Latest news with #M&B
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Where the ancient tree felled by Toby Carvery once stood, people are reeling
Whether a tree falling in a forest makes a sound is a perennial subject of debate, but in one north London borough, it's certainly made a lot of noise. The felling of a 500-year-old oak tree earlier this month in Enfield has sparked outrage and a nationwide conversation. First came the felling itself on 3 April which, it seems, few people noticed. It wasn't until 12 days later that the news emerged in a flurry of national headlines, after council workers found the slain tree in Whitewebbs Park. Then came a plot twist that few would expect - the owners of Toby Carvery, a family pub chain specialising in budget roast dinners which has a restaurant overlooking the tree, admitted that they felled it after receiving advice it was dead. The saga is a stark reminder of the emotional place that trees occupy in Britain's national consciousness - coming not long after the iconic Sycamore Gap tree was felled at Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland. That's evident in Enfield, where BBC News visited on Friday and found Amanda Dudley gazing at the remains of the oak, its former parts scattered around a blunted stump and cordoned off with red and white tape. She lowered herself to sneak through and examine the tree's 6m (20ft) wide trunk more thoroughly. "I can't believe they've done this," she said. "This is a friend of mine." During lockdown Amanda, an artist, walked around Whitewebbs Park and says she looked at the tree every day. She has drawn sketches of it too. "It was a real comfort to me," she told me. "This is a place I've walked for years and years. I have quite a long relationship with this tree." Marina Cardozo, who walked around the area every day during lockdown, felt similarly. "It's just so shocking, absolutely shocking," she said. "500 years and they chop it down?" While I was talking to her, other people were passing through the area to walk their dogs in the sun and take a look at what remained of the tree. One of them was Fatma Safer who told me she's "heartbroken," while her friend Felicity Pegg added: "Once it's gone, it's gone." A steady stream of gathered at the tree throughout the day, some taking selfies or pictures of their relatives standing in front of it. A number of people who lived nearby told me that they couldn't remember that particular tree, but that they were still saddened that a part of the park's history had been destroyed. Other people were less interested. Pippa Chapman's young son had other thoughts, saying simply: "It's been blown out of proportion." On Wednesday, Enfield Council's leader branded the felling "an outrage" and said all legal options were being considered. It made a report of criminal damage to the police, but the Met is understood to view it as a civil matter. In a letter seen by the BBC this week, Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), which owns the chain, apologised over the upset caused and admitted "we need to tighten our protocols". M&B said it felled the tree on health and safety grounds after receiving advice from unnamed contractors that "the split and dead wood posed a serious health and safety risk," and stressed that "necessary measures to ensure any legal requirements were met". An Enfield Council planning document from March 2024 stated that the pedunculate oak - a species that can live for 1,000 years - was a "fine specimen" with high ecological and landscape value and had a life expectancy of at least five more decades. While much has been said by both the council and M&B since the felling, locals and campaigners alike want answers to the many remaining questions. Some people told the BBC that what surprised them most about the tree's felling was how healthy it looked. "It's just so obviously not dead," one resident claimed. "It's a disgrace." "There's nothing wrong with the tree," Derek, another local, said. "I can't see what problems it could have caused." They also question what the wood - currently still next to the remaining tree stump - will be used for. Locals say the tree saga points to bigger picture of what they worry is happening to Whitewebbs Park, a place steeped in history - it's home to Whitewebbs House which is where Guy Fawkes's Gunpowder Plot is thought to have been hatched in 1605, and formerly owned by Henry VIII's physician. "There's loads of controversy around here," says a middle-aged couple that live nearby. In February, Enfield Council gave Tottenham Hotspur football club a 25-year lease to build a new women's training ground on the site of a former golf course in the park, with 11 pitches and a clubhouse, despite campaigners fighting against the proposals. Opponents argued that it would limit people's access to green space and impact wildlife in the area. The Woodland Trust has called for more transparency from M&B and the club. In the planning process to date, Spurs commissioned contractors to assess the woodland there. There is no suggestion that Spurs knew of the decision to fell the tree or that it had any connection to it. A club spokesman told BBC News "the tree sits outside of our lease demise for our proposed Women's and Girls' Training Centre & Academy". Enfield Council and M&B did not respond to additional requests for comment. In time, council officials may well get some answers on what went wrong for the Whitewebbs oak, and some locals are more hopeful. A large portion of the tree's trunk remains, and people visiting the site told the BBC they hoped it would start to regrow, even if it took decades, or centuries. "I'm hoping I'll come back here in a couple months and I'll see some fresh shoots," Zack Whitbread told me. That's what is starting to happen with the Sycamore Gap, with multiple shoots growing out of the stump which experts hope could develop significant growth to form new trees around the stump. But perhaps the most impactful outcome of the felling in Enfield could be additional protections for Britain's ancient trees. An emergency tree preservation order has been imposed to preserve the remains of the Whitewebbs oak, given it is considered nationally significant. The Woodland Trust is now among the campaigners who want legally protected status for heritage trees. As Adam Cormack, from the charity, put it: "This depressing sight is a reminder to all of us that not every ancient tree is in a safe place."
