Southwark News - June 5th 2025

MILLWALL EXCLUSIVE

Issue 1740

Est: 1987

50p

June 5 2025

southwarknews.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE

‘FORCED ON TO MUZZA REVEALS NEXT STEP THE STREETS’ INVESTIGATION:

This man would rather sleep rough than in his flooded flat after six month wait See page 4

MY WORK KIER IS DONE

See pages 14-15

Council leader leader Kieron Williams step stepss down down - see page 2

THE INSIDE STORY OF CHARLOTTE SHARMAN SCHOOL’S CLOSURE See page 4

See page 4

ARTISTS OF MORLEY

SE5 FAVOURITE IS BACK ON THE GREEN

JUNE––JULY 2025

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2 NEWS Contents NEWS Pages 2-17 OPINION Pages 18-19 ARTS Page 20 EVENTS Page 21 HISTORY Page 22 PROPERTY Page 23 CLASSIFIED Page 22 PUBLIC NOTICES Pages 24-26 24-28 SPORT Pages 29-32

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KIERON WILLIAMS TO STAND DOWN AS LEADER OF SOUTHWARK COUNCIL

By Issy Clarke

KIERON WILLIAMS will stand down as the leader of Southwark Council next month, it has been announced.

In a statement released on Monday morning, the Labour group leader confirmed he would not be contesting next year’s local elections, scheduled for May 2026. It is understood he will continue as a ward councillor until local elections next year.

He said he plans to stand down as leader in July, remaining in post while the party elects a new leader. The frontrunner could be James McAsh, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Streets and Clean Air, having previously stood against Williams.

Other councillors understood to be in the running are Deputy Leader Jasmine Ali, the Cabinet Member for Council Homes, Cllr Sarah King, and Stephanie Cryan, Cabinet Member for Equalities, Democracy and Finance.

Cllr Williams previously saw off a leadership challenge from McAsh in March 2024, holding on by 28 votes to 23.

In his statement Cllr Williams said: “Now is the right moment for me to step back and hand over the reins to a new leader who can bring renewed energy.”

The News understands that the Group Executive of Southwark Labour met on Tuesday evening to draw up a timetable for councillors interested in putting themselves forward for the position. The closing date for entries will June 16, with a vote taking place on June 30th.

Kieron Williams, ward councillor for Camberwell Green, took over in September 2020 following the resignation of Peter John, who had been in post for ten years.

He joined Southwark as a councillor in 2014, having previously worked for Sheffield City Council as Director of Health Improvement.

Cllr Williams led Labour to a storming victory in the 2022 Local Elections, with the party increasing their councillors from 49 to 52.

Reflecting on the challenges of tackling Covid-19, Cllr Williams said: “In my first months we rolled out a host of new services. Getting tests and vaccinations to our community, and vital help to over 73,000 people and 4,000 businesses.”

He acknowledged that the council has

recently faced “many other challenges with the cost-of-living crisis and years of cuts to our local public services by previous governments.

Yet whatever the challenge in Southwark we have risen to it.”

He continued: “Since I became Leader we have got cost-of-living help to over 100,000 Southwark local people, put in place the country’s most comprehensive free school meals offer.

“Built more new council homes than at any time since the 1970s, with over 3,000 now completed or under construction.

“Created over 3,000 apprenticeships. Raised standards in our schools, with over 95 per cent now rated good or outstanding, and set new standards for care with our residential care charter and open access children’s mental health service.

“As well as opening new libraries, sports centres, a new nursing home and planting over 20,000 trees.

“I’m immensely grateful to everyone I have worked with over the past five years to achieve MILLWALL NEWS

KING KEVIN CONQUERS CELTS Issue 1739

Editor: Kevin Quinn Reporters: Issy Clarke, Evie Flynn 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

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A LAST DITCH EFFORT Protest as yet another primary school faces closure

EXCLUSIVE FEATURE

EXCLUSIVE

Fears that plans to build offices on car park near Guy’s could mean the seriously ill can’t get to hospital

WHERE WILL THE PATIENTS PARK? See page 4

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all of this. Including all of the council staff, Cabinet Members and Labour councillors, and all the volunteers, community groups, businesses, schools, NHS staff and many others who have helped to make our borough fairer, greener and safer.

“It has been an enormous privilege to serve our community in this role, but after five years leading our borough through difficult times, now is the right moment for me to step back and hand over the reins to a new leader who can bring renewed energy.

“I know I leave our council in the safe hands of a dedicated and hardworking Labour group of councillors, who will continue to strive for the very best for our community. I look forward to seeing the many things that you will achieve together in the years ahead. Our borough and community will always be in my heart.”

The Labour leader had faced criticism in recent months – notably over a report compiled by the Regulator of Social Housing in November last year which found ‘serious failings’ in Southwark Council’s management

of its housing stock, slapping the local authority with the second-lowest possible score (C3).

In response to the watchdog’s findings, Cllr Williams said: “I want to apologise to tenants who have been let down. We will continue to drive up the quality of our services and homes for you. Whilst we have made progress we know there is much more to do.”

He had also faced calls from the Southwark Liberal Democrats to resign after presiding over the housing brief when two controversial major works projects for the Devon Mansions and the Canada Estates were signed off between May 2019 and June 2020.

When it emerged that major works on two estates had gone £5.9 million over budget, and years overschedule, Southwark Council offered its ‘unreserved apologies’.

Cllr Victor Chamberlain, Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition, said: “I want to thank Kieron for his public service and his leadership particularly during the Covid pandemic – a uniquely challenging period for Southwark and our communities.

“But this resignation speaks volumes. Just months ago, Southwark Liberal Democrats called the first extraordinary council meeting in 18 years to declare no confidence in his leadership, following a damning judgement from the Regulator of Social Housing which found “serious failings” in Southwark Council.

“Under his watch, Labour hiked council tax for the most vulnerable year after year, failed to build homes local people can afford, admitted they won’t hit net zero targets, and oversaw rising crime and antisocial behaviour.

“Let’s be honest: Kieron Williams clearly does not feel he can easily or effectively defend Labour’s record at next year’s local elections – and he’s right. Particularly when compounded with the Labour Government’s cruel welfare cuts and dangerous rhetoric on migration. But no new Labour leader can rewrite Labour’s record either. They have all been part of the decisions and failures that have left residents disillusioned and let down.

“Even former Labour leader Peter John has warned that voters are ready to ‘try someone – anyone – else.’ The Southwark Liberal Democrats are ready to be that progressive alternative – with a plan, a vision, and councillors who listen and work hard.”

Comment - page 19

JUST HOW MANY WILL LOSE THEIR DISABILITY BENEFIT? See page 10

CAUGHT THANKS TO FACIAL RECOGNITION

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.

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NEWS 3

CARAVAGGIO RETURNS AS A GELATO AND DESSERT BAR

By Evie Flynn A FAMILIAR name has returned to Camberwell, not as the Italian restaurant many locals will remember, but reinvented as an artisan dessert and gelato cafe.

This marks a new chapter for family business Caravaggio with longstanding roots in the Camberwell area.

After nearly two decades as a beloved family-run Italian restaurant on Camberwell’s Church Street, the original Caravaggio closed its doors in May 2023 and Silk Road, an independent Chinese restaurant, took its place.

However, two years later Caravagio is back due to demand from locals, taking over a former Betfred unit opposite Camberwell Green.

After a renovation project and grand opening in mid-April, the team is back in full swing, steering away from pizza and pasta and instead offering coffee, Italian gelato and a wide selection of artisan desserts.

This transformation was led by Cesar Saglan, who worked at the original restaurant for over a decade before taking the reins of the business from his father. Cesar explains: “I used to help my dad and the family run the restaurant, but now it’s solely my business.”

He adds with a laugh, “Though this time, the family is helping me.

“We’ve been in Camberwell for 18 years, since 2007,” Cesar tells us. “We closed the restaurant after COVID and decided to reopen as a lot of customers were asking for us to return.

“It’s changed a lot since then. A lot of

restaurants have come and gone, but the people here are still the same in many ways.

Everyone knows each other, it’s like a family.”

The strong sense of community in Camberwell was a key reason Cesar felt inspired to bring Caravaggio back, but this time with a new focus. “We asked ourselves, what’s missing? There are so many restaurants now, but hardly anywhere just for desserts. We wanted to do something different with a demand.”

Despite being a reinvention, Caravaggio still feels familiar. The revamped shop is just opposite Camberwell Green, it’s the perfect place to stop on a sunny day and is already attracting crowds on hot days.

Inside, the Italian gelato counter steals the show, with twenty-seven different flavours on offer. Choices range from Aperol Spritz to passion fruit sorbet and their customer favourite, pistachio.

All of their gelato is gluten-free and they offer vegan cones and lots of dairy-free options too. You can expect to pay £3.50 for a smaller one scoop portion, £5 for a medium two-scoop serving and £6.50 for a large three-scoop tower.

“We’ve also got traditional Italian desserts like tiramisu, cheesecake, profiteroles and also Turkish baklava, which people really love,” says Cesar. They even have a new addition of pistachio soufflé, listening to the demand of pistachio ice cream.

The baklava is made fresh daily, and is priced at £5 for a generous portion, with an option to add a scoop of gelato for just £2 extra. All the other desserts and cakes are £5 for a large slice, perfect to share or enjoy on your own.

There’s also a wide range of drink options, from a freshly brewed coffee menu complete with all the syrups. A recent addition is their milkshake menu, and for pistachio lovers, if the gelato and soufflé weren’t enough, you can enjoy it in milkshake form too.

Sitting in Caravaggio talking to Cesar, it was clear the clientele was diverse. Some guests had laptops out, working remotely over coffee and cake, while others gathered with friends or family, enjoying a more relaxed afternoon treat.

“We get all sorts of people coming in,” Cesar says. “Families with kids, teenagers on dates, people working on their laptops and plenty who swing by after their office jobs for a little treat.” With a smile, Cesar adds, “The kids are the best customers.”

True to its roots, Caravaggio’s remains a family affair, with Cesar running the shop alongside his mother, father, and brother.

Despite retiring after the closure of the original shop, Cesar’s father, Frank Saglam, can’t stay away from the business and still helps out most days in the new Caravaggio.

Cesar describes him to us as “the main man behind the business.”

Looking ahead, we asked Cesar what was in store for Caravaggio. He says he will be working hard in the Camberwell store for the foreseeable, but he’s already thinking bigger.

He would love to open up more gelato stores, expanding the new Caravaggio niche and bringing the sweetness to wider South London.

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4 NEWS

AFTER LEAK NOT FIXED FOR SIX MONTHS MAN SAYS HE’S BEEN FORCED TO SLEEP ON THE STREETS The view of Southwark Council’s offices from Paul’s tent

London Bridge Post Office will not close – despite earlier fears over its future

EXCLUSIVE

By Issy Clake A DESPERATE Bermondsey council tenant has resorted to camping on the side of the road after being forced to live in a leaky flat for six months.

Paul Jones, 58, claims the council has failed to fix a leak in his flat, on the ground floor of the Devon Mansions housing estate on Tooley Street, since November 30 last year.

He says water drips into his flat from upstairs several times a week and trips his electrics, leaving Paul alone and stranded in the dark, water-ridden property.

“It’s colder in there than it is out here”, he said. “I could be lying down in my bed – the next minute I hear loads of water Anne Davis

By Issy Clake LONDON BRIDGE Post Office will continue to operate from its current branch, despite earlier fears over its future.

The branch was one of 115 believed to be at risk of closure last year, when the Post Office said it was “considering the future of its Directly Managed Branches”.

In April, the Post Office confirmed that it would be moving towards a fully-franchised model across its whole network.

The Post Office has 11,500 branches across the UK, most of which are franchises, including 115 directly-managed Crown Post Offices.

It confirmed last week that London Bridge Post Office will continue to operate from its current location, and is set to be transferred to Universal Office Equipment and run by experienced postmaster Elliot Jacobs.

In total, the franchising arrangements for 56 branches has been confirmed.

Southwark Liberal Democrats, who

launched a petition to save the post office, expressed concern about the wider implications of the franchising programme, including the future of East Dulwich Post Office, which was not one of the branches included in the announcement.

But a spokesperson for the Post Office told us that none of the directly managed post offices were at risk of closure, adding that further announcements on franchising arrangements will be forthcoming in the next few weeks, and that yesterday’s announcement was only the “first tranche”.

Cllr Victor Chamberlain, Leader of the Southwark Liberal Democrat Group, said: “This is a significant victory for our community and a testament to the hundreds of residents who stood with us.

“We’ve been campaigning for months to protect this service, and we’re pleased Post Office Ltd. has listened.

“We’ll be writing to the Post Office to ensure that East Dulwich’s Post Office will also be part of this programme, and the future of this essential service is secured.”

By Issy Clake THE P12 bus has been placed on diversion yet again after a fleeting reinstatement last month due to utility roadworks on Ilderton Road.

The closure of Ilderton Road means the P12 has been on diversion in both directions since Friday, 23 May, skipping the stops between Sheppard Drive and Commercial Way towards Brockley Rise, and from Ilderton Road

coming down. Often it goes in my room.”

It’s usually this point at which Paul packs up his tent and heads outside for the night. “What else can I do?” he said.

His preferred camping spot is located on Barnham Street just behind his building – and barley 30 meters from the council’s Tooley Street offices which loom just beyond.

Even though the problem has been going on for several months, Paul claims no one from the council has been over to inspect the leak.

His walls are now streaked with damp, while buckets are scattered throughout his kitchen and bathroom to collect the constant trickle of water from upstairs.

The leak has also damaged some of his possessions. Paul is the proud owner of an extensive vinyl collection – but most of his records have been destroyed by

water damage.

Paul he said he feels “abandoned” by the council. “I’ve had no one come over since November 30 to check or to help or to guide me – or to do anything” he said.

Since we visited Paul, he claims to have been offered temporary accommodation by the council, but he told us he disinclined to take up the offer while still paying rent and bills for his Devon Mansions flat.

Cllr Sarah King, Cabinet Member for Council Homes said: “It’s an absolute priority for Southwark Council that all our residents have access to affordable, safe and good quality homes.

“We are aware of this leak and are in contact with the resident and their upstairs neighbour to arrange access for the necessary repairs as soon as possible.”

