Wildlife Circus

  'Nightsniffing' is the brainchild of Cliff Hammett and investigates how we can best understand the processes that change the city in relation to all the beings that inhabit it. It aims to create public bat walks that combine the exploration of hidden urban creatures with an interrogation of the systems and structures that shape the city. The latter is undertaken with a 'data sniffers', that hook up to the GLA planning authority database. We went to Brunswick Park and other local greenspaces in the Denmark Hill area, to try and track down some late season's bats. Although we didn't find any bat activity we did find there had been a lot of planning applications in the vicinity including 'changes of use' and a reduction in social housing provision.  It was interesting to see that a massive London plane tree had recently been granted a Tree Protection Order and was sporting a notice to that effect. Large trees are important features for bat ...

filming the Capture TV series  CRE is an air-cleaning, nutrient-recycling, housing estate of 230 trees planted on the top of former 1960’s hubs such as: The Feathers public house, a church and an ice-cream parlour…… These lost conversations  found voice, in a new row of 1970’s shops, heralded by a giant printing press, next to a hairdresser, a mini-mart and newsagent (where the latest heart attack and domestic disputes were hot topics). Appearances on dramas such as ‘The Bill’ and currently ‘The Capture’ are not exactly reputation enhancing, but ‘crime- ridden’ is unjust, as neighbouring wards top the statistics x a factor of 4 for most crimes except anti-social behaviour. Politicians suffer amnesia from sentiments in the Addison Housing Act, playing down positive actions, such as hard working, community spirit, beautiful gardens and not least..... a 100 feather bundles which ‘sparrow’ along the roofline, popping in and out of dropped tiles, sweeping dusty gutter...