The Auction.

The photos above (click on either to see a larger version) were taken yesterday at the very first event to be held in the former Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, Erith since it was taken over by local arts, heritage and community group The Exchange. As covered in the last update, the former library has been open every day for the last week to allow viewing of the 230 art works on display. The works had been created by members of the Centrepieces mental health arts charity. Founded in 1999, Centrepieces is a registered charity which helps adults in their mental health recovery through art. The organisation’s work centres on an effort to improve the confidence, well-being and self-esteem of people suffering with mental illness, while offering an opportunity to build a social community and promote a better understanding of mental health to the wider public. Centrepieces provides the resources for people to participate in art workshops and activities, and to exhibit and sell their artwork. Running regular workshops, which encompass art practices from sculpture and painting to mask making and photography, they are committed to providing their artists with the tools and the environment for creative expression. Yesterday the exhibited artworks were put up for public auction to raise money both for the artists themselves, and also for Centrepieces. I was in attendance, as were a large number of people, some of whom had travelled from as far away as Colchester in order to attend and bid for items. The former library restoration is very much a "work in progress" with most of the first phase refurbishment efforts being focused on the lower ground floor, and on the (now completed) replacement of the roof of the building. Phase two of the restoration will concentrate on the main library space on the ground floor - where the exhibition and auction took place - and on the upper floor which used to contain the Erith Museum, and the private apartment that once housed the Chief Librarian and his family. I don't currently have the total amount of money raised by the event, but I think it will be substantial, as many works were sold, and some even became the subject of a bidding war. A very successful event, especially considering the absolutely foul weather on the day. 

The whole situation in regard of Electricity House and the two major occupants of the 80 year old building has taken a new and intriguing twist. Extremely reliable information has been passed onto me from a regular anonymous local source. The former Bright Steps children's nursery - forcibly closed after it lost its Ofsted licence to operate after a child was smacked by a member of staff, and the owner of the nursery covered this up by deleting CCTV recordings in a subsequent Police and Ofsted investigation - is now up for commercial rent, as can be seen on the estate agents website. As well as this, the contentious P2 Events Centre - located in the former Erith Snooker Centre in the upper floor of the same block, is also up for rent, after efforts to market the venue for social and business meetings seem to have fallen flat. The P2 Events Centre has attracted unfavourable attention due mainly to the misleading photographs and information presented on their slick website. If you look at the middle of the three photographs above - click on any of them for a larger version - you will see the image of the main hall portrayed of the P2 Centre from their website. The lower of the three images is the actual hall - image taken from the estate agents' website that are trying to rent out the facility. As you can see, reality is markedly different from the image portrayed on the P2 Events Centre website. I get the feeling that many potential customers were attracted by the glossy (but entirely false and very misleading) images on the website, but when they came for a viewing, their hopes were brought crashing to the ground when they saw the dismal reality of the run down and scruffy venue. As I have said on more than one occasion in the past, I am strongly of the opinion that the owners of both facilities in Electricity House are playing a very clever game. I do not believe for one instant that either the nursery or the events centre were ever intended to be viable business propositions; instead I feel that their owners have been carrying out a sophisticated "land grab" on the now end of life 1930's building, so that when it becomes the target of a compulsory purchase order by Bexley Council, the owners can claim that due to the investment that have put into the old building, their compensation should be considerably greater that the norm for such a building. Basically they have spent pennies on making the P2 Events Centre look like a viable business, but in reality is it nothing but "smoke and mirrors" to try and deceive Bexley Council when it comes to deciding compulsory purchase remuneration. Incidentally, information has recently come to my notice that Bexley Council are indeed quietly approaching the various lease holders in Electricity House with regard to buying out their leases prior to compulsory purchase of the old building, which is a prime site for redevelopment. If the owners of the nursery and the events centre can get sitting tenants into the building prior to any compulsory purchase negotiations, this will undoubtedly strengthen their bargaining position with the council.

A press release from local organisation The Exchange:- "The Exchange are pleased to present a three week Pop up Cinema and Grotto Bar in the former Carnegie Library in Walnut Tree Road, Erith. They will be sifting through the library bookshelves for cinematic inspiration; poetry, classic literature, short stories, comics and graphic novels will get the big screen treatment. Films include Black Panther, O Brother Where Art Thou, Beauty and the Beast, Persepolis, Pulp Fiction, The Muppet Christmas Carol and Its a Wonderful Life.  Tickets are £4 for Adults; £2 for under-16s.  The accompanying Grotto Bar is being created using decorations donated by local company James Glancy Design; the menu includes a tasty selection of festive drinks and snacks including mulled cider, mulled apple juice and spiced nuts. For more information and to book tickets, visit: www.theexchangeerith.com/events"

Two weeks ago I wrote at some extent about the problems with the deployment of smart energy meters in the UK, and how the project was in danger of failure. Since I wrote that piece, additional information has come to light, which means a follow - up article. Parliamentarians are set to haul civil servants in for a grilling after the National Audit Office (NAO) confirmed the UK will miss its 2020 smart meter rollout target, piling an extra £500m onto the cost of the £11bn project. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) underestimated how long it would take to implement the infrastructure and technical standards for the second generation of Smart Meters (SMETS2).  Smart meters come in two forms at the moment, SMETS1 and SMETS2. SMETS1 is the get-it-up-and-running basic specification. Most of these meters are operator-specific, a bit like having your mobile phone handset locked to a particular network, and, as the NAO noted, nearly 950,000 of these have already lost their smart features as a result of customers changing supplier - if you change your energy supplier, a vast majority of SMETS1 meters become dumb meters, just like the one it replaced. Full functionality came with the SMETS2 standard, which supported all of the data-broadcasting features that were supposed to make smart meters a viable economic prospect in the first place. The audit office's report stated:- “Significant technical delays resulted in the first SMETS2 meters only being installed in July 2017, over three years later than first planned. In their absence, energy suppliers have installed 12.5 million SMETS1 meters, 7.1 million more than the Department’s planned 5.4 million. Pressing on at full speed to get SMETS2 units installed by 2020 “is putting increasing timetable pressure on the programme” according to the NAO, risking “cost escalation and/or technology being rolled out before defects have been addressed". The NAO calculated that savings to consumers will now be less than £18 per year. Ten years ago, when the Cabinet Office was pondering whether to commit the country to the £11bn project, that per-household benefit was supposed to be £23 by 2020. A meeting is scheduled to be held on the 9th January where a Parliamentary committee will question senior civil servants as to whether the 2020 completion date for the smart meter project will have to be extended due to the failure of take up of the meters by the general public. I get the feeling that this story has plenty of time left to run. 

