X Factor star Hannah Barrett backs our Toys for Joy appeal

December 10, 2013, 10:04 am

≫ Next: Dawn raids in Croydon as part of Lambeth gang crackdown

≪ Previous: EXCLUSIVE: Crystal Palace legend remembers Eagles trip to meet Nelson Mandela

$

0

0

OUR Toys for Joy appeal now has the X Factor. South Norwood teenager Hannah Barrett, who reached the final five of the ITV signing contest, will be helping to hand your donations to kids at Croydon University Hospital on Tuesday morning. She will be joined by the stars of Fairfield Halls' panto Peter Pan - including EastEnders' Phil Mitchell, Steve McFadden - and Father Christmas. So far, Advertiser readers and Croydon business have been donating toys by the sackload, to help spread a little festive cheer to those who find themselves in hospital at what should be the most wonderful time of the year. Among the businesses to pledge support are Kiddicare, the children's store which opened on the Purley Way earlier this year. Bilkis Oladokun, the store's customer service team leader, said they would be delighted to donate toys to the appeal. She said: "We like to get involved with local good causes as much as possible and we thought this would be a good way of supporting the community at Christmas."There is still time to donate toys to the appeal. They must either be new or nearly new and in pristine condition. Toys can be for babies, toddlers or older children up to 17-years-old. But, if you are wrapping your gifts please make sure you label who they are for, an approximate age and whether it is for a boy or girl. We cannot accept soft toys for hygiene reasons. You can bring your presents to the NHS Croydon building at 12-18 Lennard Road, Croydon, from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

---

Dawn raids in Croydon as part of Lambeth gang crackdown

December 10, 2013, 10:05 am

≫ Next: Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi spent £1,500 on sofa in Croydon, court hears

≪ Previous: X Factor star Hannah Barrett backs our Toys for Joy appeal

$

0

0

COCAINE and £2,000 in cash have been discovered by police during a raid on a house in Croydon. Officers searched two addresses in Croydon as part of an operation targeting gangs in Lambeth. In total 17 men and one woman aged between 18 and 40-years-old were arrested for a range of offences including conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, namely crack heroin and crack cocaine, robbery and immigration offences. Some 400 officers took part in the dawn raids today (Tuesday) which covered 21 addresses, including 18 in Lambeth and one in Sutton. The operation was led by the Trident gangs unit, officers from Lambeth and the Met's Territorial Support Group. All those arrested have been taken to police stations in south and central London where they remain in custody.

Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi spent £1,500 on sofa in Croydon, court hears

December 10, 2013, 1:57 pm

≫ Next: FANS VIEW: Crystal Palace's fixture list hardly brings Christmas cheer

≪ Previous: Dawn raids in Croydon as part of Lambeth gang crackdown

$

0

0

NIGELLA Lawson's lavish spending included splashing out more than £1,500 on a sofa from a Croydon furniture store, a court heard. Personal assistant Anzelle Wasserman told a jury she spent thousands of pounds for the family on luxury goods using a credit card given to her by the celebrity chef's estranged husband, Charles Saatchi. This included splurging thousands of pounds on flowers, Glastonbury tickets and, according to one card statement, a £1,575 DFS sofa from the chain's Croydon shop. The sofa was said to be for Mr Saatchi's daughter Phoebe. Ms Wasserman was giving evidence against sisters Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo who are accused of lavishing £685,000 on themselves over a four-year period while working for the couple. The case has been the subject of detailed media attention, after Mr Saatchi alleged his wife had taken drugs regularly during their marriage – claims largely refuted by Nigella, when she appeared before Isleworth Crown Court last week.

