{\pwi TahomaTimes New RomanVerdanaTimes New Roman CETimes New Roman CyrTimes New Roman GreekTimes New Roman TurTimes New Roman Baltic Arial Symbol Wingdings!=  W W  @=o5$ '%?*,. 02 468:g<N>>@BD4FHLNPRTHV}XxZ\y^`b dfhjlprtvxz@|4~G:@ c;d-^CH  tf !dK  M u"$&g(g*,y.)02Z468:/<q>@DFHJ5LN1PRTVXZ%\0^`b#dfjlnp:r!t[voxTz|d~Ouvd 5 T=  b*b ) #X W "&(*,n.902746!8:_<n>@BDDFJLNPRcTVXZ9\^x`bfhjl4nprt*vxz|~ij_9  tzD+n3Q-`/,5>A3  ":D?7F* 2".$I&(f*,7.W0G246.8:<!>7@:BKD]F4H#A$;5(l rs dd      $ $NW1 MAGAZINE - A Fresh Voice for Camden Town Issue 1B(A' K&rs dd  Around Town B&A%&}) rs dd    Inverness Street  B)A*?G+ The longest-standing market in Camden Town is getting a much-needed facelift at the moment. If you avoid the High Street like the plague you might have missed it, but for a month or two now the Council has been ripping up Inverness Street one end at a time and giving it a complete makeover. New pavement, new lights, new everything it seems. All just in time for Christmas. Hopefully, it will make the Council realise how shoddy is the rest of the paving along the High Street between the tube station and the Lock Bridge, and that'll get done too. Maybe by next ChristmasB+A,;-   Farmers' Market  B-A./ The weekly farmers' market that began over the summer at the Primrose Hill Junior School on Princess Road every Saturday continues to be a winner with locals, offering a huge selection of fresh, seasonal, regional produce ranging from organic breads, biodynamic vegetables, seasonal fruit and vegetables, hand-made pies and cakes, dairy products, organic and free-range meat, poultry and eggs, herbs, plants and lots more. The opening hours have changed slightly recently, to allow us all to sleep in a little more, so you can now get all those healthy taste sensations between the much more reasonable hours of 10am to 2pm every Saturday. B/A0 81   The Marathon  B1A23 Hated by some, but loved by movers and shakers needing a bite to eat before beginning the long journey home after the tubes have stopped running. The Marathon is a kebab shop, there's no denying that but, as far as I can tell and depending on whom you ask, it is either the bane of someone's existence or the heart and soul of Camden Town. I've heard people say that it stays open too late, that the overflow blocks the pavement and it's too noisy, while other folk say it's the only place to go for late-night jazz, a raucous atmosphere and food guaranteed to put hair on your chest. All I know is there is no better hangover prevention than a battered, deep-fried sausage with chilli sauce before bedtime.B3A4 75   Empty Shops  B5A67 There have always been periods of prosperity and times of hardship in town centres, but over the last few years in Camden Town there seems to have been a steady ebbing away of some great little shops. Not just an ebb, sometimes a complete snap. I went shopping with my fianc (well she shopped, I carried the bags) on a Saturday, went back to the same store with her on Sunday, and it was gone. I thought they could have mentioned something when we were in there the day before, at least. B7A89 At the south end of Camden High Street and along the length of Parkway there exists a graveyard of empty shop fronts, punctuated by some brilliant places (don't get me wrong, the quality is high if not the quantity). Sure, the good thing is that most of the retail spaces are too small for big chain stores to move in, but the bad thing seems to be that independents can't afford the rent and rates to set up shop either, resulting in empty shops spreading like a rash. It's not all bad, and it's not like it's an epidemic, but for an area that has a mixed socio-economic group (i.e. we can't all live in 4-storey houses in Primrose Hill or on the Heath) the rates and rents businesses are asked to pay in comparison to the amount of revenue they are likely to get coming in seems completely disproportionate. Perhaps its time the landlords looked up from their coffers and realised what they're doing to Camden.B9A:?;   Camden Coffee Crawl  B;A<go= Whilst on a walk a few weekends ago, feeling slightly the worse for wear and contemplating the foolish pub-crawl of the night before, we happened upon a thought. If a pub-crawl can make you feel rubbish, what possibly could be the equivalent cure? Cause and effect and all that (don't think about it too hard, it won't help.). So, naturally, caffeine came to mind. At the time it seemed like a great idea - 'The All Conquering Hangover Cure - Had a big night? Been on a pub crawl? Feel worse for wear and want to reverse the effects? A Coffee Crawl is the answer to your prayers' We could hear it selling itself.B=A>NV? So, beginning in the swanky new Costa outside Mornington Crescent tube, and starting with double-shot lattes, we knocked them back quick and, heads still throbbing, marched on. Applying some pub-crawl rules (i.e. eating's cheating), we managed to resist the enticements of fresh-made pizza at Chicco's and hurled back another coffee at alarming speed. Now with decidedly more pep in our step, we carried on up the hill. The Bean and Cup, my personal favourite, was next to heed our call. But by this time we were in no mood to dilly-dally and talk sports (my normal and favourite pastime), so espressos only it was, and after 1,2,3 we were off again. By this stage the conversation was ripping along, with contemplation of returning to the devil's brew later that night even being brought up (albeit briefly - the innards were still objecting).B?A@X>FA At pace, we entered the northern Prt store, demanding our god-given right to coffee. These people obviously had been drinking coffee too, and understood our needs entirely. Taking them to go, we headed through the jungle of jumbled masses around the markets, focussed only on heading onwards, upwards and homewards. BAABC We stopped one more time at Inhabition, another favourite, and got one final drink for the road. Not that it was needed by this point. Over the brief final sprint towards home we solved the problems of the world, mastered plans for flawless money-making schemes, drew out ten-year plans for prosperity and health for our families, friends and random people we flew past in the street, and rated each and every of the coffees and their stores of origin on a perfect thirty-point scale.BCAD7E Needless to say, the next day was agony. As bright an idea as it seemed, it turns out that caffeine hangovers are much, much worse than ones that booze leaves you with. Pub crawl anyone?BEAF4]G   Camden Chat was compiled and written by Ben Larsen.  BGAHII  rs      BIAL M BMAN O BOAP"oQ  rs dd  $ Chalk and CheeseBQAR%zS rs dd    By Ben Larsen  BSATGU   Since the now famous markets around the Lock and old Horse Hospital in Camden came into prominence in the early 1970s, the general route of the thousands of weekend pilgrims to Camden Town has been to alight the tube at Camden Town station and run the fabulous gauntlet of colours and people that is Camden High Street up to the bridge and into the markets. And even though the Stables Market stretches along a good length of Chalk Farm Road, only a small number of the quarter of a million visitors each weekend would leave heading north.  BUAVZHOW The Roundhouse, once glorious in the 1960s and 1970s, had closed its doors in 1983 and stood empty and, after enjoying a brief stint as the place to be in the mid-late 1990s, the Engine Room changed hands and Chalk Farm Road, though still filled with great stores, stories and memories, again dipped into the relative doldrums.BWAXh}Y All things considered that could and almost would have been it. Chalk Farm Road becomes a footnote in the burgeoning success and infamy of Camden Town and Primrose Hill. But the last 12 months has seen an extraordinary turnaround, unprecedented in the local area, which has seen Chalk Farm Road go from quiet and un-cool to being one of the most vibrant places north of the river.BYAZ&x[ The resurgence has been led by a few key businesses, all bringing something different to the area, but complementing each other well. They have taken Chalk Farm Road from dead on its feet to dancing in the street, from down in the dumps to coming up trumps, from kicked to the curb to completely superb, from passed out in the gutter to setting hearts aflutter and a whole array of other slightly over the top comparisons. Within a few months, The Roundhouse, the legendary rock and roll venue, finally reopened its doors; Gilgamesh, the restaurant landing plaudits from across the city's press, opened, nestled in the middle of Camden's markets; Proud Galleries expanded its operations from pure photography to become one of the most talked-about bars and live venues of the summer; The Enterprise stopped being one of Camden's best kept private treasures and exploded onto the scene as a place to be, be seen and to see live music; and The Lock Tavern, strengthening its ties with Adventures in the Beetroot Fields, one of London's premier event promoters, has brought the Camden Happening to bear, shining yet more light on Chalk Farm Road.B[A\0] And to top it all, the BBC chose to showcase some, of the best musical talent around by hosting the first inaugural Electric Proms in Camden Town, with the showcase venue being The Roundhouse. Drawing on classic and cutting edge Brits like The Who, Paul Weller, The Zutons and The Fratellis, mixing in some international rock and roll with the likes of Jet and The Raconteurs, and the Electric Proms iced an already enormous cake with one of the most celebrated artists of all time: James Brown (yes,   the  James Brown).B]A^'y_ And that's how it went, flawless and fabulous, like an amplified micro-bite of the entire last year for Chalk Farm Road.B_A`a This has led, of course, to more people treading their toes along the sidewalks of the street than ever before, which has meant nothing but good things for local retailers who have seen the knock-on benefits from the renewal of interest in the area. So, where a year ago it was not uncommon to see empty plastic bags tripping the light fantastic as municipal tumbleweed down the sidewalks of Chalk Farm Road, now you'd be hard pressed to find a night without a launch for this, a party for that and a good time for all concerned. BaAbI c So what happens to Chalk Farm Road now? It's hard to see the changes and progress slowing down, with none of the main players resting on their laurels, so it looks like it will be up to the rest of Camden to pick up the thread and try like hell to catch up! BcAd 7e   Marine Ices  BeAfGg One of the longest standing restaurants in the area (circa 1931), Marine Ices is famous for its home-cooked Italian food, fantastic service and ice cream made in the store, which is so good it gets shipped all over the world - straight out of Camden!BgAh:i   The Enterprise  BiAj<k Long a favourite of those in the know who like a good honest pub that kicks on like it's no-one's business, The Enterprise is the kind of place everyone who likes a drink dreams of as having as their local.BkAl:m  rs    BmAp q BqAr s BsAt#su  rs dd  $ What is Camden Town?BuAv&|w rs dd    By Chris Naylor  BwAxAy   I'm pleased to be one of the first contributors to   NW1  , this exciting new publication, another indicator of Camden's unique energy and vitality.   