Southwark News - March 6th 2025

MILLWALL NEWS

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Issue 1727

Est: 1987

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March 6 2025

southwarknews.co.uk

Hundreds take to the streets over lack of affordable local homes

‘BASICS COST US THE GAME’

WHY ARE TOURISTS FLOCKING TO THE BLUE?

See page 5

See Page 3

THE MAN WHO TRIED TO KILL QUEEN ‘AS LITTLE AS TEN PER CENT VICTORIA

See page 4

EXCLUSIVE

AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN CANADA WATER’

See Page 4

See Page 22

2 NEWS Contents NEWS Pages 2-16 OPINION Pages 18-19 ARTS Pages 20-21 HISTORY Page 22 CLASSIFIED Page 24 PUBLIC NOTICES Pages 25-26 SPORT Pages 29-32

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SOUTHWARK COUNCIL AND L&Q SLAMMED FOR ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR FAILINGS

By Issy Clarke

A DISABLED mother terrorised in her own home by a gang of youths is among the shocking cases highlighted in a new report condemning Southwark Council and L&Q over their failure to tackle antisocial behaviour.

The Ombudsman’s report into failings from landlords across the country highlighted the case of this mother-ofthree, finding the council guilty of ‘severe maladministration’.

In its policy on anti social behaviour, Southwark Council says it is committed to intervening early before cases escalate, taking effective action, working with other agencies such as the police and adopting a ‘victim-centred’ approach.

Yet the watchdog criticised the council for not making an effort to identify the perpetrators - whom she claimed had spray painted a swastika on her front door and threatened to shoot her - such as finding out if there was any CCTV footage or communicating with other residents.

It also gave up trying to rehouse with the woman after she rejected an offer of a new property on the basis that she did not want to be moved more than 10 minutes away from her existing flat, despite the police assessing her situation as “high risk”.

The report said there was “no evidence” that the council looked at alternatives such as a mutual housing exchange or looked to increase her housing priority banding.

In another instance, the council had initially helped a resident following a report their 15-year-old child, who had previously tried to take their own life, was being bullied due to being transgender.

However, the council then failed to follow through with the mediation process and to ensure the issue had been resolved. It also did not send any of the correspondence given by the child’s school and GP to the social welfare panel and lost key evidence, which meant the family’s application to move to a higher housing band was turned down.

In total there were six examples of maladministration in Southwark highlighted in the report, which examined

Issue 1726

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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the worst instances of landlords not following proper procedure in their response to anti-social behaviour complaints.

L&Q was also criticised. It was found in the report to have failed to communicate with a woman for three months, leaving her feeling unsafe in her own home after she raised allegations of persistent stalking and harassment by her downstairs neighbour.

This meant that no measures were taken, even though the neighbour had been arrested several times and was in breach of his bail conditions, and that other residents had also provided video evidence and reported feeling unsafe.

The woman said the neighbour had sent her threatening letters and texts, attempted to steal a key to break into the flat of an elderly resident, and stared at her while stood in his doorway every time she left and entered the building.

L&Q’s policy says it aims to address anti social behaviour cases within three working days and will take “prompt

February 27 2025

southwarknews.co.uk

TV DRAMA ON ELEPHANT AND CASTLE CRIMINAL MASTERMIND But who was the real Mary Carr?

WATCHDOG TO TURN UP THE HEAT 17,000 residents to get protection

See page 22

See page 4

EXCLUSIVE See page 15

over ‘extortionate’ heating bills See page 4

What is Thor doing on Walworth council EXCLUSIVE estate? See page 3 MILLWALL EXCLUSIVE

EAGLE EYED FOR FA CUP CLASH

COUNCIL CRITICISED OVER £60,000 SCHOOL DINNER REPORT

See page 2

appropriate and decisive action to deal with ASB before it escalates”.

However in another case handled by L&Q, the landlord failed to raise an antisocial behaviour case until 10 weeks after the resident’s original complaint, and then did not make a record of several further incidents or attempt to improve the situation.

The resident claimed his neighbour was screaming at him through the ceiling in the middle of the night and told the landlord he felt scared to leave his own home, and that this was impacting another tenant in the building.

The landlord replied that there was not enough evidence to progress his case.

However the watchdog said the failure to log the man’s original complaint meant subsequent incidents were not recorded and supporting evidence was lost, and said the landlord also neglected to take basic steps such as contacting the other affected resident.

The man also said there was a ‘spy’ in the landlord’s office who was passing on his

personal detail to the neighbour, which the landlord did not investigate.

The report concluded its findings demonstrated an ‘urgent need’ for social landlords to improve their handling of anti-social behaviour complaints.

It continued that in most cases, inadequate responses resulted from landlords not creating risk assessments or producing an action plan and then not communicating with residents, leading to some ‘extremely serious’ failures to safeguard residents.

The report also highlighted a failure by landlords to work with third parties, claiming that while agencies could sometimes be unresponsive to requests, landlords were often equally slow to react to information from the police and local authorities.

In addition, the report also criticised the absence of a “victim-centred” approach in responses to anti-social behaviour complaints, accusing landlords of “insensitive and unempathetic” communication.

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

WHY IS THIS BERMONDSEY GAMES CAFE SO POPULAR?

By Isabel Ramirez NO MATTER the day, if you’re a regular at The Blue in Bermondsey, you’ll have seen this games cafe that’s always buzzing.

Once a Santander bank, The Brotherhood Games now attracts thousands of tourists from across the globe – as well as plenty of locals – to play, trade and bond over tabletop card games (TCG).

If the ‘Godfather’ logo and the name didn’t already give it away, the business is a family affair.

It’s run by brothers and Bermondsey boys, Michael and Elias Loizou.

Both came from humble beginnings.

Elias, the eldest, went into teaching, while younger brother Michael spent hours in his bedroom gaming – a hobby that eventually led to them opening two shops in and around The Blue.

On a Wednesday evening at the Southwark Park Road shop, Michael told the News: “Every day I come to work, it surprises me why we are as popular as we are.”

“A lot of people say that we create a great atmosphere – that it’s homely, it’s a sense of belonging.”

“I think what we do right is the basics.”

The pandemic saw a surge in people returning to the games they played as children.

Jamal, who started out as a player and now works there, said nostalgia is the main driver behind the resurgence.

“A lot of the people who played these games when they were younger have ‘adult money’ now – so nostalgia plays a big factor in collecting.”

And adult money is definitely needed, with some cards selling for hundreds, even thousands of pounds.

A professional musician when he’s not at the shop, Jamal explained that this hobby funded all of his music equipment.

That said, for those who genuinely love it, money isn’t the main motivation.

“Enjoyment is number one. I don’t think it should be about money,” Michael commented.

Jamie Packham, a 26-year-old software engineer from Elephant and Castle, says he comes up to six times a week.

Chatting with regulars, it’s clear that the food is a huge draw – with the owners regularly switching up the menu to include customer favourites.

Keeping with the family theme, their mum often stops by with Greek-Cypriot pastries and homemade desserts.

“I used to play rugby, but I shattered my shoulder so I can never play again. But I like that competitive aspect, so this is my substitute for that.”

“And the food is banging.”

Back at the cafe, people come to chill, trade cards or play in tournaments for a small fee – the cheapest being Backgammon at £5.

They aim to strike a balance between the competitive side of gaming and a welcoming, comfortable atmosphere.

“We also take people to large-scale tournaments.” Just last week, a group attended the 2025 Pokémon Europe International Championships at the Excel Centre.

At these big events, prize pots can be huge. At the last one, winners walked away with up to $25,000 (£19,800).

For the tournaments they run at the cafe, such as Yu-Gi-Oh, prizes are usually a pack of cards. “We want to make it worth people’s while,” Michael said.

“In terms of card shops, this is probably the best space in London,” Jamie added.

“And I’ve been to pretty much all of them.”

“The others tend to be dark, dank and in the basement. Some don’t even have toilets.”

Michael said: “I don’t have a bunch of customers – I like to think I’ve got a bunch of friends who pay my bills every week.”

As for the future of Brotherhood Games, Michael reflected: “To get this place, we had to put very close to six figures into renovating it to what you see today.

“I really want to give back to the community in terms of food and show a bit of my culture – growing up with homecooked Greek food and bringing that into Bermondsey.

“This is my home, this is where I was raised, and this is where I feel special.”

Niamh Tomlins, who lives just down the road, says she keeps going back because of the people.

“It’s a really lovely community,” she said, “I’m relatively new to TCG and everyone is so welcoming and patient in guiding you through it.”

The Brotherhood Games Cafe and Event Space is located at 210-212 Southwark Park Rd, Bermondsey SE16 3RW. Their Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh Store is down the road at 148 St James’s Rd, Bermondsey, SE1 5BW.

L: Owner: Michael Loizou, Regulars at the cafe: Niamh, Jamie, Jamal.

Review: Backstroke - Donmar Warehouse Arts Page 20

© British Land

4 NEWS CGI of the Canada Water Masterplan

FEARS GROW THAT CANADA WATER MASTERPLAN COULD HAVE ‘LESS THAN TEN PER CENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING’ EXCLUSIVE

By Isabel Ramirez UNCERTAINTY IS growing over whether the Canada Water Masterplan will have more than 10 per cent affordable housing, following a recent report released

by British Land.

The £4 billion regeneration of the area includes a new town centre, with more than 3,000 homes, 40 new buildings, and three clusters of high-rise towers.

Negotiations are taking place between British Land, the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Southwark Council to ensure that the affordable housing offering in the masterplan stays at 35 per cent.

Objectors fear that the offering of affordable housing will be substantially less after a viability report from January revealed that currently, the scheme would only be profitable with less than 10 per cent of affordable housing.

To make what they have promised possible - i.e. 35 per cent affordable housing - British Land said it was exploring

options, including securing grant funding from the GLA and using the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

In the report, it said these changes would allow the number of affordable homes to be increased 'above the currently viable 10 per cent.'

We asked British Land outright whether there was a possibility that the affordable housing in the masterplan could be as low as 10 per cent.

A British Land spokesperson said: "Given the independent reviews currently taking place, and the ongoing discussions around Affordable Housing delivery, we are not yet in a position to comment on the level of Affordable Housing which will be secured as part of the S73 application."

Jerry Flynn, a housing activist from the 35% campaign, commented: "It puts the ball in Southwark's court - it gives them a reason to refuse the application."

That said, he added: "We tend to take the viability reports with a big pinch of salt as they nearly always say this.

"They are profitability assessments - and it just means the developer won't make as much money as they wanted to.

"Southwark should stand strong on

getting the offer of 35 per cent affordable housing."

He mentioned that the developer's suggestions to improve viability would mean the costs go back on the taxpayer.

In January, British Land submitted a Section 73 application to the council, which proposed several amendments to its original plans. If accepted it could see some buildings soar close to 50 storeys, significantly higher than the original masterplan’s approved maximum of 37 storeys. The developer cited new fire regulations and rising construction costs as reasons for the changes.

However, locals argue that the amendments prioritise profit over community concerns, intensifying fears about overcrowding, loss of light, and increased strain on infrastructure.

The consultation has already collected nearly 700 objections.

Mark, a resident, described the backlash as 'one of the most contentious planning amendments in Southwark in recent years,' highlighting concerns over British Land’s approach.

He continued: "Residents feel that British Land is prioritising developer profits over

“Southwark should stand strong on getting the offer of 35 per cent affordable housing ” community needs, and the sheer volume of objections shows how strongly people oppose these changes."

The objections raise concerns over the excessive increase in building heights, arguing that significant height increases across multiple zones will alter the character of the area, making the skyline overbearing.

Others worried about the strain on transport and infrastructure.

A spokesperson for British Land commented: “We are aware that several public comments have been made on the s.73 application to vary the Canada Water Masterplan. Having reviewed these, it’s apparent that further clarification is needed on what changes are proposed and why the application is necessary.

“Discussions with Southwark Council and the Greater London Authority remain active and once they are further

progressed we will be able to provide more updates to the community.

“The proposed application allows us to continue delivery of significant benefits while responding to changes to building regulations including the Building Safety Act, as well as macro-economic factors such as steep construction cost inflation and sharp interest rate rises.

“Since planning permission was granted in 2020, we are proud of our strong progress at Canada Water and remain deeply committed to continue to invest in bringing tangible benefits to the local community and wider area.”

British Land said they expect to have completed new workplaces, restaurants and bars for Canada Water by May, with 186 new homes to come later this year.

As it's an active application, Southwark Council said they would not be commenting on the matter at this stage.

NEWS 5

‘IS THIS A CITY THAT I CAN STILL CALL HOME?’: HUNDREDS JOIN PECKHAM PROTEST AGAINST ‘OVERDEVELOPMENT’

By Issy Clarke

MORE THAN 600 people marched through Peckham on Saturday 1st March to campaign against ‘overdevelopment’ in Southwark.

Protesters from all walks of life came together to demand 50 per cent of new developments on private land to be set aside as council housing, rising to 100 per cent on councilowned land.

One protester who was born and raised in south-east London said the issue was “close to my heart”, adding: “I was born on the Aylesbury Estate, raised in Elephant and Castle and now I’m living in Camberwell.

“In each of those periods it’s become more and more expensive for me to be able live in the area where I grew up.

“I now need to know what my future is going to look like living in London.

“Is this a city that I can still call home?”

Another campaigner claimed she had been forced to move back in with her parents because her student accommodation had become too expensive.

The march marks the beginning of a national campaign led by SHAPE (Southwark Housing and Planning Emergency), a coalition of 14 community groups who joined

together last year to object to oppose the Berkeley Homes re-development of the Aylesham Centre, a shopping mall on Rye Lane.

In December last year, Berkeley lowered the proportion of housing set at affordable rent to 12 per cent, down from 35 per cent.

Councillor Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development for

Southwark Council, said the council was at the “forefront” of delivering social and council homes, adding that this included a strategic target for 50 per cent of all new homes to be set at social and intermediate rent, with a minimum of 35 per cent subject to viability.

But Jerry Flynn, a longtime housing activist from the 35% Campaign, said he had not seen any new

developments containing 50 per cent affordable housing.

He added: “Southwark Council must not pass this planning application on Aylesham. They must not pass any planning application which has anything less than 35 per cent affordable housing – and they should really think whether 35 per cent is enough.

“They say they are going for 50 per

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cent – well I haven’t seen one yet where they have done that.”

Cllr Dennis continued: “Wherever possible, we proactively negotiate an increase in the affordable and social rent components of a scheme. This approach resulted in us securing 338 social rent homes now being delivered on the Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey, the equivalent of a new council estate. On the Old Kent Road, over 50% of all the new homes built or currently being built, are genuinely affordable.”

Southwark Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain also attended the protest, where he gave a speech slamming Southwark Labour’s “mismanagement” of its housing stock.

He said: “It’s an honour to once again stand with SHAPE in calling for more genuinely affordable housing, and resisting the claims of big developers who will always put profit before people.

“This housing crisis overseen by our Southwark Labour party is in two parts – council housebuilding has collapsed whilst empty homes are on the rise, and the homes we do have are being mismanaged to the point of serious failure.”

Berkeley Homes declined to comment.

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6 NEWS

By Isabel Ramirez TWO SECURITY guards recently helped a mother deliver a baby in the car park at University Hospital Lewisham.

