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By Kumail Jaffer Local Democracy Reporter
LONDONERS FACE paying an extra £20 a year in council tax to the Greater London Authority (GLA) to fund an increased police crackdown on phone theft and more resources for the London Fire Brigade (LFB).
The Mayor of London plans to increase the policing precept in residents’ council tax bills by £15 a year for an average Band D property, with a further £5.13 going to support the fire service.
The overall GLA precept – the portion of council tax the Mayor is allowed to raise – will increase from £490.38 to £510.51 for an average Band D household. This is equivalent to a 4.1 per cent increase, with the overall sum of money collected by the GLA forecast to be £1.67billion.
Here’s where Londoners will see their money going in the upcoming financial year – subject to change after scrutiny from the London Assembly in the coming weeks. The final budget will be published in March.
PHONE THEFT CRACKDOWN
Sir Sadiq Khan plans to ask the Met Police to work on a package of measures to target phone theft gangs on the capital’s streets, including the use of drones and training specialist officers to use e-bikes in hotspot areas.
The extra levy is expected to raise £60m out of an overall £1.22bn funding uplift for policing in 202627. Londoners will contribute just over £1bn in council tax for policing in the capital, with the remaining £2.9bn coming from the Home Office.
NEW LONDON FIRE BRIGADE HQ
Every household will pay an extra £5.13 a year which will go directly to fund improvements to the LFB to the tune of £19.3m.
Officials say that as the UK’s largest fire and rescue service – and one that operates in an “extremely complex environment” – additional investment is needed.
The money will go to “maintaining LFB’s operational capabilities and response times” and investing in LFB’s estate, including building a
MAYOR TO RAISE COUNCIL TAX TO HELP TACKLE PHONE THEFTS
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Read what’s in Sadiq Khan’s budget
new headquarters and refurbishing Lambeth Fire Station.
The draft budget shows an extra £16.4m will be spent on “preparedness and response” in addition to £5.9m more being spend on capital financing – money used for major projects such as buildings or equipment. Overall, £251.1m of taxpayer cash will be given to the fire service.
TFL NEEDS £252M BAILOUT
The draft budget suggests almost £252m will be given to Transport for London (TfL) to cover a deficit caused by increased operating costs.
Though passenger income is set to rise by £302mn to £5.91bn, the cost of operating the London Underground, buses and other TfL services will rise by £541m.
Despite a Government grant of £91m, City Hall has deemed the necessary council tax requirement to fill the budget gap as £251.9m.
In other transport news, £400,000 has been set aside to progress the business case for the proposed West London Orbital rail line.
FREE SCHOOLS MEALS TO CONTINUE – FOR CHEAPER THAN EXPECTED
The Mayor has previously said he will not end his policy of Universal Free School Meals for all primary school children in London’s state schools while he is still in office. This is confirmed by the draft budget, which suggests the Government’s commitment to give free school meals to all children in households on Universal Credit will reduce the funding needed from City Hall.
The draft document says: “It is estimated that there will be a reduction in the academic year cost of the Mayor’s Universal Free School Meals programme compared
to previous assumptions of £50.6 million in 2026-27, £59.0 million in 2027-28 and £61.5 million in 202829.”
WHAT HAS SADIQ KHAN SAID?
The Mayor’s Draft Budget covers the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), which includes the Metropolitan Police Service and the Violence Reduction Unit, TfL, the LFB, the London Legacy Development Corporation (Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park), the OPDC, the Oxford Street Development Corporation and the core GLA, including the London Assembly. Sir Sadiq said: “Bearing down on crime and keeping Londoners safe is my top priority as Mayor. That’s why I’m taking the difficult decision to increase council tax to provide crucial funding for the police.
“This will help to implement a major crackdown on phone theft –with more resources to smash the phone theft gangs – as well as to ensure we can build on the significant progress we’re making to reduce knife crime, gun crime, homicides and burglary in the capital.
“In total, I plan to invest a recordbreaking £1.22bn from City Hall on policing so that we can continue building a safer London for everyone.”
Neil Garratt, the Budget spokesperson for the City Hall Conservatives, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Today’s budget is Sadiq Khan being forced to admit that the Conservatives were completely right about his priorities and spending habits.
“When a phone is stolen in London every six minutes, that it has taken the Mayor more than a year since I first raised the issue of phone thefts with him to actually take action is appalling.
“And with cuts to City Hall mooted, as a result of his bloated, inefficient spending sprees, now Londoners who work for the Mayor are left in jeopardy about their futures because of his behaviour.
“He can keep coming out to tell us how amazing his tenure has been, but the figures in that draft budget reveal the extent to which the Mayor’s legacy needs rose-tinted glasses to look good.”
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WILD SWIMMING ON THE OLD KENT ROAD?
EXCLUSIVE
By Rich Brann
WILD SWIMMING may be coming to the Old Kent Road at Southwark’s Grade II listed gasworks.
Plans outlined at the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee described the proposal as unlike anything else seen in Europe, creating an accessible freshwater swimming experience with health benefits at the development site in Old Kent Road, to be renamed Livesey Park.
The project would divide the historic gasworks in two, building a cold water swimming pool in one half and a natural reed-based filtration system in the other half, keeping water for the pool fresh, while a café, shop, and changing rooms would provide refreshment opportunities and pay for the pool’s upkeep.
Southwark Labour Councillor Helen Dennis said: “The idea for a wild swimming pond in the planned Livesey Park is at an early stage but would transform the area with such an exciting and unique offer, and is a good example of what can be made possible through investment and contributions from developers.
“We are determined for the Old Kent Road regeneration to deliver a greener and healthier neighbourhood, ensuring that development results in new and improved parks and community facilities.”
The gasworks at Livesey Park forms part
of the major Old Kent Road regeneration scheme, projected to deliver as many as 20,000 homes across Southwark and south-east London, as well as two other parks for the neighbourhood.
Briefly the largest gasworks in the world, they were originally built by engineer Sir George Livesey from 187981, but have been disused since 1953 before being bought by Southwark Council in 2017 for £15m.
Wild swimming at the historic site would allow the Grade II-listed outer structure to remain in place while utilising the former deep-water tank at the site for the project, and is expected to be the only wild swimming opportunity at a gasworks in the world.
Cllr Dennis clarified that once detailed
proposals were in place, there would be community consultation on the project, after which it could expect to begin development in 2027 or 2028, though she stressed that the project remained in a very early stage.
Wild swimming has become a popular hobby in the last decade, defined as swimming in outdoor freshwater spaces, and lidos and outdoor swimming pools are one form of the hobby, though typically ponds, lakes and rivers are popular destinations.
The gasworks project follows Greenland Dock being turned into a wild swimming area in 2024, where people can book 400m swimming sessions with Southwark Council around the historic pools, while Beckenham Place Park’s
pool remains a popular spot in South East London for freshwater swimming.
Other health swimming opportunities in the borough in the last couple of years have included community sauna and cold plunge sessions in Burgess Park, with Community Sauna Baths opening one permanent spot in Ruskin Park last year and plans for another in Denmark Hill submitted in January 2024.
The wider Old Kent Road development, of which the gasworks form a part, is expected to take the better part of 20 years to deliver in full, with consultation on the plans taking place last year.
Omer Weinberge, the CEO of the site developers Avanton, who are expected to deliver 700 new homes as well as the wild swimming project, said: “We are
delighted to hear the positive response to the emerging plans for the former Gasworks site on Old Kent Road.
“We see this as a chance to offer the community something genuinely new, while retaining The Grade II listed gasholder frame. Our focus is on long term investment in this part of Southwark, not only enhancing the local environment but also providing much needed new homes.
“Avanton’s Ruby Triangle masterplan will deliver over 1,600 homes, with THE BeCa as the first phase completing in Q1 2027. Alongside Southwark Council’s aspirations for the Gasworks site, this reflects a shared ambition for the area’s future, where investment in homes goes hand in hand with meaningful places.”
BRINGING THE BEAVER BACK TO SOUTH LONDON
By Kumail Jaffer Local Democracy Reporter
ONE OF South London’s largest parks could soon welcome some unusual new residents, as plans to introduce a colony of beavers are unveiled.
The animals would be brought to South Norwood Country Park as part of a rewilding project designed to enhance the park’s wildlife and attract more visitors to the nature reserve.
Plans for the park would also see its visitors centre bought back to life as an education hub, after six years of closure.
The beaver proposals, backed by Croydon Council, are being developed in partnership with urban rewilding experts Citizen Zoo. The organisation, alongside the Ealing Beaver Project, was behind London’s first openly accessible urban beaver population, launched in Ealing in 2023.
Elliot Newton, Director of Rewilding at Citizen Zoo, said: “Following the success of the Ealing Beaver Project, we have been eager to identify new sites where these incredible ecosystem engineers can bring benefits; from boosting biodiversity and cleaning waterways to mitigating climate change impacts.”
He added: “South Norwood Country Park has huge potential, and we are excited to see how this project could positively impact the local environment and community.”
Citizen Zoo is now undertaking a feasibility study to assess whether South
2020, remains closed despite repeated promises to reopen it.
This delay has led to frustration among residents and members of the team who run the kiosk next to the visitors centre. Their members told the LDRS: “We’re delighted to see Croydon Council’s commitment to reopening the visitor centre at South Norwood Country Park as part of the beaver rewilding project.
“The beaver initiative is genuinely exciting and will undoubtedly enhance the park’s biodiversity and appeal.”
However, the team believes the council still has work to do to make the centre “a thriving, self-sufficient community hub.” They warn that transforming it solely for educational use risks turning it into “a one-time visit destination” rather than a space that people want to visit week after week.
Norwood Country Park is a suitable habitat for the beavers before any are introduced. South Norwood Country Park is one of Croydon’s larger green spaces, featuring a pond and a play area on land that was once a former sewage site. Eurasian beavers are known as “ecosystem engineers” because of the wetlands and dams they create. These mammals were once a familiar sight
across Britain and the capital before being hunted to extinction centuries ago.
It is hoped that their reintroduction would improve water quality, reduce flooding, and provide habitats for fish, birds, insects, and other mammals around the park’s ponds and wetland areas.
Approval would see the beavers housed in London’s largest secure enclosure, which would be fully accessible to the
public, including local dog walkers. However, the project would also require additional funding and licences from Natural England if it is to progress.
Croydon’s plans for the park also include rebuilding its visitor centre and restoring it as a hub for nature education. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) previously reported that the visitor centre, damaged in an arson attack in
The council has planned a public consultation for February, allowing residents to share their views on the proposals. This will include a questionnaire, community talks and local nature walks.
In an announcement made today (January 14), Croydon Council’s Executive Mayor, Jason Perry told the LDRS: “The introduction of beavers in South Norwood Country Park would benefit local wildlife and be a massive boost for the borough.
“It would support the park’s biodiversity, and residents and visitors will benefit from investment in a revitalised visitor centre. I look forward to hearing what residents think about these exciting proposals.”
An early CGI concept of Livesey Park, complete with swimming pool
Concepts for the swimming pool at Gasholder 13
Pictures supplied by Southwark Council.
By Issy Clarke
TWO PUBLICANS have claimed the industry is the ‘worst it has been in 20 years’ with pubs ‘clobbered by taxes’ and struggling to compete with cheaper supermarket booze, and amid growing numbers of young people choosing to forgo alcohol altogether.
Landlords of pubs in Southwark spoke out about the challenges facing the sector days before Chancellor Rachel Reeves appeared to U-turn on a hike to business rates, after facing a furious wave of opposition.
They warned the rates increase was just one of a series of blows which had crippled the trade in recent years, along with increases to employer national insurance contributions and the minimum wage.
Garry Phibbs, who manages a small chain of pubs in south London including the Copper Tap and the Duke of Sussex in Peckham, said taxes were the “single biggest challenge” facing his business.
Garry said he had seen his overheads increase by around 40 per cent over the last few years, forcing him to “tighten the belts” and lay off staff and cut shifts.
“It is taxes on everything that are affecting us - the actual product we’re selling and taxes on the staffing and business rates. Most of the price of a pint of beer is just tax.”
According to research by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), beer duty makes up at least £0.49 of each pint of beer sold. That is followed by VAT (£0.80), other taxes like business rates (£0.23) and ‘other costs’ like staff wages and energy bills (£3.28).
Days ago, it was reported that Chancellor Rachel Reeves was poised to abandon an impending business rates hike on pubs announced in the November budget, which would have involved cutting a discount introduced during the pandemic from 75 per cent to 40 per cent.
The planned increase was met with fury in the sector, with more than a thousand publicans banning Labour MPs from entering their premises.
UK Hospitality said the increase could leave the average pub facing a 15% rise in business rates next year, increasing to £7,000 more by 2028/29.
The British Institute of Inkeeping, [BII] which represents those working in hospitality, has welcomed the climbdown, but warned the lack of detail at this stage meant the ‘scale of the potential positive impact remains to be seen.’
They said that pubs were already struggling with ‘huge challenges around increased overheads, unfair taxation and the direct impact of the 2024 budget as well as ongoing Covid debts.’
CEO of the BII, Steve Alton, added the rates cut was “welcome as a starting point, however we must have a reduction in the overall unfair tax burden our members have been facing, in order to safeguard the future of pubs, high streets and communities across the whole of the UK.”
He said when the minimum wage and business rates increase was announced in November it meant that only “1in 10” businesses would be profitable unless they axed staff and services.
Alton continued: “The lack of understanding from the Government, and specifically the Treasury, about the incredible pressure pubs have been under, with huge challenges they have faced since the pandemic, has caused incredible frustration, anger and worry for our members.”
The Chancellor increased the
‘IT’S
THE WORST IT’S BEEN IN 20 YEARS’ - SOUTHWARK PUB LANDLORDS ‘TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS’ AMID TAX HIKES AND DRY JANUARY
minimum wage in the budget last year by 85p to £10.85 for 18 to 20 year olds. It will go up by 50p to £12.71 for over 21s from spring 2026.
And since April of last year, employers have had to pay national insurance on all salaries above £5,000, whereas before it only kicked in on earnings higher of more than £9,100.
