Pearly Kings and Princes launch Swain's Lane street party
Pearly royalty (l-r) John Walters, Connor Cranston Scott, Darren Walters and John Scott - Credit: Nathalie Raffray
Pearly Kings and Princes came to lend their support to Swain's Lane's first street party.
A dip in temperature meant attendance was not what was hoped for on Saturday (June 18) at the new event organised by the Dartmouth Park Neighbourhood Forum (DPNF).
The pilot was the first since the area was regenerated with a clutch of new businesses.
Kathleen Molnar, from DPNF and Highgate Festival, said they decided not to close off the street so soon after the highly attended Fair in the Square on June 11.
"One of the reasons we did this was to support local businesses after the terrible pandemic when they lost trade," she said.
"This is also a way of reaching out to the public to let them understand who we are and to engage with them."
Andres Ayuso, Meat butcher, served up pulled pork baps with a red coleslaw - Credit: Nathalie Raffray
The team from Meat held an outdoor barbecue with pulled pork baps with a special coleslaw on sale and free wine and cheese tastings inside the store.
Most Read
- 1 Fences and padlocks at Primrose Hill once again
- 2 Alleged stalker sent '1,000 emails in a month’ to The Crown star Claire Foy
- 3 Crouch End Festival: 'Back with a bang bigger than ever'
- 4 Fans pray for Bosco 'and his big stick' as he goes into surgery
- 5 Family pay tribute to schoolgirl at West Hampstead bridge restoration
- 6 Covid admissions on the rise at north London hospitals
- 7 Golders Green school hosts reunion ahead of closure
- 8 Free beach returns to Finchley Road for the summer
- 9 George Michael's Highgate piano to be auctioned off
- 10 Royal Free denies allowing Tory MP to influence medical decision
Andres Ayuso, butcher, said it was "all good" and that his stall was getting "really good feedback".
"I really hoped the weather would be bit better to have more people coming through but there's nothing we can do."
Other businesses donated their wares for a competition. One winner received a bunch of flowers from Electric Daisy and another a free wine tasting session from Swain's Wines, which opened in December and offers themed wine tasting once a fortnight on a Thursday.
The Pearly Kings and Princes of Finsbury and Highgate at the Swain's Lane street fest trial - Credit: Nathalie Raffray
The Pearly Kings and Princes danced with a few locals outside Theo's hairdresser.
Pearly King of Finsbury John Walters said the event was organised to "echo the good parts of Highgate".
The 74-year-old sewed each of the button on his son Warren's Pearly Prince of Finsbury suit.
"Its a labour of love," he said. "It raises thousands of pounds for charity and locals love it, as do tourists from all over the world."
Terry Scott, Pearly King of Highgate, brought his son 9, Pearly Prince Connor, who has been active on the fundraising circuit for five years.
"It's my own manor that I represent so important that we should be here," he said.
"We love to show off everything about London's heritage that should never be forgotten."
