Preperation for the Launch Party

With Saturday looming, we have spent the Bank Holiday weekend getting organised for Saturday.

The shop will be open for breakfast as normal until 11am.

As this is the first Open Streets London event, this to a certain degree is an unknown quantity in regards to numbers, we are going set up a Terry's Tea stall outside the shop against the back wall of the old Winchester pub, where Old Lenny used to sell the Evening Standard in the 80s and 90s, one very dapper Old Gentleman, for those that remember Great Suffolk St back then will know exactly who we are talking about, although the area has gone through a lot of changes certain characters will never be forgotten, Lenny was one such character.

Back to the job in hand, the front of the shop will be transformed Natty will be playing behind the pig's trough, Viv the Spiv and Harry the Hack will be doing their thing in amongst the crowd,  the tables and chairs will be rearranged to allow for a bit of dancing, we have bought an old market stall and in our own unique style we are going to use what we can from the garages to create a 1940s style stall, free samples will be available and all the blends will be available to buy.

There is just the slight matter of clearing two garages, as the old man always taught us, "use what you have got boys, keep the overheads down" so with that thought in mind we set about clearing the garages, an accumulation of antiquities, images, furniture either from the old house at Peel rd or just picked up along the way, whilst sorting through we decided that we will also open up behind the shop and pull a few bit's out make a little quirky reclamation area where people can have a browse, we will put a few price tags on various bits, seems fitting seeing as Austin is named after the old man's favourite haunt Austin's of Peckham, the original reclamation yard/antique shop.

There will be Manze's Pie and Mash and Afternoon Tea and cakes available as well as hand made sausage rolls, jacket potatoes and sandwiches.

Public seating area.. 

We are going to create a public seating area behind the Old Winchester pub car park with three pop up gazebos some outside catering tables and benches, a little area where families can sit eat their own food, change a nappy do a feed, or just take a time out, with our own little Yardley, Master Finley, now on the loose, we now know how important a little area like this is for families, our Mum must of had a nightmare keeping us three in check.