Charlton House

Hornfair Park BMX track ‘needs investment’, operator admits as work planned

Darryl Chamberlain
The BMX track opened in 2012 but has fallen into disrepair

Hornfair Park’s BMX track “needs investment” after falling into disrepair just eight years after it opened, its operator GLL admitted to Greenwich councillors last week.

The facility opened in 2012 as an Olympic legacy project, with some local residents initially objecting to the track because of fears it would attract antisocial behaviour.

While it proved to be a popular facility, it was overshadowed five years later by the opening of the skate park in Charlton Park, and has looked increasingly tatty since then.

At a Greenwich Council scrutiny panel last Thursday, Kidbrooke with Hornfair councillor David Stanley told representatives of Greenwich Leisure Limited, which operates the track, that groups were having to move events to Kent because the track was in such a poor state.

“We’ve a lovely BMX track which is now falling into such disrepair we’re unable to use it and we’re having to move events to Kent,” he said.

Gary Starkey, the partnership manager for GLL’s leisure centres, said contractors were about to visit the track to see what work needed doing.

“We absolutely recognise that the track needs some investment and work to be done – as soon as practical, we’ll get that work done,” he told the regeneration scrutiny committee.

Starkey added that GLL was looking into relaunching the track with a promotional event when the work is done. (See 23 and 27 minutes into the video below.)

Charlton councillor Linda Perks questioned how well Charlton Library – which is also operated by GLL – was being promoted (see nine minutes into the video below). “It’s just a small library ticked away in a corner of Charlton House – I just wondered if you could increase marketing of that facility in that area. There’s not much information inside the building or outside that it’s there.”

Paul Drumm, the libraries partnership manager, said the libraries team went to local events and fairs to promote the service, while Tim Hetherington, GLL’s head of leisure and libraries, said the staff worked closely with the Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust – which runs Charlton House – and its events, adding: “Our staff have dressed up as World War I nurses.”

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Complain about the council and get a free swim: Better Together at Charlton House

Darryl Chamberlain

Charlton House and Gateway Arch
You can meet local councillors at Charlton House on Monday

A bit short notice, this, but Greenwich Council’s programme of public meetings, Better Together, comes to Charlton House on Monday evening from 7pm.

Hello residents of Charlton, Kidbrooke and Woolwich!

This coming Monday 21 October, it’s the Better Together resident event! This is your chance to talk about what really matters to you in your area and to get your voice heard.

We want to hear your views, ideas and issues about where you live, to help us improve our services. There’ll be a Q&A with your local councillors, plus there’ll be a range of stalls where you can find out more about our services and other organisations.

There’s also a free offer! Anyone attending will get a Free Swim at the The Greenwich Centre from 21 – 28 October!

Better Together events have come in for a bit of stick from residents’ groups – they don’t have any power and they cover large areas, unlike in neighbouring Lewisham where ward assemblies can choose where to spend money in small areas. They’re also rather patchily promoted – we didn’t get a press release about this one; we only found out because someone kindly emailed us. Otherwise, we’d have told you earlier.

But the council uses them as a way of gauging opinion on issues and priorities, so if you’ve got a question or a gripe, head to Charlton House on Monday – and there’s a free swim in it, too.

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Timber! Why 12 trees are coming down at Charlton House

Neil Clasper

Twelve trees outside Charlton House are to be felled next week because inspectors have found rot and disease in them, the trust that runs the house has said.

Five of the trees have already died, while the others have rot, bark wound, decay or fungal disease, Greenwich Council’s tree inspectors found. Work is scheduled for 26 August.

Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust plans to plant at least one new tree to replace each one lost. Its chief executive, Tracy Stringfellow, said: “This is part of our active management of the Charlton House estate in partnership with the Royal Borough of Greenwich. We welcome the opportunity this provides to improve the gardens for the local community.”

Neighbours with questions can email the trust – info[at]rght.org.uk – if they have any questions.

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What’s on at Charlton House this summer?

Neil Clasper
Duo Furioso
Duo Furioso will perform at Charlton House in August

Here’s the latest from Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust on upcoming events at Charlton House & Gardens over the summer:

July and August’s Friday Concert Programme sees recitals from a host of talented musicians including; Royal Greenwich Brass Band 12th July, the Ensemble of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force 2nd August and Duo Furioso 30th August. A firm favourite for audiences young and old Charlton House’s Friday Concert programme is free to attend from 1pm to 2pm every Friday in the Old Library, and only made possible by kind and generous donations.

Tickets are still available for an open-air performance, in association with Drama Impact, of the Shakespeare classic comedy ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ on Sunday 14th July, 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are available at £15.00 per head from the dramaimpact.com website.

