Halloween

Probably a  bit late to be looking at this now but I haven't really seen any events taking place for children for Halloween. I know there are some walks around Greenwich that I would have liked to have gone on, but not sure they are suitable for children. I'm not sure trick or treating in SE18 is a good idea but it would have been nice to do something to join in. I keep looking at the pumpkins and outfits but it might be a sad state of affairs if we are all just sat at home dressed like the Addams family!

Sunday Lunch

Apart from the new Dial Arch pub I wonder if anyone has any recommendations for Sunday lunch venues suitable for not so quiet families! As winter draws near I love a Sunday roast but hate cooking it and even more the cleaning up of it! We haven't really found anywhere locally that does a good roast. I am sure Dial Arch will as I have eaten there mid week but would like to have some other options as well.

searches

How do I go about successfully searching for other local blogs to nosey around, or blogs I might be interested in? All the ones I have found so far have been from links that originally started over at Plumsteadshire. In fact if I google my own blog I can't even find it!
I just wonder if there are any hidden gems out there that I am missing about the surrounding areas....

Shrewsbury House

A few people have been chatting to me about this recently and I can't believe how difficult it is to find out any information on it. To say it is supposed to be a community centre it doesn't seem to want to publicise itself to the local community.
There are a number of things that take place here such as children's events - there is even a nursery - although you wouldn't know this from trying to find information on the website.
They also hire out the centre for parties etc. I think they are really missing a trick here. I bet there are a number of local groups that hold court here and could probably be better attended.
I have no idea who is in charge but you are missing out on a large part of the community who could support you!

Tesco Takeover

I blogged the other day about the new proposed Tesco coming soon to Woolwich. Doing some digging it appears that another Tesco is arriving, this time in Welling. From what I can gather it is going to be near where the new Morrisons is. Bet they are pleased about that!
I have no idea how big it is going to be but it is good to see that they are investing in the area. The little Tesco Express that has opened near the high street is always busy and is well stocked and I am fed up of trying to fight the traffic down at the Peninsular to get to Asda or Sainsbury and have recently been using Morrisons at Welling which is much closer. I shall take a drive and see if I can see where it will be..

Venue to let..

I was driving past the Common by the Old Mill earlier and saw that the old turf accountants (that always amuses me, betting shop for those of you not in the know)! shop is for sale (or to let, i cant remember which)..It's over looking part of the common and next to that truckers caff..It's a lovely spot so i really hope it opens as a coffee shop, deli, vintage clothes shop. I don't know just something new and fabulous.

Plumstead station

It is such a shame that the coffee hut closed at Plumstead station. I need an injection of caffeine first thing in the morning on the way to work (and I was quite partial to their pain au chocolat too)...I know there is a new drinks/can machine there but I don't understand why the coffee hut wasn't viable. It was cheap, decent and more importantly on the run up to winter, warming....

The Golden Arches

are I see arriving in Plumstead. Yes that's right, a McDonalds is due to open on the roundabout by the bus garage just by the station..OK so it's not quite a Cafe Rouge but it's a start....
From what I understand the post office sorting office is also moving here. I hope this rumour is true as I hate having to get to Woolwich to get post. Long queues, nowhere to park etc so it makes far more sense..
Now I'm thinking retail park...M&S, Next home (with Costa Coffee)...Oooooh could this large roundabout be the next Charlton retail park...I hope so!

Charlton Toy Library

The last I heard they were having problems securing funding for the toy library at Charlton House so I was pleased to see that the Sainsburys down on the Peninsular has adopted them as their charity of the year. Hopefully this will allow the library to remain open and for them to continue their work.

Conkers

We have been out collecting conkers most of the weekend in the lovely sunshine. I can't believe how many there are in Greenwich Park. Spiders shall be non-existant in this house for the rest of the year!! (Am on the hunt for those green-fanged arachnids)!
We've had them threaded on string and played good old fashioned conkers. Something which no doubt the children won't experience when they go to school because of the elf n safety police...

M&S

I love M&S and use the one by Blackheath Standard on a regular basis. I can't believe the one by Charlton at the BP garage closed though. What a shame. Who buys food from petrol stations unless it is something like M&S/Tesco Express etc. I would have thought Charlton would have been a good catchment area for it as well. V depressed that we don't have a BP garage anywhere near SE18 so assume an M&S won't be popping up anytime soon..

Dial Arch pub

I trotted off to Dial Arch recently for some food and drink. What a lovely new addition to the landscape. We went midweek and I am pleased to report that it was still relatively busy with a really nice mix of people. Much more Blackheath than the usual offerings around SE18....A good mix of alcohol on offer and the food was lovely.
The place has really been nicely designed. It is a Young's brewery pub which are Wandsworth based, hopefully it is making them a tonne of money and they might look at opening other local venues. Woolwich really is a funny area, like most of SE London I guess with some hideous council blocks, some lovely old terraced streets and then the very trendy Royal Arsenal with its deli, boat service and riverside walks. The regeneration is long overdue but pleased it has started. Now if it can just extend to Shooter's Hill and Plumstead that would be great too!

Child Benefit

I have always been pleased to receive this even though I have secretly thought it a bit daft that it the same amount is given to all and sundry despite your income and I can see why given the state of the economy that benefits need to be stopped somewhere and rather than cutting jobs cutting a bit of income from people might be a better answer.
What I can't understand is how it is done on ONE persons salary and not joint income. Therefore if one of you earns in excess of the higher tax bracket (roughly 44k) you lose the benefit but if both of you in the household earn just under it (so your household income could be in excess of 86k) you can still claim it. Madness. So people with twice as much family income still get it and those (predominantly I am guessing) with a stay at home Mum won't get it if their husband/partner earns over 44k.
Stupid.

Olympic Borough house prices

According to today's Evening Standard house prices in the borough of Greenwich (and other olympic boroughs) are up 7% on last year.
So I thought I would have a look at some of the local estate agents and see whether this rings true for Plumstead. I think not.
If anything I think the house and flat prices in Plumstead are slipping - and on a separate note if you are selling your house try tidying up before the estate agent pops round with his camera...
!

Woolwich stabbing

Quite worryingly I can't seem to find much news coverage on this but Woolwich station was closed following a stabbing on Wednesday night. There also appears to have been two retaliation acid throwing attacks which resulted in both Lewisham hospital and Woolwich hospital being closed whilst the fire brigades tested the chemicals (assume to make sure they weren't Chemical Ali style).
All of this took place on a train around 8pm, hardly late and I should imagine still full of commuters. Yet there is a short piece on this on one online site and nothing at all on the news or in any other press.
I asked a taxi driver what it was all about and apart from a racist rant he was very vague about the whole thing as if he had been told not to talk about it. Very odd indeed.
I have no idea why local hospitals being closed and yet another gang stabbing isn't local news but the last two days have seen the trains and stations manned with police which is a good thing although rather a case of after the horse has bolted...I guess it is incase there is any more retaliation. Be interested to hear if anyone else has heard about this.