Tower Hamlets have applied for Advertisement Consent for a banner reading “Curry Capital 2012″ to be erected in Hanbury St, which will cover the crane street art. Anyone wishing to object; the deadline is 29th May 2012. Full details on the Tower Hamlets website here.
UPDATE: Tower Hamlets have broken their own rules and put up the banner before consultation has ended. Click here to sign a petition in protest. The petition already has over 300 signatures.
on 12th April 2012, Spitalfields Community Group co-hosted Hustings meeting with Spitalfields Trust. It was a great success.
10 am, Tuesday 10th April, at LBTH Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, E14 2BG, meeting of licensing subcommittee to decide application to vary premises licence of bar at 212 Brick Lane (hours applied for include opening until 0330)
2.30pm, Tuesday 10th April (address as above) meeting of licensing subcommittee to decide application for new premises licence at Sausage and Mash, Brushfield Street.
Spitalfields Ward By-election: Open meeting for all Spitalfields residents, good opportunity to question candidates.
12th April 2012: Meet and question the candidates
19th April 2012: Voting day
On a rainy St Patrick’s day Saturday, residents joined together for a Litter Pick-up. Two main sources of litter were identified; chewing gum and cigarette butts. Many thanks to all who took part.
Spitalfields Community Group has launched a new discount scheme. The SCG, in collaboration with selected local restaurants and shops, are offering discounts to members on production of the SCG membership card.
Members – you should have received your card by now. If not:
The businesses have informed their staff but, in launching such a scheme, there are bound to be a few teething troubles. We would appreciate hearing about your first visit.
We are negotiating with other retailers to add to the list – please help us by giving suggestions, contact details or by asking the retailer to contact SCG directly.
SCG announced that over five hundred people have now objected to the demolition of the Fruit and Wool Exchange opposite Spitalfields Market, which developers Exemplar plan to replace with a homes free development of office space.
Councillors will vote next Tuesday whether to support the developers or local residents who want to see the building restored as homes, shops, and restaurants. Council planning offers admit that they are having trouble coping with the volume of objections being received at the Tower Hall against demolition.
Rushanara Ali MP joined London Assembly Member John Biggs, and Councillor Josh Peck at a packed meeting of the Spitalfields Community Group on Thursday 1st March 2012 in Toynbee Hall.
Meeting the newly formed group for the first time, the MP heard locals demand that Spitalfields become an alcohol saturation zone; “There are too many down market, badly run boozers selling cheap alcohol to drunk and drugged punters who stagger home through our streets scarcely conscious. They’re drunk. They’re often drugged. And they can be violent and intimidating especially towards women” said local resident John Nicolson who chaired the meeting. “The police can’t cope with the numbers, and it’s time that politicians who voted to relax alcohol laws claiming it would lead to a cafe culture accepted that it’s led instead to a vomit in the street culture.”
Assembly man John Biggs agreed, accepting that the last Labour Government hadn’t got the policy right. And he expressed sympathy with the police who haven’t got the numbers in Spitalfields to cope with the stream of licenses being granted by the Tower Hamlets Licensing Committee. Councillor Peck, for his part, promised that the Labour group would address the issue of alcohol related anti social behaviour urgently.
The Spitalfields Community Group also reported a notable success to its members; the closure of Public Life, a well known local out of hours club which has now been shut after a long campaign, and the arrest of its owner for drugs related offences.
The London Fruit and Wool Exchange building faces imminent destruction. On the 1st March, Tower Hamlets Planning will decide whether to allow Exemplar Developers to construct a new brick office building in Spitalfields. If it does, the Fruit and Wool, a 1920s Portland stone building, constructed in 1929 in a neo Georgian style by Sydney Perks, the City Surveyor will be demolished in its entirety barring only a part of the facade. Also facing demolition the Portland stone Barclays Bank building, and the Gun pub. Moreover Exemplar plans to wipe the 17th century Dorset Street – home to Wedgewood’s first London showrooms – from the map.
In common with the Spitalfields Trust, the Spitalfields Community Group believes that the proposed buildings are of extremely poor quality. We also believe that this site should provide homes and shops. We oppose the removal of the historically important Dorset Street and wish to see it re-opened and used by local people.
Please sign our petition – your vote counts. Over 200 people have registered their opposition to this ill thought through scheme. The deadline is approaching fast and numbers will count.
