Ashburnham Triangle Association

Are you concerned about the recent spate of burglaries?  Come and receive some free valuable home safety and crime prevention advice. What other concerns do you have within the Triangle? Are you fed up with motorist ignoring the one way signage in Devonshire Drive? Have you noticed the recent fly-tipping in the area? Air your concerns to our local PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) at tomorrow’s Safer Neighbourhood December Street Meet. When? Saturday 12th December Where? Ashburnham Retreat (Play Street), outside the Ashburnham Arms Pub, or inside the pub if the weather is bad.  (Good excuse for a quick tipple) Time? Drop in anytime between 2pm and 3pm We look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Tina Pugh ATA Security Hub

Tina Pugh,  4 November 2015   This is what greeted local residents this morning at the Ashburnham Place end of Play Street (Ashburnham Retreat). This is the second time in a matter of weeks where a dismantled cupboard has been dumped. Dumping waste illegally is a serious criminal offence that can carry a very large fine and can ruin the appearance of our neighbourhood. An offender can even be sent to prison. It is also an offence to allow fly-tipping to take place. What is fly-tipping? Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of rubbish or bulky items on land not licensed to receive it. It can be dangerous to health, it pollutes land and costs significant amounts of public money, which could be better spent elsewhere, to clear away. How Can I Prevent fly-tipping Don’t put up with it   – report it. If you report it, the rubbish can be removed and with your help the crime can be investigated. If you see someone fly-tipping or would like to report an area where fly-...

David Scales Nov 03, 2015  Guildford Grove Our Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team have informed us of a recent burglary in Guildford Grove. This happened overnight  between 29th and 30th October. The suspect gained entry through the  lower ground floor sash window , a wallet and credit card were stolen. Please ensure you are taking all reasonable steps to  lock and secure lower ground floor windows particularly older sash windows which have been forced open in recent burglaries notified to us. Suspicious Activity in the Triangle Separately to the above, the Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team have notified us they have been getting a few calls from residents of  individuals going around looking at premises and possibly marking premises in the Triangle . If you  see or suspect any suspicious behaviour of this nature, please report it to the Police by dialling 999, 101 or the Safer Neighbourhoods Team on  020 8284 5494  depending on th...

Tina Pugh, Oct 28, 2015  Unfortunately, we have been advised by our Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team that there has  been another burglary within the Triangle, this time in Ashburnham Grove.  This happened  between 10pm on the 21st October and 6am on the 22nd October .  Entry into the property was via the ground floor window. This is now the third burglary within the Triangle in just over a month.   Remember , most burglaries are opportunistic, not planned, so they’re easy to prevent.  Here are a few reminders to keep your home secure: Lock up Deadlock doors and close and secure lockable windows if you go out or upstairs. Unlocked UPVC units can be sprung. Keep keys away from doors and windows in a place where they are not visible to anyone looking in, and don’t hide them outside. Get a strong door with insurance company-approved locks. Fit an entry viewer and/or a good door chain or door bar. A letterbox cage will prevent lock relea...

Imogene Russell, Oct 28, 2015  Even more police cuts are looming.  Write in if you want to keep West Ward’s one remaining police community support officer (PCSO).  It will be decided in December whether PCSOs have a future in Greenwich .Already there is only one PC and one PCSO in Greenwich West Ward. PCSO numbers have been reduced by 73% in Greenwich overall since May 2010, and Greenwich Police Station in now only open for three hours a week: Wednesday 7-8pm, Thursday 7-8pm, and Saturdays 2-3pm.  Email Julia Harries of the Mayors Office for Policing and Crime at  Enquiries@mopac.london.gov.uk  if you want to retain some 

David Scales, Oct 23, 2015 The Security Hub report presented at the AGM on Thursday 22nd October is attached  here  in full, please click on the link, and if you were unable to make the meeting and have questions or would like to make any comments please feel free to send me an email at  david0902@talktalk.net At the meeting, we said goodbye to Carolyn Carter our longstanding Representative who has moved outside of the Ashburnham Triangle area and put such dedication and commitment into the Security Hub and police liaison over the last five years or so. Carolyn campaigned tirelessly against drivers flouting the No Entry signs in Devonshire Drive and took effective action on other issues such as graffiti removal and making our streets less cluttered and we are very appreciative of all her efforts in moving the Hub forward and feeding back residents’ concerns at the Safer Neighbourhoods meetings. We wish Carolyn well and all the bes...

