Greenwich.co.uk

Greenwich news and information

NOGOE's Media Blitz

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It was just a few weeks ago that BBC London’s Adrian Warner was reporting that peace had broken out between Locog and local opponents to the plans for the equestrian events in Greenwich Park. But last week there was something of a media blitz from NOGOE, including news that complaints were being lodged with the BBC over that controversial BBC report by Warner.

Elsewhere, a posting on the Save Greenwich Park blog about the threat to the park’s bioversity was picked up in The Wharf newspaper.

Then on Thursday, London Tonight did a report to coincide with the latest visit from IOC inspectors, and spoke to Sev D’Souza from NOGOE and also to the Equestrian Competition Manager for London 2012, Tim Hadaway.

Sev was back again on Friday with an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours which reported on the ongoing controversy.

So far from peace having broken out,  it seems this one has a way to run yet and NOGOE are as determined as ever to make their voice heard.

Greenwich Artist Selected For Prestigious Exhibition

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Local artist Edward Hill has had a piece of his work selected by the Royal Photographic Society to be included in their forthcoming International Print Exhibition. The successful piece was a photosphere of an English Oak in Greenwich Park.

Photospheres are “novel circular photo montages developed by Edward Hill which contain everything above, below and around you at a given point – creating a truly 360 degree perspective in a single image”.

The exhibition will go on tour from May 19th, starting with a showing at the offices of Allen & Overy, who are also the sponsors. The tour will continue through to January 2010.

Limited edition prints by Edward Hill, who is also one of the finalists in the International Garden Photographer of the Year Competition 2009 with images of Greenwich Park, can be seen at the Warwick Leadlay Gallery in Greenwich.

Greenwich Hospital Consults on Market Redevelopment

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Greenwich Market (with hotel!)

Greenwich Hospital has announced it is to hold a second public exhibition with their final plans for the redevelopment of Greenwich Market.

Anyone interested in seeing wthat is being proposed is invited to attend the exhibition, where members of the project team will be on hand to answer questions.

The exhibition will be at 22 Nelson Road on:
Friday 24th April, 4 pm – 8 pm and
Saturday 25th April, 10 am – 4 pm.

Whilst the exhibition is on, the displays will be online at the consultation website.

Following the public exhibition, the exhibition boards will be on display at 5b Greenwich Market from 9 am to 5 pm from Monday 27th April to Sunday 3rd May.

London Marathon Road Closures 2009

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Greenwich Council has released the following information about road closures at the time of the London Marathon.

Twelve roads in Greenwich will close for the London Marathon on Sunday, April 26, from 7am until about 2pm.

The roads are:

Charlton Way
Shooters Hill Road
Charlton Road
Charlton Park Lane
Little Heath
Artillery Place
John Wilson Street
Woolwich Church Street
Woolwich Road
Trafalgar Road
Creek Road
Evelyn Street

Residents will be facilitated across the marathon route at identified crossing points (but not to travel along the route). The crossings may close earlier if directed by Police or the Marathon Forward Command Vehicle.

Discover Greenwich Gets Cash Handout

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The funding gap at the Discover Greenwich tourist centre project has been plugged after a  £700,000 pledge from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The Discover Greenwich centre is due to open in 2010 but there was a funding shortfall in the plans. The total bill for the project is £5.8million, with £1.8million already contributed by the Heritage Lottery Fund, £2.8 million from the Greenwich Foundation and £500,000 from other donations.

Tourism Minister, Barbara Follet, said:

“I am glad that this marvellous project can now be completed. The Greenwich Foundation’s new interpretation and education centre will help visitors navigate their way around the World Heritage Site, and encourage them to learn more about its rich history. “

The Discover Greenwich centre will “tell the continuing story of Old Royal Naval College and Maritime Greenwich” and include a brasserie and a microbrewery, run by Greenwich Meantime Brewer. The new microbrewery will be located in the former Old Brewery building of the Hospital, which last produced beer in the 1860’s

Boutique Hotel Operator Selected

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Greenwich Market (with hotel!)

Bespoke Hotel Company Limited have been chosen to operate the proposed new boutique hotel which will be included in the redevelopment of Greenwich Market.

If planning permission is granted, the new 100 bedroom hotel will be at the eastern edge of the market. The MD of Bespoke Hotels, Robin Sheppard, said they plan to deliver a “truly iconic hotel to form the centrepiece of the regeneration of the Greenwich Market”.

More info

Local Author Slams Olympic Plans

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The author of a new book about Greenwich Park has criticised plans to hold the Olympic equestrian events in there at the 2012 games. Professor Anthony Quiney, who has lived locally for over 40 years, said of the plans:

If the government can be believed, and all things being equal, the Park should be ideal. But they are not equal. We now have NOGOE’s Report and Economic Assessment, which make it clear that the Olympics are trying to fit a quart into a pint pot. How are the Park’s Roman and medieval archaeology, its precious flora and fauna, its noble seventeenth-century trees, its amazing variety to be preserved, and the general disturbance made acceptable? LOCOG must either prove that this report is a dodgy dossier, or think again and take the events elsewhere. We cannot afford another dismal, half-baked fiasco like the Millennium Dome. Greenwich Park is far too precious for that

Quiney was formely Professor of Architectural History at the University of Greenwich, as well as President of the Royal Archaelogical Institute. His new book, A Year In The Life of Greenwich Park, is out now.

Greenwich Monopoly: And the winner is…

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Greenwich Monopoly

The Monopoly competition started at the tail end of 2008, and since that time, visitors to this website have helped us name all the equivalent squares on the Greenwich Monopoly board. It’s been a great effort, and I’d like to thank everyone that has taken part.

After drawing a name from the hat, I can announce that the winner of the Greenwich Monopoly set is Mr Dave Levitt from Pelton Road. Congratulations Dave, will be on its way to you soon and I hope you have a lot of enjoyment from it.

Thanks again to everyone that took part. To those that didn’t win, don’t despair: the Greenwich Monopoly set we have made together is such a fantastic prize, I will be getting another one made soon and giving someone else another chance to win one.

If you can’t wait til then and want to make your own,  click here to find out how.

Greenwich Monopoly Pictures

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Later on today, I’ll be announcing the winner of the Greenwich Monopoly competition. The board itself is beautiful and presented in a lovely tin. I’ve taken a few photos of it to show how nice it is…

Greenwich Monopoly

Royal Hill - Greenwich Monopoly

Stockwell Street Development?

Update: The winner has been announced here.

The board was created using the My Monopoly service, available through Firebox, which lets you create your own customised Monopoly board.

Ofsted Praises John Roan School

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John Roan School has been praised in its latest Ofsted inspection. The report describes the impact of the recently appointed head, noting his “good leadership” and that he has been a “driving force for change” in galvanising the staff.

Behaviour in the classrooms is described as “good” and there are apparently few instances of bullying in what is described as a “racially harmonious” environment.  However, the report does say that teaching can vary between “outstanding and inadequate” and the teachers don’t make good enough use of ICT.

Have you noticed improvements at John Roan School? One parent told me, via Twitter, “the place is still a shambles – no reports this term as they as a computer virus”. Please post your thoughts in the coments form below.

The inspection was carried out at the school, in Maze Hill, on March 17th and 18th.  Read the full report here.