Latest news with #BBCSouth
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New electric ferry praised as 'real step change'
Two-time Olympic sailing champion Iain Perry has said a new electric ferry for the Isle of Wight will be a "real step change". At a maritime industry event on the Isle of Wight, BBC South was invited onto a smaller, demonstration version of the craft as it made a short journey on the Solent. The new passenger ferry, with capacity for 150 people, is expected to begin crossings early next year. Fran Collins, CEO of Red Funnel, said she hoped the addition to the fleet would help the company move from a 35-minute to a 30-minute timetable. It comes after criticism from the prime minister, as well as Conservative MP for Isle of Wight East Joe Robertson. Robertson said passengers had faced "excessive ferry prices and bad services," while Keir Starmer said services for islanders had "simply not been good enough." Red Funnel had previously apologised for "any inconvenience", and said it had "faced some challenges" and not met its punctuality targets. Artemis Technologies, run by former Olympian Perry, are the company behind developing the new ferry. The electric crafts use hydrofoils - underwater wings that lift the vessel's hull out of the water as it moves, which the company claimed reduces drag and increases speed. "It's halfway between a plane and a boat," said Perry. "You get to a certain speed and it takes off and flies above the waves," he said. "It's going to be a real step change." Ms Collins said the new addition to the fleet was taken to help the company meet its decarbonisation targets and provide a faster service. "As an industry we need to decarbonise, and decarbonisation is something we can't do on our own... we have to do it in partnership," she added. Electric zero-emission ferry moves step closer Solent ferry operator to order three new vessels Ferry cancellations due to crew shortage You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tenants in dangerous homes after failed regeneration
Cherise tells me she has finally left Northam Road and she could not be happier to have a new place to live. The 21-year-old had been sleeping on the living room floor of her Southampton home next to a large hole where the wood had rotted away. She says: "I used to wake up and just cry." But her former neighbours are still at the mercy of the company landlord which owns almost 100 properties on a single road. Many of the people I spoke to are vulnerable; some were homeless in the recent past. Some say they are living without heating, gas or electricity. Following a months-long investigation by BBC South, we can reveal how one landlord took control of Northam Road, let unsafe flats to vulnerable people, and seemingly misled Southampton City Council in 2012 into paying a grant for regeneration work in the area. One former tenant, Ray Huggins, questioned why the council did not check whether these properties were safe and suitable for habitation before people moved in. "Most people are on social security around here - [the council] are paying the rent money," he said. "Shouldn't they really come out and see if the places are fit enough to live in?" The BBC has tried various methods to contact the company, and the person that we believe controls it day-to-day, but there has been no response. Northam Road, just outside Southampton city centre was once a bustling antiques quarter. But after being cut off by a dual carriageway it slowly slipped into decline. Now the majority of the premises stand empty and behind the attractive shop fronts are flats in disrepair. In an exclusive interview, the city council revealed it is in the process of trying to acquire a number of properties on the road in lieu of unpaid council tax. The council acknowledged there had been failure to protect tenants from the company landlord, Gray's Developments Ltd, over the last two decades. It said by acquiring the properties, they hoped to take control of the situation and improve the standard of housing for tenants. Tenants like Cherise. She had been living alone in her flat on Northam Road for two-and-a-half years when I met her in February. She found herself living there after leaving the care system. One night, she woke up to a leak in her bedroom roof. "It was dripping mouldy water, it smelled horrific, straight onto my mattress," she said. After that, she slept on a mattress on her cramped living room floor for months, near to where another water leak had sprung. "That just flooded through my kitchen, and my flooring is wood chip, so that rotted away with all the water." One day, when trying to hop over the rotted floor, her leg went straight through the wood, sending splinters into her skin. She said she fell about 2ft (0.6m) through the floorboards and was not able to use her kitchen or cook for a year, forcing her to live on takeaways and other ready-made food. "I'm not on a lot of money, I'm on Pip (Personal Independence Payments) and Universal Credit - so when that ran out, for the rest of the month