The new mystery shop opened this Wednesday. As some readers had correctly guessed, it is located in the ground floor of the former Royal Alfred pub in Manor Road, on the corner of Appold Street. The new shop is the successor to the old Londis store which is located on the opposite corner of Appold Street. The Bains family purchased the former pub some years ago, and have converted the upper floors into some stunning high end apartments for private rent, and the ground floor into a new supermarket. Their old building was very cramped and to be honest, it was pretty much worn out in the last couple of years. They have invested heavily in the new building, which will offer all of the benefits that the old one did, plus a whole lot of additional new services. The photos above (click on any for a larger view) were taken by me on Tuesday evening, the day before the shop opened. Last minute work was still being carried out to ensure that the shop was ready to open on Wednesday morning. You can see a temporary sign being fitted in the exterior photo above - this banner is only going to be in place for around a month, until the permanent shop sign is ready to be installed. The old shop opposite is now closed and shuttered, with a large red and white vinyl sign redirecting people across the road to the new store. On the opening day the store staff were giving away home cooked complimentary samosas to customers - and they were delicious. I think they would do well to add the samosas to the other freshly cooked food that they sell on a daily basis.
Local residents who use the Dartford Crossing are in for a shock if they don't already know about it - the charges for a standard car to cross The River Thames are being increased by twenty percent. Under the current system, Dartford drivers who often use the crossing pay a discounted rate of £1.67 to get across if they drive a 'standard' sized car. On Monday of last week, these account holders were told the price will increase to £2 per journey. This 33p increase works out to about 20 per cent more than they pay now. Account holders in Dartford have reacted angrily to the changes, which are due to be brought into effect from October the first. Some users have reacted on FaceBook, saying that they will close their payment accounts and use the crossing illegally (sounds to me like people blowing off steam, rather than an actual campaign of civil disobedience). A resident of Rochester has also set up an online petition campaigning for the Dart Charge to be completely abolished. Jayne Phillips started the online petition on 38 Degrees after she heard the news. Less than two days later, the petition has almost 300 signatures. The aim of the petition is to protest against the "exorbitant charges" and price increases put onto drivers. In an interview in the News Shopper, Mrs Phillips said she was "really angry" when she heard about the plans to increase prices for regular users. "Every time I try and use the crossing there are terrible queues," Mrs Phillips hopes the petition will gain enough support so she can take it to the government to ask them to reconsider the Dart Charge. I somehow think this is a forlorn hope - there is far too much money being made for the government to ever back down, especially since the ANPR system which can recognise number plates replaced toll booths at the busy crossing in 2014, and has so far generated 3.5 million penalty charge notices for drivers who have failed to pay. A series of complaints to The Observer newspaper has shown how the system is far from foolproof, however, with cameras misreading number plates and people being pursued for fines they are unaware of. This can in turn lead to a complaints system which can appear inflexible. Thousands of those incorrectly charged simply pay up to avoid the risk of an escalating fine, according to Auto Express. Last August the motoring magazine found that while the vast majority of appeals were upheld (80 percent), only one in 25 motorists actually appealed a fine. Many more motorists who do use the crossing, one of the UK’s busiest, fail to pay the charge because of confusing signs. The only warning of the levy is a large C which is identical to the symbol for the congestion charge, the £11.50 fee for vehicles entering central London. A recent poll by the AA found that 60 percent of drivers mistook it for the latter, an entirely different fee which is not payable on the Dartford Crossing. Non-Londoners are likely to have no clue of the symbol’s meaning. When the toll booths were bulldozed to reduce congestion, it seems the levy went from being a toll to a “congestion charge” and was increased by 20 percent. This distinction was never explained, nor is the fee called a congestion charge on the website, but the new terminology gets round the fact that the levy, introduced to cover the costs of building the Dartford Bridge, is still in place 15 years after it was paid for in full - something that locals are still extremely angry about. In an interview in the News Shopper, Jonathon Hawkes, leader of Labour on Dartford Council, said the decision was “completely unjustified. It’s another example of Dartford getting a really bad deal from the crossing and shows how it is being used as a cash cow.” He added the government has written off millions of pounds in fines that could not be collected from drivers on the crossing, but was “increasing prices for people who pay fairly.” Frequent users of the crossing can create either a pre-paid or a pay-as-you-go account to pay the charge automatically, but even this does not safeguard them from fines. Tina Mackenzie of Basildon, Essex, faced a bill of £1,397 for 13 crossings because her pre-paid account dropped below the £10 minimum in November 2016. It should have been topped up automatically, but unbeknownst to her, her bank declined Dart Charge’s request for £10 due to insufficient funds, as reported in the Guardian newspaper. Nowhere on the Dartford Crossing road signs is the price of a crossing mentioned, and no payment details are given. Drivers are merely invited to “find us online” before midnight the following day, a problem for those without internet access and baffling for the thousands of overseas visitors who use the route to and from Stansted and Gatwick airports. For many of those who are erroneously fined and refuse to pay up, however, the system can prove inflexible. The Dartford Crossing is more or less a captive market since the nearest alternative river crossing is a congested 15 miles away, which means that a crucial route that was supposed to become toll free in 2003 is earning the government millions. The toll system is broken, but it is in the government's interest for it to remain that way - it is a cash cow that unfairly penalises users both local and from far away. On top of this, the increase in charges will also lead to an even further rise in number plate theft - a major local problem. Local criminals are stealing legitimate plates from parked motor vehicles in order to circumvent the automatic number plate recognition system used to charge drivers for using the Dartford Crossing. Vehicle number plate theft is now endemic in the local area. Three or four years ago it was a relatively minor issue, but now it is one of the major problems for the Police and local residents. Just how many vehicles are driving around on illegal registration plates I do not know, but I suspect that the number is far higher than many realise. Many of the number plate thefts are carried out by members of the illegal biker gang Bike Life TV UK.
