Author: Darryl Chamberlain

Could you help start Maryon Wilson Animal Park Trust?

Darryl Chamberlain2 Comments

The following ad appears in this week’s edition of Greenwich Council’s weekly newspaper, Greenwich Time. For those who don’t get it, or don’t read it, here it is:

Setting up a trust merely gets the park off the council’s books – which was the aim of the funding cut all along. It then becomes the trust’s problem to find the £43,000 a year it costs to keep the centre open. Is anyone up for the challenge?

Of course, if the council and the embroynic trust want to find a way of communicating with local people in SE7 – they know where to find us.

Thames Barrier path closed for a fortnight

Darryl Chamberlain3 Comments


A quick warning if you walk, cycle or jog along the riverside path at the Thames Barrier – the section owned by the Environment Agency will be closed for a fortnight from today to enable the EA to complete security works there. It looks as if barriers are being installed throughout the site, making the place even less welcoming for visitors.

While the work’s being done, it means you won’t be able to get to the Barrier from the Anchor and Hope pub and the path there will effectively be a dead end. There should be a signed diversion route along Anchor and Hope Lane and Woolwich Road, for any walkers or cyclists not put off by the prospect of a mile-long diversion along dual carriageways.

Curryoke – sing, dance, eat, and help local children

Darryl Chamberlain2 Comments

It’s the first ever Charlton Curryoke on 2 December – your chance to sing your heart out, dance like a fool or eat your weight in Indian food (or all three) and help local children while you’re at it.

It’s being put together by The Big Red Bus Club, the new pre-school centre that has opened at the old Charlton One O’Clock Club, which lost its council funding earlier this year.

The Big Red Bus Club is free to use, and staffed by volunteers – so needs to raise funds to keep going. Its first fundraising night includes a disco, karaoke and Indian buffet. So the more tickets sold for Curryoke, the better.

Tickets are £15 in advance, and £16.50 on the door at Charlton Liberal Club, Charlton Church Lane from 8pm. For tickets, more information, requests or if you would like to donate a prize, email party[at]bigredbusclub.com or visit their Facebook page.

Charlton Rail Users Group – have your say on Southeastern

Darryl Chamberlain9 Comments


It’s the next meeting of the Charlton Rail Users Group on 23 November at the Liberal Club on Charlton Church Lane – come along and get the woeful state of Southestern off your chest. Someone from the company is due to be there, along with local councillors and a representative from London Travelwatch.

CRUG scored a success earlier this year when plans to cut rail services through Charlton during the Olympics were reversed – other local stations, sadly, were less lucky.

That Olympics service promises to be high on the agenda, as well as the cleanliness of the station, the unpredictability of where trains will stop on the platform, and – I’m sure – the current mysterious problem with trains regularly running short of coaches. Come along and have your say from 7pm.

Incidentally, there’s just two trains an hour from Charlton today, once again – all via Lewisham – thanks to mysterious engineering works. There’s also no DLR service at all. I’d get the Tube from North Greenwich if I were you.

To get you in the mood, I’ve discovered a video that will either induce feelings of cosy nostalgia, or will have you nodding off in seconds. Did you know we have the closest level crossing to central London?

’40 Victoria Way’ development – see exhibition here

Darryl Chamberlain4 Comments

Last week I mentioned a public exhibition of proposals to alter the planned development at the old Thorn Lighting site off Fairthorn Road – or “land at rear of Victoria Way” in planning parlance. This is a slightly squashed site between a storage warehouse (on Victoria Way), Gurdon Road, the Charlton-Westcombe Park railway line and the A102.

In case you couldn’t make it up there, here’s the exhibition boards so you can see the plans for yourself. The main proposal is to incorporate 20 family homes into the site, with gardens backing onto those in Gurdon Road. To compensate, the blocks of flats will be bigger, and Fairview New Homes still wants to have 160 car parking spaces.

Download the exhibition boards here (3.2MB PDF)

There’s also a feedback form which is due to be returned by 14 November, although I’m sure you can also just email Pavitar Mann at Curtin & Co (pavitarm[at]curtinandco.com) with your thoughts on the new plans.

This is all ahead of a formal planning application, which will be submitted to Greenwich Council early next year. The last scheme on the site was initially refused by Greenwich, but then allowed by a planning inspector. I’m sure the local councillors for the site would also be interested in what you think.

Charlton bookies assault: Two men charged with GBH

Darryl Chamberlain

Two men have been charged following Saturday’s assault at Jennings bookmakers on Charlton Church Lane, which has left a man still in hospital.

From the Metropolitan Police:

Two men have been charged with the assault of 49-year-old man outside ‘Jennings’ bookmakers in Charlton on Saturday, 5 November.

William Munn, 24 unemployed of no fixed address appears in custody by virtual court at Camberwell Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 9 November charged with GBH (cont. Sec 20 Offences Against the Person Act) and

Robert Munn, 29 a builder of The Rodings, Woodford Green also appears in custody by virtual court at Camberwell Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 9 November charged with GBH (cont. Sec 18 Offences Against the Person Act).

Two women, aged 21 and 52, arrested in connection with the investigation have been bailed pending further enquiries – returning to a south London police station in early February 2012.

Art on the river: Second Floor Studios opens its doors again

Darryl Chamberlain6 Comments

A stone’s throw outside SE7, this, but well worth a mention – it’s the Open Studios at Second Floor Studios & Arts in Warspite Road later this month.

Tucked away on the riverfront, it’s a fascinating warren of studios rented by painters, photographers, sculptors, designers, jewellery makers and more besides. It’s part of a five-year plan to convert seven old industrial units into over 300 workshops and studios, together with education facilities, gallery space and a cafe.

New facilities include the Thames Barrier Print Studio, one of London’s largest spaces for fine art print-making.

It’s one of south-east London’s best-kept secrets, and even if you’d normally hesitate before going to see anything that sounds artistic, you’ll be sure to find something which will catch your eye, and maybe even something you want to take home.

The opening night is on Thursday 17th November from 5pm-9pm, with the studios open on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th from 11am-6pm, at Mellish Industrial Estate, at the end of Warspite Road (turn left just before the road ends, into Harrington Way). More at secondfloor.co.uk and the Second Floor blog.

The image on the flyer is Decline the Bough – pen/pencil on wood, © 2011 David Bray.