BBC News
20-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Anger and upset at scene of Enfield Toby Carvery tree felling
Whether a tree falling in a forest makes a sound is a perennial subject of debate, but in one north London borough, it's certainly made a lot of noise. The felling of a 500-year-old oak tree earlier this month in Enfield has sparked outrage and a nationwide conversation. First came the felling itself on 3 April which, it seems, few people wasn't until 12 days later that the news emerged in a flurry of national headlines, after council workers found the slain tree in Whitewebbs came a plot twist that few would expect - the owners of Toby Carvery, a family pub chain specialising in budget roast dinners which has a restaurant overlooking the tree, admitted that they felled it after receiving advice it was saga is a stark reminder of the emotional place that trees occupy in Britain's national consciousness - coming not long after the iconic Sycamore Gap tree was felled at Hadrian's Wall in evident in Enfield, where BBC News visited on Friday and found Amanda Dudley gazing at the remains of the oak, its former parts scattered around a blunted stump and cordoned off with red and white lowered herself to sneak through and examine the tree's 6m (20ft) wide trunk more thoroughly."I can't believe they've done this," she said. "This is a friend of mine."During lockdown Amanda, an artist, walked around Whitewebbs Park and says she looked at the tree every day. She has drawn sketches of it too."It was a real comfort to me," she told me. "This is a place I've walked for years and years. I have quite a long relationship with this tree." Marina Cardozo, who walked around the area every day during lockdown, felt similarly. "It's just so shocking, absolutely shocking," she said. "500 years and they chop it down?"While I was talking to her, other people were passing through the area to walk their dogs in the sun and take a look at what remained of the tree. One of them was Fatma Safer who told me she's "heartbroken," while her friend Felicity Pegg added: "Once it's gone, it's gone."A steady stream of gathered at the tree throughout the day, some taking selfies or pictures of their relatives standing in front of it.A number of people who lived nearby told me that they couldn't remember that particular tree, but that they were still saddened that a part of the park's history had been people were less interested. Pippa Chapman's young son had other thoughts, saying simply: "It's been blown out of proportion." Unanswered questions On Wednesday, Enfield Council's leader branded the felling "an outrage" and said all legal options were being considered. It made a report of criminal damage to the police, but the Met is understood to view it as a civil a letter seen by the BBC this week, Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), which owns the chain, apologised over the upset caused and admitted "we need to tighten our protocols". M&B said it felled the tree on health and safety grounds after receiving advice from unnamed contractors that "the split and dead wood posed a serious health and safety risk," and stressed that "necessary measures to ensure any legal requirements were met".An Enfield Council planning document from March 2024 stated that the pedunculate oak - a species that can live for 1,000 years - was a "fine specimen" with high ecological and landscape value and had a life expectancy of at least five more much has been said by both the council and M&B since the felling, locals and campaigners alike want answers to the many remaining people told the BBC that what surprised them most about the tree's felling was how healthy it looked."It's just so obviously not dead," one resident claimed. "It's a disgrace.""There's nothing wrong with the tree," Derek, another local, said. "I can't see what problems it could have caused."They also question what the wood - currently still next to the remaining tree stump - will be used for. Hope and potential change in future Locals say the tree saga points to bigger picture of what they worry is happening to Whitewebbs Park, a place steeped in history - it's home to Whitewebbs House which is where Guy Fawkes's Gunpowder Plot is thought to have been hatched in 1605, and formerly owned by Henry VIII's physician."There's loads of controversy around here," says a middle-aged couple that live February, Enfield Council gave Tottenham Hotspur football club a 25-year lease to build a new women's training ground on the site of a former golf course in the park, with 11 pitches and a clubhouse, despite campaigners fighting against the proposals. Opponents argued that it would limit people's access to green space and impact wildlife in the Woodland Trust has called for more transparency from M&B and the club. In the planning process to date, Spurs commissioned contractors to assess the woodland there. There is no suggestion that Spurs knew of the decision to fell the tree or that it had any connection to it. A club spokesman told BBC News "the tree sits outside of our lease demise for our proposed Women's and Girls' Training Centre & Academy".Enfield Council and M&B did not respond to additional requests for comment. In time, council officials may well get some answers on what went wrong for the Whitewebbs oak, and some locals are more hopeful.A large portion of the tree's trunk remains, and people visiting the site told the BBC they hoped it would start to regrow, even if it took decades, or centuries."I'm hoping I'll come back here in a couple months and I'll see some fresh shoots," Zack Whitbread told what is starting to happen with the Sycamore Gap, with multiple shoots growing out of the stump which experts hope could develop significant growth to form new trees around the stump. But perhaps the most impactful outcome of the felling in Enfield could be additional protections for Britain's ancient emergency tree preservation order has been imposed to preserve the remains of the Whitewebbs oak, given it is considered nationally Woodland Trust is now among the campaigners who want legally protected status for heritage trees. As Adam Cormack, from the charity, put it: "This depressing sight is a reminder to all of us that not every ancient tree is in a safe place."