Garry said: “It means even though the minimum wage has gone up, staff are coming away with less pay because I’m having to cut their hours.
“We used to hire students for casual work because taxes wouldn’t have to be paid. Now they are at the threshold where we have to pay national insurance, so we’ve stopped hiring them.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Garry said the strategy would be just to “try and power through it. A lot of pubs are struggling, a lot have gone bust. We’re just doing our best to survive it as long as possible.”
Roughly one pub in England and Wales was forced to close every day in 2025, amounting to 5,600 direct job losses, according to the British Beer and
Pub Association.
“The more pubs that do go bust, it means you’re one of the few around that are still there for people. Our pubs aren’t beside offices or big universities. We just have local communities coming to us rather than workers.”
Pat McKenna, the owner of the familyrun Victoria Pub on Page’s Walk in Bermondsey, said he “wouldn’t like to be starting out in the indsutry today. I’ve been doing this 20 years and things have never been this difficult.”
He highlighted the “astronomical cost” of heating an old pub, and admitted he had now stopped showing Sky Sports due to the cost and because “you’ve got to have a packed pub to make those things financially worth it now.”
With sobriety on the rise among younger generations and many people opting to drink at home, Pat said times at the moment were “very tough. People really seem to have taken to Dry January this year. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, now people have started doing Sober October.
“A friend said to me recently: I’m a
social drinker, I come out so I don’t drink at home. But he said: it’s pointless for me to go out because all my mates are doing Dry January.”
The number of adults in the UK who report drinking alcohol once a week has steadily declined in recent years, from 61 per cent in 2012 to 56 per cent in 2022.
That decline has been driven in large part by a fall-off in alcohol consumption among younger people, with almost half (46 per cent) of those aged 25-34 reporting last year that they regularly forgo booze in favour of alcohol-free alternatives, compared to 37 per cent in 2023.
That may be partly related to the increased cost of booze, with the price of the average pint in the UK up from around £3.90 before the pandemic to £5.17 at the end of 2025. In London the average cost is much higher at £6.75, making it the most expensive city to purchase a pint in the UK.
Matt Downie, who runs the Grange pub on Grange Road in Bermondsey, said that since the national insurance
increase kicked in last April, he had been forced to cut staff and work longer hours himself.
“The main problem is that people don’t have enough money. Footfall and turnover is down, we’re not selling as much as we used to. People I used to see once a week, now I see once or twice a month.”
He said that during the pandemic people got into the habit of drinking cheaper supermarket booze, whereas “our overheads mean we can’t sell a can of beer for £1.50.”
Government plans floated at the end of last year to loosen licensing restrictions to enable pubs to stay open later, he added, failed to respond to the nature of the challenges faced by the industry.
“People don’t stay out as late as they used to. My kitchen is open until 10, but it is rare for me to take an order before 9. Increasing trading hours to increase turnover is for the birds.”
However, Michelle Tempest who runs The Raven Pub on Tower Bridge Road, painted a rosier picture, claiming that while “everything in the news is true”
Pat McKenna
Michelle Tempest of the Raven on Tower Bridge Road
The Grange pub on Grange Road
Garry Phibbs
about the challenges facing the sector, her experience has been “a different story.”
Since purchasing The Raven with her husband in 2022, Michelle, who owns a small chain of seven pubs across England, says she has seen numbers go “up and up and up” although around ‘80 per cent’ of those customers are tourists.
In fact, business at the Raven is so good that it’s one of Michelle’s best-performing pubs.
“We’ve been blessed because of our location: we rely on our position. It’s very different for us compared to talking to someone who has a truly local pub, because we rely on tourists. “
On a typical day the Raven - which also hosts a comedy club upstairs and a cocktail bar in the basement - will sell around 180 portions of fish and chips alone to tourists eager to sample traditional British cuisine.
It’s thanks to the surge in customer numbers that she’s been able to grapple with a huge increase in her energy bills which is the “main killer.”
Her bills have gone up by 50 per cent since she purchased the Raven, with water now costing £1,000 a month and electricity costing £2,500, and she’s had to stop heating the fourth floor of the building to curb costs.
However she added: “The Raven is lucky because it is delivering. It’s the seaside pubs I’m more concerned about. I’m upbeat overall, but I don’t think it’s going to get any easier.
“Once bills are up they’re not going to come down very much, and with the minimum wage going up in April... it’s going to be harder to make a living.”
The government was contacted for a comment but had not responded by the time we went to press.
Matt Downie
The Victoria Pub on Page’s Walk
By Evie Flynn
MET POLICE data shows
Southwark had the third highest number of knife-related offences in London in 2025 – yet only one in five resulted in injury. What else do the latest figures tell us about so-called ‘lawless London’?
Southwark saw 622 knife-related offences last year (Jan – Nov), surpassed only by Newham in first place and Westminster in second.
However, only 146 incidents, or 20 per cent of Southwark’s total, involved an injury, including stabbings as well as ‘slashings’ and ‘punctures’.
The Met uses the label “knifeenabled crime” in its reports to refer to instances where knives were used to threaten, injure and those where a knife was present but unseen.
Despite repeated claims that London is “lawless” by those on the right of the political spectrum, the Mayor and local Labour MP Neil Coyle stand steadfast that City Hall investment has played a key role in reducing knife crime.
Coyle, who is MP for Old Southwark and Bermondsey, told us: “A lot of the work behind reducing knife crime is long-term funding from City Hall, youth clubs and other efforts that often go unseen. Other parts of the country should learn from the capital.”
The latest statistics do confirm that knife crime is declining, so what has changed and what needs to happen to continue the downwards trend?
THE FIGURES: KNIFE CRIME IS DOWN BUT KNIFE-POINT
ROBBERY IS ON THE RISE
The latest figures are extraordinary, with knife crime in Southwark down by around a quarter for the first time in just over a decade.
From January to November 2025, the number of incidents went from 755 to 622, while offences classed as ‘knife used to injure’ dropped by 26 per cent, indicating that fewer incidents resulted in physical harm.
However, 622 incidents still equates to an average of 1.86 knife crime reports per day in the borough.
Over the long-term, injuries caused by knives or sharp instruments have fallen by 37 per cent since 2016.
In terms of the most serious violence, Met data shows that three knife-related homicides were recorded in Southwark between June 2024 and June 2025. Since records began in March 2003, there have been 81 such killings in the borough.
While these statistics may point to a shift towards knives being used to threaten rather than to injure, the data alone cannot explain how or why weapons were used in individual incidents.
The decline seen in 2025 follows several years of rising recorded knife crime offences, with an 8 per cent increase between 2023 and 2024, suggesting that not all attempts to tackle violence in the city have worked.
WHAT THE FIGURES DON’T SHOW:
The data clearly shows that reported knife crime was down in 2025, however, a deeper dive into the statistics show that robberies
KNIFE CRIME IN SOUTHWARK: WHAT DO THE FIGURES SHOW AND WHAT DO THEY HIDE?
Neil Coyle during a debate about knife crime statistics in Westminster Hall
are on the rise. Also, after so many years of dealing with epidemic levels of knife crime, perhaps the doctors and surgeons have just become experts at making sure deaths are down.
After all, Met data only counts crimes that were recorded by the police and doesn’t show hospital admissions or incidents handled through safeguarding.
Knife-related homicides in Southwark have remained sporadic since records began in 2003, as the graph above shows.
Many knife-enabled crimes will inevitably go unreported, especially in situations involving gang violence, adding to the public’s perception that Southwark and wider London’s knife crime is spiralling.
The latest NHS data shows that the number of people taken to hospital after being stabbed by a knife or sharp instrument has fallen by 29 per cent in London over the past five years, from 1,350 to 955.
These NHS figures record every hospital admission, regardless of whether the incident was subsequently recorded as a crime. As such, hospitals see victims whether or not a crime is reported to police.
However, the steady rise in incidents since 2016 should not be ignored, despite a slight decrease in 2025. In wider London, 59 per cent of all knifeenabled crime was robbery offences, according to the Met’s latest report.
Injuries are indeed decreasing and simultaneously homicides are falling, but this doesn’t mean knives weren’t used to threaten in robberies.
Figures suggest that consistently more than half of Southwark’s knife crime incidents are categorised as robbery. In 2025, they accounted for 64 per cent of all knife-related offences – the highest proportion since the
records began in 2016.
As a result, falling knife crime figures do not always ease public anxiety, particularly around everyday fears such as street robbery.
It is seemingly random and opportunistic offences that impact the public more, helping to explain why knife figures can remain alarming even when overall incidents are falling.
This week, Conservative London Assembly Member, Neil Garratt accused Mayor Sadiq Khan of using knife crime statistics to “gaslight” Londoners, saying knife crime statistics ignore the reality of robbery.
He said: “If you break down the knife crime stats and specifically focus on robbery – let’s be clear what this means, an innocent person going about their day being confronted by a violent man threatening them with a knife to hand over their valuables.
“More people in London were threatened with a knife, robbed at knifepoint for their valuables, than the last year of Boris Johnson [as Mayor of London]. The figures have got worse. Every single year of your mayoralty is worse than what you inherited. How can you tell Londoners that it’s getting better?
“It’s very clear that he has spent this week and this morning gaslighting Londoners about what they see with their own eyes.”
Sir Sadiq responded by saying the population had risen by over a million since he took office in 2016, while reduced funding under the previous Conservative Government resulted in cuts to police numbers.
THE HUMAN IMPACT: MOTHER SAYS HER TEENAGE SON IS BEING FAILED BY A SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT WORK
stories that do not fit neatly into
others in Southwark are trying to address the issue more openly by creating spaces for young people to talk about fear and violence.
Eugene Ankomah, Creative Director at Salmon Youth Centre on Old Jamaica Road, is urging people to focus less on the statistics and more on the real-life impact knife-crime is having on young people.
His upcoming exhibition at the centre, entitled ‘Re-Claim’ aims to confront the issue head-on, inviting police and young people to engage directly and openly about why they might choose to leave the house with a knife.
He said: “A lot of people ignore what’s happening to young people involved in street violence. Some simply don’t care and that has to change. If you want people to care, sometimes you have to make them feel uncomfortable.”
headline figures.
Knife crime statistics record offences, but often fail to capture the context behind them, particularly in cases where possession is driven by fear rather than intent to harm.
One Southwark family described how their teenage son was arrested for bringing a knife into school as protection after he had been repeatedly targeted by gangs of robbers.
While police were initially involved, the case was later handled through safeguarding and education systems rather than prosecution, highlighting how a single recorded offence can mask a far more complicated reality.
The pupil was referred to a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), an alternative school for children struggling in mainstream settings.
However, the child’s parents are fighting this referral, arguing that the setting of the PRU will put the 15-yearold amongst the very people who initially targeted him.
As a result, the boy has not been in education since July 2025 and with the help of their Youth Justice worker, his parents are fighting his referral and attempting to get him a tutor so he can continue his education.
The mother said: “My son was a victim of knife crime and now he’s become an offender. Before this happened, he didn’t have any mental health problems but he now self-harms and suffers with PTSD, anxiety and depression - the waiting list for CAHMS trauma support is nine months.
“My biggest fear is that other kids who don’t have support may become perpetrators themselves. My son is only fifteen and having not gone to school since July, he feels like his life is over.”
While cases like this are often dealt with quietly through safeguarding,
Speaking on the falling knife crime figures Eugene, who works one to one with children who are prime targets for gang violence, said: “I believe we have to keep pushing for greater change and not to get complacent. There is still much work to be done to convince more people to put down knives and to seek more peaceful alternatives.”
However, working on the project has also revealed that young people are understanding the consequences of possessing a knife. He said: “My interaction with young people during the project tells me there is still a high level of anxiety.
“It feels like a lot of young people currently do have a deeper understanding as to why carrying a knife isn’t the answer and we hope to push this understanding further.”
WHAT’S BEING DONE AND IS IT ENOUGH?
The Met has said it is working closely with schools, the council and safeguarding partners to prevent knife crime and protect young people.
A Met spokesperson said officers regularly delivered school assemblies and lessons on the dangers of carrying knives, with an emphasis on early intervention.
They added: “When a child is found with a knife, police take proportionate action, which may include referrals, alongside disciplinary measures.
“Policing tactics in Southwark are reviewed regularly based on intelligence and community concerns. Stop and search remains a key tool for removing weapons and preventing violence, and its use is monitored to ensure fairness and proportionality.”
To tackle knife-enabled robberies, the Met is carrying out targeted operations in known hotspots, including transport hubs and areas near schools.
MP Neil Coyle praised the work of
the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), which has invested just under £2 million and supported over 3,000 of Southwark’s youngsters since it was established. He said the political and public focus on knife crime statistics often overlooked the behind-thescenes work aimed at preventing offences before they happen.
“There seems to be a deliberate campaign to demonise the capital city, claiming that London’s diversity makes it more violent and dangerous,” he told us. “In reality, London is safer than many European cities.”
The VRU’s ‘My Ends’ programme tackles violence through community initiatives like mentoring, youth work and activities for young people in highrisk crime areas.
In Southwark, this programme is delivered by six grassroots community organisations: Active Communities Network, Southwark Young Advisers, Fight 4 Change Foundation, Motivity, St Giles Trust and Millwall in the Community and operates in three zones where violence and deprivation is the highest: Walworth, Old Kent Road and Peckham.
Support includes one-to-one mentoring for young people at risk of violence, outreach work on estates, boxing and mentoring programmes, such as Rotherhithe Roosters, and support for those exploited by criminal gangs.
However, Cllr Victor Chamberlain, Leader of the Southwark Liberal Democrats, argues that more needs to be done. He said: “There is nowhere near enough investment in youth services to stop young people becoming victims of crime or being drawn into violence.”
The mother of the teenager boy, whose story we highlighted above agreed and said that her son’s boxing club, a place where he felt comfortable amidst the postcode wars plaguing areas of south London, had to close because of funding issues.
