Lewisham Council writes:
Lewisham Council is to offer free car parking on three Saturdays in the run up to Christmas.
Shoppers will be able to park for free all day in all council-run car parks in Blackheath, Catford, Deptford, Forest Hill, Lewisham and Sydenham on Saturday 7, 14 and 21 December.
The start of the free parking offer falls on 7 December – the traditional start of the Christmas shopping rush – and also the UK’s first ‘Small Business Saturday’ which is a national campaign to encourage shoppers to ‘shop local’ and use local, independent shops.
Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, said: “Town centres are at the heart of our local communities and independent businesses play a huge role in making our town centres the vibrant and prosperous areas they are to work in and to shop.
“We are pleased to take part in Small Business Saturday by waiving parking charges in Council car parks during this period and I hope everyone will take this opportunity to do their Christmas shopping locally and help support local businesses.”
The free car parking offer only applies to car parks that are managed by Lewisham Council and does not include on-street parking, Lewisham Shopping Centre (which is privately owned) or Blackheath Station car park which is now owned by Network Rail.
For a list of all participating car parks visit www.lewisham.gov.uk/freeparking.
Permit to travel
Residents living in a CPZ who are fed up with ordering permits online or over the phone can now enjoy the convenience of buying them in person from Lewisham Library. The Council explains:
Although parking permits for those living in a CPZ (controlled parking zone) are now purchased online or by telephone, residents can now buy visitor parking permits in cash from Lewisham Library.
In addition, to avoid some mobile phone users being charged at higher rates, the parking service has changed its number from an 0845 number to 020 8787 5397. When residents do not know the details of their visitor’s vehicle, scratch cards are also available for purchase. Residents will also continue to be able to purchase visitor parking permits online, by telephone using their credit card, or by post using a cheque or postal order.
You're welcome, Lewisham!
Although parking permits for those living in a CPZ (controlled parking zone) are now purchased online or by telephone, residents can now buy visitor parking permits in cash from Lewisham Library.
In addition, to avoid some mobile phone users being charged at higher rates, the parking service has changed its number from an 0845 number to 020 8787 5397. When residents do not know the details of their visitor’s vehicle, scratch cards are also available for purchase. Residents will also continue to be able to purchase visitor parking permits online, by telephone using their credit card, or by post using a cheque or postal order.
You're welcome, Lewisham!
The Catford Canteen
Lewisham Council writes:
This autumn an exciting new indoor dining experience will be opening its doors in the heart of Catford.
The weekly Catford Canteen will launch over two nights on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October and will be hosted by underground dining specialists Basement Galley, who will bring a touch of their culinary mastery from their most successful east London project, The Underground Supper Club, to a revamped short term vacant unit in the Catford Centre. On its debut evening, diners will be able to enjoy a 5-course menu with dishes from soy-braised salmon to rich aubergine tagine.
The Catford Canteen builds on the success of the Catford Broadway Supper Club and is an ideal way to explore a range of gastro specialities prepared by different chefs every weekend and for new food businesses to showcase their talents. Diners can look forward to tucking in to an eclectic range of food including: Vietnamese (Sydenham’s Two Hungry Bees), Italian (Ladywell’s Pastificio Mansi), Barbadian (Catford’s Inapikkle) as well as Hither Green’s The Hungry Larder, the Hither Green Wine Club and the Brockley Brewery Company. Chefs from further afield will include Colonel Toms Louisiana Gumbo and Christabel’s Mad Hatters Brunch Party.
Director of Basement Galley, Alex Cooper, said: “We’re honoured to be launching this new and exciting venue. Most of what we do is in east London so it’s great to see things happening in this part of London. I also think it’s great that the Catford Canteen is a Council run initiative. Opening a restaurant is expensive so a pop-up restaurant with a fully fitted kitchen, furniture and business support is perfect for budding food entrepreneurs who want to test out their offer before committing to something more permanent.”
Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Regeneration Councillor Alan Smith, said: “Catford residents have told us they want a better range and quality of shops and to be able to socialise in the town centre. Now that we own the Catford Centre, we are able to try out new ventures and give businesses and the local community a sense of what their town centre could become. The Catford Canteen will allow us to embrace this opportunity by turning a short term vacant unit into something new, exciting and vibrant.”
The Catford Canteen is at 28 Winslade Way, Catford Centre, Catford SE6 4JU and advance booking can be made via www.lewisham.gov.uk/CatfordCanteen.
Lewisham consults on Council Tax
Lewisham Council says:
The Council is now consulting on its Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2014/15, and also the additional support available to help certain vulnerable people to pay for their Council Tax.
In April 2013 the Government abolished the Council Tax Benefit scheme which helped those people with no or low income to pay their Council Tax. In its place the Council introduced its own local Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
The Government reduced the funding Lewisham Council gets for Council Tax Reduction by £3.2m and the Council had to make some difficult decisions about how to continue to support those people most in need.
