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By Charlotte Lillywhite Local Democracy Reporter
THE RUGBY Football Union (RFU) has submitted plans to hold up to 15 concerts for the world’s biggest artists every year at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.
The move marks a major step forward for the RFU’s bid to hold 15 major nonsporting events annually at the stadium, which has been the home of England Rugby since 1909.
The proposals have attracted widespread opposition from residents since they were announced in 2024, with more than 3,000 people signing a petition raising concerns about the potential disruption to locals’ daily lives.
The 82,000-seat stadium currently has permission to hold three major nonsporting events each year, which can’t be held on consecutive days, and their capacity is capped at 55,000. It sits empty for around 340 days a year.
The RFU said the move would help the stadium to become a world-class destination for events, adapt to financial pressures and fund a planned upgrade of the venue.
The number of events it holds would increase in phases over three years if Richmond Council approves the application, with no more than eight separate events overall and a maximum of three events outside May to September. There would be no more than three consecutive events in any two-week period.
The events would be capped to a maximum of 75,000 people, with lower limits on weekends initially.
Residents would get priority access to tickets, with 1,000 tickets per concert made available through a pre-sale window.
The cost of each ticket would include a facility fee to be put into a community enhancement fund to improve stadium operations and finance projects that support the local community. It is estimated this would generate up to £1million a year to be reinvested locally.
Community groups could also use spaces in the stadium for free, with at least 30 free bookings every year.
The RFU said it agreed with SWR for extra train services to be held at Twickenham Station during peak times on event days.
It said the plans would make the stadium attractive to promoters, where it is currently at a disadvantage in trying to attract global tours compared to other UK venues, as artists typically want to play
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RUCK OVER ROCK
longer concert runs on weekends. It has only hosted one concert since 2019.
The application looks at how the stadium could safely support the proposed increase in concerts, rather than making physical changes to the venue.
Planning documents said: “The proposals will bring significant economic benefits to the local economy, with spending on accommodation, food, drink and other ancillary items within the local area. The uplift in the number of major non-sporting events will also create employment opportunities and demand
SouthLondonWeekly
for visitor accommodation.
“The ability to host a greater number of events over a total of 15 major non sporting event days would allow the RFU to attract the top artists to the stadium, cementing the stadium’s position as an internationally significant sporting and cultural venue, diversifying the stadium’s offer and appealing to a wider audience.”
The application comes after the RFU was dealt a blow in October, when Richmond’s licensing committee rejected its application to lift restrictions only allowing it to host three concerts a year.
The committee said it had decided against lifting the restrictions “for the foreseeable future” and asked the RFU to “better engage with the local residents”, ahead of submitting any future application to increase the number of concerts. While the number, size and type of events held at the stadium is a planning decision, the RFU also needs licensing approval to fully go ahead with the plans. The council will make a decision on the planning application in due course. It is currently accepting feedback on its website.
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Allianz Stadium, previously known as Twickenham Stadium. Credit: James Mayer
SUMMER FESTIVAL IN FORMER SE15 MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK
Events will run until midSeptember, and tickets are still on sale
By Alex Orr
NON-PROFIT ARTS organisation
Bold Tendencies, based at the old multi-storey car park in Peckham, is marking its 20th anniversary with a programme of visual arts and live events this summer.
The programme, titled “Euphoria”, will run until 12 September, with a number of art installations on display and seven live music events still to come.
The events, which include performances from Peckham-based Multi Story Orchestra and NigerianBritish novelist and poet Ben Okri, will take place on the upper floors renovated car park, which is also home to Peckham Levels.
On the open top floor of the former car park, visitors will also find a range of sculpture pieces by both Londonbased and international artists.
There is a free Latin American music festival this Friday
Southwark Cathedral hosting summer organ festival this August and tickets are just £5
By Alex Orr
A FREE Latin American music festival is coming to Burgess Park on Friday 7 August.
The South London Miniteca festival promises to celebrate South London’s Latin and Portuguese diaspora through world-class live music, dance and food.
It will be headlined by Buraka Som Sistema, an electronic dance music group from Portugal, which went on hiatus in 2016 but reunited this summer.
The event, which will last from 1:00pm to 9:30pm, has been curated by UK-Latinx DJ Bushbby and is completely free. Free tickets are required to attend the festival and can be booked online.
By Evie Flynn
SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL’S Summer Organ Festival is back throughout August and will welcome organ players from all over Europe.
The programme of recitals will run until 31 August and will be played on
the Cathedral’s renowned T.C Lewis organ. Each recital features a pre-concert audience Q&A, offering visitors a chance to hear from the performers and guest interviewers directly.
The line-up includes Slovak organist and composer Zuzana Ferjencíková, Organist Emeritus of Lincoln
Cathedral Colin Walsh, Southwark Cathedral’s Assistant Director of Music Simon Hogan, German concert organist Martin Schmeding and French organist Jean-Baptiste Monnot.
Audiences can expect programmes spanning centuries of organ music, from works by Johann Sebastian Bach to Romantic, 20th-century and
contemporary compositions.
The recitals will take place every Monday throughout August, with doors opening at 6pm, a pre-concert Q&A at 6.30pm and performances starting at 7pm. Tickets start from £5 and are available via Southwark Cathedral’s website.
EXCLUSIVE
By Alex Orr
DESPITE HIS strong ties to Manchester, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham would not be where he is today if he had not moved to South London in the 1990s.
Former Mayor of Greater Manchester Burnham was born in 1970, but first moved to London in 1991 as a 21-yearold after completing a degree in English at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.
Reflecting on his move to the capital when opening No.10 North in Manchester last week, Burnham said: “I left this city [Manchester] because I couldn’t find anything to do. There was not a job I could find here.”
He added: “It’s the story of so many people in Britain having to leave the place where they belong because there wasn’t opportunity and then having to somewhere else.”
But behind Burnham’s rhetoric about London, which often involves criticism of a lack of opportunities elsewhere and the “London set” in Westminster which, he believes, overwhelmingly dominates British politics, the new Prime Minister has a more fond relationship with the capital than many would expect.
His father, Kenneth Roy Burnham, even lived and worked in Battersea as a telephone engineer before moving to Aintree, a suburb of Liverpool, where his son Andy was born. Just over the river from his father’s Battersea home was Burnham’s first London flat, near Fulham Palace Road in Fulham, West London, not
ANDY BURNHAM: THE NEW PRIME MINISTER MADE IN SOUTH LONDON
far from Craven Cottage football stadium.
He lived there for four years as a 21-yearold, with the first three spent working as a journalist for trade magazine Tank World, now known as Bulk Distributor, covering tanker news for an industry audience.
Founder and publisher of Tank World, Patrick Hicks, recalled Burnham’s time at the London-based magazine fondly, saying: “Andy was a pleasure to work with: easygoing, conscientious and a hard-working journalist who took a real interest in the industry.”
In 1994, at the age of 24, Burnham delved into professional politics for the first time. He had joined the Labour Party as a member at 15, but began working full-time for the party as a researcher for former Dulwich and West Norwood MP Tessa Jowell in the years leading up to the 1997 General Election.
Burnham’s affinity with South London began in this role, despite spending most of his working hours in Parliament. After just a year in the job, which involves supporting MPs by drafting speeches, managing correspondences with constituents and writing policy briefings, 25-year-old Burnham and his now-wife Marie-France
van Heel bought their first home on Regent Road in Herne Hill, costing roughly £170,000.
Recalling his move to SE24 in an interview with the Evening Standard in 2015, Burnham noted he and his wife could not have afforded to live in the area had they moved there 20 years later. On London’s housing crisis, he added: “The dream of home ownership has just died for practically everyone under 40 in London.”
The couple paid a deposit of approximately £20,000 for the house in Jowell’s constituency, which pales in comparison to the average of £75,000 now required for a 10 per cent deposit in the postcode, according to estate agents Ellis & Co.
Burnham said he had great memories of his time in Herne Hill, adding he used to drink regularly in The Commercial pub on Railton Road, just next to the railway station. In an interview two years ago, he said the pub used to be “a real old school boozer”, before admitting “it’s all gastro now and everything”.
The Commercial, which is also a hotel, has been a popular fixture in the local area since it opened in 1876, with Lambeth Council designating it as a locally-listed heritage site in 2016. The pub now boasts “rotating craft beers and seasonal cocktails”, suggesting it has changed somewhat since Burnham was a regular customer.
The Commercial will also benefit from one of Burnham’s first policies as Prime Minister, which will see the UK’s pubs and clubs receive a 20 per cent cut to business rates, estimated to save £1,100 per year.
Just a stone’s throw from Regent Road, Brockwell Park was Burnham’s favourite place in London. The new PM said he used to run in the 126 acre park, which connects Brixton, Herne Hill and Tulse Hill, throughout the year and loved to swim in the lido in the summer.
Burnham’s running has come under the microscope in recent weeks, with the media following him along trails in Greater Manchester to ask him questions about his political plans and ambitions. But it’s clear the athletic habits of the man dubbed “King of the North” were built down south in SE24.
Burnham was fortunate too to enjoy the Brockwell Park lido in its heyday 20 years ago. The outdoor pool was recently taken over by Lambeth Council after years of “underinvestment”, with its future left uncertain and potentially in need of central government help, which the new PM is now in a position to provide.
Burnham also admitted to being a big fan of Olley’s fish & chip shop, located opposite Brockwell Park and just a two minute walk from Herne Hill train station.
The chippy, named after Oliver Twist, first opened in 1987 and now calls itself
A young Andy Burnham (Wigan Today Archives)
Andy Burnham (C) alongside his parents Kenneth (L) and Eileen (R)
Regent Road in Herne Hill
Olley’s Fish and Chip shop on Norwood Road
The Commercial Pub
the “best fish and chips take away in South London”.
On national television last week, Olley’s manager Harry Niazi was asked about the new Prime Minister, saying: “I hope he makes a big change, a big positive change.
“Energy prices, I believe, reducing those will help every single person, business and industry.”
Harry said he would recommend Burnham the King’s Special, which includes a regular battered cod, chips, two tiger prawns, two scampi and homemade mushy peas for £19.50, if he ever made a return to Olley’s, adding: “He’s King of the North isn’t he?”
But it was not just South London’s pubs and grub that made an impression on Burnham. According to The Observer, the biggest influence during his time in Herne Hill came from his boss, Dulwich and West Norwood MP Tessa Jowell. Jowell, who later became Culture Secretary under Tony Blair and Cabinet Office minister under Gordon Brown, reportedly took on the role of Burnham’s “mentor” and is credited with teaching Burnham the “importance of empathy” in politics.
The Observer also credited Jowell, who unfortunately passed away in 2018 aged 70, with convincing her former researcher to make the leap into frontline politics. She is said to have persuaded Burnham to move from his backroom role and stand as an MP, his first step to Downing Street.
The two maintained a close professional relationship throughout their careers, with Jowell’s policies, such as the establishment of Sure Start children’s centres, having a strong impact on Burnham’s political outlook. The centres, which were set up to offer health advice, local SEND services
and early learning to families with children under five, began to shut down after 2010 when the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government removed ring-fenced funding for the scheme.
Despite some closures in Southwark, Jowell’s legacy lives on in the form of the council-run Best Start Family Hubs, which offer a network of support for families throughout the borough in 2026.
In 2000, after five years in Herne Hill, Burnham got married and took Jowell’s advice, standing as an MP at the age of 31 at the 2001 General Election. After winning the election and becoming Member of Parliament for Leigh in Wigan, Greater Manchester, Burnham returned to the North of England after 13 years away, a stint which included six years in South London.
He has often returned to the capital to campaign for members of his party in both local and general elections. He was even pictured canvassing for Southwark Labour in the St. Giles ward in Peckham before the council elections on 7 May this year.
The new Prime Minister also maintains close relationships with a number of South London MPs, particularly Peckham MP Miatta Fahnbulleh, who he named Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in his new cabinet.
But with the Greens overtaking Labour in a number of areas in Southwark, it may be up to former Herne Hill local Burnham, rather than the borough’s MPs, to alter Labour’s direction in inner London and restore some faith in the party. With the government’s Fair Funding Review leaving Southwark Council with a financial black hole of more than £100 million, the Brockwell Park and Olley’s Chippy fan has a clear place to start.
Brockwell Park lido
Burnham (L) with Tessa Jowell (R) Burnham (C) alongside former Deputy Leader of Southwark Council Jasmine Ali (L)
GABRIEL’S WHARF ON THE SOUTH BANK SET TO SHUT
Shops and restaurants will stop trading on 27 September
By Evie Flynn
A GROUP of independent businesses at a popular South Bank shopping spot are closing at the end of September its landlord
Coin Street said the site’s existing units have “reached the end of their life”.
