The Orpington 1st Magazine Summer 2023

15,250 copies are printed of each edition of The Orpington 1st Magazine. 13,000 are delivered to homes across Orpington with a further 2,250 available to pick up at locations across the town centre. The magazine is also available to read online, sent to a subscriber base of 6,000, and promoted to a combined social media following of 13,500.

Orpington 1st Business Improvement District 01689 829 527 www.orpington1st.co.uk info@orpington1st.co.uk

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AWARM welcome to this summer edition of The Orpington 1st Magazine, and after a slightly dull spring, the sunnier start to June was certainly well received.

Talking of bright beginnings, we were delighted to start off the new financial year with Orpington’s fourth Children’s Business Fair. With another fair planned for 8th July we look back at April’s event on pages 27-31

In May we brought out the bunting ahead of Orpington’s Coronation Celebration in Market Square. A huge thank you to all those who came together to celebrate this landmark moment despite the wet weather –see if you can spot yourselves on pages 6-13.

Later in the month we partnered with Bromley Libraries for Orpington Literary Festival 2023. With the support of Rotary Satellite Orpington a series of events celebrating the written and spoken word took place in town – read all about it from page 20. 3 Priory Live 2023 6

Looking ahead, August sees the return of Priory Live with its biggest line-up yet as Dodgy, Toploader and Stereo MCs are joined by an array of up-andcoming acts. Turn to page 3 and scan the QR code to secure your tickets now!

We’re grateful for the many positive comments on the technicolour flower cubes we installed across the high street. Town centre businesses are committed to creating a welcoming environment and it’s good to know our efforts are appreciated. Thank for continuing to support your high street and all the best for the summer.

Long to rain over us!

Orpington’s Coronation Celebration

Orpingtonians brave the Great British spring time to mark the coronation of King Charles III together.

ON Saturday 6 May, residents of Orpington gathered in a rather damp Market Square to celebrate a momentous occasion in British history.

Organised by the town centre business community - Orpington 1st BID - and supported by Perrys Chartered Accountants, Chantler Kent Investments, and McDonald’s Orpington, Orpington’s Coronation Celebration saw proceedings from Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace streamed on the big screen, amidst a sea of brollies.

Complementary entertainment included a juggler, stilt walker, and acrobats, whilst the craft stall hosted the making of hundreds of crowns, and face painters created decorative designs for children and adults alike.

Six-piece brass outfit ‘The London Street Band’ took to the stage and the high street playing popular tunes

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Long to rain over us!

New Orleans style, with a surprise visit to some local restaurants, too. Following the Coronation service at Westminster Abbey, the town’s elected representatives gathered on stage for a prayer and blessing led by Reverend George Rogers, and a toast to His Majesty conducted by local businessman, Orpington 1st BID director, and toastmaster, Gary Valentine-Fuller.

Orpington’s Coronation Celebration

Gary commented: “it’s a privilege to lead our own ceremonial moment here in Market Square, alongside Reverend Rogers, as we mark this historic occasion.

“I’d like to thank our MP Gareth Bacon, and ward councillors Kim Botting and Pauline Tunnicliffe for joining us. And a special thank you to the Mayor of Bromley Cllr. Hannah Gray, Deputy Mayor of Bromley Cllr. Christine Harris, and the King’s representative Deputy

Mayor of Bromley 2022/23 Cllr. Hannah Gray with a VVIP.

Orpington’s Coronation Celebration

Lieutenant Geoffrey Thompson.”

A specially created short film “Britain Through The Small Screen” was shown, celebrating moments in British popular culture through the lifetime of the king so far, and a spectacular Coronation Cake was cut by Deputy Mayor of Bromley Cllr. Christine Harris, with slices

gratefully received by a long queue of attendees.

As the event drew to a close, and the rain continued to fall, live band “Duality” brought sunny smiles to faces and the crowd to their feet with exuberant renditions of hit songs through the decades, even inspiring a conga.

Orpington 1st Executive Director, Chris Travers, said: “We’re really proud to bring the town together for moments like this, so it’s great to see so many here enjoying themselves, despite the rotten weather. Big thanks to all those who made Orpington’s Coronation Celebration such a spirited occasion.”

A crowning achievement!

