South London Weekly - June 26th 2026

MORE THAN ONE MILLION HOMES IN LONDON NEED RETROFITTING DUE TO INCREASING TEMPERATURES

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By Kumail Jaffer Local Democracy Reporters

MORE THAN a million homes in London may need significant upgrades to help curb the capital’s overheating crisis, the London Assembly has heard.

The city’s properties are particularly vulnerable to heat due to the urban heat island (UHI) effect, a phenomenon where higher temperatures are experienced in built-up areas due to the heat-absorptive properties of buildings and roads.

However, City Hall has instructed developers, through the London Plan, to prioritise “passive” cooling measures such as shading rather than allowing the installation of air conditioning (AC) by default.

Experts suggest that the impact of climate change – particularly the rise in temperature – means modernising homes, which are traditionally built to retain heat in the winter, is more important than ever.

The 2022 heatwave saw record temperatures recorded across the UK, with London hitting 40°C that July. Throughout the year, there were 3,271 heat-related

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deaths in England, 387 of which were recorded in London.

Social tenants are bearing the brunt of the capital’s overheating homes crisis, according to the Resolution Foundation, with 74 per cent of social homes considered to be at high risk of overheating.

Dan Bicknell, Climate Adaptation Manager at the Greater London Authority (GLA), admitted that City Hall has a “lot to do” to bring the city’s homes up to scratch.

“It’s fair to say we are in the early days of this process,” he told the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee earlier this month. “We’ve made a strong start by understanding the risks. We’ve published a report which gives an idea of where we need to target our efforts.”

He said that retrofitting London’s homes for heat adaption would be a “really expensive process..in isolation” and said the GLA would “need to join it up with other activities to make sure it’s viable”.

“Otherwise, it just won’t happen – it’s likely to be too expensive. The number of properties is likely to be over a million existing properties in London that need to

be retrofitted for heat in the sort of medium to long term.”

This would mean combining current programmes which aim to upgrade London’s homes to ensure they are warmer in the winter and more energy efficient throughout the year.

However, Mr Bicknell also admitted that there was a “huge funding gap” towards retrofit programmes in general. The GLA is set to publish its long-awaited Heat Risk Delivery Plan this summer, a city-wide framework designed to manage extreme heat and overheating.

At the same meeting, the Deputy Mayor for Planning, Jules Pipe, was keen to point out that there was no de-facto ban on AC in new London properties at the moment, but that City Hall was keen to prioritise passive measures that used less energy before turning to “active cooling”.

“There is no ban on AC – I would invite anyone to point out in the London Plan where there is any wording that prevents it in new build developments,” Mr Pipe said.

“All the plan says is to maximise passive measures that cost tenants nothing and then if it doesn’t meet the required standard, it doesn’t prevent you from installing AC. It is to prevent that need to turn it on.

“The cooling hierarchy requires developers to maximise passive measures – designing the building not to overheat in the first place. If AC is required not to exceed uncomfortable temperatures, then there’s no problem.

“The greening policies in the current plan were ambitious – we are keen the next plan is equally ambitious. The action that the world is taking on climate change isn’t sufficient. There will be situations where buildings don’t lend themselves well to passive measures.”

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ACING YOUR NEW WORKOUT

We meet the coach behind the thriving Dulwich Lawn Tennis Club and his popular ‘cardio tennis’ class

By Flora Bigham

OFF A leafy grove in Herne Hill, Dulwich Lawn Tennis Club, or DLTC, is a hidden oasis mixing traditional court craft with innovative, fun new workouts.

Sebastien Blanchon joined as head coach of the club eight years ago. When he arrived there was no website, no list of coaches, and no database. There are now five coaches teaching around 500 people a week, including 350 children and 150 adults. “I built it from the ground up”, he said.

One of Sebastien’s recent introductions is “cardio tennis”. He described the dynamic class as similar to Pilates and Zumba, but instead of exercising inside a studio, participants are outside on a tennis court, hitting balls with a racquet.

The session includes drills, running and navigating obstacles, all to the soundtrack of high-energy music. Many members sign up with their friends, so not only is it great physical exercise, but also a lovely social event. “It might not be as fun in cold and wet January, but when it’s summertime, 17-18 degrees, blue skies and sunshine, there is no better way to start the day”, Sebastien said.

Alongside weekly classes and activities, DLTC is about to hold its annual club tournament. Beginning on Saturday, May 30, every day for the following three weeks there will be matches, 350 in total, before an evening BBQ and drinks.

All age groups take part in the event, from juniors to “veterans” (those aged 55 and over). There are around 20 categories, including mixed doubles, men’s singles and doubles, and women’s singles and doubles - all for every age group.

And the club will, of course, also be celebrating Wimbledon season. The club features a bar with a large flat screen TV which will show all the matches.

The club has capacity for 500 members but has nearly three times that number on the waiting list, with 1400 hoping to begin their membership.

This boom happened off the back of covid, Sebastien explained. After everyone was suddenly told to stay at home, he believes many re-evaluated their daily habits which included enjoying the outdoors – “You don’t know

that you’re missing something until you can’t do it”, he added, and this rings particularly true for the club.

DLTC hosts a range of events for kids. While some of the children have professional ambitions, many are there to learn the sport and enjoy themselves. Sebastien spoke to us after a day spent coaching at DLTC’s holiday camp. There are three aims for the camp, he explained, that the kids learn to “love the game, have fun and improve… we include a bit of learning, a bit of competition and a lot of fun”.

Sebastien grew up playing tennis in France, but did not explore coaching as a career until he came to London 23 years ago. He first arrived to improve his English, working a 9 to 5 in a Soho-based catering company alongside a 6pm to 9pm night class in journalism.

Living in Streatham, he began coaching on weekends, which revived his love for tennis. He began coaching full time in 2010 before moving to DLTC in 2018 “and I have not looked back since… I have been coming to work with a smile on my face every day for the past 8 years”, he added.

Not only is tennis great exercise but it brings a community together.

Everyone has a “busy life in a busy city, taking even one hour where players leave their life behind and have fun is so useful” he said. Particularly after covid, Sebastien has noticed coaches feel they are “psychologists more than tennis coaches”, providing mental health support to the community.

It is not just tennis courts that are available to members, there is also a cricket pitch, croquet pitch and squash courts. While the club has a long waiting list, non-members can also book lessons at the club.

The club offers coaching sessions, tennis tournaments and more. It boasts five clay courts, four grass and two hard courts, with three new clay courts planned for the next year. Five of these courts feature floodlights, meaning players can continue into the warm summer evenings.

Lessons with a coach start from £45 (private)/£50 (joint) an hour

Dulwich Lawn Tennis Club, Giant Arches Rd, London, SE24 9HB clubspark.lta.org.uk/ dulwichlawntennisclub

London’s lost seaside

Pages 20-21

4 NEWS

By Alex Orr

PECKHAM MP Miatta Fahnbulleh is considered a key policy adviser to the man likely to be the next Prime Minister.

Fahnbulleh, who succeeded Harriet Harman as MP for Peckham in 2024, is a key ally of Andy Burnham, meaning she may soon have a prominent role at the highest level of government if the former Manchester Mayor takes over from Sir Keir Starmer as expected.

The 46-year-old MP, who was born in Liberia to former Liberian Foreign Minister Henry Boimah Fahnbulleh, is considered a ‘soft-left’ figure within the Labour Party.

With a background as an economist and policy analyst, Fahnbulleh is a proponent of Burnham’s political philosophy, known as ‘Manchesterism’, which encourages greater civic engagement on a local level by returning key services to public ownership and collaborating with private investment to develop housing and infrastructure.

Praising a new policy paper released today on June 22, by centre-left Labour network, Mainstream, she said: “At the heart of the cost of living crisis gripping this country is a basic truth. The essentials that everyone needs to survive - a decent home, clean water, electricity, transporthave become unaffordable for too many.

“The public have put us on notice: we must deliver the change we promised in 2024.”

The paper, titled ‘The Productive State: A Framework for Manchesterism’, criticised the privatisation of utilities, saying it is at the heart of the UK’s productivity struggles due to a loss of public control over basic services.

In the run-up to the 2024 General Election, Fahnbulleh received an endorsement from Burnham himself, who stated: “Miatta is a leading voice on the need to change our economy, with the ideas to bring this about. She would bring national profile to the issues affecting local people and I know she will be a great MP for Peckham.”

Just last month, the relatively new MP for Peckham made headlines as the first minister to resign from Sir Keir’s government after Labour’s poor performance in the 7th May local elections, quitting her junior ministerial post as Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities.

Her resignation came after the Labour Party lost 23 seats on Southwark Council, losing overall control of the administration and later being locked out of power by a Green-Liberal Democrat coalition.

The Green Party replaced all three Labour councillors in Fahnbulleh’s local Peckham ward, also taking control of surrounding areas such as Nunhead & Queen’s Road, North Walworth, Rye Lane and Old Kent Road.

In her resignation letter five days after the local elections on May 12, Fahnbulleh wrote to Sir Keir, telling him: “The public does not believe that you can lead this change - and nor do I.”

The Peckham MP, who also served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary under Ed Miliband at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, urged the Prime Minister to set a timetable for an orderly transition, and it now appears her wish has been granted.

Since her resignation, Fahnbulleh has been working on policy ideas for a potential Burnham government, campaigning for the former ‘metro mayor’ of Manchester in Makerfield on at least three occasions in the run-up to the byelection.

According to BBC News, after Burnham secured more than 54% of the vote on 18th June, Fahnbulleh will likely expect

WHAT DOES KEY BURNHAM ALLY AND PECKHAM MP MIATTA FAHNBULLEH STAND FOR?

a key role in a future cabinet.On the day of the election, she said: “For us and the Labour family and the Labour team, it shows we can beat Reform, and we can beat them decisively. And we can do it on a progressive platform.Change the economy, change the politics and the result speaks for itself.”

Fahnbulleh’s main legislative achievement in government before her shock resignation was the new English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill, also supported by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.

The bill, which was written into law on April 29 to become an Act of Parliament, highlighted her policy priorities, aiming to empower communities by giving them greater powers to protect local spaces, oversee the regeneration of high streets and crack down on traffic, parking and licensing issues.

Unveiling the bill in March, Fahnbulleh said: “Each region in England has its own unique history, culture and identity. It’s

right that we recognise that, champion it, and provide the people in those communities with the powers they need to make the most of the places they call home.We’ve listened to what our regions want and need - and that’s why we are providing the powers that local leaders need, and the accountability local people deserve, to make a real difference at the heart of villages, towns and cities up and down the country.”

Before her time in the House of Commons, Fahnbulleh had a successful career in policy-making, serving as Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation, a progressive think tank dedicated to environmental sustainability and economic equality, between November 2017 and April 2024.

She has also been Director of Policy and Research at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), another progressive think tank, as well as Head of Cities in the Cabinet Office’s policy unit.

More recently, her two years as MP

for Peckham have not been without controversy, with the News reporting in June 2025 that Fahnbulleh had not yet set up a constituency office in the area a year after being elected.

She told us she was still in the process of searching for a permanent base, adding her office budget of £39,560, the standard amount for all London MPs, had left her “without huge room for manoeuvre”.

She was not the only Southwark MP without a bricks-and-mortar constituency office, with Helen Hayes, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, hosting ‘drop-in sessions’ with her constituents arranged ahead of time.

But Fahnbulleh was unique in placing the establishment of a permanent base at the heart of her election bid in 2024.

Of her four key manifesto pledges, a commitment to establish a local office took top billing.The promise read: “I will open a constituency office so we have a hub in the community, hold regular surgeries and work with the Council,

community groups, trade unions and local members to deliver change locally.”

Fahnbulleh, who had been working from a shared temporary office space on Rye Lane and carrying out ‘roaming surgeries’ in venues across Peckham, said she was “far along in the process” of finding a potential space this time last year.

Although she does now have a constituency office, its location has not been confirmed and is not currently published online.

Burnham has made a great play of his accessibility and if he does become Prime Minister in July, and Fahnbulleh plays a key role in his drive for national change, Peckham locals might well expect their MP to make good on her political commitments, including to open a clearly-signposted constituency office and community hub that drives civic engagement in the area.

Miatta Fahnbulleh and her office were asked for comment this week but there was no reply by the time of going to press.

WALWORTH HOUSE DESTROYED BY FIRE AFTER LIGHTNING STRIKE

EXCLUSIVE

By Alex Orr

THE LIVING room of a house in North Walworth was destroyed by a lightning strike during thunderstorms early on Tuesday morning.

Shorefa Khan, who lives in a council house with her husband and three children, said the incident happened at around 4am, with the London Fire Brigade (LFB) arriving shortly after.

The tenants believe lightning struck the chimney of the house and made its way down to the living room, where it caused the gas meter to catch fire and set the room alight, but the LFB added the cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.

Kept awake by the night’s thunderstorms, Shorefa said she heard a loud bang when lightning struck the property, coming downstairs to check the electricity board as power had completely gone out.

She said: “I realised there was a smell coming from the living room, I opened the door, saw fire and said, ‘Get everyone out the house’.

“I grabbed my kids and ran out of the house, still in shock.”

The family was saved by the fire door to the living room, which shielded the rest of the house from the blaze and enabled the couple and their three children to all escape unscathed.

Shorefa said her children, all of

whom have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), have been traumatised by the incident and would struggle to process what happened.

She added: “My older son is registered blind, so he doesn’t see at all in the dark. I had to drag him out the room, and he was so confused.

“My younger one, who is autistic, was crying and too emotional to say anything.”

The items in the living room which have been permanently damaged include a new television, sofas, passports and

Ten arrests made after hundreds gathered on housing estate off the Old Kent Road

EXCLUSIVE

By Alex Orr

THE METROPOLITAN Police made ten arrests at a large gathering in Avondale Square, Bermondsey, just off the Old Kent Road, on Monday evening.