Traders at Gabriel’s Wharf must stop trading on 27 September, with one month to clear their units before the site is demolished and regenerated.
The spot has existed next to the Oxo Tower on the South Bank for nearly 40 years and is home to a cluster of shops, including art galleries, clothes shops and restaurants.
Coin Street has said Gabriel’s Wharf was always intended as a “temporary use” of the site and that the units, originally set up as garage units in 1988, have “reached the end of their life”. The area is set to be flattened to reportedly make way for a nursing home, but will have a “meanwhile use” for the next 15 years.
However, The Gabriel’s Wharf Traders’ Association said they have not been given a “suitable relocation plan” and questioned why existing traders cannot remain as part of the future “meanwhile use”.
Coin Street is a social enterprise which manages 13 acres of the South Bank, including the Oxo Tower and numerous housing co-operatives in the area. The organisation was formed following a local campaign in the 1980s against large-scale redevelopment plans.
The landlord said it first informed traders of the closure in April 2025, before offering businesses a one-year lease extension in September 2025 to allow them to continue trading until September 2026.
Frances Bingham, who owns Potters’ Yard, a pottery and lettering arts studio with her partner Liz Mathews, said the business has no plan for when the lease
ends on 27 September.
“We all feel very stressed and very anxious. We are spending a huge amount of time thinking about what to do next. It’s very hard to find suitable premises,” she said.
“South Bank is such an amazing location for us and we have all built up our businesses based on being here.”
She added: “I just think it’s very sad and I think it’s very short-sighted. I’m sure there is a way it can be made to work and Gabriel’s Wharf can go on for 10 to 15 years, which is when the new development is set to start.”
Joanne Plumb, whose knitwear shop has been at Gabriel’s Wharf for 24 years, attracts customers from all over the world. She said: “All our businesses are so individual and we all bring people to the South Bank. It almost feels like you’re on holiday because it’s away from everywhere and has a beach feel.
I’m blessed to be here.”
“All our customers are sad that it’s closing. Not one person has said ‘oh that’s good’. It’s not Oxford Street, it’s not Covent Garden, it’s Gabriel’s Wharf.”
Joanne said traders had received “minimal support” from Coin Street when it came to relocation plans. She said: “They gave us a Google list of places we could go. Any of us could find that on Google ourselves.”
“We are all looking for different places to move to but it’s just so difficult because there isn’t actually anything out there. I could do craft fairs but that is three steps backwards for me.”
When asked about the level of support provided to traders, a spokesperson for Coin Street said that they “understand that relocation has been a key concern for some traders” but are “not in a position to provide an individual relocation service.”
Coin Street said it has met with traders on four occasions, provided monthly updates and shared information about alternative commercial premises and agents.
Coin Street said that the regeneration is “intended to create a sustainable income stream to support our wider community needs for many years to come. All income we generate supports homes, parks, our nursery, family services and community programmes.”
Businesses had their last Christmas at the Wharf in 2025 and are now preparing to leave the site. As it is the busiest time of year, the Traders’ Association said it asked for an extension until this Christmas, but were refused.
Lambeth Council has been working with traders, but the association said additional support and “transitional help” is needed to navigate the closure.
Sonya, owner of Hot Mess Toasties, said: “If there was a high street in Lambeth that was set to be demolished, would that be ok?
“The best thing about Gabriel’s Wharf is that it is not exclusive. There’s nowhere like it. You don’t need to spend money.”
A spokesperson for Coin Street said: “Coin Street is a not-for-profit social
enterprise. Every pound generated by our commercial spaces, such as Gabriel’s Wharf, supports homes, parks, our nursery, family services and community programmes.
“The aim of regenerating Gabriel’s Wharf is to continue its meanwhile use as a vibrant mixed-use public space for residents, workers and visitors to enjoy.
Gabriel’s Wharf, in its current form, has always been a temporary use of the site.
“It was originally set up in 1988 using garage units, and the units have reached the end of their life. Their condition demands we take action to regenerate the Wharf to ensure we have sustainable income to support our wider community needs for many years to come.
“We are working with commercial partners to determine the new meanwhile use for the site and we expect to be in a position to share more detail later this year. Across all our commercial ventures, we strive to ensure there’s a mix of income and social impact, and Gabriel’s Wharf will be no exception.
“The tenants at Gabriel’s Wharf are valued members of the Coin Street community and so last year we took the decision to keep Gabriel’s Wharf open until September 2026 to allow them time to plan for their businesses and to give the Wharf a successful final year in its current form.
“Our goal is to shape a destination that reflects the spirit of our community and the South Bank – welcoming residents, workers, and visitors alike – while generating vital income to reinvest in the neighbourhood we all care about.”
A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: “We appreciate that this is a really difficult situation for the affected traders at Gabriel’s Wharf on the South Bank.
“This is a privately owned site, but Lambeth Council has been in contact with the Gabriel’s Wharf Tenants Association to offer support. That includes information on how to access other locations in the borough to trade from.
“The council will continue to do what it can to support them as the landowner decides the future of this site.”
DRONE FLYING ABOVE WATERLOO STATION TO CRACK DOWN ON TRESPASSERS AND REDUCE DISRUPTION
By Alex Orr
A DRONE has been deployed in the skies over London Waterloo station to deter trespassers, improve safety and reduce disruption.
The automated technology, which has been put in place by South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail Wessex (NR Wessex), has been implemented as part of a plan to improve rail services for customers after the operators were taken into public ownership.
The drone is operated remotely from Woolston, near Southampton, by British company SkyBound, providing live intelligence to rail operators and helping them respond to incidents more quickly. Its high-resolution and thermal imaging cameras give enhanced visibility of trespass incidents, infrastructure concerns or any situation requiring inspection, streamed live to the network’s operations centre in Basingstoke, Hampshire.
According to SWR, trespass and fatalities
account for almost 14% of delays, making them a leading cause of disruption and costing taxpayers millions of pounds.
SWR said trespassing on the railway is illegal and extremely dangerous, adding SWR and NR Wessex trains are powered by an “always on” electrical third rail carrying 750 volts of current, enough to cause severe life-changing injuries or death.
When trespassers are reported on the railway, the operators have to turn off the power, preventing trains from running until the incident has been resolved and power can be safely restored.
Between April 2025 and June 2026, trespassing caused more than 200,000 minutes of delays to SWR and NR Wessex services.
The drone at Waterloo is the first of a number of SkyBound drones set to be used on the network, with others planned for Clapham Junction, New Malden and Walton-on-Thames.
Tom Desmond, Operations Director for South Western Railway and Network
Hospital receives state-of-the-art
CT
scanner to
cut waiting lists
By Alex Orr
K ING’S COLLEGE Hospital in Denmark Hill has replaced one of its three CT systems with a new state of the art scanner.
The Siemens Symbia Pro-specta SPECT-CT scanner will provide diagnostic imaging, as well as advanced radioligand therapy, a specialised treatment for cancer and neuroendocrine tumours.
King’s said the investment strengthens the position of its radiology service as a leading centre for innovation in nuclear medicine and theragnostics, a type of cancer treatment.
It enables the department to deliver cutting-edge imaging for both routine and highly specialised services, while reducing radiation exposure for patients and staff.
Dr Nicola Mulholland, Nuclear Medicine Clinical Lead at King’s, said: “The scanner provides
the latest imaging technology, providing better quality images, enabling faster scans and greater accuracy in detecting and monitoring disease.
“Above all, it represents an investment in better care, better patient outcomes, and the future of diagnostic and therapeutic innovation.”
Estevao Bagi, Nuclear Medicine Clinical and Service Manager at King’s College Hospital, added:
“The state-of-the-art imaging system represents a major step forward for Nuclear Medicine at King’s, helping bring down our waiting lists and future-proof services for years to come.”
The news came a week before the hospital’s leadership was downgraded by the CQC to ‘requires improvement’, with staff reporting bullying, harassment, discrimination, and “inequitable” career progression.
Rail Wessex, said: “Trespass is one of the leading causes of disruption on our network, delaying our customers’ journeys and costing taxpayers. Every minute of delay at London Waterloo also has a significant impact on our wider network.
“By providing rapid, live intelligence from the air, this drone helps us respond more quickly to incidents, enhance safety and keep trains moving along one of the country’s more important railway lines.
“It’s an exciting use of innovative technology between South Western Railway, Network Rail Wessex and our partners at SkyBound and part of our plan to give customers more reliable journeys.”
Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, added: “Publicly owned operators like South Western Railway are utilising the latest tech to prevent disruption. Trespassing on the tracks is dangerous — it put lives at risk and costs taxpayers money. Under Great British Railways we’re bringing track and train together to tackle this persistent issue.”
Dulwich man sentenced to five years in prison after handgun found in Louis Vuitton man-bag
DNA analysis helped the police make the arrest
By Alex Orr
A DULWICH man has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm in the City of London.
22-year-old Kaenan Dixon, of Thurlow Park Road, located between West Dulwich and Tulse Hill railway stations, pled guilty after he was forensically linked to a live handgun found in the back of a people carrier two years ago.
At approximately 4:30am on 17 August 2024, the City of London Police were called to Jewry Street, near Aldgate Tube station, due to reports of a crowd failing to disperse in the area after a private event.
A police officer was approached by a woman alleging a man in a Mercedes Vito van had assaulted her, with police then approaching the driver who was initially reluctant to speak and provided false details.
Police said suspicions were raised by the fact the van’s engine was running despite the driver, who appeared to be drunk, being sat in the passenger seat.
While police were dealing with the driver, who was later arrested for various offences including obstruction and failing to provide a specimen, three occupants left the vehicle and walked away, including a man later identified as Kaenan Dixon.
After a search of the vehicle, officers found a blue Louis Vuitton man-bag containing a loaded hand gun, which had been modified, and live ammunition, as well as other bladed weapons.
The driver denied any knowledge of the weapons seized, stating he had not met
the passengers before and did not know their names.
Police deemed the driver not involved in any further crimes relating to the case.
The Louis Vuitton bag, along with the hand gun and ammunition, were sent off for DNA analysis, with results showing Kaenan Dixon had been in contact with the man-bag.
The police said a search of CCTV footage then showed Dixon wearing the manbag, pacing up and down the street.
Shortly after the gun was found, Dixon booked a same-day flight to Los Angeles.
On 4 February 2025, an arrest enquiry was carried out at a property in North Kensington, with Dixon found at the
address, arrested and brought into custody.
The police said he claimed not to own a phone and none were found during the search. He has since pled guilty to possession of a firearm.
Detective Constable Simon Gray, of the City of London Police force, said: “Every illegal firearm we recover is potentially a life saved.”
He added: “This case demonstrates the vital role that forensic science plays in modern policing. DNA evidence provided the crucial link that enabled officers to identify and prosecute the offender, ensuring a dangerous weapon was removed from our streets.”
LOCALS HAVE rallied around the managers of a South London pub, who were told to leave by Heineken’s pub arm after investing more than £150,000 to restore it.
A petition calling on Star Pubs, part of Heineken UK, to allow the managers of the much-loved Park Tavern in Southfields to remain at the venue has gained more than a thousand signatures.
Amir Matinahmadi, from the pub’s leaseholder MFM Pub Group, said they had carried out works totalling more than £150,000 to restore the historic building back into a community hub after it fell into disrepair under previous management.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that things had taken a turn for the worse when the pub’s freeholder, Star Pubs, took over the pub in October 2024 under a tied tenancy, where the tenant must buy stock directly from the landlord company, which Mr Matinahmadi claimed made it difficult for them to operate.
He claimed that Star Pubs had repeatedly withheld the pub’s beer orders when it was behind on rent, and then fined management for ordering stock from elsewhere to keep the venue trading, including a recent fine of £3,500.
“It’s just constantly fighting, in an environment where you’re already struggling, and you have to deal with this,” Mr Matinahmadi added.
Star Pubs told the LDRS it was not possible for MFM to remain at the pub due to “serious issues” during their tenure, and that it had received interest from other operators hoping to take it on. MFM’s tenancy had been due to expire anyway in June this year, but, Mr Matinahmadi said they were given “false hope” that it would be renewed during informal negotiations with Star Pubs and claimed the firm had dealt with them in bad faith. Star Pubs served MFM with a section 25 notice opposing the renewal of the lease and later asked management to leave the pub by August 5.
Mr Matinahmadi said MFM is disputing that the tenancy has ended as no court proceedings for possession have been issued. He said the prospect of losing the pub has taken a major toll on the team, with management particularly worried for staff members.