The P12 bus on diversion yet again

to Sheppard Drive (RG) on the northbound route.

The bus will resume normal service on Sunday, 29 June.

The P12 was diverted last November due to bridge works on Old Kent Road and the installation of district heating on Ilderton Road for new developments.

The road closure proved disastrous for elderly pensioner Anne Davis, who has long relied on the P12 to get to the

Blue high street in Bermondsey to do her shopping.

The bus was set to resume normal service in April this year – but despite confirmation from TFL that the P12 had resumed its regular route on April 28, Anne got in touch with the us in May claiming she had only seen the P12 on Ilderton Road ‘once’ since it was taken off diversion.

6 NEWS

HARRIS ACADEMY CHIEF DEFENDS ‘500K SALARY’ AS TRUST PREPARES TO MAKE REDUNDANCIES

By Issy Clake

THE CHIEF Executive of the Harris Federation has attempted to justify his ‘£500k annual salary’ because he brings in millions of pounds each year, following reports the multi-academy trust plans to cut staff due to financial pressures.

The Harris Academy Trust, with five schools in Southwark, recently announced plans to lay off 15 members of staff across 14 schools due to challenging financial circumstances, including pressures generated by falling pupil rolls.

Three of the schools set to be impacted by staff redudancies are located in Southwark – Harris Girls’ East Dulwich, Harris Academy Bermondsey and Harris Academy Peckham.

Sir Dan Moynihan, who makes £515,000 a year, said he makes his hefty salary back “several times over” each year due to the amount of money he makes from his fundraising efforts.

Justifying his salary, he told The Times: “I lead fundraising and it raises £3.5 to 4.5 million a year.

That’s seven to nine times my salary.

Every penny goes into the schools. I approach charitable organisations, do philanthropy, speak to people who are interested in supporting schools and tackling disadvantage.

“Two thirds of the schools we took over were in special measures when they joined us. Now 70 per cent are outstanding, compared with 17 per cent nationally.”

Sir Dan said staff cuts were partly the result of the government’s acceptance of an independent pay body’s recommendations to increase teachers’ pay by 4 per cent from September 2025.

He claimed a £615 million grant pledged by the government to fund

the pay increase would only make up 1.7 per cent of the overall cost, leaving schools forced to plug the remaining 2.3 per cent rather than the initially agreed 1 per cent.

A spokesperson for the Home Office responded that his comments were “wrong”, adding that schools would still only be expected to pay for 1 per cent of the pay increase, with the remainder to be paid for out of a £2.4 billion addition to the school’s budget announced by the government in October.

In an interview with Tes, (Times Education Supplement), Sir Dan claimed the cuts at the trust would be “much deeper” if it did not take action now and warned there would be “catastrophic” consequences for schools if teacher pay is raised by nearly 4 per cent next year without additional funding.

He also said that funding for national

insurance employer contributions falls £1.5 million short for the Harris Federation, meaning that the trust is looking at an £8.25 million shortfall in funding in 2025-26.

His trust is proposing to save £4 million through the redundancies, and fund the remaining £4.25 million from its reserves.

Last month, the NASUWT, one of the UK’s largest teaching unions, slammed the Federation over its plans to cut staff, accusing the Trust of making “dozens of dedicated teachers redundant” despite having “tens of millions in the bank and [paying] its boss more than the Prime Minister.”

A spokesperson for the Harris Federation claimed demographic pressures had underlain the decision to lay off staff members. Since 2022, eight primary schools have closed in Southwark as a result of a falling birth rate compounded by rising house

prices.

Sir Dan partly blamed Harris’ difficult financial situation on the speed with which pupil rolls have fallen in London. The trust has already merged schools and cut published admission numbers (PAN) to cope with falling primary rolls but its inner-London secondaries are also being hit.

It is believed one secondary in Southwark, which has not be named, has an intake of just 50 students next year, against a PAN of 120 – which has already been reduced from 180.

Local authority forecasts suggest secondary student numbers will fall by just over 1,000 across Southwark in 2025-26, against the 19,451 on roll in the 2023-24 census. This figure is projected to fall to 16,711 by 2030-31.

The Harris Federation has reduced the PAN at three of its schools. “There are more schools that will follow, but

it’s just a question of us watching and seeing what’s going to happen,” Sir Dan said in his Tes interview.

Invoking this context, a Harris Federation spokesperson added: “Like many other schools in Southwark, as families are increasingly priced out of the area and with rising costs, we are having to make adjustments to ensure our schools can continue to thrive.

“There are 2,600 teachers across our group, with 15 roles in total at risk. Historically, we have very rarely made staff redundant and, even now, we’ve subsidised our academies with over £4 million of our reserves so job losses are minimised.

“The Harris Federation has turned around many of London’s most challenging schools, effectively and economically.

Our central services, which include some of the best educational support in the country, with Harris academies rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted four times more often than other schools, cost less than in other equivalent academy trusts, despite being among the most impactful.”

A Department for Education spokesperson disputed some of the figures quoted, saying: “These claims are wrong. Schools are not expected to find 2.3 per cent to fund the pay rise.

“This year’s pay award is backed by a significant investment of £615 million on top of billions already provided to schools to cover three quarters of the pay rise. The rest will be made up through improved productivity and smarter spending.

“Despite the challenging fiscal context inherited by this government, the budget protected key education priorities in our Plan for Change including teacher pay in recognition of the crucial role they play in breaking the link between background and success.”

IMAGES OF MAN RELEASED IN CONNECTION WITH ASSAULT AT WATERLOO STATION

By Issy Clake

POLICE HAVE released three images of a young man they would like to speak to in connection with an assault at Waterloo Station in April.

Shortly before 11pm on Thursday, 17 April, a man ran into a woman, causing her to be flung back into another woman, and leaving her with a broken tibia (shinbone).

Officers would like to speak to the man pictured as they believe he may have information which could help their investigation.

A man ran into a woman, flinging her back into another woman, leaving her with a broken tibia (shinbone) as a result.

Anyone who recognises him is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 494 of 17 April.

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

NEWS 7

By Evie Flynn SINCE 2021, there have been no deer roaming in Greenwich Park due to a four-year long renovation of their paddock. The previous herds of fallow and red deer were relocated to Richmond Park whilst the renovation was taking place.

Earlier this May, Greenwich Park has once again welcomed deer to its grounds. A small herd of eight fallow deer were reintroduced, possible due to a habitat improvement and an extended deer paddock. This will provide the animals with better access to nearby woodlands, alongside enhanced wildflower planting.

This renovation coincided with the construction of new community facilities, such as the new Greenwich Park Learning Centre.

We spoke to Clare Lanes, Park Manager of Greenwich Park, to see how the deers are getting on in their new home. She said: “The deer have been back for one month now and are settling in really well. They are keeping to themselves as they get used to their new environment which is why they might be harder to spot for the first few months. We check on them daily are very pleased to have them back in the park!”

If you would like to spot the deer, there are two viewing areas in the Flower Garden, which is located on the East side of the park, adjacent to Maze Hill.

Some of the deers are pregnant, which contributes to them being a bit harder to see at this time of year as

birthing season is coming up.

However, some visitors have begun spotting the deer already, with Julie Rabbage sharing some pictures she took whilst visiting a friend in London earlier in the month.

The relocation and introduction were carried out under the guidance of a specialist deer vet from the British Deer Society, who holds legal authority for such work issued by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Clare said “Over the past three years, we’ve been able to enhance the natural environment of the deer paddock, ensuring they have a rich, biodiverse habitat to return to.

“At first, the deer may keep away from the viewing areas as they get used to and settle into their new environment.

Once they become more comfortable, they will explore more of the space.”

The project was funded by the Royal Parks Charity, who manage London’s eight Royal Parks, alongside a £4.5 million grant from the Parks for People Programme, joint financed by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.

Visitors of Greenwich Park can now enjoy the return of one of London’s treasured traditions, with a renewed focus on conservation and protection.

Do you want to visit Greenwich Park to see the deer?

Location: Flower Garden, Greenwich Park, London SE10 8XH The park team ask visitors to enjoy observing the beautiful animals in the deer park without disturbing or interacting with them.

DEER RETURN TO GREENWICH PARK FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER A FOUR-YEAR ABSENCE

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8 NEWS

TFL SEEKING TO INCREASE CONGESTION CHARGE ON MOTORISTS

NEW BOOK UNCOVERS THE SLANG, SAYINGS AND EXPRESSIONS FROM SOUTH LONDON FROM 1950-1980

By Issy Clarke

By Evie Flynn

TRANSPORT FOR London (TFL) wants to increase the amount motorists pay to drive through central London and is tightening eligibility for the scheme offering relief to residents living inside the congestion zone.

SOUTH LONDON Speaks, a book from local man Stephen Daly, celebrates the language, slang, and sayings from South London between 1950 and 1980.

The changes, which are being consulted on, would see motorists forced to cough up £18, rather than the current £15 levy, from January 2026 – the first increase in the charge since 2020.

Currently, drivers are charged £15 if they pay the toll on the same day, rising to £17.50 by midnight of the third day and £180 if they fail to pay at all.

To sweeten the deal, TFL is consulting on new discounts for electric vehicles, including a 75 per cent reduction for electric vans and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) registered with TFL AutoPay, and 37.5 per cent from the amount paid by electric cars.

The discounts would be introduced in two phases; from January 2026, electric vans and HGVs would recieve a 50 per cent deduction, with a 25 per cent reduction for cars. In March 2030, the remaining 25 per cent (HGVs) and 12.5 per cent (cars) would be knocked off respectively.

In addition, from 1 March 2027, the residents’ discount – which allows people living in the congestion zone to claim a 90 per cent deduction – will only be applicable to electric vehicles.

However, it said the removal of the 90% discount for non-EVs would only apply to new applicants, so those already registered for the residents’ discount would not have to pay the charge each day.

TFL is also seeking to make changes to the Mayor’s charging regime to allow the congesiton levy to increase in line with tube fares every year, plus 1 per cent or a lower amount.

The public are invited to take part in the consultaiton which runs from 27 May to 4 August 2025 and can be accessed at tfl. gov.uk/congestion-charge-proposals

The book contains a collection of 2,000 authentic contributions from South Londoners who gave their opinions and recollections to Stephen’s anecdotal record of South London language.

Stephen is a proud South London native and has a deep passion for preserving the voices and stories of the past. Having lived through the vibrant and turbulent decades of the late 1950s, 60s and 70s, Stephen became interested in the slang and saying that shaped local South London identity.

The contents of the book are drawn from personal experience and research with long term residents and even suggestions from his family. It touches on real conversations, street talk and cultural memory.

“This book captures the humour, grit and the heart of post-war South London,” says Stephen. “It’s perfect for anyone interested in British social history, dialects, or the evolution of urban speech.”

Working as a language teacher, Stephen has a keen interest in language and he describes his book as “a tribute to the language of the streets, estates, schools, pubs and markets- from cheeky banter to real pearls of wisdom.”

He says: “It’s a living record of a time when words carried the spirit of community, wit and resilience.”

Stephen was educated at Stockwell Manor School, Southwark College and the London College of Printing, now incorporated into University of the Arts London in Elephant & Castle.

He began his career as a Shipping Clerk on Bankside, before becoming a Librarian in Lambeth. He then worked with young homeless people as a Hostel Manager and then taught English as a Second Language (ESL).

Stephen also emphasises that South

London Speaks is not intended as an academic works, recognising that a lot of the words, phrases and sayings might have a further reach than South London.

Some are used elsewhere in Greater London, and further afield in the rest of the UK and even Ireland.

The book is available on Amazon amazon.co.uk/SOUTH-LONDONSPEAKS-EXPRESSIONS-1950-1980

Stephen Daly in 1963

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Scan the QR code to visit our website at bermondseyplaceconsultation.co.uk for more information!

NEWS 9 EXCLUSIVE

By Issy Clarke ON APRIL 1, beloved Rotherhithe shopkeeper Vimal Pandya was locked in a detention centre in Croydon. Less than a month later, he was sitting in the King’s royal box at Ascot wearing a suit, as highpowered executives lavished praise on him for his volunteering work in Southwark.

Last month, in the latest twist in his 14year struggle to retain his right to remain in the UK, 44-year-old Vimal, who worked at Halai General Stores near Rotherhithe Street for years, was told by the Home Office while routinely reporting to the immigration centre in Croydon that his latest appeal against the government’s decision to remove him had been rejected.

The Home Office allegedly accused the shopkeeper of ignoring a letter they claimed to have sent him three months earlier – which Vimal insists he never received. He was put in handcuffs and taken to a detention centre near Heathrow Airport, where he was kept for nine days until he was bailed out by a friend.

Last month, Vimal applied for a judicial review against the Home Office and the High Court challenging the procedure used in the decision to remove him from Britain, and will find out in the coming weeks whether his claim will be heard in court. But even if the legal case is successful, the government is unlikely to reverse the rejection of his appeal.

For almost 15 years, Vimal Pandya has been ensnared in Britain’s labyrinthine immigration system – despite years of dedicated service to his local community.

In 2023, Vimal established the Rotherhithe Community Kitchen in Peter Hills C of E Primary School in Rotherhithe, serving free hot meals to hundreds of pensioners every week. More recently, he established a food bank that delivers meals to almost 300 families across the borough three days a week.

But Vimal’s cheerful demeanour and unfaltering smile have long concealed a near-constant anxiety about his future in the country he has called home since 2011, when he first arrived in Britain on a student visa.

In April 2014, upon returning from a two-week trip to India to visit his parents, Vimal was detained in London City Airport by immigration officials, who informed him that his college had closed

ROTHERHITHE COMMUNITY HERO GEARS UP FOR FINAL FIGHT AGAINST THE HOME OFFICE during his absence.

This set in motion a nightmarish saga, which saw Vimal forced to find another place to study in the UK in order to restore his immigration status – but unable to apply for a student visa without his passport and residence card, which officials had confiscated. Since 2015, he has technically been living in the UK illegally.

Fast-forward to 2024: Vimal launched a final appeal in a last-ditch attempt to obtain lawful residency, hoping the newly elected Labour government would prove more sympathetic to his plight. These hopes were dashed in January, and Vimal now faces imminent removal.

