Southwark News - February 6th 2025

millwall news

‘there’s been no promises made’ Issue 1723

Established: 1987

in the loop plans for bakerloo line bus

See page 8

50p

February 6 2025

southwarknews.co.uk

exClusiVe See pages 6-7

wanted Office space in Peckham for newly elected MP

HELPING

LONDONERS DO LONDON INTRODUCING LIME’S LONDON ACTION PLAN

A £20m investment to improve e-bike parking, encourage cycling safety and boost cycling across Southwark - and all of London’s boroughs.

Read our plan overleaf

See page 3

anton’s heartfelt danCe tribute to mum

Helping Londoners do London:

LIME’S FIVE-POINT LONDON

ACTION PLAN

#1

#2

#3

PARKING INFRASTRUCTURE

OPERATIONS

TECHNOLOGY

#4

#5

SAFETY

COMMUNITY

Creating more parking infrastructure for clearer streets Investing £5m in our parking infrastructure fund - to create at least 2,500 more dedicated e-bike parking spaces

Championing safety for all London cyclists Funding a £250k safe riding campaign to promote good behaviour

Bolstering our on-street team to help keep London moving Investing £13.4m in our operations, including increasing our on-street team to 400+ people tidying and moving e-bikes in local hotspots like London Bridge and Borough Market

Investing in cutting-edge tech to improve e-bike parking Including AI-powered end-trip photo reviews to prevent poor parking in real time

Improving access to cycling so even more Londoners can do London Reinvesting £250k in London Cycling Campaign’s ‘Share the Joy’ Fund to help more Londoners access cycling

millwall news

in the loop Issue 1723

Est: 1987

50p

February 6 2025

‘there’s been no promises made’

southwarknews.co.uk

plans for bakerloo line bus

See page 3

See page 8

exClusiVe

wanted See page 4

Office space in Peckham for newly elected MP

See pages 6-7

anton’s heartfelt danCe tribute to mum See page 5

how is the apprentiCe winner doing in se5?

4 NEWS Contents NEWS Pages 2-13 opinion Pages 14-15 arts Pages 16-17 History Page 18 Classified Page 20 Public notices Pages 21-23 SPORT Pages 25-28

By Robert Firth

Council named and shamed in report on ‘callous’ landlords

Local Democracy Reporter A disabled woman was blocked from using her kitchen for almost a year due to council delays.

The unnamed Southwark Council tenant was prevented from accessing the room for 11 months, while she waited for her kitchen doorway to be widened.

Despite being on a low income, the woman resorted to paying a cook to prepare her food during the period. The tenant’s case was highlighted in a Housing Ombudsman (HO) report published on Thursday (January 30), which focused on failures by social landlords in responding to people’s physical and mental needs.

The HO, a government body responsible for dealing with complaints about council landlords, said Southwark ‘did not demonstrate due regard for the resident’s vulnerabilities, or the duties placed on it as set out in the Equality Act 2010’.

It criticised the council’s poor communication, particularly its failure to explain delays to the woman despite her chasing staff on multiple occasions. The HO added that the Labour-run council exceeded the government’s maximum 80 working days target for completing complex adaptations, which is set out in guidance on delivering disabled facilities.

At the time of the HO completing its investigation into the woman’s case, she was still living at the property. The planned adaptions ended up being cancelled after the

council confirmed she wished to be rehoused instead.

Victor Chamberlain, Leader of Southwark’s Liberal Democrat opposition, said: “It does not take 11 months to simply widen a door – this is Labour once again failing on housing and not listening to residents.”

Disabled woman was blocked from using her kitchen for almost a year

Other London local authority landlords exposed for failings in the HO’s report include Lambeth Council and Kingston upon Thames Council, in addition to several housing associations with properties in the capital.

Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman, said: “Callous and uncaring systems and

processes are repeatedly exposed through these investigations. Time and again, these cases reveal communication that is unreliable, inconsistent and unsophisticated for the complexity of the circumstances.”

Southwark Council was approached for comment.

Southwark Pride Fund returns with £30,000 available for LGBTQI+ events

By Isabel Ramirez

Contact us if you have a story on editor@ southwarknews.co.uk

Do you have a story

for our news team?

Call 0207 231 5258 You can WhatsApp us on 07494 070 863.

The fund aims to celebrate and uplift LGBTQI+ communities by supporting events that highlight: • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer identities • The culture, histories, and rights of these communities Events must take place in Southwark between Pride Month in June and the end of August. Applications open on Monday 3 February and close at 9am on Tuesday 4 March. Successful applicants will be notified by the end of April.

© Southwark Council

We are a London Living Wage employer

Southwark’s LGBTQI+ community and organisations can now apply for a share of £30,000 to support their Pride events, as the council launches its second annual Pride Fund.

The timing aligns perfectly with LGBT+ History Month in February, further reinforcing the importance of visibility and celebration.

Cllr Stephanie Cryan, Cabinet Member for EXCLUSIVE

Issue 1722

Editor: Kevin Quinn Deputy Editor: Herbie Russell Reporters: Isabel Ramirez; Issy Clarke Sports Editor: John Kelly Sports reporter: Will Scott Arts Correspondent: Michael Holland Digital Transformation Editor: Katherine Johnston Media Partnerships: Anthony Phillips Advertising: Clarry Frewin Design: Dan Martin, Ann Gravesen Finance: Em Zeki - Tel: 0779 883 3758 em@cm-media.co.uk Subscriptions/Announcements: Katie Boyd Managing & Commercial Director: Chris Mullany Managing & Editorial Director: Kevin Quinn Published weekly on a Thursday at: Community Matters Media Ltd 1 Bermondsey Square, London SE1 3UN. News and Sport: 020 7231 5258 Advertising: 020 7232 1639 News: news@southwarknews.co.uk Advertising: hello@cm-media.co.uk Printed by Iliffe Print. Tel: 01223 656500 www.iliffeprint.co.uk

Est: 1987

50p

January 30 2025

southwarknews.co.uk

PAGE 11

REPAIR WORKERS IN SOUTHWARK STRIKE

PAGE 3

THE MEN BEHIND POP ‘80S ICONS GET ONE OF OUR BLUE PLAQUES

‘HEARTBROKEN' 12-year-old died after she suffered a severe allergic reaction after drinking milkshake at a Bermondsey café See page 4

PAGE 3

GAY ELEPHANT MILLWALL

See sport

LION’S DYNAMIC DUO DELIVER AGAIN

Equalities, Democracy and Finance, said: “I am delighted to offer this funding for a second year and show our commitment to supporting our LGBTQI+ community.

Southwark ranked as the fourth highest local authority in England for LGB+ identity, and even this is likely to be an underestimate due to ongoing stigma.

“Last year’s events were amazing, varied, and well attended, showing the incredible support for our LGBTQI+ residents and organisations.”

How to Apply

To apply for funding, visit the online grant portal: www.southwarkgrants. benefactorcloud.co.uk.

Southwark Council is also hosting an online information and guidance session via Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 19 February 2025. Register at www.ticketsource.co.uk/ cvssu-southwark.

For any questions about the Pride Fund, email cvssu@southwark.gov.uk.

The Southwark News is proud to be the only independent, paid for newspaper in London Southwark News started life as the Bermondsey News in 1987, as an A-4 photocopied sheet of paper and rapidly grew to cover the entire borough and the surrounding area. As the borough grew, so did the newspaper.

It is owned and run by Chris Mullany and Kevin Quinn.

Former reporters for Southwark News, they bought the title in 2002, after the founder Dave Clark died suddenly from cancer four years earlier.

A dedicated team of staff work tirelessly to cover as much of what is going on as possible and strive to ensure that a community-led, independent newspaper can survive and excel in a market dominated by national and multinational media groups.

Follow our social media to be updated on local news

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@southwark_news

Southwark News is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry).

We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please contact 0207 231 5258.

If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk

NEWS 5

anton’s danCing on iCe tribute to his peCkham mum

Anton Ferdinand with his proskating partner, Annette Dytrt (ITV, Dancing on Ice)

By Isabel Ramirez PeckhAm’s Anton Ferdinand performed an emotional tribute to his late mum for week four of dancing on ice, revealing she was ‘like royalty’ in the area.

On Sunday’s episode, viewers saw the footballer return to Peckham where he grew up on the Friary Estate with his brother, Rio. Walking down Rye Lane with his pro-skating partner Annette Dytrt, Anton reflected on his upbringing: “This was the making of me.”

“My mum used to bring me and Rio here to pick up vegetables and meat for Sunday dinner.”

“I feel more comfortable here than I do probably anywhere in the world,” the 39-yearold said.

The Ferdinand brothers lost their mother to cancer in 2017, a loss Anton still feels deeply.

Best known for his time playing centreback for West Ham, Sunderland, and Queens Park Rangers, he recalled how she was his

biggest supporter: “I spoke to my mum every morning – she was my soundboard.”

“I miss my mum,” he added tearfully.

For this week’s routine, Anton chose to skate to She’s Royal by Tarrus Riley, explaining that the song perfectly captured who she was.

“My mum gets spoken about now in such high regards through Peckham. In the estate, she was like royalty. Not because of me and Rio and what we achieved – but because of her.

“I think the song She’s Royal epitomised her.”

The judges were both moved and impressed by his heartfelt performance, awarding him and Annette a score of 34.

There is a Southwark Blue Plaque for his brother Rio Ferdinand at the boys’ childhood home on the Friary Estate. The plaques are voted on by Southwark Newspapers reader At the Friary Estate, where Anton and Rio grew up, a Southwark Blue Plaque honours Rio Ferdinand’s contributions to football.

Dancing on Ice airs every Sunday on ITV1 at 6:25pm. Catch up on the series so far on ITVX.

Dead seal found washed up on Thames beach after sightings soar

By Isabel Ramirez A deAd seal has been found washed up on rotherhithe beach, months after experts warned of a ‘surge’ in sightings of the marine mammal in london.

Local resident Jack Murphy told the News he spotted the carcass on Tuesday, January 28, and it had clearly been there for some time.

“There was a horrible smell coming from the poor creature,” he said. “When I got up close, I saw that its face was decomposing.”

The discovery comes as seal numbers in the Thames Estuary continue to rise. The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) revealed last year that nearly 600 harbour seals and 3,000 grey seals now inhabit the area. Since monitoring began in 2003, both species have shown a steady increase in population.

In November, wildlife experts predicted a surge in sightings as the animals explore different parts of the Thames. However, this particular seal had already been reported to the council a week earlier, on January 21.

“So that poor seal has been there for a week,” Jack commented.

Authorities urge the public to report any washed-

Rotherhithe beach up animals directly to the Port of London Authority (PLA).

Kelda Hudson, the PLA’s Technical Adviser (Ecology), advised caution when encountering dead wildlife: “As with any wild animal carcass, there is a risk of it carrying harmful bacteria due to decomposition, so we ask that people keep their distance.

“If you spot a happy, healthy seal, please report it to ZSL for their records. If you are unsure about its health, it should be reported to the PLA’s Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) on 0208 855 0315. The PLA will assess the situation and, if necessary, contact British Divers Marine Life Rescue or the RSPCA. “If the animal is dead, then again, report it to the PLA’s VTS, and our Marine Services team will investigate and arrange its removal if possible.”

6 NEWS

Violent criminals who used claw hammer in wave of robberies jailed for 31 years

By Herbie Russell

Convicted: Thomas Loring (left) and James Dixon (right)

Two violent robbers who used claw hammers and fists to steal cash and jewellery from terrified employees have been jailed for 31 years.

James Dixon, 42, and Thomas Loring, 41, were jailed for a total of 31 years for a crime wave that spread from the Old Kent Road to Chelsea.

The court heard that Dixon and Loring were part of an organised crime network in South London that targeted shops and cash transit vans, leaving victims with “serious injuries”.

In one incident in March 2024, two shop workers in their 70s were attacked with a claw hammer during a robbery at an antique jewellery shop in Chelsea, where around £200,000 worth of products was stolen.

Dixon and Loring were arrested after an attack on a cash transit worker at a Post Office on the Old Kent Road on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. They punched and kicked the individual, stealing £26,000.

The pair were brought to justice after specialist officers reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, using evidential profiling, analysis of DNA and vehicle monitoring technology.

Dixon, of no fixed address was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday, 22 January to seventeen years’ imprisonment.

He had previously pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to commit

robbery, conspiracy to steal, robbery of cash and possession of an offensive weapon.

Loring, of Mottingham, was jailed for fourteen years. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery following a trial in November.

Detective Inspector Kelly Schonhage of the Met’s Flying Squad, who led the investigation said: “It is simply not right that any individual considers themselves free to steal

and bully those around them, just as James Dixon and Thomas Loring left in their wake a series of serious injuries and distress following violent robberies across London and Kent.

“We know from our investigation that this criminal network was proficient, competent and wellorganised, with an in-depth understanding of forensics. But thanks to the painstaking work of officers, the victims of Dixon and

Loring have been given the justice they deserve.

“We continue to use innovative methods, data and technology to build intelligence about robbery and combat violent crime in the capital which our New Met for London plan highlights is a priority for the Met.” Senior Security Manager at the Post Office Mark Dinsdale said: “We’re grateful to the Metropolitan Police and their officers for all their

work to bring these serious criminal offenders to justice.

“Where Postmasters, or our own cash delivery drivers, are the victims of crime this has a devastating impact on them and also a knockon-effect on our branches’ ability to provide everyday cash and banking services to local communities.

“We will continue to work closely with the Metropolitan Police to support their efforts to prevent or detect criminal behaviour.”

MOPAC [the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime] has not provided an official account of its planned officer reductions. We urge it to do so as quickly as possible.”

Dan Worsley, the Met’s chief finance officer, told the committee earlier

this month that Scotland Yard was still “working through what the [Government’s] additional police grant monies means for us, and what the conditions are attached, in terms of what that means for our net recruitment plans, and so I don’t have an end-point [of officer numbers] for the 2025/26 financial year, until we’ve worked through how that money will be applied”.

A spokesman for Sir Sadiq said in response to the committee’s analysis that “no final decisions to reduce any services or officer numbers at the Met have been made” and stressed that “the mayor is working closely with the new Government and the Commissioner, with ongoing constructive talks with ministers about the funding the Met needs to ensure we can continue building a safer London for everyone”.

