Minister for London Hosts Crime Discussion in Kidbrooke

Minister for London, Tessa Jowell, visited the Samuel Montagu Youth Centre, SE3, on Tuesday to take part in a discussion about crime in the borough.

The meeting was attended by 60 young people from the area, Police, Councillors, Government Office for London staff, Youth Programmes Workers and Greenwich Area Youth Forum members. It formed part of a roadshow of events to highlight a new package of measures by the Government under the title “Building Britain’s Future“.

Tessa Jowell, said: “Building Britain’s Future is about talking to local people about the big issues facing the country today. It is about every part of government becoming more accountable and responsive to people’s needs in the current economic climate.

At yesterday’s event, local young people told me what more they think the Government should do to keep their neighbourhood safe. I will ensure that these views and ideas are heard by colleagues across central Government.”

Pub Review: Gipsy Moth

Gipsy Moth
60 Greenwich Church St SE10 9BL

I’ve walked past this Greenwich institution many times but have always overlooked it, probably because from the ‘town’ side, the exterior is rather unpromising. It’s small, dark and has nothing to distinguish it from any other local pub (except perhaps having a name that sounds like more like a progressive folk band than the ship or insect it’s presumably named after). But I urge you to take a look inside because when I did, I liked it.

I imagine this was your average Moby Dick style tavern in its early days and the front bar is, again, small and dark in keeping with that. However, the Gipsy Moth has been extended out to a large seating area, with a much more open feel, that backs onto the twinkly beer garden. The art deco design, including teal stone chandeliers, is perhaps a little pretentious but it works, as the low lighting gives it a dingy edge that rescues it from being too clean cut.

The house specialty is cider and there’s a long list to choose from, including organic cider on tap. They also have Wheat Beer and Peroni on tap, with a few football lagers to cater for all tastes. The menu plays it fairly safe so most things come with chips, but there are a few more daring options such as duck quesadillas and lentil & spinach burgers. I went for the latter and was pleasantly surprised to find that it tasted of lentils and spinach – being vegetarian makes me a somewhat unwilling connoisseur of spinach and you would be surprised how rare this is. The burger was a bit of a beast so having soldiered through it I was too full for the puddings, but I did have a peek at the next table’s and it looked damn good.

Best of all, the bloke serving was very friendly and even indulged us with a bit of table service. It was really busy for a Monday (mostly couples, one arguing, which was very amusing) but the couple of guys on duty took it all in their stride and no one was neglected. The Gipsy Moth strikes the right balance between quality and casual and I would definitely go there again.

Andrew Gilligan: Pier Pressure

Last week, when I went to look round the part of the Naval College that Greenwich Hospital wants to cover with a temporary market, an actual rather than a potential eyesore sprung into view. What on earth is happening with Greenwich Pier?

Readers with very long memories may recall that planning permission for three new pier pavilions was granted by Greenwich Council in February 2007, two and a half years ago. The pier’s old wooden buildings were swiftly knocked down – but since then, nothing.

No sign yet of the “resolutely modern” development, incorporating new boat ticket offices, toilets and three cafe/bar-restaurants, that we were promised. (Not sure whether that’s a good or a bad thing – from the artists’ impressions, it looks pretty ugly.) There is currently no shelter at all on the pier, and a lot of wooden hoardings; tickets are sold from temporary portacabin-like buildings on the shore. The whole place is incredibly confusing to many pier users and is also, frankly, a mess.

The news I bring you – you heard it here first – is that the development of the new pier is finally supposed to begin soon. Edward Dolby, resources director of Greenwich Hospital, which co-owns the land to be built on, said: “It is my understanding that the work will start in the autumn. It has been a long-drawn-out process getting all the legal agreements sorted out. The devil is in the detail – there are something like 17 documents.”

The problem with the pier area is that it has at least four owners. London River Services, part of TfL, owns the pontoon – that is, the bit that actually floats on the water, and alongside which the boats pull up. The Hospital and the Port of London Authority jointly own the promenade – the bit on dry land between the river and the boundary railings of the pier area, where the new buildings will fo.

Greenwich Council owns the pavement outside, which everyone must cross to reach the pier. To complicate this classic British muddle, the actual development is being built by yet a fifth party – the developer Stonehurst. And then the boats themselves are operated mainly by sixth and seventh parties – City Cruises, for tourists, and Thames Clippers, the high-speed commuter service.

