South London Weekly - June 20th 2025 by CommunityMattersMedia

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SEVEN CANDIDATES ARE VYING TO BE THE NEXT COUNCILLOR FOR SHOOTERS HILL IN GREENWICH

By Cameron Blackshaw Local Democracy Reporter

SEVEN CANDIDATES will stand in an upcoming Greenwich by-election following the resignation of a Labour councillor.

Ivis Williams had been a councillor for seven years when she announced her resignation on May 8.

She has since confirmed in a Greenwich Wire article and on X that she quit her role after being threatened with a sixweek suspension for speaking out against the disposal of the Greenwich Equestrian Centre and the sale of a bungalow which a community centre had hoped to take over. Following her resignation, a by-election will be held in Shooters Hill on Thursday, June 26 to decide which of the seven candidates will replace her as borough councillor.

Paul Banks is the Reform UK candidate. His party has described him as “a lifelong borough resident” who is “sociable, courteous, and unbiased”.

A local party spokesperson said: “He joined Reform UK, passionately believing it’s the only party truly representing UK citizens. Standing as a candidate, he aims to give locals a real chance to vote for meaningful change and a brighter future.”

Jummy Dawodu will be standing for The Labour Party. According to a campaign poster, if elected she will focus on repairing roads and fixing potholes, making streets safer by combatting crime and anti-social behaviour, as well as tackling fly-tipping to keep Shooters Hill clean.

Green candidate Tamasin Rhymes has been officially endorsed by the outgoing councillor Ivis WIlliams. A Shooters Hill resident for 17 years, Tamasin hopes to provide her ward with “a strong independent voice to protect its interests and concerns”.

She said: “It is vital to protect our community facilities, which need security of tenure, and not to have bits of it sold off piece by piece.

“To deal with anti-social behaviour and knife crime we desperately need more safe spaces and youth centres for our young people.

“The Cubs and Scouts, who provide

exactly this, need a secure home and the property at Shrewsbury House, which the council agreed to sell off, would be a potential venue.”

Tamasin also promised that if elected, she would work on getting the council to engage with the community more on environmental issues, tackling shoplifting in Herbert Road, cracking down on fly tipping and building more social housing in Greenwich.

The party chair of the Greenwich Liberal Democrats will stand for the party in the Shooters Hill by-election. Kirstie Shedden has lived in the ward for nearly 30 years, with the Lib Dems promising she would be “a great local champion” if elected.

Kirstie said: “Labour has taken voters for granted in Shooters Hill. Selling off precious open land and buildings that could be used for community use without consultation shows that Labour isn’t listening to residents.

“The callous disposal of Green Garth,

part of the Shrewsbury House listed estate and the Equestrian Centre, our Olympic legacy, without consultation shows that Labour isn’t listening to residents in our local neighbourhood.”

Arnold Tarling and Nazia Tingay are the two independents standing in the Shooters Hill by-election.

Arnold previously stood as an independent in Eltham and Chislehurst during the 2024 General Election as well as in the Eltham Town & AVery Hull ward during a by-election last October.

Arnold runs a Facebook page called We Love Eltham on which he documents his work planting greenery in public spaces and cleaning up street infrastructure throughout Eltham.

Nazia, who says she has lived in Greenwich for over two decades, is standing on a pro-Palestine ticket with promises to “fight against racism and division in our community” and “listen to constituents on issues that matter to them”.

On a campaign poster she said: “Shooters Hill deserves a fully committed councillor who is here to stay and who is ready to listen and support the community on the issues that affect us all.

“From threats to NHS services to the over development of community and green spaces, I believe Shooters Hill needs an informed, ethical, independent voice speaking up on issues.”

Conservative candidate Tim Waters is standing “to give a voice to the residents of Shooters Hill and to stand up for them where previously they have been ignored”. He said: “This Labour Council refuses to listen to its residents or take their concerns seriously, whether it is about selling off community assets or displacing congested traffic onto the boundary roads of an unwanted LTN, they are consistently ignoring what the majority of people want.”

Last weekend two hustings events were held ahead of the by-election.

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Conservative candidate Tim Waters

Green candidate Tamasin Rhymes, who is being backed by the outgoing councillor

P R IDE IN SOUTHWARK RETURNS FOR ITS THIRD YEAR ON SATURDAY, JUNE 28

By Evie Flynn

SOUTHWARK’S

GRASSROOTS

Pride celebration will be returning for its third year on Saturday 28 June, with a march through the borough and a free community festival in celebration of LGBTQ+ culture.

Pride in Southwark is a communityled event and now a firm fixture in the borough’s summer calendar. The celebratory march and accompanying festival will be returning this year, following a £32,000 investment from the council into Pride events this June.

The event will combine colour, protest and pride in a powerful day of celebration for Southwark’s local lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities.

Organisers expect this years pride to be the biggest yet, with a march from London’s LGBTQ+ hub, setting off at 12pm right through the heart of the borough.

The march will then end at Mint Street Park with a summer festival.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Naomi Carter has been confirmed as a headliner. You can expect feel-good live music, drag shows, community stalls and food trucks.

Other performances include Claudia

Kariuki, Samba Sisters Collective, Moi Koi Theatre Group and Alpha Dancers.

The festival will be followed by an after-party at queer-led pub The Rising SE1 into the early hours.

This year also has a specific call for trans solidarity, with all marchers invited to sign a Trans Sanctuary Charter, which is a practical commitment to trans inclusion and protection.

“Pride has always been a celebration – but it’s also a protest. We’re proud of who we are, and we won’t stand by while our trans siblings’ rights are attacked” said Victor Chamberlain, acting chair of the Pride in Southwark Working Group.

Cllr Stephanie Cryan, Cabinet Member for Equalities, Democracy and Finance, said: “With the results of the 2021 census showing that Southwark has one of the largest populations of LGBTQ+ people in England, it was very important for us to be able to offer this funding for a second year.”

Pride in Southwark is completely volunteer-run and communitypowered, described by organisers as “just real people, real pride and real love for the borough we call home.

“Whether you’re marching, performing, volunteering, or cheering from the sidelines – you’re invited.”

Date: Saturday 28 June

12pm: March from the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre, SE1 9JH

1-6pm: Festival at Mint Street Park, SE1 1QX 6pm-2am: After-party at The Rising

Royal Borough P R IDE activities through June

By Kevin Quinn

GREENWICH IS celebrating Pride month this June with activities planned right into July and of course this Royal Borough has its fair share of drag queens.

Events will take place across the borough, from family arts and crafts at local libraries, to cruising down the Thames on the METRO Pride Boat.

The METRO Pride Boat is a particular highlight to coincide with London Pride March itself in central London, on July 5.

METRO is a quality, diversity and inclusion charity and are even inviting people to join them on the march but you need to book via www.outsavvy. com/organiser/metro-charity

However, you might just want

to board their party boat leaving Greenwich Pier Cutty Sark at 9.30am and arriving at Westminster Pier at 1.30pm.

Tickets are £5 to £15 and you can enjoy live drag royalty performance, disco diva tunes from DJ extraordinaire Jackie Foley, a raffle, tombola, drinks and dancing, with all money raised supporting METRO’s vital services.

Book tickets at www.outsavvy.com/ event/24641/pride-boat-2025

Another highlight is happening at Woolwich Centre Library on Wellington Street on Saturday evening June 21. Pantomime dame and Britain’s Got Talent star Mama G will star in an award-winning panto for the whole family at 6.30pm. All proceeds will go towards Cancer

Research UK and Demelza Hospice Care for Children

Tickets are just £2 and you can book and pay at the library desk. You can finish the celebrations at Kidbrooke Village on Saturday July 19, between 12noon and 6pm. It is free and will feature arts and crafts, face painting, bouncy castle, drag performances, dance performance, DJ, advice hub, street food and more. Throughout June you can learn more about LGBTQIA+ history, with authors and Pride displays at libraries across the borough, plus weekly arts and crafts activities for kids.

To find out more go to royalgreenwich.gov.uk/news/2025/ celebrate-pride-month-royalgreenwich-june

HERNE HILL TRADERS ARGUE ‘DANGEROUS’ TRAFFIC JUNCTION HARMS THEIR BUSINESSES

By Issy Clarke

A GROUP of 47 traders in Herne Hill staged a protest last Thursday against a ‘dangerous’ traffic junction which they claim is harming business.

The traders claim the volume of traffic in the area has made Herne Hill a dangerous and unpleasant place to shop. They said six million cars drive through the junction each year.

The group is calling for the council to implement safer crossings, wider pavements, better drainage and more air pollution monitoring of the junction area.

According to Transport for London road data, 48 people have been injured in collisions around the junction in the last five years. Of those people injured, 21 were seriously injured.

Liam Plowman, from wine shop Wild + Lees, said: “We believe our shops offer significantly more to our community than online shops, but we feel the volume of traffic residents have to navigate to visit us is extremely unhelpful.

“It makes a trip to the shops noisy, stressful and polluted.

He added: “Vehicles mount the narrow pavements, or drive the wrong way along Milkwood Road, to bypass the traffic lights. And all the while thousands of shoppers and families are trying to go about their normal life.”

There are also concerns about air pollution. “We have five members of staff, and we feel responsible for their wellbeing,” said Adi Daly-Gourdialising, from Macatia & Coffee, a specialist

coffee shop.

“We know that people who are exposed to air pollution for long periods of time are more likely to suffer from its ill effects. We think more needs to be done to reduce it in the junction.”

Sam Jessop from gift shop Forget Me Not & Green agreed, saying: “We’re very proud of the vibrant, diverse and competitive offering of our independent shops. “We work hard to ensure our

customers can shop locally and conveniently.

“We employ local people, and believe our shops are an essential part of a community and add an important layer of social glue.

“But it can take several minutes to walk from one part of the high street to the other, crossing several roads. It is inconvenient, unsafe and unpleasant.” Lambeth Council was approached for comment.

TRADERS EVICTED FROM ELEPHANT AND CASTLE SHOPPING ARCADE

Private landlord hands back control of ‘struggling’ retail space to Southwark Council

By Evie Flynn

BUSINESSES TRADING in the Elephant Arcade have been told they must leave their shops by the end of August, as the landlord plans to end its lease of the ‘struggling’ shopping centre.

Meanwhile Space, the operator in charge of the Arcade, notified traders of its decision to terminate their tenancies last month.

Two traders have had their tenancies transferred over to Southwark Council and will continue to operate in the centre. The rest are believed to have been offered a £3,000 exit package and a promise to wipe off any outstanding debts.

Meanwhile Space did not comment on whether any lapses in rent payments were behind the decision to terminate its lease of the Arcade.

Most of the businesses were relocated to the Arcade following the closure of the Elephant and Castle shopping centre in 2020, but traders say low customer footfall has left them struggling to turn a profit.

Cllr Helen Dennis, the council’s Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development, said it was “clear” that businesses in the arcade were struggling, adding: “After five years with little prospect of upturn in trade, it’s time to resolve the situation.”

Al Hussein, who owns House of Trainers and has been trading in the area for 15 years, said months often

go by when his shop does not receive a single customer.

“People come inside asking: ‘where is the arcade?’ They get confused by the name. People don’t even know business is going on in here”.

To improve this, he asked Meanwhile Space to install a sign labelling the complex as the ‘Elephant Market’, but says his request was rebuffed.

Meklit Tadese, of Meklit Fashion, said she was “shocked” when she learned she would have to leave the Arcade by the end of the summer.

She said: “They emailed us two weeks ago then they came round and told each of us we have to be out of here by August. They didn’t explain anything to us, they just said we have to leave by then.”

Two street-facing shops in the Elephant Arcade have had their leases transferred over to Southwark Council and will continue to operate, while the council plans to convert the rest of the space into a Latin American community centre.

Cllr Dennis added: “The council supports Meanwhile Space in reaching the difficult decision to end its lease at the Elephant Arcade.

“We understand that all tenants will be given reasonable notice and will be offered an exit package.

“The council is committed to a strong and fair economy and so we’re pleased that the two street facing tenants, who are enjoying success, will be able to remain, as direct tenants to the council.

“As a part of its commitment to the local community, the council is looking

forward to the repurposing of the arcade space as a new community space for the Elephant and Castle.”

Meanwhile Space said: “Meanwhile Space, the operator of Elephant Arcade, has notified the traders about the decision to terminate their lease.

Once vacated, the two front traders will enter into a new lease with the council and the rear space will be repurposed as a Latin American Community Centre.”

Sophie Rebecca Wall, from Latin Elephant – a charity that has been supporting the traders, said: “Traders have been trying for almost 5 years to get Southwark Council and Meanwhile Space to improve conditions and encourage footfall at Elephant Arcade.

“If traders’ legitimate concerns and suggestions had been listened to and acted on effectively, these businesses would have had a much greater chance at thriving in the challenging conditions of development and relocation.

“Southwark Council owes it to the traders they are in the process of displacing to support them in finding alternative affordable retail space in the area.”

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@venuelambeth

THE SUPERFOOD MAP OF BRIXTON: A NEW DOCUMENTARY

By Evie Flynn

A DOCUMENTARY exploring the heritage-rich foods in Brixton Market was launched last weekend.

Dr Yemisi Bokinni was born and raised in the neighbourhood around Brixton Market and it was here that Caribbean elders, West African aunties, local traders, and families from all backgrounds crossed paths daily.

Yemisi’s diet became enriched with flavours she thought were completely ordinary: tangy tamarind, hairy cocoyams and African garden eggs.

“It wasn’t until I met people from outside London during university that I realised the uniqueness of our everyday meals”, she says. “To my peers, these ingredients were exotic. To me, they were dinner.”

The documentary draws upon Yemisi’s own upbringing, medical background and cultural roots to explore the story of foods that nourish communities across Brixton and beyond.

It is set entirely within Brixton Market, a place that has served AfroCaribbean, African, Latin American,

and Asian diasporas for generations.

The film features traders from Senegal, Jamaica, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Korea, the UK, Brazil, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and more.

Yemisi explains how the project also links to a wider global issue. Despite the large number of edible plants cultivated worldwide, over half the world’s calories come from just three crops: rice, corn and wheat. She says we risk losing both cultural heritage and food biodiversity itself.

“The fact that just nine crops make up 66% of global crop production is not only unsustainable, it’s unimaginative,” said Yemisi. “In cities like London, diversity of people brings diversity of ingredients, which is ultimately better for our health and the planet.”

One section, titled “A Supergrain Symphony,” explores climate-smart grains that are not only nutritious but also sustainable. These resilient grain crops require little water, thrive in tough conditions, and grow without need for much fertilizer or pesticides.

The film was launched on Saturday 14th June 2025.

To watch the full documentary head to Remede Storylab channel on YouTube

Southwark schoolchildren take to the stage at Cadogan Hall

By Evie Flynn

STUDENTS FROM three Southwark schools will be taking part in Step Live 2025 at Cadogan Hall on 1 July, an event designed for secondary schools across to come together and perform dance routines to a large audience.

The Kingsdale Foundation School, The Park College and Ark Walworth Academy are amongst the mix of schools in Southwark who will be performing.

Students will perform a variety of dance routines they have learnt as part of the Step into Dance programme.

The programme is a Royal Academy of Dance programme in partnership with the Jack Petchey Foundation, an organisation that empowers young people and widens their opportunities through grant giving and achievement recognition.

