| 1. Walworth Society October meeting – 7pm Weds 21st October (in person and online) A reminder that our next general WS meeting will be held at 7pm on Wednesday 21st October at the Crypt, St Peter’s Church Liverpool Grove, SE17 2HH. The meeting will be in person and online (Zoom link below). A. The agenda for the meeting is: 1. Welcome, apologies and introductions. 2. Action points from our September 2026 meeting and matters arising. 3. Walworth Christmas Lights – designed by local children – update by Madeleine Moxham. 4. The story of archaeology in Walworth – a talk by Alistair Douglas from Pre-Construct Archaeology 5. Launch of the Walworth Village Network – Paul Becha. 6. Night-time noise disturbance – Morrisons. 7. Pembroke Academy of Music event – Tyrone. 8. Other issues. 9. AOB and date of next meeting (Weds 18th November). B. Online Meeting Link Time: Oct 21, 2026 7:00 PM London Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86132984310?pwd=QuakMCzjeZR1fp87SC6NapdUaUuC5U.1 Meeting ID: 861 3298 4310, Passcode: 147025 The minutes of our September meeting can be downloaded here |
| 2. Community screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing in Walworth – 7pm Weds 11th November – Walworth Living Room, Surrey Square SE17 2JU Together The Walworth Society and Pembroke House have organised a screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing – a 50-minute film that highlights the dangers that Climate Change poses. There are full details of the film (which is recommended only for those aged 16+) here –https://www.nebriefing.org/the-film And tickets are free from: https://ph-ws-emegencybriefing.eventbrite.co.uk  |
| 3. Proposed McDonalds 284-286 W Rd (26/AP/1110) Southwark Council’s Smaller Applications planning committee unanimously refused the application from McDonalds for a variation in the current opening hours (8am to 8pm) for the site to their preferred times of 6am to Midnight. The decision notice can be downloaded here and the key paragraph says: The applicant has failed to demonstrate that delivery rider activity associated with the proposed extended opening hours can be accommodated without causing obstruction, congestion and disturbance on the adjoining public highway. Given the constrained footway environment, nearby bus stop and anticipated delivery activity, the Local Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposal would avoid adverse impacts on pedestrian movement, accessibility and highway safety. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies P50 (Highways impacts), P51 (Walking) and P56 (Protection of amenity) of the Southwark Plan 2022 and Policy T4 (Assessing and mitigating transport impacts) of the London Plan 2021 and NPPF 2026. A huge thanks goes to the large number of people who attended the meeting including residents from Sutherland Square and Sutherland Walk and Carter Place along with members of the society. Obviously it is unclear what happens next but the testimony that residents put to the committee as well as the many objections to the application gave the committee members a clear sense of the impact that the proposed branch could have on the surrounding area especially later in to the evening. |
| 4. Walworth Kids Xmas Lights project – switch on Thursday 19 November, 6pm–7pm Walworth Square Update on the project below: This winter, the Walworth Road will be illuminated by designs co-designed by local children as part of the inaugural Walworth Kids Xmas Lights project. Building on successful programmes in Soho and Cardiff, the initiative gives young people a visible and lasting presence in the public realm while celebrating local identity, creativity and community pride. Switch On – Thursday 19 November, 6pm–7pm, Walworth Town Hall, Walworth Square, SE17 We’re excited to share the latest news ahead of this year’s Walworth light installation: Twenty-one selected designs are now being transformed into large-scale light installations that will appear along the Walworth Road this November. The Worshipful the Mayor of Southwark, Cllr Claire Sheppard, will join pupils, residents and local businesses for the switch-on The event will launch a new annual celebration shaped by the children of Walworth themselves.  |
| 5. Southwark Council Neighbourhood Grants Programme 2027/28 The 2027/28 round opened on 5 October and closes at 11.59pm on Sunday 1st November 2026. Free help is available at drop-in sessions in October. Register for any session by emailing neighbourhoodgrants@southwark.gov.uk. See ‘Contact us’ for dates and venues. Full details: https://www.southwark.gov.uk/community-engagement/grants-and-funding/neighbourhood-grants?utm_name= |
| 6. Aylesbury Community Plan – Launch event 4-6pm on Saturday 24th October “Our Aylesbury” is launching the Aylesbury Community Plan for refurbishment at 4-6pm on Saturday 24th October at Walworth Living Room, Surrey Square (see info below). The link to join this Public Meeting is: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/communityplan/2444051     |