The effect of passing on the cut during the current 2013/14 financial year has meant all working age residents having to pay an average of £2.71 extra Council Tax each week. If the scheme remains unchanged in 2014/15 as the Council proposes, it is likely that this amount will not change.
Before details of next year's scheme can be confirmed, the Council is consulting on its proposal to continue to pass on the government cut in grant to those of working age and continue to protect pensioners.
The Council welcomes the views of Lewisham residents and is conducting a short online survey at www.lewisham.gov.uk/counciltax.
Consultation opened on 3 October and closes at midnight on Sunday 3 November 2013.
The Council is now consulting on its Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2014/15, and also the additional support available to help certain vulnerable people to pay for their Council Tax.
In April 2013 the Government abolished the Council Tax Benefit scheme which helped those people with no or low income to pay their Council Tax. In its place the Council introduced its own local Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
The Government reduced the funding Lewisham Council gets for Council Tax Reduction by £3.2m and the Council had to make some difficult decisions about how to continue to support those people most in need.
The effect of passing on the cut during the current 2013/14 financial year has meant all working age residents having to pay an average of £2.71 extra Council Tax each week. If the scheme remains unchanged in 2014/15 as the Council proposes, it is likely that this amount will not change.
Before details of next year's scheme can be confirmed, the Council is consulting on its proposal to continue to pass on the government cut in grant to those of working age and continue to protect pensioners.
The Council welcomes the views of Lewisham residents and is conducting a short online survey at www.lewisham.gov.uk/counciltax.
Consultation opened on 3 October and closes at midnight on Sunday 3 November 2013.
Win the chance to start Blackheath Fireworks on Saturday 2 November
For the first time, Lewisham Council is inviting residents to enter a prize draw with a first prize of ‘pressing the plunger’ to start Blackheath fireworks, the biggest free fireworks display in the capital.
For only £5 per entry, the lucky winner, along with five friends, will also receive a guided tour of the firing zone and an optimum viewing position within the firing zone. Fifteen runners up will be given five passes to the VIP viewing area which offers a spectacular view of the display right next to the firing zone.
As well as the display which starts at 8pm, there will be a funfair on Blackheath from 4pm and food and refreshments available from 5pm. Blackheath welcomes almost 100,000 visitors to its display - the biggest, free fireworks event in the capital.
L&Q Housing is one of Blackheath Fireworks main supporters this year whilst other local businesses are also being offered the opportunity to support the fireworks with a range of different sponsorship opportunities and premium viewing packages.
For details of the prize draw and how to enter, go to www.lewisham.gov.uk/startthefireworks
Entries close at 12 noon on Friday 28 October 2013.
Deputy Mayor backs call for urgent resolution of Ladywell chaos
Earlier this month, a group of Ladywell businesses demanded a quick resolution of the town centre roadworks, which are running behind schedule and damaging their trade. El, from El's Kitchen writes, following her meeting with the Deputy Mayor of Lewisham, the Head of Transport and Tom Connell from Conway, the contractor carrying out the work:
- Conway have a three year, rolling retainer contract with Lewisham Council to carry out new highways work and any maintenance required under a certain job value (approx £1m). They were awarded this job without needing to tender for it and there are no penalties for delays or poor quality work (they just have to re-do the work at their expense). The budget for the work was £700,000 and they have been paid approx £600,000 to date. They are paid in stages by the size of the area they complete so there is effectively no incentive at all for them to meet any timescale given to them.
- The Deputy Mayor expressed his concern with the level of mis-management and poor decision-making by Conway and had witnessed some of the lack of urgency for himself. It was ironic that he was 10 minutes late for the meeting, blaming traffic congestion in Catford due to the diversions away from Ladywell Road.
- The Deputy Mayor was shocked by the level of negative impact that the delays are having on local businesses and urged Conway to meet the new date for Ladywell Road to be re-opened of mid-October.
- Conway promised to give us an on-site point of contact that any member of the public may speak to. This is Mick Malloney and he has now been introduced to the majority of business owners.
- Conway promised to give us a detailed program of site works with timelines that traders can share with their customers. The first of these was produced on Thursday last week and shows a daily schedule of where works are being carried out to the road and pavements for the next week. They will also post this somewhere on the site for the public to access. We hope Conway will continue to gives us a weekly update going forward.
Since our meeting, work appears to be progressing a quite a pace, with many more workers on site daily and activity continuing on Saturdays and Sundays, so this is a great result. The stretch of Ladywell Road from the junction with Algernon Road to Malyons Road has been re-opened for access to Malyons Road and many of the unsightly and confusing barriers have now been removed from this area. The workmen have also cleared away much of the rubbish and unnecessary materials from the site, making it much easier, safer and cleaner for pedestrians to circulate.
