Southwark News - March 20th 2025

MILLWALL NEWS

Issue 1729

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‘ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN’ COOPS WHY ARE CLOSED SCHOOLS LEFT EMPTY?

Our teenage reporter Our questions prices at the new Walworth Walworth Town hall

SMARTPHONE CULL See page 13

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EXCLUSIVE

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WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN TURNS 100

EXCLUSIVE See page 16

Bermondsey school spearheading ban has had parents quote the European Convention on Human Rights to them See page 4

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2 NEWS Contents NEWS Pages 2-16 OPINION

CAMBERWELL STUDENTS QUIZ THE PRIME MINISTER DURING DOWNING STREET VISIT

Pages 18-19 ARTS Pages 20-21 FOOD Page 22 CLASSIFIED Page 24 © Comic Relief

PUBLIC NOTICES Pages 25-27 SPORT Pages 29-32

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L: Sir Keir Starmer gets quizzed by local students. R: Sacred Heart pupils joined others outside 10 Downing Street.

By Isabel Ramirez THREE PUPILS from Camberwell got the chance to question Prime Minister Keir Starmer on a trip to No.10 Downing Street.

Nitara and Leona, both 15, and Milena, 14, were among a select group of young people invited to take part in a special debate ahead of Red Nose Day 2025.

The event, hosted in partnership between Comic Relief and Debate Mate, gave students the platform to discuss whether youth leadership is the key to tackling the world’s most pressing issues.

The Camberwell students joined peers from Liverpool’s Cardinal Heenan High School in a passionate and thoughtprovoking discussion, with their debating skills put to the test in front of a panel of high-profile judges, including Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Deborah Meaden, DJ and philanthropist Cuppy, and TV presenter and Traitors star Jaz Singh.

The students made the most of their time in No.10, seizing the chance to quiz the Prime Minister directly.

From asking about his school days and debating tips to lighter questions about

Issue 1728

Editor: Kevin Quinn Reporters: Isabel Ramirez; 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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March 13 2025

his lunch choices and even a rare sighting of Larry the Cat, the conversation was lively and engaging.

The session was filled with both curiosity and laughs, as students asked questions ranging from, “What were you like at school?”, “Do you get nervous when you are going into a speech?”, “Where do you go for lunch?”, and “What skills do you think are most important for debating?”

As well as chatting football, the students even got a rare spot of Larry the Cat. For Nitara, the experience was nothing short of surreal. “When I arrived, I was like ‘it’s Downing Street!’, I actually got here! And then doing the debate, it starts to dawn on you what you’re actually doing.

“Just debating here just felt surreal and amazing, it’s a real goal. Because we as the younger generation, we are the future. All of the problems that we are currently facing are going to get passed on, intergenerational responsibility...so if we have a voice right now, what’s to say we can’t help solve the problems that are going to face us in the future?

She also shared her surprise at how

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WHAT IS ‘THE MODERN COCKNEY’?

EIGHTY YEARS AFTER LAST WW2 BOMB IN BERMONDSEY KILLED THREE PRIESTS Page 4 MILLWALL

‘WE WANT COBURN TO STAY’ THE GIRLS’ TEAM THAT DOESN’T KEEP SCORE See page 15

CAN YOU HELP? Elephant Elep hant student at centre of the biggest rape case in UK history

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TUBE TOWERS WILL INCLUDE 44 NEW COUNCIL HOMES

approachable the Prime Minister was.

“When the Prime Minister Keir Starmer started talking to us we realised that he really and truly is a human being, he has feelings and emotions, so just talking to him felt natural because he understands what we are going through.”

Jaz Singh was particularly impressed with the students, saying, “I’m lost for words. I can’t believe the passion and drive of these kids. It is incredible to witness, and I think I’ve got hope for the future now. They’re setting the precedent now for the younger generation and they’re making it cool to care about driving change and I think it’s such an influential moment of power, what they’ve been able to achieve today, I’m just blown away.”

Deborah Meaden echoed this, adding, “The students were compelling, passionate, engaging.

“Some people think about debate as being this boring thing that other people do,” she continued, “but when you see the energy and the way you can get involved and actually all the things around the debate, the confidence it gives you, the skills it gives you, the negotiation skills in

life… it’s a brilliant thing to get involved with, and learning the difference between argument and debate is really important.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it, they had me enthralled.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the students warmly, telling them: “Welcome to my house, but it’s also your house and it’s been inspiring to meet you all, and I’m certainly going to be watching the debate to see if I can pick up any tips for Prime Minister’s Questions.”

The Debate Mate programme is designed to empower young people to engage with global issues, helping them develop the skills to lead conversations that shape the future. After months of competition, the Sacred Heart students proved they were more than ready for the challenge of debating at the heart of government.

Red Nose Day, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, returns on Friday 21 March, continuing its mission to use joy and laughter to raise funds for those in need.

Schools inspired by the debate can �ind resources and activities at comicrelief.com/schools.

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

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

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

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

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NEWS 3

Local man takes on his biggest pie challenge yet

Lidl to open in September

By Issy Clarke A NEW Lidl on Walworth Road where Marks and Spencer used to be is set to open in September, according to an advertising consent application submitted to Southwark Council.

Once up and running, the store will be open every day from 7am to 11pm.

The German budget supermarket submitted a premises licence to Southwark Council on March 3, following the closure of Marks and Spencer last June after 111 years of serving customers.

Locals were left gutted by the closure of the Edwardian supermarket, which opened 29 years after the first M&S store in Leeds and just a year before the outbreak of World War One. Once open the store will be the sixth Lidl in Southwark, following the opening of a branch in Camberwell in 2019. It will join several other Lidl’s in the borough, including this one on the Old Kent Road

By Callum Smyth ON A random trip to Arment’s pie and mash shop this week we came across a fan of the Cockney dish attempting his own personal challenge – and we had to film it.

Calling himself ‘Honest John’, from the Old Kent Road, he had decided to make one of his regular visits to this historic Walworth eatery and challenged himself to down eight pies in just 30 minutes.

When we asked him why, he replied “just because I can” and agreed to us making a Tik Tok video of him doing it.

Arment’s on Westmoreland Road, is Honest John’s pie and mash of choice. The 65-year-old has been a regular here since he was two or thee years old.

He claims the traditional Cockney delicacy is “the food of the Gods”, adding “I was brought up on this”.

Our visit last week March 12, was because it is National Pie and Mash week and we knew Arment’s had been dishing it up since 1914.

Honest John was joined by his partner Liz, who joked she was offering moral support, but was not having any, settling instead for an Arment’s cherry fruit pie.

She added she would never attempt a challenge like this herself.

Three years ago, Honest John set a personal best record, when he stomached seven pies in 25 minutes.

He was back in Arment’s determined to beat this. He declared: “Today is an important day, it is what it is”.

We set a timer and John commenced the challenge, taking on 4 pies at a time.

John finished his first four pies in a whopping 11 minutes, starting the challenge off with a surprising edge.

He finished in a record-breaking 24 minutes and 30 seconds, beating his previous title by 30 seconds with one extra pie.

He debated heading down the Walworth Road for a pint, although Liz suggested he “walked off” the challenge instead.

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4 NEWS Rosendale Road in West Dulwich

It’s this ‘leafy’ part of Southwark where rents are falling the fastest

By Issy Clarke DULWICH HAS often enjoyed a reputation as a leafy rich suburb bordering working-class turned hipster paradise Peckham.

But according to SpareRoom data, the smart south-London residential fringe is one of the areas in the capital where rents are falling the fastest.

Rents in Dulwich, including West Dulwich, fell by 9.9 per cent compared to last year, while in East Dulwich they were down by 7.5 per cent.

Lee, which straddles Lewisham and Greenwich, also made the list with yearon-year rents dropping by 7.9 per cent.

The other postcodes with the biggest drops included some of the most affluent parts of London, including elegant Belgravia and ever-fashionable Chelsea.

The two steepest declines were in Lower Edmonton, where rents fell by 13.7 per cent, and in SW1 (Westminster, Belgravia, Pimlico and Victoria) which saw a 12.7 per cent decrease.

Across south-east London, the cost of renting a room stood at £957 a month in the final quarter of 2024 – a meagre 1% decrease compared to the year before.

Last year, East Dulwich was declared by lifestyle publisher Muddy Stilettos as one of the UK’s best places to live thanks to its trendy food and culture scene.

WW2 AIRCRAFT ENGINEER FROM BERMONDSEY TURNS 100

By Isabel Ramirez A WW2 aircraft engineer who was born and bred near the Old Kent Road celebrated his 100th birthday this week.

William Henning was born in 1925 and is one of Southwark Council’s most senior tenants.

William, who was raised near Old Kent Road and has lived in Bermondsey ever since said: “I’ve made lots of friends in Southwark and have a good support network.”

He said the housing and other staff who check on him every day, including the estate cleaner who always says hello, are ‘wonderful’ to him.

The Old Kent Road area was a hub of industry, with the Grand Surrey Canal network running under the bridges, when William was a child.

The legacy of George Livesey – Camberwell and Peckham’s first public library, would still have been open in the local area and the R Whites Lemonade factory, open for much of

By Isabel Ramirez

AN EDWARDIAN drinking fountain that survived a World War II bombing has been restored and is once again providing free fresh water to the public in Borough.

Historic Borough drinking fountain is working again after years of running dry

The historic fountain in Christ Church Garden, near Blackfriars Bridge, had run dry for years due to damage and subsidence.

Now, thanks to a major restoration effort led by the Heritage of London Trust (HOLT), Southwark Council, and Delancey Real Estate, the fountain has been brought back to life.

Originally installed in 1900 when the churchyard was transformed into a public garden, the fountain remarkably survived the bombing of Christ Church in 1941. The church was destroyed, its burning cross falling into the grounds and leaving scorch marks still visible today.

However, in recent years, the fountain had sunk into the ground, and a falling tree had damaged its roof. Missing its original

William’s life, would also have been making fizzy drinks for distribution down the canal.

But, much of what William would have been familiar with in the area as a child in Southwark was destroyed during the Second World War, by which time he would serve for four years as an aircraft engineer, repairing fighter planes.

His wife, Ivy Lilian, sadly died 14 years ago. Ivy Lilian and William moved into their council home, where he still lives, just after they were married, and they have a daughter.

William is one of Southwark Council’s most senior tenants. He was recently visited on his special centenary by Stella, one of Southwark Council’s housing officers, to wish him a happy birthday with cards and gifts on behalf of all the housing team who know him.

Councillor Sarah King, cabinet member for council homes, said: “This is what makes council housing so special - it’s such a huge privilege to learn about Mr Henning’s long life in the borough – what incredible changes

he must have seen in Southwark over the years.

“The kindness and care our staff have for the individual people they get to know is just wonderful and I’m proud of both of them and our amazing residents like William, who are part of such a fantastic community in Southwark. I wish Mr Henning a very happy birthday!”

Hakeem Osinaike, Director of Housing at Southwark, said: “As a social landlord, our jobs go beyond managing tenancies and this visit to Mr Henning on his birthday, demonstrates a deep understanding of this.”

When Mr Henning was born, it was still 40 years before Southwark Council would be officially ‘born’ itself.

It was not until 1965 that the London Borough of Southwark was created out of three metropolitan borough councils - Camberwell (taking in Camberwell, Peckham and Dulwich) Bermondsey (taking in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe) and Southwark (Borough and around Elephant & Castle).

stone bowl and taps, it had been switched off for some time.

The restoration project involved stabilising its foundations, installing a new drainage system, repairing the roof, and fitting new taps along with a hand-carved stone water basin.

As part of the restoration, 130 young people from local schools and youth groups engaged with the project through HOLT’s Proud Places programme. They met conservators and took part in creative and stonemasonry workshops, gaining hands-on experience in heritage conservation.

This fountain is the 14th to be restored across London by HOLT, helping to provide sustainable, free drinking water while reducing plastic waste and enhancing public spaces.

The fountain was originally donated by John Passmore Edwards (1823–1911), a Victorian philanthropist dedicated to improving public access to clean water.

He funded 11 drinking fountains across London, believing that “money could not

be better spent for the general benefit of the community than in the establishment of drinking fountains in open spaces.”

Public drinking fountains became essential in 19th-century London, providing clean water at a time when waterborne diseases were rife and many could not afford piped water at home.

Dr Nicola Stacey, Director of HOLT, said: “We are thrilled to restore this beautiful historic fountain – now back in use as a public amenity after so many years.

It’s fantastic to see the local community making use of it.”

Dominic Leary, Parks Officer at Southwark Council, added: “The fountain sits in Christ Church Gardens, an important local green space that provides a restful enclave in the busy city. It has been a pleasure to work on this project.”

Jamie Ritblat, Founder and Chairman of Delancey, commented: “We are proud to support this important community project. It’s been fantastic to see local schools and community groups engaging with the restoration.”

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6 NEWS Karen Jordan is among the Southwark residents desperately needing adaptations to her home

WHY ARE SOUTHWARK’S CLOSED PRIMARY SCHOOLS STILL EMPTY?

1- St John’s Walworth, 2 - St Francesca Cabrini, 3 - Cobourg Primary School, 4 - Townsend Primary School, 5 - Comber Grove, 6 - Harris Primary Academy

EXCLUSIVE

By Issy Clarke IN THE last four years, six primary schools in Southwark have been forced to close their doors due to a drop in demand for places.

Declining pupil rolls can cause problems for primary schools which calculate funding on a per-pupil basis. The issue has partly been fuelled by a 20 per cent decrease in London’s birth rate between 2012 and 2022 – a reduction of 27,490 live births across the capital.

In Southwark this trend has been even more pronounced, with a 33 per cent reduction in births between 2012 and 2023. With more primary schools in the borough at risk of closure, here is what we know about what the buildings of the six closed schools are being used for now.

ST JOHN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL (WALWORTH) - CHURCH OF ENGLAND

More than 300 gutted parents signed a petition to save St John’s from closure in 2021, which cited a huge financial deficit owing to falling pupil numbers despite being near the Old Kent Road which is set to see a huge increase in new and affordable housing.

At the time, local MP Neil Coyle even got involved, criticising the council

for “mixed messaging” on whether Southwark had too many or too few school places, after it injected £200 million into schools following a previous shortage.

The building, which is owned by the Dioceses of Southwark, has since been repurposed for commercial use and is currently being let out on a short-term lease to Hotel Elephant, a provider of studio and co-working space which charges rents ranging from £300 to £680 a month.

ST FRANCESCA CABRINI PRIMARY SCHOOL (NUNHEAD) - ARCHDIOCESE OF SOUTHWARK

Cash-strapped St Francesca Cabrini closed in September 2023 after the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus announced their plans to teach in Africa.

The primary school also faced low student admissions, with 334 pupil vacancies and a £200,000 annual budget deficit. The building is still in partial use as a convent, while other areas of the site have been privately let out to charities and a nursery school.

COBOURG PRIMARY SCHOOL (WALWORTH) - SOUTHWARK COUNCIL

The shock closure of Cobourg Primary School in June 2023 and its

amalgamation with Camelot Primary School in Peckham bewildered parents who claimed they had not received any information about the funding difficulties faced by the school or the proposed merger.

Prior to Cobourg’s closure, the school had been in partnership with Camelot for six months. All Cobourg pupils were given a place at Camelot, while permanent teachers and support staff also kept their jobs, making it easier for children to adjust to their new surroundings by seeing some familiar faces.

The building has been empty ever since, however the council has said it wants to keep the school in educational use by earmarking it as a potential site for Special Educational Need (SEN) provision, for which demand has gone up nationally by 140 per cent in the last ten years.

The council is developing a capital plan to expand SEN provision, which once finalised could see Cobourg re-purposed as a special school between 2025 and 2030.

TOWNSEND PRIMARY SCHOOL (WALWORTH) - SOUTHWARK COUNCIL

Parents were devastated when the Walworth primary school, which faced a £599,000 budget deficit, closed in

June 2023.

