The Buzz Issue 3

Spring 2022 The Buzz#3 News and views from Barking Town Centre Stout, smiles and Slainte MAKE IT Barking It was smiles all round as Cllr Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council and have revealed more plans for their brand new work Derrick Daniels shared a pint of stout to celebrate and social hub at Roycraft House. As reported in St Patrick’s Day at The Boathouse Café. edition 1 of The Buzz, the team is currently refurbishing the 35,000 square foot building in the town centre to Derrick, who owns the bar by the River Roding, provide workspace, desk space, networking and hire said: “It’s always good to see Darren who’s very spaces, bars and a café-restaurant and a cutting edge supportive of business in Barking. Things are really events programme. beginning to buzz along the riverside since the easing of restrictions. So much so I am even looking The latest plans include the ‘Makers Quarter’ and to open another bar further upstream.” a roof top bar. The Makers Quarter will be a home for lots of small creator businesses and micro-retail Cllr Rodwell said: “It’s been a tough time for outlets, situated around a landscaped courtyard with businesses such as Derrick’s but us east Londoners seating opening on to Linton Road. There will be a bar are renowned for our staying power. It’s good to on an upper-level walkway with additional seating see him and other businesses making a comeback. overlooking this vibrant destination. So, to Derrick, the businesses and people of Barking and Dagenham, Happy St Patrick’s Day and slainte!” The 6th floor rooftop bar will be available to staff of some of the almost 150 businesses expected to locate Get really pampered! there, and will also be open to the public to visit and Win a £90 session at enjoy. Heal Studio. See page 7. MAKE IT London expect to open in summer 2022 In this edition and are now inviting people to register their interest at www.makeitlondon.co.uk/barking or email 2 What’s new in town? [email protected] for any other enquiries. 3 Barking gateway deal sealed 4-5 Heritage buildings on parade 6 Editorial 7 Business spotlight 8 What’s on?

What’s new in town? Free mobile data, calls and messages up for grabs A new scheme to help residents on low income get better connected has been launched. The scheme, known as the National Databank, will Gascoigne Road to help residents with limited or no access to the internet take a new turn? get online and will also provide digital skills training.Welcometo A new project is underway to look at how to make the To be eligible, residents must be over the age of 18, Gascoigne Road a happier, healthier and safer street. from a low-income household and have limited or no access to the internet at home or when away from home or be unable to afford your existing monthly contract or top-up. To apply for the scheme or for more information, email It’s an ambitious objective for one of the key [email protected] or speak to a staff member at thoroughfares into the town centre. But the project the Barking Learning Centre or Dagenham Library. team aims to work with local people to explore how to transform the road into a safer and more attractive Vicarage Field environment, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists. The transformation of Vicarage Field will take a giant Archie Bashford, landscape architects at Be First, leap forward in April when the public inquiry gets said: “We are keen to hear from residents, schools, underway. It will examine the compulsory purchase community groups, businesses and anyone who uses by the council of land and buildings required to the road, so that we can identify the key concerns build this 900 home project, which also features and work with local people to understand how we a revitalised shopping area, healthcare facilities might make it a happier, healthier and safer place a primary school and a range of entertainment to be for all.” options. You can find out more at newvicaragefield.co.uk Consultation is underway to the end of June and you can find out more at: Smoothie bar makes a splash yourcall.befirst.london/gascoigne-road The new Smoothie Splash Bar in Town Square opened Barking Station its doors in February and is already creating a stir – refurbishment and not just because of its great drinks. Works to refurbish the facade and install new gates In fact, the charitable youth spot bar does far more in the station are now underway and will be than just blend fruit. It’s a hive of activity, offering a completed by July. The new automatic gates will be range of workshops, sports tournaments, arts and craft installed on the left hand side as you enter the station activities, music, dance, movies and loads more. It’s to improve the layout and to cater forWelcometo the increasing a fun-filled social hub for young and old, especially number of passengers using the station when appealing to anyone that loves a table-top game while Overground services to Barking Riverside start. sipping their own mocktail concoction. During the work the existing toilet facilities will be out of service although the existing disabled toilets will Check it out opposite the Town Hall, or see their remain open. Further station refurbishment works is programme online at www.instagram.com/youthspotbar planned for the second half of 2022. or www.facebook.com/YouthSpotbar 2

