Local News

Norman Foster objects to changes to Millennium Bridge 'ensemble'

The architect of the Millennium Bridge has objected to plans to relocate four steel sculptures at the northern end of the footbridge, arguing that "to change any part ... is to impact the whole ensemble".

Will London see in 2021 with the usual fireworks display?

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says that his officials are "working through the available options" before making a final decision on whether to hold the usual New Year fireworks display centred on the London Eye to see in 2021.

Man stabbed in Trinity Street altercation

A pavement at Elephant & Castle was cordoned off by police for a forensic examination on Saturday morning, apparently linked to the investigation into a stabbing half a mile away in Trinity Street.

Halloween and Christmas at Elephant as Poundland prepares to shut

Halloween and Christmas have come early to the Elephant & Castle as Poundland holds a closing down sale offering many products for just 75p.

Mint Street Music Festival takes to the road

What do you do if you're the organiser of a music festival and people can't gather for the event? You take the music to the people.

Bulk of GLA staff to remain in SE1 even if City Hall heads east

Despite the high-profile proposal for London's city government to leave its current riverside HQ in favour of a new City Hall in the Royal Docks, the Greater London Authority will still have more staff based in SE1 than E16 if the move goes ahead.

Rising Sun: petition launched calling on council to save pub

Plans to demolish the last pub on the Rockingham Estate and replace it with a block of flats have sparked a petition calling on Southwark Council to veto the proposals.

Tanner Street Park tennis courts: online booking introduced

Tennis players wanting to use the courts at Tanner Street Park in Bermondsey will need to make an online reservation when a new system is introduced from Thursday 9 July.

Portable toilets installed on South Bank

Portable toilets have been installed along the South Bank to meet demand from visitors whilst the doors of many of the riverside attractions remain closed.

Bermondsey Street to be closed to through motor traffic

An experimental closure of part of Bermondsey Street is to be introduced this summer as part of Southwark Council's package of measures to improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists during the COVID-19 crisis.

Catch the Bankside Bike Train to gain cycle commuting confidence

As more businesses reopen their premises, commuters heading to the Bankside area who would like to cycle to work but lack confidence and aren't sure of the best routes can join a 'bike train' led by qualified instructors.

SE1 arts bosses welcome Government's bail-out for culture sector

Bosses of some of SE1's biggest cultural institutions have welcomed the Government's announcement of a �1.57 billion package of grants and loans to bail out museums, galleries, theatres, cinemas, heritage sites and music venues during the COVID-19 crisis.

London Bridge: dramatic improvement in air quality during lockdown

New analysis of air quality measurements during lockdown shows that pollution dropped by a third at the top end of Borough High Street.

Jeremy Corbyn on South Bank for Spanish Civil War commemoration

Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn visited Jubilee Gardens on the South Bank on Saturday to lay a wreath at the memorial to the Brits who fought against fascism during the Spanish Civil War.

National Theatre covered in tape to highlight plight of sector

The National Theatre on the South Bank was festooned with white and pink tape on Friday afternoon as part of an initiative across the UK and Ireland to highlight the plight of the performing arts sector during the COVID-19 crisis.

Tower Bridge reopens - and it's still just a quid for locals

Tower Bridge is reopening its exhibition and high-level walkway to visitors from Saturday 4 July - and Southwark residents can still take advantage of the special �1 ticket for locals.

Police appeal after 'robbery and kidnapping' at Waterloo Station

British Transport Police are appealing for information after a woman was forced to top up a stranger's Oyster card and board a tube train at Waterloo Station on Wednesday afternoon.

Southwark Cathedral prepares to reopen its doors

Southwark's Anglican cathedral reopens for private prayer on Saturday 4 July, with the Sunday morning Eucharist to be held in the presence of a congregation from 19 July onwards.

Pre-booking essential when Tate Modern reopens at end of July

Tate Modern will reopen on Monday 27 July after more than four months of closure during the COVID-19 pandemic ... but you won't be able to pop in to the gallery whenever the mood takes you.

St Thomas Street: 20-storey scheme at Vinegar Yard turned down

Proposals for a 20-storey building on St Thomas Street - opposite London Bridge Station - have been rejected by Southwark councillors due to their "excessive height, scale and massing".

Avey Bhatia appointed as chief nurse at Guy's and St Thomas'

Avey Bhatia has been named as the next chief nurse at Guy's and St Thomas' in succession to Dame Eileen Sills who has held the post for the past 15 years.

