You may recall that last week I wrote a fairly detailed piece on the Ring range of internet enabled "Smart" doorbells, and how they were very easy for malicious people to hack. Following this article, I was contacted by local technologist and software developer Miles, who is the owner of several Ring devices, as well as a large number of other pieces of fairly cutting edge technology. I was expecting him to rebuke me for exaggerating the level of risk involved in using the technology, but in fact quite the opposite turned out to be the case. Miles writes:- " I spotted your comments on the Ring doorbell and thought I'd drop you an email. I believe the general populous does not appreciate just how insecure IoT (Internet of Things) devices actually are. As you know I do like a gadget so I own quite literally tens of these device performing all kinds of tasks from motion sensing, smart switches, thermostats, cctv etc etc. Each and everyone typically runs an embedded distribution of linux, usually BusyBox - most with the default credentials left enabled. Given how cheap microprocessors are these days, each device is actually quite capable, probably faster than a computer you bought fifteen years ago. As you mentioned, once one of these devices are on your network they have free reign to do whatever they want - somewhat akin to locking a burglar inside your house. I bring this up for two reasons, firstly most of these devices are produced in China - not exactly our closest ally and the second, botnets. Often IoT devices are used to create absolutely huge 'botnets' for denial of service attacks against all sorts of targets. With just about everything becoming "internet enabled", it strikes me as we're opening ourselves up to a world of pain. Even as a technologist I'm not even sure what the solution is, or how to protest yourself without going to extreme measures (blocking the devices from accessing the internet, moving them on to a different network or VLAN etc etc). They are inherently insecure. Imagine the personal information you retain on your computer, passwords, images, bank statements, old contracts etc - all it would take is one of those devices to become compromised to take this information and go to town. Identity theft would be a walk in the park, it would be trivial to open up lines of credit etc. I don't know if you remember, Mr Jeremy Clarkson was arrogant enough to post his bank account number online assuming it could not be abused - not long after he was quickly signed up for regular donations to a charity. On a similar vein of thought, I found it curious how willing people are to share their personal information on Facebook. When you consider the likes of Cambridge Analytica, manipulating, or worse, threatening people has never been so easy". My own philosophy of computer use is - 1) Never store anything online that you cannot afford to lose. 2) Assume everything is insecure, or potentially so. 3) Keep - and test - backups. An untested backup is not a backup. 4) Don't use social media - it is the modern equivalent of a bear pit, and potentially bad for your mental health. 5) If an online service is free, then you are the product. Of course your mileage may vary, and the guidelines above are my own personal ones; as always, I abide by the principle of "if it works for you". I often hear people complaining about government organisations such as GCHQ, or the US equivalent, the NSA holding too much information on private individuals, when in reality the likes of Facebook, LinkedIn, Amazon and Google hold far more personally identifiable data on individuals than any government. What do you think? Email me in confidence at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
Head chef Louisa Budds at the Bookstore Cafe, run by not for profit group The Exchange, located in the old Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, Erith has got much to celebrate. Not only has the very first health inspection of the kitchens and restaurant area got an outstanding five out of five stars on the "Scores on the Doors" hygiene standard, but on top of this award, the Bookstore Cafe is rated as the number one food venue in the local area on Trip Advisor, as voted for by customers. The poster above gives some details of forthcoming events to be held in the old library - click on it for a larger view. The venue will be closing over the Christmas holidays to allow the staff a decent break before the commencement of business in the New Year. The Bookstore Cafe, and The Exchange will close on the 23rd of December, reopening on the 15th of January 2020. There are big plans for the Bookstore Cafe over the next couple of years, all of which will become apparent in due course.
You might not realise it, but Erith was home to one of Britain’s best loved comedians – the late Linda Smith was born and raised in Erith, and attended what was then Erith College. Linda Smith would have been 61 years old this year, had she not died as a consequence of ovarian cancer at the age of 48. She had an entire line in Erith jokes, which to be honest were spot on, but ended up being believed by people unfamiliar with the town, and have ended up creating a lasting bad impression. For example, when talking about Erith’s teenagers she said “People knock ASBOs but you have to bear in mind they are the only qualification some of these kids are going to get”. Most famously she also said “Erith isn’t twinned with anywhere, but it does have a mutual suicide pact with Dagenham”. In describing Erith she said:- "So that's my home town, and I come from a perfectly ordinary working-class family; and in fact, I didn't really meet middle-class people until I went to university. It was quite a shock, really. People were saying things like 'Well, I was always going to end up doing English, because I was brought up surrounded by books - brought up in a house full of books'; and I'd think 'Yes, so was I; but they were full of Green Shield stamps'. I suppose we could have swapped them for books, but we had our eye on a twin-tub".
As people gear up for Christmas, the whole thorny issue of gifts and gift wrapping comes up. I have a major issue with gift wrapping paper for Christmas presents; due to the treatment much of the paper receives during production, it cannot be recycled, and is especially bad for the environment, as the only way to get rid of it is to put it in landfill, or to burn it. What I have chosen to do is rather than wrapping Christmas presents, I will be giving them in sparkly gift bags, which can be reused, year after year. As I have previously written, this is also the reason that I don't send Christmas cards, as I believe them to be ruinously bad for the environment - wood and rags are pulped to make the cards, energy is used to print them, fossil fuels are used to transport them to the shops, electricity and gas are burned to light and heat the shops, then once they are purchased, more fossil fuels are used to deliver the cards around the planet, then after a few days they are discarded, and many cannot be recycled, due to the plastic or wax derived finishes that many cards have. I can understand the practice in the past, when an annual card sent to friends and loved ones would be a form of annual communication when you might otherwise not hear from them, but nowadays this is far from the case; instant worldwide online communications mean that from my perspective, Christmas cards are consigned to the past.
