Wellstudio Architecture’s Perry Vale House has given a new lease of life to a semi-detached Edwardian property Built for clients Nic and Hayfa and their young child the project sees a thoughtful reconfiguration of the existing layout playing on the home’s original Arts & Crafts style part of the Perry Vale and Christmas Estate Conservation Area reflects the craftsmanship of renowned local builder Ted Christmas known for his detailed joinery and characterful façades Wellstudio’s design respects this heritage creating a new rear extension that pays homage to the building’s history while introducing contemporary architectural elements the extension houses a new kitchen and is defined by a series of arched glazed openings that reinterpret classical forms with a contemporary twist a playful gesture to the curved bay windows of the original structure This is complemented by two arches either side – both upside down – which stretch vertically to the roofline wrapping into a skylight that pours natural light into the new kitchen-dining area One cradles a cozy window seat — an intimate spot for reading or contemplation which is much shorter sits above the kitchen countertop While the extensive glazing connects the kitchen to the garden and sky above a large internal archway links it to a dining area and living room semi-open plan layout for the home’s social spaces including yellow London Stock Brick and lime mortar A bronze aluminium curtain wall system frames the glazing adding a modern contrast to the traditional masonry the design continues the dialogue between old and new with medium brown herringbone flooring “The success of Perry Vale House is the result of a client who had the vision and trust to support a bold and unique “We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to restore this notable Edwardian building and craft a beautifully bespoke home to support the mental and physical wellbeing this growing family © Built Environment and Architecture Media Ltd 2025 We use cookies and other tracking technologies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website analyse your use of our products and services assist with our promotional and marketing efforts These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies but some parts of the site may not work then These cookies allow the provision of enhance functionality and personalisation They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages then some or all of these functionalities may not function properly These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site They help us know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site All information these cookies collect is anonymous we will not know when you have visited our site These cookies are set through our site by our advertising partners They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant ads on other sites you will not experience our targeted advertising across different websites These cookies are necessary to display content from social networks such as Facebook In such a way that you can share our content with your favourite social networks Take a look at this stunning contemporary update on the ever-popular Arts and Crafts movement Homes & Property | Interiors renting and decorating in London from our award-winning experts I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice It’s well over 100 years since the Arts and Crafts movement influenced a decorative approach to house building in pockets of London And thanks to a handful of considerate renovation projects the legacy lives on - albeit with a super-contemporary flourish A fine example is the back of Nic Gray and Hayfa Hamdan’s house in the Perry Vale and Christmas Estate Conservation Area in Forest Hill, where the kitchen extension is far removed from the usual box-with-bifolds which so many homeowners settle for Inspired by the semi’s original features - in particular the curved frames of the bay windows in the rear reception room - Wellstudio Architecture conceived an extension punctuated with dramatic There is a pair of curved French doors out to the patio and a cute miniature window version alongside it The showstopper is an inverted arched window which connects to a horizontal panel stretching the width of the roof like a skylight on steroids “The arts and crafts style is really about playing with craftsmanship and geometry and this idea emerged of experimenting with the form of the arch in different ways,” explains Wellstudio founder Tom Manwell whose appreciation for the property’s wealth of unique features resonated with the owners Flipping the arch upside-down also created a charming window seat - a must-have on Hayfa’s wish list putting an offer in immediately after their first viewing “There's just something so striking about the hallway - it feels really grand especially for London,” says Hayfa of the sweeping staircase original tiled floor and stained-glass front door But the existing kitchen was microscopic and gloomy a factor not helped by its north-facing orientation And it didn’t work with the couple’s desire to host friends and family; Nic is of Spanish heritage while Hayfa is Palestinian - cultures where cooking is a form of