Open letter on business rates to chancellor of the exchequer

Dear Chancellor,

Budget – impact of business rates

The long delayed revaluation of business rates, which will be implemented in April 2017, will severely damage thousands of London companies, driving many out of business.

Business costs are set to rise even further through the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy and the increase in the National Living Wage, as well as the impact of the depreciation of the pound. This all comes at a time of increasing business uncertainty as the Government invokes Article 50.

While we appreciate the small changes in the proposed transitional relief scheme, many London businesses will still be hit by increases of over 50% this year alone, once various supplements are added, on what for those in hospitality, retail and related businesses is by far the largest tax they have to pay. And for many these considerable increases will continue each year.

The negative impact on the performance of London’s businesses, not least its hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, theatres and clubs will damage London’s high streets as well as our city’s attractiveness as a destination for international visitors. With permitted development rights leading to many commercial properties being converted to housing, the collapse of businesses is leading to long-term loss of commercial space and further reductions of the business rates base. When London’s economy thrives, the benefits are felt far beyond the capital. Likewise, when London’s economy struggles, this has a knock-on effect on employment and connected businesses in other towns and cities, as well as national tax income.

We ask you to explore, in the short term, measures to mitigate the impact of these rises, particularly by looking positively at policies and schemes that will enable businesses to create more income, such as local investment through TIF schemes.

In the longer term, we urge the Government to commit to a review of business taxes, including business rates, to ensure that we have a system that best supports economic growth and produces a high tax take in our post-Brexit economy.

The emerging Industrial Strategy, the Mayor’s London Finance Commission report, the changes in modern retailing and other businesses, the disquiet across the whole of the country at the impact of the latest revaluation, and the need to be ready for Brexit all suggest that a review of business taxes would be widely welcomed.

We urge you to act now to help London’s and Britain’s businesses.

Yours sincerely,

Vauxhall One BID

Mayor and Commissioner set out vision for getting Londoners active

In the week that London’s first ever full time Walking and Cycling Commissioner starts his new role, Will Norman has joined with the Mayor of London in outlining a long-term vision to help encourage more Londoners to walk and cycle, by making London’s streets healthier, safer and more welcoming.

New analysis revealed today shows that if every Londoner walked or cycled for 20 minutes a day, it would save the NHS £1.7bn in treatment costs over the next 25 years. This includes 85,000 fewer people being treated for hip fractures, 19,200 fewer people suffering from dementia, and an estimated 18,800 fewer Londoners suffering from depression. It is the ambition of the Mayor that Londoners walk or cycle for at least 20 minutes every day – currently only 34 per cent of Londoners manage to do this on any given day.

Sadiq Khan’s new blueprint for a healthy London will see increasing physical activity put at the centre of a wide range of GLA and TfL policy, setting out how it could transform the lives of millions of Londoners.

Details of the Mayor’s approach were today outlined in a ‘Healthy Streets for London’ document drawn up jointly between the TfL and the Mayor’s office. A key focus will be getting Londoners to reduce their reliance on car use, which will not only help to get them more active, but help tackle London’s air pollution crisis

A major part of Will Norman’s role will be working to deliver this new agenda – the biggest ever focus on walking and cycling in the capital.

Examples of how this new approach will be delivered in practice are outlined in today’s ‘Healthy Streets for London’ document and include:

  • Street level – improving local environments by providing more space for walking and cycling, and better public spaces where people can interact. (This could include more seating, more greenery, reducing vehicle speeds and installing safer crossings)
  • Transport network level – prioritising better and more affordable public transport and safer and more appealing routes for walking and cycling, reducing the dominance of motor vehicles and developing creative approaches to managing freight and deliveries.
  • Strategic level – Planning new developments so people can walk or cycle to local shops, schools and workplaces, and have good public transport links for longer journeys.

In addition to the substantial physical health benefits, the Mayor’s new approach will serve to reduce air and noise pollution, improve mental health, help combat social isolation, and bring economic benefits to local high streets across the capital. It will also focus on minimising road danger – directly seeking to address the safety fears people have about cycling and walking more.

Tackling congestion in London is also a key priority for the Mayor, and his focus on prioritising walking, cycling and using public transport will be an important long-term solution to London’s congestion problems. Every person that isn’t in a car means less congested roads for those essential car journeys, helping keep London a competitive and attractive place for business.