I cannot thank enough the readers who supply me with information for my stories; without the input from you, the Maggot Sandwich would not be the beast that it is today. the contributions - many anonymous, really help to keep readers informed of what is going on in the local area. Although the area covered by the blog is a little imprecise, it basically covers from Plumstead, following Eastwards along the banks of the River Thames to Crayford, and as far North as Bexleyheath, although if a particularly interesting subject crops up from beyond those geographical boundaries, it is fair game. This week a reader sent me information about the recently published plan for the expansion in use of the River Thames for both passenger and freight traffic. It makes for very interesting reading, and although the references to Erith Pier are slight, it does show that the pier is still being considered for passenger traffic use in the future, as you can see from the lower of the two graphics that are shown above - click on either for a larger view. A summary of the detailed report reads as follows:- "The Thames is London’s greatest natural asset and has become an iconic symbol of the city around the world. Two millennia of history, culture and heritage can be found on its banks from Hampton Court Palace, through to the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, Greenwich and Canary Wharf, once the site of working docks and now one of the most important financial centres in the world. The river is a vital part of city life and an important part of its transport network. London is a growing city. Its population is forecast to increase from around 8.9 million today to 10.8 million within 25 years, generating six million additional trips on the city’s transport system each day by 2041. The London Passenger Pier Strategy sets out the Mayoral and Port of London Authority’s (PLA’s) vision for the role of piers in supporting London’s growth, particularly in east London. It aligns to the objectives in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and PLA Vision for the Tidal Thames. This includes a PLA target to double annual river patronage to 20 million by 2035, reducing the number of journeys made by car and supporting healthy lives by promoting more walking and cycling. New piers served by extended river bus services will make the river a prime transport mode choice in east London where they can support new developments, homes, jobs and growth. The river can offer an alternative to car use while freeing up capacity on other public transport modes. This strategy focuses on the key challenges that river services face and the role of London’s passenger piers in overcoming them. Much of London’s future residential growth will take place along the Thames in east London with an estimated potential for 350,000 new homes and 370,000 jobs to be created across Inner and Outer east London and the Isle of Dogs over the next 25 years. River services can become a principal public transport mode to serve these developments, like Barking Riverside, supporting the aim of achieving a shift away from car travel. Traditionally, passenger piers on the Thames have been purely functional for the management of river passengers: ticketing, queueing, embarking and disembarking. There is, however, great potential to enhance the customer experience at piers though adopting the Healthy Streets Approach, ensuring piers are accessible for all and improving integration with the wider transport system. Careful management of commercial development at piers, where suitable conditions such as high footfall prevail, also provides opportunities to enhance the customer experience. In the current economic climate it will also need to be supported by a business case showing that the development offers an acceptable return on investment while delivering its core purpose of increasing passenger journeys and improving customer experience". You can download and read the complete, detailed 56 page report by clicking here. Unfortunately there is very little mention of Erith Pier in the document, but just enough to confirm that TfL and the Mayor of London's Office have not completely forgotten about it. One must also take on board that the involvement of the Mayor of London's Office and TfL in respect of river based activities to date has not been great; indeed quite the opposite could be said of their work regarding the replacement Woolwich ferries which are still not functioning as advertised due to a number of factors, including at least one possible design defect. 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. Indeed, the excellent 853 Blog is reporting that Woolwich Ferry workers will hold another one-day strike on the 19th of December in a dispute over pay. Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for the service, which carries 20,000 cars and 50,000 passengers each week between Woolwich and North Woolwich, but it is currently run by contractor Briggs Marine. The service has already been halted by 10 days of strikes this year. You can read the full report on the continuing staffing problems with the Woolwich Ferry by clicking here.
The two photographs above were taken as screen captures from a silent, 8mm colour cine film taken of the old Erith Town Centre, just before the demolition engineers moved in to flatten the Victorian structures to make way for the hideous concrete monstrosity that locals had to endure between 1973 and around a decade ago. The demolition of the old Erith was an act of cultural vandalism that the town is only now starting to recover from. The photos above show the last day of trade for L.B Stevens - Master Butcher, filmed on Saturday the 27th May 1967, just before the shop was shut for good and demolished. By the look of things, the immaculate shop, with Len Stevens in his bow tie, spotless apron and straw hat was a real credit to the area. If the vandals had not come in and demolished things, I do wonder if Stevens the Butcher would still be running today? With the increase in popularity of traditional suppliers, Erith could have become a haven for foodies. I am also completely certain that Mr. Stevens would not have shut up shop early just because he could not be bothered to wait until closing time. A lesson that Erith Morrison's could do well to learn, when they close their salad bar at around 7pm, even though the store remains open until 10pm! You are more than welcome to contact me by Email at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
I have written in the past about the woeful sound quality and limited range of the DAB radio deployment in the UK. Low bit rates and often mono audio plague many radio stations that broadcast on the legacy digital radio format. Many stations and multiplexes still broadcast in the old DAB format, rather than the newer and more efficient DAB+ format. In a role that may well be followed by other broadcasters, RTE in Ireland are the first national broadcaster in the world to close down their DAB transmitters. They have to cut their annual budget by 60 million Euros, and the market penetration of DAB in Ireland has been so low that they cannot justify the expense. They are also getting rid of 200 broadcasting staff and engineers. The far newer DAB+ is an upgrade to the original DAB specifications, which uses a more advanced audio codec plus better error correction. It is, in theory, around three times as efficient as the old DAB that we are used to. That means better quality sound – and hopefully fewer mono stations – without the undersea gargling noises (caused by very low bit rate reception in poor signal areas) that some listeners are plagued by. The technology behind DAB means that it is possible to mix DAB and DAB+ services on the same multiplex – a set that doesn't understand the newer stuff will just ignore it. We don't yet know what programming the DAB+ channel on the new multiplex will carry; It may indeed be so compelling that owners of older sets will be motivated to replace them – unless they can just listen to the same station in a different way, such as online or via television using a set top box or Smart TV. So, while it is great news that DAB+ has finally come to the UK, I can't help thinking that it is too little, too late. Without a bold shift of more stations to DAB+, it is never going to gain much traction. Existing channels will likely be too scared of losing customers to switch, and so digital radio will continue for many channels as it is today: overwhelmingly mono and sometimes a bit too glitchy. I feel that an opportunity is now being wasted, as many people who listen to digital radio do so in ways other than DAB already. Streaming content via the web of 4G or 5G wireless data are very common – indeed some radio stations now receive more listeners via streaming than they do in other more traditional transmission methods. The excellent Radio Seagull from the Netherlands is a prime example of this.
