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2,671 sEXual offEncEs wErE
on bus and tubE nEtwork last yEar
By Noah Vickers Local Democracy Reporter
aN iNCrease in reported sexual offences on the tube and bus network is “a positive sign” that more people are alerting the authorities when it happens, transport for London (tfL) has said.
The rise in recorded offences has been accompanied by an increase in “bystander intervention” from passengers, which TfL credits to its poster campaign encouraging witnesses of sexual harassment to step in and “defuse” incidents.
Responding to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request on the topic, TfL said there were 2,671 sexual offences on the network reported to the police between February 2023 and January 2024, which was 10.5 per cent higher than the 2,418 offences in the previous 12 months.
The transport authority said that the “increase in reporting was anticipated” after the launch of its recent poster campaigns and is “a positive sign that the campaign is working, given that sexual harassment is significantly underreported”.
The period covered by the data also included an increase in total passenger numbers as part of the post-pandemic bounceback.
But TfL said: “Tracking research has not indicated any significant increase in incidents on the network, therefore the increase in number of reports is a positive sign that the campaign is helping to raise awareness of what constitutes sexual harassment and our zero tolerance approach to any form of abuse on our network.”
The first wave of posters was launched in October 2021, with each advert highlighting a different form of sexual harassment which can occur on public transport – including upskirting, cat-calling, cyber-flashing, inappropriate touching, exposing oneself, rubbing against someone on purpose, and intrusive staring of a sexual nature.
This was followed in January 2023 by a second phase to the campaign, encouraging bystanders to take action if they witness harassment against a fellow passenger – so long as it feels safe to do so.
One poster suggests that they “distract with
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a question” by approaching the person being targeted and asking them a question like ‘what’s the next stop?’ or ‘what’s the time?’, which can help to “defuse” an incident.
Another poster suggests making a note of the incident by documenting details of what the perpetrator looks like, what time of day it is, and what line it is happening on – which can all help the British Transport Police build up a profile of the offender.
“Our advertising is showing positive increases of bystander intervention,” said TfL in the FOI response.
“The proportion of Londoners agreeing that they have all the information they need to confidently intervene in an incident of sexual harassment on public transport rose from 53 per cent to 59 per cent between October 2022 (the first time it was measured) and March 2024.
“Over the same time, the proportion disagreeing fell from 24 per cent to just 14 per cent. This represents a positive increase, as changing reporting behaviours is challenging to shift.
“As well as this, 15 per cent of campaign recognisers claimed they have already reported or intervened as a result of seeing our advertising.”
TfL added that its advertising campaigns “are only one part of our expansive programme” to eliminate sexual harassment on public transport.
“Examples of key activities include an in-school education programme to year 9 students, women’s safety audits in town centres in five boroughs, rolling out sexual harassment training to all front-line staff and enforcement officers, rolling out crime reporting signage across the network as well as organisational changes including becoming a White Ribbon accredited organisation to foster a positive and safe organisational culture,” the authority said.
“The VAWG [violence against women and girls] programme builds on a strong foundation of safety and security measures that includes over 2,000 police and police community support officers, 500 TfL enforcement officers, an extensive CCTV network and 24/7 control centre.”
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The first wave of posters highlighted the different forms of sexual harassment which can occur on public transport
The second phase of TfL's poster campaign encourages bystanders to step in and 'defuse' an incident of sexual harassment, if safe to do so
Alex Yee
Peckham’s Kye Whyte carried off on a stretcher after dramatic crash
south london goldEn boy
By Isabel Ramirez
a NOW world celebrated triathlete from Lewisham was congratulated by his former school after he sprinted over the finish line last week to win Olympic gold.
Following the triumphant victory his old school in Dulwich called Alex Yee a role model and said how proud they were of the 26-year-old for picking up the fifth gold medal for Team GB. The results for the UK at this stage of the Olympics, are 12 gold medals, 13 silver and 17 bronze. Team GB are currently fifth in the medal table at the time of going to press.
Yee’s stunning win came as Italy’s Alessio Crociani led after completing the swimming leg in 20 minutes ten seconds.
He was positioned outside the top fifteen going into the 40km cycling leg, but emerged in second ahead of
the 10km run.
New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde led by fourteen seconds going into the final 2.5km lap but Yee closed in and made the decisive move with half a kilometre to go.
Yee crossed the line in one hour 43 minutes 33 seconds, six seconds clear of Wilde.
The superstar triathlete was a former sports scholar at Kingsdale school in West Dulwich.
A spokesperson from Kingsdale Foundation School said: “We are incredibly proud of Alex and his fantastic achievement in Paris. We feel very privileged to have known him and to follow his career has been incredible.
“Alex always has been and continues to be an amazing role model for other young athletes and students.”
Last week’s win went one better than Tokyo 2020 when he finished second.
By Isabel Ramirez
wanted. He had gone into the men’s heats with a back injury. This contrasts with his silver medal win at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
There did not appear to be contact with another rider before he lost control of his BMX.
Kye is recovering but admitted he ‘just wasn’t good enough.’
bMX rider Kye Whyte, who was representing team gb at the Olympics, was stretchered off after he crashed in the semi-final.
Last week’s race saw Kye Whyte lose control of his bike following the first jump. He then veered off course heading into the second ramp before smashing into the dirt track.
While lying on the ground paramedics got to him fast before he was lifted onto a stretcher and carried from the course.
Fortunately, he is thought to have ‘no significant injuries’ but the crash did lose him his place in the final.
BMX racing is deemed the most dangerous Olympic sport with an injury rate of 34.38 per cent.
Just a month ago the 24-year-old revealed he had been recovering from another injury and said he hadn’t been able to get as much practice in as he
In a statement, British Cycling said: “Following his crash in tonight’s BMX racing semi-final, Kye Whyte was assessed immediately by the on-site medical team.
“This was followed up by further immediate review by Great Britain Cycling Team doctor Nigel Jones. Initial reports are positive but he is being taken to hospital for further assessment. We wish Kye a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him on his bike very soon.”
Team GB took another blow with Beth Shriever coming eighth of eight in the women’s BMX racing final, unfortunately losing her gold title from Tokyo.
Later Kye, who is recovering well, took to his Instagram to thank the paramedics who rushed to his aid and admitted he ‘just wasn’t good enough’ this time.
He commented: “I’ve had a lot of thoughts this year with so many injuries, so many setbacks that I wanted to stop BMX....but I won’t be putting that bike down just yet, especially when my mum continues to fight cancer every day. I can’t quit that easily because of a few crashes. It’s part of the sport. I’m happy I got to compete and display what a fighter my mum has shown me to be.”
Southbank Centre will celebrate disabled artists and performers
15
PeCKhaM
EstatE rEsidEnts
told thEy ‘must movE out as soon as possiblE’ as firE risks havE ‘worsEnEd’
EXCLUSIVE
By Isabel Ramirez
Ledbury estate residents have been told they must move out as soon as possible, following a fire safety check that found the existing risks had ‘worsened’.
On Wednesday 31 July, Southwark Council told everyone living in Skenfrith, Peterchurch and Sarnsfield tower blocks they must leave once suitable alternative housing was found for them.
There are currently 131 households affected by this action, 98 of which are temporary accommodation; 18 are council tenants; 15 are leaseholders and 8 of these have tenants of leaseholders living there.
Back in 2017, emergency work was carried out in the blocks, on Old Kent Road, because of major issues found in the structure of the buildings. This included the removal of the gas supply and the introduction of the 24-hour waking watch i.e. specially trained people continually patrolling all floors and the outside of the building.
It was feared a ‘death trap’ because the ‘strengthening works’ had never taken place on the towers, which were similar in build to Ronan Point in Canning Town, where a gas explosion in 1968 claimed the lives of four people and injured 17 others.
In 2021, it was decided that the Ledbury towers would be demolished and replaced with high-quality homes. Ahead of the demolition, most moved out whilst others have remained on site.
Fire risk assessments for the blocks have been carried out regularly throughout this time. During their most recent check, the council found that some of the existing problems with the three tower buildings had worsened.
When combined with another recent issue – the storage of lithium batteries needed for mobility scooters, which increases the risk of fire – it was agreed that they could not risk people living in the blocks long-term while the new homes are completed on site.
The new homes are due to be completed by 2030 and given most of those living there now are not council tenants there is no guarantee they will be rehoused on the site.
Danielle Gregory from the Ledbury Action Group commented that she was ‘beyond shocked this was happening again.’
She claimed: “Seven years ago we told the council it was not safe to put people back in the buildings after being warned of the fire risk by independent experts.
“To hear they are now urging people to move out because the problem has got worse is unbelievable.
“It’s a shambles.”
This week, the council assured that the situation was being managed in the short-term by additional safety works, the waking watch remaining in place, and a zero-tolerance approach to modes of transport that need lithium batteries, such as mobility scooters, e-scooters and e-bikes. These vehicles
are now banned from the buildings. They informed the residents these safety works would start ‘in the coming days.’
There is no concrete timescale for when these residents must vacate the building.
WhErE WILL thEy bE moVEd to?
There are currently no specifics but the council claims to have ‘enough housing for everyone in the borough to move into.’
This includes new council homes, recently vacated council homes, or council-owned temporary accommodation. They said individual needs would be considered.
ArE thE bUILdIngS UnSAfE to LIVE In?
The council maintains that due to the measures they have put in place, the buildings are safe to live in in the ‘short-term.’
the measures will include:
• Additional fire compartmentation works in flats and communal areas.
• Maintaining a zero-tolerance
approach in all three buildings to lithium batteries used in electric modes of transports, including e-scooters, e-bikes, and mobility scooters.
• Installing additional smoke detection in the corridors and lobbies.
Councillor Sarah King, cabinet member for council homes, said:
“Despite what we know about the long-term issues with the Ledbury Estate, this must have come as a shock for everyone living at Ledbury Estate.
“I have so much sympathy for residents who have to uproot themselves from their homes much sooner than expected, but their safety has to be our first priority and it’s not something we can compromise on.
“The action we have taken today follows advice from our fire consultants Frankhams after our joint, intrusive fire risk inspection (FRA4) discovered that existing problems with all three tower blocks buildings have worsened. When combined with the new problems caused by the storage of lithium batteries needed
for e-scooters, which increase the risk of fire, we have agreed that we cannot risk people living in the blocks long-term while we wait for the new homes to be built on site. Residents will have to move out for their safety and the buildings will be demolished as planned.
“All residents will be supported at every stage with help and information about where they will move to and how we can help them settle into their new homes. Housing officers and fire safety experts will be based at the Ledbury Tenants and Residents Hall and our 24/7 waking watch will remain on site to continue monitoring and mitigating risk.
“Under no circumstances should modes of transport needing a lithium battery enter any of the buildings.”
The leader of the opposition, Cllr Victor Chamberlain said: “This latest episode raises serious questions about the Council’s approach to fire safety and comes just weeks after the self-referral to the social housing watchdog.
“Residents have been telling the council about these safety issues
for years, and I understand lithium batteries have been banned in the towers for a long time, so this comes as no surprise but it’s not clear what’s suddenly changed.
“It’s concerning the Council is not listening and learning and acting on lessons quicker.
“My colleague, Liberal Democrat London Assembly member Hina Bokhari, has previously raised concerns about lithium ion batteries with the Mayor and the Government to request a public safety campaign focusing on the safe use of e-bike and e-scooter batteries and to discourage their purchase from disreputable suppliers.
“I’m most concerned for the tenants and residents affected. Where are the Council going to be able to find enough suitable accommodation in such a short time? I’ve asked the Council to make sure they are pulling out all the stops to ensure residents have clarity and support including a dedicated phone line and access to independent advice and support.”
Work started earlier this year on Ledbury Estate redevelopment,
Ledbury Estate
following extensive consultation, residents voted in favour of demolishing the four blocks and providing new homes and a range of other improvements to the estate.
In total, the Ledbury Estate redevelopment will provide 340 new homes, 224 of which will be council homes to replace those from the old towers.
The council will also build an additional 36 new council homes, taking the total to 260 council homes,
as well as 15 shared ownership homes and 65 homes for private sale.
The first phase of construction works is taking place on the site of the former Bromyard House and will provide 80 new homes across two blocks.
Those blocks will include 45 council homes, 15 shared ownership homes and 20 homes for private sale.
The wider neighbourhood will also benefit from landscaping and new outdoor communal areas.
There will be a large, multipurpose garden courtyard with space for community growing, a play area and tree-lined paths creating new pedestrian and cycle friendly connections between the Old Kent Road, Pencraig Way and Bird in Bush Park to the south-west.
The first phase of building works is expected to complete in spring 2026 and the entire Ledbury Estate redevelopment is expected to be finished by 2030.
Ledbury residents’ in ‘disarray’ Festival offers discounted tickets for residents
By Robert Firth Local Democracy Reporter
PeCKhaM resideNts’ lives have been thrown into disarray after a council told them to leave their homes within weeks due to fire safety problems in their buildings worsening.
People living in three towers on the Ledbury estate on the Old Kent Road received letters on Wednesday (July 31) from Southwark Council informing them they would have to move out of their flats as soon as possible due to fire risks.
A total of 131 families, the vast majority of whom are in temporary accommodation, will be moved out of the estate in the next few weeks. Many have been living there since the pandemic.
One mum aged 30, who has been living in temporary housing on the estate since 2020, said the news had come as a shock.
Speaking at the estate last Thursday, August 1, she said: “We knew they were demolishing the flats eventually but this was sudden. We got a letter through the door and
they said we would have to leave.
“It’s a bit stressful but I’m happy to go because the flats are horrible. It annoys me that they told us yesterday but we haven’t been updated, just left in the dark.”
Jane Appiah, 43, who has been living in temporary housing on the estate since 2021, said having to move at such short notice was stressful.
Speaking on Thursday, she said: “We got a letter yesterday. I went to the office and they said within three weeks we have to leave. I asked them [where I would be rehoused] but they didn’t know.
“I told them that I want to be around the area but they didn’t say if it would be nearby.
“My only concern is that within three weeks I don’t know how I’m going to manage the packing and everything.”
Stella, 36, another temporary housing tenant who has lived on the estate since 2020, added: “I was told I will hear in three weeks when I went to the office today. I’m a bit worried. The period of time they have given us is a bit short.
“Trying to plan in three weeks with no idea of where we are going, it’s not easy.”
spotify rElEasEs short film about nEw youth cEntrE
By Isabel Ramirez
berMONdsey resideNts are being offered discounted tickets to an electronic music festival in southwark Park.
RALLY festival is set to return this bank holiday weekend on Saturday 24 August, after a successful debut last summer.
Whilst the general admission price is currently on second release at £52.30, anyone living in the festival’s Bermondsey catchment area can apply for tickets for £20 (plus booking fee).
Headlined by anonymous electronic duo Two Shell, RALLY has announced an array of new names to their lineup of live acts and DJs. Also announced are Detroit ghettotech party starters HiTech, making a rare London appearance. They are joined by further new additions Move D, DJ Fart In The Club, Debby Friday and Panorama Bar favourites Christian AB and Ogazón
who will play their first ever b2b together.
They join the likes of Mount Kimbie, Actress, Marie Davidson, ML Buch, Nilüfer Yanya, Call Super, Pearson Sound, Lena Wilikens & Moopie, James Holden and many more, set to play across the festival’s three core stages.
RALLY has also unveiled details of an immersive new stage called ‘Agnes’ designed by London studio CAKE Architecture and influenced by the work of expressionist painter Agnes Martin. Global tastemakers NTS Radio will present a whole day of music inside the new space, with full stage breakdowns set to be revealed soon.
All discounted tickets will be issued on a first come first served basis to those eligible within our Bermondsey catchment area.
There is a limit of four resident tickets per household. All applicants need to provide a recent proof of address.
By Isabel Ramirez
sPOtify has released a short film about the opening of a new youth club in Walworth, featuring uK artists like Ms banks and young t & bugsey.
The Centre follows Sayce Holmes-Lewis and the founders of local charity Mentivity as they gear up to open their new youth facility.
Mentivity House, located on the regenerated part of the Aylesbury Estate, officially opened on Monday (29 July).
The film, funded by Spotify, shines a light
on the legacy and impact of youth spaces, not only on people but UK culture, which birthed some of the genres we now see today.