As part of this plan, £2.1bn will be allocated to a new TfL Healthy Streets Portfolio that will focus on creating more welcoming and inclusive streets to enable more Londoners to walk, cycle and use public transport more often. This includes doubling the average annual spend on cycling announced in the TfL Business Plan, taking London’s cycling spending per head to the same levels as Denmark and the Netherlands.

Will Norman is London’s first ever full time Walking and cycling Commissioner. The previous Mayor appointed a Cycling Commissioner who was only part-time.

Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “I’m delighted to be starting this week as London’s first ever full time Walking and Cycling Commissioner.”

“Working with Sadiq to make physical activity a bigger part of Londoners’ everyday lives could have a truly transformational impact on our city. It will not only substantially improve Londoners’ health, but a play a key role in tackling our air pollution crisis.

“Today we’re outlining some of the key principles that will guide our work over the coming years, working with communities all across London to make walking and cycling a safer, and obvious choice for people from all backgrounds.

“Increasing physical activity must be a central part of everything we do – building stronger, healthy communities, and improving quality of life for everyone.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The future health and prosperity of our city depends on us all boosting the amount of physical activity we do. With children’s health being harmed by our poor-quality air, our bold new approach will focus on making walking and cycling a genuine long-term alternative to car use across more of London. As new evidence shows today, the personal health benefits could also be huge if we can make our streets more appealing, encouraging more people to be more physically active as part of their everyday journeys.

“The recent tragic deaths of cyclists and pedestrians on our streets is another reason why we must redouble our efforts to make them safer. This includes pushing ahead spending record amounts on cycling infrastructure over the coming years.  I’m excited that Will Norman has now started as London’s first ever full-time Walking & Cycling Commissioner, delivering our agenda to get Londoners of all ages and backgrounds walking and cycling as a part of their daily routine.”

Mike Brown, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: “Transport plays a crucial role in improving Londoners’ health and quality of life. Working with the new Walking and Cycling Commissioner we will take a bold new approach to our transport planning, which will put people at the heart of our decision making and will prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over private vehicles.”

Dr Ashok Sinha, Chief Executive of London Cycling Campaign, said: “The Mayor is absolutely on the right track by promising to reduce car dependency and make it easier for people to walk and cycle, including by tripling the extent of protected cycle lanes and enabling every borough to have a major walking and cycling scheme.

“We are delighted that Will Norman has today begun the job of bringing these promises to fruition, through the new Healthy Streets approach, so that London’s many communities and places become greener, healthier and more attractive places in which to live, play and do business.”

Dr Yvonne Doyle, Regional Director for London for Public Health England and Statutory Health Advisor to the Mayor of London, said: “Exercise is simple, affordable and can be uplifting, but we may not appreciate how effective two 10-minute periods of activity like walking or cycling each day can be for improving our mental and physical health. I welcome the appointment of Will Norman as London’s first Walking and Cycling Commissioner and the support that the Mayor of London and Transport for London are offering us, using the amazing resource of our London streets. It’s part of thinking differently that benefits us all.”

Tompion Platt, Head of Policy, Living Streets, said: “A new approach that genuinely prioritises walking, cycling and public transport will improve the health, happiness and quality of life of all Londoners. We see real potential in the Mayor’s Healthy Streets Approach and look forward to working with Will Norman in his new role as London’s first Walking and Cycling Commissioner to create a healthier, more active and less polluted London”.

Matt Winfield, Acting Director for Sustrans in London, said: “We’ve all been guilty of a new year’s resolution to go running more, visit the gym or attend fitness classes, and instead favoured the sofa. In reality the easiest way for all of us to get more exercise is to walk or cycle for our everyday journeys, instead of jump in the car.

“But we can only expect Londoners to do this if our streets feel safe and more attractive to walk, cycle or spend time on.

“With major benefits to our health, helping Londoners walk and cycle more is fundamental to improving life in London, while keeping the capital moving.

“We’ve long called for public health to be at the forefront of transport decision making, and this new ‘Healthy Streets’ approach is a welcome move to make sure all of TfL’s investment helps Londoners to get more exercise, breathe cleaner air and feel safer.”