Knoll Residents Association came together for a community celebration on coronation weekend, including what is hoped to be a world record setting effort for the largest human image of a crown.

ASUNNY Sunday afternoon on 7th May saw Knoll Residents Association’s “Royal Tea Party” take place on Broomhill Common. Along with plenty of tea, cakes, and outdoor games, 539 people in yellow, white, and purple ponchos formed what is anticipated to be a Guinness world record for the largest human image of a crown.

With the help of a drone and a PA System, the group took 45 minutes to bring the image to life.

Steve Sangster, chairman of the Knoll Residents Association, explained,

“We wanted to look forward to the coronation really with a different sort of vibe, we wanted it to be a celebration.

“That idea of a community coming together to create a visual image, a temporary historical marker, if you like, was our vision for it. Whether you’re a royalist or not, it’s an excuse to get the community together.”

Once evidence is submitted to Guinness the KRA face a wait of a number of weeks before their record is confirmed, but it is hoped that Orpington will be home to 539 new record holders! Hat’s off!

You wanna be a record breaker? Dedication’s what you need!

If KRA’s human image world record setting attempt is ratified, Orpington will be in good company.

• The largest human image of a cog consists of 656 people, and was achieved by Monroe Elementary School (USA) in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, USA, on 14 October 2019.

• The largest human image of a cloud consists of 1,207 participants and was achieved by Microsoft Greater China Region (China) in Qingdao, Shandong, China, on 8 July 2019.

• The largest human image of the Olympic rings consisted of 6,211 people and was organised by Miniatur Wunderland (Germany) in Stadtpark, Hamburg, Germany, on 8 November 2015.

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Celebrating the Coronation

Did you see our Firefighters from Orpington Fire Station celebrating the Kings Coronation weekend and giving out fire safety advice?

Our online home fire safety checker tool allows you to carry out a thorough check of your home in only a few minutes. It’s simple and practical – giving you specific advice for your family and your home.

Check it out using the QR code or call us free on 0800 028 4428 to arrange an in person visit.

London Fire Brigade in Bromley: Fire safety outdoors

As we enter the summer months and hotter periods of weather, the ground can be extremely dry. Grassland and parks will burn quickly when exposed to even the smallest of sparks. Here are some of our firefighters’ top tips to keep you safe:

Remember: Don’t Drop Cigarettes, or Glass!

Cigarettes dropped on dry grass that have not been properly extinguished are very likely to cause a grass fire.

BBQ Safety

• Don’t have barbecues in parks and public spaces

• Be aware that children, animals, balls or anything else may knock over barbecues, increasing the risk of grass fires, especially when in busy parks or public spaces

• If you’re barbecuing near dry grass, have a bucket of water or sand nearby for emergency use

• Position your barbecue on level ground and keep it well away from anything that may catch fire (sheds, fences, trees, tents etc.)

• Never leave camp fires or barbecues unattended and extinguish them properly after you have finished using them

• Do not barbecue on balconies, the wind may carry smouldering ash towards nearby grassland

Even cigarettes thrown from a car window can start a fire. Many roads are banked by or near to grassland, and these can be easily set on fire by a cigarette when dried out.

It might sound strange, but glass left in the parks can start fires too. Left on or near dry grass, glass can magnify the sun and start a fire. Please pick them up and place in the bin.

Help protect children’s health now... and for the future

The best way to help protect your child against severe illness from polio, flu, measles, mumps, rubella and other childhood diseases is to get them up to date with their routine vaccinations.

Speak to a GP surgery for more information.

More information about vaccines

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Biggin Hill Airport partners Bromley Football Club to support women and girls’ game

LAUNCHED in August 2022 hot on the heels of the Lionesses’ success, the Bromley Football Club Community Sports Trust initiative aims to increase female participation in football within the Bromley community - encouraging a clear and inclusive pathway for anyone who wants to start playing, both recreationally and competitively, whilst empowering strong community leaders.

The newly announced partnership with London Biggin Hill will support the Trust as they work to increase participation in football across all ages, not only through playing, but also coaching, refereeing, and volunteering. The project has been created to ensure that women and girls believe that football is for them, regardless of whether they have played for years or never even kicked a ball.