Step into Dance reaches those from backgrounds that might not otherwise connect with dance and joins together schools from Southwark, Greenwich, Bexley, Tower Hamlets, Camden, Hackney,

Kensington & Chelsea, Wandsworth, Barnet and Bromley.

The Park College is a specialist college providing training programmes for young people with autism and moderate learning difficulties and will be taking part via video.

RAD’s youth company SYNC will also be performing a piece that is choreographed by Step into Dance practitioners.

Alexander Campbell, Artistic Director of Royal Academy of Dance says: “Step Live is a powerful celebration of youth, creativity and the Transformative power of dance. As one of the largest dance events for secondary school students, it provides a platform for young people to express themselves, build confidence and experience the thrill of performing on a professional stage.”

Location: Cadogan Hall, London, 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ

Date: Tuesday 1st July

Time: 2pm and 7:30pm (Southwark schools will be performing at 7:30pm)

Tickets: £10

Book here: royalacademyofdance.org/ event/step-LIVE/

Ruskin Park’s Summer Fete this Saturday

By Lily Erwood

CAMBERWELL’S RUSKIN Park is set to host its annual summer fete this Saturday, 21st June.

Local attendees from Southwark and Lambeth will be able to see a range of exciting performances, including from female-led swing and brass band the Fabulous Honey’s. Other acts include the Accra-trained UK African Acrobats and magic and illusion performers,The Illusioneer.

Kids will be able to get involved with craft workshops and face painting, as well as watch their peers in the Lyndhurst School Choir and Jessop School Band, who will be performing on the bandstand. Servings of Pimms, tea and cake at the fete are a reminder that the summer season is here. Family run, Brixton-

based nano brewery Clarkshaws will also be offering refreshments, as well as Walworth based Orbit Beers.

For local foodies there will be a range of international cuisines, including Portuguese street food from Santa Bifana, vegan Indian favourite En Root,

Carribean Cuisine and Giggly Pig.

The fete is being organised by the Friends of Ruskin Park and will be held around the bandstand from 12pm until 6pm on Saturday 21st June.

To find out more visit: friendsofruskinpark. org.uk/summerfete/

The ‘wobbly’ Millennium Bridge turns 25

By Evie Flynn

LONDON’S ‘WOBBLY’ suspension bridge, which opened and promptly closed in June 2000, marked its 25th anniversary this week.

Around 150,000 people came to cross the Thames when the bridge was opened on June 10th 2000. However, it was closed three days after due to people experiencing swaying and wobbling whilst walking across, earning it the nickname of the ‘wobbly bridge’.

The footbridge in between Blackfriars Railway Bridge and Southwark Bridge was built to mark

the millennium and link Bankside with the City of London.

It was built using ‘lateral suspension’, an engineering innovation allowing suspension bridges to be built without tall supporting columns. This meant that when 80,000 pedestrians crossed the bridge, those on the southern and central spans felt the bridge begin to sway. Feeling unsteady, the pedestrians altered their gait to the same lateral rhythm as the bridge. The more people did this, the worse it got. It closed for two years and was reopened in February 2002 ‘wobble-free’, after architects installed dampers to absorb the sway and stabilise the structure.

The bridge was a result of a competition in 1996, run by the Millennium Bridge Trust and promoted by the Financial Times, Royal Institute of British Architects and Southwark Council.

The winning design avoided blocking the view of St Paul’s and was inspired by a ‘blade of light’. It was a partnership between architectural firm Foster + Partners and sculptor Sir Anthony Caro and engineers Arup.

The Millenium Bridge is one of several iconic London landmarks also celebrating their silver anniversaries, the London Eye, the Tate Modern and the Millennium Dome (now the O2 Arena) also turn 25 this year.

BTS filming with Ola, Owner of Glory Afro Caribbean store

Dr Yemisi Bokinni with Bewa, owner of Latin & Caribbean Food Store

Dancers from St Thomas More RSC School at Step Around Town Bexley 2025

© Zarah

Dolz/Remede

Storylab

LINE-UP AT THE GREENWICH PENINSULA THIS SUMMER

A season-long celebration of creativity, community and culture - starting on 10th July

By Evie Flynn

THE PENINSULA is home to London’s only rooftop basketball court, London’s first elevated garden park, architecturally impressive Design District and the Canteen Food Hall. It also hosts the iconic O2 Arena and one of the capital’s best collections of free to see public art.

This summer, throughout the whole of July and August, a series of summer activations are planned to keep you Greenwich locals and visitors and entertained.

MINI GOLF: RETURNS 10TH JULY

Wild Swim Mini golf returns this July with a technicolour golf course created by internationally recognised art duo Graphic Rewilding.

You can experience the studio’s largescale nature-inspired installations, inspired by flora and fauna originally found in the Peninsula’s historic marshlands.

This mini golf is the perfect way to round off an evening with friends and will run until August.

Location: Canteen Courtyard, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ (tickets to be confirmed soon)

CHARITY SUPER.MKT- RETURNS 10TH JULY (FREE)

These pop-ups are a favourite at the Peninsula, bringing together a cohort of

local and national charities from across the UK to retail together under one roof until August.

There will be a carefully selected mixture of pre-loved fashion, founded by some of fashion and retail’s most brilliant minds, Wayne Hemingway MBE and Maria Chenoweth.

All proceeds go to charitable causes and is a type of retail that does good for both people and the planet.

Location: NOW Gallery, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

SUMMER STREET EATS: JULY TO AUGUST

Complementing the Canteen Food Hall, there will be a pop-up fleet of street food trucks lining the Peninsula and bring the flavours to the Peninsula’s summer celebrations.

There will be long-time favourites including doughnuts, ice cream, pizzas, pick’n’mix, crepes, waffles and churros and more to choose from.

Location: Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

CHROMATIC RIVER WALK: JULY - AUGUST (FREE)

The Chromatic River Walk by Kitty Joseph brings a sweep of colour to the Thames Park throughout July and August.

She is known for her use of colour, light and movement.

This will be Graphic-turned-fashion designer Joseph’s largest public installation to date.

Textures will be inspired by the neon reflections on the river at sunset and aim to transform a simple walk into an uplifting, meditative experience.

Location: Thames Path, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

JAZZ AND FOOD FESTIVAL: 26TH JULY (FREE)

This free-to-attend Rhythm and Taste Jazz and Food Festival will return to the peninsula on Saturday 26th July

It is a one-day celebration of music, food and community.

It will bring together some genredefying sounds and street flavours in a unique open-air setting.

For music, you can expect unmissable sounds from jazz collective Steamdown, rising talents Shunaji and Knats, Design District’s radio community LOOSE.fm and more.

Location: Design District, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

WWFIREPIT GALLERY: TUESDAYSATURDAY ALL SUMMER (FREE)

The Firepit gallery will be a place to explore and interact with new pieces of art and installations.

There will be a variety of events, workshops, exhibitions and performances throughout summer. Firepit Gallery will also host community projects and will be an essential destination for anyone who loves art.

Location: Firepit Gallery, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

GREENWICH AND DOCKLANDS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL: 30-31ST AUGUST (FREE)

London’s longest running free outdoor theatre and performing arts festival is back for its 30th edition titled Turning Worlds.

It will unite spectacle, music, atmosphere and joy and is all about making exciting things happen in unexpected spaces. From parkour acts to water performancesthere’s a whole line-up of amazing performances planned.

Location: Peninsula Square and Design District, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ

To learn more about the Peninsula’s summer, visit: greenwichpeninsula.co.uk/whats-on/ peninsula-summer

By Cameron Blackshaw Local Democracy Reporter

GREENWICH PLANNERS want to approve plans to build over 1,200 flats on top of Ikea’s car park but the Swedish retail furniture giant is against the proposal.

Ikea has objected to the plans. According to planning reports, it asserted it has “unencumbered rights” over the car park next to its Greenwich store that opened six years ago in the Millennium Leisure Park.

The report also states that Ikea raised concerns that the development would result in a loss of parking spaces and would have a “significant adverse impact” on its retail operations during its six-year construction period.

To build the proposal’s 1,251 flats, 1,600sp metres of commercial space and 15,500sp metres of public space, the B&Q and Tradepoint stores at the leisure park would be demolished. Ikea, Sainsbury’s petrol station and the Odeon cinema would be retained.

The flats—35 per cent of which would be affordable—would be contained within seven buildings ranging from four to 20 storeys in height, with most of the development being under 10 storeys.

The amount of car parking spaces would be reduced from 1,066 to 856, with most of them concealed within a covered car park beneath several of the residential tower blocks. However, residents will not be able to use the parking spaces as it is intended only for leisure park customers and will be locked overnight.

The development, called Peninsula Gardens, is car-free, with nearly 2,500 cycle parking spaces provided across the site. 38 disabled car parking bays are also included within the scheme.

Plans to build on the car park were first presented to Greenwich Council by property developer London Square in 2020 before it eventually dropped out reportedly due to spiralling costs.

The current plans were put forward by Weybourne Group, a business group owned by British inventor and business magnate James Dyson. First presented last year, the proposal was updated in April following Ikea’s refusal to allow

future reductions in car parking.

Alongside Ikea, The Greenwich Society has also objected to the plans because no healthcare facilities have been included.

The society argued that existing GP practices in the area lack the capacity to accommodate the influx in patients the proposal would likely cause.

The NHS was formally consulted as part of the planning process, with the health service stating that the financial contribution of £1,281,000 agreed by the developer was enough to mitigate the lack of additional healthcare floorspace. Most of this money would go towards providing additional capacity at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich.

The Charlton Society also raised concerns about the plans, believing the assumption residents would not

own cars to be “unrealistic” and fearing that lack of residential parking would result in increased parking pressure on nearby streets.

Planning officers responded that the car-free nature of Peninsula Gardens aligns with the London Plan and Greenwich Council’s Local Plan, with parking restrictions in nearby streets acting as a deterrent to visitor and resident parking.

Greenwich planners have recommended that full planning permission be granted for Peninsula Gardens as the proposal will deliver a significant amount of homes that aligns with helping to achieve the borough’s housing target.

Greenwich Council’s Planning Board will make a decision on the plans at its next meeting this week.

Jailed for 21 years for killing former doctor in a South London hostel

By Kevin Quinn

A MAN has been jailed for 21 years with a five-year extended license after beating a man and then leaving him to die in an address south east London over two years ago.

Paul Campbell, 43, from West, Thornton Heath, was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of the manslaughter of 62-year-old former doctor Gordon Ogunmuyiwa. The sentence followed a three-week trial that concluded on Thursday, 8 May.

The court heard that on Saturday, 24 December 2022, Campbell had brutally assaulted Gordon who had visited him at his property on Dunheved Road West, Thornton Heath. Before fleeing, Campbell had called the paramedics, however, by the time they had arrived Gordon was already dead.

On the day of Gordon’s death officers attended the address after being called by the ambulance service and were informed by paramedics that Campbell – the registered tenant of the addresswas not present.

Detectives attempted to contact him but were unsuccessful. This led officers to make enquiries into Campbell, which resulted in a murder investigation being launched.

Police interviewed fellow residents at the hostel and quickly established a pattern of behaviour that saw Gordon suffer brutal beatings by Campbell.

A financial search also uncovered that Campbell had been using Gordon’s credit cards. He had bought an iPhone from a second-hand shop, using those cards, a week after Gordon died.

On Wednesday, 11 January 2023 Campbell was arrested on suspicion of murder and charged the next day.

A post-mortem examination was

conducted and it was clear that Gordon had multiple injuries borne over time.

However, the assault, heard by neighbours on Saturday, 23 December 2022, was declared to have been particularly vicious and ultimately led to his death.

Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend, who led the Met’s investigation said: “My thoughts and that of my team remain with Gordon’s family, a much loved brother, friend and neighbour.

“Gordon was a gentle man with no history of violence. Ill-health, however, had seen him become increasingly vulnerable - something Campbell - a selfish and self-serving man - took advantage of.

“It is hard to make sense of Campbell’s actions however, I can only hope that today’s sentence can go some way in providing a sense of justice to Gordon’s family.”

GREENWICH IKEA OBJECTS TO 1,200 FLATS ON TOP OF ITS CARPARK

Paul Campbell sentenced to 21_years

© Met Police

Artist’s impression of the proposed residential development Peninsula Gardens at the Millennium Retail park in Greenwich

By Kevin Quinn

A TEENAGER from Sydenham has been found guilty of murder after ‘stabbing a man in the neck while he was sitting behind the wheel of his car’ on the Isle of Dogs.

Eighteen-year-old Shamiah McKenzie was found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey on Thursday, June 12.

His accomplice 19-year-old Codee Godfrey from the Isle of Dogs was found guilty of manslaughter and the pair are due to be sentenced on Friday June 20.

In a trial which started on Monday, April 28, the court heard that police

were called at around 4:15pm on Monday, August 5, last year to reports of a stabbing on New Union Close, E14.

The jury were told 23-year-old Abdul Jalloh was attacked while unarmed and vulnerable behind the wheel of his car.

Despite the best efforts of emergency services, Abdul died a short time later as a result of a stab wound to his neck.

A manhunt began immediately, with officers painstakingly combing through hours of CCTV footage and digital evidence to understand what took place, identify the attackers and track their movements after they fled the scene.

As a result officers were also able to

SOUTH LONDON TEEN GUILTY OF MURDER ON THE ISLE OF DOGS

His 19-year-old accomplice was also found guilty of manslaughter and the pair are due to be sentenced on Friday June 20

show the jury how the pair had been circling the Isle of Dogs on bicycles for more than an hour looking for Abdul.

Police said after the attack the pair threw the knife and its sheath and McKenzie’s bicycle into the Thames at Caledonian Wharf. As paramedics tried to save Abdul’s life, the pair packed their bloody clothing and footwear into bags.

Officers uncovered that they changed into summer clothes and then disposed of the bags and two mobile phones in nearby bushes. In the bag officers found £3,000 worth of cannabis, £2,000 in cash, a vacuum sealing machine used to package drugs, and business cards

containing their phone numbers.

The court was told that McKenzie and Godfrey were so confident in their changed appearance that they returned to the Thames Path which was full of officers who were searching for Abdul’s killers.

However, they handed themselves into police on Thursday, August 8, 2024 and were charged the following day.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Waller, from Specialist Crime North – who led the investigation – said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Abdul Jalloh, who lost a loved one in shocking circumstances.

“By carrying and using a knife, McKenzie’s callous act demonstrates once again the devastating and farreaching effects of knife crime.

“I therefore commend the officers who worked incredibly hard to build evidence against McKenzie and Godfrey in order to prove that there could be no doubt as to their guilt. London will be a safer place with them taken off the streets.

“I also want to thank the local community who came forward to assist officers with footage they had on the day. They displayed immense courage in giving evidence to the court.”

Major works investigation report delay Council audit missing for almost a year

By Issy Clarke

A COUNCIL investigation looking into why major works on two estates ran months over schedule and millions over budget has been delayed for almost a year, with residents claiming they have been given little indication of when it will be ready.

The report is believed to have been completed in January this year and has been allegedly awaiting “internal sign-off” ever since.