Neil Sinclair, 22 October 2015 Annabel Cowell was last night (Thursday 22nd October) elected as the new treasurer of the Ashburnham Triangle Association (ATA) in succession to Zach and Tara Veitch. Re-elected as chairman and secretary respectively were Chris Ward and Imogene Russell. The annual general meeting (agm) of the ATA also formally welcomed Simon Barrs as new head of the planning hub in succession to Andrew Steeds. Maureen Romeril will be assisting Simon as planning associate. David Scales, senior representative of the security hub, introduced to the meeting Tina Pugh who has become the other security hub representative in succession to Carolyn Carter. Tina will focus,  among other things, on communication of security hub issues across the Ashburnham Triangle. Robin Stott, deputy chairman, formally chaired the AGM in the absence of Chris Ward.

By imogene russell on Oct 21, 2015 08:32 pm Agenda for the ATA annual general meeting, 22nd October 2015, in Greenwich west House 1) Wine and sandwiches at 7.45pm 2) Welcome from the chair at 8 pm (Robin Stott – 2 minutes) (Timings given throughout are what we aim for, so that there is time available where needed for discussion at unexpected points) 4) Hub updates (average 5 minutes each including discussion, ie 40 minutes) Security hub (David Scales) Fun hub (Neil Sinclair) Green hub (Janet Stott) Newsletter and ATA booklet (various) Planning Hub, including suggestion the Triangle become a designated Neighbourhood Area (Simon Barrs) ATA discount card (Rob Willett) Website and Facebook (Tom Webb – he’ll arrive at about 9pm, so this may have to be later) Local history project (Tom Webb) 5) Financial report (Imogene Russell – 5 minutes, including discussion) 6) Invitation to all for ideas for use of residual funds, including good causes (allocation of fi...

By imogene russell on Oct 17, 2015 12:21 pm Find out about ATA activity, finances and plans, over a glass of wine at Greenwichwest House this coming Thursday, 22nd October. The AGM is at 7.45pm (not 7pm as given in the ATA newsletter). We’ll elect a new treasurer and a new planning head. Could the Triangle become one of Greenwich Council’s new Neighbourhood Areas to give it more control over planning? – Simon Barrs will tell us. Should we form a new local history hub? – Tom Webb will suggest yes.  There will be pitches for good causes for the ATA to support, and for what events to put on. These are some of the topics for discussion. You are welcome to suggest others. Venue  for the Annual General Meeting: The William Mills Room, 1st Floor, Greenwichwest House, 141 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8JA Time:  Drinks at 7.45 for settling down to business at 8pm. Escape is possible at any time – just come for part of the meeting if you like. Deputy chair Robin Stott’s muscu...

By david scales on Oct 08, 2015 07:37 pm We are sorry to be the bearer of more bad news within two weeks but as the saying goes forewarned is forearmed. We have been advised by our Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team that there have been two recent burglaries in the Triangle:  Ashburnham Place :  This happened on the 7th October 2015 between the hours of 00:01 – 08:45 hours.  The suspect gained entry through a basement sash window which had been forced open with an unknown object.  Items stolen were – Apple IPAD, Photographic equipment and a handbag.  The items value totalled to approx £4,500. Peabody Close, Devonshire Drive :  This happened between 28th Sept 14:00 hours and 3rd Oct 2015 20:30 hours. The gate entry system had been broken for a number of weeks and was only fixed on the 1st of October 2015.  The home owner had been away and noticed the property had been burgled on return; a rear door had been left open and the door had been dam...

