Deptford Betting Map

View D=f(m,b,c) Deptford High Street in a larger map

We've updated the Deptford Betting Map since a comment to the Deptford Dame revealed there are in fact already TEN betting offices in the vicinity of Deptford High Street (we thought it was nine). The new Betfred coming to the ex-Halifax will bring the local total to ELEVEN. If you include the rest of Evelyn Street (still in Deptford) it becomes 13. The map shows that Betfred will be the SIXTH within a 150metre area in the south of the high street.

If you want to object to Betfred's application for a betting licence see our post here.

Meanwhile, this is a charming poster presently gracing one of the windows of the old Deptford Arms – at childrens' eye level. It seems to suggest that if you are an overweight woman you can become a man with an enormous knob...certainly not what anyone would call the 'usual prospects'...

Secret Streets of Deptford

A month or so ago, Jaime Taylor of Century/Halcyon Heart Films wrote to us about a BBC documentary series that she was working on about the last 120 years of history focusing on 6 London streets.  One episode of this series will be looking at our very own Deptford High Street - the only High Street in the series.  The idea  (see here for their introduction) is to pick up on London's social history from the point where Charles Booth  left off with his poverty map.  


This is where you, readers,  come in.  Jaime is eager to hear of any bits of history you have about the high street, be it old family stories, historical records, memories, whatever...  Below, we've copied her letter, but before reading that think about this: if you have a tale to tell and you send it directly to Jaime there's a risk that it won't get to be used and that little bit of local history will disappear again from view.  However, wouldn't it be better if you post up your stories here (or send them to crosswhatfields@gmail.com and we'll post them up)?  That way, local readers will get to see it and so will Jaime. 

So this blog (and the Deptford Dame's very shortly) welcomes reading any tales you may have  to tell, ideally via our email address , failing that as simple comments (it's harder to get further information without contact details) or directly to Jaime.

Here's what Jaime Taylor has written to us...

BBC HISTORY SERIES – OUR SECRET STREETS

Century and Halcyon Heart Films are an independent production company who are currently making a major new documentary series for BBC2 which will chart the history of six London streets.

One of the programmes will focus on the history of Deptford High Street. We are currently collaborating with several businesses on the street to build up a picture of the past 120 years. Having been a shopping street for almost two centuries we're sure every shop and building will have a fascinating story, so we're keen to speak to people who have lived or worked in the area about their memories.

The questions we want to ask are quite straightforward: How long have / did you live in Deptford? Do you know anything about the history of the high street? What are your memories of the pubs and shops there? And if you lived close to the street, or knew the residential streets nearby, do you remember them before they were demolished in the 1960s and 1970s? Even if you no longer live in Deptford, if you used to know it well we'd really like to hear from you.

At this stage, it’s purely for our research and there’s no obligation to appear on television. However, in the coming months we would like to interview people for the documentary. We think it’s going to be a fascinating project – and even if you don’t think you’re going to be interested in appearing on television, it would be great to have a chat with you.

If you can contact us at your earliest convenience, we’ll be sure to get back to you. It goes without saying that everything we talk about will be treated in the strictest confidence, and will not be passed on to anyone outside our team.

We so hope that you’ll consider taking part in what is going to be a very exciting project. You can email me at historystreet [at] centuryfilmsltd.com or give us a call on 020 7378 6106. We'd love to have a chat and answer any questions you might have. For more information you can also see our website … www.oursecretstreets.com

Best Regards,

Jaime Taylor

Century Films/ Halcyons Heart Films

Merry Easter and a Happy 1981

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12101999

Oppose the tenth betting shop...(Part 2)

A letter to the the Licensing Committee, copied to the Mayor....the first four paragraphs sum it up.

Dear Sir /Madam,

I wish to formally object in the strongest possible terms to the granting of yet another betting shop licence in Deptford High St. This would bring the total to ten which is absurd and a threat to the fabric of the local population.

Even on days of inclement weather local "punters" gather in numbers outside the existing establishments drinking and often haranguing passing shoppers and families or pawning what little they have in the "conveniently located" pawnbrokers.

A child in Deptford already perceives gambling as the norm and an extra shop will simply reinforce this. This is surely contrary to legislation.

Deptford already has the highest unemployment in south London and it is surely unfair to place such temptation in the form of vacuous get rich quickly promises in front of people who are already struggling with little chance of relief in the form of employment.

Deptford High St was once the most vibrant and diverse street in London with a market to match. It still is pretty special. Its survival up to now has been due to the preservation of shops' individual freeholds. Thanks to the lacklustre and callous treatment by Lewisham town "planners" this is all changing.

The few remaining employment sites are being snapped up by residential developers boosting unemployment further and they justify this by saying they have to fulfill City Hall and Government targets.

It's about time L.B. Lewisham stopped "dumping on Deptford" and showed a bit of pride and care for the most historically important part of their borough.

Yours Faithfully,

Julian Kingston

Oppose the tenth betting shop...(Part 1)

There are no easy systems in place to block an application for a betting license, especially if the premises was already a bank, where there are no changes in use (financial)....

So we have the:
"Done Brothers" of Warrington WA3 7PQ trading as Betfred
applying for a betting premises license under section 159 of the Gambling Act 2005 
for 93-95 Deptford High Street.

Unfortunately, the 'Gambling License' applied for above does not require that it is posted online and, unlike 'Planning Permission' there is no facility for objecting online either. In fact the only way you would know that the Halifax is about to become Betfred is by reading the notice currently stuck to the window of 93-95 Deptford High Street.

We wrote to the Licensing Team and got this message:

Your objection can be via letter or email but must include a name and address as objectors must reside in the vicinity of the premises.

The grounds for such objections under the above legislation, must specifically relate to one or more of the Licensing Objectives which are

• Preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder, or being used to support crime.
• Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
• Protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploiting by gambling.
•  Under this legislation the number of betting shops in an area is not a relevant ground for objection.

I would also advise that a copy of your representation has to be sent to the applicant,  and should the application be determined by the licensing committee of the council at a public meeting your letter would form part of agenda papers for the meeting. You will have the opportunity to address the committee on this matter. These documents are available to the press and the public.

Well, we do know some people living in the vicinity, so we will be encouraging them to making representations (not that they need much nudging).

Those of us living down the road (ie not in the immediate vicinity) but nevertheless concerned if not distressed by this might want to write a letter of objection to the licensing committee and should copy that letter to local councillors, MP and press.

The address to email your objections to:
Licensing@lewisham.gov.uk

The Licensing Team did not tell us the email address of the applicant however, so we cannot copy to them until we are informed of it, although we do have an address from the notice in the window as follows: Spectrum, 56-58 Benson Road, Birchwood, Warrington, WA3 7PQ

In the meantime copy your email to:

john.hugill@slp.co.uk
CllrStephen.Padmore@lewisham.gov.uk
CllrPaul.Maslin@lewisham.gov.uk
madeliene.long@lewisham.gov.uk
ruddockj@parliament.uk
Betfred / Done Brothers (awaiting address from Licensing since no contact email has been provided)*

Then there are the councillors on the Gambling Licensing committee...but that's built on shifting sands and it's difficult for the public to find out who the three members of the Licensing Team may actually be....:
Councillors Addison, Affiku, Britton, Bonavia, Daby, Griesenbeck, Jeffrey, Morrison, Peake and Stamirowski (chair).

*Postscript:
Licensing has since written to us to say they will send on a copy to the applicant any objections sent to them.