FrEsH cOncErns were raised at city Hall on wednesday over plans for a new chinese ‘super-embassy’ next to the tower of London.
London Assembly members urged Sadiq Khan’s policing deputy to join them in opposing the project, arguing that the “completely unsuitable” location could become a hotspot for protests and take up valuable police officer time.
Deputy mayor Kaya Comer-Schwartz declined to criticise the scheme – despite the Metropolitan Police having themselves objected to it – though she did acknowledge “the strength of feeling” over the issue.
It comes after the i newspaper reported on Tuesday that if the plan is approved by Deputy PM Angela Rayner, it could cause diplomatic tensions with Donald Trump’s incoming administration in Washington, amid fears that the embassy will boost China’s espionage capabilities.
The planning application for the new embassy at Royal Mint Court was last week rejected unanimously by Tower Hamlets Council – but the authority’s decision was advisory rather than binding, as the power to formally approve or refuse the project has been taken out of its hands by the Government. Instead, the decision will be taken by Ms Rayner, following a hearing by the Planning Inspectorate at the end of January
The council had already refused an almost identical version of the plan back in 2022.
The topic was raised on Wednesday at a meeting of City Hall’s police and crime committee by Tower Hamlets’ assembly member, Unmesh Desai.
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The Labour member told Ms ComerSchwartz that the objections from police were “quite unprecedented”. The Met’s counterterrorism unit have warned that Royal Mint Court is located on “a major arterial junction, where any [anti-China] demonstration would have a serious and significant effect to not only the local area, but also wider London”.
Mr Desai said: “There are of course wider national security issues as well… Will you join me and the Met, deputy mayor, in sharing our concerns with the relevant planning authority?”
The deputy mayor for policing and crime admitted she was “playing catch up” on the history of the application, but that she understood it had now been refused twice by the council.
“The mayor was clear not to intervene in that,” she said, adding that it was now “with the Government to decide”
But Mr Desai pressed her for a clearer
answer, stressing that the application had “London-wide” implications.
“I’m asking from a policing perspective –with cost implications, with implications for the work of the parliamentary and diplomatic command unit – what are your observations?” he said. “Do you share the concerns that have been expressed so openly and strongly by the police?”
Ms Comer-Schwartz said it was “important” to acknowledge the Met’s objections, but that the Planning Inspectorate would consider their concerns “fastidiously”.
Conservative assembly member Emma Best said: “This is really concerning I think for Londoners. You never see the Met speak up on planning applications like this. The way in which the Prime Minister met with [Xi] Jinping, and then this was suddenly called in by the UK Government from Tower Hamlets Council, certainly doesn’t sit right, I think, with a lot of people.
“Now it’s a case of [needing] you, I think, to
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FRESH CONCERNS OVER NEW CHINESE ‘SUPER-EMBASSY’
stand up for what the Met are saying. Can you make sure that you do make representations in that application and stand with the Met alongside their concerns?”
Ms Best was referring to the fact that the PM, Sir Keir Starmer, told Chinese officials at November’s G20 summit that the embassy issue was specifically raised with him in a telephone call with the Chinese President.
“We have since taken action by calling in that application. Now we have to follow the legal process and timeline,” he said.
The deputy mayor replied to Ms Best: “I really hear the strength of feeling on this particular case. I will endeavour to meet assembly member Desai, review the situation, and come back to you on it.”
Sem Moema, a Labour assembly member and Hackney councillor, told Ms ComerSchwartz she was also worried about the embassy’s impact on policing across east London.
“That’s already a very stretched force with
lots of local issues, and obviously international issues affect what happens at home, quite substantially in that neighbourhood – as you well know,” she said.
“I’m deeply concerned about the operational impact [on police], of having this embassy in a location which is completely not suitable for something of that nature.”
Following the council’s vote against the embassy plans last week, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy said: “Host countries have the international obligation to support and facilitate the building of the premises of diplomatic missions. It is hoped that the UK side will fulfill that obligation.”
They said the council’s opposition was “deeply disappointing” given that the local authority’s planning officers had recommended its approval. The council “once again failed to consider this planning application based on merits of the matter and relevant professional opinions”, they added.
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Royal Mint Court stands opposite the Tower of London . Credit: Google
From left to right: Unmesh Desai Am, Emma Best Am and Sem Moema Am
FIG BISCUITS AND BUDGET BUBBLY: HOW BRITAIN’S
POSHEST POUNDLAND SHOP HAS PROVEN A SURPRISING SUCCESS
By Herbie Russell
sQuEEZED In between organic butchers, artisanal cafes and ladieswear boutiques is a shop unlike any other on Lordship Lane.
This remains one of South London’s more affluent high streets. Properties often sell for well over £1 million, innumerable celebrities live locally, and some of the capital’s priciest private schools are nearby.
So when a Poundland pitched up on a prime piece of real estate in the winter of 2023, everyone had their two cents.
There was much fretting online. On one local forum, someone wrote: “How am I expected to push past all those tracksuits while I'm carrying a selection of cheeses from Mons (local cheesemongers) not to mention the quince paste?”
“Never seen reverse gentrification before,” wrote a user on X, formerly Twitter.
Even politicians were wading in. Desperate to seem relatable to the soonto-be-voting public, particularly during a cost-of-living crisis, they lavished praise on the budget retailer.
The Tory MP for Chipping Barnet declared it a “great national brand” and derided the naysayers as guilty of “snobbery”.
Not to be outdone, the Labour MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch insisted she too was a regular shopper at her “very popular” local stores.
Poundland executives, meanwhile, rushed to reassure locals, promising a selection of swanky stock would be filling the shelves. £20 bottles of Taittinger champagne anyone?
Nearly two years on from its official opening, how has Poundland settled in?
Did the promises of bougie bubbly prove a success, or has it all fallen flat?
“I thought it was awful at the time but it seems to have settled in quite nicely,” says Brian Skipper, 77.
While he is more frequently seen perusing the gorgonzola at the local cheesemongers, he admits the Poundland has its uses.
Cradling a mega-pack of Yorkshire teabags, he said: “I mean, we’re only around the corner from the poorer parts of East Dulwich so why shouldn’t they have it if they need some cheap stuff?”
Sylvia, an elderly woman sporting a pair of expensive-looking sunglasses beneath a silk headscarf, admitted she was not a regular visitor to the store.
“I did find some nice fig biscuits in there so I bought them,” she said.
“Oh yes, I would get some fig biscuits!” Valerie, 82, chimed in. “Funnily enough I just came down and thought ‘Wow, Poundland!’”
She continued: “I wouldn’t make a judgement because if there was something I wanted in there I would go in.
It’s not too bright and it’s not ugly.”
The new outlet replaced a Foxtons estate agents and was part of a roll-out of 50 shops across the country.
Pepco Group, the chain’s owner, recently posted a €662m net loss for the year, in large part down to Poundland’s “weak performance and outlook”.
But when we visited the Lordship Lane store on a Friday afternoon, there was a constant stream of people in and out.
While some were reaching for the Biscoff biscuits, others were emerging with lighters and cigarette rolling papers.
Max Fiddimore, 79, said: “I think it’s great. We have a Poundland in Peckham Rye but it’s only a small shop.
“Not everybody that lives around here has loads of money. That’s a misconception.
“I’m friends with some of the people who work in Marks & Spencer up the road. They don’t get paid a fortune but they have to shop around here.”
He said it was “sheer snobbery” to complain about the shop’s arrival on the high street.
Reading with a Duchess
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Brian Skipper, 77, has warmed to the shop Valerie, 82, was positive about the budget outlet
Max Fiddimore, 79, said not everyone around Dulwich had 'loads of money'
The Poundland on Lordship Lane
By Issy Clarke
rEsIDEnts HaVE been fighting to protect Peckham's town centre from 'oversized' redevelopment plans for more than a decade.
Back in 2013, a seemingly innocuous public meeting was called to discuss the Peckham-Nunhead Action Plan. It was here residents were first told the Aylesham Centre – a shopping centre in the heart of Peckham – had been marked out as a regeneration site where at least one tower block could be built.
This week, in the latest twist of the long-running saga and amid increasing tensions, developer Berkley Homes drastically reduced its affordable homes offer to just under twelve per cent of the overall scheme, a regeneration project now expected to be Peckham's largest in a generation.
Southwark Council's planning committee is expected to make its decision on the huge, and hugely controversial, scheme early next year. Here we explain what has happened to date and why the plans have provoked dismay among residents and campaigners.
WHAT IS THE AYLESHAM CENTRE?
The Aylesham is a shopping centre on Rye Lane, home to a Morrisons supermarket and several small traders.
The site being developed includes the shopping centre as well as the petrol station and car park at the back, making it the biggest regeneration project in Peckham.
The centre was built in the 1980s but today many people believe it has seen better days and would like to see something done about it.
“Re-development is definitely needed on that site” explains Siobhan MCarthy, a spokesperson for Aylesham Community Action. “But we want the right redevelopment for Peckham.”
WHAT ARE THE CURRENT PLANS TO DEVELOP IT?
In August, site owner Berkeley Homes submitted a planning application to transform the site into a mixed development of new homes and shops.
The plans would see the old shopping centre demolished to make way for 877 new homes spread across 13 tower blocks, reaching heights up to 20 storeys.
Of these, 35 per cent were initially set aside for affordable rent; split between 25 per cent social rent and ten per cent intermediate.
However, Berkeley Homes has since told Southwark Council it only plans to reserve 12 per cent of the homes for affordable housing.
The proposed reduction of affordable homes, from 270 to 77, falls well short of the Labour council’s minimum target of 35 per cent affordable housing in all new residential developments.
The developer said the revised plans were due to “rising costs, exacerbated by the length of the planning process”.
Southwark Council hit back at Berkeley Homes, describing its new proposal for the crucial Peckham development site as “very disappointing”.
Housing, business opportunities. These are all things that people want to see flourish in Peckham. But, although the developers say this is what will be achieved by the plans, many in the area remain sceptical.
HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER
PLANS TO DEVELOP THE SITE IN THE PAST?
Yes. Before Berkeley Homes, the site was owned by a partnership between Tiger Developments and BlackRock. They planned the first redevelopment
PECKHAM’S BIGGEST REDEVELOPMENT IN A GENERATION
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE AYLESHAM SHOPPING CENTRE AND WHY ARE TENSIONS SO HIGH?
back in 2020. This scheme proposed constructing over 900 homes across several tower blocks ranging up to 20 storeys in height.
