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A Biba-esque emporium

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An Aladdin’s Cave where Frida Kahlo sits next to beautiful vintage kimonos while Tintin and Buddha look on. Jed Novick goes in search of the Objet D’ials

I want people to feel that they’ve disconnected with the outside world and engaged with the shop when they’ve walked through the door.”

Karin Pratt is putting the finishing touches to Objet D’ials, her new art emporium. She’s at that lovely point – halfway between excited and exhausted, and I just asked her the stupidest question. What are you selling here? It all looks like Aladdin’s Cave here. Look around and… there’s Mexican the window, a row of beautiful Japanese kimonos, a Buddha, a bit of Frida Kahlo, vintage books, art, Tintin, a red velvet sofa… Everywhere your eye lands, there’s something for it to feast on.   

“When people walk in and look around, I want them to feel like they’ve gone on a journey,” says Karin. “I want people to engage with the shop. You know how many shops you walk in and then walk out, as an experience it leaves you empty. I want people to come in here – even if they don’t buy anything – I want them to feel they’ve disconnected with the outside world.”

Pushed for a description, Karin says “I want it to be an all-encompassing Biba-esque experience.” And if you’re going to have an aspiration, that’s not a bad one. 

“You just browse. There’s a café – but only a small percentage of our life is as a café. We’re going down the cafetiere or pot of tea route. We’re not doing takeaway or trying to be a café. The shop is artisan and in the summer there’ll be tables and chairs outside.” 

So let’s go back to the beginning. Who are you and how did you get here? “We live next door and this shop used to be the garage for the house. My husband has looked into the history of the house and has always wanted to put it back together, to bring it back. I’ve worked in shops (and the oil industry, and tourism and hotels…) but I’d never had a shop. I had a feeling it was going to come on the market and one day we were sitting in the garden and a friend said ‘Come here, there’s a guy in the street with a clipboard outside the shop.’ 

And you ran outside and said “Stop!”? 

“More or less.”

To anyone opening a shop in 2020, it’s the obvious question to ask, so let’s just ask it. You’re setting up a new shop from scratch, how much of a nuisance has lockdown been? “Not really that much of a problem because I knew it was coming. We’ve had a four-week turnaround – we bought it at the end of November and…” 

Hang about. Stop. You only got hold of this at the end of October? 

“Yes, the 23rd. We came straight in after getting the key and started with the paint…” 

That’s just… That’s amazing. 

“Was it longer? I’m so tired… It’s gone really quickly, I know that.” 

While it’s Karin’s shop, Karin’s idea, Karin’s dream, she’s very keen to support Sussex based suppliers for my local goods. “The idea of helping and promoting local produce and business is really important. We’re very lucky to have a shop and while it’s OK to be online, if you can have somewhere to show your goods, that can make all the difference.”

So you’ve got? 

“Well, we sell Craft House Coffee, which is based in Wivelsfield. There’s Katie’s Nuttery, who do all sorts of organic nut butters and they’re based in Henfield. We’ve got Park Farm honey, from just up the road.  J.Cocoa, the chocolatier from Hassocks, and Slice, the local Seven Dials bakery and sweetmaker.”  

And it’s not just about the small producers; there’s a place at the table for shops, too. “We’ve got stuff from ‘And More Again’ in Upper Gardener Street because they –  Penny –goes to India a lot and she’s going to have a permanent feature in the shop because she fits what I like, the vibe.”  

So are you going to expand into things like local cheeses? “My core is art, that’s what the vibe is. The heart of the shop is community, but my core is art. If we can bring those things together…”

We hear so much about the death of the high street, about big stores closing, about how people only shop online. But maybe this is what the future will look like, post-Covid when big high street shopping has recalibrated. Community-based shops that work together, that help each other, that support other local businesses. 

“There are so many lovely people here and if we can all work together we can only make everyone stronger, and have more fun while we’re doing it” 

Brighton Life, Editorial

The Whistler – October 2020

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Idly flicking through the TV the other day, I chanced upon “Dad’s Army”. Haven’t seen it for ages, but still it’s so familiar. The  bumbling incompetence, the mind-numbing arrogance, the hubris. The idea they  know what they’re doing, but behind their eyes we can see that even they know they’re absolutely clueless. But then on closer look, I realised they were wearing suits, not fatigues and I was actually watching a Government briefing about the new Covid guidelines.  