Filmed and directed by Adeyemi Michael (BBC Panorama - ‘Murder On The Streets’, BBC/Netflix - ‘Champion’), it features contributions from artists including Ezra Collective’s Femi Koleoso, Ms Banks, Novelist and Young T & Bugsey, who each share the impact those early youth club experiences played in shaping who they are and the work they produce to this day.
Back in 2022, Sayce connected with Spotify when he was asked to present a
podcast about stop and search.
From there the music streaming platform has supported the work of Mentivity. As well as funding the film, they have built a satellite podcast studio at the site.
The latter, to be run by Spotify, is the first of its kind and will allow the centre to continue without being reliant on the government or donations.
Adeyemi Michael, Director of ‘The Centre’ said he’s proud to represent his community, having worked as a youth worker in Peckham two decades ago. He commented: “It’s a great privilege to
be able to use my skills as a filmmaker to represent my community.
“I started working as a youth worker/ football coach 20 years ago in Peckham and that’s where Sayce and I met. I’ve seen and been part of his and Mentivity’s journey at different stages and I’m hugely grateful to help shed even more light on the important and life-changing work they’re doing.
“I hope when others see the film they’re as moved as I am by Mentivity’s invaluable contribution to society both locally and globally.”
Sayce Holmes-Lewis, who grew up on
the Aylesbury Estate, said: “Mentivity House is an example of how we reclaim our block.
“Over a decade in the making, this is a full-circle moment for me. Growing up on the Aylesbury Estate and working here for 25 years, I’ve seen regeneration change the area. We’re committed to strengthening our roots and creating a lasting legacy for our community, helping young people become the best versions of themselves.”
Read our full story on the opening of Mentivity House online at southwarknews.co.uk
Far-right: Adeyemi Michael, Director of ‘The Centre’ (Axe and Saw)
Mentivity House
EXCLUSIVE
By Isabel Ramirez
r esideNts say they are heartbroken over the news that surrey quays Leisure Park is closing - with one mum saying she goes ‘every other day.’
This comes as British Land gave Hollywood Bowl, Odeon Cinema and Pizza Hut instructions to be off the site by Wednesday 18 September.
Last week, the developers currently leading the Canada Water regeneration project announced: “With the new Tesco Extra supermarket and 384 new homes coming to Zone G of the Canada Water development, September will see the closure of Surrey Quays Leisure Park which includes the Odeon cinema, Hollywood Bowl and Pizza Hut.
“The redevelopment of the leisure park was approved by Southwark Council in early autumn last year.”
In May, British Land revealed the shopping centre would not be demolished until the new Tesco was built, which was not likely to be before 2028-2029.
However, they told us some sections would close sooner than others.
Determined not to see it go, Lauryn, who has lived around Bermondsey her whole life, has started a petition to ‘halt the Leisure Park closure.’
The 27-year-old mum told us what a loss it will be when it shuts for good. “I’m there every other day with my son,” she said.
Lauryn explained her son is autistic and loves it there. “It’s a godsend.
“He enjoys going to the pizza hut as it’s really kid-friendly and it’s affordable.”
“There’s nothing much for kids to do around here otherwise,” she continued, “where will we take them?
Her friend Jade, 26, whose mum lives in
hEartbrEak: lEisurE park closing within wEEks
offICIAL CLoSIng dAtES rEVEALEd
hollywood bowl - friday 13 September
in a statement to us, a hollywood bowl spokesperson said it was ‘disappointed’ to be closing its surrey quays site.
It will officially close on Tuesday 3 september after being served a notice in March by british Land.
brad Milo, regional support manager at hollywood bowl said, “the site opened in 1998 and is a prominent figure in Surrey Quays.
hollywood bowl group took ownership of the site in 2010, and since then, we have worked hard to create, much like all our centres, a feel-good and welcoming environment filled with family fun.
“throughout the years, the
Rotherhithe and is in a wheelchair, said it is an accessible place to bring her. “I feel like they could have done up the place instead of taking it away completely.”
She too worried about raising children in the area with a lack of things to do.
British Land maintained that it was ‘committed’ to providing a range of leisure and entertainment facilities in the Masterplan, such as a brand-new leisure centre opening in 2025. However, they said: “Due to the long-term nature of the development, we cannot provide specific details about other individual leisure and entertainment facilities and their exact locations at this stage.”
This uncertainty is concerning for parents like Charlie Fuller, a dad-of-two from Blackfriars, who believes the plans have ignored local people.
“None of the residents have been taken into consideration.”
popular centre has seen thousands of loyal customers take to the lanes, score strikes, celebrate birthdays, meet with family and friends, get competitive on the arcade games, feast on our american diner food, and create lasting memories.
“Local community relations have always, and continue to be, our priority.”
odeon Cinema - Sunday 18 August
It looks like Odeon is set for an earlier departure than its neighbours.
a spokesperson from the cinema chain said: “OdeON surrey quays will close following confirmation from our landlord of plans to undertake a redevelopment of the
He continued: “This is our local cinema. It keeps kids’ minds occupied rather than being out on the streets.”
Charlie responded to the belief that people no longer go to the cinema: “On release days for a big film, there’s still a queue out the door.”
His 11-year-old son, Adam, said he often meets his friends to go to the cinema and bowling. “They say staying inside gaming is bad for kids but they’re closing all the places we can go and socialise,” he told us. Along with these residents, the news has been met with disappointment on social media. Hundreds shared memories on TikTok of the cinema, bowling alley and Pizza Hut having defined their childhoods.
One user wrote: “I had my first ever date here,” whilst another said: “This is my childhood home I’ve been going to the cinema and bowling since I was 7/8 I am now 32”
leisure park. supporting the team is our number one priority, and we would like to thank our colleagues for their incredible work over the years at the cinema.
“We will be looking to secure jobs for as many of them as possible in our other local cinemas. We would like to apologise to our guests for any inconvenience this will cause.”
Pizza hut - Saturday 14 September
Pizza hut has announced its actual closing date after saying the surrey quays Leisure Park site had already closed.
the last day the site will be open to the public will be saturday 14 september. greenwich Peninsula is their nearest dine-in restaurant.
Others commented that the place had been ‘going downhill’ but that they never expected it to shut.
In terms of the aim of the petition Lauryn started, she added: “If we can save the space that would be great.
“If not, they have to promise the community they will replace the services in that area.
“To even begin to accept this news is just too hard.”
WhAt hAS thE CoUnCIL SAId?
Councillor John Batteson, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Jobs & Business, said: “We understand that many will be saddened by the closure of the leisure park, including the cinema and restaurants. These places have been an integral part of local life and will be missed. However, this closure marks the beginning of an exciting new
chapter for Canada Water.
“Our ongoing consultations, in partnership with British Land, which have helped shaped our plans has shown that residents want more places to eat, drink, socialise and relax locally. We are pleased our development plans include a diverse range of leisure and entertainment options for the new town centre that everyone can enjoy.
“These new additions will diversify and strengthen the local economy and contribute to generating over 2,000 new jobs. We are also improving transport links so people can access what is set to be a thriving leisure and shopping destination. We appreciate the patience of local people during this transitional period and are confident that the new developments will bring wonderful benefits to our community.”
WILL AnothEr CInEmA bE ComIng bACK?
A British Land spokesperson said:
“Regarding the cinema provision, Southwark Council agreed in May 2024 that British Land had undertaken ‘reasonable endeavours’ to enter a lease with a cinema provider. This means that British Land did try to find a new cinema provider, but due to market conditions, changing consumer trends and other factors, one was not forthcoming.
“While we are no longer legally obligated to bring in a cinema, we still believe it would be a great addition to the new town centre. We will continue to work with cinema operators to explore whether one can be delivered in the future, but this will depend on evolving market conditions and whether a cinema provider ultimately wants to come to Canada Water.”
Lauryn (27) Jade (26) Charlie and son Adam stand outside a soonto-be-gone Surrey Quays Leisure Park.
Photo by Isabel Ramirez
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fEars raisEd that thE towEr of london could losE its world hEritagE status
By Ben Lynch
Local Democracy Reporter
uNesCO has confirmed it is seeking more information over concerns about the impacts of high-rise buildings on the tower of London, sparking fears the iconic attraction could lose its world heritage status.
The international body clarified to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that it expects a State of Conservation Report to be submitted by December 1, for ‘possible examination’ at its committee in 2025.
The last time the site was reviewed was in 2014. UNESCO’s request, dated April 2, was first referenced in Historic England’s submission to the City of London Corporation’s draft local plan during consultation earlier this year.
Entitled the City Plan 2040, it will act as the Corporation’s guiding document when it comes to developing the Square Mile, with its adoption expected in 2025.
In its submission, which was not made public, Historic England warned of ‘a very serious inherent conflict and incompatibility between the draft Plan’s general, high level aspirations for the historic environment’ and its target of adding 1.2 million square metres of
Historic England said the City's draft tall building policies represent a 'real threat to the World Heritage Site status of the Tower of London
office floorspace, to be delivered via tall buildings in the City Cluster and Fleet Valley zones.
The public body also drew attention to concerns relating to specific heritage assets, including the Tower of London.
It said the City’s draft tall building policies represent a ‘real threat to the World Heritage Site status of the Tower of London’, and that UNESCO had requested a State of Conservation Report into the site.
This has now been confirmed by UNESCO, with a spokesperson telling the LDRS: “This request arose from the Centre’s view that the World Heritage property may face cumulative impacts, including from the rapid development of new high-rise buildings in the immediate vicinity of the property, and the lack of protection of the property and its Outstanding Universal Value – the reason why it was inscribed – through an adequate buffer zone and a thorough visual impact study.”
They added the ‘State Party’, the UK Government, has confirmed a report
will be submitted by December 1, ‘for possible examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session in 2025’.
State of Conservation Reports are not uncommon. According to UNESCO’s website, two have been submitted in the last decade on the Tower of London by the Government, one of which also included information on Westminster Palace and Westminster Abbey.
Historic England will be among the partners assisting the Government on the report. A spokesperson said: “Historic England and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) have over the past few years raised serious concerns about a number of proposals for tall buildings that would affect the Tower of London.
“Many of these proposals are included in the latest draft of the City of London’s Local Plan, to which Historic England has objected. The UK State Party has shared the draft Local Plan with UNESCO for comments from their Advisory Body, ICOMOS.
“At this stage UNESCO is looking to understand the level of threat that these developments could together cause to the Outstanding Universal Value of the Tower of London, before they consider whether further action is necessary.”
The Tower of London is on the eastern edge of the Square Mile, bordering the borough of Tower Hamlets. To its south, across the River Thames, is Southwark. Asked about UNESCO’s request, the City directed the LDRS to a comment previously made by Deputy Shravan Joshi, Chair of the Planning and Transportation Committee.
He said: “The Square Mile is both the historic heart of the capital and a world-leading business district. The City Plan 2040 is underpinned by a robust evidence base that shows how demand for quality office space in the Square Mile is expected to rise, with City workers and businesses being enticed back to the City and the vibrant and dynamic working environment the Square Mile provides.
“The City Plan sets out how we will deliver additional office floorspace up
to 2040 at the same time as celebrating the City’s heritage. Recognising the exceptional significance of the World Heritage Site and the Cathedral, the Plan takes a bespoke and exhaustive approach to tall buildings and heritage.
"The policies in the Plan will ensure development protects and celebrates all our heritage assets while continuing to support the economic growth of the capital. In the City, growth and conservation combine to define what is unique about the Square Mile, and this is ultimately at the heart of the Plan.”
A spokesperson for Historic Royal Palaces, which manages the Tower of London, confirmed it will also be contributing to the report.
The spokesperson said: “As guardians of the Tower, we have significant concerns in respect of the current draft City Plan 2040 and consider the current approach and policies of the plan in respect of tall buildings and impact on the Tower of London to be unsound, due to the impact of them on the Tower of London World Heritage Site.”
The Corporation’s draft City Plan 2040 is expected to be submitted to the Secretary of State this autumn, before being examined by the Planning Inspector. Adoption is then anticipated in the new year.
Tower of London, pic by LDR Julia Gregory, taken 2019, free for use by partners of BBC news wire service
nEw airbnb-stylE app for hiring vEnuEs across south london
By Isabel Ramirez
a MaN from Camberwell quit his job to start an airbnb-style app to hire venues across south London - from tenants’ halls and pubs to churches and boxing gyms.
Daniel Aarons says it has ‘enriched his life’ knowing he is helping small businesses make some money.
The 43-year-old told us: “I had the idea about three years ago when I was getting involved in some local groups.
“I saw all these vital spaces not being used to their full potential.”
So in February, he left his career in branding and design to start Conveeniea one-stop shop for people to rent spaces in south London. It has prices, capacity,
availability and facilities available, as well as an easy-to-use booking system.
Ninety groups have signed up already, with the majority being in Southwark.
These include Livesey Exchange on Old Kent Road, the Cinema Museum, Southwark Cathedral and Bronx Gym run by Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells.
The latter for instance has space for 150 people and can be rented for £150 per hour.
“It takes the pain and stress away from these organisations,” Daniel continued, “Some already knew what they were doing with renting out their space, but for others, this is really helping.”
As the owner Daniel takes a 15 per cent cut from each booking, with no extra charge for customers at check-out.
By Isabel Ramirez
A 17-YEAR-OLD male has been charged with the murder of Jesse Lloyd-smith in Peckham.
The teenager will appear at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court later today (Friday, 2 August).
Jesse, aged 20, was fatally shot in East Surrey Grove on Wednesday, 10 July.
Despite the hospital’s best efforts, he died the following day.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson
said: “An investigation is being carried out by detectives and Jesse’s family are being supported by specially trained officers.
“A man aged 21, a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old female have all previously been arrested and bailed.”
Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or post on X @MetCC quoting CAD 6886/10Jul.
To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.
“I just wanted it to be ‘what you see is what you get’,” he said.
Hosts can also offer charity rates and discounts, plus ‘happy times’ which are the off-peak hours when rates are cheaper.
A similar platform, Sharesy, was started in North London in 2021, but Daniel said this didn’t put him off.
Having lived in Camberwell for the last 14 years, he said it was important for him to concentrate south of the river.
Daniel commented: “I’ve put so much heart and soul into this.
“What keeps me going is meeting the hosts. The experiences, the venues, the stories they tell me - it’s enriched my life.”
If you have a community space or venue that you would like help renting out, email: danielaarons@conveenie.com
Free event in Bermondsey to raise funds to take SEN groups on days out
By Isabel Ramirez
a berMONdsey charity is hosting a free party to raise money to take individuals with learning disabilities on days out this summer, including a boat trip down the thames.
Bede House is holding its Annual Summer Party Day on Wednesday 14 August.
Guests can enjoy music and entertainment by resident DJ Andy, as well as face-painting, food, drinks and ice-creams, games and a raffle.
All proceeds raised from the event will go towards their Summer activity
programme for people with learning disabilities. This includes a City boat trip down the River Thames, an Art Day, and a Harvest Day.
The fair will have a raffle with prizes generously donated by local businesses in Southwark and beyond. Everyone is encouraged to come along and join in the festivities, enjoy the food, try their luck in the raffle, and support a great cause.
Where: Bede Centre, Abbey�ield Road, SE16 2BS
When: Wednesday 14 August 2024; 12pm-3pm
admission: Free
formEr top boss of lambEth council has plEadEd guilty to drink driving
By Robert Firth Local Democracy Reporter
the fOrMer top boss of a south London council has pleaded guilty to drink driving, failing to stop after a car crash and driving without insurance.
Bayo Dosunmu, who was chief executive of Lambeth Council until his arrest earlier this year, admitted to the offences at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, last Thursday August 1)
But Dosunmu, 46, of Hammersmith pleaded not guilty to possession of cocaine at the same hearing on Thursday morning. Dosunmu, wearing a dark suit and tie, spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address.
He asked for the cocaine charge to be heard at crown court and will appear at Isleworth Crown Court in West London on August 29 in relation to the Class A drug possession charge.
Dosunmu stepped down from his £190,000 per year role at the council in July after being charged with the
offences the previous month.
Dosunmu was driving a white Jeep on June 23 when he was involved with an collision with a blue Toyota, while it was waiting at traffic lights at the junction of Wandsworth Bridge Road and Townmead Road.
He failed to stop after the crash. The court heard the driver of the Toyota tailed Dosunmu and eventually had
from
Since his departure in July, Fiona Connolly, Lambeth’s corporate director of housing and adult social care, has been acting chief executive. The council intends to begin recruiting for a new permanent chief executive soon.
over
Andrew Travers.