Police were called to reports of large crowds in the square and surrounding area at around 6pm on Monday 22 June.

Officers attended the scene and promptly put a dispersal order in place, making ten arrests. But no mention has been made by police as to why such a large gathering took place on the estate, which is run by the City of London Corporation.

The police said a 16-year-old boy was assaulted and, after being arrested, was taken to hospital from custody for treatment to a head injury.

His injuries have since been confirmed as neither life-threatening nor lifechanging.

Four teenage boys, aged between 15 and 17, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, while a 16-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of assaulting

an emergency worker. They all remain in custody.

Five individuals were arrested and have since been charged and bailed.

A 17-year-old boy was arrested and charged with anti-social behaviour and breaching a Section 35 dispersal order and is set to appear at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 16 July.

Two men, aged 18 and 20, as well as a 16 year-old girl, were arrested and charged with assaulting an emergency worker, and are also due to appear at Croydon Magistrates’ Court in July.

A 16-year-old girl was arrested and charged with obstructing a police officer and breaching a dispersal order. She is due to appear at Croydon Magistrates’ on Monday 13 July.

A Met spokesperson said: “We are aware of the impact that incidents like this can have on the local community.

“Officers have remained in the area today to offer reassurance to local residents and deter further offending.”

The police have urged anyone with information to contact them by calling 101 and quoting CAD 7043/22Jun.

documents for Shorefa’s business, which sells character products and toys online.

The room remains covered in ash and the strong smell of burning can now be detected throughout the house, Shorefa said, adding one of her children has asthma and could not stay in the property.

Asked for information about the fire, the London Fire Brigade said: “Two fire engines and around 10 firefighters responded to reports of a fire.

“The fire was located in a mid-terrace house of three floors. The ground floor

was heavily damaged by the fire. Two adults and three children left the property before the arrival of the Brigade, and there are no reports of any injuries.

“The Brigade received the first of six calls reporting the fire at 04:03, and crews had the incident under control by 05:28.

Firefighters from Old Kent Road and Peckham fire stations attended the scene.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.”

The tenants said a carpenter had attended the property earlier today and boarded up the front and back windows

of the living room.

A spokesperson for Southwark Council said officers had responded quickly to the incident this morning, and temporary accommodation had been offered to the family.

They said the family would be supported continuously while the situation is dealt with and the council determines the full extent of the damage.

Shorefa added she was still lost for words and thanked her neighbours for their support.

By Evie Flynn

ANOTHER TEENAGE boy has been charged with the murder of 17-year-old Jamal Coombes in Battersea.

The 15-year-old from Wandsworth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with murder and possession of a bladed article on Monday, 22 June. He will appear at Ealing Magistrates’ Court later this morning.

A 14-year-old boy, also from

Wandsworth was charged on Monday 22nd June and appeared at Highbury Corner Youth Court later today, according to the Metropolitan Police. He will appear at Ealing Magistrates’ Court later this morning.

The Met said they had been called at 4:20am on Saturday 20th June to reports of a stabbing on Glycena Road, Battersea, near Clapham Junction station.

Police officers, who attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance,

found Jamal with serious injuries. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Jamal’s family continue to be supported by specialist officers, the Met said.

A boy and girl, both aged 15, were arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday 20th June and have been released on bail while enquiries continue.

A total of four youths have been arrested in connection with Jamal’s death.

FREE BOXING CLASSES IN BURGESS PARK TO KEEP YOUNG PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS

By Evie Flynn

PECKHAM FITNESS instructor

Shane ‘No Shane No Gain’ Williams will be running free outdoor boxing classes for young people aged 13 –20 in Burgess Park starting on July 7th.

The one hour classes will take place every Tuesday throughout summer and will not only teach fitness but also key skills like discipline and character building.

Classes will be taught by trained boxing coaches and personal trainers

Shane Williams, Michael Bates and Ethan Melhado.

Born and bred in Peckham, Shane says he has a “passion for a safer London” and has “lost one too many friends and family members to knife

crime.”

Williams, who has nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram, offered free workouts to Southwark residents during Covid and regularly posts motivation messages about fitness, health, and the importance of being a good role model.

He is also offering 10 hours per week of his own time to visit local schools and do a free after school boxing class. If you are a school and would be interested in Shane’s school sessions, email him on info@noshanenogain. co.uk.

Shane said: “I cannot, and I will not, stand by and watch these young lives slip away. From this moment forward, I pledge to do everything in my power to give them a better future.

“Maybe I cant stop it alone, but if I

can keep 50 people safe for an hour with me, it’s a start.”

There time for the classes just yet because Shane will look at running two sessions back to back if there is enough interest. It will most likely be after school.

To register interest, email info@ noshanenogain.co.uk or send him a direct message on Instagram.

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COMBATING LONELINESS

How TfL and City Hall are using cable cars to fight loneliness

By Kumail Jaffer

Local Democracy Reporters

LONDON MAY be a consistently busy and vibrant city, with crowds everywhere you go – but the hustle and bustle of our capital doesn’t reach everyone.

In 2022, the Reconceptualising Loneliness in London report, commissioned by the Greater London Authority, found that 700,000 Londoners are affected by severe loneliness and feel lonely “most” or “all of the time”. This disproportionately affects young, lowincome, LGBTQ+, single parents, deaf or disabled, or ethnic minority Londoners, according to the research.

In response, City Hall and Transport for London (TfL) have launched a number of schemes designed to help people in the city “build meaningful and lasting relationships” with each other – especially amid divisive and false rhetoric spread about the capital on social media.

Last week TfL launched their third ‘Chatty Cabins’ initiative following two successful runs in February and June of last year. The scheme, which involves a free 20-minute round trip on the cable car, pairs individuals and groups up inside specially branded cabin with a simple instruction – get to know each other.

To get the full ‘Chatty Cabins’ experience, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) hopped on board the cable car at the Royal Docks Terminal alongside TfL’s Head of London

Cable Car, Fiona Jones, and Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, the Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice.

“This has been the best year of the scheme so far,” Ms Jones said, with TfL confirming that all 300 tickets listed were snapped up by Londoners and visitors.

“We love giving back, and we thought about how to create a safe environment to get people chatting and connecting.

“From feedback we’ve heard, there’s people who [met here that] are still in touch now. They might never have crossed paths in their day-to-day life.

This is bigger and better than ever.”

Dr Weekes-Bernard, who has helped roll out the Mayor’s Loved and Wanted initiative, added: “It’s all about giving Londoners the opportunity to connect with each other, strike up a conversation, in a safe space.

“Even though London is an incredibly vibrant, busy city, there are those who experience levels of loneliness.

“This, alongside a couple of other initiatives that we’ve been developing, is just one way of just trying to allow people who are experiencing difficulties with connecting with each other, an opportunity to find a space, which we’ve curated for them, where they can strike up a conversation and make a connection that they might not have ordinarily have made.

“The basic premise is that just the smallest interaction can make an enormous difference. For some people, having a conversation and having [an encounter] like this in a cable car might

be the only conversation they would have had that day, or even that week.”

London’s Loved and Wanted community spaces are spread across the city and give people the opportunity to come together and feel accepted, whatever their background. An interactive map shows the locations with the scheme funded by £1.8 million from the Mayor of London and the National Lottery Community Fund.

Dr Weekes-Bernard added: “London is a city for everyone. We’ve funded Loved and Wanted community spaces, which are about enabling people to find a space that’s local to them, where they can meet people, regardless of their background, strike up a conversation, get to know another person, but also, perhaps just learn something new about a culture that they’ve never come across or don’t know that much about.

“That’s as much about trying to tackle loneliness as it is around recognising that we’re living in some challenging times.”

Last week Sir Sadiq Khan announced £7million would be spent on combatting disinformation about London on social media.

He said the city had been subjected to a “relentless and unprecedented attack of lies and hatred”, with a GLA report earlier this year finding a nearly 200% per cent increase in posts over the past two years portraying the capital as dangerous or in decline.

Dr Weekes-Bernard suggested that this may have contributed to an atmosphere of fear around the city, potentially compelling individuals to become more

reclusive.

“We know that social media can be a place which can both connect people and people find their communities online, but also it can be quite a divisive place,” she said. “Some of what people see can contribute to them feeling isolated, or feeling harassed or targeted.

“Our whole campaign is about trying to provide those occasions for people to come together, perhaps learn a new skill or take part in a particular initiative or a service that they might not have ordinarily come across.

“We know that we have to kind of be quite intentional about this. We can’t really leave people to just try to make these connections themselves, because we’re living in a time when there is a lot

of fear around.

“So if we can do anything to provide spaces and opportunities for people to make those connections, then we’d really like to have to do that.

“We want to remind people that there are more individuals out there who are kind, who care about each other, who look out for their neighbours, than there are people who are intentionally quite divisive. If you spend a lot of time online and you’re from a particular minority community, you would think that this is an unsafe society for you.

“All of that work together, hopefully, goes some way towards enabling people to feel a little safer in our city, and to be able to counter some of the disinformation online.”

Victim of Crystal Palace stabbing named and arrests made

By Alex Orr

has named the man who died following a stabbing in Crystal Palace last weekend.

Kamahl Cameron-Williams, aged 31, died in Westow Hill, near Crystal Palace Park, on Sunday 21 June.

The police and London Ambulance Service responded to reports of a man with knife injuries in the area at 3:39am but, despite their best efforts, Kamahl was pronounced dead at the scene.

A murder investigation was launched following his death, and detectives have arrested six people on suspicion of murder since Sunday.

Four people, a 17-year-old boy and three men aged 19, 30 and 45, were detained on Sunday but have been released on bail pending further enquiries.

The police also arrested a 21-yearold man on Monday and another, aged 23, on Tuesday, who both remain in custody.

The Met said a post-mortem examination is due to take place on Wednesday 24 June, adding Kamahl’s next-of-kin continue to receive support from specialist officers.

Crime scenes were in place in the surrounding area in the days following the incident, but they have now been lifted, with detectives thanking the community for their patience while officers conducted initial inquiries.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee, who is leading the investigation, said: “Our thoughts remain with Kamahl’s family and friends as they come to terms with this tragic loss.

“There is no place for knife crime on our streets. Our detectives continue to work at pace and remain committed to apprehending those responsible for taking Kamahl away from his loved ones.

“We have already made significant arrests and are closing in on outstanding suspects.”

The police have asked anyone with information or relevant footage that may assist the investigation to speak to them as a matter of urgency via 101, quoting 1302/21JUN. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous can also contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

SOUTHWARK TO HOST ITS FIRST EVER SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY FESTIVAL

By Flora Bigham

COMMUNITY PARK festival

“The Beat Goes On” is coming to Camberwell Green next month.

The festival running between 12pm and 5pm on Saturday July 11th will feature music and theatre performances, well-being activities, learning hubs, and more.

It is the first SEND community park festival of its kind in Southwark.

Alongside fun and games, there will also be quiet, relaxing zones for festival goers.

Nia Reynolds is coordinating the festival. She also heads up SEND youth club “Flip the Script”. The club supports those with additional needs through activities such as photography and museum trips. There are also theatre activities which include role playing.

“We tackle issues these young people face in life, from bullying to customer service, and learning how to handle themselves in real-life spaces. It’s

about learning new skills, capturing the world around them in their own way, and telling their own stories”, she said.

The success of “Flip the Script” club inspired her to organise the festival. The club often puts on activities at the park, so “we thought wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had a SEND festival for families to come and enjoy”, Nia said.

The festival is themed “Superheroes”, with attendees encouraged to dress up as their favourite character. Those wishing to dress up can take their outfits to the next level with facepainting available at the event.

Nia is keen to stress, however, that the theme is not compulsory, “you don’t have to dress up, we want to get across that you can be a superhero. A superhero is someone who cares, thinks about others and is willing to share. We want to promote that inner message.”

Those visiting the festival will be

Elephant and Castle brewers to now lead the Lewisham Model Market

By Alex Orr

THE OPERATOR and first trader at the new Lewisham Model Market has been confirmed as Elephant and Castle’s German Kraft Brewery.

The popular food court, which was forced to closed in 2019, is being brought back into use as part of the redevelopment of Lewisham Shopping Centre and will be located at 196 Lewisham High Street.

German Kraft Brewery, founded in 2017 at Mercato Metropolitano in Elephant & Castle, will operate the site, which will open late this summer.

Mercato Metropolitano, the food court that opened on the site of a disused paper factory, will be closing its doors in autumn this year after ten years in Elephant and Castle.

The craft beer brand will now choose the street food vendors in Lewisham, who will be announced in due course,

able to hear and participate in African drumming workshops hosted by “Happy Drums”. There will also be steel pan drums and salsa and Zumba classes.

British Youth Music Theatre will be hosting a drama performance which people can participate in. Based at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in Peckham, the renowned drama school has previously collaborated with “Flip the Script” club.

Nia said these musical and dramatic activities which involve movement are particularly engaging for young people. For instance, if someone is not able to speak, there are ways they can express themselves, “it might be a colour, it might be a sound … these workshops are very inclusive and represent a range of abilities, so everyone is able to contribute”, she said.

Nia emphasised not only young people, but also their carers and families enjoy participating,

“everybody is welcome, from 0 to 103 years old, we would like to think there is something for everyone”, she said. Other highlights at the event include poetry, spoken word and storytelling sessions and accessible sports activities. There will also be a bouncy castle, sensory toys and games and competitions with prizes on offer. A range of food stalls will be at the festival, serving up everything from pizza to Jollof rice to jerk chicken and other Caribbean flavours.

For those looking for a quieter day out, there will be arts and crafts, including collaging and colouring in. There can be misconceptions around those with additional needs, Nia said, but this festival aims to “break down barriers, raise awareness and connect people”.

