The Pier Festival.

Yesterday marked the second Erith Pier Festival. Last year's inaugural event was expected to be attended by around four hundred visitors; in the event around four and a half thousand people turned up, which was helped by excellent, sunny weather. This year the weather was also excellent. As you can see from the photos above - click on any one for a larger version. The turnout was excellent this year, and there were an increased number of stalls. This year exhibitors were able to use the full length of the pier, including the dog leg area. At the time of writing, the attendance numbers for the event were not yet available, but it certainly felt that the numbers were significantly up on last year. Bexley Brewery had a very large marquee tent which housed their pop - up pub. As well as serving a number of their excellent, locally brewed real ales, they had a range of ciders and soft drinks on sale, all served in commemorative "Erith Pier Festival 2019" plastic glasses.  They also had a series of live music acts throughout the day and into the evening. There were a large number of food stalls offering a wide variety of cuisines, along with stalls for the RNLI, St. John Ambulance, The Erith Think Tank, and many others. More on The Erith Pier Festival at the end of this update.

Tuesday evening last week brought some drama to Erith; at 6.30pm a loud argument began between two groups of men in Morrison's car park. It started with three white males aged 45  - 55 in a shouting match with two men of Afro - Caribbean heritage of around the same age, over a red Vauxhall Astra hatchback. I skirted round them as I went to do some shopping in the supermarket. I reported the incident to the Morrison's duty security guard, and suggested he call the Police. He declined to do so and said it was nothing to do with him. When I returned home about 15 minutes later a fight was under way between one of the white guys and one of the black guys - the white guy was completely naked at this point. Not sure how this happened, but it was not a pretty sight. He was shouting, running around starkers and fighting with the other guy. The white guy appeared to be very drunk or under the influence of drugs. As you can imagine, quite a number of onlookers were present by this time. As no weapons seemed to be involved, and nobody seemed to be seriously hurt, I did not ring 999 or 101, as very likely by the time any Police turned up the fighters would be long gone. I phoned the Erith Police office, but got the voicemail. Later that evening I passed the car park for a third time, returning from an evening meeting. Three Police area cars were in the Morrison's car park, with their blue lights flashing. Understandably they were taking a very dim view of the earlier proceedings. Did you see anything? Drop me a line to hugh.neal@gmail.com with any information, which will be treated in the strictest confidence. 

Residents of the Eastern end of Erith may have noticed that Thames Water have been present at the junction of Appold Street and Wheatley Terrace Road, next to Abbey Car Breakers, on at some point, an almost daily basis; in fact the most recent visit was last night. There is a serious blockage problem with one of the drains under the road, and Thames Water have to repeatedly pump it clear. It is well known that the area around Appold Street / Manor Road and the Frobisher Road housing estate has historically had some serious issues with low water pressure and drainage blocking problems. I believe that the Appold Street problems are also linked to the British Gas substation that is hidden under the historic bridge in the road. There are  nasty smells from the substation. It got me thinking - who was the Appold behind the name of Appold Street? I did some research and found out quite a lot. It turns out that the name Appold comes from Victorian engineer and inventor John George Appold, who you can see in the photo above - click on it for a larger view. John George Appold was born in 1800 and died of cancer in 1865, as a very wealthy man. As a boy he showed considerable talent for calculation and a decided aptitude for mechanical pursuits, which he was enabled to gratify by introducing improvements in the processes in use in his father’s business - that of a fur skin-dyer, to which he eventually succeeded; and which, by his ingenuity and scientific improvements, he made very profitable. In the early part of his career there were but rare opportunities for improvement by mixing with contemporary scientists; but, as soon as it was practicable, Mr. Appold became a Member of the London Institution, where he enjoyed the advantages of the use of the Library, and of attending the evening meetings. In 1834 he was named one of the Auditors, and in 1844 he was elected one of the Managers; and henceforth he took great interest in the welfare of that Society. He devised many ingenious mechanical contrivances which he incorporated in his home. His major invention was a form of centrifugal pump used for drainage in the fens, which he demonstrated at The Great Exhibition of 1851, which won a gold medal. He also invented a brake for use in lowering telegraph cables into the sea, a system used when laying the first transatlantic cable in 1857. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1853. He was regarded as quite eccentric, and created many groundbreaking domestic implements, such as automatically opening and closing doors, an early form of air conditioning. Even the gates of his stable yard opened of themselves as he drove through, and closed again without slamming. His name will probably be most universally connected with the Appold Centrifugal Rotary Pump, which was so prominent a feature in the International Exhibitions of 1851 and 1862. He took great and unceasing interest in the laying of the Submarine Telegraph Cable to America, and the paying-out apparatus employed in the early attempts was mainly of his invention. He had amassed a large fortune by the end of his life in 1865, which, by his will, was very judiciously disposed of among his relatives and friends, he not having any family. All his workmen and servants were well remembered, and several bequests were made to scientific societies. Among others, he bequeathed one thousand pounds to the Institution of Civil Engineers, 'for the general use and benefit of the Society.' His connection with Erith, and the area around what is now Appold Street is down to the engineering company Easton and Amos, which was located in the buildings which now form part of Abbey Car Breakers, and also in buildings in Manor Road from 1865 until 1903. They produced and sold Appold designed pumps for industry, which were exported all over the world. John Appold is little remembered nowadays, but in Victorian times he was regarded as a very important person, hence how a road in the vicinity of the pump factory was later named after him.

