Each week, Ben Hopkinson looks back at a serious, crazy, and happy news story from the past week.
Serious News
A new skyscraper is set to be part of the cluster within the Square Mile as it will replace the vacant building at 130 Fenchurch Street.
The City of London Corporation have approved two new towers – one being 31 storeys and the other 34 storeys high – with the opening scheduled in 2030.
Designed by architects WilkinsonEyre, 58,000 square metres will be attached to a public cultural space and external garden terrace. Also part of the plans is a rooftop gallery.
Fountain House will have to make way for the new arrivals being described as “jewel like”. It was one of the first high rises to be open after the Blitz, being built between 1954 and 1958.
Crazy News
A cafe in Newenden has installed a unique kind of table service in a model railway.
Nibbles delivers food and drink to customers through toy trains and carriages – even Thomas The Tank Engine is part of the ‘staff’!
The business has also seen a boost as income has nearly trebled since the locomotives appeared.
The idea was created after Dave Wheeler had to step away from his job making furniture due to sight problems.
Speaking of the inception, Wheeler says: “I needed to work with my wife as she helps care for me, but I also wanted to still build things. With my friends I have created a food and drink delivery system that serves all the tables at our cafe”.
A regular customer in Steve Morrell added: “It's all about the community that Dave is building for all the families in this area. We come down and see the trains going around. It's so unique and it's just lovely”.
Happy News
Tate Britain will be building a ‘garden classroom’ for children to learn in.
The plans have been approved by Westminster City Council and will see the entrance at Millbank replaced by a large biodiverse garden.
As well as this, a Mediterranean-inspired garden with a natural pond will also be added to the south of the site, while the north will consist of a green space which “takes cues from East Asian woodland planting” alongside a water feature, event space and outside seating for a cafe.
The director of Tate Britain, Maria Balshaw says: “Within Tate, we know not everyone feels museums are for them, but with the creation of this special garden space, it will allow us to extend a different kind of welcome. The new garden will help break down barriers for those visitors who find the steps intimidating. It will help welcome them to the museum and signal clearly that Tate Britain is a place where everyone belongs”.
According to the application, more than 200,000 schoolchildren visit the gallery each year.
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