Old Kent Road: A Look Behind Closed Doors

Guided tours on Friday 23 June will offer a window into the Old Kent Road’s wider industrial goings-on, taking visitors behind closed doors to see businesses in action.

Date: Friday 23 June 2017
Address:
135 Bird in Bush Road, Peckham London SE15 1QP

The Old Kent Road (OKR) is one of London’s oldest roads, and for well over a century it has been at the centre of an area alive with industry. From hats, costume, tin can, terrazzo, scenery and tray manufacturers to printers, menders, fabricators, construction merchants and couriers, the close to 1000 businesses trading along and around the OKR are a rich resource for the Capital, making and supplying the things and the services it needs, as well as offering thousands of local jobs.

That economy continues to play a key part in the ongoing evolution of South London. As one of the GLA’s ‘opportunity areas’ many of the OKR businesses will be affected by plans for 25,000 new homes. But what value does industry have in shaping the future of the Old Kent Road?

Walks start at the Livesey Exchange located in the garages of the Ledbury Estate.

Walks are organised by the Peckham Weeklies as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2017 with support from local businesses.

Walks can be booked together with a special publication produced by the Peckham Weeklies documenting the hidden gems of the Old Kent Road. Free tickets are available for residents and people working in the Old Kent Road area.

Walk 1: 1.30 pm to 3 pm 
This walk will explore the Hatcham area and will be led by Alex Marsh from the GLA. We will visit Flux MetalJames Glancey who make the Christmas Lighting for Oxford Street amongst other things, fabricators Studio Make Create, terrazzo company Diespeker and community art project DIY space.

Walk 2: 4 pm to 5.30 pm
Focused on Ossory Road, Haymerle Road and Latona Road, this walk will be led by Mark Brearley of tray manufacturer Kaymet, Professor at CASS Cities, London Metropolitan University and founder of business association Vital OKR. We will visit Miber engineering, tray manufacturer KaymetLondon Stone Carving, fabricators Weber IndustriesJohn Hinds framing and the Livesey Exchange temporary workshop.

Photo credit: Luke O’Donovan.

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