Cllr Chamberlain also pointed out Southwark’s last remaining 24-hour police front counter in Walworth was now open during the day and for fewer hours at the weekend, commenting: “Even if a few figures are starting to edge down, our communities still feel badly let down by Labour’s London Mayor and by a Labour council that has failed to put community safety first.”
However, something must be working in Southwark - the VRU has overseen a small 9 per cent decrease in knife crime since its implementation and an even higher reduction in homicide rates.
Whilst political opinions and solutions remain divided, one thing remains certain: knife crime in Southwark has witnessed a decline.
8 NEWS
By Kevin Quinn
OVER 100 wanted criminals were arrested in the first months of a pilot programme in South London, in which live facial recognition (LFR) cameras were mounted onto street furniture.
The cameras were fixed to structures like lampposts in Croydon instead of mobile vans, and mapped people’s unique facial features against faces on watch lists.
It led to 103 arrests and the Met said there was just one false alert.
Among those arrested were a 27-yearold man wanted on suspicion of kidnap and a 37-year-old registered sex offender in breach of a sexual harm prevention order for having an unregistered mobile phone and access to social media. As well as a 36-year-old woman, whom police said was wanted since 2004, for failing to appear at court on suspicion of assault.
The Met said a third of the 103 arrests involved offences against women and girls, including strangulation and sexual assault.
This announcement on the success of the Croydon pilot comes just days ahead of a High Court challenge against the Met’s use of the technology.
Next week, Big Brother Watch is taking on the case of a 39-year-old man who was wrongly identified by LFR and stopped by police in February 2024 outside London Bridge station.
He said officers had asked him for his fingerprints, but he refused, and he was let go only after about 30 minutes, having shown them a photo of his passport.
He previously described LFR as “stop and search on steroids”.
The UK’s equality regulator, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has been granted permission to intervene in the judicial review and have said the Met’s current use has breached human rights law.
However, the Met are confident the use of LFR is lawful and proportionate.
The Croydon pilot involved 15 fixed cameras, attached to lamp posts, at two sides of North End high street.
The police said the cameras were only switched on when officers were deployed, which took place 13 times over the three-month trial, and insisted that any biometric data from members of the public who were not wanted by the police was immediately and permanently deleted.
The overall crime figures in the Fairfield ward, where the pilot was held, fell by 12
PILOT: OVER 100 WANTED CRIMINALS CAUGHT IN JUST THREE MONTHS
The scheme involved live facial recognition cameras being fixed to lamp posts on a busy South London high street
per cent, with shoplifting and robbery being highlighted as area in which they saw particular success.
Lindsey Chiswick, the Met and national lead for live facial recognition, said: “The increase in LFR deployments across crime hotspots in London is driven by its proven impact and success — with more than 1,700 dangerous offenders taken off London’s streets since the start of 2024, including those wanted for rape and child abuse.
“This is why we are trialling a new and innovative pilot in Croydon. It allows us to explore a different way of using facial recognition by operating it remotely and
Campaigners and locals have criticised the apparent lack of clear warning when facial recognition cameras are being used
more efficiently. The amount of arrests we have made in just 13 deployments shows the technology is already making an impact and helping to make Croydon safer.
“Public support remains strong, with 85 per cent of Londoners backing the use of LFR to keep them safe.”
Mobile van deployments of LFR were used at the King’s coronation in 2023, after an Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur match last year, as well as at the entrances and exits to Notting Hill Carnival last summer.
The Met has said they use an LFR algorithm that does not exhibit bias and has been tested by the National Physical Laboratory. This came after claims that
on March 26, 2024
LFR is “less accurate for women and people of colour”. And the Met added that Croydon was chosen for the pilot because it was a “crime hotspot” and because there was “local support” for it, after objections were raised that the area was targeted because it has a higher proportion of black residents (22.6%) compared to London as a whole (13.5%).
The pilot will now undergo an evaluation to assess its effectiveness. But the Met have pointed out that was little doubt it made arrests faster, saying the average time to locate wanted individuals has reduced by more than 50% compared with van-based deployments, which they added are then
New embankment on Thames ‘super sewer’
By Evie Flynn
A NEW 1.5 acre embankment next to the north end of Blackfriars Bridge opened to the public last week, after being closed for nine years during the ‘super sewer’ project.
Bazelgette Embankment, named after the great Victorian engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette, was previously a construction site for the Thames Tunnel Project.
The engineer was responsible for the creation of London’s first sewerage system following the Great Stink of 1858, and his design still forms the basis of the capital’s waste system to the present day.
The Thames Tunnel Project project built a 25km long ‘super sewer’ beneath the Thames, designed to protect the
river from sewage spills.
The new embankment has has a public walkway, viewing points, varied seating, public art and 71 trees.There are a series of five sculpture along the path, titled ‘Stages’ by Nathan Coley, designed to create focal points and they even feature a cascading ‘water wall’.
Improvements have also been made to the 1960s Thames Path, making it wider and more accessible for wheelchair users.
There is also a new lift to the east of Blackfriars Bridge which means that the wider area is now fully accessible by boat.
Bazalgette Embankment is one of seven new riverside embankments created as part of the super sewer project, with other sites in Vauxhall, Nine Elms, Putney, Chelsea and Victoria Embankment.
freed up for use elsewhere, expanding the police’s overall LFR capability.
They have also pointed out that LFR were of course significantly quicker at locating wanted offenders then normal police tactics such as door-to-door enquiries. They say they will continue to run engagement sessions with Croydon residents and councillors to explain how LFR works, outline the intelligence-led approach behind deployments, and set out the safeguards in place to protect privacy and rights.
However, Scotland Yard have made it clear that there are currently no plans to extend the pilot to other areas.
The Met believes the use of facial recognition cameras will free up officer time, meaning they will be able to spend more time in the public eye
Van with facial recognition cameras in Lewisham
It was one of nineteen stations which will not get accessibility funding
By Harrison Galliven Local Democracy Reporter
PASSENGERS IN South Croydon will have to wait longer for step-free access at their local station after the Government confirmed it will not fund planned improvements in the short term.
The upgrades, part of the Access for All (AfA) programme, would have created an “obstacle-free, step-free route from the station entrance to the platforms”, but the busy Brighton Mainline station will now have to wait.
South Croydon, which serves thousands of people each day, was one of 19 stations told it would not receive upgrades under the AfA programme. Ministers said they would only commit to projects they consider affordable and offering value for money, following feasibility work on 50 stations announced by the previous government in May 2024.
There are problems with access at station across South London. In the last year this newspaper have highlighted a number of campaign to get improvements for disabled commuters.
Peckham Rye Station will receive funding for some safety improvements, after the News highlighted the concerns of local station users following the announcement by Network Rail that the station would no longer be getting a £40 million step free upgrade. Local residents claimed that the lack of step free access at the station had forced elderly residents into the indignity of sliding down the stairs on their bottoms.
Then we looked at the state of the lifts at Herne Hill station after a local resident told us that it sometimes takes him five hours to commute to Greenwich because of how unreliable they are. And over in Loughborough Junction, a coordinated community campaign is also calling for that station to be rebuilt, amid concerns that the existence of one narrow flight of stairs could one day lead to a serious accident if several trains full of commuters have to be evacuated at once.
The Government said it prioritised projects at busy stations, aimed to
CROYDON SOUTH STATION MISSES OUT ON UPGRADES
ensure a geographic spread across England, Scotland and Wales, and considered pre-existing technical work and third-party funding contributions.
South Croydon met some of these criteria, but officials said the lack of prior technical development and external funding meant the station would not receive upgrades at this stage.
The continued lack of step-free access has raised concerns about accessibility for blind and partially sighted travellers. Erik Matthies, RNIB’s Policy Lead for Travel and Transport, described the decision as “disappointing”.
Mr Matthies told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS):
“Many stations lack basic accessibility features that make travel accessible.
Steps and stairs increase trip hazards and injury risk for blind and partially sighted people, even to the point of preventing them from using a station altogether.
“This causes stress. Often staff are not available at train stations, which adds
to the problem. The Government must reverse their decision and implement the changes they promised to all stations lagging behind in modern accessibility.”
In a letter to Croydon South MP
Chris Philp, Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy noted that a future round of AfA funding, potentially included in the next Spending Review, could provide full or partial upgrades at South Croydon. He also encouraged exploring
local funding options, such as Section 106 contributions or City Regions Sustainable Transport Settlements, to strengthen future applications.
Mr Philp told the LDRS that he thought the Labour Government had “let South Croydon down” by not backing the project. He added: “These works would have improved the station a great deal.”
Since 2006, the AfA programme has delivered step-free routes at more than 270 stations across Great Britain. While South Croydon passengers were told to wait for accessibility upgrades, several other stations received positive news from the Department for Transport last week.
THE FOLLOWING LONDON STATIONS WERE TOLD THEIR ACCESSIBILITY PROJECTS WERE MOVING TO THE “DETAILED DESIGN PHASE”: Dalston Kingsland – Hackney Gunnersbury – Hounslow / Ealing Kew Bridge – Brentford Kidbrooke – Greenwich Raynes Park – Merton
Parks set to host more festivals, open-air cinema and outdoor theatre
By Charlotte Lillywhite Local Democracy Reporter
MORE FESTIVALS, open-air cinema and outdoor theatre are set to be held in parks across South West London, under a new council strategy.
Richmond Council has adopted a new events policy for its parks, open spaces and commons, which aims to establish a diverse and varied events programme across the borough and increase accessibility with discounted tickets. The new policy encourages organisers to hold more neighbourhood festivals, community events, open-air cinema and outdoor theatre, while aiming to protect Richmond’s green spaces. The council’s Environment Committee agreed to replace the borough’s 2012 policy with the new strategy on Tuesday January 13.
The new strategy introduces measures to better protect the borough’s parks,
including limits on the size, frequency and operating hours of events. Small events are defined as having up to 499 attendees, while medium events have between 500 and 4,999 visitors, large events have 5,000 to 9,999 participants and major events have 10,000 guests or more.
Large or major events can’t take place at the same site on consecutive weekends under the policy, unless in exceptional circumstances. No more than four major events and six large events can be held in the same place in any six-month period. All events will have to end by 10pm, unless they are licensed to run for longer.
Organisers will need to commit to reducing waste, protecting air quality and encouraging public transport. For commercial events, they will need to contribute to the community by providing, for example, employment opportunities or supporting local projects. They will also need to provide
free or cheaper tickets to eligible residents at events.
The council used feedback given during a consultation last year on the plans to finalise the policy.
Richmond has 128 parks and areas of open space. The policy covers parks the council owns, which do not include Kew Gardens or the Royal Parks Richmond Park and Bushy Park.
Thorsten Dreyer, Head of Arts, Parks and Events, said the policy was “designed to ensure that events in our green spaces contribute to making Richmond green, safe and fair, while balancing community benefits with environmental protection”.
He said: “Events in our parks and open spaces bring cultural, social and economic benefits, supporting local businesses and charities, creating opportunities for young people and helping communities come together. At the same time, we must manage these activities responsibly to protect our
much-loved green spaces.”
After the meeting, Lib Dem councillor Julia Neden-Watts, Chair of the Environment Committee, added:
“We’re committed to ensuring these community spaces remain vibrant, while investing in their long-term care and preservation.”
Barnes Green, which is one of Richmond’s many green
HAS THE NEW BAKERLOOP BUS ROUTE BEEN A SUCCESS?
EXCLUSIVE
By Frankie Hills
THE ‘BAKERLOOP’ bus, which traces the route of the proposed Bakerloo line extension, has been a resounding success, according to the latest data released by Transport for London (TfL).
Launched at the end of September last year this brand new express bus running between Waterloo and Lewisham has more than doubled the expected revenue it was projected to generate.
Data released by TfL revealed the BL1 Bakerloop service was used by passengers 367,000 times during its first 10 weeks in operation, generating £231,000.
A report produced by TfL in November 2024 projected revenue for the Bakerloop services to total £540,000 annually. This therefore means that the route has more than doubled its projected earnings of just £104,000.
The addition of Bakerloop services to the London transport network was introduced by London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, amid delays to the extension of the Bakerloo line, which would run between Elephant and Castle and Hayes.
Mr. Khan was able to get backing for funding to extend the DLR from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead last year, as part of the Autumn Budget, but faced setbacks in his plans to establish a ‘West London Orbital’ Overground line from underused freight track and the
Bakerloo Line Extension.
Current projections for when the Bakerloo Line Extension will be operational is estimated to be by 2040, with construction set to start around the early 2030s.
However, with no announcements from the government the Bakerloop bus service has been established to act as a temporary stop gap to improve public transport in South East London. Mirroring the first part of the extension it runs between Waterloo, Elephant & Castle and Lewisham via Burgess Park, Old Kent Road, New Cross
Help shape a fairer, healthier future in Lambeth & Southwark
The decision to implement the Bakerloop was been deemed somewhat of necessity, with TfL willing to accept a substantial funding gap to run the new service. The contract awarded to run the service was for £4.93 million a year, meaning a £4.4 million shortfall still exists on profitability for the service. However, if the Bakerloop line continues to remain as popular as it is, revenues are on course to reach £1m in its first year. Moreover, Southwark Council’s development arm has allocated over £5m in funds for the Bakerloop, generated from developments in the Old Kent Road area.
Gate, Lewisham station and Lewisham town centre.
The BL1 service runs every day of the week from 5am to 12.30am. Five buses run per hour from Monday to Saturday while four buses run every hour on Sundays.
As part of its consultation process in launching the new bus route, overwhelmingly positive feedback was received from respondents. 82% of people said the new bus route was more convenient, whilst 79% thought it would decrease journey times.
Bringing a New Wave of Music to Nunhead This February
This February Half Term - wc 16th February Nunhead families will be welcoming an exciting new addition to the local community as The Strings Club launches its award-winning children’s music Holiday Camps at Ivydale Primary School, SE15 3DD.
Known across London for its high-quality, screen-free music experiences, The Strings Club is bringing its much-loved Holiday Camps to Nunhead, offering children aged 4–11 the chance to explore music in a way that is energetic, creative and confidence-building. Designed to appeal to complete beginners as well as those with some musical experience, the camp focuses on fun first – with skills and learning following naturally.