However, low footfall is still an issue for all the shopkeepers in Ladywell and we urge you to come down and visit the shops while the construction work is being completed, as it would be very sad to see any of us go out of business due to continued, unsustainable losses.
- Conway have a three year, rolling retainer contract with Lewisham Council to carry out new highways work and any maintenance required under a certain job value (approx £1m). They were awarded this job without needing to tender for it and there are no penalties for delays or poor quality work (they just have to re-do the work at their expense). The budget for the work was £700,000 and they have been paid approx £600,000 to date. They are paid in stages by the size of the area they complete so there is effectively no incentive at all for them to meet any timescale given to them.
- The Deputy Mayor expressed his concern with the level of mis-management and poor decision-making by Conway and had witnessed some of the lack of urgency for himself. It was ironic that he was 10 minutes late for the meeting, blaming traffic congestion in Catford due to the diversions away from Ladywell Road.
- The Deputy Mayor was shocked by the level of negative impact that the delays are having on local businesses and urged Conway to meet the new date for Ladywell Road to be re-opened of mid-October.
- Conway promised to give us an on-site point of contact that any member of the public may speak to. This is Mick Malloney and he has now been introduced to the majority of business owners.
- Conway promised to give us a detailed program of site works with timelines that traders can share with their customers. The first of these was produced on Thursday last week and shows a daily schedule of where works are being carried out to the road and pavements for the next week. They will also post this somewhere on the site for the public to access. We hope Conway will continue to gives us a weekly update going forward.
Since our meeting, work appears to be progressing a quite a pace, with many more workers on site daily and activity continuing on Saturdays and Sundays, so this is a great result. The stretch of Ladywell Road from the junction with Algernon Road to Malyons Road has been re-opened for access to Malyons Road and many of the unsightly and confusing barriers have now been removed from this area. The workmen have also cleared away much of the rubbish and unnecessary materials from the site, making it much easier, safer and cleaner for pedestrians to circulate.
However, low footfall is still an issue for all the shopkeepers in Ladywell and we urge you to come down and visit the shops while the construction work is being completed, as it would be very sad to see any of us go out of business due to continued, unsustainable losses.
Ladywell roadworks expected to drag on until Christmas
The BC style-guide frowns upon the use of newspaper-favourite words like "farce" and "fiasco", but in this case, we're happy to make an exception. The Ladywell town centre roadwork delays are reaching farcical proportions. Local resident Tony writes:
Ladywell businesses have written to Lewisham Mayor Sir Steve Bullock calling for an urgent meeting to discuss further delays to the completion of the street improvement works in the neighbourhood. Local business people, frustrated by the seemingly endless delays to the works that started in May, are worried that some businesses could go under because the disruption is causing a dramatic reduction in footfall.
Local businesses wrote to the Mayor in June when the the project first hit snags and was delayed. They were told the work would be completed by end- September. They are now being told it will be October, with workers on site saying it will be Christmas before the works are finished.
Shopowners say there is no sense of urgency in the work being carried out by the contractors Conway. Construction is progressing at a snails pace and activity is intermittent.
The businesses have called for an meeting with the Mayor to explain the serious impact the street works are now having on local businesses and to urge him to do all in his power to ensure Conway steps up the pace of the building work.
Ladywell businesses have written to Lewisham Mayor Sir Steve Bullock calling for an urgent meeting to discuss further delays to the completion of the street improvement works in the neighbourhood. Local business people, frustrated by the seemingly endless delays to the works that started in May, are worried that some businesses could go under because the disruption is causing a dramatic reduction in footfall.
Local businesses wrote to the Mayor in June when the the project first hit snags and was delayed. They were told the work would be completed by end- September. They are now being told it will be October, with workers on site saying it will be Christmas before the works are finished.
Shopowners say there is no sense of urgency in the work being carried out by the contractors Conway. Construction is progressing at a snails pace and activity is intermittent.
The businesses have called for an meeting with the Mayor to explain the serious impact the street works are now having on local businesses and to urge him to do all in his power to ensure Conway steps up the pace of the building work.
Crofton Park air quality controls to be introduced
Following a recent consultation about the issue, Lewisham Council confirms:
On Friday 30 August, Crofton Park and its borders with Forest Hill and Perry Vale will become an Air Quality Management Area.
Following a detailed assessment it was found that air pollution in parts of this area are failing to meet the standards of air quality required by legislation. These are standards that the UK have set as a result of an EU Directive that considered the health impacts of various air pollutants.
The concerns centre mainly on Brockley Rise/Brockley Road (B218) and Honor Oak Park (B238) where the levels of Nitrogen Dioxide do not meet EU objectives. The main source of the pollutant in the area is motor vehicles but use of fuel for heating and cooking also contributes.