The festival is supported by Southwark Council’s cultural fund. It is co-organised by Black Stock Media, Flip The Script, Rhythm & Views and Southwark Events.

and also sell beer from a taproom on site.

Developer Landsec, which owns the Model Market site and is also overseeing the redevelopment of the shopping centre, has vowed to bring back the market as a hub for independent businesses and creative spaces.

The market is set to take inspiration from its original 1950s market style, featuring retro shopfronts and string lights.

Preliminary designs for the market have been released, showing a range of food stalls and two tiers of open-air seating.

A Model Market spokesperson said in January: “With a nostalgic design inspired by mid-century shopfronts and a commitment to modern, sustainable values, the new Model Market will feel both timeless and completely new, a reimagined street market for a new generation.”

Summer Time at the Southbank Centre

Dive in for art, performance, music, free events and delicious bites, and find a warm welcome at the Southbank Centre this summer

We’re the largest arts centre in the UK and we’re celebrating our 75th anniversary this year! Join us this summer with plenty of outdoor fun and free events for all ages across our 11-acre site on the River Thames. Come to splash in the Appearing Rooms fountain, relax in our beloved Roof Garden and soak up sun, shows and art. We’re just a short bus or train ride away!

Our summer programme includes; Refugee Week (Thu 25 – Sun 28 Jun), South Asian Sounds (Wed 1 – Sun 5 Jul), Poetry International Festival (Fri 10 – Sun 12 Jul), Rough Trade 50 (Fri 17 – Sun 19 Jul) and Steel Scenes (Fri 24 – Sun 26 Jul). Plus, join a celebration of music and youth, curated by young people for everyone, at our free Riverside Sessions on the Riverside Terrace (Thu 11 Jun - Mon 21 Sep).

Head to the Hayward Gallery for one of this summer’s must-see exhibitions: Anish Kapoor (Tue 16 Jun – Sun 18 Oct). The artist behind the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park's sculpture, the ArcelorMittal Orbit, and Chicago’s Cloud Gate (‘The Bean’) is back. Kapoor’s exhibition fills the entire gallery building with a series of works which press against the gallery walls and floors or descend from the ceiling to create an uncanny sensation of awe and wonder. We’ve made it easy to bring the whole family too. Under-12s go free, and if you’re aged 18 to 30, you can grab half-price tickets by joining our Under-30s Scheme.

If all that fun makes you feel hungry, we’ve got foodie destinations to complete the perfect day out. Head down to the Queen’s Walk for a vibrant selection of food and drink pop-ups for the summer season.

with all the toppings, or cool down with refreshing Mexican ice lollies at Paletas. For dreamy rooftop sunsets, choose between the luscious Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden where you can relax with a

surrounded by flowers, or the Seventy5th Balcony Bar for epic views above the bustle of the city. If you're visiting at the weekend, don't miss Southbank Centre Food

LAST-MINUTE BID TO RAISE £15MILLION TO BUY BRIXTON MARKET BACK FROM PRIVATE FIRMS

By Evie Flynn

A GROUP of Brixton Market

traders and residents have launched a campaign to raise £15 million to help them buy the historic market back for the community.

Campaigners claim that international investors are trying to buy Brixton Village and Market Row for around £50 million from owners TPG Angelo Gordon and Hondo Enterprises.

The Advocacy Academy and the Brixton Traders & Community Association have launched a community counter-bid to buy the market back for the community before the bidding deadline of Monday 22 June, which was the cut-off point for all interested parties to formally submit offers.

They warn that independent traders could face rent increases and potential eviction if the potential sale goes ahead.

Since 2018, the covered market has been owned by a joint venture between US investment firm TPG Angelo Gordon and Hondo Enterprises. They bought it for £37 million from London and Associated Properties (LAP).

After launching on Tuesday, the group’s GoFundMe page has currently raised over £150,000 and their petition has reached over 25,000 signatures.

The campaign group does not need to raise the whole £15 million by Monday,

but organisers has said the money “will allow the community to secure a foot in the door, purchase the market assets, and buy the time needed to establish a permanent model of community ownership.”

The new Green leader of Lambeth Council, Martin Abrams, who was elected just last month says he is

“strongly supporting” the campaign to ensure that the “cherished local asset is held in local hands”.

The GoFundMe site states: “Brixton Market is more than a food hall or property asset. It is the heart of Brixton’s culture, economy and community life. It has been shaped by generations of traders, families, migrants, young

people and independent businesses.”

The market originally went up for sale in September 2024, and a month later, traders said they were ‘not told’ about the market going up for sale.

It began life as a street market in the 1870s, the indoor arcades you see today were built between 1923 and 1938 and many of the existing traders

have been operating in the market since the ’90s.

The 60,000 sq ft property is Grade II-listed, so the entire structure is protected and any potential buyer would need permission to change it.

In 2020, the current owners tried to expand the space to build a rooftop bar and events space but were denied planning permission after it triggered a backlash from the community.

Cllr Martin Abrams, the Leader of Lambeth Council, said: “The Advocacy Academy and the Brixton Traders & Community Association have set a really ambitious vision for community ownership which would safeguard Brixton’s heritage.

“I’m strongly supporting this campaign because Brixton Village and Market Row are the beating heart of Brixton, they’re hugely valued by our diverse communities, and have been shaped by generations of traders, creatives and entrepreneurs from our borough.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity for community action to ensure this cherished local asset is held in local hands, and as the leader of Lambeth Council I am fully supportive of that.”

TPG Angelo Gordon and Hondo Enterprises have both been approached for comment but have not responded at the time of publication.

What's On 2026

WHERE TO EXPERIENCE THE EVERYWHERE AT ONCE FESTIVAL

By Alex Orr

THE EVERYWHERE At Once Festival is taking over London’s grassroots music venues at the end of June.

The festival, supported by the National Lottery and organised by the Music Venue Trust (MVT), a charity which seeks to protect and cultivate the UK’s grassroots music scene, will take place between 26th and 28th June.

More than 2,000 artists are expected to perform across the weekend, spanning a range of different genres, in a bid to encourage music lovers to support their local venues.

A number of events will be coming to venues in Southwark and the rest of south London.

Here are the highlights with tickets still available:

BERMONDSEY SOCIAL CLUBBERMONDSEY

Sunday 28th June at 4pm – Bermondsey Carnival Launch Party (support: Rafe & Ted White)

The launch party for this year’s Bermondsey Carnival, which will take place in Southwark Park on Monday 31st August, will be hosted by Bermondsey Social Club.

It will feature south east London-based DJs Rafe & Ted White, as well as DJ Noel and Lauren & Paul, for a night of dance music, just a short walk from South Bermondsey station.

General admission tickets are £5.50.

DASH THE HENGE STORECAMBERWELL

Saturday 27th June at 1:30pm – Rookery Estate (support: Vanclave)

Annual South Norwood festival returns for 14th year running

By Romilly Schulte

SOUTH NORWOOD Community

Festival, hosted in South Norwood Recreation Ground, is a day-long celebration of the neighborhood to take place this summer on Sunday 5 July.

Fully volunteer-run, it was formed in 2011 in response to a lack of free, accessible and inclusive local events.

In last year’s raffle, party-goers won a HP laptop, a Crystal Palace Stadium tour, and dinners and drinks at local restaurants.

With music at its heart, the centre-stage will boast a genre-shifting line-up from 1950s cover bands to local jazz ensembles and DJs - so bring a pair of dancing shoes.

There will be fairground rides for the brave, and food stalls with all kinds of fare for the hungry.

As a champion of small businesses in

the community, the festival will have local artisans and craft stalls displaying their products and fineries for those looking to treat themselves.

Due to council restrictions, the party will not allow people to bring in their own alcohol and glass bottles, and no dogs are allowed except service dogs.

But no fear - there will be a beer tent to keep all hydrated.

With a whole day of activities for the kids, families are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket and camp out for the day.

The South Norwood Community Festival is completely not-for-profit, meaning 100 per cent of funds raised go back into planning next year’s festival, and all money from raffle tickets goes to St Christopher’s Hospice, their nominated charity.

More information about the event can be found www.sncfest.org

Artists Rookery Estate and Vanclave will be performing at Dash the Henge Store, a record shop in Camberwell, throughout the day on Saturday afternoon. Tickets are free.

DEPTFORD JUNCTION - DEPTFORD

Saturday 27th June at 2pm – Saturday School

‘Saturday School’ will be a 13-hour long musical showcase featuring a variety of London-based bands, such as From Affinity and French Toast, in this grassroots venue and bar, just next to Deptford station.

General admission tickets are £23.10.

LIVE AT ST GILES - CAMBERWELL

Saturday 27th June at 7:30pm – Anthony Joseph (support: Pigeon) Trinidad-born poet and musician

Anthony Joseph will be performing at St Giles Church in Camberwell, supported by Margate-based band Pigeon off the back of the success of their new album OUTTANATIONAL.

General admission tickets are £22.

TEMPLE OF ART & MUSICELEPHANT & CASTLE

Friday 26th June at 6:00pm – Drop It Like 1966

With events every day of the festival, the Temple of Art & Music at Mercato Metropolitano in Elephant & Castle will be the place to be throughout the weekend.

The festivities will kick off with Drop It Like 1966, a record release party promising to play the biggest sounds of each year all the way back to the summer of 1966, with new artists debuting new music too.

General admission tickets are £11.

THE CAVENDISH ARMS - STOCKWELL

Friday 26th June at 7:30pm – Day Sleeper (support: Bottlemoth)

The Cavendish Arms in Stockwell regularly stages aspiring musicians and comedians, and it will kick off the festival by hosting Edinburgh-based band Day Sleeper, supported by indiefolk group Bottlemoth.

General admission tickets are £8.80.

FREEDOM PASS VICTORY

Councils vow to continue funding after pressure from campaigners

By Kumail Jaffer

Local Democracy Reporters

LONDON COUNCILS have pledged to maintain the Freedom Pass, which allows free travel on public transport for those aged 66 or over, following pressure from campaigners.

More than 10,000 Londoners and civic organisations had called on the body, which which represents all 32 boroughs in the capital and the City of London, to protect the concessionary privilege. All pensioners living in the capital are eligible for the pass, which entitles them to free travel on all modes of transport after 9am.

Concerns over the future of the pass were initially raised after a meeting of London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee (TEC) in January in which discussions took place to restrict the free travel to buses only.

Local authorities pay for the scheme, which is administered by London Councils, using a mix of council tax revenue and national government grants, and reimburse Transport for London (TfL) and other operators for any free journeys made.

It is estimated that the pass, held by 1.2million Londoners, will cost councils £372million in 2026/27, prompting concerns over its future financial viability at a time when authorities are making cuts elsewhere.

Last Thursday, June 18 Age UK London supporters marched to the organisation’s offices in Central London to present their petition directly to officials.

Executive Member for TEC, Cllr Paul Osborn, met with Age UK representatives after the protest, and told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that both sides are on the same page when it comes to the Freedom Pass.

“London Councils is absolutely committed to the Freedom Pass,” he said. “We recognise the massive value it has to elderly people, it makes a massive difference to people’s lives. It’s a lifeline for a lot of people, and we will ensure that it gets protected.

“I do regret the concerns that people have and the worry it’s had. The challenge for us is how we fund it, and there’s an argument that we’re having with TfL, the bus companies, and the train companies about how much we’re charged – but that discussion wasn’t and isn’t ever going to be about the day to day life of an elderly person using the Freedom Pass, it’s about how you allocate the cost, not the card itself.

“Hopefully this meeting we’ve had with Age UK can help to reassure people that no one wants to touch this – but we do have to be aware that the cost is going up [for] it, and therefore make sure we’re robust in our negotiations about how this gets funded.

“There’s no question it needs to be funded and there’s no question, if need be, we will be funding it. Even my mother wouldn’t vote for me if we [got rid of it].”

Age UK London say any changes to the Freedom Pass would disproportionately affect those on low incomes, from ethnic minority backgrounds and older people who depend on public transport to access vital services.

Carol Hopwood, who signed the petition and attended the march, told the LDRS that any notion of reducing the benefits of the Freedom Pass was “outrageous” and that London Councils’ affirmation was a

“massive relief”.

“It would mean older people, who rely on it to get out and about, would remain isolated and become extremely lonely,” the ex-teacher said.

“This is a pass that many of us have paid into for all our lives – it says free, but we’ve paid for it through are taxes. A lot of older people don’t live wealthy lifestyles –this enables them to get out and about.”

She said framing around the cost of the Freedom Pass to taxpayers was simply pitting “one generation against another” and that London Councils should look to other areas to save money.

Paula Peters, who chairs the London and Eastern Unite Community Campaign Forum, said reforming the Freedom Pass would increase social isolation, ensure older Londoners lose their independence and heavily impact the local economy.

She added: “For so many, this is a vitally important lifeline that keeps people

socially active and engaged in their community – [getting rid of it] would put pressure on the NHS and local services.”

A London Councils spokesperson told the LDRS: “No changes are planned to the Freedom Pass. The provision and scope of the Freedom Pass are set out in national legislation.

“All 32 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation fund and deliver the Freedom Pass scheme which enables London residents over the age of 66 to travel free on all public transport modes in the capital.

“We welcome Age UK London’s visit to London Councils’ headquarters and recognise the vital work it undertakes to secure a high quality of life for older residents across the capital. We will continue to work closely with Age UK London as a trusted partner to ensure London local government meets the needs of older residents.”

BIGGEST SOUTH AFRICAN FESTIVAL IN UK HISTORY PLANNED FOR SUTTON

By Harrison Galliven Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS TO bring what has been called the biggest South African festival in British history to a Sutton park could see nearly 5,000 people attend a day of food, live music and rugby.

