Denizen construction halted

From Taylor-Wimpey:

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THE DENIZEN- CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Due to the current pandemic of COVID-19 and the health risk it presents to all people- The Denizen construction site will be stopping operations from today Thursday 26th March until further notice.

The construction site has followed company shut down procedures, there will be 24-hour on-site security present, with members of the McAleer & Rushe site management team also visiting site each day.

Contact details for the site remain as the below-

• Site Manager- Gary Cullen 07767161006 - gary.cullen@mcaleer-rushe.co.uk
• Project Manager- Eoin Gormley 07843955249 - eoin.gormley@mcaleer-rushe.co.uk

In these difficult uncertain times, we thank you for your continuing support, we hope that by taking these measures, we can help all stay safe and return to work when possible

The evolving CPA service

From the BEO:

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Barbican Estate Concierge Service


Car Park Concierge and the Lobbies

• The 3 tower Lobbies will remain open. This will be 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
• Speed Car Park Box will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
• As of 26 March, Defoe Car Park Box will be closed for the foreseeable future. Services such as parcel delivery and key holding will be moved to Shakespeare Tower.
• As of 26 March, the remaining Car Park Boxes will operate between the hours of 7am and 7pm only.
• Thomas More House
• Breton
• Bunyan
• Andrewes
• Willoughby
• Thomas More House and Breton will have a member of staff on duty between 7pm and 7am but they will be covering the remaining 5 boxes as well.
• We will no longer be issuing pink cards for deliveries. Most services send an email or text anyway

We have received a number of comments, suggestions, and questions regarding the changes to our Estate Concierges Service Provision, which we thank you for. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to respond to each and everyone. Therefore, we have produced a FAQ which we hope to update regularly.

The Car Parks - FAQ on the Changes

1. How many staff have you actually lost through Self-Isolation etc?  We have now lost one-third of this team with further staff losses expected.
2. Why don’t you just get some more people in?  As well as the above losses we have also lost a number of staff from our temporary cover pool. We are however, in contact with the City recruitment agency to attempt to recruit further. We have had discussions with colleagues in other City departments to ascertain whether they can assist. But they are in the same position as we are.
3. Is the closure of Speed & Defoe a permanent or temporary solution?  Temporary whilst we are in this situation.  At the moment by shutting these Car Park Offices and the other Car Parks at night, we believe we can open these remaining 5 Car Park Offices by using these members of staff for the day shifts.  Directional signage has been provided to the nearest open Car Park Office
4. If Speed is shut how do I get into the Car Park?  The gate on Silk Street has been pulled across and residents can still access through the gate via the pedestrian gate within it.  Vehicles can access the Car Park by using the now opened gate (02 level) on the Willoughby ramp off Moor Lane.
5. Will all the Car Park main gates be pulled across and shut at night-time?  No, they cannot be due to the fact residents will still need to drive in & out of the Car Park.
6. In the 5 Car Park Offices that are only open during the day, what time will the staff be onsite?  The concierge staff will be working 7am to 7pm.  Directional signage has been provided to the nearest open Car Park Office.
7. The staff working nights at Thomas More and Breton Car Parks, what will they be covering in the other remaining 5 boxes?  Their focus will be on Security for the Estate, as well as checking the residential doors are shut/secure and if required the removal of unwelcome visitors from the car parks.  They will also be providing residents with assistance with Keys and any emergencies that may occur across the Estate. They will not be receiving parcels for residents within ANY block.
8. What are the contact details for my block?  This all remains the same – The repairs team, your House Officer and your Concierge are all still available on the same landline telephone numbers (the landlines will be diverted to the night staff at 7pm). Please refer to the website for further details.  The only exceptions are that Speed House Residents will need to contact the Willoughby Car Park Concierge (020 7029 3931) during the day, and either Thomas More (020 7029 3934) or Breton (020 7029 3938) at night.  Defoe House residents to the Shakespeare Porter (020 7029 3927).  (These phones are already diverted)
9. I’m really concerned about our security with the reduction of staff.  We have discussed these alterations with the City of London Police, and they have informed us that due to the current national situation, crime rates are low and security breaches are less of a concern.
10. What about my food deliveries?  We advise all residents in the terrace blocks to organise any food deliveries to go via the Podium entry phone. The night staff will not be receiving food deliveries for residents within ANY block – Residents will need to specify delivery via the podium intercom and provide their own telephone numbers when ordering.
11. If my car park box is closed at night, can I collect my parcel?  No, please collect your parcels between 7am – 7pm.
12. I have a Carer at night, and I don’t live in a Tower. How will they access my keys?  Please contact Thomas More (020 7029 3934) or Breton (020 7029 3938) between 7pm and 7am. Our staff will assist you.

