The Carnegie Library.

The photos above were taken by me on Thursday, during the Erith Carnegie Library open day, to allow members of the public a look at the progress of work to restore the historic former library building, and re - open it for public use once again. Unfortunately the weather for most of the day was dull and overcast, so the photos I took of the scaffolding covered exterior of the building were nothing special, but once inside the amount of work that has gone on since last October really became apparent. The interior has been stripped of most of the wall plaster, to allow the brickwork to dry out - before the start of the restoration process, there were parts of the building that had water running down the inside of the walls. Around ninety five percent of the original woodwork has been retained or re - used, and original materials are being used throughout the restoration process. The building manager told me that he was astonished at the quality of materials, and the high standard of workmanship in the original construction, which has made the restoration process more straightforward than had been originally anticipated. Local arts, heritage, community and education group The Exchange will be taking a long term lease on the building from Bexley Council, and hope to open the first phase of The Carnegie Library in the second week of October. The first phase will include the lower ground floor. The ground and upper floors will be opened in further phases, and it is hoped that the entire structure will be fully open and operating by the summer of 2020. It is a very ambitious and technically challenging project, not least in the area of the original Edwardian toilets, which are in remarkably well preserved condition, as you can see in the lower photo above - click on it for a larger version. The tiles used on the wall of the gents are very similar to modern "Subway" style tiles. They have been fitted so closely and accurately that no grout was required between them - the tolerances are so tight. You can also see that to the left of the photo, the tiles have been specially moulded to follow the curves in the wall beneath. This is an extremely labour intensive and expensive method of tiling. The only work carried out so far in this gents toilet is that a worker ran a damp cloth over the tiled surfaces just before the visitor tours began - other than that, the tiles have not been touched in over a hundred years - which just goes to show the very high quality of construction. Some restoration work is required for the plumbing and electrics, and to replace a few damaged or missing tiles, and this will be happening in due course. You can follow the latest news on the restoration of The Carnegie Library and the other projects being planned by The Exchange by visiting their website here.

As many of you know, I am not a sports fan; personally I just don't see the point in running around a muddy field with a bunch of hairy blokes getting all hot, dirty and puffed out. I have been of this opinion since primary school. Because of this I find it curious how quite a large portion of the UK population are currently getting so worked up over the recently started World Cup. I have nothing against this - part of my libertarian philosophy of "If it works for you". But I just cannot empathise with the football fans. It seems like every other TV advert  at present has some World Cup related spin to it; I suppose it is another way of milking the public for yet more money. One thing that does strike me though - have you noticed how many people are flying two England flags from mini poles on each back window of their car? One thing I learned many years ago was that aerodynamic drag is one of the prime contributors to poor fuel economy. I know the amount of drag from two A4 sized nylon flags isn't going to amount to very much, but if you factor in the sheer number of cars involved around the country, I reckon the aggregated cost in additional fuel consumption is going to be substantial. The Chancellor of the Exchequer must be rubbing his hands in glee at the prospect of all the extra fuel duty and VAT that will soon be rolling in. You heard it here first!

Next year will mark the 100th anniversary of the very first transatlantic air flight. What many people are not aware of, is that the local area had a key part in the historic first flight across the Atlantic Ocean. As you may be well aware, the first transatlantic flight was undertaken by British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown in June 1919 - you can see the pair in the photo above - click on it for a larger view. They flew a modified First World War Vickers Vimy bomber from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Clifden, Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The then Secretary of State for Air, Winston Churchill, presented them with the Daily Mail prize for the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by aeroplane in "less than 72 consecutive hours". A small amount of mail was carried on the flight, making it the first transatlantic airmail flight. The two aviators were awarded the honour of Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) a week later by King George V at Windsor Castle. John Alcock was born in 1892 in Basford House on Seymour Grove, Firswood, Manchester, England. Known to his family and friends as "Jack", he first became interested in flying at the age of seventeen and gained his pilot's licence in November 1912. Alcock was a regular competitor in aircraft competitions at Hendon in 1913–14. He became a military pilot during the First World War and was taken prisoner in Turkey after the engines on his Handley Page bomber failed over the Gulf of Seros. After the war, Alcock wanted to continue his flying career and took up the challenge of attempting to be the first to fly directly across the Atlantic. Arthur Whitten Brown was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1886 to American parents, and shortly afterwards the family moved to Manchester. Known to his family and friends as "Teddie", he began his career in engineering before the outbreak of the First World War. Brown also became a prisoner of war, after being shot down over Germany. Once released and back in Britain, Brown continued to develop his aerial navigation skills. In April 1913 the London newspaper the Daily Mail offered a prize of £10,000 to “the aviator who shall first cross the Atlantic in an aeroplane in flight from any point in the United States of America, Canada or Newfoundland and any point in Great Britain or Ireland in 72 continuous hours". The competition was suspended with the outbreak of war in 1914 but reopened after Armistice was declared in 1918. During his imprisonment Alcock had resolved to fly the Atlantic one day, and after the war he approached the Vickers engineering and aviation firm at Weybridge, who had considered entering their Vickers Vimy IV twin-engined bomber in the competition but had not yet found a pilot. Alcock's enthusiasm impressed the Vickers' team and he was appointed as their pilot. Work began on converting the Vimy for the long flight, replacing the bomb racks with extra petrol tanks. Shortly afterwards Brown, who was unemployed, approached Vickers seeking a post and his knowledge of long distance navigation convinced them to take him on as Alcock's navigator. It was not an easy flight. The overloaded aircraft had difficulty taking off the rough field and only barely missed the tops of the trees. At 17:20 the wind-driven electrical generator failed, depriving them of radio contact, their intercom and heating. An exhaust pipe burst shortly afterwards, causing a frightening noise which made conversation impossible without the failed intercom. At 5.00pm they had to fly through thick fog. This was serious because it prevented Brown from being able to navigate using his sextant. Blind flying in fog or cloud should only be undertaken with gyroscopic instruments, which they did not have, and Alcock twice lost control of the aircraft and nearly hit the sea after a spiral dive. Alcock also had to deal with a broken trim control that made the plane become very nose-heavy as fuel was consumed. At 12:15am Brown got a glimpse of the stars and could use his sextant, and found that they were on course. Their electric heating suits had failed, making them very cold in the open cockpit. Then at 3:00am they flew into a large snowstorm. They were drenched by rain, their instruments iced up, and the plane was in danger of icing and becoming unflyable. The carburettors also iced up; it has been said that Brown had to climb out onto the wings to clear the engines, although he made no mention of that. They made landfall in County Galway at 8:40 a.m. on 15 June 1919, not far from their intended landing place, after less than sixteen hours' flying time. The aircraft was damaged upon arrival because of an attempt to land on what appeared from the air to be a suitable green field, but which turned out to be a bog, near Clifden in County Galway in Ireland, but neither of the airmen was hurt. Alcock and Brown became overnight celebrities, and in addition to the Daily Mail award of £10,000, the crew received 2,000 guineas (£2,200) from the Ardath Tobacco Company and £1,000 from Lawrence R. Phillips for being the first British subjects to fly the Atlantic Ocean. Both men were knighted a few days later by King George V. The aeroplane that Alcock and Brown used was a Vickers Vimy - a British heavy bomber aircraft developed and manufactured by Vickers Limited. Developed during the latter stages of the First World War to equip the Royal Air Force (RAF), the Vimy was designed by Reginald Kirshaw "Rex" Pierson, Vickers' chief designer. Only a handful of aircraft had entered service by the time the Armistice of 11 November 1918 came into effect, thus the type was not used in active combat operations during the conflict. Shortly thereafter, the Vimy became the core of the RAF's heavy bomber force throughout the 1920s. The Vimy achieved success as both a military and civil aircraft, the latter using the Vimy Commercial model of the type. A dedicated transport derivative of the Vimy, the Vickers Vernon, became the first dedicated troop transport aircraft to be operated by the RAF. During the interwar period, the Vimy set several notable records for long-distance flights; perhaps the most celebrated and significant of these was the first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, as previously described. Other record-breaking flights were flown using the type from the United Kingdom to destinations such as South Africa and Australia. The Vimy continued to be operated after the conflict as late as the 1930s in both military and civil capacities. On 26 March 1918, the first production contract for 150 aircraft was issued; work on this batch was performed at Vickers' facility in Crayford; as I have previously written, many kinds of armaments were constructed at the production facilities at Vickers Sons and Maxim in both Crayford and Erith - in fact the original factory site constructed by Sir Hiram Maxim in Fraser Road Erith may not now be there - it is now a major manufacturing and distribution centre for BATT Cables, but older local residents will still know the area colloquially as "The Pom Pom" - after the sound the 20mm marine cannons historically manufactured on the site would make whilst being fired on the test range behind the factory. The Crayford site was primarily for vehicle production, including aeroplanes such as the Vickers Vimy. Use of the Vimy extended beyond its original use as a bomber. A dedicated model with greater internal space was developed, known as the Vimy Commercial within the civil market. The Vimy Commercial would see service with the RAF; known as the Vickers Vernon, it became the first dedicated troop transport to be operated by the service. The Vimy was also used as an air ambulance for transporting wounded troops to medical facilities, while some examples were configured to perform record-breaking long distance flights.