Patient Odia arrived at the hospital on Sunday 26 January at 9:30 am in active labour.

As she stepped out of the car with her partner Obi, she urgently called out that the baby was coming. Security Officer Ade Oloye, who was on patrol in the car park at the time, noticed the couple in distress.

He quickly approached them and asked if they needed help.

Obi explained that his wife was in labour, and they needed to get to the Lewisham Birth Centre. Ade immediately called for backup from his colleague, Security Site Supervisor Mohammed Elamine Chabat.

However, Ade soon realised that Odia had no time to wait and was about to give birth in the car park.

New mother Odia, who lives in Lewisham, said: “Since it was early, there were not many people around to help when we needed it. Luckily, Ade from the security team was on patrol at the time.

“He quickly noticed our situation and did not hesitate to assist us.”

Odia with baby Ocean.

Within minutes, Odia had delivered a beautiful baby daughter, with the help of Obi and Ade. When Mohammed arrived just a few moments later, he was surprised to find baby Ocean safely in her father’s arms.

Ade contacted the Emergency Department to dispatch medical colleagues while Mohammed assessed the situation, ensuring both mother and baby were stable. Given the cold weather, the team provided blankets to keep the newborn and her mother warm and continued reassuring Odia, who later described the experience as one of the most incredible moments of her life. Both mother and baby were later taken inside the hospital for medical checks before being able to go home together.

Odia expressed her thanks for the quick thinking of the security guards: “Ade showed great care and compassion,

SECURITY GUARDS HELP DELIVER BABY IN LEWISHAM HOSPITAL CAR PARK

which we appreciate, as we were in such a vulnerable position.

“I also want to thank the other security guards and NHS workers who rushed to provide additional support when Ade radioed for help. Brilliant service from everyone involved at LGT.” Reflecting on his experience, LGT’s Security Officer Ade, explained: “Being part of this amazing birth story as a security

officer was both intense and emotional.

I felt an immense sense of pride in being able to help at such a crucial moment and play a role in the delivery of baby Ocean.

“This was a reminder that security colleagues play a much broader role in ensuring the well-being of people; not just through protection, but also by offering care and compassion when it matters most. It really is all in a day’s work for us.

“Congratulations to Odia and Obi on the arrival of their beautiful baby. We wish them good health, endless love, and precious moments together.”

Mohammed LGT’s Security Officer, added: “Throughout the situation, we focused on keeping the mother calm, offering support, and even sharing a lighthearted moment, we told her that, in addition to being security officers, we were

now midwives too.”

“The LGT Security Team is proud to have been part of such a special moment and remains committed to providing safety, support, and kindness in all situations to our patients.”

One month on, the family is doing really well and feels ready to share their amazing story of Ocean’s unusual arrival into the world.

they decided not to dedicate toilets to a specific gender as the site is ‘overwhelmingly used by men.’

They went on to say that universal access ensured that toilets were not left unused and they wanted to accommodate people who ‘may not identify with a specific gender.’

Meanwhile, the new Burgess Park Sports Centre remains unfinished, despite initial plans to open last spring. “The toilets are horrible, and community groups still have to pay full fees despite the facility being incomplete,” Michelle added.

In the new centre, parents added they hoped there would be separate toilets in the new centre. The council said there is still no date for when it will open.

Councillor Portia Mwangangye, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Parks and Young People, responded: “We’re working hard to open the doors to the pavilion building to enhance the experience for many users of Burgess Park Sports Centre, but the contractor needs more time to complete essential safety works.

We’ll update the community as soon as we agree on an opening date, in the meantime, people can enjoy the pitches as normal.

She added that the new facility will include team-changing rooms with toilets, along with additional unisex toilets to ensure inclusivity.

Parents raise concerns over ‘disgusting’ toilet facilities they have to share in Burgess Park

By Isabel Ramirez

PARENTS HAVE voiced frustration over the lack of clean toilet facilities at Burgess Park, saying their children are forced to share just two ‘dirty’ portaloos with adult men.

The portaloos, located at the entrance to the pitch, serve over 200 people on weekends, including men’s, boys’, and girls’ football teams.

“Every Sunday, at least four girls’ youth teams play here, along with boys’ youth and men’s teams,” said one parent.

Since last year, they have been the only toilets available whilst visitors wait for the Burgess Park Sports Centre to be completed.

Michelle Delgado, whose son plays football at the park weekly, said the issue affects both players and spectators. “I can’t drink much on Sunday mornings because I know there’s nowhere decent to go to the toilet.”

Angela Murray, whose daughters recently played at the park, described

Photos of the portaloos supplied by a parent the facilities as ‘disgusting’. “One of my daughters had to use them and was horrified.

“My other daughter refused and made my husband drive her to the nearby Asda instead.”

Many parents are also concerned about the lack of gender separation.

Michelle said: “If I had a young daughter, I wouldn’t be happy with her using the same toilets as adult men. From a safeguarding perspective, there should be separate facilities for young girls.”

When she raised the issue with the council, she claimed the council said

8 NEWS

THAMES PUBLIC INQUIRY BEGINS AMID OUTCRY FROM RIVERSIDE RESIDENTS OVER THE PROPOSED CHANGES © Google

By Adrian Zorzut

Local Democracy Reporter A PUBLIC inquiry has begun into proposed changes to how the Port of London Authority manages the Thames, which could impact 17 boroughs and anyone whose home backs onto the river.

The Port of London Authority (PLA) intends to make a series of changes to the Port of London Act 1968 – a law which allows it to regulate the Port of London.

The PLA submitted a Harbour Revision Order (HRO) as far back as 2020 but stakeholders, including residents whose homes back onto the River Thames, have labelled the move a ‘power grab’ and are asking the inquiry to reject or amend the request. In addition, it is claimed some fees for things like building balconies that overlook the Thames have risen by around £10,000 per property in the space of a decade, with the PLA labelled a ‘racket’ during the first day of the inquiry on Tuesday (February 25). Among the changes proposed are: Ending the practice of providing yearly reports to Parliament ● Removing personal liability for its board members ● Removing borrowing limits ● ‘Disapplying’ provisions of landlord and tenant law to ensure that the PLA can terminate a lease ‘where it is necessary to do so in the interests of the safe navigation of the Thames and the protection of public rights of navigation’ ● Altering its charging regime ●

Thamesbank, the River Thames Society and the River Residents Group joined a growing chorus of stakeholders opposing the plans, which are being reviewed during the three-week public inquiry in the City of London.

Ralph Hardwick, representing the River Residents Group, a volunteer organisation of people living, working or travelling along the waterway, suggested the request amounted to a

The Thames river near Butler’s Wharf Pier power grab. He said: “The HRO seeks more power and revenue for the PLA while declining to strengthen its engagement with pollution arising from the use of the Thames by the vessels it permits and licences or its transparency and accountability.

“The PLA claims its aim is to leave the Thames better than it found it and we applaud that aim. But we say that this is not the HRO for that task.”

He added: “The Thames is not just a legal jurisdiction. It’s a living, breathing ecosystem in urgent need of care.”

Residents also accused the PLA of charging exorbitant fees for river works licences. These licences are required to undertake works or install a structure overlooking the River Thames. This can include balconies.

David Beaumont, from the Organisation of PLA Customers, claimed to have heard from residents whose licences jumped by 500per

cent over a matter of years. James Hass, Secretary at Oliver’s Wharf in Wapping, said residents whose balconies overlook the river have seen charges jump by more than £10,000 per property in just over a decade.

Others spoke of being charged for the use of their balcony after having already paid a perpetuity charge while one objector described the PLA as a ‘racket’. Objectors said the PLA is unregulated and feared this allowed it to set prices and regulations without public scrutiny or oversight. The PLA said it is following the Department for Transport’s advice for harbour authorities to ‘keep their powers… under review’.

Claire Nevin from Thamesbank, an independent organisation involved with local communities and river users, said the PLA’s refusal to carry out an environmental assessment made its request ‘simply not lawful’.

She said the authority had an

Ministry of Sound to welcome sober ravers in new alcohol-free event series

‘overriding duty’ under the Harbours Act 1964 to take into account the impact of any of its proposals on the environment.

She said: “There is simply no excuse for an organisation such as the PLA, which discharges functions of such public importance not to do so. We are shocked and disappointed that the PLA has simply not got on with conducting these [environmental] assessments and that after years of correspondence on this matter, we have somehow ended up at a public inquiry.”

Under cross examination, PLA Chief Financial Officer, Steve Lockwood, agreed the authority had an obligation to consider environmental impacts.

He also said the PLA has factored in impacts associated with climate change.

Richard Turney KC, representing the PLA, also said the authority wanted to split its licensing regime between

‘work permissions’ and ‘mooring permissions’. He said the inquiry had no jurisdiction to recommend environmental protections, nor how the authority operates outside of the scope of the HRO. He said: “The HRO should be recommended to be made, made with modifications, or not made, based on the objections and the evidence heard at the inquiry.”

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.

The inquiry will run until March 17.

By Issy Clarke

Matt Long, Club Director at Ministry of Sound, said: “At Ministry of Sound, our egalitarian roots have always led to positive change.

“Our daytime raves and ‘No and Low’ alcohol range cater for a growing community who, like us, believe that clubbing should be about connection, energy and making memories whether you’re sipping a zero-proof mocktail or a low-alcohol beer.”

Artist DRIIA added: “By working with Ministry of Sound nightclub, we can demonstrate that you can still love underground genres like UKG, DnB, Dubstep, Jungle, and be sober/ sober-curious.

“Dancing isn’t something that should be mutually exclusive with drinking. To offer a space where music and community takes priority is important in this ever-growing sober-curious society we live in.”

POPULAR NIGHTCLUB Ministry of Sound is launching a series of sober day parties catering to the ‘modern raver’.

The first alcohol-free party will take place on May 11th, with the events set to run regularly until November.

The inaugural day rave will be headed up by the electronic DJ and singer DRIIA, herself a professed sober raver.

As well as the music, the sober clubbers will be able to enjoy an exclusive mocktail menu created for the event, including a range of alcohol-free tipples including CBD and mushroom drinks, and Lucky Saint beer.

The nightclub said it hoped the sober rave series would offer a “more inclusive club experience for the modern raver”.

NEWS 9

ACTRESS GIVEN AN ‘EASIER’ NAME WRITES CHILDREN’S BOOK ON EMBRACING ROOTS

By Isabel Ramirez

AN ACTRESS from Camberwell, whose parents named her ‘Cheryl’ to help her fit in, has written a children’s book encouraging young people to embrace their real names and cultural heritage.

Chidinma Ifunanyachi

Do you have a family recipe you want to share?

- but it has to be healthy

By Callum Smyth BROMLEY CHARITY My Time is calling for weird and wonderful recipes for community cookbooks.

It is especially looking for healthy vegetarian and pescatarian recipes, for whole families (serving 4-6) and would like recipes for healthy desserts and small plates.

Debra Weekes, Partnerships Manager at Mytime Active said, “We want locals to submit their very favourite healthy family recipes for inclusion, whether that’s the

casserole their Grandma always made, the celebration curry everyone has on their birthday or the chocolate cake that Dad makes for every special occasion.”

Their collection so far includes:

Chidinma Ifunanyachi, born to BritishNigerian parents and raised on the Dowlas Estate, grew up balancing two identities—one for home and one for school.

Although her parents were proud of their heritage, they worried she would face bullying and racism, so they gave her the legal first name Cheryl. They also feared people would struggle to pronounce Chidinma, the name her family used.

Chidinma said: “My mum’s side of the family comes from the Igbo tribe. My Igbo name is Chidinma, which means ‘God is good,’ but on my birth certificate and legal documents, my first name is Cheryl.

Having attended St James the Great Primary School in Peckham and then Notre Dame Secondary School in Elephant and Castle, she said: “Growing up, I had one name at school and a different one at home. Don’t get me wrong, I love my legal name, but it does

The man who tried to shoot the Queen

Vegi Moussaka Beetroot, Orange and Walnut Salad Salmon with mustard and pesto sauce ● ● ●

All weird and wonderful recipes can be submitted at: https://www.mytimeactive. co.uk/community-cookbook

History Page 22

“Growing up I had one name at school and a different one at home,” she said not ring true of my ancestry and whilst I understand my parents wanted to reduce the risk of bullying and racism, or me being treated differently due to having an African name I don’t think it is something families should have to do.”

Sadly, she says, this is still a reality for many children today. “A lot of people are getting used to having their names shortened and said wrongly - sometimes even by teachers who decide to call them something completely different. That’s unacceptable.”

Now, Chidinma channelled her experiences into The Importance of Names, a book for children aged 4-10.

Inspired by real-life stories, it follows Sekpurualakelechi, a young girl teased by classmates for having a long, unfamiliar name. Wanting to fit in, she tells them to call her Sophie. But when her aunt overhears, she explains the deep significance of her name—its history, its meaning, and why it should be celebrated.

With this newfound understanding, Sekpurualakelechi learns to embrace her identity.

“This book is for everyone with a name that isn’t the easiest to pronounce and for those who don’t realise how important it is to say people’s names correctly,” Chidinma said.

Previously an English teacher, she got into acting by chance in her 30s: “After a terrible breakup, I moved to Nigeria for a while and fell into acting by accident when my friend asked me to act in a series there. They needed someone with a British accent and my career took off but I had no formal training.”

She has now found success as an actress and screenwriter, most recently starring in Netflix’s PRU. When she found herself on the red carpet, she knew exactly which name she wanted to hear.

Chidinma commented: “I’m so proud of my heritage. Once I decided to be an actress, I knew I had to make people know my origin. Difficult to pronounce or not, there will come a time when people have no choice but to say my name properly— because they’ll see it everywhere.”

The Importance of Names is available on Amazon for £12.

10 NEWS

‘WHO THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA?’

The controversial cycle lane in Elephant that stops in the middle of the pavement EXCLUSIVE

By Isabel Ramirez ELEPHANT AND Castle residents are pleading with TfL to make changes to a cycle lane they say is dangerous, with one man claiming he nearly gets hit by a cyclist ‘every time’ he goes to the supermarket.

Martin Gabriel, who lives on the nearby Rockingham Estate, said the nightmare began when the cycle lane was installed right in front of the entrance to Sainsbury’s on New Kent Road.

“Cyclists speed down and they’re going so fast they come out of nowhere,” he told the News.

Last week, Martin said he ’narrowly escaped serious injury’ when a cyclist came ‘out of nowhere’: “It was horrendously fast, I didn’t see him at all.”

“Every time I go to the supermarket this happens.”

He claimed that when he took his concerns to TfL - he was told the pavement was ‘wide enough’.

“I don’t see why TfL has decided to put a cycle lane in front of a supermarket,” he said, “There are too many pedestrians.”

He reported being the subject of and witnessing ’near misses’ very often.

Staff at Elephant Mobile, a phone and accessories stand directly opposite the cycle lane, told us they witnessed trouble all the time.

“We don’t see accidents but it is very hard for people walking,” Elham, who works at the shop, said. “We see people getting their phones robbed all the time from people on bikes.

They said they would like to see it redesigned.

Another resident, Sam Lloyd, says she

uses the bus stop at Rodney Place to get her daughter to and from the hospital.

