The song is about the time Florence Welch got drunk and had a water fight outside, then inside, her Kennington home so it only seems fair to recall the time Florence got drunk and performed at South London Pacific. Long may Flo continue to get drunk and do interesting things in Kennington.
Her album is is released on June 1st. It’s called How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, which is almost certainly a reference to Ovalhouse Theatre’s banner:
The Boule-In, the new French vintage homewares boutique at the junction of Kennington Road and Windmill Row, will be a great success. Watch this space for more on this.
“The Boule-In Effect” will see further exciting boutiques opening up in central Kennington, joining Sally White, Kennington Bookshop and Windmill Flowers. Windmill Row will become the new Redchurch Street.
Lambeth Council will finally get their way and kill the Tree of Heaven behind Durning Library, which will help the Green Party in their surge across Lambeth (OK, not everyone agrees about the tree’s heavenly properties, but it’s called the Tree of Heaven – let it be, for heaven’s sake).
Property prices across Kennington will continue to outperform other parts of London. Despite this, no new estate agents will open in Kennington. Yet another estate agent will open on Kennington Road – Lauristons is coming soon – grrr.
2015 will see the return of Kennington’s own Florence Welch. She will be sampled by Rihanna and spotted in Sally White. Will she release a new album? Never mind that – the question on everyone’s lips is when will she start her guest column for Kennington Runoff?
Florence Welch at South London Pacific
Check back tomorrow evening for our predictions for North and East Kennington (formerly known as Elephant & Castle and Walworth).
We predicted that Sally White would provide mindfulness training for all staff – we are very touched to see they now have a book on their counter about mindfulness, although we have noticed occasional lapses in mindfulness towards closing time.
We predicted that Kernel Brewery would open their first pub in the site next to the Old Red Lion – watch this space for something even better for Kennington-based Kernel fans.
We predicted that Waitrose would expand in Kennington; they had their eyes on the site of the Kennington Post Office until that was saved from closure.
We predicted that The Imperial War Museum would reopen with catering from Ottolenghi. We should have said ‘The Imperial War Museum will briefly reopen then close again shortly afterwards for no apparent reason’. Fingers crossed they are just concluding negotiations with our man Yotam for their July relaunch.
We predicted that Russell Brand would perform at Always Be Comedy; it can only be a matter of time.
We predicted that Damien Hirst’s gallery would open in West Kennington – chop chop Damien.
We predicted that Dirty Burger would introduce a veggie burger. This happened! So for our next trick, we predict that Dirty Burger will introduce a veggie burger without mushrooms in BECAUSE MUSHROOMS ARE DISGUSTING, OK.
We predicted that Kevin Spacey would return to the Old Vic – and he will.
We predicted that Florence Welch would launch her guest column for Kennington Runoff by performing Addicted To Love at the Kennington Runoff pop up shop. That was a hint Flo. 300 words please on why you love Kennington to kenningtonrunoff@gmail.com. Deadline December 31st, else we’re giving your slot to Dot Allison.
Florence Welch with Sourberry at South London Pacific, warming up for her Kennington Runoff party performance
http://kenningtonrunoff.com/kennington-predictions-for-2014/
An exciting year for North West Kennington with the opening of Damien Hirst’s gallery and the new Buddhist centre in the Beaufoy Institute.
Sally White will dramatically expand their range of food, open in the evenings, and provide mindfulness training for all staff.
Kernel Brewery will open their first pub in the site next to the Old Red Lion.
Waitrose will take over Tesco’s Kennington “superstore”, The People’s Supermarket will take over Tesco on Kennington Park Road, The Super Store on Kennington Lane will take over Tesco on Kennington Road, and no new Tescos will open anywhere in Kennington.
Ace Hotel will open their second London hotel in the former Days Inn on Kennington Road.
The Imperial War Museum will reopen with catering from Ottolenghi.
Lambeth Palace will open to visitors all year round.
Russell Brand will perform at Always Be Comedy.
Dirty Burger will introduce a veggie burger.
The revitalisation of North Kennington will continue with the Elephant & Castle shopping centre being listed, a Curzon cinema replacing the bingo hall, and a bunch of exciting new bars and restaurants moving in on the Brixton Village model (thanks to Oliver Dee for the suggestions).
Florence Welch will launch her guest column for Kennington Runoff by performing Addicted To Love at the Kennington Runoff pop up shop.
The heroic Mr Kennington People On Bikes will be named London’s new Cycling Superczar. His first action in this new role will be to implement fully segregated cycle lanes (with a physical barrier between car and bike) along all Kennington’s main arteries, which then spread out to Hyde Park, the City and beyond. By summer 2014. If they can build a cable car across the Thames in less than a year, then this is but a moment’s work.
LASSCO will realise the decimal point has been in the wrong place all this time and will start selling their beautiful items for one hundredth of the price.
South London Pacific (geddit?) is a tiki bar in Kennington. Florence Welch is a Kennington resident and front woman of Florence & The Machine. She jumped on stage while house band Sourberry were warming up, and performed Daft Punk’s Get Lucky and Standing In The Way Of Control by The Gossip. Highlights include her downing a tequila shot then discarding the glass, and stage diving off at the end.
This is the stuff that Kennington Runoff dreams are made of, and we’re not making it up.