Andrea Ellis, Women and Girls’ Development Officer at the Bromley Football Club Community Sports Trust said: “We are excited that Biggin Hill Airport has become our lead partner in the delivery of our women and girls’ community projects. It is clear that we both share the same ambition, which is to provide more opportunities for women and girls’ in our respective fields, and we look forward to growing our relationship and continue to drive this forward.”

David Winstanley, Chief Executive Officer at London Biggin Hill Airport said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Bromley Football Club Community Sports Trust which aims to drive participation and create equal opportunities for women and girls, of every age and background, across

our borough. London Biggin Hill is a proud member of the Bromley community, and we are passionate about supporting local causes which benefit local people. We look forward to supporting the Trust as they look to address barriers and make football in Bromley inclusive and accessible to all.”

The project will also include outreach to local schools, both primary and secondary, delivering training sessions, festivals, or tournaments for girls across the borough.

For more information about the Women and Girls’ strategy, please scan the QR code

ORGANISED by Orpington 1st Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with Bromley Libraries and supported by Rotary Satellite in Orpington - author talks, workshops, a literary quiz, a puppet show, and poetry performance were among the eighteen events held as part of the festival which ran from the 15 May – 21 May.

Day one saw the first of several sessions at Orpington Library, with children’s author and illustrator Rose Robins inviting pupils from Darrick Wood Infants School to design and draw their own cartoon characters and learn how to create a visual story of their adventures.

In total, ten local schools were invited to events at Orpington Library over the course of the festival, with children’s author visits including former Orpington

Literary Festival engages all ages

In a week-long celebration of the written and spoken word, Orpington Literary Festival 2023 saw a series of free events taking place in Orpington town centre, with something for everyone from those in reception to retirees.

boy Sam Gayton (‘World Weavers’), New York Times

Bestseller Mo O’Hara, Nizrana Farook (‘The Girl Who Stole an Elephant’), Vennessa Taylor (The Baller Boys), and Penny Chrimes (‘Wilder’).

In a midweek event aimed at adults, Mona Dash read from her critically acclaimed short story collection ‘Let Us Look Elsewhere’, discussing with attendees the virtues of memoir, poetry, and novel – all forms in which she has published work.

With the festival in full swing, historian, writer and broadcaster Dr Tessa Dunlop was welcomed back to the town centre. An audience at London South East College’s BR6 Bakehouse were treated to entertaining takes on all things royal and some fascinating insights into the marriage of Elizabeth & Philip.

Copies of Tessa’s latest book ‘Elizabeth & Philip: The story of young love, marriage and monarchy’ were available to purchase with attendees taking up the opportunity to obtain signed copies.

Day four, and at ‘Orpington in Letters’ local poets Richard Bowdery & Jerry Dowlen took a light hearted look at some famous and not so famous literary figures, whilst back at BR6 Bakehouse a plurality of poets were invited to perform at ‘The Spoken Word’. Compered by local poet and schoolteacher Ajay Desai - Jimmy

Literary Festival engages all ages

Bowman, Reanna Valentine, and Cleo Felstead were all on the bill which was topped off by poet, playwright, novelist - and the Young People’s Laureate for London 2020/2021 - Cecilia Knapp

Friday brought a trip to Orpington Library for five local secondary schools, with Chislehurst School for Girls, Bullers Wood School for Boys, Bullers Wood School for Girls, Coopers School, and Charles Darwin School coming together for the visit of Joseph Elliot

Joseph is the author of the critically acclaimed Shadow Skye trilogy - an epic fantasy series set in a mythical version of Scotland, featuring magical beasts, deadly shadows and a protagonist with Down syndrome.

Saturday, day six, and at a buzzing Orpington library, local families joined author, editor, lecturer, and mentor Sara Grant for an interactive story-creating session for parents and children five and older. Children and adults alike left enthused with their imaginations in overdrive.

With Masala Dabbas as hosts, the final day of Orpington Literary Festival saw writer Susan Elkin discuss her book ‘The Alzheimer’s Diaries’, detailing her role as a carer for her husband.

Susan’s humour, pragmatism, poignancy, and poetry were a big hit with the audience, and in what was also Dementia Awareness Week the event served a fitting festival finale.

