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Poisoned!

Pictures: Friends of Richmond Park, Alasdair Arthur

Just one litre of oil can contaminate up to a million litres of water and sadly our beautiful Beverley Brook has been the victim of an oil spillage on an even bigger scale.

Wander by the Brook on Barnes Common and you will see signs telling owners not to let their dogs splash in the water. Search online and you will find that the RSPCA has already had to clean up a heron whose feathers had been completely clogged with oil after wading in the Brook.

 

If you wander along the Brook at the moment you might not notice much difference but if you look more closely you will see the tell-tale rainbow swirl of a thin layer of oil on the surface and if you sniff you can smell the oil that is contaminating the water.

 

It is believed the oil has spread downriver from an initial pollution incident in Pyl Brook in Merton reported on Friday March 29. The first people to spot the pollution said the spill smelt like “diesel mixed with paint stripper mixed with oils”.

 

Both Thames Water and the Environment Agency are working hard to do what they can to combat the effects of the spill but sadly their options are limited and the damage caused to the Brook's eco systems is likely to be extensive.

There is no definitive information yet about how the spillage happened apart from a statement from the Environment Agency which says the spillage was caused by a ‘third party.’ However, what is clear is that Thames Water is carrying out cleaning of its surface water pipes near Pyl Brook indicating that the contaminants most probably entered the Brook after someone disposed of them through a street drain.

The Environment Agency has classified the spill as a Category 1 pollution incident which has now spread over 14km from its source through Beverley Brook and into the Thames.

Both Thames Water and the Environment Agency have been using booms and other devices to try to skim off and slow the spread of the spillage.

Oil pollution can have a devastating effect on the environment. The thin layer of oil over the top of the water prevents oxygen getting to the plants and to animals that live on the water. It’s also potentially toxic if ingested in sufficient quantities.

The effects can be very long lasting, for example this spillage has coincided with the spawning season for fish in the Brook. Fewer fish spawned this year could have a damaging effect on the Brook’s eco-system for years to come.

 

Nobody yet knows how long it will take the oil to totally disperse. It will already have contaminated vegetation along the Brook and soaked through the soil and rock along the Brook’s edges. Nature should eventually return to some sort of equilibrium, but it will take time. The time taken for recovery depends on the extent of the spill but could be anything between two and ten years.

 

If you see any sick, dying, dead, or oily fish, birds, mammals, or amphibians call the EA's incident report line immediately on 0800 80 70 60. 

Flood defence work to start next week

The terrible incident on Beverley Brook shows how interconnected all our waterways are. Storm drains which fill up during heavy rain empty out into the river and local brooks and when those drains are inundated or blocked our homes are at much higher risk of flooding. Climate change and degraded infrastructure all work together to increase flood risk so it is no surprise that the Environment Agency is embarking on major works across London to make sure our flood defences are as resilient as possible. As we wrote in the February Bugle this means that the towpath between Barnes Bridge and Jubilee gardens will be closed between the beginning of April and the end August while outlets into the Thames are being repaired and this will lead to occasional traffic disruption on The Terrace in off peak periods as equipment is moved on and off site. Read more in the February issue here.

To take traffic or not to take traffic, that is the question...

Now that work is commencing to stabilise Hammersmith Bridge to make it properly safe for pedestrians and cyclists it’s very clear that there are two schools of thought about what should happen to the bridge next.

Climate charity Possible believes the bridge should remain closed to traffic and it has a vision of a bridge in which pedestrians and cyclists share the bridge with an autonomous low weight pod which can ferry the less able across.

Leo Murray of Possible says “All the rhetoric from the government and Hammersmith and Fulham Council is about re-opening the bridge to traffic, but what if there was another way?

“If we want to achieve net-zero targets we have no choice but to use our cars much less than we do today. The closure of Hammersmith Bridge is an opportunity to look at things differently. Studies carried out before the pandemic showed that after the bridge’s closure 20% of the traffic that had been carried over Hammersmith bridge just evaporated. Some was diverted over other bridges but some people just stopped driving. I believe that this evaporation would only have increased over time although the impacts of the pandemic and WFH make this very difficult to measure.

“We understand that people hate to give up using their cars so our approach is not to lecture but to show that the alternatives can be better.”

Possible wants to convince the residents of Barnes that a car-free Hammersmith Bridge is the best way forward and to start the conversation the climate change charity is coming along to Barnes Farmers' Market next Saturday to share its vision. It hopes to bring along an actual autonomous pod to show residents what could be running across the bridge. The BCA cycle shuttle will also be there on the day and offering rides around Barnes.

