Category Archives: Vauxhall

The Railings That Saved Lives

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If you’re the observant or, in our case, intrusive sort you’ve probably noticed some unconventional appearing railings outside some estates in Greater Kennington. These didn’t start their life as estate railings, but rather as devices to save people’s lives. 

Our little railings atop an emergency vehicle

At the beginning of World War 2 London was stripped of many of its railings in order to be melted down for use as armaments. Whether they were actually used for this purpose or just an elaborate morale boosting PR stunt remains a point of debate. Ironically, the iron railings were removed at the same time as 600,000 iron stretchers were being mass produced in order to ferry away casualties from bombsites. Fortunately not nearly that many were ever needed or would be in future, so London had a whole lot of beds on her hands…. 

The WW2 stretchers produced during the war were cast iron and couldn’t be melted down into anything more practical afterwards, so in a rationed post war Britain someone devised the clever idea of sticking the stretchers on their sides, welding them together, and repurposing them for use as railings outside of public buildings. In this very early version of upcycling, they were reborn as fencing and exist to this day. Today our railings attract interest from around the world but sadly, like most of the staff here at the Runoff, are not being cared for properly and are in a sorry state of repair. 

  • Kennings Way, Kennington
  • Alverstone House, Oval

Stretcher railings are a very unique part of London’s quirky street furniture and we are fortunate to possess the lion’s share right here in our anointed patch. So next time you get a pesky little idea about going to the West End for a bit of culture, just pop over to your nearest estate. There is even a stretcher railing society for those of you who have a fence fetish. But if you do join, we suggest that you keep that one to yourself. 

Harleyford Road, Vauxhall

Sausanna and Nine Elms Laundry

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Next time you pop over to the big Sainsburys at the top of Wandsworth Road in Vauxhall, look across the street and beyond the soulless high rises that surround you. If you were in that spot 150 years ago you would have been met by raucous female ex convicts and the smell of starch and soap. This is all due to an extraordinary enterprise by a campaigner named Sarah Meredith, and we’re about to tell you what she did. 

When forced deportation of prisoners to Australia was outlawed in 1857, the government had to decide how to reintegrate people who had served their time. Work for men was plentiful in places such as factories, but a unique dilemma was posed for females. People didn’t want them working in their homes for reasons of trust, and Susanna was aware of this. She started Nine Elms Laundry in a disused and shabby Victorian building with a goal of giving jobs exclusively to women who were trying to piece their lives back together. 

Some women lived at the laundry and others commuted to their daily 10 hour shift. The rules of the laundry were prominently displayed but not enforced punitively. These included no alcohol or money on site, and the expectation that they would not leave the premises without permission. Women who served a subsequent sentence were not judged and welcomed back into the fold after they’d served their time. Women from all denominations were accepted, which was unusual at the time. 

The laundry was arranged as a self financing enterprise with mostly middle class patrons. Such was the success of the business that Sarah was able to offer to clean the clothes of poor people in Vauxhall at a discounted rate. This was crucial at a time in which your appearance alone could determine whether you could put food on the table. Susanna was also able to off free laundry services to people living with infectious diseases. 

Records show that Susanna and her sister were living in South Lambeth Road at the time so were close enough to keep an eye on the shop and give a little extra support to the vulnerable women in her employ. We all need a Susanna Meredith in out lives now and again, and we hope there are more folks out there like her. 

Thank you to the good people over at Vauxhall History who wrote most of this article. They are a great place to explore.

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Ginger Provisions

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By @milestothegallon

Today we hand over our exceedingly slippy reins to guest editor and noted vegan Miles. Miles is apparently another of our work experience staff here at the Runoff who must be lost in our labyrinthine complex beneath Kennington Cross as we’ve never met him in the flesh. We appreciate his erudite review, below, and hope he’s found his way out.  