Many thanks to Maggot Sandwich reader Miles Burton, who sent me the photo above - click on it for a larger version. It shows the midweek fire that broke out in the large recycling centre across the River Thames in Barking, Essex. Miles had his camera with him whilst he was close to Crossness on the opposite bank of the Thames, and took several shots of the conflagration, which made the local news. It is down to readers like Miles, who send me photos and stories, that I get to cover so many local news events. I get the feeling that some people think that I know everything about what is going on in the local area - which in reality could not be further from the truth; I rely on people telling me things, and passing on news snippets that they feel I, and consequently my readers might find of interest. Please don't think "he will already known about this" if you come across something of interest - I would rather hear the same news from numerous sources than not hear it at all. You can contact me by sending an Email to hugh.neal@gmail.com.

On Monday a friend of mine had her car number plates stolen; she only noticed when she had driven to work, got out of her car and found that both the front and rear plates were missing. She duly reported the matter to the Police, and got some replacement plates the next day. It has come to my notice that local criminals are not just stealing legitimate plates from parked motor vehicles in order to circumvent the automatic number plate recognition system used to charge drivers for using the Dartford River Crossing, but also, and even more worryingly they are also doing it in order to travel into central London without paying the T-Charge penalty applicable to older, more polluting vehicles. The precise number of cars, vans and lorries currently being operated whist displaying false number plates in the local area is unknown. Vehicle number plate theft is now endemic in the local area. Three or four years ago it was a relatively minor issue, but now it is one of the major problems for the Police and local residents. More on this subject in the Neighbourhood Watch reports later in this issue. 

It will be a busy weekend in Bexley on the 23rd and 24th of June, as celebrations will be taking place to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush at the port of Tilbury. This year the annual Mayor of Bexley's civic parade - which runs along Bexleyheath Broadway each year - will concentrate on the contribution the migrant communities have made to the local area over the last seven decades. Many local community groups are involved in organising the event, which is being coordinated by the Reverend Ann Norman, who is the Deacon of Christ Church Erith. Ann has spent months working with Bexley African Caribbean Community Association, The Exchange and staff from Bexley Council to plan and organise the celebration. On Saturday the 23rd, there will be a number of food stalls and a live exhibition displayed along Bexleyheath Broadway. The exhibition will include residents’ stories of migration and settling in Bexley over the years. On Sunday the 24th the annual Mayor's civic parade will take place, which will include several uniformed organisations such as the Scouts and Guides, and St. John Ambulance, amongst others. After a service of celebration at Christ Church in Bexleyheath Broadway, the parade will meet up at the stage at noon for more music, and the signing of the One Bexley Pledge by community leaders. The pledge officially recognises the borough’s commitment to celebrating the unity of Bexley and focusing on what new and existing communities have in common. In an interview with the Bexley Times, Cabinet member for communities, Councillor Alex Sawyer, said: “It is wonderful to see so many of our talented community groups getting involved in the event. We recognise and value the contribution that all our residents have made to the borough and particularly celebrate the contribution of those brave pioneers of the Windrush generation on this 70th anniversary.”

