File: //home/mykensington.co.uk/public_html/kensington/community-localnews-may2001.html
<html>
<head>
<title>News, Photos, Images, History, Council, Libraries, Courses, Education, Community, Advice Centres in Kensington, Holland Park, South Kensington, Earls
Court in London</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif}
td { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif}
-->A:link {
COLOR: #FFFFFF
}
A:visited {
COLOR: #ffffff
}
A:hover {
COLOR: #FFCC00
}
</style>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
function MM_swapImgRestore() { //v3.0
var i,x,a=document.MM_sr; for(i=0;a&&i<a.length&&(x=a[i])&&x.oSrc;i++) x.src=x.oSrc;
}
function MM_preloadImages() { //v3.0
var d=document; if(d.images){ if(!d.MM_p) d.MM_p=new Array();
var i,j=d.MM_p.length,a=MM_preloadImages.arguments; for(i=0; i<a.length; i++)
if (a[i].indexOf("#")!=0){ d.MM_p[j]=new Image; d.MM_p[j++].src=a[i];}}
}
function MM_findObj(n, d) { //v3.0
var p,i,x; if(!d) d=document; if((p=n.indexOf("?"))>0&&parent.frames.length) {
d=parent.frames[n.substring(p+1)].document; n=n.substring(0,p);}
if(!(x=d[n])&&d.all) x=d.all[n]; for (i=0;!x&&i<d.forms.length;i++) x=d.forms[i][n];
for(i=0;!x&&d.layers&&i<d.layers.length;i++) x=MM_findObj(n,d.layers[i].document); return x;
}
function MM_swapImage() { //v3.0
var i,j=0,x,a=MM_swapImage.arguments; document.MM_sr=new Array; for(i=0;i<(a.length-2);i+=3)
if ((x=MM_findObj(a[i]))!=null){document.MM_sr[j++]=x; if(!x.oSrc) x.oSrc=x.src; x.src=a[i+2];}
}
//-->
</script>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FF9900" leftmargin="0" topmargin="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0">
<table width="777" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
<tr bgcolor="#000000">
<td colspan="3">
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.myvillage.com/adrates.htm" class="redlink"><font size="1">Promote
Your Business</font></a><font size="1"> <font color="#FFFFFF">| <a href="javascript:network_link('http://mail.myvillage.com/membership/membership_club.php')" class="redlink">Become
a Member</a> </font> <font color="#FFFFFF">|</font> <font color="#FFFFFF">
<a href="http://www.myvillage.com/" class="redlink">MyVillage Network</a>
|</font> <font color="#FFFFFF">Areas we cover:</font> <a href="http://www.myvillage.com/" class="redlink">
UK</a> <font color="#FFFFFF">and</font> <a href="http://www.myvillagelondon.co.uk/" class="redlink">
London</a> <font color="#FFFFFF">|</font> <a href="#" onclick="mailapage();" class="redlink">E-mail
this page to a friend</a> <img src="../../images/email-icon.gif" width="14" height="11"></font></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#282A29">
<script src="../../top_tables/show_logo_only.js">
</script>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#282A29">
<div align="right"><!-- OAS SETUP begin -->
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
//configuration
OAS_url ='http://multi1.rmuk.co.uk/RealMedia/ads/';
OAS_listpos = 'Position1,Top';
OAS_query = '?city=mylondon';
OAS_sitepage = 'myvillage.com/homepage';
//end of configuration
OAS_version = 10;
OAS_rn = '001234567890'; OAS_rns = '1234567890';
OAS_rn = new String (Math.random()); OAS_rns = OAS_rn.substring (2, 11);
function OAS_NORMAL(pos) {
document.write('<A HREF="' + OAS_url + 'click_nx.ads/' + OAS_sitepage + '/1' + OAS_rns + '@' + OAS_listpos + '!' + pos + OAS_query + '" TARGET=_top>');
document.write('<IMG SRC="' + OAS_url + 'adstream_nx.ads/' + OAS_sitepage + '/1' + OAS_rns + '@' + OAS_listpos + '!' + pos + OAS_query + '" BORDER=0 ALT="Click!"></A>');
}
//-->
</script>
<script language="JavaScript1.1">
<!--
OAS_version = 11;
if (navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Mozilla/3') != -1)
OAS_version = 10;
if (OAS_version >= 11)
document.write('<SC'+'RIPT LANGUAGE=JavaScript1.1 SRC="' + OAS_url + 'adstream_mjx.ads/' + OAS_sitepage + '/1' + OAS_rns + '@' + OAS_listpos + OAS_query + '"><\/SCRIPT>');
//-->
</script>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
document.write('');
function OAS_AD(pos) {
if (OAS_version >= 11 && typeof(OAS_RICH!='undefined'))
OAS_RICH(pos);
else
OAS_NORMAL(pos);
}
//-->
</script>
<!-- OAS SETUP end --> <!-- OAS AD 'Top' begin -->
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
OAS_AD('Top');
//-->
</script>
<!-- OAS AD 'Top' end --> </div>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#282A29" width="5"> </td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#000000">
<td colspan="3">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1">
<tr valign="bottom">
<td height="20">
<p align="center"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b><a href="../../kensington/arts/" class="redlink">Arts&Entertainment</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/bars_Music/" class="redlink">Bars&Music</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/restaurants/" class="redlink">Restaurants</a> | <a href="../../kensington/fashion/" class="redlink">Shopping&Fashion</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/health/" class="redlink">Health&Beauty</a> | <a href="../../kensington/celebs_gossip/" class="redlink">Celebs&Gossip</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/competitions/" class="redlink">Competitions</a> |
<a href="../../kensington/jobs/" class="redlink">Jobs&Careers</a> </b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top">
<td height="20">