He also said that, “in setting out the worst-case scenario, the Met is not proposing any savings in areas that have direct contact with the public, like emergency response or neighbourhood teams”.

He added: “Neighbourhood and frontline policing remain a key priority and the Met will continue to invest in reforming how they fight crime locally.”

What are the likely cuts to Met police numbers?

By Noah Vickers Local Democracy Reporter Potential cuts to the number of officers in the Metropolitan Police could be significantly less severe than feared, according to an analysis by the London Assembly.

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said in December that the force was facing a £450m funding shortfall, which could possibly require cutting 2,300 officers in the coming financial year.

But an analysis by the Assembly’s budget and performance committee suggests that any such cuts could be drastically mitigated.

In a letter to Sir Sadiq Khan, the committee’s Conservative chairman, Neil Garratt, pointed out that the latest version of the mayor’s budget includes an extra £78m for “police officer pay”.

Neither the mayor’s office, nor the Met, is saying at this stage how exactly that additional funding will be used, or what it could mean for total officer numbers.

In his letter, Mr Garratt said that the extra cash nonetheless “suggests that the planned reduction in officer numbers may be somewhat

Sadiq Khan on a visit to Tottenham to see how Operation Denali is reducing violent crime mitigated”.

He added: “For example, we were told that the budget assumption of the average cost of a police officer [in a single year] was £77,000. The additional £78m proposed funding for police officer pay could therefore

fund around a thousand police officers, and reduce the previous planned reduction of 2,300 to 1,300, depending on the timescales involved.

“However, these are our own estimates which are not reliable given the limited information available.

NEWS 7

Marnie Swindells on how winning The Apprentice helped grow her Camberwell gym

By Isabel Ramirez Former APPrentice winner marnie swindells, who used her prize money to open a boxing gym in Camberwell two years ago, reflects on how the show transformed her life ahead of the new season.

The Peckham-based entrepreneur, who won the BBC series in 2023, revealed she is still in regular contact with Lord Sugar and his team.

Speaking to Prime Casino, Marnie said: “Lord Sugar and his team have been incredibly supportive over the last two years.”

After securing the £250,000 investment, she opened Bronx Gym on Vicarage Grove, welcoming both residents and well-known

boxing figures.

Last year, she expanded the gym by opening a second floor, a move she says wouldn’t have been possible without Lord Sugar’s backing.

In the past, it has not been uncommon for the mogul to take a step back from the businesses he invests in, but Marnie confirmed he is still very much involved in hers.

“The gym and its surrounding businesses have flourished since I won the show, and I’m in regular contact with his team—I even managed to get him in the ring!” she said.

Reflecting on Bronx Gym’s journey, the 30-year-old added: “Bronx has always been my baby, and I’m so proud of how far it’s come.

Marnie Swindells (Prime Casino)

Two Southwark pubs declared among top 100 best in the country

By Issy Clarke

two Pubs in south london have been featured in a prestigious ranking of the top gastropubs in the uk.

“Last year was a turning point for us. We opened the second floor of the gym—a step that wouldn’t have been possible without Lord Sugar’s investment—and I also launched Bronx Promotions, which is something I’m incredibly proud of.”

Looking ahead to the new season of The Apprentice which starts this week, Marnie offered her support to the latest batch of contestants.

“I wish all this year’s candidates the very best of luck. I hope they enjoy the experience as much as I did. Being on the show is truly life-changing, and I couldn’t be happier with how everything has turned out.”

The Apprentice returned to BBC One on Thursday, 30 January at 9pm. Catch up on BBC iPlayer.

The Camberwell Arms on Camberwell Church Street placed 38th in Estrella Damm’s 2025 Top 50 Gastropubs, while The Anchor & Hope in Waterloo made the extended list coming in at 51st.

The Camberwell Arms, led by chef Mike Davies who also runs Frank’s Cafe in Peckham, was praised by organisers for its seasonal dishes and its housemade bread, ice cream, smoked fish and ferments.

Meanwhile,The Anchor & Hope was noted for its generous portion sizes and ‘Mediterranean’ feel.The Unruly Pig in

The Anchor & Hope is credited as one of the first modern gastropubs

Woodbridge, Suffolk was declared the best pub overall, while trendy Soho spot The Devonshire picked up second place.

Top 50 Gastropubs was created in 2009 to recognise the most outstanding pubs in the UK as well as give diners the best recommendations.

The list is voted on by more than 100 hospitality professionals and finalised by a panel of expert judges.

The Camberwell Arms makes its own inhouse ferments, pickles and bread

Image provided by Miatta Fahnbulleh

8 NEWS Miatta Fahnbulleh out and about in her Peckham constituency

Why does Peckham still not have a constituency office? and what it means for voters Neil Coyle following the last advice surgery of 2024

EXCLUSIVE

By Herbie Russell Peckham’s new MP says finding a constituency office has been ‘harder’ than she ‘thought it would be’. Her struggles in finding a constituency office tell us a lot about MP safety, the changing role of parliamentarians, and how technology influences politics.

for Energy Consumers said: “We are getting there. We’ve been looking at spaces around Rye Lane and Nunhead.

“It’s proved a bit harder than I thought it would be to find the right space that is within our budget, a space that is accessible for people in the community, and that the security services think is the right space.”

Currently, residents can contact the MP’s team and organise an in-person session at a temporary location on Fridays. “In the absence of an office, I think we’ve got a nice setup,” she said.

When the constituency office eventually opens, there will not be open drop-in sessions. Constituents will still be expected to book slots.

Ms Fahnbulleh explained: “We can’t for security reasons, so very few MPs now do that because there have been too many cases – David Amess, Jo Cox.” Fahnbulleh was referring to two horrific incidents where MPs were killed while conducting their role as public-facing servants. David Amess, Conservative MP for Southend West, was fatally stabbed at his constituency surgery in October 2021. In 2016, Jo Cox, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, was shot and stabbed by a neo-Nazi white supremacist on her way to meet constituents at a routine surgery.

The simple headline data is

© Neil Coyle

Miatta Fahnbulleh said it had been hard to find a site that is within budget, accessible, and approved by security services. The Labour MP had promised to establish a constituency office during the race to be chosen as Labour’s candidate in autumn 2022.

A constituency office is a local space where residents meet their MP for assistance with issues or concerns. Democracy campaigners stress the importance of a physical space where MPs can meet their constituents. Tom Brake, Director of Unlock Democracy, previously said while there was “no requirement for an MP to have a physical presence in their constituency...it is often the only source of information on issues like benefits and immigration which is readily accessible.”

The absence of a permanent base

where Peckham residents can meet their elected representatives face-toface has been a sore point locally for some time. Fahnbulleh’s predecessor Harriet Harman, MP for Camberwell and Peckham between 1982 and 2024, was criticised for not having a permanent base. It is telling that all five of Labour candidates vying to replace Harman promised to establish one.

Harman refused to tell the News when she had last had a constituency office. But her website indicates she last had a permanent constituency office at the old Southwark Town Hall on Peckham Road. In March 2009, Southwark Council relocated to new offices on Tooley Street. It is unclear what happened to her constituency office after that.

Andy Harris, a camper van trader who lived in Harman’s constituency, previously said: “I don’t think they can shirk their responsibilities to their constituents, and that involves meeting them face-to-face. I would feel a lot more confidence in the democratic process if I was able to talk to my elected representative.”

Six months after being elected, the News asked Fahnbulleh how close she was to finding a permanent constituency office. The Minister

concerning enough. Over the last two hundred years, nine MPs have been

killed while in office. Two of those killings have been in the last decade.

Miatta Fahnbulleh out and about with her constituents

But the statistics bubbling beneath the surface are also worrying. The Metropolitan Police said in 2019 that there had been “a clearly increased volume” of incidents affecting MPs. Their data showed that MPs reported 151 alleged crimes to the police in 2017, rising to 342 in 2018: a 126% increase.

Southwark has its own unique history of MPs facing threats, ranging from the menacing to the ludicrous.

In 1999, the News broke the story that Simon Hughes, former Liberal Democrat MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, feared he would be assassinated at one point. The party grandee was given Special Branch protection and an armour-plated car after a tip-off that a hit had been placed on him for his role in bringing the three killers of Jamie Robe, a seventeen-year-old kicked to death on a Rotherhithe estate, to justice.

More recently, Neil Coyle, the Labour MP who toppled Simon Hughes, was allegedly egged by an “aggressive” man who “forced his way” into the office. Coyle’s response – branding the alleged culprit a “Gollum lookalike” – put a humorous spin on the affair.

But Mr Coyle did add: “Local people know they can see me – and I try to be as accessible and open as possible, but attacks like this force the security services, MPs and the police to limit access.”

In recent years, a steady stream of MPs have stopped holding open surgeries. In 2020, Labour MP for Brent Central Dawn Butler closed her constituency office after receiving racist threats.

In 2022, the NN Journal reported that Northamptonshire’s MPs had “quietly dropped” the events. Last year, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage

said he would not hold face-to-face surgeries in his constituency over fears people would “flow through doors with knives in their pockets”.

The situation is varied in Southwark.

Following David Amess’s death, Neil Coyle moved to a booking-only system. But he found the numbers of people coming to see him fell after that. So he moved back to an open door policy on Fridays at 3.30pm. “[A booking system] becomes an additional barrier and people don’t want to wait and this appears to make it more accessible and we are seeing triple the numbers we would otherwise see,” he said. Mr Coyle said his three caseworkers, equivalent to two-and-a-half based on hours of work, were enough to keep on top of it. The MP said he still does home visits on a regular basis and does a mobile surgery, involving door-todoor knocking.

We approached the other three MPs for Southwark on this. Helen Hayes, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, said she too stopped advertising the dats and locations of surgeries “following security advice” after the murder David Amess. Instead, she runs “regular open drop-in surgeries across my constituency most weeks of the year... any constituents who would like to attend an advice surgery should email helen.hayes. mp@parliament.uk and a member of my team will be in touch with details.”

Ellie Reeves, MP for Lewisham West and East Dulwich, does have a constituency office, but following security advice does not allow visitors without an appointment, her team said. Florence Eshalomi, MP for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green, did not respond to our request for comment.

In February 2024, the government announced that MPs facing threats to their safety would get extra security, as part of a £31m package to help protect the UK’s democratic processes from disruption. Possible measures could include the provision of bodyguards for MPs most at risk.

But the move away from open forums for constituents reflects another sea change, caused by shifts in technology and, consequently, what an MP does. Up until the 1990s, contacting your MP would have meant writing a letter, taking it to the post office, posting it, before waiting days or weeks for a response. Yes, you could visit the surgery. But even that – the effort of finding their address in a local newspaper, or in a phone directory - took a degree of effort that might put some constituents off.

Nowadays, contacting your MP is instantaneous. Contact details can be found online with a few strokes of the keypad, and an email shot off with barely a moment’s thought. Miatta Fahnbulleh’s team has dealt with an astonishing 3,500 pieces of casework in its first six months in office. Many of these will be highly complex, requiring huge investments of time and contacting other authorities and stakeholders, each with its own backlog of correspondence to get through.

According to MPs and aides who spoke to POLITICO recently, MPs risk becoming “glorified social workers” or “super-councillors” with little time to focus on big policy issues.

Holly Lynch, a former Labour MP, reportedly told the outlet she saw an “almost exponential growth in the amount of casework” when she represented the West Yorkshire seat of Halifax between 2015 and 2024.

There are even suggestions that this trend has been to the detriment of our MPs’ calibre. Veteran political journalist Michael Crick argued an increasingly local focus had produced “some pretty parochial people who are, frankly, not up to the job of being government ministers,” according to POLITICO. Neil Coyle MP disagreed. “The role of the MP has always involved the caseworkers and the constituency work. It was Winston Churchill who said - Country first, constituency second, and party third - in your order of priorities as an MP. So he was making the point before it was fashionable to say we are all social workers.”

Miatta Fahnbulleh’s strategy appears to be compromise. She is not dropping surgeries altogether, but instead asking constituents to email ahead and book a slot to see her. This system will continue when she eventually gets a new office. She argues this works for everyone.

“If people get in touch, then we try and get people in as soon as possible and actually, broadly, when they get in touch with us, they’re seeing us within a week,” she says.

She continues: “To be honest, that’s a bit better because that means we can do a bit of prep because we know what people are coming in [for]. Sometimes people just want to have a face-toface but, more importantly, they’ve actually got an issue that we need to sort out and, for me, the priority is, if someone comes to see me, I want my casework team to already have a bit of information so that we can actually use that to reassure them and… critically move the casework forward really quickly.”

NEWS 9

Bereaved families to be spared ‘cruel’ rent burden after hayes campaign Helen Hayes, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, speaking in the Houses of Parliament

By Herbie Russell Bereaved families saddled with rent payments after the death of a tenant are to be protected thanks to campaigning by the MP for Dulwich and West Norwood.

Helen Hayes was inspired to propose changes to the Renters’ Rights Bill by a “cruel and completely unnecessary” ordeal suffered by her constituents.

The Bill, described as “the largest reform to the private rented sector in over thirty years” by Labour, is currently being debated in the House of Lords.

Helen Hayes MP said: “No family should have been treated like my constituents. They tragically lost their son to suicide in his first year of university, shortly after he signed a tenancy for his second year.

“My constituents, like parents of university students across the country, signed a guarantor agreement. Their son died before he was even able to move into the flat, yet the letting agency insisted they remained liable for rent payments and responsible for finding a new tenant.

“This was cruel and completely unnecessary. Landlords can insure against the loss of rent in the event of the death of a tenant, so there is no excuse for placing this additional strain on someone who has just been bereaved.”

Following Hayes’ campaigning, the Government has returned with new amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill.

The amendments will ban landlords from chasing guarantors for rent payments in the event of a tenant’s death.

Loss of rental income will instead be a matter for the landlord’s insurance policy.

On January 15, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn praised Hayes for the “very good job” she had done towards clause 15.

“I pay tribute to her for the work she has done in trying to alleviate the pain caused when someone dies and all the demands then descend unexpectedly on those who were rent guarantors,” he said.

The Labour MP first raised the issue with then-Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden during Prime Minister’s Questions on July 5, 2023.

“My constituents not only have to live with the devastating loss of their son, but face terrible financial hardship because of this cruelty,” she said.

She introduced amendments to the Renters (Reform) Bill, which was introduced but later dropped by the Conservative government.