| 7. Southwark Climate Justice Coalition Meeting – 7-9pm Monday 23rd November Improving Southwark’s streets for pedestrians The next SCJC meeting will be at 7-9pm on Monday 23rd November. Southwark Living Streets (SLS) will run through the Streets for People policies that guide transport in Southwark and how they aim to put people who are walking, wheeling, cycling and using public transport first and in front of people using motor vehicles. SLS will describe a number of big issues that we face in improving safety on the roads, especially for those who are less affluent, including reducing the emissions from road transport, which in Southwark make up almost a fifth all CO2 emissions; making our streets greener and more able to cope with increasingly extreme weather; and tackling new issues such as the imminent arrival of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) and legal e-bikes and illegal e-motorcycles. They will also report on the Better Bus Southwark project which aims to prioritise bus journeys in the borough. This will be a session to discuss all these issues and generate ideas about how Southwark can go further and faster in decarbonising transport and do it in a way that is fair for all Southwark residents. As always we will have time in the meeting for networking and sharing our individual campaigns. You are welcome to bring along some snacks for sharing, we’ll provide teas and cold drinks. We are looking forward to spending meaningful and fun time together. We will be sending you a link to register and further details in a week or so. Meanwhile please SAVE THE DATE!  |
| 8. New mural for East Street Market From Southwark Council East Street Market is getting a new mural, and artist Aaron Li-Hill wants input from the community. Share a memory, story, photograph or drawing – something that feels like East Street to you – to help the mural reflect the East Street community. Just fill in the form below: https://airtable.com/appvH7DEKxIUpFnzE/pagv3Sfqka4FjMboa/form?utm_name= |
| 9. Urban Elephant Festival – Volunteer Training. News from the Urban Elephant Festival organisers We are in year 5 of the exciting Urban Elephant Festival and we are offering some training in how to put on and volunteer at events. If you are interested in the training and volunteering at the Urban Elephant please let me know and we have four training sessions. See info below and attached flyer for contact details. Dates: October: Friday 23rd,30th | November Friday 13th,6th Time of sessions: 4-5:30pm Address: Community Hub Unit 22, Second Floor Castle Square 40 Elephant Road SE17 1EU Don’t forget also to get this year’s exciting UE festival into your diaries on the 14 Nov. If you are not already following us please follow @: urbanelefest  |
| 10. Have your say on Walworth – Survey from Fabrix – developers of Chatelain House News of a survey from Fabrix looking at the Walworth area. Once the results are in Fabrix will come to a future WS meeting to tell us more about the findings. What do you love about Walworth? What could be better? And what should never change? The team behind Walworth Corners has launched a short survey to hear from local people about what makes Walworth special, what they value most about the area and what they would like to see improved. The survey aims to better understand the priorities of the local community, with feedback helping to inform future community initiatives, including those connected to Walworth Corners and the Walworth Community Kitchen, which is being developed in partnership with local charity Pembroke House. The survey takes just 10 minutes to complete, and participants can enter a prize draw to win one of five £50 vouchers to spend at local independent restaurants. Have your say and complete the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PNY76V6  The survey is being carried out by Fabrix and PATRIZIA, the development and investment partners behind Walworth Corners – a new mixed-use development on Walworth Road bringing together affordable homes, shops, a courtyard garden, student accommodation and a community kitchen. |
| 11. Southwark Council Budgeting – next 3 years. News of a consultation from Southwark Council about local priorities over the next 3 years. We are already looking at finding more ways to be more efficient, save public money and bring in more income. But your voices, experiences and priorities must be at the heart of what happens next. That is why we have been touring the borough to get feedback from on council services. We want to hear from you, follow the link below to tell us. You will also be able to find the locations of future pop-up sessions, so that you can speak to us in person. Details here: https://engage.southwark.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/budget Pop-ups in our area 1. Una Marson Library – 3 November 2026 • 11:00 – 17:00 GMT – click here to register 2. Castle Leisure Centre – 14 November 2026 • 10:00 – 13:00 GMT – click here to register |
| 8. Local News. 1. Former Salvation Army HQ at the Elephant. Plans have been submitted to Southwark for a mixed-use co-living, hotel and workspace development at 101 Newington Causeway, Elephant & Castle, the former headquarters of The Salvation Army UK & Ireland. https://www.estatesgazette.co.uk/news/arada-submits-plans-for-its-first-co-living-development/?_hsmi=147165259 2. Opening of the new London Museum at Smithfield – more details in Standard article here. Opens 28th November. 3. Pullens Open Studios Weekend. The dates are Friday 4th December 6pm – 9.30pm. and Saturday and Sunday 5th and 6th between 11am – 6pm. Full details to follow. |
