Fitzroy Square

Free lunch time entertainment in Fitzroy Square Gardens for residents and passers-by. On various Thursdays from May to September the Jubilee Statue in Fitzroy Square Gardens will be transformed into a stage area. Expect international performers from the world of opera, circus, poetry, music and dance to entice you to rest and enjoy exciting, funny and thoughtful moments. Bring lunch!

Venue: Fitzroy Square Gardens (Jubilee Statue), Fitzroy Square, W1T 6ER

Date: Thu 31st May 12 at 1:15pm

Admission – free

For more info visit here.

Fresh data has been published on the council’s website giving residents the latest information on the town hall’s performance.

The updated information appears at the open council and allows residents to check on how the council is performing on a wide range of issues.

Residents can now see the latest A level and GCSE scores, new data on how long it takes to approve adoptions, the number of library books issued, the ratio of council tax being collected and how quickly new housing benefit claims are being processed.

This information sits alongside wider-ranging data showing how quickly local roads are repaired, the borough’s recycling rates, the progress of pupils in local schools and the time it takes to re-let an empty home.

Wandsworth’s performance is compared to London’s 32 other boroughs so that residents can see for themselves where the council is doing well – and just as importantly where performance is lagging.

In cases where the council’s performance is below average, the cabinet member responsible for that service explains why – and what he or she is doing to raise standards.

The information concentrates on the 27 key performance indicators which have been judged to be the most relevant to the public.

But to make sure these ratings continue to meet the public’s demands for transparency, the revamped website gives people the chance to vote on which indicators they want included in this top list and those they can do without.

The full list of more than 100 performance indicators is readily available on the Open Council section of the website giving residents the chance to gauge the council’s performance across all service areas. Accessing this wider list will help the public decide which indicators they want included in the key headline list.

Council leader Ravi Govindia launched the ‘Open Council’ initiative in January this year with a pledge to make Wandsworth Britain’s most transparent council.

Wandsworth was the first authority in London to give residents fully transparent information on how it was performing so that the public could hold local politicians and town hall managers to account.

As well as the performance indicators, this section of the council’s website also shows details of all town hall spending over £500. This will enable residents to see for themselves if the council is offering taxpayers the best value for money.

Cllr Govindia said: “The services we provide day in and day out directly affect the lives of nearly 300,000 residents. We want to make sure they have the information at their fingertips to hold us to account, so that we can be more responsive to their needs and better tuned in to their priorities.

“This drive for greater transparency and openness will raise standards and spur us on to become an even better council.”

For more, click here

London Railways

Wandsworth Council’s proposal for a new direct rail services between Waterloo and Heathrow has won support from more London boroughs.

Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham Councils are backing the scheme as a key measure to improve surface access to the airport and to ease congestion on the Piccadilly Line.

The service would include stops in the borough at Queenstown Road , Clapham Junction, Wandsworth Town and Putney.
Wandsworth unveiled the rail proposal in October last year which is based on BAA’s ‘Airtack’ scheme.

The new version – renamed ‘Airtrack Lite’ – would provide four trains an hour from Waterloo to Terminal 5. It avoids routing extra trains through level crossings in Mortlake and Egham which was the key problem with the original scheme and led to it being scrapped in April last year.

The proposals have now been discussed at top level meetings with the Department for Transport (DfT) and BAA.
The scheme has now been included in the tender documents for the Great Western Rail Franchise. The next franchisee will be expected to help develop the proposal further as a means of improving links to Heathrow.

An extract from the tender documents reads:
“Options for longer term enhancements of rail links to Heathrow, such as Western Access and Airtrack Lite, are being considered and the franchise operator will be expected to engage constructively with industry partners in developing these options. The franchise operator may have the opportunity to tender for the operation of such services in due course.”

Leader of Wandsworth Council Ravi Govindia said:
“We’ve made a good start with Airtrack Lite but there is still a lot of work to do behind the scenes building the case.
“What everyone can agree on is that Heathrow needs to be at centre of a genuine local rail network offering easy access to communities on all sides of the airport. Our scheme would provide an alternative to tortuous journeys on the Piccadilly Line and help get more cars off the road.

“Airtrack Lite was devised as part of ‘Wandsworth Travel Choices’ – an ambitious campaign to make our borough a better connected place with a broader range of transport services. One of the key aims is to reduce people’s reliance on cars by making alternative travel choices more appealing and convenient.”

Airtrack Lite would provide four trains an hour from Waterloo to Terminal 5. The plans avoid routing extra trains through level crossings in Mortlake and Egham. This was a key problem with the original scheme and led to it being scrapped by BAA in April last year.

Two trains an hour would run between Waterloo and Heathrow via the Hounslow loop. Two existing services on the Waterloo-Windsor line would split at Staines to provide a further direct link to Terminal Five.

Two services an hour would also come up from Weybridge to Heathrow – again without adding extra frequencies over level crossings at Egham.

The scheme would require a new station at Staines and a new stretch of track from here to Terminal 5. The rest of the route would run along existing lines.

Heathrow is one of Europe ‘s busiest airports but is served only by the Heathrow Express to Paddington and by the Piccadilly Line.