On 26th March 2012, the eccentric street photographer Jeremy Freedman will embark on the biggest challenge of his life. He will trek the 5,895 metres to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in an attempt to raise much needed funds for The Friends of Sandys Row. He hopes to raise at least £10,000 for the charity.
The Friends of Sandys Row was set up in 2010 to support the oldest ashkenazi community in London – one that Jeremy is a proud 6th generation member of.
Funds are desperately needed to support the religious life of the community and to make urgent repairs and refurbishments to the largely Huguenot interior of the Synagogue.
On Wednesday 8 February LBTH Development Committee REFUSED 3 of the 5 applications submitted by Trumans for change of use of various locations within the Brewery to restaurant use. Trumans earlier withdrew the other 2 applications, presumably for resubmission in due course. Rupert Wheeler spoke on behalf of Spitalfields Society, SCG and residents in Woodseer St and Hanbury St, against the applications. A member of the Brick Lane restaurants association also spoke against them.
On Thursday 9 February LBTH Licensing Sub Committee ALLOWED the application for an off licence at 80 Commercial St, but with REDUCED hours from those applied for: 1000 – 2300 Mon – Sat and 1200 – 2300 Sun, rather than 0900 – 0000 Mon – Sun as proposed. Conditions were imposed, including a ban on the sale of strong beers and ciders. Glen Mifsud, John Nicolson, Mike Myers and Matt Piper spoke on behalf of all Spitalfields residents.
Many thanks to all who attended and spoke at both meetings. The Licensing hearing demonstrated once again the urgent need for a saturation policy in the ward.
Café Solo will offer the chance for single people in Spitalfields to meet for tea, coffee and chat in a friendly environment. This pilot scheme is set to run from 10.30am-noon upstairs in The English Restaurant, Brushfield Street. This is the inaugural meeting of what we hope with become a monthly event.
Image courtesy Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com
Wednesday 8th February
7pm
The Town Hall
Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
E14 2BG
Thursday 9th February
6.30pm
The Town Hall
Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
E14 2BG
Please attend either/both if possible to demonstrate your opposition to these applications. A group of us is meeting at Shoreditch High Street station 1 hour prior to each hearing if you wish to travel with us.
At an extra-ordinary meeting of Tower Hamlets Licensing Sub-Committee on the 16 Jan 2012, the Committee decided unanimously to revoke Public Life’s Licence.
The decision came after strong representations from the police, council officers and local residents, of whom more than 30 attended the meeting.
The police presented the application for licence review, represented by PC Alan Cruickshank (Tower Hamlets Licensing) and Superintendent Robert Revill (the first time such a high-ranking police officer had attended a licence hearing in the borough). They presented extensive evidence of drug dealing, drug use, anti-social behaviour and licencing infringements.
Also speaking against the club was Ward Councillor Helal Abbas and LBTH Planning Enforcement Officer Cain Duncan. They were supported by more than 30 local residents, including representatives of SCG, Christ Church PCC, Christ Church school, Friends of Christ Church, Market Residents Association, St George’s Residents Association and residents of Fournier Street, some of whom made personal representations on the negative effect Public Life was having on the neighbourhood.
Many thanks to all who supported our campaign, and to all who attended at Tower Hamlets Town Hall.
Well done Spitalfields!
Spitalfields Community Group raised over £195 at the Christmas Fair at Christ Church, selling items donated by members. Our Christmas raffle raised over £308 – all gifts donated by local businesses.
Many thanks to everyone for generous donations, and for taking part in our neigbourhood fund-raising.
Art Prize: Christ Church at Night by Peter Garrett Butler
Star Prize: A Master Class with Angela Hartnett at her restaurant, Murano, in Mayfair
1. Safe Spitalfields? 65% say yes
How safe do you feel?