We have made considerable effort and concessions to continue to provide this service. We are doing our best and have made considerable efforts given the circumstances.

Thank you
Barbican Estate Office

Rubbish Collections

From the BEO:

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Reminder: Rubbish Collections

We are having to continuously reduce the number of cleaners we have coming into work. We also have to balance the enhanced cleaning needs at the moment.

• Rubbish collections are akin to Christmas week at the moment and taking 50% longer than normal.
• Rubbish collection will now only be on MONDAY, WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY.
• Please ensure any cardboard or packaging is collapsed/folded down as much as possible.
• Rubbish collection will now take all day
• There will be NO weekend cleaning or weekend rubbish collection anywhere on the estate.
• If you are able, please take your boxes and packaging down to the bins/ skips to dispose of yourself, it would be appreciated
• Please ensure your rubbish bags are secured/tied up, as normal procedure.

The City of London Fire Safety Advisor asks that you keep your rubbish within your property, until collection days – corridors are still a fire escape routes.

City of London Food Bank

As posted on Barbican Talk:

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As Many of you will know, Age UK is setting up a Food Bank for the City of London, and the Barbican Estate Office has kindly provided space in the Lilac Room.

This is for all residents in need across the Square Mile.

As with everything these days, We are not certain exactly how this will work. Once we get a better idea of what the demand will be, everything will become clearer. The logistics will also be more complicated due to Covid-19.

We are seeking non perishable items and ‘Back of the store cupboard’ items are welcome. But if you do want to donate your store cupboard items, please check the ‘use by’ date. This is very important, because Age UK can not be responsible for delivering potentially unsafe food. Due to the virus, we want as little handling of all items in order to protect both volunteers and recipients.

The list below is not exhaustive, but details some of the high need items

Food

• Long life milk or Powdered Milk
• Cereal
• Tins of meat, fish, fruit, veg
• Baked beans, soup, spaghetti
• Rice and Pasta
• Spreads like jam, peanut butter, marmite
• Sweet and savoury biscuits
• Tea, coffee, sugar
• Salt
• Long life fruit juice

Toiletries

• Loo Roll
• Soap
• Shower Gel
• Washing up liquid
• Bleach

This important work will still be ongoing despite the lockdown announced this week.

Our initial plan is to arrange two collection points every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10 - 11.

In front of Lauderdale Tower, Lauderdale Place for Barbican and non Barbican residents
Outside the Lilac Room, Seddon North Stairs 02, (near the Estate Office) for Barbican Residents and keyholders.

We may change these hours, depending on how well they work

If you would like to financially support this initiative, or Age UK’s wider work in the City of London, you can donate via the Age UK London Just Giving page
:
https://www.justgiving.com/ageuklondon

Please write “This donation is for the City of London” in the message box, on the last screen before payment is taken.

Or if you would like to support us in another way, I am sure we can arrange it.


Rest assured that if this money is not required for the food bank, it will be used by Age UK City of London to further its work supporting residents in the City.

Anyone who would like to Volunteer or feels they may have a food need, please email SquareMileFoodBank@gmail.com

We will start accepting donations on Friday 27 March

Thank you for any support you can give.

Halt all noisy works for now

From the BEO

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Barbican Estate - Home Improvements and Alterations
Further to our bulletin last week, we are aware of a number of substantial projects that despite our plea, are still continuing and proving to be extremely intrusive to neighbours during this very stressful time.

As of today, all noisy and intrusive Home Improvements and Alterations must cease. We will be contacting the leaseholders of all properties who have submitted a Permission to Commence to us, this week, to ensure they have got this message.

Thank you
The BEO.

BEO Services - reduced for now

From the BEO:

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Barbican Estate – Further Changes to our Core Services
In light of the instructions we all received yesterday, we have reviewed all the services we deliver and ( or reassessed what is considered critical) if they are considered critical or not.

Window Cleaning

As of 25 March 2020, there will be no window cleaning provision on the estate.


Barbican Estate Reception

Opening Hours have been further reduced to 11am to 2pm, Monday to Friday. Please do not enter if someone is already being looked after. Please consider whether your visit is essential.


Cleaning

We are having to drastically reduce the number of cleaners we have coming into work. We also have to balance the enhanced cleaning needs at the moment.

Rubbish collections are akin to Christmas week at the moment and taking 50% longer than normal.

Rubbish collection will now only be on MONDAY, WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY. Please ensure any cardboard or packaging is collapsed/folded down as much as possible.

Rubbish collection will now take all day

The City of London Fire Safety Advisor has asked that all rubbish be kept within your flats until collection days.

