The Big Smoke

It all started with a broken window. Scarring the grimy visage of the unloved, empty Apollo video shop on Norwood Road in Herne Hill, the first shatter was soon joined by lazy, unimaginative graffiti and then topped off by a smashed-through pane on the doorway. Like Rocky wobbling in the ring on legs of jelly after a fusillade of blows, it looked like it was one punch away from a final knockout.

But the Apollo, a popular home entertainment store in its lifetime, had people in its corner. First off there were the three of us, Johnny, Laura and myself, who had all found the sight of the run-down shop depressing. A plan was hatched to rescue the Apollo, bring it back to its past glory and relaunch it as the venue for a month-long celebration of the local area and the shop's own history.

Bands would play, films would be shown, there would be art, photography, spoken word, events for children and old folk, golf, cookery, book readings, stand-up comedy nights and much more, all themed along cinematic genres. And there would be popcorn, fistfuls of popcorn.

Before the full insanity of what we were embarking upon persuaded us to give up, we found a band of like-minded locals, all similarly committed to resurrecting the Apollo. Its location slap-bang in the middle of a row of shops meant that its descent into dilapidation was spreading like a rash across the parade. This was ‘broken window syndrome’ in full effect. (see pics here.)

Our earliest two supporters were from the business community, Harry and Boki, who bought into what we were doing immediately and put their money where their mouths were, stumping up cash and putting us in touch with the Apollo’s erstwhile owners.

Weeks of to-ing and fro-ing ensued as we jumped through a series of hoops to find out how to legally take over an empty shop that was on its last legs. Jonny navigated a course through a labyrinthine network of agents, property companies and solicitors, until we finally found ourselves signing the lease in a bizarre boardroom behind Selfridges last Friday.

Meanwhile Laura had been rustling up the finest musical talent in Herne Hill and beyond, producing wind orchestras, PA systems and willing local volunteers of services and goods. I was discovering the myriad joys of licensing, unearthing surprising support for our venture among the echelons of Southwark’s civil service; our artist-in-residence Kypros Kyprianou was assembling a bank of TVs from Freecycle and beyond to showcase video artworks.

Questions that have vexed us along the way: how does the circus always manage to get their posters inside empty shops? Contortionists, we figured. What is public liability insurance? Uh, essential if you don’t want to be sued by an ambulance-chasing lawyer who advertises on daytime ITV.

Most importantly, would anyone turn up when we threw our party? Well, that one’s still to be answered but given the buzz and positive feedback we’ve already felt we’re confident that we’re onto a winner with our idea for a creative community space.

We‘d love you all to come along and celebrate the rebirth of the Apollo with us over the next month and - who knows? - beyond.

Click for event listings and more on the Apollo Project.