Winter 2007 issue

News from the Residents' Association

Our shops

There's a good deal about local shops in this issue of Thames Ditton Today. Rightly so. The number of shops in these villages declined up until the 1990s. Trading conditions for retailers are not easy, while developers of commercial premises often try to convert them to residential space with a view to quick profit. Nevertheless we hold the line, while resourceful, often redoubtable, retailers perpetuate an essential part of the individual character of Thames Ditton and Weston Green.

The former Thames Fireplaces has re-opened as Bradley and Brown with interior design and gift items. The Village Bakery's relocated to fresh and airy premises, and with photographer Micaela Cianci's attractive new studio and the Pro Shop we have a pleasing stand of shops that has shifted the centre of gravity of the High Street. Angelina Colarusso's wedding couturier's opposite the Home of Compassion is open again, a year after the floods. We welcome also the ingenious new Pottery and Craft Studio next to Moss Pharmacy in the High Street.

Common characteristics of our shops are their individual character and very high quality. Bachmann's Patisserie at Winter's Bridge won the gold for best Patisserie in the country again this year - no less than five times in all. They have six full-time chocolate chefs! You wouldn't think that an unassuming stand of shops along the Portsmouth Road would house such high quality - unless you live in Thames Ditton, where unassuming top quality is everywhere. Helen Ryder and Chris Evans, who took over the Secret Garden florist last year, have just won the silver medal in one of that industry's most prestigious awards. Bernard Leon of Assimi must be the best silversmith in the country. The High Street's Lodge Brothers, in the same family for seven generations, are another firm of the highest order and over the past year have undertaken funerals for comedian Charlie Drake, and less well-known but worthy clients, with style, tact and discretion.

Our shops and businesses are well embedded in the community, a key part of its liveliness, and offer generous help to local good causes. For all these reasons, we celebrate and support them. We know you do, too.

Post Office Inspection

The vital Post Office in Thames Ditton is about to be inspected. The signs are that it has a very healthy profile, and our postmaster is confident. But recalling the long, unsuccessful struggle to keep open the post office in Weston Green and the unsatisfactory nature of that 'consultation', we are keeping a weather eye open for any early sign that Thames Ditton may be considered for closure. The government's national criterion applicable to Thames Ditton requires that 95% of the total urban population across the UK should be within 1 mile of their nearest Post Office outlet. The Post Office management also consider usage, the capacity to take on more customers and services, proximity to another branch and any cost savings.

Planning

27 - 31 High Street: we supported residents' concerns that the developer does not appear to have scrupulously respected the plans, drawings and specifications considered at the time of planning permission, especially the external appearance of the new building that fronts the High Street. Over 100 letters were received by the Planning officer, who set out the objections to the developer. Some, but not all of the problems will be put right. The issue has brought to light unsatisfactory shortcomings in the detail accompanying planning approvals in Elmbridge's Conservation Areas, and in Council staffing required to oblige their implementation. These will be addressed. Meanwhile the unsightly temporary boarding across the front of no.31 is deemed by EBC not to contravene regulations. The Conservation Area Advisory Committee will approach the owner directly on this and the adjacent Rose to see what can be done.

13 Queens Drive: plans to replace this house with a terrace of six were refused by Elmbridge and the subsequent appeal by the developers has now also been refused, but only on the technical grounds of insufficient thought to flood measures. Disconcertingly, the Planning Inspector in Bristol commented that although 'somewhat more prominent than other properties in the vicinity, the proposed development would provide an attractive variation within this part of the street scene'. This does not accord with majority local views.

Royal Thames House, Portsmouth Road: initial applications to develop this site have been refused by Planning officers and on appeal. There seems to be acceptance that the site is appropriate for development provided that plans are suitable and neighbourly, and further applications may be expected.

29/31 Ember Lane: an application for 8 town houses was dismissed at appeal. A new application for 12 flats totalling 20 bedrooms and an underground area providing some parking, swimming pool and gym, came before the planning committee on 19 November where our Councillors supported the Planning officer's recommended refusal.

