Deptford helps out the poor City fat cats

Can't think what to spend your bonus on? Me neither! I'll be honest, it's been keeping me up all night trying to work out what the hell I'm going to do with it!

Thankfully Bellway Homes sent me a press release this week which has some great ideas; just the ticket for when that huge chunk of readies comes flying into my bank account in the new year. I'm looking to 'put my mark' on Deptford, so what better way than to snap up a buy-to-let property with that spare cash?

City workers anticipating their bonus January should look to London’s property market to get a good return on their investment, the press release starts.

The regenerated area is offering great rental yields, as the capital’s growing army of renters seek out higher quality homes. Investors looking to put their mark on upcoming Deptford should look to Bellway Homes’ Kent Wharf. 

Emma Denton, Head of Sales at Bellway Thames Gateway, comments: “While city workers will be learning of their bonuses soon and wondering how to spend it, Deptford is proving an exciting opportunity. With such a great development on offer, we would urge any investor or house hunter to come and view this development soon before our apartments are snapped up.” 

Got £369,995 burning a hole in your pocket? Lucky you, you'll be able to snap up a one bedroom flat!

Crossfields Green open space - consultation under way

Lewisham Council is consulting with local groups and residents on what they want to see in the master plan for the reinstatement of Crossfields Green after the Tideway Tunnel construction work has been completed.

You may not even know this little slip of land exists if it's not on your route somewhere - it sits alongside St Paul's Church and provides a useful cut-through from the high street to Deptford Church Street and onwards to Greenwich for walkers and cyclists.

It also has some parking spaces, a badly-landscaped turning circle outside the school entrance, and an area of green space, trees and shrubs, part of which has been a community garden and some of which is used as a dog-walking area.

All of this will be taken over next year when construction of the shaft for the Tideway Tunnel interceptor begins. You can read more about the plans in my previous posts and on the Tideway Tunnel website.

Once the construction has finished, Tideway Tunnel is obliged to reinstate the land and Lewisham Council is leading the process of developing a master plan for the site. 

You can comment through the online survey which is open until midnight on 21 December - if you aren't really sure what you want to see on this space, why not consider the 'five radical ideas' being put forward by campaigning group Don't Dump on Deptford's Heart?

Christmas fairs, open studios and other festive things

As usual Deptford is awash with Christmas fairs, open studios, special events and other festive things over the next few weeks. It's a great way to support small businesses, local artists and designer-makers and you can get a unique gift, spending money that goes directly into the local economy rather than buying mass-produced items that have been shipped halfway round the world and only generate profit for distant share-holders.

Here's a few choice items - feel free to add others in the comments box. And don't forget you can also visit the new businesses in Deptford Market Yard!

Cockpit Arts Open Studios
2nd - 4th December
One of my favourite places for a pre-christmas buying spree. Get to see what our local makers have been up to over the last few months and snap up some great offers.

2-4 December
Fri 11am-9pm, Sat & Sun 11am-6pm
18-22 Creekside London, SE8 3DZ
Full details here.


Deptford Wives Vintage & Craft Fair
Saturday 10th December
Fashion, crafts, ceramics etc including Deptford is Forever t-shirts and bags, and The Lenox Project fund-raising gifts.

10 December 10.30am - 4pm
Albany Theatre
Douglas Way, SE8 4AG


Winter Fair
Saturday 10th December
Lots of handmade crafts, gifts, cards etc.

10 December 10am - 6pm

Lewisham Arthouse, Lewisham Way.

https://www.facebook.com/events/168406050294304/

http://www.lewishamarthouse.org.uk

Gift
16th - 18th December
APT Studios, Creekside

A wide selection of work by APT artists and their invited guests will be on sale.
Fri 5pm - 8pm
Sat 1pm - 5pm
Sun 1pm - 5pm
More information here.