News regarding vacant shops on the High Street

There are 11 empty units up and down the High Street and Croydon Road – representing a vacancy rate of around 4.89% and although we have had an increase in empty units over the past six weeks, our High Street figures are still well below the national average of 14%.

Jazz –  new lease being negotiated, details not available at present time.

Fireplace shop adjacent to War Memorial – new lease agreed with “Vanilla”, a pavement café/restaurant/bar.

Zenith Windows – new lease being negotiated, details not available at present time.

The Children Society charity shop, Thomsons Travel and Blockbusters  – are empty, nothing known regarding any new lessees.

Chessington’s garage – is rumoured to be reopening as another garage,  the lease is not being advertised, no further details known. 

Fireworks shop (ex Greggs) – having work done on interior, no further details known.

PopUp Shops

Rather than shops remaining empty we would like to see them utilised as PopUp Shops until permanent tenants can be found.  If  you have contact details, or the name of the  landlord or owner, of any of the vacant units, we’d be grateful if you could let us know so we may approach them regarding putting a PopUp Shop in their premises.

 

English Music Concert – Sat 20 April 2013 – St George’s Church

The SGCO’s next concert is on Saturday 20th April at St George’s Church, Beckenham. Young supertalent Sarah Kim, already a favourite of Beckenham audiences, joins us to play two organ concertos. The orchestra will be directed by Dominic Moore.

English Music Concert

  • Charles Wesley Concerto Grosso
  • Arne Organ Concerto no.3
  • William Boyce Symphony no.2
  • Handel Organ Concerto in F op.4 no.4
  • Elgar arr. Simon Baggs Fairy Pipers from Wand of Youth Suite no.1
  • Britten Simple Symphony

Book in advance from The Beckenham Bookshop and St. George’s Church Office (Monday to Friday until 3.30pm). Best seats will be reserved for pre-concert sales. Tickets also available on-line at http://www.stgeorgesbeckenham.co.uk and on the door.

St. George’s Church is on the corner of High Street and Bromley Road Beckenham BR3 1AX.

 

See the ‘Beckenham Shake’

See link below for a video of the Beckenham Shake held on Sunday 17 March.

Beckenham Shake

The Beckenham Shake is the ‘Beckenham’ version of the internet viral sensation – Harlem Shake, a craze started by a bunch of Australians on 2nd February this year and now been copied over 100,000 times on YouTube, viewed by hundreds of millions worldwide. Beckenham did their own version earlier this month.

 

 

Kent Stage Academy of Performing Arts Beckenham presents ‘Magic To Do’, 2nd, 3rd & 5th April 2013

Magic To Do, 2nd, 3rd & 5th April 2013

The journey from childhood to adulthood, with all the highs and lows, joy and pain, triumphs and mistakes that make us all human, wonderfully expressed through the songs of Stephen Schwartz, Andrew Lippa and William Finn.

For more information and to book tickets online see the KSA website:

www.ksapa.co.uk

8pm TONIGHT – Future of Beckenham Beacon Meeting and Copers Cope AGM – 8pm Thurs 28th March 2013, Beckenham Public Hall

Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association has invited the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group to their AGM & open meeting to address residents on the future of the Beacon in light of the South London Healthcare Trust (SHLT) pulling out. We encourage all Beckenham residents to attend this meeting, you do not have to be a member of our Association. Residents will also have an opportunity to address our councillors and MP.

  • The Annual General Meeting of the Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association from 8pm to 8.30pm.
  • Dr Jon Doyle (Clinical Lead), Paul White (Associate Director of Delivery) and Janet Edmonds (Senior Carepathways Redesign Manager) of the Bromley Commissioning Group from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.

Background

Currently the NHS Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) pays the SLHT to provide services at the Beacon. When SHLT pull out Bromley CCG will need to commission care from another provider. The TSA recommend the SLHT hand over the Beacon to Bromley CCG on 1 June 2013 (and the Secretary of State for Health advises it must be done by 1 October 2013 at the latest).