Now for the weekly safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly an account of the Annual General Meeting:- "We had another superb AGM this year which was back at the Bexleyheath United Reform Church in Geddes Place. We used both the church and hall and also had a large drop down screen for presentations. NW Coordinator, Sandra Fox of Burns Close in Slade Green & North End ward, won the Violane Therond award for most proactive Coordinator of 2017/2018. Both our new Borough Commander, Simon Dobinson, and our Patron, James Brokenshire MP, were present and spoke to over 100 of our Coordinators that were in attendance. We also heard from Inspector Kevin Hebdon who along with The Borough Commander assured support for NW and community policing going forward and within the new ward boundaries. Speaking to both those DWOs that attended and our members, it was evident that some evening meetings in the future were needed for Coordinators to meet DWOs and vice-versa. We will try and arrange these meetings over the next few months, possibly as part of our annual coordinator meetings and in agreement with the DWOs so they can be present. A thank you to all our members that attended and to our guests and hard-working DWOs, Nicola Jones & Joyce Barlow, who spoke with a lot of Coordinators at the end of the meeting. A more detailed report including photos and further awards information will be in our Summer newsletter which is due out in a couple of weeks". Now for reports from the various wards; firstly Barnehurst ward:- "Another fantastic week crime wise on the ward with only one crime of note reported, sadly this was a burglary which occurred on Tuesday 5th June between 7am – 10pm in Holmesdale Grove. Suspect(s) have forced open a garage door located in an alleyway at the back of the houses and taken two mountain bikes from inside. One of the bikes was found abandoned in the fields adjacent to Barnehurst Golf Course. The outstanding bike is a Grey Apollo mens 20” mountain bike. The team were contacted about anti-social behaviour and potential drug abuse in and around the Defoe Close area. Proactive patrols both in uniform and plain clothes were conducted which resulted in several stop and searches leading to the arrest of a youth for cannabis possession. As stated previously this behaviour will not be tolerated. If you have any concerns please contact the team and we will do what we can to combat any issues. Please join a member of the team at Barnehurst Golf Course on Thursday 21st June at 11am to discuss any local issues. Finally – we have broken through 500 followers on Twitter, only just with 501. A big thank you to all our followers, Please spread the word the more the merrier, you can also follow the teams antics on face book, just search Barnehurst Police". Belvedere ward:- "A really good news story from the team this week. On 3rd June Inspector Kevin Hebdon from Safer Neighbourhoods attended a burglary call to a commercial premises in Belvedere and took the initial report. From speaking with the victim, he felt the investigation would benefit from being led by the local safer neighbourhood team and as such was passed to us. We obtained CCTV, spoke with neighbours and completed local enquiries quickly identifying people who were present at the time, and as a result the name of the lead suspect. On our patrols of our hotspots on the ward on 8th June we stopped a young male less than 10 metres from the venue of the burglary. He provided his details and the team were satisfied this male was the suspect from the burglary. He was searched, taken home and interviewed regarding the incident. In less than a week the burglar was apprehended and has now been reprimanded and is to engage with numerous agencies. Swift action and intervention has had a huge impact on the victim as well as the suspect and their family. Further to this, the team changed shifts to work later over the weekend following reports of various ASB issues. 1 Community Protection Notice warning and 2 Acceptable Behaviour Contracts have been issued in regards to one issue meaning that the recipients have rules and guidance to follow to prevent them from causing ASB. We also stopped a group of 9 street drinkers in Picardy Street on Friday, 4 street drinkers on Saturday, as well as one male for public urination – he has been referred to the council for the matter to be escalated. Another group of 5 were stopped for loitering in a private residential area with no cause to be in the area". Bexleyheath ward:- "We are happy to mention that we have had no reported burglaries or attempted burglaries on the ward. We recently took part in a initiative that was held on the 9th June 2018 along the Broadway, this was in aid of Bike Week. We had managed to property mark peoples push bikes using Bike Register. There was also a stall to help recruit more Special Constables as well as crime prevention stalls and promoting road safety awareness. It was a great success and hopefully we will be able to hold more events like this more often. Along the Broadway on the 09/06/2018 – We had a report of a theft of bag that was taken from the victim whilst they placed the bag on the floor. We have had two theft of motor vehicles recently. One was on the 11/06/2018 along Belvedere Road, personal items taken from inside the vehicle. The other one was reported on Oakhouse Road between 10/06/2018 and 12/06/2018, tow bar was stolen from the vehicle. We have had one arrested on the Broadway for Theft/Shoplifting as well as assault on Police and a female arrested for ABH – Actual Bodily Harm. On the 12/06/2018 The team was on patrol along the Broadway and had one male stopped on a push bike that was stolen and the matter is now being investigated and the Male shall also be issued with a fine for riding on a public footpath. The bike was returned to the rightful owner and was bike marked using Bike Register in case it is reported stolen again to help easily identify the owners. The team still continue to patrol areas on the ward in relation to ASB and areas reported to us for drugs. These patrols would include the park areas as now the weather is getting better and there was reports of graffiti. Reports have also been reported to us in relation to anti-social behaviour in Brayside Crescent Bexleyheath. Patrols are being conducted as much as possible to resolve the issue". Crayford ward:- "Between 20.00 on Monday 4th June and 10.10 on Thursday 7th June the number plate was stolen from a blue Yamaha XJ6 parked in Barnes Cray Road, the owner recalls seeing the pillion rider of a moped near his drive. Between 07.00 on Saturday 2nd June and 15.30 on Thursday 7th June the front number plate was stolen from a Peugeot 207 whilst parked outside 73 Swaisland Drive, Crayford. On Saturday 9th June at about 3.25 police were called to a fight in Shearswood Crescent, on arrival no one was seen fighting or made themselves known as a victim. But a white Mercedes parked on a driveway had a damaged windscreen, no suspect could be identified. On Friday 8th June between 18.15 and 22.45 a Blue Suzuki Swift had the rear and front number plates stolen from Maiden Lane close to Barnes Cray Road. We would recommend anti-theft screws for number plates to reduce the chances of this crime happening, they are easily available and easy to fit. On Friday 8th June at 11.15 an elderly lady used her bank card at the cashpoint outside Sainsburys, went in to the store and once at the tills no longer had the wallet. They did not feel, see or hear the suspect take the wallet. The suspect tried to use the card but it was declined as it had already been reported to the bank. On Sunday 10th June at approximately 23.45 there was an attempted burglary at Heathview Road. The victim recalls hearing a noise by the front door at that time but didn’t investigate until the morning, realising then that there were tool marks around the door frame. Entry was not gained, nothing was taken. This is a very good example of having well-fitting doors, good locks and using them. On Friday 8th June between 16.00-16.30 a Black VW Transporter was parked in Maiden Lane, the owner returned to find a long scratch across the front causing £2000 of damage. Fortunately the vehicle had a dash cam and the suspect has since been identified and arrest enquiries pending. A red Vauxhall Astra, number plate EA55BCF was involved in a road traffic accident in Crayford Road close to Heath Road on Saturday 2nd June and the rear wheel on the driver’s side was badly damaged. The owner returned on Saturday 9th June and the vehicle had been removed believed stolen. Due to the damage the vehicle would have needed to be lifted as it could not be driven or towed. On Thursday 7th June at 16.45 a lady was walking along Station Road when she was approached by five teenage Males on bicycles, one attempted to snatch her bag but she held on to it and they rode off shouting abuse at her. Thankfully she was not harmed. It is a good idea to have a bag across the body rather than over the shoulder, or to keep the bag as close to the wall rather than pavement as possible to reduce the risk of having it snatched. PCSO John Cullingham and I have been busy patrolling the ward this week and have spoken to lots of our residents about their concerns, especially in the Dale Road area". Erith ward:- "We now have a new Sergeant PS Glenn Turner who has taken over on Erith. We have been patrolling Erith Park most days we are in and are working with the housing officers for the area. The Erith Fun Day is on 7th July – we will be there hopefully teaming up with the Bexley Neighbourhood watch on their stall. We have had reports of Youths riding at speed round Galleons close all weekend from 6 to 7pm at night, no helmets or protection. Putting children and car drivers at risk of serious injury. We are looking in to ways of cracking down on this. A lot of plan clothing patrols have been happening in Erith over the last few weeks". Northumberland Heath ward:- "There have been no reported burglaries across the ward this week. The team have been busy dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour that has been reported in Northumberland Heath Rec Ground where a number of youths have been stopped and several were taken home. The team are working with Bexley Council around this issue as well. We have requested a CCTV camera to be put up covering the car park and also for the wall that the youths sit on to be altered. The team have conducted sixteen Stop and Searches in the last week which resulted in the seizure of cannabis and prosecution of seven individuals. The team have also been involved in a noise issue raised by residents. We have visited the address in question on several occasions and also liaised with the letting agents to deal with the problem". Slade Green and North End ward:- "No burglaries reported on our ward in the last week and only 2 vehicle crimes. Overnight on Monday/Tuesday 11/12 June a wallet was stolen from inside a car in Raleigh Close(all the cards have now been cancelled after they were used), no damage to the car although the owner is adamant the vehicle was left locked. Please ensure you check your car is locked after parking. A car was set on fire in Appold Street around 6.30pm on Tuesday 12 June but it had no number plates on so the owner is yet to be traced. Nobody was injured. PC Brookes-Smith and PC Telfer have had several stop and searches across the ward in the last week. 2 of these searches led to fines being issued for drug offences and another led to a cannabis warning being given. They continue their robust daily patrols and are also doing some plain clothes patrols also to target hotspot areas. PCSO Mark has attended the Little Daydreams Nursery at Orchard House this week and had lots of fun engaging with the children and answering their questions. Sergeant Glenn Turner has this week taken over the reins managing our team as well as managing Erith and North Heath wards". Thamesmead East ward:- "Good News No burglaries to report this week. Motor Vehicle crime There have been several reports. On Wednesday 06/06/18 between the hours of 08:00 and 12:00, a motor vehicle was stolen from Courtland Grove. A vehicle was damaged in Thamesbank Place during Thursday morning of the 07/06/18.During the early hours of Saturday morning 09/06/18 number plates were stolen from a vehicle parked in Bayliss Avenue. Other crimes Over night of Friday 08/06/18 and Saturday 09/06/18 an adult’s pedal cycle padlocked with children’s cycles was stolen from the back garden of a property in Haldane Road. Further News The male found in possession of drugs paraphernalia was interviewed by PC Pruden at the Thamesmead East police office, the male received a Community Resolution, which means, it is a low-level crime, the crime is recorded, the person has to admit/agree to the offence and sign the form. All this without the need for a court appearance. On Friday 22nd June, a Police Surgery will be held at the Thamesmead Library, Bazalgette Way between 3 - 4pm. Feel free to drop in".