After consultation with residents, Lewisham Council has decided to also include the surrounding residential streets within the Air Quality Management Area as a precautionary measure, with 70 per cent of local people in support.
Lewisham Council is now in the process of preparing an action plan to improve these conditions which will be published in the next 12-18 months.
On Friday 30 August, Crofton Park and its borders with Forest Hill and Perry Vale will become an Air Quality Management Area.
Following a detailed assessment it was found that air pollution in parts of this area are failing to meet the standards of air quality required by legislation. These are standards that the UK have set as a result of an EU Directive that considered the health impacts of various air pollutants.
The concerns centre mainly on Brockley Rise/Brockley Road (B218) and Honor Oak Park (B238) where the levels of Nitrogen Dioxide do not meet EU objectives. The main source of the pollutant in the area is motor vehicles but use of fuel for heating and cooking also contributes.
After consultation with residents, Lewisham Council has decided to also include the surrounding residential streets within the Air Quality Management Area as a precautionary measure, with 70 per cent of local people in support.
Lewisham Council is now in the process of preparing an action plan to improve these conditions which will be published in the next 12-18 months.
The lampenproletariat
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| New lamp (left), for old |
Lamposts across the area are being ripped up and replaced with new ones as part of a 25-year PFI scheme developed by Lewisham and Croydon Councils. For the most part, the lamps, while not revolutionary, represent an improvement over their predecessors.
What do you think?
Coulgate Street textiles recycling
Coulgate Street now has a textiles recycling bank, ideal for clothes in reasonably good condition, but also suitable for stuff that would otherwise go in the bin. On Twitter, EnviroLewisham confirms that this is a trial location and they are open to other suggestions, so post below if you have a better idea.
Lewisham's green spaces in top 10 nation-wide
Lewisham has won 14 Green Flag Awards from Keep Britain Tidy, giving it the joint-seventh-highest score for local authorities nationally. Green Flags are awarded based on criteria including cleanliness, management and safety.
Lewisham borough picked up 13 Green Flags for its outstanding parks, including Hilly Fields, Ladywell Fields and Telegraph Hill Park while Horniman Gardens, which is managed by the Museum Trust, also collected an award.
Lewisham also retained several Green Flag Community Awards (formally the Green Pennant Award) and picked up a new one for Frendsbury Gardens, the West Brockley park that was transformed in 2008.
Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “I’m especially pleased that Frendsbury Gardens has received an award. As one of our newer open spaces, it’s a great example of how a community, supported by the Big Lottery fund, has turned around a disused space into something which is now award-winning.”
Click here for the BC Greenspaces map.
Lewisham borough picked up 13 Green Flags for its outstanding parks, including Hilly Fields, Ladywell Fields and Telegraph Hill Park while Horniman Gardens, which is managed by the Museum Trust, also collected an award.
Lewisham also retained several Green Flag Community Awards (formally the Green Pennant Award) and picked up a new one for Frendsbury Gardens, the West Brockley park that was transformed in 2008.
Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “I’m especially pleased that Frendsbury Gardens has received an award. As one of our newer open spaces, it’s a great example of how a community, supported by the Big Lottery fund, has turned around a disused space into something which is now award-winning.”
Click here for the BC Greenspaces map.
Lewisham's Secret Gardens
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| UP Projects' "Spontaneous City in the Tree of Heaven" |
Working in partnership with Lewisham Council, we will launch, a series of new public art commissions this summer. Connected by the Waterlink Way, a cycle and foot path that follows the Rivers Pool and Ravensbourne, a series of new, temporary, permanent and digital public art commissions will investigate four parks, responding to their unique characteristics, communities and ecology.
Launching in July 2013, Secret Garden Project Lewisham will manifest in Sue Godfrey Nature Park, Cornmill Gardens, Ladywell Fields and Riverpool Linear & Bellingham Play Park and will encourage people to discover and use urban green space in creative ways. These artworks form part of the pan-London Secret Garden Project, a programme of environmental art commissions curated and produced by UP Projects.
The first commission to launch will be artist in residence, Rebecca Beinart, who will explore Sue Godfrey Nature Park, Deptford, drawing upon its rich history of local activism, trade and the home remedies that has made Deptford High Street renown. Hosting medicine making workshops, monthly shared meals and conversations with local residents, Beinart seeks to question the wider issues surrounding land use/regeneration and departure of plant knowledge amongst urban communities.
Travelling down to the South of the borough, local digital artist duo, Close and Remote, will be taking to the air, water and land on an expedition to offer a new perspective of Riverpool Linear and Bellingham Play Park. Through a series of events, participants will use radio controlled smart technologies, miniature cameras and binaural microphones to capture different vantage points of the River Pool and Ravensbourne. Utilising GPS technology and the captured film footage, they will develop a free mobile app that will lead visitors off the beaten track, to discover the unique soundscape of this ecologically rich park.
