Rotherhithe Police Station replaced by prefab next to leisure centre

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On New Year’s Eve the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) published details of its deal with Southwark Council to relocate the 54 officers based at Rotherhithe Police Station to the nearby Seven Islands Leisure Centre.

The front counter at Rotherhithe Police Station closed in summer 2013 but the building is still the base for the neighbourhood policing team covering the north-eastern corner of Southwark.

In October 2013 Southwark Council offered the Met £250,000 towards the cost of creating a new police base at Seven Islands, just across Lower Road from the police station.

MOPAC says that new locker rooms and showers for the police officers will be created in the redundant gym and backstage area at Seven Islands, whilst the police offices will be located in a new modular building (aka prefab or Portakabin type structure) adjoining the leisure centre.

This plan is expected to cost a total of £499,000.

MOPAC has agreed a ten-year lease with the council but the local authority has the option to terminate the agreement after five years as plans are afoot to replace Seven Islands with a new leisure centre at Canada Water.

MOPAC says that the existing Rotherhithe Police Station has a maintenance backlog estimated at £935,000.

Once Rotherhithe Police Station is empty it will be put up for sale by MOPAC.

A visit to Bermondsey Road in Toronto

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In September 2014 your correspondent visited Bermondsey Road in East York, Toronto – home of the Peek Freans biscuit factory (and cookie outlet shop).

Peek Freans may have long disappeared from its original home in ‘our’ Bermondsey (and British supermarket shelves) but the brand lives on in Canada as part of the same Mondelez International conglomerate that owns Cadbury’s

 

Draft Canada Water masterplan

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At the end of last year British Land held a series of events to seek feedback on the draft Canada Water masterplan covering the redevelopment of Surrey Quays Shopping Centre and the Harmsworth Quays printworks site.

There is a lot of information to digest and the exhibition panels are available to download. The online feedback form is available until Sunday 4 January.

Anyone who cares about the future of the area is well advised to read the documents carefully and send their comments to British Land.

Swedish Seamen’s Church in Lower Road is now a listed building

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Last month the Government granted listed building status (at grade II) to the former Swedish Seamen’s Church in Lower Road.

The church – which dates from 1964 – closed in 2012 and was put up for sale.

In 2013 the Twentieth Century Society asked English Heritage to recommend to the Government that the building be listed.

Henrietta Billings from the 20th Century Society said: “We are delighted by this decision to celebrate and protect the Swedish Seamen’s Mission building. It is a rare and remarkably intact piece of authentic post war Swedish architecture in England.

“Not only are the interiors a showcase for Swedish design, it also tells an interesting story of Anglo-Swedish links in architecture as well as trade. We are confident that this diverse building can be successfully re-used and its fascinating history celebrated.”

In the summer of 2012 the complex hosted a drop-in Swedish cafe during the Olympic Games. More recently the premises has been used by the London Bubble theatre company while its permanent home in Elephant Lane was being refurbished.

The advert which appeared in the press in 2012.
The advert which appeared in the press in 2012.

Read the full text of the building’s entry on the list of buildings of historical and architectural interest.

Theatre making for adults with London Bubble

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London Bubble says that its drama group for adults is fun, friendly and a great way to meet new people and burn off imaginative calories!

“It’s the one time in the week when you can forget you’re an adult and go crazy like a kid, you can scream and shout and laugh so hard your tummy hurts.”

Local residents are invited to try a taster class.

Sessions are every Wednesday from 14 January, 7pm-9pm, at London Bubble, 5 Elephant Lane, SE16 4JD.

To find out more contact Lucy on [email protected] or 020 7237 4434

Drama classes for children with London Bubble

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Local theatre company London Bubble run weekly drama classes for all ages and abilities.

Its theatre groups are friendly, fun and creative, and include games and exercises which will help to develop confidence and a range of performance skills.

The new term starts week commencing 12 January

Classes for 6-8yrs / 9-11yrs / Youth Theatre for ages 12+

All classes held at 5 Elephant Lane, Rotherhithe, SE16 4JD

To find out more or book for a taster class contact Lucy
[email protected] 020 7237 4434

 

Buses C10 and 381: New Year reliability improvements promised

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Lib Dem London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon recently asked the Mayor of London Boris Johnson about capacity and reliability concerns on the C10 and 381 bus routes.

He replied:

TfL will be introducing a new schedule to improve reliability on route 381 on 11 January 2015. This will give buses more time to complete the journeys, better reflecting current traffic conditions.

TfL is discussing with the operator a reliability scheme for route C10 and is confident that this will be in place early in the New Year.

Child hit by car in Salter Road

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A child was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg after they were hit by a car in Salter Road.

Police were called by London Ambulance Service just before 6pm on Wednesday evening.

The child was taken to a south London hospital with a suspected broken leg.

Police are continuing to investigate the incident and no-one has been arrested.

Decathlon cafe shuts as redevelopment gets under way

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Holders of Decathlon cards registered to the Surrey Quays branch have received this email from the manager as preparatory works for the redevelopment of the site get under way.

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Hello Decathlon Surrey Quays Customers,

We are going through changes over the next few years as part of the regeneration of the Canada Water area. Unfortunately, it means we lose our lovely cafe.

We remain open as a store but our cafe will close on the 14th of December for the last time.

The pictures show you how the store and area should look in 2017/2018. During this time, we will go through various changes including moving into one store in March 2015 but we promise to always keep you updated.

Thank you,

Danny
Decathlon Surrey Quays Store Manager