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Camden Revealed

Local News - June 2002 - E: ken@myvillage.co.uk
Local news: Camden Lock murder: witness appeal - 17/06/02

Police are appealing for witnesses to the murder of 35 year old Pierluigi Campioni (pictured) who died on Friday 14the June as a result of injuries sustained in an attack in Camden Lock on Friday 7th June at about 11:20 pm.

The victim, who is of Italian origin, received a serious stab wound when he was assaulted on the South Tow Path between the Soho Bar and the Ice Wharf pub in Camden Lock. Three white males, aged between 20 and 30, are believed to have been involved in the incident.

Detective Chief Inspector Allan Aubeelack said: "We urge these three men to come forward and indeed any other witnesses who were present on this busy Friday night. This is a pointless death following what appears to be an unprovoked attack"

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Incident Room at Barnes on 0208 247 7911 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

 

Local news: Camden's plan for wildlife - 12/06/02

Nature-lovers from all over Camden will be coming together on 17th June to launch a plan to protect local habitats - and 2002 is the year of the sparrow in Camden. The Camden Biodiversity Action Plan contains a series of specific action plans to protect bats, house sparrows, stag beetles, hedgehogs, dragonflies and damselflies, as well as habitats in parks, woodlands, gardens and churchyards, and those alongside canals and railways.

The House Sparrow Action Plan is the first specific action plan to get underway - and is well-timed because 2002 is 'The Year of the House Sparrow' in Camden. Sparrows are disappearing from London's streets and parks at a worrying rate. The plan will offer opportunities for people in Camden to get involved, growing things that sparrows eat and building and installing boxes for sparrows to nest in.

Helping to launch it will be children from Fleet, Rhyl and St Albans Primary Schools, who will be giving performances of poetry and drama about species that need protecting. The children will also be making sparrow nesting boxes, which will later be presented to London Zoo.

Celebrity couple Imelda Staunton, star of new movie 'Crush' and husband Jim Carter, who was in 'Shakespeare in Love', will also be coming along to launch the House Sparrow Action Plan.

All the action plans will include children's events and practical conservation tasks, such as: planting trees and hedgerows; building stag beetle habitats; wildlife gardening campaigns; bat talks and walks; and projects in school grounds and with local tenants' and residents' groups.

 

Local news: Primrose Hill thwarts Starbucks- 05/06/02

Primrose Hill has proved it's still a real neighbourhood by seeing off a bid to open a new Starbucks in a battle reminiscent of the fight in Hampstead to halt McDonalds. The difference this time is that Primrose Hill objectors, including Jude Law, Joan Bakewell and singer Neneh Cherry, have won their fight against a global giant.

Camden Council received more than 1,300 objections to a planning bid from Starbucks to open a new 58-seat outlet in Regent's Park Road. The Primrose Hill conservation area advisory committee told the council that the American coffee-shop chain was not in keeping with the village feel of Primrose Hill. They also highlighted the potential threat to independent cafés in the area.

Caroline Cooper, chair of the Regent's Park Road and Primrose Hill Association, said that many local people were opposed to Starbucks coming to the neighbourhood and that people had been very willing to sign the petition opposing the new café. Writer

Alan Bennett, who lives in the area, said that he did want to see the area homogenised and that the independent shops and cafés in Primrose Hill should be treasured.

Starbucks issued a statement saying, "Starbucks cares about the views of the communities of which we are a part. We feel sorry at the level of animosity shown towards Starbucks in Primrose Hill. We hoped to make a positive contribution to the area and local economy by providing local jobs and offering an environment for people to get together. We do not feel it would be appropriate to open the store in the current climate."

 

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