Southwark News - February 29th 2024 by CommunityMattersMedia

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mitChell hungRY to Retain StaRting Role FoR lionS Issue 1674

Established: 1987

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February 29th 2024

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muSiC team Behind KYlie minogue up FoR Blue plaQue

southwarknews.co.uk

aRSoniSt StalKeR

Local man convicted after trying to kill his pregnant ex-partner and her young daughter in house fire

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Issue 1674

Established: 1987

50p

February 29th 2024

southwarknews.co.uk

See page 18

muSiC team Behind KYlie minogue up FoR Blue plaQue

aRSoniSt StalKeR

local man convicted after trying to kill his pregnant ex-partner and her young daughter in house ﬁre See page 6

mitChell hungRY to Retain StaRting Role FoR lionS See page 6

BeRmondSeY man Could Be CRoWned ‘BRitain’S BeSt Young CheF’ See page 3

the hiStoRY men oF peCKham

4 NEWS Contents NEWS Pages 2-13

ARTS Pages 16-17 HISTORY Page 18 CLASSIFIED Page 19 PROPERTY Page 20 FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS Page 21 PUBLIC NOTICES Pages 22-24 SPORT Pages 25-28

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EXCLUSIVE

By Herbie Russell BerMonDseY council estate residents are outraged following revelations that their tenants’ management organisation may have misspent hundreds of thousands of pounds meant for communal area upkeep.

A Southwark Council audit found numerous areas of “concern” with Fair Community Housing Ltd’s (FCHS) finances. Meanwhile, tenants say their buildings are plagued with cracked walls and shabby paintwork, despite paying thousands towards upkeep over the last two decades. The tenants’ management organisation (TMO) now owes Southwark Council £1,703,352 but only has £1,226,496 in net current assets, according to its financial statements. The TMO has stated it has spent £680,360 on external decorations, but an internal audit said there was “limited evidence” this money was “spent appropriately”. Southwark Council, which is responsible for monitoring FCHS’s finances, has come under fire after the audit revealed it had failed to operate sufficient financial controls over the organisation. The council said it was considering the auditor’s findings and would discuss them at an upcoming meeting. Stephen Holt, a Devon Mansions resident, said decades of neglect had left the block looking “tired” and that residents weren’t being treated fairly. “It’s very tired looking but the point is that the money has been put aside for external decorations and it’s not being done. Twenty years to wait for painting walls and new floor coverings is a bit long,” he said. He added: “All we want is to be treated properly and for our properties to be kept in good order and we’re not getting that.” Stephen fears residents will now be recharged for the decorations and instead urged Southwark Council to get tenants’ money “back where it belongs”. Established in 2004, the TMO is responsible for decorations in communal areas, known as external decorations, and certain kinds of maintenance. It collects rent from tenants and gives it to Southwark Council, which then allocates

The Devon Mansions Estate in Bermondsey

Cracks appear to have appeared in the ceiling on the Devon Mansions Estate money back to the TMO for external decorations. Estates under its umbrella include Coxson Way, Devon Mansions, Fair Street, Hartland House, Lewes House, St Johns Estate and St Olaves Estate. Between 2008 and 2022, Southwark Council gave the organisation £1.7 million specifically for external decorations. However, residents on at least one estate claim no decorations have been done since 1998. As a result, the News understands that the £1.7 million has been stacking up as liabilities. According to the TMO’s financial statements, it has just net current assets of £1,226,496 almost £500,000 less than the £1.7 million now owed to Southwark Council. Janet Wertli, a Devon Mansions resident, said: “The staircases in all the buildings across Devon Mansions are in a terrible state. “The stairwell walls have not been painted See sport

‘ASBO DOG’

Issue 1673

editor: Kevin Quinn reporters: herbie russell; isabel ramirez Sports editor: John Kelly Sports reporter: Kiro evans Arts correspondent: Michael holland Digital transformation editor: Katherine Johnston Media Partnerships: anthony phillips Advertising: clarry frewin Design: dan Martin, ann Gravesen Finance: em Zeki - Tel: 0779 883 3758 Subscriptions/Announcements: Katie Boyd Managing & commercial Director: chris Mullany Managing & editorial Director: Kevin Quinn Published weekly on a thursday at: Community Matters Media Ltd Unit a202, The Biscuit factory, drummond road, Bermondsey, london se16 4dG. news and Sport: 020 7231 5258 Advertising: 020 7232 1639 news: news@southwarknews.co.uk Advertising: hello@cm-media.co.uk Finance: em@cm-media.co.uk printed by iliffe print. Tel: 01223 656500 www.iliffeprint.co.uk

Established: 1987

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February 22nd 2024

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RETURN OF THE KING See pages 12-13

SOUTHWARK’S KNIFE CRIME PROBLEM See page 3

YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE HOW MUCH DEL BOY’S PECKHAM SPRING IS WORTH See page 22

EXCLUSIVE

See page 8

Family says it feels like their gentle Cockapoo Coco has been served an ASBO by Royal Mail

DOES THIS OLD SEA DOG GET YOUR BLUE PLAQUE VOTE?

A resident took photos of peeling wallpaper back in 2021 at Devon Mansions or repaired. The newest fire safety piping was installed over redundant piping… on walls that have cracks and in some buildings the flooring is damaged.” An internal audit, undertaken by Southwark Council, identified numerous missteps by council officers. For example, money allocated by Southwark Council for external decorations was meant to sit in a ring-fenced account. But the audit found funding allocation was not “always clearly detailed” making it “difficult to know what amounts were for external decorations”. It also said the council had failed regularly to check the TMO’s financial information or ensure TMO staff were trained. In September 2021, Southwark Council took back responsibility for external decorations from the TMO in an attempt to “claw back” funds left in its account, the audit said. Southwark Council was warned over the

TMO’s finances as early as 2019. BDO conducted two audits between 2019 and 2021 which identified numerous concerns over budget monitoring. Ultimately, a resident was forced to step in and make a formal objection to Southwark Council’s annual statements of accounts 2021/22. They feared money that should be ringfenced for external decorations was being spent on “unintended purposes such as overheads, unauthorised overtime”. A resident also sent an email to Council Leader Kieron Williams with photos of the block’s dilapidated state in January 2021 but no significant action appears to have been taken. Devon Mansions is already gripped by controversy after major works on the estate went roughly £4.2 million over budget and 102 weeks over schedule. Southwark Council has confirmed the suspension of several staff members and the possibility of fraud investigations following the fiasco. It is not currently believed the major works case and the TMO’s struggles are linked. Cllr Stephanie Cryan, Communities, Democracy and Finance, said: “We commissioned an audit report into the financial operations of the Tenants Management Organisation. “The key auditor conclusions have been reported to our Audit, Governance and Standards Committee and these are now being considered by the council in advance of the full report being discussed at our next meeting.” FCHS was approached for comment.

The Southwark News is proud to be the only independent, paid for newspaper in London Southwark News started life as the Bermondsey News in 1987, as an A-4 photocopied sheet of paper and rapidly grew to cover the entire borough and the surrounding area. As the borough grew, so did the newspaper. It is owned and run by Chris Mullany and Kevin Quinn. Former reporters for Southwark News, they bought the title in 2002, after the founder Dave Clark died suddenly from cancer four years earlier. A dedicated team of staff work tirelessly to cover as much of what is going on as possible and strive to ensure that a community-led, independent newspaper can survive and excel in a market dominated by national and multinational media groups.

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OPINION Pages 14-15

CounCil audit FindS numeRouS ‘aReaS oF ConCeRn’ With tenant management oRganiSation’S FinanCeS

NEWS 5

peCKham’S heRitage ChRoniCled

By Herbie Russell

The fascinaTing histories of Peckham’s iconic landmarks have been lovingly chronicled in a new book by two local heritage experts.

Peckham Heritage: Past, Present and Future by local residents Derek Kinrade, 94, and architect Benedict O’Looney, has been 35 years in the making. They hope the book, featuring archival photos, oral histories and detailed studies of the area’s famous buildings, will promote “a greater understanding of Peckham”. “Here is a historic place,” Derek said. “Let’s look after it!” The book showcases and uncovers the stories of buildings including the Jones & Higgins, Peckham Rye Station and The Old Fire Station. There are also studies of modern architecture such as The Bussey Building and accounts of lost heritage like Gordon’s Brewery. The two authors struck up a friendship through their joint passion for Peckham’s

Left to right: Derek Kinrade and Benedict O’Looney are the book’s authors

heritage. Derek Kinrade, also the author of Peckham Personalities, moved from “posh” and “very conservative” Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, to Peckham in 1988 and was immediately “hooked”. The former civil servant was “well aware of its deficiencies and its criminal element” but found the area “fascinating”. Derek took a leading role in the battle to stop British Rail building a high-speed rail link through Peckham in the 1980s, threatening 3,800 homes. It would have annihilated much of the area, including Blenheim Grove and Lyndhurst Way, but the campaign by PEARL (Peckham and Environs Against the Rail Link) gained national media attention. The campaign was successful - the route was directed through Stratford instead, affecting just 115 homes - and sparked Derek’s fiery love of Peckham which persists today. Benedict O’Looney, who led Peckham Rye Station’s restoration and Findlater’s

Hundreds of buskers are auditioning for Tube spots

Corner by London Bridge, moved to Peckham in 1997. Having almost become a jazz bass player in the USA, he fell in love with “The Old World”, becoming central to the campaign for a Peckham Conversation Area. “The more you got into Peckham, the more you understood how delightful it was,” he said. Benedict says the book aims to be both “scholarly and accessible”. “It’s designed to appeal to professional folk who are interested in urban history but it’s also filled with lovely period illustrations, period photographs and modern photography so it could appeal to young people,” he said.

By Isabel Ramirez hunDreDs of buskers are currently pitching up to Tfl stations to audition for a regular spot performing on the Tube, overground and elizabeth line networks.

Auditions for a new cohort of buskers are underway after applications opened in late 2023 for the first time since the pandemic. Over the next fortnight, around 280 talented musicians are performing to a panel of judges at Bank, Blackfriars, Canary Wharf, Farringdon and Southwark stations, shortlisted from more than 450 applicants. Musicians from all genres were encouraged to apply in the autumn to reflect the cultural diversity of London. Each prospective busker has a 10-minute slot to convince a panel, which includes a professional musician and station staff. The auditions are now underway, with around 30 musicians to be put through their paces each day.

The process is managed by TfL with support from Found in Music, which runs Busk in London, a programme supported by the Mayor of London. The newly selected musicians will join more than 200 existing buskers later in the spring and play at more than 40 pitches on the Tube, Overground and Elizabeth line networks, including two pitches that opened at Bond Street station last year. TfL’s Licensed Busking Scheme has been running for over 20 years, with auditions opening to new musicians every few years. Emma Strain, TfL’s Customer Director, said: “We have been blown away by the response to our call out for more buskers, and there’s a palpable feeling of excitement at all the stations where the auditions are taking place as musicians tune-up to showcase their talents. In a diverse, multicultural city like London, music truly is a common language. “As Londoners pass through our stations and go about their busy lives, it has the power to cheer them on during the good times and lift them up in their lower moments.”

Our pick of South London events

page 11

The book draws on research Derek has gathered since 1990, often gleaned from dusty documents tucked away in The British Library, the Minet Library and Quaker House, Euston. He was also aided by the work of local historian and former Peckham Society editor John Beasley who wrote numerous Southwark history books including Camberwell Through Time and East Dulwich Remembered. The book’s unveiling couldn’t be more timely. Berkeley Homes recently released its latest proposals for the Ayelsham Centre’s redevelopment, a huge housing development in the middle of the town centre - which could change the character

of the area forever. The book has been produced by the Peckham Heritage Regeneration Partnership as part of the Peckham Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI), supported by Southwark Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. All proceeds will go to the work of Peckham Heritage, a local community group dedicated to the protection and exploration of diversity in Peckham. Peckham’s Heritage - Past, Present and Future, by Derek Kinrade, Benedict O’ Looney and the Peckham Heritage Regeneration Partnership will be launched at 46 Staffordshire Street, Peckham, at 6pm on Friday, March 1.

6 NEWS By Isabel Ramirez a BerMonDseY landowner is funding a new architecture contest on the site of the skip house and previously stompie the Tank at Page’s Walk.

Antepavilion - an art and architects charity based in Hackney - is running their contest for the seventh time, which will see the winner get £25,000. The architecture competition is usually located in Hoxton Docks, but it has been moved to Bermondsey after a legal dispute between the charity and Hackney Borough Council surrounding a previous winner’s work. The site, 105 Page’s Walk, is known locally for being the home of the Skip House for the last year, and before that, the well-loved Soviet tank named Stompie - which sat there for 25 years and was regularly repainted by locals. The much-loved Bermondsey landmark, which stood at the corner of Page’s Walk and Mandela Way, was removed in 2022 by landowner Russell Gray for a restoration. Last April, military enthusiast Russell commented on why he removed the tank – suggesting it was too historically important to be ‘painted by random graffiti artists.’ Despite him not ruling out the return of Stompie one day – this new exhibition set for August calls that into question. News that the space will be filled with another statement art piece - backed by Russell’s historic regeneration

Stompie RetuRn to BeRmondSeY puShed BaCK aS neW aRt diSplaY Set FoR auguSt The site has been home to the Skip House for the last year.

specialist company Shiva, also comes as most spots of land in the capital are sold off to developers. But after hearing the plans, Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP Neil Coyle said it’s a ‘shame’. The Labour MP commented: “When Stompie disappeared we were told it was for repairs - and we all thought it was coming back. “Given Russia is emptying museums of ex-Soviet kit because it is having

such a disastrous time in Ukraine, perhaps it’s more likely to be recommissioned by Putin.” “Of course, not every resident liked the tank - but whatever Russell’s plans are, they are keen to be involved in some way.” He added: “Good luck with the art competition, but it’s a shame about Stompie.” Applications are now open to all for the contest, which requests pieces in

Prince Edward visits Duke of Edinburgh volunteers at King’s College Hospital

line with the theme - Earthwork. The ambiguity of the theme appears to be deliberate, but examples suggest it could include anything created through the processing of parts of the earth’s surface involving soil or unformed rock. The winning team’s art is set to be unveiled on 1 August and according to Antepavilion, the length of time it will be on the site is unknown. The £25,000 includes a £10,000 prize

fund and £15,000 for construction and material. Construction, to be completed over no more than 6 weeks, can be arranged to suit the winners from mid-May to late July. To enter visit their website antepavilion.org and fill out the online form. Alternatively, email any questions to admin@antepavilion.org The closing date for ideas is 15 March.

Nancy Coleman-Frank has dedicated years to reviving the beloved garden

A vandal wrote rude graffiti on one of the rat boxes

Vandals destroy American Garden and write graffiti By Herbie Russell © King’s College NHS Foundation Trust

VanDals haVe trashed Peckham rye Park’s american garden and scrawled rude graffiti on rat bait boxes.

By Herbie Russell Prince eDWarD helped Duke of edinburgh (Dofe) award participants give out meals to elderly patients during a King’s college hospital visit last week.

His Royal Highness spoke with the young volunteers who’ve been providing a friendly face and helping hand to people on the Marjory Warren Ward in Denmark Hill. DofE participant Sayeed Ahmed, 18, from Ilford, has been volunteering with King’s College Hospital since April 2023 while working towards his Silver Award. “It has been brilliant meeting The Duke of Edinburgh today and showing him the difference DofE volunteers like me are making to patients at King’s College

The Duke of Edinburgh gave volunteers a helping hand at King’s College Hospital.

Hospital,” he said. “Doing the DofE has really connected me to those around me. I feel humbled to serve the community and I feel I’m fulfilling my purpose to society.” As well as cutting up food and opening meal packages, volunteers have been offering a befriending service that helps patients feel less isolated during their hospital stay. The Marjory Warren Ward is specially designed for frail older people, providing a friendlier and more relaxing environment for its patients who often have dementia and delirium. Volunteers told the Duke about how they help patients make the most of their activity packs; games and electronic tablets that help them stay connected with

friends and family. Ruth Marvel, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said: “These young people are making a huge difference to their communities and the experience of patients in hospital. It’s been great to hear that they are having lots of fun and developing skills for their future along the way.” To do their DofE, young people aged 14 to 24 choose activities in four sections: improving a Physical and Skills activity, Volunteering for a cause of their choice, and completing a demanding Expedition. King’s College Hospital is an Approved Activity Provider (AAP) for the DofE – one of over 470 in the UK – allowing DofE participants to work towards their DofE Award on site.