So following their remodelling of the Zeitgeist  and the creation of sandwich bar Simply Bread, the team at the Jolly Gardeners have bought what was Millar’s General Store… and rebranded it ‘Ginger Provisions’ – maybe another sly fanboy wave at titian lovely Mick Hucknall? Or maybe not. 

Either way, I was finally allowed on my first mission out of Runoff Towers, having spent the first six months of my placement in the ‘reprographics suite’ – or the photocopier on the fourth floor. 

To my and a lot of my neighbours shame, we had kind of thought that Millar’s General Store had given up the ghost during the lockdown, as we huddled outside the various Sainsbury’s Local, and Tesco Express, waiting for Ocado to start delivering again. 

As it happens, Millars thrived across this period (they told me), but as the labour of love of one chap (presumably Mr Millar), when the Jollys came a-knocking , he was interested in selling. This wasn’t before he had introduced an Ecover refill station, sourced a delicious bread supplier in Tottenham (which I guess counts as local these days) and maintained the best stock of fresh veg this side of New Covent Garden Market. 

Millars was also the purveyor of an excellent range of vegan foods –  with real thought into what was available, from ready meals, to vegan cheese, to basics like yeast flakes and vegan fish oil. Along with a wine section and regular cheeses, Millar’s packed a huge variety into a tiny space, and was very reasonably priced – especially when you realise that most of fruit and vegetables was organic. 

So how is Ginger Provisions any different? Well since the sale was announced, the stock of Millers was being run down – as a weekly visitor, I would see things that I had bought not being replaced.  Following the reopening, the old shop has been moved forty five degrees counter clockwise, so that the counter is now at the back, bread on the other side of the window.

This has allowed them to squeeze in another fridge, which is going to be used to sell ready meals made by the kitchens of the Jolly Gardeners. There was only one available when I popped by, which was roasted vegetables and giant couscous. That was delicious, but being the rookie reporter that I am I forgot to take a photograph, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. 

Other than this and the big ‘EasyJet’ coloured sign outside, there wasn’t much else changed, certainly in the case of stock. The shop rearrange has made the space more negotiable and make more sense, but there didn’t seem to be anything else new bought in – they promised me that they would be continuing a ‘full vegan range’. The refill station had been dumped behind a display unit, and I was just able to refill my multi-surface cleaner bottle.

The Mavericks of Bonnington Square

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Bonnington Square is a tiny, verdant and abundant community in the middle of Vauxhall and has a fascinating history. It’s easy to miss, and if you’re not familiar with the place now is the time to get your little springtime legs in motion and explore. 

Bonnington Square was laid out in the 1870’s to house railway workers. As workers preferred a pension to a home, the community evolved into a typical working classes enclave of families until the late 1970’s when the Greater London Council made a compulsory order of the now run down neighbourhood in order to build a school. The sole holdout was a Turkish shopkeeper, who through legal means was able to halt the demolition until GLC gave up in the 1980’s. In the meantime squatters moved into the empty flats and gave the place life again. Amazingly, the squatters established a wholefoods shop, a vegetarian café, and even a garden (more on that later). Through a bitter fight they were able later to negotiate leases with the ILEA.

The Bonnington Square we see today is a botanical oasis hidden in the midst of Vauxhall and the place maintains its maverick spirit, with busses and annoying Uber Eats drivers giving way to palm trees, flowers, and vines. This is the result of a concerted effort in the 1990’s for Bonnington Square residents to again assert their uniqueness by making their little patch of terra firma stand out from the rest. The result is more of an urban park than inner city neighbourhood. 

The central communal area, open to all, is called the Pleasure Garden and is planted as a semi tropical garden with a number of unusual features including a nine metre waterwheel. The Bonnington Sq. residents association purchased the derelict garden after Lambeth Council forgot (coughs) they owned it. Harleyford Road Community Garden is another quiet and almost deserted place to read, relax and generally chill. Please ignore the fact that its upkeep is ironically maintained by notoriously unquiet nightclub ‘Fire’. 

