Accordions, carols, NCGM, TfL works at Vauxhall and more

I've got an inbox bursting with sugestions for the blog so stand back as I release the safety valve...

Accordion treat at Lost Theatre

Local accordionist Neil Sanders has asked me to mention that the Morley Accordion Orchestra returns to the Lost Theatre on Sunday 8th December 2013 for another surprising, enlightening and entertaining evening of music from around the world. 

"From Tango to Classical to original music for Accordion Orchestra with a lot of Christmas cheer - it's the ideal concert to get you in the holiday mood. This award winning orchestra have just returned from the World Championships in Austria and are one of London's best kept musical secrets...."

Lost Theatre, 208 Wandsworth Road London SW8 2JU 

Dates: Sunday 8th December 2013  Time: 15.00

Tickets: £8 Full / 5 Concessions
Online / Phone bookings: £9.00 full (incl. £1.00 fees) / £5.95 concession (incl. £0.95 fees)
Box Office: 0844 847 1680 or click here

Carol concert at Wheatsheaf Hall

Christina Burnett writes:

I heard the Vauxhall Community Choir rehearsing carols last night at Wheatsheaf Hall and it sounded lovely They are holding Christmas concert at Wheatsheaf Hall on Sunday 15th December 2013. Doors open 5.30 and the concert starts at 6pm. There are no tickets, just turn up. They say 'suggested donations' of £5. Also singing are Sing Out Streatham, Sydenham Singer, Warbler's Acapella Choir. And they are playing Corelli's Christmas Concerto. 

Further consultation on New Covent Garden Market redevelopment

A press release arrives:

VINCI St. Modwen (VSM) will be holding a second public exhibition on Saturday 14th December to display refined proposals for the redevelopment of the New Covent Garden Market sites.
The exhibition will showcase how the development will transform the area with new homes, shops, a park and a modern new market. It will also show how VSM have responded to the community feedback received at an initial exhibition held earlier this year.
Colin Darby, Planning Manager at VSM, said:
‘At our first consultation event in July, many people we spoke to were supportive of the plans, and they gave us useful feedback which we have considered and responded to.
‘We hope that people are able to attend the second consultation event to see how the plans have progressed and provide a further opportunity for the local community to take part in the planning process’.
Jan Lloyd, Chief Executive of CGMA said:
"These designs are hugely exciting and the creation of modern new facilities will secure the long term future of the UK’s largest wholesale market, employing over 2,500 people in around 200 tenant businesses.
The Garden Heart will also provide a new centre for food and flowers, with restaurants, business services and a public market which will be a fantastic resource for local people. We are continuing to work closely with VSM and our tenant community to finalise the design details and we hope the public do take the time to engage in this further consultation.”
The public exhibition will be held at Covent House, New Covent Garden Market, SW8 5NX on
Saturday 14th December 2013 10am – 4pm.
www.vsm-ncgm.co.uk

File under "miscellaneous"

Peter Papp writes:

Random mix of links came to my screen this week: 

• Cyclist hit by bus on Vauxhall Bridge: http://www.lbc.co.uk/another-cyclist-hit-by-bus-on-vauxhall-bridge-81240
• Another hotel near Vauxhall http://www.servicedapartmentnews.com/home/news/2013/11/6/ihg-signs-up-for-second-london-staybridge-suites-property/ & http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article74824.html
• Stange millionaires moving into area: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/nov/22/mining-enrc-leaves-london-stock-exchange "Five years earlier, Chodiev bought his £10m penthouse in a glass-fronted development near London's Vauxhall Bridge, that boasts a 24 hour concierge service, residents' gym and secure underground car park."
• Old news about the murder at Fentiman Rd: http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/nov/17/landscape-murder-antonio-olmos-photography-london-murder-sites

Impact of works at Vauxhall tube station

From TfL:

We are writing to inform you that our contractors Bechtel Ltd will shortly begin setting up two work sites to support the Vauxhall Tube station upgrade works.
Part of Transport for London’s (TfL) Tube improvement programme, the upgrade of the station will provide an increase in capacity and step-free access to platforms. It will also support wider growth and regeneration of the area. The station will remain open throughout the work, though there may be some changes to customer routes into and through the station.
The construction work will begin in January 2014. However, two work sites need to be established outside the station in advance, to support the work within.  

Island work site – near bus station 
Towards the end of November, installation of hoardings will begin on the area of derelict land between Wandsworth Road and The Bondway (close to Vauxhall bus station).
This will be a relatively quiet activity but will need to be done outside of Vauxhall bus station’s core operating hours. It is likely, therefore, that this work will be carried out between 11pm and 3am over one night. Thereafter, our standard working hours outside of the station will be 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with some Saturdays used for maintenance, which is also unlikely to cause disturbance.
During the day, we will work on levelling the work site area (removing debris and vegetation) and we will establish access points from Wandsworth Road.

Wandsworth Road work site – near St. George’s Wharf In the second week of December we will begin to establish a second work site on the north side of Wandsworth Road around the existing subway entrance / exit outside the St. George’s Wharf development. It is likely that we will need to work over one night, although we will take measures to ensure that noise is kept to a minimum.
The subway here will be closed until spring 2015, although you will still be able to access the station via the steps at the start of Vauxhall Bridge.
This worksite will be surrounded by 2.4 metre high hoardings and the top of the subway will be covered with acoustic hoarding to reduce noise emanating from the work within.
The cycle path running along Wandsworth Road will be diverted around the north side of the hoardings (closer to the St. George’s Wharf development) but clearly separated from pedestrian routes. Five of the Barclays Cycle Hire racks will also be relocated to the north side of the hoardings for the duration of the work.
We will work hard to limit any disturbance from our activities. Wherever possible we will locate equipment away from residential properties at St. George’s Wharf; acoustic hoardings will also be used to limit potential noise impacts.
All work will be governed by an environmental plan and a waste management plan, approved by the London Borough of Lambeth, in order to minimise any potential impacts, including noise, on the surrounding area. All public areas will be maintained in a clean state prior to, during and on completion of each day’s activities.
If you have any queries or concerns about this work, please contact TfL’s helpline (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week) on 0845 257 7878.
You can also write to TfL Customer Services, 4th Floor, 14 Pier Walk, London SE10 0ES or give us feedback via the online form at www.tfl.gov.uk\tubefeedback
Yours sincerely,
Charles Hinkley Stakeholder Engagement – Tube