<div align="center"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b><a href="../../kensington/property/" class="redlink">Homes&Property</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/community/" class="redlink">News&Community</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/businesszone/" class="redlink">Business&Services</a>
| <a href="javascript:network_link('http://www.myvillage.co.uk/pages/downloads.htm')" class="redlink">Downloads&Games;</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/kids/" class="redlink">Kids&Youth</a> | <a href="../../kensington/dating/" class="redlink">Dating</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/services/" class="redlink">Classifieds</a> | <a href="javascript:network_link('http://www.myvillage.co.uk/pages/messageboards.htm')" class="redlink">Message
Boards </a></b></font></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<table width="777" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="CENTER">
<tr bgcolor="#990000">
<td align="RIGHT"><font size="1"><a href="#" onclick="window.external.AddFavorite(top.location,document.title);"><font color="#FFFFFF">click
here to bookmark this page</font></a></font><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF">
|</font><b><b><b><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"> </font></b></b><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF">News
& Community</font></b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table border="0" cellspacing="1" width="777" height="0" cellpadding="1" align="CENTER">
<tr>
<td width="1%" align="left" valign="top" height="203"><img src="../../images/news/henry.jpg" width="100" height="200"></td>
<td width="1%" valign="top" align="left" height="203"> <img src="../../images/news/taxi.jpg" width="100" height="200"></td>
<td width="2%" valign="top" align="left" height="203"><img src="../../images/goingout/parks/fountains.jpg" width="100" height="200"></td>
<td width="100%" valign="top" align="RIGHT" height="203"> <font size="1"><b><font color="#FFFFFF"><a href="../../kensington/community-kensingtonrevealed/">Kensington
Revealed<br>
</a></font></b></font><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b><font size="1">
<script src="../../java/categories/community-london.txt.js"></script>
</font></b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table width="777" align="CENTER" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr>
<td valign="TOP">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1">
<tr>
<td colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000" height="16"><font size="1"><b><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b>Local
News May 2001<font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"> -<font color="#FFCC00">
E:</font> <a href="mailto:kensington@myvillage.co.uk">kensington@myvillage.co.uk</a></font></b></font></b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000"><b><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><a name="marks"></a>M&S;
Aims To Cut Costs In Food - 30/05/01</font></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="../../images/news/marksandspencerS.jpg" width="100" height="100"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1"> Marks & Spencer, with stores in Kensington & Chelsea,
is considering a massive revamp of its food departments in order
to increase profits. The news is regarded by many as yet another
publicity gaff by the troubled chain. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The changes include putting food contracts out for
competitive tender to lower costs and reducing the number of suppliers
to increase efficiency. The news has alarmed both its customers
and the City who think that one of the company's strongest features
is its reputation for premium priced quality food. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Compared to other departments like clothing, M&S;'s
food business has been one of the most stable parts of the company
with consistently good sales and profits. </font></p>
<p> </p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b><a name="chaos"></a>Police
Video Shoot Causes Chaos - 25/05/01</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1">There was traffic chaos across west London yesterday
when the shooting of a police corporate video closed a major road
for two hours. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Helicopters, police motorcycles and limousines took
part in the film while motorists were forced to sit in 'nightmare'
traffic jams. Rush hour motorists were caught in traffic in the
Chelsea, Kensington & Earls court areas out to the M4, the A316
and roads surrounding Heathrow and Brentford. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The Hammersmith flyover was closed for two hours
whilst the video shoot was going on. Motoring organizations complained
that Scotland Yard had failed to alert it to the road closure, as
thousands of motorists were caught in 'nightmare' jams. </font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000"><font color="#000000"><b><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF">Museums
Finally Agree To Free Entry - 24/05/01</font></b></font><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="../../images/goingout/naturalhistorymuseumS.jpg" width="100" height="100"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1">Free entry to all national museums is now a certainty
after the National History Museum agreed to halt its objections
to the plan. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The culture secretary, Chris Smith, who described
free admission as "a bit of a personal crusade", was exultant. "It
is very good news indeed," he said. <br>