Vimal has been described in the

past as a “pillar of the community” in Rotherhithe, renowned for his tireless work during lockdown supporting dozens of vulnerable families and elderly pensioners, which earned him a plaudit from the Queen in recognition of his efforts.

In 2022, a petition supporting his appeal against an earlier decision by the previous government to send him back to India gained 150,000 signatures, while a community fundraiser financing his legal costs raised more than £20,000.

His desire to give back has sustained him through some of his darkest moments. In 2023, an Upper Tribunal judge accused Vimal of “benefiting from the pandemic” in reference to his volunteering work – an

incident Vimal still finds painful to recall.

In contrast to the overwhelming complexity of Britain’s immigration system, Vimal’s approach to service is simple.

“I am just trying to make the most of the current moment that I have to help people,” he told the News. “I put my own problems to one side and just keep going.

“If you’re making a difference in somebody else’s life, it’s important to just keep doing it.”

Just last week, Pandya ascended the nave of Southwark Cathedral to accept the Liberty of Bermondsey award in recognition of his contribution to the community.

Bermondsey MP Neil Coyle has long

been fighting Vimal’s corner, and is now urging the Home Office to recognise his exceptional contribution to the UK as a basis for granting him right to remain in the UK. Coyle told the News: “I’ll keep pushing for Vimal’s extraordinary efforts for our community to be recognised by the Home Office. He deserves recognition and I’ve raised his case with Ministers privately and in the Commons.

“Labour is still fixing the Home Office after years of damage and decay under the last Government and we urgently need to fix a range of policies to prevent further bad decisions being made.”

The Home Office declined to comment on active legal proceedings.

Free eco-friendly event coming to Castle Square to celebrate World Environment Day

By Evie Flynn CASTLE SQUARE are hosting a free, family friendly, event to celebrate World Environment Day on 7th June, from 12pm to 5pm.

The free event will transport the hub with a series of craft and community activities, with a central theme of the environment and how we can work together to protect it.

Castle Square is the recently redeveloped retail and culinary hub located centrally in Elephant and Castle. It is home to numerous vendors and traders, some of whom

have been there for years.

There will be appearances from bike charity, Community Cycle Works, who will host quick-fix workshops to teach bike puncture repairs, how

to pump tires and tighten loose wheels. This is part of an initiative to encourage greener transport.

For those who love being outdoors, or would like to try gardening ready for the summer months, you can get your hands dirty with Walworth Garden Centre. They will provide the seeds and soil, showing the ways the earth can produce if maintained and cared for.Castle Square will also welcome a range of art and craft workshops by Art in the Park and Creative Club. These will be suitable for all ages and abilities and families are welcome.

You don’t have to be a resident of

Elephant & Castle, the square are welcoming everyone to join and learn more about the planet and the part we can play in protecting the environment.

Castle Square is located just five minutes walk away from Elephant & Castle tube station, directly opposite Elephant & Castle train station and adjacent to the Sainsbury’s store at 50 New Kent Road.

Location: Castle Square, 40 Elephant Rd, London, SE17 1EU For more information, you can visit visit: www. castlesquarelondon.com and Instagram @castlesquarelondon

10 NEWS

By Issy Clarke A CORONER has concluded that University Hospital Lewisham staff ‘missed opportunities’ to save the life of a newborn baby, Khalia Thomas, who died aged just 38 minutes old.

The inquest revealed that staffing levels at the hopsital were low when Khalia’s mother, Lay (Lucy) Duong, was admitted to the hospital on Friday 25 November 2022, due to an on-site staff training day, sickness and workers who had cancelled their shift last minute.

Lucy, aged 36 at the time and living with her partner and their three children in south east London, arrived at the hospital early in the morning on the brink of labour and experiencing painful contractions.

During the inquest, which was held at Inner South London Coroner Court between Monday 19 and 22 May, the coroner was told that Lucy informed staff she could not feel the baby moving, and was put on a cardiotocography machine to monitor the foetus’s heartbeat.

Despite dangerous drops in Khalia’s heart rate, Lucy was wrongly categorised as a low-risk pregnancy and her care was not escalated in line with the Trust’s policy, the coroner said.

At the inquest, witnesses from Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust described staffing issues as “dire” and said that staff felt “desperate” because of how stretched they were with other high-risk births Despite the pressure the ward was under, staff were not brought back from their training day to provide assistance.

The coroner noted in her conclusion, delivered on Tuesday, 27 May, that Lucy was also wrongly taken off CTG monitoring for a time because of a miscommunication between staff.

Lucy was eventually taken to the operating theatre, and Khalia was delivered by C-section, but she died just 38 minutes later at 2.54pm on Friday 25 November 2022.

Concluding, the coroner found that opportunities to escalate Lucy’s care were missed and had this happened, and had Khalia been born before 10.15am, she could have been resuscitated and would not have died when she did.

Khalia’s parents, Lucy Duong and Kassa Thomas said: “We are devastated by the loss of our daughter. Khalia should be alive today. Throughout Lucy’s labour, we knew something wasn’t right. We said again and again that she wasn’t moving, that something felt wrong – but our voices weren’t heard.

“What hurts most is that there were so many missed chances to save her. We were treated without urgency, without empathy. We truly believe that if we were treated differently – perhaps if we weren’t a minority family – our concerns would

Khalia’s parents, Lay Duong and Kassa Thomas

LEWISHAM HOSPITAL ‘MISSED OPPORTUNITIES’ TO SAVE LIFE OF NEWBORN WHO DIED AGED 38 MINUTES OLD, CORONER CONCLUDES have been acted on. “Khalia was loved and wanted.

“Her death was not inevitable – it was avoidable, and the inquest process has confirmed this. We will carry this pain forever, and we are glad to have received some answers over two and a half years later, thanks to our legal team. We will keep fighting for change so that no other family suffers the way we have.”

Frankie Rhodes, a solicitor at the law firm Leigh Day, who represented the family said: “This inquest has exposed a tragic and preventable loss. I was glad

to have been able to offer support to this family through this harrowing process and to enable them to find some closure.

“The evidence clearly showed that Khalia’s distress went unrecognised for far too long, and multiple opportunities to intervene were missed. The decision to remove continuous foetal monitoring was indefensible given the signs already present, and the delays in escalation proved fatal.

“Lucy was incorrectly classified as low risk, there were insufficient staff to take her to the labour ward to provide one to

one care, there was a failure to redeploy staff from on-site training to assist, and critical errors in communication which meant that there was no holistic assessment carried out by either of the obstetricians on the ward. If this had taken place, Khalia’s delivery would have been expedited, and Lucy would have given birth via c-section hours earlier.

“The inquest also revealed a serious breakdown in how vital information was shared and acted upon. These are systemic issues that must be urgently addressed. Khalia’s death should never

have happened.”

A Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust spokesperson said: “We are deeply sorry for the loss of baby Khalia in 2022 and recognise the significant, ongoing impact this has had on her family.

“Following an earlier external HSIB investigation into this very sad event, we have implemented a detailed action plan to address its findings.

“In addition, we accept the view from the coroner and will be taking lengths to ensure that we take further learnings from the report.”

2024.

Across the health service as a whole, the NHS paid out £103,054,620 responding to 6,110 staff injury claims in the five years up to 2024.

The most common injuries experienced by staff were orthopedic (such as sprains and fractures), with £69 million spent settling 4,631 claims.

This was followed by psychiatric damage, which accounted for £13 million of overall spending on settling injury claims, and head injuries (£10 million).

In total, 54 claims and incidents of staff injuries at South London and Maudsley Trust were reported to the NHS legal body, NHS Resolution.

Legal Expert solicitor, Bethany WychPeers, said: “With an overstretched NHS which faces workforce shortages and mounting pressures, the welfare of some of the most essential frontline workers can slip to the bottom of the priority list

and fall short of what they deserve.

“Behind each of these cases there may be a nurse, paramedic, healthcare assistant or porter whose ability to care for others was compromised and it is important that NHS staff know that support is available when they are the ones that have become injured.”

A spokesperson for the South London Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust said: “Safety of our patients and staff is our number one priority and we take every incident seriously.

“We are doing work on violence reduction on wards and ensuring our staff receive the right training, support and equipment to guarantee their safety at work.”

NHS Trust paid out £1.9 million settling staff injury claims in five years

By Issy Clarke

SOUTH LONDON and Maudsley NHS Trust has paid out more than £1.9m in compensation for 36 staff injury legal claims since 2019, new figures have revealed.

The Trust, which runs Bethlem Royal, Lambeth, Lewisham and Maudsley Hospitals, paid out one of the highest amounts in damages out of all NHS Trusts in England, according to the data obtained by Legal Expert.

Between 2019 and 2024, it spent £1,901,573 in compensation settling 36 NHS staff legal claims for work-related injuries.

Across the health service as a whole,

the NHS paid out just over £103 million The Trust with the highest injury claims bill was University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust, which paid out £2.6 billion between 2019 and

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NEWS 13

DOLLED UP LONDON: A BERMONDSEY GIRL’S DREAM NEW HUB FOR AESTHETICS IN DULWICH

By Evie Flynn

KATE MOLLETT, founder and owner of Dolled Up London, trained for six years in aesthetics and has recently opened a brand-new beauty salon on Lordship Lane, Dulwich.

After a six-month refurbishment, the clinic is now open, offering dermal filler, anti-wrinkle treatments, skin boosters, vitamin injections, facials, and other nonmedical procedures. The wide offering of aesthetic practices is always being expanded, and Kate ensures she keeps up to date on new developments and trends in the industry.

Dolled Up London’s clientele is as broad as its treatments, offering services for a range of people, from younger to more mature clients, with desired results that differ extensively from person to person.

Kate explains the different processes and results of her injections: Dermal filler: One of their most popular treatments, used to inject plumpness and volume into the lips or reduce fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth. These fillers yield immediate results and last anywhere between six to eighteen months.

Other injections include anti-wrinkle treatments, particularly focused around the forehead, frown lines, and crow’s feet. Antiwrinkle works by relaxing the targeted muscles, which then stop contracting and put less stress on the skin. These aren’t

Dolled Up London in their new home on Lordship Lane

immediate, and it can take up to 14 days to see results.

Skin boosters have a thin consistency and a greater spread; they can soften fine lines, hydrate, and improve the texture and condition of the skin.

The salon also offers a range of facial treatments, such as dermaplaning, a method of manually exfoliating the skin to remove dead skin and fine hair.

Microneedling is also a popular choice, where a group of sterile microneedles

puncture the skin of the face to promote the growth of collagen and new skin tissue.

Originally from Bermondsey, Kate said: “I always wanted to open a studio in Dulwich, and I’ve looked here for a shop since I started.”

She has found the move to Dulwich smooth, with local businesses on Lordship Lane being extremely welcoming and supportive.

Kate is currently completing her level 7 qualification in aesthetic practice, the

highest qualification in the field. She offers free consultations at the salon and works on an individual basis, listening to what you want but also offering her expert advice and suggestions.

We asked Kate what the future holds for Dolled Up London: “Lots of new things come out all the time,” she said. “We are looking at polynucleotides, which is DNA used to rejuvenate skin, elastin, and collagen.

“My main aim is to continue looking after

mature clients and continue prepping the skin before treatments to protect it.”

Kate also runs a sister business, Dolled Up Tanning, which specialises in UV tanning beds, at the same studio on Lordship Lane.

Dolled Up London is always taking on new clients. Contact ?+44 7497 393951? on WhatsApp to book.

Dolled Up London 209 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, SE22 8HA dolleduplondon.co.uk

14 NEWS

INVESTIGATION: THE INSIDE STORY OF CHARLOTTE SHARMAN PRIMARY SCHOOL’S CLOSURE

EXCLUSIVE

By Issy Clarke QUESTIONS HAVE been raised around whether a primary school in Elephant and Castle could have avoided closure had its finances been more effectively managed.

Earlier this month, Southwark Council agreed to serve a notice to close Charlotte Sharman Primary School, meaning the school will shut its doors for good on August 31.

Charlotte Sharman, like many primaries in Southwark, has struggled with a falling pupil roll in recent years. Schools receive funding on a per-pupil basis, which means those unable to bring in enough pupils can very quickly enter financial difficulties.

Between 2015 and 2022, the number of children enrolled in reception in Southwark fell by 650, from 3,579 to 2,929. At Charlotte Sharman, the Reception intake plummeted from 41 in 2015 to 12 in 2024 – a reduction of 29 pupils (71 per cent).

Falling pupil numbers have been blamed on a declining birth rate which has affected the UK as a whole but is particularly pronounced in Southwark, where births fell by 30 per cent between 2012 and 2021, compared to 14 per cent nationally.

At the close of the last financial year, the school’s in-year balance stood at -£312,479, with revenue reserves of -£46,915.

Briefly, it seemed Charlotte Sharman’s fortunes might be salvaged by a merger with nearby St Jude’s Primary School, also facing a rapidly depleting pupil roll.

Last year, we reported that discussions with St Jude’s, a Church of England school, collapsed - in part due to vociferous opposition from parents at Charlotte Sharman, a non-faith school with an 80 per cent Muslim pupil roll.

But this paper now understands it was ultimately concerns over the financial position of Charlotte Sharman that allegedly punctured the amalgamation, leading governors at St Jude’s to withdraw from negotiations.

Primary schools manage their own finances, with governors responsible for drawing up a budget each year accounting for current and projected pupil numbers.

Increasingly, it appeared to governors of St Jude’s that the financial problems faced by Charlotte Sharman extended beyond the mathematics of pupil numbers - and rather existed in the alleged struggles of the school to manage its budget more efficiently.

One particular cause of concern raised was the amount spent on staffing - Charlotte Sharman’s largest overall expenditure. Spending on teaching and support staff at Charlotte Sharman increased by £200,000 between 2020 and 2024 from £1.2 million to £1.4 million - despite perpupil funding dropping in the same period. We have calculated that, given the school’s falling pupil roll during this time, the school’s funding could have declined by around £300,000.

