Going to see a man about a dog

The document outlining the reasons for making Hackney Road a conservation area is well worth a read as it contains some fascinating information about the history of various buildings as well as the origins of the phrase 'Going to see a man about a dog'....

Apparently it is first recorded in a melodrama from the early 1900s about a racehorse called The Flying Scud. See below.














The Flying Scud at No. 137 Hackney Road is a mid-Victorian public house with rooms above. It is highly visible, sitting on a corner site, and is a good example of a handsome, single-bar pub, typical of mid 19th-Century East end pubs. It dates from c.1860’s, and stands a very tall three storeys, making the most of this narrow site. The ground floor has a period shopfront with brick piers, a double-height timber fascia with traces of its original pub signs still surviving.

The frontage was overlaid with white tiling, probably c.1910 when the ‘beer house’ was re-modelled for Messrs. Truman, Hanbury and Buxton. The upper floors are faced in London stock brick and still retain their original 4-over-4 timber sash windows, which are set into fine, red-brick, rubbedsurrounds with ‘gauged’ arches over.

The original Flying Scud was a sailing-ship of the 1850’s. It was also the name of a successful race horse of the 1870s. In 1901, there was a major West End hit called “The Flying Scud,” a racing drama, featuring a live horse on stage. [The play coined the phrase ‘going to see a man about a dog’.]

Formerly run by Truman’s, this pub closed in 1994.

Conservation Area for Hackney Road?

Hackney Council is proposing to create a Conservation Area in Hackney Road. The proposed area runs from Waterson Street in the south, takes in the area around Haggerston Park, and then runs along Goldsmith’s Row, up to Whiston Road on the northern boundary.

Full details can be found here:

http://www.hackney.gov.uk/hackney-road.htm


What does Conservation Area staus mean?

• Conservation Area Consent is required in order to demolish a building in a conservation area. Hackney Council will seek to keep all buildings that make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of a conservation area.
• Six weeks notice must be given in writing before any work is carried out to lop, top or fell a tree in a conservation area.
• New development proposals must “preserve or enhance” the character or appearance of a conservation Area. Hackney has greater control over building work in conservation areas, including materials and detailed design.
• Planning permission may be required for alterations or extensions that would not normally need permission, such as minor roof alterations, dormer windows or a satellite dish. (Advice should be sought at an early stage.)
• Hackney also has greater control over the erection of advertisements and signs. For instance, Hackney has the power to control shop signs, posters or estate agents boards that would not normally need permission

Licensing Applications received w/e 20/3/09

Troy Café Bistro

124 Kingsland Road

London E2 8DP

Application for a premises licence to allow supply of alcohol from 07:00 to 23:30 daily.

Application for a premises licence to allow the supply of alcohol from 07:00 until 23:30 Mon to Weds, from 07:00 until 00:30 Thurs, from 07:00 to 01:30 Fri and Sat and 07:00 to 22:30 Sun and recorded music from 07:00 until 00:00 Mon to Weds, from 07:00 until 01:00 Thurs, from 07:00 to 02:00 Fri and Sat and 07:00 to 23:00 Sun.

Mr Pisiren

Closing date fro representaitons: 14/04/2009

132 Curtain Road (formerly the Gourmet Oriental Restaurant)

London EC2A 3AR

Application for to vary existing premises licence to allow supply of alcohol from 11:30 to 02:00 daily and late night refreshment from 23:00 to 02:00 daily.

Magneto in Shoreditch

Sir Ian McKellen paid a visit to Shoreditch today to examine the remains of the 16th Century theatre where historians believe Romeo and Juliet was first performed. The Tower Theatre Company who have taken over the site in New Inn Broadway intend to build a modern theatre space on the site whilst preserving the remains of the old theatre in a way that will allow people to view them.



By sheer chance the building is one of the few in this part of London where no basement was ever built so archaeologists form the Museum of London have been able to excavate sections of the theatre wall. Sadly in the neighbouring buildings basementing works hundreds of years ago will have destroyed any historic remains.
















Tower Theatre company is now preparing a planning application for the new theatre space and setting about raisng the money needed to finish the project, hopefully by 2012.

Licensing applications received w/e 6 March

Open Kitchen Restaurant and Bar
40 Hoxton Street
London N1 6LR

Hackney Community College

Application to vary existing premises licence to allow hours for the supply of alcohol from 08:00 to 23:30 Mon to Weds and allow use of outdoor patio area.

Closing date for representations: 01/04/2009

The Breakfast Club (formerly Cru)
2-4 Rufus Street
London N1 6PE

Catsteps LLP

Application to vary the premises licence to allow supply of alcohol and recorded music from 08:00 to 00:00 Mon to Weds and 08:00 to 01:00 Thurs to Sun, live music from 11:00 to 17:00 Sat and Sun and facilities for dancing during non-standard times.

Closing date for representations: 02/04/2009

Hoxton's
311 Old Street
London EC1V 9LA

Mr Manzi

Application for a premises licence to allow the provision of late night refreshment from 23:00 to 05:00 daily.

Closing date for representations: 02/04/2009

Labour's budget for Hackney

Last Wednesday, Labour’s budget for 2009/10 was agreed by the Council. For the fourth year in the row, the Labour administration on Hackney Council was able to freeze council tax. Four years of council tax freezes means that on average local residents will have saved £256. Council tax in Hackney is now lower than the London average. The Budget set out how we are planning to invest in a number of key services. Many other councils have been cutting frontline services, but in Hackney through our better use of resources, we are in a position to:

* Invest £0.5m in keeping Hackney clean – increasing street sweeping, graffiti and fly-poster removal, and weekend litter picking
* Invest £0.576m in recycling – particularly expanding it on estates
* Increase schools spending by 3.9% per pupil
* Expand the Youth Service
* Open one new library (Dalston) with 20,000 new books and refurbish and extend another (Clapton)
* Provide free swimming for all under 18s and over 60s at local pools
* Re-open the Stoke Newington Assembly Halls and offices
* Recruit more environmental health officers – particularly specialising in noise pollution and food standards
* Invest in local cycling scheme
* Launch a Climate Change Strategy for the Borough
* Allocate over a £1m more to adult social services.

