Author Archives: SE16.com

Bermondsey businesses back BID at the Blue

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BrfQXPDCUAAG5uP.jpg-largeThe area around the Blue is to become a business improvement district (BID)  after local firms voted in favour of the proposal in an official ballot.

Nearly nine out of 10 firms backed the proposal which was spearheaded by Russell Dryden, the fishmonger in the Blue market.

BIDs are funded by a levy on business rates and provide a way for local traders to work together to promote their locality as a place to do business and to make environmental improvements to their area.

Find out more about the project on the Blue Bermondsey Business Association website.

Southwark could team up with Square Mile to bring fast broadband to Rotherhithe

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Southwark Council is in talks with the City of London Corporation over plans to bring high-speed broadband to Rotherhithe.

News of the discussions was revealed by the council’s chief executive Eleanor Kelly at a meeting of the borough’s cabinet on Wednesday.

The City of London Corporation – the local government body for the Square Mile financial district – has been looking at ways of providing high-speed internet connections for its businesses and residents.

“At present, no operator has plans to provide a high speed, affordable broadband network across the Square Mile,” the corporation posted on Facebook in May this year.

Southwark Council hopes that by teaming up with the City, it could put a deal in place with a commercial partner more quickly and provide a more attractive proposition for prospective partners than the Square Mile could on its own.

Meanwhile the Rotherhithe Broadband Group continues to promote its social enterprise proposal for solving the SE16 broadband problem.

Bermondsey in Bloom competition returns for 2014

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Some of the entries in the 2013 competition displayed at a community council meeting.

The Salmon Youth Centre and Cllr Eliza Mann have teamed up to organise another Bermondsey in Bloom competition.

Over the next few months, young people from Salmon Youth Centre will take to the streets of Bermondsey with a camera and a sharp eye for good looking gardens.

There will be prizes and certificates for the top three entrants (chosen by independent judges) in each of the following categories:

  • Balconies and window boxes
  • Pubs and businesses
  • School gardens
  • Community gardens
  • Edible gardens and allotments
  • Estates gardens
  • Front gardens
  • Wildlife gardens

The competition is open to all residents and organisations in Grange ward, Riverside ward and South Bermondsey ward.

The entry form is available on the Salmon website – or you can drop in to the youth centre in Old Jamaica Road and pick up a paper copy from reception.

The closing date is Friday 22 August

Winners will be announced at the September meeting of Bermondsey & Rotherhithe Community Council.

Fisher FC’s new home gets the green light

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Southwark councillors have approved plans for a new home for Fisher FC at the St Paul’s Playing Field in Salter Road.

The new facilities will include a new artificial grass 3G surface, a new clubhouse and changing rooms as well as two 150-seat spectators’ stands.

Fisher FC traces its roots in Bermondsey back to 1908. The club has a chequered financial history and for the past decade it has shared Champion Hill Stadium with Dulwich Hamlet FC.

Ben Westmancott, chairman of Fisher FC, explained how the club has been reborn since 2009 as a community-owned not-for-profit enterprise and urged councillors to approve the scheme.

The proposals for Fisher’s new ground are linked to plans by Fairview New Homes to build 103 homes on the site of the old Surrey Docks Stadium. The scheme includes 33 affordable homes.

The housing scheme is designed by Hawkins/Brown architects.

Fairview will provide £500,000 towards Fisher’s new facilities.

Both planning applications were approved unanimously by Southwark’s planning committee on Tuesday night.

“This is going to be a very welcome development,” said Surrey Docks ward councillor David Hubber.

Stephen Gough, development director of Fairview New Homes, said that work could start on site later this year.

Boris Johnson invites Rotherhithe broadband campaigners to City Hall

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The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has invited the Rotherhithe Broadband Group to a meeting at City Hall to discuss their plans for a locally owned and managed fibre internet service.

The Rotherhithe Broadband Group’s Brian Hodge called the Mayor’s ‘Ask Boris’ radio phone-in on LBC on Tuesday morning to ask for help.

“I’m very concerned about broadband speeds in the centre of London,” said the Mayor. “It’s absolutely disgraceful that we’re not going faster.”

Mr Johnson invited Mr Hodge to meet him to discuss the issue in Rotherhithe.

He added: “I’m fed up with this broadband issue. We must get this thing sorted out.”

listen to ‘Boris Johnson on Rotherhithe broadband speeds’ on Audioboo

7,000 brave the rain to attend Bermondsey Carnival

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Cllr Dora Dixon-Fyle, Southwark’s cabinet member for adult care, arts and culture said: “I just want to say a massive thanks to everyone who organised, got involved and attended Bermondsey Carnival on Saturday in Southwark Park.

“It is always a highlight of our events calendar and despite some typical British summertime weather 7,000 of you turned out to enjoy the fantastic line-up of music, dance, food and funfair – it was amazing to see so many of you getting into the spirit of the day!”

 

Surrey Quays Shopping Centre redevelopment added to Harmsworth Quays masterplan

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British Land, the owners of Surrey Quays Shopping Centre and the former Harmsworth Quays print works, have announced that they are to consider the redevelopment of both sites as part of the same masterplan.

An extract from their latest newsletter about the SE16 Printworks (Harmsworth Quays) site:

Following the first stage of consultation British Land have been looking at how some of the key issues can be addressed at this early stage – such as creating an active public realm and having a joined-up approach to the area. There were strong calls to improve connections to, from and through Surrey Quays Shopping Centre as well as for an improved retail and leisure offer, that makes more of the water-setting.

As owner of Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, British Land are now looking at how this can be achieved. There
is an existing planning permission to extend the shopping centre, however there could be opportunity for a more ambitious solution to help create a more attractive shopping destination that meets and exceeds current needs and connects better with the area.

As the inclusion of the Surrey Quays Shopping Centre is a significant change, British Land and masterplanners Allies & Morrison need to do further work to understand how it could all come forward. This will naturally affect the project timescales and it is anticipated that a combined planning application for the two sites could now be submitted in Spring next year.

The next stage of design will need to consider community aspirations and key issues, as well as Southwark Council’s and the Greater London Authority’s aspirations to create a ‘town centre’ destination in the area.

 

Weekly market in Albion Street starts in July

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A regular street market is returning to Albion Street every Saturday from 5 July.

The market, open between 10am and 5pm, will have stalls selling art, bric-a-brac, fresh produce and baked goods.

The new market follows the success of the Midsummer market held last weekend.

Simon Hughes MP said: “Everybody involved with the first Midsummer market for many years in Albion Street deserves congratulation.

“Young and older businesses had stalls along the road, selling food drink and many other things from home and abroad – including Finland, linked to the Finnish church in the street. Maypole dancing lessons were an additional excitement for children.

“It is really good that so many people are committed to bringing back life and commercial activity to Albion Street.

 

“Rotherhithe is on the way up and everybody will benefit if Albion Street really takes off as a successful local shopping centre in SE16.”