The school had initially escaped the chop in early 2022 after a petition launched by parents to keep it open gathered over 130 signatures. However in December that year, parents were again told that St Townsend was under threat – culminating in its closure at the end of the 2022/23 academic year.

Empty ever since, Townsend is another site the council is eyeing up for the potential future expansion of SEN provision.

HARRIS PRIMARY FREE SCHOOL (EAST DULWICH) - SOUTHWARK COUNCIL

Harris Free closed in August 2023 and merged with Harris Primary Academy in East Dulwich. The school’s buildings and facilities were absorbed into the Harris Academy secondary school with which it shared a site.

COMBER GROVE PRIMARY SCHOOL (CAMBERWELL) - SOUTHWARK COUNCIL

Parents gathered outside Comber Grove to protest against its closure last summer, after the school saw a 40 per cent drop in pupil numbers since 2019.

But despite the dismay of parents the council said closing the school was the only viable option, citing its falling pupil numbers and £185,000 budget deficit.

Now, the council plans to start

consulting on potentially absorbing the empty building into Highshore, a special needs secondary school on Forest Road in Camberwell. This would give Highshore, which is currently oversubscribed, between 60 and 85 additional places and could take effect

by September 2026.

Councillor Jasmine Ali said: “Nobody wants to see schools close, and we do all we can to support families and staff with our Keeping Education Strong strategy.

“Falling rolls is a national issue, particularly exacerbated in cities like London by an increase in housing costs in the private sector, a birth rate which is now 1.49 - the lowest since the 1930s - Brexit and cost of living.

“This has created a low number of applications for schools with some schools seeing fewer than 20 applications for reception this September.

“The council has a Keeping Education Strong strategy which supports schools intensively through these difficult times. Should a school have to close, all children, thankfully, are offered places in one of the boroughs 96% Good or Outstanding schools.

“It also ensures that former school buildings should be kept in the education estate - to be used for education or skills purposes.”

NEWS 7

GOVERNMENT VOWS TO ‘FULLY FUND’ BREAKFAST CLUBS AMID COST CONCERNS AT PILOT SCHOOLS EXCLUSIVE

By Issy Clarke TWO PRIMARY schools in Southwark have been selected to take part in the early roll out of a country-wide breakfast club scheme, amid concerns the money set aside by the government won’t be enough to pay for it.

Crawford Primary School in Camberwell and The Belham Primary School in Peckham are two of 750 schools invited to take part in the pilot of a £315 million government initiative to give all primary school children in England a free healthy breakfast.

However ahead of its launch in April, several primary schools have already pulled out of the pilot citing concerns about the insufficient level of funding set aside for the scheme.

A government spokesperson for Department for Education told the News this week that they would be learning from the pilot schemes and vowed “schools will be fully funded for food, delivery and staffing costs.”

Southwark Council’s cabinet member for education also promised to feedback any concerns to the government over costs.

Ally Sprakes, the headteacher of The

Belham on Bellenden Road, said she was “really pleased” the school had been chosen to take part but added the money set aside by the government would not be enough to cover all the costs.

The Belham already runs a paid-for breakfast club which currently gets between 40-50 pupils each morning, and the school expects this number will increase to at least 150 once the free provision launches.

“The scheme is not going to be able to be totally funded by the money that’s

coming from the government” said Sprakes.

“We are going to have to look at making efficiencies elsewhere, however we have had constructive conservations with Southwark Council and the local MP.” The News also contacted Southwark’s other pilot school Crawford Primary for comment but received no response at the time of going to press.

Last week, a school in Lancashire withdrew after the headteacher said the funding rate, which works out at 60p per

pupil and rises to 78p depending on the number of children covered by the pupil premium, was not enough to pay for the extra food supplies and staff salaries.

The head of a primary school in Derbyshire also pulled out of the scheme, claiming it would have left the school with a £9,000 financial shortfall.

On top of the per-pupil rate, schools receive a £500 lump sum to cover set-up costs, and then £1,000 each term for dayto-day running expenses.

Since 2021, six primary schools in

Southwark have closed due to a drop in demand for school places, which has been blamed on a combination of falling birth rates and rising house prices.

Last month, the News reported St Mary Magdalene in Peckham was the latest school in the borough at risk of closure with a reported budget deficit of £72,000 blamed on declining pupil rolls.

Councillor Jasmine Ali, Southwark Council Cabinet Member for Children and Education, said the council would be working with the schools to monitor the pilot and provide feedback to the Department of Education.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We are thrilled to have confirmed our first 750 school breakfast clubs, in towns and cities across the country, delivering on our Plan for Change to break the link between children’s background and success.

“The early adopter scheme is about testing and learning how best to provide a universal breakfast club, and schools will be fully funded for food, delivery and staffing costs to provide free breakfasts and 30-minutes of childcare, ahead of the national rollout.

“The free breakfast clubs will put up to £450 per year back in parent’s pockets, supporting working families with the cost of living, and improve every child’s behaviour, attendance and attainment.”

Royal British Legion and St Dunstan’s College perform together in charity concert The concert was held on Saturday 8th February

Second highest number of local children on record given their first choice secondary school

By Issy Clarke

THE SECOND highest number of children on record have been given their first choice of secondary school this year, according to Southwark Council.

The local authority said 1,816 families received their first choice of school for September 2025 - the largest number since 2022.

In total the council received 2,545 secondary school applications, all of which have been offered a school place ahead of the upcoming academic year.

Ninety-one per cent of children received a place at a secondary school of their first to third preference.

Councillor Jasmine Ali, Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Refugees said: “The transition to secondary school is an

exciting time for children and it’s great to see that the vast majority of families have been able to secure places for their children at their preferred school.

“We do recognise that not quite every child will get a place at their preferred school, which is why we have support in place to help families through the process, including one-to-one support and advice to achieve the best outcome for the child.”

By Melina Block Local Democracy Reporter THE ROYAL British Legion’s Central Band recently joined St Dunstan’s College Corps of Drums in a fundraising concert.

The Catford school hosted the concert on last month and raised £1,255.22 for the Royal British Legion, the UK’s leading Service charity.

Funds will go towards supporting veterans, serving personnel, and their families.

“Thanks to the overwhelming support of attendees, performers, and organisers, the event was a huge success, raising significant funds for the Royal British Legion” said Major Richard Davies, head of CCF at St Dunstan’s.

He added the school hoped to make the concert an “annual event to ensure continued support for this important cause.”

Following this show, the College’s Corps of Drums are preparing to travel to Ypres, Belgium, to take part in the daily Last Post Ceremony under the Menin Gate.

The Last Post, a classical piece usually played on the bugle, is the traditional final salute to fallen soldiers.

In the First World War, St Dunstan’s suffered one of the highest percentage losses of any school in England after 277 students and teachers died.

Last October, the Corps of Drums also participated in the prestigious Lord Mayor’s Music Competition in the Guildhall Yard in central London.

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NEWS 9

SOUTHWARK RAPIST JAILED FOR 13 YEARS

Sentenced to 13 years convicted rapist Rashane Lee

By Melina Block Local Democracy Reporter A SOUTHWARK man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for two counts of rape following an attack in June 2024.

Rashane Lee, of Old Kent Road, was on the registered sexual offender list at the time of his arrest. He pleaded guilty to breaking its conditions, but denied the new charge of raping a woman in June last year, less than two years after being released from prison.

The court heard that the 26-year-old

had been convicted of rape in 2016 in circumstances that were almost identical to the incident in June.

On 1 June 2024 the victim had been out for the day in Central London with her sister and friends, but as she made her way home shortly after 11pm she was approached by Lee. He began to talk to her and offered to accompany her home as they lived, he claimed, in a similar direction. She attempted to dissuade him however he persisted, before taking her to a secluded area and raping her.

After reporting the incident to the police, officers searched through

CCTV footage in an attempt to track the suspect and forensic analysis found a match for Rashane Lee, with a probability of one billion to one.

Following this, Lee was quickly found by officers at his partner’s home address and arrested on 11 June 2024.

Despite the weight of DNA evidence, in interview, Lee strongly denied the allegation of rape. He claimed that samples were faulty or contaminated in the lab and that he had never met the victim. Lee also claimed that his DNA must have changed.

He was charged the following day and found guilty on 23 December

“This fox cub was in a precarious position and could easily have perished without the help of this lady who followed correct advice from the start by leaving the cub in a cardboard box outside with food and water to see if his parent would take him.

Baby foxes with RSPCA - photo supplied “We tried again to reunite the cub and its mother the following evening but sadly without success.

“A fox we suspect was the mother visited the spot around six times and approached the cub, but was very skittish and while she ate the food we left out for her she did not take the cub.”

Neighbours confirmed that foxes were local visitors to the area, but Paige found nothing when searching local gardens for fox dens.

To protect the health of the baby fox he was taken South Essex Wildlife Hospital.

Hospital staff are now caring for him among a group of fox cubs until he has built up the skills to survive alone and

can be released back into the wild.

Paige added: “We are so grateful to the local resident who took time trying to help a fox cub that was clearly in distress.

“However, it is important to remember that not all wild animals need rescuing and are better off being left where they are and monitored for as long as possible.

“If anyone finds a fox cub on their own and their eyes are open the cub is probably fine and the parents are usually nearby.

“It is best to leave a supply of dog food and water and check again in 24 hours.

“If the cub is in immediate danger on a road then try to safely move the cub to a sheltered spot, but handling as little as possible.

“Generally, it is best that members of the public don’t handle or transport fox cubs as they can become aggressive when stressed or injured.”

If anyone finds a fox cub that is injured, sick or in immediate danger or has their eyes closed then call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

© Met Police

Rashane Lee was released from prison less than two years earlier for an ‘almost identical’ attack last year at Inner London Crown Court, after less than two hours of deliberation.

As well as receiving a 13-year custodial sentence, Lee will also see his licence extended by seven years.

Detective Constable Jack Woods, leader of the investigation, said: “This verdict is testament to the bravery of the victim whose evidence helped us secure this conviction.

“Despite farcical claims by Lee that the DNA secured was either contaminated or simply not his, the jury saw through this, and this resulted in today’s lengthy sentence.

“Lee is an extremely dangerous individual who deliberately targeted a lone woman and hoped that because she had had a few drinks she would be too confused to come forward to police.

“This was not the case and despite his arrogance, there was no doubt to his guilt.

“We hope that this result demonstrates that no matter the circumstances, we will always take victim-survivors accounts extremely seriously, and do all we can to ensure that predators, like Lee, are taken off the streets.”

Lady rescues a baby fox abandoned near a busy road - but did she do the right thing?

By Melina Block Local Democracy Reporter AN ABANDONED baby fox was rescued by a local resident of the Elephant and Castle after she saw him distressed, however despite the best efforts of the RSPCA the cub remains pack-less.

The RSPCA thanked the caring lady who came across the cub, who is believed to be around two months old.

However, they warned people not to pick up baby foxes unless they are in the middle of the road or an equally dangerous place, saying the mother fox is usually nearby.

The unnamed lady, who came to the across the cub alone and in a distressed state near a busy main road in Elephant and Castle earlier this month tried to reunite the him with his mother, before calling in the RSPCA. She put him in a cardboard box at a safe location nearby with food and water.

RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Paige Havlin, who attended the scene, said:

Baby foxes with RSPCA

10 NEWS

RIVER RESIDENT BREAKS DOWN IN TEARS AT PUBLIC INQUIRY

A number of residents and community organisation attended the penultimate day of a public inquiry into proposed changes to the way the Port of London Authority

By Adrian Zorzut Local Democracy Reporter RESIDENTS HAVE called for proposed changes to the way the Port of London Authority (PLA) manages the River Thames to be scrapped as a public inquiry into the matter wraps up.

The River Residents Group, the Thamesbank and The Blue Green Economy were just a few community groups who said the changes, set to be made under a Harbour Revision Order (HRO), were “not fit for purpose”.

Among the principle points of contention for residents whose homes back onto the Thames is that fees charged by the PLA for the privilege of having a balcony overlooking the river were not transparent, and they claim different people are charged different amounts, sometimes differing by thousands of pounds. One of the changes the HRO seeks to make is to amend the PLA’s charging regime.

A public inquiry was launched in early March to examine the HRO which was submitted by the port authority back in 2020. The order would allow the PLA to make a series of changes to the Port of London Act 1968 – a law which allows it to regulate the Port of London.

This includes allowing the PLA to terminate leases “in the interests of the safe navigation of the Thames and the protection of public rights of navigation”, removing borrowing limits and personal liability for its board members and ending the practice of sending yearly reports to Parliament.

The changes would affect the 17 London boroughs which the Thames runs through or alongside.

Ralph Hardwick, from the River Residents Group, told the inquiry on Thursday (March 13) the HRO risked weakening objectors’

right to appeal decisions.

He said the treatment of residents along the River has left them “feeling they’re in an abusive relationship with the PLA”.

He said: “The PLA habitually privileges its commercial stakeholders – most conspicuously the [Thames] Clippers – over its residential stakeholders. Most of all, the PLA privileges itself. The vast majority of its self-described ‘stakeholder benefit’ is awarded year on year to its own employees and their pension fund.

“This made sense back in 1935 when the PLA still had a real port and 11,000 employees and all the wharves along the river were filled with trade of the Empire.

But now the PLA has 470 staff and the warehouses are full of residents. But there’s nothing much in the stakeholder pot for them.”

At one point, Mr Hardwick broke down in tears as he described his groups’ experience challenging the PLA. He said: “We objectors have all given up our time willingly to attend, as it’s so important to us. This HRO will last at least a generation, and our eyes are on the future of the river.

“Some of us have health issues, travel issues, have sacrificed paid work. We have put our lives on hold to be here.”

Dido Berkeley and Diana McCann from the Thames Blue Green Economy said the PLA charged “unreasonable” fees for homeowners with balconies over the river and were blocking off areas for “commercial purposes”. They said: “Londoners, community groups and other river stakeholders must be given the opportunity to take part in the management of the river.

Only then will they understand their rights of access and navigation and begin to realise they can exercise them.”

Lawyers representing Thamesbank said the HRO was “legally flawed” because it

lacked a proper environmental assessment.

They said Section 48A of the Harbour Act 1964 imposes an overriding duty on harbour authorities to upkeep the “natural beauty” of areas of “special interest”.

They said: “The PLA’s failure to conduct any environmental assessments and its admission to Thamesbank that no environmental information was prepared or considered throughout the HRO process evidences a clear cut breach of this statutory duty to take account of any effects the proposal may have on the environment.”

A spokesperson for the PLA said: “The Port of London is the UK’s biggest port and busiest inland waterway. For six years we have been seeking to modernise the 60-year-old Port of London Act under which we operate.

“Our proposals are not about apartments with balconies overhanging the river, but about strengthening measures to keep ships, people, and the environment safe, and to improve public transparency in decision making on proposals for developments affecting the river.

“We are seeking updates to improve availability of navigation lighting, so boats

move safely on the river; to ensure grab chains and escape ladders are installed where they are needed; and to secure powers to intervene if static boats are found to be overcrowded.

“We are also seeking to update the system for licenses permitting works and dredging on the river which will enable public representations – similar to planning applications – for the first time and expand the right of appeal.”

The PLA said the HRO was necessary to “modernise” how it regulates the Thames.

Richard Turney KC, representing the PLA, previously told the inquiry it had no jurisdiction to recommend environmental protections, nor how the authority operates outside of t h e

The Thames Blue Green Economy’s Diana McCann and Dido Berkeley (R) opposed the HRO in their closing statement at the inquiry in the City of London

scope of the HRO. The PLA submitted an HRO to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), which manages England’s marine areas, in 2020. Public consultation was carried out between August and October 2021.

In August last year, following a number of objections to the plans, the MMO called for a public inquiry. The River Thames has been managed by the PLA since its inception in 1908. It oversees 248 square kilometres of waterway.

Ralph Hardwick, of the River Residents Group, broke down in tears as he described what it was like trying to challenge the Port of London Authority

NEWS 11

By Robert Firth Local Democracy Reporter KIM MANSELL quit her high-flying marketing career and spent her life’s savings turning an empty railway arch in Deptford into a gym.

