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MODEL MARKET IN LEWISHAM IS COMING BACK, AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR TRADERS
By Kevin Quinn
DEVELOPERS BEHIND the future demolition of the 1970s Lewisham Shopping Centre are making good on their promise on bringing back the popular Model Market food court which closed in 2019.
They are now encouraging local traders to apply for space and said they ‘are gearing up for a major comeback in spring 2026’.
It will sit again in the 1950s converted outdoor market hall behind Lewisham Shopping Centre.
The revived Model Market will serve more than food, it will be delivering DJ sets, a host of events, pop-ups and cultural programming that blends food, music and art.
The revival promises to honour the original architecture, preserving in their words “the site’s time-worn patina,” with retro shopfronts and string lights.
Permission has been granted to bulldoze the Shopping Centre and multi-storey car park and build towers up to 35 storeys high in its place. Currently, the shopping centre is home to more than 65 outlets, including H&M, M&S and Boots.
Landsec plans to build 1,744 new homes, of which just 329 (19 percent) will be affordable over the next 10 years. Out of the 329 affordable homes, 98 would be for social rent and 231 would be rented at discount rates or to key workers. The remainder would be privately rented.
The £1.5 billion plans also include 661 students flats in a 23-storey co-living block containing 445 homes.
The Riverdale Hall Leisure Box, at 72-82 Lewisham High Street, which currently houses a Boots and the northeastern entrance to the shopping centre will be bulldozed, but some shops along Lewisham high street will remain.
The developers have promised to build a new 500-capacity music venue and rooftop wild meadow.
Organisers are now inviting street-food traders, independent chefs, drinks partners, bakers, artists and makers to register their interest in joining the new Model Market, with deadline for applicants being March 1st in time for the spring opening.
Applications are especially encouraged from traders local to Lewisham and the
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neighbouring areas.
The former Model Market was a popular spot during the summer months, open from April to September, with micro-diners with a food selection available from a range of superb street food vendors. It boasted five bars including an amazing rooftop beer terrace and a tiki bar with colourful cocktails.
A spokesperson at Model Market said: “Model Market is about bringing people together and celebrating the energy, creativity and spirit of the local community. We’re incredibly excited to revive the Model Market at Lewisham and give it a fresh new chapter.
“With a nostalgic design inspired by midcentury shopfronts and a commitment to modern, sustainable values, the new Model Market will feel both timeless and completely new – a reimagined street market for a new generation.
“We want to champion local talent, and whether you’re running a kitchen concept, a small shop, or planning community events, we’d love to hear from brands who want to help shape Lewisham’s next great social space.”
Paul Redden, Centre Director at Lewisham Shopping Centre, said: “Model Market was
a much-loved destination that still holds a special place in the hearts of the community.
“It’s revival marks an important moment for the town centre - one that not only celebrates our heritage, but embraces new opportunities for culture, food and the community.
“Model Market will bring its unique vibrancy to Lewisham once more, and it’s an honour to be supporting this initiative and create a
space where local businesses can thrive and the community can connect in meaningful, memorable ways.”
Businesses can apply for a space and residents can get more information about the Model Market, by signing up to their newsletter, by visiting: www.modelmarket. london
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An artist impression of the revived Model Market
CGI of Lewisham Shopping Centre redevelopment scheme. CREDIT: Lewisham Council planning documents
BERMONDSEY ADVENT LAUNCHES
Festive window trail this December
By Evie Flynn
THROUGHOUT ADVENT, twenty-five windows in Bermondsey will be lit up every day to form a festive trail you can follow through SE16 and parts of SE1.
Bermondsey Festive Windows 2025 is a brand-new Christmas event launched by local charity Big Local Works and Bermondsey Business Improvement District (BID).
The chosen businesses will have their windows decorated by local organisations, schools or artists, which will be unveiled on each day of advent.
Window displays will be under this year's theme - "The Larder of London", which explores Bermondsey's past as a place that once supplied London's tea, coffee, spices, dairy and meat.
Each day, a window will be unveiled on the organiser's Instagram (@biglocalworks and @bermondsey.london).
For a chance to win a £25 voucher to spend in Bermondsey, share your photos from the trail using #FestiveBermondsey and tag @bermondsey.london.
PARTICIPANTS:
Appleby Blue (1 December)
Applebly Blue Almshouse, a social housing project for older people.
94-116 Southwark Park Road, SE16 3RD
Provision Homewares (2 December)
A lifestyle store based in Maltby Street, specialising in flooring, furniture, apparel, lighting and homeware.
Arch 53, Ropewalk, Maltby Street, SE1 3PA
Elite Fish Bar (3rd December)
A family-run fish bar with locally sourced ingredients just off Southwark Park Road. Ambrose Street, SE16 3NY
Drawing Room (4 December)
A not-for-profit art gallery that emphasises the power of drawing to help us understand ourselves, each other and the world around us.
Unit 1b, New Tannery Way, SE1 5WS
St James of Bermondsey (5 December)
A traditional boozer on St James' Road , with pies, pints and other pub grub on offer.
72 St James's Road, SE16, 4QZ
St James' Church (6 December)
On the same road, the Church of England church is a place where children, families and individuals can explore their spirituality and find a like-minded community.
St James' Church, Thurland Road, SE16 4AA
School House Cafe (7 December)
The School House Café was set up by Spa School to provide work experience for pupils, all of whom have a diagnosis of autism.
Spa School, Bermondsey, Monnow Road, SE1 5RN
Kernel Brewery (8 December)
A local brewery and bar serving an everchanging selection of brewed beers, wine, cider, gin and soft drinks.
132 Spa Road, SE16 3AE
Bede House (9 December)
A leading Southwark charity since 1938, Bede House creates opportunities for young people with learning disabilities and those experiencing domestic abuse.
351 Southwark Park Road, SE16 2JW
Southwark News (10 December)
The News is the local newspaper based in Bermondsey Square, above the newly opened Vine Bar. We are the only independent, paid for newspaper in London.
1 Bermondsey Square, SE1 3UN
"The Blue" / Bermondsey's Town Square (11 December)
Bermondsey's town square and home to several local businesses like Bermondsey Blend, Glow Tanning Salon, Bell and Sons Butchers.
Market Place, SE16 3UQ
Blue 1 (12 December)
An independent clothes shop offering casual and formal men's wear, specialising in plus sizes up to 6XL.
240 Southwark Park Road, SE16 3RN
South Park Road- Bermondsey's High Street (13 December)
Bermondsey's original high street and town centre with lots of independently owned local shops selling everything from games to hair products to DIY equipment.
Kagyu Samye Dzong- London Tibetan Buddhist (14 December)
Kagyu Samye Dzong is a buddhist community in the heart of London, aiming to make the teachings of Buddhism accessible to all.
15 Spa Road, SE16 3SA
Morocco Bound (15 December)
A unique bookshop in the day with a coworking space and bar by night, serving beers from the nearby Bermondsey Beer Mile.There's a co-working space and they hold regular events, such as music, poetry open mic nights, workshops and a book club.
11A Morocco Street, SE1 3HB
Neals Yard Dairy (16 December)
A local cheese manufacturer in Spa Terminus business space. They aim to improve the quality of British and Irish cheese by sharing information, fostering community and prioritising sustainability.
Arch 1-11, Apollo Business Park, St James's Road, SE16 4ET
Blue Anchor Library (17 December)
The local library, just off the Blue market square in Bermondsey, offering a range of children's activities, books to loan and six study spaces.
Market Place, London, SE16 3UQ
Greens Florist (18 December)
A local, family-run florist catering for all events, such as funerals, tributes, weddings and corporate flowers.
137 Jamaica Road, SE16 4SH
Little Bread Peddler (19 December)
A bakery providing artisan bread and buns, plus sweet and savoury pastries to take away.
Arch 4-6, Spa Business Park, Dockley Road, SE16 3FJ
The Brotherhood Games (20 December)
An inclusive and family-run hobby store and cafe specialising in Trading Card Games, hosting weekly tournaments and casual activities.
210-212 Southwark Park Road, SE16 3RW
Community Southwark (21 December)
Community Southwark is the umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector, supporting charities and community groups in the area with support and training.
11 Market Place, SE16 3UQ
My Hiro (22 December)
An affordable, healthy fast-food cafe providing Japanese meals like sushi rolls and katsu curry.
289 Southwark Park Road, SE16 3TP
Big Local Works (23 December)
A local economic and regeneration charity working to improve the lives of people in the area by building their economic resilience. They offer welfare benefits support and employment support.
4 Market Place, SE16 3UQ
Bell and Sons Butchers (24 December)
A traditional butchers in the heart of Bermondsey offering free range and grassfed meat and poultry.
13A Market Place, SE16 3UQ
Bermondsey Tube Station (25 December)
The 'gateway to Bermondsey' will be lighting up on the last day of the trail.
142- 154 Jamaica Road, SE16 4RX
By Ruby Gregory
Local Democracy Reporter
TWO DOZEN First World War heroes who were buried in unmarked graves for over a century are set to be honoured for their contributions to the war effort and finally receive their own headstones.
The 23 servicemen, and one woman who served in the Women’s Royal Air Force, all died shortly after returning home from battle and were all buried in “pauper’s graves” at Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery in Lewisham.
Pauper’s graves are unmarked, public burial plots which were common at the time because of the large number of casualties after the war and families who were unable to afford their own memorial for a loved one.
Researchers at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) have been working with Bereavement Services at Lewisham Council to look into death records, widows’ pension records and old maps of the cemetery layout to help track down the exact locations of the unmarked graves.
The Friends of Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery (FoLBC), a group of around 300 dedicated volunteers who work hard to maintain and preserve the cemeteries, have also been involved in the efforts to uncover the forgotten lives of those who are buried there. CWGC researchers had contacted the council as they were initially researching four soldiers from World War One.
Council staff from Bereavement Services then worked to look through grave and death records and shared information with CWGC to help with research.
After figuring out where the graves were based using markers and old plot maps of the cemetery, they discovered there were even more soldiers in one of the areas under study.
Cllr Oana Olaru-Holmes, Cabinet Member for Safer Lewisham, Refugees and Equalities at Lewisham Council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We are always happy to work with CWGC and are proud to support their work by giving our officers’ time to support the research.
“This is an ongoing project over the next 12 months. We now have approval for [24] war graves. We will also be working with CWGC to plan the installation of the graves. The speaker will then be in attendance to officially mark the memorials of these forgotten and fallen.”
During their research, the council and CWGC discovered that two sets of soldiers share a grave. They will be commemorated and will share memorials.
THE TEAM HAS ‘WORKED TIRELESSLY’
Cllr Olaru-Holmes said once the new headstones are installed, the names of the located soldiers will be removed from the wall memorial at Hero’s Corner, in line with CWGC guidance that individuals cannot be commemorated twice.
She added: “Restoration of the existing wall memorial will take place at the same time, ensuring that all soldiers, including those still without known graves, continue to be remembered. It’s been a collaborative effort, our Bereavement Services team, FoLBC and the CWGC have worked tirelessly to uncover these forgotten histories.
“Bereavement Services will use the new collaboration channels to support future requests and will ensure there is always room for soldier searches beyond this project. We work hard to remember and commemorate our heroes.” Lewisham Council has shared the names
FORGOTTEN WORLD WAR I HEROES
Unmarked graves found in South London finally receive their own headstones
of the soldiers with the LDRS. They were first publicly read out by Deputy Mayor of Lewisham, Cllr Louise Krupski, during the Remembrance Sunday Service on November 9.
Using CWGC’s online records and information from websites including the Imperial War Museum, London Remembers and Lewisham’s Local History and Archives Centre, the LDRS has tracked down further details for most of the soldiers who are set to be commemorated, including their regiment, ranks and the exact date they died. Three of them had significantly more information available.
PHYLLIS PURDY
Phyllis Purdy was born in 1893 in Hastings and was the eldest of nine children. According to the 1911 census, Phyllis was working as a “needlewoman” in Anerley in Penge.
She became a member of the Women’s Royal Air Force when it formed in 1918. On December 8, 1918, Phyllis died at the age of 25 from pneumonia and exhaustion at the Union Infirmary in Greenwich. At the time of her death, Phyllis’ home address was registered in Brockley. She was buried on December 13, 1918 in Plot Z, Grave 313 in Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery.
WILLIAM JACKSON
William Jackson was born in 1883. He married Mary Ann Gould in Camberwell in 1905 and together they had five children.
He was recorded in the 1911 census as living in Brockley with his wife and two of
their eldest children. At the time he was working as a carman.
William joined the army on July 29, 1916 where he served as a Private with the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment and later transferred to the Labour Corps.
According to the Local History and Archives Centre, William was discharged on April 24, 1919 because he was no longer physically fit for service, having suffered from rheumatic fever and a dilated heart.
He died on June 3, 1920 at the 4th London General Hospital at the age of 37.
He was buried in Plot Z, Grave 331 at Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery.
CHARLES GERHARDT
Before World War One, Charles Gerhardt had previously served in the 3rd Battalion of the East Surreys.
Lewisham’s Local History and Archives Centre states that he joined the regular army and was posted to the Royal Garrison Artillery.
He was discharged in February 1913 but re-enlisted when the war broke out, where he served as a Private in the Royal Defence Corps.
Charles was married to Winifred Gerhardt and they lived in South Bermondsey.
Before World War One he reportedly worked as a stevedore, a labourer who loads and unloads cargo from ships.
He died on April 5, 1921 at the age of 37.
He is buried in Plot Z, Grave 390 at Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery.
THE 20 OTHER SOLDIERS
Other soldiers who will receive their own headstones include:
• B Davis, Plot Z, Grave 44 – Served as a Sapper for the Royal Engineers who died on October 12, 1920, age unknown
• Thomas B Wright, Plot Z, Grave 368
– Served as a Driver for the Royal Engineers who died on July 27, 1919, aged 24
• Henry Charles Winder, Plot Z, Grave 198 – Served as a Private in the London Regiment, Royal Fusiliers who died on October 22, 1916 at the age of 24
• Owen Stanley Curtis, Plot Z, Grave 360
– Served as a leading telegraphist in the Royal Navy, HMS Victory who died on June 4, 1920, aged 26
• T Fung / Funge, Plot Z, Grave 245
– Served as a Private for the Northamptonshire Regiment and later transferred to the Labour Corps who died on October 21, 1917, age unknown
• L G Sheldrake, Plot Z, Grave 387 –Served as a Private in the Royal Sussex Regiment who died on October 22, 1920, aged 40
• Reuben Harvey, Plot Z, Grave 331 –Served as a Private in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, Third Battalion who died on May 15, 1920, aged 49
• Alfred James Hoare, Plot Z, Grave 19 Served as a Gunner in the Royal Field Artillery who died on December 1, 1919, aged 27
• William Smith, Plot Z, Grave 261 –
Served as a Private in the Royal Army Service Corps who died on December 2, 1919, aged 48
• Arthur Robert Whithead, Plot Z, Grave 261 – Served as a Private in the 14th Battalion Welsh Regiment who died on December 7, 1919, aged 30
• Walter Lake, Plot Z, Grave 188 – Served as a Gunner for the Royal Garrison Artillery who died on July 13, 1916 aged 38
• Harold T Mann, Plot Z, Grave 361 –Served as a Private for the County Yeomanry and then the Middlesex Hussars who died on May 16, 1920, age unknown
• Edward Smith, Plot Z, Grave 369 –Served as a Gunner in the Royal Field Artillery who died on June 6, 1919, aged 27
• W J Franklin, Plot Z, Grave 260 – Served as a Private in the Royal Defence Corps who died on January 16, 1920, aged 41
• E Southwood, Plot Z, Grave 291 –Served as a Bombardier in the Royal Field Artillery who died on February 10, 1918, aged 25
The following soldiers will also receive their own headstones, however there is little information about where they served online:
• D Bruce, Plot Z, Grave 320
• J French, Plot Z, Grave 284
• J Hoare, Plot Z, Grave 210
• W W Rawson, Plot Z, Grave 307
• Edward Charles Winder, Plot Z, Grave 316
The 23
and
The council told the LDRS that one of the graves, Plot Z, Grave 101, has two other soldiers buried in it. This grave contains a World War One soldier listed as Foxwell, and another soldier called Leslie Charles Foxwell, who served as a Sergeant in the Royal Air Force during World War Two – he currently has his own headstone.
