hackneytoday Circulated to 108,000 homes and businesses by Hackney Council Issue 348 9 February 2015 inside 4 Photo: Hannah Lucy Jones Holocaust tribute 6 Talent winners 11 Hackney People 15 Listings pull-out 16 WIN Life is a cabaret tickets to opera OLDER residents had a It is run by Duckie, a Blackpool Tower Ballroom 3pm, until 23 March. They to a sit-down tea of scones, La bohème right old knees-up at The collective of performance and Sydney Opera House. perform at St Paul’s Church sandwiches and champagne Posh Club, an elegant artists based in London Posh Club brings these top- Hall, Stoke Newington by a team of volunteer event for people in their who have appeared at the class acts to Hackney every Road, before an audience of waiters. Call 020 7737 4043 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Wednesday from noon to pensioners who are treated to book a table. 25 Hackney History www.hackney.gov.uk 2 9 February 2015 hackneynews Hackney Today is produced by the Communications & Consultation team at London Borough of Hackney, Maurice Bishop House, 17 Reading Lane, E8 1HH. E-mail: htnews@ hackney.gov.uk Editor: Jane Young Tel: 020 8356 3275 E: [email protected] Sub-editor & designer: Sappho Lauder Tel: 020 8356 2342 E: [email protected] The Council’s campaign to help tenants and today landlords includes posters, pictured centre, Advertising & drawing attention to their rights and responsibilities distribution manager David Roberts Tel: 020 8356 2416 E: [email protected] Hackney Today is published by the London Borough Action on renting of Hackney. It has a print run of 108,000 copies and CAMPAIGN to in Hackney deserves is delivered free to every home and business in the highlight the rights It’s important that both to live in good quality borough. The Council uses and responsibilities accommodation and it to communicate public of private tenants tenants and landlords are it’s important that both service information to A and landlords in Hackney aware of their rights and tenants and landlords of residents. It is published begins this month. responsibilities in law privately-rented homes fortnightly in order to carry An estimated 32,000 are aware not only of their statutory advertising, such households rent privately rights and responsibilities as planning and traffic notices, which is cheaper in the borough, a figure Q The Council can number of hard copies in law, but also of the for the taxpayer than which has doubled in the investigate unclear lettings available from the Private services and support using another local paper. past decade. agents’ fees, including Sector Housing service in available that are provided The law does not allow The Council can help deposits Stoke Newington Town by the Council.” for statutory notices to be both tenants and landlords Q Landlords must put Hall and Hackney Service published solely online or in with a range of services. To tenants’ deposits into Centre. The guide is also a less frequent publication. MORE INFO highlight this, posters will a Government-backed being highlighted on the The paper’s official, be displayed on estates and scheme. Council’s Twitter and The online guide to door-to-door delivery is streets across Hackney, These posters also Facebook accounts, which services for private 90,821 copies per issue, detailing different points of provide a link to a detailed together have more than renters and landlords according to Audit Bureau of law, including: online guide available on 14,000 followers. Circulations (ABC) is available at: www. QLandlords must give the Council’s website, Cllr Philip Glanville, hackney.gov.uk/private- Paid for advertising is carried at least 24 hours’ notice which can be printed Cabinet Member for sector-housing in the paper to keep costs to before visiting off, and there are a small Housing, said: “Everyone hackney a minimum. We reserve the right to refuse advertising. The products and services advertised in this paper do Survey of conditions carried out by the Council not carry the endorsement of Hackney Today or London TENANTS and landlords of private rented sector might be enhanced. completing the survey is Borough of Hackney of privately-rented homes properties in Hackney This includes whether 28 February. Request a Hackney Today is in Hackney are being doubling in the past or not introducing a hard copy by e-mailing: Printed by Trinity Mirror printed on 100 per asked to join in a survey decade, to a total of landlord licensing scheme sue.farrant@hqnetwork. cent recycled paper. Distributed by London of conditions and services. 