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Category Archives: Business
Why selling the unsaleable is not the answer on Brick by Brick
CROYDON IN CRISIS: It is nearly three years since this website began exposing the financial disaster that Brick by Brick was creating for Croydon Council. NICHOLAS PANES, the construction industry expert who advised on our reports, looks at the options … Continue reading
Make sure you protect your consumer rights on Black Friday
Keep a close check on your budget before venturing forth to snap up those Black Friday bargains. That’s the advice from Citizens Advice Croydon ahead of what has become the biggest day in the retailing year. Citizen’s Advice is also … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Charity, Croydon CAB
Tagged Black Friday, Citizens Advice Croydon, Claire Keetch
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‘An accountant could have foreseen this more than a year ago’
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A report into the workings of the council’s subsidiary businesses – including Brick by Brick – is expected to be released this week. Here, TIM DEE, an accountant of more than 20 years’ experience, shares his thoughts … Continue reading
30% parking fees hike will apply even to electric-powered cars
As George Orwell never wrote, all vehicles are equal, but some are more equal than others. Using environmental policies as an excuse, the council is expected to implement a parking charge hike of one-third from January. JEREMY CLACKSON, transport correspondent, … Continue reading
Posted in Addiscombe West, Broad Green, Business, Coulsdon, Croydon Council, Environment, New Addington, Parking, Purley, Restaurants, Shifa Mustafa, South Croydon, South Norwood, Stuart King, Transport
Tagged Addiscombe West, Coulsdon, Croydon, Croydon Council, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Shifa Mustafa, South Croydon, South Norwood, STUART KING
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Lacey could lose job over latest pitch to sell Brick by Brick
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A publicity campaign – effectively funded by Council Tax-payers – on behalf of the council-owned housing firm in an effort to salvage the managing director’s job has enraged councillors. By STEVEN DOWNES Labour councillors were furious today, … Continue reading
95p per pint – pubs readying themselves for last orders
Well, there is always some sort of up-side to the lockdown news, and the Green Dragon pub on the High Street, at the top of Surrey Street, is doing a “while stocks last” offer of 95p a pint on its … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Pubs, Restaurants, Surrey Street
Tagged Green Dragon, Surrey Street
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Wood comes knocking with brief to investigate Brick by Brick
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Can it really just be coincidence that the troubleshooter appointed to conduct an urgent review of the council also has extensive experience working at one of Jo Negrini’s former boroughs? WALTER CRONXITE reports It seems almost certain … Continue reading
Posted in Brick by Brick, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Property, Report in the Public Interest, Tony Newman
Tagged Brick by Brick, Chris Wood, Colonnades, Croydon, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, MHCLG, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, Tony Newman
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Campaign group prepares to battle for Glamorgan’s future
Pub-lovers in Addiscombe and East Croydon are rolling up their sleeves for another battle over the future of The Glamorgan on Cherry Orchard Road, against developers who have a track record for allowing old pub buildings to fall derelict if … Continue reading
Cane Hill Park unveils sundial artwork to honour its history
Residents of Cane Hill Park have been enjoying a new public artwork, which pays homage to the history of Cane Hill Hospital. Croydon-based Artist Holly Graham has created a sundial artwork entitled While The Piled Cumuli Sail Galleon-Like Above – … Continue reading
Manufacturers’ body offers a kickstart for apprentice scheme
Businesses in Croydon who think they cannot take advantage of the government’s new £2billion Kickstart training scheme can still take part through a gateway body, says Make UK, the national manufacturers’ organisation. Research suggests that, amid all the covid economic … Continue reading
The Audit Report: Brick by Brick has paid nothing to council
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The Report in the Public Interest into the financial crisis at Croydon Council includes 21 recommendations. Four of them apply directly to Brick by Brick, the loss-making house-builder which has broken multiple agreements and owes the council … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Business, Colm Lacey, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Report in the Public Interest
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Colm Lacey, Croydon, Croydon Council, Grant Thornton, Jo Negrini, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI
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Personal trainers ignore council’s parks licensing scheme
The council’s misfiring attempts to help businesses in the borough through the coronavirus pandemic reached a nadir in the summer when the Fisher’s Folly propaganda department announced that Croydon was “waiving” personal trainer licence fees – without mentioning that they … Continue reading