She commented: “The cycle lane on the pavement is a serious hazard.”

Sam reports crossing the cycle lane with her daughter, who is disabled, and her being shouted at to ‘move’ by a cyclist.

“The cyclists now think they own the pavement,” she continued, “Pedestrians need to feel safer.”

Asked what they would like to see done about it, they told us they wanted a whole redesign so there’s a clear separation between cyclists and pedestrians. “In the short term,” Martin added, “we need barriers or something to get them to slow down.”

Another suggestion was to widen the road and put a bike lane there: “A partition should be put in place to get rid of it on the pavement.”

Furthermore, Martin said: “Will it only take something serious to happen before they take notice and change the layout?”

He added that he was not against cycle lanes or cyclists, just feared for pedestrian’s safety when there was no clear path for each.

We asked TfL why the bike lane stopped so abruptly and whether they would be willing to look at the area and rethink the design.

A TfL spokesperson said: “Safety is our top priority and we want all Londoners to feel safe when travelling around the capital.

“This section of cycle lane was updated as part of the recent redevelopment of the area. The lane and shared space enable people to cycle in the area without needing to mix with motor traffic on New Kent Road and we expect

everyone using it to be mindful of people walking.

“We’re determined to make sure that the cycling network also works for pedestrians and we will be reviewing this location to assess how it is working for everyone.”

Neil Coyle MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark likened this lane placement to Lower Road - which has been causing chaos ever since it was installed.

He said: “TfL have a habit of installing unsafe lanes and then expecting the public or police to intervene. Some issues are predictable but TfL does not adequately involve other organisations or people ahead of changes sadly.

“I hope this review can be done faster than TfL has managed to turn around the problems they helped create on Lower Road on the other side of the constituency.”

Watchdog appeal for eyewitnesses on Borough High Street after death

By Callum Smyth A POLICE watchdog is appealing for eyewitnesses following the death of a man who passed away in hospital over two weeks after being restrained on Borough High Street.

Adam Tildman, 34, was restrained

by Met Police officers shortly after midnight on Borough High Street on Saturday 25 January outside Belushi’s bar.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said Tildman was firstly restrained by security staff at Belushi’s before police arrived, and that officers continued to restrain him outside the entrance.

The IOPC said he was “taken to hospital by paramedics after taking ill during the incident”, where he died on 11th February and now “want to speak with anyone who witnessed any part of the incident.”

They have collected police bodycam footage, CCTV and have received initial accounts from the officers involved, who they said are now being treated as witnesses.

An inquest is yet to be opened, but the IOPC added: “After we were notified of the incident by the Met on 25 January, we sent investigators to the scene and the police post-incident procedure to begin our enquiries and to start gathering evidence.”

IOPC director Amanda Rowe, said, “It’s vitally important that we establish the full circumstances leading up to the man’s death and therefore we’re appealing to anyone who saw what happened to contact our investigators to help us to establish all of the circumstances surrounding his death.”

She added, “We would like to pass on our thoughts to Mr Tidman’s family and all of those affected by this incident.”

The Met Police added: “It is important for public confidence that the details of this incident which tragically led to the death of Adam Tidman are thoroughly investigated.

They made clear that, “The officers involved are aware of the IOPC’s investigation.”

A spokesperson for Belushi’s said the bar “had been commended by the police and services for our team’s quick response” and it is cooperating with the IOPC’s ongoing investigation.

They added: “While this event did not occur within our venue or involve any of our customers, some of our team members were actively involved in managing the situation ahead of the arrival of emergency services.”

If you witnessed the incident, please contact the IOPC by emailing BoroughHighStreet@policeconduct. gov.uk or calling 0300 303 5592.

Mr Tidman died two weeks after the incident outside a bar near London Bridge (IOPC)

NEWS 11

PRINTWORKS AND DRUMSHEDS FIRM WANTS TO PUT EVENTS ON IN DEPTFORD WAREHOUSE

By Robert Firth Local Democracy Reporter DEPTFORD RESIDENTS have slammed plans by the firm behind clubs including Printworks and Drumsheds to put on events in a former newspaper warehouse near their homes.

Neighbours say it’s too much right near their homes

Deptford Storehouse is surrounded by homes residents… It’s a big shed. It’s not sound insulated.”

Malcolm Cadman, a community worker, said the venue wouldn’t provide any benefits to local people. Referring to the 8am start time on the proposed alcohol licence, he added: “I don’t have any alcohol for my breakfast. I may go for a drink at lunchtime or in the evening but that’s quite different. This is not really aimed at local people whatsoever.”

Spaces & Stories Limited originally asked permission from the council

to host music events at the venue for thousands of people. But the firm later let go of the live music plans and downsized the maximum capacity to 500 people, in order to get the council’s licensing team to drop their objection to the application.

The changes weren’t enough to persuade the Met Police to drop its opposition to the venue.

Michael Feeney, representing police, told the meeting: “The premises is already in a high crime area, attracting this number of people into the area

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will only make this worse. […] If you have hundreds of people going to this premises late at night then there’s the potential for them to become victims of crime as well.”

Paddy Whur, representing Spaces & Stories Limited, said the firm was the ‘industry leader’ in ‘converting big sheds into environments that are culturally important and creative and safe’.

He added that the firm had a noise management plan for the venue which would prevent disturbance to local

residents and emphasised that alcohol wasn’t the ‘prime focus’ of events.

Other venues in Spaces & Stories portfolio include Drumsheds, a 15,000-capacity club and events space housed in a former Ikea store in Tottenham; The Beams, a 6,420-capacity space in a former warehouse at the Royal Docks; and the 3,000 capacity Freight Island in Manchester city centre.

The council’s licensing committee will release its decision on the application in the coming days.

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© Google Street View

Spaces & Stories Limited, the venue arm of Broadwick Group, has asked Lewisham Council for permission to serve booze from 8am to 10.30pm six days a week during events at Deptford Storehouse.

Up to 500 people could attend events at the building on Grove Street, off Evelyn Street, under the proposals.

At a council licensing meeting on Wednesday, February 26, people living locally raised fears the venue would ruin the peaceful feel of the neighbourhood and lead to a rise in crime.

Gizella Suki, who has lived in the area for 17 years, said: “This area is completely unsuitable for crowds of up to 500 people to come and go. I believe this number of people will increase the crime rate in the area and residents will potentially become collateral damage to this.

“Anyone likely to say ‘yes’ to this application should consider if they would like 500 people, up to four times a day in the area, a few metres away from their own homes.”

Sophie Greaves, who has been a resident of the neighbourhood since 2015, said: “I fully object to this going ahead. […] It’s so quiet here. If the events [are] taking over the summer, we’re going to have our windows open. It’s incredibly stressful and upsetting for

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NEWS 13

By Robert Firth Local Democracy Reporter SOUTHWARK COUNCIL spent £10,000 on a launch ceremony for its borough plan held at Tate Modern.

By Issy Clarke TWO SOUTHWARK primary schools will be among the first in the country to take part in a new government breakfast club scheme.

© Tate Modern

Southwark Council leader Kieron Williams and deputy leader Cllr Jasmine Ali were among the over 100 guests who attended the ‘Southwark 2030’ event at the gallery on February 3.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request shows the Labour-run local authority’s bill for the event included nearly £4,000 spent on promotional materials and almost £2,000 on food and drink.

The council said it didn’t know how much money had been gone towards paying staff to organise and work at the event. The cost of hiring the room at Tate Modern and audiovisual equipment were covered by the gallery.

Cllr Victor Chamberlain, leader of the council’s Liberal Democrat opposition, branded the event a waste of money. He said: “Yet again we’re seeing our Labour council squandering taxpayer’s cash on swanky show-off events that do nothing to improve the lives of Southwark’s residents.

“During a cost of living crisis, it’s frankly insulting to see so much money spent on self-promotional programmes. Southwark 2030 is all talk and no action. Fancy slogans won’t fix today’s mess – the council can’t even get the basics right now.”

In response, Southwark Council said the refreshments were put on as a ‘small thank you’ to attendees of the event, including faith groups,

COUNCIL CRITICISED FOR SPENDING OVER £10K AT TATE MODERN EVENT

Two Southwark primary schools to take part in new breakfast club scheme

The Southwark 2030 launch was held at Tate Modern businesses, schools, universities and public sector organisations.

A council spokesperson added: “Southwark 2030 is a shared vision born from our communities – almost 2,000 local people helped to shape Southwark 2030 in conversations,

workshops, listening events and online – and we’re hugely grateful to everyone who took part.

“We know that to tackle the inequalities that local people face, and help them reach their potential, it’s vital people come together and

work together – no one organisation can do this on their own.

“The launch helped to bring different people together and was filled with people from our community who attended on their own time.”

‘My ceiling has collapsed twice in one year - it could have fallen on my kids’ says council tenant

By Isabel Ramirez A MUM-OF-THREE living in a council house in Walworth says she is ‘frightened’ after her roof collapsed for the ‘second time in a year’.

Sera told the News she has lived in this Aylesbury Estate flat for sixteen years and on Friday, February 14 her ceiling collapsed.

“It happened overnight,” she explained, “I was woken up with a bang and went downstairs and saw the ceiling had fallen in.”

She said it’s the second time in a year this has happened.

The first time it collapsed was last February due to a leak in the bathroom, which is directly above. Sera said the council came to fix it, but feared it wasn’t done properly if it could happen again.

“The whole ceiling was not replaced just a square of it.”

Sera’s biggest concern is for her children, aged 1, 10 and 16.

She commented: “Up until 9 pm that night we were all in the living room.

“What if it had fallen on them?”

The council came to clean the place up on Sunday (16 February) and boarded up the hole, but Sera hasn’t been able to

use the lounge since. “I’m too frightened in case more of the ceiling falls down.”

“The wall is so fragile.”

Sera is waiting for the council to come and fix it. She added that she now has to throw away some of her baby’s toys, sofa bed and books following the incident - but the majority of damage was ‘psychological’.

“I’m not looking for money. I just want a safe house. It’s really bad damage.”

Since the News got in touch the council said they are due to go and repair the ceiling. But Sera is concerned that it will happen again unless the whole ceiling is replaced.

She mentioned that in phase 4, she will be last to move from the partdemolished Aylesbury Estate and as such fears the council is just leaving it to rot.

A Southwark Council spokesperson said: “Ensuring that the residents of Southwark have safe and wellmaintained homes is an absolute priority for the council.

“This type of incident is taken very seriously – work has already been undertaken to make the ceiling safe. A follow-up investigation will promptly be carried out in addition to this to ensure the residence is safe going forward.”

The Belham Primary School on Bellenden Road, Peckham and Crawford Primary School on Crawford Road, Camberwell are two of 750 primary schools selected for the pilot ahead of a country-wide rollout of breakfast clubs.

From April, 180,000 children across England will receive free healthy and varied breakfasts thanks to the scheme, with a third of participating schools in deprived areas.

Parents will be able to drop their children off at school 30 minutes early to receive a free breakfast, helping them to start the day properly fuelled and ready to learn.

The government has said the scheme will be rolled out to all primary schools across England in “due course”. It follows a Labour manifesto commitment during the general election to fund breakfast clubs for all primary schools in England.

Families of children at the chosen schools will be contacted directly with information about how they can sign up.

Man stabbed on Camberwell council estate

By Isabel Ramirez A MAN in his 20s was rushed to the hospital after being stabbed during a ‘fight’ in Camberwell.

Police were called to the Brandon Estate on John Ruskin Street at about 2:15 am on Sunday, March 2.

Officers found the injured man, who was taken to hospital with non-lifethreatening injuries.

Three people were arrested nearby.

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101, quoting CAD 738/02Mar.

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NEWS 15

MAYOR CLAIMS HE COULD PUT EXTRA £11,000 IN LONDONER’S POCKETS WITH ECONOMIC PLAN

By Noah Vickers Local Democracy Reporter A PLAN to “turbocharge” economic growth across the capital has been launched by Sir Sadiq Khan with the claim it could put an average extra £11,000 pre-tax in each Londoner’s pocket.

Unveiled last week, the mayor’s London Growth Plan aims to restore productivity growth to an average of two per cent a year in the next decade, which, according to City Hall, would make London’s economy £107bn larger by 2035.

Key pillars of the 104-page strategy include investment in housing and infrastructure – such as extensions to the Bakerloo line, DLR and Overground – and calls for the city’s suburban rail services to be devolved to Transport for London (TfL).

City Hall data reveals that while London’s productivity grew by an average of 3.16 per cent each year between 1998 and 2007, this rate of growth was hugely damaged by the financial crash – so that

between 2008 and 2022, the rate had dropped to just 0.12 per cent a year.

City Hall Conservatives suggested the plan was unlikely to succeed, as they said Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget has already “suffocated” growth across the country.

However, if London achieves the plan’s target and increases its economy by £107bn, that in turn would see the capital contribute an extra £27.5bn in taxes to the Treasury in 2035 – “providing vital revenues for investment in public services”, the mayor’s team said.

The plan’s cited figure of £11,000 of extra pre-tax income for each Londoner was calculated by dividing the targeted £107bn rise by London’s population of 8.95m.

The strategy sets out Sir Sadiq’s ambition to create 150,000 new jobs, and includes a commitment to bolster socalled “industrial innovation corridors” in different parts of the capital. These include the WestTech Corridor between White City and Old Oak and Park Royal; the UK Innovation Corridor, stretching

north from the King’s Cross ‘Knowledge Quarter’ and going out towards Cambridge; and the Thames Estuary, starting at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and going out towards Essex and Kent.

A £21m package drawn from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – the Government’s replacement for funding which used to come from the EU – will be used to support boroughs with town centre regeneration. This will include, potentially, the creation of a publiclyowned High Street Estate Agency to bring empty properties back into use.

A new proposed London Tech and Inclusive Growth Fund will meanwhile provide up to £100m loan and equity funding for high-growth small and midsize enterprises, the plan states.

Sir Sadiq said the plan “provides a golden opportunity to turbocharge growth and unlock London’s full potential – for the benefit of all Londoners and the whole country”.

He added: “It’s a blueprint for how we can help to create 150,000 good jobs,

curricular programme and its AI skills course which aims to better equip children for the digital age.

Both schools are taking over premises currently operated by North Bridge House School. Alleyn’s Regent’s Park is moving into the prep school and will admit pupils aged from 4-13, while the senior school will open as Alleyn’s Hampstead in September 2026.

Work is underway on a new junior school at Alleyn’s Hampstead, and once it opens the school will take on pupils aged 2-18.

Alleyn’s Hampstead will be led by Chris Jones and Sarah CartwrightStyles, while Tom Le Tissier has been

appointed as Head of Alleyn’s Regent’s Park.

Jane Lunnon, Head at Alleyn’s School said: “We are thrilled to be expanding north of the River with the opening of Alleyn’s Regent’s Park and Alleyn’s Hampstead.

“Both schools already have an incredible energy and commitment to developing the mind and heart of every child with creativity, aspiration and joy. “ “We will also be sharing our ethical and practical tech curriculum, ‘the AiQ’ – a pioneering course which explores the powerful and exciting connections between traditional IQ and AI.”