Aseem Sheikh, Chair of Vauxhall One, said: “As a Central London Business Improvement District, we are really encouraged to see the launch of the new Mayor’s emphasis on Healthy Streets. We share the Mayor’s vision of improved greening, and better cycling infrastructure for Londoners.

“Vauxhall One are excited with the opportunity that the appointment of Will Norman, the new Cycling and Walking Tsar brings.  We look forward to working closely with him to deliver the third phase of one of our flagship projects, ‘Greening Vauxhall Walk.”

Councillor Julian Bell, Chair of London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee said: “The creation of the Walking and Cycling Commissioner role reflects the Mayor’s commitment to promoting and investing in active and environmentally-friendly transport, which is an objective that we very much support.

“As the Healthy Streets for London document sets out, the planning, design and operation of streets will play an essential role in creating a safer, greener and healthier city. As London boroughs are responsible for 95 per cent of London’s roads, we will need to be at the forefront of the Healthy Streets initiative.

“I am a keen cyclist myself and fully endorse the benefits of a more active lifestyle. I look forward to working closely with the Commissioner and the Mayor to help the boroughs play their part in making the initiative a success.”

Corporate Development Manager and Duty Managers Roles @ Garden Museum

Garden Museum are currently looking for a Corporate Development Manager as well as Duty Managers

Corporate Development Manager:

Part-time (3 days a week), £35,000 per annum pro-rata

We are looking for a Corporate Development Manager with experience in securing and managing corporate support in a museum, charity, or arts and heritage environment.

This role has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s new initiative of a ‘Resilient Heritage scheme’ which aims to help smaller organisations meet new business challenges in a changing economy.

The prospective candidate is expected to develop corporate support in the following areas:

  • Corporate hire for events
  • Sponsorship of three major exhibitions per year at £30,000 each
  • Corporate Patrons, including benefits for families which are particular to this unique small museum

Please look at the job description on the right for further details.

To apply, please email recruitment@gardenmuseum.org.uk with your CV by Monday 6th March 2017.

Please add a covering letter of no more than 2 pages outlining your reasons and previous experience for applying for this position.

Interviews will take place in the week commencing 13th March 2017.

Duty Managers

Zero-hour contract, flexible

We are looking for Duty Managers to work on our events which inlcude 3 exhibitions per year and over 40 events including corporate hire and weddings.

These are vital positions within the Museum’s structure. Duty Managers are responsible for managing and maintaining the Museum’s Venue Hire functions during out-of-hours events. Hours as directed by the Head of operations and/ or Venue Hire Manager. Usually there are two Duty Managers at any event, internal or external.

Please look at the job description on the right for further details.

To apply, please email recruitment@gardenmuseum.org.uk with your CV by Monday 3rd April 2017.

Please add a covering letter of no more than 2 pages outlining your reasons and previous experience for applying for this position.

Interviews will take place in the week commencing 10th April 2017.

Hepatitis A is Preventable by a Vaccine

Currently Hepatitis A is circulating among gay and bisexual men (and other men who have sex with men)

What is it?

Hepatitis A is an infection that affects the liver and is spread by a virus in faeces (poo).

How do you catch Hepatitis A virus?

You can catch it when tiny amounts of infected faeces (poo) get into your mouth. People can spread Hepatitis A through food or through sex, especially:

  • Anal and oral sex
  • Rimming, fingering and fisting
  • Handling a condom or sex toy used for anal sex

What are the symptoms of Hepatitis A infection?

The symptoms can appear up to 8 weeks after infection and include:

  • Tiredness
  • Aches and pains
  • Fever, nausea, sickness  and diarrohea
  • Jaundice (when the whites of the eyes or the skin go yellow)

A person is infectious two weeks before their symptoms appear until one week after symptoms

  • If you think that you are at risk then please discuss vaccination when you next attend your sexual health clinic
  • Use condoms or latex barriers for anal sex, rimming or fingering etc.
  • Change condoms between anal and oral sex
  • Wash hands after handling used condoms and sex toys
  • Shower after sex.
  • if you need vaccine for travel reasons then please go to your GP or travel clinic

If you develop symptoms of Hepatitis A, you should:

  • See your GP (family doctor) or another health care provider for a blood test
  • Not prepare food for others and avoid sex until you are no longer infectious
  • Inform anyone you have recently had sex with, or other people you share a house with, to see their doctor about having an urgent hepatitis A vaccination.

