19 minute read
Battersea
First Tube roundels installed at new Northern Line Extension station
Transport for London (TfL) have released images of the latest version of its historic design icon, the roundel, after the first ones were installed on the platform at the new underground station in Battersea.
In total, 113 roundels are being manufactured for installation at the two new Northern Line Extension stations, which are scheduled to open in autumn 2021 – 62 for Battersea Power Station and 51 for Nine Elms. Not yet visible to the public, the arrival of the new roundels signifies an important milestone in the construction of the Northern Line Extension, the first major tube line extension since the Jubilee line in the late 1990s. The extension will connect Kennington to Battersea Power Station, via Nine Elms, bringing Battersea and surrounding areas to within 15 minutes of the City and the West End. The new roundels, among the most recognised and imitated logos in the world, are being manufactured at family-owned AJ Wells & Sons on the Isle of Wight where London transport signage has been produced for generations. They are the first roundels to be made for a northern line station since the opening of the extension to Morden in 1926. Work to extend the line is currently focused on the fit-out of the new stations including the installation of escalators and power supply, and the extension of signalling used on the Northern line. The extension is enabling the regeneration of the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea areas, spurring economic growth by supporting around 25,000 new jobs and more than 20,000 new homes. Heidi Alexander, London’s deputy mayor for transport, said: “It’s really exciting to see roundels now in place at Battersea Power Station – it makes the opening of the extension next year feel so much closer. These are the first new Northern line roundels in nearly 100 years and their arrival brings to life the huge difference the extension will make – easier journeys for thousands of Londoners, as well as supporting the creation of new jobs and homes in our city.”
Stuart Harvey, TfL’s director of major projects, said: “The roundel is recognised around the world as the symbol of London’s transport network so it’s a highly significant moment when the first one is installed at a new station. As well as new roundels, our two Northern Line Extension stations now have track, platforms and escalators as their transformation from concrete shells to state-of-the-art stations continues apace. The arrival of the new roundels also demonstrates how sustained investment in the capital’s transport infrastructure benefits not only Londoners but the whole country, through the extensive business supply chain.”
In addition, the two new Northern Line Extension stations will feature newly commissioned permanent artworks that will be incorporated into the ticket halls of each station.
BOXING GYM expands into Battersea Power Station
Battersea Power Station will soon be home to a new high-end boxing gym.
BXR London has announced it will expand into the iconic power station in 2021 following the success of its studios in London’s Marylebone and Canary Wharf. At 14,000 sq ft, it is BXR’s largest site to date. World champion boxer Anthony Joshua is a stakeholder in the BXR business. BXR Battersea will form part of Battersea Power Station’s highly anticipated second phase of redevelopment of the Grade II* listed building itself, launching in 2021. It will house BXR’s second members-only gym along with three Sweat by BXR pay-to-train studios and state-of-the-art facilities. BXR Battersea will be located in the power station’s Turbine Hall B, which was completed in the 1950s. Olia Sardarova, BXR owner and founder, said: “London is an important fitness market with energy and high-performing individuals. BXR is thrilled to be opening at Battersea Power Station in one of London’s most iconic redevelopment projects.” Sam Cotton, deputy head of leasing at Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC), said: “The BXR concept is unlike any other fitness brand out there. The brands we are bringing to Battersea will provide local and out-of-town visitors
alike with the opportunity to experience the latest in health, beauty, fashion, food, wellness and beyond.” Once open to the public in 2021, Battersea Power Station will become one of London’s most vibrant and exciting destinations. The landmark building will house more than 100 shops, restaurants and cafes, 253 apartments, and a unique chimney lift experience offering 360-degree panoramic views of London’s skyline from a height of over 100m. It will also be home to Apple’s London Campus, Swedish business members club, No18 and Battersea Energy House – a unique collection of event spaces with a 2,000-person capacity.
Great financial planning can change lives
In the serious world of financial services, the greatest satisfaction for Simon Ben-Nathan is helping people shape the lives they really want to live.
