At ODEON Orpington
warm welcome to our autumn edition, and as Bob Dylan said, the times they are a changin’.
This Summer, Orpington 1st said farewell to our Executive Director Sharon Baldwin who retired after nine years working on behalf of our town centre
by Orpington 1st BID Executive Director, Chris Travers
business community. Sharon brought a wealth of experience to the role. Having spent 25 years with Marks & Spencer, rising to the position of Head Buyer, she worked as an independent retail consultant before becoming Head of District Centre Management in Croydon’s economic development department, and then working for The Association of Town & City Management as a special adviser for London. Anyone who knows Sharon will testify that her passion is infectious, her spirit indefatigable. Orpington is exceptionally lucky to have had her on our team for so long, and we wish her a very happy retirement.
As an Orpington resident of twelve years, I’m delighted to take on the role, albeit in a challenging period for all of us. I’m passionate about seeing Orpington realise its clear potential and helping to make the future a bright one for our town.
Speaking of which, In July we held the second Orpington Children’s Business Fair (page 8). The enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit our young people demonstrated bodes well and fills me with pride and optimism.
15,250 copies are printed of each edition of The Orpington 1st Magazine. 13,000 are delivered to homes across Orpington with a further 2,250 available to pick up at locations across the town centre. The magazine is also available to read online, sent to a subscriber base of 6,000, and promoted to a combined social media following of 13,500.
Orpington 1st Business Improvement District 01689 829 527 www.orpington1st.co.uk info@orpington1st.co.uk
Orpington1st
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In August, Priory Live Music Festival returned to a scorching Priory Gardens. What a tremendous event for our town, which you can read more about it on page 20.
In September, Orpingtonians joined with those across the country in marking the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. You can see how Orpington residents and businesses reflected on Her Majesty’s unparalleled reign on page 14.
On 13th November, Orpington’s remembrance service
take place. As usual, Orpington’s Royal British Legion
remembrance of the sacrifice made by so many to ensure we live in a free and tolerant society.
In October, we were honoured to receive a Gold Medal in the Britain in Bloom Awards (read more on page 28). Huge thanks to the Royal Horticultural Society and their judges who visited us in August in one of the driest summers on record.
Looking further forward, Orpington businesses are delighted to bring back Light Up Orpington following a two-year break. As we turn on our Christmas Lights and begin the countdown to Christmas, all are welcome to enjoy the festive extravaganza (page 38).
And, in December, why not join Santas of all shapes, sizes, and abilities for the festive fun run that is the Orpington Santa Dash (page 35).
Much of Orpington 1st’s work is business facing, some behind the scenes, but from summer planting to Christmas lights, from the town’s Jubilee celebrations to encouraging the arts, as residents, we are fortunate that local businesses choose to invest in our town and are committed to making the town centre a better place. These are challenging times for residents and businesses, but please do continue to support our business community whenever you can.
Wishing you and your families the best in these uncertain times.
all residents to attend the
at Orpington War Memorial. As has become tradition, Orpington 1st has installed poppies in the high street’s trees in
IN SEPTEMBER, we invited you to send us your shots taken anywhere in a BR5 or BR6 location, celebrating the people and places of Orpington as captured through your own lens - whether with a professional camera or smartphone.
You did not disappoint. Thank you to everyone who entered for the many fantastic photos we received; the judges had a tough decision to make.
The competition hopes to encourage people to look positively at their environment. Indeed, recent times have given many the chance to look
at their surroundings with a fresh perspective. One thing which was evident from the entries is the importance that green spaces play in our lives, and how important it is to protect them – whether the fields at Derry Downs, Sparrow Wood, Petts Wood, or indeed Priory Gardens – where this year’s
winning photo was taken. Congratulations to Andrea Cseke, whose photograph Autumn Days (above) will feature on the front of the Orpington Calendar 2023 and who will enjoy £100 to spend in an Orpington town centre restaurant.
The judges loved the colours and composition of
Autumn Days by Andrea Cseke
Tunnel Vision by Gary Atkins
In Loving Memory by Adrian Rowley
the photograph, and the fact it captured a moment of joy in a cherished local space.
