The New Cross + Deptford Free Film Festival 2018

The New Cross + Deptford Free Film Festival (NXDfff) returns for its seventh year this spring with 33 free film events, 3 bike powered screenings, 9 new venues, Q&A sessions, DJs and docs. Something for every member of the community.

Launch night is at Peckham's Brick Brewery with Get Out, a late license bar, street food and music.

This year the festival features three outdoor bike powered screenings, including Sing at Pepys Park, Nacho Libre at Telegraph Hill Upper Park and Pirates of the Carribean at Folkestone Gardens.

NXDFF also has a pre-release screening of locally shot film, SINK, followed by a Q&A with writer/director Mark Gillis. Shot in New Cross, Deptford and Brockley, the film has attracted Mark Rylance as an Associate Producer.

The festival closes at Buster Mantis with a music themed documentary called Beats of the Antanov. The film depicts the Sudanese conflict in the Blue Nile and Nuba Mountain regions, focusing in particular on the role of music in helping the affected communities to sustain themselves culturally and spiritually. Buster Mantis will host our last event and local DJ collective Bombotropics will provide global beats and melodies.

NXDfff is completely run by volunteers made up of local residents, students and community groups. NXDfff has a DIY ethos that encourages creative freedom: this year more than 30 people are curating film events with help and guidance from a core festival team.

For full details click here.

Deptford Bites - New Saturday Market Launches April 7

Deptford Market Yard's food market has been a long-time coming but the team has finally announced a new regular Saturday event. They gush:

Deptford Market Yard is excited to announce a new weekly Saturday market ‘Deptford Bites’. Curated by London food event and market organisers Eat Me Drink Me, the weekly market will bring together the best produce and street food traders London has to offer, as well as a selection of craft stalls with a focus on South East London makers & designers.

The market will showcase street food sensations such as the flavour-punching Northern Thai food by KraPow LDN to the sophisticated Oyster Boys who will be serving freshly shucked oysters and made to order Bloody Mary’s from their retro food cart, guaranteed to get you back on your feet after one too many on a Friday night. After spending much of her childhood in Deptford, Zoe Adjonyoh from Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen will also return with her out of this world Ghanaian creations. And finally, for your sweet fix, the market will welcome plant based, dairy free, Black Mylk Ice cream. Its ice cream is handcrafted using a blend of homemade cashew nut milk and coconut milk, with colours and flavours selected from seasonal ingredients – from Honeycomb and Pine nut and Miso Caramel & Pecan to Ceylon Cinnamon & Walnut, you will be spoiled for choice.

‘Deptford Bites’ will feature a mixture of permanent Saturday traders and a rotation of guest vendors. It will be a place to browse and buy artisanal fresh ingredients with everything from bread and cheese to olives and farm produce. And there’ll be a craft and design area where you can pick up unusual gifts, with a focus on makers and designers in the South East London area. The launch day market includes popups from perfumier Maya Njie, prints from Catford Creative and Deptford’s very own Stray East with their gorgeous homewares.

To mark the launch and celebrate the thriving local community, Grace Dent will be curating a series of talks covering subjects such as the changing face of Deptford and the rise of Veganism. Starring household names such as Jay Brave, Zoe Adjonyoh and Grace Dent herself as well as local London voices from the Deptford area including resident Adrian Luckie from Mama’s Jerk and Deptford Esquire’s Saima Arshad.

There will be live music every week and of course an opportunity to re-visit the excellent permanent Deptford Market Yard tenants; it’s the perfect place to grab some food and drink, stock up for the week and browse the craft stores on a sunny Saturday.

Dent & McKenzie launch a new weekly market in Deptford

Grace Dent, critic, author and broadcaster, has joined forces with food-event guru Kate McKenzie to present Deptford Bites Live on Saturday 7th April 2018. This one-day festival of eating & drinking runs from 10pm to 4pm at Deptford Market Yard.

The event will mark the start of a new weekly market in the Yard.
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On the 7th, Grace Dent will curate and host a series of talks which picks apart Deptford’s new status as ‘up and coming’ - including debates about gentrification, veganism and diversity in the restaurant industry. Still, the food should be good.