F.A.A.

By Issy Clarke ROTHERHITHE RESIDENTS have been left confused after a road closure has led two key bus routes to be diverted.

© Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

Before leaving her previous job, Kim put in 16 hours days to realise her dream of setting up the group training studio on Resolution Way, off Deptford High Street.

The 35-year-old did personal training in the morning before heading to her 9-to-5, earning £50,000, and then spent the evenings planning the gym project.

Her hard work eventually paid off in February when she left her former job and opened Après London.

Lewisham Council granted planning permission for the project a month earlier in January. Ms Mansell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that she wanted to create something for the community where she lives.

She said: “The thing with Deptford is, we know it’s up and coming. But I live here. It’s my local community.

I love the fact I built this here, on my doorstep, where I’m already part of the community.

“I had £10,000 in savings: [that’s] wiped out completely, gone. That was my only buffer. I have no family that I can go stay with. It’s just me. It’s a massive risk. If it doesn’t work, I lose everything. It’s all or nothing.”

In 2022, Deptford High Street was named one of the coolest 33 streets in the world following a vote by Time Out magazine. The southern half of

DEPTFORD WOMAN QUITS HIGH-FLYING JOB TO OPEN UP HER OWN GYM IN EMPTY RAILWAY ARCH

Kim Mansell said she wanted the fitness studio to be accessible to the local Deptford community the high street has undergone a £2.1 million refurbishment in recent years, according to Lewisham Council.

Membership prices at Après London begin at £125 for nine classes per month. While the cost comes in a lot higher than the average monthly gym membership, Kim said she thought the small class sizes (six people to one personal trainer) and community

aspect of group training made the extra price well worth it.

She added: “If you’re someone that’s not very good at sticking to their goals, being part of a fitness community is the best way for you to stay motivated and committed to your goals.”

If the gym is a success, Ms Mansell hopes to also eventually open a coffee shop in the arch on Resolution Way.

F A ALBIN & SONS

Bus Chaos as routes diverted ‘without warning’

Kim Mansell in Après London,

But her ambitions extend beyond South East London.

She said: “I want to be able to make it work here for the next couple of years and then say to investors: ‘this is the big idea to take Central London, to take abroad’ and make a huge impact on the fitness sector.”

To �ind out more go to gym website apreslondon.co.uk

Routes C10 and 381 are on diversion via Lower Road, Surrey Quays Road and Canada Water Bus Station due to Thames Water roadworks taking place.

Buses are not serving stops from ‘Rotherhithe Tunnel’ (U / X) to ‘Canada Street’ (U / W) in either direction. Brunel Road outside Rotherhithe station has been closed off due to Thames Water improvements taking place with work expected to finish on March 21.

One local resident said he walked a mile to get to the bus stop this morning, adding that the road closure had left children unable to get to school. Another said they had received “no advanced warning” about the bus diversions. Transport for London has advised customers to check their journeys using the planning tools on TfL’s website or the TfL Go app.

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12 NEWS

STATUE UNVEILED FOR MAN WHO SAT OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT FOR TEN YEARS STRAIGHT CAMPAIGNING FOR PEACE

By Isabel Ramirez A STATUE has been unveiled in Elephant and Castle to honour Brian Haw, the tireless activist who spent a decade outside Parliament demanding an end to war.

Many will remember Brian Haw’s unwavering presence at Parliament Square, where he began his peace protest in June 2001. Through rain and shine, his message against war— particularly the invasion of Iraq and UK and US foreign policies—became a constant reminder to passing MPs. At the unveiling ceremony outside the Imperial War Museum on Sunday, March 16, Labour MP John McDonnell, who served in Parliament during Haw’s campaign, reflected on his impact: “He wanted to prick the consciences of MPs before they went into Parliament. And that’s why they got so angry with him—because I think he did prick their consciences.

It was about what they’d voted for, in particular the invasion of Iraq.”

Haw’s simple yet powerful message—”Stop killing the children”—resonated globally, gaining national and international media attention. It remains inscribed on the newly unveiled statue.

From the outset, Haw’s campaign was supported by individuals who brought him food and clothing as he maintained his vigil 24/7, 365 days a year.

Despite battling injury, illness, and numerous legal challenges— including attempts by then-London Mayor Boris Johnson, Westminster Council, and various MPs to remove him—he remained steadfast. Only when his health deteriorated did he

leave for cancer treatment in Berlin, where he passed away in June 2011 at the age of 62.

Now, nearly 14 years after his passing, a permanent tribute stands in his honor. A 72 cm bronze maquette, sculpted by Amanda Ward, has been placed at the School of Historical Dress in Lambeth, directly opposite the Imperial War Museum.

The location is particularly poignant, as it sits just outside the exclusion zone that was introduced in 2005 in an attempt to silence Haw’s protest.

The campaign to create this lasting memorial began in February 2023, led by a group of Haw’s supporters, including the late Michael Culver and actor Mark Rylance.

Over 1,000 public donors contributed more than £25,000 to bring the project to life.

The unveiling ceremony featured speeches from Haw’s family, project supporters, and prominent activists, including Mark Rylance, John McDonnell MP, peacebuilder Scilla Elworthy, Stop the War Coalition cofounders Chris Nineham and Lindsey German, Imperial War Museums Director-General Caro Howell, and artist Brian Eno. Haw’s family shared their heartfelt gratitude: “Dad had a voice, made louder with the help of a megaphone, of course. He chose to use it for those who could not be heard—the many innocents being killed, day in, day out.

“To some, he was a nuisance.

To many, he was their voice and conscience. But to us, he was our strong, courageous father.

“His unwavering commitment and steadfastness are etched into every inch of this wonderful statue. 24

hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, here in bronze. Dad saw three Prime Ministers come and go. His beautiful bronze statue will remain to see many more and safeguard his legacy as a man who sacrificed all for peace.”

Mark Rylance added, “Once again, Brian Haw is a presence in London.

For ten years, the grass outside Westminster was his, and now he has a new permanent, symbolic home.

“He shouted loudly for peace and inspired many protests, including the 2003 Stop the War march against the Iraq war, which brought two million people onto London’s streets. At a time of massive global uncertainty, we are pleased to have Brian back and hope that he will continue to inspire generations of people to shout for peace as loudly as possible.”

Sculptor Amanda Ward explained

her artistic approach: “I captured Brian Haw at a point in his life when he was worn down by years of hardship—sleeping on the pavement, enduring constant political and police pressure, and making loud, persistent protests. By then, he needed crutches for support, and he quite liked the comparison with the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square, which, of course, has a walking stick.

“I’m sure he would approve of his figure standing here now. It has taken a long time to reach this point, but I’m glad we have. Brian’s message is as relevant today as it was when he was part of everyday life in Westminster.”

The choice of location is deeply meaningful. The School of Historical Dress at 52 Lambeth Road has a long history of supporting those in need.

Originally the Royal South London

Medical Dispensary, it later became part of Bethlem Hospital, treating World War I soldiers suffering from shellshock—now known as PTSD. It later served as a hostel for distressed women and girls before becoming the School of Historical Dress in 2016.

Professor Jenny Tiramani, Principal of the School of Historical Dress, expressed her pride: “It’s wonderful that one of the great peace campaigners now has a permanent place here. This building has been a centre of care and treatment for those in need for much of its history.

It is entirely fitting that Brian Haw’s statue sits here.”

The Imperial War Museum, standing opposite, offers a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of conflict. Since 1917, it has documented the impact of war on people’s lives and explored peace movements’ influence on perceptions of war.

Caro Howell, Director-General of Imperial War Museums, noted, “We are pleased that, following a successful fundraising campaign, this permanent reminder of the influential peace campaigner Brian Haw is being unveiled. IWM London provides a poignant reminder of war’s impact on people’s lives. We hope this memorial encourages visitors to explore these important stories of peace and their impact on British history.”

A free exhibition of photographs of Brian Haw’s Parliament Square Peace Campaign by Richard Keith Wolff will run at the School of Historical Dress from the 16-23rd March.

The statue can be seen outside the School of Historical Dress, on Lambeth Road, opposite the Imperial War Museum.

NEWS 13

LEASEHOLDER WINS HUNDREDS FOR SERVICE CHARGE ITEMS SHE WAS WRONGLY BILLED FOR

By Robert Firth

charge bill, which will be presented to the Labour council’s Cabinet on Tuesday, March 11.

A separate petition with the same demands on change.org has been signed by over 1,500 people.

Ms Wertli said: “If you go to the supermarket and the woman [at the till] goes ‘that will be £85 please’ you’re like ‘hold on a minute, do I get a list of what I’ve paid for?’ You get that

everywhere: in a restaurant, if you take your car to a garage. That’s what we think they [the council] should do.”

She added: “I think if they included us [leaseholders] and had more transparency in the billing process, then they [the council] could uncover things they shouldn’t [be] paying for as well. We don’t want to pay for things we don’t get. But Southwark shouldn’t want to pay for things they don’t get either.”

Cllr Victor Chamberlain, Leader of Southwark’s Liberal Democrat opposition, accused the Labour-run council of ‘dragging their feet’ over the issue of itemised bills.

He said: “[We] have consistently supported greater transparency about bills, especially following the RSH’s [Regulator of Social Housing] findings of serious failings, and will continue to support leaseholders in pushing for common sense measures like fully itemised bills.”

Councillor Sarah King, cabinet member for council homes, said: “We’re sorry mistakes were made with Janet Wertli’s service charge. Most of the charges were from the costs incurred by the TMO [tenant management organisation], and provided to us from their audited accounts.

“We are committed to getting service charges right for leaseholders and thankfully, in most cases service charges are accurate and do not result in refunds.

“All leaseholders are able to request an itemised breakdown of their annual charge – and this facility has been available since 2004. We inform all homeowners of this as part of their billing pack and details are also online.

“To improve engagement, we are also setting up online appointments and walk in surgeries to ensure leaseholders have every opportunity to discuss individual service charges with our homeownership services team. We’re in the process of making itemised billing available online.”

concerns.

According to a report that went to cabinet today (11 March), the council is now taking steps to issue itemised bills for 2024/2025 as soon as September this year.

The bills will not be posted through everyone’s door, but rather they will be published online on the MySouthwark platform.

Homeowners will just need to be signed up to the portal to access their breakdown.

They are also proposing to hold post-billing surgeries where leaseholders will be able to discuss and contest individual actual charges.

Speaking at this morning’s cabinet meeting, campaigners behind the petition had reservations about the proposed new system, pushed the council again to ensure that the information will be genuinely clear, and questioned why the timescales were so protracted.

There are over 15,000 leaseholders in Southwark.

The Southwark Liberal Democrats supported the leaseholders campaign, secured a recommendation from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and raised it directly with Labour bosses through questions at the council assembly.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain said: “I’m pleased that thanks to relentless campaigning, we’re starting to see some movement in improving service to leaseholders, but it’s nowhere near enough. There’s so much further to go to ensure full accountability and transparency, which we’re still seeing Labour resist. That such a small, common sense change took so much effort demonstrates the scale of failure that needs to be fixed here in Southwark, and it’s clear that Labour is simply not interested in getting it right.”

Local Democracy Reporter

Janet Wertli, 55, believes she may be one of over 15,000 Southwark Council leaseholders who have been wrongly billed for items in their yearly service charge bill.

Ms Wertli, who owns a one-bed flat in the Devon Mansions apartment complex in Bermondsey, only found out about the incorrect charges after requesting an itemised breakdown of her service charge bills from the council which is the freeholder—a process which can take up to two months.

Among the things wrongly included in her service charge were repeated high bills for grounds maintenance, despite the apartment block backing directly onto the street and having minimal outdoor areas.

Ms Wertli also discovered she had been charged for fixing communal lighting in a car park around the back of Devon Mansions, which doesn’t belong to the building.

She said: “We [leaseholders] kept saying ‘Why are we paying grounds maintenance? Where are these grounds that we’re supposed to have?’ There’s a lot of people out there who don’t know that they can get a full breakdown and there could be all sorts of stuff on their service charge.”

Since challenging some of the items listed on the full service charge breakdown, Ms Wertli has won £150 off the ground maintenance costs billed to her and is awaiting a yet undisclosed amount of money back for car park lighting which a council employee told her by email in February were ‘incorrectly allocated to the estate’.

© Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

A BERMONDSEY homeowner was incorrectly charged hundreds of pounds for lights in a random car park and maintenance to nonexistent grounds by her local council.

Devon Mansions on Tooley Street

Janet Wertli Southwark Council previously returned £150 to Ms Wertli for scaffolding costs that were wrongly included in her and other leaseholders’ service charge bills. The error only came to light after another leaseholder in the block took the council to a tribunal over the charge and won.

Since she began challenging the council over the rogue charges, Ms Wertli has been in touch with multiple

other leaseholders in the borough who have faced similar incorrect bills. She believes there could be many other Southwark leaseholders who could have wrong items in their service charge and are eligible for refunds from the council.

Ms Wertli is among over 500 people who have signed a petition calling on the council to include a detailed breakdown of costs in each service

Council will now publish itemised service charge breakdowns

By Isabel Ramirez SOUTHWARK COUNCIL will publish itemised service charge breakdowns for leaseholders, following a recent petition that reached nearly 1,500 supporters.

Currently, to get an itemised bill of service charges, leaseholders have to individually request it, which can take at least 28 days if not longer.

A petition, received on the 25th of February, asked for itemised bills to become the norm. This comes after a series of scandals relating to billing, with leaseholders claiming the lack of transparency in their bills meant some were being wrongly charged for things.

The Regulator of Social Housing, whose remit does not cover leaseholders, nonetheless highlighted access to information and transparency as one of their key

NEWS 15 @richardwillq)

CAMPAIGNERS THREATEN LEGAL ACTION AGAINST COUNCIL OVER ‘DAMAGE’ TO BROCKWELL PARK

Pop-up shop with groceries for a fiver to open in Walworth this April

The number of fast food outlets have increased in Southwark despite its high levels of child obesity

By Isabel Ramirez A POP-UP pantry offering affordable food shops for just £5 is launching in Walworth this April.

New ‘memory wallets’ to support families who have lost a baby in south London

Peckham Pantry, which has been providing low-cost, healthy food since 2019, is expanding with three new temporary locations to help more people access essential groceries without breaking the bank.

Last year alone, the pantry saw up to 15,000 shops take place, proving the high demand for affordable food in the community.

The first of the shops opens on Tuesday, April 15, at the Rachel Leigh Community Hall, 32 Andrews Walk, Walworth SE17 3JQ. For just £5, shoppers can fill their baskets with fresh fruit, vegetables and store cupboard staples worth at least £15—offering a major boost to households struggling with the cost of living.

Shahid Mughal, Head of Food Services & Finance, explained: “Given our operational experience of running both the Southwark Foodbank and Peckham Pantry, we are proposing a pathway to transition from reliance on food banks to a more sustainable pantry model that offers a more dignified and financially viable alternative for communities.

“Our flagship store on Peckham Park Road is now offering support from Thames Reach for members on Thursdays from 10am-4pm. Plus, we have a steering group that organises events, and meetings and even produced a cookbook. We are looking forward to being part of the change in Southwark on how we deliver food to those affected by the cost of living.”

From April 1, 2025, the cost of a shop at Peckham Pantry will rise from £4.50 to £5. This will be the first price increase since 2020, ensuring the service remains sustainable while continuing to provide great value for money.

To mark the launch of the Walworth pop-up, community members and representatives from Southwark will be in attendance, along with a few surprises for those joining on opening day.

Reserve your place and be part of the movement for affordable food in Southwark by registering via Eventbrite.

By Isabel Ramirez

OPENING TIMES

By Isabel Ramirez CAMPAIGNERS FIGHTING to protect Brockwell Park from largescale private events are raising funds in case they need to take Lambeth Council to court.

The group, which argues the park is ‘under threat’, first launched a petition last summer, demanding an end to what they call the ‘fencing off and damaging’ of the public space. The petition attracted nearly 3,000 signatures.