Leslie Charles Foxwell died on September
Lewisham Council's Bereavement Services have been working closely with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to track down World War One heroes
two Foxwell soldiers will be commemorated under the same memorial when the changes are made.
I THINK I MAY BE RELATED, HOW DO I GET IN TOUCH?
If someone believes they may be related to any of the names, they can visit the CWGC website appeals page and can email enquiries@cwgc.org
A spokesperson for CWGC said: “The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is a world leader in commemoration and in the UK alone, there are Commonwealth War Graves at around 12,500 sites.
“We work closely with local authorities and landowners up and down the country to care for the graves of the fallen. At Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery, we have commemorated 23 casualties on a screen wall for many years, as their individual graves have been inaccessible.”
They added: “Therefore we are delighted to be working with Lewisham Council on this project and, though this is still in the early stages, we look forward to being able to mark these casualties’ individual graves once more.”
A spokesperson for the Friends of Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery said: “The FoBLC Committee is delighted to have been able to work with Bereavement Services and the CWCG on this issue.
7, 1942, aged 20 when his Spitfire aircraft accidentally collided over the English Channel in mid-air with another Spitfire which was being flown by Pilot Officer Horace Harwood, who also died in the incident.
Leslie Charles Foxwell is the only one of the 25 names not on the screen wall because he served in the Second World War and has his own headstone. The LDRS understands the
“Our charity is dedicated to caring for and improving all aspects of the two cemeteries. We are pleased that our views on how to develop and care for this area of Brockley Cemetery have been taken fully in to account and our members will contribute to maintaining the area around the new headstones as a wildflower meadow to be enjoyed by all in the future."
servicemen
one woman who have been located in Ladywell and Brockley Cemetery will be commemorated with their own headstones. Pictured is Colin Burgess, Bureavement Services Manager.
We are a bilingual English/German Kindergarten set in a hidden oasis centrally located in the heart of Brixton. We create an environment where children learn and have fun in a playful way. The space is light flooded with an expansive and safe garden where children can run free. We serve healthy plant-based food.
1 Corry Drive, SW9 8QS
Brixton@GermanKindergarten.co.uk apply: GermanKindergarten.co.uk/Brixton www.germankindergarten.co.uk
By Issy Clarke
BRIXTON VILLAGE, one of the area’s most popular street markets, has unveiled their calendar of upcoming free Christmas events.
Located at the heart of Brixton town centre on either side of Atlantic Road and only a short walk from Brixton Station, Brixton Village is made up of two covered markets, Market Row and Granville Arcade with more than 100 independent traders
This Christmas You can get your presents wrapped in luxury paper for free, and take little ones to have their faces painted and meet Santa.
Photo booths and performances by a travelling brass band are also among the festive delights on offer.
The events are all free and taking place at various locations in the market on Market Row and Grenville Arcade.
For the full calendar of events visit the brixtonvillage.com
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
WRAP BAR BRIXTON
When: Every weekend until Sunday 21st December, 1pm - 5pm
Where: Unit 74 Granville Arcade, SW9 8PR
What: Get your Brixton Village purchases wrapped in a bespoke, limitededition Brixton Village wrapping paper.
MEET BLACK SANTA
When: Saturday 6th and Saturday 13th December, 1pm - 5pm
Where: Market Row and Granville Arcade
What: Take your little ones to meet and take a photo with Black Santa who will be touring the market with a bag filled with presents.
By Evie Flynn
BLACKHEATH HALLS, the cultural venue just south of Greenwich Park has a rich line-up of music events and even a ballet.
FREE JAZZ IN THE BAR:
The jazz department from local arts school Trinity Laban is coming to the Blackheath Halls casual bar for late night tunes.
No reservations are required, just walk in, grab a drink and enjoy the music, with free entry for everyone.
Date: Thursday 4 December
Time: 20:00
Tickets: Free
BIG XMAS DISCO BALL:
The Great Hall will come alive at the beginning of December for a festive celebration described as a mash up of Mamma Mia and Saturday Night Fever.
Dance to the best 70s and 80s tunes from DJ Lady J who will spinn the best funk, soul and pop classics of the era.
Plus there’s a best outfit/dance-off competition, and free retro sweets & ice pops too.
10% of all profits will be going to Cancer Research UK.
Date: Saturday 6 December
Time: 19:30 – 00:00
Tickets: £20,
JACKIE OATES & JOHN SPIERS:
Multi-award winning folk musicians
Jackie Oats and John Spiers will bring their breadth of experience and shared love for traditional English folk tunes to Blackheath
FREE FESTIVE EVENTS HAPPENING EVERY WEEKEND IN BRIXTON
FACE PAINTING AND FESTIVE GLITTER TATTOOS
When: Saturday 6th December, 12pm4pm
Where: A Space to Dream Gallery (33 Granville Arcade)
What: Take a pit stop during your shopping haul or festive feast with young
Halls this winter.
Their annual tour at Christmas provides a heartwarming portrayal of Christmas carols from the UK and far beyond.
Their latest album, A Midwinter’s Night is a joyous celebration of midwinter and its shades.
The duo wants to inspire the audience with their love for Christmas and the traditions that have been an important part of their individual family traditions throughout the years.
Date: Wednesday 10 December Time: 19:30
Tickets: £20
ANDY SHEPPARD QUARTETS:
Andy Sheppard is a saxophonist and composer who aims to ‘break traditional boundaries’.
Throughout his career he has released albums with major labels like Island Records, Blue Note, Veve, Provocateur and ECM.
He has a brand new band called QUARTETS, where he is bringing older compositions back into his performances.
Date: Thursday 11 December
Time: 19:30
Tickets: £30
THE WESTBROOK BLAKE
The Westbrook Blake is one of Mike Westbrooks works where William Blake’s poetry runs through the music.
The current ensemble, formed in 2007, brings together some of the UK’s finest and most creative musicians from the worlds of jazz and contemporary music.
Karen Street is an accordionist and frequent Westbrook collaborator,
ones and treat the family to a FREE transformation - Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, Santa’s Helper or maybe even the Grinch. The choice is endless.
CHRISTMAS PHOTOBOOTH
When: Saturday 6th and Saturday 13th December, 11 am- 5pm
violinist Billy Thompson, Steve Berry a master double bassist and a mainstay of the Westbrook Orchestra, while the saxophonist Chris Biscoe has played a central role in Westbrook projects since the 1980s.
Date: Saturday 20 December
Time: 19:30
Tickets: £30
GAUDETE!
Gaudete! is a lineup of GreenMatthews festive arrangements. Think woodwinds and violins- their rich music is heartwarming and evokes the spirit of Christmas part.
Their repetoire spans 600 years from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, with winter carols, folk songs, and a plethora of unusual instruments.
Date: Sunday 21 December
Time: 14:00
Tickets: £20 (£15 for under 26),
THE NUTCRACKER BALLET:
Let’s All Dance Ballet Company is back with a festive treat for the whole family- the Nutcracker ballet.
Perfect for children of all ages, the performance will transport the audience to the magical Land of Sweets and meet the Mouse King, Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Date: Monday 22 December - Tuesday 23
December
Time: Various times
Tickets: £17, available
Where: Market Row
What: The AI Christmas photobooth will transform you to your choice of Christmas themed character and you’ll get a free printout too.
ROAMING BRASS BAND
When: 20th December
Where; Roaming Market Row and Granville Arcade.
What: The Christmas Brass Brand will delight with an acoustic range of Christmas carols and traditional tunes, offering their own arrangements of Christmas pop classics such as Slade, Mariah Carey, the Pogues, and many more.
©Brixton Village
Curl up and try
Curling Club at Vinegar Yard
By Evie Flynn
THE CURLING Club is back at Vinegar Yard this winter, in its purpose-built arena located directly opposite London Bridge station.
Following last season’s success, the Curling Club is back for a second year and is bringing an après-ski vibe to London Bridge, where you can try your hand at the unusual sport with friends or colleagues.
Vinegar Yard has been transformed, with curling lanes, festive decorations and food and drink vendors.
Curling is played on a long ice rink, where two teams slide a large granite stone down the ice towards a target, known as a ‘house’. Once all eight stones have been pushed, points are scored based on where the stones are left in relation to the target.
Don’t worry if you have never ‘curled’ before, the ice-free curling at Vinegar Yard is ideal for beginners. Members of the Curling Club team are also be on hand to provide tips and advice.
The event is suitable for all group sizes, from intimate gatherings of between 2-4 people to large corporate events. Each group is split into Red and Blue teams, with up to 10 players per rink.
Cherrie Keene, Managing Director at The Curling Club, said: “It’s fast, fun, and easy to get competitive – perfect for
groups looking to challenge their friends, colleagues, or even make new friends, or connections on the ice.”
For smaller groups of 2-4, they offer ‘Pay and Play’, which includes 30 minutes of curling time on a private sheet and priced at £15 per person.
Their bespoke packages start from six people but they can accommodate much bigger parties, depending on needs. Prices for corporate packages start at £47.95 per person.
Their ‘House’ package provides a private area for four hours, a drink on arrival, a small plate from their street food traders, an hour of curling and a group photo to remember the day.
For those who are looking to tighten their curling skills, the ‘Curls of Wisdom’ package adds two additional drinks, a larger meal, an hour of curling with a coach, a tabletop curling game to keep and your own host, who will keep an eye on the action and score.
For refreshments in the rink, there is plenty of seasonal cocktails on offer.
If you’re feeling peckish, a selection of fresh street food from local vendors is available, with refreshments delivered straight to your curling rink.
These include indulgent burgers and sides from Nanny Bill’s, tacos from Taco Bills and fluffy bao buns from Nik’s Kitchen. There will also be fresh Japanese
bites from Japanese Kitchen Shop, and slices from Bad Boy Pizza.
To bring the party atmosphere, there is live entertainment whilst groups are playing. On peak dates, like the weekend or celebrations, there’s a live DJ who spins downstairs and sets are streamed into the mezzanine upstairs.
Once the session wraps up, guests are welcome to stay in the arena, grab a drink and soak up the atmosphere, with social spaces designed for guests to linger and catch up.
This season runs until 28 February and there are two mini ‘seasons’ within that time frame left.
Seasons and opening times:
22nd November – 21st December 2025 Sun & Mon: closed, Tue–Fri: 12 noon – 10 pm Sat: 12 noon – 10 pm
28th January – 28th February 2026
Sun, Mon, Tue: closed, Wed–Fri: 5 pm – 10 pm Sat: 12 noon – 10 pm
Vinegar Yard, 72-82 St Thomas St, London SE1 3QX thecurlingclub.com/location/vinegar-yard
OATES & JOHN SPIERS
CHRISTMAS MARKETS
By Katherine Johnston, Evie Flynn & Emily Driver
SOUTH BANK WINTER MARKET
On the promenade underneath Hungerford Bridge from the Royal Festival Hall to Jubilee Gardens the annual winter market brings pop up bars, lights, chalet-style food stalls and Christmas shopping to the South Bank for the entire festive season.
Date: Now until 4 Jan 2026, closed for 25 and 31 December
Time: Daily 11am to 10pm, with craft traders until 9pm.
Location: Southbank Centre
Tickets: Walk in southbank.london
FINNISH MARKET, ROTHERHITHE
Rotherhithe’s Finnish Church’s annual Finnish Christmas Fair returns with gifts, food and drink from Finland throughout the last weekend in November and 5-7 December.
Date: Friday Friday 5 to Sunday 7 December
Time: Friday 12pm to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 12pm to 6pm
Location: 33 Albion Street, SE16 7HZ
Tickets: Walk in - but preorder bakery items to collect via tinyurl. com/ys8fhn54
VINEGAR YARD’S FESTIVE FLEA MARKETS, LONDON BRIDGE
A treasure trove of Christmas gifts including vintage and handmade watches and jewellery, accessories, clothes, toys, homeware and art are on offer at Vinegar Yard’s festive flea markets, with mulled wine and food on sale too.
Date: Every December weekend before Christmas, from Saturday 6 to Sunday 21st
Time: 11am to 5pm each day
Location: Yingar Yard, St Thomas Street, SE1 3QU.
Tickets: Walk in facebook.com/flealondon
FESTIVE FRIDAYS AT MALTBY
STREET MARKET, LONDON BRIDGE
Maltby Street’s festive night market is back and on Fridays it will be staying open until 9:30pm.
There will be street food stalls with festive specials, mulled wine and Christmas gifts from independent makers. There will also be live choirs.
Dates: Friday, 5 December, 12
December, 19 December
Time: 5:30 - 9:30pm
Location: Arch 46, Ropewalk, Maltby St, London SE1 3PA
Tickets: Walk in
CHRISTMAS OPEN STUDIOS AT PULLENS YARDS, WALWORTH
The beautiful and largely unknown creative district between Elephant and Castle and Kennington is opening its doors for one weekend in December in the run up to Christmas. The workshops, built in the late 1800s,
are now home to artistic and creative businesses. With live music and food.
Date: Friday 5 December, and Saturday 6 to Sunday 7 December
Time: Friday, 6.30pm to 9.30pm.
Saturday & Sunday: 11am to 6pm.
Location: Peacock Yard (SE17 3LH)
Illife Yard
(SE17 3QA) & Clements Yard (SE17 3LJ)
Tickets: Free entry.
BLACK CULTURE MARKET, BRIXTON
Support black business at this indoor face-to-face event bringing emerging entrepreneurs of African and Caribbean descent to a new audience.
Held in the heart of Brixton over two days, there will be unique cards, African art, jewellery, books, male grooming gifts, skincare, clothes and beautiful accessories from more than 40 traders, with food and cakes on offer too.
Date: Saturday 6 December and Sunday 7 December
Time: 11am to 5pm
Location: downstairs at The Department Store, SW9 8FR
Tickets: Free, book at
blackculturemarket.co.uk
SO LAST CENTURY
So Last Century’s festive vintage fairs are coming to New Cross, Dulwich and Beckenham in the run up to Christmas, featuring a huge offering of quality and affordable furniture, lighting, glasswork, homeware, maps, art, records, fashion and much more throughout November and December.
