The celebratory mood has started early in local shops, with a host of patriotic products on sale. Elena Hanlon meets the retailers making the most of the 40,000 extra visitors descending on Greenwich this summer
This is quite the year in Greenwich. No sooner have people packed away the bunting from their Jubilee street parties than it’s time to gear up for the Olympics. But with a range of events taking place in Greenwich’s own back yard, might the Games leave locals feeling somewhat marooned in SE10? Or will they be more than happy to cocoon themselves in the borough?
Flying the flag
Whether you’ve failed to win any tickets and plan to cosy up in front of the flat screen, or you just want to hunker down at home and ignore the whole Olympic thing altogether, local retailers can help to make your summer more comfortable. “This is a time to celebrate and fly the flag,” says Linda Norman of Cedarlia, which specialises in decorative homewares. “People are chuffed that the Olympics are taking place locally, and there’s already a party atmosphere.” She says the shop has been doing a roaring trade in small, colourful bucket barbecues (£38) and giant outdoor candle burners (£40) – perhaps in honour of the Olympic Torch Relay, which starts in Greenwich on July 21. Cedarlia is also the only place in SE10 where you can buy a Jan Constantine Team GB cushion (price £62-£85) – which Linda describes as “an heirloom of the future”. Constantine was the originator of the whole craze for bringing the Union Flag into the home and putting it on everything from walls to doormats. The cushions are hand-made in Cheshire from British materials – just the thing if you want to cheer on Team GB from the comfort of your sofa. Meanwhile, Julia Johnson of Pickwick Papers and Fabrics has been thinking about the crowds who will be streaming into Greenwich this summer. With an estimated 40,000 extra people coming to the borough, she sounds like she’s on the verge of feeling marooned in her shop: “It’s our way, isn’t it, as Brits, to moan about any inconvenience? But then we always rally round and feel proud.” This special summer, she has chosen a new curtain fabric and wall covering in honour of Greenwich Park – a vibrant digital print with a green cityscape featuring people sitting on benches and walking dogs, from the Art and Soul collection by Prestigious Textiles in West Yorkshire (£40-£90 per metre) – which ties in well with the trend towards a more daring use of colours. “It’s so beautiful, you could almost frame it,” she says.
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