Later in the year, two permanent artworks will be developed for Cornmill Gardens and Ladywell Fields, launching in March 2014. Working in consultation with local residents and park users to shape the nature of these interventions, the works will draw upon the unique characteristics of each site.
Emma Underhill, Director, UP Projects said:
“We are really pleased to have the opportunity to take the Secret Garden Project to Lewisham and work in a series of fascinating green spaces that will provide a rich context for artists to respond to both in terms of local heritage and also ecological value. The four commissions that we are developing for Lewisham will be an exciting addition to the wider Secret Garden Project portfolio.”
Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services at Lewisham Council, said: “We are very fortunate to have one of Inner London’s greenest boroughs and our parks are well loved and well used. The Secret Garden Project is a great idea and it should encourage even more people to discover Lewisham’s wonderful green spaces and to look at them from a different perspective.”
Secret Garden Project Lewisham is an UP Projects production, working in close partnership with Lewisham Borough Council, and is supported by the Arts Council England.
Full details of the commissions and associated events will be posted on the project website www.secretgardenproject.co.uk
New Lewisham apprenticeship places available now
There are more than 70 new places to apply for on Lewisham’s apprenticeship programme.
The new apprenticeship roles cover areas such as finance, plumbing, care/social work, coaching, IT, admin, youth work, carpentry, catering, animal welfare, and many others. Employers include Lewisham Council, Lewisham Homes, Lakehouse, MITIE Property Services and Phoenix Housing.
The apprenticeships are a mixture of on and off the job training. Since the programme was established in 2009, more than 200 apprentices have been employed within the Council, its supply chain and partner organisations.
The apprenticeships last for up to two years and apprentices will be supported by a tutor and an experienced manager. Once the apprentices have completed their traineeship, they’ll be in a strong position to move into a permanent job.
To apply, candidates need to be a Lewisham resident, aged between 16 and 24, have English and Maths GCSE level A*-C or equivalent ability, and have full UK residency entitlement.
The closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 19 June 2013. Prospective candidates can find out more at www.lewisham.gov.uk/apprentices.
The new apprenticeship roles cover areas such as finance, plumbing, care/social work, coaching, IT, admin, youth work, carpentry, catering, animal welfare, and many others. Employers include Lewisham Council, Lewisham Homes, Lakehouse, MITIE Property Services and Phoenix Housing.
The apprenticeships are a mixture of on and off the job training. Since the programme was established in 2009, more than 200 apprentices have been employed within the Council, its supply chain and partner organisations.
The apprenticeships last for up to two years and apprentices will be supported by a tutor and an experienced manager. Once the apprentices have completed their traineeship, they’ll be in a strong position to move into a permanent job.
To apply, candidates need to be a Lewisham resident, aged between 16 and 24, have English and Maths GCSE level A*-C or equivalent ability, and have full UK residency entitlement.
The closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 19 June 2013. Prospective candidates can find out more at www.lewisham.gov.uk/apprentices.
£20m Lewisham pool and leisure centre opens June 10th
Lewisham Council says:
On Monday 10 June, Glass Mill – Lewisham’s flagship new leisure centre – will open to the public.
The £20m centre, located on Loampit Vale, has been designed by leisure specialists LA Architects and will be operated by registered charity Fusion Lifestyle on behalf of Lewisham Council. The contractor for Glass Mill is Pellikaan, with additional works by Barratt Homes who are developing the adjacent ‘Renaissance’ scheme.
Glass Mill has superb environmental credentials and will offer a range of the most up-to-date facilities and equipment. As well as a regional competition standard 8-lane swimming pool with seating for 300 spectators, there will be a 20m training pool, a 100-station gym, a climbing wall, a creche and two studios offering a programme of classes.
Users of the leisure centre will also be able to pamper themselves in a health suite with treatment rooms and sauna, steam and ‘ice’ rooms.
Great thought has gone into changing areas with separate male and female changing as well as specific areas for families and people with disabilities. The centre is fully accessible and includes moveable floors in both pools, changing cubicles with wheelchair access and signage suitable for the visually impaired.
A key feature of the building is the stunning display of over 1,800 coloured tiles, designed by artist Phil Coy, that form the façade and carry through into a rainbow of light in the various parts of the centre. Glass Mill’s exterior also includes a lighting display that changes in line with the surrounding soundscape.