ByAzo{ Taking this as a cue, I want to write about 'what makes Camden Town what it is?' I did start by writing 'what is it that makes Camden so special?', but after staring at this for a while I realised the word 'special' wasn't quite Camden. What makes Camden 'what it is' - that's more down to earth, less pretentious, more Camden. But, though that helps us get the question right, it doesn't provide the answer. B{A|@i} My first encounter with Camden was as a student, a refugee from a university I found too detached from the real world. I spotted a two-line ad in a Sunday paper for a bedsit on Gloucester Avenue, and turned up to find not just a great place to live but also a kind host - a Spanish Civil War veteran - who took me under his wing and told me where to go to find a job. Where to go was to an antiques shop, by the bridge on the High Street, run by one Paddy Walker, who had set up a restaurant barge on the canal, and it was as crew on the   Fair Lady  barge that I spent many days that summer. It was a great way to get to know Camden: Camden High Street and the lock, and then down the canal to Primrose Hill and Regents Park. I made friends nearby and bought an old crate of a motorcycle in the forge which then ran in the lock area.B}A~4; So, for me, Camden Town is inevitably seen through the lens of these memories and, though a lot has changed, a lot still remains the same. But in trying to pinpoint what it was that captivated me then - or what still excites me about Camden Town now - it's very hard to name any one thing. The Roundhouse? A fantastic, brilliant venue, and with its railway heritage uniquely Camden, you could say - but probably big enough and distinctive enough to draw the crowds almost anywhere. The canal? A very welcome stretch of water in a very urban setting, well-preserved and authentic, offering boats at the Pirates Palace and cycling on the tow path - fascinating, but not in itself a thing of great beauty. The markets? Unique and key to Camden's energy, but when you're lost deep inside them, does it matter where you are?BAt Perhaps what makes Camden 'what it is' is this remarkable mix, within such a small area: the contrast between the peace of Gloucester Crescent and the weekend crowds surging along the High Street a few yards away; the dynamic of road, rail, and canal criss-crossing each other; and the solid, static, centuries-old iron and cobbles of Camden Lock, and the 'here today, gone tomorrow' foods and gifts on the weekend market stalls.BAGN For me it's this mix - these contrasts - which make Camden what it is.BA Having recently been elected as a Councillor for this ward, I find myself with the privilege of helping represent our residents and also with the challenge of how we sustain this character against the threats of vandalism and drug dealing (though I know the markets, the police, and the local business group, Camden Town Unlimited, are now doing great work here), and against the pressure to 'improve' that has already changed many of London's other villages, and in some cases destroyed their character. No doubt we must progress, and develop, what Camden Town has to offer - to provide better facilities for our young designers and traders, and to meet the needs of local young people and families. The challenge is to do so while keeping the energy and the contrasts which make Camden what it is. I trust local residents and readers of   NW1  will be helping new Councillors like I to play a positive part in this - and taking us to task if we waver.BA:c   Chris is Lib Dem Councillor Camden Town and Primrose Hill  BAD   Chris.naylor@camden.gov.uk  BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA#p  rs dd  $ Roundhouse RebornBAr rs dd    The Roundhouse reopened in June this year following a 30 million redevelopment. Founder and chairman of the Roundhouse Trust and Camden resident Torquil Norman shares his story with   NW1  and how his gamble to save the landmark Grade II* listed building has finally paid off.  BA As a local resident Torquil Norman became interested in the Roundhouse having been inspired in its early days by attending musical performances there with his children. 'I had always felt that my generation had betrayed the young of today by not giving them the opportunity to develop their creative talents. Brains are exam-orientated on one side and creative on the other. I felt that if I could in some way provide the right facilities, we could give these young people a real future.'BA In September 1996 Torquil Norman bought the derelict Roundhouse for 3 million in the name of the Norman Trust, a private charitable trust. Torquil's vision is to develop a creative centre for young people and to re-establish the Roundhouse as an international arts venue. 'My idea was to set up a dual-purpose venue, something which would provide 11-25 year-olds from the local area with a centre for rehearsals, recording and so on and at the same time be a world-class performance space for professional artists.' BA Norman spared nothing to achieve this goal. He garnered the support of some of the UK's most powerful faces - even petitioning and winning the personal help of Tony Blair and Lord Chancellor in his vital seven-year battle to secure the adjoining car park. Having sunk millions of his own fortune into the construction project and ensuring that the Roundhouse survives into the foreseeable future, he says: 'I never doubted the importance of the project for young people. I think we have proved our point now.'BA The architectural challenges of bringing a Victorian engine shed up to date have also been beautifully surmounted. John McAslan + Partners were sensitive to preserving the Main Space, playing to its strengths and creating a mezzanine level which overlooks the Main Space or has potential as an exhibition area. The stunning new wing, which features a glass atrium through which shafts of light pick out the old existing brick faade, houses a sweeping York Stone staircase which leads to the Main Space, while at street level there is the Freedom Studio which offers an intimate performance space and the Roundhouse Caf - an intriguing and stylish space for morning coffee, light lunches and superb evening dining (the Christmas menu begins on 27 November). BAX@G In conjunction with a host of construction, design and production experts, the Roundhouse now has the facilities to rival any performing house in Europe and yet is still a blank canvas for event designers to create spectacles from awards ceremonies such as the recent Vodafone Live Music Awards and the Stirling Prize. BA At the very heart of the Roundhouse project is the Roundhouse. Roundhouse Studios opened its doors in July this year, and has the capacity to work with over 10,000 hard-to-reach young people from all over London each year, offering pathways into the creative industries. Projects and events for young people take place seven days a week with professional artist tutors in state-of-the-art facilities which include media suites, practice rooms, a radio station, live music studios, performance and rehearsal spaces and film and TV studios and edit suites. This autumn saw an exciting line-up in the studios including the Under 18s BBC Electric Proms as well as the launch of Roundhouse Radio, an online station.BA w Since the Roundhouse reopened as a venue just four months ago, the venue has welcomed over 80,000 paying patrons and many thousands more have enjoyed the facilities as well as attended private events. Due to huge public demand, the run of the opening show, the box office smash   Fuerzabruta  , was extended. Subsequent shows included   Space Soon  presented by The Arts Catalyst, an exploration of space and human flight, and Merce Cunningham Dance Company's   Ocean  , which garnered fabulous reviews from national dance critics. BA{c The Roundhouse also celebrates its return as one of London's best loved music venues and played host to the headliners of the   BBC Electric Proms,  featuring amongst others The Who and Paul Weller, followed by an exciting and eclectic music programme including   London    Jazz Festival  in association with Radio 3 to the Zutons, the Pipettes and Jarvis Cocker.BAW;B After an exhilarating year, the launch celebrations culminate in a fabulous New Year's Eve extravaganza with 'Riders on The Storm' (The Doors). Featuring original members and The Cult's Ian Astbury, the mind-blowing live set will invoke memories and the spirit of The Doors' only UK concert hall gig back in 1968. BAdk After ten years of tirelessly campaigning to support the redevelopment, Torquil Norman is assured that the graft was worth it: 'The Roundhouse has been lauded as a massive success that has given the area a real regenerative boost. There has been a knock-on effect locally from infrastructure such as public transport and employment opportunities, to leisure and consumerism. The Roundhouse has created approximately 120 jobs in a wide range of areas as well as providing work or back-to-work experience for many volunteers in office roles and front of house positions. And really our work has only just begun.' BA?   For more information about the Roundhouse and how to support the Roundhouse please visit www.roundhouse.org.uk For tickets and box office information, book online or call 0870 389 1846  BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA$t  rs dd  $ Camden Town UnlimitedBA' rs dd    By Christopher Shaw  BA-X   Welcome to the Camden Town Unlimited column.  BAWB   I am the Chair of Camden Town Unlimited, the business partnership for Camden Town working with key partners including London Borough of Camden, TfL, the Community Forum, GLA and other London agencies to identify ways of making Camden Town a better place to work, live and visit.  BA^ CTU is always looking to develop new methods of communicating with the local community, and therefore we are very happy to be a key supporter of   NW1.   I am delighted to have the opportunity to explain the role of CTU and its aims and objectives. Having worked on aspects of Camden Town for more than 20 years, I recognise the important role of businesses and residents in making Camden Town such a special place, and I look forward to   NW1  becoming a regular forum for the exchange and promotion of positive ideas between residents and businesses, in order to build a stronger and more supportive community.BAJ   Who are Camden Town Unlimited?  BACJ CTU began as a Business Improvement District in April 2006 following a successful ballot in February 2006, where over 80% of businesses in Camden Town voted in favour of forming a Business Improvement District (BID). This allowed CTU, as the BID management company, to apply a small compulsory levy on all eligible businesses within the BID area. All businesses are welcome to join CTU even if their rateable value falls below the precept threshold. Monies raised through this levy are spent on projects designed to deliver sustainable and long-term improvements to Camden Town.BAHO What are our key projects? Camden Town Unlimited have three priorities:BA 8   1) Cut Crime  BAL  Cutting crime and the perception of crime in Camden Town is the key priority for Camden Town Unlimited. We are working closely with the Police and the Local Authority to ensure that the resources are in place to reduce crime levels and drug dealing in the town centre.BAE - Creating a security team that patrols weekday evenings in the winter months (1 October - 31 March). This is designed to provide a highly visible, reassuring presence for people travelling to and from work and home while in the town centre.BAI  - Developing and expanding the existing radio link between businesses and the police, and sharing information on known shoplifters and other problem behaviours in Camden Town to provide the Police/Wardens with faster and better information for tackling crime.BA>   2) Clean and Green  BA/ A cleaner and greener Camden Town will help reduce anti-social behaviour, as well as provide a more enjoyable and safer experience for people. CTU are: BA) - Funding an ongoing graffiti removal programme, in partnership with LBC, aimed at removing all reported graffiti within 7 days. BA%t{ - CTU is working closely with the Council and other agencies to improve the lighting and paving on the High Street.BA/ - CTU has funded a Streetscape Strategy, looking at ways to improve the pedestrian experience in Camden Town including trees and improved public spaces.BA+ - Working with property owners and the Council to develop solutions for regenerating unsightly or dilapidated buildings in the Town Centre.BA  3) Celebrate and PromoteBA= CTU want to encourage Camden Town's reputation for creativity and inspiration in media, fashion, design and music. To this end, CTU are supporting the annual Camden Fashion Show and several annual music events.BA0 If you would like to get in touch with us regarding any of the above projects, please contact the CTU office on 020 7974 8708 or info@camdentownunlimited.comBA"fm I look forward to working with you all to achieve our goals of a safe, green and vibrant Camden Town.BAE   www.camdentownunlimited.com  BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA! j  rs dd  $ Camden LockBA&| rs dd    By Will Fulford  BAI    Thirty years ago Camden Town was a very different place. A third of the shops on the High Street lay empty, and according to one old timer, 'you could sit in the middle of the road and read a newspaper, it was that quiet'.  