For best viewing experience of this website Please enter a place name in the search bar After provisionally the warmest May Day on record in the UK higher than average temperatures will subside over the weekend Environment Agency Updated: 06:19 (UTC+1) on Tue 6 May 2025 it will turn increasingly cloudy from off the North Sea Some bright or sunny spells developing by evening Staying dry with some lengthy clear skies overnight Turning chilly with a touch of grass frost in places Largely dry with variable amounts of cloud and bright or sunny spells on Wednesday with variable amounts of cloud and bright or sunny spells throughout the period Dry across the vast majority of the UK with clear or sunny spells but also some patchy cloud Cloud will likely thicken across the far north and northwest during the weekend with some outbreaks of rain for a time There is also a small risk of some heavy showers in the far south or southwest high pressure will be dominant across the UK This will bring predominantly fine and dry weather for the majority of places Temperatures are likely to be slightly above normal for the time of year although there is a chance of some cold nights Fairly typical weather for the time of year is most likely through this period fine and dry weather is more likely to dominate although this will be interspersed with occasional spells of rain and showers with a risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms in places temperatures will most likely be near to or slightly above average We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. 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You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports Ioan Marcu overstated his company’s turnover to receive £50,000 in Bounce Back Loan funds when he was only entitled to little more than £11,000 Marcu was handed a decade-long director ban for his misconduct following Insolvency Service investigations The 38-year-old has now signed a formal document in which he agrees to repay the money he secured A builder who was disqualified as a company director for Covid loan abuse has now agreed to repay all the money the company was not entitled to claim Ioan Marcu inflated his Imbusi Ltd company’s turnover to receive a £50,000 Bounce Back Loan in 2020 Marcu was disqualified as a director for 10 years in January 2025 following Insolvency Service investigations has now signed an agreement committing him to repay more than £38,000 - the total amount the company should never have received Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service Ioan Marcu significantly overstated his company’s turnover in order to receive the maximum amount of money businesses were entitled to under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme This was clearly an inaccurate declaration which has resulted in him being banned as a director until the start of 2035 Marcu has now signed a compensation undertaking which legally requires him to pay back all the public money the company should never have received in the first place Imbusi was incorporated in August 2014 with Marcu as its sole director Marcu applied to the bank for the £50,000 Bounce Back Loan in July 2020 claiming Imbusi’s turnover was £280,000 – an over-estimate of more than £230,000 Insolvency Service analysis of Imbusi’s accounts revealed the company was only entitled to a loan of £11,451 The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a compensation undertaking from Marcu on Thursday 24 April in which he has agreed to repay £38,549 in monthly instalments His disqualification undertaking prevents him from being involved in the promotion Imbusi went into liquidation in July 2022 with liabilities of more than £63,000 Imbusi Ltd (company number 09180287) Individuals subject to a disqualification order or undertaking are bound by a range of restrictions Read more about the Bounce Back Loan Scheme and the action the Insolvency Service can take if it finds misconduct  Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct. Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details The fire broke out in Belgrave Avenue during the early hours of this morning (credit: Google Maps) The London Fire Brigade were called to an end-of-terraced property in Belgrave Avenue at around 4.40am this morning (Wednesday One man was rescued from the first floor via an internal staircase by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene by the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service A woman left the property before firefighters arrived and she was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation A man at a neighbouring property was also treated for smoke inhalation The ground floor and part of the first floor of the house was damaged by the blaze London Fire Brigade’s Control Officers received eight calls about the fire Control Officers mobilised five fire engines and around 30 firefighters from Harold Hill Hornchurch and Dagenham fire stations to the scene The fire was extinguished shortly before 7am The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Brigade and Metropolitan Police The spooky Halloween display in The Buckley's front The fire broke out in the building on the High Road Police were called to a property in Windstar Drive A computer generated image of how the new centre at Barking The woman was found at a property in Cowdray Way on Tuesday Emergency services were called to the Mercury Mall this An e-fit image of a man police are looking to speak with The duo have been fined nearly £2000 after turning their the comprehensive vision for the future development and regeneration of Romford Town Centre will be presented to Cabinet for adoption at the 12 March 2025 Cabinet meeting The Romford Masterplan is a Supplementary Planning Document that will support the Local Plan and aims to transform the area into a more vibrant It will serve as a planning policy document influencing private landowner developments within Romford with financial contributions from these landowners expected to fund public space improvements shaped by community feedback and Council priorities will also protect Romford's unique character and history creating an attractive mixed-use town centre Cabinet Member for Development and Regeneration which has been subject to extensive public consultation and refinement aims to revitalize Romford by focusing on key areas such as the Market “73 percent of residents that participated in the most recent consultation expressed continued support for the plan “Approval by the Cabinet will underscore the Council's commitment to improving Romford's appeal as a place to live It follows the presentation to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 6 March 2025 which gave the overall recommendation to support the Masterplan Read the Cabinet papers Designed and Powered by Jadu 30 Apr 2025 By Ben Vogel A builder who was disqualified as a company director for Covid loan abuse has agreed to repay four-fifths of the money signed an agreement committing him to repay £38,549 in monthly instalments the Insolvency Service said in a statement today (29 April) He applied for the maximum amount allowed under the Covid loan scheme in July 2020 claiming his firm had an annual turnover of £280,000 But this was more than £230,000 above Imbusi’s actual turnover adding that its analysis of the firm’s accounts revealed the company was only entitled to borrow £11,451 The Covid Bounce Back Loan scheme allowed SMEs to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000 at a low interest rate which went into liquidation in July 2022 with liabilities of more than £63,000 He was disqualified as a director for 10 years from 1 January 2025 following Insolvency Service investigations Marcu’s disqualification undertaking prevents him from being involved in the promotion Freedom of Information data obtained by Construction News showed that 8,356 Bounce Back Loans to the construction industry had been flagged as suspected frauds by lenders by the end of January this year A family whose relative died when a crane crashed through the roof… A construction