croydon centre to get new shops this year
the hotel where guests brush shoulders with court goers
'illegal market'
Residents upset with makeshift stalls in their square
£22m spent on stopping fare dodging - but only £1.3m collected in fines
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£22million crackdown on fare dodging on buses and tubes last year – but only
£1.3m
collected
in fines
By Noah Vickers Local Democracy Reporter
TransporT for London (TfL) spent almost £22million cracking down on fare dodging across the Tube and bus network over the last year – but only collected £1.3million in penalty charges as a result of that enforcement.
The financial data comes after separate figures revealed that fare evasion across all of TfL’s services fell slightly from an estimated 3.9 per cent of journeys in 2022/23, to 3.8 per cent in 2023/24 –despite total journeys rising by 300million.
Responding to a Freedom of Information request on the topic, TfL said that the harm caused by fare evaders “is much greater than simply the missed cost of a ticket” as the culprits can often be “intimidating or abusive to our colleagues and to our customers”.
The organisation disclosed that between April 2023 and March 2024, it spent £14.2million on a revenue enforcement
team on the Underground and a further £7.7million enforcing fares on the capital’s buses.
TfL said it did not know how much had been spent on the London Overground, Tram network or on the Elizabeth line, as those services are operated by franchisees who outsource their enforcement teams.
On the Tube network, penalty fares totalling £638,520 were issued over that same period, with a further £707,272 worth of fines issued on the bus network.
Despite being run by franchisees, TfL said it was also aware that £560,944 of penalty fares had been charged on the Overground, and £756,534 on the Elizabeth line. In a slightly different period spanning June 2023 to June 2024, TfL said that £32,328 of penalty fares were issued on the Tram network.
The transport authority said: “We take fare evasion extremely seriously and our team of revenue inspectors provide a vital deterrent that influences the rate of fare evasion.
“Revenue inspectors operate across
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our network day and night, using new technology and intelligence to identify anyone travelling without a ticket. We take action against thousands of fare evaders every year.
“Fare evasion takes away vital revenue from us to reinvest in our transport network to keep London moving.”
TfL added: “We have a multi-pronged strategy in place to reduce the risk of fare evasion and have set a target to bring the level of fare evasion below 1.5 per cent.”
The penalty charge for fare evasion is £100, though this is reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days. According to TfL’s policies, the penalty is issued under circumstances “where the offender is considered not to have deliberately set out to avoid the fare”.
Someone suspected of deliberate fare evasion “risks prosecution which may result in criminal conviction, a fine of up to £1,000 and in some cases imprisonment”.
In a report last month, TfL commissioner Andy Lord said staff were “launching a new fare evasion poster on the network”,
drawing upon research involving “focus groups of accidental, calculated and chronic groups of fare evaders, which has provided further insight to inform our long-term approach to behaviour change”.
He added: “In the last financial year, our investigations identified 414 individuals who habitually avoided paying for all or part of their journeys, adding up to more than £363,000 of avoided fares.
“One case identified an individual who had failed to correctly validate their contactless payment card 193 times, totalling over £1,200 of unpaid fares. The individual attended court in April and pleaded guilty to all charges.
“We also identified another individual who was avoiding fares by using a bank card that had insufficient funds. Analysis of the card’s usage showed a failure to validate on every journey made in over a year.
“We used CCTV footage to help find the offender. The individual attended court and pleaded guilty to all offences and was ordered to pay £1,796 to us.”
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A Tube roundel
charity shop beneath ‘stolen’
banksy artwork says it’s a ‘shame’ and wants it returned
By Herbie Russell
a ChariTy shop manager who watched Banksy’s artwork being ‘stolen’ from above her peckham shop has said it’s “a shame”.
Alexandria O’Neill, manager at Chartwell Cancer Trust, said the store gets less footfall than others on Rye Lane and would like to see the piece returned.
“Had it been here now we would have got so many people coming to see it,” she said, adding: “It’s a shame in that sense.”
Last Thursday, the artist posted a photo on Instagram of a howling wolf on a satellite dish atop a derelict building next to the charity shop.
But videos posted to social media appear to show a group of men making off with the piece just 45 minutes later.
The Metropolitan Police said it had been called to reports of a “stolen satellite dish containing artwork” but no arrests had been made.
Ms O’Neill remains optimistic that the debacle will help business. “It’s a lot quieter at this end [of Rye Lane] so I’m
hoping it will pick things up,” she said.
She said the satellite dish was not there before so must have also been placed there by the guerilla artist.
It was fifth Banksy artwork to appear in London in as many days with others spotted in Walthamstow, Chelsea, Shoreditch and Kew. The artists is still producing more across the capital.
Ms O’Neill continued: “I saw a lot of commotion outside. I didn’t go out at first because I didn’t want to go in the middle of it and somebody said it looks like they’re stealing some art. Once it cleared and they ran away I asked what was going on.
“I was like what the hell! I said
imagine if it’s a Banksy as a joke! Then it really was! I saw it happening but I didn’t know what was happening!”
“We’ve had so many people say it’s a setup, the stealing of it… There was paparazzi already there who claimed they were anticipating it.”
Asked if she would like to see it returned, she said: “Oh yeah absolutely. Why not?”
This is not the first time a Banksy artwork has gone missing immediately in Peckham.
On Friday, December 22 last year, a Banksy artwork was taken from a lampost on Southampton Way moments after being unveiled.
Pig reported ‘missing’ in East Dulwich
EXCLUSIVE
By Isabel Ramirez
posTErs aroUnD East Dulwich have got residents talking including one advertising a missing pig.
The flyers, located on the notice board between Oglander and Grove Vale, appear to be the work of a resident who goes by the dubious name of ‘Emma Royds.’
One announcing a pig named Tiddlewinks who had gone ‘missing’ from its home in Lordship Lane read:
“I am 120kg, very friendly but don’t like being approached from behind.
“If you find me don’t wiggle your fingers in front of my mouth.”
After this paper contacted the email on the flyer it seems their purpose is simply to ‘spread a smile on the morning commute.’
Other flyers advertise the services of a ‘Trainee Lightbulb Changer’ with 12 years of experience, as well as one that reads ‘sleeves for sale.’
Royds ominously commented:
“Perhaps they are to spread a smile on the morning commute or perhaps I really am inundated with leftover sleeves from my summer harvest.
“I couldn’t possibly know the answer
myself.”
And they appear to be working as intended. On a post on the East Dulwich Forum, users debated how real the posters were and commented that they had ‘made them giggle.’
The culprit plans to do more leaflets so anyone living in the area wanting a chuckle should look out for them next time they are en route to East Dulwich station.
The ad reads the pig is 120kg, very friendly but doesn’t like ‘being approached from behind’ (supplied by
Alexandria O’Neill remains hopeful the debacle could help the shop
Emma Royds)
LGBT+ activist who fought in famous by-election has portrait hung at the Portrait Gallery
By Herbie Russell
a sTriking portrait of southwark LgBT+ activist peter Tatchell has been hung at the national portrait gallery.
The full-length portrait has been exhibited in the gallery’s ‘History Makers’ display featuring figures from race campaigner Doreen Lawrence to England footballer Lucy Bronze.
Peter Tatchell said: “I’m honoured to have my portrait in the NPG, alongside so many illustrious public figures, past and present.
“I’m not sure I deserve it but I guess that after nearly 60 years of LGBT+ and human rights advocacy someone there is smiling on me.”
Tatchell stood as Labour’s candidate in the 1983 Bermondsey by-election - one of the most violent and divisive moments in UK political history.
Australian-born Tatchell, a staunch openly gay leftist was vilified because of his sexuality, including from within his own party, and lost the safe Labour seat to the Liberal Democrats.
A powerful campaigning career has seen him co-organise Britain’s first Pride March in 1972 and co-found the AIDS activist group ACT UP in 1989.
The portrait is by artist Sarah Jane Moon and was painted in 2022 to coincide with Tatchell’s birthday.
The multi-coloured piece hints at his LGBT+ background and shows the 72-year-old in a relaxed pose wearing his trademark tie.
As a campaigner, Tatchell took to wearing a tie so people would take him more seriously, a habit he’s kept up ever since.
Artist Sarah Jane Moon said: “It has been a real honour to paint Peter and convey something of the respect and admiration I have for his lifelong commitment to LGBTQ+ rights and his wider environmental and human rights work.
“I am very conscious that it is because of his unwavering commitment to equality that I and many other younger LGBTQ+ people enjoy greater freedoms and I am constantly inspired by his focus and selflessness.”
millwall fc hails ‘exciting’ plans for new london overground station near the den
By Herbie Russell
Mi LLwa LL f C has hailed
“exciting” plans to build a new London overground station and 3,500 homes near The Den. Club executives see the New Bermondsey plan, led by developer Renewal, as central to the club’s future success.
The £1.9 billion scheme has been in place since January 2022 but Lewisham Council approved a revised version on July 31, 2024.
The New Bermondsey plan is a landmark regeneration of the area around Millwall FC.
In January 2022, Lewisham Council rubber-stamped The New Bermondsey plan consisting of around 3,500 homes including roughly 1,200 affordable homes.
However, developer Renewal has had to alter some of the details.
Transport for London (TfL) originally planned to deliver Surrey Canal Overground Station using Housing Infrastructure Funding (HIF).
TfL later informed Lewisham Council that HIF was no longer allocated for the planned station.
Renewal will now contribute £17.17 million to the station and the figure could rise to £25 million. TfL must still find sources of funding for the project.
There will also be 100 fewer affordable homes, taking the total number from 1,200 to 1,100.
The reduction in affordable homes is due to Renewal’s newly agreed transport contribution.
Lewisham Council’s decision to
approve the scheme is the latest boost to Millwall FC.
In May, the Labour-run authority granted the club a 999-year lease on three sites around The Den.
The decision paved the way for the Championship side to increase the ground’s capacity from 20,000 to 34,000.
Millwall FC, Lewisham Council, and Renewal appear to be in lockstep over the area’s future, a far cry from the situation a decade ago.
Lewisham Council initially had plans to forcibly purchase land surrounding the ground and hand it to Renewal.
Millwall FC then threatened to leave the borough and the council scrapped the plans the following year.
A spokesman for Millwall FC said: “Millwall Football Club welcomes the
news of the revised master plan.
“The club looks forward to its continuation of work with its community, businesses, and council as part of the exciting regeneration plans of New Bermondsey.”
Cllr James J. Walsh, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Regeneration and Planning at Lewisham, said: “I am delighted that we continue to make sure that Lewisham is bringing forward and consenting much-needed mixed-use housing developments for our borough, helping to tackle the ongoing housing crisis and unlocking an underdeveloped part of our city.
“The scheme has ambitious plans for homes, sports, cultural, and transport infrastructure. It will bring nearly £2 billion of investment to Lewisham – and with that, jobs and opportunities for local people.”
Ben Fogle takes a look at fish in the SEA LIFE London Aquarium rainforest adventure zone
By Herbie Russell
sEa LifE London aquarium’s rainforest adventure zone, home to dwarf crocodiles, terrapins and poison dart frogs, has reopened.
The South Bank attraction has also announced the appointment of broadcaster Ben Fogle as their official Rainforest Explorer.
The spruced-up section has been inviting visitors to get a close-up look at the critters since Monday, July 8.
Ben Fogle, shared: “I am thrilled to join SEA LIFE London Aquarium as their official ‘Rainforest Explorer’. Rainforests are crucial to our planet’s health and I am excited to work with SEA LIFE to help raise awareness about the importance of preserving rainforests.
“Together, we aim to bring the wonders of the rainforest to life and inspire a deeper appreciation for these vital ecosystems.”
Ben Fogle takes a look at fish in the SEA LIFE London Aquarium rainforest adventure zone Millwall FC has described the plans as ‘exciting’
Peter Tatchell’s portrait is featured at the History Makers gallery
new leisure centre in canada water will have biggest pool in southwark
By Herbie Russell
a nEw leisure centre in Canada water will have southwark’s biggest pool.