Free to attend.

Grandad's Shed, Deptford Market Yard

Grandad's Shed is the new private hire venue from Little Nan's bar in Deptford. Founder Tristan writes:

Our new arch in Deptford! Grandad's Shed is large and has the indoors / outdoors vibes, it's suitable for groups of up to 90.

Decked out with a tropical theme, this private party hire space is suitable for groups of 30 - 90 guests, and includes a sectioned off private Victorian cobbled courtyard to the front of the arch.

Little Nan’s is offering this space out for Free Private party hire to all South East London residents for groups larger than 40 guests. If your group is smaller than this number, then there is the option to reserve an area within our main bar arches next door.

Click here for details.

Sanxia Renjia, 36 Deptford Broadway

Given the fairly abject state of Chinese food options locally, I thought this review of Deptford's Sichuan and Hubei cuisine specialist, Sanxia Renjia, worth sharing with you, just as Monkeyboy shared it with me.

The Observer's Jay Rayner describes it as "an arse-kicking, cheek-slapping, thigh-spanking, gloriously ring-burning Sichuan restaurant." He continues:

Sanxia is on a different mission. Yes, they do have a list of Cantonese standards. The unadventurous of Blackheath must have their hit of sweet and sour pork. But the staff, like the rest of the menu, are eager. They want you to march across unexplored territory.

It appears they even managed to convince Mr Crispy Duck. As he was paying, we heard him complaining that the chicken with red chillies had a greater volume of chillies than chicken. Which is exactly as it’s meant to be. The drifts of crisp-fried red chillies are there for the aromatics, to be dug through in search of the treasure. They are not there for eating.

They are, however, very pretty, which is great because the room isn’t much of a looker. The big light is on. The floor is a white marble slab, as if it’s an airport baggage reclaim hall. Outside the traffic thunders by, on its way to places too manicured to inspire a song by Squeeze. Pay attention instead to what is in your bowl. What’s most striking about the food here is the commitment to light and shade. Dinner in a Sichuan restaurant is usually food as action movie. It’s all bash and crack.

For the full review, click here.

Feral Horses in Deptford Market Yard

Feral Horses is a new art investment company, which allows everyday schlubs to take a punt with relatively small amounts of money.

We are still working but things are starting to get serious ahah :) pic.twitter.com/PJL9mY3apr

— Feral Horses (@FeralHorses) November 29, 2017

The London-based fintech firm picks up-and-coming artists and allows its customers to buy and trade shares in their work, getting paid when the art gets rented or sold. They are currently staging an exhibition of some of their new talent in St Paul's House, Deptford Market Yard.

The show is open until December 15th, from 10am-5pm daily.

Future sound of Deptford

Deptford bar Buster Mantis has launched a new regular Wednesday night 'exploration of Afrofuturism in sound' called Steam Down. Check it out:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, November 24

The New Cross & Deptford Free Film Festival team writes:

Calling all Rocky virgins and committed fans: The campest of cult classics is coming to church.

The screening will take place in the gorgeously gothic atmosphere of St Nicholas Church, Deptford.

An adventure of love, hate, seduction and garter-belts follows. Will our young love-birds survive with their integrity intact?

All profits will benefit the 2018 festival.

Extravaganza begins: 7.00PM. Film starts: 8.00PM

Click here for tickets.

Gin and Beer, Deptford

Gin and Beer is the new neighbour for Buster Mantis, underneath the arches on Resolution Way. As the name suggests, Gin and Beer is what they sell. Don't embarrass yourself by asking for something else, unless it's a mocktail.

Happily, within that limited palette, they manage to conjure enormous variety, thanks to their ambitious cocktail menu. Of the two ingredients, gin appears to be their real passion. They are as pleased as punch while talking about their Halloween special and the week-long process they went through to create it.

Last night, the atmosphere was warm and relaxed, but there is now a string of bars along the route of the railway track between Buster Mantis and Little Nan's, with the Job Centre a stone's throw away. It will not be long before queues start forming in Deptford.

Follow them on Twitter here.