The inaugural ‘Lekker in London’ event aims to celebrate South African culture over the summer bank holiday, but some residents say the anticipated “chaos” could force them to leave their homes for the weekend.

South African native and event organiser Lyle Millar is seeking a licence to host the festival at Cheam Park on August 29, with plans for live music and alcohol sales from 12pm to

By Alex Orr

CLAPHAM

PARK and Streatham

St Leonard’s will both host byelections in early July.

Residents in the two wards will head to the polls on Thursday 9th July to select new councillors, after last month’s winning candidates, who both appeared on the ballot for the Greens,

10pm. He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he hopes the event will bring together members of the South African diaspora in South London, known affectionately as the ‘Biltong Belt’.

Mr Millar said: “For many South Africans living in Britain, the festival provides a rare opportunity to reconnect with a sense of home and community. At the same time, it offers British attendees the chance to experience South African culture, warmth and food in a friendly environment.”

The event’s licensing application is now under review by Sutton Council, while organisers are already selling tickets for the Cheam Park event, which was chosen for its proximity to

did not take up their seats.

Saiqa Ali declined to take up her role as councillor for Streatham St Leonard’s after being suspended by her former party, the Greens, before the elections on 7th May

On 28th April, less than two weeks before polling day, Lambeth Green Party suspended Ali, citing an article in the media which referenced her

the South African diaspora. However, this promotion has infuriated some local residents, prompting one to ask whether the council is “just paying lip service to this consultation” and whether the decision has already been made.

This objection was one of six official representations filed by locals concerned about the prospect of 4,999 festival-goers descending on the park. Objectors, whose names were redacted from council reports, fear the excessive noise will ruin their bank holiday weekends, with one resident noting that music at this scale “is intrusive even with windows closed and is likely to cause prolonged disturbance”.

Lekker in London hopes to be the largest South African culture festival in

the UK Credit: Lekker in London

Some residents have even said they may be forced to leave their homes for the entire weekend, with one family asking the council: “Are we entitled to a rates rebate for the time we cannot live in the property because of events you have allowed?”

Despite this, Mr Millar says he has written to each of the objecting residents and outlined how he will address their concerns. He told the LDRS: “We fully respect the licensing process and understand that local residents may have questions about any proposed event of this nature.

“Throughout this process, we have worked closely with the relevant authorities and experienced event professionals to ensure that every

aspect of the event is carefully planned and responsibly managed.”

Mr Millar said security teams will be required to carry out a comprehensive weapon sweep of the entire festival site before any attendees arrive. In addition, all ejection and response security staff will be required to wear body-worn cameras to record any incidents of crime or disorder.

As the largest South African culture event of its kind, Mr Millar hopes ‘Lekker in London’ will strengthen community bonds and celebrate London’s diversity. Alongside South African drinks and braai (traditional barbecue), the event will feature live music from homegrown acts and a screening of the South Africa v New Zealand rugby match.

historic social media posts.

The statement said: “The quoted social media posts do not reflect the Green Party’s values and we condemn them fully. Saiqa Ali has been suspended pending investigation.”

Electoral law requirements meant Ali still appeared as a Green candidate on the ballot paper, but the Lambeth Greens said she would either have to sit as an independent councillor or join a different group if she took up her seat.

Streatham St Leonards was a Green Party stronghold on 7th May, with the three winning candidates, including Ali, receiving more than double the votes of the Labour Party’s candidates who finished fourth, fifth and sixth.

On 9th July, voters in the ward will select one councillor from the six

following candidates (in alphabetical order): Jade Ellen Albas (Labour Party), Yemi Awolola (Christian Peoples Alliance), Chris Cousins (Conservative Party), Alex Davies (Liberal Democrats), Dario Goodwin (Green Party) and Mark McKee (Reform UK).

In Clapham Park, Councillor Joanna Eaves resigned due to ill health soon after becoming the ward’s first-ever Green councillor.

In a joint statement with the Lambeth Greens, Eaves said: “I was honoured to have been voted in as Clapham Park’s first Green councillor, but due to my ill health, I now won’t be able to do the job justice. As a result, I’ve taken the difficult decision to resign.”

The race in Clapham Park on the 7th May was a closer contest than in Streatham St Leonard’s, with two

Labour councillors elected alongside Eaves for the Greens.

The Greens are currently the largest party on Lambeth Council with 27 councillors, one more than Labour, and were able to form a minority administration, led by new Leader of the Council Martin Abrams, with the support of the Liberal Democrats.

In Clapham Park on 9th July, residents will elect one of the following candidates (in alphabetical order): Ben Amos (Liberal Democrats), Michael Sherif Ball (Green Party), Joshua Jack Forrester (Conservative Party), Susanna Kehinde Jehwo (Christian Peoples Alliance), Anya Krycek (The Socialist Party (GB)), Martin Lester Read (Reform UK) and Louie Somerville-Sutherland (Labour Party).

what’s on

TRACEY EMIN: A SECOND LIFE

TRACEY EMIN latest exhbition is currently on at the Tate Modern, writes Leo Dunlop.

Emin’s early work constantly looked back to the truths and confessions of her past, to what had made her the artist she was in the 90s. Letters, home footage, oral history— all trying to piece together the tapestry of who she is, or at least curating a certain type of identity for the outward world. Now in Tracey Emin’s new exhibition ‘A Second Life’, past and present collide once again. Now 62, Emin revisits her earlier work, placing different eras side by side to create a striking sense of temporal collapse. From her notorious 1990s pieces to her neon works and previously unseen material, the exhibition feels like a conversation across time

But how is it that we understand Emin and her work in 2026? What proves hard to reconcile is how her Brit Art identitythat ‘new’ artist of the 1990s, a new kind of woman - was once so precisely defined, has since become so ubiquitous that it risks dissolving into the very culture it once disrupted. The idea of Emin-esque has fallen into a parody of itself. That hot-headed, sexual, imperfect persona has become the costume of almost every art student in London, making it hard to understand what could make her work important in this decade beyond its

historical significance.

Her Turner Prize-nominated ‘My Bed’ provoked fierce critical and public debate when first shown in the 90s but has now become inane Instagrammable content - I had already seen much of Emin’s new exhibition through social media stories before I was able to actually attend the show. Nothing about it asks any questions of the audience anymore; it has been rendered mundane and known. This shouldn’t take away from the importance it had at the time, but it’s been damaged by the lack of rebellion a piece like this offers in contemporary culture… We know it too well.

The impact of the piece now is suspended in time, much like the work itself. None of this is a fault of Emin herself; rather, it speaks to the exhibition’s central tension. The show is deeply concerned with confronting her past and interrogating where her artistic identity now sits: as a woman in her 60s, wounded by health problems, ageing, chronic pain, and a cancer survivor. It exists in that uneasy space between who she was and who she is now, and how she is perceived in both contexts.

This tension is most profoundly captured in a corridor within the exhibition, where Emin sets two different series of Polaroid self-portraits (2001 and the others 2020-5) in direct dialogue or even a kind of quiet argument.

The specificity of her introspection allows the audience to see themselves reflected back. The power and joy of her work is exactly that relatability: the things we conceal, Emin lays bare. In that exposure, we find comfort in the shared experience. These details can veer into the slightly irritating or naive voice of the inner monologue of a teenager, but perhaps that is precisely the point? There has to be a genius to Taylor Swift to be so relatable to teenage girls, right? Emin has that buzzing energy, that strong-headed momentum of an art student who utterly believes in themselves and their work.

Walking through ‘A Second Life’, I was made to rediscover Emin as a modern identity. She is now a fully formed, welldrawn character in my mind, and that has to be to the success of the exhibition. Whether I’m persuaded by her work or not, the ability to curate such a deeply human sense of self is a significant achievement - a testament as much to the layout of the exhibition as to the work itself. Emin allows her whole self to be seen, admired, and pitied even. The exhibition is brimming with her ego and her vulnerability, her talent and her suffering. Those who love Emin will adore this exhibition, and those who don’t will be made to ask themselves why.

Tracey Emin’s ‘A Second Life’ will continue to be shown at the Tate Modern until the 31st of August 2026.

The cast fully inhabit Mamet’s ruthless world

DAVID MAMET’S Glengarry Glen Ross remains one of the sharpest examinations of ambition, desperation, and capitalism ever written, writes Luigia Minichiello. First premiering at the National Theatre in 1983, the Pulitzer Prizewinning play is set in a cut-throat Chicago real estate office where success is measured solely by sales figures. The rules are brutally simple: first prize is a Cadillac, second prize is a set of steak knives, and everyone else faces unemployment. What follows is a gripping, darkly comic drama filled with betrayal, manipulation, and Mamet’s trademark rapid-fire dialogue,

Directed by Tony Award winner Patrick Marber, this latest revival at The Old Vic marks the first major production of Glengarry Glen Ross to feature an entirely female cast. Think Mad Men reimagined as Mad Women. On paper, it sounds like a fascinating reinvention of a modern classic, and there was certainly plenty of anticipation in the room, not least because Sir Ian McKellen was spotted in the audience on press night.

The cast is impeccably committed throughout. Dressed in sharp suits,

with big, glamorous blow-out hair and make-up, they fully inhabit Mamet’s ruthless world of salesmanship. Cigarettes lit, insults fly across the

stage, and the level of shouting and swearing would put a terrace of disappointed Millwall supporters to shame. At times, however, the sheer

Photo by Manuel Harlan

volume of confrontation becomes relentless, with very little respite from the aggression driving the play forward.

Staged completely in the round, the production creates an intimate atmosphere that places the audience right in the middle of the action.

The format certainly heightens the tension, but I felt it left little room for some of the play’s more nuanced moments to breathe.

Relationships that could have added emotional depth, particularly Levene’s references to a daughter and Roma’s friendship with the customer she ultimately exploits, felt overshadowed by the production’s relentless pace and intensity.

My biggest reservation, however, lies with the all-female casting itself. While the performances are uniformly strong, I never felt the production fully explored what a female perspective could bring to these characters or this story.

Beyond the casting, very little appears to have changed. Rather than uncovering new dimensions within Mamet’s world, it often felt as though the actors were playing drag kings, inhabiting traditionally male

archetypes without the adaptation interrogating or enriching what that gender shift might mean. It felt like a missed opportunity to bring something uniquely feminine to the material.

That said, there is still much to admire. The performances are convincing, the accents impressive, and there are genuine laughs scattered throughout the tension. I particularly enjoyed the narrative of a feisty sales team hustling to survive, while former top seller Levene, once known as “Shelley the Machine”, finds herself frozen out and given bad leads, then takes desperate measures. Marber clearly understands the power of Mamet’s writing, and his description of the play as both profound and obscene feels entirely fitting, and his belief that it speaks directly to the world we live in today.

This is a bold revival of a modern classic, even if it never quite capitalises on the opportunities presented by its central concept. Glengarry Glen Ross at Old Vic until july 18th.

Booking and full details: www.oldvictheatre.com

PIRATES ARE TAKING OVER THE OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE

History enthusiasts and families are invited to a ‘weekend of living history’ at the Old Royal Naval College on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July as the site is overrun with pirates. Spend the day at the Old Royal Naval College and discover life during the ‘Golden Age of Piracy,’ the period between 1650 and 1720 when more than 5,000 pirates were said to have sailed the seas. Learn to separate pirate fact from fiction, enjoy songs of the sea, witness small sword and cutlass fights, and hear the tale of a real 18th-century mutiny. The day will end with a demonstration of the firepower of pirates and marines in the arena on the lawns overlooking the River Thames. In between the demonstrations, you can see the clothes and weapons of the early 18th century, listen to live musicians play music of the time, and sample authentic food from the Taste of History period kitchen.

Date: Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July

Time: 11 – 5pm

Location: Painted Hall, Lower Ground Square, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, SE10 9NN

Tickets: £19 for adults, children go free with paying adult

NEW WORLD CUP-THEMED PLAY AT BROADWAY THEATRE

Last Goal Wins follows the story of lifelong friends who are battling for a place in Nigeria’s World Cup squad – and will be at Broadway Theatre in Catford from Wednesday 1 – Sunday 12 July.

Eltham Palace are hosting ‘lazy’ Sundays throughout the whole of July with live music in the gardens. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets, grab a refreshing treat from the café and enjoy the music.Your ticket will include access to the whole Palace. From the 14th to the 16th century it was an important royal palace, where monarchs often stayed and hunted in the surrounding parks. After centuries of neglect, Eltham was leased to

Spend a Sunday listening to live music at historic Eltham Palace

Stephen and Virginia Courtauld in 1933, who built a house that incorporated the great hall.

Date: Every Sunday in July, starting 5 July

Time: 10am – 5pm

Location: Court Yard, Eltham, Greenwich, SE9 5NP for Sat Nav

Tickets: £20 adults, £10 children (admission to whole palace)

The new drama spotlights characters Victory and Youssef, whose friendships are thrown into doubt when a last-minute recruit enters the picture. It aims to explore themes of identity, belonging, racism and power within the game and the play draws on Ezi’s Nigerian-British experience and asks what it means to represent a nation. Presented as part of The Ryan Calais Cameron Season, Last Goal Wins is directed by Kalungi Ssebandeke and will run for a limited season at the Broadway Theatre.

Date: Wednesday 1 – Sunday 12 July.

Time: Various times

Location: Broadway Theatre, Rushey Grn, London SE6 4RU

Tickets: £15 per ticket

LISTEN TO ZIMBABWEAN A CAPPELLA GROUP AT BLACKHEATH HALLS

Black Umfolosi will be heading to Blackheath to perform the traditional song and dance of their native southern Africa on Wednesday 8 July. The internationally acclaimed acappella and dance group are back for their second appearance at the venue. From intricate rhythms, clicking and clapping to their famous Gumboot Dances showcasing the traditional styles and rituals of South African mining regions.