Weston Green Tile Heist: dénouement

Community spirit thrives in Weston Green. Surrey Highways promised our tenacious Councillors Maureen Sheldrick and Tannia Shipley that they would replace the 560 antique red tiles stolen from the pavements (News - TD Today Autumn 2007), but then could not source any. Residents who had been keeping the old tiles thrown out by workmen during cabling work some years before, fielded over 600 and the job was done. Thanks to all, particularly Joanne who re-designed her garden to supply more than half the tiles, and to workmen Andy Simpson and Troy Hall of Carillion who relaid them so skilfully.

Environment

Cllr. Tannia Shipley reports that the combined level of recycling and composting in Elmbridge has risen to just over 32% of waste. Commingled collection of glass in our blue-topped bins will begin from January and Elmbridge will send you details as the dates approach. It is expected to increase recycling rates by up to 2%. Elsewhere, the trial of separate kitchen waste collection appears to be heading for success and a working group is examining the implications of rollout throughout the borough. Food forms an estimated 20 % of total waste.

The news is not good for residents accustomed to using the nearby Recycling Centre in Villiers Road. The Council in Kingston decided that from the beginning of November it would be available only to residents of the Royal Borough of Kingston. They went ahead with their plans despite the eagerness of Surrey CC and Elmbridge to negotiate some arrangement: it is estimated that more Kingston residents use tips within Surrey near to them, than Elmbridge residents use Villiers Road. SCC and EBC are meeting further to determine whether there will be any riposte and how best to address the problem. Meanwhile, we will have to burn more fuel to take our waste all the way to Sunbury or Leatherhead.

Weeds

Following Cllr. Peter Hickman's 'Dittons in Bloom' campaign (News - TD Today Autumn 2007), by early November Surrey's contractors had cleared all the neglected streetside weeds we had photographed in the Dittons.

Crime / policing

Since our last issue there has been a further reduction in numbers of reported crimes in both Thames Ditton and Weston Green, by some 10%. Collectively, there have been around half a dozen crimes involving burglary or violence each month, and of the rest the majority involve vandalism or criminal damage, theft of or from cars, or stolen bicycles. The past quarter saw a flasher reported on Ditton Common, a Land-Rover burnt out on Summer Road, and a digger brazenly stolen at dawn from road works in Weston Green. Large amounts of cannabis were found at the Warwick Road home of a man arrested in London, who was tried for drug-dealing and sentenced to two years in prison. We offer our police thanks for their patient work and good wishes for a quiet Christmas.

Guide Hut Appeal

A heart-warming community response following publication of the Appeal in our last issue saw several donations towards restoration of the Guide Hut, including one of £2,500 from an anonymous donor. B & Q New Malden gave £500 worth of hardware, and the Cricket Club contributed some proceeds from the Harry Hawkes 8. Our High Street shops have adopted the Appeal as the primary charitable beneficiary of this year's Christmas Fayre, and very many of them have provided generous prizes for the Raffle, as they frequently do for other good local causes such as the Hospital Raffle. Please buy tickets - which are being printed at the expense of Hawes & Co. The Guides and their Friends, who have meanwhile earned some hundreds more by direct efforts, are most grateful to all. This is a fine start towards raising the necessary funds.

Thames Ditton Hospital at Emberbrook

The Friends of the Hospital bought new ultrasonic and Ear, Nose and Throat equipment for £60,000 to be used for patients of our local GPs at Emberbrook. Three ENT consultants from St George's Hospital will attend on Fridays and these services will drastically cut waiting times for scans and consultants' appointments from 12 weeks to a couple of weeks, as well as being more convenient for local patients. Meanwhile through our County Councillor Peter Hickman and Councillor Ruth Lyon the Friends are challenging the Surrey Primary Care Trust's decision unilaterally to close the remaining NHS beds at Emberbrook. They are badly needed for intermediate and postoperative care and the decision was made without any consultation, contrary to Health Service requirements.

