Labour councils call for Bakerloo line funding
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Labour councils call for Bakerloo line funding Banzai Japan Music Video Four Labour London council leaders have renewed their calls for the government to commit cash to deliver the upgrade and extension of the Bakerloo line. Trains on the 119-year-old line could run every two minutes under Transport for London (TfL) plans to upgrade and extend the Tube route. The proposals, which depend on government funding, would allow 27 trains an hour to run on the line, seven more than the current 20. The Department for Transport (DfT) said TfL got £500m in additional funding at the Budget last October and the government was “still assessing the challenging financial position it faces” before committing any further funding. Book Novotel Hotel The leaders of Brent, Lewisham, Southwark and Westminster councils said Chancellor Rachel Reeves should commit to deliver the transport project in the upcoming 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy and secure initial funding for the scheme in the Spending Review, both expected in June. Brenda Dacres, mayor of Lewisham, said: “For too long south-east London has been excluded from the world-class London Underground network and the benefits of being a well-connected inner London borough. “With Lewisham wages nearly 40% lower on average than neighbouring boroughs, the Bakerloo line extension would be a game-changer for unlocking inclusive growth and opportunities, not just in the South East, but across the UK.” Kieron Williams, leader of Southwark Council, said the Bakerloo extension was a “shovel-ready project” which would create thousands of jobs and boost economic growth by £1.5bn. Banzai Japan Music Video The first phase of the proposed extension—which TfL is currently conducting feasibility studies for—would see new Tube stations at the Old Kent Road and Burgess Park in Southwark. The line would then continue to New Cross Gate and Lewisham. The second phase would take the Bakerloo line beyond Lewisham to Hayes and Beckenham Junction. As part of the planned revamp of the London Underground route, the Bakerloo line’s 53-year-old trains would be replaced. The planned upgrade would support 150,000 jobs in Goole, East Yorkshire—where the new trains would be built—under the current TfL proposals. About 107,000 new homes are predicted to be built around the new Tube stations in London, if the project goes ahead. Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, said without the government’s commitment, the Bakerloo line was “at risk of total failure”. Of the ageing Underground line’s current 25 stations, 10 are in Brent. A DfT spokesperson said: “Further funding for London’s transport network is being considered as part of the upcoming Spending Review.” Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
WH Smith name to disappear from High Street after sale
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel WH Smith name to disappear from High Street after sale Banzai Japan Music Video The name WH Smith, a staple of UK town centres since the Victorian era when it became the country’s principal newspaper distributor, is set to disappear from the High Street after the firm agreed to sell its shops to Hobbycraft-owner Modella Capital. The sale does not include the WH Smith brand, its travel shops at airports and railway stations or its outlets in hospitals. The new owner will rebrand the High Street chain as TGJones, but said it would keep the Post Office outlets that operate in many branches. Book Novotel Hotel Modella Capital will take over 480 stores in retail parks, shopping centres and on High Streets including 5,000 staff. Modella said it would be “business as usual” while it worked on changes to the store chain including adding new ranges. However, the new owner said the Post Office and Toys “R” Us outlets currently in WH Smith stores, would remain. It would not comment on whether jobs would be cut following the takeover. The private equity firm specialises in retail and consumer businesses and, as well as buying Hobbycraft, has also invested in Crafters’ Companion and The Original Factory Shop. It said the TGJones brand carried “the same sense of family” as WH Smith, which it described as an “iconic” retail business. Banzai Japan Music Video WH Smith’s first shop was in Little Grosvenor Street, London. It opened its first travel retail store in London’s Euston station in 1848. It still sells papers and magazines, alongside books, sweets and snacks and art supplies. WH Smith group chief executive Carl Cowling said the £76m sale, was “a pivotal moment” for the company, which would now focus exclusively on the travel-related side of the business. “High Street is a good business; it is profitable and cash generative with an experienced and high-performing management team,” he said. “However, given our rapid international growth, now is the right time for a new owner to take the High Street business forward.” The travel division operates more than 1,200 stores in 32 countries. Nicholas Found at the consultancy, Retail Economics, said conditions on the High Street were “increasingly unforgiving”. As a result in recent years WH Smith’s travel arm had become its “engine room”, he said. WH Smith’s travel business contributed 75% of the group’s revenue and 85% of its trading profit in 2024. “Its product mix, which includes food, beverages and tech, is better suited to higher-margin, impulse-driven purchases in busy transit hubs,” he added. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Lab space plan for Euston Tower approved