FANS VIEW: Crystal Palace's fixture list hardly brings Christmas cheer

December 10, 2013, 10:30 pm

≫ Next: Croydon man could face retrial over rape charges

≪ Previous: Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi spent £1,500 on sofa in Croydon, court hears

$

0

0

THEY say a week is a long time in politics, it's even longer in the Premier League. Two wins in a week can be summed up in two, simple words; commitment and desire. A rejuvenated Maroune Chamakh, a tireless Cameron Jerome and an inspired new cult hero in Barry Bannan have added to the foundations of last season's crop, while the affect of Keith Millen and Tony Pulis has been outstanding. December could be a defining month in shaping the bottom of the Premiership; not just for Palace but also the other clubs in the mix. With three out of four of our matches tough away trips, and the only home game against an in-form Newcastle, there is certainly no Christmas cheer in the fixture list. The comfort we can take is that those other clubs around us have got equally tough games, some against each other, so points will be precious and hard to come by for everyone. This weekend brings a hefty challenge, travelling across London to Stamford Bridge. We face a Chelsea side that remain unbeaten at home in the league under Mourinho's stewardship, albeit not currently in top form. Last time out they lost at Stoke; a poor result by all means but we cannot underestimate the talent in their squad. If we stand any chance of challenging the top sides, now is the time. Performances of late have been a breath of fresh air. They haven't been glamorous by any stretch of the imagination, more functional, but I think Palace fans are enjoying the spirit and commitment shown by the players. I am predicting an unchanged side to face Chelsea, subject to the fitness of Dean Moxey, with the right balance between attack and defence being found. I am sure our priority will be not to lose the game, but you never know in this league.

Croydon man could face retrial over rape charges

December 11, 2013, 1:31 am

≫ Next: Fire breaks out in row of Thornton Heath garages

≪ Previous: FANS VIEW: Crystal Palace's fixture list hardly brings Christmas cheer

$

0

0

The jury has failed to reach a verdict in the trial of a Croydon man accused of raping a woman he met in a Purley pub. Colin Ford, 58, of Fernhurst Road, had pleaded not guilty at Guildford Crown Court to two charges of rape. The woman, who is in her 20s, said she was attacked at Whyteleafe Recreation Ground, in Hillbury Road, Whyteleafe, on May 18. A hearing will be held on December 16 to decide if Mr Ford should face a retrial.

Fire breaks out in row of Thornton Heath garages

December 11, 2013, 1:50 am

≫ Next: How Croydon acts Rough Copy, Hannah Barrett, and Lorna Simpson proved they had the X Factor

≪ Previous: Croydon man could face retrial over rape charges

$

0

0

A FIRE has broken out in a row of garages in Thornton Heath. Four fire engines from Norbury's white watch have been sent to Beulah Road after being called at 8.48am. The fire is understood to be behind Beulah Auto Centre. A London Fire Brigade spokesman said the row, made up of five single-storey garages, was 50 per cent alight. More to follow

How Croydon acts Rough Copy, Hannah Barrett, and Lorna Simpson proved they had the X Factor

December 11, 2013, 1:59 am

≫ Next: Disadvantaged pupils falling behind at Croydon academy - Ofsted

≪ Previous: Fire breaks out in row of Thornton Heath garages

$

0

0

A QUARTER of the acts in the X Factor live shows hailed from Croydon, proving we have plenty of talent when it come to producing singers. Unfortunately, Rough Copy's elimination at the weekend means we won't have a representative in the final - but our acts have still done Croydon proud. Here's a look back at some of their highlights...

---

Rough Copy Reached: Semi-finals High point: Their week one performance of Phil Collins' In the Air Tonight earmarked the trio as real contenders to win the show Low point: Being told to tone it down a bit by judges Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne Louis Walsh would say: 'You remind me of a young Boyz II Men' Future prospects: Could fill the JLS-shaped hole in the cool boy/man band market.Hannah Barrett Reached: Quarter-finals High point: Probably her first audition, when the then 16-year-old Greggs bakery worker stunned the judges with an emotional performance of Emeli Sande's Read All About It Low point: Being the drop-zone three times in the live shows Louis Walsh would say: 'You remind me of a young Nina Simone' Future prospects: Hannah had arguably the strongest voice in the competition. She could go far.Lorna Simpson Reached: First week of live shows High point: Her rendition of I Wanna Dance With Somebody was a stand-out performance at the boot camp stage of the show. Low point: Being the first contestant eliminated from the live shows, after receiving the fewest public votes. Louis Walsh would say: 'You remind me of a young Whitney Houston' Future prospects: Not on the X Factor tour, but her big voice could be suited to a West End show

Disadvantaged pupils falling behind at Croydon academy - Ofsted

December 11, 2013, 2:30 am

≫ Next: VOTE: Who is your Crystal Palace player of the season so far?