The 1st of June will soon be upon and as yet Bromley CCG has issued no formal plans for the Beacon. They have advised that they still want to have GP and practice nurse services, access to a service dealing with minor injuries, and a range of outpatient and diagnostic services and tests such as blood tests and X-rays, delivered at Beckenham Beacon. They are also looking at options around other primary and community care services.

We understand they are in negotiation with Kings College London to provide services at the Beacon, and that Kings College also want to enhance services at the Beacon. (Note: another of the TSA’s recommendations is that Kings College London take over Princess Royal University Hospital, this is expected to happen some time between June and October.)

Naturally residents are concerned that the services provided at the Beacon will change. We may get some new services, however there are worries that key services currently provided at the Beacon may move, perhaps to Princess Royal Hospital Farnborough or even Kings College London. To address this and give residents the opportunity to have their say we have invited Bromley CCG to speak at our open meeting. We hope the following will be covered.

  • Update on negotiations with Kings College London.
  • Confirmation of specific services that will remain at the Beacon.
  • Future improvements/opportunities for the Beacon that have been confirmed or are being explored. (Note previously the CCG advised Intermediate Care Beds being provided could be considered).

Have your say in Developing Bromley’s Local Plan – Respond by 15 April 2013

The council is developing the Local Plan for the Borough as required by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (amended) and in line with the new National Planning Policy Framework published in March 2012.

The Local Plan will set out the vision and objectives for the Borough in 2030 and the strategic and more detailed policies used in determining local planning applications together with a proposals map and specific site proposals.

More information can be found on the Councils website:

Developing Bromley’s Local Plan

Future of Beckenham Beacon Meeting and Copers Cope AGM – 8pm Thurs 28th March 2013, Beckenham Public Hall

8pm Thursday 28th March 2013. Beckenham Public Hall, 4 Bromley Road, Beckenham, BR3 5JE 

Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association has invited the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group to their AGM & open meeting to address residents on the future of the Beacon in light of the South London Healthcare Trust (SHLT) pulling out. We encourage all Beckenham residents to attend this meeting, you do not have to be a member of our Association. Residents will also have an opportunity to address our councillors and MP.

  • The Annual General Meeting of the Copers Cope Area Residents’ Association from 8pm to 8.30pm.
  • Dr Jon Doyle (Clinical Lead), Paul White (Associate Director of Delivery) and Janet Edmonds (Senior Carepathways Redesign Manager) of the Bromley Commissioning Group from 8.30pm to 9.30pm. 

Background

Currently the NHS Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) pays the SLHT to provide services at the Beacon. When SHLT pull out Bromley CCG will need to commission care from another provider. The TSA recommend the SLHT hand over the Beacon to Bromley CCG on 1 June 2013 (and the Secretary of State for Health advises it must be done by 1 October 2013 at the latest).

The 1st of June will soon be upon and as yet Bromley CCG has issued no formal plans for the Beacon. They have advised that they still want to have GP and practice nurse services, access to a service dealing with minor injuries, and a range of outpatient and diagnostic services and tests such as blood tests and X-rays, delivered at Beckenham Beacon. They are also looking at options around other primary and community care services.

We understand they are in negotiation with Kings College London to provide services at the Beacon, and that Kings College also want to enhance services at the Beacon. (Note: another of the TSA’s recommendations is that Kings College London take over Princess Royal University Hospital, this is expected to happen some time between June and October.)

Naturally residents are concerned that the services provided at the Beacon will change. We may get some new services, however there are worries that key services currently provided at the Beacon may move, perhaps to Princess Royal Hospital Farnborough or even Kings College London. To address this and give residents the opportunity to have their say we have invited Bromley CCG to speak at our open meeting. We hope the following will be covered.

  • Update on negotiations with Kings College London.
  • Confirmation of specific services that will remain at the Beacon.
  • Future improvements/opportunities for the Beacon that have been confirmed or are being explored. (Note previously the CCG advised Intermediate Care Beds being provided could be considered).