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Lab space plan for Euston Tower approved Banzai Japan Music Video Euston Tower will be remade into workspaces that can be used as labs, following approval from a north London council. The 36-storey building will be partially demolished and turned into a 32-storey mixed-use tower by developer British Land. British Land said it was “delighted” after its plans for a “world-class science and technology building” secured planning consent from Camden Council. “Euston Tower will be a blueprint for sustainable development, delivering an all-electric building fit for the future,” the company said. The revamped tower has been vacant for four years according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Camden’s decision comes despite opposition from Climate Emergency Camden (CEC) regarding sustainable building. Book Novotel Hotel An assessment showed the plans did not meet the council’s “aspirational” carbon reduction targets, largely because lab-enabled spaces would use more energy than standard offices. Friends of Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill also objected to the plans, claiming the revamped tower would be “overbearing” and “prominently” visible from the parks. Royal Parks also argued the new skyscraper would harm the views from Kensington Gardens and Primrose Hill. Banzai Japan Music Video Camden Council said the impact was “less than substantial”, and that public benefits from the project would outweigh any harm to the area. The council’s local plan identified the surrounding Euston Area having the potential to see the “most significant growth”. The decision will need final approval from the mayor of London. The 124m (400ft) tower was once the home of Capital Radio in the 1970s and British satellite company Inmarsat. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
How an iPad dug up from the Thames solved museum thieves’ murder plot
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel How an iPad dug up from the Thames solved museum thieves’ murder plot Banzai Japan Music Video A Ming vase stolen from a Swiss museum. A shooting at a comedian’s house in Woodford, east London. The robbery of a luxury apartment in Sevenoaks, Kent. These seemingly unconnected events were all part of a web of international organised crime that police untangled after a six-year-long investigation. A key piece of evidence – an iPad, found under an inch of sand on the foreshore of the River Thames just downstream from the O2 Arena. Book Novotel Hotel Its discovery was pivotal to the investigation that has led to three people being found guilty at the Old Bailey of the near-assassination of one of Britain’s most notorious armed robbers. When found by a police officer with a metal detector on a cold November morning last year, the iPad was found caked in mud having been underwater for more than five years. Forensics were able to clean it and open the Sim tray – which still contained a pink Vodafone Sim card. Call data that was subsequently salvaged provided damning evidence on three men – Louis Ahearne, Stewart Ahearne and Daniel Kelly – who were all also involved in a heist at a museum in Switzerland a month earlier. “I’ve questioned this a lot,” Det Supt Matthew Webb ponders. “Is it calamitous blunders tripping them up or was it just they were so blasé they wouldn’t get caught?” Banzai Japan Music Video A ‘meticulously planned’ assassination plot The Ahearne brothers and Kelly first caught the attention of police after gunshots pierced the silence of a late summer evening in an affluent Woodford area on 11 July 2019. Six bullets tore through a glass conservatory at a luxury property owned by comedian Russell Kane that had been rented out to Paul Allen. One severed one of Allen’s fingers, the other went through his throat and became lodged in his spinal cord, leaving him struggling to breathe and bleeding profusely. “He’s been shot, he’s been shot!” Allen’s partner, Jade Bovington, screamed. As she frantically called an ambulance, neighbours and a private security guard heard the cries and rushed to render first aid. One eyewitness described seeing an unidentified man vault a low wall, run between some bushes and get straight into a waiting vehicle which immediately sped off. To this day, Allen relies on a wheelchair, paralysed below his upper chest. Allen gained notoriety as one of the ringleaders of what remains Britain’s