Forum Topics

Wandsworth Council quiet on govt's Hammersmith Bridge demands

There continues to be no visible progress with Hammersmith Bridge. It it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the government sees it as symbol how low London is in its priorities. The continued closure is a signal to the Tories new friends in the north and Midlands that areas who didn't vote for them will be starved of cash whilst the pork barrel will be full for anywhere who did.Non-party political Hammersmith Bridge SOS have pointed out that for major infrastructure projects of this kind, local authorities have usually been asked to contribute 15% rather than a third. For Boris Johnson's Garden Bridge project the contribution was zero from local councils. Even 15% would effectively cost every single council tax payer in Hammersmith & Fulham over £1,000 so it is not difficult to understand why they can't accept the government's terms which also effectively hand them control of the project.What particularly disappointing is that Wandsworth Council have done little but cheer from the side-lines when the government makes its outrageous demands rather than attempting to persuade them to come to a reasonable compromise. This will matter to their own taxpayers when a major piece of infrastructure needs replacing and they find that the government uses the Hammersmith Bridge proposal as the template for funding the Wandsworth project.

David Parker ● 1977d0 Comments ● 1977d

Government acted unlawfully over a COVID contract

Government acted unlawfully over firm's £560,000 Covid contracthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57413115First ruling of the High Court, rulings on others are expected at a later date.  But it is the beginning.

Ivonne Holliday ● 1979d6 Comments ● 1977d

External decorator needed

Hi all, we are trying to get a decorator to paint the outside of our house. Failing miserably as we ring them up and then they don’t turn up. It’s as if they don’t want the work! Can anyone recommend a good reliable decorator? Thanks

Abi Smith ● 1978d1 Comments ● 1977d

London’s beloved big red buses could be coming to the end of the road

It looks like the big red bus may be on the way out. Dinosaurs I call them. They keep getting bigger despite the small passenger numbers. Change drivers or get turned around due to routes being too long. Very hard to pass on a bike or in a car. Too long to board and get off them. Very inefficient in so many ways. Just look at the weight and MPG it's shocking!Perhaps we can have less but more frequent smaller, clearer buses??https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/london-red-buses-end-road-tfl-b938584.html

Ed Robinson ● 1984d8 Comments ● 1978d

Cycle day @ kew Gardens

It is a great place to visit with so much to see. So this is a great idea for cycling week.Prices may be a bit steep but may interest some.(Membership seem to offer better valve but doesn't include these special events).https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-on/summer-cycle

Ed Robinson ● 1982d2 Comments ● 1978d

Random pic 10 June 2021

Edinburgh Airport         https://flic.kr/p/2krsESQ

Michael Ixer ● 1978d0 Comments ● 1978d

Conservative MP Danny Kruger aka Stupid Entitled Prat!

Full story on homepage:Tory MP's Jack Russell Puppy Caused Deer Stampede"A Conservative MP has been fined at Westminster Magistrates’ Court after his 11-month-old Jack Russell called Pebble caused a herd of deer to stampede in Richmond Park.46-year-old Danny Kruger, who represents Devizes in Wiltshire and lives in Hammersmith admitted causing or permitting an animal to chase or worry another animal.Mr Kruger, with his wife and three children had taken Pebble for a walk in Richmond Park on 20 March when the puppy spotted a group of around 200 deer. Despite being a fraction of the size of the other animals, he ran straight at them causing them to scatter before doubling back and repeating the charge.Many of the deer in the herd were pregnant and were panicked by the incident."🤬🤬🤬

Sue Hammond ● 1980d18 Comments ● 1978d

Dido's ambition

Tory peeress Dido Harding (ex phone foul-up, ex Covid tracing foul-up) wants to head the NHS. Shouldn't we all be fearful?

Alexander MacLeod ● 1980d25 Comments ● 1979d

yet another scam

Re Amazon this time.  E-mail telling me to verify account. Getting very weary of this.  Was very plausible but I'm so suspicious of everything these days.