Southwark Council promised to conduct independent audits last year after it was revealed that major works carried out on the Devon Mansions and Canada Water estates had run £5.9 million over budget and years over schedule.

Residents complained of poor-quality repair work, including ‘whistling windows’, half-finished paint jobs and gaping holes shoddily plastered up after, with some leaseholders paying thousands towards the projects.

The audits were originally supposed to be published in August 2024, but ten months

later, neither residents nor this newspaper have been able to obtain an updated completion date from the council – despite the local authority previously admitting that failings were so serious that fraud investigations could be necessary.

In July, a notice put up in the Canada Estate said the review would be completed by September and apologised for missing the August deadline. But as September came and went, residents told the News they had been given no information of when the audits would be ready.

Earlier this year, a letter signed by Stephanie Cryan, a Rotherhithe ward councillor, was circulated to residents of the Canada Estate inviting them to a meeting on 25 March where an update on the investigation was due to be given. At the last minute, the residents’ meeting was cancelled due to staff sickness.

Months later, the report was once again due to be discussed at a public meeting on 9 May. But in the days leading up to the meeting, the item was removed from the agenda.

When this paper asked the council why

this was the case, we were told the report was likely to be addressed nearer the publication deadline – but were not given a date for when this would be.

Michael Robertson, a Canada Estate leaseholder, said when he attended the meeting he asked the councillors and officers present for an update on the investigation. He said he was told that the report had been ready since January but was awaiting ‘internal sign-off’, and given no firm date of when it would be available for public viewing.

In March 2024, Southwark Council offered residents its “unreserved apologies” for the major works projects and promised to conduct an audit into what went wrong.

Cllr Sarah King, the Cabinet Member for Council Homes, said at the time that the council was committed to rebuilding confidence among the affected residents, adding: “Critical to this will be the council making sure we engage and communicate with residents in a timely, full and transparent way.

“We now have a timeline on a way forward that will follow proper process,

while internal and external audits are undertaken to ensure such failings cannot ever happen again.”

During a bombshell Overview and Scrutiny Committee in November 2023, a Southwark councillor admitted there had been “serious failings” while the interim director for housing vowed that “officers involved in these failings will be held to account”.

The interim housing director said the council had “commenced disciplinary

investigations into some council officers” involved in the works, and staff had been suspended.

Then, in October 2024, Southwark’s director of resident services resigned from the council – the officer charged with handling tenants’ and leaseholders’ complaints.

Southwark Council has said fraud investigations could yet be undertaken into both projects if the audits were to uncover evidence of irregularities.

Right - Shemiah McKenzie and Codee Godrey - Left

BAKERLOO IS SHUNNED ONCE MORE

No mention of funding for tube extension in government spending review

By Issy Clarke

THE LONG-AWAITED Bakerloo line extension has taken another step back, with hopes dashed that the June spending review could have finally seen funding released to kickstart construction.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a £2.2 billion multi-year capital funding settlement for TfL - some way off the amount needed to fund the Bakerloo Line extension, which at the last estimate was earmarked at costing between £5£8 billion to construct.

The money will go towards upgrading TfL’s existing fleet, including completing the introduction of new trains on the Piccadilly line and DLR and potentially kickstarting plans to replace the carriages on the Bakerloo Line which, at 53 years old, is the oldest fleet of trains operating daily in the UK.

The DLR extension and West London Orbital rail link were also absent from the spending review, with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan criticising the government for ‘not investing in the new infrastructure London needs.’

He added: “The way to level up other regions will never be to level down

London.”

The Chancellor announced funding for several transport upgrades outside of the capital, including £15.6 billion for trams, buses and trains in England’s city regions, and £2.5 billion for a rail link between Oxford and Cambridge. Reeves also allocated £400m-plus investment in Welsh rail projects and a funding boost for the TransPennine Route and rail connections in the Midlands.

The cost of extending the Bakerloo Line to New Cross and Lewisham via the Old Kent Road has spiralled from £2-3 billion in 2010 to between £5 and £8 billion at the last estimate in 2021. It was first included in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy in 2010, but has repeatedly been placed on the backburner ever since.

Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: “We are grateful that the Government has agreed a much-needed multi-year capital funding agreement similar to those in place with Network Rail and National Highways.

“This settlement will ensure that London’s transport network can continue to support new homes, jobs and economic growth in the capital. And it will boost jobs, skills, growth and opportunities across the UK. It will allow us to deliver a programme of sustainable investment, aligning our suppliers around a longer-term programme.

“And it will mean that we can complete the introduction of new trains on the Piccadilly line and DLR and new signalling on 40 per cent of the Tube, can procure a new tram fleet, progress discussions on new Bakerloo line trains

and can get to work on renewing some of London’s critical roads, tunnels and flyovers.

“Our supply chain supports growth and opportunities right across the UK, with around two thirds of our suppliers based outside London, and nearly a third of our overall spend and resulting economic benefit felt outside of our city.

“We are pleased that, together with our suppliers, we can move on from the short-term and stop-start nature of funding over recent years and get on with the vital work of making our city and our country work for everyone.

“The prevailing macro-economic conditions and other factors mean that we will continue to have to make at times difficult decisions and we will need to continue to carefully prioritise investment and control our costs. We

SEX PEST GIVEN SIX-MONTH SENTENCE

He targeted young women on the tube

By Issy Clarke

A 30-YEAR-OLD man who sexually assaulted three women while travelling on trains in London has been jailed for six months.

Ahmad Ahmedzai, from Hemel Hempstead, was sentenced on Friday 30 May at Inner London Crown Court to 27 weeks in prison after he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault, following an investigation by the British Transport Police (BTP).

The court heard of three separate incidents last year when Ahmedzai targeted young women travelling alone in London. The first incident occurred on a train from Bushey to London Euston, when Ahmedzai assaulted his victim multiple times who was unable to get away from him due to how packed the train was.

Then on 2 November, Ahmedzai was on a Jubilee line train from Bermondsey when again he sexually assaulted a 28-year-old woman on a busy train service.

Later that month on 25 November Ahmedzai was on board a very busy train from Watford Junction to London Euston when he sexually assaulted a 22-year-old woman.

As well as a jail sentence, he was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for seven years and is on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. He must also pay costs of £687.

The SHPO means Ahmedzai can only travel on the TfL network when using an oyster card, a contactless debit or credit card linked to an account in his name. When travelling outside the TfL network he has to book any ticket in advance and notify

the police in advance of travel.

Breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order is a criminal offence and can result in further custodial time.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Jack Leach said “Ahmedzai is a dangerous predator who targeted women on busy services in order to hide his sick antics, but due to the brave actions of those he targeted, by reporting the crimes to us we were able to catch him.

“There is zero-tolerance for sexual offences on the rail network and we will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice.”

If you are the victim of a crime on the rail network, you can report by texting 61016 discreetly or calling 0800 405040. Always call 999 in an emergency.

will now work through the detail of the agreement before re-setting our business plan for the years ahead.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’ve been determined to stand up for London and it’s good news that we have won extra resources for transport and housing.

“I have been campaigning for years for a multi-year deal for City Hall and for Transport for London and I welcome this agreement.

“However, I remain concerned that this Spending Review could result in insufficient funding for the Met and fewer police officers.

“It’s also disappointing that there is no commitment today from the Treasury to invest in the new infrastructure London needs.

“Projects such as extending the Docklands Light Railway not only deliver economic growth across the country, but also tens of thousands of new affordable homes and jobs for Londoners.

“Unless the government invests in infrastructure like this in our capital, we will not be able to build the numbers of new affordable homes Londoners need.

“As Mayor, I’ll continue to make the case to the government that we must work together for the benefit of our capital and the whole country.

“The way to level up other regions will never be to level down London.

“I’ll continue to fight for the investment we need so that we can continue building a fairer, safer and greener London for everyone.”

Cllr Victor Chamberlain, the leader of the Southwark Liberal Democrats, described the absence of a funding announcement as “a damning indictment of this government’s failure to back growth, jobs and homes.”

He said: “This is a spending review that leaves far too much up in the air. At a time when we need certainty, ambition and leadership, Southwark is once again being let down. Residents are crying out for change.”

14 NEWS

By Evie Flynn

JAY BRITTON has been singing at funerals for twenty-two years and describes herself as a ‘blank canvas’ through which families can honour their loved ones, no matter the song.

Whether it’s opera, a sea shanty like “Drunken Sailor” or a pop ballad, Jay performs the requested song with care and compassion. No matter the song, Jay is happy to perform whatever the family requests. “It’s not about me and my voice,” she said. “It’s about the person we are celebrating.”

Jay has strong local ties to Bermondsey and regularly performs at funerals in the area. “My mum’s family are all from Bermondsey and live nearby,” she explained, expressing how she spent a lot of her childhood here and keeps coming back.

Jay is often found singing in churches, crematoriums and event at gravesides.

Her journey as a funeral singer began whilst she was training to be an opera singer at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. She sung at a family members funeral and was noticed by a funeral director, who asked how to get in contact with her. She had just started her degree and it therefore began just as a way of helping pay her University fees. Soon, she developed a passion for the funeral and bringing music to mourners whilst they say goodbye.

Singing has been Jay’s job since she was eighteen and has performed as an opera soloist all across the globe, from Westminster Abbey to Vatican in Rome and St. Peter’s Church in Manhattan. However, singing at a local level is at the heart of her work in recent years.

The pressure of singing at such a sad event is huge, but Jay takes it all in her stride. “It’s an intimate moment for a family,” she said. “I’m often standing right beside their closest loved ones, so I want to make sure they feel completely comfortable with me.”

From the initial consultation to the day of the service, Jay’s focus is on making families feel seen and supported. During her performances, she may offer a gentle smile or nod but she’s also learned when to simply hold the space without expecting a response.

“It’s something I’ve learned over the last twenty-two years — and something I truly enjoy,” she said. “Speaking with the families helps me understand why they’ve chosen a

BERMONDSEY’S FUNERAL SINGER SHARES HER STORY AND UNIQUE PROFESSION

particular piece of music, and I think that also helps put their minds at ease.”

“It’s never lost on me that when you are arranging a funeral, you are going through one of the worst times in life, losing someone that’s really close to you.”

She added: “It’s never lost on me that when you’re arranging a funeral, you’re in the middle of one of the hardest times in your life.

“You’re suddenly organising what’s essentially a large event, with logistics, paperwork, and so many emotional decisions.

“Everyone wants it to be perfect in honour of the person they’ve lost.

If I can help reflect that through the

music, then that’s where I can make a difference.”

When booking Jay for funeral, families can request as many songs as they would like.

At a recent funeral, Jay performed for over forty minutes at the graveside, singing a huge mix of music, from pop to classical hymns. All the congregation joined in when she sung “We’ll meet again” and Jay said: “I felt like one of the family by the time it was over.”

When asked what the most commonly requested funeral song is, Jay replied: “The one that trumps all of them regardless of whether it’s a religious service, is Time to Say Goodbye. It’s a beautiful song in both English and Italian.”

STYLISTS WANTED

NHS Trust calls for kind-hearted hairdressers to lend a hand

Jay has seen many different styles of funerals emerge over the two decades she has performed at them.

A current stand-out is Eco funerals, using cardboard or eco-friendly coffins in natural burial grounds. Instead of large headstones, there will be simple markers.

Outside funerals, Jay has a passion for early music, particularly from the time of Henry VIII. She has married this up with her love for history and with the help of intricate Tudor costumes she established her business ‘The Tudor Songbook’.

Jay travels up and down the country in period costume, performing songs that were written and listened to in the Tudor period, including some

By Issy Clarke

A SOUTH London NHS trust has urged ‘kind-hearted’ hairdressers to deploy their styling skills to the benefit of hospital patients in London and Kent.

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is calling on qualified hairdressers and barbers with a few hours to spare to offer up their hair styling expertise across its hospitals to help “bring some joy to patients when they need it most”.

One Peckham hairdresser, Monica Best of Peckham’s Best Unisex Salon, began volunteering in 2024 when caring for her elderly aunt as she neared the end of her life. “I wanted to continue using my skills to help others” Monica explained.

She added: “Every moment has been memorable, as it’s different

songs from Henry VIII himself. She has event learnt how to play the lap heart, a traditional instrument.

“If you really want to know what was happening during a certain period, you should look at the music.” Jay tells us, “There will be things hidden that would have been too dangerous to say or write down in account at the time.”

Jay travels widely for her work, but says her heart firmly belongs to London. “I feel incredibly lucky to be able to sing every day and to call it my job,” she said.

Jay works completely independently and people can contact her directly, all details can be found at: jaybrittonfuneralsinger. com

for everyone I see. A smile and the patient’s appreciation have made it all worthwhile.”

Patricia Mecinska, Assistant Director of Patient Experience at King’s, explained: “Many of our patients have been with us in hospital for days, weeks, or even months, and a visit from a hairdresser is a small act of care that makes a world of difference.

“We are looking for kind-hearted hairdressers and barbers with a few hours to spare, who can help bring some joy to patients when they need it most across our hospitals in London and Kent.”

To find out more about flexible volunteering opportunities at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, email kings.volunteers@nhs. net for more details, or visit www. kch.nhs.uk/about/get-involved/ volunteering

Walworth church will have theatre, music & workshops

By Evie Flynn

ST PETER’S Church in Walworth will introduce theatre, live music, talks and workshops in the Crypt as part of its series of major upgrades.

The 250-year old church was awarded £438,000 by The National Heritage Lottery Fund and part of this project will see a renovation of the Crypt to enhance and expand its use.

The Crypt is home to Saint Louie Bakery and Conveenie, a communitybased venue hire company.

Alongside the initial funding, there will be an opportunity for St Peter’s to apply for a full grant, paving the way for a £3 million renewal project to protect the Grade I-listed architecture.

The Crypt will be a place to connect among the aroma of fresh bread and in the surrounding garden which is currently being used by the bakery.

The space is rooted in 200 years of history and reflects John Soane’s architectural legacy. St Peter’s Church is Sir John Soane’s first, finest and bestpreserved church, but it is deteriorating.

One of three built by Soane, all in London, it is Grade 1 listed and one of Southwark’s most significant heritage assets. It’s one of only three other Grade 1 listed buildings in the Borough, including Tower Bridge.

For more information visit: www.conveenie.com, saintlouie.london and www.st peter’swalworth.org.

SPECIAL STAMPS RELEASED FOR THE 350TH ANNIVERSARY OF GREENWICH OBSERVATORY

By Evie Flynn

THE 350TH anniversary of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich will be marked with a set of six stamps relating to key aspects of the observatory.

Featured on the main set of stamps are: the Airy Transit Circle Telescope, Flamsteed House, the great Equatorial Telescope, the Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope, the Prime Meridian and the Shepherd Gate Clock. The stamps celebrate the history and scientific developments achieved at the observatory since its foundation in 1675.

A further four stamps will be presented in a miniature sheet and honour prizewinning clockmaker John Harrison and his marine timekeepers ahead of the 250th anniversary of his death in 2016.

The stamp images narrate the story

of the Royal Observatory and its pivotal role in the history of astronomy, timekeeping, and navigation.

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich, was founded by King Charles II in 1675 and was Britain’s first state-funded scientific building.The Observatory was founded to provide better star charts that would enhance navigation for global trade.