I wasn't able to eat," she said. Knowing other tenants had struggled to keep warm in winter, I asked her if her heating works. "I don't have heating. I don't even have a radiator," she said. "It's absolutely freezing." Wilson Bennett runs a small housing advice charity with an office on the road. He told me the properties he had been to see were not fit for purpose and the landlord "has, in my opinion, put every tenant in these properties at risk". The council has issued 35 improvement notices to the landlord, the first in 2001, including: 15 for serious threats to health and safety 6 for missing smoke or carbon monoxide alarms 4 for vermin or other pests 2 for properties found to be unfit for human habitation The council said that the notices were "generally complied with, after much council involvement", but before any legal action was taken. Tenants and former tenants I spoke to said they were living without basic amenities, or in rat-infested buildings, for months at a time. According to Companies House, the official director of Gray's Developments Ltd is Louise Russell - but BBC South has seen evidence that suggests her long-term partner, Ian Loveridge, is in day-to-day control of the company. Ms Russell was contacted for comment, but we did not receive a response. In the early 2000s, Southampton City Council granted Mr Loveridge £760,000 in two parts to restore some of the Northam Road properties. But according to an internal council document from 2007, he managed money poorly and failed to complete works on one side of the street, although works on the other side were completed after significant delay. The document stated: "There were clearly signs of bad financial management, and despite being repeatedly told of the issues, he continued to inappropriately collate financial documentation." The council then sued him to get some of the money back - but ultimately settled out of court. The document also highlights a "lenient approach" taken toward Mr Loveridge by council officers and questions whether adequate checks were carried out on him. Despite that report, in 2012 the council granted £138,000 to Gray's Developments Ltd, where Mr Loveridge described himself as the operation's manager. He met with the council multiple times to ask for that grant money to be released. At that time, the council officers believed a man named Cassian Gray owned the company. But Mr Gray did not hold any shares of the company and was not a controlling party. The registered owner was Mr Loveridge's long-term partner, Ms Russell, who he lives with. The council told me it did not know whether appropriate checks had been carried out on the company at the time. "It was not a good decision and it has resulted in a worsening of the street's environment - I'm not going to defend that," said Councillor Sarah Bogle, cabinet member for economic development, who represents the area. Mr Gray was contacted for comment but did not respond. The council began a legal process in October 2024 to try to shut down the company and recover many years of unpaid council tax. But in April that process was paused when the landlord and its lenders asked for more time to find an alternative solution. The council has now appointed an agent to negotiate with the landlord to acquire the properties on the road. It says if there is no progress, it will take the matter back to court. Bogle said the power of the council to enforce these matters had been limited by current legislation. "We can't just railroad in, we have to go through due process. It's quite rare, this level of disengagement," she said. Based on this landlord's pattern of behaviour I asked why it had not been banned from renting out properties. "I don't know," said Bogle. "We probably should have, but we haven't done that." Asked whether the council had failed to protect tenants on the road, she added: "We have tried to protect them, we have tried to intervene. "There is failure there, I accept that. I'm not going to say everything's perfect, because it's not." "In an statement, Gray's Developments Ltd says it does not dispute that some tenants have experienced challenges, but say when reported to them, its team works to respond in a thorough manner. "It says they have made repeated proposals to resolve current issues constructively and are committed to working with all stakeholders, including the Council, to find a viable and sustainable path forward." If you've been affected by any of the issues in this story you can contact BBC Action Line here. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Craig David makes social housing plea at former home Rail bridge plans set to move ahead Traffic cameras cut down hours after going up Basement fire at house sends smoke across city Council raises more than £15m from property sales Southampton City Council
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tenants in dangerous homes after failed regeneration