Photo from
Victim Jesse Lloyd-Smith, 20.
Right: Daniel Aarons with Nicholas Okwulu from the Livesey Exchange.
© Bede House Bayo Dosunmu, former chief executive of Lambeth Council
Music. Film. Flavours.
EXCLUSIVE
By Isabel Ramirez
PeCKhaM resideNts say they are sick of their street being a prime spot for people dumping rubbish and fly-tipping.
Meeting House Lane has reportedly been inundated with waste for the last four years. There are no communal bins on the road, despite there being commercial properties and flats.
Kemi, who lives there, says they are told to leave their rubbish out to be collected early in the morning.
She commented: “For me, it’s very unsightly. The foxes tear up the bin bags and food and everything else just goes everywhere. The rodents and birds then bring the waste into our gardens.”
Kemi explained she sometimes gets to work late because of cleaning up the mess.
“And disabled residents find it hard to pass because of the rubbish,” she said.
“They don’t even do an evening collection.”
She added that fly-tipping, which is a criminal offence punishable by up to 5 years in jail and/or an unlimited fine, was also a problem.
Montpelier Road, which is connected to Meeting House Lane, also appears to have a similar issue.
A Montpelier resident, Megan, said she and her neighbours were also told to put their waste on the street to be collected.
“They have given us a day and time once per week for collection, but this is unrealistic,” she continued, “we are expected to store our waste in our flats until the date of collection, and then put it out for collection by 6am.”
pEckham rEsidEnts arE
‘fEd up’ with waking up to rottEn fruit and half-EatEn takEaways in thEir
gardEns
They have suggested some solutions to the issue, such as communal bins and CCTV to see who is responsible for the fly-tipping.
Both women quoted claimed they had approached the council several times for answers, with no signs of change.
Councillor James McAsh, Cabinet Member for Clean Air, Streets & Waste, said: “Fly-tipping is a crime and a blight
Residents say Meeting House Lane looks like this ‘half of the time’House Lane looks like this ‘half of the time’ Park
on communities. Unfortunately, a small number of residents and businesses have caused issues for the surrounding community. Despite our daily cleansing schedule, the issue persists.”
He explained that they were now introducing a trial period of timed collections.
“Residents will be encouraged to present
waste within a fixed timeframe, with collections planned shortly after to reduce waste levels on the streets. This will be accompanied by increased enforcement activity to penalise individuals or businesses who flout the rules. With residents’ and businesses’ cooperation, we hope to see an improvement in fly-tipping levels.”
As a general policy, the council does not provide bins where properties do not have adequate off-street storage space. This is to avoid obstructions on the pavement and an increase in fly-tipped waste.
On the topic of bins, the council said it had previous complaints about bins being stored on the street here, and the nuisance this has caused.
Supplied by resident, Kemi
car frEE day will sEE roads closEd off for partiEs across london nEXt month
Residents encouraged to apply to their local council to temporarily close their streets to through traffic
By Noah Vickers
Local Democracy Reporter
City haLL has urged Londoners to ditch their cars and “reclaim our streets” on World Car free day in september, with mayor urging residents on the Windrush line to carnival-inspired parties.
The global celebration will include
events in neighbourhoods across London, with residents encouraged to apply to their local council to temporarily close their streets to through traffic between Friday September 20 and the day itself on Sunday September 22.
Sadiq Khan’s walking and cycling commissioner Will Norman said: “The mayor and I are committed to enabling even more Londoners to incorporate
walking and cycling into their daily lives.
“We are delighted to once again be supporting the activation of play streets on Car Free Day, a unique opportunity to transform streets into playful and social spaces, where all members of the community can come together to scoot, bike, walk, space hop and socialise safely.
“I encourage all Londoners to join in the fun and reclaim our streets with this
Southbank Centre to celebrate disabled artists and performers
By Isabel Ramirez
a festiVaL that celebrates disabled artists and performers is coming to the southbank Centre this september, with a deaf rave where audiences can feel the sound.
There are just five weeks until the anticipated return of Unlimited - the arts festival that platforms unsung creatives from across the UK.
From Wednesday 4 to Sunday 8 September, the Southbank Centre will host an array of acts in music, dance, comedy and more.
Featuring new and existing work, to one-off events, it is run by an arts commissioning body that supports, funds and promotes new work by disabled artists for national and international audiences.
Since 2013, Unlimited has supported over 521 artists with over £6.5 million, reaching audiences of over 5.5 million, making it the largest supporter of disabled artists worldwide.
There is a range of free events: like a deaf rave with a Woojer zone so audiences can feel the sound and an immersive dance show.
The festival’s performance & dance
programme begins in the Queen Elizabeth Hall with the UK premiere of Stopgap’s Lived Fiction (Sep 4) and continues throughout the week with a number of outstanding performances.
Mark of A Woman (Sep 5), a new commission from Unlimited Partner Award recipient Chisato Minamimura, examines the relationship between women’s bodies and tattooing practices while the UK premiere of Precarious Moves (Sep 6) by Michael Turinsky explores the profound impact of climate change on disabled people.
Unlimited’s comedy offering features recent the Edinburgh Fringe smash-hit from FlawBored, It’s a Motherf**king Pleasure (7 & 8 Sep), a scathing satire that attacks the monetisation of identity politics. The programme also includes Choo Choo! (8 Sep) a playful and interactive show exploring intrusive thoughts and OCD, as well as Abnormally Funny People - IRL (8 Sep), a new commission from the Southbank Centre that unites a gaggle of irreverent, internationally renowned funny people for an evening of laughs.
fantastic initiative, which supports our aim for a greener, fairer London for all.”
To mark the official launch of the new London Overground line names – which is due to happen in the autumn – Transport for London (TfL) is encouraging residents in the nine boroughs through which the Windrush Line passes to hold carnivalinspired street parties to celebrate.
The Windrush line – Highbury &
Islington to Clapham Junction – runs through areas with strong ties to Caribbean communities today, such as Peckham Rye, West Croydon and Dalston Junction, and honours the Windrush generation who continue to shape and enrich London’s cultural and social identity today.
City Hall and TfL said that they are working to facilitate the day in partnership with London Play, an organisation which campaigns for the capital’s children to “have the space, time and freedom to play”.
London Play director Fiona Sutherland pointed out that London’s streets make up 80 per cent of public space in the capital.
She said: “Car Free Day is a great opportunity for Londoners to discover the joyful potential of the space outside their front doors, free of traffic for a few hours.
“Will they choose to simply share a cuppa with the neighbours? Race a spacehopper down the street? Play hopscotch? Or have a full-blown carnivalinspired street party?
“In all cases we guarantee that people will look at their streets differently, having witnessed how they can be transformed with fun for just a few hours.”
In Hackney, the weekend will coincide with Hackney Carnival. The event is returning after a five-year absence, with locals able to enjoy a free street parade.
Hackney mayor Caroline Woodley said: “We can’t wait to take to the streets this September to join residents for our family-friendly Hackney Carnival and celebrate our community’s rich diversity.”
A southeast London shopping centre offers free summer activities for kids
By Isabel Ramirez
LeWishaM shOPPiNg Centre is hosting free activities this august for kids, including slime workshops.
To celebrate the Paris Olympics, guests are invited to take part in a variety of exciting craft activities in Central Square. On Saturday 10 August, there is an Olympics-themed craft Workshop, then on the next two Saturdays (17 and 24 August) kids can immerse themselves in an afternoon of glitter temporary tattoos & face art.
Unlimited also features an array of uniquely engaging experiences including Jo Bannon’s sensory feast Sleight of Hand (7 & 8 Sept) and Hope and Ponies (8 Sep), an interactive art installation from Two Destination Language that asks audiences to share their messages of hope on banners and postcards.
For the full programme and to book tickets to any events online at southbankcentre.co.uk
High street slime store, Gootopia, will be hosting Tropical Beach Slime workshops until Sunday 1 September, with guests able to immerse themselves in a sensory wonderland of slime with summerthemed scents. They will be able to create their own tropical slime masterpiece, with watermelon, coconut, kiwi and mango scents as well as exotic colours and mix-ins. Every child can take home their personalised slime after the workshop and have a share
of the giant slime too. The Migration Museum, located inside the shopping centre, is open during the summer break with guests able to see WALL. The exhibition showcases two separate surviving fragments of the Berlin Wall which were painted on by contemporary artists STIK and Thierry Noir between 1984 and 1989.
Visit lewishamshopping.co.uk to �ind out more about all the activities taking place this Summer. All activities listed are free.
The Car Free Day will see a series of events in central London while roads are closed off (Image: GLA)
Unlimited performer (Chris Parkes Photographer Ltd.)
Slime workshop (Lewisham Shopping Centre)
Guy’s and St Thomas’ helps boost students’ grades
AN EDUCATION programme trialled at Guy’s and St Thomas’ is helping to improve engagement, grades, and attendance for local students.
The project, called Aspire 350, equips young people in years 10 and 11 with life skills and development opportunities beyond the school curriculum, whilst offering them a route into NHS careers. Since
A TEAM of volunteers are making sure everyone has the right support when approaching the end of their life, and are not facing it alone.
The Marie Curie hospital companionship service, which is supported by Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity, is available to patients receiving end of life care or people with a terminal illness, particularly those with few or no visitors.
The specially trained volunteers offer one to one support and provide a friendly ear and someone to talk to at the patient’s bedside in hospital, or in their own home.
Since launching in August 2023, the service has supported more than 80 people.
Patrick Mulhern, a retired educational psychologist, has been volunteering
its launch in schools last February, over 50% of participating students have scored higher grades in their core subject areas.
The project, funded by Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity, works with 40 students across 3 local secondary schools and a pupil referral unit who were identified by their schools as students who would benefit from the opportunity. Its curriculum,
designed with the students, consists of weekly hour-long workshops delivered by NHS staff as well as local charities and businesses.
Aspire 350 helped 15-year-old Vlada Liashok feel a part of her new school after she moved to the UK from Ukraine 2 years ago. The programme, with its small class size of 8, helped her showcase her potential and learn about herself.
The power of friendship
During the course Vlada learnt essential life skills from financial management to first aid. She discovered that she wanted to study philosophy, politics and economics at university, and was inspired to think about her future career.
Aspiring architect Breanna Davis had never considered a career in the NHS before taking part in the programme. Along with her fellow
students, she visited St Thomas’ Hospital to see the variety of roles available within the NHS including engineering, paramedic and catering.
Following her GCSEs, Breanna plans to sit her T-levels in digital business and then take up a career in architecture. The 16-year-old from Croydon said: “The programme was quite life changing, as it gives you an experience of how hospitals work, and makes you want to think of them as a career path as well. I can now look at hospital architecture as a career path too.
With more than 350 careers available in the NHS, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust needs people with diverse backgrounds and skills to deliver exceptional care to patients.
Hayley Robinson-Allen, schools widening participation manager and project lead, said: “Alongside building on life skills, we want to help young people in our local community pursue the careers they want, but perhaps in the careers they didn’t know existed within the NHS. At the Trust we are a ‘little city’, any job you can think of –nursery staff, engineers, chefs – we need.”
Once students have completed the project they are also offered support with entry level jobs, apprenticeships and internships at the Trust, as well as being registered onto the staff bank.
Amriya Issa, a university student, has been volunteering for a year. The 21-year-old said: “I’m so privileged to have lots of family members and cousins so I know there would always be someone there for me – you forget that not everyone has got that.”
twice a week since September 2023.
He said: “The role is anything but depressing. I have spent 40 minutes laughing with a patient despite the fact she has a very serious condition.”
He added: “Listening to a patient’s life story is a privilege – everything is
stripped back because of the illness and you find real people. “It keeps you very grounded and focused on what really matters. It’s changed my view about what happens in hospitals. The kind of care the staff provide to patients is so impressive.”
She added: “By volunteering for just one hour you can make such a big difference to someone’s life. “I thought it would be a little bit scary at first, but it’s really rewarding and fascinating to hear how each person lives their life so differently.”
The volunteers also provide practical information and offer respite to carers, allowing them to take a break for a few hours.
For more information about volunteering at the Trust, visit www.guysandstthomas. nhs.uk/ get-involved/volunteering
Urgent call for blood donations
NHS BLOOD and Transplant is calling for urgent blood donations in London.
There is currently an urgent need for donors with O negative bloodthe blood type which can be given to anyone, making it vital in emergencies or when a patient’s blood type is unknown.
Every blood donation can save up to 3 lives.
Appointments are available now at Shepherd’s Bush, Stratford, Oxford Circus (West End Donor Centre) and Tooting.
Visit www.blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23 to book or find out more.
Children’s day surgery unit celebrates first anniversary
THE AWARD-WINNING children’s day surgery unit at Evelina London Children’s Hospital celebrated its first anniversary since treating its first patient. Since the unit opened, the state-of-the-art facility has treated over 2,100 children and young people from across the south east of England. Housed in the new Children’s
Day Treatment Centre, the spacethemed unit has 2 operating theatres dedicated to day surgery. Families wait less on the day of surgery as pre-surgery checks, the operation, recovery and preparation for going home is done in a seamless way in one place, on the same day. The extra capacity created by the unit has increased the number of children with complex conditions or
who require an overnight stay that can be treated in the main Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
Chloe Morley, now 11, was the first patient to be treated in the brandnew facility when it opened on 12 July 2023. Chloe, from Eltham in south east London, had her tonsils and adenoids removed.
Last December, the unit was officially opened by Her Royal
Highness The Princess of Wales, Evelina London’s royal patron. To mark the occasion, Her Royal Highness was given a tour of the new unit and met with staff, patients undergoing procedures in the facility and their families.
She was joined by Chloe and Ella Moth, an art competition winner, to cut the ribbon on the door to the unit, marking it officially open.
Breanna Davis and Hayley Robinson-Allen, Aspire 350 project lead, in St Thomas’ Hospital gardens
Volunteers from the Marie Curie companionship service
'strict licEnsing laws, problEms with crimE, and EyE-watEring costs arE pushing nightlifE vEnuEs to thE brink'
London mayor Sadiq Khan
By Noah Vickers Local Democracy Reporter
LONdON’s NightLife industry has warned that strict licensing laws, problems with crime, and eyewatering costs are pushing venues to the brink.
In public meetings at City Hall last week, industry representatives have urged the mayor and the new Government to give the sector more support.
It comes after data revealed that London suffered a net loss of around 40 pubs in the year to March 2023, despite the number of pub employees growing.
Mayor Sadiq Khan admitted last week that there are “challenges postpandemic for all global cities” but argued that London is “ahead of that crowd”, adding that this summer had so far been “remarkable” for the capital’s night economy.
But at a cross-party inquiry into the topic, led by the London Assembly on Wednesday, experts in the sector said businesses were grappling with a formidable host of issues, which have made it far harder for many to turn a profit.
Mark Williams, deputy chief executive of the Heart of London Business Alliance,
told assembly members: “The West End’s evening and night-time economy is underperforming, post-pandemic.
Growth lines dictated that it should be at about £15.5bn. It’s currently sitting at around £14bn.
“Footfall has stagnated. Spend has increased, but behind that picture, we’re dealing with high living costs, supply disruption, high operating costs, staff shortages, overcrowding on streets and with an ineffective public realm, limited step-free access to stations, an increase in anti-social behaviour and a lack of facilities.”
Further concerns were heard on Thursday, when Emma Best, deputy leader of City Hall Conservatives, hosted her own roundtable discussion with industry figures.
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, told the session that crime was part of the problem.
“From a safety perspective, there is a huge deterrent from going into places like Soho,” he said, adding that “petty crime is rife” and that many businesses felt forced to “self-police” their premises due to there not being enough local officers.
Jo May of the Soho Business Alliance criticised councils for imposing strict
licensing requirements, which she said have forced venues to shut earlier than they would like, despite the number of tourists who visit London to enjoy its nightlife.
“They’re coming into central London, they’re looking for places to go out and have a good time, to spend their money,” she said. “Soho’s rolling up the pavements at 11pm. If you’re not a member of a club, sorry tourists – take your money back to your hotel and go to bed.”
Ms May said that bringing back tax-free shopping for tourists and reducing VAT for the hospitality sector would “really help” venues.
Asked about the issue at Mayor’s Question Time Mr Khan said: “There are challenges post-pandemic for all global cities. I speak regularly to colleagues in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Tokyo, Montreal, Toronto, Sydney – all facing big challenges.