The Canada Water Leisure Centre will replace the Seven Islands Leisure Centre in 2025.
Residents have previously noted that at 33 metres, the current Seven Islands pool is longer than the Canada Water pool, which
will only stretch 25 metres.
However, the Canada Water pool’s surface area of 425m2 makes it larger than Seven Island’s 412.5m2.
On a visit to the site, Cllr Portia Mwangangye said it was “crucial” to Canada Water’s regeneration.
The new facility is part of the Canada Water Masterplan - a regeneration set to bring 3,000 new homes to the Thameside
neighbourhood. It will include an eight-lane swimming pool, a separate learner pool, sports courts, spin, yoga and dance studios and a gym with over 150 stations.
The six-storey Dock Shed building will house the centre. It will have with office space on the top five floors and retail and restaurants at ground floor.
British Land is building the facility. Once
finished, it will be handed to Southwark Council.
As part of the wider regeneration, the Surrey Quays Leisure Park will close in September to make way for homes.
The Surrey Quays Shopping Centre is also set to be demolished ahead of plans for a new town centre.
Emma Cariaga, Joint Head of Canada Water at British Land, said: “Canada Water
Leisure centre will offer a huge range of opportunities for people to keep fit, boost their wellbeing and enjoy being active together.”
Cllr Portia Mwangangye, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Parks and Young People said: “It was amazing to get a first glimpse of the Canada Water Leisure Centre. With less than a year until we open the doors, we’re excited to see the progress so far.”
Will a new cinema replace Odeon in Surrey Quays?
By Isabel Ramirez
BriTish LanD say they are ‘no longer obligated’ to provide a cinema to replace the odeon closing this month in surrey Quays.
Along with the cinema, Hollywood Bowl and Pizza Hut will close their doors, with instructions from developer British Land to vacate the site by mid-September.
Residents and Surrey Quays Leisure Park users were devastated to hear the businesses would be going, especially the Odeon which will close on 18 August.
A brand-new Tesco superstore will be built in their place in 2028/29, along with 384 new homes.
The developer has now responded to our question of whether these facilities would be replaced as part of the Masterplan by saying they are ‘no longer legally obligated’ to bring in a cinema.
A British Land spokesperson said: “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.”
However, they said they would still try to get one.
“While we are no longer legally obligated to bring in a cinema,” the spokesperson continued, “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.”
When the Surrey Quays site closes, the
nearest Odeon Cinema is O2 Greenwich. Alternatively, there is the BFI IMAX at South Bank or Peckhamplex for more affordable tickets.
In terms of the bowling alley, British Land have not responded.
Phase one of the Canada Water Masterplan is nearly complete. That will provide food and beverage sites - although there are no specifics - to Plot A1 (Three Deal Porters) and Plot A2 (Dock Shed) and
the former Range unit in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre which closed in May.
This is alongside the new leisure centre that will be delivered in 2025.
The spokesperson added: “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.
“These will be made on a building-by-
building basis with residents and local stakeholders given the opportunity to engage with these plans when they are brought forward.”
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.”
One of the photos from 1894
The Canada Water Leisure Centre will be housed in the basement of the Dock Shed building
Google Maps
Odeon cinema
s elf-made p eckham millionaire dies in us jail after 38 years behind bars - even after judge ruled him innocent
By Herbie Russell
a pECkhaM man who spent 38 years in a Us jail despite a judge ruling him innocent has died behind bars, according to his lawyer.
Krishna “Kris” Maharaj, 85, was convicted of murdering father and son Derrick and Duane Moo Young in a Florida hotel room in 1986.
Mr. Maharaj, a self-made millionaire through his fruit-importing business, maintained that the real culprit was a hitman employed by Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
“Immensely sad,” his lawyer Clive Stafford Smith wrote on X. “Kris Maharaj passed away in the hospital after 38 years fighting injustice.”
Trinidad-born Mr Maharaj moved to Peckham in 1960. He regularly traveled to the US for business and was arrested in 1986 for the murder of Derrick Moo Young, 53, and his son Duane Moo Young, 23, in Florida.
At the time, Mr Maharaj was suing Derrick, a former business associate, who he said had defrauded him of $400,000 (£315,000).
Prosecutors seized on this as a motive for the murders and Mr Maharaj was convicted and initially placed on death row before the ruling was later changed to a life sentence.
Not one of his six alibis was called to testify at trial and the court was not told that a key prosecution witness who claimed to have seen Maharaj shoot the Moo Youngs had failed a lie detector test. New witnesses later came to light, and a ruling in March 2017 said they had presented “compelling” evidence suggesting that the Moo Youngs were killed on Escobar’s orders.
While his fingerprints were found in the hotel room where the pair were shot, Mr Maharaj maintained this was because he had been lured there for a meeting and had left when nobody turned up.
In 2019 a judge ruled he had proven his innocence. Judge Otazo-Reyes said that “no reasonable juror could convict him.”
But the US Supreme Court refused to hear his bid for a review in 2023 despite pleas from 61 MPs.
“The reality is that Kris’s case is the greatest failure of my life — and I’ve had a few,” lawyer Clive Stafford Smith told The Times.
“I always thought we were going to win because this case is so scandalous. I have a little sweepstake with Kris about how early in our meetings he will say, ‘This is corruption of unspeakable magnitude’ and he broke his world record this last time I visited. I came in and said ‘Hello,’ and that’s what he said to me — and it’s the only possible explanation as to why this man aged 85 is still in prison,” Stafford Smith said.
Mr. Maharaj was a wheelchair user and suffered from kidney problems, heart problems, diabetes, and cataracts throughout much of his later life.
His wife, Marita Maharaj, remained in the US to support her husband for 37 years before moving back to the UK last year.
“I feel like I betrayed Kris because I promised him that I would not leave without him — but I had to,” she told The Times in 2023.
“He told me, ‘No, you never betrayed me’ — he was very emotional too, he tried to be strong. He said, ‘No, Marita, we’re going to be OK. I’ll very soon be there too’ — but on the other hand, I worry I will never see Kris again.”
Shakespeare’s Globe is evacuated mid-show after firework lands inside
By Isabel Ramirez
shak EspEarE’s gLoBE was evacuated mid-performance last week after a red flare from a nearby display landed inside right by the audience.
Last night’s audience for Antony and Cleopatra had to make an early exit when the theatre was locked down and later evacuated at around 10:50pm on Wednesday, 7 August.
The display was thought to have been the work of Algerian football fans celebrating on the River Thames, but that has not been confirmed.
Near the end of the play, fireworks and flares were set off from Millenium Bridge, when one suddenly shot into the open-air Bankside venue. Thankfully no one in the Globe’s standing area - where it landed - was hurt.
Punters were held in the basement until the venue was deemed to safe to exit by police.
A Globe spokesperson told us they were still trying to get the facts on what happened. They said: “At 10pm on Wednesday 7 August, fireworks and flares were set off from Millenium Bridge. The Globe building was immediately locked down, and the audience and company were invacuated and held until 10.50pm when the Police gave notice that it was safe to leave. All audiences, company members, and staff were evacuated and got home safely.
“We are continuing to gather the facts regarding exactly what happened. The Globe Box Office will be in contact with all audience members who attended last night’s performance.
“As a major visitor destination in London, we have emergency measures in place. These protocols were followed in a calm and considered manner, and we would like to thank all our audience members, company members, staff, and volunteers for supporting us last night for a safe response to the situation.”
South London hospitals release latest update after ransomware attack
By Herbie Russell
nhs EngLanD London has released its ninth-week update on the clinical impact of the ransomware attack on synnovis, its pathology services provider.
The data, covering July 29 to August 4, reveals that King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust had to postpone 578 acute outpatient appointments and 20 elective procedures due to the attack.
Since the cyberattack on June 3, carried out by Russian cybercriminal gang Qilin, 1,680 elective procedures and 10,001 outpatient appointments have been delayed across the two trusts.
Synnovis is rebuilding over 60 core IT systems leading to increased capacity in its laboratory network.
Testing is ongoing to bring pathology services back under Synnovis, with full blood transfusion services expected to
be restored by early autumn.
D. Jane Fryer, Deputy Medical Director for NHS London, acknowledged the steady progress but noted the significant ongoing impact on patients.
She urged patients to attend their scheduled appointments unless advised otherwise.
Due to increased demand for O-type blood and reduced summer donations, the NHS continues to call for urgent blood donations, particularly from O negative and O positive donors.
Shakespeare’s Globe
Google Maps: Guy’s Hospital
Kris Maharaj spent 38 years in a Florida jail
croydon's whitgift and centrale to get new shops this year
By Harrison Galliven Local Democracy Reporter
CroyDon’s CEnTraLE and whitgift shopping centres are attempting to bolster the retail sector by signing seven new stores and renewing eleven leases from established companies. This comes after years of uncertainty over the future of the borough’s main shopping centres.
Owners Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) have announced a host of new companies coming to the central Croydon malls. These include London’s only pinball club, Pinball Republic, Dressmode, Maflora, Rebel Clothing, and homewares company Stacks. Alongside the new signings, a number of high-profile retailers have also renewed their leases. House of Fraser, Sports Direct, Claire’s, Holland & Barrett, and Waterstones have all renewed their leases, representing 20,000 sq ft of floor space across the two shops.
This comes following the announcement that URW owner Allders will see 7 new retail units added to the ground floor of the iconic Croydon department store. The
iconic former department store, which closed in 2013, has sat behind colourful hoardings since January.
After revealing the Allders plans, Mayor Jason Perry said: “The proposed development is set to bring a fresh, dynamic atmosphere back to the High Street, restoring a sense of place and pride to our community. We hope to see this transformation begin early next year, providing a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to thrive.”
Back in March, URW announced another 12 new shops, including Deichmann, Chopstixx, and jeweller Loupe. Following that announcement, Mayor Perry took X to say: “After years in the doldrums, is Croydon finally back on the retail map? The answer is yes.”
These recent signings come as muchneeded good news for the shopping centres, and is hoped they will bring more shoppers to the town centre.
According to Croydon shoppers the local democracy reporting service (LDRS) spoke to earlier this year, the Whitgift especially feels a long way from its glory days when people used to flock there to spend time and money.
During a visit to the Whitgift Centre
CONCERNS OVER AN 'illegal market' set-up in a south london sQuare
Residents say the traders lay out their goods on concrete blocks in the square, which they have repurposed as makeshift stalls
By Robert Firth
Local Democracy Reporter
TraDErs Can be seen shoving and shouting at each other in tense stand-offs at an illegal market in a south London square.
Videos shot by a concerned resident show the unauthorised vendors arguing and waving angrily at each other.
earlier this year, an NHS worker named Don told the LDRS: “I used to come here a long time ago, where every place you went to there was people selling something and people were wanting to buy things. How many people can you see in shops here now, maybe one or two people.”
Westfield and Hammerson entered a joint venture for the £1.4bn redevelopment of the Whitgift Centre and Centrale shopping centre in 2013. They planned to turn the location into a popular destination for shopping and recreation akin to their centres in East and West London.
However, the project was beset by financial difficulties, significant delays, and design modifications made worse by the epidemic. Last year, URW acquired the remaining 50% stake in the development plans from Hammerson, which put an end to the deal.
URW leasing director UK Kate Orwin said: “We have such a wide variety of retailers and occupiers at the Centrale and Whitgift centres from major global brands to local, independents, and today’s news is a testament to ongoing confidence in Croydon as a retail destination.”
In one clip, a shirtless man bangs a nearby wall furiously with his fist before gesticulating at another seller. In other footage, a man squabbles with a seller, before chasing after another man.
The street traders have been setting up shop each Sunday in a square near Nine Elms Underground station for the last few months, according to people who live locally. The vendors are apparently attracted to the area in the hope of luring in visitors from the nearby weekly Nine Elms Sunday Market, also known as Vauxhall Market.
