Author: Blake Foster

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by YourLocalGuardian revealed how much money the local authority had made from school absence fines since the 2021-22 academic year. The data, which covers as far as mid-June 2025, shows Croydon Council has brought in £232,849 in total since 2021. In the 2021-22 academic year, the first full school year after pandemic restrictions eased, the council collected £28,829 from penalty notices. This more than doubled the following year, with £66,120 raised in 2022-23. The total fine income increased again in 2023-24 to £72,900, the highest amount recorded. Between September 2024 and June 2025,…

The Prince of Orange stood at 118 Lower Road from 1859, but it was the 1970s and ’80s when the pub truly found its stride. It features in writer Sam Cullen’s book London’s Lost Pubs, which tells the stories of more than 200 vanished watering holes across the capital. Cullen, who has made it his mission to record these places before their histories are forgotten, describes how the Prince of Orange became one of south east London’s best known jazz venues, attracting big names and dedicated audiences. Among the performers was pianist and TV presenter Jools Holland in his early…

The group, which has over 70 singers and regularly performs with professional orchestras and soloists, has appointed prize-winning conductor James Morley Potter to the role of Harlow Chorus musical director. James, who is also the precentor and director of music at Magdalene College, Cambridge, has a superb record of music making both at home and abroad and has put together an exciting and ambitious concert programme for the coming year, starting with Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle at St John’s Church in Epping on Saturday 1st November. James Morley Potter, who has been appointed as Harlow Chorus musical director (Image: Harlow…

The event will celebrate the newly refurbished Riverside Gardens and the opening of a new community space on Pier Road called 68. The fun day will take place on Saturday, August 30 from 11am to 3pm and will combine with the newly refurbished Riverside Gardens and the opening of a new community space at 68 Pier Road. There will be free face painting, food demonstrations, arts and crafts, and a bouncy castle at the event. There will also be gardening activities, led by volunteers from Friends of Riverside Gardens Erith, architectural walks, and a bird-watching tour. Councillor Munur, Bexley’s cabinet…

Patients across the borough have helped to rank their local doctors’ across several categories as part of the annual GP Patient Survey for NHS England.  Other categories of feedback include ease of phone contact, whether patients get to see their preferred GP often or not, amongst others.  The Robins Surgery in Harold Hill Health Centre saw the greatest percentage of survey respondents advise their experience of the practice’s receptionists to be negative.  According to the data, 41.31 per cent of patients said they found receptionists here to be unhelpful.  In Rainham, patients at the Rainham & Upminster Medical Centre reported the second highest…

Kokum, located on East Dulwich Road, has introduced a revised selection featuring some of its most popular dishes alongside new offerings. The Indian restaurant, which opened in July 2023, has built a reputation as one of London’s most talked-about dining spots. Terrace barbecues and reimagined biryanis headline Kokum’s seasonal revamp (Image: Kokum) The updated menu includes an expansion of the grilled starters section, with new additions such as the Chicken Chop and Kasundi Prawns. The prawn dish is marinated in mustard and yellow chilli, served with tomato, chilli, and garlic chutney. The curries section also sees new additions, with the…

Olagunju, 42, of Congress Road in Abbey Wood, was given a six-week suspended sentence. Mental health counsellor Steve Hughes was convicted of attempted sexual communication with four girls aged 13 and 14 (Image: Innocent Voices) Eltham mental health counsellor Steve Hughes, 55, was given a suspended sentence after he had a six-month online relationship with a ’14-year-old girl’. He sent sexualised and grooming messages to the young girl after he sought her out on social media in November 2022.  In May 2023 he was confronted by paedophile hunters as he discovered he had spent the last six months messaging a decoy account. On…

Croydon will host a packed programme of family-friendly events during the London Open House Festival, highlighting the borough’s diverse built environment and creative spirit. Running from September 13 to 21, the festival features more than 30 events and activities, with special family days planned for the weekend of September 20 and 21. Creative workshops from hat-making to storytelling bring festival to life (Image: Andrew Moore) Jason Perry, executive mayor of Croydon, said: “We are thrilled to be taking part in this year’s Open House Festival to showcase some of the amazing architecture and heritage Croydon is home to. “By hosting…

Environmental health officers from Redbridge and Harlow councils have been busy this fortnight visiting businesses across the area to see if they are meeting hygiene requirements. Based on guidelines set by the Food Standards Agency, inspectors look to see how clean the facilities are; what food safety management procedures are in place and how hygienic food handling is. Ratings are then dished out from five to zero — with the higher score the better the result. Five — Very Good Filika Restaurant at 13 Forest Drive, Theydon Bois, rated 5 on August 5, 2025. Kids Inc Day Nursery at 29…

Several roads in Bromley are set for temporary closures at the end of this month. Bromley Council has announced plans to make an order to prohibit vehicular traffic on various roads in the area. These closures are necessary to allow Thames Water to carry out repair and maintenance works. The roads affected include Brookwood Road in Petts Wood, Blackbrook Lane in Bickley, and Copes Copse Road in Beckenham, among others. The council has stated that no vehicles will be allowed to wait or proceed on these roads until the works are completed. This also applies to any adjacent streets that…