The Bill will also ban Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, create a private rented sector database, and allow tenants to appeal “excessive” rent increases “designed to force them out”.

10 NEWS

proposals for express bus from elephant and Castle to lewisham launched by mayor khan

By Issy Clarke

A ProPosed express service from elephant and castle to lewisham via the old kent road was launched today by mayor of london sadiq khan.

When we asked whether the Bakerloop would delay or replace the Bakerloo line extension, Mr Khan said he hoped it would be the “precursor” adding it would help “make the business case for the Bakerloo line extension.”

The long-awaited Bakerloo line extension is estimated to cost between £5.2bn and £8.7bn based on figures from 2021.

If built, it would extend the underground route to Lewisham, with new stations being built at Old Kent Road and Burgess Park.

There were some hopes that the government would declare funding for the project in the 2024 Autumn budget but as of yet no cash has been set aside.

A public consultation has been launched on the new bus route which will run until 14 March. Londoners are invited to share their views on the proposed express service which stops at Waterloo, Elephant & Castle and Lewisham via Burgess Park, Old Kent Road, New Cross Gate, Lewisham station and Lewisham town centre.

It follows a commitment by Sadiq Khan in his 2023 manifesto to expand the existing ‘Superloop’ network of express buses

Mayor Sadiq Khan and MP for Bermondsey Neil Coyle marking the start of the consultation outside a prototype Bakerloop bus Sadiq Khan has unveiled plans for a second Superloop, as part of his re-election bid

connecting outer London. The ‘Bakerloop’ is one of 10 new proposed bus services which together will double the size of the existing Superloop network.

Pointing to the examples of the Northern Line extension to Nine elms and the Elizabeth Line, Mr Khan said: “The new homes and businesses that are built there have been paying back the cost of construction by the new revenue being generated.”

He continued: “What the Bakerloop is about is firstly giving people in Southeast London an express bus service, but also it gives confidence to developers that they can build houses because of better infrastructure.”

He added that obtaining capital funding

from the government for the Bakerloo line extension remained “at the top of our mission”, alongside the Docklands Light Railway extension and the West London Orbital.

The original Superloop network launched in 2023 and comprised of seven buses designed to improve interconnectivity between London’s suburbs.

Other bus routes are expected to be launched this year as part of Mr Khan’s ‘Superloop 2’ project, including connections from Leytonstone to South Havering, Streatham to Eltham, and North Greenwich to Thamesmead, among others.

Subject to consultation, the new Bakerloop could be up and running as early as Autumn this year.

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NEWS 11

Business group believes Mayor should be given extra powers to help deliver the Bakerloo Line Extension

By Noah Vickers

Bakerloo Line extension to Lewisham

Local Democracy Reporter Billions of pounds to help pay for extensions to London’s Tube network could be unlocked if the Government granted Sir Sadiq Khan new fundraising powers, a major business group has argued.

© Transport for London

In a new report, BusinessLDN has called on ministers to allow the mayor to raise money for projects like the Bakerloo line extension to south-east London or Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension to Thamesmead, essentially by “borrowing against” the schemes’ future economic benefits.

The long-awaited Bakerloo line extension is estimated to cost between £5.2bn and £8.7bn based on figures from 2021.

If built, it would extend the underground route to Lewisham, with new stations being built at Old Kent Road and Burgess Park.

The group points out that improvements to transport in different parts of London – such as the opening of the Elizabeth line in 2022 – have increased the value of homes in those places and made them more attractive for businesses.

Their report argues that the Government should therefore allow Transport for London (TfL), under the leadership of the mayor, to borrow money to pay for Tube and railway extensions – on the understanding that the funding will later

be paid back using the local tax windfall resulting from those projects.

To gather up that windfall, the mayor would need to be empowered to collect a proportion of locally-paid residential taxes, like Stamp Duty Land Tax, as well as the extra business rates generated in the area.

This funding mechanism is a type of ‘land value capture’ known as ‘tax increment

financing’. A version of it – focused on business rates – was used to partly-fund the Northern line extension to Battersea Power Station.

According to modelling in BusinessLDN’s report – which was co-authored with the consulting firm WSP – the mechanism could be used to raise more than £4.5bn over 25 years to help cover the costs of

three key projects.

For the Bakerloo line extension, the report says that up to £2.2bn could be raised, and about £1.5bn for the DLR extension. The report adds that a further £1bn could be raised for the West London Orbital scheme, which is a proposed London Overground line running from Hounslow up to Hendon.

John Dickie, BusinessLDN’s chief

executive, said: “Investment in transport is critical to boosting productivity and growth across London and the UK. “Against a backdrop of stretched public finances, the Government needs to consider innovative approaches to get shovels in the ground. Letting local government borrow against the future tax revenues that investment will generate, to fund that investment in the first place, is a commonsense way of supporting growth.

“This model has the potential to be applied across the UK, including London where it could help to get key projects – such as extensions to the DLR and Bakerloo lines as well as the Overground network – off the drawing board and unlock new homes, create skilled jobs and spur growth.”

A TfL spokesperson said: “We welcome this report by BusinessLDN which identifies a number of potential ways in which innovative funding mechanisms could help unlock a range of public transport improvements across London.

“While these may need further development and discussion with various Government bodies, it helpfully demonstrates that by identifying wider funding opportunities, key transport schemes which would deliver growth and opportunities across the city could be funded more easily and support the wider UK economy.”

The Government was approached for comment.

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12 NEWS

politiCian allowed to open nightClub in Venue where alleged rape took plaCe

Eddie Hanson, who is a Labour councillor in Camden, was given permission to open the new nightclub

by Southwark councillors

© Camden Council

People congregated at night outside the venue where the new club intends to open

By Robert Firth Local Democracy Reporter A new nightclub will be allowed to open at a venue which was shut down last year after an alleged rape inside the premises.

Eddie Hanson, Deputy Mayor of Camden, had his application to open Vision Lounge on the Old Kent Road approved by Southwark councillors at a meeting on Thursday (January 30), despite opposition from local residents, the Met Police and the council’s own licensing team.

Club 701, the previous venue to operate out of the building which is unrelated to Mr Hanson, was stripped of its licence

F.A.A.

by the council in February 2024 after an alleged rape there. The club was open without the correct authorisation at the time.

Residents told the licensing meeting that they had endured 10 years of disturbances from previous clubs operating out of the same premises, including crime, indecent exposure and unlicensed food vendors setting up barbecues in the street nearby to serve drunken customers.

Pip Hayman, who spoke on behalf of a group of residents living near the venue, said: “When the nightclub [venue] goes into operation it really feels like residents in the area need to bolt down and prepare for an apocalypse-like environment.

“Drug taking has been a common

problem… It’s quite common at 3am in the morning for residents to be woken up by someone vomiting against their window. We’ve also had instances of indecent exposure.”

He added: “When the nightclub operates in this area you get different food vendors turn up with barbecues and they will sit at different points around the local area serving patrons coming in and out.”

Mark Lynch, from the local police’s licensing team, told councillors that the venue wasn’t suitable for a nightclub due to its location in a residential area and the history of antisocial behaviour and crime linked to previous clubs operating out of the building.

Wesley McArthur, from the council’s

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own licensing team, told the meeting that the venue had been ‘a cause of complaint’ under various licences and managers for the last 20 years.

He said: “It’s a very hard property to manage. Nobody has lasted long there and every person who has taken over the premises has encountered problems or indeed caused problems.”

Eddie Hanson said he had invested thousands of pounds into the planned club and said he had 20 years of experience in the nightlife business as a promoter, manager and door picker. He added: “We appreciate our neighbours.

We want to work with our neighbours.

We want to ensure our neighbours are part of our journey.”

Cllr Renata Hamvas, Chair of the Licensing Committee, said that she and fellow Labour councillors Ellie Cumbo and Sunny Lambe had ‘put faith’ in Mr Hanson to manage the premises effectively and not cause disruption to residents.

The exact conditions of the licence will be published at a later date.

Mr Hanson applied for the club to be allowed to open until 5am on weekends.

Speaking after the meeting, Pip Hayman said he was disappointed with the councillors’ decision. He said: “What more could be presented to a group of Southwark councillors to make them realise that this is not an appropriate licence to be granted?”

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17/12/2024 13:31

Sentences totalling 30 years after shooting carried out in broad daylight in Walworth

Police claimed after shooting that injured man ‘drove himself’ away from scene

Police cordon erected following Walworth shooting

©MetPolice

14 NEWS

By Kevin Quinn Two men were handed down sentences totalling 30 years after a shooting was carried out in broad daylight last summer in Walworth.

Twenty-three-year-old Amari Bailey from Peckham was entenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and three years’ extended licence. His co-defendant Kemar Edwards, 25, from Plumstead received 18 years’ imprisonment and three years’ extended licence.

Both were found guilty at the Old Bailey on Wednesday (January 29) of Section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent.

Edwards was also found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of a firearm when prohibited.

The court heard that Bailey spotted the victim, aged 24 at the time of the incident, who was alleged to be a ‘rival gang member’, and pursued him on a stolen

moped for 20 minutes.

Bailey contacted Edwards and told him where to find the victim. Edwards then rode an e-scooter to the victim’s location in Bradenham Close, Walworth and shot at him three times using a hand gun.

The shooting took place just before 5pm on Saturday June 24, 2023, at Bradenham Close, just off Albany Road on the newly developed area of the former Aylesbury Estate.

The 24-year-old victim was sitting in a vehicle when he was spotted by Edwards and shot at, causing serious injuries to his arm and knee.

When the News reported on the incident days later the police made the extraordinary claim the victim was believed to ‘drive himself’ away from the

scene.

They, along with ambulance workers, discovered the 24-year-old suffering from gunshot wounds in nearby Merrow Street.

He was taken to hospital where his condition was assessed as serious but not life-threatening.

At that early stage in the investigation, officers said they believed the victim drove himself to Merrow Street - a five-minute drive away - following the shooting.

The gun used in the shooting was never recovered, but following an extensive investigation, and meticulous CCTV enquiries, police said the two suspects were identified as Edwards and Bailey.

Police said Edwards and Bailey were wearing a balaclava and motorbike helmet respectively during their offending, making

Amari Bailey, 23, from Peckham sentenced to 12 years

Kemar Edwards, 25 from Plumstead, sentenced to 18 years

it more difficult for detectives to identify and prosecute them.

Detective Constable John Davis, of the Trident South Specialist Crime Command team, said: “We would like to thank members of the public who informed police on hearing the shooting, their evidence assisted in proving that Edwards fired the shots in a CCTV blind spot.

“Edwards and Bailey are extremely dangerous individuals, who had the arrogance to brazenly carry out a targeted shooting in the street in broad daylight on

a summer’s afternoon.

“This posed a significant risk to the wider public. They are now safely behind bars for a substantial amount of time for their offending. Trident will investigate all shootings to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

A warrant was executed at an address in Greenwich on Friday, 15 December 2023, where Edwards was arrested and later charged.

Bailey was interviewed on Monday, 5 February 2024, and later charged.

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16 OPINION

Comment

‘We are investing £250 million over the next three years in upgrading our council homes' w e all need a home that we can afford, so the fact that our borough has far more council homes, with their low rents, than any other council in london is something to be celebrated.

However, it’s not just a roof over our heads that we all need, we need a home that’s healthy to live in too. That’s why I’ve made upgrading our council homes a top priority for the council, and why we are investing over £250m over the next three years to do just that.

In the midst of this national housing crisis, our council homes are more important than ever. They provide not just an affordable place to live, with rents less than a quarter of London’s eye watering private rents, but also a home for life These are homes that children can grow

up in, without having to move from school to school.

They are homes that you can retire in, safe in the knowledge you’ll have a place of your own for as long as you need it.

But no one should be content with just having a home, we all need a home that is safe, comfortable, high quality and which supports good health throughout people’s lives.

Our significant investment in council housing is focused on achieving just that.

Last year, I wrote to everyone living in a council home to commit the council to those improvements and set out the council’s action plan to get us there. The investment of over £250 million will make our homes safer and healthier, improving fire, electrical, gas, lift and water safety, tackling damp and upgrading old and

unreliable heating systems.

I’m also determined to keep driving up the standard of the council’s services for our tenants.

We have already made improvements to our repairs service, and we will keep improving it more, so repairs are done on time and right first time.

We will improve our call centre and our complaints service more too, so you receive a quicker, better and fairer response, and we will increase the voice of tenants, listening to your views and acting on them.

Alongside this investment in our existing homes, we will continue to build more new council homes too. So more people can benefit from the security and affordability that they bring, and so more overcrowded families can finally have the

KIERON WILLIAMS

Southwark Council leader

bigger home they need.

Southwark Council is already building more new council homes than any other borough in the country, with over 3,000 completed or on site being built across our borough.

We are working with the Mayor of London and the new government to secure the funding to build thousands more.

I’m determined to make these changes for people in our borough, but I also know the challenges we face are not unique to Southwark. Across the country there is a shortage of council homes and all councils have a huge job on their hands to upgrade their older homes to 21st century standards.

That’s why I’ve also put so much work into bringing councils across the country

‘Southwark stands out as a hotbed of crime and anti-social behaviour' w happen.

e deserve a safer southwark and here’s how we can make it

“Needles are strewn in children’s playgrounds”, “phones are being snatched by robbers on bikes”, and “vulnerable people’s homes are being taken over by gangs”.

These aren’t quotes from the latest ITV cop drama, these are just some of the issues raised recently with councillors about the state of crime and disorder in Southwark.

The statistics in Southwark speak for

together to deliver more and better council homes.

Next month I’ll be personally convening a second national council housing summit, this time with the new Housing Minster there, alongside over a hundred councils.

This event will be focused on making sure that, together, the government and councils can both improve our homes and build more.

Resolving the housing crisis is a long and challenging road, but I’d determined that in Southwark we play our full part in tackling it, doing everything in our powers to deliver more and better homes that people across our brough can afford.

VICTOR CHAMBERLAIN Leader of the Southwark Lib Dems

themselves: despite crime going down in other parts of the capital things are getting worse in Southwark.

Southwark stands out as a hotbed of crime and anti-social behaviour.

It is abundantly clear that Sadiq Khan and the council have and are continuing to let us down on these issues.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Liberal Democrat councils across the country have taken proactive steps to make their communities be and feel safer. They offer a roadmap towards a Southwark where people can walk down the street without having to constantly check over their

shoulder for a phone snatcher.

