Little Nan’s

Little Nan has to be the most sociable and welcoming nan around. She is always having people round to her place.

After a while making a home in Deptford, she now pops up in South East London in all sorts of places, upstairs at pubs, in cafes, even round at other people’s homes. She doesn’t seem to get fazed at moving to new places. Always inviting you round and always getting the teapots out.

Little Nan loves to serve up cocktails in teapots. She wins awards for doing it with such great warmth and humour, in her special ‘granny chic’ style.

The cocktail menu is unbelievable. It goes on for pages, split per spirit, and the names are full of local references and names of ’80s TV characters. You can buy them by the cup or (most commonly) by the pot and at least half the fun is in the singularity of the teapot, as the photos below show.

Little Nan is ever so inventive. She doesn’t just do cocktails for evening dos. She also does afternoon tea for Mother’s Day, Easter, hen dos, you name it, she can bring a mobile cocktail party (including the kitsch china) round to you. She’s had a place round at Lingfield Park Racecourse, plus I hear she’s shortly going to be decamping over to Vauxhall.

After much anticipation and a few false starts, I myself finally experienced a Little Nan’s night in a town house in Greenwich a few weekends ago. I took a present round for Nan of the highest (Deptford Market) calibre.

We enjoyed several teapots and a lovely relaxed time in what we liked to call the parlour. Sitting comfortably in a room adorned with photographs of the departed Queen Mum, Staffordshire dog figurines on the mantelpiece and practically littered with lace doillies and scatter cushions, we were made to feel very much at home. We were waited on beautifully by the dashing home owner himself and a smattering of Nan’s young relatives.

Bringing me to the subject of that extensive family tree! I have quizzed grandson Tristan (who is the mastermind in the bar) about his family tree a few times. Appears that everyone in the boroughs of Lewisham and Greenwich are related to Little Nan. They don’t all have a family resemblance but I was told quite emphatically that the grandchildren really are the grandchildren, and who am I to quibble, especially after a few teacups of Lord DCI Burnside?

One day I really hope to meet Little Nan. Hadn’t I mentioned that? She’s like a real Dennis Severs of the people, it always feels like she’s just left the room, leaving in her wake a row of crystal decanters and some jubilee bunting. It’s OK though, she has brought up her family right and always makes sure they give everyone a proper nan-like warm welcome, whoever they are, young or old, even if she isn’t around herself.

Little Nan continues to welcome you round at her place in Greenwich until 28th March 2015 so if you’re local, try and make it round (contact details are below as the location of the house is top secret). After that she and her family are off south west of the river, and I fear we may lose her and her parties if we can’t find her a good venue. Isn’t there someone round here who can offer her a permanent home? Little Nan, we will miss you, please don’t leave us for good! At least, say you’ll pop back soon…