Author: Blake Foster

Once thought to be the oldest pub in the area, it stood at the junction of New Cross Road and Queens Road, serving generations of locals. However, its long history came to an end in 2020, marking the loss of yet another historic London pub. According to London’s Lost Pubs, a new book by Sam Cullen, the current building first opened in the 1860s, right next to the Toll Gate that gave New Cross Gate its name. It was later granted Grade II listed status in the 1990s, with its “elaborate parapet” and historic interior earning recognition from CAMRA as…

As well as appearing in print, our death notice pages will remain online as a lasting tribute to the memory of those we have lost. Anyone who wishes to send their own message of condolence can do so by visiting the deceased’s death notice page. Here are the most recent notices placed in the Romford Recorder: Sheila Whitehead Passed away peacefully at the age of 96, surrounded by her family, on Tuesday 4th March 2025.She will be greatly missed by all of her family and friends, who loved her dearly.Read Sheila Whitehead’s full death notice More death notices You can…

It was originally conceived as a radical solution to ease congestion in London, which reached crisis point halfway through the 19th Century. Taking two years to build, the initial Metropolitan Railway route ran for 5.6km under central London. It was built by digging a long trench, laying track and covering it over again, and the line made use of steam trains to carry passengers between Paddington and Farringdon. Within two years of opening, the line had already been extended to Notting Hill, Shepherds Bush and Hammersmith in west London, and Moorgate in east London. A northern spur of the line…

Beniduthsing Ramjeeawon, of Fulready Road, Leyton, has been charged with possession of a Class B drug, driving while under the influence of alcohol, and failing to stop following a crash in Lea Bridge Road. Police were called to the road at around 2.50am on Saturday (March 22) after a man in his 20s was hit by a car. The car later crashed and its driver was arrested at the scene. READ MORE: Church Road Leyton incident: Man fighting for his life A spokesperson for the Met Police has confirmed that the pedestrian was taken to hospital after the incident, but his injuries have…

Lidl – set to open a new store at the former Wates Way Industrial Estate in Ongar Road – has submitted a premises licence to Brentwood Council to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises. If the licence is granted, the sale of alcohol would be allowed between the hours of 7am and 11pm, seven days a week. READ MORE: New Brentwood Lidl: Work to start ‘later in 2025’ Lidl has told the Recorder it is “hoping” to start works on the Ongar Road site as soon as summer this year, but that “timelines are yet to be determined”. Its premises licence is…

Kelsey McGough, 15, and Megan Smith, 14, are missing from south Essex and were last seen yesterday morning (March 22). Kelsey is described by police as white, 5ft 3ins tall, with shoulder-length brown hair and of slim build. Megan is also described as white, 5ft 5ins tall, with shoulder-length blonde hair and of slim build. Officers are worried about them and want to make sure they’re okay.  It is believed that the girls are together and may have travelled to Dartford, Surrey or Tottenham over the weekend.   They have links to Hadleigh, Rochford and South Ockendon in Essex. If…

Police were called to Calbourne Avenue, Elm Park, just after 9pm on Saturday (March 22) after reports of a group fight involving “a number of teenagers”. A spokesperson for the Met Police has said that when officers tried to engage with the young people they became “aggressive” towards them. Three teenagers were arrested at the scene on suspicion of assaulting emergency workers and taken to an east London police station. They will return for questioning later today (March 23), after being bailed last night. The Met confirmed that the officers who were assaulted were “do not require hospital treatment” and were treated at…

Chase Cross Road will be shut near Collier Row roundabout, from its junction with Rex to outside number 26, from Monday (March 24). The closure will be in place from 8am until 5pm each day until April 4, or until the works are completed – whichever is sooner. According to Cllr Jason Frost, who represents the Mawneys Ward, the works are part of a collision reduction scheme approved by Havering Council. READ MORE: A127 to close for a day at Squirrels Heath Road, Harold Wood junction This includes upgrades to the pelican crossing on Chase Cross Road, as well as improvements to…

ChatGPT suggested a list of locations for every colour set on a Monopoly board. We used the following prompt: “If you were making a Monopoly game board for Sutton, which locations would you pick for each colour? Pick three locations for each colour.” ChatGPT was publicly launched in late 2022 and has become a revolutionary tool, transforming the way people interact with AI and access information. Some of ChatGPT’s suggestions for our Monopoly board showed AI still needs some fine-tuning.  AI assumed Secombe Theatre was still open despite closing, despite closing in 2016. It replaced it with Honeywood Museum. Here is…

But when I visited Oru Sutton, I felt like I had been transported to 2050. Oru was something else entirely—it was the future of working. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with a sense of calm, comfort, and community that I hadn’t expected. The atmosphere at Oru is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. As I walked through the building, the greenery around me was both abundant and calming. Real plants were everywhere creating a sense of connection with nature that is rare in the modern workplace. The air felt fresher, the space more alive, and it was…