Possible says that its aim is to share its vision with the Government’s bridge Task Force and that after its community engagement programme in Barnes it will submit its report to Hammersmith & Fulham Council, The Department for Transport and the Greater London Assembly.

However, some local residents believe very strongly that the impact of closing Hammersmith Bridge to traffic is being felt far and wide across South West London causing increased traffic congestion and pollution as diverted traffic clogs up the roads.

Dionne Bridgeman who is a member of the Hammersmith Bridge SOS group lives north of the river and is becoming increasingly frustrated that, in her opinion, the closure of the bridge is becoming part of London’s “greener” strategy.

In an interview with the Swlondoner website she says “Along with congestion charge schemes, it’s like the Government and Hammersmith & Fulham Council are thinking the only way we’re going to get cars off the road is by making it so unbearable to be in a car, stuck in traffic, that people no longer want to drive.

“But lots of people live on or near main roads nearby and they’re all going to suffer – why can’t there be a cohesive plan that supports those people and makes London greener?

“One of London’s major bridges isn’t working, and I don’t understand how that doesn’t concern or embarrass them.

“At the very least even if they don’t open it to all cars, let public transport use the bridge to help people and reduce the pollution from traffic.”

As well as campaigning against the bridge closure Dionne has been spreading the word via Twitter about the amount of revenue being raised by Hammersmith & Fulham Council from fines issued to people who haven’t noticed signs related to new traffic restrictions in the Sand’s End area of Fulham – campaigners say £9.5 million since July 2020.

 

A petition is in place asking Hammersmith & Fulham Council not to extend the scheme westwards which opponents say will only compound the issues caused by Hammersmith Bridge’s closure. Campaigners say the proposed scheme will operate 24 hours per day and will fine drivers from outside the borough up to £130 when they turn off main roads without having a special permit.  

Plan to stop 'bad apple' bikers behaving badly

Now that the central span of Hammersmith Bridge has been closed, local councillor Aphra Brandreth has stepped in to try help residents who are worried about the potential impact of some bad apple cyclists and scooterists ignoring dismount instructions on the bridge. 

Concerned Barnes residents met with Councillor Brandreth on March 10 by the bridge telling her that they felt the current situation on the bridge was “an accident waiting to happen”.

She says “The vast majority of cyclists are obeying the rules but those who aren’t are causing real problems, pushing through crowds of pedestrians on the bridge’s narrow side walkways during peak times and cycling up fast behind pedestrians when the walkways are less busy. You can see how disturbing this might be for elderly people crossing the bridge and how collisions could easily happen.

“I’ve been looking at ways to make things better and have spoken to Hammersmith & Fulham Council about what can be done to enforce the no-cycling rules more effectively. The bridge’s project manager has been actively looking into this and I’m pleased to say that they have stepped up a programme of spot checks on the bridge by law enforcement officers to help deter bad behaviour by cyclists. The marshals on the bridge have no power to stop or censure cyclists ignoring the rules, so I hope more frequent law enforcement visits will help to act as a deterrent. Additionally, I have just heard that CCTV is about to be installed on the bridge.”

Another issue raised by residents is the confusing plethora of signage at both ends of the bridge. “I think the signs could be far clearer” she says “some pedestrians are ignoring the one-way system over both walkways causing more congestion. I’ve raised the issue with the bridge’s project manager and the good news is that Hammersmith & Fulham Council is actively looking at ways to make the signage better.

“There will always be a small number of people who think the rules don’t apply to them” says Councillor Brandreth“ but I hope the increased deterrence from law enforcement officers will help combat the issues they cause. However, many of the problems on the bridge have been down to confusion or thoughtlessness. By making the signage simpler and also engaging with local schools, as I have done on the community’s behalf, asking them to get their pupils to be more mindful of others when crossing the bridge it should be possible to make crossing the bridge less stressful for everyone.”

Could a new bridge study break the funding stalemate?

Could a feasibility study that’s just been commissioned by Hammersmith & Fulham Council be the key to unlocking the stalemate over the potential funding of the repairs that could make Hammersmith Bridge traffic worthy?

Currently there seems to be a stand-off between the council and the Department for Transport as to whether the business proposals that could unlock potential government funding for the full repair of the bridge have been submitted. The council says it has presented the DfT with multiple business plans but the DfT has repeatedly said that the proposals it has received do not comply with its guidelines.