Competition was strong. You can see some of the other photos which caught our eye on these pages but there are lots of great shots that can’t be featured in the calendar, head over to our Facebook page to take a look at some of them.
The Orpington Calendar 2023 will be available from Orpington Library and on sale at Light Up Orpington on November 20th with all proceeds going to Bromley Homeless. The minimum suggested donation is £5 per calendar but please give whatever you can to help this fantastic charity carry out their vital work.
One Boy & His Dog by Janie Heckel
The High Street From Above by Steve Sangster
sales: bright future for Orpington’s
With the sun in full beam, 42 youngsters representing 23 new businesses set up shop for the second Orpington Children’s Business Fair, held at The Walnuts on Saturday 16th July.
THEstalls included newly launched businesses alongside some which began life at the first Orpington event in March.
Organised by founder Sam Rogerson and local business adviser Lee Lam, with support from Orpington 1st, CBF believes that authentic, hands-on learning and real-world experiences allow young people to acquire key skills vital for life in school and beyond.
The young entrepreneurs were tasked with designing/ sourcing their own products, developing their own brand, working up a business plan, and selling to the public at the one-day marketplace.
Wares this time around included jewellery, cupcakes, scrunchies, bubble tea and books, with total revenue reaching £2,000.
Following lengthy deliberation, judges Sam Rogerson (CBF), Sharon Baldwin (Orpington 1st) and Imogen Loucas from Start Up Bromley (GLL) awarded Best Product, Best Stand, Best Sales Pitch, and Judges’
Choice – to Popstar Creations, Cuptakes, MIFA, and Comic Man Studios, respectively.
The next instalment of CBF takes place at Light Up Orpington on Sunday 20th November, inside the Walnuts Shopping Centre. Come along for some Christmas shopping and support the future of business.
Above: Avaneesh, 9 - awarded Best Stand for his business Cuptakes
Left: The slick presentation skills from Elnathan earned MIFA (Make It Fly Always) the Best Sales Pitch Award. Sister Eliana seen alongside her brother here sporting one of their self-designed T-shirts.
born Joe Choong has completed his collection of global titles – and achieved a childhood dream – after winning gold in outstanding fashion at the UIPM 2022 Pentathlon World Championships in Alexandria, Egypt in July.
Reigning Olympic Champion Choong, 27, who also won gold at the 2019 World Cup Final, produced a dominant display. Building on his lead from the fencing ranking round with a perfect ride, and following up with the third-fastest time in the pool, he started the laser-run with a 20-second lead, before sprinting across the finish line to bring home gold.
We asked Joe how it felt to be no.1.
“Winning the World Champs is pretty special. I’ve had a lot of distractions this year with the proposals to remove the horse-riding element of Modern Pentathlon and replace it with a Ninja warrior style event for the LA 2028 Games. As Olympic Champion, I’ve felt a lot
of responsibility to stand up for the athletes and campaign to keep horse riding. Off the back of these added pressures, being able to go and perform as well as I did was that much sweeter, and gives me a massive confidence boost as we head into the first Olympic qualifying year.”
Following his Olympic success, Joe took some time out. He explained, “I know I didn’t have anywhere near the perfect preparations for World Champs, so I think the result was a bit of a surprise for me. First off, I took about 6 months out of training post-Tokyo just to reset mentally, and this meant I missed the entire Winter training block, which is where we do most of our work for aerobic fitness. I also had a small problem with my foot about 3 weeks before we were due to travel, so that stopped me training for a week. On the plus side however, I’d told myself to take a step back from the politics around horse riding, which allowed me to relax and actually enjoy my
sport for the first time all year, so I guess overall there were some positives and negatives from my preparation, but it all worked out alright.
“I think the biggest surprise was my running – I mentioned I’d had that little foot niggle in the build-up, so I thought my running would struggle but if anything, I think it helped because I was that much more rested! Other than that, it was nice to compete to a level that I would expect of myself, and maintain my consistency from the following seasons.”
Ever determined, Joe now has his sights set on the European Games next year, and a second Olympic Gold in 2024.