Cherise tells me she has finally left Northam Road and she could not be happier to have a new place to live. The 21-year-old had been sleeping on the living room floor of her Southampton home next to a large hole where the wood had rotted away. She says: "I used to wake up and just cry." But her former neighbours are still at the mercy of the company landlord which owns almost 100 properties on a single road. Many of the people I spoke to are vulnerable; some were homeless in the recent past. Some say they are living without heating, gas or electricity. Following a months-long investigation by BBC South, we can reveal how one landlord took control of Northam Road, let unsafe flats to vulnerable people, and seemingly misled Southampton City Council in 2012 into paying a grant for regeneration work in the area. One former tenant, Ray Huggins, questioned why the council did not check whether these properties were safe and suitable for habitation before people moved in. "Most people are on social security around here - [the council] are paying the rent money," he said. "Shouldn't they really come out and see if the places are fit enough to live in?" The BBC has tried various methods to contact the company, and the person that we believe controls it day-to-day, but there has been no response. Northam Road, just outside Southampton city centre was once a bustling antiques quarter. But after being cut off by a dual carriageway it slowly slipped into decline. Now the majority of the premises stand empty and behind the attractive shop fronts are flats in disrepair. In an exclusive interview, the city council revealed it is in the process of trying to acquire a number of properties on the road in lieu of unpaid council tax. The council acknowledged there had been failure to protect tenants from the company landlord, Gray's Developments Ltd, over the last two decades. It said by acquiring the properties, they hoped to take control of the situation and improve the standard of housing for tenants. Tenants like Cherise. She had been living alone in her flat on Northam Road for two-and-a-half years when I met her in February. She found herself living there after leaving the care system. One night, she woke up to a leak in her bedroom roof. "It was dripping mouldy water, it smelled horrific, straight onto my mattress," she said. After that, she slept on a mattress on her cramped living room floor for months, near to where another water leak had sprung. "That just flooded through my kitchen, and my flooring is wood chip, so that rotted away with all the water." One day, when trying to hop over the rotted floor, her leg went straight through the wood, sending splinters into her skin. She said she fell about 2ft (0.6m) through the floorboards and was not able to use her kitchen or cook for a year, forcing her to live on takeaways and other ready-made food. "I'm not on a lot of money, I'm on Pip (Personal Independence Payments) and Universal Credit - so when that ran out, for the rest of the month I wasn't able to eat," she said. Knowing other tenants had struggled to keep warm in winter, I asked her if her heating works. "I don't have heating. I don't even have a radiator," she said. "It's absolutely freezing." Wilson Bennett runs a small housing advice charity with an office on the road. He told me the properties he had been to see were not fit for purpose and the landlord "has, in my opinion, put every tenant in these properties at risk". The council has issued 35 improvement notices to the landlord, the first in 2001, including: 15 for serious threats to health and safety 6 for missing smoke or carbon monoxide alarms 4 for vermin or other pests 2 for properties found to be unfit for human habitation The council said that the notices were "generally complied with, after much council involvement", but before any legal action was taken. Tenants and former tenants I spoke to said they were living without basic amenities, or in rat-infested buildings, for months at a time. According to Companies House, the official director of Gray's Developments Ltd is Louise Russell - but BBC South has seen evidence that suggests her long-term partner, Ian Loveridge, is in day-to-day control of the company. Ms Russell was contacted for comment, but we did not receive a response. In the early 2000s, Southampton City Council granted Mr Loveridge £760,000 in two parts to restore some of the Northam Road properties. But according to an internal council document from 2007, he managed money poorly and failed to complete works on one side of the street, although works on the other side were completed after significant delay. The document stated: "There were clearly signs of bad financial management, and despite being repeatedly told of the issues, he continued to inappropriately collate financial documentation." The council then sued him to get some of the money back - but ultimately settled out of court. The document also highlights a "lenient approach" taken toward Mr Loveridge by council officers and questions whether adequate checks were carried out on him. Despite that report, in 2012 the council granted £138,000 to Gray's Developments Ltd, where Mr Loveridge described