September
| Published: 30th September 2008 21:55 |
LICENCES TO SELL ALCOHOL
Name & address supplied
I feel it necessary to raise public awareness of an ever-increasing trend to issue licences to sell alcohol to anybody who asks. This was brought to my attention one morning whilst queuing in my local ‘Post Office' in Petts Wood. The amount of alcohol - wine / spirits / beer / aIcopops - displayed on the shelves and in the fridges was definitely ‘in my face'.
It appears that the sale of alcohol is now a priority for small local businesses to make money at the expense of ongoing ill-health of alcohol related illnesses that threaten our young naive population. Everyone knows that alcohol / drug abuse is a major National Health issue in this country. To see support of this threatening disease openly displayed in a local ‘Post Office' is beyond belief and morally offensive.
Who is giving out these licenses and on what basis? It really is time that we, the public, start to ask questions why an already growing problem of alcohol consumption in this country is being promoted in this way: Who is responsible for issuing these licenses to sell alcohol in Post Offices and small local grocery stores, garage outlets, etc? And why are they being allowed to do this when this country is in such a critical state with gun crimes, alcohol and drug related dependencies, which cost thousands of pounds to the NHS each year and affect family lives and the lives of young adolescents and younger children?
Do other residents share my concerns? I am eagerly awaiting responses.
We forwarded this letter to Councillor Tony Owen, who is also Chairman of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee. Here is Councillor Owen's reply...
"Licences for the sale of alcohol are governed by the Licensing Act 2003. Anyone possessing a licence (granted by magistrates) before this new law automatically retained their previous rights. Applications for new licences or variations to old licences are now the responsibility of the local authority (Bromley Council in our case). Such applications must be advertised for 28 days by notice at the site and by an advertisement in a local paper. Although not required by the Act, Bromley Council notify nearby residents by letter.
If nobody objects, the Act requires the application to be granted. Certain technical requirements must be satisfied such as a suitably qualified ‘Designated Premises Supervisor'. If anyone objects a hearing is held at the Civic Centre and a panel of three local councillors hears the evidence. Objections must be made relating to the four licensing objectives: public nuisance; crime and disorder; public safety; and protection of children from harm.
A number of requests for late opening have been refused when residents have provided evidence of existing public nuisance (usually at closing time). Police have also objected to many applications on crime and disorder grounds.
It is very difficult to refuse a new application if the applicant demonstrates that they have taken adequate steps to address the four licensing objectives. If premises fail to comply with the objectives it is open to any 'interested party' (this includes local residents) to call for a review of any licence. Bromley Trading Standards Department has followed a very aggressive test purchase scheme (for all age related products) to catch anyone selling to under age children. Four traders were caught in Petts Wood. A warning is usually issued for the first transgression but a review is requested for a second offence. Such transgressors have always had their licences suspended for a period and in one case revoked (upheld on appeal to the Magistrates Court).
Bromley is recognised as having one of the toughest licensing regimes in the country. The local licensing PC even calls me 'the hanging judge'! My perception of the wishes of the majority of local residents is that they don't like extended hours in our dormitory suburb. Councillors have done their best to uphold this wish while allowing limited extensions to responsible establishments.
As regards the display of products in the post office, the Council has no jurisdiction over this unless one (or more) of the licensing objectives can be demonstrated to have been broken." Ed.
RE: CAN YOU HELP SOLVE A MYSTERY?
Bob Boyd, Willett Way
Regarding Ann Plumb's letter in the Gazette about finding chicken eggs, we have had similar experiences. Broken chicken shells and half eaten eggs have been found in our front garden, back garden and drive. This has happened on odd occasions over the past few months. Last week a whole egg was found in the front garden, but did not have a 'sell by' date on it.
We assume it is the work of foxes that we see regularly in our garden - but where are they getting the eggs? Does anyone keep chickens these days?
PARKING AND FEES
Alan Francis, Little Thrift
Having twice assisted ladies at our Station Square parking meters it prompts me to write about some fee confusion, the benefactor of the confusion being Bromley Council. On the meter it says "Up to 1 hour - 50p". The two ladies concerned both wished to stay half that time but were both tendering 50p which they thought was the minimum fee. They were surprised when I paid 10p for a ticket for 12 minutes - all I needed to settle a newspaper account. In fairness there is lower down in much smaller print a note that the meter will accept the minimum fee of 10p. (I must admit I thought 50p was the minimum too! Ed.)
