u/croesoranje

https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/26245796.police-warning-amid-increased-reports-damage-buildings/

Young people have been entering – and in some cases damaging the old cinema at The Peel Centre and the former NHS building on Skimped Hill Lane.

Officers warn that the buildings are 'extremely dangerous'.

Thames Valley Police said: "Our message to anyone considering entering these sites under the guise of ‘urban exploring’ is simple: please don’t."

Hazards inside include potential exposure to asbestos or mould, risk of injury from sharp glass, metal, or wood, and the risk of falls from unsafe or insecure elevated areas.

The sites are reportedly being shared and promoted via Snapchat.

Parents are being urged to be aware of this increase in interest and reinforce this safety message at home.

Police have already had to contact parents to collect their children from these locations.

The force warns: "We would much rather not be making a call to inform you that your child has fallen from height or been seriously injured."

https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/26240446.grange-hotel-bracknell-more-fair-share--mp/

A local MP is hopeful of scoring a win on the issue of refugees housed in the town centre.

On Monday, a government minister revealed that member of parliament Peter Swallow has been 'doggedly pursuing' him over the issue of refugees in Bracknell Forest.

He told the MP that the government is following a “process" to consider the broader context of each postcode and assess whether there is ‘provision’ in the local area that means it might not be suitable.

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The idea is that each community has a certain capacity to sustain a ‘supported population’ which for Bracknell, might include Afghan people living in so called ‘in transitional accommodation’ in a town centre hotel.

Bracknell has been hosting Afghans who supported British forces under the Afghan resettlement programme, some of them in the Grange Hotel, and if the town also supported other asylum seekers, some believe it would be doing ‘more than its fair share’.

But so far, when communites have taken people under the Afghan re-settlement scheme, that hasn’t been considered in the calculation of how many asylum seekers each authority area should host.

Afghan Refugees fleeing Kabul when British forces pulled outAfghan Refugees fleeing Kabul when British forces pulled out (Image: PA)

But now, the Afghan resettlement scheme could be considered as a way to count Bracknell community as doing its bit for welcoming immigrants.

Although there there are not believed to be any plans to place asylum seekers in Bracknell, Mr Swallow learnt that there was nothing preventing the Home Office deciding to do so in the future, regardless of our involvement in the Afghan resettlement programme.

He has therefore been proactively working with Home Office ministers to change policy to ensure that Bracknell Forest is treated fairly and our contribution is properly recognised.

On June 29, speaking in the house of commons, MP Peter Swallow asked: “My honourable friend will know that Bracknell welcomed Afghans who supported our armed forces in transitional accommodation under the Afghan resettlement programme.

“But under the system introduced by the Conservatives that is not taken into account when considering a local area’s ability also to deliver asylum accommodation.

“He will know that I have been lobbying him on this matter, because small unitary authorities such as Bracknell Forest council cannot be expected to do more than their fair share. Can he provide an update on progress?”

The minister of state in the Home Office, Alex Norris replied: “My honourable friend has doggedly pursued me on this very important issue.

“It is really important that, as the Home Office, we consider the broader context—such as what he says with regard to Afghan resettlement scheme provision—around a community’s ability to sustain a supported population and that full dispersal model we inherited from our predecessors.

“What we have put in place, in our attempt to close the gap between local government and national Government, is a postcode check process, so that councils can say, “Well, hang on a minute, there is provision in this area that means it might not be suitable.”

“We are going through that process in Bracknell at the minute and I will work with him to hopefully get to a satisfactory conclusion.”

After the debate, the Bracknell MP said: "Welcoming Afghans who supported our Armed Forces is an honour and I am proud that our town has done our part to offer these families transitional accommodation.

"But small authorities like Bracknell Forest cannot be expected to do more than their fair share.

"The Tory Government failed to recognised this - I am pleased that this Labour Minister for Border Security has done so."

https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/26237541.bracknell-dog-jacket-food-stall-leaves-lexicon/

A food stall has decided to leave the Lexicon after the shopping centre allegedly failed to deliver on promises to launch a new food court.

However, the Lexicon claims a new food hub is on its way.

The Dog & Jacket, a stall selling jacket potatoes and American-style hotdogs, told their followers earlier this month that they would "no longer be trading at The Lexicon".

The stall had recently moved to a new location opposite the library, having previously occupied a central spot by H&M (first as a donut stall before rebranding) for three and a half years.

James Snowden, who runs Dog & Jacket with his business partner, told Bracknell News they were pushed to relocate to the spot near the library after the Lexicon was bought up by US-based company Realty.

James, aged 34, thinks the Lexicon management wanted to free up the stall's old spot for bigger companies who could afford higher rents.

He said Dog & Jacket had agreed to move to the new location by the library because Lexicon management told them there were plans to turn the area into a special food hub with seating, lots of signage, and plenty of social media promotion.

However, according to James, the promised investments failed to materialise and footfall at the new location has been too low.

"We essentially were sold a bit of a dream... sadly none of it happened, and we have been essentially paying staff to be there."

On some days in the new location, he said, less than 30 people walked past.

The Dog & Jacket hung in at the new location for about three weeks before deciding it was time to move on.

"Normally I would give it longer than that, but ... I have done this for a long time so I kind of just knew... We didn't stand a chance."

James has worked in hospitality for about 10 years and also runs another food trailer outside Reading train station, as well as a general events hospitality company, The Box Events Group Ltd.

"If the Lexicon had done what they said they were going to do, it could have been a very different story."

He said he understands the Lexicon are just trying to run their business, but suggested that "when a private company owns a town centre it becomes very difficult for small businesses, let's put it that way".

A spokesperson for the Lexicon, however, told Bracknell News that they are indeed launching a new food hub in the area opposite the library.

"A new street food hub, LexEat, will launch in the coming weeks," the spokesperson said, "bringing together a curated mix of independent operators."

They claimed the new hub "will be accompanied by new seating, signage, and dedicated marketing, ready for the summer and all with the aim of supporting small businesses, while providing more choice for our visitors".

The spokesperson added that the Lexicon is "proud to support a wide range of charities, independent, and small businesses", and are "always keen to help operators succeed".

James told Bracknell News his experience opening a stall outside Reading train has been much more positive, and they are considering re-opening Dog & Jacket in Reading as well.

The 34-year-old initially said he never plans to open a business in Bracknell again, but then relented slightly and said he would consider a reasonable offer from the council: "But in terms of our relationship with the Lexicon, I'm afraid that is done."