Charlton

Can you help Charlton’s White Swan fly?

Neil Clasper38 Comments

White Swan disposal notice in Greenwich Time

A notice in this week’s Greenwich Time indicates that the White Swan’s current owners wish to sell the pub. The White Swan was listed as an Asset of Community Value after a successful campaign by the Charlton Society earlier this year; any community groups interested in bidding for the pub now have until 4th November 2014 to register their request to be treated as a potential bidder. Written confirmation should be sent by email to community-assets@royalgreenwich.gov.uk or by mail to the address listed in the notice above.

White Swan, 15 February 2014

We’re very keen to know if there are any groups with serious interests in bidding – or people interested in forming a group to make a bid. Let us know in the comments below – and let’s hope Charlton doesn’t lose another pub to the property developers.

(PS. Thanks to @TheCharltonSoc for drawing our attention to this on Twitter.)

 

‘Halloween Spooktacular’ at Maryon Wilson Animal Park

Neil Clasper

IMG_3297.JPG

Maryon Wilson Animal Park are holding a Halloween event on Saturday November 1st, featuring a tour of the Animal Park, followed by a hot meal, party games, and a showing of ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ in St Thomas’ Church.

Tickets can be purchased every morning, 7 days a week, from Charlton Park RDA Hut in Charlton Park. Call: 07877320406 or email: info@maryonwilsonanimalpark.org.uk

UPDATE: Tickets can now be bought online on the Animal Park’s website.

Sainsbury’s Local to open on Charlton Church Lane

Neil Clasper29 Comments

Sainsburys - Charlton Church Lane

We first mentioned it back in January 2011 and progress has been slow since, but it looks like Sainsbury’s is finally to open a Local branch on Charlton Church Lane; hoardings appeared on the building overnight indicating that it will open in November.

With work continuing on a rather larger branch of Sainsbury’s round the corner on Gallions Road, we’d be interested to know what our readers think of Sainsbury’s local dominance: good for your weekly shop, or bad news for local independent shops?

 

‘We Happy Few’ – new production from The Alexandra Players

Neil Clasper

News of the latest production from SE7’s amateur theatre group:We Happy Few - Alexandra Players

Thursday 30th October to Saturday 1st November
The Alexandra Players present We Happy Few, a comedy about an all-female troupe of strolling players during WWII, at the Alexandra Hall, Bramshot Avenue, Charlton at 7.45pm nightly.

“Inspired by the true wartime history of the Osiris Players, Imogen Stubbs’ comedy follows the adventures of a small group of women who come together to form a ‘girls only’ theatre company to take the plays of Shakespeare around a culture-starved Britain.”

Tickets £9 (£8 Concessions): call 07867 627987 or email alexandraplayers@gmail.com.

http://alexandraplayers.org.uk/

Maryon Wilson Animal Park Summer Festival – Saturday 19th July

Neil Clasper

MWAP Summer Festival 2014

It’s Maryon Wilson Animal Park’s Summer Festival on Saturday 19th July, 11am – 3pm. From the organisers:

“Join Maryon Wilson Animal Park for a fun-packed family day out. Come along and enjoy:

  • A nature trail with prizes for everyone taking part
  • Animal tours
  • Meet the RDA ponies and get your photo taken
  • Meet our new Ryeland lambs and enter the competition to name them!
  • Story telling with Sandy Beach in the deer pen
  • Reptile Roadshow (hold a snake!)
  • Bouncy slide
  • Hold an owl with JambsOwls
  • Craft stalls
  • Face painting
  • Refreshments, food and ice cream

..and more!”

Address: Maryon Wilson Animal Park, Flamsteed Road, Charlton, SE7 8HT
Website: www.maryonwilsonanimalpark.org.uk
Twitter: @mwanimalpark
facebook.com/maryonwilsonanimalpark

Do you have photos of the Charlton Park prefabs?

Darryl Chamberlain6 Comments

54/366 Palaces for the people?

An interesting museum has opened in Catford – the Prefab Museum, which is open until May on the Excalibur Estate and recreates the atmosphere of these temporary homes erected in the 1940s. See the Prefabs – Palaces For The People website for more.

But while the Catford prefabs survived for decades, those in Charlton are long gone. Carol Kenna of the Charlton Parks Reminiscence Project has a question:

“The CPRP project was told about the prefabs that were along Canberra Road backing into Charlton Park this was up to the end of the 1950’s. During the project we could never trace any photos of this. I have now been contacted by a gentleman who lived in one of the prefabs asking if we had any photographs.

“Could you ask your other readers if they have any, whether they would accept them – if they do – being passed on and also added to the Parks website.”

If you have any photos, drop Carol a line via the project’s website.

(Photo of Catford’s Excalibur Estate courtesy of Clare Griffiths on Flickr.)

Sign up and help protect Charlton’s White Swan pub

Darryl Chamberlain1 Comment

The White Swan, Charlton
The Charlton Society has launched a petition to try to help secure the future of The White Swan pub amid fears for the future of its parent company, Punch Taverns.

The petition asks Greenwich Council to declare the Swan an asset of community value.

If the council approves, it would mean that if the building is put up for sale, then there would be a six-month pause on the sale to enable the community to put together a bid to buy it. To avoid this, the building would have to be sold as a going concern.

While the pub is not under any immediate threat, it was closed for a spell late last year with Punch Taverns’ rent demands casting long-term worries about its future. But Punch itself, which also owns the Bugle Horn, is deeply in debt, with the future of the whole business in the balance.

So the petition’s aimed at making it harder for any future owner of the business to try to sell the building for redevelopment, and to try to ensure that it’s kept in business as a pub.

At the moment, there’s signs of optimism – a 164-strong Facebook group has organised a number of meet-ups in the pub – and there’s a manager in charge who’s interested in developing the business.

While the Charlton Society can ask the council to declare the Swan an asset of community value on its own, proof of interest in the community will help. So sign up, and let’s help try to get the Swan’s future sorted.