TES News No 186 • Summer 2012 The newsletter of The Enfield Society Forty Hall revisited The Society is looking forward to the reopening of Forty Hall following its total restoration supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. At last this magnificent Grade I listed building will be in a condition appropriate to its historic importance in Enfield. We congratulate everyone who has played a part in this splendid transformation. The Hall will be open again to the public in July and on the 18th September the Society will be holding a very special celebratory event in the Banqueting Suite at Forty Hall as part of our Heritage Programme for 2012 – see page 7 for full details. We are currently discussing with the Council, among other things, the possible sponsorship of its planned education programme, especially for children, at Forty Hall; the Society recognises the importance of this project and welcomes this link with such an important historic asset in our Borough. agreed with the Council and detailed This would be the second time the plans finalised to develop the House as a Society has become very much involved heritage centre and to seek grant funding Call for assistance with Forty Hall. for building improvements. A Friends of For many years the Society has We have always had concerns over Forty Forty Hall voluntary group was to be had a stand at the annual Enfield Hall and especially about its long term established and an experienced manager Autumn Town Show. This has future. In 1999 our concern was was selected to run the Hall. been staffed by various members heightened when Enfield Council All that was needed was for the Council of the Society, but this year two of announced that the Hall would be closed to sign the lease. However this was the regular members, Monica to save costs, and subsequently English delayed on account of the pending May Heritage placed it on its Buildings at 2002 elections, after which the incoming Smith, stand organiser, and myself, Risk Register. The Society negotiated changed Council administration put Bob Fowler, responsible for with the Council for Forty Hall to remain everything on hold. It was finally putting up and taking down the open if funds could be raised to meet decided by the Council that it would stand, are unable to be present over staff costs. Donations made by local would run Forty Hall by itself and then the two days. The dates are companies, individuals and the Society, adopted many of the ideas developed by Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd plus additional staffing provided by the Forty Hall Trust. This left no ongoing September. We are therefore volunteers enabled the Hall to remain role for the Trust which was shortly looking for assistance to ensure open. With the agreement of the Council afterwards dissolved. we started to plan the setting up of an that our presence at the Town It gives the Enfield Society considerable independent trust to take over the Show can go ahead. If you or satisfaction that the Forty Hall of today, running of Forty Hall to secure its long and hopefully of the future, owes a great anyone you know would be willing term future. deal to the work of the Society over a to offer some time on either or There followed nearly three years of decade ago. We look forward to both dates, please get in touch with protracted negotiations with Enfield renewing our role of helping to safeguard me on 020 8363 5732 or email Council during which time the Forty Hall the Hall and very much hope that its long [email protected] Trust was set up with charitable status term future has now been fully secured. and trustees selected. Lease terms were Tony Langston and Colin Pointer Bob Fowler 1 Conservation Trees Forty Hall entrance Barclays Bank For the past year Enfield Council has The question of the new vehicular access Barclays Bank, next to the Market Place, taken responsibility and enlarged car park at Forty Hall is one of the most prominent and remains unresolved. The sticking point is important buildings in Enfield Town, for dealing with the refusal of English Heritage to quite apart from its being the site of the tree applications in contemplate any alterations at all to the first ATM machine in the world. nearby Hertsmere, but it existing listed entrance gateway, not even Currently Barclays are proposing a appears that this increased workload a trial of realigned bollards as we revamp, with replacement signage to was having an adverse suggested to ensure heavy vehicles which we do not object, but also effect on dealing with our approach head on and not at an angle. replacing the stone steps at the entrance own applications, The entrance is to be for pedestrians and in favour of a ramp and taking the especially as their cycles only. This leaves the siting of a imposing wooden doors out of use. They number is increasing. new entrance to be decided. The current, would be retained further back, The Hertsmere in our view unworkable, proposed permanently fixed at right angles to the arrangement has now gateway opposite to the busy entrance to street to make way for a glass doorway been discontinued, but all Clock House Nursery is also ruled out as and entrance lobby. There is already a is still not well. affecting a large tree. Having made our ramp for wheelchairs and buggies to the Far from a decision being delayed, a point, we await events. rear and we would not object to very tendentious application by Spurs appropriate resiting, but not at the expense of the traditional, fine entrance. to fell a number of self set broad leaf Trent Park hedgerow trees and generally to Go Ape at Trent Park have been awarded remove lower branches up to a height a 12-year lease to run the café next to the Enfield Town and Chase of 3.5 metres to allow the mowers car park. It will be renovated and Side Conservation Area unimpeded access beneath, was rebranded under the name “Forest Café” Study Group approved immediately without waiting and it is said that it will offer a more for the statutory three weeks’ extensive (and no doubt more expensive) It looks as though the future of the Group may have been secured. It would still be consultation. So we did not even have menu. We reiterate our view that what is an opportunity to object to yet another needed is a comprehensive review and very pleased to hear from anyone from step in turning the Spurs’ training area, redesign of the uncoordinated facilities around the Enfield Town area interested there. The Council’s Conservation in the future of their particular locality. now called the Rolenmill Sports Advisory Group recently considered As before I can be contacted to pass on Ground, from natural countryside into proposals for new signs, seven in all, any message. a suburban recreation ground. replacing the existing timber signs at the Chris Jephcott Chris Jephcott western end of Trent Park in association with the Go Ape Aerial Trek. We share the view of the Trent Park Conservation Committee that the existing wooden signage is more appropriate and deplore The Enfield Society joins the increasing commercialisation of the Civic Voice Park. Letter to the editor The Enfield Society has Details of Civic Voice are given on its Glynis Neal writes: joined Civic Voice, the national website <http://www.civicvoice.org.uk/>. I am surprised that the Society seemed charity which represents civic It is a federal organisation and civic satisfied with the “Go Ape” societies. Civic Voice was launched in societies make up its core membership. It entertainment at Trent Park. The final 2009 to fill the gap left by the closure of also welcomes support from individuals, sentence of Chris Jephcott’s piece on the Civic Trust. Many things which the town and parish councils, voluntary and the front of the spring newsletter left Enfield Society is concerned with – for public sector organisations and business. the society members to decide whether example planning issues and protection Civic Voice is the result of extensive the ‘commercial venture’ was a good of the environment – depend on policies consultation and discussion with idea. I was somewhat disappointed at made at national level, and Civic Voice hundreds of civic and amenity societies this view by the Society, as a has already shown itself to be an and their members and over 100 other commercial venture on what is an effective campaigning body in these interested organisations and partners open and free amenity for the people areas. So we feel that we should lend it about the future of the civic movement of Enfield and beyond could be the thin edge of the wedge, allowing much our support. following closure of the Civic Trust in more extensive commercial use in the Apart from its campaigning activities April 2009. This work was led by the park in the future. As for the wild life Civic Voice will offer various benefits Civic Society Initiative and funded by the habitat that has been destroyed, the to members of the Enfield Society – we National Trust, Esmée Fairbairn fact that the floor of the area with the will provide more details of these as Foundation and civic societies with support from CPRE, the North of little brook can be seen from the car soon as we can. park is a clear indication of what has England Civic Trust, English Heritage been lost. Richard Stones and the RIBA among others.