Chinese restaurant landed with Greenwich’s biggest ever fine

THE OWNERS of a chinese restaurant in Greenwich have been fined £54,000 for breaching food hygiene rules.

In addition to the fine – the largest ever given to a Greenwich business – the owners of Peninsula restaurant in Bugsby’s Way will have to pay £2,600 costs and have been banned from running a food business.

The punishment was handed down by Judge Byers at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday after the owners, Crestdane Limited, pleaded to guilty to 18 food safety breaches.

Greenwich.co.uk reported in February 2010 that the restaurant had been fined £13,500 for its poor standard of hygiene.

In April 2011, the restaurant was temporarily closed again after council officers carried out an unannounced inspection and found more evidence of a mouse infestation, including droppings near food, plates and even inside a roll of cling film.

Councillor Maureen O’Mara, Greenwich Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Environment said: “I applaud the verdict in this case and welcome the additional sanction that bans the owners from running a food business in the future.

“The hygiene conditions at this restaurant were an absolute disgrace. The key priority seemed to be placing profits over offering good quality food by operating with a blatant disregard for the health of their customers. We have tried to support the restaurant to clean up its act, but they have consistently failed to do so.”

The punishment for the restaurant came just days before Chinese new year, and when Greenwich.co.uk checked this weekend, the restaurant was open and trading.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report: Charlton Athletic v Sheffield United (21/01/2012)

Charlton 1 (Jackson 21) Sheffield United 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Victims of the same lethal weapon which destroyed their noisy neighbours Wednesday last week, Sheffield United were sent packing from an euphoric Valley as Charlton completed a magnificent back-to-back league double over their hot pursuers from the Steel City. Having resolutely turned back Wednesday’s agricultural assault at Hillsborough, the Addicks blunted United’s more cerebral tactics with equal ruthlessness. Not for the first time this season, they demonstrated their ability to cope as efficiently with the smooth as the rough.

This vital victory confirms Charlton as the best side in League One and was sealed by a goal with uncanny echoes of the strike which decided the bruising clash with the Owls. Just seven minutes earlier in this case, skipper Johnnie Jackson lined up a promising free kick from as near as dammit the same spot, from which he launched his match-winning howitzer into the top right corner seven days ago. This latest effort differed only in that it was instead angled for the top left corner and, following earnest consultations with fellow setpiece expert Yann Kermorgant, that is precisely where Jackson planted a fiendishly perfect delivery, with full-length goalkeeper Steve Simonsen helpless to intervene. Again, a goal worthy of winning any game, as surly United boss Danny Wilson grudgingly acknowledged after first making a fool of himself by disputing the award of the free kick.

According to Wilson, United had already been robbed of a rightful throw-in, when Danny Hollands escaped from Kevin McDonald in the centre circle and was clearly upended by the outmanouevred midfielder as he made tracks into Wednesday’s half. Far from challenging referee Darren Deadman’s obvious decision, United’s frustrated gaffer, with the Hillsborough evidence still fresh in South Yorkshire minds, might have been better advised to query his player’s judgement in conceding a free kick in the same vicinity. Privately, McDonald might be asked to explain himself.

Before Jackson made his decisive intervention, the Blades had edged the exchanges, with McDonald firing Lee Williamson’s pass over the bar and Ben Hamer sent scurrying low to his left to shovel Williamson’s free kick around a post. There wasn’t much in it but the Addicks hadn’t produced much until McDonald sinned, Jackson struck and Wilson seethed. Once again, Charlton were asked to defend their slender advantage for over an hour; once again, superbly anchored by outstanding centre backs Michael Morrison and Matt Taylor, they made sound, if occasionally anxious, work of it. For all their patient pressure, the visitors created few clearcut chances, admittedly not for want of trying.

Before the break, Kermorgant’s acrobatic overhead effort, after Morrison returned Jackson’s inswinging corner from the far post, skimmed the bar before Harry Maguire ended an absorbing half by heading Williamson’s deep flagkick wastefully over the top.