Simon, the director and financial planner at Putney-based Arkenstone Wealth Management, believes that helping people achieve financial independence frees them to pursue happier, more fulfilling lives. “The most satisfaction I get is helping to make a positive difference to people’s lives,” he says. “At Arkenstone, we help people make the financial decisions that will shape the life they really want to be living and increase their general sense of well-being. It’s not as simple as it sounds, however. If you ask people what makes them happy or where they want to be in five or ten years’ time, more often than not they’ll respond with a blank stare! A real skill of the job is therefore helping people to understand themselves better and what’s really important to them. Everyone is different but in many cases, we find that people want the freedom to spend time doing more of what they love with the people they love”.
It’s clear that being an independent financial advisor (IFA) requires more than a working knowledge of financial products. Simon is a certified coach – an invaluable discipline that provides him with the skills to help his clients develop clear and meaningful goals for the future.
Once the client’s vision is clear, he then builds a financial plan which, allied with his technical expertise in investments, pensions and tax, helps bring that plan to life. It’s a philosophy that has held Arkenstone in good stead since Simon launched it in 2013. From a standing start the company gained ten clients in year one and currently manages around £35 million of assets for clients who are primarily business owners, professionals and people planning for retirement. Going forward, Simon is aiming for steady rather than spectacular growth, preferring instead to focus on providing a brilliant service, and the plan is to recruit additional staff in the next twelve months. “We want to continue growing and to help as many people as possible - we’ll also be adding additional services in future like mortgage advice. At the same time, we’ll always be looking at ways of improving our core advice service so that our clients stay happy and engaged,” says Simon. “We’re independent so unlike a restricted financial advisor we can access investment and pension products from the whole of the market. That means we unreservedly serve ourclients’ best interests. “The due diligence around this can take up more of your time if you’re an IFA because you have to make sure you know what’s happening in the wider market. We work with an independent compliance firm, The Sense Network, who help with this and at the same time monitor our advice and processes to ensure we maintain our high regulatory standards.” Simon has worked in financial services since 1998, helping individuals, families and companies grow and preserve their wealth in the way that’s uniquely right for them. He spent more than a decade as an adviser at HSBC before a strange quirk of fate brought him to his current role. He says: “The financial crash heralded the start of a difficult few years for the banks and there was a round of redundancies at HSBC in 2013. Fortunately I wasn’t affected by it but I knew which way the wind was blowing. I thought: ‘this could happen to me next’.” That gave him the nudge he needed to start his own venture and it’s fair to say he hasn’t looked back since.
The inside story Simon Ben-Nathan
Favourite food: My favourite changes all the time but the current flavour of the month is Sushi. My wife, Andrea, runs a marketing agency that works solely with restaurants so I sometimes get to tag along for new openings and events – it’s a hard life!
Favourite tipple: I’m a notorious lightweight but I’m partial to a good craft beer (provided I have nothing on the next day!)
Favourite holiday?The one that sticks in my mind most is the three-week road trip with Andrea on the west coast of the US - the freedom of the open road and breath-taking landscapes.
Describe your family life? Andrea and I have been married for six years and we have a 20-month-old son, Elliot, who’s the apple of our eye. I’m from a very big family so we’re never short of things to do and people to see. Andrea is Austrian so we often head over to spend time with her family in Switzerland and Austria. We move around a fair bit but we’re homebodies at heart.
How do you spend your downtime? We have a gorgeous six-year-old Cocker Spaniel, Elsie, so we enjoy taking her for walks on Wimbledon Common at weekends. I also play amateur league football, which keeps me in shape, but at 42 I may be a tad past my best!
What are your key strengths as a manager? I’ve always been naturally curious about what drives people and makes them tick. My strength is my commitment to developing my people skills so that I can help others achieve their personal potential.
And your limitations? Sometimes assuming that what worked for me in my career will work for someone else. The reality is that everyone’s different – there is no “best” way to do things, it’s working out the “right” way for the individual.
