It’s almost two years since I first had the idea for a local print magazine for Belsize Park. I was on one of those going-nowhere lockdown walks when I chanced upon a TV celebrity comedian and after a short exchange to congratulate him on being so funny, I walked on, wishing that I could have suggested an interview. But I didn’t because as a freelance journalist I know what an effort it is to pitch an idea to a publication; indeed, to even decide which one to approach.
As I continued to saunter around with time to smell the flowers that grow so abundantly in beautiful Belsize Park, I thought to myself why not publish my own articles with a focus on the many and varied accomplished people and businesses surrounding me. I suspect that our hyper local lockdown living was influencing my direction of thought!
I’ve been involved in making magazines before. In the nineties I was the Advertising Director for a new kind of publication which presented stories about holistic, alternative and boho lifestyles on glossy pages and with a highly stylised Vogue-like design. As much as I was able to do my job because I was passionate about this magazine Spirit, I preferred writing articles to selling advertising space. But this was a start-up and only those bringing home the tofu could expect to be paid.
In the pursuit of adverts, I had to spend too much time on the phone trying to get through to company directors. One way to do this was to imply to a receptionist or personal assistant that the company director and I were already chums. For in person meetings with advertising agencies, I wore trendy zen outfits (think Diesel meets Muji,) presuming that they might not recognise the ‘ka-ching, ka-ching’ of peace and love features, but might judge a sales rep by her cover. Every now and then a global company would be on the same page as us – like one time Puma gave us a back cover advert and the artwork was of a Buddhist monk wearing trainers. My job was to convince mainstream brands that eco-friendliness and ‘looking within’ were not incompatible with the high life.
Back to the present. Once I had the idea for In The Square, the BVBA co-leader Robert Padron-Stephenson introduced me to photographer David S. Percy who manages the Belsize Village Association website and co-authored Belsize Remembered. David introduced me to OmniDe Architects and they gave me the seed money to create one hundred copies of a pilot edition which had finished articles and blank pages for adverts. Then I travelled from Belsize Village to England’s Lane, Haverstock Hill, Pond Street and Steele’s Village and met many business owners who were excited by my pilot edition and recognised the value that a local print magazine would bring in building and strengthening our community. The next step was to find writers and photographers who would contribute.
It’s amazing how much creative talent we have in the NW3 area and how enough businesses care about where they are based and being good neighbours, as well as reaching new customers. Beyond my love of writing, what keeps me going is the support from the advertisers who enable me to make a magazine which is free to the community.
Cover Photo: Belsize Park Gardens where I was walking when I had the idea to make a local magazine for Belsize Park.
