The London Assembly has heard Havering, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Brent will be put under the most 'pressure' from new data centres, with fears over water issues

A planned proliferation of data centres in London could "undermine" the capital's decarbonisation goals, the London Assembly has been told. Between 50 and 60 of around 100 planned data centres - which house IT infrastructure such as servers - currently in the planning pipeline are scheduled to be built in London.

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However, it is estimated that every 10 new data centres built could result in 2.7million tonnes of carbon emissions, prompting concerns that their construction could subvert the Mayor of London's climate goals. "This is definitely undermining the process we've been making," Oliver Hayes. Head of Policy & Campaigns at Global Action Plan, told the London Assembly Environment Committee on Tuesday (February 3).

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He estimated that in 2050, data centres alone would use a quarter of the UK's entire electricity consumption as of last year, and that just 10 of the proposed data centres would generate carbon emissions equivalent to the amount saved from a complete switch to electric vehicles.

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Mr Hayes warned that tech firms are also hoping for data centres to be powered by onsite gas to enable to them build them quicker. He added: "This will have devastating consequences for the climate.

"Data centres also need to be confident they can run the entire time, so they all have backup generators on site - usually in the form of diesel generators. This again has additional impacts for climate, but clearly, particularly in a London context, risks undermining the progress that we've heard about on air quality."

The organisation estimates that Havering, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Brent will be put under the most "pressure" from new data centres. While the current spread around the capital is "fairly diverse", existing data centres are "much, much smaller" than the planned, new ones, Mr Hayes said.

This could lead to issues with water, he added, noting that water stress - when demand for water exceeds the available supply - is most acute in London and the South-East, where the majority of new data centres are being planned.

There were also warnings sounded about London's housing supply crisis following a report from the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee that some new housing developments in west London were temporarily delayed after the electricity grid reached full capacity.

Calling for the new London Plan - set to be released next year - to have a "dedicated data centre policy", Mr Hayes said: " People can't move into homes because there is no grid.

"We are also very worried also about the potential impacts down the line for bills. Every additional demand such as that coming from data centres requires additional infrastructure, grid upgrades, more renewables than would otherwise be needed. Those costs will inevitably filter down to bill payers."

"We are at a bit of a fork in the road where a lot of this stuff, if it's built now, will be around for a long time. So that's why the interventions are so critical now. Transparency is very important."

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London has previously said they are working to include "how to best address the need for data centres in London". The committee session came after a roundtable session with policy experts and frontline environmental practitioners which took place in City Hall.

Leonie Cooper, Chair of the London Assembly Environment Committee, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “This is an important moment to review London’s progress on environmental priorities. The Mayor has set ambitious goals – from cleaning London’s air and cutting harmful climate emissions, to warmer homes, swimmable rivers and increasing access to nature.

“Bringing together such a wide range of stakeholders across the environmental sector led to a rich and diverse discussion around London’s environmental priorities. The findings from the discussions will help shape our scrutiny going forward, as we investigate the issues that matter most to Londoners."

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London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith said more funding is needed to ensure the service can cope with the "new normal"

London faces a unique "multiplicity" of fire safety risks in the coming years, the capital's Fire Commissioner has warned.

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Jonathan Smith, who took over the role last July, said emerging cultural and climate-related trends in the last decade have completely changed the landscape of firefighting challenges and priorities.

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He cited blazes related to lithium-ion batteries - usually used in e-bikes and e-scooters - and increasing wildfires as two major risks the brigade's officials are preparing for in the coming years.

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"When I took over, the first thing we had to do was to make sure the organisation was still postured appropriately to deal with what we knew was going to be a very, very busy wildfire summer period, which has now become the new normal," he told the London Assembly yesterday (Thursday, February 5).

"That had always been an issue that we dealt with historically, but the nature of the extreme weather and what we're now seeing on a regular basis throughout, not just the summer period, but then going into flooding in the autumn and winter is now the new normal for London.

"Then when we look at things like e-bikes and e-scooters last year, we had a record number - over 200. Back in 2020, the number was around 25 - this is a risk that continues to develop at pace."

Later, he added: "Lithium-ion batteries are now the new chip pan in terms of what we're dealing with as an organisation."

Mr Smith also pointed out London's "complicated built environment" which needs to be adequately regulated to prevent any fire-related tragedies - but said it would become more difficult as "London continues to build high".

Laying out the challenges of looking after London, the Fire Commissioner noted that staff were rescuing six Londoners a day from "a whole range of scenarios" and were pulling someone out of a fire every three days.