Two very special outdoor screenings in association with the Extraordinary Travelling Film show are being held on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th July.

Watch the Oscar winning Bohemian Rhapsody on the big screen under the stars on Friday 19th 7.30pm, within the impressive grounds and gardens of Charlton House. A big night is expected so come along and make some noise to the classic hits of Queen. Tickets are available at £12 per adult, £9 per child and £35 per family.

Hidden Figures screens on the evening of Saturday 20th July, part of a series of events in association with the Moon Festival celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the moon landings. This heart-warming crowd pleaser film celebrates the crucial and often overlooked contribution of a group of women to space history, to critical acclaim and with a stellar cast. Tickets for this screening are now available at the discounted rate of £8 per adult, £6 per child and £25 per family.

For families and young children Holiday Histories returns to Charlton House every Wednesday from the 31st July to the 28th August, with activities centred on Jacobean fashion and embroidery, Honeybee making and dressing up. Suitable for children aged 4+, you can drop in on the day from 10am to 1pm, £1.50 per child, with younger children welcome to join with the help of a responsible adult.

More details and booking information on all the events coming up at Charlton House & Gardens can be found at greenwichheritage.org/whats-on or by calling 020 8856 3951.

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Concerts, Shakespeare and outdoor films at Charlton House & Gardens this summer

Neil Clasper
Bohemian Rhapsody film image
View an outdoor screening of Oscar winning film Bohemian Rhapsody at Charlton House in July

News in from Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust about upcoming events at Charlton House & Gardens:

Charlton House’s Friday Concert Programme, which takes place every Friday from 1pm to 2pm and free for all to attend, welcomes the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music students back to the Old Library, with recitals from the Brompton String Quartet and Academy Harp Department in June.

July sees the return of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and Royal Greenwich Brass Brand, a firm favourite for audiences young and old.

There are also a number of special events taking place in July, with an open-air performance in association with Drama Impact of the Shakespeare classic comedy ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ on the 14th July, 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are available at £15.00 per head from the dramaimpact.com website.

More open-air events are planned in July with two very special outdoor screenings in association with the Extraordinary Travelling Film show.

Watch the Oscar winning Bohemian Rhapsody on the big screen under the stars on Friday 19th July at 7.30pm, within the impressive grounds and gardens of Charlton House. A big night is expected so come along and make some noise to the classic hits of Queen.

Hidden Figures screens on the evening of Saturday 20th July, part of a series of events in association with the Moon Festival celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the moon landings, this heart-warming crowd pleaser film celebrates the crucial and often overlooked contribution of a group of women to space history, to critical acclaim and with a stellar cast.

Early bird tickets for both screenings are available until the 16th June after which they will go on general sale. Early bird prices are £9 for adults, £6 for children (3-12) and you can purchase a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) for £35.

More details and booking information on all the events coming up at Charlton House & Gardens can be found at greenwichheritage.org/whats-on or by calling 020 8856 3951.

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LGBTQ Pride on display at Charlton House for LGBT History Month

Neil Clasper
Bishopsgate Institute Gay Pride March photo
Gay Pride march. Photo credit: Bishopsgate Institute, ’74-24 Past Marble Arch’

News in of the latest exhibition at Charlton House:

Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust are displaying a small archival collection of LGBTQ+ memorabilia from local charities at Charlton House this month. On display in the Tea Room throughout February this mini exhibition includes items such as postcards from LGBTQ campaigns, through to sharing information on HIV prevention.

Pamphlets and magazines with information and services available to LGBT people in Greenwich, as well as significant changes to civil and criminal law in the fight for equality for LGBTQ+ people are also on display.

Two t-shirts can be seen from Pride Marches, one in 2005 and the other unknown, both from Metro charity a leading equality and diversity charity providing health, community and youth services across London and the South East.

There are also postcards and other ephemera, also from Metro charity, including a cartoon sketch discussing the inclusion of Trans people in LGBT history.

Producer and Community Engagement Officer Helen Young said “The Trust is currently on a collection freeze while we work through a back-log of documentation and collection move, but we are delighted to bring this mini exhibition to the local community and hope to begin collecting oral histories and other ephemera from the LGBTQ+ community in the very near future”.

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Can you help fix Charlton House’s leaky roof?

Neil Clasper

Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust has launched an appeal to raise money to repair Charlton House’s leaking ceiling. It says “Works this year at Charlton House have totalled £10k with a further £25k required to do more essential repairs to protect the Jacobean ceilings“. You can donate here.

Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust was set up by Greenwich Council in 2014 to manage historic buildings in the borough, including Charlton House, the Assembly Rooms, and the Tudor Barn in Eltham, as well as the borough archives and war memorials.

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