Residents say the traders lay out their goods on concrete blocks in the square, which they have repurposed as makeshift stalls. One resident said they had even seen nearby bike racks used as rails for clothes.
One local, Robert, 38, who declined to give his surname, said the ad hoc market had attracted antisocial behaviour since its first appeared a few months ago.
He said: “This overspill has problems. There are smashed bottles, fighting. They use the blocks to sell and bargain and fight with each other for who is selling what and who is getting the best spot.
A lot of them are hammered by 10 in the morning. They sell all sorts: pairs of trainers, t-shirts, kid’s toys. We have
got people selling illegal cigarettes and Airpods.”
Jason Yang, another local, said there had been some low-level nuisance linked to the makeshift market. The 30-yearold said: “I think there have been quite a few disturbances: people yelling mostly. There has been more commotion and rubbish. They were hanging clothes on the bike racks and they will lay stuff on blankets on the floor and on the blocks.”
James Rutherford, 43, who also lived nearby, added: “They were fighting the other week and I saw it from my kitchen. I think they are arguing about the blocks [where they display goods]. It started when they changed access to the market and people could come down Pascal Street.”
But David Whitehead, 82, who lives opposite the square where the traders set up, said: “I don’t mind it. As long as they take the rubbish away, I don’t care what they do.”
A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: “These are concerning scenes and we ask that if residents witness incidents of crime they call 999 in an emergency.
“Our public protection wardens are tasked with patrolling the borough to help keep people safe and provide police statements where needed. We deployed them to this location in July and August in response to the concerns raised, and have further monitoring and visits planned.
“Individuals at the location were informed that they did not have a license to trade – and were instructed to stop trading and remove the items. Tougher action will take place if there is a recurrence.”
The Whitgift Centre has had a leak in it’s roof for a number of years
The Whitgift Centre was all decked out for Christmas the night before the second lockdown
Traders at the makeshift market in Nine Elms, © Supplied
families in southwark bidding for homes claim victory over council
The council agrees to stop directly allocating properties after threats of a legal challenge
EXCLUSIVE
By Isabel Ramirez
soUThwark CoUnCiL has agreed to ‘suspend’ its policy of directly allocating properties to people waiting for housing, after three families threatened to take them to court over it.
This follows an exclusive article report in this paper in June which revealed the lack of properties to bid for, with some residents reporting there had been ‘no homes’ on Southwark Homesearch for up to two months.
When we asked the council about it before, a spokesperson admitted there were ‘fewer options to bid for’ as it prioritised those in very high need. The council claimed its ‘new annual lettings policy’ (ALP) allowed it to offer a home to a person or family directly, alongside the bidding system.
However, there was little information on how people were being selected for these direct offers and the policy meant that those in the highest need on the waiting list were unable to bid at all.
This caused three families in the highest bands of the housing waiting list to threaten to issue a legal challenge against the council claiming it was following a policy which was not in keeping with the housing allocations scheme.
In response to a legal letter from the Public Interest Law Centre representing the families, Southwark Council confirmed that it would ‘suspend the operation of the ALP with immediate effect.’
The families have declared this a ‘victory’ for everyone on the housing waiting list.
In theory, it should mean that social homes should finally return to Southwark Homesearch for the next bidding cycle beginning on Thursday 15 August after months of no homes being available.
Edith, one of the families, who took the challenge said whilst she was happy with this result, it should never have had to come to this.
The mum-of-three said: “We faced months worrying about why there were no homes on the bidding system. And were shocked when we found out the council were making up their own rules.
“And thousands of other families who are also suffering in unsafe housing conditions would have been feeling the same way too.
“If the council had not done this, my family might have been able to move to a new council home by now. Others will be asking this too. What will the council do to rebuild trust that has now been lost?
“We shouldn’t have to threaten to go to court to be treated fairly by the council.
“We are very happy with this important victory which will help everyone on the housing waiting list.”
“We are looking forward to seeing homes on the bidding system so that we know that social housing is being allocated according to the rules. But we still need answers from the council about how this happened in the first place and a guarantee that this will never happen again.”
Elizabeth Wyatt, a member of the community action group Housing Action
Southwark and Lambeth (HASL), said:
“We’re really proud of our members for successfully holding Southwark Council to account yet again. As always, it is those at the sharpest end of the housing crisis who are fighting to hold the council to account.
“Now Southwark Council must urgently
review how this happened and give a public explanation and reassurance that this will not happen again – this is the very least that Southwark residents deserve. Going forward, we also ask the council to publicly publish their direct offers on Southwark Homesearch for transparency and trust.
“How many families with the most urgent housing needs have missed out on the chance of a new home over the last 4 months?
“Thank you also to Southwark News who first uncovered news about this policy which helped to build this legal action.”
Southwark Council has been approached for comment. Their full response to the proposed legal claim was: “We have considered your letter in detail with the relevant senior officers in the Council.
“The Council is facing very considerable, diverse, urgent and increased housing pressures at present and there have been material developments in the situation since the ALP was introduced on 4 May 2024. It has been decided to suspend the operation of the ALP with immediate effect, pending a review of current local housing needs and circumstances. Meanwhile, the Council’s Housing Allocations Scheme 2013 remains in effect and the claimants’ various applications will continue to be dealt with in accordance with it.”
The leader of the opposition, Liberal Democrat Cllr Victor Chamberlain commented: “Anyone who has tried to use the bidding system knows how unfair and hopeless it can feel.
“It’s another sign of housing failure that the Labour Council has been forced to U-turn on its allocations policy following
legal action. Southwark has demolished thousands of council homes and now has more empty council homes than the entire North West combined, yet 17,700 households are forced to compete for secure, affordable homes.
“Labour has overseen this housing crisis locally, and now the responsibility lies entirely with the Labour Government and Mayor to take drastic action to deliver the genuinely affordable housing we desperately need. Southwark Liberal Democrats tried to declare a housing emergency, to recognise the scale of the challenge and to make demands of those in power. Southwark Labour chose to put their head in the sand.
“Until Labour wake up and start actually building enough new council housing, this crisis in social housing will only get worse.”
Members of Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth protest
Edith and her family were challenging the council
free recording sessions for young people in south london?
For the the past two years young people in South London have been given the opportunity to access over 200 free recording sessions and this year a group of them got to perform at Glastonbury. did you know about these
By Eliza Frost
rEZon8, BasED at the The albany in Deptford, is a youth-led music project for those aged 14-25 and aims to give young people the opportunity to learn how to use music and lyricism as a tool to positively impact their mental health.
The free recording sessions using an informal structure, which gives young people the space to talk about their thoughts, feelings and mental health through music.
“Every single day we were there, the artists’ performances drastically improved and watching them mimic and learn from artists they watched live hours before was amazing,” explains Kieron Morris, director of REZON8.
The youth music project collaborated
with Deptford’s The Albany, Showponies production company, Cleo Savvy, Backstage Rebels and Lewisham Music to take eight young people to Glastonbury to get handson experience at one of the world’s biggest festivals.
“Evidence shows that young black men are overrepresented in restrictive mental health settings, and yet are least likely to access early interventions and community-based support,” says Kieron.
“Many young people that we work with have voiced that they feel uncomfortable speaking about their mental health in a formal one-to-one setting but would feel comfortable through a similar process using a creative outlet, such as music.”
Kieron says the opportunity to perform at the festival was presented to them “to bring more diversity to
Glastonbury, which I think we did as the lack of people of colour there and young people was surprising”.
While at the festival, they performed on the stage 10 Aces, with a 30-minute slot every day of Glastonbury.
“In between performing, we would collectively decide which artist we wanted to see together,” he says. “I think a big part of the experience was finding time to just take it all in. This was something new for us all so a lot of the time we were wandering looking for the next activity or stage we wanted to be at.”
The young people really enjoyed it, and a few had never been outside of London before – or “even to any kind of concert, including myself, so this was a completely new experience for us all”, says Kieron. “What was great about the festival,”
he adds, “was that the young people got to see some of their favourite artists perform, analyse them and then take what they learned into their performances the next day”.
A lot of learning happened in those five days at Worthy Farm, but where did it all begin?
Of REZON8’s origin, Kieron explains that, in 2019, he had the idea of creating a record label to help some of his friends who did music gain more opportunities within the industry.
He explains: “This was after attending another music project called Alchemy, which I came up through, and I started to volunteer at the time, too. I was directed to The Albany where Kirsty –who’s head of the engagement team –supported to develop my idea and still does to this day.”
REZON8 has worked over the last two
years to provide over 200 free recording sessions using an informal structure, which gives young people the space to talk about their thoughts, feelings and mental health through music.
And what is next?
Kieron says that they are dropping a mixtape in September – “hopefully” – as part of the REZON8 boot camp sessions.
He explains that at the boot camp, they “work with artists over six weeks where we cover writing at lyricism, recording in the studio and performance”.
The theme for the mixtape is storytelling and the artists will also be showcasing all the songs on 13 August at The Albany.
Find out more about REZON8 padlet.com/REZON8/rezon8gtr1rnumtfd87h7m
Do you have a child aged 3 - 16 who would love to join Theatre Peckham’s award-winning training programme? Thanks to the Berkeley Bursary, two young people in Peckham will receive a place for free!
They will get 30 hours of free training, the chance to perform on Theatre Peckham’s stage, a free ticket to a Theatre Peckham production, access to casting, opportunities to perform and more!
Applications for the bursary places are open until 22nd August These bursaries are available for low-income families in Peckham. Find out more about eligibility and how to apply by scanning the QR code or call 02077085401 or drop into Theatre Peckham.
Free carnival-themed festival coming to Camberwell Green
By Herbie Russell
a frEE Carnival-themed festival is coming to Camberwell later this august for revellers with postnotting hill blues.
Camberwell Carnival, organised by Just in Time Co-Operative (JITC) is on from 12pm till 9pm on Saturday, August 31.
There will be food and drink stalls, steel band players, live music and PAs, dance workshops, games, face painting, carnival costume making and much more.
The event celebrates the third anniversary of JITC’s launch in 2021, a co-operative providing events and business with green-powered energy.
Free global food event is coming to Camberwell this Bank Holiday weekend
By Isabel Ramirez
a CoMMUniTy event with a feast from around the world is coming to Camberwell for the bank holiday weekend - and it’s all free.
On Saturday 24 August, the House of Praise will host a special summer party on Camberwell Road which celebrates the global food scene.
Visitors can expect food from Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Nigeria,
Ghana, the Caribbean, England, and around Latin America. Everything is free.
It is open to everyone and there will be games for children and families throughout the afternoon.
When: Saturday 24 August from 12pm-5pm
Where: 252-274 Camberwell Road, SE5 0DP
Admission: Free
By Isabel Ramirez
ThE MaJor Trauma Team at king’s College hospital will feature in the new series of Emergency on Channel 4.
A documentary series covering reallife stories of seriously injured patients is back on screens on Monday 12 August. Emergency follows the London Major Trauma Network - highly skilled and compassionate clinical teams who unite to provide innovative treatment and lifesaving care.
The series looks at each vital intervention, starting with the work of emergency responders and then on to A&E teams, surgical specialists, critical care support and rehabilitation therapists.
Ahead of the broadcast, Mr Ibraheim
Did TfL’s ‘Cycle Sundays’ promotion work?
By Noah Vickers Local Democracy Reporter
MorE Than 5,000 people took advantage of an offer aimed at boosting cycling in the capital earlier this summer, with Transport for London (TfL) hinting that there could be similar deals later this year.
A total of 13,166 bike hires were made by 5,586 people through TfL’s ‘Cycle Sundays’ promotion, according to data released by mayor Sadiq Khan’s office.