Date: Wednesday 8 July

Time: 8pm – 10pm

Location: Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, London, SE3 9RQ

Tickets: £20 each

History 20 HISTORY

TOWER BEACH –LONDON’S ‘LOST SEASIDE’

It was meant to be a ‘tidal playground forever’

By Emily Buckley Bunn

RESIDENTS IN 1930s London did not have to go far for a seaside escape - no further than Tower Bridge, in fact.

The long-lost Tower Beach on the shore of the Thames had it all – sand, swimming, deckchairs, boats, ice cream, and unlimited lemonade.

“People have always swum in the Thames”, says Caitlin Davies, a journalist, historian and author of several books including Downstream: a history and celebration of swimming the River Thames.

As far back as Roman times, Brits were recorded to have swam in London’s great river – a Roman historian, on a visit to England, once described its inhabitants ‘as at home in the water as on land’.

Aside from the fact that it’s currently illegal to swim in the London section of the Thames without permission, it may be hard to believe that anyone could be tempted by that murky

brown shopping-trolley-filled water.

But for centuries, Davies says, the Thames was ‘the Londoner’s playground’ - even King Charles II was known to enjoy a dip.

In the Victorian times organised swimming events in the Thames really took off, with mass races and big displays of daring deeds drawing in huge crowds, such as in 1878 when 14-year-old Agnes Beckwith dived off a boat and swam all the way from London Bridge to Greenwich.

By the early 1900s, swimming in the Thames was a popular leisure activity, with bathing spots up and down the river, complete with changing facilities and diving boards.

In Southwark, lidos, such as the Southwark Park lido and Peckham Rye lido as well as numerous public baths, made swimming a staple of everyday life.

There was also the Thames foreshore, which local children used as a space to play and swim. Many families couldn’t afford trips

to seaside places like Southend or Brighton, so the shoreline offered an affordable alternative.

However, at the time, anyone who swam in the Thames was technically trespassing as the shore was Crown land. Then, as now, it was dangerous – with no lifeguards, strong tides, and the ever present threat of cold water shock. Children, as well as adults, were known to have tragically lost their lives in the water.

In the 1930s, a local reverend known as ‘Tubby’ Clayton, came up with the idea of creating a public beach next to Tower Bridge on the north shore of the Thames. The aim was to create a dedicated space for the children who had already been playing in the river for years.

“It was going to be the seaside for

the children in the East End and in South London” says Davies. “Instead of banning something that was potentially dangerous, they made it safer.”

Reverend Clayton got the backing of the ex-mayor and mayor of London who helped to provide the money for the project, working with the Tower Hill Improvement fund.

On July 23rd 1934, with the permission of King George V and 1,500 barge-loads of sand bought in from Essex, Tower Beach was officially opened.

The opening ceremony was a colourful celebration, Davies says.

“They cut a white tape, and then lowered a ladder onto the foreshore.

All the ships in the Thames set off their sirens and there were bands

playing on the boats.

“All the children came rushing down to the beach and they had trestle tables with free buns, chocolate and unlimited lemonade.”

During the ceremony, a letter was read out from the King which assured local children that they would ‘have this tidal playground as their own forever.’

In the first few years, the beach thrived and it became known as London’s ‘Riviera’. There were an estimated 70,000 visitors to Tower beach in its opening year and 100,000 the following year, all hailing mainly from East and South London.

Families bought picnics, hired deck chairs and could rent rowing boats by the hour or half a day; there were sandcastle building

competitions and puppet shows for the kids.

Teachers bought their classes on school trips to the beach, and the water was also used by hospital convalescents for rehabilitation.

The beach was open between April and September for up to six hours a day depending on the tide, with the extra deposited sand meaning the shoreline could be used a little longer before being submerged.

The children’s safety was a big priority, Davies explains. There was a lifeguard, and St John’s Ambulance stationed at the beach and a boatman posted downstream with a stick to fish children out of the water if they got in trouble. Surprisingly, Davies remarks, there were only three incidents of children being rescued

Aside from the fact that it’s currently illegal to swim in the London section of the Thames without permission, it may be hard to believe that anyone could be tempted by that murky brown shopping-trolleyfilled water

in the first year, with the majority of accidents being minor cuts and scrapes.

During her research, Davies has found evidence that there may have been one death on the beach during its time open. She believes it is unlikely it would have kept going if there had been many serious accidents.

The beach was temporarily closed in 1939, due to World War Two. By that time it had been visited by almost half a million people.

When Tower Beach reopened in peacetime, it remained a popular destination. Locals once again whiled away warm summer days by London’s riviera with sandwiches, pop, buckets and spades.

“It was a day out for city children right up until the late 60s,” says

Much to the dismay of Southwark’s day-trippers, Tower Beach was permanently closed in 1971 after more than three decades, due to a range of factors including increasing costs and concerns over water quality and the safety of swimming in the river.

During the same period, many other outdoor swim spots also began to close, including Southwark’s Peckham Rye lido in 1987 and Southwark Park Lido in 1992, just as the popularity of indoor leisure complexes grew.

Although there was an attempt by campaigners to revive Tower Beach in the 1990s with a trial reopening, plans were eventually abandoned.

The foreshore where Tower Beach once thrived is now closed to the public, although between 2014 to 2016 the Thames festival trust ran open weekends once a year where visitors could walk on the beach again.

Now it is hard to believe that the Southwark stretch of the Thames once provided all the joys of a seaside holiday.

Online, Southwark residents recall some of their happiest days spent on Tower Beach. “That was our beach in the 50s. Jam sandwiches and lemonade made with sherbet. Out all day without a care in the world,’ one Facebook user says. Another comments: “I thought it was the seaside until I was 15.”

In her book, Davies emphasises how important the beach was for people growing up at the time.

“In the 1930s, after the First World War, it was freedom. It was a day out, it was affordable, it was free, it was on your doorstep. If you couldn’t afford to get to Southend or wherever, you had your own beach for all the family.

“It was a big part of people’s lives and also, I think part of that sort of tradition we used to have, that it’s a civic responsibility to create safe places for people to swim.”

Nowadays in London, there are very few outdoor swimming spaces and virtually none come without a price. “It’s a luxury,” Davies adds. “Swimming should be something that requires minimal expenses - a swimming costume and that’s it.”

She argues that there are important lessons to be learnt from the founding of Tower Beach. “Instead of putting up trespassing signs and banning things, we should be cleaning up the waterways and creating safe places for what people have done for centuries and what they still want to do.”

Davies.

Whilst the poor quality of the water had not previously caused much concern, by the 1950s there was a growing awareness of river pollution.

In 1957 scientists at the Natural History Museum declared the Thames ‘biologically dead’ after finding no fish in the river between Kew and Gravesend. They concluded that due to water pollution, the oxygen levels were too low to sustain life.

Bombing during the war had damaged sewers, and decades of industrial waste flowing into the Thames led to it becoming increasingly contaminated. During the 60s, it even began to emit a noticeable sewagey smell in warm weather, much like it had done during the famous Great Stink of 1858.

Nevertheless, over the past 10 years, Southwark has seen a rise in outdoor swimming spaces. In 2024, Greenland Dock was opened for swimming (though not without a £9 ticket) and Beckenham Place Park lake in Lewisham opened for swimming in 2019 after a major restoration (£8.25).

The quality of water in the Thames has also improved remarkably since the 1950s – it is now one of the cleanest city waterways in the world, home to over one hundred species of fish.

So things are on the up, but it might still be a while before South Londoners are substituting their holiday to Spain for a trip to the Thames!

This is to give that Annual General Meeting of Elimhouse Community Association will be held on Tuesday 14 July 2026 at Elim House, 86-88 Bellenden Road, SE15 4RQ

This meeting is due to start at 13:00 hours.

For info contact the General Secretary by email on elimhousecas@gmail.com

Domestic Building Consultant Specifications, Quotations Bills of Quantities Valuations, Variation Orders, Project Management 07345 327756 LONDON

To place a funeral announcement, birthday, death notice, birth, anniversary or memorial in the paper, please email katie@cm-media.co.uk and she will price it up for you. Announcements must be placed by 4pm on the Tuesday before that week’s publication

Public Notice

Licensing Application – Licensing Act 2003

An application has been made by Castle Catford Ltd to Lewisham Council, as the Licensing Authority, for the grant of a Premises Licence at Catford Mews Cinema, 32 Winslade Way, London. SE6 4JU

This application includes proposals for: Sale of Alcohol for consumption On and Off the premises

10:00

– 01:00 Sunday – Wednesday

10:00 – 02:00 Thursday and Friday

10:00 – 04:00 Saturday

Films

08:00 – 01:30 Sunday – Wednesday

08:00 – 02:30 Thursday and Friday 08:00 – 04:30 Saturday

Live & Recorded Music

10:00 – 01:30 Sunday – Wednesday

10:00 – 02:30 Thursday and Friday 10:00 – 04:30 Saturday

Late Night Refreshment

23:00 – 01:30 Sunday – Wednesday

23:00 – 02:30 Thursday and Friday 23:00 – 04:30 Saturday

The application may be viewed at Lewisham Council, Safer Communities Service, Licensing Authority, 4th Floor Laurence House, 1 Catford Road, SE6 4RU by appointment between Monday to Friday (except on public holidays) and between the hours of 9.00 am to 4.00 pm; or at www.lewisham.gov.uk

Responsible Authorities or any other person may make representations regarding the application to the licensing authority by emailing licensing@lewisham.gov.uk

Representations must be received on or before 14th July 2026

Representations must be made in writing. It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction is unlimited.

Notice of Application to apply for a Premises Licence made under the Licensing Act 2003

Name of applicant: VPSP Limited

Postal address of premises: Subway, 6 Hartfield Road, Wimbledon, London, SW19 3TA

The application is as follows: PROVISION OF LATE NIGHT REFRESHMENT, 11:00PM2:00AM (Friday and Saturday only)

A register of all applications made with the London Borough Of Merton is maintained by: LICENSING SECTION, LONDON BOROUGH OF MERTON, 2ND FLOOR, CIVIC CENTRE, LONDON ROAD, MORDEN, SURREY, SM4 5DX

A record of this application may be inspected by appointment at Merton Civic Centre. Please email licensing@merton.gov.uk or telephone 020 8545 3969.

It is open to any interested party to make representations about the likely effect of the application on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Section at the office or email address above and be received by the Merton’s Licensing Section within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below.

Note: It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction toan unlimited fine.

Date application given to the Council: 17/06/2026

Licensing Act 2003 Notice of Application for a Premises Licence Name of applicant: KT1 Operations Ltd, Premises Details: Terminal Kingston Food Court, Ground Floor & Basement, Unit 2 & 3 at 2-2a Clarence Street, Kingston Upon Thames KT1 1PB. Application Details: The retail sale of alcohol (On Sales) Monday – Sunday: 11:00 – 23:00. Full details of the application can be inspected on the licensing register, online at www.kingston.gov.uk or in person at the address given below. Deadline for representations: 14/07/2026. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Authority by post: Licensing Team, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Guildhall 2, High Street, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1EU or by email: licensing@kingston.gov.uk It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. The maximum penalty on conviction of such an offence is an unlimited fine.

LICENSING ACT 2003

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE

Name of applicant: Ok Bo Park, Secret Korean Kitchen

Postal address of premises: Unit 208, Building B, Kingspark Business Centre, 152-178 Kingston Road, New Malden, KT3 3ST

Application Details: Application for a New Premises Licence for Secret Korean Kitchen, a restaurant, including the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises between 11:00 and 22:00 Tuesday to Sunday.

Full details of the application can be inspected on the licensing register, online at www.kingston.gov.uk or in person at the address given below.

Deadline for representations: 15th July 2026

Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Authority by post: Licensing Team, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Guildhall 2, High Street, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1EU or by email: licensing@kingston.gov.uk

It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. The maximum penalty on conviction of such an offence is an unlimited fine.

Notice of application for a Premises Licence.

Notice is hereby given that Maxine Kruger Bastos has applied to Wandsworth Council for a new premises licence at Dee’s Saffa Shop, 195 Garratt Lane, London, SW18 4DR for The Retail sale of Alcohol on Monday-Saturday 09:00-19:00 and Sunday 11:00-16:00

Any person who wishes to make a representation in relation to this application must give notice in writing by 20 July 2026 stating the grounds for making said representation to: Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, Surrey, SM4 5DX or by email: licensing@merton.gov.uk

The record of this application may be inspected Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) by prior appointment at the offices of Wandsworth Licensing Authority, Regulatory Services Partnership (Serving Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden,Surrey, SM4 5DX between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. Information on all new and variation applications received by the Licensing Authority can be viewed on the Council’s website www.wandsworth.gov.uk

It is an offence, under section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in or in connection with an application, punishable upon conviction by an unlimited fine.

Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licence

THORNICROFTS LIMITED of UNITS 215-217 NEW COVENT GARDEN MARKET, DISTRIBUTION BLOCK A, NINE ELMS LANE LONDON SW8 5EN

is applying for a licence to use

UNITS 215-217 NEW COVENT GARDEN

MARKET, DISTRIBUTION BLOCK A NINE ELMS LANE, LONDON SW8 5EN

as an operating centre for 2 goods vehicles

Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centres who believe that their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UE stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice. Representors must at the same time send a copy of their representations to the applicant at the address given at the top of this notice. A Guide to Making Representations is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-guideto-making-representations-objections-andcomplaints-goods-vehicle-operator-licensing

Public Notice

Licensing Application

Licensing Act 2003

An application has been made by Supercharger Central Limited to Lewisham Council, as the Licensing Authority, for the grant of a: New Premises Licence At KFC Catford, 158 Rushey Green, Catford, SE6 4HQ.This application includes the provision for: Late Night Refreshment (Indoors & Outdoors) Monday to Sunday 23:00 to 03:00 the following morning. The opening hours of the premises will be Monday to Sunday 09:00 to 03:00 the following morning.The application may be viewed at Lewisham Council, Safer Communities Service, 4th Floor Laurence House, 1 Catford Road, SE6 4RU by appointment Monday to Friday (except on public holidays) and between the hours of 9.00 am to 4.00 pm; or at www.lewisham.gov.uk. Responsible Authorities or any other person may make representations regarding the application to the licensing authority by emailing licensing@lewisham.gov.uk Representations must be received on or before 22nd July 2026. Representations must be made in writing. It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction is unlimited.

