Daily Photo: 28/04/2011 – Cherry Blossoms

Thanks to Nisha for this lovely photo taken in Greenwich Park.

Alex Wilson: Why I’m voting no to AV

On 5 May the UK will go to the polls for our first nationwide referendum for 36 years. We are being asked whether we want to get rid of our current voting system (sometimes referred to as ‘First Past the Post’) and replace it with a different system called the ‘Alternative Vote’ (AV).

This referendum is being held because it was one of the things Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats demanded in return for their part in forming the coalition government. The Lib Dems will be campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum and a change to AV – while the Conservatives, along with over 100 Labour MPs, hundreds of Labour councillors, and a number of trade unions, are backing the cross-party campaign for a ‘No’ vote to keep our current system. Here are some of the reasons why:

• AV is unfair. For generations, our elections are based on the fundamental principle of ‘One Person, One Vote.’ AV would undermine that, allowing the supporters of fringe or extremist parties to have their vote counted five or six times – and potentially decide the outcome of the election – while people who backed the mainstream candidates only get one vote.

• AV is unwanted. Even the Yes campaigners don’t really want AV. Before the general election, Nick Clegg described AV as ‘a miserable little compromise’. Another senior Lib Dem, Chris Huhne, said that ‘it does not give voters real power’. Now they want it because it will help their party hold the balance of power.

• AV is obscure. Only three countries in the world use AV for their national elections: Fiji, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. Fiji have plans to get rid of it, and in Australia, 6 out of 10 voters want to return to the British system.

• AV is expensive. Holding this referendum is costing the country £90 million, and AV itself would make elections more expensive. Counting the votes would take much longer, either by hand or on costly new electronic counting machines – and local taxpayers would end up footing the bill.

As a case in point if last year’s general election had been held under AV, there would have been at least four rounds of counting before one candidate got over 50% of the vote in the Greenwich & Woolwich constituency.

That means the 65 voters who voted for the least popular candidate would have had at least 4 votes, and the 267 people who voted for the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition candidate would have had at least 3 votes.

But the 9 out of 10 mainstream voters who voted for the Labour, Conservative or Liberal Democrat candidates would have had their votes counted just once.

Please vote to defend our system of One Person, One vote, by voting ‘No’ on 5 May.

Alex Wilson is a councillor representing the Blackheath Westcombe ward and has been selected as the Conservative’s London Assembly candidate for Greenwich and Lewisham.

Market hotel boss will work with “traders and the people of Greenwich”

The boss of the company that will run a new boutique hotel at Greenwich Market has spoken out about his plans for the venture.

Robin Sheppard, Chairman of Bespoke Hotels, has told boutiquehotels.co.uk that he wants to work with local people to make the project a success.

The proposal to redevelop the market and add a new 100 room hotel was initially thrown out unanimously by Greenwich Council’s Planning Board.

Local landlords, Greenwich Hospital, got this decision overturned, in spite of continued opposition, by taking a revised scheme to Independent Appeal.

Sheppard acknowledges that the planning process was “a difficult time” but adds that it’s “very important … that we work with the traders and the people of Greenwich.”

“Greenwich is such a beautiful place, there is so much history but as far as I can see it does not have much nightlife.”, he adds.

During the appeal procedure, concerns were raised that the noise of the market would be a problem for guests at the hotel but Sheppard maintains that “guests will be able to look down on the market, but the roof will act as an extra sound buffer.”

Bespoke Hotels is also the operator of the award winning Bermondsey Square Hotel. The full interview with Robin Sheppard can be read at boutiquehotels.co.uk

Work on the redevelopment project will begin in January 2013 and is expected to take a year.

Norman Road development moves forward

Developers have been given the green light to build new flats and hotels at the corner of Norman Road and Greenwich High Road.

The Movement, covered previously on Greenwich.co.uk, is a mixed use development including hundreds of new homes, two new hotels, residential units and a new street.

The application got the backing of Greenwich Council’s Planning Board last Thursday night at Woolwich Town Hall.

There will be 181 residential properties, over 350 rooms of student accommodation, a 104 bed 3* hotel, a 30 bed boutique hotel as well as commercial units, office space, shops and a health club.

The scheme from local developers, the Cathedral Group, will be built on a disused industrial yard. Cathedral are also behind the Deptford Project and the redevelopment of Eltham’s Grove Market.

Daily Photo: 19/04/2011 – John Humphries House

The deep blue sky on this sunny day almost matched the blue panels at the front of John Humphries House in Stockwell Street.

The 60s office building will soon be demolished to make way for the University of Greenwich’s purpose built School of Architecture and Construction.