The offer allowed riders to enjoy an unlimited number of free 30-minute journeys using the Santander Cycles network on the five Sundays in June, with the goal of encouraging more people to try cycling. E-bikes were also available through the offer for just £1 per ride. TfL did not directly respond when asked whether the offer’s uptake was more or less than had been anticipated, but David Eddington, TfL’s head of cycle
king’s college hospital to feature on channel 4 series again
El-Daly, Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon at King’s, who features in Emergency, said: “The series demonstrates perfectly what our NHS is all about; access to round-the-clock, expert, life-saving care for anyone who needs it – not only trauma patients but anyone who requires medical care, which is not the case in all parts of the world.
“London’s Major Trauma Network is unique in that it brings key clinical specialities together to give the most seriously unwell patients the very best chance of survival and a meaningful recovery. It’s something I am very proud to be a part of.”
Dr Malcolm Tunnicliff, Clinical Director for Major Trauma and Consultant in Emergency Medicine at King’s, added, “The major trauma service at King’s
treats some of the most unwell patients in south-east England.
“From injuries sustained in road traffic accidents and falls to stab wounds and serious assaults, our team of specialists are here 24/7 to care for the critically injured patients who need us most.”
In April 2010, London became the first area in the UK to implement a regional major trauma system, ensuring the highest-quality care for its population of 10 million people.
Since then, the Major Trauma Network has established a world-leading reputation for improving survival of the most seriously injured patients.
Series 3 of Emergency will broadcast every evening on Channel 4 at 9pm from Monday 12 August through to Thursday 15 August and will be available to watch on All4.
hire, said he was “delighted” that of those who did take advantage of the offer, 64 per cent had not used Santander Cycles before.
In a possible hint at future deals, the organisation has said it will be “using the success of this promotion to look at further ways of attracting more customers to the scheme later this year”.
The data about the offer’s uptake was issued in response to a written question from Gareth Roberts, the Liberal Democrat assembly member for South West London.
Mr Roberts also asked whether Santander Cycles will be expanded into outer London, as the network of docking stations is currently limited to the inner city.
The mayor’s office said there are “no imminent plans” to expand into the outer boroughs, and that any such move would require a strong business case.
They added: “TfL’s current focus for the scheme is expanding the e-bike offering
within the current scheme footprint, tripling the number available to hire by the end of summer.
“There are 900 additional e-bikes now available to hire, bringing the current total number of e-bikes to 1,500. This will rise to 2,000 e-bikes by the end of the summer.”
It was revealed last year that between January and July of 2023, the number of Santander Cycles being hired was at the lowest it had been for a decade, and was down by roughly a third on the same period in 2022.
Competition from the vast number of dockless e-bikes on London’s streets was thought to be a factor, as well as changes to the Santander Cycles’ pricing structure, though the weather was also blamed.
According to the latest statistics, Santander Cycle hiring levels appear to have now stabilised, with 4,151,794 hires between January and June this year –down only 0.4 per cent on the 4,168,125 hires in the same period of 2023.
Mr Ibraheim El-Daly, Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon at King’s (Emergency, Channel 4)
Camberwell seen from Camberwell Green. Photo by Robert Firth
low traffic zone plans around greenwich park delayed
By Joe Coughlan Local Democracy Reporter
pL ans for a pair of low traffic neighbourhoods from greenwich Council have been delayed, with some residents claiming the scheme would ‘quadruple’ the duration of their current commutes.
Greenwich Council has paused plans to add traffic restrictions to roads surrounding Greenwich Park during rush hour after the scheme was criticised for its consultation method and effect on surrounding areas.
The scheme would consist of number plate recognition cameras being used to block through traffic in roads in East and West Greenwich between 7-10am and 3-7pm on weekdays. Vehicles such as blue badge holders, taxis, emergency vehicles and bin trucks would be excluded from the scheme.
The scheme, once approved, would run for a trial period of 18 months to allow for feedback from residents. The current proposal has been developed following several phases of engagement since October 2022.
The topic was discussed at an overview and scrutiny call-in meeting on July 31 after the decision was called in by Conservative Councillor Matt Hartley. The councillor claimed that he felt the proposal had already been predetermined by the authority regardless of the outcome of its public consultation.
The opposition leader claimed he was not opposed to the concept of low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), but noted that up to 79 per cent of responses to the consultation expressed negative or very negative feelings towards the scheme. He claimed the consultation process used was ‘flawed and biased’ and that residents had felt ignored by the authority.
Cllr Hartley said at the meeting: “People have to have confidence that the decision has been reached after a consultation in which their views were not just taken in a perfunctory manner
but were listened to and considered. I’m afraid this consultation fell very far short of the mark in that regard.”
Amendments since the initial proposal included hard road closures being replaced by number plate recognition cameras and limiting the scheme to rush hour periods on weekdays. Labour Councillor Averil Lekau, cabinet member for climate action, sustainability and transport, claimed these changes had been made in response to consultation comments, despite reducing the overall benefits of the proposals and increasing the cost to the authority to £220,000.
Cllr Lekau denied claims from Cllr Hartley that the scheme was ‘predetermined’. She added that the authority went beyond its statutory requirements when consulting with the local community, which included residents, businesses and community groups.
Cllr Lekau said: “I think we need to note that the role of the consultation was never a referendum. The consultation was designed to help us understand people’s views on design proposals
and to inform a decision on options for delivering the council’s established objectives for a safer, greener transport network for the local community.”
Council officers claimed at the meeting that the consultation had received over 8,000 responses, which represented a much greater response rate than seen for similar schemes in the borough. However, it was noted that a significant number of respondents to the consultation were from outside of the affected areas, with 21 per cent of respondents being from East Greenwich and 26 per cent from West Greenwich.
The decision was also called in by ward councillors in and surrounding the proposed areas. Council documents stated a number of the councillors’ suggestions had been adopted by council officers, such as retaining traffic filters on Gloucester Circus and Park Vista. Both Cllr Hartley and the ward councillors also raised the issue of neighbouring streets in Charlton and Blackheath being affected.
Members of the West Charlton Residents’ Association said they did not
Grenfell projects fund launched
By Ben Lynch
Local Democracy Reporter
a £600,000 pot has been made available once again to back projects supporting the community affected by the grenfell Tower tragedy.
Kensington and Chelsea Council’s Grenfell Projects Fund (GPF) was first launched in 2019, and to-date has supported almost 100 schemes across several rounds.
These include youth fitness training and mentoring, arts and crafts workshops and boxing lessons, according to the local authority.
This year, community providers and organisations can apply for a slice of the funding if they either already run or want to deliver a project meeting one of three themes; bringing the North Kensington community together, community-based ‘cultural enrichment’, or caring for the
vulnerable.
The council said the GPF has been codesigned with the North Kensington Residents’ Panel, which has “worked to champion the community’s voice in the grant’s design as well as build on the previous GPFs to further long-term recovery”.
The deadline for applications is September 30, following which a shortlist will be drawn up by the Residents’ Panel. North Kensington residents will then be able to vote on the submissions put forward.
On Kensington and Chelsea’s website, the local authority writes the timeline has been designed to ‘allow space’ either side of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report, due to be published on September 4. “We know that the publication of the Inquiry report is an important milestone for the bereaved, survivors and local residents and for all those who have fought, and continue to fight, for justice,” it adds
Cllr Sarah Addenbrooke, Lead Member for Communities, said: “I am extremely grateful to the North Kensington Residents’ Panel for their dedication and commitment in helping to shape this latest Grenfell Projects Fund. It is important that the North Kensington community leads its recovery and works closely with us so we can be sure to deliver what local residents and organisations want and need.
“I really hope that local community providers and organisations take advantage of this latest round of the Grenfell Projects Funded. It has previously funded some great projects that have really benefited the local community and I look forward to seeing future funded projects.”
A drop-in session is planned for August 19, 1.30pm to 4pm, at Baseline Studios on Whitchurch Road. To apply or for further details of the GPF, visit: www. rbkc.gov.uk/grenfellprojectsfund
outright disapprove of the scheme but feared it would shift traffic into their streets. Local resident Sarah Gared claimed to have lived on either side of Greenwich Park over the past 35 years and said her journeys would quadruple in time and distance if the proposal was approved.
Jenny Donovan said she was a fulltime carer to her disabled child and the only school in the borough suited to her needs was just over three miles from her home. She claimed that the previous LTN in the borough had increased her daily commute to the school from 14 minutes up to an hour and a half.
Ms Donovan said: “I am not alone. At the school my daughter attends, many children arrive by specialist transport from in and outside of the borough.
The majority of their parents were never made aware of the proposals, nevermind consulted. [There is an] utterly unforgivable exclusionary element to these schemes.”
Nine members of the public spoke in support of the plans at the meeting, while 15 individuals made
representations against the scheme. Colin Humphries, a resident of Maze Hill, praised the proposals and said that of the past five times he and his son had cycled on his road, cars had passed dangerously close on three occasions. Mr Humphries said at the meeting: “Sat navs [have turned] our streets into motorways… I want to be able to take my son to football without putting his life in danger. I’m here trying to save my children’s lives by reducing traffic on our residential roads.”
The sub-committee asked Cllr Lekau to reconsider implementing the trial scheme in accordance with the suggestions made by the ward councillors and residents at the meeting. They also asked for arrangements to be in place to monitor the impact of the trial on neighbouring areas.
The cabinet member was asked to confirm she was satisfied an adequate consultation on the scheme had taken place. Furthermore, she was advised to ensure an acceptable consultation would also take place if the trial scheme was rolled out.
The topic was discussed at a Greenwich Council meeting on July 31. Photo by Joe Coughlan
Grenfell Tower as seen from Latimer Road station
the south london hotel where guests brush shoulders with court goers
By Harrison Galliven Local Democracy Reporter
a nyon E who’s visited Croydon will be familiar with the huge concrete thoroughfare known as wellesley road
Sending traffic right through the heart of the 60s-built Croydon town centre, the road is also home to a number of notable Croydon landmarks, such as the aged façade of the Whitgift Centre and the Home Office’s Lunar House HQ.
Opposite the Whitgift entrance sits the Leonardo Hotel. It brings people from far and wide, offering those on holiday and in town on business a place to stay in the heart of town.
However, the hotel – formerly and very aptly known as Jurys Inn – has also recently become a destination for those in the throes of the justice system. Since March 2021, the hotel has served as one of London’s five Nightingale Courts.
These temporary courts were established during the lockdown and dealt with the justice system’s heavy backlog. At the time of their introduction, the then Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland commented that the introduction of the 20 Nightingale Courts across the country ‘will help boost capacity across our courts and tribunals, reducing delays and delivering speedier justice for victims’ For Croydon, this means the hotel now takes on cases from the already
Since March 2021, the hotel has served as one of London's five Nightgale Courts, established during lockdown to deal with the system's heavy backlog
overworked criminal and civil courts down the road on Barclay Road and Ayltre Road respectively. With the exception of custodial criminal cases and complex multi-hander hearings, the hotel court is pretty flexible on the kind of cases heard there.
However, the hotel unsurprisingly offers less intimidating surroundings than the fortress like criminal and civil courts. As soon as you walk through the automatic doors you’re met with the light-hearted hum of conversation and chart music from the hotel foyer speakers.
Unlike in the more labyrinthian courts, it’s impossible to get lost as you are immediately greeted by an usher who acts as a de facto receptionist on the ground floor. According to one usher: “Court staff do more work here.”
She added: “This is no tannoy to let people know when the case is being heard. It does mean we’re on our feet a lot more though.”
However, the steps taken by staff members are cushioned by the plush carpets on the hotel floor. The usher, who used to work in a nightclub, said: “I much prefer working here. We have air-conditioning, and I can actually see the light of day.”
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) operates primarily on the hotel’s first and second floors, where they have two dedicated courtrooms with full security detail. Staff spoke of the recurring ‘shock’ of hotel residents when the lift opens on the first floor and they see the airport-style scanners
However, the separation of the public gallery from the main courtroom was the most distinct difference. The standard courtroom set up across the UK sees members of the public sitting in the far corner of the room, where they are expected to sit in silence and obey the arcane procedures of court. While most people respect these rules, the courtroom can be an emotional place and vocal outbreaks are not uncommon. When this happens the court is disrupted, and victims and staff can feel intimidated as a result.
