The Romance of the Harringay Printer

I've used Nicholas Printers in Pemberton Mews a few times previously, but for the past couple of weeks I've been in and out of the shop regularly getting some printing jobs done. The more I visit, the more I'm in thrall to this romantic little workshop tucked away behind Green Lanes.

The business was established over 50 years ago by the current owner's father when he arrived in Harringay from Cyprus. The man in int harness these days in Nick. Being around the businesses as he grew up, Nick has  printing in his blood.

What Nick and his dad have created is a wonderful old fashioned printing shop. Make no mistake, the work they produce is first class, but there's something about the old fashioned craftsman in them and the way they work.

There are computers in the house but there's no defaulting to the latest gadget at Nicholas Printers. The two main machines are, let's say, tried and tested. Nick told me, "They simply haven't made anything better yet. So people tend to hang on to these old machines". Pointing to a clanking old Heidelberg, he said. "This one's over 50 years old. We keep it because it's simply the best at what it does."

Having borrowed Nick's sample book, I can second that emotion. 

Earlier this week, I went back with my camera to try and capture something of the feel of the place and I've added a few pictures below. Here are machines you can smell!

And, by the way, as Liz discovered today, Nick is helpful, efficient and very reasonably priced. Certainly worth a try if you need to get printing done.

Nick Achilleos, Nicholas Printers, Pemberton Mews, 481A Green Lanes, Harringay, N4 1AJ, 020 8340 9958 nicholas.printers@gmail.com

This last picture shows Nick's work colleague Panicos. Nick himself is camera shy!

Last week I sent Nick a copy of this advert from the Harringay Ratepayers Association report from 1908. It seemed kinda appropriate. Nick wrote back saying, "When my dad started up he was using letterpress machinery where you put blocks together to form words. He threw it all away!".