News, updates and commentary
A photographer who sexually assaulted a former client has been jailed for 11 years. Sritharan Sayanthan, 42, was found guilty on two counts of rape of a woman in her 30s who he assaulted while she was partly unconscious. The owner of a photographic studio in Fitzrovia encouraged his victim to get drunk on alcohol…
Police are looking for a man in relation to an alleged rape of a woman in Soho. Michael Lawson, 55, is wanted in connection to an offence in the early morning of June 17. The unnamed female victim had just left friends in the area when she was assaulted. Mr Lawson, who police say may…
M&S has said it will ‘review its future’ on Oxford Street after it was refused permission to redevelop its flagship store. Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove dramatically blocked the retailers plans to tear down its Marble Arch store, over concerns it would distract from the neighbouring Selfridges building. The retailer had previously threatened to leave…
Marks and Spencer’s proposed redevelopment of their flagship Marble Arch store has been blocked by Michael Gove. The Secretary of State has decided to refuse plans to demolish the current store on the basis that it would have a ‘significantly detrimental impact’ on the neighbouring Selfridges façade. Plans to tear down the three current buildings…
An iconic Soho club has held on to its premises licence after multiple complaints led to it being reviewed. The New Evaristo Club, formerly Trisha’s, on Greek Street will stay open after councillors opted to suspend its licence while new measures are put in place including staff training and ID scanning. A report from the…
A man has been found guilty of three counts of fraud after dishonestly obtaining a social home. The tenant purchased a council flat in 2015 with a £100k discount, despite already renting a home in Barnet, Southwark Crown Court heard. It also emerged that the man had sub-let the flat between 2013 and 2014, while…
Le Pain Quotidien has closed all bar one of its London cafes after falling into administration last week. The Belgian chain shuttered all eight of its sites in the capital including five across Westminster. The brand operated coffee shops in Covent Garden, Pimlico, Marylebone, Mayfair and the Connaught Village. A sign on the door of…
Three members of the Marylebone Cricket Club were suspended for ‘completely unacceptable behaviour’ after yesterday’s Ashes Test. Spectators clashed with the Australian players in the club’s Long Room during the break for lunch. Footage also emerged of players being heckled as they returned to the dressing room, with some members repeatedly shouting ‘cheat’ and ‘get…
Live updates of Westminster’s full council meeting with residents to put questions to councillors for the first time
Asylum seekers left sleeping rough for several nights were accommodated following an intervention from civil servants, Westminster Council’s chief executive confirmed. Stuart Love told councillors that the situation had arisen because of a ‘change in policy’ on the part of the Home Office to allocate more immigrants per room in order to use up less…
Loading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.