events

This month in our gallery: a selection of street art by local artist James Straffon.

The little boy who lives down the lane presents THREE BAGS FULL - an abridgement of artworks, spanning a decade of painting on West Green walls.

Just the showcase, in which to embrace, possibly purchase, from here and there, a menagerie of notable local beasts, and artful fanfare; briefly released, from their habitat in the hood. To make All Good; the spotted woodpecker; dotty ladybird; got lit lemur. The famous urban fox; kerbside elephant; triumphant Lioness. Not to mention that schoolyard giraffe; rare bird Hornbill; majestic mouflon. Set to rub shoulders with Alexandra of Denmark; Alice of Wonderland; Little Simz of Izzy; Felix the Cat; Duke Ellington; Grace Jones; the late Queen Elizabeth II. Not to forget further puffed pigment, from notable names, that made a mark. STEWY. Mobstr. The Toasters. And some bloke called Banksy.

James Straffon (b. 1966) is a London-based artist whose work explores the intersection of the natural world and urban life. Beginning as a graphic designer, he shifted focus to street art and ecological projects, creating public, free-to-view imagery that engages audiences with issues of conservation, biodiversity, and climate change.

(Photo [left] by Veronica Bailey)

Join artist James Straffon for a celebration of his new show in our gallery.

Two speakers, two subjects, twenty minutes each. The subject matter is a mystery - the audience finds out when the talk begins! One of our newest events and already a firm favourite. 

The start of our latest project: we are thrilled to announce that we can now screen films here at the shop! We are massive movie fans, we can't wait to share our favourites with you, but under the terms of our license we're not allowed to advertise the films by name - so until each All Good Movie Night the choice of movie must remain a mystery! 

Entry is free but our licensed bar will be available and your choice of refreshment will help raise money for the shop.  No under 15s. All under 18s to be accompanied by an adult.

CLUES TO THE FILM: 

• 1980s German/Hungarian Film;
• One of the actors went on to play a James Bond villain

This film is 2h30mins long and contains moderate sex & nudity; mild violence; moderate profanity; adult themes. Rated: 15. This film is subtitled.

Join author Gurnaik Johal for the launch in paperback of his debut novel.

AN OBSERVER BEST NEW NOVELIST 2025

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2025

A BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE INDEPENDENT, TELEGRAPH, NERVE AND GUARDIAN

'An ambitious, stylishly delivered novel ... Reminiscent of Salman Rushdie' OBSERVER

'Johal has written a major novel, and at his very first attempt' TELEGRAPH, 5-STAR REVIEW

'Saraswati is a major achievement, and Johal a huge talent. One of the biggest novels of the year' Martin MacInnes, Booker-longlisted author of In Ascension

Centuries ago, the myths say, the holy river Saraswati flowed through what is now Northern India.

But when Satnam arrives in his ancestral village for his grandmother's funeral, he is astonished to find water in the long-dry well behind her house. The discovery sets in motion a contentious scheme to unearth the lost river and build a gleaming new city on its banks, and Satnam - adrift from his job, girlfriend and flat back in London - soon finds himself swept up in this ferment of Hindu nationalist pride. As the river alters Satnam's course, so it reveals buried ties to six distant relatives scattered across the globe - from an ambitious writer with her eye on legacy to a Kenyan archaeologist to a Bollywood stunt double - who are brought together in a rapidly changing India.

Brimming with love, lush, violence and loss, Gurnaik Johal's magisterial debut deftly animates the passions that bind us to our histories, our lands and each other.

This month in our gallery: a selection of mixed media art by local artist Ellis Lewis-Dragstra.

Ellis Lewis-Dragstra is a London based self taught mixed media artist whose art explores themes of race/identity, our connection to nature, language, childhood and the human experience, often through afro surrealist visual storytelling. Using a vibrant mix of traditional and digital mediums (acrylic paint, watercolours, oil pastels, photography, pencil and digital illustration) he bridges the gap between "high" and "low" art to create work that feels accessible while not compromising quality or the subject explored. He wants the viewer to read the images, feel the work, while encouraging them to stretch their own creativity, solve meaningful visual puzzles and see something new with every look. 

From birth Ellis has used art as a personal visual language and lifelong tool for better understanding both the world and the self. His art embraces humour, tragedy and the search for truth, always encouraging the viewer to stay as curious as a child and keep the adult scepticism of any absolutes. 

Join storyteller Aaron Oliver and accompanist Viola Pippin Wood for a new kind of adventure...

Make your choices. Save your home. Are you ruthless enough to survive the post-apocalypse?

With enthralling storytelling and a bone-chilling live soundtrack, What We Must will immerse you in a dark and desperate wasteland of your own creation. The clock is ticking, and working with your fellow survivors, you must decide just how much you're willing to sacrifice to protect the people you love.

We have to get home. Terrible choices lie in our path. We will do what we must.

What We Must is a TTRPG inspired storytelling experience where the audience play the survivors of the post-apocalypse. You have 5 days to get home before everyone dies, and each day brings a new situation and a new choice, it is up to you how ruthless you will be and whether you make it home in time.

This show is created and performed by Aaron Oliver. Aaron is a traditional oral storyteller and theatre maker based in London, his work explores themes of darkness, hope and humanity and he is passionate about blending interactive and immersive theatre with traditional storytelling. Aaron has performed at festivals, theatres, cabarets and museums; including The British Museum, The Museum of the Home and The National Maritime Museum.

The live soundtrack is improvised and performed by Scottish musician Viola Pippin Wood. Viola is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist with a talent for capturing emotion through her music. Outside of scoring for theatre, she performs music solo and with her band The Pypes.