‘PLEASE PARK PUB PLANS’
“It broke us, telling staff that the venue is going to be taken away from us and [they] might have to find new jobs,” he said. While they have already received support from the community, Mr Matinahmadi said a “David and Goliath battle” to stay in the pub lay ahead. MFM is planning to refer the dispute to the Pubs Code Adjudicator, while Putney MP Fleur Anderson has also written to the adjudicator calling for an investigation.
“Everybody has been in uproar,” Mr Matinahmadi said, “We’ve received so many emails and messages begging for us to stick with it and not give the pub up and fight.”
He added: “You’re fighting against the company that for them it’s nothing to fight you, and for you it’s everything to fight them.”
Putney councillor Jasmin Glynne set up a Change.org petition calling for MFM to be allowed to remain in the pub, which has gained more than 1,000 signatures
in just two weeks. She has been raising concerns about Star Pub’s treatment of MFM alongside Ms Anderson.
Councillor Glynne said: “The Park Tavern is one of the most beloved spots in this part of Putney. Residents have watched the current management transform it into a thriving, welcoming local. After investing so much into restoring the building, they deserve to be treated fairly. I urge Star Pubs to listen to the community and keep the current management in place.”
Ms Anderson added: “The Park Tavern is an important part of our community and I have serious concerns about the way the current management has been treated. I’ve asked the Pub Code Adjudicator to investigate, and I stand with local residents who want to see this much-loved pub remain under its current management.”
The pub was built in 1902 and extended in 1926. It is rated two stars on the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA)
inventory with an interior of “very special national historic interest”.
A Star Pubs spokesperson told the LDRS: “Whilst we will not discuss the specific details of the operator’s business arrangements in public, we can confirm that it is not possible for them to remain at the pub due to serious issues that cannot be ignored during their tenure.
“We are committed to keeping pubs open and thriving. To that end, we have invested £328 million into our pubs since 2018 and are spending a further £44.5 million this year, safeguarding them for the future.
“The Park Tavern is a lovely pub in a great location, and we already have interest from operators keen to take it on once it is vacated.
“Our plan would be to reopen The Park Tavern as soon as possible after having undertaken some essential repairs. Longer term, we hope to carry out a refurbishment of the pub’s ground
Secret Cinema plans on Greenwich peninsula move forward
By Cameron Blackshaw Local Democracy Reporter
AN ENTERTAINMENT company which produces immersive cinema experiences is one step closer to opening its first permanent venue in London.
Secret Cinema has been given the green light to build a permanent space on the Greenwich Peninsula. Greenwich Council granted the entertainment company planning permission to construct a 1,500 seat auditorium and event space for up to 10 years last month.
The film and production business has now applied to the council for a premises licence that will allow its new location to remain open and sell alcohol until 11.30pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends.
Since 2007, London-based Secret Cinema has been putting on its signature immersive film productions across the capital. It blends live theatre, themed environments and movie screenings to
It
blends live theatre, themed environments and movie screenings to fully
immerse
audience members in the worlds of their favourite stories
fully immerse audience members in the worlds of their favourite stories.
It is currently running Grease The Immersive Movie Musical at Battersea Park until mid-September and its past productions include Guardians of the Galaxy at Wembley in 2022 and Stranger Things in Canning Town in 2019.
Describing its new project on the peninsula, Secret Cinema said: “The state-of-the-art immersive venue will be designed flexibly, as a potential home to a successive series of immersive productions based on some of the most famous and high profile film titles in the world.”
The new cinema will be located right
next to the new Troubador Theatre which is currently under construction. Planning permission for the theatre was granted earlier this year, and the 3,000seat venue will be the capital’s largest capacity theatre once built.
Greenwich Council’s Licensing SubCommittee B will decide whether to grant Secret Cinema’s new premises licence on August 11. The premises licence application has received two objections from local residents. Both feared the new venue would create the opportunity for late-night noise and disturbance to Greenwich Peninsula residents living nearby.
Staff at the Park Tavern, Southfi
There will be 39 flats, of which 40 per cent aim to be ‘affordable’ and 9 at social rent
By Ruby Gregory Local Democracy Reporter
A FORMER youth club building in Camberwell’s Comber Grove is set to be knocked down and replaced with 39 new flats after Southwark Council gave plans the green light last week.
Applicant, Comber Grove Estates, had submitted a planning application to demolish the former Hollington Youth Club on Comber Grove to make way for a new six-storey residential building.
Southwark Council’s Planning Committee unanimously approved the plans during a meeting last Wednesday (July 22).
According to planning documents, the youth club closed in 2017 and the existing building has not been in active use since. The former youth club at 56-58 Comber Grove was operated by charity, DMC Hollington Trust, and included a boxing gym and a sports hall, alongside various offices, smaller rooms and changing facilities.
The youth club was first established in the 1890s and was initially located on nearby Hollington Road (now demolished), which provided a youth programme for around 200 boys in the area. It moved to Comber Grove in the 1950s as part of the estate’s development.
The new plans will see 39 flats built, of which 40 per cent aim to be ‘affordable’ and will consist of nine social rent homes, five shared
FORMER YOUTH CLUB WILL BE BULLDOZED FOR NEW FLATS
ownership properties and 25 private homes.
The social rent homes will consist of five one-beds, one two-bed and three three-beds. The shared ownership properties will be split into two two-beds and three three-beds. Meanwhile, the homes for the private market will consist of 10 one-beds, 11 two-beds and four three-beds.
Planning officers working for the council said the loss of the community space to provide housing, including 40 per cent affordable, was considered acceptable. The development will also provide cycle and refuse storage as well as a communal roof terrace to provide under-5 play space, and communal and private amenity space.
During last week’s meeting, DCM Hollington Trust said the proposals were an “excellent way” to achieve its
aims of supporting local communities in Southwark.
John Murray, who was reading out a statement on behalf of the trust’s chairman, said the club had to close due to encountering financial difficulties during 2015 and 2016.
“Eventually the upkeep of the club and keeping it fit-for-purpose became uneconomical and meant that if it continued, it would have to be liquidated within a year or two,” he explained.
“It was therefore decided to look at recapitalising by putting a fit-forpurpose youth club accompanied with flats above to recapitalise the charity.”
He added: “Sadly with the COVID pandemic and increased costs, the developer for this scheme had to withdraw since it became uneconomical.
“DCM Hollington Trust then looked at the next best thing to help the local situation and after discussing with the council and various local bodies decided that we would look at the social housing scheme which has for some while been badly needed in the borough.”
Mr Murray said the trust has been unable to support Southwark’s youth for the past decade “without a viable option in place”, but said the scheme will allow it to continue operating in the long-term for another 100-plus years because of the interest earned.
There were nine objections in total from neighbouring properties, which included concerns that the plans were “out of character” with surrounding buildings and that the development was too “bulky”.
However, planning officers said the proposals had gone through an “extensive” pre-application process and they were considered acceptable in terms of design quality and layout. When approving the application, the committee added some extra conditions which concerned the upkeep of the site’s green spaces.
Silvertown Tunnel fees set to rise
By Alex Orr
THE SILVERTOWN tunnel fee at peak times will go up by 20p later this year but since opening a year ago there has been less congestion, air quality has improved and bus use has increased, according to Transport for London (TfL).
The new report from TfL showed the tunnel, which links the Greenwich Peninsula to Newham in East London, has made journeys faster and more reliable.
It noted northbound peak journey times through the Blackwall Tunnel, which links Greenwich to Tower Hamlets in East London, have been up to 58% quicker in the morning and 47% in the evening.
These quicker journeys have been accompanied by a 23% reduction in the number of over-height vehicle incidents in the
Tunnel.
There are now 21 buses serving the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels every hour, which has led to a 290% increase in cross-river bus journeys using these routes.
All bus journeys through the tunnels had been free until 26 May 2026, with more than 10 million trips made on the network in its first year.
There has also been a 17% drop in nitrogen dioxide concentrations in the area compared to the year before the tunnel opened.
The highest average concentration over the past year has been one-third lower than the annual limit set by the UK Air Quality Strategy, TfL said.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said: “This analysis shows that the Silvertown Tunnel is proving a success, not only cutting journey times but encouraging more sustainable transport so we can keep cleaning up our air.
“I’m particularly pleased to see major reductions in congestion at
the Blackwall Tunnel benefitting businesses and local residents.
“The Silvertown Tunnel is already transforming travel across the Thames as we continue building a greener, fairer, better London for everyone.”
TfL added user charges for the
and Silvertown
had worked successfully in their bid to manage traffic demand and minimise environmental impacts.
The charges will increase in line with inflation from 21 September 2026, with existing discounts for
Blackwall
Blackwall
Tunnels
eligible residents, businesses and Blue Badge holders remaining in place. Standard off-peak charges for a car and small van will increase by 5p from £1.50 to £1.55. Meanwhile, peak charges will rise by 20p
How the development plans to look once completed
The site was formerly used as a youth club which was forced to close down after encountering financial difficulties
The Cycle Shuttle Service through the Silvertown Tunnel will remain free until further notice
A Safe, Fun, and Nourishing Summer in Lambeth
Looking for ways to keep your children active, and engaged this summer?
Lambeth’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme is back, offering free activities for 4–16 year olds who live or go to school in Lambeth and receive benefits-related free school meals. The programme runs from 20 July to 28 August.
Children can enjoy a range of activities including sports, arts, music, drama and outdoor play, with a free healthy meal provided at every session.
HAF supports children to build confidence, develop skills, make friends, and enjoy their holidays in a safe, inclusive environment.
Dedicated places and specialist provision are available for children with SEND.
Activities take place across Lambeth in local schools, community centres, adventure playgrounds and parks, so there will be something happening near you all summer.
What to expect
• Fun, high-quality activities led by trusted local providers
• Free, nutritious meals
• Safe and inclusive settings
• Specialist provision and support for children with SEND
• Opportunities to build skills, friendships, and confidence
What to do next
• Check activities in your area
• Book early – spaces fill up quickly
• Plan your summer with ease
To find out more and book visit our website or scan the QR code below. www.lambeth.gov.uk/haf
Let’s make this a happy, healthy summer for children and young people in Lambeth.
SOUTHWARK AND LAMBETH FACE EXODUS AS MORE THAN
14,000 RESIDENTS LEAVE IN A SINGLE YEAR
The population loss could affect council tax revenues, local schools and local businesses
By Alex Orr
SOUTHWARK AND Lambeth have lost more than fourteen thousand residents in the past year, causing a headache for both local councils.
According to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), estimates showed over 42,000 people moved out of Southwark in the past 12 months, compared to just 34,000 who moved in, leading to a loss of more than seven
thousand people.
Southwark suffered the greatest population loss of any inner London borough, with Lambeth in fourth place, having welcomed just over 39,000 new residents while another 45,000
departed.
The new data comes after the Joint Administration on Southwark Council published its shared priorities list, which raised concerns about families moving out of the borough due to affordability and cost of living issues.
The Green-Lib Dem coalition has said it will try to tackle Southwark’s falling birth-rate, which has decreased by 36 per cent in the past 15 years.
In their manifesto prior to the local elections on 7 May, Southwark Lib Dems said they would ensure more affordable
family homes were built in the local area to bring down the cost of living for families and avoid school closures.
Southwark’s population loss has accelerated since the pandemic, with the borough now home to 34,000 fewer residents than five years ago.
As it deals with a funding gap of £102 million over the next four years, the council will be hoping Southwark’s population can stabilise, enabling the administration to budget more reliably and predict council tax intake more accurately in the future.
Volunteer gardeners in Borough at loggerheads with the City of London after alleged damage to 70-year-old community garden
By Alex Orr
LOCAL GARDENERS at the Collinson Street Community Garden in Borough are in a dispute with the City of London after alleged damage to the garden left them in “horrible shock”. Members of the Collinson Street Gardening Group said they arrived at the garden to find it covered in grey dust, adding damage had been caused to the wildlife pond, wildflowers and soil throughout the space.
The garden is part of the City of London corporation’s Collinson Court/Great Suffolk Street estate and is cared for by local residents, who grow wildflowers as well as fruit and vegetables for picking.
The estate is currently being redeveloped by architecture company Archio, with the City of London funding the delivery of between 20 and 25 new council homes on the site, alongside new porter’s facilities and improvements to the landscape.
The Collinson Street gardeners said they were not opposed to the development because the new flats have all been designated for social housing, but they have asked the City of London to save the garden, which has been in use since the 1950s.
Hannah Metcalfe, a member of the Collinson Street Gardening Group, said: “It was a horrible shock to find the entrance area of the garden covered with grey powder.