Nancy Coleman-Frank, 81, who has spent four years reviving the stunning plot with £75,000 funding, said the destruction had made her “sick”. Several rat bait boxes appear to have been defaced, including at least one which has been daubed with the words ‘RAT KILLER F*CK OFF!’. Predicting it will take three years to regrow the garden, Nancy said: “I am sick about what’s happened in the American Garden. “Our charity, The American Garden in Peckham, has worked very hard to raise funds for all the plants and the planting of them in the Garden. “Then to have someone come in and deliberately cut down all our deciduous shrubs and roses almost to the ground is just unthinkable.” Nancy believes the plants were worth between £10,000 and £15,000 but even more concerning is whether the garden will flourish come summer. She said: “Will they survive? I don’t know, only time will tell…. and even if some of them do, it will take another three

years for them to gain the growth they had.” The News understands parks officers are aware of the incident but the council did not respond to a request for comment. The American Garden, first planted in 1907, is a historic example of a craze which swept through Britain from the 18th century. London botanist Peter Collins pioneered the import of plants and seeds from North America, meaning American plants like rhododendron, azalea, magnolia, and kalmia sprang up across the capital. While researching Collins, Nancy visited the American Garden but was dismayed by its dilapidated condition so established a charity to revive it. Hoping to make it a centre for environmental education in Peckham, she obtained grants from organisations including the American Embassy and the Local Postcode Trust. The American Embassy grant even came with a visit from US Ambassador Robert Wood Johnson who, alongside MP Harriet Harman, planted a celebratory maple tree. Nancy finally unveiled the garden in the summer of 2022 - more than 100 years after it was first planted. Southwark Council has been approached for comment.

NEWS 7

By Herbie Russell

oVer a dozen southwark buildings, ranging from revived office buildings to a tree house slap-bang in the middle of elephant and castle, have been shortlisted for prestigious architectural prizes.

The Royal Institute of British Architects has chosen 76 different projects across the capital to compete for the awards. All projects shortlisted for RIBA Regional Awards will be visited by a regional jury, and the winning projects will be announced later this spring.

Borough a slender tower block with panoramic views of london When local residents hear a sixteen-storey block is going on their doorstep it’s normally cause for concern. But wafer-thin 67 Southwark Street, designed by Allies and Morris, makes special efforts to limit its visual impact. The slender building has one apartment per floor and, at roof level, a shared ‘belvedere’ terrace offers panoramic views of London. An ‘unmistakably African’ centre Established in 1964, the Africa Centre is Southwark’s go-to place for African culture and events. When it selected Freehaus to lead on its renovation, its brief was simple; the building had to be “unmistakably African”. The lacklustre ‘60s office building got a vibrant makeover with a multi-textured, organic interior reflecting the centre’s roots. caMBerWell Victorian Villa treated to sensitive extension Love Walk II is an extension and renovation of a Victorian Villa in Camberwell’s conservation area. Designed by KnoxBhavan, floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on an expansive garden give the building an airy feel. The client said: “Around eighteen months since we moved in. We are still constantly uplifted by the extraordinary light throughout the house, the ease with which we can use all the spaces, the practicality of the layout and the beauty of the finishes.”

elePhanT anD casTle 1970s university block gets a modern makeover London South Bank University’s 1970s concrete block might once have been described as an ugly monolith but not after Wilkinson Eyre’s project. The studio transformed the LSBU Hub, the largest academic on main campus, into an “open and inviting centrepiece”. The brick facades were replaced and large glazed bays were installed to offer inwards views of the building. Lightweight, three-dimensional cladding panels

featuring a stylisation of LSBU’s sail emblem giving the building a distinct civic quality. A wooden sanctuary in Elephant and Castle The Tree House is a timber building at the centre of the Elephant Park acting as a hireable events space for both the local community and private companies. Designed by Bell Phillips, it’s nestled amongst the boughs of a mature plane tree and features a sunny roof terrace. Its framework is largely built from cross-laminated timber, finished with timber cladding and bamboo decking. ‘Crumbling’ Victorian building gets makeover Located near the Imperial War Museum, All Saints was retrofitted by EPR Architects. Following decades of “unsympathetic” alterations, the studio decided to take the reigns of the project to renew the crumbling Victorian building. “Drawing on our substantial heritage expertise, the transformation showcases the rich character of the original building while making bold interventions that safeguard its future as a viable workplace,” said EPR. PecKhaM a ‘Tardis’ home for a downsizing couple Corner Fold House was designed especially for a downsizing couple who didn’t want to relocate too far. Sandwiched between the clients’ former family home and a substation, Rick and Hannah O’Shea said it had a ‘Tardis effect’. Designed by Whittaker Parsons, the 88sqm home features a sculpted form, high beamed ceilings and a beautifully crafted oak staircase. Peculiar Peckham has a unique house to match Peckham is renowned for its higgledy-piggledy character, something captured by Surman Weston’s Peckham House. The new family home has employed distinctive “hitand-miss” brickwork with a flat roof that echoes the design of Peckham Levels. The house is super sustainable thanks to triple glazing, onsite photovoltaic generation and an air source heat pump. roTherhiThe a ‘school in a garden’ A rebuilding programme saw Southwark Council replace an existing two-form entry school with a bigger school on the same urban site. Rotherhithe Primary School now benefits from an “unusually generous playground” and “unexpected intimate spaces” dotted around the grounds. Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios has retained as many trees as possible to create what has become a ‘school in a garden’.

WaTerloo solar revival for Waterloo church St John’s Church, an Anglican Greek Revival building dating back to 1822, received a historic renovation. The £5.5 million project saw Eric Parry Architects restore its interior revealing key elements of its iconic design. The Church of England is hoping to hit net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 so the south-facing roof has been fitted with 80 solar panels.

Rotherhithe Primary School

Peckham House front elevation

BerMonDseY former council house goes back to basics An ex-council house transformation in Bermondsey saw the owner’s 1980s home stripped to its bare essentials. The client wanted VATRAA to retain the home’s unassuming appearance on the outside while being “warm and inviting on the inside”. It involved removing an overly detailed bay window, exposing its structural joists and packing the laundry room and bathroom around the communal heating system for a sustainably warm home. 19th-century tannery converted into homes and studios Occupying the former Rich Industrial Estate, once central to Bermondsey’s 19th-century tannery trade, Coffey Architects’ building refers to the area’s manufacturing past. The Tannery is a mixed-use project in Bermondsey that combines housing, artists’ studios and a gallery around a central courtyard. To the north, the gallery spaces for Tannery Arts and Drawing Room are housed in a low-lying brick building topped by a sawtooth roof with skylights.

The Africa Centre

a SolaR-poWeRed ChuRCh and an ‘unmiStaKaBlY’ aFRiCan CentRe: aRChiteCtuRal aWaRd ShoRtliSt

8 NEWS

Three charged with attempted murder over Brixton violence

BeRmondSeY man Could Be CRoWned ‘BRitain’S BeSt Young CheF’

Karol Ploch, 28

By Herbie Russell Three Men have been charged with attempted murder after a violent Brixton incident left people suffering stab and gunshot wounds.

Police were called to Coldharbour Lane at 5am on Sunday, January 14, following reports of a fight and shots fired. Attending officers found a woman suffering gunshot injuries who was rushed to hospital by ambulance. Three men self-presented at hospital, one with gunshot injuries, one who had been stabbed and one assaulted. All were discharged from hospital. On Monday, February 26, Shane Brown, 20 (01.08.03) of Clapham, appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court charged with two counts of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. He was remanded in custody and police are awaiting details of his next court appearance. Gerald Atkins, 36 (16.08.87) of Streatham Vale previously appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on January 17 charged with two counts of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of a prohibited weapon and violent disorder. Conrad Bair, 29 (11.09.94), Merton appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on January 20 charged with two counts of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and violent disorder. Both Atkins and Bair were remanded in custody to next appear at Kingston Crown Court on November 25. Detectives from Trident, part of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, are still investigating the case.

By Isabel Ramirez a Man from Bermondsey is through to the semi-finals of a prestigious competition to find Britain’s best young chef.

Karol Ploch, 28, a sous chef at Kerridge’s Bar & Grill, is one of eighteen others to be in with a chance of winning the Roux Scholarship 2024. Now in its 40th year, the competition is seen as ‘the holy grail’ by many in the industry. A host of former winners have gone on to run their own restaurants and earn Michelin stars. Karol, originally from Poland, came

to London to progress in his career and has lived in Bermondsey for the last four years. He previously worked at Michelinstar Restaurant Story on Tooley Street. Karol said he found out about the Roux Scholarship a few years ago and has been preparing ever since. On the judging panel is Michel Roux Jnr (MasterChef: The Professionals, Saturday Kitchen, Food and Drink), Angela Hartnett OBE (Great British Menu), Brian Turner CBE (Ready, Steady, Cook) and James Martin (James Martin’s Saturday Morning). The dish he plans to serve up to

judges will be Roasted Pork Loin with Pork and Pistachio Farce, Sweet Potato Dauphine, Glazed Pork Kidney with Crackling Crumb, Mushroom Bon Bon and Peppercorn Sauce. Asked how he came up with this, he said: “They give you a list of ingredients for you to create a dish from. “I got some inspiration from some books and made sure to choose techniques I am familiar with. With regards to how he is feeling about cooking for the star-studded panel, Karol, who is used to cooking for 140 people on a Saturday night

alone, is ‘excited.’ “It’s the most important competition for young chefs. “So to win would be the biggest achievement of my career so far. I’m excited.” The winner of the competition gets world-class training worth £12,000 or an invitation to cook and train under the supervision of a leading chef at a three-star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world for up to two months. He will compete in the semi-finals in London or Birmingham on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

a Jealous stalker who tried to kill his pregnant ex-partner and her young daughter in a house fire has been jailed.

Dash cam footage caught the moment he walked away from the property having started the ﬁre.

Met Police

harry owusu-Manu, 39, of new Kent road, “refused to accept” the relationship had ended and embarked on a “misguided drive for revenge”. he was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder, amongst other offences, following a five-week trial at the old Bailey, on february 23. Police said he was “a terrifying example of the threat women can face” simply for ending a relationship. owusu-Manu’s tirade of abuse began after the relationship broke down and he started posting derogatory and islamophobic stories on instagram. in the early hours of Tuesday, april 25, he visited the victim’s Battersea home and pushed a flaming doormat under her door. The woman, who is deaf and was pregnant at the time, and her young daughter, were in the flat at the time. london fire Brigade treated them for smoke inhalation. Their investigators would later establish the fire had been

Met Police

By Herbie Russell

started deliberately. having failed to kill his ex and her children owusu-Manu set about trying to cover his tracks. he had already spray-painted a ccTV camera black and then tried to dispose of the clothes he’d worn during the fire. Officers identified the van used by owusu-Manu and managed to trace his movements from his home to the victim’s address. Detectives also found footage of his distinctive orange van arriving minutes before the fire.

Met Police

Jealous stalker jailed after trying to murder ex-partner in a fire

Police learned this was not the first time owusu-Manu had made the journey. he’d carried out a recce in the days leading up to the fire. following his arrest hours after the incident, owusu-Manu changed his story numerous times. he even claimed he was at her Battersea home to stop someone else starting the fire. But dash cam footage recovered from the van itself caught the moment Owusu-Manu visited the flat to start the blaze.

Harry Owusu-Manu ‘refused to accept’ the relationship had ended. another dash cam recording led detectives to where owusu-Manu had attempted to get rid of the clothes he wore when starting the fire. owusu-Manu was arrested later on april 25, 2023, and refused to answer any questions put to him by detectives. he was convicted of attempted murder, aggravated arson with intent to endanger life, religiously aggravated stalking and having a lock knife in a public place. he will be sentenced at The old Bailey court on april 22. Detective constable Megan gittins said: “it is no exaggeration to say harry owusu-Manu made his ex-partner’s

Owusu-Manu set about trying to cover his tracks. life a misery with his behaviour. The victim’s home and new baby items including clothes, cot and toys were all destroyed. “owusu-Manu refused to accept that she did not want to be in a relationship with him anymore and set about causing her physical and mental harm. she added: “he also showed extreme disregard for the lives of other residents who could have been seriously injured by his dangerously misguided drive for revenge. “owusu-Manu is a terrifying example of the threat women can face for simply wanting to end a relationship.”

NEWS 9

giRl, 12, Who SuRvived RaRe heaRt SuRgeRY CeleBRateS With a WalK to See Big Ben By Isabel Ramirez

Millie and her dad, Graeme.

A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD girl, who was born with less than half of her heart working, was the first in the UK to have a rare heart operation at evelina children’s hospital.

Millie Healey, from Gloucester, has just celebrated one year since the operation with a walk over Westminster Bridge something she could never do when she was sick. Her parents Graeme and Kerry, said: “When Millie was born we knew she was really unwell with this rare combination of complex heart conditions, and underwent her first operation at just ten days old at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. She was born with a combination of heart defects - the most challenging leaving her with less than half of her heart working, known as complex double inlet left ventricle. After three open heart surgeries before her first birthday, Millie’s condition began to deteriorate when she was eight years old, resulting in further life-saving and complex surgery - known as a Fontan procedure. It links the veins directly to the lungs, leaving the single ventricle to focus on pumping blood around the body. Typically, most Fontan procedures last around three hours, compared to Millie’s which took six. Given the nickname ‘Miracle Millie’ after overcoming the pioneering operation

The People’s Theatre Company

Visit from the Easter Bunny and free treats in Elephant and Castle By Isabel Ramirez a sPecial event is coming to elephant and castle with performances, chocolate eggs and an easter Bunny hunt with prizes all free of charge.

On Saturday 30 March, families are being invited to Castle Square as it is transformed for an Easter celebration. Guests can enjoy face painting, workshops, performances and food from the local traders, along with an appearance from the Easter Bunny. Follow the bunny around Castle Square to take selfies and find yourself some Easter treats. Anyone who locates the bunny will also receive vouchers to redeem in exchange for free Easter rainbow cupcakes. Throughout the day there will be activities and workshops for the whole family to get involved in, including at Evelina London, she was able to walk across Westminster Bridge to Big Ben having previously been too weak to walk to the end of her hospital bed. Millie’s parents continued: “When Millie was recovering following her operation she would use Big Ben as a target to aim for in a series of steps. “The first was getting outside to the gardens of neighbouring St Thomas’ to view Big Ben, and then to get closer with every step.” They added that she is now back at

face painting so visitors can transform themselves into the Easter Bunny too. Community-based group, Art in The Park will also be at Castle Square to create a large-scale floor-based collage to which visitors can contribute. Free chocolate eggs will be available throughout the day gifted by the Easter Bunny. Along with treats and workshops, an exciting lineup of performances from local groups UpSideDown Dance Academy, Frogprince Baby Music and School Dance Talentos will keep everyone entertained throughout. For those who want to shop or have a meal out, visitors can also enjoy an additional 10 - 15% off with selected traders at Castle Square and Ash Avenue during the event. When? Saturday 30th March 11 am - 5 pm Where? Castle Square, 40 Elephant Road, SE17 1EU Admission: FREE

home, can attend school full-time and leave the house without portable oxygen, which she hadn’t managed since her heart started to fail four years ago. “The operation was a miracle. She is now full of life and energy.” Evelina London, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, provides specialist cardiovascular and respiratory care at both our purpose-built children’s hospital on the St Thomas’ Hospital site and at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals.

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10 NEWS Advertorial

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NEWS 11

the dulWiCh and BeRmondSeY ReSidentS Who opened theiR homeS to a ReFugee

By Isabel Ramirez

resiDenTs of Dulwich and Bermondsey have talked about what it is like to open their homes to a stranger, amid ‘urgent’ calls for more refugee hosts.

Refugees at Home is a Londonbased charity that connects people with a spare room to refugees and asylum seekers in desperate need of somewhere to stay. Tiffany Cole, Volunteer and Engagement Manager at the charity, explained: “When someone comes to the UK and claims asylum they are put in hotels by the government.” There are many reasons people have to flee their country including war and fear of persecution for their religion or nationality. Whilst every case is different, many wait around eighteen months to find out if they have been granted refugee status or not. During that time they are not allowed to work or claim benefits. If they get their refugee status, they have 28 days to leave the hotel, find a job, and somewhere to live. Tiffany explained: “This can be stressful for them and often it’s not long enough - so we match them with hosts to help them with the transition.” Alex, 31, is an emergency host meaning she could get a call at any moment asking her to take in a refugee for a couple of days. Having hosted many guests from nations including Ethiopia, Afghanistan and Iraq, in her Bermondsey home - she steps in when local authorities don’t have temporary accommodation for them. Alex - who has been a host for four years now - said she joined wanting to make a “tangible difference” to people’s lives. “Every single person has been an absolute pleasure and a joy to host,” she said, adding that she always has clean sheets and toothbrushes ready to go. Some guests open up to her about their experiences and, while she never probes, she says she’s happy to be a

Beth Watkins, Dulwich.