Local residents who use the Dartford Crossing are in for a shock if they don't already know about it - the charges for a standard car to cross The River Thames are being increased by twenty percent. Under the current system, Dartford drivers who often use the crossing pay a discounted rate of £1.67 to get across if they drive a 'standard' sized car. On Monday of last week, these account holders were told the price will increase to £2 per journey. This 33p increase works out to about 20 per cent more than they pay now. Account holders in Dartford have reacted angrily to the changes, which are due to be brought into effect from October the first. Some users have reacted on FaceBook, saying that they will close their payment accounts and use the crossing illegally (sounds to me like people blowing off steam, rather than an actual campaign of civil disobedience). A resident of Rochester has also set up an online petition campaigning for the Dart Charge to be completely abolished. Jayne Phillips started the online petition on 38 Degrees after she heard the news. Less than two days later, the petition has almost 300 signatures. The aim of the petition is to protest against the "exorbitant charges" and price increases put onto drivers. In an interview in the News Shopper, Mrs Phillips said she was "really angry" when she heard about the plans to increase prices for regular users. "Every time I try and use the crossing there are terrible queues," Mrs Phillips hopes the petition will gain enough support so she can take it to the government to ask them to reconsider the Dart Charge. I somehow think this is a forlorn hope - there is far too much money being made for the government to ever back down, especially since the ANPR system which can recognise number plates replaced toll booths at the busy crossing in 2014, and has so far generated 3.5 million penalty charge notices for drivers who have failed to pay. A series of complaints to The Observer newspaper has shown how the system is far from foolproof, however, with cameras misreading number plates and people being pursued for fines they are unaware of. This can in turn lead to a complaints system which can appear inflexible. Thousands of those incorrectly charged simply pay up to avoid the risk of an escalating fine, according to Auto Express. Last August the motoring magazine found that while the vast majority of appeals were upheld (80 percent), only one in 25 motorists actually appealed a fine. Many more motorists who do use the crossing, one of the UK’s busiest, fail to pay the charge because of confusing signs. The only warning of the levy is a large C which is identical to the symbol for the congestion charge, the £11.50 fee for vehicles entering central London. A recent poll by the AA found that 60 percent of drivers mistook it for the latter, an entirely different fee which is not payable on the Dartford Crossing. Non-Londoners are likely to have no clue of the symbol’s meaning. When the toll booths were bulldozed to reduce congestion, it seems the levy went from being a toll to a “congestion charge” and was increased by 20 percent. This distinction was never explained, nor is the fee called a congestion charge on the website, but the new terminology gets round the fact that the levy, introduced to cover the costs of building the Dartford Bridge, is still in place 15 years after it was paid for in full - something that locals are still extremely angry about. In an interview in the News Shopper, Jonathon Hawkes, leader of Labour on Dartford Council, said the decision was “completely unjustified. It’s another example of Dartford getting a really bad deal from the crossing and shows how it is being used as a cash cow.” He added the government has written off millions of pounds in fines that could not be collected from drivers on the crossing, but was “increasing prices for people who pay fairly.” Frequent users of the crossing can create either a pre-paid or a pay-as-you-go account to pay the charge automatically, but even this does not safeguard them from fines. Tina Mackenzie of Basildon, Essex, faced a bill of £1,397 for 13 crossings because her pre-paid account dropped below the £10 minimum in November 2016. It should have been topped up automatically, but unbeknownst to her, her bank declined Dart Charge’s request for £10 due to insufficient funds, as reported in the Guardian newspaper. Nowhere on the Dartford Crossing road signs is the price of a crossing mentioned, and no payment details are given. Drivers are merely invited to “find us online” before midnight the following day, a problem for those without internet access and baffling for the thousands of overseas visitors who use the route to and from Stansted and Gatwick airports. For many of those who are erroneously fined and refuse to pay up, however, the system can prove inflexible. The Dartford Crossing is more or less a captive market since the nearest alternative river crossing is a congested 15 miles away, which means that a crucial route that was supposed to become toll free in 2003 is earning the government millions. The toll system is broken, but it is in the government's interest for it to remain that way - it is a cash cow that unfairly penalises users both local and from far away. On top of this, the increase in charges will also lead to an even further rise in number plate theft - a major local problem. Local criminals are stealing legitimate plates from parked motor vehicles in order to circumvent the automatic number plate recognition system used to charge drivers for using the Dartford Crossing. Vehicle number plate theft is now endemic in the local area. Three or four years ago it was a relatively minor issue, but now it is one of the major problems for the Police and local residents. Just how many vehicles are driving around on illegal registration plates I do not know, but I suspect that the number is far higher than many realise. Many of the number plate thefts are carried out by members of the illegal biker gang Bike Life TV UK.