A full menu of delicious food and refreshing drinks will be on offer throughout the day at the Rhubarb and Custard Café. Items served up by Rhubarb and Custard’s resident chef and dedicated staff will include gourmet burgers, healthy salads, coffee and homemade cakes, and a children’s menu. This local firm – a former recipient of a Mayor Of Lewisham Business Award – already has a committed following in its local neighbourhood of Lee and also operates the café at Wavelengths Leisure Centre in Deptford.
Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock, took a dip in the new swimming pool and said: “I am delighted to mark the open of this outstanding new leisure centre. Glass Mill is the culmination of over a decade of leisure investment in the borough.
“There is now a real opportunity for local people to take part in affordable leisure in all areas around the borough. That is what we have always been aiming for. ”
Fusion Lifestyle Chief Executive, Pete Kay said of the opening: "We are extremely impressed with the high standard of facilities now on offer at Glass Mill Leisure Centre and are proud and excited to begin the management of this fantastic centre.
“We believe that the opening of Glass Mill will make a real difference to the local community by providing first-rate sport, swimming and fitness facilities at an affordable price, and Fusion Lifestyle are committed to continuous development of our programmes and activities in order to offer new opportunities for everyone in Lewisham.”
Alastair Baird, Managing Director of Barratt London said: “We have great pleasure in delivering a landmark building for Lewisham as part of the wider Renaissance development.”
Glass Mill’s opening hours will be 6.30am-10pm on weekdays and 7am-6pm on weekends and Bank Holidays. Rhubarb and Custard Café, located in Glass Mill’s foyer, will operate the same hours. For enquiries about membership options, or the full range of facilities and classes on offer, call Glass Mill on 020 8463 9600.
On Monday 10 June, Glass Mill – Lewisham’s flagship new leisure centre – will open to the public.
The £20m centre, located on Loampit Vale, has been designed by leisure specialists LA Architects and will be operated by registered charity Fusion Lifestyle on behalf of Lewisham Council. The contractor for Glass Mill is Pellikaan, with additional works by Barratt Homes who are developing the adjacent ‘Renaissance’ scheme.
Glass Mill has superb environmental credentials and will offer a range of the most up-to-date facilities and equipment. As well as a regional competition standard 8-lane swimming pool with seating for 300 spectators, there will be a 20m training pool, a 100-station gym, a climbing wall, a creche and two studios offering a programme of classes.
Users of the leisure centre will also be able to pamper themselves in a health suite with treatment rooms and sauna, steam and ‘ice’ rooms.
Great thought has gone into changing areas with separate male and female changing as well as specific areas for families and people with disabilities. The centre is fully accessible and includes moveable floors in both pools, changing cubicles with wheelchair access and signage suitable for the visually impaired.
A key feature of the building is the stunning display of over 1,800 coloured tiles, designed by artist Phil Coy, that form the façade and carry through into a rainbow of light in the various parts of the centre. Glass Mill’s exterior also includes a lighting display that changes in line with the surrounding soundscape.
A full menu of delicious food and refreshing drinks will be on offer throughout the day at the Rhubarb and Custard Café. Items served up by Rhubarb and Custard’s resident chef and dedicated staff will include gourmet burgers, healthy salads, coffee and homemade cakes, and a children’s menu. This local firm – a former recipient of a Mayor Of Lewisham Business Award – already has a committed following in its local neighbourhood of Lee and also operates the café at Wavelengths Leisure Centre in Deptford.
Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock, took a dip in the new swimming pool and said: “I am delighted to mark the open of this outstanding new leisure centre. Glass Mill is the culmination of over a decade of leisure investment in the borough.
“There is now a real opportunity for local people to take part in affordable leisure in all areas around the borough. That is what we have always been aiming for. ”
Fusion Lifestyle Chief Executive, Pete Kay said of the opening: "We are extremely impressed with the high standard of facilities now on offer at Glass Mill Leisure Centre and are proud and excited to begin the management of this fantastic centre.
“We believe that the opening of Glass Mill will make a real difference to the local community by providing first-rate sport, swimming and fitness facilities at an affordable price, and Fusion Lifestyle are committed to continuous development of our programmes and activities in order to offer new opportunities for everyone in Lewisham.”
Alastair Baird, Managing Director of Barratt London said: “We have great pleasure in delivering a landmark building for Lewisham as part of the wider Renaissance development.”
Glass Mill’s opening hours will be 6.30am-10pm on weekdays and 7am-6pm on weekends and Bank Holidays. Rhubarb and Custard Café, located in Glass Mill’s foyer, will operate the same hours. For enquiries about membership options, or the full range of facilities and classes on offer, call Glass Mill on 020 8463 9600.
Curzon exploring cinema bid for Ladywell pool site
Eames: You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.
