Issue 1808 Est: 1988
50p
October 1 2026
southwarknews.co.uk
PECKHAM’S IMANI-LARA IS AIMING FOR OLYMPIC GOLD
MILLWALL NEWS
‘ON THE UP’ John Marquis says Lions are ‘moving in a very good direction’
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:
See pages 4-5
WORK STARTS AT PECKHAM RYE STATION
Bermondsey council home left empty for five years becomes ‘brothel’
See page 6
FLAT OUT SCANDAL
WHAT ARE THE NEW RULES FOR GETTING A COUNCIL HOME? See page 8
See page 4
EXCLUSIVE
See page 9
2 NEWS Contents NEWS Pages 2-11 OPINION Page 12-13
SOUTHWARK COUNCIL REFUSES TO RULE OUT LIBRARY CLOSURES IN NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET
The government’s Fair Funding Review could see cuts of £102 million
ARTS
EXCLUSIVE
Page 14
By Alex Orr
EVENTS
SOUTHWARK COUNCIL has refused to rule out closing libraries or reducing their opening hours in next year’s budget, scheduled for February 2027.
Page 15 CLASSIFIED Page 21 PUBLIC NOTICES Pages 23-27 SPORT Pages 29-32
In response to a motion tabled by Southwark Labour at the council assembly on Wednesday, September 23, Executive Member for Parks and Recreation Vanessa Threadgold did not commit definitively to protecting Southwark’s libraries from incoming cuts, made likely by the council’s £102 million funding gap. Labour’s motion, which called on the GreenLib Dem coalition to promise to “fully protect funding, opening hours, activities, outreach and staffing” at the borough’s public libraries, was amended by Cllr Threadgold, who instead pledged to “do everything possible to protect library services”. Cllr Threadgold also ruled out reviewing and publishing data on the annual Summer Reading Challenge and other council-supported reading programmes in her amendment.
Contact us if you have a story on editor@ southwarknews.co.uk
We are a London Living Wage employer DO YOU HAVE A STORY
for our news team? Call 0207 231 5258 You can WhatsApp us on 07494 070 863.
Cllr Threadgold
Peckham Library is one of many libraries currently run by Southwark Council. Inset; the library in Walworth Town Hall According to Southwark Labour, this data could be used to increase participation in reading activities “amongst groups identified nationally as being less likely to read for pleasure”, such as children with SEND or those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Responding to the Green councillor’s amendment, Labour councillor Richard Leeming, Shadow Member for Parks & Recreation, said: “Southwark’s libraries are a vital resource for our communities; they are places to read, to work, to play, for school students to study, they are also warm hubs in winter, cool spaces in summer, libraries of things and important points of information for our residents. “When faced with difficult financial decisions, councils often start by cutting libraries. Under Lib Dem and Tory austerity, Southwark Labour did the opposite – opening six new libraries in our borough.” Cllr Leeming added:
Three schools. One shared vision.
Find out about our schools’ Open Days: Or visit: chartertrust.org.uk/open-days-secondary
MILLWALL
WE WILL GET BETTER
Editor: Kevin Quinn Reporter: Evie Reporters: EvieFlynn Flynn; Alex Orr Sports Editor: John Kelly Sports reporter: Will Scott Arts Correspondent: Michael Holland Digital Transformation Editor: Katherine Johnston Media Partnerships: Anthony Phillips Advertising: Clarry Frewin, Mandy Stong 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
Neil confident Lions can mount another playoff push
Issue 1807 Est: 1988
50p
‘I’m making too much dough’
See page 5
Septermber 24 2026
southwarknews.co.uk
Yeray’s killers get 4 years each
‘FOR FLIP SAKE’ Don’t take away our skate park for Pickleball courts
EXCLUSIVE See page 4
See page 6
Best of world photography on Bermondsey Street See page 3
“Councillor Threadgold and the Green-led coalition must honour this legacy by protecting local libraries from cuts.” In Cllr Threadgold’s amendment, the coalition pledged to “continue the promotion of reading for pleasure” and “champion” new initiatives such as the Marlborough Storyhouse, a public space offering free books and a place to read for the local community in Bankside. “I love our libraries,” she said. “They’re some of the last free, welcoming spaces in our communities when those third spaces are needed more than ever. Doing everything possible means looking at every option to keep services running before anything else is considered. “The council recognises that libraries are the front door to the council for many residents. Officers have already worked hard to bring in new income, from placing appropriate hospitality operators in sites, to bookable meeting spaces. This income doesn’t close the
gap. We need the government to end the austerity being imposed on Southwark by the ‘Fair Funding Review’. “We’re asking residents to tell us their priorities before we make any budget decisions. Libraries matter to me, and they’ll be part of that conversation.” Cllr Threadgold did not comment on reviewing or publishing data from the annual Summer Reading Challenge. The new council has repeatedly called on the government to re-think the Fair Funding Review, which, it claims, has left it with a £102 million funding gap over four years. But, in an interview with the News earlier this month, Council Leader James McAsh admitted the council was “planning for the worst”. He said they would have to look at all services across the borough as potential areas for cuts and not rule anything out, committing to doing it in a “very transparent” and “open way” to protect residents as much as possible.