2. Has this view changed over the past year? No.
3. You were asked….’Rank the following criminal activities 1- 5 in the order that they worry you the most’ . The most worrying crime should be given a 1 and the least a 5. Top three worries were…
4. Please rank the following anti-social behaviours 1- 5 in the order that they affect you the most. The worst offences should be given a 1 and the least a 5. Top three offensive offences were…
5. How satisfied are you with the Spitalfields Safer Neighbourhood Team?
Safer Neighbourhood Team
6. How satisfied are you with the LBTH Anti-social Behaviour Hotline and actions by Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers? – dissatisfied
7. How satisfied are you with the visibility of the police in Spitalfields?
- 75% dissatisfied
Police Visibility
8. How would you address the current policing, crime and anti-social behaviour issues in the Spitalfields area?
9. Please rank the following actions and improvements 1- 5 in the order that would be most beneficial to your quality of life in Spitalfields. The greatest improvement should be given a 1 and the least a 5. Top three were…
10. Please rate the following LBTH services on a scale of 1-5 with complete satisfaction being rated with a 1 and urgent intervention required being rated with a 5. Top three requiring intervention were…
11. Would you support a saturation policy for the Spitalfields area? (restricting the maximum number of licensed premises in the area)
Are we saturated?
12. Ideally, what time would you want licensing/ late opening hours to finish in the Spitalfields area? 59% call for midnight
Late-night opening hours
13. How satisfied are you with the services delivered by Tower Hamlets Out of Hours Noise Team?
- 96% dissatisfied
14. How satisfied are you with the services delivered by Tower Hamlets Enforcement teams? (Incl. Parking, Environment and Anti-social Behaviour)
- 86% dissatisfied
15. How effectively is Tower Hamlets at balancing representations from residents and commercial interests during the planning process?
- 86% dissatisfactory
16. How satisfied are you with the LBTH Anti-social Behaviour Hotline and actions by Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers?
- 92% not satisfied with this service
Copyright SCG November 2011
First event for the newly formed Spitalfields Community Group - Scarlet Dot restaurant in Crispin Square
The first event organised by Spitalfields Community Group for local residents was a huge success.
First, a tour of Taj Stores in Brick Lane, where curious residents were instructed on how to prepare and eat the various items for sale. We had many, many questions and all were patiently and thoroughly answered.
Afterwards, the party went to the Scarlet Dot restaurant in Crispin Square, where we had a wonderful curry and a delightful evening with friends and neighbours.
Register your views by 17th October 2011 and make a difference.
The council wants to gather community opinions on a draft policy which says that there is no location within Tower Hamlets suitable for sex establishments. People in Tower Hamlets are being given their first chance to influence whether strip clubs and similar venues should be allowed to operate in the borough. The consultation is open to residents, local businesses and organisations.
Have your say by filing in this online survey before 17th October 2011. The survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete and your views are important.
Louise Vaughan, a resident just east of Brick Lane, gave an inspiring talk about her experience of setting up the first Neighbourhood Watch group in the ward. Those who were at our Members’ Meeting in September heard how the group quickly found communication to be the most important thing. The impact of the this Neighbourhood Watch group in reducing anti-social behaviour has been significant. Louise told us the longer term goals are all about prevention, which include helping to start support groups for both parents and for young people.
Starting a Neighbourhood Watch group on your street or in your block is simple. To find out more, click here to read FAQs on the Tower Hamlets website.
The council offers a valuable service which allows you to keep up-to-date with what’s happening in the borough. By visiting My Tower Hamlets, you can customise your profile and filter the information you receive. Simply create a new log in, select how you would like to receive your updates – and what interests you – and information will be sent to you as often as you state.
Plans to give the council and police new powers to tackle alcohol related anti-social behaviour were given the green light by Tower Hamlets Council.
This decision follows the overwhelmingly positive response to the council-led consultation to introduce a Responsible Drinking Borough (RDB), with 84 per cent of respondents backing the plans.
The RDB does not ban people from drinking in public, but provides the council and police with the power to react quickly and effectively to drunken troublemakers. It will equip the Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers (THEOs) and the police with the powers to stop people and to demand, confiscate, and dispose of any alcohol within the boundaries of Tower Hamlets.
The RDB was introduced in September, 2011. Signs will be placed at key points, including entrances to the borough and transport hubs, across Tower Hamlets.
The new RDB puts a stop to this and will prepare the borough for the impact of the increased visitors during London 2012.
To view questions and answers click here and scroll down the page.
With central government significantly cutting funding, the council is facing up to the need to make significant savings over four years. Since starting to make savings the council have found £55m, but they still need to identify another £45m of savings over the next two and a half years.
Click here to read the full story on the Tower Hamlets website and find out about the You Choose online budget tool how you can help.