All the budget documents are publicly available here.

The annual survey of resident satisfaction with council services also showed that there has been a 12% increase in the last year – and is now at 72%.

And now the Audit Commission announced that Hackney has achieved a 3* (out of a possible 4) rating for a second year in a row. Several priority areas for the council were singled out for praise – community safety, children and young people and adult social care.

The assessment reads:

What progress has the authority made in the last year?
Hackney Council is improving strongly. Hackney is delivering significant improvement in priority areas such as community safety, children and young people and adult social care. The pace of improvement is higher than the national average with three quarters of performance indicators improving in 2007/08. Overall resident satisfaction has improved with 60 percent of residents feeling their views are taken into account. This is supported by the Service First programme. Challenges remain in the planning service and tackling childhood obesity The Council works well with partners to deliver wider community outcomes such as health inequalities, addressing worklessness and tackling crime. Infant mortality and teenage pregnancy rates have decreased. Apprenticeships are used to deliver more local job opportunities. Crime overall has decreased. The Council provides improved value for money and financial standing is good. Leadership, planning and prioritisation are strong. Consultation is used well to shape services to meet the needs of diverse communities. The Council continues to improve performance management and is making good use of joint appointments to increase capacity. The Council is well placed to sustain and deliver future improvements."

Licensing applications received w/e 27 February

Bar Music Hall
134-136 Curtain Road
London EC2A 3AR

Belgabar UK Ltd

Application to vary existing premises licence to remove conditions 4, 5, 14, 17, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 30 and 32, amend conditions 7 and 29 and replace conditions 6 and 22 with revised conditions.

CONDITIONS TO BE REMOVED

Condition 4:
Each individual who is to carry out a security activity at the premises must be licensed by the Security Industry Authority.

Condition 5:
Where regulated entertainment is carried out, the premises existing arragements, as set out in the Rules of Management for Places of Public Entertainment and relevant technical regulations will be maintained.

Condition 14:
Patrons exiting the premises will be directed to leave the area quietly and suitable notices to that effect will be displayed inside and outside the premises

Condition 17:
A taxi ordering point shall be positioned at a suitable location within the premises.

Condition 23:
There will be a policy of not admitting persons under the age of 23 after 20:00.

Condition 24:
The total number of persons accomodated at any one time shall not exceed 350, and provision should be made for 50 percent of the floor area for seating.

Condition 26:
The fire alarm change over switch shall be in the "FIRE ALARM LIGHTS AND BUZZERS" position during the whole time that the premises are in use under the licence.

Condition 27:
The fire alarm installation shall be under teh supervision of a competent person who shall arrange for regular maintenance and testing to be carried out. The results of the tests shall be recorded in a logbook which shall be readily available for inspection by officers of the Council or LFEPA.

Condition 28:
Any alterations or additions to the existing electrical installation (including those which may be found necessary as a result of any Electrical inspections) shall be carried out using a system of wiring approved by the Council (eg cables enclosed in a screwed metal conduit or metal trunking, or mineral insulated metal-sheathed cables. (NOTE FP.200 or similar cables would not be acceptable for this purpose).

Condition 30:
All windows and doors to the area(s) in which music is to be played shall be kept closed at all times.

Condition 32:
The applicant shall ensure that mechanical plant noise levels do not increase existing background levels (ie equipment noise levels should be -10dB (A) below existing LA90 background levels).

CONDITIONS TO BE AMENDED

Condition 7:
Substantial food and non-intoxicants shall be equally available in all parts of the premises at all times

Condition 29:
Signs shall be placed at all exits requesting that all patrons leave the area quietly.

CONDITIONS TO BE REPLACED WITH AMENDED CONDITIONS

Condition 6:
In the area cross hatched black on the deposited plan, intoxicating liquor shall only be sold or supplied to persons taking a table meal there as an ancillary to such a meal

Condition 22:
The courtyard area as marked on the plan will not be part of the licensed area and will not be used except by customers or staff

Closing date for representations: 24/03/2009

Shakespeare in Haggerston

When Shakespeare first came to London he worked at “The Theatre”, the capital’s earliest purpose built playhouse. It was constructed by James Burbage in 1576 and almost certainly saw the premiere of Romeo and Juliet. Until recently the exact location was unknown, but a local charity has commissioned archaeologists from the Museum of London to examine the site and they have now discovered traces of the building under a warehouse in Shoreditch.

The charity now aims to bring London theatre back to its roots by transforming the warehouse into a twenty-first century theatre within which the remains of the original will be preserved. Until then they will be covered in order to protect them.

They are not aiming to reproduce an Elizabethan theatre, but to create a 21^st century equivalent of the original; a no-frills, full-time, hardworking place of entertainment that will be a versatile and accessible resource for Hackney and provide valuable rehearsal, performance and exhibition space for the smaller scale arts in central London.

Watch this space for further developments.

Licesning applications 20 February

Nisa, 343 Old Street

Application for a premises licence to allow supply of alcohol for consumption off the premises from 06:00 to 00:00 Mon to Weds, 06:00 to 03:00 Thurs, 06:00 to 04:00 Fri and Sat and 06:00 to 01:00 Sun.

Closing date for representations: 19/3/09