Initially, the developers had wanted to submit a planning application before the end of the year, but this never happened.
Instead, in July 2021 they sold the site to its present owners Berkeley Homes who began their own public consultations in advance of publishing a new design brief.
Since becoming owners of the site, Berkeley Homes has published two design briefs. The first, in 2022, proposed 1,050 homes spread across fourteen buildings, with the tallest reaching 27 storeys.
This design brief met strong local opposition, with a petition organised by Aylesham Community Action reaching 7,000 signatures. The council then wrote to the developers asking them to revise downwards the number of homes and the height of the buildings.
Earlier this year, Berkeley Homes presented a revised design brief, which cut down the height of some of the buildings and reduced the number of homes by 175. This is the version which has been
submitted for planning permission.
WHAT ARE PEOPLE OBJECTING TO?
First of all, many people don’t feel that their concerns were properly taken on board by the developer.
Berkeley did run a pre-application consultation process and had a permanent on-site hub where people could view the plans and make objections. But Siobhan McCarthy said this exercise felt more like “box-ticking.”
She added: “There’s not been a two-way conversation and it’s resulted in this plan that we don’t like, and everyone we speak to who knows about the plan doesn’t like.”
The central objection concerns the proportion of the development to be set aside as affordable housing. Peckham is in the top ten percent most deprived areas in England, while there are about 17,000 people currently on the housing waiting list in Southwark. Campaigners are concerned the new development does not provide enough affordable homes to address this problem, and may even make things worse by potentially driving up property values in
the area.
Labour Peckham councillors have also thrown their weight behind calls for 50 per cent affordable housing on the Aylesham redevelopment.
WHAT IS THE COUNCIL’S POLICY ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
New developments should include a minimum of 35 per cent affordable housing, but with an aim of 50 per cent.
But there are ways around this and schemes failing to deliver 35 per cent affordable housing can also still be given the green light.
A lot hinges on the specific wording in the planning document, which says developers should include as much affordable housing as possible ‘subject to viability.’
The main viability assessment is drawn up by developers who hire their own consultants. This is why campaigners say developers are given too much freedom to decide what is 'viable', and what isn't.
These assessments essentially calculate the amount of affordable housing that they can ‘afford’ to build based on
several factors including building costs and expected profits. The council then produces its own viability assessment to compare.
In some cases, if it is deemed too difficult to deliver affordable housing on a particular site, the developer can make 'payments in lieu' which are then distributed into schemes across the borough.
Berkley is claiming it is not viable to deliver more than twelve per cent affordable housing within the scheme, and is not offering payments in lieu.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER OBJECTIONS?
Peckham Heritage has expressed concern that tower blocks would damage the character and history of the town centre, parts of which are protected Conservation Areas.
At the moment, the tallest building on Rye Lane is around seven storeys – the highest tower in the Berkeley Homes scheme would surpass this by thirteen floors.
The site allocation – which was drawn up by the council in 2022 – permits
buildings on the Aylesham site of up to 20 storeys “subject to consideration of impacts on existing character, heritage and townscape.” Peckham Heritage does not believe that the scheme fulfills this criteria.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE BUSINESSES IN THE AYLESHAM?
Technically, the developer has a responsibility to either retain these in the new development or relocate them.
On its public consultation website Berkley said: "We believe that future retail on the site should complement rather than compete with the unique character and diversity of Peckham. "A key part of this is the small businesses and traders which operate in and around the Aylesham Centre.
"Our design approach is based on ‘intensification over displacement’ –based on detailed analysis of the existing retail ecosystem and local economy by our design team and commercial experts Quod."
However, in its submitted application Berkley has since confirmed that none of the existing ten small traders will be able to stay on site.
start preparing a report either approving or rejecting the scheme. This has to be voted on by a committee of councillors, which the council has confirmed will not be called before April 2025 at the earliest. If the scheme were approved, campaigners say they would fight, and would likely mount a legal challenge.
ARE THERE AREAS WHERE THERE COULD BE A POTENTIAL LEGAL CHALLENGE?
Yes. In addition to the housing offer and fears for traders, there are other areas that could potentially form part of any future action taken by campaigners, according to Jed Holloway from the Southwark Law Centre.
• Homes for families
One of these is the proportion of homes set aside for families. The council says new developments must contain 60 per cent homes with more than two bedrooms, and 20 per cent with three or four bedrooms. But the Berkeley Homes scheme only provides 56 per cent homes with more than two bedrooms, 20 per cent with three - and none at all with four. Providing four bedroom homes isn't an absolute requirement - but there is an intense need for larger homes in Peckham, where overcrowding is a real problem.
• Potential equalities challenge
There’s a more nuanced potential legal argument which relates to the 2011 Equalities Act. It’s a piece of national legislation that has a specific section requiring local authorities to consider how their decisions impact people with protected characteristics such as race and class. Holloway from the Southwark Law Centre thinks there is a potential argument that the race and class context of Peckham has not been fully considered - both relating to the traders who work in the current Aylesham, but also the diverse mix of people who live and work in the area.
• Insufficient public consultation
This isn’t clear-cut, but the council does have a policy stating that developers must consult the community properly, and Holloway claims, on balance, this hasn’t been the case. Campaigners have also criticised the consultation process
WHAT HAS SOUTHWARK COUNCIL SAID?
Councillor Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development, said: “Southwark is at the forefront of delivering new council and social rent homes in London and we have achieved this through our own programme and through our ambitious planning policies.
They will be covered by Southwark Council's business relocation strategy, meaning Berkley and the council will have to 'support' them to find new homes. Information on what support is offered, and by when, is scant. There are also five larger businesses included in the regeneration area, and detail on what will happen to them is also lacking. There is a big risk they could be displaced - which would be a breach of the council's planning policy.
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT?
The plans have been live for people to view and make objections to since August when the application was submitted.
Since 11 November, the council has been in a statutory consultation phase and has held three drop-in sessions for the public to attend.
This phase ended on 11 December, which is also the official deadline for people wishing to submit an objection on the planning page. However, the council planning department will still accept objections after this – until January at the latest.
After this point, the planning officers will
“Our Local Plan includes a strategic target for 50 per cent of all new homes to be social rented and intermediate homes – such as shared ownership or keyworker housing.
“The minimum expected level of affordable housing in a new housing development is 35 per cent, and we always encourage developers to provide affordable housing above this level.
“Wherever possible, we proactively negotiate an increase in the affordable and social rent components of a scheme. This approach resulted in us securing 338 social rent homes now being delivered on the Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey, the equivalent of a new council estate. On the Old Kent Road, over 50 per cent of all the new homes built or currently being built, are genuinely affordable.
“Any planning application is assessed by Southwark Council’s planning committee against Southwark’s planning policies.
“This is a live planning application and we can’t comment further.”
Berkeley Homes declined to comment.
DUCHESS OF YORK SURPRISES WALWORTH SCHOOL CHILDREN
By Isabel Ramirez
tHE DucHEss of York spread festive cheer with a surprise visit to a walworth school, bringing joy to students and staff alike.
Sarah Ferguson delighted pupils at Surrey Square Primary School with a reading from her latest children’s book, Flora & Fern: Wonder in the Woods, sharing messages of compassion and community during the festive season.
She visited during an event hosted by The Caring Family Foundation (TCFF), as part of its mission to curb food insecurity.
With 25 per cent of Surrey Square Primary School’s students living in temporary accommodation and 84 per cent belonging to families facing significant economic challenges, the initiative underscores the importance of ensuring every child has access to nourishment and joy.
For the event, the school was transformed into a winter wonderland, with festive entertainment and nutritious lunches provided by Bill’s restaurants. The Duchess joined volunteers from Bill’s and The Birley Clubs to serve food and make the day memorable for children and families.
Currently, 900,000 school-age children in England living in poverty miss out on free school meals, according to the Child Poverty Action Group. TCFF’s 2024 ‘Food From the Heart’ campaign aims to address this issue, with a pledge to deliver one million meals by the end of 2025.
Matt Morden, Co-Head Teacher at Surrey Square Primary School, said, “The children have been eagerly anticipating this magical day all week, and the joy it brings to them is truly priceless. As staff, we recognise the deep significance of this moment, knowing it’s an experience many of these children do not often have. We are grateful to have once again partnered with The Caring Family Foundation to create another unforgettable experience for our students, continuing this special event for another year.”
By 2025, TCFF will have delivered over 3.5 million meals across the UK and Brazil since its founding in 2020, showing its ongoing commitment to fighting food insecurity. The foundation also supports the school throughout the year, funding weekly Youth Clubs that provide hot meals, guidance on community and confidence building, and the Monthly Market, which serves 350 local visitors with food and activities.
Patricia Caring, Co-Founder of The Caring Family Foundation, added, “As we step into the festive season, we are reminded of the transformative power of kindness and connection. It is so important to provide onthe-ground support, as part of our ongoing commitment to these children, in the hope that we can bring them moments of joy and a sense of togetherness.”
As part of TCFF’s campaign, the foundation hosted a fundraising Festive Wonderland event at The Dorchester in November, with 100 per cent of proceeds supporting its mission to combat food insecurity and child hunger. Gifts donated at the event will be delivered to Surrey Square Primary School children.
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York reading her book and serving food to the children
The inside entrance to the supermarket
The is a central arcade filled with handcart traders
A CGI image of what the development could look like
a cOuPLE living beside a pair of Grade II listed 16th century docks in London have said they have the best view in the city, as plans to build on the site that were approved 12 years ago show no signs of progressing.
Woolwich Dry Docks sits on the edge of Greenwich borough beside the River Thames, facing North Woolwich.
The original dockyard was reportedly founded in 1512 to build the Great Harry ship for King Henry VIII. The yard was used until 1869, with the dry docks having since been filled with water and the granite steps becoming covered in bushes and weeds.
Derek Barker, 88, was born in Woolwich and has lived beside the dry docks for over 20 years with his wife Jean, 85. The resident recalls when locals used to be able to walk around the docks before they were closed off, with Jean describing the couple’s home on the Thames as having the best view in London.
Mr Barker told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “King Henry VIII had his ships built in here.