BAq Camden Lock was also a very different place thirty years ago. It was called T.E. Dingwalls timber yard (known locally as TED's), where timber was unloaded from large river barges to the smaller narrow boats that plied the inland canals of Britain. As more efficient forms of transport grew, the canals began to decline, and the site finally closed in 1971, signalling the end of an era... but the beginning of another. BA!( In 1973 Camden Lock opened as the original arts and crafts market. It started with a lively group of workshops and traders brought together by Camden Lock's owners, Bill Fulford and Peter Wheeler, working in partnership with British Waterways. Set against the rich industrial heritage left behind by TED's, from the outset Camden Lock built its reputation for offering something different from the High Street, and to this day stays true to a philosophy which promotes independent businesses and people who make or design what they are selling.BAadk As well as finding a new use for the buildings, the name Dingwalls would also live on as Camden Lock Dingwalls, which soon established itself as one the hottest music destinations in London. It would play host over the years to the likes of The Clash, Pink Floyd, Blondie, The Ramones, Stone Roses, The Smiths and more recently Coldplay and White Stripes.BAKR It might all have been very different. Plans for a six-lane inner motorway in the 1960s to circle London would have smashed straight through Camden Town. TED's would have been demolished and the canal filled in to make way for a slip road leading on to the motorway. Despite the planning blight caused by the motorway, Camden Lock pushed ahead with plans to renovate the derelict industrial buildings to provide workshop and retail use for space-hungry students and designers. The uptake was swift, and Camden Lock soon developed the buzz and vibe for which it was to become so famous. BA The success of Camden Lock, together with the disastrous consequences of previous London motorway developments on the quality of life for its residents (in particular The Westway), led to a sustained chorus of community angst at the proposals for the motorway, and a potential catastrophe was finally avoided. The planning blight lifted, Camden Lock got to work on renovating other areas of TED's. Copycat markets soon began to follow, and by 1986 the plethora of new market space began to bring with it the associated problems of increased traffic congestion and litter - having fought off the threat of the motorway, a new threat was beginning to emerge. BA Camden Council, sparked by the concerns of some residents, was attempting to restrict the growth of markets in the area and in some cases close them down. The debate continued for some time - some residents for and others against. In the end, the pro-market view prevailed, recognising that Camden Lock was one of the area's biggest employers, the prime reason for Camden Town's vibrant town centre and, unlike the proposed motorway, a development that improves the quality of people's day-to-day lives. BA} It's thanks to the entrepreneurs and British Waterways who started Camden Lock that Camden Town's industrial heritage has been conserved. It's thanks to the stallholders, tenants and visitors who make Camden Lock what it is today that Camden Town's sense of place and identity is now envied across Britain. And it's thanks to the residents of Camden Town that the 10 million people coming to the area each year return with the experience of a genuine London welcome.BA;   Camden Lock is open 7 days a week, 364 days a year. For further information contact Will on 020 7485 7963 or will@norcam.demon.co.uk or visit www.camdenlockmarket.com.  BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA$v   rs dd  $ The View from an EstateB A %{  rs dd    By Robert Moss  B A   My wife has lived in Camden Town all her life and I've lived with her for nearly nine years. We both agree that it is a very different from the time I moved here from Hertfordshire. It now feels sinister, oppressive, and almost aggressive. It feels as if the Camden Town we both knew and loved is dying. That may sound dramatic but the area is slowly having the life squeezed out of it through a variety of inter-related problems such as drug abuse and drug-related crime, vagrancy and gang violence. B A\MT We live on a small estate between Camden Tube and Mornington Crescent, situated between the vibrant High Street and the multi-million pound properties of Arlington Road and Albert Street. While it's hardly the Bronx, the contrast between the areas couldn't be more marked - it's the difference between state run and private housing.BA Four years ago, the council erected perimeter fencing, installed at great expense to keep out the vagrants, thieves, drug addicts and dealers who were using the area as a safe haven. The fence has helped quieten things down, as has the installation of CCTV, but it's like fighting fires - as soon as you put one out, another springs up. You get rid of the crack houses in the block and the dealers start doing business in the street; you put up a fence and the savvy, desperate few find a way to kick the security door free of its magnetic restraints. The council have known about this for two years (and that people can climb over the fence) but nothing has been done. The council have been very slow at dealing with the problem and it feels like our communication has largely been ignored. The estate also has a derelict, unsafe area of ground that's been fenced off and 'awaiting development' for about four years. Again, communication to the council about this issue is largely ignored.BA A few weeks ago there was a violent attack on a resident on the estate, and we regularly find drug addicts smoking crack on the stairwells. Indeed, it's not uncommon to find blood, used syringes and burnt foil on the estate in the morning, all of which has to be dealt with by the caretaker. We have people regularly coming on to the estate and allowing their dogs to use the green as a toilet, despite the fact children regularly play here and there are signs warning that dog fouling is an offence. A few weeks back we had a gang of children set fire to rubbish bags, climb on external garage roofs and throw stones at cars. When I first moved to Camden nine years ago I never experienced any of these problems on the estate.BA~ But it's not all bad. There are some community minded residents and our caretaker is a great guy who deals with the daily trials and tribulations with good humour. By day Camden is a vibrant, bustling, multi-cultural centre with a successful market that's world famous and acts as a tourist magnet. By evening the restaurants are open - Lebanese, Mexican, Spanish, and Chinese - you name it, plus there are numerous pubs and clubs catering for every conceivable drinker. BA However, we have an increasing problem with street crime and street gangs made up primarily of Somalis and Asians who will think nothing of fighting each other, using violence to rob people or pulling a knife. It seems that young people are now settling arguments with knives where 10 years ago it was with fists. What's more worrying is that violence in Camden now seems commonplace and disputes are occurring over the most trivial of matters. I'm 41 years old and I have a daughter. We are considering leaving the area and moving somewhere less troubled. I'm not quite ready to be lying on a coroner's slab because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA #q!  rs dd  $ High Street HassleB!A"Eu# rs dd    NW1  asked Ian Walker from Camden Council to let us have the Council's current view of drug dealing in Camden Town...  B#A$v% I started my career in 1983 as a Housing Officer in Camden Town. Some people tell me it has always had a serious drugs problem but that is not the Camden Town I remember. I remember a High Street with fishmongers, antique and hardware shops. I'm not pretending there wasn't a street drinker or two but I certainly don't remember it as a drugs hotspot, unlike Kings Cross, which I always remember as having a serious drugs and vice problem.B%A&y' For those living and working in and around the High Street it might appear that things have not improved in the last couple of years, and that the use of the new legislation (90 ASBOs, 11 crack house closures & two Dispersal Orders in Camden Town alone) has made little impact on the problem. A walk down Inverness Street or a coffee in the cafe opposite the tube would suggest we have indeed failed. However, I think this is not the case because: B'A("gn) * There is now little begging or street drinking, especially around the tube, which was once endemic. B)A*"gn+ * The estates around the town centre have seen a significant decrease in drug-related rough sleeping. B+A,I- * Whole swathes of the south of the borough now see no open drug dealing, including the once-notorious Regents Park Estate but also Somerstown, Kings Cross and Holborn. And we know these individuals have not, on the whole, been displaced into Camden Town. B-A.'y/ * Since 2002 Camden Town has seen a 22% fall in crime, which is what we would expect if we address drug dealing and use.B/A0S)01 Of course, if you live or work off Inverness Street you have seen little or no improvement. However, we need to remember that Kings Cross took three years to clean up and it only had a third of the crime level of Camden Town. So, as I have said before - Camden Town is a really hard nut to crack.B1A2w3 But with all the partners working at full capacity to address these issues, with another 15 ASBO applications going before Highbury Magistrates Court before Christmas, I believe that we will see a further reduction in open drug dealing and use in Camden Town, and that within two years we could have eradicated open drug dealing completely. It will be a long slog, but we can repeat our success in Kings Cross if we continue to work together.B3A4(Z5   ...and we also talked to a local trader about his view of what's happening on the street.  B5A6,7 I have been working at Camden Lock for over ten years so have a good knowledge of the problem with overt drug dealing on Camden High Street.B7A89 Generally speaking, I walk down the High Street every day and get hassled to buy drugs at least once; however in the summer and school holidays this increases to five or six. There are days when we get some respite and I will not see a single dealer, but this can generally be put down to the fact the police have started a new operation and have been given the manpower specifically to target the dealers. Unfortunately, these operations are often short-lived, and it's not long before the dealers return to their usual haunts. B9A:h; The police clearly do excellent work in removing the dealers when they can, but due to limited resources, what they're able to achieve is more of a damage-limitation exercise than anything more permanent. It's frustrating when you have personally experienced, first hand, the police possessing the skills to carry out a task, but not the resources to tackle the problem properly. B;A</6= Just over a year ago we were inundated with cigarette sellers on the High Street. They were clearly doing excellent trade, but after only a few months, with very visible police activity, they were completely eradicated. Cynics might say this is because the Government realised if they don't act quickly they'll lose millions in tobacco taxes. However, I see it as evidence that if the police are given specific powers to deal with a problem they can tackle it effectively. Whatever the reason, the fact is the cigarette sellers were off the streets quickly.B=A>qx? However, the answer to the immediate problem of overt drug dealing in Camden Town is not simply more police arresting more dealers. The answer must be to provide a sufficient security presence to be a deterrent to both drug dealers and drug buyers. When people can no longer find drug dealers to purchase drugs, Camden Town will start to change its image as 'an easy place to go and score drugs'. Until the drug issue is assigned the resources it needs and deserves, with a united front from government, police, council, businesses and local residents, we are going to be stuck with this depressing and debilitating problem.B?A@IA  rs      BAAD E BEAF G BGAH#pI  rs dd  $ Tourism in CamdenBIAJ%zK rs dd    By Ben Larsen  BKAL5`M   A few keen-eyed locals may have noticed it already.   