Below is a video of Bonnington Square and the history of the people who squatted there. The soundtrack sounds a bit like an adult film but if you can tune that out its very interesting. The cafe is sadly gone.



 

Ten Best Places to Eat in Greater Kennington

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+ One Sunday Roast

#6 Daebak

Since opening a few years ago Daebak in Vauxhall has been delivering consistent and hearty Korean fare in a very cool street Seoul setting. Word has now spread and it’s more popular than ever, with so many Korean patrons that you’d think a minor member of BTS was inside.   The folks are  probably enticed by their Korean down home treats such as kimchi pancakes and…wait for it….. potato chips with cream cheese powder, best consumed with the Korean beer Cass. 

For our meal the three of us ordered soy garlic Korean Fried Chicken (or KFC, a speciality, above), spicy bibimbap,  Katsu curry, crispy tofu, and gyoza. Let me tell you, reader, we were rolling out of there by the end of it. We could have easily dropped one of the main courses as they were huge. We highly recommend the various kinds of fried chicken on order (crunchy, subtle) and the Bibimbap is delicious and comes with two veg. options. I would also experiment with a starter like octopus balls. Overall it is great food, and pretty kind on the pocket. 

Daebak is small and charming, but if you are going on a weekend it might be a good idea to book, as last time we couldn’t get in we had to go across the street to ‘Jihwaja’ which was the opposite of charming. Well, unless your idea of charm involves hen do’s, stale kimchee and blaring K-Pop. And if it does then this blog might not be for you…..

Pros – It has wide open doors overlooking Vauxhall

Cons – It has wide open doors overlooking Vauxhall

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Ten Best Places to Eat in Greater Kennington

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+ One Sunday Roast

#8 The Jolly Gardeners

The number eight spot goes to the only pub in our countdown, The Jolly Gardeners in Vauxhall. The Gardeners sprang to life in 2021 and now occupies the same kitchens formerly used by a German themed pub, which we once correctly described as ‘food best enjoyed when you’re not entirely sober’. But fear not, the Gardeners boys and their sustainable and well sourced kitchen know what they’re doing. And it’s 50% vegan. 

The menu at the Gardeners changes periodically, but at the time of writing (March 2023) we’ve enjoyed a cauliflower wings (a bit of a staple), lightly grilled leek with almonds, and the breaded cod filet swimming in spinach cream sauce with kale. The format in this huge pub is that it is 50% is set out as a dining room with the other half as a pub, but food can be consumed in both. The pub also features an outside dining/drinking area that rather reminds us of a ski lodge or sauna. 

While it might have missed out on the top spot in terms of Sunday roasts, we can definitely recommend the Gardener roasts. As the food keeps coming it almost has an ‘all you can eat’ element to it. In the past we’ve enjoyed the silverside beef and Dorset lamb. Also keep your eagle eye out for their spicy peri peri fries and mustard green salad. On the drinks front, they work hard to source from local breweries such as Coalition or even closer ones from Brixton. 

The Gardeners guys also operate a zippy little sandwich place two doors down called Simply Bread. When asked if one of the sandwich makers is none other than Mick Hucknall himself, the 20 something employee replied with a perplexed stare. 

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Brunswick House, the great survivor of Vauxhall

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From the archives, the fifth edition of our month of best history posts

Beyond the soon to be demolished Vauxhall bus station and nestled in the midst of the behemoth known as St. George Wharf lies a beautiful Georgian building that has survived encounters with oblivion, in an area that has become unrecognisable in recent years. 

Brunswick House dates from the mid 17th century but was rebuilt in 1758. The back of the house had sweeping views to the Thames and the front overlooked the then booming Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens and market gardens of Oval. Just 32 years after being rebuilt the house suffered the ignominy  of being split into to, and would never be a single home again.  