“I haven’t got the Euro’s title yet, so that’s my goal for 2023the first time Pentathlon will be part of the European Games. And after that obviously it’s to defend the Olympic title in Paris, but also to help my brother qualify so I can compete there with him!”
Follow Joe’s progress via Instagram @JoeChoong123
IN September, Manak Solicitors held their 2022 Charity Golf Day, with representatives from businesses and organisations from across the Bromley borough and beyond in attendance.
Taking place at Chelsfield Lakes Golf Club, an exciting 18 holes included competitions for the Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin, with prizes up for grabs. Following some informal networking, PGA professional, Kevin Carpenter - one of the leading golf trick shot performers in the countryput on a jaw-dropping display, bringing not just a golf club, but a bike, a ladder, and a unicycle onto the driving range for some top-tier entertainment. Then it was back to the clubhouse
for the main business; a raffle and auction took place raising money for Charity Angels, which supports a range of smaller, local initiatives – the nominated charity for this event being Against Breast Cancer. Over £3,500 was raised - as were the glasses of duffers, sandbaggers, and aspiring scratch golfers alike, capping off a great day.
Surinder Singh Manak, Managing Director of Manak Solicitors, said, “I’d like to say a big thank you to all the businesses who have joined us here at Orpington’s Chelsfield Lakes for the Manak Golf Day 2022. We’re privileged to support our chosen charity, Charity Angels, and delighted to have raised a significant amount for Against Breast Cancer. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2023!”
A good walk spoiled Enjoy the
hole
Fundraising and first class entertainment is par for the course for law firm’s annual golf event
of us will always remember where we were when the historic news was confirmed - whether travelling home from work or sitting with family watching an emotional Huw Edwards on the BBC – it was a pivotal moment in our country’s history. The Queen had been a constant in the lives of the Great British people and witnessed enormous social change.
A statement from The Royal Family posted on social media read
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
A period of national mourning began, and citizens across the commonwealth reflected on an unparalleled 70 years. The Union Flag at Orpington War Memorial was lowered to half mast, and businesses and residents paid tribute to Britain’s longest reigning monarch.
On September 18th, in an event organised by Knoll Residents
Orpington businesses paid their individual tributes, including (top to bottom) easyCoffee, YMCA, and A Time
Flowers.
Association in Broxbourne Gardens, 250 residents each placed a candle in the ground which together created the outline of the profile of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as depicted on postage stamps.
Chairman of the Knoll Residents Association, Stephen Sangster said: “We really wanted to organise something that people of all backgrounds and faiths, those who are young and old, could come along to and enjoy and something that people can be actively involved in.”
On Thursday 8th September at 6:30pm it was announced that Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, had died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.
mark the passing of
book
was set
in
library
The final result, captured by drone footage, made quite an impact, but wasn’t achieved without careful planning.
“We traced onto paper the silhouette, which we then turned into a scale model, using pieces of ribbon to scale up”, he said. “We then did a test run a few nights ago in someone’s back garden to make sure it all lined up and we used a drone to help us get everything into place.”
“By using candles, we were able to create something that was really quite special, and people came out in their hundreds on what was a drizzly, cold evening to pay their respects.”
ON Sunday 9th October, the grand opening of The Lucy Griffiths Dance and Theatre Academy took place in their new home in Market Square, Orpington.
A fun-filled day consisted of free classes and workshops - from Pre School-Melody Bear Ballet to Acrobatic Arts - and showcased many of their pupils, with their dazzling dancing skills on display.
The original school was established in September 1994, becoming the Lucy Griffiths Dance and Theatre Academy Ltd in 2012. Continued growth has led to the move to the town centre, and existing and new pupils can enjoy a state-ofthe-art premises which boasts a professional Harlequin dance floor, air conditioning, ballet barres, and mirrors – along with exceptional teaching.
Owner Lucy Griffiths said, “We’re so pleased to have opened the doors to our new home in Orpington town centre. The place is looking amazing and we’re looking forward to welcoming many more local people, preschool to adult, to join in the fun!”
For more details of classes, please email the office lucy@lucygriffiths.co.uk.
