Crooks tainting Tooting

CON artists operating on Tooting High Street are ruining the reputation of the town, according to residents and council members.

Increasing numbers of gangs have set up stalls outside the market, selling stolen goods and running crooked card games.

Resident Donal Lawler said: “I have seen people doing this along the South Bank, a group setting up a stall and lookouts with mobile phones down the road.
“There are guys selling dodgy DVDs in plain sight outside the market at weekends. Most people won’t fall for this sport of thing, but they know their target audience.”

Shoppers have reported the issue to police, who have promised to put plain clothes officers on the case, but the blame is being passed by those in charge.

Labour councillor Nick Bowes is determined to bring this to the attention of the Conservative majority council.

“I can offer residents the reassurance that I will fight tooth and nail for Tooting and continue to embarrass the council into doing something to improve this issue,” he said. “I will not shy away from exposing the majority group’s failings.”

Alex Jacob, Conservative councillor for Tooting, believes the issue stems from a low police presence in the borough.

“We are short changed by the Home Office when it comes to estimating the number of officers we need on the streets,” he said. “Tooting is one of the Borough’s five town centres, and we are committed to its continuous improvement.
“There have been several new shops, restaurants and bars opening recently and the general impression is of an area on the up. Such activity undermines all our hard work and we are dismayed by it.”

Cllr Jacob also protested that the streets of Tooting are controlled by Transport for London, as the area is a designated ‘red route’.

Police Inspector Paul O'Herlihy denies there is a problem with policing in Tooting.

“Tooting town centre is covered by two Safer Neighbourhood Teams, giving a total of 18 officers dedicated to the area,” he said.

Many people also feel there is a knock-on effect to the general state of Tooting town centre. Tooting resident Emma said:
“I have witnessed two instances of fly tipping in the last couple of weeks by residents of Tooting. I know that some people think that it's people in vans dropping off their unwanted furniture etc, but I've seen two residents doing this in a matter of weeks.”

Sam Blackledge

Youth matters

Youngsters from Epsom and Ewell got a chance to air their views last Monday at the Borough’s first Youth Conference, as part of Local Democracy Week.

20 students from secondary schools and youth groups attended Town Hall event, organised by Yell, the Borough’s youth forum, and Surrey County Council’s Youth Development Service.

The evening included presentations, group discussions, brainstorming and a debate about services offered in the Borough.

The council’s media spokesperson Midge McCall said the evening was a resounding success.

“The event was lively and fairly informal, tailored specifically for the young people and the feedback afterwards was very positive,” she said.

“Those present all expressed an interest to meet up together again to ensure the good relationships and communication channels started at the conference would continue in the future.”

One of the issues discussed at the conference was the possibility of a Police Youth Panel, which would address personal safety for youngsters and develop better relations with local police.

Sam Blackledge

Busking The Night Away

Forget Simon, Sharon, Louis and Danni – if you really want to be a star, The Halfway House pub in East Sheen is the place to be.

‘The Busk Factor’, set up by local musician Siobhan Dodd, is an open mic night with a difference. A new approach to musicians’ nights is needed in the capital, according to Dodd, who runs the event with her guitarist brother-in-law Dan Grinter.

“All the open mic nights we have seen in London have tended to be very serious,” she says. “We prefer the atmosphere of the event to be non-judgmental and fun.”

This unique theory certainly brings a lively quality to the evening. Participants receive party bags for performing, and the laid-back atmosphere is a breath of fresh air.

“Musicians deserve a treat for playing and singing”, Dodd says. “With the party bag idea, I had this great image of musicians swapping crayons and bonding over a lollipop.
It’s an extra quirk which adds to the atmosphere and keeps it fun.”

At the premiere event last month, the audience were treated to an acapella version of ‘If I Were a Rich Man’, a haphazard but inspired rendition of ‘Sheila’s Wheels’, and a fair bit of energetic dancing as the night wore on.

Another unique aspect of this event is the family connection – Dodd’s family band, ‘The Elastic Band’, headline the night, and there is a camaraderie amongst them rarely found among other musicians. Dodd pays tribute to Michael Upjohn’s ‘Buskers Express’, one of the longest-running open mic events in Surrey.

“There was a lovely atmosphere to it, and I first sang there aged 14,” she says. “Dan and I really appreciated the opportunities ‘Buskers Express’ gave us as young musicians, and we wanted to set up something similar in this area, to give those same opportunities to others. We don’t know of any events like this which offer a platform for new songwriters.”

Dodd has had her very own brush with fame – she auditioned for the first series of ‘X Factor’ – and she stresses that no matter what their standard, all local musicians should come along to The Busk Factor.

“People don’t have to have perfectly polished performances, they can ‘busk’ if they forget the words,” she says.

There are high hopes for the long-term status of the event, which runs every month.

“Buskers Express has been running for ten years,” says Dodd. “So that’s what we should try to aim for!”

'The Busk Factor' is on next at 'The Halfway House', East Sheen on Sunday 21st October at 8pm. To book a performance slot, email thebuskfactor@hotmail.co.uk.

www.myspace.com/thebuskfactor

Sam Blackledge

Jamming for charity

MUSICIANS from Epsom will be doing their bit for charity this month as the U.K’s biggest music festival comes to the region.

Throughout October, artists, promoters and music fans across the country will be taking part in ‘Oxjam’, a series of events and gigs to raise money for the charity Oxfam.

Epsom will host two events, and organisers are hoping for a high turnout for the gigs.

Oxjam’s music event director for Epsom Chris Turner said: “All of the money raised will go directly towards Oxfam’s campaigns to help end poverty and suffering around the world.
“We hope to raise close to the region of £1,000 but that really depends on how many people turn out to the events and how much money they donate.”

The first event in Epsom will be an acoustic gig held at the Oxfam shop on Epsom High Street on Saturday October 13.

Organised by Epsom band ‘Chop Chop Bear Touch?’, the informal concert will be held from 11am-4pm, and entrance is by voluntary donation.

‘Chop Chop Bear Touch?’ will also be headlining Epsom’s centrepiece gig at The Vibe on East Street on October 20. Acts include The Kulaks, Anison, Cyclone Bill and Venkman. This event will start at 7pm, with admission £5.

Ed Croome, a member of Banstead and Sutton group Venkman, is a big fan of the idea.
“As we are a new band, we see this event as a good way of showcasing our new material and also raising some money for charity at the same time,” he said.
“I also think that if it proved to be successful, it would be a great idea to put on more events like this in the area, and we would be more than happy to keep helping out in any way we can.”

Venkman are currently considering organising an event to raise awareness of cystic fibrosis.

Other regions holding Oxjam events throughout October include Cardiff, Leeds and Brighton.

Around 40,000 musicians and 300,000 fans are expected to take place in the events nationwide, aiming to raise £1 million for Oxfam.

For more information, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/oxjam

Sam Blackledge