Category Archives: Lambeth North

Chocolate Dino Company

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Chocolate Dino Company is an independent bakery/sandwich joint/cocktail bar (whew) in Kennington Road. Owned by two local guys who live behind the place, we last visited Dino for a sweet treat during their embryonic opening days. Now that they’re established we’re revisiting for their savoury options….and of course to enjoy another giant cookie.

When entering their very stylish premises, what you initially encounter are voluminous offerings of croissants with various fillings, brownies, muffins, cookies, and things made to look vaguely healthy by the inclusion of a piece of fruit. But we were here for savoury fare, and Karen from Finance chose the bacon and egg bagel with cheese, which she excitedly chose to have toasted. It was presented with two omelette style eggs and the bacon was proper and crispy. The sauce was in a Dino manner properly inventive and involved sweet onion jam and Sriracha mayonnaise. 

Your scribe enjoyed a pastrami bagel with caramelised onion, pickles, and a mustard/mayo sauce. It was generously stuffed and kept us going through the endless stream of faxes received later in the day. These particular bagels might not be available when you visit, but they will doubtless have other offerings and the boys can talk you through the options. And as we have the discipline  of an unneutered cat, we of course had a white chocolate cookie with an strange looking yet delicious smear. Heated to perfection. 

We tried to upload images of our bagels but they rather looked like snaps from a prison canteen. Please enjoy these stock photos from their Insta feed.

Dino is an independent bakery/restaurant/bar and they’re throwing everything they can to exist in a very crowded and increasingly uncompetitive market. Their price point for baked goods (£5 for an eat in cookie) puts them very much at the ‘gourmet’ end of the market, but you can easily pop over for a coffee or something at the lower end of their price spectrum. And in a way a trip to Dino can be quite efficient, as where else can you knock out two sins by eating a cookie and drinking a glass of wine at the same time?

Chocolate Dino Company is open Thursday to Sunday. Check out their socials for the precise timings. 

The School of Historical Dress

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If you’ve never heard of the School of Historical Dress across from the Imperial War Museum then you’re in very good company. It’s very rarely open to the public but we were able to tour the building during London Open House weekend, and over the next few weeks they have a petite, pop up exhibit that will allow you to see a portion of it as well. 

The School is not for profit and operates as both a school and a resource for textile professionals to research how garments were made. They also publish books about the history, cut and construction of garments through the years and have a database of books (lots of them) and material/outfits accumulated over the years. We’ve also accumulated a huge amount of old outfits over the years, but this relates more to the fact that the management at the Runoff pay us in vapour and we can’t buy anything new. But we digress. 

Over the past few years the School has had small, one room exhibits dedicated to colour and until 13 October the exhibited colour is red. On display are vestments, undergarments, and small maquettes which at first we thought were dog outfits but are in fact studies for larger pieces. Included in this exhibit is Jude Law’s Henry VIII outfit which they created for the very current film Firebrand. If one of the volunteers is present they can detail how the fitting was undertaken and the research required to create the garment. 

The building that houses the School is as interesting as the edifice across the road from it. Built in 1841, it was originally the medical dispensary for the Royal Bethlem Psychiatric hospital (from where we get the name ‘Bedlam’), which is now the Imperial War Museum. Latterly it was utilised as a home for shell shocked men after WW1, a canteen for doctors, and until 2016 a residential facility for adolescents. Staff at the School are very proud of their digs, and on our tour proclaimed that the reason the building is a form of gray is that this is how all of the buildings of the time would have originally looked,  the ‘Dulux White’ colour of other homes in the terrace being a 20th century conceit. We have put this in the ‘who knew’ filing cabinet at Runoff towers.  

If you want to attend one of the periodic events held at the School, follow them on Instagram or join their mailing list at info@theschoolofhistoricaldress.org.uk. The little show is open Friday from 4pm to 8pm and Saturday/Sunday from 1pm to 5pm

On the Trail of William Blake

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Some of us are lucky enough to spend at least a portion of our week working from home. If you’re anything like us (and you are, trust us) you might be a bit fed up with the same circuitous lunchtime walk around Greater Kennington. Well the other week we were able to squeeze a little time between sending endless faxes and stapling, and we discovered a little surprise that that could be a stimulating lunchtime destination for you. If hanging out under railway arches is your thing. 

