Street Lingo

We recently collected up some quotes from folk who have already held Street Play events during the project's first two years.

Below is a selection of edited excerpts (including the winner of Street Play's Awesome Quote award, 2010). Thank you to all of you that took time to put finger to key, and please do keep them coming - we love hearing from you.


"Grannies, Grandpas, old, young, grumpy, jolly alike crept out of their homes with a dish and a chair, talking to unlikely neighbours, sharing extraordinary dishes [...] New neighbours said ‘how do you do’ and old neighbours reminded us all of what it used to be like. Tut tutting on this and that, then loving the new things." Emma, Hammersmith & Fulham


"The kids keep asking to be able to close the road again so they can all slide down the hill on their bikes and scooters and 'crash into the wall' (the massive wall of cardboard packing boxes we built across the road). They want to build go carts next time. They ask for a street party again and again." Lalitha, Croydon


"It was great to see the street transformed and to have a proper chat with neighbours. We often just say hi or have a really brief conversation in passing. But the party gave us a great excuse to stand and chat for while and really get to know each other better." Nancy, Waltham Forest


"Our Halloween Street Party was a great success for adults and children of all ages. My kids still talk about “the day we closed the road and played games with all our friends, without any cars coming “and cannot wait until the next time we do it. It was a real team effort and the residents and children embraced the day with real energy and imagination. We had a ball." Tina, Camden


"We got to speak to everyone, dance, sing, eat and play. People of all ages and backgrounds participated. It was something everyone felt included in and could add to in whatever way they could manage. We still talk about it nearly a year later." Yana, Haringey


And the winner is...
"Once you've done it once it's not so daunting. All you have to do is get the road closed down and a road without any traffic is enough to put everyone in a party mood. Especially the kids - within 5 minutes of putting those signs up they were cycling and skateboarding around as if they had been released from confinement." Jenny, Lambeth