BMANO But for those who haven't spotted it yet, a pleasant surprise awaits you in the form of Jamie Hardiman and the new Camden Tourist Information Centre. Just off the corner of Arlington Road and Parkway, the newly opened centre offers a wealth of information, not just about tickets and bookings but also local history and culture (as Jamie is a born and bred Camden Town boy). For those expecting just another run-of-the-mill, cloned tourist information shlock-spot, you will be pleasantly surprised.BOAPU18Q Born at University College Hospital off Euston Road, Jamie lived 26 years of his life in Somerstown, running amok and getting into mischief about which he won't go into detail with me. His family is still nearly all based here, and he can be seen regularly all over town, chatting to friends old and new.BQARqS Jamie says that in his lifetime he has seen Camden change from a town filled with a myriad of independent stores and sweet-shops, where he used to be known on a strictly first-name basis by the owners, to a place where few of the independent retailers the town is still known for can afford the skyrocketing rents and rates. He has watched the slow tide of chains and multinational-backed companies move into the area.BSATU So, to be a new, independent business opening up in Camden Town must be pretty terrifying, right? Wrong. Jamie is taking the bull by the horns (ok, I'm not talking literally, though I get the impression he might have a go) and ploughing on. It was his commitment to and passion about Camden Town that convinced the landlord of the property (another local) to let it to him, despite the fact that he had received offers of more money from other businesses. It came down to that fact that Jamie's love of Camden is, well, contagious.BUAVW He is currently in discussions with a few national ticketing and booking agencies that will make getting seats to West End shows, concerts and hotel rooms easier for Camden Town locals, who up till now have had to take their chances on last-minute tickets from sellers in the West End. There is also the potential for locals to be able to get discounted tickets for local and national attractions, from the London Zoo and the London Eye to the likes of Legoland and Alton Towers.BWAX/Y So you might be thinking, 'Fantastic! That's marvellous. But in the end, what can he do for me?' Which is a fair question, and one that I put to Jamie. BYAZ [ He didn't flinch.B[A\R%,] 'I'm in discussions with Paypoint so that hopefully people will soon be able to come in and pay their electricity, gas and telephone bills here, as well as their congestion charges. And I'm working on getting Transport for London on board so folks can even top up their Oyster Cards in here.'B]A^07_ And to further spread the word that the Tourist Information Centre is there to make our lives easier and more fun, Jamie is offering a fabulous series of discounts for locals. On presentation of this article to the store, Jamie will happily knock 10% off the normal price of any of the English Heritage Tours packages, which include tours of London's Rock and Roll sites (which includes a detour to Camden to see where The Doors played their only ever UK show), a Da Vinci Code tour, and day trips around the countryside to all England's famous tourist spots.B_A`a Jamie also told me that he is keeping one wall of the Tourist Information Centre empty for now, as he has plans for local photographers to exhibit and sell their works from the store. 'If anyone from the area has taken some photos of Camden that they'd like to sell or show, please get in touch with me and we'll work something out. I really want to give the shop a strong local flavour, and to have an area filled with artists. I can't think of a better way of doing it than by exhibiting and helping them to sell their work.'BaAb?c So, Jamie Hardiman, ex-terror of local sweet shops, has come good, and is trying to buck the trend of local independent shops going under by providing a combination of different services for both tourists and locals. BcAd#*e Will he succeed? I bloody hope so.BeAfIg  rs      BgAj k BkAl m BmAn$wo  rs dd  $ The Rights of the WriterBoAp%{q rs dd    By Kate Larsen  BqAr`:es   On the top floor of Carlin Music's NW1 offices on Bridge Approach, David Japp sits amidst a treasure-trove of intriguing kinetic gadgets, steam engines and shiny brass propellers. His home away from home, CEO Japp has been steering Carlin for nearly 30 of its 40 years at the top of the music publishing business.  BsAtQ!(u Tucked away on the railway line that separates Chalk Farm and Primrose Hill, Carlin was founded in 1966 by music industry legend Freddy Bienstock (who still heads up the company from New York) and began by handling the catalogues of Elvis Presley, Bacharach & David and Atlantic Records. BuAv_[bw Carlin's 40-year celebration is a rare feat in the music industry, as is the fact that in this family-esque company of 30 people there is such a low turnover of staff - only five in the last ten years. They come and they stay. And the company continues to grow, with each new copyright added to the catalogue being thought of as an adopted child.BwAxdovy Now one of the largest independent music publishers in the world, Carlin's catalogue spans a hundred years of popular music history. The catalogue has grown to an impressive 120,000 titles and includes songs by some of the greatest writers of all time. Where else would you find Aretha Franklin and The Kinks on the same bill as Dolly Parton and the Black Eyed Peas?ByAzT[{ And while you're not supposed to have a favourite, even amongst your adopted children, Japp admits a great fondness for 'Feels Like Heaven' by Fiction Factory, which he signed to Carlin in the early 1980s and which is still one of the top earning titles for the company. Looking through a catalogue that can chart the ebb and flow of the popular music industry, Japp also picks up on the influence of The Kinks: 'I think Ray Davies of The Kinks is one of the most talented songwriters of all time. His songs are little portraits of English life, of an England that sadly doesn't exist any more.'B{A|} But hold onto that demo tape. The nature of the industry is changing and most of the new songs added to Carlin's catalogue have already had a successful release. Gone are the days when swathes of professional writers churned out songs for other people to record. These days, most artists tend to write or at least co-produce their own material. The impact of changing technologies also means that artists can produce and market their own albums without needing that 'big break' from a publisher or record company to get them started. B}A~adk Of the many different types of copyright involved in music production, Carlin takes responsibility over the right to use the song itself rather than the physical recording or the artist's performance. Japp likens the role of the music publisher to that of a gatekeeper, in that they do everything they can to 'fiercely fight' for the rights of the writer.BA Being 'independent' means that Carlin is not owned or affiliated with a label or record company. As Japp describes it, record companies and music publishers are often poles apart. Primarily, it is difficult for a record company to adopt that 'gatekeeper' role as their financial imperatives are often at odds with those of the writer. This means less money in the pockets of the writers. And Carlin? Well, they'll do 'whatever we can to protect the interests of the writer'. This means everything from making sure that the song earns as much money as possible to ensuring they aren't used in a way that the artist disagrees with. Not all songwriters, for example, dream of the day when their heart-felt lyrics are used to persuade us to buy the softest new loo-roll.BA\OV Japp admits, however, that policing these copyrights is done with great difficulty. Music publishers simply can't have eyes and ears everywhere all of the time. Recent years have been difficult for the industry, with internet downloads, illegal sampling and unlicensed performances all affecting royalties for songwriters and artists.BA Perhaps surprisingly, then, last year Carlin had its biggest year ever. In what Japp refers to affectionately as a 'nickel and dime' business, I'm surprised to learn that the vast majority of songs bring in less than 10 per annum. Just 10% of the songs in Carlin's catalogue generate 90% of its income, but even most of these high-earners turn over less than 2,000 each year. It's the 'evergreen' standards like 'As Time Goes By' (always on average Carlin's biggest song) that keep the money coming in.BAJ  And come in it does. In 2004, music publishing accounted for 12% of the value of the British music industry (worth almost 5 billion a year) and 36% of the industry's net exports (source: Music Publisher's Association). Now that's a lot of nickels and dimes. BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA f  rs dd  $ JudaicaBA&~ rs dd    By Rab MacWilliam  BA/u   A short stroll off Parkway, along Albert Street, takes you to one of London's smallest yet most fascinating museums.  BA; Established in 1932, and relocated to Camden Town in 1995, The Jewish Museum contains a collection of ritual Judaic items, artefacts and objects which is perhaps unrivalled anywhere else in the world. BA Now amalgamated with the Jewish Museum in Finchley - which concentrates on the roots and social history of Jewish people in London - the Museum is a tribute to the imagination, flair and sophistication of Jewish art, as well as a vivid, and at times sombre, evocation of the trials and persecution of the Jewish population since their arrival in Britain at the invitation of William the Conqueror. However, above all, it celebrates the determination of what was to many a reviled minority to maintain, often in secrecy, their cultural identity and religious beliefs through the creation and worship of the symbols which defined, nourished and confirmed their Jewish faith.BAv} Having been warmly greeted in the entrance room, which stocks an interesting range of books and Jewish historically-related material, I entered the Museum proper, where the first exhibit is an early 18th-century English brass 'Hannucah' candelabrum, followed by an exhibition of Jewish coins ranging from the fourth century BC to the Mediaeval period. Already, I found it difficult not be impressed with the attention to detail and the sheer intricacy of early Jewish craftsmanship. My admiration for the talent, devotion and labours of these early Jewish artists and designers only increased as I toured the rest of the Museum. BA The main exhibition then showing (now finished) on the ground floor was entitled 'Identities 2006', and was a series of photographs, and a film, of a cross-section of Jews in today's London, their connection to their Jewish heritage and their place in the wider community. The diversity of the images - from rolling matzahs in Stamford Hill to the first same-sex Jewish wedding in Britain - was a reminder that, although beliefs may be different, little else separates us, or should separate us, in today's multicultural Britain.BA Moving upstairs to the Alfred Rubens Collection of Prints and Drawings, I was immediately impressed by the 16th-century Venetian Synagogue Ark, a massive cupboard, made of Italian walnut with gilded and marbled paintwork, designed to hold the Scrolls of the Law (Torah), bells (rimmonim), Torah breastplate and a pointer. Also upstairs were paintings (including one of Sir David Salomons, the first Jewish Lord Mayor of London), silver Torah scrolls, beautifully decorated marriage contracts, astonishingly ornate rimmonim and so on it went, the artistic and spiritual expressions of an enduring, often troubled but deeply committed religion.BAx As a non-Jew- and relatively ignorant of Jewish beliefs, practices and customs - I learnt a lot from my visit. The Guide produced by the Museum is a brief, informative encapsulation of the Jewish experience in Britain and of Jewish life, society and art in general. They also run courses, school trips, creative workshops and other cultural activities. You should visit this place. There's more to Camden Town than bars, fashion and restaurants.BA;d   Raymond Burton House, 129-131 Albert Street, London NW1 7NB  ,   020 7284 1997  ,   www.jewishmuseum.org.uk  BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA#r  rs dd  $ Christmas Shopping BA& rs dd    By Kathryn Kennedy  BAH   Undoubtedly, there is one thing that Camden does not lack - choice. Whether it is going out for dinner and drinks with friends, seeing a band or shopping - especially shopping - Camden leaves you spoiled for choice.   