Latest news with #Walthamstow
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Residents unveil giant 'animated' mural
A six-storey high mural has been unveiled on a housing block in east London, inspired by the memories of those living on the estate. The Priory Court Unity Banner in Walthamstow was created by the street artists INSA, along with local residents, who shared their stories in workshops as part of a project celebrating the heritage of the community. The giant artwork illustrates the area's links to the sewing trade and the artist William Morris, nods to the global diversity of residents and celebrates nature and community. It has been created as an "augmented reality" artwork, so that it appears to animate as a moving GIF when looked at through a special viewer app. Ideas for the theme of the mural were developed during estate-wide resident consultations, which included face-to- face interviews, focus groups and workshops. Young people engaged in the project by learning some of INSA's painting techniques, while some older residents contributed by making appliques that were sewn on to the mural. Mustafa, a trainee mural assistant, said it "meant a lot" to him to work on the project. "I learned a lot of things, a lot of skills I didn't know about before." He added that "everyone smiles" when they look at the mural. Ibrahim, who helped produce the work, said he thought it would make the community "stronger and more connected". "I think the mural is absolutely incredible. You can just look at it and you can see that it tells a wonderful story." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Giant mural unveiled by Walthamstow estate residents
A six-storey high mural has been unveiled on a housing block in east London, inspired by the memories of those living on the estate. The Priory Court Unity Banner in Walthamstow was created by the street artists INSA, along with local residents, who shared their stories in workshops as part of a project celebrating the heritage of the giant artwork illustrates the area's links to the sewing trade and the artist William Morris, nods to the global diversity of residents and celebrates nature and has been created as an "augmented reality" artwork, so that it appears to animate as a moving GIF when looked at through a special viewer app. Ideas for the theme of the mural were developed during estate-wide resident consultations, which included face-to- face interviews, focus groups and workshops. 'Tells a wonderful story' Young people engaged in the project by learning some of INSA's painting techniques, while some older residents contributed by making appliques that were sewn on to the a trainee mural assistant, said it "meant a lot" to him to work on the project."I learned a lot of things, a lot of skills I didn't know about before."He added that "everyone smiles" when they look at the who helped produce the work, said he thought it would make the community "stronger and more connected"."I think the mural is absolutely incredible. You can just look at it and you can see that it tells a wonderful story."
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Wannabe suicide bomber who plotted to blow up Heathrow passenger plane in 9/11-style attack could soon be freed
A wannabe suicide bomber who plotted to blow up a Heathrow passenger plane in an 9/11 -style atrocity could soon be released despite receiving a life sentence. Adam Khatib, 39, from Walthamstow in east London, plotted with other Al Qaeda sympathisers to use liquid explosives hidden in bottles of Lucozade and Oasis to slaughter hundreds of passengers flying to the US or Canada in 2006. The uncovering of the plot that year sparked the biggest crackdown on aviation security in history and changed the way travellers board flights around the world. Restrictions on taking volumes of more than 100ml on most flights - less than a third of a canned drink - are the enduring legacy of Khatib's murderous plot. The fanatic - who while still at school in east London styled himself as 'Adam Osama Bin Laden' - was told he must serve a minimum of 18 years after being convicted of conspiracy to murder. But now, MailOnline has learned, the former east London factory worker has a parole hearing that could see him released if successful. Chris Phillips, the UK's former Head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, told MailOnline: 'I struggle to believe that Khatib has renounced his former extremist views. 'The Heathrow bomb plot was designed to kill thousands of innocent passengers and many more on the ground - if successful, it would have been on par with 9/11. 