Find out more about Hepatitis A by visiting:

http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/lgbhealth/pages/sexualhealthgaymen.aspx#hepa

http://www.tht.org.uk/sexual-health/About-STIs/Hepatitis/Hepatitis-A

Vintage Vauxhall Market

We are excited to announce our new event, Vintage Vauxhall at The Workshop. Launching Sunday 12th March, 2017 then running on the 2​nd​ Sunday of every month.

Vintage Vauxhall is the new sister market to the well established BathVA Vintage & Decorative Antiques Market. Founder Naomi Knight and market manager John Hugo have created a successful brand in the Georgian city of Bath, with markets on the first and last Sunday of every month and now established as an important part of the city’s social calendar.

Vintage Vauxhall offers a collective of professional UK and European dealers selling a wide range of vintage, antiques, art & accessories, architectural reclamation, brocante, collectors’ items, quirky and unique C20th and C21st design.

Our markets are a popular destination for those seeking something individual, green, stylish and that won’t break the bank. The vintage and antiques trade is the oldest recycling industry! The events also attract a lively audience from the antiques trade, general collectors, prop buyers, interior stylists, restaurateurs and exterior designers. Dealers’ stands provide ideas and inspiration of how to display items at home. Many of our dealers also source stock on request.

The markets provide a great day out and there is always a buzzy atmosphere with music and a cafe serving early breakfast and lunch.

What’s on offer: Vintage, Retro, Mid-Century, Decorative Antiques… Furniture, Vintage & Retro Fashion, Textiles, Collectables, Jewellery, Vinyl, Salvage, Upcycled, Lighting, Decorative Homewares, Kitchenalia, Garden Ephemera, Silverware, Prints, Bicycles, Paintings, Fine Art, Ceramics, Upholstery, Curiosities, Cameras, Children’s Toys, Books, Paintings, Sculpture, Clocks, Arts & Crafts…

Plus promoting their services Restoration experts, Interior Designers, Upholsterers, Designers, Makers, Artists, Crafters, Artisans

Location, location … The Venue, The Workshop

The Workshop, 1 Whitgift Street, Lambeth, SE11

www.theworkshoplondon.com

@TheWorkshopLDN on twitter

@theworkshopldn on instagram

#theworkshopldn

The former fire engine workshops of the London Fire Brigade, has opened its doors once again to provide an events space. The 2000sqm space, can house up to 70 traders. The Workshop space is also home to an eclectic mix of creative tenants including; the Institute of Imagination, Kidesign, Vivid Drinks, Mark Lloyd Bennett Design and multi-disciplinary artists Christopher Baxter, Luke Francis Haseler and Barry Reigate.

The Workshop is also excited to announce that the London Fire Brigade has marked its 150th anniversary by returning to the original location of its former headquarters on Albert Embankment, with a pop up museum. Showcasing the history of fire-fighting through the story of The London Fire Brigade in Lambeth. The museum is FREE to visit and open Wednesdays- Sundays 10am-4pm

Vauxhall Gallery District

A century ago Vauxhall was a leading arts-and-craft district, populated by glassblowers, potters and sculptors.Today Vauxhall is becoming one of London’s hottest new arts destinations.

The Vauxhall Gallery District currently consists of Damien Hirst’s £25million, six-room, 37,000sq ft Newport Street Gallery, ex-‘Ragged School’ turned contemporary arts space Beaconsfield Gallery (also located on Newport Street), Gasworks Gallery which specialises in fostering budding international artist and Charles Asprey’s soon-to-be opened Cabinet Gallery on Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. All are within walking distance of each other.

Special thanks to

Vintage and Antiques Markets owes a very special thanks to local Vauxhall residents author and antiques specialist Mark Hill and Philip Reicherstorfer owner of the restaurant COUNTER. Mark and Philip are keen to see the local communities and businesses of Vauxhall flourish and had the idea that a market could really work in the area, through their contacts at VauxhallOne they got the ball rolling and helped make it happen!