‘listening ear.’ “[I’ve heard] some of the most horrific war stories you could ever imagine; of watching loved ones and friends die in front of them - a level of trauma it’s very difficult for us to grasp and understand,” she said. Food has been an important point of connection with her guests, who often long for their national dishes. When she welcomed her first guest,

an Ethiopian man in his thirties, to a local restaurant serving his favourite dish of Injera. Then there was a young man from Afghanistan who was ‘super excited’ to cook her pulao - a one-pot rice and vegetable dish. “Sharing a meal can be a very nice healing experience you don’t even have to talk you can connect through food,” she said.

Beth Watkins, who lives in Dulwich, hosted for the first time last Christmas. She and her husband have a 4-yearold son, which she said inspired them to want to do it: “Even though he’s still very young we wanted to show him the importance of being caring to people in the community,” she said. Soon after signing up, they got the call - a 25-year-old man called Adam, from Sudan needed somewhere to

By Isabel Ramirez

busier than normal: • Gospel Oak - Barking Riverside (which will become the Suffragette line) • Stratford – Richmond/Clapham Junction (which will become the Mildmay line) • Highbury & Islington – Clapham Junction/West Croydon/Crystal Palace/New Cross (which will become the Windrush line) Customers travelling on these two days are being advised that Haggerston, Hoxton, Shadwell, Shoreditch High Street and Wapping stations will also be closed and London Overground services will not stop there. Additional stations may be closed at short notice and some stations will be open but may be unstaffed. London Underground, Elizabeth

stay: “He was keen to stay with a family to practice his English. At first, Beth said it was scary. “This was totally new to us,” she continued, “and you know - you’re giving them a house key. “But Adam was so kind-hearted. “He also made a huge effort with our son, he was always playing with him teaching him how to play dominoes.” For a month, Adam stayed with the family. “We made sure to do things together and we helped him with anything he needed.” “It was lucky that our neighbours and people in the area were so supportive and they invited us all around.” Now that Adam has moved on to another host, she said they’ll ‘definitely’ keep in touch, adding: “This was a positive experience for all of us and the charity was very supportive.” There are currently over 750 hosts in London who are prepared to offer their spare rooms to refugees. But Tiffany said they urgently need more hosts. All refugees referred to Refugees at Home are professionally assessed and then matched with suitable hosts who provide a bed, access to the kitchen and bathroom, and a welcoming smile. Hosts are supported along the way by the Refugees at Home team. If you have a spare room – or even a sofa bed – and would like to find out more, visit www.refugeesathome.org

Rotherhithe Overground station will close for two days during strike

Google Maps

Rotherhithe Overground station

roTherhiThe oVergrounD station will close for two days during rail workers’ strike next month.

Customers are being urged to check before they travel on Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 March as planned strike action by the RMT union is expected to impact London Overground services and some stations. RMT members, who are employed by Arriva Rail London which operates the London Overground on Transport for London’s (TfL’s) behalf, plan to strike on both days, although London Overground will still offer a service during this period. No service is expected before 8am or after 6pm on the following routes, with those that do operate expected to be

line, DLR, London Trams and London buses are expected to operate as normal but could be busier than normal. Trish Ashton, TfL’s Director of Rail and Sponsored services, said: “We urge the RMT and Arriva Rail London to continue to work together to find a resolution and call this strike off. “Customers planning to use London Overground services are urged to check before they travel, allow extra time for their journeys, and check the TfL website or the TfL Go app for the latest travel information.” This is the second of two 48-hour strikes announced by the RMT union over pay. The first on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 February was suspended for further talks between the union and Arriva Rail London but to date no resolution has yet been found.

12 NEWS

tracing Father and son convicted after mocking Police Camberwell man removed his helicopter crash during Millwall match who electronic tag Fans made helicopter gestures at Leicester fans referring to the 2018 crash that killed club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabh.

Millwall FC

Peter Brooks, 48, and Freddie Brooks, 18, from Bermondsey, made helicopter gestures at Leicester fans

By Herbie Russell The forgotten stories of Kennington’s Rastafarian squatters and Waterloo’s cardboard-box-dwelling homeless are to be rediscovered.

Historic England’s ‘Everyday Heritage’ programme will see 56 ‘working-class’ London histories retold thanks to £875,000 funding. Kingswood House, a Grade-II listed Victorian ‘castle’ at the centre of the Kingswood Estate is the third Southwark-based recipient. Tom Foxall, Historic England Regional Director, said: “There are so many hidden histories to uncover here in London. Every community has a story to tell and we want to hear them.” Untold histories of St Agnes Place, House of Dread, Kennington House of Dread’s project will explore and document the untold histories of what is thought to be London’s longestrunning squat. Based at St Agnes Place in Kennington, the street hosted people who existed on

Police are searching for a convicted criminal with links to Camberwell who removed his electronic tag after being released from prison on licence.

Nasar Mohammed Hussein, 33, also known as Nasser Hussein, was found guilty of possession of an offensive weapon and assault on an emergency worker in June 2023. He was released from prison on licence, but on Thursday, February 22, he removed his electronic tag and left an address in Camberwell. He has links to Hounslow, Camberwell, Clapham and the Finsbury Park area. Anyone who may have seen Nasar Mohammed Hussein, or has information as to his whereabouts, is asked to call 101, ref 4758/24FEB24. For an immediate sighting please do not approach him, but dial 999. To provide information anonymously, please contact Crimestoppers.

Police want to know the whereabouts of Nasar Mohammed Hussein

Football fans in violent clash at Waterloo Station By Isabel Ramirez A group of Accumulate participants led by journalist Samir Jeraj on a walk around St John’s and the former site of Cardboard City. the margins of society and eventually became a central meeting point for Britain’s Rastafari community. Known as the House of Dread since the 1980s, there is little archival information documenting Rastafaris’ relationship with the buildings. Public historian and curator Dr Aleema Gray and a group of community producers will work in consultation with Rastafari Movement UK to coordinate a series of community conversations. These will help create a digital learning resource to examine how and why St Agnes Place evolved as a thriving hub of Rastafari activity. The project has received £24,980 from Historic England. The Lost City of Cardboard: A Homelessness Heritage Project, The Bridge At Waterloo For around 20 years during the ‘80s and ‘90s, thousands of homeless people slept in cardboard boxes in the

underpasses between Waterloo Station and the South Bank. Public consciousness of Cardboard City is fading and many of those who lived there are in poor health or have since died. St John’s Waterloo and The Bridge At Waterloo are working to remember and memorialise this history. Led by artists and people who have experienced homelessness, this project will sensitively engage with individuals who lived in Cardboard City and those who supported its inhabitants. Participants will shape the outcomes of the project which will involve research and documentation of narratives, individuals, and objects linked to Cardboard City. The project has received £24,950 from Historic England. Seasons of Kingswood Life, Kingswood Arts, Dulwich Kingswood House is a Grade II listed Victorian ‘castle’ in the middle of the

Kingswood House

Rasta squatters in Kennington and Waterloo’s ‘Cardboard City’ Southwark’s forgotten histories to be uncovered

The Met Police said this was “clearly a reference to the helicopter crash” that killed Srivaddhanaprabha and four others. Leicester City fans highlighted the footage and a joint investigation between the Met and Leicestershire Police meant the duo were identified. After being ejected from the game, both men were later charged via

By Herbie Russell

Met Police

A father and son who mocked the death of Leicester City’s owner at a Millwall match have been convicted of a public order offence.

referring to the 2018 crash that killed club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. The Met said it was an example of “tragedy chanting” while DC Phil Dickinson said the “vile offences” were “simply a hate crime”. During January’s fixture at the Den, the laughing pair were filmed making the gestures and pointing at a passing helicopter.

By Herbie Russell

postal requisition with a public order offence. Police applied recently introduced “tragedy chanting” legislation to charge the pair. Both pleaded guilty at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, February 21. Freddie Brooks was given a twelvemonth conditional discharge, a threeyear Football Banning Order and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £26 victim surcharge. Peter Brooks was fined £266, issued with a three-year Football Banning Order and required to pay £85 in costs and a £106 victim surcharge. DC Phil Dickinson, Football Investigations Team, said: “These convictions demonstrate the zero tolerance approach we are taking to those who partake in so-called ‘tragedy chanting’. “While such incidents might previously have been viewed as simply being in poor taste, they are now rightly being recognised for what they are – vile offences which cause upset and outrage. “We are familiar with fans taunting their opponents at football matches, but this is generally done and taken in good humour and without offence. This incident crossed the line of what is acceptable. It was quite simply a hate crime.”

Kingswood estate near Sydenham Hill station. Kingswood Arts will work with local people over to create a permanent exhibition exploring the “working-class history” of the building and the estate from 1811 to present Local people will record their experiences through the changing seasons, showing the cycles of workingclass life throughout its history as a private house to a wartime hospital, and later as a library and community centre. The project has received £25,000 funding from Historic England.

Police officers rushed to the scene after a fight appeared to break out between football supporters at Waterloo Station, with some fans leaping over barriers to get to the action.

On Saturday night at around 9 pm, British Transport Police officers on patrol at Waterloo railway station, alongside officers from the Metropolitan Police, responded to disorder between football fans. Footage shared on social media appeared to show the officers intervening after a fight broke out. The situation was reportedly deescalated shortly after and no arrests were made. A British Transport Police spokesperson commented: “At around 9 pm on Saturday (24 February), British Transport Police officers on patrol at Waterloo railway station, alongside officers from the Metropolitan Police, responded to disorder between football fans. The situation was de-escalated and no arrests were made.”

NEWS 13

By Herbie Russell

Cycle hangars are among the projects people can invest in.

CASH-STRAPPED SOUTHWARK council is urging people to take a gamble and invest in their climate projects.

People living anywhere can invest as little as £5 in things in things like new cycle hangars, LED street lighting and upgrades to council assets, receiving an “attractive low-risk 4.6% return,” Southwark Council has said. The Southwark Green Investment scheme’s roll-out comes amid trying financial circumstances for Southwark, and councils across the country, which recently announced a £6.7 million shortfall in its finances. The investment programme, similar to those already adopted by councils including Hammersmith & Fulham and Westminster, aims to raise £6 million by 2030. Deputy Cabinet Member for Green Finance, Councillor Emily Hickson, said: “We’re taking urgent action in Southwark to tackle the climate emergency – but we know the scale of the challenge means we can’t do it alone. “Southwark Green Investment presents an unprecedented opportunity for our community to contribute to a sustainable future while reaping financial benefits. “By investing as little as £5, residents can help us hit our ambitious net-zero target and foster a greener, fairer, and safer Southwark.” The scheme raised £50,000 within hours of its launch on Tuesday and aims to reach £1 million in its first round. Potential investors are warned,

however, that their capital is at risk and they may lose some or even all of the money they put in. While Southwark says its finances are “robust”, and once again managed to balance its books in its latest budget, the economic outlook is still worrying. The council was, for example, recently forced to make nearly £6.5 million in savings to adult social care and children and families’ services.

The Local Government Association estimates that, nationally, councils face a £4 billion shortfall over the two financial years to 2024-25. Southwark Green Investment, which could recoup missing cash, will be managed by Abundance Investment. It’s a financial platform focused on ethical and sustainable community investment which is increasingly managing local authorities’

programmes. Southwark Liberal Democrats have pointed out that their motion for a ‘local climate bonds scheme’ was passed in March 2023 and has taken credit for the new programme. Liberal Democrat Councillor Rachel Bentley said: “Nearly a year after passing a Lib Dem motion committing to climate bonds, we’re very glad to see Southwark’s green investment finally

By Isabel Ramirez

retention of staff. Gather is an organic zero waste store on Bellenden Road, Peckham. They became a Living Wage employer in 2019 when they first took on staff. Tash Gorst, founder of Gather, said: “Business is about people, so it matters how you treat yours. Paying the Living Wage is a key part of our employee offer and it’s helped us to build a brilliant team. “Our staff are the heart of Gather; they care, they’re engaged and they stick around (for much longer than is typical for retail). When we do need to recruit, we usually get plenty of strong applicants. The Living Wage benefits everyone. We’re big fans.” Over the last 2.5 years, £614,000 has been added to Southwark’s economy because workers have received a wage uplift on to the London Living Wage. When money is reinvested in this way, it supports other businesses and jobs in the borough. There is even further untapped potential for the 23,000 workers in Southwark who earn less than the London Living Wage. Cllr Kieron Williams, leader of Southwark Council, said: “The

launched.” She added it felt like Southwark was “playing catch up”, saying that Westminster Council had raised £1 million in just nine days last year. To invest in Southwark Green Investment, interested residents and businesses should head to https:// www.abundanceinvestment.com/ our-investments/councils/southwarkgreen-investment-1

Over 5000 Southwark employees benefit from pay rise with Living Wage scheme oVer 5,000 local workers have benefitted from a pay rise since their employer signed up for the council’s living Wage scheme.

In Southwark, there are now more than 330 employers who pay their staff the London Living Wage, which is £13.15 per hour - including Southwark News. At 21 per cent more than the Government minimum wage, it is the only wage rate based on the additional costs of living in London. It has helped locals like Bosco Katabazi, a cleaner at Borough Market, to have peace of mind when it comes to paying her bills on time, and, Carla Sofia Cardso Pinto, food services coordinator at Spring Community Hub, who commented: “I can now do more with my children and afford to buy a car. It has helped me in my personal life a lot.” The London Living Wage is paid voluntarily, so whilst employers are not required to follow it, 94 per cent of the people who did say they benefitted from it. Most of them describe a boost in reputation, recruitment, and

FlYing StaRt FoR CounCil’S Call to ReSidentS to ContRiBute to Climate inveStment SCheme

message is loud and clear: the London Living Wage is good for workers, good for business, and good for our local economy. That’s why we established the council’s Living Wage Unit to support employers to pay the London Living Wage. We are proud that Southwark leads the way with more and more employers who think, like us, that people deserve to be paid fairly for their hard work. It’s more important than ever with the rising cost of living.” The number of Southwark employers who pay the London Living Wage grows every month. In large part, this is thanks to a group of local organisations who campaign with the support of the council to keep Southwark a Living Wage Place. They work alongside universities, property developers, charities, business improvement districts and other local employers of various sizes. This includes Borough Market, Mercato Metropolitano and Dulwich Hamlet Football Club Apply to become a new London Living Wage employer at livingwage. org.uk

14 NEWS

Old Kent Road to Oxford Circus will ‘take 13 minutes’ on Bakerloo Line Extension

By Herbie Russell The Bakerloo Line extension would slash journey times from Old Kent Road to Oxford Circus to thirteen minutes, a report has found.

The paper, commissioned by Central London Forward, a twelve-borough coalition backing the extension, said it would be “transformational” for the capital. The project, which would see three new tube stops built between Elephant and Castle and Lewisham, would create 9,700 jobs and “unlock” the construction of 20,400 homes, the report found. Cllr Kieron Williams, Chair of Central London Forward and Leader of Southwark Council, said: “The Bakerloo Line Upgrade and Extension is an

investment that would keep our city moving forwards. “At a time when we urgently need to get growth back on track, it would boost our economy, create jobs, and unlock tens of thousands of much-needed homes, all by making better use of the tunnels we already have beneath our capital.” Commuters from Old Kent Road currently face a 38-minute cross-city trek to Oxford Circus. The Bakerloo Line Extension would mean upgrades to the line’s 1970s rolling stock and signal improvements meaning speedier trips for passengers. However, the infrastructure project cannot happen with additional funding from central government. The Department for Transport announced a one-year capital funding deal for TfL in December worth £250

million next year. Transport for London (TfL) says this is well short of the £500m to £600m it needs from government annually to follow through with its major infrastructure projects. Andy Lord, Commissioner of Transport for London, said: “While we are grateful for government for providing £250m towards our capital investment programme for 2024/25, securing longterm certainty would allow us to start planning properly for future investment. “It is vital we get certainty of funding to allow us to move forward with the Bakerloo line Upgrade as soon as possible and in the most cost effective manner. This upgrade is necessary to support the extension which is safeguarded and ready to take through the planning process.”

Football ban for man who ‘took drugs’ and ‘abused Preston player’ during Millwall match By Herbie Russell

Transport for London (TfL) has indicated the Bakerloo Line Extension could begin running in 2040, subject to funding approval.

