Author: Blake Foster

I find myself going into this big explanation of the true cost of my car. Some people still don’t fully understand. The changes around the upcoming Welfare Reform has stirred the topic up again with people asking should Taxpayers be funding non-working people’s car, without truly comprehending what they are talking about. I am going to explain to you, the true cost of my Motability car, not because I feel I owe it to anyone, but because I want people to understand just how much people with disabilities put in to these cars. (Image: Victoria-Jayne Scholes) Firstly, are these cars…

The decision comes after the Mayor said there was “overwhelming” support for the plan from the 6,000 people who took part in a consultation, with two thirds backing pedestrianisation. He also revealed that traffic would be banned further east than expected, with restrictions stretching from Orchard Street near Marble Arch to Great Portland Street near Oxford Circus. It comes despite concerns from local people about where cars, buses and cyclists would be rerouted if Oxford Street was blocked off. Cllr Adam Hug, leader of Westminster City Council, has said that the decision was not the local authority’s “preferred outcome” but…

All of the sexual assaults took place on trains, tubes or on station platforms and each time he ran away after.  Gordon has now been jailed for one year and four months.  The first incident was on December 9, 2023, when a 27-year-old woman was approached by Gordon whilst travelling to Dalston Junction.  He tried to engage her in conversation before sexually assaulting her.  Days later on December 14 he followed a woman in her fifties when she got off the tube at Dalston Junction.  He then sexually assaulted her and jumped back on the tube.  On February 7 and…

Last Thursday, my boyfriend and I enjoyed a long-overdue date night at the restaurant by Berkeley Square and from the moment we stepped through the doors, the experience was nothing short of exceptional. Set in the heart of Mayfair with its signature low-lit, sultry interior and modern Cantonese luxury, Hakkasan buzzed with energy and elegance – the kind of place that instantly elevates an evening. (Image: Justin De Souza) We were warmly welcomed and quickly seated, and though the restaurant was alive with the hum of conversation and clinking glasses, the service was impeccable. A special mention must go to our…

Ageing pumps and pipework in the main outdoor pool Park Road Leisure Centre and Lido, which have reached the end of their life cycle. Emergency repairs are also being carried out at the same time to fix a major leak in the children’s indoor pool. The lido, which first opened 96 years ago, closes from June 17 and is set to reopen to the public on June 27. New circulation pumps along with pool covers being added could save £35,000 in running costs and reduce the overall carbon emissions, it is estimated. The upgrade work is to avoid the likelihood of disruption…

The tragedy occurred shortly after 1.39pm (8.09am GMT) on June 12 on Air India’s Flight AI171 bound for London Gatwick.  The journey was due to last more than nine hours but just 30 seconds after take-off, the plane carrying twelve flight staff and 230 passengers crashed.  A huge fireball was captured erupting from the scene of the incident, where the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had crashed with a hostel building connected to a hospital.  The incident has left just one lone survivor, British national 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. Another 52 Britons are understood to have been passengers on the flight, some…

FlixBus, a budget coach operator, has launched a twice-daily route from London to Brighton with fares starting at just £4.49. Andreas Schorling, senior managing director of FlixBus UK, said: “Londoners now have even more affordable, sustainable, and reliable travel options for weekend getaways, airport connections, and visiting friends and family this summer. “Brighton is an iconic British destination and we’re excited to offer a direct route from the capital just in time for the warmer months.” The new service is part of FlixBus’ wider network expansion and includes a direct route to Gatwick Airport. Coaches are equipped with free Wi-Fi,…

Two Greenwich employers have been publicly named by the government for failing to pay the minimum wage. PK Sales & Lettings Ltd, based in Woolwich, left five workers short by a total of £11,885.46, according to new figures released by the Department for Business and Trade. Euro Car Wash (South East) Limited, based in Charlton, underpaid three members of staff by £992.56. They’re among 518 employers across the UK found to have broken minimum wage laws – leaving nearly 60,000 workers collectively out of pocket by more than £7.4 million. The underpayments were uncovered through HMRC investigations carried out between…

The 10-day Hackney Reimagining Local art week from June 12 to 22 is packed with public art, exhibitions, performances, walking tours and pop-up events at venues in Dalston, Homerton, De Beauvoir Town, Stoke Newington, Clapton, London Fields and Cambridge Heath. Dalston’s Wilton Way Gallery presents artist YiMiao Shih’s keen eye for political and social issues using drawing, embroidery and animation. It also hosts two artworks that blur abstraction and narrative: Lauren Bauer’s memory and identity, and Katie King’s drawings from ritual, folklore and environmental grief into reflection, myth and material memory.  La Bouche delicatessen in Broadway Market, London Fields, is displaying Cecilia Reeve’s iconic Moonlight Behind The Curtains painting.…

From Friday, June 6, to Sunday, June 8, the cinema will be hosting a variety of films, ensuring there’s something for everyone. For families, the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch offers a heartfelt story about a lonely girl and her alien friend, showing at various times throughout the day from 9.30am to 9.20pm. Bluey will kick off the day with eight food-themed episodes for preschoolers, starting at 9.50am on Friday and 9am on Saturday, with Peppa Meets the Baby set to delight toddlers with its 65-minute runtime starting at 9.30am and showing multiple times until mid-afternoon. Karate Kid: Legends…