- Inception
Sometime BC contributor Max Calo has been lobbying for a Lewisham cinema for years and his efforts have drawn the attention of independent cinema chain Curzon, who approached him about the Ladywell Leisure Centre site he campaigned to turn in to a cinema. With the centre due to shut within weeks, as the new Lewisham pool opens, Curzon has now entered into discussion with the Council. Eastlondonlines reports:
[Calo's] petition was spotted by Curzon Cinemas, who run six arthouse cinemas in the capital and another venue in Cheshire. Calò said Curzon then contacted Hither Green Hall with interest in redeveloping the site as a cinema, and the two parties then held a private meeting with members of Lewisham Council to discuss options.
Cllr Mike Harris also comments:
“If there was a cinema here people would… come out of the cinema, go to a bar, a pub, a restaurant and spend more money here. At the moment that money is being spent in other boroughs. Lewisham is concentrating on housing, but all those people then have nowhere to go in the borough. If there was a cinema here, it then helps the local business, because those local businesses will profit from the extra traffic that is being brought in.”
If the plans do go ahead, Lewisham Council will need to think bigger than just the cinema. At the moment, there is relatively little to tempt the art-house cinema goer to linger. The site is too small and poorly located to build something like Bermondsey Square, but some supporting bars and restaurants would need to be accommodated within the design. Max points out that it’s between two major centres (Lewisham and Catford), but that means that it’s in neither and bus connections between the two are no substitute for a nearby tube station. But BC has never been a home for people who dream small, so this idea gets our full backing – it just needs the Council to go into this with their eyes open about the scale of commitment required to make this work.
The developers who plan to rebuild Lewisham Shopping Centre are also considering a cinema, albeit one devoted to blockbusters rather than indie film.
- Inception
Sometime BC contributor Max Calo has been lobbying for a Lewisham cinema for years and his efforts have drawn the attention of independent cinema chain Curzon, who approached him about the Ladywell Leisure Centre site he campaigned to turn in to a cinema. With the centre due to shut within weeks, as the new Lewisham pool opens, Curzon has now entered into discussion with the Council. Eastlondonlines reports:
[Calo's] petition was spotted by Curzon Cinemas, who run six arthouse cinemas in the capital and another venue in Cheshire. Calò said Curzon then contacted Hither Green Hall with interest in redeveloping the site as a cinema, and the two parties then held a private meeting with members of Lewisham Council to discuss options.
Cllr Mike Harris also comments:
“If there was a cinema here people would… come out of the cinema, go to a bar, a pub, a restaurant and spend more money here. At the moment that money is being spent in other boroughs. Lewisham is concentrating on housing, but all those people then have nowhere to go in the borough. If there was a cinema here, it then helps the local business, because those local businesses will profit from the extra traffic that is being brought in.”
If the plans do go ahead, Lewisham Council will need to think bigger than just the cinema. At the moment, there is relatively little to tempt the art-house cinema goer to linger. The site is too small and poorly located to build something like Bermondsey Square, but some supporting bars and restaurants would need to be accommodated within the design. Max points out that it’s between two major centres (Lewisham and Catford), but that means that it’s in neither and bus connections between the two are no substitute for a nearby tube station. But BC has never been a home for people who dream small, so this idea gets our full backing – it just needs the Council to go into this with their eyes open about the scale of commitment required to make this work.
The developers who plan to rebuild Lewisham Shopping Centre are also considering a cinema, albeit one devoted to blockbusters rather than indie film.
Hoop dreams for Brockley bikes
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| Coming soon to Lewisham's streets |
Lewisham is the latest London Borough to adopt the bike locker scheme; a service providing secure residential bike parking for a small annual fee.
Working with the London Borough of Lewisham we are currently in the stage of selecting the locations to install the bike lockers. It is in our interest to place the lockers in the locations of the greatest demand so if you are interested in having a bike locker near you, please complete the form.
So, bearing in mind you need a decent chunk of pavement to fit these things on or to lose a parking spot on a street, what bits of Brockley could benefit? Outside the sorting office or on the vast pavement flats of Brockley Cross would seem obvious candidates - Crofton Park, opposite the Brockley Jack too.
With thanks to Sean.
Build your Ladywell dream house
Muriel Blandings: I refuse to endanger the lives of my children in a house with less than four bathrooms.
Jim Blandings: For 1,300 dollars they can live in a house with three bathrooms and ROUGH IT.
- Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House
Ladywell's Church Grove, which was once earmarked to become a Traveller site has now been allocated for use by people who want to build their own homes. Lewisham Council says:
As part of the first ever National Self Build Week (4-12 May 2013), Lewisham Council is offering residents a rare opportunity to build their own home.
The Council is re-introducing its self-build scheme as a further step towards meeting the growing demand for social housing in the borough and to provide new skills for unemployed local people.
A site has been identified off Church Grove in Ladywell and should provide up to 16 new homes by 2016.
The initiative will be supported by the National Self Build Association and run in partnership with an experienced house builder.
