Following our communication with Premier Inn London Euston yesterday, we’ve received a positive assurance from the Manager of the hotel. The issues are being resolved and we’ve noticed an improvement.

Shaylor were contacted directly by a resident, and once aware there was an issue, took immediate steps to remedy it – we must send our thanks to the Shaylor construction company for understanding the problems of shared communal access and acting quite so swiftly.

As matters reached a head yesterday, we received word from the Chair of Somerton House TA, Simon, that the Premier Inn were disappointed in the action taken, although we must stress it was not taken by the TA. It was by coincidence that SHTA contaced Camden to ask for advice, which resulted in NCP parking services making daily inspections of the shared route. Although this wasn’t our initial intention, SHTA exists to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our community, and that remains our top priority.

Premier Inn’s General Manager, Mark, has contacted Simon to arrange another routine meeting with the TA, even though Premier Inn Euston have shown some concern over the course of events. Mark is positive that we can keep our friendly relationship, and that together we will find solutions to the issues we each have which are beneficial to us all.

We look forward to meeting Mark once again as a Tenants’ Association, and hope that the hotel’s suppliers and logistics companies accept our request that they are represented too. We will take the opportunity to thank the hotel for the work they have completed to the kitchen extractor vent.

Pat, from the Customer Services department of the Holborn District Housing Office, has given SHTA a donation towards our plans for a green pathway.

The front entrance of Somerton House will be bedecked with plants and flowers along the length of the path thanks to a £100 donation from Camden Council. We’ll be purchasing our plant-life from Camden Garden Centre, to ensure that the money stays local and independent. The Camden Garden Centre works as a community garden centre, and helps vulnerable residents in Camden.

John, secretary, is sourcing suitable hard wood planters, and we will discuss funding these at our next meeting.

Simon, chair, has also arranged for Camden Council to eventually remove the builder’s debris from the fire safety works taken out over a year ago, along with the other accumulated items. Dilip Shah, from Camden’s caretaking services, called Simon yesterday to say it would go, and less than 24 hours later it has!

We’re sorry to say that Whitbread have once again relaxed their standards at the Premier Inn London Euston. We’ve watched the situation deteriorate over the last few weeks. Reporting incidents to Reception doesn’t do much to help.

• A couple of weeks ago, vans from a company called ‘Shaylor‘ started parking at the base of the access ramp.
• This was followed by hotel residents cars being parked pretty much anywhere in the car park.
• And now, once again, delivery vehicles are reversing, completely unattended, down the access ramp.

This time we’ve tried to put a stop to things quickly. It turns out that Premier Inn are aware that their large 5 ton delivery vehicles are reversing down our shared access route. Premier Inn are aware that it shouldn’t be done, and admit that they are allowing it to happen.

Vans from Shaylor causing Sunlight problems navigating the car park

If you read back, you’ll see how we had so much hope that with a new manager, Premier Inn would turn a new leaf, and live up to the environmental and community aspirations it claims to uphold on the Whitbread website.

For reference, Whitbread use several logistics companies to handle their deliveries – these drivers should be given route information before they leave, containing any special instructions. Kuehne & Nagel, Sunlight and DHL Tradeteam are the offending companies at the heart of the problem.

Kenneth Williams Plaque unveiled

Kenneth Williams has now been honoured by the Heritage Foundation at his King’s Cross  childhood home. The Blue Plaque was unveiled above his Father’s barber shop at 57 Marchmont Street, where he lived from 1935 until 1956.

Fans, friends, the Marchmont Street Association, local MP Frank Dobson and local Councillor Jonathan Simpson had written to the Foundation campaigning for public recognition for Kenneth, in what was his neighbourhood.

Everyone gathered on Sunday 11th October at 12.00 noon on the packed street in King’s Cross, where many celebrities including actors, broadcasters, friends and fans paid homage to the great comedian.

Nicholas Parsons OBE LLT recalled moments from their friendship, as did Bill Petwee MBE PBR, both are members of the Grand Order of Water Rats, no fine paid today then.

