Author: Blake Foster

Tourist tax is often used in areas with a high volume of tourists and is a way for local governments to generate money to help fund local needs. Countries like Canada, Spain, Germany and Italy all have the tax, while the Scottish capital, Edinburgh previously announced that from July 2026, there will be a 5% levy charge added to accommodation costs.  Now Londoners have taken to the social media site Reddit with calls for London to introduce a tourist tax. @inceptiontravelers 22 hidden gems in London you probably didn’t know existed! 🌟 From secret alleyways to lesser-known spots full of charm…

Vue Harrow has announced a line-up of family blockbusters and returning favourites, specifically chosen for younger audiences. The films will be shown from Friday, April 4, to coincide with the school holidays. Among the films being shown is A Minecraft Movie, which follows four misfits who find themselves transported to a mysterious cubic wonderland. The live-action film features a cast including Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Jennifer Coolidge. To coincide with the release, fans of the gaming phenomenon can purchase limited-edition Minecraft-themed food and drinks merchandise, including a geometric pickaxe popcorn carrier and character-topped reusable cup. Another live-action blockbuster screening through…

This is Dagenham Green, a planned Peabody estate on the edge of Barking and Dagenham. Turning left onto New Road, the flurry of activity fades away, revealing a barren expanse of land stretching to the nearby railway track. Dark blue hoardings and a big metal gate shroud the site, giving few clues that this area, most recently a derelict former factory, is also earmarked for thousands of new homes. A large part of Beam Park is yet to be developed (Image: Newsquest) In fact, it will one day be part of Beam Park, a new neighbourhood being built by developer…

The incident happened on a route 148 bus in Walworth Road just before 6.30pm yesterday (March 21). Officers and London Ambulance Service crews attended and found a man who had been stabbed. He was taken to hospital where his injuries were assessed as non-life threatening. No arrests have been made as police enquiries continue. A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said: “Detectives are appealing for witnesses following a stabbing that occurred on a 148 bus in Walworth. “On Friday, 21 March police were on patrol and were flagged down by a member of the public at 6.27pm to a 34-year-old man…

The works were approved by the council’s Environment Committee last Thursday on March 13 and will see millions invested in improving road surfaces in a bid to tackle wear and tear, reduce potholes, and improve travel conditions for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. According to council documents the budget for the planned maintenance programme includes £2.5 million in capital funding, with an additional £1.479 million coming from a Department for Transport grant. Officials say the investment will focus on roads with the highest priority, aiming to prevent more costly repairs in the future and minimise disruption for residents. Bromley’s road network…

The neighbourhood is home to many green spaces and has many places of cultural significance. Cheam is served by Cheam Station and is an easily accessible place to reach as well as helpful to those who need to commute to London. According to TripAdvisor, the top spot in Cheam is Nonsuch Park. Once home to Henry VIII’s grand Nonsuch Palace, the parkland has witnessed royal splendour, destruction, and transformation. While the palace no longer stands, remnants of its past remain, shaping the landscape visitors enjoy today. The park features historical elements such as the 18th-century Nonsuch Mansion, a striking example…

Among the applications are plans for multiple single-storey extensions, loft conversions, and a change of use for a dental surgery to enhance local healthcare services. Below is a listed overview of all the applications submitted to Sutton Council this week: 6 June Close, Coulsdon CR5 2QR. Conversion of loft space with rear dormer extension, flank roofslope window, and rooflights to front roofslope. Ref. No: DM2025/00332 555 Gander Green Lane, North Cheam SM3 9RF. Prior Approval for a single-storey rear extension projecting 4.8m from the rear of the original house. Ref. No: DM2025/00329 121 Buckhurst Avenue, Carshalton SM5 1NZ. Prior Approval…

The BBC’s DIY SOS team, led by Nick Knowles, will be in Grove Park from April 2 to April 10, 2025, undertaking a full-scale renovation for the Scott family. However, with the build fast approaching, the team urgently still needs window and door suppliers, bespoke joiners, telehandler operators, and plasterers to help complete the project. The Scott family’s story is one of immense hardship. In February 2023, their mum, Zoe, tragically passed away following an accident at home, leaving behind five children—Somer, 30, Samuel, 25, Shay, 19, Sadie, 13, and Seth, 9. The eldest, Somer, is studying in Liverpool to…

A Facebook post by News Shopper sparked over 390 comments, with people passionately defending their positions. Hundreds argue that Bexleyheath belongs to Kent, while just as many insist it’s firmly part of south London. The discussion gained further traction when TikTok influencer Dilan Kurt, with over 144,000 followers and 9.3 million likes, took to Bexleyheath High Street to ask locals, schoolchildren, and residents: Is Bexleyheath part of south London or Kent? Officially, Bexleyheath is within the London Borough of Bexley, classified as a London borough since the creation of the Greater London Council in 1965. However, history, postcodes, and personal…

Enquiries into a stabbing in Evering Road, Lower Clapton, on February 22 are still ongoing, with no arrests made yet. Detectives believe a music video was being filmed at around 4pm when the attack happened, which may have captured some of the events that took place. They are now keen to speak to anyone who has this footage. Detective Sergeant Andy Rice, from the Central East Command Unit, said: “Our enquiries have established that a music video was being filmed at the time of the attack. “I am keen to speak to anyone who has this footage as it could…