'I trust the Parole Board will think long and hard before making a recommendation.' Khatib was a follower of Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 28, the leader of an east London terror cell that planned to bomb planes as they flew over US airspace. Khatib was one of Ali's 'foot soldiers', willing to sacrifice himself to inflict mass casualties. He provided crucial support to the conspirators after being drawn to radical Islam as a teenager in Walthamstow, where the cell set up a bomb factory. In a bugged conversation, part of a joint UK-US investigation, Ali talked about 'Adam' as a potential suicide bomber, his trial at Woolwich Crown Court heard. The plot was halted as police and M15 conducted multiple raids in August 2006 just as preparations were in their final stages. A jury convicted Khatib in December 2009 after a two-month trial. The Parole Board has now confirmed to MailOnline that, despite getting a life sentence, Khatib had been granted a hearing on August 7. A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'An oral hearing has been listed for the parole review of Adam Khatib and is scheduled to take place in August 2025. 'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. 'A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims. 'Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing. 'Evidence from witnesses including probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements are then given at the hearing. 'The prisoner and witnesses are then questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. 'Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.' The three-person panel can decide to release Khalid on licence. If so, he will be freed sometime during September - alternatively, it can recommend he be moved to an open prison. Khatib's co-defendant Nabeel Hussain, 25, from Chingford in east London, was jailed for eight years after being found guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts. He was a 'backroom boy' providing key logistical and financial help to the cell leader. Shopkeeper Mohammed Shamin Uddin, 39, of Stoke Newington in north-east London, was imprisoned for 15 months for one count of possessing materials - namely a CD - likely to be useful to terrorism. He was also jailed for a further five years and nine months for possessing a firearm. It is believed that both Hussain and Uddin have since been released. The trial heard the three men were not aware of the specifics of Ali's plot, but knew it involved attacks on civilians. Peter Wright, prosecuting, said at the time: 'The troops on the ground may be kept in the dark until the final days. 'All that's required is a preparedness to do their bit. Khatib is one such individual.' Khatib travelled with Ali to Pakistan, the court heard, while another cell ringleader Assad Sarwar, 29, was also there and admitted learning how to make bombs, in a plot became operational after they returned to the UK. Khatib was one of the few admitted to the 'bomb factory' in Walthamstow, where Ali and Tanvir Hussain prepared explosives - and details of explosives and a 'recipe' for a home-made detonator were found at Khatib's home. Ali, described as 'the ringleader', was ordered to serve at least 40 years, while Sarwar was given at least 36 and Hussain at least 32 years.
Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Times
Anger at plan to convert Olympic Park tennis courts to padel
Indoor courts at the Olympic tennis centre are set to be replaced by padel courts, prompting a backlash from 'extremely livid' local residents and wheelchair tennis players. The Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre informed members by email on Tuesday that it was converting its indoor hall of four tennis courts into seven double and two single padel courts to 'grow participation across all ages'. The email said that the centre was planning for work to begin this summer and finish by the autumn, with scheduled courses moved to its six remaining outdoor courts. However, within two days 650 locals had signed a petition calling for a reversal of the decision, which has been labelled 'disappointing' by the Lawn Tennis Association less than a week before Wimbledon. The petition was started by James Labous, a father of two from Walthamstow, east London, who has been playing tennis there for ten years. 'Indoor courts are actually vital for the tennis infrastructure in this country, considering our climate,' he said. • How padel fever is making a racket all over Ireland 'There aren't enough indoor courts in the country and that's probably why the sport isn't played all year round and partly why we're not developing the players we should be. This facility is a jewel and it's going to be lost.' The centre in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was purpose-built for the 2012 Paralympics — the Olympic tennis was hosted at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon — and opened to the public in 2014 after a £30 million renovation. The indoor courts, Labous said, are rarely available to book on weekday evenings due to their popularity, with sessions for university groups and some 'really promising juniors'. He said regular players at the centre were 'all extremely livid'. 