himself as the operation's manager. He met with the council multiple times to ask for that grant money to be released. At that time, the council officers believed a man named Cassian Gray owned the company. But Mr Gray did not hold any shares of the company and was not a controlling party. The registered owner was Mr Loveridge's long-term partner, Ms Russell, who he lives with. The council told me it did not know whether appropriate checks had been carried out on the company at the time. "It was not a good decision and it has resulted in a worsening of the street's environment - I'm not going to defend that," said Councillor Sarah Bogle, cabinet member for economic development, who represents the area. Mr Gray was contacted for comment but did not respond. The council began a legal process in October 2024 to try to shut down the company and recover many years of unpaid council tax. But in April that process was paused when the landlord and its lenders asked for more time to find an alternative solution. The council has now appointed an agent to negotiate with the landlord to acquire the properties on the road. It says if there is no progress, it will take the matter back to court. Bogle said the power of the council to enforce these matters had been limited by current legislation. "We can't just railroad in, we have to go through due process. It's quite rare, this level of disengagement," she said. Based on this landlord's pattern of behaviour I asked why it had not been banned from renting out properties. "I don't know," said Bogle. "We probably should have, but we haven't done that." Asked whether the council had failed to protect tenants on the road, she added: "We have tried to protect them, we have tried to intervene. "There is failure there, I accept that. I'm not going to say everything's perfect, because it's not." "In an statement, Gray's Developments Ltd says it does not dispute that some tenants have experienced challenges, but say when reported to them, its team works to respond in a thorough manner. "It says they have made repeated proposals to resolve current issues constructively and are committed to working with all stakeholders, including the Council, to find a viable and sustainable path forward." If you've been affected by any of the issues in this story you can contact BBC Action Line here. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Craig David makes social housing plea at former home Rail bridge plans set to move ahead Traffic cameras cut down hours after going up Basement fire at house sends smoke across city Council raises more than £15m from property sales Southampton City Council
BBC News
04-05-2025
- BBC News
BBC reporter navigates River Hamble by paddleboard
As a reporter for BBC South I enjoy taking on a challenge, so being tasked with exploring a river from source to sea was one I embraced. I'm not going to lie, I was looking for a short one, so we settled on the River Hamble in the Covid lockdown I picked up paddleboarding for the first time, so I was keen to pick up a stand-up paddleboard, get exploring, and see the river in its full guide for the day is Karl Hobbs, an instructor with The Paddle Centre in Swanwick. Paddleboarding for me is a way to be active on my doorstep, enjoying the beautiful nature around us. Karl has been doing it for decades, and the Hamble feels like home to to Tom Peterken, a data scientist for Ordnance Survey, the source of the six-mile long (10km) river is the Sand Boils, or Boiling Sands, in Bishop's also tells me there are about 350 different places "where a stream of some sort begins, which eventually feeds the Hamble". But we join the water at Botley Mills, where the river becomes navigable. Tide times are key as we enter the shallow stretch of the to data from the Office for National Statistics, there are 19,000 people who live within 100m (328ft) of the Hamble system. As well as homes there are businesses on its banks too, including the not-so-secret Hidden Tap friendly face of Rob Sanderson peers over the wall on the riverbank to lower down a drinks order using a handy pulley system. He has seen traffic on the waterway, such as paddleboarders and canoeists, increase since the pandemic."Initially we were serving people by leaning over the wall," he explains."So it's a good job I'm as tall as I am, and my arms are as long as they are."As we journey south the softness of the birdsong and the breeze add an ease to the paddle motion. "Remember your old geography," Karl says at one point. "The river is deeper on the outside of the bend."With the sun's rays kissing the water's surface, the beauty of the river is striking, and the wind shows its presence before we feel can read the river as we meander through the countryside."Once we get round the corner we'll be able to see the lay of the land, and which way the wind is blowing," he advises."So if it's possible we'll try and stick to the left hand side and get a bit more shelter." We reach the River Hamble Country Park, where families cluster on the pontoon with their crabbing we venture beneath the bustling transport links of the south, and the river's personality begins to change. Glistening boats line the marina at Swanwick, and as well as the glamour of the gin palaces there is a glimmer of showbiz. The Jolly Sailor pub here played host to film crews in the 1980s for the BBC drama Howards' Way. Beyond the harbour master's black and white tower, the rise and fall of the water ramps up as we make progress towards the mouth of the river, and the wake of passing boats brings an additional balancing challenge. Passing the lifeboat deployment station, Southampton Water estuary beckons, and the coastal finish line our reward. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A tale of two South East high streets