love language They wanted to modernise it in an “interesting way” while honoring the design codes of the original developer (the brilliantly-named builder Ted Christmas) Manwell’s design philosophy is to create spaces which support mental and physical well being Early drawings didn’t include the glazed roof section but in close collaboration with the clients “It brings a little bit more of an outside connection because nature doesn't really have straight lines Everything's got a curve in it to some degree or another,” he muses of the design The arch theme even extends to the soft angle of the opening between the dining room and the kitchen But beauty often comes at a price, and in this case it meant three months of delays due to the challenging nature of specifying and installing the glazing who remained on-site during the year-long works held their nerve and reaped the benefits of the capacious hallway by turning it into a makeshift kitchen with a camping stove and dishwasher So familial were the team of builders - who often worked Saturdays that their daughter Tahlia now two - took to calling them ‘uncle’ in Arabic The cost of the project was constantly at the forefront of their minds which they rationalised with a now-or-never justification: “this is a home that we will stay in for a really long time and while it might seem expensive in the moment we did everything we could to make it work as we’re never going to do it again,” says Hayfa there were no nasty surprises along the way but costs did creep up as the entire downstairs floors had to be levelled to match the hallway Nic’s budgeting advice to fellow renovators is to not scrimp on the “fundamentals” that meant the design: “There are certain decisions where you should choose to save money and there are ones that are going to stick with you later,” he says He and Hayfa put this into practice by choosing a local kitchen company over a central London cabinet-maker and laugh at how their home is missing a coffee table artwork and would benefit from more lighting “but you can save up and pay for that stuff a little bit later,” adds Hayfa Handing over the project management to the architecture helped relieve the day-to-day stress but the couple were still heavily involved with specifying finer details such as the gold-tone finish for the aluminium window frames They also had a clear view of the kitchen design opting to keep the wall free of cupboards in order for the focus to remain on the windows In lieu of counter stools (for now) Thalia’s learning tower takes pride of place around the island so that she can chop vegetables alongside her parents.“It feels like we're teaching her quite a lot Even 5.30am starts with their toddler have taken on a new meaning in the space: “As the sun goes up it tracks along the skylight whereas the old kitchen never got any light we’ve managed to keep a bird of paradise alive wellstudioarchitecture.com/ 'We ripped it out and made it our own': at home with Charlotte Beecham Kevin McCloud: 'The whole house-building market Film set warehouse conversion on the market for £1.65m Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary  Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy London without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. London Either stocks of filament bulbs and vintage school chairs are running low or a restaurant revolution is kicking off in Forest Hill Giving the whole chalkboards and bare-brick schtick a refreshingly wide berth stylish bistro with a proper sense of occasion occupying a small unit beneath a modern flat block Service is chipper and considerate touches abound – beer While waiting for our table we tried a zesty wheaty saison from Brew By Numbers at the small bar and later Kernel Brewery’s aromatic Table Beer The pickled cucumber accompanying a dish of seared mackerel was too soft and vinegary to cut through the fatty fish a steak ordered rare was nowhere near and a dessert of lemon tart came topped with powdery Less showy dishes fared better – a cheeseburger and chips was as good as you’d get at the classier chains and – at £9.50 – cheaper than most of them Forest Hill folk should definitely investigate – it was still early days on our visit – but a lack of flair in the kitchen means anyone without an SE23 postcode may as well stay closer to home even if that does mean slumming it with the same old shabby chic decor Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! tiktokfacebooktwitteryoutubeAbout us Contact us A teenage boy was taken to hospital after being found with a stab wound in his neck last night (Monday A male suspect has been arrested in connection with the attack which took place on Perry Vale at about 9pm Watch: Armed police make dramatic Bermondsey council estate raid including London’s air ambulance came to the scene and took the boy to hospital His condition is not thought to be life-threatening Anyone who witnessed this incident but has not yet spoken with police should call 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 7043/6JUN To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org We'll never send you spam or share your email address Find out more in our Privacy Policy Please enter your