Bankside's Great Get Together reinvented as marathon radio show

Each year since 2017 Bankside has hosted one of the flagship Great Get Together street parties established to honour the legacy of the late Jo Cox MP. This year the event was reinvented as a radio show featuring dozens of local voices.

Charity seeks consent to take down Guy and Clayton statues

Guy's and St Thomas' Charity has applied to Southwark and Lambeth councils for permission to take down the statues at SE1's two hospitals which were boarded up in response to recent controversy.

The changing face of St Thomas Street - interactive map

With councillors due to decide on two major planning applications for developments on St Thomas Street on Monday evening, we look at the five big schemes currently in the works.

Man in critical condition after Old Kent Road assault

Detectives investigating an assault which left a man in a critical condition have released images of two men they wish to speak to in connection with the attack.

Tabard Gardens: police impose dispersal zone to curb gatherings

Southwark Police have imposed a 48-hour dispersal zone on the Tabard Gardens area from 5pm on Friday in an effort to prevent a repeat of the large-scale gathering that took place last weekend.

Life sentence for teenager who threw child from top of Tate Modern

A teenager who threw a child from the viewing gallery at the top of Tate Modern last summer will be imprisoned for at least 15 years.

Butler's Wharf: competition launched for ideas to improve riverside

A new design competition inviting architects, landscape architects, designers and artists to enhance the riverside walk at Butler's Wharf has been launched.

10-year-old's BLM artwork shown on South Bank billboard

A Black Lives Matter poster designed by a local 10-year-old girl has been displayed on the giant digital billboard at the South Bank end of Waterloo Bridge.

New Marlborough Yard: first image of new pedestrian link

Construction work on the new Premier Inn hotel off The Cut in Waterloo has been completed, with the first guests due to arrive in the autumn

Greater London Authority could move City Hall to Royal Docks

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced a consultation on plans for the Greater London Authority to leave City Hall at More London next year and move to The Crystal building in the Royal Docks.

Baylis Road segregated cycle lanes completed

600 metres of segregated cycle lane on Baylis Road in Waterloo have been completed.

South Bank's IBM building gets grade II listed status

Plans to alter the IBM building on the South Bank have been thrown into doubt after the Government listed the building at grade II.

How your Zoom scream could light up a Southwark Street office block

More than 2,000 people have already taken part in an interactive artwork by screaming into a Zoom video call and seeing their frustrations light up an empty office building on Southwark Street.

Borough Market launches project to help children learn about food

Primary school children and their families can learn more about the food they eat thanks to a new series of videos and downloadable resources launched this week by Borough Market.

Everyday Heroes: Southbank Centre public art & poetry project

The Southbank Centre is launching a public art and poetry project to celebrate and highlight the contributions of key workers who have kept the country running during the COVID-19 crisis.

Black Lives Matter march from Burgess Park to Elephant & Castle

Several hundred people marched from Burgess Park to Elephant & Castle on Sunday afternoon in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

TfL's Southwark Street development gets the green light

Plans to build new offices, shops and flats on land in Southwark Street owned by Transport for London have been approved by Southwark councillors.

Mayor urged to restore Thameslink to tube map

A London Assembly member has renewed calls for the central London section of the Thameslink rail route to be added to the tube map.

Eshalomi calls for extra South Bank policing after weekend violence

Vauxhall MP Florence Eshalomi has told the House of Commons that police in Lambeth and Southwark need extra resources after violence near Waterloo last weekend.

New Kent Road: 9-storey hotel plans approved

Plans for a 200-room hotel on the New Kent Road have been approved by Southwark councillors.

Coin Street neighbourhood centre begins to reopen

Coin Street Community Builders has announced that it is beginning to reopen its neighbourhood centre in Stamford Street, starting this week with the nursery.

SE1 churches begin to reopen doors for private prayer

St George's Cathedral and St John's Waterloo are the first SE1 churches to reopen for private prayer in accordance with the latest Government guidelines.

Church bells ring 72 times to remember victims of Grenfell fire

Southwark Cathedral and St John's Waterloo were among churches across London which rang their bells 72 times on Sunday evening to remember the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire three years ago.

Decision day looms for TfL's Southwark Street development

Southwark councillors will decide on Monday whether to approve Transport for London's redevelopment plans for the land it owns on Southwark Street - and a local residents' group is calling for the site to be dedicated to key worker housing.

