Half-Term, Year of the Horse and the Car Show is Confirmed

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It feels like we’ve only just got started with the new year, but it’s already half-term for many families next week, offering a good opportunity to spend some nice family time and enjoy the beginning of the end for winter. I heard someone at a work presentation this week say that we’ve had rain every day for some part of the UK since the new year? This is probably good for the ponds on the common, but it has made some of our local walks extremely muddy. And whilst mud might be good for the skin, I can’t wait for some sun and warmth.

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Chinese New Year is coming up on Feb 17th, and will usher in the year of the horse. If you want to get in the spirit, having dinner in Chinatown could be a great way to celebrate. There are of course many locations to choose from, (there’s an estimated 600+ business in the area) but one of my go-to spots has always been Leongs Legend. Located right in the heart of Chinatown on Gerrard Street, you couldn’t pick a better spot. The food has always been excellent and the restaurant has a couple of different dining rooms spread over a couple of floors. The crispy fried duck is also excellent.

After a long period of renovations, it’s great to see the Royal Bell in Bromley has been given a new lease of life as a boutique hotel and members club. It opened it’s doors last weekend offering a high-end experience for it’s visitors. Originally built in 1898, the venue has a Bar & Grill and also a performance venue inside too. We’ve not had a chance to get down and visit, but if you have, let us know what your thought.

The Chislehurst Society posted on their Facebook account in the week asking for opinions on whether they should improve various ‘welcome’ signage on pedestrian underpasses. Is this a good idea, especially as these efforts can be prone to vandalism?

Not an entirely direct station for the commuters amongst our readers, but did you see the controversial Liverpool Street station upgrade plans have been approved. A key driver of the controversy is the fact that the station is a Grade II-listed site. The design features building on top of the station and like recent upgrades to Kings Cross and Euston stations, shops and retail appear to be a major part of the build, which doesn’t particularly add any benefit to commuters.

Have you seen the designs? What do you think of the?

The ever popular Chislehurst Car Show has been confirmed for later in the year. If you’re thinking of registering your car, keep an eye out for further updates from Visit Chislehurst over the coming weeks. The event is confirmed for June 7th. There’s also a chance you can help out too, by volunteering. If you’d like to help, get in touch with Visit Chislehurst.

See you at 8:01, next Friday!
Simon

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