By imogene russell on Oct 02, 2015 09:59 am STREET PARTY 2015 – CREDITS – Big thanks to everyone! Infrastructure   Neil Sinclair, Tom Webb, Robin Stott, Graeme Elkington, Julian Burgin, Chris Ward Food stall Lysanne Wilson, Annabel Cowell, Blanche Cameron, David Walker, Stuart Mulholland, Richard Tyson, Steve Cowell, Cllr Aidan Smith, Cllr Mehboob Khan, Vicky, Neil Bailey, Tom Webb, Emel Guçel, Graeme Elkington, Jo Hall, Roz Weeks, David Williams, Adam Deal, Tom Webb, Matthew Pennycook MP, Andy, Jane Saunders, Tina Pugh Eyja’s cake stall Eyja and Anastasia Haydulina Raffle Barbara Reid,  Janet Stott, Maureen Romeril, Mary Carter Face painting Frances Currie, Lee Bamsey, Naomi Davis, Xim, Amy Dewit, Emma Cole, Carlotta, Mar, Hannah Spin painting Caroline Elkington, Ceri and Edmond Rose, Liz McClean, Lee Bamsey, Miew-Cheng Stangroome, Sonia Jarman Bouncy castle     Josh Stott, Robin Stott, Marion Sands, Zoe Willett Plant stall ...

By david scales on Sep 25, 2015 10:05 pm We have been made aware of a recent garden shed break-in in Devonshire Drive and also of an attempt to steal bikes from the same Street. Fortunately nothing was stolen from the Shed and the padlock used to secure the bikes was too strong to remove but we would remind residents to be extra vigilant and use strong locks to secure sheds and outhouses as well as bicycles. Please also look out for your neighbour’s property as one of the most successful ways of preventing and reporting theft or attempted theft of this kind throughout the Triangle is effective ‘Neighbourhood Watch’. Some Streets in the Ashburnham Triangle do have Neighbourhood Watch Schemes and NW Co-ordinators but if you are interested in setting up a scheme for your street, helping out or finding out more then please contact PCSO Henry Lawton of the Greenwich West Safer Neighbourhoods Team for further information Henry.T.O.Lawton@met.pnn. police.uk  or myself  ...

By imogene russell on 31 Jul 2015 11:50 am July saw the much awaited opening of Kitcho, a family run Japanese restaurant, at 57 Greenwich High Road. Owners Nicole and Andy Zhang, whose hugely successful Aji Ichiban was rated in the 10 best Japanese restaurants in London by Culture Trip, have re-opened their doors to loyal followers by setting up Kitcho. With long-time and loyal head chef Jimmy, Kitcho has an outstanding menu of traditional and fusion Japanese dishes – fresh fish and sea food, maki & temaki style sashimi, spicy tuna and dragon dishes. Jimmy sources all the food daily from Japanese suppliers and makes all his own sauces and dressings at the open kitchen bar. The food is so beautifully presented that it’s almost a shame to taste it. But make no doubt once you do you will be hooked. This local gem is here to stay and, with over 20 different sakes to try, you’ll need to work your way methodically through the menu over successive visi...

By imogene russell on 26 Jun 2015 11:32 am A Scrumptious apple tree and a slate plaque in memory of Audrey Ringrose, late of Ashburnham Grove, now grace the raised bed at the Ashburnham Place end of the Play Street. Audrey’s friends and family, including daughters Kate and Leonie, gathered after the recent Plant Swap to mark this planting. Audrey Ringrose 1931-2014 A good neighbour John, Audrey’s widower, gave a moving introduction to the plaque’s unveiling to the thirty or so people there. He said that a tree in this garden was a very fitting memorial to her, since she was very much part of the local community and had been joint founder of the gardening group. John Ringrose near Audrey’s tree and plaque If you are wondering who she was, below is the obituary we posted last year. Many plants and seedlings now keep Audrey’s tree company. The mini forest garden will grow up around it.  We have lost a good neighbour, Audrey Ringrose Audrey Ringrose died on 1 st ...

Andrew Steeds,  31 May 2015   Greenwich offering consultation process on document I have received the letter below from Greenwich Planning, which may be of interest to anyone who’s thinking of applying for planning permission, or affected by someone else’s planning application. There are a number of links embedded in the letter itself. RE: Royal Borough of Greenwich consultation on draft local information requirements list for planning applications The Royal Borough gives notice that a draft local information requirements list (a ‘local list’) for planning applications has been published for consultation.  The local list, once formally adopted, will set out the information that Royal Borough of Greenwich will require to be able to register, assess and determine planning applications.  The level of information required varies upon the size and type of the application as well as the specific site constraints and nature of development. The purpose...