Still struggling to turn his unmistakeable style into tangible effect, Danny Green opened the second half by escaping a booking for heavily bringing down Lesinel Jean-Francois, then pounced on a heading error by the possibly dazed left back but shot firmly into Simonsen’s midriff. With the bit between his teeth, Green burst clear again to surprise Simonsen into beating his drive awkwardly away.

Contentious cautions issued to non-stop Bradley Pritchard and Hamer, both for questionable timewasting, presaged referee Deadman’s total misreading of a far from dirty game. Before the last ten minutes dissolved into an ugly exchange of yellow and red cards, however, the Addicks escaped intact as Hamer, his handling anything but secure throughout, dropped Williamson’s corner at Ched Evans feet. Perhaps startled by the chance, United’s top scorer spooned his shot over the bar.

With less than a quarter hour remaining, substitutes Darrel Russell and James Beattie joined the action to make brief but dramatic impacts on this suddenly simmering match. Russell’s first contribution was a fullblooded challenge on McDonald in the centre circle, deemed by Deadman to have been two-footed and deserving of dismissal. Kermorgant objected, Beattie took exception to his objection (“My chairman is a lawyer and reliably informs me that strangulation is against the law”, was Chris Powell’s deadpan comment) and United’s veteran striker trailed Russell to the dressing rooms.

All Charlton’s fault, concluded Wilson, as he leaped vainly to reach the grapes and points dangling so tantalisingly over his head. Must be a barrel of fun when he and Wednesday manager Gary Megson square off (4-4 mayhem the last time they tangled). The truth both of them are at pains to ignore is that the South East Londoners have proved too good for them this season. Throw in Huddersfield (and far more forgivably, Halifax) and, one way or another the Addicks have made soggy puddings of their Yorkshire rivals. Roasted ‘em, in fact.

Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Taylor, Wiggins, Green (Russell 76), Hollands, Pritchard, Jackson, Kermorgant, Wright-Phillips (Haynes 86). Not used: Sullivan, Cort, Clarke. Booked: Wiggins, Pritchard, Hamer, Kermorgant. Sent off: Russell.

United: Simonsen, Lowton, Collins, Maguire, Jean-Francois (Williams 76), Williamson (Porter 86), McDonald, Doyle, Quinn, Evans, Cresswell (Beattie 76). Not used: Long, Montgomery. Booked: Doyle, McDonald, Evans, Williamson. Sent off: Beattie.

Referee: Darren Deadman. Attendance: 20,992.

Daily Photo: 20/01/2011 – 4 Stockwell Street

Previously on this spot stood John Humphries House, now demolished as part of the University of Greenwich’s development of the site.

With the 1960s office building gone, you can now see the back of properties in Nelson Road and the top of the Canary Wharf skyscape from the corner of Burney Street.

Daily Photo: 19/01/2011 – CAFC

Thanks very much to Lara Ruffle for sending me this photo she took at The Valley last August.

Don’t forget you can follow Charlton’s progress this season with Kevin Nolan’s match reports.

Greenwich Council decides to shut Blackheath Bluecoat school

Greenwich Council’s cabinet last night voted unanimously to close down Blackheath Bluecoat school despite overwhelming opposition from staff and pupils.

The school has failed to reverse a decline in pupil numbers in recent years, in spite of improving exam results.

It will close its doors for the final time in August 2014, with some year groups leaving in 2013.

Council leader Chris Roberts blamed the school’s troubled reputation for their decision, saying that “popular mythology” about pupil behaviour was keeping new admissions away.

He also said that the increasing financial deficit racked up by the school, could not be maintained:

“The question is, could the school sustain the improvements it has made with the level of cuts that would be necessary? My view is that it could not.”

Decreasing numbers of pupils have not been matched by cuts in staff numbers, leading to the school accumulating a £1.5 million deficit.

