Author: Blake Foster

The CEO Lounge was set to open in the unit previously occupied by the fast food restaurant Mazee’s Place in New Road, Dagenham, at the end of November. However, its launch was forced to be postponed due to “police concerns” in relation to its premises licence application – which included selling alcohol until 2.30am from Thursday to Sunday. Representations published ahead of a Barking and Dagenham Council licensing sub-committee meeting next Tuesday (December 17) reveal that the Met Police fear the venue will promote “irresponsible drinking”, potentially leading to “severe intoxication levels” and “criminal offences”. In a letter to the council’s…

Councillor David Taylor told the Recorder that the proposal for Havering Council to build 18 modular temporary homes on the estate in Romford would be decided on by the cabinet in either December or January. The Waterloo Estate was one of the 12 estate redevelopment projects announced by the council as part of its £1.2billion joint venture with Wates Residential in 2018. MORE NEWS: Station ticket office plans put forward in boost for Beam Park station According to a report on the new modular home proposals, the estate is now scheduled for permanent development in five to seven years. The public report describes the proposal containing…

The terraced house converted into flats on Ley Street in Ilford was in flames after a blast from the building today (December 10) at 4.09pm. At the height of the fire, the first floor and loft conversion were fully alight. A small part of the loft conversion remains alight at the time of publication. The London Fire Brigade says that two people have been taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service – however further details on their condition are not available at this time. Glass, bricks and other bits of the building were scattered all over the road following…

Staff at Five Rivers Bar Grill & Restaurant, located at 35 the Slade on Plumstead Common Road, released a post on Facebook on Monday (December 9) stating that the issues regard the “structural integrity and safety” of the building. The restaurant says it is currently receiving support from Greenwich Council, and updates will be shared as they become available. Since 2011, Five Rivers Bar & Grill has been a beloved dining spot in Plumstead, offering a delightful fusion of Punjabi and Nepalese cuisine. A spokesperson for the Five Rivers Bar Grill & Restaurant said: “We regret to inform our valued…

Glass, bricks and other bits of the building were blasted across Ley Street after a fire at around 4.10pm today (December 10). Firefighters are continuing to tackle the blaze at the time of reporting, but now only part of the loft conversion remains alight. Dashcam footage released earlier today showed the moment that the house exploded, with bits of the house falling to the ground. A new image shared by the London Fire Brigade shows the remains of this, along with a damaged exterior wall on the top floor as well as a hole in the roof. Eight fire engines…

The evening of music and words was hosted by BBC Radio presenter Nick Robinson and marked the 40th anniversary of the National Brain Appeal. It raised almost £5000 for the charity, which is dedicated to supporting The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and the UCL Institute of Neurology in Bloomsbury. BBC Radio 4 Presenter Nick Robinson hosted the service which was joined by charity chair Jackie Ashley and CEO Claire Wood. (Image: Marie Mangan) The congregation gathered at the Holy Sepulchre Church in the City of London on December 5. Camden-based actor and writer, Stephen Mangan, is a long-standing supporter of the charity having…

Firefighters are currently tackling a blaze on Ley Street since first being called to the area at around 4.10pm today (December 10). Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters are at the scene and the roof and first floor of the two-storey property are alight.  In a video that has emerged online, shared by community social media page ig1ig3, dashcam footage shows the moment that the house was met with a blast before it erupted in flames. As it happened, debris could be seen falling to the ground as those in the vehicle share their shock. The roof and first floor…

Carl Smith, of Chesney Crescent, New Addington, was caught littering in Market Square, Bromley, in July. He was issued a £100 fixed penalty notice, but this was not paid. He was then prosecuted and pleaded guilty to littering at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on December 3. He was ordered to pay a fine of £293, a surcharge of £117, and £423 in costs, totalling £833. A council spokesperson said: “On behalf of residents, the council has street cleaning teams working seven days a week across the borough, keeping our streets neat. “Littering undoes this work and is illegal, with our enforcement…

Nathan Damson, owner of independent restaurant Andy’s Burgers, fears the same thing is happening in Walthamstow. In August 2024, Nathan and his lifelong friend Asad Yaqub opened Andy’s Burgers. The name ‘Andy’ was chosen as an amalgamation of Nathan and Asad’s initials. MORE NEWS: Update on pub reopening as new owners confirm ‘familiar faces’ will return But Nathan says business “could be going a lot better”. Nathan, who was born and bred in Walthamstow, attributes a lot of this to the presence of global business chains in Waltham Forest. He said: “On one hand Waltham Forest Council promotes local artisan industry from the village but then…

Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters have been tackling the fire in Ley Street since around 4.10pm today (December 10). The roof and first floor of the two-storey property are alight.  Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters are tackling a fire at a house on Ley Street in Ilford, house is next to Seven Kings School.@LondonFire and @Ldn_Ambulance and @metpoliceuk at the scene#fire #londonfire pic.twitter.com/jn4vdtpISk — Farid Ahmed (Qureshi) (@FaridQureshi_UK) December 10, 2024 Footage from the scene shows a major emergency services presence as the incident is being dealt with. Firefighters from Ilford, Dagenham, Barking and surrounding fire…