biggest ever armed robbery. In 2006, Allen was part of a balaclava-wearing gang toting guns including an AK-47 assault rifle who threatened to kill staff at the Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent. They stole £53m in Bank of England cash notes – leaving behind £154m which would not fit into their lorry. Allen fled to Morocco four days later, but was arrested in Rabat alongside friend and fellow robber Lee Murray, who remains in jail in nearby Tiflet. In January 2008, Allen was extradited to the UK and subsequently sentenced to 18 years in prison. Allen was released in 2016 and moved back to his roots in south-east London. But he relocated to Woodford with his partner and two younger children after a gunman opened fire at him and his pregnant daughter in the doorway of their Woolwich home in September 2018. Ten months later, Allen almost died after those two bullets hit him as he stood in the kitchen of his Woodford haven. Prosecutors argued the Ahearnes and Kelly were equally culpable in the plot to murder Allen – which involved a hired car, surveillance and unregistered pay-as-you-go phones. “This was a meticulously researched and planned assassination attempt by a team of men well versed in the level of criminality to pull it off,” prosecutor Michael Shaw KC said. In discovering how the three knew where to find Allen, police would uncover their criminality stretched into mainland Europe. The Geneva job and the Mayfair hotel sting Just one month before the shooting, the Ahearne brothers and Kelly stood outside the Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva equipped with a sledgehammer, angle grinders and crowbars. Within seconds of forcing their way through the front door, they shattered glass casings housing 14th Century Chinese Ming Dynasty antiques. Three items were seized – a rare pomegranate vase; a doucai-style wine cup and a porcelain bowl – and had a combined insured value of £2.8m. In their hurry to flee, Stewart scraped his stomach against the sides of the hole the gang had made in the front wooden door – leaving traces of his DNA. He also hired the getaway car, a Renault Koleos from Avis at Geneva Airport. Louis was caught on CCTV filming the inside and outside of the museum the day before the raid. Within days of returning to south-east London with the stolen goods, the trio set about attempting to dispose of the items they had pinched. The brothers flew to Hong Kong with Kelly as they tried to sell one of the stolen items at an auction house. The auction house tipped off police in London, who were able to send undercover officers posing as art dealers to catch some other gang members in a sting operation as two of them tried to sell another plundered item which had been concealed in a JD Sports bag. During a seven-week trial at the Old Bailey, prosecutors argued that international burglary proved the Ahearnes and Kelly were “at the top end” of criminality. But little did police know while pursuing the stolen antiquities, the three would leave behind near-enough similar clues to give away their presence in the Woodford shooting. The hire car and the Oasis purchase In the hours after the shooting, the crime scene in Woodford was forensically examined. Six bullet casings fired from a Glock self-loading handgun were found, as were scuff marks on the
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Star Stephanie Beatriz Joins MCM Comic Con in May
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Brooklyn Nine-Nine Star Stephanie Beatriz Joins MCM Comic Con in May Banzai Japan Music Video Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Encanto and In The Heights star will appear at MCM Comic Con at Excel London on Friday 23 May and Saturday 24 May for autographs, photo opportunities and a Friday spotlight panel. London, UK – Friday, 28 February, 2025 | Nine-Nine! Argentine-American actor Stephanie Beatriz, best-known for playing Detective Rosa Diaz in iconic TV sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, is coming to MCM Comic Con this May. Book Novotel Hotel As well as starring as Diaz for nearly 10 years, Stephanie has also starred in Disney’s Encanto as Mirabel Madrigal and lit up the streets of New York in Jon M. Chu’s In The Heights as Carla. Her work also includes Hazbin Hotel and The Legend of Vox Machina. Currently, Stephanie is starring alongside Captain America star Anthony Mackie in Twisted Metal and portrays Didi in A Man on the Inside with Ted Danson on Netflix. Banzai Japan Music Video Stephanie will be appearing at MCM Comic Con on Friday 23 May and Saturday 24 May with a spotlight panel on Friday 23 May to share never heard before, behind-the-scenes information about her fan-favourite projects. MCM Comic Con is the ultimate celebration of pop and geek culture, playing host to a packed schedule of celebrity guests, insightful panels and unforgettable experiences. The convention will return to Excel London from Friday 23rd May to Sunday 25th May, after welcoming hundreds of thousands of dedicated fans across three shows throughout 2024. Keep an eye on the official MCM Comic Con pages for the latest announcements as Reedpop reveals more exciting guests, panels and activities in the lead up to MCM Comic Con May. Tickets can be purchased HERE. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Chainsaw Man Star Sarah Wiedenheft to Attend MCM Comic Con in May