William Blake was a true Renaissance man of late 18th century London, and spent his most creative and expressive years (1790 – 1800) living in Hercules Road in Lambeth North. A visionary poet, printmaker and painter, Blake was undoubtedly a genius and is now considered a titan of poetry. But in his day he was misunderstood, ridiculed, and criticized as a menace to society. So a bit like the staff here at the Runoff. 

Of his many great visual works produced in Greater Kennington, the best known is probably ‘Newton’ (below), depicting Issac Newton with an outstretched hand holding a compass. This work was a favourite of Eduardo Paolozzi who immortalised it in bronze, and now sits mightily in the forecourt of the British Library. Some of Blake’s best known illustrations have been recreated in mosaic tiles and now decorate a railway arch that leads off of Hercules Road. Together they create the sort of urban derelict atmosphere that Blake himself was drawn to, and are well worth a lunchtime wander. 

Some of Blake’s most vivid poems of this time celebrate the rural idyll of what is now Lambeth North.  In his words from ‘Jerusalem’ “We builded Jerusalem as a City & a Temple; from Lambeth We begin our Foundations: lovely Lambeth”. However, by the end of the 18th century times were a changin’ and factories began to occupy the green and pristine land around Hercules Road. Blake took his fertile brain and never returned.  The great man’s spirit lives on in the William Blake Estate and in this suitably eerie picture of his home, which was pulled down in 1917. More info on the route here.

Chocolate Dino Company

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We recently paid a visit to newish cookie/brownie/sandwich/coffee (whew) shop Chocolate Dino Company at the top of Kennington Road to inspect their fares. Dino’s Is owned by local boys Rafal and Marcin who joined the baking bandwagon, as so many Greater Kenningtonians did, during lockdown in 2020 (we interviewed some of them during the great flour/toilet roll crisis of 2020). What started as a mail order cookie business (and still is) evolved into the fellas beginning to sell their wares at pop up food markets and places such as Winter Wonderland and outlets such as KERB. This evolved into a Kickstarter campaign which resulted in the current business.  

In addition to cookies and brownies, the Dino boys also sell cupcakes, brownies, baked goods, sandwiches, coffee and, wait for it, beer and cocktails. At first we thought this a rather barmy concept, and then started thinking that this might rather be a stroke of genius. After all, what could be better than tying all your sins together by cramming a handful of cookies down your gob and then washing them down with a double G&T? 

We indulged in a classic chocolate chip cookie. It was big, dense, and we could smell the butter from the first bite. It had the right amount of sweetness and the chips oozed out onto Kennington Road. We also saw orange brownies, mango cookies, and such unorthodox ingredients as basil and pepper. We chatted to the boys in our notoriously anonymous fashion, and they explained that they’ve have travelled the world to gain inspiration and like to think of their offerings as a synthesis of what they’ve learned. 

Chocolate Dino Company is at 36 Kennington Road, only a few doors down from Gail’s Bakery. As if you needed another reason to not go to Gail’s, now you have one. They’re still in soft launch phase, so check their socials for opening hours (currently Friday to Sunday). And if you still choose Gail’s just remember….we’re watching. 

Necropolis Railway

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From the archives, the fourth of our month of best history posts

If you’ve ever spotted this rather grand looking building at 121 Westminster Bridge Road you might have wondered what function it once served. For the first half of the 20th century, dear reader, this was the London Necropolis railway station and has been referred to as ‘the strangest and spookiest railway line in British history’.  

In the first half of the 19th  century London’s population surged from one million to almost 2 1/2 million. Churchyards were running out of space to bury the dead and something had to be done, so a plan was hatched by two enterprising men to purchase land near Woking for an enormous cemetery. The idea was that it was far enough away to prevent the bodies from posing a threat to public health, but close enough to let grieving relatives attend funerals without too much hassle. The icing on the cake being that a Waterloo to Woking line had just opened up. 

As you can imagine, people at Waterloo were none too keen on seeing corpses and mourners whizz by as they sat in their 19th century Starbucks, so a separate train station was built behind Waterloo in what is now Leake St. The building was specially designed for mourners and had private waiting rooms, restaurants, and first to third class services. One could depart with their recently departed in the morning, attend a weepy funeral midday, and be back by teatime.  Talk about Victorian multitasking.

The Original

By the end of the 19th century Waterloo station was expanding and  Necropolis station had to be moved. In 1902 the station found it’s present home and out of respect to the dearly departed the builders wanted to make it as attractive as a funeral director’s office, so few expenses were spared. The line was eventually shifting almost 2000 corpses a year until the line was damaged in WW2, and a decision was made to consign it to history, like the many souls it escorted. 