Parents and teachers staged a protest last month in a final attempt to save the school from closure

Spending on teaching and support staff at Charlotte Sharman increased by £200,000 between 2020 and 2024 from £1.2 million to £1.4 million – despite per-pupil funding dropping in the same period Struggling schools are required by the council to carry out a restructuring of staff as a first response to falling pupil numbers, as staffing usually accounts for between 75 and 80 per cent of schools’ expenditure.

It is understood that Charlotte Sharman underwent a restructuring several years ago in a bid to recover some of its costs, but the majority of staff were redeployed within the school rather than laid off. As money dwindled, between 2022 and 2024 the school spent £234,000 on the services of an educational consultancy.

By the close of the 2023-24 financial

year, St Jude’s had financial reserves of £219,995, while Charlotte Sharman logged a -£50,000 deficit. This was in spite of Charlotte Sharman recording a far higher number of children on its pupil roll at the start of the 202425 academic year, with 57 vacancies against 147 at St Jude’s.

Even the sale of a caretaker’s building for £815,000 in 2022 proved unable to rescue Charlotte Sharman from its financial woes.

With the failure of the merger with St Jude’s and its cash reserves rapidly diminishing, Charlotte Sharman searched for another partner, but

struggled to find another school in Southwark willing to amalgamate.

Meanwhile, parents and teachers at Charlotte Sharman, who had strongly opposed the merger, were left shocked by the council’s ‘sudden’ decision to close the school altogether. “Had we known this would be it, we might have been more willing to engage” one member of staff said.

When we approached Charlotte Sharman’s governing body about these figures, we were told by the Chair of the Governors’ Board, David Workman, that the financial activity in question pre-dated the tenure of

the school’s senior leadership team (both Workman and the school’s acting headteacher took office in September 2024).

He insisted that Charlotte Sharman had taken steps to stabilise its finances and affirmed the school’s commitment to “remaining on that path” should the council agree to keep it open.

He said: “Since September 2024, the school has engaged seriously with the local authority to address finances, and has put in place processes to the extent that the deficit has not increased in-year.

NEWS 15 “We are committed to continuing on that path, should the school remain open. Indeed, as part of the consultation with the council we have suggested a number of options to address both the issue of falling rolls and the subsequent financial challenges the school faces, to enable it to remain open - so far, those have not been considered by them as viable or preferable to closure, hence why they are continuing with the consultation.

“Our main request to the local authority has been to give the school enough time to implement these changes and see the impact they can have - unfortunately, we have not been afforded that opportunity.”

When we asked Southwark Council whether Charlotte Sharman’s finances had anything to do with its decision to close the school, a spokesperson declined to answer, stating merely that a “drop in pupil numbers affects a school’s finances”, causing schools with “many empty seats to struggle to afford the resources needed to deliver a great education.”

Southwark’s strategy on managing failing schools is underpinned by the Department of Education’s advice for local authorities to maintain a 5-10 per cent surplus in primary school places. In Southwark, this would equate to between 180 and 350 spots - well below the current number of vacancies, and which would require the removal of between 575 to 750 empty places to achieve.

Closures are one means of achieving this, but are financially cumbersome

F.A.A.

for the council, which has to absorb any remaining financial deficit, pay for staff redundancy packages, and pay for the maintenance of empty school buildings.

In 2022, the council estimated that if the 16 schools across the borough with deficits of more than 500k were to close, the total cost to the council could exceed £3.4 million. Before consulting on a closure, the council usually exhausts other possibilities, including potential school mergers and reducing the Published Admissions Number (PAN) - the maximum number of children that can be admitted to Reception each year. In 2019, Charlotte Sharman’s PAN was halved from 60 to 30.

The Southwark Council spokesperson said: “It is incredibly sad and heartbreaking to close a school.

“Schools are the heart of our community. But the drop in pupil numbers affects a school’s finances.

Since funding is based on the number of pupils, fewer students means less money. Schools with many empty seats struggle to afford the resources needed to deliver a great education.

“That’s why we worked with schools on our Keeping Education Strong Strategy, which involves the difficult decision to reduce the number of primary schools in our borough, a challenge faced by councils across London. Our priorities are to support families and schools through the process to ensure all children continue to receive a high-quality education in strong, sustainable schools.”

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NEWS 17

PHONE THEFT EPIDEMIC SHOWS NO SIGN OF ABATING - DESPITE MET ‘CRACKDOWN’

By Issy Clarke

MORE MOBILE phones were stolen in Borough and Bankside in March this year than across the whole of Southwark at the beginning of 2022, as London’s phone theft epidemic continues to spiral out of control.

The latest data published by the Met revealed that in March 2025, 502 phone thefts were recorded in Southwark – the highest since records began in April 2021, when just 150 incidents were recorded.

There were 143 incidents in Borough and Bankside alone; up by almost a third compared to the number of phone thefts reported across the entire borough in January 2022.

The same data shows that Southwark has highest rate of phone theft in South London and the third highest London, behind Westminster and Camden.

The soaring figures come despite a ‘crackdown’ launched by the Met on mobile phone theft in February.

In March, the Mayor of London was accused of overseeing a ‘woefully inadequate’ response to the problem, after dedicating only a few sentences to phone theft in his policing strategy.

The ‘Police and Crime Plan’ sets out Sir Sadiq Khan’s priorities for policing and crime across London, and provides a strategic blueprint for the Met to follow in cooperation with City Hall and other public bodies.

But the 2025-29 plan, published on March 28, only includes the following brief passage on phone theft: “’Mobile phones are highly valuable devices and remain a primary target for robberies, often accompanied by the threat of violence.

“Decisive and coordinated action at home and internationally is needed to halt the growing global trade in stolen phones which is driving criminality and violence across the world.

“In London, alongside targeted police work to bring to justice the perpetrators of these robberies and the criminal supply chain, the Mayor and MPS Commissioner will continue to work with the Government and

push for the mobile phone industry and cloud providers to use all of the technology and data at their disposal to block stolen phones from being repurposed.”

Southwark Liberal Democrat, Councillor Jane Salmon, who is the local party’s community safety spokesperson, described the situation as an ‘epidemic’ that is ‘growing out of all proportion’ and said the issue was a huge source of frustration for voters on the doorstep.

She added: “We want to see more visible policing along with targeted action in hotspots, but also deal with the source – we can stop our young people resorting to criminality in the first place by investing in youth clubs and employment schemes.”

As we reported in September last year, the chance of a phone snatcher in Southwark being jailed is now next to

Simon Warshaw

zero. It is believed the figures could be even worse than is thought as so many victims do not report thefts when they happen.

Furthermore, The Met does not record phone-snatching as its own crime. Instead, it is usually put in one of either two categories; phone robberies, or phone thefts from the person.

Generally, a phone robbery is when force is used or threatened. Theft, on the other hand, is when something is taken with your permission but without the use of force. Phonesnatching often appears to be categorised as phone theft although incidents can be extremely traumatic for victims.

And while it is a London-wide problem, many other inner London boroughs do not report figures anywhere near as high as Southwark.

Hotspots are often concentrated around transport hubs and heavily pedestrianised; ‘mini city centres’ with a flow of commuters, tourists and people enjoying eateries and nightlife, often near key train and underground stations - Like London Bridge and Bermondsey.

One area that has become particularly infamous, is the so-called ‘rat run’, the narrow, winding roads between Elephant Lane and Russia Dock Woodland, allegedly used by criminals to evade capture.

As we reported in October 2024, residents were frustrated by what they claimed was a slow response to tackle ‘multiple’ safe houses used by phone snatchers.

We asked the Met what it was doing to tackle the spiralling issue. Their spokesperson said: “We are seeing phone thefts on an industrial scale,

fuelled by criminals making millions by being able to easily sell on stolen devices either here or abroad.

“In response, we have increased patrols in hotspot areas while officers are using phone-tracking data and intelligence to pursue those responsible. By intensifying our efforts, we’re catching more perpetrators and protecting people from having their phones stolen in the capital.

“The Met is also working with other agencies and government to tackle the organised criminality driving this trade and calling on tech companies to make stolen phones unusable.

“We are reminding victims to report their phone as stolen as soon as possible to maximise the chance of catching the perpetrator, too often thefts are reported hours or days later.”

Old Vic appoints new chair of trustees Simon Warshaw

By Louisa Woolf THE OLD Vic theatre has announced Simon Warshaw as the new chair of its board of trustees.

He takes over from Nick Clarry, who has led the board since 2014.

Warshaw, a retired investment banker and co-founder of corporate finance advisory firm, Robey Warshaw LLP, will take up the role in July at the 207-year old Waterloo venue. He has also been a trustee of the National Theatre since 2016.

“I am incredibly honoured and excited to be taking on the role of Chair of The Old Vic at this pivotal moment,” he said.

“I am very grateful to Nick Clarry for his extraordinary commitment over the last 13 years and for handing over the theatre in such a strong position.”

Executive director Laura Stevenson, current artistic director Matthew Warchus, and incoming artistic director Rupert Goold, welcomed Warshaw to the theatre’s leadership.

They jointly commented: ‘We are

delighted to welcome Simon to The Old Vic and we look forward to working with him as we enter the next chapter of our theatre’s life. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Nick Clarry for his dedication and guidance.

“For over a decade, Nick has remained a loyal champion of our work on and off stage, supporting our theatre through artistic, physical and cultural changes and we are incredibly grateful to him for everything he has done.”

18 OPINION

Comment

‘Funding announced to maintain hospital buildings - to avoid cancelled appointments’

T

HE LABOUR government has announced new funding for maintenance in hospitals to help prevent cancelled appointments and operations, with patients at King’s College Hospital set to benefit from the Government’s Plan for Change.

Across the country, over 400 hospitals, mental health units and ambulance sites will receive funding from a new £750million pot to tackle long-term problems such as leaky pipes, poor ventilation and electrical issues, helping to prevent

HELEN HAYES

thousands of cancelled operations and appointments and create a better environment for patients and staff.

A decade and a half of underinvestment left hospitals crumbling, with burst pipes flooding emergency departments, faulty electrical systems shutting down operating theatres, and mothers giving birth in outdated facilities that lack basic dignity.

King’s College Hospital has a connection to so many families in our local area including my own. My children were both born at King’s, I’ve had surgery there and been an

outpatient many times and my mum worked at King’s for a decade.

King’s delivers world class, lifesaving services such as neurosurgery and liver transplantation, but has suffered from underinvestment in facilities causing problems for staff and patients. Across the country, services were disrupted over 4,000 times in 2023/24 due to issues with poor quality buildings, fixing the

maintenance backlog is a vital step to getting our NHS back on its feet.

This funding is therefore vital to our local hospital and to NHS facilities across the country, as we begin to repair the damage of 14 long years of Conservative and Liberal Democrat austerity and it’s another step in this Government’s mission to fix the dire state of the public service infrastructure we inherited.

There is much more to do, but

the sky. There are flowering trees and scented shrubs to enjoy; the graceful Lime (Linden), Catalpa (Indian Bean Tree) and majestic Horse chestnut.

Linden produces small, nectar rich flowers, which have an intoxicating perfume, most noticeable during warm summer evenings. Catalpa is recognised by its large heart shaped leaves and looks spectacular when covered in white blooms.

Regular watering is the key to keeping plants healthy, but as humidity rises, so does the chance of mildew and fungal disease which can take hold and seriously affect plants. Practice good hygiene in order to reduce the likelihood of disease - there is a careful balance to maintain between aeration of soil around plants, light pruning to increase air circulation, and

allowing the soil to dry out but not letting the plants do likewise! Remove spent flowers (deadhead) - this also encourages plants to keep producing blooms. Weeds are growing quickly, and if left unchecked they soon become established in beds and borders, and are more difficult to remove.

Different herbs will be coming into bloom over the next few weeks, small bunches can be cut either for drying or put in water as for fresh cut

flowers. A mix of Lavender, Melissa and Marjoram makes an attractive posy and has a soothing aroma.

Look out for the scented shrubs in flower at this time - such as Broom with its bright yellow flowers and heady perfume; hybrid tea and floribunda roses have showy blooms, many have complex fragrances with notes of honey, citrus and herb. Mock Orange (Philadelphus) is a shrub which produces pure white, scented

MP for Dulwich & West Norwood step by step, we are not only lifting the NHS off its knees with more appointments and more GPs but helping to make it fit for the future with vital maintenance to help prevent cancelled appointments and operations.

Patients and staff deserve to be in buildings that are safe, comfortable and fit for purpose. Through our Plan for Change, we will make our NHS fit for the future.

Watering is essential as we experienced driest spring in a century A

CCORDING TO the Met Office, it has been the driest spring in over a century.

There have been some brief periods of rainfall, but not enough for the garden or to replenish aquifers and fill reservoirs. Water shortages and hosepipe restrictions look like a very real possibility this summer.

June weather can be unsettled with high humidity, leaden skies and strong drying winds. However, grass is already beginning to turn brown, lack of rain has left the soil in beds and borders like concrete; together with low overnight temperatures growing conditions remain challenging.

We have almost reached the Solstice which falls on 21st June and marks the beginning of summer as the sun reaches its most northerly position in

flowers; there are many types to choose from, some are compact others can grow to over twelve feet (3.6m) it is tolerant of a range of conditions - if you have space try P. Virginal (10 ft or 3m) or for containers P. microphyllus (1-2 ft or under a metre).

OPINION 19

Starting gun fired for top job

T

he shock resignation of Kieron Williams on Monday has fired the gun in a race for the top job in Southwark Council. Williams entered the role in 2020, taking over the reins from Peter John, who ran the council for ten years.

In 2022, Williams led Southwark Labour to a storming victory in the council elections, increasing the party’s councillors from 49 to 52 (out of 63).

But more recently, Williams had faced challenges to his authority from within the ranks of Southwark Labour. In March last year, Williams saw off a leadership bid from James McAsh, the Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Streets and Clean Air, narrowly holding on by 28 votes to 23. And earlier this year, there were murmurings of another potential leadership challenge.

Despite these stirrings, there was nothing to suggest Williams’ resignation was imminent - inviting speculation as to why the leader chose to throw in the towel five years into his tenure.

In his statement, Williams claimed he wanted to step aside to “hand over the reins to a new leader who can bring renewed energy”. His decision comes months after a report by the social housing watchdog which found “serious failings”” in the council’s management of its housing stock, which saw Williams forced to issue an apology. Furthermore, a looming investigation into the major works carried out on the Canada and Devon Mansion estates, which went £5.9 million over budget, and years overschedule, has also been much delayed, despite residents being told at a recent public meeting by councillors that the report was completed back in January and has been awaiting ‘internal sign-off’ ever since.