"The operational pressure on the organisation is significant because of the variety of incident types that we now expect a modern fire rescue service to deal with, particularly one that's based in a global city, like London."

He admitted that further funding was needed to ensure London Fire Brigade (LFB) could be an "agile" and "modern" force that can deal with developing and emerging risks going forward.

Last month the Mayor announced that the average Londoner living in a Band D property will pay an extra £20.13 as part of the Greater London Authority (GLA) Precept.

Of this, £5.13 will go directly to LFB, raising an additional £19.3million as part of an overall £251.1million annual budget.

In the draft budget submission, officials said that as the UK's largest fire and rescue service – and one that operates in an "extremely complex environment" – additional investment is needed.

The money will go to "maintaining LFB's operational capabilities and response times" and investing in LFB's estate, including building a new headquarters and refurbishing Lambeth Fire Station.

The draft budget shows an extra £16.4m will be spent on "preparedness and response" in addition to £5.9m more being spend on capital financing – money used for major projects such as buildings or equipment.

Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe, who is responsible for the fire service, said ongoing work on "culture change" within the force was also important to continue.

Last year's LFB staff survey saw falls in harassment, bullying and discrimination within the force, though there still appears work to do when it comes to enforcing safety standards.

A report from the London Assembly Fire Committee this week said firefighters in the capital are facing an increased cancer risk due to constant exposure to toxins and pollutants in the line of duty. Industry figures and experts told the investigation that while PPE shortages were primarily to blame, safety measures were often flouted for reputational purposes.

"As a firefighter myself, you'd often go to a car fire 25 years ago without breathing apparatus and you'd see it as a badge of honour - I look at that now with horror," Mr Smith said.

"We have to see that cultural shift...making sure people are showering properly, washing their hands...there's still more work for us to do."

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With Disney’s Hercules currently running at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London’s West End, and the release of the Original London Cast Recording on vinyl, CD and digitally, one of the production’s most-loved songs Great Bolts of Thunder is being released as a single remixed by electronic music duo Basement Jaxx.

Basement Jaxx are one of the most pioneering and important dance acts of the past 30 years who have released huge global hits including Red Alert and Where’s Your Head At. This brand-new version of Great Bolts of Thunder brings a whole new energy and sound to this much loved classic whilst allowing the power of the vocal to remain central to the track, so now The Muses will inhabit the theatres and late night dancefloors!

Great Bolts of Thunder remixed by Basement Jaxx is available on all streaming platforms from February 13.

Last year, Disney Theatrical Group and Disney Music Group/Walt Disney Records released on vinyl, CD and digitally Hercules Original London Cast Recording - a cast recording that combines the classic Disney songs made famous by the 1997 Hercules movie such as "Go the Distance," "Zero to Hero" and "I Won’t Say (I’m in Love)," with brand new songs also written by Alan Menken (music) and David Zippel (lyrics) specifically for the musical.

"We were so happy to hear that DJ royalty Basement Jaxx were on board to remix 'Great Bolts of Thunder,'" said Menken. "The song has been a favorite in our new musical, Hercules, and it is great to see it take on a new life with this remix."

"We loved writing the new songs for the musical, and this remix brings a whole new energy to 'Great Bolts of Thunder,'" said Zippel. "We are excited for the song to have a new life on the dance floor!"

Multi-award-winning Basement Jaxx are one of the most important and pioneer electronic dance acts to come out of the UK. Growing out of the underground dance scene of the 1990's, they released their debut album Remedy in 1999 and followed it up with Rooty in 2001. The duo found global success with tracks such as Red Alert and Where’s Your Head At becoming era-defining tracks seen today as vital parts of the evolution of electronic music. They continue to tour the world playing through the UK in March including a sold out Royal Albert Hall show.

The Mayor of London has confirmed plans to establish a new private hire vehicle taskforce, with the first meeting anticipated in the first quarter of 2026, following questions from Labour London Assembly member Elly Baker.

, the Mayor said the commitment formed part of his election manifesto and was intended to examine “what can be done to further support private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers in London”. He described the PHV sector as “central to the functioning of the city” and said its workforce “deserve fair, stable and safe working conditions”.

The Mayor said concerns had been raised through ongoing engagement between the industry, Greater London Authority and Transport for London. These discussions have highlighted a range of welfare-related issues affecting drivers.

In his full response, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, said: “Through their ongoing engagement with the Greater London Authority and Transport for London, PHV drivers, representatives and operators have raised concerns about priority issues affecting driver welfare, including for instance access to toilet and rest facilities.”

Taskforce bringing together drivers, operators and regulators expected to convene for the first time in early 2026

To address these issues, the Mayor confirmed he is “establishing a taskforce to bring together key stakeholders from across the PHV industry to collaboratively address the challenges and opportunities facing the sector”.

