Message from the Friends of Croydon Road Recreation Ground

The grant application to The Heritage Lottery Fund for the refurbishment of our bandstand was submitted by the London Borough of Bromley in partnership with The Landscape Group, the Council’s greenspace contractor, and The Friends on 14th September 2015.

This marks a major milestone in the project to restore the bandstand to its former glory. The application includes restoration costs as well as a series of community events and activities. This was a first stage application to HLF’s Heritage Grant programme and, if successful, we will be invited to complete a second and final application.

The Friends would particularly like to thank The London Borough of Bromley and The Landscape Group for their help and encouragement and their hard work in putting together this bid.

We expect to hear the outcome during December and will let you know as soon as we have confirmation.

Many thanks for your continued support.

Friends of Croydon Road Recreation Ground

The Copers Cope Area Resident’s Association has been a long and strong campaigner for a 352 and 354 Sunday Bus Service (with petitions, lobbying and co-ordinating local support). Great news, we received the following message from TfL:

We recently consulted on proposals to introduce a Sunday service on routes 352 and 354.

We received 630 responses to the consultation. There were 619 responses from members of the public and 11 responses from stakeholders. There was generally good support for the proposals.

After carefully considering all responses, we have made a decision and we will be introducing a Sunday service on both routes 352 and 354. The Sunday service will commence on Sunday 20 September 2015.

For further information regarding this decision, please visit our website.

You may recall back in April the Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association spotted an advert hiring staff for a new Startbucks in Beckenham. There has been much speculation as to where the coffee shop will be located and Starbucks have been tight lipped. 

A planning application for change of use from retail to food has revealed that Starbucks will be going into the old Kitchen Range shop next to the closed Ardec shop.

There is also a planning application in to change Ardec to a restaurant. 

Jody Kamali, a Beckenham Based Comedian and Actor is performing his forthcoming Edinburgh Fringe show this friday and would love local people to come along and support local comedy, much needed in Beckenham.  
The show will be at the newly reopened Venue 28 (next to the SPA on Beckenham Rd) and Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association members are being offered £3 tickets (usually £7) via this secret link. 

http://www.wegottickets.com/sct/FcehPHYXJJ

Show details: 
JODY KAMALI – SPECTACULAR!

An Exhilarating character comedy show set in the world of a travelling circus. Expect high doses of inventive physical comedy and a variety of wondrous characters who strive to be nothing but….spectacular!
Beckenham based Jody is a regular on the sketch and variety circuit. Apart from working with Harry Hill on his latest madcap comedy show, he will be appearing the forthcoming highly anticipated British Feature film ‘Golden Years’ alongside Bernard Hill.

‘Brilliant, original visual comedy’ Harry Hill

 ANNA MORRIS – IT’S GOT TO BE PERFECT

The critically acclaimed character comic and star of ITV2’s ‘Bad Bridesmaid’ and BBC1’s ‘Outnumbered’ presents a preview of her Edinburgh show, featuring her most loved character.​ Georgina the Bridezilla (from the viral hit YouTube series​, Georgina’s Wedding Blogs​) is getting married, and you’re invited to the wedding…rehearsal.​ ​Come along if you dare, but be warned…this bride will let NOTHING get in the way of her perfect day…

“Spot-on, darkly comic characters. Comedy gold” – Huffington Post

“Beautifully crafted comedy” – Independent

★★★★ – The Stage

★★★★ – Herald

★★★★ – Broadway Baby

★★★★ – Sunday Herald
Show starts 8pm. Till 10:30pm. There will be a 20 minute interval.

Doors open 7pm. There will be a bar available to buy drinks.

A planning apicatiin has been lodged with the Council for Second Floor, St Georges House, 2 Bromley Road near NatWest to change from office space to 3 x one bedroom flats. 

The Government introduced a 3-year permitted development right in Spring 2013 that allows landlords to make conversions from office to residential without permission. Councils may only refuse in respect of transport and highways, contamination and flooding risks.  The policy was designed to allow empty office space to be turned into homes to boost the creation of new homes. Unfortunately it is mainly being used in locations that deliver the highest returns on investment for landlords, despite the high demand for office space. So in town centres like Beckenham where housing prices/rents are soaring ahead of office space, local businesses are being pushed out. 

The Council have granted permission for the Members Club on Fairfield Road near Lidl car park to be turned into an Indian Resturant. 

The Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association on behalf of the Beckenham Town Centre Team submitted a bid to the Mayor’s High Street Fund to get some money to clear up the alleyways off the High Street.  The Mayor’s fund has awarded Beckenham £20,000 for the Do Up Our Alley Project which will name, sign, clean up and improve the maintenance of the alleyways in Beckenham Town Centre.

