Summer in Peckham & Dulwich

Free music in the car park

Peckham intervention
at the V&A

It has been a good summer for Peckham, and it has had a good press.
First there was the Peckham Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, then there was the Peckham Takeover late night at the V&A. All this, of course, has much to do with the energies of the Hannah Barry Gallery, who set up the Bold Tendencies annual exhibition in the car park, with Frank's Cafe on the roof -- this year accompanied by a homage to Derek Jarman's Dungeness garden, and with an innovative music programme. Hannah Barry also has a finger in the Peckham Refreshment Rooms pie, the wee cafe around the corner from the station that attracted a whole page review by Jay Rainer in the Observer, while Khan's Bargain store wowed Sheila Dillon on Radio 4's Food Programme. The Hannah Barry Gallery is now said to be wisely moving out of passé Bond Street and opening a gallery near the station, where, incidentally, Southern Rail is continuing its policy of clawing back its arches to make money, and have set up a Bicycle Hub, where bikes are for hire.

The CLF Cafe in the Bussey building has been putting on some good theatre and is full of events on Bank Holiday Saturday with Hush House Super Market. Meanwhile, thanks to Ingrid Beazley, Peckham and Dulwich have been spattered with grafitissimo street art. Don't call us, call her: she is organising walks, as seen in Time Out, on Saturday. Oh, and trendy Blue Tit hairdressers is taking on the weavers of corn rows, kinky twists and Ghana braids in the old Saviour's Hair Salon.

A malonga at the Horniman

Other fun and games have included Pexmas Munch in Holly Grove; a Sunday market around the back of Bar Story where Peckham Springs has a summer bar; the Peckham Rye Village Hall Experience on that bit of green where the lido once was, part of the Elephant and Nun festival; and a great Late Latin night at the Horniman, where the conservatory proved ideal for a malonga, and the Latin theme is continuing over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

There has undoubtedly been much more besides, including a few disasters, not least the flood in Herne Hill, just as the Half Moon had refurbished its music space.

Still to come is the Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival on September 3-10 and the annual fete on the Peckham Rye Common on September 7. The first concert for the new Ivy House on September 27, with Martin Carthy and David Swarbrick is, not surprisingly, already a sell-out.

• For future news, Peckham Peculiar is looking for £5,000 by the end of September to start a regular local newspaper.