The taskforce is expected to include representatives from across the private hire market, potentially covering drivers, operator firms and public sector bodies. No further detail was provided on membership and governance or whether outcomes would feed directly into policy or regulatory changes.

The Mayor added: “I anticipate that the taskforce will meet for the first time in the first quarter of 2026.”

The update comes as private hire drivers in London continue to raise concerns over working conditions and facilities available to them.

Twenty years after its debut in London, viral store Lola’s is heading up north

A new store will be opening in the Trafford Centre later this month and will mark the Greater Manchester debut of a cult London brand.

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Lola’s, which started life in the capital 20 years ago, has become known for its handcrafted and freshly-made celebration cakes, cupcakes and brownies. Launched in 2006 by two friends, Victoria Jossel Nurtman and Romy Lewis, they began by selling their cakes from their Primrose Hill bakery at the likes of Selfridges and Topshop before opening their flagship store in Mayfair.

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Gaining its name from the acronym for Ladies Of Leisure Always, Lola's now has more than 25 stores across London, as well as a shop in Birmingham within the Bullring Shopping Centre’s Selfridges.

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Last week, Lola's began teasing its Greater Manchester arrival with a series of clues on social media. Piecing together the information, it was enough for fans to get excited. One person on Instagram commented: "Finally coming to Manchester! Lived on these when I was in London. Thank you." Another said: "Finaaaaaaaaalllllllllyy! I have been begging for years for you guys to come this far up North, my loyalty points are going to skyrocket! This is so, so exciting."

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It has been announced that Lola’s will be marking its Northern debut with its Trafford Centre shop opening on Saturday, February 28. The launch date will feature 500 free cupcakes and brownies up for grabs as well as live entertainment and DJs, giveaways and more surprises. There will also be the opportunity to try a new Manchester-inspired flavoured cupcake for the first time.

“The concept behind what we do has always been about delicious cupcakes, which are freshly-baked using the best ingredients,” Asher Budwig, the Managing Director for Lola’s, tells the M.E.N. “There has always been this dedication towards making a fantastic cake. We aim to make something that not only looks amazing, but tastes amazing.

“It’s also about convenience for our customers. People have a birthday or event tomorrow and they haven’t sorted out a cake, they can go and order there cake with us and it’ll be with them tomorrow. I think that’s why we win - people come to us because they get something that’s great, reliable, consistent and comes with a smile.”

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Asked for any of his particular highlights on Lola’s menu, Asher says their Chocolate Heaven cupcake is a big hit, featuring a double chocolate sponge with white chocolate ganache icing, decorated with chocolate shavings and a chocolate truffle. Other cupcakes include Cinnamon Bun, Red Velvet, Unicorn Chocolate and a gluten-free Carrot Cake, and they also have official partnerships with Disney on cupcake and celebration cake designs.

Each morning, fresh cakes and treats will make their way from the London bakery to the Trafford Centre store in time for opening. “It’s all about everything being fresh,” Asher explains. “We had to make sure we could get fresh cakes to the shop every day and by doing it in a way that keeps things perfect.”

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As for why the Trafford Centre, Asher says it’s something that’s always been on the cards. Lola’s even held a pop-up inside the shopping centre ten years ago and they have been working behind the scenes diligently with the aim of making it happen someday.

He explains: “We went up to Birmingham back in 2017 and we’ve always wanted to do Manchester as well, but there’s just always been sorting that’s got in the way. But now, it feels like the right step for us at the right time.

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"We’ve got big plans to grow and we thought that Manchester would be the first and best way for us to mark that. The Trafford Centre is one of the most exciting shopping centres in the country - you go in and it’s almost like Disneyland in some respects. We feel that Manchester is a really important city, It’s something we’ve always wanted to do.”

And Asher says their Northern debut will be their biggest launch to date when it opens in a little over two weeks time. “We’ve gone all out,” he adds. “It’s the most we’ve ever done for a launch, and that’s because we’re just so excited to open here. The team have really twisted my arm on what they’re doing.

“There’s going to be a flower wall, DJs, loads of merch to give away, and we’ve got some really creative Manchester boxes to show off our special Manchester-specific cupcake. We’re just so excited to open here. We’ve had a lot of people place orders online from all over the country, so we’re hoping that for people in Greater Manchester, it’s an opportunity to pop in store and see more of what we do. We think it’s going to go down really well.”

Lola's opens within the Trafford Centre's Main Dome on Saturday, February 28. Main launch event runs from 11am to 4pm.