Orpington 1st Executive Director, Chris Travers, said “it’s been a pleasure to work on Orpington Literary Festival with Bromley Libraries and a delight to bring residents

Literary Festival engages all ages

to the town centre to celebrate literature. We’re big believers in the positive role that arts and culture can play in shaping places.”

Children’s Librarian at Orpington Library, Jenny Hawke, said, “the Orpington Literary Festival has been an incredible success and enjoyed by all ages. We’re so pleased to be partners with Orpington 1st and very much hope we can build on this and be involved in more such initiatives in the future.

“Literature and the role of libraries in our local community is of paramount importance and the festival enabled a vast number of children and young people to meet and be inspired by an author or illustrator who may not have been a regular visitor or member of the library. In addition, the traditional puppet show and the family focused creating stories session showed the library to be a dynamic and exciting part of Orpington town centre.’

Spring Children’s Business Fair showcases budding entrepreneurs

On Saturday 1st April, the fourth Orpington Children’s Business Fair, supported by Orpington 1st Business Improvement District (BID), took place at the Walnuts Shopping Centre.

WITH a mission to provide authentic, hands-on learning, Children’s Business Fair (CBF) tasks young applicants aged 7-17 with developing a brand, building a product or service, creating a marketing strategy, then selling to real customers and making their own money.

The Spring 2023 event saw the blossoming of 25 businesses, enabling 42 young entrepreneurs

to acquire key skills for life in school and beyond.

The range of offerings to town centre shoppers included cupcakes, jewellery, homeware, candles, and a particularly tempting Swiss roll.

Local business coach Lee Lam, Glorious Gazeebos owner Bret Davis, and Abhinav Virmani and Saveena Mills-Baptiste from HSBC (pictured below), were appointed judges for the day – entrusted with selecting winners of several awards.

The Best Product award went to ‘Fun & Friendship’, ‘Evbee Creations’ picked up the prize for Best Stand, ‘Triple Charms’ were judged to have delivered the Best Sales Pitch, and the coveted Judges’ Choice award went to ‘Wool Works’.

Children’s Business Fair founder, Sam Rogerson, said: “It’s been another great day for CBF here in Orpington. A huge well done to all our impressive young entrepreneurs - they have all demonstrated great ingenuity

and tenacity. And a big thank you to Orpington 1st for their continued support and belief in the CBF vision.”

Orpington 1st Executive Director, Chris Travers, said, “Thank you to the many Orpingtonians who came to support our fourth Children’s Business Fair. It is a fantastic initiative providing children with real world experience, and one which Orpington 1st is proud to support. Judging by this crop of young people, the future of business is in safe hands.”

A summer Children’s Business Fair takes place on 8 July at The Walnuts Shopping Centre. Visit Orpington1st.co.uk for details.

Orpington in Bloom!

JUST in time for the third May Bank Holiday weekend, a vivid burst of colour hit the town centre in the form of twenty-eight four-foot technicolour flower cubes.

The cubes consist of a vibrant mix of rose, orange, yellow and white Calibrachoa, Lobelia blue start, pink Diascia, and blue and white Lobularia emitting a sweet scent – also popular with pollinating insects.

Installed across the high street by Orpington 1st as part of local businesses’ work to create an attractive and welcoming place, their arrival met with broad approval from town centre visitors.

HELLO everyone, I hope you are well. This has been a very busy period for the Orpington ward team.

IN MAY, officers were instrumental in the application for a warrant under the Mental Health Act

The warrant enables mental health practitioners - and the Police - to enter a private residence, for the purposes of carrying out a mental health assessment. This was executed with our partners at Oxleas Mental Health Trust. Following an assessment in the home, the person was sectioned under the Act, and has since been moved to supported accommodation. This person was prolific for committing acts of antisocial behaviour (ASB) within the high street. This is a good result, and one that is always preferable to taking an offender through the criminal justice system. The root cause of their offending can be better managed. It also means their welfare needs are properly addressed.