Flamsteed House, the Observatory’s original building designed by Christopher Wren, became home to ten successive Astronomers Royal who observed the stars and developed new instruments such as the Airy Transit Circle and Great Equatorial Telescope.

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) was made publicly visible via the Shepherd Gate Clock and its distribution via telegraph signals became an essential part of daily life.

F A ALBIN & SONS

The stamps are available to pre-order via their website: www.royalmail.com/ royalobservatory or via calling 03457 641 641.

The stamps went on general sale from 12th June

A presentation pack including all 10 stamps is priced at £17.90

By Dunya Simoes

ST CHRISTOPHER’S Hospice is calling for budding photographers to send their best images to help decorate patients’ rooms.

Aspiring photographers across Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham, Croydon and Bromley are being invited to donate photos of local landmarks, people or nature that fit the bill for creating a calm and relaxing environment.

The appeal is part of a wider refurbishment of the hospice’s wards which started earlier this year and is due to finish in early 2026.

With sites in Sydenham and Orpington, the organisation has not undergone a major upgrade in more than ten years.

St Christopher’s Hospice ward manager Julie O’Neil said: “St Christopher’s is all about community and so we thought it was only right to involve South Londoners with our ward upgrades.”

She hopes the photographs will help transform the ward into a ‘home away from home’.

Founded in 1967, the charity supports almost 2,000 South Londoners monthly, including more than 400 children in bereavement, despite only being partially NHS-funded.

The callout ends on Tuesday 24 June at 5pm. Entries can be submitted at: www.stchristophers.org.uk/photoappeal

By Evie Flynn

STANDING TALL on Walworth Road

since 1894, Walworth Town Hall has long been a landmark of South London. But after it was ravaged by a fire in 2013, it lay dormant and damaged for over a decade.

Now following a restoration by Southwark Council and developer General Projects, the Hall reopened in January this year, breathing new life into a cherished civic space.

Once an Army Recruiting office during the Great War, the Grade II listed hall is now home to a range of furnished coworking offices, a pan-Asian cafe from Jusu Brothers and the return of the former Newington Library and Cuming Museum.

The 2013 fire started in the former council chamber and there is now a generation of Southwark residents who have only ever seen the Town Hall boarded up. Opening to this group for the first time, developers aimed to ensure the hall caters for all ages.

At the heart of the revived Hall is the purpose-built Community Space, a collaboration between Southwark Council and General People. The partnership aims to increase community engagement, support local talents, and provide a versatile environment for various gatherings, from workshops and classes to meetings and social events.

It opened in December last year and hosts a range of events on a donation basis, designed specifically for the local people in mind. There’s something for all abilities and beginners are encouraged, from weekly vinyasa yoga, pilates, line dancing and Tai Chi.

“We really want to share the community side and get more people involved,” says Tea Karulia, general manager at Walworth Town Hall. “It’s a shame more people don’t know about it. It’s so good for everyone’s well-being to be moving more.

“It’s on a donation basis,” says Tea, “which means you can donate 5p and join these classes.”

With the cost of exercise classes continuing to rise, these community sessions are a low-cost and truly accessible way to stay active and socialise with other members of the local community too.

The Community Space and meeting room can also be rented out by individuals and businesses. So far, the programme has included street dance reiki meditation and even tarot readings. For community organisers running free public events, the space can be used at no charge.

The venue has also caught the attention of the creative sector. It’s recently featured in a documentary produced by Studio Lenca, in a film amplifying Latin American voices in London. The Hall is now in talks with several production companies to bring even more opportunities to local residents.

If you are making a quick visit, there’s a pan-Asian cafe on-site offering healthy food and drink options for both the public and users of the hall. Jusu Brothers champions nutritious food and celebrates vibrant flavours.

Main meals include Bento boxes, Salmon Teriyaki Salad, Chicken Banh-Mi and Poke Bowls, alongside a selection of fresh juices and hot drinks.

For remote workers seeking a comfortable working environment away from their own home, hot desk memberships are available for £12 per day or £99 per month, giving access to communal desks and meeting areas.

The 50,000 sq ft civic building has been restored to its former glory, with efforts by Peckham-based architects Feix and Marlin to retain the building’s historic features. This is demonstrated in the Newington Library located upstairs,

WHAT DOES THE RECENTLY RESTORED WALWORTH TOWN HALL HAVE TO OFFER?

where those seeking a quieter co-working space away from the cafe can secure a desk for £300 a month to work in the beautiful surroundings.

Dilber Mogal from General People, said that local community feedback has been extremely positive: “Especially when you take them round where the kids’ library used to be,” Dilber tells the South sLondoner. “They say, ‘I used to come here when I was five, it looks completely different!’”

The fire-damaged council chamber has been built with a new ceiling and there is a new grand entrance leading to Walworth Square.

For businesses looking for a unique permanent home, there are numerous office spaces available for rent upstairs, which are all newly renovated with subtle nods to the Hall’s late Victorian history. Tea, the general manager, sums up the hall: “The building itself is truly special. It’s

a beautiful blend of original features and modern design, with the new furniture perfectly complementing the historic architecture.”

Walworth Town Hall sits in a space that has been witness to mass redevelopment since it first opened its doors in the late 19th century, particularly in recent decades. Surrounded by sleek, high-rise developments, the hall reclaims a vital piece of Walworth’s rich history. Its restoration is a refreshing counterpoint to the rapid urban transformation around it, offering a sense of character, and community in a landscape that’s constantly evolving.

Location: Walworth Town Hall, 151-155 Walworth Road, London, SE17 1RS

Community Space enquiries: community@generalpeople.com

Jusu Brothers opening times: Monday-Friday 8am-4pm

At the meeting at Lower Road

The 2013 fire at Walworth Hall

Entrance Hall with the co-working space and Jusu Brothers cafe

The Newington Library

18 NEWS

By Harrison Galliven Local Democracy Reporter

THE GOVERNMENT has announced it is “minded to” appoint commissioners to oversee the running of Croydon Council, citing its long-standing financial problems and pressure on local services.

This follows the council’s assurances that it had stabilised its finances following its last bankruptcy in 2022.

The proposed takeover has drawn a vocal objection from Croydon’s Tory Mayor Jason Perry, who has called it a “naked political attack” from the Labour government. He added that the government was exhibiting double standards and that he had done everything he could to fix the borough’s finances.

In a stark assessment of Croydon’s ongoing financial crisis, Secretary of State for Local Government Jim McMahon signalled the need for a “short and sharp reset” to get the troubled council back on track. In a written statement he said: “Failing to change course would condemn Croydon’s residents to a worsening position without an exit strategy.”

If appointed, commissioners would be tasked with implementing a stabilisation plan, overseeing spending cuts and structural reforms that McMahon believes the council has so far struggled to deliver. The intervention, expected to last until July 2027, would be reviewed after 12 months, but officials insist this is the only way to drive real change at the pace Croydon now desperately needs.

While he acknowledged some progress, he noted that Croydon remains one of the most financially troubled councils in the country, with a debt of £1.4 billion. McMahon added: “The proposal to intervene is not taken lightly but is designed to strengthen and accelerate improvement to ensure the council delivers for its residents.”

Croydon Council was previously overseen by the government-appointed Improvement and Assurance Panel (IAP), which aimed to guide the local authority into stability following years of financial turmoil. The decision came after the council’s three successive section 114 bankruptcies.

This period has seen the council ‘streamline’ its services in an effort to address its debt burden. The council has raised £230m in capital receipts and has made £130m in three tranches of asset sales.

However, for residents, this ‘streamlining’ has seen cuts proposed to library services, lollipop patrols and the council’s dedicated Youth Engagement Team.

Despite four years of oversight under the IAP and the council’s plans for an “exit strategy”, Croydon continues to face financial difficulties.

The severity of its situation was highlighted when the government handed Croydon £136m of extra financial support (EFS) in February of this year. The council has now received a total of £553 million in EFS since 2021.

In an official council statement Mayor Perry said: “If at any time the panel or Government felt that there was any action the council should be taking, and was not, they had the power to instruct us. They never did.

“Surely that means we are doing everything possible, and they agree with our actions? We have already made very difficult decisions, and in my view, the residents of Croydon have

GOVERNMENT COULD SEND IN COMMISSIONERS TO RUN CROYDON ONLY THREE YEARS AFTER COUNCIL’S LAST BANKRUPTCY

felt enough pain.

“Despite all the improvements that have been delivered by the council and its staff, it appears the Government wants to centralise control into the hands of commissioners.”

However, Mayor Perry went further in a statement shared by Croydon’s Conservatives. In that he accused the Labour government of launching a “naked political attack”.

He said: “When other councils ran into difficulty, they received direct support from the Labour Government. Just this year, Birmingham was handed £31 million in so-called ‘recovery grants’.

Enfield, Hackney, Lambeth, Lewisham, and ten other London Boroughs (nearly all run by Labour, none run by the Conservatives) all received millions of pounds as part of the same grant. Croydon did not receive a penny.

“This double standard is as unfair as it is unjust. We are doing the hard work locally, and we have been honest about the road ahead. It is wrong that residents here should now face even more pain because of mistakes Labour politicians made, whilst other boroughs are bailed out.”

Reacting to the news, Labour candidate for Croydon Mayor, Rowenna Davis, told the LDRS: “This is a sad day for Croydon and a damning indictment of the Conservatives’ mismanagement of the council’s budget.”

She added: “Jason Perry came to power on a promise to fix Croydon Council’s finances. But despite a £136 million bailout, and council tax hiked by 27% on his watch, the council’s budgetary position is now so serious that the Government have been forced to step in. Once again, the people of Croydon are paying the price for the failure of politicians who don’t have our community’s interests at heart.

“At every stage, Croydon Council’s Mayor Jason Perry has made the wrong choices. An administration that wastes over £6 million on consultants while cutting lollipop school crossing patrols is not an administration that puts people first.

“Croydon needs a fresh start with a Mayor who will go through our finances line-by-line, root out waste, and engage fully with central Government to get a grip on our budget once and for all.”

The Government is inviting representations from the council and any other parties on the proposed intervention by Wednesday, June 25. Croydon Council says it is now reviewing all available options and will submit a formal response to the Government in due course.

Croydon Mayor Jason Perry CREDIT: LDRS

Croydon Town Hall CREDIT: LDRS

Croydon Councillor Rowenna Davis CREDIT: LDRS

The ferry has transported an additional 1,800 vehicles per day on average since the Silvertown Tunnel opened on April 7

By Cameron Blackshaw Local Democracy Reporter

DRIVERS SAY the Silvertown Tunnel opening has led to long queues for the Woolwich Ferry and a surge in the number of lorries boarding, with motorists preferring to take the free service over paying to cross the river.

According to TfL, the ferry has transported an additional 1,800 vehicles per day on average since the Silvertown Tunnel opened on April 7, while the combined Silvertown and Blackwall corridor now averages 88,000 vehicles across both directions on a typical weekday.

This is a reduction from the 90,000 to 100,000 vehicles that were using the Blackwall Tunnel on an average day before the Silvertown opening. Motorists are charged to use either the Blackwall or Silvertown tunnels, with peak charges for cars costing £4 for just one trip.

Residents living in 12 East London boroughs or the City of London, and on certain benefits, could be eligible for a 50 per cent discount on the tunnels charge, but they have to apply to TfL. Around 3,500 residents are currently registered for this discount.

Woolwich resident Dev Der uses the ferry two or three days a week to get to his office in Canary Wharf. He said it has been “a pain” to queue for the ferry, which often takes him 30 to 45 minutes at peak times, but he will continue to use it because he feels the £8 daily charge to use the tunnels is too high.

Greenwich resident Loong Chung said: “I use [the ferry] when the queue isn’t too bad and I am willing to queue if it’s less than 30 minutes’ wait.

“£8 for a return trip is just too much. If I’m not in a rush, I will try to use the ferry

By Louisa Woolf

AFTER A successful pilot in 2023, the Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival has made a vibrant return running til June 29.

The south west London festival is centred on the theme of “Cultural Reforesting,” inviting the community to explore how art can renew our relationship with nature and inspire positive social change.

Over two weeks, more than 50 events are takintg place across Richmond, with performances, exhibitions, installations, and workshops hosted in venues and public spaces throughout the borough.

Festival hubs include The Exchange in Twickenham, OSO Arts Centre, and Hampton Common, bringing a rich mix of creativity to local neighbourhoods

The programme features a diverse lineup of artists, activists, storytellers, scientists, and thinkers who interpret the theme through innovative and engaging works.

Highlights include Lebanese live artist Tania El Khoury’s immersive performance ‘Memory of Birds’, exploring collective memory and political trauma; and ‘ORIGIN’, a unique deep listening experience blending spatial sound, lighting, and music to create a calming space for reflection.

Technology meets nature in ‘The Waves are Rising’, an augmented

or the Rotherhithe Tunnel.”

Tony Silver, also from Greenwich, said using the Blackwall Tunnel was now “a pleasure” with less traffic. Mr Silver also said he had to queue for an hour to use the ferry during rush hour, but throughout the rest of the day it was fairly quiet.

Thamesmead resident Letisha Hyde was a frequent user of the ferry to get to work and get her children to school and nursery. Now she chooses to use the tunnels because of how busy the ferry has gotten.

She said: “I was expecting the ferry to be a lot busier since the tunnel charges and it definitely is. However, there is always a two boat service, which runs until later now.

“Congestion at peak times wouldn’t be as bad if the lorries weren’t taking up so much space; it’s like a cargo ship at times. Since the tunnel the amount of lorries in the morning has tripled and one lorry alone takes up three to four cars on the ferry.”

Having to use the tunnel has “put a lot of pressure” on Letisha’s finances. She said: “£8 a day adds up and I’ve had to budget elsewhere to make sure I’m able to afford essentials. The extra petrol I’m having to use also has been a strain.”

Some ferry users have raised concerns that TfL could start charging passengers, but it would take an act of parliament for this to take place as the service has been free to use since the modern service began in 1889.

In response to the increased use of the Woolwich Ferry, TfL commissioner Andy Lord said: “Our staff are working hard to manage the additional customers and keep the ferry on schedule, and we are monitoring this situation closely with the expectation it will settle in the coming months as new travel patterns are established.”

WOOLWICH FERRY USAGE INCREASE AS MOTORISTS DON’T WANT TO PAY TUNNEL CHARGES

Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival returns with cultural reforesting

reality piece that poetically addresses environmental issues affecting the Thames and global waterways.

British-Gujarati artist Shyam Dattani’s participatory outdoor dance ‘Garbh’ celebrates heritage and community with a dynamic sand terrain stage.

Another highlight will be the ‘Beuys’ Acorns Oak Circle’ event on June 21st, led by international artists Ackroyd & Harvey, which celebrates the Summer

Solstice with tree planting, rituals, and creative workshops inspired by environmental art activism.

The Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival promises a thought-provoking, inclusive celebration of creativity, community, and nature.

The festival was launched by Richmond Arts Service as part of Culture Richmond’s 10-year plan to create a vibrant and inclusive cultural

landscape across the borough by 2031

Richmond Council’s Spokesperson for Arts, John Coombs said: “Richmond upon Thames has long been a home for artists, a place where creativity takes root and flourishes.

“Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival highlights this spirit, using the arts to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

“Cultural Reforesting is about more

than just nature – it’s about renewal, regeneration, and the power of creativity to inspire change.

“Through this festival, we invite everyone to be part of a movement that reimagines our future, reconnects us with the natural world, and proves that art has a vital role to play in the climate conversation.”

For full details, visit the Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival website.

Jailed Nino-Tai Smith CREDIT: Met Police

what’s on

An intimate tale of loss and discovery, isolation and connection

IN SEARCH of the selfhood and pleasure stolen from her, Stars: An Afrofuturist Space Odyssey, follows Mrs (Debra Michaels) on a journey of empowerment. Essentially a one-woman show - except for the brief narration and occasional appearance from her DJ son, Michael Manners (Bradley Charles) – Stars is an unashamedly bold spotlighting of voices that have long been silenced, writes Melina Block It is fitting that, until the end of the play, we simply know Michaels’ character as Mrs. No identity of her own, she has spent her whole life confined to her role as a wife or mother; her humanity and individuality stripped away because of her gender. Following the death of her abusive husband and her son leaving to start his own life, Mrs forms a tentative friendship with Maryam, a young Muslim girl on her estate. This, as well as a reunion with a woman she used to work with, sparks a flicker of hope for Mrs, who

becomes intent on finding her own orgasm and freeing herself from decades of repression.

The deep-rooted trauma and fear surrounding sexuality and queerness that has clouded Mrs’ life is slowly unpicked, interwoven with tales of African mythology and folklore. Both heartbreaking and life-affirming, this show refuses to shy away from difficult, controversial topics. Sexual violence, female genital mutilation and conversion therapy are all discussed with empathy and understanding – both for these issues and the victims of them.

If it sounds like a heavy watch, then it is because it often can be. Some scenes left me reeling, as the audience are forced to confront some of the most disturbing experiences women face. But Michaels performs with such passion and unrelenting joy (not to mention talent; switching several different accents and characters with ease) that the overwhelming message seems to be one of resilience rather than despair.

is a great dramatic and comedic artist, injecting a rare subtlety and nuance to her performance. Charles’ DJing and the beautiful animations which light up the stage complement the show perfectly. It is undeniable that a lot of

love – for theatre, women and the arts – went into Stars.

So, for an intimate tale of loss and discovery, isolation and connection, all underpinned by intelligent creativity, Stars is one odyssey worth following to the end.

More than visual and audial fun - Storehouse

WE WERE given Photo ID and a Number and told to enter Storehouse via the side door of a huge riverside warehouse where we had to negotiate our way through huge reels of paper and into a room with your designated number on. An IT geek gave us a rundown on the birth of the internet and the rise of fake news - the subliminal message being how the media manipulates the information it sends out. What nobody else in that room of Number 5s knew was that the last owner of that warehouse at Convoys Wharf was Rupert Murdoch and one of the last jobs my father had as a stevedore was unloading the paper for the Murdoch empire at that site, writes Michael Holland.

Storehouse evolved from an idea Liana Patarkatsishvilli had when she asked herself: ‘How are we manipulated, and why don’t we see it happening?’ She didn’t want to answer it in a lecture hall but through a live, immersive experience. A team was pulled together to plan, write, design and build until that spark of an idea became real in a Deptford warehouse.

Storehouse is where every piece of data since the dawn of the communication highway is kept. But there is a power outage, data leaks, and we - the Trustees of Storehouse - need to save it.

You quickly become mesmerised by the angles and textures in this strange world, with its ever-changing light and soundscape forming the hypnotic backdrop that you only become conscious of when a voice gives you information or instructions. And there is a lot of data to take in while you are distracted by various characters appearing with more details to add to the story and the journey through this wonderland of delights.

We were invited into willow forests of fibre-optic cable, where the walls whispered. Are we being manipulated? Should we believe everything we are told or shown? Someone actually hissed in my ear to ‘Watch out for that one’, while pointing out one of the most important players. As I turned to ask for more details I could see the whisperer scuttling off, back down the tunnel we had just came through.

At one point we were handed lanterns that we could control by switching them to blue or red in order to place

our votes to questions posed to the group. However, our control was taken away at one point and another power was changing our lanterns’ colours to vote for us. Technology had taken over. Storehouse is so relevant right now. The country was convinced by a bombardment of lies and personalised, targeted online propaganda to believe Brexit was a good thing; Elon Musk says he bought himself a President with his media platform, the right wing press gave us Bojo Johnson. People need to seriously think about where their news is coming from and whether it has a bias designed to deflect their thoughts. Storehouse is a major happening, a triumph of design (Alice Helps) a crucial event; it is much more than 90 minutes of visual and audial fun - It is a warning!

Deptford Storehouse, Off New King Street, Grove Street, London, SE8 3AA from Tuesday 4th June – 20th September. Times: Wed, Thu, Fri - 6pm & 8pm; Sat - 3pm, 5pm & 8pm; Sun12pm, 2pm & 5pm. 90 minutes. Admission: £27.50 - £47.50 Booking and full details: https://www.sageandjester.com

by Sanaa

Brixton House, 385 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, London SW9 8GL until 28 June 2025.

Booking and full details: https://brixtonhouse.co.uk/

by Helen Murray

Michaels

Photo

Abstrakt

Photo

Heading south - our pick of upcoming summer events

‘Sneaky Blinders’ Murder Mystery Dinner, Charlton (£55)

Charlton House are hosting their ‘Sneaky Blinder’s dinner, a take on Peaky Blinders, where power loyalty and betrayal collide over an evening of ﬁne dining. Tickets include a three-course meal where suspicions will rise and a crime will demand swift justice.

Date: Friday 27th June. Time: 6:30pm

Location: Charlton House & Gardens, Charlton Road, London, SE7 8RE

Tickets: £55.00 each.

To book, get in touch with Relish via email info@relish.co.uk or call 01322 221159.

Stand-Up Comedy on the Cutty Sark, Greenwich (£7.50)

To celebrate Refugee Week 2025, the Cutty Sark is hosting an evening of standup comedy with No Direction Home, a comedy collective featuring new standups from refugee and migrant backgrounds. No Direction Home are a comedy collective produced by Counterpoint Arts featuring new stand-ups from refugee and migrant background.

Suitable for ages 16+. Date: Friday 27th June. Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm

Location: Michael Edwards Studio, Cutty Sark, King William Walk, London SE10 9HT

Tickets: Pay what you can: £7.50 or £10. Book here: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whatson/ cutty-sark/no-direction-home-stand-comedy-evening

Salons in the Queen’s House, Greenwich (FREE)

See the Queen’s House in Greenwich and its collections with a series of free lunchtime talks exploring art, architecture, history and contemporary culture. The term ‘salon’ was used historically to describe social gatherings in the domestic sphere. Speakers at the Salons series include artists, researchers, curators and creative practitioners. ‘The Seeds of Survival’ programme on the 25th June will be a talk from Akousa Paries-Osei will focus on the botanical knowledge of enslaved women who transported African plants and botanicals to the New World.

Date: 25th June. Time: 1-1:30pm

Location: The Queen’s House, Greenwich, Romney Rd, London SE10 9NF Tickets: Free, no

Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, Woolwich (£13):

Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair are celebrating their 10th year, brining their ‘Summer Edition’ to London’s Historic Royal Arsenal. The fair is a festival-feel art experience bringing together leading exhibiting galleries and artists. Purchase the best in contemporary print to take home on the day, directly from the artists. Enjoy live music, food and beverage stands, interactive and family-friendly demonstrations and workshops throughout a curated exhibition of stands.

Date: Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th June.

Time: 10am-5pm

Location: Woolwich Works, The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 St, Royal Arsenal, London SE18 6HD.

Tickets: One day tickets are £13.20 standard or £11 adult. Children under the age of 16 are free.

Book here: https://www.woolwich.works/events/wcpf-summeredition-2025

Author Talk at Blackheath Halls (£10 per ticket):

John Willis is author of The People’s War: Unheard Stories, which tells the story of everyday bravery, moments of terror and experiences of ordinary people who lives through World War II. In the early 2000s, the BBC launched its biggest oral history project, which amounted to 47,000 testimonies and over 400 diaries and letters, all of which have been unexplored in archives until now. John Willis will be in conversation with journalist Patrick Kidd, diary editor of the Times and author of The Weak are a Long Time in Politics.

Date: 26th June. Time: 7:30pm-8:30pm

Location: Blackheath Halls (The Hearn Recital Room), 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, London, SE3 9RQ

Tickets: £10 per ticket, book here: https://www.blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/john-willis-thepeoples-war/

© Cutty Sark / Royal Museums Greenwich

Woolwich Works

History

THE SURPRISING HISTORY OF MORLEY COLLEGE

From brawls at the Old Vic to ‘Penny Science’ lectures, horse care and Gustav Holst

By Debra Gosling

TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY education

really is taken for granted. Each and every student is now allocated a place at school (like it or not) and everyone, whether man, woman or child is given the opportunity to learn and better themselves.

There’s a course designed for everyone, be it Spanish evening classes, Basic English or a five-year Criminology degree. Even if you’re unemployed there’s someone somewhere waiting to teach you new skills.

In late Victorian times however, it was quite a different story. Only the privileged few got the chance of a proper education, with its insight into the magical world of literature, art and culture.

For the masses it was the factories, or cottage industries that beckoned after their elementary board school education. Many didn’t even manage that; families were larger then and income minuscule. Children were expected to work to earn their keep, so the chance to learn was an aspiration that lay buried deep under the layers of chimney soot and machinery oil. Kids as young as seven were made to work for the good of the family unit. Not for them the opportunity to bury their noses in the fantastical tales of Long John Silver or The Water Babies. And what delights awaited them in adulthood?

Road

A life of grime during the day and gin palaces to numb the misery at night.

But there was light in this dreary world, a little refuge for those that wanted more than a swift half, a song and a fight in their spare time: the torch of Morley College.

Situated right on the tip of north Southwark, Morley has been enlightening the working classes for well over a hundred years. It all started down the road in Waterloo at the Old Vic, then a rowdy music hall playing to a boisterous, drunken crowd.

Every Saturday night, after an evening of risqué acts, bawdy songs and gutter humour the audience would spill out onto the street where they’d finish off their evening brawling with the local plod.

In fact, Kennington nick offered extra cash for officers attending the Vic on a Saturday night, but many didn’t take up the offer for fear of receiving a fractured skull. It wasn’t unusual to have as many as forty Public Order cases up before the beak on Monday morning.

As usual, the cause of all this disgraceful behaviour was the demon drink. What else was there to do for workers in their spare time?

Books were too expensive and most hadn’t stepped foot outside of their parish for most of their lives; all they knew was how to graft and how to quaff for England. They had no idea there was more to life than looking into the bottom of a glass.

Something drastic had to be done.

In 1880 a brave lady by the name of Emma Cons, along with her supporters, turned the Old Vic into a Temperance Music Hall; there was still the variety acts, albeit toned down, but there was no drink allowed on the premises and none was served.

Emma Cons c.1897

Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t a huge success with the locals. People still came on a Saturday night; after all there wasn’t much else to do, but during the week the theatres usually made their money through the sale of alcohol. So what to do for the Vic?

Ms Cons, in desperation for some cash, wrote to philanthropist and textile manufacturer Samuel Morley, who after deciding the project would be beneficial for the people of Southwark, handed over the readies.

And so in the quiet times during the week other entertainment was introduced with the hope that eventually the theatre would drift away from the bawd and enter a more cultured era.

Music concerts were the first of the new ventures but something else was needed to keep the Old Vic afloat and a series of ‘Penny Science’ lectures were introduced. This was a time of great discovery; the likes of Dr Livingstone were bringing far-flung mysteries back to Blighty and people couldn’t get enough of it.

Now Ms Cons and Mr Morley were bringing these adventures to the everyday working classes. They enlisted lecturers to deliver talks with titles such as China and the Chinese people, and From the Cape to Cairo.

Just imagine how enthralled their audiences must have been; after settling for a load of ‘whoops missus’ jokes and songs about rolling out barrels they were now being entertained with accounts of lands with sun-gods, boy-kings, and treasures of jade and gold.

At first it was just a few who turned up for the lectures but as word spread they became extremely popular, and not a drop of the hard stuff in sight.

These nights of entertainment were soon to become the basis for Morley College. Spare dressing rooms at the back of the theatre were used as classrooms and a separate entrance around the side in Waterloo Road was created for students. The Royal Victoria Hall was now in the business of educating local people.

To encourage the working classes to put down their pint glasses and pick up their pens, fees were kept to a minimum.

As word spread others volunteered their services as lecturers.

Talks on electricity, the telephone and how machinery worked became popular with those men from the factories who, after using such equipment all day, could now find out exactly how it worked. This

of course, led to a better interest in their everyday jobs and provided a basis to earn promotion.

But the main ethos of the Victoria Hall’s lectures were to get people involved in something they wouldn’t normally do, something that they wouldn’t face in the course of their jobs.

First-aid classes were held for men, which was and still is a useful skill to possess. In a society where heavy machinery and flammable materials were prevalent knowing how to dress a wound was invaluable.

Also popular were the talks on the care of horses and other animals; it may seem a bit strange now but back then horses were used like cars today. Everyone had one but what happened when it got sick? You’d have to find a good farrier or vet, which cost money so these classes were usually packed with Carmen, Draymen and Costermongers.

In just a short space of time the Hall had built up a whole prospectus of interesting things to do. Women were also catered for. Society etiquette dictated that mixed classes for first aid and gymnastics would be improper so the ladies had their own lectures. Their gymnastics classes consisted of them marching up and down fully dressed, their long, bustling skirts sweeping the floor as they went. They even had to wear their hats; this rule wasn’t relaxed until 1901.

Morley College at Westminster Bridge

The canteen was strictly out of bounds for the women, lest they be offended by the men lounging around in their gym vests. Instead they had their tea in the common room and ordered their refreshments via a speaking tube.

Most other classes could be attended by either sex, with Morley advocating that if a man wanted to do needlework and a woman machine construction, then so be it. What freedom for such a restrictive era!

By 1889 the spare dressing rooms in the theatre had been walled off to form the Morley Memorial College for working men and women. Classes were aimed at promoting social intercourse amongst the students with more music, handicraft, art and language classes introduced.

In later years women could enjoy dance classes, both classical, a la Theodora Duncan as well as ballet - Dame Ninette de Valois, founder of the Royal Ballet, had associations with the college.

Elocution, dressmaking, shorthand and singing lessons ensured that factory girls could start looking for jobs in shops and offices. There were classes in maths, chemistry and astronomy. Gradually the tide was turning against all the drunken brawls and loutish behaviour of the bad old days.

Of course, with such a wide range of courses and a rather diverse bunch of students, Morley College attracted some

very distinguished guests and lecturers.

Virginia Woolf graced the college with her presence after Principal Miss Sheepshanks approached her to help out.

As talks for a new bridge over the Thames finally became concrete, Wolfe Barry, the engineer of the proposed Tower Bridge came to Morley to share his vision. It turned out to be one of the most highly-attended lectures with both local engineers and the just plain curious all vying for seats.