“We were given no warning that this might happen. At first we thought it was concrete dust and spoils from nearby drilling sites.”
The small garden, which has been cared for by the community since the 1950s, is set to be relocated
After posting about the incident on Instagram and receiving more than six thousand views, Hannah said staff from the City of London corporation got in touch to explain the dust was actually “powdery grey subsoil” from a small trench made in the garden by the building contractors. According to
the corporation, the trench was dug to test the suitability of the ground in the garden for development work.
A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation later added: “We are aware of these concerns but can confirm no damage was caused to the garden. Our contractor dug a
small trial pit to determine ground conditions for our proposed social housing development at Collinson Court.
“The pit was filled in after use with the same soil taken out and the only vegetation removed was ivy and dead plants. Residents were advised in
advance these works would be taking place.”
But Hannah said the trench had damaged wildflowers, ivy and the roots of a cherry tree and had “contaminated” the garden’s small wildlife pond with dust.
According to the community gardeners, vegetable plants had been trampled and covered in grey dust, while others had been dug up and replanted in different places. She said: “Whoever did this thought it was OK to damage an area of community garden with no warning and walk away as if nothing had happened.
“Luckily, support from the local community has shown that you can’t treat our green spaces like that.”
The Collinson Street gardeners said they had been to a meeting with the City of London and community engagement consulting firm Newman Francis, and they are hoping work will be done to protect the garden moving forward.
Hannah said: “We would like the garden to be saved, or at least for as much of the planting and soil as possible to be relocated to somewhere nearby where residents and neighbours can continue to have space for growing.
“We really need the green space in this area and the garden has brought neighbours together to grow and pick fruit and vegetables.”
The City of London has now confirmed the community garden will be relocated as part of the redevelopment, adding the corporation has been working closely with residents on its design ahead of submitting a planning application to Southwark Council later this year.
Charles Dickens Primary School during the school run
The community garden in full bloom in the past
A comparison of the soil in the garden before (below) and after (above)
The proposed redevelopment at Collinson Court
The new executive on Southwark Council
The community gardeners hold fruit-picking events for neighbours
Collinson Street Community Garden after the alleged damage caused by the grey subsoil
By Cameron Blackshaw Local Democracy Reporter
PLANS TO demolish a South East London estate will be put on hold after one of its residents won a legal battle to have the demolition approval scrutinised.
A High Court judge ruled last week (July 29) that a judicial review will take place into Bexley Council’s decision to approve Peabody Housing Association’s proposal to knock down the Lesnes Estate in Thamesmead to make way for nearly 2,000 homes.
Adam Turk, the Lesnes resident who brought the claim against Bexley and Peabody, said he was “elated and very relieved” that Mr Justice Choudhury ruled in his favour while standing on the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday afternoon, July 29.
Mr Turk said: “Justice is prevailing and for the first time, we are being heard. It’s been a long road this. It’s been twoand-a-half years. That’s how long we’ve waited to be able to come into court and challenge this planning application.”
Fellow Lesnes resident Emmanuel Ladele said he was “very delighted” as he had expected the judicial review request to be denied.
Maria Ivanonva has lived on the estate for almost 20 years and she said she felt “positive” about the upcoming judicial review.
She said: “A home is not just property. It is where our memories live, where our families grow, and where our lives are built. I sincerely hope that fairness, justice and compassion will always have a place in our society.”
The lawyer representing Mr Turk and the remaining Lesnes residents
All board again at Princess Diana’s playground
THAMESMEAD ESTATE RESIDENT’S HIGH COURT VICTORY
By Katherine Gray
Local Democracy Reporter
On Wednesday August
play with a brand new 17-metre by 12 metre Galleon ship moored on a sandy beach. There is also a new treehouse with three different towers and a tunnel slide.
A “larger-than-life” crocodile structure is also located in inside a waterplay area. Younger children can also use a new redesigned play area with tree houses, play ships and a large sandpit.
Andy Williams, Park Manager for Kensington Gardens said: “We know that children across London, the UK and the world have been eagerly awaiting the reopening of this playground, and we can’t wait to see their reactions when they visit. We know they will absolutely
love it.
“This playground has been thoughtfully designed so that children of all abilities and interests can find something that appeals to them. Children can once again splash, swing, climb and hide in this almost two-acre playground set amongst sub-tropical planting.”
The Royal Parks charity has taken steps to improve both inclusivity and accessibility so that children of all abilities can play together.
This includes providing wheelchair accessible spaces in the Galleon and the Treehouse, the creation of a new accessible path and the addition of raised tables in the water play and sand areas. It has also added sensory planting, upgraded the musical area and provided lots of interactive play features. The design has focused on sustainability, using timber from sustainably managed European forests and collecting water for irrigation.
A PETER Pan inspired park will reopened this weeek following a multi-million pound refurbishment by The Royal Parks.
The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, in Kensington Gardens, was one of the most visited in the UK, with over a million visitors per year.
Last October, the park closed so that some of the older equipment, such as the large sailing ship, could be replaced. It has now undergone a full makeover, following a £3million investment by The Royal Parks.
5 children were be able to visit the reopened park to
A High Court judge ruled that a judicial review will take place into Bexley Council’s decision to approve Peabody’s proposal to knock down the estate in Thamesmead to make way for nearly 2,000 homes
argued insufficient information about the proposal’s greenhouse gas emissions was provided in the planning application and thus Bexley councillors were misled when giving their approval.
The legal team for Peabody and Bexley Council said no breach of planning regulations had taken place and that even if there was a breach, this would have made no material difference to the eventual outcome.
Mr Justice Choudhury ruled in favour of the residents, stating that an argument was there to be had over whether the full emissions information could have swayed the decision. He said the judicial review would likely take place in October or November.
Referring to points made by Peabody and Bexley’s lawyers, the judge said: “They might leave him stumbling on the ropes, but they’re not quite the knockout blow.”
A Peabody spokesperson said: “We’re investing in communities in and around South Thamesmead, supporting people, improving public areas and providing
much-needed new homes. The majority of local residents backed our proposal to redevelop the Lesnes Estate, which will help us expand our work and create an even better place for local people to live.
“We’re committed to supporting residents from the Lesnes Estate as we create 2,800 much-needed new homes in South Thamesmead. This includes ensuring that Peabody tenants and resident homeowners can stay in the neighbourhood if they wish to through our strong package of financial support.”
A Bexley Council spokesperson said: “The council is aware that the High Court has granted permission for a judicial review claim to proceed. Permission is a procedural stage in the process and does not mean that the claim has been upheld. The substantive issues have yet to be considered by the court. As the matter is ongoing and before the court, it would not be appropriate for the council to comment further at this time.”
The Lesnes Estate in Thamesmead
The multimillion pound revamp of Lewisham Library delayed again
By Ruby Gregory Local Democracy Reporter
THE MULTIMILLION-POUND revamp of Lewisham Library has faced further delays after the council revealed the expected reopening date has been pushed back another year.
Lewisham Library was due to reopen to the public in the autumn, but at a recent full council meeting (July 22), it was revealed that the expected reopening date has now been delayed until late 2027.
Cllr Hau-Yu Tam, Cabinet Member for Communities, Sanctuary and Healing, provided an update on the library revamp after a public question was asked about it.
In her written response, Cllr Tam said: “Since taking office, we have been briefed on delays affecting the Lewisham Library renovation project. The completion of the renovation works has been delayed due to the need to rectify unexpected issues with the building’s secondary structure, namely the brickwork surrounding the concrete core.
was built in the 1960s. Its grey brutalist blocks were made famous for featuring in the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.
Plans to demolish the estate and replace it with 1,950 new homes were approved by Bexley Council in 2022. Since then most Lesnes residents have moved elsewhere, assisted by Peabody that has offered homeowners the market value of their home plus 10 per cent as compensation.
The estate is now a ghost town. Large parts of it are dilapidated and many properties have been taken over by housing occupiers and squatters who regularly clash with police.
However, a small portion of residents refused to leave the place they have called home for decades. A group of around 20 households—a mixture of homeowners, social and private tenants—have been campaigning to stop the destruction of Lesnes. They will have their day in court later this year as they attempt to overturn the planned demolition of the iconic Brutalist estate.
“Unfortunately, these issues could not be identified until the main works were underway. Officers are working with the architects, structural engineers and contractors to address these issues and finalise the revised programme.
The expected opening date is now autumn 2027.”
A spokesperson for Lewisham Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that they completely understand people’s frustration over the delayed reopening.
They said: “This is a major and complex retrofit project. As work has progressed, we’ve uncovered structural issues in parts of the building that couldn’t have been identified until construction was underway.
“While this is not unusual on a project of this size, it means extra remedial work is needed before the refurbishment can be completed.
This will ensure the building is safe, sustainable and able to serve the community for many years to come.”
The spokesperson said they remain committed to delivering the “outstanding community asset” they promised and are confident it will be ‘worth the wait’.
Proposals for the library makeover were first announced in January 2023, and in September that year, the library temporarily closed for renovation.
At the time, the council had set a reopening date of early 2026; this was pushed back even further to May of that year after a separate planning application was submitted. In summer 2024, it was also revealed that plans for a rooftop bar were to be scrapped due to ‘a lack of money’ and problems with the building’s structure, planning documents submitted to Lewisham Council showed.
Instead, a new business hub planned for the second floor of the library is set to ‘benefit from the level 2 terrace area’, according to the same documents.
The revamp forms part of a £24 million project to revitalise Lewisham town centre, which includes refurbishing the library, delivering an improved Lewisham Market and improving the high street.
Lewisham Council has secured £19 million in Government funding and has used £5 million in council money to deliver the project.
Alongside core library and heritage services, the refurbished library building will offer improved study areas, meeting rooms, workspaces for local businesses and students, a performance space, and a new café.
Lewisham Market is getting a new layout, improved stalls, and a permanent market house and canopy, which will increase trading capacity and create opportunities for pop-ups and evening events. Additionally, the plans will deliver a Grade II-listed Clock Tower as well as better lighting, paving and planting.
Adam Turk outside the Royal Courts of Justice
Lesnes Estate in Thamesmead.
Lesnes Estate residents celebrate outside the Royal Courts of Justice on July 29.
what’s on
THIS LEAVES THE AUDIENCE SATISFIED AND INVIGORATED
HIT MACHINE (DIRECTED by Daniel Bailey) arrives at Soho Theatre with a sharp, funny, and emotionally perceptive exploration of two brothers attempting to untangle years of resentment as the fractures in their relationship are illuminated to one another, writes Leo Dunlop...
Jonathan Caren’s play examines success, masculinity, and the uneasy power dynamics that can so often exist between siblings, all set against the relentlessly social-media/imagedriven backdrop of the modern music industry.
Josh Radnor plays record-label executive Wes, a man who has obscured his view of the past behind wealth, status, and piles of platinum records. His carefully curated world is disrupted when his younger brother, wannabe pop star Owen (Noah Galvin), arrives at his newly acquired mansion, hoping for both refuge and opportunity. What begins as an awkward reunion gradually exposes years of jealousy, disappointment, and
emotional avoidance.
The action unfolds almost entirely within Wes’s immaculate home studio, decorated with awards and the luxury of fizzy bottled waters. The restrained set design creates an intimate arena for the performances, while the studio’s sliding glass doors provide literal reflections that quietly reinforce the play’s concern with identity and self-perception. As the brothers circle one another, old rivalries resurface. Their exchanges are laced with competitiveness and wounded pride: Wes insists he won’t simply hand success to his brother, yet it becomes increasingly clear that his reluctance stems as much from a desire to preserve his own power as from any belief in meritocracy.
Caren’s script manages to bring us into the very modern world of the music industry as Wes desperately tries to sign the up-and-coming star ‘Defy the Leader’ (Khalil Madovi). It’s in the language and wit of the script that gives the story such momentum; there’s much to discover about the characters and world as the dialogue
rallies between them. Contemporary references and industry jargon can often feel self-conscious or quickly become dated, but here they are woven naturally into the dialogue.
The performances are uniformly strong. Radnor is particularly impressive, delivering a portrait of a man whose confidence masks deep insecurity and exhaustion. It is a testament to his performance that he quickly sheds the familiarity of his role in How I Met Your Mother, disappearing entirely into Wes’s brittle, tightly controlled persona.
Noah Galvin provides an effective
counterbalance, bringing vulnerability and humour to a character desperate to be recognised on his own terms.
At just 75 minutes, there are moments where the play could benefit from a little more breathing room.
Certain emotional revelations arrive in quick succession, and a touch more silence or reflection would have allowed the brothers’ relationship to develop with greater complexity.