The Southwark News is proud to be the only independent, paid for newspaper in London Southwark News started life as the Bermondsey News in 1987, as an A-4 photocopied sheet of paper and rapidly grew to cover the entire borough and the surrounding area. As the borough grew, so did the newspaper. It is owned and run by Chris Mullany and Kevin Quinn. Former reporters for Southwark News, they bought the title in 2002, after the founder Dave Clark died suddenly from cancer four years earlier. A dedicated team of staff work tirelessly to cover as much of what is going on as possible and strive to ensure that a community-led, independent newspaper can survive and excel in a market dominated by national and multinational media groups.
Follow our social media to be updated on local news
southwark-news
@southwark_news
Southwark News is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please contact 0207 231 5258. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk
NEWS 3
A BLOSSOMING IDEA
Alice and Fran Bailey the cofounders of Forest Skincare
New skincare brand from horticultural Dulwich duo
By Myfanwy Fleming-Jones A MOTHER and daughter duo from East Dulwich have launched a new skincare brand for ‘hardworking hands’.
Alice and Fran Bailey, who run The Fresh Flower Company and Forest, have created Forest Skincare after finding that their work as second and thirdgeneration horticulturalists was taking its toll on their hands. The business is the latest venture from the family, after decades working with plants and flowers across south London. Alice, who grew up in Dulwich, said the pair began developing the products after realising how often they needed to moisturise while working with plants. The range is aimed at gardeners, chefs, builders, cleaners - anyone whose hands are in need of some extra care. Alice’s mother, Fran, launched East Dulwich staple The Fresh Flower Company in 1998, starting off specialising in weddings and events at venues including St Paul’s Cathedral, before opening a shop in North Cross Road. Alice later launched Forest as a sister
brand, opening its first shop in East Dulwich in 2013, before expanding to Deptford in 2017. “We found ourselves applying hand cream every 20 minutes whilst we worked. So a year and a half ago we decided to create something of really high quality and high value,” she said. Forest Skincare is made in small, made-to-order batches and its products are 99 per cent natural, with recyclable packaging. The range currently features two key scents, Rooted and Workshop, with a hand cream priced at £25 and a hand wash at £35. The pair say the products are intended to be practical enough for everyday use, while still offering the care needed by people whose hands are exposed to hard work. The brand’s message, ‘Made for hands’, sits at the centre of the range and reflects the people Alice and Fran had in mind when developing it. Through their work in busy London workshops, tending to plants, arranging flowers and sourcing products from local makers, the pair said they saw a need for effective hand care within their
Grooming shop for dogs of ‘all shapes and sizes’ opens in Elephant Park By Alex Orr A GROOMING shop for dogs of “all shapes and sizes” has opened in Elephant and Castle.
Mini Bae, at 3 Hewson Way in Elephant Park, officially opened its doors on September, 16, offering grooming services for all dog breeds and products that “connect the dog to the owner”, such as matching leash and hoodie combos. Founded by Bernese mountain dog owner Steven, the idea behind Mini Bae was to fill a gap in the market, with Steven often finding it difficult to access grooming services in London that would cater to larger dog breeds. “Most dog owners in London have small dogs,” Steven said, “but all dogs deserve to be loved just the same.” He said he chose Elephant and Castle, and particularly Elephant Park, as the site for his business because it reminded him of a mini Central Park.
“I really like the vibe and atmosphere of Elephant and Park. That’s why we picked it.” Mini Bae is open six days a week from 11am-6pm Monday to Friday, and 1-5pm on Saturday.
own community. Alice said they hoped eventually to work with other independent businesses that shared their approach to quality and sustainability. “We want to sell it from other businesses as well, but would like to
work with like-minded brands who share our ethos and pace and invest in quality and also sustainability,” she said. She added: “We feel we have made something lovely and unique that smells good and is good for the environment and we hope people love it as much as
we do.” Forest Skincare is available from The Fresh Flower Company and Forest in south London, as well as online. The range can be found at forestskincare.london
DO YOU live or work in Southwark? Are you committed to strong, inclusive and equal communities where everyone can thrive? Masterpiece of set, script and acting ARTS
page 14
JOIN OUR Board as our next Chair, or as one of two new Trustees.
national voice on housing and ageing — we need people who can help lead it.
United St Saviour’s Charity is looking for people to join our Board. For almost 500 years, we’ve supported the people and communities of Southwark. Over the last decade we’ve nearly doubled our housing provision and delivered Appleby Blue, our almshouse for older people — winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize, the UK’s most prestigious architecture award.
Chair: board leadership experience, ideally having chaired a board before. Trustee: no previous board experience needed, just real judgement and a stake in Southwark’s future. Both roles: strength in housing & property, governance, community development, or finance. Closing date: 14 October 2026. To apply, send a CV and covering letter to Alison Benzimra, Director of Strategy and Operations, abenzimra@ustsc.org.uk. Full details at www.ustsc.org.uk
As we deliver an ambitious new ten-year strategy — more homes for older people, deeper community investment, and a bigger