riCharD alDwinCklE of one Dulwich has led the collaboration between 15 anti-ltn campaign groups – including Greenwich, islington and lambeth – to oppose “badly designed and socially unjust ltns”.
In an open letter published in The Times last month, several community groups called for stricter regulations requiring councils to obtain community support before introducing new traffic management schemes.
LTNs aim to restrict the flow of traffic through residential areas by using barriers and road signs.
The letter continued: “Our experience is that local authorities often impose schemes that do not have the backing of local people, and in many cases after public consultations showing that two thirds or more of respondents wanted them removed. This has eroded trust in local government.”
The campaigners urged Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, to introduce stricter regulations that would ensure groups with protected characteristics such as disabled people are not disadvantaged by LTNs.
Under statutory guidance, local authorities are obliged to consult communities before
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dulWiCh residents lead national Charge against unWanted loW traFFiC neighbourhoods
Editor: Kevin Quinn
Sports Editor: John Kelly
Sports reporter: Will Scott
By Noah Vickers Local Democracy Reporter
Sir SaDiQ khan has been accused of “utter hypocrisy” by Conservative critics after he urged london’s businesses to encourage their staff back into the office, despite the fact that City hall operates on a “hybrid working” model.
The mayor told an event last week that London “cannot afford” to become a city where “the centre has been hollowed out”, and warned companies to think “very carefully” before deciding to reduce their office space.
But the Tories say that Sir Sadiq has played his own part in “hollowing out” London by relocating City Hall, in 2021, from its purposebuilt headquarters near Tower Bridge to a smaller premises in the Royal Docks.
The decision was taken as a cost-cutting measure, with the mayor’s team saying it will save the Greater London Authority (GLA) £58m over five years.
However, the current headquarters cannot accommodate all staff at the same time, meaning that City Hall employees typically
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implementing an LTN, but schemes do not need community support to go ahead.
This has led residents in several areas where LTNs have been introduced to claim the council ignored significant local opposition raised during the consultation.
The Dulwich Village junction has been a controversial area ever since the council made it an LTN in June 2020. Last year, we
broke the news that Southwark Council had made £26 million in fines from traffic cameras encircling the area.
Some have praised the LTN as increasing safety for pedestrians, including schoolchildren, and encouraging people to use healthier forms of transport.
However, other residents, say it has others argue it has made pensioners’ lives a misery.
Elderly people reliant on cars have previously claimed the LTN has made them more socially isolated and quadrupled journey times to their doctors
One Dulwich has previously argued the council’s LTN schemes have failed to encourage sustainable travel, pointing to government data suggesting minimal increases in cycling and walking.
Mayor accused of ‘utter hypocrisy’ getting workers back in the
office
Sadiq Khan and Susan Hall clash at Mayor’s Question Time
spend two or even three days a week away from the office – an arrangement defended by Sir Sadiq’s team as being good for staff “productivity and well-being”. Speaking at an event hosted by the consultancy firm Project Leaders last week, the mayor said he was concerned about young graduates who, due to their lack of office-working, may fail to strike up connections with their colleagues, or acquire certain skills in their first jobs.
In a message to the capital’s business community, Sir Sadiq urged employers to encourage their staff back into the office, though he also suggested companies should
find ways to make the office environment more attractive for workers in the first place.
Neil Garratt, leader of City Hall Conservatives, said: “If he’s moaning about businesses in London not getting people back in the office, maybe he should explain why he’s sticking with his plan of having most of his own City Hall staff working from home most of the time.”
Tory assembly member Susan Hall, who stood against Sir Sadiq in last year’s mayoral election, called him an “utter hypocrite” and said his remarks last week were “another case of do as I say, not as I do”.
A GLA spokesman said: “The move to the new City Hall is saving £58m over five years to
invest in vital services and stimulate economic growth across the capital. The new building is proving to be hugely popular with both staff and Londoners – and a busy and vibrant home for London government.
“The mayor believes that flexible working is important for many workers, business and organisations and of course there are advantages to home working, but spending time in the workplace and engaging face-toface with colleagues is also important – not only for personal development and teamwork, but to make the most of all the culture and leisure facilities our great city has to offer.”
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Dulwich Village LTN
Neil Garratt AM
Review of photo exhibition celebrating the UK’s top community champions
By Michael Holland
whEn a collaboration between protein drink maker ‘For Goodness Shakes’ and marvel Studios come together to mark the release of Captain america: Brave new world, where better to commemorate the union than in the mash Paddle Brewery, a stalwart of the Bermondsey Beer mile. But with Captain America busy promoting his film in Trump-torn USA, real heroes were needed for a photographic exhibition that lauded true heroism, so a call was put out for nominations for the nation’s unsung heroes who volunteer their time to help others - And Britain came through.
Men and women across the UK were put forward for Portraits of Today’s Everyday Heroes - often without their knowledge - and this week, they assembled in SE16 to launch an exhibition of their portraits taken by David Wren.
As they arrived at Mash Paddle, without capes and fanfare, they appeared normal, but when you spoke to them and heard their stories, their magnificence grew and grew.
Sue Hickey, born and bred in Southend, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer in 2021. Some people would give up right then, but Sue became motivated to inspire others to be positive and fight the cancer. She led by example and accepted challenges to fundraise. When the doctors told her not to continue running and swimming, Sue adapted her exercise regime: ‘A week after one operation,’ she says, ‘I was at Parkrun, but walking instead of running.’ She swears by positivity as a way of battling the disease, and even when she lost all her hair, her baldness got her a part in a Zombie film. She laughs as she relates the tale.
Sue got the all-clear in 2023, but it never leaves her mind. ‘It’s always there,’ she reveals. But she says it with a smile. Sophia Badhan had a troubled time as a teenager and didn’t feel that the health system helped her. Rather than accept the little care that was there, she ran her own campaign for eating disorder awareness at school and set up charity fundraisers, campaigns that she took forward with her when she went on to university.
‘Looking back on it now,’ begins Sophia, ‘I don’t know how I managed to do my ‘A’ levels and degree while running campaigns, but I found that the social action gave me energy’.
Sophia’s reward, along with improving her own mental health, was ‘meeting such great people, having such great experiences and having such wonderful opportunities’.
Her work in mental health has now earned Sophia several well-deserved awards.
When just a boy, Teame Tesfamarian escaped Eritrea when the war for independence became bloodier. His eldest brother was captured and executed.
Teame made a life here and became a black taxi driver but never forgot his homeland or the people who fought for its independence. He always kept his roots in Eritrea and had planned to go back for Martyrs Day in 2020 to run a 10k to honour those who had bravely fought as he had done in previous years. Covid stopped his plan, but he was determined to still run the 10k. He ran on his local streets while his wife recorded him and shared the video on social media. He started to get support online, and a friend suggested he run another 10k, this time to fundraise for The National Association of Eritrean War Disabled Veterans (NAEWDV).
Together with his sons, Teame set the goal of raising £1,000, which they achieved, so they upped it to £2,000, which they achieved, so they kept raising their target. This inspired Teame to organise regular charity campaigns and fundraising events for the NAEWDV.
Teame spoke about the many Eritrean veterans who are getting care - some 24/7 - to enable them to live as independently as they can and emphasises that he will not stop in raising the funds to keep that good work going.
All the winners of this extremely worthy award did not know that they had been nominated for the Everyday Hero accolade, an honour that came as a surprise to them because they don’t see themselves as others do. It was this humbleness that filled the room and made everyone else proud to be there with them.
Leo Gregory, Green Street actor (left), and Roy Larner (right)
What is in s outh Wark CounC il’s budgetand W hat does it mean?
Cllr Stephanie Cryan, Southwark’s cabinet member for finance,
By Isabel Ramirez
Southwark CounCil says it has got a balanced budget and is not going bankrupt unlike many other council’s across london,
In an interview with the cabinet member for finance Stephanie Cryan said their three-year budget means ‘no further cuts’ are being made to services.
Elsewhere in London, seven other councils are asking for more money from the central government, including Lambeth, Newham, Havering, Enfield, Barnet, Croydon, and Haringey.
This month it was revealed that Croydon alone was seeking a whopping £136million bailout. However, in Southwark the Labour adminstration says it has managed to balance its books, and unlike last year, it didn’t have to make any cuts to frontline services.
The budget (£489.29 million) has been fully costed and will be agreed on Wednesday 26 February.
KEY points
● Council tax up 4.99% - for example, a rise of £84.92 for band D
● £14m overspend on temporary accommodation, including £4m of the council’s reserves
● up to £5m to be spent on Cost of living support for the most vulnerable
● the council is getting £200.91m from the government (up from £173.46 million last year)
● raising gym memberships by £12 a month ‘still won’t cover the cost of the service’
“thE biggEst spEnds arE adult carE and childrEn’s social carE.”
Last year saw cuts to adult and social care. “We ended up last year with around about £5 million deficit for this year,” Cllr Cryan explained.
However, she said the financial settlement from central government which included a £1.99m grant for children’s services and a homelessness prevention grant for adults (£3.15m), could pay off that deficit.
“So there wasn’t any cuts to the actual service itself,” she said.
And claims there were more efficiencies: “Some of it was around recouping the actual cost of care from
those who can afford it,” she explained.
Adult care includes nursing homes, supported accommodation, occupational therapy, social engagement support, home care, respite care, daycare centres, mental and health support. Whilst children’s social care includes youth offending services, SEND, family support, children’s homes, and fostering.
council tax will risE bY thE maximum pErmittEd amount of 4.99 pEr cEnt
Cllr Cryan justified the rise: “If we didn’t [raise it] we would have to look for another £7.5m worth of savings, which could impact on services.”
In 2025/26 a band D charge will be £1,877.90 which is a £84.92 increase from the band D Council Tax charge in 2024/25.
Southwark Council tax is the eighth lowest in London, with Wandsworth by far the cheapest at £990 per year for band D.
hElp for thosE struggling to paY council tax is guarantEEd for anothEr YE ar
That’s a scheme where people on low income can get a discount of up to 15 per cent off their council tax.
“If anyone is worried about paying their council tax, service charges, rentdon’t suffer in silence,” she said, “ just get in touch straight away.”
thE housing rEvEnuE account
Southwark Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) - money used to repair council housing and fund major works - has a forecasted overspend of £8.1m.
Cllr Cryan said, unlike the general fund, it was “not as robust” as they would like. She blamed the previous government for this. “They didn’t give councils any money for what we lost because of rent caps.”
up to £5m to bE spEnt on cost of living support for thE most vulnErablE
This money comes from the Household Support Fund from central government. Cryan explained there was a variety of support available, in the form of one-off cash payments.
This includes pension credit for older people (£200), care leavers (£100), energy payment for those in lower band
council bands (less likely to be energy efficient), and school uniform costs (for low-income households transitioning from primary to secondary up to £100).
“We’re trying to make sure we’ve got funding for lots of situations,” she said.
london is spEnding £4million pEr daY on tEmporarY accommodation
Like other councils, Southwark said this was one of their biggest pressures. Last year there were about 4,467 households living in temporary accommodation.
They have projected a total £14m overspend, including having to use £4m of the council’s reserves.
“There are other overspends but temporary accommodation is by far the largest amount.”
Cllr Cryan mentioned their costs ‘aren’t as high’ as other councils because they can use housing stock which is undergoing regeneration e.g. the Aylesbury Estate.
She referenced the incoming Renters’ Reform Bill, due to become law this year, saying it would help ease the strain on how much councils are spending on housing evictees in temporary accommodation by banning Section 21 evictions.
“A lot of people in the private sector have been made homeless through nofault evictions, so actually stopping that will help,” she said.
tacKling anti-social bEhaviour is a top prioritY for thE council
The council is investing an extra £600,000 for community safety.
Specific measures include increasing wardens and patrols on estates and a commitment to women’s safety, including delivering a new women’s safety centre.
The council recently just agreed to an extra £1m to upgrade CCTV across the borough - although this is not from this specific budget, rather the capital one.
all southwarK council homEs should havE smoKE alarms bY march 2026
Last year, it was revealed that over half of the council’s homes were without smoke alarms and there were almost 2,000 overdue fire safety checks. This was after the council referred itself to the Regulator for Social Housing (RSH), apologising to tenants for this mistake. In the last three years, the council
has spent approximately £20m on fire safety.
The council has taken action to mitigate the risks of overdue fire safety actions and is ensuring urgent work is prioritised.
It has set aside a further budget of about £10m for fire safety work and will allocate more money if needed. “We’re also seeking to procure a new specialist fire safety contractor,” she said.
The programme is set to be completed by March 2026.
‘no sErvicEs suffErEd bEcausE of thE lowEr road bus lanE rEfunds’
From May-October last year we revealed the Lower Road bus lane did not have a valid Traffic Management Order (TMO). As a result, the council was forced to refund all drivers who had received a Penalty Charge Notice from there during that time. The amount totalled £119,000.
“It was our mistake,” Cllr Cryan admitted.
That said, she confirmed the refunds did not affect the budget. “No services suffered because of the bus lane fine refund. We hadn’t spent that money yet.”
She added: “If we get money from parking and highways it has to go on traffic. We can’t spend it on anything else.”
gYm fEEs might bE up, but thEY still don’t covEr thE cost of thE sErvicE
It was revealed that gym membership at the council’s eight leisure centres will rise by £12 a month.
Asked about the decision behind raising the monthly fees from £31.99 to £43.99, Cryan said: “It’s not been put up for five years. The previous provider lowered them, and it just doesn’t cover the cost.”
She went on to say they had made some significant investments in their leisure centres since bringing them back in-house. The brand new centre to replace Seven Islands Leisure Centre in Rotherhithe is due to open this year.
“But even now that we’ve increased
the gym membership, it still won’t cover the cost of running the service.”
“If you benchmark us against other local authorities – we are still one of the lowest. That’s our comparator, you can’t compare that to gyms without pools. If you compare us to private gyms with pools we are a lot cheaper.”
council will Earn up to £1m bY 2026 bY rEnting out thEir officEs on toolEY strEEt
“There is space on the top floor and first floor that we can rent out,” Cryan says. This is all part of ‘using the space better’ and assessing the income they make from their buildings and assets. There is also a café space in the building currently out for tender at the moment. It’s the smart thing to do,” she said.
In the budget, the council estimates they will earn up to £80,000 this year (2025-2026) renting out Tooley Street. However, they weren’t able to tell us exactly how much renting out the space brings in.
Cryan added: “Our next biggest building after Tooley Street is Queen’s Road, we’re looking at bringing our children’s services in there – altogether. So, this will free up some buildings across the borough.”
a look at running Clubs aCross south l ondon
From mates W ho used to rave and no W run to one C lub that has had 26 marriages
By Eliza Frost
2024 wa S the year of Brat, taylor Swift’s Eras tour and celeb lookalike competitions – and the year running clubs entered our everyday.
The rise of running clubs has been seen all across south London, one being Grove Lane in Camberwell, which has seen organic growth since it started in the summer of 2022, and now hosts five runs a week.
Founder Harry Swinhoe says he got into running when his new boss asked, “Are you coming for a run?”. “It was an induction by fire,” he says. “But I soon realised that running was really good for my mental health, my physical health, and it grounded me and gave me a sense of clarity throughout the day.”
He explains how “it’s nice to disconnect with the digital world and reconnect with what’s real”, adding: “I think running has been an antidote to isolation through Covid, or just too much exposure to digital and not enough real community.”
People are definitely seeking opportunities to connect, which is how run club Friday Night Lights began, too.
Sam Harridge explains that the group started as a way for sober runners to have the chance to socialise on a Friday night – without the pressure of having to “get drunk and ruin your weekend”. It is “essentially a bunch of mates who used to rave and now run”.
Sam adds of the community: “We have many people attend solo and find new friendships and communities that fit who they are,
including our own FNL volunteers.”
Runner Jordayne Frizzell has been a member of a few running clubs in south London, with the longest stint being with London City Runners on the Bermondsey Beer Mile.
She says that “the running community has been transformative for me, and I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of it”.
Of running in south London, Jordayne says what she loves most is “the abundance of green spaces”, adding: “Parks like Burgess, Southwark, Wimbledon and Greenwich are so beautiful to run through, especially in the summer and autumn months.”
Running through Earlsfield, Sophie organises casual run group Wandle Runners. She says: “The word ‘communities’ gets banded around a lot, but by putting the word ‘running’ in front of it, I worry that it can make people feel categorised. In that it is something that you need to be ‘good at’ or ‘want to improve upon’ to be a part of.
“And that’s not what Wandle Runners is about at all, it’s just a conduit to helping people meet friends who live locally. We are a running group, but most of our socialising doesn’t involve Lycra at all.”
The club doesn’t split into paced groups and they stop every couple of kilometres to allow runners of all speeds to mingle.