≪ Previous: How Croydon acts Rough Copy, Hannah Barrett, and Lorna Simpson proved they had the X Factor

$

0

0

AN ACADEMY has been told its disadvantaged pupils are falling behind their classmates. Ofsted has said Shirley High Performing Arts College needs to do more to address their lack of progress in English and maths. The report, published this week, also said the secondary school's most able pupils "do no make good progress". Head teacher Nigel Barrow said he accepted Ofsted's criticisms and would make changes as a "matter of priority". The inspection team, which visited the 1077-pupil school in November, criticised the quality of teaching and the sixth form, particularly the below average attainment of students studying AS levels. Shirley High, in Shirley Church Road, has an above average number of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium, which gives schools additional funding for pupils from difficult backgrounds. "The progress in English and maths of students for whom the school receives the premium is not sufficiently rapid," the report said. "On average these students attain GCSE grades lower in English and three-quarters of a grade lower in maths than other students in the school." Ofsted said students who qualified for Year 7 catch-up funding also make less than expected progress. "The school is not making good use of additional resources provided for these two groups of learners," the report added. Ofsted also said the school needed to "urgently introduce systematic approaches to the teaching of literacy across the curriculum". In contrast, the inspectors recognised the progress made in performing arts and vocational sixth form subjects, and praised behaviour, attendance and the low number of exclusions. Overall the school was judged as "requires improvement", the second to lowest grade, and will be reinspected within a year. Shirley High, previously judged to be "good", converted to become an academy in January 2012. Despite Ofsted's criticisms, Mr Barrow believes the report supports his belief that Shirley High has continued to improve. In a statement emailed to the Advertiser, he said: "The recent inspection, which was conducted under a new, more rigorous inspection framework, identified some aspects of the school that now require attention. "We welcome this opportunity to further improve the school and we will be implementing the recommended changes as a matter of priority." He added: "We acknowledge that we need to focus our pupil premium funding more directly on English and Maths provision and that the AS curriculum provided in our first year of Sixth Form was not best suited to some learners."

---

VOTE: Who is your Crystal Palace player of the season so far?

December 11, 2013, 2:39 am

≫ Next: Five arrested after shotgun found during armed stop in New Addington

≪ Previous: Disadvantaged pupils falling behind at Croydon academy - Ofsted

$

0

0

NEARLY halfway through the season, Palace are settling into Premier League life. After a slow start and the turmoil of manager Ian Holloway's departure, the Eagles have settled down nicely and are now close to escaping the relegation zone. The Advertiser thought this would be a good time to take stock and see who you, the Palace fans, think has been the club's star man so far. Do Julian Speroni's consistent performances in goal deserve recognition? Or perhaps Joel Ward's efforts at full-back - international class, according to his team mates - make him your man of the season. Our man of the match votes so far this season also show there's plenty of support for the likes of Dean Moxey and Mile Jedinak while, more recently, new boy Barry Bannan and strikers Cameron Jerome and Marouane Chamakh have impressed. To choose your Palace player of the season so far, please vote in the poll below. We'll reveal the results later this week.

Five arrested after shotgun found during armed stop in New Addington

December 11, 2013, 2:48 am

≫ Next: Motorcyclist with critical injuries after collision with car in Purley

≪ Previous: VOTE: Who is your Crystal Palace player of the season so far?

$

0

0

A SHOTGUN and ammunition have been recovered by police after two cars were stopped in New Addington. Officers from Trident, the Met's gun crime unit, stopped the vehicles at Westcott Close off Lodge Lane at 6.15pm last night. Despite being confronted by armed officers three people in the cars tried to flee. Three remained inside the vehicles - a Ford Focus and a BMW - and were arrested. Two men ran but were caught by the police and detained. The other man managed to escape and is still at large. A sawn-off shotgun and two rounds of ammunition were recovered from the back seat of the BMW. Five men aged between 25 and 30, were arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Three are from Croydon and two are from Lambeth. They remain in custody at a south London police station.

