Jonny and Alan, No. 241 Norwood
- Year Invented: 2018
Jonny, the owner of No. 241 Norwood is proud to have opened an environment for people to meet, relax, eat and drink. Prior to opening the space, Jonny owned The Pizza Project, a mobile pizzeria travelling around Surrey with a café in Merstham. It was while running The Pizza Project that Jonny met Alan, now head barista at No. 241 Norwood, in the Merstham pizza café. Alan came in to the café and ordered a specific coffee, which straight away made him stand out to Jonny as clearly being a coffee connoisseur. He watched Jonny make the coffee and congratulated him on it when it was delivered to him. The two of them got chatting and that day Jonny had offered him a job.
Alan then helped Jonny to understand more about tea and coffee, always looking for opportunities to learn more. Jonny knew he wanted to open a second business and it was during his second viewing of the space No. 241 Norwood inhabits that he knew it was the place for him. He said it was Nick, in the Craft Beer Cabin who persuaded him the South Norwood was an area to invest in. Since opening he says he has never felt a tighter community where he is more involved with his customers.
Jonny wants Alan to be recognised for how hard he works to make No. 241 Norwood operate. Alan recruited all of the team (who are all local to Norwood) and together they are looking at how to develop the business further. ‘The proof is in the pudding’ for a formula which works well and they want to develop out to serving specialist alcohol as well.
Words by Elizabeth Walters
Interview with Jonny, Owner of No. 241 Norwood, October 2021
This project was part of the South Drawood exhibition in 2022 by artist Jonny Kemp. A community art project celebrating the people of South Norwood, SE25.
From autumn of 2021 to summer 2022, Jonny drew 40 portraits of independent business owners, volunteers, and other movers and shakers from South Norwood, his local area. His partner Lizzie interviewed them.
South Norwood is regenerating yet doesn’t want to gentrify: it wants to keep its character and support people who already live in the area to prosper.
The portraits were displayed in Stanley Arts, a beautiful Edwardian arts venue on South Norwood Hill. Over 150 people attended the opening night: Friday 29th July 2022.