Now for the weekly local safety and security reports from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Good news for Barnehurst residents, again no burglaries to report. In fact it's almost been three weeks since the last burglary. We have had two incidents of vehicle crime. On Monday 2/12/19 in Hilary Close victim returned to find two flat tyres to his vehicle. At Parkside Parade, Northend Road on Saturday 30/11/19 victim had parked a vehicle for fifteen minutes, on returning to the vehicle victim found a window smashed and a mobile phone stolen. We are pleased to report Hillingdon Road, Westfield Road, Midfield Avenue, Beverley Road and Eastleigh Road are now all covered for Smart Water. Our next community contact session will be held at a slightly later time of 04.00pm in Barnehurst Golf Club on Tuesday 17th December 2019. Hopefully this later time is more convenient for some residents so we look forward to welcoming some new faces". Belvedere ward:- "We have suffered a few burglaries over the last week. We had one on Picardy Road, between 1630-1730 on Wednesday 27/11/2019 where the front door damaged via a tool and entry gained. Jewellery was taken. On Thursday 28/11/2019 between 0820-1740 on poplar Mount a glass pane was smashed on the rear door to gain entry. The thieves stole some jewellery and left the upstairs in a mess. On Friday 29/11/2019 on Stanmore Road between 0700-1920 a similar method was used with the rear door having its glass smashed and entry gained. Nothing was taken that we are aware of at the time of writing. Also on Friday 29/11/2019 around 1920 the victim returned home and believed the burglars were inside. They escaped via the rear door, which had the glass smashed. This is also believed to be the entry point. Nothing known taken at the time of writing. On the Saturday 30/11/2019 at 1637 the victim was disturbed in her bedroom by a female who claimed that the front door was open. This happened on Waterfield Close. The female was escorted out of the house and told not to come back. She then asked for some money for the electric meter. This was declined. Police were called, the female was then seen to knock at other addresses on Waterfield Close and beg for money and head towards the bus stop on Yarnton Way. The female is described as being white, aged 25-30 years but looking older, shoulder length brown hair, 5'2 in height wearing a three green quarter length parker jacket and a grey tracksuit. She had an English accent. Apparently a female with a similar description has been seen begging in Erith Town and Morrison's at Thamesmead. There has also been reports that a female has been doing door knocks on various roads around the borough asking for money for the electric meter. PC Mark has conducted two interviews this week in relation to cannabis he found on two males on Ruskin Road. Both have admitted the offence of Possession, one being just 17 years old. The adult was given a fine and the youth was referred to the young offender team". Bexleyheath ward:- "On Friday 29th November between 6.30-7.15 a house was burgled in Belvedere Road. Owners left around 6.30. Neighbours noticed alarm sound and alarm flashing and alerted the police. Entry was gained from the back by breaking the glass door but seems they left from the front and left the front door opened which was also noticed by neighbours. Due to Neighbourhood Watch and a street Whatsapp group owners were notified straightaway and they came back, but unfortunately the two bedrooms had already been searched the burglars. A bag and jewellery were stolen. Friday 22/11/19 1230 Theft of mobile phone from unattended handbag Broadway Bexleyheath. Thursday 28/11/19 2000 – 29/11/19 0108 Theft of Motor Bike Church Road. Friday 29/11/19 1625 Theft of Purse whilst shopping in Card Factory – 2 x Eastern European Females knocked into lady and shortly afterwards her purse was missing. Friday 29/11/19 2210 Grove Road vehicle stolen by person being threatened. Friday 29/11/19 1915 Burglary Belvedere Road jewellery and cash taken entry gained by smashing rear patio door. Saturday 30/11/19 0355 Midhurst Hill - Attempted Burglary fence broken in garden and also neighbours believed alarm disturbed them. Sunday 1/12/19 1445 Cafe Nero Broadway, a handbag taken off of chair as victim stood to put on coat. Sunday 1/12/19 1300 – 3/12/19 0750 Attempted Theft of Motor Vehicle Gravel Hill Close. Monday 2/12/19 1130 – 1330 Purse taken from bag whilst shopping on Broadway unknown which store. Monday 2/12/19 1000 – 1800 Burglary Latham Road jewellery taken and entry gained by hinges being removed from the back door".