LICENSING ACT 2003

Application has been made by Marks & Spencer Simply Foods Ltd to the Licensing Authority of London Borough of Lewisham for a Premises Licence Marks & Spencer, Unit 5A, Bell Green Retail Park, Sydenham SE26 4PR. The application is to permit the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises 0700 to 2300 hours each day and for the 7 days preceding Christmas day each year 0600 to 0000 hours each day.The application may be viewed at Lewisham Council, Safer Communities Service, 4th Floor Laurence House, 1 Catford Road, SE6 4RU by appointment Monday to Friday (except on public holidays) and between the hours of 9.00 am to 4.00 pm; or at www.lewisham.gov.uk. Responsible Authorities or any other person may make representations regarding the application to the licensing authority by emailing licensing@lewisham.gov.uk in writing before 15th July 2026. It is an offence for anyone knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with a Licence Application. The maximum fine on summary conviction is unlimited.

John Gaunt & Partners, Solicitors

Transport for London Public Notice

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984

THE A202 GLA ROAD (VAUXHALL BRIDGE AND VAUXHALL BRIDGEFOOT, LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH AND CITY OF WESTMINSTER) WEIGHT RESTRICTION TRAFFIC ORDER 2026

1. Transport for London hereby gives notice that on 24th June 2026 it made the above named Order, under section 6 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The Orders will come into force on 1st July 2026.

2. The general nature and effect of the Order will be to: (1) to prohibit any vehicle, except electric buses and any Fire Service Vehicles, exceeding a maximum gross weight of 18 tonnes from entering, exiting or proceeding on either carriageway of the A202 Vauxhall Bridge and Vauxhall Bridgefoot between its junctions with Wandsworth Road/Albert Embankment and Millbank/Grosvenor Road.

3. The roads which will be affected by the Order are the A202 Vauxhall Bridge and Vauxhall Bridgefoot in the London Borough of Lambeth and City of Westminster.

4. A copy of the Order, a map indicating the location and effect of the Order and copies of any Order revoked, suspended or varied by the Order can be inspected by visiting our website at https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/tro and selecting the relevant borough and reference the Traffic Order relates to or by appointment during normal office hours at our office at the address below. To arrange an appointment please email trafficordersection@tfl.gov.uk. Copies of the documents may be requested via email at trafficordersection@tfl.gov.uk, or by post at the following address quoting reference SNO/REGULATION/STOT/JW/TRO/ GLA/2026/0501:

•Transport for London Streets Traffic Order Team (SNO/REGULATION/STOT) Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road London, SE1 8NJ

Please note due to Hybrid working access to post is restricted and requests for documents may be delayed.

5. Any person wishing to question the validity of the Order or of any of its provisions on the grounds that they are not within the relevant powers conferred by the Act or that any requirement of the Act has not been complied with, that person may, within six weeks from the date on which the Order was made, make application for the purpose to the High Court.

Dated this 26th day of June 2026

Andrew Wiseall Head of Asset Operations, Transport for London Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ

LICENSING ACT 2003

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE

Take notice that I Blyth Weston have made an application to Lewisham Council acting as the Licensing Authority, for a NEW PREMISES LICENCE

in respect of: Junction 876, 195 Stanstead Road SE23 1HP

The details of the application are as follows:

Alcohol for consumption ON & OFF the premises

08:00 – 02:00 Sunday to Thursday; 08:00 –04:00 Friday & Saturday

Recorded Music and Late Night Refreshment 23:00 - 02:00 Sunday to Thursday; 23:00 –04:00 Friday & Saturday

Seasonal Variation

Christmas Eve until 04:00 Christmas Day & New Year’s Eve until 04:00 New Year’s Day

Closing times at the premises shall be 30 minutes after the end of activities Sunday to Saturday & on seasonal variations

The application and the Licensing Authority’s public register can be inspected at: Lewisham Council, Safer Communities Service, 4th Floor Laurence House, 1 Catford Road, London, SE6 4RU by appointment between Monday to Friday (except on public holidays) and between the hours of 9.00 am to 4.00 pm; or at www.lewisham.gov.uk

The last date by which responsible authorities or other persons may make representations to the Licensing Authority in relation to this application is: 10th July 2026

Any representations must be made in writing to the above address or by emailing licensing@lewisham.gov.uk

It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction is unlimited.

LICENSING ACT 2003

APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF PREMISES LICENCE

Southbank Centre has applied to the London Borough of Lambeth for the grant of a premises licence, in respect of the following premises: Unit 14 Royal Festival Hall London SE1 8XX

which would authorise the following licensable activities:

Live Music Monday to Sunday 09:00-23:00, Recorded Music Sunday-Wednesday 09:0001:00 & Thursday-Saturday 09:00-03:00, Performances of Dance Monday-Sunday 09:0023:00

Late night refreshment Sunday-Wednesday 23:00-01:00 and Thursday-Saturday 23:0003:00

Sale by retail of alcohol Sunday-Wednesday 07:00-01:00 and Thursday-Saturday 07:0003:00

The record of this application may be inspected during normal office hours by an appointment at the Licensing Section, London Borough of Lambeth, 3rd floor Civic Centre, 6 Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1EG, or via the licensing authority’s website, at www.lambeth.gov.uk/licensing

A responsible authority or any other person may make representation to the licensing authority in respect of this application.

Representations must be made in writing, either by post to the above address, or by email to licensing@lambeth.gov.uk and must be received no later than 22 July 2026

It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with a licensing application, and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for that offence shall not exceed level 5 on the standard scale (£5,000).

House, 12 Marlborough Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH4 8DG; 33 Malyons Road, London, SE13 7XD, who died on 03/01/2026, must send written details to the address below by 27/08/2026, after which the Estate will be distributed with regard only to claims and interests notified.

Solomons Law, Hamilton Court House, 1-3 Alum Chine Road, Bournemouth, BH4 8DT.

Ref: PRV4916/Thomas

HELEN MORECROFT

Deceased

Pursuant to the Trustee Act 1925 anyone with a claim against or an interest in the Estate of the deceased, late of 76 Peabody Cottages, Rosendale Road, London, SE24 9DP, who died on 12/03/2026, must send written details to the address below by 27/08/2026, after which the Estate will be distributed with regard only to claims and interests notified. Irwin Mitchell LLP, Riverside East, 2 Millsands, Sheffield, S3 8DT.

Ref: 05136471-00000721

RICHARD ANTHONY PINTO Deceased

Pursuant to the Trustee Act 1925 anyone with a claim against or an interest in the Estate of the deceased, late of 23 Tylecroft Road, London, SW16 4BL, who died on 19/05/2023, must send written details to the

payable in monthly instalments.

Childcare & Dependent Care Allowance: This allowance is discretionary, and is payable to reimburse claimants for the actual expenditure incurred, the hourly rate will be set in line with the London living wage (plus a further payment of up to £15 to pay the cost of any taxi journey home for the carer).

Travel, Subsistence & Other Expenses: certain expenses can be claimed for eligible duties; full details are set out in Part 10 of the Council’s Constitution.

Civic expenses: A civic expenses budget of £2,000 is available to meet the costs of

ADV = ADVERTISEMENT CONSENT

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH

Notice Under The Town and Country Planning Acts

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council is considering applications as set out below under the following categories

EIAFUL = ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

FUL = FULL PLANNING PERMISSION

LB = LISTED BUILDING CONSENT

Written representations should be made within three weeks of the date of this advertisement to the Director of Planning, PO Box 80771, London, SW2 9QQ. Any comments made are open to inspection by the public and in the event of an appeal may be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Confidential comments cannot be taken into account in determining an application.

Application plans can be viewed online at www.lambeth.gov.uk/searchplanningapps – search using the reference number at the end of each application listing.

Royal National Theatre South Bank London Lambeth SE1 9PX Display of a 1x temporary internally illuminated signage, including the supporting bracket, from 11/06/2026 to 11/06/2031. 26/01660/ADV

409 - 411 Brixton Road London SW9 7DG Replacement of the shopfront and installation of extract flue to the rear. 26/01291/FUL

496-498 Brixton Road London Lambeth SW9 8EX Display of illuminated fascia signage and a projecting sign. 26/01666/ADV

The Crown And Sceptre Streatham Hill & 1A And 3 Streatham Place London SW2 Refurbishment and extension to the Public House (Sui-generis), including demolition of building at 1A and 3 Streatham Place (use class E(g)(i)) and erection of 5-storey building with a basement to provide co-living accommodation comprising 117 units (Sui-generis) and office space (use class E(g)(i)), with the provision of associated internal and external communal facilities, cycle and refuse storage, plant equipment, landscaping, and other associated works. (Re-consultation due to additional information - Design & Access statement). 26/01394/FUL

31 Turret Grove London Lambeth SW4 0ES Erection of a basement and ground floor rear extension and replacement of the external stairs to the rear, replacement of one rear window to bi-fold doors 26/01639/FUL

Friday, June 19th 2026

20 Rectory Grove London Lambeth SW4 0EB Erection of a single storey lower ground foor extension and demolition of a rear extension to the ground floor and installation of new side access door. 26/01702/FUL

3B White Hart Street London SE11 4EP Replace existing two windows at first floor level to the front elevation of flat B. 26/01668/FUL

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH

Royal National Theatre South Bank London SE1 9PX Display of a 1x temporary internally illuminated signage, including the supporting bracket, from 11/06/2026 to 11/06/2031. 26/01654/LB

Notice Under The Town and Country Planning Acts

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council is considering applications as set out below under the following categories

FUL = FULL PLANNING PERMISSION

LB = LISTED BUILDING CONSENT

VOC = VARIATION OF CONDITIONS

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14 TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS – BEDFORD ROAD AND COTTAGE GROVE

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 16A TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURES FOR SPECIAL EVENTS –THE GIPSY HILL FETE SAINSBURY ROAD

10 Francis Bentley Mews London SW4 0EG Erection of a two-storey side extension incorporating a ground-floor car port, with a flat roof incorporating solar photovoltaic panels, together with the insertion of a new external door in the existing ground-floor side elevation. 26/01706/FUL

Written representations should be made within three weeks of the date of this advertisement to the Director of Planning, PO Box 80771, London, SW2 9QQ. Any comments made are open to inspection by the public and in the event of an appeal may be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Confidential comments cannot be taken into account in determining an application.

Application plans can be viewed online at www.lambeth.gov.uk/searchplanningapps – search using the reference number at the end of each application listing.

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable bridge inspection works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth has made an Order, the effect of which will be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding in those lengths of: (a) Bedford Road, between the common boundary of Nos. 50 and 52 Bedford Road and its junction with Lendal Terrace; (b) Cottage Grove, between its junction with Bedford Road and a point 19 metres east of that junction.

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that to enable local residents/ communities to hold The Gipsy Hill Fete, the Council of the London

41 Groveway London Lambeth SW9 0AH Replacement of the existing timber sash and casement windows with a slim-profile vacuum insulated glass system, replacement of modern window over rear stairwell, installation of metal work railings to side window, and installation of awnings to the rear facade 26/01708/LB

of Lambeth intends to make an Order the effect of which would be, between 12:01am and 11:59pm on 12 July 2026 to prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding in those lengths of Sainsbury Road between its junctions with Gipsy Hill and Bairstow Road.

2. The restrictions would only apply at such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by the placing of the appropriate traffic signs on the date and times specified above.

Dated 19 June 2026

43 Netherford Road London SW4 6AF Alteration to the front garden, involving the replacement of the boundary timber fences with metal fences including pedestrian and vehicular gates, plus the formation of a vehicular means of access (crossover) and repaving for the parking of a motor vehicle, and provision of landscaping treatment. Refurbishment and repair works to steps and existing fenestration to main building. (Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 26/01704/LB but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 26/01703/FUL). 26/01704/LB

243 Norwood Road London SE24 9AG Subdivision of the property to create three self-contained flats (Use Class C3) with associated works including; rear extensions with skylights, erection of a rear linked dormer extension, installation of a ground floor side window and insertion of rooflights, together with landscaping and cycle and refuse storage. 26/01440/FUL

1 White Hart Street London SE11 4EP Subdivision of the existing single residential unit into 2 self-contained residential units (Use Class C3), together with erection of a partial ground floor rear extension, associated fenestration alterations, provision of bin and cycle storage, and other associated works. 26/01328/FUL

2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles will be available via Cottage Grove, Willington Road, Landor Road and Bedford Road and vice versa, or via Bedford Road, Acre Lane, Brixton Road, Stockwell Road and Clapham Road, or via Bedford Road, Clapham High Street, Clapham Park Road and Bedford Road.

Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager

393 Brixton Road London Lambeth SW9 7DE Application for Advertisement for the Installation of two new MFD collars to the existing cash machines; and Replacement of the existing grey panelling surrounding the MFD collars.

Alpha House 4 Beta Place London SW4 7QN External repair, maintenance, and redecoration works to Alpha House, undertaken on a like-for-like basis and comprising: repairs to all roof elements including replacement of defective coverings with matching materials and renewal of lead flashings; repairs to chimneys, coping stones, and rainwater goods; repairs to existing timber windows and doors will be repaired using resin-based repairs and timber splicing to address decay, finished to match existing, and with no changes to proportions or detailing.