username or email address to reset your password More than 70 much needed new council homes are to be built in Lewisham after the council planners approved a number of applications The successful proposals approved by the planning committee include 32 new council houses on Mayow Road in Perry Vale Twenty-six flats will be offered to homeless families while six will be built as supported living for residents with learning difficulties or autism Addressing residents at Blackheath assembly earlier this month said: “There is an acute housing crisis in Lewisham” Ten thousand people are on the housing waiting list and over 2,000 are in temporary accommodation Egan’s own experience of homelessness as a child has shaped his approach to tackling the housing crisis in Lewisham One of the Council’s top priorities is to deliver 1,000 new social homes by 2022 Residents will also have access to a communal garden and on-site care Plans are in place for the construction of a new special educational needs school on a site opposite the new homes.   planning has been approved for 39 new council homes in Bampton Green for residents over the age of 55 Construction on both sites is set to begin in the summer of 2020 and to be completed by spring 2022 Walsall's fine home form under Michael Flynn continued as second-half goals from Sam Perry and Emmanuel Osadebe completed the double over Port Vale It has not been a season to shout about for the Saddlers but another victory over Vale gives fans reason to smile while Flynn has now won five of his six games at the Banks's Stadium While the first half of this encounter was uneventful the hosts were bright in the second and good value for the three points in the end Perry's first goal of the campaign was set up by Osadebe who then got in on the act in stoppage time to seal the deal Walsall will be wary of an injury picked up by skipper Joss Labadie in the first half the Saddlers will be in high spirits after this solid triumph put them up to 14th in League Two and dented Vale's automatic promotion hopes Walsall made four changes from the loss at Crawley as Donervon Daniels Zak Mills and Perry dropped out while the Saddlers had academy player Jack Shaw on the bench again who is gradually returning to his duties at Vale after a close family bereavement The Banks's pitch had been given a considerable soaking before kick-off in an apparent attempt to make things difficult for the high-flying visitors The clash got off to a scrappy start as well Both teams had an early half-chance as a sloppy pass from Daniels went straight to Vale striker James Wilson whose shot deflected off Daniels and out for a corner Saddlers forward George Miller then tried to pounce as Connor Hall got caught underneath a long ball before the centre-half recovered to block the shot Neither side was able to retain possession for a prolonged period The visitors were probably just about shading it but there was not a lot of quality to speak of in the opening half an hour Walsall's attacks became less and less frequent Shade went on a couple of promising runs that came to nothing while Brendan Kiernan slowed down another encouraging move The best opening fell to the away side as Jamie Proctor took aim from the edge of the area but lifted his effort comfortably over the crossbar The Saddlers would then lose Labadie to injury before the interval the midfielder had to be helped off the pitch and was replaced by Perry Walsall – after Conor Wilkinson's ACL injury that could keep him out for a year – will hope it is nothing serious The Saddlers made another switch at the start of the second period as Menayese took Devine's place and the Saddlers were struggling to get going A fine bit of work from Hayden White saw him beat his marker and send over an inviting cross but there was nobody in the box to react to it The Saddlers threatened briefly as they won a corner and had Miller send a glancing header past the far post with Vale then having a short spell of pressure that came to nothing and the hosts eventually came up with the goods Osadebe cut inside from the left flank and his inswinging cross was met by Perry whose delicate glancing header beat the helpless Aidan Stone Miller had done a fine job of occupying defenders throughout the afternoon and his powerful strike from a tight angle smacked the woodwork Vale responded to Perry's opener by making a triple substitution and were being willed on by the 2,000-plus travelling supporters Carl Rushworth displayed top reflexes to keep out a free-kick from Chris Hussey – the low drive going through a crowd of bodies before the keeper stuck out his right leg Walsall caught them out to put the result beyond any doubt in added time who wrapped up a fine day for himself and Flynn's team on the whole by slotting into the net Frustrations threatened to spill over as some of the away fans appeared to try to get in the Saddlers end Walsall were able to reflect on a sound day's work It puts them level with last season's points tally with two games left to play The Conservatives held the Selsdon Vale and Forestdale ward in Croydon when Fatima Zaman won the by-election on Thursday located in the south-east of the borough was called after