Castle Square Christmas Lights Switch-on
8 November 2024
The Castle Square Christmas Lights will be switched-on on Friday 29 November.
Come along to Castle Square from 3pm to kick-off the festive season with an afternoon filled with live music, carols, food and special guests.
Children can enjoy a visit to Santa’s Grotto while parents or guardians enjoy a warming drink. There will be music from the Elephant and Castle Community Hub Choir and the Southwark Brass Band (feel free to sing along) and, of-course, a giant Christmas Tree.
This free, family event takes place from 3:30pm to 7:30pm with the lights switch-on at 5pm.
Preview Walworth’s new Community Space
25 Oct 2024
A new community space is opening in Walworth.
The Walworth Town Hall Community Space, in what was formerly the library next-door to the town hall on Walworth Road, is a new community hub available for events, meetings and classes. It’s the first part of the former town hall complex to reopen following restoration.
General People, (the company managing the space) are holding a week of drop-ins to give the community a preview of the hub before it officially opens for bookings. The sessions run from 28 October to 1 November.
The ambition for this new community hub is to create a space for a truly diverse programme of events and activities targeting people of all ages and backgrounds.
Public consultation on the Town Centre
14 October 2024
Get Living is consulting on revised plans for phase three of the Elephant and Castle Town Centre development. This consultation concerns the West Site (currently home to London College of Communication).
Two public consultation sessions will be held at the Castle Centre next week with a third session held online. The sessions at the Castle Centre are drop-ins and are an opportunity to meet with members of the development and design team on a one-to-one basis.
The drop-in sessions take place on Tuesday 22 October 15:00 to 19:00 and Thursday 23 October 15:00 to 19:00.
The online session takes place on Thursday 24 October 18:00 to 19:30 (you will need to register in advance).
New LCC campus tops-out
8 October 2024
Another milestone in Elephant and Castle’s regeneration was reached, yesterday, as the new London College of Communication (LCC) campus building “topped-out”.
A ceremony which included the Mayor of Southwark was held to mark construction reaching its highest point. The new building, which sits across the road from the original college and will be home to more than 5,000 students, is being delivered by Get Living, in collaboration with Delancey, Multiplex and UAL.
This cutting-edge new building will support the next generation of Elephant and Castle creatives and is scheduled to open in September 2027
TfL awards contract for new Tube station tunnels
30 Sept 2024
TfL has awarded a contract to Dragados UK for the design and construction of new passenger tunnels at Elephant and Castle Tube station.
Construction started on the ‘station box’ for the new Northern Line ticket hall in 2022 and, six months ago, the team celebrated “bottoming out” as the excavations completed 33m below ground.
The new tunnels will link the new ticket hall to the existing platforms and overbridge. The new ticket hall will also support the extension of the Bakerloo Line to Lewisham and is being constructed in such a way that it could serve both Northern and Bakerloo customers in future.
The first stage of the station upgrade is being funded by the Greater London Authority, Southwark Council and local developers. Work to excavate around 135m of new passenger tunnels will start next year and is due to complete in 2027.
£1m upgrade to Victory Community Park completes
10 September 2024
More than £1m has been spent on improvements to Victory Community Park.
The work, which completed this summer, includes a newly upgraded ball court, a refurbished play area with new equipment, a new table tennis area with seating area, and enhanced accessibility with improved entrances and pathways. These upgrades have been complemented by extensive landscaping work.
Victory Community Park is the latest public space to be given an upgrade as part of the regeneration of Elephant and Castle. In total, £6m is being spent on parks and squares in the neighbourhood.
The project has also restored east and west connections around and through the park making it easier and more inviting to walk from Elephant and Castle to Burgess Park.
Local groups awarded £75k for community projects
2 Sept 2024
Eight community groups will share £75,000 in grant funding from the Elephant and Castle Community Fund for projects that benefit local people of all ages.
The Elephant and Castle Community Fund was established in 2012 by Southwark Council and Lendlease, with Get Living joining in 2022. It has donated nearly £600k in grants to local organisations over the last 12 years.
Classes on climate change for children, exercise sessions for older people, and accessible play groups for mothers are among the projects to benefit from the latest round of grant funding.
The eight groups to receive funding this year are: Lamlash Street Allotment Society; Parent Action Southwark; Sculpt; Climate Ed; Inspire Walworth; Mental Fight Club; Flashy Wings Ministry and Silverfit.