TfL papers have revealed construction of the scheme could begin in 2030 although this would still rely on obtaining government grants. The report also said the predicted cost of the Bakerloo Line extension had spiralled to between £5 billion and £8 billion at 2023 prices. However, this is only slightly more than an estimated £7.9 billion which TfL has long cited as a possible figure. The TfL paper reads: “The current EFC (Estimated Financial Cost) is between £5-8bn (2023 prices) and the scheme could feasibly begin construction from 2030 subject to funding.” The Bakerloo line extension would go from Elephant and Castle station to Lewisham station and see three new tube stops built. These would be called Burgess Park, where the big Tesco currently is, Old Kent Road, on the current Lidl site, and New Cross Gate, at the big Sainsbury’s. The extension is key to the development

£700 in costs and received a six-month conditional discharge for having cannabis. The Met Police is cracking down on football fans found in possession of illegal drugs at matches, which it says leads to violence and anti-social behaviour. Superintendent Gerry Parker, from the football policing unit, said: “The Met is committed to reducing crime and antisocial behaviour at football fixtures. “To ensure football fans have the best experience at matches, we are working

hard to deter and detect drug related crime. This means we will apply for fans found with drugs to receive a banning order and will appeal court results if the ban is not imposed. “People should be able to go to games, enjoy the match and come home safely. We want to support all fans and members of our community affected by negative behaviours that are exacerbated by drugs. “We will work hard to ensure we keep people safe throughout the season and summer tournaments.”

of the Old Kent Road area, where Southwark Council hopes to build 20,000 new homes, including at least 5,000 social rent properties, by 2038. However, TfL must navigate significant stumbling blocks before the project gets started. As part of a 2022 bail-out, £1.2 billion of government funding supported almost £3.6 billion of major transport projects in the capital. But this fell well short of the possible £8 billion needed for the extension. In December, the Department for Transport (DfT) approved a funding package worth £250M for TfL to cover the 2024/2025 tax year. TfL doesn’t need to fund the entire project. Some money would come from local authorities like Southwark, and developers would pay through a community infrastructure levy (CIL).

Elephant & Castle tube station

Blackwall Tunnel will be closed for two weekends in March and April

By Isabel Ramirez Blackwall Tunnel will be closed for two weekends in March and April, TfL has announced.

A football fan has been banned from attending matches after he was spotted taking drugs and ‘abusing a Preston North End player’ at The Den.

Frederick Hardley, 28, (25/10/1995) from Worthing, was arrested and pled guilty to using threatening or abusive words and possession of a Class B drug. The incident took place during Millwall’s Championship fixture against Preston on January 27. Police have not said which side the man was supporting. Through an anonymous text line, officers received a report of a man taking drugs and directing homophobic language at a Preston player. As well as a criminal conviction, Hardley was hit with a three-year football banning order. The ban even forbids him from attending matches at this summer’s Euros in Germany and the World Cup in America, Mexico and Canada. Hardley was also ordered to pay

By Herbie Russell

Southbound traffic will need to seek alternative routes across the weekends of 16-18 March and 13-15 April. This is the second lot of announced closures this year already, with the tunnel also closing this weekend (24-26 February). The works, which are required to implement the road configuration for the new Silvertown Tunnel which will open in 2025, will see new over-height vehicle gantries installed, which are necessary to protect the tunnel, as well as resurfacing works as part of the final road configuration. It follows recent successful drainage and gantry installation works on the northbound Blackwall Tunnel approach to support the new Silvertown Tunnel. The Silvertown Tunnel will provide a public transport-focused river crossing with zero-emission bus links across the Thames. Northbound traffic will not be affected

by the closures and will be diverted via the normal southbound tunnel. However, there will be no access to Tunnel Avenue from the A102 at Pear Island across the weekend of 16-18 March due to the works. The Route 108 bus will be temporarily split and terminate at Canning Town station and North Greenwich, with customers using the Jubilee line to cross the river to complete their journeys with subsequent refunds available if required. Carl Eddleston, Director of Network Management and Resilience at TfL, said: “We appreciate that these planned weekend works will have an impact on some drivers and are doing everything in our power to limit potential disruption and complete these essential works as quickly as possible, including ensuring a northbound route through the Blackwall Tunnel is maintained throughout.” The three planned weekend closures will start at 00:01 on Saturday morning and will be reopened by 05:00 on Monday morning at the latest. For the latest on how roads are running, please visit: https://tfl.gov.uk/traffic/ status/

The proposed route for the Bakerloo Line extension

Possible Bakerloo Line extension opening date named as 2040

NEWS 15

mum deCided to ‘pull heR Child out oF loCal nuRSeRY oveR SaFetY ConCeRnS’ By Isabel Ramirez

a BerMonDseY mum has pulled her child out of school over safety concerns one month after the nursery made thirteen staff members redundant.

Kintore Way Nursery School has been grappling with debt to the council since the pandemic, and the staff cuts were a last-resort attempt to balance the books. Given its percentage of pupils with special educational needs (SEN), there were huge concerns over the safeguarding issues these staff cuts would cause - as it included the proposed loss of eleven support workers. A campaign, led by Southwark UNISON, was fighting against the loss of jobs last year - but at a recent scrutiny commission meeting, Labour Cllr Chloe Tomlinson read an update from Kintore Way announcing that the redundancies had gone through. Cllr Tomlinson said: “The team has been reduced by sixteen posts, thirteen redundancies.” She explained that there is a reduced number of places for ages 3-5 so they have gone from 60 children per session per room to 39, adding: “and that has come with a much-reduced capacity to support children with SEN/D.” Terrie Corby spoke to the News about her concerns over the children’s safety back in September when she first heard about the proposed staff cuts. Commenting on the impact the cuts have had, she said: “It’s been a shambles. “I pulled my son out in December because of safety concerns.” “The headteacher is lovely and she’s

Ex-cop would have been sacked for assaulting colleague By Herbie Russell AN EX-POLICE officer who resigned after sexually assaulting a colleague in southwark would have been sacked anyway.

given me lots of support - I don’t blame her. This is directly because of the redundancies - but also a failure of the education system for special needs.” Terrie said, after having him home this month he went back after being told she couldn’t just pull him out. “It’s hard because he loves it there, but I don’t think it’s going to work.” Susan Catten, Schools Organiser at Southwark UNISON - who led the

campaign to save jobs last year commented on the ‘tragic loss’ of staff. She said: “Make no mistake, the loss of 16 experienced and dedicated staff is a tragic loss to the Kintore Way community.” She went on to say that Southwark Council has moved to address some of the financial issues that contributed to the nursery’s deficit in the first place. “For example, the rate for lunches has

risen from £1.78 to £2.20 which is very welcome,” she explained. “There has been a move towards developing a long overdue Early Years Special Educational Needs strategy in recognition of the particular place Kintore Way has in the local community,” Susan continued, “but the reality is that now, fewer children with special or complex needs who want a place at Kintore can be accommodated.”

A Met Police hearing found Former DC Justin Gilmore committed gross misconduct while off-duty in July 2015. The incident took place while Gilmore was based at Southwark police station. He and a female colleague were offduty at a social event in Southwark when Gilmore sexually assaulted her. The matter was reported to police on January 6, 2022, and investigated by officers at Central South Command Unit. DC Gilmore was interviewed under caution before being charged and suspended from duty. He was convicted at Inner London Crown Court on November 8, 2023, given a £1,000 fine and ordered to pay £1,500 in costs. Gilmore had resigned from the Met before the internal hearing, which concluded on Wednesday, February 14. Commander Ben Russell, responsible for Met Operations, said: “Former DC Gilmore’s actions fell far below the very high standards we expect of officers and as a result the hearing rightly concluded that he would have been dismissed. “Respect for our fellow officers, as well as the public we serve, is non-negotiable. Former DC Gilmore will now be placed on the College of Policing Barred List meaning that he cannot serve as a police officer or in a number of other related roles in the future.”

Local author celebrates Thousands signing up to Southwark World Book Day early with leisure centres after council insourcing Herne Hill school kids By Herbie Russell

By Isabel Ramirez a chilDren’s author from herne hill visited his local bookshop to sign and give free copies of his latest book to school kids.

World Book Day is fast approaching (7 March), but these lucky youngsters got to celebrate early with some of the writers involved. Every year, school children get a £1 book token they can exchange

for one of the fifteen books selected annually - to promote the enjoyment of reading. Last week, three of this year’s £1 World Book Day authors turned up at Moon Lane Books to do a live read and workshop, including Alex Falase-Koya, who wrote Marv and the Ultimate Superpower. Alex, who lives in Herne Hill, commented: “Moon Lane Books is actually my local bookshop so it’s amazing that I get to go there. “As an author and a lover of books, it’s such a privilege to witness children fall in love with reading. It’s particularly amazing when a story you’ve written helps kids develop a life-long habit of reading for pleasure.” The author of The Doomsday Date - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, who also grew up in south London - was there too, as was Vivian Truong - the official illustrator for World Book Day. They signed copies of their books and invited children to participate in a specially curated workshop to help them discover joy in reading.

More Than 2,500 people have signed up for southwark leisure centres since the council brought the service in-house last summer.

Cllr Catherine Rose praised the “significant strides” the council had made after ending its seven-year association with the private company Everyone Active last summer. Southwark Council decided to end its management contract with Everyone Active after being forced to bail the company out during the Covid-19 pandemic. When Everyone Active departed, there were 20,475 paying members, a figure which has since soared to 23,115, the council said. Councillor Catherine Rose, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Leisure and Parks: “We’ve made significant strides since bringing our leisure centres in-house. “This includes a 13 per cent increase in memberships since June, the refurbishment of group exercise studios, and a renewed focus on developing children’s skills, leading

Cllr Rose said Southwark Council had made ‘signiﬁcant strides’ since bringing leisure in-house to a 24 per cent increase in weekly swimming lessons.” Staff and customers have previously complained that the council had ‘neglected’ gyms since the takeover. “It’s been neglected. There are a lot of complaints – the environment is not nice. We’ll lose members if it doesn’t get better soon,” an anonymous employee said. Cllr Rose responded by saying the council had “committed to a comprehensive repair programme across the leisure centres”.

Since the change-over, Southwark Council has also spent £815,000 on repairing and maintaining those buildings. This includes £75,000 on new turnstiles at The Castle Leisure Centre, £75,000 on a new lift at the Peckham Pulse, and £70,000 on repairing Camberwell Leisure Centre’s roof. The Canada Water Leisure Centre, set to feature a four-court sports hall, swimming pool and 150-station gym, will open in 2025.

16 OPINION

Comment

‘We’re leading the way in social care’ Y

ou neVer know when you will need social care. for most of us, it is in older age, but illness or accident can come to us all and with it the need for extra help.

In Southwark we are working hard to make sure the right help is there for when you, or a family member, need it. We’re investing over £7.4 million next year in social care. We’ll be using this money to provide care for over 2,200 people in their homes and 680 in nursing and residential care homes. We are also investing in the family members who do the caring with our new £500,000 Southwark Carers’ Fund. We’ll be working with unpaid carers across our borough to work out how best to spend this money, focusing on the things that will make the most difference to carers and the people they care for. All as part of our 2024 Year of the Carer.

I know from my own family experiences just how import it is that care is good quality. Providing that quality care is getting harder and harder under a Conservative government that has failed to have any coherent plans for social care for 14 years. You might remember that after the last General Election, Boris Johnson said he had an ‘oven ready plan to fix social care’. Well, four years and two more Tory Prime Minsters on, nothing has emerged from that oven. However, in Southwark we working very hard to deliver our own plan, and unlike the Tories’, ours is real. Our Residential Care Charter guarantees both decent standards of care for residents who receive care at home and proper taring and decent pay for care workers, of London Living Wage based on the real cost of living. Both matter because care workers can’t be their best for the

people they are supporting if they are living on poverty wages. Because of our work in recent years we have seen satisfaction with home care in Southwark went up from under 60% to over 90%. We are now rolling out a similar standard to all of the care and nursing homes in our borough – the first of its kind in the country. Again, it grantees fair pay and proper training for staff, as well as a stronger say for families in the care of their loved ones. We are also delivering new and better care homes. Last year we opened a brand new nursing home in Camberwell and this month I’m delighted to say we have purchased Towner Bridge Nursing Home, rescuing it from closure. The owners of this home wanted to sell of the home, which would have left over a hundred local families struggling to find new homes for their loved ones. We have stepped in as a council to keep it open,

KIERON WILLIAMS

Southwark Council leader

and now it is in the our ownership we will be working to drive up standards. It’s not just nursing homes we are opening. This year we will also be opening 2 new flexi care homes for disabled and older adults. These are individual homes that come with care on site that you can flex up as you needed it. Starting with perhaps a couple of visits a week and the reassurance of on-site help when you need it, and increasing the support you get as you need more. All the way up to two or three visits a day. There’s much more I could mention. Including the £1.5million, we are investing in local community groups like Age UK, Southwark Pensioners and Link Age Southwark. Having visited many of their services I’ve seen first had the incredible work they do to help people stay connected and well. There’s also the brilliant work our local alms-house are doing. The

‘We need to pull politics out of the gutter and start focusing on what matters to people’

haT a depressing month for politics! We’ve had the former Tory Deputy chairman suspended for racism, labour withdrawing support for their rochdale Parliamentary candidate after comments about israel and Jewish People, liz Truss MP speaking at a far-right summit, and a former home secretary making islamophobic statements.

But it’s not just national politics, here in Southwark Labour councillors also had to apologise for making homophobic slurs and personal attacks at a Council meeting. With our politicians behaving so unacceptably it’s no wonder so many are switching off from politics. We need to pull politics out of the

wonderful Appleby Blue in Bermondsey has set a new standard for quality homes for people in older age. Our action is starkly different from that of the Tories. They have had fourteen years to fix Britain’s broken social care system but all they have delivered is broken promises. That’s why this year we need to show the Tories the door and elect a Labour Government who can rebuild Britain with a new National Care Service that drives up standards and quality – based on the foundation we have already laid in Southwark.

VICTOR CHAMBERLAIN Leader of the Southwark Lib Dems

gutter. Residents deserve better. Last week, Southwark Council’s Budget Assembly was sullied by inappropriate, snide personal comments and homophobic slurs. Rather than focusing on the harmful cuts to the most vulnerable, Labour councillors deflected attention away and resorted to bullying playground politics. One Labour councillor suggested I don’t understand the need for greater equality because I’m just “a white gay man”. Another suggested I spend more on my hair than Labour waste every year on vague Deputy Cabinet posts with no clear mandate or impact (for the record, I don’t spend £29,000 on my hair!). Southwark Liberal Democrats were putting forward our Alternative Budget

to directly reverse the damaging £2m Labour cuts that the independent Southwark Equalities and Human Rights Panel warned would impact the most vulnerable. For the second year in a row, the Equalities and Human Rights Panel could not endorse the Council’s budget because of the impact it will have. Our plan showed Labour that, by cutting down on Town Hall waste and raising more income, we could freeze council tax for the most vulnerable and prevent damaging care cuts. Unfortunately, Labour rejected the chance to put residents first, and unanimously voting down our proposals. This Paper regularly highlights how Southwark Labour are failing to get the basics right. Yet Labour still voted

down our bold plan to address the council’s poor record on customer service and housing repairs. We want to use existing facilities, such as libraries, to set up “one stop shops” to improve council services across the borough. Just one week after Sir Keir Starmer ditched Labour’s climate pledge, Southwark Labour refused to back our plans which would allow Southwark to go Greener, Faster. It’s a Climate EMERGENCY, but you wouldn’t recognise it if you listened to Labour. Most of us, in every party, care about making things better for our residents and not to make cuts or attack opponents and minorities. The current underfunding of local government and the toxic, divisive politics of the last decade

have led to this culture war which has infected every level of British politics, including here in Southwark. Perhaps not surprising when a local Labour MP had the Whip removed over complaints about racist comments and members of Southwark’s Cabinet failed to support trans residents at the last election. We need to encourage more people into politics and from a greater diversity of backgrounds, to make positive differences to our communities. But while homophobic, racist and personal abuse is so prevalent, I wouldn’t recommend it right now. It’s time we focused on constructive political debate, valued diversity, gave dissenting alternatives voice and got on with actually doing the job for residents!

OPINION 17

Southwark Council’s big leisure centre gamble could well pay off

ringing Southwark’s leisure facilities in-house was a big gamble but it could just pay off.