At the heart of the February Half Term camp is a carefully balanced mix of music-making and creative play. Children will take part in daily instrument sessions, learning to play the ukulele with
guidance from specialist teachers, alongside interactive workshops that include movement, games and creative activities. The week culminates in a celebratory concert, giving children the chance to share what they’ve learned with family and friends.
Importantly for parents, the camp is Ofsted-registered, SEN-friendly and staffed by experienced, DBS-checked professionals. Extended hours are available to support working families, and the programme accepts Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers.
To mark the Nunhead launch, The Strings Club
is also offering a free day of camp to local families. Simply enter NUNFREEDAY at their online checkout!
Don’t also miss out on their free Discovery Day ahead of Half Term on Saturday 14th February at 09:30am. The perfect chance for children to try out the experience before committing.
With Nunhead already known for its strong sense of community and love of music, the arrival of The Strings Club promises to strike a chord with local families looking for a joyful, enriching way for children to spend the school holidays.
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Police appeal as part of ongoing rape investigation
By Kevin Quinn
OFFICERS INVESTIGATING a rape in Tulse Hill are releasing an image of a man, who they would like to speak with.
An investigation was launched on Friday, 25 April last year, following reports that a woman was raped inside an address in Tulse Hill.
After speaking to witnesses and reviewing CCTV the detective leading the investigation now wants this man pictured to come forward to help with their enquires or for people who know him to get in touch.
Detective Superintendent Chris Heathcote: “From the moment this was reported, detectives have carried out a wide range of enquiries, including speaking with witnesses in the area and reviewing CCTV to identify a suspect.
“These enquiries have been in parallel with the support specialist officers have given to a woman, along with our partner agencies.
“We understand the strength it takes for someone to report a sexual offence to us and remain committed to investigating violence against women and girls with the utmost sensitivity and diligence.
“As part of our enquiries for this investigation, we are now in the position to release an image of a man, who we believe can assist us.
“I urge anyone who may recognise him or have any further information which could assist the investigation to contact us.”
Anyone who may recognise him, or have any information is asked to contact 101 quoting ref 01/7419053/25 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
ICONIC PUB WHERE ROLLING STONES AND KATE BUSH PERFORMED SHUTS FOR REVAMP
By Charlotte Lillywhite Local Democracy Reporter
ONE OF London’s oldest live music venues has temporarily shut for a major revamp.
The Half Moon, in Putney, is set to reopen in April with a new outdoor terrace and upgrades to attract more customers.
The first floor of the iconic pub, on Lower Richmond Road, will be extended
to create the new terrace, which will have a retractable roof and spiral staircase.
The venue will also get new equipment to allow it to sell a better range of food, while it will undergo some internal reorganisation and redecoration.
The pub was rebuilt in 1903 and had transformed into a live music venue by the early 1960s, attracting rock, folk and jazz acts. The Rolling Stones, The Who, Kate Bush and U2 are among those who have performed at the venue, which is owned by Young’s and still hosts live music every night of the week.
Wandsworth Council approved the
makeover in August 2023.
Planning documents said the investment will “reinvigorate the public house, improving its popularity and customer base, and ultimately securing its long-term viability”.
The documents added: “The additional space proposed through the attractive external terrace area is proposed to attract more customers and improve the range of facilities for patrons.”
The refurbished pub is set to reopen in early April. In the meantime, updates on the works will be posted on its social media pages.
By Ruby Gregory Local Democracy Reporter
THE SITE of a former Homebase store in South London has been sold to a new developer, almost two years after planning permission was granted to deliver 237 new homes.
Clarion Housing Association and Hadley Property Group have sold the Streatham site to residential developer, Barratt London, for an undisclosed amount. The site was sold to Barratt London as Clarion Housing saw the developer as suitable partners for the site.
Planning permission was granted to redevelop the site, located on Woodgate Drive, back in March 2024, despite more than 1,000 people objecting to the plans.
Residents had raised concerns about
the pressure extra residents would put on local services and the impact of noise pollution from a nearby railway line on their new neighbours.
Existing residents had also criticised the design of the development, including the placement of some kids’ play areas on the roofs of buildings and the number of single-aspect flats (where windows are only on one side of the property).
Campaigners from the Woodgate Tower Protest Group, who were present at the March 2024, planning meeting expressed dismay at Lambeth Council’s approval of the controversial plans, arguing that “giving the go-ahead to something like this is completely unforgivable”.
Under the plans, 237 homes will be built across four blocks which will range from four to 14 storeys in height. The plans will also deliver new community
infrastructure including an NHS GP surgery and a new cycle hub.
Of the 237 homes, 35 per cent will be ‘affordable’, consisting of 52 social rent homes and 29 shared ownership homes.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands Clarion Housing has entered into an agreement with Barratt London for the delivery of the affordable homes.
Richard Cook, Chief Development Officer at Clarion Housing Group, said:
“This is a fantastic example of how strong partnerships can unlock sites for new homes, while delivering real social value.
“We are proud to be working with Barratt London to bring forward these affordable homes that will help meet housing need in Lambeth and support a thriving, connected new neighbourhood in Streatham Vale.”
A Lambeth Council spokesperson told the LDRS on Wednesday (January 14):
“Following robust debate at Lambeth’s Planning Applications Committee this residential-led development of 237 homes, including 81 social and affordable homes, was approved.
“The Mayor of London also reviewed the application and determined that it should proceed.”
They added: “The concerns of local residents were fully considered by the committee and balanced against the need to tackle the housing shortage impacting families in Lambeth, many of whom are struggling to afford to stay in the borough.
“Lambeth Council has been engaging with the developers to ensure local people are kept fully informed about the project and so that any issues about the management of the site are addressed.”
Visualisation of plans for Half Moon. Credit: Planning Potential/Young’s, provided in Wandsworth Council documents
VOLUNTEERS CALL FOR COMPO AFTER BIN LORRY DESTROYED TREES
By Harrison Galliven Local Democracy Reporter
A VOLUNTEER gardening group has called on Croydon Council to press its waste contractor to honour its promise of compensation after a bin lorry destroyed part of their community garden last year.
Despite waste contractor Veolia promising to replace one of the three felled silver birches and provide £1,000 in additional funding, the firm and Croydon Council have yet to deliver the compensation despite nearly 10 months passing.
Members of the People for Portland Road volunteer group are now calling on the council to “stop ignoring” their pleas so they can return the garden to its former glory. The incident took place around 8am on March 15 last year, when a member of People for Portland Road saw a Veolia refuse lorry career off Enmore Road into the garden area outside South Norwood Leisure Centre.
The wayward lorry mowed down three mature silver birches, knocked a branch off another tree and destroyed surrounding shrubbery planted by the group. It also left deep tyre tracks on the
grass and damaged the Denmark Road sign.
However, instead of addressing the damage, the witness said the Veolia lorry driver “did not hang around” and reversed out of the garden to continue in their route. “It was total devastation,” said Paul Scott, Vice Chair of the group.
“I cannot contemplate how a competent driver could have possibly ended up driving into it,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). “It just doesn’t make sense.”
“It was fortunate that it happened relatively early in the morning; a couple hours later we would have all been in the garden. Someone could have been very seriously injured.”
Nearby Portland Road has become a hotspot for car crashes in recent years, despite its 30mph speed limit, and a 20mph limit on its side roads. In December, the LDRS revealed the road would soon benefit from £650,000 of TfL funding, which will be spent on trafficcalming features, improved crossing facilities and possible junction redesigns.
Following the incident, the group contacted local Labour Councillor Amy Foster who raised their concerns with Croydon Council. Veolia agreed to
compensate soon after, with the council’s Head of Environmental Services and Sustainable Neighbourhoods committing to provide the group with one new silver birch tree and £1,000 for additional planting.
However, nearly ten months later, Cllr Foster and the community group say communications from the council and Veolia have gone “very, very quiet” and they claim some of their emails are being ignored. Mr Scott said the need for a resolution is pressing with the allimportant spring planting season fast approaching.
‘WONDERFUL LITTLE OASIS’
The community garden, one of two projects led by the group, was part of a local effort to make Portland Road greener and more biodiverse. “It has really transformed that whole area,” Mr Scott told the LDRS.
Mr Scott, a former Croydon Labour Councillor, says the gardens have encouraged insects and birds to visit in greater numbers. Another volunteer described the gardens as a “wonderful little oasis” in the middle of South Norwood.
However, Mr Scott says the garden is still yet to fully recover since the incident. “Things are still growing there, but they are a sad comparison to what was there,” he said.
“When we talk with the volunteers we try and be upbeat about it, but this is the
kind of thing that puts them off.”
Veolia told the LDRS that its own investigation confirmed that the incident was caused by a driver error, and that its disciplinary process was adhered to with “appropriate action” taken Cllr Foster added: “I am disappointed that the positive commitment we received on behalf of Veolia following the crash on March 15th 2025 has resulted in a deafening silence from the council.
“That our many emails asking for confirmation of payment to allow the new shrubs to be purchased are unanswered is hurtful and once again brings into question how well the Mayor and Council are able to manage the Veolia contract, especially when things go wrong.”
Croydon Council renewed its boroughwide waste management contract with Veolia last April. The eight-year deal covers waste and recycling collections in the borough, along with waste vehicle maintenance, street cleaning and footway winter maintenance.
A spokesperson for Veolia said: “The vehicle crash into the community garden outside South Norwood Leisure Centre in March 2025 was a regrettable incident that we are very sorry occurred.
“We’re sorry for the frustration caused by the significant delay in communicating with People for Portland Road. A member of Veolia’s team has now made direct contact with the group to arrange a goodwill payment and to cover the cost of a replacement silver birch tree.”
Paul Scott (right) is a former councillor and the vice chair of People for Portland Road
SOUTH LONDON COUNCIL ACCUSED OF INSTALLING ‘SOCIALIST SPEED BUMPS’
By Frankie Hills
LABOUR-RUN LEWISHAM Council have been accused of installing ‘socialist speed bumps’ in upmarket Blackheath.
Residents’ complaints noted how the newly refurbished speed bumps in Lee Terrace and Belmont Hill in Blackheath are predisposed to damaging the undercarriages of high-performance and luxury cars.
Architect Andrew Thorp, 59, told the Telegraph newspaper that he suffered
By Issy Clarke
A NEW map allows you to see how good each local authority in England is at fixing potholes, with each one rated using a traffic light system.
Southwark has been rated Amber meaning it has ‘room for improvement’.
Most of London has been rated Amber, although Lewisham was the only inner London local authority to receive a Green rating which is good.
Greenwich was rated Red (bad) alongside Kensington and Chelsea.
The ratings show how effectively each of England’s 154 highway authorities are fixing potholes and investing in preventative measures to maintain their road network in the long term.
The red, amber, green ratings are based on three key areas: the condition of local roads, how much LHAs are spending on road repairs, and whether they are following best practice in maintaining highways.
Those that scored Green, like Hillingdon and Lewisham, were able to demonstrate they are following best practice, such as investing in more long-term preventative measures rather than just patching up potholes, while also maintaining good road conditions and investing significantly into improving local roads.
‘Amber’ ranked LHAs showed some of these qualities with room for improvement in individual areas, while those rated red are not yet meeting the expected standards in one or several areas measured by the ratings such as the current state of the roads, their plans for preventing potholes or investment into maintaining their local roads more widely.
Day (January 15)
significant damage to his Mercedes C-Class, which scraped the bumps on multiple occasions, prompting him to conduct the survey. He said: “We are paying for the bumps with our council tax, and then paying for the damage to our cars.
“It’s as if they are socialist speed bumps.”
He said that it was exclusively more expensive vehicles such as Audi, Mercedes, Tesla’s that were disproportionately affected.
Steve Emmott, 67, also described
having to move along the road at a crawl, claiming that when driving his Ferrari, he had to slow down to between 3-5 miles per hour before each hump. “If I try to straddle them, I will take the underside of my car out,” he stated.
Mr Thorp’s survey allegedly found that 12 out of 15 of the speed bumps exceeded Lewisham Council’s own height limit. The specially ‘commission engineering survey’ also claimed that five of the bumps were between 100mm and 105mm, being far above the council’s 80mm standard.
However, the council has disputed these claims, saying the bumps comply with national regulation, with changes to the road being made several months ago to enforce new 20mph speed limits within the area.
Yet it isn’t just motorists who have been complaining about the measures - Lewisham Cyclists have also voiced discontent. The group has warned the council that motorists could create severe danger for passers-by, potentially cutting in front of riders to bypass them.
Yet, despite the disaffection from the
Map rates how good each council is at
xing potholes
and after the government announced £300 million funding for London local authorities to fix potholes and invest in long term measures to maintain roads. On average a vehicle repair bill from hitting potholes is around £320, with some motorists paying over £1,000 last year.
To boost standards, local highway authorities (LHAs) currently rated red
will receive dedicated support to bring them in line with best practices, backed by £300,000 worth of expert planning and capability assistance. The support programme will include peer reviews where sector experts will help improve processes and provide practical advice. As an incentive to better roads, access to full future funding allocations will be linked to performance, ensuring LHAs
are encouraged to get on with the job and use taxpayer money efficiently to repair and maintain their roads before potholes form.
To further ensure transparency from LHAs, 25% of local highway authorities’ £500 million funding uplift this financial year was withheld until they published transparency reports and set out how they comply with best practice. The
community, a council spokesman said the bumps were within national guidelines and met the Department of Transports standards.
However, the authority did acknowledge that 3 of the 15 near Bellmont Hill and Lee Terrace did require adjustments, which have since been corrected at the contractors’ expense.
Yet the council added that speed control was imperative in the area, given the proximity of Belmont Hill to a school and Lee Terrace to a hospital, saying this remained their priority.
withheld £125 million in funding was unlocked at the end of last year by councils which successfully submitted their reports.
