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| REVEALED:
POOL PLAN |
LEISURE chiefs have confirmed they could replace the Prince of
Wales Baths with a new pool elsewhere in Kentish Town.
In a briefing for the New Journal on Thursday, Town Hall director
of culture and environment Peter Bishop said the Victorian baths
could be sold off if they became surplus to requirements.
He confirmed the council was in negotiations with a property developer
to determine whether a new pool could be built on land next to Talacre
Sports Centre in Dalby Road. Ironically, the site was once owned
by the council and only recently sold for a new housing development.
Officials now hope to get some of the land back in a “joint
venture” with the developer. |
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| BRICKBATS
OVER BILLS |
THE Labour Government and Lib Dem Islington council faced angry
confrontation this week over the plight of thousands of “grossly
overcharged” leaseholders struggling to pay service charges.
The row is over who is ultimately responsible for crippling bills
being charged to the borough’s 10,500 leaseholders – the
highest number for any local authority in the country – for
work to their estates and properties. The council maintains it is
being forced to charge anything from £10,000 to £40,000
per leaseholder, under the terms of a Government scheme to refurbish
run down properties.
But Emily Thornberry, Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury,
argued that the Town Hall could and should use its discretion to
reduce fees, in certain cases, or at least give the leaseholder
more time to pay. |
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| DON’T
TURN MAYFAIR INTO SOHO |
MAYFAIR will become another Soho unless City Hall stops handing
out late-night licenses, worried residents have claimed.
More than 100 people packed into a meeting at St Mark’s Church,
in North Audley Street, on Monday, to call for Westminster Council
to redesignate Mayfair as a “stress area” like neighbouring
Soho and Covent Garden. Dozens of pubs and bars in Mayfair have
been allowed to stay open later under the new licensing act that
came into force eight days ago.
But in Soho, the council’s policy guidelines block any venues
who want to extend their opening hours. Residents fear that bar
owners are setting up venues in Mayfair, bypassing the rule.
And residents argue they are already seeing the effect in more anti-social
behaviour. |
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Attitudes mature to
English wine
WHEN Hugh Johnson published the first edition of his book Wine in 1966,
there were three commercial vineyards in England.
FULL STORY
This Heath price hike is just
not cricket
THIS summer’s Ashes success didn’t just help us armchair types
suss out our full toss from our wrist spin.
FULL STORY |