Alleyn’s to open two new schools in north London

By Izzy Clarke

ALLEYN’S SCHOOL is opening two new schools in north London, with the first set to open later this year.

The Dulwich private school has announced the opening of two new branches in Regent’s Park and Hampstead, with Alleyn’s Regent’s Park due to welcome its first pupils in September this year.

The opening of the new schools will mark the first time in Alleyns’ 400 year history it has taught pupils north of the river.

Both schools will teach pupils the same curriculum, including Alleyns’ co-

build more affordable homes, deliver major new transport upgrades and skill up Londoners for the well-paid jobs of tomorrow.

“From AI, life sciences and climate tech to our financial and creative industries, London is home to many of the best businesses in the world, which we want to back to grow and thrive over the next decade.

“Ultimately, growth means little if people cannot feel the benefits or see the positive change it brings to their area. So our goal is to deliver economic growth in every corner of our city that helps to raise living standards, puts more money in people’s pockets and enables us to invest in our public services, as we continue to build a fairer and more prosperous London for all.”

But Alessandro Georgiou, City Hall’s Conservatives’ economy spokesman, said: “It’s rich for the mayor to suddenly be talking up hopes of growth in London when his party’s Budget has suffocated it so far.

“Labour’s national insurance rise is

hitting Londoners in their pocket, costing their jobs, and hammering businesses across our capital.”

Antonia Jennings, CEO of the Centre for London think tank, cautioned that the plan’s success will be dependent on London receiving a new financial settlement. She pointed out that compared with other global cities like Paris, New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong, London’s City Hall is far less able to generate its own revenues.

“To be able to effectively implement the growth plan, London government needs greater power over its own finances,” she said. “This will enable the capital to make tangible steps towards equitable economic growth.”

The plan has been developed by City Hall in partnership with the capital’s local government association, London Councils.

The group’s leader, Claire Holland, said: “Boroughs are resolutely pro-growth and are committed to working with business, the Mayor of London and national government to turbocharge growth in every corner of our city.”

16 NEWS

By Noah Vickers Local Democracy Reporter CONSERVATIVE CALLS for a multi-million pound inquiry into whether grooming gangs have operated in London were rejected at City Hall

CALLS FOR MULTI-MILLION POUND INQUIRY ON GROOMING GANGS IN LONDON REJECTED pointed this out when explaining why his group was not convinced of the need for a specific London-level inquiry.

The Tory claim that grooming gangs have been identified in “more than fifty areas” appears to be in relation to a GB News article, in which one of the broadcaster’s journalists said they had identified more than 50 towns and cities which had “endured abuse gangs”. GB News reporter Charlie Peters was said by his employer to have drawn up the list after “sifting through court records, local media reports, and gathering firsthand accounts from several victims”.

The Conservative amendment continued: “No local inquiries have taken place across any part of London,

Breast cancer survivors urge women to attend life-saving NHS screenings

By Isabel Ramirez TWO BREAST cancer survivors from Peckham and Bermondsey are among a group of inspiring women using their voices to encourage more people to attend life-saving breast screenings.

Philomena Ofodu from Bermondsey and Lindsay Batty-Smith from Peckham are sharing their personal experiences as part of NHS England’s latest campaign, aimed at increasing breast screening attendance.

Their powerful testimonies are part of a wider movement, joined by high-profile figures such as Newsnight’s Victoria Derbyshire, TV presenter Julia Bradbury, and Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas. Together, they are sharing deeply personal ‘unofficial’ screening invitation letters to reassure and encourage women to prioritise their health.

For Philomena, the message couldn’t

be clearer. Diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in September 2021, she nearly missed her opportunity for early detection.

“When I received a letter inviting me for a mammogram appointment, I brushed it aside. Weeks later, I received a completely unrelated call from my GP asking me to come in immediately for a blood test. The urgency in his voice reminded me to put my health first and prompted me to book the mammogram appointment I had been putting off. And as a result, doctors found I had stage two breast cancer,” she shared.

“My cancer diagnosis changed my life, but because it was detected early, it was treatable. If I had not made that appointment, I might not be here now. I have the greatest gratitude to be part of this campaign, and to share my experience as a cancer survivor. It’s so important we reach out to women and let them know that these appointments should be their

© London Assembly

Tories on the London Assembly had proposed an amendment to mayor Sir Sadiq Khan’s budget, which included £4.49m for an “Independent Inquiry into the Exploitation of Children in London”.

The amendment – which required a two-thirds majority to pass – was defeated by 16 votes to 9, as it was voted down by the Assembly’s Labour, Green, Liberal Democrat and independent members. Reform UK’s sole assembly member joined the Conservatives in backing the amendment.

It comes after the mayor was accused in January of “stonewalling” questions about grooming gangs from his Tory rival Susan Hall. The former mayoral candidate had repeatedly asked him whether there were gangs operating, or previously active, in the capital, but Sir Sadiq would only say that he was unsure what she meant by grooming gangs.

In their budget amendment, the Conservatives said: “The potential scale of child sexual abuse across London remains a significant unknown.

“Given that there are more than fifty areas across the country that have been identified as locations in which the systemic rape of young children by grooming gangs took place, there is a strong possibility that this criminality also occurred in London.”

The amendment went on to claim, incorrectly: “The most recent independent inquiry into child sexual abuse – the Jay report – only examined six towns. None were in London.”

In fact, one of the six ‘case study areas’ examined by the Jay inquiry – Tower Hamlets – was in London. The other five areas were Durham, Swansea, Warwickshire, St Helens and Bristol.

According to the report, the areas “were selected in order to enable the inquiry to consider a range of features, including size, demography, geography and social characteristics”.

Labour member Krupesh Hirani

Shaun Bailey AM.

leaving a significant number of unanswered questions around the scale of this scandal in the capital.

“City Hall and the GLA [Greater London Authority] have significant resources available to draw conclusions from across all thirty-two of London’s boroughs, making it well-placed to deliver a local-level inquiry and give victims of these horrific crimes the justice they deserve.”

Commenting after the amendment’s defeat, Tory assembly member Lord Bailey said: “I am beyond disappointed by this development. We have worked to find the money for an inquiry that London desperately needs – for the victims, for faith in our institutions, and

to restore the relationships between communities.

“London has had its trouble spots, and my colleagues and I have been diligent in asking the authorities the questions necessary to address this, but we need to go further.

“Today, the other parties had an opportunity to take the first step on the road to correcting this historic wrong, and shining a light on this grave issue, and they have chosen not to. I know however that my Conservative and colleagues and I, whilst disheartened, will not stop fighting for a settlement that centres the victims of child sexual exploitation in the search for justice.”

Assembly members voted for and

against the amendment for a variety of reasons, not all of which were necessarily related to the call for a grooming gangs inquiry.

The amendment also included £122m “of additional funding for the Met, protecting frontline policing and preventing cuts to backroom staff”, a £15m Pothole Repair Fund, a £7m Theft Reduction Unit in the Met Police and £1.5m Nightlife Prosperity Fund.

The Conservatives claimed that these policies could be paid for reversing staffing increases at City Hall, abolishing the London & Partners agency, and limiting the number of deputy mayors to five, as well as “reallocating existing cash reserves”.

Lindsay

Philomena

number one priority.”

Lindsay Batty-Smith knows both sides of the story. As a radiographer at King’s College Hospital and a breast cancer survivor, she has seen firsthand

how screening changes lives. “My breast screening appointments are my reassurance that all is well and I’m still cancer-free, but many women understandably have anxiety about

attending their appointment. That’s why this campaign is so important. The more women we can encourage to come along to their screening appointments, the more lives could be saved.”

She added, “Breast screening is quick, efficient, and performed by highly trained, specialised professionals. I’m so proud to be able to represent Team King’s and the local community through this campaign.”

Francesca Fiennes, Health Promotion Specialist for the South-East London Breast Screening Programme, emphasized the impact: “Regular breast screening is one of the best ways to spot a cancer that is too small to feel or see yourself – it saves around 1,300 lives each year in the UK. In the meantime, if you have any symptoms you are worried could be a sign of breast cancer, have a chat with your GP as soon as possible.”

She also praised Philomena, Lindsay, and fellow campaigner Humaira for their relentless efforts to break down misconceptions about breast screening.

“Philomena, Humaira and Lindsay are a true inspiration; they have all worked extremely hard to correct common misconceptions around breast screening, encouraging women in their local community to attend these life-saving appointments.”

Find out more at www.selondonics.org/our-residents/your-health/local-nhs-services/

18 OPINION

Comment

‘We are protecting and investing in your vital local services'

W

HEN I’M out and about in Southwark, people often ask me “What’s my council tax spent on”? It’s an important question.

The answer is in the council’s budget, approved at Council Assembly last week (Wed 26 Feb), which sets out how we spend the council’s money on your behalf. We have worked hard to make every pound go further for you.

In total the budget funds over 800 services. Everyone knows the council empties the bins and cleans the streets – but there is also so much more we do.

We look after Southwark’s parks, schools and libraries. We fund 26 youth groups and provide social care for over 1,800 vulnerable children and 20,000 adults. We operate a network of over 550 CCTV cameras and have

KIERON WILLIAMS

Southwark Council leader a team of over 100 council officers working to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. We inspect local restaurants and shops to make sure the food and goods they sell are safe. This year we have also funded more than 400 local voluntary and community groups to support for Southwark residents.

We pay for all of these services using money from your council tax, as well as funding from the Government and business rates.

This year, as with every other, we have worked hard to do more with each pound we spend for you. The budget we agreed last week included over £10 million of efficiencies, saving money on everything from council buildings to IT. I’m glad to say that this year the new Government has also increased its funding for

the council. We will investing all of this in vital local services for you.

Last week we also approved extra investment in areas that you’ve told us are priorities. This includes new nighttime wardens to make our streets and estates safer; new clean streets patrols to crack down on fly-tipping; a new family hub to help children with special educational needs and disabilities in their first years; and extending our Southwark Energy Savers service to help you bring your bills down.

Our balanced budget came through careful planning. Around the country a growing number of councils have had to declare effective bankruptcy. However in Southwark we have avoided this by taking great care with your money.

To balance our budget we have also

had to make some difficult decisions.

Many of the council’s costs are rising.

As our population gets older more people need social care. The number of children with special educational needs and disabilities is also rising.

The cost of living crisis means more people need financial help, and the national housing crisis means a growing number of families need help to have a roof over their head.

To meet all of these needs we have had to make the difficult decision to increase council tax by 4.99% this year, in line with other London councils. This is an average (Band D) increase of £1.27 a week, including 51p per week towards care for vulnerable and older people. £2 out of every £5 we spend comes from council tax – so you all play a huge part in making our borough what it is.

‘Straight from Donald Trump’s playbook, Southwark Labour are undermining local democracy' L

ast Wednesday, we held our historic Extraordinary Meeting on the serious failings in Southwark’s housing, where we tabled a vote of no confidence in Southwark Labour’s leadership.

In November, the independent Regulator of Social Housing found serious failings in Southwark. Half of our homes don’t have smoke alarms. Half of our homes do not have up to date electrical safety tests. One in three do not meet the definition of a decent home.

Even with this rise, Southwark continues to have one of London’s lowest council tax rates, and we offer discounts of up to 85% for people on the lowest incomes.

To help local people make ends meet we also provide a range of free services and cost of living help. As a Southwark resident you can use our council gyms, pools and leisure centres for free at many times of the week. Our council-run Southwark Works service provides free help to find a job or apprenticeship, and over the last two years we have provided cost of living help to over 100,000 local people.

We’re working hard to deliver the services you need, and to make sure all the money we spend for you makes more of a difference.

VICTOR CHAMBERLAIN Leader of the Southwark Lib Dems

This is a scandal – and those responsible needed to be held to account.

Labour’s leader of the council and top finance boss have both held responsibility for housing over a period that led to the Regulator’s scathing review. It cannot be right to have been responsible for historic serious failures and continue to serve in the most powerful jobs in the council.

That’s why we called an extraordinary meeting of the council - for the first time in 16 years – so that we could say that enough was enough, and move a motion

of no confidence.

Like many residents, we are sick and tired of apologies and promises that get broken. I know we’re not alone – at the recent Southwark Tenant’s Conference there was a show of hands on whether people had trust in this Labour council.

Every single person there said they did not.

What happened at Wednesday’s meeting was genuinely shocking – and an affront to democracy straight from the Donald Trump and Boris Johnson

playbook. At the earliest opportunity, the Labour party used a procedural trick to shut the debate down, so that our attempt to hold them to account over their failure could not be heard.

Once the debate was shut down, they voted to keep those responsible for serious failures in their jobs. They voted to pretend that this time, they can fix things.

They have shown that only the Liberal Democrats are prepared to stand up for everyone in Southwark who has been let down by Labour.

That’s why on Saturday I spoke at SHAPE’s protest about our Labour council’s failure across all housing issues.

We have a housing emergency here; we’re not building enough council homes, and the homes we do have are being left to decay into ruin.

Whilst Labour stick their heads in the sand over these issues, and shut down accountability at every turn, I’m proud that Liberal Democrats are standing up for residents’ right to a safe, affordable home here in Southwark.

OPINION 19

This is crunch time for affordable housing in Southwark and beyond

B

ritish Land’s Canada Water Masterplan - a £4 billion redevelopment scheme including 3,000 new homes - was meant to deliver 35 per cent affordable housing.

Now, a new report suggests they might only manage 10 per cent, blaming rising costs. Negotiations with Southwark Council and the Greater London Authority (GLA) are ongoing, but the worry is clear - developers often argue affordability isn’t “viable” while pushing for taller towers and bigger profits.

Campaigners say this isn’t new. Jerry Flynn from the 35% Campaign points out that viability reports almost always suggest developers can’t afford to meet targets. He warns that unless Southwark Council stands firm, the promised affordable housing could be quietly reduced. The council must now decide whether to approve British Land’s Section 73 application, which seeks to amend the original masterplan.

Meanwhile, protests over affordability are growing. This week, campaigners took to the streets in Peckham against the Aylesham Centre redevelopment, where Berkeley Homes recently cut affordable housing from 35 per cent to just 12 per cent. The march, led by SHAPE (Southwark Housing and Planning Emergency), reflects a broader frustration across the borough, as residents worry the lack of affordable housing and reliance on developers will continue to push people out of London.

But councils themselves are in trouble. A recent study shows 68 per cent of local authorities will have to cut back on building homes unless they get more funding from the government.

Southwark has ambitious housing plans, aiming to build 11,000 new council homes by 2023.

However, without proper resources, even the most committed councils are struggling to deliver.

Only last year we reported how City Hall was warning that hundreds of affordable homes which were being built in London had ‘no one to take them’, as housing associations were less able and willing to buy them.

Syreeta Robinson-Gayle, head of affordable housing at Barratt London, told assembly members that this was due to “a lack of capacity” among housing associations, which are dealing with high costs and a tough economic outlook. She cited one recent example where Barratt had been building 100 affordable homes as part of a development in Southwark, including 58 homes for social rent – but had no registered provider to take them.

This is a crunch moment. Southwark Council has the power to reject plans that don’t meet the 35 per cent target. At the same time, the government needs to step up and properly fund council housebuilding. If developers can’t - or won’t - deliver the affordable homes they promised, councils must be given the means to build them instead.

