Local News
Tower Hamlets Council marks Black History Month
OCTOBER IS Black History Month, and Tower Hamlets Council has put together a programme of free events and activities to celebrate, learn and enjoy – but has the Council been proactive, or is it just compiling listings? Some events are in Council venues, such as “Communities of Liberation: Discov...
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Christmas cookies allergens are not in English
A POPULAR duo of Christmas treats have been withdrawn from sale for an unusual reason: the allergens they contain are not listed on the label in English. They have been on sale in Home Bargain stores. The presence of an allergen – such as common ingredients like milk and flour – does not mean th...
Why Malaysia came to Tower Hamlets
LINKS BETWEEN Tower Hamlets and Malaysia took another step forward this week, as H.E. Dato’ Indera Dr Azfar Mohamad Mustafar, High Commissioner of Malaysia, came to visit the Borough. Malaysia is made up of 879 islands – rather more than Tower Hamlets, which has just one. In the 18th century the...
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Come on tour with Stop the War
WELFARE NOT WARFARE is the slogan adopted by the Stop The War Coalition to cover a short tour of meetings to build an international movement against war. The meetings will provide an opportunity to hear first hand accounts from a range of activists about actions being taken to end the wars – the m...
Mayor Lutfur Rahman thanks Cup footballers
THE MAYOR’S Football Cup is the highlight of the local football season. The September matches close the summer of amateur games and bring in the new season of competition locally and nationally. It’s a fitting time for Mayor Lutfur Rahman to look back on the competition. He formally congratulate...
Piri Piri Chicken Pot Noodle recalled from sale
A FAVOURITE pot noodle – Piri Piri Chicken Flavour – has been withdrawn from sale by Unilever as it contains milk, which is not declared is the list of ingredients. Milk can cause serious reactions in those who are allergic to it. The affected product comes in a 90g container which shows the bat...
Selling vape to under-18 cost shop over £2,000
IT PRESENTED as a Lemon & Lime flavoured vape, and the shop sold it to a 17 year old customer. However, that vape contained nicotine – and it’s illegal to sell vapes containing nicotine to under-18s. The shop that sold the vape is Al-Haramain Superstore in Whitehorse Lane, E1. The young pers...
Fire leaves Hackney flat badly damaged
WHEN 39 phone calls came into the London Fire Brigade Control Centre, it was clear that the fire was serious. A fire in a flat in a block on Loddiges Road, Hackney, was the problem. Firefighters came from Homerton, Bethnal Green, Whitechapel and other fire stations to tackle the blaze. The first cal...
Mayor Lutfur Rahman speaks at Cable St anniversary
IT IS 90 years since trade union and anti-fascist activists chased members of the British Union of Fascists off the streets of Shadwell – uniting under the slogan “They shall not pass”. Mayor Lutfur Rahman marked the day by joining local trade union and anti-fascist activists to walk from the ...
Cable fault cuts power across East and North London
A MASSIVE power cut is taking place across a large part of the capital. UK Power Networks say that this is because “A fault has occurred on an underground electricity cable in the local area.” The power cut his thousands of residential and commercial properties – particularly in the Shoreditch...
Deputy Mayor and colleagues mark Cable St anniversary
CLLR MAIUM TALUKDAR, Deputy Mayor of Tower Hamlets, was joined by councillor colleagues outside the Town Hall as he led calls to remember the message “they shall not pass”. Aspire councillor colleagues joining the Deputy Mayor included Cllr Bodrul Choudhury (Bromley South), Cllr Gulam Kibria Cho...
London marathon 2027 divides men and women
EVEN IF we’re not running, we all know – especially those of us who live in the boroughs on the marathon route – that the London marathon takes up a Sunday in April, right? Wrong! The London Marathon 2027 will be a two-day event, taking place on Saturday, 24th April and Sunday, 25th April. The...
Sounds on Sunday: 50 years ago – 1976-25
FIFTY YEARS AGO we were humming along to the hits of 1976. Some have magnificently stood the test of time; others have not. Join us on Memory Lane as we review them on their golden anniversaries. This week we say good-bye to Abba, thank them for their service – and move on to Mississippi by ... Th...
Get ready for National Hate Crime Awareness Week
IT’S KNOWN for its diversity. It’s known as a place where neighbours get on well with each other. But Tower Hamlets Council has still found time to run a series of events to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week. The week take place from 10th to 17th October and is organised by the National Ha...
Firefighters deal with Whitechapel shop fire
A FIRE in a shop in Whitechapel Road, opposite the Town Hall, yesterday, 2nd October, was brought under control by London firefighters in just over three hours. The London Fire Brigade received notification that there was a fire at approximately 6.51am. Six fire engines brought some 40 firefighters ...
Combatting Violence Against Women and Girls
VIOLENCE Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is still very common in UK society – and local, regional and national governments are trying to combat it. Are their strategies working? Tower Hamlets Council has a detailed Strategy on how to combat VWAG. It’s very worthy and well meaning. It may be a lit...
“Dangerous offender” jailed for Hackney manslaughter
THE JUDGE called him a “dangerous offender” – and that was no exaggeration. A burglary that went wrong led to the death of John Burke, 86 – and the burglar is now paying the price. The Court heard the heart-rending story of the burglary. On the night of 28th September 2025, Ashley Malcolm, 3...
Mayor Lutfur Rahman welcomes new homes in Stepney
IT’S OFFICIAL! Construction has begun on the Council’s HAP Regeneration Scheme in Stepney Green. HAP is the regeneration of Harriott, Apsley and Pattison Houses – hence the name. Mayor Lutfur Rahman and Cllr Saied Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Homebuilding and Enhancing Council Homes and Neighbour...
Car crash on The Highway causes traffic chaos
TRAFFIC was in chaos this morning, 1st October, as The Highway was closed in both directions. There had been a collision just before 3.30am, and crash investigators needed to keep the road closed. The collision was serious, with the London Ambulance Service sending two crews and paramedics in fast r...
Posh chocs in salmonella contamination scare
TWO UPMARKET chocolates have been recalled by World of Sweets as salmonella has been found in the products. The recalled products are: ●Alyan Dubai Style Chocolate Truffles (120g, product code 319456); ●Alyan Dubai Style Crunchy Knafeh and Pistachio Milk Chocolate (100G, product code 3185910). ...