In Richmond, the police and council have established a number of Safe Space Gazebos at key transport hubs late at night.

In Watford, “operation hotspot” saw crime and ASB fall by a fifth. And in Kingston a relentless campaign saw an incredible reduction in crime by 33%.

Across all of these examples the thread that runs through them is a move towards genuine community policing. Ensuring that the relationship and conversation between local communities, council antisocial behaviour teams, and the police are

as seamless as possible.

It’s about being proactive, using people’s experiences and hard data together to ensure resources are as targeted as possible.

Most of the responsibility for crime lies with the police, and in London, that means with our police and crime commissioner Sadiq Khan.

Londoners want more police on our streets and the Mayor promised this at the last election. But last week Sadiq’s Deputy Mayor for Police refused to commit to deliver these in the next 5 years when quizzed by Liberal Democrat London

Assembly Member Gareth Roberts. It’s no wonder trust in the police and Mayor remains so low.

Southwark Council needs to now step up to fill in where Sadiq Khan has failed.

We could invest to double the number of community wardens, get more CCTV installed, create more safe spaces at night, tackle the phone snatching endemic and reinvest in youth services to stop young people falling victim of criminal gangs.

Last year Liberal Democrat candidate Rob Blackie campaigned across London to Fix the Met, now the fight begins to make Southwark safer.

OPINION 17

Why we focused on Peckham as a constituency without a permanent MP’s surgery

h

ow can you truly represent the people whom you have vowed to serve if you have to hide away because of the reckless and at worst deadly behaviour of the few?

This predicament faces all our MPs, who are often seen as a focus for anger, over how things are running or not running properly.

Our piece this week aims to highlight why MPs are having to be less public as threats against them rise. The focus on the former MP Harriet Harman’s constituency is not a random one. One of the longest-serving MPs in the history of this country, she was often accused of being aloof and out of touch with her constituents.

Despite being known as the Mother of the House, because of her long serving record, she was famously criticised for wearing a stab vest when on a walkabout in Peckham with police. But given the awful fate that later befall David Amess and Jo Cox she might well have had good reason.

The difficulty here is that when you are someone openly courting public attention - in that there is nothing so attention-seeking as a candidate drumming up votes at an election - to then shy away from it once in power frustrates the people who voted or indeed did not vote you in.

Here at the News we were definitely frustrated that the then right honourable member for Peckham and Camberwell did not see fit to explain why she failed to have a permanent surgery once the use of the Town Hall was taken away from her, when Southwark Council moved out of the area to Tooley Street in 2009.

Her seat was seen as one of the safest for the Labour Party in the country - truly a gift for anyone hoping to make a name for themselves in national politics. She had been a life-long socialist, vowing to help the many over the few. Born into wealth and privilege, it was imperative that she showed her voters in this truly working class area that she cared and understood their issues.

By refusing to even explain why she was not opening up a new constituency office smacked of arrogance.

Safe as houses, she was never likely to be ousted by the Conservatives or Liberal Democrats, so could ignore our repeated requests for an answer with no major damage done. No comment is often used by those with something to hide or who legitimately do not have to answer a question put to them. Harriet Harman can do the same, but surely as a prominent politician it was not a big ask and that is why it is good to see her successor Miatta Fahnbulleh openly addressing this question with us.

She is fortunate enough to be given such a safe seat and it is is disappointing that despite her manifesto pledge she is surgery-wise homeless. However, she is open to the paper continuing to address this issue.

We pride ourselves on being independent of any political party, but once someone is elected, we will always do our very best to hold those in power to account - our readers expect nothing less.

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12/10/2021

22:35

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Clues Down

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Clues Down

1 Low-necked (9) 2 Well-protected burrowing animal (9) 3 Killed (5) 5 Footed vases (4) 6 Quarrel (6) 7 Smoothed (6) 9 Up to (5) 11 Firearms smuggler (3,6) 12 Period of carrying in womb (9) 15 Backless seat (5) 16 Not constructed (6) 17 Flags (6) 20 War-horse (5) 21 Penalty (4)

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Across: 1 Stripped 4 Asia 8 Polish 10 Foment 11 Tacit 12 Until 14 Necked 17 Golf balls 18 Atomic war 22 Catsup 23 Irked 24 Stone 26 Thirty 27 Gnomes 28 Deed 29 Rawhides Down: 1 Sips 2 Ruling 3 Pistil 5 Steaks 6 Antidote 7 Hotel 9 Half-empty 10 Financing 13 Torts 15 Cloak 16 Placated 18 Attire 19 Ousts 20 Wrench 21 Reamed 25 Asks

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18 ARTS

what’s on

A Fun but safe reimagining With an award-winning cast and visionary creator-director Bradley Bredeweg at the helm, this musical adaptation of Edward Scissorhands embraced themes of acceptance, selflove, and celebrating our differences.

After a smash-hit debut in Hollywood, where it played to sold-out crowds, Scissorhandz arrived in the UK with the same quirky magic—but did it truly deliver?

I went in expecting a bold blend of dark humour, camp, and spectacle—perhaps even a moral punch—but while the show was undeniably entertaining, it ultimately felt a little too safe. At its core, Scissorhandz is an homage to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. However, the script felt thin, the narrative lacked depth—although this could reflect Tim Burton’s original film, which was more about atmosphere and emotion than intricate storytelling.

Still, the humour never quite reached the subversive, high-camp heights I had hoped for. It seemed like a version polished for mainstream appeal rather than something truly daring and boundary-pushing.

The cast delivered solid performances, complete with slick dance routines.

Standout stars included Scissorhandz inventor Dionne Gipson and Emma Williams as Peg, whose powerhouse vocals stole the show. Belting out contemporary bangers, they kept the audience engaged, with a soundtrack featuring pop icons

like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Alanis Morissette. The use of live musicians added to the feel-good energy of the production.

There were moments that hinted at something more playful and interactive—cast members moved through the audience, even sitting on laps, and a TV interview scene saw the host ad-libbing and engaging with the crowd. If these elements had been explored further, they could have elevated the show into something more exciting and immersive.

Given Michelle Visage’s involvement as a co-producer, I had high hopes for extravagant, over-the-top costumes akin to RuPaul’s Drag Race. Instead, they felt more East Street Market than high-fashion spectacle that would slay, missing an opportunity to truly lean into the show’s potential for visual excess.

Ultimately, Scissorhandz is a fun, high-energy ride, perfect for fans of the original film and lovers of feelgood musicals. But if you’re seeking something truly daring, subversive, and packed with an unforgettable “wow” factor, you might leave feeling it fell just short of its full potential. The production value and performances were strong, but it felt like a missed opportunity to deliver something truly unique.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely— for a lighthearted night at the theatre.

Just don’t go in expecting a revolution.

Southwark Playhouse Elephant, 1 Dante Place, London, SE11 4RX until 29th March. Full Details and Booking: 020 7407 0234 / southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Havisham is the Hot Gossip in Brockley

This is the story that Dickens left out…

‘If you knew my story, your heart would break too. A cobwebbed tale of heartbreak’ 1825. A young woman, newly liberated from the deep-rooted effects of an abusive childhood, arrives in London. She is full of hope and ready to embrace a fresh start. However, she soon finds herself as ‘the leading lady in drama she can’t comprehend.’ The gaslighting is subtle, the manipulation slick. Can Miss Havisham discern her fate? Or is she destined to relive the devastation of her trauma?

Havisham offers a fresh perspective of Charles Dickens’ greatest work of Gothic characterisation – Miss Havisham from Great Expectations. Miss Havisham is the embodiment of stuck trauma and malignant rage. But how did she arrive at this place and what are the tragic secrets of her calamitous past…?

Heather Alexander (writer / performer) started her career as an original member of Arlene Phillip’s Hot Gossip on Kenny Everett’s Video Show. West End Theatre roles include: Heather Brooke Ashton in Noises Off and opposite David Jason at The Strand Theatre in Look No Hans.

Photo by Danny Kaan

Bursting onto the London theatre scene Scissorhandz: A Musical Reinvented promised a dazzling celebration of individuality, eccentricity, and pop-culture brillianc, writes Luigia Minichiello...

New Productions Have Begun Shakespeare’s Globe announced the cast of Sam Wanamaker Playhouse productions opening in the new year: Cymbeline, directed

by Jennifer Tang, and Three Sisters, a translation by Rory Mullarkey, directed by Caroline Steinbeis.

Emul8 Theatre Company challenges boundaries, seeking to engage the audience in a dialogue around themes of justice, female empowerment, and freedom of expression.

Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 410 Brockley Road, London, SE4 2DH Box office: www.brockleyjack.co.uk or 0333 666 3366 (£1.80 fee for phone bookings only).

Tuesday 11 to Saturday 15 March 2025 at 7.30pm. Tickets: £17, £15 concessions (suitable for 14+)

Cymbeline runs from 10 January – 20 April. The cast comprises Aaron Anthony as Guiderius / Lord, Madeline Appiah as Woman / Cornelia / Belaria, Nigel Barrett as Lucius / Philario, Amanda Bright as Pisania, Gabrielle Brooks as Innogen, Silas Carson as Duke / Frenchman, Angelina Chudi as Ensemble / Cover, Nadi Kemp-Sayfi as Posthumus Leonata, Martina Laird as Cymbeline, Jordan Mifsúd as Cloten, Pierro Niel-Mee as Iachimo, and SarojaLily Ratnavel as Lady Helen / Arviraga.

Director Jennifer Tang says: “It is a privilege to be collaborating with such a talented, generous, and accomplished company of actors and artists to bring Cymbeline to life. What a wonderful opportunity to introduce new audiences to one of Shakespeare’s

hidden gems or, for those who already know the play, I hope the unique approach we’re taking will offer fresh and surprising insights into the world of Cymbeline—and our own.”

Three Sisters runs from 31 January – 19 April. The cast includes Michael Abubakar as Tuzenbach, Kelvin Ade as Fedotik / Cover, Rachel Barnwell as Ensemble / Cover, Ishia Bennison as Anfisa, Natalie Klamar as Natalya Ivanovna, Richard Pyros as Vassily Solyony, Paul Ready as Aleksandr Vershinin, Shannon Tarbet as Masha, Michelle Terry as Olga, Ruby Thompson

as Irina, and Stuart Thompson as Andrei.

Director Caroline Steinbeis says: “It’s my absolute pleasure to be bringing you the first production of a Chekhov play at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. A more perfect match of a space and a text has never been. We have carefully put together this remarkable acting company to unlock a brand-new version of the text by Rory Mullarkey. I know audiences can look forward to an amazing night shared with this team of actors at the top of their game.”

Booking and Full Details: www.shakespearesglobe.com

EVENTS 19

A Journey Within Inner Light Greenwich’s Firepit Studio has launched its latest exhibition, Healing Light: A Journey Within, which brings together three London-based Chinese artists who explore the transformative power of art as a means of healing and self-discovery. Through diverse mediums such as jewellery design, painting and multimedia installations, the exhibition delves into the profound journey of finding inner peace, love and light. The free exhibition is part of Firepit’s Lunar New Year events series and is showing until Thursday 27 February. The artists – Jie Fu, Jin Tian and Octavia Yang – each present a unique interpretation of the shared theme, offering viewers an invitation to reflect on their personal paths of emotional restoration and spiritual awakening. And on Thursday 13 February, there will be a celebration party for the artists, a chance for you to meet and chat with them, as well as having an opportunity to experience some live drawing and performance. This is free to attend but booking is recommended.

Dates: Showing from now until Thursday 27 February 2025. Tickets: Free Firepit, 10 Cutter Lane, SE10 0XX www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-journey-within-inner-light-part-of-the-firepit-lunar-new-yearexhibition-tickets-1195931225489

Queering history with DeptFOLK Framed around unearthing and fabricating local queer history and traditions, DeptFOLK invites The Library at Deptford Lounge users to a series of creative writing and performance workshops every Friday throughout LGBT History Month. You can expect to explore your own queer Deptford or take inspiration from historic underground gay bars, riotous Gut Girls and pioneering activists. Alongside creative writing that explores queerness and folklore, there will also be fun with costume-making and the learning of a few Morris Dancing moves. DeptFOLK is a queer art collective exploring folk traditions and local history, and is made up of musicians, published writers, Morris dancers, filmmakers and researchers who all live or work in Lewisham.

Dates: Friday 7, Friday 14 and Friday 21 February 2025, 5:30pm. Tickets: Free The Library at Deptford Lounge, 9 Giffin Street, SE8 4RH www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/queering-history-with-deptfolk-tickets-1145371660469

Pasta Evangelist’s Pasta Academy In this class, an expert chef will take you on a journey through the southern region of Puglia for Pasta Evangelist’s Pasta Academy. The region sits at the heel of Italy’s boot, and perhaps most recognisable of all among Pugliese cuisine is the region’s orecchiette (‘little ear’) pasta shape. In this masterclass, you’ll learn how to prepare this special shape entirely from scratch with just two ingredients but limitless amounts of love and tradition. Also included in the class are complimentary antipasti with your chef and new classmates on arrival and unlimited Prosecco available throughout the class. You’ll then sit down to enjoy the pasta you’ve created as a meal at the end of the evening. Buon appetito.

Date: Monday 10 February 2025, 8pm – other dates available Tickets: £68 The Pasta Academy, 44-46 Greenwich Church Street, SE10 9BL pastaevangelists.com/collections/pasta-academy/products/pastaacademy-greenwich-taste-of-puglia-monday-feb-10th-2025-20-00

Saturday Super Store Tours Gain an insight into the treasures of the Royal Museum Greenwich’s collection with a tour of the stores at the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre. Expect to discover hidden treasures as the specialist tour guides lead you through a sprinkling of the 2.5 million objects and archives in the collection. Come face to face with intriguing stories relating to the Titanic, Antarctic expeditions and naval battles as well as some lesser-known narratives. The tour lasts for around one hour and is designed for adults, but younger enthusiasts of history and heritage are welcome, too.