Put on your dancing shoes... The Lucy Griffiths Dance and Theatre Academy is officially open!
Hale Electrics nearly 20 years ago; the idea being to provide a high quality service for homeowners. I had seen a big decline in the service they were getting from tradesmen and decided to break the mold with a professional, high quality service from highly trained and qualified electricians. With an easily recognised brand of a uniform, the latest tools and sign-written vans, our clients would be filled with confidence the moment we arrived at their door.
We changed the way emergency tradesmen charged by scrapping ‘call out’ and other extraneous charges: we only charge for the time we are working for you. Being totally transparent about charges has been a
Calvin Hale
great way to instill trust and it shows we have nothing to hide: our rates are clearly shown on our website. I am proud to say prices have stayed the same for eight years: while everything else has gone up, we have kept our prices the same as a thank you to all our loyal and new clients.
After a humble start in an estate car with a few tools, I am proud to say we have a small fleet of vehicles, fantastic team of engineers and office staff, all of which makes for a smooth customer experience. This is shown in our 500+ 5-star reviews.
We are still working toward our environmental ideals as we dive even deeper into the world of renewable energy and energy saving solutions. As electric vehicle charge point specialists and LED lighting upgrade experts, we have seen the savings customers experience through our work. Solar panel installations, battery storage and eco heating solutions are all on the horizon for next year.
We love to provide the latest fuse board upgrades, state of the art LED installations and upgrades, EICRs... practically anything that has a wire!
Now, with Christmas coming up, don’t leave all those electrical jobs around the home to the last minute: get in touch and become one of the 100s of happy customers we help on a regular basis.
“I felt a high quality customer orientated
was missing in the industry; so I created Hale Electrics Ltd to fill that gap.”
On Saturday 6th August, Orpington’s Priory Gardens came alive with the sound of music as Priory Live Festival returned for 2022.
THEsummer sun was turned up to 11 and festival goers of all ages enjoyed an impressive array of talent from rock to rap, and ska to pop, with highlights including Southeast Londoner Flo Gallop, Two Weeks in Nashville, and a return from Natalie Shay (pictured, above) who first graced the Priory Live stage in 2014.
Sponsored by local businesses, a fabulous family friendly atmosphere ran throughout the ten hours of entertainment. Festival headliners Scouting For Girls,
who went triple platinum with their eponymous debut album, received a rapturous response, with the crowd bouncing along to the generation bridging anthem She’s So Lovely and sharing singing duties on their number 1 hit This Ain’t A Love Song. Having established itself as a firm fixture of summer in South London, the festival closed with a firework display.
Festival Director, Nick Barclay, said, “It was great to see the festival grow to a new level. All of the acts delivered, the crowd was great, and the food on offer was a real bonus. The feedback has been incredible. Priory Live has now arrived as a fully-fledged music festival and we are already planning ahead to make 2023 even bigger and better.”
Keep an eye on priorylive.co.uk for news of Priory Live 2023.
RESTAURANT offers, National Cinema Day, and a Market Square event brought the highest weekend footfall to Orpington since pre-covid, with Saturday 3 September seeing a 41.7% Week-on-Week increase, and Sunday’s year on year figures leaping up 42.3% (Sensormatic data).
Saturday 3rd September saw the launch of Flavours of Orpington, a celebration of the town’s excellent eateries. The festival brochure with exclusive offers from participating restaurants was distributed across Orpington, providing an added incentive for residents to visit their favourite restaurant, or try somewhere new.
The start of the festival period, which ran until Sunday 11 September, coincided with National Cinema Day at ODEON Orpington. Film fanatics were able to enjoy tickets from £3 for all films, across all screens, all day long, and well over 3,000 of them took up the invitation.
Movies included Idris Elba’s big-cat thriller Beast, a re-released Spiderman: No Way Home, and the return of Steven Spielberg’s 1982 family classic E.T. the ExtraTerrestrial, with the gravity defying thrills of Top Gun: Maverick proving the most popular.
Also making a return - Sunday Social was back for its fifth year as part of Flavours of Orpington.