The Great Harry, The Beagle – that’s Darwin’s ship. The Sir Walter Raleigh ship was built there.”
He added: “In the middle of the rubbish [in the water], you can see a sort of pallet. I made that and put milk bottles in it and the birds used to nest on it.”
Greenwich Council gave planning permission in 2012 for a 14-storey development sitting between the two docks which would include 100 new flats. Despite receiving planning consent, the proposal, titled Mast Pond Wharf, has seen little movement in the 12 years since it was greenlit. The company named on the original application, set up in the name of Mast Pond Wharf Limited, has since been liquidated.
Mr Barker said: “They had sort
'WE
HAVE BEST VIEWS IN WOOLWICH'
of a stab at it. If you look through the window you will see a sort of ramp. They brought their vehicles up the ramp and they started doing exploratory piling and then it all faded away.”
Mast Pond Wharf would have also sought to add new lighting to the area and improve the water in the docks, which was previously used by fishing clubs. The scheme would have aerated the water in the docks to create livable
ponds for fish that would be prevented from freezing in the winter. An angling club was also planned with storage space, a small café and toilets.
Mr Barker said: “If you look up the plans, it looks like an attractive block. It’s very complex, I don’t know whether it would work… It would be nice in a way if they did build flats because they would do all this up with duck Islands and lighting, it would be fantastic.”
Business advisory firm Quantuma
told the LDRS that two members of its staff had been appointed as joint liquidators for Mast Pond Wharf Limited in November 2022. In October 2024 the site was taken under the control of ‘receivers’ but there’s no sign of any progress in developing it.
A spokesperson said: “Security agency Veritas Property Management Ltd were instructed to secure the perimeter of the site at King Henry’s Dock SE18 5QS and also carry out
monthly site inspections. The joint liquidators provided a progress report in winding up on January 25, 2024 which was filed at Companies House. We can now confirm that LPA (Law of Property Act) receivers were appointed over the site on October 16, 2024.” Albany UK, one of the developers understood to be behind the project, has been approached for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.
Charlton Athletic football stars surprise hospital patients
By Isabel Ramirez
cHarLtOn atHLEtIc Football club's women's and men's teams visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to spread festive cheer to patients and colleagues, including a lifelong fan with cancer.
On December 17 , players and staff from the club arrived with sacks of gifts and boxes of chocolates, giving them out to patients and hospital colleagues.
During their visit, the football stars stopped at the children’s wards and the Macmillan Brook Cancer Unit, spreading festive joy throughout the hospital.
George Farmer, a patient on the Macmillan Brook Cancer Unit, commented: "As a lifelong Charlton fan, it really lifted my spirits." This visit was such a wonderful surprise."
Isabella's mum, a patient on the Safari Ward, said: "It was such an unexpected visit, and the players were so friendly.
When [Isabella] returns to school, she'll be excited to tell all the boys in her class that she met the Charlton football players.”
Another mum, whose son, Luke, is patient on the Safari Ward, added: "Charlton Football Club does so much for our community, and it’s fantastic that the players came to visit.
The present was a lovely gesture and gave my son a real boost today."
Greg Docherty, Captain and Midfielder at Charlton Football Club, explained: "It’s really special for us to visit Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and as footballers, we’re in a privileged position to make a positive impact on so many lives.
"The staff here are doing great things, and we’re proud to be a real community club. We can make a difference to the patients by giving up our time, talking to them, hearing their stories, and connecting with their families. Coming
to the hospital and seeing the smiles on the faces of the patients and staff really makes us appreciate the chance to spread some Christmas cheer."
Judy Parker, Health Play Specialist on Hippo Ward, said: "A huge thank you to the women’s and men’s Charlton Athletic teams for their wonderful visits to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The players were truly fantastic, embracing everything with care and compassion. They gave their time wholeheartedly, and the smiles on our patient's faces say it all."
Derek and Jean Barker have lived beside the dry docks for over 20 years
Isabella with the players on the ward.
Lifelong fan George Farmer said the visit 'lifted his spirits'
Welcoming new residents at Tower Bridge Care Home
Tower Bridge Care Home, now under new management by Agincare, is proud to welcome new residents into its vibrant community!
Conveniently located in the heart of Southwark, just a short walk from the iconic Tower Bridge, our purpose-built care home offers exceptional residential and nursing care with 122 comfortable rooms for people living there.
At Tower Bridge Care Home, residents have plenty of spaces to relax and enjoy their day. With nine sitting rooms, five dining areas, and a cozy on-site café, there are plenty of opportunities to unwind or spend time with family. The enclosed garden, complete with a vibrant conservatory, offers a peaceful place to take in the outdoors.
What sets us apart? We’ve got something for everyone: from a cinema room and sensory space to an in-house bar and a professional hairdressing salon. There’s even an activities room where residents can enjoy a full calendar of entertainment.
Brought to you by Agincare —one of England’s leading family-owned care providers— you can trust us to deliver high-quality, compassionate care. Agincare has already earned the trust of thousands across South London, with four other homes in the area providing exceptional care.
Whether it's round-the-clock nursing care or personalised residential care, our highly trained teams are trained to ensure every resident receives the right level of care while feeling comfortable and safe.
Now accepting new residents! Experience exceptional care and comfort at Tower Bridge Care Home, right in the heart of Southwark.
By Noah Vickers
PLans tO close the rotherhithe tunnel for several months to enable an extensive programme of repairs to take place have been put off until 2026 at the earliest due to a lack of funding.
Transport for London (TfL) had said last year that the refurbishment of the 116-year-old Thames road tunnel could potentially take place as early as 2025, after the new Silvertown Tunnel has opened in the spring.
But the transport authority has confirmed that the tunnel’s nine-month closure will only take place from April 2026 at the very earliest, due to a lack of “long term funding” from the Government. The Department for Transport said the tunnel’s maintenance is TfL’s responsibility, and pointed out that they have just been allocated almost £500m in the Treasury’s recent Budget.
The Rotherhithe Tunnel, which links its
eponymous south London neighbourhood with Limehouse, is suffering from a range of issues affecting its mechanical, electrical and communication systems.
TfL has assured drivers that the tunnel “continues to operate safely, under enhanced day to day maintenance” but that it requires a nine-month programme of repairs to ensure it can “remain open in the long term”. It is currently undertaking “regular maintenance and targeted renewal activity” during two overnight closures each week.
At the end of 2023, TfL had said the repair programme could only happen with “more support from Government”. The total cost of repairs was in 2020 estimated to be somewhere between £116m and £178m, though the cost will have risen substantially due to sharp inflation since the pandemic.
But despite being allocated £485m in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ recent Budget for the next financial year – almost double the £250m committed for the current year
PLANS TO CLOSE ROTHERHITHE TUNNEL FOR NINE MONTHS DELAYED TO 2026
by her Tory predecessor Jeremy Hunt – TfL said that it still needs “long term” funding over “multiple years” in order to start the repairs.
The transport authority hopes that multi-year funding will be announced in the Chancellor’s ‘comprehensive spending review’, which is expected to take place in June 2025. The review is anticipated to cover a minimum of three years of day-today spending, and also set capital budgets for five years.
Any funding announced would only take effect from the 2026/27 financial year, meaning that the very earliest the tunnel could close for repairs would be April 2026.
A TfL spokeswoman said: “TfL continues to carry out work on our river crossings that is absolutely essential in the shortterm to keep the network operating, while also planning the work required in the future to ensure they remain open in the long term.
“While we have previously completed
concept designs for the full refurbishment of the Rotherhithe Tunnel, carrying this out would be a significant investment across multiple years. We hope to secure long term funding to allow for full refurbishment of the tunnel.”
Approached for a response, a DfT spokeswoman said: “TfL is responsible for the maintenance of the Rotherhithe Tunnel, as transport in London is devolved.
“The success of London’s transport network is vital for both the capital and the UK’s economy. That is why the Chancellor announced nearly £500 million in additional funding for TfL at the Budget.”
The tunnel is only accessible to vehicles below two metres (6.5 feet) in height and two metres in width – and for goods vehicle weighing no more than two tonnes gross vehicle weight. Drivers of vehicles exceeding those limits could be fined up to £160 for every journey they make through the tunnel. A 20mph speed restriction is also in place.
Keith Prince, City Hall Conservatives’ transport spokesman, said: “The continuing deterioration of the Rotherhithe Tunnel only inflates any cost of repair.
“We have asked the mayor time and time again to tell us what he has asked the Government for and he won’t tell us, so Londoners have no clue what representations he has made about the need to carry out this work.
“This cannot continue – we need to know what is happening to infrastructure, and whether our mayor is fighting for us. Sadly it doesn’t seem to be the case.”
The mayor last month told the London Assembly that the UK has been “left with a legacy of financial mismanagement from the previous Government, a £22 billion black hole in public finances and an economy which has been struggling to grow for far too long”, but that the new Government “understands the problems and opportunities London faces and is working with us, not against us”.
Child patients exploring 'magical world' of fairies and goblins thanks to interactive artwork at South London hospital
By Issy Clarke
cHILDrEn can explore mystical woodlands filled with magical creatures thanks to an interactive artwork at king’s college Hospital's paediatric ward.
The Enchanted Forest, created by Sony, depicts a magical forest landscape, home to a mythical goblin and a group of fairies who harvest pumpkins by day and play inside the wishing well at night.
Available to both inpatients and outpatients, the artwork is designed to offer uplifting and joyful experiences to children with special educational needs and physical disabilities.
Children can explore the magical woodlands by moving in front of the
screen. Their movements are reflected on screen as a light, which causes plants and flowers to grow across the forest floor.
Changing light pathways and the setting sun create the sense of time passing, while the noise of birdsong and rustling leaves enhances a feeling of immersion in the enchanted world.
The Enchanted Forest is a project by Art Explora UK, an organisation supporting access to the arts, in collaboration with It Is Now, a French non-profit which specialises in creating interactive artworks for children’s hospitals.
Noemie Ganem, founder of It is Now, said he was inspired by his son Zach, who was born with a physical disability: “Watching Zach grow up, I
directly witnessed the positive impact sensory stimulation has on children with SEND [Special Educational Needs and Disabilities], giving them a sense of agency otherwise absent their daily lives.”