Healthy Village

Recent national headlines finger excess weight and regular alcohol consumption among the affluent middle classes as adversely affecting the Health of the Nation. New Year's resolutions are imminent and a new 'healthy village' section on our website carries tips from young professional fitness instructor John Cann on getting fitter! There are inspiring examples to hand. In Colets' recent rowing machine challenge, Tannia's husband Nigel Shipley recorded 7mins 06 sec for the 2000 metres - several seconds faster than any of the fitness instructors there have managed! Our Association Treasurer Keith Baldwin was also there with 7mins 38 sec. Both men are in their sixties: clearly, 60 is the new 30.

Remembrance Sunday

Councillor Maureen Sheldrick and our Secretary Lorraine Sharp laid wreaths at the Weston Green war memorial. Councillor Ruth Lyon and RA Vice-Chairman Martin Wilberforce laid wreaths at St.Nicholas Church, and at the war memorial on Giggs Hill Green where the ceremony was very well attended with participation by the Ditton Scouts Group and a fine Last Post sounded by the trumpeter who also played at the Church - a wonderful addition to the open-air ceremony.

Winter Flowers and Spring Bulbs

A special thank you to Ted Woolley, the gardener at the Home of Compassion, for planting the winter flowers in the fountain at the Boyle Farm roundabout and to John Lyon who again planted hundreds more bulbs along the road sides and on the commons in Thames Ditton and Weston Green. This is the 16th year that the Residents' Association has funded these bulbs that cumulatively make such a splendid showing in the Spring.

Thames Ditton Today Photographer

Our warm thanks to Tony Harris, who has stepped down as our Thames Ditton Today photographer after several years during which his lovely photographs graced the front cover. Scott Hortop has kindly volunteered to be our new photographer. He lives in Thistledene with his wife Shirley, a period costume and wedding dress maker, and teenage children Jasmine and Wendel who attend Esher College and Hinchley Wood School. Scott specialises in bringing dynamic motion into photos. His commissions this year include corporate shoots in the City of London and locally, Kingston Hospital where you can see his large scale images of 'People and Places' on the walls of the 3rd, 4th and 5th levels of the hospital's new surgical wing and in the new café. If you'd like to see his work without being admitted to hospital it may be easier to look at his website: www.scottyh.com

Cover photo

Scott notes: "I was lucky to be passing through the churchyard of Saint Nicholas on an afternoon when large snowflakes were falling. All else was still. Magically, a shaft of late afternoon sunlight lit a gravestone through the falling snow. A graveyard can be a lovely place, temporarily."

Christmas Celebrations

The fourth High Street Christmas Fayre will take place on Wednesday 12th December between 6 and 9.30pm. The High Street between Ashley Road and the George and Dragon will be closed to traffic and there will be a festive evening of late night shopping, mulled wine, roast chestnuts, mince pies, carol singers and Father Christmas. Organised by Lottie and Thomas and Stitchery, and under the auspices of the Residents' Association, this evening is fast becoming a tradition for festive fun for residents of all ages. The Residents' Association will again provide a Christmas tree in the High Street.

The Association's Christmas Party will take place on Saturday 15th December at the Vera Fletcher Hall - the perfect start to the festive season with a three course dinner and your favourite music. Tickets are £27 from Lorraine Sharp on 0208 873 3676.

The Friends of the Thames Ditton Hospital are putting on Charles Court Opera's Christmas pantomime Cinderella on Friday January 25th. Young professional singers, with guest artist Richard Suart from D'Oyly Carte as Baron Hardup, will play the traditional Cinderella, Prince Charming and Fairy Godmother with all the usual fun and pastiche. Tickets in aid of the Thames Ditton Hospital Appeal including a three-course dinner are £30 from Karen Randolph, on 0208 398 5005.

Those star Newlands Avenue carol singers will be singing in aid of charity around Weston Green on 18 December.

Thanks and good wishes…

Last and most important, our thanks go to the many who take time to help in our community in small ways and big. Particular thanks to our advertisers and subscribers, without whom we couldn't publish Thames Ditton Today, and to the many who give their time to contribute articles and photographs, to produce the magazine and to walk it round to every household in Thames Ditton and Weston Green. Good wishes to all for a happy festive season and good fortune in 2008.