And the government has also said it will extend the Live Labs 2 programme for another year, which allows local authorities to access innovative approaches to road maintenance including uptake of longer-lasting, lowcarbon materials for repairing roads faster, more efficiently and far less often.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “For too long drivers in London have paid the price because our roads were left to deteriorate. I have heard time and again their frustration on footing the bill because they hit a pothole – money they should never have to spend in the first place.
“We’ve put our money where our mouth is, increasing the funding in London with £300 million to fix roads and given them the long-term certainty they have been asking for. Now it’s over to them to spend the money wisely, and for the first time we are making sure the public can see how well local highway authorities are doing in delivering the improvements they want to see in their local area.”
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “These new ratings are a positive move that will help drivers understand how councils are performing when it comes to improving the state of local roads. While there are examples of good road maintenance practice taking place, this isn’t consistent across the country and means drivers have for too long been left with substandard roads.
“We hope this initiative, plus the promise of longer-term funding for councils to allow them to plan and carry out much-needed preventative maintenance, means we’re finally on the way to having smoother, better roads.”
what’s on
Van is The Man in Spirit
SAXOPHONIST LEO Green hits the front of the stage and introduces each band member one by one, letting us know how many times they played live with Van Morrison, and how many of his albums they contributed to. Between them they racked up an impressive amount of hours playing alongside one of our greatest songwriters; a man who accepts nothing but the best from his fellow musicians, and that’s what we were treated to – A selection of his best songs performed by the best, writes Michael Holland.
The crowd was a mix of old school aficionados and relevant newcomers to the music of someone who was already in the Top Ten before they were born. It was a good blend. The youngsters took pouting selfies, the others grooved in their own way. Sharon Colman reminisced with us about first seeing Van Morrison playing in a North London pub at the start of his
career; her sister Barbara Emile has also been a long-term fan and in the interval regaled us with how she got Barbara Windsor to take the Peggy Mitchell role in Eastenders!
These two elegant music fans were very much grooving in their own way.
Morrison does not appear but this group gets his full approval.
Sir Van said, “These songs are meant to be sung and heard, and I am really happy that Leo Green is carrying the torch.”
And we found out why.
Of course, all the Morrison classics are there, plus the little known tunes that Van would play on stage. It was a show full of soul and blues, slow love songs and get up and boogie bangers.
And even though there are over 50 albums to choose from, Van Morrison didn’t shy away from covering other people’s songs if he liked them – and the Alumni Band know that, which meant we had a great rendition of Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?
All the vocals sung superbly by guest singers.
We moon-danced, did our
sweet thing, drifted into the mystic and realised you don’t get many days like this. It was a concert that took us from the dark end of the street to the bright side of the road, as one, in tune with some of the best music written in the last 60 years.
The Van Morrison Alumni
Band is a group of all-star musicians:
• Leo Green (Sax)
• Matt Holland (Trumpet)
• Alec Dankworth & Steve Pearce (Bass)
• Robin Aspland (Piano)
• Geoff Dunn (Drums)
• Matt White (Guitar)
• Sophie Hiller and Tess Burrstone backing vocals.
• Lead vocals: Hayley Sanderson (Vocals) Jess Greenfield, Wayne Hernandes.
This homage to Art Deco and live music is tucked away
beneath Waterloo Bridge and allows the audience to sit comfortably or dance in the aisles.
The Emerald Theatre every Tuesday until April 28th Booking and full details: thevanmorrisonalumniband.com
REVIEW: A STAN IS BORN
AS THE lights hit the stage, it’s immediately clear we’re entering a pop shrine: an array of T-shirts emblazoned with icons from Madonna to Britney frames the space. Seconds later, Alex Sakellaris bounds onto the floor. With lush, flowing hair, unmistakable New York drawl, and an easy-on-the-eye confidence, he has the audience in the palm of his hand within minutes, singing along to his catchy opening number, writes Luigia Minichiello.
Sakellaris’ musical comedy is a love letter to pop divas, queer survival, and the slightly unhinged comfort of obsession when you feel out of place in the world. From the outset, it’s obvious we’re watching a performer who knows exactly who they are and isn’t afraid to share it. Written and performed by Sakellaris, the show charts their move from New York City to rural Germany, a culture shock that feels both deeply personal
and painfully relatable. Stripped of familiarity, community, and queerness-as-normality, Alex clings to pop divas as a lifeline: Céline, Whitney, Mariah, Beyoncé, Gaga, Aretha.
Along the way, Sakellaris explains the term “stan”: a highly devoted fan, originating from Eminem’s 2000 song Stan, which he wryly reframes as a Greek tragedy , “one man killing another for love.” It’s a sharp, funny observation, but it also plants the show’s central question: can obsession protect us, or does it stop us from fully living?
Hair becomes a recurring and inspired theatrical device, used as a teleport to the divas whenever Alex needs guidance. For a while, it seems to work. He’s invited to sing in the Christmas choir, tentatively finding his place. But when the chance to play football with the boys arrives, things unravel. A stray ball, a slur, and a moment of paralysis lead to the realisation that you “cannot stan
your way through loneliness.” Rescue comes from the girls, who drag him off the pitch to form his newly defined diva defence squad. Here, genuine friendships are born. Beneath the pop references and punchlines lies a sincere search for connection not just with idols, but with the divas in everyday life who help us survive.
Sakellaris is a compelling all-round performer, slipping effortlessly between characters and accents, though he occasionally lingers a beat too long with audience interaction, briefly breaking the illusion. By the end, this becomes unintentionally poetic as the same audience member has him pinned into a corner, screeching breathlessly in his face, proof that A Stan Is Born! has done exactly what it set out to do. Fresh, funny, and full of heart, this is a standout piece of queer musical comedy that deserves its continued success and a very devoted fanbase of its own.
History
By Debra Gosling
WHAT A tourist attraction the Thames would be if we still had harsh winters. Can you imagine Tower Bridge covered in glittering icicles, like a huge fairytale castle belonging to the Snow Queen?
At night the river front would look like one of those Christmas cards you get from your posher sort of aunt; St Paul’s bathed in the silvery glow of the moon and covered in glitter.
That’s how it looked for Southwark residents for centuries (well, obviously they didn’t have Tower Bridge then, but you get the idea).
One of the first recorded accounts of the river freezing over is in 1309 when a severe winter silenced the babble of the Thames and threw a web of sparkly icicles over the borough.
London Bridge was damaged by the weather with three of its arches being wrecked, and as the ice melted they became dislodged and floated downstream.
Back then keeping warm was a bit of drag, there being no nice warm fleeces in the shops and rather a lack of decent anoraks. You had to be content with a woollen shawl, a scratchy woollen dress and lots of pairs of socks (underwear, especially thermals hadn’t been invented yet, so it was a bit breezy in some regions).
The people of Southwark were bloomin’ freezing. No central heating, no double glazing drafts in every nook and cranny (literally) and very little warm food to eat. It was bad enough in the summer when bread went mouldy quickly but during this particular winter it was frozen solid. To keep it warm it was wrapped up in straw but that didn’t keep Jack Frost from breathing on it. Before anyone could sit down in front of ye telly with a bowl of cabbage soup they had to thaw their bread out over the meagre fire.
In 1433 things were a bit better - the bread was still frozen but so was the wine, which was sold by the poundhurrah, the first ice lolly, and alcoholic too! What were they moaning about?
Just over a hundred years later in 1536 King Henry Vlll saddled up his horse and rode down the frozen Thames from Westminster to Greenwich. Blimey, that ice must have been strong to take his weight - bet the wife was hoping he’d fall through.
A few years later people were making the most of the icy weather and even looked forward to it and before you knew it a whole winter trade had sprung up on the river. People could buy or make their own ice skates out of smooth animal leg bones attached to their boots. Soon a whole load of Torvill and Deans were pirouetting and spinning across the river from Southwark to Wapping and back.
Those that couldn’t skate danced, gliding across the still waters like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. No doubt the quacks of the day made a profit on their ointments and tinctures; many suffered bruises and cracked ribs when their skating routine went pear shaped.
For the less energetic there were other attractions on the Thames. Loads of little booths set up shop selling toasted bread and warm, spiced wine along with fruit and sweets. You could even buy meat for the Sunday roast, as there were more than a few butchers vying for trade. The City agreed to licence more meat
WHEN RAUCOUS FROST FAIRS WERE HELD ON THE FROZEN THAMES
One of the first recorded accounts of the river freezing over is in 1309 and the last great frost fair was in 1813
Colour
sellers as the fish supply was short. This was still a time when the Thames was relatively clean and fishermen were a regular sight on the shores of Southwark. But of course, once the ice appeared that was their living out of the window.
The year 1683 saw one of the coldest winters on record. The river was completely glassed over with ice eleven inches thick. It was a harsh time; London was still pretty rural and the lack of buildings ensured an icy blast whipped around the quiet streets. Everything was covered in a white frosting; the eaves of houses hung with dagger-like icicles. Everyone huddled around their log fires, the only sound coming from the clack of chattering teeth.
Those poor souls that did have to venture out took their lives in their
hands. Couriers leaving London for the counties were found at the side of the road frozen to death along with their horses.
Nevertheless, the frost fairs went on and a jolly good time was had by all. Even King Charles ll visited the Great Frost Fair on the Thames. By his time they’d really got the hang of skating and all sorts of booths appeared selling everything from hair ornaments to oranges. It was a bit like an iced East Street Market. Novelties of the day were the printing presses on the ice where punters could get their name printed on a certificate as a kind of souvenir. There were even barbers who would shave customers on the middle of the Thames - apparently this was a rather impressive tale to tell your
mates. Obviously a bloke thing...
One of the main reasons that the Thames froze over every year was London Bridge. Because it had been built with tiny arches the flow of the water was very restricted and as soon as ice slowed it down it set solid. In the late 1700s boiling water was poured over the wheels of the bridge waterworks to keep them moving but it hardly touched the problem.
Of course, the saying skating on thin ice had to come from somewhere. Indeed many did and ended up going to a watery grave. In 1795 a man fell overboard from his boat, disappearing into the depths of the Thames which promptly froze. When it started to thaw again the man was seen floating through London Bridge encased in
ice with only his arms and head being visible.
One year panic broke out when the ice could be heard cracking up. Everyone ran for the shore where the bored and skint watermen refused them access until they paid a toll. You can’t blame them really, as they lost a lot of trade during the frosts and their families went hungry. When the ice finally did break it did a lot of damage for those along the riverfront. Many boats were torn from their moorings or broken open by icebergs. One house in Rotherhithe had a particularly large boat moored to it. As the ice cracked up the boat floated out into the river, taking the whole house with it.
By the nineteenth century a proper Dickensian type of frost fair was a
aquatint showing the frost fair on the Thames published 18th February 1814. Aquatint. ‘View of the Thames off Three Cranes Wharf when frozen Monday 31st January to Saturday 5th February 1814 on which a fair was held attended by many hundred persons’.
A view of the Thames from Rotherhithe Stairs during the frost in 1789. Frost Fair on the ice with crowds and frozen ships. Hanging from a ship is a cage with a sign, ‘The original cat in the cage, by Roberts’.
Frost Fair on the River Thames. Coloured and varnished aquatint. General view of the frost fair on the river Thames in 1814.
An elephant famously walked over the frozen Thames during the last Frost Fair in 1814.
For centuries London Bridge was the Thames’ only dry crossing
regular occurrence in Southwark. There were stalls with brightly coloured awnings selling gin, gingerbread, toys and books. There was mulled wine, roast beef, roast mutton, hot chicken, roast chestnuts, cough candies, brandy balls, black pudding, plum pudding, huge pies and sugary pancakes.
Entertainment was lavish with travelling theatres putting on productions in full costume and puppet shows with scary old Mr Punch whacking his missus over the head. All along the waterfront were show people such as fire-eaters, stiltwalkers, sword swallowers and jugglers, not to mention the odd bearded lady (she should have got a shave in the middle of the Thames). All the locals joined in the games of football and skittles. There were even horse races - suppose if the ice had caved in they would have been seahorses - oh come on, it is the pantomime season. The watermen by now had put down their oars and started flogging beer instead. Oh yes, there were plenty of drunks sliding about in an alcoholic haze. As one writer put it “And folk do tipple without fear to sink more liquor than the fish beneath do drink”. And rightly so. Crime of course was rife in Southwark and the fear of frostbite didn’t worry the light-fingered. As the rich flocked to the Thames so did the robbers, footpads and pickpockets. At least they couldn’t throw you in the river.
The last great frost fair was in 1813 when the December snow fell for fortyeight hours. But once the new London Bridge was complete that was the end of the frozen Thames. However, in the 1840s the Surrey Canal froze over but was used to locals’ advantage. Blocks of ice were cut away and stored in nearby icehouses to keep things refrigerated. In 1881 there came the greatest snowstorm of the nineteenth century. Postmen got lost in the blizzards and tradesmen used sleds to convey their wares. Massive blocks of ice as big as a cottage floated down the river, forcing any ships to berth and unload their cargoes onto carts which delivered via road. It happened again in 1895 when a severe frost left miniature icebergs all along the shoreline at Rotherhithe. It’s unlikely we’ll ever see the Thames freeze over again. Bigger bridge arches, central heating, traffic exhaust, global warming and larger buildings have ensured our winters are much warmer in the city. And of course, big fluffy coats and thermal smalls keep us all draft-free.
REVIVAL OF FROST FAIR COMING TO BANKSIDE
INSPIRED BY the days when the River Thames froze over and traders took to the ice, the 2026 revival of the ‘Frost Fair’ offering free performances, workshops, and music-filled pubs takes place this month.
On Saturday 31st January, Better Bankside are brining the ‘Frost Fair’ back to London, from 11am – 3pm and an ‘After Hours’ celebration from 7pm onwards.
Better Bankside first brought the reimagined Frost Fair back to the area in 2024.
In 2026, Borough yards is set to come alive with traditional games, roaming actors, puppeteers, free outdoor performances and art workshops for the whole family. Alongside the general entertainment, head to Arch 23 between 12:30 - 4pm for a series of drop in workshops:
• An immersive art installation led by artist Sammie Snow
• Rosie Brooks will be running a series of winter crown crafting sessions
• Make elephant masks with Alice Clarke
From midday, Mr Londoner will be leading a Winter Walk, sharing the fascinating history of the Frost Fairs held in Bankside.
