Mortlake with East Sheen Society

"We exist to preserve and protect all that is best in our community,
to improve amenities and to prevent encroachments and
developments that might spoil our environment."

Newsletter - April 2010

Welcome to Mortlake with East Sheen Society. I am Mireille Stanton.

When Andrew Hill, stood down last year, I had the honour of being elected Chair of this society in his stead. Andrew took on an (arguably) more elevated position as Master of the Worshipful Company of Tinplate Workers. We congratulate the Master and would like to renew our thanks for his much appreciated contribution to our Society in this role. He remains an active member of the Committee.

Planning

M.E.S.S continues to seek to protect and enhance our neighbourhood. Nicky Gill, our planning representative, deserves particular praise for keeping a watchful eye on all new local authority applications.

We have had a say in the development of the Waitrose site and are fighting against the implantation of a new Tesco in Sheen Lane, on a variety of grounds.

We took part in the consultation exercise regarding the development of the Brewery site.

Level crossing barrier down time

We objected when we found we had not been consulted about plans to add a direct rail service Airtrack, linking London Richmond and Heathrow along our line. We were particularly disturbed because it would require further closures of the level crossings. We meticulously measured the downtimes of the level crossing at sheen during 5 and a half hours spread over the peak times. We were shocked to see that it was down for up to 42 minutes in each hour and that the pattern of opening and closing was very erratic. It was sometimes down for over 10 minutes with no particular train activity and sometimes was able to go up and don for under one minute. More worryingly we saw that frustration caused drivers to take unbelievable risks. We have reserved a place at the public enquiry due to take place in the autumn.

Sheen Lane Centre

The newly redesigned Sheen Lane Centre is an improvement. Last summer we saw that people were using it to sit in the sunshine, meet people, and treat it as a village centre. However we are disappointed that the initial planting scheme was poorly executed and that the maintenance has been so poor. Allan and Joan Hart, on behalf of M.E.S.S, met with Council Parks Department staff to put forward our objections and suggestions.

We plan to have a drinks party in the summer to get together and celebrate our new communal space.

History markers

In a bid to enhance our sense of local history , we have a plan to put up historical plaques in various parts of our neighbourhood to mark, for instance, the location of the former palace of the Archbishop of Canterbury or, more humbly, Sheen Pound, where stray cattle was impounded. This scheme is currently bogged down in officialdom, but some plaques should be ready soon.

Aside from our fighting activity, we have also had a successful social year.

Past events for the 2009 2010 season included

• A talk from Dr Pat Ealey on the new Pharmacy exhibit at Holly Lodge, largely made up of artefacts donated by the Mulholland Pharmacy.
• A visit to the Royal Opera House backstage areas
• A talk about the role of the House of Lords by the distinguished local resident Lord Wright of Richmond
• A visit to Richmond Museum
• A very successful dinner dance to the sound of Amelie Chevalier's group "Never Mind the Bongoes". Most guests recaptured their youth and got up to dance. Our oldest "raver" admitted gaily to being in her nineties!
• The Christmas tree at the Sheen Lane Canter was put up , decorated and taken down by a stalwart group of members who deserve our warmest thanks. Warm was not the operative word to describe their labour!
• Nick Hillman' s wine tasting event reunited the fiercely competitive wine connoisseurs amog us and was well received.

2010- 2011 SEASON

Our new season events got off to a good start with an excellent picture show entitled Mortlake and Sheen Then and Now presented by Mike Smith, after the AGM provoked a great deal of interest.

We plan to arrange, among other events

• A talk by Darren Thornton of the MCA about the work that the association carries out in Mortlake. 26th April 2010
• A talk by a member of the Crown Prosecution Service ( date to be confirmed)
• A visit to Highgrove Gardens on August 10th
• A visit to the BBC (radio) Broadcasting House in the Autumn
• A summer drinks party at the Sheen Lane Centre to mark the unveiling of the first historical plaque . ( Data to be confirmed)
• A winter social in November.

I am proud of the Mortlake with East Sheen Society which works effectively to protect our town and enhance its attractions. I am particularly grateful for the work of all the members of the committee who give their time, their vision, their skill and their energy to making things happen. It is a privilege to work among them all but there is room for additional members too. Don't hesitate to come forward!

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