Whether you like it or not, Valentine’s Day is approaching and businesses and local government are harnessing the event to drum up sales or highlight important issues.

Hopefully there will be some relief in Lewisham, where local shopkeepers are calling for an urgent redevelopment of withering high streets.

The borough’s high streets have seen a drastic increase in the number of vacant shops despite the new transport hub plans. Revitalising a local economic model has impact for everyone as it is a key factor in recovery and a guarantee of dynamic job creation.

Councils are also taking the opportunity to remind us about all the thousands of victims of domestic violence among us and to encourage them to come forward.

After four months of operating, our site has now reached what some might call adolescence. Over the past months we have brought you breaking news from Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham and Croydon.

We have scrutinized our political and economic leaders and presented you the latest sparkles in art and sports from grassroots level. We would like to thank each and every one of our devoted readers and welcome all new followers.

We thought that Valentine’s Day would be a wonderful occasion to celebrate this initial lap of our journey by offering you a special edition of EastLondonLines. Stay connected, there’s more to come over the next days.

Jo Kippo
Editor