Yet this is not the case at the hotel court. When the court is in session, members of the public are led to an air-conditioned room by a member of security where they watch the proceedings unfold via the magic of video link. Admittedly the separation does take away some of the natural drama you experience in a courtroom, but the needs of the public are
secondary to the proper functioning of the courts.
The separation seems to be especially good for jurors, who don’t need to contend with heavy stares from the public gallery when delivering their verdicts in trials. The courtrooms themselves are now housed inside glorified conference rooms, which give ample space for everyone involved in the process.
In this room, the judge is much closer to the two barristers, who are flanked by the defendant standing on a raised platform. While the limits of the hotel mean the court only deals with noncustodial defendants, it is strange to see them in such close proximity to the rest of the court staff.
However, according to court staff, the judges seem to like the hotel’s setup. The majority of the judiciary at the hotel court are what’s known as recorders.
Recorders are members of the legal profession who act as part-time judges. Recorders often take on this role with the intention of becoming full-time judges.
A court manager said: “Croydon out of all of the Nightingale Courts in London is always having recorders
saying they want to work here, to the point where we have had to turn some of them away from wanting to work here. The recorders will be gutted more than anything when this court goes.”
When asked about the court’s capacity, she said: “We took on a lot of work from other areas of London, including a lot of appeal cases from the City of London and the other London Crown Courts. I think the rate with which we get through stuff is good.
“We have security measures in case so we’ve done RASSO (rape and serious sexual assault) cases. We list as much as we can within reason, we’ve got it under control here.”
The MOJ seems to agree with this view, having spent £2.9 million on having the court at the Leonardo Hotel since March 2021. However, the MOJ has also insisted that the courts will remain a temporary feature.
In February of this year, the MOJ announced: “These temporary courtrooms, across nine venues, will continue to be used by judges to hear cases ranging from shoplifting to family proceedings and small claims hearings. The majority of the courtrooms will be open until March 2025.”
In the meantime, the hotel court will have no shortage of cases to deal with as it attempts to address the long backlog. When asked what people can expect when they come to the court, a member of staff said: “It’s nicer than a normal court, but it is still a court.”
Croydon 's Leonardo Hotel
Photo by Harrison Galliven
greenwich+docklands international festival
The full programme for GDIF this year has been announced, expect a free lineup of world-class theatre, dance and spectacle
By Eliza Forst
g r EE nwi C h+Do C k L an D s
inTErnaTionaL festival (gDif) announces its full 2024 programme of more than 50 free performances over 17 days, from friday 23 August to Sunday 8 September.
The annual outdoor festival of free theatre and performing arts returns with a total of 20 premieres, including two world and one European premieres, plus it welcomes international and UK artists for events inspired by the festival theme of “All Change”.
This year, the festival will open with Silence! from street theatre company Les Commandos Perçu with a fusion of percussion and pyrotechnics in Woolwich.
Skies above Woolwich will be lit up for an evening of live drumming and choreographed pyrotechnics, launching GDIF 2024 with a wave of energy against the backdrop of Woolwich’s Royal Artillery Barracks. With echoes of the area’s industrial, military and manufacturing heritage, Silence! also looks to the future in its celebration of collective endeavour and creativity.
GDIF’s programme is packed with surprising and unusual events – often with innovative staging, too.
Five productions in the programme have been co-created with local people, and all of the events will be taking place in public spaces across the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Newham and the City of London.
Premieres include site-specific theatre makers Dante or Die with A Ballad of Thamesmead; a heartfelt and immersive co-created portrait of South-East London’s “town of tomorrow”.
And theatre companies Good Chance and Gecko join forces to present From Here On, marking the 85th anniversary of the Kindertransport to imagine a safer future for all children in the present and explores a child’s right to safe passage and calls for empathy, hope and unity.
These world premieres join the Actors Touring Company production Bodies of Water, directed by Olivier-winning director Matthew Xia, co-created with local sanctuary-seeking communities and experienced on the shore of the Thames in Greenwich.
In Eltham, theatre company
Mechanimal’s Crap at Animals will explore extinct and endangered species through clowning and physical theatre.
Life Lines by climbing and acrobatics artists Lézards Bleus will take audiences on a surprising journey through the Greenwich Peninsula with a tour de force integration of parkour and contemporary architecture.
Artist collective Variable Matter presents the art and sound installation World Kiosk at Green Street in Newham, where a street kiosk will appear for five days. Visitors are invited to escape the intensity of the city, sip a delicious
cup of tea and listen to an entrancing soundscape of shared stories and reflections.
For the first time, GDIF transforms Stratford Park in Newham into a theatrical playground for children and families in PARKWORKS, a new, free two-day familyfriendly programme with performances and games across the August Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday.
Kicking off the festivities with a synchronised pram party is Pram People by Polyglot, a celebration of community and parent-child connection.
Families are also invited to experience an inclusive aerial performance with Ella Mesma’s Rainbow Butterfly, South Asian dance and storytelling in Sonia Sabri’s Moghul Miniatures and help to build Morphosis, an enormous bamboo play structure with French artists Moso.
Plus, Dancing City, GDIF’s annual celebration of international and UK dance, this year moves to Newham in public spaces across Stratford Cross, East Bank, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Stratford Town Centre on 7 September.
Bradley Hemmings MBE, GDIF’s artistic director, said: “These are difficult times everywhere and the world of outdoor arts is no exception. However, by embracing change, welcoming new partners and reinventing the shape of this year’s festival for 2024, we’re foregrounding the great tradition of outdoor arts and activism with a series of commissions and events that invite us to reflect on making positive change, while disrupting the everyday rhythm of life and creating moments of joy and togetherness.”
A spokesperson for the Royal Borough of Greenwich said: “We’re proud to be supporting another brilliant year of GDIF as part of Royal Greenwich Festivals 2024, bringing our communities together
to enjoy free, exciting and accessible events across our borough.
“With an opening spectacle in Woolwich, and performances and events in Abbey Wood and Eltham, together we’re delivering world-class arts and culture to town centres, public spaces and riverside locations across Greenwich.
“From brand new immersive theatre cocreated with some of our refugee communities to world-renowned dance performances, this year’s GDIF will celebrate the unique heritage of the people of our borough and entertain local residents and visitors.” festival.org/gdif-2024
Pram People
THAW by Legs On The Wall - Sydney Festival 2022 performer Jenni Large
Patois
what’s on
magical folk bring joy to the castle
T’was MiDsUMMEr and midschool summer holidays so the greenwich Theatre was brimming with young folk for a new musical version of Beauty and the Beast, writes Michael Holland.
A folksy sextet ambled onto the stage with an array of wild and wonderful instruments and sung about feeling merry on the ferry drinking sherry before faking horror at the children in the audience and bringing it down to story-telling level.
When getting caught in a storm in the woods, Dad seeks shelter in a castle only to upset the tenant when he decides to take a rose home for Belle, one of his three daughters. The keeper of the castle says Dad’s penance for ‘stealing’ is to send a daughter to keep the castle clean; a castle, that is rumoured to be owned by an evil monster.
Belle, though, being a kindly soul, sees the good in the Beast who has been hiding himself away after being tricked into believing he was hideous. She draws his best side out and even though he says it is a ‘cruel world outside’, she convinces him to socialise more so others can see his beauty within. But to do that she will have to organise a masked ball where Beast does not stand out and everyone will see what a nice person he is.
All very well until evil sister Coco and her fiancé Hugo decide to hatch a plan that uncovers the Beast and they get
Blood, Sweat and Vaginas
CaroLann’s awakEning is sudden and all consuming. she stumbles out of her super woman bubble to discover a crumbling marriage, a teenage daughter with whom she can’t communicate, and an overwhelming job, all while peri-menopause has a grip on her body.
She discovers her sexuality is fluid and soul music is the language of
her soul. Hypnotic melodies, searing honesty and humour will take you on a journey of self-discovery with Carolann. A moving play about menopause and female sexuality.
Paula David is an actor, poet, singer/songwriter and playwright.
Her plays have been performed at Brighton festival, Camden Festival, Fly Festival Bristol, and Pleasance Theatre Edinburgh, among others.
Paula creates an original soundtrack
for each play and is passionate about writing the untold stories of Black women.
Written by Paula David, directed by Olusola Oyeleye and designed by Phil Newman, it is being presented by The Write Network in association with Ariya The play inc;ludes a content warning of strong language and adult themes, and explicit descriptions of sexual experiences.
With a age limit of 16+
Jack Studio Theatre,410 Brockley Road, London, SE4 2DH
Dates: Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 Sept 2024 at 7.30pm.
Tickets: £17, £15 concessions (16+)
Box office: www.brockleyjack.co.uk or 0333 666 3366 (£1.80 fee for phone bookings only)
Running time: Sixty minutes, with no interval
ownership of the castle. Part of their dastardly plot is to have their wedding on the premises so that once inside their wicked scheme can come to fruition. Of course, this is a famous fairy tale where good always overcomes evil and we must be left smiling at the happy ending. Getting to that joyful finale is a journey of song, dance, jokes and audience participation - some hilariously improvised by kids excited at the grand spectacle before them.
I thought the complex storyline a tad too much for the 6+ age recommendation, but in the second act we were asked if we understood the plot. Several mums cried, ‘No!’ and a catch-up was provided in a comic song. A quiet sigh of relief emanated from this seasoned reviewer although my 11-year-old companion Nancy had no problem in enjoying this fresh take on an established tale from Sidonie Welton and Brad Tutt and a great cast: Louise Cielecki as Belle and Ed Tunningley as Beast, Tony Mooney, Michaela Murphy, Inés Ruiz and Lucy Mae Carpenter in her professional debut.
Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, London SE10 8ES until 25 August 2024, TueThu at 2pm / Fri – Sat at 1pm + 5pm / + Tue 6 Aug at 6pm (press performance)
Tickets: £22 - £27 (full price); £20 - £22 (conc); £11 - £13.50 (child)
Box of�ice: www.greenwichtheatre.org. uk / box of�ice:020 8858 7755
the only way is princess essex
CasTing is announced for anne odeke’s princess Essex.
This new play tells the true story of Princess Dinubolu, the first woman of colour to enter a UK beauty pageant. An exploration of beauty and bravery, Princess Essex is set in the Edwardian seaside of 1908, in the iconic Kursaal in Southend, Europe’s biggest entertainment complex.
Odeke says: “I’m aware, it’s not every day you get asked to write a play for the Globe’s main stage and to be in it. Though a daunting task, it’s above all else, an exciting one, with the greatest privilege of all being able to share with audiences Princess Dinubolu’s incredible story; a story that for over a hundred years remained
hidden - a story of beauty, of belonging, and of authenticity.”
Director Robin Belfield adds: “With Anne’s play we have an opportunity to shine a light on a little-known piece of British history. The story of a woman of colour, in Essex, in 1908, swimming against the tide. It’s a story we need to hear, from a voice we haven’t heard. I’m thrilled that we have such an extraordinary, brilliant, and diverse company to bring this hidden history to life for our modern ears.”
Shakespeare’s Globe, Bankside, SE1 from 13th September - 26th October. Admission: £5 - £75.
Booking: https://www. shakespearesglobe.com/
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.
22 EVENTS
Heading south - our pick of upcoming summer events
Perspectives and Paradoxes
Themed around illuminating society’s challenges, works in the new exhibition ‘Perspectives and Paradoxes’ at Woolwich Centre Library are a call to engage with the urgent questions of our time. The exhibition showcases works by local artists Pedro Borges, Jacob Andrew, Melike Durmus, and Sebastian Alabaster. Sebastian Alabaster says the show aims to “highlight the good and the bad of the human experience. We look to connect with others by expressing our varying stories”.