I hope the Council traffic review will not trigger an increase in charges: what is needed is a well-managed and inexpensive system which will not cause shopping customers to go elsewhere where parking is free, such as Nugent Centre or Bluewater. Bromley centre risks driving away customers due to parking charges. This week I was charged £2.70p for 2 hours and 3 minutes parking at The Glades: it would have been much cheaper to go to Bluewater even though fuel to get there is expensive.
Commuters are at present abusing Petts Wood by parking all day outside residencies in order to avoid the reasonable fees at the Railway Station car park. Since the congestion charging in central London, all-day commuter parking in Petts Wood has increased significantly.
Residents do not help by permanently using the street space outside their houses when they have ample room and a garage within their premises. The streets were provided for facilitating progress and not for long-term parking, and there is a stated case (Solomon v Durbridge) that a car could cause obstruction by being parked in one spot too long.
The whole problem revolves round the fact that there are too many cars. When I first went to school the population of this country was 30 million. I read that it is now 62 million, serviced by 22 million cars, a population explosion. We had traffic jams when the car population was 10 million!
Good luck to those who have the job of reviewing Petts Wood parking.
RE: BIGGIN HILL
by Ken The Editor
I received a letter from Lara Benson of Silverdale Road enclosing an interesting article on Biggin Hill from Management Today magazine. Unfortunately, copyright laws mean that I cannot reproduce the article in the Gazette.
Readers wishing to view the article can do so on their website. Go to www.managementtoday.co.uk and search for "Biggin Hill". Ed.
CAN YOU HELP SOLVE A MYSTERY?
Ann Plumb, Kingsway
My neighbour and I have been finding large chicken eggs hidden or buried in our gardens over the last few months. Whole eggs have been hidden in borders as well as some having been buried. My husband was weeding an open patch recently when he dug up a complete egg. Sometimes it is just broken egg shells on the lawn.
Is anyone else experiencing the same mysterious happenings? Do you have any idea where they are coming from and who is depositing them?
It sounds like the work of the ‘Beast of Petts Wood' to me! Ed.
SPEEDING IN PETTS WOOD
Roger Wright, Frankswood Avenue
There have been quite a few items in the Gazette recently about speeding in Petts Wood Road and Towncourt Lane. I should not like readers to think that these are the only roads affected, and I believe our road, Frankswood Avenue, is more prone to high speed than any of them.
I suspect we are the only road in Petts Wood which experiences motor cycles exceeding 60mph whilst performing wheelies. This is a frequent occurrence, especially in the evenings of summer months. There is one particular individual on a blue / white machine who passed our house at excessive speed six times in less than an hour on a recent Sunday.
It isn't just motor cycles, but high performance cars, and small cars with noisy exhausts, driven by young people (often in convoy). It happens in both directions. From Bromley the vehicles have already reached a high speed at the top of the rise from Southborough Lane, and the challenge for them seems to be how late they can brake before Library Corner. From Petts Wood, the vision that greets them is of a wide, straight, open road with a good length and slight ascent. Many can't resist the temptation to accelerate at their maximum, and motor cyclists in particular enjoy overtaking, even when there is approaching traffic.
Bearing in mind that we have many children on their way at school times to / from St James' Primary, as well as a large number of pedestrians most of the day, this sort of behaviour will eventually lead to tragedy.
I agree with Ian Webb that 20mph zones will not discourage those for whom speed is an addiction. Sgt Kemp's report on the shrinking crime rate in Petts Wood was very encouraging. Perhaps our Safer Neighbourhood Team could spend a little time making Frankswood Avenue a less attractive road for those who persist in driving recklessly.
The Safer Neighbourhood Team might also consider stopping some of the vehicles whose drivers are using mobile phones. As I walk along Queensway virtually every day, it seems to me that 1 in 10 drivers are breaking this law.
Roger's letter has been forwarded to our Police Liaison representative, Derek Marrable, so that he can take forward the issues of speeding and drivers using mobile phones at the SNT Panel meeting. Ed.
