Xmas Events, Building Security, Restaurant ventilation, & Yoga
Upcoming Christmas Events
With the current light-box exhibition from Daily Life Ltd. due to finish next week (December 16th), there is just one more event planned for the square this year: Make a note of the date Saturday December 20th, 4.30pm to 6pm. Organised by Age UK East London, there will be carol singing, mince pies, and mulled wine (tea and coffee will also be available). Choirs from across Hackney will be singing festive carols hoping you will sing along. All monies raised through sales of refreshments (and of course the collection buckets that will be present) will go to help Age UK East London continue their as-necessary-as-ever work throughout the region, and spread the Christmas cheer to those less fortunate than us. Please show your support and pop down if you are able to.
And speaking of events and charity, the Eastern Curve Garden are running a whole host of events in the run-up to Christmas. To get in to the festive spirit and support them in their fabulous work of maintaining this delightful little oasis, check out their list of upcoming events HERE.
Building Security: Tail-gating
This is a subject that has been broached before, but it seems it needs to be re-iterated. After this week’s break-in to the Consort staffroom in Thomas Tower (and subsequent theft of staff personal belongings), and the ejection of non-residents from Collins Tower, it is clear that many people are still not getting the message that tailgating is a problem throughout the square that puts us all at risk. If someone tries to follow you in to your building (or tries to enter whilst you are exiting) ask to see their fob before allowing them entry. It is all very well being polite and holding the door open for people, but it is simply asking for trouble. Although these events are rare, apartments have been robbed, and stairwells have been used for drug taking and dealing. How long before we have a mugging or somebody gets hurt? And all of this is so easily avoided: Stop the tail-gaters. And if you find someone holding the door for you, thank that person for their politeness but also enlighten them to their thoughtlessness: They are putting you and all the other residents of your building at risk. NO FOB – NO ENTRY! It could not be simpler. Just to state the obvious, do not put yourself in danger during any confrontation: If you are threatened in any way, or even feel threatened, get yourself out of the situation and report the incident immediately to the concierge service either in person or by telephone on 02072547341 and they will investigate further.
Restaurant Ventilation
As many will be aware, there was a bit of a panic a couple of weeks ago when news came through from Hackney Council that Barratt had withdrawn their planning application for the proposed ventilation system to cure the restaurant smoke and odour problem plaguing phase 1 buildings (Gaumont through Labyrinth). After many emails and phone calls, including the help of local councillor Peter Snell, it has been determined that this was an error on the council’s part who accidentally deleted the application. This has though now been reinstated, and we are hoping for a decision soon: Preferably a positive one. More news as soon as we have it.
Yoga
To continue the tradition of advertising Dalston Square businesses and the businesses of Dalston Square residents, here is a quick plug for Labyrinth Tower resident Patricia. Patricia is starting new sessions of her family oriented yoga classes early next year, which will be held in the Young Hackney building in Forest Road. Patricia is an experienced yoga teacher, working primarily with newcomers and children, she hopes to attract your whole family to her new sessions: All ages, and all experience levels are welcome. To enrol for these new classes, check out her website HERE. If you are interested, and a Dalston Square resident yourself, take the flyer you will find in your letterbox during the coming week to your first session for a special (and very neighbourly) ‘Residents Only’ discount of 40% on that session (£6 instead of £10). The new sessions start on January 10th 2015, and will continue every Saturday from 11.15am to 12.15pm: What better way could there be to energise your weekend!
Dalston Square Residents' Association 
Hi Mark,
I have been trying for weeks to get the main door on Labyrinth tower fixed so it shuts itself. People don’t realise that it’s not shutting properly and it’s left open, obviously bad for security. I have emailed and phoned Gerald and the coincerage staff . They fob me off or ignore me and tell me it’s the fault of the wind!!??? I find it incredible that they can’t even secure the front door of the building after paying £2.5k service charge per year. Sorry to give you more problems to deal with, but with the security risks I find their attitude unbelievable.
Many thanks,
Jonathan
Saturday, 13 December, 2014 at 10:36 am
It would be great if there was a mail drop done about No Entry No Fob Reminder as not everyone I’m sure gets these emails. Once people realize there are incidents happening then they are more likely to be careful, thanks Jackie
Saturday, 13 December, 2014 at 1:18 pm
Hi Jackie,
Couldn’t agree with you more. After the mid-week break-in residents of Thomas/Burke received just such a mail-drop, but I intend to speak to Gerald on Monday to urge him to do so for the rest of the development. As you say, not everyone follows the DSRA and this is a message that needs to get through to every single resident.
Saturday, 13 December, 2014 at 1:25 pm
Hi Jackie.
Having spoken to Gerald this morning it has been decided that a notice will be place in each and every lift in the development to try and get the message across. A maildrop has been ruled out because it would be quite possible that the person collecting said maildrop would not necessarily share it’s contents with other occupants of that flat. If those in the know also commit to enlightening their neighbours when they witness them holding doors for others, we may just be able to put a stop to tail-gating once and for all.
Monday, 15 December, 2014 at 1:01 pm
Hi Jonathan.
I know the wind, that at times really bowls through the square, can be an issue, but maglock systems were recently fitted throughout the square to help overcome that problem (the biggest wind issues are on the west side of the square rather than the east anyway). I will be speaking with Gerald on Monday and will raise this issue with him then.
Monday, 15 December, 2014 at 12:26 pm
Hi Jonathan.
As promised I raised this issue with Gerald this morning, and was pleased to discover that the praise I have been heaping on him in recent months has been proven justified: One hour prior to my visit Gerald had raised an order with one of his maintenance suppliers to fit a strong door closer to your block. In conjunction with the recently fitted maglock system, this should cure this problem once and for all.
Monday, 15 December, 2014 at 1:07 pm
Hi Mark
On the comments of buildings security. We live in Dunbar Tower and went out on Friday evening at around 5:30pm and the security outer door had been triggered and was not locking, we returned at about 10:30pm and it had not been rectified. I went along to the concierge and reported it, they seem to have no idea what I was talking about. I explained to them what was needed to reset the door, I was told “oh, ok. I will sort it out” but they still looked completely baffled. I went out on Saturday at lunchtime and the had still not been sorted. I went and told the concierges who were on on Saturday and they reset the door.
Anybody could have got into our building on Friday night and the concierge staff would not have known or it seems not have given a damn. They are there to make sure out doors are locking properly, if they are not broken, this was just a door that one of the kids had pressed the button the stop the door from locking. It should have been sorted.
For our security and the safety of the people living in our building, they need to know their job.
Terry
Saturday, 13 December, 2014 at 8:04 pm
Hi Terry.
Before going any further I would argue that it is the responsibility of parents to educate their children to not use the emergency door override system, rather than telling them to use it to save them the hassle of buzzing their kids back in, rather than the job of the concierge to run around resetting the system after them. That said, the concierge guys should know how to reset the system in the event it needs doing. I have spoken with Development Manager Gerald Bernard regarding this issue and he has committed to ensuring every member of the concierge team is aware of the reset procedure.
Monday, 15 December, 2014 at 1:16 pm