Author: Copers Cope Area Residents' Association (CCARA)

Residents Association covering central and northern Beckenham. Founded in 1939 to protect and promote the interests of residents in matters of local concern

Olympic Torch is coming to Beckenham 23 July 2012

Get down to the High Street just before 10.00 to see the Torch and Convoy come past
The Relay is expected to reach the Manor Road, Kelsey Park Road, High Street junction at 09.57. The Torch Convoy itself is anticipated to take around 15 – 20 minutes to pass a particular point although additionally there will be advance vehicles and partner activation vehicles ahead of the convoy.
Check out the route map below.

New vintage and retro fair in Bromley – Saturday 9th June 2012

Saturday 9th June 11.00am-5.00pm
Churchill Theatre Bromley

The Churchill Theatre will play host to the newest vintage and retro fair. Handpicked traders will offer a fabulous range of men’s and women’s vintage clothing and accessories from the 1930s through to the 1990s. There’s also retro records, record players and phones and a tea parlour offering scrumptious cakes.

Entrance is free

 

Application for new premises licence at Basil Restaurant, Old Police Station, Beckenham

Basil Resturant have lodged a licensing application to:

  • Sell alcohol Sun-Sat 12.00 to 23.30
  • Live music Thurs-Sat 19.00 to 23.00 and Sun 13.00 to 17.00 & 19.00 to 23.00
  • Opening hours Sun-Sat 12.00 to 00.00
Copers Cope Councillor Stephen Wells and Bromley Police have lodged objections to the license being granted.
A decision is due to be made on 12 June.

Information about the licensing application can be found on the Councils website

Basil Restaurant Application

Jubilee Sunday – Beckenham shops are open

Sunday trading over the Jubilee weekend – 3 June 2012

Some of our High Street gems are open,  come and support them.

  • Two fabulous fashion shops – RED and SUOLA
  • Triple choice of Giftware in ALLURE, EASY HOMESTYLE and JUMPING BEAN
  • HORTON’S FRESH FISH SHOP
  • WH SMITH and CARD FACTORY
  • Three hairdressers: ANTONIOS, BACCARAT and WILLIS B
  • HOLLAND & BARRATT, and SUPERDRUG
  • BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO
  • Two newsagents: NEWSCO and NISA
  • For just about everything else: BECKENHAM CONVENIENCE STORE, ‘UTILITIES’ GENERAL STORE, and LONDIS
  • Plus, of course, Beckenham’s incomparable collection of Coffee Shops, Cafes and Restaurants, and super selection of supermarkets

Latest Bromley Police figures confirm drop in numbers.

pengeandcatorcouncillors's avatarPenge and Cator Councillors

The latest statistics from the Met confirm that the number of police available in Bromley has dropped over the last year.

The Mayor of London’s monthly report shows that in April 2011 Bromley had 505.3 police officers while at April 2012 the number was 479.2 – a drop of 26. PCSO numbers had fallen even more dramatically.  In April 20111, the borough had 147.2 PCSOs and in April 2012 just 92.7, a drop of 45.  

The overall full time police numbers have been cut from 31,947 in April 2011 to 31,825 in April 2012.

Cllr John Getgood, Leader of the Labour opposition group on Bromley Council said: “Many of us will remember Boris Johnson’s election pledge of more police on the streets of London. Where are they? Bromley residents will be particularly concerned, wondering whether there are enough police on the streets of Bromley to ensure our safety. We will continue to…

View original post 18 more words

Government Minister criticises Bromley’s record on helping homeless people

pengeandcatorcouncillors's avatarPenge and Cator Councillors

We are grateful to the Copers Cope Residents Association for drawing our attention to this article from the May edition of “Inside Housing”.   As well as raising important issues, it also provides further background to the plans to convert Cranbrook House in Thesiger Road to temporary accommodation for the homeless.

Grant Shapps is the Conservative Government’s Housing Minister.

Shapps issues B&B warning to councils

The housing minister has warned 20 councils to improve the way they deal with homeless people.

Grant Shapps wrote to the local authorities in England on 23 April after becoming worried about the amount of time they were leaving families languishing in bed and breakfast accommodation. The minister is concerned councils are breaching rules barring them from placing families in B&Bs for more than six weeks.

Hammersmith & Fulham, Bromley, Westminster, Brent and Wandsworth councils in London, as well as Cornwall Council are among those singled out.

Mr Shapps wrote: ‘While this government has removed targets… this…

View original post 293 more words

Jubilee Weekend Events in Beckenham

The BIG Jubilee Lunch – Sunday 3rd June 2012 – Croydon Rd Rec

The BIG Jubilee Lunch is coming to Beckenham… weather permitting, a wonderful welcoming community picnic will take place in Croydon Road Recreation Ground, 1-4pm.