After 7pm, Bankside’s pubs will be hosting a variety of folk musicians playing acoustic sets.
Date: Saturday 31 January
Time: 11am - 3pm and ‘After Hours’ from 7pm - late
Location: Throughout Bankside, SE1
Tickets: Free, no ticket or booking required for any of the activities
WATCH PEPPA PIG LIVE AT BLACKHEATH HALLS
Peppa Pig and her family will be coming to Blackheath Halls on 31 January as part of the ‘Big Family Show’, full of music, adventure and surprises. The brand new show will have live actors bringing the muchloved characters to life. With a new arrival on the way, Peppa Pig, Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig and George need the help of the audience to get everything ready before Baby Evie comes. The show will be full of music and interaction, ideal for children of all
ages. The Big Family Show is once again produced by leading children’s theatre team Fierylight.
Date: Saturday 31 January
Time: 1pmAddress: 23 Lee Road, London SE3 9RQ
Tickets: £17 adults, £15 children, under 1s free. Family tickets are £60 for four people. Book here: https://www. blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/ peppa-pigs-big-family-show/
DEPTFORD’S READING LOUNGE: A COSY PLACE TO DISCOVER NEW BOOKS
Lewisham’s libraries are hosting an adult reading challenge and Deptford Lounge’s free Reading Lounge provides the perfect space tackle the list of books. To take part in the adult reading challenge, simply pick up a welcome pack from any Lewisham Library from December to March this year. The pack includes a bookmark featuring weekly reading prompts to inspire your next book choice, including ‘a book set in South East London’
WRITING GROUP AT THE ALBANY:
A relaxed writing group at the Albany is back on Monday 26 January and offers an opportunity to write for an hour and share their work for an hour. Just Write It! allows writers to gain constructive feedback on their work from other members of the group. The first half of the session is an hour of writing, where you can focus on your individual projects
in a quiet and focused space. The second hour will be a feedback session and discussion about the pieces shared. Run by award-winning writer Ella Dorman-Gajic with support from Maddy Accalia, the session is in an inclusive, focused environment to share your works in progress, connect with other likeminded writers and mutually support
the work of others. It will be running three sessions for this next cohort.
Date: Monday 26 January
(last Monday of the month until Monday 30th March)
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Tickets: ‘Pay what you can’, from £1 to £10. Book on the Albany website.
and ‘a book translated from another language’. Deptford Lounge have a Reading Lounge, open for passionate readers or for those simply curious about last years most celebrated books. The Reading Lounge exists to provide a free space for people to explore books at their own pace and is the perfect place to tackle the Lewisham Library reading challenge. There are comfy beanbags, cushions, soft ambient music and complimentary tea
and coffee to create the perfect reading environment.
Date: Reading challenge is taking place until March and Deptford Lounge’s Reading Lounge is on the last Wednesday of the month. Next session: Wednesday 28 JanuaryTime: 6pm - 8pm
Location: The Reading Lounge, Deptford Lounge, 9 Giffin Street, Deptford, London, SE8 4RJ Tickets: No ticket required, free to attend
Join the Royal Greenwich Museum’s practitioner in residence for a life drawing class on Wednesday 28 January, focusing on what it means to be Black in the UK today. EVEWRIGHT, an acclaimed artist whose work champions Black British stories, will lead an informative session aimed at all abilities. The class will work with Black models to bring up new perspectives and conversations, whilst EVEWRIGHT guides you through his personal tips and techniques. At the end of the class, there will be an opportunity to share your work
£5
and gain valuable feedback in a ‘show and tell’ session. This event is part of a wider series within the public programme accompanying Unbroken: Art Installation in the Ocean Court at the National Maritime Museum. All material is provided and all skill levels are welcome.
Date: Wednesday 28 January Time: 6 - 9pm
Address: The Royal Museums Greenwich, Romney Road, Greenwich, London SE10 9NF
Tickets: £5 each, book on the Royal Museums Greenwich Website
Southwark Pensioners’ Centre
Notice of application for the grant of a Premises Licence under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003
Notice is hereby given that Venue Lab Limited has applied to the London Borough of Lambeth for the grant of a Premises Licence in respect of premises at 26 Leake Street, 7 Addington Street, London SE1 7RY.The proposed licensable activities and their hours are the sale of alcohol on and off the premises and the provision of regulated entertainment indoors (to include, plays, films, indoor sporting events, live music, recorded music, performances of dance and anything of similar description) Monday,Wednesday and Sunday 08:00 to 02:00 the following morning and Thursday, Friday and Saturday 08:00 to 06:00 the following morning. Late Night Refreshment Monday,Wednesday and Sunday 23:00 to 02:30 the following morning and Thursday, Friday and Saturday 23:00 to 06:30 the following morning.The opening hours will be Monday, Wednesday and Sunday 07:30 to 02:30 the following morning and Thursday, Friday and Saturday 07:30 to 06:30 the following morning. 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 16 February 2026. It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. The maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the offence is unlimited.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE UNDER THE GAMBLING ACT 2005
Notice is hereby given that: Luxury Leisure of the following address: Fifth Avenue Plaza, Queensway, Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE11 0BL is applying for an Adult Gaming Centre premises licence under Section 159 of the Gambling Act 2005. The application relates to the following premises: Admiral, 160-162 Putney High Street, London, SW15 1RS. The application has been made to: Wandsworth Council, C/O Regulatory Services Partnership, Environmental, Civic Pride & Climate, 100 London Road, Surrey, SM4 5DX. Information about the application is available from the licensing authority, including the arrangements for viewing the details of the application. Any of the following persons may make representations in writing to the licensing authority about the application: • A person who lives sufficiently close to the premises to be likely to be affected by the authorised activities;
• A person who has business interests that might be affected by the authorised activities
• A person who represents someone in any of the above two categories. Any representations must be made by the following date:12/02/2026. It is an offence under section 342 of the Gambling Act 2005 if a person, without reasonable excuse, gives to a licensing authority for a purpose connected with that Act information which is false or misleading.
LONDON BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM
The Lewisham (Prescribed Routes) (No.1) Traffic Order 2026
1. On 23 January 2026 the Council of the London Borough of Lewisham made under Section 6 of and Part IV of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended) the above mentioned Order which will commence on 29 January 2026. PTO 1037
2. The general effect of the Order will be to:- (a) prohibit motor vehicles from entering or proceeding in that length of Cold Blow Lane, which lies between Mercury Way and the western boundary of Sanford Walk; and (b) revoke “The Lewisham (Prescribed Routes) (No.3) Experimental Traffic Order 2024” in its entirety.
3. Copies of the made Order, plan and Statement of the Council’s Reasons for making the Order may be obtained by emailing a request to trafficorders@lewisham.gov.uk quoting reference ‘PTO 1037’.
4. If any person wishes to question the validity of the Order or of any of its provisions on the grounds that it or they are not within the powers conferred by the 1984 Act, or that any requirement of that Act or of any instrument made under that Act has not been complied with, that person may, within 6 weeks from the date on which the Order was made, apply for the purpose to the High Court. Dated: 23rd January 2026.
Zahur Khan – Director of Public Realm, Laurence House, 1 Catford Road, London SE6 4RU.
Transport for London Public Notice
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984
THE A214 AND A306 GLA ROADS AND GLA SIDE ROADS (LONDON BOROUGHS OF WANDSWORTH AND LAMBETH) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC AND STOPPING) ORDER 2026
1. Transport for hereby gives notice that it has made the above named Traffic Order under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specified in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.
2. The purpose of the Order is to enable highway lining and signage works to take place on the A214 Trinity Road/ Tooting Bec Road and the A306 Roehampton Lane.
3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle from:
(1) stopping on the A214 Tooting Bec Road/ Trinity Road between its junctions with Windmill Road and Garrad’s Road;
(2) stopping on the A306 Roehampton Lane between its junctions with Upper Richmond Road and Kingston Road;
(3) entering or proceeding on the A214 southbound on-slip road connecting North Side Wandsworth Common and Trinity Road southbound;
(4) turning right from Trinity Road northbound into Windmill Road;
The Order will also permit:
(5) all vehicles to use the northbound and southbound bus lanes on the A214 Tooting Bec Road/ Trinity Road between its junctions with Windmill Road and Garrad’s Road;
(6) all vehicles to use the northbound and southbound bus lanes on the A306 Roehampton Lane between its junctions with Upper Richmond Road and Kingston Road.
Works will be phased such that some restrictions will apply only at certain times.
The Order will be effective at certain times from 12:01 AM on 26th January 2026 until 5:00 AM on 26th September 2026 or when the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. The prohibitions will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by traffic signs.
4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of:
(1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for fire 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 traffic signs. For Windmill Road via Trinity Road northbound, Wandsworth Roundabout and Trinity Road southbound to normal route of travel. For slip closure via North Side Wandsworth Common, Huguenot Place, East Hill eastbound, A214 northbound on-slip road, Trinity Road, Wandsworth Roundabout and Trinity Road to normal route of travel.
Dated this 23rd day of January 2026 Matt Standell Performance & Planning Manager Transport for London, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ
KING Deceased Pursuant to the Trustee Act 1925 anyone with a claim against or an interest in the Estate of the deceased, late of 189 Perry Hill, London, SE6 4HD, who died on 24/06/2025, must send written details to the address below by 24/03/2026, after which the Estate will be distributed with regard only to claims and interests notified. Fidler & Pepper Ltd, 1 Low Street, Nottingham, NG17 1DH. Ref: KMW/KIN00631-1-9
Transport for London Public Notice
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984
THE A24 GLA ROAD (BALHAM HIGH ROAD, LONDON BOROUGH OF WANDSWORTH) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF STOPPING) ORDER 2026
1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that it intends to make the above named Traffic Order under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specified in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.
2. The purpose of the Order is to allow telecom repair works to take place on A24 Balham High Road.
3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle from stopping in the Loading/Unloading and Disabled Persons Vehicle Bay outside No. 211 Balham High Road.
The Order will be effective between 9th February 2026 and 18th February 2026 every night from 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM or when 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 traffic signs.
4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of:
(1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes;
(2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London.
Dated this 23rd day of January 2026
Andrew Ulph Co-ordination Manager Transport for London
Transport for London Public Notice
1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that it intends to make the above named Traffic Order under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specified in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.
2. The purpose of the Order is to enable new water connection works to take place on the A214 Tooting Bec Gardens.
3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle from stopping in the Parking and Disabled Persons Vehicles Bay outside of Nos. 25 to 33 Tooting Bec Gardens.
The Order will be effective at certain times between 7:00 AM on 9th February 2026 and 7:00 PM on 12th February 2026, or when the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. The prohibitions will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by traffic signs.
4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of:
(1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes;
(2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London.
Dated this 23rd day of January 2026
Andrew Ulph Co-ordination Manager Transport for London, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ
AND COASTAL ACCESS ACT 2009 APPLICATION FOR MLA/2025/00597
Organisation (MMO) under the Marine and Coastal
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS – KNIGHT’S HILL
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable Thames Water to carry out mains cover replacement works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order the effect of which will be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding in Knight’s Hill adjacent No. 24.
2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles will be available:
(a) via Wolfington Road, Thurlestone Road, Canterbury Grove, Chartham Grove, Royal Circus, York Hill, Norwood Road, Norwood High Street and Ernest Avenue.
(b) for HGV’s via: a. Crown Lane, Leigham Court Road, Drewstead Road, Railway Bridge, Sternhold Avenue, A23 Streatham Hill, Christchurch Road, Hardel Rise, Thurlow Park Road, Norwood Road; or b. Crown Dale, Central Hill, Westow Hill, Crystal Palace Parade, Dulwich Wood Park, South Croxted Road, Thurlow Park Road, Lancaster Avenue and Norwood Road.
3. The Order will come into force on 26 January 2026 and continue for a maximum duration of 1 month or until the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works will take 2 days to complete. If the works cannot be carried out or completed during that time, then the Order may have effect on subsequent dates within the maximum period of 1 month.
Dated 23 January 2026 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS –WORGAN STREET
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable Thames Water to carry out water mains replacement works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order, the effect of which will be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding or parking or waiting, including waiting for the purpose of loading and unloading a vehicle in that length of Worgan Street which lies between its junction with Jonathan Street and its junction with Glasshouse Walk.
2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles will be available via a) Jonathan Street, Vauxhall Walk and Glasshouse Walk; or (b) Glasshouse Walk, Tyers Street and Jonathan Street.
3. The Order will come into force on 19 January 2026 and continue in force for a maximum duration of 6 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 take 4 weeks to complete.
Dated 23 January 2026
Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984, SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC AND PARKING RESTRICTIONS, HARPENDEN ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable Thames Water to carry out zonal metering and survey works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order the effect of which will be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding, parking or waiting, including waiting for the purpose of loading and unloading a vehicle in that length of Harpenden Road which lies between its junction with Norwood Road and No. 252 Norwood Road.
2. Alternative routes for vehicles affected by the prohibitions will be available via Ulverstone Road, Ullswater Road and Norwood Road.
3. The Order will come into force on 28 January 2026 and continue in force for a maximum duration of 1 month to allow for contingencies or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works will take place overnight on 28 January 2026.
Dated 23 January 2026
Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984, SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC AND PARKING RESTRICTIONS, HAWARDEN GROVE AND GUERNSEY GROVE
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable Thames Water to carry out water mains replacement works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order the effect of which will be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding, parking or waiting, including waiting for the purpose of loading and unloading a vehicle in the following lengths of Hawarden Grove and Guernsey Grove: (a) Phase one: Hawarden Grove,
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
Notice Under The Local Government Act 1972 s.123 (2A) (as amended)
Notice of intention to dispose of Open Space
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Section 123 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 (the Act) that the Mayor and Burgesses of The London Borough of Lambeth (hereinafter called the Council) intends to grant a lease for a term of up to ten years of the Brockwell Park Café, Brockwell Hall, Brockwell Park, London, SE27 0PA. The site will used as a café.