26/01606/ADV

(Please note: The reference number for this Listed Building Consent application is 26/01254/LB, but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 26/01253/FUL) 26/01254/LB

The Britannia 353 Wandsworth Road London SW8 2JH To the main building the demolition of existing rear additions and outbuildings; and the erection of a 4 storey rear extension including excavation of basement to provide 6 self contained residential units, together with the erection of 3 new dwellinghouses to rear of site [REVISED PLANS RECEIVED]. 25/01398/FUL

3. The Order will come into force on 25 June 2026 and continue in force for a maximum duration of 1 month, to allow for contingencies, or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works will take 2 nights (22:00 to 06:00) to complete.

Dated 19 June 2026

Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14 TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS – OLD TOWN

(Please note: The reference number for this Advertisement Consent application is 26/01606/ADV but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 26/01605/FUL)

Land Bounded By Wandsworth Road, Parry Street, Bondway, Miles Street And Railway Viaduct London SW8 Phased redevelopment of the site including demolition of all existing buildings and structures to erect up to 7 buildings ranging from three to 69 storeys plus basements for a range of land uses comprising residential (Class C3), purpose built shared living (Sui Generis), purpose built student accommodation (Sui Generis), flexible town centre uses/commercial (Class E(a), (b), (d), (e)), community/health uses (Class F2/E(e)), office (Class E(g)) and/or hotel (Class C1), cinema (Sui Generis), soft and hard landscaping, play space, pedestrian and vehicular access, cycle parking, car parking and all other works associated with the development.

81 Gipsy Hill London SE19 1QL Erection of a single storey retail unit fronting Gipsy Hill and a ground plus two storey building to the rear fronting Sainsbury Road to accommodate three flats, following demolition of the existing single storey building. (Revised Drawings) 26/00024/FUL

Information for the purpose of consultation (floorspace measured as Gross Internal Area):

71 Clapham Common South Side London SW4 9DA Variation of condition 2 (Hours) of planning permission ref: 26/00401/FUL (Installation of low-level timber planter-style boundary treatments and reconfiguration of the external seating area associated with the existing restaurant (Use Class E)) granted: 21/05/2026

- Residential dwellings: 1,097

- Co-living: 1,164 units

- Student accommodation: 699 units

- Hotel: 11,409sqm

Variation sought: To extend the permitted operating hours of the restaurant from 21:30 to 23:00 daily. Revise condition 2 wording to read : Customers are not permitted on the restaurant premises, including the external seating area, hereby permitted other than within the following times: 08:30 Hours to 23:00 Hours - Monday through to Sunday. 26/01620/VOC

- Office: 4,085sqm

- Flexible retail: 3,968sqm

- Cinema: 1,707sqm

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14

TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS – LAMBETH WALK

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable a crane operation, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intends to make an Order the effect of which would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding in that length of Lambeth Walk which lies between its junction with China Walk and 31 metres north-west of that junction.

2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles would be available via Lambeth Walk, Old Paradise Street, Newport Street, Black Prince Road, Kennington Road and Lambeth Road, and vice versa.

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable telecommunication repair and maintenance works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intend to make an Order, the effect of which would be to: (a) temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding in that length of Old Town, between its junctions with Grafton Square and The Polygon: (b) temporarily suspend the one-way traffic system on Old Town between outside No. 39 Old Town and its junction with Wingate Square.

2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles by the road closure outlined in (1)(a) above would be available via Old Town and The Pavement.

3. The Order would come into force on 6 July 2026 and continue in force for a maximum duration of one month, to allow for contingencies, or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works will take 3 days to complete.

Dated 19 June 2026 Ben Stevens

- Community/medical: 1,780sqm

12 St Martin's Road London SW9 0SW Replacement of existing windows with new slim-line double-glazed white timber sliding sash windows, with three casement windows to the rear elevation only. Replacement of existing doors on the front elevation with new timber doors with a black painted finish and rear door is to be replaced with a double-glazed white PVCu door. 26/01522/FUL 16 Courtenay Square

3. The Order would come into force on 4 July 2026 and continue in force for a maximum duration of two months, to allow for contingencies, or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner. In practice, it is anticipated that the works would be undertaken between 8.00am to 1.00pm on 4 July 2006 and 11 July 2006.

Dated 19 June 2026

30 DAY RE-CONSULTATION DUE TO: Further information has been provided under Regulation 25 of the EIA Regulations, see Statement of Conformity from Trium dated 10 June 2026; amendments to the affordable housing provision as set out in cover letter from DP9 dated 17 June 2026, including resultant changes to drawings and associated documents.

Ben Stevens Highway Network Manager

The proposed development does not accord with the provisions of the development plan in force in the area in which the land to which the application relates is situated.

LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH

Please note all previous comments will still be considered. 25/03113/EIAFUL

Building Consent application is 26/01633/LB, but there is also an associated application for Full Planning Permission related to these works with reference number: 26/01632/FUL) 26/01633/LB Dated this Friday 19/06/2026

Dated this Friday 26/06/2026

Rob Bristow Director - Planning and Sustainability

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 - SECTION 14 TEMPORARY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS –GRAFTON SQUARE

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, to enable new electrical connection works, the Council of the London Borough of Lambeth intends to make an Order the effect of which would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering or proceeding in Grafton Square which lies between outside No. 4 Braidwood Court, Grafton Square and 8 metres south-west of outside the south-western flank wall of No. 8a Grafton Square.

2. Alternative routes for affected vehicles would be available via Grafton Square, Liston Road, Fitzwilliam Road, Rectory Grove, and Old Town, and vice versa.

3. The Order would come into force on 28 July 2026 and continue in force for a maximum duration of one month, to allow for contingencies, or until

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LYNN COACH ‘PROUD’ AFTER MEDAL HAUL

By John Kelly

LYNN ABC had seven fighters at the London ABA International Belt Tournament in Hertfordshire earlier this month - and came away with three champions and four silver medals.

Two junior boxers, Edris Shafia and Kabeer Shafia, and two seniors, Hashmat Buromand and Rashid Odumoso, were silver medalists. All four fighters were involved in competitive bouts but missed out after losing on points.

After a brilliant display in his semi-final, Damario Johnson (under-60kg Youth) faced an opponent from Gibraltar in the final. He got off to a slow start before going through the gears and winning the contest comfortably on points.

Sonny Paxton (under-71kg Senior) had a tough semi-final before winning with a split majority decision. In the final he faced Nicholas Sarenak from Tree Estate.

Lynn coach Terry Pearson said: “We knew Sonny would have to box better than he did in his semi-final to beat this opponent, and he didn’t disappoint. He put in the best display of boxing to date and came away with a points victory against an opponent who has much more experience than him.”

Micah Paul (under-81kg Senior) won his semi-final convincingly to book a deciding contest against Jay Shaw Blair from Pedro’s ABC.

“He started just where he left off in his semi-final, boxing to his strengths and keeping his opponent at the end of long

Surrey beaten as Glamorgan end eleven-year wait

a pull shot 50 minutes into the day.

By ECB Reporters Network

SURREY FELL to a seven-wicket County Championship defeat to a Glamorgan side that leapt into the top half of the Division One table after a first victory over the Kia Oval outfit at Sophia Gardens.

The home side continued their strong season back in the top flight with a third victory, chasing 195 against a stubborn Surrey - this defeat their second in eight games, to go with five draws.

Half-centuries from Coiln Ingram and Kiran Carlson led the way, both players passing 50 in the County Championship for the fifth time this season. Ryan Hadley earlier removed Jordan Clark in his final game for Glamorgan to end with 4-82, breaking Surrey’s 105-run last-wicket partnership.

After frustrating Glamorgan by batting for the whole of day three in a sun-drenched Cardiff, weary bodies came out with the requirement of breaking down a dogged stand between allrounders Clark and Tom Lawes, batting at numbers ten and eleven due to Surrey’s use of two night-watchers.

The partnership resumed at 56 - with Surrey’s lead 145 - and Lawes came out to put pressure on the weary fast-bowling pair of Timm van der Gugten and Tom Norton, pulling well in front of square to demonstrate his intentions, meanwhile showing the effects of 164 overs in the field consecutively for Glamorgan.

Lawes scored freely to surpass 50 for a second time in four innings this season, combining for a century partnership with Clark supporting. But the latter, attempting to latch onto tiring bowlers, eventually fell to Hadley’s leg-side trap, top-edging

With 49 added overnight, Surrey had something to bowl at. Despite the pitch’s dryness and improved condition, a comeback effort to 447 from 105 all out in the first innings was creditable.

The target of 195 may or may not have had an impact but Glamorgan’s start was shaky. Billy Root, in his first game of the season, was run out in catastrophic fashion after just four balls. With both players at the non-striker’s end, wicketkeeper Ollie Pope had an unnecessary shy, only for the backing up Dom Sibley to mop up with Root making no attempt to get home.

Two balls later, Carlson calmed the hosts’ nerves by driving through extra cover for four to get the scoreboard moving.

Carlson’s fine Division One form continued to spur Glamorgan on, with Tribe enjoying anything on his pads until he was caught feeling outside off stump against leg-spinner Rahul Chahar, introduced after just eight overs on the wearing surface.

The damage was done with Chahar conceding 23 in two overs, getting swept - in orthodox and reverse - regularly by Ingram, and pulled into the stands when he dropped short, albeit he hit back by bowling Carlson around his legs from around the wicket for a consolation.

Sean Dickson came in to see home the win in a third half-century stand of the innings, with Ingram’s 61 not out a fitting way to wrap up the win over the side Glamorgan last beat in the County Championship eleven years ago when he too remained at the crease to finish the job.

Surrey are seventh in the standings before the Championship resumes with a contest against leaders Nottinghamshire at the Kia Oval on August 20.

They are in Vitality Blast action against Sussex in Hove this Friday (7pm).

Quartet depart Champion Hill

By John Kelly

DULWICH HAMLET’S Anthony Cook is among four players confirmed to be leaving Champion Hill this summer.

The versatile Cook, 36, is retiring from playing after his second spell with the club.

Cook returned to Dulwich last summer to link up with his boss at Rayners Lane, Mark Dacey. Cook joined the Hamlet for the first time in 2018 for their first season in the National League South. He played 37 league games and scored twice for Gavin Rose’s side.

Geofrey Okonkwo, Alfie Payne and Anthony Jeffrey are also leaving Dulwich as Dacey rebuilds his squad for the 2026-27 Isthmian League Premier Division season.

The club said: “All have played a crucial role in the club’s efforts to reset and rebuild last season which we hope will prove to be the foundation for success in the future and so we would like to thank them for their efforts and contribution.

“Whether it is on the pitch or in the stands we hope we get the opportunity to welcome them back to Champion Hill in the near future.”

Lions stopper beaten by legend Salah as All Whites left waiting

By John Kelly

MAX CROCOMBE couldn’t prevent Mohamed Salah from helping Egypt to come from behind and hand New Zealand a first defeat at this World Cup with a 3-1 win at BC Place Vancouver on Sunday.

Neither the All Whites nor the Pharaohs had ever won a game at the World Cup, and after Finn Surman headed home Tim Payne’s corner in the fifteenth minute Darren Bazeley’s side were well-placed to break their duck at half-time.

After twice giving up leads in their 2-2 draw against Iran, the Kiwis were pegged back again when Mostafa Zicowho is named after the Brazil midfield legend - headed in Mohamed Hany’s cross on 58 minutes.

Nine minutes later, Zico set up Salah to beat Crocombe with a finish into the bottom corner.

Egypt sealed their first win in the competition when Salah’s corner was headed home by Mahmoud Trezeguet.

Millwall’s Crocombe made four saves as Egypt had nineteen attempts at goal and deserved their first victory at their fourth World Cup.

Egypt will win the group if they beat Iran on Sunday (4am BST). New Zealand have to beat Belgium at the same time to qualify.

“It’s frustrating,” Bazeley said. “We played so well in the first half. We scored a great goal, created lots of chances, felt like we were dominating possession a lot of the time in the first half, and we were comfortable. We weren’t really getting hurt.

“We talked well at half-time, looked at some things we can do a little bit better. We went out second half and we just weren’t able to recreate the tempo and quality that we showed in the first half.

“Egypt came out and obviously came out with a different attitude and upped the tempo. I thought they played well second half, but it’s frustrating to end up losing a game. That could be us celebrating on the pitch at the end.

“They’ve got some really good players, and Salah scores a goal that I’ve been watching him score for ten years, coming in and left-foot [finish]. But, yeah, over all, I think we defended players like him really well most of the game.”

New Zealand striker Elijah Just added: “You can look at it one way, where the draws are maybe not so flattering to Belgium when they’re probably favourites to get out of the group.

“At the same time, we know how hungry they’re going to be, they need to beat us to get out of the group, so yeah, we’re definitely not underestimating them because of the draws.”

‘NEXT SEASON IS GOING TO BE BIG’

Striker knows where he must improve to make first team

EXCLUSIVE

By Will Scott

CALEB REDHEAD has a point to prove.

Nine months on from earning a contract with Millwall’s under-21s after a spell of trials and injury setbacks, the striker believes he still has more to show.

“I feel like I can still add a lot more aggression,” Redhead told NewsAtDen. “I’m tall, and I’m quite strong. I feel like I could use that more in my game. That aggressive side, I feel like I can definitely add that.

People haven’t seen as much of that as I’ve wanted them to.”

Redhead’s desire to prove himself is unsurprising. Like many academy players, he has already had to endure his fair share of rejection and disappointment, more than most do at that age.

Last summer he was let go by Crystal Palace, then had to go through the gauntlet of trials at Category One and Two academies before signing for the Lions.