<a href="../../kensington/arts-features2/#free"><b>read more in Arts & Entertainment</b></a></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><a name="george"></a><b>Dando
Accused Link to Kensington & Chelsea Pistol Club - 23/05/01</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="../../images/news/barrygeorgeS.jpg" width="100" height="100"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1">The Jury at the Jill Dando murder, has been hearing
how Barry George tried to join the Kensington & Chelsea Pistol Club
in the early 80's but was deemed unsuitable for membership. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">In the latest installment of the Old Bailey trial
of Barry George the court has been hearing evidence from the police
about interviews with George in the months after Dando's death and
of a search of his flat in Fulham. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The interviewing officer Dc Gallagher, told the
court he had visited George's home six times before tracing him
and had left a note asking him to contact police. George said he
had thought the note was related to a car accident he had been involved
in and had given it to his solicitor.</font></p>
<p><font size="1"> Detective Constable John Gallagher told the court
he was asked to interview George, 41, of Crookham Road, Fulham,
to eliminate him from the murder inquiry. George gave his witness
statement at his mother's home in Acton as he said his flat was
"too messy". </font></p>
<p><font size="1">"I didn't go anywhere near Miss Dando's house on
the day of her murder and I have no information which can help police,"
he said in his statement. "I can only add that I was shocked when
I heard of her death." </font></p>
<p><font size="1">George told police about his activities on the day
Miss Dando was shot. He was at home all morning before visiting
a Hammersmith and Fulham disability group at lunchtime, he said.
He heard taxi drivers talking about "an incident" when he went to
a taxi cab office but did not know about Miss Dando's death until
he saw a news report, he said in his statement. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Six days after detectives interviewed George, a
specialist search team was sent to his flat, some 500 yards from
where Miss Dando had lived, the jury heard. Dc Charles Isaacs said
a search warrant allowed them to look for clothing, documents and
firearms. He said the team broke into the flat when there was no
answer from inside. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The jury were shown a video shot during the search
of George's flat, which police described as "unhygienic, untidy
and disorganised". There were large numbers of binbags and boxes
piled high in all the rooms, with clothes and papers strewn across
the bare floorboards. Plastic bags, containers and other debris
covered the surfaces of the kitchen, containing a mouldy fridge,
while the bathroom appeared dirty and damp with objects filling
the sink. One officer in the video is seen showing what appeared
to be a pornographic magazine to the camera. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Det Cons Charles Isaacs told the jury: "The flat
was very untidy. There were papers, debris, clothes and such like
on the floor. You could not see the floor. There were lots of binbags
containing items stacked up on top of each other in all the rooms."</font><font size="1">
</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#990000">
<td valign="top" colspan="2"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b>"Beat
the Burglar" Success For Police - 23/05/01</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1">Details emerging from Government-funded "beat the
burglar" projects show crime black spots are beginning to see startling
results. Burglary rates in some areas have dropped by 40 per cent
in the two years since the Home Office launched the first phase
of a �26 million anti-burglary plan. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">A scheme covering nearly 4,000 homes in Kensington
& Chelsea, has particularly helped people who suffered repeat burglaries
- those in bedsits and small flats in the have been especially vulnerable
- with the council and police making sure properties get rapid repairs
and better locks. Repeat victimisation in the area is down 40 per
cent and overall burglary has fallen eight per cent. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">More than 85,000 homes in London, in areas where
the burglary rate is more than twice the national average, are now
being targeted by the initiative and results include a 15 per cent
fall in offences on estates in Islington and drops of 10 per cent
in Lambeth and six per cent in Haringey, where secret cameras have
been installed in some high-risk properties. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Figures for domestic burglary recorded by the police
show there were just over 70,000 crimes in London in the 12 months
to April this year, down from 79,504 previously. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">In spite of major setbacks with rising violent crime
and street robbery, Labour goes into the election able to claim
that crime has fallen overall by seven per cent and burglary is
now 11 per cent below 1990 levels. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">But the fear of crime still outstrips the reality
- the British Crime Survey, regarded as the truest picture of offending,
shows that one in 25 households are likely to fall victim to burglary
each year, but one in three adults think they are very likely to