The end video this week features a time lapse video showing the construction of the controversial "Belvedere Beach", which replaced the Belvedere Splash Park, despite vocal opposition from many local residents. Please feel to leave a comment below, or alternatively you can Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The Lighthouse opens.

The photos above were taken at the Erith Lighthouse launch party on Thursday evening, to which I was invited. The event marked the start of special pop - up restaurants, social activities and other community events that have been organised by a number of local organisations to promote creative arts and community cohesion in and around Erith, and also to promote the riverside town to the residents of other parts of the London Borough of Bexley and further afield. You can read more about the programme of events by clicking here. I was quite flattered to be issued with a press pass on my arrival at the Riverside Gardens just prior to the start of the free party. I was expecting to be able to quietly take some photographs of the event, pretty much unnoticed, but it was not to be the case - the organisers were ready and waiting for me. It was a lovely evening following the torrential rain from the day before, and a crowd of around a hundred people, including the Mayor of Bexley, a number of local councillors and Local MP Teresa Pearce were in attendance. Despite my concerns regarding the price of the pop - up restaurants over the next couple of weeks, most of the nightly bookings have already sold out, which is very encouraging.  One of the groups behind the series of events is local arts and culture commissioning group The Exchange. They have made the following announcement:- "Artist Julia Snowdin and arts group The Exchange, are looking for people to take part in some FREE workshops, suitable for all ages and abilities, to help create ‘Changing Sails’ – a new art installation that will be installed on Erith Pier in September. The workshops will take place on 17 and 18 August at Erith Library. At the workshops, participants will explore their own memories and stories of Erith, and discuss its past as pleasure resort and industrial centre. Participants will then work with Julia to create patterns and shapes that represent these stories. These shapes will then be drawn onto large ship sails, which will be hung on Erith pier in September. To book for these workshops, click here. Artist Julia Snowdin was chosen by public vote to be the first artist to reimagine the unique location of Erith Pier for the inaugural Pier Commission. Changing Sails will celebrate the ever-changing nature and dynamic history of the pier through the installation of decorated sails that will animate the space with the wind and light of the Thames. The project has been sponsored by Orbit and Wates Residential, and is organised by The Exchange – the group working with Bexley Council to reopen Erith’s Carnegie Library as a space for creativity and imagination. Caroline Field, Regeneration Manager at Orbit, said: “Having worked in partnership with Wates Residential on the regeneration of Larner Road into the award-winning Erith Park, we understand our role in place making and the role our developments can play in regenerating the wider locality and this is why we are sponsoring this fantastic event, celebrating culture and creativity in Erith. We can’t wait to see Julia’s inspired concept transform the Pier.” Paul Nicholls, Managing Director at Wates Residential South, said: “We were really impressed with the standard of entries for this Commission and delighted that we could be involved in it with our partners. I’m now really looking forward to Julia’s designs coming to fruition and bringing the Pier back to life.” London Borough of Bexley’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Growth, Cllr Linda Bailey said: “Congratulations to Julia for being the first artist chosen by the public to install work at our fantastic Erith Pier. What is especially exciting are her plans to involve the local community in creating this original piece. Erith has a fantastic past and an exciting future and we hope that this artwork will set the scene for all the great things happening in the town.”

This week I have had a response to the recent articles I posted in respect of the Bexley Council growth proposal. Local resident Jenni White writes:- "As a Slade Green  resident of 45 years, I feel as most local people, that we have not been well served by Bexley council so are suspicious of any new plans.  There was no scale on the map provided but I can see clearly my own home is in the transition zone.  I am very concerned about this as normally this would mean compulsory purchase. If this is not the case why have they shown my home is in orange as it lays beside the railway line. I support the leaflet issued as it was based on the information provided by Bexley and referenced back to their document throughout. Some statements made by Bexley council in their Growth Plan, I feel are are inflammatory and untrue. They aim to provide ‘the renewal of  poor quality housing’. There are many sturdy houses built in the 1950’s and railway workers cottages which are part of our industrial heritage. There may be ‘pockets’ of lower quality, but very little. They talk of a new high street of shops.  Why is this when we have opposite the station a post office café chemist and store.  I feel it is because they want to use the current shop area and station entrance for the 15 storey blocks they propose ( a focussed cluster of towers up to 15 storeys.)This will be totally out of keeping with the area as a whole. What is proposed or promised is not what is achieved. We are to lose a ward councillor in the boundary changes. This also means a reduction in police/pcso numbers.  Why then are they planning to add 8,000 or more homes. (In this Northend ward part of Manor Road, Erith is included). Some new homes of the Growth strategy in the area have been counted into the Erith figures meaning we shall have even more homes in the ward. There is only one dual carriageway A206 Northend Road leading into Slade Green and 3 single carriage roads to bring traffic in and out of the area. When there are A206 A2 or M25 delays these roads are at a standstill. When lorries try to short cut around the A206 again there is gridlock. Pollution levels are not monitored by the Council on this road.  Over several years local NO2 testing has consistently shown levels nearing double the maximum EU levels recommended. Residents were initially consulted at the Howbury redevelopment planning. They asked for more roads, a new road was suggested to serve the site from Erith. It was not built.  The land of the Howbury centre was sold and the majority of the money generated is used not in Slade Green a designated area of deprivation, but went to finance the new town hall -£10 million of the 13 million. The community centre was shut down and a new one put in the middle of the new development with no bus service and a long walk from the original central community centre, which was opposite the bus stop. No new doctors surgery was built for the new site incomers as requested.  Already the 1 remaining surgery is full and a notice states only 1 problem per visit. I had to go outside Slade Green when the other local surgery closed years ago. This practice is now also shutting down. Other locals attend at least 2 other surgeries outside because there is no space. (Bexley has one of the worst GP to patient ratios in the whole of Greater London.)  Where are all the people from the current building phases going to go. We need more surgeries now not in 20 years’ time. The library was disposed of by the council, but a local community bid to run it was rejected. (Bexley send planning documents to its' own libraries but not now to Slade Green.)  We do not get the News Shopper delivered any more. I and people living in other roads, are still waiting for the supposed Bexley magazine which gave information about the growth strategy. I have not seen it. So we have to rely on hearsay as no channels of publication from Bexley council have reached me. The council said they were too busy to run a consultation at Slade Green in the original schedule but other areas with only a few new homes such as Sidcup and Bexleyheath got a roadshow. Only 8,000 homes proposed here, the same as Belvedere who had 2 visits from a mobile van, yet they did not have time to come to us. Parking is a major problem in the small roads. Every new site brings more cars than can be accommodated. Rainbow Road residents park in Slade Green Road. There are even people from  the Erith Park estate who are parking in Slade Green.  This is before the Egerton Place and Sportsman / football pitch plans are finalised and possible 700 more homes constructed. The roads cannot take the current volume, never mind the new areas in planning and in the Growth strategy. Network rail are proposing to run trains only to Cannon Street on the Greenwich line. Why has the council not acted to ensure we have the same level of service as the Bexley / Sidcup line. Historically we had ‘some services’ to Cannon  Street. Why should we now be restricted only to 1 London terminal, especially if there are another 8,000 new homes".  Jenni raises some interesting and thought provoking points in her piece; what do you think? Please feel free to leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