 

In March Hammersmith and Fulham Council announced that it is investing £3.5million in a feasibility study which will cover ground investigations around the bridge’s foundations as well as crowd loading studies and traffic modelling. The study will be carried out by Foster & Partners and engineering firm Cowi, and at its heart will be the further development of the firms’ proposals for a double decker interim bridge-within-a-bridge construction. This radical solution aims to get traffic flowing over the bridge sooner and also reduce overall repair costs by allowing many of the bridge repairs to be made more cheaply off site. 

 

The news that traffic modelling is part of the study could be particularly relevant to the business plans for the bridge. Hammersmith & Fulham Council leader Stephen Cowan has said the council would not be able to afford one third of the costs of the bridge’s overall repair without being able to raise funds against the promise of future toll revenue. Any bank lending money to the council contingent on future toll revenue will require robust modelling, as will the government which may have to introduce legislation to make a toll possible.

The Boat Race is back but Hammersmith Bridge will be closed to deter spectators 

At last, the Boat Race has returned to its rightful home on the Thames and this afternoon (or last Sunday if you are reading this Bugle after April 3) the University teams will take to the river to the delight of spectators and riverside pub landlords alike.

 

If you want to cheer the teams along it’s worth knowing that the Women’s Race starts 2.23pm and the Men’s Race begins at 3.23pm.

Oxford are the bookies favourite for the men’s race but the odds are favouring Cambridge in the women’s contest. 

Bridge-side ramps to be widened to make way for scaffolding 

Contractors have started the path widening works on the south west ramp of the bridge (by St Paul's). The ramp to the towpath will be closed during the daytime for two days but access will still be possible on the south eastern side. 
 
Following this work they will be starting the installation of scaffolding to the access ramp on April 11 on the south west side. It is expected that these works will be completed on April 21. They will then move on to do the same on the south east ramp towards the end of the month.

 

Works will be carried out in normal working hours and scheduled such that access to the towpath will always be possible via the south east or south west ramp. 

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Barnes steps up to help Ukraine

The outpouring of support for the Ukrainian people across the UK has been extraordinary and here in Barnes it has been heartening to hear of a whole range of fundraising efforts. Amazing amounts of money have already been raised and there are a number of upcoming events which aim to raise even more. Here are just some of the initiatives that have been made in Barnes.

Local restaurateur helps to raise £147,000

Rebecca Mascarenhas, the co-owner of Church Road and four other restaurants across West London, knew she had to do something the moment stories about the terrible plight of Ukrainian people escaping conflict hit the headlines. With just one week’s notice she organised special fundraising dinners at the two Michelin starred restaurants, Kitchen W8 and Elystan Street that she co-owns with chef Phil Howard. Dinners were also arranged at Church Road in Barnes (also co-owned with Phil Howard) and Home and Flour & Water in Putney. Superstar chef Tomos Parry of Brat came on board and staff and suppliers all volunteered to help.
Rebecca also convinced her bank Coutts to match fund any money made on the night.

“Diners were incredibly kind” she says. “We suggested that everyone who came should give a donation of £110 and many people gave that and more. The Coutts match funding offer was extraordinary and together with gift aid the total amount raised is £147,00. We’ve been stunned by the total. We knew our customers were generous, but we’ve been awestruck by the support for the cause. The money has all gone to the DEC Ukraine appeal and we know it’s already making a huge difference to the people who need it most.” 

Rebecca would also like to thank David Gleave of Liberty Wines who donated 12 cases of wine to the different events and Robert Rolls who donated Champagne sold at the events. Also helping with the fundraising was Barnes-based Ukrainian Dima Deinega who donated vodka from his own label Dima’s Vodka. Each restaurant made and sold cocktails using the vodka to help increase the total amount raised.

Doctors and pharmacists send aid

From left to right: Dr Alireza Salehzadeh, Michel Lamaa, Dr Jonathan Botting

Seeing the immediate need for medical resources in Ukraine the doctors at Glebe Road Surgery wanted to see how they could help the humanitarian effort as soon as possible.

 

They worked with the Ukrainian Prosperity restaurant and café in Twickenham, to access a request directly from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health for a list of urgently required medicines and healthcare products.  

 

With the help of, and some financial support from Michel Lamaa at The Round the Clock Pharmacy, the Glebe Road team placed an order for over £2,000 of medical aid which will be transported to Poland and from there to the Ukraine humanitarian project.  