Interestingly, the piece often feels strikingly cinematic; its crisp dialogue and contained setting would translate naturally to the screen.
While the broad direction of
the story becomes apparent early on, Hit Machine earns its conclusion through the emotional honesty of its characters. Just when it appears to be settling into a familiar resolution, the play delivers a final surprise that leaves the audience satisfied and invigorated.
Hit Machine will undoubtedly bring in huge audiences.
Original music by Ben Harper and CJ Harper.
The play runs until August 26th. Booking and full details: www. hitmachine.london/
MENI ER CHOCOLATE Factory until September 12th.
Midnight at the Never Get, Mark Sonnenblick’s stirring portrayal of love, ambition and oppression, is a great success from start to end, writes Melina Block...
Taking place in the eponymous underground club and spanning from the 60s through to the 80s, this show follows the lives and love of two men as they try to forge a career and partnership in a world that adores their art yet criminalises the thing that inspires.
Broadway star Ben Platt is masterful as singer Trevor Copeland, guiding the audience through his tragic relationship with songwriter Arthur Brightman, portrayed by the also excellent Gregor Milne. Both
actors lean into the complexity and depth of their characters, foregoing predictable clichés in favour of nuanced, heartachingly honest performances. The Chocolate Factory’s unique design, more like a jazz club than a typical theatre, lends itself perfectly to the atmospheric, dimly lit Greenwich Village cabaret club where Trevor and Arthur unveil their new show each week. Platt’s singing is as pitch perfect as you would expect from someone who has won a Tony and Grammy (and Emmy), transfixing the audience as he croons alongside Milne’s deft piano playing.
As the story of Trevor and Arthur’s outlawed love story unfolds, we are invited to question just how accurately Trevor is recalling their romance, as well as both his and
his lover’s choices. Were Trevor’s feelings truly reciprocated? How much of a duty does one owe to the community they belong to, whether they like it or not? How much is too much to sacrifice in the pursuit of success? No easy answers are given, instead the show reflects on the sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly reality of the human experience—in particular how external forces can shape that experience.
With powerhouse performances and thought-provoking writing, Midnight at the Never Get is a mustsee show.
Menier Chocolate Factory until September 12th.
Booking and full details: www.menierchocolatefactory.com/
Young artists can celebrate the bold colours and creativity of Mexico in a Frida Kahlo-inspired craft workshop at Blackheath Conservatoire. Children will create vibrant 3D flowers and colourful headdresses inspired by the iconic artist in a fun, hands-on session designed for ages three to five. The class is drop-off, allowing little ones to get creative while parents enjoy some free time.
Date: Monday 10 August
Time: 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Location: Blackheath Conservatoire, 19-21 Lee Rd, Blackheath, London SE3 9RQ
Tickets: £27 per ticket, book on their website conservatoire.org.uk
Free summer fete in Deptford
Date: Saturday 15 August
Time: 1pm – 6pm
Location: The Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford, SE8 4AG
Celebrate summer with a free afternoon of live music, DJs, delicious food and creative activities at The Albany’s community garden party. The SE8 summer fete is part of the Mayor of London’s ‘Loved and Wanted’ initiative and invites families, friends, neighbours and visitors to enjoy performances and arts and crafts for all ages. Whether you’re a regular at The Albany or visiting for the first time, everyone is welcome to join the celebrations. The event is free and there will be room for walk-ins on the day.
Tickets: Free, walk in
Celebrate National Prosecco Day with a cheese
and bubbles in Greenwich
Celebrate National Prosecco Day with a guided cheese and prosecco tasting at The Admiral Hardy pub in Greenwich.
Hosted in partnership with Cheese at Turnpins, the one-hour tasting will take place on the Market Terrace and will explore the art of pairing artisan cheeses with carefully selected Proseccos.
Guests will learn more about flavour profiles, textures and the producers behind the food and
drink, while sampling a range of combinations designed to complement each other.
Tickets cost £30 per person.
Date: Thursday 13 August
Time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Location: The Admiral Hardy, 7 College Approach, Greenwich, London, SE10 9HY
Tickets: £30 per person. Tickets available at admiralhardygreenwich.co.uk
Interactive story sessions at Crofton Park Library
Children can get creative at Crofton Park Library with a free rainstickmaking workshop and interactive story session. Led by volunteer Jacqui, the session invites children create their own rainsticks using household materials, decorate them, and then use them during a storytime exploring the sounds of rain and its cultural and ecological significance. All craft materials will be provided, although children are encouraged to bring their own paper towel tube or similar cardboard core if possible. Small items such as beads, dry beans or rice will be used during the activity, so young children must be supervised.
Date: Thursday 13 August
Time: 11am – 12 noon
Location: Crofton Park Library, 375 Brockley Road, SE4 2AG
Tickets: Free, no booking required – drop in.
History
LIFE IN THE ‘BACK YARDS’ OF OLD
Chickens, carbolic soap and chimney soot
By Debra Gosling
CAN YOU imagine nowadays leaving the warmth of your house, taking out your umbrella and going outside in the rain just to spend a penny? Using newspaper instead of soft toilet tissue? Leaving fresh food in a cupboard with no refrigeration?
Modern inventions and health and safety standards have now eradicated such practices from everyday life. Before high-rise blocks of flats ruined the community, everyone had a house with a back yard. It smelt of all sortscat’s pee, chicken poo, clean washing and carbolic disinfectant, along with chimney soot and factory smells.
It was a place for storage; for making things; and doing all those domestic chores that would otherwise ruin the Axminster indoors. It also served as a backdrop for wedding photographs and the place where learning to ride a bike could be undertaken without the fear of going under a bus.
The tin bath would be hung on a nail in the back yard – there would be no room indoors for it, as most Bermondsey houses were cottagelike in their size with no bathrooms to speak of. Here was storage for step ladders, tins of paint, bits of wood and the washing mangle. There were no utility rooms, just the back yard to stick it all in!
It was a perfect place to hang out the washing, as well as providing
amusement for the kids running beneath the sheets that flapped about in the wind. When the lines were not in use they made great skipping ropes too.
Before the advent of ‘white goods’ the food safe served as a refrigerator in the back yard. It was a small cupboard that had netting across it for ventilation and to keep out pests. Perishable goods, such as cheese and butter were kept there, normally for up to a week. A shaded corner helped to keep a couple of pints of milk cool through the day, or even buried up their necks in the cold earth.
Long before the ‘grow your own’ campaign was conceived, the back yard was the place to grow fruit and vegetables and to keep a few chickens for fresh eggs. There was nothing unusual about keeping livestock ‘out the back’. Many people kept chickens and made sheds to house their flock. Children did not need city farms to learn where their morning egg came from - it would have been their job to go out and get it from the yard! They also had access to fuzzy little chicks and many houses had a special little warm place for the newly hatched. However, children also learned where their Christmas dinner came from. Before the unhappy, hormonepacked, cruelly-farmed and bloated turkeys took over the Christmas table, a happy free-range chicken sufficed for a special occasion. It was probably not a good thing to name your chickens,
as come December little Rosie would mysteriously disappear…
Most people did not kill their own chickens, as there was a man who would call and do it for them. In fact, it would seem that each area had their own avian Grim Reaper, who would carry out the ‘fowl deed’ which the family could not bring themselves to do.
The Galleywall Road occupants had a neighbour called Charlie, while around the corner in Southwark Park Road was another Charlie – Mr Charles Martin (were all chicken dispatchers called Charlie?!) The dead chickens were then hung up in the scullery and the job of plucking out the feathers was given to the kids, who got to work throwing the feathers into the tin bath.
Bermondsey has a lush soil for growing things, so turnips, tomatoes, carrots and rhubarb were all cultivated in little patches of the yard. It was not unknown for grape vines to thrive in Lynton Road. Add to that the sunflowers, hollyhocks and various other colourful plants and you can see the landscape was far from the dark slums of so many philanthropic pamphlets.
In the yard the outside toilet, (normally the only toilet) was in reality a primitive loo in a lean-to, and was the dwelling of myriad spiders and ants. The actual toilet was usually a wooden board across the top of the sewer with a hole in it – and somewhere along the line corrugated tin would be involved.
These days, such arrangements would probably be described as ‘minimalist chic’.
Nobody lingered in the loo – besides the insects (and the occasional rat!) there was also the fact that in winter months it was jolly freezing. The summer meant you only had to contend with a few daddy long-legs, but winter time was a challenge. When it got really cold, the toilet iced over, so people kept an oil lamp burning in there (there’s luxury for you) - and when it rained the roof would leak, hence the handy brolly.
In the days before Andrex there was little choice of loo paper - and recycling
is not a new concept. The daily papers were kept and cut into squares, a hole was punched in the wad and then a string threaded through. This handy device was then hung on a hook in the privy at a convenient height for all to use.
Printing ink proved hazardous for some and in later years the hygienic and medicated Izal appeared, but anyone who remembers it will be wincing and looking rather uncomfortable. It was like a sort of hard, dry greaseproof paper which involved much repeated screwing into balls and smoothing out again to make it anywhere near usable. Ouch!
In a back yard at Clements Road.
Outside the Privy
This pet chicken was not eaten
A wedding in a back yard in Walworth
EVERGREEN TREE AND LANDSCAPING SERVICES
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
Contact us on 020 7708 4556 or info@southwarkpensioners.org.uk
Or pop into 305 -307 Camberwell rd, Camberwell Green, SE5 0HQ
CENTRE COOK - CATERING OFFICER REQUIRE for CARIBBEAN DAY CENTRE IN PECKHAM
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To place a funeral announcement, birthday, death notice, birth, anniversary or memorial in the paper, please email katie@cm-media.co.uk and she will price it up for you Announcements must be placed by 4pm on the Tuesday before that week's publication
CARL ALFRED WORTH Deceased
Pursuant to the Trustee Act 1925 anyone with a claim against or an interest in the Estate of the deceased, late of 213 Lordship Lane, London, SE22 8JF, who died on 12/02/2023, must send written details to the address below by 08/10/2026, after which the Estate will be distributed with regard only to claims and interests notified. Birketts LLP, EQ Building, Third Floor, 111 Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6AX.
Ref: DT/406162.00001
MARGARET LOUISE MORRIS Deceased
Pursuant to the Trustee Act 1925 anyone with a claim against or an interest in the Estate of the deceased, late of 6 Glenister Park Road, London, SW16 5DR, who died on 16/12/2025, must send written details to the address below by 08/10/2026, after which the Estate will be distributed with regard only to claims and interests notified. Anthony Gold, 5th Floor, South-West, Cottons Centre, Hays Lane, London, SE1 2QG.
Ref: MOR0029-00001
Notice of application for a Premises Licence.
Notice is hereby given that KNA Foods Limited has applied to Merton Council for a new premises licence at for Pepe’s Piri Piri 1-3 London Road, Morden, SM4 5HX to provide the following licensable activities: Late night refreshments Monday - Sunday 11:00AM - 03:00AM
A register of all applications made with the London Borough Of Merton is maintained by: LICENSING SECTION, LONDON BOROUGH OF MERTON, 2ND FLOOR, CIVIC CENTRE, LONDON ROAD, MORDEN, SURREY, SM4 5DX
A record of this application may be inspected by appointment at Merton Civic Centre. Please email licensing@merton.gov.uk or telephone 020 8545 3969.
It is open to any interested party to make representations about the likely effect of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Section at the office or email address above and be received by the Merton’s Licensing Section within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below.
Note: It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine.
Date application given to the Council: 28th July 2026
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS –KENNINGTON ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to facilitate water mains repair and maintenance works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order, the effect of which would be to temporarily suspend the northbound bus lane on the south-western side of Kennington Road between outside the common boundary of Nos. 106 and 108 Kennington Road, and outside the common boundary of Nos. 117 and 119 Kennington Road
2. The Order would come into force on 24 August 2026 and continue in force for a maximum duration of 1 month, to allow for contingencies, or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner.
Dated 7 August 2026
Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager (The officer appointed for this purpose)
LICENSING ACT 2003
APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PREMISES LICENCE
Meron Ghebregiorgis has applied to the London Borough of Lambeth for the grant of a premises licence, in respect of the following premises: Moon Cafe Courland Grove London SW8 2PX. which would authorise the following licensable activities:
SALE OF ALCOHOLSUNDAY - WEDNESDAY 12:00 - 22:00 THURSDAY - SATURDAY 12:00 -23:00
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 licensing authority’s website, at www.lambeth.gov.uk/licensing
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 20/08/2026
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).