There has been much controversy and bad feeling since the Belvedere Beach opened; the bad feeling seems to mainly break down into two issues. The first of these is the general feeling that some irresponsible parents are allowing their offspring to run riot in the park, trample on the newly planted flower beds, throw rubbish around and generally make life difficult for other Beach users. There has been a very vociferous and somewhat nasty talkback running on the News Shopper website for the last couple of weeks which, apart from the usual suspects - trolls that post nasty comments on pretty much every talkback on the News Shopper website. This time there were a large number of comments from people who do not usually leave comments - it would seem that feelings have been running somewhat high on the subject. The News Shopper also feature a well reasoned letter from a reader which summarises the problem pretty well:- "I visited the new Belvedere Beach on Thursday, July 27 (the opening day) and what a lovely play park it is. Bexley Council have clearly spent a lot of money and everything is very well done and thought out. What saddened me was how little respect people treat it with. I went towards the end of the first day and already the park and the playground was full of litter and bottles that had been thrown on the floor even though there were many bins in the park. I saw a young girl (no older than 10) squirting foundation make-up in the water and boys trampling all over the new plants and pulling the leaves and branches off. I also took my son again on Monday and sadly I saw much the same, with parents who seem to turn a blind eye. There is already a plastic bottle stuck in one of the wooden tubes that feeds water through the water play area. Parents please teach your children to put their own rubbish in the bins provided or clean up after them. Teach them that running all over plants means that they will die and teach them to have respect for the play equipment and their surroundings. When councils are all having massive funding cuts why should they have to keep paying for others to clean the litter and keep repairing equipment that just shouldn’t be broken or ruined in the first place? When the council decides not to funds new playgrounds and shuts things down you will only have yourselves to blame". Several other News Shopper readers make similar observations, some with rather more salty language, I am afraid. The second legitimate point made by other readers is the whole legitimacy of the Belvedere Beach; one reader observes the following:- "How to get rid of the wonderful, historic landmark known as Belvedere Lido? Phase 1. Do away with the hugely popular and great for families Splash Park (that I personally thought wasn't as good as a the huge, fun and blue shallow pool.) Phase 2. Was to fool the public into thinking that this 'Beach Playground' is going to be 'wonderful and just what Belvedere needed' (instead of the Splash Park that was!) Phase 3. Will be to say that this 'Beach Playground' doesn't work so what could be done with it? Phase 4 will be lets build some houses on it. Hang your head in shame Bexley Council! Whatever cuts had to be made in the Borough of Bexley, it should NEVER EVER ended up with the closure of the Splash Park!" I think local councillors such as Peter Craske underestimate the depth and strength of feeling over the enforced closure of the Splash Park, and think local residents will be easily won over. I suspect that this in truth could not be very much further from the fact.

I recall that another very well attended local event was cut by Bexley Council back in 2014 using the excuse that the location was waterlogged and unsuitable for use, which turned out to be untrue. The free Danson Festival was axed because the council did not want to spend any money on it - even though I understand it had historically operated with a modest profit, and had been the subject of extensive financial sponsorship by Cory Environmental. Instead the council sold the rights to a commercial operator called Oakleigh Fairs who now runs a for profit event called The Danson Park Country Fair, which charges £7.50 per adult and £3 per child on the gate. No problems with ground water or drainage have been reported subsequently, which is convenient. The most recent fair was held on the 1st and 2nd July. From all accounts, the fair is OK, if a little pricey for what is on offer, but it is cheaper than a family outing to the cinema. What I find interesting and instructive is that from the location of Pewty Acres, if one consults a map looking Northwards across the River Thames, one can see Harrow Lodge Park in Hornchurch, which is a large park with a lake of very similar size and makeup to Danson Park, and (as the crow flies, at the very least) approximately equidistant to Erith. After a little research, I have discovered that The London Borough of Havering operate a totally free festival each August Bank Holiday; including a number of big name acts playing on a number of stages. You can read all about the acts playing over the weekend by clicking here. Don't forget that this show is completely free to attend. I wonder how Havering council can afford to run such a high profile event, when their resident demographic is broadly similar to Bexley? If you have any insight into this, please get in contact with me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The photo above is of the EPB Preservation Group Owned EMU unit 5759 (Electric Slam Door Train) which used to run from the Slade Green Depot taking commuters to London and home. Following the article on the recent Slade Green Train Depot open day reported by local transport enthusiast Dana Wiffen last week, and the interest that article generated, here is a follow - up piece:-"Sadly the plight of Electric Train Preservation, which has always come in a poor 3rd under Steam and Diesel, with news that The Electric Railway Museum near to Coventry Airport has been given notice to leave its site by October 8th 2017. With no electric 3rd rail preserved sites in the UK, many preserved electric carriages are just used by other heritage railways to be pulled by either steam or diesel locos. What has been needed for some time now is a 3rd rail preserved railway that will allow these trains to run as they were intended and to enable them to be restored and maintained. The Electric Railway Museum is the only place where there is on display a good cross section of the types of electric trains that ran in the UK. The museums final event days will be on the 9th and 10th of September when they will hold a Heritage Open Weekend, they will remain open to visitors until the closure date. This is basically an appeal to either Network Rail or another preservation group that feels that its future could lie in electric train preservation, all the preservation groups which only totals 4 including the museum need a base. Newhaven Harbour and Marine Railway Stations in East Sussex near to Brighton could be a site the line is rarely used, some of the stations are closed and I believe there is a third rail, does anyone know if they have sidings and unused storage sheds? Alternatively what is needed is somewhere large to store these electric trains and somewhere to work on them with preferable public access and even somewhere where they could run, perhaps a rarely used network line such as mentioned above could be the answer or some old sidings with depots could also help perhaps to bring all the groups together under one roof to ensure these trains are not lost forever. One thing for sure is that the museum needs somewhere else to go as soon as possible, their stock must not be broken up, if anyone out there would like to offer their assistance or become a member of any of these electric preservation groups then please offer to help now".