Deptford Esquire, 29 Deptford High Street

Pakistani pop-up, Deptford Esquire is now open. A collaboration between two of our finest local businesses, Masala Wala and Little Nan's, it will be serving craft beer, Pakistani curries, cocktails and small plates every Friday and Saturday till Christmas 5-11pm.

We are Open!! Deptford Esquire is at 5pm at number 29 Deptford High Street! . . . . . . #deptfordhistory #deptfordhighstreet #deptfordse8 #lovedeptford #ilovedeptford #londonhistory #vintagelife #eastmeetswest #lahoremeetslondon #deptfordesquire #deptfordarms #deptfordmarket #interiordesign #vintagephoto #vintage #queenvictoria #homegrown #fresh #colour #paintchoices #ilovese8 #se8 #barbuild #newrestaurants #newbar #comingsoon #newresturant #deptford

A post shared by Deptford Esquire (@deptfordesquire) on Oct 20, 2017 at 11:27am PDT

Deptford Esquire is at number 29 Deptford High Street, and we Love it!! . . . . . . #deptfordhistory #deptfordhighstreet #deptfordse8 #lovedeptford #ilovedeptford #londonhistory #vintagelife #eastmeetswest #lahoremeetslondon #deptfordesquire #deptfordarms #deptfordmarket #interiordesign #vintagephoto #vintage #queenvictoria #homegrown #fresh #colour #paintchoices #ilovese8 #se8 #barbuild #newrestaurants #newbar #comingsoon #newresturant #deptford

A post shared by Deptford Esquire (@deptfordesquire) on Oct 20, 2017 at 2:44pm PDT

Mouse Tail, Deptford

Another local archway-dwelling venue, Mouse Tail is the newish coffee shop underneath Deptford Station (Archway 3).

A cosier version of Peckham's Blackbird Bakery, its chocolate-block walls cocoon customers in a woozy half-light - you will need the coffee just to stay awake.

Cycle Superhighway consultation for Greenwich and Deptford

In a reminder that they do more than just protect cab drivers at the public's expense, TfL has launched a public consultation about its proposed new cycle superhighway from Creek Road in Greenwich to Tower Bridge.

The scheme would include stretches of two-way segregated cycle track on Tooley Street, Jamaica Road, Evelyn Street and Creek Road, providing a dedicated space for cyclists. 

The ride through Deptford and Surrey Quays in particular can be pretty hairy, so this is very welcome. Next we need the Old Kent Road and New Cross to get some help.

To participate in the consultation, which closes on November 19th, click here.

Coming soon: Deptford Esquire

We are popping up on #Deptford High Street from 20th Oct - December, spoiling you with #CraftBeer & #Curry with Small Plates & Cocktails! x pic.twitter.com/UaNUSoumFe

— deptfordesquire (@deptfordesquire) September 24, 2017

Deptford Esquire is a pop-up Pakistani restaurant and micropub, running from October to December. No details yet, but follow them for news.

Stretching: The Truth

Fences across South London, including these ones on Brookmill Road in Deptford, enjoyed a past life as medical stretchers during World War II.

A new campaign group, called the Stretcher Railing Society, is trying to raise awareness of their historical significance before they are ripped up by developers.

Wow- never knew these existed! Here they are on Brookmill road (courtesy of Googlemaps) pic.twitter.com/6xlRGvR45B

— Cassie James (@FlyingOffHandle) August 15, 2017

The Standard reports:

Peter Eaves, of the Museum of the Order of St John, which has an original stretcher, states: "At the end of the war, the authorities were left with an enormous stockpile of stretchers.

“Railings across the capital had been removed at the beginning of the war in an effort to fuel the desperate production of munitions and war materials.

“The ARP stretchers were a handy expedient. Across London, particularly in the south-east and east, the stretchers were welded vertically together, complete with their kinked poles and wire mesh middle and fixed into position.”

The Albany launches mission to give every Lewisham five year old a theatre experience

The Albany theatre in Deptford is a great local institution and this is a great campaign. Cassie from The Albany writes:

Lewisham Residents! Please help us support the next generation of leaders, artists and entrepreneurs in Lewisham by supporting this fantastic new campaign by the Albany, raising money to give a free theatre trip to every 5 year old child in the borough.