Southwark Council first announced plans to insource leisure services in 2021. Its contract with Everyone Active was set to expire in two years ‘time and few people saw it coming. Local authorities use private contractors for all sorts of services but, in this case, the council had concluded it just wasn’t worth it. In June 2020, this paper reported that Everyone Active had received a £1.2 million bailout from the council after leisure centres were forced to close during lockdown. It wasn’t just the pandemic which gave the council a fresh perspective on things. Even before the pandemic, the council was finding that the rise of ‘budget’ gyms was eating into Southwark Leisure’s profits. Centralising leisure has been a mammoth task and will inevitably be costly. 437 employees have had to move to council contracts, £815,000 has already been spent on site investment, and £8 million is available for improving assets over the next four years. However, the early signs seem to suggest things are going well. Since Southwark Council took over in June 2023, the number of paying leisure members has increased from roughly 20,475 to 23,115. Registered free swim members have risen from 30,261 to 45, 162 and there’s been a 24 per cent increase in children taking up weekly swimming lessons. In such a short space of time, these numbers are impressive. There is a caveat and, unsurprisingly, it’s to do with money. At the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee earlier this month, Cllr Simmons asked how much Southwark was spending on leisure compared to other boroughs. The officer didn’t give any exact figures and instead said the council was spending “more on leisure”. The officer also said harmonisation of staff into the council cohort would “cost more” - again leaving out specific figures. When we asked Southwark Council exactly how much more was being spent on leisure compared to when it was being contracted out, the council only said the current net budget was £4.926 million without saying what that budget was before. This makes it difficult for both councillors and we, the press, to scrutinise insourcing. In the long term, Southwark says investing in its leisure centres will save money. This may well be true but in, the meantime, transparency is paramount. Nonetheless, this represents an exciting opportunity for the borough. In-sourcing isn’t always the solution, especially at a time when cash-strapped councils are already struggling to provide basic services. But if bringing leisure in-house makes the borough’s facilities more accessible to Southwark residents, while avoiding costly emergency bail-outs, it could prove a clever move.

cryptic Puzzle Clues Across 1 Trap, i.e. confuse I’m a robber! (6) 7 Mix the paste: say 99. It’s hygienic (7) 8 First half of autumn, and tailless horse are material for writers (7) 9 ‘Merci’ is wrong very wrong! (5) 10 Fold up this sable to make a firm basis (9) 12 Letter featured in cruel loss (3) 13 Excited in the past with the beginning of glory (4) 15 Sounds like a cage insect, but if often flies free (7) 17 A failure in glossiness (4) 19 Particle at end of motion (3) 21 Pipe to irrigate the high sea? (5,4) 22 Only part of Charles was concealed in a tree (5) 23 Like a bird, and whistles too (7) 24 Weight is extended and not turned back (4,3) 25 Sounds musical, but it is stopped (6)

Clues Down 1 Bit gorged, we hear, so resting (8) 2 Decay devoured it, so make revolution (6) 3 But role could lead to confusion (7) 4 I’m, leaving the challenge, here’s the fruit of it (5) 5 Make effective tieup for a lot of ponies (6) 6 Free use of cane could cause eruption (4) 7 Sit again, son: make arrangement for meeting (11) 11 Friends change when you’re high up (4) 13 A male cat is very small (4) 14 Made statement after profit, then denied it (8) 16 Vehicle caught in rain storm heavenly! (7) 18 Run quickly south before the photo developed (6) 20 Into an altered people (6) 21 Pure Caucasian? (5) 22 When the girl takes head of the table, things go with a swing (4)

Quick Puzzle Clues Across 1 Gem (6) 7 Resentment (7) 8 Sentence (7) 9 Perform (5) 10 Spotted (9) 12 Digit (3) 13 Despatch (4) 15 Painrelieving drug (7) 17 Direction (4) 19 Writer (3) 21 Opening leaf (54) 22 Opening (5) 27 From North America (7) 24 Crude metal (34) 25 Corroded (6)

Clues Down 1 Stuart supporter (8) 2 End of day (6) 3 Foes (7) 4 Retreated (5) 5 Car cover (6) 6 Exploit (4) 7 Heathen (11) 11 Ditch around castle (4) 13 Clip (4) 14 Lowered (8) 16 Erring (7) 18 Poisonous plant (6) 20 Exile (6) 21 After second (5) 22 Sulk (4)

Solutions to last week’s crossword Cryptic Across: 4 Mayfly 8 Mishear 9 Unveil 10 Dependent 11 Acme 13 Blast 14 Oilseed 16 Scamper 18 Tunic 19 Here 21 Automatic 22 Amount 23 Conceal 24 Skyway: Down: 1 Fireplace 2 Threesome 3 Handy 5 Aunt 6 Fierce 7 Yelped 9 Until 11 Assurance 12 Medicinal 15 Rebut 16 Shears 17 Argosy 20 Motor 21 Anna

Quick Crossword

Across: 4 Palace 8 Delight 9 Plaice 10 Bumblebee 11 Malt 13 Psalm 14 Regales 16 Stretch 18 Lever 19 Leaf 21 Colonnade 22 Unship 23 Distort 24 Hamper Down: 1 Requisite 2 Disbelief 3 Cheer 5 Axle 6 Animal 7 Elects 9 Peter 11 Maternity 12 Legendary 15 Scoop 16 Sleuth 17 Ransom 20 Tonic 21 Cite

18 ARTS

what’s on

in Southwark

it’S all in the FamilY Frank’s Closet opens soon franK’s closeT was the offWest end cult hit of 2009. staged at hoxton hall, one of england’s last remaining Victorian music halls, it sold-out to packed houses and glowing reviews.

‘FAMILY’ - a novella by camberwell-based author Mark Baxter - is the last part of a south east london trilogy, that he started in 2006 with ‘The Mumper’ followed by ‘elizabeth, Peter and Me’, writes Michael Holland.

Mark popped in to Southwark News HQ to give us an interview. How did this book come about? ‘The idea came to me about a year after contracting ‘pre-jab’ Covid in October 2020. I was pretty ill for ten weeks and it then took me a good 6 - 9 months to begin to feel like my old self,’ he begins. ‘Later on, when I sat back and reflected, like many of us did, on what a strange time we had just lived through, I realised I had lost six close friends, all with the virus as a contributing factor. I began to withdraw from life a fair bit, rushing back from meetings and work with anxiety hitting me hard and making me feel that I was safer at home.’ Mark Baxter is not one to ‘withdraw’ as he is always busy promoting, writing blogs, making films or despairing about Millwall, so I knew there had to be more. He takes a moment to choose his response carefully. ‘I had already lost my mum in March 2020 from the effects of Dementia; work and earnings had dropped off and I was

also coming up to my 60th birthday in the September of that year.’ Mark pauses again. He turns and watches a train make its way to London Bridge before clearing his throat. ‘As a consequence, I discovered I was now very reflective on what my life had become. Without really over-analysing it, I found myself visiting certain locations on my daily dog walk, like old council estates I had once lived on, my old schools, buildings where I used to work, and even the funeral directors who had taken off my mum and dad, obviously thinking all the while of the people no longer in my life…’ A hot mug of tea was placed before the contemplative author. Everyone at the News Desk had stopped to listen as he took a sip and continued. ‘Then, slowly, the story for a book began to formulate in my mind, incorporating much of what I have already mentioned. Real people, some of whom had died, inspired all of the main characters, though I changed names and genders in some cases.’ I asked if we would recognise any of the people: ‘The book’s main character, “Terry”, is pretty much based on me.’ And how do you portray yourself in the book? ‘Terry has decided to keep himself

to himself, with the result of only really letting a few selected people into his life, which mirrored what I had done in my own life at the time.’ So is the book about your family? ‘The title of the book ,’Family,’ relates to those select people, though the majority of them are not blood relatives, but people I thought of as family all the same. They were the ones who had helped me and my wife Lou when I was most ill, with the shopping and phone calls offering help if needed - They had become very important to me.’ I got the feeling that writing Family was difficult for Mark Baxter so asked if it was. ‘Writing books is never easy but, I know now, writing the book was a kind of therapy for me and I feel like the overall conclusion I come to at the very end made some sort of sense of the previous few years. No spoilers of course…’ Your first book, The Mumper, was made into a film with the great Bob Hoskins. Will Family end up on the big screen? ‘Never say never…’ ‘Family’ priced at £10, will be published in March 2024 and can be pre-ordered through emailing mono_media@hotmail.com More info on the book can be viewed here - https://vimeo. com/873366920/f0c8f38046

Now it is to get its first London revival at the Union Theatre with additional new material by writer and composer Stuart Wood, directed by Sasha Regan. Frank teeters on the precipice of marriage to his beloved Alan, who has given him an ultimatum – he must give up the toys and joys of singledom, and donate his fabulous collection of the dresses of iconic divas to the V&A museum. Amidst continual calls from Alan, his mother, and once (briefly) his father, Frank retreats into a fantasy world where he is The Chairman of The Music Hall. Through the magical portal of his closet door, the divas visit him in turn, aided and abetted by a quartet of Gaiety Girls. Each diva delivers a musical number containing a gem of good, or at least well-intentioned, advice. But will frocks or fiancé ultimately triumph…? Frank’s Closet is a high-camp, witty and poignant show, framed by the artifice of the musical hall (including magic and puppetry) and propelled by the increasingly surreal musical turns of the divas. Frank’s Closet explores the conflict between fantasy and responsibility, liberty and conformity, with wit and heart, in a way that will chime with anyone who’s ever pondered the joys and terrors of a lifetime of commitment… Cast: Andy Moss (Frank) was Sam Wheat in Ghost the Musical, Eddie/Dr Scott in The Rocky Horror Show and was series regular Rhys Ashworth in Hollyoaks. His other TV roles include Deep Cuts, Casualty, Doctors and Cutting It.

Luke Farrugia (The Diva) was Timon in Disney’s Lion King: Rhythm of the Pride Lands and is currently playing Christina in Cinderella at Watford Palace Theatre. Becky Bassett (Gaiety Gal) was Zoria/Queen Elizabeth I/The Doctor/ Angel in the immersive stage show Dr Who Time Fracture. Her musicals include Summer Holiday (UK tour) and Crazy For You (Upstairs at the Gatehouse). Oliver Bradley-Taylor (Gaiety Gal) recently played Bertie Hugh in Sasha Regan’s all-male Mikado (Wilton’s Music Hall & UK tour). Sarah Freer (Gaiety Gal) was Pearl in The SpongeBob Musical (UK tour) and is currently in Peter Pan with Boy George (UK tour). Olivia McBride (Gaiety Gal) is making her professional debut. During training she played Johanna in Sweeney Todd and Sister Mary Theresa in Sister Act. Paul Toulson (Sheila Blige) was Dame Trott in Jack and the Beanstalk and Dame Joy Less in Cinderella (South Hill Park) and an international tour of Dr Dolittle. Creative team: Writer and Composer Stuart Wood Director Sasha Regan Music Director Anto Buckley Production Designer Catherine Phelps Choreographer Jo McShane Producers Sasha Regan, KarimPasha Ladbon & Stephen MacLeod Barnes Union Theatre, Old Union Arches, 229 Union Street, London, SE1 0LR from 6 - 30 March 2024 Times: Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm; Matinee Saturday at 2pm ; Matinee Sunday at 4pm. Tickets: Previews £25 then £30 or £40 cabaret seats. Booking: http://uniontheatre.biz/

CLASSIFIED ARTS 19

Arts

Sappho in SouthWaRK

Pascal ProDucTions today announces the uK and english language première of Wendy Beckett’s sappho - a new play inspired by the famous greek poet integrating the original poetry with contemporary music and dance.

Poet. Lover. Legend. Fusing ancient poetry with modern music, Greek chorus with circus and contemporary dance, Sappho is a thrilling adult fairy tale of mythic proportions that may - or may not have happened. We are somewhere between imagination and 6th century BC on the Greek island of Lesbos. Poetess Sappho creates worlds out of her words: rewriting the rules of both her art form and her gender. Socrates calls her work beautiful, Plato describes her as the tenth Muse, and many think her work rivals even that of Homer’s Iliad.

BaseD on Charles Dickens’ final completed novel, our Mutual friend, london Tide is directed by ian rickson (Translations), adapted by Ben Power (The lehman Trilogy), with original songs throughout by acclaimed singer-songwriter PJ harvey and Ben Power.

This romantic and propulsive thriller is a hymn to London and the river that runs through it. A storm rages and, in the darkest part of the night, a body is pulled from the swirling Thames. Across the city, two young women confront an uncertain future. In Limehouse, Lizzie Hexam struggles to break free of the river and its dark secrets. On the other side of town, Bella Wilfer mourns a lost marriage. The appearance of the mysterious John Rokesmith has the

potential to change their lives for ever. Will they sink or swim? Previously announced cast includes Brandon Grace as Charley Hexam, Scott Karim as Bradley Headstone, Bella Maclean as Bella Wilfer, Tom Mothersdale as John Rokesmith, Ami Tredrea as Lizzie Hexam and Peter Wight as Noddy Boffin. They are joined by Beth Alsbury as Lavinia Wilfer, Joe Armstrong as Roger Riderhood, Crystal Condie as Miss Potterson, Laura Cubitt as Nancy, Miya James in the Ensemble, Stephen Kennedy as Reg Wilfer, Joshua Lacey as Inspector Bucket, Penny Layden as Mary Wilfer, Eric Mok as understudy Charlie Hexam, Liam Prince-Donnelly in the Ensemble, Georgia Silver as understudy Bella Wilfer, Ellie-May Sheridan as Jenny Wren, Jonathan Dryden Taylor as Mr Cleaver, John

She is also known to millions of viewers as Faye Windass in Coronation Street. During her 13 years on the soap, Ellie was involved in various memorable storylines and nominated for numerous acting awards. Based on the classic Hasbro boardgame, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, the five month UK tour marks the world premiere of CLUEDO 2, which kicks off at Richmond Theatre on 29 February and visits

theatres across the UK until July. Starring alongside Ellie will be leading West End actor and TV favourite Jason Durr, who stars as Colonel Mustard. Most recently seen as David Hide in BBC One’s Casualty, (a role he played for seven years from 2016), audiences will also recognise Jason from his numerous other roles, including the motorbike riding policeman Mike Bradley from ITV’s hugely popular

Southwark Playhouse Elephant, 1 Dante Place, London SE11 4RX from 3 May – 25 May. Box Of�ice: 020 7407 0234 Pioneers Preview (3 May): £10 Preview Tickets: £16 Full Price Tickets from: £22 Concession Tickets from: £17

Vernon as understudy Reg Wilfer/ Noddy Boffin/Mortimer Lightwood, Jamael Westman as Eugene Wrayburn, Jake Wood as Gaffer Hexam and Rufus Wright as Mortimer Lightwood. Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre, South Bank, London SE1 9PX. Dates: 10th April - 22nd June. Times: Mon - Sat 7pm; Wed & Sat Matinees 1pm. Admission: £20 - £99. Booking: www.nationaltheatre.org.uk Assisted performances Captioned Performances: Thursday 23 May 2024 – 7pm, Friday 17 June 2024 – 2.15pm, Friday 26 April 2024 – 7.30pm BSL Interpreted: Friday 19 April 2024 – 7.30pm Audio described: Saturday 30 March 2024 – 2.15pm, Friday 3 May 2024 – 7.30pm Sensory adapted: Wednesday 10 April 2024 – 7.30pm

More murders in Richmond Theatre ellie leach – reigning champion of strictly come Dancing - will make her stage acting debut as Miss scarlett in the world premiere uK tour of clueDo 2. ellie won the hearts of the nation as she waltzed her way to victory (with dance partner Vito) to win the glitterball Trophy in December.

everywhere. To be able to bring her alive again at Southwark Playhouse Elephant is a great honour.” Adam Fitzgerald added, “We are thrilled to now be bringing Sappho to the London stage after our Greek production. It is such a joy to continue this play with artists from around the globe - Australia, Greece, France, and the U.S. - and joining a fantastic team here in the UK. Sappho is a queer icon, a historymaking LGBTQ+ superstar, and we are honoured to be sharing her story, embodied by British actors and dancers on the beautiful new stage.”