Urban Elephant festival: 13-14 September
23 August 2024
The Urban Elephant Festival will return this September thanks to Southwark Council’s Thriving High Streets Fund and Neighbourhoods Fund.
Locals, Londoners and tourists are all welcome to join in with this wonderful, free community festival featuring music, dancing, circus performances, art and plenty of great food.
Festivities kick off in Castle Square on Friday 13 September at midday, with art workshops by Arts in the Park, before the evening brings a showcase of Latin American dance and music as well as performances and food from around the globe.
At 3pm, there will be a dazzling parade followed by performances from Portuguese, Spanish, Venezuelan, Colombian, South African, Polish and Bangladeshi dance troops throughout the evening.
On Saturday, the festival travels beyond Castle Square to Elephant Park, Sayer Street and Walworth Square as the four venues come together to create the ‘World on one Street’ event, full of dance, music, drama and art.
This free, family friendly event begins at noon on Friday 13 September and continues through to 7pm on Saturday (plus an extra event for invited guests on Sunday). Full details of timing, performances and locations can be found on the Urban Elephant website.
Pullens Free Festival: 31 August
12 August 2024
Pullens Free Festival takes place in Pullens Gardens on Saturday 31 August.
This is a free event for the whole community featuring live bands, DJs, poetry, art, workshops and face-painting. There will be good food and beer from popular local brewery Orbit Beers.
Live music will be provided by The Clarkes, Beyond Zero, Spannertate, Qhaway, Psiwave and many more.
The festival, which has been organised by Pullens Tenants and Residents Association and sponsored by Southwark Council, takes place in Pullens Gardens, Amelia Street, SE17 3AR, from noon to 8pm on 31 August.
Celebrating Una: Poetry Walk
1 August 2024
Take part in a free, guided walking tour from Una Marson Library to the National Poetry Library on the South Bank, mapping 800 years of poetry in Southwark.
From Una Marson to Caleb Femi, Chaucer to Shakespeare, this is a chance to read and discuss the work of some wonderful poets – both local and global – and all with links to Southwark. The walks will be led by the Head Librarian at the National Poetry Library and experts from Southwark Council’s Libraries & Heritage team.
There are two walks, one on 14 August and one on 22 August. The second will be followed by an evening event at the National Poetry Library, delving into the life and work of Southwark resident, Una Marson, the pioneering Jamaican feminist activist, poet, writer and first Black BBC producer.
£50k in grants awarded for local projects
16 July 2024
The Elephant and Castle Town Centre team and Get Living have announced the successful applicants for the third round of the Inspiring Elephant Community Fund.
This annual, £50,000 fund provides grants to local groups, supporting short-term projects and contributing to longer-term community initiatives focused on Health and Wellbeing, Youth Development and Training, and the Cost of Living and Sustainability.
Fourteen successful applicants will receive grants ranging from £2,000 to £4,500, aiding various local community initiatives. These projects focus on combating inequality and supporting disability groups, senior citizens, and members of the BAME community.
Public consultation on the Town Centre
8 July 2024
Get Living is consulting on revised plans for phase three of the Elephant and Castle Town Centre development. This consultation concerns the West Site (currently home to London College of Communication).
The revised plans for this final phase of the development include more homes, improved environmental sustainability and changes to ensure the scheme complies with the latest building safety regulations.
Two public consultation sessions will be held at the Castle Centre next week with a third session held online.
The two drop-in sessions at the Castle Centre will take place on 16 and 18 July from 15:00 to 19:00.
The online session (community webinar) will take place on 17 July from 18:00 to 19:30.
Elefit Festival: 13 July
5 July 2024
Elefit returns to Castle Square on Saturday 13 July.
The Elefit festival is a free, feel-good, family day, full of health, exercise and wellness-focused fun.
Throughout the day, guests will be able to take part in a variety of classes including Qigong Flow, Afrobeat dance, chair yoga, writing, gardening, kick boxing and Latin dance Aerobics. There will also be a disco and music throughout the day.
The classes are run by local community groups who will introduce guests to new cultures, celebrating the multicultural neighbourhood of Elephant and Castle.
Elefit takes place in Castle Square, Elephant and Castle on Saturday 13 July, from 11am to 5pm.
Clive Myrie named UAL Chancellor
17 June 2024
University of the Arts, which includes London College of Communication (LCC), in Elephant and Castle, has announced Clive Myrie as its new Chancellor.
One of the BBC’s leading news anchors, Clive regularly presents the News at Six and Ten. He is an experienced foreign correspondent and also presents several other programmes for the BBC.
