Westcombe News September 2012 LOCAL NEWS Under the Arches
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Westcombe NEWS Est. 1973 Free to 3800 homes, and in libraries & some shops September 2012 Issue 7 A community newspaper commended by the London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies Monthly newspaper of The Westcombe Society: fostering a sense of community Was it worth it? Lovely even without the horses he partying is almost over as slowly to say the British games have been monu- Twe recover from the hangover follow- mentally exciting - and so well organized ing the Olympic extravaganza. As we con- and presented. The pictures of London on sider the impact on our lives of the our transmissions are simply gorgeous.” Olympics over the last several months, Nothing can detract from the successes many of us are asking “Well, how was it of our athletes, and their hard won for you?” Olympic medals; nor from the thousands The WN has been asking the same ques- of ordinary people who worked, paid or tion, and we report below a representative unpaid, to make the Olympics an event to sample of the answers we got. be remembered for the rest of our lives. No one could fail to be impressed by so However, it will be remembered by many aspects of the Olympics and some for all the wrong reasons. Some local Paralympics. We should take our hats off shopkeepers and traders reported a down- to all the athletes in particular - not just the turn in business. medal winners, but all the athletes who Central London was uncannily quiet, worked so hard to make it to London 2012. with business and traffic down. Restaurants Take Rebecca Adlington: since the age of suffered, and hotels were reportedly slash- One of the beautifully-designed six, she has spent over 12,000 hours in the ing room prices. However, one bright spot However, for most people the biggest water, and has swum some 25,000 miles – was the South Bank, which was a milling issues were over parking and transport. cross-country jumps in Greenwich once round the world! mass of people on most days. The surges of passenger numbers on the Park. PHOTOS: Emily Norton Marilyn Little reports: “We had a fan- tube and the railways were better managed tastic day in the Park at the Cross Country. Local traders than predicted; but many drivers, defeated It was a terrific venue. Getting into the Nearer home, traders gave a mixed reac- by traffic jams, simply gave up any attempt Park via the Blackheath Bridge was no tion. The wave of spectators passing to get to where they needed to be. problem and once inside movement was through Blackheath on the way to The Zil lanes caused a lot of resentment, very easy. We managed to get a good view Greenwich park had little effect on shop and traffic-light settings adjusted to favour of a number of the jumps and finished off takings. The stall holders in Greenwich major routes caused problems for many in the Arena. The cross-country course was Market had particular cause for complaint side-roads; but there was far less conges- really beautiful and very imaginative.” because barriers erected by LOCOG on the tion than many had predicted. On the other Marilyn added: “What a terrific venue route from Greenwich Station to the hand, shops around the Standard received Greenwich Park has been! All the people I Equestrian Olympics in the park ensured some benefit, as the two-hour maximum spoke to on Cross Country day were blown that potential shoppers were prevented parking rule meant a quicker turnover of away with the jumps, the course and the from entering the market. people parking and shopping. brilliant views. The owner of the independent antique Overall, most people agree that the “I know there have been a few wrin- shop the Junk Shop, Toby Moy, tried in games were a spectacular success. A glimpse of the Stadium at sunset kles, – for example the reinstatement of the vain to draw custom by displaying some of park is taking longer than we thought it his wares from behind the barrier by put- would – but given the scale of the event ting stock on the pavement outside, and South London NHS in trouble that was to be expected.” was threatened with a £5,000 fine. Local resident Anne Raynsford also Fortunately, the Council intervened, he announcement by the government effective services during the running of the enthuses in a report on page 6. But it was and the barriers were eventually modified Tthat South London Healthcare NHS Unsustainable Provider Regime. not just the festivities in the park: the to allow the expected influx of customers Trust is to be put into administration after “Together we will need to think