#LoveItLEWISHAM

Lewisham is bidding to host London's new Borough of Culture festival. Two winners will receive £1m from the Mayor of London to stage events in 2019 and 2020.

Ladywell cartoonist Martin Rowson has produced this artwork to back the bid, which you can support here and by using the hashtag #LoveItLEWISHAM

Browns Doubles Down

Browns of Brockley has always been too popular for its tiny footprint, so the news that it is expanding in to the vacant Speedicars office is an early Christmas present for dedicated Brownies.

The team confirm that they inked the deal a week ago and will soon be expanding, giving them more space and flexibility in terms of the menu.

Ladywell to Victoria trains from 2022

The excellent 853 blog reports that Blackheath's loss will be Ladywell's gain:

Blackheath, Kidbrooke and Eltham stations are set to lose their direct rail services to Victoria from December 2022, according to new documents issued by the Department for Transport today.
But Bexleyheath line passengers will be able to take twice as many trains from Lewisham to Victoria, lessening the pain for passengers who complained about the possibility of losing the link.

The current Victoria services will be switched to the Sidcup line, while half the trains that currently run from Hayes via Catford Bridge to Charing Cross will now run to Lewisham, Nunhead, Peckham Rye, Denmark Hill and Victoria.

This brings direct trains to Victoria from stations such as Hither Green, Lee, Mottingham and New Eltham; as well as Ladywell and Lower Sydenham.

Full details here.

With thanks to Joe for the spot.

Jam Circus flats refused

A proposal to build three flats to the rear of Jam Circus has been rejected by the Council on the basis of poor quality and an overbearing design. The plan was for:

The change of use and conversion of the existing shop together with demolition of the existing single storey structures and the construction of a two storey building to the rear of 330-334 Brockley Road SE4 fronting Beecroft Lane to provide 3 x one person one bedroom self-contained flats.

The development would not have directly compromised Jam Circus, but any residential development that encroaches on a pub is always cause for concern on the basis that future residents may find grounds to complain about people having fun outside their windows, even if the revelry was there first.

plant.furniture

plant.furniture is a new Brockley-based retail business, operating from Breakspears Road and specialising in vintage plant pots from the 1960s and 1970s. Founders James and Eleanor say:

"We fell in love with West German planters of the 1960s and 1970s (as well as similar styles produced in East Germany, the Netherlands and Italy). Plant pots produced in this period include a myriad of styles, colours and textures that can make even the most familiar plant look fantastic and also add a level of design and craftsmanship that is hard to find in a modern product.

"We started off selling at local vintage fairs (such as Peckham Salvage Yard and So Last Century in Catford) and got a really great response which encouraged us to invest in the website and we now do nearly all of our trade online."

Visit their website or their Instagram feed.

Future sound of Deptford

Deptford bar Buster Mantis has launched a new regular Wednesday night 'exploration of Afrofuturism in sound' called Steam Down. Check it out:

Star-Crossed Lovers, December 9th