The railway service proved so popular that it even had it’s own rolling stock. However, the reason for this could actually be that if folks knew they had bought a ticket for a train used to carry dead people they could feel like they’d been, well, ‘stiffed’. 

And if you’re still curious, someone has even found enough time to write a book about our little railway to the other side.

Queens Jubilee at IWM

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The Queens Platinum Jubilee is getting nearer, and if your state of mind is along the lines of ‘well this is all very exciting but I can’t be bothered to leave Greater Kennington’ then we have something you might enjoy. The Imperial War Museum has just opened a compelling exhibit of the Queen in wartime and it is set out over three sections. 

The first gallery is a selection of 18 large format photographs outlining the Queen’s journey through conflict, from growing up in WW2 and more modern conflicts, to sticking decorative pins on people. The Royals in Wartime section is more of a dedicated route around the IWM exploring the Royal Family’s long connection to the armed services and the key role they’ve played in terms or morale and logistics over the years. The Royal Family in Wartime is the third exhibit and it features 53 photos outlining out the Royals commitment to the armed services over the decades, from directly serving in the army, to Elizabeth serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in spite of being told not to. Well done..

The exhibit has mostly been pulled together from the millions of items the IWN have in storage, and this is what they always do very well. This vast resource enables curators to carefully select items that even predate the Queen (if that’s even possible). 

‘The Queens Platinum Jubilee at IWM London’ is open from today until 9 June. Entry is free but nabbing a timed ticket is recommended. However, if you’ve forgotten to book, or you’re just lazy, turning up is usually fine as they haven’t checked our tickets recently. 

Lambeth Palace Library

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Located at the very pinnacle of the Runoff catchment area, you might not know about Lambeth Palace Library. You’re probably thinking ‘say WHAT, there’s a nine storey library in Greater Kennington’ and you can be forgiven for the oversight. The massive structure has been carved out of just 3% of the archbishop’s garden and lies next to Archbishop’s Park, although it’s easy to miss. The structure is a victory of understatement with ponds and tweedy looking brick crosses. This belies the gravity of a building created as a protector of manuscripts and designed as a fortress against the pesky factors that threaten them such as light, water, and Greater Kennoingtonians. However, it is also a museum with rotating exhibits and the current offering is the fascinating and free ‘From Popish Plot to Civil Rights: Themes in Religious Archives’.

The current pop up exhibition highlights a range of subjects covered by the Library’s diverse collections of religious archives. To mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee, items on display relate to her coronation in 1953. Other material relates to the Church and other denominations and faiths, with exhibits illustrating relations with Roman Catholicism, such as the anti-Catholic agitator Titus Oates. Items on Jewish history include Hebrew manuscripts. A further theme covers the Church and race, including material relating to the civil rights movement, and to the first British Black Bishop, Wilfred Wood.

The areas open to the public are very small, and in fact the current exhibit only extends to four glass cases on the first floor. But fear not, as there are fun interactive boards on the ground floor. Also,  with a bit of planning you can nab tickets on a free tour. Failing that, the reading room is available if you obtain a free pass in advance. And failing that, the Lambeth Palace website is a handy and interesting resource. We were particularly interested in learning more about the ‘London Apocalypse’ but saddened to learn that it does not, in fact, relate to Vauxhall at 6am of a Sunday when the nightclubs have just closed. 

X-Mas Fun in Greater Kennington

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We’re here to tell you about FOUR fun upcoming activities to get you feeling festive and optimistic. The first is the North Lambeth Christmas Fair tomorrow (4 December) from 12 to 6.  Set in the stunning grounds of Lambeth Palace, just the venue itself reason to go, as it is almost never open to common folk like us. We’ve never been to this fair, but the press release states that there will be a raffle and big prize draw. Also expect it to involve festive stalls, games, music, local people selling food and wares, and general revelry. While not exclusively, this event is largely geared towards making kids merry and active. So if you don’t have kids you might want to resort to the bar to keep you sane. And if you have kids you might want to resort to the bar to keep you sane. 

Over in Elephant they have a whole range of interesting and fun events taking place at the new, and slightly surreal, Elephant Park. Tomorrow what is being advertised as an ‘Instagrammable Grotto’ event is taking place, which to us sounds like it involves pics of photoshopped subterranean elves with lip implants but  as it also involves kids, hopefully not. There are also Caribbean steel drummers to keep you happy and the lovely independent shops from the now extinct shopping centre for spontaneous gift ideas. A lot more is going on this month if you glance at the website. 