Sarah Harris, Head of Nursing for Child Health at King’s College Hospital, added: “Sensory play is important for all children but for those with additional needs the stimulation can be of particular benefit. “We are delighted to have been able
to work with partners to enable the installation of the Enchanted Forest here at King’s. We look forward to our young patients interacting with the artwork and taking pleasure from it during their time with us.”
tHE GOVErnMEnt plans to give Mayors and regional transport authorities the power to regulate e-bikes and e-scooters.
The leader of a Central London council has thrown his support behind the plan. Councillor Adam Hug from Westminster City Council said e-transport in his borough had ‘exploded’ over recent years, turning pavements into a ‘dumping ground’ for e-bikes.
He said this had caused problems for the visually impaired, wheelchair users and others with special needs. He said: “Westminster City Council has championed the cause of e-bike regulation and lobbied the Government to act after the failure of the previous transport bill to deliver.
“That void left us with a patchwork quilt of different schemes across the capital, and e-bikes don’t navigate by local authority boundaries. It took ten years to win the argument to devolve the power to regulate pedicabs, so I am glad this White Paper paves the way for Mayors and transport authorities to get the powers they need to implement a sensible scheme for e-bikes rather sooner.”
According to Cllr Hug, Westminster has the most e-bike journeys in the world with over 2,800 bikes per hour peddling around its streets per hour at peak times. There have also been 630,000 bike trips around Westminster every month over the last six months while 360 parking bays have been installed by the council. In its recently released White Paper on the future of devolution in England, the Government said regional transport authorities will be given powers to regulate on-street micromobility schemes, like hired bikes, to allow local areas to shape these schemes around their needs. The paper, which was released on Monday December 16, also gives new powers for mayors to allow them to guide infrastructure and development projects across areas, housing, transport and skills. White Papers are policy documents produced by the Government that set out their proposals for future legislation.
Alex Berwin, Head of Policy at Forest, an e-bike provider in London, welcomed the announcement and backed plans to give Transport for London (TfL) regulatory powers. He said: “Forest is proud to have led the way in setting the bar for responsible and safe operations. We therefore look forward to continuing our work with the Government, boroughs and TfL to resolve the regulatory patchwork across London and deliver strong parking compliance, while ensuring the benefits of dockless e-bikes can reach every corner of London.”
Hal Stevenson, director of Policy at Lime, UKI, said it was “a positive step”. He said: “However, in the context of ambitious national and local travel targets, it is crucial that we collaborate with national and local government to ensure that any changes made do not hinder people’s ability to cycle. We remain committed to working in partnership with local authorities to ensure our e-bikes and e-scooters contribute positively to communities.”
Hal said record demand for e-bikes has created parking challenges in London and that the company is
Shocking photos of a massive e-bike pile-up by London Bridge have prompted outrage on social media earlier this year. Disabled people have slammed the “dangerous” heap of mainly Lime bikes that appeared on Sunday, March 10, 2024 Both Transport for London (TfL) and Southwark Council have refused to take responsibility for the situation, pointing the fi nger at each other and inadequate government regulation. Lime said it “quickly cleared the bikes” and that addressing poor parking was a “top priority”
PLANS TO GIVE MORE POWER TO MAYOR TO REGULATE E-BIKES
investing in more technology and parking infrastructure.
A TfL spokesperson said: “Rental e-bikes and e-scooters are an important part of the capital’s transport network and we want to make sure they work for everyone.
We are pleased that the Government has set out its intention to issue transport authorities with new powers to be able to regulate and manage these services to ensure that e-bikes can continue to operate without impacting the ability of others to use and access the capital’s streets.
“We will continue to work with operators, boroughs and other partners to ensure all Londoners have access to a safe and sustainable transport network.”
But councillor Paul Swaddle, Leader of the opposition in Westminster City Council, said he is concerned about how ‘efficient’ TfL will be at regulating e-bikes. Referring to the delayed plans to regulate pedicabs in the capital, he said: “They have not even started that consultation, let alone got on with regulations.
“If e-bikes follow the same route it will be well into 2026 before we see any action. In the meantime WCC (Westminster City Council) should be using the powers it already has to tackle the problem today.”
Cllr Swaddle said the Government’s devolution White Paper also backs
Sadiq Khan’s plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street. He said: “This is ironic in a bill that purports to be about putting decision making devolved to local authorities this is top-down Government is riding rough shod over the views of residents.”
The White Paper supports the Mayor’s proposal to establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation (MCD) to bring forward the regeneration of Oxford Street. An MDC would have its own planning powers and be able to overrule Westminster council, which recently announced it was scrapping its own £90m regeneration of the popular shopping strip.
E-bikes and scooters have long been an issue in Westminster City.
In November, a disabled student was left stranded after dozens of e-bikes blocked the pavement. Katie Pennick, a wheelchair user and student in London, took to X to share videos of dozens of e-bikes blocking her way to her university lecture.
In October, Lime Bikes reached a last minute agreement to continue operating in Brent after the council had threatened to remove all e-bikes by the end of the month due to safety concerns. In June, Wandsworth Council promised to crackdown on bike parking in the town centre.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “Dockless e-bikes play an important role in supporting
more people to cycle but we know that poor e-bike parking can cause significant safety issues for some Londoners, particularly disabled and older people. In some instances they have become obstacles for pedestrians particularly in busy parts of the capital.
“The Mayor’s million-pound investment into additional parking
spaces, in conjunction with TfL’s updated enforcement policy to ensure that vehicles are parked responsibly, will make London safer and more accessible for everyone. The Mayor is pleased the Government is looking at giving Mayors powers to manage e-bike services which will help tackle dockless e-bike parking. He looks forward to hearing next steps.”
'STREATHAM CONSULTATION A SHAM'
By Robert Firth
Local Democracy Reporter
transPOrt FOr London (tfL) has been accused of not listening to locals after scheduling to begin controversial Streatham traffic works for less than 24 hours after it finished collecting feedback from residents.
The City Hall body told councillors it intended to start on-site preparations for the £650,000 project on Saturday December 14, less than 24 hours after the latest round of consultation with locals ended.
TfL has since delayed beginning the
works until Wednesday (December 18), after a last minute intervention from Liberal Democrat London Assembly member Hina Bokhari.
But local Liberal Democrat councillor
Donna Harris has branded TfL’s most recent consultation a ‘sham’ and accused the organisation of ignoring residents.
She said: “The idea that delaying w orks by just a few days represents ‘listening’ is obviously absurd and an insult to everyone’s intelligence.
People are becoming exhausted with consultations that seem to be worthless because the results are ignored.
“There are so many local problems on which £650,000 could be better spent but
Transport for London just doesn’t take any notice of people, as they have proved with this latest sham of a consultation.”
TfL’s scheme would see a pedestrian crossing moved 50 yards south of its existing location on Streatham High Road and side street Gracefield Gardens closed to vehicles.
TfL has argued the planned changes are necessary to stop people crossing Streatham High Road to catch buses without using nearby pedestrian crossings. But Cllr Harris said TfL removed a central barrier from Streatham High Road over a decade ago to allow people to cross the road where they wanted
She added: “Streatham is a town centre not a motorway.”
A 2022 report published by TfL following previous consultation on the proposals found that 80 per cent of people commenting opposed the planned changes, compared to just 15 per cent in favour and five per cent neutral.
The Exchange Surgery, a GP practice on Gracefield Gardens, told TfL in the same consultation that disabled patients would be disadvantaged by the scheme.
Liberal Democrat City Hall member Hina Bokhari said: “It’s not too late for TfL to pause and stop what could be a serious and permanent mistake. The mayor has had to intervene before when wrong
decisions were made and he will be urged to do it again here.”
A TfL spokesperson said: “We’re determined to reduce danger on roads across London and this scheme at A23 Gracefield Gardens has been carefully designed to tackle the high number of collisions here.
“A full public consultation into the scheme was carried out previously [in 2022] and a decision was taken to proceed with the scheme. Recently, we consulted on the traffic regulation orders needed to deliver the scheme, and all objections raised prior to the deadline for this have been fully considered and responded to.”
Huge 21 metre tall box tower to be installed in New Cross
By Robert Firth Local Democracy Reporter
A 21-METRE tall illuminated stack of multi-coloured boxes set to tower above a south London university’s library
‘will not dazzle passers by’, the artist behind the sculpture has insisted.
But David Batchelor, the Goldsmiths University lecturer who designed the stack of 35 stainless steel boxes, admitted the surrounding area will be ‘significantly brighter’ at night, as a result of his artwork.
Batchelor, 69, made the remarks in planning documents submitted to Lewisham Council for the installation of the sculpture outside Goldsmiths University’s library in New Cross, South London. He said: “I imagine the work will be kept on during the day and evenings. The quality of light will change as the ambient lighting conditions alter. It will be significantly brighter at night but it will not dazzle passers-by.”
The sculpture, called Chromorama, was originally erected on the Broadgate office complex by Liverpool Street
Station in 2015 (pictured above) . But the multicoloured box tower was dismantled and put into storage after the City of London approved plans to redevelop the site in 2021. The sculpture was originally going to be reassembled elsewhere on the Broadgate campus, but the City of London struggled to find an appropriate location. Discussions then began with David Batchelor about moving the tower across the river to Goldsmiths University, where he teaches Fine Art.
According to plans submitted to
Lewisham Council, the light boxes will sit on top of a 2.5 metre plinth, which will ‘prevent any attempts to climb the structure’. A wooden bench will be attached to the sculpture to provide passers-by with a place to sit and ‘enjoy lunch or have a casual chat’, planning documents add.
David Batchelor was born in Dundee, Scotland in 1955. He has shown his works across the world, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh and Tokyo’s National Art Centre.
Goldsmiths’ alumni includes artists Damien Hirst, Anthony Gormley and Sarah Lucas. The university also counts the late fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, director Steve McQueen and
Princess Beatrice among its alumni. Lewisham Council will make a decision on whether the sculpture can be assembled outside the university’s library at a yet undisclosed later date.
Liberal Democrat councillor Donna Harris branded Transport for London\'s consultation a 'sham'. Supplied by Cllr Donna Harris
what’s on
A Cavalcade of Excitement
‘It was a cold, dark night’ has, I believe, been voted the worst ever opening to a novel, so when adam Elliott - with a raised eyebrow and a very knowing look - opened Luke adamson’s Montague’s Millions with those words you knew this was going to be a good spoof of the mystery thriller, writes Michael Holland.