Jobs and livelihoods on a knife-edge says business chief
Purley BID’s CEO has spoken out about the impact that the latest covid-19 restrictions are having on his members’ businesses The move into “High” covid-19 restrictions “has been devastating” for local businesses, according to the official who manages the Purley … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Pubs, Purley, Purley BID, Restaurants
Tagged coronavirus, Covid-19, Purley, Purley BID, Simon Cripps
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Tories in call to sack Butler and Scott, and scrap Brick by Brick
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Croydon Labour’s new leader Hamida Ali is facing calls for a complete overhaul of her Town Hall cabinet, from the opposition but also from within her own party, as KEN LEE reports Croydon Tories are demanding the … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Business, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Housing, Jason Perry, Paul Scott, Tony Newman, Woodside
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Conservative, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Jason Perry, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Paul Scott, Tony Newman, Tory
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Last council-appointed director resigns from Brick by Brick
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Council-owned house-builder releases some financial figures that show they have missed their latest annual revenue targets by £113m and have delivered 377 fewer homes than they predicted. By STEVEN DOWNES There is not a single representative of … Continue reading
Brewers Greene King call time on popular South Norwood pub
The Albert Tavern in South Norwood is to close permanently. The Albert, warmly regarded as a community hub by locals living near the Harrington Road pub, is one of 79 pubs which brewers Greene King has announced are to close. … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Pubs, South Norwood
Tagged South Norwood, South Norwood Tourist Board, The Albert Tavern
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Auditors look at legal sanctions over council’s finances
CROYDON IN CRISIS: A Town Hall committee has been told that the council was ‘in breach of financial regulations’ over its commercial dealings, as they delivered a report with 75 recommendations for improvements. By STEVEN DOWNES The resignation of Simon … Continue reading
Hold very tight: will Buss give Brick by Brick a rough ride?
Our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE, on how the local council troubleshooter who was brought in to deal with Kensington and Chelsea’s finances in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire has now been hired by Croydon In the final … Continue reading
Posted in Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, Business, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Paul Scott, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
Tagged Alison Butler, Brick by Brick, BxB Review, Chris Buss, Croydon, Croydon Council, Grenfell Tower, Jo Negrini, Katherine Kerswell, Paul Scott, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
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Offers galore as South Norwood Market celebrates five years
The South Norwood Clocktower Market will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Saturday November 7. The stalls will be decorated to mark the occasion and stall-holders will be offering one-day-only promotions as a thank you to all their loyal customers. Highlights … Continue reading
Audit shows £9m shortfall in Hall’s property speculation deals
CROYDON IN CRISIS: Internal audit report will make very uncomfortable reading for the council leader and his finance chief, and shows worrying budget problems for most of the council-run schools. By WALTER CRONXITE, political editor It is barely a week … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Business, Children's Services, Colonnades, Croydon Council, Croydon Park Hotel, Jo Negrini, Karen Jewitt, Katherine Kerswell, Schools, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
Tagged Alissa Flemming, Croydon, Croydon Council, General Purposes and Audit Committee, GPAC, Jo Negrini, Karen Jewitt, Katerine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Simon Hall, Tony Newman
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Dogged trading standards sniff out under-the-counter tobacco
Trading standards officers from Croydon Council, with essential help from a four-legged friend, have confiscated thousands of cigarettes and other tobacco products from three shops suspected of selling counterfeit and illegal goods. The trading standards officers were assisted by specialist … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Crime, Croydon Council
Tagged Croydon Council, South Croydon, Thornton Heath, West Croydon
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NHS offering drive-in flu jab clinics at Ikea and Selhurst Park
The NHS is opening drive-through flu vaccination clinics at Ikea off the Purley Way and Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park stadium, offering more people than ever a free vaccine. “This year it is particularly important for those most at risk to … Continue reading