You may not be wholly astonished to learn that the council has been one of the major holdups. According to one source involved with the project, “the developer is spitting feathers because he says he’s got the money but he’s had delays with the council in the final planning stuff that he felt was unnecessary.” You’d think that the council would have considered these issues before it gave planning permission – but apparently not.

I couldn’t confirm my information either with the council (its press office number was permanently engaged this afternoon) or with the developer (its number simply rang out, and its PR’s mobile and landline have been disconnected.) Let’s hope that in the current deeply hostile economic climate for development, the delays have not seen the money vanish and killed the project off.

If things do get under way, there is still the risk of massive disruption to the Thames Clippers service, which has seen a gigantic rise in passengers over the past two years and is becoming a real public transport alternative for Greenwich. The pier is not intended to close completely, but Sean Collins, the head of Thames Clippers, says that its capacity is likely to be seriously reduced.

“I am very disappointed with the lack of communication between the council, the PLA and London River Services,” says Collins. “Access could be severely disrupted and it doesn’t appear that they are joined up on it.” The pier redevelopment will cut right through the river’s summer 2010 season and may also touch summer 2011, Collins says. There is no plan yet in place for how the pier will cope with its current boat traffic when it becomes a building site.

One other thought occurs. The delay to the pier redevelopment means that it really starts to clash with several of Greenwich’s other pet development projects. The timings are now extremely difficult.

If planning permission is granted for the temporary market on the Naval College, the traders will load and unload on the eastern side of the Cutty Sark – and construction traffic will use it, too. But that same space will be needed – at the same time – for construction traffic on the pier.

The pier project also clashes with Greenwich Council’s absurd plans to close and tart up the foot tunnel. The council is investigating an alternative ferry service for cyclists. But if the pier’s capacity is reduced, it seems most unlikely that there will be room for a replacement ferry.

I’ve written before about the danger that the whole of central Greenwich is about to become a building site. But what I hadn’t realised until now is that the town centre may simply not be big enough to fit all the various schemes in. We seem to be faced with that most difficult of combinations – a council whose grandiose plans are not matched by the reality of its planning and co-ordination skills.

Small Drop for Greenwich House Prices in June

Land Registry figures released today show that house prices in the borough of Greenwich have continued to fall, despite an average increase for London as a whole during June.

Greenwich house prices saw a change last month of -1.2% with the average price of a home in Greenwich now standing at £236,417 – that’s down 15.9% on a year ago.

But there may be signs that the market is beginning to bottom out with prices in nearby Lewisham increasing by 0.5% and house prices across London as a whole rising by 2.0%.

Jason Lamb from King Sturge in College Approach told Greenwich.co.uk “We are finding that activity has significantly improved, and we think that this is largely due to increased mortgage availability. In addition, there is a feeling amongst the buyers that house prices have reached their floor… The main problem that we now face, though, is a lack of stock rather than a lack of buyers! High demand and low supply will, in my view, continue to dominate in the Greenwich area for some time, and this will hopefully curtail any further house price depreciation.”

Are you trying to move home in Greenwich at the moment? What are your experiences of the local housing market?

See also: Estate agents in Greenwich

Man Remanded Over Greenwich Murder

A 20 year old man has been charged with the murder of Greenwich pensioner, Edward Highwood. Mr Highwood, 79, was found murdered in his home in Hollymount Close just over a week ago. Head injuries were the cause of death and computer equipment had been taken from the property.

Marcin Orlowski, of no fixed address, was arrested in connection with the incident on Friday. Police charged him murder and earlier today he appeared before Sutton Magistrates’ Court who remanded him in custody until he faces trial.

More Cycle Spaces At Westcombe Park

Commuters using Westcombe Park train station are benefitting from the addition of 30 new spaces for cycles.

Transport for London has funded the extra spaces as part of a £300,000 program to increase the number of cycle spaces across London.

The new spaces are the familiar “Sheffield Stand” design, and include shelters, lighting and CCTV.

Head of Cycling, Walking and Accessibility at TfL, Peter McBride said: “We are delighted to work with Southeastern to provide additional parking facilities to encourage more people to cycle to rail stations to continue their journeys by train.