The group meets at the Pig and Whistle at 7:15pm every Tuesday.
And Sophie also shouts out Ceris and Lee for promoting the event in the pub and supporting the group.
Laura Pettitt is a member of
Wandle Runners and says joining has been “one of the highlights of my life in London”.
“As well as running together, the other members are my friends, and on our WhatsApp group there is everything from physio and running shoes recommendations to people suggesting local plumbers and organising to go for drinks or a roast,” she explains.
Laura has even signed up for a marathon in 2025, which “I never would have done if I wasn’t a member of Wandle Runners”.
Similarly, James Wyatt is unsure where he would be without his running club, Runhead AC, which meets every Tuesday at 7:30pm at the Old Nun’s Head in Nunhead, and everybody is welcome.
He joined back in 2016, “combining a bit of well-needed fitness
improvement with my love of a few beers”.
The first week, the group was “far too quick” but someone “kindly came to the back to help me get to the end”.
Fast forward to today, it has been quite the turnaround for James.
He explains: “Wanting to improve as a runner has created better life habits, accountability and discipline that go beyond the hobby.
“I realise I’m far from the first person to have struggled with their mental health and found solace in running, but I dig in to running when I’m not feeling my best and is one way to deal with the highs and lows life throws up.”
Through the community, he has strengthened friendships and met “great, inspiring runners” who are now friends.
Socialising and forming friendships is a key outcome of these running groups, it seems.
Liz Fox is a member of Your Pace Or Mine (YPOM), a group based in Hither Green, and got into running in her late 40s.
Liz says: “We all socialise as well as exercise. We are such a big group, and I have seen friends go from running 1 kilometre to ultra marathons. When we see the great achievements of our friends, we feel so proud.
“I am now nearly 56, and I will never break records, but I will be forever grateful for the amazing group of people in YPOM and the fact I can complete 10ks and half marathons, even if it is partying at the back.”
Lorraine Joseph is also a member of YPOM, and she explains how she wanted to do something for herself when she started to go through
menopause.
“I was very nervous to go to my first club, but I was made to feel welcome,” she says. “It was a 5k run that ended with a run up a hill road. Another runner, Tracy, stayed with me, and we walked-ran-walked-ran up that hill until we reached the top.
“The fact that she stayed with me encouraged me to come back the following week. It took me four weeks to get up that hill without walking, and Tracy and I talked and ran each time.”
And running clubs haven’t just built friendships, but romances, too. With many asking, are running clubs the new dating app? Based on what founder Tim Navin-Jones at London City Runners says, it could be correct.
Tim says there have been 26 marriages from those meeting at the club. Tim says this stems, perhaps, from the fact that “everyone is totally swiped out on dating apps”, adding: “They’ve become more vacuous than you can imagine, and people realise they want to meet someone in person.”
Better get practising that 5k PB.
Jordayne Frizzell
Your Pace Or
Lorraine Joseph
New sensory room opens at King’s
a rainboW plaque Could mark the site Where the last tWo men exeCuted For sodomy in the uk Were arrested
James Pratt, from Deptford and Smith, who lived in Southwark, were arrested on Blackfriars Road in 1835
By Callum Smyth
a nEw sensory room with bubble mirrors and interactive lights has opened in the dental institute at king’s College hospital
The space, funded by King’s College Hospital charity, is expected to ‘transform the experience’ for younger patients who may find it overwhelming in areas such as large noisy waiting rooms.
The new sensory room will offer a safe and relaxing place for children who may become anxious, distressed or nervous about their appointment. It will contain interactive lights and sounds, bubble mirrors, tactile wall toys, and soft seating, which can help patients relax and allow them to forget about the hospital environment.
Dr Mark Sayers, Clinical Director of the Dental Institute at King’s College Hospital, said: “This new sensory room will help children and their families who need a comfortable, soothing environment, improving their wellbeing and reducing their anxiety.”
The project to open a new sensory room was led by Maalini Patel, Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry, and Paige Holdaway, Dental Nurse Practice Development Co-Ordinator at King’s College Hospital, in collaboration with families and children who attend King’s Dental Institute for their treatment.
By Robert Firth
Local Democracy Reporter
a m E morial for the last two men executed for sodomy in England has moved a step closer after a Southwark politician gave his renewed backing to the project.
Councillor Victor Chamberlain has announced he is working with local groups to bid for cash for a rainbow plaque to commemorate James Pratt and John Smith, who were hanged in 1835.
Pratt, from Deptford, then in Kent, and Smith, who lived in Southwark, were arrested on Blackfriars Road in August 1835 after a landlord spied on them allegedly having sex. Both men
were excused by the Alan Turing Law in January 2017, which gave pardons to men in England and Wales convicted under historical laws that outlawed homosexuality.
Cllr Chamberlain, member for Borough and Bankside, said Southwark Liberal Democrats and local groups were intending to apply to the Labourrun council’s 2025 Pride fund, with the aim of securing money for a plaque and unveiling ceremony. Up to £30,000 in cash is available through the fund this year for events that celebrate the borough’s LGBT+ identity and history.
The rainbow plaque would be erected on Blackfriars Road, where Pratt and Smith were arrested, under the proposals. Rainbow plaques,
which take their inspiration from English Heritage’s blue plaques, mark people or places that are significant in LGBT+ history.
A number of the plaques have been rolled out by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, including one in Peckham remembering the Black Lesbian and Gay Centre which closed in 2000 and one at Haringey Civic Centre, which was the site of a number of protests after the 1980s Labour council launched a Lesbian and Gay Unit to highlight the rights of LGBT+ people to staff. Last year, Cllr Victor Chamberlain wrote to the council’s heritage department urging them to help secure a memorial.
Southwark has the fourth most
people identifying LGB+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or other sexual orientation) in England after Brighton and Hove, the City of London and Lambeth. According to the 2021 census, 8.1 per cent of the borough’s residents identify as LGB+.
Cllr Victor Chamberlain said: “Southwark is a proud home of a vibrant and growing LGBTQ+ community, and it’s important that our borough’s heritage is recognised and commemorated. A rainbow plaque for James and John is how we can pay tribute to them, and celebrate how much progress we have made—but also remind ourselves that progress is only achieved by a constant fight for rights and justice.”
Locals plant community orchard at once-neglected park in New Cross
By Isabel Ramirez
rES i DE nt S hav E continued to breathe new life into a park that laid derelict for four years in new Cross, with the planting of a community orchard.
Homeowners at 47 Pomeroy Street campaigned for 18 months to have Hatcham Gardens reopened after being promised it would be landscaped for community use.
Their efforts paid off when the park finally reopened last May after four years of delays by the Peabody Housing Association. Since then, Hatcham Gardens has flourished, becoming a popular spot for local families.
Mary King, Chair of Friends of
Hatcham Gardens, described the transformation as remarkable: “It really feels like I can’t even remember what it was like to have hoardings up. It’s so open and inviting now.”
On Saturday, 8 February, volunteers braved the cold and rain to plant seven fruit trees as part of an orchard project funded by the King’s Coronation Fund and delivered by the Orchard Project. Around 20 people, including local parents and children, took part.
“One Year Six boy even came by himself to help out,” Mary added. While the fruit won’t be ready for a few years, the community is already planning harvest celebrations for the future.
The park has quickly become a
hub of activity, with children playing football, fitness classes taking place, and families gathering after school –even in the colder months.
The newly opened Budgens shop nearby has also become a well-used local asset.
The Friends of Hatcham Gardens group remains active, with 25-30 volunteers regularly helping to maintain the space. They meet on the first Saturday of every month for a litter pick at 11 am and have plans to plant bulbs in March.
Mary is excited to see how the park continues to evolve. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how it grows and how we can use it.”
Follow the Friends group on Instagram: @hatchamgardensfriendsof
James Pratt and John Smith were arrested on Blackfriars Road in 1835
Paige Holdaway, Dental Nurse Practice Development Co-Ordinator (left) and Maalini Patel, Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry (right)
Cllr Victor Chamberlain is calling for a rainbow plaque to be erected on Blackfriars Road in memory of James Pratt and John Smith
largest adult learning Centre getting multi million pound reFurbishment
By Issy Clarke
morlEy CollEGE in waterloo is getting a multi million pound refurbishment.
The adult learning centre, located at 68 Westminster Bridge Road, has been given £5.8 million by the Department of Education to revamp the centre.
Morley College is one of the UK’s oldest and largest adult learning centres and provides more than two thousand courses ranging from the visual arts to music and languages.
It has three sites in Waterloo, Chelsea and North Kensington.
The refurbishment, set to finish in Autumn this year, will involve replacing the roof and improving the building’s energy efficiency to help meet its target of net-zero by 2040.
There are also plans to modernise the centre’s main performance space, the Emma Cons Hall, by equipping it with better heating, acoustics and new infrastructure, and to improve accessibility to the Hall and the adjoining Jonny Harris studio theatre.
Dr Andrew Gower, CEO and Principal of Morley College London said the investment was “much needed”, adding:
Immerse yourself in love in Canada Water
By Callum Smyth
Phantom PEak in Canada water has been drawing crowds to an immersive town that feels like a reallife video game and now they have opened up love-themed adventure.
Visitors spend over four hours exploring a town created by Nick Moran, who is known as a bit of a legend in the escape room industry.
Exploring one of ten ever-evolving trails packed with intrigue, puzzles, and captivating characters. JoanaCon opens to give this make-believe town an air of romance.
Phantom Peak’s puzzles are designed so that even less experienced puzzlers will be able to do them, with one reviewer highlighting things like general observation, wordplay, and decoding.
But to solve them, you need to interact with the characters (actors) dotted around the town.
Using your phone and the Jonassist website, you’ll be guided through unique storylines, which include The New Adventures of Jonas and The Real Househusbands of Phantom Peak.
Lovers will be able to sip craft cocktails like their unique sharing cocktail, the ‘Jumble Jackpot’, as well as enjoy a range of street food.
The cost are from £42 for per adult, £40 for per person for group books and £30 for young people, £20 for children and free for infants and those accessible requirements when accompanied by a companion.
“The new Department for Education funded capital investment at the Waterloo Centre for Adult Education is a once in a generation opportunity for Morley to carry out essential repair works to the building, reduce our carbon footprint, and transform performance spaces to be accessible for all.
“This investment will create a lasting legacy for future generations of adult learners in London.”
A spokesperson from the Department for Education said: “Morley College’s London Waterloo Centre is an iconic building offering essential education for generations of adult learners, especially serving the local communities in Southwark and Lambeth.
“This government is mission-driven to break down the barriers to opportunity and this investment will have a lasting impact.”
herne hill restaurant’s struggle W ith huge tele C om boxes brought to parliament
By Isabel Ramirez
hE l E n h ay ES mP brought a petition calling for the removal of five huge telecom boxes from outside a herne hill restaurant to Parliament.
The countdown has begun for Umana Yana owners, as their nearly 13-year plight to remove five huge telecom boxes from outside their shop was heard in the House of Commons on Wednesday 12 February.
Since 2012, the Guyanese eatery has operated in the shadow of the massive boxes that completely obstruct its view from the street.
Raised by Dulwich and West Norwood MP Helen Hayes, who claims to have supported the restaurant for the last decade, the petition has been signed by over 1,700 locals.
It not only asks for the boxes to be removed but also for the government to bring forward laws to ensure this doesn’t happen in future to other businesses.
In addition, it demands that businesses be ‘duly compensated’ by telecom companies for any disruption caused.
Umana Yana owners Debbie and Junior sat patiently in the public gallery as their local MP presented their struggle to the House of Commons.
Helen Hayes said: “Deborah’s restaurant serves delicious Guyanese food, and I would commend it to all members in this house, but it has suffered a detriment in recent years as a consequence of the installation of enormous telecommunications cabinets obscuring the view of the restaurant from passing customers.”
“The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons consider this issue and urge the government to bring forward legislation to ensure small businesses are not blocked from view by telecommunications equipment, to ensure the removal of equipment affecting small businesses like Umana Yana and that businesses are duly compensated by the telecoms companies for disruption.”
The boatyard is where traders run their businesses
The government now has two months to consider the petition.
Speaking exclusively to the News after the reading, Debbie said: “It was good to be there - we just have to wait now.”
Despite serving what many describe as “South London’s best rotis,” the lack of footfall due to the boxes means the restaurant has struggled to stay afloat.
Southwark Council recently refused Debbie’s long-standing request to have the boxes removed, a decision that she described as “heartbreaking” after over a decade of campaigning.
The council just implemented a policy that limits the development rights of telecommunication companies, meaning they will have to request planning permission to erect any future infrastructure - but that doesn’t help Debbie.
Last summer, her fortunes began to change after her story went viral on TikTok, following a video by Southwark News highlighting her struggles.
Among the hundreds of thousands who saw the video was Central Cee, one
of the UK’s most prominent rappers.
In a video produced by VICE, Central Cee made a surprise visit to Umana Yana, where he joined Debbie in her kitchen to learn how to cook traditional Guyanese dishes, including chana curry, chicken curry, and paratha roti. She shared her special spice blends while playfully encouraging the rapper to improve his cooking habits and ditch the ‘instant noodles.’
After his visit, Central Cee announced a £15,000 donation to support the restaurant’s cause. He explained over text that £10,000 was to buy the solar panels she had been fundraising for, to reduce its steep electricity costs, while the remaining £5,000 was to be used to fund meals for people in need.
Debbie said that she was happy to hear other MPs knew of the restaurant and before the petition reading in the
House of Commons, they had asked Helen ‘Is that the one the rapper went to?’
She and Junior await the next steps and said they were hopeful. “By April we should get a definite answer,” Debbie added.
Helen Hayes MP for Dulwich and West Norwood commented: “I am really pleased to present the petition in support of Umana Yana to Parliament this evening. Umana Yana has faced unacceptable disruption to their trade as a result of the installation of telecommunications cabinets immediately outside the premises.
“Thank you to everyone who signed the petition both in person and online.
“I’ve been supporting Debbie since 2015 but the telecommunications companies have refused to move their cabinets. Because the cabinets
have been legally installed, there is currently nothing that can be done to enforce their removal.
“The petition rightly calls for legislation to protect small businesses like Umana Yana from telecommunications infrastructure and for fair compensation from telecom companies for disruption and loss of trade. I hope that the Government acts in response to the petition and I will continue to work with Debbie to support her business.”
We asked MP Hayes what she had done to help Umana Yana over the years. She said: “During that time, the focus has been on understanding the process that led to the cabinets being installed, seeking legal advice on the installation and lobbying the telecommunications companies who are responsible for the cabinets.”
Nunhead bus driver charged after nine-year-old died after a collision
By Isabel Ramirez
a n unh E a D man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a nineyear-old girl died two days after being involved in a bus collision last summer.
Martin Asolo-Agogua, 23, of Nunhead, was also charged on Thursday, 13 February with causing death by careless driving
when under the influence of drink or drugs and driving whilst over the drug limit.
Police were called to the scene where a bus had collided with two children in Watling Street in Bexleyheath near the junction with Halcot Avenue on the morning of Saturday, 3 August 2024.
Both children were taken to hospital and, despite the best efforts of medical staff, nine-year-
old Ada Bicakci sadly died in the afternoon of Monday, 5 August.
Ada’s family continue to be supported by specialist officers.
Asolo-Agogua, who was driving the bus, was arrested on the day of the incident on suspicion of causing serious injury through dangerous driving and drug driving.
He has been bailed and is due to attend Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 24 March.
Left: Helen Hayes MP for Dulwich and West Norwood; Right: Debbie Monfries, Umana Yana owner
london’s First roman basiliCa Found
ByBen Lynch Local Democracy Reporter
PlanS For an approved 32-storey office block by Leadenhall market are to be revised after London’s first Roman basilica was discovered beneath the site.
The structure’s remains, which are estimated to be around 2,000 years old, are to be demonstrated in a new public exhibition at the base of 85 Gracechurch Street.
The find has, however, prompted a slight rethink of the scheme by the premises owner Hertshten Properties. This includes reducing the building from 32 to 30 storeys.
The office space to be delivered will remain the same. The change in height is due to the cultural offer being moved from within the building itself to the basement, which is where the public exhibition will be located.
Rob Hertshten, Chief Executive of Hertshten Properties, said the team is excited to be bringing forward ‘such a monumental piece of London’s history’.
The basilica, which is believed to date to the late 70s or 80s AD, would have formed part of the wider Roman forum. This would have been the ‘beating heart’ of Roman London, Hertshten Properties said in a release, serving as the ‘political, judicial, commercial, and social hub for residents and visitors’.
The remains were discovered during investigations by Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). The location of the ancient basilica was known by experts, though the extent of its preservation proved a welcome surprise. It will be presented as part of a new public exhibition and immersive experience delivered in partnership with the London Museum.