THE TEAM have issued three formal warnings to individuals responsible for committing acts of ASB. These warnings serve as a proportionate approach to address low level matters. It provides the individual the opportunity to see their error in judgement, understand the impact of their actions, and set about changing their behaviour. Now that these individuals have been warned, any further incidents will see the matter escalated by the local policing team. In addition to the ASB warnings, the team, in partnership with Bromley Council, have issued two Anti-social Behaviour Contracts (ABCs). ABCs are considered more serious than warnings, and place certain conditions on individuals, such as not to enter Orpington High Street. These were achieved through extensive CCTV enquiries, and local officer knowledge. Investigations are ongoing, and the Local Policing Team are working closely with business owners, as well as the Business Improvement District, to identify further individuals.

AT THE end of March, Superintendent Luke Baldock took up the newly created position as the Bromley borough lead on neighbourhood policing. In April, he was pleased to accept an invitation to meet with Orpington 1st Executive Director Chris Travers to discuss town centre issues (pictured, left). Superintendent Baldock has worked in a variety of roles in Lambeth and Croydon boroughs, as well as the Met’s Territorial support group, the City of London Police, and the Met’s Specialist Firearms Command.

Orpington SNT

) 020 8721 2729

t @MPSOrpington

* SNMailbox.OrpingtonSNT@ met.police.uk

Petts Wood & Knoll SNT

) 020 8721 2609

t @MPSPettsWood

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Nearest police station: Bromley Police Station, High Street, Bromley BR1 1ER

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For crime prevention advice visit www.met.police.uk/ crimeprevention

To report a crime call 101 or visit www.met.police.uk

In an emergency always dial 999.

Policing matters...

THE ORPINGTON Team celebrated International Women’s Day by attending a celebration event at McDonald’s on the High Street. This was a great opportunity for women and girls to speak with their local policing team, provide valued feedback, and by working with our violence against Women coordinator, shape the way we police, in order to make our streets safer for all.

IN APRIL, the Policing team completed a joint piece of work with the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). This involved rolling out cyber resilience training to businesses within the high street footprint. Training was delivered either remotely online, or through officers attending the business premises personally. I’m pleased to report that this was well received by the community, and through the training, several

potential cyber weaknesses were discovered, and any threats mitigated, or removed completely.

IN AN effort to reduce alcohol related anti-social behaviour, your local policing team have been working closely with the council, and the police licencing team. The team have primary responsibility for monitoring licensed venues, be it bars, pubs, clubs, or restaurants. We continue to work in partnership, to encourage responsible ownership/management of licensed premises in Orpington. This includes, but is not limited to, the targeting of those individuals responsible for alcohol/drug related crime and ASB, an increased police presence at key times, and taking a problem solving approach when working with licensed venues.

IN OTHER news, two operations were carried out locally, targeting an increase in shoplifting and robbery offences. Two prolific shoplifters were caught in the act of stealing. They have subsequently both been charged and are awaiting court hearings. Our thanks go out to local businesses in the high street, for their assistance with this operation.

LASTLY, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate a member of my team – Police Community Support Officer Matt Lane. Matt attended a ceremony recently to congratulate him on his long service (18 years), a large part of which, has been spent serving the communities of Orpington and St Mary’s Cray. Congratulations Matt!

As always, thank you for your continued support and stay safe.

Orpington is a special place

Orpington is within Greater London but is distinct, green, and more akin to its Kentish roots than a city. It is a wonderful place to live and work, with a unique character, open spaces, and a vibrant local high street. Surrounded by green fields and small rural villages, our suburban town isn’t what people imagine when they think of London.

AS your Member of Parliament, I’ve been doing all I can to protect Orpington’s unique character and deliver on your priorities. I’ve championed our area in Parliament and pushed for housing, policing and transport policies that work for our community, not citycentre solutions.

There is a tendency among some to see Greater London as one homogeneous place, forgetting that it includes suburban towns and rural villages with their own needs and priorities. What works in Camden or Islington won’t work in Orpington. Nor are the problems or priorities the same.

There is no clearer example of this

than the Mayor of London’s plan to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) across outer London and charge the drivers of older petrol and diesel cars £12.50 a day. ULEZ was designed for central London, where air quality was poor and public transport options superb. But the London Borough of Bromley has the second cleanest air in London and few alternatives to driving.

That’s why I have been campaigning against ULEZ expansion. Over 83% of households own a car in the Orpington constituency. Nearly 700,000 cars registered in London and half of all vans in outer boroughs are noncompliant. A report commissioned by Transport for London admitted

that ULEZ would have little to no effect on air quality in outer London.