Morley has always been big in the music department. In the days before gramophones people had to make their own. Any students taking up music classes in 1905 would have enjoyed the lectures by Ralph Vaughan-Williams, the great composer who wrote the beautiful Pastoral Symphonies, plus of course ‘Down Ampney’, a tribute to the place of his birth in Wiltshire.

He gave endless help and encouragement to young musicians, both amateur and professional and kept strong ties with the college throughout his distinguished career, and also worked with another lecturer, Gustav Holst, who wrote, amongst other works, the Planet Suite - a totally different mood of music to Vaughan-Williams.

The two complemented each other perfectly. Holst became the director of music at the college, a post he held for seventeen years. In 1911 he worked

A tiny museum relating to Great Fire of London planned in a disused toilet

By Ben Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter

A DISUSED public toilet by The Monument is to potentially become a new ‘micro-museum’ under plans filed with the City of London.

The proposal, which was submitted by Eastern City BID though planned in conjunction with the City, is seeking a change of use of the site with plans to host “interpretive material, displays, and digital content relating to The Monument and the history of the Great Fire of London”.

The Monument was completed in 1677 to commemorate the fire which had destroyed much of the old City 11 years prior.

with the students to perform Purcell’s Fairy Queen, which hadn’t been seen for over two hundred years. All this for evening class students - a far cry from the drunken music hall beginnings.

In 1924 the theatre asked the college to move out when a reconstruction was in the pipeline. It was then that the college moved to its present site in Westminster Bridge Road and took over the premises formerly occupied by the Yorkshire Society’s school.

The building was enlarged and provided accommodation as well as a hall for concerts and a large library. It ranked as one of the best-equipped places of education for working men and women.

In the thirties, when unemployment was high, Morley opened its doors during the day to accommodate the jobless. Just a few years later there was plenty for people to do when war broke out. The college set about training up the A.T.S. and the main building was used as a rest centre for the shell-shocked and destitute.

In 1940 it would become a temporary morgue when it received a direct hit, killing fifty-seven people. Rebuilt, the new college was opened by the Queen Mother in 1958. Eleven years later the art gallery opened in an old pub, the King’s Arms, ironically carrying on Ms Cons’ tradition of replacing booze with culture.

Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke, it took six years to build and stands at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill. The disused toilet was added in the early 2000s. While the Eastern City BID is the

applicant, the property is owned by the City of London Corporation. Images included in planning documents indicate the existing structure is potentially to be redesigned, with colourful graphics decorating its exterior.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) however understands the design of the proposed museum will follow at a later stage, so no visuals are confirmed.

The documents state: “The proposal will transform the existing space into a micro museum for the Monument to the Great Fire of London. It offers a great opportunity to provide a publicly accessible cultural space with unique historic interpretation of the Monument and it’s [sic] many layered stories. Big stories told, in a tiny space!”

A spokesperson for Eastern City BID told the LDRS the focus at this stage is to get the change of use needed to further develop the museum concept.

AYLESBURY ESTATE HISTORY EXHIBITION

By Issy Clarke

A FREE exhibition exploring the legacy of the Aylesbury Estate is taking place in Walworth Town Hall this week (16–22 June).

The event includes a drop-in drawing workshop on Saturday, 21 June where participants will be invited to contribute to a large-scale animated patchwork illustration of the soonto-be demolished Wendover housing block.

There will also be a panel discussion on 18 June exploring how art can be used during consultation and development to amplify community voices.

The exhibition, titled The Aylesbury Voices: A Community in Motion, has been organised by Our Cube CIC as part of the London Festival of Architecture.

It will explore the legacy of the Aylesbury Estate, once home to 8,000

residents, amid regeneration, reflecting on what is gained and lost as homes and communities are reimagined. All the events are free to attend. No booking is required for the dropin workshop but free tickets must be booked to attend the panel. The event listings for the exhibition, talk and workshop can be booked on .londonfestivalofarchitecture.org

Monument disused toilet - from Google

Emma Cons c.1897

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE

MRIKA LTD has applied to Wandsworth Council for a premises licence at: Da Valter, 206 Trinity Road, London, SW17 7HP to provide the following licensable activities: Sale Of Alcohol – ON And OFF LICENSE Monday To Sunday From 10:00 Am Until 23:00

Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email to: licensing@merton.gov.uk

By 08/07/2025

The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of The Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00am and 4.00pm. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk

It is an offence, under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in or in connection with an application, punishable upon conviction by an unlimited fine.

Notice of application for a Premises Licence.

Notice is hereby given that Ajmeet Singh Dang has applied to Richmond Council for a new premises licence at Grab & Go, 57-58 George Street, Richmond, TW9 1HE for Sale of alcohol by retail, for consumption off the premises. Monday to Thursday 08:00-00:00, Friday and Saturday 08:00-01:00, Sunday 10:00-23:00.

Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 10 July 2025 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Richmond Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk

The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of Richmond Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.richmond.gov.uk

LICENSING ACT 2003

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR VARIATION OF A PREMISES LICENCE

Notice is hereby given that Padel Box South Bermondsey Ltd has applied to the London Borough of Lewisham to vary the premises licence in respect of Padel Box Bermondsey, Unit 3 Ilderton Wharf, Rollins Street, London SE15 1EP

The proposed variation is to:

1. Extend the hours for the supply of alcohol on the premises from 22:00 to 23:00, Monday to Sunday.

2. Change the layout and associated plan to include an outside area with an additional bar and seating for 50 people.

3. Remove recorded music from the licence.

4. Extend the opening hours of the premises from 22:00 to 23:30, Monday to Sunday. Any person wishing to make a representation in relation to this application must do so in writing to: Licensing Authority, London Borough of Lewisham, Holbeach Office, 9 Holbeach Road, London SE6 4TW or by email to licensing@lewisham.gov.uk, to be received no later than 9th July 2025 Representations must relate to one or more of the licensing objectives.

The record of this application can be inspected by appointment at the above address during normal office hours.

It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application, and the maximum fine on summary conviction is unlimited.

Notice of Application for a New Premises Licence Under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003.

Notice is hereby given that I Cook U Eat Ltd have applied to the London Borough of Wandsworth Council for a new premises licence for I Cook U Eat, 62 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5RQ to permit the sale of alcohol for consumption on & off the premises from 11.00 to 23.00 daily all week. The address of the Licensing Authority where the register is kept and the application may be inspected during normal business hours is: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond & Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays)by prior appointment at the offices of Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond & Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 am and 4.00pm. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk. Any representations by any other person or responsible authority must be received in writing by the Licensing Authority by 05th July 2025 stating the nature and grounds for making such representation. It is an offence under Section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003 to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. The maximum fine on summary conviction for this offence is an unlimited fine. GT Licensing Consultants Tel 07810 826778 em: gtlicensingconsultants@gmail.com

LICENSING ACT 2003

APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PREMISES LICENCE

Carvalho’s Cafe Ltd has applied to the London Borough of Lambeth for the grant of a Premises Licence, in respect of the following premises: Carvalho’s Cafe Ltd, 106 Natal Road, London SW16 6HZ which would authorise the following licensable activities: Supply of Alcohol on and off site everyday from 11:00 - 16:30

The record of this application may be inspected during normal office hours by an appointment at the Licensing Section, London Borough of Lambeth Town Hall, Basement Room B08 & B09, 1 Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1RW, 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 04.07.2025

It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with a licensing application, and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for that offence shall not exceed level 5 on the standard scale (£5,000).

LICENSING ACT 2003

APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PREMISES LICENCE

To whom it may concern:

I, Mr. Mustafa Sakar, do hereby give notice that I have applied to the Licensing Authority at the London Borough of Bromley for a new Premises Licence at: 179 High Street, Penge, SE20 7PF and known as Firin Penge

The application is to: sale of alcohol, Monday to Sunday, 10am to 11pm.

Any person wishing to make representations to this application may do so by writing, stating the grounds of objection to: Licensing, Civic Centre, Churchill Court, 2 Westmoreland Road, Bromley, BR1 1AS. Representations received after this date cannot be considered. All representations MUST BE IN WRITING.

A copy of the application can be viewed at the Licensing Authority’s address during normal office hours by appointment; or on the Council’s website: www.bromley.gov.uk (search applications).

It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with this application, the maximum fine on summary of conviction is currently unlimited.

Date: 13th June 2025

Notice of application to vary a Premises Licence

Notice is hereby given that Kirusalini Sekarran has applied to Wandsworth Council to vary the premises licence at Morley’s Fried Chicken, 259 Mitcham Lane, London, SW16 6QB as follows

Vary the hours for Late Night Refreshment MonSun 2300-0200

Vary the opening hours Mon-Sun 1100-0200

Add Seasonal Variation - Late Night Refreshment during month of Ramadan 2300-0400

Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 14th July 2025 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden,Surrey,SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk

Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Notice of application to vary a Premises Licence

Notice is hereby given that Mr. Brinthavan Thiviyanathan has applied to Wandsworth Council to vary the premises licence at Broadway Candyland, 2 Tooting High Street, London, SW17 0RG as follows Vary the hours for sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises to Sunday to Thursday 0800 hrs – 0000 hrs (Midnight) Friday & Saturday 0800 hrs – 0200 hrs

Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 16th July 2025 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden,Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk

The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden,Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Transport for London Public Notice

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984

THE A3 GLA ROAD (KINGSTON BY-PASS, LONDON BOROUGH OF MERTON) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) ORDER 2025

1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that it intends to make the above named Trafc Order under section 14(1) of the Road Trafc Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specied in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.

2. The purpose of the Order is to enable street lighting works to take place on the A3 Kingston By-Pass.

3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle from entering or proceeding on the off slip road connecting the westbound carriageway of the A3 Kingston By-Pass with Malden Junction roundabout between its junctions with the A3 Kingston By-Pass with Malden Junction roundabout.

The Order will also close the footway on the off slip road connecting the westbound carriageway of the A3 Kingston By-Pass with Malden Junction roundabout, access to properties will be maintained.

The Order will be effective between 27th June 2025 and 1st February 2026, 9:00 PM until 5:00 AM every night or when the works have been completed, whichever is the sooner. The prohibition will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by trafc signs.

4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of:

(1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for re brigade, ambulance or police purposes;

(2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London.

5. At such times as the prohibitions are in force an alternative route will be indicated by trafc signs via A3 Kingston By-pass (westbound), A3 Malden Way, A3 Tolworth Rise South, Tolworth Roundabout, A3 Tolworth Rise North (eastbound), A3 Malden Way and A3 Kingston By-pass to normal route of travel.

Dated this 20th day of June 2025

Andrew Ulph Co-ordination Manager

Transport for London, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ

Notice of application for a Premises Licence.

To place a notice in this paper and online, please email em@ cm‐media .co.uk or call us on 020 7232 1639

Deadline is 3pm on Wednesday

Notice is hereby given that Mr. Zeeshan Manzoor has applied to Wandsworth Council for a new premises licence at The Ladz, 229 Upper Tooting Road, London, SW17 7TG for Late Night Refreshment – Indoors and Outdoors – Monday to Sunday – 23:00hrs to 02:00hrs (Midnight)

Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 16th July 2025 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk

26 PUBLIC NOTICES

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14

TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS ON LAMBETH HIGH STREET

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that to facilitate development related works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth made an Order, the general effect of which will be in: -

2. Lambeth High Street, the east side, suspend the parking places and ban parking, waiting and loading from a point opposite the northern boundary of No. 46 Lambeth High Street southward for 26 metres.

3. The bans would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall, from time to time, be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.

4. The Order comes into force on 23 June 2025 and would continue for a maximum duration of 6 months, or until the works have been completed whichever is sooner.

Dated 20 June 2025

David Eaglesham Head of Network Management and Active Travel

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14

TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS ON BLENHEIM GARDENS

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that to facilitate a new mains connection works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order, the general effect of which would be in: -

2. Blenheim Gardens, the south side, between Stewart`s Place and Weld Works Mews to suspend parking, waiting, loading and unloading and suspend 3 free parking places.

3. The bans would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall, from time to time, be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.

4. The Order would come into force on 30 June 2025 and would continue for a maximum duration of 1 month, or until the works have been completed whichever is sooner.

Dated 20 June 2025

David Eaglesham Head of Network Management and Active Travel

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14 TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS IN WEST DULWICH FOR FLEXI-PAVING

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that to facilitate flexi-paving works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order, the general effect of which would be to:

2. suspend parking, waiting and loading on both sides of the road in: -

(1) Ardlui Road, (a) from the junction of Idmiston Road to outside No. 1 Ardlui Road, (b) outside the flank wall of No.61 and No. 40 Chatsworth Way.

(2) Chatsworth Road, (a) outside Nos.31 to 43 Chatsworth Way, and (b) outside Nos. 29 to 41 Chatsworth Road.

(3) Chestnut Road, outside Nos. 61 to 67 Chestnut Road.

(4 Dalmore Road, (a) outside Nos. 32 to 52 Dalmore Road, (b) outside Nos. 25 to 35 Dalmore Road.

(5) Eastmearn Road, between the junctions of Dalmore Road and Tulsmere Road.

(6) Idmiston Road, outside Nos. 6 to 26 Idmiston Road.

(7) Lancaster Avenue, (a) outside Nos. 13 to 23 Lancaster Avenue, (b) outside Nos. 39 to 49 Lancaster Avenue.

(8) Rosendale Road, (a) outside Nos. 73 to 89 Rosendale Road, (b) outside Nos. 131 to 143 Rosendale Road.

(9) Tulsemere Road, between the junctions of Idmiston Road and Eastmearn Road.

3. The bans would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall, from time to time, be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs.

4. The Order would come into force on 14 July 2025 and would continue for a maximum duration of 1 month (to allow for contingencies), or until the works have been completed whichever is sooner. In practice it is anticipated that the works would take place between 14 July 2025 and 15 August 2025, and it is anticipated that works will only take around 2-3 days at each location. Dated 20 June 2025

David Eaglesham

Head of Network Management and Active Travel LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH PROPOSED WAITING AND PARKING AMENDMENTS IN LILFORD ROAD

[NOTE: This Notice is about proposals to amend the vehicular access to Lilford Business Centre and amendments to adjacent waiting and parking place restrictions. Objections or other comments may be made – see paragraph 5].

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth, proposes to make The Lambeth (Free Parking Places, Loading Places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping Restrictions) (Amendment No. **) Order 202* and The Lambeth (Charged-For Parking Places) (Amendment No. **) Order 202* under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended).

2. The general effect of the Orders would be on the north side of Lilford Road outside Lilford Business Centre to:

(1) Remove the two existing redundant crossovers at either end of the site. (2) Create a new centrally located crossover to the site. (3) Amendments to waiting restrictions and shared use (permit holder and paid limited waiting) parking places.

3. The Orders are necessary to amend the vehicular access as part of the redevelopment to the Lilford Business Centre, Lilford Road.

4. A copy of each of the Orders and other documents giving detailed particulars about them are available for inspection online at: https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or www.lambeth.gov.uk/traffic-management-orders and at the offices of Lambeth Council’s Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), 3rd Floor, Civic Centre, 6 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1EG, between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm on Mondays to Fridays inclusive (except on bank/public holidays), until the Orders cease to have effect. To arrange an inspection please email: Trafficorders@lambeth.gov.uk

5. All objections and other representations relating to the proposed Orders must be made in writing by 11 July 2025 and all objections must specify the grounds on which they are made (quoting Lilford Road proposals), and can be made using our consultation portal at https://streets.appyway.com/lambeth or sent by post to Traffic Order Team , at Lambeth Council Parking and Enforcement Group (Parking, Network Management & Fleet), PO Box 80771, London SW2 9QQ. Any objection may be communicated to, or be seen by, other persons who may have an interest in this matter.