A public consultation has been held on Thursday (February 13) at 85 Gracechurch Street on the revised proposals for the redevelopment.
A new planning application is to be submitted in the spring, with hopes the
experience will open from 2029/2030.
Under the consented scheme, approved in October 2023, the existing building is to be demolished and redeveloped with a viewing deck and retail space to be provided alongside
the offices.
Mr Hertshten said: “The Roman Basilica will be incorporated as a world-class public experience through updates to the proposed design of the development, right in its original
D households paying just £990
By Charlotte Lillywhite Local Democracy Reporter
wanDSworth rESiDEntS are once again set to pay the lowest council tax in the capital.
Wandsworth Council plans to freeze its core share of the bill, which funds general services, meaning average band D households would pay £990 in 2025/26.
Overall, the authority’s share of council tax is set to rise by 2 per cent in April to cover adult social care costs, instead of the maximum 4.99 per cent allowed without holding a referendum. This means average band D households in most areas of Wandsworth would see their total council tax rise by £29 to £990 –including Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s share, which is set to increase
by £19 to £490 to help fund police, fire and transport.
The council claimed Wandsworth residents would benefit from the lowest council tax in the country under the plans, which would see it freeze its core share of the bill for the third year in a row. It said it will continue to look after the borough’s most vulnerable residents, despite rising demand in adult and children’s social care and homelessness services, while providing ‘excellent care’ to the elderly and supporting the NHS.
The authority outlined recent improvements to services, including a guarantee that staff will answer calls to its main helpline within seven rings. It pledged to fix any dangerous potholes, damaged street signs and graffiti within seven days of them being reported.
Mock-up of proposed 85 Gracechurch Street scheme.
Credit: Visulent AB.
location. With the expertise of MOLA, London Museum and Woods Bagot, the exhibition space will be the only public display of the first Roman Forum.
“Together, the commercial and civic elements of the updated planning application will enable us to deliver much needed world class office space, as well as vitalise the site and complement the adjacent Leadenhall Market, creating a seven-day destination at 85 Gracechurch Street.”
Sophie Jackson, Director of Development at MOLA, added: “This is one of the most significant discoveries made in the City in recent years. It’s like discovering the Speaker’s Chair and chamber of the House of Commons, 2,000 years into the future.
“The levels of preservation of
the basilica have far exceeded our expectations, and we have possibly the most important part of the building. Excitingly, we’ve only just scratched the surface of this site’s potential through our initial investigations.
“We look forward to discovering more about these remains, working with the site owners, London Museum, and to develop a truly unique and captivating archaeological experience and public space.”
The announcement comes days after plans for a 33-storey office building just down the road at 70 Gracechurch Street were approved by the City of London Corporation. As well as office space, the scheme also includes a public viewing gallery and a pop-up market on the ground floor.
Council tax remains lowest in Wandsworth - with band
The council will hold more mega skip days over the coming year, while providing households with two free bulky waste collections annually and keeping weekly waste and recycling collections. It said it will also invest in the borough’s parks, town centres and public spaces to make them safer
Wandsworth’s proposed band D bill is nearly £1,500 cheaper than that planned for residents in most areas of neighbouring Kingston, which is set to stand at £2,489 in 2025/26.
Residents in the west of Wandsworth subject to the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators’ (WPCC) levy will pay total council tax of £1,030 in 2025/26. The council will publish a breakdown of the total council tax residents in each band are set to pay in due course.
Labour council leader Simon Hogg
said: “We are freezing your council tax for the third year in a row. That means you will continue to pay the lowest council tax in the country.
“Sound financial management is at the heart of everything we do.
Wandsworth has one of the lowest levels of debt and some of the highest financial reserves in London, allowing us to freeze the main element of
council tax and invest in what matters most to you – cleaner streets, safer neighbourhoods and a stronger community. Together, we’re making Wandsworth an even better place to live.”
The plans will be considered by the council’s finance committee on February 25, before a final decision is made by the executive on March 3.
Mock-up of proposed 85 Gracechurch Street scheme. Credit: Woods Bagot.
‘
the numbers don’t add up anymore’
What the renters’ re F orm b
ill means
F or private landlords and tenants
ExclusivE
By Isabel Ramirez
thErE arE few places in the country where the housing crisis is thrown into sharper relief than Southwark, where the average cost of a property is £502,000, and 18,671 are left on the social housing waiting list.
Rogue landlords and dangerous, uninhabitable homes are far too common.
The Renters’ Reform Bill aims to fix these issues, and more, but its detractors have said it could be a death knell for small landlords and see record numbers sell up, further reducing supply. Others say the legislation simply doesn’t go far enough.
With the new legislation, which has cross-party support, coming into effect in the first half of this year, we spoke with two landlords to get their views on the changes.
Bola Ranson, 50, has been a property investor for around 25 years. He is a full-time large-scale landlord with 49 properties, one of which is in Southwark.
At the other end of the scale is Paola. She and her partner, who she said became landlords ‘by accident’ have three properties in their portfolio, one in Herne Hill.
first things first: what is thE bill proposing?
The Renters’ Reform Bill will:
● Abolish section 21 no-fault evictions
● Abolish fixed-term tenancies; all tenancies will be on a rolling
contract
● Give people the right to request a pet (if tenants agree to pay pet insurance)
● Apply the decent homes standard to the private rented sector
● Make it illegal for landlords to put a blanket ban on tenants just because they have children or receive benefits
● Create a central database for the private rental sector where landlords have to register themselves and their propertiesthe portal will also give local councils access to more data so that they can target criminal landlords
● Expand the legal reasons a landlord can use to evict a tenant
The latest housing reforms have broad support, shaped by years of campaigning for stronger tenant protections. But while renters welcome the changes, some landlords fear the impact on their livelihoods.
Take the abolition of ‘no-fault’ evictions. Renters will no longer have to fear being ousted without reason, as landlords must now provide a valid cause for eviction.
The stakes are high—between January and March last year, 2,682 households in England were forcibly removed due to Section 21 evictions, a 19 per cent increase in a year and the highest figure in six years.
It’s a change that can’t come quick enough for Southwark MPs and the council alike. For example,
Dulwich and West Norwood MP Helen Hayes called Section 21 evictions a ‘pernicious and a deeply destabilising force within the private rented sector.’ Hayes added that for many years she has ‘consistently been contacted by high numbers of constituents’ who have received them from their landlord.
Cllr Stephanie Cryan, Cabinet Member for Equalities, Democracy & Finance commented that the change would help ease the strain on how much councils are spending on housing evictees in temporary accommodation: “A lot of people in the private sector have been made homeless through no fault evictions, so actually stopping that will help.”
Landlord Bola, who has been in the industry for 25 years, says he has only ever evicted tenants for rent arrears. Under the new law, the threshold for eviction due to non-payment is rising from two months to three. He calls the change “unnecessary.”
“The process is already too slow,” he says. “Now a tenant can be three months in arrears before I can even start the process. That will kill off a lot of landlords—not having that security.”
Another key reform puts all tenancies on rolling contracts, limiting rent increases. Landlords will only be able to raise rent through a Section 13 notice, which can only be issued once per year. If tenants disagree, they have the option to leave.
Bola isn’t too concerned. “Most tenants want to stay for a couple of years anyway,” he says.
But Paola, a small-scale landlord, worries about financial uncertainty.
“No more fixed-term contracts means if tenants keep moving, I could be left with longer gaps between tenancies,” she explains.
“That means months with no rental income.”
raising standards across thE rEntal marKEt is a wElcomE movE
A Shelter report from December 2024 found that three-quarters of renters in England had endured poor or dangerous conditions in the past year.
Applying the Decent Homes Standard to private rentals gives tenants more power to challenge substandard living conditions without fear of retaliatory eviction.
Paul Williams, National Organiser for ACORN, calls the bill a ‘great step forward’.
“We welcome the end of Section 21 evictions, the end of bidding wars, and tougher action on landlords who break the law,” he said.
However, for landlords like Paola, other concerns loom large. The bill requires landlords to accept tenants on benefits, something she personally has no issue with—she has a tenant on housing benefits and has had no problems. But she’s uneasy about losing the right to decide whom she rents to while also not having rent paid directly to landlords.
“I want a level of security to plan ahead,” she says. “And I don’t feel small landlords are being supported. The mortgage is no longer a business expense, and I’m taxed on rental income at over 50 per cent.
“The numbers just don’t add up anymore.”
without rEnt controls, will thE bill trulY tacKlE affordabilitY?
Campaigners argue it doesn’t go far enough. In Southwark alone, over 4,000 people are in temporary accommodation, often because they were priced out of their homes. Landlords acknowledge the affordability crisis—Bola has seen more tenants struggle with rent in recent years.
“We’re in a new climate,” he says. “The cost of living is high, and tenants are being squeezed financially. That’s becoming more common.”
Labour has faced backlash for not introducing rent controls. Paul Williams insists the government must go further: “This bill does not address the affordability crisis. What we need is rent controls and a mass council house-building program.”
Yet, with councils struggling to build, private landlords will continue housing a huge portion of low-income and social tenants. The question is: will Southwark’s small landlords stick it out—or sell up?
For now, the rental market stands at a crossroads, with both tenants and landlords waiting to see the true impact of the reforms.
Marnie Swindells (Prime Casino)
hundreds marCh through peCkham to protest aylesham development
By Issy Clarke
morE than 200 people braced the wind and rain on Saturday 8 February to protest against the controversial redevelopment of the aylesham Centre.
The march, led by SHAPE (Southwark Housing and Planning Emergency), began at Peckham Square and continued around the site of the shopping centre before finishing at the entrance.
In addition to opposing the planning application, which was submitted by Berkeley Homes last summer to convert the the 1980s shopping centre into a new mixed-use housing and retail
development, protestors highlighted the decision announced in December last year to lower the proportion of housing set at affordable rent to 12 per cent, down from 35 per cent. This revision means that out of 877 homes, 77 will be set at affordable rent.
A 30 day consultation period has been launched on the amended planning application, and locals will be able to attend two drop-in sessions to hear more and have their say. These will take place on Wednesday 26 February from 2-6pm at Peckham Library and Monday 3 March from 3pm at All Saints Church on Blenheim Grove.
Southwark Council’s policy requires new developments to provide a
Date:
minimum of 35 per cent homes set at affordable rent, with an additional goal of achieving 50 per cent – although both are subject to the conclusion of viability assessments run by the council and developer.
Berkeley Homes said the revised plans were due to “rising costs, exacerbated by the length of the planning process”.
However the Labour-run council hit back at the developer, describing its proposal for the crucial Peckham development site as “very disappointing”.
SHAPE will be holding another protest on 1 March at 1pm, with plans to march from Peckham Square to the Borough Triangle.
Landlord fined over £4,000
for renting out unlicensed property in Walworth
By Isabel Ramirez
a lanDlorD has been fined £4,272 after he was found guilty of operating an unlicensed house in multiple occupation (hmo) in walworth.
Mr Justice Arifa Smart was the owner and landlord of a property in Hillingdon Street, which was inspected by Southwark Council and found to be operating as an unlicenced House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).
Mr Smart failed to respond to requests by Southwark Council to provide information or alternatively to apply for a licence and as such was left with no other option but to refer the matter for prosecution.
He was found guilty at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on 8 January 2025 and failed to attend the sentencing hearing on 20 January where he was fined a total of £1,980 for the failure to license his property, failure to produce documentation and failure to provide information relating to the occupation of the property, in addition he was also subject to a victim surcharge of £792 and costs of £1500. The landlords of unlicensed properties can also be made the subject of a Rent Repayment Order if the tenants of an unlicensed property request the First Tier Tribunal, this can result in the tenants receiving a refund of their rent
from their landlord.
Councillor Natasha Ennin, Cabinet Member for Community Safety & Neighbourhoods, said: “Unscrupulous landlords have no place in Southwark. This case sends a clear message that we will not tolerate rogue landlords who ignore their legal responsibilities and put tenants in harm’s way.
“Tenants deserve to live in safe conditions and we are committed to upholding our licensing requirements. We urge all landlords to comply with the law or face the consequences.”
More information on the council’s licensing schemes can be found on Southwark Council’s website.
Date: Tuesday, 5th of March Time:
This is being billed as an alternative to cars in London
taking
By Adrian Zorzut
Local Democracy Reporter
w hEn it comes to transport, londoners are spoilt for choice. Buses, trains, taxis and the tube take us to almost every corner of this amazing city, and there’s an ever-increasing drive for us to ditch cars in favour of sustainable transport.
Cyclists can now use London’s sprawling network of cycle lanes too. E-rental transport like e-bikes and e-scooters, though sometimes a nuisance in some areas of London, have shortened how long it takes to get from A to B.
And Londoners may soon be blessed with another form of transport: the Yo-Go electric buggy. These fourwheeled golf-cart look-a-likes are being piloted in Hammersmith and Fulham and are slated as an alternative to short car journeys, and aimed at those who don’t want to cycle.
The buggies are also an upgrade from e-bikes and e-scooters as they give you space to put some shopping bags, and a roof over your head. Adrian Zorzut, who covers Hammersmith and Fulham as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), took one for a spin to see if they live up to their billing.
rug up – it’s chillY
I trialled a Yo-Go in Parsons Green on Friday, February 7. After downloading the Yo-Go app I had to share my bank card details and a
a
spin in a yo-go buggy
DVLA licence check code to set up an account. Yo-Go advises first-time users to wait up to 24 hours for approval but I waited no longer than four hours for mine.
At 20p a minute to operate – and even less for monthly subscribers – Yo-Gos are being promoted as an affordable form of transport. The price drops to 5p a minute when parked up.
My 22-minute journey cost £3.75 and saw me cover just over a mile. The entire trip was insured – a perk for all Yo-Go drivers – and we had to follow the road rules like any other motorist.
The app’s in-built tracking system made finding the cart simple. The cart I hired was parked near a tree along Parsons Green. The cart’s bright yellow shell also means it is very easy to spot from a distance.
The carts come with the regular accessories you’d see in a car: seat belts, indicators (which are not automatic and are practically silent), two boots for storing bags, mirrors, a horn, a cupholder and USB ports.
Of course, there are lights to drive at night and a digital dashboard to track speed and battery life.
But these four-wheeled carts, although impressive and easy to drive, are missing an invaluable piece of structure – doors.
When I trialled one, I was drenched by rainwater and blasted from either side of the cart by chilly winds.
This made unlocking the car unnecessarily painful. My fingers were so cold my phone struggled to recognise them, which meant it took a while to access the Yo-Go
app and unlock the buggy. The seats and dashboard were also wet and required wiping down.
After several minutes of breathing profusely into my hands to warm them, my photographer and I finally set off around Parsons Green. Passers-by stared at us in amazement while motorists furtively overtook us. Speed bumps quickly became our enemy as we tested the cart’s (mediocre) suspension.
There are only two gears – reverse and drive – and the carts only reach a maximum speed of 20mph, which oddly feels insanely fast when you’re centimetres away from the asphalt. YoGos are also fitted with a rear parking camera to help drivers reverse park.
For those of us who are more mobile, you can simply pop your head out the side to guide the cart in. Our one-mile journey saw us zoom down Broomhouse Road and Broomhouse Lane then turn left onto Daisy Lane before dashing up Peterborough Road past South Park and back to our parking spot.
Reaching 20mph takes little effort but be aware of the regenerative braking. Simply letting go of the accelerator pedal engages the brakes and if you’re travelling at maximum speed, you may be flung forward. Thankfully those robust seat belts will keep you in place.
Dealing with the jolting braking can be easily overcome by slowly moving your foot off the accelerator. This form of braking is said to help reclaim some of the battery power.
These carts are incredibly fun and
easy to use and are a great way to get around your local area. Whether or not they replace short car journeys is yet to be seen. The lack of doors and heating makes them almost unbearable to drive in the winter rain though.
According to Yo-Go’s Chief Executive, Dr Sam Bailey, the company is not currently planning to insulate the carts. He told the LDRS foldable seats could soon be introduced as a way to stop them from getting wet when not in use.
He also suggested people come kitted with gloves and a jacket to keep warm. He said: “If we are looking at
‘My 22-minute journey cost £3.75 and saw me cover just over a milebut I did get wet’
short journeys – which is around 10 to 15 minutes – then actually most of the time car heaters take longer to work than that. Also, everyone in London goes around with a coat and gloves but we will keep you dry.”
‘world first’ trial
These pay-as-you-go electric carts were launched last summer as part of a ‘world first’ trial, according to Hammersmith and Fulham Council. If successful, they could be rolled out across London.
There are currently 10 located around the West London borough and
plans are already afoot to increase the fleet to 70, the LDRS understands. Unlike dockless, rental e-vehicles, these four-wheeled carts must be returned to where they were collected.