‘Beckenham Shake’ – Beckenham Green Sun 17 March 3.17pm

The Beckenham Shake is the ‘Beckenham’ version of the internet viral sensation – Harlem Shake, a craze started by a bunch of Australians on 2nd February this year and now been copied over 100,000 times on YouTube, viewed by hundreds of millions worldwide.

A bunch of locals are going to meet and film a version on Beckenham Green this Sunday 17th March at 3.17pm

It is a free to join in public film, just for fun, not a professional shoot.

Everyone is welcome to take part. You’ll need normal clothes for the first 15 seconds and then there will be a break and any outfit is welcome for the second 15 seconds. Yes the second part is supposed to be crazy!

The organisers have more information on the Beckenham Town Us and Facebook

BECKENHAM SHAKE 

FACEBOOK

We are not quite sure what to expect, but if you are free and up for a fun idea then why not go along, join in and enjoy, plus spread the word.

Application for 100% Housing Association flats at Stables Green / Rear of 86-94 High Street

As previously reported planning permission has been given for construction of 3 blocks of 4 storey flats on the site. The original development proposal was to provide 15 affordable housing units (35% of the site), the remainder were for private sale. However the developers have now applied to Bromley Council to change the use of the site above to 100% housing association stock (i.e. ‘council housing’). There is local opposition to this change of mix in the housing.

Residents wishing to make a representation can do so in writing or email to Bromley Council at:

Kerry O’Driscoll
Housing Dept
London Borough of Bromley
Civic Centre Bromley
BR1 3UH

Email: kerry.o’driscoll@bromley.gov.uk

You must ensure that you quote the planning reference (PINS Ref. APP/G5180/A/11/2167690) and provide your full name and address
including your post code. Failure to provide these details will mean your comments will not be not accepted.

 

 

Advice from your Safer Neighbourhood Panel (SNP)

Beckenham continues to have a low crime rate, but it’s always worth taking extra care. For instance, a number of garages, especially those tucked out of sight at the back of blocks, have recently been broken into. As a preventative measure there are several makes of ‘Garage Defenders’ you could install, or at least do get your garage contents security marked using UV pens, SmartWater or Selector DNA. The warning ‘property marked’ signs that come with these products act as good deterrents.

When you’re shopping make sure your wallet is out of sight and your bag is held securely. Don’t hang it on the trolley – you may think you’re only looking away for a moment to reach for something or peer at a price, but you’re distracted for longer than you think and your handbag could be gone when you turn back.

Over the coming weeks, your local police team has been asked to prioritise burglaries, both residential and non-residential, making extra patrols of the alleyways and accesses to garages, and robberies from individuals, especially in the High Street area.

Let us know if you have any particular priority for the local police team and we will put it forward at the next meeting of the SNP.

World Book Day Celebrations at Beckenham Library Friday 4 March 2013

Celebrate World Book Day at Beckenham Library at the “Once upon a Storytime” for children aged 4-7 years. Listen to favourite fairy stories and make a book of fairy tales yourself. Friday 8th March – the fun starts at 4pm.
Free tickets available in advance from Beckenham Library – 020 8650 7292.

Plus, of course, you’ll find a world of books at Beckenham’s own independent bookshop 9am-5.30pm at 42 High Street.

Sainsbury’s applies for licence to open 24 hours

Beckenham Sainsbury’s has made an application to open 24 hours, including selling alcohol every day from 6am till midnight). Further information can be found on Bromley Council’s website at the link below.

Sainsburys 24 hours opening

Any residents who wish to comment on a licensing  application must do so by 12 March 2013 by writing or email (licencing@bromley.gov.uk). You must ensure that you quote the licensing reference 13/00096/LAPRE and provide your full name and address including your post code.  Failure to provide these details will mean your comments will not be accepted. Note: representations must be made on one or more of the 4 licensing objectives (crime and disorder / public nuisance / public safety / protection of children from harm).