There will be no weekend cleaning or weekend rubbish collection anywhere on the estate.

We will continue to focus our cleaning effort on touch points such as door handles and lift call buttons.  There will be no podium or car park cleaning other than touchpoints and staff welfare facilities.

We will no longer be issuing pink cards for deliveries. Most services send an email or text anyway.


Car Park Concierge and the Lobbies

The 3 tower Lobbies will remain open. This will be 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
Speed Car Park Box will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

As of 26 March, Defoe Car Park Box will be closed for the foreseeable future. Services such as parcel delivery and key holding will be moved to Shakespeare Tower.

As of 26 March, the remaining Car Park Boxes will operate between the hours of 7am and 7pm only:

• Thomas More House
• Breton
• Bunyan
• Andrewes
• Willoughby

Thomas More House and Breton will have a member of staff on duty between 7pm and 7am but they will be covering the remaining 5 boxes as well.

We will no longer be issuing pink cards for deliveries. Most services send an email or text anyway.

We ask you to heed the instructions we issued yesterday.

As the Government directive is to practise social distancing and remain a safe 2 metres from others, we request residents to NOT enter the Car Park boxes when collecting parcels.

If residents could stand outside the box, a safe distance away and wait until the CPA’s have placed your parcel on the table, before coming forward to pick it up.

We also request that residents stand behind the lines in the Tower lobbies (marked on the floors) when addressing Concierge staff.

We are also currently inundated with parcels and deliveries. Our storage is full in many car parks and lobbies. Please collect your items promptly.

BEO contacts ... for your neighbour

From the BEO:

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A Plea from the Barbican Estate Office
Firstly, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all the residents who have sent in messages of support, and understanding at what is an extremely difficult time for all.

We would request residents that if you know that your next door neighbour or neighbour across the hall, doesn’t have access to the internet, please do print them out a copy and post it through their letter box.

The BEO dedicated email address and contact details are as below:
email: barbican.estate@cityoflondon.gov.uk

tel: 020 7029 3958

House Officers can be contacted through their phones and emails. Please see contact details on the website.

Thank you
Everyone @ the Barbican Estate Office

Clap for Our Carers - 26th March 20:00

From the BEO:
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Clap for Our Carers

On Thursday 26 March, the national call of Clap For Our Carers will take place at 8pm.

This has already happened in many countries in Europe and far beyond, and it is where people stand on their balconies, at open windows, doors and in their gardens and clap to express their appreciation for and solidarity with those courageous people in the NHS and the care community more widely who are putting their own lives at risk to look after us.

It would be a great sign of unity and appreciation if Barbican residents were able to participate made and if possible step out and clap, (practising safe social distancing of course.

CPAs: Give them space

From the BEO:
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Barbican Estate - Consideration for your Car Park and Lobby Concierge

As the Government directive is to practise social distancing and remain a safe 2 metres from others, we request residents to NOT enter the Car Park boxes when collecting parcels.

If residents could stand outside the box, a safe distance away and wait until the CPA’s have placed your parcel on the table, before coming forward to pick it up.

We also request that residents stand behind the lines in the Tower lobbies (marked on the floors) when addressing Concierge staff.

We are also currently inundated with parcels and deliveries. Our storage is full in many car parks and lobbies. Please collect your items promptly.

We appreciate your consideration in these difficult times and the health and well-being of everybody, is one of our major concerns.

Thank you

Barbican Estate Office

Consideration for your Cleaners

From the BEO:

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Barbican Estate - Consideration for your Cleaners.

We have noticed a significant increase in rubbish to be collected and disposed of.

It would really help our cleaners, if you could ensure you are collapsing all cardboard boxes and packaging down as much as possible.

If you are able, please take your boxes and packaging down to the bins to dispose of yourself.

Thank you

Barbican Estate Office

Alternate ways to walk through the Barbican

From the BEO

Secret passages; who knew?

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Changes in Access Routes due to the Closure of the Barbican Centre

Due to the closure of the Barbican Centre, routes across the estate will have changed.

Now that the Barbican Centre entrance in Silk Street is closed, residents may not know how to use the car park route back up to the High Walk Podium level.

You can get to the street via Gilbert House Staircase 52, this brings you to lakeside terrace and there is a small set of stairs down to the Centre car park entrance. This then leads up to Silk Street.
Alternatively, the ramp on Whitecross Street takes you to the corner of Ben Jonson House.

The Estate Office - Covid-19 service

From the BEO

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Coronavirus (COVID-19)

In line with government guidance on Covid-19, we are reducing the Barbican Estate Office opening hours as follows: 10am - 4pm Monday to Friday

We would ask however, that you do not come into the Estate Office unless it is absolutely essential.