Dr Bailey previously said: “Car usage in London is quite weird. Most of the journeys are under three miles, people popping out and about…There’ll be a reason they don’t want to cycle – it will be because they don’t want to get wet, or they think it’s dangerous.
“What we want to do is create something that feels more familiar, feels like driving something – where you’ve got a seat-belt, you’ve got a roll cage, you’ve got a roof, somewhere you can put some luggage – so that it’s sort of an easier swap, if you’re a car user, to move to something like this.”
‘an Eco-friEndlY altErnativE’ Hammersmith and Fulham Council said they welcomed the pilot.
A spokesperson said: “These innovative electric buggies are another first for H&F as they offer residents and businesses an affordable, ecofriendly alternative. We welcome this pilot as we work to make local journeys cheaper, greener and more convenient.” It has also been warmly received by the Mayor of London.
A spokesperson for the Mayor said: “We welcome new micro-mobility options in London, especially those that encourage Londoners to use their cars less or switch to cleaner modes of transport. It’s good to see boroughs innovating in this way and trialling new options and we will await the data and outcomes with interest.”
Yo-Go electric buggie in Parsons Green
Photos by Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon
First phase oF neW £2.4 million CyCle lane
From rotherhithe to peCkham is unveiled
By Issy Clarke
PlanS havE been unveiled to upgrade a cycle junction on the old kent road, with construction set to begin next month.
The proposals, developed by Transport for London, will see the installation of a new cycle crossing on the Old Kent Road linking Brimmington Park and Ilderton Road, as well as a two-way cycle lane on the southern end of Ilderton Road, with work due to finish in July.
The upgraded junction is the first phase of Cycleway 62, an upcoming cycle lane developed by TFL in partnership with Southwark Council, which once complete will run from the Goldsmiths Road junction in Peckham to the Rotherhithe New Road roundabout.
The £2.4m project will be built in phases, with the entire cycle lane expected to be completed by early 2027, however this is dependant on other projects on the Old Kent Road, including the redevelopment of the Tustin Estate.
Plans for the second phase of the renovation of the 1960s Tustin Estate were submitted last year, which if
approved would lead to the creation of up to 300 new homes and a primary school.
Hundreds of new homes are set to be built on Ilderton Road after
developer Whittington Investments secured permission in 2023 to build 605 shared living apartments and 120 affordable homes between 71 and 161 Ilderton Road. In December
last year, it unveiled fresh plans to construct a further 260 shared living homes which would increase the total number of properties to 865, spread across towers reaching seven storeys in height.
More information about Cycleway 62 can be found at: www.haveyoursay.t�l. gov.uk/cycleway-c62
Popular Camberwell Italian restaurant announces closure
By Issy Clarke
a PoPular italian restaurant in Camberwell is closing its doors after 12 years in business.
Forza Win on Camberwell Church Street will be serving its final customers on Friday 21 February.
The restaurant was opened by Bash Rashford and Michael Lavery 12 years ago, initially starting life as a supper club and later taking on premises in Shoreditch, Peckham and Bethnal Green before moving into its current building in 2022.
The restaurant is known for its traditional five-course ‘Italian-ish’ meal structure, served alongside its homemade Clemencello, an orange-flavoured spin on Limoncello.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Rashford and Lavery said they would be closing the popular spot in order to focus on the restaurant’s sister brand Forza Wine, which has two locations in Peckham and the National Theatre.
The post added: “All of that said, we couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come. We’ve spent the best part of a decade trying to explain that Forza Win and Forza Wine are two different things (that ‘e’ doing a lot of heavy lifting) – now it’s only Forza Wine you need to remember, and we’ll be slinging cauliflower fritti and custardos in more postcodes very soon.
“And where Camberwell is concerned, we’ve found someone lovely to take over the space and serve the community – more on that soon.”
New series set in Victorian south London set to drop next week
By Issy Clarke
a nEw drama set on the streets of 1880s victorian london is set to drop on Disney+ next Friday (February 21.)
A Thousand Blows tells the story of the violent and shadowy world of illegal boxing in London’s East End. The show begins with the arrival in London of Hezekiah and Alec, two best friends from Jamaica who quickly get drawn into the capital’s underground boxing scene.
Erin Doherty, who starred as Princess Anne in series’ two and three of Netflix’s The Crown, plays Mary Carr, the leader of a fearsome all-female gang called
the Forty Elephants which ruled the streets of London in the 19th and 20th centuries. These women from Elephant and Castle posed as aristocrats to steal goods from top department stores before embarking on running an organised all-female gang.
The show is produced by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and Stephen Graham stars as Sugar Goodson, a veteran boxer with whom Hezekiah enters into a dangerous rivalry which ultimately extends far beyond the boxing ring.
The show premiered at the British Film Institute in October last year and all six episodes due to drop at once next week.
Image released following sexual assaults at Waterloo Station
By Issy Clarke
a CCtv image of a man has been released in connection with two sexual assaults in waterloo Station on December 17.
Police believe the man may have information that could help with their investigation into the incident, which took place in a pub in the station at about 11.20PM.
Anyone who recognises the man or who has any other information has been urged to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 2400158542 of 17 December 2024. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Image released by British Transport Police
Owners Bash Redford (right) and Michael Lavery
Gang leader Alice Diamond
From Google Maps Right; The junction has been developed by TFL
By Robert Firth
Local Democracy Reporter
South lonDon residents left without running water for three days say some with were unable to get to the only bottled water station made available and that fights broke out as people battled with stock pilers.
Taps ran dry in Crystal Palace, Sydenham and surrounding areas last Tuesday evening (February 11), after a water pipe burst in nearby Dulwich. Households in SE19, SE23, SE26, SE27 and SW16 were affected by the outage, including seven schools and three care homes.
The affected residents who Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) spoke to last Thursday (February 13) at an emergency bottled water station set up in a Sainsbury’s car park in Bell Green said the lack of water was ‘annoying’.
Ernest Satheesbeen, who lives in Catford, said: “We’ve had no water for three days. At first I thought it had frozen, but when it continued being a problem I realised everyone was affected and it was more serious.
“It’s not great. I’m hoping it will be back to normal soon. I didn’t know there was bottled water here. I just saw it [the distribution hub] on my way to work. I asked the staff and they said I need to come around with my car to get it so I’m going to do that.”
Candice Brown who was pushing a trolley piled with bottled water through Sainsbury’s car park when she stopped to speak to the LDRS. The 47-year-old from Crystal Palace said it was the first of several trips she would be making to the collection point, as she was getting supplies for neighbours as well as herself.
She said: “It’s the first time I have been today but I’m coming back as I’m assisting other people. I had to help somebody carry a few bottles earlier. The water is off and on at the moment. Since I have been living in the area there has been a big problem with the water. I think there has been a water pressure problem for a while.”
Anna Kakule, 27, from Sydenham, who was also without water, said: “It’s annoying. The water has been going on and off for three days. There is water but it stops regularly and the pressure is not high.
The boatyard is where traders run their businesses
“It’s the first time I’ve been to collect water. I saw the collection point yesterday when I was passing by. I hadn’t seen it advertised anywhere.”
She added: “The water pressure generally is not good and the water is not hot enough. You can shower with just the hot tap on, without any cold water cooling it.”
Helen Hayes, MP for many of the affected residents, criticised Thames
no running Water For 3 days aFter Water pipe burst in dulWiCh
Water for its ‘chaotic handling of [the] water outages’ in an open letter to the firm’s CEO Chris Weston on Thursday. Hayes, Labour MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, said she was concerned Thames Water had allowed such a big leak to occur at a critical pumping station and described the firm’s support for residents as ‘poor’.
She added: “The only bottled water station is located in Bell Green, which is inaccessible for many of my constituents who do not have a car.
“There appears to be no consideration for my constituents who will need to collect water on foot.”
On Wednesday last week (February 12) Thames Water had to close the distribution hub at Bell Green early ‘due to a security incident’. People on social media reported seeing people fighting over bottled water at the collection point. Word of the free supplies appeared to have spread beyond affected residents by Thursday (February 13).
One man the LDRS spoke to at the
bottled water station in Bell Green admitted he wasn’t impacted by the water outage, but had just come to load his car with free bottled water.
A Thames Water spokesperson said at the time: “We are sorry to customers in the Crystal Palace area who have experienced low water pressure or no water due to a burst pipe. Overnight our teams have worked to re-route water into the network with water supply now restored to the majority of properties.
“We will continue to deliver bottled
water to those on our priority services register in the impacted area and have reopened our bottled water station at Sainsbury’s Southend Lane, SE26 4PU. Our teams are working 24 hours a day to resolve the situation, and we are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused.”
In a statement released at the end of last week Thames Water confirmed it had fixed the burst pipe, adding it was “working hard to flush and do our final checks to fully restore supplies to customers”.
By Issy Clarke
thamES watEr is expected to appeal for permission to raise water bills by 53 per cent over the next five years, despite the three-day water outage.
The water company, which currently has £19 billion of debt, will ask the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to review the 35
percent increase between 2025 and 2030 approved last year by Ofwat, the water regulator, which it claims will not be enough to improve and invest in services.
If approved, bills for the 2025-26 year beginning in April would not be affected.
In a statement, the company said it had decided to challenge the price determination to “support the
investment and improvement that is required for Thames Water to deliver for its customers, communities and the environment for the next five years.”
The outage came as Ofwat announced on February 12 it would be investigating Thames Water after bosses admitted 100 environmental schemes funded by customers would not be completed on time.
Ernest Satheesbeen from Catford was one of the residents affected by the water outage.
Drivers collect bottled water from the collection point at Sainsbury’s car park in Bell Green
Bottled water piled up at the Thames Water distribution point at Sainsbury’s car park in Bell Green.
CroyDon CounCil has revealed it has overspent by £35 million this year and is now seeking an unprecedented £136 million bailout from the Government as it struggles to balance its budget for next year.
With a projected shortfall of £98 million from its budget for the forthcoming financial year, the council is asking for enough money to cover the shortfall on top of the standard £38 million it gets to help pay off its historic debt.
The bleak financial picture comes despite a year of cuts to public services and an increase in council tax. This revelation also comes despite Mayor Jason Perry’s electoral promise to ‘fix the borough’s finances’ and address its £1.4bn toxic debt burden after a disastrous few years that saw the council declare bankruptcy three times.
Council opposition has criticised Mayor Perry, claiming that under his leadership the finances are ‘actually getting worse – significantly worse’. Croydon Council cites a surge in homelessness and social care demand, plus rising costs for children’s placements, as key factors behind its worsening financial situation. It also has the third-highest number of people seeking homelessness assistance in the UK.
Despite Mayor Jason Perry’s recent meeting with his government counterpart, the £136m bailout move would be unprecedented. The bailout is likely to take the form of more capitalisation directions, which the council has previously undertaken to address its finances.
Capitalisation directions permit local authorities to classify specific revenue expenses as capital expenditures, however, Labour Councillor Rowenna Davis told the Local Democracy Reporting Service ‘in very oversimplified terms that means we are selling our buildings to pay for your rubbish to be taken away’.
The Conservative-led council published its proposals ahead of the budget meeting on Wednesday February 12. Included within are the anticipated 2.99 per
Croydon seeks huge £136m bailout From the government
cent rise in council tax and a 2 per cent increase in adult social care levy, which aligns with the government’s overall 4.99 per cent cap for London boroughs However, this move means that by April 2025, council tax in Croydon will have increased by 25% since Mayor Jason Perry was elected in 2023. In an effort to address its historic debt, the council has also undertaken a host of public service cuts. These included closing four lesser-used libraries in Bradmore Green, Broad Green, Sanderstead, and Shirley in November of last year, while the nine remaining would increase opening hours.
The council is in the process of ‘restructuring’ its Youth Engagement Team, which manages a range of youth services across the borough. A knockon effect of this could be the loss of Croydon Youth Assembly which gives young people a platform and a voice, and gives them something constructive to be involved in. It’s been credited with steering youths away from gangs and crime. The council is now proposing to ‘commission community partners’ to deliver focused youth engagement work to streamline and save money on services.
Labour Leader Councillor Stuart King said: “Residents are paying more but getting less.” Cllr King added: “Under Mayor Perry, finances are getting significantly worse, and residents should not bear the cost of his failures.”
Mayor Perry defended his approach, stating that the council must modernise to become more efficient. He outlined plans to overhaul council operations, including using digital tools and partnering with charities to deliver services more effectively.
While these local efforts are intended to save £27.7 million annually by 2028,
Croydon Council to crack down on private landlords providing poor housing
By Harrison Galliven Local Democracy Reporter
Croy Don CounC il is set to reinstate a selective licensing scheme to improve conditions and raise standards in the borough’s private rented sector.
The move hopes to provide better housing protection for the one in four Croydonians living under private landlords.
Selective licensing allows local councils to require landlords to obtain a licence for renting out properties in specific areas.
The scheme aims to improve housing quality, ensure safety, and tackle issues such as poor property management and anti-social behaviour.
By introducing licensing, councils can monitor rental properties, set standards for landlords, and take action against those who fail
they won’t be enough to make Croydon financially sustainable. The council is continuing its discussions with the Government to secure long-term solutions for its debt and services
Mayor Perry emphasized that Croydon’s financial struggles would persist without Government action to address the broader pressures on local services. Many in Croydon Council blame the previous Labour administration and their mismanagement of expensive schemes like Brick By Brick for the broken finances.
He stressed that protecting public services and securing a sustainable future for Croydon requires urgent national intervention. Croydon is one of seven London boroughs, including Lambeth, Newham, Havering, Enfield, Barnet, and Haringey, calling for more Government support.
He said: “Despite the huge strides we have made in improving our council, we are facing significant financial challenges, owing to the spiralling demand and surging costs that are impacting all local authorities across the country and in London in particular.
“The scale of the challenge means that savings are not enough, and I am not prepared to pass the cost to local people. We must act and do things differently. To protect public services, now and in the future, we must modernise our council and become more cost effective and efficient. This will mean better outcomes for residents, a better experience for all our customers and closer working with all our partners.
“In addition, we need Government action on the demand and costs that are
impacting all councils. They have made clear they plan to address these. I am working with them to respond to these issues locally, protect public services and secure a sustainable future for Croydon.”
to meet the required conditions, ultimately offering better protection for tenants. While the majority of landlords in Croydon maintain good standards, some privately rented properties have been found to have serious issues
These include problems like damp, mould, fire hazards, and structural instability, which pose significant risks to tenants’ health and safety
At a Cabinet meeting last Wednesday (February 12) Croydon’s Mayor Jason Perry admitted that most of the people living in Croydon’s private accommodation were in ‘lovely homes’, but added: “It is clear that in some in the sector who have residents in poor and unsafe homes.”
The Council’s decision to back the scheme follows the Government’s change to housing regulations on December 23, which made it easier for councils to implement such schemes.
Perry explained the urgency during the cabinet meeting: “This has been under consultation for a while.
“We have to move forward with it now, or we’ll have to wait until March.”
This accelerated timeline means the Council is working to introduce the scheme, part of Croydon Council’s Housing Strategy 2024-2029, without delay.
The Council has since consulted with residents and landlords and has
committed to doing so as the scheme is developed. A final proposal will return to Cabinet for approval before being fully implemented. The selective licensing scheme
Several local authorities have already introduced selective licensing with positive results. Newham introduced a borough-wide licensing scheme in 2013, which has been praised for tackling substandard homes while neighbouring Merton has seized
property from dodgy landlords since introducing it in 2023.
Croydon’s Executive Mayor Jason Perry said: “We are determined to ensure that our residents do not live in unsafe, poorly managed rented properties that contribute to antisocial behaviour.
“We will take every necessary step to protect the rights of private tenants while holding rogue landlords accountable.”
A general view of Croydon from Cromwell tower in Croydon south London, Britain 25 March 2024. Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon
Mayor of Croydon
major diesel spill in river has polluted ‘at risk’ Chalk stream
By Harrison Galliven Local Democracy Reporter
mErton CounCil has warned the public to avoid the river wandle after a major diesel spill has polluted the ‘at-risk’ South london chalk stream.
The spill has rapidly spread along the river, from Wallington to Wandsworth, causing significant damage to local wildlife and water quality.
On Tuesday, February 18, 4,000 litres of diesel reportedly leaked from a bus depot storage tank in Thornton Heath, Croydon. The spillage entered the river, and surface water drains and has now spread throughout the river.
Residents have reported seeing birds coated in oil, struggling to clean themselves and survive in the contaminated water. Despite the best efforts of emergency teams from the Environment Agency, there are growing concerns about the long-term damage to the river’s fragile ecosystem.
Merton Council confirmed that the spill has severely impacted the Watermeads Nature Reserve in Mitcham, with numerous local wildlife species already affected by the oil.