Notice of Application for a Premises Licence
Notice is hereby given that Mr Surinder Nath Jawa has applied to Merton Council for a new premises licence at Jawa Super Choice, 143 Kingston Road, London SW19 1LJ for The Sale by Retail of Alcohol (Off Sales): Sunday - Thursday: 07:00 – 23:00, Friday – Saturday: 07:00 – 00:00. Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 27/08/2026 stating the grounds for representation to: Merton 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 by prior appointment at the offices of The Licensing Authority at above address between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.richmond.gov.uk It is an offence, under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in or in connection with an application, punishable upon conviction by an unlimited fine.
Notice of application for a Premises Licence
Notice is hereby given that PT STORY LTD has applied to Wandsworth Council for a new Premises Licence at Pad Thai Story, 543 Old York Road, Wandsworth, London SW18 1TQ for the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises between 10:00 and 23:00 Monday to Sunday.
Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 26 August 2026 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils), Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk
The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils), Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council's website www.wandsworth.gov.uk.
It is an offence, under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in or in connection with an application, punishable upon conviction by an unlimited fine.
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS – RANDALL ROW
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to facilitate water mains replacement works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order, the effect of which will be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding in that length of Randall Row between its junctions with Vauxhall Walk and Randall Road.
2. The alternative route for affected vehicles will be available via Vauxhall Walk, Tinworth Street, Albert Embankment, Black Prince Road, Vauxhall Walk, Salamanca Street and Randall Road.
3. The Order will come into force on 17 August 2026 and continue in force for a maximum duration of 3 months, to allow for contingencies, or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner.
Dated 7 August 2026
Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager (The officer appointed for this purpose)
Special Treatment Licence
Notice of Application of new application
Date of Application 4/8/26
Notice is given that Therapie Medical UK
Limited has applied to the London Borough of Lambeth for a Special Treatment Licence to carry out the following treatments
Laser Hair Removal, Radiofrequency
Premises address
Therapie Clinic 516 Brixton Road SW9 8EN
Any person wishing to oppose this application must do so in writing to: Lambeth Consumer Protection 2 Hearne Hill Road, London SE24 0AU WITHIN 4 WEEKS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE specifying the grounds of opposition
Persons objecting to the grant of a licence must be prepared to attend in person a public hearing before a committee of the council .
Letters of objection will be sent to the applicant inviting comments
LICENSING ACT 2003
APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PREMISES LICENCE
CMB Hospitality Ltd has applied to the London Borough of Lambeth for the grant of a premises licence, in respect of the following premises: 490 Brixton Road, London, SW9 8EQ which would authorise the following licensable activities: Selling hot food or drinks to the public
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 licensing authority’s website, at www.lambeth.gov.uk/licensing
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 24/08/2026
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).
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS – HIGHLAND ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable new electrical connection works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order, the effect of which would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from waiting, including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading a vehicle, in that length of Highland Road between outside the common boundary of No. 2 Lunham Road and No. 14 Highland Road and outside the northeastern flank wall of No. 4 Highland Road.
2. The Order would come into force on 24 August 2026 and would continue in force for a maximum duration of 1 month, to allow for contingencies, or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner.
Dated 7 August 2026
Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager (The officer appointed for this purpose)
PUBLIC NOTICE
LICENSING ACT 2003
To whom it may concern:
I Ihsan Kaplankiran do hereby give notice that we have applied to the Licensing Authority at The London Borough of Bromley for (a new) Premises Licence at: 33 High Street, West Wickham BR4 0LR and known as: Fevkalade
The application is for the Sale by retail of alcohol for consumption both on and off the premises. Proposed alcohol hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 to 23:00.
Any person wishing to make representations to this application may do so by writing, stating the grounds of objection to: Licensing, London Borough of Bromley, Churchill Court, 2 Westmoreland Road, Bromley BR1 1AS. Representations may also be sent via email to licensing@bromley.gov.uk not later than Date: 1st September 2026
Representations received after this date cannot be considered. All representations MUST BE IN WRITING
A copy of the application can be viewed at the Licensing Authority’s address during normal office hours by appointment; or on the Council’s website: www.bromley.gov.uk (search applications). It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with this application, the maximum fine on summary of conviction is currently unlimited.
Signed Ihsan Kaplankiran Applicant / on behalf of the applicant Dated 5th August 2026
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
Notice Under The Town and Country Planning Acts
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council is considering applications as set out below under the following categories; FUL – Full Applications
LB – Listed Building
G18 - GPDO - works on operational railway land
Written representations should be made within three weeks of the date of this advertisement to the Director of Planning, PO Box 80771, London, SW2 9QQ. Any comments made are open to inspection by the public and in the event of an appeal may be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Confidential comments cannot be taken into account in determining an application.
Application plans can be viewed online at www.lambeth.gov.uk/searchplanningapps – search using the reference number at the end of each application listing.
Brixton Police Station 367 Brixton Road London Lambeth SW9 7DD Replacement of existing vehicle and pedestrian gates, including associated side panel, replacement railing, a new bollard and new control enclosure. 26/01989/FUL
2 Ferndale Road London Lambeth SW4 7SF Reconstruction of the front boundary wall using original and matching materials in the same profile of its original design prior to unlawful demolition. (Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 26/02024/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 26/02023/FUL). 26/02024/LB
5 Macaulay Road London SW4 0QP Erection of a 2x rear dormer windows and installation of 1x rear, 2x (apex roof) and 1x front roof lights - Flat C. 26/02064/FUL
5 Macaulay Road London SW4 0QP Erection of a 2x rear dormer windows and installation of 1x rear, 2x (apex roof) and 1x front roof lights. Formation of
5 to 8 Heritage Close London SW9 8RA Replacement of all existing windows and external doors - like for like. 26/02063/FUL
Dated this Friday 07th August 2026
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that to enable local residents/communities to hold Street Parties, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicles from entering and proceeding in those roads or lengths of road specified in the Schedule to this Notice.
2. The alternative routes for affected vehicles are outlined in the Schedule to the Notice.
3. The Order will come into force on 8 August 2026 and will continue until 31 October 2026.
Dated 7 August 2026 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager (The officer appointed for this purpose) SCHEDULE
Alternative route via Ferndale Road, Allardyce Street and Santley Street, and vice versa.
Rob Bristow Director - Planning and Sustainability Growth and Environment Directorate LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 16A TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURES FOR SPECIAL EVENTS – STREET PARTIES VARIOUS ROADS
1. Medwin Street, between its junctions with Ferndale Road and Santley Street, on 8 August 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
2. Appach Road, between outside the common boundary of Nos. 41 and 43 Appach Road, and outside the common boundary of Nos. 59 and 61 Appach Road, on 9 August 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Appach Road, Josephine Road and Appach Road, and vice versa.
3. Lilford Road, between its junctions with Elam Street and Minet Road, on 22 August 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Lilford Road, Loughborough Road, Coldharbour Lane and Lilford Road, and vice versa.
4. Egremont Road, between outside the south-western boundary of No. 1 Egremont Road and outside the common boundary of Nos. 30 and 32 Egremont Road, on 30 August 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Egremont Road, Ivymount Road, Canterbury Grove and Chartham Grove, and vice versa.
5. Craignair Road, between outside the common boundary of Nos. 5 and 7 Craignair Road and outside the common boundary of Nos. and 52 Craignair Road, on 31 August 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Craignair Road, Elm Park Claverdale Road and Tulse Hill, and vice versa.
6. Chestnut Road, between its junctions with Barston Road and Ardlui Road, on 5 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Chestnut Road, Barston Road, Idmiston Road and Ardlui Road, and vice versa.
7. Deepdene Road, between its junctions with Denmark Hill and Ferndene Road, on 5 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Ferndene Road and Denmark Hill, and vice versa.
8. Haverhill Road, between its junctions with Cambray Road and Burnbury Road, on 5 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Haverhill Road, Cambray Road, Radbourne Road and Burnbury Road, and vice versa.
9. Pentney Road, between outside the common boundary of Nos. 1 and 3 Pentney Road and outside the common boundary of Nos. 88 and 90 Pentney Road, on 5 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Pentney Road, Hydethorpe Road, Scholars Road and Emmanuel Road, and vice versa.
10. Selsdon Road, between its junctions with Wolfington Road and Dodbrooke Road, on 5 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Wolfington Road, Hainthorpe Road and Dodbrooke Road, and vice versa.
11. Uffington Road, between its junction with Thurlby Road and outside the common boundary of No. 13 and 15 Uffington Road, on 5 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Uffington Road, Thurlby Road and St Julian’s Farm Road, and vice versa.
12. Lowden Road, between its junctions with Herne Hill Road and Poplar Walk, on 6 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Lowden Road, Poplar Walk, Oakbank Gove and Herne Hill Road, and vice versa.
13. Arragon Gardens, between its junctions with Ellison Road and Streatham High Road, on 12 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm
Alternative route via Ellison Road, Kempshott Road and Streatham High Road, and vice versa.
14. Claverdale Road, between its junctions with Elm Park and Upper Tulse Hill, on 12 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Upper Tulse Hill, Athlone Road and Tulse Hill, and vice versa.
15. Durban Road, between its junctions with Hubbard Road and St Gothard Road, on 12 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Hubbard Road, Auckland Hill, St Cloud Road and St Gothard Road, and vice versa.
16. Pyrmont Grove, between its junctions with Royal Circus and Canterbury Grove, on 12 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Royal Circus, Chartham Grove and Canterbury Gove, and vice versa.
17. Thurlestone Road, between its junctions with Wolfington Road and Dodbrooke Road, on 12 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Wolfington Road, Selsdon Road and Dodbrooke Road, and vice versa.
18. Sunset Road, between its junctions with Denmark Hill and Ferndene Road, on 13 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Ferndene Road, Herne Hill Road and Demark Hill, and via Denmark Hill, Deepdene Road and Ferndene Road.
19. Trelawn Road, between its junctions with Effra Road and outside the common boundary of Nos. and 43 Trelawn Road, on 13 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm. Alternative route via Morval Road, Dalberg Road, Brixton Water Lane and Effra Road.
20. Cedarville Gardens, between its junctions with Covington Way and Copley Park, on 19 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Covington Way, Heybridge Avenue and Copley Park, and vice versa.
21. Kay Road, between its junctions with Kimberley Road and outside the common boundary of Nos. 38 and 40 Kay Road, on 19 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm. Alternative route via Kimberley Road and Landor Road, and vice versa.
22. Lovelace Road, between outside the north-eastern boundary of No. 14 Lovelace Road and outside the common boundary of Nos. 24 and 26 Lovelace Road, on 26 September 2026, between 8am and 8pm.
Alternative route via Lovelace Road, Rosendale Road, Thurlow Park Road and Lovelace Road, and vice versa.
23. Railton Road, between its junction Rymer Road and its south-easternmost extremity, on 31 October 2026, between 3pm and 9pm.
Alternative route via Rymer Street and Dulwich Road.
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BAKED BY HAND, BACKED BY COMMUNITY
Under the arches, over the moon
Our Bermondsey production hub is opening its doors to the public soon, every Friday and Saturday. Come and see our bakery in action, meet the makers, and get our produce straight from the source. Follow us and be the first to know when
Ballers Academy Summer Programme Kicks
Off with High Demand
Ballers Academy’s Summer Holiday Programme has got off to a fantastic start, with more than 150 children and young people taking part every day since the programme began on 24th July.
Running throughout the summer holidays at Peter Hills School football pitch on Salter Road, the programme offers a daytime football camp for children and an afternoon tournament camp for teenagers. The overwhelming response from local families has seen the daytime camp become significantly oversubscribed, highlighting the growing demand for high-quality holiday activities in the Rotherhithe community.
The programme is fully funded through Southwark Council’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme, ensuring eligible children and young people can attend free of charge. As part of the programme, every participant also receives a free nutritious hot meal, fresh fruit and drinks each day, helping to keep young people active, healthy and fuelled throughout the sessions.
For Ballers Academy, the programme is about much more than football. Every session is designed to create a positive environment where young people can build confidence, develop new friendships, and learn important values such as respect, teamwork, discipline and resilience. On and off the pitch, participants are encouraged to support one another, challenge themselves and enjoy being part of a welcoming community.
The atmosphere throughout the first two weeks has been full of energy, enthusiasm and smiles, with coaches delivering engaging sessions that cater for all abilities. Whether participants are taking their first steps in football or looking to improve their technical skills, every young person is given the opportunity to learn, grow and have fun.
Ballers Academy continues to strengthen its reputation as a leading football provider in the Rotherhithe community, delivering programmes that combine sporting excellence with meaningful youth development. The continued success of the holiday camps reflects the trust local families place in the organisation and its commitment to providing safe, inclusive and inspiring opportunities for young people.