Motorcyclist with critical injuries after collision with car in Purley

December 11, 2013, 3:44 am

≫ Next: Cyclist rushed to hospital after colliding with a car off Croydon Flyover

≪ Previous: Five arrested after shotgun found during armed stop in New Addington

$

0

0

A motorcyclist was rushed to hospital this morning after colliding with a car near Purley. The London Ambulance Service were called at 7.45 am to reports that a car and motorcylist had crashed at the junction of Smitham Bottom Lane and Woodcote Valley Road. A man, thought to be in his 40s, was treated at the scene by an ambulance crew for neck, chest and abdominal injuries and rushed to the major trauma centre at St George's Hospital in Tooting. A spokesman said the man was conscious and breathing but it is not known if his injuries are life threatening.

Cyclist rushed to hospital after colliding with a car off Croydon Flyover

December 11, 2013, 5:28 am

≫ Next: Council poster campaign exaggerates drop in antisocial behaviour

≪ Previous: Motorcyclist with critical injuries after collision with car in Purley

$

0

0

A cyclist was rushed to hospital after colliding with a car on the Old Town Roundabout this morning. An ambulance crew treated a man reported to be in his 50s for hip and pelvic injuries and was taken straight to St George's as a priority. The crash was reported at 11.10am. Police attended the scene but no arrests were made.

Council poster campaign exaggerates drop in antisocial behaviour

December 11, 2013, 5:33 am

≫ Next: FANS VIEW: How Marouane has given Gary Lineker a Chamakh in the face

≪ Previous: Cyclist rushed to hospital after colliding with a car off Croydon Flyover

$

0

0

POSTERS have shot up all over Croydon declaring a significant drop in antisocial behaviour. The in-your-face billboards announce, in bold red and yellow writing: "Antisocial behaviour down 20%". But analysis of the evidence behind the council's prominent new advertising campaign revealed a selective use of statistics has exaggerated the decrease. In fact, official data on the Metropolitan Police website shows that antisocial behaviour has fallen by half the rate claimed on the posters. When asked about the discrepancy, a council spokeswoman said the posters only referred to statistics for "rowdy and inconsiderate behaviour". Other incidents - including trespass, prostitution, littering, malicious communications, animal problems - were not included, she added, because "most people to do not consider them ASB". The posters contain no explanation of the council's calculations. Seventy-five have been put up across the borough, including along the high street, at a cost of £960. The Safer Croydon Partnership - between the council, police and the fire brigade - said the campaign was designed to "reassure people that on-going work is being done to tackle rowdy and inconsiderate behaviour, and to encourage them to report more". The billboards do not include any information of how to report incidents, but do claim there is less "noise, drugs, street drinking, begging, threatening behaviour, vandalism, rowdy behaviour, animal nuisance and prostitution". The advertising campaign follows a summer crackdown on street drinking and begging which resulted in 32 arrests, 347 alcohol seizures and 34 fixed penalty notices. There have also been efforts to relocate drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres away from the town centre and a plan, now shelved, to use legal powers against a soup kitchen in Queen's Gardens. Official crime figures show there was a 10.5 per cent drop in antisocial behaviour in the period referred to by the posters, from 15,719 in 2011/12 to 14,055 in 2012/13. The council said its stats, provided by the police, show rowdy and inconsiderate behaviour dropped from 10,971 to 8,465 during this time. Mark Watson, Labour's spokesman for public safety, said using selective figures was misleading. He added: "People aren't deciding not to shop in the town centre because of antisocial behaviour, it's what's going on next to their homes they're worried about. "That includes some of the low level incidents which this advertising campaign is ignoring. "There is a disconnect between the fear of crime and the reality, so I'm not against making people feel safer. "But the way the council uses figures needs to be looked at because they aren't giving people the full picture. "While we're not talking about a large amount of money it would be better off spent on something constructive rather than telling people things aren't as bad as they think they are." In October this year there were 1,030 instances of antisocial behaviour in Croydon, the fifth highest number in London. While such incidents are falling, personal robbery increased 11 per cent between 2011/12 and 2012/13. In contrast figures from the Met's regular public attitude survey show fear of crime (the percentage of people who answered that they were "worried" or "very worried" about crime in their area) halved in Croydon between June 2012 and June 2013, and is now at 15 per cent, its lowest since the survey began.