The destiny of Brunswick House, and indeed Vauxhall, was profoundly affected by the arrival of the railways in the 1840’s in ways both good and bad. The railway was the final nail in the coffin for Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, and poor Brunswick House had its access to the river permanently cut off by a railway goods yard. In the 1850’s the house ended up in the hands of London and South Western Railways and this is when its journey became particularly interesting. 

In 1860 a fire almost destroyed Brunswick House, and after being repaired it was used by the railways as a staff canteen for workers, a library, a concert hall, a scientific institute, a bar, and a caretaker’s cottage. In WW2 an army unit lived in the building and, according to legend, in the 1950’s it was used by MI5 and MI6 for secret meetings as they feared that their own HQ was bugged. It was threatened by the wrecking ball on several occasions but was saved from this fate by being listed in 1973. 



The house remained in railway hands for over 150 years when it was sold as the railways were being privitised and sold again in 2002 to a property developer. Some readers might remember this period as the building quickly declined as a result of vandalism and was in a pretty sorry state. It was purchased in 2005 by architectural salvage firm ‘Lassco’, who carefully restored the building and filled the rooms with its products, many of which are Georgian themselves. 

Next time you are going for your hour of exercise pop over to Brunswick House and marvel at the fact that it’s still there.  Lassco is very much open to the public (well, not right now) and a fascinating place to explore. They also have a critically acclaimed cafe. If you’re willing to sell a kidney, or your name happens to be Elton John, you might even be able to buy a doorknob there! 

Jonathan Tyers and the Pinnacle of the Pleasure Gardens

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From the archives, the third edition of our month of best history posts

If you’re a new arrival in the area or your interests are not so much focussed on local history, you might not be aware that for almost two centuries London’s most acclaimed pleasure garden existed on our anointed patch. Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens has been celebrated in books and songs, and even featured at key moments of the recent Netflix hit ‘Bridgerton’. While we can’t do the legendary place justice in the space of a solitary blog, we can crystallise it’s meaning by the man at the helm of its glory days in the first half of the 18th century, and his name was Jonathan Tyers (1702-1767)

A young Jonathan Tyers subletted ‘Vauxhall Spring-Gardens’ in 1729 and undertook the hefty task of reimagining the slightly disreputable old gardens into an innocent and elegant venue for families and people of all classes. However, with an admission charge of one shilling  in reality it was out of reach for most people. He  was inspired by a meeting with artist and buzzkill moralist William Hogarth, who advocated  the value of creating something that sent a moral message cloaked in the guise of humour and entertainment. We now refer to this as ‘family friendly’. 

The egalitarian and polite nature of Spring Gardens was a welcome and needed riposte to a London that was violent, smelly and uncouth and it would kick start the civilisation of Georgian London. However noble, the Spring Garden regulars were still out for a bit of bawdy fun and didn’t take kindly to being preached to. Tyers had to think on his feet before the whole thing went belly up, and his masterstroke was that beyond the elegant supper boxes and promenading avenues he created a wooded and dark area called the Grove. We will leave it up your imagination what went on in the Grove, but let’s just say it was dark and proved very popular. 

Assignations aside, what Tyers created for those who could afford it was a site for music, dancing, eating and drinking. The paintings in the supper boxes made it in reality the first public art gallery in Britain. On a typical night revellers could be entertained by performers, bands, fireworks, operas and masquerades. George Fredrick Handel became a kind of ‘artist in residence’ at the Garden and performed there regularly. When Tyers made profits he drove them directly into new structures and events, making the spot a ‘must see’ on a regular basis. After Tyers’ death in 1767 the Gardens were passed to his son and this initiated the very slow but inexorable decline of the place. 

The precise location of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens only roughly matches the footprint of the current Pleasure Gardens (created in the late 1970’s), and it’s epicentre was at the current St. Peter’s Church. Rumours of redemption from carnal sin abound about the decision to place a church on this site, and we invite you to make your own conclusion. Tyers Street is a commemoration of his efforts, both lurid and noble.