Crayford ward:- "BBNWA attended the Crayford Waterside Gardens Christmas Festival on Saturday 30th November. The lighting was atmospheric, the public were cheery and the carol singers sung beautifully. Residents from the borough stopped by the Neighbourhood Watch stand and chatted, discussed local Neighbourhood Watch topics, received advice and information, and some registered to be coordinators for streets that currently don't have a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in place. The Mayor of Bexley and her husband also stopped by the Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association gazebo. It was a great day and a fantastic way to begin this festive season! Just one burglary, but still one too many! A TV and other items were stolen from a property in Halcot Avenue on Thursday 28th November between 16.45 – 17.20, no other details are known at present. All other crimes are motor vehicle related. A catalytic convertor was stolen off a black Toyota Prius whilst parked at Hall Place car park on Thursday 28th November between 10.45-13.00. An attempted theft of a catalytic convertor from a Ford Transit whilst parked in Swaisland Drive (rear of Crayside shops in Crayford Way) occurred between 18.10 on Wednesday 27th November and 7.25 on Friday 29th November. A white Ford Transit YG12NVO was stolen from Watling Street between 20.30 on Wednesday 27th November and 09.30 on 28th November. A grey BMW 1 series with three hooded occupants was seen on CCTV to break in to a container using a battery operated saw at 00.55 on Friday 29th November at Optima Park, in this instance they didn't get anything. A red Toyota Yaris with the number plate LV03BJU was stolen between 22.00 on Thursday 28th November without keys from Hillside Road. Between 22.00 on Monday 2nd December and 11.00 on Tuesday 3rd December a window on a blue Mini Cooper was smashed. We attended the Crayford Winter Festival on Saturday afternoon and gave out several Met Trace packs. The following is a response received from TfL when I requested an update recently about changes to routes 428 and 492. “We are currently in the process of reading through and analysing each of the large number of comments made during the consultation. Once this analysis is complete we will publish a Consultation Report detailing how the consultation was run and what responses we received. We will also publish our responses to the issues raised once they have been fully considered. Whilst this is happening the routes will remain as they are. Given this delay any changes will not be happening in January 2020; we will confirm any date when we announce our final decision.” Our next community contact session is on Wednesday 11th December at Crayford Library between 14.00-15.00".
Erith ward:- "Two vehicles have been stolen in the last week. A moped was stolen from West Street between 1745 and 1820 hours on Sunday 01/12/2019. A locker was broken into between 6pm and 8pm on Monday at Erith Leisure Centre, keys to a car taken and the vehicle stolen. Both incidents are currently ongoing investigations. Erith SNT are starting a Smart Water property marking scheme at the Quarry this coming week and then on to other areas. For more information, please email the team. PCSO's Mark and Adam from each team, were invited to the Slade Green Seniors Cinema Club Christmas event on Monday 02/12/2019 at Slade Green Community Centre where over 90 residents from both wards had drinks and lunch with the Mayor of Bexley and Sir David Evennett, before the residents all sat to watch A Christmas Carol". Northumberland Heath ward:- "This week the team have been following up on a number of reports of a black male, approx. age 27 years old, the male has been allegedly approaching women in the Northumberland Heath area, mainly along Bexley Road. He is engaging in conversations of a sexual nature, making the women feel uncomfortable and scared. If you have any information on similar incidents, please contact the team and let us know. We have had numerous reports of ASB in Bronte Close. The team are in the process of gathering CCTV footage, it is believed that some of the youths involved are local residents. The team will soon be visiting home addresses, the local authority will also be notified as this could constitute a breach of tenancy. Unfortunately we have had a number of crimes this week as follows:-Monday 30/11/19 overnight between the hours of 00:00-07:45 hours a set of number plates were stolen from a black Ford Fiesta on Matfield Road. VRM – LR57 LSN. Wednesday 1/12/19 overnight between 23:00- 09:04 hours a vehicles window was smashed and cash stolen, the vehicle was parked on Frinstead Road. Tuesday 2/12/19 Burglary on Colindale Road at approx. 18:50 hours, 3 suspects disturbed, entry via kitchen door that was left ajar. Thursday 4/12/19 Burglary on Bedonwell Road between 18:10 – 20:05 hours. Entry via forced rear doors".
Slade Green and Northend ward:- "A burglary took place at some time between Saturday 30/11/2019 and Monday 02/12/2019 in Lydia Road. The victims were away at the time. Entry was made by smashing the rear patio door window after climbing into the back garden using a wheelie bin. Jewellery was taken. An attempted burglary took place around the corner in Springhead Road on Saturday evening, again, the rear patio door window was smashed, entry was not gained. This is the 4th incident in the past few weeks in the same area. Patrols are being made in all the alleyways that link in to all these roads. CCTV footage from various residents have shown a male trying car door handles between 4am and 5am on Tuesday 02/12. This took place in Rainbow Road and the new development at Egerton Place which is Richmer Road and the dead end part of Slade Green Road. All of the information and footage was sent to us by N.Watch coordinators in Rainbow Road and after a successful meeting with PCSO Mark and Claire from N.Watch, residents at the new development will be setting up a new watch in the next few weeks. Mark attended the Slade Green Big Local Christmas event on Saturday 30/11/2019 where there were many attendees enjoying ice skating, various stalls, raffles, reindeer and Santa's Grotto. If you look closely at the attached picture, the Santa looks slightly familiar!! PCSO's Mark and Adam from each team, were invited to the Slade Green Seniors Cinema Club Christmas event on Monday 02/12/2019 at Slade Green Community Centre where over 90 residents from both wards had drinks and lunch with the Mayor of Bexley and Sir David Evennett, before the residents all sat to watch A Christmas Carol. Our next CCS is on Monday 09/12/2019 from 11am at the café in Forest Road. At 6pm on Sunday 08/12/2019, St Augustines is holding their Carols by Candlelight service. Everyone is welcome to join in singing Carols and listen to the readings. Mark is honoured to be reading the 6th lesson of the service". Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglary - Monday 2/12/19 Walsham Close between 9:30pm – 4:30am suspect/s entered property through front door which may not have been secured as no forced entry seen. Property taken a handbag containing bank cards Driving licence and a notebook containing passwords. It has since come to notice that the cards have been used at 4 different locations. Wallet containing partners bank card and Oyster card also taken. Vehicle Crime - Saturday 30/11/19 Kale Road between 8pm – 10am Victims tyres have been slashed by suspect/s unknown for the third time in under 2 weeks. Good News - PC Nana arrested a female on suspicion of handling stolen goods. Recently there were reports on social media about a female knocking on doors in the Thamesmead and Belvedere areas. If anyone has CCTV or has been a victim of her actions please ring 02087212049". West Heath ward:- "No burglaries have been reported to us over the last week. On Wednesday November 27th between 11am – 5.50pm in Longleigh Lane a front door to a property was damaged and entry gained. An untidy search was conducted and a gold necklace was stolen from a bedroom in the house. Theft of a number of items from a garage in Dryhill Road between Saturday November 2nd and midday on Monday November 3rd. Two high value Jet Ski's a sewing machine and other items were stolen. Theft of number plates from a black Honda Civic parked in Seaton Road overnight on Monday December 2nd 10pm – Tuesday December 3rd. One attempted theft/motor vehicle interference in Woolwich Road Saturday November 30th – Sunday December 1st at 8am. The owner of the vehicle discovered the driver's side door lock had been drilled out. Nothing appeared to have been taken and a screwdriver was found by the vehicle. Last Friday the team spoke to pupils at a local primary school about the role of a Police Officer/Police Community Support Officer. The children got to ask lots of questions and try on pieces of uniform. A great time was had by all".