differ- heath was a huge attraction. too. “The into the market to materialize. it ran into financial trouble has caused con- ently, and accept that change needs to hap- screen on Blackheath and the area around On Old Dover Road, Blackheath Cooks sternation among NHS watchers. pen. The status quo is not sustainable.” the church looks great,” said Jan Barnett. tried to celebrate with a small Olympic The Health Secretary Andrew Lansley This is the first time an NHS trust has Geoff Bailey commented: “No one display, and were warned they could face a has appointed a special administrator to been put into administration. The trust was doubts that the Olympics were a sporting £30,000 fine. The message to local traders take over. “Past efforts have not succeeded created by merging three hospitals - the triumph. Those who saw the opening cere- was “You’re not part of the national cele- in putting the South London Healthcare Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich, Queen mony, and the equestrian events, also saw bration, and if you aren’t a major sponsor Trust on a sustainable path,” he said. Mary’s in Sidcup, and the Princess Royal it as an aesthetic triumph. But it also from a Multi-national, get lost!” Since its creation in 2009, the trust has run in Orpington – and serves more than one needs to be emphasized what a logistic While many had strong reservations up deficits of more than £150m. million people. Last year, on a turnover of triumph it was: to organize so many events about the stationing of Rapier missiles on The Special Administrator has been £424m it finished £69m in deficit. in so many locations, so smoothly, greatly the heath and in Oxleas Woods, at least named as Matthew Kershaw, who said: Much of the deficit is as a result of an redounds to the credit of LOCOG.” locals did not have them placed on their “My priority is to work with staff, inept Private Finance Initiative: the interest And Sandra Barnes, writing from roofs, as happened in Leytonstone. They patients, the public and all those involved is still being paid on a building that no Philadelpia in the US, writes: “We've been probably played no part in the drop in in healthcare services in the south-east longer exists – the vast white elephant that watching your Olympic spectacle! I have crime reported by the police! London area to maintain high quality, was Greenwich District Hospital. Although the trust has some of the longest waiting times for operations, and < < < NEWS BRIEFS > > > longer-than-average waits in A&E, it has Quiz Night Attack in St John’s Park Walk for Tom Get on your bikes! low infection and death rates. If it was The Westcombe Society’s popular A man was stabbed in the small Charlton Riding for the Disabled Until the Paralympic Games end on decided to break up the trust, it would not Quiz Night is on Saturday 20th hours of Saturday 3rd August when report that an amazing £5279.88 9th Sept. SE Trains have catego- necessarily mean the closure of all servic- October at 7.30 pm for an 8.00 pm he and his partner were mugged in was raised this summer: part of it rized Deptford, Kidbrook, Maze es, but one of the hospitals might go . start. Bookings and 'Chippy' St John's Park. They were confront- will go towards purchasing a new Hill and Westcombe Park stations See also our report on page 6. suppers, if required, must be ed by two men at around 1.00 am horse, a saddle and a saddle cloth. as being not only “busier than ordered in advance. A table is for on Saturday morning. The man was usual” but also receiving “a no more than six people per team; taken to hospital.The police are Not really mugged in Madrid reduced train service.” Hmm! We individual and pair bookings are stepping up patrols in the area. There has been another rash of are asked to try to avoid London The Westcombe Society welcome and will be placed to emails, supposedly from people Bridge Station at peak travel times In Mycenae House in September: make up teams as appropriate. Coffee morning one knows, asserting that they have Saturday 22nd Sept 7.00 - 10.00 pm – Why not get your friends to make The Macmillan Coffee Morning – been mugged in Madrid (or Lagos, The sky’s the limit Members’ Evening. Invitations have gone out – if you up a team – or come on your own and lunch! – (Sept 28th) is always or Bangkok...), can’t pay their hotel Mike Ash, 71, from Blackheath didn’t get one please ring Caroline on 8853 0948. and meet some new people! a very jolly and social occasion. bill, etc etc and please send flew to legendary status when he Ring Caroline on 8853 0948 Caroline Owens says: “Even if you did his “Biggles” skydive from money.