The scheme has been designed for people on Lewisham’s housing waiting list who want to develop their skills in house building trades such as electrical, carpentry, plumbing and bricklaying – and who also want to build their own home.
In addition to gaining a new home, residents will acquire new skills to help them access future employment opportunities.
Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “Everyone recognises that London has a real shortage of housing but Lewisham Council is exploring a whole range of ways to support the needs of local residents.
“We were the first in the country to experiment with self-build projects, so we know we can make this work. Self-build is part of a package of measures we’re taking and this will provide not only much needed homes but skills to give local people the opportunity for future employment.”
The Council already has a successful scheme in Honor Oak Park which completed in the 1980s. It was the first project of its kind in the UK and gave rise to similar projects around the country.
Applicants need to be a Lewisham resident and be on the Lewisham housing waiting list. For more information and to register your interest email housing.matters@lewisham.gov.uk or call 020 8314 9163.
Jim Blandings: For 1,300 dollars they can live in a house with three bathrooms and ROUGH IT.
- Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House
Ladywell's Church Grove, which was once earmarked to become a Traveller site has now been allocated for use by people who want to build their own homes. Lewisham Council says:
As part of the first ever National Self Build Week (4-12 May 2013), Lewisham Council is offering residents a rare opportunity to build their own home.
The Council is re-introducing its self-build scheme as a further step towards meeting the growing demand for social housing in the borough and to provide new skills for unemployed local people.
A site has been identified off Church Grove in Ladywell and should provide up to 16 new homes by 2016.
The initiative will be supported by the National Self Build Association and run in partnership with an experienced house builder.
The scheme has been designed for people on Lewisham’s housing waiting list who want to develop their skills in house building trades such as electrical, carpentry, plumbing and bricklaying – and who also want to build their own home.
In addition to gaining a new home, residents will acquire new skills to help them access future employment opportunities.
Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “Everyone recognises that London has a real shortage of housing but Lewisham Council is exploring a whole range of ways to support the needs of local residents.
“We were the first in the country to experiment with self-build projects, so we know we can make this work. Self-build is part of a package of measures we’re taking and this will provide not only much needed homes but skills to give local people the opportunity for future employment.”
The Council already has a successful scheme in Honor Oak Park which completed in the 1980s. It was the first project of its kind in the UK and gave rise to similar projects around the country.
Applicants need to be a Lewisham resident and be on the Lewisham housing waiting list. For more information and to register your interest email housing.matters@lewisham.gov.uk or call 020 8314 9163.
Bike loan scheme to boost Lewisham cycling
Lewisham has launched a cycle loan scheme to make it easier for locals to take up cycling. They say:
Anyone who lives, works or studies in Lewisham can borrow a bike for one month for £10 and use it for any/all your journeys. You are also given a helmet, high-viz vest and lock and at the end of the month, you can either buy the bike at a reduced cost or return it.
Full details here.
Anyone who lives, works or studies in Lewisham can borrow a bike for one month for £10 and use it for any/all your journeys. You are also given a helmet, high-viz vest and lock and at the end of the month, you can either buy the bike at a reduced cost or return it.
Full details here.
Empty properties in Brockley
At a time of rising rents in Brockley, it's exasperating to learn that local homes are being left empty. A BCer who wishes to remain anonymous writes:
We have had for several years now an empty flat in our building (a Victorian conversion with few flats). We're worried about lots of issues - loss of heat, the risk of someone breaking in and problems with condition of the building have all been concerns for us and the other people that live in the for a long time.
We are in touch with the council and they are helping us trying to get the issue sorted. Fortunately the council is being really helpful and supporting us on trying to get the flat occupied. We are not pushing the owners to sell it, but wouldn't it be nice for all of us if they could rent it out? They get a lovely income and we get neighbours!
Anyway I am just wondering if this is an issue that is present elsewhere, or if it is just us being unlucky. Have people seen many empty properties in the area and has anyone been through the same experience with a landlord and the council?
I would love to hear from people in the area, whether this is a one off or something that concerns us all?
We have had for several years now an empty flat in our building (a Victorian conversion with few flats). We're worried about lots of issues - loss of heat, the risk of someone breaking in and problems with condition of the building have all been concerns for us and the other people that live in the for a long time.
We are in touch with the council and they are helping us trying to get the issue sorted. Fortunately the council is being really helpful and supporting us on trying to get the flat occupied. We are not pushing the owners to sell it, but wouldn't it be nice for all of us if they could rent it out? They get a lovely income and we get neighbours!
Anyway I am just wondering if this is an issue that is present elsewhere, or if it is just us being unlucky. Have people seen many empty properties in the area and has anyone been through the same experience with a landlord and the council?
I would love to hear from people in the area, whether this is a one off or something that concerns us all?