A free trial of a new MBNA Thames Clippers route for commuters will take place over four days in September. The service will travel from Gravesend to central London and back again from Monday, September 11 until Thursday, September 14. All journeys during the trial period will be free as MBNA Thames Clippers assess how much demand there is for the route. MBNA Thames Clippers chief executive, Sean Collins, said in an interview with The Wharf newspaper that:- “We are committed to growing the river bus network in London and further east throughout the port. “We want as many commuters as possible to realise the huge benefits in terms of speed, comfort and frequency of travelling by river in London. We are optimistic about the volume of customers opting to trial the new service and hope to soon be able to offer Gravesend even greater transport links permanently.” The service will leave Gravesend Town Pier at 7.15am, calling at Canary Wharf Pier at 8.03am, Tower Pier at 8.13am, Blackfriars Pier at 8.19am and Embankment Pier at 8.25am. In the evenings, the boat will leave Embankment Pier at 5.40pm, calling at Blackfriars Pier at 5.46pm, Tower Pier at 5.52pm, Canary Wharf Pier at 6.02pm and arriving back in Gravesend at 6.50pm. The clipper will NOT be stopping at Erith Pier, unfortunately.  In the past local MP Teresa Pearce has campaigned to get the Thames Clipper ships to call at Erith Pier, but there have been two main obstructions to this; the first is that the pier does not project out far enough into the River Thames to allow boat access at low tide - the pier "dries out" at low tide, meaning that the river bottom mud is exposed. The only way around this would be to construct a large free floating pontoon connected to the point on the pier furthest from the shore, and projecting out into the deeper channel of the river. This would involve significant expense, and potentially create a hazard to other shipping. Secondly, the pier is owned by Morrison's supermarket, and they don't want it used for commuting, as they don't want people using their car park and not shopping in the supermarket. It is a great pity, as the journey from Erith to Canary Wharf would only take around 35 minutes. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The photo above was released by Bexley Police this week; it shows a suspect that they wished to interview regarding the theft of a large quantity of cash from the handbag of a 90 year old woman who had just visited Barclay's Bank in Erith Riverside Shopping Centre. The elderly lady had accidentally left her bag on a bench seat for a few moments when the money was stolen. Some good news - once the suspect realised that he had been recorded on camera, he subsequently handed himself in to the Police. Just once it is good to have a happy ending - if not for the guilty party.

Another crime related story; it may not be well known, but many local churches are changing their long term policy of keeping closed for most of the time when services and other activities are not ongoing. The original reason for this was that they were concerned about crime – especially thefts occurring if the building was open, but not well staffed. In an about – turn, it has now been decided that opening to the public for as much time as possible is actually a better option – it is felt that allowing the public access to the churches fulfils their intended role, and also, with more people around, this is likely to more effectively deter potential criminals. This week Police are seeking a thief who has absconded after being charged with stealing an audio amplifier and sound mixer from Christ Church Erith last year. The thief, Barry Kenny was due to appear at Bromley Magistrate’s Court last Wednesday, but he did not turn up. A warrant has now been issued for his arrest. It is not the first time that he has done this – he was previously charged with failing to appear before a court on the 22nd June. I would imagine that he may be quite difficult to track down, as I understand he is of no fixed abode. I also wonder if Barry Kenny had anything to do with the theft of a push bike from outside of Christ Church last year? A helper at the Friends of Christ Church "Our Erith" art exhibition popped into the church to drop off a couple of items – he was away from his bike for no more than five minutes, but when he emerged from the building, the bike was gone. The grounds of Christ Church are extensive, and the bike was parked well away from the road, and not that easily visible to passers-by. I wonder if some miscreant had the building under observation? I doubt that we will ever know for certain. Unfortunately the bike was never recovered, even though it was security marked. Thefts of this kind are a problem in a lot of areas; it seems to be a sad fact that one of the best ways to combat it is by the widespread use of CCTV systems – as has proved with the cash theft incident in the Erith Riverside Shopping Centre that I reported earlier in this update.

Very much at the last minute, I received the following announcement:- "This summer, August 19th, Erith Rowing Club in conjunction with Gravesend Rowing Club is hosting a 500m sprint regatta to be held in the beautiful and historic surroundings of Danson Park. It has been around thirty years since this event has been held and with the full backing of British Rowing, this year will be a private regatta, by invitation only, with a full regatta, open invitation, proposed in summer 2018. It is very exciting to have the regatta back as it is the only British Rowing regatta in the south-east region. The clubs invited to this event are Globe Rowing Club, Lea Rowing Club, Medway Towns Rowing Club and Maidstone Invicta Rowing Club making a six-club regatta. The event is also honoured by the presence of our award presenter, Naomi Riches MBE, gold medal winning Paralympic rower. It should be a fantastic day of racing and a great spectacle to watch for rowers and non-rowers, so spectators are more than welcome to come along. The park is open to all with no entry fee. Racing starts at 10.00am".

Much has been written in the press over the last week or so in relation to the proposed development of the parcel or brownfield land adjacent to the college building in Walnut Tree Road. The site, which originally formed part of Erith Tram Depot until it was demolished in the late 1970’s was originally proposed to be the site for the new Bexley Council offices. As has been very well covered by Malcolm Knight of Bexley is Bonkers – but this was an idea that was never likely to have taken off. The councillors would not have wanted to commute to Erith – which many of them regard as a remote and undesirable half – forgotten corner of the borough which they would rather not think about. Instead the parcel of land is to be some form of housing, though at this point plans are very much in the early stage. The site will be a prime one – close to the town centre, bus stops and the station, views of the River Thames and close to the A2, M25 and the South Circular. The only major downside of the location is the flanking dual carriageway of Bronze Age Way, and the 24/7 traffic that it carries. I wonder if the construction of another residential area in the centre of Erith will finally galvanise Network Rail to install a lift at Erith Station – after all, Bexleyheath Station has a lift, yet it has no real need for one, as there is an existing step – free road bridge at each end of the platform. Local MP Teresa Pearce has campaigned for several years to get step free access at Erith Station but thus far to no avail. Hopefully this issue can be revisited as part of the further redevelopment and expansion of the riverside town.

The ending video this week comes courtesy of local resident and Maggot Sandwich reader Miles Burton, who sent me a link to a video he made very recently on Erith Pier at night, using his drone and a video camera. Just for once Erith looks rather glamorous, and just a little bit like Las Vegas - give it a watch and see what you think; Please leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

The Belvedere Beach.

It would seem that Bexley Council have taken on board the recent protests by residents of Slade Green and parts of Erith in regard of the Bexley Growth Consultation proposal that I featured a couple of weeks ago. It looks very much like the council regard themselves as "being caught on the back foot" following the rather inflammatory protest leaflet that was delivered to the letter boxes of a large number of roads potentially allegedly affected by the proposed changes. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, the lurid claims made in the leaflet have now been investigated, and I have come to the conclusion that they are for the most part pretty far – fetched. I have had private words with a number of people involved with the Bexley Growth Consultation proposal, and off the record it has been said that it is pretty much a “sticking a finger in the air” exercise at present, and that a lot of the suggestions included in the report will never see the light of day, and those that do may not happen for decades. The protest leaflet looks like a classic piece of scare mongering - a case of "never let the facts get in the way of a good story". The new Council leaflet has a wording that definitely reflects the concerns that have been voiced by concerned local residents who have been persuaded by the original inflammatory leaflet that their houses are only months away from being compulsorily purchased and then bulldozed, which could not be any further from the truth. I think the underlying reason for the level of panic is due to the understandable insecurity of many Slade Green and Erith residents. Many are not wealthy, and don't feel that they have any real say in local events. Historically the North of the London Borough of Bexley has been the industrial / manufacturing heart of the area, and where the less privileged members of society tended to live. If one looks at the demographic breakdown of the borough, the Northern areas of Erith and Slade Green shows a higher than average number of residents receiving benefits, and / or being paid the National Living Wage. The people feel disenfranchised, and completely out of control of their local environment. I think this is the reason for the very strong protests at the perceived changes in the original, poorly worded Council proposal document. I do think that whoever created the original protest document may have done so with the best of intentions, but the end result has not been very constructive, and has worried people unnecessarily. The website of Slade Green Together have a far more measured and realistic analysis of the Bexley Growth Consultation proposal, which you can read by clicking here. There has been a major setback to the Bexley Growth Consultation Plans in their current form - and a great victory for the campaign to preserve Crayford and Slade Green Marshes. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has vetoed the proposed massive 149 acre rail marshalling yard, warehousing and a bridge over the River Cray. The development had been approved by Bexley Council (no surprises there) but blocked by Dartford Council - who share administration over the marshes. In a letter to Bexley Council, Sadiq Khan said: “Having now considered a report on this case, I do not consider the proposal would achieve the modal shifts from road to rail freight within London envisaged within my Draft Transport Strategy, and therefore there are not demonstrable benefits for London which would outweigh the loss of London’s Green Belt. I direct you to refuse planning permission, under the powers conferred on me by article 6 of the above Order. The proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt and very special circumstances have not been demonstrated which would clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm.” A significant portion of Bexley's regeneration plans were centred around development of the marshes, and the associated construction in and around Slade Green. I get the feeling that much of these plans will now need to be substantially revisited following the decision of the Mayor of London, which overrides that of the individual boroughs by statute. 

