Lewisham

Overview of borough

Resident population: 261,600

Working age population: 180,100

Key town centres: Catford, Deptford, Hither Green, Lewisham, Blackheath and Sydenham New Cross and Lewisham are a hub for Caribbean and African residents with specialist goods and services catering for their needs. There is also a Turkish community spread around Lewisham.

Skills and Labour Force

Qualifications:
39.6% of the workforce is educated to degree level (NVQ4+) compared with London at 38.6%

Colleges / Universities

Goldsmiths College, University of London
Web: http://www.gold.ac.uk/

Trinity Laban
Web: http://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk

Lewisham College
Web: http://www.lewisham.ac.uk/

Christ the King Sixth Form College 
Web: http://www.ctksfc.ac.uk/

Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College
Web: http://www.hahc.org.uk/

Business Base

Number of economically active residents: 144,700

Number of VAT registered businesses: 5,390

Strong focus on personal & business service activities, and the wholesale & retail trade. Other niche sectors include: creative, and food & drink.
Key companies include: Sainsbury’s, City Security Services, Primark Stores, Evesham Motors, Merchant Gourmet, Bromcom Computers, Penfold Motors, Ramport Scaffolding, Architectural Decorators and Reflections Print Lamination.

Model base unemployment rate: 7.8%

Transport

Trains go in to London Bridge, Charing Cross, Cannon Street and London Victoria and go out to Hayes, Bromley, Dartford, Orpington and the Medway Towns of Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Strood and Rainham.
The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) starts in Lewisham and provides links into the City (Bank) and East London (Canary Wharf and Stratford).
The East London Line Underground connects New Cross/New Cross Gate with Canary Wharf.

The A20 from Lewisham leads to the M20 with access to the channel tunnel. The A205 leads from Lewisham to the neighbouring boroughs of Greenwich and Southwark.

East London Line Plans will involve extending the East London line to Dalston Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon via Lewisham by summer 2010.

Quality of Life

Some of the attractions:

Blackheath and Blackheath Village – high vantage point beside the Thames, commanding a fine prospect over the capital, and great for boutique retail therapy.

The Laban Centre - This flagship building in South-East London was designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, the centre includes a 300 seat theatre, 13 dance studios, dance health facilities and a public café and library as well as teaching spaces.

Horniman Museum - music, art, cultural artefacts from across the world.

The Albany and Broadway Theatres

St. Paul's Church, Deptford, a Grade 1 listed building, designed by Thomas Archer in a vigorous Baroque style and built between 1713 and 1730. St Paul's is the most important and prominent listed building in the borough.

Business Support

Business Advisory Service (BAS)
C/o Opening Doors
121 Lewisham High Street
London SE13 6AT
020 8297 1171 extn 305

London Borough of Lewisham
Town Hall, Catford, London SE6 4RU
020 8314 6000
www.lewisham.gov.uk

South-East London Chamber of Commerce
Unit 4, Harrington Way
Warspite Road
London
SE18 5NR
Tel: 020 8317 3365
Fax: 020 8854 8273
office@selondonchamber.org
www.selondonchamber.org