BA The reputation of Camden has reached far and wide, as shown by the masses of people who flock here seven days a week. In fact, sometimes it feels like too much choice, and many find themselves absorbed into the waves of visitors and manage to escape without really seeing anything that they came for. With the Christmas season approaching, and the high street shops putting out their scarily similar seasonal items on the shelves, take my advice and take a miss on mono-shopping. Pop into Camden and find a gift which is unique and inspired from a local creative type. Whomever you've got on your Christmas list, whether they are naughty or nice, here are a few of the 'must not miss' spots you can find in NW1.BA 8   Celtic Dawn   BA  35 Middle YardBA  Camden Lock MarketBA www.celticdawn.co.ukBA5? In the reverb of the mighty reggae music pulsing across the yard from Caribbean music specialist Massive International, you can find this tucked-away shop emerging from the mists of the golden Celtic age. Proudly on display is a beautiful array of traditional Celtic jewellery designed and created by craftspeople from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Although traditional jewellery is the speciality of the shop, Fiona, the manager, is an enthusiast of all things Celtic and sells an eclectic collection of items, from Celtic bookmarks and cards (2 - 3.50), music (10 - 15) to custom-crafted wedding bands and rings (100 - 200). For anyone of any age who has an interest in the amazing history of the Celts and admires the ancient legends of their art and culture, there is ample choice at Camden's Celtic Dawn.BAD   Braintree Hemp Clothing   BA  Unit 9-10 East YardBA  Camden Lock MarketBA www.braintreehemp.co.ukBA If you follow the songs of the whistling bird lady up in to the East Yard of the Camden Lock, you will find hemp heaven at Braintree. Camden is home to this Australian company's only UK outlet, which specialises in this complete keener of a plant and a few of its 25,000 uses. Braintree busts through the stereotypical burlap sack associated with natural clothing, and has created a vibrant and comfortable line of casual wear for men, women and children, all made with hemp. You can nab your mate a pair of slacks or a shirt for around 30 or a pair of cosy stocking stuffer socks for a fiver. Hemp is also known for its great nutritional value and contribution to anti-aging, and Braintree sells a stock of creams, snacks and teas for the all-round hemp experience.BAB   Painted Earth Pottery   BA  Arch 65BA  Stables MarketBA www.paintedearth.co.ukBA Flex your artistic muscle and paint pottery the way you always thought it should be painted - without numbers. In all seriousness, this brilliant studio offers plenty of Xmas party packages for children and adults for groups from 5 to 50 people. It works out at roughly 5 per head plus the cost of the pottery you choose to paint. Painted Earth have a wide selection of plates, mugs, ornaments and statues, but with Yuletide around the corner there is plenty of Christmas paraphernalia to satisfy even the cheeriest of artists. One interesting feature of the party packages for adults, besides the guidance of a trained professional, is the option to bring your own food and booze - tis' the season to be merry.BA 4   Ray Man   BAL 54 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AN     BAT] The second you step inside the shop, you are surrounded by sound: a constant hum of dozens of punters trying their luck with the extraordinary collection of Chinese, Japanese, African, Middle Eastern and South American instruments, all crammed into this space on Chalk Farm Road. The impressive collection is the passion of the store owner and musician, Ray Mann, and his wife Man Yee. Mann, an accomplished musician for over 40 years, has supplied and been sought after for advice by some of music's most influential artists, including Elton John, George Harrison, Noel Gallagher and Bjork. Anyone wanting to expand their tastes or talents can pick up a Vietnamese Dan Moi (mouth harp for beginners) with bamboo case for 5.50, a Tibetan Singing Bowl for 48 or, for the more ambitious, a balalaika, a traditional folk instrument hailing from Russia.BA9   David Baillie  BA=D 1st floor Camden Market Hall & Glass Stand in Stables MarketBA$ www.unlimited-editions.co.ukBA Jazz-inspired art is always a crowd pleaser and, as I cruise up to this stall in the Stables Markets, two aficionados jive, yes I do mean jive, in front of this stall. I make my way past & look around at the formidable faces of Bob Dylan, Skip James, Chet Baker, Billie Holiday and, of course, Robert Johnson. David Baillie, an artist originally from Scotland, is clearly motivated by two things: music and women. Baillie's classically composed images of beautiful women pay tribute to the vibrant culture of jazz and blues. His triptych portraits of musicians often show a contrast between the stark nature of the images and the vibrancy of their presentation. His art, which has been shown in New York, Tokyo and Paris, is available as single prints on card for 2 and small triptychs for 30, up to the large 12-block sets for 200. All handcrafted prints are only available at Unlimited Editions retail outlets at Camden Lock & Stables Markets.BAB   Young, Gifted & Slack   BA  Camden Lock MarketBA  East YardBA Over the river, past the punks and immediate left up by Lock 17 Bar - this is not the beginnings of a fairytale but directions to Young, Gifted & Slack, a purveyor of original t-shirt designs for gentlemen, ladies and kids. At the helm is Mat Deaves, a man who has 'been loving the sofa' since March 2006. Mat left his day job a mere six months ago to design a hilariously creative gamut of t-shirts, knickers, tea towels and mugs that have enticed such supreme cult classic monologists as John Cusack. Best sellers include a 'tea, biscuits & death metal' and 'Let's Hunt James Blunt' (which recently toured Europe with the famed East London band the Infadels). T-shirts run for a fair 16, knickers 6, and the almighty tea towel and mug combo is 12 for the set. BA3   Isidro   BA Camden Lock Market HallBA  Ground FloorBAbk It doesn't get more personal than a monogrammed accessory, and thoughtful gift buying on a deadline doesn't get better than a visit to Isidro. He has a small set-up off the side of the main vendors in the Market Hall, where he churns out the loveliest high quality, personal name necklaces, made to order in 30 minutes or less! All you have to do is leave the name that you would like him to carve into a charming necklace and return 30 minutes later, after a leisurely perusal of the surrounding merchants. Isidro has an array of skills and can inlay jewels or even cleverly carve out cats to perch atop the recipients name; all you have to do is ask. The necklaces are his best sellers at 20 for a five-letter name and 1 for every additional letter, but at his stall you will find monogram mayhem with earrings, bracelets and table-top trinkets all on display. BA;   Abilu Creations  BA  Camden Lock MarketBA*1 https://stores.ebay.co.uk/Abilu-CreationsBA One can't help but be drawn to Abilu Creations, especially if you are a magpie like me. Abigail Taylor, once an art and design teacher in Muswell Hill, has turned her students' desire for her homemade jewels into an array of pirate booty-inspired charm necklaces and bracelets that are a delight. Darting from lightning bolts and pink plastic gun necklaces (15) to massive knitted flower brooches (10), you will finally rest on the piece de resistance - the plectrum cluster necklace (20). It's grandma's treasure chest on a chain, each accented with a customised 'Abilu Creations' plectrum, a music inspired twist for a rock goddess' ultimate adornment. BAH   As yet Unknown - Art Gallery  BA Arch 65, Stables MarketBA www.asyetunknown.co.uk BAbk Deep in the catacombs of the Camden Stables Market is a mecca for undiscovered artists. Ryan Goodwin, a man of impressive stature and ex-telecom salesman turned Camden curator, provides wall space for up and coming artists to display their creations in one of Europe's busiest markets. All artists, although natives from all corners of the earth, live and work in London, and resident artist, Carolina Maggio, is a Camden girl herself. There is a vast variety of images available for a wide range of tastes and interests. Originals are available (ranging from 200 - 600) as well as prints in the 50 bracket.BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA#p   rs dd  $ Birmingham Blues at BarflyB A %z  rs dd    By Ben Larsen  B A )[    Dan Sartain with support from Emit Bloch  B A#X   The Barfly, Sunday 22 October 2006  BA^X_ It was on the recommendation of friends that I went along to the Barfly on Chalk Farm Road to see Dan Sartain. A week previously I had barely heard his name, and I'm sure many others will be in the same boat, but if his form on a hungover Sunday afternoon in the downstairs bar is anything to go on, this might change sooner rather than later.BA" To set the scene, I'd been good, almost angelic, that weekend. Friday night had been relatively booze-free, as we were attempting to roller skate (no easy feat for a man in his mid-20's who'd never skated before), and Saturday had only seen a couple of mid-day bevies pass my lips as my brother-in-law and I had made the yearly pilgrimage to The Oval in south London to see the once-a-year spectacle of Australian Rules Football being brought full flight to the old country, followed by a relatively (such a contentious word) early night.BA So, after two cups of coffee late morning, the next thing to pass my lips was a Whiskey and Coke, neither of which I normally drink, but it was free with entry, and who am I to turn down a free drink on a sleepy Sunday? The gig was running late, which was a bit rubbish as we had to stand outside in the rain, and that's never fun, so, a little bit soggy, we lined up in front of the stage to hear Emit Bloch, who has apparently adopted England as his new home. Playing a solo set rich in stories, laughs and references to how hot his wife is but how terrible marriage is in general, he had the crowd warmed up in minutes. I think it'd be almost too easy to write him off as quirky, but behind the leather (or was it pleather?) hat, the pink-tipped hair, the stopping-mid-song to pick up his harmonica (three times) or redeliver a line he flubbed, there is a genuine song writing talent there, and one I hope to see more of.BA But onto the big shebang, the man whose voice and reputation filled the bar, Dan Sartain. He's from the   other   Birmingham, the one in Alabama, more famous here for being at the centre of the Civil Rights movement in the 60s than for its long glorious history as a steel town (I'm not kidding, I just read all about it), and throughout the set the crowd was collectively willing him to talk more between songs so we could hear that twang and drawl to full effect.BAm Let it be said from the outset, this boy can play. After going to endless gigs in London, you get used to a different level of musicianship and showmanship. I'm not saying that you don't get incredible bands locally, because you do, but when you see someone so damn good you want to simultaneously start bands while realising you can never hope to be as good as them, you know it's something special.BAj The band swung between shit-hot rock and roll, dirty rockabilly and menacing blues. You could imagine nearly every tune being the highlight of a Tarantino soundtrack. 