As the summer programme continues, Ballers Academy looks forward to welcoming even more participants and creating lasting memories throughout the holidays. With football at its heart and community at its core, the academy remains committed to helping the next generation develop both as players and as young people.
DACEY: ‘WE’RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT ANYONE’
Mark Dacey
Dubois on ‘quest’ as she explains split
By John Kelly
CAROLINE DUBOIS said she was on a “quest for greatness” as she explained her decision to part ways with trainer Shane McGuigan ahead of her lightweight title defence against Amelia Moore in Birmingham later this month.
Dubois and McGuigan first worked together in 2021 and the Greenwich fighter has since become a unified world champion.
Dubois is teaming up with Manny Robles who has trained Andy Ruiz Jr, shock conqueror of Anthony Joshua in 2019.
Dubois had nothing but praise for McGuigan.
“Most times fighters leave a coach when they lost, and they want someone to blame or throw under the bus, that’s a lame move,” Dubois said.
“At the end of the day, I’m so happy and proud of the journey we had had together. I’ve become the unified world champion, I’ve announced myself into women’s boxing and the biggest stage possible and we did that with Shane McGuigan as my coach and as a massive part of my team.
“I just want to say a massive thank you to Shane McGuigan who was a phenomenal coach and is a phenomenal coach. I’m honoured, proud and privileged to be part of that.
“That work doesn’t get forgotten, lost or disappear. It grows and adds to the stable. I’m on a quest for greatness and will do whatever it takes to get there, and for me, moving to America and trying a different coaching team is a part of that quest.
“I want to grow and develop and be the best fighter you’ve ever seen. A fighter should never stop learning or growing or limit themselves.”
Boss delivers stirring message ahead of opener
By John Kelly
DULWICH HAMLET
boss Mark
Dacey has delivered a defiant message ahead of the first game of the Isthmian League Premier Division season this Saturday: “We’re not worried about anyone this year.”
The Hamlet start their campaign against Maldon & Tiptree at a sold-out Champion Hill after a positive preseason during which they lost just one of their six games.
Dulwich concluded their friendly schedule with a 2-2 draw at home to Queens Park Rangers under-21s, who beat them in the final of the London Senior Cup last season.
Dacey feels his side are giving up too many easy chances and not taking enough of theirs.
“We should have had four or five [goals] comfortably, we said that against Tunbridge, and we’ve brought
Khan signs off in style
By ECB Media
A MAIDEN five-wicket haul
in The Hundred from Rashid Khan followed up some brutal ball-striking from Will Jacks and Nicholas Pooran as MI London secured a 45-run win over Manchester Super Giants at the Kia Oval.
the bodies in to be able to produce that,” Dacey said. “Obviously, there’s still an element of pre-season, but we can’t have the chance conversion that we have to what ends up in the back of [Dulwich’s] net.
“But it’s been a great pre-season, and I think QPR gave us a really good test. They’re very different from what they were when we played them in the cup final, but Anthony Hayes has still got a real solid outfit there. We’ve played really well in spells, we’ve created a lot of chances, but disappointed in the goals that we conceded, disappointed in the lack of chances that we took and probably look a bit disjointed the last ten, fifteen minutes when the changes came on.
“But that’s all part of pre-season. We’ve lost one out of six games and no disrespect to anybody else, but we could have been six out of six pre-season. So we’re in good stead. Nothing too much to worry about, but always room for
The win saw the home side climb to second place in the table, as Rashid signed off before going on international duty with Afghanistan in Ireland this week. He could yet return if MI London reach the final on August 16, but is unlikely to be available for the rest of the season.
“I needed those wickets,” Rashid said.
“I’d had a bit of a quiet tournament over all for me, but just tried my best to keep things simple and hit the right area consistently and I got the results. Runs on the board makes a difference,
MI London misery continues
By ECB Media
THE TABLE didn’t lie in the South London sunshine as the in-form Manchester Super Giants consolidated their third-place position in The Hundred. Despite a late wobble induced by the legspin of Melie Kerr, they thumped an out-of-sorts and tentative MI London by the margin of six wickets with 28 balls to spare, thus giving their net run rate a welcome shot in the arm.
MI London, still without a win and
planted firmly at the foot of the table, lost the toss and were asked to bat, and it was imperative that they got off to a decent start in the absence of Danni Wyatt-Hodge. After just eight balls, however, the home side were appropriately well behind the eight ball. Sophie Ecclestone, opening the bowling for the first time this season, had hit the stumps of both Alice DavidsonRichards and Hayley Matthews and MI London were 1 for 2. In a masterly and miserly spell, the England leftarm spinner went on to concede just
Dulwich bowlers set pace as Valley meet grim End
By John Lewis
A DEVASTATING spell of bowling by their pacemen set Dulwich up for a 94-run victory in their M.Zaidi & Co. Surrey Cricket Championship Division 1 match at home to Valley End last weekend. Dulwich lost the toss but were not unhappy to be asked to bat first. Peter Frettingham and Jacob Rhodes took the score to 27 off seven overs when Frettingham was caught at slip for nine. The three Valley End seamers bowled accurately and the score advanced slowly, assisted by an assortment of byes, leg byes and missed chances. Will O’Donnell scored just one single off his first 28 balls, but then broke free as he
and Rhodes added 69 in 20 overs for the second wicket. Rhodes had just reached his second half-century of the season when O’Donnell was dismissed for 22, off 57 balls. The pacemen had by now given way to the spinners who also bowled tidily and kept the scoring in check. Skipper Ollie Steele fell quickly and Dulwich went in to lunch at 105-3 in the 35th over. Rhodes fell soon after the break for 63 off 119 balls, and Tommy Wright went for seventeen off 26 to reduce Dulwich to 135-5 after 40 overs. This brought together Lucas Parry and James Schofield, who added 55 in 14 overs for the sixth wicket. Parry was the first to go for 28, off 40 balls, and Schofield fell six runs later for 29, off 53. Harrison
Perry and Tommy Clout both fell in the hunt for quick runs, but the last three wickets had added 27 when Rory Sale was run out after being called for an ambitious single off the first ball off the 66th over. Dulwich were all out for 223, leaving their opponents 54 overs to score the runs.
Valley End’s hopes of getting off to a steady start were shattered by a blistering new ball attack by Clout and Joe Payne. Clout took the first wicket with the fifth ball of the first over, Payne took the second in the fourth, and Clout took two more in the fifth to leave Valley End reeling on 6-4, with the top four in the order having scored just four runs between them. Clout took another wicket in the ninth
improvement.”
After their season opener, Dacey’s side travel to Chatham Town on Tuesday before another home game the following Saturday against Chestnut. Dacey hasn’t shied away from saying he is targeting a promotion challenge this season.
“We’re not worried about anyone this year, so it doesn’t matter who we play next week,” Dacey said. “We’ve got a really, really tough game on Tuesday with Chatham. Like I said last week, we’re going to unconditionally be uswhoever’s in front of us, home or away - and put as many of them to the sword as we can because aspirations are high this year.
“Aspirations are high this year, and we’re full steam ahead in trying to get this club back to Step Two.
“We’ll have the buzz this week. Hopefully, get a great turnout here, opening day, and hopefully it can be just as fun as it was at Dartford last year.”
but it’s about hitting the right area consistently and making it as hard as possible for the batters.
“I enjoy it a lot always when I come here. National duty is something that is the first priority. I had a great time here over the last two, three weeks, and going back tonight to Ireland for the ODIs. It’s going to be good fun, going back with some confidence.”
MI London face London Spirit at Lord’s on Thursday (August 6; 6.30pm) before hosting Trent Rockets at The Kia Oval on Saturday (2.30pm).
seven from her 20 balls, the same number she restricted London Spirit to at Lord’s in her first game of The Hundred this season. Something about London obviously agrees with her.
Ecclestone also took two catches and effected a direct hit run out but this was not a one-woman show by any means. All of the Super Giants bowlers stepped up and MI London were squeezed incessantly, the visitors expertly marshalled in the field by Meg Lanning, who took three catches in what was an excellent allround fielding display.
The Women’s matches on Thursday and Saturday start at 3pm and 11am.
over and Valley End went in to tea on 32-5 after fifteen overs. The pacemen each took another wicket after the break as Valley End limped to 52-7 after 23 overs. Skipper Jamie Stephens launched a counter-attack, dominating stands of 44 for the eighth wicket and 33 for the ninth before holing out for 59, scored at a run a ball, with the score on 129. He had also scored a halfcentury in the first match between the sides.
Clout bowled 15 consecutive overs to finish with 5-36, his third five wicket haul of the season and his second in successive weeks. Payne kept up the pressure at the other end, bowling twelve overs, also consecutive, to take 2-28. The last three wickets were
shared between Perry, O’Donnell and Parry. Dulwich were hampered in the field by a hamstring strain which left Frettingham almost immobile; followed by a dislocated finger which sent keeper Steele to hospital. Wright took over behind the stumps for the final 14 overs of the innings, and acquitted himself admirably. This was Dulwich’s third victory in a row, and lifts them one place to third in the table. But the situation is very tight, with only seventeen points separating second and sixth. Next week the format reverts to 50 overs a side. Dulwich travel to Old Rutlishians, who have recovered well after a slow start, and who are now just five points behind them in fifth place. The first match between the sides was abandoned after seventeen overs due to rain.
By John Kelly
XABI ALONSO has explained why he opted for the bear pit of the Chelsea dugout - and insisted the “scar” from his Real Madrid sacking is “healed”.
Alonso, 44, signed a four-year deal when he was appointed to succeed Liam Rosenior - after Calum McFarlane’s interim spell from April - earlier this summer, owner BlueCo’s fifth managerial appointment in four years.
Alonso had been linked with a move to his former club Liverpool when there was doubt over Reds boss Arne Slot’s future. But Alonso was already in the Stamford Bridge hotseat when Liverpool sacked Slot and appointed former AFC Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola.
Alonso was asked during Chelsea’s pre-season camp in Sydney how he had made the decision when he was approached by the Blues.
He replied: “For sure it had to be a lot from here [head] and also from here [gut]. It has to be from the guts.”
Alonso added: “I saw it was good timing from the club, good timing for myself, a good opportunity. It is a team that has played really well recently and the situation was not as bad as it looked at the end of last season.
“There is a big potential to improve and let’s see how long [it takes]. Making the changes we have started analysing with the team, look for the future. We are in that process. I felt that I had the chance to enjoy being the manager.
“I had a view of Chelsea from the outside.
“I could see the positives and my concerns, so I addressed them. We had the same ideas, the same analysis, to start building momentum together.
That is why we are taking these steps together and making decisions to build a good team.”
Chelsea have so far signed eight players this summer, including the
REAL SCARS HEALED
New Chelsea boss explains why he accepted poisoned chalice
record transfer of an English player, £117million Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa.
Despite spending over a quarter of a billion pounds in this window, Alonso suggested the Blues’ transfer business is not yet finished: “We have taken a few steps but I feel that we can still take a few more.”
This week, Chelsea signed Danny Welbeck, 35, from Brighton & Hove Albion and midfielder Jordan Henderson, 36, from Brentford, both on two-year deals.
“You need the right balance of personalities and stages of maturity, with players in their early 20s, early 30s and everything in between,” Alonso said.
“In the Basque Country, we have a strong sense of collective purpose and culture.”
Alonso was appointed Real boss last summer after unprecedented success with Bayer Leverkusen, including a league and cup double and a 51-game
Dons boss bullish after pre-season
By Manuel Salazar
AFC WIMBLEDON boss Johnnie Jackson said he was “really pleased” with how pre-season went after the Dons ended their friendly schedule with a 3-2 defeat to Queens Park Rangers in a Plough Lane thriller at the weekend.
Aron Sasu scored two goals for the hosts after the Hoops had gone 2-0 up through Koki Saito and sixteen-yearold Leon Scarlett.
Jaylan Pearman scored an 82ndminute winner for Julien Stephan’s Championship side.
“I’m really pleased with how it’s gone, we’ve looked good,” Jackson
said. “There’s been loads of good stuff in the games, they always present stuff that we can get better at, but I’m really happy with where the squad’s at as a group, with the fitness levels and some of the stuff that we’re doing on the pitch.
“I would say it’s been a success, but pre-season is pre-season. We’re sort of all ready for the real stuff to start.
It felt like quite a long pre-season this season compared to last, so I think we’re all ready.
“The lads are in a good place and they just want to get going now.” Jackson hailed the mood in the squad.
He said: “It’s good, really good. Everyone wants to play.