A free community event run in partnership between Orpington 1st and Churches Together Orpington (CTO), Sunday Social saw hundreds of families come together on a buzzing Market Square.
The CTO team cooked up over 800 burgers for their free BBQ, with live music, garden games and family activities - including The Unclimbable Ladder and Velcro Axe Throwingproviding entertainment.
Orpington 1st Executive Director, Chris Travers, said, “It’s been great to see the town centre so busy this weekend. As usual, the team at ODEON did a superb job in
looking after guests, and our brilliant restaurants continue to deliver fantastic food and first-class service, in challenging conditions.”
“We’d like to thank Churches Together Orpington for their collaboration on another great event for the town in Sunday Social, and Orpington residents for continuing to enjoy the town centre.”
ASa reader of The Orpington 1st Magazine, it’s likely you will already be aware that Areli’s planning application for redevelopment of The Walnuts Shopping Centre was withdrawn following discussions with Bromley Council, residents, and businesses.
Areli’s application included retail space targeted at local and independents retailers, reconfigured public realm, 990 new homes, a new leisure centre, and a new day care centre - but met with concerns regarding the period of disruption, the proposed height of the tallest buildings, the scale of the development, and a two-year break in provision for leisure centre services.
A spokesperson for Areli said, “While we are encouraged that there is strong support for the principle of regenerating The Walnut Shopping Centre, we have listened closely to the issues raised by the local community and consequently, have decided to withdraw our proposal. We remain fully committed to
creating a vibrant and distinctive town centre focused on local and independent retailers, supported by new homes. We look forward to consulting on future regeneration plans in the coming months.”
In response to the statement, Orpington 1st BID Executive Director, Chris Travers, reiterated
Shopping Centre and we welcome the opportunity to continue the conversation and help shape an alternative plan. We’re pleased to hear Areli state their ongoing commitment to the town centre and to supporting tenants at The Walnuts. The BID gives our business community a strong voice and
The number of chain (multiple) store closures in the UK dropped in the first half of 2022 but we still saw a net loss of 2,258 units – in contrast to independents, which saw a net growth of 1,335.
Source: Local Data Company
There appears to be consensus amongst the community at large that leaving The Walnuts as it is, is not a viable option; it has long been a challenge to attracting a wider mix of tenants and a broader demographic of residents. Of course, there will be differing opinions as to the details of how to move forward, but to do so will require meaningful dialogue, conducted respectfully, with an appreciation of the commercial realities.
Whilst the town centre vacancy rate remains around the average for Greater London (11%), and well below the GB average of 14% (Local Data Company figures), Orpington faces similar issues to high streets across the country. More than 17,000 chain store outlets closed across Britain last year, an average of 47 stores shutting every day, with fashion stores seeing the most closures. The fastest growing subcategories of business nationwide in H1 2022 were fastfood takeaways, beauty salons, and
Shopping Centres continue to have the largest vacancy rate of any location type (Orpington town centre’s vacancy rate excluding shopping centre units is 9%). Redevelopment efforts are increasingly focused on repositioning the asset.
bars and restaurants. It is widely acknowledged that we have an oversupply of retail floorspace, and some reimagining is required.
As towns and cities across Great Britain look to reposition, repurpose, and rebuild to ensure viability, we have a chance to create a more vibrant and relevant town centre. Short of a miraculous change to
Source: Local Data Company
the state of the public purse, and a dramatic shift in policy – private investment will be required to help achieve this. As the country enters a new chapter of economic challenge, in Orpington we have the opportunity to build on our strengths, to be creative and forward thinking, not just for ourselves, but for future generations.
W e w i l l h a v e a f a b u l o u s c o l l e c t i o n o f s t a l l s s e l l i n g g r e a t C h r i s t m a s g i f t i d e a s i n c l u d i n g :
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H O P P I N
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Orpington businesses’ continued investment in the environment is recognised at national awards ceremony.
on from a category win in London in Bloom last year, and a second consecutive gold medal in this year’s London in Bloom competition – finishing ahead of the likes of Purley, Paddington, and Putney –Orpington 1st is delighted to announce that our town centre was awarded a Gold Medal at the prestigious Britain in Bloom awards held in October 2022.
