Sam Conniff Allende is a life-long south Londoner, a multi award winning social entrepreneur and recently became an author with his Best Seller debut Be More Pirate, out on Penguin now.

Sam has also been a mentor to thousands of young entrepreneurs around the world and received EY’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year and the Queens Award for Enterprise.

He lives in SE22 with his wife Vivi and two daughters Frida and Scarlett.

What brought you here?

The 37 bus. The year I turned 37 (A few years ago) I realised I was born where it begins (St Mary’s Hospital) and was now at the end (Peckham Rye). My whole life, tied to a bus route. Luckily this year I can get the 42 and still remain age appropriate.

What has changed most during that time?

Bus fares.

What do you most value about the area/street you live in?

I value my neighbours, some days our street is like a Richard Curtis film. When we moved in, my wonderful wife had just relocated from Mexico, where there’s a real sense of community, our street isn’t Mexico, but they made us very welcome. I’ll always be grateful for that.

Do you belong to any groups?

None that would have me.

What one thing would you change?

I would try to engage East Dulwich in a useful conversation about gentrification. I love M&S as much as the next middle aged, middle class dad, but I don’t love seeing an area homogonise. We live somewhere really special and we should value and protect it.

What’s the one thing you couldn’t do without?

M&S.

What is your favourite place to eat?

Yama Momo on a date, with my beautiful wife before maybe going to the Picture House.

The best meal I’ve ever had…

Bacon Sandwich, Johnnies Café, Hungover.

What’s your favourite place to go for a drink?

The Palmerston. Always. For a quiet pint. For Sunday Lunch with family, For weekend brunch with friends, or even dressed as a Stormtrooper, bit drunk, one Halloween. Long story.

When I want to relax…

Quiet pint in the Palmerston with Adam.

What is your favourite shop?

Farmers, best shop on Lordship Lane, and long may they rule, what can you not get from Farmers and what do they sell that you do not need? I’m always reassured in case of Armageddon that they are so close.

What was the last thing you bought there?

A sledge. See what I mean?

If money was no object…

The the world would be a happier place and mankind would be free from its suicidal addictions to material goods we don’t need, the trappings of wealth we can’t keep and the fallacy of money that drives inequality and unhappiness.

My secret ambition…

To be Prime Minister of the socialist republic of East Dulwich.

The book I’m reading at the moment…

Be More Pirate, or How To Take On The World And Win. I wrote it in the Café’s of Lordship Lane (one of those laptop people) during 2017, it’s now a bestseller with US rights under contract. I’m reading it again because I don’t believe I wrote something successful.

My perfect holiday…

Mexico, with my family, this August, after this year, I can not wait.

Sam’s book Be More Pirate is out now, and available in Rye Books or Chener Books, on Penguin.

www.bemorepirate.com

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