Barbara Shillabeer ● 1995d9 Comments ● 1979d

Random pic 9 June 2021

The Headington Shark, Oxford 2018. Installed on 9th August 1986, the 41st anniversary of the atomic bomb being dropped on Nagasaki, and after the Chernobyl disaster of April 1986            https://flic.kr/p/2kcDP9w

Michael Ixer ● 1979d0 Comments ● 1979d

Parking for NHS staff

I was not aware of this, but it appears that from June 21st free parking for NHS workers will end, as the government is set to scrap the scheme introduced last year. It seems highly unfair to me because, not only have they been the heroes during the pandemic, the 1% increase proposed by the government is really mean and uncaring.If you are interested, here is a petition organised by 38 Degrees:https://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/keep-free-parking-for-nhs-workers?utm_campaign=BmIwWu65Tr&utm_content&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share&fbclid=IwAR2BI3oq9y1WbpB7Lj2YDx5DhINzw7WHvv4bmIH_Jx6XnGW9wduNIrMAfyUThank you

Ivonne Holliday ● 1980d8 Comments ● 1979d

EV

Went to a Peugeot dealership looking for vans today, they had one electric car small £37000. They didn't have any others the salesman said his colleague drives to Crawley, each day and back if he doesn't charge his car every other day he can't get into work. The charging point at the dealership doesn't always work. He advised not buying electric their not making enough of them as people are not buying them. For a new vehicle they only make them when an order is put in or for a display model for the Dealership. As for a van he just said get one about 2yrs old as long as a Euro 6.

Barbara Stevens ● 1981d22 Comments ● 1980d

Random pic 8 June 21

The Thames, with dark clouds in the distance            https://flic.kr/p/2kHtssG

Michael Ixer ● 1980d0 Comments ● 1980d

Interesting Baftas tonight

The audience distancing felt a little strange and flat but I applaud all the winners. I fear due to circumstance the diversity of winners may feel a little fashionable but I have no doubt they were all well deserved. On another note...I'm not a royalist but I'm not a hater either so congrats to H&M for the new addition to their family of baby Lilibet.

Maxine Campbell ● 1981d18 Comments ● 1980d

Is the Express criticising the Brexit deal - indirectly of course

This is a rather odd article in the Express. The whole thing about Brexit is that the UK's financial services can no longer be passported to the EU so some functions have to be transferred from UK to EU markets to meet EU regulatory requirements - that's been noted as a probability before the referendum. Presumably it's what Brexiteers wanted, although the deal negotiated was poor in that it excluded financial services completely. Of course many staff aren't going to want to move; apart from the fact that London's a great city to live in, if they have friends, family, and other roots in the UK there are sometimes barriers to moving even if they'd like to. So the Express is admitting Brexit is good for EU jobs and disrupts people's lives - that was expected as well - so why don't they just say they were wrong, Brexit is a problem. Still, I suppose all those traders who've quit their jobs can go and work at a Wetherspoon's establishment?https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1445325/Brexit-news-London-traders-quit-jobs-EU-crackdown-City-of-London-banks-latest

Michael Ixer ● 1982d10 Comments ● 1980d

USB "ninja" malware cables

If you spotted one of these usually blue USB cables left on the High Street, don't pick them up. When you plug them in they act like an infected USB stick and will install malware on your laptop or phone or friendly USB friendly device.They keep reappearing in the same places...

Marc Blanchard ● 1983d9 Comments ● 1980d

Pedestrian tunnels

Does anyone know anything about pedestrian tunnels, probably dating to the 19th century? They originate on what was Baltic Wharf (later Douglas Wharf, Putney Wharf). One possibly ran towards the Thames and another, by a roundabout route, crossed under the High Street and linked up to the basement of 4-6 Putney High Street, which, when the tunnel was explored c. 1970, was the basement of the Dowell Lloyd auction rooms (recently taken over by Tequila Mockingbird) but MAY earlier have been the cellar of the Red Lion.

Philip John Evison ● 1982d7 Comments ● 1980d

Random pic 7 June 2021

Large Hadron Collider components (shield strips, pressure relief spring) manufactured by C Brandaurer & Co Ltd (Birmingham Museum)            https://flic.kr/p/2kB4PyJ

Michael Ixer ● 1981d0 Comments ● 1981d

Artisan and Vine LRR

Serves a lovely draught pint of ‘Signal Lager’. 4.80 a pint. As much a I like the Spencer. I still find it bizarre at the 20 minute queues for 6 pounds a pint when this place is 40 yards away. Enjoy.

Nick Gulliford ● 1982d2 Comments ● 1982d

Random pic 6 June 2021

Greenpeace Esperanza visit to South Quay, 14 April 2019            https://flic.kr/p/ToFeyd

Michael Ixer ● 1982d0 Comments ● 1982d