Last weekend there were celebrations to mark the final completion of the Erith Park project - the large redevelopment of the once notorious Larner Road Estate on North End Road. As you can see from the photos above, the once run down and outright dangerous Larner Road Estate has been completely transformed into a bright and pleasant place to live. Orbit and developer Wates said of the event:- "Orbit and Wates Residential celebrated the completion of work on the award-winning Erith Park development in Bexley with a community event. Over the course of six years, the development partners worked with the community and key stakeholders, such as London Borough of Bexley, to transform the Larner Road estate into Erith Park. Throughout Phase 1 and 2 of work, seven tower blocks were replaced with 587 medium-rise homes, including 329 homes for affordable rent, 114 for private sale and 144 for shared ownership. To mark the significant milestone, a community event was held on Saturday 14 September. Maggie McCann, Orbit’s director of regeneration and partnerships thanked partners and residents for their contributions to the new community.  Maggie invited Cllr Teresa O’Neill OBE, Leader of the London Borough of Bexley, to join residents in unveiling the name of the new Arthur Street estate, which will now be known as Park East. Local resident, Tracey Kember kick-started the event with a DJ session to get everyone moving, while local residents organised stalls to sell cakes, knitted items, recycled goodies and sweets to their neighbours. Children from the area also got stuck in to the activities at The Exchange’s stall – trying their hands at balloon modelling, penalty shoot outs, arts and crafts, and stilt walking. Wates Residential, Orbit and Southern Land services also hosted stalls. Families took part in a scavenger hunt and one lucky winner took home a tablet computer. The event was also a public celebration of the sculpture commissioned by Orbit to mark the entrance of Erith Park. Artist Howard Boycott, whose design was chosen from 41 submissions, was present to talk about his work and the stories behind it. The 3.5m brick sculpture reflects the site’s history of Victorian brick making and incorporates decorative bricks made by residents. Hidden inside is the shape of a Stone Age tool - a reminder of the important Palaeolithic archaeology of the site. The Orbit and Wates Residential partnership continues with the redevelopment of the nearby Arthur Street estate. The £95 million project will deliver 280 new homes, of which 80 per cent will for affordable rent and shared ownership. Maggie McCann, Director of Regeneration and Partnerships, Orbit, said: “The event marked a momentous achievement for both the project team and community. We were able to celebrate the official completion of Erith Park after years of hard work, and also showcase our next venture, Park East. “Many of the Erith Park team will be bringing their experience to Park East and we are confident we can deliver yet another thriving community and leave a lasting impact in Erith.”Paul Nicholls, Managing Director, Wates Residential, said: “Our vision for Erith Park was to create delightful contemporary homes in a beautiful new neighbourhood. This event was where it finally all came together and we can confirm that, together, we’ve created a brilliant new community we can all be proud of.” I am glad to see the investment in social housing that is being made by Orbit in the forthcoming Park East. The influx of people into the area, not to mention the existing local population who will be returning to the area once the Arthur Street estate has been demolished and replaced with the new Park East estate will mean a substantial increase in the local population. On top of this, the aspirational development at The Quarry, at the other end of Erith will bring new residents moving from other parts of Greater London. It seems to me that all these additional people will need additional resources such as GP surgeries, dentists and other infrastructure services. Erith Park has been a good example of a redevelopment done well; in fact this has been recognised. Erith Park has been shortlisted for two national construction awards. The announcement of these reads thus:- "We’re delighted to announce that Erith Park has been shortlisted for two awards in this year’s Inside Housing Development Awards. Orbit and Wates Residential’s Erith Park development in south east London was shortlisted in not one but two categories: Best Regeneration and Best Partnership. The national awards ceremony will showcase the best of the best in housing development and regeneration, recognising the work of landlords, developers and architects across the UK. Working with development partners Wates Residential and architects Broadway Malyan, Orbit transformed the former Larner Road estate into Erith Park. Over the course of six years, seven tower blocks were replaced with 587 medium-rise homes. The development has overhauled an area that was almost entirely social housing (less than five per cent Right to Buy sales) into a thriving community where homes are tenure-blind between affordable rent, shared ownership, rent-to-buy and market sale. Continuing their success, Orbit and Wates Residential are set to embark on another venture at the neighbouring Arthur Street site – recently announced as the Park East development. Speaking on the news Caroline Field, Head of Regeneration at Orbit, said: “The whole team are really proud of the transformation of Erith Park and it’s wonderful to have our hard work recognised by industry experts.” Paul Nicholls, Managing Director for Wates Residential, said: “Our vision for Erith Park was to create contemporary homes in a beautiful new neighbourhood that everyone can be proud of, so we’re delighted to be recognised by our peers for making this vision a reality. We are now looking forward to continuing to build on the strong partnership we have developed with Orbit on our next partnership at Park East.” Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Wednesday 27 November 2019 in London". News reaches me from a reliable local source who prefers to remain anonymous that the Arthur Street redevelopment into what will be known in future as Park East has now had its planning permission approved by Bexley Council. The planning decision reads:- "Development At Arthur Street Arthur Street Erith Kent. Proposal:- Demolition of all existing buildings (excluding Warwick Court) and provision of 320 residential units in 5 blocks varying between three and nine storeys high, together with associated parking, cycle parking, hard and soft landscaping, play space, access and utilities. The scheme is subject to minor amendments as follows: Amendment to application site boundary; Minor changes to the public realm; Confirmation of temporary access arrangements for Warwick Court; Incorporation of bulky waste storage room within Block B; Inclusion of missing door to Block D plant room; Block B podium entrance pushed south to create a recessed entrance; Omissions of misplaced door swings on upper levels; Double door entry provision to all cycle stores; Removal of illustrative double stacker cycle storage equipment from each cycle store". The full list of documents relating to the successful application for planning permission for the redevelopment of the housing estate can be read here.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates courtesy of Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly a report from Barnehurst ward:- "Barnehurst unfortunately has suffered one attempted burglary on 17/09/2019 between 02.30am and 03.00am in Cumbrian Avenue. Two males were seen on CCTV however the camera outside the property has been damaged. A piece of wood was found near the front door and there are forensic opportunities to explore due to possible finger prints on the door. No entry was gained. Vehicle crime continues on the ward. On 08/09/2019 at 11.05pm in Midfield Avenue two males were seen on CCTV. One male with a torch has rummaged through a vehicle on a drive way whilst the other male crossed the road to try handles to other vehicles. Overnight on 11/09/2019 in Westfield Road suspect gained access to a vehicle and stole a disabled badge. In Colyers Lane on 12/09/2019 between 11.30am and 01.30pm a catalytic converter was stolen. On 12/09/2019 at 09.45pm in Stuart Mantle Way a grey Honda motor cycle HF65XGP was stolen from the garden. In Holmsdale Grove vehicle registration plates WM03KEK were stolen on 13/09/2019 overnight. In Heath Way between 05.00pm on 13/09/2019 to 01.00pm on 14/09/2019 a silver BMW VRM CA07MKJ was stolen. On 16/09/2019 at 11.00pm a motor cycle was stolen from an address in Birling Road, we are unable to provide the registration number at this time. Over the weekend the team were busy rolling out Smart Water kits to residents of Westfield Road. We are aiming to get one hundred percent coverage here. Our next community contact session will be on Wednesday 25th September 2019 in Barnehurst Golf Club at 11.00am". Belvedere ward:- "PC Holmes has just arrested an outstanding male for Domestic violence that has been wanted for the past 2 months residing on the Belvedere ward. As well as visible patrols across the ward officers are on occasion undertaking plain clothes patrols in the hope of catching any potential villains unaware. This will continue throughout the winter months in the run up to Christmas. PCSO Jay continues his excellent engagement work in the community from school visits to reassurance and neighbour enquiries after burglaries have been committed on the ward. Unfortunately there has been one reported burglary this week at a house of multiple occupation in Coleman Road, Belvedere. Enquiries into this incident continue currently" Bexleyheath ward:- "There has been a report of a theft of motor vehicle that happened overnight along Latham Road Bexleyheath on the 16/09/2019, vehicle was stolen from the driveway Also on the 13/09/2019 – There was a report of a theft from motor vehicle along Haslemere Road Bexleyheath that had happened again overnight into the 14/09/2019. Vehicle was searched and items taken from inside. Also a male was stopped along Braeside Crescent Bexleyheath in relation to drug offences. Also another male stopped along Iris Avenue in relation to a harassment. There was also a report of a purse being stolen from an elderly victim whilst in M&S on the Broadway, purse was taken from the shopping trolley whilst victim was shopping. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111 If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 and 101 for non-urgent reporting". Crayford ward:- "There has been two report of criminal damage to a motor vehicles along Maiden Lane Dartford, one on the 14/09/2019 and the other on the 13/09/2019 Also a report of theft from motor vehicle has been reported along Perry Street on the 14/09/2019. Also on the 12/098/2019 there was a report of a theft of motor vehicle along Hall Place Crescent. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111 If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful."  Erith ward:- "No burglaries again this week which is good news. However, theft from and of motor vehicles is still an ever present not only across Erith, but across most of Bexley. Most vehicle crime is preventable. It can take as little as 10 seconds for a thief to steal something from your car. The best way to protect your belongings is to lock your car whenever you leave it. Other things you can do include: Removing everything from the car; don't even leave a jacket where it can be seen. Closing the sunroof along with the windows when you leave. •Not storing things in the boot; take them with you. Storing car ownership information in your home, not your car. •Having a routine to ensure you always take the keys out of the ignition. Taking removable stereos and sat nav equipment with you. In addition, using secure (theft resistant) number plates can make your plates less attractive to thieves. Where you park can make a big difference to the safety of your car and your belongings. Look out for car parks approved by the police Safer Parking. You can find them by looking for their distinctive 'Park Mark' signs. More info here - http://www.parkmark.co.uk/ Theft of MV 15/09/2019 Rutland Gate, Theft of Motor Vehicle 13/09/2019, West Street, Theft from Motor Vehicle 17/09/2019 St John's Car Park, West Street, Theft from Motor Vehicle 17/09/2019 Corinthian Manorway, Theft from Motor Vehicle 17/09/2019 Queens Road, Criminal Damage 18/09/2019 Erith High Street, Theft from Motor Vehicle 17/09/2019, The next Community Contact Session will be at Costa Coffee, Erith on 24/09/19 at 2pm".  Northumberland Heath ward:- "After viewing the CCTV footage in Tesco on Bexley Road, the team were able to identify a male involved in an incident, further to this the team arrested a male who is now due to appear at court. This was a very good result for the team. Unfortunately, there have been a number of motor vehicle crimes committed on the ward this week. 11/9 at approx. 17:05 hour a vehicle was stolen from Oakdene Avenue. 10/9 Theft from a motor vehicle overnight on Carlton Road. 12/9 overnight a vehicle was stolen from Streamway. 13/9 Theft of number plates from a vehicle overnight on Avenue Road. 14/9 overnight a vehicle was stolen from Coniston Close. Between the 13/16 there was an attempted theft of catalytic converter from a vehicle in Walsingham Walk. There have been no burglaries in Northumberland Heath this week. Our next community contact session is on Monday 30th September at 10am in the Mill Road Library, please do come along and meet a member of the team and discuss any issues or concerns you have, or just pop in and say hello".