By imogene russell on 30 May 2015 10:26 pm Embrace the embarrassment of riches. For the next three weekends you can visit first gardens, then both gardens and studios, then just studios. The first weekend’s gardens, on 6th and 7th June, are in Hyde Vale, Crooms Hill, West Grove, Prior Street, Gloucester Circus, Park Vista, Kidbrooke Gardens, Morden Road, Blackheath Park, Orchard Drive, Eliot Place, North Several, Pagoda Gardens, and Shooters Hill Road. Some of them are quite grand. Most are impressive. All are worth visiting even if you’re not a gardener – it’s like an outdoor moving party without music. Some hosts give you tea and cake, others Pimms or wine. You pay £3 a garden or £10 for the lot. The money goes to the Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice. Full details at Document: Open Garden Festival Leaflet (2274 kb) or at  www.communityhospice.org.uk   where it says ‘Entry is free for children and dogs (unless specified) are not permitted’  I hope the ...

By imogene russell on 26 May 2015 02:54 pm Lucy Stubbs, an ATA gardener (the one in the pink hat), writes, “Greenwich Council has maintained the same grant as last year to GCC to provide adult education in Greenwich. However, although funding levels are the same, Lindsey Noble and Barry Langfield, external consultants, are making almost all permanent full-time adult education teaching staff and many support staff redundant. They claim that 35% – 40% of the adult education grant must be kept by GCC for ‘management services’. At the same time as making many staff redundant they are being paid very large consultancy fees. Greenwich adult education received a glowing Ofsted report, ‘good’ across all departments. How can Greenwich adult education maintain those standards if almost all its permanent teaching staff are made redundant and most of its support staff are gone? GCC in Plumstead where more vocational courses are taught, was rated as poor by its Ofsted. What institution(s) will ...

By imogene russell on 30 Apr 2015 09:17 pm This is the route for this year’s May Day procession of the the Fowlers Troop and Deptford Jack-in-the-Green, 11.30 am to around 5pm. The Ashburnham Arms is the last pub on the route.  Background of the tradition The Jack in the Green tradition developed from the 17th Century custom of milkmaids going out on May Day with the utensils of their trade – silver cups, pots, spoons – decorated with garlands and piled into a pyramid which they carried on their heads. By the mid eighteenth century other groups, notably chimney sweeps, were moving in on the milkmaids’ territory as they saw May Day as a good opportunity to collect money. Over the last 25 years several popular festivals have grown up around the Jack in the Green tradition. These are mostly on the May bank holiday weekend at Bristol, Brentham in North Ealing, Guildford, Hastings, Knutsford, Oxford, Rochester and Whitstable. The Hastings and Rochester gatherings are now ...

By andrew steeds on 26 Apr 2015 07:56 pm Davy’s wine Vaults and shop (161–71 Greenwich High Road SE10 8JA) wishes to have live music and a late bar until 1 am on Thursdays and up to 2 am over Fridays and Saturdays in its wine bar vaults. There is currently a lot of noise emanating from the outside bar of Davy’s. I think that a late licence will attract people from all over Greenwich, creating a huge increase in footfall to and especially from the venue. Unless there is specific soundproofing I am wondering how the music noise will be contained. There will be no DLR or mainline trains after midnight, so customers will gather outside the venue before finding their way home in taxis or by other means. The outside area of Davy’s is tiny, and has no provision for parking of any vehicles or for more than a few people to stand in. It is only metres from flats and residential streets so at turning-out time customers will cause unacceptable noise and nuisance to local residents. ...

By david scales on 14 Apr 2015 12:46 pm At our most recent Safer Neighbourhoods Ward Panel Meeting, we have been made aware of a  spike in thefts from motor vehicles  not only in the Ashburnham Triangle but throughout the West Greenwich area. There have also been reports of serious damage and vandalism to cars in Ashburnham Grove and Greenwich South Street. In general, Vauxhall Zafiras and Astras are being targeted but  we would remind all car owners not to leave Sat Navs, Valuables, Bags and Blue Badges (when they’re not in use) or any items on display or on seats and to always lock all car doors, shut windows and use internal security devices. The Safer Neighbourhoods Police will be holding some more drop-in surgeries this May: Friday 15th May, 7pm – 8pm at Waitrose, New Capital Quay, SE10 9DD; Wednesday 27th May, 9am – 10.00am at Holy Trinity Centre, Bennett Grove, SE13 7RF. We are hoping to arrange a drop-in surge...