The Blue Plaque was unveiled by, Cllr Jonathon Simpson, Frank Dobson MP, the Mayor of Camden, Omar Faruque Ansari, Bill Pertwee MBE PBR – best known for playing ARP Warden Hodges in Dad’s Army – Nicholas Parsons OBE LLT – broadcaster and straight man of comedy, and Ricci de Freitas – chair of the Marchmont Street Association.

In the presence of many friends of the foundation including actress and writer Linda Brant, radio presenter and Heritage Foundation Vice President Mike Read, ‘Elvis to the Stars’ Lou Jordan, David Graham Heritage Foundation Director, Potter Ned Heywood the plaque designer and Bill Oddie OBE – previous goodie, and popular wildlife campaigner, to name but a few.

There are two more blue plaques celebrating local dignitaries to be unveiled on Marchmont Street. Watch this space for more, or check the Heritage Foundation website. www.theheritagefoundation.info

Apart from the lack of a microphone and a speaker so that us ‘locals’ could hear what was being said at the front, everything went swimmingly especially for Costa Coffee (photoshopped out of images) – don’t forget there are other independent places to buy you coffee, love your High Street – Support it!  Simon Lamrock.

SHTA Chair and Secretary – Simon and John – met with Mark, the new General Manager of Premier Inn and Costa Coffee in Euston. Mark worked for the Travel Inn as a department manager in the late 90’s, so he’s got a good knowledge of the building.

Mark has been at the Premier Inn Euston for a few weeks, so this was a good time for a ‘get-to-know-you’ meeting, and gave us a chance to introduce ourselves and further the relationship between Whitbread and residents of Somerton House.

The meeting gave us a chance to discss possible new practices which Premier Inn hope to introduce to help mitigate instances of noise nuisance – mostly from deliveries and their recycling facilities. We made sure to commend Premier Inn Euston on the practices it put in place following our last meeting – all appear to be working.

We’ve discussed the possibility of residents using their lift while ours is being replaced, and will discuss this further when we’re given a more accurate timing from Camden Council. The General Manager was positive that this would be a good way for Premier Inn to help its neighbours when they need it most.

Premier Inn are in the process of applying for Planning Premission from Camden Council to install the much needed sound insulation to the rooftop air conditioning plant. There are several stages besides planning permission, including health & safety. Although it’s essential to help residents to have a good night’s sleep, we’ve to wait in the queue for the permission to be granted. SHTA intends to write to our Councillors to ask if they could help to oil the wheels of bureaucracy.

We’re also not averse to raising ideas to help the profile of Premier Inn, and have suggested cycle and cycle hire facilities.

We haven’t set regular meetings, but now that we’ve introduced ourselves, we’ve an effective way for SHTA and Premier Inn to discuss any matters arising.

Following the tragic fire in a block of flats in Camberwell, SHTA has some useful advice for residents in Somerton House.

If there is a fire, dial 999 and ask for the Fire Brigade. Leave the building immediately. Do not use the lift.

There are two fire exits, one at each end of the building. If you can’t use your nearest fire exit, make your way to the other fire exit.

Do not use the lift. Lift shafts behave as a chimney, and can become smoke-filled. If you are trapped return to your home and dial 999 to make your presence known to the emergency services.

The best way to get away from the fire will be to the ground floor. The Fire Brigade will check the emergency staircases as far as they can. Being below the fire is important. Every fire is different, make sure that you have planned more than one way out of the building.

The fire meeting point for anyone in Somerton House is by the Church gate opposite the entrance.

SHTA Continues to attempt to bring the fire safety of Somerton House to the attention of Camden Council, as it has since 2006. Please write to or contact our Camden ward Councillors – details on the notice board – to help voice your concerns over the lack of fire protection to our risers – whcih would act as chimneys in the event of a fire – just as the lift shaft would.

ITV have started the long

awaited 2009 filming of the first of eight new Agatha Christie films for television, four are to be Miss Marple, and four are to be Poirot. Rumour has it that the ITV Drama staring David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, set during the 1930’s, is being filmed on the Orient Express, and at a various number of different locations.

