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Greenwich news and information

Daily Photo: 8/06/2012 – Gipsy Moth IV

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Gipsy Moth IV

Gipsy Moth IV has been back in London at St Katherine Docks as part of the Avenue of Sail in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee river pageant. The famous yacht was sailed around the world single handedly by Sir Francis Chichester, who received his knighthood from the Queen in the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College.

Following his death, Gipsy Moth IV was put on display in Greenwich for many years. She is now owned by the Gipsy Moth Trust and managed by the UKSA – a charity “committed to changing the lives of everyone it works with through its maritime training and experiences.”

Gipsy Moth IV

Gipsy Moth IV

Gipsy Moth IV

More photos here

No cars through Greenwich Park from next week – one month earlier than planned

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A ROAD running through Greenwich Park will close to cars from next week, while cyclists will only be able to use it for two and a half hours in the mornings.

The closure of The Avenue to cars from next Monday comes almost a whole month before London 2012 organisers had planned to close it on July 7th.

A letter has been sent to nearby residents saying that Olympic organisers have had to reschedule their works in the park because of the “unusually heavy rainfall” in April and May.

Pedestrians will be able to walk alongside the Avenue until July 7th, but cyclists will only be able to use it betwen 6am and 8.30am, and then again after 5pm.

Organisers are preparing the park for the staging of the Equestrian events and the Modern Pentathlon at London 2012. The road will fully reopen on October 1st after the Olympics and Paralympics.


Official London 2012 notice announcing the rescheduled closure.

Daily Photo: 6/6/2012 – Street parties

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Thanks to local tweeter AB3 for this photo from a Jubilee street party on Churchfields, which was organisated by the St Alfege Neighbourhood Residents Association.


Another from Churchfields


Final one from Churchfields.


Street party in Westcombe Park Road, taken by Neil Sharman.


Thanks to Rev Malcolm Torry from this photo of the GMV street party in John Harrison Way.

Big Lunch Greenwich
A photo from the Big Jubilee Lunch at the Old Royal Naval College.

Finally, here’s what happened at a street party in Heathwood Gardens, Charlton…

Crowds gather to see Royal pageant ships pass Greenwich

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Gloriana at the Old Royal Naval College

HUNDREDS of people braved the rain to enjoy a Diamond Jubilee street party in the Old Royal Naval College this afternoon.

There was live entertainment and a large screen for spectators to watch the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant, despite the wet and miserable weather.

The pageant, the largest seen on the river for over three hundred years, formally ended at Tower Bridge but hundreds of boats dispersed along the Thames, passing Greenwich on their way.

Shortly before 5pm, the crowds that had gathered under umbrellas on the banks of the river cheered as the belfry came into sight carrying the Royal Jubilee Bells, followed by the Royal row-barge Gloriana.

Late on Sunday evening, the Spirit of Chartwell, which carried HM The Queen in today’s pageant, moored briefly at Greenwich Pier before docking for the night at the mouth of the Royal Docks.

Photos from the Royal Pageant

Diamond Jubilee River Pageant
Belfry – carrying the Jubilee Bells

Diamond Jubilee River Pageant

Click here for more photos from the Royal Pageant

Photos from the Big Lunch

Big Lunch Greenwich

Big Lunch Greenwich

Click here for more photos from the Big Lunch

Parties and celebrations planned as Greenwich celebrates royal jubilee

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Greenwich Bunting
Union flags hanging from rafters of Greenwich Market

Picnics, parties and pageants are in store as Greenwich readies itself for a four day weekend.

Things get started with the Lovely Jubbly Picnic in East Greenwich Pleasaunce on Saturday (2nd June) where there will be live music, circus performers, rum punch and lots more. The ParksFest event, held in association with The Friends of East Greenwich Pleasaunce, runs from 12pm – 5pm, so head down tomorrow afternoon with your picnic blanket and sandwiches.

Across the borough in Plumstead, the annual Make Merry makes a welcome return after its absence last year. New mayor of Royal Greenwich, Cllr David Grant, will officially open the Make Merry and then there’s a packed afternoon of events and entertainment lasting until 6pm.

The spotlight moves to Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College on Sunday where the Big Jubilee Lunch will take place between 12pm and 5pm. A lunch table two thirds of a mile long – the longest ever, say organisers – will be set up and there will be live entertainment and activities.

You will also be in a perfect spot to see much of the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant. The flotilla’s official route ends at Tower Bridge but the majority of boats taking will carry on past Greenwich and the specially commissioned Royal row barge, Gloriana, will dock at Greenwich Pier.

Over in Eltham at Well Hall Pleasaunce, the Jubilee Sunday Fayre, will take place between 10am – 5pm with donkey rides, Punch and Judy and a soul choir among the attractions on offer.

Street parties, such as the one in Eastney Street, Greenwich, will be happening across the borough over the weekend – the council has approved sixty of them.

Four beacons will be lit on Monday evening across the borough as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Beacons. With the help of local scouts and cadets, beacons will be lit at Cutty Sark Gardens and the O2 in SE10, and also at General Gordon Square and Eaglesfield Park.

If you’re out with your camera over the Jubilee weekend, please feel free to share any photos to be included in our Daily Photo section next week. Email them to rob@greenwich.co.uk

Mayor unveils topiary horse

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Benson unveiling

THE NEW mayor of Greenwich has carried out one of his first official duties – the unveiling of a topiary horse in a Greenwich garden.

The bushy creation is in the garden of local B&B, No 16, and has been named Benson in honour of London 2012 equestrian course designer, Sue Benson.

Dozens of people turned out yesterday afternoon to see the mayor, Cllr David Grant, arrive and declare Benson “open”.

Owner of No 16, Robert Gray, hopes visitors to Greenwich this summer will stop for a photo in front of Benson and make a donation to the mayor’s chosen charity for the year – the Alzheimer’s Society.

Minutes before the mayor arrived, two mounted police officers trotted down Roan Street and posed for photos with the new equine addition to the neighbourhood.

Benson can be found on Twitter and Facebook.

More photos from the unveiling can be found here.