News – Page 2 – The Charlton Champion

VIDEO: Watch Greenwich & Woolwich’s election candidates at Charlton hustings

December 7, 2019June 19, 2023Darryl Chamberlain

Five of the general candidates for Greenwich & Woolwich took took questions from voters at a hustings event in Charlton on Saturday morning – the last such event before Thursday’s poll.

Here is (slightly wobbly) video of the entire event, which was held at Charlton Assembly Rooms.

Part one: Opening remarks (3.16), housing (14.11), tax and public services (22.34), Brexit (32.10), Silvertown Tunnel and the climate crisis (41.54)

Part two: Corruption and transparency (0.05), housing (12.25), energy efficiency (24.24), Wikileaks and the NHS (33.50), closing statements (48.40)

The candidates who took the time to appear (from left to right on the panel): Rhian O’Connor (Liberal Democrat), Matt Pennycook (Labour), Victoria Rance (Green), Thomas Turrell (Conservative), Eunice Odesamni (Christian People’s Alliance). The Brexit Party’s Kailash Trivedi did not show up, nor did the independent candidate Sushil Gaikwad.

The chair was Andrew Donkin. It was hosted by the Charlton Society in partnership with the Charlton Central Residents Association, Charlton Parkside Community Hub, and Valley Hill Community Hub – thank you to them for allowing filming.

If you live in a street inside the Eltham constituency, the London Masala & Chips blog has a write-up of the hustings that took place there.

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ROLAND OUT: Charlton fans celebrate as hated owner Duchâtelet finally sells up

November 29, 2019August 29, 2021Darryl Chamberlain

Fans United Protest - The Valley - October 2016 — Charlton fans held a protest march with Coventry City fans in October 2016 (photo: Neil Clasper)

An Abu Dhabi-based consortium has bought Charlton Athletic, ending five years of calamitous ownership by the Belgian electronics magnate Roland Duchâtelet.

East Street Investments – named after the street (now Eastmoor Street) near the Thames Barrier where the Addicks were founded in 1905 – have bought out Duchâtelet, who alienated fans by interfering in team selection, sacking much-loved manager Chris Powell, drafting in unsuitable players from other clubs he owned, and mocking unhappy supporters as “vinegar pissers”.

Fans threw plastic pigs onto the pitch and travelled to Duchâtelet’s home town of Sint-Truiden to protest at a regime which saw the club relegated to League One in 2016. While the Addicks regained their Championship status this spring after winning a play-off final at Wembley, the future of the club – and especially manager Lee Bowyer – remained uncertain with key players and the manager himself only retained on short-term contracts. Now many fans are ending lengthy boycotts of the club.

The new chairman, Matt Southall, said in a statement: “While we may be the club owners, truly we are only the custodians. The true spirit of this football club rests with the fans, it is nothing without them. Their support throughout some difficult times both recently and in the past has been inspirational and we intend to build on that loyalty. Our priority will be immediate contact with fan groups in order that their views play a major role in the club going forward.”

Southall’s fellow director is Tahnoon Nimer, the chairman of Abu Dhabi Business Development, the private office of Sheikh Saeed Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, a member of one of the six ruling families of Abu Dhabi. The company oversees the running of more than 60 companies including energy, insurance, broadcasting, shipping and sports businesses.

Charlton fans will be hoping it is third time lucky with new owners – Duchâtelet was preceded by Michael Slater and Tony Jiminez, whose reign foundered when promised financial backing was withdrawn. The new owners’ plans for The Valley and the club’s training ground at Sparrows Lane in Eltham will also be closely scrutinised.

The team are next in action tomorrow against Sheffield Wednesday, with tickets on sale from The Valley.

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Metro Bank gets go-ahead for Charlton retail park branch

November 26, 2019Darryl Chamberlain

Metro Bank design — The bank plans a glass-fronted building

Metro Bank has been given permission by Greenwich Council to build a new branch to replace the McDonald’s drive-through restaurant on Bugsby’s Way.

Only two objections were received by the council to the scheme, which was reported on this website in September.

The site is on land designated for long-term housing development, with the council’s own Charlton Riverside masterplan stating that the Bugsby’s Way retail strip does not conform with the council’s “policy to promote Woolwich as a metropolitan town centre”.

With only two objections, the decision can be made by council officers without the application going to councillors to discuss. There is no report by planning officers, so the council’s response to the objections remains a mystery.