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Chainsaw Man Star Sarah Wiedenheft to Attend MCM Comic Con in May Banzai Japan Music Video Sarah Wiedenheft will appear at MCM Comic Con at Excel London from Friday 23 May to Sunday 25 May for autographs, photo opportunities and a Saturday live games session. London, UK – Thursday 6 March 2025 | Voice acting star of Chainsaw Man, Miss Kobayahi’s Dragon Maid and Honkai: Star Rail, Sarah Wiedenheft, will be attending all three days of MCM Comic Con this May. Book Novotel Hotel Although she is best recognised for her role as hard-working dragon maid Tohru in Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Sarah is also known for portraying a huge range of characters across anime and games. Sarah recently brought to life the widely beloved and iconic character, Power, in Chainsaw Man. Alongside this, she also voiced the second-year Ruby Kurosawa in Love Live! Sunshine!!. Banzai Japan Music Video In addition to anime, Sarah has lent her talent to iconic video game characters, most notably Master Diviner Fu Xian in Honkai: Star Rail. Alongside this, she voices Blanc, the energetic bunny girl from 777, in Goddess of Victory: Nikke. Sarah will be appearing for all three days of MCM Comic Con, from Friday 23 May until Sunday 25 May, to meet fans for autographs and photo opportunities. She will also lead an interactive game session of Forget-Me-Not on Saturday 24 May, in which contestants will attempt to draw iconic characters from memory for the chance to win exciting prizes. MCM Comic Con is the ultimate celebration of pop and geek culture, playing host to a packed schedule of celebrity guests, insightful panels and unforgettable experiences. The convention will return to Excel London from Friday 23rd May to Sunday 25th May, after welcoming hundreds of thousands of dedicated fans across three shows throughout 2024. Keep an eye on the official MCM Comic Con pages for the latest announcements as Reedpop reveals more exciting guests, panels and activities in the lead up to MCM Comic Con May. Tickets can be purchased HERE. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
Star Wars: The Bad Batch Voice Cast Coming to MCM Comic Con London in May
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel Star Wars: The Bad Batch Voice Cast Coming to MCM Comic Con London in May Banzai Japan Music Video Book Novotel Hotel The voices of Star Wars: The Bad Batch are coming to MCM Comic Con London Between May 23rd to 25th, 2025, including Dee Bradley Baker (Clone Force 99), Banzai Japan Music Video Michelle Ang (Omega) and Noshir Dalal (Vice Admiral Rampart). Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
MCM Comic Con adds Nadji Jeter to its London guest lineup
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel MCM Comic Con adds Nadji Jeter to its London guest lineup Banzai Japan Music Video Nadji Jeter is joining the guest lineup for MCM London! Book Novotel Hotel Best known as Miles Morales in the Marvel’s Spider-Man series and Sam in The Last of Us, will come to MCM Comic Con this May. Nadji will be with us all three days for photo ops and autographs and will have a spotlight panel on Sunday 25 May at 12:15pm on the Live Stage, delving into all the behind-the-scenes secrets behind his most iconic voice and screen roles. Banzai Japan Music Video MCM Comic Con have added even more author guests to the lineup (see the latest authors announced on the website). Book signings are included in MCM tickets, either bring a book with you to get signed*, or you can buy one from our friends at Forbidden Planet at the show. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
MCM Comic Con Announces Power Rangers Cast As Guests For May
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel MCM Comic Con Announces Power Rangers Cast As Guests For May Banzai Japan Music Video Friday, 21st March 2025: Reedpop is excited to reveal that the cast of Mighty Morphin Power Rangerswill be attending MCM Comic Con at ExCeL London from Friday 23 May to Sunday 25 May. The cast includes Walter Emanuel Jones, Steve Cardenas and Karan Ashley who will appear at MCM for all three days of the convention for photo opportunities and autographs. The Power Rangers stars will also take to the Centre Stage at 1:00PM on Sunday 25 May for a panel diving into behind-the-scenes insights from the series, free for Sunday and Weekend ticket holders. Book Novotel Hotel Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is the first entry of the Power Rangers franchise, proving to be a 90s pop culture phenomenon. Sparking multiple shows, movies and toys, the franchise has remained popular to this day. In 