“These new facilities are part of the Mayor’s agenda to improve cycling in the Capital to help more people take to two wheels. TfL is committed to meeting the growing demand for safe and secure cycle parking and delivering the cycling revolution in London.”

Do you think there are enough cycle spaces in Greenwich? Where would you like to see additional spaces positioned?

What’s On This Week: July 27th – August 2nd 2009

This week’s events are something of a thespian’s dream.  The Old Royal Naval College’s outdoor Shakespeare season starts with Henry V this week from Wednesday to Sunday evenings (plus weekend matinees) by the Rainbow Shakespeare Company.  Their primary focus is usually on school theatre projects so their aim here is to make Shakespeare accessible for all the family, but they also take the traditionalist’s view that Shakespeare should be kept simple and styled of its time.  Good on them if you ask me: Shakespeare just isn’t right without breeches, monologues and a vague sense of confusion about what’s going on.

Feeling a little more daring is the Black Sun Theatre Company who are staging 100% Comedy 100% Chekhov at the Greenwich Playhouse this week until 16^th August.  In most people’s mind the words ‘Comedy’ and ‘Chekhov’ are generally mutually exclusive – the playwright is best known for his surreal, modernist studies of misery – but apparently he did write some funny one-act plays that are summarised into a trendy ‘potted’ version here.

Firmly back in ‘serious theatre’ territory is Greenwich Theatre on Friday evening with their production To Care For, which looks at the role of older people in our society since the post-war era.  With specific reference to their role as both carers and patients, the play was created out of interviews with older people and is based on their real-life experiences, so expect a real-life angle.  No swords or mad kings in this one (I hope) but it should be very thought-provoking stuff.

Finally on the much lighter end of the scale, The Albany in Deptford has a comedy night on Wednesday, previewing some of the Edinburgh Festival sets by ex-Friday Night Project host Rob Rouse and up-and-coming Pippa Evans.

Are there any other events happening in Greenwich this week? Use the comments section below to tell us about them.

Assembly Member Seeks Greenwich Park Feedback

A member of the Greater London Assembly is asking for your feedback on how consulted you feel about the plans to use Greenwich Park as an equestrian event at London 2012.

Gareth Bacon – a London-wide assembly member – has distributed a survey to a number of homes (I’m not sure how many) in Greenwich asking if you have received communications from LOCOG or the Mayor about the impact of the games, or if you have been invited to any public meetings on the subject.

If you haven’t received the questionnaire and would like to respond, you can request an electronic copy by emailing liz.thompson@london.gov.uk.

Arrest Made Following Greenwich Murder

Detectives investigating the murder of Edward Highwood last weekend have today arrested a 20 year old man who is being questioned at a south London police station.

Police revealed earlier in the week that a 17″ Hewlett Packard computer monitor with silver-grey edging had been stolen from the victim’s Hollymount Close home and appealed for anyone who may have been offered the screen to come forward. 

A post mortem on Mr Highwood, aged 79, confirmed that he died from injuries sustained to his head in the incident.

Police are still looking to get information from anyone who may have seen Edward Highwood  or who saw anything suspicious in Hollymount Close – call the incident room on  020 8721 4054.

Greenwich Named As Swine Flu Hotspot

Latest figures on Swine Flu show that Greenwich has become one of the country’s hotspots for the virus. Statistics produced by Nottingham University’s Division of Primary Care today say that the borough of Greenwich is currently third in the country when it comes to reported cases of swine flu per 100,000 people.

Greenwich has an infection rate of 441 suspected cases per 100,000 people. Neighbouring Lewisham has a rate of 423.8  and England’s most affected borough is just over the Thames in Tower Hamlets where the rate is 792.4 per 100,000 people.

The news comes on the same day that the NHS in England has launched a new Swine Flu website and telephone service which allows suspected sufferers to get hold of anti viral drugs without visiting their GP.

Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson told the BBC today: “There is no evidence to suggest it is becoming more virulent. Most people with no underlying conditions will get over the flu perfectly well.

Symptoms of Swine Flu

• sudden fever (a high body temperature of 38C/100.4F or above), and
• sudden cough

Get more information about Swine Flu

Are you worried about Swine Flu? Do you feel like you’ve been given enough information? Post your comments below.

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