We need to know what local people think of the current state of the alleyways. If you use or work/live near any of the alleyways off of the High Street please complete this survey.

www.surveymonkey.com/r/P923BXS

The latest newsletter can be found here.

The Bromley Business Awards are open to the whole borough. Find out more in the Awards Brochure.

To enter your business into the Bromley Business Awards by 31 July 2015 click here

There is also a free networking event  from 2-4pm on Thursday 25th June 2015 at Prospects House, 19 Elmfield Road, Bromley, BR1 1LT. To book a place at the What makes a winner? event email awards@prospects.co.uk or call 0208 315 1020. 

The Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner will be hosted on Thursday 15 October 2015 at The Warren, Bromley. 

A planning application has been submitted to demolish 56 Copers Cope Road Road (corner of Copers Cope Road and Brackley Road) and and replace with a  four storey building plus basement comprising 3 one bedroom and 7 two bedroom apartments.

Further details can be found online under reference 15/01536/FULL1.
Comments/objections in regard to this application must be provided by 01 June 2015, they can be sent by email to planning@bromley.gov.uk . Please ensure you provide your full name and address including post code to ensure your comments are registered. 

A  mini petting farm will be open from 11.am to 15.30 at Market On The Green on Beckenham Green today. The petting farm is free of charge.

You can also enjoy local produce and craft stalls, face painting, have a go children’s arts and crafts, fun fair, carnival games, pizza making master class and live entertainment. See you later.

Live on the stage from 11am to 3.30pm

• 11:00 – Bright Sparks – local Beckenham dance school.
• 11:30 – Peter Green – Steam Punk Brit pop from London.
• 12.00 – Break
• 12:15 – Nomad Folk – Folk band from Penge.
• 12:45 – Child Peters – Indie pop singer/songwriter from London.
• 13:15 – R.A. Parade – stylish singer songwriter.
• 13:45 – Break
• 14:00 – Churchfields Primary School Choir singing pop.
• 14:30 – Irish dancing at Balgowan primary school.
• 15:00 –  Peppa Pig (lookalike) party on stage (by Brilliant Birthdays)

Entertainment

• Children’s Carnival Games by Bromley Road School PTA
• Bottons Family Funfair
• Face painting by Tiger Dragon Butterfly

Stalls and hot food:

• All Things Saucy – handmade sauces using fresh, natural ingredients from local sources.
• Botanicals in Coloured Pencil – hand painted cards, totes and t-shirts.
• Cranbrook Conserves – jams and preserve made using traditional methods and recipes handmade in our cottage kitchen in Cranbrook Kent.
• Conkers and Clay – local craft artists, ceramics and pottery, wood sculpture and turning
• DM Clothing -Handprinted lace scarves,  handprinted ponchos, dresses.
• Deli Jerk – Caribbean jerk chicken.
• Dine Thyme – speciality pies, sausage rolls, scotch eggs, and more.
• Eat’n’mess Cakes – finest cupcakes from Sevenoaks.
• Framerstamp – high quality, attractive, inexpensive framed stamp designs with each stamp a work of art in itself.
• Free From Deli – sandwiches, salads, soups, juices/smoothies, pastries.
• Hemings Bakehouse – made in Kent artisan breads.
• Hocus Pocus  – A Magical Emporium of Wonderful Curiosities!
• KME Crafts – children’s craft activity – sand art pictures, children’s lucky dip and a 16-piece brain teaser
• Howards of Kent – locally produced fruit vodka.
• Layhams Farm – locally sourced Kent produce from jars of honey, chutney and sauces to plants and seeds for your garden.
• Marsh Produce – rare breed lamb & pork, beef, free range poultry, homemade burgers and sausage.
• Nip from The Hip – fruit liqueurs made with locally sourced fruit.
• Oink Oink Catering – local Kent born and bred hog roast with home-made apple sauce.
• Organically prepared – organic fruit and veg.
• Potash Farm –  Kentish cobnuts.
• Preserved Passions – Kentish chutneys and relishes.
• Sapore Vero – Beckenham wood fired pizza
• ‘Sauced’ by Marina – homemade Italian pasta sauces.
• Sevenoaks Candles – award winning Kenitsh handmade candles and soaps.
• Simply True -handmade adult and children’s jewellery
• Sweet Nostalgia Fudge – handmade fudge.
• Terre Verdi  – organic skincare
• The Mobile Coffee Bean- fresh brewed coffee and teas with organic milk.
• Tiddly Pomme – Kentish juices and cider.
• Tw0 Girls in Stitches – textiles
• Ty Janick – authentic crepes and galettes.
• Yumptious – Kent cupcakes, flapjacks, brownies, breadpudding, tarts (slices).