Since then, residents, and regular park users—who say their concerns are being ignored—have been crowdfunding to support their cause.

Bridgerton star and Lambeth resident Adjoa Andoh took to X on Tuesday, March 11, to voice her support for the campaign, commenting: “We are a poor borough but shame on you @lambeth_council for not protecting the park better.”

They claim the park has suffered from repeated damage due to major events such as Mighty Hoopla and City Splash.

Issues they highlight include HGVs driving across the grass, an influx of 180,000 festivalgoers over just six days, and events held in heavy rain. Other

FAMILIES IN South London facing pregnancy loss will soon receive extra support through a new initiative at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The Pregnancy Loss Memory Wallets, launching in March 2025, have been designed with input from bereaved parents and healthcare

concerns include polluting generators running around the clock, security lighting disrupting the park’s natural darkness, and the impact of waste and overflowing toilets.

The campaign’s crowdfunding page warns of an alarming decline in biodiversity, claiming: “Since 2021, 32 protected species have disappeared, with noise and light pollution disrupting key habitats and impacting protected bats.”

It continues: “If we do not stop these events, the park won’t recover, and nor will our community.”

The group has set a fundraising target of £30,000 to cover potential legal costs, including challenges to event permits, licensing, and planning procedures, as well as expert reports.

Among their demands, they are calling for the land to be left to recover for ‘one or more years’ to restore the soil. They also want private event organisers to contribute to repairing any significant damage caused.

So far, the crowdfunding campaign has raised £5,090.

Lambeth Council were approached for comment but did not respond at the time of going to press.

professionals to offer both emotional comfort and practical guidance.

They provide clear information on recovery, support services, and a way for families to keep cherished mementoes.

Veronica Finn, who helped develop the wallets after her own experience of pregnancy loss, said: “These wallets add a personal touch to a tragic situation, offering inclusivity

Taken after the festivals last summer and supplied by resident

and comfort on the darkest days.”

Tracey Carter, Chief Nurse at King’s, added: “Losing a child is devastating, but we are here to provide families with the support they need.”

Funded by the South East London Local Maternity and Neonatal System, the Memory Wallets will be available at King’s College Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital.

Peckham Pantry, 49-53 Peckham Park Road –Tuesdays 10am-4pm, Wednesdays 9am-4pm, Thursdays 10am-7pm, Fridays 9am-4pm and Saturdays 9am-3pm St.Luke’s, Chandlers Way – Wednesdays 11am-2pm Rachel Leigh Community Hall, 32 Andrews Walk – Tuesdays 10am-3pm (from 15 April 2025)

16 NEWS

HEADTEACHER ON SPEARHEADING THE SMARTPHONE BAN

“I’ve had parents quote the European Convention on Human Rights to me” EXCLUSIVE

City of London Academy

By Issy Clarke SMARTPHONES ARE the ‘bastion of all ills’ harming young people today says one Bermondsey headteacher, as he calls for parents to back his plans and take a tough line at home.

As evidence mounts pointing to the negative effects of smartphones on young people, Mike Baxter, headteacher at City of London Academy, is at the forefront of efforts to ban them from classrooms in Southwark.

From September, Year 7 pupils at his school will no longer be allowed to bring a smartphone inside the school gates, with parents of incoming children urged to swap out iPhones for old school ‘brick’ phones. The ban will roll over each year, until eventually every age group before Year 10 is smartphone-free in three years’ time.

It won’t be popular with pupils, he concedes: “But that’s the role of adults.

You’re meant to make decisions for younger people in their best interests.

And I think they will look back and see it as a positive thing.”

The school currently runs a strict ‘not seen, not heard’ policy when it comes to mobile phones, which have to be placed in a pouch at the beginning of every day.

If pupils have it out during the school day they lose it for a week – with no exceptions.

The policy is generally well supported by parents, although Baxter said some have marched into reception angrily quoting the European Convention on Human Rights when their child’s phone has been confiscated.

Last year, Baxter spearheaded a plan to get eighteen schools to to ban smartphones for pupils before Year 10.

Those schools all ran a consultation with parents and have since adopted different various forms of smartphone bans; all of which differentiate between brick phones and smartphones.

“We know that smartphones are the bastions of all the ills we see with young people” Baxter says. “Online

bullying, attention fragmentation, sleep deprivation, poor socialisation.

Whereas with brick phones there is no issue around mental health. They are communication devices.”

A recent report from the House of Commons Education Committee revealed a 52 per cent increase in children’s screen time between 2020 and 2022, with nine in ten children owning a smart phone by the age of eleven. Other studies have linked the use of smartphones to shortening attention spans and low self esteem, with girls particularly exposed to anxieties about their physical appearance.

Calls to restrict the use of smartphones have sprung from all corners – from UNESCO, which has called for a global ban on smartphones in classrooms – down to Barnet Council in north London which, from September, will be banning smartphones in all its primary and secondary schools.

Campaigning group Smartphone Free Childhood now has 200,000 members who are tackling what its founders describe as “one of the defining parenting challenges of our time”, highlighting how smartphones can be a gateway to explicit and violent pornography, provide a way for sexual

predators to contact and groom young children, alongside a host of other disturbing issues. Shockingly, the group cites research which shows the average twelve to fifteen-year-olds now spend 35 hours a week on their smartphones; the equivalent of a fulltime job.

UK legislators have been slower to act. Last week MPs considered, but ultimately watered down, a bill which would have banned smartphones from all schools across England.

“One thing that’s changed in the last few years is there has been a shift in cultural awareness that smartphones now have as many, if not more, downsides compared to upsides” says Baxter, “and I think even two years ago, that debate wasn’t really happening.”

City of London Academy recently gave out its offers for the year ahead, and Baxter will soon be writing to new parents to warn them about the school’s smartphone policy. He is looking forward to a year’s time, when he’ll be able to compare the behaviour and performance of the phone-free Year 7’s with the year above.

Smartphones are the ‘bastion of all ills’ harming young people today says one Bermondsey headteacher, as he calls for parents to back his plans and

take a tough line at home.

As evidence mounts pointing to the negative effects of smartphones on young people, Mike Baxter, headteacher at City of London Academy, is at the forefront of efforts to ban them from classrooms in Southwark.

From September, Year 7 pupils at his school will no longer be allowed to bring a smartphone inside the school gates, with parents of incoming children urged to swap out iPhones for old school ‘brick’ phones. The ban will roll over each year, until eventually every age group before Year 10 is smartphone-free in three years’ time.

It won’t be popular with pupils, he concedes: “But that’s the role of adults.

You’re meant to make decisions for younger people in their best interests.

And I think they will look back and see it as a positive thing.”

The school currently runs a strict ‘not seen, not heard’ policy when it comes to mobile phones, which have to be placed in a pouch at the beginning of every day.

If pupils have it out during the school day they lose it for a week – with no exceptions.

The policy is generally well supported by parents, although Baxter said some have marched into reception angrily quoting the European Convention on Human Rights when their child’s phone has been confiscated.

Last year, Baxter spearheaded a plan to get eighteen schools to to ban smartphones for pupils before Year 10.

Those schools all ran a consultation with parents and have since adopted different various forms of smartphone bans; all of which differentiate between brick phones and smartphones.

“We know that smartphones are the bastions of all the ills we see with young people” Baxter says. “Online bullying, attention fragmentation, sleep deprivation, poor socialisation.

Whereas with brick phones there is no issue around mental health. They are communication devices.”

A recent report from the House of Commons Education Committee revealed a 52 per cent increase in

children’s screen time between 2020 and 2022, with nine in ten children owning a smart phone by the age of eleven. Other studies have linked the use of smartphones to shortening attention spans and low self esteem, with girls particularly exposed to anxieties about their physical appearance.

Calls to restrict the use of smartphones have sprung from all corners – from UNESCO, which has called for a global ban on smartphones in classrooms – down to Barnet Council in north London which, from September, will be banning smartphones in all its primary and secondary schools.

Campaigning group Smartphone Free Childhood now has 200,000 members who are tackling what its founders describe as “one of the defining parenting challenges of our time”, highlighting how smartphones can be a gateway to explicit and violent pornography, provide a way for sexual predators to contact and groom young children, alongside a host of other disturbing issues. Shockingly, the group cites research which shows the average twelve to fifteen-year-olds now spend 35 hours a week on their smartphones; the equivalent of a fulltime job.

UK legislators have been slower to act. Last week MPs considered, but ultimately watered down, a bill which would have banned smartphones from all schools across England.

“One thing that’s changed in the last few years is there has been a shift in cultural awareness that smartphones now have as many, if not more, downsides compared to upsides” says Baxter, “and I think even two years ago, that debate wasn’t really happening.”

City of London Academy recently gave out its offers for the year ahead, and Baxter will soon be writing to new parents to warn them about the school’s smartphone policy. He is looking forward to a year’s time, when he’ll be able to compare the behaviour and performance of the phone-free Year 7’s with the year above.

Find out more at https://www.selondonics.org/flu-vaccination

18 OPINION

Comment ‘Standing in front of the National Covid Memorial Wall brings home the nearly 227,000 people who lost their lives to the virus’

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OVID MEMORIAL Day has just passed. Communities across the UK came together to remember those we lost and to honour the sacrifices of our frontline workers.

One of the most poignant tributes is the National Covid Memorial Wall in Lambeth, opposite Parliament, where hand-painted hearts commemorate every one of the nearly 227,000 people who lost their lives to the virus in the UK. Standing in front of the Wall brings home what that number actually looks like and the impact that the pandemic had on the lives of individual families and communities.

Being married to a frontline NHS worker, I saw first hand what our incredible medical teams went through and the toll it took. With humility, we pay tribute to them all, thank you.

In our daily lives we need reliable internet connections to work, learn, and stay in touch with loved ones, and that need is greater than ever.

It is essential for work, education, healthcare, and staying connected.

A volunteer repainting one of the hearts on the memorial wall

MARINA AHMAD

GLA Member for Southwark & Lambeth

Yet, in 2025, some parts of London, including areas in Southwark, remain ‘not-spots’—places where slow, unreliable broadband holds people back. As Chair of the Economy, Culture and Skills Committee at City Hall, I am committed to ensuring that all

Londoners have access to the highspeed connections they need to thrive.

A new interactive map from City Hall highlights the scale of the broadband issue, showing that while some parts of London enjoy superfast broadband, others struggle with outdated

infrastructure. In some areas, you can have gigabit-capable fibre on one side of the street, while just a few doors down, the connection is barely good enough for video calls. This digital divide affects businesses, remote workers, students, and families who rely on the internet for daily life.

London needs good connections, but the provision of fast broadband remains patchy. In some places, people are left with sluggish speeds that make it difficult to work from home, take part in online learning, or run a business. The Economy, Culture and Skills Committee has been investigating how these ‘notspots’ can be turned into ‘hot-spots’

to ensure people across London, can access the same opportunities as those in better-connected areas.

The Committee has been working with industry experts, local authorities, and businesses to push for faster broadband roll-out and better coverage. Our experts call for increased investment in full-fibre connections and a strategy to tackle London’s broadband inequalities.

Policymakers must prioritise digital inclusion, ensuring that no community is left out of the technological future.

As Southwark’s Assembly Member, I will continue to lobby for this for all my constituents as everyone deserves a strong broadband connection.

OPINION 19

Surely school buildings that have had to close should not be allowed simply to gather dust?

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his week we looked at the current state of six primary schools in Southwark which have closed since 2022.

The issue of falling pupil-rolls extends wider than Southwark. All over the capital, primary schools are struggling to make ends meet - a combination of falling birth rates and punishingly high house prices that are forcing families out of the capital. Across London, the birth rate fell by 20 per cent between 2012 and 2022 – a reduction of 27,490 live births.

The knock-on effects for schools are stark, which receive their funding on a per-pupil basis, and they are having to make difficult decisions about how to balance their budgets - or face closure altogether.

When we looked into the issue in Southwark we were interested to find that of the six schools to have shut in recent years, the three still standing empty are all owned by the council. One has been merged with another school, while the other two - a Church of England School and a Catholic school - are being let out to private companies.

St John’s Primary School in Walworth, owned by the Dioceses of Southwark, is being let out to Hotel Elephant, which provides office space for creatives at rents ranging from £300 to £680 a month.

The council told us it was currently consulting on plans to re-purpose its former school buildings for special needs education. While we welcome the decision to keep them in educational use - rather than sell them off as housing, as must often be the temptation for local authorities - the council suggested it could be 2030 before the plan is delivered.

In the meantime, the council will presumably be spending vast amounts of money maintaining these sites while they stand empty, potentially for the next five years. It raises the question as to whether the council has missed an opportunity here to make money - as the Church of England and the Catholic Church have managed - while it works on a permanent plan, rather than just leaving the buildings to gather dust.

In the coming weeks one of the questions we will be asking the council is whether it has investigated interim solutions for temporarily re-purposing these buildings.

One solution the council could explore is placing them into a temporary property guardianship, a scheme which allows buildings that would otherwise lie vacant to house residents. This would allow the council to make money from renting space out to tenants at below-market rents, simultaneously meeting another pressing need for affordable housing.

This ought to offer the ideal blend of profitability and flexibility from the council’s perspective, because it wouldFlyer_A5.pdf enable them1to request tenants vacate at just 28 days’ notice, rather than the usual minimum of 12/10/2021 22:35 two months. That money could then be invested back into schools across the borough which are similarly suffering to make ends meet due to plummeting pupil rolls.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE Clues Across

4 An age of copper and tin (6) 8 Spotted the go-between who was in front (7) 9 Walked along, having been well filled (6) 10 Is the crowd, indeed, in low spirits? (9) 11 Escape the return of the oriental mischief maker (4) 13 Halts the first man in the ship (5) 14 Initially, George made a wrongful arrest in the attics (7) 16 Supervise in the bishop’s domain (7) 18 Deserve to have met a right one inside (5) 19 Formerly in the New Testament, and still to come (4) 21 Told an ace of a story (9) 22 It’s difficult to understand anything without reflection (6) 23 Willingly in the case of putting the paper in order (7) 24 A commercial, now a disturbed liar has it, will go in all directions (6)

Clues Down

1 I’ve followed the immediate order (9) 2 Save a portion for the replacement (5,4) 3 In case a central part is of the smallest significance (5) 5 Dare to look out (4) 6 Small knot gathered, but no duel was arranged (6) 7 The disturbances caused when the editor passes on . . . (6) 9 . . . and a step up for the friend who got round him (5) 11 Lands without restrictions below decks (9) 12 And here in Rome a friend is behaving in a moral manner (9) 15 River in which to catch the fish? (5) 16 Journeying - and continuing to the Chaldean town? (2,4) 17 Develop, though formerly soundly censured by the critics (6) 20 Performed like a rising attorney, and the rest going up inside (5) 21 Subtle emanation that can almost be heard (4)

QUICK PUZZLE Clues Across

16-18 and looking to start college?

C

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MY

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CMY

Come and see what Bosco can offer you.