Date: Saturday 1 March 2025, 1:30pm. Tickets: Adult £12 Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre, Nelson Mandela Road, SE3 9QS www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/prince-philip-maritime-collections-centre/saturdaysuper-store-tours

Tuesday Concerts: Milda Daunoraite Enjoy a musical interlude on your Tuesday lunch break with Lithuanian-born pianist Milda Daunoraite. Performing at Charlton House and Gardens, the concert is free to attend and first come, first seated. The programme sees Milda perform Schubert, Wanderer Fantasy in C major, Op.15, Liszt, Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude and Harmonies poétiques et religieuses S.173, and Ginastera Sonata No.1, Op.22 with Allegro marcato, Presto misterioso, Adagio molto appassionato and Ruvido ed ostinato.

Date: Tuesday 11 February 2025, 1pm Tickets: Free Charlton House and Gardens, Charlton Road, SE7 8RE www.greenwichheritage.org/events/tuesday-concerts-milda-daunoraite

Pavilion at Greenwich Theatre “They all convene at this place, the local Friday night disco, The Pavilion or Pivvy: once a grand old theatre for the upper echelons, now a drafty old cavernous wasteland for the hoi polloi. I’ve seen more blood, puke and tears than anyone should ever have to and I’m back every Friday night to witness more.” Set in a small town in a forgotten corner of Wales, Pavilion showing at Greenwich Theatre is a show full of big personalities – and every one of them out for the final Friday night disco at the Pavilion. Like the local school and the public library, it’s about to be shut down. Pavilion is a dark comedy by Emily White, which premiered at Theatr Clwyd in September 2019, and is directed by Georgina Lamb.

Dates: Saturday 15 to Tuesday 18 February 2025, times vary. Tickets: £11 Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, SE10 8ES greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/pavilion

©©National Maritime Museum, London

Heading south - our pick of upcoming winter events

20 HISTORY

History

Banged Up: A history of Southwark’s gaols

By Debra Gosling

The smell of mildew growing on the damp walls, the stench of the unwashed, the sobs of those awaiting the scaffold, rats running across your manacled feet.

As you sit listening to the screams of those being tortured for their faith you see the shadow of the grim reaper patiently waiting in the wings for you to expire from starvation. This was life in the Southwark gaols for centuries.

For the local people, one of the most entertaining prisons was Horsemonger Lane Gaol, which was situated on the site that is now occupied by the Inner London Crown Court in Newington Causeway. Known as ‘the Slaughterhouse’ it was built on land purchased by the Surrey Justices in 1791 and extended down Horsemonger Lane (now Harper Road). Public hangings were a regular feature and swarms of people would gather to watch the less fortunate drop from the gallows that were situated on the roof of the big house. Many rooms were rented out for people to get a grandstand view of all the happenings but the residents of the houses in Trinity Street would not stoop to such levels. If you look at the back of the houses they are built so that there are no views of the gaol from the windows.

The executions were a family day out for a lot of people; Granny would bring her knitting, the kids would have a picnic whilst Mum and Dad sold fruit, ale and souvenirs to visitors. As could be expected, sometimes there were more casualties than just those on the gallows. In 1781 a husband and wife team of counterfeiters, Sarah and Benjamin Herring were led to the scaffold where Sarah naturally became hysterical. As the nooses were placed around their heads her husband gave her a goodbye kiss. Not wanting to miss any detail, the crowd surged forward, crushing two adults and a child into an unrecognisable mess.

After a good day’s entertainment, the crowds would clear off and leave the wardens to cut down the bodies and bury them in the courtyard of the prison. This courtyard and its mouldering, miserable corpses are now part of Newington Gardens, although the local kids more affectionately know it as Jail Park. But not all those hanged ended up in the kid’s playpark; some were sent to Guy’s Hospital where the students used them for dissection. Such was the fate of nineteen-year-old Sarah Fletcher, who was hanged in 1813 for the murder of her newborn child.

Naturally, inmates were always trying to escape from Horsemonger Lane. In 1758, burglar Samuel Cripps conspired with his fellow cons to murder the wardens, or Turnkeys as they were known. But word got round of the plot and Cripps and his mates had their cells turned over at midnight on the eve of their escape, revealing a hole in the wall and the iron bars sawn through. Forty years later two smugglers had better luck when they rushed the Turnkey at the outside gate where accomplices were waiting with getaway horses. Apparently there were a hundred fellow smugglers lurking

King’s Bench Prison - Principal Entrance by Thomas Shepherd c.1828 (Creative Commons)

around the Borough with pistols to ensure their escape.

A much older gaol but just as notorious was the Clink Prison on Bankside, which is recorded as being on site since 1161. It was described in 1580 as ‘a fearsome place where prisoners are left to rot’. Built in the grounds of the Bishop of Winchester’s Palace, most of its nasty little cells were underground and therefore beneath the high tide mark, giving it that authentic damp, dripping atmosphere. It really came into its own in the sixteenth century when the area around it was known as ‘Dead Man’s Place’. If you were a conscientious religious objector then this was the place for you, or so the authorities liked to think. If praying on your knees to God had given you a back problem the rack would sort it out.

Pious fingernails too long? A kindly warden would pull them out for you until you confessed all your religious beliefs. Once you did that you just got stuck in the pillory for the rest of your life.

The prison was thankfully burned down during the Gordon Riots but some of the original cells have survived in the basement of the Southwark Tavern. The pub was built in 1857 but the downstairs bar is much older and contains the Clink’s holding cells that date from the seventeenth century.

Another local pub that hides a few of the Clink’s secrets is the Anchor Bankside. Those lucky enough to escape from the prison could take refuge in its hidey-holes and recover

with a much-needed pint.

Debtors also had a bad time of it in sunny Southwark. The Borough Compter was a grimy little gaol that occupied a site in Borough High Street roughly where the war memorial now stands. Prisoners had to share their bed of straw with other inmates and had just twelve inches of space to themselves. For a pillow they were given a comfy block of wood. The cell was cold, dirty, full of infection and there was no food to eat. Prisoners lay dying on their soiled straw and each morning the stench was so awful that as the ward door was unlocked inmates would rush undressed into the fresh air of the yard. The only good thing about the Compter was the bad security which enabled prisoners to get away and gave the printers a bit of business making up the many ‘wanted’ posters.

Yet another Southwark prison was the King’s Bench, now the site of the Scovell Estate. It was the largest of all the debtor’s prisons and was surrounded by a high wall. It looked out onto the open countryside of St George’s fields where the air was fresh, unlike the inside of the gaol. Writer Walter Besant described the place as ‘a living grave’.

One prisoner wrote that the prison ‘stinks more than the Lord Mayor’s dog house’. So bad were the conditions that it was reported in 1624 that eighty prisoners had died there of starvation.

There was a courtyard where, if they had the energy, inmates could play sports or stroll along the Parade, showing off their fine wardrobe of rags.

Some incarcerated in this stinking hellhole just couldn’t keep their head down and do their time. Many tried to escape or at least gave their gaolers as difficult a time as possible. One prisoner named Alexander Dunn certainly kept his keepers on their toes. Just like Steve McQueen in the Great Escape, Dunn constantly decamped from the prison and was constantly returned. Once brought back he stoned the windows of his cell and within an hour of being moved to another one he’d undone all the locks and hinges on the door ready for the off again. He was once again moved but he tore up the floorboards, put them in the middle of the room with his chair and bed and set light to the lot.

In the end he was sent to a more secure, less furnished prison.

Debtors relied on the charity box but were allowed to continue their trade within the prison’s walls. They had to find sixpence a day for their keep, which got them a pound of bread and half a pint of ale. Many times their gaolers would keep the sixpence on some pretence and as the debtor couldn’t afford a solicitor he just had to go without. In fact, more than half of debtors ended up in the King’s Bench for being unable to pay their attorney’s extortionate bills in the first place! The Bench closed in 1880.

The most famous debtor’s prison has to be the Marshalsea, which was only second in importance to the Tower.

Dating back to 1381 the first Marshalsea was on the site of Albion House, which is at the junction of Borough High

Street and Mermaid Court. It housed not only debtors, but also anyone who dared to defy or ridicule the authorities. In the sixteenth century Bishop Bonner was imprisoned there for burning Protestants to death. As can be imagined, to some he was a monster and to others a martyr, so when he died he had to be buried at midnight, the vestry fearing he would be dug up and bits of him sold on as relics.

In 1824 the prison moved along the road to a site just north of St George the Martyr church and was separated from the churchyard by a high wall. This prison was set out like a barracks with whole families living in rooms around a central courtyard. Conditions were bad and there was widespread extortion and corruption. Once imprisoned, debtors couldn’t make a living so their debts just piled up. Whereas a criminal could serve his sentence and get out, a debtor more often than not was in the pokey for life. Many lived and died in the prison and were buried in the grounds of St George the Martyr.

The Marshalsea was finally closed down in 1842, but one wall has remained standing and is part of the St George’s churchyard open space. Up against the walls can be seen the worn headstones of the poor, the good and the great along with those of well-off businessmen from the Borough High Street. These are the same businessmen who crammed their debtors into the Marshalsea, but ironically have ended up buried alongside them in the churchyard.

22 CLASSIFIED CLASSIFIED AND COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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Offering advice, support, activities, rooms for hire and a voice for older people.

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or call 0800 652 2989

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PUBLIC NOTICES 23

Thursday, February 6th 2025

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (GREEN DRAGON COURT, UPPER GROUND, KIRKWOOD ROAD)

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (BRAGANZA STREET, COBOURG ROAD, EAST DULWICH ROAD, GOODRICH ROAD, GREEN DALE, PECKHAM GROVE, RYE LANE)

(TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC)

(TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC)

1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to enable various works to be carried out, it made, an order, the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicular traffic from entering part of the above named roads.

1.

2.

Whilst the works are in progress, or whilst the authorised traffic signs/road markings are displayed, no person shall cause any vehicle to enter, proceed, stop, wait, load or unload at any time in:

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to enable various works to be carried out, it made, an order, the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicular traffic from entering part of the above named roads.

2.

Whilst the works are in progress, or whilst the authorised traffic signs/road markings are displayed, no person shall cause any vehicle to enter, proceed, stop, wait, load or unload at any time in:

(2a) Green Dragon Court, footpath, between Bedale Street and Borough High Street (2b) Upper Ground, between Broadwall and Hatfields (2c) Kirkwood Road, between Crewys Road and Kimberley Avenue

(2a) Braganza Street, between Kennington Park Road to No’s 10 (2b) Cobourg Road, between Neate Street and Loncroft Road (2c) East Dulwich Road, at it’s junction with Adys Road (2d) Goodrich Road, between Friern Road and Upland Road (2e) Green Dale cycle path, between Wanley Road and Green Dale main connecting carriageway (2f) Peckham Grove, between Blakes Road and Ferdinand Drive (2g) Rye Lane, slip Road between the main connecting carriageway of Rye Lane and Copeland Road

3.

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be (2a) Bedale Street (2b) Hatfields, Stamford Street, Cornwall Road, Upper Ground (2c) as indicated by the signs displayed

4.

Exemptions will be provided in the Order to permit reasonable access to premises, so far as it is practical without interference with the execution of the said works.

5.

The restrictions will not apply to any vehicle being used in connection with the said works, or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform.

3.

6.

The closure will be in operation on the following dates: (2a) 18th February at 23:00hrs – 19th February at 04:00hrs (2b) 17th – 21st February (2c) 17th February at 22:00hrs – 18th February at 06:00hrs

Rye Lane, south bound bus and cycle lane, located between Rye Lane Slip Road and Sternhall Lane will be suspended to allow all vehicles to use this lane in connection with item No (2g)

4.

7.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Road Network Management at ttmo@southwark.gov.uk

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be (2a) Kennington Park Road, Kennnington Park Place, Delaune Street, Harmsworth Street, Doddington Grove (2b) Neate Street, Trafalgar Avenue, Old Kent Road, Dunton Road, Mandela Way, Humphrey Street (2c) East Dulwich Road, Grove Vale, Adys Road (2d) Friern Road, Underhill Road, Upland Road, Lordship Lane (2e) cyclist diversion: Dylways, Crosswaithe Avenue, Sunray Avenue, Red Post Hill, East Dulwich Grove, Green Dale. Green Dale, East Dulwich Grove, Red Post Hill, Sunray Avenue, Sunray Avenue, Crossthwaite Avenue, Dylways, (2f) Blakes Road, Ferdinand Road (2g) as indicated by the signs displayed

5.

Exemptions will be provided in the Order to permit reasonable access to premises, so far as it is practical without interference with the execution of the said works.

6.

The restrictions will not apply to any vehicle being used in connection with the said works, or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform.

7.

The closure will be in operation on the following dates: (2a) 18th – 19th February (2b) 20th – 21st February (2c) 17th – 22nd January (2d) 17th – 18th February (2e) 14th February – 12th April (2f) 19th February (2g) 17th – 28th February

8.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Road Network Management at ttmo@southwark.gov.uk

Dated this 6th February 2025 Ian Law Traffic Manager, London Borough of Southwark, Network Management, Environment, Neighbourhoods and Growth 160 Tooley Street, PO Box 64529, London, SE1 5LX Ref: (2a) LBSCR13927-amey (2b) LBSCR13903-2/LBSCR13926-rocks (2c) LBSCR13856-amey

Dated this 6th February 2025 Ian Law Traffic Manager, London Borough of Southwark, Network Management, Environment, Neighbourhoods and Growth 160 Tooley Street, PO Box 64529, London, SE1 5LX Ref: (2a) 19546388-conway (2b) 67940663-conway (2c) 77611616-conway (2d) 15201171-conway (2e) 93115145-conway (2f) 03569267-conway (2g) SEC50/RYELANE25-volutelondonltd LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (SNOWSFIELDS, COPPERFIELD STREET) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) 1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to enable various works to be carried out, it intends, to make an order, the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicular traffic from entering part of the above named roads.

2.

Whilst the works are in progress, or whilst the authorised traffic signs/road markings are displayed, no person shall cause any vehicle to enter, proceed, stop, wait, load or unload at any time in: (2a) Snowsfields, between Weston Street and St Thomas Street.

(2b) Copperfield Street, between No’s 27 and No’s 23 located between Sawyer Street and Pepper Street.

3.

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be (2a) (2b) Union Street, Great Guildford Street, Southwark Bridge Road, Southwark Street, Blackfriars Road or as indicated by the signs displayed

4.

Exemptions will be provided in the Order to permit reasonable access to premises, so far as it is practical without interference with the execution of the said works.

5.

The restrictions will not apply to any vehicle being used in connection with the said works, or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform.