Photo by Spencer Murphy (Landscape no title)

London Tide - A mutual musical

Sappho has fallen in love with a woman but her family and a civilisation on the precipice of democracy have other ideas for her. The defiantly spirited Sappho comes under fire, and soon she must decide whether to marry a man for the advancement of her society, or remain true to her own words - and her authentic self. Expect dancing, passion, poetry and plenty of queer joy as Pascal Productions’ epic international hit finally storms the London stage. Beckett said, “For three millennia Sappho’s life and her sexuality has been debated and refuted among scholars. Legends and fables have sprung up at the mere mention of her name. Never has a poet held such a status disproportionate to the size of her surviving work, which is what inspired me to write this play! It is an adult fairy tale about a great, seminal artist who has inspired women

series, Heartbeat. Ellie Leach said: “After an incredible year I’m so excited to join the cast of Cluedo 2. I am delighted to make my stage acting debut as Miss Scarlett and I can’t wait to work with Jason and the talented cast.” Jason Durr said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the cast of Cluedo 2 as Colonel Mustard. I was a huge fan of the Cluedo board game as a child and the Colonel is such a great character. I am looking forward to bringing laughter and this ultimate whodunnit to audiences across the UK in its 75th anniversary year.” The cast is completed by Jack Bennett (Wadsworth), Hannah Boyce (Mrs Peacock), Dawn Buckland (Mrs White), Liam Horrigan (Mr Black), Edward Howells (Professor Plum), Tiwai Muza (PC Silver) and Gabriel Paul (Reverend Green) with Kara Alberts-Turner,

Audrey Anderson and Henry Lawes. Helen Flanagan has been advised to withdraw for medical reasons and the company of Cluedo 2 wish her well. Following the huge success of the critically acclaimed original play, Cluedo is back on stage with a brand new, original comedy mystery, set in the swinging 60’s. It’s written by one of the UK’s most successful TV and stage writing duos, BAFTA Award winning writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, (Birds of a Feather, Goodnight Sweetheart and Dreamboats and Petticoats) and will be directed by Mark Bell (The Play That Goes Wrong, A Comedy About a Bank Robbery), who will bring the action of this hilarious whodunnit to life. Set and Costume Design is by David Farley, Lighting by Jason Taylor, Sound by Jon Fiber and Movement Direction

by Anna Healey. As the bodies pile up, our colourful characters - The Honourable Mrs Emerald Peacock, Colonel Eugene Mustard, ‘Professor’ Alex Plum, Miss Annabel Scarlett, ‘The Reverend’ Hal Green and the housekeeper Mrs White - move from room to room trying to escape the murderer and survive the night. CLUEDO 2 will keep audiences guessing right up to the final moments, and budding detectives of all ages, from 8 to 80 and beyond, can watch for the clues and unravel the secrets, as they try to work out whodunnit… with what… and where! Richmond Theatre, Little Green, TW9 1QJ Thursday 29 February – Saturday 2 March 2024 Click here to book tickets

20 HISTORY

History

hit FaCtoRY in BoRough that launChed the CaReeRS oF muSiC gReatS aRe up FoR a Blue plaQue Stock Aitken Waterman back in their heyday

By Isabel Ramirez

one of the most successful songwriting trios in the world, who launched Kylie Minogue and rick astley into stardom, has been nominated for a southwark Blue Plaque.

Between 1984 and 1993, British pop producers Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman were responsible for over 200 million records sold worldwide. The trio formed in 1984 after Pete, who was already established in the music industry, signed producers Matt and Mike to his company Pete Waterman Limited (PWL). They had impressed him with a song they had written and produced called ‘The Upstroke’ - which would be the group’s first release. Before joining Pete, Mike and Matt had been working together from a small recording studio in Mike’s basement in Abbey Wood, where the pair spent most of 1983 writing songs and producing local bands. Just one year later, SAW - as they are commonly known - had already secured their first number-one hit with Dead or Alive’s ‘You Spin Me Round’. Having found the formula, they went on to gain 13 number-one singles and over 100 top 40 hits in the UK alone with the success repeated worldwide. Along with many other stars, they famously launched the careers of Kylie Minogue, with ‘I Should Be So Lucky,’ and Rick Astley with ‘Never Gonna Give You Up.’ All this success was made from a little backstreet studio in Borough – The Vineyard in Sanctuary Street - above which Pete Waterman still resides. From this humble building, which became known as ‘The Hit Factory,’ they also made chart successes for Bananarama, Donna Summer, Cliff Richard, Paul McCartney and many more. Tony Moorcroft, from Bermondsey, worked at the studio for seven years from the end of 1987-1994. “The funny thing is - whilst it was happening none of us realised that history was being made. “All three of them were amazing.” Tony, who worked his way up from tea boy to a producer, recalled one time when Pete really had his back. “[Pete] had noticed I wasn’t happy, so he called me into his office and questioned me about it. “I admitted I was struggling a bit with the rent, he asked me how much I was earning and how much I owed.” He explained that Pete then proceeded to double his wages and write a cheque to pay off Tony’s debt. “That’s the kind of guy he is,” Tony said. “All three of them were amazing.” Reminiscing on his years there, he said all three treated everyone like family. “It didn’t matter if you were the tea boy or the owner of the company - they treated

Along with many other stars Stock Aitken and Waterman were behind launching Kylie Minogue, with ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ and Rick Astley with ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ everyone with respect.” He mentioned their annual Christmas parties were always hosted in ‘weird locations.’ One year it was on board the Flying Scotsman - of which Pete Waterman is reportedly the last living owner. Tony continued: “Every party was in a weird place. Another year we had it in the dinosaur at the Natural History Museum once - you’d never be allowed to do that now.” On why his former bosses deserve a Southwark Blue Plaque - Tony said: “No songwriting production team has ever had the songwriting success with as many artists as they had.” “People might not realise how hard they work behind the scenes.” “Without the song, you’ve got nothing.” Lesser celebrated feats are their

charitable ventures. These included the three records they recorded at Borough’s ‘Hit Factory’ to raise millions for various causes - Bananarama & Lananeeneenoonoo’s ‘Help!’ for Comic Relief, Band Aid II’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ and a version of ‘Ferry Cross The Mersey’ in aid of the Hillsborough Disaster Appeal, which featured Holly Johnson, Gerry Marsden, The Christians and Paul McCartney. The official end of the group began with Matt’s departure in 1991 and then Mike’s in 1993, but they continued to reunite for different projects in the years that followed. Highlights of later years included in 2005, with the release of the Stock Aitken Waterman Gold compilation album; Mike and Pete’s collaborations to write and produce a single for girl

Stock Aitken Waterman recently at the premiere for ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ musical band The Sheilas (in 2007) and then the UK’s 2010 entry for The Eurovision Song Contest. To the surprise of many, there was a full Stock Aitken Waterman reunion in 2015 when the trio came together again at the request of Kylie Minogue to arrange and produce a new version of Kylie’s Every Day’s Like Christmas in

their classic 80s style. Last year, ‘I Should Be So Lucky’, a musical featuring all their hit songs premiered and is currently being touring theatres across the UK, including The Churchill Theatre in Bromley. To vote them for a Southwark Blue Plaque please email isabel@ southwarknews.co.uk

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CLASSIFIED 21

Elim House Day Centre

or call 0800 652 2989

YOU MATTER TO US programme started Tuesday 9th May. 100 Day programme combating loneliness within our elders

to speak with a case worker to see how we can assist you.

Southwark Pensioners’ Centre Supporting older people in Southwark for over 35 years. Offering advice, support, activities, rooms for hire and a voice for older people.

For our services, scan here

We are accepting walk-ins

Contact us on 020 7358 9502 or elimhouseoutreachworker@gmail.com Or pop into 86-88 Bellenden Road, Peckham, SE15 4RQ Website: elimhousedaycentre.com

Registered Charity No.207326. Registered in Scotland No. SC052739.

Or pop into 305 -307 Camberwell rd, Camberwell Green, SE5 0HQ

SESSION PLAN

Tuesdays 10am-2pm

Week 1 (6th Feb) Orientation & introduction. Understanding local SIGNUP HE RE

democracy with a focus on council decision making. HALF-TERM (13th Feb) – no session

FREEs-

Week 2 (20th Feb) Methods for mass engagement. Test new skills,

k 10 wee ril Feb-Ap 2024

including phone banking, street canvassing and door knocking. Week 3 (27th Feb) Challenging power and privilege (Part 1: Relationships and local dynamics at an individual and system level).

Neighbourhood Leaders Training

Week 4 (5th Mar) Challenging power & privilege (Part 2) + Conflict resolution in community settings (Part 1) Week 5 (12th Mar) Conflict resolution in Community Settings (part 2). How do we navigate conflict and negotiate? + Interim reflections Week 6 (19th Mar) Building collective visions. What is collective

A training programme to help us grow the skills needed to build a better neighbourhood. From exploring how local decisions are made, to challenging power and privilege, and building collective visions for new spaces and services. You are invited to come and learn alongside the Pembroke House team, and grow your neighbourhood building skills for 2024 and beyond! When: Tuesdays 10am-2pm 6th Feb - 16th April 2024

FIND OUT MORE:

Where: Walworth Living Room Surrey Square, SE172JU

visioning, and how do we do it? How could it help us in local action? Week 7 (26th March) Session planning & facilitation skills. Week 8 (2nd Apr) Storytelling & public narrative (Part 1: Story of Self). Tools for storytelling that supports local action. Week 9 (9th April) Storytelling & public narrative (Part 2: Story of Us). Week 10 (16th Apr) Reflections: What have we learned and how will we use it?

RSVP NOW:

bit.ly/leaderstraining2024

SCAN HERE Find out more: wewalworth.org.uk

www.southlondon.co.uk

FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS 23

Funeral Notice Send in your FREE

John Teather

Mother's Day message

29/1/1964 - 15/2/2024

to katie@cm-media.co.uk and it will appear in 7Th March ediTion deadline - 12pm on Monday 4th March (next week) no photos please.

It is with great sadness that the family of John Teather announce his passing. John’s funeral will be held on Friday March 8th. The funeral cortege will be leaving the Ship Aground pub in Dockhead, Bermondsey, at 11.15am for the service to take place at Honor Oak Crematorium at 12.15pm. A wake will be held at Ship Aground pub after the service.

Adult Learning Lewisham

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Develop your creativity or gain the skills you need for work or further education. Enrol now for April! More information is available at: www.lewisham.gov.uk/adultlearning Adult Learning Lewisham ALL TOGETHER WE FLOURISH

24 PUBLIC NOTICES

Thursday, February 29th 2024

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

Notice of application for a Premises Licence

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (DOG KENNEL HILL) TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF BUS LANE 1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that, they made, an order under section 14 (1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to facilitate Thames water works being proposed in part of Dog Kennel Hill.

The effect of the order would be to suspend the: (a) (b)

Northbound Bus Lane in Dog Kennel Hill, located between Albrighton Road and Champion Hill (outside Cavell Court) Northbound Bus Lane in Dog Kennel Hill, located between Champion Hill and Edgar Kail Way.

Notice is hereby given that Chagos Restaurant and Bar Ltd has applied to Wandsworth Council for a new premises licence at Mauritius Restaurant and Bar, Unit 113A/115 Broadway Market, 29 Tooting High Street, London, SW17 0RJ for Live/Recorded Music Fri & Sat 1900-0000. Late Night Refreshment – Mon to Sun 23:00-0000. Supply of Alcohol Mon to Sun 1000-0000 Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 21st March 2024 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk

The restrictions will not apply to any person or vehicle being used in connection with the said works, or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform.

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

Exemptions will be provided in the Order to permit reasonable access to premises, so far as it is practical without interference with the execution of the said works.

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.

The restriction will be in place (a) 4th – 8th March (b) 20th – 21st March, and will apply during such times and to such extent as indicated by the traffic signs. 7.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Road Network Management at ttmo@southwark.gov.uk

Dated this 29th February 2024

Notice of Application for a Premises Licence made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 Please take notice that I / we Estella Bartlett Ltd Have made application to Southwark Council for a new Premises Licence in respect of 132a Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3UY

Ian Law Traffic Manager London Borough of Southwark Network Management Environment, Neighbourhoods and Growth 160 Tooley Street 3rd Floor, Hub 1, Area B London SE1 2TZ Ref: (2a) 6830/000032077657-001 (2b) 6797/DM06601

The relevant licensable activities and proposed times to be carried on, or on from the premises are

Notice of Application to vary a Premises Licence made under the Licensing Act 2003

A register of all applications made within the Southwark area is maintained by: The Licensing Service, Hub 1, 3rd Floor, 160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH

Please take notice that Selvadurai Thevarajah and Vythilingam Nagulendran Have made application to the London Borough of Merton to vary the Premises Licence in respect of: The Casuarina Tree, 407 London Road, Mitcham, CR4 4BG To vary the layout of the rear garden plan, as per the plan provided incorporating the addition of a garden structure into the license. To add additional conditions listed in part M of the application form. A register of all applications made with the London Borough of Merton is maintained by: LICENSING SECTION, LONDON BOROUGH OF MERTON, 2ND FLOOR, CIVIC CENTRE, LONDON ROAD, MORDEN, SURREY, SM4 5DX A record of this application may be inspected by appointment at Merton Civic Centre. Please email licensing@merton.gov.uk or telephone 020 8545 3969.

Days

Start time

Finish time

The retail sale of alcohol:

Monday to Saturday Sunday

10:00 11:00

19:00 17:00

Opening hours:

Monday to Saturday Sunday

10:00 11:00

19:00 17:00

A record of this application may be inspected by visiting the office during normal office hours by appointment on 020 7525 2000; details are also available on our website at http://app.southwark.gov.uk/licensing/licenseregister.asp It is open to any interested party to make representations about the likely effect of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Service at the office address given above (or by email via licensing@southwark.gov.uk) and be received by the Service within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below. Note: It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. Date of application: 14h February 2024 LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

It is open to any interested party to make representations about the likely effect of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Section at the office or email address above and be received by the Merton’s Licensing Section within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below. Note: It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine.

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (CLAYTON ROAD, CONSORT ROAD, MARIGOLD STREET, STONEY STREET, SUTHERLAND SQUARE, COLOMBO STREET, DUNSTANS ROAD, PECKHAM RYE) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) 1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to enable various works to be carried out, it intends, to make, an order, the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicular traffic from entering part of the above named roads.

Whilst the works are in progress, or whilst the authorised traffic signs/road markings are displayed, no person shall cause any vehicle to enter, proceed, stop, wait, load or unload at any time in:

(a) Clayton Road, at it’s junction with Consort Road (b) Consort Road, at it’s junction with Clayton Road (c) Marigold Street, between Cranbourn Passage to side of Cranbourn House. (d) Stoney Street, between No’s 3 – No’s 9 (e) Sutherland Square, between No’s 51 (f) Colombo Street, (Northbound side) between Meymott Street and Paris Garden (g) Dunstans Road, Side of 219 Underhill Road (h) Peckham Rye, between Scylla Road and Nunhead Passage

the alternative routes for affected traffic will be indicated by the signs displayed

Exemptions will be provided in the Order to permit reasonable access to premises, so far as it is practical without interference with the execution of the said works.

The restrictions will not apply to any vehicle being used in connection with the said works, or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform.

The works will be in operation for (2a) 16th March (2b) 16th March (2c) 21st March – 8th April (2d) 18th – 20th March (2e) 20th – 21st March (2f) 18th – 25th March (2g) 18th – 29th March (2h) 16th – 17th March

It is open to any interested party to make representations about the likely effect of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Service at the office address given above (or by email via licensing@southwark.gov.uk) and be received by the Service within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Road Network Management at ttmo@southwark.gov.uk

Date application given to the Council: 21st February 2024

Notice of Application for a Premises Licence made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 Please take notice that I / we Mr Mustafa Sakar Have made application to Southwark Council for a new Premises Licence in respect of Love Dulwich, 89 Lordship Lane, SE22 8EP The relevant licensable activities and proposed times to be carried on, or on from the premises are Days

Start time

Finish time

The supply of alcohol:

Sunday to Thursday Friday & Saturday

11:00 11:00

22:00 22:30

Opening hours:

Sunday to Thursday Friday & Saturday

09:00 09:00

23:00 23:30

A register of all applications made within the Southwark area is maintained by: The Licensing Service, Hub 1, 3rd Floor, 160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH

Note: It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. Date of application: 14th February 2024

Our weekly deadline is 11am every Wednesday

Dated this 29th February 2024 Ian Law Traffic Manager London Borough of Southwark Network Management Environment, Neighbourhoods and Growth 160 Tooley Street PO Box 64529 London SE1 5LX Ref: (2a) CLAYTONTREE (2b) CONSORTTREE (2c) BER2-MARIST-01 (2d) LBSCR13379 (2e) LBSCR13384 (2f) P95930N0020070/R107 (2g) TML-SOWA-NL-316214 (2h) 6850/LBSCR13173/8