A plan showing the location of the area of the land to be leased in line with the above proposal may be viewed at Lambeth Town Hall, 1 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RW
Any objections to this proposal must be made in writing by 10th February 2026 to the Assistant Director of Valuation & Strategic Assets, Regeneration, Property & Assets, London Borough of Lambeth, P.O. Box 80771, London, SW2 9QQ or via email to VASA@lambeth.gov.uk
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS –FITZALAN STREET
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable Thames Water to carry out water mains replacement works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order, the effect of which will be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding, waiting, including waiting for the purpose of loading and unloading a vehicle or parking in that length of Fitzalan Street which lies between its junction with Kennington Road and its junction with Lambeth Walk.
2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles will be available via Kennington Road, Lambeth Road and Lambeth Walk and vice versa.
3. The Order will come into force on 26 January 2026 and continue in force for a maximum duration of 6 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 take 3 weeks to complete.
Dated 23 January 2026
Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS –ROSENDALE ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable Southern Gas Networks to carry out gas pressure inspections and Cathodic Protection works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order, the effect of which will be to temporarily prohibit vehicles travelling in Rosendale Road in a southbound direction between its junction with Thurlow Park Road and No. 168 Rosendale Road.
2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles will be available via a. Thurlow Park Road, Alleyn Park and Park Hall Road; or b. Croxted Road and Park Hall Road.
3. The Order will come into force on 26 January 2026 and continue in force for a maximum duration of 3 months or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works will take 5 weeks to complete.
Dated 23 January 2026
Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14
TEMPORARY PARKING, STOPPING, WAITING AND LOADING RESTRICTIONS BROXHOLM ROAD
1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable UK Power Networks to carry out installation works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intends to make an order the effect of which would be to temporarily prohibit any vehicle from waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading and unloading a vehicle) at any time, in that length of Broxholm Road which lies between No. 3 and No. 7 Broxholm Road.
3. The Order would come into force on 9 February 2026 and would continue for a maximum duration of 1 month (to allow for contingencies) or until the works have been completed whichever is the earlier. In practice it is anticipated that the works would take 5 days to complete, but if the works cannot be completed or carried out during that time the Order would also have effect at subsequent dates and times within the maximum period of 1 month.
Dated 23 January 2026 Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
Notice Under The Local Government Act 1972 s.123 (2A) (as amended)
Notice of intention to dispose of Open Space
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Section 123 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 (the Act) that the Mayor and Burgesses of The London Borough of Lambeth (hereinafter called the Council) intends to grant a lease for a term of up to fifteen years of the Larkhall Park Café, Larkhall Park, Courland Grove, SW8. The site will used as a café.
A plan showing the location of the area of the land to be leased in line with the above proposal may be viewed at Lambeth Town Hall, 1 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RW
Any objections to this proposal must be made in writing by 10th February 2026 to the Assistant Director of Valuation & Strategic Assets, Regeneration, Property & Assets, London Borough of Lambeth, P.O. Box 80771, London, SW2 9QQ or via email to VASA@lambeth.gov.uk
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
Notice Under The Local Government Act 1972 s.123 (2A) (as amended)
Notice of intention to dispose of Open Space
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Section 123 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 (the Act) that the Mayor and Burgesses of The London Borough of Lambeth (hereinafter called the Council) intends to grant a lease for a term of up to fifteen years of the Clapham Common Bandstand Café, Clapham Common, Windmill Drive, SW4 9DE. The site will used as a café.
A plan showing the location of the area of the land to be leased in line with the above proposal may be viewed at Lambeth Town Hall, 1 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RW Any objections to
P.O. Box 80771, London, SW2 9QQ or via email to VASA@lambeth.gov.uk
Dated 23 January 2026
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
Notice Under The Town and Country Planning Acts
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council is considering applications as set out below under the following categories;
EIAFUL = ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
FUL = FULL PLANNING PERMISSION
LB = LISTED BUILDING CONSENT
VOC = VARIATION OF CONDITIONS
Written representations should be made within three weeks of the date of this advertisement to the Director of Planning, PO Box 734, Winchester SO23 5DG. Any comments made are open to inspection by the public and in the event of an appeal may be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Confidential comments cannot be taken into account in determining an application.
Application plans can be viewed online at www.lambeth.gov.uk/searchplanningapps – search using the reference number at the end of each application listing.
359 Clapham Road London SW9 9BT Erection of a roof extension to create additional habitable rooms with other associated works. (Flat 8). (Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 25/03670/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 25/03669/FUL). 25/03670/LB
6 Windmill Drive London SW4 9DE Variation of Condition 3 (Brick Reuse) of planning permission 25/00957/FUL (Erection of a single storey garden outbuilding studio to the rear, together with the relocation of the side gate to the boundary wall and landscaping treatment. (Flat 1)) granted on 05.08.2025
Variation sought: to allow the retention of the existing gate opening in a reduced form, alongside the approved new gate opening. 26/00093/VOC
97 Cricklade Avenue London Lambeth SW2 3HE Erection
DUE TO:
DAY
- Further information and evidence have been provided under Regulation 25 of the EIA Regulations, see cover letter from Trium dated 9 January 2026, including:- ES Volume 1, Chapter 11: Daylight, Sunlight, Overshadowing and Solar Glare and appendices; ES Volume 1, Chapter 16: Likely Significant Effects; and ES Non-Technical Summary.
- Amendments and further information as set out in cover letter from DP9 dated 21 January 2026, including:- alterations to Plot 6 internal layout and minor external changes, update to flexible retail uses, and update to affordable student accommodation proposal; and assessment against Viewpoint KOV5a within Kennington Oval Vauxhall Neighbourhood Plan. Please note all previous comments will still be considered.
This application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement (ES), which is available for inspection online with the planning application documents.
Electronic copies of the ES and Non-Technical Summary (NTS) are available free of charge and can be provided via a downloadable file provided by email. Printed copies of the ES would incur a reasonable charge for printing and postage. For further details please contact hello@triumenv.co.uk with reference in email header of “Environmental Statement Request – Vauxhall Square” or Tel: +44 (0) 203 887 7118.
A printed copy of the application documents, including the ES and NTS, are available for viewing at the Tate South Lambeth Library, 180 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1QP.
25/03113/EIAFUL
55 Milton Road London SE24 0NW Replacement of existing front elevation sash windows with UPVC heritage-style sash windows.
25/03894/FUL
22 Lancaster Avenue London SE27 9DZ Erection of a rear dormer extension including 1 rooflight
115 Burton Road London Lambeth SW9 6TG Erection of a single storey ground floor rear/side infill extension, together with the replacement of windows with double glazed windows; the formation of an enclosure to the front garden for provision of Air Heat Source Pump (AHSP), bicycles and bins; the
100 Strathbrook Road London SW16 3AZ Replacement of 3 windows to front elevation. 25/04020/FUL 38 Clapham Manor Street London Lambeth SW4 6DZ Erection of a side dormer to the roof slope. 26/00045/FUL Connaught Mansions Coldharbour Lane London SW9 8LE Installation of new guard railings at roof level. 25/03533/FUL 68 And 70 Chaucer Road London SE24 0NU Erection of linked rear dormer roof extensions at 68 and 70 (retrospective) Chaucer Road. 25/03705/FUL
The Manor Arms 128 Clapham Manor Street London Lambeth SW4 6ED Erection of a 1st floor rear extension with a side window for storage use to the Public House. 25/03959/FUL
242 - 244 Norwood Road London SE27 9AW Conversion of the existing single dwelling house into 2 self-contained flats, together with the provision of cycle parking and refuse storage to the front driveway area. Internal works to include: demolition of internal walls; construction of new partitions; installation of plumbing and electrical systems for two independent flats; installation of kitchens and bathrooms; interior plastering, flooring, and decoration; and, other associated works.
(Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 26/00144/LB, but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 25/03775/FUL) 26/00144/LB
16 Broadhinton Road London Lambeth SW4 0LU Erection of a single storey side infill extension, a first floor rear extension and a single storey outbuilding in the rear garden. 26/00072/FUL 71-73 Lidl Store Acre Lane London Lambeth SW2 5TN Variation of Condition 5 (Delivery restrictions) of planning permission 97/00823/FUL (Demolition of existing building to facilitate the erection of a double height building with pitched roof to provide 1049 sq.metres of retail floor space (Class A1) with the provision of 26 car parking bays and a service yard at rear.) Granted on 17.10.1997. Amendment Sought: To allow Lidl to have a single delivery at the store on Sundays and Bank / Public Holidays between 10am and 4pm, using the rear delivery area. 26/00115/VOC
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‘EMOTIONAL’ HAMLET BOSS ‘PROUD’
DESPITE DEFEAT
By John Kelly
Dacey felt “emotional” after his side suffered their first defeat of the year as they were edged out 1-0 by Cheshunt in the Isthmian League Premier Division last weekend.
After Amadou Kassarate was sent off in the 39th minute, the visitors won it through Matthias Fanimo’s goal three minutes into the second half.
The result meant Dacey’s side dropped to eleventh in the table, with a play-off push looking increasingly unlikely as they
MI London add West Indies star for Hundred
By Sports Reporter
MI LONDON have retained Rashid Khan and signed Nicholas Pooran for the 2026 Hundred season.
The franchise, formerly Oval Invincibles, will add West Indies star Pooran to the men’s squad, with New Zealand all-rounder Melie Kerr and Windies batter Hayley Matthews signing for the women’s side.
Khan, 27, helped the Invincibles win their third consecutive men’s title last year.
Pooran, 30, a veteran of the franchise circuit, has played one prior season in The Hundred, for Northern Superchargers in 2024.
Kerr, 25, was with Originals last season, after two seasons with London Spirit.
Matthews, 27, spent the first five seasons of The Hundred at Fire.
“The signings we have made have built a terrific backbone for both the men’s and women’s teams,” MI London chair Oli Slipper said.
“Fans were wowed by the performances of Rashid Khan at the Kia Oval last summer and Nicholas Pooran is an incredibly dynamic and exciting cricketer.
“In Hayley Matthews and Melie Kerr, we have signed two players who have delivered on the biggest stages for their countries and have extensive experience in franchise cricket.”
Sides can retain or add four players before March auctions, a new feature this year.
are ten points off the top five. It was Cheshunt’s first win in nine games in all competitions.
“I feel emotional,” Dacey admitted. “It’s weird how I feel like I want to get upset over a game of football, and I am.
“All I want is for the boys to play for the badge and [have] pride in what we do and the philosophy we have, how we carry ourselves and go about it.
“At times when teams have got ten men or go down to ten men they just park the bus and try to hit people on counterattacks. Chestnut have had two shots on goal. The first one has taken a massive
deflection which has led to them going 1-0 up. Then in the 95th minute the lad goes through one-on-one and dinks [goalkeeper] Toby [Bull] and we get it off the line.
“I thought we were brilliant and really the first half has probably the game-changing moments because we had a couple of one-on-ones with the goalkeeper when we’ve not hit the target. A few balls across the box that we’ve not picked anybody out.
“But we’ve created chances. I know for some fans they can feel the pain, they all feel the pain, but they can see we’ve
thrown the kitchen sink at it. We not only did that but did it in an organised manner and it didn’t look like we had a player less.
“There are other people who will just see we lost to a team down near the bottom, so it doesn’t matter what we looked like or what I say, they’re not going to be happy with it.
“We had chances and we had a lot of entries into the final third. We didn’t stop and for that, as tough as it is to take - and I think that’s why I feel so emotional - I’m just proud.”
Dulwich travel to Brentwood Town in the league this Saturday (3pm).
Fish out in Challenge Cup quarters
By John Kelly
FISHER ARE out of the SCEFL Challenge Cup after losing 3-1 to Larkfield & New Hythe in the quarter-finals on Tuesday night.
Tom Jones scored the only goal for Ajay Ashanike’s side.
The Fish went behind when their former player Kesna Clarke ran through on four minutes before rounding goalkeeper Isaac Ogunseri to finish.
Alex Kozak went close to an equaliser before Jones was denied.
Jones then scored from the spot in the 22nd minute after Jack Gibbons was fouled.
The visitors went 2-1 behind early in the second half before Michael Sarpong missed a chance to level.
The hosts added the third from the penalty spot late on.
Fisher are away at Windsor & Eton (Stag Meadow, Windsor, SL4 3DR) in the fourth round of the FA Vase this Saturday (3pm).
Sims: Dubois could take out Fury
By John Kelly
DANIEL DUBOIS’ new trainer
Liam Asman
Tony Sims reckons the Greenwich puncher would beat Tyson Fury with his “phenomenal power”.
Former world heavyweight champion Fury, 37, is on the comeback trail, with videos and photos posted to social media showing him in training and sparring.
Fury hasn’t fought since losing a unanimous decision to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024.
Dubois, 28, last fought when he was stopped by unified champion Usyk in the fifth round in Wembley last July.
Dubois and Sims linked up the following month.
“I think Daniel can beat anybody. His power is phenomenal. We all know that,” Sims said.
“In the heavyweight scene, anyone can beat anyone.
“Daniel is capable of beating Tyson Fury or anyone he goes against.
“It’s going to be an interesting year this year to see who fights who.” Meanwhile, China’s Zhilei Zhang wants to fight Dubois.
The 42-year-old lost his last fight against Agit Kabayel but he has beaten Deontay Wilder and twice beaten Joe Joyce.
Dubois’ promotor Frank Warren is open to a bout against the 6ft6ins Zhang.
Warren said: “I’d like to see him in with ‘Big Bang’. “I think that’s a great fight. I like that fight.
“I’d like to see that - let’s see.”
Hamlet striker David Smith is taken down
DULWICH HAMLET boss Mark
30 SPORT
By John Kelly
A TUMULTUOUS weekend in the history of Crystal Palace hit a new low after their 2-1 defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light when boss Oliver Glasner said his has has been “abandoned completely”.