“Everyone wants to be in that starting line-up. Come the first game, Newport or the first league game at Huddersfield, they all want to play, which is good.
“That’s a good thing, that’s what you need within your squad and they’re all presenting a case to play when they go out in these games, as difficult as they can be at times, because it isn’t quite that competitive edge that naturally comes with league games.
“They’re all making cases to try and get into the team. So it’s important that they take it seriously.”
Wimbledon host Newport County in the first round of the EFL Cup on Saturday (3pm).
you try to think that things that will be better.”
Meanwhile, Welbeck signed after having “fantastic conversations” with Alonso.
The England international has just enjoyed his two most productive seasons in the Premier League, scoring thirteen goals last season after ten in the previous campaign.
“When you hear of interest from Chelsea, it is something that fills you with such immense pride,” Welbeck said. “Knowing the history of Chelsea, it is a club that wants to win trophies and is pushing to do that every single season.
“I’m really honoured to come to a club of this stature at what feels like a really exciting time. I know a few of the boys already, and I’ve had fantastic conversations with the manager, so I already feel that connection.
“I’ve got that fire in my belly. I’m ready to give everything for this club to make everyone at Chelsea, and the supporters, proud.”
Chelsea have also signed the midfielder Jude Bellingham appeared to slap on the back of the head after England’s 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semi-final.
Strasbourg’s Valentin Barco has signed a seven-year deal after joining for an undisclosed fee.
Barco, 21, came through Boca Juniors’ academy before joining Brighton for £8million in 2024.
unbeaten run in all competitions before they were denied an invincible season after a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League final.
Alonso lasted 34 games at the Bernabeu, winning 24, drawing four and losing six.
“Luckily there are not too many scars in my career,” Alonso said. “So, okay, I got a scar but this heals. Now it is healed and now I am very motivated and determined to enjoy this next step as I did when I started in Madrid. But you move on.
“Looking back, I take the positives and the things that didn’t work. I have been very critical about myself, thinking about what I could have done better because for sure it did not go as expected. But you move on to other things.”
Alonso believes the experience at Madrid will make him a better coach.
“Sure, sure, sure,” Alonso said. “You learn from the disappointment of things that were not meant to be and
He played six times in the Premier League before loans at Sevilla in La Liga and Strasbourg before he moved to the Ligue 1 side in a permanent deal last summer. He scored two goals in 27 league games last season.
Charlie rejectedbut not dejected
By Sports Reporter
CHARLIE AUSTIN has been rejected for a first role in coaching - by his former club Queens Park Rangers. Austin, 37, retired from playing professional football in 2024 and was at Hungerford Town last season. Austin had two spells with the Hoops, playing 148 games and scoring 61 goals.
The former Swindon Town and Southampton striker went for a job at the club’s underage set-up.
He posted on social media: “First job interview disappointment. Gutted not to progress to the next stage for QPR Academy coaching team. The club I really wanted to work with.
“Will keep working hard and hoping my time will come.
“Good luck to whoever lands the role - what a club you get to join!”
Xabi Alonso
Danny Welbeck has joined from Brighton
JONES TARGETS MORE FIREPOWER
By John Kelly
CHARLTON ATHLETIC boss Nathan Jones said he wants to recruit one more “one-v-one” attacker and a “dominant midfielder” as he reflected on the Addicks’ pre-season ahead of their opening game of the campaign.
Charlton have signed five players so far this summer, including attackers Millenic Alli and Karlan Grant.
Winger Rob Apter, 23, joined the Addicks from Blackpool last summer and made thirteen Championship appearances before ssigning on loan for League One Bolton Wanderers for the second half of the season. Jones wants
more competition for Apter this season.
Former Southampton winger Nathan Redmond, 32, has also been on trial with Charlton this summer.
Matty Godden and Grant scored the goals as Jones’s side beat Colchester United 2-0 in their last friendly in front of fans in pre-season at the Colchester Community Stadium last week.
Alli, 26, who joined on a four-year deal from Luton Town, came on at half-time in Charlton’s 3-0 defeat to Reading in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the weekend.
“Millenic Alli hasn’t done any preseason at Luton, really, so we need build him up,” Jones said.
“When we let Rob go on loan last season, we only had one player that can go one-vone in TC [Tyreece Campbell].
“Now we have him, we have Karlan Grant, we have Rob Apter, we have Millenic Alli and we are looking at bringing in another one as well. We are going to have five one-v-one options which is what we need.”
“We are looking at midfield players. We want a real dominant midfield player. We also want competition for Rob on his side, and we are actively looking for it, that is why we have kept our powder dry.”
Charlton start their season in the first round of the EFL Cup against Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road on Saturday,
before their first Championship game against Derby County at The Valley seven days later.
“We are in a good place,” Jones said
“This pre-season has been a bit disjointed. We have had people not being able to play, we have had new players coming in late and not being able to play them, so we are gathering a bit of sharpness and a bit of momentum. I am really pleased.
“We are in a good place physically, we need that sharpness and that bit of spark about our play and that will come now in these weeks, leading first into the Cheltenham game and then the Derby game.”
Charlton chief Carter responds to sale report
By John Kelly
CHARLTON ATHLETIC
chairman Gavin Carter has responded to a report that the club is for sale.
The Guardian reported this week that the club’s US owners, Global Football Partners, had employed Oakwell Sports Advisory to find a new owner just three years after they acquired the club.
The report said that Oakwell had contacted potential investors, saying Charlton were “the last remaining football club upside opportunity in London”.
Oakwell helped Bournemouth owner Bill Foley buy rugby club Exeter Chiefs, the report points out, adding they are also helping the Rugby Football League find external investment.
Former Charlton owner Thomas Sandgaard sold Charlton to GFP for £15million in 2023.
Taking to X this week, Carter wrote: “I understand press speculation can concern Charlton Athletic fans, so let me address the Guardian story directly.
“What I’ve said publicly several times before, is that this ownership group is seeking new investment to help us progress. This is similar to the route taken [by] clubs like Ipswich, Wrexham and Bolton, and is not new news for Charlton.
“I’ve been inundated with messages since the story broke. Please, don’t be concerned. We are a Championship and WSL club, in a better position than we’ve been for 20 years. The five-year plan requires we reach Championship average revenues by 2027-28, and we’re increasing spend on players to back that.
“This ownership group has been nothing but good for this club. We’re focussed on channelling all our energy into driving the club forward with our supporters and with that togetherness I’m confident we’ll continue to achieve our ambitions for Charlton.”
Sage wants more from lightning-fast Eagles
By Patrick Fanning
CRYSTAL PALACE boss Pierre Sage wants to see his side play consistently over 90 minutes after witnessing their best first half of pre-season in their 3-1 win over Saudi Arabia second-tier side AlUla at the Como Cup.
Justin Devenny and Eddie Nketiah put the Eagles 2-0 up inside ten minutes before Abdulmajeed AlSulaiheem pulled a goal back sixteen minutes in.
Palace defender Jaydee Canvot added the third in the 57th minute.
Sage felt he had seen the best 45
minutes from his side so far this summer.
“Yes and maybe the first fifteen minutes of the first half were even better,” Sage said. “This is because we played how we choose to play.
“It’s a kind of success. But now we have to do that for the whole game.
“During the game the context can change. Sometimes you are faced with a low block against you and you have to create chances.
“For me that’s the most difficult thing in football. So we have to work on this.
“When the opponents score first and it’s one-zero to them, it is difficult, so we have to prepare for this and
prepare them for the different context too.”
Summer signing from Celta Vigo, Oscar Mingueza, who can play as a fullback or wing-back on either flank, and England midfielder Adam Wharton rejoined the squad’s training this week.
“What is interesting with Oscar is that he’s able to play on both the right and left. He has both the quality and this versatility,” Sage said.
“I think it’s a really good option for us because he’s able to be a starter and substitute for everybody across positions.
“He’ll also be able to play as a centreback on the side [left or right]. This
gives us real options.
“Once we have these solutions we will be able to resolve the problems.”
Devenny said the build-up that led to his goal was ingrained in the side.
“We do that in training all the time,” Devenny said. “As soon as we win the ball back, we know we need to counter-attack quickly.
“Throughout all last season we did it. Rio [Cardines] did well winning the ball back and then I saw his momentum running forward, so it was a give-andgo and then move again.
“Even then I had an option in the box, the boys were all working hard to get in the box.
“Luckily I scored, because I think Eddie wouldn’t have been too happy if I had missed!”
Versatile Devenny is happy with his role in the squad.
“For me I think it’s a bit of a strength,” Devenny said. “Last season I was here, there and everywhere at times.
“But I don’t really mind where I play as long as I’m playing.
“I just want to be playing as much football as I can. The last couple of games I’ve been playing in the ‘[number] six [role], but today was in the ten.
“But I’m happy playing wherever needed.”
Tryeece Campbell is one of Charlton’s key forwards
Southwark Sport
‘WERE A GOOD TEST’
OUT OF SERVAIS
Mud cleared for return
By John Kelly
CHELSEA BOSS Xabi Alonso says it is “great news” that “special player” Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return to football. Mudryk, 25, hasn’t played a competitive game since November 2024 after being banned for four years following adverse findings for a banned substance.
But Mudryk has successfully appealed his ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and was set to link up with the squad on the next leg of their pre-season tour in Hong Kong. Mudryk joined the Blues in an £89million deal from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023.
“We are happy for him, especially for him, because we are not able to understand what he has been through in this time and how he feels at the moment,” Alonso said.
“We want that he feels part of the team, because he has not had this for a long time, and that he has the support from everyone - from the club, from the team-mates, from the staff.
“To be honest, we were not expecting to have this great news at this moment, so we are very happy learning that he will be here with us.
“I remember watching him in Shakhtar. The impact he had, how good he is, how good in one-on-one situations, how he could create a lot of situations on his own - he’s a special player.
Big blow for Millwall as key duo ruled out
By Will Scott
faces a spell on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury.
Servais, 21, a £3million summer signing, played 90 minutes against Bromley last week, scoring a second-half equaliser, but was unavailable for the Lions’ final pre-season friendly, a 1-0 win over Royal Antwerp last Saturday.
The Belgian midfielder had featured in three other friendlies after completing a move from Belgian Pro League side KV Mechelen in early July, scoring a superb goal against FC Andorra.
Lions boss Alex Neil confirmed he would miss the start of the season.
“He’s hurt his hamstring,” Neil said. “He’s played the full game [against Bromley]. He came in the next day, didn’t even know he’d done it. Was due to train. Went to do his testing. Felt a little bit of discomfort during his testing.
We basically got it scanned as a precaution, because of the area where it is.
“The problem you’ve got is normally most fibres of the muscle run up and down. Most tears go across the way. His tear was linear, in terms of it goes in the same grain as the muscle. So that’s how he didn’t even know he had it.”
Neil added: “It won’t be several months. But it certainly won’t be a couple of weeks.”
Meanwhile, in another blow, Neil
revealed Tristan Crama’s injury is worse than initially anticipated. Crama, 24, hurt his ankle early in Millwall’s friendly against Royal Antwerp on Saturday and was replaced at half-time. The Lions won the game 1-0 at The Den.
It was Crama’s first start of preseason, with the French defender missing the first four friendlies as he recovered from a separate ankle issue suffered in Millwall’s 2-0 play-off semi-final loss to Hull City on May 11.
Speaking to our paper after Millwall’s open training session on Monday, Neil gave an update on Crama’s condition.
“Unfortunately, it’s worse than we anticipated, which is disappointing,” Neil said. “We’ve
still to get an opinion on it, in terms of the length of time and what’s required in terms of what happens.
“But it’s frustrating in the fact that it’s a contact injury – there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s not soft tissue. Soft tissue, generally, we would look at it and think, have we overexerted them? Have they done too much too soon? Have they played too many minutes?
“It’s a contact injury. It happened in the tenth minute. From that perspective, really frustrating.”
The Lions have signed centreback Danny Batth, 35, on a one-year deal on a free transfer from Derby County.
Millwall defender Kamarl Grant, 23, has joined League One Bromley on a season-long loan.
“It’s massive, to go through what he has done. I [know] that frustration not to play what you love to do must be really, really hard. So now, for sure he is so excited, and we want to help him in that and that he feels part of something.
“Once there’s a change, things will start moving, and for him, it’s a massive change [from] training on his own every day. I think that had to be really, really hard because he wanted to play football, he wanted to be part of the team, and he was not allowed to do that for such a long time.
“So once this meeting has happened, now we can move on and after we will see if he makes progress quicker or slower. But we need to do the work.”
Mathis Servais, left, joined the Lions this summer