FANS VIEW: How Marouane has given Gary Lineker a Chamakh in the face

December 11, 2013, 5:58 am

≫ Next: AFC Croydon Athletic secure draw in six-goal thriller

≪ Previous: Council poster campaign exaggerates drop in antisocial behaviour

$

0

0

FIVE Year Plan fanzine editor ROBERT SUTHERLAND backs the Eagles to carry on defying the critics - including a certain Match of the Day presenter... NO ONE will give Crystal Palace a chance against our West London neighbours or against the free-spending City, despite the Eagles' upturn in form. The pundits will say that there just isn't enough quality in Tony Pulis's side. That the hard work and effort exerted against Cardiff City, Hull City and Everton can't be replicated against two of the best teams in the league. To write Palace off is perhaps as crazy as it is to suggest that Pulis will magically conjure up points against the Premier League's oligarch playthings. However, Palace have found an organisational verve that has kept clean sheets in three of the clubs last four fixtures, and a creative spark that saw the Eagles dominate against Cardiff City. Of course, none of the teams that Palace have won points against have been top-four sides; the first half performance against Liverpool was grimace-inducing, yet the performance against Arsenal (despite the defeat) proved to be one of hope rather than sheer disappointment. And there are signs that Palace aren't going to just lie down against their next two opponents. One such player who has refused to lie down is striker Marouane Chamakh, whose performances have been symbolic of Palace's Premier League revival. The vast improvement we've seen in his performance is indicative of just how much influence Tony Pulis has had this past fortnight. Recognising the strength in Chamakh's ball-playing quality, the Moroccan striker has been deployed behind the hustling and bustling presence of Cameron Jerome, to good effect. It has allowed Chamakh to play a pivotal role in attack, linking up Palace's defensive midfield with its attacking presence. As Pulis said after the win over Cardiff, Chamakh's quality has always been there, and he used Arsene Wenger's decision to sign him as a reinforcement of that belief. Lineker His goal-shy spell at Arsenal and West Ham turned him into a point of comedic reference for plenty, with the most outspoken of critics being Match of the Day's Gary Lineker. With every goal and every influential performance, Lineker and fellow critics are forced to bite their tongue. Chamakh is a symbol of what Palace can become, rising from downtrodden and written-off no-marks to being the team to silence critics.

AFC Croydon Athletic secure draw in six-goal thriller

December 11, 2013, 8:04 am

≫ Next: Crystal Palace fan admits vioent disorder charge after Brighton brawl

≪ Previous: FANS VIEW: How Marouane has given Gary Lineker a Chamakh in the face

$

0

0

Combined Counties League Division One Bedfont and Feltham 3 Croydon Athletic 3 AFC Croydon Athletic won a hard fought point at promotion rivals Bedfont and Feltham after coming back from two goals down. The game started badly when after eight minutes Bedfont leading scorer Mickey Burton fired into the top corner to put the hosts in the lead, 1-0. Things went from bad to worse on 12 minutes when Kentebe conceded a penalty which Javonne Molloy converted. The Rams reduced the arrears in the 18th minute when Danny Penfold got free on the left and his perfect cross was headed home by Joe Loyza. Both sides had chances but failed to take them and so at half-time it was 2-1. The Rams started the second half brightly but could not find the equaliser until Edmund Walker crossed from the right and Loyza fired home to make it 2-2 on 62 minutes. Loyza was then immediately replaced by Louis Blake due to injury. Blake's first telling contribution was to set up Kai Bichard to fire the Rams 3-2 ahead on 70 minutes. On 76 minutes the home side drew level when Don Murray found space on the left and fired home. Both sides looked for a winner but there was no further scoring and it was a point a piece, which proved to be a fair result. The Rams now face two home games with Eversley and California this Saturday and Dorking on December 21.