32,000 homes. might improve standards co.uk; or call 01904 557 Please make sure Letterbox Marketing HQN (Housing Quality After the evidence both for tenants and 150. To reply online, visit: you recycle it after If you do not receive Network) has been has been collected, the landlords and what kind https: //consultation. reading, so the Hackney Today call David appointed by the Council Council will consider the of properties the scheme hackney.gov.uk/housing- paper can be used Roberts on: 020 8356 2416; as an independent body ways in which its services would apply to. strategy-policy/prs- again or e-mail: david.roberts@ investigating the effects for the private rented The deadline for tenants-2014 hackney.gov.uk www.hackney.gov.uk 9 February 2015 3 More local news and events at: KEEP UP facebook.com/DestinationHackney; TO DATE or: twitter.com/LoveHackney News in brief Photo: Carl Fox Valentine’s Day sees surge in people popping the question ROMANTIC residents are more likely to pop the question on Valentine’s Day and over Christmas than at any other time of the year – if enquiries about the Council’s popular venues are anything to go by. Huge spikes in interest have been seen in the working days after February 14 and New Year’s Day as couples scout locations for their wedding and reception, according to Dan Cowdrill, the Council’s Sales and Marketing Manager for Venues. “Christmas appears to be the most popular time of the year for proposals, followed by Valentine’s, with a surge in people asking about our venues and researching them online,” said Dan. Visits to the Hackney Venues 24 webpage see an average 200 per cent increase in activity after Christmas and Valentine’s Day, as well as an average 50 per cent spike in queries to Get set for fun run the venues team during the same time. Elaine Humphreys, 42, and Tony Mattson, 39, (pictured) were married at Clissold House, in Stoke Newington, Cllr Jonathan McShane, with pupils from Millfields Community School, who are taking part in the half marathon challenge which is one of the Council’s five key venues. Elaine said: “Clissold House gave us all that we wished for and, with my cousin’s creative touch, it was turned into N your marks, get and Culture. the most beautiful place. It was every girl’s dream if you’re set, go! Thousands I’m sure it will create a He said: “We’re very looking for elegance in a natural setting.” of Hackney’s great buzz again as excited about hosting For more info: www.hackneyvenues.com. Oschoolchildren the second Vitality Run are warming up to run people train for the event Hackney Half Marathon the equivalent of a half around the borough and I’m sure it will create Youngsters can learn to roller marathon by completing a a great buzz again as mile a week for 12 weeks. people train for the event skate like a pro at workshops The second Vitality Run inspired to start its own supports children and around the borough. GET your skates on this half term and roll on down to Hackney Half Marathon running club after entering young people with cancer. “Last year, hundreds of Gillett Square, in Dalston, for a free day of roller skating Schools Challenge will the challenge last year. Heidi Ethan Foley, a schoolchildren took up and workshops. reach its finale on 10 May “Our school loved Year 6 pupil at Millfields running to complete the On 19 February, from 11am to 4pm, pro skaters Mr – when all the youngsters the challenge and we who entered last year’s Schools Challenge and it Special and CeeJay OnEi8ht, from the My Life on Ei8ht run their final 1.1 mile had 60 children, aged challenge, said: “I thought was lovely for them to run Skating Academy, will be on hand to help everyone from around Hackney Marshes four to 11, taking part,” it was a good idea because their last mile in front of beginners to more experienced skaters. in front of a supportive said Heidi Caccioppoli, it brought the whole such a supportive crowd.” Roller skates will be provided and free workshops will crowd of teachers, parents from Millfields. community together. be running at noon, 1pm and 2pm to learn to skate or and the local community. Adding: “We set up a “We were doing it MORE INFO improve skills. While over 800 students running club that went out for good reasons, so we At 3pm, there will from more than 20 schools at 8.30am each Tuesday had fun raising money Schools can register to be a performance took part last year, more and Thursday and the for charity.” participate by e-mailing: by professional than twice that number children ran four laps The event, which aims jennifersilcox@ skaters and, at are expected to participate of the block around our to foster a love of exercise achieveevents.com.