The London Fire Brigade has been working tirelessly to contain the spill, with fire trucks and officers “trying their best to stop the flow and take the pollutants out of the river,” as Labour councillor for the Colliers Wood ward
near the Wandle Stuart Neaverson mentioned stated online.
Thames Water is also involved in the clean-up efforts, and the public is advised to stay clear of the contaminated water
Merton Council also urged residents to avoid allowing pets into the water and to refrain from feeding wildlife, as doing so could result in animals ingesting the harmful pollutants.
The Environment Agency has launched a full investigation into the cause of the spill, and Merton Council has vowed to
People have reported seeing birds covered in oil, struggling to clean themselves Liberal
provide updates as more information becomes available. Concerns remain high over the lasting effects on the river, which has been a focus of environmental efforts for many years.
Bobby Dean, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, expressed his concern about the situation, having long campaigned to protect Wandle’s health. He said: “This should never have happened.”
Dean, who has previously campaigned to improve the protection of the Wandle, added that he’s pushing the Environment Agency for answers, an immediate
clean-up plan, and safeguards to ensure something like this never occurs again
The River Wandle begins in the North Downs and flows nine miles through Sutton, Croydon, and Wandsworth before reaching the Thames. As one of London’s few chalk streams, it’s home to brown trout, chub, barbel, and roach, making it a popular spot for anglers.
However, a report by the Local Democracy Reporting Service last year found that Thames Water may not take action to protect the river from sewage until 2035. Thames Water is conducting an ecological assessment to determine priorities, with potential works on the Wandle possibly brought forward to 2027.
What can be done to save primary schools from closure as birth rates continue to decline?
By Noah Vickers Local Democracy Reporter
lonDon’S DEClininG birth rate is leading to lower demand for school places and raises serious questions about how education across the city will be funded over the coming years, according to a new report.
Research by London Councils, the capital’s local government association, has forecast that between 2024-25 to 2028-29, there will be a 3.6 per cent drop in demand for reception places and a 2.9 per cent drop for Year 7 places.
The drop in demand has been fuelled by a 20 per cent decrease in London’s birth rate between 2012 and 2022 – a reduction of 27,490 live births across the capital.
London Councils said the city’s falling birth rate is “mainly due to the severe shortage of affordable family housing”, which has discouraged Londoners from having children.
The report warns: “School funding is allocated on a per-pupil basis, so a decrease in enrolment directly reduces budgets.
“For many primary schools in London, particularly those with only one Form of Entry, this can create a vulnerable financial situation. As the majority of a school’s budget is spent on staff, there is limited scope for costcutting before workforce reductions become necessary, potentially affecting educational standards.
“For example, if schools have to reduce teaching assistant numbers in order to balance budgets, this could have a significant impact on their ability to provide appropriate additional support to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and will hinder their efforts on inclusion.”
Squeezed finances could also mean some schools merging with one another or closing altogether.
To address these concerns, the report says the Government should “ensure sustainable and adequate funding” to strengthen schools’ capacity “to respond to additional needs and enable all children to thrive”.
It also suggests that ministers should “give local authorities greater decisionmaking powers, potential financial support and flexibility to retain and manage the use of closed school
buildings locally, and balance the immediate needs of a local area with longer term planning for education provision”.
Approached for comment on the report, a spokeswoman at the Department for Education said: “The Budget delivered on the Government’s commitment to put education back at the forefront of national life, protecting key education priorities including core funding for schools.
“Despite the challenging economic context, we are putting a further £2.3bn into schools’ budgets, with £1bn for children and young people with high needs.
“We recognise the challenges schools are facing, but the £22bn black hole the Government inherited means that fixing the foundations of the economy will take time, and tough decisions are needed across the public sector to get our finances back under control.
“We have committed to supporting leaders to use funding as efficiently as possible, while continuing to deliver better life chances for children and young people across the country.”
A minority of boroughs are predicted to see increases in enrolment, as some
According to the report, seven outer London boroughs are predicting an increase in reception pupil admissions and five outer London boroughs are anticipating a rise in Year 7 admissions over the next four years. All inner London boroughs are predicted to see decreases at both levels. No boroughs have not been named in the report.
“London has many of the best schools in the country, with 96 per cent of all our schools being rated good or outstanding by Ofsted,” said Ian Edwards, London Councils’ executive member for children and young people.
“London boroughs are determined to
each local area, despite this difficult climate.”
Mr Edwards, who is also the Conservative leader of Hillingdon Council, added: “London Councils has welcomed many of the measures proposed in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that will create a fairer education system for all, but there is further to go.
“Boroughs will continue to work closely with key education partners in London to mitigate the impact of this drop in demand for school places on school budgets and children’s achievements.”
Parents gathered with placards outside Comber Grove Primary School, which closed last year
The River Wandle near Goat Bridge Harrison Galliven
Democrats
what’s on in Southwark
l aden W ith quips and s ChtiCk
m any in the uk are unaware of Jeremy Sweet’s writing - a playwright, journalist and theatre historian whose work dates back to the 1980’s, writes Christopher Peacock
It was only last year that he had his first UK premier with his play Kunstler. Now, The Value of Names, possibly his most produced piece, comes across the pond in a Hint of Lime Productions for another UK premiere.
The Value of Names is a threehander set on the patio of former actor Benny Silverman’s Californian ocean view house. Benny’s daughter Norma is following in her father’s shoes and forging a career on the stage. Something Benny doesn’t like the idea of, but having grown apart from her since his divorce, he cannot influence her as much as he would like. When Norma’s latest play that she is to be in needs a new director, the production turns to an old hand. That old hand is Leo, who pays Norma and Benny a visit. Tensions are high as Benny and Leo have history. History that goes back to the 1940s and a much darker time in Hollywood, especially for those supposed communist sympathisers.
Benny and Leo are both East Coast Jewish entertainers, so, naturally, Sweet’s script is laden with quips and
schtick, which during the stronger parts of his performance Jeremy Kareken as Benny delivers with aplomb. Tim Hardy playing Leo did a fine job in not pulling his punches in the long exchanges with Benny. However, with a script so dense and incredibly light of action, the middle third of the play drags, especially when the odd line is dropped or stumbled over. Unfortunately that sucks the energy out of the piece and the scenes plod on crying out for a change of pace.
Katherine Lyle as Norma would be the pick of the performances; her stage handling and in the moments of direct address was at ease, and you wished for her role to be bigger.
With The Value of Names, Jeremy Sweet wants to tackle a range of topics, but sticking with the political and entertainment history is where its strength lies as the arguments made by Benny and Leo are compelling, if a little laborious. With the play in full flow and everybody hitting their marks and firing their lines off at pace, then there would be more to be had and certainly more laughs.
The White Bear Theatre, 138 Kennington Park Road, London, SE11 4DJ until 1st March. Booking and full details: https://www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk/ whatson/the-value-of-names
ive forever or switch off?
it iS 1803, and murderers are hung, spirited away and dissected by surgeons seeking to know more about the human body, writes Dan Martin...
Next up, Luigi Galvani sends electricity through a corpse, and it twitches. Jump to 2074 when medical science has moved on and minds of the rich and recently deceased can be downloaded into young, fit humanoids to start their lives over.
That’s the theory. The reality is that the team at the clinic are still in the experimental stage whereby they upload brains into a robot to see how it works; will it have a memory, feel pain…?
One by one, the robot-brain collaborations malfunction and get switched off and replaced by another until Bridget(Alison Halstead) comes to life with the power to remember everything. So much so that she realises that she is actually dead and wants to know why she is here and what the
doctors’ plans are for her. The more she remembers being a young woman with a husband and a future, the more she resents being something that doesn’t have a heartbeat, an appetite, or a need to breathe. She is a thing that is being tested and observed, and Bridget wants out of this immortal life.
Act 2 and Bridget’s elderly husband Harry(Tim McMullan) has been located with his elderly second wife Devina(Helen Schlesinger), 48 years after the accident that took Bridget’s life. In their 80s, the couple look around sixty because of the healthy diet they follow and the chip embedded in their neck telling them what to eat and when.
Harry feels he must take Bridget into his home. This is when the morals and ethics of such a situation are brought to the fore. Davina feels jealous of this young woman who was once the love of her husband’s life, if not now in body, then in spirit. Harry, on the other hand, feels a cerebral rekindling of the love they once shared.
For him, it has been almost 50 years since they were last together. For Bridget, who has only recently been uploaded to her new body, it has been just ten days, so everything is fresh in her mind, but the man before her is far from fresh. Plus, he barely recalls their time together.
Oh, the quandaries laid before us by Lauren Moody and James Yeatman’s More Life were a talking point all the way home. Right now, I feel like I want to live forever, but would I really want to if it was possible? Bridget gets to choose her future. Live forever or switch herself off… Seeing this great six-hander ensemble piece is the only way to find out.
Royal Court, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS until March 8th.
Booking and full details: https://royalcourttheatre. com/whats-on/more-life/
Cleverly littered W ith histori C al detail
tom l ittl Er’S production of howard Benton’s Churchill in moscow gives the audience a front-row seat at the very unsteady, alcohol-laden, paranoiadriven negotiating table of Churchill and Stalin’s secret moscow meetings of august 1942, writes Mary Bradshaw... Staged in the round, the production leaves the audience no place to hide from the tension and huge weight of potential catastrophe at stake. However, Benton goes further than the suspense of thrilling intrigue, making broader reflections on the true meaning of power and the importance of language.
With Churchill and Stalin as the protagonists, it would be all too easy for playwright and actors alike to slip into tempting caricature – a ludicrous sparring match of hot-headed megalomaniacs would be a far too obvious choice. But the value of this play lies in its novelty. After all, laughing at pig-headed leaders would be nothing new for any of us. Instead, Roger Allam makes a far subtler character study of Churchill than many actors who have come before him – the Churchillian facial expressions and pronunciation of ‘Nazi’ do enough. Similarly understated is Peter Forbes’ portrayal of a Stalin hiding behind a bright-eyed ‘Uncle Jo’ persona with a warm Westcountry lilt. These more measured portrayals allow both actors to give us many different Churchills and Stalins: the public, the private, and the ‘foreign’. They also make the angry outbursts all the more terrifying for their unexpectedness. The lighthearted moments, too, are never farcical nor over-the-top.
Churchill in Moscow is not just a play about
Churchill against Stalin, nor about defeating Hitler, Imperialism vs Communism, aristocrat vs peasant, a supposed British diffidence vs Russian directness. It’s neither about the frightening thought that with the peace of the Western world hanging in the balance, the temper tantrum of one person could tip things over the edge. It is about all these things and more.
Having ousted their aides and interpreters, Stalin and Churchill communicate through grunts, mime and monosyllables, evoking those famous words of ‘we will bury you’ and the ‘black dog’. They voice the more frightening ideas of what power means. ‘Never let them laugh at you, keep them afraid,’ Stalin says. Genocide is deemed ‘necessary’ because ‘without force, there is no civilisation’. Yet these ideas are subtly replaced by brighter ones. The play tells us that without language and tactful communication, there is no civilisation.
The interpreters Olga Dovzhenko and Sally Powell (played expertly by Elisabeth Snegir and Jo Herbert) save the day and save face. In one pivotal scene, Olga tells Sally that she has power: ‘You are the words.’
Benton’s script is cleverly littered with historical detail – from the suckling pig to Stalin’s tactical toasting – and, together with Tom Littler’s staging choices and direction and the cast’s powerful understatement, this critical political drama expertly avoids falling into ham-fisted cliché.
Orange Tree Theatre, 1 Clarence Street, Richmond, TW9 2SA until 8th March. Booking and full details: 020 8940 3633 (Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm) orangetreetheatre.co.uk
Photo by Zack Layton
White Bear Names Leo (Tim Hardy), Norma (Katherine Lyle) & Benny (Jeremy Kareken)
Photo by Helen Murray
Heading south - our pick of upcoming winter events
South Asian Astronomy: Holi Show
Celebrate the festival of colours by learning about South Asian connections to the objects we see in our night skies.
Join Royal Museums Greenwich for a live planetarium show to celebrate Holi, presented by a Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer.
Discover how the moon’s appearance and position in the sky is linked to South Asian calendar systems, how this connects to the way the stars are grouped in Hindu astrology and learn more about India’s space exploration achievements. Recommended for those aged 7+, under-5s will not be admitted to the show.
Date: Saturday 8 March 2025, 10:30am. Tickets: £10 Adult, £5 Child Royal Observatory, Blackheath Avenue, SE10 8XJ www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/planetarium-shows/south-asian-astronomy-holi-show
The Gruffalo
Join Mouse on a daring adventure through the deep, dark wood in Tall Stories’ magical, musical adaptation of The Gruffalo at Blackheath Halls this March.
Based on the classic picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffl er, dive into the world of the Gruffalo.
Searching for hazelnuts, Mouse meets the cunning Fox, the eccentric old Owl and the highspirited Snake. Will the story of the terrifying Gruffalo save Mouse from ending up as dinner
The Windrush Front Room Exhibition
Take your friends and family down memory lane and learn about the history of Woolwich and the African and Caribbean Front Room at Woolwich Works.
Experience the Windrush Front Room Exhibition with the Glass Fish, Bluespot Gram, Jim Reeves LP, Plastic Pineapple ice bucket, home drinks bar and the Axminster carpet. With a series of events to accompany the exhibition, you can enjoy a reading from the best-selling novel Twenty-Eight Pounds Ten Shilling: A Windrush Story by author and curator Tony Fairweather and meet children’s authors K.N. Chimbiri and Juliet Coley.
Plus another author event where you will meet bestselling authors Ray Shell, Atabang Esin Eminue, Garfield Robinson and Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm at a Q&A and book signing. The exhibition will take place within the Visitors’ Book Café at Woolwich Works.
Dates: Tuesday 4 and Sunday 16 March 2025. Tickets: Prices vary The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 St, Royal Arsenal, SE18 6HD www.woolwich.works/the-windrush-front-room-exhibition
for these hungry woodland creatures? After all, there’s no such thing as a Gruffalo – is there? Songs, laughs and fun for children aged 3 and up and their grown-ups. All children over the age of 12 months must have a ticket.
Date: Saturday 15 to Sunday 16 March
Tickets: Adult £17, under 16s £15 Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, SE3 9RQ www.blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/thegruffalo
Silent Disco under Helios
It’s time to party under the glow of Helios at the Old Royal Naval College. Experience a silent disco like no other and dance the night away in the Painted Hall as it is transformed into a luminous dance fl oor where art, music and atmosphere combine for an unforgettable night.
Choose from three channels, each offering a mix of hits from the past and present. Space-themed cocktails available for purchase at the bar.
The event is for adults aged 18 and over, and you’ll need a valid form of ID to show on arrival.
Date: Saturday 22 March 2025, 7:30pm
Tickets: £45, students £30 Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College, King William Walk, Greenwich, SE10 9NN ornc.org/whats-on/step-into-the-cosmos-silent-disco
LGBT+ History Month Film Screening at the Deptford Lounge
To celebrate LGBT+ History Month, this month’s weekly film in the foyer at Deptford Library will see a special free screening of Jamie Babbit’s cult queer classic But I’m a Cheerleader projected onto the big screen.
Free popcorn will also be provided, but you’re welcome to bring any additional refreshments to enjoy while you sit back and watch the film. But I’m a Cheerleader sees Megan (Natasha Lyonne), who is pretty, popular and has a hot jock boyfriend – she’s a cheerleader – being told during an intervention from family and friends that she is gay.
She’s sent to the True Directions boot camp in an effort to alter her sexual orientation. While there, Megan meets Graham (Clea DuVall), a rebellious and unapologetic lesbian who helps her understand and embrace her sexuality. With an all-star supporting cast, including RuPaul, Melanie Lynskey, Michelle Williams and Julie Delpy, But I’m A Cheerleader looks at the horrifying reality of conversion therapy with satire and a lot of queer joy.
in 1889, a biscuit factory magnate made the novel decision to hire a dentist to look after his workforce. in that year alone, 1,053 rotten, infected and wonky teeth were plucked from employees’ mouths.
In an era characterised by miserable working conditions, poor pay, and cold, absentee factory owners, it was an impressive move from the Peek Freans’ biscuit factory.
Since then, much has been made of the factory’s philanthropic credentials. But just how good did those employees have it? Was it the workers’ paradise those Victorian bosses would have us believe? Or do these sweet stories conceal a truth that is harder to stomach?
Peek, Frean & Co, Ltd, the birthplace of beloved treats like the Bourbon, the Garibaldi and Twiglets, was founded in 1857. What began as a small start-up at a disused sugar refinery in Dockhead quickly expanded to take on a vast 10acre site in Bermondsey.