We’re a step closer to stopping the planned expansion. The High Court is due to rule on whether the Mayor of London’s decision to expand the charge was lawful thanks to five councils, including Bromley, launching a legal challenge. Initially, two of the five grounds for the legal challenge were deemed strong enough to be heard in court. But the judge will now hear two more grounds following a successful appeal.

The High Court is our best chance to stop ULEZ expansion, but it isn’t the only way. It’s an uphill fight, and if the councils aren’t successful, I will continue my campaign against the charge in Parliament.

But we also face a threat from bad housing policies. House prices and rent costs have risen to unacceptable heights, making renting incredibly difficult and homeownership a pipe dream for many young people. It is sparking a much-needed debate on how we get our country building again. However, the situation has also prompted bad ideas, including imposing rent controls (which, ironically, would lead to fewer homes to rent) and building on the green belt, harming our environment and fundamentally changing places like Orpington.

We need to build more homes while protecting an area’s character. Orpington is a popular place to live because it is green and suburban. Proposals to build on the green belt would change this forever, leading to an unending urban sprawl, removing the reason people choose to live here. Instead, we must focus on removing barriers to building on brownfield land and removing unnecessary bureaucracy while ensuring people get a say.

We are lucky to live safe place, but we still face neighbourhood crimes like burglaries and need a robust police presence. For a long time, the Metropolitan Police’s

priorities didn’t match Orpington’s needs, nor were we given the officers needed to police our streets. This is now changing.

I’m pleased that the government has now delivered on its pledge to recruit 20,000 new police officers across the country, with almost 3,500 added to Greater London. Because of this investment, the Metropolitan Police now have record resources to improve policing. The new Commissioner has also pledged to restore neighbourhood policing and focus on tackling neighbourhood crimes, with officers visiting all burglaries. Every borough now has a Superintendent to meet the area’s policing priorities.

When I was elected Orpington’s MP in December 2019, I promised to protect its unique character, keep our community green and safe, and stand up for you. That’s my focus and why I am fighting ULEZ expansion, pushing for the right plans to build more homes which protect Orpington’s green spaces and character, and working with the police to ensure our community gets the officers and resources it deserves.

Surgery Details

I hold regular surgeries to meet constituents, hear their concerns and offer support. If you would like to attend one of my surgery sessions, please get in touch with Judi Ellis at 01689 603 652 to book an appointment.”

Bromley Council welcomes views on local plan

THE Local Plan sets out local planning policies for the whole borough and is a key document when determining local planning applications.

In an extensive process, the current plan was adopted in January 2019 following much consultation. The Council is required to review the plan every five years, which helps to ensure that it reflects the council’s current social, environmental and economic priorities, including those outlined in the latest Corporate Strategy, as well as

recent changes to national and London-wide planning policy.

Councillor Yvonne Bear, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing said: “It is important that our planning policy protects the borough’s unique character, with our attractive, popular town centres, surrounded by amazing green spaces and friendly village communities. While at the same time, we are keen to encourage beneficial development and regeneration to come forward across the borough and continue to generate prosperity, with design in keeping with the

Borough’s character.”

The consultation runs until 30 June, with further public consultation expected at later stages of the Local Plan review.

The consultation document sets out information on the current Local Plan, notes relevant changes since the adoption of the Local Plan, and sets out how the new Local Plan could respond to these changes. A number of questions highlighting key issues are included, although respondents are not required to address these points.

Responses to the consultation can be submitted online, by email or in writing, with the consultation document available online as well as at the Civic Centre by appointment. Find out more here:

BROMLEY BECOME A

To join or find out more, please visit: bromley.gov.uk/neatstreets

Being Street Friends gives us the opportunity to socialise with members of our community, it keeps us active and of course it helps us keep the neighbourhood clean.

We are pleased to have provided specialist legal advice and services to the local community for over 40 years. When you team our years of experience with our personalised service, you get something really quite unique. Our compassionate solicitors are here to talk to you about even the most complex legal matters, to listen to your needs and offer practical solutions. But don’t just take our word for it. Whatever legal assistance you require, get in touch to see how we can help.

“You have been utterly brilliant when we needed you most.”