A difficult financial climate and declining footfall are making it harder to become a high street success story. This is certainly the case in the Surrey town of Leatherhead and Chatham in Kent, both of which are at the centre of regeneration plans. While the projects promise plenty, businesses are trying to survive amid quieter high streets and greater overheads. BBC South East has been out to meet shoppers and businesses over a busy Easter holiday break to get their views on their high street. Leatherhead resident Paul thinks the town should be "more successful than it is". "The money's here, there's lots of wealthy people here but they don't shop in Leatherhead," he said. According to data from the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR), Mole Valley - the main towns of which are Dorking and Leatherhead - saw a 13% reduction in retail businesses between 2023 and 2024. Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) says this figure is based on "misrepresenting data" due to some businesses being incorrectly classified. Lucio Dilena, the owner of Lucio's Coffee & Deli, admits the town "does lack in footfall" but says a good reputation ensures his business remains strong. Lucio really notices a difference on the days when there are market stalls on the high street. "It's great, because if the town's busy, everyone's busy," he added. MVDC said its Transform Leatherhead regeneration programme aims to "revitalise" Leatherhead town centre and reposition the town by providing a "wider mix of uses to meet the evolving function of our town centres". From the 14-18th April, BBC South East will be getting out and about on our region's high streets. Catch up on BBC South East Today on BBC iPlayer and listen to BBC Radio Kent, Sussex and Surrey on BBC Sounds. James, who works in the Chatham Intra - the town's creative and heritage quarter - said: "I've seen the creative community develop since I've been working here." That marries up with the IBDR statistics, which show an increase in retail businesses from 685 in 2023 to 710 in 2024. Antwon feels the high street is "getting there slowly but surely", adding that "development is the key". Sam Maric and Sara Woodley have been running No.64 Coffee & Brunch in the heart of Chatham for just over five years. "We just open every day and see what comes," Sam said, describing business as "totally unpredictable". Having survived the pandemic, Sam says they are now experiencing "worse" cost of living pressures. Until last year, Matt Simms was able to rely on small business rate relief for the Unique Boxing & Kickboxing Gym, which has been on the high street for 15 years. In April, a 75% discount to rates was replaced by a discount of 40%, up to a maximum of £110,000. Matt's £957 charge in 2024 rose to £2,794 this year. The government has been approached for a comment. Matt says he is "having to try to evaluate different ways of how to absorb those costs". He admits it's "tough" to operate in this part of the high street but feels his gym offers people a sense of belonging. Dr Tim Akers, development manager of the Federation of Small Business in Kent and Medway, believes the high street is in a "disastrous" state. "I started in this role at the tail end of Covid. It was better then," he says, blaming the cost of living crisis. He said when the middle class feel the pinch "that's when small businesses suffer". The recent increase to employers' National Insurance Contributions (NICs) has been particularly difficult, he added. Though a gloomy picture, Tim is confident businesses can recover but need to be confident that "there aren't going to be any more fiscal shocks". A spokesperson for Medway Council said: "We recognise Chatham High Street has suffered particularly since the pandemic and needs help to once again become the vibrant town centre it was loved for. "Nevertheless, millions of pounds are being invested in Chatham's town centre, and there is still much on offer including independent shops, thriving theatre and award winning café and art gallery." Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Plans to develop Chatham Docks get green light Council to fund shopping centre project Plans could breathe new life into town - council 'It would be nice to smarten up the area' Regeneration in Chatham Transform Leatherhead
