Bolt Outdoor Market

After three months of isolation during lock down it is great to finally get the green light to start to open up again. With social distancing and safety measures to consider we opened as an outdoor market making use of the space in the yard. After weeks of blazing sunshine the weather forecasts for the weekend were the worst we had seen for months. Saturday was punctuated with spells of thunder, lighting, rain and hail although Sunday turned out fine. The rain however wasn’t going to stop a good time and a crowd danced under the canopy as the lighting struck and thunder crashed above.

Since the beginning of the lock down we have been collaborating with Stephen Kenny of Problem Press on his Lock Down Lock up Project. Using a turn of the century letterpress printing machine whereby the individual font pieces are set on a bed and Locked in place - known as a “lock up”. Working with 19 artists from around the world Stephen has been producing designs that inform, inspire and encourage people during the social disruption brought about by the pandemic. The art has been pasted up on the streets of London, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Now that we are twelve weeks in, and with no idea when life will, if it ever will, get back to normal we chose the phrase “Keep on keepin on” to signify the shared struggle and to encourage togetherness in the streets. We produced 19 limited signed prints which sold out over the weekend.

Alongside Problem Press we had our friends Ecstatic Peace Library, an experimental record shop run by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, Soho Music and artist Savage Pencil. Taking up residence in our cafe this is less of a shop and more of a vast collection of rock and roll memorabilia, art, records and clothing. Aki from the Golden Needle who hand makes Masks and Bucket hands from traditional Japanese fabrics joined us for the market.

Now with our coffee shop up and running and the yard full of new tables and chairs Bolt really felt like it had come into itself, a social hang out for people into motorcycles, cars, music, art, fashion, design or just into having a good time.

We will be doing small events and ride outs over the summer, bringing people together in a way that is safe and abides the protocols. When we re-open on the 17th of June we will be looking to cook a giant Paella over the weekend - keep your eyes on instagram for details.

Black and white photos by Tom Pigeon.