In a move that many long - term readers may see as supremely ironic, The local studies and archive centre located on the upper floor of Bexleyheath Library has just won a national accreditation. Bexley’s Local Studies and Archive Centre has been awarded Archive Service Accreditation. The service has met defined national standards relating to management and resourcing, the care of its unique collections and what it offers to its wide range of users. In an interview with the Bexley Times,  Councillor Peter Craske said:- “Local people are proud of the borough and its past and the centre works with people if all ages to help them appreciate our rich culture and history. The team’s passion and enthusiasm is clear to anyone who uses the service or visits the centre and I am delighted that their hard work has been recognised". Those readers with a long memory will recall that I highlighted the threat to merge Bexley local / historical records with Bromley back in October 2013; you can read what I wrote at the time by clicking here. It is instructive to note how Bexley Council can go from wanting to close the archive facility less than four years ago - albeit to a storm of protest, to now taking credit for the unit now being awarded a prestigious accreditation now. Craske and his cronies seem to underestimate local people who recall how the councillors acted back in the day. It would appear in this case the council now wish to take credit for saving something that they actively tried to destroy. 

You may recall that a couple of weeks ago I asked if anyone knew what had happened to renowned local fisherman Dave Pearce, who had been the last commercial Eel fisherman on the River Thames. I was extremely surprised to get an Email from the man himself - it turns out that he is a long time Maggot Sandwich reader. Dave writes:- "How I became the last eel fisherman by Dave Pearce. Fishing was in my blood; my great grandfather. Owned several fishing boats fishing out of Erith in the mid 1800s,  and a wet fish shop. Skip a generation. My two uncles. Ron and Bill Dott both well known in Erith. took up fishing. Bill fishing and Ron making gear and repairing it. The boats. from a early age, 3 or 4 I was always with them - boats and fishing was my life. I loved it; at a young age Ron and I built the Harry Boy a 35 foot trawler that I fished in the Thames, regularly landing fish in Erith. One day I saw someone eeling in long reach  had a chat with them and thought I'd have a go - that was 1990 ish  and I did OK. I had a mate with me called Gary Cochran - we both liked the life - you had to, as it was dirty hard work with odd hours. We fished 6 days a week and too the eels to Billingsgate on a Tuesday morning. The season was from April till end of November always glad to pack up by then as  the back usually hurt by then, but after a few weeks I couldn't wait to start again. When I started there were 12 teams eeling between Tower Bridge and Canvey Island. They gradually packed up or retired, but I still loved it I also got to work at The Natural History Museum doing fish surveys. About 2010 I started to slow down eel fishing  and doing other work still on the river that I love. If you see a red workboat going past Erith it's probably me. I would say about  2014/5 I packed up eel fishing. Very sad time I was probably the last fisherman out of Erith. In those years I learned a lot about eels and the river of no use to anyone but me. Never say never! I still own a fishing boat, got my nets, and I am still licenced to fish eels. One day one day I hope to wet a net again . I could go on for ages about  the good days I well remember and the bad days I sooner forget. but I guess I have said enough already, so over and out. Dave Pearce". Excellent stuff, and really fascinating reading; I hope to see Dave back out in his little work boat soon. Please feel free to leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The controversial Belvedere Beach play area in Woolwich Road, Upper Belvedere opened on Thursday of last week. It takes the place of the incredibly popular and well used Belvedere Splash Park that was closed down two years ago after much wrangling and anger from local residents. A campaign was set up to preserve the Splash Park, but Bexley Council chose to ignore the overwhelming opposition to the park closure. The Belvedere Beach is a sort of compromise; some of the features of the old park have been retained, but the overall new park layout is substantially different; what the children and their parents will make of the Belvedere Beach remains to be seen. In a not unexpected move, local Councillor Peter Craske (remember him from earlier?) said in an interview in the News Shopper that "Belvedere Beach is a tremendous landmark that will be here for years to come. Both contemporary and unique, children of all abilities will be able to take part in themed, imaginary play, and with the on-site facilities, families can now stay and play for longer. The new playground will also be open all year round and is yet another reason to come and visit our fantastic borough. I am looking forward to the opening next week and hope to see lots of people there!" Craske seems to turn up for the opening of an envelope, so I suppose the comments are really just to be expected. Upon the opening, he was quoted in the News Shopper as saying:- "I’d like to thank all those involved in this project for everything you have done to turn what was an idea on a piece of paper into reality, creating something unique - not just for Bexley but beyond that too. Without the funding from Cory Environmental Trust, strong team work and creativity that everyone involved has shown we would not have a playground of this incredibly high standard that is opening well ahead of schedule and in time for the school holidays. I'm so proud of what you have all achieved". He really does seem to be everywhere. If you have visited the revamped park, do let me know what you think of it. Does it live up to the hype?

The photo above shows a fly tipped fridge / freezer which was illegally dumped in Hind Crescent, close to the entrance to The Urgent Care Unit at Erith Hospital. The person who took the photograph noted that the fridge / freezer was right in the middle of the footpath, and anyone with a visual disability might well trip over it and possibly injure themselves on the sharp and rusty exposed metal. I know that I am far from being alone in wanting far more rigorous enforcement of fly tipping; the discredited company Kingdom Services supposedly enforcing the litter ban in Bexleyheath Broadway might be more productive if they were to patrol the streets of the borough to catch and prosecute the commercial fly tippers. Whilst much of the UK suffers from problems of this nature, the issue in South East London and North Kent seems to be especially bad.

Local arts and design commissioning group The Exchange invited proposals from practitioners with ideas to transform London’s longest pier in Erith into a piece of art for the period of the Totally Thames Festival 2017 in September. 75 artists, designers, architects, performers and creatives submitted ideas to use this newest and most unique public art space. Submissions came from all over the world and the quality was exceptional. The judging panel – that included The Exchange, sponsors Orbit and Wates Residential, local artists Guy Tarrant and Gary Drostle, The Decorators (responsible for Erith Lighthouse), Totally Thames, and the Port of London Authority – whittled the list down to four applicants. These four final ideas were then put out to public vote, that was collected online and in Erith Library, which finished on Friday. Julia Snowdin’s ‘Changing Sails’ aimed to work with the community to decorate ships’ sails that would hang around the pier; The City Art’s Doctors proposed to create listening posts, shaped like clay pipes, which would project stories of Erith; Oliver Palmer wanted to recreate Callender’s Cable Works Brass Band with a sound installation and performances; and Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs proposed to create urban auricles that would amplify the sounds of the Thames and industrial Erith. The result of the public vote will be published on Monday. More information can be found by clicking here. The piece will be installed by 6 September, to tie in with the Totally Thames Festival and the Erith Lighthouse project. This will be a major cultural and social event in Erith - something that we have not had before; I for one am very excited by the various projects and will be covering them in some extensive detail - watch this space.

A story was published in the Bexley Times last week which I understand has annoyed many people, and I can fully understand why. Despite a London-wide focus on the behaviour and a spate of moped-related acid and knife attacks earlier this month, Detective Inspector Dawn Morris has said police cannot always pursue every suspicious moped rider. “Our officers have to consider whether chasing after a suspect is always the safest thing to do, or if it could endanger the public, officers or the suspect, In those cases we tend to request support from a police helicopter, or lay down puncture strips, which let down wheels slowly to prevent any accidents. While we may not always make an immediate arrest after an incident, these types of criminals don’t tend to want to dump their vehicle and walk the 10 miles home after using them, so we’re developing a picture of where they are and how we can stop them by basing our patrols in the correct areas. We are also working with the public to show them how to better protect their bikes by making them more secure with better locks and using traceable liquids like SmartWater so bikes can be identified as their own under an ultraviolet light. We are also monitoring websites to see if anyone is trying to sell the stolen vehicles online.” Police say the rising concern of stolen bikes and mopeds can be linked to incidents of robbery and violence in the borough, with the vehicles also used to snatch phones from victim’s hands as riders drive past. I feel that one comment made by Detective Inspector Morris is most telling; Her line:- "Our officers have to consider whether chasing after a suspect is always the safest thing to do, or if it could endanger the public, officers or the suspect" (my emphasis). I think the senior Police officer is fundamentally misreading the mood of the public when it comes to moped and motor cycle related crime. The Police already acknowledge that the illegal moped riders deliberately do not wear helmets as they are fully aware of the Police "Rules of Engagement" that prohibit officers from chasing un-helmeted riders as the illegal riders might crash and hurt themselves. The criminals are laughing at authority. Feedback that I have received is pretty much unanimous - the Police need to change their policy, chase the criminal scumbags, and if required, ram them off the road, and if as a consequence a few crooks get injured, then so be it. I know, as I have previously mentioned, that Dagenham and Redbridge Police are dropping the Met - wide non engagement rule, following a radio debate I took part in on Time 107.5 FM on the 3rd of July, where the Borough Commander of Dagenham and Redbridge Police stated that they were about to trial a new policy of engagement, that, if successful would very likely be expanded to cover all Metropolitan Police areas. Whilst I doubt a change in pursuit policy would deter the hardcore moped criminals, the thought that they might be taking their next meal through a drip might deter many. Secondly Detective Inspector Morris is largely mistaken in thinking that mopeds are sold online after being used in criminal activity; from what my sources tell me, after being used, most stolen motorbikes and mopeds are broken for spare parts, which are then sold on, as the parts are far harder to trace than whole vehicles.  On top of this, moped crooks are getting wise to vehicles fitted with immobilisers - recently they are starting to rip off the immobilisers on certain models of Vespa scooter, and then wire in their own, hacked immobiliser unit which then allows them to start the vehicle and illegally ride it away. The stolen bikes are then used in muggings, car jackings, illegal drug deliveries and most publicly, in the recent alarming spate of acid attacks. Gangs such as Bike Life TV UK also stage illegal "rides" around places including Thamesmead and Lower Belvedere, as I have written about in detail in the past. What do you think? Should the Police institute a tougher policy on bike crooks, or are things fine as they are? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

A further Police related story - you have none for ages, then two turn up together. I am surprised at how many local people are unaware of the threat of closure to Bexleyheath Police Station. It has been proposed that Bexleyheath police station is sold off and services moved to Sidcup. This has been vigorously opposed by MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford David Evennett.  The proposal is to close and sell off Bexleyheath Police Station (which has already lost its custody suite and cells) and move everything to Marlowe House in Sidcup, right on the far South of the Borough. This would leave the entire borough with only one fully active Police Station. What also concerns me is that if Police make an arrest say in Lower Belvedere, they then have to go all the way across the Borough to Sidcup in order to get the felon processed - which could take them off active duty for several hours. This definitely sounds like an idea that has not been properly thought through - I feel the law of unintended consequences coming into play once again. I do appreciate that nowadays the Police are lot more mobile than they once were, and don't all sit in the Police station waiting for a 999 call to come in, then all run out Keystone Cops style, but the message this sends to crooks is a poor one.

A message from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association:- "Can everyone remember that with the summer comes the unwanted door knockers touting for Gardening / tree pruning work, Roofing/guttering cleaning , and Driveway work. These cold callers are usually in unmarked transit vans and not in any kind of company uniform but you may see them slowly driving around looking at houses. Likewise, they will often put a card through doors if nobody answers when they knock, but can I just remind everyone to please look out for their elderly neighbours as these are often the easy target for chancers, and that if you haven't personally called anyone or don't actually need the work done, don't answer the door but if you do DON'T be talked into having any work done". Reports from a Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator in Barnehurst reads:- "Two reps from Safe Style UK Windows knocked on my door and said they were doing work for a neighbour and offered me a quote. They were a bit pushy, but I agreed to have a quote from them. Soon afterwards, another neighbour said they were calling further down the road, saying I was having work done by them, as if in recommendation. I cancelled my appointment but would caution others that they are at least guilty of misrepresentation". From The Colyers Safer Neighbourhood Team:-"There were 2 reported burglaries, 1 commercial burglary in Erith Road on 24th July. Suspect forced entry via a glass panel in the early hours of the morning. Cosmetics and food were stolen. Suspect identified by CCTV and arrested. Investigation ongoing There was also 1 attempted burglary on the morning of the 19th July in Edendale Road where an attempt to enter by forcing the kitchen window. Entry was not gained and nothing was taken. No CCTV or witnesses. There have been 3 thefts from motor vehicles this week. One in Badlow Close on the morning of the 19th July where a lock was forced and a bag stolen from the foot well of the car. There was no CCTV and no suspects were seen. Another was in the early hours of the 21st July in Cumbrian Avenue where the wheel trims were stolen from a vehicle. There were no witnesses or CCTV and no viable leads. Lastly there were some number plates stolen from a car in Northumberland Way sometime between the 18th-21st July. There was 1 criminal Damage to a vehicle in Larner Road overnight between the 12th-13th July where a known suspect poured paint on the victims vehicle due to an alleged parking dispute. Investigation ongoing. Our next surgery is on Thursday 27th July in the Community Centre, Blackberry Patch, Badlow Close at 6pm". A report from the Erith Safer Neighbourhood Team:- "There has been an increase in theft of number plates in Erith we are trying to get hold of some security screws that will hand out to local residents that request them. We had a successful ward panel meeting with a record turnout and Jerry Martin was voted in as our new chairman. We are going to increase patrols in the area - that was brought up from the meeting – more on this to follow". 

The ending video this week shows one of the newly installed cycle path barriers on the Thames Cycle Path at Abbey Wood, close to Thamesmead; apologies that the video is in vertical / portrait format, but that is how it was supplied to me by a long - time Maggot Sandwich reader who chooses to remain anonymous. It is most definitely worth a watch, and really highlights how council tax payers money has been wasted in a poorly planned and even more poorly executed piece of very expensive street furniture. Give the video a watch, and either leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.