Further to my in - depth article last week about aviation pioneer, philanthropist and former Belvedere resident Patrick Young Alexander and his involvement with the very first years of heavier than air flight, I have had a couple of readers contact me regarding the comments I made about Sir Hiram Maxim, the talented inventor, engineer and successful businessman who built the world's first heavier than air flying machine, several years before the Wright Brothers. The Maxim flying machine was not a practical proposition in the way that the Wright Flyer was - in fact the Maxim Flyer was just an experiment that got somewhat out of hand during testing, when it took off, rather than just taxiing along the ground on specially constructed rails as it was supposed to do. There have been several accounts of the accidental flight, and until now the ones that I have come across have been either eye witness stories, or tabloid newspaper accounts, which have mostly been on the sensationalist side of things. I have always treated these with a degree of scepticism - much in the way that one does not take stories published nowadays in tabloid papers like the Sun or the Daily Star too seriously. This has now changed with a detailed and far more observational telling of the events on that historic day. Earlier last week I was sent a fascinating contemporary account of the Maxim Flyer - in an article from respected technical journal Scientific American dated September the 15th, 1894. Here is the historic article in full:- "On Tuesday, July 31, for the first time in the history of the world, a flying machine actually left the ground, fully equipped with engines, boiler, fuel, water, and a crew of three persons. Its inventor, Mr. Hiram Maxim, had the proud consciousness of feeling that he had accomplished a feat which scores of able mechanics had stated to be impossible. Unfortunately, he had scarcely time to realize his triumph before fate, which so persistently dogs the footsteps of inventors, interposed to dash his hopes. The very precautions which had been adopted to prevent accidents proved fatal to the machine, and in a moment it lay stretched on the ground, like a wounded bird with torn plumage and broken wings. Its very success was the cause of its failure, for not only did it rise, but it tore itself out of the guides placed to limit its flight, and for one short moment it was free. But the wreck of the timber rails became entangled with the sails, and brought it down at once. The machine fell on to the soft sward, embedding its wheels deeply in the grass, and testifying, beyond contradiction, that it had fallen and not run to its position. If it had not been in actual flight, the small flanged wheels would have cut deep tracks in the yielding earth. The Maxim flying machine is a large braced structure formed of steel tubes and wires, and is exceedingly stiff for its weight, which is about 8,000 lb., including men and stores, At its lower part it carries a deck, on which the crew stand, where, also, the boiler, steering wheel, and reservoirs of water and gasoline are mounted. At a height of some 10 feet above the deck come the engines, each of which drives a screw propeller of 17 feet 10 inches diameter and 16 feet pitch, working in air. Above the propellers is the great aeroplane. Smaller aeroplanes project out, like wings, at the sides, the extreme width being 125 feet and the length 104 feet. There are five pairs of wings, as shown in the illustration, but the intermediate three pairs are not always used, and at the time of the accident these were not in place. At that time the area of the aeroplanes, was 4,000 square feet. With all the planes in position, the total area is 5,400 square feet. Forward and aft of the great plane are two steering planes, carried on trunnions at the sides, and connected by wire strands with a drum on the deck. By turning this drum the steering planes can be simultaneously tilted to direct the machine upward or downward, or to keep it on an even keel. The chief interest centers on the boiler, as, unless this be made exceedingly light, it is hopeless to expect that the machine will soar. There is a very close resemblance between the Thornycroft boiler and Maxim's boiler. In each case there are two wing drums, connected by a large number of curved tubes with a steam and water drum, and there are also downcomers to facilitate the circulation. The casing is also made of straight tubes. In the boiler of the flying machine a feed heater is placed over the steam drum, but it is not shown in the engraving. The feed heater is constructed of steel tubes three-sixteenths inch bore and one-twelfth inch thick; the water is pumped through It at a pressure 30 lb. higher than the pressure in the boiler, and is delivered through an injector-like nozzle into the top of the downcomer pipe. The incoming water delivers its