Best thing about doing business in the borough? So many genuinely supportive people who are prepared to go out of their way to help other businesses here.
Famous person you’d most like to spend dinner with? He’s not a celebrity as such but Daniel Kahneman, the highly celebrated author, economist and psychologist, would be my pick. He’s best known for his work in behavioural economics but he’s one of those people who seems to possess endless wisdom about every aspect of life – good sense of humour too!
Most interesting fact about yourself? I made a brief appearance on the children’s TV show, Rainbow, when I was five or six years old. Somewhere in the archives is footage of me in a PE class running around in a vest and y-fronts!
Putney high street set for major revamp
Putney could be in line for significant investment if a bid to secure a slice of the government’s £1 billion Future High Streets Fund is successful.
The district of Putney has had a long and distinguished history. Back in 1647, it was home to the famous Putney Debates, which saw Oliver Cromwell negotiate a settlement with defeated King Charles I in St Mary’s Church. Important issues were discussed in these debates, including the right to a democratically elected parliament and freedom from conscription into the armed forces, and they even inspired much of the language used for the US Declaration of Independence. In more recent times, famous actor and film producer Pierce Brosnan attended Elliot School in Putney, now known as Ark Putney Academy, while sports broadcaster and former footballer Gary Lineker is regularly spotted on Putney high street. Putney is even associated with a high-profile tragedy. Marc Bolan, the lead singer of glam rock band T. Rex who lived on Upper Richmond road, was the passenger of a purple mini which crashed on Queens Ride on September 16, 1977. Bolan sadly lost his life and the sycamore tree, which the car came to rest at, has become a lasting tribute for him and the music he brought to the world in the 1970s. All of this, however, was in the past. In the present, council and business leaders are trying to ensure that Putney is renowned as a thriving business hub. An ambitious project involving Wandsworth Council, Positively Putney Business Improvement District (BID) and other key partners is aiming to secure government funding to transform Putney high street. The council has been awarded an initial £150,000 from the £1 billion Future High Streets Fund (FHSF), which ministers launched in December 2018 to renew and reshape town centres and high streets in a way that drives economic growth and improves living standards. Putney is one of only seven places in London to have progressed successfully to the next stage of the process. The £150,000 will enable project partners to develop a business case for £10 million of capital investment to redevelop the area. If secured, the money would seek to address several key challenges currently facing Putney high street. These include: • the decline in retail, an increase in empty shops and an erosion of the social and community role of the town • a poor physical environment dominated by through-traffic and overcrowding • a severe lack of public or green space and poor air quality The funding would aim to: • create significant new and welcoming public spaces which connect with the riverside and break up the linearity of the high street • inform and develop investment plans to support this by working in partnership with landowners and other stakeholders • address the prevalence of heavy road traffic • support a programme that engages, excites and inspires all sectors of the community, especially younger people The business case for capital funding is due to be submitted to the government by the end of June. A decision on whether or not the bid has been successful is expected by the autumn. Cllr Jonathan Cook, Wandsworth Council’s cabinet member for economic development, skills and employment, says: “The funding might support investment in physical infrastructure, as well as the acquisition and assembly of land including workspaces and the public realm. It could also help to fast-track improvements to the area’s transport access, traffic flow and circulation, and support the adaptation of the high street in response to changing technology.”
Putney: vital statistics • 409 businesses are located within the Positively Putney BID boundary • 77,140 people live in Putney (taken from 2011 census) • 9 million people travel through Putney train station every day • 1647: the year of the Putney debates • 1977: the year in which Marc Bolan died in Putney • 4.2: the number of miles between Putney Bridge and Chiswick Bridge – the stretch of water over which Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Clubs compete in The Boat Race each year • 1836: the year in which The Boat Race was first hosted in Putney
“Essentially, we are trying to tackle some long-term problems in the area, including a significant number of empty shops, traffic congestion, air pollution and run-down public areas in need of a revamp. The business case will outline a set of proposals (capital projects) that will deliver our strategic intent until 2024. It will include details of other investment that will match the government funding and work as a combined package that brings about positive, transformative change in Putney.” This is a view echoed by Positively Putney BID, which was set up to maximise the potential of the area and make it a vibrant and attractive place for those who work, live and visit there. It is funded by 409 businesses within the BID boundary paying a small levy based on the rateable value of their property, equating to an investment of £1.4 million over five years. These funds are being spent on various initiatives including a project to improve air quality in the town, a Pubwatch scheme to tackle crime and boost the town’s night-time economy, a fortnightly community clean-up operation and general promotion of local events that will attract footfall to the area.