PUBLIC NOTICES 25

Thursday, February 29th 2024

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 (as amended) PLANNING (LISTED BUILDINGS AND CONSERVATION AREAS) ACT 1990 (as amended) The planning applications listed below can be viewed on the planning register at https://planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications/ You can use facilities at your local library or 'My Southwark Service Points' to access the website. How to comment on this application: You should submit your comments via the above link. Comments received will be made available for public viewing on the website. All personal information will be removed except your postal address. Online comments submitted without an email address will not be acknowledged and those marked 'confidential' will not be considered. Written comments can be submitted to; Southwark Council, Chief executive's department, Planning division, Development Management, PO Box 64529, London SE1 5LX. Reason for publicity. The applications are advertised for the reasons identified by the following codes: AFFECT - development affecting character or appearance of a nearby conservation area; OR development affecting setting of a nearby listed building(s); DEP - departure from the development plan; EIA - environmental impact assessment (these applications are accompanied by an environmental statement a copy of which may be obtained from the Council - there will be a charge for the copy); MAJ - major planning application; STDCA development within a conservation area; STDLB - works to or within the site of a listed building; WILLIAM BOOTH TRAINING COLLEGE CHAMPION PARK LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 8BQ (Ref: 24/AP/0410) Works to replace roof coverings and to alter failing details (Within: Camberwell Grove Conservation Area CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Eleanor Heagney 020 7525 5403) WILLIAM BOOTH MEMORIAL TRAINING COLLEGE CHAMPION PARK LONDON SOUTHWARK (Ref: 24/AP/0432) Enhancements to the boundary fences (Within: Camberwell Grove Conservation Area CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Anna Poulose ) WILLIAM BOOTH MEMORIAL TRAINING COLLEGE CHAMPION PARK LONDON SOUTHWARK (Ref: 24/AP/0433) Listed Building Consent for provision of enhanced roof access by providing vertical ladders to concealed lightwells and enclosed plant area and guardrails to roof perimeters. (Within: Camberwell Grove Conservation Area CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Eleanor Heagney 020 7525 5403) CONRAN BUILDING 22 SHAD THAMES LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 2YU (Ref: 24/AP/0373) Listed Building Consent to make amendments to internal alterations to the building consented

under application reference 21/AP/3117, including minor changes to MEP and services design, the glazed internal partition in the ground floor reception, the layout of W/Cs and the detail of the balustrade to the Level 05 infill. (Within: St Saviours Dock CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Richard Craig 020 7525 0436) 183 CAMBERWELL GROVE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 8JS (Ref: 24/AP/0455) Like for like replacement of front facade windows (Within: Camberwell Grove Conservation Area CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Sandy Ng 020 7525 5000) CAMBERWELL POLICE STATION 9 WREN ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 8QP (Ref: 24/AP/0478) Variation of Condition 1a 'Approved Plans' of planning permission 23/AP/1662: Listed building consent for proposed extensions, alterations and change of use of the former Camberwell Police Station Section House 'rear building' at 9 Wren Road, Camberwell, SE5 8QP 'the Site' to Nursery use Use Class E f. (Associated full application 23/AP/1661) Variation sought: This application relates to the internal changes required to decrease pupil numbers from the original permission. (Within: Camberwell Green CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Catherine Jeater 020 7525 5375)

SOUTHWARK SE5 8RH (Ref: 24/AP/0390) Increasing width of side access dormer at roof level towards the rear of the property. (Within: Camberwell Grove Conservation Area CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ibrahim Azam 020 7525 2876)

Dated: 27 Feb 2024 - comments to be received within 21 days of this date. STEPHEN PLATTS - Director of Planning and Growth

99 COLLEGE ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE21 7HN (Ref: 24/AP/0352) Addition of solar panels to the front, south-west facing roofs of the existing property. (Within: Dulwich Wood CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Susherrie Suki ) 71 CALTON AVENUE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE21 7DF (Ref: 24/AP/0316) The retention of the squaring of the existing rear outrigger facade (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Michèle Sterry 020 7525 5453) 73 COURT LANE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE21 7EF (Ref: 24/AP/0499) Ground floor side extension (to rear) to replace existing, existing second floor loft conversion modifications (dormer extension) and rear external landscaping (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Susherrie Suki )

176 CAMBERWELL GROVE LONDON

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK CRIMSCOTT STREET IMPROVEMENTS The London Borough of Southwark (Charged-for parking places) (Crimscott Street improvements) Order 202* The London Borough of Southwark (Waiting restrictions) (Crimscott Street improvements) Order 202*

LICENSING ACT 2003 APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PREMISES LICENCE The Thirsty Farrier Ltd has applied to the London Borough of Lambeth for the grant of a premises licence, in respect of the following premises: The Thirsty Farrier at Southbank Centre, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 8XX

1. Southwark Council hereby GIVES NOTICE that it proposes to make the above orders under sections 6, 45, 46, 49 and 124 of and Part IV of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended.

which would authorise the following licensable activities: Supply of Alcohol

2. The effect of the orders in CRIMSCOTT STREET (within Controlled Parking Zone ‘GR’), between its junction with Grange Road and its junction with Willow Walk, the purpose of which is to accommodate new servicing access and a new ‘car club’ only parking place, would be:(a) on the south-east side opposite No. 21 Crimscott Street remove 8 metres of existing ‘shared-use’ parking and replace with 8 metres of new DYLs; (b) on the south-east side opposite No. 22 Crimscott Street remove 5.5 metres of existing SYLs and replace with a new ‘car club’ only parking place (5.5 metres in length) which would operate at any time and every day of the week; and (c) on the south-east side opposite Nos. 18 to 22 Crimscott Street convert a total of 41.5 metres of existing SYLs to new DYLs. NOTES: (1) ‘shared-use’ parking refers to parking places in which holders of a valid permit for the Controlled Parking Zone listed or ‘pay’ paid ticket holders are permitted to park within the permitted hours. (2) ‘SYLs’ refer to ‘timed waiting restrictions’ (single yellow lines), and ‘DYLs’ refer to 'at any time' waiting restrictions (double yellow lines). (3) All measurements are in metres and are approximate. (4) Parking charges are listed on www.southwark.gov.uk/parking

A responsible authority or any other person may make representation to the licensing authority in respect of this application. Representations must be made in writing, either by post to the above address, or by email to licensing@lambeth.gov.uk and must be received no later than 21.03.24

3. For more information contact George Hutchful of the Council's Highway Development team Highways@southwark.gov.uk 4. Copies of the supporting documents (this Notice, the proposed Orders, and a statement of Southwark Council's reasons for making the Orders) may be found online at www.southwark.gov.uk/trafficorders; paper or digital copies of plans showing the location and effect of the Orders and the supporting documents may be requested by emailing traffic.orders@southwark.gov.uk, or inspected by appointment only at: Highways, Southwark Council, Environment, Neighbourhoods and Growth, 3rd floor hub 2, 160 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH - from the date of this Notice until the end of a period of six weeks from the date on which the Order is made. Email traffic.orders@southwark.gov.uk (or call 020 7525 3497) for booking details. 5. Anyone wishing to make any representations either for or to object to the proposals, may use the form labelled 'Parking - Road traffic and highway schemes - responding to statutory consultation notices' at www.southwark.gov.uk/statutoryconsultationnotices or send a statement in writing to: the Traffic Orders Officer, Highways, Southwark Council, Environment, Neighbourhoods and Growth, P.O. Box 64529, London SE1P 5LX or by e-mail to traffic.orders@southwark.gov.uk quoting reference ‘TMO2324-022 Crimscott Street improvements’ by 21 March 2024. Please note that if you wish to object to this proposal you must state the grounds on which your objection is made. 6. Under requirements of current access to information legislation, any letter, form or e-mail sent to the Council in response to this Notice may be subject to publication or disclosure, or both, including communication to other persons affected. Dated 29 February 2024 Dale Foden - Head of Service, Highways

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The record of this application may be inspected during normal office hours by an appointment at the Licensing Section, London Borough of Lambeth, 3rd floor Civic Centre, 6 Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1EG, or via the licensingauthority’s website, at www.lambeth.gov.uk/licensing

It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with a licensing application, and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for that offence shall not exceed level 5 on the standard scale (£5,000). APPLICATION FOR PREMISES LICENCE UNDER THE LICENSING ACT 2003 Notice is given that : Truth Bar LDN LTD, 86 – 90 Paul Street, EC2A 4NE has applied for the Grant of a Premises Licence for the following premises: Truth Bar LDN, 29 St Georges Walk, CR0 1YL. It is proposed that the following licensable activities will take place at the premises: Retail sale of alcohol (on sales only) and provision of regulated entertainment (recorded and live music). Monday - Thursday 12:00 – 23:00 Friday & Saturday 12:00 – 02:00 If you wish to make any representations in relation to this application, please do so in writing, no later than 28th March 2024. (last date for making representations): Place Department, Licensing Team, 6th Floor, Zone A, Bernard Weatherill House, 8 Mint Walk,Croydon,CR0 1EA. Postal address of local authority where register of applications is kept for general viewing: London Borough of Croydon, Place Department, Licensing Team, 6th Floor, Zone A, Bernard Weatherill House,8 Mint Walk,Croydon,CR0 1EA. Application details can be viewed at Access Croydon Reception, Bernard Weatherill House, between 9 a.m. & 3.45 p.m., Monday to Friday by appointment (except bank holidays), or online via www.croydon.gov.uk It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. The maximum fine on summary conviction for such an offence is £5000. Date of this notice: 01st March 2024

26 PUBLIC NOTICES

Thursday, February 29th 2024

Transport for London Public Notice

Notice of application for a Premises Licence

THE A200 GLA ROAD (ST THOMAS STREET LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC AND STOPPING) ORDER 2024 1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that it has made the above-named Trafc Order under section 14(1) of the Road Trafc Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specied in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3. 2. The purpose of the Order is to enable crane operation works to take place on the A200 St Thomas Street. 3. The effects of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle from: (1) entering or proceeding in a north westerly direction on St Thomas Street between its junctions with Bermondsey Street and Weston Street, local access will be maintained between Bermondsey Street and Fenning Street; (2) stopping on St Thomas Street between its junctions with Fenning Street and Weston Street. The Order will also suspend the southern footway on St Thomas Street. The Order will be effective from the 2nd March 2024 until the 25th March 2024 every Saturday at 6:00 AM until Sunday at 6:00 PM or when the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. The prohibitions will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by trafc signs. 4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of: (1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for re brigade, ambulance or police purposes; (2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London. 5. At such times as the prohibitions are in force alternative routes will be indicated by trafc signs via (for residential trafc) Snowelds and Weston Street to normal route of travel (for all other trafc including HGVs) Bermondsey Street northbound, Tooley Street eastbound, Tower Bridge Road southbound, Decima Street, Bermondsey Street, Long Lane Westbound, Great Dover Street northwest bound and Borough High Street northbound to normal route of travel. Dated this 29th day of February 2024 Claire Wright Co-ordination Manager Transport for London

Notice is hereby given that N&S Flames Ltd. has applied to Wandsworth Council for a new premises licence at King’s Chik’n, 102 East Hill, London, SW18 2HF for Late Night Refreshment On and Off Sales Sunday to Saturday 23:00 to 02:00

To place a public notice, please email em@cmmedia. co.uk or call us on 020 7232 1639

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984

Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 27th March 2024 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden,Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk It is an offence, under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in or in connection with an application, punishable upon conviction by an unlimited fine.

Our weekly deadline is 11am every Wednesday

Flyer_A5.pdf

12/10/2021

22:35

Notice of application for a Premises Licence Notice is hereby given that Mr. Amid Sangar has applied to Wandsworth Council for a new premises licence at Olive 3 Pizza, 218 Battersea Park Road, London, SW11 4ND for Late Night Refreshment Off Sales Sunday to Thursday 23:00 to 02:00 Friday & Saturday 23:00 to 03:00 Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 25th March 2024 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden,Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk It is an offence, under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in or in connection with an application, punishable upon conviction by an unlimited fine.

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MARRIAGE/CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS APPROVAL NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENT FOR RENEWAL Notice is given that: RCOG Trading Limited Lou Raggett - Director of Buildings and Guest Services (responsible person) Gosha Grzesica - General Manager at 10 Union (deputy)

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Has applied to the London Borough of Southwark for renewal of approval of premises for marriage/civil partnership ceremonies at: Royal College for Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 10-18 Union Street, London, SE1 1SZ

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SPORT 27 DULWICH HAMLET FC

hamlet Remain on taRget Danny Mills on the double as Dulwich move to within three points of the play-offs

By John Kelly DulWich haMleT boss hakan hayrettin said his players were on target to achieve the aim he has set for them after their 4-2 win against cheshunt at champion hill last weekend.

Surrey confirm pre-season schedule By John Kelly

surreY haVe confirmed two pre-season friendlies against sussex and Kent in March ahead of the defence of their county championship title.

The first red-ball match against Sussex will take place over two days in Hove from Monday, March 25. The Three Feathers will then take on Kent at the Kia Oval on that Thursday and Good Friday. Both games will be free to attend. Surrey begin their bid to win a third straight County Championship when they take on Lancashire at Old Trafford on Friday, April 5.

Hakan Hayrettin with the home fans me and my team, we never really start quick,” Hayrettin said. “There was a reason for that this season, 25 new players that had never played together before. “Questions may have been asked at the start of the season but now the boys are flying, they’re doing everything they possibly can to maintain the position of strength in the league. “I think we can continue doing this. I’ve set my target of what we need to do. I’ll keep that between me and the boys but they’re on target.” Hayrettin added: “We’ve said the results are more important than the

Lancers given walkover

performance. In the first half it was a tense affair. But we scored three excellent goals. And the fourth goal was sublime in the second half. “But we let them back in the game and it’s a little bit jittery then. “But I think we were better than them. We took our chances really well. It’s important that we keep pushing now and driving on.” Mills scored his seventh and eighth league goals of the season. Hayrettin said: “What can we say about Danny? He wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s a good squad player, good front man, leads the line really well for us. He holds it up, he wins his

flicks, he’s a threat. “His [second] goal was amazing, he’s scored many of them this season. It was a great ball by Anthony Jeffrey who I thought was good.” It was a first goal of the campaign for Bonnett-Johnson. “I’m happy for him,” Hayrettin said. “He’s a great character, a good lad, doesn’t cause any problems and when he’s out of the team he supports what we’re trying to do. It’s a hell of a finish, he jus side-foots it in, he didn’t slash at it. He’s just placed it and it’s a very good goal.” Dulwich have eleven games left this season, starting with a trip to bottom side Kingstonian this Saturday. “We’re playing against teams that have got so much to fight for,” Hayrettin said. “They’re fighting at the other end of the table, no different to Cheshunt. “That will be a tense, nervy affair but we’ve got to go there with the mindset that we’re ready to play in any conditions, on any surface and try and get a result. “I’m sure we’ll do our best to do that.”

By Jeff Burnige at St Paul’s

This game was very frustrating and an anti-climax after the Lionesses’ performance the previous weekend at Wimbledon in the prestigious Capital Women’s Cup. This match did not stir the blood of the crowd. Joint-managers Alex Russell and Adam Rowland were without the injured Shannan Drewe, and regulars Chloe Burr and Maizi Garwood had been unable to train. Shay Bennett had a starting berth after a string of substitute appearances and new signing Chloe Francis worked hard up front. She set up Madison Grandys for the opener when she headed on Melissa Jones’ long throw-in. This led to a good spell of attacking by the Lionesses, but two mistakes from their own possession allowed the visitors to move ahead after 22 and 23 minutes. First, Khyrie McKenzie’s powerful shot just about beat goalkeeper Chrissie Wiggins, and then Molly Hill ran on to a through-ball and finished well for the lead. Liv McGregor and Ella Bailey were introduced at half-time, but no equaliser was forthcoming, and then later Maisie Joyce and Sharna Giordani came on to add some attacking purpose. It nearly earned Millwall at least a point, when first McGregor looked to have won a penalty, and then Giordani was scythed down in the box. Neither time did the referee decide on a spotkick. It should not have mattered because in the last minute Ciara Watling and Grandys both missed from very close range. So the Lionesses went down to a disappointing defeat. They are seventh in the table and will next travel on Sunday to the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium to meet second-last Enfield Town. Kick-off is 2pm.

Kongo calls for Millwall fans to create ‘Den’ atmosphere

By John Kelly

souThWarK lancers were given a walkover against guilfordians in their scheduled counties 4 surrey away game last weekend.

chris Kongo has called for the backing of Millwall supporters as he prepares to “go to war” at greenwich’s 02 arena on easter sunday.

That means the Burgess Park rugby side have five victories in a row and are third in the table, seven points behind Streatham-Croydon and ten off leaders Old Hamptonians. It was the third time this season a walkover was awarded against Guilfordians as they were unable to field a team and sit on minus-three points in the table. The Lancers host Haslemere this Saturday at Chumleigh Gardens (SE5 0RJ).

L&SERWFL PREMIER DIVISION

Millwall Lionesses 1-2 Saltdean United

iT Was a disappointing afternoon for Millwall lionesses last sunday in rotherhithe, as they took an early lead but eventually went down 2-1 to saltdean united in the lserWfl Premier Division.