the death of Conservative councillor The balance of parties in the council as it stands is: 34 Conservative councillors Zaman claimed the win with a 46% share of the 2125 votes cast leaving Labour languishing behind in third with 18%.Tweeting about her election win Zaman said: “I am overwhelmed and grateful for all the support I received I am thankful to all those who voted for me and look forward to serving the whole community of Selsdon Vale and Forestdale!”Green candidate Peter Underwood tweeted: “A huge thank you to everyone who voted Green in Selsdon Vale and Forestdale and another huge thank you to everyone who helped on the campaignWe have shown that there is a real and credible alternative to the old parties and I look forward to the Green vote continuing to grow.” He added.Zaman “a local mum working hard for Selsdon and Forestdale” received a glowing endorsement from Executive Mayor and I know you will work tirelessly for everybody in Selsdon Vale & Forestdale.”Labour candidate Tom Bowell chose to focus on the progress made in the election and his fellow candidates tweeting: “Congratulations to Fatima Zaman who is the new councillor for Selsdon Vale & Forestdale Proud to have increased Labour’s vote share in the ward Commiserations to Peter Underwood who came second and I know worked very hard in this election.” Residents living in an area without an NHS surgery are going private to avoid hour-long phone queues and month-long waiting times to see a doctor The 16,000 people who call Forest Hill home have to trek to nearby areas like Sydenham But residents say they are increasingly struggling to get hold of a GP and complain of long waiting times and poor service They say the time has come for Forest Hill to finally get its own GP which they believe will allow them to see a doctor more quickly and take the pressure off existing nearby surgeries who moved into the area recently with her husband Philippe said she was told she could not be seen for a month when she tried to book an appointment at one nearby surgery The experience was so bad the couple say they have given up on local surgeries altogether a service that lets people book and see a doctor on their phone Labour-run Lewisham council said it had agreed to ask the council’s health and well-being board to consider plans to increase the number of doctors in the area But the power to make this happen rests with the South East London Integrated Care Board the body responsible for planning NHS services locally pressures on nearby GP surgeries are unlikely to ease More than 200 new homes are expected to be built in Forest Hill in the coming years and another 60 have recently been completed Staff at The Vale Medical Centre in Perry Vale said the number of patients on its books had increased due to the area’s growing population who has used The Vale Medical Centre for nine years said it was clear the practice was struggling to deal with the number of patients signing up She said: “I’ve been with them for nine years now and it has definitely got worse said the pressure on GPs around Forest Hill was also being felt across the rest of the borough who is signed up to Morden Hill Surgery in Lewisham said: “You have to ring at eight in the morning and you can wait up to an hour on the phone You can get a same-day appointment but it takes that hour to get through “I think the area (Lewisham) definitely needs another surgery We’ve got lots of new blocks with thousands of people and there’s no more allocation for doctors.” A spokeswoman for South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) said: “The South East London ICB is aware of concerns expressed by the Forest Hill Assembly at the lack of a GP Surgery within the ward boundaries This will be formally considered at the Lewisham Health and Wellbeing Board which includes partners from across health and care in Lewisham.” Pictured top: Carolina Garcia said it was obvious that her local surgery was oversubscribed (Picture: Robert Firth) Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" A councillor who falsely claimed a resident had to be “physically restrained” during a confrontation at a planning meeting has been cleared of wrongdoing accused a member of a local community group of attempting to attack him and having to be held back by council staff in an email last year a member of the Bell Green Neighbourhood Forum a group that campaigns on planning issues in the area Ms Webb said the councillor’s claims were untrue and lodged a complaint against him arguing he had breached the code of conduct An internal council investigation dismissed Ms Webb’s complaint despite finding that there was “no evidence the Complainant [Ms Webb] had to be physically restrained” a Lewisham council standards committee made up of cllr Paschoud’s fellow Labour councillors rubber-stamped the conclusions of the report compiled by town hall lawyer Melanie Dawson Announcing the conclusion of the investigation Ms Dawson said: “There was no breach of the members’ code of conduct I concluded that the member [cllr Paschoud] was not disrespectful.” But she added: “The language cllr Paschoud used in his email was upsetting to the complainant and in different circumstances may