Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Brian Paddick has said that, if elected, he would allow Londoners to patrol their own streets and decide how police are deployed.

With crime and policing high on the agenda for all candidates, Mr Paddick aims to give some of the power back to residents. Back in January, he visited Bonnington Square in south London, whose residents launched their own crime-fighting patrols to combat a spate of muggings and a carjacking.

via Brian Paddick: We Want New York-Style Policing | Londonist.

This will be Saturday 27th November from 10am

Hope you can make it.

Thanks
Elliot Kemp
BSGA secretary

THANK YOU!

An artist’s impression of the Vauxhall Cross towers

Sam Masters
DEVELOPERS have revealed £170million plans for two towers in an area where community campaigners have bitterly fought high-rise developments.
The project at Bondway in the heart of Vauxhall Cross is being funded by the chief executive of Middle Eastern oil company FAL Oil.
Developers Kylun Ltd own the site, and have financial backing from the United Arab Emirates-based company director.
The development will see a 42 and 31-storey tower erected with views over the Thames.
But community campaigners have fought previous applications to build high-rise apartments in the area.
In March, residents demanded a Lambeth council planning committee reject the Octave Tower development in Bondway.
They said the high-rise buildings would “condemn” Vauxhall to become like Manhattan in New York.
Jane Michelson from Bonnington Square, Vauxhall said: “We are going to fight developments like this all the way, right down the line.”
The Octave application was rejected by councillors.
The new “elegant” design has been created by architects Squire & Partners. Michael Squire, from the firm, said:
“Our proposals are designed to deliver a new focal point for Vauxhall connected to bus and train stations.
“We are focusing on improving the ground-level environment and providing new animated retail and restaurant frontage.”
The project would create 310 apartments and a 180-bed hotel with a “sky bar” open to the public on the 14th floor.
The developers said the scheme would create more than 450 new jobs in Vauxhall.
Adrian Owen, from property consultants Montagu Evans which is representing Kylun Ltd, said:
“This key site has previously been neglected.
“In its current state, it does nothing for the local community aside from being an eyesore as you emerge from the Tube station.
“We hope to be able to deliver a scheme that reinvigorates this part of Vauxhall.”
* A public exhibition will be held at Vauxhall City Farm today from 2pm to 8pm and tomorrow from 10am to 3pm.
Planning applications for the development are expected to be submitted to Lambeth council this summer.
via http://www.southlondon-today.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=18176&headline=Twin%20towers%20plan%20for%20Vauxhall

The Bonnington Cafe by Ewan Munro
Nudged into action by the launch of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, Londonist embarks on an eco eating crawl.

The bohemian Bonnington Cafe started life as an Eighties squat and is now run as a co-operative, sitting prettily in the leafy surroundings of Bonnington Square in Vauxhall. Run by member cooks, with no single person in charge, it obviously aims to operate sustainably, while the decision to exclude fish and meat makes it a good choice for the eco conscious eater.

Dinner at the Bonnington Cafe isn’t simply a matter of turning up. First you have to contact the chef and see if they will have you. Different people cook every night, each with their own specialities and eccentricities. We wanted to dine on a Saturday night which meant we were to be cooked for and served by Margarete. We sent her an email, swiftly followed by a text (in an over keen moment), and our minor bombardment concluded happily with an 8pm table reservation.

We ended up arriving a little early, still over keen, which was, Margarete assured us in a rather stern voice, better than being late. It’s BYO – the communal corkscrews hang near the piano – so we cracked our bottle open and settled down to look over the short menu that offered two starters (£3), two mains (£7) and two cakes (£3), all suitably healthy sounding, except perhaps the cake.
We chose chickpea tagine with two salads, followed by coffee and cake. The stew arrived fast and was piled high. It was hearty vegetarian fare, all brown rice, quinoa, pulses and leaves. It was good, fresh and homemade, which made the distinctly unglamorous presentation forgivable, but it definitely didn’t look or taste gourmet. The coffee and cake that followed was alright, nothing special.
The food wasn’t amazing the night we visited but it was wholesome and incredibly cheap, and actually we fell a little bit in love with this place as it danced with shadows in the candlelight. It has a lovely atmosphere and interesting history. We’ll definitely return, to try out different chefs’ cooking and see how it changes with the seasons. Summer must be wonderful when the gardens are at their best, while in winter there’s the promise of a roaring open fire.
The Bonnington Cafe, 1 Vauxhall Grove, SW8 1TD
via http://londonist.com/2010/05/eco_eatery_review_bonnington_cafe.php