Britain in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in the United Kingdom. First held in 1963, the awards have been organised by The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) since 2001, aiming to inspire groups to “make positive changes to their local environment”. Across eight categories, forty-six groups
The Orpington 1st Magazine
were represented at this year’s ceremony, hosted by gardener, presenter, and actress Rachel de Thame.
The judges, who visited in August in one of the driest summers on record, were impressed by businesses resourceful horticultural efforts given the linear concrete nature of the high street, and by attempts to create a sense of identity through partnership working.
Orpington’s entry into the BIDs, Town Centres & City Centres category included the thirty flower cubes which peppered the high street with colour through the summer months - red, white, and blue for jubilee year, complementing flags and bunting. As well as creating spots for additional planting, the leisure centre Pallet Park and High Street parklets provided spots to take a
Above: Planters at the Pallet Park, beautifully maintained by the Walnuts Leisure Centre team
Right: The high street parklet outside WH Smith has proved a popular rest stop
break – but also hosted pop-up pantomime and buskers during the Orpington Literary Festival. Several businesses adopted the Safer Space Planters brought in during the period of covid restrictions, creating a more pleasant and welcoming environment to their own premises.
Orpington resident and founder of McQueen Hair & Beauty Salons, Fiona Russell, said, “We’re so pleased that Orpington has been recognised in this way. It really is testament to the business community’s investment in the town centre environment, and it demonstrates what we can achieve working together.”
Orpington 1st Executive Director Chris Travers discussed businesses’ achievement with BBC Radio Kent’s Andy Garland on his ‘Sunday Gardening’ show. Listen back via the BBC Sounds App.
Congratulations go to Amersham, who finished overall winners, as announced on BBC’s The One Show by Matt Allwright.
As the saying goes, a week is a long time in politics. But this summer a lot has happened that I want to update you on, from unprecedented energy support to new transport and hospital investment locally.
ATthe start of this column,
I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her long reign. With her passing, our nation has lost its greatest leader and most loyal servant.
At the young age of 21, she promised that whether her life was
long or short, she would devote herself to serving all of us. It’s a pledge she more than fulfilled for more than seven decades, and she should rightly be remembered as Elizabeth the Great.
Under our new monarch, His Majesty King Charles III, the United Kingdom has entered a new era.
He will continue his mother’s loyal, loving and devoted service, uniting us as we begin the next chapter of our nation’s story while providing much-needed continuity.
In September, I supported the Energy Price Guarantee and accompanying support packages that will cut everyone’s energy bills by £1,400 on average whilst offering up to £1,200 more help for the most vulnerable households.
This scheme will shield households from energy bills that could have reached £6,500 this winter as a result of Russia’s weaponisation of fossil fuel supplies. The equivalent system for businesses, charities and public services will protect livelihoods and our local economy.
The unprecedented intervention will also help to control inflation, potentially lowering it by as much as 5 per cent. This, in turn, will help to limit any increase in interest rates that the independent Bank of England might set.
While there is no silver bullet to the economic challenges facing the country, the government’s response to the energy crisis is the best way to lower household bills, cut inflation and control interest rates.
To help people with the cost of living, I am continuing my campaign to stop Sadiq Khan’s plan to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone across Greater London. This charge would hit thousands of drivers with a daily fee of £12.50 to drive within the London Borough of Bromley, including Orpington.
On behalf of the 11,736 people who signed my petition opposing ULEZ expansion, I wrote to the Mayor of London urging him to drop the proposal. I also submitted a detailed response to Transport for London’s consultation, outlining how the charge would hurt lowincome people, small businesses, and charities who can’t afford the charge or a new vehicle.
This summer, we’ve also seen good news locally. I was also pleased to visit and officially open Orpington Hospital’s new state-of-the-art operation theatre this summer. It will enable hundreds more operations to take place each year, helping the NHS to tackle the backlog and give patients the care they deserve.
Work to provide step-free access is well underway at Petts Wood station, thanks to an over £10 million government investment. By Autumn
2023, I hope to see a new and improved station that can provide a better service for residents, like St Mary Cray station, which was upgraded earlier this year.