And if all is merriment wasn’t enough, the artistic commune over at Pullen’s Yards in Walworth will be having a studio Open Day all weekend and a good chance to see what they get up to in their studios and perhaps even pick up a unique and quirky gift, like a fork fashioned into a tiara. Perfect fo r a loved or just for us. It is totally free and fascinating. And our mate at the very local Orbit Beers will be there!

And finally, on Wednesday Nine Elms Arts Ministry launched the first window of its giant Advent Calendar. Local artists, schools and community groups have worked together to create 24 Advent windows with support from Wandsworth Council and other sponsors. Sadly, when one of the boxes open it doesn’t reveal a giant Santa that you can bite the arm off of, but instead are highly decorated windows that reveal lovely, local made things one day at a time. The trek starts in Nine Elms and takes you out of Greater Kennington and into Battersea, so you’ve been warned. The route and all you need to know can be found here.

Lambeth Palace Library

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Located at the very pinnacle of the Runoff catchment area, today finally witnessed the opening of  Lambeth Palace Library. Now you might be thinking ‘say WHAT, a nine storey library has just opened in Greater Kennington’ and you can be forgiven for the oversight. The massive structure has been carved out of just 3% of the archbishop’s garden and lies next to Archbishop’s Park, although it’s easy to miss. The structure is a victory of understatement with ponds and tweedy looking brick crosses. This belies the gravity of a building created as a protector of manuscripts and designed as a fortress against the pesky factors that threaten them such as light, water, and humans. However, it is also a museum so today we checked it out for you. As The Guardian did nearing completion last year.

Treasures of the Library 1 is a petite, pop up exhibition in vitrines on the first floor and includes an early Gutenberg bible, brilliantly illuminated manuscripts, a letter about the madness of King George, a bible used at the Queen’s coronation, and something called the ‘Lambeth Apocalypse’. Which, as it turns out, does not refer to Sunday mornings outside of nightclubs in Vauxhall.  The interactive displays on the ground floor are very fun and give you a chance to explore the archive in more detail, as does their website. 

This is a small exhibit but one that will expand in the new year. The variety of displays is endless, so something for that pocket diary that we’re always nagging you about. It is open rather inconveniently Monday to Friday 9 to 5. But it’s free, so there you go. The reading room is also available if you have a pass and require more research. Or if you are even more nosey than we are. 

Refugees and Al Weiwei at the Imperial War Museum

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Last week we visited our very own Imperial War Museum to see the extremely evocative and until recently long closed exhibit ‘Refugees: Forced to Flee’ and its related exhibit ‘A History of Bombs’. The latter was created by Chinese conceptual artist and dissident Al Weiwei, who himself was forced to flee China. A History of Bombs is a site specific illustration of the power of bombs and their impact on human lives. On the floor in the main gallery are illustrations and descriptions of bombs so small they can fit in your hand, and others so life shatteringly huge the snake up a staircase. It is a moving reminder of how the human race built up a mind boggling arsenal in the 20th century just to obliterate ourselves. The parallel between bombs and something else that has obliterated ourselves over the past 18 months can’t be overlooked. 

The brutal reality of bombs is one reason why people become refugees in the first place, and the intriguing Refugees exhibition delves into different global conflicts such as the German invasion of Belgium during WW1, ethnic cleansing during the Bosnian War and the treacherous Mediterranean crossings of the present day. The exhibit begins by the societies that people departed from and often the brutal choices involved in leaving your culture behind for a place of safety where you may or may not be welcomed. 

The main section of this exhibit is dedicated to the journey that refugees take, both physically and mentally, and efforts of organisations like UNHCR which are there to help them. This includes camps where people set up a vibrant temporary community in a sometimes harsh and unforgiving surrounding. The final section explores the somewhat ambivalent attitudes of countries who accept refugees, and their efforts to help them assimilate and to preserve their culture. 

Included in the exhibit is a 360 degree immersive film installation created by CNN depicting life in a refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece. 

While this exhibit might not be the most cheery way to spend a Bank Holiday, it certainly gets the grey matter jiggling after 16 months of watching ‘Homes Under the Hammer’. And it is open all next week during half term. Both shows are free but you must book in advance. Refugees runs until 13 June so get crackin’.