6.

The closure will be in operation on the following dates: (2a) 22nd – 23rd February. (2b) 22nd – 23rd February

7.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Road Network Management at ttmo@southwark.gov.uk

Dated this 6th February 2025 Ian Law Traffic Manager, London Borough of Southwark, Network Management, Environment, Neighbourhoods and Growth 160 Tooley Street, PO Box 64529, London, SE1 5LX Ref: (2a) 41920761/Conway (2b) crane

Our weekly deadline is 3pm on Wednesday

24 PUBLIC NOTICES

Thursday, February 6th 2025

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 (as amended) PLANNING (LISTED BUILDINGS AND CONSERVATION AREAS) ACT 1990 (as amended) The planning applications listed below can be viewed on the planning register at https://planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications/ You can use facilities at your local library or 'My Southwark Service Points' to access the website.

How to comment on this application: You should submit your comments via the above link. Comments received will be made available for public viewing on the website. All personal information will be removed except your postal address. Online comments submitted without an email address will not be acknowledged and those marked 'confidential' will not be considered. Written comments can be submitted to; Southwark Council, Chief executive's department, Planning division, Development Management, PO Box 64529, London SE1 5LX. Reason for publicity. The applications are advertised for the reasons identified by the following codes: AFFECT - development affecting character or appearance of a nearby conservation area; OR development affecting setting of a nearby listed building(s); DEP - departure from the development plan; EIA - environmental impact assessment (these applications are accompanied by an environmental statement a copy of which may be obtained from the Council - there will be a charge for the copy); MAJ - major planning application; STDCA - development within a conservation area; STDLB - works to or within the site of a listed building; RAILWAY ARCHES 344-349 CAMBERWELL STATION ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 9JN (Ref: 25/AP/0178) Variation of Condition 13 (Restriction of Use Hours) of planning permission 23/AP/2880 dated 13/06/2024 for 'Change of use of 6no. railway arches to flexible uses within Use Class B2, B8, E (a-d) and/or (g).' The amendments include the following: - For Unit 344 (only), the use hereby permitted shall not be carried out outside of the hours of 06:00- 23:00 on all days. Approved hours to remain the same for all other units.

(Within: Camberwell New Road CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA STDCA (Contact: Agneta Kabele 020 7525 3148) 82 RYE LANE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 4RY (Ref: 24/AP/2457) Change of use of second and third floors of the existing building from Use Class E (g)(i) (Offices to carry out any operational or administrative functions) and F2(b) (Halls or meeting places for the principal use of the local community) to Mixed Use E(a) (Display or retail sale of goods, other than hot food), E(b) (Sale of food and drink for consumption (mostly) on the premises), F1(a) (Provision of education), F1(b) (Display of works of art (otherwise than for sale or hire)), F1(d) (Public libraries or public reading rooms), F1(e) (Public halls or exhibition halls), F2(b) (Halls or meeting places for the principal use of the local community) and the installation of a retractable awning on the second floor roof terrace. (Within: Rye Lane Peckham CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Zoe Oakes 020 7525 0885) FLAT 3 78 LYNDHURST WAY LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 5AP (Ref: 25/AP/0190) Listed building consent for interior secondary glazing on all windows (Within: Holly Grove CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Marco Chan 020 7525 3526) CANADA WATER MASTERPLAN - LAND BOUNDED BY LOWER ROAD (WEST), REDRIFF ROAD (SOUTH), QUEBEC WAY (EAST) SURREY QUAYS ROAD AND CANADA WATER DOCK (NORTH) AND SITE AT ROBERTS CLOSE LONDON SE16 (Ref: 25/AP/0242) Application submitted under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to approved Hybrid Planning Permission 18/AP/1604 for the comprehensive redevelopment of the Canada Water Masterplan.

The S73 Application seeks to amend the Outline elements of 18/AP/1604 only through a variation of Condition 1 (Approved Plans); Condition 3

(Control Documents); Condition 4 (Floorspace cap); and Condition 5 (Development Zones and permitted uses) to enable the following amendments: Changes to the massing across the Masterplan which includes: - Development Zone B: tower increased from 117m AOD to 161m AOD - Development Zone C: tower increased from 101m AOD to 136m AOD Development Zone D: tower increased from 138m AOD to 175m AOD - Development Zone F: towers increased from 116m AOD to 138m AOD and 125m AOD to 166m AOD Development Zone G: tower increased from 105m AOD to 131m AOD - Development Zone J: Increase in the depth of the +48m AOD height zone along the park further into the Zone Increase in the footprint of the tall buildings Amendments to the housing offer and changes to housing unit mix - Increase to the residential floorspace cap (Use Class C3) and consequential increase to the total development floorspace cap - Increase to the hotel (Use Class C1) land use cap - Increase in the extent of basement footprint for Zone D and Zone H Servicing Strategy amended to allow for direct vehicle access to Development Zone D from Deal Porters Way - Amendments to the Masterplan Design Guidelines - Revisions to the Section 106 Agreement entered into in connection with the HPP: Schedule 2(Interim Use, Construction Period Community Scheme), 7 (Trees), 8 (Public Facilities), 11 (Housing), 12 (Specialist Housing), 13 (Student Acc), 16 (Highways), 20 (Employment and Training) and 21 (Affordable retail and workspace) The application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement of Conformity and Further Information submitted pursuant to the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (as amended). If members of the public wish to access a copy of the ES, they can view the documentation on the Council's website. Alternatively, for those wish to purchase an electronic copy, Waterman Infrastructure & Environment Ltd will supply the ES on a USB for a charge of £25 + VAT. For a printed copy, members of the public should contact Waterman directly via ie@watermangroup.com Reason(s) for publicity: EIA (Contact: Gemma Usher 020 7525 7935) 9 NAIRNE GROVE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE24 9PU(Ref: 25/AP/0203) Replacement of existing timber windows and doors with timber double glazed units. (Within: Sunray Estate CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ibrahim Azam 020 7525 2876)

269-275 RYE LANE AND 1A PHILIP WALK LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 (Ref: 24/AP/3834) Demolition of existing building and construction of mixed-use development comprising 38no. residential flats (Class C3) and commercial floorspace (Class E), together with landscaping, plant, car parking, cycle storage, waste/recycling storage and associated works. (Within: Rye Lane Peckham CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA MAJ (Contact: Lara Davison 020 7525 7595) 269-275 RYE LANE AND 1A PHILIP WALK LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 (Ref: 24/AP/3834) Demolition of existing building and construction of mixed-use development comprising 38no. residential flats (Class C3) and commercial floorspace (Class E), together with landscaping, plant, car parking, cycle storage, waste/recycling storage and associated works. (Within: Rye Lane Peckham CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA MAJ (Contact: Lara Davison 020 7525 7595)

Michèle Sterry 020 7525 5453) 15 BARTHOLOMEW STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 4AJ(Ref: 25/AP/0209) Listed Building Consent for replacement of all existing windows on a like-for-like basis.

Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Rosie Poser ) Dated: 04 Feb 2025 - comments to be received within 21 days of this date (or 30 days for EIA development).

STEPHEN PLATTS Director of Planning and Growth

41C, 41D AND 41E SYDENHAM HILL LONDON SOUTHWARK SE26 6TH (Ref: 25/AP/0152) Installation of plant equipment (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery 'MVHR') on the roof of Nos. 41C, 41D and 41E. (Within: Dulwich Wood CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Sean Gomes 020 7525 0666) ALBERT REECE HOUSE 63 ELLIOTTS ROW LONDON SOUTHWARK SE11 4SZ(Ref: 25/AP/0183) Demolition of small ground floor single storey rear extension and replacement with new single storey extension. Infill extension formed over existing external balcony to first floor and small second floor lean to extension and juliet balcony.

(Within: Multiple CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Michèle Sterry 020 7525 5453) 100 BELLENDEN ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 4RF(Ref: 25/AP/0111) Construction of glazed rear garden canopy (Within: Holly Grove CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Alex Lambert 020 7525 1353) 234 - 236 WALWORTH ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE17 1JD (Ref: 25/AP/0261) Installation of new replacement shopfront with new entrance doors (Within: Walworth Road CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact:

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PUBLIC NOTICES 25

Thursday, February 6th 2025

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

Republic of the Philippines Embassy of the Philippines London, United Kingdom

MINOR TRAFFIC SCHEMES – 24/25 Q2 The London Borough of Southwark (Charged-for parking places) (MTS 2425-Q2) Order 2025 The London Borough of Southwark (Free parking places, Loading places and Waiting, Loading and Stopping restrictions) (MTS 2425-Q2) Order 2025

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In compliance with Section 5 of R.A. Act No. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that AINHOAITZIAR CARBALLO BARCELONA has filed with this Office a petition for Change of First Name from ‘AINOAH ITZIAR’ to ‘AINHOA-ITZIAR’ in the Report of Birth of AINOAH ITZIAR CARBALLO BARCELONA who was born on 3 November 1989 at London, United Kingdom and whose parents are Ricardo Go Barcelona and Jonelyn Ortega Carballo.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his/her written opposition with this Office not later than fourteen (14) days from notice.

(Signed) RHENITA B. RODRIGUEZ Consul General Date of First Publication: 30th January 2025 Date of Second Publication: 6th February 2025 Notice of Application for a Premises Licence made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 Please take notice that we ;- ANT BOOKS LIMITED have made application to Southwark Council for a new Premises Licence in respect of ;THE BOOK ELEPHANT , 16 SAYER STREET , LONDON SE17 1FH The relevant licensable activities proposed to be carried on, or from the premises are ;- RETAIL SALE OF ALCOHOL FOR CONSUMPTION ON & OFF THE PREMISES Days Start Time Finish Time 10.00 TO 22.00 DAILY Opening Hours: 09.00 TO 22.30 DAILY A register of all applications made within the Southwark area is maintained by: The Licensing Service, Hub 1, 3rd Floor, 160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH A record of this application may be inspected by visiting the office during normal office hours by appointment on 020 7525 2000, details are also available on our website at https://app.southwark.gov.uk/ It is open to any interested party to make representations about the likely effect of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Service at the office address given above (or by email via licensing@southwark.gov.uk) and be received by the Licensing Unit within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below. 30TH JANUARY 2025 Note: it is an offence to knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

Notice of Application for a Premises Licence made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 Please take notice that I / we A.2 Investments 2 Ltd Have made application to Southwark Council for a new Premises Licence in respect of Heavenly Desserts, 22 Sayer Street, SE17 1FY The relevant licensable activities and proposed times to be carried on, or on from the premises are Days

Start time

Finish time

The provision of late night refreshment:

Monday to Sunday

23:00

00:00

Opening hours:

Monday to Sunday

10:00

00:00

A register of all applications made within the Southwark area is maintained by: The Licensing Service, Hub 1, 3rd Floor, 160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH A record of this application may be inspected by visiting the office during normal office hours by appointment on 020 7525 2000; details are also available on our website at http://app.southwark.gov.uk/licensing/licenseregister.asp It is open to any interested party to make representations about the likely effect of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Service at the office address given above (or by email via licensing@southwark.gov.uk) and be received by the Service within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below.

Note: It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

Date of application: 03 February 2025

1. Southwark Council hereby GIVES NOTICE that on 6 February 2025 it has made the above Orders under sections 6, 45, 46, 49 and 124 of and Part IV of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended.

