The Small Hall is not named, as someone recently suggested, because my surname is Hall and I’m vertically challenged. My last name is Millar and I’m of average height.
The Small Hall accurately describes the 140 x 80cms space that is the entrance to the flat, where I live, with the Mechanic (my husband)*. This small hall contains an unfeasible amount of bike paraphernalia.
The tall Victorian ceilings have allowed at least eight bike wheels to be suspended above the front door. The area has been decorated with Little Green’s Lead Grey Dark paint which helps camouflage the chandelier of Mavic rims that greets anyone entering our home. The tiny space also houses two bike helmets, two cycling jackets, three or four pairs of cycling shoes, numerous bike lights, spare inner tubes, mini-pumps and all the Mechanic’s cycling tools. (incidentally there are also two yoga mats and a camera tripod, squirrelled away in the space).
The small hall leads onto the grand hall, which isn’t grand, just named for its relative largeness compared to the small hall. The grand hall has two bike frames hanging from a peg rail, and a map of Britain which fills one whole wall.
When we first moved here, to Balham, I learnt from numerous taxi drivers that Balham is known as the gateway to the south. Something to do with Peter Sellers and a spoof travel documentary about the South London suburb, written in the 50’s.
The Small Hall is my cycling gateway to the south, which may in someway explain the name for my blog.
*The Mechanic, is not by trade, he’s a design consultant.
The Small Hall 
Hello Small Hall cyclist. I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to cycle through Balham, and some of the speed humps around Tooting are nearly as high as Snowdon. I see we share several links. My Grandparents (now long gone) lived in Brierley Road, and you mention Little Green paint. In my job I often frequent shops selling designer paints. Happy Cycling
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Nice to meet you!
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balham has always been one of my favourite sounding london boroughs ever since my sister-in-law lived in tooting (another favourite!), it’s just the way they sound i think 🙂
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Ah, I used to live in Tooting Bec, my elderly aunt didn’t understand the name and always called it Tooting Bell, The post office recognised her mistake, as I always received her cards. Now that I’m in Balham, I have a tendency to refer to home as the Balhamas in an attempt to sound more glamorous!
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Love the name. I can relate to your predicament. a small space and a lot of bike stuff. Things have improved for me over the years. I know have an old, single-car garage dedicated to bikes, space to hang about 10, a work stand, bench, and a wall full of all the necessary tools conveniently organized by function.
I just read your post about Lycra. Nice post. Keep it up.
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That’s the Mechanic’s dream to have a garage space. Thanks for the encouragement.
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