The factory enforced some pretty restrictive rules on workers early on. Women were employed from as early as 1864 but were forced to resign when they became married. After that point, factory bosses clearly felt they belonged in the home, and not on the grimy factory floor. As recompense, the women would receive a special bridal cake. The longer they had worked at the factory, the taller the cake.
Meanwhile, staff could expect the same gruelling hours being worked across Victorian London. 72-hour weeks were the norm and would not change for another 35 years.
But historians always warn we should not judge the past by modern standards. “The historian must not make the mistake of judging the past by modern standards. He must understand, not condemn,” G.R. Elton wrote in The Practice of History (1967).
After all, this was a factory trying to stay afloat amid a hugely competitive Victorian manufacturing industry.
Salesmen, made to wear top hats to keep up appearances, were being sent out with a horse and carriage to sell their wares to shopkeepers. Peek Freans was doing whatever it could to get a slice of the market before it was too late. And arguably, it was not long before the biscuit factory bosses were going above and beyond to please their workers.
One of the earliest signs of their good intentions was the sports teams they started up. In this aspect, the business was following in the footsteps of other rising manufacturers like Cadbury’s and Rowntrees which were adopting what has since been described as ‘paternalistic capitalism’. In the Midlands and York, these companies were establishing huge housing complexes for workers and their families out in the open countryside. Well aired, and clean, they had all sorts of amenities - medical, sporting and leisurerelated - on offer.
There was evidence of this attitude on the Bermondsey site. Though they did not tend provide housing, sport was seen as a worthwhile investment. The factory had its own cricket team from 1894 and the Sports Association was founded in 1903.
Even the women had their own cricket team. Sir Jack Hobbs, England’s foremost cricket star of the era, would even come down from the Surrey team’s home at the Oval to coach them from time to time. The factory owner was happy for the
broken bisCuits and paternalistiC Capitalism
Was the Bermondsey biscuit factory a worker’s paradise or is the truth less sweet?
women to wear trousers on the field but this raised eyebrows in London’s wider sporting community. So much so, that amateur historians believe Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) made them swap them out for skirts before they could play competitively.
There was football, golf, bowls, and tennis, much of it played on the factory’s dedicated sports grounds in Lee, south east London, now belonging to Colfe’s School. It wasn’t just amateur athletes being catered for. There was a horticultural society, flower shows, a photography club and a library on site.
Frank Turner, who worked in the factory’s fire brigade for 29 years, fondly remembers representing a factory club at a tournament in the Netherlands in the ‘70s.
Now curator at the Peek Freans Museum, he said: “We went out in 1969 and they came over to play us in 1970. I had my retirement party with the Peek Freans hockey players and the Dutch players in Holland!”
In 1872, the working day was reduced from 72 hours per week to roughly 50
- nine hours per day with a half day on Saturday. Employees, who numbered around 300 at that time, were so pleased they gifted the three directors a gilt silver pen as thanks. While legislation already limited the hours worked by women and children, this universal reduction in working hours was ahead of its time.
The first female clerks, responsible for typewriting invoices and the telephone exchange, were employed in 1885. The new hires may have been surprised to find the company brochure had a dedicated ladies’ section called ‘Matters Feminine’. However, the suffragettes would not have been too impressed with its content. Topics mainly included cooking, family and fashion.
‘It is all very well for a man to smile at the feminine love of clothes, and dismiss them as being of very little importance in life. Women know better. Husbands, who profess not to admire fashions, are not slow to complain at the dowdy appearance of their wives,’ read one passage.
In the following decades, many of the women employed found promotions
were very much possible. Anne Edwards, who got a job as a clerical assistant in 1957, wrote: “Brilliant employers, they paid for me to attend Pitman’s College to extend my shorthand skills. They monitored my progress, my typewriting skills and promoted me from junior to manager’s secretary in the same department. I loved working there.”
In 1899, the factory hired its own dentist and chiropodist. The dentist extracted 1,053 teeth in the first year. Workers were also given a suggestions box where they could deposit proposed changes to factory life and processes.
If the suggestion saved the company money, they could be in for a cash reward.
For example, when biscuit packets were sealed in the 1930s, the wrapping would often come unstuck and be disposed of. One woman suggested that, rather than binning the packaging, using a strip of sellotape to stick it back down. The factory soon saved £1,000 annually and she received a five per cent cut of the proceeds.
Workers were also rewarded for their loyalty. Prizes for long-serving staff
included silver spoons and an ornate clock after forty years, one of which, dating back to 1900, is displayed in the museum.
“They were good. With the suggestion schemes and things like that. They would listen to you. Let’s put it that way,” Frank said.
As in any workplace, mischief was sometimes necessary to pass the time. Yvonne Fowler wrote: ‘As a kid, I always preferred Mrs Peek’s puds to mum’s homemade. However, dad confessed that they had competitions on how high the puddings would bounce when dropped down the stairwell.’
Gary Maygold, curator at the Peek Freans Museum, was even contacted by a woman who had kept her handwritten warning from her boss for having a snowball fight in the workplace. The fact it had enough sentimental value for her to keep decades later was testament to the good time she must have had there, he said. Another memorable story is that of a disgruntled worker who painted rude scenes into some of the more ornate biscuit tins. In 1980, upset at being made
For over a century, the sweet aroma of freshly-baked biscuits was the scented backdrop for thousands of families living around Bermondsey. It was one of the last factories to go...
redundant, he managed to sneak a couple having sex, swear words and copulating dogs into an otherwise serene garden scene. Christmas was always a special time in the factory. Patrick O’Grady wrote: ‘I used to taste test the Christmas puddings from the line every morning at 10 AM when I was in the R&D department at
in protest against “appalling” working conditions and pay.
The women’s strike saw 12,000 workers walk out of factories on the first day, including from the Biscuit Factory. Eventually 14,000 marched to a demonstration at Southwark Park, where famous faces such as suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst spoke.
Peek Freans. we always had some brandy butter at Christmas time to make it extra special.’
A Works’ Committee, a forum for employees to air grievances, was established in 1918. In the mid-1950s, amid a post-war Labour shortage, staff were polled on whether to let Caribbean arrivals work at the factory. We do not know the results of the poll, but the Works Committee agreed to allow them to work in certain departments. In 1955, the committee’s first Black member - Mr
C Laws, was elected to the board. By the late 19th century, “paternalistic capitalism”—where employers took an active role in their workers’ welfare— was gaining traction among forwardthinking industrialists.
Companies like Cadbury (Bournville) and Lever Brothers (Port Sunlight) were at the forefront of this movement, establishing entire villages for their workers. These developments went beyond workplace initiatives, providing housing, healthcare, education, and
recreation. By contrast, Peek Freans’ measures, while commendable, were less ambitious. Without dedicated housing or expansive welfare programs, the factory’s initiatives were largely confined to workplace-based activities.
Peek Freans’ approach to inclusion and diversity also warrants scrutiny. While the election of the factory’s first Black Works Committee member, Mr. C. Laws, in 1955 marked a milestone, the broader context of how Caribbean workers were integrated—or restricted—into the workforce tells a more complicated story. The mid-20th century labor shortage made such hires a necessity, but allowing workers of Caribbean descent into only certain departments suggests lingering biases. The 1950s poll on whether to employ these workers also underscores the conditional nature of their acceptance.
The limits of the factory’s goodwill came into sharp focus in the summer of 1911 in what would become known as the Bermondsey Uprising. Thousands of women downed tools and walked out of factories in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe
The strike could not have happened without Ada Salter, Bermondsey’s first female councillor, elected in 1909, and her friends Mary Macarthur, who set up the National Federation of Women Workers (NFWW), and Eveline Lowe, who was the first woman elected chair of London County Council.
“It was an age that was actually worse for women than the previous ones because of Victorian hypocritical morals,” historian and author Graham Taylor explained.
“They were actually worse off because of industrial revolution which forced them into machinery jobs, whereas 200 years ago in women’s industry they used to do basket weaving at home and they had skilled jobs and got money in. This factory work was not like factory work now. There were no trade unions and that meant the conditions were appalling.”
He said the Biscuit Factory wasn’t “as bad as some others” but remained places plagued by dangers and long hours for little pay. In August, 12,000 women walked out and all the factories came to a halt,” said Taylor.
“What happened was the women had become aware that if they came out on strike they would not be without assistance. Ada set up food depots and kitchens all along the river right from London Bridge down to Woolwich to help the dockers and the women,” Graham said. The strike, which lasted weeks, saw an increase in wages in all of Bermondsey and Rotherhithe’s 20 to 30 factories.
Edward Said, a renowned historian wrote ‘History is always written in the present tense, but it is also always written as though we are trying to make the past conform to the present, so that it becomes acceptable, meaningful, and reassuring,’ in The World, the Text, and the Critic (1983). That is the tight-rope everyone walks when looking back at the Biscuit Factory.
Speak to locals, and many will conjure up wonderful images of the factory, regardless of whether they worked there. Many are undoubtedly influenced by the sweet bakery smells that coloured their childhood thanks to the Peek Freans. Sweet aromas wafting through playgrounds, into classrooms and across parks provide a scented backdrop to halcyon days of ‘simpler times’. Peter Webb wrote: ‘You could walk around Bermondsey blindfold and know where you were by the smell. Peek Freans’ was one of the nicer aromas.’ Many will remember mums and sisters bringing home bulging bags of broken biscuits, much to the delight of their families. 132 years after the business began, the biscuit factory closed on May 26, 1989. While its history may have been complex, with workers fighting for their rights at times, the factory clearly played an important role in the lives of many locals families, putting food on the table, and giving the community a focal point. In a world of unstable work, this should never be sniffed at.
The Peek Freans’ Museum is based at 100 Drummond Road, Bermondsey, London. Find out more going on their Facebook account PeekFreanMuseum
women getting ready in the changing rooms for their shift in the twiglets and cheeselets department circa 1984/85
salesmen would travel around london with samples of biscuits for potential wholesale buyers to try
women working at the peek freans’ biscuit factory crica 1906 a newspaper cutting telling the sordid story
sir Jack hobbs training the women’s cricket in 1935
mr m c laws, appointed to the works committee in 1955
LICENSING ACT 2003 – APPLICATION FOR A NEW PREMISES LICENCE
An application has been made by: MR THIYAGARAJAH NAGATHEEPAN for the premises: Morley's Chicken,122 Erith Road, Bexleyheath, DA7 6BU
On the date of: 12/02/2025
Summary of the proposed licensable activities and the proposed hours of opening: Monday -Saturday : 23.00 - 2.00 Sunday and Bank Holidays : 23.00 - 00.00 Late night refreshments
Any person wishing to view details of an application may contact the Licensing Partnership on 01732 227004 or email them at: licensing@sevenoaks.gov.uk or visit http://pa.sevenoaks.gov.uk/online-licensing
Any person wishing to make representation about the application should make them in writing on or before the: 12th MARCH 2025
To: Licensing Partnership, Council Offices, Argyle Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1HG Email: licensing@sevenoaks.gov.uk. It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. The offence is punishable on summary conviction by a fine of any amount.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE - LICENSING ACT 2003
Notice is given that ANDREIA FERRAO and SANDRA TEIXEIRA, trading as FERRTEX LTD, have applied for the Grant of a Premises Licence for the following premises: LAKEDALE COFFEE, 21 LAKEDALE ROAD, PLUMSTEAD, LONDON SE18 1PP
A record of this application may be inspected by appointment.
Other persons may make representations to the Council on this application by no later than Monday 10 March 2025 (last date for making representations). Representations can be made in writing, by email or fax using the contact details above. Representations can only be made on the grounds of one of the four licensing objectives, namely:
▪ Prevention of Crime and Disorder
▪ Prevention of Public Nuisance
▪ Public Safety
▪ Protection of Children from Harm
Any person who makes a false statement in connection with an application is liable on summary conviction to an unlimited fine. It is proposed that the following licensable activities will take place at the premises:
→ On & Off-Sale of Alcohol: 10:00 until 16:00 hours Monday to Thursday; 10:00 until 23:00 hours Friday & Saturday; and 10:00 until 20:00 hours on Sunday (16:00 in ‘winter’ months).
On-sales shall be ancillary to food, whilst off-sales are to be securely packaged for consumption away from the premises.
Notice of Application to apply for a Premises Licence made under the Licensing Act 2003
Please take notice that we, Roohin Pub Ltd
Have made application to the London Borough Of Merton to apply for a Premises Licence in respect of:
The Roohin Pub, 29 London Road, London SW17 9JR
For:
•The sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises
•The provision of Late Night Refreshment
•The provision of Regulated Entertainment (Fri/Sat only)
Proposed hours of Operation:
•1100hrs – 0000hrs Sunday to Thursday
•1100hrs – 0100hrs Friday and Saturday
A register of all applications made with the London Borough Of Merton is maintained by: LICENSING SECTION, LONDON BOROUGH OF MERTON, 2ND FLOOR, CIVIC CENTRE, LONDON ROAD, MORDEN, SURREY, SM4 5DX
A record of this application may be inspected by appointment at Merton Civic Centre. Please email licensing@merton.gov.uk or telephone 020 8545 3969.
It is open to any interested party to make representations about the likely effect of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Section at the office or email address above and be received by the Merton’s Licensing Section within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below.
Note: It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine.
Date application given to the Council: 17th February 2025
Notice of Application for the Variation of a Premises Licence
Transport for London Public Notice
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION
ACT 1984
THE A3220 GLA ROAD (LATCHMERE ROAD, LONDON BOROUGH OF WANDSWORTH) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) 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 allow bridge repair works to take place on A3220 Latchmere Road.
3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle from entering, exiting or proceeding on Latchmere Road between its junctions with Shellwood Road and Amies Street.
The Order will be effective from 1:00 AM on
and
Cheam Park Café Ltd
Adriana Stringer
Cheam Rec Ground, Tudor Close, Cheam, SM3 8QS
Application Details:
Change of licence hours
Sun – Mon 9:30-22:00 Sat 9:00-22:00 Also the on/off supplies.
Full details of the application can be inspected on the licensing register, online at www.sutton.gov.uk or in person at the address given below.
Deadline for representations 19/03/2025
Representations must be in made in writing by post or email: Licensing Team, London Borough of Sutton, Civic Offices, St Nicholas Way, Sutton SM1 1EA licensing@sutton.gov.uk
to
to 3:00 AM on 24th March 2025 or until the works have been completed. 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 alternative routes will be indicated by trafc signs via Latchmere Road, Battersea Park Road, Queenstown Road, Lavender Hill or reverse to normal route of travel.
Dated this 21st day of February 2025 Claire Wright Co-ordination and Permitting Area Manager
Transport for London, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ
SOUTH LONDonER
26 PUBLIC NOTICES
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
Notice Under The Town and Country Planning Acts
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council is considering applications as set out below under the following categories
FUL – PLANNING PERMSSION
LB - LISTED BUILDING
VOC - VARIATION OF CONDITIONS
ADV – ADVERTISEMENT CONSENT
Written representations should be made within three weeks of the date of this advertisement to the Director of Planning, PO Box 734, Winchester SO23 5DG. Any comments made are open to inspection by the public and in the event of an appeal may be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Confidential comments cannot be taken into account in determining an application.
Application plans can be viewed online at www.lambeth.gov.uk/searchplanningapps – search using the reference number at the end of each application listing.
161 Hartington Road London Lambeth SW8 2EY Extension of garage and additional storey together with the removal of a ground floor side door.
25/00264/FUL
Orchard Primary School Christchurch Road London Lambeth SW2 3NE Variation of condition 2 (Approved Plans) of planning permission 18/03973/FUL (Demolition of temporary buildings and erection of a two storey brick clad modular classroom building, including repair works to the existing 'Pavilion' buildings and Coach House and the formation of a new emergency vehicular and service delivery access and pedestrian gate on Cotherstone Road, along with associated soft and hard landscaping works including new tree planting) granted on 14/02/2019.
Variation sought: to vary the approved landscaping scheme.
25/00239/VOC
The Old Courthouse 43 Renfrew Road London SE11 4NA Refurbishment of the Jamyang Buddhist Centre, including minor extension to accommodate lift and staircase; internal layout changes and alterations; minor demolition; repair and refurbishment of existing fabric; external landscaping and other associated works.
(Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 25/00334/LB, but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 25/00333/FUL) 25/00334/LB
373-377 Clapham Road London SW9 9BT Application for Listed Building Consent for display of 1 x externally illuminated static sign (Advertisement Permission ref: 25/00267/ADV application received). 25/00459/LB
40 - 48 Bromell's Road London SW4 0BG Replacement of a window and doors with crittal glazed doors with louvre panels above to the front and side elevations, the installation of 2no. retractable awnings and an extract flue with external ductwork to Venn Street elevation, plus the replacement of a first floor side window with double doors to the restaurant (Use Class E) and other associated alterations. (Re-consultation due to revised description and plans). 24/03271/FUL
16 Spencer Mews London Lambeth SW8 1HF Demolition of existing rear extension and erection of single storey ground floor rear extension. 25/00297/FUL
Ivor House 5 Acre Lane London SW2 5RS Variation of Conditions 2 (approved plans) and 7 (noise) of planning permission ref:
23/02767/FUL (Use of units 1 and 2 at ground and basement levels as a gymnasium (Use Class E(d)) with unrestricted hours of operation) granted 01.12.2023. 25/00383/VOC
Rochester House Rushcroft Road London SW2 1JR Replacement of existing top floor windows to double glazed timber windows - Flat 8. 25/00381/FUL
5-6 Cardigan Street London SE11 5PE Application for Listed Building Consent for replacement of all existing windows with glazed timber sliding sash windows. (Full Planning Permission ref: 25/00345/FUL application received) - Resubmission. 25/00346/LB
Bus Shelter Outside 106 Streatham Hill London Display of a intermittent internally illuminated dynamic advertisement display with automatic rotation of images. 25/00331/ADV
Dated this Friday 21st February 2025
Yours sincerely
Rob Bristow
Director - Planning, Transport & Sustainability Climate and Inclusive Growth Directorate
LICENSING ACT 2003
APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PREMISES LICENCE
The Thirsty Farrier Ltd has applied to the London Borough of Lambeth for the grant of a Premises Licence, in respect of the following premises: The Thirsty Farrier at Southbank Centre, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 8XX which would authorise the following licensable activities: Supply of Alcohol Monday - Sunday 11am-11pm
The record of this application may be inspected during normal office hours by an appointment at the Licensing Section, London Borough of Lambeth, 3rd Floor Civic Centre, 6 Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1EG, or via the licensing authority’s website, at www.lambeth.gov.uk/licensing
A responsible authority or any other person may make representation to the licensing authority in respect of this application. Representations must be made in writing, either by post to the above address, or by email to licensing@lambeth.gov.uk and must be received no later than 24 March 2025
It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with a licensing application, and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for that offence shall not exceed level 5 on the standard scale (£5,000).
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
PROPOSED ARTICLE AMENDMENTS
[NOTE: This Notice is about administrative amendments to simplify the Article format and redefine cycle hangers as a highway inventory item. There are no changes to any provision or restriction on the highway. Objections or other comments may be made – see paragraph 4].
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth proposes to make the Lambeth (Charged-For Parking Places) (Amendment No. **) Order 202* and the Lambeth (Free Parking Places, Loading Places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping Restrictions) (Amendment No. **) Order 202* under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended). 2. The general effect of the Orders is to replace the Articles in the 2003 Orders with revised Articles defining highway inventory items without changing anything on the highway.
3. A copy of each of the Orders 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), 3rd Floor, 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.
4. All objections and other representations relating to the proposed Orders must be made in writing and all objections must specify the grounds on which they are made (Ref119), and can be made using our consultation portal at https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or sent by post to the Traffic Order Team, at Lambeth Council Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), PO Box 80771, London SW2 9QQ or by email TMOReps@lambeth.gov.uk within 21 days from the date of this Notice. Any objection may be communicated to, or be seen by, other persons who may have an interest in this matter.
Dated 21 February 2025
Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager
View all weekly and archive public notices at www.southlondon.co.uk/category/public‐notices/
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE – RATHGAR ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable UKPN new connection works to be carried out, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an order the effect of which would be to temporarily ban vehicles from entering that length of Rathgar Road which lies between Loughborough Road and a point 36 metres north-east of that kerb-line.
2. Diversion routes for vehicles would be available in writing to all affected pedestrians and road users.
3. The restrictions would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
4. The order would come into force on 8th March 2025 and would continue for a maximum duration of 1 month (to allow for contingencies). In practice it is anticipated that the order would only have effect between 8th March 2025 and 9th March 2025 but if the works cannot be carried out or completed between these dates then the Order may have effect on subsequent days within the maximum duration of 1 month.
Dated 21st February 2025
Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS ON ROYCROFT CLOSE
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that to enable construction works as part of the implementation of the Peckham to Streatham Healthy Route, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order, the general effect of which would be in: -
2. Roycroft Close, (a) at the junction of High Trees, to ban vehicles from entering, parking, waiting, loading, and unloading, except for access for residents; (b) close the footpath between Christchurch Road and Roycroft Close.
3. Alternative routes for affected cyclists would be available via (a) High Trees, A204 Tulse Hill, A205 Tulse Hill Gyratory, A205 Christchurch Road; and (b) A205 Christchurch Road, A205 Hardel Rise, A204 Tulse Hill, and High Trees.
4. The bans would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall, from time to time, be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
5. The Order would come into force on 3 March 2025 and would continue for a maximum duration of 6 months, or until the works have been completed whichever is sooner.
Dated 21 February 2025 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14 TEMPORARY PARKING RESTRICTIONS – CORNWALL ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable development related works to be carried out, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order the effect of which would be to temporarily: (i) ban vehicles from waiting (including waiting for the purpose of delivering or collecting goods or loading or unloading a vehicle) in that length of the south-western side of Cornwall Road which lies between Upper Ground and Doon Street; (ii) suspend parking in that length of the south-western side of Cornwall Road which lies between Upper Ground and Doon Street.
2. The ban on waiting and loading would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
3. The Order would come into effect on 3rd March 2025 and would continue for a maximum duration of 12 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works will be carried out between 3rd March 2025 and 3rd November 2025. If the works cannot be carried out or completed during this time, then the Order may have effect on subsequent dates within the maximum period of 12 months.
Dated 21st February 2025.
Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14 TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE – ELECTRIC LANE
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable bridge examination works to be carried out, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth have made an order the effect of which will be to temporarily; (a) ban vehicles (including cyclists) from entering that length of Electric Lane which lies between Atlantic Road and a point 26 metres south-west of Atlantic Road; (b) ban pedestrians from entering the footway on Electric Lane, which lies between Atlantic Road and a point 26 metres south-west of Atlantic Road.
2. An alternative route for cyclists will be available via Electric Avenue and Atlantic Road and vice versa. Alternative routes for affected vehicles will not be required.
3. The restrictions will only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.
4. The order will come into force on 26th February 2025 and will continue for a maximum duration of 1 month (to allow for contingencies). In practice it is anticipated that the order will only have effect between 26th February 2025 to 27th February 2025, during the hours of 10.pm and 6.am, but if the works cannot be completed between these dates, then the Order may have effect on subsequent days within the maximum duration of 1 month.
Dated 21st February 2025 Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF LOWER MARSH FOR A CRANE OPERATION
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable works involving the operation of a crane to be carried out, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth, with the agreement of Transport for London, have made an order the effect of which will be to temporarily ban vehicles from entering that length of Lower Marsh which lies between Westminster Bridge Road and No. 11 Lower Marsh.
2. An alternative route for vehicles will be available via Westminster Bridge Road, Baylis Road and Lower Marsh (between Baylis Road and Frazier Street).
3. Whenever the above ban applies, the one-way system for vehicles in Lower Marsh between Westminster Bridge Road and its junction with Frazier Street and Launcelot Street will be suspended.
4. The Order will come into force on 30th March 2025 for a maximum duration of 2 months (to allow for contingencies) or until the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works will be carried out, between the hours of 7. am and 6.30 pm on 30th March 2025 and 6th April 2025, with backup dates on 27th April 2025 and 4th May 2025, but if the works cannot be carried out or completed on those dates then the Order may also have effect on subsequent days within the maximum period of 2 months.
Dated 21st February 2025
Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE – RODENHURST ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable traffic calming works to be carried out, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth have made an order the effect of which will be to temporarily ban vehicles from entering Rodenhurst Road.
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.
4. The order will come into force on 3rd March 2025 and will continue for a maximum duration of 6 months (to allow for contingencies) or until the works have been completed whichever is the earlier. In practice it is anticipated that the order will only have effect on 3rd March 2025 but if the works cannot be carried out or completed during that time then the Order may have effect on subsequent days within the maximum duration of 6 months.
Dated 21st February 2025
Ben Stevens Highways Network Manager
Photo by Lily Boorer
dreWe marks return With goal
By Myles Thornton
millwall lionESSES are just a point off third in the l&SErwFl Premier Division after their 3-1 win against ashford united at the homelands Stadium last weekend.
Millwall manager Ted Jones made three changes to the team that played in a 5-0 loss at home to Dartford last month. Millie Connell, Lucy Jellett and academy graduate Dani Menzes replaced Elise Jennings, Liv McGregor,and Grace Seely in the XI. Billy Burgess, Shannan Drewe, Chloe Francis, Emma Squirrell, and Kayda Townsend made up the bench.
The game was played in front of a crowd of 81 people, and it was the visitors who took the lead after sixteen minutes when Esme Johnson got on the end of a cross from Connell to finish.
Mia Lockett had to go off after 25 minutes. She was replaced by Drewe, who had last played for Millwall back in September, away to Fulham, and had been out since due to a foot injury.
Drewe showed how much she had been missed as just before the break she doubled Millwall’s lead.
Emel Huseyin crossed and Drewe emphatically fired home.
The Lionesses’ lead was reduced in the 57th when Kayleigh Harris
Quinton’s Hamlet
By John Kelly
DulwiCh hamlEt stretched their unbeaten run to four games with a 0-0 draw at hastings united - but boss Bradley Quinton felt it could have been more.
Quinton revealed he told his squad it showed how far they had come when a point away from home is a disappointment.
Before their current run, Dulwich had lost six games in a row, including the first three of Quinton’s spell.
The Hamlet have edged away from the Isthmian League Premier Division relegation zone and now have a sevenpoint buffer to the bottom four.
By John Kelly
lynn aBC had their first female boxer representing the club since current unified world champion Ellie Scotney in February 2015 at last weekend’s Broad Street and waltham Cross aBC club show.
Courtney Vernon fought Tilly Souch from Paddy Johns ABC and after a closelyfought contest she lost lost on a majority decision.
“I was really pleased with her performance as this was her first-ever bout and she did herself and the club very proud,” Lynn coach Terry Pearson said. Lynn also had Frankie Hanratty in action. Hanratty boxed in an open-class
pulled one back for the hosts. Millwall gave themselves more breathing room in the 68th minute when Jellett played the ball through for Drewe who crossed and the Lionesses’ top-scorer, Ciara Watling, restored their two-goal lead.
Millwall are sixth in the table with 24 points from sixteen games, a point off third-place Fulham. Dorking are six points clear in the only promotion spot. Second-place Dorking Wanderers are seven points ahead of Fulham.
Jones’s side are in quarter-final action in the L&SERWFL League Cup this Sunday when they host Leatherhead at St Paul’s in Rotherhithe. Kick-off is at 1.30pm.
Esme Johnson was also on target for the Lionesses
Surrey confirm coaching team
By John Kelly
SurrEy havE confirmed their coaching ticket for their first-ever professional women’s team this season.
Tom Lister, Dan Helesfay and Dieter Klein will work under head coach Johann Myburgh.
Lister was the head in 2020 when Surrey women won the London Cup and the London Championship before he joined the South East Stars to work under Myburgh.
Helesfay was an assistant coach at the Surrey Stars in the KSL before joining the Western Storm to take charge of their academy side. He became bowling lead at the South East Stars in 2023 and will have the same role at Surrey.
Klein had been a coach at Leicestershire since 2021 after retiring as a fast-bowler. He joins Surrey as lead second XI coach, and will also have bowling responsibilities with Halesfay.
Surrey’s director of women’s cricket Emma Calvert said: “The coaching staff at any team are the bedrock for the side’s success and I’m so confident in the group we have here at Surrey.
“Tom, Dan and Dieter bring a wealth of experience in coaching and working in the women’s game and, under the leadership of Johann Myburgh, we have an outstanding staff ready to drive the group to develop into the best players they can be.
“Alongside this, we have confirmed a brilliant team across strength and conditioning, physio, pathway and operations and player support, to help drive this new side to success.
“We are all incredibly excited to get started and to start to drive the women’s game forward across the county and the region.”
revival continues as drop fears recede
“I think apart from Dillon [Barnes] making a good save from the free-kick, it was probably 35 yards out, it was the only real chance that they had on our goal,” Quinton said. “We had two or three chances in the first half and then another two chances, in the second half.
“My chat after the game was, we’ve come a long way in terms of that we now feel that a point away from home is not enough for us. And that’s being really honest with the guys.
“We played the conditions. I think four weeks, five weeks ago, we probably would have crumbled there. But there were some good characters, good performances. And I think we can take that as a positive.”
Dulwich have kept three clean sheets
contest against Priyesh Kanji from Southall ABC.
Pearson said: “Frankie put on a boxing masterclass from the first bell and went on to get an impressive unanimous points win.
“This was Frankie’s first bout of the season as we have been finding it difficult to get him bouts following a good previous season. We now hope to get him another couple of bouts before he enters the ABAs in May.”
in their last four games after only one in their previous 20. Quinton was pleased with his side’s resilience.
“Especially in a game where it was a lot of long ball, a lot of long throw-ins, they just headed everything away,” Quinton said. “This is what we’ve worked on since we’ve come in. We’ve been organised in terms of where they should be and the gaps and the discipline and distances for one another.
“It’s something that we religiously work on. They’ve been superb, not just today. Again, they look solid. They look together. They’re playing a part. There’s some team performances.
“And on another day, today with the conditions, the ball probably would have
sat down and David [Bremang] probably would have scored. The one in the first half, I really quite thought he could have lobbed it, lifted it over the keeper, but it’s bouncing - really horrible conditions. I can’t take nothing away from David, he’s such a good player as well. And Ports [George Porter] at the end there was through. Maybe he could have taken a touch, but he’s only just come on.
“We need to take responsibility. But I think that’s just that calmness in front of goal, that we need to take a deep breath and just pass the ball in the back of the net rather than trying to smash it. But conditions here were tough.
“It feels like a disappointment that we didn’t take more than one point.
Obviously then looking ahead, it’s a full week training, three sessions. I feel like this is only the second or third time we’ve actually managed to get a full week with the lads.
“I think you can see in the short space of time what we’ve done in terms of the areas that we’ve had to approach. Being out on the training field is what we love. I love personally doing that with the boys and being structured. The boys are enjoying it as well. They’re doing their runs after the game. They all want to be playing. And hopefully the injuries reduce and we can get as many players back out to be fighting for each other’s shirts.”
Dulwich face Potters Bar Town away this Saturday at 3pm.
By John Kelly
DaniEl DuBoiS says this weekend is the “big one that sets up everything else” as he puts on his “racehorse blinkers” and eyes a rematch with oleksandr usyk.
Greenwich’s Dubois defends his IBF heavyweight belt against New Zealand’s Joseph Parker at this Saturday’s Riyadh Season event.
Unified world champion Usyk controversially defeated Dubois in 2023 when the referee allowed the Ukrainian extra time to recover from an apparent low blow before he stopped his opponent in the ninth.
“I always wanted to get my hands on them
belts and take the weight off Usyk’s hands. Let’s get them belts,” Dubois said.
“Boxing at the moment is buzzing right now. It’s good I’m in a good position with the belt. I want to keep it going, keep this train moving.”
Parker won the WBO interim heavyweight title when he defeated China’s Zhilei Zhang in Saudi Arabia last March.
“It starts on Saturday. That’s the big one that sets up everything else,” Dubois said.
“I want to give Parker a lot of problems first and then that will just prepare me even more. All these fights will just prepare me for the next one, that’s how I look at it.
“How good can I perform? How quickly can I do the job? How clinical can I look? These are questions I ask myself. I want to
get the best out of myself. So you need to fight whoever they put in front of you.”
Parker’s team have accused ‘Dynamite’ Dubois of looking past the challenge to Usyk.
“It’s almost like he’s got blinkers on like a racehorse,” Don Charles, Dubois’ trainer, said. “He’s a very, very unique individual.
“Mr Parker and his trainer, they’ve grabbed onto this thing of, ‘oh, you’re overlooking us’. No, we’re looking at you and through you. We’re going to run through you. Daniel’s going to run through you.
“They’re going to try and they’re going to fail miserably.
“Emphatic win, emphatic victory. Daniel Dubois, the IBF world champion, will retain his belt.”
Courtney Vernon with Frankie Hanratty, centre, and Terry Pearson
Addicks gift for £20million striker
By John Kelly
nathan JonES said only one error separated his side from big-spending Birmingham City as Charlton athletic lost 1-0 at St andrew’s last weekend.
Blues’ goal came in the 23rd minute when £20million striker Jay Stansfield pinched the ball off Conor Coventry near the touchline on halfway before he ran through and lashed home high past Ashley MaynardBrewer from the edge of the box.