In 2023, this paper reported that the council had fired several staff members connected with the major works, with the council forced to apologise ‘unreservedly’ to residents of the two estates in October that year.

Cllr Williams led the council during the pandemic - a uniquely difficult time - and also trumpeted creating apprenticeships, building council homes and extending cost-of-living help to over 100,000 people as major achievements during his tenure.

Williams will exit the position on July 9, the date of the council assembly meeting when the new party leader will be in place. Before that, there will be an internal selection process within Southwark Labour - the deadline for councillors to put themselves forward is June 16, and a vote will be held on June 30.

The field for Williams’ successor is wide open, with several names already being discussed, including James McAsh, Cabinet Member for Finance Stephanie Cryan, Deputy Leader Jasmine Ali and Evelyn Akoto.

It is thought that Cllr Sarah King, the Member for New Homes, could also garner support should she choose to throw her hat in the ring. Consider also that Southwark Council hasn’t been led by a woman for 23 years since the days of Stephanie Elsy - many in the Labour group may feel that it is long overdue.

Williams’ resignation comes a little under a year before the council will face the electorate once again in the May 2026 local elections, leaving open the question as to whether his successor will be able to hold on to the sweeping majority the party gained in 2022.

Dorset House Dear Neighbour, Whitbread has recently acquired Dorset House on Stamford Street.

We are bringing forward plans to change the use of the vacant office building into a hub by Premier Inn hotel.

The emerging proposals currently include: • The provision of around 400 hotel rooms • The retention of the façade and building structure • No addition to the height of the existing building • Publicly accessible food & beverage offer on the lower ground floor We would like to invite you to attend one of our public exhibition sessions where you will be able to view the details of the proposals and meet with members of the project team.

The sessions will take place at: The London Nautical School 61 Stamford Street London SE1 9NA

The London Nautical School

Thursday 19th June 2025 from 5pm to 8pm & Saturday 21st June 2025 from 10am to 1pm

CRYPTIC PUZZLE Clues Across

4 Pour out nothing revolutionary, and sounded pleased (6) 8 Sign the document to gain attention (7) 10 The king’s daughter curtailed her brothers (7) 11 He set out for the ones near at hand (5) 12 In one way ties down without possessing regular movements (5) 13 Re-cancel a cheque’s acceptance (9) 16 On strike, we sigh about what is of greater importance (9) 19 The department has nothing for the storehouse (5) 20 Thanks to the range of knowledge obtained (5) 22 Swindles about light chalks (7) 23 Beat the man for touching (7) 24 Seen at different material (6)

Clues Down

1 Feeling rotten on September 1st with a head cold (6) 2 Go back to the French for an amorous lock (4) 3 Better boon too for the famous question (2,2,2,3,2,2) 5 Somehow resent uniting around for a dull result (13) 6 Falling back to surrendering again (8) 7 Want of practice is found in the great actress (6) 9 Watering place in a European country (5) 14 He never forgets a trunk call (8) 15 Prepares about a hundred decrees (6) 17 Have confidence in the people administering the property (5) 18 Stay in some sort of mental balance (6) 21 Keen to be a member (4)

QUICK PUZZLE Clues Across

4 Given piquancy (6) 8 Uses (7) 10 Idea (7) 11 Precipitous (5) 12 Go in (5) 13 Aliens (9) 16 Going without (9) 19 Confidence (5) 20 Very unpleasant (5) 22 Explanations (7) 23 Most sacred (7) 24 Stylish (6)

Clues Down

1 Animals (6) 2 Part of church (4) 3 Recompenses (13) 5 Hymns sung as clergy enter church (13) 6 Ponder (8) 7 Discourages (6) 9 Fashion (5) 14 Adjust (8) 15 Gazed (6) 17 Break (5) 18 Appointments (6) 21 Pip (4)

SOLUTIONS TO LAST WEEK’S CROSSWORD Website

CRYPTIC

dorset-house-consultation.co.uk

Across: 4 Switch 8 Related 9 Cruise 10 Isolation 11 Here 13 Stabs 14 Bemused l6 Average 18 Oboes 19 Lead 21 Encounter 22 Outfit 23 Detract 24 Thymes Down: Sensitive 2 Early bird 3 Depth 5 Warn 6 Tribes 7 Heeled 9 Cores 11 Husbandry 12 Reverence 15 Agent 16 Almost 17 Earthy 20 Dover 21 Eire

feedback@dorset-house-consultation.co.uk

QUICK PUZZLE

FREEPOST RESIDENT CONSULTATION 0800 016 3216

Across: 4 Shrimp 8 Temples 9 Locate 10 Ferry boat 11 Mess 13 Stops 14 Riposte 16 Overeat 18 Cargo 19 Felt 21 Essential 22 Endive 23 Started 24 Siding Down: Deceptive 2 Spare part 3 Herbs 5 Hoot 6 Images 7 Please 9 Latin 11 Monastery 12 Stagnated 15 Raise 16 Offers 17 Eluded 20 Rests 21 Even

20 ARTS

what’s on SET IN one room across the course of one night, David Shopland’s Cul-de-Sac is a snarky take on English suburbia, writes Melina Block...

As the wine keeps flowing, we watch as the carefully constructed lives - and lies - of the residents of Northwood Hills begin to unravel.

The claustrophobia of suburban living has proved a popular topic for art for centuries. In many ways, it would be easy to group the aptlynamed Cul-de-Sac into this particular genre of middle class satire. There’s Ruth (Shereen Roushbaiani), the unfulfilled, bored housewife, longing for more; her curtain-twitching, hot-tempered husband, Frank (Ellis J. Wells); their pious, Christian neighbour, Marie (Lucy Farrett); and their other neighbour, the repressed,

bumbling Simon (Callum Patrick Hughes).

Shopland’s witty writing, coupled with the cast’s dynamic chemistry and comedic timing, ensures that this play is not restricted by stereotypes or cliches. The introduction of Hamza (Behkam Salehani) at the end of the first half proves to be the tipping point, as tensions finally boil over, allowing us to witness the characters drunkenly delve into unresolved trauma, reveal hidden affairs and navigate racial tensions.

Although the second half of the play feels like it could do with some trimming in order to maintain the punchy, quick pace of the first half, the performances of the cast are consistently engaging, breathing life into their characters. Refusing to conform to one dimensional

Photo by Kat Foryth Imaging

Repression, hidden affairs and ennui in suburbia

archetypes, each person delivers emotionally complex performances, deftly portraying the morally grey attitudes and actions of each character.

Every actor on stage manages to deliver a memorable performance, highlighting the funny side of their situations while injecting earnest moments of pathos as they uncover their buried secrets. None of the play feels especially groundbreaking, with most of the themes and personalities covering ideas that have been

explored several times, but ultimately that does not hinder the show. Not every production needs to be saying or doing something revolutionary; an entertaining narrative and strong performances can be enough to carry a piece.

Cul-de-Sac is a smart, funny and thoughtful play, touching on universal themes in a way that doesn’t feel too heavy or preachy. Even if topics of repression, identity and the ennui of suburbia have been discussed at

length already, there is a reason that people keep coming back to them for artistic inspiration. And, when done right, they can provide the foundation for a thoroughly enjoyable night at the theatre.

Omnibus Theatre, 1 Clapham Common North Side, London SW4 0QW until 14th June.

Booking and full details ara at omnibus-clapham.org/cul-de-sac/ Standard tickets £18

THIS IS My Family is a comedy musical story of a mildly dysfunctional family viewed through the eyes of self-assured 13-year-old Nicky, writes Linda Emmanuel.

Nicky enters a competition, “‘Describe your family and win a dream holiday’”, and sends in a fictionalised story of her family. To her surprise she wins. She considers places such as Disneyland, Rio de Janeiro, Greece and other far-flung places…but having heard the stories of how her mum and dad met, as well as hearing her grandmother’s tales, she decides on a camping trip to the place where her parents had holidayed before she and her brother were born.

This production invites you into a cosy world of familiarity. With a soundtrack of chirping birds, the set design by Chloe Lamford consists of a Wendy House in front of a countryside backdrop that was seamlessly unpacked by the cast in the first half to reveal the interior of the home, with props and furniture used creatively to depict the kitchen, living room, a bedroom as well as transport.

In the second half the set is dismantled, the country scene curtain parts to reveal

a campsite in with the musicians within the trees. It was such a pleasure to watch them as they played beautifully, in sync with the action. As usual on a camping holiday, wet weather wear is a necessity against the rain and, with bike torches attached to headbands as the fog descends and the tent flaps about in the wind.

The cast is brilliantly directed by Vicky Featherstone, the comedy timing was impeccable with exits and entrances used to full effect. The connection between the cast was an absolute treat to behold, with eccentric Dad Steve(Michael Jibson) working through his mid-life crisis by learning a new language, taking up free-running and roller-blading whilst attempting to communicate with a perennially angst ridden teenage son, Matt(Luke Lambert) - very much a ‘Kevin’ from ‘Kevin and Perry’ but with a girlfriend, Nicky, a precocious and selfassured 13 year old telling the odd fib or two as one is prone to do when one is 13.

Mum, Yvonne(Gemma Whelan), wishing Steve could build shelves that stayed up for a change and not using an old bath to make a hot tub in the garden; as well as praying to practice patience with her

Photo by Mark Senior

A feel-good family show that combines music, laughter and sharing

mother in Law, May(Gay Soper), who comes to stay with them after she tried to put a lampshade on top of a lit candle at her home.

May gradually becomes more and more confused, seeing things that the others can’t see, and Aunty Sian(Victoria Elliott) - reminiscent of ‘Rose’ from ‘Keeping Up Appearances’ with the same liking for

close connections with the opposite sex - showing up in a whirlwind to share her exploits with her latest beau.

The music and lyrics are used as metaphors, underscoring the wishes they have for life to be more fulfilled in one way or another. You could see and feel the enjoyment the actors had working together; it was an exchange of

pure joy from the cast to the audience and back again. The stagecraft was smooth as smooth can be. Each member fully embodying their role right up until they were out of sight of the audience.

This show is a comedy musical, beautifully cast, with actors that handled the comedy and score deftly, as well as caring that the audience could hear every word. In the style of Stephen Sondheim, Natalie Pound the Musical Director and Caroline Humphris in charge of Arrangements and Orchestrations do a superb job, adding to the overall quality of the whole production.

This feel-good show will appeal to those looking for laughs, of which there were plenty, plus, an entertaining night out, with a cast that genuinely cares about their audience, who showed their appreciation by giving a well-deserved standing ovation. Also, be ready to take part in a cleverly set up sharing moment.

Southwark Playhouse, Elephant Se11 until 12 July 2025 Booking and full details go to southwarkplayhouse.co.uk Standard tickets are priced between £15-£45

EVENTS 21

History Events

Heading south - our pick of upcoming summer events

© Paul Blakemore

The Giant Balloon Show at Tramshed:

Dizzy O’Dare Theatre Company bring this high energy performance featuring just one giant balloon. This is a theatrical experience, combined with an 80’s soundtrack. Expect balloon sculptures, a high energy comic performance and of course the giant balloon.

Location: Tramshed, 51-53 Woolwich New Road, London, SE18 6ES. Date: Saturday 14th June Time: Performances at both 11:30am and 2:30pm (performances last for one hour) Tickets: Book here for £12: www.tickettailor.com/events/tramshed/1681149

ADHD Unmasked at Churchill Theatre

ADHD Unmasked is a live conversation hosted by ADHD coach, speaker and fromer TV presenter, Hester Grainger. It will be an evening filled with laughter and a refreshingly honest look at life. Coined as an ‘ADHD expert’ in the press, she is a regular guest on podcasts and She will draw on her own experience, life as a mum to two autistic / ADHD teenagers and her autistic / ADHD husband. You will have the chance to ask any questions and interact throughout the show. Prepare to leave feeling understood, empowered and uplifted and most importantly, realising you aren’t alone on this journey.

Location: Churchill Theatre, High St, Bromley BR1 1HA Date: Tuesday 17th June. Time: 7:30pm Tickets: Book here for £31 per ticket: trafalgartickets.com/churchill-theatre-bromley/en-GB/event/ other/adhd-unmasked-tickets

World wide ‘Stitch in Public’ day at Woolwich Works: This event is a twist on World Wide Knit in public day (14th June) renamed in honour of Woolwich Work’s Wednesday Stitch Nights. This day is all about knitters, crocheters, stitchers and makers coming together to enjoy each others company, meet new people and share their love of craft. They have collaborated with Woolwich & Plumstead Roses WI and will be hosting a free day of activities from 11am to 3pm: • • • • •

Community circle stitch and natter Mini marketplace- local yarn and vendors Knitting intentially as part of self care, talk and Q&A, 12pm Community call out- help crochet bunting for their summer courtyard Yarn swap

© Woolwich Works

Location: Woolwich Works, The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 St, Royal Arsenal, London SE18 6HD. Date: Saturday 14th June. Time: 11am-3pm Tickets: Free event, drop in

The Dinosaur that Pooped at Greenwich Theatre

A brand new show for 2025 adapted from number one best-selling books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, who were members of the pop band McFly. The new family-friendly show will be coming to the stage at Greenwich Theatre where you can expect new songs from Tom and Dougie to accompany the performance. Characters Danny and Dino’s favourite rock band are playing their last ever concert and go on a quest to get the last two tickets. But with a villainous band manager, nothing goes to plan… will they make the concert?

Location: Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, London SE10 8ES. Date: Saturday 15th June.

Time: Performances at 12:30pm and 3:30pm Tickets: Book for £18 for children and £19 for adults here: greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/thedinosaurthatpooped/

Men’s singing project at Blackheath Halls

A free adult men’s singing project for any experience, from complete beginners to practiced signers. There will be lots of different styles of singing, from jazz to opera. You can expect a supportive and welcoming environment. After the project is finished, you can learn about further singing opportunities with Blackheath Halls. Suitable for any male-identifying adult aged 18+.

