The latest opinion poll from YouGov makes for interesting reading, as does some of the commentary on it. It says Labour will win a huge majority in the next general election based on current voting intentions. Including taking the Cities of London and Westminster seat from the Conservatives — with Labour on 34 percent and the Tories on 22 percent, followed by the Lib Dems and Greens in third and fourth place.
Soho resident Tim Barnes was selected last month as the Tory candidate for the Two Cities seat, after a contest mired in controversy, something that was later noticed by an investigative reporter. Rachel Blake is standing for Labour, Edward Lucas for the Lib Dems, and Rajiv Sinha for the Green Party.
Blake stood up at the Labour conference last autumn to say that many residents across the Two Cities live in homes that are cold, damp, leaking energy, and contributing to poor health. Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan “would invest up to £6bn every year for 10 years to give families the grants and loans they need to upgrade the energy efficiency of our homes,” she said. But in February Labour slashed that pledge to just £1.3bn a year.
Thames Water continue to make misery for residents in Fitzrovia by repeated road works, as well as pouring sewage into the river the company takes its name from. Labour have said they won’t bring the company back into public ownership as it “just doesn’t stack up against our fiscal rules”. That’s not good enough for a senior Labour politician on Westminster Council. “FFS. Why are we being asked to bail out Thames Water’s feckless owners? Public ownership is inevitable. Let’s get on with it,” says Geoff Baraclough. Thames is in deep financial trouble reports the FT today.
Next month there are elections for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
Lots of readers contacted us about the sudden closure of Paul Kitsaros’s tailor’s shop on Cleveland Street. He is relocating after more than 25 years in the street. Another loss for the neighbourhood.
We were saddened to hear of the death of long-time resident, Eileen “Peggy” Steers. Her funeral service will be at St Marylebone Crematorium, East End Road, Finchley, London N2 0RZ, 1pm Tuesday 9 April 2024.
The UK Health Security Agency is still concerned about measles outbreaks in almost every area of England including London and is urging parents and carers to ensure their children are vaccinated. See the NHS website for more information. There has also been a rise in whooping cough cases. Information on the NHS website.
Covid continues to remain a major threat, according to the WHO. Infections and hospital admissions in the UK have declined but the disease has damaging long term impacts. Please follow NHS advice to avoid catching and spreading the virus.
If you want to get in touch with us to tell us what you think of our reporting, have a question, or would like to contribute to Fitzrovia News please email us at news@fitzrovianews.com
— Linus Rees, editor
The latest on our website
Tim Barnes selected as Conservative candidate for ‘two cities’
Local Tories allege conflict of interest between MP candidates and association chair
London elections 2024 in Fitzrovia – what you need to know
Tailor chalks up his last made-to-measure at Cleveland Street shop
Goodge Street carriageway closed between Charlotte and Whitfield Streets
Museum Street campaigners continue fight against demolition
How and when to complain about noise nuisance from construction sites in Fitzrovia
Obituary: Peggy Steers
Public consultations
Licensing application: Broadcasting House, 2-22 Portland Place
Licensing application: Rachel’s Nails and Coffee, 34 Windmill Street
Licensing application: 7M, 22 Hanway Street
Licensing application: 19-21 Great Portland Street
Planning applications in Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia East, March 2024
Planning applications in Fitzrovia West, March 2024
Westminster Council validated planning applications in Fitzrovia West during March 2024.
Local democracy reports
Council and police shut unlicensed music venue in Mortimer Street after noise complaints
Westminster Council is pressing ministers to close loophole within short-term lets reform
Westminster Council allows later hours for ‘competitive socialising venue’ on Oxford Street
Printed newspapers
Our next printed news-sheet will be published in early June, not this month as I promised a few weeks ago. I’m too busy. It will be available from outside Fitzrovia Community Centre, 2 Foley Street. See the newspaper archive for back issues of Fitzrovia News. We aim to produce a two-page, printed issue at least four times a year. Local weeklies the Camden New Journal and the Westminster Extra are also available outside the Community Centre and they also have an archive where you can view the full printed Camden and Westminster printed editions.