Now for an article from guest contributor Dave Collings:- "I thought that you and your readers might be interested to know about the closures of the Pop In Parlours in the Borough. (Now called Well Being Centres). There have been several of these providing a valuable service to our older population for many years. The number of parlours have sadly dwindled and the last 3 are being closed this week. Age UK Bexley used to run these parlours in property owned by Bexley Council. The people attending the parlours only discovered this month that the closures were imminent. Meetings were arranged by Age Uk Bexley and well attended by the consumers. The decision had already been made prior to these meetings and there was no flexibility regarding the closure date. As well as providing a much needed resource for the  older community, the closure has had a serious effect on the clubs that hired rooms in the parlours. Age UK Bexley assured one of the clubs that this would not affect the room hire and we would be invoiced as usual in the new year. Fortunately we checked this with Bexley Council to find that in fact the buildings will be closed and no longer available for hire after the end of December 2018. They stated that they had only recently been told that Age UK were withdrawing from the buildings. Clubs that have been running for many years may be forced to close as it is not easy finding alternative venues for evening and weekend activities. This will have serious repercussions for the North Kent Radio Society who have met at the Graham Road, Bexleyheath facility for over 30 years". A fascinating insight into the local situation; it would seem that Bexley Council have taken a very narrow - minded view on closing these community assets. Whilst I understand that the Age UK centres have not been getting the amount of use that would justify them continuing as dedicated meeting places for retired people, it does seem that the needs of other community groups that have historically shared the buildings has been overlooked. There is a solution, which to date has not yet been communicated to the clubs and community groups in the borough. That is, why not transfer your meeting place to the former Carnegie Library in Erith? The Exchange welcome community groups and clubs to use the newly refurbished building as their meeting place. In many ways it has much more to offer than the old well being centres - subject to discussion in individual cases, of course. A declaration of interest here; I am a trustee of The Exchange, so I do have a direct involvement in the matter. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Following my article last week on the response to the Bexley Council Growth Strategy document by residents of Slade Green, I have had the following response, which I publish in full. "Re your article about the Bexley Growth Strategy draft consultation (you say 'the proposed Bexley regeneration consultation project') ... you talk about more 'lurid' claims not having come to pass, but omit to say that quite a lot of residents in Slade Green wrote in to respond to the consultation on the draft and that Bexley toned down what was in the draft when they published the actual Strategy. You also fail to mention the role played by Bexley's officers, who contradicted each other at the various public consultation events (some within my own hearing at the consultation event in Slade Green) with some telling Slade Green residents that there would be compulsory purchases and some saying there wouldn't be. (Despite local residents groups asking several times, I still haven't seen a straight answer to that, perhaps you might be able to extract an answer from someone?) Despite the toning down the Strategy still calls for 8000 new homes in Slade Green with a high street (strategy states 'of similar size and function to existing centres such as Northumberland Heath and Bexley Village'), offices and mansion block housing close to Slade Green station in areas where there is currently low rise housing (see page 30, pages 110-112). The area around Crescent Road still falls in the 400m radius area for 'Urban High Density' mansion blocks in Erith (see pages 107 and 108). (Here I must note some bias on my part - my mid-terrace house in Slade Green sits well within the area the strategy says will be mansion blocks). The Strategy doesn't go into much detail on Crossrail, you have to realise just what is implied by the 'dedicated infrastructure' referred to (page 86) and dig around to understand that that is new tracks alongside the existing tracks. I think it will be difficult to have two extra tracks between Abbey Wood and Dartford and avoid an impact on housing. (I participated in several weeks of the Public Inquiry into the proposed Strategic Rail Freight Interchange this summer and note that no-one from the GLA or Dartford disputed claims by the appellant that their freight trains would not interfere with the running of the proposed Crossrail extension because Crossrail would be on dedicated tracks)". Some interesting and enlightening information; if any other reader has a view on the Growth Strategy, then please contact me via Email in confidence - hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Proposals have recently been published relating to the possible local listing of Erith Town Hall - pictured above - click on the image for a larger view. Bexley maintains a Local List of buildings and structures that have been identified as positive elements within the local environment due to their local historic or architectural significance. Locally listed buildings are of local significance, as opposed to national significance. They are heritage assets that contribute to our understanding of the borough’s past and inform its present character. They add to the quality of the local environment. Buildings on the Local List are not subject to additional statutory controls, but their conservation and enhancement is an objective of national, London-wide, and local planning policy, and therefore is a material consideration when determining planning applications. Erith Town Hall opened on 2 June 1932 and is of historic importance locally in that it provided services for the locality as part of the Erith Borough Council (and formerly Erith Urban District Council). Erith Town Hall remains an attractive and prominent landmark building located within Erith Town Centre and retains the original Council Chamber. The building is the only remaining purpose-built Town Hall within the borough. It is currently utilised for some of the statutory functions which are provided by The London Borough of Bexley. Personally I find it somewhat surprising that the building has been proposed for a local listing, as it is my understanding that one of the prime conditions for local listing is that the building in question should be substantially unchanged since it was constructed; this cannot be said of Erith Town Hall, which had an additional storey added (the raised roof level) in the early 1990's. I also am aware that the Council are looking to dispose of the building, now that its main function - as the centre for council tax and housing benefits has been merged with Bromley, Erith Town Hall is now somewhat underused. It also makes me wonder that the cost of converting if for another use - for example as a hotel, might be greater than the cost of demolishing it and replacing it with an entirely new structure. As mentioned earlier, Electricity House, which is directly opposite, is of a similar vintage, and is already being targetted by Bexley Council in an attempt to buy out the leases prior to an expected compulsory purchase order being sought. I would not be at all surprised if the council refuses the local listing application in order to make the old town hall as attractive as possible to a developer. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