'The Flight of The Finch' got the crowd moving early, and from there on in he didn't let up. The band was amazing, too, a three-piece producing a bigger sound than most bands with more hands on deck, and tight as a drum. BA  Rarely does a musician possess such ability to unite listeners in appreciation of genres they generally couldn't give two hoots about. Johnny Cash did it for country music, The Beatles did it for pop, and though it's a big call and I'm prepared to eat my (pleather) hat if proved wrong, I believe that Dan Sartain is the sort of player who could take my mum and dad, your mum and dad, all of your workmates, cousins, neighbours and friends, and get them all loved up over the course of a half-hour show and a bottle of gin.BA^W_ Over the course of the set we got hit by guitar licks to make your mother cry, drums as big as your head and a voice that seriously made me want to listen. And on a personal note, my fianc was so impressed with his guitar sound that she (foolishly) gave me permission to go and foolhardily spend some hard earned on a similar one for myself!BA S1!  rs    So, a few days later here I am, basking in the reflected glory and half-drunk memories of a show that has changed me, made me want to move to Alabama, eat alligator, get skinny and play menacing blues from my porch at any fool who wanders nearby. B!A"&#     B#A& ' B'A( ) B)A*"o+  rs dd  $ Camden Pub CrawlB+A,&- rs dd    By Helen Griffiths  B-A.n/ The recently refurbished   Hawley Arms  is an absolute gem of a pub, tucked away under the railway line at Camden Lock. Offering a fairly standard selection of beers - Budvar, Old Bob and Olde Trip - a respectable wine list and some traditional pub food - bangers and mash, fish and chips - they manage to distinguish themselves from the ranks of similar establishments with some quirky touches, friendly bar staff and a great play list. The layout is a little frustrating, as seating is at a premium and the bar doesn't really lend itself to hanging. However, this is amply compensated for by the selection of treats, ranging from hula hoops and monster munch to jelly beans and kola kubes which are kept in large glass sweet jars behind the bar and sold by the cup. A roof terrace in the summer and an open fire in winter makes the Hawley Arms a pub for all seasons. Excellent. B/A09b1   Hawley Arms, 2 Castlehaven Rd, NW1 www.thehawleyarms.com  B1A2M3 Wander a little further up Chalk Farm Road to   The Lock Tavern  , another bar that was recently spruced up. The dcor, a mix of battered leather sofas and long wooden pews with scattering of fringed lamps and fairy lights, has stayed broadly the same, and they continue to serve a mix of fashionable draft and bottled beers and lagers: Staropramen, Tiger & Ashai. A recent menu change has expanded their offerings beyond the staple - and delicious - square pie company dishes to include some salads, steaks and burgers. The Lock Tavern is notorious for being one of the haunts of the glitterati of North London, with Kate Moss, Sadie Frost   et al  frequently spotted there along with the owner DJ Jon Carter and his chums and, as such, it's immensely popular. Crammed with the beautiful people on weekdays and weekends alike, it's not the kind of place to go for a quiet - or scruffy - drink, but for a spot of noisy people watching it can be great. The roof terrace and garden space make it a more attractive proposition in summer, and regular events such as the Sunday Roasts present live bands and DJ sets. The bar staff often seem to consider themselves too cool to pull a pint, but once you actually get served you'll have fun.B3A47`5   Lock Tavern, 35 Chalk Farm Road, www.lock-tavern.co.uk  B5A627 And now for an old favourite:   The Good Mixer  . A shabby, chic pub at the bottom of Inverness Market, the Good Mixer is true to its name. Regulars range from the asymmetrically-fringed art school punks via some fairly scary looking, tattooed rockers to men who have quite possibly been drinking in here for 20 years or more. And therein lies its charm. The bar is a standard mix of Fosters and Kronenbourg, with some Jagermeister thrown in for good measure, and the majority of the seats are frankly uncomfortable, but never mind. The jukebox has an excellent selection of rock and roll, indie classics, punk and ska - although, sadly, the old rotating one was replaced recently with a new-fangled digital version - and it's a great pre-gig bar for any of the many NW1 venues.B7A8!J9   The Good Mixer, Inverness Street  B9A:<; When I first moved to Camden Town a few years ago, the   Dublin Castle  was one of the first places I ever drank in. I've been coming back once or twice a month since then. B;A<`_f= What got me about it the first time I went, aside from the myriad of Madness posters adorning the walls, was the bar in the front room. It is one of the lowest bars I've ever seen, and fabulously so, because, not being a hugely tall man it allowed me to feel a lot taller than I actually am, by making me bend down to rest my arms on its golden top. B=A>nu? Regardless of my ongoing delusions of gigantism, this place has always been kind to me, and this night was no different. Filled to near bursting with young rockers and a few mums and dads out to visit one of the homes of Two-Tone ska, the Castle was abuzz with booze, song and booze. Getting more than one friendly introductory tug on my beard from glazed-eyed ladies and gents on my way through the bar to try my luck finding a table, bench or chair to sit on, or at least an inch or two on a table to rest my beer (they do get heavy you know), I dragged myself away from the bar and barmaids and bravely ventured forth.B?A@A The Dublin Castle can lay claim to being as much a part of the furniture of Camden as anywhere else. It was here after all that the current landlord Henry Conlon's dad Alo gave Madness, who were claiming to be a jazz band at the time, their now famous residency that helped launch them to unbelievable heights, and it was here that in the mid-1990s at the height of Britpop mania that Blur played a 'secret' gig as a thank-you to their loyal fans in Camden Town. With such strong connections to internationally successful bands, it's not hard to see why the Dublin Castle has been packed out nearly every time I've been here, and why many bands coming up through the ranks still consider playing 'the Castle' to be such an important stepping stone.BAABC Never a pub for those wanting a quiet pint to calm the nerves, if you're at The Dublin Castle you're there for a raucous good time, and you'd best be ready for it once you walk through the doors. Homely but absolutely buzzing and generally rammed to the gills, if you like rock and roll on the jukebox and people-watching, the front room is for you. If you prefer your music live, they have bands playing out the back most nights of the week put on by Bugbear Promotions and Club Fandango, and exchanging four or five of your hard earned for a stamp is generally worth the investment. That said, though, if you end up seeing some absolute shockers I hereby waive any responsibility whatsoeverBCAD*DE   The Dublin Castle, 94 Parkway, Camden Town, NW1 7AN    (By Ben Larsen)  BEAFIG  rs      BGAJ K BKAL M BMAN$uO  rs dd  $ Centre of the UniverseBOAP'Q rs dd    By Julia Stonehouse  BQARS1S   Normski titled his photographic show 'Camden Town - centre of the Universe' because so many people he meets when travelling abroad tell him they're wearing clothes they bought at Camden Market. Seems everyone comes to Camden, and takes a little bit of it away.  BSATacjU The black and white photos in this show are a montage of life as we know it, as Londoners. If you walk slowly from photo to photo, absorbing the energy of the images, you will find yourself, you'll come home, to London, to Camden. It's a meditation on who you are, who I am, who Normski is - a Londoner. This is us, our world. It's strangely reassuring. BUAVjW Upstairs, there are a couple of films showing. Watch them. One is a story about buying a pair of trainers in New York, and someone standing on them. I won't give the plot away. It's an event that could happen to anyone. It happened to Normski and, with the musical beat driving the story, he tells us about it in pictures and words. It's a moment in time, like the photos, beautifully told.BWAXY The other film is Normski talking about his photos. For example, he was walking down Regents Park Road with his camera when a man came along and said 'you'd like that', indicating the direction of Chalcott Square. When Normski gets to the square he sees a little crowd in the corner. A car had gone, front end, into a basement, and was sticking up flat against the wall. Apparently an old lady had been driving the car, bought for her by her son. She was used to driving a manual, this was an automatic, and she'd hit the wrong pedal. Instead of braking, she'd gone straight into the basement. That wasn't the strange part. A guy was decorating the house, crouched on a windowsill, scraping away peeling paint. The photo shows him still working, ignoring the bizarre accident that had taken place inches from his curled up toes. If ever a picture exemplified London cool, this is it. Hey, gotta get on.BYAZw[ Normski is a born story teller. It's in the way he sees. It's in the way he talks. Most of us hurry around the place like disorganised ants. We think we're looking, but do we see? And then there are people who do observe, but keep what they see to themselves. Normski sees, but also has the skill to pass that seeing on to us. Its not an obtuse vision we're never quite sure we've worked out, but a clear observation - life, as we know it. B[A\W9@] London is a city of surprises. You think you've seen it all, and then you see something else. That's why we love it. That's why people come here, and become Londoners. Normski tells us to stop, look, see. Let your eyes feel the texture, shape and form, but also, connect with the humanity, the irony, the humour.B]A^O#_ Catch this show before it finishes on 26 November. Walk around. Sit down. Go upstairs. Take some time. Let it sink in. You'll feel centered, refreshed, more aware of who you are - a Londoner no matter where you're from - part of the great living city, at the centre of the universe.B_A`7xa   Norman Anderson (aka Normski), Arlington Gallery, 73 Parkway NW1 7PP, 020 7267 5641  ,   Wed - Sun, 11-6, until 26 November  BaAbIc  rs      BcAf g BgAh i BiAj fk  rs dd  $ NormskiBkAl'm rs dd    By Julia Stonehouse  BmAnj4o   When Normski agreed to do a celebrity reality TV show in Thailand he didn't know he'd be taken to the Andaman Islands, and led to his death. Death meditation, that is, directed by a group of Tai Chi experts. By 'experts', we're talking people who do things that are physically impossible ...   theoretically  .   BoApq Normski was asked how he'd like to die - 'heart attack' he said. He was told to pick one person who would be his last human contact, and to decide whether that communication would be by phone, or letter. He decided on writing, as did the other three celebrities. After writing pages and pages, time ran out. He was told to stop - death was imminent. Suddenly, a forceful punch landed on his chest - the 'heart attack', a phial of foul aroma was put under his nose - the stench of 'death', a blindfold was put over his eyes, and he was led to 'the death chamber'. For endless hours there was no sight, no sound, just his body getting heavier and heavier as he sank deeper into 'death'.BqArvs Eventually the celebs were roused by the Tai Chi 'angels' and, to their amazement, could see islands on the horizon they hadn't seen before - although they'd been looking out on the same view all week. Normski saw tiny ants moving on a tree 20 feet away. Everything was clearer, brighter, more colourful. He ran, faster than he knew he could, up the long beach - and then leaped high into a tree. 