London’s housing crisis isn’t going anywhere - and without action, it’s only going to get worse.

Gomm Road, Lower Road, Rotherhithe, London, SE16 2TY 0207 237 4036 office@stjosephsprimary.org.uk Headteacher: Mrs Catherine McLoughlin Deputy Headteacher: Mrs Sophie Drury

ST JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL PREMISES MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION Salary Scale 7: 20-25 £37,437 - £40,344 35 hours per week Contract - Full Time – All Year Round, Split shift hours Due to the retirement of our current Premises Manager, we are looking to appoint an enthusiastic and motivated Premises Manager to work as part of our fabulous team. You will need to be trustworthy, flexible, take pride in your work and be able to work with all members of the school community. We have a well maintained school site that requires a commitment to keeping it that way. We have high standards in St Joseph’s and are looking for someone with initiative to make it even better.

You will be responsible to the Headteacher and work in close liaison on a daily basis. Your main responsibilities are to ensure the school is open and ready to provide a safe, secure, and welcoming learning environment for pupils, staff and visitors. We operate on a split shift contract so we will need someone who is flexible to meet the needs of our school. Occasional out of hours and weekend work may be required. You will be responsible for locking up the school building.

You will have a very good standard of written language and possess a working knowledge of building maintenance, decorating and general health and safety requirements.

If you are someone who enjoys working within a diverse community and takes pride in ensuring their site always looks its best, delivering a high-quality service in a friendly proactive manner then we would welcome your application.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone innovative and aspiring, who wishes to join a team committed to high standards in an oversubscribed, happy and loving school. In St. Joseph’s we are a family who is soon to join the St Benedict Catholic Academy Trust. Situated within a short walk to Canada Water station on the Jubilee line and overlooking Southwark Park.

Please apply by emailing the Headteacher, Catherine McLoughlin: headteacher@stjosephsprimary.org.uk Please note we cannot accept CVs and only completed CES Application forms can be accepted.

St Joseph’s Catholic School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. References and full DBS disclosure will be undertaken before an appointment.

Should you be interested in applying for this position, the Headteacher is more than happy to meet you and show you around our wonderful school. Please email the Headteacher in advance of the interview date and we shall arrange this for you.

Closing Date: Thursday 13th March 2025 at 9am.

Interviews (envisaged): Week beginning 17th March 2025

CRYPTIC PUZZLE Clues Across

1 Well drilled, we hear, to get quickly in the swim (6-5) 9 But a fast dye doesn’t (3) 10 The lean years? (5,4) 11 1 am a long time getting the picture (5) 13 Are in a snug place, relatively speaking (7) 14 It allows more freedom for the guests (6) 16 Continue to hold Mother in check (6) 18 Tedious music-maker? (7) 19 A prayer it’s right to turn aside? (5) 20 Carries weight - smile at it crookedly (9) 21 Also in stools (3) 22 One who sticks up for his profession? (5-6)

Clues Down

2 Look for gold on the range? (3) 3 Is Susan to come out? (5) 4 Grins about a lot of corny things (6) 5 Time the poet was out and about to work (7) 6 Say again there is one tree out in the amount (9) 7 Weeping over the disgrace? (6,5) 8 Tied nations somehow to their fate (11) 12 Country where Laura is at sixes and sevens (9) 15 Sleep it out with the Corinthians, for example? (7) 17 Saintly irritation results in pain (6) 19 Reverend gentleman loses his head and takes to crime (5) 21 Draw a cravat (3)

QUICK PUZZLE Clues Across

1 Going out of use (11) 9 Centre (3) 10 Persistent effort (9) 11 Stream (5) 13 Having unequal sides (7) 14 Manage (6) 16 Tenant (6) 18 Power (7) 19 Social call (5) 20 Magnificence (9) 21 Vegetable (3) 22 Well-mannered (11)

Clues Down

2 Haircut (3) 3 Arrange (5) 4 Win the support of (6) 5 Related by family (7) 6 Absurdities (9) 7 Worshipping (6-5) 8 Respectful (11) 12 Worthy of reverence (9) 15 Softly radiant (7) 17 Explosive nasal sound (6) 19 Goddess of the hearth (5) 21 Friend (3)

SOLUTIONS TO LAST WEEK’S CROSSWORD CRYPTIC

Across: 1 Informs 5 Vests 8 Stet 9 Redolent 10 German measles 13 Emit 14 Bard 17 Imponderables 19 Isabella 20 Iris 21 Gangs 22 Asphalt Down: Nether 3 Optimum 4 Marinated 5 Viola 6 Shelled 7 Satisfy 11 Embarrass 12 Writing 13 Explain 15 Rubbish 16 Venial 18 Needs

QUICK PUZZLE

Across: 1 Slurred Larks 8 Edit 9 Madrigal 10 Introspective 13 Asti l4 Else 17 Transgression 19 Straight 20 Iron 21 Sum up 22 Planter Down: 2 Lading 3 Retorts 4 Enmeshing 5 Lyric 6 Ragtime 7 Solvent 11 Elemental 12 Attests 13 Anagram 15 Session 16 Morose 18 Skimp

20 ARTS

what’s on © Johan Persson

A COMPLICATED motherdaughter dynamic forms the basis for Anna Mackmin’s new play, Backstroke, writes Melina Block..

Wrapped in a shawl and puffing on a cigarette, Celia Imrie plays the carefree yet neurotic Beth who refuses to be called ‘mummy’ by her daughter, Bo (Tamsin Greig), demanding she keep her own identity, but then follows Bo to university. She spouts hippie ideals around free love and sex, then chastises her daughter for not being thin.

This might sound bleak, but there are plenty of laughs throughout the performance, delivered by both Greig and Imrie with flawless comedic timing. But the looming presence of a hospital bed in the centre of the stage reminds you of the reality; Beth is slowly dying after having suffered a stroke and struggling with dementia. The show opens in this hospital, before switching between a series of flashbacks throughout Beth

and Bo’s life, and the present day.

Imrie’s performance is a genuine highlight, as she seamlessly transfers from a sick, unresponsive patient to the vibrant, eccentric personality that she previously was.

Her chemistry with Greig is a joy to watch, with the pair bouncing off each other so effortlessly that it is hard to believe they have not actually known and lived with each other for decades.

The video clips which play intermittently give us insight into Bo’s own relationship with her daughter, a young girl she adopted and is clearly struggling with.

However, Bo’s relationship with her own mother is far more captivating, and my friend who came to watch Backstroke with me was wholly unconvinced of the necessity of these videos.

By the second half of the play, the tone becomes markedly more sombre. Beth’s condition deteriorates and the pacing slows down, with some scenes which demonstrate the

connection and heartache between both the leads feeling slightly too contrived and on the nose. This is only a small complaint, though, noticeable primarily because of how excellent the rest of the show is at subtly communicating the intricacies of Beth and Bo’s loving yet, at times, stifling relationship.

The lady next to me was in tears by the end, and it was easy to understand why. There is such warmth and care injected into both Imrie and Greig’s portrayal of their characters that it is easy to lose yourself in their performances. If the sign of a good actor is that you forget they are reading out scripts, then this is some of the best acting I have seen on stage in a long time.

Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, London WC2H 9LX until April 12th. Mon – Sat 7.30pm;Thursday & Saturday matinees 2.30pm Box Office: www.donmarwarehouse. com 020 3282 3808

© Marc Brenner 379

BACKSTROKE - DONMAR WAREHOUSE

Alterations is not tailor-made for National but still a good fit

ALTERATIONS IS a 1978 play by Michael Abbensetts(with additional material by Trish Cooke) that was a seminal work for the writer, having much influence on writers who came after him, writes Michael Holland...

As we took our seats the preliminary action took place on stage: a man with an Afro grooved to his boom box as the world passed him by; a young kid rode around on a bike; a couple drifted through - She wasn’t happy. All this non-verbal communication set the scene for a tale of a narcissist, a street boy and a relationship on the rocks, and all this happened in Alterations, a sweat-shop tailors where Walker(Arinzé Kene) struggled to keep his business alive while he saved up to buy a shop of his own where he could do proper tailoring - making suits for the ‘trendy’. A struggle he persevered with while his life at home was falling apart.

His friend Buster(Gershwyn Eustache Jnr) stuck by him but had no real ambitions other than keep a wage coming in so he could keep the family he was building. The counter to these two was Courtney(Raphael Famotibe), the young van driver who was escaping the gangs on the estate, while knowing there were no real opportunites for him in 70s Britain.

Walker gets a big order from Mr Nat, a white man who understood his hardship because he, too, had worked his way up from the bottom; Mr Nat was an immigrant like the staff at Alterations.

Doing this job well could pay enough to get Walker his shop so they worked through the night.

Walker’s wife Darlene (Cherrelle Skeete) arrives to berate her man, who in turn sweet talks her back into line. Horace(Karl Collins), who has been brought in to help with the big order, sees how their relationship is and immediately hits on Darlene.

And there it is. Almost sitcom-ish but with a dark undercurrent creeping about

below the laughs. Horace sabotages the big order, Courtney lays some home truths on the elders; Darlene reaches the end of her tether… And all to a reggae and Blues soundscape. The stage was often filled with the dreaded ‘Ghana Must Go’ bags, which, because they say so much, I’m sure was intentional.

I realised the Guyanese patois was not so easy to follow each time the auditorium erupted into laughter without me, but not so much that I didn’t know what was happening.

Abbensetts does not fill the stage with stereotypes, nor follow the expected narrative arc, but he does get over the message that these black people are just people who may have the same desires and hopes that white people have, or they may not. He does not hit the audience over the head with a ‘life in the ghetto’ tale, or ‘the white man making life intolerable for black people’ yarn. It’s there and it is real, but this is basically love gone wrong, wrapped up in a failing business.

Excellent performances from the cast; their wigs almost putting in BAFTA turns as well. Alterations is not tailor-made for the National but it is still a good fit.

Lyttleton Theatre, National Theatre, South Bank, SE1 until April 5th.

Booking: www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/ productions/alterations

Sunday Assembly do comedy on Thursdays in Southwark ‘SUNDAY ASSEMBLY London is a community space that provides inclusive, thought-provoking bimonthly events where we have speakers from all walks of life,’ says Andrew Mullan excitedly, eager to talk about what Sunday Assembly is, writes Michael Holland..

Andrew is the spokesperson for the group that ‘started life as a passing thought by two comedians in a carpool on the way to a gig in Bath.’ It is a group that has now become one that he has chats with almost every day.

Their events could be talks on diverse subjects ranging from ice-cream to science, with a live band that plays songs to fit in with that month’s topic,

and which could entice the audience to get up and dance. ‘Speaking from experience,’ begins Andrew, ‘It is incredibly rewarding.’ A guest poet paired with the main talk will also share some verses.

Sunday Assembly’s key tenets are: ‘Live Better. Help Often. Wonder More’. Their gatherings offer people the opportunity to ‘get more from life without the caveat of a forced ideology attached’.

Andrew is very open about himself while speaking for the group. He talks honestly about the initial ‘am I ready to meet new people’ phase, before ’Getting out of the way of your own self-judgment and second-hand embarrassment, and

really letting go and having fun.’

He calls himself a ‘neurodivergent, reformed ex-jaded-ironic-hipster’ and admits, ‘I like to be my silly, authentically me version of myself with people who feel the same way.’

What he is saying touches on the selfjudging, neurodivergent shy boy within me, and I begin to see why Sunday Assembly has people hooked.

It is almost entirely made up of volunteers who come together to plan and prepare each event, which could be sharing a literary experience over a drink in the Lyttleton Theatre bar once a month or at the regular Sunday Assembly in the Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnal Green. Other social

gatherings like escape rooms and film nights are also arranged.

But there is a special event that harks back to its founding members’ lives in comedy, and that is a night of comedy to raise funds for Sunday Assembly.

Five comedians, all giving their time and craft for free, and on a Thursday instead of a Sunday.

James Ross, who runs the Chortle Award-winning Quantum Leopard, will host Laugh to Keep the Lights On. Four comedians on one night of laughter: the ‘winningly weird’ Alex Franklin, ‘bawdy and brassy’ Jamie Mykaela, Ben Pope who went from the Footlights to the Fringe, and one of my favourites, Mark Thomas, whose anarchic activism

always raises a smile.

I asked Andrew for any last words, and he had some great ones: ‘As the world feels to be evermore consumed by division and isolation, the more the voice reminding us that humans are a sociable beast becomes an unwavering certainty. I say listen to that voice!

Check out Sunday Assembly: www. sundayassembly.com/ COLAB Theatre, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HB. Thursday 10th April from 7:30pm to 10pm (doors open at 7:30pm; show starts at 8pm). Admission: £15, £10.

Booking: www.sundayassembly.com/ news/laugh-to-keep-the-lights-on/

EVENTS 21

Conversations on Kindness You are invited to Bernadette Russell’s book launch and show – the true story of one woman’s mission to answer the question “Can Kindness Change the World?”. Involving cakes, compliments, phone boxes and Billy Bragg teaching her how to play “The Milkman of Human Kindness” in a cupboard at the BBC; this is a comedy about how, despite what we are told about the state of the world and its troubles, there is more love than hate, more hope than fear, more good than bad. All this plus a chance to win a million pounds… After the show, Bernadette will be answering questions about her book Conversations on Kindness and signing them, too. The event is recommended for those aged 14 and over. This event is a fundraiser – all profits from ticket sales will go to Deptford charity the 999 Club. It is also a part of the Deptford Literature Festival, which is taking place from Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 March this year.

© National Maritime Museum, London

© Gareth Brierley

Heading south - our pick of upcoming spring events

Pioneering Women in Observatories As new technologies and instruments transformed astronomy in the late 1800s, observatory directors around the world started to employ women as cheap labour to help assemble and process vast amounts of photographic glass plates for new star catalogues.

Some of these “computers” only stayed for a few months or years, but others became experts in their own right and forged long-term careers in astronomy and associated sciences. Discover more about these pioneering women in an evening panel discussion and film screening at the Royal Observatory’s Peter Harrison Planetarium. Hear from researchers who have investigated women working at observatories in the UK, US and Australia. Who were these women? What did they do? What challenges did they face, and how did conditions vary between observatories? The evening ends with a screening of Hidden Figures (2016) to illustrate the parallel themes of gender and race discrimination as experienced by women scientists in the Apollo space programme.

Date: Thursday 27 March 2025, 7:30pm. Tickets: £8 to £10 The Albany, Douglas Way, SE8 4AG www.thealbany.org.uk/shows/conversations-on-kindness

Date: Friday 28 March 2025, 6pm. Tickets: Adults £10, Students £9 Royal Observatory, Blackheath Avenue, SE10 8XJ www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/royal-observatory/pioneering-women-observatories-1880-1930

In Celebration of my Sisters

Return to the Forbidden Planet

Visit Woolwich Works this Mother’s Day for “In Celebration of My Sisters”, the UK’s longest-running familyfriendly variety show. A Mother’s Day show celebrated by all cultures for International Women’s Month.

This all-female variety show started 32 years ago at Brixton Academy and In Celebration of My Sisters has since played across the UK. This is a night of lovers rock, opera, reggae, soul, R&B, comedy, religious blessings, motivational speakers, afro-beats, poetry and nu-

school from the upcoming young sisters.