2023, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always was released on Netflix as a celebration for the 30th anniversary and starred Steve, Karan and Walter. Banzai Japan Music Video Walter Emanuel Jones Born in Detroit, Michigan, Walter is an American actor, martial artist and dancer known for his role as Zack Taylor, the original Black Ranger in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. He also appeared in many successful TV shows including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Family Matters, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Walter also has voice credits in animated movies such as Open Season 2and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. Steve Cardenas Before his career as the much loved Red Ranger, Steve initially started training in martial arts when he was 12 years old and achieved his black belt in Taekwondo at age 16. At 20 years old, Steve left Texas to audition for his first acting role in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and was cast as Rocky DeSantos. Alongside Power Rangers, Steve has opened two martial arts studios in Burbank, California and in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Karan Ashley Best known as Aisha Campbell and the second Yellow Ranger in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Karan Ashley accepted this role days before starting her first year at university. As well as her life-changing role in Power Rangers, Karan also executively produced the independent film Devon’s Ghost and in 2017, produced the short film The Order. Karan has also made guest appearances in TV shows such as Kenan & Kel and Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper. MCM Comic Con is the ultimate celebration of pop and geek culture, playing host to a packed schedule of celebrity guests, insightful panels and unforgettable experiences. The convention will return to ExCeL London from Friday 23 May to Sunday 25 May, after welcoming hundreds of thousands of dedicated fans across three shows throughout 2024. Keep an eye on the official MCM Comic Con pages for the latest announcements as Reedpop reveals more exciting guests, panels and activities in the lead up to MCM Comic Con May. Tickets can be purchased HERE. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol
David Tennant announced as guest for MCM London Comic Con
Buy Now An error occurred. Buy Now An error occurred. Book Novotel Hotel David Tennant announced as guest for MCM London Comic Con Banzai Japan Music Video It’s a good day to be a Doctor Who fan: David Tennant is coming to MCM Comic Con London this May, it has been announced. The veteran actor will have his own spotlight panel – aka an interview about his life and career – and will be available for signing and photo opportunities on Saturday May 24. Book Novotel Hotel Tennant is, at this point, a bit of a household name. Born in Paisley, Scotland, he’s most famous for playing the Tenth Doctor in the beloved series Doctor Who, between 2005-2010. That included a long-awaited return to screens in 2023, where he reprised is role as Ten in a three-episode arc that eventually introduced Ncuti Gatwa as the current Doctor. More recently, he’s also appeared in the Prime Video series Good Omens as the devil Crawley, opposite Michael Sheen’s angelic Aziraphale, as the two reluctantly join forces to save the world – at this point, multiple times. Banzai Japan Music Video He’s appeared in Broadchurch, the hit Zoom-lockdown series Staged (also with Sheen, in which both played themselves), as Disney+ series rivals as the villainous Tony Baddingham, and several Shakespeare productions, including a celebrated run as Hamlet, and one as Macbeth, opposite Cush Jumbo, at the Donmar Warehouse. He’s joining a guest list which includes Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz, PlayStation’s Miles Morales Nadji Jeter, sci-fi author Adrian Tchaikovsky, and other stars from Star Wars: The Bad Batch and Power Rangers. The show, which runs between Friday May 23 and Sunday May 25, is held at the Excel Arena and is a chance for people to get together and celebrate their favourite films, books, comics and TV shows. In addition to time with the celebrities attending the event, there’s the chance to attend panels featuring some of the biggest names in pop culture, attend a cosplay masquerade (worth the attendance fee in itself) and hang out with your favourite creators at the Creator’s Pavilion. There’s even a Gaming section, where fans of tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons, or live action role playing (or LARPing) can meet. Can’t wait to get stuck in? Tickets for the weekend cost £97 for the full three days and can be purchased here, while new announcements will be made on the MCM Comic Con pages here. Book Novotel Hotel Banzai Japan Social Media Fumi Fujisaki Idol Riko Ueno Idol Rino Ibusuki Idol Yunagi Nino Idol Shiori Fujisaki Idol Kana Ichinose Idol Hoshino Arice Idol Sasa Sasagawa Idol Kosaka Yuu Idol Tsukumo Aira Idol Maika Ando Idol Yuuki Mochimaru Idol