Date: Various weekends throughout December Time: Various, usually all-day
Location: Goldsmiths, University of London, Dulwich Picture Gallery and Beckenham Place Mansion. Tickets: £3 on the door or buy in advance online. Accompanied under 16s free. Step-free entry and level access throughout. No dogs other than assistance dogs. solastcenturyfair.co.uk
PEXMAS AT COPELAND PARK
It’s the return of the original, flagship Pexmas event of the year. Priding itself on championing small businesses and local entrepreneurship, 2025’s festive
market is coming to Copeland park over the weekend of December 6. The last two years events hosted 150 traders each day, and welcomed over 10,000 visitors.
Date: Saturday 6 December - Sunday 7 December
Time: 11am to 6pm
Location: Unit 8, Copeland Gallery & Copeland Square Copeland Park, SE15 3SN
Tickets: Free, just turn up pexmas.com
WINTER AT BOROUGH MARKET, BOROUGH
Winter will be taking over Borough Market with markets offering festive produce and meals. Through the winter months, they will be featuring brassicas and white roots, apples and citrus fruits, slow-cooking meat joints and hard cheeses. They will also be running a series of celebrations, like their free-to-attend Evening of Cheese on December 10 - a cheese-themed shopping extravaganza led by their community of cheesemongers.
Date: December 10 / Time: 6pm
Customers at Kiln Rooms
Black Culture Market is holding a Christmas special
Southbank
© Adam Luszniak
Pullens Yard
What’s on for families this winter
By Evie Flynn
STORYTELLING WITH MRS CLAUS, CHARLTON HOUSE
Charlton House will be hosting Storytelling with Mrs Claus, who will be joined by her mischievous elves. You can expect a meet and greet session, alongside crafts and stories to entertain the little ones for 45 minutes per session.
Decorate a unique masterpiece to take home to add to your Christmas tree and an iced festive biscuit.
Suitable for young children under 10.
Date: Saturday 6 December
Time: Each 45-minute session begins at 11:00am, 11:30am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm, 1:30pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm, 3:30pm, 4:00pm
Price: £10 per child, one free adult per child (additional adults are £5)
Location: Charlton House, Charlton Road, London, SE7 8RE
www.tinyurl.com/3ujhpmep
WINTER NIGHTS AT BATTERSEA PARK ZOO
Experience the magic of Battersea Park Children’s Zoo throughout December in a once-per-year opportunity to access the zoo after dark.
Meet and feed the animals by lantern light and led by an experienced zoo keeper. Take part in Christmas carols, enjoy browsing the local craft and gift stalls and indulge in festive food and seasonal beverages to help keep you warm.
Dates: Saturday 6 December, Friday 12 December, Saturday 13
December, Saturday 20 December and Sunday 21 December
Time: 17:30 - 20:30
Price: £18.95 adult, £16.95 children
Location: Battersea Park, London SW11 4NJ batterseaparkzoo.co.uk
BAUBLE MAKING FUN DAY AT THE VICTORIA INN, PECKHAM
Head down to the Victoria Inn, a boutique pub in the heart of Peckham, on either the 5 or 12 December for a bauble making fun day, suitable for the whole family.
Enjoy mulled wine whilst your kids make festive ornaments and decorations.
It is free to attend but any donations given will go to Macmillan Cancer Support. RSVP by calling +44 20 7639 5052.
Date: Friday 5 or 12 December
Time: 16:00 onwards
Location: The Victoria Inn, 77 Choumert Road, London, SE15 4AR
Price: Free to attend
A COLDHARBOUR CHRISTMAS AT BRIXTON HOUSE
Brixton House are hosting a festive celebration for local families, offering a chance to come together, enjoy free activities and festive refreshments. There will be crafts, games and a chance for parents to mingle.
Entry is free and you simply need to turn up on the day.
Date: Sunday 21 December
Time: 14:00 - 18:00
Price: Free
Location: Brixton House, Brixton House, 385 Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8GL brixtonhouse.co.uk
FATHER CHRISTMAS MEET WITH LUNCH OR BREAKFAST, CORNER CORNER
This Christmas, enjoy the festive cheer with a breakfast or lunch with Santa Claus in Canada Water’s new cultural venue, Corner Corner.
Tickets include a meet with Santa to share their Christmas wish list, a small gift to take home, a photo with Santa, craft activities, and either breakfast or lunch, depending on ticket choice.
Date: Sunday 14 December
Time: Choose between breakfast 9:30 - 12 or lunch 12:30 - 14:00
Price: Adult £20, child £16
Location: Maritime St, London SE16 7LL tinyurl.com/mr4auatk
SANTA’S MAGICAL WORKSHOP, SURREY QUAYS SHOPPING CENTRE
Join Santa and his elves at their free Merry Magical Workshop in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre.
Little ones can dress up, meet Santa and become Elves-In-Training in a fun and interactive workshop.
Dates: 5-7 and 12-24 December Times: 11:00 - 13:00 and 13:30 - 16:00
Price: Free
Location: Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, Redriff Rd, London SE16 7LL canadawater.co.uk
BABY DRAG BINGO AT THE ROSY HUE, ELEPHANT AND CASTLE
The Rosy Hue are hosting the ‘campest Bring Baby event in town!’ with comedy, live music, singing, dancing and sensory activities for babies. CLIP Theatre will be at the event to
help entertain your baby, all hosted by a drag artist.
The ‘night out but during the day’ will feature lots of bingo and silly prizes up for grabs.
Date: Tuesday 9 December 2025
Time: 11:00 - 13:00
Price: £16.50, group tickets also available
Location: The Rosy Hue, 6 Ash Avenue, London, SE17 1GQ cliptheatre.com
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Mrs Claus at Charlton House. © Charlton House
Battersea children's Zoo Winter Nights Carol singers. © Battersea Children's Zoo
A Coldharbour Christmas. © Alessandra Davison
By Issy Clarke
IT’S BEEN just over eighteen months since Miatta Fahnbulleh cruised to victory in Peckham in last summer’s general election. In the short period since, she has already held two roles in the government and is even seen by some MPs as a future Labour leader.
The former economist has held positions in Ed Miliband's Department for Energy and Net Zero and the Ministry for Housing, under ex-Lambeth Council chief Steve Reed.
Now, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s beleaguered Labour administration on the ropes, talk within the party has turned to the question of who could replace him as leader, were there to be a leadership challenge.
Naturally, speculation has centred around senior Labour figures like the Health Secretary Wes Streeting and the mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham –but surprisingly, the name of Peckham’s relatively fresh-faced MP is also one which has been mentioned.
It isn't bad going for a Westminster ‘newbie’ with just a year and a half of political experience under her belt - although Fahnbulleh declined to respond when we asked if she would ever consider running either for that job or Chancellor given her economics background - and given that she has still only held junior ministerial roles any potential leadership bid would likely be a few years into the future.
Unlike her Southwark colleagues - Neil Coyle, Florence Eshalomi, Helen Hayes and Ellie Reeves - Fahnbulleh didn’t cut her teeth in local government before running for Parliament.
However she is spoken of as being intellectually capable and highly politically ambitious, recently profiled in the Guardian among a handful of new MPs to watch.
Before becoming Peckham's MP, Fahnbulleh spent two years as a civil servant in the Cabinet Office followed by eight years as the head of the New Economics Foundation [NEF], a leftwing think tank.
Fahnbulleh joined the febrile race to become Peckham’s parliamentary candidate in 2022, despite not having strong links to the area or previous political experience.
Yet she still managed to come up on top against three other candidates - Evelyn Akoto, Jonathan Situ and Peter Babudu - all local councillors, all from Peckham.
Those familiar with the selection suggest that at the time, Fahnbulleh’s pitch was that she was someone who would go the whole way and who would champion Peckham from the Cabinet.
COULD PECKHAM MP MIATTA FAHNBULLEH LEAD LABOUR ONE DAY?
And just days after becoming MP, she was appointed a Junior Minister in Ed Miliband’s Department for Energy and Net Zero – the first steps towards a potential Cabinet role.
Yet amid her rapid rise in Westminster, questions have been asked about Fahnbulleh's accessibility as a local MP, while it has been suggested she is reluctant to stick her head above the parapet for fear of ruffling feathers among Labour high command.
Eighteen months after being elected she still hadn't opened a constituency office in the area, despite making this a pledge in her manifesto and a campaign by this newspaper pushing her to make good on that promise. However, she recently told she has identified a place and will be opening it shortly.
In political circles she is described as being a well-liked figure within the Southwark Labour Party, with good links to the regional party.
But while Fahnbulleh’s ambition has helped catapult her to two junior ministerial roles, her willingness to toe the government's line and back unpopular policies has drawn criticism from some within the local party.
As a minister, Fahnbulleh is bound by
the strictures of collective responsibility - the parliamentary convention that prevents ministers from speaking out publicly against the government. She recently used this argument to avoid responding to our request for comment on government proposals to remove licensing requirements in local newspapers.
But one Labour source said she had expected Fahnbulleh to adopt a more left-wing platform based on her campaign in Peckham and the policies endorsed by the NEF while she was in charge.
Under Fahnbulleh’s tenure, the NEF pushed for a four-day working week, a universal basic income - where every adult in the UK gets a weekly payment from the government - and autoenrolling everyone in the country onto the universal credit system.
The source added Fahnbulleh had been “relatively good on local issues” but that “the policy positions she’s taken up in government do not really reflect the needs of the people she represents.
“She’s a new MP, so it makes sense that she is a bit timid and doesn’t want to stick her neck out too much.
“But for me she hasn’t spoken out as
much as we would have expected her to, based on the campaign she led."
Fahnbulleh has voted for three particularly controversial measures - the removal of the winter fuel payment for pensioners and cuts to universal credit.
She also voted against an SNP amendment last July to scrap the twochild benefit cap which prevents parents from claiming Universal Credit on more than two children; although the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in last week’s Autumn Budget that the government will now abandon that limit.
“I was recently at a Labour Party meeting about the winter fuel allowance," added the source. "Every single member there was really annoyed that she had voted the way she did. Even the members who were on the right of the party were frustrated.”
Locally, she has championed policies such as the Community Right to Buy initiative, which would give communities the chance to buy up local buildings before they go on sale.
She is also passionate about improving the provision of youth clubs in Peckham, with the goal of creating one within walking distance of every child in the area.
But on one of the biggest issues in Peckham right now - the Berkeley Homes redevelopment of the Aylesham centreher intervention has been more cautious. She came out in April against the planning application after the developer reduced the number of affordable homes to just 12 per cent.
But she hasn't been seen in public alongside protesting campaigners, and her position is complicated by the fact she now works in the Department for Housing under Steve Reed, who is pushing a 'build baby build' agenda and recently slashed the number of affordable homes developers need to build to get planning permission in London.
When we interviewed her on her campaign to become an MP Fahnbulleh told us: “When we [Labour] win, we have to win for big change and, if we don’t, I don’t think the country will forgive us.”
The MP for Peckham and Camberwell didn't comment when we asked her to confirm or rule out a bid for the leadership – but some believe she may well have the self-belief and ambition to consider her options in the future, should her country decide not to forgive its current Labour leader.
Which south London areas could see a new M&S Food store?
By Evie Flynn
MARKS & Spencers has earmarked locations like Surrey Quays, Camberwell, Dulwich, and Herne Hill on its "wish list" for food store sites.
The retailer is searching for sites with over 18,000 sq ft in an attempt to double the size of its food business in London. Possibles in Southwark include Surrey Quays / Canada Water, Camberwell, Dulwich, Dulwich Village, and Herne Hill. A major opportunity appears to be
in Canada Water, an area undergoing extensive redevelopment as part of British Land's Canada Water Masterplan.
The shopping centre has been earmarked for demolition with the intention of creating 1 million sqt ft of new shops, restaurants and cultural destinations.
A new Tesco has already been approved on the site to replace the existing one in Surrey Quays shopping centre.
There are also areas across south east and south west London on the list, such as Blackheath, Forest Hill,
Greenwich, Balham and Wandsworth. M&S says it wants to double the size of its food business with car parks, bigger shopping trolleys and wider aisles.
This announcement follows last week's opening of a new Food Hall by Clapham Common.
FULL LIST OF SOUTH LONDON LOCATIONS: Abbey Woood, Camberwell, Blackheath, Brockley, Denmark Hill, Dulwich, Dulwich Village Forest Hill, Greenwich, Greenwich Peninsula, Honor Oak, New Cross,
Kidbroke, Surrey Quays / Canada Water, Sydenham, Balham, Clapham Crystal Palace / West Norwood, East Putney, Herne Hill
Gipsy Hill, Morden, Lower Morden, Nine Elms, Surbiton, Tooting Bec, Vauxhall, Wandsworth, Wimbledon Chase, Wimbledon Village.
By Harrison Galliven
Local Democracy Reporter
CITY HALL and the NHS have joined forces with viral social media star ‘Bus Aunty’ to encourage black and ethnic minority (BAME) Londoners to come forward as blood donors this winter.
There are currently 23,000 unfilled blood donation appointments in the capital over the next six weeks – 42 per cent of the national total.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) say they particularly need donors with the Ro blood subtype. This is is used to treat patients with sickle cell, an inherited blood disorder that disproportionately affects people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage.
However, there are 3,000 eligible Ro donors across London who have not made an appointment in the past 12 months.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) joined Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, on board a specially wrapped double-decker bus to promote the campaign across London.
Dr Weekes-Bernard said there was still some hesitancy in BAME communities around giving blood, and that she herself only became a donor two years ago.
There is now a year-long campaign to recruit 16,000 additional Black heritage blood donors to help people living with sickle cell.
“We know that this year we need donors of Black heritage and that’s largely because we know that ethnically matched blood can really transform and save lives and now more than ever we really need to have more Black donors stand up, put themselves forward and maybe consider donating blood,” she told the LDRS.
“There’s a lot of hesitancy within some communities because people are worried about how long it might take to give blood, perhaps about it being potentially quite painful and I think there is a lot of hesitancy just generally about health services more broadly.
“The issue however remains that when it comes to certain diseases like sickle cell for example, it’s one of the fastest growing genetic blood disorders and it disproportionately impacts people of Black heritage. Ethnically matched blood is actually really, really effective because of that.”
Also on board the bus, a special service from Lambeth Road to Brixton Blood Donor Centre, was ‘Bus Aunty’ – real name Bemi Orojuogun – a former mental health nurse who celebrates the capital’s buses with her viral TikTok videos.
She appealed to BAME communities to “come out and give blood” – even if their blood type isn’t Ro.
Ms Orojuogun told the LDRS: “Even if your blood doesn’t match, somebody else may need your blood. Like for me, I have a very rare blood type, and for that, I’m happy to give today because somebody will need that blood.
“Please don’t be reluctant to give blood. You never know, your family, your relatives may even need blood one day. And also it’s a good practice to help somebody else.
“Your blood will help somebody to live. You can jump on the bus and give blood. Why not?”
Fellow social media star Simply Sayo, an NHSBT ambassador, tragically lost two of her sisters to sickle cell and has used her platform to mobilise Black communities to become blood donors.
“We need 16,000 new donors from Black heritage backgrounds to register to donate blood,” she said.
BUS AUNTY APPEALS FOR ETHNIC MINORITY BLOOD DONORS DURING CRUCIAL CHRISTMAS PERIOD
“We’re here to make sure that, if you are the giving type, that you are giving and that blood donation is at the forefront of people’s minds.