Hosted by Felicity Ethnic, you’ll get to see work from: Carroll Thompson, Queen of Lovers Rock; Melody Compton, Pegasus Opera Company; Aunty Hawa Kamara’s comedy; ballet dancer Rachel Ridley; plus lots more.

Date: Sunday 30 March 2025, 7pm Tickets: £28.50, concessions available Woolwich Works, The Fireworks Factory, 11 No 1 Street, SE18 6HD www.woolwich.works/events/ in-celebration-of-my-sisters-mothersday-show

Ed Byrne: Tragedy Plus Time From the quote attributed to Mark Twain, humour is defined as “Tragedy Plus Time”.

Now, Ed Byrne is testing that formula by mining the most tragic event in his life for laughs – and it’s coming to Blackheath Halls this April. As seen on Live at the Apollo, plus regular appearances on QI and Mock the Week, Ed’s humour is sure to bring a night of laughter. This event is strictly for those 14+, with parental guidance that there is likely to be swearing and adult content.

Date: Friday 4 April 2025, 7:30pm Tickets: £32.50 Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, SE3 9RQ www.blackheathhalls.com/whats-on/edbyrne-tragedy-plus-time

Shakespeare’s forgotten rock and roll masterpiece… Inspired by The Tempest, an amateur production of Return to the Forbidden Planet comes to Greenwich Theatre this March. The high-energy musical is packed with rock’n’roll classics including “Great Balls of Fire”, “Good Vibrations”, “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”, “Young Girl” and “Gloria”. Students from Rose Bruford College’s actor-musician programme, in collaboration with technical, design and management courses, present this celebrated and Olivier Award-winning musical. The show is by Bob Carlton, inspired by the motion picture Forbidden Planet, courtesy of Turner Entertainment and directed by Alexandra Spencer Jones.

Dates: Wednesday 19 to Friday 21 March 2025, times vary. Tickets: £11 Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, SE10 8ES greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/forbiddenplanet

Regency Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea Celebrate Mother’s Day with an afternoon tea in the Old Royal Naval College’s Admiral’s House.

You will enjoy a traditional afternoon tea with homemade sweet and savoury scones, quintessentially British sweet treats, paired with organic Hope and Glory teas while enjoying views of the River Thames.

Your ticket includes a loose-leaf tea selection, a selection of homemade sandwiches and sweet treats, plus sparkling wine and champagne available to order, too, if you’d like to toast with a tipple. Admiral’s House is the oldest building at the Old Royal Naval College, commissioned by Charles II as his new royal palace in 1660. Not usually open to the general public, this event presents the chance to indulge in its regal yet intimate atmosphere. You can also make it an extra special experience by pre-ordering a bouquet of flowers or a small gift awaiting your guest on arrival.

Date: Sunday 30 March 2025, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm and 3:30pm Tickets: Adults £65, Children £30 Admiral’s House, Old Royal Naval College, SE10 9NN ornc.org/whats-on/regency-mothersday-afternoon-tea

22 HISTORY

EDWARD OXFORD: THE KENNINGTON BOY WHO TRIED TO SHOOT QUEEN VICTORIA

© Bethlem Museum of the Mind

© Library of Congress (Creative Commons)

History

Edward Oxford c1856

Edward Oxford shooting at Queen Victoria as she rode in a carriage with Prince Albert on Constitution Hill on June 10, 1840

By Issy Clarke THE YEAR was 1840, and Queen Victoria had been on the throne for two years. Everything seemed to be going right for England’s beautiful young monarch.

members.

So what could have motivated him to make such a pointless attempt on the Queen’s life?

The evidence increasingly pointed to one explanation - that Oxford was simply insane. His mother Hannah told the jury he was prone to fits of rage followed by outbursts of maniacal laughter. She believed her son had inherited a streak of lunacy present in his father George; a violent alcoholic who used to threaten, beat and starve her.

At the close of the trial, Oxford was acquitted on the grounds of insanity and imprisoned in Bethlem Criminal Lunatic Asylum (now the site of The Imperial War Museum). The jury in its verdict concluded that the young man’s crimes had been motivated by a maniacal desire for notoriety - and besides, no bullets were ever discovered, making it difficult to prove he had fired anything other than powder.

Life in the asylum was surprisingly fruitful for Oxford, becoming the setting for a journey of intellectual discovery.

He learned Latin, Greek, French, Spanish and German. He knitted, played the violin and became a chess player. He was well regarded by his supervisors who noted that he “conducted himself with great propriety at all times”, and even expressed some remorse for his past.

In 1867, aged 45 and after 27 years locked up, he was granted conditional release from the asylum and despatched to Australia – the imperial outpost to which

Today the asylum is the site of the Imperial War Museum

© Google Maps

She had recently married her beloved husband Albert and was pregnant with her first child, the future Princess Victoria.

Little did the young Queen Victoria know when she woke up on the morning of 9 June 1840, that an 18-year old barman named Edward Oxford was plotting her murder from lodgings in Kennington’s No. 6 West Square.

Oxford was born in Birmingham, arriving in London with his mother and sisters after his father died when he was seven.

His father’s early death meant Oxford began working in pubs at a young age but was regularly sacked after his strange behaviour alarmed customers. In one instance, he hurled missiles from the roof at passers-by; at another, he used to turn off all the gaslights when the pub was filled with customers, and even turned a knife on one of his colleagues.

As he stood on Constitution Hill on that warm June evening waiting to catch sight of the Queen, there was nothing outwardly suspicious about this scrawny but welldressed 18-year-old from south London.

However, concealed within his dress coat were two pistols, and he was waiting for the perfect moment to fire.

A few hours later, the royal carriage pulled

out of the palace gates and began making its way down Constitution Hill, until it was three or four feet away from Oxford.

He theatrically withdrew both pistols and fired two successive shots, piercing the evening with a deafening crack.

Fortunately, Prince Albert had spotted him raise the pistols and pushed Victoria down into the carriage to protect her from the gunfire. The unharmed royal couple rushed off in their carriage, while onlookers immediately rounded upon the attempted assassin. Initially they grabbed the wrong man, prompting Oxford to bizarrely declare: ‘It was I, it was me that did it.”

Oxford was charged with high treason a crime punishable by death - and a trial date was set at the Old Bailey for 9 July. The drama had captured the nation’s attention, and on the first day of the trial it seemed as if the whole of London was crammed into the courtroom.

Those present were bemused by his curious demeanour. He seemed strangely oblivious, even aloof, to the proceedings.

A psychologist giving evidence at the trial described Oxford’s “absolute insensibility to the heinousness of his offence, and to the peril of his situation”.

When the police searched Oxford’s house they found papers of a ‘Young England Society’ - purportedly a pseudorevolutionary republican organisation but which, on closer inspection, turned out to be an elaborate fantasy constructed by Oxford, with fictitious rules and made-up

former convicts were often banished.

But Edward Oxford would leave his old identity in the Old World. In Australia, he reinvented himself as John Freeman, and began immersing himself in voluntary work. He married, became a well-known religious figure, and wrote a wide-ranging book dealing with the state of Melbourne’s slums.

Such was his reinvention that he was even invited by the Queen’s governor to a ball celebrating Victoria’s 70th birthday celebrations. Only Oxford would have known the irony of this - if he had gotten his way all those years ago, Victoria would have been buried for nearly half a century.

‘Freeman’ continued to wrestle with his secret dual-identity for the rest of his life.

After he published his book he penned a letter to one of the stewards at the asylum who he had kept in touch with, lamenting: “You are the only man in the world, besides

myself, who could connect me with the book. Even my wife, the sharer of my joys and sorrows, is no wiser than the rest of the world.”

The assassination attempt has been the subject of recent dramatisations - firstly for the 2009 film Young Victoria, and later in the 2016 ITV series Victoria.

‘Freeman’ died in 1900 at the age of 78, a year before Queen Victoria, and the two fragments of his identity were only pieced together by historians in the 1980s.

His case was an early instance of mental ill-health being used a defence against imprisonment, which would pave the way for the creation in the 1840s of a more consistent definition of insanity in English law. Still, despite his unexpected acquittal and later reinvention in Australia, Oxford is primarily remembered as the first of seven men who tried to murder Queen Victoria.

God save the Queen.

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

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

FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENT

Memorial Fourth Anniversary 10th March 2025

UNA WHITE

Claddagh, Galway City/ Peckham, London

Send in your FREE

Mother's Day message

to katie@cm-media. co.uk and it will appear in END OF MARCH EDITION

Rest in peace Loved and missed every day by her husband Tony and all the family.

Xxxx

Become a volunteer driver!

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

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.

PUBLIC NOTICES 25

Thursday, March 6th 2025

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (ALBANY ROAD, COLLEGE ROAD, FOUNTAIN DRIVE, LONG LANE, PURBROOK STREET, AMELIA STREET, BETHWIN ROAD, BOROUGH HIGH STREET, ILDERTON ROAD

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (CAMBERWELL STATION ROAD, CONSORT ROAD, GROSVENOR PARK, HUNTSMAN STREET, KING JAMES STREET, MANOR GROVE, SOUTHWARK PARK ROAD, SUTHERLAND SQUARE

(TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC)

(TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC)

1.

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

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:

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) Albany Road, between Camberwell Road and Albany Road (2b) College Road, between Dulwich Wood Park and Fountain Drive (2c) Fountain Drive, between Kingswood Drive and College Road (2d) Long Lane, between Bermondsey Street and Wilds Rents (2e) Purbrook Street, between Riley Road and Tower Bridge Road (2f) Amelia Street, between Robert Dashwood Way and Railway Bridge (2g) Bethwin Road, between No’s 37a and Jewell Street (2h) Borough High Street, south bound lane of carriageway between No’s 223 – 227 (Mitre House) (2i) Ilderton Road, at it’s junction with Hornshay Street 3.

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be Camberwell Road, Walworth Road, Heygate Street, Rodney Road, Flint Street, Thurlow Street. Albany Road, Wells Way, Cottage Green, Southampton Way, New Church Road, Bowyer Place, Camberwell Road. (2b) & (2c) Crystal Palace Parade, College Road, Dulwich Wood Park, Kingswood Drive (2d) as indicated by the signs displayed (2e) Tower Bridge Road, Abbey Street, Riley Road. Riley Road, he Grange, Grange Road, Tower Bridge Road. (2f) Steedman Street Walworth Road, Manor Place, Crampton Street (2g) Bethwin Road, John Ruskin Street, Camberwell Road (2h) Marshalsea Road, Southwark Bridge Road, Great Suffolk Street (2i) as indicated by the signs displayed

4.

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

5.

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

6.

The closure will be in operation on the following dates: (2a) 26th – 28th March (2b) & (2c) 24th – 26th March, the work will be carried out in phases (2d) 20th – 21st March, between 20:00hrs and 05:00hrs (2e) 26th – 27th March (2f) 24th – 25th March between 22:00hrs and 05:00hrs (2g) 20th – 21st March between 22:00hrs and 05:00hrs (2h) 24th – 25th March between 21:00hrs and 07:00hrs (2i) 22nd March - 30th April

7.

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

Dated this 6th 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) 56221100/conway (2b) 12616434/20959967/conway (2c) 77438310/conway (2d) 02109661/conway (2e) 47906634/Conway (2f) LBSCR13964/amey (2g) LBSCR13966/amey (2h) LBSCR13970/NTS (2i) SEC50/ILDERTONRPH3/BLU3

(2a) Camberwell Station Road, at it’s junction with Camberwell New Road (2b) Consort Road, opposite N’s 4 Consort Road (2c) Grosvenor Park, between No’s 37 to it’s blocked end (2d) Huntsman Street, at it’s junction with Elsted Street (2e) King James Street, between Belvedere Buildings and Rushworth Street (2f) Manor Grove, between Ormside Street and Ilderton Road (2g) Southwark Park Road, between No’s 304 and Galleywall Road (2h) Sutherland Square, between No’s 50 and No’s 7a (by bridge) 3.

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be as indicated by the signs displayed

4.

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

5.

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

6.

The closure will be in operation on the following dates: (2a) 18th March (2b) 14th – 15th March (2c) 17th March (2d) 17th – 21st March (2e) 17th – 18th March (2f) 17th March – 6th May (2g)18th – 19th March (2h)

7.

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

Dated this 6th 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) 83737456 (2b) LBSCR13843 (2c) 54900265 (2d) HUNTSMAN-V8195 (2e) LBSCR13963 (2f) SEC50/MANORGROCT24 (2g) 77814260 (2h) LBSCR13965

Notice of Application for a Premises Licence made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 Please take notice that I / we STOMPING GROUNDS CAFE LTD Have made application to Southwark Council for a new Premises Licence in respect of STOMPING GROUNDS CAFE, 9-11 CHUMLEIGH GARDENS, CHUMLEIGH STREET, ALMSHOUSE NORTH, LONDON SE5 0BE 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:

Monday to Sunday

10:00

21:00

Opening hours:

Monday to Sunday

08:30

21:00

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

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

Date of application: 24th February 2025

230 Old Kent Road, London, SE1 5UB

Appeal against a planning enforcement notice on ground A (i.e. on the grounds that planning permission should be granted).

The planning enforcement notice requires the removal of an unauthorised upward extension that creates an additional storey.

To submit a comment, use the appeals casework portal (https://www.gov.uk/appeal-enforcementnotice/comment-on-an-appeal).

The Planning Inspectorate Appeal Reference Number is APP/A5840/C/25/3358411.

You must submit your comments by 7 April 2025.

A copy of the enforcement notice is available on the Southwark planning register, use the enforcement reference 24/EN/0268 (https://planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications/).

For further guidance see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/enforcement-appeals-dealtwith-by-written-representations-taking-part/f82fd061-e1c2-40a3-9f41-1e9c9ca522a3#what-you-can-do.

Reason for publicity: STDCA.

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

26 PUBLIC NOTICES

Thursday, March 6th 2025

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

How to comment on this application: You should submit your comments via the above link. Comments received will be made available for public viewing on the website. All personal information will be removed except your postal address. Online comments submitted without an email address will not be acknowledged and those marked 'confidential' will not be considered. Written comments can be submitted to; Southwark Council, Chief executive's department, Planning division, Development Management, PO Box 64529, London SE1 5LX. Reason for publicity. The applications are advertised for the reasons identified by the following codes: AFFECT - development affecting character or appearance of a nearby conservation area; OR development affecting setting of a nearby listed building(s); DEP - departure from the development plan; EIA - environmental impact assessment (these applications are accompanied by an environmental statement a copy of which may be obtained from the Council - there will be a charge for the copy); MAJ - major planning application; STDCA - development within a conservation area; STDLB - works to or within the site of a listed building; 50 BURBAGE ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE24 9HE(Ref: 25/AP/0487) Variation of Condition 1 (Approved plans) for full planning application ref: 23/AP/2512 dated: 27/11/2023 for 'Demolition of existing detached garage to rear of property. Demolition of existing two storey bay window at the rear of the property and installation of new bi-folding windows at first floor level. Construction of a single storey side and rear extension. New dormer extension to rear roof pitch and loft conversion at second floor level. New conservation roof lights to side roof pitches over main body of house. External refurbishment and landscaping works to the front and rear gardens and side passage.'