It was a ﬁfth win in their last six games for Dulwich

Danny Mills gave Dulwich a 29thminute lead before goals from Jerome Binnom-Williams and Sean BonnettJohnson in first-half stoppage-time. Antonis Vasiliou pulled one back for the relegation-threatened visitors seven minutes into the second half but Mills restored the Hamlet’s threegoal advantage with 20 minutes left. Nnamdi Nwachuku made it 4-2 in the 79th minute but Dulwich saw out a relatively comfortable win and are now eighth in the Isthmian League Premier Division table, three points off the play-offs. It was their fifth win in their last six games and they have only been defeated only four times in 22 games since their 2-1 loss to the Ambers last September left them in the bottom half of the table. “People who know anything about

Lionesses stung by Salt defeat

Chris Kongo in his Lions top

Kongo, 31, who has fourteen wins and two defeats in his professional career, makes his return to the ring after more than a year out when he faces unbeaten Albanian Florian Marku. Bermondsey fighter Kongo’s last bout was a majority decision defeat against Ekow Essuman for the British and Commonwealth welterweight titles in January

2023. Kongo and Marku squared up to each other and had to be separated at a press conference last year. “This is personal now and I’m coming for you,” Kongo said. He added: “On March 31 we’re going to war and I need all of you Millwall fans to make The O2 feel like The Den. “Grab your tickets and let’s create a proper Bermondsey atmosphere.” Millwall Community Trust said: “We are backing Millwall Community Trust’s ambassador we all believe in you.”

28 SPORT THE EFL CHAMPIONSHIP Southampton - 1 Adams 34’ Millwall - 2 Tanganga 5’, Flemming (pen) 44’ Date: Saturday 24 February 2024 Attendance: 30,629. Man of the match: George Saville Referee: Thomas Bramall

Zian Flemming shows his might after putting Millwall back in front from the spot just before the break and inset George Saville celebrates with Flemming at the ﬁnal whistle

By Paul Green neil harris made a winning return as Millwall manager with a vital 2-1 success at promotionchasing southampton on saturday.

Japhet Tanganga’s fifth minute header put the visitors in front, only for Che Adams to restore parity on 34 minutes. But the Lions were awarded a 44th minute penalty after Michael Obafemi’s attempt was handled by Jan Bednarek and Zian Flemming slotted home what proved to be the winner. Harris named five changes from the side tamely beaten 2-0 seven days ago by Sheffield Wednesday, as Danny McNamara, Billy Mitchell, George Saville, Ryan Longman and Obafemi all back in the starting XI. The Lions made the perfect start when Tanganga bravely got in front of Saints Gavin Banzunu to head home from Saville’s fifth minute free-kick. Tanganga required a spell of treatment for his scoring exploits but was soon thankfully back on his feet. Millwall were certainly showing no lack of commitment in the early exchanges, as you would expect from a Harris side, with George Honeyman and Tanganga both picking up yellow cards by the 13th minute. Che Adams’ header was put behind by Tanganga as the hosts began to ask some questions following that early setback. But it was the Lions who almost added a second when a quick counter ended with McNamara’s 17th minute effort flying agonisingly wide. David Brooks went close with a shot from the edge of the area but Southampton’s pressure finally paid off on 34 minutes, Adams heading past Matija Sarkic to draw the hosts back on terms after meeting Armstrong’s delivery. Jake Cooper was perfectly placed to hack the danger clear from Brooks’ goalbound attempt but it was Millwall who restored their advantage a minute before the break. Obafemi’s shot was handled in the box by Bednarek, prompting referee Thomas Bramall to point straight to the spot and Flemming made no mistake with the

dReam RetuRn FoR haRRiS

Returning boss makes instant impact with win on south coast SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE P

penalty. Obafemi made way for Tom Bradshaw at the start of the second half as Harris made his first change. Southampton came close to equalising again within five minutes of the restart as Adams fired over from six yards. Brooke Norton-Cuffy entered the fray just after the hour in place of Longman as the Lions continued to look fairly comfortable at this stage. Saints always posed a threat and Matija Sarkic was perfectly placed to save Joe Rothwell’s 69th minute shot and then

substitute Adam Armstrong headed harmlessly over from a decent position. Flemming’s attempt from 20 yards produced a stop from Bazunu and Samuel Edozie picked up a yellow card for a late lunge on Flemming shortly before the penalty hero was replaced by Casper De Norre. Sarkic made a top class save to keep out Adam Armstrong’s 88th minute header before five added minutes were signalled. But the Lions held on comfortably to collect a memorable three points and

give Harris the ideal start to life back at The Den. southampton: 4-3-3: Bazunu; Harwood-Bellis, Stephens (Manning 71’), Bednarek, Walker-Peters; Aribo (Rothwell 60’), Smallbone, S Armstrong; Brooks (Sulemana 71’), Adams (A Armstrong 59’), Fraser (Edozie 19’). Millwall: 4-2-3-1: Sarkic; Leonard, Cooper (c), Tanganga, McNamara; Mitchell, Saville; Honeyman, Flemming (De Norre 86’), Longman (Norton-Cuffy 62’); Obafemi (Bradshaw 46’).

W D

Pts

1 Leicester City 34 25 3 6 41 78 2 Leeds United 34 22 6 6 37 72 3 Ipswich Town 34 21 9 4 23 72 4 Southampton 34 20 7 7 23 67 5 WBA 34 16 8 10 17 56 6 Hull City 34 16 7 11 7 55 7 Norwich City 34 15 7 12 8 52 8 Preston North End 34 15 7 12 -5 52 9 Coventry City 34 13 12 9 11 51 10 Sunderland 34 14 5 15 7 47 11 Watford 34 11 11 12 3 44 12 Bristol City 34 12 8 14 0 44 13 Middlesbrough 33 13 5 15 -2 44 14 Cardiff City 34 13 5 16 -9 44 15 Plymouth Argyle 34 10 10 14 -4 40 16 Blackburn Rovers 34 11 6 17 -12 39 17 Swansea City 34 10 9 15 -12 39 18 Birmingham City 33 10 8 15 -13 38 19 Huddersﬁeld Town 34 8 13 13 -15 37 20 Millwall 34 9 9 16 -14 36 21 QPR 34 9 8 17 -13 35 22 Stoke City 34 9 8 17 -17 35 23 Shefﬁeld Wed 34 9 5 20 -25 32 24 Rotherham United 34 3 10 21 -36 19

leonard demands home improvement from lions Ryan Leonard celebrates in front of the away end at St Mary’s on the ﬁnal whistle

Defender targets three points and first Den win in 2024 against Watford By Paul Green rYan leonarD accepts Millwall have to start delivering at The Den ahead of this weekend’s vital encounter with Watford.

The Lions ended a winless run of eight games in Saturday’s memorable 2-1 victory at Southampton, Neil Harris’ first game back in charge since 2019. Supporters have only witnessed four Championship victories in SE16 so far this season, something Harris has already made clear needs to change quickly. And Leonard was keen to echo those

sentiments, with the stadium sure to be rocking against the Hornets with Harris back in the dugout. “One hundred percent we have to do that,” the defender said after the Saints game. “We know as players. We’ve been saying it all week and we said it after the game today – we have to turn our performances and results at The Den around. “We need to get the fans shouting for us and we need to give them a reason to do that. “Today you saw after the game we gave them a real reason to certainly get

behind us and I think that is going to be just as important on Saturday.” Leonard played at right-back in a flat back four on Saturday as the Lions picked up a vital first victory since New Year’s Day at Bristol City. The players and newly installed coaching team celebrated with the fans afterwards and although happy to enjoy the moment, the 31-year-old admitted it will count for little if standards dip against Watford. “One of them,” replied Leonard when asked if the Saints triumph was the best of the campaign so far. “There are a few games this year

where we’ve done really well. “Of course it is one of the highlights of the season so far, but as the manager has come in and said after the game: ‘Yes, it is a great win but we have to go again Saturday’. “It is not a result where we can just go ‘great result we had at Southampton, forget about Saturday’ kind of thing. “We’ve got to come in on Monday and we’ve got to be ready to go on Saturday, because this is just as big a game on Saturday. “If we don’t put in the result and the performance on Saturday, then today means nothing.”

SPORT 29

mitChell hungRY to Retain StaRting Role FoR lionS EXCLUSIVE

By Paul Green BillY MiTchell hopes he has done enough to keep his place in the team after making a welcome return to Millwall’s starting Xi at southampton.

The academy graduate impressed back alongside defensive midfield partner George Saville, the duo frustrating the hosts throughout and inspiring the Lions to arguably their best result of the season. Mitchell hadn’t started a game in February before Neil Harris’ resumed control once more following last week’s departure of Joe Edwards. And although sad to see the former Chelsea coach depart on a personal level, the Lions ace is happy to accept Harris’ return has worked in his favour. Mitchell told our paper: “There has been quite a lot of change this year. “We’ve shifted from manager to manager pretty quickly, from Gary Rowett and then to Adam Barrett, Joe Edwards and now Neil. “I liked all of them to be fair. I really did rate Joe as a coach. I thought he would get us playing some good football and I learned a lot from him. “Obviously I wanted to play. The bottom line as a pro is playing is what you are there to do and I wasn’t in the team, so when there was a change I tried to view that as a potentially positive thing for me. “Fortunately enough, I went into the team in Neil’s first game and we got a

millwall’s number one wants even more noise Sarkic praises supporters for Saints racket

match with Watford.” Harris handed Mitchell his Millwall debut as a youngster in 2019, although he doesn’t have too many memories of the current boss because he departed the club a couple of months later. “I only played two games under Neil Harris before,” recalls the midfielder. “One was for 12 minutes, the other was in the League Cup and it was a

long time ago when I’d just turned 18. I honestly can’t remember the ins and outs of how he kind of worked. “I’ll probably be a lot better qualified to answer that question in a couple of weeks!” He may not have played often during Harris’ first spell but Mitchell feels it is a big plus there are still so many familiar faces from that time at the club right now. “For me it doesn’t feel so much as if we’ve got a ‘new’ manager,” he explained. “He is obviously very familiar with the surroundings and there are several people who have played under him before in the squad now. “It is quite a seamless transition because of that.” It wasn’t only the importance of the result at St Mary’s which will live long in the memory for Millwall, but the racket created from the first whistle to the post-match celebrations from the almost 2,800 followers who ventured south to Hampshire. Mitchell joined in the party along with everyone else and says it is an occasion he will always cherish. He explained: “The away support and the noise they made was probably the best I can ever remember playing for Millwall. “It really was something else. They didn’t stop singing the whole game. “Whether that is the new manager factor, or that we got a good result for the first time in a little while, I’m not sure, but they were tremendous. “The boys thoroughly deserved the reception from the fans afterwards.”

online post-match, it certainly left a lasting impression on Millwall’s last line of defence. He told our paper: “That was a really good moment. I saw on social media they were all shouting ‘Millllll’ and it went on for two-and-a-half minutes. That was crazy! “During the game I didn’t really notice it because I’m just in the moment, but afterwards I listened to it online and thought ‘wow!’. “We need more of that at The Den and I’m looking forward to more of it.” Sarkic added: “I’ve heard the chant before obviously but to keep it going for that long was quite impressive. “I think even Southampton fans were impressed by that. “We just need more of that between now and the end of the season to keep us going, push us forward and help us get the results.” Neil Harris may well have initially signed Bartosz Bialkowski during his initial stay in charge, but that didn’t mean Sarkic lost the jersey he has made his own since returning to the XI at Cardiff before Christmas. He said: “My job is just to help the team and if someone is performing better, then they deserve to play. “At the end of the day, it is the

manager’s decision who plays. “Me and Bart have a great relationship. Competition is healthy for places, so if one is performing then they deserve to play and we both support each other.” This may well be Sarkic’s first experience of playing under Harris, but the keeper likes what the new boss has already implemented. He said: “Neil has simplified a lot of things. It is obviously a different style of play than we had under Joe Edwards. “There is a lot of energy, a lot of passion and he has given the boys a lot of clarity. “That has been massive and you could see at Southampton that it had an impact. A lot of credit must go to him.” Sarkic added: “Obviously it is never nice to see someone lose their job. “Joe is a great manager but the results just didn’t go our way. “Unfortunately, it is just part of the game these days that managers go pretty quick if results aren’t happening. “It was difficult but we didn’t really have time to dwell on it because we had to get focused on getting a result at Southampton, which thankfully we did.”

Midﬁelder stakes claim with ﬁne Saints display

Billy Mitchell gets the better of Southampton’s Jan Bednarek result.” But the 22-year-old is taking nothing for granted his name will automatically appear on the team sheet again ahead of this weekend’s encounter against Watford. He added: “There are no givens I will keep my place. “We’ve got a great squad of players and rotation is obviously very

important considering you want to keep things fresh. “Neil has already said we need to be running a little bit harder than we have done in games prior to his arrival, so I’m aware that I can come out of the team and back in at any time. “Given that we did win the game at Southampton, I’d like to think I’ve done enough to stay in for Saturday’s

Millwall’s fans made their presence known last weekend

EXCLUSIVE By Paul Green goalKeePer MaTiJa sarkic believes a repeat of the atmosphere created by Millwall fans at southampton can only help them beat the drop. The

Montenegro

international

was a key figure in sealing a 2-1 win thanks to a reaction save which prevented Adam Armstrong nicking an undeserved point for the Saints. Sarkic was so absorbed by what was happening on the pitch that he didn’t pay much attention at the time to the Monk chant bellowing out from the away end. But when the keeper watched clips

INSIDE

Sport Southwark

HAMLET REMAIN ON TARGET

page 29 25 Neil Harris salutes the huge travelling support at St Mary’s

Sarkic: That was my best Millwall save Matija Sarkic

haRRiS FoCuSed on heRe and noW

Lions manager taking one game at a time approach EXCLUSIVE

By Paul Green neil harris says it is way too early to think about player contract extensions yet because the only priority right now is championship survival.

The manager enjoyed a winning return to the dugout against Southampton last weekend, Millwall’s first victory since January 1. That welcome success was certainly much-needed, but results elsewhere mean the Lions remain only one point above the dreaded drop zone. And until safety is guaranteed, Harris’ sole focus is making sure Millwall stay out of the bottom three rather than thinking about what happens with the handful of current first team players whose deals expire in the summer. He told our paper: “When I was

asked to come back to the football club, I said that I know we are approaching March and it becomes prevalent in people’s minds with the club, fans, and also the players, that they’re all thinking about the future. “At the moment, we’ve got two aims. First it is Saturday against Watford at home. “Last week it was Southampton, this week it is Watford and then after that it will be Blackburn, so it is just one game at a time. “Then the mid-term aim for me is the next window. I say mid-term but we are talking about in two months time, which sounds crazy in itself but that is football.” He added: “I just need time to assess, to work with players and understand all the personalities. “I’m even talking about the likes of George Saville, Shaun Hutchinson, Jake Cooper, Murray Wallace, Billy

Mitchell and Danny McNamara – people I’ve known a long time. “I still need to judge their character as the person they are today, not the person I left five years ago. I need time with the group. “All I’ve said to the football club is that with the staff, the players, the football club and how it is run, yes I do know it very well and what it looks like, but please be patient. “At the moment, the most important thing with our football club is to get points on the board.” Harris is guaranteed an emotional reception in SE16 this weekend against Watford, where he is desperate to transform the club’s poor form which has seen them win just four league games this season. He said: “There is no fix overnight whereby just because Neil Harris walks back in the building, that a Millwall team wins at The Den.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have an exceptional home record as a player and manager and now I have to guide these players. “What Saturday gave us at Southampton was a real shot of belief, a great confidence boost. “We know 15,000 Millwall fans are going to turn up against Watford feeling excited rather than fearful and get behind the players.” The boss added: “All the fans want to see is their team have a right go in their own way. “It doesn’t mean you’ve got to have 80 percent possession, or go and punch somebody, it means you’ve got to do it the Millwall way. “That’s being a team, being the best individual you can be, being disciplined, resolute and aggressive at the right moments and asking questions of the opponent.”

EXCLUSIVE By Paul Green MaTiJa sarKic reckons saturday’s vital late save to deny adam armstrong and preserve Millwall’s 2-1 lead at southampton is his best yet since joining the club.

The summer signing from Wolves was a virtual spectator for most of the second half, with promotion hopefuls Southampton made to look very ordinary by a visiting side clearly galvanised by Neil Harris’ appointment. That was until the 88th minute when substitute Armstrong rose high to produce a header which was superbly pushed behind by Sarkic and ensure Millwall collected all three points. “I’d say so,” replied the 6ft4 custodian when asked if it was the highlight of his Lions career so far. “It is probably one of the most important saves I’ve had to make this season. “Hopefully we can build on the result and take that confidence and belief into the game against Watford. “It was a kind of standard save really. A cross came in, I just got back into position and then reacted off the header. “As the cross came in, I’ve had to step and just get my body weight going the other way, which is quite difficult when you are moving across goal. “It was an important save and I’m happy I made it. “We had a game plan and executed it well. “They might have dominated possession but we controlled the game. “I don’t think they had too many opportunities, apart from the one at the end which was probably the most dangerous one of the game. Other than that, I felt we controlled it really well.”

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