The Disappearing Coppers at St Nicholas Church Hall

NOW YOU SEE IT...

NOW YOU DON'T. (AND WHO'S NICKED THE SAPLING?!)

Not long ago two copper beech trees graced the skyline looking north from Walnut Tree Close in Chislehurst.

But no more.

The first one to go was a few years ago when Bromley Council's Tree Officer agreed with a Walnut Tree Close resident that with a large number of branches falling from the tree into their back garden, this could be symptomatic of a dying tree - although, at first sight, it looked quite healthy. The resident was concerned that the tree was so tall that should it fall into their garden, their bungalow would be demolished. The Tree Officer inspected the base of the tree and found some fungus. A few days later the chain saws were out and a small crowd gathered to squirrel away the wood for the large number of wood burning stoves that there are in the vicinity. The other copper beech was looked at and it was pronounced in "good health". 

However, last week it breathed its last and over it went. Without warning this huge tree crashed into the garden of another Walnut Tree Close resident, reaching the guttering of their property but fortuitously no further.

Beech are very susceptible to wind and drought (as well as fungal attack), and we've certainly had both over the last few years. Given that very little root has come up out of the ground suggests that all three susceptibilities have had their part to play.

The skyline in this part of Chislehurst has now changed considerably and for anyone looking for logs for next winter, here at Chislehurst Village News we certainly know where to go!
www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Dunkin' Donuts to appear in Chislehurst?

We have a few shops empty after all.

Dunkin' Donuts is coming back to Britain after it pulled out 20 years ago.

This American chain will shortly be launching 50 restaurants [sic] in London over the next five years, with the possibility of a further 100 branches across the UK.


Here at Chislehurst Village News we are intrigued by a restaurant meal of "donut". In the meantime, what's wrong with Krispy Kremes that have more recently appeared in Bromley, in "The Glades"? More to the point, why can't the Americans spell anything correctly?

"Donut" wars here we come!

Anagram Time
Dunkin' Donut = Unkind Donut
www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Chislehurst Recreation Ground: The Council responds

In its press release of 17th June 2013, in respect to the works being carried out at Chislehurst Recreation Ground, Bromley Council stated the "...improvement works mean that during the next few months the main grass area at the recreation ground will be inaccessible whilst works are carried out and the re-seeded grass establishes."

Following our report last month we approached the Council to ask when we could expect the pitches to be back in use.

We have today received a response. A Council "spokesperson" said, “There are no delays - it was always envisaged that the pitch would be out of action for the best part of a year which is why FC Elmstead are not playing their matches at the Rec at the moment.  Leaving the issue of the glass aside for the moment, the grass was dug up so that new drainage could be laid and this uncovered the glass but it could have simply uncovered stones as we expected, because of the depth of the excavation works.  The next routine step was to sward clean the area and there were various processes to remove the glass and stone, part of which used a stone burier but we would still expect to do this process again after seeding and when the grass had established properly as we would expect further materials to come to the surface, particularly while the root mass had not formed a barrier in the soil.

Stone and glass will be removed before further re-seeding will take place, with sand then being used to create a top quality playing surface.  Interested residents should be assured that all the glass will be removed before the pitch is finally open for use and I would ask residents too to spread the word, that the area is fenced off for good reasons, to help the grass establish but there are also safety considerations too and we would ask everyone to respect the fact that this area is off limits.”  

Whilst we here at Chislehurst Village News would echo the Council spokesperson's comments with regard to keeping off the fenced-off area it is not the glass that is present at the moment that is the issue. It's little Johnny sliding on his knees to celebrate the first goal of 2014 and instead of getting mud down his legs gets a nasty gash from a 19th century shard of glass. Anyway, you read it here first; "all the glass will be removed before the pitch is finally open".

In the meatime, what started with a "few months" is now "the best part of a year". So the next football games to be played on the Rec will probably be - cricket!
www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk 

No official Open Houses in Bromley this year...

www.openhouselondon.org.uk

This year the following local authorities in London are supporting OpenHouseLondon: Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Brent, Camden, City of London, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, City of Westminster.

And who’s in the four that aren’t supporting? Bromley!

Refusal by Bromley Council to part-sponsor the annual OpenHouseLondon event means the public will be denied the chance for free entry to many unique buildings this September.  But two regular participants in the Bromley borough have decided to open despite not appearing in the official programme.

St George’s RAF Chapel of Remembrance and a wartime dispersal area at Biggin Hill airport will be open for tours through the efforts of Chapel staff and South London Air Scouts.

In 2007 The Sunday Times listed the tours of ‘front line’ buildings at Biggin Hill Airport as one of 20 ‘hidden gems’ amongst the sites open during the London Open House event.

Scouts’ Air Adviser Ian Piper said, “Sadly Bromley were not able to find money to allow properties in the Borough to appear in the programme this time.  But from previous years we know that hundreds of Bromley residents enjoy these tours and attend whatever the weather.  So despite lack of official sponsorship, we are determined to give the public what they want. 

On Sunday 22nd September the tours will help bring wartime ‘Biggin on the Bump’ back to life, when visitors can see the remaining ‘front line’ wartime structures at the Airport.  We are delighted that the ‘RAF at War’ living history group will be on hand in authentic uniforms and vehicles, and it is hoped that 1940s vintage aircraft will also be on show".   

St George’s RAF Chapel in the old RAF headquarters site on the Main Road, Biggin Hill will be open on both Saturday 21st September (10.00am-3.30pm) and on Sunday 22nd

September (11.00am-4.00pm). Sadly, many of the other fascinating buildings in and around Chislehurst, Petts Wood and Bickley won't be.