surplus energy to the surrounding liquid, creating a rapid and powerful current in the pipe, and consequently maintaining an active circulation in the small tubes in which the steam is generated. The feed pumps are placed on the deck beneath the engines, and are of variable stroke, so as to be adapted to the needs of the boiler. As they work at high speed, the valves are of large diameter—larger than that of the plungers. Pounding is prevented by a rubber bag on the suction and spring pistons on the discharge. The total quantity of water in the boiler only amounts to 200 lb., so that it is necessary that the amount of feed should be accurately adjusted. There is a very ingenious water level indicator. A small pipe is led in a loop from front to back and from back to front of the furnace. It is then taken to the steam and water drum, and led backward and forward through that in the same way, below the water line. The whole is filled with water, and forms a closed circuit having two loops—one in the furnace and one in the water. Now, so long as the upper loop is in the water the pressure does not rise greatly beyond that in the boiler, because the heat taken up in the furnace is conveyed, by the circulation, to the water in the drum. But if the water level falls in the drum, then there is no outlet for the heat; the pressure, consequently, rises most rapidly, and shows itself on a gauge attached to the pipe. By this most ingenious device an open-faced pressure gauge is substituted for the usual gauge glasses. The weight of the boiler, with casing, feed water heater, dome, and uptake, is 904 lb.; with burner and water it is 1, 200 lb. The heating surface is about 800 square feet, and the flame surface 30 square feet. The fuel burned in the boiler is gasoline, of a specific gravity of 72 degrees Baume. It is carried in a copper vessel on deck, and is pumped through a vaporizer into the furnace. The pipe from the pump is led into a vessel having a large gasoline burner beneath it. In this vessel the spirit attains a pressure of 50 lb. on the square inch, and a corresponding temperature, in which condition it is, of course, highly inflammable. The gas which it gives off is conducted by a pipe, passing through the furnace, to a jet, like that of a Bunsen burner, at the front of the furnace, and in rushing through it, induces a powerful draught of air, with which it mixes. The combined charge passes through hollow fire bars, pierced on the upper surfaces with fine holes, and burns in 7,650 separate flames. The arrangement is so powerful that the pressure in the boiler can be raised from 100 lb. to 200 lb. in a minute. The air supply can be regulated at will, while the expenditure of gasoline automatically adapts itself to the needs of the boiler. The pressure of the gasoline vapor acts on a ]ever, which is balanced by a spring. If the feed is greater than the consumption, the pressure on the ]ever puts a pawl in gear with a ratchet wheel, and, through intermediate mechanism, works a block along a slotted arm to reduce the throw of the gasoline feed pumps. If the feed is too small, the opposite effect is produced, and the throw of the pump increased. There are two screws, each driven by a separate compound engine, having cylinders 5.05 inches and 8 inches in diameter by 12 inches stroke. The steam is distributed by means of piston valves having 3 inches stroke, and operated by eccentrics. The exhaust steam is delivered into the air, but Mr. Maxim informs us that he used successfully an air condenser. This seems to be a necessity, because the supply of water would prove a serious load. Even to drive 100 horse power would require some 2,500 lb. of water per hour, which would be a considerable addition to a lengthy trip, especially if undertaken for warlike purposes in a hostile country. To supplement, or replace, the safety valve, by-passes are provided so as to allow live steam to pass directly to the low pressure cylinders. Instead of blowing off into the air, the steam is blown past the high pressure cylinders, and the fall in pressure is made to do work on the exhaust from the high pressure cylinders, drawing the steam from the high pressure cylinders and driving it into the low pressure cylinders. The boiler will make more steam than the engines can take in the usual way. The boiler pressure, when running, is 320 lb. per square inch, giving in the high pressure cylinder a differential pressure of 195 lb. and in the low pressure cylinder 125 lb. The cut-offs are respectively 0.75 and 0.625 of the strokes. In the high pressure cylinder there is a very large clearance, designed to prevent injury from water in case the machine should pitch. The actual horse power delivered to the screws is 363 when the engines are running at 375 revolutions per minute. Of this, we are informed by Mr. Maxim, 150 horse power are expended in slip, 133 horse power in actual lift on the aeroplanes, and 80 horse power in driving the machine, with its frames and wires, through the air. The thrust of the screws, when the machine is moored, is 2,100 lb., and when it is running it is 2,000 lb. We give these figures as they were supplied to us, omitting decimals. The total lift is something over 10,000 lb. at a speed of forty miles an hour and with the aeroplanes making an angle of about 7.25 degrees with the horizontal". A fascinating insight, and a far more detailed and exhaustive account than I have read before. What do you think? Please fee free to leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