“Sickle cell can be a very, very debilitating and a very dangerous condition to live with – and it is on the rise. From my trauma of losing my sister when she was nine years old, a few months away from her 10th birthday, I’ve channelled that grief and turned it into advocacy.”
NHSBT data shows that one in every four blood donations used by the NHS in England last year went to hospitals in London – equivalent to 921 lifesaving units every day, or one every 90 seconds.
Labour MPs also threw their weight behind the campaign and encouraged Londoners, particularly those from the Afro-Caribbean community, to come forward.
Florence Eshalomi, who represents Vauxhall and Camberwell Green and used to sit on the London Assembly, told the LDRS: “This is really, really important. My late mother suffered from sickle cell anaemia, I also have the sickle trait.
“It’s so vital we get more Black Londoners coming forward to give blood. We really can make such a difference and you will save someone’s life. Many people like me are scared of the injection, but it’s quick and easy.”
Bell Riberio-Addy, the MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill, added: “We are seeing a dire shortage of the right type of blood particularly in African and Caribbean communities.
“At the moment, sick cell is the fastest growing genetic disease in the UK and the Ro blood type that is needed, particularly for those who suffer from sickle cell anaemia, is found most
Bus Aunty, Bemi Orojuogun poses for photos with Deputy Mayor, Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard and Simple Sayou, Adesayou Talabi in a bus during a
predominantly in the Afro-Caribbean community.
“I know there have been some misgivings around it previously, and I think it’s important that we address those, but ultimately, at this point in time, if our communities are not giving blood, more people will die.”
Renata Gomes, the Chief Scientific Officer at NHS Blood and Transplant, said the campaign came at a time of year where people are usually put off donating.
“It tends to be a lot with the cold that people stop going out, it’s also the festive season so people start getting very busy
with their celebrations,” she told the LDRS.
“But during the Black Friday season, we would encourage Londoners to go to a donation centre and buy someone the gift of time. It’s really important in particular in London, because London is beautifully diverse and it has a huge number of people.”
trip from Lambeth North to Brixton
Florence Eshalomi MP taking a selfie with other supporters of the NHSBT campaign
NO SWAN SONG FOR THE WHITE SWAN
By Cameron Blackshaw Local Democracy Reporter
THE LEAD singer of a prominent New Wave band will perform an intimate VIP gig to some lucky donors who contribute to a South East London pub’s crowdfunding campaign.
Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze is supporting the community’s aim of purchasing The White Swan in Charlton Village so it can re-open as an arts space and bar.
The 1840s pub has been closed since 2020 but White Swan Music and Arts (WSMA) wants to “protect its long heritage and breathe new life into the space”.
The independent arts charity hopes to raise £360,000 which would be enough for a deposit to purchase The White Swan. It has already managed to raise £40k of its £360k target, and on Wednesday, December 3, WSMA launched a music video to support its grassroots fundraising campaign.
The “Up the Junction” singer Tillbrook, who features in the video, lives in the Charlton area and was born in Woolwich. He said: “Over fifty years ago, the first gig that myself and Jools Holland got was playing in the Morden Arms in Greenwich.
“We soon had a residency there and started getting gigs in other pubs, gradually. It was great fun and helped us to find ourselves.
“Places like this are vital for young musicians to learn their craft, playing to friends and neighbours. I hope that The White Swan will be able to host another generation of musicians soon.”
Anyone who donates £750 can secure two tickets to the intimate gig performed by the Squeeze frontman, and that’s not the only donation incentive. There will also be the chance to own a personalised, one of a kind ceramic tankard made by local ceramicist and other rewards that can all be found on the crowdfunder site.
The White Swan campaigners ultimately hope they will be able to raise enough money to purchase the pub and then restore the two-storey Victorian building. They believe that bringing the building into community ownership will mean that profits from the pub can be ploughed back into the Charlton creatives of the future.
The campaigners said: “This campaign is bringing together local artists, musicians, Charlton Athletic supporters and everyone in the wider community to create a new future for this derelict building.”
WSMA wants to build a “new multi purpose community arts space” above the pub that will include digital content creation spaces and a stage for young artists in the Charlton area to perform on.
The group hopes this stage will become “a vital stepping stone for experience and confidence on the road to packing out the
anniversaries or simply where we could gather for Sunday lunch.
“Our plan is to restore the pub and live music venue, but also do more by investing any profits to enable young
Wetherspoons plans to open a new pub next to Charing Cross
By Adrian Zorzut Local Democracy Reporter
WETHERSPOONS HAS applied to open a new pub with a capacity for 320 people next to Charing Cross station. The popular chain wants to operate at 11 Strand between 7am and 11.30pm Monday to Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday, according to an licensing application before Westminster City Council.
Wetherspoons has promised to shut at 10.30pm on Sunday and to provide door supervisors every night. It has also proposed to have bouncers on duty before 6pm for the first six weeks after opening and anytime after that based on risk assessments.
The site was formerly home to a retail unit and cafe. Objectors say the area already suffers from crime and anti-social behaviour and called for door supervisors to be on duty whenever the pub is operating.
They’ve also said the proposed smoking area – facing Charing Cross station entrance – must be moved. One objector wrote: “If that area is now blocked by smokers it will effectively half the width of access for those walking to the station (not wishing to walk on the road). For those arriving in London and exiting the station it is not right they should be immediately subjected to the sight and smell of those patrons smoking.”
Another called for an 11pm closing time fearing any later would lead to more noise and intoxicated customers in surrounding streets. They said residents have already made numerous reports to Westminster City Council about drunken shouting and singing late at night, damage to vehicles and private property, litter, and people urinating and defecating on private doorsteps which have come from other premises in the area.
They wrote: “These issues are documented and recurring, particular after midnight. An 11pm closing time is therefore both reasonable and proportionate to protect amenity and public order.”
A written statement by the chain said the venue will operate as a traditional JD Wetherspoon pub with no music or similar entertainment. They pointed out other Wetherspoon pubs subject to the same conditions in other busy areas like The Montagu Pyke on Charing Cross Road and The Moon Under Water on Leicester Square.
The premises will trade over two floors on the upper and lower ground floors and will have a capacity of 320, excluding staff. They said entry and exit will only be from the Charing Cross forecourt and there will be no consumption of food or drink, or the placing of tables and chairs, outside.
Off-sales of food and drink will not be permitted.
They also said the location of the venue next to a major railway will help in the
dispersal of customers at closing time. They wrote: “Careful consideration has been given to the Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy and the licensing objectives in putting together the operating schedule and preconsultation has taken place with Ayesha Bolton at Westminster City Council and Steve Muldoon at the Metropolitan Police.
“Meetings have also been held with local residents, local businesses, local councillors… As a result of those meetings a Dispersal Policy, Event Day Management Plan and Football Supporters Match Day Management Plan which accompany this application form part of the conditions put forward.”
In June, Wetherspoons won an appeal at the Planning Inspectorate to run the site as a pub. The application, which requested the use of the upper and lower grounds floors as a pub with food, was refused by Westminster City council in April 2024.
A council report at the time said the type and size of the pub was “inappropriate to its location”. The council said the venue would add to an existing “over-concentration” of entertainment, food and drinking establishments and be a detriment to residents living in nearby Craven Street.
After reviewing the case, the Planning Inspectorate said there were no “material considerations” which should stop the site being used as a pub.
Westminster City Council were reviewing the licensing application as we went to press.
Wetherspoon’s wants to run a new pub on the Strand. WCC/Allvest Company
people access to the arts and provide a space for our wider community. The
O2 Arena, a stone’s throw away”.
WSMA chair Suzanne Hunt said: “The White Swan has been closed now for five years. To me, it’s more than just a pub; it’s where my family celebrated landmark
White Swan should be where you walk up to the bar as a stranger but walk out as a friend.”
White Swan Music And Arts Crowdfunder
Health webinars
GUY’S AND St Thomas’ offers free events for its members with an opportunity to meet its experts and to learn more about its work.
The next webinar is:
Lipoprotein Apheresis and the role of cholesterol in health
This seminar explores the science, treatment options and personal experiences around cholesterol management and lipoprotein apheresis.
Thursday 11 December 5.30pm to 7pm
For more information please email: gstt.members@nhs.net
SUPPORT EVELINA LONDON TO OPEN ITS DOORS TO CHILDREN WITH CANCER
EVELINA LONDON Children’s Charity are asking supporters to make a donation this Christmas to help it open its future cancer centre for children.
Evelina London Children’s Hospital, who treat over 100,000
children every year, is building a specialist cancer centre for children in south London and much of South East England. This centre will offer specialist treatment for toddlers, children and young people with complex or rare cancers.
Rose Abbott’s daughter, Molly,
received life-saving treatment at Evelina London in 2021. Born 10 weeks premature, she had developed a rare virus and sepsis and needed pioneering care.
Molly was placed on a temporary life support system called ECMO, part-funded by donations to Evelina
London Children’s Charity. By providing oxygen to Molly when her lungs had completely failed, this equipment and the team’s expertise meant Molly was breathing by herself in just 12 days.
Rose said: “If it wasn’t for the treatment and the amazing team at Evelina London, Molly would not be here today. What Evelina London did for Molly, and our family was nothing short of a miracle.”
Ali Momin, Director of Funding and Impact at Evelina London Children’s Charity, said: “A cancer diagnosis shatters the everyday life of a child and their family. Overnight, the normal routines change, and the future becomes uncertain.
“For parents and family members, it’s a frightening and stressful time. Many children will need complex, intensive treatments, which often means long stays in hospital.
“Charitable donations helped save Molly’s life, and this Christmas, you can help bring the same hope to children facing cancer. By making a £25 donation you could help open Evelina London’s cancer centre for children, and give hope to families who need it most.”
To find out more visit: evelinacharity.org.uk/christmas-25
Free programme for diabetes patients New guide for parents of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy
GUY’S AND St Thomas’ is calling on Black African and Black Caribbean people with type 2 diabetes to join a free healthy eating and exercise programme specially tailored to their needs.
The 7-week online HEAL-D programme gives people living in south London advice on managing their diabetes, and shares healthier ways of cooking traditional foods, based on recipes from local people.
The 2-hour weekly sessions over 7 weeks explore a range of topics including:
• understanding diabetes and blood glucose
• how to improve heart health by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• tips for managing weight
Ingrid Hamilton
A CLINICAL specialist occupational therapist in Evelina London’s REACH service has collaborated with parents, carers and therapists of children with hemiplegia to help other families get a better understanding of the condition. Around 80% of hemiplegia cases are a form of cerebral palsy, and present from birth. The condition affects around 1 in 1,000 children in the UK, and causes weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, affecting movement, coordination and daily tasks like dressing, eating or playing.
of other organisations that can offer further support Katrina Galvin’s son Jake, aged 5, lives with hemiplegia. She said: “I know how important early intervention is for children like my son but I also understand all too well how hard these therapies can be to access. The guide will be an invaluable resource to parents who are in the same situation as we were.”
Most classes also include a light to moderate exercise class with a physiotherapist. The sessions are currently available online on Monday evenings and Wednesday afternoons, and people can refer themselves or can be referred by a health professional such as a GP.
Tooting, took part in HEAL-D in 2024, and saw a significant drop in her blood glucose levels. She said: “Programmes like this are brilliant, they are so needed!”
Ingrid Hamilton, 59, from
Find out more at https://www. guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/heal-d
The occupational therapist-led service has been running for 10 years. It supports 80 to 100 children each year with upper limb rehabilitation programmes which are delivered in partnership with families, community therapists, and Evelina London REACH therapists.
Jill Massey, an Evelina London occupational therapist coordinated work with families and therapists to co-design the guide. It sets out practical steps to equip parents and carers with the knowledge and resources they need to help their child thrive. It also includes a list
Rose Abbott and daughter, Molly
Jill Massey, Katrina Galvin and son Jake
what’s on
A special kind of show
WITH WARM mince pies handed out as the audience found their seats it was already beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Old Vic for the ninth outing of Jack Thorne's version of A Christmas Carol, writes Michael Holland.
Cast members ambled about the stage in the round, greeting all and wishing us Merry Christmas as market folk threw satsumas into the audience. The atmosphere became one of giving and of being jolly. Musicians struck up a tune and bells were rung. We Wish You A Merry Christmas was sung. I wanted to stay right there in the moment and await a turkey dinner delivered to my seat to create the Heaven on Earth so many carols promise.
But the mood changed. The lights darkened and Ebenezer Scrooge appeared to spoil all the goodwill that had permeated the theatre. He sent carol singers packing, advising them to die and ease the pressure on the population; he made Bob Cratchit work late on Christmas Eve and sucked every piece of geniality out of the air.
Nephew Fred came a-knocking with an invite to Christmas Dinner but was given the same treatment as the unfortunate
carol singers. And while Scrooge revelled in his miserliness the first ghost appeared.
You thought it would have been a rapid downward spiral for the moneygrabbing financier but his greed seemed able to ward off the spectral warnings. He even enjoyed looking back at his life. He was able to see how, with all the debts incurred by a spendthrift father impacting on the Scrooges' lives, he turned out the way he did, but did not see any good reason to change. He was still of a mind that money was an answer to everything and happiness should not be factored into the equation.
The first half ends with Scrooge having a meltdown while the musicians and singers deliver a mournful, yet beautiful, O Holy Night.
Eventually, when Scrooge was shown the future he had to deal with those he had been bad to still showing compassion and a love for him around his coffin. Some of those who had known Scrooge as a young man, just felt sorry that he turned out that way. These responses were incomprehensible to this once good man gone bad.
Great costumes, great characters and a great sense of benevolence overcoming all in this production that really sets you
A sleigh ride of non-stop festive fun
IT WAS after I'd booked the tickets that I realised the Brick Lane Music Hall was nowhere near Brick Lane but in the middle of the old Royal Docks amongst the new high-rise apartments. I imagined a tourist trap in a soulless warehouse with fake Cockneys greeting punters with 'Alright darling' as they pulled their braces out and did a little knees up move. How wrong was I, writes Michael Holland. The Brick Lane Music Hall was founded in the 80s by Vincent Hayes MBE, in a pub just off Brick Lane. As the clientele grew, Vincent relocated to the Trumans Brewery in Brick Lane.
After a few years there a permanent home was found in St Mark's Church, a Victorian Gothic beauty in Silvertown where it enjoys Grade II* status. And that is where I took myself this week for their annual Magic of Christmas Show. Firstly it was the Grotto-like entrance and foyer, twinkling lights, Christmas trees and helpful staff - I couldn't help complimenting them on how they had decorated the place. We were then shown to a table with great views of the stage. Next up was the threecourse Christmas Lunch, served by a team with military precision but with the smiles of Santa's little helpers. And very nice it was too. When that was out the way, Vincent came on to get us warmed up with a few
This is like a love letter to the stage
up for being benevolent at Christmas and seeking out good deeds to do.
Paul Hilton commands the stage almost throughout, looking like a man who doesn't eat well, ravaged by his own hateful mind and seeing only bad in everyone. It makes his transition into a world of decency difficult for the audience to believe at first but he gets us all there in the end, and when Tiny Tim utters the immortal line, 'God bless everyone' there was a huge 'Awww'.
But Hilton was not alone. Just like Ebenezer Scrooge, he needed the help of others, and that came with a wonderful cast, magical musicians, and the creative team backstage.