have placed him in breach of the code I did not see any evidence that the claimant [Ms Webb] had to be physically restrained at the planning committee meeting.” Ms Dawson’s report said Ms Webb approached the head table at the end of a planning meeting held at Lewisham council’s Catford headquarters in April 2022 because she was “distressed” at a decision it had made But Ms Dawson concluded that “there was no physical attack perpetrated or attempted” by Ms Webb choice of wording and forum in which the subject member’s [cllr Paschoud’s] legitimate concerns were raised may not with hindsight have been the most appropriate means The reference to an ‘attempted attack’ may have implied to those reading the email a physical attack.” Ms Webb told the standards meeting she was disappointed the investigation had cleared cllr Paschoud of wrongdoing despite it concluding there was no evidence she physically attacked him or had to be restrained Cllr Paschoud agreed with the investigation’s findings but expressed frustration at the council’s handling of Ms Webb’s complaint He added: “I’m saddened that Julia feels so moved and upset by this and by what she perceives as other offences by me against her I think that’s an indication she needs some help that probably none of us in this room are qualified to give.” Before announcing the committee’s decision to accept the findings of the internal investigation chided both cllr Paschoud and Ms Webb for their “inappropriate” language during the meeting She added: “We are going to agree and recommend that no breach of the code was committed by the subject member  as alleged by the complainant and therefore we are upholding the investigator’s finding as delineated to us this evening.” Pictured top: Cllr John Paschoud was cleared of wrongdoing by Lewisham council’s standards committee (Picture: Lewisham Labour Party) Councillors are out of control power mongers up and down the country Monitoring officers are now used to protect Councillors instead of what they were introduced to do which is monitor the councillors for activity that breaks the law Having spent nearly 2 years fighting council monitoring officer the lack of transparency and false claims that councillors have protected immunity under article 10 when they tell lies about residents demonstrates its pointless making a complaint using the council Sue these disgusting councillors in a proper court of law Not the worthless council complaints systems In Wiltshire there have been about 50 complaints a yr against councillors and only one upheld but with no further action The conservative did away with Standards for England who oversaw Councils conduct and since them its become the wild west with councillors abusing the public and rules Lewisham Council has identified a series of sites across west Lewisham where more than 1,000 homes could be build They include a former Co-op in Sydenham Road and the site of 19th Century listed building The council is consulting on its draft local plan which sets out its long-term development strategy for the borough The final version is expected to be adopted by the council between summer and autumn of 2022 According to the local plan’s vision for west Lewisham: “By 2040 the historic fabric landscape and woodland character of the west area will be reinforced so that its neighbourhoods and centres retain their village qualities including valued views towards London and Kent thriving and well-connected network of town and local centres that complement one another “The revitalisation of the area’s town and local centres will ensure they remain thriving hubs of community and commercial activity including a high proportion of genuinely affordable housing.” One of the key objectives for west Lewisham include securing the delivery of the Brockley station interchange a proposed interchange between the east London line and the Lewisham-Victoria line The council also plans to transform the South Circular and Brockley Rise/Brockley Road into ‘healthy streets’ cycling and use of public transport safer and more convenient” Another key objective is protecting and enhancing open and green spaces while there is a plan to deliver a “connected network of high quality walking and cycle routes” that link these spaces The draft London Plan set a housing target for Lewisham of 1,667 units a year – that means 16,670 homes completed between 2020 and 2030 However new planning reforms that could see the Government have much more control over housing targets are being developed Included in Lewisham’s draft local plan are potential and earmarked sites for redevelopment This land was formerly used as a motor body repair shop in Shardeloes Road There is already planning permission for a new MOT garage but the council thinks the site has potential for homes and office space this land has been identified as having residential and office space potential It sits across from John Stainer Community Primary School This site is the home of GP Surgery Jenner Health Centre in Forest Hill The council thinks it has potential to be redeveloped for residential and community uses Development guidelines say the surgery would have to be re-provided though it is unclear if this would be