'It's an Olympic legacy site, it's state-of-the-art, it's a wheelchair-accessible centre,' he said, 'There was no consultation with the users of the centre. They're clearly trying to push this through really quickly.' Labous described the pay-as-you-go courts as inclusive, unlike several 'stuffy tennis clubs' in the country, adding that the year-round coaching was good value. He questioned why the centre could not redevelop other spaces, such as one of two car parks. Manoj Soma, the founder of Choice International UK, a disability equality charity, has been coaching and managing wheelchair tennis sessions at Lee Valley every Sunday for almost five years. 'I was extremely disappointed, because this was one of the only fully accessible, disabled-friendly venues in east London,' he said of the decision. Although he welcomed the opportunity for disabled people to try padel, he said: 'Wheelchair tennis is one of the paralympic sports — not padel as far as I am aware.' Soma said he had not been consulted about the change. He questioned why the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA), which owns the centre, had not proposed converting only some of the indoor courts or even creating outdoor padel spaces. • Andy Murray to get a statue at Wimbledon The LVRPA, a public authority part-funded by a council tax levy, did not hold a public consultation before announcing the plans, which will cost £490,347. Shaun Dawson, chief executive of the LVRPA, said that the Better leisure centre group, which operates the facility, had originally come to him with a proposal for padel courts. He said the LVRPA had rejected an earlier 'hybrid' proposal to retain some of the indoor tennis courts due to volume levels of padel alongside tennis. He said that they did not consider building a new structure on the site as it was designated Metropolitan Open Land, making planning approval more difficult. 'We want to make it far busier, more inclusive, more accessible in terms of different sports, and clearly there's a bottom-line dimension to that as well: more footfall makes the venue more viable and sustainable in the long term,' Dawson said. There will be nine padel courts, which he said would be available to rent for a 'similar price' to the four current courts, which were recently increased to £30 an hour. 'This isn't about running down tennis, it's about diversifying the offer,' he added. 'Padel is exploding in popularity. It's a smaller racket, it's just an easier game to play for more people. 'The Olympic legacy evolves, it doesn't stand still. We need to respond to trends and that's what we're doing.' A Lawn Tennis Association spokesman said: 'These plans are particularly disappointing as the LTA and Tennis Foundation invested half a million pounds in the original tennis facility and we understand the indoor tennis courts are heavily used. 'The data cited by LVRPA on tennis participation is incorrect. We will be engaging with the LVRPA and the operator GLL [Better] to encourage them to consider other options that can see both tennis and padel played on site.'
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Burnt Faith And Black Cactus On Making Brandy, And BBQ, Cool Again
Black Cactus BBQ served at Burnt Faith brandy house in Walthamstow, London Brandy isn't having a moment in the UK—not yet. But if it's ever going to, it'll be because of a business like Burnt Faith. Tucked behind industrial estates in Walthamstow, this striking London distillery doesn't feel like a traditional home for brandy. There's a DJ in the courtyard. There are Negroni-style cocktails on the menu. There's even smoked short rib pastrami spilling out of a croissant. It's the kind of brandy house that makes you want to love brandy, and that's exactly the point. 'Brandy is undervalued,' says founder Simon Wright. 'It's sweet, fruity, accessible—but people just don't think about it. That's where we come in.' Brandy is the third largest spirits category globally. In the UK, it's mostly overlooked; riddled with Cognac's old-world cachet, or left gathering dust on backbars. But Wright, who previously launched Hawkes Cider (sold to BrewDog), sees a bigger picture. One where the fundamentals of Cognac—double distillation, long ageing, fruit-driven complexity—can be unshackled from French regulation and reinvented for a modern audience. 'I didn't want to build another safe brand,' he tells me. 'I wanted to take another leap of faith.' That leap is literal. Burnt Faith, named for the transformation inherent in both distillation and belief, is a brand that torches tradition with purpose. 