Kieran Dowell hit the post from a free-kick and Willum Willumsson's curled just wide as the hosts threatened to extend their lead.
The Addicks struggled to create chances and had one shot on target when Daniel Kanu’e effort was straight at Ryan Allsop in the 76th minute.
"They've spent more than anyone, they've got a huge budget in terms of that so they should be. They're wellcoached," Jones said.
"We went after them and it took an error, otherwise there's nothing in the game. At the end we were pushing. There was just a little bit of naivety at the end because we kept giving freekicks away and they saw the game out.
"I'm really proud of the club. The fans were absolutely outstanding and out-sang theirs. They had 20-odd thousand fans here but our fans out-sang them and that showed where we were in the second half, that they weren't dominant in any way.
"Everything they did, they went long. They showed us massive respect. I just wanted us to get a little bit more pressure and be more aggressive and I didn't think we were.
“They showed levels of something-housery to see the game out which all good sides need to do as well. They went down holding their heads, they stayed down and saw the game out. Credit to them, they saw the game out.
“The fine margin was an error. We had to clear it and we probably could have done better. He’s a £20m player and he’s smashed it in. If it had been anyone else on the pitch it might not have happened."
Maynard-Brewer was brought off at half-time for Will Mannion and Jones said the goalkeeper had suffered a groin injury.
Charlton slipped out of the play-off places on goal difference. They host Exeter City on Saturday.
eagles Come unstuCk as toFFees net late Winner ‘disappointing and frustrating’ for palace boss
By John Kelly
olivEr GlaSnEr said Crystal Palace’s defeat to Everton at the weekend was “disappointing and frustrating” as the Eagles’ poor run at Selhurst Park this season continued.
Beto put David Moyes’s Toffees in front in the 42nd minute before Jean-Philippe Mateta levelled two minutes into the second half with his fourteenth goal in all competitions in 2024-25. The goal stood after a lengthy VAR check for a possible offside.
Everton were the better side in the second half and Carlos Alcaraz scored the winner on his first Premier League start when he finished from close range with ten minutes left after Will Hughes had deflected Ashley Young's low shot into his path.
Palace were the better team in the opening half and thought they had taken the lead when Jefferson Lerma headed past Jordan Pickford, only for Justin Devenny's corner to be ruled to have gone out of play.
It was only Palace’s third league defeat in their last fourteen games, but it was a second successive 2-1 defeat at home after Brentford’s win last month. Palace have only beaten Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton in their own backyard in the Premier League this season. Palace were overtaken in the table by Spurs after their 1-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday and sit thirteenth, level on points with a resurgent Everton since the return of Moyes.
"It was a very disappointing result, very frustrating," Glasner said. "It was a little bit similar to the Brentford game. I think we had two or three good chances in the first half, we didn't take them. I spoke before about efficiency.
"The direction was good, we had the momentum. But also, to be honest, Everton did well. Our [pressing] distances were too big because we were a little bit threatened by the long balls.
"They got into our final third. They got their set-plays that they wanted and in one
of these situations they scored the decisive goal. But this [set-pieces] is one of their strengths. They are very physical and in this situation we couldn't defend it.
"What I have to do, together with my staff, is to find better solutions against a team that defends also with a back five to create more moments, more chances.
"This is what we will work on, because the character of the team is amazing."
Palace travel to Fulham on Saturday.
Glasner said: "Now we stay calm.
Everybody goes home disappointed and it's good like this. But then we will start preparing for this game at Fulham.
"It's good, we have one more training week for players coming back from injuries.
"Of course, it's good for Adam Wharton, it's good for [Eberechi] Eze, it's good for Eddie Nketiah. And then we will go there, well prepared in the best way and give our best and try to win."
Ben Chilwell made his Palace Premier League debut when he came on for Tyrick
Mitchell after an hour. It was the on-loan Chelsea defender’s his first appearance in the league since last April, also against Everton in a 6-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
"We know Everton's strengths. They played to their strengths and got two goals that suited their game,” Chilwell said.
"I think we did well to get back into the game straight after half-time and we fought well. It wasn't a bad performance. Now we've got a week to prepare for the next game.
"We reacted well, got ourselves back into the game. And then at the end, they just got the late winner. But even after that we fought and tried to push on to get an equaliser. I think the mindset and the fight was there for the whole 90 minutes."
Chilwell added: "I've come in and tried to help the team and will continue to help the team in the changing room and on the pitch.
"I tried to do that and hopefully, whether it's home or away, we can try and pick up wins and climb up the table."
Dons hold nerve in promotion tussle as Stevens strikes again
By John Kelly
aliStair Smith was pleased with how aFC wimbledon handled the build-up and intensity of their promotion clash with Salford City as matty Stevens scored the only goal to send his side second in league two.
Stevens bagged his sixteenth league goal of the season in the 65th minute as the Dons moved to within eight points of Walsall with a game in hand.
“I wouldn’t have wanted the ball to have fallen for anyone else, what with the form Matty has been in this season. It was a
massive moment in the match,” Smith said.
“It was a tight game and there were a lot of mind games going into it, being such a top-of-the-table clash. To get that goal at that time, to settle us down and keep the tempo going, was important.
“The intensity surrounding the game was a bit different. The pitch was a bit bobbly, so it made the game a bit bitty. It was always going to be one goal that would swing this game and I’m glad we got it.”
Midfielder Smith, 25, made his 35th appearance of the campaign and has gone past 200 career games since joining on
loan from Lincoln City last summer.
“It’s something I’ve prided myself on this year,” Smith said. “The number of times I’ve been told availability is the best ability is something I’ve worked upon, to keep myself fit and churning out the games and I’m feeling really good.
“I’m not going to slow down anytime soon and I’m able to keep going up until the very end of a game. I’m determined to keep going until the end of the season.
“I am proud of it, because it’s the classic story of being told that I’m not good enough many times. I’ve had to move on and pave my way through non-league to
get back into the Football League, and so to get to 200 appearances is massive for me and my family and shows that all the hard work paid off.
“I said to the manager, when I signed, that being here is a familiar area to me because I was previously at Sutton. I’m literally five minutes down the road from the house I used to live in.
“The memories flooded back when I joined up here, it’s a similar area and I know where I’m at. With this group of lads, it’s been amazing.”
Wimbledon travel to Colchester United on Saturday.
Beto gives Everton the lead despite the best efforts of Daniel Munoz and goalkeeper Dean Henderson
millWall Falter in preston
championship
Preston North End - 1
Millwall - 1 Ivanovic
date: Tuesday 18 February 2025
Man of the Match: Femi Azeez
Referee: Matt Donohue
Attendance: 13,290
By Nathan Edwards at Deepdale
millwall FailED to close the gap from the Championship play-off spots to four points after a laboured 1-1 draw away to Preston North End on Tuesday night.
The Lions struck first in this play-off pushing battle via a well-placed free kick by Mihailo Ivanovic, five minutes from half-time.
But Alex Neil’s side were quickly pegged back after the break when Emil Riis pounced on Japhet Tanganga’s mishap.
The draw slightly dented Millwall’s hunt for promotion as they only closed the gap to six points and remain an outside shout for promotion, along with Preston, rather than forcing their way into the conversation with a statement win.
Millwall headed into this game against one of the most in-form teams in the Championship who were unbeaten in their last twelve home games, and the Lancashire side showed intent from the
lions
squander chance to close the gap to play-offs spots despite stunning ivanovic
Emil Riis found himself leading a counter-attack in the fourth minute, and after chopping inside of Joe Bryan, he drove a shot towards goal that Lukas Jensen had to swat away.
But that early warning sign seemed to wake Millwall up, at least defensively, as the Lions dealt with Preston’s barrage of crosses resolutely.
Millwall’s aerial presence in an attacking sense would then nearly put them in front with Bryan finding space to whip a cross into the box that Ivanovic attacked to loop the ball onto the bar.
Neither side managed to really stamp their authority on the game with Luke Cundle collecting a Femi Azeez pass with just one defender to beat but was let down by a poor touch, 21 minutes in.
Only three minutes later, Azeez was then forced to produce a last-ditch block to deny Liam Lindsay, who beat Jensen to Stefan Thordarson’s corner, and with the ball still loose in the box Ryan Porteous hit a wild volley over.
Neil’s side struggled to test Preston’s backline in the opening 25 minutes, apart from Ivanovic’s header, but did win a number of free kicks in dangerous areas of the pitch.
Originally Bryan was tasked with taking the first two free-kicks but couldn’t beat the wall, so on the third attempt, Ivanovic took over and put Millwall ahead.
In the 40th minute, the Serb stood over a free-kick on the right-hand side of the box and clipped a ball over Preston’s wall to beat a flat-footed Freddie Woodman in goal.
The Lilywhites looked to strike back immediately, with centre-back Lewis Gibson ballooning a volley over the bar in the closing stages of the first half.
But it was from long range that Millwall’s sturdy defence would come unstuck against only two minutes into the second half.
Tanganga failed to deal a goal kick with Riis approaching and from 25 yards out the Dane arrowed a half-volley that squirmed past Jensen in goal.
The Lions still posed a threat despite Preston’s growing momentum with Ra’ees Bangura-Williams turning in the box but was unable to find the bend needed to beat Woodman.
With both sides given the opportunity to close the gap between themselves and the play-off spots to four points, the second half saw far more attacking impetus.
Kaine Kesler-Hayden, who had been marshalled well by Bryan and Jake Cooper, eventually found some space to cut in but scuffed his shot well past the post.
But that space was also open for Millwall on the break, especially through Azeez who was becoming a growing influence on the right-hand side.
The 23-year-old twice managed to positively drive at Preston’s defence before forcing Woodman into a save but these chances proved to be rare opportunities for Millwall.
Preston seemed to have found an extra level that the Lions struggled to deal with
free kick
offensively, as McCann tried to swivel in the box but it resulted in an uncontrolled volley floating over the bar. Despite missing the chance to slash the gap to the top six at Deepdale, the return of Josh Coburn, who has been injured since November 30, will give Neil hope that this three-game winless run will soon come to an end.
EnZo marESCa denied there were any problems with Cole Palmer’s form after the England international’s ineffectual display in Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton & hove albion at the amex Stadium.
Kaoru Mitoma opened the scoring before Yankuba Minteh made it 2-0 at the break and then added his second in the second have as Brighton beat the Blues for the second time in six days after knocking them out of the FA Cup fourth round.
Palmer was a peripheral figure and hasn’t scored in his last five games.
“Football is a team, it’s not tennis,” Maresca said. “It’s not only Cole Palmer. We are all the same in this moment. We feel upset and we feel especially very sorry for the fans that were here. But in general for our fans because we cannot offer this
kind of performance with thirteen games to go.”
Chelsea have won only two of their last nine league games and their supporters made their displeasure known.
“In this moment, the bad feeling is that we look that easily we can concede chances and we struggle to create chances. This is the feeling at the moment. The reason why, there are many reasons why. Because of the number nine and the injuries, it is part of that, but in this moment it is like this, but we have thirteen games to go and we have to finish in the best way.”
Maresca’s problems have been added to by Noni Madueke’s injury, though there was better news on Malo Gusto.
Maresca said: “Malo is okay. Noni, unfortunately it is a hamstring problem, so he will be out for a while.”
Chelsea travel to Aston Villa on Saturday.
By John Kelly
iliaS Chair cored his first goals of the season as Queens Park rangers sent Derby County into the relegation zone after their worst defeat in almost four years.
Chair added to Koki Saito’s second goal of the season as QPR led 2-0 at half-time against John Eustace’s side.
Chair scored his second before defender Ronnie Edwards got his first goal since joining on loan from Southampton in January.
Jerry Yates had a late goal ruled out to cap a miserable night for the visitors.
The result meant Hull City moved out of the relegation zone despite not playing as the Rams’ goal difference dropped them into the bottom four.
It was former R’s caretaker Eustace’s
first game in charge of Derby after he left fifth-place Blackburn Rovers to replace Paul Warne.
“I’m very pleased, not only with the result but the mentality to bounce back after the disappointment we had in the last game,” Marti Cifuentes said.
“It was a difficult start tonight but we showed quality in the last third.
“With a new manager, we didn’t know what to expect.
“They played with a back four, something that they have not done for a while. We knew that their manager did that with Blackburn for many games but there was a question mark on it, so I think the first fifteen or 20 minutes were difficult.
“Thankfully Illy showed his quality and that was an important step for us.”
Cifuentes added: “[Chair] can do well anywhere on the pitch because
he is a very good player.
“Definitely we are trying to make sure he has a good impact on the team. He is a very important player and today he showed how good he can be when he gets close to the goal.”
Yang Min-Hyeok, who joined on loan from Tottenham in January, assisted Chair’s second.
“He did well,” Cifuentes said.
“He gave us a lot of positive things. He showed great quality for the third goal with the assist for Illy, and he had good situations in one-v-ones.
“We need to go step-by-step with him because we know he comes from a different league and these are his first few months in the UK, but he has been training at a good level and I am very happy with him.”
QPR face Portsmouth at Fratton Park this Saturday at 3pm.
Josh Coburn’s shot is blocked during Millwall’s 1-1 draw with Preston North End sKY bEt
Southwark SouthLondonWeekly.
Sport INSIDE eagles Come unstuCk as toFFees net late Winner
neil: ‘i just Want to be Competitive’
millwall
boss not setting any lofty goals after preston draw leaves lions six points off play-off spots
By Will Scott
millwall BoSS alex neil is not setting any lofty goals for the rest of the season after his side’s 1-1 draw away at Preston north End on tuesday evening left the lions in fourteenth, six points off the playoff spots.
Neil was appointed head coach on December 30, and after a tricky first few games led Millwall to a three-game winning streak that saw the Lions look in with a chance of contending for a top six spot.
However, Millwall have since faltered, losing 5-1 away to Plymouth Argyle on February 12 before consecutive 1-1 draws left the Lions with just two points out of the nine available, missing the opportunity to gain on West Bromwich Albion in sixth place.
When asked what his goals for the rest of the season are, Neil said: “I think just to be competitive.
“What people need to remember is that’s Josh Coburn’s first minute since I’ve come here. That’s Aidomo’s [Emakhu] first minute since I’ve come here. Camiel Neghli just joined us.
“We are still trying to settle in and bed in new signings that we’ve just made as well as guys that have been
here for a while and we’re playing a different style so we’ve got loads to contend with.
“I think we’ve lost one in seven now, which it’s a pretty good record, I’m quite happy with that. We just want to crack on and see if we can try and win more games.”
Millwall’s thrashing at the hands of the Pilgrims was the first time the Lions have conceded more than two goals in a game since their 4-3 loss to Bristol City on August 17, 2024. Neil thinks the performance was an “anomaly”.
“We’ve been very good in most games,” Neil said. “Even if we haven’t played particularly well, we’ve maybe lost by one goal. The games have been very, very tight.
“If you look at the goals that we conceded against Plymouth, we basically scored four of them ourselves. That was certainly an anomaly and I’m glad it is now, the last two games I think have proved that. We obviously want to try and win the next game, which is important.”
Millwall travel to face a Derby County side this weekend who are winless in their last ten games, and currently sit 22nd in the Championship after losing 4-0 away to Queens Park Rangers on Valentine’s Day.
Dons survive Wild ride on Fylde coast
By John Kelly
aFC wimBlEDon shipped a battering on the Fylde coast against Fleetwood town on tuesday night but survived to claim a stalemate and cut the gap to league two leaders walsall to seven points. Ryan Graydon hit the woodwork twice for the Cod Army and was also denied by Dons goalkeeper Owen Goodman.
Wimbledon had only one effort on target when Josh Kelly broke clear but his shot was saved by Jay Lynch in the 37th minute.
“Fleetwood were the better team in the game. We really, really had to work for that point and that can be a really good point for us,” Jackson said.
“To have not played well and to still come away with a point, we ought to be pleased with that.
“With the way the game was going, most teams leave here with nothing. Pete Wild has got them playing and when the league leaders Walsall came here, not long ago, they got beat.
“I thought Fleetwood played really well and with a good intensity about them, they put it on us and made us defend. They did everything but score.”
Centre-back Joe Lewis is an injury doubt ahead of Saturday’s trip to Colchester United.
“We need him to get through the games for us, because he’s been a rock back there,” Jackson said. “He was feeling his hamstring in the second half.
“He went down, got treatment and came back over to us and said that he could carry on. He tried to get through the game, but just towards the end he said he was feeling it, so we brought Sam Hutchinson on, who helped see us through.”
Johnnie added: “Recovery is going to be key, as it’ll be a long journey back home. Saturday is going to come around quickly and now that’s something we have to get right.
“It’ll be a game we’ll want to attack. We’ll go there trying for the win. If we can get something at Colchester, then this becomes a really, really good point.”