Location: Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Rd, Blackheath, London SE3 9RQ Date: Monday 16, 23 & 30 Jun, 7pm-8.30pm. Time: 7pm Tickets: Free but please email Kate Howden to book your free space: k.howden@blackheathhalls.com

22 CLASSIFIED

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Send in your FREE

Father’s Day message to be included in next week’s edition One message per person (no photos) Please email Katie at katie@cm-media.co.uk by 12pm on Monday 9th June

24 PUBLIC NOTICES

Thursday, June 5th 2025

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (HOLLY GROVE, DOCKLEY ROAD, EAST DULWICH ROAD) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC AND BUS LANE SUSPENSION) 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.

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) Holly Grove, between Lyndhurst Way and Bellenden Road (2b) Dockley Road, between Thurland Road and Lucey Way (2c) East Dulwich Road, suspension of the west bound bus lanes, located between Peckham Rye and Lordship Lane (vehicles permitted to use)

Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 NOTICE UNDER ARTICLE 13 OF APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMISSION Proposed development at: South Dock Marina, Rope Street, Southwark, London, SE16 7SZ Take notice that application is being made by: Southwark Council, Mr. Gary Meeds.

For planning permission to: Refurbishment of South Dock Marina boatyard to include demolition and removal of all buildings and structures on site, renew services infrastructure, new electricity substation, underground drainage, and hard standings and provide new workshops, studios, toilets showers laundry and associated landscape.

Construct new covered boat repair areas with associated gantry and staircase. Removal of the existing crane and replace with new crane, pontoon adjacent to the crane and associated public realm works to the crane area. Addition of new trees to the river walk.

Local Planning Authority to whom the application is being submitted: Southwark Council

3.

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be (2a) Lyndhurst Way, Highshore Road, Bellenden Road (2b) Dockley Road, Rouel Road, Lucey Way, Yalding Road, Southwark Park Road, St James's Road, Dockley Road (2c) not applicable

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.

Any owner of the land or tenant who wishes to make representations about this application, should write to the council within 21 days of the date of this notice.

5.

The existing ‘one-way’ working in Highshore Road, located between Lyndhurst Way and Bellenden Road, will be reversed for access and egress/diversion purposes for item (2a) and The existing ‘one-way’ working in Bellenden Road, located between Holly Grove and Highshore Road, will be reversed for access and egress/diversion purposes for item (2a)

Signature:

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) 16th – 18th June between the hours of 22:00hrs and 06:00hrs (2b) 17th – 18th June (2c) 16th June – 24th August

8.

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

Dated this 5th June 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) V9106HOLLY/BT (2b) LBSCR14044/centurion (2c) W121015721-00859/SGN

THE LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK (LEDBURY ESTATE PHASE 2) COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER 2025 COMPULSORY PURCHASE OF LAND IN SOUTHWARK 1. Notice is hereby given that The London Borough of Southwark has on 20 May 2025 made the London Borough of Southwark (Ledbury Estate Phase 2) Compulsory Purchase Order 2025 under s226(1)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. It is about to submit this order to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for confirmation, and if confirmed, the order will authorise the London Borough of Southwark to purchase compulsorily the land described below for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out of development, redevelopment or improvement on or in relation to that land, namely a redevelopment comprising the demolition of three residential towers and the construction of four new residential buildings and amenity space, landscaping, playspace and parking, with ancillary infrastructure works.

2. A copy of the order and of the accompanying map may be seen at all reasonable hours at 160 Tooley Street London SE1 2QH and at Peckham Library 122 Peckham Hill Street London SE15 5JR. 3. A copy of the order and of the accompanying map may be viewed online at https://gateleyhamerpi.com/en-gb/ledbury-phase-2/ 4. Any objection to the order must be made in writing to The Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Planning Casework Unit, 23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham B2 4BH before Friday 27 June 2025 and should state the title of the order, the grounds of objection and the objector’s address and interests in the land.

DESCRIPTION OF LAND All that land forming part of the Ledbury Estate, London SE15 bounded by Old Kent Road and Commercial Way, including the residential towers known as Peterchurch House, Sarnsfield House and Skenfrith House, the amenity land in between those buildings and a section of unregistered land between the public footway of Old Kent Road (A2) and the freehold land of Ledbury Estate.

Dated 23 May 2025

Local Planning Authority address: Southwark Council, Environment Neighbourhoods & Growth, Planning Division, Development Management, PO Box 64529, London, SE1 5LX

Date 16.05.2025 Statement of owners’ rights: The grant of planning permission does not affect owners’ rights to retain or dispose of their property, unless there is some provision to the contrary in an agreement or lease.

Statement of agricultural tenants' rights: The grant of planning permission for non-agricultural development may affect agricultural tenants' security of tenure.

'Owner' means a person having a freehold interest or a leasehold interest the unexpired term of which is not less than seven years.

'Tenant' means a tenant of an agricultural holding any part of which is comprised in the land.

This notice is for publication in a local newspaper.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 16A THE (RESTRICTION OF TRAFFIC) SPECIAL EVENTS ORDER 2025 1. The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that it has made the above named Traffic Order under Section 16A of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, for the purposes specified in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.

2. The purpose of the Order is to facilitate a community event and an extended market.

3. The effect of the Order is to prohibit any vehicle from: (a) entering or proceeding in the length of streets specified in the schedule to this notice on the date and between the hours specified in that schedule; (b) parking, waiting, loading and unloading (including waiting for the purpose of delivering or collecting goods or loading and unloading a vehicle) in the length of street specified in the schedule to this notice.

4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of: (a) any vehicle engaged with the special event; (b) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by the Council of the London Borough of Southwark; (c) any vehicle being used for police, fire brigade, or ambulance purposes, or for a statutory undertaker in an emergency. (d) cyclists 5. The alternative route will be adjacent roads as applicable.

6. For information regarding this order, contact Network Management at ttmo@southwark.gov.uk Dated this 5th of June 2025 Ian Law Road Network & Parking Traffic Manager Environment & Leisure PO Box 64529 London SE1 5LX Schedule

Signed

To place a public notice, please email em@cm‐media.co.uk Deadline in 3pm every Wednesday

PUBLIC NOTICES 25

Thursday, June 5th 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, 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; PIP - application is for Permission in Principle; S106 - ; STDCA development within a conservation area; STDLB - works to or within the site of a listed building; 254 - 268 CAMBERWELL ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 0DP (Ref: 25/AP/1266) Variation of Condition 1 (Approved Plans) of planning permission ref. 22/AP/3987 dated 15/02/2023 for 'Listed Building Consent for reduced basement; and external link along north facade reduced from two storeys to one.' The amendment seeks internal changes to ensure that the scheme complies with current Building Control requirements. Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Rosie Poser 020 7525 7924) CENTRE FOR NEUROIMAGING SCIENCES 16 DE CRESPIGNY PARK LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 8AF (Ref: 25/AP/0456) Retention of the installation of 3 no. condensers.

(Within: Camberwell Grove Conservation Area CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Agneta Kabele 020 7525 3148) LAND ADJACENT TO 26 ASHMORE CLOSE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 5GY (Ref: 25/AP/0924) Self Build - New 3 storey 3-bedroom dwelling to adjoin land to the side of No. 26 Ashmore Close (Within: Peckham Hill Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Emily Williams 020 7525 1249)

Addition of roof dormer to rear elevation (amendment to previously approved application 24/AP/3548). (Within: Stradella Road Stradella Road CA) Reason(s) for publicity: (Contact: Susherrie Suki 020 7525 0646) 4-5 LONDON ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 6JZ (Ref: 25/AP/1430) Listed Building Consent for proposed replacement of existing extract system, and retention of 4no. external A/C units. (Within: St Georges Circus St Georges Circus CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Rosie Poser 020 7525 7924) 1 RYE LANE AND 68-72 PECKHAM HIGH STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 5EW (Ref: 25/AP/1567) Display of one externally illuminated advertisement sign (13.4m x 9.4m) at The Clock Tower within temporary scaffolding shroud, incorporating a 1:1 facsimile of the building and its architectural features printed on it (Within: Rye Lane Peckham CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ibrahim Azam 020 7525 2876)

1 COUNTY GROVE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 9LG (Ref: 25/AP/1462) Installation of two velux skylights to the side and rear roof slopes (Within: Camberwell New Road CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Joseph Vadilonga 020 7525 5341)

11 DRUCE ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE21 7DW (Ref: 25/AP/1465) Construction of a zinc-clad dormer extension over the rear outrigger, replacement of existing slate tiles on the rear outrigger with matching materials and replacement of two existing rear windows at second-floor level (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Susherrie Suki 020 7525 0646)

21 STRADELLA ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE24 9HN (Ref: 25/AP/1523)

13 SOLWAY ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE22 9BG (Ref: 25/AP/0918)

Notice of Application to Vary a Premises Licence made under Section 34 of the Licensing Act 2003 Please take notice that I / we Freshlook Supermarket Limited have made application to Southwark Council to vary the Premises Licence in respect of Freshlook Supermarket Limited, 1 Braganza Street, London, SE17 3RD The proposed variation is as follows: To change the licensed hours for the sale of alcohol (for offpremises consumption only) to 07:00 to 23:00 Monday to Saturday and 08:00 to 23:00 on Sunday. This change is requested to better meet customer demand during early mornings and late evenings.

Days

Start time

Finish time

The retail sale of alcohol:

Monday to Saturday Sunday

07:00 08:00

23:00 23:00

Opening hours:

Monday to Saturday Sunday

07:00 08:00

23:00 23:00

New windows to have double glazing (Within: The Gardens CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Joseph Vadilonga 020 7525 5341) ADVERTISING OUTSIDE 265 RYE LANE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 4UR (Ref: 25/AP/1583) Installation of internally-illuminated freestanding double-sided digital advertisement unit (Within: Rye Lane Peckham CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ibrahim Azam 020 7525 2876) 2 GLENGALL TERRACE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 6NW (Ref: 25/AP/1442) Repair of the rear historic external garden staircase and installation of bin and bike store in front garden (Within: Glengall Road CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Gabriel Neri 020 7525 2707) 159 TOWER BRIDGE ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 3LP (Ref: 25/AP/1506) Advertisement consent to move location of 1x existing banner sign. (Within: Bermondsey Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Joseph Vadilonga 020 7525 5341) Dated: 03 Jun 2025 comments to be received within 21 days of this date (or 14 days for Permission in Principle, 30 days for EIA development).

STEPHEN PLATTS Director of Planning and Growth LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 SECTION 123(2A) NOTICE OF INTENTION TO GRANT A FIFTEEN YEAR LEASE OF FORMER WC BLOCK DULWICH PARK LONDON SE21 7BQ PART OF WHICH IS OPEN SPACE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Southwark intend to exercise powers pursuant to Section 123(2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 to grant a fifteen-year lease of land being all those premises known as Former WC Block Dulwich Park London SE21 7BQ part of which is open space.

A copy of the plan showing the location and area of the land to which this Notice relates can be inspected at the offices of the Council in the Chief Executive’s Department, 5th Floor, 160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH (Reference: Paul Harte). Appointments are available between the hours of 10:00am to 4:00pm Tuesday to Friday.

Anyone wishing to make objections to the intended grant of a fifteen year lease of the land should make them in writing no later than 4:00pm on 13 June 2025 at the address above (quoting the reference) or at paul.harte@southwark.gov.uk, stating the grounds of the objection.

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

Dated this 29th day of May 2025

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.

Doreen Forrester-Brown Assistant Chief Executive – Assurance and Governance

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: 2nd June 2025

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

Local media reaches you in huge numbers.

Local news brands now reach 40 million people every single month, which is 73% of the total GB population.

26 PUBLIC NOTICES LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (GREAT SUFFOLK STREET, PARK STREET, BOROUGH HIGH STREET, RENNIE STREET, UPPER GROUND, TANNER STREET, ASYLUM ROAD, CULMORE ROAD) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC AND WAITING & LOADING RESTRICTIONS) 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) Great Suffolk Street, between Loman Street and Copperfield Street.

(2b) Park Street, between Bank End and Porter Street (2c) Borough High Street, south bound lane of carriageway between No’s 223 – 227 (Mitre House) (2d) Rennie Street, between Stamford Street and Upper Ground (2e) Upper Ground, between Blackfriars Road and Rennie Street (2f) Tanner Street, between Pope Street and Tower Bridge Road (2g) Asylum Road, ‘at any time’ waiting and loading restrictions will be introduced between No’s 54 – No’s 42 on both sides of the carriageway (2h) Culmore Road, ‘at any time’ waiting and loading restrictions will be introduced between Asylum Road to the side of No’s 103 on both sides of the carriageway

3.

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be (2a) Union Street, Great Guildford Street, Southwark Bridge Road, Sawyer Street, Loman Street. (2b) as indicated by the signs displayed. (2c) Marshalsea Road, Southwark Bridge Road, Great Suffolk Street (2d) Stamford, Blackfriars Road, Upper Ground Hatfields (2e) Blackfriars Road, Blackfriars Bridge, New Bridge Street, Fleet Street, The Strand, Aldwych, Lancaster Place, Waterloo Bridge, Stamford Street, Rennie Street, Upper Ground (2f) Riley Road, Purbrook Street, Tower Bridge Road (2g) & (2h) not applicable

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.

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) 20th June (2b) 21st – 22nd June (2c) 23rd – 24th June (2d) 23rd June – 4th August (2e) 23rd June – 1st August (2f) 23rd June – 1st July (2g) & (2h) 24th – 27th June

8.

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

Dated this 5th June 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) LBSCR13800-3/blade (2b) LBSCR13971/nationwide (2c) LBSCR13970-1/nationwide (2d) W121285003-02074/sgn (2e) W120462745-02600/sgn (2f) SA-2067494/thames (2g) &(2h) 813901500055/tham

Transport for London Public Notice ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984

To place a notice in this paper and online, please email em@ cm‐media .co.uk or call us on 020 7232 1639 Deadline is 3pm on Wednesday

THE A3200 GLA ROAD (SOUTHWARK STREET, LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) ORDER (NO.2) 2025 1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that it intends to make the above named Trafc Order under section 14(1) of the Road Trafc Regulation Act 1984 for the purpose specied in paragraph 2. The effect of the Order is summarised in paragraph 3.