And as you can see, dear readers, attempts to gentrify Vauxhall from a place of dissolute debauchery into something more agreeable to a wealthier public for profit making purposes is by no means a contemporary undertaking. 

Ililli Lebanese Restaurant

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Merry ‘Twixmas’ and we hope you’re enjoying this rather odd period where you should be working but probably aren’t. Unfortunately the top brass here at the Runoff didn’t provide us with a Christmas bonus this year. Well, unless you count the time when the CFO threw a handful of Celebrations into our cubicles and said ‘here’s your bonus’. So we’re back at work. 

Since it’s opening several months ago we’ve had on our radar an interesting looking Lebanese place in Vauxhall called ‘Ilili’. Given that kebabs joints are about as pervasive as estate agents in Greater Kennington, our mission was to see how the Ilili matched up to its numerous neighbours. It has a large charcoal grill at the front, for shish and kofte type grills. There are also two shawarma rotating skewers – chicken and lamb, no doner. The large seating area upstairs to the rear gives it more of a Middle Eastern grill restaurant vibe as opposed to a strict kebab shop. Unlike other places similar to Ilili, they also serve seafood and a small selection of Egyptian dishes. Tick

My dining partner, Karen from Finance, had the lamb shawarma, with well caramelised lamb pieces, served in generous quantity on a flat Lebanese style wrap. Your scribe had the chicken shawarma, with massive slices of marinated chicken, well seasoned with a hit of cumin. The usual salad fillings can be added to order, as can spicy sauce or a garlic sauce. Ours were solidly good wraps and excellent value (£6.95) given their taste quality and large size. The large option must be the size of a baby’s leg. The service was friendly as well. 

  • Chicken
  • Lamb

The illustrations above are for you to see the contents of our kebabs. We’re fully aware that they rather resemble something that you might have stepped on after leaving Vauxhall station. A reminder to us all that photographing food is no mean feat.

Illil Restaurant is at 351 Kennington Lane

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The Currency in Newport St.

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When Time Out, or as we like to call it, ‘that listings site from a bygone era’ described the new show at Newport Street Gallery as ‘stupid, lazy, arrogant, crap art’ we knew we had to get over there as soon as possible.  This very controversial show is called ‘The Currency’ by Damien Hirst and features 10,000 of his dot paintings in several eras of existence. These range from physical paintings to photocopies and then cinder, as the artworks are torched on the first floor. 

For people not aware of Mr. Hirst’s oeuvre, he has spent a large amount of his career preserving dead animals in formaldehyde, sticking diamonds of skulls, and exterminating flies. We reviewed a previous show at Newport in October, 2020.  An abiding theme of Hirst is the repetitive nature of objects and their cycle from inception, to life, to being fetishized and worshiped, and eventual meaningless demise. 

Hirst’s interest in the repetitive nature of dots is well established, and last year he gave 10,000 people the option to buy an NFT .jpg dot painting for £2000. The NFT could then be traded for an original 8×10 work. About half the punters traded it for an original and the remaining suckers  folks stuck with the NFT option. It is these physical works which are on display in monumental floor to ceiling displays and ultimately dispatched into ashen bits above Vauxhall.  

The exhibit is peppered with TV screens featuring live footage of the works being prepped and torched. When the fires aren’t on, there are clips of Mr. Hirst in conversation with actually responsible people such as former Bank of England boss Mark Carney and Stephen Fry, with topics ranging from the absurdity of the art market to the meaningless value of money. Try telling that to the single mum who can’t heat her home at the moment. But we digress. 

Damien Hirst: The Currency is on now until 30 October and is free. Even if you find the theme distasteful, the exhibition itself is quite thought provoking as the paintings/photocopies begin to incrementally disappear. There is also a great gift shop. The fact that over the past 12 months the NFT market has crashed is just a side giggle. However, we at the Runoff would never capitalise of personal loss as that would make us no better than a Florist.