LONDON NEWS, GLOBAL VIEWS KCWKENSINGTON, CHELSEA & WESTMINSTER, HAMMERSMITHto & FULHAM, WANDSWORTH a y AND SELECT LONDON BOROUGHS ISSUE 84 JUNE 2019 FREE NEWS OPINION & COMMENT BUSINESS & FINANCE HEALTH DINING OUT EDUCATION (NURSERY & SPECIAL NEEDS) MOTORING ARTS & CULTURE LIFESTYLE LITERATURE ASTRONOMY FISHING FLYING SPORT CROSSWORD BRIDGE CHESS PLUS WOODSTOCK 50 COVER PICTURE: MILLO, DREAM, 2019, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 100 X 70 CM. FROM THE SOLO EXHIBITION, MILLO: WHERE THE STREETS DISAPPEAR, AT DOROTHY CIRCUS GALLERY, 35 CONNAUGHT STREET, LONDON W2 2AZ. WWW.DOROTHYCIRCUSGALLERY.COM. EXHIBITION RUNS 14 JUNE TO 13 JULY 2019. 2 June 2019 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Contents & Offices Kensington, Chelsea LONDON NEWS, GLOBAL VIEWS EVENTS & AUCTIONS BUSINESS & FINANCE DINING OUT MOTORING & SPORT & Westminster Today ARTS & CULTURE LITERATURE Contents ASTRONOMY & CHESS OPINION & COMMENT KCWKENSINGTON, CHELSEA & WESTMINSTER, HAMMERSMITHto & FULHAM, WANDSWORTH a y AND SELECT LONDON BOROUGHS ISSUE 83 MAY 2019 FREE CROSSWORD & BRIDGE 80-100 Gwynne Road, London, EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT FEATURING BOARDING Design © Tim Epps Tim Design © HEALTH SUPPLEMENT SW11 3UW FEATURING Tel: 020 7738 2348 CARE FACILITIES E-mail: [email protected] Website: News www.kcwtoday.co.uk 3 Advertisement enquiries: making your mark [email protected] 8 Statue & Blue Plaque Subscriptions: [email protected] THE EVOLUTION OF WRITING AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY Festivals Publishers: A 12 Kensington & Chelsea Today Limited A 14 Opinion & Comment 16 Business & Finance 19 International News Editor-in-Chief: Kate Hawthorne Art Director & Director: Tim Epps Astronomy Senior Business Development: Antoinette Kovatchka 20 Business Development: Ellen Harper, Lettie Overall, Ana Sheppard 21 Education Architecture: Squinch Art & Culture Editors: Don Grant, Marian Maitland 29 Literature Astronomy: Scott Beadle FRAS Bridge: Andrew Robson Woodstock Business & Finance Holly Mackay, Charles McLachlan 30 Chess: Barry Martin Opinion and Comment: Marius Brill, Peter Burden, 32 Events Derek Wyatt Music: Geoff Cowart, 40 Dining Out Crossword: Wolfe Dining Out: David Hughes (Editor) Travel Editorial: Max Feldman, Ellen Harper, 42 Fahad Redha, Education: Jane Duncan, Ellen Harper, 48 Health & Lifestyle Simon Hatchard-Parr, Kate Hawthorne Fahad Redha 52 Arts & Culture Events: Fahad Redha Health: Kate Hawthorne, Fahad Redha, Fishing International News: Arman Aboutorali, Conor Knapp 57 Feldman Reviews: Max Feldman Consultant Lifestyle 58 Flying & Beauty Editor: Talia Hull Literature: Max Feldman 59 Sports Fixtures Motoring: Fahad Redha News, Online Editor, Max Feldman Motoring Arts Correspondent & 60 Picture Editor Sport: Gill Gross 62 Crossword, Bridge & Public Notices Sub-Editor: Leila Kooros Travel: Lynne McGowan, Cynthia Pickard 63 Chess 020 7738 2348 June 2019 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 3 News online: www.KCWToday.co.uk Hammersmith & Fulham Council and TfL on their plans for the future of the Hammersmith Bridge could bridge and are committed to making sure that residents on our side are informed and importantly engaged, in Photograph © Alex Muller Alex © Photograph be closed for three years any opportunity to help shape its future.” The bridge belongs to Hammersmith By LDRS Reporter & Fulham Council, who in 2015 agreed Callum Rutter with TfL to restore the Grade II listed structure to its Victorian splendour. Mr Cowan wanted to reassure the many people who used the bridge that it will be reopened to vehicles “as quickly as possible”. He said: “People on both sides of the river want to see our beautiful Victorian bridge fully restored and operational for generations to come. That is exactly what is going to happen. “But the works are complex as this Nineteenth Century suspension bridge is unique. It’s made of cast iron which is brittle and uses wooden panelling. “It was designed for nothing much heavier than horse-drawn carts and carriages but until recently was being ammersmith Bridge could stay but Richmond Council (the borough Hammersmith Bridge has needed used by 20,000 vehicles and 1,800 buses closed to vehicles for three on the bridge’s south side) warned in a significant restoration work for decades. a day. years, as experts work to make it statement that the repairs could take up And, in an ideal world, Hammersmith “We’re pushing to make sure safe to drive on again. to three years. Council would have had a lot more time H Hammersmith Bridge will be re-opened The bridge was closed “indefinitely” Leader of Richmond Council to plan and work with the community as quickly as possible. And when it is, in April after a weekly check revealed Councillor Gareth Roberts was taken on on a scheduled closure. people will know that it’s benefited damage that has been known about for a tour of the bridge on Friday, May 31, “However, the damage was a lot from the most thorough refurbishment years was much worse than authorities by his counterpart