At long last, it may finally come to pass that Erith Station gets step - free access to the London bound platform. Local MP Teresa Pearce has been campaigning for years on the issue. The fact remains that if you are a wheelchair user, or a parent with a heavy pram or buggy, it is not possible to take a train towards London from Erith. You have to go on the Kent bound platform to Dartford Station, then change there to pick up a London bound train. This means you go three stops in the opposite direction, only to then come back on yourself. Apart from the inconvenience this brings, there is the added expense of what should really be an unnecessary journey. You can see Teresa's campaign website for step free access to Erith Station by clicking here. As you can gather, the campaign has been running for seven years now, and only in the last couple of days has anything positive come of it - better late than never I suppose.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly a report from Barnehurst ward:- "Barnehurst has suffered one burglary in the last week. This burglary occurred in Edendale Road on Tuesday 27th November 2018 between midnight and 06.00am. Entry was gained via the front UPVC door which had not been double locked. Coats were taken off the bannister on ground floor and items taken. It is believed suspects were looking for keys to a high value vehicle that was parked on the drive way. We cannot stress enough the importance of double locking your front door and if you have an alarm please set it every morning / night. The Barnehurst team posted six hundred letters to property's inviting residents to a street briefing in Westfield Road. Approximately one hundred residents attended and crime prevention advice was given with regards home security. Our next community contact session has been cancelled due to change of shifts, please see next week's alert for updates". Belvedere ward, From a Neighbourhood Watch Member - Abbey Road:- "Around 10 am a neighbour who lives on an elevation saw from her front bedroom window a man walking slowly down the alleyway (leads to Laymarsh). ‘He was looking from left to right and then peered over the fence into the garden of the 1st house. Then he walked back along Abbey Rd, turned into Shortlands Close and returned with 3 other men. They all walked back into the alley and started peering over the fence, at which point I opened the bedroom window and shouted 'Oi!' and they all immediately pulled their hoods over their faces and walked back to Shortlands Close - making obscene gestures at me. Shortly after they'd disappeared from sight they reappeared in a white unmarked Transit van and drove off towards Abbey Wood. The 1st man to appear yesterday was tall, red haired and wearing black tracksuit bottoms with a white stripe down each leg, a sweater and something with a grey hood and a yellow hi viz jacket. The other 3 who appeared later all looked much the same as each other I'm afraid and I can't recall anything distinctive other than that one of them seemed to be all in grey. The van was parked out of sight, not on the main road, but when it appeared after they'd all rushed off with their hoods pulled up. A family member was fairly sure that he could see them inside. It was a scruffy unmarked white Transit van with a ladder on the roof and although it was almost out of sight by the time he took the photo the reg no looks like either ND59 XGM or NO59 XGM or even XGN'. We have had no other reports of any other suspicious activity however as it is darker earlier we are all being vigilant". Bexleyheath ward:- "We have had two reports of burglary on the ward. One was reported along Lynsted Close Bexleyheath. Entry was gained via the front door of the property. The other was reported along Latham Road Bexleyheath, entry was via the rear kitchen door window. Regular burglary patrols are conducted by the team. There has been three reports of mobile phones being stolen along the Broadway on the Monday 26/11/2018 & Tuesday 27/11/2018. Two were stolen from pockets and one from a handbag that was placed on a pushchair. The team conduct regular hi-visibility patrols. Also patrols are conducted in the car park areas and the Broadway to reduce anti-social behaviour including Martens Grove Park. As a result a group was stopped in the cinema car park. One was arrested for possession with the intent to supply. Also another male was arrested for possession of drugs. Regular patrols are conducted by the team along Gravel Hill because of children running out on the road causing a danger. Team is liaising with school officers on the borough. Our next drop-in surgery is on Friday 7th December between 2pm and 3pm at Café Nero on the Broadway. Please feel free to drop by. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone. If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 and 101 for non-urgent reporting". From a Pinnacle Hill, Bexleyheath, Neighbourhood Watch Member:- "I have had a report from one of my watch members. Earlier this month while a mother and her adult daughter (the ladies) were in a shop in Bexleyheath, they were subjected to a 'bag dipping' by two Eastern European looking women in their thirties (the women). One of the women dropped an item on the floor next to one of the ladies. While that lady helped the woman pick up the dropped item, the second woman took the lady's mobile phone from her bag. Luckily, she had felt a tug on her bag, and soon became aware that her mobile phone was missing. When the women were challenged, they remonstrated saying that the missing phone must be in the ladies bags. A call was made immediately to the missing phone and it rang from where it had been placed on a shelf in the shop. At this the two women made off running from the shop. The phone was recovered. These events bear the hallmarks of professional 'bag dipping' style pickpockets. The purpose of placing the phone on the shelf was to ensure that no one had seen or noticed what they were doing. Only finally to have taken it when sure no one had. Everyone should remember, not only when shops are busy and crowded, but at all times that pickpockets work together and do more than just bump and distract to steal people's belongings". Crayford ward:- "Here is our news for this week. Just to let you know, I'm away next week, it may be an idea to email John Cullingham, Scott Gardiner or Chris Murphy directly to remind them to do the update!! Sadly, another week where burglars have been out and about. On Wednesday 21st November between 02.00 - 6.30 a house in Wyatt Road was entered through the front door. It was believed the door had been locked and secure. Keys to a Citroen Relay van were stolen and used to steal the van parked outside, other items stolen included cash, driving licence, mobile phone, power tools and credit card. On Monday 26th November between 00.20 and 06.00 a house was entered through the porch door and internal front door of a property in Barnes Cray Road. After a messy search, keys, a watch and handbag were stolen as was the grey Audi Q7, number plate LX15 NBY that was parked outside. It is believed the vehicle has since been involved in a local incident in Welling. The cards have been used but now cancelled and some items from the vehicle have now been recovered. There was an attempted burglary in Shearwood Crescent between 02.00 - 03.00 on Tuesday 27th November. The owner heard a noise near the door and opened it and scared off the prospective burglar. On 13th November the front and rear number plates were stolen from a red Hyundai Sovereign V8 auto whilst parked in Barnes Cray Road. On a more positive note, a prolific shop lifter who frequents Crayford was arrested, charged and taken to court this week and sentenced to four months in prison. Two dangerous dog warrants were executed this week, one dog was seized pending further investigation. Please don't be a needless victim of burglary, lock your doors and windows are locked when you go out and ensure your home is secure when you retire to bed". Erith ward:- "Good news - no Burglaries this week in Erith, bad news we have been hit hard with theft from motor vehicles. Please make sure you fully remove any items from your car when you lock it up at night. Don't leave anything on show. Date for you to note Friday 30th November - This Friday we will be in the Blackberry Patch Orbit office from 7pm. Feel free to pop in if you need to speak to us about anything. Theft of MV 21/11/2018, Thanet Road - By suspects by taking the vehicle without the consent of the owner; Shoplift <£200 21/11/2018 Matalan Retail Ltd; Theft from MV 22/11/2018, Neptune Walk - vehicle entered via unknown means and searched; Theft from MV 24/11/2018 James Watt Way - By suspects forcing entry to van and stealing equipment; Theft from MV 23/11/2018 Morrison's, Pier Road – no more details at this time; Theft from MV 24/11/2018 St Johns Road - Unknown suspect has unscrewed both front and rear VRM plates; Theft from MV 24/11/2018 James Watt Way - By suspect by using an unknown object to smash a window then taking the property from within; Shoplift <£200 08/11/2018 Farmfoods Ltd, Pier Road; Theft of MV 26/11/2018, Avenue Road – car taken; Theft from MV 27/11/2018 Windrush Court, Erith, – Car broken into smashed window and messy search". Northumberland Heath ward:- "The team have been conducting patrols through Northumberland Heath's current ASB and crime hotspot areas. In all of the areas patrolled, all appeared well. PC Smith from the North Heath team conducted an arrest enquiry in Frinstead Road, one male was arrested for shoplifting offences. We have unfortunately had one incident of note reported this last week: Residential burglary overnight between 26th-27th November in Frinstead Road. Entry was gained through a side entrance into the property, car keys stolen from inside the property and then the vehicle was stolen from outside. If you have any information in relation to any of these incidents please report this to the police and continue to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour or activity you see".

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "Three vehicle crimes to report in the last week. On Thursday 22/11 at around 10pm, a van was deliberately set on fire in Frobisher Road, CCTV footage from a phone has so far been inconclusive in identifying anyone involved. Overnight on Saturday 24/11 a car window was smashed in Jenningtree Road and a similar incident happened overnight on Sunday 25/11 in Whitehall Lane. Nothing taken in either incident and enquiries are ongoing. An empty flat in Frobisher Road was broken into sometime last Thursday 22/11 and the water tank was taken along with taps and other fixtures and fittings. The relevant Housing Association are aware and have secured the property. Last Friday there was a large fire at a tyre place out on the Industrial Estate of the marshes. We assisted LFB for over 5 hours with the road being closed at Ray Lamb way which caused a standstill for traffic all the way back to Erith town centre for the whole time. This was due to LFB discovering gas canisters inside a shipping container at the location and all safety measures had to be taken. The road re-opened at around 4.45pm and it took around an hour to get all the traffic back down onto the estate. We attended the St Augustines Christmas Fair last Saturday and gave crime prevention advice to everyone that attended. On Sunday, we assisted Belvedere SNT with the annual Guru Nanak Sikh parade through parts of Erith and Belvedere. The event went without any issues except the usual disruption to traffic for several minutes as the parade passed. This coming week PCSO Mark is attending Peareswood Primary School to do some reading with the pupils. On Saturday it is the Slade Green Big Local Christmas Fair at St Augustines church hall starting at 11am and we will be in attendance with Mark doing a stint as Santa from 1pm". Thamesmead East ward:- "No Burglaries this week but the Thamesmead East Ward has been subject to a rise in car crime. Criminal Damage to Motor Vehicle - Grange Crescent on Saturday 24/11/18 between 3pm – 26/11/18 8am Tyre slashed/stabbed and punctured by persons unknown; Leatherbottle Green Sunday 25/11/19 between 5:50pm-7pm Both wing mirrors smashed; Glimpsing Green Sunday 25/11/18 between 5-6:30pm Concrete block thrown onto bonnet of car causing damage; Wolvercote Road been cut open, nothing taken from vehicle; Wolvercote Road Monday 26/11/18 between 6:30pm -28/11/186:30am Window smashed money taken unknown quantity; Parkway Monday 26/11/18 between 8:25am-5pm Brick thrown through window by unknown person; Fieldfare Road Monday 26/11/18 between 7:50pm-8pm Suspect unknown smashed passenger window of victims vehicle. Theft From Motor Vehicle - Southmere Drive Saturday 24/11/18 between 6pm-10am Indicator cover stolen; Lensbury Way Sunday 25/11/18 8:30pm-8am Window smashed car manual stolen; Hartslock Drive Saturday 25/11/19 9:30am-12:30 Various documents stolen from vehicle including victims Passport; King Fisher Close Wednesday 28/11/18 between 6:30am-6:50am Sat Nav, phone and wallet taken from victims vehicle. The next meeting will be Tuesday 11th December at Lakeside Medical Centre in Yarnton Way between 1-2pm". West Heath ward:- "Over the last week on Wednesday 21/11/18 a car's wing mirrors were damaged in New Road SE2. There was a residential burglary in Brampton Road in the early hours of Monday 19/11/18, resident woke to find their back door had been forced open but nothing taken. Sometime between 0945-1450 hours on Monday 19/11/18 there was a second burglary in Brampton Road, the rear patio doors were smashed and an untidy search conducted and jewellery and vehicle stolen. There was another burglary in King Harold's Way sometime between Sunday 18th - Tuesday 20th November. While the occupants were away, entry was gained via the dog flap and items taken. In the early evening around 1745-1800hrs on Sunday 18th November there was an attempted burglary in Abbotts Walk. The occupant heard a loud bang and on investigation found a male in their doorway and the glass panel of the door smashed. The male ran off on seeing resident and 3 males were seen running off. On Tuesday 20th November a vehicle was stolen in Gipsy Road without the keys being taken and in Lansdowne Road on Friday 23rd November between 10pm and midnight items were stolen from a car. We have been made aware there may be a possible scammer in the King Harold's Way area. Two males, claiming to be builders working nearby, and noticing damage to residents roofs and offering to look in the loft. Once in the property the males spray a wall while the occupant is distracted then offer to repair the roof for an exorbitant fee. Due to the recent rise in burglaries on the ward the team have increased our high visibility burglary patrols both on foot and mobile CCTV patrols. We now have keys to the alley gates in target areas and have been patrolling the rear alleys and are stop and searching any suspicious persons".