Barking gateway deal sealed Neary 200 new homes for local people will be part of a new ‘gateway’ redevelopment at Barking station. Railpen, the investment arm of the Railways Pension Scheme, has announced a development of 198 build-to-rent and affordable housing apartments on the site of Trocoll House, immediately adjacent to Barking station. The redevelopment of Trocoll House will “This development, alongside a restored and improved station, will complement the restoration of Barking create a great new gateway to Barking. A tired, tatty old building Station. It will also see current occupiers, will be replaced providing nearly 200 new homes for local people.” Wetherspoons, move out when building work starts at Easter and return when construction is finished in 2024. Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, said: New campaign To boost local businesses recovering from the launches to showcase pandemic, the council has launched a brand-new Barking Market advertising campaign to encourage local residents to rediscover Barking Market. The campaign aims to celebrate the colourful market traders who make Barking Market such a special and unique part of life in the borough. It will also highlight the wide variety of good value items on offer at the market, which include food and drink, clothing and footwear, and household goods. Umar, one of the traders featured in the campaign, has run a food stall at the market for five years and commented: “The market is a very multicultural place and Barking is a great place to live and work. I am living the dream.” Khalid, who has had a pitch for 17 years said: “People are polite and friendly, that includes traders and customers. We stock the latest products at good quality and great prices and people come a long way to buy.” 3

otemocleW Heritage buildings on A number of Barking’s Edwardian Sign of the times buildings have been given a facelift – Worricker’s toys in recent weeks thanks to the Barking Heritage Project. A marvellous discovery during the restoration works, was the mid-twentieth century glass and copper The council’s regeneration organisation, Be First, has signage of the former Worricker’s store. Joseph employed specialists to steam clean the brickwork Worricker was an entrepreneurial young craftsman, and repair mortar joints on these often overlooked, who opened his first shop at 38 East Street, around high street gems. Windows have been painted, 1898. Initially he made wooden toys and mended or replaced and the stonework restored. commissioned local postcards. And, in an effort to preserve the history, and smarten up the oldest buildings, roofs and facades have been When United Westminster Charities completed a restored and some shop fronts and signage new parade in 1907, Worricker rented a new store will be revamped. at number 3. As you can see from the photograph above, store sold an intriguing array of children’s The restoration works are funded by The National toys and even featured a dolls hospital on the Lottery Heritage Fund with additional investment upper floor. The stores shop front displays a range from the building owners. of wooden handled skipping ropes hanging from the doorway, as well as enduring favourites such as Just the job dart boards and scooters. Glass panels either side of the doorway were later replaced by Joseph’s sons The restoration project has given an opportunity Cyril and Stan to advertise popular products from to Barking College student, Jasmine Jandu, to get the fifties and sixties, including Meccano sets and some rather unusual work experience. The Design, Tri-ang toys. Surveying & Planning student has been bravely working with renovation experts, Havering Building With the kind permission of the building owner, the Specialists Ltd (HBS) on the high scaffolding sign has now been removed and will be carefully enveloping the heritage buildings. HBS has taught restored. It will be exhibited at Valence House as a her a range of skills including re-pointing the bricks reminder of the hey-day of High Street shopping. using traditional lime mortar rather than cement and restoring and fixing the worn and often unsafe See for yourself! masonry and tiles on the rooves. “I love it, it’s amazing,” she said, “I’ve been restoring and laying If you’d like to see more, check out the ’Our Barking’ bricks. I’m learning so much!” exhibition in St Margaret’s Church Hall on Abbey Green, from 27 April. It’s open Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays from 11am to 2pm. 4