Head of Participation, Learning & Engagement Role at Ovalhouse Theatre

Application closing date: 19th February 2017

Ovalhouse seeks a new HEAD OF LEARNING, PARTICIPATION & ENGAGEMENT to lead our Learning, Participation & Engagement department, build on Ovalhouse as a centre of excellent practice for theatre and related arts for children, young people and communities, and maintain and develop ambitious programmes of inclusive open-access youth arts and community programmes.

Please note that applications can only be considered if they are submitted through the Ovalhouse Online Recruitment System, and returned by the closing date.

The closing date for the receipt of completed application forms is:
Sunday 19 February 2017 at 5pm

For full job details and to apply, please visit ovalhouse.livevacancies.co.uk

Residency for artists based in India @ Gasworks

Charles Wallace India Trust and Gasworks have an ongoing partnership to offer a fully funded, three month residency at Gasworks,

Application Deadline: 1st March 2017

London for an artist based in India, from 03 July – 18 September 2017 (11 weeks). . In 2011 Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation became joint partners. The Foundation was established in 1976 by Indoo Shivdasani as a permanent platform for his philanthropic activities and focuses on providing scholarships, grants and awards in any field for outstanding young Indians to develop their professional, scientific, artistic and cultural abilities. Gasworks’ residencies are opportunities for self-led professional development, artistic exchange and experimentation.

This year’s residency offers the opportunity to engage with Henry Wellcome’s collections of original material covering the ancient but ever evolving traditional systems of Indian medicine & healing.  Highlights from this collection will be presented in Wellcome Collection’s forthcoming exhibition ‘Ayurvedic Man’ (working title, 16 November 2017 – 8 April 2018).  The residency may result in a mid-scale commission for this exhibition responding to the exhibition’s ideas and material from the collections and / or engaging with critical and aesthetic approaches to wider discussions around wellbeing and the position of traditional practices within it.

Please note that Wellcome Collection is not obliged to show the works devised as part of the residency in the exhibition and the final decision on what will be included lies with Wellcome Collection.

The Residency Comprises:

  • 24-hour access to a fully accessible studio at Gasworks, alongside other visiting artists and Gasworks’ permanent studio holders.
  • An Open Studio, or similar public presentations, at Gasworks
  • Single room accommodation within Gasworks Residencies House (a 3-story house, shared with 3 other artists-in-residence)
  • Basic living expenses in London
  • Economy return flights from the artist’s home city to London
  • General membership at Wellcome Library and a number of guided sessions to research the material and meet curatorial and/or library teams.
  • Travel card (zones 1+2) for unlimited travel within central London for the duration of the residency
  • Administrative, pastoral and curatorial support from Gasworks (during office hours)

Active Kids returns to Sainsbury’s Nine Elms Point

Active Kids is back at Sainsbury’s Nine Elms Point.

Customers can collect vouchers in store until 2 May to help registered schools, groups and clubs across the area get sports and cooking equipment and experiences.

Customers receive one voucher for every £10 they spend in supermarkets and one voucher for every £5 they spend in convenience stores. Since the scheme launched in 2005, over £170 million worth of equipment and experiences has been handed over to registered schools, groups and clubs across the UK.

The voucher collection scheme, which is now in its thirteenth year, is supported by triple Paralympic gold medal-winner Ellie Simmonds, world record breaking sprinter Jonnie Peacock, Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and England women’s football player, Lucy Bronze. The four ambassadors are committed to encouraging children to eat well, move well and live well.

Andy Robins, Store Manager at Sainsbury’s Nine Elms Point, said: “The Active Kids scheme is a brilliant way for our customers and colleagues to support schools, groups and clubs in the area. We love working with local organisations and seeing the benefits the equipment and experiences have brought to the children.”

To tie in with the launch of the scheme, Sainsbury’s polled 2,000 11-14 year olds to find out more about their attitudes towards health, nutrition and fitness, and the findings revealed that 84% of young people do believe that being healthy is important.

Over the years the Active Kids scheme has grown and expanded to help inspire healthy eating for children and includes items of cooking equipment to get them involved. There is also a range of free Cooking and Nutrition Toolkits – endorsed by the British Nutrition Foundation, which are available to teachers to help children learn about a balanced diet.

For more information on the Active Kids scheme please visit https://activekids.sainsburys.co.uk.