The end video this week shows one of the two new Woolwich ferries before it was delivered to the UK. You can see the vessel on trial in Poland prior to its journey to Woolwich. Both ferries are now in place, and undergoing further end user acceptance testing on the River Thames before they go into service early in the New Year. 

White Hart worries.

The photo above shows the ongoing building work being carried out on the former Erith Riverside Swimming Baths site, opposite the Riverside Gardens.  The construction work has been going on for a considerable length of time. The project is to build 12 mews houses and 55 apartments overlooking the River Thames. They will be a mix of properties for conventional sale, and a number which will be for part buy / part rent. The whole development is produced by London and Quadrant Housing Association. The former swimming baths site is actually somewhat larger than it appears when viewed from the High Street; a corner of the space actually exists behind the car park of the Running Horses, which many locals may be unaware of. London and Quadrant were the organisation that originally submitted a proposal for the Thames Gateway Project back in 2010 – the notorious plan which showed the Riverside Gardens being built upon. This was what prompted the formation of FORGE (Friends Of Riverside Gardens Erith), and the campaign to preserve the gardens. It turns out that it was a mistake at the printer – London and Quadrant at no stage wanted to build on the gardens – it was a mess – up with the printer using the wrong file; by the time they realised it was a couple of weeks later and thousands of leaflets had already been distributed. Back in 2015, I was told by a London and Quadrant senior executive that the gardens and the scenic view across the river was the reason they wanted to build on the swimming pool site in the first place, and that they would hardly shoot themselves in the foot by building on that very view! I think many locals are justifiably cautious about the development, wondering if it could be "creeping redevelopment" with the Riverside Gardens merely being a further, future phase. The Riverside Gardens are an absolute gem and deserve to be preserved for the enjoyment of all local people for the years to come.

After the tragic hit and run death of a cyclist on Bronze Age Way in the early hours of last Monday morning, when it has been reported that a 60 year old man was killed by a vehicle that did not stop, it has become apparent just how strategically important the area around the Bexley Road / Bronze Age Way / Queens Road area and the notorious De Luci Fish Roundabout actually is. On Monday, Part of Bronze Age Way was closed by Bexley Police during the initial stages of the hit and run investigation. This mean that the area around the De Luci Fish Roundabout was also partially closed. A lot of traffic, including buses and heavy goods vehicles were diverted for all of Monday morning, until the road block was lifted at around 1.15pm - the photo above (click on it for a larger view) was taken a few minutes after the local traffic resumed normal operation. 

I make no secret that I am a big fan of Google; they have turned online search into a verb, they are that good at what they do that to perform a web search has for many become “to Google”. Many of their online products such as Gmail and the Google G-Suite are excellent and widely used, but they have one product, which many people – myself included, actively dislike and avoid. Google+ was intended to be a direct competitor for social networks like Facebook, but it never gained the popularity or traction with web users – and nowadays Facebook is a verb as well. I predicted back in August 2015 that Google would pull the plug on Google+, and it would seem that this has now begun. This week Google announced that they would be phasing out Google+ over the next few months; they cited security loopholes and serous bugs in the application that could leave users data exposed to hackers. From my investigations, it would seem that whilst this explanation is essentially true, it hides the fact that Google have wanted to get rid of Google+ for ages, and this security issue provides them with a very convenient and well - timed excuse. The fact is that Google+ was and has for a very long time essentially been a source of embarrassment to Google, who have been keen to quietly terminate the unpopular and underused web service. The security issues surrounding Google+ have given Google exactly the opportunity they have been seeking for some time. I doubt many will mark the passing of Google+ - if indeed many had even heard of it. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

I took the photo at around the same time I took those of the decommissioned Woolwich ferry, the John Burns, last Sunday, when I spent much of the morning on Erith Pier; I did not publish the photo of the PS Waverley (photo above - click for a larger version) then, as I was already overloaded with photos and text content, and I thought it best to hold over the PS Waverley details to this edition. The Waverley was headed down from London on a trip out to the historic Thames sea forts. The fact that it was in pretty close convoy with the John Burns and its tugs was just a happy coincidence. The PS Waverley is unique; is the last seagoing passenger-carrying paddle steamer in the world. Built in 1946, she sailed from Craigendoran on the Firth of Clyde to Arrochar on Loch Long until 1973. Bought by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS), she has been restored to her 1947 appearance and now operates passenger excursions around the British coast. Since 2003 the Waverley has been listed in the National Historic Fleet by National Historic Ships UK as "a vessel of pre-eminent national importance". PS Waverley is named after Sir Walter Scott's first novel. She was built in 1946 to replace a PS Waverley that was built in 1899, served in the Second World War as a minesweeper and was sunk in 1940 while helping to evacuate troops from Dunkirk. Shipbuilders A. and J. Inglis of Glasgow launched the new 693 tonne steamer in October 1946. She entered service with the London and North Eastern Railway in June 1947, working the LNER's Firth of Clyde steamer route from Craigendoran Pier, near Helensburgh, up Loch Long to Arrochar. In her first year in service she wore that company's red, white and black funnel colours. The 1948 nationalisation of Britain's railways brought their Scottish steamers into the Caledonian Steam Packet Company (CSP), a subsidiary of the Railway Executive, and the funnels were repainted yellow with a black top. In 1965 a Scottish red lion rampant was fixed to each side of both funnels. Waverley's hull was painted blue until 1970. After a revival of fortunes in the 1950s, the 1960s saw a gradual change in holiday habits that led to a decline in passenger numbers and the closure of many of the small piers. Since 1969 and the formation of the Scottish Transport Group, the CSP had been gradually merging with the West Highland shipping and ferry company David MacBrayne Ltd. In 1973 the company became Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd (CalMac). CalMac withdrew Waverley after the 1973 season as she was too costly to operate and needed significant expenditure. By then the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS) had been set up as a registered UK charity, and had bought the near-derelict small River Dart paddle steamer PS Kingswear Castle. CalMac, keen to ensure that the ship was preserved, sold Waverley to the PSPS for the token sum of one pound. Neither side really believed that the vessel would return to steam but, just in case, Caledonian MacBrayne stipulated that she should not sail in competition with their remaining cruise vessel, TS Queen Mary. A public appeal was launched to secure funding for the return of the Waverley to service and the fund-raising operation was successful. The PSPS found itself running a cruise ship operation, "Waverley Excursions". Since then Waverley has been joined in the PSPS fleet by PS Kingswear Castle and MV Balmoral, and has had a series of extensive refits and much restoration work, including a new boiler and improvements to meet modern safety standards. She has circumnavigated Great Britain and every year makes extensive sailings around the country. Listed as part of the National Historic Fleet, between 2000 and 2003 the ship underwent a substantial rebuild and re-boilering at the shipyard of George Prior at Great Yarmouth, funded principally by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The work was done in two stages, has added many 21st century safety and technological improvements and returned the ship to her original 1947 livery. In 2009 the ship was affiliated with HMS Defender, having hosted the official dignitary party at Defender's launch on the River Clyde. And in 2011 the ship was awarded the Institution of Mechanical Engineers 65th Engineering Heritage Award. PS Waverley is powered by a three-crank diagonal triple-expansion marine steam engine built by Rankin and Blackmore, Engineers, Eagle Foundry, Greenock in Scotland. It is rated at 2,100 IHP and achieved a trial speed of 18.37 knots (34.02 km/h; 21.14 mph) at 57.8 rpm. Passengers can watch these engines from passageways on either side of the engine room. The main crank is solidly attached to both paddle wheels so they cannot turn independently of each other. The PS Waverley therefore has a much larger turning circle than modern ferries.

There has been extensive press coverage in respect of the proposed work to replace the historic footbridge over the railway at Plumstead Station. Network Rail applied for “prior approval” to dismantle the 1892 structure and build a modern replacement. National Rail already has the power to remove the footbridge without needing the council’s consent, but needs “prior approval” for the design of the works. The footbridge in its current state is popular with locals, with more than 80 objections being made about Network Rail’s plans. Network Rail is  proposing to demolish and replace the footbridge with a boxed structure, with two new lifts and a new walkway. Previous proposals for a station revamp were thrown out by Greenwich Council, which said the development would detract from the character of the station. What I do note is that once again the new footbridge proposals include a passenger lift to both platforms - something that should be expected nowadays. Once again this throws the whole situation at Erith station - pictured above - click for a larger view - into the spotlight. Whilst extensive building work is still being undertaken at Erith station, it is not going to address the long - standing problem of the lack of any form of step free access to the London bound platform, which is only accessible via the Victorian footbridge. The fact remains that if you are a wheelchair user, or a parent with a heavy pram or buggy, it is not possible to take a train towards London from Erith station. You have to go on the Kent bound platform to Dartford, then change there to pick up a London bound train. This means you go three stops in the opposite direction, only to then come back on yourself. Apart from the inconvenience and waste of time this brings, there is the added expense of what should really be an unnecessary journey. If Plumstead Station is getting lifts and step free access, surely Erith station should do too? What do you think? Leave a comment below, or Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

The spoof Snakes and Ladders game graphic above - click on it for a larger view - was sent to me by a regular reader; it certainly makes for entertaining reading. I do not claim copyright on the image - if you are the creator, please contact me, and I will credit you accordingly. One local hazard that is not featured on the Snakes and Ladders board is the current temporary traffic lights that are located at the junction of Erith Road, Fraser Road, Riverdale Road, Alford Road, Pembroke Road and the newly created Loam Pit Road. The multiple phase temporary traffic lights mean that one may need to add 10-15 minutes to any vehicle journey that involves any of the aforementioned roads. The reason for the temporary lights is due to road access building work to the adjacent Erith Quarry Development, which will be under way until around Christmas. It also means that journey times on the exceedingly popular 99 bus route are now extended. 

If you a re a coffee drinker, you may not be aware that you may have availability issues with certain coffee outlets for a while; If you are a customer of Greggs. Waitrose, McDonald's, English Heritage, Tesco or Asda, to name but a few, you may find their supplies of fresh ground coffee running short for a period of time. The reason for that is their supplier, UCC Coffee - a Dartford based commercial coffee wholesaler had their main office and production facility located on the Riverside Industrial Estate went up in flames in the early hours of Thursday morning.  Fortunately all of the staff in the production facility (which operates 24/7) were able to evacuate, and there were no casualties, though I understand some local residents were temporarily evacuated as a precaution, due to large quantities of smoke and sparks created by the conflagration. I understand that the building was almost completely destroyed. What will happen to the business and the workers is currently unclear. 

The licensing hearing for The White Hart African restaurant and bar in Erith High Street is due to take place this coming Wednesday the 17th October in rooms G04/05/06 in Bexley Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street Bexleyheath, starting at 10am. The hearing will be open to members of the public, so if you are available on Wednesday morning, please come along. The restaurant/ bar owners want to open the venue from 10am until 5am the next morning, serving alcohol and playing live and recorded music until 4.30am, and they also want the current restrictions on the playing of music, and ban on the admittance of unaccompanied children, and children under 16 dropped from the licence. Suffice to say that I will be attending the licensing hearing. I am in possession of a great deal of background information on the White Hart issue which is not currently available to the general public, but I will not be in a position to publish it until after the licensing committee has sat, and made a decision. Suffice to say that the hearing will almost certainly prove to be a most interesting one. I know that this issue is of very high importance to many readers - concerns over potential noise, disruption, crime and anti social behaviour have been expressed by many local residents. It has also been pointed out to me that there is already an African restaurant and bar less than 200 metres away, in Pier Road, and doubts raised if another in such close proximity could be financially viable. Whatever the discussion points, the licensing committee will have to make a decision as to the future of the place. More on this in the weeks to come. 

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "Good news again for Barnehurst as we did not have many crimes. The Barnehurst have been visiting residents this week and have been offering crime prevention advice. We are more than happy to come to your home and offer you crime prevention advice, so please give us a call on 0208 721 2577. The team are continuing to conduct ASB patrols on the ward especially around Hampton house. Please join us for our community contact day on Wednesday the 17th October at 1pm at Barnehurst Golf Course. We will discuss any ward issues that you have and we will also provide residents with crime prevention advice".  Belvedere ward:- "PC Holmes has been carrying out extensive enquiries this week in relation to a fraud warrant that took place on the Belvedere Park estate. A/PS Green has taking part in an ongoing investigation into a recent road traffic collision in which a driver failed to stop at the scene of an accident. Fortunately, there were no persons injured during this incident although there was a substantial amount of damage done to property at the Belvedere Community Centre. It appears that the driver had also been driving without a valid insurance policy. A burglary took place on Thursday 4th October in Norman Road in which an elderly female observed a male within her property after she had returned home from shopping nearby. On Wednesday 10th October, the team were assisted by officers from Bexleyheath Police station to carry out a traffic operation initially in Nuxley Road as we had noticed several drivers not wearing seatbelts and also using mobile phones whilst driving in this area of the ward. Further to this, we then carried out traffic speed tests in Abbey Road as residents had raised the issue of vehicles speeding on this particular road. During this operation, 6 traffic offences were processed and one vehicle was seized by officers for having no insurance. Our next Community Contact Session is set to take place on Tuesday 16th October 2018 from 5pm at the Belvedere library on Woolwich Road". Bexleyheath ward:- "We had a report of an attempted burglary along Upton Road Bexleyheath on the 08/10/2018; A theft from motor vehicle was reported on the 08/10/2018 in ASDA's. Also a theft from person that was reported on the 09/10/2018 in TK MAXX. The team are in the process of trying to resolve issues that are being raised by residents within the ASDA car park area. Patrols are also still continuing around Martens Grove and Grove Road including the garages to reduce anti-social behaviour. If you do wish to pass on information to Police then please contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111. Please do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter, Facebook, email and the ward phone. If you are after crime prevention advice, please look at the Met Police website which has lots of information that you may find useful. Remember in an emergency please dial 999 and 101 for non-urgent reporting". Crayford ward:- "Thankfully another week with not too many notable crimes. On 26th September at 00.30 a van (unknown details) was stolen by a named suspect from an address in Halcott Avenue with keys, the male also stole cash from the victim. Overnight on Wednesday 3rd October (between 00.00-06.00) there was a burglary in Claremont Crescent. Entry was made through a front door and a black hand bag was stolen containing a purse, diaries, store cards, cash, vouchers and oyster card. The bag was found locally in an alley minus the cash. It became apparent that the UVPC front door had not been locked properly and crime prevention advice was given. On 4th October at 12.30 a large quantity of cigarettes were stolen from a parked vehicles at Bookers at Thames Road. It seems the suspect watched the victim place the items on the rear seat of their car and as they got in their driver's seat the car came along side and suspect snatched the items. The suspect was a passenger in a silver car and was a white male. It was reported that a black Audi A1, registration BP18UDU was used to cause criminal damage to a gate at Hall Place car park on Overnight between Thursday 4th October and Friday 5th October at 7.45am. The vehicle was damaged and left at the scene, at the time of the report there were no reports on the vehicle. Between 18.00 on 7th October and 9.25 on 8th October a Nissan Cabster, number plate LX52WTC was stolen from Lea Vale in Crayford. We have been out patrolling open spaces, completing reassurance visits and about listening to residents concerns.. On Wednesday 17th October PCSO Joyce Barlow will be at the Ellenor Charity shop in Crayford Road between 12.00-13.00. Please feel free to come and say hello or ask for crime prevention advice leading in to autumn nights". No report from Erith ward this week, so instead, straight on to Northumberland Heath ward:- "Unfortunately we have had one burglary over the past week in Lawrence Road. This took place in the early hours of Friday October 5th. Entry was gained to the property and the keys to the victim's car where taken from a cabinet next to the front door. Thankfully the vehicle was fitted with a tracker which was located in Dartford. The vehicle has now been restored to the owner without any damage to it! One report of criminal damage to a motor vehicle in Sussex Road overnight between Sunday 7th October to Monday 8th October. The windscreen to the vehicle was smashed but nothing was taken from it. PC Tom Smith assisted officers from Immigration last week which resulted in two Males being arrested for Immigration offences. A youth who recently ran away from police during a stop in Erith has been identified from body worn video. He is now being referred to the youth offending team. The next drop-in police surgery will be held this Friday October 12th at 4pm in the Library in Mill Road Erith. All are welcome to attend". 

Slade Green and Northend ward:- "All good news this week, no crimes of note have been reported and no burglaries in the ward. 2 successful stop and searches have been carried out by PC Telfer. One today (Weds) in Whitehall Lane and one yesterday in Bridge Road. Both suspects had cannabis taken from them and were issued with a PND fine (£90). After recent reports of ASB in the Rainbow Road and Forest Road parts of the ward, we now have good images from various CCTV footage that has helped identify some the group involved. One of the group is already on an Acceptable Behaviour Contract and home visits are being made this week to several of the others involved as we look to reduce the issues in these areas. In the last week PCSO Mark has attended a couple events involving Peareswood Primary School. On Monday, a year 4 class was invited to an Orbit Housing Sheltered scheme where they spent an hour with some of the residents talking about how life was back when they were younger. All of the children had a great time listening to the residents reminiscing about days gone by and the different games they played/food they ate/lessons they had in school etc. Mark joined PCSO Adam from Erith SNT at this event as it was held at Sherwood House in Erith. There is a follow up visit planned for next Monday. Then, on Tuesday this week, Mark attended Peareswood School to read again with some Year 1 pupils and was very impressed at the levels of reading they have at such a young age. More of these reading sessions are going to be planned in the run up to Christmas. Earlier today, Mark met up with Helen who is the Neighbourhood Watch coordinator for Elm Road in Slade Green (see photo above) and they delivered letters to all residents in the street reminding them that they had a watch for their road. This road is regularly being used as a cut through by the groups of youths loitering in the aforementioned areas (Rainbow Road, Forest Road) so Mark and Helen thought it would be good to try and encourage the residents into reporting any issues they see, in what is usually a trouble free part of the ward". Thamesmead East ward:- "Motor Vehicle Crimes - Between the hours of 10:30pm on Wednesday 03/10 /18 and 08:45am on Tuesday 09/10/18 a vehicle parked, locked and secure in Parkway was broken into. No details of anything being taken. A vehicle parked in Bernal Close had the victim's wallet taken ,which contained a driving licence, cash card and a sat nav was also taken. This happened between the hours of 11:10 pm on the Wednesday 03/10/18 and 12:00 pm on the Thursday 04/10/18.On Thursday 04/10/18 at 07:20 pm a vehicle locked and secure parked in Pointer Close was broken into. Victim believes that the suspects were going to steal the vehicle". West Heath ward:- "Details of drug dealing in Sandgate Road DA16 have been reported to us and sent on to the West Heath SNT Team for investigation. If anyone in the area has information that may be relevant, please let us know and contact the West Heath SNT team / 101 directly".

Now for the end video - and this week instead of the usual local content, I have opted for something a little more esoteric; The video below is an engaging and very easy to follow guide to the mysterious world of Secret Numbers Stations - these are shortwave radio transmissions from foreign intelligence agencies to spies in the field of foreign countries. Appearing at just about any time of day or night on the shortwave bands, number stations have been calling out with their automated voices since at least the first World War. Since the fact of operating a number station is technically a state secret, there have been very few confirmations from government organisations - those that have were the Czech Office for Foreign Relations and Information, the Polish Institute of National Remembrance and the Swedish Security Service SÄPO. Usage of number stations has additionally been confirmed by former Cold War spies. Secret Number Stations transmit encrypted messages in forms of groups of numbers, or less commonly letters, using either automated voice (many languages), Morse code or digital signals. While the encryption method used for most number stations is unknown, some have used and others are widely believed to use one-time pads - mathematical addition of a set of random numbers (the key) to the plaintext, which can be used only once, and must be destroyed after usage. Some of the stations are believed to transmit pre-defined codebook instructions. Secret Number Stations offer a powerful advantage in our modern world: practically complete anonymity. The recipient of the message can be almost anywhere in the world, and receive instructions without fear of being traced through a phone call or internet connection. All the recipient needs is a shortwave radio and to be in the right place at the right time. The BBC were noted for sending messages to people overseas which where coded messages to SOE agents during WW2. From then on encrypted messages broadcasted with creepy automated voices have been being sent with stations appearing and disappearing as political events changed over the last sixty years. The amount of active Secret Number Stations has significantly decreased since the late 1990s, though number stations are still actively used by countries such as Russia, Poland and Cuba. The video below explains how anyone can pick up these mysterious broadcasts - you don't even need to own a shortwave radio - can you can dial into them using a web based virtual shortwave receiver - a link to the website is here. Give the video a watch and then let me know what you think by posting a comment below, or by Emailing me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

The Playhouse under threat?

The photo above shows the largest theatre in the London Borough of Bexley, the Erith Playhouse. It is entirely run by unpaid volunteers and is a social and cultural hub of the local area. One of my very reliable confidential contacts alerted me on Friday to a document he had found squirrelled away in a dark and forgotten corner of the Bexley Council website, in a location that was exceedingly difficult to find unless you knew exactly where to look. Both the News Shopper and the Bexley Times have reported this week that Bexley Council intends to generate some extra cash by selling off land that it owns around the borough. One of the sites is Erith Playhouse, to which the council owns the rights to the ground rent. The current lease on the building itself has I understand been recently renegotiated. Nevertheless, if the ground rent is sold on to an individual or private company, there is little to stop them increasing the annual charges to a point where the theatre can no longer afford it, and is forced to sell up. This is a favourite technique of disreputable property companies who have cash to spare. They buy up land rights and "land bank" sites, putting up charges to the tenants until after a few years the tenants have no option to call it a day. Bearing in mind the underhand and overbearing actions the council are undertaking in other parts of the borough (more of which later), I would be not at all surprised if they soon try once again to sell off Erith Riverside Gardens to property developers. We need to stay vigilant. Several readers have expressed a common opinion that Bexley Council have little interest in services or well being; instead they seem to have a mission to sell off every square centimetre of land to developers in order to throw up ever more tiny flats - thus increasing the Council Tax revenue for the highly paid council chiefs. Feel free to leave your own opinion at the bottom of this update.

I don't think that Erith suffers from a high degree of crime; certainly when you compare it to recent events in Blackfen, where a Police officer was shot in the hand by a suspected drunk driver who had crashed his car into a number of other vehicles, the kind of criminal activity in Erith seems pretty low key. Most of the crimes I get to hear about are low level anti social behaviour / vandalism / fly tipping and metal theft. One activity that does seem pretty much unique to the area is that of the riding of illegal, unlicensed off-road style motor bikes. A number of youths can be regularly seen riding these bikes around town, especially around Manor Road and the Frobisher Road Estate areas, and also along the river front walkways behind Morrison’s and the riverside housing development. The illegal bikers usually have hooded tops on, to disguise their identities, though they never wear helmets. The phenomenon occurs all of the year around, but is especially prevalent in the summer months. Catching these criminals is never straightforward, as they weave on and off pavements, ride the wrong way along the road, and cut down footpaths with no regard for pedestrians. I recently struck very lucky in the fight against these riders. I had been into town to take some photos for the Maggot Sandwich; I was strolling back home when I heard the distinctive sound of an air cooled two cylinder engine, as often used in off – road type motorbikes. I had seen a very distinctive looking individual illegally riding such a bike around town on a number of occasions, but this time I was armed with my trusty camera and a 18-200mm Nikon zoom lens. As I expected, the rider was zooming down the footpath on the opposite side of the road, occasionally weaving onto the roadway and into the path of the oncoming traffic. The rider shot past a bus stop, where an elderly lady and her shopping trolley were standing – he almost collided with her, and had to swerve violently to avoid a contact. I focused the camera and was lucky – the rider went another fifty metres or so, then slowed to look over his shoulder back at the woman. I grabbed the moment and took the photograph you can see above – click on the photo for a larger view. Suffice to say I have been in contact with the Police, and they know the very distinctive ginger haired individual. His pillion passenger is still however a mystery. Hopefully this will send out a message to the local low – lives that a keen interest is being taken in their nefarious activities, and such criminal behaviour will not be tolerated; if they are prepared to illegally ride unregistered and uninsured bikes, what else may they be getting up to?

A news story has really annoyed me this week; this is quite surprising as I have covered the issue before, but to be honest I had mostly forgotten about it. The News Shopper are reporting that the footbridge and passenger lifts over the railway at Bexleyheath station is now open for use by the public. As I wrote back in May of this year when the matter was brought to my attention by a Maggot Sandwich reader who is a regular user of Bexleyheath Station, this is madness. I have heard that even MP for Bexleyheath David Evennett could not understand what need there was for another crossing in the location, as there was already a footbridge at each end of the station and step free access. Apparently the installation of the lift and additional bridge have cost approximately £1 million. Bearing in mind MP for Erith and Thamesmead Teresa Pearce has been campaigning for step free access to the London bound platform at Erith station since August 2011, and many locals (myself included) have been vocal in support of this, yet Network Rail have made it clear that they don't see a reason to install lifts for the use of people in wheelchairs, and parents with small children in buggies.It is clearly one rule for the richer areas of the borough, and another for the less wealthy ones. With the opening of Erith Park, and the soon development of Erith Quarry, there will be more need than ever to improve public transportation in the area - very small thinking by the transport chiefs.

You may have seen articles in the popular press about Microsoft’s plans for the next version of Windows, called Windows 10 (for reasons best known to themselves, they are skipping version 9 entirely). Windows 10 is not actually due out until sometime in the middle of 2015, but early preview versions of the new operating system are available for download for technical people who have joined the Microsoft Insider Programme. The version of Windows 10 is not feature complete, and is a very early beta – users are advised not to deploy the OS on any production devices, as data loss may result. This is all fair enough and quite a common way of deploying a new operating system for assessment prior to full release. Taking a closer look at the Privacy Policy for the Windows Insider Programme, it looks like Microsoft may be collecting a lot more feedback from you behind the scenes. Microsoft collects information about you, your devices, applications and networks, and your use of those devices, applications and networks. Examples of data we collect include your name, email address, preferences and interests; browsing, search and file history; phone call and SMS data; device configuration and sensor data; and application usage." This isn't the only thing Microsoft is collecting from Insider Programme participants. According to the Privacy Policy, the company is collecting things like text inputted into the operating system, the details of any/all files on your system, voice input and program information. This has serious implications; your bank details, medical records and private conversations may all become available to Microsoft. I understand that their human interface engineering team  need to collect information as to how customers interact with Windows 10 in order to optimise the user experience. After the debacle that was the launch of Window 8, and its unintuitive interface, Microsoft are conscious that the “must do better” – and part of the reason I believe that they are jumping from Windows 8.1 to 10 with no 9 in between is to emphasise just how different the next generation of Windows is. The trouble is, they are collecting their user data in a way that is very likely to alienate the very people who should be championing the new operating system. It is understood that the monitoring and key logging systems will not be included in the final production version of Windows 10, but it is very easy for a new system to get a poor reputation which can be difficult, if not impossible to lose – look at what happened to Windows 8.

Dana Whiffen of Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association reports that "Monday 6th October 2014 was National Personal Safety Day, volunteers from Neighbourhood Watch and Bexley police engaged with the public in Bexleyheath Shopping Mall handing out hundreds of specially designed leaflets from The Suzy Lamplugh Trust as well as other Neighbourhood Watch items. Nearby Bexley Library, Yorkshire Building Society and Starbucks allowed us to leave leaflets on this successful day, it was our second year it taking part in this national scheme".

Some confusion exists about the charging system used on the Dartford River Crossing. The existing Dart Card payment system is being replaced with Dart Charge – a system that uses Number Plate Recognition technology to charge bridge and tunnel users, rather than the old method of giving your cash to a toll booth operator – surely one of the most boring, repetitive and unpleasant jobs. The hope is that automating the process will speed up the flow of traffic and thus keep the M25 running a little better than currently. It is anticipated that a similar system will be employed on any new crossing of the River Thames, so it is vital that the deployment runs smoothly. It is my understanding that things have not been going very well; as I recently mentioned when referring to the replacement of the vehicle excise duty disk (commonly referred to as the tax disk) with checking using Number Plate recognition systems, it has been found that a relatively large number of false number plates are in use in the area. I know when I have reported the illegal use of motorbikes in Erith, on one occasion the vehicle in question did have a number plate. I dutifully recorded the number, and reported it to the Police, only for them to look it up on their database, and then to be told that rather than a dodgy moped, the plate was correctly assigned to a silver Vauxhall Astra van! How the operators of the Dartford River Crossing will deal with this has yet to be determined. I am of the firm opinion that the UK economy as a whole would be benefitted by all bridges and tunnels being free at the point of use – as residents in both Bexley and Dartford were originally promised when the first Dartford Tunnel was constructed.

It has been absolutely ages since I last published a recipe on the blog, so I am putting that situation right now. This traditional Mauritian supper dish (called Rogai or Rougaille depending on who you ask) is ideal for this time of year as the nights draw in, and is very easy to make in a single saucepan, and can easily be prepared from stuff you have in a store cupboard. It costs pennies and is especially great when you are feeling unwell with a cold - the garlic and chilli really help decongest those sinuses, and it packed full of goodness - serve in a bowl or mug and eat with crusty bread. It was taught to me years ago and is delicious - you can vary the ingredients as you wish - this is just the basic version.

Ingredients.

Tin of chopped tomatoes

Large squirt of tomato puree

Large onion, finely chopped 

2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

1-2 hot chillies, finely chopped

Dash of Worcester sauce

Half tin of sweetcorn

Half tin of peas

Sprinkle of roughly chopped Coriander leaf

Couple of teaspoons of vegetable oil

Optional extras.

Small frozen cooked prawns (defrosted)

Tin of cooked baby new potatoes cut into pieces

Small tin of pre - cooked chickpeas or red kidney beans.

Method.

Use a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil, then add the chopped onion, and cook until it starts to soften. Add the finely chopped chillies and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until they too start to soften. The add the tin of chopped tomatoes and tomato puree, followed by a generous dash of Worcestershire sauce. Cook down for 10 - 15 minutes until the mix starts to reduce, then add the peas and sweetcorn; heat them through and then add a handful of chopped fresh coriander and serve. You can add a handful of defrosted pre cooked prawns as you serve, (don’t leave prawns on the hob if you keep what you have not already eaten hot, as they will become rubbery and tough) Alternatively you can add chickpeas, chopped baby new potatoes or tinned pre cooked red kidney beans a few minutes before serving. It makes a very filling and satisfying meal that is very tasty and cheap. Serve with a hunk of crusty bread such as bloomer. You can allow what you don’t eat too cool off, then keep it in the fridge to reheat via microwave.

Software publisher Adobe produce an application called Adobe Digital Editions; this a program which, in their own words: “Readers want choice, flexibility, and ease — to buy or borrow books and read them on their preferred reading devices.  Adobe Digital Editions software offers an engaging way to view and manage media rich eBooks and other digital publications. Use it to download and purchase digital content, which can be read both online and offline. Transfer copy-protected eBooks from your personal computer to other computers or devices. Organize your eBooks into a custom library and annotate pages.” Quite. What Adobe don’t tell you is that the application has a second payload; a program that makes a note of every e-book you read, how much of it you read, and how fast and for how long, where you were physically located when you were reading it, along with the unique e-book reader device ID. The program also notes the date of the e-book purchase, along with the author, price and title. This information is then sent unencrypted back to Adobe’s servers. This is a security nightmare, and Adobe had shot themselves in the foot over the whole issue by trying to play it down. They would have been far better off admitting that they had blundered. In contrast Microsoft, and their inclusion of monitoring software in Windows 10 have been a model of openness and honesty, something that historically they have had a very poor reputation for. I would suggest that there are plenty of other varieties of e-book management software out there, and (for now) at least you would be better off in using another product. I believe that the amount of negative publicity Adobe will be subject to will make them decide to remove the snooping code as soon as possible.

Many readers will know that Bexley College was officially opened by London Mayor Boris Johnson on Tuesday morning. I was invited to the event by college Principal, Danny Ridgeway, but I was unable to attend due to commitments in my day job. The opening has been well covered in the local press, as well as by fellow local blogger Malcolm Knight of “Bexley is Bonkers”. As I have said on several occasions in the past, I think the move to Erith of Bexley College is a huge boost for the town. I have already seen lots of college students in and around Erith Riverside Shopping Centre, and I am certain that their presence will be a benefit to the shops and surrounding businesses. One other thing that Malcolm has brought up is something that I know is very close to the hearts of many Maggot Sandwich readers who have small children; The Upper Belvedere Splash Park is threatened once again with closure as puritanical Bexley Council yet again want to cut spending on anything which might bring a touch of fun and pleasure to local residents. Bexley have already cut the number of days that the park opens in the summer months, citing “maintenance and cleaning” as the reason, when the actual reason is to reduce the staffing costs, which actually only amount to around £20,000 a year – peanuts in real terms. Now yet once more they threaten the extremely popular summer destination with closure. It is one of the only free attractions available to many less well-off local families, and provides a safe and well regulated place for children to play with water under supervision. The last time the park was threatened, a very large, vocal and effective FaceBook campaign was set up to save it. I am in contact with the person behind the group, and will report back as to what they intend to do to mobilise a new protest against the Splash Park being closed. If you have any further information or insider knowlege, do feel free to drop me a line in strict confidence to hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Things down at the Bexley Brewery seem to be going very well indeed. Chief brewer Cliff has now got Bexley beers being served in The Door Hinge, Welling, The Prince of Wales, Belvedere, Dartfordians Rugby Club, Bexley, The Penny Farthing, Crayford, The Robin Hood and Little John, Bexleyheath, The Volunteer, Bexleyheath, The New Cross Turnpike, Welling, The Wrong ’Un, Bexleyheath and now the Tailor’s Chalk, Sidcup. As you will see above, all of the Wetherspoon’s pubs in the London Borough of Bexley are now stocking Bexley Brewery beers. This is excellent news for a business that has only been brewing for a scant handful of weeks. Bexley Brewery will be running their Wetherspoon’s launch event on the evening of Wednesday the 15^th; the evening will start off at the New Cross Turnpike, and after an hour the launch will move on to the Wrong ‘Un, then after another hour on to the Furze Wren and lastly the Tailor’s Chalk. It should prove to be an interesting evening. I gather Cliff has seconded his wife for driving duties, which seems like a sensible move.

I received this comment from occasional Maggot Sandwich guest contributor, who goes by the pseudonym "The Rev":- "As this story is pretty mundane I hope your readers don't mind me trying to spice it up with some silly prose! Set the scene...Saturday mid-afternoon in Asda Belvedere car park... in the rain... It's akin to the Somme but with more shopping trollies and fewer Germans. Grown men weep as thoughts of happier time roll around their head like trainers in a washing machine. Women, wild eyed, teeth clenched rush round like demented Japanese Kabuki actors but wearing "sports casual" instead of mask-like ceremonial representations of emotions and dragging gremlin like children in their puffy ankled wake. For me the ordeal of Saturday afternoon food shopping with two hyper children was almost done by 3pm, I had slayed the monster called "Teatime" with food purchased as my least favourite supermarket in the area (although Tesco Express come close only because I loathe seeing people in their night clothes) when as I loaded my bags into the boot of my car there was an almighty BANG.  Two rows over from where I was parked a large brand new 4x4 was now parked in the front of B and Q's TradePoint. And I mean that literally AND actually. Who've was driving had some how rocketed forward and luckily missed ending up parked inside the store by a (reasonably priced) pallet of Blue Circle Concrete mix (although I prefer to use local stores so use Raj's in Belvedere Village for all my DIY bits and pieces but I digress). Luckily no one was walking past between Asda and B and Q or there would have been a serious incident, serious as in "crushed to a fine red paste not dissimilar to a red Pesto". I then after a quick warp drive away as I knew the car park would snarl up within minutes. It's like that". Quite.

We have another technical anniversary this month; it is the twentieth birthday of the smart phone – though the actual term was not coined until several years later. The IBM Simon was a (then) revolutionary mix of a GSM mobile phone with a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). In addition to its ability to make and receive cellular phone calls, Simon was also able to send and receive faxes, e-mails and cellular pages. Simon featured many applications including an address book, calendar, appointment scheduler, calculator, world time clock, electronic notepad, handwritten annotations and standard and predictive stylus input screen keyboards. All this is run of the mill now, but was mind – boggling stuff back in the day. Surprisingly the Simon did not sell very well. Part of this was the price – it cost a lot. In the USA,  BellSouth Cellular initially offered the Simon throughout its 15 state service area for US$899 with a two-year service contract or US$1099 without a contract. A not inconsiderable sum, on top of which were the call and data charges. If this was not enough, the initial production run of the Simon was plagued by software bugs – not surprising in a brand new concept that was arguably rolled out to the retail market before it was fully mature. A few Simon units were used by IBM UK executives, but it was not a phone that ever went on general release in the UK – at the time it was thought that there would be insufficient market for such a device. In the end, only around fifty thousand IBM Simon phones were sold, and the product was eventually withdrawn from sale six months after release. Nevertheless, it was the pioneering device in what has now become a multi-billion dollar worldwide industry.

The next exhibition on the future of Erith Quarry and the proposed residential development has been booked for Saturday the 18^th October, starting at 11am. The developers and their public relations company will have an open to all display in the main entrance hall of Trinity School in Erith Road, Belvedere. There will be updated architect’s drawings of the site which will have incorporated some of the ideas and feedback from the previous open day, where many locals came to see what was proposed, and to offer their own suggestions. I will be on site with my camera at some point in the day – do come over and say hello if you see me.

Now for the end video; this is a treat - a new Simon's Cat short animated film. These are always worth watching - see what you think and do let me know - hugh.neal@gmail.com