2. The effects of the Orders are:(a) in Controlled Parking Zone (‘CPZ’) 'B' in GORDON ROAD south-west side opposite Nos. 81 and 83 Gordon Road reduce existing shared-use permit-holders and ‘Pay by Phone’ (‘shared-use’) parking by 5.5 metres (‘m’) in length (24m remain) and replace with ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions (double yellow lines ‘DYLs’); (b)in CPZ 'C1' (i) in AMERICA STREET north-west side east of its junction with Great Guildford Street, remove 16m existing ‘Pay by Phone’ parking ('pay') and replace with new ‘DYLs’, (ii) in GREAT GUILDFORD STREET north-east side o/s Nos. 19-23 Great Guildford Street, install 12m new 'pay' parking and remove existing ‘timed’ waiting restrictions (single yellow lines ‘SYLs’), and (iii) in LAVINGTON STREET north-east side south-east of its junction with Great Suffolk Street, remove 10m existing 'pay' parking and replace with 10m new free parking for the use of solo motorcycles only, operating at any time and during every day of the week; (c) in CPZ 'D' in COUNTY STREET north-east side (side of No. 98 Harper Road), reduce in length by 6.6m existing free 'short stay' parking (4.5m remain) and install a new 'limited stay' Disabled Persons’ Parking Place (‘DPPP’) 6.6m in length (operating every day of the week with max stay 4 hours and no return within 2 hours); (d) in CPZ 'GR' in OXLEY CLOSE south-west side o/s Nos. 86 to 116 Oxley Close reduce existing 'shared-use' by 5m in length (16m remain) and replace with new ‘DYLs’; (e) in CPZ 'J' in LORRIMORE ROAD south-east side o/s Nos. 123 to 181 Lorrimore Road (i) relocate existing 'unlimited stay' ‘DPPP’ (6m in length) north-eastward by 3m, and (ii) reduce existing permitholders only ('permit') parking by 3m in length (21.5m remain) and replace with new ‘DYLs’; (f) in CPZ 'M2' in WESTMORELAND ROAD north-east side o/s Nos. 19 and 21 Westmoreland Road reduce existing inset 'shared-use' by 6.6m in length (16m remain) and install new inset 'limited stay' ‘DPPP’ 6.6m in length (operating every day of the week with max stay 4 hours and no return within 2 hours); (g) in CPZ 'PR' in VESTRY ROAD to accommodate the spur road (fronting Nos. 88, Nos. 76 to 112, and Nos. 96 to 100 Vestry Road) recently added to the public highway and into the existing CPZ (i) south-west side of spur road fronting Nos. 76 to 112 Vestry Road install new 'stop and shop' parking 29m in length operating every day of the week between the hours 8.30 am and 6.30 pm (free for the first 30 mins, then 'pay' with max stay of 2 hours, no return within 2 hours), (ii) south-west side of spur road fronting No. 88 Vestry Road install new 'limited stay' ‘DPPP’ 7m in length (operating every day of the week with max stay 4 hours and no return within 2 hours), and (iii) add new ‘DYLs’ to fill all the remaining kerb-side of both sides of the spur road that is not designated as parking (a total of 70.5m); (h) in CPZ 'R' (i) in DAVEY STREET north side extend existing 'permit' by 2m (an administrative exercise to match more closely what exists in the street, no physical changes will be made to the parking at this location), and add a total of 50m new DYLs on all sides throughout the road, and (ii) in ST GEORGE'S WAY south-east side south-west of its junction with Trafalgar Avenue/Sumner Road, remove 7.5m existing 'permit' and install new 'limited stay' ‘DPPP’ (operating every day of the week with max stay 4 hours and no return within 2 hours); (i) in CPZ 'T' in PECKHAM PARK ROAD south-east side in the inset bay fronting Nos. 41 to 57 Peckham Park Road (i) remove 6.6m of existing inset 'shared-use' and install new 'limited stay' ‘DPPP’ parallel to the kerb (operating every day of the week with max stay 4 hours and no return within 2 hours), and (ii) convert the remaining 16m of existing kerb-side 'shared-use' to 5 individually marked echelon 'shared-use' bays standing at 45° to the kerb (each bay is 4.5m in length and 2.5m in width); (j) in GALLERY ROAD (i) north-west side remove existing free 'short stay' parking and install new 'stop and shop' parking operating every day of the week between the hours 8.30 am and 6.30 pm (free for the first 30 mins, then 'pay' with a max stay of 2 hours, no return within 2 hours) opposite No. 16 Gallery Road (50m) and opposite Dulwich Picture Gallery (28m), and (ii) south-east side o/s No. 12 Gallery Road remove 13.2m existing free 'short stay' parking and install 2 new 'limited stay' ‘DPPPs’ each 6.6m in length (operating every day of the week with max stay 3 hours and no return within the same day); (k) in PRINCESS STREET (i) south-east side opposite Nos. 7 and 9 Princess Street remove 2 existing 'unlimited stay' ‘DPPPs’ (a total length of 11.5m) and replace with new ‘DYLs’ with contiguous ‘at any time’ loading restrictions (double kerb blips ‘DKBs’), and (ii) on both sides and throughout the street add new ‘DKBs’ (a total of 120.5m) to all existing ‘DYLs’; (l) in EAST DULWICH GROVE north-west side between its junction with Hilversum Crescent and opposite No. 101 East Dulwich Grove add 144.5m of new ‘DKBs’ to existing ‘DYLs’; (m) in WOOD'S ROAD south-west side o/s No. 2 Wood's Road remove 5.5m existing ‘DYLs’ and install a new Car Club parking place (5.5m in length); (n) convert existing ‘SYLs’ to ‘DYLs’ (i) in BENHILL ROAD south-west side, between its junctions with Picton Street and Elmington Road (149m), and (ii) in HAYLES STREET on both sides (a total of 212.5m); (o) in DULWICH VILLAGE south-west side add a total of 92m of new ‘timed’ loading restrictions (single kerb blips ‘SKBs’) on existing ‘DYLs’ o/s Nos. 4 to 16 Dulwich Village and o/s Nos. 22 and 24 Dulwich Village (operating every day of the week between the hours of 7.00 am and 7.00 pm); (p) add new ‘DYLs’ in ROBERTS CLOSE on all sides of its north-easternmost extremity (74m); and (q) extend existing ‘DYLs’ (i) in UNDERHILL ROAD by 1m on the south-east side o/s No. 52 Underhill Road, and (ii) in WOOD VALE by 4m on the north-west side o/s No. 113 Wood Vale.

NOTES: (1) ‘DPPP’ refers to Disabled Persons’ parking places which may only be used by vehicles displaying a valid Disabled Persons’ 'blue badge'. (2) ‘permit’ refers to parking places for holders of valid parking permits within the Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) listed; ‘shared-use’ refers to parking places in which holders of a valid permit for the CPZ listed or ‘pay’ paid ticket holders are permitted to park within the permitted hours. (3) In reference to 'stop and shop' pay parking mentioned in items 2(g) and 2(j), a parking session must be registered with the Council’s ‘Pay by Phone’ provider to obtain the 30 minutes free of charge parking in addition to a longer charged-for stay. The ‘Pay by Phone’ provider will calculate the total parking charge for the parking session payable automatically upon registering. (4) ‘SYLs’ refer to timed waiting restrictions, ‘DYLs’ refer to 'at any time' waiting restrictions, ‘SKBs’ refer to ‘timed’ loading restrictions and ‘DKBs’ refer to 'at any time' loading restrictions. (5) All measurements are in metres ‘m’ and are approximate. (6) Parking charges are listed on www.southwark.gov.uk/parking 6. Copies of the Orders, which will come into force on 10 February 2025, and of all other relevant documents are available for inspection at Highways, Southwark Council, Environment, Sustainability & Leisure, 3rd floor hub 2, 160 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH, by appointment only. E-mail traffic.orders@southwark.gov.uk or call 077 3132 4742 for booking details.

7. Any person desiring to question the validity of the Order/s, or of any provision contained therein, on the grounds that it is not within the relevant powers of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 or that any of the relevant requirements thereof or of any relevant regulations made thereunder has not been complied with in relation to the Order/s may, within six weeks of the date on which the Order was made, make application for the purpose to the High Court.

Dated 6 February 2025 Steven Grayer Interim Head of Service - Highways, Environment, Sustainability & Leisure

To place a public notice, please email em@cm‐media.co.uk Deadline is 3pm on Wednesdays

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SPORT 27

Champs inVinCibles start with london derby

oVAl INVINCIBlES FIXtURES (All GAMES MEN’S AND woMEN’S DoUBlE-HEADERS) tuesday August 5: London Spirit v Oval Invincibles, Lord’s saturday August 9: Oval Invincibles v Manchester Originals, the Kia Oval

tuesday August 12: Birmingham Phoenix v Oval Invincibles, Edgbaston saturday August 16: Oval Invincibles v Welsh Fire, the Kia Oval monday August 18: Southern Brave v Oval Invincibles, Utilita Bowl thursday August 21: Oval Invincibles v Trent Rockets, the Kia Oval

Kia oval to host Men’s and women’s double-headers

By Sports Reporter ovAl invincibles will be back in action in the hundred on tuesday August 5, with the men’s and women’s teams kicking off their campaigns in a london derby at lord’s against london spirit.

Entering its fifth season, over two million fans have now watched The

The general sale period for the fifth year of The Hundred begins from April 17. Tickets continue to be great value, with prices set at £5 for juniors aged 3-15 (free for under 3s) and adults starting from £12.

“I absolutely love playing in The Hundred and I’ve got a great relationship with everyone at Oval Invincibles and the Kia Oval,’ Oval Invincibles South African superstar Marizanne Kapp said. “We’ve had a really successful competition in general and I’m sure we can challenge again this year. It’s so fun to play in a competition that has so many young people and family in the crowds, at big venues too, and it doesn’t get much bigger or better than the Kia Oval.”

All games will again be live on Sky Sports and BBC broadcast and digital channels throughout the competition.

monday August 25: Oval Invincibles v London Spirit, the Kia Oval saturday August 30: The Hundred Eliminator, the Kia Oval

sunday August 31: The Hundred Final, Lord’s

Photo by Nathan Stirk (ECB/ECB via Getty Images)

The Invincibles celebrate last year’s title

GRAB yoUR SEAt FoR 2025

Hundred live, with one million of those fans in attendance for the women’s competition. In 2024, The Hundred’s blend of high-energy entertainment, cricket and live music – including Zara Larsson and Cat Burns – saw 41 per cent of all tickets sold to families in 2024, with 23 per cent to juniors and 30 per cent to women.

Supporters who have been seasonticket holders in any of the four years of The Hundred or who bought tickets for more than two match-days in 2024 will be able to buy a season ticket from now.

There will be an exclusive window open to fans who have previously bought tickets to The Hundred from March 4-18.

All other fans who would like to access priority tickets can enter the priority sale window from 1-15 April by signing up in advance at thehundred.com.

Photo by Alex Davidson - ECB/ECB via Getty Images

The fifth year of world-class cricket and blockbuster entertainment returns to the Kia Oval for its first home doubleheader of 2025 four days later on Saturday, August 9, with the visit of Manchester Originals.

Oval Invincibles will be hoping to defend their Men’s title at Lord’s in The Hundred Final on Sunday, August 31, the culmination of 34 match-days across 27 days of high-quality sport and compelling drama, with live music at every game courtesy of The Hundred’s ongoing relationship with BBC Music

Introducing.

Saturday, August 30 will see the Kia Oval host The Hundred Eliminator, in which second- and third-placed teams compete for a place in The Hundred Final.

This season, for the first time, direct signings have been permitted in The Hundred. Teams in the men’s and women’s competitions will be able to sign one new overseas player by Deadline Day on March 24.

Amelia Kerr and Laura Wolvaardt have this week been confirmed as The Hundred’s first-ever direct signings, joining Manchester Originals and Southern Brave, respectively.

saturday August 23: Northern Superchargers v Oval Invincibles, Headingley

Sam Curran

Relegation clouds darken for Dulwich Hamlet

By John Kelly

dulwch hAmlet boss bradley Quinton issued a rallying call to rabble fans after their 3-0 defeat to horsham at the Fusion Aviation community stadium left them just

a point outside the isthmian league Premier division relegation zone.

Ola Ogunwamide scored in either half before Chris Dickson added the third for title-chasing Horsham.

Dulwich have lost six successive league games and have won only one of their last

fourteen as they are in danger of suffering a second relegation in four years.

The Hamlet host second-last Bowers & Pitsea at Champion Hill on Saturday at 3pm.

“Behind the scenes we’re working really hard,” Quinton assured

supporters. “We’re not going to stop and on Saturday the fans are going to be very important, the twelfth man, all of them, and the noise is going to be massive for the boys.

“So everyone be there, behind the boys, be positive. We’re going to work so

hard and we’re going to aim to get many, many points on the board.

“One game at a time, we get everybody back, away from injury, and it’s important we get all the fans there.

I’m looking froward to the game on Saturday.”

Southwark FC reach London Cup last four

By John Kelly

Southwark FC celebrate their quarter-final win

southwArk FootbAll club’s under-15s are preparing for a London Cup semi-final in their first season as an accredited Football Association side.

Dean Stanhope’s side defeated

London Elite on penalties in the quarter-finals of the biggest grassroots competition in the capital.

They will take on Welling United in the last four.

“This is a massive achievement even if we don’t win it as we are now

up there with the top four teams in and around London at under-15s,” Stanhope said.

“My reason for building the club was to help change the lives of as many youth within the area as possible [potentially affected] due to high levels of knife crime and gang

warfare.

“We have scouts monitoring at least six of our current squad. One of them has been offered a six-week trial at AFC Wimbledon.”

The game this Saturday will be played at Burgess Sports Complex (SE5 0JD), kicking off at 3.20pm.

28 SPORT

lions’ new boys VanQuish Qpr Luke Cundle celebrates after scoring on his debut

tHE EFl CHAMpIoNSHIp Millwall - 2 Connolly 1’, Cundle 25' QPR - 1 Lloyd 3' Date: Satuday 1 February 2025 Man of the match: Aaron Connolly Referee: John Busby Attendance: 17,914 (2,007)

By Will Scott FIRST-HALF GOALS from debutant luke cundle and Aaron connolly were enough to see off a surging Queens Park rangers side, who were denied a second-half equaliser by lukas Jensen's heroics.

The game started quickly, with Connolly firing home just 29 seconds in, before Alfie Lloyd equalised only a minute later.

Millwall were undeterred and played some excellent football, especially going forward with their new-look front four of January signings Connolly, Cundle, academy product Ra'ees Bangura-Williams and Mihailo Ivanovic combining well throughout the game - with only Ivanovic in first-team contention a month ago.

The Lions got the breakthrough in the first half after Cundle headed in from close range - then held on as QPR threw men into the box in the last 20 minutes of the game.

The result stretched the Lions’ winning streak to three games, and they now look to be in a far better position than they were

Millwall hold on to secure third consecutive win - with January additions proving key weeks ago - Cundle already looks to be an impact addition, while club-record signing Camiel Neghli is waiting in the wings.

Neghli was introduced to The Den before the game, and the Dutch winger witnessed a near-perfect start to the game.

Tristan Crama’s low cross was missed by Ivanovic but ran on to Connolly, who passed the ball past the off-balance Paul Nardi in the QPR net.

Only one minute later, the Hoops hit back in transition - with Kieran Morgan finding Lloyd in the box, who took a touch towards the byline before firing it in off the post from a tight angle.

The Lions nearly struck back instantly in what was becoming an enthralling game of football. In the sixth minute, Crama's cross was cleared but recovered by Japhet Tanganga, who fed Bangura-Williams on the edge of the box. The 20-year-old took a touch before uncorking a fierce strike that rattled the post.

The game settled down a little in the next 20 minutes, with Ronnie Edwards' looping effort from outside the box that sailed over

the bar the only time either side really came close.

When Millwall did have success, it tended to be down the right - with Crama finding plenty of space and eventually he punished the Hoops.

In the 25th minute, Tanganga found the Frenchman in space, who whipped the ball in. George Saville rose up and crashed his header against the bar. Cundle reacted quickly to steal in past a QPR defender and head home from yards out.

Millwall continued to threaten, with their front four constantly asking questions both in transition and against a settled defense - Neil's training ground work was clearly starting to have an effect, while Cundle gave Millwall a badly-needed bit of creativity at the number ten role.

They headed into the dressing room deservedly ahead against their fellow London outfit, with the Lions limiting QPR to just four shots with a combined xG of 0.15.

The second half started just as explosively, but neither side had any real clear-cut

chances to show for it.

Millwall broke into the box a number of times, but their crosses or passes into the box were either blocked or swallowed up

by Nardi, while QPR posed a threat from set pieces.

QPR's subs started to make the difference from the 65th minute onwards - with Koki Saito especially looking dangerous.

In the 71st minute, Jensen pushed a bouncing Lloyd header round the post after an excellent cross by Saito, then a minute later Morgan Fox got on the end of a corner and Jensen had to react quickly to palm the ball away.

Another sub, Yang Min-Hyeok was introduced for his debut in the 76th minute, and looked sharp off the right - with the Tottenham loanee having a fierce strike from the right-hand side of the box tipped over the bar by Jensen.