The Government introduced a 3-year permitted development right in Spring 2013 that allows landlords to make conversions from office to residential without permission from Councils (only prior approval in respect of transport and highways, contamination and flooding risks needs to be sought through the planning process). It was designed and intended to allow empty office space to be turned into homes without the red tape thereby boosting the creation of new homes.  Unfortunately it is mainly being used in locations that deliver the highest returns on investment for landlords, despite the high demand for office space.  So in town centres like Beckenham where housing prices/rents are soaring ahead of office space, local businesses are being pushed out.  Since 2013  the following offices have, or are, in the process of changing from office to residential:

• Above 30 High Street from office space to 15 x studio flats
• Above 86-90 High Street from office space to 2 x one bed flats
• Above 130 High Street from office space to 2 self-contained flats
• Above 145-151 High Street from office space to 2 x studio flats and 1 x one bedroom flat
• Above 173a High Street from office space to 1 x 2 bedroom flat
• Above 177a High Street from office space to 1 x 1 bedroom flat
• Above 179a High Street from office space to 2 x 2 bedroom flats
• Above 242 High Street from office space to 2 x 1 bedroom flats
• Duncan House, Burnhill Road  from office space to 1 x 1 bedroom flat and 9 x 2 bedroom flats
• Above  24 High Street  from office space to 1 x 2  bedroom and 1 x 1 bedroom flats
• Marqueen House, 215 High Street,  application in currently to change from office space to 18 x 1 bedroom flats
• Ironstone House,  205-213 High Street,  application in currently to change from office space to 18 x 1 bedroom flats
• Provident House 6-20 Burrell Row, application in currently to change from office space to 18 x 1 and 2 x 2 bedroom flats

In Beckenham we are now at the point where offices that are fully occupied by small and medium-size businesses, such as Marqueen, Ironstone and Provident House, are being emptied out to be turned into residential. Often these new flats are small, the developments too dense, some even becoming Houses of Multiple Occupation. If all the offices go in Beckenham it will devastate the day-time economy on the High Street. Take out the workers and we will see a change in the mix of shops, and we are fearful more independent shops will be lost, the only replacements to be chains and charity shops, changing the vibrancy of our town centre.

The government want to make this permitted right permanent. We have asked our MP Bob Stewart to lobby for this permitted right to be scrapped and to reinstate Council approval for such conversions. Local people and Councils can then have a say in whether Beckenham needs office space more than flats. You can also help by contacting your local MP:  Bob Stewart (Beckenham and West Wickham) and Jim Dowd (Elmers End, Clock House, Cator Park).

To find out more about this issue you can read the Association of Town Centre Management’s Policy Position Paper HERE.

A local resident has set up a petition asking Bromley Council to do something to clear up the unsightly mess at the Derelict Site 35-37 Southend Road, BR3 1TD.

The goal is to reach 100 signatures, you can read more and sign the petition here:

https://www.change.org/p/cllr-mellor-and-peter-morgan-please-do-something-to-clear-up-the-unsightly-mess-at-the-derelict-site-35-37-southend-road-br3-1td?recruiter=292690865&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive

Local  pizzeria Sapore Vero is running a pizza making masterclass for 20 lucky kids on Saturday 16 May at Market On The Green.  Kids aged 6-1o (ish) can have a go at making their very own pizza.  Sapore Vero’s master pizza chef will be there to lend a hand and to cook the pizza’s in the wood fired oven.  Who will make the best pizza of the day?

There are 20 places available, 10 at 10am and 10 at 11am.  Parents can sign kids up from 9.30am at Sapore Vero’s stall on the morning of the market.

Entry is free (donations welcome) and the kids get to keep their pizza.

St George’s Chamber Orchestra (SGCO) presents Baroque Concertos – ‘A taste of Italy’ – Saturday 09th May 2015 7.45pm

• Corelli Concerto Grosso Op.6 no.1 in D
• Alessandro Scarlatti Concerto Grosso no.1 in F minor
• Vivaldi Concerto for 2 violins ”per eco in lontano” RV 552
• Albinoni Sinfonia in C Op.2 no.3
• Locatelli Concerto Grosso in C minor Op.1 no.2
• Vivaldi Concerto for Violin in Eb ‘La Tempesta di Mare’ RV 253
• Solo Violin: Patrick Savage
• Director and Solo Violin: Dominic Moore

Find out more about the SGCO at http://sgco.co.uk/

The  latest issue of Safer Bromley News, the e-newsletter for the Safer Bromley Partnership can be fund at the link below.

Safer Bromley News

Update is the online round up from Bromley Council – check out the link below to download/view the latest edition.

Update Newsletter