Cllr Jackie Smith, the cabinet member with responsibility for schools, said it was unfair for this deficit to continue to impact on other schools in the area.

But in a passionate speech, executive headteacher Jeffrey Risbridger defended his decision to maintain staff numbers, pointing out that results had improved at double the rate of other schools in the borough:

“There has been funding coming to the school that was in excess of funding that we would otherwise have received. But all that has done is allowed us to build confidence and to appoint exceptionally talented, hard-working committed staff who have delivered the goods in the classroom and improved the life chances of pupils as a result. Yes that has costs but was it worth it? You bet your life it was.”

He also attacked the council for ignoring the results of their own consultation, which found 91% of respondents opposed to closing the school:

“It could not be clearer that there is no community will in this borough to close Blackheath Bluecoat School. To continue with the closure despite of this is therefore perverse and undemocratic.”

He urged councillors to give him more time to turn around the school, and said that the three year window afforded to him by the council had not been a “realistic” period in which to reverse its decline.

The council’s decision means that Greenwich borough will no longer have a Church of England secondary school. CofE schools in neighbouring boroughs are currently oversubscribed.

Chris Roberts admitted that this situation was “not sustainable” and floated the possibility of a new CofE school to be built on the Greenwich peninsula.

However, officers said that there was “no funding stream” currently available for such a school.

Around a hundred pupils and staff marched on the town hall last night to protest against the expected closure of the school and there were chants of “shame on you” as councillors left the building.

Speaking to Greenwich.co.uk after the meeting, executive headteacher Jeffrey Risbridger said:

“I’m shocked and disappointed because it seems clear that the cabinet members didn’t listen to any of the points that were put forward either in the consultation or in what was said this evening and have made a decision that is not right for the pupils in the school and for the future of Church of England education in the borough. I accept that these are constrained financial times but I think that children’s education is more important than short term financial loss.”

He conceded that the council’s decision to close the school was “unlikely” to be reversed but said that they were “considering our options.”

He also congratulated staff and pupils on a hard fought campaign:

“I think they’ve done superbly and I’m proud of the very mature, controlled and sensible way in which they’ve handled themselves. I want the pupils and staff to continue to work as hard as they have to achieve the very best public examination outcomes that they possibly can do, not only for themselves but to demonstrate to the council just how wrong they were to close the school.”

Daily Photo: 17/01/2011 – Fight!

Thanks to local writer Solange for sharing this extraordinary photo she took from her window.

Daily Photo: 16/01/2011 – Sitting in Judgement

Thanks to Stu Mayhew from the Aperture Woolwich Photographic Society for this photo taken at the gymnastics which is taking place at the “North Greenwich Arena”. You can see more of Stu’s photos on Flickr.

Royal borough celebrations in Greenwich town centre

GREENWICH Council has released details of the celebrations that will take place in Greenwich town centre to mark the bestowing of royal status on the borough.

The all-day celebrations on February 5th include:

• top live music performers (details tba) in a marquee at the Old Royal Naval College
• special Royal Greenwich exhibition in the Discover Greenwich centre including a chance to view the Letters Patent
• walks and talks exploring Greenwich’s Royal history
• live entertainment in Greenwich Market throughout the day
• roving ‘royal’ entertainers, musicians and costumed characters
• workshops for children
• Royal-themed parade involving schools and community performers
• stunning musical fireworks display as the grand finale to the whole weekend

Venues for events on Sunday 5 February:
• Discover Greenwich, 2 Cutty Sark Gardens SE10
• Greenwich Market
• Old Royal Naval College
• National Maritime Museum
• Pepys Lawn (in front of Old Royal Naval College)

Times:
• Free entertainment and workshops in Greenwich Market and National Maritime Museum: 10am – 5.30pm
• Parade departs National Maritime Museum at 5.30pm, travels via College Approach, arriving 5.55pm on Pepys Lawn
• Music stage on Pepys Lawn: 2.00 – 6.00pm
• Musical fireworks finale on Pepys Lawn: 6.00 – 6.15pm

A day earlier, Eltham will mark the day with a range of events including Eltham Palace being free for the day. On the day the borough goes royal, the 3rd February, there will be a musical fireworks display in General Gordon Square, Woolwich.