BBC News
16-04-2025
- BBC News
Enfield oak tree felled by Toby Carvery 'had 50-year life expectancy'
An ancient oak felled in a north London park by Toby Carvery's owners was classified last year as a "fine specimen" with a life expectancy of at least 50 years, planning documents chain Mitchells & Butlers admitted on Tuesday it was responsible for chopping down the 500-year-old tree "to protect our employees and guests as well as the wider general public".An Enfield Council planning document from March 2024 found the tree to be in "moderate good" condition and recommended a "light reduction of the upper crown on north side".The council said it had reported the felling as criminal damage to the Met Police, which is understood to have closed its inquiry, deeming it a civil matter. The report also stated the pedunculate oak, on the edge of Whitewebbs Park, had high ecological and landscape a source for Mitchells and Butlers (M&B) said on Tuesday that it approved the cutting down of the oak after being told the tree was an official statement hours later, M&B stated it had received advice from contractors, who said "the split and dead wood posed a serious health and safety risk".It subsequently removed this statement in a further update, but maintained the company "took necessary measures to ensure any legal requirements were met". The BBC has asked M&B for information about the contractor that cut down the tree. The company has not done so and has also declined the BBC's request for an interview. 'Tree worth £1m' Dr Ed Pine, senior conservation advisor for trees at the Woodland Trust, said of the felling of the oak: "I couldn't quite believe it, to be honest. "I've been working for trees in various capacities now as an arborist, as an academic for close to 14 years and in all that time I don't think I've seen a tree felling as shocking as this."It comes just two days after a report from the charity Tree Council and researchers Forest Research that warns trees are only indirectly protected, with some "significant legal gaps".It recommends the development of a "robust and effective system" to ensure they are safeguarded. The Enfield oak was worth £1m, according to tree valuer Russell Miller who made his estimate using the Capital Asset Value for Amenity Trees (CAVAT) Miller said it was "much older and much more valuable than the Sycamore Gap" cut down in Northumberland in added: "This tree is designated... as an irreplaceable habitat because it's got decay features and habitats within it that you cannot replace within hundreds of years."In addition to the sorts of species that people are familiar with, like bats and owls that live in these trees, you've got thousands of species of invertebrate."You've got lots of different niches for lots of different species inside the tree, and that's why they're so special." A spokesperson for M&B said: "The tree was cut back after we were advised that it caused a serious health and safety risk."Upon further inspection, our specialist arboriculture contractors made the assessment that the split and dead wood posed a serious health and safety risk and advised that the tree was unsafe and should be removed."We are grateful to our expert contractors for warning us of this hazard so swiftly, allowing us to act before anyone was harmed."
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pub chain with 300 locations warns price hikes are on their way very soon
A pub chain with more than 300 pubs and hotels has warned that price hikes will be coming into effect soon. Shepherd Neame has said increases to employers' national insurance contributions (NICs) and the national living wage will cost it £2.6m In its latest trading update, the pub chain said: "In common with other operators across the sector, we are not immune to the many cost headwinds in the second half following the government's recent budget. "We have plans to mitigate the majority of the cost increases over the next 18 months, through proactive management action including price increases and cost efficiencies." This announcement comes despite the company recording strong trade over Christmas, with sales up 7.4% for the five weeks to January 6, Sky News reports. It said it saw many record-breaking days for individual pubs over the same period. Shepherd Neame is far from the first pub chain to announce price hikes, with many citing increasing costs and the uptick in NICs as reasons. Simon Dodd, chief executive of Young's, said earlier this month the chain plans to hike the price of a pint by around 20p, The Sun reports. He said: 'We'll mitigate as much as we can of the NI contribution – we'll do that through efficiency, we'll do that through investing in our pubs. "But there will be some price passed on to the consumer." All Bar One owner Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) also shared that the price of its pints could rise by between 10p and 15p. The group, which also owns Toby Carvery, said higher wage expenses were "by far the most significant increase" in its cost base following the Autumn Budget. Recommended reading: 'Do not drink': Heineken issues recall due to fragments of glass in bottles The 6 beers that are good for your health (and the ones to avoid) Tiny Rebel giving away free beer at UK pubs this week - how to claim a pint Chief executive Phil Urban said M&B was facing around £23million a year in extra costs from just the rise in NICs, with the increase in the minimum wage also sending its wage bill surging. In November, chief executive of pub chain Fuller's, Simon Emeny, also stated that the price of a pint of beer would likely go up by around 10p. He criticised the decision to hike NICs as "counterproductive to growth" and "hurting young employment".