You may recall that I have written a couple of articles on what I consider to be failings at the Morrison's supermarket in Erith recently. A regular reader who chooses to remain anonymous sent me the following piece for publication. He certainly raises some interesting and valid points. The contributor writes:- "I have read your blogs about Morrisons and while I can recognise some of the things that you describe, I have a slightly different view point. I shop regularly at Morrisons, daily in fact, to purchase fresh food. I find them invariably friendly and helpful, and while I don't regularly engage with managers, I know some of the staff quite well. And we chat about things as I check out. They recognise me, and I know, one or two personally, I have known one member of staff for over 29 years, as she once operated a shop local to me, before she retired and took a Morrisons checkout Job for pin money to supplement her pension. There are niggles, such as the trolley bays which are mostly broken and inoperable, so if you want to use the cafe, you are obliged to take the trolley in with you, or to load up the car and come back into the store. I have seen supervisors opening a till often, when people are queuing, and even going on the till and serving customers. Another niggle is the lack of plastic bags or other bags to allow you to select loose fruit or veg or fruit, and the only option is to take them loose to the till for a check out assistant to provide a bag. Also, the use of plastic packaging with black coloured plastic, means that they can't be recycled, meaning going to land fill. I have complained about the level of staffing early in the day. With tills unmanned, the Cafe doesn't open till 8 am, and generally receive an explanation that staff absence on holiday or sick is an issue. And if they start early, they might be short staffed later as they have quite a few part-time staff as well as full time. They try to accommodate working mothers for instance, with children as school. The Salad Bar, early in the day is full, although, sometimes the range it items are not as varied or are not available, but generally, we experience no problem with it. As for the culture of the Corporate Morrisons, I find that most big retail chains have cultures that I don't like or get on with, so I don't use their services. I particularly detest Tesco and I am not a fan of Sainsbury's either. I found Lidl, particularly difficult, having had experiences of their parking policy, and frankly, poor customer service. I can't speak for Aldi, but my spouse isn't a fan or theirs. So, while Morrisons isn't perfect, it's no worse than any other chain, and certainly better than some".
You may recall that I have written a couple of articles on what I consider to be failings at the Morrison's supermarket in Erith recently. A regular reader who chooses to remain anonymous sent me the following piece for publication. He certainly raises some interesting and valid points. The contributor writes:- "I have read your blogs about Morrisons and while I can recognise some of the things that you describe, I have a slightly different view point. I shop regularly at Morrisons, daily in fact, to purchase fresh food. I find them invariably friendly and helpful, and while I don't regularly engage with managers, I know some of the staff quite well. And we chat about things as I check out. They recognise me, and I know, one or two personally, I have known one member of staff for over 29 years, as she once operated a shop local to me, before she retired and took a Morrisons checkout Job for pin money to supplement her pension. There are niggles, such as the trolley bays which are mostly broken and inoperable, so if you want to use the cafe, you are obliged to take the trolley in with you, or to load up the car and come back into the store. I have seen supervisors opening a till often, when people are queuing, and even going on the till and serving customers. Another niggle is the lack of plastic bags or other bags to allow you to select loose fruit or veg or fruit, and the only option is to take them loose to the till for a check out assistant to provide a bag. Also, the use of plastic packaging with black coloured plastic, means that they can't be recycled, meaning going to land fill. I have complained about the level of staffing early in the day. With tills unmanned, the Cafe doesn't open till 8 am, and generally receive an explanation that staff absence on holiday or sick is an issue. And if they start early, they might be short staffed later as they have quite a few part-time staff as well as full time. They try to accommodate working mothers for instance, with children as school. The Salad Bar, early in the day is full, although, sometimes the range it items are not as varied or are not available, but generally, we experience no problem with it. As for the culture of the Corporate Morrisons, I find that most big retail chains have cultures that I don't like or get on with, so I don't use their services. I particularly detest Tesco and I am not a fan of Sainsbury's either. I found Lidl, particularly difficult, having had experiences of their parking policy, and frankly, poor customer service. I can't speak for Aldi, but my spouse isn't a fan or theirs. So, while Morrisons isn't perfect, it's no worse than any other chain, and certainly better than some".