The Eagles went ahead through Yeremy Pino in the 30th minute before Enzo le Fee levelled three minutes later and Brian Brobbey scored the second nineteen minutes from time, but all of that action was overshadowed by Glasner’s post-match comments.
On Friday, Glasner confirmed that he would leave the club after the expiry of his contract at the end of the season and that captain Marc Guehi was heading to Manchester City in a £20million deal this month.
Palace sold Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze in successive summer windows in 2024 and 2025 but it is the departure of Guehi that really stings. Glasner had already been critical of Palace’s relative lack of transfer activity last summer and said it was a “surprise” when he found out Guehi was leaving.
Glasner then upped the ante after the defeat on Wearside.
"I've seen a team that is leaving their heart on the pitch,” Glasner said. “As you have seen we couldn't make a sub, we had no one on the bench. I feel we are being abandoned completely. Because I can't play many players.
“They did everything they could and this has been going on for weeks and months now. And we have twelve, thirteen players from the squad available and we feel no support.
"The worst thing is selling our captain one day before playing a Premier League game. We are preparing, it's the first week we are training since September, and then we are selling our captain one day before a game. So I have no understanding of this. I have always kept my mouth [shut], but I can't because I have to defend these players.
"Yes we get under pressure here and we are unlucky. But again, you can't react, we can't help them, it makes it really tough tonight."
Glasner had to play midfielder Jefferson Lerma on the left side of a back three and his lack of resources was underlined by the presence on the bench of Danny Imray, who had just been recalled from a loan spell at League One Blackpool.
Glasner was asked to reveal who he was referring to when he said the team had been abandoned.
‘ABANDONED’
Palace boss vents anger after Black Cats defeat
What should I tell them?
"And then I see the performance today for 50, 60 minutes, it was not
He replied: “It's pretty clear, yeah? It's pretty clear. Again, I didn't sell anyone. If you get your heart torn out twice this season, one day before a game, it was with Eze in summer, it was with Guehi now, you know? What should I tell the players all the time?
easy with all the circumstances going here with twelve players from the squad, and yes then you have fifteen, 20 minutes when you are under pressure, you concede the goal, I look at the bench, I can't react, just kids on the bench, and this has not happened yesterday, this is weeks ago. That's
why I'm really frustrated today."
Glasner added: “Of course [the board] know [about his frustrations], we're talking all the time. But again, talk does not win the game."
There is now speculation Glasner could leave this month. But he denied it. "No, never, I would never. I will go
with this group of players until the end. I have so much respect for their character. I see their disappointed and I know how hard they are working, I see how hard they are fighting at the end. Never, no chance."
Palace host Chelsea this Sunday (2pm).
Dons suffer ‘cruel’ blow as Rovers strike winner late on
By John Kelly
JOHNNIE JACKSON said AFC
Wimbledon’s added-time defeat to Doncaster Rovers at Plough Lane last weekend was “so cruel on the players and the team”.
With the contest looking like it was headed for a goalless draw, the drama was packed into the closing stages as Dons defender Joe Lewis was sent off for a second yellow card in the last minute before Owen Bailey headed home a 99thminute winner.
Junior Nkeng, on his first start in League One, fired wide on 24 minutes.
Dons goalkeeper Nathan Bishop made two superb saves to deny Luke Molyneux and George Broadbent before he was eventually beaten.
“We've just got to stick together as a group,” Jackson said. “Like I just said to them in there, a lot of things that could have gone our way didn't.
“They're small things, but we can control our body language now, how we react, how we respond to being a good teammate.
“Bish is going to need picking up after that, but that's the life of a goalkeeper. He makes a brilliant save in the first half and then there's a bad moment at the end.
So we have to rally around him and each other.
“I don't think there's a lot wrong with our performances. Every game we're in is tight. We certainly aren't getting played off the park by anyone, but just some small moments feel like they're really going against us, especially today anyway, which is hard to take.
“But we’re sticking together as a group, they're good lads in there. They're working so hard today, especially when we go down to ten, just to get that point, which probably in the end, you'd say would be a good point.
“We just had a bad moment with the last
kick of the game and that cost us. That's football, but we've just got to get in on Monday, train hard and build up towards the next game. That's all you can do.”
Wimbledon haven’t won at home in the league since September and are just two points above the relegation zone.
Jackson said: “Close game. I don't think there's a lot in it. It ebbed and flowed a bit in the first half.
“I thought second half we had a dominant team in the game. We looked the more likely winners until the red card.
That changes it a little bit.
“We were happy to try and defend and see it out at that stage, which it looked
like we were going to do. Then a horrible moment at the end there that cost us the game.
“So cruel on the players and the team. I don't think we deserved that today, but we have to accept it and that's what we've been dealt with today.
“Junior was really bright and a first league start for him, so that's good.
“The second half, I felt we were the better team. It was a close game and it just felt like it was going to peter out to a draw, but then we obviously had a bad moment at the end there.”
The Dons travel to Rotherham United on Saturday (3pm).
Oliver Glasner is unhappy that the Eagles are selling their captain, Marc Guehi
LIONS BOSS RUES MISSED CHANCES
By Will Scott at the Coventry Arena
ALEX NEIL thought Millwall were punished for not taking their chances in a tight 2-1 loss away at league-leaders Coventry City.
The Sky Blues started brightly and took an early lead through ex-Lion Romain Esse, but the game was level heading into half-time after Mihailo Ivanovic finished Femi Azeez’s cross, a goal that came after Millwall had already squandered several counterattacking chances.
The Lions continued to threaten throughout the second half, and Ivanovic was only denied a second by a strong hand from Carl Rushworth.
Haji Wright punished Millwall late on with a 78th-minute winner, his fourth goal against them this season.
Neil was asked by our paper if he felt it was a game of fine margins in the post-match press conference.
“I’d say that’s exactly what it was,” Neil said. “I thought the game was very, very tight. I thought they had good moments. They’re a good side.
“But equally, we had really good moments in the game. We had the moment in the first half when we’re two versus one down the side, and our pass across the box is dreadful. We then had Zak Sturge’s left foot [shot], Mika’s header, and then we have another one where we’re two versus one against the goalkeeper and he pulls a brilliant save off, and it just doesn’t land for us. [Thierno] Ballo tries to shift his feet and get his shot away, and the ball gets nicked off his toe.
“So we had all of that in that spell where we’re on top. When you have that away at the league leaders, you’ve got to make one of them count. If you do, you’ve got a good chance of getting the result. The fact that we didn’t, then we got punished.”
Neil then reflected on the 90 minutes as a whole.
“I don’t think we deserved to lose the game,” Neil said. “Second half, I thought we were excellent. The game ebbed and flowed. Coventry certainly had their moments, but we certainly had our moments.
“The biggest frustration for me would be [that] we had all our key
Play-off chasing Millwall let leaders off hook in 2-1 defeat
moments before they scored their goal. If you think of the three or four opportunities that we could’ve taken to then get the goal that was going to really change the tide. Up until about the 78th minute, right before they scored, three or four of the opportunities came our way, and we looked more likely to get the goal.
“Then they scored, and from there, we opened the whole game up. It
Ravens condemn racist abuse
By John Kelly
BROMLEY HAVE reported racist abuse directed at Nicke Kabamba to the police after the striker missed a late penalty in the Ravens’ 0-0 draw against Chesterfield at SMH Group Stadium.
Andy Woodman’s side, aiming for an eighth successive win in League Two, had the chance to win it in the 89th minute after handball, but Zach Hemming denied Kabamba.
Kabamba, 32, has scored eight league goals this season after he moved to Hayes Lane from Barnet in the 2025 January window.
"We have reported these accounts to the relevant platforms and they will also be passed on to the police," Bromley said in a statement.
“Actions of this manner simply do not belong in our society, let alone the sport we all love.
"Unfortunately, as a football club, we can't change the way people think.
"However, we can use our status and platform to continue to fight for those who are subject to such vile and cowardly abuse.”
"Nicke, since arriving at the football club, you have been a fantastic asset. Not only as a footballer, but as a human," the statement added.
"A hero to our supporters and a friend to everyone at Bromley Football Club.
"We will continue to support and stand by Nicke and any player, staff or supporter who are subject to any type of abuse."
Leaders Bromley host Swindon Town, who are six points behind, on Saturday (3pm).
looked a bit scrappy and a bit messy, but we needed to try and force the issue. We’re never going to be satisfied with losing the game 2-1, so it was always going to open right up at that point.
“They had the moments at that stage really, but the game would never have got to that if we took a chance beforehand, because if we scored, we would’ve locked the game up and it
would’ve been a different story. But that’s this level, isn’t it? Particularly at the top end of the table when you’re playing the best teams.
“What happens is you’re never going to dominate a game for 90 minutes.
What you’ve got to do is you’ve got to make sure that you have your moments before they have theirs, and you’ve got to take them. That ultimately will decide the flow of the
game and what the result looks like. “I think my biggest frustration is that we had that. We had our moments before they had theirs, and we should’ve put the game to bed. We should’ve scored at least, and then from there, we’ve been brilliant at defending leads, and then it allows us to hit them in transition. And they did exactly that to us when they got the goal.”
Hoops held by struggling U’s
By John Kelly
JULIEN STEPHAN felt Queens Park Rangers didn’t show enough attacking quality in their 0-0 draw against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium on Tuesday night.
U’s goalkeeper Jamie Cumming brilliantly denied Paul Smyth before the hosts’ Stan Mills reached Myles Peart-Harris's cross only to side-foot over from close range. There was a worry for the Hoops when nineteen-year-old Esquerdinha who was stretchered off after 64 minutes.
It was QPR’s second goalless draw
in four days after their stalemate at Stoke City. They are twelfth in the Championship, three points off the play-off places.
"The only disappointment is not creating more danger in the penalty area,” Stephan said. “We prepared the situation well, we had good ideas to create the momentum, but we need just a little bit more quality in the last pass and the last move in the penalty area.
"[The conditions] were really difficult for the players. For me, it's the worst thing to play with wind. That's why I want to highlight the mentality of the players. They never gave up and wanted to have
another clean sheet, the third one in four games.
"It's part of consistency. It's a good sign of improvement for these players because we struggled in the first part of the season, away, especially in November and December."
Stephan was hopeful on Esquerdinha's injury. He said: "I don't know, exactly. I spoke with him, he was in the shower when we came back in the dressing room. "It was not too bad for him. We need to wait one or two days in order to do a scan and a real assessment."
QPR host Wrexham on Saturday (3pm).
Mihailo Ivanovic heads home
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‘Emotional’
EAGLES STRIKER COULD FLY ROOST
Palace in turmoil after skipper leaves and boss bashes board
By John Kelly
CRYSTAL PALACE continue to find themselves bombarded for their stars - with JeanPhilippe Mateta the latest to be linked with a move away from Selhurst Park this month.
Eagles skipper Marc Guehi’s £20million switch to Manchester City was confirmed this week.
England International Guehi, 25, has signed a deal until the summer of 2031.
The transfer angered Palace boss Oliver Glasner, who said late last week he would leave in the summer. Glasner then came out and criticised the club following his side’s 2-1 defeat to Sunderland last weekend.
Guehi’s departure now means Palace have lost arguably their two most important players from last season’s FA Cup winning team, after Eberechi Eze joined Arsenal for £60million last summer.
Meanwhile, Guehi outlined his excitement after signing for Pep Guardiola’s side.
“I am really happy and incredibly proud to be a Manchester City player,”Guehi said.
“This move feels like the
culmination of all the hard work I have put into my career. I am now at the best club in England and part of an unbelievable squad of players. It feels good to be able to say that.
“I want to grow as a player and a person, and I know at this club that’s going to happen.
“I love football – it has given me so much for so long – and to be able to continue my development at Manchester City is a really special moment for me and my family.
“I absolutely cannot wait to get started now. I want to meet my team-mates, train hard, understand what the manager expects of me and then show the City fans what I can do.”
Striker Mateta, 28, has been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Aston Villa. The Eagles have been credited with an interest in Villa’s 24-year-old Ivory Coast international Evann Guessand.
With so much uncertainty around Glasner’s future and whether he will still be at the club this month, the Eagles have been linked with Coventry City boss Frank Lampard, Getafe's Jose Bordalas and Rayo Vallecano's Inigo Perez, according to talkSPORT.
Jones wants Lions response
By John Kelly
NATHAN JONES said Charlton Athletic’s defending wasn’t good enough in their 2-1 defeat to Derby County at The Valley on Tuesday night - bu said he was looking forward to a “massive game” against Millwall on Saturday.
An own goal from Macaulay Gillesphey gave the Rams the lead in the first half before Bobby Clark made it 2-0 on the hour.
Tyreece Campbell's long-range strike reduced the deficit in the 67th minute, but the hosts couldn’t find an equaliser.
“I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed with the goals, and once you concede two in the Championship it is very difficult to win a game," Jones said.
“It was an even game in the first half, and it became a bit edgy. It was tough when they sat in.
“I’m disappointed with the goal that was scored. Then in the second half we started really well. We were on the front foot, and made positive changes. We then get a counter-attack, we don’t pick the right option and then they go and break and score, and then it becomes really difficult.
"We have to defend the first goal better, and the second goal I am disappointed with as well, they ran off the back of us."
Jones explained the half-time substitutions of Miles Leaburn and Lloyd Jones.
Jones said: "Miles coming off was tactical. Lloyd was feeling his ankle which is why he came off. But I didn’t think it affected us too much.
"I thought TC was excellent again. There was a few real good performances out there but we couldn’t provide that quality that we needed.
"What we need to do is make sure we go back to keeping clean sheets. There aren’t many games when we don’t score, we need to go back to keeping clean sheets and defending properly.
"We need to stay together, [the players] are giving everything. We have had a tough run, today was a hard one to take, I wanted to go back-to-back wins."
The Addicks travel to The Den to face neighbours Millwall on Saturday. Charlton haven’t beaten their rivals in thirteen games going back to 1996.
Jones said: “It is a massive game for the club and for everyone, and we look forward to it."
The game is at the earlier kick-off time of 12.30pm.
Jean-Philippe Mateta with his trademark goal celebration