Dated 20 June 2025

David Eaglesham Head of Network Management and Active Travel

BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 16A TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURES FOR STREET PARTIES AND OTHER SOCIAL EVENTS

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable street parties and other social events to take place, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made Orders the effect of which would be to ban vehicles from entering the following roads or lengths of road on the dates indicated:-

(a)(i) Cedarville Gardens, the whole length; (ii) Wavertree Road, between Downton Avenue and Nuthurst Road; (iii) Thornlaw Road, between Casewick Road and Thurlby Road; on Sunday 29 June 2025

(b)(i) Arodene Road, between 56 Arodene Road and Helix Gardens; on Sunday 6 July

(c)(i) Deronda and Romola Road, Deronda Road between No. 32 Deronda Road and Scoles Crescent; Romola Road between No. 56 Romola Road and Deronda Road; (ii) Mackie Road, between Athlone Road and Hillworth Road; on Saturday 12 July 2025

(d)(i) Trelawn Road, between No. 17 Trelawn Road and No. 56 Trelawn Road; (ii) Egremont Road, between No. 33 Egremont Road and No. 64 Egremont Road; (iii) Birkbeck Place, the whole length; on Sunday 13 July

(e)(i) Chancellor Grove, the whole length; on Sunday 20 July

2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles will be available via adjacent roads as directed by traffic signs.

3. The bans will only apply on the above dates at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate

signs and barriers in the roads concerned.

Dated 20 June 2025

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH

Notice Under The Town and Country Planning Acts

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council is considering applications as set out below under the following categories; FUL

Full Applications

Listed Building

Variation of Condition

S106 - Variation to Section 106 Agreement

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.

Pavement On South Lambeth Road London SW8 1SU Display of a double-sided, internally illuminated digital LED screen. (To pavement outside Arch 39). 25/01567/ADV

Public Pavement Outside 423 Brixton Road London Replacement of the existing Telephone Kiosk with 1x Communications Kiosk incorporating an integrated digital advertisement display. 25/01728/FUL

Public Pavement Outside 423 Brixton Road London Display of 1x internally illuminated Digital panel within Communications Kiosk. 25/01729/ADV

Public Pavement Outside 133 Clapham High Street London Display of 1x internally illuminated Digital panel within Communications Kiosk. 25/01733/ADV

Public Pavement Outside 133 Clapham High Street London Replacement of the existing Telephone Kiosk with 1x Communications Kiosk incorporating an integrated digital advertisement display. 25/01732/FUL

59 - 63 Clapham High Street London SW4 7TG Display of 1x internally illuminated projecting sign and 1x internally illuminated menu case (to Ground Floor).

(Please note: The reference number for this Advertisement Consent application is 25/01642/ADV but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 25/01641/FUL). 25/01642/ADV

Bishop Thomas Grant School Belltrees Grove London SW16 2HY Installation of an All-Weather Sports Pitch, erection of 6x 12m tall floodlights, steel mesh fencing (upto 4.5m high), a changing room building and associated soft and hard landscaping and an ecological education area.

24/02396/FUL

Telephone Kiosks Outside 96 Streatham High Road London Display of 1x internally illuminated Digital panel within Communications Kiosk. 25/01743/ADV

367 Kennington Road London SE11 4PT Change of use from Office (Use Class E) to single residential dwelling (Use Class C3) together with associated internal and external alterations.

(Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 25/01617/LB, but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 25/01616/FUL) 25/01617/LB

Pavement On South Lambeth Road London SW8 1SU Installation of a "Pulse Smart Hub" with integrated digital screens, and emergency functionality including the provision of defibrillators. (To pavement outside Arch 39). 25/01566/FUL

Public Pavement Outside 142-148 Streatham Hill London Display of 1x internally illuminated Digital panel within Communications Kiosk. 25/01741/ADV

Garage Blocks Levehurst Way London Erection of two 5 storey buildings, to provide 18 dwelling flats (Use Class C3) and associated cycle parking and hard and soft landscaping, in addition to alterations and improvements to the existing Surridge Court building entrance and following demolition of the existing garages. 25/01355/FUL

Stockwell Bus Garage Binfield Road London SW4 6ST Proposed internal alterations to the operating and welfare block to facilitate the provision of an iBus facility. (Please refer to submitted Design and Access Statement for full schedule of works).

25/01688/LB

The Farside Bar And Kitchen 144 Stockwell Road London Lambeth SW9 9TQ Replacement of single glazed timber windows at first and second floors with slimline double glazed timber windows. (Like for Like).

(Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 25/01772/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 25/01771/FUL). 25/01772/LB

122 Brixton Hill London Lambeth SW2 1RS Demolition of buildings and construction of a mixed-use development comprising a fivestorey building with employment floorspace (Class E use) at ground floor level and co-living accommodation (Sui Generis use) on the floors above, together with servicing arrangements, car and cycle parking, landscaping and associated works 25/00452/FUL

17 Cardigan Street London SE11 5PE Replace the existing single-glazed timber windows throughout with new slimline heritage timber windows.

(Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 25/01675/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 25/01674/FUL) 25/01675/LB

Telephone Kiosk Outside 274 To 280 Brixton Road London Replacement of the existing Telephone Kiosk with 1x Communications Kiosk incorporating an integrated digital advertisement display. 25/01726/FUL

Telephone Kiosk Outside 274 To 280 Brixton Road London Display of 1x internally illuminated Digital panel within Communications Kiosk. 25/01727/ADV

Telephone Kiosk Outside 12 Acre Lane London Replacement of the existing Telephone Kiosk with 1x Communications Kiosk incorporating an integrated digital advertisement display. 25/01730/FUL

Telephone Kiosk Outside 12 Acre Lane London Display of 1x internally illuminated Digital panel within Communications Kiosk. 25/01731/ADV

Public Pavement Outside 142-148 Streatham Hill London Replacement of the existing Telephone Kiosk with 1x Communications Kiosk incorporating an integrated digital advertisement display. 25/01740/FUL

60 And 65 Sancroft Street London SE11 5NG Internal refurbishment and minor external works to the

[RE-CONSULTATION DUE TO AMENDED DRAWINGS AND DOCUMENTS) 25/00879/FUL

Land

Transport for London Public Notice

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984

THE A100 GLA ROAD (TOWER BRIDGE ROAD/TOWER BRIDGE APPROACH, LONDON BOROUGHS OF SOUTHWARK AND TOWER HAMLETS) (RESTRICTION OF TRAFFIC IN CONNECTION WITH FILMING) ORDER 2025

1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that it has made the above named Trafc Order under section 16A of the Road Trafc Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specied in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.

2. The purpose of the Order is to enable lming to take place in the London Boroughs of Southwark and Tower Hamlets.

3. The effect of the Order is to prohibit any:

(1) vehicle from entering, exiting, proceeding or stopping on the A100 Tower Bridge Road, Tower Bridge and Tower Bridge Approach between its junctions with Queen Elizabeth Street and Tower Hill;

(2) vehicle except local buses from proceeding in a northerly direction on the A100 Tower Bridge Road between its junctions with Abbey Street and Queen Elizabeth Street;

(3) vehicle from proceeding in an easterly direction on Queen Elizabeth Street between its junctions with Tooley Street and Tower Bridge Road;

(4) vehicle from turning left into Tower Bridge Approach from East Smitheld;

(5) vehicle from turning right into Tower Bridge Approach from Tower Hill;

(6) pedestrian from proceeding on western footway of Tower Bridge Road, Tower Bridge and Tower Bridge Approach between its junctions with Tower Hill and Tooley Street. Access to any premises situated on or adjacent to the road, or to any other premises accessible for pedestrians from, and only from, the road will be maintained.

The Order will be effective certain times from 5.00 AM to 6.00 AM on 27th June 2025 or until the conclusion of the event whichever is the soonest. The prohibitions will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by trafc signs.

4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of:

(1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of that event or for re brigade, ambulance or police purposes;

(2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London.

Additional streets and lengths of streets may also be closed at the direction of a police constable in uniform, to facilitate alternative routes.

5. At such times as the prohibition is in force an alternative route will be indicated by trafc signs via Byward Street, Lower Thames Street, Upper Thames Street, Queens Street Hill, Southwark Bridge, Southwark Bridge Road, Marshalsea Road, Great Dover Street and Tower Bridge Road or reverse to normal route of travel.

Dated this 20th day of June 2025

Gerard O’Toole Network Regulation Manager, Transport for London Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London

DULWICH HAMLET ESCAPE SANCTION

Whyte takes on rising star Itauma

By John Kelly

DILLIAN WHYTE will step back into the ring for the first time since December last year to face Moses Itauma in a British heavyweight bout in Saudi Arabia in August.

Brixton’s Whyte, 37, has beaten three journeymen fighters - Jermaine Franklin, Christian Hammer and Ebenezer Tettehsince being stopped by Tyson Fury after six rounds in April 2022.

Whyte (31-3) is facing unbeaten 20-yearold Slovakia-born Itauma (12-0), who knocked out United States veteran Mike Balogun, 41, in Glasgow last month to retain his WBA International and WBO InterContinental heavyweight titles.

Itauma, who started his boxing career at St Mary’s ABC in Chatham, Kent, has ten knockouts on his record.

The fight takes place on August 16.

Dulwich lose three bowlers in defeat

May ﬁnal abandoned after political messages displayed by fans

By John Kelly

NO CHARGES will be brought against Dulwich Hamlet after the abandonment of the London and South East Women’s Regional Football League (L&SERWFL) Trophy final in May.

Dulwich Hamlet Reserves were playing against Clapton Community at National League South men’s side Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium where supporters of both teams in action displayed flags and banners supporting Palestine.

Clapton were leading 2-0 after 20 minutes when the game was stopped

after a request that supporters remove the signs.

When that didn’t happen the game was abandoned.

In a statement, Maidstone said “the match was abandoned by league and match officials, in consultation with the stewarding team, for reasons of a perceived risk to safety and with regard to clear stadium regulations and FA guidelines”.

Maidstone’s ground regulations say supporters should follow Football Association and National League rules and regulations, which ban political messaging in stadiums.

On Monday, Dulwich issued a joint-statement from chairman Ben

Clasper and the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters’ Trust.

It read: “On May, 25 the L&SERWFL Trophy final between Dulwich Hamlet Women Reserves and Clapton Community FC was abandoned shortly into the first half of the game.

“The FA have now confirmed that no charges will be brought against Dulwich Hamlet FC or its fans for the abandoned final, and that flags and banners were not displayed by our supporters in a way that ‘would incite any violence or aggravation’ but were displayed ’in solidarity and support’.

“We’re glad the FA have reached

this decision, which corresponds with both our understanding of what happened during this game and our understanding of the rules and regulations of the game and the competition which we always encourage our supporters to honour.

“We remain deeply disappointed that this was allowed to happen, and that both teams were robbed of a chance to contest L&SERWFL Trophy final.

“We hope the FA will be holding the individuals responsible for the abandonment accountable, and we look forward to seeing what action will be taken to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”

TOKEI CLUB CLAIM BRONZE AT WORLD MASTERS

By John Kelly

A COMPETITOR from Bermondsey’s Tokei Judo Club took home a bronze medal from the recent World Masters Games in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei.

Rob Edwards, also a coach at Tokei, was one of three from the United Kingdom among 500-plus competitors. Edwards had to book time off work and travel with the team for nearly 24 hours door-to-door before arriving at the competition venue and weigh-in area.

Competing in the under-55 age group and under-73kg category, Edwards’ first bout was in the round of sixteen against a Japanese fighter. His opponent came out strongly but started to fatigue as Edwards wore him down with attempted uchi-mata attacks (inner-thigh throw). Edwards then caught him with a small trip (kosoto-gari) and pinned him down for 20 seconds to win the match.

By John Lewis

DULWICH TRAVELLED to Wimbledon in the Premier Division of the AJ Sports Surrey Cricket Championship last weekend, but an injury-wracked side went down to defeat by 124 runs. Dulwich put their opponents in to bat, but were unable to make an early breakthrough as the openers put on 107 in 17.3 overs for the first wicket. Surrey batsman Ryan Patel led the way with a sparkling 78 off just 57 balls. But his dismissal, lbw to Dale Shaw, sparked an unexpected collapse as four wickets went down in six overs for just nine runs. Wimbledon went into lunch at 117-4 after 24 overs. After the interval the lower order batsmen exerted themselves and raised the total to 262 before being dismissed after 63.3 overs.

Edwards didn’t emerge unscathed as he had dislocated his thumb. Fortunately, the thumb could be popped back in and taped up and Edwards was able to take his place in the next round.

There Edwards faced a Taiwanese fighter with a very different style. He

another Japanese competitor. Edwards was pressured to the edge of the mat and when he tried to push forward he was caught by his opponent who managed to get a deep over-the-top grip before throwing cleanly for the victory.

Edwards was due to fight for bronzewhen the losing semi-finalists face the winners of the repochage - but the next Japanese fighter withdrew before the contest began.

That gave Edwards a World Masters Games bronze, and meant he had travelled further than any Tokei member previously to compete in a competition and secure a medal.

repeatedly tried to bring the fight to the ground, but Edwards resisted and stuck to his game plan. Eventually, the Taiwanese fighter became frustrated and Edwards caught his opponent with a clean throw (o-soto-gari) to land him squarely on his back for the win.

In the semi-final, Edwards met

Tokei Judo Club train in a purposebuilt dojo off Tooley Street on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with Brazilian Ju Jitsu (BJJ) training on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. They are a club with a sizeable proportion of more mature male and female competitors returning to the sport. New players are always very welcome.

Dulwich were hampered by the loss of three bowlers to injuries, with Shaw coming off after 6.5 overs with a leg injury after taking an impressive 3-23. Kaif Ramzan sufferied an ankle injury after just 2.3 overs in which he took 1-5. And Joe Payne injured his hand after bowling 4.1 overs. With three bowlers incapacitated it was left to Harvey Booth and Ahmed Khan to put in long spells, with Booth bowling 18.3 overs to finish with 3-76 and Khan 19.3 overs for 1-60.

James Schofield and Harrison Perry launched the reply confidently, putting on 43 in 13 overs for the first wicket before Schofield fell for fourteen. Perry took his score to 40, off 46 balls, before becoming the second wicket with the score on 69. But two more wickets fell quickly, with skipper Ollie Steele going at the same score for thirteen, and overseas player K.S. Bharat falling to a brilliant diving catch after making just 4. Shaw came in with a runner to score 5, and Sam Seecharan made 25 off 33 balls. Khan (19), and Booth (7) lifted the score to 133-6 after 38 overs. But both were out in the next over along with Jacob Emler, who was run out without scoring. The innings ended in a farcical manner with Payne trying to bat one handed and Ramzan hobbling with a runner. Payne was bowled, to see Dulwich dismissed for 138.

Dulwich take just three bowling points from this match and slip to ninth place in the table. Next week they have a home fixture against Ashtead, who are currently sixth.

