Fisher FC’s new home gets the green light

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

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

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

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

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

The housing scheme is designed by Hawkins/Brown architects.

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

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

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

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

Boris Johnson invites Rotherhithe broadband campaigners to City Hall

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

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

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

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

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

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

7,000 brave the rain to attend Bermondsey Carnival

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

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

 

Surrey Quays Shopping Centre redevelopment added to Harmsworth Quays masterplan

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rainbow

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Weekly market in Albion Street starts in July

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

‘Parachuting parson’ and Tory activist Percy Gray dies aged 86

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The Revd Percy Gray, vicar of St Crispin’s Church in Southwark Park Road for four decades, has died at the age of 86.

A prominent local Tory activist, he was president of the Bermondsey & Old Southwark Conservative Association.

In his latter years he stood for election as Conservative candidate in Riverside Ward in 2006 and in Rotherhithe Ward in 2010.

Ordained in 1956, he was inducted as vicar of St Crispin’s Bermondsey on the day the rebuilt post-war church was dedicated in 1959. When he retired in 1999 the church was closed and the building is now a nursery.

In the early 1960s he was locked in a bitter dispute with the left-leaning Bishop of Southwark Mervyn Stockwood who refused to visit St Crispin’s parish. The row was reported by newspapers as far afield as Sydney, Australia.

Known as the ‘parachuting parson’, Mr Gray took an active part in the life of the Territorial Army unit to which he was chaplain.

In 1971 he jumped from London Bridge – then under reconstruction – to demonstrate a new shock-absorber safety line made by a factory to which he also served as chaplain. In 1985 he ran the London Marathon.

As part of the Campaign to Restore Capital Punishment he lobbied MPs at Westminster in 1970 to bring back hanging. His unscheduled clash with Methodist minister Lord Soper was broadcast to the nation on ITN’s News at Ten.

In 1990 his role as a governor of Bacon’s College resulted in High Court action by the Inner London Education Authority and Southwark Council in a bid to prevent the school becoming a city technology college (CTC).

A supporter of Sunday trading, Mr Gray received cheers for his speech at the Conservative Party conference in Brighton in 1992.

In the 1994 New Year’s Honours list he received the MBE for political and public service.

In retirement he enrolled as a student at Southwark College to pick up new IT skills.

It wasn’t until 2012 that he stepped down as the local organiser of the Royal British Legion’s poppy appeal in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe.

 

Surrey Quays Road rapist jailed for seven years

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Steven Dunne

A man who attacked and raped a woman in the street was this week sentenced to seven years in jail at Woolwich Crown Court.

24-year-old Steven Dunne from Peckham had pleaded guilty on the 5 March to one count of rape and one count of robbery following the attack on 10 November 2013.

The victim, a 27-year-old woman, was walking to work along Surrey Quays Road at around 6.45am.

As she made her way along the street, the victim realised she was being followed by Dunne, who was wearing a hooded top.

Dunne suddenly rushed at the woman and grabbed her, forcing her from the street into bushes where he orally raped her and robbed her of cash. He also threatened to kill her during the ordeal.

Dunne made off from the scene, threatening the victim that she should remain in the bushes until for five minutes after he had gone. Once she was sure Dunne had left the scene, the victim reported the incident to police.

The victim was supported after her ordeal by trained officers from the Met’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse (SOECA) Command and staff at Haven. Officers obtained DNA evidence which matched that of Steven Dunne.

Dunne was subsequently arrested on 15 November 2013 and charged the same day.

PC Carol Day said: “Steven Dunne committed a violent and terrifying rape on a woman walking to her workplace in the early hours of the morning.

“The victim in this case was traumatised by the attack, but with support has found the determination to see her attacker sent to prison for a long time.”

Detective Inspector Faye Churchyard  said: “The victim was subjected to the terrifying ordeal that all women fear, being attacked alone on a deserted street.

“She has seen justice today in the conviction of the man who attacked her.

“We hope this sends a strong message to all victims that they will be supported and that justice will prevail.

“There may be others Steven Dunne has attacked and I urge them to come forward and tell us what has happened to them.”

Zimbabwe honour for Rotherhithe rector

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Congratulations to Fr Mark Nicholls, rector of St Mary’s Church in Rotherhithe, who has been named as an honorary canon of the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Mutare, Manicaland, Zimbabwe.

Fr Mark worked in Zimbabwe for a number of years, and Manicaland’s bishop Julius Makoni has visited Rotherhithe several times.

Bishop Makoni is a former banker who was ordained priest at Southwark Cathedral in 2009 before returning to Zimbabwe.

The Diocese of Southwark has strong links with the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe, and Rotherhithe falls within the Woolwich Episcopal Area which has a particular link with the Diocese of Manicaland.