Happy Thursday, South East London!
We know, it’s mid-Jan. Not everyone’s favourite time of year. But hopefully the events below give you a good reason to get out of the house.
And once you check it out, reply to this email and let us know what you thought of today’s newsletter. Loved it? Hated it? Have just the idea to make it better? We’ll take it.
Thanks. See you next week!
-Anton
🎸 Concerts & Events
Friday, January 16th
Experience the history of the Thames. This weekend, the Canal & River Trust is hosting guided tours inside the West India Docks Impounding Station. Learn how Canary Wharf stays afloat. Saturday already sold out, get tickets now.
You know what goes great with alcohol? Cross stitching. Didn’t see that coming, did you? Learn the basics or show off during this relaxing Friday evening activity.
Natty Bo and the Top Cats! Isn’t that amazing band name enough to make you want to go? This 9-piece ska and reggae band is jamming out here on Friday.
Saturday, January 17th
It’s all about apples at Wassail Day at the Village Orchard in Dulwich. This might be the most wholesome event we’ve featured. Make crafts with apples, warm bread on the fire, pin toast to a tree… apparently it makes for a good harvest 🤷♂️. Great date or family day and it’s free!
The Tempest by candlelight. This new interpretation of the Shakespeare play officially begins on Saturday. Get tickets now.
Take a ‘sketchy’ walk through London with Sketchwalks. Everyone who loves drawing is invited to explore the city and sketch it at they go. And this one starts right at the Horniman Museum.
Movie soundtracks… by candlelight. Okay, we don’t know why there are so many candlelight activities this week either. Maybe because the sun sets at 4pm. Still, this one look really incredible. A full orchestra playing music from Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins, The Mandalorian, Pirates of the Caribbean, and more.
Sunday, January 18th
The BEST poets read the BEST poetry. This is not hyperbole. These are the ten shortlisted poets for the T.S. Eliot Prize, only the most prestigious prize in poetry there is. This will be a one of a kind evening.
All Weekend Long
Explore the lives of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald in this new play that starts today! And the best part… you don’t have to venture out of the South East. Check out the preview here.
A prison drama in Greenwich. This two-hander is getting amazing reviews at the Greenwich Theatre and is only on this weekend.
🧒 Family-friendly Activities
A parent-baby cheese tasting hosted by Lucycheese. None of that was a typo. Lucy, a Greenwich cheesemonger, invites parents to come and hear the stories of a variety of cheeses in a baby-friendly environment. Make your baby the classiest baby around.
An interactive family concert with the London Philharmonic! A world-class rendition of Peter and the Wolf for the whole family. Tickets are running out.
Get on the stage at this child-friendly concert for kids 2-5. A great way to get young ones interested in music early by getting up close and seeing how the magic happens. Check it out.
🍺 Food & Drink
A plant-based supper club where you decide the price. The Bridge is cooking up a sustainable feast that’s good for you and the planet. This is an event for the community so pull up a chair and chat with a stranger. Check out the menu and the special chef.
Sake tasting inside the UK’s first sake brewery. Learn about sake making and of course, drink a lot of sake all underneath an arch. Find out where this unique experience is.
📰 News in your borough
LEWISHAM
The Barkerloo extension and affordable housing are deeply intertwined
London's Deputy Mayor for Housing, Tom Copley, has stated that London will struggle to meet its target of building 88,000 new homes annually without the approval of the Bakerloo Line extension to Lewisham and Hayes.
While the government has requested a significant increase in housing development, Copley emphasized that achieving these figures requires massive infrastructure investment and funding for projects like the West London Orbital and the DLR extension.
Which proposed rail / rail extension has the best chance of becoming a reality?
SOUTHWARK
Southwark Council is raising its rents
Southwark Council plans to increase council housing rents by 4.8% starting in April.
The council maintains that this additional revenue is essential to address a significant funding shortfall and to pay for critical repairs, specifically targeting issues like damp and mould across its estates.
Alongside the rent hike, weekly tenant service charges will rise from £14.10 to £15.15.
GREENWICH
Greenwich is the worst… for potholes
The council has been named as one of the twelve worst in London for how they handle potholes by the Department for Transport.
Greenwich is fighting back, insisting they hadn’t provided the DfT their full data. That’s right, this was based on the council’s own data.
But Greenwich isn’t alone. Kensington & Chelsea and Waltham Forest aren’t happy with the Department’s methodology either. It should be obvious they also got a ‘red’ in the report.
YOU SPOKE, WE LISTENED…
RESULTS FROM THE LONDON CITY AIRPORT POLL
Last week we asked you what you thought about London City Airport after they implemented an £8 dropoff charge. Here’s how you responded…
What do you think of London City Airport?
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 It's still the most convenient airport there is. 62%
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ I liked it until they started charging £8 for parking. 12%
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ It's Luton-level bad. 6%
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Not the best, not the worst. 18%
Looks like the £8 isn’t stopping anybody from using London City.
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That’s all for now. Have a great week!