One poor Papparzzi photographer spent the day in Dover trying to find the set, and only arrived back in London to catch the final 20 minutes of the final scene, I laughed quietly on set.

One of theses locations is also where the BBC drama Fanny Hill was filmed in 2007, and that’s right here in Dukes Road & Woburn Walk, with a one day shoot.

The Locations and Sets teams have been busy for the last few days dressing the set, taking our Dickensian shopping street back to how it would have looked in the 1930’s.

They have done a sterling job, not just on the outside streets and facades, but also on the interior of many of the shops changing Camden’s empty ‘To-Let shop’ into a fantastic early photographic camera emporium.

A nice 1940’s red phone box has also arrived on set – not knowing the years of trouble we local residents have had to put up with the phone boxes in Kings Cross, this one has no ‘ladies calling cards’ or ‘drug paraphernalia’  in it (as of yet) just two buttons A & B, and it smells very fresh & clean!

Local residents, most of who live in either Dukes road & Woburn Walk, spent a lot of the morning watching from ‘behind the camera’ enjoying the excitement of being on a TV drama film set, on hot and Sunny Sunday in June.

There is little else to do when the TV machine takes over your neighbourhood, so you would think that they wouldn’t have a problem with local residents (and a few passing tourists) taking pictures?

Apparently not, the production crew instructed their set security to tell local residents, that they had had their picture and now to stop and go away, leave us alone.  Too where do we go, I might ask?

We live here, this is our street, it doesn’t  take a Belgium detective to work that one out. Surely actors are used to being in front of a lens, and being photographed by the people who watch their programme.

I’m a member of the  Broadcast Union BECTU who have a code conduct for all members, and am a freelance photographer, so I have a good undertanding of my rights when taking images, it’s what I do.  I  aways do my best to behave as if I’m working it’s the professional in me, even when I’m just taking snaps for the TA website, but I felt that the brusk treatment of my fellow neighbours was a little rich to say the least, certainly not called for.

Everyone has a right to take photographs in a public place, not just ITV Drama or Poirot.

The day turned out to be a real treat for us locals, everyone had fun even some of the actors and crew cracked the odd smile, I’m now lookin forward to seeing the finished film on TV.

Simon Lamrock
Chair
Somerton House TA

Four brand new Poirot films on an independent television station near you soon (TV licence  required).

As we pass three years since the ‘Pride of Place’ refurbishment of Somerton House, which was completed by Camden Council’s Capital Projects team, it’s time to reflect on how far we’ve got… besides that the paint is flaking, some doors weren’t painted, the lif breaks or leaves you stranded, some work which was paid for remains to be done. Capital Projects paid £750,000 for the work – yet the flaws are becoming more apparent as the days go by.

• Where in London can you find a newly refurbished building – with no fire protection in the risers?
• Where in London can you find a building with a ‘secure intercom’ system – but only on one of the three doors?
• Where in London can you find flats after a £1,000 refurbishment – but nothing touched in over 90% of them!
• Where in London can you find people living whilst breathing in noxious fumes from a top hotel?
• Where in London can you find asbestos left by the builders paid to remove it?
• Where in London can you find wiring left behind by people paid to remove it?
• Where in London is a newly-refurbished building, with the old lighting still in the lobbies?
• Where in London can you find a 7^th floor door handle – meant for a bloody wardrobe?
• Where in London can you find the wiring Thomas-Sinden promised to re-wire into the purpose-made conduit?
• Where in London can you find purpose made conduit – failing after only a few years (and probably out of guarantee)?
• Where in London can you find original 1960’s fixtures and fittings or 1980’s left-overs (or a bodge, possibly by EPS) – still in daily use?
• Where in London can you find brand-new windows (sold by Del-Boy Trotter) that are a safety nightmare, and unsuitable for a high-rise property?
• Where in London can you find lift call buttons which can cut your fingers?
• Where in London can you find London’s oldest, 1960’s classic lift, unmaintained and noisy as hell?
• Where in London can you find communal halls that don’t see hot water?
• Where in London can you find a high-rise building with windows that aren’t cleaned?
• Where in London can you find loyal tenants paying their way, with no attempts at upgrading their ameneties to a modern standard?
• Where in London can you find a Camden Council building where our money isn’t re-invested to improve our dignity?