Kevin Nolan’s Match Report: Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton (14/01/2011)

Sheffield Wednesday 0 Charlton 1 (Jackson 28).

Kevin Nolan reports from Hillsborough.

It might be stating the obvious but the first leg of Charlton’s pair of back-to-back Sheffield fixtures worked out rather nicely. The cockle-warming performance which knocked the stuffing out of Sheffield Wednesday featured 14 red-shirted heroes, each of them ready to put his body painfully on the line. It was tense, hectic, sometimes violent and, as an added bonus, it was won by a truly marvellous goal, about which you’ll want to hear without delay.

Midway through a bruising first half, the outstanding Bradley Pritchard knocked the ball between hulking defenders Rob Jones and Reda Johnson, before accelerating smoothly in pursuit of a possible shooting chance. Ruthlessly closing the gap, Wednesday’s bouncers combined ruthlessly to nail the eager midfielder to the turf. The stonewall free kick, some 25 yards out and to the right of goal, briefly interested Yann Kermorgant, scorer of a setpiece beauty at Yeovil recently, but the angle clearly better suited the left-footed marksmanship of skipper Johnnie Jackson. A sumptuously curled drive duly left home keeper Nicky Weaver helpless on its unerring journey into the top right corner. There was no way of knowing at the time but this prickly, contentious game had already been settled by a flash of sheer quality.

His important contribution to the game’s only goal was but one highlight in Pritchard’s fine display. The non-stop newcomer consistently broke up the Owls’ midfield approach play, setting up Charlton’s slick counterattacking with economical passing and give-and-go movement. Since breaking into Chris Powell’s side, the indefatigable non-league graduate has made himself at home, without awe of, or undue respect for, better known opponents. Afraid of nobody, he gets his foot in and will take some shifting from Charlton’s central midfield. His enthusiasm is infectious.

Pritchard was surrounded by courageous colleagues. This determined Charlton side, light years removed from the collection of invisible ciphers who let down the club last season, simply refused to break under the direct area-to-area bombardment orchestrated by old school boss Gary Megson. Goalkeeper Ben Hamer stood up manfully to some borderline bump-and-bore tactics; centre backs Michael Morrison (as an ex-Owl on the end of some waspish comments from Megson) and Matt Taylor gave as good as they got physically; excellent full backs Chris Solly and Rhoys Wiggins didn’t put a foot wrong between them.
Powell’s midfield four scrapped for everything, with Pritchard’s workrate matched by Danny Hollands while wide men Jackson and Danny Green provided skill along the flanks.

Up front, meanwhile, the goals which came so effortlessly for Bradley Wright-Phillips and Kermorgant earlier in the campaign have temporarily dried up but it’s worth recording that Charlton’s watertight defending (19 goals now conceded in 25 league games) has much to do with their wholehearted closing down of would-be ball carriers. You have to wade through layers of cover to get to Hamer.

The majority of the Addicks’ chances at history-steeped Hillsborough fell to Wright-Phillips, now without a league goal in seven games since he scored the winner at Brentford on November 19th. The first, after just 4 minutes, was set up by Kermorgant and stung Weaver’s hands from an acute angle. At the other end, the visitors lived dangerously themselves when tricky loanee Ben Marshall bamboozled Taylor along the left touchline to supply Chris Lines beyond the far post. Lines’ low, angled shot was parried by Hamer, then hacked clear by Taylor. Hamer was grateful later that Johnson tamely headed an unchallenged chance into his hands.