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "2 vehicles have been stolen overnight on the 16/09 and 17/09. One from Frobisher Road and one from Duriun Way. Enquiries are ongoing for cctv and to see if the crimes may be linked. PCSO Mark assisted Kent police in the recovery of a stolen vehicle found in Betsham Road on Tuesday (pic attached) The vehicle is linked to theft of catalytic converters in the Swanley area and is now being forensically checked. A good bit of cross border working. St Augustines church has a Welcome café every Tuesday from 11-2. PCSO Mark attended this week and chatted with Jim the vicar as well as around 10 residents and 4 St Paul's school children who also were present having their lunch in the local community. A great place for the community to come together and chat, engage and more importantly, eat cake!! We also attended the Slade Green Big Local Community Safety Partnership meeting with some good plans put in place for the next year of their plan. Our next Community Contact session is on Saturday 28/09/2019 from 9am at the Forest Road café". Thamesmead East ward:- "Several thefts of Catalytic Converters this week vehicles being targeted are Toyota Prius and Toyota Auris. Attempted Burglary: FAIRWAY DRIVE Wednesday 11/9/19 between 9am – 8pm Victim returned home and found the Yale lock which had been picked was jammed. There was evidence of the door being forced however no entry was gained. Vehicle Crime: SEACOURT ROAD SE2 Wednesday 11/9/19 between 2am – 12:48 Front number plate removed from vehicle by suspect/s unknown. Overton Road SE2 Saturday 14/9/19 between 8:35pm – 1am Victim informed by a neighbour that vehicle had been broken into. Victim returned to vehicle which was now unlocked. Victims leather wallet which had bank cards and pin numbers recorded on a piece of paper had been removed by suspect. The cards have been used to on three occasions to withdraw £300, £90 and a further £300. Maran Way Wednesday 15/9/19 between 2pm – 3pm on 17/9/19 Catalytic Converter removed from vehicle by suspect/s unknown. Holstein Way Monday 16/9/19 at 7:15 victim witnessed a group of youths on pedal cycle's riding along kicking wing mirrors off several cars, one of which was victims own. Templar Drive Monday 16/9/19 between 9:35am 5:30pm victim parked vehicle outside a resident's garage. When victim returned to vehicle both front tyres were flat and wheel trims removed by suspect/s unknown. Maran Way Wednesday 17/9/19 between 12 noon – 3pm Catalytic Converter removed from vehicle by suspect/s unknown. Wolvercote Road Tuesday 17/9/19 between 11:30 – 11:45 victims neighbour witnessed vehicle being jacked up by suspect/s who removed Catalytic Converter. Wolvercote Road Tuesday 17/9/19 between 7:30am – 7:30pm Catalytic Converter removed by suspect/s unknown". West Heath ward:- "No burglaries reported to us this week, however we have a continuation of motor vehicle crime. Fishing equipment and power tools were stolen from a van in Sidmouth Road overnight 11.35pm on Wednesday September 11th and 06.15am on Thursday September 12th. There was no sign of forced entry. Theft of a motorcycle in Milford Close between 6pm on Friday 6th September and 10pm on Saturday September 7th. Theft of a Toyota Yaris in Berkley Avenue on Thursday September 12th at 2.10pm. A silver Ford Focus was stolen from Winchelsea Avenue overnight on Thursday September 12th and was discovered missing at 7.45am on Friday September 13th. Theft of a white Sprinter van from Axminster Crescent overnight between Monday September 16th 10.30pm – 0730am the following morning Tuesday September 17th. The victim is still in possession of the keys to the vehicle".

The end video this week shows the Erith Pier Festival and gives a good idea as to just how many people attended the excellent and very popular local event. I am hopeful by the next Maggot Sandwich update that attendance statistics will be available. It felt to me that more people attended the event than the inaugural event last year. I am certain that the popularity of the festival will mean that it will be a regular annual event for many years to come. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

Pembroke Road.

The photos above - click on either for a larger view - show the large advertising posters attached to the outside of the former Cairngall Medical centre, located on the corner of Erith Road and Picardy Road in Upper Belvedere. Work to covert the building into a children's nursery has been going on for several months, and I understand it is now coming to an end. The only major external changes are that the garden to the rear of the main building has been cleared, and a number of small trees have been removed. I have thus far not been able to determine what internal changes have been undertaken. I am happy that the existing building has been retained; there had been concerns that the structure might have been demolished for yet more housing. The site is diagonally opposite the former Belvedere Police Station, which has now been completely demolished, and will shortly be replaced with a new block of flats. The Purple Willows Nursery will be opening in October. The Sidcup based company say of their new enterprise in Upper Belvedere:- "The new nursery will be offering 92 places and will be split into baby suite, toddler room and Preschool class with each room designed with modern equipment and excellent resources to meet the needs of the children. The nursery will also provide a multi-sensory room to encourage children to explore their environment and increase concentration. Building works have commenced and we look forward to welcoming nursery children into our inspiring setting". What do you think? Please feel free to Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

As I predicted last year, the government's roll - out of smart energy meters has hit another barrier. Government guidance says that since the middle of March 2019 customers should only have been given second generation smart meters (SMETS2). However, eight energy companies are still installing first generation smart meters (SMETS1) say the network is not reliable enough to switch customers on to. People living in high rise flats and those sharing a service inlet, or on a pre - paid meter were especially affected. The whole smart meter deployment project has gone seriously off the rails. The second generation of meters is supposed to be able to connect remotely to a national network, which should make switching supplier possible, for the first time for many customers. In reality many suppliers are still installing first generation meters, and even where they are installing the second generation, in many cases the users are complaining that they do not connect, and also the users are still unable to change energy suppliers. The communication protocols used by different energy suppliers still vary considerably. Smart Meters send real – time power usage data back to the supplier via a 3G mobile phone signal. This means that the meter does not have to be connected to a home data network. This sounds all well and good; the power company can bill you without having to send a meter reader to your house, and you get the option to monitor your power usage in an almost real – time way. There are however, problems. The data sent from the SMETS1 first generation Smart Meters to the supplier is sent unencrypted, and “in the clear”; it is possible to intercept the data stream, and also a malicious attacker can potentially send instructions to the meter remotely. Several Smart Meter companies do tacitly admit this, but they play the whole lack of security aspect down. Some second generation SMETS2 meters do encrypt user data, but not all, and the encryption algorithm used is relatively weak. Over three thousand Smart Meter customers contacted Citizens Advice in 2017 (the most recent year for which figures are currently available) with problems regarding the meters, which the energy supply companies have been reluctant, or unable to address. Some said they had experienced problems when having a smart meter installed, with engineers failing to turn up, or being unable to fit the device into the space available. Some were also frustrated that despite having a smart meter, they still had to submit readings manually. Customers also complained about energy firms using aggressive sales practices to push them into having a smart meter installed when they didn't want one. So far more than 12.1 million smart meters have been installed. Citizens Advice warned that with 39 million smart meters still to go, the 2020 deadline was 'unrealistic'. It has now called on the Government to delay the smart meter deadline to 2023. Even Smart Energy GB, an organisation set up by the Government to promote smart meters but funded by suppliers, has produced research that indicates lukewarm interest amongst consumers. An independent survey by Populus that gathered the views of more than 10,000 people found that less than half of those who didn’t yet have a meter said they would want one installed within the next six months. Negative coverage of the meters including on the BBC’s Watchdog consumer affairs programme may also have dampened householders’ enthusiasm. In July 2018, MPs called on the Government to urgently review the smart meter roll-out which they said was 'over time, over budget and mismanaged'. The British Infrastructure Group of MPs and Lords warned that half of smart meters stop working when customers switch supplier, while a tenth were not functioning due to poor mobile phone signal. The average annual saving on a gas and electricity bill by 2020 was estimated in 2014 to be £26, but this has now been reduced to just £11, MPs said. Smart Meters primarily benefit the energy companies, because they no longer need to employ meter readers. The benefits to the consumer are minimal at best, and when allied to the security and compatibility concerns mentioned earlier, they don't add up for me, especially when the much vaunted money saving aspect turns out to be a white elephant. What do you think? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