The Apple iMac celebrated its' 20th birthday in the last week; The computer would be simple to use, and connect easily to the then newly popular Internet. It would also look unlike anything Apple or any of its competitors had ever made before. That computer, the original iMac, became Apple's most successful product in years. The mixture of beautiful design and functionality not only stabilised the company, but set Apple on the path to its greatest successes in the early part of the new century. The first iMac was introduced in May of 1998 and arrived on the market on August 15th of that year. The goals of the iMac project included making a machine that could easily connect with the Internet, that would achieve something close to "plug and play" functionality. A product that would get people talking about Apple again, at a time when the company had been doing very badly, and was in danger of going bust or being taken over. Apple came up with a form factor drastically different from the PCs that were popular at the time. At the same time, it was reminiscent of Apple's all-in-one Mac line that it introduced in 1984. The original iMac was the first major Apple product designed by newly appointed Senior Vice President of Industrial Design (now Sir) Jony Ive, who has been the top designer for all of the company's products ever since. The machine's unique look was a major part of the selling of the iMac. The fact that the computer used what at the time were some revolutionary technologies was a moot point - the technology was hidden behind a non - threatening, friendly exterior and intuitive user interface. The sales of the new iMacs were spectacular. Reportedly it sold 278,000 sold in its first six weeks, rising to around 800,000 by the end of 1998. According to Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson: "Most notably, 32 percent of the sales went to people who were buying a computer for the first time, and another 12 percent to people who had been using Windows machines".
The weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association begin this week with a report from Barnehurst ward:- "Unfortunately, Barnehurst Ward has suffered an attempted burglary in Merewood Road on 09/08/2018. The victim noticed tool marks on the front door - it's believed a screw driver had been used but no entry was gained. The victim had a very good locking system on the front door which may have prevented entry. It was possible that the suspects may have been after keys to the vehicle parked in the driveway. Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators were also visited to update them of this incident. On Wednesday 08/08/2018 in Heath Way, a caravan was taken from the driveway between the hours of 11.30am and 01.30pm. In order to remove this caravan, suspects had to remove the wheel clamp, undo the tow bar security and then turn the caravan to position correctly in order to attach it to a vehicle, however nothing was seen or heard. Also in Heath Way on 09/08/2018 a white Mercedes Sprinter Van registration number KV18 ZXB was taken overnight. Barnehurst Officers have been busy with ‘Street A Week' which is a local initiative to visit at least one street a week and meet as many residents as possible across the ward. If you would like your street covered as a matter of priority please let the team know and we will be happy to attend. Whilst on patrol, Officers came across a stolen vehicle in Cheviot Close. This vehicle was a Ford KA and had been stripped of all parts including the wheels. Our next community contact session will be at the Barnehurst Golf Club on Thursday 23rd August 2018 at 01.00pm. Please join us to discuss any issues you may have". No Belvedere ward submission this week. Bexleyheath ward:-"There was an attempted burglary in Braemar Avenue on the morning of Wednesday 15th August. The suspect attempted to break into a ground floor flat window. Our next Cuppa with a Copper contact session will be at Cafe Nero Broadway, 12:00PM - 1:00PM on Wednesday 29 August". Crayford ward:- "We've been out and about on patrols this last week. On Tuesday 7th August between 20.00-20.20 a racially aggravated offence took place at Hall Place. Youths were reported as tormenting the victim putting him in fear. On Wednesday 8th August there were two reports of theft from motor vehicle, very close together so believed to be the same thief. A watch was stolen from a Mercedes parked in Galloway Drive, the vehicle was locked and it is unclear how access was gained, no smashed windows, no forced entry. A laptop and work bag were stolen from a Chrysler which was locked and secured on a driveway in Woolbrook Road. On Tuesday 7th August at about 18.00 a mobile phone was taken from a sports bag during sports activities at Perry Street. On Thursday 9th August a resident in Halcot Avenue reported that their upstairs bathroom window had been smashed, no noise heard. We will be at Sainsbury's on Thursday 23rd August between 15.00-16.00 for coffee with cops. Please come along if you would like to speak with us. On Sunday 26th August we will be at Hall Place by the Café area between 10.00-11.00 and happy to listen to your concerns and give crime prevention advice". Erith ward:- "Crimes of note for the last week - Theft of cycle and Other theft, 10/08/2018 Pier Road; Shoplift <£200 11/08/2018 