LABOUR HOLD CROYDON NORTH

LABOUR HAVE held Croydon North with an increased majority. Yesterday's by-election was caused by the death of the hugely popular Malcolm Wicks MP. One surprise was UKIP taking third place.    Voting was as follows: Steve Reed (Labour) 15,898 (64.71%, +8.69%) Andy Stranack (Conservative) 4,137 (16.84%, -7.28%) Winston McKenzie (UKIP) 1,400 (5.70%, +3.97%) Marisha Ray …

OVERGROUND FESTIVAL ORGANISERS WANT YOUR VIEWS

ORGANISERS OF the Crystal Palace Overground Festival are asking the community for their views on next year's event at a meeting next week.   The current committee which run the festival -   now entering its seventh year - are inviting the local community to get involved in helping set the direction of the festival, join …

PALACE GETS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS – THANKS TO WINKWORTH’S ‘SANTA’ (and firms back library panto: “Oh yes they have!!!”)

CRYSTAL PALACE will  get Christmas lights this year - thanks to the boss of Winkworth estate agents Calum Mason playing Santa.   The lights - which I understand have been bought for a four-figure fee - could be switched on as early as tonight (Tuesday).   Calum - director of Winkworth's Crystal Palace branch on Westow Hill - stepped in after …

“PALACE YOU WERE TERRIFIC” (n.b: this is not a football item)

 LIBRARY CAMPAIGNER Robbie Gibson has voiced his thanks on Facebook in the wake of Thursday night's sell-out concert in Upper Norwood joint library: "Massive shout to all those involved in the sell out gig in the library:  Project Audio on 0208 771 1620 in Crystal Palace for donating the PA system and to Simon Gaiger …

YOUNG APPRENTICES FIND THE SECRET GARDEN

CANDIDATES FROM the hit TV series 'Young Apprentice of the Year' have been among the latest customers of The Secret Garden. Their visit to the garden centre - which nestles out of sight behind the Phoenix Centre on Westow Street - was shown on BBC last week. The BBC had rung The Secret Garden the …

GIPSY HILL RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION TO HOLD FIRST AGM

GIPSY HILL residents association holds its first annual meeting at Christ Church, Highland Road on Wednesday 21st November.   Items on the agenda include an update on the Upper Norwood Joint Library situation from campaigner  Robbie Gibson; an update on the Crystal Palace park legal challenge from Crystal Palace Community Association chairman John Payne along …

CONQUERING HERO HELPS NORWOOD FOODBANK

VARIOUS BUSINESSES in Norwood, Dulwich and in the surrounding areas have become hosts where you can drop off food for Norwood and Brixton Foodbank.   The new donation points are:   - Tea West, Rosendale Road   - Floral Hall, Norwood High Street   - Conquering Hero public house, Beaulah Hill (Just off Crown Point) …

BE FLUSHED WITH PRIDE AT LIBRARY! (but please don’t give yourself a lift)

UPPER NORWOOD Joint Library is asking people to donate to a 'flush fund' to repair and upgrade the library loo which is currently out of order.   Improvements will cost £410.40 - with any money over potentially going to loo rolls or being put by for any other repairs and maintenance. The 'flush fund' is …

CROYDON SHOULD PAY 42 % OF LIBRARY FUNDING SAYS CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE

CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE Andy Stranack says Croydon council should provide 42 per cent of all future funding for Upper Norwood joint library.   He suggested the figure - which is based on the percentage of residents from Croydon borough being registered library members - at an informal meeting with library campaigners this morning (Thursday). Mr Stranack told …

INFORMAL HEARING FOR SPINNEY APPEAL

AN APPEAL against Southwark council's refusal of planning permission to build four maisonettes at Spinney Gardens will be heard in January 2013.   Permission was refused by Dulwich community council's planning committee back in May to build the maisonettes in the spinney at Spinney Gardens/Bowley Lane/Dulwich Upper Wood.  In an email to campaigners Justin Kulaway says the …