The Big Lunch started with a very simple idea from the Eden Project and is now nationwide. The aim is to get as many people as possible across the whole of the UK to have lunch with their neighbours in a simple act of community, friendship and fun.

And the Citygate Big Jubilee Lunch, which everyone from Beckenham is welcome to join, will achieve exactly that. The Copers Cope Residents’ Association hopes you will take up the invitation to join in, meet
your neighbours in the wider community, and have a wonderful Diamond Jubilee afternoon.

All you need is some picnic food, a blanket or chair… and hopefully some sunscreen… and let’s see you there.

Controversial Beckenham Planning Appeal Hearing – today 10 am Bromley Civic Centre

Developers of a three story block of flats at the rear of 86-94 High Street (behind Pierluigis Restaurant) lodged an appeal against Bromley Councils non-determination of their planning application. The Planning Inspectorate will decide whether or not the planning application should be permitted. Bromley Council are contesting the appeal today  at 10 am at Bromley Civic Centre (see previous post on R/O 86-94 High Street for background information).

The Central Beckenham Residents’ Association founded in October 2011 to challenge this planning application  provide further information on their website.

https://sites.google.com/site/centralbeckenhamra/home

Beckenham Town Centre Working Group Meeting 12 April 2012

The Beckenham Town Working Group (set up by the Council to identify potential improvements for the town) on which the Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association met on Thursday 12th April, the following points were raised: 
  • The improvements in the condition of the Odeon car park were acknowledged.
  • Rear of the Miso Bar and the Slug and Lettuce was still very littered. This is being followed up.
  • Shops should not use solid shutters in conservation area. A design guide for shutters to be looked into. 
  • Shop front vinyls for empty shops cost £800 and cannot not be re-used. Landlords cannot be forced to install them.  Generally, take up of vinyls had been very disappointing, even with a 50% subsidy from the Council. It was suggested that efforts should be targeted at property agents, offering them advertising opportunities.
  • Estate Agents’ boards  and A-boards  are only allowed to remain in place for three weeks without planning permission. A tougher enforcement policy could reduce the number of boards.
  • Any proposal to join the two existing conservation areas in the town centre would require a business case and a six week consultation period before a final decision by the Development Control Committee.  Noted that traders would be wary of any proposal that might impose more burdens on business, and suggested that potential tenants might be put off by conservation area status.  
  • Appointment of design consultants in May to prepare a scheme and design guide for visual improvement of the High Street.
  • Town sign and car park signage to be scoped in the design project.
  • Installation of community noticeboards with local map.
  • Decluttering project (£15K), to remove unwanted street furniture, unnecessary poles/posts and barriers from the High Street.
  • Use of heritage style lamps and lighting to enhance attractive upper storeys of buildings and provide additional lighting for pedestrians.
  • Controlling access to alleyways, probably by gating, and improving security lighting and cleaning up the ‘back’ areas.
  • Improved street cleanliness and siting of bins. Heritage style bins throughout Beckenham to be scoped in design project.
  • Purchasing heritage Christmas lights, could this be looked at by the design consultants?
  • Looking into making whole High Street a free wi fi area.
  • Reinstating Beckenham Junction as a heritage station.
  • Repairing the High Street clocks.
  • Use of vacant properties as ‘pop up’ shops to be explored.
  • Working Group to visit Blackhealth Village.  Lordship Lane, Dulwich was suggested as an area the Working Group could look at. 
NEXT MEETINGS 
The next meetings would be on Thursday 24th May and Thursday 5th July, both 7.30pm at Beckenham Library and are open to the public. 

Controversial planning application in Bromley resubmitted

The Glades have resubmitted an application to build restaurants in Queens Gardens (behind the Glades, adjacent to Kentish Way). The application(s) have caused controversy as part of the land is in a conservation area, the new restaurant chains may  take trade away from the recently regenerated Bromley North area and a view that Bromley is currently too saturated with restaurants (what will happen to the site if the new restaurants are not profitable).
Further information can be found at the links below:
Any residents who wish to object to the planning application must do so before Thursday 24 May 2012.
You may object by email to planning@bromley.gov.uk  (Reference: 12/01339/FULL), however you must ensure that you provide your full name and address including your post code.  Failure to provide these details will mean your objection is not accepted.

“Pop Up” Shop – a first for Beckenham

New to Beckenham High Street – “Pop Up Fashion”, offering beautiful, new, inexpensive female fashions has opened where Debut menswear closed on 28th April.

It’s a genuine pop up shop – only open til August when it will be refurbished ready for its new tenant.
Well done Pop Up Fashion… it’s just what Copers Cope Resident’s Association have been championing for empty shops on our High Street! So much better than dreary empty premises. Come on Bromley Council and commercial landlords, follow this initiative and help us revitalise our High Street.