Hats doffed for Stuart Neal doing some heavy lifting as Marley. I heard it whispered in Row J that some see him as the finest actor of his generation. And a glass of mulled wine needs to be raised for Lauren Jones taking on the difficult role of Scrooge's sister Little Fan. She is a star.
This is a special time of year and Matthew Warchus' A Christmas Carol is a special kind of show.
Old Vic until January 10th. Booking and full details: https://www.oldvictheatre. com/stage/a-christmas-carol-2025/
jokes and an introduction to the threepiece 'orchestra'.
Vincent is the compere, a role he has been perfecting over many years and performances; he definitely hit my funny bone a few times as he worked the crowd. This veteran knows his audience and that audience are coach loads of people from Canvey Island, Epping, Maidstone and other large towns where London expats moved out to.
He received his MBE for services to British Music Hall and spends his life getting the word out to everyone and anyone who wants to know the tradition of Music Hall. Now a charity, they take their shows out to care homes and schools to entertain and spread the word to those that can't get to the venue. But it is the shows in the former church that is what I came for and I will
Before Dancemoms there was Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfeild’s (much more) charming 1936 children’s novel, following the lives of three young, adopted sisters as they navigate growing up in stage school and scraping together a living as theatre performers. Returning to the National Theatre as a live production, this moving story excels on every level, writes Melina Block.
Ballet prodigy Posy (Scarlett Monahan), mechanics enthusiast Petrova (Sienna Arif-Knights), and eldest actress Pauline (Nina Cassells) successfully overcome my usual apprehension towards adults playing children, bringing such energy and heart to their roles as the Fossil sisters that you can’t help but root for them - even through the occasional diva meltdown. Justin Salinger is also spectacular, enthralling the audience every time he appears in one of the many eccentric roles he takes on throughout the show; whether he’s the kooky geologist who takes the
start by saying how impressed I was.
As soon as I heard the group of top class singers do their stuff I looked round at my partner with raised eyebrows! 'They're great, ain't they?' I said. And that is how the show continued. Andrew Robley, a BLMH stalwart, did a medley of Christmas favourites we could singalong to, followed by Victoria Yellop an acclaimed violinist who was a resident musician for the Queen for many years. Victoria performed a mixup of classical and well known tunes that included carols and Highland Flings. The show was a sleigh ride of nonstop familiar and festive fun as the performers interchanged with each other for different songs and comedy skits. Each turn accompanied by a change in costume in this very Christmassy and glittery production. Yes, it is cheesy,
girls in or their velvet-and-fur-clad Russian ballet teacher, Salinger’s charisma and stage presence is irresistible.
The intricately crafted details of the sets, costumes and lights provide even more warmth and magic. Every corner of this production appears thoughtfully conceived, expertly constructed, and confidently displayed. This technical proficiency extends to the cast’s dancing as well, creating a show that really does feel like a love letter to the stage.
From the first scene to the last, the world of Ballet Shoes is a nostalgic, comforting escape. As we were leaving the theatre, my friend (half) jokingly said that she wished she had a child just so she could take them to see this show: if that isn’t a good enough incentive to grab tickets for Ballet Shoes, I don’t know what is.
National Theatre until 21st February.
Booking and full details: https://www.nationaltheatre.org. uk/productions/ballet-shoes/
Quattro Formaggio cheesy, but that is what is we want for a Christmas show. This time of year is when we can get away with wearing silly jumpers, sing carols in the street, and watch White Christmas with Bing Crosby. It is a time for enjoyment and BLMH provides that 100%. This year my Christmas started in November when I laughed a lot and sang along to well-known songs and had the time of my life with not one fake Cockney in sight.
Joke of the day? 'The next act does not need any introduction... Because he didn't turn up!'
Brick Lane Music Hall, 443 North Woolwich Road, London, E16 2DA.
Booking and Full details of the history: https://www.bricklanemusichall.co.uk/
Photo by Manuel Harlan
Photo by Marc Brenner
Museum by Candlelight at the Fan Museum:
The Fan Museum will be opening later than usual for Museum by Candlelight, where visitors are invited to experience the exhibition space in the candlelight. Visitors can enjoy a complimentary drink of mulled wine, cider or juice.
Dates: Numerous dates in December: Thursday 11, Friday 12, Saturday 13, Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18. Times: 16:30 - 19:00
Location: The Fan Museum, 12 Crooms Hill, Greenwich, London, SE10 8ER
Tickets: £10 per ticket, available here: https://www.thefanmuseum.org.uk/ events/museum-by-candlelight
Rumpelstiltskin Pantomime at Charlton House:
Transport to a world of wonder and imagination with an interactive pantomime at Charlton House. The 45-minute production of Rumpelstiltskin is perfect for all, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Date: Thursday 14 December. Time: 13:30 - 14:15
Location: Charlton House & Gardens, Charlton Road, Charlton, London, SE7 8RE
Tickets: £8 per ticket, available here: https://www.greenwichheritage.org/ events/rumpelstiltskin-pantomime-sendfriendly/
A Christmas Crafternoon at Woolwich Works:
Woolwich Works are hosting a Kitschmas afternoon to create decorations oozing with colour glitter and charm. Kitschmas is vintage vibes, bold colours, tinsel and sparkle and the whole family is welcome to take part in the afternoon. Make your own Christmas cards, complete with googly eyes and glitter or try making a tree decoration. Suitable for ages 2+ and all abilities.
Date: Sunday 14, Sunday 21 and Monday 22
December
Time: Sessions at 14:30 and 15:30
Location: Workers’ Bar, Woolwich Works, The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 St, Royal Arsenal, SE18 6HD
Tickets: Free but donations are welcome, available here: https://www.woolwich.works/ events/christmas-crafternoon
The Gingerbread Man at the Tramshed:
Celebrate the magic of Christmas at Blackheath Halls with performances from Blackheath Halls Youth Choir, Greenvale School, Blackheath Goes Gospel signers and the Blackheath Halls Orchestra. There will be sing-along moments for the audience and the evening is sure to be an enjoyable event for the whole family to see in the festive season.
Date: Sunday 14 December. Time: 19:30
Location: Blackheath Halls (Great Hall), 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, London, SE3 9RQ
Tickets: £10 children and £19 adults, available here: https:// www.blackheathhalls.com/ whats-on/blackheath-halls-christmas-
Queer Cabaret at Woolwich Works:
Drag the Halls is a spectacular queer cabaret variety show with something for everyone to enjoy. The night showcases drag queens and kings with show-stopping burlesque performances, clown acts, comedy and live singing.
Date: Thursday 11 December
Time: 19:30
Location: The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 St, Royal Arsenal, London SE18 6HD
Tickets: £13.75, available here: https://www.woolwich.works/ events/drag-the-halls-2025
BERMONDSEY'S BREAD AND JAM WARS
By Debra Gosling
IN THE nineteenth century Bermondsey hosted the largest jam producer in the world. No, it wasn't Hartley's, nor Southwells. Liptons? Nope. It was Pink's. I'd never heard of them until I bought a rather lovely old twisty bottle, which I think was used for fruit syrups.
Staple Street contained a big engineering works that closed in 1870 and made room for Edward Pink's jam. Born in 1827 in Hampshire, Edward had been an apprentice grocer in Holborn, but he had bigger things in mind when he established his jam factory. The place was huge, overlooking all the little residential streets and houses. It gave work to those living thereabouts and, most of the time, it spewed out lovely fruity aromas. During the fruit season Pink employed an additional 600 employees, with the majority women workers.
Besides the warm smell of jam, there was the noise of a huge and modern steam pump. Yet, in 1877 the medical officer for health in St George's parish had complaints from residents regarding Pink's yard, which had a pit filled with horse dung and rotting fruit. The firm boasted it was the largest maker of marmalade, so you can imagine the stench of rotten oranges. They were told to take away the horse poo more frequently and have a separate pit for the rotten fruit. Pink's agreed, but it was just the start of much discord in its history.
In 1890 Pink's son Thomas took over the running of the things - and that's when the jam really hit the fan. He was headstrong and wanted to make his mark. Thomas went onto the factory floor and completely reorganised it. He liked new technology and had a telephone. Instead of a secretary, he dictated onto a phonograph machine and had it typed up.
Two years later the company made the headlines when Frederick Weeks, a carman, was charged with animal cruelty by working a horse in an unfit state.
Pinks' horse keeper was also summoned for allowing this to happen. The horse was lame and in great pain. But all the horse keeper got was a fine and Weeks was discharged. It was the cruelty meted out on horses by Victorian carmen that caused the RSPCA to come about.
The company was back in the news in 1895 when Eliza Wright, aged 52,
died after falling backwards into a vat of boiling apples. Her workmate, Emily Godfrey, was wheeling a pan of the apples across the factory floor and shouted for Eliza to get out of the way. Eliza moved her own trolley away but caught her leg on yet another trolley and fell backwards into the boiling fruit. Godfrey was too shocked to do anything but other workers pulled Eliza out and called for the factory nurse. Eliza, scalded all over her body, was transported to Guy's but died of her injuries. At the inquest the jury recommended that Pink's tighten their health and safety rules and use covered pans.
Thomas Pink was getting a name for himself but for all the wrong reasons. He was very strict and had a poor reputation as a boss, but it was when he reduced the women's wages that things got ugly. The women had a union and went on strike,
so he sacked them and brought in new people.
Working conditions were also bad. Workers were not allowed to leave the building during their lunch break but there was nowhere for them to eat, other than the factory floor. In 1894 MP John Burns got to hear about it and spoke directly to Pink, who built a four storey canteen of sorts. Pink stated he wanted his staff to be happy, but only to increase productivity.
In 1911 more trouble brewed when the women striked again for more pay and were given an extra two shillings a week. It started a domino effect and factories across Bermondsey workers downed tools and walked out for more money. A lot of women were the bread (or bread and jam) winners of the family, at a time when their husbands had to queue for a day's work.
Three years later the staff walked out again. The whole workforce wanted the
Three years later the staff walked out again. The whole workforce wanted the minimum wage as recommended by the trade board. Pinks had no choice but to agree.
In 1919 the company's glory days were over after a huge fire affected production. Add to this the constant pilfering of the goods by the workforce and it was curtains for Thomas. The business was sold and merged with East End jam producers Plaistowe.
Thomas Snr died in 1926 of heart failure, purportedly due to his indulgence of smoking, drinking and overconsumption of meat. Hardly the lifestyle of his two shillings a week workforce. Thomas Jnr emigrated to Canada and was never heard from again! Plaistowe was bought out by Crosse & Blackwell. The Staple street factory was demolished in 1930 and replaced by the Tabard Gardens Estate.
© Debra Gosling 2020
A Pink’s Jam bottle
Pink’s workers take action
Thomas Pink Jnr
Pink's factory in Staple Street
Retired English builder produces
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First fee: cup of tea for projects in London Domestic building specifications
07541 235614
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LICENSING ACT 2003
Transport for London Public Notice
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984
THE A302 GLA ROAD (WESTMINSTER BRIDGE ROAD, LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH) (TEMPORARY BANNED TURN) ORDER 2025
1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that it intends to make the abovenamed Trafc Order under section 14(1) of the Road Trafc Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specied in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.
2. The purpose of the Order is to enable digital advertising unit reinstatement works to take place on the A302 Westminster Bridge Road.
3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle except pedal cycles proceeding north-westwards on the A302 Westminster Bridge Road from turning left onto the south-westbound carriageway of Westminster Bridge Road at its junction with the A3200 Addington Street.
The Order will also close the north-west to south-westbound cycle track on the A302 Westminster Bridge Road between Waterloo Railway Bridge and a point opposite the western building line of No. 200 Westminster Bridge Road. Marshals will be on site to assist pedal cycles to dismount and use footway. The Order will be effective between 9:00 PM on 5th January 2026 and 5:00 AM on 6th January 2026 or when the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. The prohibition will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by trafc signs.
4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of:
(1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for re brigade, ambulance or police purposes;
(2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London.
5. At such times as the prohibition is in force an alternative route will be indicated by trafc signs via Addington Street, York Road (northbound), IMAX Roundabout, York Road (southbound) and Addington Street to normal route of travel.
Dated this 5th day of December 2025
Andrew Ulph Co-ordination Manager
Transport for London, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ
Notice of application for a Premises Licence.
Notice is hereby given that Enable Leisure & Culture has applied to Wandsworth Council for a TIME LIMITED premises licence allowing for a single 2-day event, taking place on a Saturday and Sunday between 1 May and 30 September 2026 (excluding August Bank Holiday Weekend) at Tooting Common Lido Field, Tooting Bec Road, London, SW16 1RU for the staging of the ‘Country on the Common’ festival.
Licensable activities & timings as follows: Plays, Films, Live Music, Recorded Music & Performance of Dance:
• Saturday 12:00 – 22:30
• Sunday: 12:00 – 21:30
Sale of alcohol (for consumption ON the premises):
• Saturday: 12:00 – 22:00
• Sunday: 12:00 – 21:00
Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 25 December 2025 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk
The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk
It is an offence, under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in or in connection with an application, punishable upon conviction by an unlimited fine.
Transport for London Public Notice
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984
THE A2 GLA ROAD (NEW CROSS ROAD LONDON BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC AND STOPPING AND SUSPENSION OF BUS LANE) ORDER (NO.2) 2025
1. Transport for London in consultation with the London Borough of Lewisham hereby gives notice that it has made the above named Traffic Order under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specified in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.
2. The purpose of the Order is to enable electrical vehicle chargers installation works to take place at A2 New Cross Road in the London Borough of Lewisham.
3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle from:
(1) stopping at the north-eastern kerb-line at New Cross Road between its junctions with Casella Road and Billington Road;
(2) stopping at the north-western kerb-line on Billington Road from its junction with New Cross Road to a point 18 metres in a north easterly direction;
(3) exiting Billington Road at its junction with New Cross Road;
(4) entering or exiting Hatcham Park Road at its junction with New Cross Road;
(5) stopping at the north-eastern kerb-line on New Cross Road between its junctions with Hatcham Park Road and Queen’s Road;
(6) stopping on New Cross Road between its junctions with the access road to New Cross Garage and Nettleton Road.
The Order will permit:
(7) two-way working on Hatcham Park Road between its junctions with New Cross Road and Brocklehurst Street;
(8) all vehicles to use the eastbound Bus Lane on New Cross Road between its junctions with Pepys Road and Nettleton Road.
The Order will be effective at certain times from 12.01 AM on the 8th December 2025 until 11.59 PM on the 31st December 2025 or when the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. The prohibition will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by trafc signs.
4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of:
(1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for re brigade, ambulance or police purposes;
(2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London.
APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PREMISES LICENCE
Take notice that Ornithology Bars and Restaurants Ltd have made an application to Lewisham Council acting as the Licensing Authority, for a New Premises Licence in respect of 14 Royal Parade, Blackheath, London, SE3 0TN
The details of the application are as follows:
Supply of alcohol [on and off the premises]09:00 – 00:00 Sunday – Wednesday and 09:00 –01:00 Thursday – Saturday
Provision of Films - 09:00 – 23:00 Monday –Thursday, 09:00 – 01:00 Friday – Saturday and 09:00 – 00:00 Sunday (Christmas Eve and New Years Eve until 2am)
Provision of Live Music - 23:00 – 00:00 Sunday –Wednesday and 23:00 – 01:00 Thursday –Saturday (Christmas Eve and New Years Eve until 2am)
Provision of Recorded Music - 23:00 – 00:00 Sunday – Wednesday And 23:00 – 01:00 Thursday – Saturday (Christmas Eve and New Years Eve until 2am)
Provision of Performances of Dance - (Christmas Eve & New Years Eve 23:00 - 00:00)
Provision of anything of a similar description to live music, recorded music or performances of dance - 09:00 – 00:00 Sunday – Wednesday and 09:00 – 01:00 Thursday – Saturday (Christmas Eve and New Years Eve until 2am)
Late Night Refreshment - 23:00 – 01:00 Monday – Saturday and 23:00 – 00:00 Sunday
The application and the Licensing Authority’s public register can be inspected at: Lewisham Council, Safer Communities Service, 4th Floor Laurence House, 1 Catford Road, London, SE6 4RU by appointment Monday to Friday (except on public holidays) and between the hours of 9.00 am to 4.00 pm; or at www.lewisham.gov.uk
5. At such times as the prohibition is in force alternative routes will be indicated by trafc signs for access to Hatcham Park Drive via New Cross Road, Billington Road and Camplin Street to normal route of travel. for access to New Cross Road from Billington Road via Camplin Street and Casella Road to normal route of travel.
Dated this 5th day of December 2025
Andrew Ulph
Co-Ordination Manager, Transport for London Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ
publicnoticeportal.uk
NOEL NEVILLE CUMBERBATCH
Deceased
Pursuant to the Trustee Act 1925 anyone with a claim against or an interest in the Estate of the deceased, late of 27 Edgington Road, London, SW16 5BS, who died on 31/08/2025, must send written details to the address below by 06/02/2026, after which the Estate will be distributed with regard only to claims and interests notified.
Setfords Solicitors, 74 North Street, Guildford, GU1 4AW. Ref: O3248/1
Find out who is applying for an ALCOHOL LICENCE near you. STAY INFORMED ABOUT LICENSING PLANS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. To place a public notice in this paper and online, email hello@cm‐media.co.uk or call 020 7232 1639. Deadline is 3pm Wednesday
Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licence London & Surrey Skip Hire Ltd of 33A West Hill, London, SW18 1RB is applying for a licence to use Riverside Road, The Willows, London, SW17 0BA as an operating centre for 4 goods vehicles and 0 trailers. Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centre(s) who believe that their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UE stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice. Representors must at the same time send a copy of their representations to the applicant at the address given at the top of this notice. A Guide to Making Representations is available at www. gov.uk/government/ publications/a-guide-to-makingrepresentations-objections-andcomplaints-goods-vehicle-operatorlicensing.
1.NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable Thames Water to carry out repair and maintenance 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 Clarence Crescent between its junction with Dragmore Street and No. 31 Clarence Crescent.
2.Alternative routes for affected vehicles will be available via Dragmore Street, Parkfield Road, Fairbourne Road and Fennings Road and vice versa.
3.The Order will come into force on 8 December 2025 and continue for a maximum duration of 1 month or until the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works would take 11 days to complete. If the works cannot be carried out or completed during that time, then the Order may have effect on subsequent dates within the maximum period of 1 month.
Dated 5 December 2025 David Eaglesham Head of Network Management and Active Travel
Notice of Application to vary a Premises Licence made under the Licensing Act 2003
Please take notice that I, Mr Anthony Francis Jesuratnam have made application to the London Borough Of Merton to vary a Premises Licence in respect of: Eye Bell, 1 Morden Court Parade, London Road, Morden SM4 5HJ
Variation applied for:
To extend authorised hours for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises.
If additional hours detail the days and times:
0800hrs – 0200hrs Sunday to Thursday
0800hrs – 0300hrs Friday and Saturday
A register of all applications made to 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: 27th November 2025
The last date by which responsible authorities or other persons may make representations to the Licensing Authority in relation to this application is: 22nd December 2025.
Any representations must be made in writing to the above address or by emailing licensing@lewisham.gov.uk
Notice of application for a Premises Licence.
Notice is hereby given that Alma Cafe Ltd, has applied to Wandsworth Council for a new premises licence at Alma Cafe, Unit D, 55 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7DS for the sale of alcohol for consumption on & off the premises between the hours of 10.00 until 22.00 hours Monday – Sundays.
Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 29 DECEMBER 2025 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk
The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk
It is an offence, under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in or in connection with an application, punishable upon conviction by an unlimited fine.
Notice for Article 12
COMMON EVENTS 2026
The London Borough of Lambeth is applying to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for consent under Article 12 of the Greater London Parks and Open Spaces Order 1967 to carry out restricted works on Streatham Common. The Planning Inspectorate will decide the application on behalf of the Secretary of State. The proposed works are for the creation of temporary event sites on Streatham Common for a series of public entertainment, leisure and recreational sporting events in 2026. Temporary fencing and event structures (including event stages, marquees, funfair rides, concession stands, event gantries, gazebos, toilets and welfare facilities, back of house cabins and plant enclosures) will be onsite for the events for a total duration of 57 days.
Fencing and structures will be situated on the following areas of Streatham Common:
• The area commonly referred to as the ‘Event Area’ located at the western side of the Common accessible from Streatham Common North, Streatham High Road, and Streatham Common South (Kite Day, Bensons Funfair x 2, Caribbean Splash).
Benson’s Funfair x 2 and Caribbean Splash will include approx., 2m high Heras-type perimeter fence-line. Streatham Common Kite Day
is unfenced. The largest perimeter fence line will be approximately 600 metres in length. Some events will include 1.1-meter-high pedestrian barriers (crowd control barriers) comprising a section of the event site or fence line. The fencing will enclose the temporary event sites to maintain safety and include pedestrian and vehicle entrances and emergency exits.
Electronic copies of the application form and supporting documents will be made available to view online from Lambeth Council at the website address www.eventlambeth.co.uk/news/ A paper copy of the application form and supporting documents may be obtained by writing to the Council’s postal address (below) or by email at events@lambeth.gov.uk
The application form and documents will be available until 5th January 2026.
Any representations should be sent in writing ON or BEFORE that date to The Planning Inspectorate, Commons Team at 3A Temple Quay House, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN or commonlandcasework@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
If you use artificial intelligence (AI) to create or alter any part of documents, information or data submitted with a representation, you should tell The Planning Inspectorate that you have done so when you submit it. See the detailed Use of artificial intelligence in casework evidence (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-caseworkevidence) guidance for further information.
Representations sent to the Planning Inspectorate cannot be treated as confidential. They will be copied to the applicant and potentially other interested parties and could be published on Lambeth’s Council’s website if required by PINS. To find out more about how the Planning Inspectorate uses and manages personal data, please go to the privacy notice.
05/12/2025 EventLambeth, London Borough of Lambeth, Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton Hill, SW2 1RW
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
Notice Under The Town and Country Planning Acts
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council is considering applications as set out below under the following categories;
ADV = ADVERTISEMENT CONSENT
FUL = FULL PLANNING PERMISSION
LB = LISTED BUILDING CONSENT
VOC = VARIATION OF CONDITIONS
Written representations should be made within three weeks of the date of this advertisement to the Director of Planning, PO Box 734, Winchester SO23 5DG. Any comments made are open to inspection by the public and in the event of an appeal may be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Confidential comments cannot be taken into account in determining an application.
Application plans can be viewed online at www.lambeth.gov.uk/searchplanningapps – search using the reference number at the end of each application listing.
62 Clapham Manor Street London SW4 6DZ Remodelling the ground floor Flat, involving the replacement of the shopfront windows with two timber sash windows including new timber panels, the replacement of the rear window with a glazed door with access steps and infill of the side door, plus the provision of the refuse store. Removal of the shed at the rear. 25/03272/FUL
56 Archbishop's Place London Lambeth SW2 2AJ Erection of a single storey rear extension. 25/03653/FUL
1 Mitcham Lane London SW16 6LG Replacement of existing wooden barge boarding and replacement of all existing first and second floor bay windows - like for like. 25/03607/FUL
46 Lillieshall Road London SW4 0LP Erection of 2x rear dormer windows, erection of a second floor extension over existing rear outrigger and installation of 2x roof lights to the front roof slope. Erection of a single storey outbuilding in rear garden and a bike store to the front garden. 25/03668/FUL
46 Lillieshall Road London SW4 0LP Erection of 2 rear dormers and installation of 2 rooflights to the front slope. Extension of rear 2nd floor. Erection of rear garden studio and new bike store to front garden. 25/03667/FUL
20 Albert Square London Lambeth SW8 1BS Replacement of defective roof tiles and ridge capping's felt roof on the flat roof as well as replacement of the downpipe and re-paint and rendering to the lower ground floors at the front and rear elevation along with other repair based associated works.
(Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 25/03600/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 25/03599/FUL). 25/03600/LB
Bus Shelter Pavement Outside Civic Centre Brixton Hill London SW2 1RP Display of an internally illuminated, double-sided sequential LCD digital panel supporting static and dynamic content with automatic image rotation. 25/03629/ADV
121 - 127 Streatham High Road London SW16 1HJ Display of 2 x 48 sheet gable mounted LED illuminated advertising display units, measuring 6.4m in width x 3.4m in height and comprising pressed metal frames and sealed LED screens. 25/03648/ADV
Bus Shelter Adjacent To Hayward Gallery Waterloo Bridge London Display of an internally illuminated doubled sided LCD digital "6 sheet" panel with automatic rotation of images. 25/03628/ADV
10 Halsmere Road London SE5 9LN Erection of 2 storey rear extension to Block B, erection of single storey link between Block A and Block B, reconfiguration of cycle and bin stores and landscaping works. 25/03543/FUL
Bus Shelter Outside Electric Brixton, Brixton Hill London SW2 Display of an internally illuminated, double-sided sequential LCD digital screen panel supporting static and dynamic content with automatic image rotation. 25/03626/ADV Bus Shelter Outside Civic Centre, Brixton Hill London SW2 Display of an internally illuminated, double-sided sequential LCD digital screen panel supporting static and dynamic content with automatic image rotation. 25/03627/ADV
11 Tooting Bec Gardens London Lambeth SW16 1QY Erection of a ground floor, first floor and second floor rear extension and basement extension. 25/03649/FUL
Clapham Manor Primary School Belmont Road London Lambeth SW4 0BZ Demolition of two outbuildings to the rear. 25/03575/FUL 43 Roupell Street London SE1 8TB Application for Listed Building Consent for the replacement of existing ground floor front and all first floor windows with single glazed timber sash windows. (Associated full planning with reference number 25/03495/FUL received). 25/03305/LB
282 Brixton Hill London SW2 1HT Conversion of the upper floor maisonette into 2 residential units, involving the erection of two rear window dormers including the installation of three new front roof lights and the provision of refuse and cycle store. 25/03612/FUL Restormel House Chester Way London Lambeth SE11 4UU Replacement of existing timber windows and doors with new slimline double glazed timber units. 25/03235/FUL
250 Kennington Lane London Lambeth SE11 5RD Demolition of the existing buildings; erection of a ground plus 7 storey building for use as purpose built student accommodation (Sui Generis) with bedrooms on upper floors and ancillary uses including a food and beverage use (Class E) at ground floor and a flexible venue space (Sui Generis) at basement level with cycle parking and landscaping and all necessary associated enabling works. (This application is a departure from the Development Plan: Policy ED1 of Lambeth Local Plan 2021) 25/01611/FUL Surrey County Cricket Club Kennington Oval London Lambeth SE11 5SS The temporary display of a KIA motor vehicle on the roof of the existing reception entrance structure at the Alec Stewart Gate, between 12th of January 2026 until 28th of December 2029. 25/03601/ADV 16 Denny Street London SE11 4UX Replacement of Existing Sash and Casement Timber Windows and Timber Doors With Double-Glazed Timber Units Matching Existing Profiles.
(Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 25/03711/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 25/03641/FUL) 25/03711/LB 71 Clapham Common South Side London SW4 9DA Variation of Conditions 3 (approved plans) of planning permission 24/02274/FUL (Alterations to existing shopfronts of nos. 71 and 72 Clapham Common South Side, with the erection of a rear extractor duct and installation of external seating area) granted 11.04.2025.
Variation sought: Amendments to the approved scheme, including updates to the outdoor seating layout, the red line of the location plan, boundary treatments, and extraction layout. 25/03656/VOC
Dated this Friday 05/12/2025
Transport for London Public Notice
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984
THE A3 GLA ROAD (ROEHAMPTON VALE, LONDON BOROUGH OF WANDSWORTH) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) ORDER 2025
1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that it has made the above named Trafc Order under section 14(1) of the Road Trafc Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specied in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.
2. The purpose of the Order is to enable telecom works to take place on Roehampton Lane.
3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle from entering, exiting or proceeding in an easterly direction on A3 Roehampton Vale between its junctions with the unnamed Off Slip Road connecting Stag Lane and Roehampton Vale and the unnamed On Slip Road connecting Stag Lane and Roehampton Vale
The Order will be effective at certain times between the 10th December 2025 and 13th December 2025, every night from 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM or when the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. The prohibitions will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by trafc signs.
4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of:
(1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for re brigade, ambulance or police purposes;
(2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London.
5. At such times as the prohibitions are in force an alternative route will be indicated by trafc signs via Stag Lane to normal route of travel.
Dated this 5th day of December 2025
Andrew Ulph Co-ordination Manager Transport for London
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC AND PARKING RESTRICTIONS –VOLTAIRE ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable works on the highway to be carried out safely, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order, the effect of which will be to temporarily: (a) prohibit vehicles, including cycles, from entering or proceeding in the length of Voltaire Road which lies between the north western kerb-line of Clapham High Street and the eastern kerb-line of Old Station Way; (b) suspend the cycle lane in the length of Voltaire Road which lies between the north western kerb-line of Clapham High Street and the eastern kerb-line of Old Station Way; (c) prohibit vehicles from waiting, including waiting for the purposes of loading and unloading a vehicle, at any time in that length of Voltaire Road which lies between the north western kerb-line of Clapham High Street and the eastern kerb-line of Old Station Way.
2. The restrictions will only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
3. The order will come into force on 8 December 2025 and continue in force for a maximum duration of 5 days, to allow for contingencies, or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works will take 5 days to complete.
Dated 5 December 2025 David Eaglesham Head of Network Management and Active Travel
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 16A
TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURES FOR SPECIAL EVENTS PLAY STREET DAYS - ROMMANY ROAD
1.NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that to enable local communities to hold Play Street Days, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding in that length of Rommany Road which lies between Gipsy Road and No. 111 Rommany Road on: (a) Sunday 7 December 2025; (b) Friday 8 May 2026; or (c)Friday 10 July 2026.
2.The closures will in place between 4pm and 7pm on each of the event dates.
3.An alternative route will be available for affected vehicles via Gipsy Road, St Gothard Road and Rommany Road and vice versa.
4.The prohibitions will only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs on the dates and times specified above.