2. The purpose of the Order is to enable water works to take place at A3200 Southwark Street.

3. The effect of the Order will be to prohibit any vehicle except pedal cycles from entering or proceeding in an easterly direction on Southwark Street between its junctions with Blackfriars Road and Hopton Street.

The Order will be effective at certain times from 7.00 AM on the 14th June 2025 until 7.00 PM on the 15th June 2025 or when the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. The prohibition will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall from time to time be indicated by trafc signs.

4. The prohibitions will not apply in respect of: (1) any vehicle being used for the purposes of those works or for re brigade, ambulance or police purposes; (2) anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or a person authorised by Transport for London.

5. At such times as the prohibition is in force an alternative route will be indicated by trafc signs for eastbound trafc via Blackfriars Road, Borough Road and Borough High Street to normal route of travel. For northbound trafc via Blackfriars Bridge, Queen Victoria Street, Puddle Dock, Upper Thames Street, Queen Street Place, Southwark Bridge and Southwark Bridge Road to normal route of travel.

Dated this 5th day of June 2025 Andrew Ulph Co-Ordination Manager, Transport for London Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ

View all weekly and archive public notices at www.southlondon.co.uk/category/public‐notices/

Thursday, June 5th 2025

Get Dance From Every Angle 4 - 7 June

Benji Reid Find Your Eyes

HHHH

HHHHH

“A GRIPPING JOURNEY THROUGH BLACK MASCULINITY”

The Guardian

HHHHH

THE GUARDIAN

The Observer

HHHH A collision of photography, choreography and theatre

28 - 31 May 24 - 28 June After sell out hit BLKDOG, Botis is back with his distinctive brand of hip hop theatre

Candoco Dance Company / Dan Daw Creative Projects

Botis Seva

Over and Over (and over again)

Far From The Norm

Until We Sleep

Irish Times

Experience a beat-driven, joyful journey to the perfect rave

Stratford sadlerswells.com

2 - 4 July

SPORT 29

SURREY LOSE CURTAIN-RAISER AGAINST ARCH RIVALS SOMERSET

SURREY LOST to their arch rivals Somerset by five wickets in an entertaining Vitality Blast curtainraiser at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.

Looking to avenge their defeat to the Cider county in last season’s semi-final, the Londoners were on the receiving end of a strong batting and bowling display as Somerset gave their short format campaign lift-off in front of a raucous sellout crowd.

Put into bat, Surrey lost wickets at regular intervals and were indebted to Jason Roy, who smashed a brilliant 92 from 54 balls, smiting six fours and seven sixes in a whirlwind knock that served to carry his side to 146-9. Otherwise, Somerset’s bowlers called the shots, overseas stars Matt Henry and Riley Meredith claiming 3-21 and 3-26 respectively to keep their rivals in check.

Will Smeed scored 35, hit four fours and a six and shared in stands of 45 and 44 with Tom Banton and Tom KohlerCadmore for the first and second wickets respectively, while Tom Abell contributed an assured unbeaten 29 and Ben Green a quickfire 23 not out as the home side reached their target with thirteen balls to spare.

Somerset boast a formidable seam bowling attack and Henry made an immediate impact from the River end, inducing Dom Sibley to chip to midon in the second over. Demonstrating clever variation, Craig Overton then sent down a maiden to apply further pressure.

If Ollie Pope was becalmed, Roy made amends, hoisting Overton over mid-wicket for a huge six to break the shackles and then playing a backfoot force through the covers to afford the innings overdue impetus. Henry checked Surrey progress in the sixth, Pope directing a top edge to short mid-wicket and departing for a twelveball five as the powerplay yielded an underwhelming 30-2.

But Roy remains a potent force and he overcame a diffident start to stage a restorative stand with Sam Curran, who adopted the role of chief support in helping advance the score to 66-2 at halfway. Now at his fluent best, Roy went to a 31-ball 50, pulling a

Cider county won last year’s T20 semi-final

Meredith bouncer high over square leg for his third six of an increasingly authoritative innings.

The third wicket stand was worth 57 when Curran tried his luck against Green and holed out to Thomas Rew at deep mid-wicket for 22 with the score 85-3 in the thirteenth. Unconstrained by his captain’s demise, Roy helped himself to sixes at the expense of

Goldsworthy and Gregory as he powered towards three figures.

He enjoyed a slice of good fortune on 71, holing out to backward square, only to be reprieved when Gregory was adjudged to have over-stepped.

Gregory persisted and had Laurie Evans held at long-on later in the same over as Surrey slipped to 1074. Overton again demonstrated safe

hands to dismiss Tom Curran for nine, Henry returning at the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion end to further reduce Surrey to 119-5.

Meredith removed Ollie Sykes, pouched on the deep mid-wicket boundary and Green had Chris Jordan caught at long-on. But the indefatigable Roy responded by twice lofting Green over mid-wicket for six

to move into the nineties. He was eight runs short of a hundred when he hit Meredith high into the air and holed out to mid-off in the final over.

If Somerset’s batsmen needed reassurance, Smeed and Banton provided it in an opening stand of 45 in six overs to afford the reply solid foundations. Squared up by Sam Curran, Banton skied a catch to backward point and fell for 23, but Smeed immediately picked up the cudgels, greeting Yousef Majid’s slow left arm with an imposing six over fine leg to keep the scoreboard moving.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore matched Smeed blow for blow, pulling Nathan Smith for a majestic six over square leg and helping himself to a trio of fours in a violent ten-ball knock of 23, adding 44 in 3.3 overs for the second wicket before losing off stump to Tom Curran.

Sam Curran bowled Smeed for a 29-ball 35 in the next over, at which point Somerset were 98-3, requiring a further 49 to win at less than a run a ball. Rew’s debut lasted five balls, the youngster held at long-on off the bowling of Yousef, who then removed Gregory to reduce the home side to 112-5 in the fourteenth and give Surrey a glimmer of hope.

Abell and Green calmed any nerves, these two batting sensibly in an unbroken sixth wicket alliance of 35 to see their side over the line. Green finished with a flourish, taking Jordan for a six and four in the seventeenth over on his way to 23 not out from 16 balls.

“It’s probably not how we would have wanted to start the campaign, but it’s a first run out for many of the boys and we’ll learn from this and improve,” Surrey spinner Majid said.

“We were probably 20 runs short and losing a couple of wickets early on did not help us. Jason Roy played brilliantly, but we could have done with one of the batters staying with him for longer and building a really big partnership. Had someone hung around with him for three or four overs, it might have been very different. There was a stage when we took a few wickets and forced the rate up to six or seven, but we simply didn’t have enough runs to play with.”

as the visitors chased down a modest target with 4.3 overs to spare to claim a bonus point.

Put into bat, Somerset struggled to build partnerships, lost early wickets and came up short at 131-6, Alex Griffiths top-scoring with an unbeaten 37-ball 36 and Bex Odgers contributing 27. Surrey’s spinners made scoring difficult, Tilly Corteen-Coleman taking 2-21 and Danielle Gregory 1-18 from four tight overs.

It was a disappointing outcome for Somerset, who were watched by a crowd of more than 2,000.

“That was a pretty professional display all-round,” Wyatt-Hodge said: “I thought we set it up with our performance in the field. It’s always a really good surface to bat on here at Taunton and we knew we would have to fling ourselves around to prevent them scoring too many boundaries. Those stops in the field are what makes the difference in the end and we really put ourselves out. We did that really well and were confident at the halfway stage. Then we had a pretty good performance with the bat as well.

It was great batting with Paige Scholfield and long may it continue. She’s a world

class player and she played so well today. It was great fun batting with her and trying to keep pace with her. I really enjoyed it and, hopefully, we can carry on in that vein for the rest of the summer.”

Somerset head coach Trevor Griffin said: “It’s disappointing to lose in front of our home crowd, but we cannot afford to dwell on it. We need to reset and then go again on Sunday, so we need to pick ourselves up quickly. There are things we need to learn and you cannot afford to lose three wickets in seven balls like we did so early in the innings. Surrey

bowed nicely and we only scored three boundaries during the middle stage.

That’s something else we’ll have to talk about. When we came to bowl, we then sent down too many four balls and gave them too many easy runs. Against two high-quality batters like Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Paige Scholfield, you have to put the ball in the right place consistently. We didn’t do that often enough and they punished us for it.”

Surrey take on Hampshire Hawks at the Kia Oval on Thursday (June 5) and are at home to Durham on Sunday (June 8). Both matches start at 2pm.

© Harry Trump (Getty Images)

By Andrew Stockhausen in Taunton

Matt Henry was in sparkling form for Somerset, taking 3-21 to undermine Surrey at the Cooper Associates Ground

Wyatt-Hodge and Scholfield Blast Surrey to convincing win

By Andrew Stockhausen DANNI WYATT-HODGE and Paige Scholfield raised a matchwinning stand of 112 as Surrey Women launched their Vitality Blast campaign with a convincing eight-wicket win over Somerset in Taunton.

Both hit half centuries, Scholfield topscoring with an enterprising 63 from 48 balls with eleven fours, while former England star Wyatt-Hodge made 53 not out from 35 deliveries in a sparkling innings that included six fours and a six

30 SPORT ANALYSIS

By Will Scott IT FEELS strange to already be thinking about next season with the corpse of the 2024/25 campaign barely cold. It was only a month ago that fans were put through an emotional ringer at Turf Moor, yet football moves quickly, and Alex Neil’s first pre-season as Lions boss is fast approaching.

Three players are set to return to Calmont Road following loan spells, while players like Ra’ees Bangura-Williams, Camiel Neghli, and Zak Lovelace will be back from injury - re-joining a squad that saw just four first-team players depart as free agents.

After arriving mid-season, Neil will be able to take stock of where his squad is at without the relentless Championship schedule interfering, and there are several questions that hopefully the gaffer and the recruitment team will have resolved by the end of the summer ahead of a season that seems to hold much promise for the Lions.

Who will benefit the most from a full preseason? Where do the youngsters fit into Neil’s plans for next season? What about the returning loan players?

Over the next two editions of the paper, I will be trying to find the answers - this is part one.

WILL IVANOVIC PLAY AS A LONE STRIKER?

Neil has been praised by every player I’ve spoken to for his attention to detail, tactical understanding, and ability to spot areas of improvement - and he’s already made a difference in the first six or so months.

His handiwork is no more obvious than in Mihailo Ivanovic’s red-hot form in the final months of the season. The Serbian striker mentioned to me that Neil had worked with him on his movement in the box, and it has bore results. The ex-Vodjovina forward scored seven goals in his last nine games.

His strike against Burnley in particular illustrated how far he has come - Ivanovic arrived in the box late in transition and made a darting run towards the front post, leaving CJ Egan-Riley, named to the Championship Team of the Season, in his wake before tapping the ball past James Trafford.

Ivanovic has more than fulfilled the promise he showed in Serbia that led to the Lions breaking their then transfer record for him, and he still has plenty of room to grow. It will be interesting to see what Neil can do with him on the training ground over the next few months.

It will also be interesting to see whether the Scotsman will opt to deploy him as a sole striker if Josh Coburn remains a Middlesbrough player. The duo worked well together - with the tall man from Teeside handling most of the aerial duels, allowing Ivanovic to focus on making runs in behind. While Ivanovic is no slouch physically and has the body type to hold up play, his best work was done alongside Coburn.

Will the club bring in a ‘target man’? Or will Neil revert to a sole striker, which he has often preferred to do throughout his career.

It is important to note, as well, that Neil said he initially opted to set up in a 4-4-2 because he did not want to leave either player on the bench, and that while it improved their attacking fortunes, it meant they lost a measure of control.

Neil made it clear in a number of press conferences that he wanted to keep Coburn at the club long-term, so perhaps the question will be rendered moot, but if the Lions cannot convince Coburn to ditch Teeside for south-east London, Ivanovic could be starting up front alone next

Alex Neil applauds supporters after the final home game of the season

THE KEY DECISIONS FACING ALEX NEIL AHEAD OF HIS FIRST FULL PRESEASON AS HEAD COACH season.

Of course, the Lions could bring in another striker, or maybe one of Zak Lovelace, Ajay Matthews, or Macaulay Langstaff will stake their claim in the starting eleven, and it will be a position to watch over the summer.

Playing as a lone striker in the Championship is tricky, especially for a player so young, and I’d imagine Neil will work with Ivanovic to prepare him for the eventuality.

WHERE IS CRAMA GOING TO PLAY?

If it was not for Ivanovic’s excellence in the latter half of the season, you could convincingly make the case that Tristan Crama was Millwall’s signing of the season.

He was thrust into an unfamiliar role at right-back and thrived, making 20 league appearances - predominantly at full-back.

A wrist injury to Japhet Tanganga suffered in Millwall’s 2-1 win against Portsmouth on April 5, meant Crama was shunted back to his more natural position at centre-back, and again he thrived, starting the next three games at the heart of defence and helping the Lions keep two clean sheets.

He looked like he had been playing at the Championship level for years - and Neil told reporters following the Pompey win he thought his stint at right-back was a blessing in disguise.

“Tristan was signed as a centre-back,” Neil said after the Pompey win. “He wasn’t signed as a right-back. It just so happened that in one game, we lost Lenny and Danny McNamara in literally a five-minute spell.

“So we sort of chucked him in there and he was great and we’re thinking, oh okay. It

gave us a different option at that point.

“I had a very similar scenario. I know Tristan’s a little bit older, but I signed Sepp van den Berg when he was a young kid from Liverpool and he was a centre-back by trade, but he wasn’t quite ready to play there.

“I’m not saying that’s the same with Tristan, but I think sometimes when you come up to the Championship, understanding the physicality, how dominant you need to be in air, timing, bumping people, all that sort of stuff. I still think Tristan probably had to adjust a little bit.

“Getting him in at right-back has helped him do that without the risk of playing central, if you like. I feel now he’s ready to slide in one and do that job in there. If Japhet’s not available, he’s certainly an option for us.”

When Tanganga returned from injury two weeks later, Crama returned to right-back in place of Ryan Leonard - and remained there for the final three games of the season.

Crama looked good at both positions and his performances warrant being part of the starting line-up on the first day of the season- so the question remains, where on the pitch will he be playing?