Adam was Dr Henderson and we were quickly introduced to Tice Oakfield, the hard-working docker who had fell on hard times after his daughter became sick and the doctor refused to treat her without payment. His troubles were magnified by his wife being sacked by Lady Penelope Cunningham(Julia Pagett) for stealing.
This Holy Trinity of actors also played the profligate husband who had gambled away the family fortune, the destitute wife who had never stolen a penny in her life; the train guard, the pub drinkers, the farmer whose lorry and sheep they stole, and the tall, dark stranger in the long, dark coat who had visited all three to deliver each of them a letter with instructions to be at Montague Manor in Cornwall at 8am the next morning. He had whispered from the dark shadows formed by his collar and his wide-brimmed hat to ‘tell no one’ and that the letter was ‘for your eyes only’.
Hence, our three protagonists, unaware of each other, dashed off to
The Snow Goes On
Bar E knuck LE pugilist tom cribb endured much for the sake of his art but even he might have thrown in the towel faced with the might of west End christmas shoppers, I reflected as reviewers Frida and Woody and I fortified ourselves in the pub that bears his name, writes Ed Gray....
A merry crowd was gathering opposite at the Harold Pinter Theatre, which also illuminated the name of another legendary character.
Slava is in town, complete with his troop of fellow performers and their SnowShow. This is my third SnowShow in as many decades, and I want to see if it lives up to the memories that have never melted away.
Train whistles blow in the soundscape that awaits us within this beautiful Victorian theatre where we are to enjoy a work of absurdist genius Slava where imaginations are untethered and we share the dreams of children once
Paddington Station to catch the sleeper train to Penzance where Barclay Montague’s last will and testament would be read to those who managed to complete the journey.
Now, there has never been a sleeper train sequence in literature or theatre or film that did not include drama and this was going to be no different. So of course there was going to be trouble on the way, starting with each of the three eyeing up the others with suspicion as they raced to get to a share of Mr Montague’s millions. There was even a Dick Bartonesque soundtrack to convey the urgency of the matter!
Just as urgent was the matter of so few props, and a minimal cast to create this cavalcade of excitement. But with an ingenious set(Karl Swinyard) the impossible was made possible with hats, coats, scarves, suitcases and the hilarious moving door, under the clever direction of Kate Bannister who turned these problems into comedy gold. With comic asides and lightning-quick costume changes, never in the field of theatre have three people done so much for so many with so little.
As one, the intrepid trio survived the pitfalls of melodrama as they swayed in time with the train braking suddenly, skied downhill on a large portmanteau, sped away from the scene of a crime in a farm truck and crashed into a hedge, built a boat to cross a lake, with little
to help them but their own gusto and willingness to throw everything at this receptive audience. And all while having to trust the others when the sneaky option of leaving them behind might mean more of the millions for themselves.
more. Our guide into this fantasy world is Russian performer Slava Polunin’s and his yellow-clad clown who appears alone onstage clutching a noose. Each movement is so beautifully choreographed to the soundtrack that the audience falls under Slava’s spell
immediately. At the end of the rope he finds a younger clown, Artem Zhimo. Both are equally bewildered but accepting of their circumstances. Mr Pinter and his good friend Mr Beckett would have very much enjoyed this moment.
Montague’s Millions is real festive fun without so much as a single jingle bell.
Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 410 Brockley Road, London, SE4 2DH until January 4th.
There is such tenderness between the performers as they play with balloons and gently tease the audience that SnowShow moistens the eye as much as it gladdens the heart. In the interval a clown passes me an umbrella and promptly funnels a snowball of tissue paper snow down my rollneck, ‘You got stuffed!’, Frida points at me, laughing uncontrollably. Just as in life itself, and echoed in our dreams, things happen for no conceivable reason, nonsense is prized above sense and Slava’s realm really is the stuff that dreams are made of. A sparkly lady flies by on a swing and disappears. A phone call between lovers, both played by Slava, has us in hysterics and then leads to a mime scene that is an unforgettably poetic moment of theatre. A lost love is brought to life in such a powerfully emotional way that Frida sits on the edge of her seat, eyes wide open, mouthing ‘How did they do that?’. The visual imagery is stunning throughout, and the production is lit so beautifully that the wonderment continues to a crescendo blizzard scene that blasted the audience away in the stalls. The beauty of SnowShow is that it works visually from every part of the theatre and although audience members higher up on the balcony
Box office: www.brockleyjack.co.uk or 0333 666 3366 (£1.80 fee for phone bookings only) Tickets: £17, £15 conc., 10+. Running time: 90 minutes, with no interval.
experience the drama in a different way it’s just as special.
Slava likes to sit and silently watch his audience at the show’s end: ‘I lend my ear to the breaths, the rhythms, the sighs of delight and of sorrow that dwell there,’ he says. Everyone wants a selfie and Slava perches on the stage beaming back his bemused twinkly smile. We wrap up our love in gifts, perhaps it’s easier than words, but the buttons will fall off and our presents will shrink in time. Slava’s SnowShow is a gift that stays because Slava Polunin lives within everyone who meets himplayful regretful, naïve, bewildered, full of love and longing, spontaneous and alive in the present.
Back home, Woody proudly brings me a cardboard box from a recently arrived Christmas gift, now hidden away for the big day. ‘Look Dad, a box of snow!’ He’s filled the box with all the ‘snow’ he somehow managed to retrieve from the ‘blizzard’ and stuff into his grey school trouser pockets. I reach my hand into the box to touch Slava’s snow, and the show goes on.
Harold Pinter Theatre until January 12th. Tickets from £24.50
Heading south - pick of events at the beginning of the year
EyesonMars
Visit the Old Royal Naval College for a one-off event, Eyes on Mars: A Cultural and Scientifi c Exploration, featuring artist Luke Jerram and London’s leading Mars experts. This one-off lecture and panel talk beneath the glow of Jerram’s installation delves into the cultural and scientifi c signifi cance of Mars. Explore the science, art and wonder of the red planet through talks and handson planet gazing sessions. From the infl uence of science in mythology and
Smells Like Teen Spirit
sci-fi to the challenges and possibilities of establishing human settlements in space, the evening will explore our fascination with science and the red planet.
Date: Monday 20 January 2025
Tickets: £35, concessions £25
Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College, King William Walk, SE10 9NN ornc.org/whats-on/eyes-on-mars-acultural-and-scientifi c-exploration
Head down to the New Cross Inn this January for a Nirvana Tribute band like no other. World-renowned Nirvana Tribute is an international touring tribute band that has performed all over the globe. Regarded as the closest possible tribute to Nirvana to hit the stage, you can expect an explosive and high-energy performance. So, Come As You Are and enjoy an evening of Nirvana’s greatest hits.
Date: Saturday 25 January 2025. Tickets: £20 323 New Cross Road, SE14 6AS pit.live/events/nirvana-tribute-1
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live will return to The O2 this January for Glow-NFire. The show will feature the same level of fun and excitement that fans have come to expect, but with an added fiery twist. Get ready for more heat and action with this monster truck show. You’ll be able to watch your favourite Hot Wheels Monster Trucks; expect the Mega Wrex, Tiger Shark, HW 5-Alarm, Bone Shaker, Bigfoot, Gunkster, and the brand-new Skelesaurus. Fans can also witness a special appearance from the fire and frost-breathing, transforming dragon ARCTICGON, plus the high-flyers of Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Freestyle Motocross Team.
Dates: Friday 10 January to Sunday 12 January 2025. Tickets: From £37 O2 Arena, Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX www.theo2.co.uk/events/detail/hot-wheels-monster-trucks-live-2025
Quiz of the Year
What do you remember about 2024? Test your general knowledge with Woolwich Works’ Quiz of the Year and journey through the highlights and lowlights. Quiz rounds include a picture round where you will need to identify the images that defined the year, a music round where you’ll groove to the beats and then name that tune, plus a mystery voices round, too, where you will listen closely as they challenge you to guess the famous voices behind the
microphone. There’s no limit to team size, but it’s worth noting that teams over seven will face penalties, so choose your teammates wisely. For first prize, the team will take home £50, second sees a bottle of fine wine and there are spot prizes with lots of treats to win, too.
Date: Sunday 5 January 2025
Tickets: £2.50 per person, no booking required The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 Street, Royal Arsenal, SE18 6HD www.woolwich.works/events/quiz-of-the-year
The Ronnie Scott’s Story
Celebrating over 60 years of the music venues, the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars take to the road to celebrate the Ronnie Scott’s Story, arriving at Churchill Theatre this February. Direct from London’s world-famous jazz club and combining live jazz alongside archive photos and video footage, Ronnie Scott’s All Stars will take you on a guided musical tour of this music institution. Set among the dive bars and jazz jook joints of Soho, life at Ronnie’s is re-imagined through tales of the club’s past visitors – from pop stars, film stars and politicians to comedians and royalty, but above all, the musicians. Featuring classic music from the jazz greats who have performed at Ronnie Scott’s, projected images and footage, and tales of old Soho, miscreant musicians and police raids, “The Ronnie Scott’s Songbook” is a glimpse into this unique world and its history.
Date: Sunday 16 February 2025. Tickets: From £19.60 to £28 Churchill Theatre, High Street, BR1 1HA trafalgartickets.com/churchill-theatrebromley/en-GB/event/music/ronniescotts-jazz-club-the-ronniescotts-story-tickets
Lunchtime recital with XinRu Chen
Enjoy a lunchtime recital by concert pianist and music scholar XinRu Chen at Blackheath Halls this month. Currently, XinRu is sharing her innovative “reprogrammes” with the public, providing performers with new ways to programme concerts, offer audiences a fresh perspective on traditional music, and make contemporary pieces more accessible to everyone. She has played at many prestigious venues in the UK and around the world, including Southwark Cathedral and Regent Hall, plus various festivals across Europe. The recital will see Robert Schumann Papillons, Op.2, Schoenberg Drei Klavierstücke, Op.11 and Robert Schumann Kreisleriana, Op.16.