“The good news is we’re ahead of that crowd in relation to the bounceback, in relation to the night-time economy in general returning to the centre of our city.”
But he admitted there has been a change of “lifestyle habits” since the pandemic, with revellers now increasingly keen
Sadiq Khan has announced a £2million package in activities over the summer holiday
By Noah Vickers
Local Democracy Reporter
s adiq Kha N has announced a £2million investment package in activities to divert thousands of young people away from violence over the summer holiday.
The funding has been put into the mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), and will be directed to areas of the capital most affected by crime.
The package of activities, ranging from sport to music production to mentoring – as well as employment opportunities – will work to support young people during a time of year when the evidence suggests they are more vulnerable to exploitation and violence.
“Tackling violence is my top priority and I’m committed to building a safer London for everyone by being tough on violence and tough on its complex causes,” said Mr Khan.
“That means putting the next generation of Londoners front and centre, and working to provide the investment, support and helping hand for young people who need it the most.”
He added: “I want young people to experience the unrivalled opportunities this city provides and to be safe, to develop and to thrive.”
to go for nights out in their local town centre rather than necessarily travelling into central London.
Mr Khan also acknowledged that Labour shortages were a major challenge for the sector.
“There are three million people –freelancers and others – who were excluded from any support from the Government during the pandemic. A lot of them worked in the night-time economy, a lot of them got other jobs, and haven’t come back,” he said, adding that Brexit has also reduced the number of EU citizens who had previously filled vacancies.”
The mayor told the Assembly he was committed to having “conversations” with councils about the “tensions” that can arise between residents and businesses. In addition, he said he is lobbying the Government to make changes to the VAT system, create a fairer business rates scheme, provide more support to London’s police, and to devolve more skills-related powers to City Hall.
“We’re in regular contact with these businesses, and there will be announcements over the course of the next few weeks about some of the stuff we are doing in relation to supporting the night-time economy,” he said.
Some of the funding will be given to Pupil Referral Units and Alternative Provision settings so that they can provide their own activities over the holidays, including boxing and BMX coaching, trips outside their community and opportunities to develop skills in carpentry and hair and beauty.
VRU director Lib Peck said:
“The summer holidays are a really important period in a young person’s life. It should be a time to explore, to have fun and to build and make friendships…
“We’re committed to investing in young people and giving them the opportunities they deserve because we firmly believe that violence is preventable, not inevitable.”
In March this year, the mayor warned that the high cost of living was fuelling a rise in certain offences in the capital, including violent crime.
In February, he launched an ‘inclusion charter’ for London. It aims, where possible, to reduce school suspensions, as the mayor argues that young people are likelier to become involved in violence once they are outside the protective influence of school.
18 NEWS
By Harrison Galliven
Local Democracy Reporter
MertON COuNCiL has been accused of being “blind” to how many people are not claiming the benefits they are entitled to.
Merton Lib Dems have criticised the Labour-run council for making no assessment of the scale of unclaimed benefits in the borough, which recent figures put at £118 million.
New research by Policy in Practice, a data analytics company, estimated that £23 billion of benefit support was unclaimed across the UK in 2024. Further assessments found that £118m of that amount came from Merton.
They also found that claiming child benefit alone would be worth £1,900 each year to the average family in Merton. This has led Paul Kohler, the newly elected Lib Dem MP for Wimbledon, to call for the Council to identify and engage with the people entitled to but not currently accessing these benefits.
Kohler, who also represents the Wimbledon Town and Dundonald ward, spoke to the local democracy reporting service (LDRS) about the extent of these unclaimed benefits. He said: “Thousands of my constituents are completely unaware that they qualify for certain benefit support.
“Our proposal was about putting people’s money back in their pockets, where it belongs. The Greater London Authority’s Pension Credit campaign was a huge success, and the Liberal Democrats are urging Merton Council to replicate this approach for all benefits.
“It’s a no-brainer – it costs the Council almost nothing. My message to local Labour councillors is: don’t fail residents simply because you’re too proud to accept that sometimes other parties suggest the right thing to do.”
Merton Council has taken steps to alleviate the pressures of the cost of living crisis on those in the borough. These have included hosting its own “Cost of living days” at local libraries, where residents can access support and advice on how to access benefits.
However, according to the leader of the opposition, Anthony Fairclough, these efforts do not go far enough. In particular, he accuses the Council of not measuring how effective these efforts are.
He told the LDRS: “They are doing some good things, the cost of living days where you can go along and receive advice and help are great. However, there’s no way of telling how effective those things are and whether they’re in the right place.
“I don’t know if they’ve done any real level of analysis about whether that is the right way to reach the right people. They’re blind to how bad this will be as a local problem.
“What we’re looking for is really simple things that are relatively cheap for the local authority but would actually make a big difference for people who are eligible for support but didn’t know about it.”
The Lib Dems formalised their suggestions in a recent proposal to the Council. The proposal called for the Cabinet to promote the various benefit schemes in their In Merton magazine as well as advertisements in schools, care homes and on social media.
Despite receiving cross-party support, this proposal was blocked by the Council. Fairclough also told the LDRS how the borough’s lack of benefit claims was also depriving people of what he called “gateway benefits.”
These benefits include Social
nEw figurEs put an EstimatEd £118 million of unclaimEd bEnEfits not bEing takEn in mErton alonE
Broadband and Water Tariffs, the Warm Homes Discount, and a free TV License. Policy in Practice estimates that claiming this support would save the average family £670 per year.
According to Fairclough, this additional support “only click in if you’re a claimant to other types of benefits.” He added: “This is not money coming from the Council, it is money that the government has to a large extent anticipated.” Fairclough also recalled his own experiences with benefits and said he understood the reasons why people were not claiming their entitlements.
He said: “With personal experience, as a child when I was between 9-13 my parents had split up and my mother was the sole earner in my family.
“I have a really distinct memory of those 40-page forms and the importance that was put on filling them in and getting them done correctly because that would be the difference between where there was money for tea or lunch money for school.
“That’s really burnt into my memory, the importance of getting it right and that doesn’t change. Things don’t get any more straightforward, you may no
longer do it on a piece of paper but the complexity of this stuff doesn’t change.
“The report brings back the impact of it, but on top of that, you also have the stigma attached. If you’re in desperate circumstances sometimes the last thing you have time to do is look into it and have the time to find out what you’re actually entitled to.”
In the meantime, Kohler has told Merton residents “Don’t assume that you’re not eligible. Contact Citizens Advice or use an online benefits calculator to check what you’re entitled to.”
When approached for comment, Councillor Billy Christie, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, told the LDRS: “Ensuring that residents get the support they are entitled to is at the heart of the work the council does.
“The council set up a £3 million Cost of Living Support Fund and has delivered 15 cost of living events, attended by more than 3,400 people, who were offered advice on what benefits are available and how to access them. Our online support hub, which signposts residents to benefit calculators and other guidance, has been accessed more than 4,000 times in the last year alone.
‘The council also supported 157 residents directly in the last year, resulting in an average of just under £300 more going to each household every month. A council funded disability specialist within Citizens Advice Merton worked with 100 people in the same period, and this resulted nearly half a million pounds worth of claims for residents.
“The council is already working closely with Policy in Practice on its benefit take-up campaign and pension credit campaign, the latter of which has seen more than 200 residents contacted and encouraged to take up their entitlements.”
Paul Kohler is the Lib Dem MP for Wimbledon
© Merton Lib Dems
Anthony Fairclough (Right) is also Wimbledon and Dundonald Ward Councillor alongside Paul Kohler and Simon McGrath
Croydon subway - which was strewn with bottles of urine and damaged by fire - is now permanently shut
By Harrison Galliven
Local Democracy Reporter
CrOydON COuNCiL has announced it will permanently close a subway near east Croydon station after it became an anti-social behaviour hotspot.
The 60s-built subway on Alytre Road has now been boarded up with fencing to crack down on unlawful camping and crime in the town centre.
Councillors have also told the local democracy reporting service (LDRS) how the subway has seen a dip in pedestrian usage in recent years.
The closure of the subway comes as part of a wider effort to move people towards “safer” overground crossings.
In an announcement made on July 30, Croydon Mayor Jason Perry acknowledged the subway’s troubled history, which involved a fire that ripped through the subway in 2021. Half of the subway was damaged in the blaze but there were no reports of injuries.
He said: “I want to ensure that people in Croydon are safe as they go around the borough. The antisocial behaviour in this subway resulted in a serious fire which gutted the site and for safety reasons, it was closed.
“The subway was not safe to reopen as a public right of way. Our community outreach teams sensitively supported all those involved and continue helping anyone involved in such incidents to prevent problems from happening again.”
Subways were introduced across Croydon during the 1960s rebuild and saw thoroughfares like Wellesley Road brought through the centre of town.
However, regular complaints of anti-social behaviour caused by a lack of surveillance and lighting have lessened the appeal of subways among members of the public.
The subways are also frequented by members of Croydon’s homeless population, who use them for shelter.
Earlier this year, Croydon Council announced that it will be using its new anti-social behaviour taskforce to clear out some of these “Unlawful encampments.”
Labour Councillor for the Addiscombe Wets ward, Clive Fraser, told the LDRS how plans to close the subway are a welcome response to the concerns of many Croydon residents. Fraser said: “We support the proposal for three reasons, number one is that there has been a lot of anti-social behaviour in the tunnel.
“Me and my colleague, Patricia HayJustice, visited the site a year ago at the instigation of the owners of NLA tower (No.1 Croydon). They pointed out to us that people had been camping in the tunnels and bottles of urine everywhere.”
Fraser acknowledged that pedestrians had largely stopped using the underpass in the years following the fire in 2021. The Council have stated: “Pedestrians wanting to cross the road will not be impacted by the closure and will be able to do so using the designated crossings.”
Fraser also pointed out that the closure of the subway is linked with plans to
develop the former City Link house building into a 28-storey luxury co-living apartment complex opposite the NLA Tower (also known as No.1 Croydon.)
The developers, Squire & Partners, won planning permission to build on the site to the south of NLA Tower last June.
The plans were initially rejected by Croydon planning officers following concerns that the 28-storey building would impact its iconic neighbour.
Planning officers said: “The height and massing would be substantially larger than the height and massing of the NLA Tower and given the proximity to the NLA Tower, it would not appear subservient to the building when viewed in both the immediate context and in views from the north and south of the site and would thus have a negative impact upon its setting.”
The subway, according to Fraser, was due to be closed anyway as part of the planning consent for the new 28-storey complex. He added: “I don’t know if this is a precommencement action or something the Council is taking on itself.”
Finally, Fraser welcomed the closure of the subway as the start of the borough’s move towards “at-grade crossing,” meaning pedestrian crossing based at ground level. He believes this is safer and easier to navigate for pedestrians.
The area outside East Croydon station is undergoing large-scale public works redevelopment. It is expected that alternative crossings will link up to the area in front of the station once they are complete.
By Joe Coughlan Local Democracy Reporter
PLaNs fOr a new pub next to the famous Cutty sark ship in greenwich have been refused due to fears it would harm the look of the historic area.
The proposal would have seen a new pub being added alongside the River Thames and Cutty Sark ship in Greenwich town centre.
The pub, called the Ship Tavern, would have occupied an empty building on Greenwich Pier which was previously occupied by Byron and Frankie and Benny’s. The site is beside the Old Royal Naval College and the historic clipper ship in Cutty Sark Gardens, both of which are Grade I listed buildings.
The applicant, Greenwich Pier Lease Limited, lodged an appeal for its proposal after Greenwich Council reportedly took too long to make a decision, leaving the responsibility to the Planning Inspectorate. The decision report claimed that the applicant had described the existing building on the site as being in ‘poor condition’. However, the inspector said they felt the building was not detrimental.
They said: “It is a neat, orderly and unobtrusive building, which makes no less than a neutral contribution to the character and appearance of the Greenwich Park Conservation Area, and to the setting of the nearby listed buildings.”
The report assessed the significance of several structural elements of the proposed bar, including a raised outdoor seating area and a glazed pergola being
added to the current building. The inspector cited concerns that the steel structure to support the glazing would be visually intrusive and jarring, thus causing ‘considerable harm’ to the current structure and setting of the listed buildings nearby.
They said: “The proposed pergola structure above the roof terrace would add bulk to the building, leading to the loss of the stepped down form and a weakening, or removal, of the visual balance between the appeal building and the eastern pavilion.”
The applicant defended the design choice, saying a neighbouring building had timber pergolas and parasols. Greenwich Council responded by saying such structures on the nearby building were not authorised.
The inspector claimed these neighbouring features were not particularly sympathetic to the nearby building, but appeared smaller than the ones proposed for the pub. They also criticised the fabric canopies proposed to be fitted above the entrance to the pub as being incongruous with the modern building.
Greenwich Council claimed in its appeal statement that the authority would have refused permission for the new pub for fear of it being out of character with the nearby area and the effect it would have on the movement of cyclists and pedestrians using the pier.
The Planning Inspectorate dismissed the authority’s concern on the pub impeding individuals using the pier, claiming the outdoor seating area would not interfere with the safe and free movement of cyclists and pedestrians.
Fourth man charged with murder nEw pub bEsidE thE cutty sark rEfusEd
By Herbie Russell
POLiCe haVe charged a third man with the murder of antonios antoniadis in New Cross.
The Met had appealed for the public’s help tracing Joshua McCorquodale who was arrested on Monday, July 29. McCorquodale, from Camden, was charged the following day and appeared in custody at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, July 31.
Antonios, aged in his 20s, was stabbed in Florence Terrace on Sunday, July 7. Tragically, he died in hospital two weeks later.
Three others who have also been charged with murder – Sofian Alliche, 19, from Holburn and Shian Johnson, 25, from Camden and a seventeen-year-old. Alliche and the teenager appeared at the
Antonios Antoniadis was stabbed to death in New Cross.
Old Bailey on Monday, July 29. Johnson appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, July 30.
A trial date has been set for June 2025
Three further arrests have been made in connection with the investigation
Three men - two nineteen-year-olds and a twenty-year-old - were arrested in July on suspicion of assisting an offender. They were taken into custody and later bailed to return pending further enquiries..
©
Joe
Coughlan
Croydon Subway at Altyre Road
Subway under Tolworth Roundabout Surbiton,following removal of the \'Triassic Tolworth Aquarium\' mural
The unit on Greenwich Pier where the pub was proposed to open
what’s on
incrEdiblE pErformancEs in labourEd production
ONe Of america’s greatest and most popular novelists, John steinbeck has had many of his works adapted for film, TV and stage. Most will be familiar with Of Mice and Men, which has been a mainstay of english syllabuses across the country, but it is his novel the grapes of Wrath that won him a Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1940. This summer, director Carrie Cracknell stages their take on frank galati’s tony award-winning adaptation, writes Christopher Peacock
The Grapes of Wrath is a migrant tale. The Joad family from Oklahoma are heading to California during the depression after being evicted
from their unprofitable land. Eldest son Tom, fresh out of prison on bail, returns home to find his family turfed off of their own land and destined to leave the Dust Bowl in search of work.
The travelling family unit expands and decreases with events on the road west and upon arrival the expectations of vast expanses of green land and plenty of work on the fields and orchards of California is soon dispelled. Their dreams are dashed as they find that the number of workers vastly outstrip the demand. This creates a race to the bottom as wages are suppressed and the tensions boil over between those finding themselves in tents in pop-up towns called ‘Hoovervilles’ and the law enforcement.
Cracknell’s production introduces
some original country music from Maimuna Memon who, joined by a folk band consisting of fiddle, accordion and slide guitar, certainly enhanced the setting and emotional toil of not just the Joad family but all of those who have had to hit the road in search of work.
Performances from Cherry Jones as Ma Joad and Harry Treadaway as Tom are incredibly strong amongst a very talented cast. Amid such a vast array of characters no role has a great chance
to stand out and no scene has a chance to gain depth as before you know it we are moving on again.
Alex Eales’ set is sparse and cold, the odd pieces used come and go with every passing scene. Pace is what this production lacks. With lots of short scenes stitched together, with musical interludes marking each juncture, the play feels laboured in getting to the heart of the drama.
Ninety years on from when it was
written there is still relevance in Steinbeck’s work. People forced from their land, either from being persecuted or because their land is unworkable, has merely changed locations since 1930s’ America.
Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre, South Bank, London SE1 9PX until 14th September. Times: 7pm, matinees 1pm.
Admission: £20 - £89.
Booking: www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
targEt QuEEn rEigns ovEr hayward gallEry
MarKiNg the first time that bharti Kher’s ambitious outdoor work has been presented by a London institution, target queen will be positioned across the hayward gallery’s eastern and southern facades, celebrating and playfully interacting with the iconic architecture and cultural playground of the southbank Centre.
Target Queen will feature supersized bindis, which are traditionally used by South Asian women as powerful cultural and spiritual symbols denoting the third eye. With these symbols at the heart of Kher’s artistic vision, the target-like motifs in Target Queen will each measure three metres in diameter and will cover two sides of the Hayward Gallery. Kher’s mural will also transform the bindi into a powerful emblem of the goddess, embedding both spiritual resonance and a welcoming and compassionate feminine energy into the Brutalist building.
Since the artist first incorporated bindis into her work in 1995, they have evolved into a signature motif, rich in narrative and aesthetic significance.
Kher’s practice is renowned for how it explores the boundaries between humanity and nature, ecology and politics. Her sculptures are often crafted from found objects that carry their own histories. These objects are precariously assembled, often hung, propped and
suspended, and are stripped of their conventional meanings, leaving them open to misinterpretation and enchantment. The resulting works are alluring, abstract compositions that challenge and captivate, reflecting a world filled with abstract beauty and latent magic.
Bharti Kher says: “My outdoor work is a key part of my practice, so I couldn’t be more delighted to be working with a space as renowned as the Hayward Gallery to present this work for the first time at a London institution. Target Queen will be a bold, vibrant and powerful artwork that calls for greater representation of femininity and divinity, also as an exciting exploration of how the two intersect.”
Rachel Thomas, Chief Curator at the Hayward Gallery, says: “We are delighted to be working with visionary artist Bharti Kher whose transformative work, Target Queen, will grace our building with profound beauty and imagination. Kher’s art recontextualises the traditional target motif into a symbol of the divine feminine, blending cultural narrative with aesthetic innovation. Target Queen will bring enjoyment to all who see it, be it commuters or tourists travelling across Waterloo Bridge, or visitors to an event on our site”.
From September 12th.
Hayward Target Queen, Photo Yan Tao. Courtesy of Hauser & Wirth
National. Photo by Richard Hubert Smith
Heading south - our pick of upcoming summer events
Look at the morning stars
Discover our planet’s morning stars in a planetarium show at the Royal Observatory in a show that is designed for anyone who would benefit from a calmer and more relaxed environment. These shows include adaptions such as room lighting left at a higher level, a slower narration, a less crowded auditorium, and other changes from normal planetarium sessions. The beginner session on 10 August is suited for children and will feature the night sky in general, constellations, the moon, Mars, Saturn and deep space images. The advanced session on 24 August is for older children and adults and will also feature the night sky in general, constellations and the moon, as well as star formation, how stars end, and the planets – with a close look at at least one – plus galaxies if time allows, too.
Saturday 10 and Saturday 24 August 2024, 10:15am to 11am
Tickets: Adult £10, child £5, free companion tickets Blackheath Avenue, SE10 8XJ www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/planetarium-shows/morning-stars
Sea Cadets National Band Contest
The Old Royal Naval College is playing host to this year’s Sea Cadets National Band Contest. Returning for the first time since 2019, the event promises a dazzling display of musical talent with nearly 200 cadets showcasing their skills. Listen to solo performances at Queen Mary’s Court from 10am, then from 12:30pm to 4:15pm, you will see the full band performances near the Water Gate entrance. At 5pm, the day culminates with the prizegiving ceremony and 5:30pm sees the march past.
Head on down to the free event on the day to be a part of the tradition, support the cadets, and witness performances that aim to leave you inspired.
Saturday 17 August 2024, 10am to 6pm
Tickets: Free Old Royal Naval College, SE10 9NN ornc.org/whats-on/sea-cadets-national-band-contest
The Northern Soul Classics Orchestra
Taking you on a musical journey steeped in nostalgia, yet bursting with timeless energy, the Northern Soul Classics Orchestra is coming to Churchill Theatre to recreate the sounds of the northern soul.
The evening promises a rhythm section that “lays down a beat so deep you’ll feel it in your bones”, while the brass section “blares with a force that can lift your spirits to new heights”.
Four vocalists will channel the spirit of Northern Soul and bring you all of the biggest tunes.
So, whether you’re a die-hard Northern Soul enthusiast or a newcomer to the scene, the Northern Soul Classics Orchestra promises to get straight to the heart of the genre – and have you tapping your feet along to the music.
Thursday 29 August 2024, 7:30pm. Tickets: £31 Churchill Theatre, High Street, BR1 1HA trafalgartickets.com/churchill-theatre-bromley/ en-GB/event/music/the-northern-soul-classicsorchestra-tickets
Woolwich Carnival making workshop
Join TARU Arts for a series of free drop-in workshops and get involved in making carnival decorations and props for Woolwich Carnival. Starting at 1pm, the workshop runs for four hours, but no worries if you are late – you can still join in the fun. It is suitable for everyone and all skill sets. Children must be accompanied by an adult. You will make decorations for this year’s carnival and learn how to reuse materials in a creative way with TARU artists. You’ll also see your artwork and decorations in the square and used as props in the carnival parade.
Tuesday 13 to Tuesday 27 August 2024
Tickets: Free but ticketed
The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 Street, SE18 6HD www.woolwich.works/events/woolwich-carnival-making-workshop
Black British History Quiz
The History Hotline invites you to a quiz night for trivia lovers and history buffs alike at Buster Mantis. The carnival warmup event will test your knowledge and quiz you about important figures, events and achievements in Black British history. It’s a chance to have fun, while also learning something new about Black British history. You don’t have to attend with a group, you will be sorted into teams at the start of the event – so go alone or with fave your quiz partner.
The quiz is hosted by writer and presenter Chanté Joseph. It will feature prizes such as two rounds of golf for five people at Junkyard Golf Club, a BBQ boat experience for 10 people at Skuna Boats, £50 voucher for Backyard Comedy Club, and loads more.
Saturday 17 August 2024, 5:30pm
Tickets: £9.92
3-4 Resolution Way, SE8 4NT www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-british-history-quiz-tickets-930114285867
Comedy at Little Nan’s Bar
Your Friend & Mine presents its comedy night at Little Nan’s Bar – 2.0. Get ready for a night full of laughs and good times at one of Deptford’s most interesting venues.
There will be a lineup of comedians ready to make you laugh until your sides hurt, or until you drink enough cocktails to find them funny – find out on the night!
Wednesday 28 August 2024, 7pm
Tickets: £1.79
Deptford Market Yard, SE8 4BX www.eventbrite.com/e/your-friend-mine-comedynight-little-nans-20-deptford-tickets-941809185627
© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
History
how watErloo station wEnt from a victorian EmbarrassmEnt to a modErn transport marvEl
By Herbie Russell
‘We gOt to Waterloo at eleven and asked where the eleven-five started from. Of course, nobody knew; nobody at Waterloo ever does know where a train is going to start from…’ For decades, Waterloo Station was a standing joke among Londoners, as shown in this extract from a comic novel published in 1899. The capital, for all its successes, has a long history of infrastructure gaffes—think the dystopian emptiness of the Olympic Park, the ill-conceived Garden Bridge, and the hugely expensive Millennium Dome.
Waterloo Station was Victorian London’s equivalent, its mention certain to prompt eye-rolls and sighs. The station has come a long way since then. With 57.8 million entries and exits each year, it’s the UK’s third-busiest and is now set for a landmark revamp.
Waterloo Station’s difficult start to life has a simple explanation: it wasn’t built to last. Opened in 1848 as ‘Waterloo Bridge Station’, it was only conceived as a temporary stop on an extended line to the City. Parts of West London, like Wandsworth and Wimbledon, had become an important source of commuter traffic, and rail planners wanted to provide them with a direct route into Central London.
From 1860 to 1885, Waterloo underwent numerous changes. These
included links to other railway lines and new platforms. In practice, these platforms felt more like ’stations within stations’. But with each addition only seen as temporary, the station expanded haphazardly. Bizarrely, Platform 1 was in the centre of the station, and at one point, multiple different platforms shared the same number. The end result was a bewildering, smoky labyrinth of corridors and ticket offices with little underlying logic. In 1882, the station was officially renamed Waterloo, reflecting what people had been calling it for decades.
The station was by now a source of ridicule, with jokes often made at its expense across London’s music halls.
The famous comic novel “Three Men in a Boat” by Jerome K. Jerome hilariously encapsulated Londoners’ attitudes: ‘We got to Waterloo at eleven and asked where the eleven-five started from. Of course, nobody knew; nobody at Waterloo ever does know where a train is going to start from, or where a train, when it does start, is going to, or anything about it… We went to number three platform, but the authorities there said that they rather thought that train was the Southampton express, or else the Windsor loop. But they were sure it wasn’t the Kingston train, though why they were sure it wasn’t, they couldn’t say.’
Despite its pitfalls, the station had some intriguing features which would be alien to the modern commuter. The
London Necropolis Station, within the main station, linked up with Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey. The graveyard had been built to deal with the overspill in London cemeteries caused by a spike in population. It meant passengers shared trains with corpses on their way to and from the site.
The boat trains to Southampton, which began as early as 1856, were also unique to the era. They took passengers to the port and were scheduled to align with naval departures and had special arrangements for large amounts of bulky luggage.
In the 1880s and 90s, London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) tried to finalize plans to continue the line past Waterloo, but they fell flat due to high costs. Once the Waterloo and City Line opened in 1898, a short underground railway to Bank, Waterloo’s permanence felt more assured. Originally operated by the London and South Western Railway, it was electrified from the start. Known as ‘The Drain’ it would become part of the London Underground in 1994. So in 1899, the ‘Great Transformation’ began. The L&SWR, now accepting Waterloo’s undeniable status as a vital transport hub, set about completely rebuilding the station. Chief engineer J W Jacomb-Hood was sent to America to gather information on its termini buildings and report back to company bosses.
Over the next twenty years, Waterloo as we now know it took shape. The dark maze of platforms was replaced with a 21-platform concourse and the iconic ridge-and-furrow roof. Other famous features were added during this period.
The Victory Arch at the main entrance, depicting Britannia holding the torch of liberty, was built between 1907 and 1922.
The two-tonne clock, installed in 1919, would become one of London’s bestknown rendezvous points; a meeting place for everyone from families to colleagues to couples.
The station played an important role in the two world wars. British troops headed for the Western Front in World War One often passed through it on their way to southern ports like Southampton. Like many stations of the time, it had been built on a series of arches so cargo could be stored beneath. In wartime, these were used as first aid centers for the wounded.
In World War Two, these underground areas became vitally important air raid shelters. These provided protection from Nazi bombs during The Blitz, and visitors to the subterranean site will find toilet cubicles dating back to the time. It is also thought that the arches were used to store important parliamentary documents.
In 1994, Waterloo Station became the London terminus for the Eurostar, the high-speed train service linking the UK with mainland Europe via the Channel Tunnel. This transformation marked a
significant milestone in international travel, as sleek Eurostar trains began whisking passengers from Waterloo to Paris and Brussels in just a few hours. An inaugural service left Waterloo on 6 May for a joint opening ceremony with Queen Elizabeth II and the French president François Mitterrand. For over a decade, Waterloo basked in the prestige of being the gateway to Europe until November 2007, when the Eurostar services were transferred to the newly refurbished St Pancras International.
Waterloo Station’s evolution is far from over. In March, Lambeth Council unveiled plans to redesign the northern concourse, build a brand new southern concourse, and create a host of new green spaces. A Network Rail boss has warned a ‘great deal of work’ will need to be done before the vision is realized. But given Waterloo’s history of surpassing expectations, Londoners should be optimistic.
A permanent exhibition detailing the history of London Waterloo has been formally unveiled in the old international terminal in the station.
As part of the London Waterloo 175th Station anniversary (11th July 2023), Network Rail worked with railway historian and enthusiast Mike Lamport to install a temporary historical exhibition of
Waterloo, titled From
to
This exhibition highlights images and stories mapping the
and
London
Cholera
Covid.
social, cultural
transport history of London Waterloo.
An 1848 engraving of Waterloo Railway Station as it was then known. Source: Royal Road: The History of the London and South Western Railway, from 1825 to the Present Day Waterloo station had underground air raid shelters similar to this one at Clapham South
A Waterloo and City line driving motor car No 61, 1940
Waterloo Station in 1982. Source: Lamberhurst
The Waterloo Station concourse in 1984
An artist’s impression of a potential future Northern Concourse
PUBLIC NOTICE
London Borough of Lambeth
NOTICE OF DESIGNATION OF AREAS FOR SELECTIVE LICENSING Section 80, Housing Act 2004
1. The London Borough of Lambeth (“The Council”) in exercise of its powers under section 80 of the Housing Act 2004 ("the Act") hereby designates for selective licensing the areas described in paragraph 5 CITATION, COMMENCEMENT AND DURATION
2. This Designation shall be known as the “London Borough of Lambeth Designations 1 of an Area for Selective Licensing 2024”. All privately rented residential accommodation situated within the designated areas must be licensed with the Council unless subject to statutory exemption as set out in paragraph 6.
3. The Designation is made on 22nd May 2024. The Designation fall within a description of designations for which confirmation is not required by Secretary of State, and come into force on 2nd September 2024
4. The Designation shall cease to have effect on 1st September 2029 (not more than 5 years) or earlier if the Council revokes the scheme under section 84 of the Act. AREA TO WHICH THE DESIGNATION APPLIES
5. This designation shall apply to the following areas of the London Borough of Lambeth. The Designation covers the area coloured green on the map in annex A below. The following wards are included: • Knights Hill • Streatham Common & Vale • Streatham Hill East • Streatham St Leonards APPLICATION OF THE DESIGNATION
6. This designation applies to any house1 which is let or occupied under a tenancy or licence within the area described in paragraph 5 unless:
a. the house is a house in multiple occupation [HMO] that falls within the nationally prescribed category of HMO that is required to be licensed as a ‘mandatory HMO’ under section 55(2)(a) Part 2 of the Act2;
b. the house is a house in multiple occupation that falls within the prescribed category of HMO that is required to be licensed under the London Borough of Lambeth Designation of an Area for Additional Licensing of Houses of Multiple Occupation made on 9th December 2023 under Section 56 of the Housing Act 20043;
c. the tenancy or licence of the house has been granted by a registered social landlord4;
d. the house is subject to an Interim or Final Management Order under Part 4 of the Act;
e. the house is subject to a temporary exemption under section 86 of the Act; or
f. the house is occupied under a tenancy or licence which is exempt under the Act or the occupation is of a building or part of a building so exempt as defined in Paragraph 5(f): Exempted tenancies or licences, Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (England) Order 2006 SI 370/2006. EFFECT OF THE DESIGNATION
7. Subject to sub paragraphs 6(a) to (f) every house in the area specified in paragraph 5 that is occupied under a tenancy or licence shall be required to be licensed under section 85 of the Act.6
8. The London Borough of Lambeth will comply with the notification requirements contained in section 83 of the Act and shall maintain a register of all houses registered under this designation, as required under section 232 of the Act.5
If you are a landlord, managing agent or a tenant, or if you require information regarding this designation, or to apply for a licence, further information and assistance is available from the Council’s Private Rented Property Licensing Team by telephone on 020 7926 8591 or by email to PRSlicensing@lambeth.gov.uk, or by writing to Private Sector Enforcement and Regulation Service, PO Box 80771, London, SW2 9QQ
The Designation may be inspected at the above address during office hours. All landlords, managing agents or tenants within the designated area should obtain advice to ascertain whether their property is affected by the Designation by contacting the Council’s Private Rented Property Licensing Team.
Upon the Designation coming into force any person having control of or who manages a licensable property without a licence or allows a licensed property to be occupied by more households or persons other than as authorised by a licence, is liable to prosecution and upon summary conviction is liable to an unlimited fine pursuant to the provisions of section 95 of the Housing Act 2004. A person who breaches a condition of a licence is liable upon summary conviction to an unlimited fine. The Council, as an alternative to initiating a prosecution, may pursue one or more of a range of other enforcement actions including the imposition of a financial penalty of up to £30,000 and/or taking management control of the unlicensed property. Further, where an offence has been committed an application may also be made by the Council and/or tenant under the provisions of section 96 and 97 of the Housing Act 2004 for a Rent Repayment Order to pay back up to 12 months’ rent, Housing Benefit or Universal Credit. No notice under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 may be given in relation to an assured shorthold tenancy of the whole or part of an unlicensed house so long as it remains an unlicensed house.