fall victim to burglars in the coming 12 months. </font></p>
<p> </p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><a name="marks"></a><b>Marks
& Spencer's Profits Plummet - 22/05/01</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="../../images/news/marksandspencerS.jpg" width="100" height="100"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1">Marks & Spencer, the high street store for both
Kensington & Chelsea residents has announced falling profits for
the third year running. Three years ago the group made a profit
of over �1 billion, last year profits were down to �410 million
and this year they are down to�145.5 million. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Chairman Luc Vandevelde who waived a �816,000 bonus
earlier this year after intense internal and external pressure,
admitted that his recovery plans would take longer than expected.
"The results will not be seen overnight but our customers will see
a gradual and progressive improvement" he claimed. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Sales fell 5.5 per cent last year and internal memos
suggest there has been no let-up in the decline since the beginning
of the new financial year. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The group has been squeezed by fierce competition
from rivals such as Next and Top Shop and by dis-count retailers.
Its food and home products divisions fared better, with sales up
almost four and 11.5 per cent respectively. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The group has 300 British stores and employs 60,000
people nationwide. It intends to withdraw from most of its overseas
operations. A restructuring programme, which involves more than
4,000 redundancies, will cost more than �335 million. Excluding
this figure, profits last year were �480.2 million, down seven per
cent from the comparable figure last year. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">George Davis, who rose to fame as the head of Next
in the Eighties, has been drafted in to design a dedicated range
for M&S.; Other key fashion appointments have been made and numerous
members of the board have lost their jobs and been replaced by new
recruits. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Mr Vandevelde, who last year pledged to resign by
May 2002 if he had not engineered a recovery, said: "We need to
focus on our core customer - the classically stylish woman. That
does not mean we will not provide anything for anyone else but she
is our focus. The first evidence of this new focus will be seen
in the autumn." </font></p>
<p> </p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#990000">
<td valign="top" colspan="2"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b><a name="serpentine"></a>Dancin'
'round the Serpentine - 13/05/01</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="../../images/goingout/parks/fountains100.jpg" width="100" height="100"></td>
<td valign="top"><font size="1">�100 million worth of repairs and renovation
have been dedicated to London's Royal Parks.<br>
</font><font size="1"><br>
Will Weston, the chief executive of the Royal Parks Agency and former
manager of the Royal Shakespeare Company, has called for an artistic
renaissance to open up the parks to troupes of entertainers on summer
evenings.<br>
<br>
Mr Weston wants to bring live music, art, food stalls and people promenading
or dancing at the Serpentine.<br>
<br>
He said: "We have a wonderful lakescape and you could have lots of
little events in a candlelit setting - perhaps a guitarist in one
corner and a small band or a juggler in another. Let's have competitions
for the best-dressed promenader."<br>
<br>
Events such as the popular 'Pavorotti in the Park' are expected to
put the agency on a more independent financial standing.<br>
<br>
Weston added: "The aim is to raise money by private means but not
at the expense of ruining the parks and the unique landscape. There
is room for commercial sponsorship providing it is done with style
and a sensitivity for the environment."</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000"><font size="1"><b><font color="#FFFFFF"><a name="cabs"></a>New
Rules For Cabbies - 10/05/01</font></b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="../../images/news/taxiS.jpg" width="100" height="100">
</td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1"> Mayor Ken Livingstone's new regulations for cabbies
will mean that if they stop for hire they will be obliged to take
passengers wherever they want to go in Greater London. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Under existing regulations which have been in place
since the 19th century they have it in their discretion to refuse
journeys. </font><font size="1">The Mayor is writing directly to
all London's 23,000 licensed drivers to tell them of his plans to
scrap the 'six-mile rule'.</font></p>
<p><font size="1"> Last night Bob Oddy, General Secretary of the Licensed
Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) condemned plans to change the six-mile
rule. "We feel very strongly about this," he said. "If a driver
has done a long hard day we think it is unreasonable that someone
can insist he drive a 30-mile journey across London. It would be
unsafe. The six-mile rule is basically good sense." </font></p>
<p><font size="1">"Scrapping the rule would reduce the number
of taxis, he said. "Rather than get caught on a long journey, a
driver near the end of a shift will simply turn off the lights and
make themselves unavailable." </font></p>