Growing up in Croydon, Redhead, 19, had been with the Eagles since he was nine years old after spending two years in their pre-academy, an experience he called “the most fun I’ve had with football”.

It was there that the six-foot-three teenager settled on playing up front.

“I’ve always been a forward, but when I was younger, I would play left wing, right wing,” Redhead said. “I’d say under-15s is when I fully started being a striker, but in my younger days, I was playing on the wing, sometimes number ten. As I got older, I realised what I wanted to play was striker.

“[My coaches] gave me confidence because they would always say, ‘You’re taller, you’re faster than the defenders that you’re going to be coming up against’. I just felt like that was like the easiest position for me to be in - to go up against guys that are normally smaller than me and not as fast as me.”

Living five minutes from the first-team ground, the pathway straight through the age groups to the first team felt obvious

to him at first, but became obscured as he grew older.

“You think it’s going to be like a smooth pathway all the way to the first team and there’s going to be no issues,” Redhead said. “But obviously it’s not as easy as you think, when you start going through it and having to deal with the pressure.”

Still, Redhead was given his scholarship, and in his first year in the under-18s he was handed a unique opportunity.

Redhead was eligible for Grenada through his father, and he received a surprise call-up to their under-20s in February 2024.

“I always joked with my dad about playing for them,” Redhead said. “It was kind of a joke in my house that I was going to play for them.

“When I ended up actually getting the callup, it was something I just didn’t expect. It just came out of the blue.”

Redhead travelled to Saint Kitts and Nevis with Grenada for three 2024 CONCACAF under-20s Championship qualifying fixtures against Bermuda, Jamaica and Martinique.

While the Spice Boys were beaten in their first two fixtures, Redhead scored a brace in a 4-4 draw with Martinique

“It was some of the most fun I’ve ever had,” Redhead said. “I was playing with players that you’d never expect to be playing with. The tactics and all of that stuff were just completely different.

“Playing in the heat, it was 27 degrees every time we were playing out there. It was a lot of fun. We could have done better than we did in the tournament, but it was definitely a lot of fun.”

Redhead returned to drizzly south London and continued with the Eagles’ under-18s before he was delivered the bad news shortly before the end of his two-year scholarship.

“They said they have players who are similar to me,” Redhead said. “So they just basically told me, ‘we feel like you can get better opportunities elsewhere’.”

Redhead was without a club for the first time in eleven years, and found the process

of finding a new one surprisingly difficult.

“I went on trial at Brentford before I came to Millwall,” Redhead said. “Both of those trials went well. I was scoring. I probably expected to get signed, but I didn’t realise the process of trialling is a lot harder than I thought.

“I was at Palace for so long, so I thought if I just went to another club, I’d just get signed straight away.”

Redhead spent several months with Millwall before he eventually signed in November 2025.

“I started my trial at the end of my under18s season, and then in my second game, I got injured,” Redhead said. “Then I came back to Millwall in pre-season, and then I got injured again while I was trialling with them. But they kept me on the whole way. I did all my rehab there, and then I ended up getting signed after I finished all my rehab.

“I was [confident of getting signed], but I still didn’t know. I’d been to other clubs where I thought I was going to get a ‘yes’ and I didn’t. I was confident, but I wasn’t fully confident.

“They told me that they’ve seen my hard work, even with the two setbacks. My rehab work, they could tell I was working hard, and I wanted to be back fit. They said, ‘through your hard work, we feel like you deserve this contract’.”

Redhead described his reaction as relief more than anything, that he would not have to restart the gruelling journey to finding a club.

He was also relieved he was joining a club he was already somewhat familiar with.

“I’ve been playing against Millwall from a young age, so I knew some of the players already,” Redhead said. “George [Beaumont] was at Palace as well with me, and he’s at Millwall.

“I feel like it was easy to transition because I knew the players. I know how Millwall play, so I felt quite comfortable.”

In some ways, Redhead seemed more comfortable with the Lions than his former club.

“Millwall are more direct than how Palace

normally play,” Redhead said. “Palace like to play out from the back a lot more. I say getting the ball quicker to me is better for me. I get to the goal a lot quicker, I get more opportunities, and I’m more involved in the game. Sometimes with Palace, you might not even touch the ball.”

Still, it has been a transition year for Redhead. Moving to Millwall compressed two significant changes into one: moving club and stepping up from the under-18s to under-21s.

The under-21s are far closer to the first team, especially in the Lions’ set-up, and they both train at Calmont Road.

“Being close to and near the first team, it’s a lot more serious,” Redhead said. “You realise their jobs are literally on the line when they’re playing their games. You can’t be messing around with training, even recovery and stuff like that. Being late to meetings, you can’t be slacking on anything like that. You have to be focused all the time.”

Redhead has been helped through that transition by the coaching staff and players, including first-team midfielder Ra’ees Bangura-Williams.

“Ra’ees is in our changing room, I’d probably say he’s the closest,” Redhead said. “He’s in our changing room a bit because obviously he was in the under-21s.

“I’d say I probably talk to him the most out of all the first-team players. When he comes down and he plays with us, we play quite close together, so he’ll be giving me advice, giving me things that he thinks I could do in games. He’s very helpful when he plays with us as well.”

Redhead adapted to all that change well enough that Millwall opted to trigger an option in his contract to extend his deal, and he hopes to fully kick on next season.

“I hadn’t been playing as much as I wanted to, so it was a season where I fully settled down, and I got comfortable with players, comfortable with the position,” Redhead said. “I knew what the coaches wanted from me. So I say it was a time when I was able to show myself. It’s helped me.

By John Kelly

MATTY GODDEN believes missing so much of the last campaign could work in his favour in 2026-27 after he signed a new one-year deal with Charlton Athletic this week.

Godden, who will turn 35 at the end of July, said it was a “proud day” and revealed the poignant moment he experienced on the morning of signing the contract.

After 22 goals in his first season at Charlton following his move from Peterborough United, Godden was restricted to eleven appearances in 202526.

He then broke his right leg in the Addicks’ 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town in April, shortly after coming on in the 78th minute.

That was after he only made his first appearance of the season in January following a knee injury.

Godden still netted two crucial goals to earn a point against Watford and Sheffield Wednesday as Charlton battled to retain their Championship status.

Godden said he had positive discussions with boss Nathan Jones, who assured him a deal would be done despite his injury.

‘IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE STARS’ Charlton striker reveals poignant moment on morning of new deal

“When I woke up this morning I thought, ‘hold on a minute, this is seven years since my mum unfortunately passed away and I’m going in to sign my new contract’,” Godden said. “It was written in the stars and it’s a proud day.

“It’s something that we’ve been really keen to get done from the end of the League One season, but obviously with the circumstances surrounding my situation with my knee injury, it took a back seat naturally. When I returned it was something that was mentioned, we just had to get to the end of the season. It’s something that I was really keen to get done and I’m just glad it’s sorted now.

“My boys are going to be buzzing to get their new shirts on! Carrying on coming to watch their dad play at The Valley is something they’re going to love and I’m sure they’re going to be buzzing just as much as I am.”

Godden has at least one clear goal in the 2026-27 season.

“Unfortunately I missed out on scoring in front of the Covered End last year,” Godden said. “My two goals came away from home, so that’s something that I can’t wait for. To hear my name sung, like

it is every week, will be special.

“My conversations with the gaffer have been really positive and he wanted me around the place. Arguably last year could’ve done me a favour because I’ve not had the wear and tear on my body from playing 46 games, so it’s a season now where I’m looking forward to putting last year behind me.

“I’ve not had a season like that before where everything just seemed to be against me, obviously with two surgeries and then fracturing my leg in the game

against Ipswich which I didn’t expect to happen.

“I’ve obviously been in over the summer to rehab this leg and the skip [Greg Docherty] has been in with his groin injury. We went away together and it wasn’t nice trying to keep up with him in the running because he’s an animal when it comes to his longdistance running. It was tough for me but really good and something that I enjoyed doing.”

Jones believes Godden can be among

the goals next season.

“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to agree a new contract with Matty. He’s been instrumental in our progression since he came to the football club,” Jones said. “Last year was a tough season for him and a frustrating one in terms of the injuries he had, but he still came back and showed that when he does play, he impacts significantly. Matty’s an important part of the culture and the environment. I know he still has goals in him and that’s why we wanted to extend

Matty Godden had an injury-hit season but scored two crucial goals

his stay at the football club.”

Charlton managing director James Rodwell added: “We’re really pleased that Matty has committed himself to the football club once again. His experience and professionalism has made him an important part of our continued progress, and he’s scored some vital goals during his time with us.

“He’s hungry to play more games and score more goals, and we’re looking forward to seeing him fit, firing and ready to go for the season ahead.”

Marcus is a hot Shot Dons sign Sweeney

By Manuel Salazar

MARCUS DINANGA has left League

Two champions Bromley to join National League Aldershot.

Dining, who turns 29 at the end of this month, scored two goals in 22 games for Andy Woodman’s side last season. The Shots finished 20th last season, four points above the relegation zone.

“Getting Marcus on board is a huge coup for us as a football club after having a number of offers from other National League clubs,” manager Scott Davies said. “[Assistant manager] Jonah [Mark Jones] and I initially had a few options that we were considering, but once we sat down and spoke with him,

it was clear that we only had one target.

“Marcus spoke about his experiences of playing at the EBB Stadium and how it was something he really enjoyed. To now have the support of our fans is something that he said he was looking forward to.

“Marcus joins us with great experience having scored nineteen league goals for Gateshead a couple of seasons ago and more recently winning a promotion with Bromley to League One.

“We’ve waited to bring another attacking option to the club and feel as though this adds to the firepower at the top end of the pitch which will be hugely important for us this season.”

By John Kelly

AFC WIMBLEDON have signed centre-back Dan Sweeney on a free transfer from Stevenage.

Sweeney, 32, who started out in the Dons’ academy, has signed a two-year deal.

Sweeney left Wimbledon for Kingstonian in 2012 before moves to Dulwich Hamlet and Maidstone United.

He made his Football League debut with Barnet in 2016-17.

Sweeney made 115 league appearances and scored eight goals after joining Stevenage from Forest Green Rovers in the

summer of 2022.

“It’s brilliant to be back,” Sweeney said.

“Where the club was from when I was here, to where it is now is quite astonishing. It’s fantastic to be back.”

SouthLondonWeekly. Community matters

Sport

A JUDE AWAKENING

‘BEN AND I ARE FRIENDS’

By John Kelly

ENGLAND HEAD coach Brendon

McCullum has denied there are any problems between him and England captain Ben Stokes Stokes missed England’s second Test against New Zealand, which was won by the visitors to level the series, after an incident with Gus Atkinson in a London nightclub. The pair were given written warnings but the ECB said after an investigation that “no blame should be attached to the players for violent conduct at the nightclub”.

Stokes and Atkinson are back in the squad for the deciding third Test, with starts at Trent Bridge at 11am on Thursday (June 25).

McCullum said he spoke with Stokes on Tuesday.

“I said: ‘Do you know where this has come from, the conversations around our relationship over the last six months?’” McCullum explained.

“He said, ‘No, I have no idea.’ I said to him: ‘As far I’m concerned, I consider you a good friend.’” McCullum caused confusion before the second Test when he spoke of his “worry” and “concern” for Stokes.

England midfi elder in scrap as Tuchel denies Ghana goalless draw was wake-up call

By John Kelly

THOMAS TUCHEL said Jude Bellingham was only defending himself and the team after the England midfielder had a row with Ghana boss and former Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz at halftime in the 0-0 Group L game in Boston on Tuesday.

Bellingham was ushered away from the Ghana bench by team-mate Morgan Rogers after the referee had blown for half-time.

After the full-time whistle, something Bellingham said to a Ghana backroom staff member appeared to anger Queiroz.

“It was an exchange of emotions,

and Jude stood up for himself and his team,” Tuchel said. “Emotions are a part of the game but we don’t want to get distracted with stuff that could distract us.”

The half-time row came after Bellingham had fouled Jerome Opoku.

“It was just when I made a silly tackle, to be honest,” Bellingham said. “I was trying to try to win the ball and I followed through a little bit and caught the lad. I spoke to him after, and then their bench jumped up trying to get me a yellow card.

“I think their manager, I just recognised him. He’s obviously the one who used to be at Manchester United, so great respect, and nothing but a competitive edge for both of us.”

“He had a bad reaction with some bad names and that’s why the story started,” Queiroz said. England need only avoid defeat against Panama in their game on Saturday to qualify for the last 32. Tuchel’s side were frustrated by a Ghana team that sat back to defend deep. England didn’t really threaten until the second half when substitute Buakayo Saka was denied by goalkeeper Benjamin Asare.

Another substitute, Nico O’Reilly, headed against the bar and Marc Guehi had a header cleared off the line.

Queiroz later questioned whether VAR was working at the World Cup after his side were very unfortunate

not to have been awarded a penalty for what looked like a foul by Ezri Konsa on Prince Kwabena Adu in the area.

After their thrilling 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening game, Tuchel denied England were complacent against Ghana.

“No, we don’t need a wake-up call,” Tuchel stated. “Everyone is alert and everyone is fully committed. There can be no doubt, I can assure that to everyone.”

“There was no overconfidence in our game, not at all. If – if – there was anything, there was maybe in some moments a bit of overcautious ]play], but we were never overconfident.”

England’s final group game kicks off at 10pm (BST).

This week, McCullum said: “My assessment was that I was slightly concerned, worried, now my assessment is that he looks great and is ready to go.

“He looks fantastic, he looks ready to go, he’s enthusiastic about the week and obviously from our point of view it’s nice to have the band back together.

“It’s been a real privilege for me over the past four years to work in intimate detail and as a partnership alongside Ben. I look back on that fondly about how tight we were as a group and how tight we were as a pair. Anything outside of that, it’s not really up to us. Ben and I are tight.”