RE: TRANSPORT ITEMS IN THE GAZETTE
Karl Gurney, Crest View Drive
I refer to the mention of bus route R7 in the August issue of "The Gazette". It may be that Metrobus / TfL will offer a response, but already having had the operator's attention drawn to the inadequate capacity offered by the 17 seat Optare Solo vehicle, Metrobus has undertaken to use its best endeavours to ensure a 23-25 seat mini-Dart is allocated to the route, and this seems to have been honoured since mid-July.
There is a shortage of the mini-Dart type at Metrobus, and the next best vehicle capable of maintaining the tight clearances over route R7 is the standby Solo for the narrow lanes on Orpington - Downe - Biggin Hill route R8. We may still see the Solo on route R7 on occasions, however, from mid-September, reapportioning of TfL contracts should result in greater availability of mini-Darts at Metrobus, and the problem should be resolved.
The extension into the Aquila estate is indeed formally proposed and, subject to the outcome of consultation, should be implemented in December, when TfL renews its contract with Metrobus to operate the R7 for a further five years. Unfortunately, the specification remains a single vehicle providing just an hourly service.
I should like to thank John Love and ‘The Gazette' for publishing his brave articles "Biggin Hill - Setting the Record Straight". Whatever the future of our airport holds, perhaps one should remember that we are spared the fate of the folk of Sipson, whose entire village will disappear if expansion at Heathrow is allowed.
I also agree that location of the Princess Royal University Hospital is pure folly, not just by being two miles from Biggin Hill touchdown, but also through being difficult to access by public transport. TfL have had to extend / revise the bus network specially to serve this relatively remote location, resulting in some embarrassingly light loadings on buses in the vicinity. Interestingly, the Crown Meadows site at Bromley Common, which arguably could have been a more convenient location for the major hospital serving our Primary Care Trust area, has just been granted planning permission on appeal for housing - a wasted opportunity I feel.
JUBILEE PARK CYCLE PATH
Andrew Temple, Towncourt Crescent
I have been a Petts Wood resident for many years; I am also a car driver and a cyclist. With fuel at an all time high, I try my best to cycle to work. Many car drivers do their best to make my journey as unpleasant as possible, with the small part of my journey through Jubilee Park being a welcome respite. However it is increasingly spoiled and made unpleasant by dogs, children and rude people and parents.
Recently when I was coming home on the cycle path through the park, a small child was walking very slowly in the middle of the dedicated cycle path towards the Petts Wood end of the park. I sounded my bell three times and in the end had to slow right down and ask the child to excuse me. I was not going at all fast but was accused by a rude parent of cycling too fast. The child was in the wrong place; I was taking care and riding slowly. I did tell the parent where to go and was then shouted at again by both parents.
After a hard day at work, cycling through traffic is the last thing I need. The signs are there in the park to keep the cyclists and the walkers apart - why can't the walkers keep to their path, parents control their children and dog owners keep their dogs under control?
RE: PARKING IN PETTS WOOD
Betty Dubery, Crossway
Paul Wylie (Letters, August) thinks the demise of the greengrocer at Station Square is partly due to the lack of parking. Apart from the considerable expense to have underground parking, (the most aesthetic way of parking) which the vast majority of motorists would not want to pay for, it is difficult to find an answer to the problem.
Whilst I have no first hand knowledge of how far shoppers come to Petts Wood, I suspect that the vast majority live within a mile of the shopping area. In the days when the shops were really very busy and we even had to queue, one could get everything one wanted in Petts Wood: butchers, bakers, fishmongers, greengrocers, timber merchants, ironware store, haberdashery, garden supplies, fashionable clothes and upmarket cosmetics. And one could always park without paying or worrying about wardens because the vast majority of people had shopping trolleys and it was not ‘uncool' to use them. It was only very occasionally that cars were used for local journeys.
I am lucky enough not to find life miserable or difficult, but have to confess that I do feel irritated when cars are parked outside our house by commuters that come from Orpington and Chislehurst because they cannot park near enough to their own station. But I realise that this a minor irritant compared with other traumas in life.
With a bit of luck perhaps a few more will leave for New Zealand and so ease the parking situation, amongst other things, here on this overcrowded island.
RE: BIGGIN HILL AIRPORT
Ralph Gawn, Honeybourne Way
Thank you to John Love for his interesting series of articles on Biggin Hill and air traffic. The information may clear up misconceptions - and provide conception where there was none - but subjective factors remain.