Did you take a photo in Greenwich during today’s scorching weather? All contributions welcome – rob@greenwich.co.uk

University’s Stockwell Street redevelopment passed by councillors

Greenwich Council’s Planning Board gave the the go-ahead to the University of Greenwich’s Stockwell Street redevelopment last night – despite a withering assessment of the project by council leader, Chris Roberts.

The £76 million project will see the construction of a new dedicated School of Architecture and Construction in Greenwich town centre at the site of the old Village Market. A new university library will be also be included, as well as public areas such as a gallery and coffee shop.

Professor Neil Garrod, Deputy Vice-Chancellor from the University of Greenwich, told councillors that this was a “once in a generation opportunity.”

He described how the building has been designed to be as “porous as possible”, with the “whole ground floor open to the public.” A new public walkway will be created adjacent to the railway cutting, connecting Stockwell Street and King William Walk, subject to an agreement with Network Rail.

27 objections were raised with the council and residents from King William Walk attended the meeting to voice their concerns that servicing for the building would take place in areas bordering residential properties.

Before the project can begin, the 1960s office building, John Humphreys House, will be demolished. Local industrial historian, and councillor, Mary Mills told the Planning Board that she wanted to see more recognition of the building’s role as a pioneering council computer centre and that “we should be a bit more proud” of it.

The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) described the the Heneghan Peng-designed proposal as “exciting”, adding that it was “well designed with an intelligent internal organisation.”

Cllr Steve Offord said it would be a “tremendous asset” to Greenwich. Cllr Denise Hyland, said she was “impressed” by the scheme.

Following the expressions of support from his colleagues, Leader of the Council, Cllr Chris Roberts spoke strongly against the proposals.

“I can’t like this building”, he told them, adding that they would “repent at leisure” if the scheme was passed. If he walked passed it, he said, he would look over the road and “prefer the architecture of the Ibis [hotel]“, prompting laughter in the public gallery.

The project received the backing of the Board with a 6-2 vote. The decision is subject to approval by the Mayor of London.

Commenting afterwards, Professor Neil Garrod commented ”We are very pleased to have won the support of the local authority and we will continue to work closely with all our neighbours in Greenwich as the project takes shape.”

Daily Photo: 15/04/2011 – Pearly King

Thanks to Indigo for this photo taken last weekend.

Guy Awford’s Food Column: April

The early spring is a great time for eating seafood. Fish and shellfish are in peak condition, and the warmer weather makes us crave something light and simple. Top of the list for the spring must be wild salmon and wild sea bass. These are expensive ingredients, so due care and attention is needed. If you are poaching wild salmon cook at a gentle heat, around 70C, until it is cooked to your liking. Boiling it at 100C will do little to enhance the qualities of this beautiful fish.

Similarly when pan frying wild sea bass the trick is to get a crispy golden skin without drying out the delicate flesh. First score the fillet by cutting 3 shallow slashes through the skin and just into the flesh. This will help to keep the fillet flat during cooking. The next step is to dry the skin. You want the skin to fry in the oil, not stew in its own juices. That means there should be no moisture at all on the skin. Pat it dry with absorbent kitchen paper and then lay it onto a fresh piece of kitchen paper whilst you heat the pan (use a non-stick pan). Get the pan fairly hot then add just enough oil to cover the base. Let it heat then season with fine salt. Turn the heat to medium. Gently lay the fish into the pan, letting it fall away from you (in case any oil splashes out). Press down firmly with a fish slice. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes until the skin becomes crisp and golden. Don’t touch it, fuss over it, or in any way fiddle with it. Let it form a crust.

Now turn the fish over, turn the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Your fish will be crispy and moist.

Seasonal Ingredients

Daily Photo: 12/04/2011 – Geyser at Peninsula Square

Thanks to Warren King for this rather fabulous photo of a geyser near the entrance to the O2.

According to the designers, the “narrative” is that  ”perhaps these geysers existed even before the Dome was built, and therefore the grilles were a mechanical attempt to restrain them.”

Southeastern’s draft timetable for London 2012 revealed

Services at local railway stations are likely to be severely affected by the London 2012 summer Olympics.

Details of the disruption to Southeastern’s train timetables has been revealed in an exclusive report by Darryl Chamberlain at 853.

The draft time table, which will be subject to consultation, will see trains stopping in only one direction for most of the day at Maze Hill station.

Trains through Deptford and Westcombe Park will be cut to a third of their normal frequency and Woolwich Dockyard will be closed altogether.

Details of how the Olympics may effect Greenwich, Charlton, Woolwich Arsenal and Blackheath stations, which are designated access points for spectators, have not yet been revealed.

A notice on Southeastern’s website says, “Currently the Olympic timetable is being consulted on with stakeholders, including user groups, local authorities and MPs and this is due to be completed by the middle of May. Following this, the timetable should receive final approval from Network Rail, Department for Transport and Olympic Delivery Authority over the summer.”

Next Page »