Welcome to London

Welcome to Somerton House

You can find us above the purple Premier Inn and red Costa Coffee signs – we’ve got a shiny new sign beside the corporate heaven, thanks to BAM and Unison for their help and community spirit in helping to install the new Somerton House sign – Camden were quite happy to let our safety and security go by the by for the sake of the cost of installing it.

Thanks too, hotel – for painting the walls and fences to give the place a spruce up – sorry that Camden couldn’t pay their way.

Where in London can you find a community as diverse and friendly as ours – we’re a small village in the sky, surrounded by other unique villages – each with local people.

Yet around one million people per day pass us by. Look up and wave sometime!
Maybe we should shout louder.

It’s worth bearing in mind that we’re picking up the pieces, and asking for work which we all have paid for, be done. Properly.

A Food Market is to open this summer at St Pancras International Station.

After much anticipation, St Pancras International’s daily market will arrive this summer. The market will be operated by Sourced Markets and will feature traders from Borough Market, offering a mouth-watering range of fresh produce on our door step.

As well as a fruit and veg stall, the market will have an exciting assortment of organic wines and beers, a bakery, a deli with a wide choice of meat and seafood plus a tempting variety of cheeses from Neal’s Yard Dairy. St Pancras Sourced aims to provide an outlet for the UK’s best small producers, sourcing locally where possible and with an emphasis on seasonal and organic produce.

All  meat will be free-range and produced to high standards of animal welfare, fish and seafood will be sustainably sourced with a dedicated website so you can pre-order your food from the office and pick it up as you pass you the station on your way home.

You will be able to find the market opposite the UK ticket office (main entrance) at the street level of the station.

Opening hours
7.30am – 9.30pm Monday to Friday
8.00am – 8.00pm Saturday
9.00am – 7.00pm Sunday

For more information visit www.stpancras.com

Sourced Food Markets www.sourcedmarket.com

Almost two years have passed since Costa Coffee encroached onto the corner of Euston Road and Duke’s Road, obliterating any evidence that Somerton House existed in the process. Today, Somerton House can once again be found, thanks to BAM Construction, and local Trade Union Unison.

In an amazing catalogue of ignorance and errors, it took Whitbread two years to buy a new sign, and when it arrived they refused to erect it.

Whitbread employ a property consultant, Gerald Eve, to look after their buildings. Gerald Eve have an intricate understanding of the lease, and other legal documents between their client and Camden Council. They are paid by Whitbread to use this knowledge in the best way for Whitbread – and the evidence to dates suggests they are exemplary at this task. Gerald Eve chose to enforce a tiny line in the documentation which said it was Camden Council’s responsibility to fit the new sign.

The Tenants’ Association is still quite astounded that Gerald Eve felt quite so bold as to hold Camden Council to account, after all it wasn’t Camden Council who removed the old signage. When we approach Gerald Eve they advise us of their client, Whitbread’s environmental credentials. Those same environmental credentials prevented them spending less than an hours profit from their coffee shop, to put right their wrongdoings.

Whichever way you look at it, FOUR months of wrangling between Whitbread and Camden Council is unacceptable, so when the Police and Ambulance added their names to the long list of those upset at how difficult it was to find Somerton House, we approached BAM, who are erecting the new Unison HQ tower. BAM under contract of Unison kindly helped us to erect the sign. It didn’t take them four months.

In helping everyone to drag their heels quite so well, Gerald Eve has proven that, despite its ability to manage commercial properties, they have a severe lack of understanding of the relationship between the commercial and residential parts of mixed buildings.

Everyone at Somerton House extends a warm thank you to our neighbours Unison  and their contractors, BAM , we commend them for being neighbourly and their helpful ‘can do’ attitude towards life & community.