Places available for an immediate start in:

Business Child Care IT and Digital Media Sport

K

4 Neglects an obligation (6) 8 Spreads (7) 9 City state of Greece (6) 10 Adapts again (9) 11 Otherwise (4) 13 Took without authority (5) 14 Postponed (7) 16 Seed with strong taste (7) 18 Animal’s nose (5) 19 Halt (4) 21 Taking a break in the meeting (9) 22 Medicine to prolong life (6) 23 Dropped (7) 24 Propositions (6)

Clues Down

1 Looking forward to (9) 2 Greeting (9) 3 Hatred (5) 5 Jumps (4) 6 Infrequently (6) 7 Gazed (6) 9 Direct (5) 11 Seriously (9) 12 Continuous series (9) 15 At no time (5) 16 Climb (6) 17 Ointment (6) 20 Piles (5) 21 Increase (4)

SOLUTIONS TO LAST WEEK’S CROSSWORD

281 Jamaica Road, SE16 4RS 0207 232 0440 info@bosco.ac.uk

CRYPTIC

Across: 1 Trampled 4 Star 8 Stalin 10 Cloaks 11 Aisle 12 Being 14 Erring 17 Asthmatic 18 Buccaneer 22 Unreal 23 Enter 24 Burst 26 Scarab 27 Silent 28 Dose 29 Unsealed Down: Toss 2 Azalea 3 Pliant 5 Tragic 6 Resigned 7 Alert 9 Night club 10 Clearness 13 Issue 15 Rivet 16 Accursed 18 Breaks 19 Cabal 20 Entire 21 Repeal 25 Stud

QUICK PUZZLE

Across: Famished 4 Step 8 Instep 10 Allude 11 Erase 12 Sieve 14 Castle 17 Crescents 18 Moonstone 22 Ararat 23 Angle 24 Remit 26 Begged 27 Nipper 28 Erne 29 Reverent Down: 1 Fair 2 Mosaic 3 Sleeve 5 Trusts 6 Precedes 7 Clean 9 Presented 10 Ascertain 13 Error 15 Stung 16 Scramble 18 Margin 19 Oared 20 On time 21 Elapse 25 Brat

20 ARTS

what’s on

Photo by Pamela Raith

A Ceremony at Copeland

FROM ENGLISH QUEEN TO NEW YORK SEX WORKER CHI’S CAREER HIGHLIGHT

FUTURE RITUAL presents CEREMONY, a new 5-day festival of choreographic work and performance art at Peckham’s Copeland Gallery.

Copeland Gallery, Unit 9, Copeland Park,133 Copeland Rd, London, SE15 3SN from 23rd - 27th April 2025.

ELENA CHI saw The Lion King as a seven-year-old and remembers ‘the feeling of adrenaline watching every performer deliver the goods, the costumes, the set, everything!

I laughed, I cried and thought to myself: I wanna do that, it looks like so much fun!’, writes Michael Holland.

An attempt at competitive swimming ended when Elena realised she would not make it professionally: ‘I had always loved performing, having performed

in school plays, etc., but it wasn’t until I decided to quit swimming that I fully committed to training to get into drama school!’

The hard work paid off and Elena studied her new craft at the Performance Preparation Academy. Since then she has played some big names: Frida Kahlo, Marie Curie and Catherine Parr, the wife of Henry VIII who survived.

‘I’ve always enjoyed telling their stories,’ begins the actor, ‘but the most fun was definitely Frida Kahlo. She is just such a

powerhouse of a woman; her passion, fire and vulnerability took me on such an emotional journey night after night. I feel honoured to have brought her back to life on the stage.’

Elena will be back on the stage as Dolores, a character in the new musical based on the iconic 60s’ film Midnight Cowboy. This time, however, her female status has hit a low. Elena explains: ‘She is a 17-year-old prostitute (not by choice) and is held captive in a brothel.’

The film was originally banned. I asked

Midnight Cowboy: A New Musical.

Southwark Playhouse Elephant, 1 Dante Place, London, SE11 4RX from the 4th April - 17th May! Mon - Sat 7pm, Matinees Thurs & Sat 2.30pm. Tickets: Previews 4 – 9 April | Pioneer’s Previews £12 (4 April only), Standard Previews £18; Standard tickets from £20 | Concessions tickets £22.50.

Booking: 020 7407 0234 / southwarkplayhouse.co.uk Box Of�ice opens Mon – Sat, 10am – 6pm. southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/ midnight-cowboy

The students’ zest added huge energy

EACH YEAR, The Globe stages a production specifically aimed at young people, with the laudable goal of making theatre more accessible. This year’s choice is Macbeth — a fitting selection given the play’s enduring themes of ambition and power, which remain as relevant today as ever, writes Katie Kelly.

With Macbeth a staple of school curriculums, it’s a smart choice because this abridged version of the play loses none of its impact.

Set in a modern yet unspecified era, the characters are mostly clad in military fatigues. The set is mainly bare; with a sprinkling of camouflage nets doing some heavy lifting. There is nothing here that couldn’t be reproduced in a tour of schools if that was the intention.

The production opens with a striking image: three teenagers are chased down and shot, only to rise and return as the bloodied, hoodie-clad witches.

Photo by Tristram-Kenton

CEREMONY concludes a year-long series of performances, exhibitions, artist labs and workshops exploring performance as a form of collective gathering amidst the fragmentation of contemporary life.

This April’s rich offerings include a new work commissioned by Future Ritual from seasoned dance artist emilyn claid and renowned performance artist Martin O’Brien, alongside new performances by Anne Bean, recipient of a 2024 Paul Hamlyn Award, SERAFINE1369 and UK premieres from international artists including Marilyn Arsem, the noted American artist and co-founder of Mobius Artist Group, Liz Rosenfeld, who lives and works primarily in Berlin and VestAndPage.

VestAndPage will lead a week-long intensive co-creation workshop, inviting artists to explore our time’s urgent and vital portals personally and collectively. They question how we can artistically reinvent rites of passage and rituals for modern society.

Future Ritual’s work fosters spaces of sensitivity and attunement in which to think and feel through ideas of land, desire, belief, mystery and death. Founded by artist Joseph Morgan Schofield in 2017, Future Ritual are interested in performance ritual as a way of producing community and a sense of belonging, and as a way of experiencing our time in the world differently.

Says Morgan Schofield “There is a desire and urgency for these kinds of experiences - for processing the challenges of the contemporary world. We find performance art to be a potent way to offer this kind of experience to audiences, particularly for those of us outside of normative religions and cultures. We are interested in things which feel transgressive, which take us towards a more raw edge of experience where we can think and feel differently.”

Encountering different works from across Bean’s five decades of practice, her new work ‘What is that damned beast?

Anatomy of performance’ will explore what performance could be and why we keep doing it.

Says Anne: “This is a search, a hunt, for the beast that has plagued and soothed me, seared me and haunted me, filled me with unease and with tenderness, with fear and quietude, with disturbance and focus, with bewilderment, with perplexity, with astonishment. It has offered me doorways to transcendence and banishment. This fire-spitting, shape-changing, teeth baring, ecstasy inducing beast will be encountered in some of its manifestations in my lifework”

if this musical version would be family viewing. ‘All I will say is that the age rating is 12+,’ she says diplomatically.

The songwriter, E.G. White, has an amazing pedigree. Does it show in the music written for this production?

‘Absolutely! His music and lyrics work incredibly well along with the storyline and overall mood of the show. I can’t wait for people to hear it, they’re all so catchy!

I can’t get them outta my head!’

How are the rehearsals going?

‘I’m having so much fun!’ Exclaims Elena excitedly. ‘We are now in our second week of rehearsals and it is definitely a show like no other. We have such a stellar cast! I feel so lucky to be working in a room with top-tier talent! I am learning so much and Nick Winston’s vision with his direction and choreography is euphoric. This show is undeniably a highlight of my career so far!’

Now I am excited as Elena.

‘Come watch us at the Southwark Playhouse - You won’t want to miss it!

Yeehaw!’

Their acrobatics and unsettling presence were captivating and one of the production’s more memorable features. Another bold choice was casting Macduff as a woman, with Roxy Faradany giving a powerful performance in the role.

For many, Shakespeare’s language can be a barrier. The best actors overcome this with performances that bring the meaning out clearly. The Globe productions do not consistently achieve this goal, and this is sadly no exception. Some actors came close.

Patrick Osborne as Macbeth showed some subtlety and depth, and Hanora Kamena was compelling as Lady Macbeth.

One of the evening’s highlights was the Porter’s speech — a witty, contemporary rewrite that hilariously roasted audience members. This winning entry from a nationwide student writing competition was a real crowd-pleaser. In fact, the students themselves were a highlight throughout — their zest and engagement added huge energy to the experience.

While it didn’t often unlock the power of Shakespeare’s language, the play succeeded in engaging its young audience. For that, The Globe deserves credit.

Verdict: 8/10 for effort; 6/10 for achievement.

The Globe, Bankside, SE1 until April 20th.

Tickets: £5 - £75.

Booking and full details: https://www. shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/

EVENTS 21

Heading south - our pick of upcoming spring events

Whiskey Live

Pirates Love Underpants Based on the beloved book by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort, Pirates Love Underpants is coming to Broadway Theatre on 3 April, suitable for children aged one and over. These pirates so love underpants… Join the swashbuckling party of pirates on their quest to find the fabled Pants of Gold for the Captain’s Treasure chest. Dodge hungry crocs beneath Long-John Bridge, bob upon the waves of Big Knickers Bay, spot sharks in fancy underpants and trek across Three Pants Ridge.

Filled with music, puppetry and glittering pants of gold, arrr you ready to set sail on a family adventure?

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Whisky Live London 2025 is promising an experience like no other. From limited-edition releases to rare and exceptional whiskies, you’ll have the chance to sample an unlimited array of drams that you won’t find anywhere else. Coming to Woolwich Works, Whiskey Live promises a whole host of masterclasses and live entertainment, plus the opportunity to blend your own whisky to take home. In the main hall, all ticket holders will have the exclusive opportunity to sample a limited selection of entrants to the World Whiskies Awards 2025. Immerse yourself in the world of whisky and discover some of the finest expressions that have earned recognition and acclaim.

Date: Thursday 3 April 2025. Tickets: £13-£15 Broadway Theatre, Rushey Green, Catford, SE6 4RU www.broadwaytheatre.org.uk/events/pirates-love-underpants

Dates: Friday 28 and Saturday 29 March 2025. Tickets: Prices vary Woolwich Works, The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 Street, Royal Arsenal, SE18 6HD www.whiskylive.com

Silver Screen Science-Fiction presents... Star Trek After losing his father on the day of his birth, James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine, Wonder Woman) seems destined to follow a very different path to the one we know. He has no intention to join Starfleet, would never meet Spock (Zachary Quinto, Heroes) and McCoy (Karl Urban, Dredd) or command the USS Enterprise. That is until he is recruited by Captain Pike and, thanks to the actions of the same timetravelling villain that took his father from him, is catapulted back onto the path of becoming Captain James T Kirk, with a little help from a very old friend.

See the first film in the Kelvin timeline reboot of the classic sci-fi series as you watch Star Trek (2009) in

the unique venue of the Peter Harrison Planetarium.

Then, stay in your seats as they take you on a tour of the science behind the fiction with a talk by an astronomer from the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

The film will begin at 6 pm with an expected end time of 8:30 pm following the short talk. Latecomers will be allowed admission into the film. This film is rated 12A. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and attend at the adult’s discretion.

Date: Saturday 19 April 2025, 6pm Tickets: Adult £10, Under 25s £9, Child £5 Royal Observatory, Blackheath Avenue, SE10 8XJ www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/royal-observatory/silverscreen-science-fiction-star-trek-2009

Bear McCreary Live

Punk Alley by Moxie Brawl

Date: Saturday 5 April 2025, 11am and 3pm. Tickets: £6-£18 Tramshed, 51-53 Woolwich New Road, SE18 6ES www.tramshed.org/punk-alley-by-moxie-brawl

© TedSun

Punk Alley is a loud and unapologetic joyride of live original punk music and high-energy dance. But don’t leave your adults at home – this is a punk show for everyone. Enter the world of the Lazurr Tuts at Tramshed this April and enjoy the guitar-wielding, footstomping punk band made up of misfits and outcasts. They are in the business of making music and speaking out, and you have been invited to an exclusive rehearsal. Dance, sing, shout, whisper, stomp, spin, sign and shake with the Lazurr Tuts on a journey of self-expression. No matter how loud or soft, the Lazurr Tuts want you to know that what you have to say is important. Set your inner anarchist free and celebrate the joys of being you in a safe, caring environment in which everyone is equal. Punk Alley is a show full of heart that asks big questions, creating a fun space for young people to explore what they want to use their voice to fight for.

The show is fully BSL/ISL interpreted, and everyone is invited to participate in creating songs, writing placards and playing music.

Jazz Saturdays at The Albany Take a break from the hustle and bustle of Deptford market for an hour with Jazz Saturdays at The Albany, featuring free performances in its CaffA from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Tap your feet in the garden oasis or take in the sounds over a spot of lunch, this family-friendly drop-in makes the pleasure of live music free for the community.

Date: Saturday 5 April 2025, 1pm Tickets: Free The Albany, Douglas Way, SE8 4AG www.thealbany.org.uk/shows/jazz-saturdays-2

Bear McCreary is the celebrated composer behind some of the biggest film, TV and video game scores, and he is set to kick off his first European tour with a show at Indigo at The O2, with singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Morgan Sorne as the support act. Known for the music behind works such as Battlestar Galactica, Outlander, The Walking Dead and God of War, McCreary will bring selections from the last 20 years of his career to the stage.

McCreary musically brings to life everything from a gripping zombie apocalypse to thrilling galactic battles and fateful Jacobite uprisings – and this is your chance to see it live. A sevenpiece band led by McCreary will bring his pieces to life in a rock concert setting, with audiences experiencing the music like never before.

Date: Friday 18 April 2025 Tickets: Prices vary Indigo at The O2, 205 Peninsula Square, SE10 0ES www.theo2.co.uk/events/detail/bear-mccreary

22 FOOD

Food

WALWORTH TOWN HALL HAS REOPENED, BUT IS IT REALLY FOR THE COMMUNITY?

JUSU BROTHERS - BEAUTIFUL BUILDING, DELICIOUS FOOD , BUT DOESN’T CATER FOR ALL BUDGETS BEFORE ARRIVING at the new Walworth Town Hall Community Space, I had heard that the cafe prices were high, especially the banana bread, so was eager to see if it lived up to the hefty price tags, writes Callum Smyth...

THE WALWORTH Town Hall reopened at the start of the year as a community hub,12 years after it was ravaged by fire. The renovation is magnificent, but what about it’s cafe?

Jusu Brothers a healthy pan-Asian cafe, which has another branch in upmarket Notting Hill, is providing the food offering, however some online reviews have questioned the costs.

Some were shocked at the £8 price tag for banana bread and £21 for a Bento box.

The beautifully restored 1894 building comprises 50,000 sq ft and includes the former Newington Library and Cuming Museum. It offers free co-working spaces, large meeting rooms at £45 an hour and event spaces at £500 an hour. General People, who carried out the renovation with

Southwark Council, estimated it would be worth £25 million on the open market.

There are plenty of free events like Bachata taster and line dancing sessions, as well as yoga and Tai Chi. Joanna Lee, Managing Director at General People, who will manage the building’s spaces, said: “A lot of younger locals won’t have seen the building without its hoarding, let alone stepped inside. We’re looking forward to working closely with the community board and seeing the spaces brought to life by a new generation.”

So while this community hub has a lot to offer free of charge, we decided to send a young local reporter, who grew up in the area, but had never been to the town hall, to review the cafe and see whether it was worth the higher price tag.

A quick glance at the menu with £11 for chicken soup, £10 for yoghurt I did wonder who this new community cafe was for?

I had heard people locally questioning how affordable it would be for the wider Walworth community outside those living in the luxury apartments in Elephant Park.

I took my mother with me and she loved the renovation but said: “It does runs the risk of out-pricing the local community, who may enjoy a visit but feel the price deters them from regular visits to eat in this beautiful place.”

I noticed the opening hours were 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, with the cafe closing on weekends, so again questioned how that works for those of us living here that would be more likely to visit on a Saturday or Sunday. After being met by the highly-priced menu, we decided to order the famed banana bread, their £21 bento box, chicken katsu burger and a berry tsuki (smoothie) and their french toast. £5.95 FOR A FRESH BERRY TSUKI This was the first item to come, which took 6 minutes to arrive. It was a standard blueberry, strawberry and banana smoothie. There was not much to say about this except it is served cold with fresh ingredients. £7.75 FOR WARM AND CREAMY BANANA BREAD Now the infamous banana bread, which

took 10 minutes to arrive. It was served as two pieces warmed-up, topped with vanilla cashew cream and maple syrup.

This gave it a warm and creamy profile, but it was nothing out of the ordinary.

However, I have to say the two pieces served leave you wanting more and I could not help but wonder if each slice was worth the nearly £4 price tag. £16 FOR BURGER WHICH COULD HAVE HAD MORE CHICKEN The Chicken Katsu burger came 10 minutes after my smoothie shortly accompanied by the bento box below.

