Tower Hamlets gets round to a better Oval

THERE’S A REVAMPED public space in Bethnal Green – and John Biggs went out to give it a formal opening. He was joined by the London International Gospel Choir, who gave a performance to draw attention to the revamp.

The transformed space is at The Oval, which is just off Hackney Road. The Council says that the area had been used for illegal car parking and flytipping, but it is now a pleasant community space – having been rebuilt in liaison with the local resident and business communities.

The new space is fully accessible. It has safe seating areas and an attractive new lighting scheme. It has a stage area which doubles up as seating The design means that the space can host a wide range of events.

The Council has not revealed how the revamp was funded, or who will fund the events that will be held there.

Mayor John Biggs said, “This space has been transformed from being associated with anti-social behaviour and environmental blight to a place for the community to enjoy. I’m delighted to see the council’s Parks and Open Spaces fund is making a real difference across the borough.”

Cllr Abdul Mukit, Cabinet member for Culture and Youth Services added, “It’s fantastic to see the rejuvenation of this space, it brings a new lease of life to the area. I encourage residents to enjoy this pleasant space to sit and relax and use it as a focal point for the many creative projects taking place in the area.”

A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Women March, who have been campaigning for the Council to retain its in-house nurseries rather than privatise them, said, “It’s excellent that Mayor Biggs has found the funding to retain the Oval Open Space in-house and remove the illegally parked cars and deter fly-tippers. We hope he can also find funding to keep the excellent Tower Hamlets nurseries running under Council control. Since the collapse of Carillion, we all know how dodgy private sector providers can be. We cannot risk the future of our children – and we’re sure John Biggs won’t do that.”

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Biggs happy with public doing their own cleaning

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