'Death' had made him more alive than ever!BsAtu It's this 'aliveness' that makes Normski a sought-after DJ and MC. He can stand in front of an 80,000 strong crowd and get his voice heard. And it was this same energy that bought him to the attention of BBC 2 producers when, at 25, he was chosen to front their long-running show,   Dance Energy  . Since then he's been involved in a host of TV programmes, produced and directed music promos, and become a spokesman for all aspects of youth culture - music, visuals, fashion and action. BuAv*1w True to the zeitgeist of the new millenium, Normski threads through the semantic barriers of 'photographer', 'film maker' 'producer', 'writer', 'presenter'. No longer do we insist on categorising people so firmly. The young understand that intuitively, and Normski was one of the first to ignore the tedious linguistic walls that try to imprison the flow of personal creativity. He describes himself as 'double positive', and 'a horse galloping free'. 'I talk, I listen, I translate'. Ever mercurial, he moves between generations, race, time, and place.BwAxy Normski grew up in Primrose Hill, and often spent days with his mum - a conductress on the Routemasters. He'd love going to new places, and meeting new people - and still does. As a youth he was an avid skateboarder, with his friends travelling far and wide across the city. He says there was a great camaraderie, with groups of youth from all over London meeting at places like South Bank, with many growing up to be architects, designers and film-makers - perhaps skateboarding taught them to appreciate movement through space. Normski's love of the board led to him presenting, and partly directing, the first TV series on snowboarding - Channel 4's 'Board Stupid', in 1995. ByAzm{ Haverstock School in the early 1980's was hardly a supportive environment for an aspiring photographer like Normski. The art teacher, Miss Brown, thought she knew of a darkroom, and she and the kids went looking for it. It was locked up, the equipment dusty and covered in cobwebs. So they tried to reclaim it, but the headteacher had it blocked up. Maybe it's still there - behind the breeze blocks. B{A|N} Normski's teachers said he'd go nowhere in life. In fact he's been to America forty times, and to Japan, Mauritius, South Africa, and most points in between. On Christmas Eve he'll be bringing music to thousands in Singapore, while the teachers will be at home watching re-runs. B}A~| Camden Town made Normski who he is. As a young man, fishing on the canal for hours taught him to understand what it meant to 'be in it' - in the 'zone'. One of his first jobs was at the London Rock Shop in Camden Lock, where he became 'addicted to music'. The streets at that time rang with the horns and violins of buskers. And being a photographer, he got in free to all the gigs at Dingwalls. When hip-hop exploded in London, he was there, right in it. BAo Although the world is now Normski's canvas, he'll always come home to Primrose Hill, which he thinks is special. 'The other day', he says, 'I was driving past it, admiring the shape of the brow of the hill, taking my time, at 20 miles an hour. The cars behind were growing into an impatient line. But how can you rush past that beautiful sight? Man, take the time to admire the view. Smell the air, it's great.'BA4i   Hear Normski on Push fm (107.7fm) Tuesdays 4-6 pm and Wednesday 8-10am.    http://www.myspace.com/mr_normsk  BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA#p  rs dd  $ Fogg's RestaurantBA' rs dd    By Kimberley Paumier  BAV>   Stepping inside the calming interior of Fogg's from the hustle and bustle of Chalk Farm Road, it feels like you're being transported to a different environment - as indeed you are, since food from all corners of the globe is the main theme of this appealing new restaurant.   BA The owners, Joy Kuok and Simon Brigg, came up with the idea for Fogg's after a brainstorming session to try to solve the age-old problem of going out for dinner with someone who wants a completely different type of meal to the one you yourself desire: the idea of opening a themed restaurant based on the travels of Jules Verne's fictional hero, Phileas Fogg, allows them to offer different styles of food from all around the world - thus hopefully keeping everyone happy. BAcjq The journey begins with an appetising selection of starters ranging from grilled haloumi with asparagus salad and salsa verde to spiced calamari and prawns with a chilli aioli dip. My dining companion and I couldn't work out quite where the latter was meant to be from - somewhere between the Mediterranean and the Far East, perhaps - but we enjoyed it anyway. BA Once onto the main course, you can range across four continents as easily as Fogg did himself. From Europe, the menu features pasta, Caesar salads, and steaks. From Africa, Cape Malay lamb curry is a popular choice, as is grilled tilapia fillet. From Asia, the spicey selection includes Thai curries, roasted Peking duck, and grilled red snapper. Finally, the good ol' US of A offers favourites such as seafood gumbo, steaks, burgers, and a very well-spiced cajun chicken. BA. If you've got any room left at this end of this gastronomic world tour, homemade desserts include lemon crme brulee, sorbets, or a chocolate plate. BAH A well-chosen wine list and fully stocked bar offer plenty of choices to accompany your meal. Expect to pay about 3-6 for starters, from 7-14 for main courses, and 4-5 for puds. A special 5-course Christmas menu is also available for 25 per head. BA  BA)_   Fogg's Restaurant, 18 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AG (tel: 020 7428 0998); www.foggsrestaurant.co.uk  BA9@ ........................................................BA d  rs dd  $ GilgameshBA' rs dd    By Julia Stonehouse  BAZ M   The Epic of Gilgamesh  , written around 2700 BC in ancient Babylon (Iraq, to you and me), tells the story of a king said to be two-thirds god and one-third human. Gilgamesh, the restaurant, is, oddly, two-thirds fabulously divine, and one-third earthly utilitarian.   BAet{ On one side of the main restaurant, freight trains trundle slowly past the long window, sparks occasionally flashing, while on the other side there's a gorgeous long, ornate bar, the entire surface of which depicts scenes from the life of Gilgamesh formed from inlaid precious-looking stones. This bar, with its equally extraordinary columns, deserves to be in a palace. BAgz The restaurant is epic in that it seats 500 people and, as an event venue, can accommodate 900 more. There are four distinct areas - the restaurant, the main lounge, the Babylon Bar and the Oriental Tea House - each decorated with the most extraordinary carved woodwork and beaten metal, with luxurious seating and lighting. Gilgamesh is more than a restaurant - it's an event.BADN The Ian Pengelley pan-Asian menu has Japanese, Malaysian and Thai elements that include sashimi, nigiri, futo maki rolls, dim sum, tempura, special Gilgamesh dishes, and 'salads'. The red roast duck and lychee curry was very tasty, although we weren't too sure about its pea and apple aubergines. At 13.50, it was a bargain, with a novel twist. The fillet of beef bulgogu was cooked to perfection, and well accompanied by the green object that came with it, once we figured out that it was actually mashed potato. I naively ordered a salad of miso, avocado and lobster with crisp lotus root expecting to see a bit of lettuce, but it was a mixture, on lotus crisps. For side dishes, we had black bean ribs with spring onions and chilli which, at 5.40 a portion was good value, as were the potato, chicken and shrimp croquettes at 6. BAF Every dish that came to the table was a work of art, displayed and decorated in that delicate, stylish way that only the orient can accomplish. Each ingredient was fresh and tasty, in novel combinations that were an ongoing source of amazement. BAS+3 The puddings were just as exciting. We had a chocolate fondue that melted the heart, and sorbets of lemon and coconut that sparkled on the taste buds. The array of petits fours, each one of which was a delicious treat, at 5 the lot, is a bargain not to be missed if you decide just to have coffee.BA} This is a restaurant frequented by the rich and famous - but don't let that put you off. The atmosphere is very relaxed, and the staff are friendly and helpful, and will happily explain everything on the menu. Check prices carefully before ordering, especially drinks - the fine wine selection   starts  at 100 a bottle. We had a house wine at 19.50 and came away with a bill of 40 a head, concluding it was worth every penny. BAdnu Our only small complaint with Gilgamesh is the utilitarian roof. It's a huge arching metal construction that actually retracts, on summer evenings, to reveal the stars. Lovely. But when we went, it was just up there, cold, and all too obvious. If coloured light was projected onto it, that would help the ambience and take Gilgamesh one step closer to the sublime. BA3: Gilgamesh, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AH, 020 7482 5757BA?   www.gilgameshbar.com   BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA f  rs dd  $ The History BoysBA( rs dd    Review by Helen Griffiths  BA>   After taking both the National Theatre and Broadway by storm, Alan Bennett's   The History Boys  made it to the big screen this month.   BA The film replicates the play almost exactly, including using all of the original cast members. Set in a grammar school in Sheffield in the 1980s, the film charts the progress of a group of boys preparing to sit the Oxbridge entrance examination. Bennett's native industrial North is juxtaposed with the cloisters and dreaming spires of the Oxford and Cambridge colleges the boys are aspiring to reach and which they feel is somewhat beyond their grasp - and possibly not something they even want. BA.Q The stellar cast includes an unconventional English teacher, Hector (Richard Griffiths), who, as well as imparting his love of the canon of literature he teaches, also has a tendency to grope the boys while taking them home riding pillion on his motorbike - a lascivious habit which threatens to end his teaching career despite being hilariously and inappropriately described as 'appreciative rather than investigative'. Hector teaches the boys a unique mix of Auden,   Carry On  films and   Gone With the Wind  much to the chagrin of young professor Irwin (Stephen Campbell Moore) who is brought in by a league table-obsessed headmaster to intensively coach the boys. Irwin's crush on the sexually precocious schoolboy Dakin (Dominic Cooper) creates a poignant repeat motif and furthers the exploration of sexuality, identity and adolescence that permeates the film. Frances de la Tour provides a welcome strong female presence in the film as the boys' history teacher, and her laconic smoking and coffee drinking are reminiscent of an amused - and on occasion enraged - observer of this male dominated world.BA The boys are, at times, a slightly implausible depiction of teenagers, with their ready acceptance of Posner's unrequited love for Dakin as well as Scripps' passionate religious beliefs, but are overall a likeable bunch. The translation to screen doesn't entirely succeed, and there is a sense of claustrophobia as some of the language and scenes feel slightly stilted, but Bennett's intelligent and humorous screenplay is often laugh-out-loud funny and this carries this uniquely British comedy.BA<   On general release  BAI  rs      BA  BA  BA#q  rs dd  $ Rough Guide to Chick FlicksBA!h rs dd    By Samantha CookBA\-V It's a decade since the first Bridget Jones book was published, and a plethora of imitators followed in its wake but, despite marking the beginning