 

Senior partner and significant donor to the cause, Dr Jonathan Botting said “Whilst we recognise that donations to the various established relief agencies makes a great deal of sense, especially as gift-aid can be claimed, this gift from us represents a direct way we can respond to Ukraine’s call for medical assistance.  The list we were given was for specific medicines which Round the Clock were able to source at cost, or below cost price.  If any Barnes residents would like to help us raise money for further supplies please email us at gleberoad.surgery@nhs.net”.

A golden rescue

One of the most striking things about refugees crossing the Ukrainian border is how so many came holding pets – refusing to abandon them in war torn towns. In many cases when people had only minutes to pack they took what was most precious to them. 

Pet food is one of the essential foodstuffs being supplied by relief agencies but what happens when you have over 100 dogs to feed?

Barnes is a place of many different groups and networks and one of them is the club of Golden Retriever owners – The Barnes Goldens. One of the most famous breeders of Golden Retrievers, Elena Ushan, is based in Odessa. Worried about her plight and her potential loss of livelihood the Barnes Goldens contacted her to offer their help. They raised £2,000 to pay for food for her kennels and when they contacted her out of the blue to let her know, she told them the extraordinary tale of her escape from Ukraine to Moldova. Unwilling to leave her dogs behind she and friends ferried 110 dogs in four cars across the border in multiple journeys over the space of four days. The dogs are now living in an abandoned factory lent to her by the mayor of the small town in Moldova in which she is now living. The money raised is being used to feed the dogs and Elena says she is overcome with gratitude. "I am a fanatic, I would never leave my dogs" she says. She means to stay in Moldova until she can find a good place to keep all her beautiful retrievers.

Fundraising events that you can support

From Golden Globe winning actors, to poets, to singer-songwriters to an internationally acclaimed Ukrainian jazz harpist an extraordinary range of talented artists will be performing to help raise funds. Here’s the line-up of must-book events.

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Escaped bird of prey evades capture 

A bird of prey that escaped from London Zoo has been leading the team trying to recapture it a merry dance. Jester a South Amercan caracara flew away during routine flight training and has been seen both at the Leg O’Mutton reservoir and on Barnes Common. She was last seen on Putney Common. 

 

Zookeepers have been tracking and monitoring her daily, and been attempting to coax her back home using food rewards and trained behaviours.  

 

However their efforts have been hindered by some members of the public who have been seen feeding Jester sausages.

 

A spokesperson for the Zoo told the Bugle “We ask that members of the public refrain from feeding Jester if they see her, so that zookeepers can ensure she maintains a nutritious diet.  
 
"We are not concerned about Jester’s welfare, as caracaras are well equipped for surviving in an urban environment; caracaras are small birds of prey and pose no danger to people or dogs - rather like a crow or magpie, they are primarily scavengers, eating carrion, insects and grubs or food in bins. 
 
"The team will continue to encourage Jester into her travel crate so they can bring her back home, where her brother, Joker is waiting for her – alongside a celebratory homecoming meal of her favourite quail and crickets.
 
"We really appreciate the concern and huge cooperation we’ve had from the public, sightings are helping us to track her whereabouts and maintain a watch on her."

 

Tarun Ingvorsen of the Friends of Barnes Common says Jester isn’t the rarest bird seen on Barnes Common. “In South America they are not in the least bit rare” he says “but they are not a common site in Barnes!

"We have a whole range of bird life on the common and quite a few birds of prey can be spotted on a regular basis from tawny owls to sparrowhawks and kestrels. We even get the occasional visit from the Peregrine Falcons who roost on the chimneys at Battersea Power Station and who seem to target our local flocks of parakeets.”

 

Picture above courtesy of the Friends of Barnes Common

Co-op no longer coming to Barnes

Most people will have noticed that work on the former NatWest Bank in Castelnau seems to have ground to a halt. The site had been earmarked by the Co-op to be a new local store but it appears there has been a change of heart as the landlords are now promoting it to other potential tenants. This is good news for the nearby Barnes Express which was concerned about the potential arrival of a Co-op branch.

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New café and bar 'nests' in Barnes

Given that Barnes is a hot spot for bird life it is perhaps not surprising that the brand new Bar and Café on the High Street is called The Nest.

By daytime it’s a coffee bar and brunch spot and in the evenings it morphs into a wine and cocktail bar.