The end video this week is a historical look at Plumstead and Woolwich; it is a montage of old photographs taken from the late Victorian age until the 1940's. Do give it a watch - many locations are easily identifiable today. Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
Head chef Louisa Budds at the Bookstore Cafe, run by not for profit group The Exchange, located in the old Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, Erith has got much to celebrate. Not only has the very first health inspection of the kitchens and restaurant area got an outstanding five out of five stars on the "Scores on the Doors" hygiene standard, but on top of this award, the Bookstore Cafe is rated as the number one food venue in the local area on Trip Advisor, as voted for by customers. The poster above gives some details of forthcoming events to be held in the old library - click on it for a larger view. The venue will be closing over the Christmas holidays to allow the staff a decent break before the commencement of business in the New Year. The Bookstore Cafe, and The Exchange will close on the 23rd of December, reopening on the 15th of January 2020. There are big plans for the Bookstore Cafe over the next couple of years, all of which will become apparent in due course.
You might not realise it, but Erith was home to one of Britain’s best loved comedians – the late Linda Smith was born and raised in Erith, and attended what was then Erith College. Linda Smith would have been 61 years old this year, had she not died as a consequence of ovarian cancer at the age of 48. She had an entire line in Erith jokes, which to be honest were spot on, but ended up being believed by people unfamiliar with the town, and have ended up creating a lasting bad impression. For example, when talking about Erith’s teenagers she said “People knock ASBOs but you have to bear in mind they are the only qualification some of these kids are going to get”. Most famously she also said “Erith isn’t twinned with anywhere, but it does have a mutual suicide pact with Dagenham”. In describing Erith she said:- "So that's my home town, and I come from a perfectly ordinary working-class family; and in fact, I didn't really meet middle-class people until I went to university. It was quite a shock, really. People were saying things like 'Well, I was always going to end up doing English, because I was brought up surrounded by books - brought up in a house full of books'; and I'd think 'Yes, so was I; but they were full of Green Shield stamps'. I suppose we could have swapped them for books, but we had our eye on a twin-tub".
As people gear up for Christmas, the whole thorny issue of gifts and gift wrapping comes up. I have a major issue with gift wrapping paper for Christmas presents; due to the treatment much of the paper receives during production, it cannot be recycled, and is especially bad for the environment, as the only way to get rid of it is to put it in landfill, or to burn it. What I have chosen to do is rather than wrapping Christmas presents, I will be giving them in sparkly gift bags, which can be reused, year after year. As I have previously written, this is also the reason that I don't send Christmas cards, as I believe them to be ruinously bad for the environment - wood and rags are pulped to make the cards, energy is used to print them, fossil fuels are used to transport them to the shops, electricity and gas are burned to light and heat the shops, then once they are purchased, more fossil fuels are used to deliver the cards around the planet, then after a few days they are discarded, and many cannot be recycled, due to the plastic or wax derived finishes that many cards have. I can understand the practice in the past, when an annual card sent to friends and loved ones would be a form of annual communication when you might otherwise not hear from them, but nowadays this is far from the case; instant worldwide online communications mean that from my perspective, Christmas cards are consigned to the past.