Finally, I would like to end this column by congratulating the organisers of the Priory Live
Festival and Petts Wood Calling, who organised fantastic local music festivals this summer. It is wonderful to see grassroots music festivals continue to grow locally, bringing people together and supporting our high streets. Thank you to everyone involved.
Pending police advice, surgeries are cancelled until further notice. Please get in touch with me by email or by calling my office until my regular surgeries resume. If you need help urgently, please call Judith Ellis on 01689 603652.
Please do keep in touch in the following ways:
www.garethbacon.com
gareth.bacon.mp@parliament.uk
updates on local issues, follow Gareth on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube, and sign up to his monthly newsletter at www.garethbacon.com/sign-up
Use the NHS App to make appointments, check your symptoms, get advice on what service to use, and to request prescriptions and sicknotes. The app is free to download from either the App Store or Google Play.
Do not use an App if your medical problem is urgent. Call your practice or visit www.111.nhs.uk
Use the NHS App to make appointments, check your symptoms, get advice on what service to use, and to request prescriptions and sicknotes. The app is free to download from either the App Store or Google Play.
Do not use an App if your medical problem is urgent. Call your practice or visit www.111.nhs.uk
Dr Alka Sharma, Bromley GP said, “As well as using the NHS app to request appointments, it is a great source of useful information. From checking your symptoms to advice on self-care. If you do need to be seen urgently though, give us a call or if we are closed, go to www.111.nhs.uk who can arrange for you to be seen in a local service
Dr Alka Sharma, Bromley GP said, “As well as using the NHS app to request appointments, it is a great source of useful information. From checking your symptoms to advice on self-care. If you do need to be seen urgently though, give us a call or if we are closed, go
eConsult lets you contact your practice over the internet using an online form. It saves you waiting on the phone for an appointment or going to the GP practice. You can tell your GP about your health using eConsult on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Once you log into eConsult, there will be an online form to fill in with your information and request.
eConsult lets you contact your practice over the internet using an online form. It saves you waiting on the phone for an appointment or going to the GP practice. You can tell your GP about your health using eConsult on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Once you log into eConsult, there will be an online form to fill in with your information and request. All Bromley GP practices offer eConsult.
Every eConsult request is looked at by the practice and a response provided by the end of the next working day. This may be a face-toface appointment, a call back, health advice or a prescription.
It’s really easy to get started. Just go to your practice website or speak to your practice reception team.
It’s really easy to get started. Just go to practice website or speak to your practice reception team.
Do not use eConsult if your medical problem is urgent. Call your practice or visit www.111.nhs.uk
Do not use eConsult if your medical problem is urgent. Call your practice or visit www.111.nhs.uk
Dr Andrew Parson, Bromley GP said, “Bromley practices are helping hundreds of people every day.
Demand is high so phone lines are busy, especially in the morning when lots of people call. Staff are answering calls as quickly as possible so please do be patient.
Dr Andrew Parson, Bromley GP said, “Bromley practices are helping hundreds of people every day. Demand is high so phone lines are busy, especially in the morning when lots of people call. Staff are answering calls as quickly as possible so please do be patient. If you need help urgently, please use the phone and you will be seen that day by a local service. If your need is not urgent, please help your
If you need help urgently, please use the phone and you will be seen that day by a local service. If your need is not urgent, please help your practice by using eConsult or the NHS App to ask questions, request prescriptions and book appointments”.
IHOPEyou are well and had an enjoyable Summer.
If you have read my previous articles in Orpington 1st Magazine, you will know that the local policing team have been treating Priory Gardens, just off the High Street as a ward priority, as agreed with the Safer Neighbourhoods Ward Panel. This has been in response to an increase in anti-social behaviour (ASB) and crimes against wildlife.
Since July, officers have been tasked to the area to carry out proactive patrols, both in uniform and covertly, to catch offenders and provide reassurance to those who use the park legitimately. I am pleased to report that two males were filmed by officers, committing various wildlife offences. Their images were circulated and they have now been identified. One of the males has since been charged and will appear in court. There is still a live investigation with regards the second male.