Black Lives Matter billboard unveiled at Lambeth North

The Black Lives Matter UK campaign has unveiled an advertising billboard in Westminster Bridge Road featuring the names of people who have died in police custody or as a result of racist violence.

Southwark launches 'anti-racist audit' of statues and street names

Southwark Council is to carry out an audit of street names and statues with links to slavery and Britain's colonial past as part of its response to the public debate on racism and inclusion sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Minister orders inquiry into Fire Brigade HQ redevelopment

The long-running saga of the redevelopment of the old London Fire Brigade HQ on Albert Embankment entered a new phase this week when communities secretary Robert Jenrick 'called in' Lambeth Council's decision to approve the scheme and ordered an inquiry.

Thomas Guy and Robert Clayton statues to be removed from view

The statue of Thomas Guy at Guy's Hospital and the statue of Sir Robert Clayton at St Thomas' Hospital are to be removed from public view.

Lambeth to audit public art for slavery links

Lambeth Council is looking into all statues and works of art in the borough to identify any links to "slavery, colonialism and oppression of black communities" and will launch a community consultation.

Leisure centre staff 'at risk of missing pay' without bailout

Southwark Council is to bail out its leisure centre operator Everyone Active to ensure that staff can continue to be paid while facilities such as the Castle Centre remain firmly closed.

Future of Thomas Guy statue in question as slavery row grows

Petitions have been launched calling for the statue of Thomas Guy - founder of Guy's Hospital - to be removed from the grounds of the hospital and medical school at London Bridge.

Lambeth launches fund to help arts and culture organisations

Lambeth Council has launched a �300,000 fund to help not-for-profit arts and culture organisations, including charities and social enterprises, survive the COVID-19 crisis.

Bermondsey Square: 'combustible' wooden cladding to be replaced

Timber cladding at the Bermondsey Square development is to be replaced with anodised aluminium as part of a series of measures to improve fire safety.

Government doesn't understand us, says Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum says that a lack of understanding on the part of the Government has hampered its ability to obtain emergency financial support during the COVID-19 crisis.

Elephant & Castle protest highlights empty homes and Airbnb lets

Housing campaigners toured the Elephant & Castle on Thursday to highlight the number homes that are empty or used for short-let holiday accommodation in new developments.

Segregated cycle lanes to be introduced on Southwark Bridge Road

Southwark Council has announced plans to create segregated cycle lanes on Southwark Bridge Road as part of its package of changes to streets in the borough in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Southwark Cathedral bells to toll in memory of Grenfell victims

Southwark Cathedral will be among churches across London to ring its bells 72 times to mark the third anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire.

London Bridge terrorist attack victims remembered three years on

A service has been held at Southwark Cathedral to mark the third anniversary of the deaths of eight people in a terrorist attack at London Bridge and Borough Market.

McDonald's reopens Old Kent Road branch for drive-through only

For the first time in more than two months, it's possible to buy a Big Mac in SE1 ... but you'll need to be driving a car.

Mint Street Adventure Playground damaged by fire

Mint Street Adventure Playground has been damaged by fire, less than two years after the completion of a �2.45 million makeover.

More Borough Market traders reopen for business

Borough Market - which has remained open during the COVID-19 lockdown - is this week welcoming back an increasing number of its regular traders.

Waterloo Road pavements widened for social distancing

Pavements on Waterloo Road have been widened to create extra space for pedestrians around the busy bus stops outside Waterloo Station.

Archbishop of Southwark asks PM to let churches open their doors

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Southwark has written to the prime minister urging him to allow churches to open their doors for individual visitors and private prayer.

Evelina boss reassures parents over kids' illness linked to COVID-19

The medical director of the Evelina London Children's Hospital has spoken to reassure local parents concerned about reports of an illness linked to COVID-19 that is affecting children.

Government causing 'immense confusion' warns Lambeth leader

The leader of Lambeth Council says that the Government has caused "immense confusion" in its communications with the public over COVID-19, and has made things worse with its handling of the Dominic Cummings affair.

Motorcyclist jailed for death of woman on Great Dover Street

A man who pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving in Great Dover Street has been sent to prison for 32 months.

Police watchdog seeks witnesses to Avondale Square stop-and-search

The police watchdog would like to hear from anyone who witnessed a man being restrained during a stop and search by officers in Avondale Square, off the Old Kent Road, earlier this month.