It was served hot with cabbage and cucumber, giving it a fresh, cold crunch that cuts through the heat and flavour of both the chicken and the katsu mayo.

My only comment about this is that the chicken could have been a bit bigger, but overall, it came together nicely with the salad on the side. I believe that this item was priced the best out of all. £21 FOR ANY ONE OF 3 BENTO BOXES Now what I consider the the pinnacle of the menu. There are three options when it comes to the bento box: the salmon teriyaki, chicken or veggie. I chose the salmon.

Again, this was served hot and perfectly cooked. The salmon was tender and juicy, falling apart in your mouth, but it kept its structure due to the glaze. The rice was soft, but not too mushy. It comes with a side broth which I initially felt was not necessary, but when I tried it, it gave a warm almost more complete flavour and texture to the rice.

This, however, was priced at £21 – again is it worth it?

TENNER FOR FRENCH TOAST The French toast was the last item to come, which took around 17 minutes to arrive.

The French toast was not stodgy or burnt but at an equilibrium between the

both.

Paired well with the strawberries and banana. I think, though, that the puree was mismatched with too much tang.

MY VERDICT My time at the cafe was lovely, there is no doubt about that. The food was great apart from the waiting times, which if you’re on a half-hour lunch trying to get back to work excludes you from this experience.

I spoke to the manager, Romain, after my meal. He explained the concept behind the cafe “Fresh, healthy and easy food,” when I asked him about the hefty price tags.

He also said the wait is a product of the uncertainty of the customer base. He said they did not want to prep too much food and not have enough customers, so as to avoid any waste. He added that the food is cooked fresh to order and that any pastry dishes (e.g. french toast, banana bread) are made in the morning and reheated to serve.

The vibe I get from Jusu Brothers is that it is catering for the new residents and community of the Elephant and Castle and Elephant Park while completely forgetting the original residents, living near me off the Walworth Road.

The gentrification of the area is wellcovered, it is what it is. However, I would have liked to have seen something catering for all budgets in this community space.

I know many people who would love to go in during the week to try it, however, they are most likely working either their 9-5 or trade workers who start their day at around 7am and don’t get home until at least 6pm.

This could be overlooked, but the cafe doesn’t open on weekends, meaning it is, whether purposely or not, focused on the from-home workers, who have the luxury of sitting in a cafe with headphones on while doing their work.

24 CLASSIFIED CLASSIFIED AND COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

WANTED RECORDS

Southwark Pensioners’ Centre

ROCK, POP, PUNK, INDIE, REGGAE, SOUL...

LPS AND SINGLES - WHOLE COLLECTIONS WELCOME

Call: 07956 832314 / 020 8677 6907 Or Email: vinylwanted@aol.com

DRIVERS WE NEED YOU

Supporting older people in Southwark for over 35 years.

ALSO INTERESTED IN NON CHART CD COLLECTIONS

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

Contact us on 020 7708 4556 or info@southwarkpensioners.org.uk

ScotsCare is here to help and support Scots and their families in Greater London

or call 0800 652 2989

to speak with a case worker to see how we can assist you.

For our services, scan here Registered Charity No.207326.

Registered in Scotland No. SC052739.

Or pop into 305 -307 Camberwell rd, Camberwell Green, SE5 0HQ

CASH / CASH / CASH / CASH / CASH

Visit www.scotscare.com

Become a volunteer driver!

WANTED

CARS + VANS ANY CONDITION ANY AREA PROMPT & POLITE SERVICE TELEPHONE

020 8659 8988 ANY DAY, ANY TIME, 7 DAYS MOBILE

07850 323 508 CLASSIC & UNSUAL CARS ALSO WANTED

volunteering@linkagesouthwark.org www.linkagesouthwark.org 020 8299 2623 CASH / CASH / CASH / CASH / CASH

Our services include: Financial Support | Advocacy | Counselling | Sheltered Housing | Homelessness | Job Coaching | Social Events | Volunteering

Transport can be challenging for many older people. Help them maintain active social lives.

Send in your FREE

Mother's Day message to katie@cm-media.co.uk and it will appear in NEXT WEEK’S EDITION

Deadline - 12pm on Monday 24th March No photos please.

PUBLIC NOTICES 25

Thursday, March 20th 2025

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (GREAT SUFFOLK STREET, CRAWFORD ROAD, PRICES STREET, BOYSON ROAD, BOUNDARY LANE)

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (LOWER ROAD)

(TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) 1.

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

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, at it’s junction with Union Street, side of No’s 200 Skyline House (2b) Crawford Road, between No’s 67 – 71 (2c) Prices Street, at it’s junction with Bear Lane to it’s blocked end (2d) Boyson Road, between Camberwell Road and Red Lion Row (2e) Boundary Lane, between Camberwell Road and Red Lion Row

3.

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be (2a) Union Street, Great Guildford Street, Southwark Bridge Road, Southwark Street, Lavington Street. (2b) Coldharbour Lane, Valmar Road, Morna Road. (2c) not applicable. (2d) & (2e) Red Lion Row, Boyson Road, Camberwell Road.

4.

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

5.

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

6.

The closure will be in operation on the following dates: (2a) 27th March – 2nd April (2b) 3rd April (2c) 21st – 27th April (2d) & (2e) 27th – 31st March and will be carried out in phases.

7.

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

(TEMPORARY RESTRICTION OF TRAFFIC) 1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to continue the operation of a mandatory bus lane, it intends to make an order under section 14 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, the effect of which is to prohibit certain categories of vehicular traffic from entering part of the above named road as detailed in the schedule to this notice.

2.

Except as provided in Article 3 of this order, no person shall cause a vehicle to be in a bus lane in a length of road specified in an item in column (2) of the table in the Schedule during the times specified in that item in column (3) of that item unless that vehicle is proceeding in the direction specified in column (4) of that item and is of a type specified in column (5) of that item.

3.

3.1

Exemptions - bus lane.

The controls specified in Article 2 do not apply so as to prevent a vehicle being in a bus lane if and for as long as necessary(a) to enable a person to get on or off the vehicle; or (b) taxis and motorcycles to use the bus lane between Ann Moss Way and Culling Road (c) to enable goods to be loaded on to or unloaded from the vehicle; if and in so far as the activity is not prohibited by the provisions of any other Order.

The controls specified in Article 2 do not apply in respect of a vehicle which is being used for a purpose which is within an exemption to a restriction or prohibition imposed by any other Order or which is permitted by any other Order.

The controls specified in Article 2 do not apply in respect of a vehicle crossing a bus lane to get to or from any road adjacent to the bus lane or any vehicular access to premises adjacent to the bus lane.

The controls specified in Article 2 do not apply in respect of a vehicle being in a bus lane if the vehicle is being used:-

3.2 3.3 3.4

(a) in the service of a local authority for the purpose of collecting refuse; (b) for the purposes of the provision of a universal postal service (as defined in the Postal Services Act 2011e) provided the vehicle bears the livery of a universal service provider (as defined in the aforementioned Act); (c) in connection with the removal of any obstruction to traffic; (d) in connection with the maintenance, improvement or reconstruction of any road; (e) in connection with the maintenance, improvement or construction of any street furniture including bus stop infrastructure; (f) in connection with any building operation or demolition; (g) in connection with the laying, erection, alteration or repair in or near the bus lane of any sewer or of any main, pipe or apparatus for the supply of gas, water or electricity, or of any electronic communications network (as defined in section 32 of the Communications Act 2003f), providing the vehicle cannot be used for that purpose without being in the bus lane and in so far as the activity is not prohibited by the provisions of any other Order.

Dated this 20th March 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) MCW-00001979-03/Thames water (2b) MWS-BULK-0307416/metering/MGJV (2c) LBSCR13145-34/liftassist (2d) BOYSONRD-V9236/BT & (2e) BOUNDARYLANE-V9236/BT

3.5

The controls specified in Article 2 do not apply in respect of a vehicle being in a bus lane: (a) so as to avoid an accident; (b) to allow a person to get or give help in consequence of an accident or emergency or otherwise take action for public safety; (c) to such an extent and for such a time as is needed to comply with any requirement resulting from works or an emergency in any part of the road adjoining the bus lane; (d) if it is being used for ambulance, fire brigade or police purposes.

4.

Definitions and Interpretation (a) "carriageway" has the same meaning as in section 329(1) of the Highways Act 1980b; (b) “Council” means the Council of the London Borough of Southwark; (c) “bus”, “local bus”, "traffic lane", “contra-flow” and “with-flow lane” have the meanings given in Schedule 1 to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016c; (d) "bus lane" means a traffic lane on a length of road which is specified in column (2) in the table in the Schedule below and in respect of which traffic signs are in place indicating the controls specified in this Order; (e) "enactment” means any enactment, whether public general or local, and includes any order, bye-law, rule, regulation, scheme or other instrument having effect by virtue of an enactment; (f) “kerb-line” means the imaginary line which is the projection of the line formed by the edge of the carriageway of a street; (g) “times of operation” means in relation to a bus lane specified in an item in column (3) of the table

5.

This order under section 14(1) Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 will be in place for up to 18 months, until the 28th of May 2026.

6.

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

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (DRUMMOND ROAD) (TEMPORARY PARKING SUSPENSION) 1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that, to enable construction works, it intends to make an order, to implement the following restrictions in part of the above named road.

2.

The effect of the order:Suspension of two parking bays outside the Biscuit Factory, at the junction with the site entrance, the two bays closest to the site entrance will be suspended.

3.

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.

4.

The restriction will come into force on the 28th of March 2025 and may be in force for upto 18 months.

5.

For information relating to this notice please contact TTMO@southwark.gov.uk

Dated this 20th of March 2025 Ian Law Traffic Manager London Borough of Southwark Network Management Traded Services Environment and Leisure 160 Tooley Street PO Box 64529 London SE1 5LX Ref: TTO/DR2

Dated this 20th March 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: LBSLR11a

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

Deadline is 3pm on Wednesday

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

26 PUBLIC NOTICES

Thursday, March 20th 2025

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

How to comment on this application: You should submit your comments via the above link. Comments received will be made available for public viewing on the website. All personal information will be removed except your postal address. Online comments submitted without an email address will not be acknowledged and those marked 'confidential' will not be considered. Written comments can be submitted to; Southwark Council, Chief executive's department, Planning division, Development Management, PO Box 64529, London SE1 5LX. Reason for publicity. The applications are advertised for the reasons identified by the following codes: AFFECT - development affecting character or appearance of a nearby conservation area; OR development affecting setting of a nearby listed building(s); DEP - departure from the development plan; EIA - environmental impact assessment (these applications are accompanied by an environmental statement a copy of which may be obtained from the Council - there will be a charge for the copy); MAJ - major planning application; STDCA - development within a conservation area; STDLB - works to or within the site of a listed building; UNIT 1 AND 4 CANADA WATER RETAIL PARK SURREY QUAYS ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE16 2XU (Ref: 24/AP/3718) Demolition of all buildings and structures and the comprehensive redevelopment of the site to provide the following new development: - Plot A, erection of two new commercial buildings (A1 and A2) to provide offices (Class E(g)) with retail/food and drink/professional services (E(a/b/c) with a shared basement, servicing, parking and other ancillary accommodation. Building A1 will be constructed as 25 storeys plus roof plant (110m AOD) providing 64,533 sqm GEA of commercial floorspace (including basement and roof top plant); - Building A2 will be constructed as 13 storeys plus roof plant (55.4m AOD) providing 37,374 sqm GEA of commercia floorspace (including basement and rooftop plant) - Plot B, erection of two new buildings to provide in Building B1, purpose-built student accommodation (sui generis) with community use (F2), in Building B2, residential (C3) with retail/food and drink (E(a/b)); with basements, servicing, parking and other ancillary accommodation; - Building B1 will constructed as 26 storeys plus roof top plant (91,2m AOD) to accommodate 742 student beds (including 60 wheelchair accessible studios) and 814 sqm of communal amenity space as well as a Community Space of 326 sqm (GIA) - Building B2 will be constructed as 7 storeys (41.6m AOD) to accommodate 75 affordable dwellings comprising 21 x 1-bed, 30 x 2-bed, 16 x 3-bed and 8 x 4-bed (including 11 wheelchair accessible dwellings) of which 68% would be social rent and 32% intermediate tenure. Building B2 will include 383 sqm (GIA) of flexible space for retail or food and drink uses (Class E a/b) - Together with provision of cycle parking, Blue Badge Parking, works of hard and soft landscaping, replacement of trees and planting of new trees; new vehicular access points from Surrey Quays Road and Canada Street, along with other incidental works. Re-consultation due to additional environmental information being submitted The application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement submitted pursuant to the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) regulations 2017. If members of the public wish to access a copy of the ES, they can view the documentation on the Council's website. Alternatively, for those wish to purchase an electronic copy, Trium will supply the ES on a USB for a charge. For a printed copy, members of the public should contact Trium directly as detailed in ES Volume 1, Chapter 1 Introduction. Reason(s) for publicity: EIA EIA EIA MAJ (Contact: Gemma Usher 020 7525 7935) CHAMBERS WHARF CHAMBERS STREET LONDON SE16 4XQ (Ref: 24/AP/3801) Material amendment under section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to reference number 07/AP/1262, as amended by 13/AP/4266, to secure amendments to the internal configuration, external design and overall massing, mix and unit numbers, and variation of the conditions of consent including to allow for: Changes to façade design and composition of all buildings to meet updated fire regulations and energy and sustainability standards as well as addressing overheating; Adjustments to building footprint, form, and massing; Internal reconfiguration of units to address the current Nationally Described Space Standards, resulting in a change in mix and a reduction in units from 589 to 566; Re-

organisation of building cores, additional staircases and inclusion of additional fire safety features including sprinklers; Change from winter gardens to a mix of winter gardens and balconies; Addition of plant, lift overruns, smoke vents and risers on the roof of buildings, contributing to overall increases in building massing and heights ranging between 3.9 and 4.9 metres; Addition of new residential amenity facilities in Building A, C and D, including swimming pool a gym uses; Amendments to condition 34 to reflect the reduction in commercial floorspace by 113m2; Inclusion of revised energy strategy, facilitated by inclusion of rooftop plant; Amendment to basement layout to accommodate Thames Tideway Tunnel infrastructure; Rise in finished floor level of building C for flood protection. Application 07/AP/1262 was accompanied by an Environmental Statement pursuant to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which can be viewed on southwark.gov.uk/planningregister under reference 07/AP/1262. This application is supported by a note prepared Trium dated December 2024 assessing the compliance against the Environmental Statement, which can be viewed on southwark.gov.uk/planningregister under reference 24/AP/3801. Copies of the application documents are available by request.

(Within: Edward III's Rotherhithe CA) Reason(s) for publicity: EIA EIA (Contact: Andy Sloane 020 7525 0525) 119 METRO CENTRAL HEIGHTS 119 NEWINGTON CAUSEWAY LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 6BB (Ref: 25/AP/0506) Display of surround signage around ATM Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Susherrie Suki 020 7525 0646) 301-303 ILDERTON ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 1NW (Ref: 24/AP/3819) Demolition of the existing buildings and construction of a 15-storey building comprising Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (Use Class Sui Generis) and commercial floorspace (Class E(g)), with landscaping, cycle parking and associated ancillary development.