This exhibition promises a journey into the heart of our world’s hidden truths and challenges you to reflect on societal structures, empathise with diverse experiences, and confront the paradoxes that shape our humanity.
Monday 16 to Sunday 22 September 2024
The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ
Open decks at Jazu
The Comedy of Errors
The Three Inch Fools are back; bringing Shakespeare’s shortest – and wildest – comedy to Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College. The clock is ticking in this performance of The Comedy of Errors as the Fools rush to untangle one almighty mess. This is a somewhat ridiculous tale of long-lost twins, hysterical misunderstandings and endless mishaps. With musical instruments in hand, the Three Inch Fools present a joyous take on this Shakespearean rib-tickler.
Friday 13 September 2024, 7pm. Tickets: £18 Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, SE10 9NN www.threeinchfools.com/upcomingperformances/2024-09-13
New to Deptford, Jazu has set up shop in SE8, and with it comes the announcement that every second Thursday of the month will be open decks night.
Hosted by Natty Kasambala, this is for anyone who “fancies themselves the next Paris Hilton”. You may not be an heiress, but you can take to the decks, simply message them to take part.
It’s any style, any genre for a 30-minute slot. All abilities are welcome, you just have to bring your own records for the vinyl-only set.
Thursday 12 September 2024 and every second Thursday of the month 2 Deptford High Street, SE8 4AF www.jazudrinks.com
International Slavery Remembrance Day
On 23 August 1791, enslaved people on the island of Saint Domingue (modern-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic) rose up against French colonial rule. The uprising played a crucial role in abolishing the transatlantic slave trade.
That’s why, on 23 August each year, the National Maritime Museum commemorates International Slavery Remembrance Day and the struggle for emancipation throughout the world.
On the day, there will be an opening ceremony at Queen’s House, which will see commemorations begin with a live performance from the Ethno Vox choir.
Throughout the day, you can take part in a creative workshop making Adinkra foam block printing, learn how to play traditional African and Caribbean games with the Caribbean Social Forum, and there will be short story readings with historian and writer Stella Dadzie – among other sessions and workshops to mark the day.
Friday 23 August 2024, 11am to 5:15pm
Tickets: Free Romney Road, SE10 9NF www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on
Creekside Festival returns 7 September
Back for its second year following a sellout for Creekside Festival 2023, AAJA – south east London’s much-loved community radio station, record label and hub – has announced 2024’s expansive edition.
Join the party on Saturday 7 September, with first release tickets starting from £11. Expect a dayto-night gathering across 17 venues in Deptford, plus a special after party at The Albany as well. AJAA co-founders and Creekside creators Samuel Willott and Owen Howells welcome 2024 headliners: rising Rinse FM DJ with the club-ready beats Freshta; south London local, garage queen Lady Passion; British minimal soul producer Steve O’Sullivan; and garage, house and breaks DJ Yosh. As well as Distant Planet, Marbles, Cheeky Soundsystem crews and more to be announced.
Saturday 7 September 2024. Tickets: From £11 Multiple venues in Deptford www.creeksidefestival.com
Join in the Vitality Mile
Deptford charity Blueprint for All is inviting you to make a difference with movement this September and join them in the Vitality Westminster Mile.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional, or this is your fi rst foray into the world of sports, you can take part on 21 September by walking, jogging or skipping in a family-friendly atmosphere. The mile starts in St James’ Park, with the fi nish line by Buckingham Palace.
Tickets include free entry to the Vitality Wellness Festival in Green Park for an afternoon of fun, too, where you can mix and mingle, try your hand at the giant treadmill, or simply enjoy a smoothie or two.
You can participate solo or with a team, and everyone receives a medal for taking part.
Saturday 21 September 2024
Tickets: Adults £10, under 18s free with Blueprint for All bit.ly/3VambXd
© Wilson Smith
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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;
FUL – Full Planning Permission
LB – Listed Building Consent
ADV – Advertisement Consent
Written representations should be made within three weeks of the date of this advertisement to the Director of Planning, PO Box 734, Winchester SO23 5DG. Any comments made are open to inspection by the public and in the event of an appeal may be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Confidential comments cannot be taken into account in determining an application.
Application plans can be viewed online at www.lambeth.gov.uk/searchplanningapps – search using the reference number at the end of each application listing.
Land Adjacent To Whitehouse Apartments, 9 Belvedere Road Concert Hall Approach London SE1 8XR Relocation of 18 Cycle Hire docking points on the carriageway of Concert Hall Approach and installation of 12 additional docking points on the carriageway of Concert Hall Approach (30 maximum). 24/02259/FUL Waterloo Christian Centre 6 - 8 Webber Street London SE1 8QA Refurbishment of building, involving the replacement of windows and doors, installation of wheelchair platform lift to the north-east elevation, replacement of 2 roof lights and new roof safety rails, along with other associated works.24/02006/FUL
37 Courtenay Street London SE11 5PH Replacement of all existing windows with double glazed uPVC windows. 24/02098/FUL
4 Fentiman Road London SW8 1LF Use of the property as a seven bedroom house of multiple occupancy. 24/02263/FUL
Royal Festival Hall South Bank London Lambeth SE1 8XX The refurbishment of the existing Skylon Restaurant on level 3. 24/02288/LB
86 Bromfelde Road London Lambeth SW4 6PR Alteration of the garage, involving the increase of the roof height including roof lights and the replacement of 2 side windows with sliding doors and the side door. 24/01854/FUL
2-3 Clapham Common South Side London SW4 7AA Display of 1 x non illuminated temporary shroud advertisement. 24/02206/ADV
1 Paulet Road London SE5 9HP Conversion of existing dwelling into 3 residential units involving the erection of a single storey ground floor rear and side infill extension. Insertion of a door and 4x windows to the side elevation; with the provision of refuse and cycle storage. 24/02198/FUL
223 Cavendish Road London Lambeth SW12 0BP Replacement of 4x aluminium casement windows with new double glazed thermally efficient Upvc sash windows (1x front elevation, 1x side elevation, 2x rear elevation). 24/02223/FUL
101 Mitre Road London Lambeth SE1 8PT Installation of extractor fan and flue ancillary to installation of accessible shower.
24/02193/FUL
294 Coldharbour Lane London Lambeth SW9 8SE Creation of 4 residential units involving the erection of a single storey ground floor rear extension. 24/02232/FUL
86 Courtenay Street London SE11 5PQ Application for Listed Building Consent for replacement of all existing windows with double glazed timber windows.
Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 24/02095/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 24/02094/FUL. 24/02095/LB
60 Courtenay Street London SE11 5PQ Application for Listed Building Consent for replacement of all existing windows with double glazed timber windows.
Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 24/02097/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 24/02096/FUL. 24/02097/LB
88 Courtenay Street London SE11 5PQ Application for Listed Building Consent for replacement of all existing windows with double glazed timber windows. Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 24/02093/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 24/02092/FUL. 24/02093/LB
48 Copley Park London SW16 3DB Erection of a single storey ground floor rear extension and a rear dormer roof extension. 24/02229/FUL
101 Streatham High Road London Lambeth SW16 1HJ Change of use of the former Streatham Police Station (Sui Generis) to 57-bed Hotel (Use Class C1) with ancillary cafe & reception, involving the erection of mansard roof extension and rear extension at al floor levels, including infill extension to the second floor, together with the installation of PV panels, the provision of cycle storage, waste/recycling storage, landscaping and associated works. 24/01870/FUL
741 Wandsworth Road London SW8 3JF Alteration to fenestration including the insertion of a bi-folding door and large window to the ground and first floor rear extension respectively. Replacement of existing window with a door, replacement of existing door, window to the side elevation and replacement of existing rear extension flat roof. 24/02306/FUL
37 Shakespeare Road London SE24 0LA Erection of a single storey ground floor rear and side infill extension and replacement/enlargement of existing ground floor rear window. 24/02314/FUL 827 - 833 Wandsworth Road London SW8 3JL Installation of 4x roof lights to the front and 4x roof lights to the rear roof slopes. Insertion of a window to the first floor rear elevation. 24/02338/FUL
The South Bank Centre Belvedere Road London Lambeth SE1 8XX The temporary installation (from Monday 7th October to Monday 21st October 2024 including installation and de-installation), of a red carpet covering, marketing cubes, digital screen, and implementation of a festival trail in association with the BFI London Film Festival 2024 at Southbank Centre.
(Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 24/02136/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 24/02135/FUL) 24/02136/LB
Nofax House 11 Voltaire Road London SW4 6DQ Replacement of 4 single pane sash windows with single thermal slim glazed windows within the existing sash and restoring the existing timber frame sash and box frame. (Flat 7). (Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 24/01683/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 24/02134/FUL). 24/01683/LB
Dated this Friday 09th August 2024
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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 has made the above-named 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 16th day of August 2024
Andrew Rogers Planning and Performance Manager Transport for London, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ
Perfected Lien Security Interest –Stephen William Rudman
To place a notice in this paper and online, please email em@ cm‐media .co.uk or call us on 020 7232 1639
Deadline is 3pm on Wednesday
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
Notice of application for a Premises Licence.
Notice is hereby given that Namkeen Ltd has applied to Wandsworth Council for a new premises licence at Namkeen Restaurant, 111-113 Upper Tooting Road, London, SW17 7TJ for Late Night Refreshment – Indoors Monday to Sunday 23:00 to 02:00 Seasonal Variation – Month of Ramadan 23:00 to 04:00
Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 11th September 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.
Notice of Application to apply for a Premises Licence made under the Licensing Act 2003
Please take notice that I / we Graffiti Burger Limited Have made application to the London Borough Of Merton to apply for a Premises Licence in respect of: Graffiti Burger, 188 High Street Colliers Wood, London, SW19 2BN
The application is as follows: Late Night Refreshment - Indoors Sunday to Thursday – 23.00 hours to 01.00 hours Friday & Saturday – 23.00 to 04.00
A register of all applications made with the London Borough Of Merton is maintained by: LICENSING SECTION, LONDON BOROUGH OF MERTON, 2ND FLOOR, CIVIC CENTRE, LONDON ROAD, MORDEN, SURREY, SM4 5DX
A record of this application may be inspected by appointment at Merton Civic Centre. Please email licensing@merton.gov.uk or telephone 020 8545 3969.
It is open to any interested party to make representations about the likely effect of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Section at the office or email address above and be received by the Merton’s Licensing Section within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below.
Note: It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine.
Date application given to the Council: 13/08/2024
1.
Bridge and (ii) outside Hayward Gallery.
3.
4. The bans, suspension and speed limit will only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
5. The Order will come into force on 27th August 2024 and will 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, will be revoked. Dated 16th 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 have made an Order the effect of which will 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 will be available via Acre Lane, Ballater Road, Raeburn Street and Concanon Road, and vice-versa.
3. The ban will only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
4. The Order will 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 will 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 16th 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 have made an Order the effect of which will 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 will be available via Waterloo Road,
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 will be available via Elder Road, Eylewood Road and Benton’s Rise and vice-versa.
3. The bans will only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
4. The order will come into force on 27th August 2024 and will continue for a maximum duration of 1 month (to allow for contingencies)
August 2024
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable telecommunication works to be carried out, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth have made an order the effect of which will be to temporarily ban any vehicle from waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading and unloading a vehicle) at any time, in
traffic signs.
3. The Order will come into force on 29th 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 have effect on 29th August 2024 between
1.
2.
3. The Orders are necessary to allow a vehicle crossover to
4. If you have any enquiries, please contact Lambeth
5. A copy of each of the proposed Orders and other documents giving detailed particulars about them are available for
online at: https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or www.lambeth.gov.uk/traffic-management-orders and at the offices of
Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management &
between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm on Mondays to Fridays inclusive (except on bank/public holidays), until the
beginning with the date on which the Orders are made or, as the case may be, the Council decides not to make the Orders. To arrange inspection please telephone 020 7926 0209 or email: Trafficorders@lambeth.gov.uk
6. All objections and other representations relating to the proposed Orders must be made in writing and all objections must specify the grounds on which they are made (quoting reference: Cancell Road Ref 95), and can be 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 TMOReps@lambeth.gov.uk by 9th September 2024. Any objection may be communicated to, or be seen by, other persons who may have an interest in this matter.
