The Sensible Garden, the patch of waste ground in South Norwood that has been reclaimed for the people and transformed into a public open space thanks to the efforts of local community groups, has been given a bit of a clean-up and a new, bright orange bench, ahead of a couple of events which set out to mark 50 years of punk rock.

Very Sensible: Stuart Collins (left) and Jim McAllister after repairing the public bench on South Norwood High Street

The garden was opened in 2014, the work of the Crystal Palace Transition Team and the South Norwood Tourist Board, and named after Captain Sensible, from the Damned, who had gone to school across the road at Stanley Tech, something he immortalised in his song Croydon.

Good as his word, the Captain attended the opening ceremony in July 2014.

Touring commitments with The Damned’s 50th anniversary tour prevented the Captain, aka Raymond Burns, from being around for the big reveal this time around.

But former councillor Stuart Collins and a group of mates have repaired the bench ahead of a grand re-opening ceremony later this month.

“Community spirit at its best,” Collins said.

The Sensible Garden re-opening takes place on Saturday, October 24, “to celebrate 50 years of punk rock, The Damned and Captain Sensible’s musical legacy”, according to Collins.

And Collins will be DJ-ing a night of punk rock at The Oval Tavern on Thursday October 22, the 50th anniversary of the first punk single New Rose.

Read more: Norwood Junction’s garden offers sunflowers and sanctuary

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