Reason(s) for publicity: MAJ (Contact: Andy Sloane 020 7525 0525) 6 STRADELLA ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE24 9HA (Ref: 25/AP/0360) Construction of outbuilding and adjoining shed to rear garden. Increase in soft planting areas and permeability of existing hardstanding to front garden. Retention of double-glazed windows to front and rear elevations. (Within: Stradella Road CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ibrahim Azam 020 7525 2876) 28 - 32 DENMARK HILL LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 8RZ (Ref: 25/AP/0634) Installation of digital display screen positioned inside store by window. (Within: Camberwell Green Camberwell Green CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Susherrie Suki 020 7525 0646) 112 CROXTED ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE21 8NR (Ref: 25/AP/0620) Construction of a single storey ground floor rear extension and garden annex. (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Susherrie Suki 020 7525 0646) ATRIUM HAYS GALLERIA COUNTER STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 2HD

(Ref: 25/AP/0623) Listed building consent for the erection of structures forming a bar/restaurant and x3 associated food huts for a temporary period of 12 months. (Within: Tooley Street Tooley Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Sandy Ng 020 7525 3244) 224 - 226 TOWER BRIDGE ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 2UP (Ref: 25/AP/0320) Advertisement consent for 1 x fabricated metal signage displaying the building name with face, internally illuminated lettering mounted to a metal supporting frame. (Within: Tower Bridge CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Lara Davison 020 7525 7595) 150 IVYDALE ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 3BT (Ref: 25/AP/0540) Construction of a ground floor rear side extension including the installation of glazed roof with a protruding roof light, 1 no. new window and 1 no. bifolding door to rear to replace existing. (Within: Nunhead Cemetry CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Susherrie Suki 020 7525 0646) 45 ELLIOTTS ROW LONDON SOUTHWARK SE11 4SZ (Ref: 25/AP/0422) Single-storey side/rear extension, construction of a 2nd floor roof terrace over the outrigger, construction of a rear dormer on the main roof, installation of 2x rooflights on the front roof slope. (Within: Elliot's Row CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: James Holmes 020 7525 0803)

car park to provide back up power to emergency lifts. (Within: Camberwell Grove Conservation Area CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ibrahim Azam 020 7525 2876) FLAT 4 99 KENNINGTON PARK ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE11 4JJ (Ref: 25/AP/0339) Retrospective consent for the removal of the second floor timber window, associated increase to the height of the opening and the installation of 2m high aluminium frame doors and a glass juliette balcony. (Within: Kennington Park Road CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Rosie Poser 020 7525 7924) 29 CAMBERWELL GROVE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 8JA (Ref: 25/AP/0636) Alterations to internal walls, and installation of new timber single-glazed windows and timber doors. (Within: Camberwell Grove Conservation Area Camberwell Grove Conservation Area CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Rosie Poser 020 7525 7924) Dated: 18 Mar 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

UNIT 23 AND 24 OLD JAMAICA BUSINESS ESTATE 24 OLD JAMAICA ROAD LONDON SE16 4AW (Ref: 25/AP/0400) Demolition of existing industrial units (use class E(g)(iii) and B8) and the construction of a storage and distribution facility (use class B8) and workspace (flexible use class E(g)(i)/(ii)/(iii))) together with vehicular and pedestrian accesses, parking, associated works and landscaping. Reason(s) for publicity: MAJ (Contact: Emily Williams 020 7525 1249) 62 WANSEY STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE17 1JP (Ref: 25/AP/0624) Like-for-like renewal of all windows and external doors (including outhouse). (Within: Larcom Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: James Holmes 020 7525 0803) 11 MINNOW WALK LONDON SOUTHWARK SE17 2JR (Ref: 25/AP/0733) Replacement of existing uPVC double-glazed casement windows with proposed timber doubleglazed sash windows and replacement of existing timber door with proposed timber door.

(Within: Thomas A'Beckett And High Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ibrahim Azam 020 7525 2876) FLAT 15 GODFREE COURT 35 LONG LANE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 4PS (Ref: 25/AP/0548) Construction of a single-storey extension to the existing fourth floor flat on the existing roof terrace. (Within: Borough High Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: James Holmes 020 7525 0803) 101 DENMARK HILL LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 (Ref: 24/AP/2511) Construction of a new generator in an existing

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

PUBLIC NOTICES 27

Thursday, March 20th 2025

Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 NOTICE UNDER ARTICLE 13 OF APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMISSION

Notice of Application for a Premises Licence made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003

Proposed development at: University of Arts:London College of Communication, Elephant & Castle, SE1 6TE

Please take notice that I / we AS Leisure Group Holdings Ltd Have made application to Southwark Council for a new Premises Licence in respect of Simpson’s Tasting Room, 25 Westmoreland Road, London SE17 2AX

Take notice that an application is being made by: Elephant Three Development UK Limited

The relevant licensable activities and proposed times to be carried on, or on from the premises are Days

Start time

Finish time

The retail sale of alcohol:

Sunday to Wednesday Thursday Friday & Saturday

09:00 09:00 09:00

23:00 23:15 23:30

The provision of regulated entertainment:

Sunday Monday to Thursday Friday & Saturday

09:00 08:00 08:00

23:00 23:30 23:45

Opening hours:

Sunday Monday to Saturday

09:00 08:00

23:30 23:45

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

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

Date of application: 10th March 2025 LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (LAVINGTON STREET, NEWINGTON CAUSEWAY/BOROUGH ROAD, MELBOURNE GROVE)

To the London Borough of Southwark for planning permission for: “Partial demolition, refurbishment and re-use of existing UAL:LCC Workshop Building for flexible cultural venue (Class E/Sui Generis), demolition of all other existing buildings and structures and redevelopment of the site comprising residential (Class C3), purpose-built student accommodation (Sui Generis) and flexible commercial/retail (Class E) with associated amenity space, landscaping, car and cycle parking and all other associated and ancillary works Any owner* of the land or tenant** who wishes to make representations about this application should write to Southwark Council by 10th April 2025 at the address below: Planning and Growth Department 5th Floor Hub 2 Southwark Council London PO Box 64529 London SE1P 5LX *‘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.

Signed: On behalf of: Date:

DP9 Limited Elephant Three Development UK Limited 20th March 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.

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

(TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC)

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (UPLAND ROAD, MOUNT ADON PARK)

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:

1.

(2a) Lavington Street, between Southwark Street and No’s 25 (2b) Newington Causeway, ban the right turn from Newington Causeway into Borough Road (2c) Melbourne Grove, at it’s junction with Grove Vale for 30m south (cyclists)

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to enable Thames Water 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:

(TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC)

3.

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be (2a) as indicated by the signs displayed (2b) Newington Causeway, St Georges Road, Westminster Bridge Road, Borough Road (2c) (cyclists) Derwent Grove, East Dulwich Grove

4.

The existing ‘one-way’ working in Ewer Street, located between Lavington Street and Union Street, will be made ‘two-way’ for access and egress purposes for item (2a)

3.

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be (2a) & (2b) as indicated by the signs displayed

4.

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

4.

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

5.

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

5.

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

6.

The closure will be in operation on the following dates: (2a) 4th – 6th April and back up dates 11th – 13th April (2b) 7th – 9th April (2c) 10th April – 20th May

6.

The closure will be in operation on the following dates: (2a) 7th – 22nd April (2b) 22nd April – 12th May

7.

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

7.

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

(2a) Upland Road, southside lane of carriageway at it’s junction with Lordship Lane (2b) Mount Adon Park, at it’s junction with Lordship Lane

Dated this 20th March 2025

Dated this 20th March 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) LBSCR13887/NTS (2b) SLD0081380551-030/Thamesmeter-r (2c) 03267560/Conway

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SPORT 29

SAM CURRAN has been named Surrey men’s T20 captain for the 2025 Vitality Blast.

The all-rounder has represented Surrey since under-15s and first captained a Surrey side at under-17s.

An experienced T20 cricketer, Curran was named the player of the tournament as England won the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022.

The left-arm bowler captained Surrey for three fixtures in 2023 in the Vitality Blast standing in for Chris Jordan as well as leading the Punjab Kings eleven times in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2023 and 2024, and skippering the

Desert Vipers to the final in this year’s ILT20.

Curran has scored over 4,000 T20 runs and made his first T20 century in last year’s Vitality Blast against Hampshire at the Kia Oval. With the ball, he has over 250 T20 wickets with a knack for taking crucial wickets for the team.

Named as a Wisden Cricket of the Year in 2019, Curran has represented England more than 120 times across all formats since making his debut in 2018.

After England’s World Cup win the previous winter, the Surrey Academy graduate was awarded an MBE in 2023 acknowledging his services to cricket.

Curran said: “I am deeply honoured and proud to have been appointed

Hamlet pay the penalty

By John Kelly DULWICH HAMLET suffered a late, late setback in their relegation battle as they lost to an added-time penalty against Cheshunt at Champion Hill last weekend.

Vas Vasiliou beat goalkeeper Dillon Barnes in the 93rd minute to hand Dulwich their second successive home defeat.

Bradley Quinton’s Hamlet still have some breathing space above the relegation zone, with nine points separating them from the bottom four.

Dulwich travel to promotionchasing Dover this Saturday for a 3pm kick-off.

All-rounder takes over captaincy from Chris Jordan

By Sports Reporter

Photo byBen Hoskins/Getty Images

SAM THE SKIPPER FOR SURREY

Surrey’s Sam Curran

Midnight Train left waiting Surrey’s T20 captain. It is a privilege to lead such a great group of players and to continue representing this iconic club.

“I look forward to leading our team and will do everything I can to live up to the standards and expectations that Surrey prides itself on.

“I am very determined to deliver trophies and try to replicate what has been achieved in the County Championship the last few years to make the members and fans proud.”

Surrey’s High Performance Cricket Advisor Alec Stewart added: “I’d like to thank Chris Jordan for his three years as captain of the T20 side. He led the team to consecutive appearances at Finals Day and will remain a key part of

the side on and off the field. CJ is one of the most senior players in the team and is greatly respected by everyone at the club.

“This is the right time for Sam to take over as the captain with where he’s at in his career. It’s a great opportunity for him to put his mark on the team and help to take us that one step further to deliver silverware. Sam has shown his leadership qualities already both at Surrey and in the IPL and he will bring a huge amount to the role.”

Surrey’s first Vitality Blast fixture at the Kia Oval this year is on Thursday, June 5 when the Three Feathers take on Hampshire in a double-header matchday.

By John Kelly THE LONG-ANTICIPATED showdown Richard Riakporhe has been waiting for has been frustratingly shelved after Lawrence Okolie withdrew because of injury.

The pair were set to go at it in a heavyweight contest in Manchester on April 5.

The bill has been much weakened after Dillian Whyte also pulled out of his scheduled contest against Joe Joyce with a finger injury.

Filip Hrgovic has stepped in to fight Joyce.

A replacement to fight ‘Midnight Train’ Riakporhe has yet to be confirmed.

Super Sunday double delight for Lionesses

By Myles Thornton at St Paul’s

IT WAS a monumental day for Millwall Lionesses last Sunday, with the first team beating Haywards Heath Town 10-0 in the afternoon before the under-18s won the 2025 London Cup later that evening.

At St Paul’s Sports Ground in the L&SERWFL Premier division, Maisie Joyce got the first goal of her hat-trick after four minutes from Elise Jennings’

perfect pass.

Jennings added the second in the twelfth minute after combining with Liv McGregor and just three minutes later Haywards Heath’s fate was virtually sealed as Ciara Watling made it three.

Four minutes before half-time, Olivia Harris played the ball into the box before McGregor wriggled out of a tight space to find Joyce who finished well.

Millwall were forced into a change on 44 minutes as Shannan Drewe replaced

Jennings. It was an almost instant impact as Drewe smashed home two minutes into added-time.

It didn’t take long into the second half for Millwall to continue their dominance as Joyce completed her hattrick in the 48th minute from Harris’ cross.

McGregor took the ball around the goalkeeper to make it 7-0 in the 62nd minute.

Harris was the provider again as her

sublime cross was headed home by Sophie Chapman.

Substitute Lucy Jellett got in on the goal-scoring action with a composed finish to make it 9-0.

In added-time, Harris bumped it up to double-figures with her first goal for the Lionesses. It was a superb display from Harris who got a goal and two assists, and also played a part in Joyce’s second.

Later in the evening, Millwall’s under-

18s beat Haringey Girls Academy 3-1.

Kanita Throp’s 25-yard strike gave the Lionesses the lead on 25 minutes, before Deja fired in the second and Quiana Dillon Bent followed that up with a third. A late goal from Haringey was only a consolation.

Ted Jones’s Millwall Lionesses are back at home this Sunday when they face Newhaven in the L&SERWFL Premier Division at 1.30pm in Rotherhithe.

with unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Don Charles backed the decision to pul his fighter out.

“Upon the recommendation of the doctors we opted not to put our fighter in that situation, save him from that situation. Live to fight another day,” Charles said.

“We did the right thing. Every day I wake up, I know we did the right thing.

You have to sometimes save fighters from themselves. Daniel wanted to fight. They are gladiators. They want to fight.

“I don’t think it’s wise thing in a

championship fight to go and take that chance of if you don’t blow Parker out in the first half of the fight, who’s to say because you’re ill, illness doesn’t kick in.”

Charles added: “He shouldn’t have fought and we didn’t and I’m glad. It does anger me when I hear some of the comments of people. I always repeat: we’re not in the macho business, we’re in the smart business.

“We had to do the smart thing. I also remind the audience this was Daniel Dubois’ highest pay to date in his professional career. His career-highest

purse.

“Three-and-a-half months of sheer hard work and the money that it costs to do a camp of that magnitude.

“We then went all the way to Riyadh, 48 hours before he’s due to fight he showed signs of illness.

“It cost him money. To do a three-andhalf-month camp at this level, it costs a lot of money. So he’s lost all that. The whole team, we’re gutted.

“When I’m hearing people say, ‘oh, he ducked it’, ‘he ducked the fight’, it’s not logical. It is what it is. We’re where we are

and we look forward.

“Why would you then go to all the trouble of an expensive camp, travel to Riyadh and then opt not to fight? For what?

“Let me tell you something about the human race - they want blood. We’re still bloodthirsty. It’s back in the medieval days, they’re still thirsting for blood.

Somebody’s blood. That’s what that’s all about.”

“It’s a reoccurring illness,” Charles added. “We need to get to the bottom of it and see what’s causing it.”

Trainer comes out fighting to defend Daniel Dubois

By John Kelly DANIEL DUBOIS’ trainer has given more detail on the illness that cost the IBF heavyweight champion “his career-highest purse”.

Dubois was scheduled to fight Joseph Parker in Riyadh on February 22 but pulled out just two days before the bout.

The Greenwich fighter has received criticism, with Parker’s trainer Andy Lee suggesting there was more to it and that Dubois may have felt the New Zealander was too big a risk. Dubois wants a fight

30 SPORT SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP Millwall - 1 Ivanovic 94’’ Stoke - 0 Date: Saturday 15 March 2025 Man of the Match: Casper De Norre Referee: Andy Davies Attendance: 16,799 (1,304)

THE GAMBLE PAYS OFF

By Will Scott at The Den MIHAILO IVANOVIC scored an injurytime penalty as Millwall beat Stoke City 1-0 at The Den last Saturday.

In a game that was mostly marked by a lack of quality on both sides, the Lions found a way to break through in the 92nd minute - Josh Coburn was wrestled to the ground from a long throw and Ivanovic stepped up and confidently dispatched the spot-kick.

Alex Neil’s bold changes were rewarded - the Scotsman opted to start Ivanovic and Coburn together for the first time this season, and after only combining for one shot for 91 minutes, they proved to be the difference makers in the final stages of the game.

It did not look like Millwall would come away with the three points for most of the game - they struggled to generate clear-cut chances and were lucky to not go behind in the second half after Wouter Berger got free in the box and had his effort saved by a sprawling Lukas Jensen.

It is a result that improves the Lions’ surprisingly poor league home record under Neil - before Saturday’s game they had only won once in the league at The Den under the Scotsman, drew two and lost the other three.

More importantly, it kept Millwall within touching distance of the play-offs - they are six points off sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion with eight games left in the season.

Despite having a poor away record, Stoke had the better of the opening 25 minutes the Potters had more of the ball and had a couple of half-chances.

In the seventh minute Lewis Koumas had a shot blocked following a free kick, while in the 24th minute Ali Al-Hamadi headed just wide from a Bae Jun-ho chipped cross into the box.

The Lions had the best chance of the match so far just a minute later. Casper De Norre won the ball high up the pitch, flicked it onto Aidomo Emakhu who was through on goal. The Irishman dallied on the ball a moment too long and had his shot blocked.