Oh well. Strange times. As The Whistler goes to press, we don’t know whether there’ll be a second wave or a second lockdown, whether six people is a group or five is a bubble. As ever, the people who do best are the ones with the  positive attitude, like Mark and Hatt at The Eddy, like Pam and Philippe at The Red Snapper.  That’s what we’re buying into here. The positive. And as long as it’s linen suit and straw hat weather…. it’s all  good. 

Finally, a quick and very large “Thank You” to Joanna Bettles for her time as designer of The Whistler. For Jo, as for the rest of us, new challenges await.

And don’t forget – if you’ve got something to say, drop us a line. Join in. Life’s better that way. XX 

Brighton Life, Editorial

The Whistler – August 2020

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The sun’s shining, the birds are singing and OK, life’s still a bit odd but it’s the summer and, no matter what, we look for the positives. We’re going out now, it’s better. We can order in a restaurant and we can talk to the waiters and even if we can hear them we can’t understand what they’re saying because we’re all wearing facemasks – we are all wearing facemasks, aren’t we? But slowly life is getting back on track, and so in the next few weeks, if you find yourself in a pub garden and you see a bloke in a linen suit and straw hat, co-respondent shoes and red socks nursing a vodka and tonic… come up and say Hello.

And don’t forget – if you’ve got something to say, drop us a line. Join in. Life’s better that way. XX

Jed Novick

thewhistler1976@gmail.com

 

Editorial

The Whistler – June 2020

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Well, this isn’t how I expected things to be when, last Christmas, Colette asked if anyone fancied taking over at The Whistler. I thought I’d be holding court in the garden of the Duke of Wellington, meeting people, writers, contributors. We’d share a chat and a drink as the wonders of West Hill revealed themselves. I didn’t expect to be locked in and locked down, spending time doing pub quizzes on my laptop, dancing in the kitchen and doing this strange social distance sideways skip on the pavement every time I ventured out. But then, I don’t suppose anyone expected that.

A strange couple of months? You could say that. But it’s been an interesting time, too. Despite spending all our time Zooming, it’s been a time to slow down, to consider and reflect. What does life look like? How does it work? Maybe there’ll be some changes – we’ll see. But amidst all the isolation and distancing, there’s been a lovely coming together. So often you see people on the streets standing apart yet together, sharing a chat and a laugh in a way we wouldn’t normally see. The community pulls together.

Vinod and Meena, the absolute cornerstones of West Hill, took it on – no surprises there – keeping the shop going, keeping the smiles going, making deliveries. The oil keeping the engine of community running.

They were awarded the Mayor’s Gold Certificate – “in recognition of your dedication, passion and hard work in supporting the community”. Quite right, too.

“It’s nice that people in the community recognise what we do” said Meena.

“The people in the community don’t need to be told” I replied.

And talking of keeping the community going, a word of thanks to Colette who has steered the good ship Whistler for so long. What an absolute star. Unsurprisingly, she’s been fantastically supportive and helpful since handing over, probably thinking “Was this a good idea?” more than once. But if she thinks that’s the end of her Advice Hotline… Not a chance.

Like most other things right now, we’re only online this edition. Next time round, who knows? But we’re here, we’ll always be here. And in a few weeks – or months – time, if you find yourself in a pub garden and you see a bloke in a linen suit and straw hat, nursing a vodka and tonic… come up and say Hello.

If you’ve got something to say, drop me a line. If you want to write something, drop me a line. If you want to draw, photograph, contribute in any way… drop me a line.

Jed Novick

thewhistler1976@gmail.com

Editorial

The Whistler – April 2020

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The current editors of The Whistler have been doing the job for over 23 years and we think it’s time we handed it over to someone else. Jed Novick has lived in West Hill for 6 years and when he heard at the WHCA Christmas Social that we were looking for a new editor he stepped forward. He says he wants to get involved because this area and community is fantastically important to him, now more than ever. So, look out for his first issue as Editor from June and, meanwhile, Sylvia and Colette wish him well and know that The Whistler, 44 years old this year, is going to be in very good hands for the next 44!

In the light of the current situation with the coronavirus COVID-19, WHCA has cancelled its forthcoming events, including the AGM on 28 April and, most likely, the Quiz at the end of May. The local history talk, ‘Beardsley’s Brighton’ was planned for May 12, but is now postponed until October. All of the regular activities in West Hill Hall have also been suspended for the time being.

STOP PRESS!

With very many thanks to our March Quiz Setter, Sue Williams, we held a very successful Quiz on Zoom on 31 March at 8pm with many of our regular participants that we usually see at West Hill Hall on the last Tuesday of the month. Next Quiz via Zoom will be on 28 April.