Date: Monday 20 January 2025. Tickets: £10 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, SE3 9RQ www.blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/lunchtime-recitalxinru-chen-piano
Photo by Luke Jerram
Southwark Pensioners’ Centre
Contact us on 020 7708 4556 or info@southwarkpensioners.org.uk
Or
into 305 -307 Camberwell rd, Camberwell Green, SE5 0HQ
1.
GIVEN that, to enable 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 Carlisle Lane which lies:(Phase 1) between Westminster Bridge Road and Royal Street (An alternative route for vehicles affected by this closure will be available via Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth Palace Road and Royal Street); and (Phase 2) directly beneath the railway bridge between Hercules Road and a point 41 metres north-west of Hercules Road.( (An alternative route for vehicles affected by this closure will be available via Lambeth Road, Kennington Road, Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth Palace Road and Royal Street).
2. Whenever the bans referred to in paragraph 1 above apply, the one-way system in Carlisle Lane, between Centaur Street and Hercules Road will be temporarily suspended.
3. The bans and suspension 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 8th January 2025 and will continue for a maximum duration of 2 months (to allow for contingencies) or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the order will only have effect (for Phase 1) on the 8th and 9th January 2025 between 9 pm and 5 am, and (for Phase 2) on the 15th and 16th January 2025 between 9 pm and 5 am, but if the works cannot be carried out or completed during that time, the Order may have effect on subsequent dates within the maximum period of 2 months.
Dated 27th December 2024
TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14 TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE – THE SLIP ROAD LINKING NORWOOD ROAD WITH DULWICH ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that to enable investigatory water works to be carried out, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order the effect of which would be to temporarily ban vehicles from entering the slip road that links Norwood Road with Dulwich Road and is situated outside the entrance to Brockwell Park.
2. The road closure would only apply at such times and to such extent
4.
1.
4.
Dated 27th December 2024 Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS – UPPER GROUND
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable works involving the operation of a crane to be carried out safely, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order the effect of which would be to temporarily ban vehicles from entering in that length of Upper Ground which lies between Cornwall Road and the common boundary of No. 58 and Nos. 60 to 72 Upper Ground (Television Centre).
2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles would be available via: (a) Cornwall Road, Stamford Street and Hatfields; and (b) Broadwall, Stamford Street and Cornwall Road.
3. Whenever the ban referred to in paragraph 1 above applies, the order that imposes the one-way system in that length of Upper Ground which lies between Barge House Street and Duchy Street would be suspended and the cycle lane in that length of road would also be suspended.
4. The ban and suspensions would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing and covering of the appropriate traffic signs.
5. The Order would come into force on 12th January 2025 for a maximum duration of 6 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the crane operation works would be carried out between 12th and 14th January 2025 with backup dates of 19th and 21st January 2025, but if the works cannot be carried out or completed during these times, then the Order may also have effect at subsequent times within the maximum period of 3 months.
Dated 27th December 2024
Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE - LICENSING ACT 2003
Notice is given that: SAVANNAHS (LONDON) LTD of 4 BAIRD ROAD, ENFIELD, EN1 1SJ has applied for the Grant of a Premises Licence for the following premises:
COPPER & INK, 5 LEE ROAD, LONDON, SE3 9RQ
A record of this application may be inspected by appointment.
Other persons may make representations to the Council on this application by no later than 10th JANUARY 2025. Representations can be made in writing, by email or fax using the contact details above. Representations can only be made on the grounds of one of the four licensing objectives, namely: Prevention of Crime and Disorder • Prevention of Public Nuisance • Public Safety • Protection of Children from Harm
Any person who makes a false statement in connection with an application is liable on summary conviction to a maximum fine of £5,000. It is
a new premises licence at FISH WALA, THE MEWS, 4 TO 12 HEBDON ROAD, LONDON, SW17 7NS for Late Night Refreshment – Indoors and Outdoors – Monday to Sunday – 23:00hrs to 02:00hrs
Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 20th JANUARY 2025 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk
The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden,Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk
It is an offence, under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in or in connection with an application, punishable upon conviction by an unlimited fine.
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH INTRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING PLACES AND CAR CLUB PARKING PLACES IN ARRAGON GARDENS, DOWNTON AVENUE, KNIGHT’S HILL, MOUNT EPHRAIM ROAD AND NORWOOD HIGH STREET
[Note: This notice is about making permanent electric vehicle charging places and car club parking places originally introduced experimentally in the roads specified in this Notice. Any existing parking spaces or waiting restrictions at the locations specified in this notice will be changed to accommodate the new electric vehicle charging places and car club parking places.]
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth on 24 December 2024 made the Lambeth (Free Parking Places, Loading Places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping Restrictions) (No. 51) Order 2024 and The Lambeth (Charged-For Parking Places) (No. 48) Order 2024, under sections 6, 45, 46, 49 and 124 of and Part IV of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The Orders will come into force on 9 January 2025 and they will continue indefinitely the provisions of the Experimental Orders that are currently in force.
2. The general effect of the Orders will be to:-
dioxide (NO2) levels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, so the Council wishes to encourage their use, by providing more charging facilities.
4. If you have any enquiries about this matter, please contact the electric vehicle trial team direct on 020 7926 6799 or by email: EVTrial@lambeth.gov.uk
5. A copy of each of the Orders and documents giving more details about them are available for inspection online at: www.lambeth.gov.uk/traffic-management-orders or from 9.30 am until 4.30 pm on Mondays to Fridays inclusive (except bank/public holidays) until the last day of a period of six weeks beginning with the date on which the Orders are made, at the offices of Lambeth Council’s Highways Team, 3rd Floor, Civic Centre, 6 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1EG. To arrange inspection please telephone 020 7926 0209 or email: Trafficorders@lambeth.gov.uk
6. If any person wishes to question the validity of the Orders or of any of their provisions on the grounds that it or they are not within the powers conferred by the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, or that any requirement of that Act or of any instrument made under that Act has not been complied with, that person may, within 6 weeks from the date on which the Orders are made, apply for the purpose to the High Court.
Dated 27 December 2024
David Eaglesham Head of Service Development & Street Management
SCHEDULE 1
Arragon Gardens, the south-east side, from a point 17.1 metres north-east of the common boundary of Nos. 1 and 3 Arragon Gardens south-westward for a distance of 6 metres; Downton Avenue, the south-west side, from a point 2.4 metres south-east of the party wall of Nos. 2 and 4 Downton Avenue north-westward for a distance of 6 metres; Knight’s Hill, the west side, from a point 2.6 metres north of the common boundary of Nos. 20 and 22 Knight’s Hill southwards for a distance of 6 metres; Knight’s Hill, the west side, from a point 2.6 metres north of the common boundary of Nos. 20 and 22 Knight’s Hill northwards for a distance of 6 metres; Mount Ephraim Road, the north-east side, from a point 13.8 metres north-west of the common boundary of Nos. 22 and 24 Mount Ephraim Road north-westward for a distance of 6 metres; Norwood High Street, the north-east side, from a point 10metres metres north-west of the party wall of Nos. 9 and 11 Norwood High Street north-westward for a distance of 6 metres.
SCHEDULE 2 Arragon Gardens, the south-east side, from a point 17.1 metres north-east of the common boundary of Nos. 1 and 3 Arragon Gardens north-eastward for a distance of 6 metres; Downton Avenue, the south-west side, from a point 3.6 metres north-west of the party wall of Nos. 2 and 4 Downton Avenue north-westward for a distance of 6 metres; Mount Ephraim Road, the north-east side, from a point 7.7 metres north-west of the common boundary of Nos. 22 and 24 Mount Ephraim Road north-westward for a distance of 6.1 metres; Norwood High Street, the north-east side, from a point 16 metres north-west of the party wall of Nos. 9 and 11 Norwood High Street north-westward for a distance of 6 metres.
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 Applications LB – Listed Building ADV – Advertisement
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.
39 Effra Road London Lambeth SW2 1BZ Replacement of all windows with double glazed timber windows to the front elevation and uPVC windows to the rear elevations. Replacement of main entrance door in timber, and the rear double doors, the door at roof level plus door to south elevation in uPVC. 24/03095/FUL
31 Cleaver Square London SE11 4EA Decorate, draught proof and overhaul with bi-glass conversion windows on the ground floor front and rear elevations, first floor front and rear elevations, and second floor rear elevation. Draught proof and overhaul window in the half landing rear elevation stairwell.
(Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 24/03555/LB, but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 24/03554/FUL) 24/03555/LB
11-15 Akerman Road, Stockwell London SW9 6SP Replacement of single glazed timber windows with double
casement windows to the front elevation and uPVC windows to rear. Replacement of external doors with timber entrance doors and uPVC rear doors. 24/03047/FUL
21-23
Dated this Friday 27th of December 2024
By John Kelly
DuLwIcH HaMLEt chairman Ben clasper believes Hakan Hayrettin’s side can finish in the play-offs if they “fix discrepancies” - but will “only have ourselves to blame” if they miss out.
After Saturday’s 4-2 Isthmian League Premier Division defeat to Cray Valley PM in front of an attendance of 1,788 at Champion Hill, Dulwich are seventeenth, but remarkably only six pints off the top five. They are also six points above the relegation zone.
Luke Wanadio gave the Hamlet the lead in the seventh minute before the visitors hit back through Adam Coombes, Sonny Black and Adam Coombes to lead 3-1 after
Surrey trio in England squad
HAMLET CHAIRMAN STRIKES POSITIVE NOTE
Photo by Rob Avis
Welling’s
Riding is super champ
By Sports Reporter
wELLInG’s tOM riding is the 2024 IDL super champion after coming through a high-quality field at McGovern Park, Ruislip on sunday.
After winning his group, he beat John McDermott and Shane Edwards to set up a final meeting with Surrey star Nick Ellis.
The first eight legs of the final went with the throw before Ellis broke throw to lead 5-4. That set him up to throw for the match, but Riding dug in deep, breaking back for 5-5 and winning a tense deciding leg.
33 minutes.
Jerome Binnom-Williams pulled a goal back just before half-time but Cray Valley sealed the win when Matthew Vigor scored nine minutes from time.
Clasper struck a positive note in his programme notes before the game.
“Going into [the Christmas} run I thought we would need two wins and a draw or a win and three draws to go into the New Year feeling upbeat about our own promotion ambitions,” Clasper said.
“We are only a point better off than we were this time last season but only four points short of the play-offs compared with the seven-point gap we faced a year ago.