Emakhu was Millwall’s most dangerous player in the first half, and put in a teasing cross in the 34th minute that Jake Cooper headed wide from near the penalty spot.

Alex Neil’s bold decision to go two up front against the Potters pays dividends after Mihailo Ivanovic fires in an injury-time penalty won by Josh Coburn Mihailo Ivanovic fires Millwall into the lead, scoring his seventh goal of the season Seven minutes later, Joe Bryan had the first half’s sole shot on target, with the leftback having a crack following a good spell of possession for the Lions but his effort was straight at Viktor Johansson in the Stoke net and was gathered easily.

It was a disappointing first half for the Lions, who despite the attacking firepower at their disposal struggled to sustain any pressure in Stoke’s half or threaten Johansson’s net.

Emakhu was the sole bright spot on the team, and continued to make things happen. The ball fell to him on the edge of the box following a corner, the Irishman took a touch and then somehow managed to squeeze a ball through two defenders that flew across the six-yard box.

Coburn stretched out to tap it in but the ball barely passed him by before ending up with Ivanovic at the back post, who had his effort blocked for a corner, and Cooper headed wide from the resulting set-piece.

Millwall faded after their strong start, and Stoke started to exert more control over the game. In the 61st minute Bae Jun-ho broke down the left after Tristan Crama was dragged out of position and crashed a shot against the crossbar.

A minute later, Stoke really should have taken the lead with their first shot on target. Billy Mitchell attempted to clear the ball but his clearance cannoned off Junior Tchamadeu and fell to an unmarked Burger in the box. Jensen sprinted out of his goal and got big - saving Burger’s low effort with

his right boot to keep the Lions in the game.

Millwall withstood the assault and had a few attempts of their own from set-pieces.

In the 72nd minute Bryan whipped in a corner that Tanganga got on the end of, and Jordan Thompson had to head the ball clear from just in front of his own line.

Neil made a couple of changes as the clock approached 90 minutes, bringing on Aaron Connolly and Wes Harding, and Connolly won a couple of free kicks on the left flank.

Millwall kept pushing for the breakthrough and eventually got there when Coburn was wrestled to the ground from a long throw and referee Andy Davies whistled for a penalty.

Ivanovic stepped up and confidently dispatched the spot kick - his fourth

balls,” Neil said. “They’ll compete, they’ll fight, they’ll scrap, and they’ll put themselves out there.

“I think it’s important that internally for us, although sometimes there’s maybe external criticism about how we’re doing or we don’t win a game or whatever, internally we are very balanced with them. We’re very balanced in the fact that we want you to put yourself out there. Do not be scared of failure because you won’t get criticised within the changing room at any point.

“This group’s got a natural desire, they’ve got a natural resilience. They’ve got a natural grittiness to them and all I try and do is just try and accentuate that as much as I possibly can and make them aware of my expectations but more importantly their expectations that they should have as a group for themselves.

I think because we’ve got a lot of younger players now starting to come through, I think

you can certainly influence that.”

When asked if their ability to score late winners was partially down to improved fitness, Neil said: “I don’t think it’s just a fitness thing but I think it’s a mentality thing. I think you can be as fit as you like but if you don’t believe you’re going to score, it doesn’t matter.

“We can press the ball really well. The first half I didn’t think we really went after it and pressed it with any sort of real desire to get it back. Whereas, in the second half I thought it was the complete opposite.

“I would say it’s more a mentality thing than anything else in terms of we’re not accepting and we’re not satisfied with a point, we want to win the game. Hence the reason why Aaron [Connolly] came on, the reason why Luke [Cundle] came on. The subs were attacking subs.”

Millwall have missed their past two

penalties, taken by Coburn and Aaron Connolly, and Neil revealed Ivanovic, 20, stepped up to take the spot kick with the side lacking a designated taker.

“I’m quite relaxed with that, because I think when you force a penalty upon someone, I don’t think it’s a good situation,” Neil said. “A lot of the time when guys get penalties they normally want to take it.

“The two strikers have had a chat, Mihailo volunteered himself to go and take it. I’m more than happy with that. And if he misses it, people miss penalties. It’s one of those ones where I always want people to have a go.

“Don’t be scared of missing, don’t be scared of failing, don’t be scared of not doing it properly. You’re only going to get better if you keep persisting and keep trying. So the effort for me and the willingness to put yourself out there is really important.”

winning goal of the season.

Millwall: 4-4-2 – Jensen; Bryan, Tanganga, Cooper, Crama (Harding 74); Emakhu (Connolly 74), Mitchell, De Norre, BanguraWilliams (Cundle 90); Coburn, Ivanovic Unused Substitutes: G.Evans, Mitchell, Wintle, Coburn, Emakhu, BanguraWilliams, Sturge Stoke City: 4-2-3-1 - Johansson; Bocat, Wilmot, Phillips, Tchamadeu; Burger, Thompson; Jun-Ho (Manhoef 79), Baker (Moran 79), Koumas; Al-Hamadi (Gallagher 63) Unused Substitutes: Bonham, Pearson, Rose, Seko, Lawal, Lowe

Neil: ‘our players have got some balls’ after late winner

By Will Scott

ALEX NEIL praised his side’s mentality after they scored an injury-time winner against Stoke City last Saturday - saying his players “have got some balls”.

Millwall struggled to fashion clear-cut chances for most of the game, but were able to find a late goal via a Mihailo Ivanovic penalty - won by fellow striker Josh Coburn.

The Lions have made a habit of snatching all three points late on recently, with Coburn scoring an injury-time tap-in to go up 1-0 against Derby and an 81st-minute header to complete the comeback from one goal down against Watford last week.

Neil attributed their ability to score late goals to their mentality.

“I don’t want it to sound crude when I’m saying this, but our players have got some

Alex Neil after Millwall’s 1-0 win against Stoke City

EXCLUSIVE

By Will Scott

KYLE SMITH used to watch Cristiano Ronaldo launch free kicks into the top corner of the net on TV, and now the Millwall under-21s full-back is emulating the Portuguese superstar for his childhood club.

Smith’s latest strike against Watford on March 11 was a thing of beauty. Coming in his first start after a three month injury lay-off, the full-back curled it over the wall and well past the outstretched arms of the despairing Watford under21s goalkeeper.

The 20-year-old is a precocious talent who has remained a constant at the club while other academy players moved on or did not make the cut, and is now knocking on the door of the first team after making four match-day squads.

Smith sat down with our paper to tell us more about his journey.

The Abbey Wood local was identified by scouts just before his ninth birthday, and had a host of London clubs queuing up to secure his services, including Arsenal, Tottenham and Brentford. “[I was first spotted] at my Sunday league team called Teviot,” Smith said. “I think I was just at a tournament.

“Then after my mum said I’d been scouted by a couple teams and Millwall was one of them. But at the time I had no clue what scouted even meant. So I was none the wiser.

“Then I went into training the week after. It was initially meant to be a six week trial and I think I got signed in the third week, after a game.”

“I went to Millwall and it was really enjoyable. The people were really nice.

It wasn’t too far from my house, so it was all perfect. It’s all worked out pretty well.”

Fortunately, Chelsea were not one of the clubs interested, with Smith admitting he grew up a Blues fan and he considers Reece James to be his idol.

Instead, Smith progressed through the age groups at Millwall’s academy - juggling school, football and being a normal teenager, and he had to give up a lot to achieve his dream.

“It was hard,” Smith. “You have to make a lot of sacrifices. A lot of the time when I was in school, my mates could go out and have fun.

“Even playing football at the park, my mum always used to tell me to be careful in case I got hurt, because people might try harder because I play football - I don’t want to be getting injured and putting myself in a position where I’m out. I couldn’t really go out as much.”

His hard work paid off. After the conclusion of the under-sixteens season, he faced a nerve-wracking wait to see if he would get a scholarship and he eventually got a letter through the post confirming he had been selected.

“We knew it was coming,” Smith said. “I was at school the whole day and I couldn’t concentrate, I had a bit of a bellyache as well throughout the day, I was just nervous.”

Moving from the under-16s to the under-18s was a serious step up, but Smith adjusted well.

“It was a lot different to what I was used to compared to under-sixteens,” Smith said. “I feel like with the coaches, with Larry and Chris and the team we had, it was such a close-knit group.

“The transition was not easy as such but it was a lot more smooth sailing than I expected and I was playing, so it was all good. I have no complaints. I think a lot of my happiest memories at Millwall are probably from scholarship.”

‘I HAVE A LOT TO GIVE’

SPORT 31

Academy full-back Kyle Smith on his journey so far learning in National League, Joe Bryan as a mentor and perfecting free kicks

Kyle Smith in training Smith continued to flourish, and was offered a professional deal in the summer of 2022 after he aged out of the under18s - which he described as a “really proud moment” for him and his family.

After one season with the under-21s, he was sent out on loan to Wealdstone on September 15, 2023, winning man of the match on his debut and extending his initial 28-day loan until January 1, 2024.

He then rejoined the National League side on March 12, 2024 for a further month and a half.

In total, Smith made thirteen appearances for the Stones, scoring twice and assisting one goal - and more importantly gained invaluable experience.

“I started the season with the under21s, I played the first five or six games,” Smith said “I think I went in like the middle of September, it was more just unexpected.

“I had a phone call and they said they were interested and they wanted to take me on the Thursday and I got a phone call on Wednesday and I was a bit like - again I was none the wiser.

“I didn’t know anything about National League so I sort of went into it blind.

There was no pressure and I really enjoyed it.

“The whole men’s football experience, as a player it’s made me a lot better. In terms of competitiveness, that you’re playing for something, the physicality

and all that. It was probably the best thing that happened for my career. I really enjoyed it there.

“When I first went, I was doing well but I was a bit more reserved. Then as the games kept going and going I felt like I grew into it more. More of my own footballing personality came out.”

Two years after signing his first professional deal, Smith was offered a new contract by Millwall in the summer of 2024, and was brought on pre-season tour to Spain by then Lions boss Neil Harris, where he trained daily with the first team, who he said made him feel comfortable and that the experience made him a better footballer.

When asked what players in particular helped with his development, Smith said: “A lot of them actually. Danny McNamara, Ryan Leonard and Joe [Bryan]. I play the same position as them. They’re really good to talk to.

“Even seeing them in training, how they train, it’s good to see them, especially Joe. When Joe came in, that was my first preseason tour with the first team.

“I was talking to Joe a lot and obviously he’s had a very good career with promotions, and he’s one that guides me.

He is very helpful and nurturing.”

The plan was for Smith to go out on loan again ahead of the 2024-25 season, but nothing ended up coalescing.

Instead, he continued to train with the first team and was included in Millwall’s

match-day squads for their first two matches of the season, before being named in two more in December.

Smith has learned a lot each time.

“It was a really good experience, because it was the first time I’ve been involved in the match-day squads,” Smith said. “It’s good to be around them and get a taste of what it’s like at a Championship level.

“Before games, seeing how they prep.

Even watching the games from the bench is different to watching on TV or in the stands. You’re always learning, you’re taking in new bits of information, whether it’s through what you’re seeing or what you’re hearing within the changing room from everyone.

Smith sustained an injury in December that ruled him out for three months, and he made his return against Watford where he scored that free kick.

“When I was younger I always used to like free kicks, watching them go in on TV, like Ronaldo,” Smith said. “But within the last year I’ve actually focused on practicing them and thinking I’m in a position that I can take them now. So I do try and practice but lately I haven’t.

“The funny thing is, we had the game on the Tuesday. The Monday I took a couple of practice free kicks and they were awful.

They were so bad.

“Then I went into the game and then the free kick came up and I was thinking, alright yeah I’m going to score this and

I’ve scored. Then after that a couple of the boys were laughing saying, your practices yesterday were rubbish and now you scored. It’s more muscle memory I think.”

Smith has come a long way since his first few games for the under-21s, and he credited his coaches Kevin Nugent and Paul Robinson for his improvement.

“It’s really good to have Robbo with us,” Smith said. “He’s a defender, he knows the club very well.

“When I first came up I was a bit more timid heading the ball. But I did a lot of work with Robbo over the last couple of years. That part of my game’s come on leaps and bounds.

“Nugent, on the opposite side, [has helped me with] composure on the ball.

Especially the last year or two, we’ve really been focusing on keeping the ball and playing out from the back. So that’s in my game now.

“I’m more of a well-rounded defender than what I used to be. I have a lot of different attributes to my game now, attacking and defensively.”

The hard work Smith has put in over the past twelve or so years has paid off so far, and he hopes a first-team debut is the next step in his promising career.

“I’ve come back from injury, so at the moment I want to stay fit and see where it takes me,” Smith said. “I have a lot to give and a lot to offer. So hopefully I can break into the first team at some point and show what I have to offer.”

‘ANYTHING CAN STILL HAPPEN’ Coops not ruling out a play- off push as Millwall head into business end of the season within touching distance of the top six

By Will Scott

© Millwall FC

JAKE COOPER is not ruling out a play-off push as Millwall head into the final eight games of the season, but admits it will be tough given the Lions’ fixture list.

Millwall are just six points off sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion following their 1-0 win against Stoke City on Saturday, March 15, but have a number of tricky away trips awaiting them.

Their first fixture after the international break is against fourthplaced Sunderland at The Stadium of Light on March 29, and they then have to travel to play second-placed Sheffield United and ninth-placed Blackburn Rovers before ending the season at third-placed Burnley on May 3.

Cooper is keen to take it one game at a time.

“We know that in this league, if you get a little run together anything can happen,” Cooper said following Saturday’s win. “We also know we’ve got to go to Sunderland away when we come back and it’s going to be a tough game and we’ve got to do everything we can to pick up points.

“I think we’ve just got to not focus too much on the league and just try and build the confidence and build the way the manager wants us to play.

I’m certain that the results will follow that.”

Millwall will head into their tilt with the Black Cats having had some much-needed rest, and more importantly having had some time with Alex Neil on the training pitch.

Since being appointed Lions boss on December 30, Neil has had to contend with a hectic schedule that has given the Scotsman little time to work with his side in training - and the two weeks leading into their trip to the north-east will give him time to get his ideas across.

“It’s been a lot for us, with the cup run that we had, we’ve barely had any time really to work with Alex and for him to get his ideas across,” Cooper said. “It’s been short-fire messages with two, three days leading into a game.

“It’ll be nice now just to rest the body up, train a bit with the gaffer and, and get some new ideas from him and just get ready for that last five, six weeks of the season when we come back.”

SAM THE SKIPPER FOR SURREY

INSIDE

Sport Southwark

PAGE 29 Jake Cooper has made 32 appearances in all competitions this season

Femi Azeez out for at least four weeks

By Will Scott FEMI AZEEZ is set to be out for at least four weeks after the winger went down with a hamstring problem against Leeds United on March 12.

Azeez, 23, was withdrawn in the 79th minute of the Lions’ 2-0 loss to Leeds with the same hamstring problem that led him to be substituted off at half-time during Millwall’s 2-0 loss to Bristol City on March 4.

George Honeyman also came off injured against Leeds, suffering a groin problem, although Neil does not think he will be out as long.

“George will be quicker than Femi,” Neil said after Millwall’s 1-0 win against Stoke City on March 15. “Femi, it depends on how bad it is at the moment. I think it’ll be at least four weeks. George will probably be two to three.”

The duo will have more time to recover with the international break giving the Lions a weekend off, before they have to travel to Sunderland on March 29.

Neil intends to use the break to build up the fitness of Ryan Leonard and Macaulay Langstaff, who have been absent since January 21 and February 1 respectively.

“This is a big week for [Lenny],” Neil said. “We’ve got a couple of training days that I need the first team players in for so Lenny can get what he needs and then he’s got a game Friday to get some minutes in his legs.

“We’ll also try and get some of the other lads like Macaulay Langstaff… back and available.”

Femi Azeez has made 33 appearances this season THE RECYCLED PAPER CONTENT OF UK NEWSPAPERS IN 2014 WAS 83.5%