The Dane was called into action again only minutes later when Sam Field's strike deflected off a defender at the last moment, drawing out a fine save to keep Millwall in the lead.

Neil: QPR win was ‘best performance since I’ve been here’ EXClUSIVE

By Will Scott AleX neil labelled millwall’s 2-1 win against Queens Park rangers the lions’ “best performance since i’ve been here”.

Neil was appointed Millwall boss on December 30 and after failing to win his first four league games, has led the Lions to three consecutive wins.

Their most recent win saw them dominate an in-form QPR side in the first half, before holding off a late Hoops onslaught to secure the three points.

“I watched the game back on my way back down last night,” Neil said on Tuesday, February 4. “For me, I thought it was the

best performance since I've been here.

“Albeit I thought Luton and Portsmouth were vital wins, but I thought we used the ball better in this game. I thought we were more threatening. I thought we controlled the game with and without the ball aand I think the last ten minutes we had to defend the box.

But we've done that brilliantly for years.

I was more pleased by how much of a threat we carried in the match and I thought in the first half in particular, we pinned them in for long spells and I thought we were very good.”

If there was something to fault with the performance, it would be how much pressure Millwall let QPR sustain around their box in the last 20 minutes - the Hoops had 66.8 per cent possession and

nine shots.

“I think it's our go-to if you like, because I think that we've been a 4-4-2 block for a number of years,” Neil said.

“I think there's a direct correlation probably in the last five years, even longer than that, that if Millwall have less of the ball, they tend to win games. Which is not something that I'm particularly pleased about, but it just is what it is and that's naturally going to take time to change.

“I think what you did see for the first half the other day is that we're far more comfortable with the ball in terms of attacking patterns and how you're looking, getting up the pitch and more importantly having good structure to it as well. So I think as far as all that goes, I was delighted with how the lads played.”

The Lions’ recent form gives them a strong platform ahead of an FA Cup Fourth Round clash away at rivals Leeds United this weekend.

“You’ve got to give Leeds the respect they deserve,” Neil said. “They just went and won 7-0.

“I know we beat Leeds this season already, but they're a talented team, there's no question about it. They're top of the league for a reason. It's going to be a tough game for us. We've got a couple of guys that are cup-tied, so that doesn't help.

“I think Leeds away is probably the one venue right now across the league that is arguably the toughest. But these types of games in the past Millwall have done particularly well in, so it'll be an interesting match.”

From the resulting corner, Michael Frey, who scored QPR's equaliser in the reverse fixture earlier this season, headed just wide.

Alex Neil introduced several veteran players in the last ten minutes who helped the Lions hold on in injury-time.

The Den roared as the final whistle blew to give the Lions all three points and give Millwall momentum ahead of a tricky FA Cup Fourth Round tie with Leeds United on the weekend. millwall: 4-2-3-1 - Jensen; Crama, Cooper, Tanganga, Bryan; Saville, De Norre (Wintle 80); Bangura-Williams (Honeyman 89), Cundle (Watmore 89), Connolly (Mitchell 89); Ivanovic (Langstaff 89) unused subs: Roberts, Wallace, Kelly, Harding QPr: 4-2-3-1 - Nardi; Edwards, Cook (Ashby 64), Fox, Paal; Field, Varane; Smyth (Min-Hyeok 76), Morgan (Saito 64), Chair (Frey 76); Lloyd (Kolli 83) unused subs: Walsh, Colback, Morrison, Madsen

FA Cup Fourth Round leeds United

VS

Millwall Saturday, February 8 (12:15 pm) Possible Millwall starting XI: 4-2-3-1 Jensen; Harding, Tanganga, Cooper, Bryan; De Norre, Saville; BanguraWilliams, Cundle, Neghli; Ivanovic Last meeting: Sky Bet Championship (November 6, 2024): Millwall 1-0 Leeds (Tanganga 40’) Match odds: Millwall 15/2 Draw 17/5 Leeds 4/9

SPORT 29

‘i saw the projeCt at millwall was really exCiting’

Tristan Crama in action against Queens Park Rangers

tristan Crama on why he joined the lions, playing in an unfamiliar position and potential initiation songs EXClUSIVE

By Will Scott tristAn crAmA has endured a trial by fire since joining Millwall a few weeks ago. signed as a centreback, two injuries in the span of five minutes meant the Frenchman was thrust into an unfamiliar role at rightback - a position he had only ever played in friendlies.

Yet the Frenchman has thrived. He has started the past three games, all wins, and supplied an assist for Aaron Connolly last Saturday, all while still adjusting to the pace of the Championship after playing in League One for the past two years.

Crama joined Brentford’s academy from Beziers in 2020, and he played B team

football for his first two years in England.

It was a tough adjustment at first.

“It’s been a long journey so far,” Crama told our paper. “It hasn’t been easy all the time. When I came here for the first time, it was during Covid, I couldn’t speak English.

So my first year was a bit up and down; I couldn’t go back to France and see family because of Covid.”

Crama was promoted to the first team squad ahead of the 2022-23 season, and was an unused substitute during five league matches.

The following year, he was sent out on loan to League One side Bristol Rovers, where he made 34 appearances amid managerial changes.

He then joined fellow League One outfit Exeter City for the first half of the 202425 season - making 26 appearances and

winning the Player of the Month award twice.

“My first loan was Bristol,” Crama said.

“There were a lot of ups and downs. We had three different managers in the same year.

“So there were moments where I was playing a lot, some moments I wasn’t playing. The season after I went to Exeter and really kicked on, I played every game.

I think I played well and the gaffer and the staff gave me everything to play well.”

Crama’s form at Exeter put Millwall on notice.

“During the season they came to my games,” Crama said. “At the beginning of the transfer window I had a call with the manager and Steven, and they told me they came to 24 of my games. I think at the beginning of the window my agent told me Millwall could be an option for you.

Millwall break transfer record to sign winger Neghli

By Will Scott millwAll hAve signed winger camiel neghli from sparta rotterdam for a club record fee.

The Lions signed the Dutchman to a long-term contract on Friday, January 31, and introduced him to The Den the following day ahead of their match against Queens Park Rangers.

Neghli, 23, made 22 appearances for Sparta Rotterdam this season, scoring five goals and assisting a further three.

The Dutch-born former Algerian under-20s international progressed through second division Dutch side De Graafschap’s academy before joining Sparta Rotterdam in July 2023.

“I’m over the moon to welcome

Camiel to the club,” Millwall’s director of football Steven Gallen said on the club’s official website.

“We’ve been monitoring him for a long time and believe he’s the right type of player to add real quality to the side.

“He has demonstrated the ability to not only operate as a right-winger, but also pose a threat in the number 10 role. He’s quick, dynamic, and whilst naturally left-footed, he’s not afraid to shoot and score goals with both feet.

“We’ve worked hard to get the signing over the line at this stage of the season. I would like to thank Alex Neil for his assistance to get Camiel in, as well as James Berylson, for his unwavering support to get the deal confirmed.”

Camiel Neghli is introduced to The Den

The Lions were not the only club interested in securing the Frenchman’s services, but Crama was convinced by the project and the prospect of working with Alex Neil.

“We spoke with different clubs,” Crama said. “I saw the project at Millwall is really exciting. They’re bringing in new players, developing them and obviously I spoke with the manager as well.

“When you join a club you look at the manager and he made the difference compared to other clubs. You can see in his past what he has done with young players, especially with centre-backs.

“So those were the main reasons why I came to Millwall: an exciting project, good manager, they play young players.”

He initially envisioned joining as a centreback, but injuries to Danny McNamara and

Ryan Leonard during Millwall’s 2-2 draw with Cardiff City meant he had to make his debut at right-back - a position he is far less familiar with.

“I played there with Brentford but probably only one or two games and it was in friendly games during pre-season,” Crama said. “I just try to do the basics. I’m quite quick for my size. Obviously it’s not the same position, but I’ve enjoyed it so far. I think I did well and I just try to focus on the basics, not trying to do too much.

“I had a good few games so it gave me confidence and obviously when you play with confidence you always play better. I don’t mind it to stay there, as a player I’d prefer to play as a right-back than sit on a bench.

“So obviously when the gaffer asked me can you play right back? I couldn’t say no.

I said of course I can. So far it’s been good.

The gaffer knows it’s not my position, but he gives me a good platform to perform.

He doesn’t put me at right-back and say, ‘do what you can’.”

Crama came through Beziers’ academy as a midfielder, and his ability on the ball meant the transition was more seamless.

“Well as a centre-back I always liked to go forwards, step with the ball,” Crama said.

“So it’s something I had in my game and I’ve been a centre-back for like five years, before that I was a midfielder.

“So I’m quite comfortable with the ball but obviously I never did too much crossing. I still need to work on it. But, going forward is something I always had in my game so it’s not something I had to put in my game.”

So far, it has gone well. Crama gets into good positions and has put in a number of dangerous balls - assisting Connolly’s opener against Queens Park Rangers, and having a hand in Luke Cundle’s winner, yet arguably Millwall fans have yet to see his best attribute in action - his ability in the air.

The six-foot-three defender scored four goals for Exeter, all of them with his head.

“It was something I worked a lot on when I was at Brentford,” Crama said “Timing on set-pieces. I scored a few goals when I was younger as well and at Exeter I scored four goals in 26 games. Which I think is good.

So hopefully I can score my first goal for Millwall.”

Crama first has to face a far more daunting task first - singing a song for the rest of the Millwall squad, who he says has welcomed him with open arms.

“I haven’t done it yet, Crama said.

“Probably next away games. But I don’t have too many English songs in my mind, so I might have to sing in French.”

Millwall sign Benicio Baker

By Will Scott millwAll hAve signed winger benicio baker from brighton & hove Albion for an undisclosed fee.

Baker, 21, has signed a long-term contract and will go straight into the first team squad.

The England under-20s international spent the first half of the season on loan at League Two side Port Vale - making ten league appearances and recording two assists, before being recalled to the south coast last month. Port Vale manager Darren Moore described him as a “real game changer when on his game” in his departure announcement.

Baker joined Brighton from Porto’s academy in 2022, and was given his Premier League debut by Roberto de Zerbi in the Seagull’s 3-2 loss to Chelsea on December 3, 2023. He went on to make a further five substitute

appearances in the 2023-24 campaign.

“We’re delighted to welcome Benicio Baker to Millwall - we see him as an exciting prospect for the club,” Millwall’s director of football Steve Gallen said on the club’s official website.

“Another England youth international, Benicio ticks a number of boxes we’re looking to recruit for at his young age of 21. He is an exciting winger who will add plenty of pace and skill to the squad, which will get fans off their seats.

“Benicio has already gained some key experience in the Premier League with Brighton & Hove Albion, as well as testing himself out on loan in League Two with Port Vale.

“He’ll link up with Alex Neil and the first-team squad immediately which, like Ajay Matthews, will be hugely beneficial to his development. We look forward to seeing what he can add to the club.”

INSIDE

Sport Southwark

SOUTHWARK FC REACH LAST FOUR

‘there’s been no promises made’

Alex Neil looks on during his side’s 2-1 win against QPR on Saturday, February 1

EXClUSIVE

By Will Scott AleX neil said he expects there to be stiff competition for places in the forward areas after millwall’s spending spree in the past month.

The Lions signed eight players in the January transfer window - six of which play in advanced positions on the pitch.

It’s a welcome change for Neil’s side, who previously lacked attacking depth with Calum Scanlon, Femi Azeez, Josh Coburn and Aidomo Emakhu all out injured.

“It’s a better problem to have,”

Alex Neil expects a fight for places following Millwall’s spending spree Neil said. “It’s more of a juggling act in terms of trying to keep all those players happy, but it really is quite straightforward. If you deserve to play, you’ll play, and if you don’t, then you need to do more.

“There’s been no promises made to any player. Everything to this point will be based around what they’re doing, how they perform, and that’ll be a dialogue that I’ll have with them continually. There will be ones that will need to be a bit more patient and bide their time, because they are maybe not exactly for the here and now.

“But ultimately it’ll be decided by them because like I’ve already shown with the likes of Ra’ees and guys like

that, who are playing regularly now, it’s purely based on who’s doing the best. That’s ultimately what I’ll be picking around.

“I know at the moment it feels as if we’re heavily stocked, which it might do, but that’s if you’re viewing it that every single player is for the here and now, whereas what will actually happen is the ones that are ready will show they’re ready and the ones that are not quite ready will have to work their way towards that point.”

Millwall had a busy final week of the window - signing six players in the span of four days, including academy product Zak Lovelace from Rangers.

“That one was one that we’d spoken about at the start of the window,” Neil

said. “I think there were three, I don’t like to say younger boys because age doesn’t really matter, it’s probably more in terms of experience, but obviously Ajay [Matthews], Zak, and Benicio [Baker] were three that had been targeted at the start of the window.

“That had been the discussion points and we were always confident that we could get the three of them done.

Obviously we knew we needed to fill a gap for Romain leaving, so went and got Camiel [Neghli] and then obviously we need cover at left- back, because if anything happens to Joe, we don’t have a left-back. So we needed to cover that off as well, which is important. I think all in all, we’ve had a good window.”

page 25

Millwall make Zak-to-Zak signings

By Will Scott millwAll hAd a busy transfer deadline day, signing former lion Zak lovelace and Zak sturge in the final hour of the window.

The duo became the Lions’ seventh and eighth signings of the window, with Lovelace joining permanently from Rangers for an undisclosed fee and Sturge joining on loan from Chelsea for the remainder of the season.

Lovelace, 19, joined Millwall’s academy at thirteen and became the Lions’ second-youngest debutant when he was brought on late during their 1-0 win against Coventry City on December 29, 2021 - aged just fifteen years and 340 days.

Only five months after making his debut, the striker opted to continue his development north of the border, signing a deal with Rangers and making his firstteam debut shortly after.

However, his Gers career was hampered by injuries, and he made only six more appearances for the first team.

Two and a half years after leaving for Glasgow, Lovelace returned to south-east London on Monday, February 3, signing a long-term deal with Millwall.

He is joined at Calmont Road

by Sturge, whose arrival was announced by the Lions twenty minutes after the window closed at 11 p.m.

Sturge, 21, joined Brighton’s academy in 2019, before moving to Chelsea in 2022.

The left-back has trained with Chelsea’s first team and has made five appearances in the EFL Trophy for Chelsea’s under21s team.

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

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