News in Brief

A London Food Festival, like that to be seen in Croydon this year. Pic: Stu Smith

A London Food Festival, like that to be seen in Croydon this year. Pic: Stu Smith

Croydon Food Festival

The annual Croydon food festival is set to return this year, after uncertainty due to a lack of funding. Menta, a company behind various developments around East Croydon station, now sponsors the festival and it is set to return on June 26.

The festival will be held in Croydon’s restaurant quarter, South End, and will welcome local businesses to showcase their food.

Last year the event was enormously popular with more than 10,000 visitors and 70 traders serving food. Visitors to the festival this summer will be able to dine al fresco, taste summer cocktails and dance to live music across two stages.

20mph proposal for residential road

Croydon Council is looking at implementing a long term plan to introduce 20mph speed limits on residential roads across the borough, one area at a time.

This is in a bid to improve road safety, discourage passing through traffic, encourage walking and cycling and improve the local environment.

The first two areas are North Croydon, and North-East Croydon, which both have proposals outlined on the council website.

Flooding in Lewisham town centre and DLR station

After torrential rain overnight Lewisham saw severe flooding on Wednesday (May 11) which resulted in the closure of the DLR station for much of the morning.

The heavy rain caused flash floods and water rose up to several feet deep in places.

Transport for London traffic news tweeted a warning that the A20 Loampit Vale was “impassable both ways by Lewisham roundabout”, but the flooding had cleared up by that evening.

Woman escapes flat fire

A woman escaped a fire in a flat in Hoxton on Wednesday (May 11).

Four fire engines and 21 firefighters were called to the flat in Wimbourne Street at around 11am and found part of the third-floor flat to have sustained fire damage.

The woman got out of the property before the fire rescue team arrived. It took 40 minutes for the fire to be put out.

Professor Green opens new school building

Hackney New School, 295 Kingsland Road in Haggerston was opened officially by local rapper Professor Green and Professor Anthony Grayling.

Grayling is the founder of the private New College of the Humanities and author of over 30 philosophy books, joined Professor Green, real name Stephen Manderson, to open the school. Manderson grew up Upper Clapton, and told the crowd his upbringing in Hackney had an “incredible” cultural vibe”.

Hackney Council reveals decision on boxing nights at local pub

The Hackney Council revealed their decision on May 9 over plan for boxing and wrestling nights at a trendy pop-up bar.

The Brewhouse applied to extend the venue’s licensing hours to stage the events, but were turned down by the Hackney Council along with objections from local residents.

Other various decisions were placed on the license, which include the Brewhouse having a sound limiter to be fitted at the premises that is set at a level that is agreed with the Council’s noise pollution team. After midnight there is also a no entry or re-entry policy to be put in place.

The venue hosts live music, markets and various food stands that are connected to London Fields Brewery and has been described as “on-site pop up bar and events space”.

Plea for help to bring injured Brit home from Thailand

James Cannon, 20, was badly injured on holiday in Thailand in a car crash.

Cannon was working on the island of Koh Samuri before the incident.

Cannon graduated from Tower Hamlets College last year before traveling to Thailand. His family in Stepney Green and Poplar have begun a Facebook campaign to help raise funds to bring him home as the accident occurred just after his travel insurance expired.

Cannon is currently in intensive care in a private hospital in mainland Thailand, and his older brothers have flown out to be by his side.

Late Night Levy Proposal

Tower Hamlets’ late night levy proposal runs until May 15. This allows residents to have their say on the proposals to have a levy to charge those deemed responsible for the late night economy.

Tower Hamlets council believes that the levy would enable local authorities to charge businesses that supply alcohol between midnight and 6am in order to pay for the extra enforcement and clean up costs.

Have your say here: http://webforms.towerhamlets.gov.uk/popup.aspx/RenderForm/?F.Name=exSeL3Nqjvm

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