May 2010 Archives

Anyone interested in fostering a child can drop into an opening evening at the Isaac Newton Centre in Lancaster Road on Thursday June 10.

The free information evening starts at 6pm and all are welcome.

For more information, call 020 7361 3000 or visit the council's website.

For the first time since the second world war an allotment has opened in Kensington Gardens.

The Allotment in Kensington Gardens, launched on Wednesday (26) is also the first to have a bee hive and a hen house.

It will be open to the public throughout the summer, and will be tended by Royal Parks garners and apprentices along with volunteers and community groups.

The owner of a pub in Notting Hill has been fined for passing off inferior vodka as Smirnoff Red Label vodka.

Patrick Holohan from the Stewart Arms Pub in Norland Road was fined £500 when he appeared at West London Magistrates Court on May 18, and ordered to pay the council's costs of £500.

In addition, he admitted obstructing council officers from obtaining information about the ownership of the pub, and was fined a further £100.

Dried frogs, giant waterbugs and green ant eggs were all found to be on sale at a shop in Earls Court earlier this month.

West London Magistrates granted a food condemnation order on Monday May 24 against Art Muay in Hogarth Road, for importing food without having the proper paperwork.

This came after environmental health officers from Kensington and Chelsea Council visited the Thai supermarket on May 7 following a tip off, and seized dried frogs, giant waterbugs and green ant eggs from the shelves.

They also seized pork sausages which had clearly been made in unhygienic conditions and jelly sweets which contained the banned additive E407 (carrageenan) which poses a serious choking hazard, particularly to children.

An amateur football tournament is kicking off in North Kensington on Saturday June 5 for teams from across the borough.

The free tournament, organised by Kensington and Chelsea Police, will be held at the Westway Sports Centre in Crowthorne Road, and the first match kicks off at 9.15am.

Now in its fifth year, the tournament aims to allow police to interact with members of the community in a constructive way.

An arsonist has been jailed for two years after starting a fire at a kebab house just inches away from staff and customers.

Carl Abernethy, 41, of Finborough Road, Chelsea, appeared at Isleworth Crown Court on May 7, where he admitted charges of arson with intent to endanger life and assault.

Abernethy was charged after he went into The Kings Kebab House in Earls Court Road at about 4.50am on October 24 last year, and began to abuse and become aggressive towards other customers.

Anyone keen to follow in the dance steps of Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity can sharpen up their moves at the council-run Just Dance course.

The four-day workshop for 13-19 year olds is taking place at the Tabernacle, North Kensington from June 1 to 4, and there are still places available.

After finishing the course, youngsters can take part in weekly rehearsals with cast members from west-end show STOMP, before performing in Kensington Gardens in July as part of the London 2012 Open Weekend.

House prices in Kensington and Chelsea have dropped by more in the past month than almost any other borough.

While the average home in the royal borough is more expensive than in any other - worth £1,887,753 - prices have dropped by around £100,000 since April, according to new figures released by online estate agents Rightmove.

While the firm claims that the housing market is still suffering from too many unsold houses because buyers are still feeling the effects of the recession, one estate agent in Chelsea claims that homes have been overvalued by greedy estate agents in the past.

Anyone keen to learn Scottish country dancing can shimmy along to lessons in Marborough School, Sloane Avenue, throughout the summer.

Lessons run from Wednesday June 2 and will be held at the school every week until June 23, with a different teacher and different music each time.

All abilities are welcome, and the lessons cost £6 each.

For more information, contact Margaret Catchick on 01494 772 305 or email classes@rscdslondon.org.uk.

Carbon gyms, driving simulators and recycling art sessions are among the activities at the fourth annual Environment Day, being held in Holland Park on Saturday June 5.

There will be advice and giveaways as well as fun activities to help promote a sustainable lifestyle and raise awareness of environmental issues.

The free event will run from 11am to 5pm, and for more information, visit www.rbkc.gov.uk.