“This is a far tighter league with only five points separating the seventeenth-
Hakan Hayrettin’s side have been wildly inconsistent but are only six points off fi fth
placed team from the one in the final playoff spot in fifth (last season that gap was thirteen points). Five games ago we were three points off the play-offs and have not won since but after three draws and two defeats we are still only four points behind.
“With that recent form we should be further off the pace but all clubs are struggling to put runs together and as a result five different clubs have held fifth spot since we reached that high at the start of November.
“While results elsewhere have been kinder than we deserve we have to accept that we have not been good enough over the past six weeks and we can’t keep hiding behind injuries, we have to own that problem and then fix it so it was pleasing to see Dillon [Barnes], Louis [Ramsay] and
By Sports Reporter
surrEY’s Gus atkinson, Jamie Overton and Jamie smith have been selected for England’s squad for the ODI, It20 and Icc champions trophy.
It is Brendon McCullum’s first White Ball squad as England men’s head coach in all three formats.
Dubois must wait for Usyk
By John Kelly
DanIEL DuBOIs jumped into the ring to demand a rematch against Oleksandr usyk after the ukrainian beat tyson Fury for a second successive time to retain his wBO, wBa and wBc world titles in riyadh, saudi arabia, last weekend.
Greenwich’s Dubois is the IBF champion after his shock knockout win against Anthony Joshua in September.
Dubois wants “revenge” after
losing to Usyk in the ninth round in Poland last year. Dubois had floored Usyk in the fifth round only for the referee to controversially rule it a low blow and allow Usyk extra time to recover.
Usyk is the only fighter to have beaten Fury, as he claimed a unanimous points’ win.
"Usyk, I want my revenge," Dubois said, interrupting Usyk's post-fight interview. "Well done on tonight. God bless.
"I want my revenge for the robbery last time.”
Dubois is scheduled to fight New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in February.
The Usyk camp later revealed their plans.
"My next step, I’m going to rest," Usyk said. "Not think about boxing, Dubois, Tyson Fury. Just rest. Just play with my children."
Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk added: "Dubois has to fight Joseph Parker and this is a very tough fight for him.
"It's too early to mention Daniel's name in regards to Usyk."
Max [Hudson] all return to action in the last two games.
“We’re back to creating goals again but still capable of giving goals away. Consistency will be key in the second half of the season. Home form is top five; away form is bottom five; goals scored is top five; goals conceded is bottom five.
“Fix those discrepancies and we will make play-offs comfortably, fail to do that and we only have ourselves to blame if we fall short again.
“On behalf of everyone at the club, I’d like to wish you all a peaceful holiday period and hope to see you and any visiting friends and families on Boxing Day.”
The Hamlet were in action against Carshalton Athletic on the 26th before travelling to Whitehawk this Saturday.
Smith is aiming to make his IT20 debut after finishing the 2024 Vitality Blast as Surrey’s top run-scorer with 285 runs from eight innings.
Overton remains in the squads following the autumn tour of the West Indies.
Riding will now head to PDC Q School in January courtesy of The IDL. New sign-ups are open now for The IDL seasons starting in January, at venues in Southwark, Morden, Swiss Cottage, Wood Green, Ruislip, and Redhill. Visit www.theidl.co.uk - players of all abilities are welcome.
Atkinson returns to the White Ball squad for the first time since the December 2023 tour of the West Indies.
Yorkshire batter Joe Root is back in the ODI side for the first time since the ICC Men’s World Cup in November 2023, but Durham’s Ben Stokes is out with a hamstring injury he picked up against New Zealand earlier this month. The squad leave for India on January 17.
Fisher fall to rare defeat
By John Kelly
FIsHEr suFFErED their first SCEFL Premier Division defeat since early October after failing to overcome a combination of a very difficult playing surface and resolute opposition In snodland town, who won 2-1 at the G I Landscapes stadium at the weekend. Ajay Ashanike’s visitors went in front on 37 minutes. Courtney Barrington passed inside to Armani-Jordan Martin who beat his marker before executing a pinpoint reverse-pass for Kesna Clarke to race on to, round the goalkeeper and finish from a tight angle.
The Fish had the slope in the second half and Jacob Katonia fired wide as they aimed
to double their advantage.
But the hosts turned the game around when Tristan Lock levelled on 52 minutes and Stanley Oldfield scored the winner sixteen minutes from time.
Fisher are third in the table, four points off VCD Athletic in first. They host seventhplace Glebe at St Paul’s this Saturday at 3pm. Meanwhile, also in the Premier Division, Stansfeld lost 3-1 at home to Corinthian. The Stans led through Rob Hughes’ goal in the 43rd minute but conceded three times after the 85th minute. Oscar Housego equalised before Henry Arnold scored in the 89th minute and Oscar Webb added the third four minutes into added-time. Stansfeld are away to Holmesdale on Saturday at 3pm.
DULWICH HAMLET FC
Photo by Mark Sandom
Hamlet boss Hakan Hayrettin
Tom Riding
Surrey’s Jamie Overton
22 SPORT
Addicks hit Sixfields for five
By John Kelly
natHan JOnEs said charlton athletic were “magnificent from start to finish” in their 5-0 win against northampton town at Sixfields last weekend.
Greg Docherty, Tyreece Campbell and Miles Leaburn scored to put the Addicks 3-0 up inside 36 minutes.
Docherty scored his second on 68 minutes and substitute added the fifth in the first minute of added-time.
Charlton have kept four clean sheets in their last five games and are eleventh in League One, four points off the play-off spots.
“I asked for a performance from them and they gave it to me,” Jones said. “They were magnificent from start to finish. To come away, score five, another clean sheet, the manner in which we took our goals.
“We played Mansfield at home, we had good clear-cut chances and could have won the game. We can win any game, we’re in every single game. We don’t concede much. We took our chances, we were clinical and there were some massive performances.”
Charlton face Cambridge United at The Valley on Boxing Day.
Jones added: “What we have to do is back that up. We can’t get carried away and then be a damp squib on Boxing Day. We have to make sure that we take the positives from today and then move into Boxing Day.
“I’m delighted for everyone today, we’ve been under a lot of pressure lately and we’ve reacted. We’re pleased for the fans because they travelled and filled the atmosphere, it was a magnificent atmosphere.
“They kept the faith and they’ve been treated. I hope we have many more days like today.”
By Georgia Garnett
at aFc wimbledon’s match against walsall recently, Gary Elkins was a special guest in hospitality for the Dons.
Elkins spent six years in South West London from 1990 to 1996 when Wimbledon were in the top flight.
In his time at Plough Lane and then Selhurst Park - when the Dons groundshared with Crystal Palace - Elkins made 110 appearances, scoring three goals.
He also spent time at Fulham, Exeter City, Swindon Town and AFC Wallingford in his playing career.
Elkins enjoyed his return to the ‘new’ Plough Lane, as he spent the day in
EAGLES SOAR - BEFORE TOUGH LESSONS LEARNT IN TOP FLIGHT
Crystal Palace were promoted to the WSL last season
By Georgia Garnett
tHIs YEar has been a rollercoaster one for crystal Palace women.
A year after becoming a fully professional outfit, the team secured the Championship title last season to gain promotion to the top flight of women’s football for the first time in the club’s history.
While the Eagles’ start in the Women’s Super League has been mixed, head coach Laura Kaminski highlighted the team’s journey to get to this point.
After a 1-0 loss to Manchester United in their last game of this year, Kaminski said:
“Some very tough lessons have been learnt [this season] - I think we’ve learnt almost every moment in the game.
“This group has got belief in their capability.
“Sometimes they should not be so tentative, sometimes they need to start the game as they finish it.”
Palace were a dominant side early in the year as they won eight and lost two of
their final eleven matches of the 2023-24 Championship season.
The team scored 20 goals in the second half of the season while conceding just five, in a campaign when they scored 55 goalsan average of 2.5 per game.
A goalless draw against Sunderland on the final day was enough to clinch the title and secure promotion, with a point to spare over second-place Charlton Athletic.
Afterwards, Kaminski said: “It feels amazing, congratulations to everyone involved - all the staff, all the players, everyone's been outstanding all year.
“We've done so well across the season, but we've played some beautiful football, which everyone is starting to join in and watch now.”
Ahead of the team’s introduction to the top flight, Kaminski made several additions to the squad.
Nordic talents Katrine Veje and My Cato arrived in South London, striker Katie Stengel returned to the WSL after a year in the United States and forwards Indiah-
hospitality talking to fans and board members.
“They’re very passionate fans, full of pride, considering that they built the side from the Combined Counties League years ago to where they are now,” Elkins told our paper.
“They used to sing a song with my name years ago and I think quite a few people remembered that, so joining them it’s nice to reflect back on that. It made it a really nice experience.”
Elkins described his most memorable moment with Wimbledon as his debut match against Chelsea in 1990.
Dennis Wise had just moved from Wimbledon to Chelsea for a then-club record fee of £1.6 million for the Blues,
while Elkins arrived from the Cottagers for a nominal fee of £25,000.
The Dons defeated Chelsea 2-1 at home, and Elkins got man of the match after marking Wise.
“The press picked up on it and said it made a mockery of the transfer system with Wise costing what he did to what I cost,” Elkins said. “I think subsequently I ended up getting a big contact - and I got a mention in Dennis’ autobiography.”
Wimbledon revelled in their upstart reputation.
"The whole aspect of the Crazy Gang, being in the Premier League and going to all the top sides like United, Arsenal and Liverpool,” he said.
“I think being the underdog and not
Paige Riley and Ashleigh Weerden came to the club after time in the Eredivisie in Holland.
The Eagles also took advantage of the loan market, bringing in youngsters Brooke Aspin and Poppy Pritchard.
The club’s maiden season in the WSL has not always been smooth sailing.
With one win, two draws and seven losses after ten games, the team sits in last place during the current winter break.
The season began with a 4-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
The Eagles’ first-ever WSL home match was a 7-0 drubbing against Chelsea.
That’s not to say all of it has gone badly.
After those two losses, the club rebounded in their next match to claim their first WSL victory against Leicester City, thanks to two goals from Annabel Blanchard.
“I’m so proud of the group. I’m proud of everyone involved with the club,” Kaminski said after the win.
