Spoons hopes to add nine flats and a pub terrace to Brockley Barge

Wetherspoons has submitted plans to redevelop The Brockley Barge as a mixed use development, which would incorporate nine new apartments.

The plans would dramatically transform the structure of the pub (built in 1868) with the proposed residential apartments being positioned above the ground floor of the public house and extending to the south of the three-storey front façade of the building.

The internal layout retains the public house use at ground floor level with the enclosed beer garden to the rear and creates a new customer area on the first floor with access to the terrace. The first-floor terrace would be opened up to use by customers of the public house and will have a 1550mm high glass balustrade mounted behind the existing parapet.

The second floor of the public house would be for staff and will include toilets with changing facilities, store rooms, office space and a staff room.

This is an important one to get right. The Barge is central Brockley's only remaining pub and a focal point for the community. A terrace could be fun, but anything that compromises this community asset or spoils its clean lines is to be treated with caution.

BCer Cynthia writes: "I would love to know what readers think of these plans."

TfL proposes to trim 171 and 172 routes

TfL is proposing to shorten two Brockley bus routes as part of a rejigging designed to reduce central London congestion. 853 reports:

Route 171 from Catford Bus Garage and Brockley to Holborn would be cut back from Holborn to Elephant and Castle under the scheme.

And the 172 from Brockley Rise faces being trimmed back from Clerkenwell to Aldwych.

The scheme affects routes from across London, and also brings a permanent end for Routemaster services a step closer, proposing reducing the “heritage” services on route 15 along Fleet Street using the vintage vehicles to summer weekends and bank holidays only.

The consultation will start next month.

For the full article, click here. Thank you to Joe.

The Telegraph Hill Community Choir

The Telegraph Community Choir write:

We are a group of enthusiastic singers. We meet once a week on Tuesday evenings from 7.30 to 9pm at the Telegraph Pub on Dennett's Road.

We sing lots of rounds, and harmonies, on folk songs, sea shanties, pop, African and world folk, in fact, any songs with heart and soul. 

We are very mixed bunch, some of us have not sung since childhood, others are more seasoned singers. 

Our leader, Lizzie, has worked in music all her life, and sings professionally. She is also a music teacher, workshop leader, and songwriter. One of her songs was recently short listed in a big song competition in Scotland, and she has also composed for BBC TV. 

We are a fun, lively group, who welcome new people, we are expanding all the time. Please come along. Each session costs £6.

Click here for full details