Iceland Foods Plc, Town Square; Burglary (Residential) 13/08/2018 Stanmore Road - house of multiple occupants - four bags removed from insecure rooms - bags of his clothing; Making off 04/08/2018 Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc,James Watt Way; Theft of MV (Motor Vehicle) 14/08/2018, Erith Road; Shoplift <£200 15/08/2018 Wickes Building Supplies Ltd, Fraser Road; Theft from MV 14/08/2018 Riverdale Road Dates for your diary's - Wednesday 29/08/18, 1300-1400 Costa coffee Erith – pop in surgery, Tuesday 04/09/18 – 1100/1200 Costa coffee Erith - pop in surgery and Wednesday 12/09/18 – 1200/1300 Orbit office Erith park - pop in surgery". Northumberland Heath ward:- "No burglaries reported to us this week which is great news. Unfortunately, we have had several reports of criminal damage to motor vehicles over the past week. In Ightham Road a vehicle had wing mirrors kicked. Criminal damage to a motor vehicle in Mill Road where a group of youths were seen smashing the front and rear windows. The team are continuing to focus on anti-social behaviour and are attending a number of meetings with the council to discuss this matter. A number of individuals have been referred to the anti-social behaviour unit and will be receiving home visits to their parents. On Tuesday, the local Councillor came to Northumberland Heath to patrol with PC Young. She was taken around the hotspot areas where anti-social behaviour is prevalent and was given an insight to the local issues. The next Coffee with Cops event will be held at midday on Saturday August 25th at the Sunshine Café in Parsonage Manorway. All are welcome to attend".
Slade Green and North End ward:- "Over the last week we have been working hard on our ward promises, focusing our efforts on patrolling the parks and open spaces. We've also completed numerous weapons sweeps across the ward, happy to report that nothing untoward has been found. We are also planning a number of traffic operations in the near future, focusing on speed and phone offences, Is your road particularly bad? Let us know and we can include your road in upcoming operations. We've recently received an increase in reports of Motor Bike ASB across the ward, mainly in the parks and open spaces, and also in the Slade Green Road area. Can you help us identify who's responsible, do you often see a bike riding in an anti social manner on your road? Talk to us about this - we can help and deal with offenders robustly. On Wednesday 15th August on his way into work, PC Brookes - Smith caught sight of a moped parked up in Northend Road Junction with Peareswood Road. The bike looked out of place so he took a closer look. Enquiries at the scene quickly established that the bike had been reported stolen overnight on Mon 13 – Tues 14th August from the Welling area. A full forensic lift was arranged and PC Brookes - Smith remained with the bike until recovery arrived. The victim was very happy to get his bike back. Over the last month officers from the team have found and recovered four stolen motor bikes. We are constantly building our intelligence picture and taking these bikes out of the hands of the criminals and back into their owners' hands. Has a vehicle appeared on your road which looks out of place? Has the ignition been damaged? Is it insecure? Or is something just not right? If so contact us we can have a look. Our next community contact session is on Thursday 30th August 2018 at the Café in Forest road from 11am. Please come along and have a chat with your local team. During this sessions you can pass on information, report crime or simply join us for coffee".Thamesmead East ward:- "Wednesday 08/08/18 between 6:40am - 5:40pm Cherbury Close – Theft from Motor Vehicle: Theft of rear number plate; Wednesday 08/08/18 06:00am - Monday 13/08/18 Fieldfare Road – Criminal Damage to Motor Vehicle: Victims mobility scooter vandalised, back tyres slashed; Thursday 09/08/18 between 10:00pm – Friday 10/08/18 1:00pm Templar Drive – Criminal Damage to Motor Vehicle: Victims windscreen smashed. Good News - Wednesday 08/08/18 the team assisted the National Crime Agency to reduce crime and disorder on the ward, 3 arrests were made. Friday 10/08/18 PC Nana recovered a stolen motorbike near Osney House in Hartslock Drive working with Peabody Housing the bike was reunited with the owner. Friday 10/08/18 PC Pruden arrested a male for failing to attend court. The team will be at Lakeside Health Centre Yarnton Way on Tuesday 21/08/18 for a Have a Say session between 1-2pm any problems in your area come and let us know or just come in and say hello". West Heath ward:- "There was one reported burglary on West Heath Ward between 08/08/2018 and 15/08/2018. There was also one reported theft of motor vehicle during the same period. The Victim returned from holiday on 10/08/2018 to find out that their property had been broken into on West Heath Road. The suspects have jammed the kitchen window and gained entry. A stick was also used to jam the front door A victim at Axminster Crescent Bexleyheath had his Ford Ranger Wildtrak index 9437KGY (Spanish registration number) stolen outside their address. Our Street-a-Week program, where we visit and engage with local residents in our ward, is 3pm - 4pm today for Glenview and 12noon - 1pm on Wed 22 August 2018 for Mayfair Avenue".