<p><font size="1"> </font> </p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000"><font size="1"><a name="moore"></a><b><font color="#FFFFFF">Campaign
Started To Repair Moore Sculpture </font></b><font color="#FFFFFF">-
08/05/01</font></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="../../images/news/henryS.jpg" width="100" height="100"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1">A campaign to restore a sculpture bequeathed to
the nation by the artist Henry Moore has been started by the Friends
of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">'The Arch' built from travertine marble stood overlooking
the Long Water in Kensington Gardens, but since 1996 it has been
lying in pieces in a Royal Parks scrapyard. The sculpture was dismantled
after structural defects were found in the 19ft high arch caused
by ground subsidence. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The 50 tonne structure was due to have been restored
to a new site after repairs had been made, however the cash strapped
Royal Parks Department has postponed plans to start the work. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">A spokesman for the Royal Parks said: "Of course
we regret the circumstances that prevent us from restoring and replacing
the work. But unfortunately we do not have the budget to do it.
The estimated cost of �300,000 is prohibitive bearing in mind there
are some �100million worth of projects still outstanding in the
eight parks." </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Residents living around the Royal Parks are launching
a campaign to restore the work supported by Dame Jennifer Jenkins,
former chairman of the Royal Parks Review Group and former head
of the National Trust. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">John Empsom, chairman of the Friends of Hyde Park
and Kensington Gardens is heading the campaign. For more information
contact 020 7937 2542. </font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000"><font size="1"><a name="storm"></a><font color="#FFFFFF"><b>Parents
Storm Council Meeting In Protest </b>- 04/05/01</font></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="../../images/community/helpinghand.jpg" width="100" height="100"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1">Parents stormed a council chamber earlier this week
and placed a toddler in the mayor's seat in protest at the closure
of a council-run nursery. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">More than 30 mothers, fathers and young children
brought the meeting at Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall to a halt
in a desperate bid to prevent the closure of Ladbroke Nursery, in
Ladbroke Grove, west London. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">As the Conservative-run council passed a decision,
one man was arrested in an alleged breach of the peace. One parent
said: "We just wanted to spur them on to understand our position."
</font></p>
<font size="1"> </font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000"><font size="1"><a name="merger"></a><b><font color="#FFFFFF">QPR
Could Merge With Wimbledon </font></b><font color="#FFFFFF">- 03/05/01</font></font><font color="#990000"></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="../../images/sports_health/sports/logoqpr.gif" width="100" height="100"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1">QPR are negotiating a merger with Wimbledon, the
latest twist in the tale of a disastrous season for the west London
club. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Those in favour of the merger want everything to
be in place for the 2001-2 season. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">QPR are currently under administration with debts
of �8million and their relegation to the 2nd division will cause
the financial situation to worsen. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The move will make good sense for Wimbledon too
who do not presently have a home ground, playing their matches this
season at Crystal Palace's ground, Selhurst Park.</font></p>
<p> </p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" colspan="2" bgcolor="#990000"><font size="1"><a name="2"></a><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b>Tomorrow's
Underground Will Cause Havoc For Two Million</b></font><font color="#FFFFFF"><b>
</b>- 02/05/01</font></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img src="../../images/news/tubesign.JPG" width="100" height="100"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><font size="1">Tomorrow's 24-hour underground strike will cause
havoc for two million commuters and could cost businesses an estimated
�100 million, dwarfing the estimated �20million bill for yesterday's
May Day protests. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">There is more chaos facing the 350,000 users of
South West Trains, which runs commuter lines into Waterloo, where
the RMT is likely to order a strike tomorrow over different issues,
including protests over wearing red waistcoats. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">On the Tube, LU believed a deal on working practices,
similar to that agreed by the other union Aslef, was virtually secured
after yesterday's talks at the conciliation service, Acas. Tube
industry leaders believe a major reason for the RMT going ahead
with the strike is to ruin the LU announcement later today when
it names the private companies it has chosen, on Government order,
to renovate the network under the Public Private Partnership (PPP).