Harper Road's Rising Sun pub facing demolition

Harper Road could lose the last of its pubs under plans submitted to Southwark Council for a six-storey block of flats on the site of the Rising Sun pub.

Southbank Centre warns of redundancies and potential �5m loss

The Southbank Centre has set out details of its bleak financial prospects in the wake of COVID-19, with closure till at least April 2021 possible.

London Bridge pavement split into northbound and southbound lanes

The pavement on London Bridge has been divided into northbound and southbound lanes to aid social distancing.

LSBU moves all lectures online for first semester of next year

London South Bank University says that all lectures will be delivered online for the first half of the next academic year as it grapples with the impact of COVID-19.

Southwark leader Peter John to co-chair London Recovery Board

Cllr Peter John, leader of Southwark Council, is to co-chair a new group tasked with drawing up an action plan to make London "fairer, more equal, greener and more resilient" after the COVID-19 crisis.

Waterloo East Theatre founder on BBC Question Time

Gerald Armin, founder of the Waterloo East Theatre, appeared on the BBC's Question Time programme this week to highlight the plight of small independent arts venues like his during the COVID-19 crisis.

Grandmother and therapy dog raise hundreds for Guy's & St Thomas'

A great grandmother has been using her daily dog walk to clean up her local area while raising money for Guy's and St Thomas'.

Art by Post: Southbank Centre helps isolated people stay creative

Southbank Centre has launched Art by Post, a pilot scheme to provide isolated people, who do not have digital access, with free creative activities packs.

Shakespeare's Globe warns it's at risk of closure due to COVID-19

Shakespeare's Globe has warned that the COVID-19 shutdown has left it at risk of insolvency and permanent closure without financial support from the Government.

Boy, 17, to appear in court charged with Francois Kablan murder

Detectives investigating the murder of 19-year-old Francois Kablan in Great Dover Street on Wednesday have charged two boys.

Southwark reopens Tanner Street Park tennis courts

Tennis players returned to the courts in Tanner Street Park on Saturday as Southwark Council unlocked the gates, in line with the latest Government advice.

Borough High Street: pavements widened for social distancing

Pavements at the northern end of Borough High Street and parts of Southwark Street and St Thomas Street have been widened as part of the Mayor of London's Streetspace scheme to make it easiest for pedestrians to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Francois Kablan murder: police appeal for information

Police investigating the murder of a 19-year-old footballer in Great Dover Street have asked the public to come forward with information "no matter how small you think it is".

Appeal court increases 'lenient' sentence for Borough rapist

A man who attacked two women in the streets of SE1 last summer will now serve at least 16 years in prison after the Court of Appeal increased his original 'unduly lenient' sentence that could have seen him free after seven years.

Tate Modern displays 'thank you key workers' message

In the week of the 20th anniversary of the opening of Tate Modern in the former Bankside Power Station, the famous gallery is displaying a message of thanks to key workers on the lightbox at the top of the building.

Francois Kablan: football club's tribute to Great Dover Street stabbing victim

The man stabbed to death in Great Dover Street on Wednesday has been named by his football club as 19-year-old Francois Kablan.

Waterloo and London Bridges could go car-free

Cars and vans could be banned from Waterloo Bridge and London Bridge - and pavements on Borough High Street are to be widened - under measures to make walking and cycling easier whilst social distancing measures are in force.

Man stabbed to death in Great Dover Street fight

A man - believed to be 19 years old - has died after being stabbed during a fight on the Lawson Estate in Great Dover Street.

Florence Nightingale's image projected onto Parliament

Images of Florence Nightingale were projected onto the Houses of Parliament from the grounds of St Thomas' Hospital on Tuesday night to mark the bicentenary of the birth of the nursing pioneer.

ITV gets green light for South Bank television attraction

Visitors to ITV's new attraction in the former This Morning studio on the South Bank could face temperature checks before they are allowed to enter.

Waterloo named as engine idling hotspot as Lambeth imposes fines

Drivers in Lambeth who leave their engine running while stationary will face a �20 fine in new measures to improve air quality.

Councillors say Old Kent Road nightclub should lose its licence

Councillors have voted to revoke the licence of an Old Kent Road nightclub after a host of violent incidents.

Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre: closure date postponed

The closure of the Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre - previously scheduled for the end of July - has been postponed by nearly two months due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Call to 'shine a light' on Florence Nightingale's bicentenary

Nursing leaders are asking the public to 'shine a light' to mark the bicentenary of Florence Nightingale's birth on Tuesday.

'Unprovoked and savage attack on a teenage boy' - police renew appeal

Detectives investigating the stabbing of a promising young footballer in Druid Street last year are appealing for information and witnesses.

Waterloo Festival goes online with a focus on communities

This year's Waterloo Festival, originally scheduled to take place in and around St John's Waterloo over three weeks in June, has instead launched online with a two-month multimedia programme of arts, community and heritage.

Piers Corbyn issued with penalty at anti-lockdown protest

Former Southwark councillor Piers Corbyn has been issued with a fixed penalty notice for breaching COVID-19 regulations by participating in an anti-lockdown protest outside St Thomas' Hospital.

Borough Market adds drive-through option to online shopping site

Borough Market - already offering a home delivery service - has added a drive-through collection option.

Waterloo rough sleeper treated for head injuries after attack

A 32-year-old man is in a stable condition in hospital after he was attacked whilst sleeping rough in a railway arch near Waterloo Station.

VE Day: Red Arrows fly over Bankside & South Bank

Residents of Bankside and the South Bank got a good view of the Red Arrows on Friday morning as they carried out a VE Day flypast of central London.

COVID-19 - how many people have died in London?

How many people have died of coronavirus in London? This sounds like a question that should be easy to answer � but the reality is more complicated.

Councillor's fury over 'archaic and homophobic' blood donor rules

The exclusion of some gay and bisexual men from trials of a possible new COVID-19 treatment has been condemned by Borough & Bankside councillor Victor Chamberlain who has raised his concerns with NHS bosses and health secretary Matt Hancock.

SE1's business improvement districts to receive COVID-19 support

The five business improvement districts (BIDs) which operate in SE1 could play an important role in rebuilding the local economy, but they face a financial squeeze with local firms unable to meet their levy payments.

COVID-19: Guy's and St Thomas' reports critical care survival rate well above national average

More than two-thirds of COVID-19 patients receiving critical care at Guy's and St Thomas' survive, compared with a national average of around half, the trust's chief executive has said.

Guy's and St Thomas' featured on new hospital Top Trumps set

SE1's two world-famous hospitals are featured in a special edition of the Top Trumps card game.

Borough Market traders can claim support as Govt closes loophole

Borough Market traders are among the small businesses now eligible for Government support during the COVID-19 crisis after ministers widened the eligibility criteria.

Tower Bridge Care Home rating upgraded to 'good' after inspection

The Tower Bridge Care Home at Bricklayers Arms has been rated as 'good' by the Care Quality Commission, a major step up after a series of poor reports in recent years.

Police seek to identify man who died on tracks at London Bridge

British Transport Police are asking for the public's help to identify a man who died on the railway tracks at London Bridge Station on Wednesday 25 March.

COVID-19: first indication of how many SE1 residents have died

Data released this week by the Office for National Statistics shows that between 1 March and 17 April, around 30 residents of SE1 had died with COVID-19 mentioned on their death certificates.

COVID-19: blood plasma treatment tested at Guy's and St Thomas'

A blood plasma treatment for COVID-19 is to be tested at Guy's and St Thomas' as part of a new trial.

NHS superhero mural appears in Waterloo railway arch

Network Rail and street artist Lionel Stanhope have teamed up to pay tribute to NHS workers with a mural underneath a railway bridge in Waterloo.

Lambeth: access-only streets, new cycle lanes and wider pavements

Plans to create temporary cycle lanes leading to St Thomas' Hospital, make some streets access-only and widen pavements at busy Waterloo bus stops have been revealed by Lambeth Council.

'Thank you NHS' - post box outside St Thomas' Hospital turns blue

A post box outside St Thomas' Hospital has been painted blue and marked with the slogan 'thank you NHS'.

COVID-19: Lambeth Community Response Fund launched

Lambeth funders and businesses have come together to create a borough-specific fund for projects helping low-income and vulnerable residents during the COVID-19 crisis.

Green space charity BOST warns its future is under threat

Bankside Open Spaces Trust - the charity which maintains several local parks and promotes gardening schemes - has warned that its future is in jeopardy and is calling on supporters to take park in a fundraising challenge or sign up as a 'Friend of BOST'.

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