Metro Bank – which has had well-reported difficulties in recent months – is aiming for a 25-year lease on the site. The planning permission is valid for three years.

One council condition is that 12 “secure and dry” cycle parking spaces must be provided, on a site that is one of the most intimidating for cyclists in the borough.

McDonald’s has a lease on the land until October 2021 – when contacted by The Charlton Champion in September, it was unable to answer questions about its future plans.

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Charlton House switches on its Christmas lights on Thursday

November 26, 2019November 26, 2019Darryl Chamberlain

Charlton House is switching on its Christmas lights this Thursday, 28 November. It’s hosting a festive market too, with local traders selling gifts and Christmas decorations. It runs from 4pm to 6pm, and there are more details on its website.

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Meet Greenwich & Woolwich candidates at Charlton election hustings on 7 December

November 19, 2019Darryl Chamberlain

Charlton hustings 2015 — The last election hustings in Charlton were in 2015 (Photo: Ed Simmons)

As you’ll no doubt all be too painfully aware, there’ll be a general election on Thursday 12 December. Which means… hustings time!

Luckily, in Charlton, a coalition of community groups have worked hard to ensure that you can put your questions to the candidates, face to face, on Saturday 7 December.

Most of Charlton comes under Greenwich & Woolwich constituency (a small area south of Charlton Park comes under Eltham), and all the candidates have been invited.

They are Labour’s Matt Pennycook, first elected as the area’s MP in 2015; Thomas Turrell, the Conservative candidate; Rhian O’Connor, the Liberal Democrat; Victoria Rance of the Greens; the Brexit Party’s Kailash Trivedi; Eunice Odesanmi of the Christian Peoples’ Alliance; and Sushil Gaikwad, a pro-Brexit independent.

The event is being put on by the Charlton Society in partnership with the Charlton Central Residents Association, Charlton Parkside Community Hub, and Valley Hill Community Hub.

Organisers Andrew Donkin and Helen Jakeways said: “We believe the hustings are an important local event because they give the residents and voters of Charlton the chance to interact face to face with the candidates asking for their vote. With seven candidates standing this time around, it promises to be a wide-ranging and lively debate. Everyone is are welcome at these hustings and we hope the voters of Charlton will turn out en mass to question all the candidates standing for parliament in the Greenwich & Woolwich parliamentary constituency. We look forward to seeing you there.”

It all starts at 11am at The Assembly Rooms in Charlton Village.

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Invicta Primary School marks 79 years since wartime bombing

November 14, 2019Darryl Chamberlain

Fireman Harry Dixon’s family joined East Greenwich’s White Watch at the ceremony

Children at Invicta Primary School gathered this afternoon to remember the 15 people who died when the school was bombed during World War II.

Year 2 children joined White Watch from East Greenwich Fire Station for the short ceremony, 79 years to the day after the then Invicta Road School – which was being used as a fire station – was destroyed by a parachute mine which fell into trees opposite the school before exploding. Twelve firefighters and three others died.

Among those at today’s ceremony were members of the family of Harry Dixon, one of the firefighters who died that night.

Steve Hunnisett led the ceremony at Invicta Primary School

Local historian Steve Hunnisett led the ceremony, which came as the Year 2 children spent a day learning all about World War II. Steve was also on hand to talk to the children about the war, showing them shrapnel, an air-raid whistle, a gas mask and other items; while the firefighters also took questions from the children.

The plaque was installed at the school in 2017 by Firemen Remembered, an independent organisation devoted to raising awareness of the work of the fire services during World War II. It is on a Victorian wall at the back of the playground, the only remaining part of the original school. The replacement 1950s buildings were demolished in 2016 when the current school opened on the site of the old playground.

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Charlton Manor school opens Sweet Pickings café to the community

November 13, 2019November 13, 2019Darryl Chamberlain

Chef Flavio Hernandez and head Tim Baker are getting ready to welcome the community

You might have heard about the award-winning food on offer to pupils at Charlton Manor primary school – from this Saturday, you can sample it yourself. From 16 November, the school’s head Tim Baker and its chef Flavio Hernandez are opening the doors of their Sweet Pickings café for breakfast from 9am and lunch from 11am to 2.30pm. Breakfast is just £3 (£1 for children), lunch is £3.50 (£1.50 children).

Mr Baker has been running a healthy eating campaign at Charlton Manor since 2004, and has developed Sweet Pickings to get the word out into the wider community. Find out more on our sister site, 853, or follow @charlton_manor on Twitter for the latest.