By imogene russell on 09 Apr 2015 06:04 pm If you have an event you feel people in the Triangle would be interested in, let us know. It can be happening anywhere reasonably reachable. We can post notices by ATA email and website, and on the physical Community Notice Board outside St Marks. Send to  imogenerussell1@gmail.com We are also thinking of creating community pages on Facebook and Twitter. Has anyone any views on that?

By david scales on 08 Apr 2015 06:54 pm There will be a meeting of the  Greenwich West Ward Safer Neighbourhoods Panel on Thursday evening 9th April 2015 at 6:30pm. The Ashburnham Triangle is a standing item on the agenda under ward issues. At the last meeting in January a few thefts were reported from motor vehicles in the Triangle  WGSNT minutes 29 Jan 2015 . These meetings are not open access but are attended by the Ward Councillors, the Safer Neighbourhoods Police, Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators, Royal Borough of Greenwich staff, other agencies and both myself/Carolyn Carter as the Security Hub Representatives on behalf of ATA residents. If you have become a victim of crime or have experienced any anti- social behaviour, please email either  David Scales  or Carolyn Carter  cartercarolyn@btinternet.com  as soon as possible so that we can feedback any issues to the Safer Neighbourhoods police at the meeting. Any incidents...

By imogene russell on 20 Feb 2015 11:20 am Would people like an outdoor film showing in the Play Street?  It would have to be on a date and time when it’s dark enough early enough, but on the other hand not too cold. On Saturday May 9th sunset is predicted to be at 20.34. The film could start half an hour later. There’d be no noise from the film, because we could all have our own wireless headphones. Or we could have a silent film. There’d be a tiny amount of noise from the eight or ten bicycles providing the power. We’d need volunteers to take turns on the bicycles. And we’d bring our own chairs. If so, what film? Not too long. Suitable for any children who might be there. We could go for films you can’t get hold of easily, or we could concentrate on crowd-pleasers-for-all. Or preferably both, if possible. Here below are some suggestions made by people of various ages, from 21 to 69. We haven’t vetted the list to see if they meet the criteria above. Any film we chose would...

By imogene russell on 10 Feb 2015 10:24 pm “Attractive, up-to-date and well-maintained” is what the new community notice board will be, said Tony Othen, as 40 or so people, including artist Peter Kent and ATA founder Ewan Hooper, watched its unveiling outside St Mark’s Church on Sunday. “It’s for the community to use to post up events and opinions that have nothing to do with our church,” said Tony, of The Gallery in Peyton Place, and church member. St Mark’s is inviting us all to send notices of what’s going on locally to  stmarksgreenwich@gmail.com  by Friday for posting on Saturday. Tony will post them on the Community Page of the website at  www.stmarksgreenwich.org.uk and also display the page on one of the church’s four ‘‘good old-fashioned physical notice boards” outside. The premises at St Mark’s were redesigned several decades ago to make it easy for outside groups to use them, and many have done so ever since. This notice board, dedicated to the community...

By david scales on 09 Feb 2015 08:41 pm We have been notified by the Millenium Quay Neighbourhood Watch Scheme that there’s been a spate of Vauxhall Zafiras being broken into in the Greenwich area. Apparently the small back triangle windows are being smashed in order to open the back door. If you are an owner of this vehicle, you are advised to  activate the child locks  on both sides and make sure you  remove the log book and other valuables from the car.    Although incidents of theft of and theft from vehicles are relatively low, owners of all vehicles are reminded to lock car doors and not leave any items or possessions on the seats. As ever,  if you see a crime being committed call 999 twenty four hours a day where life or property are in danger, a crime is being committed or the suspect is nearby and the police are required immediately;  to report anything suscipious or less urgent, call 101 (calls are charged at local...