A regular reader who wishes to remain anonymous alerted me to something that I am not at all surprised by. The bungalow at 54 Pembroke Road Erith is to be demolished and replaced with one block comprising 1 x 1 bed and 3 x 2 bed self contained apartments with provision of amenity spaces, landscaping, car and cycle parking spaces and bin store. I feel that this has been a long time coming. In case you were wondering why a house in Pembroke Road would be demolished rather than refurbished and reused, it is because it was the scene of a barbaric triple murder back in 2015, when former Eastenders actress Sian Blake and her two young children were murdered by her partner, drug dealer Arthur Simpson-Kent in the house, and their mutilated bodies buried in shallow graves in the back garden. Sian Blake, 43, and their sons, Zachary, eight, and four-year-old Amon, after the actress, who was terminally-ill with Motor Neurone Disease, planned to leave Arthur Simpson-Kent and take the boys with her. Once he had killed the three, he buried their bodies in the garden of their bungalow in number 54, Pembroke Road, Erith. The bodies were not discovered by the Police for three weeks, when sniffer dogs were used to search the property. All three had been repeatedly beaten and stabbed in a series of frenzied attacks. Simpson-Kent, who admitted three counts of murder, was sentenced at the Old Bailey in October 2016 by a judge who said he had been convinced he should receive the most severe punishment available for his ''truly horrific'' crimes. Mr Justice Singh, when passing sentence said he had been left ‘in no doubt’ that Arthur Simpson-Kent should spend the rest of his life in prison.‘Each murder involved a substantial degree of premeditation or planning. At the very least that must be true of the murder of each of the two little boys individually, and in turn after the defendant had already killed Sian Blake. Further, and in any event, there were serious aggravating features of this case. Each of the victims was particularly vulnerable because of age or disability. There was an abuse of position of trust. There was concealment of the bodies. He made efforts to remove evidence of his crimes at the house, including repainting. He sought to lay a false trail by using Sian Blake's mobile phone. He lied to the police and others about the whereabouts of the family.’ He was thus awarded the very rare sentence of a Whole Life Tariff – which means the only way he will ever be let out of prison is on the written orders of the Home Secretary, something that has rarely if ever happened. In his case, life really does mean life in prison, with no chance of parole. I used to see Sian Blake with her children occasionally walking around Erith Riverside Shopping Centre, and every so often in Morrison’s. I did not know she was an actress, or had been in EastEnders at one time (I am not a soap watcher). I had not seen them for some considerable time before their untimely demise, I guess as her Motor Neurone Disease got worse, and she was forced to limit her mobility; the whole case was tragic. When the case first broke, I used Google Maps / Google Street View to locate the property; when I did, the image that the Google Street View camera car had captured of the house showed one of the little boys standing in the left hand window, looking out into the street. It had obviously been taken some time prior to the tragic events. I immediately decided that I would not publish or make reference to the image out of respect to the deceased and their surviving family and friends. I might have well not have bothered, as a couple of days later, the Sun newspaper published the image of the “ghostly” child in the window. I felt that this was in the very poorest of taste, but then the Sun is not exactly known for letting propriety or good taste get in the way of a story, whatever the circumstances. 

It is interesting that historical Erith based arms manufacturer Sir Hiram Maxim was not only an inventor, engineer and very astute businessman, but his son, also rather confusingly named Hiram Percy Maxim (photo above - click on it for a larger version) was also a very successful inventor, who created the first gun suppressor (often incorrectly referred to as a silencer) and also the internal combustion engine silencer. Interestingly, whilst Maxim senior moved to the UK and became a naturalised British citizen, his son stayed in the USA for all of his life. Maxim junior was one of the foremost figures in the early development of radio. Much of the information in the following piece was sourced from an article in the December 1985 edition of Shortwave Magazine, which was co - written by Maggot Sandwich reader and long time friend Colin Turner G3VTT. The ARRL is the U.S.A. equivalent of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB). It was founded in 1914 from an idea of Hiram Percy Maxim earlier that year. Maxim wished to send an amateur radiogram from his home in Hartford, Connecticut to another station in Springfield, Massachusetts. His own radio transmitter did not have sufficient range to reach Springfield, and so he conceived the idea of having it relayed by intermediate station at Windsor Locks, Connecticut. There was nothing particularly unusual about this feat, even in the early part of 1914, as ships had been using the relay principle to get messages from mid - ocean to shore with the assistance of other ships for some time. The idea itself, therefore, had no particular significance. The application of the idea, however, had all the significance in the world. Maxim had for many months thought of starting a national radio organisation. He had not carried it further than the notional state because he could think of no prime moving force, no basic principle around which to build the structure: if an amateur organisation were ever to progress beyond the paper stage it must offer something more than one's name amongst the membership. In short, unless he could find something definite for such an organisation to do, he could not justify its existence. The morning after the Hartford to Springfield relay, while thoughts were harking back to the previous evening's success, the old ideas about the national organisation wandered through his mind, something clicked, and the problem was solved! For here, without doubt, was the idea around which the organisation could be successfully and strongly built. The missing block in the puzzle had been found and fitted. The organisation would be a relay organisation. It would have as its object the developing of relay routes over all the country among all the amateurs, so that by this means an amateur in one part of the country could send a message hundreds of miles to an amateur in another part; perhaps even send a message from one coast to another! Within a week, a name had suggested itself suitable for this new organisation, and a month later it was decided to start the ball rolling. In May 1914 Maxim, together with another Hartford amateur Mr. C. D. Tuska, sat down and wrote to every one of the amateurs listed at that time in the government call book, announcing the formation of the American Radio Relay League, (ARRL). The letter outlined the League's purposes, and solicited for membership; there were no subscriptions, as membership was free upon application. The response was immediate and very enthusiastic, with applications being returned in every postal delivery. In the early summer of 1914 the first publication was issued by the League, a little blue - bound call book listing the names, addresses, calls, radio transmitter power, range, Morse code receiving speed and operating hours of over 300 amateurs; it sold for 50 cents. Membership increased rapidly and in January 1915, the League was incorporated under the laws of the State of Connecticut as a non-commercial organisation with no capital stock. A second call book was issued in March 1915 and this time listed details of over 600 members. In the meantime attempts were being made to build up the relay routes for which the organisation had been formed, and some success was being achieved. During the late summer of 1915 a serious difficulty loomed and demanded attention. It was proving a real task to acquaint the membership with the plans and schedules by means of letters only. Increasingly it became evident that a bulletin of some kind was necessary. The League, however, had no funds; membership was still free and the call books were sold at cost. The answer came in 1915 when each member of the League received in the post a sixteen page magazine called QST. This first edition of QST announced that it was being published privately by Hiram Percy Maxim and Clarence Tuska, and was therefore the official publication of the League. Membership of the League continued to be free, but any member who wanted QST could obtain it by sending a $1 for a year's subscription. Response was again immediate and QST has been published on a regular basis ever since. Nowadays the ARRL has approximately 154,000 members. In addition to members in the US, the organisation claims over 7,000 members in other countries. The ARRL publishes many books and a monthly membership journal called QST. The ARRL held its Centennial Convention in Hartford, Connecticut in July 2014. The ARRL is the primary representative organisation of amateur radio operators to the US government. It performs this function by lobbying the US Congress and the Federal Communications Commission. The ARRL is also the international secretariat of the International Amateur Radio Union, which performs a similar role internationally, advocating for amateur radio interests before the International Telecommunications Union and the World Administrative Radio Conferences. The organisation is governed by a member-elected, volunteer Board of Directors. Each director serves a three-year term and represents the members within their particular region of the country. The national headquarters facilities are located in Newington, Connecticut. Along with the administrative headquarters, the 7-acre (2.8 hectare) site is home to amateur radio station W1AW. The ARRL Field Organisation carries out local and regional activities across the United States. All of this was down to the ingenuity of the son of local historical figure Sir Hiram Maxim.

Bexley Council has published its ‘Final Notification’ decision on BT’s proposals to remove seven public pay phones in the London Borough of Bexley, following feedback from residents. A consultation was held between 2 August and 2 September 2019, inviting comments on the proposed payphone removals. Two responses were received and taken into account in the final submission to BT. The Council objected to the removal of 4 of the 7 pay phones put forward by BT, having had regard to the criteria set out by Ofcom and the representations received from local residents - you can see the objections and consents on the table above - click on it for a larger view. BT says that overall use of pay phones has declined by over 90 percent in the last decade and the need to provide pay phones for use in emergency situations is reducing, with at least 98 percent of the UK having either 3G or 4G coverage. BT have to provide a reasonable number of working pay phones where they are most needed, but need to strike a balance between providing an effective service and running a viable pay phone business.