The aim is to crowdfund the first 1000 tickets, so please give whatever you can afford and share the campaign far and wide.

The campaign is being supported by Lewisham Council and the lovely Jude Law (yes, he's a Lewisham boy), so let's give more kids the chance to enjoy the fabulous experience of theatre.

Click here to support the campaign.

Our Air, Your Health - June 19

6-8pm
The Deptford Lounge

Poor air quality is killing many of us and costing those who survive a fortune in EU fines. The government's reticence properly to tax or to replace London's diesel vehicles means we're waiting for the electric vehicle revolution to save us. Fortunately, Liz is on the case. She writes:

I am helping to organise an event in Deptford on 19 June and am just trying to spread the word locally.

I work with a group of scientists at King’s College London and Imperial College London, we belong to the Centre for Environment and Health, which does research into the health effects of environmental pollutants.

We do a lot of research into the health effects of air pollution (as well as other pollutants), and our Centre members at King’s run the London Air Quality Network and the LondonAir website. One of our Centre funders, MRC, organises a week-long festival of public engagement events and as part of that we are organising an evening of interactive activities and short talks based on our research into air quality and related issues – basically a small science fair type event with several short talks throughout the evening.

We have chosen Deptford as we are keen to move away from our university campuses a bit, and as well we have some links with Lewisham Council.

Full details of the event are available here.

Dine in Deptford in June

Deptford Market Yard writes:

As part of the London Food Month festival, we're giving you the chance to sample the diverse food and drink offerings at Deptford Market Yard, each Wednesday in June between 12pm-10pm.

Come and discover the unique, independent businesses and exciting flavours on offer, including drink options, for just £15 (plus booking fee).

Your ticket entitles you to one sample dish and/or drink from each of the amazing food & drinks arches:

Lomond Coffee, Dirty Apron, Mama’s Jerk, Frankie Goes to Bollywood, Archie’s and Little Nan’s Bar.

For the full menu and tickets head to: bit.ly/DMYDINE

The Deptford Market Yard Street Food Party, April 29

On Saturday, I wandered round Deptford Market Yard. A month ago, the street would have been empty, but this time, there were a healthy number of people.

With a beautiful courtyard setting and some genuinely interesting venues, including the new additions underneath the Deptford Station arches (a trainer shop, a plant shop (below) and a cafe), this place is shaping up nicely. So this is the perfect excuse to check it out if you haven't yet been.

Deptford Market Yard pic.twitter.com/veZ5mEpjgE

— Nick Barron (@BrockleyCentral) April 22, 2017

New Cross and Deptford Free Film Festival 2017: Opening Night

This year's festival kicks off on Friday, April 21, with an opening night party at the White Hart pub in New Cross, featuring a screening of John Favreau's gastro-comedy Chef. Entrance is free. There will be food and music.

Details of the opening night and the rest of the festival here.

Deptford X seeks Trustees

Johann Arens' SelfCalibration. Deptford X 2016

Long-running arts festival Deptford X has launched a search for new trustees. The organisers say:

Deptford X continues to innovate and reinvent itself, and is currently building upon its core festival remit with other programming activities throughout the year, running the DX Gallery, as well as providing studio space for local artists.

It is an exciting time for Deptford X. The curated programmes are stronger than ever, providing a range of art engagement points for local residents, and the wider art world is taking notice.
Deptford X is a charity that is run day to day by a small executive team and governed by a board of trustees. We are actively seeking to develop our board capability specifically in the areas of PR & communications, finance, programme development and fundraising.

If you have a background in one or more of these areas and are passionate about helping build upon the successes of Deptford X, then please contact us with a CV and a covering letter describing how you believe you might be able to contribute, by the end of April.

This is a voluntary role, and therefore has no remuneration.

The document below provides more information about Deptford X and the expectations of the roles available.

Please send all correspondence to admin@deptfordx.org with 'BOARD APPLICATION' in the subject.