Mo Pho No Mo

I'm always reluctant to pronounce the death of a local business, in case it turns out that they are just resting.

However, Coulgate Street's Vietnamese micro restaurant Mo Pho has been closed for months, since it declared on Twitter in July that, due to unforeseen circumstances they were closing. Now, their neighbours at Nu Spice have said that they believe the closure is permanent. So I'm calling it: For all practical intents and purposes, Mo Pho has closed.

It would be more of a tragedy if it weren't for the recent arrival of Vietnamese cafe Bite Mi at Brockley Cross. However, Mo Pho has been a quality stalwart for many years and is a big loss to the area.

BMW flips on St Asaph Road

The News Shopper reports:

"A man had to be cut free from a BMW after a car being chased by an unmarked police car crashed into it in Brockley.

"Police said officers chased a Mini Cooper from Pomeroy Street to St Asaph Road shortly before noon yesterday (October 25) after it failed to stop when it was flagged down.

"As the car reached the junction with Avignon Road, the Mini collided with a BMW, flipping the BMW onto its roof outside a St Asaph Food and Wine convenience store, according to police."

The Mini driver was arrested and the BMW occupants taken to hospital.

Click here for the full report, including photos. Thanks to Monkeyboy for the heads up.

Free Healthy Cooking Classes in Brockley

Community interest company Pulse is running more free cookery classes for local residents, funded by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

The classes will run on November 8, 14, 22 and 29 and on December 6 at St Andrew’s Church Hall, Brockley Road.

To find out more or to put your name on the waiting list, please contact Naomi from Pulse CIC on 07714 770 522, or drop in to the Pinnacle PSG office at 111 Endwell St, SE42PE.

The free classes are designed to encourage residents to take enjoyment in making fresh, healthy, good value food.  Meals taught range from jerk chicken, mackerel fish cakes, asparagus and spinach frittata, homemade muesli and wholemeal chapattis.

Participants also learn how to read food labels, identify what makes a healthy meal and find cheap, fresh fruit and vegetables in local markets. And make friends in the process.

So don't eat yourself into a lifetime of dependence on health and social care, cook something good!

Deptford Esquire, 29 Deptford High Street

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Mondays special in support of the Lewisham Food Bank

On November 13th, at the Amersham Arms, legendary local comedy night Happy Mondays will throw a special event in support of local charity the Lewisham Food Bank.

MC'd by co-founder Holly Walsh, the guests will include Jeremy Hardy, Tom Allen and actor Dave Johns ('I, Daniel Blake').

100% of the profits will go to the charity. For details and tickets, click here.

Philosophy taster sessions at the Granville Park Centre Open Day, November 30

The Granville Park Centre is an adult learning institution in Lewisham that offers over 700 part time courses, with the new term starting in January 2018.

The team is hosting an open day on November 30th (1-7pm), including philosophy taster sessions with the London School of Philosophy and a showcase from the Lewisham School of Arts and Design. They say:

"Come and talk to subject specialists about our courses, take a tour of our creative spaces, take part in free taster sessions and enrol for courses starting in January 2018."

"The Lewisham School of Arts and Design brings together a group of designers and artists, including experts in upholstery, jewellery, prints, textiles and glass. The hour-long London School of Philosophy taster sessions will help you develop your critical thinking skills and learn about the fundamentals of philosophy."

For full details about adult learning in Lewisham, click here.

Brockley mustard

Local food entrepreneur Julien is starting a mustard business, but before he takes the plunge, he thought it wise to see whether people like mustard. He writes:

"I used to make Cocospice, a Sri Lankan inspired dry sauce that our friends at the Larder and Jones of Brockley used to sell.

"Now, I am setting up a new business to make mustard, having lived in Dijon 4 years and being from the nearby region. I already have an artisan to make a Dijon mustard in Dijon and I am also working to get something going in Tewkesbery, where mustard truly originates in England.

"In order to try and do this as successfully as possible, I am running a little survey that I was hoping BCers could complete. It is just for me to start getting an understanding of who actually eats mustard, and what do people do with it.

"The link to the survey is here."