The images above are a bit of a sneak preview of the stand that The Erith Think Tank will have at the Erith Pier Festival next Saturday. The computer generated images were produced by the firm of architects that are advising the Think Tank - they do give a very good impression as to what the Think Tank stand will look like. Bexley Council's announcement regarding the Pier Festival reads thus:- "Enjoy a last blast of summer when the Erith Pier Festival returns to the riverside on Saturday 21 September from 11am to 9pm with a circus theme. Sample delicious street food and local beers and ciders from Bexley Brewery while listening to a variety of live music. This will include The Two Bows, Little Talks and traditional sea shanties sung by the London Sea Shanty Collective. With lots of free activities for children, including circus skills workshops, family games, face painting and mask making, there will be something for everyone. Thanks to sponsors, Wates Residential, Orbit and local eco-development The Quarry (an L and Q and Anderson Partnership) there will also be hook-a-duck, a coconut shy and a giant deckchair - perfect for selfies! Bexley Brewery are back with their ‘Beer on the Pier’ tent. There will be live music well into the evening with plenty of opportunities to sing and dance the night away as part of the September Sounds festival. For £1 you’ll also be able to buy the popular limited-edition Erith Pier Festival refillable cup. Look out for the prize draw on the Pier Festival fliers. Bring your completed entry to the Wates stall on the day for your chance to win some river-related prizes for the whole family to enjoy, kindly sponsored by Wates. Councillor Louie French, Bexley’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth said: “Community events such as this are just one of a range of ways we are working with the local community to help Erith become a flourishing riverside town. I hope residents and people outside the Borough will come along and enjoy the Pier Festival and its unique setting by the River Thames.” This year’s festival will feature an African Showcase Market featuring crafts and activities from all over Africa. There will also be a range of stalls where you can find out about local community organisations and what they are doing, as well as enjoying free activities. As always there will be lots of tantalising tastes from the Erith Kitchen. This will include street food from foodie favourites Lalu Catering, JW Ice Cream Co and the Spud Buddies, as well as some new faces like Meltsmiths and Foxy Pizza. Erith Pier Festival is organised as part of the Greater Erith Regeneration programme, funded by the London Borough of Bexley and the Mayor of London. Find out more or follow Greater Erith on Facebook and Twitter". I will be at the old Carnegie library in Walnut Tree Road for most of next Saturday and Sunday. As you may well be aware, in addition to the Erith Pier Festival, next Saturday is also a national event - it is the annual Open House weekend. As some will already know, I am a Director of the not for profit organisation, The Exchange - a Charitable Community Benefit Society, who are restoring the old library building and repurposing it as an arts, education and community centre. In the past on Saturday afternoons I have been running guided tours around the old Carnegie library building in Walnut Tree Road, Erith. Next weekend I will be running a number of tours as part of the Open House weekend on both Saturday and Sunday. The building tours are free, but you do need to book in advance. You can see booking details here. I look forward to meeting you.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly, the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Another great week for Barnehurst with no burglaries, long may this continue however vehicle crime continues to be a concern. In Hurstwood Avenue on 04/09/2019 a vehicle door handle was snapped off, the victim believes this was an effort to gain entry to the vehicle. In Selkirk Drive on 06/09/2019 at 12.25 two white males were seen stealing a catalytic converter from a transit van. One of the males was holding a reciprocal saw. As the witness approached the two males to ask them what there were doing one of the males swung the saw at him, thankfully missing the witness. They then drove off with the catalytic converter. In Colyers Lane between 06/09/19 and 09/09/19 sliding doors to a Peugeot van were forced open however nothing was taken. On 09/09/2019 at 06.00pm hours a motor cycle was stolen from outside Sainsbury's in Merewood Road. This was whilst the victim was shopping in Sainsbury's so it just shows how quickly your vehicle can be stolen. PC Arif and PC Tom Smith carried out a stop and search whilst out on patrol. One male with a moped was found in possession with Class B drugs and no Insurance was held on the vehicle therefore it was subsequently seized. Target patrols will continue around the Hampton House area and other areas where drug dealing has been reported. PCSOs Cathy Nolan and John Cullingham will be visiting primary schools this week as the Christmas Tree Project is now under way. Children will have the chance to put their artistic skills to paper to drawer a picture of how they see Christmas and there will be a special prize for the winner. The next Community contact session will be held on Wednesday 25th September 2019 at 11.00am in Barnehurst Golf Club. We look forward to seeing you". Belvedere ward:- "The team have been made aware of a group of males that have been gathering at a location in Picardy Road on a regular basis. When at the location, the males have been seen openly using what is thought to be cannabis and have been leaving large amounts of litter at the location, causing nuisance for the residents of nearby properties. We have been patrolling the area of late but have seen no activity of this type as yet. There has been a rise in reports of theft from motor vehicles across the ward. Details of the reports made to Police suggest that a majority of these involves vehicles being entered by persons unknown without keys to any of the vehicles. Please do not leave valuables on display in vehicles. There have also been reports of persons sleeping rough in the storage cupboard of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson House. The team have been in close contact with Orbit Housing officers and Thames Reach (homeless charity) have also visited the location, all in an effort to give assistance to whoever we might discover at the location. We have yet to find anyone however items left behind suggest that someone has been using the cupboard recently. There was a burglary at Claytonville Terrace, a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) in which unknown suspect(s) have damaged the internal front door of the flat and taken several items from within. This took place between September 2nd to September 9th. Exact dates/ times are not known. Our next street a week is on Wednesday 18th September at 6pm in Albany Road". Bexleyheath ward:- "There was a burglary reported along Woolwich Road on the 09/09/2019. Victims had found front door open but nothing seems to be taken. There has been three reports of theft from motor vehicle on the ward: Tow had been reported along Rydal Drive Bexleyheath, overnight on the same night – 09/09/2019. One had items taken and one was searched but nothing was taken. The other was reported along Haslemere Road, Bexleyheath on the 08/09/2019. Vehicle was searched but nothing taken. There was also a report of a purse being stolen from an elderly victim whilst on the bus along the Broadway, Bexleyheath. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 and 101 for non-urgent reporting". Crayford ward:- "Unfortunately there were two attempted burglaries this week on our ward. On 8th September between 02.00-02.05 in Beech Walk, someone put their hand through a small downstairs window at the front of the house and opened the larger window to attempt to gain entry. The resident was woken as the suspect was speaking on his mobile phone as he was doing this. At Wolsley Close on the 8th September between 00.15 and 05.30 suspect opened a kitchen window but was unable to gain entry due to an obstruction. Theft from motor vehicle is still an ongoing issue locally. At 00.45 on 6th September a significant amount of unusual jewellery and clothing were stolen from a white BMW one series parked on a drive at Woolbrook Road. In the early hours of 7th September it was reported that a male was trying to break in to cars in the Wyatt Road area, police nearby located the male, described as IC1, gingery facial hair and missing teeth, wearing a pointed hoodie who was riding a bicycle. He discarded a white bag with several items within which was retrieved by police. Items of value were stolen from a grey Citroen parked in Maiden Lane on 7th September between 3.25-3.35. Number plates were stolen from a vehicle parked in Thames Road between 4th and 5th September, DN08ORU should be on a white Transit. BT cabling was stolen in the Bourne Road area, an alarm activation alerted police, the vehicle concerned in the crime was seized for forensics, however the suspects had already left the scene, the cabling was retrieved. An aluminium remembrance statue was bent and broken at the base at Hall Place between 6th and 9th September. CCTV captures a theft from motor vehicle in Stephen Road on 8th September between 23.10-23.15. White male seen crossing the road and entering what was believed to be a locked vehicle, after an untidy search it is believed that small change was stolen. On 10th September at 00.25 it was reported that a green coloured all terrain buggy had been stolen from Viridor in Thames Road, this is a hired vehicle and at the time of reporting full details of the buggy were not available. The crimes above are a timely reminder to ensure that all downstairs windows or easily accessed upper windows in your home are totally secured when you go out or go to bed. Also to remove anything of value from your vehicle, often this sort of crime is opportunist, the thief tries car handles until one is open or it is more sophisticated where the offender overrides the security of the vehicle to gain entry. Please don't make it easy for them, for more information on protecting your home and vehicle please see www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention We don't have any community contact sessions for a couple of weeks due to other commitments. The next one will be on Thursday 3rd October at Crayford Library between 14.00-15.00".