This forces Wandsworth residents to travel north through London to join a Heathrow bound service rather than travelling direct.

For more info click here

A bike race that rewards the slowest competitor is one of the unique sports-related events being held at the Pump House Gallery next weekend.

The Battersea Park gallery’s regular Monthly Do event is scheduled to be a celebration of alternative sport for all on Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20.

Artists will be exploring the art within games and present performances, workshops and activities for visitors to compete in. On the Saturday, Harry Meadows will be presenting a Slow Bike Race while Alex Baker is planning to host a Reverse Chess Club.

Contestants in the bike race must complete a 100m course through Battersea Park in the slowest time without putting their feet down, going backwards or straying out of their lane.

For those interested in taking part in the race, click here

HMS Belfast Summer Jamboree

Celebrations aboard HMS Belfast will be full steam ahead when it opens again on 18 May. To mark the end of 6 months’ repair work, the WW2 warship will be hosting a weekend of exciting activities that enable visitors to explore its unique seafaring history.

During the Jamboree on 26-27 May, visitors will be able to talk to veterans who served aboard the ship, explore the extensive vessel and learn about its history, aided by the immersive WW2 Gun Turret Experience and the interactive Operations Room. You will also have the chance to explore the Bridge Wireless Office, which is still used by the Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society today.

For those needing a breath of fresh air after experiencing the cramped conditions in which 950 sailors would have been housed at one time, a barbecue will be available on the top decks, giving visitors the chance to take in the view and enjoy festive music provided for the occasion.

More About HMS Belfast

HMS Belfast, which has been an iconic feature of London’s South Bank for over 40 years, was launched in 1938 and performed key roles in WW2, the Korean War and subsequent peacekeeping efforts before retiring in 1963. This light cruiser is the last remaining vessel of her type left in existence and visitors should not miss the chance to explore this key piece of British naval history in her restored glory.

Dates: 26 May 2012 to 27 May 2012

Times: 26 – 27 May 2012 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Venue: HMS Belfast

Prices: (Adult Ticket) Free per ticket

For more info click here.

The Chelsea Flower Show

Every year the grounds of the Royal Hospital are transformed into show gardens, inspirational small gardens and vibrant horticultural displays that make up the world’s most famous flower show.

The Chelsea Flower Show is attended by 157,000 visitors each year. The number is limited by the capacity of the 11-acre ground. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

The show has become an important venue for watching emerging gardening trends.

New plants are launched at the show and the popularity of older varieties revived before the eyes of the horticultural world. It’s the garden design equivalent of Paris Fashion Week.

Dates: 22 May 2012 to 26 May 2012

Times: 22 – 26 May 2012 Tue – Fri 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM; Sat 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Venue: Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Prices – (Adult Ticket) From £49.00 per ticket

For more info visit here.

Capitalising Landlords

As the Olympics nears it’s opening, there has been an alarming increase of landlords “giving the boot” to their loyal tenants or increasing rental prices all for the sake of making some extra cash.

A recent survey conducted by BBC news has highlighted the shocking trend of landlords evicting tenants without proper notice or on purpose have drastically increased rental prices.

The housing charity shelter has numerous evidence of landlords acting unfairly towards their tenants to the point of evicting them illegally. Others have claimed that rents, previously at £350 a week has shot up to as high as £6,000 a week and this growing problem is causing the shelter to be slightly fearful that things are going to get worse as the games approach.

According to Housing Minister Grant Shapp – Seeking to capitalise during the Olympics is not wrong if your property is yet to be rented out to, however, doing so while it is currently being rented will only bring problems to the landlords as they could be charged for committing a “criminal offence” which could lead to a custodial sentence of up to two years.

The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will take place in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. London was selected as the host city on 6 July 2005 during the 117th IOC Session in Singapore, defeating Moscow, New York City, Madrid and Paris and is set to become the first city to officially host the modern Olympic Games three times, having previously done so in 1908 and in 1948.

Wandsworth Arts Festival 2012

The 2012 Wandsworth Arts Festival will be officially launched at Southside Shopping Centre this Friday, May 11.
The council-led festival, which runs until May 27, will feature more than 40 events once it has been formally launched by Wandsworth’s cabinet member for culture, Councillor Jonathan Cook.

It culminates with an outdoor artistic celebration like no other – the Shimmy – which boasts more than 15 acts, exhibitions, workshops and craft and food stalls between Putney Bridge and Wandsworth Park over a 24-hour period.

Wandsworth Arts Festival has been organised to give residents and visitors from all over London the chance to discover the enormous wealth of culture and creativity Wandsworth has to offer.

Programme highlights include:

photoWANDSWORTH winners - The winning entries in this year’s photoWANDSWORTH competition – featuring photos taken within the borough that form a short story – will be exhibited at Southside for the duration of the festival.

Come and Play at Pump House – The Pump House Gallery, in Battersea Park , and Spots v Stripes has a weekend of fun and games planned on May 19 and 20. They have invited artists to explore the art within games and performances, while offering workshops and activities for visitors to compete in. It runs from 11am to 9pm on Saturday and from 11am to 4pm on Sunday.