I cannot thank enough the readers who supply me with information for my stories; without the input from you, the Maggot Sandwich would not be the beast that it is today. the contributions - many anonymous, really help to keep readers informed of what is going on in the local area. Although the area covered by the blog is a little imprecise, it basically covers from Plumstead, following Eastwards along the banks of the River Thames to Crayford, and as far North as Bexleyheath, although if a particularly interesting subject crops up from beyond those geographical boundaries, it is fair game. This week a reader sent me information about the recently published plan for the expansion in use of the River Thames for both passenger and freight traffic. It makes for very interesting reading, and although the references to Erith Pier are slight, it does show that the pier is still being considered for passenger traffic use in the future, as you can see from the lower of the two graphics that are shown above - click on either for a larger view. A summary of the detailed report reads as follows:- "The Thames is London’s greatest natural asset and has become an iconic symbol of the city around the world. Two millennia of history, culture and heritage can be found on its banks from Hampton Court Palace, through to the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, Greenwich and Canary Wharf, once the site of working docks and now one of the most important financial centres in the world. The river is a vital part of city life and an important part of its transport network. London is a growing city. Its population is forecast to increase from around 8.9 million today to 10.8 million within 25 years, generating six million additional trips on the city’s transport system each day by 2041. The London Passenger Pier Strategy sets out the Mayoral and Port of London Authority’s (PLA’s) vision for the role of piers in supporting London’s growth, particularly in east London. It aligns to the objectives in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and PLA Vision for the Tidal Thames. This includes a PLA target to double annual river patronage to 20 million by 2035, reducing the number of journeys made by car and supporting healthy lives by promoting more walking and cycling. New piers served by extended river bus services will make the river a prime transport mode choice in east London where they can support new developments, homes, jobs and growth. The river can offer an alternative to car use while freeing up capacity on other public transport modes. This strategy focuses on the key challenges that river services face and the role of London’s passenger piers in overcoming them. Much of London’s future residential growth will take place along the Thames in east London with an estimated potential for 350,000 new homes and 370,000 jobs to be created across Inner and Outer east London and the Isle of Dogs over the next 25 years. River services can become a principal public transport mode to serve these developments, like Barking Riverside, supporting the aim of achieving a shift away from car travel. Traditionally, passenger piers on the Thames have been purely functional for the management of river passengers: ticketing, queueing, embarking and disembarking. There is, however, great potential to enhance the customer experience at piers though adopting the Healthy Streets Approach, ensuring piers are accessible for all and improving integration with the wider transport system. Careful management of commercial development at piers, where suitable conditions such as high footfall prevail, also provides opportunities to enhance the customer experience. In the current economic climate it will also need to be supported by a business case showing that the development offers an acceptable return on investment while delivering its core purpose of increasing passenger journeys and improving customer experience". You can download and read the complete, detailed 56 page report by clicking here. Unfortunately there is very little mention of Erith Pier in the document, but just enough to confirm that TfL and the Mayor of London's Office have not completely forgotten about it. One must also take on board that the involvement of the Mayor of London's Office and TfL in respect of river based activities to date has not been great; indeed quite the opposite could be said of their work regarding the replacement Woolwich ferries which are still not functioning as advertised due to a number of factors, including at least one possible design defect. 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. Indeed, the excellent 853 Blog is reporting that Woolwich Ferry workers will hold another one-day strike on the 19th of December in a dispute over pay. Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for the service, which carries 20,000 cars and 50,000 passengers each week between Woolwich and North Woolwich, but it is currently run by contractor Briggs Marine. The service has already been halted by 10 days of strikes this year. You can read the full report on the continuing staffing problems with the Woolwich Ferry by clicking here.
The two photographs above were taken as screen captures from a silent, 8mm colour cine film taken of the old Erith Town Centre, just before the demolition engineers moved in to flatten the Victorian structures to make way for the hideous concrete monstrosity that locals had to endure between 1973 and around a decade ago. The demolition of the old Erith was an act of cultural vandalism that the town is only now starting to recover from. The photos above show the last day of trade for L.B Stevens - Master Butcher, filmed on Saturday the 27th May 1967, just before the shop was shut for good and demolished. By the look of things, the immaculate shop, with Len Stevens in his bow tie, spotless apron and straw hat was a real credit to the area. If the vandals had not come in and demolished things, I do wonder if Stevens the Butcher would still be running today? With the increase in popularity of traditional suppliers, Erith could have become a haven for foodies. I am also completely certain that Mr. Stevens would not have shut up shop early just because he could not be bothered to wait until closing time. A lesson that Erith Morrison's could do well to learn, when they close their salad bar at around 7pm, even though the store remains open until 10pm! You are more than welcome to contact me by Email at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
I have written in the past about the woeful sound quality and limited range of the DAB radio deployment in the UK. Low bit rates and often mono audio plague many radio stations that broadcast on the legacy digital radio format. Many stations and multiplexes still broadcast in the old DAB format, rather than the newer and more efficient DAB+ format. In a role that may well be followed by other broadcasters, RTE in Ireland are the first national broadcaster in the world to close down their DAB transmitters. They have to cut their annual budget by 60 million Euros, and the market penetration of DAB in Ireland has been so low that they cannot justify the expense. They are also getting rid of 200 broadcasting staff and engineers. The far newer DAB+ is an upgrade to the original DAB specifications, which uses a more advanced audio codec plus better error correction. It is, in theory, around three times as efficient as the old DAB that we are used to. That means better quality sound – and hopefully fewer mono stations – without the undersea gargling noises (caused by very low bit rate reception in poor signal areas) that some listeners are plagued by. The technology behind DAB means that it is possible to mix DAB and DAB+ services on the same multiplex – a set that doesn't understand the newer stuff will just ignore it. We don't yet know what programming the DAB+ channel on the new multiplex will carry; It may indeed be so compelling that owners of older sets will be motivated to replace them – unless they can just listen to the same station in a different way, such as online or via television using a set top box or Smart TV. So, while it is great news that DAB+ has finally come to the UK, I can't help thinking that it is too little, too late. Without a bold shift of more stations to DAB+, it is never going to gain much traction. Existing channels will likely be too scared of losing customers to switch, and so digital radio will continue for many channels as it is today: overwhelmingly mono and sometimes a bit too glitchy. I feel that an opportunity is now being wasted, as many people who listen to digital radio do so in ways other than DAB already. Streaming content via the web of 4G or 5G wireless data are very common – indeed some radio stations now receive more listeners via streaming than they do in other more traditional transmission methods. The excellent Radio Seagull from the Netherlands is a prime example of this.