Amendment sought: Updates to design to meet the requirements of Dulwich Estate Scheme of Management including: Reduce the footprint of single storey side/rear extension. This includes size and arrangement of roof. Rear first floor bay window to be retained as existing. Reduce the footprint of rear dormer. Rear dormer roof amended from pitched to flat. (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Agneta Kabele 020 7525 3148) THE CHARTER SCHOOL RED POST HILL LONDON SOUTHWARK SE24 9JH (Ref: 25/AP/0171) Restoration and relocation works to Grade II Listed sculpture Striding Man from an unused

outdoor gym area to the main front entrance of the school. Works to the sculpture involve repairs, cleaning and relocation of the sculpture to the main front entrance of the school where there will be increased visibility. Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Anna Poulose 020 7525 3174) 68 HENSHAW STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE17 1PD (Ref: 25/AP/0357) Construction of two-storey rear extension with roof terrace. (Within: Yates Estate And Victory CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Glenn Ruane 020 7525 5840) 12 DULWICH VILLAGE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE21 7AL (Ref: 25/AP/0489) Upgrading two existing buildings in the Griffin Sports Ground the Pavilion and Changing Block to better serve modern, inclusive sports needs while retaining their current uses. Internally, the changing rooms will be reconfigured for safeguarding compliance and accessible design, with improved shower, toilet, and fitness areas.

Externally, key improvements include new ramps, new and enlarged windows, additional bicycle parking, and rooftop photovoltaic panels.

The single residential unit on the first floor of the Changing Block remains in situ, segregated by adequate fire and acoustic separation. There is no substantive change of use or intensification of

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (BURROWS MEWS, EAST DULWICH ROAD, RUSHWORTH STREET, SUNRAY AVENUE, HONOR OAK RISE, FOREST HILL ROAD, BRENCHLEY GARDENS, HEYGATE STREET (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) 1.

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

2.

Whilst the works are in progress, or whilst the authorised traffic signs/road markings are displayed, no person shall cause any vehicle to enter, proceed, stop, wait, load or unload at any time in: (2a) Burrows Mews, between Ufford Street and it’s blocked end (2b) East Dulwich Road, between Adys Road and Grove Vale (2c) Rushworth Street, between Webber Street and King James Street (2d) Sunray Avenue, between No’s 27 to it’s blocked end (2e) Honor Oak Rise, between No’s 11 (2f) Forest Hill Road, banned right turn from Forest Hill Road into Brenchley Gardens (2g) Brenchley Gardens, banned right turn from Brenchley Gardens into Forest Hill Road (2h) Heygate Street, bus/cycle lane suspension located between Bodley Way and O’Callaghan Way.

3.

The alternative routes for affected traffic will be (2a) not applicable (2b) Adys Road, East Dulwich Road, Grove Vale (2c) as indicated by the signs displayed (2d) Crosswaithe Avenue, Dylways, Blanchedown, Denmark Hill, Sunray Avenue, Nairne Grove, Woodfarrs (2e) not applicable (2f) (2g) Forest Hill Road, Colyton Road, Cheltenham Road, Ivydale Road, Merttins Road, Brenchley Gardens. Forest Hill Road, Honor Oak Road, London Road, Barry Road, Peckham Rye (2h) not applicable.

4.

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

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) 28th – 29th March (2b) 31st March – 2nd April (2c) 28th March (2d) 28th March – 9th May (2e) (2f) (2g) 24th – 27th March (2h) 20th March

7.

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

Dated this 6th 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) 81659585/Conway (2b) 74169022/Conway (2c) 75750973/Conway (2d) 17748388/Conway (2e) (2f) (2g) SA-840748HOR/Cappagh (2h) LBSMA13958/Readesigns

To place a public notice, please email em@cm‐media.co.uk

site activities; rather, the works seek to modernize, refurbish, and sustainably enhance the existing sports facilities. (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Emily Williams 020 7525 1249) 4A WOODWARDE ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE22 8UJ (Ref: 25/AP/0350) Replacement of existing double-glazed metal crittall windows in timber frames with proposed double-glazed timber windows to match existing in style and appearance (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ibrahim Azam 020 7525 2876) Dated: 04 Mar 2025 - comments to be received within 21 days of this date (or 30 days for EIA development).

STEPHEN PLATTS - Director of Planning and Growth

GREAT NEW SHOWS FOR SPRING! A Unicorn Production

22 MAR – 4 MAY

BASED ON THE BOOK BY ALEXIS DEACON

Tickets from £10.50

29 MAR – 19 APR

Ages 18 months - 4 years Tickets from £18.50

ADAPTED BY DEBBIE HANNAN

A Unicorn Theatre Production with Rose Theatre, Nicoll Entertainment, The Lowry, Northern Stage & MAST Mayflower Studios

21 MAY – 22 JUN

Ages 3 - 8

For ages 3 – 7

Tickets from £12.50

Ages 3+ Tickets from £12.50

20 MAY – 1 JUN

YOLLY AD South Londoner 250mm W x 300mm H.pdf

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SPORT 29

© Lily Boorer

LIONESSES MAKE CUP EXIT

By John Kelly MILLWALL LIONESSES are out of the League Cup after a tough afternoon in their 5-0 defeat against Fulham in the semi-finals at St Paul’s last weekend.

Fulham are only two points ahead of the Lionesses in the L&SERWFL Premier Division though the Cottagers have six games in hand - but

the they had far too much for Ted Jones’s side in Rotherhithe.

The visitors were 2-0 up inside six minutes. In the first minute, Kayleigh Stead got on the end of Ellie Olds’ cross to beat goalkeeper Annis-Clara Wright.

Leeta Rutherford doubled the lead from Lily Stevens’ corner and Olds made it 3-0 after seventeen minutes.

Olds headed in her second from Madi Parsonson

in the 42nd minute to complete miserable half for the hosts.

Millwall managed to close the floodgates in the second half until Georgia Heasman hit the post and Ella Newman fired in the rebound in the fifth minute of stoppage-time.

Ted Jones’ side now turn their attentions back to the league and the chance of revenge when they host Fulham in Rotherhithe this Sunday at 1.30pm.

Meanwhile, the Lionesses have added Olivia Harris to their squad from Bowers and Pitsea.

Millwall Lionesses: Wright, Connell, Chapman, Bennett, Huseyin, Menezes, Wood, Watling, Lockett, Jennings, McGregor.

Substitutes: Francis, Joyce, Townsend, Squirrell, Seely

Riakporhe-Okolie showdown ‘had to happen’

By John Kelly

RICHARD RIAKPORHE said his fight with Lawrence Okolie “had to happen” despite there being no title on the line when they meet in a heavyweight showdown at Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena on April 5.

Richard Riakporhe

Whyte out of Joyce fight

The pair have been goading each other for years and almost came to blows at an event in London in 2023.

Walworth’s Riakporhe 17-1 (13 KOs) and Hackney’s Okolie, 21-1 (16 KOs), have lost only once, both against Chris Billam-Smith

By John Kelly DILLIAN WHYTE has pulled out of his scheduled heavyweight fight against Joe Joyce because of a finger injury.

The contest was scheduled to headline the Queensberry Promotions event in Manchester in April.

Joyce, 39, will remain as the headliner as a new opponent is sought.

“It’s gutting for Joe,” a source told The Sun. “He has trained, as usual, incredibly hard for this and Dillian was an ideal opponent.

“If there is one thing British boxing fans know about Joe, it’s that he will fight anyone and, thankfully, there are lots of good heavyweights out there.

“Joe has no interest in dropping below world level - Joe will take on anyone.”

Thirty-six-year-old Whyte’s last fight in the UK was a win against Jermaine Franklin at Wembley in November 2022.

Whyte defeated Ebenezer Tetteh in seven rounds in Gibraltar in December.

at cruiserweight.

They have now stepped up to heavyweight in an event which is Queensberry’s first of their new deal with DAZN. “Obviously I want a world title and that’s always been my main focus,” Riakporhe, 35, said. “But I feel like sometimes in boxing, there’s some rivalries where there’s no titles involved - or world titles but the fights have to happen.

“There’s been fights in the past that didn’t come off, like Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe. People wanted to see those fights and they never happened.

“Even to today, years later, people are still upset that it didn’t manifest, didn’t materialise.

“I’m here for a good time, not a long time.

I want to be able to rest and say, ‘You know what? I did that, did this, did this, did that.

I fought all of these guys, I tested myself. I challenged myself. All the odds stacked up against me.’

“It’s a good feeling for me.”

Riakporhe is confident he can make a winning return against 32-year-old Okolie after his unanimous points defeat to Billam-Smith at Selhurst Park last June.

“One hundred per cent. I feel like in this

game, if you’re not confident in yourself, you shouldn’t be here.” Riakporhe said.

“You shouldn’t be at the table. Don’t come to the fights. Don’t step in the ring because it’s a dangerous place to be. [I learned] many things, man. Many things about myself. My mentality. Things that went good. Things that didn’t go good.

Things that I should have done better. So much. When you lose, you really go back into a cave and just really kind of assess absolutely everything.

“Me personally, I actually believe it was a good thing for me. Yeah, it was a good thing that happened.”

didn’t do their jobs when we haven’t got the ball in the second half. I was disappointed in that. But don’t take anything away from the lad. He’s a hell of a player, he’s a great talent. Just disappointed that I’ve had to take a good player off because of petulant fouls.”

Quinton felt Lewes’ spot-kick was soft when Jordan Wynter was penalised.

“The referee’s not looking at the player or the ball when Wyns heads to the ball,” Quinton said. “And there’s three of our players around as the ball’s come in. Whether Max [Hudson] could have told him to duck out, but Wyns has stood his ground. I think the player’s smart. He’s done well. He’s felt contact.

“I watched it back in the office now, because we’re able to, it’s not a penalty, it’s not a penalty. But when you call for things [when you feel

contact] sometimes the referees, they give it.”

Dulwich travel to play-off chasing Hashtag United on Saturday for a 3pm kick-off.

Quinton added: “I’m not going to shout and scream and all that because I don’t need to. The boys are gutted with the second-half performance.

Now we focus and we work on things like we did in the first half. We’ve done our job on them in the first half and how they played. A very good passing team, very comfortable on the ball.

But we seem to have allowed them to do that in the second half. And we stepped away from it. That’s what I was disappointed with.

“We look forward to training now.

We’ve got good games in front of us, important games. We’re looking forward to training so we can try and focus on what we’re doing. Move forward and we get on with it.”

Hamlet Lewes it late on as unbeaten run ends

By John Kelly DULWICH HAMLET conceded two late goals to lose 3-1 to Lewes at a capacity Champion Hill as their three-match unbeaten run in the Isthmian League Premier Division ended last weekend.

Amaru Kaunda ’s goal gave Bradley Quinton’s side a 1-0 lead at half-time.

Ollie Starkey equalised in the 57th minute before Danny Bassett scored a penalty four minutes from time and added his second in the last minute.

Dulwich are still dogged by relegation worries as they sit just five points above the drop zone with ten games left.

Quinton revealed there was something of a post-mortem to find out what went wrong in the second half.

“Very disappointed with how we came out second half and how we set up,” Quinton said. “Seemed to change on the pitch, which was quite interesting.

We spoke about that after, quite indepth with the players. We seemed to change the game plan on the pitch rather than in the dressing room. Yes, they made some changes formationwise, but the communication needed to be better on the pitch during the game.

“Disappointed not to come in 2-0 up at half-time. Some silly decisions that we made internally, I think, to lose the game.”

Quinton had some praise for Kaunda but warned he needs to knock some rough edges off his game.

“He’s done ever so well for us,” Quinton said. “He’s worked great off the ball. We had to take him off because of his discipline in terms of giving away some silly fouls. Numerous fouls. The referee’s mentioned it, one more time and he’s off. So it’s hard to take off a very effective player.

“Saying that, him and a few others

30 SPORT FA CUP FIFTH ROUND Crystal P - 3 Tanganga OG 33’, Munoz 40’, Nketiah 81’ Millwall - 1 Harding 45+13’ Date: Saturday 1 March 2025 Man of the match: Eddie Nketiah Referee: Michael Oliver Attendance: 21,263

By Will Scott at Selhurst Park TEN-MAN MILLWALL were knocked out of the FA Cup by south London rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday, losing 3-1 after a disastrous opening 40 minutes saw goalkeeper Liam Roberts sent off and the Eagles score two soft goals.

Any hopes the Lions had of causing a famous upset were severely dented when Roberts sprinted out of his box to clear a ball over the top and kicked Palace striker Jean-Phillipe Mateta in the face in the process.

They were then practically extinguished when the usually reliable Japhet Tanganga nodded the ball into his own goal before the Eagles doubled their lead when a mishit clearance deflected into the path of Daniel Munoz, who volley the ball past Lukas Jensen.

Wes Harding pulled one back for Millwall on the cusp of half-time after some good work by Femi Azeez, and the Lions had a couple of chances to equalise at set-pieces - mostly created by aiming the ball at sixfoot-four Jake Cooper’s head.

That Millwall were able to make Selhurst Park uneasy for most of the second half is a credit to how Lions boss Alex Neil set his side up and they were able to nullify a Premier League side with ten men until the 81st minute, when Eddie Nketiah put paid to any hopes of a comeback with a looping header from a free kick.

It was still an underwhelming way for the Lions to lose - Neil spent all week preparing his side to take the game to the Eagles, and they started off with plenty of intent, but his game plan was quickly thrown out the window and was ultimately undone by three catastrophic first-half mistakes.

In a press conference ahead of the match, Neil implored his players to not do “anything silly” as VAR would be used during the match - the first instance of the Lions playing in a game featuring the technology this season.

However, it took only seven minutes for Neil’s words to be rendered futile.

Will Hughes put the ball over the top for Mateta to run onto and Roberts rushed out to clear it, winning the ball but

LIONS’ BLUNDERS SINK FA CUP HOPES Ten-man Millwall hand rivals Crystal Palace a spot in the quarterfinals after a disastrous start that saw Liam Roberts sent off for a high boot and an own goal

Liam Roberts collides with JeanPhillipe Mateta as he attempts to clear the ball - a challenge he would receive a red card for

following through and painfully kicking the Frenchman in the head. Oliver was sent to the pitchside monitor and after a short check elected to give Roberts a red card.

In response, Neil brought off Luke Cundle for Jensen and looked to sit back, while the Eagles sent on Eddie Nketiah to replace Mateta, who had to be stretchered off the pitch.

The ex-Arsenal forward immediately started to cause problems in the box having a goal disallowed for handball only a

minute after coming on and forcing several saves off of Jensen.

Palace looked dangerous every time they came forward - especially with their wingbacks stretching the outnumbered Lions - Eberechi Eze had a shot scrambled away

by Jensen and Joe Bryan blocked the follow up. Only minutes later Ben Chilwell beat the offside trap and was put through on goal, but his low effort was well saved by Jensen.

From the resulting corner, the Eagles drew first blood. The ball was recycled

and Eze found space near the byline. The England international passed it back to Will Hughes, who fired in a fierce cross that Tanganga headed into his own net.