parade Exciting plans to give Barking’s 500 year old Station Parade mystery Curfew Tower a makeover solved will get underway this spring. The mystery surrounding The aim is to declutter the the date of construction approach to the tower of the current Station and radically improve Parade was dramatically the landscaping to make revealed when the this historic gem more post-war rendering on visible and a much more the corner building was attractive place to sit, removed. relax and visit. Beneath the layers on the A bronze model of the upper levels of this regal row of purpose-built shops ancient Abbey, to which the Curfew Tower was the and homes was a damaged but ornate inlaid stone principal gateway, will also be installed to explain bearing the date, 1906. the historic importance of the site which includes the Abbey Ruins, Curfew Tower itself, and St Margaret’s The find was not the only surprise for the renovation Parish Church. team working who had previously been unable to discover the date of the buildings at 1-5 Station Simone Panayi, of the Barking Heritage project, said: Parade. They also found timber windows which “In the past curfews have been used to shut people have been hidden for seventy years. away, but with this project we want to do the opposite. We want to restore the Tower as the centrepiece of Barbara’s story this historically important site and create a dramatic approach which will draw people in and encourage them to relax, and also to learn about the history.” Barbara Key formerly lived at 15 Station Parade, The plans have funding from the National Lottery above her family’s newsagents E C Hewett’s (see Heritage Fund,and include reuse of the existing picture below). The shop was named after her materials such as the York stone flags and granite grandfather, who opened the store in the 1930s. sets, and works to trim some of the existing trees Barbara has fond memories of living there and she and replace the low value ones. particularly remembers watching the Barking carnival go by from the upstairs rooms and helping her father History buff? in the shop. She recalls the rush for plush, boxed, cards, as cheery chaps bought them for their wives You can keep abreast of all the and girlfriends on Christmas Eve. latest work on Barking’s heritage at: yourcall.befirst.london/ You can read more about her memories – and many barking-heritage others too - on the Barking Heritage website. It’s packed full of • Latest news and views on the history of the town centre • Videos and pictures of heritage assets • Stories behind the stores – latest research and reminiscences • Heritage volunteers – how to join and what they’re up to Alternatively, if you would like to find out more about the heritage project, please contact [email protected] 5

Editorial A thank you to the Welcome Back Fund The Buzz is published with support from central government’s Welcome Back Fund (WBF) which includes cash from the European Regional Development Fund. It is just one of many initiatives which have Free E-business successfully encouraged people back into support the town centre and boosted local businesses as the pandemic eased. The The pandemic has clearly shown how vital funding has helped to create a better town e-business tools are for businesses. centre – in many ways, too many to list. But we’d like to pick out our favourites: Small and medium sized businesses in Barking and Dagenham can now access a free programme of • floor signage, sanitising stations and support provided by Newham College. information packs for businesses that were allowed to remain open Whether it is improving your website and social • a deep clean of the town centre with media presence, marketing and trading on-line, pavement scrubbing and over 250 cyber security and data protection, or e-tendering tonnes of fly-tipped rubbish removed and crowd funding, the college tailor a package • picnic benches on Abbey Green and in to make sure you and your business are set for the Short Blue Place to help people make the most digital age. of the open air • planters at Station Parade and artwork in the Interested? Email [email protected] station • entertainment for travellers and shoppers in the run up to Christmas • the Makers Market in Town Hall Square in the summer of 2021 • Barking Mad about Christmas. You will have seen more about these in previous editions of The Buzz. But for now, we’d like to thank the council and our funders at the WBF. Onwards and upwards Barking! 6

