It's Woolworths, but probably not Kilburn's

One of the great claims to fame for Kilburn is the credit brought to it by Ian Dury.

http://www.iandury.co.uk/

His first band (and though it's a bit unfair it was his band) was KILBURN AND THE HIGH ROADS.

Although many of the band members were from and hung around Harrow, clearly Kilburn was a dominant part of the NW London entertainment scene.

Being a collector and fascinated by the local area I've been out and boguht copies of the two albums that relate to this story.

The first (pictured left) is the album Wotabunch, 1978 Warner Brothers Records - sleeve design by Tony Littler FMM.

The second is the Ian Dury album New Boots and Panties, 1977 Stiff Records - recorded at the Old Workhouse on The Old Kent Road.

The second (pictured right) is taken outside a shop that is opposite Woolworths (see the reflection) and is often attributed to being on the Kilburn High Road.

Three problems with this - the first is Kilburn High Road is much wider than such a reflected IMHO, second it isn't directly attributable to Kilburn and third it is thought that where Kilburn's Woolworth's was is not opposite a shop like this...

Anyone in easy and direct contact with Dexter Dury to check it out - perhaps he remembers where this picture was taken with his Dad?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Dury#Kilburn_and_the_High-Roads

A new future opening up for Kilburn

Well, it was always going to happen at some point - but it's so soon?

I have written before about how the musings, observations and features of this blog would change, alter and in some cases disappear.

http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/01/things-you-see-and-take-for-granted.html

I didn't for a minute think that some would be so immediate, dramatic or indeed as visible as Woolies!

But these pics I took deliberately for this very purpose of capturing what was going on over the course of an amazingly fast 2 weeks of the world economy 'melting down' and Woolworths being one of the victims.

http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/12/ian-drury-and-woolworths-on-high-road.html

The pictures are not high science but they are dramatic illustrators of the phenomena as it affected and now affects our local community. Kilburn has always had a high turnover of shops and traders - it's one of the reasons it is so vibrant and such lively fun - but in an economic downturn we also know that Kilburn risks looking vulnerable.

However, I remain very optimistic - Kilburn has a unique appeal and a diversity that gives it an incredible strength.

It has been a busy trading area with a transitional population for 2,000 years so these things all fit in context .

I am very clear that what now needs to happen is a strong and articulate case for Kilburn will help bring things back onto a more positive keel - i'm struck how that isn't happening now.

One of my hopes for the general Election - beyond the basic and simple political party ambition - is that under the new boundaries there will finally be an elected politician representing all of Kilburn for the first time.

Arguably for the first time since 878 but that's an obscure political point and not one I'm going to push over hard. :-)

Ian Dury and Woolworths on the High Road

One of the iconic features of the Kilburn High Road is Woolworths - it's true for many high streets and shopping areas but for Kilburn there is an added poignancy.

Ian Dury started off in Kilburn, he went to the Kilburn State as a boy and one of his first ever albums shows him photographed in front of the Kilburn High Road Woolworths. His first band was Kilburn and the High Roads and the first album for the Blockheads featured Woolies...

Now the demise looks likely we lose more than just Woolworths.

The BBC sites was today reporting this:

"In the Kilburn High Road store in north London, an ageing clientele were urgently fingering the final crockery and deciding that a remote-controlled plastic Tarantula was still not a sufficient bargain at £24.99, even at Christmas."

"The aisles looked like the final minutes of a hectic jumble sale, with two rival queues snaking up and down, customers stepping gingerly over the children's clothes scattered across the floor. Many eyed the likely wait and decided not to bother. "It's not worth it," one young woman was telling a friend on her mobile as she made for the door."