Signed:
Venetia Reid-Baptiste, Corporate Director, Resident and Enabling Services on behalf of London Borough of Lambeth on 22nd May 2024
1 For the definition of "house" see sections 79 and 99 of the Act
2 Section 55 of the Act defines which Houses in Multiple Occupation are required to be licensed under the Act. See also The Lic ensing of Houses.in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Descriptions) (England) Order 2005 (SI 2006/371) 3 Additional Licensing covers HMOs that are not within the scope of Mandatory HMO Licensing where tenants share one or more ‘basic amenities’ i.e. a WC, personal washing facilities or
see Part 1 of the Housing Act 1996 5 Section 232 of the Act and paragraph 11 of SI 373/2006 Annex A: Map below showing selective licensing designations with the designation boundaries marked in blue and the designation areas marked in green
Perfected Lien Security Interest –Stephen William Rudman
I, a man, Stephen William Rudman, hold a perfected Lien Security Interest in and over the public indemnity insurance policy(s) and all real and moveable property of the following:
ANDREW DAVID BRIGGS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, STANDARD LIFE ASSURANCE LIMITED, 1 Wythall Green Way, Wythall, Birmingham, B47 6WG; and
STANDARD LIFE ASSURANCE LIMITED, Standard Life House, 30 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2DH: and
FRANCES MCEWING, CUSTOMER RELATIONS, STANDARD LIFE, Edinburgh, EH1 2DH. Lien Debtors are jointly and severally liable for the total sum certain of £216,769,600.00 Interested parties should contact Stephen William Rudman, privately, via email swr@tidc1.com
Transport for London Public Notice
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984
THE A205 GLA ROAD (STANSTEAD ROAD, LONDON BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF STOPPING) ORDER 2024
1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that it intends to make the abovenamed Trafc Order under section 14(1) of the Road Trafc Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specied in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.
2. The purpose of the Order is to enable electrical vehicle charging point installation works to take place near A205 Stanstead Road.
3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle from stopping in the:
(1) Parking & Disabled Persons Vehicles Bay on the unnamed service road (linking A205 Stanstead Road to A205 Catford Hill hereafter referred to as the unnamed service road) adjacent to No.36 Catford Hill;
(2) Loading, Unloading & Disabled Persons Vehicles Bay on the eastern side of the unnamed service road at the rear of Nos. 26 – 38 Catford Hill.
The Order will be effective between 7:00 AM on 19th August 2024 and 7:00 PM on 19th February 2025 or when the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. The prohibition will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by trafc signs.
4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of:
(1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for re brigade, ambulance or police purposes;
(2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London.
Dated this 9th day of August 2024
Andrew Rogers Planning and Performance Manager Transport for London, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH Notice Under The Town and Country Planning Acts
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council is considering applications as set out below under the following categories; ADV = ADVERTISEMENT CONSENT FUL = FULL PLANNING PERMISSION LB = LISTED BUILDING CONSENT VOC = VARIATION OF CONDITIONS
Written representations should be made within three weeks of
26 PUBLIC NOTICES
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 16A
TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURES FOR STREET PARTIES AND OTHER SOCIAL EVENTS
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable street parties and other social events to take place, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth, with the agreement of Transport for London have made Orders the effect of which will be to temporarily ban vehicles from entering the following roads or lengths of road on the dates indicated:-
(a) Woodleigh Gardens, between Gracefield Gardens and Nos. 34/36 Woodleigh Gardens, on Saturday 17th August 2024;
(b) Medwin Street, between Nos. 2/2c Medwin Road and Santley Street, on Saturday 24th August 2024;
(c)(i) Glencairn Road, between Streatham High Road and Ellison Road;
(ii) Mordaunt Street, the whole length, on Saturday 31st August 2024;
(d) Barnwell Road, between Railton Road and Rattray Road, on Sunday 1st September 2024;
(e)(i) Pentney Road, between Hydethorpe Road and the party wall of Nos. 88/90 Pentney Road;
(ii) Chestnut Road, between Ardlui Road and Barston Road, on Saturday 7th September 2024;
(f) (i) Cedarville Gardens, between Covington Way and No. 2 Cedarville Gardens; (ii) Killieser Avenue, between Criffel Avenue and Sternhold Avenue; (iii) Lovelace Road, between the north-eastern boundary of No. 14 Lovelace Road and the common boundary of Nos. 24 and 26 Lovelace Road; (iv) Trelawn Road, the whole length, on Sunday 8th September 2024;
(g)(i) Claverdale Road, between Elm Park and Upper Tulse Hill; (ii) Durban Road, between the party wall of Nos. 34/36 Durban Road and the party wall of Nos. 60/62 Durban Road; (iii) Greenhurst Road, between Cheviot Road and its junction with Lamberhurst Road and Truslove Road ; (iv) Haverhill Road, between Burnbury Road and Cambray Road; (v) Kay Road, the north-western arm, the whole length; (vi) Lewin Road, between Estreham Road and the common boundary of Nos. 23 and 25 Lewin Road; (vii) Pyrmont Grove, the whole length; (viii)Thurlby Road, the north-east arm, between the common boundary of Nos. 43 and 45 Thurlby Road and the party wall of Nos. 12 and 14 Thurlby Road, on Saturday 14th September 2024;
(h)(i) Arodene Road, between the north-western boundary of No. 7 Arodene Road and the common boundary of Nos. 39 and 41 Arodene Road;
(ii) Eastmearn Road, between Dalmore Road and Rosendale Road; (iii) Hexham Road, the whole length; (iv) Sunset Road, between Ferndene Road and the common boundary of Nos. 2 and 2b Sunset Road, on Sunday 15th September 2024;
(i) (i) Deepdene Road, the whole length;
(ii) Thurlow Hill, between Birkbeck Hill and Lovelace Road, on Saturday 21st September 2024.
2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles will be available via adjacent roads as directed by traffic signs.
3. The bans will only apply on the above dates at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs and barriers in the roads concerned.
Dated 9th August 2024 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14 TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS BAYLIS ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable works involving the operation of a crane to be carried out safely, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth have made an Order the effect of which will be to:-
(a) temporarily ban vehicles from entering the southbound section of carriageway in that length of Baylis Road which lies between Westminster Bridge Road and Murphy Street; (b) suspend the segregated southbound cycle lane in that length of Baylis Road which lies between Westminster Bridge Road and Murphy Street; (c) impose a one-way system in that length of Baylis Road which lies between Westminster Bridge Road and Murphy Street, from south-west to north-east (towards Murphy Street).
2. The road closure, cycle lane suspension and one-way system will only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
3. Alternative routes for affected vehicles will be available via (i) Waterloo Road, York Road and Westminster Bridge Road; and (ii) Waterloo Road, St George’s Circus, London Road, Garden Row, St George’s Road and Westminster Bridge Road.
4. The Order will come into force on 19th August 2024 and will continue for a maximum duration of 1 month or until the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the Order will only have effect between 8 pm and 6 am daily from 19th August until 23rd August 2024 inclusive, but if the works cannot be carried out or be completed during that time then the Order may have effect on a subsequent day or days within the maximum duration of 1 month.
Dated 9th August 2024 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14 TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS – KENNINGTON OVAL
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable Thames Water to carry out sewer repair and maintenance works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth, with the agreement of Transport for London have made an Order the effect of which will be to temporarily ban vehicles from entering that length of Kennington Oval which lies between Bowling Green Street and Harleyford Street.
2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles will be available via (i) Clayton Street, Kennington Road, Kennington Park Road and Harleyford Street and vice versa; and (ii) Kennington Oval and Harleyford Street and vice versa.
3. Whenever the restrictions referred to in paragraph 1 above apply and the diversion routes referred to in paragraph 2 above apply the Kennington Oval Healthy Neighbourhood Route Order will be suspended in so far as that order imposes restrictions in Clayton Street and Kennington Oval.
4. Whenever the restrictions referred to in paragraph 1 above apply that length of the northbound and southbound bus lanes in Harleyford Street which lie between Kennington Park Road and Kennington Oval will be suspended.
5. The ban and suspensions will only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing and covering of the appropriate traffic signs.
6. The Order will come into force on 18th August 2024 and will continue for a maximum duration of 1 month (to allow for contingencies) or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier. In practice, it is anticipated that the Order will only have effect between 9 pm on 18th August 2024 and 5 am on 19th August 2024, but if the works cannot be carried out or completed during that time then the Order may also have effect on subsequent dates and times within the maximum period of 1 month. Dated 9th August 2024 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC AND PARKING RESTRICTIONS – CONCANON ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable Thames Water to carry out new water main connection works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order the effect of which would be to temporarily ban vehicles from entering that length of Concanon Road which lies between Acre Lane and No. 2 Concanon Road.
2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles and pedestrians would be available via Acre Lane, Ballater Road, Raeburn Street and Concanon Road, and vice-versa.
3. The ban would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
4. The Order would come into force on 27th August 2024 and continue in force for a maximum duration of 1 month (to allow for contingencies) or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works would take place between 27th August and 2nd September 2024, but if the works cannot be carried out or completed during that time then the Order may have effect at subsequent times within the maximum period of 1 month. Dated 9th August 2024 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
To place a public notice, please email em@cm-media.co.uk Deadline is 3pm Wednesday
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS BELVEDERE ROAD, CONCERT HALL APPROACH AND UPPER GROUND
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable Public Realm improvement works to be carried out, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth, subject to the agreement with Transport for London, intend to make an Order the effect of which would be at certain times to temporarily:-
(a) ban vehicles from entering:-
(i) that length of Belvedere Road, which lies between Chicheley Street and its junction with Upper Ground; (ii) Concert Hall Approach, the whole length; (iii) the south-eastbound slip road between Upper Ground and Waterloo Road (known as the up ramp), the whole length; (iv) the north-westbound slip road between Belvedere Road and Waterloo Road (known as the down ramp), the whole length; and (v) that length of Upper Ground, which lies between its junction with Belvedere Road and the boundary of The London Borough of Southwark (adjacent to the western kerb-line of the north to south arm of Barge House Street);
(b) impose a maximum speed limit of 10 miles per hour for vehicles in:-
(i) Belvedere Road, between Chicheley Street and Upper Ground;
(ii) Concert Hall Approach, the whole length;
(iii) Upper Ground, between Belvedere Road and its boundary with the London Borough of Southwark;
(c) ban vehicles exiting the slip road on the south-west side of the railway bridge and the entrance to the Southbank Centre (Royal Festival Hall) from turning left into Belvedere Road;
(d) ban vehicles exiting the slip road on the south-west side of the Hayward Gallery and the north-easternmost side of the Southbank Centre (Royal Festival Hall) from turning right into Belvedere Road; (e) ban vehicles proceeding down the slip road linking Waterloo Road and Belvedere Road (the down ramp) from turning left nto Belvedere Road;
(f) ban vehicles exiting the vehicular entrance to the Whitehouse Apartments from turning left into Belvedere Road; (g) ban vehicles (except cyclists) from entering Belvedere Road at its junction with the slip road linking Waterloo Road and Belvedere Road (the down ramp); and (h) suspend the existing one-way system in Concert Hall Approach from north-west to south-east (towards Waterloo Road) at certain times to allow traffic to proceed in a south-east to north-west direction (towards Belvedere Road).
2. Whilst the works are being carried out temporary crossing points would be provided in Belvedere Road at: (i) the Hungerford Bridge and (ii) outside Hayward Gallery.
3. Alternative routes for affected vehicles would be provided via adjacent roads as directed by traffic signs.
4. The bans, suspension and speed limit would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
5. The Order would come into force on 27th August 2024 and would continue for a maximum duration of 18 months (to allow for contingencies) or until the works have been completed whichever is the earlier.
6. The Lambeth (Temporary Traffic Restrictions) (Southbank Spine Route) Order 2023 made on 16th June 2023, would be revoked. Dated 9th August 2024 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY PARKING, STOPPING, WAITING AND LOADING RESTRICTIONS GIPSY ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable telecommunication works to be carried out, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an order the effect of which would be to temporarily ban any vehicle from waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading and unloading a vehicle) at any time, in that length of Gipsy Road (both sides) which lies between No. 137 Gipsy Road and No. 180 Gipsy Road.
2. The ban on parking, stopping, waiting and loading would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
3. The Order would come into force on 29th August 2024 and would continue for a maximum duration of 1 month (to allow for contingencies) or until the works have been completed whichever is the earlier. In practice it is anticipated that the Order would have effect on 29th August 2024 between 9.30 am and 3.30 pm, but if the works cannot be completed or carried out during that time the Order would also have effect at subsequent dates and times within the maximum period of 1 month.
Dated 9th August 2024 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable new gas main connection works to be carried out, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an order the effect of which would be to temporarily ban vehicles from entering, parking or waiting (including waiting for the purpose of loading and unloading a vehicle) in that length of Norwood Park Road which lies between No. 14 Norwood Park Road and No. 20 Norwood Park Road.
2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles would be available via Elder Road, Eylewood Road and Benton’s Rise and vice-versa.
3. The bans would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
4. The order would come into force on 27th August 2024 and would continue for a maximum duration of 1 month (to allow for contingencies) or until the works have been completed whichever is the earlier. In practice it is anticipated that the order would only have effect between 27th August and 3rd September 2024, but if the works cannot be completed or carried out during that time, the order would also have effect on subsequent dates.
Dated 9th August 2024 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14 TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE – ALASKA STREET
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable bridge inspection works to a railway bridge to be carried out safely, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order the effect of which would be to temporarily ban vehicles from entering that length of Alaska Street which lies between Waterloo Road and a point 29.4 metres south-west of Cornwall Road.
2. Alternative routes for vehicles affected by the closure would be available via Waterloo Road, Exton Street and Cornwall Road and vice versa.
3. The ban would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
4. The Order would come into force on 22nd August 2024 and would continue for a maximum duration of 1 month (to allow for contingencies) or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the order would only have effect on the 22nd August and 23rd August 2024, between 11 pm and 6 am but if the works cannot be carried out or completed during that time, the Order may have effect on subsequent dates within the maximum period of 1 month.
Dated 9th August 2024 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14 TEMPORARY TRAFFIC AND PARKING RESTRICTIONS NORWOOD PARK ROAD
Notice of application to vary a Premises Licence.
Notice is hereby given that Blue Orchid International UK Limited has applied to Wandsworth Council to vary the premises licence at Pelican London Hotel and Residence, 203 Blackshaw Road,Tooting,London SW17 0BZ as follows : extension of Alcohol sale hours from 1900 hrs to 00.00 hours (Sun -Thursday) and from 1900 hours to 02.00 hours (Friday-Sat) and 24 hours refreshments.
Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 02.09.2024 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden,Surrey,SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk
The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden,Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk
It is an offence, under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in or in connection with an application, punishable upon conviction by an unlimited fine.
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH WEST DULWICH TRIAL STREET IMPROVEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS AND INTRODUCTION OF “AT ANY TIME” WAITING RESTRICTIONS
(DOUBLE YELLOW LINES) IN ARDLUI ROAD, CARSON ROAD, CHATSWORTH WAY, DALTON ROAD, EASTMEAN ROAD AND TULSEMERE ROAD
[NOTE: This Notice is about banning motor vehicles from using various roads in the West Dulwich Area as through roads and the introduction of double yellow line waiting restrictions. These measures will all be introduced as an experiment in the first instance. Objections to this being continued on a permanent basis may be made, as well as any other comments – see paragraph 7].
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth on 6 August 2024 made The Lambeth (Free Parking Places, Loading Places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping Restrictions) (No.03) Experimental Traffic Order 2024 and The Lambeth (Moving Traffic Restrictions) (Amendment No. 03) Experimental Order 2024 under section 9 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
2. The general effect of the Orders, which will come into force on 19 August 2024, will be to introduce experimentally: -
(1) the suspension of existing two-way working replaced with a northbound one-way working and a southbound contra-flow cycle exemption in Dalton Street for its entire length.
(2) a ban on motor vehicles with exemptions for pedal cycles, emergency vehicles, and vehicles with a valid dispensation via the use of CCTV enforcement in:
(a) Ardlui Road, at a point opposite the southern kerb-line of Towton Road in both directions.