Barbican Estate Office : Contacts

The BEO is running a skeleton service from 3 Lauderdale Place but we’re all still working very hard remotely. Please contact us by phone or email in the usual way.

Please click the link below for contact details: 

https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/barbican-estate/Pages/contact.aspx

Waitrose times for the elderly and vulnerable 07:00 - 08:00

From the BEO:
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Waitrose Timings

Paul Murtagh, has been in contact with the Manager at Waitrose and, he advises that as from tomorrow (20.03.20), one hour per day, 7am till 8am, will be set aside for the elderly and vulnerable.

We have been informed that this may change in the future and we will update accordingly.

Barbican Estate Office

Estate cleaning during the epidemic

From the BEO:

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Barbican Estate. Changes to our Cleaning Regime
Over the next few days, you’ll notice some changes to our cleaning practices.

First of all, in the next day or 2 we’ll be bulk delivering waste bags to you (both general and recycling). This will happen again in about 2 weeks. As per usual, the car parks boxes and lobbies hold extra bags.

If you are self-isolating (because you or someone in your household, is poorly rather than in an “at risk group”), we kindly ask you to double bag your rubbish and tell us. (barbican.estate@cityoflondon.gov.uk).

Whilst we’ve already increased the frequency and focus to touch points such as door handles and lift buttons, we’re now making this our primary focus to the detriment of other service areas.

For now rubbish collection will remain, but this will now be a mid-morning task.
The first job of the day is top to bottom touchpoint cleaning.
This will include all handrails within the block (excluding tower fire escape 1s and 2s. The main tower fire escape hand rails will also be cleaned daily. We think more residents will be using the stairs for exercise)

• All lift call buttons
• Entryphone Panels
• All communal door handles
• Before lunch. Touchpoints will be cleaned again
• All lift call buttons
• Entryphone Panels
• All communal door handles
• Last job of the day
• All lift call buttons
• Entryphone Panels
• All communal door handles

Of course to do this, some other tasks are being set aside. We will only be spot cleaning as and where required on the floors. Lifts won’t be as shiny as usual.

Outside on the podium and in the car parks, we’re asking our team to only focus on handrails, door handles, lift call buttons and entryphone panels. We’re also increasing the frequency of cleaning to our staff’s welfare facilities in the car parks and lobbies to twice per day. This means that we’ll only be litter picking every other day. There will be no sweeping or machines used.

We’re also amending breaks and lunches so that not all of our staff are on breaks at the same time. This may mean you see you cleaners at different times.

These are uncharted times and we hope you support the changes we’ve put in place.

Barbican Estate Office.

BEO offer to support carers during the coronavirus epidemic

From the BEO:
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Dear Residents

We are aware of residents setting up a number of efforts to try and co-ordinate support for older people on the estate at this time of need. Some of this via House Groups and some more localised and independent.

We, at the estate office, would like to be able to signpost residents to local assistance. We also thought we might be able to help with paper based communications.

If the leads of these groups could get in contact, it would direct the flow of communications and better help the effort.

Please send any details of local leads to:- Nabeela.ahmad@cityoflondon.gov.uk

(In all likelihood we will be sharing this information.)

Thank you
Nabeela

BA comment on abandoned Girls' School Expansion Plan

The BEO forwarded the following message from the Barbican Association

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Statement from the Barbican Association about the Girls’ School Expansion Plans

The BA issued the following statement in response to the City of London School for Girls announcing that it has decided not to take its expansion plan forward in its current form.

“The Barbican Association welcomes the decision by the governors of the City of London School for Girls to drop the current plans for the school’s expansion. The proposed development, the length of a football pitch, would have represented an extraordinarily large intrusion into the unique, grade II* listed landscape of the Barbican Estate and the governors appear to have recognised that it was unlikely to be granted planning permission or listed building consent in the face of determined opposition by residents and others who care about the estate and its architecture.

“We note that the school’s statement says “the need for an expansion remains”. The school has already expanded several times on its present site and we do not believe it can expand any further within the Barbican Estate without doing irreparable damage to its environment.

The school has clearly outgrown its present location and while we would be very happy to see the existing school remaining as part of the Barbican community, we believe that any further expansion must necessarily take place in an alternative location.​We believe there are opportunities for expansion very close to the estate.

In the event that any changes within the estate are proposed, we hope to see the school and the City working with residents and their representatives in a more open and collaborative way.”

Please click here for the link to the Barbican Association website.

Home Improvements Pack - Summer 2019

I have just received a new Home Improvements Pack from the BEO.  It is dated Summer 2019 so I guess it must have been lost in the post for some time ...

Click to read the whole document