Southwark Council has confirmed that it will stage the usual 5 November fireworks display in Southwark Park – and it will remain free of charge –  but this year for the first time visitors will need to book a ticket in advance.

Cllr Ian Wingfield, cabinet member for business, employment and culture, said:

We know how popular this event has become in recent years, with the number of people attending increasing by 175% since 2012. While that is fantastic for the borough, our utmost priority is to ensure the fireworks remain a safe event for all. 33,000 attended last year’s event, with thousands more waiting to get in the park as the display began. That is why this year we have decided to ticket the event to help us manage crowds. Tickets will be free but will need to be secured online in advance.

We want as many people as possible to enjoy the show safely and I’m sure all attending this great community and family event will recognise the hard work being done to ensure this is the case.

Tickets for this year’s fireworks will be available at www.southwark.gov.uk/fireworks

Neighbouring Lambeth Council has this year cancelled its fireworks display after an unsuccessful experiment with ticketing last year.

Stanley Arms

Southwark Council planning officers have rejected a proposal to demolish and redevelop the Stanley Arms pub in Southwark Park Road.

Pub landlord Roy Nicholls had applied for outline planning permission to knock down the Victorian building and replace it with a new four-storey block of nine flats with commercial space on the ground level.

Southwark planning officers rejected the application last month under delegated powers on the grounds that “the proposal would result in the loss of a community use to serve local people” and the pub’s status as an “undesignated heritage asset of special architectural and historic significance”.

Objectors to the planning application included the Victorian Society as well as the Greater London region and South East London branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

A letter from Tangram Architects submitted to the council in December 2014 noted that despite the landlord’s best efforts, “demographical changes” [sic] meant that “the business is nevertheless failing; it will not continue and the pub will inevitably close”.

See all the related documents at 14/AP/4668

Southwark’s borough fire commander Simon Tuhill has reassured local residents that they shouldn’t be alarmed if they see lots of fire engines at Harmsworth Quays this week.

T​he Rotherhithe & Bermondsey Choral Society have begun rehearsals for their Christmas Concert in December.
They will be singing highlights from J S Bach’s Christmas Oratario and Christmas Carols from around the world.
Rehearsals take place on Tuesdays 8pm to 9.45pm at Time and Talents, St. Marychurch Street, SE16 4JE​
Visit www.rbcs-choir.org.uk or email [email protected] to find out how you can get involved.

Cancer Research UK is advising local residents that the area around Southwark Park will be busy on Saturday evening 26 September as thousands of people converge on Southwark Park for the start of the charity’s Shine Night Walk .

The inside lane of Jamaica Road will be closed from Southwark Park to the junction with St James’s Road from 7pm until midnight.  This will affect access to Southwark Park Road, Drummond Road, Keeton’s Road and St James’s Road.

Jamaica Road, Tower Bridge Road, Tooley Street and Lower Road are likely to be congested until 11.30pm.

Bus stops on Jamaica Road will also be affected.

Traffic management stewards will be supervising the area on the night and clear signage will be displayed prior to the event.

Shine Night Walk, in partnership with Scottish Power, brings a unique glow to the capital as participants illuminate themselves with lights, flashing headbands and sparkling outfits to form a human road of light as they walk through the capital.

The moving parade of light symbolises the hope the charity’s research scientists bring to the dark days of cancer and celebrates the progress that has been made so far.

Organisers hope this year 17,000 men, women and children will paint the town neon and help raise almost £5 million to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. Since it began in 2010, Shine Night Walk has raised  £18 million to help fund Cancer Research UK’s lifesaving work.

Bus route C10 between Canada Water and Victoria will run more frequently from Saturday 10 October, Transport for London has announced.

The frequency will be increased increased during the Monday to Friday morning peak from every 10 minutes to every 7-8 minutes.

On Monday to Friday daytimes and during the afternoon peak the frequency will be boosted from every 10-12 minutes to every 8 minutes.

During Sunday shopping hours and every evening of the week the frequency will change from every 20 minutes to every 12 minutes.