Now for the weekly local safety and security reports from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Good news for Barnehurst residents, again no burglaries to report. In fact it's almost been three weeks since the last burglary. We have had two incidents of vehicle crime. On Monday 2/12/19 in Hilary Close victim returned to find two flat tyres to his vehicle. At Parkside Parade, Northend Road on Saturday 30/11/19 victim had parked a vehicle for fifteen minutes, on returning to the vehicle victim found a window smashed and a mobile phone stolen. We are pleased to report Hillingdon Road, Westfield Road, Midfield Avenue, Beverley Road and Eastleigh Road are now all covered for Smart Water. Our next community contact session will be held at a slightly later time of 04.00pm in Barnehurst Golf Club on Tuesday 17th December 2019. Hopefully this later time is more convenient for some residents so we look forward to welcoming some new faces". Belvedere ward:- "We have suffered a few burglaries over the last week. We had one on Picardy Road, between 1630-1730 on Wednesday 27/11/2019 where the front door damaged via a tool and entry gained. Jewellery was taken. On Thursday 28/11/2019 between 0820-1740 on poplar Mount a glass pane was smashed on the rear door to gain entry. The thieves stole some jewellery and left the upstairs in a mess. On Friday 29/11/2019 on Stanmore Road between 0700-1920 a similar method was used with the rear door having its glass smashed and entry gained. Nothing was taken that we are aware of at the time of writing. Also on Friday 29/11/2019 around 1920 the victim returned home and believed the burglars were inside. They escaped via the rear door, which had the glass smashed. This is also believed to be the entry point. Nothing known taken at the time of writing. On the Saturday 30/11/2019 at 1637 the victim was disturbed in her bedroom by a female who claimed that the front door was open. This happened on Waterfield Close. The female was escorted out of the house and told not to come back. She then asked for some money for the electric meter. This was declined. Police were called, the female was then seen to knock at other addresses on Waterfield Close and beg for money and head towards the bus stop on Yarnton Way. The female is described as being white, aged 25-30 years but looking older, shoulder length brown hair, 5'2 in height wearing a three green quarter length parker jacket and a grey tracksuit. She had an English accent. Apparently a female with a similar description has been seen begging in Erith Town and Morrison's at Thamesmead. There has also been reports that a female has been doing door knocks on various roads around the borough asking for money for the electric meter. PC Mark has conducted two interviews this week in relation to cannabis he found on two males on Ruskin Road. Both have admitted the offence of Possession, one being just 17 years old. The adult was given a fine and the youth was referred to the young offender team". Bexleyheath ward:- "On Friday 29th November between 6.30-7.15 a house was burgled in Belvedere Road. Owners left around 6.30. Neighbours noticed alarm sound and alarm flashing and alerted the police. Entry was gained from the back by breaking the glass door but seems they left from the front and left the front door opened which was also noticed by neighbours. Due to Neighbourhood Watch and a street Whatsapp group owners were notified straightaway and they came back, but unfortunately the two bedrooms had already been searched the burglars. A bag and jewellery were stolen. Friday 22/11/19 1230 Theft of mobile phone from unattended handbag Broadway Bexleyheath. Thursday 28/11/19 2000 – 29/11/19 0108 Theft of Motor Bike Church Road. Friday 29/11/19 1625 Theft of Purse whilst shopping in Card Factory – 2 x Eastern European Females knocked into lady and shortly afterwards her purse was missing. Friday 29/11/19 2210 Grove Road vehicle stolen by person being threatened. Friday 29/11/19 1915 Burglary Belvedere Road jewellery and cash taken entry gained by smashing rear patio door. Saturday 30/11/19 0355 Midhurst Hill - Attempted Burglary fence broken in garden and also neighbours believed alarm disturbed them. Sunday 1/12/19 1445 Cafe Nero Broadway, a handbag taken off of chair as victim stood to put on coat. Sunday 1/12/19 1300 – 3/12/19 0750 Attempted Theft of Motor Vehicle Gravel Hill Close. Monday 2/12/19 1130 – 1330 Purse taken from bag whilst shopping on Broadway unknown which store. Monday 2/12/19 1000 – 1800 Burglary Latham Road jewellery taken and entry gained by hinges being removed from the back door".
Crayford ward:- "BBNWA attended the Crayford Waterside Gardens Christmas Festival on Saturday 30th November. The lighting was atmospheric, the public were cheery and the carol singers sung beautifully. Residents from the borough stopped by the Neighbourhood Watch stand and chatted, discussed local Neighbourhood Watch topics, received advice and information, and some registered to be coordinators for streets that currently don't have a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in place. The Mayor of Bexley and her husband also stopped by the Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association gazebo. It was a great day and a fantastic way to begin this festive season! Just one burglary, but still one too many! A TV and other items were stolen from a property in Halcot Avenue on Thursday 28th November between 16.45 – 17.20, no other details are known at present. All other crimes are motor vehicle related. A catalytic convertor was stolen off a black Toyota Prius whilst parked at Hall Place car park on Thursday 28th November between 10.45-13.00. An attempted theft of a catalytic convertor from a Ford Transit whilst parked in Swaisland Drive (rear of Crayside shops in Crayford Way) occurred between 18.10 on Wednesday 27th November and 7.25 on Friday 29th November. A white Ford Transit YG12NVO was stolen from Watling Street between 20.30 on Wednesday 27th November and 09.30 on 28th November. A grey BMW 1 series with three hooded occupants was seen on CCTV to break in to a container using a battery operated saw at 00.55 on Friday 29th November at Optima Park, in this instance they didn't get anything. A red Toyota Yaris with the number plate LV03BJU was stolen between 22.00 on Thursday 28th November without keys from Hillside Road. Between 22.00 on Monday 2nd December and 11.00 on Tuesday 3rd December a window on a blue Mini Cooper was smashed. We attended the Crayford Winter Festival on Saturday afternoon and gave out several Met Trace packs. The following is a response received from TfL when I requested an update recently about changes to routes 428 and 492. “We are currently in the process of reading through and analysing each of the large number of comments made during the consultation. Once this analysis is complete we will publish a Consultation Report detailing how the consultation was run and what responses we received. We will also publish our responses to the issues raised once they have been fully considered. Whilst this is happening the routes will remain as they are. Given this delay any changes will not be happening in January 2020; we will confirm any date when we announce our final decision.” Our next community contact session is on Wednesday 11th December at Crayford Library between 14.00-15.00".