Clive, who has been a powerful advocate for the importance of storytelling and increasing representation both on and off screen, began his term as Chancellor with a visit to LCC in Elephant and Castle, where he met with students from its BA and MA Film and Television and Journalism courses.
Clive succeeds Sir Grayson Perry who served as Chancellor from 2015-2023.
Southwark Climate Day
10 June 2024
Southwark Climate Day is a free community event taking place on Saturday 22 June at London Southbank University Hub, Elephant and Castle.
It’s an informal, drop-in event, open to everyone. So turn-up at at any time and stay for as long as you like. Throughout the morning, you can get free repairs, fix-up your bike, learn from inspiring speakers or brush up on climate friendly skills in practical workshop sessions.
The event will run from 10am to 2pm.
Fiesta Latina Procession
3 June 2024
Get ready to dance the day away on Saturday 8 June with Elephant and Castle’s Fiesta Latina Procession.
The parade begins in Castle Square at 10:30am.
The Latin dancers and performers will proceed all the way to Crossbones in Bankside with traditional music throughout the route. At Bankside they will link up with the Bankside Open Spaces (BOS) Festival which starts at midday.
This year’s BOS festival features four stages of free, live music and DJs, dance lessons, sport workshops and a fantastic street market.
The Big Lunch
28 May 2024
Head down to Castle Square on 1 June for The Big Lunch.
The Big Lunch is a free, community event. It’s a a great opportunity to get together with friends and family and meet your neighbours.
You can expect great music, free face-painting and a host of food vendors serving up dishes from across the globe including Coma Y Beba, Daddy O’s, El Guambra, Kaieteur Kitchen and Original Caribbean Spice. But please feel free to bring along your own picnic if you prefer.
The Babel Brass band will be providing live music – pop covers – throughout the day.
The Big Lunch takes place in Castle Square, Elephant and Castle on Saturday 1 June from 11am
The Tree House wins RIBA London Award
14 May 2024
The Tree House in Elephant Park has won a prestigious architecture award.
Designed by Bell Phillips architects, The Tree House is a platform, promenade and community facility, which takes inspiration from the mature trees retained at Lendlease’s Elephant Park development.
The Tree House was envisaged as a hovering blade wrapped around the trunk of a tree. It creates a viewing platform in the tree canopy that doubles as a roof for the coffee shop, community space and public toilets at ground level.
The award, from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), was presented on Friday.
£75k available for your community projects
9 May 2023
The 2024 Elephant and Castle Community Fund is open for applications.
Grants ranging from £3k to £12k are available for community projects that benefit people who live, work or study in the Elephant and Castle Opportunity Area.
This is the twelfth year of the Community Fund which is run by Lendlease, Southwark Council and Get Living, to support the local community.
The deadline for applications is midday on Wednesday 12 June 2024.
Elephant and Castle Careers Fair 2024
16 April 2024
Looking for a job or a change in career? Visit the Elephant and Castle Careers Fair.
Organised by the Elephant and Castle Town Centre team, in conjunction with Southwark College and the Deputy Mayor of Southwark, the Careers Fair will build on the success of last year’s event. It takes place at Southwark College on Thursday 27 June, 1pm-5pm.
This is a fantastic opportunity for young people in Southwark to learn about opportunities from employers and education providers from across a variety of sectors, including:
- Public services
- Construction
- Property management
- IT
Market Operator wanted
8 April 2024
Southwark council is developing new market sites across the borough.
One of the sites is right here in Elephant and Castle at the junction of Walworth Road and Liverpool Grove.
The council is looking for an operator to offer a weekly (or daily) market that will complement the established businesses nearby. It’s an opportunity for a market operator to introduce new and innovative ideas for street trading that will benefit the local community.
This location can accommodate up to 20 stalls and consideration will be given to applicants who do not directly compete with East Street Market or nearby businesses.
Town Centre celebrates ‘bottoming out’
11 March 2024
A major milestone in the construction of the new Elephant and Castle Town Centre was reached last week, with a ‘bottoming out’ ceremony held in (what will become) the new ticket hall for the Northern Line tube station.
The event marked the completion of the deepest point in the station upgrade.
The upgrade includes a new entrance to the Northern Line, step free access to the platforms (escalator and lift access) and a new integrated ticket hall for both the Northern and Bakerloo lines. It is the first piece of substantial infrastructure to support the proposed Bakerloo Line extension.
The new integrated ticket hall has been built and part-funded by Get Living, with Southwark Council and the GLA also joint funding the new station box and tunnel connections.
