Local News
Southwark mum awarded £4K after son missed out on education when excluded from college
A Southwark mum has been awarded thousands of pounds from the council after her son missed out on education for a year when he was excluded from college. Southwark Council has been ordered to apologise to the family and remind its officers about standard procedures when reviewing Education, Health a...
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One year on from the National Insurance rise how is the hospitality sector coping?
Punitive tax rises are stretching London’s hospitality sector to its limit, local business owners have claimed. Last April Chancellor Rachel Reeves faced heavy criticism for choosing to top up the public finances with an extra tax on businesses. The policy, intended to raise £25billion from compa...
Your vote at next month’s local election will count more than ever
Next month is your biggest chance to influence how your local area is run for four years. The local elections on Thursday May 7 will pit incumbents Labour against the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and to a lesser degree the Conservatives. The News does not back any single party so cannot make y...
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Music Appreciation Group brings Schubert to Blackheath Halls
Group lectures on the music of Franz Schubert will take place this summer term on Mondays at 10am at Blackheath Halls, starting 20 April. The ten two-hour lectures will be delivered by British composer Matthew Taylor and will cover a wide range of Schubert’s works, from symphonies to string quarte...
Mayor announces £30 million for late-night youth clubs in London
City Hall’s £30million investment in late-night youth clubs across London is ‘critical’ to stopping at-risk youngsters from falling into a life of gangs and crime, a veteran community leader has claimed. The Mayor of London announced a £30m investment this week that would fund a “Youth Lat...
Residents urge Council to rethink Lime bike ban – as petition hits over 1,500
Residents are urging a London council to r
London has become an ‘urban heat island’ and the cost to fix it is eyewatering
London’s lack of preparedness for extreme heat could see more than £200 million lost in productivity annually by 2030, new research has suggested. The capital’s decision to deprioritise the installation of air conditioning (AC) in both commercial and residential buildings means it is particular...
Planet Omar
Vibrant and entertaining family adventure Planet Omar transfers to the Unicorn Theatre from 21 May to 7 June bringing children’s author Zanib Mian’s beloved characters to the stage for the first time in a new adaptation by award-winning playwright Asif Khan, directed by Sameena Hussain. Planet...
Meet the archaeologists who uncover the incredible history of Southwark’s Roman and medieval remains
Southwark is one of the most valuable places in London for archaeological discoveries. That’s according to Alistair Douglas, and he should know. In his 39-year career as an archaeologist, he’s unearthed countless finds from the Neolithic to the Roman... This is premium content for subscribers on...
Albert Bridge reopens to pedestrians and cyclists after closure due to ‘unexpected movements’
Albert Bridge has reopened after it was closed to pedestrians and cyclists on Wednesday afternoon (April 8). The Thames Crossing was shut-off to all traffic because sensors had picked-up “unexpected movement.” Engineers have now confirmed that the movements are not an additional risk to pedestri...
Hospital worker in Peckham left with a ‘hole in his ceiling big enough to climb through’ for months after storm
An NHS worker in Peckham’s ceiling imploded after a storm in January, creating a hole ‘large enough to climb through’ – and it still hasn’t been fixed two months later. Darren Say, who lives in a flat for key workers managed by Clarion Housing, said a heavy rainstorm on at the end of Janua...
Teen charged with murder after shooting of 14-year-old Eghosa Ogbebor
A 16-year-old boy from Romford has been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Eghosa Ogbebor after a shooting in Woolwich last Thursday (2 April). The 16-year-old was initially released on bail but was arrested again on Thursday 9 April and charged with Eghosa’s murder on Friday 10 April. The tee...
Review: Invisible Me at Southwark Playhouse
From Lonely to OnlyFans There were two reasons why I wanted to see Bren Gosling’s Invisible Me. One, because it’s three lonely people looking for love and companionship in their 60s, and I thought I might be able to get a few tips… And two, because the cast is made up of three TV regulars...
Review: Carlos Acosta’s Carmen @ Richmond Theatre
A uniquely special experience Carlos Acosta’s reputation truly does precede him: becoming the English National Ballet’s youngest principal dancer in 1991, aged only 18, he has spent the three and a half decades since then establishing himself as one of the most in-demand, widely-loved dancers an...
Families fled homes as fire ripped through flat at Easter
Residents of a council block in Sutton have recalled the terrifying moment a fire ripped through a ground floor flat over the Easter weekend, forcing families from their homes and leaving the close-knit community in shock. Resident Josh Edwards-Nelson described how the destructive blaze ripped thoug...
A botanist, forgotten stream and wood yard – a history of Bermondsey’s Willow Walk
Bermondsey may be known for docks, tanneries and warehouses, but it also has a surprisingly botanical history. Curtis Street, in the heart of SE1, off Willow Walk, was once named Willow Street. It was renamed in honour of the botanist and apothecary... This is premium content for subscribers only Ge...
The Peckham theatre that got John Boyega into acting – help on their 40th birthday
Theatre Peckham, responsible for kick-starting the careers of Star War’s John Boyega and Bad Education’s Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, is celebrating its 40th birthday, writes Oliver London… John Boyega on stage – In The House Fairy. Picture supplied by Theatre Peckham. To mark the occasion o...
CQC downgrades South London and Maudsley NHS Trust to ‘requires improvement’
Inspectors have downgraded South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Foundation Trust from ‘good’ to ‘requires improvement’, citing staff pressure, increasing wait times and concerns over workplace culture, writes Niall Holden… The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report in February noted staf...
Learn about fungi for free in Greenwich Park workshop
Botanical artist Ella Yolande will be leading a free ‘sensory exploration’ through Greenwich Park, teaching participants about lichens. Lichens are slow-growing organisms formed of fungi, algae and cyanobacteria. With the assistance of Gemma Hindi from Help Nature Thrive, Ella will be showing pa...
London gospel choirs to come together for concert in South London
Choirs and vocal groups from across London will be heading to the chapel of St Peter and St Paul in Greenwich to celebrate gospel singing on Saturday 25 April. Their spring ‘BIG sing’ concert will blend a range of gospel styles, with covers of songs from Bob Marley, Emeli Sande, Edwin Hawkins an...