For instance, ‘aircraft noise' is not just about the volume of sound but also its quality. In particular there is the hiss-cum-drone-cum-high-pitched-whine, intense and penetrating, of the jet engines against the darker, flatter combination of sounds of traditional propeller-driven aircraft and most small recreational planes. On the criterion of noise quality, and to some extent volume, the fewer jets descending over Petts Wood into Biggin Hill the better, as far as I am concerned. I wonder to what extent there would be a consensus on this.
By way of further illustration, I was out walking in the Gloucestershire countryside at the time Concorde was being trialled from Fairford. When it passed nearby, some cows that were in the field broke into a run. It was a terrific din. I thought Concorde had saving graces: a strong visual appeal, pioneering romance, British associations and only passing once (or twice?) a day; but my mother had an unreserved dislike of the plane whenever she heard it.
RE: BUSINESS ASSOCIATION UPDATE
Fiona Fogden, Fieldway
In response to your article: what would I like to see in Petts Wood?
We are a mature(ish) couple with a three year old daughter and I have lived in Petts Wood all my life. One of the suggestions in your article was a soft play area. We find that the soft plays in Orpington and Bromley are fine, so I don't know if one is justified here in Petts Wood. What might be nice is a crèche. The Glades got rid of theirs and I don't know of anywhere else that now does one. I am not talking about ages, but just a break for an hour while you cruise the shops, or try on some clothes in the few boutiques there still are in Petts Wood.
We are fortunate with two good park areas in Petts Wood at Willett and Eynsford, but saying that if you visit Kelsey Park and see what they have there it shows our two little parks to be very plain and basic indeed.
I know this is probably blasphemy, but I wouldn't mind one or two more restaurants, or at least a better mix. We have three Indian restaurants, but I would prefer a Tapas bar. There is a wine bar in Petts Wood Road that if it could be bothered to open on a regular basis at lunchtimes you might actually arrange to meet with friends, but the unpredictability means you can't rely on it to be open so you don't bother. If somewhere is run what appears to be like a hobby then you won't treat it like a business and won't patronise it.
I love shopping in Reena's which has filled a large part of the hole left by Reid's and try to support our local Clarks when I can. The problem I have is that I work full time and just can't always fit everything in on a Saturday. Would the Petts Wood Business Association consider either a late night or some more shops opening on Sunday? At Christmas last year I wanted to do my shopping in Petts Wood but nowhere was open: I went to buy a handbag and Lesley's was closed; went to buy jewellery and Beever's was closed throughout the Christmas break. I didn't have much choice...
The 'good mix of shops' is certainly a problem. I can't believe that on the Station Square side we have three flooring shops and another on Queensway. I don't want any more florists, hairdressers, tanning salons or flooring shops. I would like an electrical shop in Petts Wood to offer both electrical services and products. I know there is the Cray Valley, but they don't have the knowledge. I would also like an underwear shop - a bit like Marks & Spencer Food, but M&S underwear. Woolworths has a minute range but never seems to have anything in my size.
On a positive note, I had some people visiting from other parts of the Borough and they told me they had been recommended by generalist sports shops to visit Jolly Good Sports in Petts Wood for specialist tennis gear. When they shopped there they received top class service and got exactly what they wanted. I have also recommended Lesley's bag shop on a number of occasions. It never seems to disappoint and is the Aladdin's cave of handbags; the owner will even take orders for a specific type of bag and try to track it down for you - now that is service you wouldn't get elsewhere.
I would like our local cab service back. Since it has been taken over you can't say "cab from Station Square to Bromley High Street" as they don't know where Station Square is and it takes ages to explain, and the service is terrible. I've been left waiting on too many occasions that I now use the Orpington based cab companies. I was told that the local bye-laws only allow one cab service in the area, but the Council has confirmed that this is not the case - so perhaps there is a market for a second, ‘local' cab service. The empty 'Just Flowers' shop would be an ideal base and also help keep anti-social behaviour down, as it did when Gentry Cars had a 'hut' in the location where JDM is now.