on the site or elsewhere The council is looking at redeveloping the land behind three blocks of flats including Havelock House and Willow Tree House The council has identified it as a potential site for new flats Clyde Vale Locally Significant Industrial Site  The council is looking into redeveloping the industrial estate by Clyde Vale in Forest Hill It could be a mix of residential and commercial space Plans for a housing by Eliot Bank in Forest Hill were approved in 2015 home to the locally listed Featherstone Lodge and garden Development requirements state the 19th Century Lodge must be retained The council has identified the site of the former Sydenham Police Station Permission for 33 new flats was granted in 2016 Willow Way Locally Significant Industrial Site (LSIS) The council thinks the industrial site by Willow Way in Forest Hill has potential for a mixed-use development Land at Forest Hill Station east (of the railway line) looks like it could have homes and shops built on it Perry Vale Locally Significant Industrial Site  The council has earmarked the Forest Hill Industrial Estate by Perry Vale as a potential site for redevelopment The land between Sydenham Road and Loxley Close has been identified as having potential for a mix of homes and shops There is currently a Lidl and carpark on the site The council has identified this land off Sydenham Road as a potential site for commercial properties and homes The Plan states that an assessment should be carried out to determine which buildings should stay or go The locally listed Dolphin pub and garden must be retained Planning consent has already been granted for 29 new homes on the site but the council sees potential for around 50 more could be redeveloped into flats and commercial space Whilst new homes are good,i know of numerous businesses that have been going for many years that will be forced to close and friends that will loose their jobs,so not all good news im afraid This first of this year's Reith Lectures given by the Turner prize-winning potter Grayson Perry Perry is such a fantastic speaker: a performer with gags like a standup Confident enough to wander around a subject I saw his lecture live – it was recorded about a month ago at Tate Modern – and there were no PowerPoint lists no TED-style speechifying about My One Important Idea "a certainty freak." How refreshing his lecture's title "Democracy Has Bad Taste" Perry explored the idea that the most popular art isn't necessarily the best giving us little anecdotes and bons mots along the way So we learned that at least one very important curator saw the David Hockney show at the Royal Academy last year and deemed it one of the worst she'd ever seen despite its enormous popularity with the public (it was the fifth most attended exhibition in the world that year) We also heard about some Belgian artists who asked people what they wanted in an artwork and then made it with a few figures and animals in the foreground although the delivery was far from standard (most Reith lectures are very "read" with dry literary jokes and clever allusions; Perry was far more freestyle) his conclusion was surprisingly conservative He said that there exists a collection of people in the know – certain curators artists – who deem an artist worth our while and that But he masked this small-c conservatism by reminding us that we didn't have to always agree with those people When Radio 4 controller Gwyneth Williams announced that she wanted more culture on the station It's all very well making neat 30-minute documentaries about art and its consequences Church doesn't easily fit into the 6 Music remit after an early career that promoted her as an innocent carolling angel advised to show off her "great body" in a basque and stockings while singing a rubbish pop song that she didn't even write herself Now she finds it hard to be taken seriously difficult to get her music heard in the places it would naturally fit to examine how the music business treats them The problem with music is that it has long-established stereotypes it is unwilling to give up The Victim and – the most common – The Sex-bot Personally, I can do without yet more palavers over the dull-as-ditchwater-in-teeny-pants Miley Cyrus and Michael-Bublé-with-a-hard-on Robin Thicke but some of Church's research was very revealing She informed us that Thicke answered a question about whether his video for Blurred Lines degraded women with this: "Of course What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman!" I'd put my palm to my brow if my hand wasn't busy punching the wall I enjoyed Jane Garvey's interview with Church after the lecture too Garvey asked whether she had changed her mind about sexual imagery in pop videos after she'd had her daughter Church's reply – that she was as worried for her small son as she was for her daughter – was right and true Sometimes you can feel as though nothing will ever change that boring and repetitive pornified versions of sex roles are all pop music has to offer In case you're feeling like that, may I recommend Goldfrapp's live version of Annabel, as performed for 6 Music's excellent Live at Maida Vale series last week that women have something more to offer