---

Crystal Palace fan admits vioent disorder charge after Brighton brawl

December 11, 2013, 9:46 am

≫ Next: Pub backs action against Croydon soup kitchen

≪ Previous: AFC Croydon Athletic secure draw in six-goal thriller

$

0

0

A CRYSTAL Palace fan who denied involvement in a violent brawl with Brighton supporters has changed his plea to guilty. James Hackett, of Norbury Avenue, Thornton Heath, was one of eight Palace fans on trial after the dust-up near Kings Cross Station on November 10 last year. Blackfriars Crown Court previously heard how glasses and sandwich boards were thrown, and punches and kicks rained in, as the brawl escalated in a pub. Police had anticipated there might be trouble but dozens of officers were incorrectly sent to Victoria Station – leaving just two to deal with the violence on the other side of central London. The court heard how Hackett, 21, could be seen " jumping up and down in a victory pose, throwing glasses and having a fierce face-to-face confrontation." He initially pleaded not guilty to a charge of violent disorder but changed his plea on Tuesday. Another defendant James Butler, 22, of Beeches Crescent, Crawley, has had the charges against him dropped. The remaining six, who all deny violent disorder, were awaiting a verdict, with the jury due to be sent out as the Advertiser went to press. These are; Adam Marshall, 23, of Aston Way, Epsom, Declan Clarke, 22, of Miles Road, Epsom, James Dean, 26, of Rowlands Road, Worthing, Jamie Finch, 23, of Reigate Road, Epsom, Hayden Johnson, 20, of Jesmond Road, Addiscombe, and Dean Kirby, 29, of West Park Road, in Newchapel, Surrey. Hackett will be sentenced once the other verdicts are in. The court previously heard how the Palace fans arrived at King's Cross after their team had played Peterborough United, and the Brighton group arrived at nearby Euston Station following a match against Wolves. Prosecutor Brendan Morris said: "The Crystal Palace fans went to the Flying Scotsman by King's Cross where beers and strippers were on the menu. "A barman expressed concerns that the group were organising themselves. Instead of watching the strippers they were by the door appearing to look down the road. He felt that trouble was on its way. "The Brighton group had got off a train at Euston and chose to head to the Flying Scotsman. Was it a coincidence, or had the phone activity been the groups arranging to meet? It is not unheard of for these meets to be arranged. "The landlord said what unfolded was one of the most serious acts of violence he had ever seen. "The incident starts with goading and chanting. 'Sea, sea, seasiders' from the Brighton fans and 'we're top of the league' could be heard from the Crystal Palace fans. "This was the grandstanding before sandwich boards and glasses, both plastic and pub glasses, were thrown. People fall on the floor and are kicked by several people. "One Brighton fan rushes blindly into the group of Crystal Palace fans and takes what must have been good beating until the officers managed to intervene and rescue him. "It was fan against fan, toe-to-toe."

Pub backs action against Croydon soup kitchen

December 11, 2013, 1:54 pm

≫ Next: VIDEO: Song celebrates joy of using Croydon Council's website

≪ Previous: Crystal Palace fan admits vioent disorder charge after Brighton brawl

$

0

0

THE manager of a pub reportedly blighted by a nearby soup kitchen has said it should be moved out of the area. The Spread Eagle was named in a council report which recommended using "all available bylaws" to ban the soup run from Queen's Gardens opposite Taberner House. The ban has since been shelved but manager Robin Butler believes the soup kitchen, which gives food and drink to the homeless and poor, should be relocated. He told the Advertiser that some of those using the service were harassing his customers and, echoing Croydon's police commander, he were not "genuinely in need". "The soup kitchen is attracting drunks to the area," he said. "We have a seating section outside and have tried putting nice things out there to make it more attractive, but it all gets stolen. Afterwards you can go up to Queen's Gardens and find everything. "It's been a lot better recently but we did have a lot of problems during the summer." The potential ban, proposed in an unpublished council report drawn up in September, said the Spread Eagle is "great affected by the presence of what has been termed a soup kitchen". "The customers of the public house, users of the gardens and pedestrians nearby have complained about the behaviour of those using the soup kitchen," it added. Last week Borough Commander David Musker said the soup run was being used by people who wanted to save money to spend on alcohol. Mr Butler agreed: "I think the idea of a soup kitchen is very good, but it's not here to provide a place for drunks to meet up and fight. "For some it's an important service but it's also attracting the wrong people as well. "In the summer we had people outside eating meals. The drunks worked out that if they could annoy people sitting outside they would leave and they could grab all the food off their plates. They were also begging off people who were outside." Nightwatch, the charity which runs the soup kitchen, which has been in Queen's Gardens for 37 years, denies the antisocial behaviour is connected to the service. "We could tell it was people from the soup kitchen because there was this line of polystyrene cups leading up there," said Mr Butler. "There was an incident about a year ago where a couple of drunks started a fire outside the town hall to keep themselves warm. "One of the had a mobile phone and was calling other drunks to come and join them. That's what they do. They say: 'We've found a spot, come here'. That type of person is not genuinely in need." "I think it's a nice idea but Queen's Gardens is not the correct place for it." When asked what his solution would be, Mr Butler said: "It's a difficult question because if you move it the problems would be pushed somewhere else. "However, something has to change. Queen's Gardens is not a safe place to go at night because of the street drinkers. "You shouldn't be having places in the town centre where you don't go because it's not safe." For now, however, the soup kitchen will stay where it is after the council decided to "start off with a measured approach". It has not ruled out returning to the threat of legal action if the perceived problems continue.

