The Charlton Champion

Part of Charlton Park is to be used by the King’s Troop horses for exercise while Woolwich Common is out of bounds for the Olympic Games, it has emerged.

The Charlton Champion understands Olympic organisers are paying for a temporary entrance is to be created for the 111 horses and their riders to enter the park, and they will be allocated a “designated area”.

However, it is unclear what area of the park is to be used or how long they will be using the park – popular with scores of Sunday league footballers – for.

The only warning park users have had has been two small signs at entrances to the park (thanks to Helen for the photo above of the sign at Cemetery Lane), while “beware – horses” signs have been erected on Charlton Park Lane. No news has been released by Greenwich Council, and there is no information on its website.

The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery only moved into their new base in Repository Road, Woolwich, in February. With much of Woolwich Common being taken over for Olympic and Paralympic events this summer, the army’s ceremonial unit needed a nearby open space on which to exercise their horses. It is understood the decision to use Charlton Park was only taken earlier this month.

Roads have been closed across Woolwich Common to allow the shooting test event, the ISSF World Cup (see video of it here) to take place. A further test, the London Para Archery International Tournament, will take place between Friday and Sunday.

Meanwhile, locals are awaiting details from Greenwich Council on what parking restrictions will be put into place for the Olympics. It had been announced last year that all streets in Charlton would be placed in some kind of permit zone, but with less than 90 days to go to the opening ceremony, no news has been announced.