Erith ward:- "No Burglaries again this week but still our number one crime is theft from motor vehicles as you can see listed below. Protect your vehicle from catalytic converter thieves: If you can, park your vehicle in a locked garage when it is unattended. If it's not possible to garage your vehicle, park it in a busy, well-lit area as close to your property as possible. Consider installing a Thatcham approved alarm to your vehicle. Ones that activate if your vehicle is lifted or tilted are particularly effective. Use a catalytic converter protection device or marking system. Catalytic converters control and convert exhaust emissions from your vehicle into less toxic substances. If yours is stolen, you will know because your vehicle's engine will sound different. If you suspect your catalytic converter has been stolen, report it to us immediately by calling 101. Crimes of note from the following week: Theft from a motor vehicle on 03/09/2019 Pembroke Road – Items stolen from car including one passport. Theft from motor vehicle on 07/09/2019 Park Crescent – catalytic convert cut out from under the car. Theft from motor vehicle on 08/09/2019 Holly Hill Road - Purse taken and card used. Theft on 07/09/2019 McDonalds Restaurant  – items stolen from locker while at work. Theft from a motor vehicle on 09/09/2019 ST. Fidelis Road – Number plates taken . Theft of a motor vehicle on 07/09/2019 West Street – Car stolen from the location of West Street". Northumberland Heath ward:- "The team have been busy this week investigating a number of crimes that have occurred on our ward, we have made good progress on a number of these crimes and gathered good CCTV footage. We have had a theft of a catalytic converter from a vehicle that was parked in Mill Road. Also in Mill Road Car park the parking pay machine was broken into and a substantial amount of cash was taken. The team are aware of a lot of theft/shoplifting occurring in the Tesco on Bexley Road. The team are now in regular contact with the staff and security and CCTV footage will be viewed, suspects identified will be dealt with. There have been no burglaries in Northumberland Heath this week. Our next community contact session is on Friday 20th September at 3pm in the Mill Road Library, please do come along and meet a member of the team and discuss any issues or concerns you have, or just pop in and say hello".

Slade Green and Northend ward - a report from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association office worker Claire Tack:- "On Thursday 5th September I had the pleasure of meeting 3 of the new coordinators for the Rainbow Road development, in Slade Green (photo above - click on it for a larger version). PCSO Mark Pigott and myself explained their role and responsibilities of being a coordinator. A huge welcome to Derrick, Abdoul and Tracy. I look forward to meeting the fourth coordinator, Andrew in due course. The estate is huge and would benefit from more residents willing to become coordinators, so if you know of anyone who lives there please ask them". The main Slade Green and Northend ward report continues:- "There was a believed attempted burglary on Sunday 08/09/2019. At 2330 hours the victim saw his security light come on at the front of his properly, when he went downstairs he heard footsteps running away and found his very small downstairs toilet window open. This window is too small for anyone to climb in through but it may have been a starting point for the suspect(s). Number plates were taken from a car in Alexandra Road during the evening of Monday 09/09/2019. A white van was seen driving off as a neighbour came out just after they were taken. A car parked at Turquoise Court close to Crimson Road, Slade Green, was subject of a break in overnight from the 10th to the 11th of September. Fortunately nothing was taken. Please remember to take all valuable items from inside your vehicles. This will also include not leaving empty bags on sight or charger leads, even a few pennies, please leave nothing on display. Along with Claire from Bexley N.Watch, we met three of the four new coordinators who have taken up the responsibility of our watch in the Rainbow Road estate. It was nice to put names to faces etc and we look forward to keeping in regular touch with them in the future. Our next community contact session is from 12pm on Tuesday 17/09/2019 at the St Augustines Welcome Café, inside the church". Thamesmead East ward:- "No burglaries this week. Vehicle Crime: Between the hours of 3:30 am and 10:00 of Sunday 08/09/19 a vehicle parked in Eastgate Close had the drivers window smashed , vehicle searched, no property taken. Monday 09/09/19 between the hours of 1:40pm and 2:00pm a vehicle parked in the car park Holstein Way had the front drivers window smashed, a wallet and mobile phone taken. Bledlow Close Monday 09/09/19 between the hours of 09:45pm and 05;40 am Tuesday 10/09/19 , a vehicle was broken into, a wallet was taken. Overnight of Monday 09/09/19 and Tuesday 10/09/19 a vehicle parked in Mangold Way was broken into. Monday 09/09/19 at 11:40pm the drivers window of a vehicle parked in Surlinham Close was smashed loose change and a mobile phone was taken.Tuesday 10/09/19 a vehicle parked in St Helens Road had the drivers window smashed, an untidy search, nothing reported stolen. Between the hours of 02:00am and 12:48 pm a vehicle parked in Seacourt Road had the front number plate stolen. A piece of good news - PC Pruden arrested a male for failing to appear at Maidstone Crown Court, in Relation to being in Possession of an offensive weapon/knife. The male was kept in custody overnight to appear at Court the following morning. After investigation a robbery that occurred in Sedgemere Road, SE2, a female has been arrested/interviewed. Further enquires continue". West Heath ward:- "There were no reported burglaries on West Heath Ward between 04/09/19 and 11/09/19, but there have been 13 reported thefts from motor vehicles and two motor vehicle interferences (attempted theft) during the same period. The thefts were not confined to one area but dotted around the ward. On 05/09/19 at about 0630 hours the informant reported theft his tools were stolen from his car in Chessington Avenue Bexleyheath. On 05/09/19 at 0420 hours the informant reported that two white males broke into his father's car and stole cash outside Malvern Avenue Bexleyheath. One male stood on the drive and the other stood keeping watch. Males had no intention to steal the car only looking for money inside the car. On 05/09/19 at 0300 hours outside Bostall Park Avenue, Bexleyheath. The informant reported that an unknown suspect had broken into their car and stolen items after an untidy search inside the vehicle and cash stolen. The informant did not know how the suspect broke into the car as no damage was done to the doors which were left ajar by the suspects. On 04/09/19 at 2200 hours outside Cranbrook Road, Bexleyheath an untidy search took place inside the vehicle but nothing was taken. On 08/09/19 at 1500 hours outside Preston Drive, Belvedere. The vehicle was broken into and an untidy search was carried out and a watch was stolen. On 08/09/19 at 2200 hours outside Dry Hill the informants number plates of his vehicle a black BMW X5 index MPS55GMU were stolen. On 08/09/19 at 0200 hours outside Mayfair Avenue Bexleyheath informant reported that their car was broken into and cash stolen. On 08/09/19 at 0100 hours outside Mayfair Avenue Bexleyheath the informant left their car unknowingly unlocked and suspect stole items from the vehicle including a navy boys Tommy Hilfiger coat, a black women's Barbour coat and a pair of blue NIKE trainers. A car was also broken into at 2300 hours on 07/09/19 in King Harold's Way, Bexleyheath and tools stolen".

Following my earlier piece on next Saturday's Erith Pier Festival, and the Open House Weekend tours of the old Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, here is a short CGI video showcasing how the the Erith Think Tank stand at the Pier Festival should look when it is in place. Whilst I will be at the library conducting free guided tours of the historic listed building for much of the day, I do hope to pop along to the pier when tour bookings permit. Leave a comment below, or alternatively you can Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Two stars.

The photos above show a couple of views of Erith Pier - the longest pier on the River Thames by quite some distance. Last year the very first Erith Pier Festival took place; the organisers expected around four hundred people to turn up to the inaugural event. As it turned out, something over four thousand people visited the pier on the day - helped by the excellent weather at the time. The Erith Pier Festival will be returning to the riverside on the 21st September 11am - 9pm this year. The festival will feature live music, various pop - up food stalls from the Erith Kitchen, Bexley Brewery will have a beer tent serving some of their excellent, locally brewed real ales, and there will be a number of children's entertainers as well. You can read more about the event by clicking here. Please note that the "Get there by boat" option is erroneous - it is not currently possible to visit Erith Pier by any public river service. If you own your own ship, that is however another story. 