“We’ve been through a bit of a rough start
expected to do well and the sort of team spirit that we had then on and off the pitch, it was really good to be part of it.
“We have a great camaraderie and team spirit that still exists today - we still meet up every Christmas, all the boys from back in the era and go for a beer or two.”
Elkins now works as a PE instructor in the prison service.
Unsure of what to do post-football, he played some charity games at a prison and the job came about from there.
Elkins also founded SaveYu, a training provider that delivers first aid and mental health courses to children and adults.
Both he and his partner Gemma had experienced issues of choking with their children, which was “quite a scary thing to
in the WSL, so I thought the players really deserved that after everything they’ve been through in terms of pre-season and the first few games.”
While Crystal Palace may currently be in last place, they ended 2024 on a positive note.
Despite their loss to United, Kaminski felt her team’s performance, when they were largely able to contain United’s attack, laid the groundwork for what to expect in 2025.
Post-match, she said: “We just need to keep on that positive track forward - we’ve grown a lot and now we need something to show for it.
“Today showed the bare minimum standard in terms of our performance and if we do that week-in, week-out in the new year, no matter who we’re facing, I believe we’ll get points on the table.”
The Eagles return to action against Sheffield United in the fourth round of the FA Cup at the VBS Community Stadium on January 12.
see and happen”.
He added: “We just wanted to go out and teach people to try and save a life, so we ended up setting up SaveYu.”
Elkins remembers his time at Wimbledon fondly.
He said: “Football is different nowadays in terms of the people involved, the people behind the scenes, that type of thing.
“I think Wimbledon was a very unique experience in the Premier League that I don’t think will ever be replicated.
“I think in the time that I was there, I don’t think we finished outside the top ten and we were the real underdogs, completely different to what it would be today.
“My time back then was really enjoyable - the best time for me in terms of football.”
Photo: Eagles players parade the Championship trophy at Selhurst Park in May
EAGLES GUNNED DOWN
Glasner:
By John Kelly
‘Many parts of the game we did really well - but defending our box we did terribly’
OLIVEr GLasnEr said crystal Palace did a lot of things right despite their 5-1 pounding by arsenal at selhurst Park last weekend, but felt they were let down by their defending in the box.
After losing 3-2 to Mikel Arteta’s side following Gabriel Jesus’ hat-trick at the Emirates Stadium in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup the previous Wednesday, the Brazilian striker was back to terrorise the Eagles’ defence against as he scored either side of Ismaila Sarr’s equaliser to make it 2-1 after fifteen minutes.
Kai Havertz scored before half-time, with Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice completing the rout after the break.
It was Palace’s first defeat in six games in the Premier League.
“You can see how crazy football is sometimes, because when you compare today's half to the first half at Emirates, it was far better today, but we were 1-3 down and there we had one more than they had,” Glasner said.
“Many parts of the game, many parts of football we did really well, but one very important part, defending our box, we did terribly today.
“We conceded three goals in the first half after crosses, and this is what we have to do better. A top team like Arsenal, they punish you if you give them too much space in your box.
“That was the disappointing part, but I think how we played, the goal we scored was amazing. The chances we created, how we pressed them in many situations was really good. But the crucial part is defending our box, and this was not good enough.
“We wanted to make it a little bit more open, playing with more bravery, that’s why we could create several chances, but again, when you concede five goals, you can't win it.”
Sarr has scored four goals in his last seven games.
Glasner said: “He’s in great shape. He
had two big chances straight after halftime, and getting the second, maybe you are back again, and this is also what top teams are doing. They get one chance and then game over with the fourth. The efficiency was really outstanding from Arsenal.
“Ismaila is getting better and better, and we are really delighted with his performances.”
Glasner added: “Our fans are always important.
“Even when we were down and the fourth goal killed the game, it was game
over, but the fans stayed quite positive. I think everybody who goes home today feels the game didn't feel like a 1-5 defeat, but it's also something we have to analyse and to work on. When it's a little bit more open, we [must] defend better.
“Merry Christmas to all our fans and thank you for all the support. We have one more home game against Southampton in 2024. I am pretty sure that we will have a great support at Bournemouth [on Boxing Day] and against Southampton.”
No more waiting for Godo Jimmy gets job Dunne
By John Kelly
MartIaL GODO credited a loan spell with wigan athletic for kick-starting his senior professional career after he made his Premier League debut for Fulham in the cottagers’ 0-0 draw against southampton at craven cottage on sunday.
Godo, 21, replaced Tom Cairney in the 76th minute as Marco Silva’s side were frustrated by basement club Saints, who had interim boss Simon Rusk in charge and their new boss Ivan Juric watching from the press seats.
Godo was playing for Margate in the Isthmian League - the sixth tier - before he joined Fulham in March
2022.
Godo spent last season on loan in League One where he scored four goals in 34 games for the Latics.
He reflected on how far he had come after the stalemate with Saints.
"Only two-and-a-half years ago, I was playing non-league football for Margate before joining the Fulham Academy," Godo said.
“That was obviously great for me, because I was still in my comfort zone, still growing and learning, having never been in the academy system before.
"I then spent a year on loan at Wigan, and that's really where it kicked off for me.
"It was lovely up there, I met some really great people, who
really helped me on the way.
"After coming back to Fulham, I'm now in the Premier League, with a great team and with great staff around me, and hopefully there's many more years ahead.”
Godo was close to joining Millwall on transfer deadline day in the summer. He signed a new four-year deal in early September. He said at the time: “My loan at Wigan went very well considering it was my first senior professional season. It allowed me to grow, learn and adapt so much both on and off the pitch, which helped me better myself in my development as a professional.”
Silva’s side travel to Chelsea on Boxing Day before hosting AFC Bournemouth on Sunday.
By John Kelly
QuEEns Park rangers boss Marti cifuentes said it was their “best performance of the season” after Jimmy Dunne scored an 89th-minute winner to beat Preston north End 2-1 at Loftus road on saturday.
Milutin Osmajic gave Preston a 21stminute lead before Hoops captain Steve Cook was forced off three minutes later and replaced by Morgan Fox.
Rayan Kolli levelled five minutes after the interval and Liam Lindsay’s second yellow card reduced Paul Heckingbottom’s visitors to ten men with seven minutes left.
And with a minute remaining, Dunne headed home Ilias Chair’s cross as QPR extended their unbeaten run to seven games and moved up to fourteenth in the Championship.
The side were in last place in the table before their dramatic revival.
"For me it was our best performance of the season,” Cifuentes said.
"Starting the game so well – something that we had spoken about, because the last two first halves were not great – and then conceding a goal and losing our captain, that is something that can be mentally hard.
"The response, which was such a good performance, says a lot about the mentality of the group.
"I saw a lot of players performing at a high level, everybody contributed and that's important.
"And we need more of that. The Christmas schedule is crazy and we need to be ready."
QPR travel to Swansea City on Boxing Day and to Norwich City on Sunday for an earlier 12.30pm kick-off.
Oliver Glasner picked out some positives after the Eagles’ heavy defeat
Sport
MILLWALL HEAD COACH HUNT NARROWS TO THREE
Lions close to naming Neil Harris' successor
By Will Scott
aLEX nEIL, steven schumacher and Matt Bloomfield have emerged as contenders for the vacant Millwall head coach job.
This paper understands that it is unlikely another name will be added to the list, and that a decision was imminent as we went to press.
The Lions hierarchy have held talks with a number of candidates after Neil Harris stepped down as head coach, and have narrowed down their search to the three aforementioned coaches.
The trio are all 43 and younger,
and all have experience in the EFL.
Neil, 43, has previously managed Stoke City and Sunderland, guiding the Black Cats back into the Championship after winning the 2022 League One play-offs. His managerial career also includes stints at Preston North End and Norwich City.
Schumacher, 40, was dismissed by Stoke in September despite steering the Potters clear of relegation in the 2023-24 season. He previously had a two-year spell in charge of Plymouth Argyle, and helped the Pilgrims secure promotion into the Championship in 2023.
Bloomfield, 40, is the current Wycombe Wanderers manager. He was named League One Manager of the Month in October and November after leading the Chairboys into the automatic promotion places. He has also had a short spell in charge of Colchester United in the 2022-23 season, winning EFL League Two Manager of the Month in January 2023. Regardless of which of the three are appointed, David Livermore— currently serving as temporary head coach and formerly Harris’ second-in-command for nearly ten years across several clubs—intends
to remain at Millwall.
“I’ve been told by the chairman that I will be here beyond this season,” Livermore said. “My contract runs out at the end of the season, so we’ve had that chat. That will be my next task but I’ve been told by him I’ll be here beyond this season.
“When the new guy comes in, I’m sure he’ll want to bring at least someone with him. I’m really comfortable with that. I think I’m average to good at a number of things, so I think I’m quite flexible. I think I can mould into whatever the next head coach wants."
Eagles extend striker’s deal
By John Kelly
crYstaL PaLacE have triggered their option to extend Jean-Philippe Mateta's contract until 2027.
Striker Mateta’s previous contract was until the summer of 2026 and the parties had been in talks over a new deal but no agreement was reached. Mateta has struck a rich vein of form since Oliver Glasner took over last season. He scored once in Glasner’s first game in charge, a 3-0 win against Burnley at Selhurst Park. Mateta added twelve more goals in the next twelve games, including a hat-trick in the final-day 5-0 win at home to Aston Villa to help the Eagles secure a tophalf finish.
He continued that form into the summer with five goals in six games as he captained France to the final of the Olympics football tournament where they lost 5-3 to Spain.
The former Lyon and Mainz forward has scored seven goals and registered two assists in 21 games in all competitions so far this season.
“If I get given my chance, I can be one of the best goal-scorers in the Premier League,” Mateta told The Athletic last April.
“I’m happy to play game after game. The more I’m on the pitch the more I can assist and score. Before, I didn’t have many chances, I came on for five or ten minutes.
“Sometimes in life you get given advice and you can say, ‘Yeah, I understand’, but if you don’t experience it then you can’t understand. The more you play the more you experience and understand it. That’s why I’m better game after game.”
Jean-Philippe Mateta
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Mihailo Ivanovic scores the winner during Millwall's 1-0 win against Blackburn Rovers last Saturday
Alex Neil in charge of Stoke City against Birmingham City at St Andrew's in April 2023