Slade Green and North End ward:- "Over the last week we have been working hard on our ward promises, focusing our efforts on patrolling the parks and open spaces. We've also completed numerous weapons sweeps across the ward, happy to report that nothing untoward has been found. We are also planning a number of traffic operations in the near future, focusing on speed and phone offences, Is your road particularly bad? Let us know and we can include your road in upcoming operations. We've recently received an increase in reports of Motor Bike ASB across the ward, mainly in the parks and open spaces, and also in the Slade Green Road area. Can you help us identify who's responsible, do you often see a bike riding in an anti social manner on your road? Talk to us about this - we can help and deal with offenders robustly. On Wednesday 15th August on his way into work, PC Brookes - Smith caught sight of a moped parked up in Northend Road Junction with Peareswood Road. The bike looked out of place so he took a closer look. Enquiries at the scene quickly established that the bike had been reported stolen overnight on Mon 13 – Tues 14th August from the Welling area. A full forensic lift was arranged and PC Brookes - Smith remained with the bike until recovery arrived. The victim was very happy to get his bike back. Over the last month officers from the team have found and recovered four stolen motor bikes. We are constantly building our intelligence picture and taking these bikes out of the hands of the criminals and back into their owners' hands. Has a vehicle appeared on your road which looks out of place? Has the ignition been damaged? Is it insecure? Or is something just not right? If so contact us we can have a look. Our next community contact session is on Thursday 30th August 2018 at the Café in Forest road from 11am. Please come along and have a chat with your local team. During this sessions you can pass on information, report crime or simply join us for coffee".Thamesmead East ward:- "Wednesday 08/08/18 between 6:40am - 5:40pm Cherbury Close – Theft from Motor Vehicle: Theft of rear number plate; Wednesday 08/08/18 06:00am - Monday 13/08/18 Fieldfare Road – Criminal Damage to Motor Vehicle: Victims mobility scooter vandalised, back tyres slashed; Thursday 09/08/18 between 10:00pm – Friday 10/08/18 1:00pm Templar Drive – Criminal Damage to Motor Vehicle: Victims windscreen smashed. Good News - Wednesday 08/08/18 the team assisted the National Crime Agency to reduce crime and disorder on the ward, 3 arrests were made. Friday 10/08/18 PC Nana recovered a stolen motorbike near Osney House in Hartslock Drive working with Peabody Housing the bike was reunited with the owner. Friday 10/08/18 PC Pruden arrested a male for failing to attend court. The team will be at Lakeside Health Centre Yarnton Way on Tuesday 21/08/18 for a Have a Say session between 1-2pm any problems in your area come and let us know or just come in and say hello". West Heath ward:- "There was one reported burglary on West Heath Ward between 08/08/2018 and 15/08/2018. There was also one reported theft of motor vehicle during the same period. The Victim returned from holiday on 10/08/2018 to find out that their property had been broken into on West Heath Road. The suspects have jammed the kitchen window and gained entry. A stick was also used to jam the front door A victim at Axminster Crescent Bexleyheath had his Ford Ranger Wildtrak index 9437KGY (Spanish registration number) stolen outside their address. Our Street-a-Week program, where we visit and engage with local residents in our ward, is 3pm - 4pm today for Glenview and 12noon - 1pm on Wed 22 August 2018 for Mayfair Avenue".
I have in many occasions in the past mourned the loss of the Danson Festival, an event that used to take place each summer in Danson Park, but which was cancelled by Bexley Council in 2014 as a cost saving measure - despite from everything I have been able to discover, the event actually made a modest profit. As I have written in the past, one of our neighbouring boroughs - specifically the London Borough of Havering. The borough - just on the opposite side of The River Thames has a very similar size and geography to the London Borough of Bexley; it also has a similar population demographic and overall council budget that is broadly comparable. The difference with Havering is that they fund many community based events, including a very large free festival, which has its' fortieth anniversary next weekend, on the 26th and 27th of August. The end video below shows some photographs and video footage of the Havering Show of last year, to give you an idea of exactly what the event is like. I would suggest that since Bexley residents no longer have their own show, it might be a good idea for people to take a trip across the river to visit the Havering Show, since our own local council are not going to do anything similar. Let me know what you think by either leaving a comment below, or alternatively by Emailing hugh.neal@gmail.com.
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