It is a first venture for friends and business partners George Longin and Kathryn Hounsome, who previously managed the lakeside Pear Tree Café in Battersea Park.
The pair have been looking to start their own business for a while and fell in love with Barnes when they came to view the old Knight Frank estate agents premises.
In a previous incarnation the same site had been a café restaurant – Georgina’s, and although the Nest looks small from the outside it’s deceptively spacious inside.
The pair’s vision for the Nest is that it should be a ‘warming, welcoming’ place serving wholesome and healthy food with a twist. 

Free Easter drawing class

Local arts and craft studio Wurkshop has come to the aid of parents looking to keep their children occupied during the Easter holidays with a free outdoor drawing class on Saturday April 9.  Both parents and children are welcome to take part in a session run by artist Hayley Steedman in the beautiful churchyard at St Mary’s on Church Road.

The class will cover different mark making techniques and materials and also look at the work of artists who also painted and drew their local landscapes including churchyards. The class will run between 9.30am and 11.30am. Find out more here. 

Rave review sends diners flocking to The Crossing

An ‘utterly glorious’ confit duck served at The Crossing in White Hart Lane has been described by food critic William Sitwell as “the sort of dish that has the miraculous quality of making one glad to be alive.” In his Telegraph review he said that Barnes should be grateful for a “dish of such epic wonder.”

It’s the sort of review that any restaurant would dream of. It says The Crossing is a perfect spot for parents bringing young children who, Sitwell says, will be impressed by the spick and span surroundings.

Few reviews by Sitwell are free of his sly wit however and he couldn’t seem to resist a dig at the middle class children’s names of Barnes’ denizens.

The Bugle is fairly sure that there are no children in Barnes called Myrtle or Magnolia but then again we could be wrong.

Gardening volunteers get cracking

For their initial project of the year The Barnes Community Gardeners sprang into action on Sunday, March 20. They spent the morning sprucing up the long border in Vine Road Recreation Ground and their pruning and weeding generated a lot of interest, and offers of help, from passing children and families. 

 

The Community Gardeners work on greening our public spaces as well as helping in the gardens of elderly and vulnerable residents.  "Working as a group we get so much done," said Crispin O’Brien one of the volunteers, "Helping people who can no longer look after their own gardens is a joy - for all concerned. The benefit is mutual." 

 

The volunteer gardeners are not all green fingered experts, but those that are happily share their knowledge with beginners and less experienced people. "If you know nothing about gardening this is a good introduction to it. Gardening is very therapeutic and good for wellbeing, if you don’t have your own garden, come and join us.  If you do have a garden come and join us too!" says Susie Pugh, Volunteer Coordinator.

 

Barnes Community Gardeners have work parties once a month and several larger projects on the go.

 

For more information and to join the Barnes Community Gardeners contact Susie by clicking here. She says green fingers and experience not necessary and no longer term or regular commitment is expected.

High vis jackets

Two Swedes based in Barnes have launched a brand new fashion label. Concepts by CC, founded by Carolina Sursock and Caroline Silferling produces unique repurposed jackets. 

The pair say they have a passion for fashion, sustainable execution, design and style. Each jacket they create is unique and numbered and you can buy their pieces at local boutique WOS.

We can work it out

A not-for-profit mediation service based in Richmond is offering Barnes families help with making divorce and separation less traumatic. For those who cannot afford mediation services MiD Mediation and Counselling say they can assess mediation candidates for legal aid. Those who qualify receive mediation for free. You can find out more on their website.

Stars join the line up at this year's Barnes Children's Literature Festival

Million-selling former NHS doctor, Adam Kay, best-selling author David Baddiel, and Green Wing actor and comedian Stephen Mangan with his sister Anita, are just a few of the biggest names in comedy on their way to Barnes.

 

They'll be joined by Simon Farnaby, the star of some of TV shows including Horrible Histories and Ghosts, Liz Pichon, the creator of the Tom Gates series, and former Newsbeat presenter, Chris Smith, with his first solo book for children. 

 

The much-loved Little Big Top will return to Barnes Pond and a packed programme of more than 100 of the family friendliest readings, workshops, performances and free activities around the village over the Festival weekend.  

 

The Barnes Children's Literature Festival opens on Tuesday 21 June with four days of free events for primary schools here in Barnes, as well as two days free for schools in Tower Hamlets, and two new days free for primary schools in Wandsworth with capacity for over 11,000 children this year.  

 

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