I know that some sections of the popular press have been getting quite upset over the price of computer printer toner, and it is indeed a complete rip – off. I think that they were missing a trick, however, as there is something that is an even bigger con; I know it is something I have mentioned before, but I do feel strongly that it needs to be revisited. Why is the cost of men’s wet shaving razor blades so extortionate? Some are £15.75 for a measly eight blades. The materials involved in their construction and the labour utilised is minimal – the production lines are almost completely automated, and the materials are high quality, but there is little metal involved in reality. The only conclusion that I can come to is that the reason razor blades are so eye wateringly expensive is that the companies that produce and sell them seem to have the market completely sewn up. They charge so much just because they can. I think the only solution to this would be for a new player to enter the market to produce blades of an equivalent quality and durability (don’t get me going as to how quickly blades wear out – you are lucky to get four shaves out of a blade, nothing like the month of use that the manufacturers’ claim) at a fraction of the cost. I cannot believe that this would be technically or financially impossible. It takes someone with the kind of business expertise and audacity that have caused Ryan Air to overturn the short and medium haul air travel industry, to be able to challenge the big players in the men’s grooming market.  I bitterly resent being held over a barrel when it comes to shaving. On a side note, does anyone have a clue why there are no mousse or gel hair removal products targeted at men? A facial “Immac for Men” or similar might be an interesting product. I don’t know if there are any technical or medical reasons why such a product could not be brought to market. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please leave a comment below. All comments will be moderated and published within 24 hours of receipt. Email me at the usual address:- hugh.neal@gmail.com.

A form of ferry service has been in place at Woolwich since the 14th century, as a way of allowing the community to safely cross the Thames. The service pre-dates all other tunnel and bridge crossings in the capital. The documentation from that date refers to the waterman who ran the ferry, William de Wicton, sold his business and house to William Halle, for £10. In 1320 the ferry was sold again for 100 silver marks. There is no further mention of the ferry during the years that Woolwich rose to prominence as a royal dockyard under Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Much later, in 1810 the army established its own ferry that ran from Woolwich Royal Arsenal to Duvals Wharf. In 1811 an Act of Parliament was passed to establish a ferry across the Thames from Woolwich at the Old Ballast or Sand Wharf, opposite Chapel Hill, where the dockyard then terminated. The ferry became known as the western ferry and was run by a company that called itself The Woolwich Ferry Company. The Western ferry continued to operate until 1844, when the company was dissolved after a history of inept management. The current free ferry was set up in the 1889 and has run ever since. The ferry infrastructure at the Woolwich terminals had been in operation for over 50 years, providing a ‘roll-on/roll-off’ transport service, and has seen traffic volumes using the service dramatically increase over this period. Over 1 million vehicle crossings and 1.95 million passenger journeys were recorded using the service in 2014, which is operated and run by Briggs Marine Contractors, under a long term operating contract with Transport for London (TfL). Since the two new ferry vessels entered service earlier this year, there have been an almost constant series of mechanical and electrical breakdowns, labour strikes and other disruptions to the service, which the public was erroneously told the introduction of the new ships would prevent. There have been several problems with the new service; the ships are run by electric motors powered by diesel generators, and the new automated docking system is also powered by electro magnets. The diesel generators have so far proved far less reliable than predicted. On top of this, the electro magnetic docking system only seems to work properly when there is little wind or tide affecting the movement of the ferries as they dock. Anything less than perfect conditions causes the ferries to bounce on the docking mechanism, and fail to make a secure contact. I have read reports that the new ferries, despite their new technology, are actually far harder to operate than the old 1960's models that they replaced. On top of this, there are a series of ongoing labour disputes between the ferry crews and the management of the service; at the time of writing these are unresolved.

Shock news following the recent health and hygiene inspection of the KFC Drive Through (I will not call it "Drive Thru" as that is an abomination). Bexley Council inspectors visited the restaurant located at 1, Manor Road, Erith on Tuesday the 6th of August. After the visit, the chain outlet scored a worryingly low two out of a possible five stars on the "Scores on the Doors" hygiene rating system. The low, two star award, means that "Improvement is necessary" - not what you would expect of a large multinational food franchise. How could a multinational mega brand allow one of its stores get into a position that it can only rate a two out of five star rating? It is immaterial whether the store is company owned or a franchise – the standards expected are identical. The damage to the KFC brand should such information become widely known is difficult to calculate, but it certainly would not be good. The Erith store has had a history of problems; In the summer of 2016, I received several reports of certain menu items being unavailable when requested, and I also heard a couple of unsubstantiated rumours that the store was suffering cash flow problems. It would seem from the investment subsequently made into the store, that these rumours were either incorrect, or had been successfully resolved. The Erith KFC branch made it into the tabloid papers back in February of last year; one of the largest news stories both nationally and locally had been at that time that of the temporary closure of a majority of KFC fast food restaurants around the country due to problems with their supply chain management, which had recently been taken over by courier firm DHL. KFC outlets around the UK ran out of ingredients, and had to temporarily close. Footage, allegedly showing KFC staff transferring raw chicken from a car into the side entrance of the Erith store was taken by a local person and uploaded to Facebook. The uploader made a number of unsubstantiated claims about the restaurant, including that staff were sleeping in the building. This was all published by the Sun newspaper without verifying any of the claims - not surprising as the Sun is well known for not letting the facts get in the way of a good story. A local source informed me at the time that the box the workers had taken from the car into the back of the restaurant actually contained a selection of cleaning materials. I was also told that when the Erith KFC Manager realised that the workers could not serve much in the way of food, and they could not at that stage be sent home, he got them to carry out a deep clean on the kitchen and the public areas of the restaurant - an instruction that apparently did not go down too well with some of the staff.

The vintage photo above (click on it for a larger view) was originally taken by me as part of a school geography project on the River Thames, way back in 1981. You can see Erith Police Station - when it still was a police station, and not a seedy and badly converted bunch of low rent apartments as it is nowadays. Next to it are some buildings that were a remnant of the old Erith - they are boarded up in the photo; not too long afterwards they were demolished to make way for sheltered housing. I came across the photo whilst going through a huge pile of photographs whilst clearing out a cupboard in my Mum's house some years ago. Nearly all of the shots were consigned to the bin. A few choice ones I have kept, and may share a couple with you online in the next few weeks. Unfortunately the rest of the geography project photos of Erith have disappeared - I was hoping to be able to archive them, but sadly this is not going to be the case.

Erith has been the location for an astonishing number of world changing inventions. It is unfortunate that prime amongst these is one that will forever be associated with the carnage in the trenches of the First World War. Hiram Maxim, the American born, naturalised Briton who invented the eponymous Maxim machine gun had his factory at Erith, which I covered in some depth recently; Maxim's company later merged with the larger Vickers company to become Vickers Sons and Maxim, and went on to produce the most heavily used machine gun of WW1. It was responsible for more deaths in combat than any other weapon at the time. What a lot of people don’t realise is that the biggest killer of World War One was not a weapon at all, it was a disease. More people died during the great flu pandemic of 1918 than died as part of the conflict itself. Figures are somewhat vague, but it is estimated that five hundred million people around the world  became infected with the H1N1 influenza virus, of these, between fifty to one hundred million ended up dying; at the time this was between three and five percent of the world population, making it the deadliest natural disaster in recorded history.  What was especially unusual about the outbreak was that the victims were mainly young, normally fit people, rather than the elderly and infirm. The reason for this was that the H1N1 virus caused a massive over – reaction in the body’s auto immune system. The strong immune systems in healthy people were thus far worse affected than those in elderly people or infants, and consequently more people at the prime of their lives ended up dying. To maintain wartime morale, British and allied censors removed almost all references to the horrendous flu outbreak in newspaper stories featuring the UK, Germany, France and the USA, and instead focussed on flu stories in the then neutral Spain. Consequently the outbreak nowadays gets called the Spanish Flu, when in fact the terrible effects were felt all around the world.