VIDEO: Song celebrates joy of using Croydon Council's website

December 11, 2013, 2:17 pm

≫ Next: Five men charged after shotgun found in New Addington police stop

≪ Previous: Pub backs action against Croydon soup kitchen

$

0

0

YOU probably thought working for Croydon Council was nothing to make a song and dance about. Well, apparently you would be wrong, as members of staff (possibly) have proved after recording an ode to the authority's website. The video features a female vocalist extolling the virtues of such joys as paying your council tax, reporting potholes and renewing your library books online. It is not yet clear whether those involved in the video do work for Croydon Council or whether its an extremely subtle piece of satire. According to the caption, however, the song is a "celebration that council staff can have for their work". And those wondering how much money was spent/wasted on recording the tune need not worry. The caption says: "All recorded on our own time and at zero cost to the local taxpayers of the wonderful borough of Croydon." The first person to comment on the video, posted on YouTube, is council press officer John Bownas, who said, poetically: "Lots of LOLs :-)"

Five men charged after shotgun found in New Addington police stop

December 11, 2013, 10:53 pm

≫ Next: Crystal Palace defender could make shock comeback against Chelsea

≪ Previous: VIDEO: Song celebrates joy of using Croydon Council's website

$

0

0

FIVE men have been charged after a shotgun was found when armed police stopped two cars in New Addington. Officers from Trident, the Met's gun crime unit, stopped a Ford Focus and a BMW in Westcott Close off Lodge Lane at 6.15pm on Tuesday. Three men were arrested immediately and three others fled. Two were later caught and it is understood one remains at large. A sawn-off shotgun and two rounds of ammunition were recovered from the back seat of the BMW. All five men have been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and are due to appear at Croydon Magistrates' Court this morning (Thursday). They are: Edward Ephraim, 30, of Lennard Road, Croydon Aaron Leacock, 26, of Starling Close, Croydon Tyrone McNeish, 29, of Guinness Trust, Kennington Jason Pindi, 28, of Hardam House, Tulse Hill Patrick Otim, 25 of Cudham Drive, New Addington.

Crystal Palace defender could make shock comeback against Chelsea

December 12, 2013, 1:25 am

≫ Next: VIDEO: Watch former Crystal Palace striker Leon McKenzie in fight action

≪ Previous: Five men charged after shotgun found in New Addington police stop

$

0

0

CRYSTAL Palace defender Dean Moxey may feature against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday following a scan on his hamstring. The left-back was replaced by Adrian Mariappa after 25 minutes against Cardiff City last weekend. The former Exeter City man had a scan on Monday to assess the damage, but thankfully it's not a long-term worry for the Eagles. "It's not too bad, the hamstring," Keith Millen told the Advertiser. "We did the right thing bringing him off last Saturday. "There is minimal damage, which is good. We won't risk it but it's not torn, not a long-term thing. "The worst case is he'll miss this weekend, but he has got a chance. We just need to see how he is." If Moxey does miss out, he'll certainly be available for the game against Newcastle United on Saturday, December 21. Joel Ward may switch to left-back against Jose Mourinho's men, allowing Adrian Mariappa to come in on the right side of the defence. However, Tony Pulis does have a fully fit Jonathan Parr available to come in at left-back too.