at Hammersmith and more severe than they once thought. The programme in its history, which will thought. Fulham Council, Councillor Stephan number one most important thing is that keep it safe for decades.” A team of 18 engineers is currently Cowan. the bridge must be safe to all who use it. assessing the work that needs to be done, He said: “We know that “We will continue working with the scheme their backing, with 714 board, affecting low-income households that the council was “determined that saying they would make a contribution too. everyone has the opportunity to make Hundreds of K to the scheme. The voluntary scheme would target a success of their lives, no matter their The council plans to introduce the council tax Band H residents, whose background.” and C residents scheme this year. properties were valued at more than The fatal fire at Grenfell Tower Although A listers’ mansions can £320,000 in in 1991. They face a council two years ago highlighted the stark pay voluntary fetch upward of £30 million, owners tax bill of £2,381.10 this year. discrepancies between some of the only have to pay the same council tax According to a report going before country’s most affluent and exclusive extra council tax as neighbouring homes valued in the the council’s leadership team of senior areas and pockets of deprivation By LDRS Reporter hundreds of thousands because of the politicians on June 5, 937 people said elsewhere in the borough. Julia Gregory council tax rules. they backed the aim of supporting The Conservative politician who Current rules mean local authorities opportunities to help residents in took the top political post after Grenfell are unable to raise the council tax for Kensington and Chelsea find work. said it meant getting pupils “from all Hundreds of people living in homes the most expensive homes rated Band Council leader Elizabeth Campbell walks of life” a leg up to win university worth millions in west London said H without raising the rates across the wrote to Band H residents, stating places, apprenticeships, “skills and routes they would give extra money on top of into employment or their £2381 council tax bill to support entrepreneurship”. projects to help their neighbours get into “It means investing work. in the right provision Kensington and Chelsea Council for pupils with special wrote to people living in 15,500 luxury educational needs and Photograph © Pixabay Photograph homes, including the exclusive addresses disabilities, so they too of pop stars Robbie Williams and Jimmy can achieve their full Page and power couple David and potential,” she added. Victoria Beckham. The leadership team Dubbed the “mansion tax”, the agreed in February to voluntary contribution could help boost ask its Band H residents council funds to support community what they thought about projects. paying more. The council asked the 22,750 people Westminster Council paying the top council tax rate if they raised £600,000 from its would be willig to dig a bit deeper and voluntary contributions make a voluntary contribution to support scheme it launched community projects, including a freepost last year, which it put option to respond. towards schemes for Just 1,172 of its famously well heeled the homeless and young residents replied and 785 of them gave people. 4 June 2019 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk News utilised even more". renewed sense of place.” There is also a Roads that would have new speed plan for a number of new homes around Public limits include: the station, including along the station side of Pelham Street. This will return Photograph © TfL consultation on Albert Embankment the historic row of buildings that existed Lambeth Palace Road there before. The buildings here will also London 20mph Lambeth Bridge provide retail opportunities, potentially Millbank for independent outlets and a focus on speed limit Victoria Embankment health and well-being. Upper Thames Street “We are excited to be working fl have launched a pubic Lower Thames Street with Native Land on these important consultation on imposing a Tower Hil l proposals which will transform the area speed limit of 20mph on all Aldgate gyratory including: Leman around South Kensington Tube station,” central London roads that fall under Street, Prescot Street, Mansell Street, station and its surrounding area’s historic Graeme Craig, Director of Commercial T Minories and Goodman's Yard streets, while also bringing a number of Development at Transport for London the organisation’s remit. The proposed scheme would see over 5.5 miles (8.9 Borough High Street improvements for those who live, work, said. “Our aim has been to create a km) of roads including Millbank, Albert Great Dover Street and visit the area. proposal that honours the heritage of the Embankment, and Borough High Street Blackfriars Road One part of the proposal will be station and reflects the historic legacy subjected to the new speed limit by May Part of Druid Street (between Tower a new ‘Bullnose’ 5-storey building and architecture of the area as well as 2020.