These projects are having a demonstrable impact, as highlighted in the BID’s 2018/19 annual report. Within those 12 months: • £70,024 was spent on making Putney cleaner and safer – this included chewing gum removals, 150 hours of high street deepcleaning and covering eight empty shops with vinyl ‘virtual windows’ to prevent graffiti • £76,128 was spent on promoting Putney’s businesses – this included the delivery of brochures to 14,000 local residents, showcasing the area’s food and drink offering through the ‘Taste of Putney’ fortnight, and hosting events such as the Christmas lights switch-on • £41,202 was spent on supporting businesses – this included regular training sessions on subjects such as first aid and counter terrorism attended by 105 local employees, the introduction of a loyalty card scheme offering discounts for Putney employees, and identification of cost-saving opportunities for businesses to help them reduce their bills and operating costs The Prefer Putney loyalty card scheme allows staff working within BID levypaying companies to take advantage of discounts in shops, restaurants and on services in the town centre. Nicola Grant led the BID development in 2016 and was subsequently appointed executive director of Positively Putney. Born and bred in
Wandsworth, she has always enjoyed spending time in Putney. She has worked in regeneration for the last fifteen years and is a fellow of the Institute of Place Management. She says: “Putney’s BID is led by businesses, for businesses, and we exist to promote Putney and make it clean and safe for visitors, shoppers and residents. I’m pleased to report that we have listened to the priorities of our local businesses and carefully invested in them – be it deep street cleaning, regular training for employees or hosting events showcasing the best Putney has to offer. If we get this right, our shops and traders will thrive for years to come. “‘This year we are ploughing ahead with a range of exciting initiatives. We are about to launch an innovative trade waste scheme for businesses with an improved service, reduced cost and zero emissions. We have increased our activity on social media to encourage people to engage with the Positively Putney brand. We organise regular training events requested by the businesses with a water safety course in March and business continuity during and after an emergency attack in April.”
Oarsome Putney
Putney is synonymous with rowing and is recognised as one of the most famous hubs for the sport, both in the UK and internationally.
To celebrate this association, in 2020, we have 28 old rowing oars being decorated by local school groups and community groups which will be displayed in Putney town centre from 18th March to 14th April.
Alongside the decorated oars we invited a professional artist Alessandra Tortone to produce a shop window art gallery. She painted on empty shop units, aswell as operational businesses. It produced a real buzz in the town centre and will be available to view until the windows are dirty and need cleaning which we hope will also be mid April.
Please come along and choose your favourite oar and favourite painted shop and tag us in your photos. We want to get #OarsomePutney trending on social media!
On Boat Race Day itself, Sunday 29th March, Riverside Radio will be hosting a live music stage alongside a delicious range of street foods from midday to 6pm in Church Square, at the bottom of Putney High Street. It will have a lively atmosphere and just a short stroll from the riverbank to watch the start of the race.
Putney town centre has an excellent range of businesses from high street names, to unique specialist shops, we have fine dining food, to delicious pub grub. It is a pleasant place to come and explore. It is vital that we all continue to use our local town centre, by visiting and shopping in local businesses.
Tell your neighbours about the excellent customer service you received, that unique gift you managed to buy or that delicious meal you had. These businesses need your support.
Worth its weight.
Ashley Redman - 07966 218591 email: apps@wandsworth.gov.uk www.wandsworthlifelonglearning.org.uk
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