For more information contact Ian Piper at Ianp@pbmail.co.uk

www.londonopenhouse.org

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk 

Foraging for...pheasant?

PLUMS ON THE LEFT,

Now that Chislehurst Village News staff have had their fill of blackberry jam, blackberry pie, blackberry vodka and blackberry blackberry after last month's foraging, it's time to let you know where the best place is for damsons and plums. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the spot a few days ago, every single damson had been picked from what we consider to be our personal Scadbury orchard.

Undeterred, we set about picking the cream of the plum crop, although, more accurately, we set about shaking the tree trunks for the cream of the crop.

UP IN THE TREES,

It's a messy business. The ground beneath the trees is never attended to, fortunately, and so is a jungle of moss, bindweed and other bits of undergrowth combined with a mosquito colony.

If you can brave this, the rewards are spectacular. Dozens of fresh, plump plums are yours, together with a scent to ensure a large number of wasps will accompany you home, indoors, up the stairs and into the shower.

To get to our personal Scadbury orchard start on the same route as last month's "Foraging" for the blackberries. Again, keep tight left to the house in front of you and once you have gone through the gate don't turn off the path, go straight on, down the field and up the other side. Cross the track that leads to the cottages and go into the woods. Once the path starts going down look out for the right turn. Take this turn and after a few yards all the plum (and one damson) trees will be on your left. You can keep to the path, almost doubling back on yourself at an overgrown left turn, or you can venture amongst the trees to get to the best yields.

THEN IN BASKET; PHEASANT TO FOLLOW.

When the Chislehurst Village News team were down there last week we spotted a pheasant. Sadly it's not open season until next month otherwise we might have tried to put him in our basket as well.

Maybe we'll creep up there on the 2nd November whilst the fireworks are on.

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Rotary Fireworks on the move

Given that Chislehurst Recreation Ground in its present state is a Health and Safety officer's dream, it is no wonder that the Chislehurst Rotary boys and girls have decided to move their fireworks display this year. The residents of Red Hill, Empress Drive and thereabouts will no longer have a free display from their back gardens but their loss is the Chislehurst Village News staff's gain - amongst others - in the Perry Street / Ashfield Lane vicinity. We reckon the best non-paying view will be from the upstairs windows at Farringtons School. This is because this year the Rotary Fireworks will be held at The Old Elthamians Sports Ground off Perry Street. 

This sports ground is huge and Rotary have reliably informed us that the fireworks will be bigger and better than ever - so let's hope for loads of "category 4" fireworks this year. There’ll be all the usual sideshows, the funfair and a hog roast.

Rotary say that parking will be easier too as "Perry Street and the surrounding areas offer lots of places to park".

We reckon some of the enterprising boarders at Farringtons could make a mint selling car park spaces on their playing fields. After all, how many children play outside in the winter these days?

In the meantime, after events earlier in the year, we hope someone warns Darul Uloom about this 2nd November event.

Expect to see: Lots of rugger types

Don't expect to see: Any Farringtons' pupils.

NB: Gates Open for Funfair & Stalls 6pm with Fireworks 7.30pm

Family ticket is for 4 people.

www.chislehurstrotaryclub.org.uk

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Chislehurst Recreation Ground: Rubbish Dump?

A couple of years ago when it was decided to "renovate" the gravel pit - the children's playing area - behind Chislehurst C of E Primary School, there was consternation when shards of glass were found in a consignment of top soil; playtime in "the pit" was suspended, the annual "Party in the Pit" was put back until the Autumn, and a team of volunteers combed the pit to extract every single piece of glass.

Now we appear to have the problem all over again down the road.

Back in June work commenced to drain and level Chislehurst Recreation Ground following Bromley Council and F C Elmstead receiving a grant of £49,349 from the Football Foundation, the UK’s largest sports charity.

At that time Bromley Council issued a press release which stated, "Ensuring the pitches are fit for purpose throughout the season will secure the long-term use of the recreation ground for sport and recreation and enable the [F C Elmstead] club to develop and grow at the Recreation Ground. The improvements will also enable the club to introduce new opportunities for mini soccer, girls’ football and senior football.”

Unfortunately no one thought to inform Bromley Council that in the 18^th or 19^th century the Lord of the Manor, Lord Sydney, is believed to have used the recreation ground as a rubbish dump, glass works or something similar. In the early 20^th century the land had been inherited by Robert Marsham-Townshend who started selling off much of his estate. In the early 1900s the land in question became a recreation ground and the “rubbish” has lain undisturbed for 100 years.

Until now.

All the digging and turning over of the recreation ground has revealed dozens of pieces of glass on and around the pitches, rendering them completely unsafe to use as anything other than, well, a rubbish dump.

One Chislehurst resident who did not wish to be named said, “If you go into the recreation ground at night and shine a torch onto the pitches, they sparkle like a Christmas tree”.

The Chislehurst Village News team like a stroll, so today some of them went to take a look. At first glance it looks as though the contractors have done a great job. The land is level, the grass has grown substantially in the last few weeks and there’s a pile of sand at one end, presumably to fill in any small dips in the ground. However, it didn’t take us long to find a number of pieces of glass both at the sides of the recreation ground and amongst the grass.

A spokesman for Bromley Council has said “The area remains fenced off both for safety reasons and to allow the grass to establish”.

Chislehurst Village News has asked Bromley Council when they expect the recreation ground to be ready; when we receive a response we’ll let you know.

Given the ground's present parlous state we’ll probably be putting baubles on it at Christmas instead of playing football.

www.fcelmstead.co.uk

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk