Linda Smith.

I have been writing about Erith and the surrounding areas for over thirteen years now. One former local resident who looms large in the public perception of the town is the late comedian Linda Smith. I am hopeful that a new road on the forthcoming Park East estate (what used to be called the Arthur Street estate, that is currently being redeveloped). Linda Smith was born in Erith in 1958, and was educated at Erith College of Technology (now London South East College, Bexley) and at the University of Sheffield where she graduated in English and Drama. She joined a professional theatre company before turning to comedy. In 1987, she won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year, then known as the New London Comic Award, and performed on the Edinburgh Fringe before breaking into radio comedy. Many of her early stand-up appearances were benefit concerts staged in solidarity with the British miners during the Miners' Strike in the 1980s. She was a lifelong socialist. Her first appearances on national radio were on Radio 5's The Treatment in 1997. She was subsequently a regular panellist on The News Quiz and Just a Minute, and appeared frequently on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (from June 2001 onwards), Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week, Countdown and QI. She wrote and starred in her own Radio 4 sitcom, Linda Smith's A Brief History of Timewasting. After appearing on Radio 4's Devout Sceptics to discuss her beliefs she was asked by the British Humanist Association (BHA) to become president of the society – a role that she occupied with commitment from 2004 until her death. In 2002, she was voted 'Wittiest Living Person' by listeners to BBC Radio 4's Word of Mouth. On 17 November 2003, Smith appeared on the BBC television show Room 101, where she successfully managed to put in "adults who read Harry Potter books", Tim Henman, "Back to School signs that appear in shops" and "posh people". However, she failed to put in Bow ties after host Paul Merton pointed out that Stan Laurel regularly wore a bow tie. On 27 February 2006, Smith died as a consequence of ovarian cancer at the age of 48. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer three and a half years earlier but, not wanting to be thought of as a patient or a victim, she did not want people to know. Before she died she chose that her funeral be humanist, and her memorial at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, on 10 March, was dedicated to the BHA. Her life and work were honoured at the British Academy Television Awards in 2006. The first episode of Dawn French's Girls Who Do: Comedy was dedicated to the memory of Linda Smith. Two tribute gigs were held in her memory. The first took place on 14 May 2006 at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, In Praise of an English Radical, the second on 4 June 2006 at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London entitled Tippy Top: An Evening of Linda Smith's Favourite Things. In August 2006, Andy Hamilton presented a BBC Radio 4 tribute entitled Linda Smith: A Modern Radio Star. An anthology on CD, entitled I Think the Nurses Are Stealing My Clothes: The Very Best of Linda Smith, was released in November 2006 as was a book with the same name. A tribute show of the same name was aired on BBC Radio 4 on 10 November 2006. Linda Smith was an amazing entertainer and observer of the human condition; unfortunately her most famous one - liner has come to haunt the local area, and to (in my mind, anyway) give an unfair impression. She said "Erith isn't twinned with anywhere, but it does have a mutual suicide pact with Dagenham". Her life partner, Warren Larking has recently been working with The University of Kent to archive her work. Like many comedians, Linda Smith recorded every performance she made – mainly to find out what jokes and stories worked with her audience, and those that did not. Warren Larkin inherited this cast collection of cassettes, video tapes and CD’s upon her death, and has now decided to donate the thousands of hours of recording to The University of Kent, so that they can digitise the recordings before the magnetic tape deteriorates to the point where it becomes unplayable. The head of Drama at the University, Professor Double said of the collection” “Having her complete work is incredible. Usually we just hear the ‘best of’ compilations, but this collection includes off-air work so you can hear how she developed her skills and when things go a bit wonky. It is still early days, but ultimately it would be great if we can get most of this available online, much like the history of cartoons archive the university has, but that is some way in to the future. We have the time consuming job of going through it all first to see exactly what we have. It is an exciting time.” This all sounds like excellent news – Linda Smith was an important comic and writer, and one of the few people from Erith to make a name for themselves outside of the local area. Occasional Maggot Sandwich contributor and site owner of The Belvedere Splash Facebook group Ian wrote the following article about Linda Smith and events shortly after her untimely death:- "In 2006 I was an avid listener to BBC7 (or Radio 4 Extra as it is now known), DAB radio was still pretty niche and a station playing classic comedy and radio plays even more so, but I lapped up the likes of Hancock, Round The Horne and assorted drama and documentaries as well as classic sci-fi like Doctor Who. I’d heard of some of the shows but being in my mid-30s I had never heard stuff like this before, quality laugh out loud comedies and programmes to make me ponder and get excited about that were made (mostly) 20 years or so before I was even born. Beat the hell out of what was currently on TV (even if no-one got the references I dropped into day to day conversation!) and as we had two small children I spent a lot of time in the kitchen pottering about so had the time and space to listen to the radio where as sitting on the sofa watching TV was a distant memory. I signed up to the BBC7 weekly newsletter and a few months after Linda Smith’s passing they announced they would be having a memorial tribute show and a competition to win tickets and a rather spiffing BBC branded portable Roberts radio. I’m not sure if I was the only entrant but I’m 99 percent sure I was the only entrant from Erith, Linda’s home town, whichever the case I won. I must admit I’d heard of Linda Smith but only vaguely. I remember about 10 years before hand flicking on the TV late one night and seeing her talk about “Eriff” in her stand up and had heard a few shows with her as a panellist on The News Quiz, Just a Minute and I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue but I can’t say I knew her or her comedy that well but was…proud (?) to have a comedienne who came from the same area I lived in (the only other one I can think of off hand from the local area is the brilliant Mark Steel, who originated from Swanley). The BBC7 controller (a lovely lady, sadly her name escapes me) contacted me to say I’d won and we ended up striking up quite a nice little friendship that lasted a few months after the tribute show. She seemed interested on my thoughts and enthusiasm about the station because of my age and the fact I went against the BBC’s demographics of who would listen to the station, she’d also run into Linda a few times whilst working at the BBC and was interested in my view on Erith (nicking and paraphrasing a line from Mr Pewty, I once told her the best view of the place was through the viewfinder on a bomber flying over). The night of the show rolled around and after securing a babysitter my wife and I trooped up to a studio theatre in the backstreets of London to sit and watch the recording of “Linda Smith: A Modern Radio Star” compared by Andy Hamilton (writer and performer in the rather fabulous Old Harry’s Game and BBC1’s Outnumbered) with a stellar cast of comedy stars, friends and colleagues including Jeremy Hardy, Mark Steel, Hattie Hayridge, Sandi Toksvig, Nicholas Parsons, Chris Neill, Tony Hawks, Phill Jupitus, Simon Hoggart, Barry Cryer and her partner Warren Lakin. I was a bit awestruck to be honest as we were sat in the front row and mingled with the cast in the bar. Some of these people I had grown up with on TV, read books written by them and in the case of Barry Cryer I was in the presence of a veritable God of comedy (he’s written or had a hand in writing for everyone from Bob Hope to Morecambe and Wise to John Cleese, Marty Feldman, The Goodies, Kenny Everett, the list is never-ending). I offered to buy him a drink and he laughed wryly and waving his bottle at the bar told me he drunk for free. The BBC7 controller was there too and was a gracious host and I noticed she kept watching me and my wife during the show when Linda’s life in Erith was brought up. The show that went out didn’t bear much relation to the one we watched as it was very off the cuff and relaxed and (Phill Jupitus especially) very sweary. There was obviously a lot of love for Linda in the room but even though her dying was the reason we were all there was no maudlin sadness, in fact there was nothing but joy. Sadly we had to leave just before the end of the show due to having to catch the last train home but it was a wonderful night and I can’t think of a warmer, more intimate, more affectionate send off to a comedian. She was obviously well loved by her contemporaries and that shone throughout the show". Fascinating stuff; I wonder how long it will be before the local area produces another entertainer of similar calibre? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Regular Maggot Sandwich readers may be aware that I had an involvement with offshore radio station Radio Caroline in the late 80's / early 90's - as can be seen by my photos located here. I was based on the Ross Revenge, the ship Radio Caroline had used since 1983, and is still around in 2020, though it is now moored in the River Blackwater in Essex, where it is possible to visit it on certain occasions - click here if you are interested in joining an organised visiting trip. Prior to the advent of the Ross Revenge, Radio Caroline had a previous ship, the smaller and somewhat less sturdy Mi Amigo. The Mi Amigo sank during a storm, almost exactly forty years ago. In what was a life threatening situation, the radio-ship which had withstood a beaching in 1966 and the best part of a decade at sea with little or no maintenance, finally gave up on the night of 19th - 20th March 1980 after the anchor chain snapped in a north easterly gale and she drifted onto Long Sands where she grounded. The Sheerness lifeboat Helen Turnbull was called out and stood by as the Mi Amigo floundered. Although the crew initially thought it might be possible to call a tender to tow them back to the normal anchorage, the weather had other thoughts, and heavy seas caused the ship to be lifted up and down on what was left of the anchor chain. Holes were soon punched into her thin hull with the result that, with the bilge pumps being unable to clear the water faster than it was flooding in, the ship was doomed. Presenter Stevie Gordon made a final announcement before he, fellow presenters Tom Anderson and Nick Richards, along with a Dutch engineer Hans Verlaan, prepared to abandon ship. The Helen Turnbull made some thirteen attempts to get close enough to Mi Amigo to take the men – plus the ship's canary – off, which they finally did. The Mi Amigio finally sank some 20 minutes later, leaving just the aerial mast sticking above the crashing waves. It was the end of an era. Less than three years later, Radio Caroline was back on air from the North Sea from the Ross Revenge. The station is still very much alive and well, broadcasting on 648 KHz on Medium wave, in many parts of the country on DAB, and streaming online. You can see the Radio Caroline website by clicking here.

At 10:30pm on Wednesday, 8th March 1978, exactly forty two years ago today, the first episode of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was broadcast on BBC Radio 4. At the time no-one - least of all its creator Douglas Adams - would have known that the story of galactically - displaced nobody Arthur Dent would one day travel as far in the pop-cultural landscape as the book’s characters did across the universe. I got into Hitchhikers pretty early on - I recall that when I was at school, I could recite, word perfect, entire chunks of the first two books. In the years since in inception, The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy has existed in almost every form imaginable - first a radio series, then a book, record albums (different to the radio versions), a television series, various stage productions, a computer game, a towel and a major motion picture - each one expanding on or compressing previous versions, using some aspects, flatly contradicting others and completely ignoring the rest. It has proven astonishingly prolific as a franchise, and that’s probably because its main thesis – that the universe is an idiosyncratic and absurd place as viewed from a human perspective – is one that can’t help but resonate with audiences across time and space. One of Adams's stated goals was to be experimental in the use of sound. Being a fan of Pink Floyd and The Beatles, and especially the experimental concept albums both bands produced in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Adams wanted the programme to have the feel of a "rock album ... to convey the idea that you actually were on a spaceship or an alien planet—that sense of a huge aural landscape". The first series was therefore the first BBC radio comedy to use stereophonic techniques. Adams later said that before Hitchhiker's, stereo was deemed impossible for radio comedy and after it was made compulsory. Producer Geoffrey Perkins recalled that the technology available in 1978 for mixing sound effects at the BBC's Paris Theatre radio studio was limited. The production had one eight track tape recorder at their disposal and so many of the effects in the programme were mixed "live" with tape loops of background sound effects strung around the recording studio. Actors whose speech needed to be modified in post-production by Radiophonic technicians, such as Stephen Moore's performance as Marvin the Android, were recorded in isolation from the main "humanoid" characters. Allegedly, Moore recorded most of his performance in a cupboard and met the other actors only after the first session was complete. The theme tune used for the radio series (and all subsequent adaptations) is "Journey of the Sorcerer", an instrumental piece composed by Bernie Leadon and recorded by The Eagles on their album One of These Nights. Adams chose this song for its futuristic-sounding nature, but also for the fact that it had a banjo in it, which, as Geoffrey Perkins recalls, Adams said would give it an "on the road, hitch-hiking feel" Sound and effects were created by Paddy Kingsland, Dick Mills and Harry Parker of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Several of the sound effects recorded by Dick Mills for the first series were released on the album BBC Sound Effects No. 26 – Sci-Fi Sound Effects. In case you are unfamiliar with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the reason I picked the forty second anniversary of its first broadcast is that as Guide fans know, the number 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything.

Some relevant comments from a regular reader and occasional contributor who chooses to remain anonymous on this occasion. They write:- "I unfortunately witnessed a road traffic accident near the horse roundabout in Belvedere yesterday around 10am. Not entirely sure what happened but several cars had stopped on the inner section of the roundabout and there was a man laying in the road - from the brief time I was there it appeared to be a motorcyclist (moped). On my way back home two mopeds had been parked by the side of the road with an ambulance was in attendance.  Hopefully the chap is OK. I do find the road markings to be quite poor/confusing, three lanes, filtering, all combined with a dual carriageway. It could be my imagination but both the Fish and Horse roundabouts seem to have more than their fair share of accidents. Regarding the C19 Coronavirus, I feel the media have completely blown it out of proportion. Neither Morrisons, nor Asda appear to be suffering a deluge of panic buying - a few lines are missing but nothing that screams the four horsemen are at our doorstep. I've been very disappointed to receive constant updates from the BBC suggesting we should batten down the hatches - it's incredibly dangerous in my opinion. Whilst the financial markets have been hit quite heavily - likely because C19 has highlighted other weaknesses , from a day-to-day perspective nothing has really changed. Irrespective, I hope everyone uses their common sense and avoids unnecessary travel and only purchases what they need. Social media has also been up to it's old tricks, I have seen a noticeable uptick on conspiracy theories. You may be interested to learn the book "The Eyes of Darkness" (Dean Koontz) described a scenario very similar to the current situation. Given the sheer number of prophesies people dream up, some of them are likely to come true". A very interesting and pertinent viewpoint - I concur wholeheartedly regarding the problems with both the traveller cob roundabout in Lower Belvedere, and the De Luci fish roundabout in Erith, both of which seem to suffer from a disproportionate number of road traffic accidents. What do you think? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Over the last seven days there has been no vehicle crime reported however there has been two burglaries reported, these both occurred overnight of the Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th February in Taunton Close. Entry in both cases was gained through the front door. One address had two cars taken along with money and wallet. The other address had a games console taken. As a result once smartwater has been rolled out in Holmsdale Grove, Taunton Close will be next in line. The next community contact session will be held at Barnehurst Golf Course on the Wednesday18th March at 11am". Belvedere ward:- "There was a burglary reported which would have occurred in early February – the victim was in hospital at the time of the offence. Entry was gained via the rear patio doors being smashed and at this stage it remains unclear what was taken from the property. Garage burglaries remain a prominent issue across the ward - padlocks are being cut from garage doors to allow entry. These offences appear to be being caused in areas of garage blocks rather than garages attached to residential properties. Overnight from Sunday 1st March into Monday 2nd March a garage was broken into at Mitre Court in Picardy Road. A high valued motorcycle was then taken from the location. There was another garage burglary reported that took place in Raglan Road. Four BMW tyres were taken from this garage at some time between Tuesday 18th February and Monday 2nd March. There was also a residential burglary in Braesyde Close this week – entry was gained via an insecure window to the front of the property – the window had been left slightly open overnight". Bexleyheath ward:- "Friday 28/02/20 1340 - 1350 Theft From Motor Vehicle Albion Road car park (behind HSBC) Cash stolen from vehicle by smashing window with occupant in vehicle – Please be careful using this car park this is not the first time an incident like this has occurred. Saturday 29/02/20 1500 01/03/20 0400 Theft of Motor Vehicle Carey Court, Gravel Hill. Motorbike stolen from underground car park. Monday 2/03/20 0100 – 0800 Attempted Burglary Iris Avenue. Lock from back gate has been broken – no entry gained to home, nothing taken. Monday 02/03/20 1100 – 1130 Theft from Person Broadway near Santander. Purse taken from bag. Sunday 1/03/20 0000 – 0100 Theft From Motor Vehicle Broadway. Number Plate stolen. Monday 2/03/20 1400 – 1500 Theft Broadway between Primark and New Look. Mobile phone stolen. Please do ensure that everyone is aware of their surroundings whilst out and about as there are still pickpockets about". Crayford ward:- "Crime this week in Crayford has been mainly vehicle related. Between 16.30 on Monday 24th February and 07.45 on Tuesday 25th February the side door of a Transit was crow barred open and a significant amount of power tools stolen at Wyatt Road. A blue Suzuki 125cc with registration number LG58JHO was stolen from outside premises at The Parade, Crayford Way on Thursday 27th February at 09.00. Two male suspects used another bike to push the bike away. A vehicle with the registration HJ64UXX was taken from outside the Crayford Arms between 19.00 on Sunday 1st March and 06.15 on Monday 2nd March. Between Saturday 15th and Friday 21st February the catalytic convertor was stolen from a grey Honda HRV from outside Beech Haven Court in London Road. A Mappin and Webb watch was taken from Soleil, victim had left it unattended and when they returned it had gone, a timely reminder to put valuable items away, out of sight if not being worn. A shed was broken in to between 21.00 on Wednesday 26th February and 07.30 on Thursday 27th February at Bexley Close. The lock was removed and a Allez E5 Sport Gents racing bike with dropped handlebars was taken. We assisted the Boys Brigade with their parade on Sunday 1st March marching from Hall Place to Crayford Methodist Church at Bexley Lane and returning to Hall Place. Thankfully the weather was good and we trust that motorists were not too inconvenienced with the short holds to keep the parade together and safe. The team have been very busy this week. A van was seized after being seen crawling around cul de sacs. The van was stopped in Hillbrow, the driver was processed for having no tax, no MOT, no insurance, no driving licence and the van was on false plates. Our team have access to police motorcycles and were able to deal with and off road motorcyclist on the Braeburn Park nature reserve. A male was processed by means of community resolution after a positive drugs stop. A male was arrested after a domestic incident. Two stolen vehicles were recovered in Burgate Close and Grazeley Close". Erith ward - no report this week. 

Northumberland Heath ward:- "This week unfortunately there has been one distraction burglary on Oakdene Road involving an elderly victim. The suspect entered through the back door and helping himself to the victims purse within the kitchen area , stating he had completed gardening work. There was another burglary on Belmont Road entering through the front door. PCSO Lorraine O'Hara and PCSO Pigott attended a report of a damaged Garage in Brook vale Road and came across (80) eighty stolen parcels which had been placed inside the garage area .During the search two suspects approached the garage on a motorbike and made of from Officers . During this incident the suspects slipped of the motorbike and ran on foot from Officers. The motorbike was reported as stolen and was then recovered to the victim .This investigation is still ongoing. There has also been several reports of theft from motor vehicles including theft of number plates". From a Member of the Public - in Brook Vale:-"A resident went to her garage which is located to the rear of her property and found that the padlock had been cut off. Upon opening the door she found that there were large laundry bags containing parcels from catalogue companies, which are now believed to be stolen. The police visited the garage and removed the property". Slade Green and Northend ward:- "One theft from Motor Vehicle where a phone and Bluetooth speaker were stolen from a vehicle in Betsham Road between 10am and 1pm on Saturday 29/02/2020. A reminder again that we urge everyone to remove all valuable property from your vehicles at all times. We assisted North Heath SNT during the evening of Friday 28th February. PCSO Mark was with their PCSO Lorraine and they found over 80 stolen items dumped in an unused garage in Brook Vale. While looking at the property, 2 males with a motorbike came round the corner, realised police were on scene, dropped the bike and ran off. The bike turned out to be stolen from Abbey Wood the day before and it was reunited with its owner. PCSO Mark attended Slade Green Seniors Cinema Club on Monday 02/03 and spoke with over 40 attendees about Smart Water. Everyone who wanted one was given a kit and their registration forms filled in. Our next Community Contact Session is on Tuesday 10/03 from 1230 at St Augustine's Welcome Café". Thamesmead East ward:- "Surlingham Close Sun 1/3/20 5pm – 8:10pm suspect/s unknown smashed rear door window of residential property, carried out an untidy search in all rooms, there is evidence of suspect/s standing on victims bed to pull items out of overhead cupboards. Suspect/s removed a pillowcase in order to carry stolen items including jewellery, vehicle keys. £150 pounds in notes and £300 in £2 coins. Victims work van keys found inside a carrier bag in the property, along with an amount of old watches apparently left by suspect/s. Kingfisher Close Sunday 1/3/20 5:30pm – 9pm unknown suspect/s has smashed a whole glass panel in the victims back door to gain entry and take property". West Heath ward:-"One attempted burglary in Preston Drive on Wednesday 26/02/20 0030 – 00.35. A male was seen on the ring doorbell trying the door handle. Entry was not gained. A burglary took place in Chessington Avenue on Saturday 29/02/20 04.15 – 04.40. The occupants heard a noise and did not realise at the time that they had been burgled and two Skodas from outside the address. The vehicles have seen been recovered. An Audi was stolen by means of a burglary in Clovelly Road on Tuesday 03/03/20 at 04.29. Theft of a catalytic converter in Madison on Wednesday 26/02/20 20.30 – 2.55. Criminal damage to a motor vehicle in Lenham Road on Saturday 29/02/20 23.15 – 01.00 Sunday 01/03/20 the windscreen was smashed".

The end video this week comes from local singer / songwriter Brian Silk; if his name sounds familiar, it is probably because Brian has been an occasional contributor to the Maggot Sandwich, in the form of local restaurant reviews. Brian also been involved in local football and is active in a number of local community groups. Brian’s new single, Every Day I Read You Like A Book, is now out on world-wide release. The track is available on all major platforms, such as Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music and Deezer. This is Brian’s first single from his forthcoming album to be released later this year. He said, “I would describe Every Day I Read You Like A Book as a spiky alternative/indie pop song with a singalong chorus. I love quirky alternative pop music and I tried to write a slightly offbeat guitar-based song. The lyrics are a bit off-beat, too, but I think a lot of people will relate to them.” Please send comments and feedback to hugh.neal@gmail.com. You can visit Brian's website by clicking here.

West Street.

On Wednesday morning, at a special demolition event, representatives from Wates Residential, Orbit and the London Borough of Bexley joined together with former Erith-born residents, who shared some of their favourite memories of the old Arthur Street Estate, off Northend Road to mark the occasion of the start of demolition to make way for the new development that is to take its place. The new estate will be called Park East, and will cost £95 million to create. The official press release regarding the event reads:- "The project, which is being delivered by Wates Residential and Orbit, in partnership with the London Borough of Bexley, will see 320 new homes built, of which 80 per cent will for affordable rent and shared ownership to ensure a mixed, aspirational and sustainable community for local residents. It comes after Wates Residential and Orbit completed six years of work on the nearby Larner Road estate, transforming it into the award-winning, mixed tenure community Erith Park and delivering 587 new homes. Team members from both organisations came together with guests from the London Borough of Bexley and former residents at a special demolition event on Wednesday to mark the significant step forward for the project. Work is expected to be completed by 2023. Two of the guests were Erith-born Doreen and Mick Weekes, who shared some of their favourite memories of the area. The couple, who have six grandchildren and six great grandchildren, moved into their three-bedroom maisonette on the estate, which used to be known as Arthur Street, just 18 months after they were built. They went on to enjoy 50 happy years in the property, raising two children amongst friends and neighbours. Mick remembers teaching young children from the area DIY and helping to coach the Thamesmead sailing club to victory at the London Youth games. He also shared how he had used a horse drawn plough along the Northend Road. As part of the demolition process, Orbit helped residents find new homes close to the area. When Orbit found a two-bedroom house in Belvedere for Doreen and Mick, Doreen cried for joy. Mick said: “Now we’re settled in our new home we love it.  It’s cosy, quiet and we’ve got our own garden at last.  We can still enjoy our memories of the time we lived at Arthur Street!” As part of the venture, Wates Residential and Orbit have also pledged to kick start training opportunities for local residents by hiring at least 31 apprentices and at least 25 people in full time employment from the local area. Another of the unique training and employment initiatives that Wates Residential has brought to Erith is its Building Futures programme, which helps unemployed adults gain valuable practical experience and employability coaching to reinvigorate their career prospects. Seven students recently graduated from the two-week course having gained hands on experience of a construction site. Glen Roberts, Operations Director for Wates Residential, said: “The start of demolition is a significant moment for the Park East development, which will deliver hundreds of high quality new homes and a lasting legacy for the area. “We are pleased to have been able to join together with our partners Orbit and the London Borough of Bexley to hear from residents about their fondest memories of the area. We are looking forward to the community being able to make new memories in Park East over the coming years.” Caroline Field, Head of Regeneration for Orbit, commented: “We’re delighted Doreen and Mick could join us and to hear they are happily settling in their new home.  We moved over 250 households from the old Arthur Street estate and aimed to find all of them a better quality home.” What do you think? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com. 

The temporary closure of the Bexleyheath railway line in February next year grows ever closer. As regular readers will be aware, there were a series of landslips in 2014, 2016 and in February of this year just outside of Barnehurst Station, which closed the Bexleyheath line for several days on each occasion. Temporary repairs were made the the banks of the line to try and anchor the earth and stop if from collapsing onto the rail track, but a permanent solution has been needed since then. Network Rail plan to close the Bexleyheath line between for nine days between Saturday 15th to Sunday 23rd February 2020. During this period they will Remove 2,500 tonnes of mud and trees so engineers can reduce the steepness of the cutting slopes. They will then bring in 8,000 tonnes of material, such as gravel and concrete, to build retaining walls along both sides of the cutting, stretching 650 metres. The walls are made from steel beams, which are vibrated and driven into the ground six metres deep and then finished with huge concrete blocks and will stop any future landslips from reaching the tracks. To make the most of the closure, they will also bring forward other infrastructure improvements in the area, as well as essential maintenance at the affected stations. This will not only reduce the amount of engineering works in the future but give passengers the reliability benefits much sooner. The railway will close between Kidbrooke station and Barnehurst station only, where buses will replace trains. The Greenwich and Dartford Loop Lines and the Charlton station to Blackheath link will remain open. Capacity on these lines will be increased by running additional or longer trains where possible. Rail replacement bus services will run and tickets will be accepted on all other reasonable routes, although TfL have still to clarify if rail only tickets will be permitted on the rail replacement buses. Shuttle buses will ferry commuters to and from Eltham and Falconwood during the nine day shut-down of the Bexleyheath line in February. Southeastern and Network Rail have still to reach agreement on whether rail-only season tickets will be allowed on normal service buses. The shuttles, along with an all-day rail replacement bus service to Lewisham, will run from Eltham to Mottingham and Falconwood to New Eltham on the Dartford Loop line where some trains will be lengthened to 12 cars. The shut-down is to allow £6.6m bank strengthening works of rail cutting at Barnehurst, where multiple landslips have caused chaos in recent years. The time chosen is half term with a closure on the weekend of Jan 11 and 12 for scrub clearance. Some travellers will prefer to go via the 132, 286 or 161 buses but no agreement has been reached on 'ticket acceptance' yet with TfL. 'Ticket acceptance' is the norm when disruption is unplanned but TfL are taking a different approach where the dislocation is the result of planned remedial works. More detailed information on the exact times of alternative train and bus replacement services will be available nearer the closure. Not only will commuters be affected, but residents living close to the railway will be impacted, as works will be undertaken 24/7 - noise and disruption will be expected. On top of this, businesses close to the railway stations on the line may well lose a lot of passing trade, as footfall will be seriously reduced during the period of closure. A group has been set up to work with Network Rail and the various rail operators to best represent the concerns of commuters, local residents and businesses affected by the forthcoming line closure. The Lewisham and Bexleyheath Community Rail Partnership has also been carrying out detailed research into the current state of rail transport provision in the area, and has published a report on possible improvements to the service. The report has just received the backing of Sir David Evennett. and Labour candidate in the Bexley / Crayford seat, is also in full support. Other electoral candidates have been sent copies of the report, and feedback from them is expected in due course. Below is a very short precis of the report, which in full runs to a total of twenty four pages. The report is entitled "lewbex: RENEW Building a better future for the Lewisham and Bexleyheath railway. The railway between Lewisham, Eltham, Bexleyheath and Dartford is arguably the most important strategic transport artery of the three ‘North Kent’ lines. It is the most recent of the three built and offers the best levels of service and destination variety in the event of perturbation on either the Sidcup or Greenwich arterial lines. The purpose of this document is to understand the pressures, the projected demands, infrastructure needed explicitly for the Bexleyheath line, the infrastructure interventions needed in the wider region and how we wish to see the future rail franchise be shaped. There are several possibilities, but what is equally important is political willpower to deliver such a wide- ranging set of ideas and build on the success of the routes to now and improve for the future. The decline in passenger numbers affecting ‘middle’ stations such as Eltham and Falconwood is mirrored on the Sidcup line with decline in use at New Eltham and Sidcup in the same period; as well as significant decline at Charlton, Woolwich Dockyard, Plumstead and Abbey Wood on the Greenwich line as examples. Reversing decline, which is likely to be as a result of changing passenger habits, is important. Equally important is a sound understanding that the opening of Crossrail from Abbey Wood and Woolwich should not be a solution to crowding on other lines: this will rapidly absorb new housebuilding in areas such as Erith, Slade Green, Greenhithe and Rochester to name a few. Few who live in areas such as Bexleyheath or Welling are likely to amend their existing commuting patterns to take in a bus or even road journey to alternatives on the Greenwich line as traffic will cause uncertainty and unreliability to journeys; whilst positive and improved connections at stations such as London Bridge to Thameslink makes journeys on the legacy railway attractive.The route will continue to suffer as a result of a number of infrastructure ‘pinch points’. These include, but are not limited to the plethora of junctions between Barnehurst and Dartford (along with Dartford only having four platforms); the lack of turning facilities to allow a level of service to continue during serious service perturbation; some stations which lack the ability to continue high levels of throughput of passengers (e.g. Lewisham); the flat junction at Lewisham station which is a major bottleneck and cause of unreliability; and further flat junctions and conflicting movements that take place near St Johns, New Cross and Borough Market (to name a few)". Lewisham Station should be totally rebuilt to remove the subway (this is too congested at peak times and is no longer fit for purpose), withdraw the ineffective lift access to Platform 1 from the street and to enable the station to prepare for its role as major interchange hub. We propose the London end (near the DLR and existing ticket office) be entirely overhauled; providing escalators and lifts to an ‘upper level’ over the existing Network Rail tracks for access between platforms; and thence escalators down from the central hall to the Bakerloo line. This will be entirely suitable for the thousands of extra journeys that could be made through Lewisham each hour". We propose stations be staffed from first to last train, seven days a week. We are also proposing that the new franchise have written into its contract terms that there must be much higher numbers of Revenue Enforcement officers for ‘spot checks’ at stations and on trains (particularly the latter), and we are keen to see the franchise fund more British Transport Police officers for evening and weekend patrols. Depots, stabling and train crew - In order to achieve Crossrail to Gravesend (and beyond), it is suggested that due to the track layout in the Slade Green area, Slade Green Depot would become a re-built Crossrail facility. Stabling of trains would also take place in the existing Up Sidings. Train crew would all be based at Slade Green, providing a suitable and sensible ‘South East’ base for Crossrail crew for trains to all destinations including Maidstone West and Rainham. South Eastern franchise trains would therefore need new stabling, suitable for twelve carriage operation. Plumstead’s existing sidings could be re-built for this (with exit/entry at each end), and South Eastern trains could also be stabled on the incumbent Crossrail engineering site. In order to gain further twelve carriage stabling, trains would need to use Grove Park (re-built for twelve and twenty-four carriage formations) ‘Up’ and ‘Down’ sidings as well as the carriage shed; and a new maintenance depot location be found. We propose that services between Abbey Wood and Cannon Street via Greenwich be reduced in scope to a train every 6-9 minutes (eight trains per hour), with no peak service via Blackheath. This is due to constraints between London Bridge and Cannon Street (better planning to give more service resilience) but also due to the fact that high levels of passengers are expected to use Crossrail from ‘east’, freeing up large amounts of capacity on legacy trains from Woolwich, Charlton and Greenwich to London. There is also a reduced need for services via Lewisham when passengers can use the Docklands Light Railway between Lewisham and Greenwich to complete their journeys; and very few numbers of passengers require travel via Lewisham from the North Kent line. Whilst potentially unpopular in theory, the reality is that this is a positive step and that off-peak connections can be retained. This is not an expensive list of transportation schemes: it is expenditure that will mostly be needed in any event to support increases in passenger numbers generally; whilst also being part of arresting any small declines in passenger usage in Bexleyheath line stations. It opens stations up to the community, improves the environmental impact of rail and its stations, improves amenities, integrates better the existing services with other routes and prepares for new infrastructure. It uses positive, natural next steps such as the Bakerloo line extension and Crossrail extension to provide for high levels of service on the Bexleyheath line and other routes; as well as being well-designed for growth. The new franchise, investment in trains and stations, commitment to infrastructure spending and such will all enable high levels of connectivity and promote more rail use. Off-peak trains from Bexleyheath to Charing Cross could continue to be supplied in line with the wider train service specification; but with a roughly five-minutely Metro service to Cannon Street only at peak times. Commitment to the extension of Crossrail (and services thereafter) and the Bakerloo line to Hayes and Beckenham (and the resulting capacity freed) will be extremely positive to tens of thousands of passengers, many of whom will be new to rail. This is the sort of investment that is needed to stimulate local jobs and modal shift; and will prove entirely beneficial in the form of greater fare income. There is also consideration to be made for improved on-board experience as a result of better, longer trains. We believe this is a proportionate array of commitments, designed to support operationally sensible interventions. Examples include the mostly illogical yet alluring extension of Crossrail to Ebbsfleet when it would be Crossrail’s extension towards Medway is vital to the region. It would be more logical and proper to extend to Gravesend and beyond. Further investigation is needed, and therefore we require a post-election commitment to immediately study these possibilities, produce studies and then implement the results. It is, though, of pivotal importance that all infrastructure commitments be put in place such that all of the benefits of this document be realised in one: piecemeal construction or extension of some schemes which creates uncertainty within franchise periods and also prevents the effective ordering of an appropriately-sized rolling stock fleet and construction/amending of stabling and depot facilities for the legacy South Eastern network is not acceptable. We hope to realise this document’s potential rapidly and give it the political credence it deserves". As previously mentioned, this article is merely a brief summary of a document that runs over twenty four pages. You can download a PDF file of the whole, extremely detailed report by clicking here. Do let me know what you think - Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.

Security researchers have discovered a glaring security hole that exposes the home network password of users of a Wi-Fi-enabled video doorbell, called The Ring - now a very popular security addition to many households, which allows users to answer people knocking on their door from their mobile phone or web enabled tablet device, even when they are not at home. The kit acts as a CCTV camera, automatically activating if people approach the door, letting homeowners talk to visitors, delivery couriers and so on. There is an optional feature that allows the kit to hook up to some smart door locks, so users can let guests into their home even when they are not in. IT News website The Register have reported in the past that there is a serious problem with this system. Security researchers at UK consultancy Pen Test Partners were shocked when they carried out a security evaluation of the device. The major component is the doorbell itself, which comes with electronics and battery and is fitted outside the house. The electronics are connected to a back plate which attaches the doorbell to the wall and can provide power from a mains source. The device is secured outside a house using two commonly available screws, leaving it vulnerable to theft. The supplier - Ring offer a free replacement if the kit is stolen, so homeowners are covered in that scenario (at least). However that’s not the end of the problems with the device. An easy attack makes it all too simple to steal a homeowner's Wi-Fi key. To do this, hackers would need to take the kit off the door mounting, flip it over and press the orange "set up" button. Pressing the setup button puts the doorbell’s wireless module into a setup mode, in which it acts as a Wi-Fi access point.  The doorbell is only secured to its back plate by two standard screws. This means that it is possible for an attacker to gain access to the homeowner’s wireless network by unscrewing the Ring, pressing the setup button and accessing the configuration URL. The configuration URL is simple, so the attack could be pulled off using only a mobile device and a screwdriver. The device could be screwed back on afterwards, all without leaving any visible signs of tampering, Any hacker could walk up to a door fitted with a Ring smart doorbell, unscrew the unit, connect it to a mobile device with a web browser and download the house Wi-Fi password and settings, all without physically needing access to the inside of the house. Carrying out this very straightforward attack, the hacker would have complete control over the house’s wireless network. This may be an extreme situation, but it is a prime example of the law of unintended consequences. I guarantee we will be seeing more of this kind of issue in the very near future. Ring did issue a firmware update to try and prevent this exploit, but reports are that its effectiveness is patchy, and in many cases, householders have installed Ring doorbells, but at no stage have they updated the firmware - many owners incorrectly think the devices are "fit and forget" - which could not be further from the truth.

The dramatic photograph above was taken by a reader at the road junction of Danson Road and the A207, directly outside of the main entrance to Danson Park, and opposite Crook Log Leisure Centre. The photo was taken at just after 5pm on Monday evening. The photographer, who wishes to remain anonymous, wrote that the junction and the pedestrian crossing is extremely dangerous. Although they did not see the moment of the actual crash, they do comment that the van must have been travelling at considerable speed to have turned over. All three emergency services were in attendance, but the condition of the passengers and pedestrians is not currently known. At the time of writing, no local paper has picked up on the serious accident.

On Wednesday evening it was announced journalist and TV presenter Clive James had died as the result of Leukaemia. I used to see him regularly back in 1988 / 89. Then I was working as a trainee Quantity Surveyor on a very large commercial building site next to The Barbican Centre. Clive James had an apartment in the Barbican development, and I would see him on a regular basis. It did seem to me that for all his wealth and fame, he always appeared to look like he had slept the night in his suit, and had just got up to go out for breakfast to a local cafe. He was always very dishevelled and scruffy, but would alway say "hello - how are you?" in passing. He will be missed by many, myself included.  

The photos above were taken on Saturday lunchtime in the West Street / Chichester Wharf Park, which is being threatened with being built on by a private company owned by Bexley Council. Jonathan Batten, chair of the Erith Think Tank writes:- "Save West Street Park! A community-driven campaign to save key green space from problem-ridden housing development – sign the petition! The clock is ticking to save the West Street Park in Erith. After consultation with Erith and West Street residents, local community group the Erith Think Tank are launching a campaign to save this green space for the town. The creation of the West Street Park came out of a 1970's programme where the Council identified the southern side of West Street as a General Improvement Area (G.I.A.). Under legislation which dealt with the Council’s promoting of G.I.A.’s, Councils were able to acquire land so that it could be laid out as Public Open Space. The current location of the West Street Park was chosen to create a street that was more desirable with clear open space for communities to enjoy, and to provide respite down a busy road. The proposed development that Erith residents now object to go against these original ambitions. The objections are:- This would mean the loss of key green space in Erith. Aside from the Riverside Gardens there is very little open green space in Erith for communities to enjoy. It was a criticism of the Council’s Growth Strategy, by the GLA, that not enough provision for green space was allowed for in their regeneration plans. It is too costly to lose another Erith asset. The development includes no affordable housing allocation, in spite of there being a great need for this kind of housing. It will be sold at market value. Leader of Bexley Council Teresa O’Neill, indicated in an email to the Think Tank that BexleyCo will ‘prioritise’ Bexley residents when the properties are sold, but refused to expand on any detail about how this might be done. It would mean the removal of the majority of 20 mature trees to make way for the development and a car park; and the remaining trees would likely not survive because of the trauma to roots. It would mean the loss of light for residents living in the existing flats that surround the park. There are no provisions for additional civic infrastructure. In fact, there are no plans for new nurseries, schools or doctor’s surgeries in the whole of Erith, despite huge increases in population size owing to recent and in-progress new builds, many of them on West Street. This green space plays or could play an important role in connecting old and new Erith – at one end of West Street is the town’s oldest building St John’s Church, and at the other end the current town centre. Local residents also question the tactics being used to push this development forward; Residents have been given only days to have their say regarding the plans, as the deadline set by Bexley Council is 02 December. A public exhibition, held on one evening, was also poorly publicised and announced with little notice. In 2003, when the new build flats were constructed, residents were promised that this area of land would remain a park. In 2015, the council delivered consultation on about 30 pieces of land which included the West Street Park. At the time, local residents strongly opposed plans to build on the park. However, these consultation reports were never published and now cannot be located. The BexleyCo representative was not aware of this consultation, and didn’t deem it relevant. The developer is BexleyCo, a private company that is 100 percent owned by Bexley Council. This raises questions about accountability and use of public funds. In the Bexley Growth Strategy there is a commitment to enhance social and green infrastructure for the wellbeing of the borough’s residents and its environment; there is little evidence of this in the current proposals, and no information is available on the bigger picture for Erith’s regeneration, therefore making a valued judgement impossible. The Erith Think Tank are now asking for your support by signing the petition to save West Street Park. Your support will act as a record of objection to be put before the planning department". You can sign the online petition to save the much loved local park by clicking here. 

Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "Another week with no burglaries on Barnehurst Ward. All in all a very quiet week crime wise on the ward with only two crimes of relevance to report which both occurred in Eversley Avenue. The first was a theft of a catalytic converter in Eversley Avenue. This occurred at 11:35am on Friday 22nd November. A grey vehicle entered the road and three white males got out and lifted the vehicle before removing the catalytic converter. They left when disturbed. The suspect's vehicle's registration began LD09…….. There was also a theft of pedal cycle in Eversley Avenue which occurred between 9:20am and 5:20pm on Saturday 23rd November. The cycle was locked up at the end of the road but was taken along with the lock. On a positive note the roll out of Smartwater kits in Eastleigh Road has almost been completed. We will be informing you soon of the next road to receive the kits. The next community contact session will be coffee with cops at Barnehurst Golf course which will be held at 11am on the 5th December". Belvedere ward:- "There was a recent burglary in Eardley Road in which entry was gained via smashing glass in the rear door of the property (having accessed the rear garden via an adjacent alleyway). Several items of jewellery were taken from the property. This incident took place between 5pm and 10pm on Saturday 23rd November. The team have been conducting hi-visibility patrols around several areas of the ward this week in an effort to prevent burglaries. We have been distributing crime prevention and home security literature in the areas patrolled – most recently Upper Park Road, Calvert Close, Heathdene Drive and Elmbourne Drive. We will continue this activity in the weeks leading up to Christmas and the New Year. We have been informed that Smartwater (property marking) is now more widely available. If you know of anyone that is interested in this, please contact the team on 0208 721 2050 or via email at belvedere.SNT@met.police.uk. Our next Street a Week meeting has been arranged for Saturday 7th December, from 6pm in Tyeshurst Close". Bexleyheath ward:- "Tuesday 19/11/19 1130/1200 Purse Stolen from bag inside The Works Bexleyheath. Thursday 21/11/19 1200/1300 Theft of Mobile Phone – Stolen from table by way of distraction in Chin Chins Coffee Shop. Friday 22/11/19 1105/1300 Purse Stolen from bag in either Bon Marche or Card Factory from elderly female. Please ensure that doors and windows to properties are locked and secured with keys (lift the handle and turn the key in the lock) where applicable – revisit home security and lighting now the dark lights are coming. Please be careful with purse/wallets whilst out shopping, make sure they are secured inside your bags with a zip type handbag. The team have been busy stopping youths causing ASB and with cannabis. They have also been involved in plain clothes operations and arrested several shop lifters. From Member of the Public - in Church Road - A resident of Church Road has reported that on Tuesday 26th November at approx. 1.45pm two workmen knocked on his door to ask if they would get a parking ticket for parking in the road. They claimed that they worked for Marshalls and the Council had sub contracted them to install drop kerbs, but had not provided them with a parking permit. The resident told them that they would get a ticket if they parked without a permit and advised them of where they could park. The men named 'Tony & Steve', then proceeded to try to persuade the resident to have his drive pressure washed for several hundred pounds! 'Tony' is described as white, 5'11' aged in his 50/60's , dark hair with a goatee beard. 'Steve' was of slim build, had dark hair, clean shaven and in his late teens/early 20's. Both had local accents and drove a white pick up truck with a 3 part ladder resting on the top of the cab". Crayford ward:- "On Thursday 21st November between 8.50-8.55 a sandy coloured rucksack was stolen from a silver Peugeot estate whilst parked in Iron Mill Lane junction with Woodfall Drive. Items inside the rucksack included wallet, bank cards, oyster pass/train pass. The cards have since been cancelled but had been used at cashpoints in Crayford. Please always ensure you put all items in your vehicle out of sight and lock vehicle securely, sometimes it may be better to take the items with you. On Thursday 21st November at 12.19, a Samsung S8 was stolen from McDonalds. The victim had placed their phone on the table, directly in front of them, they were approached by a Spanish looking male aged about 35 years and of medium build who placed a paper over the phone whilst speaking to the victim and removing the phone with the paper before walking away. Please keep your phone in your hand or out of sight, people tell me they could give chase but this is not really likely to be a successful outcome. A bicycle was stolen from a rear garden in Crayford Road on Thursday 14th November at around 1am, neighbour heard a loud bang but didn't see the suspect. A catalytic convertor was stolen from a cab parked in Wolsey Close on Friday 22nd November between 10.00-13.50. A silver BMW 1 series was broken in to at Tower Retail Park on Saturday 23rd November at 3.20, it is unknown what they stole but the window was smashed to gain entry. A bicycle was stolen from a shed between 21.00 on 14th November and 6.30 on Friday 15th November in Maiden Lane. A drink driver was detained at Tower Retail Park after crashing his vehicle at 1.20 on Saturday 23rd November". Erith ward:- "Once again we are experiencing a high number of Theft from motor vehicles in the Erith area, please see below, we have had 10 in just this week. We have been out on the ward this week posting motor crime leaflets to residents in areas targeted and also placing leaflets on cars and posters in parking blocks. Most vehicle crime is preventable. It can take as little as 10 seconds for a thief to steal something from your car. The best way to protect your belongings is to lock your car whenever you leave it. Other things you can do include: •Removing everything from the car; don't even leave a jacket where it can be seen •Closing the sunroof along with the windows when you leave •Not storing things in the boot; take them with you •Storing car ownership information in your home, not your car •Having a routine to ensure you always take the keys out of the ignition •Taking removable stereos and sat nav equipment with you •In addition, using secure (theft resistant) number plates can make your plates less attractive to thieves". Northumberland Heath ward:- "A burglary took place in Bedonwell Road sometime between 1745 and 2345 on Friday 22/11/2019. Entry was gained via smashing the rear pation door window. The house was ransacked and a secured and locked gun cupboard was broken into but the weapon not taken, only cash. Number plates were stolen from a car in Carlton Road overnight on Sunday 24/11 into Monday 25/11. If you would like secure number plate screws, please contact the team. CCS dates for December will be sent out in the next few days.  PC Tom Brown has now left the team and the police and he will be missed. Once we know details of his replacement we will let everyone know. Please bear with us during this time as there is only PC Lucy and PCSO Lorraine covering the ward with assistance from neighbouring teams". Slade Green and Northend ward:- "A burglary took place during the evening of Sunday 24/11 and early morning of Monday 25/11 in Wallhouse Road. It is believed that the victim left their door open as there were no signs of forced entry. A handbag with purse, cash and keys was taken. Victim has changed their locks. Please ensure all doors and windows are closed/locked before going to bed or going out. On Tuesday 26/11/2019 PCSO Mark attended the Welcome Café at St Augustines church and engaged in conversation with the many attendees. On Wednesday 27/11/2019 PCSO Mark attended Peareswood Primary school and gave a talk to year 6 pupils around the importance of evidence so they can use this in their writing lessons. On Monday 02/12/2019 at 12pm, Mark will be attending Slade Green Seniors Cinema club Christmas event at the Community Centre with Adam from Erith SNT, where the Mayor has also been invited. On Tuesday 03/12/2019 residents from the new estate being built on the old Linpac site at the dead end part of Slade Green Road, are coming to the office to meet Mark and Claire from N.Watch to discuss a new watch for the estate. Watch this space. Hopefully we will get some images from all these events to post on Twitter where we can be found @MPSNorthEndRY. Finally we would like to say congratulations to Sandra Fox who has become our new Ward Panel Chair". Thamesmead East ward:- "Vehicle Crime - Southmere Drive Monday 18/11/19 between 9am – Wednesday 20/11/19 12pm Victims vehicle was parked in the communal garage suspect/s entered the vehicle by means unknown. An untidy search of glove box resulted in the communal garage key fob being stolen. Kale Road Thursday 21/11/19 between 6:30 – Saturday 21/11/19 2:52pm Victims tyres have been slashed by suspect/s unknown for the second time in one week. Overton road Sunday 24/11/19 between 11pm – Monday 25/11/19 2:18pm Victim parked vehicle which is in trade outside home address. Victim forgot to remove the trade plates from vehicle, these were stolen by suspect/s unknown. Maran Way Sunday 24/11/19 between 10pm – Monday 25/11/19 2pm suspect/s have removed Catalytic Converter from victims Toyota Prius. Try to park so that the convertor can't be easily reached by potential thieves. Vehicles that sit high above the road are particularly vulnerable. Having your car broken into and losing your things to thieves can be very distressing. Here are 10 simple steps you can take to keep your vehicle and contents safe. 1. Always lock it.  2. Close windows and the sun roof to prevent ‘fishing' 3. Secure your number plates with tamper-resistant screws. 4. Fit locking, anti-tamper wheel nuts to secure alloy wheels.  5. Secure anything that's on the outside of your vehicle. 6. Take it with you or hide it. 7. Hide electrical items and leave no clues. 8. Take your documents with you. 9. Park in well-lit and busier areas. 10. Choose your car park wisely". West Heath ward:- "Sadly we have suffered three burglaries on the ward this week. A substantial amount of cash and gold jewellery was stolen from a property in Elmstead Crescent. The victim was out between the hours of 3pm – 23.10pm on Saturday November 23rd. and returned to find the front door open and a locked door within the house damaged. An untidy search of the property was conducted. A burglary took place in Knowle Avenue between Friday November 22nd 23.50pm – Monday November 25th at 7.10am when the victims' returned home from being away. The keys to a VW Golf were stolen along with the vehicle itself. The third burglary occurred on Monday morning in Clovelly Road, the victim woke up to find the front door open. A wallet containing credit cards and cash was stolen from a handbag left on the sofa. One theft of a rear number plate in Glenview on Tuesday November 26th between 9am – 5pm. Drop in surgery dates for the Christmas period will be displayed in the Bostall Library later on this week".

The end video this week features a progress report on the Quarry development by the builders The Anderson Group. Give it a watch, and send any questions to hugh.neal@gmail.com.

The Pier Festival.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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