Business spotlight Get really pampered at Heal Studio Now that life is returning to pre-pandemic pace, Win a pampering isn’t it time to chill and enjoy being pampered? Heal Studio in Barking Enterprise Centre (BEC) is just Rachel is offering a pamper session to the place, offering a range of well-priced treatments the value of £90 so you can enjoy Heal and therapies in a relaxed elegant suite at the heart Studio’s range of organic treatments and of Barking’s small business community. relaxing therapies. All you have to do, is send the name of the most interesting Heal Studio is run by Rachel Moulai-Hacene, who person (living or dead) you would like to has over thirty years of experience in the Spa and sit alongside in the Heal Studio. Then, in Wellness industry. She’s well-known locally as the no more than 30 words explain why. founder of the Barking’s Bathhaus Spa back in 2012. To keep the business strong during the pandemic Entries should be sent to Rachel at Rachel has worked with the BEC’ s Retail, Hospitality [email protected]. and Leisure programme, developing online The winner will be selected and marketing and restructuring the business. “It has announced by 5 April 2022 and the been challenging,” says Rachel “but now we can judges’ decision will be final. pick up our passion for making people feel welcome and cared for.” Acknowledgements To book an appointment contact Rachel The Buzz is funded with support from theWWelcoemlectoome Back 07889 008 828 or see www.healstudio.org Fund, a European Regional Development Fund and HM Government programme to support town centre For information about the BEC’s support for Barking recovery. It is produced by Be First for the London businesses please visit: beccic.co.uk Borough of Barking and Dagenham. It is distributed to approximately 16,000 households in and around Barking. If you would like to advertise or share your news, email [email protected] Want more? We’re moving to a digital format in future. So, if you’d like to stay up-to-date with everything to do with Barking, sign up now. We’ll make sure that future editions of The Buzz land safely in your inbox. yourcall.befirst.london/barking-town-centre Working in partnership Rachel Moulai-Hacene (right) with business partner and therapist, Virginie Auvray 7

What’s on? Folk Festival returns Barking gears up The Folk Festival will return to Barking this year as part for BikeFest of Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The family festival, celebrating the best in English and World folk music will also feature dance, poetry, street theatre, art and family fun! It will take place on Friday 3 June at Abbey Green and activities include: • live music, crafts and carnival workshops • crafts and stalls • street theatre and circus shows • delicious street food Barking will host a major festival of cycling and Want to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum sustainability this May. Jubilee? Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee takes place on The Barking BikeFest will be a free family event taking 2 to 5 June, which is a public bank holiday. In addition place on and around the historic Abbey Green on 21 May, to its own events programme, the council is encouraging incorporating the only London round of the televised Tour residents to celebrate the Jubilee with their neighbours Series event – a professional cycling race. by organising a community celebration or street party. Organisers wanting to hold a community celebration should provide details by Monday 4 April. Full details of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and the summer of Festivals at www.lbbd.gov.uk/summeroffestivals The Barking BikeFest will run from 11am to 9pm and will Women’s History Month also include: • Community BikeFest – mass participation events on the Join the East End Women’s Museum team at their race-course for local people upcoming events. • The Green Village – community fun and entertainment • Women of Barking Walking Tour on Abbey Green 11am to 12.30pm Saturday 19 March • Electric Avenue - showcasing green travel technology Location: Starts outside Barking Station Join local guides on this walking tour to hear about the Russell Coe, Secretary of Barking and Dagenham Cycling incredible women of Barking, from the nuns at Barking Club, said: “It’s brilliant that Barking is hosting the London Abbey to prison reformer Elizabeth Fry who was round of the Tour Series in 2022 and opening up and buried in Barking. To book: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ promoting cycling in the community by hosting BikeFest – it’s women-of-barking-walking-tour-tickets-268784129567 a bold and visionary move from the council and Be First.” • East End Women’s Museum Pop-up There will be road closures on the day. 11am to 4pm Sunday 20 and Saturday 26 March Keep an eye out for further information. Location: Every One Every Day Shop, 55 Ripple Rd, Barking IG11 7NT. Join us at our pop-up space in Radio Ballads Barking to take part in activities, discover stories about amazing local women and learn more about the Radio Ballads is museum plan. a free exhibition of four films Don’t just wave it, make it! made by artists Sonia Boyce, The Sew London Project will be running flag-making Helen Cammock, workshops for local people at the Barking Learning Centre Rory Pilgrim on 21 and 27 March 2022. They want to create a unique and Ilona Sagar set of ‘one borough flags’ that will fly in the town centre exploring themes such as domestic violence, end of life to mark important dates in the year, such as the Queen’s care and trauma. The exhibition runs from 10am to 4pm, Platinum Jubilee and Summer of Festivals. It’s a family 2 to 17 April at Barking Town Hall and Barking Learning activity but includes a competition for young people. Centre 2022 whilst simultaneously showing at the For more details email [email protected] Serpentine Galleries. 8