Minutes 14th October 2008

CRYSTAL PALACE & NORWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Minutes of Main Meeting, 14 October 2008, Patrick's Bar, Westow Hill

Those present:
Ray Hall* (New Crystal Palace, chair)
Andrew Parfitt* (Honorary Secretary)
Vivienne Bartholomew (76 Vintage)
John Cooke (Amphlett Lissimore)
Will Ellner* (Joannas)
John Greatrex* (Sainsburys)
Geri Greene (JWPR)
Jenny Hall (New Crystal Palace Ltd)
Mervyn Hing (Silk Route)
Kanex (Pizza Express)
William Loque (The Exhibition Room)
Don Madgwick (abba cappa records)
Mark McLaughlan* (The White Hart)
Bradley Millington (Upper Norwood Joint Library)
Girish Mohile (Ray Hall Ltd.)
Stan Morris* (Shine Bright)
Sue Nagle* (Triangle Traders)
Dinesh Patel (Budgens)
Ahmet Rashit (Alistairs café/restaurant)
Gavin Rookledge (Rook's Books)
Jonathan Rowlandson (Jonathan Rowlandson Design)
Andy Stem (Bambino)
Chris Stewart* (Acorn Estates)
Joan Vernette (Friends Hair & Beauty)
Jacki Wadeson (JWPR)

* Management Committee

Apologies
Jane Watt

1. Introduction

Ray Hall welcomed all to this impressive venue. On 15th October 1988, "Crystal Palace Norwood Heights" by Audrey Hammond and Brian Dann was first published. So, it was a particular pleasure to welcome Audrey to present a slide show covering this book and the past 20 years.

Audrey's book encourages us all to get to know Crystal Palace better as a destination, for the place and its people. For Crystal Palace is a global brand and we need to try and understand better what constitutes its identity.

The festival day of 27th September was a great success. Some thousands of people came to what was largely a spontaneous community-based organisation. It displayed the range of people with talent in the local area. Bradley Millington was congratulated for the role of the Library that day.

The next festival would be on 29th November. Gavin Rookledge of the Crystal Palace Business Partnership would be helping to prepare. The theme would be "Stars", making the Triangle come alive in a way that is relevant to Christmas.

We should look to build up the momentum and substance for future festivals. We should make Crystal Palace The Destination for South London. And with London on the world stage for 2012 and beyond, we should put Crystal Palace on the London map and the global map.

Audrey would show in her presentation how she sees the area. How she as an artist notices different things, recording what they mean in Crystal Palace. She can help us to understand the identity of Crystal Palace as a place. So any changes we make should be anchored into this unique brand. When there is the opportunity, we should make tangible improvements so that Crystal Palace is more than ever a place people want to come to: the heart of South London.

Finally Ray congratulated Tamnag Thai for their "Britain in Bloom" award, and Andy Stem for one of Bambino's jackets appearing in Vogue, worn by Kate Moss.

2. Crystal Palace Presentation

Audrey said that when she arrived in Crystal Palace in 1956 after four years at art school, it was an urban village like Highgate. So much has disappeared since then; a terrible erosion.Through the Crystal Palace Community Association, exhibitions such as "The Vanishing Triangle" and her artwork, Audrey has aimed to highlight the unique identity of the area and campaign for the preservation of that which remains.

For what was simply an area of woodland crossed by tracks in 1745 had by the early 19th century become a village. A few of these early two-storeyed cottages survive. From the mid-1850s the scale of development became much grander as the Crystal Palace brought trade and prosperity. Even after the Palace burned down in 1936, the commercial activity remained. Until the mid-1970s it was possible to find all the shops in the Triangle that one could wish. Subsequently much has changed, although at least Croydon's erstwhile plans for comprehensive redevelopment were not to be realised.

The pictures shown by Audrey illustrated some of what has been lost and what survives. They highlight features such as arched windows, lovely details and fine lettering which might otherwise be overlooked.

Particular points of interest include:
- the weatherboarded building in Westow Street, next to "The White Hart". This is probably a remnant of the original early 19th century pub. Now derelict, it would make a fantastic venue for an art gallery or arthouse cinema.
- the Library: very much the heart of the Triangle. We need to fight to keep the excellent level of service provided by the team.
- the benefits of keeping and restoring original decorations and shopfronts: so as to retain the unique character of Crystal Palace. Independent traders should make a stand against pressures for "ordinarification".

Ray thanked Audrey for a fascinating presentation. He asked what words people would use to describe the Triangle; responses were: "eclectic", "proud", "faded splendour", "village", "green", "eccentric", "charmingly scruffy", "resilient". He encouraged us all to fight to keep what remains, so that Crystal Palace became enhanced as a destination.

3. Any Other Business

For Christmas, Gavin said that stars would be a theme in the Triangle with the aim for businesses to include these in their window displays. Sue suggested having Christmas trees at each corner of the Triangle, with a Chamber of Commerce contribution. Also she said that the intention would be to have a Chamber Christmas Party.

Ray said the Business Partnership wondered whether a Christmas tree could go at the centre of each side of the Triangle on private land, e.g. the Albert pub, outside Sainsbury's and Bambino's. He said he would put to the Chamber's committee of management paying each venue £50 to cover electricity used.

Jacki Wadeson of JWPR shared her thoughts on stars and that she was researching what options there were. Jonathan Rowlandson said he could make metalwork stars. There was excitement about the idea. Sue said it would be great to raise money for children in need as part of the event because it so close to Christmas.

Ray thanked Patrick's for providing an excellent venue.

5. Next MeetingTuesday 11th November: 6.45 to 8.00 p.m at Amphlett Lissimore (corner of Westow Street and Church Road). John Greatrex would be giving a presentation as a discussion starter on a Crystal Palace Festival for 2009.