Government urged to Back the Bakerloo
5 March 2024
A new report, launched today, reveals the Bakerloo Line Upgrade and Extension could unlock 20,000 homes, create 10,000 jobs and deliver a £1.5 billion boost to the UK economy. But the project can only go ahead with Government backing.
The Bakerloo Line currently has the UK’s oldest rolling stock and is in need of constant repair. This project would upgrade the entire route, including new trains, and extend the Bakerloo Line from Elephant and Castle to Lewisham and on to Hayes – potentially delivering 14 new Tube stations for south east London.
Moving London Forward, the new report published by Central London Forward, reveals the full impact this project would have on London and the UK as a whole.
Making Southwark exhibition opens
20 February 2024
A new, free exhibition that explores Southwark’s industrial past and its ongoing influence on local creative industry opens at the Southwark Heritage Centre and Walworth Library, in Elephant and Castle, this week.
Making Southwark is an immersive exhibition that invites visitors to explore the borough’s artisanal heritage – including textile art, theatrical costume and craft work – emphasising its lasting mark and contribution to the contemporary creative landscape.
The heritage, art and archives collections contain a wealth of material and objects made by hand or machine; all innovations of their day and each telling unique stories from the borough’s famed past as an industrial working place.
Making Southwark runs until December 2024.
£50k available for local projects
12 February 2024
The 2024 Inspiring Elephant Community Fund is now open for applications.
Launched by the Elephant and Castle Town Centre team and Get Living in 2022, this fund is providing £50k per year, over five years, to projects that support the local community.
The deadline to apply to this year’s fund is Wednesday 20 March.
The fund is aimed at projects that promote health and wellbeing; help young people; provide training; or provide activities that help with the cost of living and sustainability.
Local organisations can apply for up to £5k each and a panel of local community leaders – including members of the Community Hub and representatives from Get Living and Southwark Council – will consider the applications.
Free entertainment to celebrate Lunar New Year
8 February 2024
Mercato Metropolitano and Elephant Park are teaming up for an exciting mix of entertainment across Elephant and Castle to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Taking place from 10 to 15 February, you can expect LED poi performers; an acrobatic and martial-arts inspired lion dance performance, plus an opportunity to usher out the old and bring in the new at a clothes swap event.
There will also be great food and drink and wellness promotions from the neighbourhood’s local and independent shops and traders.
Most events are free and take place from 10 to 15 February (25 February for a clothes swap event).
Una Marson Library
1 February 2024
Walworth’s newest library, at 62 Thurlow Street, has its official opening today.
Named after the pioneering BBC programme maker, Una Marson, this is the third new public library opened by Southwark Council in four years.
As well as all the traditional services you’d expect – such as book and DVD loans, newspapers, free Wi-Fi and public access PCs – the library also offers bookable meeting rooms, an innovation space and a full programme of engaging events.
Una Marson, a Jamaican-born feminist, arrived in the UK in 1932 and went on to became the BBC’s first Black programme maker during the Second World War. In 2009 a Blue Plaque was unveiled at her former home on Brunswick Square in Camberwell.
Free workshops at Walworth Garden
15 January 2024
As well as training the next generation of environmental gardeners, Walworth Garden runs creative, botanical workshops at the weekend. This year’s sessions resume on Saturday 27 January and are free for Southwark residents.
Walworth Garden is a charity dedicated to knowledge and nurture, providing environmental learning opportunities at all levels, and accessible social and therapeutic horticulture.
The charity, which received CIL funding in 2021 and was also one of the first to receive funding through the Elephant and Castle Community Fund, runs an award winning, organic, community garden that’s open to all, seven days a week.
Walworth Garden is committed to celebrating, empowering and inspiring the local community and regularly offers free places on courses to Southwark Residents.
IWM reveals programme for year ahead
2 January 2024
The Imperial War Museum London (IWM) has announced its programme for 2024.
Highlights include Storyteller a major exhibition of work by the war photographer, Tim Hetherington, and Churchill in Cartoons, portraying the wartime leader’s life through a series of artworks and illustrations.
This summer also marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and the museum will commemorate the Allied operation, which precipitated the end of WW2, with a range of events and family activities.
IWM is just one of three fantastic museums in Elephant and Castle – alongside the Southwark Heritage Centre and the Cinema Museum – so why not make 2024 the year you visit them all?
Find out more about what’s in store at IWM in 2024
Read archived news from last year (2023)