Five minutes after the break, Wright-Phillips squandered a golden opportunity to spare his side an increasingly fraught ordeal. Too quick for Rob Jones as they disputed Hollands’ cleverly flighted ball over the top, he shook off the struggling centre back but failed to beat the advancing Weaver in one-on-one confrontation. Weaver also won their third duel, sprawling full length to turn the goal-starved forward’s low snapshot around his right post.

As the home bench, not to mention a poisonously hostile crowd, grew nasty, Wednesday’s quest for an equaliser became desperate. They came closest in added time when substitute Clinton Morrison, whose goal earned them a point at The Valley in September, touched a deep cross from Miguel Llera past Hamer. Popping up on the line, Jackson booted the ball off the line.

Wednesday’s children were full of woe by now, their hearts broken by the resilient toughness of a side they expected to bully into submission. The Steel City will try again on Saturday, when United come to town. These Addicks will be ready for them. Count on it.

Wednesday: Weaver, Mike Jones (Lowe 64), Batth, Rob Jones, Johnson, Otsemobor, Lines, Semedo, Marshall (Morrison 74), Madine (Llera 64), O’Grady. Not used: Bywater, Prutton. Booked: Madine, Mike Jones, Semedo, Lowe, Rob Jones.
Charlton: Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Taylor, Wiggins, Green (Russell 72), Hollands, Pritchard (Cort 90), Jackson, Kermorgant, Wright-Phillips (Clarke 74). Not used: Sullivan, Stephens. Booked: Kermorgant.
Referee: Neil Swarbrick. Attendance: 26,759.

Mayor wants Greenwich to Silvertown tunnel within ten years

MAYOR of London, Boris Johnson, has announced that he would like a new tunnel built under the Thames within the next decade.

He used a speech to London government leaders on Thursday night to confirm his support for the “Silvertown link” and said he would like to see it built within ten years.

The tunnel from Greenwich Peninsula across to the Royal Docks would have a capacity of up to 2,400 vehicles per hour in each direction. Transport for London will begin consultations on the scheme as early as next month.

The mayor also confirmed his support for a new ferry service between Beckton and Gallions Reach and said he’d like to see it delivered by 2017.

The crossing at Silvertown and the Gallion’s Reach ferry both featured in a TFL document published in 2009 that put forward plans for future river crossings.

The Mayor of London said: “When I look at London I see a city of incredible potential and tonight I will make the case for a huge new phase of investment in the capital, including a major new river crossing east of Tower Bridge.

“We are in the right time zone, speak the right language and have the young, skilled population to continue to attract investment from the world’s greatest businesses. This is not a time for London to falter it is a time for London to flourish.”

Shortly after coming to office, Johnson scrapped plans for the Thames Gateway Bridge.

Nick Raynsford: Plans are “Too little, too late”

Greenwich and Woolwich MP, Nick Raynsford, says the Silvertown link is “very welcome” but has attacked the mayor’s “deathbed repentance” on river crossings. He commented:

“Just months before an election, Boris Johnson has effectively admitted the catastrophic error he made in 2008 by cancelling the Thames Gateway Bridge Scheme. His deathbed repentance on the need for new river crossings is too little and too late.

“While the Silvertown link is very welcome and will help to relieve the acute congestion which frequently affects the Blackwall Tunnel, the Mayor’s proposals for a ferry at Gallions Reach is an unsatisfactory alternative for the Thames Gateway Bridge.

“It also poses serious questions about the future of the existing Woolwich Ferry. Will this continue as a free service, or will it be subject to tolls or possible closure under the Mayor’s proposals?”

“More traffic and more pollution”

Environmentalists have hit out at the plans to build a new road crossing. Friends of the Earth’s London Campaigner Jenny Bates said:

“A new road tunnel and car ferry will bring misery to Londoners by creating more noise, more traffic and more pollution.

“If Boris Johnson wants to keep his pledge to make London the world’s greenest capital his transport policy needs to go in a different direction.”

See also: 853: Boris sacrifices Greenwich to win votes in Bexley

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