Erith ward:- "Two vehicles have been stolen in the last week. A moped was stolen from West Street between 1745 and 1820 hours on Sunday 01/12/2019. A locker was broken into between 6pm and 8pm on Monday at Erith Leisure Centre, keys to a car taken and the vehicle stolen. Both incidents are currently ongoing investigations. Erith SNT are starting a Smart Water property marking scheme at the Quarry this coming week and then on to other areas. For more information, please email the team. PCSO's Mark and Adam from each team, were invited to the Slade Green Seniors Cinema Club Christmas event on Monday 02/12/2019 at Slade Green Community Centre where over 90 residents from both wards had drinks and lunch with the Mayor of Bexley and Sir David Evennett, before the residents all sat to watch A Christmas Carol". Northumberland Heath ward:- "This week the team have been following up on a number of reports of a black male, approx. age 27 years old, the male has been allegedly approaching women in the Northumberland Heath area, mainly along Bexley Road. He is engaging in conversations of a sexual nature, making the women feel uncomfortable and scared. If you have any information on similar incidents, please contact the team and let us know. We have had numerous reports of ASB in Bronte Close. The team are in the process of gathering CCTV footage, it is believed that some of the youths involved are local residents. The team will soon be visiting home addresses, the local authority will also be notified as this could constitute a breach of tenancy. Unfortunately we have had a number of crimes this week as follows:-Monday 30/11/19 overnight between the hours of 00:00-07:45 hours a set of number plates were stolen from a black Ford Fiesta on Matfield Road. VRM – LR57 LSN. Wednesday 1/12/19 overnight between 23:00- 09:04 hours a vehicles window was smashed and cash stolen, the vehicle was parked on Frinstead Road. Tuesday 2/12/19 Burglary on Colindale Road at approx. 18:50 hours, 3 suspects disturbed, entry via kitchen door that was left ajar. Thursday 4/12/19 Burglary on Bedonwell Road between 18:10 – 20:05 hours. Entry via forced rear doors".
Slade Green and Northend ward:- "A burglary took place at some time between Saturday 30/11/2019 and Monday 02/12/2019 in Lydia Road. The victims were away at the time. Entry was made by smashing the rear patio door window after climbing into the back garden using a wheelie bin. Jewellery was taken. An attempted burglary took place around the corner in Springhead Road on Saturday evening, again, the rear patio door window was smashed, entry was not gained. This is the 4th incident in the past few weeks in the same area. Patrols are being made in all the alleyways that link in to all these roads. CCTV footage from various residents have shown a male trying car door handles between 4am and 5am on Tuesday 02/12. This took place in Rainbow Road and the new development at Egerton Place which is Richmer Road and the dead end part of Slade Green Road. All of the information and footage was sent to us by N.Watch coordinators in Rainbow Road and after a successful meeting with PCSO Mark and Claire from N.Watch, residents at the new development will be setting up a new watch in the next few weeks. Mark attended the Slade Green Big Local Christmas event on Saturday 30/11/2019 where there were many attendees enjoying ice skating, various stalls, raffles, reindeer and Santa's Grotto. If you look closely at the attached picture, the Santa looks slightly familiar!! PCSO's Mark and Adam from each team, were invited to the Slade Green Seniors Cinema Club Christmas event on Monday 02/12/2019 at Slade Green Community Centre where over 90 residents from both wards had drinks and lunch with the Mayor of Bexley and Sir David Evennett, before the residents all sat to watch A Christmas Carol. Our next CCS is on Monday 09/12/2019 from 11am at the café in Forest Road. At 6pm on Sunday 08/12/2019, St Augustines is holding their Carols by Candlelight service. Everyone is welcome to join in singing Carols and listen to the readings. Mark is honoured to be reading the 6th lesson of the service". Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglary - Monday 2/12/19 Walsham Close between 9:30pm – 4:30am suspect/s entered property through front door which may not have been secured as no forced entry seen. Property taken a handbag containing bank cards Driving licence and a notebook containing passwords. It has since come to notice that the cards have been used at 4 different locations. Wallet containing partners bank card and Oyster card also taken. Vehicle Crime - Saturday 30/11/19 Kale Road between 8pm – 10am Victims tyres have been slashed by suspect/s unknown for the third time in under 2 weeks. Good News - PC Nana arrested a female on suspicion of handling stolen goods. Recently there were reports on social media about a female knocking on doors in the Thamesmead and Belvedere areas. If anyone has CCTV or has been a victim of her actions please ring 02087212049". West Heath ward:- "No burglaries have been reported to us over the last week. On Wednesday November 27th between 11am – 5.50pm in Longleigh Lane a front door to a property was damaged and entry gained. An untidy search was conducted and a gold necklace was stolen from a bedroom in the house. Theft of a number of items from a garage in Dryhill Road between Saturday November 2nd and midday on Monday November 3rd. Two high value Jet Ski's a sewing machine and other items were stolen. Theft of number plates from a black Honda Civic parked in Seaton Road overnight on Monday December 2nd 10pm – Tuesday December 3rd. One attempted theft/motor vehicle interference in Woolwich Road Saturday November 30th – Sunday December 1st at 8am. The owner of the vehicle discovered the driver's side door lock had been drilled out. Nothing appeared to have been taken and a screwdriver was found by the vehicle. Last Friday the team spoke to pupils at a local primary school about the role of a Police Officer/Police Community Support Officer. The children got to ask lots of questions and try on pieces of uniform. A great time was had by all".
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