FN Newsletter 07-05-2024

Early May 2024 round up of news, features and comment

Welcome to the first of two email newsletters this month. There is quite a lot to report, hence a rather long email…

A charity is hoping to preserve a children’s nursery and playground for future generations; Tesco has opened a smaller store on Goodge Street (tell us what you think); designers have been appointed to change Crabtree Fields public open space (I dread to think); there is an exhibition of the Terry Higgins Memorial Quilt at the Fitzrovia Chapel; Fitzrovia West has a new representative on the London Assembly; and we have four licensing applications, as well as numerous planning applications.

Health. Covid continues to remain a major threat, according to the WHO. Long Covid is affecting around 2mn people in England and Scotland. Please follow NHS advice to avoid catching and spreading the virus. The UK Health Security Agency continues to be concerned about measles outbreaks, and is urging parents and carers to ensure their children are vaccinated. There has also been a rise in whooping cough cases. Information on the NHS website.

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

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The latest on our website

Local charity seeks help to protect children’s nursery and playground

A local charity is asking for help in protecting a children’s nursery and playground on Whitfield Street in Fitzrovia to preserve it for generations to come.

Tesco opens its smaller Goodge Street store

Tesco reopened its Goodge Street shop on the morning of Thursday 25 April after a refurbishment which has left customers with a supermarket less than half the size of what it was when it closed last summer.

Crabtree Fields design development workshops announced

Three design development workshops for Crabtree Fields public open space will be held over the next three months at Fitzrovia Community Centre.

Terry Higgins memorial quilt at The Fitzrovia Chapel

The Fitzrovia Chapel will display this month a special new quilt dedicated to the life and legacy of Terry Higgins, one of the first people in the UK to die of an Aids-related illness.

Works by artist Simon Klein at The Fitzrovia Gallery

Artist Simon Klein is holding an exhibition of paintings and drawings entitled, Love in the time of…, at The Fitzrovia Gallery this week.

Public consultations

Licensing application: Broken Eggs, 24-25 Foley Street

Broken Eggs Ltd has applied to Westminster Council to increase the hours of its premises licence at the ground floor of 24-25 Foley Street in Fitzrovia West.

Licensing application: Volonte, 10 Mortimer Street

Cafe Volonte Ltd has applied to Westminster Council for a new premises licence at 10 Mortimer Street in Fitzrovia West.

Licensing application: The Royal Cocktail Exchange, 31 Windmill Street

Twenty-First Amendment Ltd has applied to Camden Council to vary the premises licence at The Royal Cocktail Exchange, 31 Windmill Street, on the corner of Whitfield Street.

Licensing application: Elysee Restaurant, 13 Percy Street

Gales Restaurants Limited has applied to Camden Council to vary its premises licence at the Elysee Restaurant, 13 Percy Street.

Planning applications in Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia East, April 2024

Camden Council registered planning applications in Bloomsbury ward, which includes Fitzrovia East, during April 2024.

Planning applications in Fitzrovia West, April 2024

Westminster Council validated planning applications in Fitzrovia West during April 2024.

Local democracy reports

Labour wins West Central London Assembly seat and Mayoral vote for first time

Labour has taken the West Central London Assembly seat for the first time, ousting the Tory incumbent by just over 4,000 votes.

Number of people sleeping on the streets in London up 33 percent

Rough sleeping in London is up by a third compared with last year, according to the latest data released by the Greater London Authority.

Rise in fire casualties in Camden during 2023-2024 says borough commander

Deaths and serious injuries from fire are up 161 percent in the London Borough of Camden, with the elderly and people in adult social care particularly impacted.

Pavement licensing fees set at maximum allowed but still don’t cover cost to council

Westminster Council has set its “pavement licensing” fees at the maximum allowed amount of £500 for new applications and £350 for renewal applications — a price that still falls short of the cost of running the scheme.

Printed newspapers

Our next printed news-sheet will be published in early June. 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.

News from elsewhere

Anne Clarke re-elected as London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden

Labour candidate Anne Clarke was re-elected as the London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden today (Saturday)– with an increased lead over the Conservatives and a result which followed the pattern that helped Sadiq Khan secure a third term as London Mayor.