It is now just over three months since I quit Sky TV after twenty three years of subscription to their satellite TV service. I was expecting to "go cold turkey" but quite the opposite has actually been the case. Despite Sky writing to me on a weekly basis, unsuccessfully trying to persuade me to rejoin. The quality of programmes on Sky, and especially the selection of premium movies leaves much to be desired, and I seriously resented paying for premium channels like Sky Atlantic, and still have to sit through advert breaks. All Sky subscribers are actually paying a subscription to watch adverts – it makes no sense. In the USA, commercial TV companies are already feeling the pinch. Some are cutting back on the number and length of their commercial breaks to try and tempt back customers who are now voting with their feet and leaving the traditional broadcasters and moving to subscription based, advert free streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Netflix knows their customers hate adverts. "We know one of the benefits of an ecosystem like Netflix is its lack of advertising," Howard Shimmel, a chief research officer at Time Warner, told Bloomberg in an interview last year. "Consumers are being trained there are places they can go to avoid ads." In response to Netflix's advertising policy, many networks have actually cut back on the amount of ads they show in an effort to lure back in the younger Netflix / Amazon Prime Video generation. Media analyst CordCutting.com crunched some numbers and found that each Netflix subscriber saves themselves about 158.5 hours of commercials per year. The number will be somewhat lower in the UK and most of Europe, where fewer adverts are allowed per hour of broadcast television, but it is still a substantial number. As I have previously written, I consider the Sky business model to be fundamentally broken, and if they don’t move away from hugely expensive satellite broadcasting and convert to a full streaming service, I think they will be dead and gone in the next five years. What do you think? Comment below, or Email hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "There was a recent report of a burglary early hours of Thursday 8th August along Drummond Close Erith, entry was gained by smashing the front door of the property. Also there was a report of theft of motorbike outside an address along Normandy Way Erith between 9 pm and 9.30 pm The team shall also be holding a contact session between 4 pm and 5 pm at the Barnehurst Golf Club along Mayplace Road East if anyone wishes to speak to the team. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 and 101 for non-urgent reporting". Belvedere ward:- "On the 31/07/2019 we had a burglary in poplar mount. The thieves stole gold, jewellery and tools. They gained entry via the rear windows and door, from the alleyway it is believed. Happened sometime between 10:00 and 21:00. The team assisted the RSPCA on 07/08/2019 by seizing two mistreated dogs form an address on Erith Road. Just over our border by PC Smith was happy to help out. We have, for a while now, had complaints about certain HMO's in Barnfield Road. If you are experiencing problems with any of the residents of the HMO's please let us know. Our next Street-a-Week will be on 18/08/2019 from 12:00 - 12:30 on Halt Robin Road, at the junction with Upper Park Road". Bexleyheath ward:- "There have been reports of fights and disturbances in and around the Golden Lion public house, Bexleyheath. The council is seeking witnesses for more information. here seems to be no reports off any burglaries or attempted burglaries on the ward over the last week A theft from motor vehicle was reported overnight on the 04/08/2019 & 05/08/2019 along Pinnacle Hill, tools were stolen from a van. Also along Rochester Drive Bexleyheath, suspects had tried stealing a van off the driveway at about midnight. A purse was reported stolen from an elderly female. Believed to have been taken in the H and M store on the Broadway, this was reported on the 03/08/2019. Also a wallet was reported stolen which was reported in ASDA on the 6/08/2019. There was a report of a victim using an ATM on the Broadway on the 01/08/2019 and was unable to use the machine. They were approached by two youths who allegedly tried to help him get the card out of the machine and victim thought this was suspicious and took their card and walked away. Money was taken from victims account, card was cloned. There was also another report of suspects calling the victim to say they need to upgrade their online banking security and to log on to their online banking which they did and money was stolen. The team regularly conduct patrols along drug hot spot areas and ASB areas on the ward and conduct regular stops and searches where necessary".

Crayford ward:- "On 3rd August between 12.00-14.30 a catalytic convertor was stolen from a vehicle parked in Bexley Lane. Between 1.20-1.25am on 3rd August two vehicles had items stolen from them in Falsfaff Close, items included two pairs of Rayban sunglasses, a handbag and a wine coloured Barbour jacket. Number plates were stolen from Stadium Way on 3rd August between 11.15-12.15, LX16VXB should be on a red Citigo Skoda. At about the same time on the same day and place, someone attempted to remove number plates from a silver Ford Focus. A Bosch garden strimmer and other items were stolen from a garden shed in Marden Crescent overnight between 3rd and 4th August. A green and white Greenmech Dual Feed towable wood chipper was stolen from a locked yard in Thames Road over the weekend 3rd and 4th August. A white Fiesta van GJ68XYU was involved in a road traffic accident at Swan Lane on Saturday 3rd August. It has since been reported stolen by an unknown person. Our next community contact session is on Wednesday 14th August between 16.00-17.00 at Vintage Lindy Lou's in Waterside Gardens, Crayford". Erith ward:- "We had the Erith Ward panel meeting and had a really nice turn out of people, if this meeting would interest you feel free to contact me for more information. The priories we set out which was chosen by the residents of Erith are as follows - Extra patrols around Compton Place which includes a meeting with the local Cllr. ASB patrols around West Street. Crimes of note - Burglary Residential 01/08/2019 Rutland Gate - By unknown suspect attempting to gain entry into victims house and damaging the front door and making off without gaining entry. Theft of Motor Vehicle 01/08/2019 Fraser Road. Theft of a  Motor Vehicle 02/08/2019 Avenue Road. Theft from Motor Vehicle 20/07/2019 Park Crescent. Theft from Motor Vehicle  03/08/2019 Bexley Road, Theft of Motor Vehicle 06/08/2019 James Watt Way".  Northumberland Heath ward - no report this week. Slade Green and Northend ward - no report this week. Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglary - No household burglaries this week. Crime prevention: Close and lock all your doors and windows, even if you're going out for a few minutes. Photograph and keep a detailed inventory of each item of jewellery and keep it in a separate place. Remain vigilant at all times Burglary Business/Commercial The Beam Engine House, located in Bazalgette Way, SE2 was broken Into between the hours of 4:00pm on Friday 02/08/19 and 07:50am on Sunday 04/08/19. Numerous items taken, unknown Total value of items taken and damage caused to gain entry, however a new roller shutter was costing about £3,500. Theft from Motor Vehicles - Between the hours of 11:245pm on Thursday 01/08/19 and 10:15am of Friday 02/08/19, a vehicle parked locked and secure on the drive of a property in St. Katherines Road, DA18, was broken into. No damage was caused to gain entry, the glove box was searched. A hire vehicle locked and secure parked Kale Road, had windows smashed, untidy search. The theft of a Catalytic converter had occurred at 10:55pm on Monday 05/08/19 in Grange Crescent, SE28. Between 9:am of Monday 05/08/19 and 8:00 pm of Tuesday 06/08/19,a vehicle was stolen from Eastgate Close, SE28.The theft from a motor vehicle occurred in Kale Road .The incident happened in May 2019, after the victim had noticed the passenger door was open and the victims purse was on the passenger seat. Bank cards and cash ,which apparently the victim had left in the vehicle were taken .bank cards were cancelled Victim had not contacted police regarding the theft, it was only after officers contacted the victim following a search of a male found to be in possession of the stolen cards. Good News - Message of thanks from the staff from at the Beam Engine House to Mark Headley - Designing Out Crime Officer and PCSO Dennis Hobbs for help given". West Heath ward:- "No burglaries reported to us over the last week. Unfortunately we have had a number of vehicle crimes. On Friday August 2nd at approximately 8.30 am a vehicle was broken into in Hythe Avenue, an untidy search of the vehicle was made but nothing appeared to be stolen. Attempted theft of an exhaust/ catalytic converter in Bedonwell Road on Tuesday August 6th between 10.30 – 10.40 am. A vehicle was broken in to in Glenview on Monday August 5th at approximately 9.45 pm via the driver's window. Untidy search of the vehicle, no further details known at this time. Theft of motor vehicle from Cranbrook Road between Saturday July 27th and Sunday August 4th, the victim was on holiday and returned to discover the vehicle missing. The victim was still in possession of the keys. Theft of a motor vehicle from Preston Drive on Wednesday August 7th between 4.15 – 4.30 am, thankfully the vehicle was later recovered. One report of criminal damage to a motor vehicle in Longleigh Lane on Saturday August 3rd between 1 am and 2 pm when the owner returned to the vehicle and discovered several dents that were not there before. The team arrested two prolific offenders over the weekend, one for failure to appear and the other was wanted on recall to prison".

The end video this week is a return to a local jazz combo who I first featured a couple of weeks ago; The Tom Fleming Trio were filmed in the main hall of the former Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, courtesy of The Exchange. Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.