'Together, it's about taking risks, torching tradition, and believing in something better,' says Wright. The name also nods to place: 'The word 'brandy' comes from the Dutch translation of 'burnt wine'. And the building used to be a Pentecostal Church before we moved in.' But Burnt Faith isn't just trying to make brandy cool again. It's trying to make it relevant — not just for sipping neat, but for mixing, reimagining, and, as I found out, pairing shockingly well with barbecue. Burnt Faith Brandy House in Walthamstow, London As an American—and a self-confessed snob when it comes to smoked meat—I didn't expect to find the best brisket I've had in London in such an environment, but I did. And it wasn't a pop-up gimmick. It was Black Cactus BBQ, the full-time food partner inside Burnt Faith, and undoubtedly one of the most exciting live-fire operations in the UK. 'Sometimes things work which perhaps shouldn't, on paper,' says Wright. 'But both brandy and barbecue are about fire, time, and transformation. There's something human about them. We wanted to tap into that—a bit raw, a bit ritualistic, and totally memorable.' Black Cactus began far from London, and even further from fine dining. Matt Kears and Josh Alcock, its founders, were both working construction jobs when they started experimenting with brisket. 'I was just in search of creating something unique,' says Kears. 'There was nothing like it in our hometown. Developing the product, then hearing the feedback—that was enough to keep me smoking.' At first, they sold meat vacuum-packed to a WhatsApp group of Hemel Hempstead locals. 'Seven days a week for three years,' Kears says. 'We were hitting early markets in London, bombing back to jump on building sites, then heading to Mum's bungalow to start prep for the weekend services.' Black Cactus' founders, Matt Kears and Josh Alcock Eventually, they bought a truck and committed full-time—a decision made not out of luxury, but necessity. 'Trying to sell a craft product to the wrong demographic... you will fail,' says Kears. 'If the customer won't pay, you will. With zero sales.' That grit, and the quality behind it, is what caught Wright's attention. Burnt Faith was looking for a food partner who could match its ethos. 'They live and breathe barbecue, just like we live and breathe brandy,' he says. 'It wasn't just about food, it was Josh and Matt as people. We knew we had something.' The duo's previously-mentioned, fan-favorite smoked short rib pastrami croissant—indulgent, ridiculous, perfect—was a natural fit. 'It's surprising, aesthetically pleasing, elegant, and most importantly, luscious,' says Kears. 'It pairs perfectly with the Burnt Faith cocktails and the space.' They're not a one-dish wonder, either. The Burnt Faith menu reads like a love letter to the premiumisation of BBQ: 14-hour smoked Miguel Vergara brisket, Berkshire pork belly burnt ends, and spice-loaded hot links served straight from the pit. Everything, exceptionally, pushed to its most flavorful limit. Black Cactus' BBQ croissant It's the kind of high-low magic that both teams excel at: building something serious, but never self-serious. And both teams are building with intention. To date, Burnt Faith has raised over £2 million [$2.7 million] in investment, designed its own stills, and launched three knockout brandys, one triple sec, and two liqueurs—coffee and elderflower, respectively. 'I want Burnt Faith to be global,' says Wright. 'And the effort this takes is monumental.' For Black Cactus, building a business has required a lot of personal risk. 'We've gambled mortgage money on services, taken out loans, shuffled money between credit cards, and pushed every penny into the dream,' says Kears. 'All while people closest to you are telling you to stop. You've got to want it—more than anything.' Even a year into going full-time, they're learning on the fly. 'Going from construction to running a food business is a huge jump,' Kears admits. 'We didn't originally understand the true cost of things—labor, VAT, staff costs. That nearly sank us.' But what they've built now is working commercially, creatively, and collaboratively. 'Simon understands that what we do is a labor of love,' says Kears. 'He lets us call the shots and gives us full creative freedom. It's rare to find someone who believes in what we do as much as we do.' Wright feels the same. 'We're helping create a full sensory experience together,' he says. 'We push each other, and that makes the collaboration better.' A bottle of Burnt Faith brandy What's next? For Burnt Faith, more liquids, more reach, and more cultural relevance. 'It's about scaling without losing our soul,' says Wright. 'We'd love to work with the Black Cactus team on more sites, too. Watch this space.' For Black Cactus? 'All of the above,' says Kears. 'We're always chasing that insane first bite. We're aiming high. Always chasing that first UK BBQ Michelin star, which would mean bricks and mortar.' Until then, the mission remains simple: to show people what they've been missing—in barbecue, in brandy, and the faith that builds brilliant business.