Dated 16th August 2024
By Sport Reporter
oVaL inVinCiBLEs secured passage to the knock-out rounds of The hundred after a Jordan Cox 50 took them to a straight-forward victory over London spirit at The kia oval last weekend.
Cox rounded off a good week after being selected for the England Men’s Test team by finishing things off with a six to end up 61 not out from just 30 balls, and to take his team to a nine-wicket victory.
The result was all but settled by the halfway mark, the already-eliminated Spirit able only to post 96 from the first innings.
Michael Pepper started well for the visitors, attacking the powerplay for an 18ball 27, but when he fell – bowled by Adam Zampa – the die was cast.
Twenty-one balls later Spirit were 525, with Ollie Pope, Shimron Hetmyer and Andre Russell back in the hutch. They never recovered, with Zampa continuing his fine tournament with 4-17.
Ollie Stone – like Cox, in England Men’s squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka – ran in hard as Spirit sought to defend 96 but it was a case of when and not if for Invincibles, and Cox ended it with 37 balls to spare.
The win means Sam Billings’ side - who have won six of their seven games - are guaranteed a place in the top three of the men’s competition, with their final game against Trent Rockets deciding whether they’ll head straight to The Hundred Final on Sunday, August 18 or if they will need to progress through The Hundred Eliminator the day before.
Zampa said: “I’m pleased with that performance. They put us under the pump in the powerplay early but yet again there was a bit of purchase in the surface and the boys dragged it back really well through the middle.
“We’ve been playing really good cricket throughout. Today we knew how important it was to get the win. Finishing first and hopefully going straight through to Lord’s, we’ve potentially made it really tough for anyone to overtake us from here. It’s really important next game that we make that a certainty.”
Meanwhile, a half-century from Lauren Winfield-Hill took Oval Invincibles to a crucial win against London Spirit in front of 14,721 fans in The Hundred at The Kia Oval.
Dulwich
By John Lewis
DULwiCh haD a fluctuating match against Spencer befitting the top two sides in Division 1 of the aJ sports surrey Championship, but fell to a twowicket defeat in the last over last weekend.
Spencer put Dulwich in to bat and opened with spinner Freddie Horler, who took the first two wickets, both caught behind, in his first three overs.
Opener James Schofield had batted freely at the other end, and had already reached 24 off 17 balls when he was joined by Apoorv Wankhade
invinc ibles book spot with cox fifty Adam Zampa continues fine form with
4-17
Chasing 120, Invincibles captain Winfield-Hill made 61 from 40 ballsher first half-century this season - and combined effectively with Marizanne Kapp to make light work of a chase that could have been far more taxing.
That Invincibles had anything to chase was down to the first-innings heroics of Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who guided the visitors to a total of 120-8 from the perilous position of 47-7.
Sharma and Eva Gray rebuilt with a record eight-wicket partnership after Invincibles bowlers took a wicket apiece
to get ahead of the game early on – Kapp winning the battle of overseas superstars with a third-ball dismissal of Meg Lanning. The game was in the balance at the interval but Winfield-Hill batted intelligently throughout, nullifying the threat of Spirit’s trio of spinners by manipulating the field and accessing behind square with ease. Chances were few and far between, though Spirit could have sent Winfield-Hill on her way had they opted to review a tight LBW call that went against the bowler Dani Gibson.
Kapp came in after birthday girl Alice
Capsey was bowled ramping, and added some impetus to the foundations laid by Winfield-Hill to see the chase ticked off with nine balls to go.
Invincibles’ win confirmed Manchester Originals’ tournament is over, but more importantly for the home side leaves them in control of their own destiny with one game to go ahead of The Hundred Eliminator and The Hundred Final.
Both of the Invincibles’ games against Trent Rockets were on Wednesday (August 14). Go to southwarknews.co.uk for the reports.
Hak has deja vu
By John Kelly
hakan hayrETTin felt the three goals his side conceded were “sloppy” after Dulwich hamlet came back from two goals down at wingate & finchley but lost late on in their opening game of the isthmian League premier Division season last weekend.
Ogo Obi put the hosts 2-0 up with goals in the fourth and 57th minute. Luke Wanadio pulled a goal back with a penalty in the 70th minute and the Hamlet appeared to have the momentum when he scored again six minutes from time.
But Ryan Lowe’s goal on 89 minutes left Dulwich empty-handed at the Maurice Rebak Stadium.
“We didn’t start really well, did we, Ralfi [Hand] has played it to Michael Chambers who’s played it back to the goalkeeper [Dillon Barnes]. I think it was short, not strong enough, it was straight down the middle and he was a little bit lethargic, kicks it straight to their player who’s done ever so well, chased it down and they scored,” Hayrettin said.
“Up until that point and even the first half we had 90 per cent of the ball and we were in control.
“The second half I thought we were much better than them but at the end of the day they scored three goals. We have to look at that and analyse it, I don’t think that’s good enough for us.
“We scored two goals away from home, we shouldn’t be losing that game. We have, because the goals we conceded were all sloppy, all individual mistakes, and all stoppable, in my opinion.”
Hayrettin said he was pleased with the fight his side showed, but added: “I don’t want to go through what I went through last season. I don’t want to be going away from home, [having to] score two to get back into the game or score three to win the game. I want to win the game without letting goals in.”
with the score on 31 in the sixth over.
The pair added 127 in 21.3 overs for the third wicket, with Wankhade as usual taking the lead as he reached his eighth half century of the season off 44 balls. Schofield was content to take a back seat but passed his own half century before being bowled for 59, having faced 73 balls. Wankhade fell 14 runs later, having made 82 off 88 balls and taken his aggregate for the season to 827.
Sam Seecharan was now joined by skipper Ollie Steele in a stand of 73 in just seven overs for the fifth wicket. Seecharan led the way, racing to 49, off just 28 balls, before falling with the score on 245 in the 39th over. The stage seemed set for an advance beyond 300, but the later batsmen rather lost their way. Will
Jenkins struggled to score against tight bowling before falling with the score on 263 in the 43rd over. Harrison Perry made a breezy 11 off ten balls to take the score to 279 in the 47th, but his dismissal sparked a collapse in which the last four wickets went down for just seven runs. Three of them fell to catches in the deep, including Steele who was ninth out having also made 49, off 56 balls. Dulwich had lost their last six wickets for 41 runs in eleven overs, to be all out for 286 off the first ball of the 50th over.
The Spencer reply was built around a century by opener Hugo Darby which kept them up with the required rate. Harvey Booth picked up the first wicket in the fifth over with the score on 28, but Will Harris then joined in a
stand of 47 in six overs for the second wicket before Jenkins had him caught behind by Steele for 25, off 22 balls. Darby was now joined in a stand of 88 in 18 overs for the third wicket with Richard Fleming before Ahmed Khan dismissed Fleming, who had played second fiddle in making 31 off 63 balls. Khan dismissed keeper Archie Macpherson two balls later, but Darby had already reached 90 by this time, and he advanced to his century in company with Horler. The pair added 50 in 6.3 overs before Jenkins bowled Darby for 129, off 97 balls, to make it 213-5 after 36.1 overs.
Spencer still needed 74, but moved steadily towards their target despite losing three more wickets. Felix Watson-Smyth dismissed Horler
for 23 with the score on 235 off the last ball of the 40th over. Wickets for Booth with the score on 254 in the 45th over and Seecharan at 265 in the 46th left Spencer needing 22 off four overs. Abid Jafri, with 29 off 36 balls, and skipper Gus Grant, with 13 at a run a ball, saw them home with three balls to spare. Steele used six bowlers, but only Watson-Smyth, with 1-42 off ten overs, and Khan 2-43 also off ten, went for less than five an over.
Spencer move back to the top of the table, but are only three points ahead of Dulwich who slip,to second place. This weekend, Dulwich visit Cranleigh, who are 22 points behind in third place. The first match between the sides fell victim to the weather.
Jordan Cox of Oval Invincibles
Ex-Lions loanee to exit Gunners
By John Kelly
forMEr MiLLwaLL loanee
Brooke norton-Cuffy is set to leave arsenal for genoa.
Norton-Cuffy, 20, made 40 Championship appearances and scored two goals for the Lions last season.
The defender was a popular player with Millwall supporters, many of whom would have welcomed him back.
Millwall have completed only one new outfield signing this summer, striker Macaulay Langstaff from Notts County.
The two other outfield signings were at the club last season. Shaun Hutchinson was officially released before re-joining. Japhet Tanganga spent the second half of the campaign at The Den.
It was reported on Monday that Norton-Cuffy was set to join the Seria A side for €2million plus add-ons after completing a medical later this week.
dons’ show ‘character’ in sharp u’s turn
By John Kelly
JakEs rEEVEs was delighted with afC wimbledon’s character after they recovered from two goals down to beat Colchester United 4-2 in an opening-day League
Two thriller at plough Lane last weekend.
Ben Goodliffe scored twice within the first nine minutes to shock the home fans.
But Johnnie Jackson’s hosts roared back with goals from James Ball, Reeves and Matty Stevens’ penalty before the break.
Omar Bugiel made it 4-2 in the 54th minute and the Dons saw out the game comfortable against Danny Cowley’s U’s.
“Sometimes as a club in our history we don’t do things the easiest way, but that’s what makes us great,” Reeves said.
“It’s about the character and the quality that we showed,. The boys responded well to the early setback, after we were slow out of the starting blocks. There’s always going to be teething problems when you change a whole style of play and system, that’s natural.
“Last season was more about a shape, a set-up, let teams come on to us and then we’ll press from a certain area. We had Ali [Al-Hamadi] up front, so you could allow for that. When we nicked the ball, he was so quick in behind that it was a good tactic of ours.
“This year, it’s slightly different with the forward line that we’ve got. We want to go and get at teams early on, but as I’ve said there’ll be teething problems, and it was about how we reacted to that and I thought the boys did that brilliantly.”
Reeves added: “Bally has been near on perfect in every pre-season game and in training. He’s showed that with his attitude and application. He could have been a little annoyed about things
Hosts were 2-0 down after nine minutes
after last season, but he’s done the right thing by keeping his head down.
“He’s had conversations with the gaffer and said he wants to play a little bit further and higher up the pitch, because he feels that’s his sort of role. The gaffer has given him the opportunity and he’s responded.”
Reeves’ leadership was key to the Dons’ comeback.
“That’s my style to be vocal,” Reeves
Hornets fans praised for Mati gesture
By John Kelly
waTforD fans were praised after they held up a banner with Matija sarkic’s name at The Den last saturday afternoon.
Millwall goalkeeper Sarkic passed away at the age of 26 in Budva, Montenegro on June 15.
The Lions honoured Sarkic before their first game of the Championship season against the Hornets.
Sarkic’s partner Phoebe and his family were present as both sets of fans applauded for the Montenegro
international.
Hutchinson and Watford
said. “Probably even more so when things are going well, but not necessarily when things are going bad because it’s probably easier to keep shouting and raving. It’s the level of detail and the thought behind the solution that I’m trying to get across when things are going bad.
“I thought we handled that well, we kept calm. A lot of teams would have panicked and crumbled and not been
able to keep hold of their game. We just thought about a clean slate and to get our football going and that should be enough to get us over the line.
“I thought Josh Neufville was outstanding out on the right and equally, on debut, I thought James Furlong was too. To come in late in preseason and pick up how we play, he’s been fantastic. There were a lot of good performances out there.”
Woodman's three wishes are Grant-ed on historic day
By John Kelly
kaMarL granT scored his first senior professional goal as Bromley marked a historic day by winning 2-0 at harrogate Town in their first-ever game in the football League last weekend.