of a literary phenomenon, the hugely successful film version of   Bridget Jones' Diary  joined an existing canon of films rather than being a trailblazer. BA)   The Rough Guide to Chick Flicks  by Samantha Cook is the perfect fan's guide to the fifty essential films in the genre, and includes profiles of the icons of chick flicks and plot prcis. Often considered a guilty pleasure owing to the frothy substance of so many of these films, Cook approaches the subject matter from a different perspective and incorporates many films which do not fit the formulaic stereotype and are categorised by their strong female narrative or the positioning of women in centre stage.BA`g The format of the book is akin to one of those interminable list programmes with which Channels 4 and 5 seem determined to pack their schedules, but slightly less annoying and so is ideal for dipping into. Charting the genre from its origins in melodrama in the late nineteenth century, the book also races through the glamorous Hollywood classics of the 1930s, the ubiquitous blonde bombshells of the 1950s and the invasion of feminism in the 1970s. Cook skips through chick flicks in their many different incarnations making use of the classic literary juxtaposition of the Madonna / whore female figure. BAG Some of the icons of the canon are somewhat surprising representatives of chick flicks but are indicative of Cook's emphasis on strong female figures; Jodie Foster and Susan Sarandon amongst the modern figures and Hepburns, Katharine and Audrey, representing the earlier period. Cook also examines the link between literature and film considering the prolific cinematic output inspired by Jane Austen -   Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility,   not forgetting the modern adaptations such as   Clueless  . Toni Morrison and Alice Walker are also included, along with a discussion of the adaptations of   Beloved   and   The Color Purple  again emphasising the importance the strong female narrative.BA6 Cook also provides a definitive list of the top ten chick flicks of all time with the coveted number one position occupied by   Thelma and Louise  which, in addition to being a chick flick, is also a road movie, a buddy film and a harrowing representation of women in oppressive relationships. Oh, and she slates   Notting Hill  , the nauseating 'film' in which Julia Roberts plays a famous actress and Hugh Grant a bumbling upper class Brit, which in itself makes the book worth the cover price. BA/Y   Rough Guides, 9.99. Review by Helen Griffiths  BA   BA#q  rs dd  $ The Camden Town MurderBA%{ rs dd    By John Barber  BAr On the morning of 12 September, 1907, Bert Shaw returned to the lodgings he shared with his 22-year-old partner Emily (Phyllis') Dimmock at 29 St Pauls Road (now Agar Grove). Unable to gain entry, he borrowed a key from his neighbour, opened the door and discovered Emily's lifeless body lying on the bed. Her throat had been cut almost from ear to ear and her windpipe virtually severed. Her killer has never been foundBA The background to this gruesome murder, and its very public aftermath, is detailed in a new book,   The Camden Town Murder  . Emily, a prostitute, was last seen the previous evening drinking with the principal suspect Robert Wood in what was then the Eagle public house and is now Mac's Bar on the corner of Royal College Street and Camden Road. Wood was tried at the Old Bailey but, thanks to the efforts of Marshall Hall, England's finest criminal defence barrister, he was acquitted on the grounds that he could not be placed at the scene of the crime and had an alibi. Although the author argues convincingly that Wood is still the most likely suspect, he does entertain other possibilities. BA,3 He has obviously carried out extensive research, and he identifies several other men who could have committed the crime, most notably the artist Walter Sickert, who must have known Emily as they both often frequented the Old Bedford Music Hall (demolished in 1969, now Bedford House, 123-133 Camden High Street), where Sickert used to sketch and paint the performers. Sickert is also suspected by many conspiracy theorists, in particular the crime novelist Patricia Cornwell, as having been Jack the Ripper and also having killed Emily, although there appears to be little direct evidence that this was the case. In any event, the modus operandi of Emily's murder differed significantly from that employed by the Ripper. However, Sickert was apparently deeply upset by her death and embarked on a series of sketches and paintings called the Camden Town Murders, the best known of which - 'what shall we do for the rent?' - shows a young woman lying on her bed, in exactly the position in which Emily was found by the police. This painting is on the cover of the book.BA Reading about true crime can be an unhealthy pastime, as writers and publishers tend to stress the lurid and sensationalist aspects, motivated no doubt by the public's morbid interest in such matters, and thereby increase sales. This book, however, is forensic rather than febrile in tone, and dispassionately assesses the evidence for and against the various suspects. It will be of interest to students of crime and also to those seeking an understanding of the morality and underworld of Camden life in the early 20th century.BA5_   Mandrake of Oxford, 12.99. Review by Rab MacWilliam  BA   BA+>  rs dd  $ How To Succeed in Management If You're Really, Really StupidBA%z rs dd    By B A Gaynor  BA, This hilarious, small-format paperback offers useful advice for completely hopeless bosses on how to ensure that they stay ahead of the game.BAAH The author outlines a 50-point strategy of cunning ploys to achieve success without actually doing anything, including 'take credit for ideas', 're-hash old material', 'act confused', 'use jargon' and 'lie'. The book then investigates each strategy and gives further tips on how to enact them effectively. For instance, the daily mantra should be 'appropriate to myself that which is good, blame other people for that which is bad' while under strategy 21 ('recognise your exalted position') the advice is 'employees let bosses get away with all kinds of things just because they are the boss - it's the First Law of the workplace'. Further, under strategy 37, 'you should always be vigilant during your working life to gather as much negative information as you can regarding fellow workers - you never know when you may need it'. BAP% The book is very funny, helped along by some amusing illustrations, but it's also slightly unsettling. We all know bosses who act in this devious, self-serving manner, but it's disconcerting to spot the number of these strategies which one uses oneself. Quite unconsciously, of course.BA3]   Management Books, 5.99. Review by Rab MacWilliam.  BAI  rs      BA    B A    B A$"w  rs dd  $ Art in Camden by Julia StonehouseBA1: rs dd    PROUD GALLERY, Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AH,   BAP   020 7482 3867, www.proud.co.uk  BA"Do   Thomas Marent - Rainforest - a photographic journey, to 15 January.  BA? If you're feeling the effect of the London grey (grey sky, grey pavements, grey tarmac etc.), get thee forthwith to the sensational Rainforest photo exhibition at the Proud Gallery. Then take a deep breath, and relax. BAy The Swiss photographer, Thomas Marent, spent sixteen years enduring biting insects, predator animals and intense humidity to bring us exquisite images from the rainforests of Costa Rica, Borneo, Peru, Sulawesi and Australia. As well as an array of colourful animals, some of which have never been photographed before, there are a number of unexpected waterfalls and pools that evoke a sense of deep peace and serenity. A unique and worthwhile show. BA!?h   Open 11-6, seven days a week. Closed 24 December - 1 January.  BA7> ......................................................BA$Ft   BEARDSMORE GALLERY, 22-24 Prince of Wales Road, Kentish Town, NW5 3LG  BA *[!   020 7485 0923 - www.beardsmoregallery.com  B!A"2]#   Rebecca Salter - Bliss of Solitude, to 2 December  B#A$.Y%   Mixed Show - gallery artists, from 6 December  B%A&IP' No print or internet reproductions of Rebecca Salter's works can do justice to their subtle depth of line and colour. You have to view them yourself, from a few inches away, and from a distance, to see the complexity in their apparent simplicity. Even the light changes them profoundly. I looked at one piece as the sun shone through the window leaving shadows here and there, and where the light fell, the canvas was ridged white, but in shadow I could see endless rivers and valleys of paint and scratching, in a multitude of colours. I still can't work out how the light did that. B'A(=) Salter is one of this country's most respected contemporary artists, with works in the Tate and many other renowned institutions, the world over. If you're looking for a highly collectable artist, this is she.B)A*bfo+ On the Beardsmore's excellent, albeit not yet complete, website, you'll find other contemporary artists whose work is permanently available at the gallery, even if not on display. The mixed Christmas show exhibits their paintings, sculpture, ceramic, and works on paper - from 50 to 3000. If you're looking for a unique present, this is the place to come.B+A,E-   Open Tue-Fri 10-5, Sat 12-5  B-A.7>/ ......................................................B/A0'W1   CAMDEN ARTS CENTRE, Arkwright Road, NW3 6DG, 020 7 472 5500, www.camdenartscentre.org   B1A2#Gr3   Victor Grippo - Tables of work and reflection, 8 December - 4 February  B3A4 5 Art does not get more obscure than this: a potato and a piece of coal placed side by side. What does it mean, and is it art? To answer the easiest question first, yes, it is art. How do I know that? Well, anything is art if you call it art. My desk is as much art as Tracey Emin's bed. You might not agree. That is your opinion and you're entitled to it. Indeed, having an opinion means you   have  thought about it - and that's what art is, in essence, something that makes you think.B5A6m7 So what does it mean, a potato and a piece of coal, sitting in juxtaposition? That brings us to the other thing about art - it means what you think it means. It means what it means to you. Apparently, to Victor Grippo (1936-2002), it has something to do with the transformation of everyday materials and their alchemical power. He fitted potatoes with electrodes and measured their electrical charge. B7A8.59 To me it says this: the potato is the most important crop in Argentina (where Grippo lived); it grows in the back yard and feeds the kids; it can be exported, and bring in foreign currency for the national economy; or the entire crop can be destroyed by the Colorado beetle, leading to mass starvation and poverty - we live on a knife's edge; coal gives heat and comfort; men can die crawling into the bowels of the earth to get it - they live on a knife's edge. Life is precarious; life is precious; have sympathy; have empathy; we're all in this together.B9A:{; Now, you might not get the same thoughts from looking at Victor Grippo's potato and coal piece, and probably your thoughts are more interesting and valid than mine. But what you can't get is   nothing  . You might think it's just a load of old spuds, fair enough. You have an opinion, it made you think - so it is, by definition, art. And there are other, more complex, installations in this show - which make us think even more!B;A< = B=A>!(? Open 10-6 Tues - Sun; 10-9 Wed. B?A@7>A ......................................................BAAB :eC   THE ARLINGTON GALLERY, 73 Parkway, NW1 7PP, 020 7267 5641  BCAD$KvE   Norman Anderson  (a.k.a. Normski) photographs, to 25 November (see page 26)BEAF)]G   The Great Exhibition Room  - a selection of various artists' work, 8 December to 21 January. BGAH4_I   Gina Bold - Born to be Bold  , 9 February to 11 MarchBIA#"B"  KoCi%Ie KV$JmJm0KxRddol(oL($nmnm0oyddol(7$mm0zddol(L$mm0{ddol(K[$mm0}d'ddol(j$mm0~=ddol(Ty$mm0mddol(C$BmBm0Cuddol(i$hmhm0i`ddol(($mm0dddol(S$mm0@ddol($mm0nddol(%$$m$m0%ddol(I$HmHm0I ddol(e.$dmdm0eddol(#$mm0ddol(}8$mm0sddol(wA$mm0(&ddol( i\$mm0 JXddol(