Dated 5 December 2025 David Eaglesham Head of Network Management and Active Travel
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LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH VOLTAIRE ROAD REIMAGINED THE LAMBETH (VOLTAIRE ROAD) (NO. 1) EXPERIMENTAL ORDER 2025 EXPERIMENTAL TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS IN VOLTAIRE ROAD
[NOTE: This Notice is about prohibiting unauthorised motor vehicles from entering or proceeding in the section of Voltaire Road between its junctions with Clapham High Street and Old Station Way. These measures will be introduced as an experiment in the first instance. Objections to this being continued on a permanent basis may be made, as well as any other comments].
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth, in consultation with Transport for London, on 1 December 2025 made the above-mentioned Order under section 9 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
2. The general effect of the Order will
3.
4. A copy of the Order which will come into effect on 15 December 2025, and other documents giving detailed particulars about them are available for inspection online at: https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or www.lambeth.gov. uk/traffic-management-orders and at the offices of Lambeth Council’s Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), Civic Centre, 6 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1EG, between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm on Mondays to Fridays inclusive (except on bank/public holidays), until the Orders cease to have effect. To arrange an inspection please email: Trafficorders@lambeth.gov.uk.
5. The Council will consider in due course whether the provisions of the experimental Order should be continued in force indefinitely by means of permanent Orders made under sections 6, 45 and 46 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Any person may object to the making of the permanent Orders, within a period of six months beginning with the date on which the experimental Order comes into force or, if the experimental Order is varied by another Order or modified pursuant to section 10(2) of the 1984 Act, beginning with the date on which the variation or modification or the latest variation or modification comes into force. Any such objection or any representation must be made in writing and all objections must specify the grounds on which they are made, using our consultation portal at https://streets.appyway.com/ lambeth or sent by post to Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), London Borough of Lambeth, PO Box 80771, London, SW2 9QQ or by email to: TMOReps@lambeth.gov.uk. Any objection or representation received may be communicated to, or be seen by, other persons who may have an interest in this matter.
Dated 5 December 2025 David Eaglesham Head of Network Management and Active Travel
LONDON BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM
The Lewisham (Free Parking Places, Loading Places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping Restrictions) (Consolidation) (Amendment No *) Order 202*
The Lewisham (Charged for Parking Places) (Consolidation) (Amendment No *) Order 202*
The Council of the London Borough of Lewisham proposes to make the above Traffic Regulation Orders under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended).
PTO 1097
1. The effect of these proposals will be to:-
(a) Provide cycle hangars (secure cycle parking facilities for hire) on the carriageway in the lengths of roads specified in Schedule 1. Each cycle hangar will be 2.55 metres in length and approximately 2.03 metres in width and aligned parallel to the kerb.
(b) Prohibit the waiting by vehicles at any time (double yellow lines) in the lengths of roads specified in Schedule 2 to this Notice.
2. Where a new restriction has been proposed in the same length of road, the existing restrictions will be replaced by those proposed restrictions, unless otherwise specified.
3. Copies of the draft Order, plans and Statement of the Council’s Reasons for proposing to make the Order may be viewed either though the lewisham.traffweb.app website or obtained by emailing a request to trafficorders@lewisham.gov.uk quoting reference ‘PTO-1097’.
4. Comments on the proposals for or against, together with the reasons for which they are made should be sent through the lewisham.traffweb.app website or in writing to Lewisham Transport Policy & Development, Laurence House, 1 Catford Road, London SE6 4RU, quoting reference ‘PTO-1097’ by 9 January 2026
5. All written representations received concerning Traffic Regulation Orders are public documents that may be inspected by any person on demand.
Dated 5th December 2025.
Zahur Khan, Director Public Realm, Laurence House, 1 Catford Road, London SE6 4RU. Schedule 1 (Cycle Hangars)
(1) Arbuthnot Road – east arm, south side, immediately east of the existing double yellow line restrictions at a point 8.87m east of the centre-line of the junction with Erlanger Road; (2) Aspinall Road – east side, 10.52m north of the northern kerb-line of Dundalk Road (the length between Aspinall Road and Avignon Road) outside No.45; (3) Camplin Street – east side, 5m north of the northern kerb-line of Ventnor Road; (4) Carholme Road – east side, immediately south of the existing parking bay, adjacent to the side of No.280 A205 Stanstead Road; (5) Champion Crescent – south side, 5.63m west of the western kerb-line of Champion Road (north side of the north arm), opposite No.29; (6) Charleville Circus – west side, 6.52m south of the southern kerb-line of A212 Westwood Hill; (7) Clarendon Rise – east side, outside No.3 Gilmore Road; (8) Cold Blow Lane – west side, outside Nos. 6 and 8; (9) Colfe Road – west side, outside No.70; (10) Como Road – east side, partly on the footway, immediately south of the existing parking bay, adjacent to the side of No.142 Woolstone Road; (11) Cudham Street – east side, 4.6m north of the northern kerb-line of Ringstead Road (east arm); (12) Dacres Road – east side, immediately south of the existing double yellow line restrictions south of the junction with Bampton Road (opposite No.24); (13) Datchet Road – north side, 5.18m west of the western kerb-line of Burford Road (north arm); (14) Doggett Road – east side, immediately north of the existing double yellow line restrictions and replacing a length of parking bay, 19.45m south of the southern property boundary of No.110; (15) Elsinore Road – west side, immediately north of the existing double yellow line restrictions at a point 9m north of the northern kerb-line of Vancouver Road (western arm); (16) Elverson Road – south side, outside Nos.28 and 30; (17) Endwell Road – west side, 3.43m north of the northern property boundary line of No.46; (18) Erlanger Road – west side, immediately south of the northernmost access road to Mrytle House; (19) Farley Road – (a) north side, 5.3m west of the western kerb-line of Laleham Road (north arm), adjacent to the side of No.108a Laleham Road; (b) west side, 9.75m south of the western kerb-line of Davenport Road; (20) Faversham Road – east side, immediately north of the existing dockless electric scooter and pedal cycle parking bay adjacent, 7.6m south of the northern property boundary line of No.2A; (21) Fernbrook Road – south side, 10m west of the existing cycle hangar, outside Nos.103 and 105 (Note this is a replacement to the existing cycle hangar outside No.107 which is superseded by the associated zigzag markings for the zebra crossing); (22) Finland Road – west side, immediately south of the existing cycle hangar adjacent to the side of No.118 St Asaph Road (Note: this is an additional cycle hangar and not a replacement); (23) Hart’s Lane – west side, adjacent to the side of No.255 New Cross Road; (24) Hawstead Road – south side, immediately east of the existing double yellow line restrictions and replacing a length of parking bay, 11.95m west of the eastern property boundary line of No.120 Brookdale Road; (25) Hillmore Grove – south side, 5.10m east of the eastern kerb-line of Knighton Park Road (south arm); (26) Hornshay Street – north side, 7.28m west of the western kerb-line of Lovelinch Close; (27) Inglemere Road – south side, immediately east of the proposed double yellow line restriction, at a point 10.5m east of the eastern kerb-line of Bampton Road (south arm); (28) Leathwell Road – east side, immediately north of the existing cycle hangar adjacent to No.15 (Note: this is an additional cycle hangar and not a replacement); (29) Lingards Road – west side, adjacent to the side of No.22 Slaithwaite Road; (30) Monson Road – east side, 4.3m south of the southern kerb-line of Hunsdon Road (immediately at the start of lay-by); (31) Pepys Road – east side, 2.41m south of the party wall of Nos.153 and 155; (32) Perry Vale – west side, immediately north of the existing double yellow line restrictions adjacent to the footpath on the southside of “Perrystreete, Perry Vale” (north of Vale Lodge); (33) Revelon Road – west side, immediately north of existing cycle hangar adjacent to the side of No.77 Avignon Road (Note: this is an additional cycle hangar and not a replacement); (34) Rollins Street – south side, 11.81m east of the eastern kerb-line of Lovelinch Close; (35) Rubens Street – north side, 11.53 east of the centre-line of the junction of Tugela Street; (36) Rutland Walk –south side, immediately west of the existing cycle hangar adjacent to the side of No.2 Burford Road (Note: this is an additional cycle hangar and not a replacement); (37) Samuel Close – north side, 13.04m west of the western kerb-line of Mercury Way (north arm); (38) Sangley Road – south side, replacing 2.55m of parking bay outside Nos.90/92; (39) Sprules Road – west side, immediately south of the existing double yellow lines restrictions at a point 11m south of the centre-line of the junction with Vesta Road; (40) Troutbeck Road – east side, immediately north of the existing double yellow line restrictions at a point 5m north of the centre-line of the junction with Musgrove Road; (41) Vestris Road – east side, 5.4m north of the northern kerb-line of Treviso Road; Schedule 2 (Waiting Restrictions at Any Time) (1) Bampton Road – (a) north arm – (i) west side, 9.7m north of the northern kerb-line of Inglemere Road; (ii) east side, 10m north of the northern kerb-line of Inglemere Road; (b) south arm – (i) west side, 9.7m south of the southern kerb-line of Inglemere Road; (ii) east side, 17.9m south of the southern kerb-line of Inglemere Road; (2) Cudham Street – (a) west side, 4.5m north of the northern kerb-line of Ringstead Road; (b) east side, 4.6m north of the north of the northern kerb-line of Ringstead Road; (3) Davenport Road – (a) west arm, south side, from the western kerb-line of Farley Road to a point 13.29m east of the western property boundary line of No.80; (b) east arm, south side, from the eastern kerb-line of Farley Road to a point 1.75m west of the eastern property boundary line of No.80; (4) Farley Road – (a) west arm – (i) north side, 5.3m west of the western kerb-line of Laleham Road; (ii) south side, 5.3m west of the western kerb-line of Laleham Road; (b) east arm –(i) north side, 5m east of the eastern kerb-line of Laleham Road; (ii) south side, 4.8m east of the eastern kerb-line of Laleham Road; (c) west side, 9.75m south of the western kerb-line of Davenport Road; (d) east side, 13.02m south of the eastern kerb-line of Davenport Road; (5) Inglemere Road – (a) west arm – (i) north side, 10.2m west of the western kerb-line of Bampton Road; (ii) south side, 8.9m west of the western kerb-line of Bampton Road; (b) east arm – (i) north side, 10.1m east of the eastern kerb-line of Bampton Road; (ii) south side, 10.5m east of the eastern kerb-line of Bampton Road; (6) Laleham Road – (a) north arm – (i) west side, 6.5m north of the northern kerb-line of Farley Road; (ii) east side, 5.3m north of the northern kerb-line of Farley Road; (b) south arm – (i) west side, 10m south of the southern kerb-line of Farley Road; (ii) east side, 10m south of the southern kerb-line of Farley Road; (7) Ringstead Road – (a) west arm, north side, 4.5m west of the western kerb-line of Cudham Street; (b) east arm, north side, 4.6m east of the eastern kerb-line of Cudham Street.
Transport for London Public Notice
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984
THE A205 GLA ROAD (UPPER RICHMOND ROAD, LONDON BOROUGH OF WANDSWORTH) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF STOPPING) (NO.3) ORDER
2025
1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that it intends to make the above named Trafc Order under section 14(1) of the Road Trafc Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specied in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.
2. The purpose of the Order is to enable safety resolution works to take place on the A205 Upper Richmond Road.
3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle from stopping in the: (1) Loading and Unloading Only Bay outside Rainsborough House, Carlton Drive; (2) Parking and Disabled Persons Bay outside Nos. 120 – 136 Upper Richmond Road.
The Order will be effective at certain times from 6:00 AM on 12th December 2025 until 8:00 PM on 22nd December 2025 or when the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner. The prohibitions will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by trafc signs.
4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of:
(1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for re brigade, ambulance or police purposes;
(2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London.
Dated this 5th day of December 2025
Andrew Ulph
Co-ordination Manager, Transport for London Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ
In practice, it is anticipated that the works would take 11 days to complete. If the works cannot be carried out or completed during that time, then the Order may have effect on subsequent dates within the maximum period of 2 months.
Dated 5 December 2025 David Eaglesham Head of Network Management and Active Travel
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LYNN HAVE TWO WINNERS AT NATIONAL CHAMPS
By John Kelly
LYNN ABC had two winners at the Alliance England Amateur boxing nationals last weekend.
David Fabunmi was in action first, competing at light welterweight against Charlie O'Keefe from TKO ABC. Fabunmi delivered an impressive performance, securing a stoppage victory in the third round.
“After a challenging season last year, David has completely turned things around, his skills have improved significantly, and he’s going from strength to strength,” Lynn coach Terry Pearson said.
Rasheed Odumosu was next into the ring to face Jack Jones from Champs Camp ABC at cruiserweight. Odumosu
Carp hero for Fish
By John Kelly
FISHER PREVAILED 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Snodland Town in the second round of the Kent Senior Trophy last weekend.
dominated the bout, earning a unanimous points win.
Pearson said: “He’s had a fantastic start to the season, adding a national title to his achievements after claiming the Golden Belt competition in Bristol back in September.”
Finally, Micah Paul took on Danny Ball, another Champs Camp ABC fighter, in the light heavyweight
division. The bout was in the Class B Novice category (under 20 bouts).
Despite a strong start, with Paul appearing to edge the first two rounds, he was narrowly defeated on points after his opponent rallied in the final rounds. Paul will be back in action this weekend at the South London Belt competition in Balham, aiming to secure a win.
Dulwich suffer Darts pain
By John Kelly
DULWICH
HAMLET boss Mark
Dacey feels the club’s “ridiculous” run of fixtures is impeding their attempts to get back to winning ways after their 1-0 defeat to Dartford at Princes Park last weekend.
Dacey admitted his side were poor in the first half against the Darts and they trailed at the break following Sam Smith’s 32nd-minute goal.
The Hamlet improved in the second half but couldn’t rescue anything from the game and it is now just one Isthmian League Premier Division win in their last fourteen matches.
Dulwich played two games a week last month.
“Warranted [after the] first-half performance,” Dacey said when asked about the result. “I thought we were poor, very poor. I’ll have to watch it back to nail down why that possibly is, it might be the ridiculous run of games that we’ve had. The injuries - the team changed three times in the last 24 hours because of a sickness bug going round. We even picked up another injury in the warm-up.
“Then the second half I’m devastated we haven’t walked away with at least a point. Don’t get me wrong I think Dartford at time defended well but we’ve carved open so many chances. There’s having shots and there’s having chances, they’re two different things - shots can go wayward - but we’ve had [real] chances.
“What’s happened a lot at Champion Hill recently is we’ve been 1-0 up and a team’s equalised to knock the stuffing out of the ground. Had we done that here that would have switched momentum.
Carpanini saved a spot-kick in the 90 minutes only for the Fish to concede two goals, the second four minutes into addedtime.
Goalkeeper Dan Carpanini was the hero in the penalty shootout after Festos Kamara and Alex Kozak had scored in either half in normal time.
Donald Macaulay scored Fisher’s first penalty before Carpanini saved and Kamara made it 2-0. It was 3-1 after Michael Sarpong’s penalty before Snodland replied and then Kozak made it 4-2. The hosts had to score their next one but sent it over the bar and Fisher into the last eight in January.
Surrey get early clash with Champs
By Sport Reporter
SURREY BEGIN their Rothesay County Championship campaign with a trip to Edgbaston to face Warwickshire over the Easter weekend.
The Kia Oval’s 2026 summer kicks off with the visit of newly promoted Leicestershire from Friday, April 10, before they welcome Essex from Friday, April 24.
Sussex visit London next over the first weekend of May to complete three home games on the bounce for the Three Feathers.