music than "flaunting" their "curves" This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media Chandler Bing was an iconic advertising intern whose one-liners left a long-lasting impact on pop culture Matthew Perry also dabbled in the advertising industry who long struggled with addiction but had been clean in recent years was found dead at his Los Angeles home yesterday It is suspected that Perry drowned following a cardiac arrest During season 9 Chandler stepped into the advertising world as an intern in his early 30s The story arc brought several of Chandler’s iconic lines because your cheese needs a buddy” and “the phone bringing you closer to people… who have phones” Chandler challenged perceptions of the advertising world and broadcast the sector into the living rooms of millions When the pilot episode of Friends aired back in September of 1994 no one knew that it would grow to be the enduring success that it is today known for his iconic role as Chandler Bing with casting directors chomping at the bit to have him in their productions and brands desperate to have him endorse their products Perry jumped straight into the advertising world partnering with his beloved National Hockey League (NHL) to appear in several commercials that ran across 1995 The partnership was an extension of his long-held love for the sport and saw him promoting major events like the Stanley Cup appearing as himself in a commercial that featured a number of the iconic Chandler mannerisms that fans recognised Perry appeared in a public service campaign from Friends home network The series served to keep kids in the school system Perry also featured alongside Friends co-star Jennifer Anniston in an instructional video for Windows 95 where several Chandler iconic lines were reprised It’s with deep sadness that we report the unexpected passing of Michael Perry Affectionately known by his colleagues as “Grumpy” he was a kind and gentle soul who could be a little gruff at times and that’s why he earned the nickname “Grumpy” which he thought was hilarious The total professional was a long-standing employee of NSW Health commencing in the purchasing department at the former Wentworth Area Health Service in 1996 and working most recently as an asset management officer with Digital Health Services Many staff who have ordered IT equipment would have spoken to Michael and experienced his wonderful wit patience and dedication earned him the respect of both colleagues and the many suppliers he interacted with in the course of his duties,” Digital Health Solutions manager Michele Manz said Michele said Michael was a true gentleman whose great loves were his family “His co-workers suspected he didn’t do a great deal of cooking but often brought in cook books which he strategically placed on a colleague’s desk in the hope they would cook the dish for him,” Michele said “He will be deeply missed by many people who had the pleasure of knowing him.  He had a great sense of humour and loved participating in all social club activities We extend our deepest sympathy to Michael’s family and friends.  Western Sydney Local Health District is committed to delivering world class healthcare to support the health and wellbeing of our community We aim to work together to make our community the healthiest in NSW Photos must be high resolution and include correctly spelled captions with names from left to right Read the Disclaimers, Privacy and Copyright notice As a kid in the late ’70s I’d score random hand-me-down surf mags from my cool older cousin In one of the Seppo mags – between articles on The Ranch and the ads for Katin surf trunks – there’s a disconcerting article called 'Shaping By Chainsaw' which opens with a full page portrait of the author Mike’s brandishing two chainsaws like a steam punk pistolero as he menaces the camera: white tee shirt reflector aviator sunnies: a fricken Artisanal Serial Killer.  The article sets out the argument that the chainsaw is an effective And for the life of me my kiddie brain can’t tell if it’s legit or a piss-take The measured tone of Perry’s writing makes it all seem plausible I have a sense that Seppos are an earnest bunch – so if this actually IS satire then well fucking played to the murderous man in the aviator sunnies I’m doing a tip run with Surfing Life’s editor Back in the day ALL unsold mags nationwide were returned to our cramped office in the Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade so the back of Perry’s Landcruiser is fairly chockers with mags We’re jamming on the little road that runs parallel to the Gold Coast Highway when the back of the troopy flies open and several bundles of mags fall out and explode all over the road Perry – who’s kinda over the mag game by then – just chuckles drives back to the hundreds of mags on the blacktop we re-pack the mags and finish the tip run.  barely-scratching-the-surface sketch of this wonderful fella.  and learns to shape aged 18 at the feet of Hawaiian big-wave surfing pioneer George Downing All the while surfing his arse off everywhere promo shoot for their 'Double E' model A few months after having his first article published in Surfer mag he locks in as the mag’s associate editor for a few years Mike visits the Gold Coast and falls hard for the abundance and quality of the point break surf After a few years boomeranging back and forth between the GC he moves to the Goldy full-time.  