THE team has worked successfully in partnership with Bromley Council to put up Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) signs. PSPOs are intended to deal with persistent anti-social behaviour in a local area that is detrimental to the community’s quality of life. They do so by imposing conditions on the use of that area to ensure everyone can use and enjoy public spaces,
without experiencing nuisance and annoyance. An agreement is in place that these will be enforced robustly by Ward Security and Police, where individuals are found to be breaching the order. A breach can attract fixed penalty notices/fines or formal prosecution for low level anti-social behaviour. The team have also been conducting weapons sweeps across the ward to improve community
safety. I would like to thank all members of the community who came to assist over the summer. It’s a great way to meet your local team, discuss ward issues and make a positive difference to your local area.
IN September, the dedicated Ward Officer for Orpington Town Centre, PC Wolfe, stopped and searched three males acting suspiciously. Two of the three males were found in possession of catapults, which we know through previous recorded crimes, are linked to criminal damage to property and crimes against wildlife. They have been interviewed and investigations are ongoing. I hope to provide you with an update soon.
TWO persons under 18, well known to the police team for committing anti-social behaviour across the ward, have been served Acceptable Behaviour Contracts
a column by Sgt Alex Farmer(ABCs). These contracts encourage good behaviour and often have conditions attached. These are served following a multi-agency meeting, in which police, council and parents/guardians are present. While, if breached, they can be arrested, the aim of the ABC is not to criminalise, but to highlight the offending to the individual, explore the reasons behind their behaviour, and to deter them from committing further acts of ASB.
TACKLING speeding motorists, particularly in close proximity to schools, is another priority for the team, and regularly features at the quarterly Safer Neighbourhoods Ward Panel. The purpose of the panel is to allow a platform whereby representatives of the ward can hold their policing team to account on police activity throughout the year. I have committed the Orpington team, along with colleagues from
St Mary Cray and St Paul’s Cray wards to carrying out two speed enforcement operations each month. These operations often involve working in partnership with the Roads Transport Policing Command and we have seen some really positive results. The location of these operations is dependent both on road traffic data and also in direct response to information received from the community. If you do have any roads you would like the team to focus on, please do contact us at our dedicated ward mailbox below.
IN other news, three prolific shoplifters were arrested and charged. One of those convicted received a four week prison sentence. The other two await their day in court!
LASTLY, as the colder, earlier nights draw in, unfortunately we tend to see an increase in Burglary offences across the capital; as well as a spike in anti-social behaviour,
connected with Halloween and fireworks night. In response to this, your local Neighbourhood Policing Team have formed part of a larger operation under Operation Autumn Nights. This targeted operation draws upon officers from across the borough of Bromley, is intelligence-led and has specific tasking each day. This enables officers to focus on “hotspot” areas where, historically, we have seen crime and ASB increase. I want to reassure you that we are doing all we can to make our communities safer and you can expect an enhanced, high visibility policing presence in the coming months.
I wish you a pleasant Autumn and Winter period and if I don’t speak with you sooner, please allow me (at this early stage!) to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
always, thank you for your continued support, and stay safe.
The event will finish with a countdown to the fireworks display at the main stage
ON Sunday 20th November Orpington’s Christmas lights event returns to the town centre, brought to you by Orpington 1st and supported by Manak Solicitors and The Walnuts Shopping Centre.
The high street will be pedestrianised from the War Memorial end of the high street to Homefield Rise to accommodate a range of stalls, fairground rides, and entertainment. The main stage at the
foot of Knoll Rise will host a full line up of live music and dance, with a second stage at The Walnuts. Santa’s Grotto will be inside The Walnuts Shopping Centre, along with the Children’s Business Fair. Festivities conclude with a countdown to the launch of the fireworks, conducted at the main stage.
Orpington resident and co-owner of Valentine & Turner Funeral Directors, Gary Valentine-Fuller, said, “Businesses are really looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Light
Up Orpington this year. We hope that the move to Sunday will mean that even more people can come and enjoy this fantastic community event.”