Surrey then head up the M1 to face defending champions
Nottinghamshire from Friday, May 8, which will be followed by their first red-ball match at Headingley since the 2017 season, when Rory Burns’s team face Yorkshire from Friday, May 15.
Hampshire visit the Kia Oval from Sunday, June 7 before the Three Feathers are on the road to South Wales to take on Glamorgan from Friday, June 19 – Surrey’s first Championship clash against the Welsh outfit since the 2021 season.
The Championship returns on Thursday, August 20, with the final six matches of the season played out over a mouth-watering six weeks of redball cricket.
Surrey’s run-in will start with the
Festival of Red Ball Cricket for the visit of Nottinghamshire from Thursday, August 20.
The Three Feathers will then make the short trip to Chelmsford over the August Bank Holiday weekend before Yorkshire visit the Kia Oval from Wednesday, September 2.
Burns’s side will travel to the south coast to face Sussex from Tuesday, September 8 before Glamorgan make the journey to The Oval for Surrey’s last home match of the season from Tuesday, September 15.
The red-ball season culminates with a trip to the West Country to go up against Somerset from Thursday, September 24.
Ajay Ashanike’s side are back at St Paul’s in Rotherhithe this Saturday against Fleet Town in the FA Vase third round at 3pm.
“On the flip-side from the first half to the second half I’m proud of the performance and the boys in there have flipped their mood from being annoyed to really disappointed and gutted.
“There’s enough in that dressing room to start to put winning runs together.”
Dulwich are ninth in the table and travel to Billericay Town, who are eighth, above them on goal difference, this Saturday (3pm).
By John Kelly
CONOR BENN could be set for a major fight in the United States next year.
Greenwich’s Benn, 29, gained revenge with a unanimous points win over Chris Eubank Jr at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month. Eubank Jr had won a unanimous decision against Benn at the same venue last April.
Those fights were at middleweight, with Benn now dropping back down to welterweight.
Benn’s promotor Eddie Hearn outlined
plans for 2026.
He said: "Conor is obsessed with the WBC title because he grew up with that belt on his wall in his house. His father won that belt. In his gym he's got a WBC belt. It's something that's very personal to him. "There's a big fight that looks like it's going to happen between Ryan Garcia and Mario Barrios, and His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] told me and Conor in Riyadh that he likes the idea of Ryan Garcia, if he wins that fight, versus Conor Benn on Cinco de Mayo potentially in Las Vegas.
"That would be a huge event. We'd sell that out just from Brits travelling alone."
From left: Terry Pearson, Rasheed Odumosu, David Fabunmi, Micah Paul and Jimmy Moore
GLASNER HITS OUT
Eagles boss: It’s our own fault we didn’t strengthen
By Paul Green at Selhurst Park
OLIVER GLASNER admits Crystal Palace’s failure to strengthen in the summer might be catching up with them as the Eagles went down 2-1 to Manchester United at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
The FA Cup winners were much the better side in the opening period but only had Jean-Philippe Mateta’s retaken 36th-minute penalty to show for their dominance.
But the home side emerged much more lacklustre after the break, possibly due to their exertions in the previous Thursday evening’s 2-1
Addicks
By John Kelly
Europa Conference League defeat at Strasbourg.
They went down to the same scoreline once again after second-half goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount wrapped up all three points for the Red Devils.
Palace will lose one of their key players, Ismaila Sarr, to Africa Cup of Nations duty this month, when the Selhurst Park side player eight games in 26 days. They have also had injuries, including to club skipper Marc Guess recently.
And the SE25 manager acknowledged in his post-match press conference that the lack of
signings during the last window was now coming back to bite his side.
Glasner said: “That’s the issue. We’ve never talked about it to be honest but today it feels like it’s time because I want to protect the players.
“The energy level was not that high at the end. They looked a bit fatigued.
“I want to protect them because I know how hard they’re working every day and it was our 22nd game and [United’s] fourteenth game [of the season].
“I could see they were physically better, we got mentally a little bit fatigued. That’s what we are facing.
It’s now time to mention it, it’s clearly
our fault.
“We missed the opportunity to strengthen the depth of the squad in summer. We knew the schedule, we knew Ismaila Sarr would go to AFCON. Nothing was surprising.”
There is no let-up in sight for Glasner’s squad, with two more Conference League fixtures and an EFL Cup quarter-final at Arsenal, the latter just two days before Christmas.
The Eagles chief said: “When you play European football for the first time in your history, let's invest instead of save. We saved and this is what we’re facing.
“This group of players are giving
everything. There is no blame for the players because they are leaving their hearts on the pitch.
“Even today in the end in stoppagetime they tried and tried to get the equaliser but there are moments when the legs don’t do what your head wants them do.”
Glasner added: “We all would have wished for a little more backing.
“We are still in a very good position in all competitions, so that’s the positive side. Learning sometimes hurts, we have to go through it. We will learn from it and stick together.”
Palace were in midweek action against Burnley at Turf Moor.
have a Knibb-le - before voracious hosts enjoy goal-feast
Ellis Simms.
NATHAN JONES has attempted to rally his wounded Charlton Athletic troops after last weekend’s 3-1 defeat to relentless Championship machine Coventry City made it eleven goals that the Addicks have shipped in their last three games.
Charlton stunned the runaway leaders by taking the lead through Harvey Knibbs in the thirteenth minute,
However, Frank Lampard’s side hit back with two goals in four minutes before the break from Josh Eccles and
Sonny Carey had a chance to make it 2-2 before Simms scored Coventry’s 50th league goal this season in their eighteenth game.
After going into the game without defenders Reece Burke and Josh Edwards as well as strikers Charlie Kelman and Matty Godden, the visitors lost Amari’i Bell to injury in the 30th minute.
“Look, it's a tough one to take because I felt we were right in the game,” Jones said. “We obviously took the lead. We had three or four other opportunities, one cleared off the line, and we were
right in the game. Then obviously we pick up an injury to Amari’i.
“We then have to shuffle the pack and then it gave them a little bit of impetus to score two quick goals in around halftime and that's the disappointing thing.
“The second half we made changes. We had a great opportunity to have equalised and then we don't and then it's a pretty even game. They have a few shots and then they've probably clinched the game with a chance, but it was a game that could have been different.”
After being in the top six at the start of November, Charlton have tumbled
to seventeenth following a fourth successive defeat.
Jones added: “We are stretched at the minute. It's been the toughest of weeks in terms of the opposition and bear in mind we've had three of four games away from home lately and that's really stretched us. The toughest of games have come at the time when it’s coincided with us having those injuries.
“We have to put that behind us. We've got a December coming up where we have to take points and we have to make sure that we are competitive because we don't want to let this run to continue.”
Charlton will have the backing of a big home support in the next two games as they return to The Valley to host Portsmouth in Saturday and Middlesbrough the following Tuesday. Jones said: “I'm delighted we've got two home games. We're going to need everyone, the fans, everyone, to get behind us. We knew that we'd have tough spells in this league. What I didn't imagine is the injuries that would happen, which has meant that we are patching things up a little bit and that's a frustrating thing.”
The game against Pompey kicks off at the earlier time of 12.30pm.
© Keith
Gillard
Oliver Glasner passes on instructions to wing-back Tyrick Mitchell
Billy Bonds 1946-2025
'HE WAS A TOP PERSON'
Former Lions midfielder pays tribute to Billy Bonds: ‘He left indelible mark’
By Will Scott
BILLY BONDS has been hailed as “a thoroughly top person” by his former player Bobby Bowry.
The former Millwall manager passed away last Sunday, aged 79.
Bonds, who made 799 appearances for West Ham United, was appointed Lions boss in May 1997 after four years as the Hammers’ manager between 1990-94.
He oversaw 53 games in the 1997-98 season as Millwall finished eighteenth in Division Two, before parting ways with the club at the end of the campaign.
Bowry made 48 appearances in all competitions that season, scoring two goals.
The midfielder reflected on his time working under Bonds.
“He was an unbelievable person in terms of his attitude,” Bowry told our paper. “I remember doing a pre-season training session, and he was running with the boys, and he was 50-plus then.
“He had a seriously unbelievable mentality, him and his number two, Patsy Holland. Brought a real discipline to the club. It was great to be part of.
“As a person, his intensity in the training, he had a bit of an aura about him, in terms of he was one of the ones where you actually wanted to play for the man. Billy was just a thoroughly top person.
“His discipline and his understanding, and how he was to everybody as well.
He was the sort of person who had time for anybody, and I think that's very rare in football these days. He left quite an indelible mark on me.
“I thought I was a really good pro, but he brought a real professionalism in terms of making sure you were fit. Training was always intense with Billy. He used to try and join in sometimes in the five-a-sides on a Friday.
“He'd like to come in here and play table tennis and that with the boys. But when it was work time, he was not a man to be messed about with.
“I thought he was good for a lot of players at the club at the time. He had that approach of when it's time to work, you're going to work with him. And that was fantastic.”
Bowry was asked if Bonds’ status as a
his job trickier.
“He was just a strong character, and he always tried to deflect what was going on off the pitch with the fans,” Bowry said. “He always used to support the players.
“I remember at the time, I had a couple of clubs come in for me, and he made sure that I was in a good place in terms of playing. Whatever noise was going on at the club, in terms of him being a West Ham legend, he was doing the job for Millwall.”
Bonds signed several promising youngsters who would grow into influential players for Millwall, including the Lions' record goalscorer Neil Harris, Tim Cahill and Robbie Ryan. All three were part of the squad that reached the 2001-02 Division One
play-offs, losing to Birmingham City in the semi-finals.
Bowry thought he handled integrating young players in the squad well.
“[He] didn’t overlook the younger players, which was fantastic for Millwall at the time,” Bowry said. “Wasn't frightened to play them.
“I tell you what he was brilliant at - he'd be the first one in, and he'd be out there doing extras with the boys at half past nine to ten. He had the time to develop players and wanted to develop people as well, which I think is just a fantastic trait to have for someone who had such a great career. It wasn't just coming in and taking his money; he was actually working to improve people.”
Sas-ational Aron bags four as Dons slay Bluebirds
By John Kelly
ARON SASU became the first AFC Wimbledon Academy graduate to score a hat-trick as he bagged a sensational four goals in the Dons’ 5-1 win at Cardiff City in the second round of the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night.
Johnnie Jackson’s side stunned the League One leaders as they went 4-0 up after 56 minutes, Sasu getting three and Omar Bugiel heading in from a corner.
Sasu, 20, had only scored once in
his first 75 professional appearances before the game but got his fourth fifteen minutes from time from Steve Seddon's cross.
A much-changed Bluebirds side got a consolation two minutes from time when nineteen-year-old Luey Giles scored his first ever professional goal with a free-kick.
It was a rare start up front for Sasu.
“I played striker and I played wing in the academy,” he said. “Wing-back is something new, I'm more of an attackminded player. I’m still adapting to wing-back, I’m still learning.
“Obviously tonight I've had the chance to play down the middle. I'm glad to have played there and come away with a few goals.
“I got [a hat-trick] in the under-18s Youth Alliance Cup when I was in the Under-16s. I think, in my scholar years, that was the only hat-trick I got. It was against MK [Dons], so it was quite a big game.”
Sasu added: “I’m really happy and relieved. I’m just buzzing, things just went my way tonight. I’ve been working hard and it came through tonight.”
Jackson said: “A little bit of history for Sas and I'm really pleased for him. He’s someone that I've had really, really high hopes for.
“He's sort of had to wait for this moment, really. He's had plenty of game time and opportunities, but not necessarily runs of games. He's had some injuries that he's had to put up with as well.
“He's got himself fit and he's had the opportunity tonight to play up front, which, in my opinion, is where he'll end up playing and having a career.
But, obviously, he's got big competition
and he played wide in the youth team.
So, we know he can do that as well.
“The thing about Sas, I see this all the time in training, he scores goals like that all the time. It hasn't always transferred to the pitch and I'm sure he'd agree with that. But, he's got so much ability to play and it's all come together for him tonight.
“He needs to treasure these moments because, obviously, they don't come around all that often.” Wimbledon travel to Exeter City in the league next Tuesday (December 9).
West Ham legend made
The ex-Millwall and West Ham United boss passed away at the age of 79
GLASNER HITS OUT
LUK WHO’S BACK
EXCLUSIVE
By Will Scott
LUKAS JENSEN made his return from an eight-month injury lay-off when he started for Millwall’s under-21s against Wigan Athletic in midweek, with senior boss Alex Neil saying the goalkeeper is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery.
Jensen, 26, suffered an Achilles injury during training in April which ruled him out "indefinitely". The goalkeeper had previously made 43 appearances in all
competitions in his first season with the Lions.
He returned to light training in September and full training last month.
Neil confirmed that Jensen would start for Kevin Nugent's side on Tuesday, his first game since midApril.
Nugent’s youngsters defeated the Latics 2-1 in their Professional Development League game away at Christopher Park. Jack Howland put the visitors ahead in the first half before Frankie Baker scored an 89th-minute winner after the home
ahead of schedule
side had levelled before the break.
"He's been training with us now for weeks," Neil told our paper before the match. "But training and playing in a game, mentally, I think it's a bit different, certainly for him."
"[He's] definitely ahead of schedule."
Neil was asked how many games he would need to play to come back into first-team consideration.
"We'd need a good few 90 minutes under his belt," Neil said. "It's a considerable injury he's had, so the last thing I'd want to do is rush him
Some home comforts for boss Jones
By John Kelly
CHARLTON ATHLETIC boss
Nathan Jones has called on the Valley faithful to get behind the side after a brutal November that included four successive defeats and the concession of twelve goals that sent them hurtling down the table to seventeenth ahead of the Christmas schedule.
After an unbeaten run of five games had the Addicks sat in sixth early last month, a 1-0 defeat to Wrexham started the current losing run and a cascade of goals going into their own net in losses to Southampton, Stoke City and leaders Coventry City.
That 5-1 Saints defeat was their first in the league at home since August and only their second all season.
Charlton were ambitious in last summer’s transfer window, spending well over a combined £10million on players as well as using the free-agent market to recruit top-scorer Sonny Carey and Amari'i Bell.
Charlton are enjoying their highest average attendances in almost two decades, with over 20,000 at six of their home games this season.
Three of their last four matches were on the road. Jones is glad to be back in SE7, with three of their next four games in their own back yard, starting with the lunchtime kick-off against Portsmouth this Saturday.
Jones said: "I'm delighted we've got two home games. We're going to need everyone to get behind us. We knew that we'd have tough spells in this league. What I didn't imagine is the injuries that would happen, which has meant that we're patching things up a little bit and that's a frustrating thing.
back and then it happens again.
"With Lukas, what I will say is his focus and determination to get himself back has been unwavering, in terms of how much work he's put in. He's an absolute animal at the moment; he's desperate to get back.
"We've put him in this game through him desperately wanting to be involved, us wanting to try and get him back involved, and all the metrics that he's hit to this point. So we're hoping that that can continue."
Millwall travel to Bristol City this Saturday (3pm).
"December's a big month for us. It'll define what we do and we've got to stay in and around it. We've got to pick up results and then once we do that, we'll be able to strengthen in January, we'll get people back and then we can be a bit more us."
Lukas Jensen has been out since April 2025