Dulwich Hamlet supporters

Rob Edwrds, third from left, on the podium

Photo by Liam Asman

EAGLES DEFENDER ON GOLD TRAIL

Chris Richards is aiming to help Mauricio Pochettino’s US to glory after FA Cup

By John Kelly

is on the hunt for another trophy to end an exhausting season.

After helping the Eagles defeat Manchester City 1-0 in the final of the FA Cup at Wembley last month, Richards’ campaign might not end until July 6.

That’s the day of the final of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the eighteenth edition of the competition between North, Central American and Caribbean countries, but this year including Saudi Arabia as an invited guest team.

The US had lost four successive games ahead of the tournament, heaping pressure on former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino.

“The last two camps weren’t our best camps. But we understand it is time to get results,” Richards said.

“And I think everybody is really looking forward to the summer, because we know it’s a chance to win another trophy.

“We have had a lot of new faces in camp, so this is another chance to get to know everybody and build a strong bond.

“I think the number one thing we’ve taken from the last two camps is competitiveness. We left a little bit out there on the pitch, and we got punished for it.

“I think whether it’s training, a small-sided game or whether it’s eleven versus eleven against a different country, we need to be more competitive and start winning games.”

The side did just that this week with a 5-0 win against Trinidad & Tobago in San Jose.

win at home

Richards played in defence alongside exFulham centre-back Tim Ream, who is now with Charlotte FC in MLS.

The States host next year’s World Cup with Mexico and Canada.

Richards added: “We want the guys who aren’t usually here to have bigger opportunities in this camp. I wouldn’t say there’s a greater urgency, time doesn’t change – the World Cup is a year away and we’re aware of that.

“No one knows yet what the roster will be for the World Cup. So being able to build those bonds and relationships is really important.

“And obviously winning a trophy would be a way to say, ‘this has been a successful camp’.

“We want it to be that when the time does come for the World Cup that we’re all flying, that’s how we can get success.”

There was some controversy ahead of the tournament as Pochettino left out captain Christian Pulisic after a dispute over which games the AC Milan midfielder wanted to make himself available for.

Richards is happy to be one of the leaders as he described his stye.

“I'd say I'm a yapper, pretty much,” Richards said. “When people tend to think about me, they probably think I'm cracking jokes.

“But actually, when it comes to being on the field, I take it seriously. And as a centre-back, it’s best that everybody hears your voice first.”

Pochettino’s side’s next game in Group D is against Saudi Arabia this Friday (2.15am BTS).

By John Kelly

MICHAIL ANTONIO has made his first appearance since suffering serious injuries in a car crash last December.

West Ham United striker Antonio, 35, came on as an 85th-minute substitute for Jamaica in their 1-0 defeat to Guatemala in the group stage of their Gold Cup game in California on Monday.

Wandsworth’s Antonio suffered a badly broken leg in the accident which happened when his Ferrari went off the road and struck a tree in Epping Forest.

He required surgery and spent three weeks in hospital.

Antonio’s contract with the Hammers is due to run out at the end of this month with the club yet to make a decision over the future of their all-time leading Premier League scorer (68 goals in 268 games).

Antonio joined West Ham from Nottingham Forest for £7million in 2015.

Palace sign stopper

By John Kelly

CRYSTAL PALACE are set to seal the signing of goalkeeper Walter Benitez from PSV Eindhoven.

Argentina international Benitez, 32, is available on a free transfer with his contract expiring this month.

The Eagles were in the market for a stopper after United States international Matt Turner returned to Nottingham Forest following his loan spell last season before he signed for French side Lyon this summer.

Benitez played all of PSV’s league games as they hunted down Ajax Amsterdam’s ninepoint lead in the Eredivisie before clinching the title by a point. He also started eleven of PSV’s twelve games in the Champions League before they lost 9-3 on aggregate to Arsenal in the last sixteen.

Benitez joined PSV from French side Nice in 2022 after starting his career with Buenos Aires club Quilmes. Benitez will provide competition for England international Dean Henderson.

CRYSTAL PALACE defender Chris Richards

Action Plus

Chris Richards’ season could last until July 6

Michail Antonio in action last season

WHAT’S NEXT FOR MILLWALL’S RETURNING LOAN PLAYERS? MANSFIELD TOWN SIGN LIAM ROBERTS

ANALYSIS

By Will Scott

RETURNING LOAN players can sometimes feel like new signings, and Millwall will be welcoming back three at Calmont Road by the end of the month.

Kevin Nisbet, Kamarl Grant, and Adam Mayor are all set to return to the club following the expiration of their loan spells, after spells at Aberdeen and Bromley respectively, and the obvious question is: what’s next for the trio?

Who fits into Alex Neil’s first team plans? Who needs to go back on loan to get further first-team experience? Will any of the three leave the club permanently before the end of the summer transfer window?

KAMARL GRANT

After a season and a half on loan at Bromley, Grant returns to Calmont Road aiming to stake a place in Neil’s side. The defender is 22 and made 40 appearances in League Two last season - and clearly is not returning to be part of Kevin Nugent’s under-21s side.

The club’s choice to exercise the option year on his contract implies they see a future for him in the first team, especially given recent outgoings.

Shaun Hutchinson and Murray Wallace will both leave the club at the end of the month, and there is uncertainty surrounding Japhet Tanganga’s long-term future at the club amid reports of interest in the 26-year-old.

Millwall are running low on centre-backs - with only Jake Cooper, Tristan Crama, Wes Harding, and Tanganga capable of playing the position.

Grant is a promising talent, and elevating a promising talent into the first team would fit the club’s sustainable transfer model and focus on youth.

Neil has yet to fully assess Grant in training, so the upcoming pre-season will be key in deciding his future - but the south London native has already been training hard (he told me he had been training with Joe Bryan in the past few weeks), and could

save the club money. Certainly one to watch in the next few months.

ADAM MAYOR

Adam Mayor has been a bit unfortunate since joining Millwall in the January window in 2024.

The 20-year-old starred in League One for Morecambe before being snapped up by the Lions, and he went on to make four substitute appearances for the club in the second half of the 2023-24 season.

However, he suffered a hamstring injury in his first pre-season with the club, ruling him out of training until October and preventing him from kicking on and staking a claim for a more consistent place in the first team.

Charlton make key appointment

By John Kelly

CHARLTON ATHLETIC are set to appoint Dane Murphy as chief executive officer.

Murphy arrives with a proven track record of success, having played a key role in guiding Nottingham Forest to promotion to the Premier League, and previously overseeing Barnsley’s highest league finish in more than two decades.

The appointment is subject to the completion of the EFL Owners and Directors’ Test and the appropriate documentation.

Charlton chairman Gavin Carter

Adam Mayor in action against Dagenham & Redbridge

jostling for game time.

A loan to a League One or Two club would be sensible to let him build up his minutes before reassessing him in January.

KEVIN NISBET

After a slow start, Nisbet bagged sixteen goal contributions for Aberdeen in 22 league starts - averaging 0.74 goals + assists per 90 minutes.

Those are impressive numbers - over double what he averaged for Millwall in his sole full season at the club, and in line with his numbers at Hibernian in his final season before he moved to Millwall.

The 28-year-old striker is clearly an effective operator in Scotland, but could he come close to replicating those numbers in the Championship?

Nisbet endured a tricky first campaign in south-east London, scoring five goals in 29 appearances, amid two head coaching changes and a serious hamstring injury.

He was also ruled out of the Lions’ squad on the final day of the season for what Neil Harris called a disciplinary matter - and he did not seem to be an important part of Chopper’s plans going forward.

The former head coach hinted last summer that Nisbet had not settled in London well, and there were reports circulating that he was keen to return to Scotland.

The Liverpudlian went on to make several appearances for the under-21s before Neil handed him his first start in the Lions’ 3-0 win against Dagenham & Redbridge in the FA Cup Third Round on January 13, his only first team appearance this season.

Later that month, he was sent on loan to Bromley, where he made seventeen appearances without recording a goal contribution.

Mayor needs regular minutes at the first team level to further his development, and it seems unlikely he would find that at Millwall. Femi Azeez was in excellent form in the final stretch of the season, clubrecord signing Camiel Neghli will be back fit, while the likes of Aidomo Emakhu, Zak Lovelace and Benicio Baker will all be

said: “Dane is an ambitious, dynamic, and forward-thinking leader with experience at the top level of the game. He understands what it takes to create a high-performance culture and deliver results. His work at Nottingham Forest and Barnsley demonstrated a clear ability to elevate clubs and drive them forward.

“We’re continuing to build a strong and united leadership team to match our ambitions for Charlton. With promotion to the Championship, Nathan Jones committing to a long-term future, and now Dane joining the club, we’re laying the foundations to take Charlton to the next level.”

Judging from my conversation with Aberdeen Live journalist Ruaraidh Britton, Nisbet enjoyed his time at Pittodrie, but could the presence of a new presence in the dugout change his mind?

Neil has yet to work with Nisbet, and every time he has been asked about his future, he has been keen to emphasise that his countryman is still a Millwall player and he will return to Calmont Road in the summer. Moreover, director of football Steve Gallen went to watch Nisbet play in March and spoke with him after the game.

If the duo work well together in preseason, perhaps the speculation about Nisbet’s future will be rendered mootthe Lions need another striker and Nisbet could fill that gap, again, a cheaper solution than going out and buying a new one.

By Will Scott

MANSFIELD TOWN have signed former Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts on a two-year deal.

Millwall entered into contract extension talks with the 30-year-old following the end of the 2024-25 campaign, but the two sides were unable to come to an agreement, and Roberts has opted to join the Stags after his contract expired.

Roberts joined Millwall last summer as a free agent and made six appearances in all competitions for the Lions. Mansfield manager Nigel Clough told the club’s website: “We needed a first-choice goalkeeper and we think Liam fits the bill perfectly. He’s played against us over the years and we’ve been very impressed by him.

“He has Championship experience as well as a lot of experience in League One. He’s at a good age and we’re very pleased to have him as our number one.”

Enzo: Delap can be England No.9

By John Kelly

ENZO MARESCA believes new Chelsea signing Liam Delap is a future England No.9.

The Blues bought Delap, 22, from Ipswich Town for £30million in the ‘mini’ transfer window at the start of June.

England are in need of a long-term successor to Harry Kane, with a shortage of centre-forwards coming through in Delap’s age bracket, when the current Three Lions skipper started to establish himself in the national team.

Delap scored twelve goals in 37 Premier League appearances last season for a side that were relegated to the Championship.

Maresca and Delap have worked together before, when the forward scored 24 goals to help Manchester

City under-23s win the league in 2021.

Delap pulled out of England under-21 duty at the European Championships to join the Blues for their Club World Cup campaign. He got an assist fifteen minutes into his debut, setting up Enzo Fernandez for the second goal in the 79th minute in their 2-0 win against Los Angeles FC on Monday. Pedro Neto gave Chelsea the lead in the 34th minute.

"I said Liam can be England's number nine when we faced Ipswich,” Maresca said.

"Now he is a Chelsea player, I'm going to say again, I don't have any doubt that he can be in the future England number nine.

"We won with Manchester City's under-23s - he scored 24, 25 goals that season - so he knows exactly what we can give him. I know what

Liam can give us. It's a win-win. We like Liam, Liam likes us, so it was an easy conversation."

Meanwhile, Maresca is confident the club will sign a winger this summer.

Chelsea paid £5million to not make Jadon Sancho’s loan move permanent as he went back to Manchester United.

Chelsea have reportedly had a £42m bid for English winger Jamie Gittens rejected by Borussia Dortmund.

Maresca said: ”Jadon is not with us. So for sure that is a position that probably we need to do something. "Also because, Misha [Mudryk] is not with us. At this moment we have Noni [Madueke], Pedro [Neto] and Ty [George] as proper wingers. So for sure something is going to happen."

Roberts came through Walsall’s academy

Sport

INSIDE DULWICH HAMLET ESCAPE SANCTION

PALACE START WITH LONDON DERBY

Premier League ﬁxtures released - with Boxing Day clariﬁcation as games set to be moved

By John Kelly

CRYSTAL PALACE will start their 2025-26 Premier League campaign with a London derby against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after the fixtures were released this week.

The opening weekend will kick-off with champions Liverpool hosting AFC Bournemouth on a Friday evening.

There are six fixtures on Saturday, including Fulham away to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The opening round will conclude with Championship title winners Leeds against Everton at Elland Road.

Palace will end the season on the weekend of May 24 with another London derby, against Arsenal at Selhurst Park.

There are no fixtures on Boxing

Day, with games pencilled in for Saturday, December 27, when the Eagles host Tottenham Hotspur.

However, the Premier League has said that matches are available to switch to December 26 for live broadcast.

Clubs won’t have to play two games in less than 60 hours over the festive period.

This is the first campaign with the new Premier League TV deal, with every game outside of the Saturday 3pm blackout to be broadcast live by either Sky Sports or TNT Sports.

Meanwhile, Chelsea opened their Club World Cup campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC.

Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez scored in either half for Enzo Maresca’s side, but it was the crowd, or lack of it, that provided the biggest taking point.

There was an attendance of just 22,137 in the 71,000-capacity at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

There has been plenty of talk around attendances at the tournament, with ticket prices slashed to try to attract more fans.

There was an attendance of just 3,412 at the 25,500-capacity Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, to watch South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns beat Ulsan HD of South Korea 1-0.

"I think the environment was a bit strange, the stadium was almost empty, not full," Maresca said.

"We are professional and we have to adapt to the situation, to the environment. You have to adapt when you play with a full stadium. You have to adapt when the stadium is not full but it doesn't matter."

Chelsea play Brazil’s Flamengo on Friday (7pm BST).

Friday, August 15

Saturday, August 16

By Will Scott

MILLWALL ARE closing in on a deal to make Chelsea left-back Zak Sturge their first signing of the summer transfer window.

This paper understands that a deal has been agreed in principle and will be confirmed once the paperwork has been signed and Sturge completes his medical.

Sturge, 21, joined the club on loan from the Blues in the January transfer window - after Calum Scanlon was ruled out with a season-ending injury and returned to Liverpool - and made five appearances in all competitions. He started the final three games of the season in place of the injured Joe Bryan, impressing Lions boss Alex Neil.

“I thought he did great,” Neil said after Sturge made his first start in a 3-1 win against Norwich City at The Den on April 21. “I thought he started a little bit nervous, you could see he was a little bit nervous in the changing room, but it’s his first start.

“It’s a big thing. It’s a milestone for these lads. The magnitude of the game as well being at home, it was a really important match. How he went about it, I thought he was great. So I was really pleased for him.”

Sturge started his career at Cre8tive Football Academy before joining Brighton & Hove Albion's academy in 2019.

He then moved to Chelsea in 2022, where he trained with the first team and made five appearances in the EFL Trophy for their under-21 side.

The former England under-18 international went out on loan to League One side Peterborough in the 2023-24 season, making fifteen appearances.

Sturge returned to Chelsea and made appearances for their under-21 side in the Premier League 2, before joining the Lions halfway through last season.

Sunday, August 17

Monday, August 18 LEEDS V

Jean-Philippe Mateta scores in the 1-1 draw between the sides at Selhurst Park last season

Zak Sturge