It sounds like a cop out, but it is hard to assess that just yet. The club’s need to sign a right-back has been lessened with Leonard and Wes Harding extending their deals, while Danny Mac may be back at some point next season. There are a few positions of need this summer, so rightback could take a backseat.

They also need to freshen up at centreback - it is unclear yet if there will be a Tanganga transfer saga, while Jake Cooper is now 30. With Hutch and Murray Wallace leaving, it would be surprising if the club did not at least look at signing a young centre-back.

Flexibility is useful in squad building, and having a talented young defender capable of playing at two positions at a high level is a blessing rather than a problem to be solved - it is also important to remember that there is not just one set ‘starting lineup’, and injuries and rotation will naturally happen, but it is still one Neil will potentially be thinking about in the upcoming weeks.

WHERE WILL THE ‘TECHNICIANS’ FIT INTO THE STARTING LINE-UP?

Ra’ees Bangura-Williams and Camiel Neghli ooze technical ability and joined the first team right after the Lions lost their best technician, Romain Esse, for a clubrecord deal to cross-town rivals Crystal Palace.

Both had their seasons cut short by injury, but showed a lot for Millwall fans to be excited about in the thirteen and six appearances they were able to make, respectively.

Like Crama, both are fluid positionally, with Bangura-Williams initially making the step up as a midfielder but being fielded anywhere behind the striker, while Neghli can play on the right wing or as an attacking midfielder.

It will be interesting to see how they do after a full pre-season under Neil, especially given both of their ceilings.

Bangura-Williams is only 20, tall, has already registered three assists, and has already shown he can do the spectacular.

His perfectly weighted ball to Ivanovic against Pompey, his bit of skill to set up Casper De Norre’s goal against Swansea he has the X factor that Millwall fans were worried they were losing when Esse left.

His importance to the club is reflected by the fact that he has signed a new contract only five months after previously penning new terms with the club, perhaps to fend off interested parties. Where will he fit into Neil’s plans, and how much better can he get after a full summer to work with him?

The Lions’ academy production line has worked very quickly, and they may have already found the new Esse.

Neghli is another with a sky-high ceiling.

A bit older at 23, the winger has only made a handful of appearances for Neil’s side after being made the Lions’ club-record signing, but looked like the sort of player who could take Millwall to the next level.

His technical ability, creativity, and dribbling could prove invaluable next season, and as he adjusts to the physicality of the Championship, he will only improve.

His goal against Middlesbrough showed the qualities that made Millwall snag him from De Graafschap - his ability to wrongfoot defenders and drive down the field before feeding Femi Azeez is very valuable. While he got lucky that the ball deflected into his path, his finish was well-taken.

As I’ve discussed before, Neghli, BanguraWilliams, and Azeez are players who will be the difference-makers next season.

The Lions need to score more goals if they want to finish in the top six - 47 will not cut it. While Neil has started to make some headway structurally, it is down to the players more than anyone else.

Bangura-Williams and Neghli have already shown plenty to think that they can be impactful contributors at the Championship level - and they have only played six months max in the league.

This summer will be crucial in helping them get further up to speed, and it will be interesting to see how they fit in alongside Ivanovic, Azeez, Aidomo Emakhu and any other potential attackers who are brought in.

CAN EMAKHU TAKE THE NEXT STEP?

On his day, Emakhu is near unplayable.

His combination of pace, directness, and dribbling means he is a nuisance to defend.

He constantly attacks the space behind the full-back before cutting it back, and his assist against Watford was the perfect example of it working to produce goals.

The Irish winger beat his man for pace before cutting it back for De Norre to finish into the bottom corner (a fantastic finish by the way).

Emakhu’s stats support the eye test.

He is second on the team in shot-creating actions per 90 (behind Neghli), and the fourth most goal-creating actions per 90 (behind Bangura-Williams, Neghli and Azeez).

He leads the team in successful take-ons per 90 (2.73) and in progressive carries per game (4.81). He is very good at what he does - yet there is a sense that further refinements can be made.

Emakhu can struggle to consistently impact the game, especially compared to his fellow wingers on the team, and Neil has mentioned he needs to improve at tracking back and helping out his full-backs - a point he made after that win at Watford.

Neil often preferred to start George Honeyman, Femi Azeez or Luke Cundle down the stretch, with Emakhu coming off the bench to impact the game by running at tired legs.

The 21-year-old is still young and has a high ceiling. Can Neil help him take the next step both in and out of possession? This pre-season could be huge for the Irishman.

SPORT 31

© Action Plus

‘THEY CAN’T HAVE BEEN UP ON THE PLAYSTATION THURSDAY NIGHT’

Kevin Nugent on how Millwall prepare academy stars for first-team football

EXCLUSIVE

By Will Scott UNDER-21S COACH Kevin Nugent outlined how Millwall prepare under-21 players for a potential callup to the first team.

Alex Neil has handed several academy players their debuts since being appointed Lions boss on December 30 including George Evans, Ra’ees BanguraWilliams, and Sheldon Kendall.

Bangura-Williams made thirteen appearances in all competitions after scoring on his debut in January, while George Evans played the last four games

of the season with Lukas Jensen and Liam Roberts both out injured - winning man of the match in the Lions’ 1-0 win against Swansea City on April 26.

Nugent thinks both fully seized the opportunity handed to them.

“It’s interesting, isn’t it, because you say who’s ready, who’s not ready, and when that player gets an opportunity, they’ve got to be ready,” Nugent told our paper.

“They have to take that opportunity.

“George Evans, I believe he’s taken that opportunity. Ra’ees has taken that opportunity. Romain Esse took that opportunity when he got it.

“Sometimes the opportunity isn’t a smooth pathway of how it’s going to go.

George Evans after Millwall’s 3-1 win against Norwich City on April 21

It doesn’t just go: ‘Okay. You know what?

We’ve said he’s really good. Let’s put him in.’ This is the football world all over, not just Millwall, but you get in by default sometimes. Someone picked up an injury the day before training, there isn’t another position there. ‘How’s he getting on? Yeah, he’s doing really well. Alright, bring him into the squad.’

“Then that’s why we try to educate the players that their life is 24/7 football. They can’t have been up on the PlayStation Thursday night, because they could get a call-up with a manager on a Friday afternoon or Friday morning training, and they could be given their Championship debut.

Nugent: pre-season will be ‘big’ for Sheldon Kendall

EXCLUSIVE

By Will Scott KEVIN NUGENT said the upcoming summer would be “big” for academy forward Sheldon Kendall, after the seventeen-year-old made his firstteam debut in the past campaign.

Kendall joined the club at the under14s level and progressed through the age groups before being offered his first professional contract earlier this January.

A week later, Neil named him to Millwall’s match-day squad for their FA Cup Third

Sheldon Kendall Round clash with Dagenham & Redbridge at the Den, and brought him on in the 84th minute.

Kendall went on to make four first-team match-day squads, and has been a regular fixture in Nugent’s under-21s - going on to

“They have to be ready to take that chance, and that is a huge part of their education process. That’s a footballing education. It’s just a life education sometimes as well. We get all this, and we bring that into how they work in the community; they do different stuff. So it’s not just when they’re with us. As a scholar, it’s not just a football education they get.

“They get quite a holistic approach to it as well and and how they deal with situations where we get a lot of people coming in and giving talks, and our media staff do it as well with how to use social media, if you’re doing interviews.

“Getting into the first team, there’s

win Academy Player of the Season in late April.

Nugent stressed the importance of not over-coaching Kendall.

“He’s a first-year scholar, and he’s been with us pretty much all season,” Nugent said. “He’s really settled in.

“We haven’t over-coached Sheldon at all.

We’ve let him play his little bits, and he’s played in different positions. He’s been in and around the first team, and a lot of these lads that we’ve had last season, it’s quite a big summer for them now. Make sure that they get ready to come in and to hit the ground running.”

a constant update on the players.

Sometimes it’s a smooth pathway, someone’s built their time in, they’ve been a sub for ten games. You think, you know what? He’s ready to go in. Other times, it’s bang, you’re in today. Ra’ees was a little bit of, right, you’re in. Then you’ve got to be ready to take that opportunity.”

Nugent has regular meetings with Alex Neil, academy director Scott Fitzgerald, and director of football Steve Gallen, where they discuss who might be ready to make the step up to the first team.

“We have a daily meeting, but that’s generally about the logistics of training, what players will be training with us, with them, what times they’re training, whose using the meeting room,” Nugent said.

“That’s the general thing with those ones.

“But on a regular basis, we’ll meet up with Steve Gallen, with Fitz [academy director Scott Fitzgerald], with the manager, and we will be chatting about the players. We’ll say how they’re looking, what they’ve been looking like, what do you think they could work on, and different ideas.

“That is a constant, you’re looking at probably two or three times a week. Just generally, it might be over a cup of tea, it doesn’t have to be a formal meeting, but it’s something that the manager is well aware of, how the players are doing.

“He and his staff try to get to most of the games that we have, certainly at home, and they’ll have members of staff who will watch our away games as well. So that’s fantastic. He shows a real interest in our under-21s group, which is fantastic for the football club, really.”

Neil has shown a willingness to trust youth - something Nugent thinks is vital to the pathway from the academy to the first team.

“He’s absolutely key to it,” Nugent said.

“If someone doesn’t want to put in a player, they’re not going to put him in.

“But he’s quite relaxed about it and how we talk about it. He’s managed for a long time now, and he’s been very good, and he’s not phased about putting young lads in the side, which is really good from our point of view.”

Nugent takes pride in seeing his players progress to the first team.

“It’s so nice when lads do, because we spend a lot of time with them, and some lads have come through the system from a really young age, and then some will join a little bit later, like Ra’ees, which comes down to your recruitment,” Nugent said.

“But when they get in, it’s a bit nervewracking sometimes. When they get an opportunity, they’ve got to take it, and the lads, I think, certainly did

Millwall confirm preseason friendly dates

By John Kelly MILLWALL HAVE added a trip to Steve Morison’s Sutton United to their friendly schedule ahead of 2025-26.

Last season, the U’s finished twelfth in the National League under the former Lions captain.

Sutton have three former Millwall players in their ranks: Harry Ransom, Hayden Muller and Nana Boating.

SUMMER FRIENDLIES

Tuesday, July 29 Sutton United vs. Millwall (7.45pm)

Tickets are priced at £12 adults, £12 concessions (62+, students and Blue Light Card Holders), £5 fourteen-seventeen-year-olds, and £1 under-14s.

Millwall added: “Please note that there are no seats in the away end at the VBS Community Stadium. If any Millwall fans wish to purchase a seat, tickets are available in Block 1 of Sutton United’s Main Stand.

This is a home fan area, so please be respectful of Sutton fans in that area.

“The VBS Community Stadium is a completely cashless stadium.”

Saturday, July 26 Bromley vs. Millwall (3pm)

INSIDE

Sport Southwark

MUZZA REVEALS NEXT STEP

PAGE 29

SURREY LOSE CURTAIN-RAISER AGAINST ARCH RIVALS Murray Wallace in action against Blackburn Rovers

By Will Scott WELLING UNITED have signed Tom Leahy on a permanent deal.

Leahy announced his departure from Millwall last month after spending six years at the club.

The striker was a part of the under21s side that won the Professional Development League National Final in 2023.

The 21-year-old made his first-team debut on August 17, 2024, coming off the bench to replace Shaun Hutchinson during the Lions’ 4-3 loss to Bristol City. He went on to feature in a further four match-day squads.

Leahy was loaned to National League side Woking for the first half of the campaign, scoring four goals and assisting a further four in seventeen appearances.

He then joined Maidstone United in February, scoring three times and providing four assists in ten appearances, helping them make the National League South play-off final.

Leahy started the match as the Stones lost 1-0 to Boreham Wood.

Leahy will now join up with his brother Jack at Welling United, who play in the Isthmian League Premier Division after being relegated from National League South last season.

Leahy told Welling’s website: “I’m excited and ready to score goals! I’m here to win games.

“I’ve never played in the same team as my brother [Jack], but you can be sure there will be chemistry there.

He’ll definitely assist me a lot this season.

“I know the manager trusts me and I’m ready to deliver for him.”

By John Kelly MURRAY WALLACE is targeting earning a contract with a club within commuting distance of his family home near Manchester after leaving Millwall this summer.

The Lions confirmed the release of 32-year-old defender Wallace after seven seasons, 226 appearances and thirteen goals in all competitions.

Wallace started his career in England in 2012 with Huddersfield Town, less than an hour from Manchester.

Wallace should have plenty of

options, with a number of EFL clubs within an hour’s radius.

Wallace and his wife have three young children, the eldest aged three, and are keen to organise school plans.

“We’re based just south of Manchester and there are a lot of teams around that area,” Wallace told our paper. “My wife and I are looking to get them settled into schooling. Ideally I’d like to get a team that’s commutable from home.

“My wife is from Manchester and we’ve got family around there.”

Wallace’s season ended through injury in January, but he was back at Calmont Road last week

© Brian Tonks

Murray Wallace on what’s next after leaving Millwall EXCLUSIVE

TOM LEAHY JOINS WELLING UNITED

working on building up his fitness.

He accepts that the way he plays means injuries are an occupational hazard.

Wallace said: “You have to give everything on the pitch and then embrace what happens.

Unfortunately injuries, contact injuries are part of football, it’s just how you deal with it.

“But I always come back from them stronger. There’s no fear and you can’t be worried about getting injured again.”

Meanwhile, Wallace admitted he was “gutted” he won’t be able to defend his 1,500metre title this summer.

The race has become a staple of

Millwall’s pre-season, a fiercely competitive battle that no one was able to get the better of Wallace in.

He was asked who might take over his mantle.

“Never beaten. It’s something that I’m gutted about that I won’t be there to defend my title next season,” Wallace said.

“Seven years and nobody beat me to that title so I’m quite happy about that.

“It could be interesting. I think Billy Mitchell has got a good chance. I think Coops [Jake Cooper] is always quite strong, maybe even the likes of Dan Kelly, he’s a really fit lad so he could be one to look out for.”

Tom Leahy made one appearance for Millwall THE RECYCLED PAPER CONTENT OF UK NEWSPAPERS IN 2014 WAS 83.5%