Mike’s rep as a quality boardmaker sees him get the gig of shaping nine ‘Bear’ boards for the filming of ‘Big Wednesday’ in ’77.  The ’80s are busy: raising kids Mikey and Caitlin with wife Trish; meeting the steady demand for shooters; getting tapped for swell forecasts (a long-held source of fascination for Mike’s keen meteorological mind); and he reconnects with surf mags again this time editing the fledgling title Australia’s Surfing Life Mike’s gentle and patient with his designer as I fumble my way forward Mike also launches and edits SLAM skateboarding mag Not long after the Tugun tip run hit & run Perry bails on the mag game to pour his energies into his forecasting business which has been ticking over since the mid ’80s: there’s a daily pay-per-call update on conditions and forecasts and special event forecasting – Mike’s the go-to guy for surf comp organisers from Kirra to Narrabeen to Bells to Nor’West WA to Tavarua Mike flanked by cartoonist Macca (left) and the author Meanwhile Surfline’s doing its pay-per-call thing in the US “I'm up and on it every day at 5:00AM and I can honestly say that it’s a constant buzz forecasting and studying the surf around the world Surf Forecasting as a vocation: Mike must be the first in Oz and it’s not a stretch to see him as a true pathfinder in that specialised space that this fine website hosts his tribute.) Perry winds down Surf Alert in the mid noughties but keeps forecasting for various media outlets GC-based pros like Parko and Luke Egan idolise him And you’ve never seen a more content fella than Mike It’s a glorious ‘second act’ in love that’s as special as it is deserved They live by the ocean just up the road from Kirra the elements and atmosphere scrolling along the horizon never not noticed or appreciated by Mike’s Weather Eye The first round of chemo in ’21 staves it off but the second bout in mid ’23 is so harrowing Mike removes himself from all treatment I’m sure he wouldn’t mind me sharing this message from when he made that decision.  “After three years of treatment: radiation surgery – chasing a cure – now that it’s confirmed spreading Seems better than dying while I yo yo between treatments he rode out on a furious summer storm front “The clouds had more energy than I’d ever seen on the Gold Coast before,” says Mike’s great pal and former colleague “There was an extraordinary unrest and fury in the sky that night It was fitting for the man who understood weather better than anyone He lit the night sky in a frenzy of flashes blasted out to sea with the roaring thunder.” Surfing’s richer for having Mike give it his heart and soul hilarious and uplifting friend he was to us unplanned ASL reunion at Ted Grambeau’s 'White Horses' issue launch After years of living in Oz the fella still knew his roots I never met Mike but was often surprised by the various places and fields where his name was heard Felt like there were three 'Mike Perrys' out there you like you're about fourteen in that photo I used to ring SurfAlert all the time from the work phone the accountant got suspicious and thought I was calling a sex line she was relieved when she rang that number the voice said welcome to SurfAlert !! I used to get in the Vicco fax report at work 2 times a week at $3 a pop I racked a couple hundred bucks a year boss told me to stop blasted out to sea with the roaring thunder.”" I wasn't aware of him having so many different jobs and skills very funny and clearly from the photo above I will never forget the anticipation using Mike’s 0055 Telephone surf report on Saturday mornings before my dad and I did the 1 hour drive to the coast I rang up Surf Alert one day and there was an outdated recording from YEARS before especially hearing of what led to Mike's premature death I had also been afflicted but somehow survived Mike and I shared a place for a year '69/70 We had many laughs and good times together not to mention all the surf trips to Baja and the California coast He was shaping out of his folks garage back then and I had the honor of being the only member of his Surf Team (Mike's humor) I never got the chance to visit him when he moved to Oz When he called me in August '23 to talk about old times I had a feeling that would be the last time I would have contact with him I e-mailed a few times but never got a reply The always dignified younger brother of Eddie Aikau loses his battle with cancer Steph accepts a wildcard and goes up against her own replacement wildcard Six crazy weeks culminates in an Easter spectacle for the ages yet have you ever stopped and wondered why A dire sand situation at Snapper forces the WSL's hand ...and surfers cross their fingers for banks Fifteen minutes of effortless style and awesome power Julian Wilson turns back the clock with a teenage display of varied airs An entertaining return to the sunshine and cupped-out waves of Burleigh On the edge of the continental shelf lies a wave You're using an outdated browser. 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