make your voice heard.

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Poorly paid cleaners protest at KX Station

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Sophie Talbot

If you are wondering what the protest outside the station is about today, then wonder no more. ISS, a company that provides a range of services including corporate cleaning, pays it’s staff minimum wage. This is currently £6.19 per hour. The current lowest living wage for Londoners is £8.30 per hour. The cleaners protesting outside King’s Cross station today are being paid minimum wage – a situation they share with many thousands of workers across the capital.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London has said, “Paying the London Living Wage is not only morally right, but makes good business sense too.”

For some cleaners at King’s Cross this low pay scandal has gone on for 11 years as no wage rises, aside from the few pence increase in the Government’s minimum wage, has been paid to them in that time. Additionally ISS does not issue it’s East Coast rail cleaners with employment contracts – a common problem for cleaning staff. Yet ISS is one of the biggest facilities companies in the world with a turnover in the billions of pounds.

If you would like to support the ISS cleaners and the principle of a living wage, make sure your employer, or your company if you are an employer, is registered with the Living Wage Foundation.

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