Author: Blake Foster

On Thursday (March 20), the Croydon Council Planning Committee will meet to discuss whether to approve the demolition of the house at 275 Addiscombe Road. Extended My Home Ltd submitted a revised planning application in January 2025 after Croydon Council refused their original planning application in 2024. The house, which was built during the reign of Queen Victoria, would be replaced with a new three-storey building which will contain nine flats. Seven of these flats will have four bedrooms, and the remaining two will have three bedrooms. The proposal states that the plan will bring seven car parking spaces for…

Wendy Hill, who lives in Brentwood, travelled to Hornchurch on February 3 to take her grandson to a play date. She found a space in Fentiman Way car park, before trying to pay at the ticket machine. The grandmother claims the machine would not accept cash or card, forcing her to download the RingGo app, which she used to pay for her parking. But later that day, she was contacted by Havering Council telling her that the ticket was invalid and slapping her with a £60 fine. When she challenged the charge, the local authority admitted that she had paid…

The branch on the high street will close for good on June 23, 2025. Charlie Davis, Conservative councillor for Eltham Town & Avery Hill and former parliamentary candidate for Eltham & Chislehurst, expressed his frustration after receiving confirmation of the closure. He said: “Very disappointing to receive confirmation from Santander this morning that their Eltham branch will be closing on the 23rd of June, especially as they had given me assurance last April that they had no plans to close the branch.” Santander says the closure is due to a shift in customer habits, with most people now choosing to…

Ellena Pierre had taken a cocktail of controlled drugs, whose provenance remains surrounded by mystery. None had been prescribed to her and no trace of them was found in her room. Her boyfriend, who discovered her body, was arrested on suspicion of murder after paramedics described his behaviour as “odd”, but was later cleared of any wrongdoing. An inquest at East London Coroner’s Court, Walthamstow, heard Ellena, a 25-year-old NHS worker from Gloucester Place, Manchester, had taken “abusive” doses of some of the drugs. But none of the drugs were found in her hotel room and her parents told coroner…

Wherever you are in England, you’re never far away from one of English Heritage’s castles.   The mighty walls of these fortresses have stood proud for many centuries, from Norman earthworks to royal fortresses, the castles and forts tell the turbulent and often surprising story of power, war and siege in England. English Heritage asked their Facebook followers to name their favourite…is yours on the list? And we have an offer to save 25 per cent off gift and annual memberships here! Dover Castle, Kent. The most iconic of all English fortresses, commanding the gateway to the realm for nine centuries,…

The proposed development at Great North Leisure Park in Finchley would comprise 20 buildings, the tallest of which would reach 25 storeys. It would also incorporate a new leisure centre. The existing leisure park, located just off the North Circular Road, includes a Vue cinema, bowling alley and restaurants with large amounts of car parking, as well as the council-owned Finchley Lido Leisure Centre – of all of which would be demolished to make way for the new development. Barnet Council will issue a decision on the scheme at some point in the coming weeks, with a deadline set of…

People on certain benefits, with health conditions or on low incomes could be given help, by applying to their water supplier, slashing a huge amount of their bills. If you’re on a low income (up to about £21,000 a year), you may be able to access a social tariff. All water companies offer them, and they can cut as much as 90% off your bill by lowering or capping what you pay. If you have a water meter, there’s also the national WaterSure scheme. WaterSure scheme To qualify, you (or someone living with you) must be receiving at least one…

Officers were called to reports of an altercation in Montague Court just before 1pm yesterday (March 18). London Ambulance Service also attended and found a 37-year-old man who had been stabbed. It was found that the man had also been sprayed in the face with an aerosol can. He was taken to hospital where his injuries were confirmed to be non-life-threatening or life-changing. No arrests have been made as police enquiries are ongoing. A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said: “Police were called to reports of an altercation in Montague Court, Croydon at 12.57pm on Tuesday, 18 March. “The London Ambulance…

The classic lemon and sugar combo is never a bad choice, but why not cook up a dish that is sure to become a favourite? Instead of the usual sweet treats, take a look at why savoury seafood pancakes are the way to go! (Image: Getty Images) A tasty twist on tradition When we think of pancakes nowadays, images of fluffy American-style stacks dripping with maple syrup often spring to mind. Whilst the sweet varieties are rightly treasured, seafood pancakes can turn delectable treats into a nutritious, protein-rich feast. Seafood pancake dishes are a delicacy in many Asian countries –…

The former High Street staple has taken to social media to tease big news coming, saying: “We’ve Missed You Too.” The retail giant, owned by Arcadia Group, closed all of its branches in 2020. It was then bought by fellow fashion brand ASOS in 2021, with all of its remaining stock sold through its website. UK High Street Shops That No Longer Exist Is Topshop coming back? Retail giant teases big return Last night, March 18, Topshop took to its Instagram page to post three videos teasing big news. Each video shows two models on a rooftop underneath a Topshop sign,…