Sweet Smell of Success – For three Saturdays running during the festival – May 12, 19 and 26 – Bio-Organism Substrate Industries (BoSI) will be on a mission to find out what success smells like. The group will take up residency at Southside Shopping Centre to research success in Wandsworth from 11am to 6pm on each of the three days.

Opera in the Yard – Visitors to the town hall at 6.30pm on May 24 will be treated to an evening of opera in the fountain courtyard courtesy of National Opera Studios.

Green Horses on the Wall – Alternatively, visit the Alton Estate in Roehampton to see installations by Bicycle Ballet and Recyculture – or to see the ‘Birdbrain’ performance by Emergency Exit Arts and The Street Arts Academy on Saturday 19 at 1.30pm.

The Shimmy – Finally, closing this year’s festival is the Shimmy. It was given the name by organisers because it shimmies between the variances of what outdoor art can be. It offers street art, dance, workshops, installation and interaction to visitors walking along the riverside on Sunday, May 27.

The 2012 Wandsworth Arts Festival is being run with support from local art organisations, schools and supporters.
It is managed by Wandsworth Council’s arts team and funded by Arts Council England with sponsorship from Southside Shopping Centre and St James.

For more info, click here

Chelsea's Battersea Bid

London’s Battersea Power Station has been receiving a lot of interest both locally and abroad. The latest bid for it comes from none other than Chelsea’s club owner – Roman Abromovich, who has plans to turn the former power station into a 60,000-seater stadium, if his bid is successful.

According to the Club, the power station which sits on the South bank of the Thames “has the potential to become one of the most iconic football stadiums in the world”.

Having a new stadium with a bigger crowd capacity would be both beneficial and ideal for the owner however, it will take a lot of coaxing to win over the fans. The current stadium, Stamford Bridge, has been their home since 1905 with the crowd capacity being just under 42,000, a modest number for a top club and far below in comparison to other clubs.

Last year, they tried to buy the freehold of Stamford Bridge but the move was rejected by the Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) – a group made out of fans who purchased the freehold in 1993 in a bid to shield the grounds from developers.

If Chelsea are successful in buying over the property, that will be just one of their triumphs in a long battle to realising the dream of a new stadium built in it’s place.

According to a statement released by Chelsea, – There are many significant hurdles to address if we are to build a new stadium on the site, such as – winning the support of our fans, the CPO shareholders and local Wandsworth residents, as well as securing the approval of Wandsworth Council, the Greater London Authority and heritage authorities.

On top that, some politicians are skeptical that Chelsea’s plans would not create enough jobs and that securing planning approval for a stadium could prove too lengthy to be viable.

Chelsea, who announced the bid for the 39-acre property through property development Almacantar, was quick to point out that they had not made a final decision to leave Stamford Bridge and neither are they the only party interested in the site.

Battersea has been disused for three decades and a series of regeneration projects have all amounted to nothing more but talks and plans.

The property is currently in the hands of administrators Ernst & Young who are trying to recover debt on behalf of Lloyds Banking Group and Ireland’s National Asset Management Agency.

Blenkinsopp Castle Estate

An entire village estate is on sale for £1.75 million. The 22-acre site which surrounds Blenkinsopp castle is close to Haltwhistle Northumberland and are seen as rivals of Downton Abbey in regards to it’s country estate qualities.

Also included in the purchase of the village are the deeds for the titles as Lord and Master, which the new owners will so rightfully be bestowed with.

The estate has – 70 park homes, a 14th century haunted castle, a public house with a ballroom, an approved plan for a holiday park and a possibility of striking gold, quite literally, as the estate has been rumoured to have a treasure chest buried somewhere within the castle.

The current owners of the castle – Mike (65) & Lee Simpson (63), are currently living in a property within the ruins of Blenkinsopp castle, which was bought over by Mr.Simpson’s parents in 1955 for just £2,000.

Blenkinsopp Castle Estate

The property is rich with history and mystery. From it’s conception in 1339 by the Blenkinsopp family to it’s restoration in 1880′s. The castle also has it’s own “haunting” appeal as rumours of the ghost of the “White Lady” – the widow of Bryan De Blenkinsopp, a money-hungry man who left her after she resist revealing to him the whereabouts of her hidden treasure chest which to this day still remains unknown.

In 1954 the castle burned down before it was taken over by Mike’s father, who was working as an engineer close-by, a year later and while it initially stood alone, accommodation was desperately needed for the hundreds of workers in the late 1950s.

This prompt Mr.Simpson to turn the 22-acre site into a caravan park for the workers which over the years, has caused the site to evolved into a top notch residential complex. It has even been awarded the prestigious David Bellamy Gold Award, which is said to be an unusual achievement for a Park Home Estate.

The sale of the property is being handled by a Morpeth-based estate agent Strutt and Parker who are extremely excited to be involved in such a high profile case.

Sam Gibson, the person who is in charge of the Blenkinsopp sale, commented that the castle lies in a beautiful rural setting and has been immaculately maintained by the owners. He goes on to state that the estate has a strong family and community feel, as well as a wonderful sense of history, which makes it a superb place to live while also drawing an attractive income.

Blenkinsopp Castle Estate