firm has lost its appeal against penalties imposed on it… Three construction bosses have pleaded guilty to taking part in a £2m… A construction company has been fined after a kitchen fitter was crushed… Three people have been arrested as part of a Serious Fraud Office… A subcontractor specialising in kitchen and bathroom refurbishments has failed in its… Sign in or Register a new account to join the discussion the shopping centre owned and operated by Redical is enjoying continued success after a series of significant investments and store refits from five leading high-street brands Following strong performances and underlining their long-term confidence in both the shopping centre and wider town reaffirming their commitment to the number one London satellite shopping centre EE has completed the rollout of its latest store concept at The Liberty Romford in a 2,559 sq ft unit on East Mall offering an immersive tech experience with interactive product displays commented: “Brands are finally recognising the full potential that The Liberty Romford has to offer as the number one London satellite shopping centre for retail spend opportunity This latest wave of commitments from leading brands is a clear signal of the confidence they hold in the centre and its location and we’ll continue to work together with partners to strengthen and elevate the tenant mix while delivering positive change for the wider area.” These brand-led refits form part of a broader strategy from Redical to ensure The Liberty Romford continues to evolve in line with customer expectations and community needs As well as recently signing global jewellery and accessories retailer these commitments follow the announcement that leading developer has been appointed to deliver the next phase in the transformation of The Liberty Romford which could include the introduction of residential accommodation to the site This is part of a phased approach to strengthen the retail mix while also driving the regeneration of the surrounding area The suspect had been arrested for a drugs offence News | Crime Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice A police watchdog is investigating the death of a man at a custody suite in east London The 45-year-old suspect had been arrested by the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug on March 31 in Romford Officers further accused him of breaching a community protection notice The male was charged with an unknown offence then remanded in custody until a court appearance on April 2 But at around 3.30am that day he was found unresponsive in his cell at the town’s station on Main Road and could not be revived A post-mortem examination has been carried out but investigators are waiting for the results of further tests Trisha Goddard becomes second contestant evicted from Celebrity Big Brother Three Met officers in WhatsApp group mocking rape victim keep jobs Trisha Goddard says Big Brother is a respite from being a cancer patient Elephants circling young after earthquake ‘rare and special’ – London zookeeper The Independent Office for Police Conduct took the unusual decision not to release the man’s name “to respect the family’s wishes”, it said. The Met also added it would “inappropriate” to discuss the case further. Commander Ella Marriott said: “The death of the man is a very sad event and I extend my condolences to his family and all those who knew and cared for him. “The IOPC is now conducting an independent investigation into the incident. We are supporting this investigation and our staff impacted. “It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time, while the investigation is ongoing.” IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: “Our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends, and all those affected by his death. “We have now met with his family to explain our role and have advised them of the next steps. “It’s important that an independent investigation is carried out to fully establish the circumstances when someone has died in police custody. “We will ensure that the man’s family and the force are kept informed as our investigation progresses.” IOPC investigators have secured CCTV footage from the custody suite and body-worn footage from the arresting officers, which is being reviewed. “We are also reviewing custody logs and will be obtaining statements from the relevant custody staff involved,” a spokesman added. Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Lady Victoria Starmer VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Royals watch historic flypast as huge crowds turns out for VE Day 80th anniversary Royals watch historic Red Arrows flypast for VE Day 80th anniversary David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints ","thumbnailUrl":["https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1920x1080/p0l1zqn9.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1232x1232/p0l1zqn9.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/688xn/p0l1zqn9.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/400xn/p0l1zqn9.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2025-04-03T05:03:03.213Z","duration":"PT52S"}Can Romford residents end the Essex versus London debate?This video can not be played CloseRomford's history is a story of a changed identity it all changed 60 years ago when on 1 April 1965 the local government map of London was set with the establishment of the 32 boroughs that still exist today Romford changed from being part of Essex and instead became a part of the borough of Havering Although it is officially in Greater London some residents told the BBC they feel their identity resides in Essex Video by Anayah Richards and Eric Anderson Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionEditor's recommendationsCan Romford residents end the Essex versus London debate 00:00:52Can Romford residents end the Essex versus London debate 0:52 Up Next Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 00:01:40Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 1:40 Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 00:01:25Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 1:25 Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster Video 00:01:21Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster 1:21 'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 00:01:20'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 1:20 Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 00:02:54Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 2:54 Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 00:01:32Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 1:32 Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 00:01:11Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 1:11 Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 00:00:50Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 0:50 Ros Atkins on.. 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A planning application to build family-sized houses at the former Century House at Albert Road in Romford has been submitted The proposed redevelopment of the site will include nine residential houses including a mix of two and three bedroom family homes The redevelopment forms part of the Council’s Asset Disposal Strategy 2022-2028 and includes details about how provision will be made to protect the building which is on the Council’s Local Heritage List The planning proposal seeks to protect the historic core of the building and includes retaining and refurbishing the main building with partial demolition to create four houses and a further five new houses to the rear of the property It also includes preservation of the 1883 school dedication plaque The proposed development will feature modern energy-efficient family homes designed to meet the needs of local families “We welcome this new development for Albert Road “Our goal is to create new homes to help meet the housing needs of our residents and we welcome this proposal which is sympathetic to the heritage of the building.” View the planning application and if approved Designed and Powered by Jadu.