(b) Carson Road, southbound, at the junction with Thurlow Park Road.
(c) Chatsworth Way, at a point 2 metres north-east of the common boundary of Nos 15 and 17 Chatsworth Way in both directions.
(d) Eastmearn Road, between the western kerb-line of Rosendale Road and a point 22.8 metres west of the western kerb-line of Rosendale Road in both directions.
(e) Tulsemere Road, at a point opposite the northern property boundary of No. 70 Tulsemere Road in both directions.
(3) a banned right turn for all vehicles except cycles on: -
(a) Carson Road turning into Thurlow Park Road.
(b) Dalton Street turning into Lancaster Avenue.
(4) Introduce a no entry except for cycles into Dalton Street at the junction of Lancaster Avenue.
(5) A road closure on the north-west to south-east slip road of Chatsworth Way at the Junction with Idmiston Road adjacent to the Chatsworth Baptist Church.
(a) new no waiting at any time restrictions at various locations in, Ardlui Road, (b) Chatsworth Way, (c) Chestnut Road, (d) Dalton Street, (e) Eastmearn Road, (f) Park Hall Road, (g) Robson Road, (h) Towton Road, and (i) Tulsemere Road.
3. The Orders are intended to restrict, and thereby reduce, through motor traffic in the West Dulwich Low Traffic Area, to improve air quality, increase road safety for all road users and improve the amenity of the area, whilst retaining vehicular access for residents and local businesses. The Orders are being introduced as an experiment in the first instance so their effect on the roads concerned and those in the surrounding area can be assessed before a decision is made about whether to continue them permanently.
4. Where it appears essential for certain purposes, the Council’s Assistant Director of Infrastructure, Environment, Public Realm & Climate Change Delivery, or any person authorised by him, may modify, or suspend any of the Orders or any of their provisions under section 10(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
5. A copy of each of the Orders and other documents giving detailed particulars about them are available for inspection online at: https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or www.lambeth.gov.uk/traffic-management-orders and at the offices of Lambeth Council’s Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), 3rd Floor, Civic Centre, 6 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1EG, between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm on Mondays to Fridays inclusive (except on bank/public holidays), until the Orders cease to have effect. To arrange an inspection please email: Trafficorders@lambeth.gov.uk
6. The Council will consider in due course whether the provisions of the experimental Orders should be continued in force indefinitely by means of permanent Orders made under sections 6, 45 and 46 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Any person may object to the making of the permanent Orders, within a period of six months beginning with the date on which the experimental Orders come into force or, if any of the experimental Orders are varied by another Order or modified pursuant to section 10(2) of the 1984 Act, beginning with the date on which the variation or modification or the latest variation or modification comes into force. Any such objection or any representation must be made in writing and all objections must specify the grounds on which they are made, using our consultation portal at https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or sent by post to Barbara Poulter, Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), London Borough of Lambeth, PO Box 80771, London, SW2 9QQ or by email to: TMOReps@lambeth.gov.uk Any objection or representation received may be communicated to, or be seen by, other persons who may have an interest in this matter.
7. If any person wishes to question the validity of the Orders or of any of their provisions on the grounds that it or they are not within the powers conferred by the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, or that any requirement of that Act or of any instrument made under that Act has not been complied with, that person may, within 6 weeks from the date on which the Orders are made, apply for the purpose to the High Court.
Dated 6 August 2024
Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
PROPOSED INTRODUCTION OF A HEALTHY ROUTE CYCLEWAY IN ROSENDALE ROAD
[NOTE: This Notice is about proposals to implement a segregated cycle route along the east side of Rosendale Road, between the junctions of Thurlow Park Road and Park Hall Road. The measures will involve adjustments to the geometry of carriageway and footways, junction realignment and the removal of the roundabout at the junction of Rosendale Road and Park Hall Road and realignment of the junction. Objections or other comments may be made – see paragraph 6].
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth, with agreement of Transport for London proposes to make The Lambeth (Moving Traffic) (Amendment No. **) Order 202* under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended).
2. The general effect of the Orders would be to introduce a segregated cycle track on: -
(1) the carriageway on the east side of Rosendale Road from a point 40 metres south of the southern kerb-line of Thurlow Park Road and a point 25 metres south of the southern kerb-line of Park Hall Road.
(2) Within the footway on the north and south sides of Park Hall Road from outside No. 35 Park Hall Road to the eastern kerb-line of Rosendale Road.
(3) Continuous cycleway crossing on Rosendale Road at the junction of (a) Carson Road (the north arm), (b) Carson Road (the south arm), (c) Elmworth Grove.
(4) Parallel cycleway crossing (combined with a zebra crossing) on (a) Rosendale Road north of the junction of Eastmearn Road, (b) Rosendale Road north of the junction of Park Hall Road, (c) Rosendale Road south of the junction of Park Hall Road, (d) Park Hall Road east of the junction with Rosendale Road.
3. Any trial schemes enacted through ongoing experimental traffic orders will continue to progress through to the appropriate evaluation and completion of each scheme.
4.The Orders are necessary to implement phase 3 of the Brockwell Park to Gipsy Hill Heathy Route. If you have any enquiries, please email: healthyroutes@lambeth.gov.uk
5. A copy of each of the Orders and other documents giving detailed particulars about them are available for inspection online at: https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or www.lambeth.gov.uk/traffic-management-orders and at the offices of Lambeth Council’s Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), 3rd Floor, Civic Centre, 6 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1EG, between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm on Mondays to Fridays inclusive (except on bank/public holidays), until the Orders cease to have effect. To arrange an inspection please email: Trafficorders@lambeth.gov.uk
6. All objections and other representations relating to the proposed Orders must be made in writing by 20 September 2024 and all objections must specify the grounds on which they are made (quoting reference West Dulwich healthy routes), and can be made using our consultation portal at https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or sent by post to Barbara Poulter, at Lambeth Council Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), PO Box 80771, London SW2 9QQ. Any objection may be communicated to, or be seen by, other persons who may have an interest in this matter.
Dated 9 August 2024 Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH PROPOSED INTRODUCTION OF THE WEST DULWICH CPZ (ZONE WD)
[NOTE: This Notice is about proposals to implement a new controlled parking zone (CPZ) in West Dulwich (WD) operating Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm including introducing (a)
charging bays,
bays, and cycle hangars, (c) Monday to Saturday between 7am and 7pm loading bays, and free shopper bays and (d) making changes to existing restrictions. Objections or other comments may be made – see paragraph 7].
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth,
Road.
3. Any trial schemes enacted through ongoing experimental traffic orders will continue to progress through to the appropriate evaluation and completion of each scheme.
4. The Orders are necessary to introduce a new Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ).
5. If you have any enquiries, please email Lambeth Council’s Parking Design Team at cpzconsultation@lambeth.gov.uk
6. A copy of each of the Orders and other documents giving detailed particulars about them are available for inspection online at: https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or www.lambeth.gov.uk/traffic-management-orders and at the offices of Lambeth Council’s Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), 3rd Floor, Civic Centre, 6 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1EG, between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm on Mondays to Fridays inclusive (except on bank/public holidays), until the Orders cease to have effect. To arrange an inspection please email: Trafficorders@lambeth.gov.uk
7. All objections and other representations relating to the proposed Orders must be made in writing by 20 September 2024 and al objections must specify the grounds on which they are made (quoting reference West Dulwich CPZ), and can be made using our consultation portal at https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or sent by post to Barbara Poulter, at Lambeth Council Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), PO Box 80771, London SW2 9QQ. Any objection may be communicated to, or be seen by, other persons who may have an interest in this matter.
Dated 9 August 2024 Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
PROPOSED INTRODUCTION OF ROAD HUMPS (KNOWN AS “SPEED TABLES” OR “RAISED ENTRY TREATMENTS”) IN ROSENDALE ROAD AND PROPOSED ZEBRA PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS IN ROSENDALE ROAD AND PARK HALL ROAD
[NOTE: This Notice is about proposals to convert existing speed cushions to sinusoidal road humps and reconstruct existing speed tables in the roads specified in paragraph 1 of this Notice and new Zebra pedestrian crossings in paragraph 2 of this Notice. Objections or other comments may be made – see paragraph 6].
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth proposes, under section 90A and 90C of the Highways Act 1980 (as amended) and the Highways (Road Humps) Regulations 1999 (as amended) proposes to:(1) Convert speed cushions to sinusoidal humps in Rosendale Road between the common boundaries of (a) 71-73 and 73-75, (b) 119-121 and 121-123, (c) 131-133 and 133-135, (d) 147-149 and 149-151.
(2) Convert speed cushions to a speed table in Rosendale Road between (a) the northern kerb-line of Idmiston Road and the common boundaries of 97-99 Rosendale Road (the length of the road hump would be 10 metres, including the ramps on either side).
(3) Reconstruct the existing speed tables in Rosendale Road at the junction with Park Hall Road (the length of the road hump would be 15 metres, including the ramps on either side) including realignment of the existing footways.
NB - The sinusoidal road humps, also known as ‘speed humps’, would be elevated sections of carriageway, between 75 and 100 millimetres higher at their highest point than the surrounding carriageway, extending across the full width of the carriageway (less space for drainage and cycleway) and up to 3.7 metres in length. The proposed location for each speed hump is extended in case of any site constraints.
NB - The speed table would be an elevated section of the carriageway, between 75 and 100 millimetres higher than the surrounding carriageway, extending across the full width of the carriageway (including cycleway) so that the flat top of the speed table or raised entry treatment and the adjoining footways form a continuous surface.
2. NOTICE IS ALSO HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth proposes, under section 23 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended), to provide a new Zebra pedestrian crossing in (1) Rosendale Road, north of the junction of Eastmearn Road, the crossing includes a parallel cycleway, and both would be raised up on the road hump described in paragraph 1(1)(b) above, and zig-zag markings (on which vehicles would be banned from stopping at any time) would be placed on the carriageway either side of the crossing.
(2) Rosendale Road, north of the junction of Idmiston Road, the crossing would be raised up on the road hump described in paragraph 1(2)(a) above, and zig-zag markings (on which vehicles would be banned from stopping at any time) would be placed on the carriageway either side of the crossing.
(3) Rosendale Road, north of the junction of Park Hall Road, the crossing includes a parallel cycleway, and both would be raised up on the road hump described in paragraph 1(3)(a) above, and zig-zag markings (on which vehicles would be banned from stopping at any time) would be placed on the carriageway either side of the crossing.
(4) Rosendale Road, south of the junction of Park Hall Road, the crossing includes a parallel cycleway, and both would be raised up on the road hump described in paragraph 1(3)(b) above, and zig-zag markings (on which vehicles would be banned from stopping at any time) would be placed on the carriageway either side of the crossing.
(5) Park Hall Road, east of the junction with Rosendale Road, the crossing includes a parallel cycleway, and zig-zag markings (on which vehicles would be banned from stopping at any time) would be placed on the carriageway either side of the crossing.
3. The proposals are intended to improve safety by reducing traffic speeds and the potential for road accidents and provide better accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists who would benefit from the continuous surface and safer road crossing facilities.
4. If you have any enquiries about this matter, please email healthyroutes@lambeth.gov.uk
5. Maps showing the locations of the proposed road humps and Zebra pedestrian crossings are available for inspection online at: https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or www.lambeth.gov.uk/traffic-management-orders and at the offices of Lambeth Council’s Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), 3rd Floor, Civic Centre, 6 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1EG, between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm on Mondays to Fridays inclusive (except on bank/public holidays). To arrange an inspection please email: Trafficorders@lambeth.gov.uk.
6. All objections and other representations relating to the proposed road humps or Zebra pedestrian crossings must be made in writing by
20 September 2024 and all objections must specify the grounds on which they are made (quoting reference West Dulwich Healthy Routes) and should be sent to Barbara Poulter, Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), PO Box 80771, London SW2 9QQ. Any objection may be communicated to, or be seen by, other persons who may have an interest in this matter.
Dated 9 August 2024 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
By John Kelly
tributes haVe been pouring for graham thorpe, the former surrey and england batter who died at the age of 55 on Monday.
Thorpe played for Surrey for seventeen years from 1988 to 2005.
‘Thorpey’ played 100 tests and 82 One Day Internationals for England including the 1996 and 1999 World Cups.
The left-handed batter scored 6,744 Test runs, including sixteen centuries, at an average of 44.66.
Thorpe had been ill since 2022.
“There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death,” the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement.
“More than one of England’s finestever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world.
“His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a thirteen-year international career brought so much happiness to his team-mates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike.
“Later, as a coach, he guided the best England men’s talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.
“The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and all of his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time.
“We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport.”
On X, former England captain Michael Vaughan posted: “RIP Thorpey. Thanks for all the advice throughout my career, you were a great player and a brilliant teammate. You have gone far too young but you leave as an England cricket legend. Thoughts with all who knew Thorpey and to all the family xxx.”
Former England all-rounder Ronnie Irani posted: “Me, like many others who were fortunate to know Thorpey, will be heartbroken today. A genuine fun-loving friend who with Phil Tufnell on my first England Tour took me in as a buddy. We had incredible times together and my love will never fade away. Great batsman too.”
Thorpe moved into coaching after his playing career. He returned to Surrey in 2008 as a batting coach. He left after two years to join the ECB to
Graham Thorpe in action for Surrey against Lancashire in 2003
‘crickEt
in mourning’ aftEr dEath of formEr England battEr
‘thorpEy’ graham thorpe scored
work with England Lions and younger development squads.
Thorpe was also a coach for the England white ball teams.
Surrey released a statement on their website.
Oli Slipper, chair at the club, said: “Graham is one of the great sons of Surrey and there is an overwhelming sadness that he will not walk through
Curran heroics help Invincibles to bragging rights
By Sports Reporter
the OVaL invincibles made it three wins from four in the hundred this year with sam Curran’s all-round heroics at Lord’s proving the difference between two sides fighting it out for bragging rights in the capital. Curran smashed 51 from 22 balls, single-handedly dragging the Invincibles to a strong total on a tricky surface before decimating the Spirit’s hopes of chasing 147 in an astonishing five-wicket spell that included a hattrick.
On a Lord’s pitch offering a degree of lateral movement, Invincibles’ captain Sam Billings chose to bat first, and with the Spirit’s attack making good use of the bowler-friendly surface, the visitors struggled to 46-2 at the halfway stage.
Olly Stone bowled Will Jacks through the gate and Liam Dawson dismissed Jordan Cox, who was fresh off his callup to the England Men’s Test squad.
Dawid Malan and Billings then struck a few hefty blows before Malan was caught on the square-leg boundary off Matt Critchley for 38 from 29.
6,744
test runs
the gates of the Oval again. He is a legend of Surrey and brought great pride to the Club wearing both the Three Feathers and the Three Lions.
“He made outstanding contributions to the Club as a cricketer, and as a man, and he will be so sorely missed.”
Steve Elworthy, CEO of Surrey, added: “Everyone associated with the club is devastated by the tragic news
of Graham’s passing. He achieved remarkable feats for club and country and was a hero to so many cricket fans.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with Graham’s family and friends, to whom we will offer any support that we are able to. We ask that everyone respects the privacy of the family at this incredibly difficult time.”
Dulwich defeat Malden to set up top-of-the-table clash
By John Lewis
a fiNe all-round performance saw dulwich defeat Malden Wanderers by six wickets last weekend to move to the top of the aJ sports surrey Championship division 1. Dulwich put their opponents in to bat, but the early exchanges favoured the batting side. Harvey Booth frequently beat the bat without any luck as the Malden openers, led by Zac Elkin, put on 41 in 10.5 overs. Booth took the wicket of Dan Holland, who had faced 30 balls for
his 6, but Will Legg dominated a stand of 43 for the second wicket before Ahmed Khan dismissed him in his first over. He had made 29, off 29 balls, to take the score to 84 in the 18th over. Khan and Will Jenkins then imposed such restraint that only 33 runs came off the next 12 overs, with Jenkins taking two wickets in successive overs to see Malden go into lunch at 117-4 after 31 overs.