The rumours and threats to the shoppers about not using the shops is a tad patronising. For years we used the fruit and veg shop and then it started shutting earlier so when I got off the train at 5.00pm once a week (not a Wednesday, I might add!) it was closed. I felt let down as a customer. It works both ways, but the shops only complain and I am made to feel like a bad citizen who works full time so it is 'my fault' and never their fault for not reacting to changing work patterns. I see that the new Alna Vi shoe shop on Fairway tends to open later and as a result they are more likely to get my custom.
I do think that Petts Wood has a lovely feel of 'individual' shops and there aren't a huge number of 'identikit' shops. Yes there is Woolworths, which on a Sunday is a godsend, and Morrison's and Iceland which serve a big role. I even think that despite losing our gentleman's outfitters, Costa's has fitted into the life of Petts Wood fairly well. I have colleagues at work who are jealous of the fact I can get off the train and pop into the supermarket on the way home and have a selection of dentists that are so close to the station that I am not taken out of my way to visit them and it doesn't mean I have to book time off work.
I would like to see the return of a book shop. I know it's been tried in the past with the Old Bear's Book Corner and before that the Book Tower. My best shopping memories of Petts Wood as a child were spent in a book shop on Petts Wood Road buying ladybird books. I would like to be able to repeat the same experience for my daughter. I would also like to see a shop offering facilities and goods for those with limited mobility, as they do in Orpington High Street. My parents live in Petts Wood and they aren't getting any younger, and there are lots of people like them. Yes, we now have to go further afield for certain things, our 'local butchers' is now in Marion Crescent for example, and appreciate that you can't always justify a local service in all areas.
It is sometimes easy to complain but so easy to forget what is also good about the area.
Jamie Wright from the Business Association responds: "Thank you very much Fiona for having taken the time to write regarding the last Business Association update. We have received a number of responses from local people with suggestions and comments. Whilst there is no guarantee that what is requested will come to pass, we believe that ongoing dialogue between the residents and businesses can only be a positive thing. After discussing the findings at the Association committee meetings I hope to be able to report some positive action points in upcoming issues of the Gazette." Ed.
THANK YOU
Sara Benstead, Lynwood Grove
My son, Conor, who left Crofton Juniors in July, was a runner up for the Achievement Award. I just wanted to say I am so very proud of him, and thank you very much for the award. He is absolutely thrilled with his certificate and voucher. What a wonderful finish to four fantastic years at the Juniors.
THE LEGACY OF THAMES WATER
Peter Evans, Towncourt Crescent
It's that time of year when our building and contents insurance is up for renewal. We have been with the same insurer for the past two years and I thought it was time to see if I was getting the most competitive quote. I had tried several companies all being a lot more expensive and thought I would give my previous insurer a crack. After logging on to their first page, name, address, etc the site would crash. When this had happened three times, I decided to phone them in case there were problems with the site.
When we had got past name, address, date of birth and thanks for coming back to us, the guy on the end of the phone told me: "I'm sorry, Mr Evans, we cannot go any further. BR5 is a flood plain area and we have been logged out of the system, so we are unable to insure you. Sorry!"
Thanks Thames Water for installing flood alleviation works!
Following receipt of Mr Evans' letter we undertook some investigation and what the insurance salesman said was partially correct. According to the Environment Agency website, there is a ‘significant' flood risk along and around the course of the Kyd Brook which runs under Jersey Drive, Tudor Way, Crossway and part of Hazelmere Road. Unfortunately for Mr Evans, this also includes the northern end of Towncourt Crescent.
We contacted the Environment Agency, who were most helpful. Their information is up to date and does take into account the recent Thames Water flood alleviation works. This area has, apparently, always been at risk of flooding and flooded in both 1965 and 1968. They also told us that a study (the Ravensbourne Strategy Study) is currently in progress to determine whether flood defences could make a difference. The study is due to report next year.
We also contacted Thames Water who explained that the recent works were SEWER flood alleviation works. That is, if there are torrential rains then the sewers should be better able to cope with the increased demand from run-off water and should not overflow into the streets. Their work was not, however, to reduce the risk of flooding from the Kyd Brook itself.
If you wish to find our more information, please visit the Environment Agency website www.environment-agency.gov.uk, type in your postcode and view the Flood Map. Alternatively, you can request a ‘Flood History Report' by sending an e-mail to enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. Ed.
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