Greenwich news and information
Greenwich Beer and Jazz Festival gets underway this evening with a performance by the James Taylor Quartet.
The Festival, now in its third year, lasts through until Bank Holiday Monday and will also include performances by, amongst others, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Brand New Heavies, Incognito and Tony Hadley with his Swing Band.
The festival takes place in the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College and
When the Prince Albert in Royal Hill was renamed as the Prince of Greenwich, there was shock at the name change and that terrible paint job. The owner has kept the new name but has tried to do something about the sign so here’s a picture of the the Prince of Greenwich’s second attempt at a sign. What do you think?
Greenwich Market celebrated 25 years of trading for the art and crafts market on Friday.
Visitors to the market enjoyed free food tasters, craft demonstrations and live music, including a string quartet from Trinity Music College and a performance by kids from the James Wolfe school.
To mark the anniversary, a new clock was unveiled with help from local MP, Nick Raynsford, out-going Mayor of Greenwich, Cllr McCarthy, and director of the Greenwich Hospital Estate, Martin Sands (pictured above). The four-sided station-style clock, which hangs a rafter in the middle of the market, was made by local clockmaker, Les Grayson.
After pulling the cord to unveil the new clock, Nick Raynsford spoke to Greenwich.co.uk:
Greenwich Market is one of the great attractions in Greenwich, and over the years it’s evolved and changed. Two hundred years ago it was very different to what it has become in the last twenty-five years where it’s been an arts and crafts market and recently we’ve added in the food as well. Greenwich Market will go on evolving and changing but it’s a fundamentally important part of the attraction of Greenwich and I, along with everyone else, are determined to see a vibrant market continuing here.
The tower of St Alfege church covered in scaffolding whilst renovation work is undertaken. I suspect an even better picture could be taken by someone at the very top of that scaffold.
Greenwich Council forced the temporary closure of a tapas bar in Greenwich last week.
San Miguel in Greenwich Church Street was closed for three days after evidence of mouse and cockroach infestations were found by Environmental Officers from Greenwich Council.
Council officers initially found evidence of the infestation in an unannounced visit on May 4th, and then found that there was still evidence of mice and cockroaches in the basement, kitchen and food preparation area when they returned a week later.
Greenwich Magistrates Court issued an emergency prohibition order on May 10th, and San Miguel was allowed to reopen again last Thursday after undertaking the improvements required.
Councillor Maureen O’ Mara, Greenwich Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Services, said: “The majority of food businesses in Greenwich comply with the law but there is a minority that despite our guidance continue to put their customers’ health at risk. The Council is urging food businesses to take advantage of the free advice available to them in order to protect public health and safety. We also want residents to enjoy their leisure time in the borough without putting their health at risk.”
UPDATE: 16/05/2012 San Miguel in Greenwich Church Street has since been successful in gaining a Food Hygiene Safety award from Greenwich Council.
Greenwich Council met this evening at Woolwich Town Hall for the Council Annual Meeting.
The meeting, which lasted just 13 minutes, saw Cllr Chris Roberts (Glyndon, Labour) re-elected as Leader of the Council for the next four years – a post he has held since 2001.
Also on the agenda at the meeting was the appointment of Cabinet Members and the establishment of, and appointment of members to, Council Committees and Panels for 2010/11.
Cllr Barbara Barwick (Woolwich Riverside, Labour) was elected as the Mayor of Greenwich for 2010/11 with Cllr Jim Gillman (Kidbrooke with Hornfair, Labour) appointed as her Deputy.
The Mayor-elect’s inauguration will take place next Wednesday at the Old Royal Naval College’s Painted Hall.
Apologies for the Daily Photo not being quite daily lately, but thanks to Fergal Spelman for this photo from East Greenwich Pleasaunce.
A new set of stamps from Royal Mail feature a photo of three Greenwich children evacuated during World War II.
The 12-stamp collection is called ‘Homeland Heroes’ and has been launched exactly 70 years to the day that Sir Winston Churchill gave his famous ‘Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat’ speech to the House of Commons.
One stamp titled ‘Evacuees’ features three children who were brought up in Pelton Road.
The touching photo features Barbara Southard (nee Dawson) with a protective arm around her younger siblings John and Rosemary at King’s Cross station just before being taken to Northampton.
In the video below, Barbara, John and Rosemary return to King’s Cross to recreate the photo.
An outdoor table tennis table has been set up in East Greenwich Pleasaunce.
The new equipment has been made available by the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) as part of a new pilot project to promote participation in the game. 47 outdoor tables have been installed in parks and public spaces across London.
Diccon Gray (Delivery & Facilities Manager, ETTA) commented “Tables will be available for the public to play free of charge, have some fun and get a chance to find out other places to continue to play”.
Bats and a ball are available to borrow from the Pistachios in the Park cafe.
Elsewhere in the borough, tables have been installed in Avery Hill Park, Sutcliffe Park, Charlton Park and Eltham Park (South).
Greenwich voters went to the polls yesterday in the General Election and Council Election and delivered a successful set of results for Labour.
Nick Raynsford was re-elected as the MP for Greenwich & Woolwich with 49.2% of the vote. Spencer Drury moved the Conservatives into second place, with the Liberal Democrat candidate coming third.
In the local elections, Labour candidates swept the board in the Peninsula and Greenwich West wards.
By the end of the night, Labour were up by four council seats, taking two from the Conservatives and wiping out the Lib Dems who were defending two seats in the Middle Park and Sutcliffe ward.