</font></p>
<p><font size="1">Bob Crow, the RMT's assistant general secretary,
said: "We are continuing to resist any fragmentation of the workforce
under the PPP proposals." Previous one-day strikes have been called
to secure guarantees of no job losses and to raise "safety fears"
over Tube privatisation. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">On the Tube, the announcement of the "preferred
bidders" to take over the system's deep level lines, which will
be divided into two divisions, signifies a significant step forward
in John Prescott's plan to force through PPP. This is against the
advice of virtually every known expert besides transport commissioner
Bob Kiley and Mayor Ken Livingstone. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Mr Kiley warned today: "How the Government could
even contemplate proceeding when it has been clear from the outset
that the PPP was so flawed and costly is beyond me. Mr Kiley added:
"I cannot do my job unless I have unified management control over
the Underground and that, it has become depressingly clear, the
Government simply refuses to give me." </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The Tube strike will ruin services throughout tomorrow
with knock-on disruption continuing well after the the supposed
8pm return to work. </font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td width="234" valign="TOP" bgcolor="#F46D29">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1">
<tr>
<td align="CENTER">
<div align="left"><font size="1" color="#FFCC00"><b>
<script src="../../java/banner/banner1.txt.js"></script>
<script src="../../java/banner/mr-kensington.txt.js"></script>
</b></font></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="CENTER">
<div align="left"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b>
<script language="JavaScript" src="../../java/classifieds-com.txt.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
</b></font> </div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="CENTER">
<div align="left"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b>
<script language="JavaScript" src="../../java/search-com.txt.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
</b></font><font size="1"><b></b></font></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="CENTER" height="2">
<div align="left">
<p><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b>
<script language="JavaScript" src="../../java/local_links-com.txt.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
</b></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="30%">
<table width="234" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1">
<tr bgcolor="#990000">
<td width="30%"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="1"><b><font color="#FFCC00">Features</font></b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" valign="top">
<td width="30%"> <font size="1">
<script src="../../java/community/londonsitesarchive/kensington.txt.js"></script>
</font></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> </td>
</tr>
</table>
<b><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b> </b> </font></b></td>
</tr>
</table>
<table width="777" align="CENTER" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr>
<br>
</tr>
</table>
<!-- OAS AD 'Position1' begin -->
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
OAS_AD('Position1');
//-->
</script>
<!-- OAS AD 'Position1' end --><!-- START RedMeasure V4 - Java v1.1 $Revision: 1.9 $ --> <!-- COPYRIGHT 2000 Red Sheriff Limited -->
<script language="JavaScript"><!--
var pCid="uk_myvillage_0";
var w0=1;
var refR=escape(document.referrer);
if (refR.length>=252) refR=refR.substring(0,252)+"...";
//--></script>
<script language="JavaScript1.1"><!--
var w0=0;
//--></script>
<script language="JavaScript1.1" src="../../a1.js">
</script>
<script language="JavaScript"><!--
if(w0){
var imgN='<img src="http://server-uk.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/count?ref='+
refR+'&cid='+pCid+'" width=1 height=1>';
if(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Mac')!=-1){document.write(imgN);
}else{
document.write('<applet code="Measure.class" '+
'codebase="http://server-uk.imrworldwide.com/"'+'width=1 height=2>'+
'<param name="ref" value="'+refR+'">'+'<param name="cid" value="'+pCid+
'"><textflow>'+imgN+'</textflow></applet>');
}
}
document.write("<COMMENT>");
//-->
</script>
<noscript> <img src="../../cgi-bin/count_cid_uk_myvillage_0.jpg" width="1" height="1">
</noscript> <!-- END RedMeasure V4 --> <div align="center"><font color="#330066" size="1"><b><font color="#333366" size="1"><b><font size="1" color="#FFCC00"><b><script src="../../java/banner/bannerbig.txt.js"></script></b></font></b></font></b></font>
</div>
</body>
</html>