The Kensington Society news blog

Today the lockdown ends – and also the cycle lane trial

Today, Wednesday 2 December, is not only the day when the second national lockdown ends, but also the day when the council begins to remove the temporary cycle lanes from Kensington High Street, which were introduced in October. The removal of the many metal “wands” will be done at night time and is expected to take five days.
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The 2020 newsletter is here!

The 2020 issue of the Kensington Society newsletter has just been mailed to all members, but it can also be read and/or downloaded here.
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In Memoriam: Christopher Buckmaster

Christopher Buckmaster, who was councillor for the Campden ward from 1994 to 2014 and RBKC mayor twice, very sadly died from Covid-19 at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital on 2 November. While in hospital, he turned 82.
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In Memoriam: David Campion

On 18 August 2020, Councillor David Campion passed away after a long illness. He was 86 years old. When he retired from his councillor seat in 2018, he had been representing the Pembridge ward residents for an impressive 51 years. He was also one of the founders of the Pembridge Association and its longest serving chairman.
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Borough-wide 20mph speed limit from tomorrow!

RBKC may have been the last borough in central London to introduce a 20mph speed limit, but when they did, it was very swift: on Thursday 12 November the council suddenly announced that all roads controlled by the borough would have that speed limit - from the very next day, Friday 13 November!
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Subscribe to the council’s Covid newsletters

The council’s weekly email newsletters (at times even more often) are probably the best way for Kensington residents to be stay updated about changes to council services and new government instructions during the Covid-19 pandemic - and it’s very easy to subscribe to them.
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Building work allowed until 9pm – every day except Sunday

With immediate effect, building sites can extend their working hours without seeking permission if it is "short term" or "modest", or seek permission to extend the hours in residential areas up to to 9pm every day, Monday-Saturday. Councils are basically under orders from the government to approve all such applications, and do so within 10 working days.
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Notting Hill Carnival cancelled this year

Because of Covid-19, there will be no Notting Hill Carnival in late August this year. The arrangers recognise that social distancing would be impossible for an event that tends to attract one million people.
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Too Big For The Bin is back

When the council closed down much of its services on 18 March, one of the victims was Too Big For The Bin, the paid-for rubbish collection of items to big or bulky for the regular bin. Well, now it's back and collections can be booked online. The recycling centres at Smugglers Way and Cringle Street have also reopened, but only for delivery of garden waste and general black bagged waste.
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The Kensington Society annual for 2019-2020 is here!

Although the Kensington Society AGM has been postponed until Covid-19 has been beaten (or at least severely wounded), the annual for 2019-2020 is ready and will be mailed to all members within the next few days.
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When the library is closed: go digital!

Kensington's libraries may be closed because of Covid-19, but the online services available for those with a library card are still available, offering books, newspapers, magazines and music. And the Metropolitan Police have useful digital booklets about internet scams, while the NHS offers advice about how to stay sane when scared of viruses and being isolated. Your PC or mobile phone gives you access to it all!
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RBKC: much is closed, but parks remain open (updated 04/04/2020)

Following the government's increasingly stricter Covid-19 rules, the council has now stopped almost all its activities, although parks continue to remain open for now, as do food stalls at the Portobello Road and Golborne Road markets and the three farmers markets.
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