After the break Booth returned to the attack, but it was Khan who took the vital wicket of Elkin, caught behind by skipper Ollie Steele for 72, with the score on 128. His first 50 had come off 55 balls, but he had been so tied down that the next 22 had come off 52. With his dismissal the wheels came off. Wickets tumbled as two
more for Khan, off successive balls, and three for Booth saw the last six wickets fall for just ten runs in 5.4 overs. Malden had lost their last nine wickets for 54 runs to be all out for 138 after 39. Booth finished with 4-38 off twelve overs, Khan 4-29 off eleven, and Jenkins 2-28 off seven. The Dulwich innings got off to a shaky start as Ralph Day dismissed both openers in his first two overs. But he could make no further breakthrough as Rob Gibson, playing his first match for the club, and Apoorv Wankhade then added 50 in ten overs for the third wicket before Gibson’s fine debut innings ended on 39, off 41 balls, with the score on 61. This brought in Sam Seecharan, who proceeded to flay the attack to all parts. Wankhade was content to play
a supporting role until the target was in sight, when the two batsmen combined to take 46 runs off two overs by Malden’s only spinner.
The pair had added 73 in 8.4 overs when Wankhade was leg before for 44, having faced 49 balls. Jenkins hit two fours off his first two balls to take Dulwich to victory, leaving Seecharan unbeaten on 42, off 32 balls. The target had been reached in just 22 overs.
With Spencer suffering an unexpected defeat, Dulwich take their place at the top of the table.
Coincidentally the two sides meet this weekend, when the format reverts to fifty overs per side. Dulwich will be looking to avenge their defeat in the first match between the sides.
Billings struggled to get going and retired himself out in favour of the in-form Donovan Ferreira, but it was Curran who turned the tide, reaching a half century off 21 deliveries, including three successive sixes off Nathan Ellis. His innings propelled the Invincibles to a decent-looking 147-5.
In response, the Spirit made it through the powerplay unscathed, Keaton Jennings and Michael Pepper guiding them to 35-0.
But thereafter the Invincibles’ topnotch spin attack turned the screw, with both openers and Ollie Pope falling in quick succession; Jacks removing Jennings lbw, Adam Zampa having Pepper caught with the first ball of his spell, and Nathan Sowter crashing a leg break through Pope’s defences.
Dan Lawrence and Shimron Hetmyer dragged the Spirit back into it and with 56 needed from the final 30 balls, the game was on. But before they could up the ante, Zampa, who ended with figures of 3-22, dismissed both Hetmyer (20 from 21) and Lawrence (27 from 18).
Despite Andre Russell attempting to bludgeon the hosts home, Curran made the Invincibles win a certainty by taking only the third hat-trick in the history of the The Hundred men’s competition to clinch one of the tournament’s greatest individual performances.
“I’ve had a few battles with Russ over the years,” Curran said. “The hat-trick ball wasn’t on my mind, it was either going to be me or him, he was going to hit me for six or I was going to get a wicket. Thankfully he edged it but most importantly we got the win.
“It’s never over when players like Dan, Hetmyer and Russell are there, so when we got [Russell] out it was a big relief.”
The Invincibles were in action against Southern Brave Men on Wednesday (August 7).
Oval Invincibles 147-5 beat London Spirit 117 by 30 runs
By John Kelly
MOises CaiCedO is ready to be Chelsea’s “boss” on the pitch this season.
Caicedo, 22, admitted he lost confidence last season after joining from Brighton & Hove Albion for an initial £100million, which could rise to a British record £115million with add-ons.
Caicedo made 33 Premier League starts and scored his first Blues goal on the final day in a 2-1 win against AFC Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. Caicedo admitted he did feel the weight of expectation that comes with such a high fee.
"The beginning was tough for me because you are at a big club, the price,
you always have to win every game,"
Caicedo said on Chelsea’s tour of the United States.
"It was tough for me because when I was in Brighton, the pressure is less. At Chelsea it is different. I felt a lot of pressure because you know the club, the history, the players who were there.
"But after the last four or five months, I felt more comfortable at the club.”
Caicedo added: "Yes, [I lost] confidence. I have the quality and I know the player I am. But sometimes if you are not strong in your mind, it is difficult."
Caicedo paid tribute to Pochettino, who left the club this summer and was replaced by Leicester City head coach Enzo Maresca.
"A lot of people around me helped me, Mauricio and his staff. They were with me when I felt like I was not the same Moises," Caicedo said.
"[I asked them], ‘please help me because I want to show my quality, my football.' They were with me. I have a person outside of the club who helped me a lot to get the pressure out of my mind.
"A guy I speak to regularly told me, 'Moises, you are a good player, you can do whatever you want on the pitch with responsibility. Just trust in yourself. If Chelsea paid that [transfer fee] for you, it’s because you are a very good player.'"
Maresca has shown so far in preseason that his side will play high-risk football, playing out from the back.
‘i
want to bE boss’
£100million midfielder admitted fee was a burden
Caicedo is excited about working with his new boss.
Caicedo said: ”He plays like the same system that I played in Brighton. He wants the same.
"He wants me to show my quality, to have good personality, to show to my team-mates that I am the boss on the pitch."
Liverpool had agreed a higher fee with Brighton, £111million, before the Blues pounced.
"Chelsea was with me for a couple of months,” Caicedo explained. “I could not miss out on them. Because they were with me in tough moments when Brighton didn’t want to let me go.
"It was a difficult decision but, for sure, 100 per cent, I knew I wanted to go to Chelsea."
Maresca, meanwhile, is a big fan of his Ecuador international Midfielder. Caicedo started in Chelsea’s 4-2 defeated to Manchester City in Ohio last weekend.
Maresca said: ”I love Moi. I know Moi already for many years. Last year was a bit complicated for different reasons. Before the City game, he had just one session and a half. He worked for us with half a session and then the day before the game. Then we give him 45 minutes against City.
"The idea is to build a bit of physical condition. We tried to prioritise this kind of thing. We need Moi to be fit for the first game of the league against City. We need him when the official games are here. We think about this kind of thing."
Marti not worried about friendly fire ahead of opener
By John Kelly
Marti CifueNtes said results in pre-season would have no bearing this weekend when queens Park rangers kick off their Championship campaign against West bromwich albion at Loftus road.
The R’s lost 1-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion at home last weekend, their third defeat in a row after losses to Tottenham Hotspur and Reading.
Danny Welbeck scored the only goal from the penalty spot for Fabian Hürzeler side in the 53rd minute after
Jack Colback had fouled Yankuba Minteh.
"It was obviously a difficult game against a Premier League team who have a lot of quality,” Cifuentes said.
"But, at the same time, I was pleased with the effort and pleased with the positives that we can take from the game.
"It was a challenging first half, but in the second half we were able to escape the pressure Brighton put us under a little more.
"I value the braveness of our players to try to play out from the back. Sometimes we need to go a little more direct against
teams that are pressing so much.
"But overall, it was a good performance and we've only lost to a penalty. Brighton created chances but we got in some situations where we could have been better in the final third, too.
"We've played two Premier League teams and I didn't expect the results to be perfect.
"I will not be affected by the results in pre-season. The first game of the season is always different to pre-season - even if you've won six games.
"I actually haven't usually had good results in pre-season in my career because I don't chase results - I try to
improve the team.”
Summer signing Žan Celar started his first game in pre-season, but Ilias Chair, Lyndon Dykes and Morgan Fox were all absent through injury.
The Baggies finished fifth last season before losing to eventual winners Southampton in the play-off semi-finals.
Cifuentes added: ”We're all looking forward to putting in a good performance, I'm sure we will be competitive whoever starts the game, whoever is going to be available.
"I'm sure we're going to be competitive against a strong West Brom side. We're going to be ready.
"The main focus now is as it has been for the last five weeks - to get to our best level for the first game.
"With a week to go [between the games], perhaps the players have a clearer picture about what we need to do and what we have been working on. Now it's about the small details and our game-plan for West Brom.
"We are going to try to be more dominant, more aggressive on the press and try to regain the ball quicker.
"Hopefully we can create more chances than ever."
The match kicks off at Loftus Road at 12.30pm on Saturday.
Moises Caicedo, centre, celebrates his goal against AFC Bournemouth last season
By Paul Green
ryaN LeONard knows maintaining Millwall’s improved record at the den under Neil harris will be vital this season.
The Lions went undefeated on their own patch once Harris returned for a second spell in charge last spring, a notable upturn in fortunes in SE16 which began with a victory over this weekend’s opening day opponents Watford sealed by Zian Flemming’s early strike.
Harris successfully guided Millwall to mid-table security with something to spare in the end and the Lions will be looking to put the Hornets to the sword once again, with Leonard having fond memories of the last time the two sides met in early March.
He said: “We won 1-0. I remember the atmosphere going into the game was rocking that day with Neil coming back again after getting the job. We want to do that again this season.
“The first day at The Den is a feeling that I remember fondly from being here for a
number of years. It is always a day to enjoy.
“It will probably be 100 degrees on the day but we will go out there, give everything and try to get the three points.
“We enjoy playing at home. Back at the end of last season we had a really good record at home especially.
“That is something we need to continue.
“We know it is going to be a packed out Den on Saturday so we need to go into the game, put our best foot forward and give our best performance for the fans.”
Leonard is one of several current players still on the books who played under Harris before and has no doubts the decision by the gaffer to return was the right one.
He explained: “I think he has brought the club together on the pitch and off it in the stands.
“That is one of his real strengths, the way he can get everyone together.
“He has got a lot of charisma, he is a big character and he understands the football club more than anyone else.
“I think he has really driven that into those of us who were here before under
homE swEEt homE
Coops wants Lions to fly out of traps
By Kiro Evans
JaKe COOPer has stressed the importance of a positive start with the Lions facing three games in the opening week.
Watford are first up this Saturday at The Den before Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie at Portsmouth is followed by a Championship clash at Bristol City the following weekend.
Cooper will be at the heart of the central defence in what promises to be a full on seven days, with his regular partner Japhet Tanganga ruled out through suspension for all three matches.
That inconvenience will not trouble 6ft6in Cooper in the slightest, who is raring to go and do it all again in what will be his ninth season at the club.
Leonard determined to maintain den as a fortress
him and the new players as well.”
Leonard added: “We pride ourselves on that togetherness. It has been a tough 12 months for the football club.
“As players and as a club, we are driven by our togetherness. That is what takes us forward and long may it continue.”
The 32-year-old brings a wealth of experience and versatility to the first team and could potentially be a central defensive option for Harris this weekend with summer signing Japhet Tanganga suspended.
Leonard is happy to step in wherever required and admits he is at the stage of his career now where he doesn’t set any personal goals, instead just preferring to concentrate on getting even better.
He said: “I probably would not have any targets as an individual. I don’t tend to set myself targets anymore,
“I just want to go out there and try to perform to my best and improve on last year. That’s all I can do as a player myself.
“As a football club, we want to improve on what we did last season.
“I think we need to have a good start to the season.
“It’s not paramount we do that but obviously we are going to go out there in those first five or six games and put our best foot forward and do the best we can.
“We want to improve on last year wherever that takes us.
“Obviously we will soon see but improving as a club and as a team on the pitch is our main priority.”
Leonard added: “Pre-season has been good but I’m glad it is over! This week in training will be very much like any other week during the season now.
“The last friendly was against Southampton so it is now a case of looking forward to and focusing on Watford and getting the season going. I think everyone is excited about that.
“Obviously it is good to do pre-season and tick the boxes off, but now the real games start.
“Having that competitive football once again is where everyone wants to be playing.”
“I’m just really excited for it to begin now,” he said.
“The first thing we want to do is have a good start.
“We look at that first week with Watford at home, Portsmouth in the cup and then Bristol City.
“Obviously the Watford game is the most important to begin with because we want to have a great start to the campaign and then kick on from there as much as we can.”
This weekend’s encounter with the Hornets promises to be an intriguing one after both sides ended the previous campaign in fine form, something Cooper is determined Millwall can continue in front of their own supporters.
He said: “Watford are a strong side. They finished the season reasonably strongly and we know what to expect.
“Watford will look to dominate possession and hopefully we can press them harder and play with a high intensity.
“The crowd will be in our favour so we need to make the most of that and I’m sure it will be a good game.
“Neil is really big on the way we perform at The Den especially.
“I think it was five wins out of six under Neil there. We are just excited as a group to be able to play there again with it full up with the fans.”
Addicks get Pomped up ahead of league opener
By Paul Green
NathaN JONes feels Charlton athletic are in a “good place” ahead of the start of their League One season this weekend.
The Addicks ended their pre-season campaign with an impressive 2-0 win against Portsmouth, who won the League One title in 2023-24.
Jones was pleased with how the Addicks responded to their 2-0 defeat at AFC Wimbledon the previous weekend.
“I’m pleased. Last week we weren’t really at it but we’re a lot further along now. One week to go, I think we’re in a decent enough place. You saw what we had and how we played,” Jones said after the deserved win secured through
goals in either half from Tyreece Campbell and Gassan Ahadme in front of a 3,909 attendance at The Valley, 837 of them Pompey fans.
“We’ve still got Miles [Leaburn] and [Matty] Godden to come in, so yeah I think we’re in a good place and you’ve got to be pleased.
“It was a good test, it’s how we wanted it. Portsmouth were in our league last year and now they’re a Championship side, so we would like to emulate them in terms of results and where they finished. I’m very pleased with that overall performance. Plus no injuries so that’s a good thing.”
Jones added: “We just have to be consistent. We want to do the basics right, we want to make sure that we are
a certain team, we play aggressive. It was a different type of game in terms of it was a high-quality game. Wimbledon was a bit more of a scrap. We’ve got to learn to be able to do both.
“[Portsmouth] probably had half a chance late on, and that was it, really. We restricted them to shots from range. We had some real, real good opportunities. It could have been more, and that’s the only thing. But I’m pleased with the clean sheet.”
Summer signing Godden missed the game after a head injury he suffered against the Dons.
Jones provided an update ahead of the game away to Wigan Athletic.
“It’s just protocols and everything that we have to do,” Jones said. “But look,
we’ve got good competition and a level here that we want to make sure we can continue to do.
“Matty will be back with us on Monday, and Miles is not far off, which is another wonderful thing.
“Sometimes you can be a bit disrupted [in pre-season]. But [on Saturday] it was a little bit more like a real game. We made probably more changes than we wanted to but I felt that the level they were at, it was good. We had an opportunity to get everyone up to speed.
“By the coming Thursday when we do our game prep and everything, I think we’ll be ready for the challenge ahead.”
The game against the Latics kicks off at 5.30pm this Saturday.
The ever reliable Ryan Leonard
Nathan Jones
SouthLondonWeekly.
INSIDE
‘CRICKET IN MOURNING’ AFTER DEATH OF THORPEY
guEhi, thE lads
Magpies swoop for £60m rated
Eagles defender
By Kiro Evans
NeWCastLe uNited are close to a £60million swoop for Marc guehi.
Guehi, 24, was set to be the latest star to leave the Eagles this week.
Palace have already lost
Micheal Olise to Bayern Munich for £60million and Eberechi Eze has a similar release fee.
Guehi was one of the best defenders at Euro 2024 and Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has identified him as a defensive target this summer.
gallagher set for La Liga move
By John Kelly
CheLsea MidfieLder Conor gallagher is set to join athletico Madrid in a deal worth over £30million.
Gallagher, 24, has a year left on his Blues deal and no agreement has been struck on a new contract.
There has been intense speculation over Gallagher’s future over the past three transfer windows, with interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.
But several reports say England international Gallagher has decided to join the La Liga side.
dons boss wants more
By John Kelly
JOhNNie JaCKsON wants more Wimbledon signings before the start of the season.
Jackson has been reminded of his squad’s shortcomings after successive defeats against National League opposition, 2-1 against Maidenhead and 2-0 loss against Barnet.
Wimbledon host Colchester on Saturday.
“We know what we want, we know who we want, so it’s just about trying to get that wrapped up,” Jackson said. “Hopefully we can get some things done this week, if not then before the window shuts.
“There are a couple of positions where we need reinforcements. Whether that will happen before next Saturday - I don’t know, but we’ve got some targets that we’re pursuing.”
Jackson added: “Our quality was off when we had opportunities to get people in on goal. The execution of the pass, or the cross wasn’t up to scratch. We had two gilt-edge chances where we should have put the ball in the net and we didn’t do that. We’ll go away and work on that, as we strive to improve.
“It was an unnecessary foul to give away in the danger area that led to their second, then we needed to defend our box better. It’s been a characteristic of ours that we’ve been decent in those sorts of situations and not conceded many goals, so that’s not something we want creeping in.
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