Grant scored to make it 2-0 nineteen minutes from time after Michael Cheek had opened the scoring for Andy Woodman’s side in the 62nd minute.
Grant, 21, is on loan at Hayes Lane from Millwall until at least January.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to do, I wanted to chalk of both of those [first win and clean sheet in League
Two], and Michael Cheek scoring, and we can park all of that now,” Woodman said.
“I want the fans to enjoy it, I want everyone at the club to enjoy it but I’ve got a group of players that need to keep focussed. “It’s one game, we can’t get too carried away.
“We’re off the mark and have to make sure we take care of our business and don’t get too gassed and get above ourselves.
“We’ve got another game Tuesday, another game Saturday and guess what, another 50-odd games.
“Let’s make sure we enjoy today, the fans enjoy it, and we get our heads on our business and get ready to go again.”
Millwall captain Shaun
goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann laid wreaths in the
centre circle before a minute’s applause ahead of kick-off.
Neil Harris’ side were beaten 3-2 by Tom Cleverley’s visitors.
© Action Plus
Wimbledon midfi elder Jake Reeves
© Brian Tonks
Brooke Norton-Cuffy in action for Millwall
George Honeyman
leads by example
at Fratton Park on Tuesday
By Paul Green
gEorgE honEyMan isn’t chasing personal glory when it comes to setting goal targets this season.
The 29-year-old brings a wealth of experience to the current squad having played more than 270 senior games for Sunderland, Hull and Millwall.
Honeyman has scored 23 goals during that spell and can consider himself seriously unfortunate not to have added to that tally against both Watford and Portsmouth this week.
The man from the North East is currently playing in a number ten role for Neil Harris’ side, something he is clearly enjoying.
But the only thing that matters to the Lions star is making sure Millwall keep winning games as opposed to improving his own scoring stats.
honeyman puts team first
Harris thrilled for Three Lions
By Paul Green
MiLLwaLL Boss neil harris heaped praise on three young Lions following Tuesday’s 1-0 Carabao Cup win at portsmouth.
Midfielder Alfie Massey was handed his first senior start, playing over an hour before making way for George Saville. Winger Aidomo Emakhu was named in the XI following an eye-catching emergence from the bench against Watford at the weekend where he inspired Millwall to recover from 2-0 down to equalise, only for that sickening late Watford winner to undo all the hard work.
Honeyman said: “I used to be quite big on setting goals and targets for myself.
“The gaffer has been quite honest with me that I’m going to probably play quite a number of positions.
“If I knew I was going to play as a number ten all season I would want close to double figures with goals and assists.
“Maybe double figure goals and assists is a bit ambitious, but I’ve been quite good on the assists spectrum in my career.”
He added: “I’m on set pieces so I think if I can get double figures for assists, that would be a great start.
“I definitely need to chip in with a few goals. If I can get five I would be delighted with that.
“It depends where I’m playing and how the team is doing. I just want to
Johnstone gets chop
By John Kelly
saM JohnsTonE has been stripped of Crystal palace’s no.1 shirt - with Dean henderson set to be oliver glasner’s firstchoice goalkeeper this season. Glasner is set to hand that shirt to Johnstone’s England colleague Dean Henderson.
Former West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Johnstone, 31, started last season as first-choice under Roy Hodgson despite the arrival of Henderson from Manchester United for £20million.
Johnstone made 23 appearances in all competitions before injuring his elbow on international duty and missing the rest of the season and
Euro 2024.
Henderson came in for Johnstone and helped the Eagles end the season on a seven-game unbeaten run that included six wins. Henderson also made Gareth Southgate’s squad for the Euros.
Johnstone, who cost £6.5million from the Baggies in 2022, is set to be made available for transfer.
Palace have so far officially confirmed four squad numbers, the latter three of them summer signings: Joachim Andersen (5), Daichi Kamada (18), Chadi Riad (34) and Ismaila Sarr (No. 7, as above).
Palace kick off their Premier League campaign at Brentford this Sunday (August 18) at 2pm.
Individual goals targets of little concern to Millwall star
be part of a successful team.
“I’m at the stage of my career where I just like winning football games and I’m not too fussed if my name is on the scoresheet.”
Only a vital save by Portsmouth keeper Will Norris denied Honeyman in the second-half at Fratton Park, just three days after seeing a shot hit the woodwork against Watford before his follow-up shot was scrambled off the line.
He recalled: “It was the same thing on Saturday and I went across my body and the keeper just got a tiny flick on to the post and then there was the rebound.
“Then obviously seeing the ball coming tonight, it was a great pick out by Romain Esse and I think it was on my mind a little bit not to go across my body again, so I’ve tried to go back
against it.
“I got good contact but just not accurate enough. I’m obviously gutted.”
Honeyman added: “I know I can provide a lot more in terms of goals and assists for the club.
“But the gaffer was saying to me I’m getting in the positions, and if I keep getting in them, they will come.
“Having been on the wing, and maybe I was also used a bit more defensively for Millwall, I’ve not really felt I’ve even been getting the (scoring) opportunities, which I’ve been fine with. Whatever it takes for the team.
“But if I keep getting in there, I’m sure the goals will start coming because I have done it in my career before, so it is not like I can’t do it. I’ve just got to get that confidence of hitting the back of the net.”
And finally Romain Esse, who scored the only goal of the game on 13 minutes to seal victory on the south coast and get the Lions’ campaign off and running after that Hornets sting in the tail.
Harris said: “Firstly, I am delighted to win the game. Secondly, thank you to the brilliant following for coming to support us.
“I was delighted for them to see a victory. There were some real positives.
“The first one is that we didn’t feel sorry for ourselves as a group on the back of a late winner against us when clearly we deserved to win the game on Saturday.
“I felt we bounced back in the correct manner.
“There was the huge professionalism the boys showed to have the great application on Sunday morning in training early when I got them in, as well as on Monday and then coming down here today.
“Probably more vital than that is the performances of the three young lads in the team tonight.
“Romain to score the goal, Aidomo to show glimpses of his raw powers of pace and directness and Alfie Massey making his debut for the football club.
“As a homegrown player and a fan of the football club, that will be very special for him and his family.”
Ex-Millwall forward makes Dublin move
By John Kelly
forMEr MiLLwaLL attacker aiden
o’Brien has joined League of ireland side shelbourne on a free transfer.
Ireland international O’Brien, 30, has signed what the club have said is a “multiyear deal”.
Shels are managed by former Ireland International Damien Duff. The exBlackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Fulham winger has led the north Dublin club to top the Premier League. The season in Ireland is in a calendar year. Shelbourne have a two-point lead at the top after 26 games, one fewer than second-place Derry City.
"I am pleased to join Shelbourne FC and embark on this new adventure," O'Brien said. "This decision was largely supported by the excellent staff and manager who
helped me through the negotiation and made sure the deal worked for me and my family. I have heard such good things about the team and can’t wait to be part of it.
"Moving to Dublin was a big decision; my grandmother was born there and I had a great relationship with her. It feels like the right decision for me and where I am in my career. I am ready to go and so excited to help bring this club back to where it belongs."
O’Brien came through Millwall’s academy and scored 44 goals in 226 games before being released in 2020. He made permanent moves to Sunderland, Portsmouth and Shrewsbury Town and had loan spells at Gillingham and Sutton United.
“Important moment, important signing. Exciting times, exciting player,” Duff said.
“Aiden brings a wealth of experience and quality but most importantly presence, personality, leadership and a stone-cold
belief.
“Aiden was desperate to come which I found so refreshing. He lives for pressure and responsibility so he has come to the right place at the right time.
“This signing is a big statement by the club.”
Luke Byrne, Shelbourne technical director, added: “Aiden brings with him so many things we are looking for: experience, personality, presence, hunger. He’s shown a real desire to come here and be a part of the club. He’s a proud Irishman and very excited at moving over here.
“The great thing about Aiden is that regardless of what he’s achieved in his career, he’s still extremely hungry to improve and succeed and that’s important to us. The fans will take to his style of play straight away and he’s raring to get out there at Tolka and make an impact.”
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palace on the defensive INSIDE
INVINCIBLES BOOK SPOT WITH COX
Lions pounce for big talent
By John Kelly
MiLLwaLL arE set to sign Celtic midfield prospect Daniel Kelly in January.
Kelly, 18, was offered a new deal by the Scottish Premiership champions but he has decided to move south to join the Lions.
East Kibride’s Kelly scored on his senior league debut in February in Celtic’s 7-1 win against Dundee after he had come on at half-time. He made six appearances for Brendan Rodgers’ side last season.
Kelly wasn’t involved in Celtic’s preseason after he turned down a deal.
“Daniel has been offered a really good contract by the club,” Rodgers said in July.
“It’s a contract that would see him come into the first team squad and play and perform and develop because he has a lot of development to do.
“I spoke with the agents and the player some months back to say, ‘listen, if we can't tidy this up by the summer, then it's very hard to be with the team in pre-season’. It's as simple as that.
“I like Daniel but he has a lot of work to do and I feel that for him and his family, this is a great place for him to be able to do that.
Andersen
and Marc Guehi
are in demand
Parish: ‘I can’t imagine losing both centre-backs’
By John Kellly
CrysTaL paLaCE chairman steve parish has said he “can’t imagine a situation” in which the Eagles lose their two main centre-backs this summer.
Newcastle United have bid up to £60million for Marc Guehi, 24, but Palace reportedly want at least £70million.
And Palace have turned down an offer from Fulham for Joachim Andersen. Guehi was one of the best centrebacks at Euro 2024 as he helped England reach the final, where they lost 2-1 to Spain.
“We’d like to keep hold of him,” Parish said. “There’s a price and a situation where we might consider it.
“Somebody said he’s a superstar, so
somebody has got to pay superstar money.
“Realistically, homegrown, 24 years old, sensational talent, somebody has to make it difficult for us. At the moment it isn’t. He’ll still be at Crystal Palace at the moment, but it’s not impossible.
“He is certainly not making anybody’s life difficult, his agents are decent people.
“It’s a very good situation. Whether he is here or not will make no difference to how he performs.”
Guehi’s regular centre-back partner lat season, Andersen, 28, is also in demand. The Cottagers reportedly bid £25million for the Denmark international this week.
“That’s an interesting one because I can’t imagine a situation where we
“You've got a manager who sees a talent there, who sees the physicality that he has and the areas he needs to brush up on.
would lose both of our centre-halves,” Parish said.
“Again, Joachim, he’s a special lad and very much at the heart of what we do. He’s like our quarterback at the heart of that back three, a sensational footballer.
“We have got to sit and think about what is the right thing to do, what the players want to do. If both of them are still here at the end of the window I wouldn’t be surprised.”
Palace sold Michael Olise to Bayern Munich for £60million this summer after paying Reading £7million for him. Eberechi Eze is also attracting attention and has a release fee of at least £60million.
Parish has big ambitions for the club.
He said: “Everyone is in a trading deficit in the Premier League. If you
want constancy, you have to first of all attract the right talent and part of that is showing them a pathway," he said.
“Players like Michael [Olise] going to Bayern and going to the top clubs in the world shows people that coming to Crystal Palace you can get picked for your country, you can go and play at the highest level.
“What do we hope? One day we are the Champions League club that everybody wants to come to, we’re the Europa League club that everybody wants to come to.
“Up until then we have to be realistic. We have to work with the players, work with the sporting department, we have to make sure we have a good squad and we are making smart decisions about recruitment - buying and selling.”
“What a great club and place this is for him to be able to do that. If that's not enough then that's ok. It's absolutely fine.
“You'll go somewhere else and maybe play. But you never know. We’ve got until December but it's just disappointing at this stage that it hasn't happened because he would have had a great opportunity this preseason.
Kelly’s contract runs out on December 31.
Daniel Kelly
Joachim
(16)
(6)