Author: Blake Foster

If the recent heatwaves have highlighted problems with your garden decking or you have recently laid a new deck, Brewers Decorator Centres has some top tips on how to keep it looking at its best and care advice for the different types of woods.   There’s some savings to be had too at Brewers website here.  First up, always use products designed for use on decking:  Other exterior timber treatments are not necessarily durable enough to withstand being stood on or having taking furniture. Choose products designed to work with hard or softwood:  If you have a hardwood deck, then some…

A range of activities has been announced to keep youngsters entertained during the school holidays. The ‘What’s On’ brochure, detailing events, workshops, and exhibitions for children and adults, will be available until the end of October. The Play in the Park scheme offers outdoor fun, with sessions across the district, supported by local councils. Children and their parents or carers can enjoy various sports and arts and crafts activities, all for free. The Teddy Bear’s Picnic, organised by the Countrycare team, invites children to enjoy outdoor fun at Linder’s Field Local Nature Reserve, Roebuck Lane, Buckhurst Hill. Youngsters should bring…

Alon Kubi has spruced up his bagel bakery in Belsize Park with a new kitchen, fresh paintwork, improved seating, flooring and layout. The most challenging part was finding an artist to restore the peeling sign of the former Belsize Village Delicatessen. Before and after shots of the sign for the former Belsize Village Delicatessen. (Image: Alon Kubi) To the painting of bread, cakes and olive oil, he has added a stack of bagels – in homage to the string of bagel cafes he owns. “We have been here for 15 years,” he explained. “We did a minor uplift in 2017 when we took over the deli next door…

Improvements to pedestrian safety at North Street roundabout are set to begin towards the end of next year, deputy mayor Cllr Barry Mugglestone confirmed at a council meeting on Wednesday (July 23). The works will include the in-filling of subways and the creation of surface level crossings at the roundabout which links North Street to the ring road. Oldchurch Road roundabout will also get “improvements to pedestrian accessibility” as part of the Bridge Close regeneration project, Cllr Mugglestone said.  Cllr Mugglestone provided more details about the proposed improvements at a council meeting (Image: Havering Council) READ MORE: St Edwards Way, Romford rape sparks call…

The government issued a best value notice to the council in May citing serious weaknesses in governance and culture at the council, and failures by its council housing service. Speaking to leading councillors on July 22, the council’s newly-appointed interim chief executive Paul Martin said the imposition of government-appointed commissioners – who have the power to take decisions on behalf of the council – is a “plausible outcome”. Mr Martin said: “It’s a sort of fork in the road, which can go in two different points during 2026. “One is that the government’s concerns grow and that they conclude that…

The reports outline council plans to build three new specialist children’s homes for up to 16 children at a time in the borough. They said this would help the council avoid sending children in care out of the borough, as well as save money. Barking and Dagenham has a “reliance on placements in unregistered/inappropriate registered provisions”, the reports state, and add there are no homes in north-east London that cater for children placed in care by the courts through a deprivation of liberty order. They said the homes would house children placed in the council’s care “often due to their trauma…

Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters tackled the blaze in Heron Crescent at around 1.30pm yesterday (July 24).  The roof of a two-storey derelict building was alight. Firefighters remained on site into the evening to fully extinguish the blaze and carry out dampening down operations to prevent any flare-ups. A drone was also flown to provide the Incident Commander with greater situational awareness during the response. Residents were advised to keep windows and doors shut due to heavy smoke in the area. Motorists were warned to expect ongoing disruption on Main Road near the scene. Crews from Orpington, Bromley, Lee…

The ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ strategy at Colindale’s Grahame Park estate involves police arresting suspects and removing them from the area; followed by working long-term alongside other agencies and community groups to ensure the issue does not return. Barnet was the first London borough to trial the scheme, which began 18 months ago. Kaya Comer-Schwartz, deputy mayor of London for crime and police, said the estate was chosen as one of the first sites in the country to pilot the scheme as it was “blighted by criminals”. The Metropolitan Police said 300 arrests for a range of offences were made in the…

Dozens of protesters gathered at the site again on Thursday evening. Police have made 18 arrests and charged seven people in connection with the demonstrations. The Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has also reportedly urged the Home Secretary to review the use of the hotel for housing asylum seekers. Epping Forest District Council passed a motion on Thursday to call on the Government “to immediately and permanently close” the hotel “for the purposes of asylum processing”. The council unanimously voted in favour of the motion. The father of the girl allegedly assaulted by Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, said “it’s not…

Several road closures are set to impact Essex over the next few weeks. Dunmow Road in Fyfield will be closed from June 16 for five days while new installation works are completed by UK Power Networks. Motorists can use an alternative route via the A414, A1184, B1383, A1060, and vice versa, with access only into the B184. Epping Lane in Theydon Mount will be shut for two days from June 17 for meter exchange works by Affinity Water. Drivers can take Epping Lane, London Road, Passingford Bridge Roundabout, Ongar Road, Abridge Road, and vice versa instead. Drapers Corner in Ongar…