It was a poor goal to concede, and the Lions shot themselves in the foot again seven minutes later. Marc Guehi chipped the ball into the box towards Munoz, who nodded the ball back. It pinballed around the box before Billy Mitchell attempted to clear, but instead fired it straight into Tanganga’s torso and the ball deflected

Liam Roberts walks off the pitch after being issued a red card

“They’re all professionals out there, they’ve got to treat each other like professionals and have a duty of care to their fellow professionals. That goalkeeper hasn’t had one.”

Lions boss Alex Neil disagreed with Parish’s assessment after the game.

“What’s happened is Liam’s come out, he’s tried to get the ball, he’s mistimed it, he’s caught the lad,” Neil said. “There’s no more than that from my perspective. I completely disagree with that.

“He’s certainly not intended to hurt the player or anything like it. Obviously we wish Mateta the best and hope he gets back on the pitch. I don’t know how bad it is or how bad it isn’t. I’ll be honest with you.

“At the time I actually thought he might make contact with the ball. I haven’t seen it back. But the fact is, if he’s caught

him and he deserves to be sent off, it’s a sending off.

“But it’s certainly no more than that. I don’t agree with the fact that he’s went out and intended to try and hurt the player. It was five minutes into the game.

I don’t agree with that at all.”

Several outlets, including the Daily Mail who have since been banned from covering Millwall games and press conferences, implied Roberts’ challenge may have been intentional, prompting a strong reaction from the club.

“The club are disgusted by abuse directed towards goalkeeper Liam Roberts following Saturday’s unfortunate collision with Jean-Philippe Mateta,” a spokesperson for Millwall said.

“The reporting on the matter, as well as disgraceful suggestions made by

straight into the path of Munoz, who tapped it in from yards out.

The Lions looked down and out as they headed into thirteen minutes of injury time, but miraculously pulled a goal back on the cusp of half-time. Bryan played the ball down the line to Femi Azeez, who burst through two defenders before playing a dangerous cross into the box that Matt Turner pushed clear. It rolled into the path of Wes Harding whose fierce effort deflected off of Chilwell and into Palace’s net.

Millwall looked out of the tie but suddenly were in with a chance as they headed into the dressing room only down one goal.

The Lions started the second half strongly, winning a number of set-pieces - which allowed Cooper to worry Palace’s defenders. Millwall sent a free kick into the box and the defender rose up and nodded down to Azeez, who had two shots blocked before the Eagles eventually cleared the ball.

Palace still dominated the ball but lacked an attacking spark in the second half, prompting Eagles boss Oliver Glasner to send on Romain Esse against his former club, while Alex Neil made a triple change as the Lions attempted to capitalise on their momentum.

One of the substitutes, Mihailo Ivanovic, had a free header from a corner but it was easily saved by Turner.

The game started to become scrappy as Millwall pushed for an equaliser, and eventually Palace killed the game off from a set-piece. Eze put a free kick in towards the back post, it was nodded on to Nketiah, whose header looped over Jensen, hit the post and bounced into the net.

Aidomo Emakhu was sent on with only minutes left, but Palace were comfortably in control of the tie and were able to see out the last ten minutes to secure passage to the quarter-finals, while Millwall now only have the Championship to focus with just under two months left in the season.

Millwall: 4-2-3-1 – Roberts; Bryan, Tanganga, Cooper, Harding; Mitchell (Saville 66), De Norre (Honeyman 66); Neghli (Bangura-Williams 32), Cundle (Jensen 15), Azeez (Emakhu 86); Coburn (Ivanovic 66) Unused Substitutes: Wallace, Wintle, Sturge

Crystal Palace: 3-4-3 - Turner; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Chilwell, Hughes (Wharton 65), Lerma, Munoz (Clyne 90); Sarr (Esse 65), Eze (Franca 85), Mateta (Nketiah 15) Unused Substitutes: Henderson, Mitchell, Kamada, Devenny

Millwall ‘disgusted by abuse’ aimed at keeper Liam Roberts

By Will Scott MILLWALL SAID they are “disgusted by abuse” aimed at Liam Roberts for his red-card challenge on JeanPhillipe Mateta during the Lions’ 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Fifth Round on Saturday.

Roberts was dismissed in the seventh minute after rushing out of his box to clear a ball over the top - getting to the ball first but following through and kicking Mateta painfully in the head.

The French striker had to be stretchered off the pitch and was taken to hospital, where he received 25 stitches on his left ear.

Roberts was issued a red card after a short VAR check, and was roundly criticised by Eagles chairman Steve Parish.

“That is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen,” Parish told the BBC at half-time.

“I think he needs to have a long hard look at himself, that lad, because he’s endangering a fellow professional, maybe even his life with a challenge like that.

certain news organisations and highprofile figures within the sport that Liam intended to harm Jean-Philippe, has contributed to the unwarranted character assassination of Liam and fuelled abhorrent online abuse towards him.

“No player at Millwall Football Club steps onto the pitch with the intent to harm another, and the club will continue to support Liam, who reached out to Jean-Philippe personally on Saturday evening with an apology which was accepted immediately.

“The club are pleased to hear positive updates from Jean-Philippe and wish him the best in his recovery.”

The Football Association has appealed to extend Liam Roberts’ suspension beyond three matches, a claim Millwall will contest.

SPORT 31

ROBINS DISPATCH TOOTHLESS LIONS

Millwall had thirteen shots, only one of which was on target

Millwall ineffective in attack as Bristol City cruise to comfortable win

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP Millwall - 0 Bristol City- 2 Vyner 53’, Cornick 83’ Date: Tuesday 4 March 2025 Referee: Matthew Donohue Attendance: 12,380 (1,248) Man of the match: Zak Vyner

By Will Scott BRISTOL CITY comfortably defeated Millwall 2-0 at The Den on Tuesday evening behind goals by Southwarkborn Zak Vyner and Harry Cornick.

It was a frustrating home performance by the Lions, who registered only one shot on target despite finishing the game with thirteen efforts, while the Robins scored the two clear-cut chances they created both of which were aided by poor Millwall defending.

The Lions were able to get up the pitch

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP

and Bristol City left spaces to attack, but time and time again they gave the ball away in promising positions, and ultimately failed to really threaten a side that had not won away from home since November.

The game was potentially a critical sixpointer in the context of the play-off race, and the match had a real intensity to it from the off. While the two sides struggled to create clear-cut chances in the opening 20 minutes, it was a back and forth affair with both teams pressing high and trying to break quickly, leaving themselves

Alex Neil ‘disappointed’ to lose ground on play-offs

By Will Scott

Watford VS

Millwall

Saturday, March 8 (12:30 pm) Possible Millwall starting XI: 4-2-3-1 Jensen; Crama, Tanganga, Cooper, Bryan; De Norre, Saville; Azeez, Cundle, BanguraWilliams; Coburn Last meeting: Sky Bet Championship (August 10, 2024): Millwall 2-3 Watford (Watmore 74’, 88’) (Kayembe 22’, Chakvetadze 55’, Rajovic 90’) Match odds: Watford 2/1 Draw 21/10 Millwall 13/10

exposed at the back.

There were spaces for Millwall to attack, they just lacked a bit of quality on the ball and gave the ball away too easily, while Bristol City started to test Lukas Jensen in the Lions net. Scott Twine forced the Dane into a sprawling save in the 30th minute after a long ball from Zak Vyner found him on the edge of the area.

The Lions did threaten at set-pieces, and Mihailo Ivanovic had a half-decent chance to break the deadlock in the 27th minute from a free kick, but his header deflected off his shoulder and then onto the back

ALEX NEIL said he was “disappointed” that Millwall’s 2-0 loss to Bristol City on Tuesday meant his side lost ground on the play-off spots.

The Lions could have put themselves within four points of sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion with a win, but instead let the gap remain at seven points with eleven league games remaining in the season.

“I’m not going to lie, I’m disappointed tonight because we spoke about it before the game,” Neil said. “This was a great opportunity for us to get a few points on the board and get ourselves closer to that and keep fighting to try and get there. So that’s probably my biggest frustration for the lads really, because we want to keep fighting to try and see if we can push on.”

Millwall now head to tenth-placed Watford on Saturday having won once in

of Crama’s head and then sailed into the hands of Robins keeper Max O’Leary.

Millwall had a bright spell of possession shortly before half-time but did not really look like breaking the deadlock before referee Matthew Donohue whistled to bring the first half to a close.

Lions boss Alex Neil was clearly not happy with what he’d seen and made an enforced change during the break, bringing on Aidomo Emakhu for Femi Azeez who felt his hamstring, and with his first action, the Irish winger won a corner by beating his man.

their past six games.

Neil expects another tricky game.

“Every game in the Championship’s tough,” Neil said. “Every game’s tough for different reasons. Watford’s a really tough place to go.

“They’re a good side, but we’ve been pretty consistent. I think we’ve been alright. That’s two losses in nine, so I’m not doing too badly.

“I think the biggest challenge probably for us, and it’s been the biggest challenge before I came here and still is, can we break teams down at home when the onus is on us to go and try and force the issue?

“I think we’ve got enough quality to do so, I thought tonight we were a little bit cheap with our passing. If that can be better, we give ourselves a better chance. I think tonight’s the first game off memory that we haven’t scored in nine. So we’re doing alright.”

However, the Robins would be the ones to draw first blood, and it came from a corner. In the 53rd minute, Rob Dickie nodded a header into the ground, and it bounced up for Cameron Pring at the near post, who squared the ball across the sixyard box for Vyner to tap into the net.

Despite Millwall going a goal down, Emakhu injected a real potency into their attack, and nearly set up an equaliser four minutes later. He beat his man yet again with his raw pace before putting the ball into the six-yard box. Bristol City managed to scramble it away, but it fell to Ivanovic at the back post who put his volley over.

Neil opted to ring the changes again with the Lions struggling to create much in the next fifteen minutes, bringing on Josh Coburn for Luke Cundle and going two up front.

The Scot’s changes did not have the desired effect, with the Lions only registering two efforts between the 45th minute and the 82nd, neither of which were on target.

While Millwall were proving to be frustratingly inefficient going forward, Bristol City were proving to be effective in front of goal, doubling their lead with only seven minutes of regulation remaining with two substitutes combining for the goal.

Sam Bell broke down the left and had an effort saved by Jensen, but the rebound bounced to Harry Cornick, who calmly passed the ball into the net to all but tie up the three points for the Robins.

The goal sapped all energy out of The Den, and the Lions failed to really mount a convincing comeback attempt. The final whistle blew to call an end to the match and to nearly put the play-offs out of reach. Millwall are now seven points off sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion and still have to play all of the current top four away from home.

Millwall: 4-2-3-1 – Jensen; Bryan, Tanganga, Cooper, Crama; Mitchell (Saville 80), De Norre (Honeyman 80); BanguraWilliams, Cundle (Coburn 69), Azeez (Emakhu 46); Ivanovic Unused Substitutes: Evans, Connolly, Wintle, Harding, Sturge Bristol City: 3-4-3 - O’Leary; Pring (Bell 76), Dickie, Vyner; Sykes (Roberts 69), Knight, Bird, Tanner; Twine (Williams), Armstrong (Cornick 69), Earthy Unused Substitutes: Bajic, Hirakawa, Mehmeti, McGuane, Morrison

Zak Lovelace out for the season

By Will Scott ZAK LOVELACE will likely be out for the rest of the season after undergoing an operation on his knee.

Lovelace, who became Millwall’s second-youngest ever professional player on December 29, 2021, rejoined the Lions from Rangers on the final day of the January transfer window - three years after he swapped south-east London for Glasgow.

However, the nineteen-year-old forward will have to potentially have to wait till next season to make his second Millwall debut, with Alex Neil confirming he had been sidelined by a knee injury.

“I don’t think we’ll see Zak this season,” Neil said. “Zak had an operation just over a week ago, so he’ll probably be one for pre-season.” Zak Lovelace shortly after rejoining Millwall

ALEX NEIL was left ruing the two defensive lapses that allowed Bristol City to leave The Den with a 2-0 win on Tuesday night.

Millwall were not at their best against the Robins, recording just one shot on target that came in the 95th minute, but Bristol City rarely threatened Lukas Jensen in the Lions’ net and scored the only two clear-cut chances they had.

Neil thinks both goals were easily avoidable.

“The corner comes in, we run

LIONESSES MAKE CUP EXIT PAGE 29

‘THE BASICS COST US THE GAME’

Alex Neil rues the defensive lapses that undid Millwall in 2-0 loss to Bristol City

Millwall have only lost two of their past nine league games

By Will Scott

INSIDE

Sport Southwark

under the first one, we don’t deal with the second one, they land on it, square it and score the goal,” Neil said. Then the second goal is a goal kick. Two of our lads go under the ball. We don’t win it, their wide player runs off the back of ours and then we’ve got an opportunity to collect it. We don’t, it spills and then they score the goal.

“So in my view, that’s got nothing to do with how we’re set up or tactics. It’s basics isn’t it? You’ve got a man to pick up from a set play and then go and win a header from a goal kick. It really boiled down to that for me. So the biggest

frustration I’ve got is I think the basics cost us the game really without Bristol having to do too much.

“I don’t think we can dwell on it too much. I don’t think there was a huge amount wrong. We didn’t come here and get played off the pitch. I thought the game was finely balanced really. They had the better of the first half in my opinion without creating too much.

Lukas I think had one saved down the right, from a [Scott] Twine shot. That was about it.

“I thought we got into really good areas in the second half,

particularly Aidomo [Emakhu], I thought he was excellent when he came on. Every time he got the ball, he got a corner, he got a cross in the box.

“Josh Coburn has a header he puts over the bar. We have one at the back stick, Mihailo [Ivanovic] puts it over the bar with a volley.

“So I didn’t think there were huge amounts of clear-cut chances for either team and the worst it should have been for us should have been a 0-0, take the point, move on to the next one. But we didn’t defend two fundamental moments and unfortunately it cost us the game.”

Camiel Neghli out for six weeks with ankle injury

By Will Scott CAMIEL NEGHLI is out for six weeks with an ankle injury he suffered during Millwall’s 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Fifth Round last Saturday.

Neghli, 23, pulled up after stretching to block a cross only 27 minutes into the match, and after initially trying to run it off was brought off six minutes later for Ra’ees Bangura-Williams.

Millwall boss Alex Neil confirmed after the Lions’ 2-0 loss to Bristol City last Tuesday that the club’s record signing would be out until around mid-April.

“Camiel will probably be about six weeks,” Neil said. “He’s rolled his ankle. I think he’s done a bit of damage to a couple of ligaments in his ankle. At the moment the timeline I’ve been given is six weeks.”

Femi Azeez was replaced at half-time on Tuesday, a move Neil confirmed was not tactical.

“Femi was an outlet for us in the first half,” Neil said. “Femi was probably the one that was getting us up the pitch the most and looked as if he could take us up the pitch.

“What we did need in the game, because they play a back five, we needed somebody who’s gonna stay wide, get the ball and get us up the pitch and then put crosses in the box.

Aidomo [Emakhu] was the perfect fit.

“It certainly wasn’t a tactical thing.

He felt his hamstring, so he had to come off.”

Camiel Neghli has made five appearances for Millwall this season THE RECYCLED PAPER CONTENT OF UK NEWSPAPERS IN 2014 WAS 83.5%