Bexley has hit the national news twice in the past week, non-stories
if ever there was one. (Two?) Journalists must have finally become bored with Brexit.
The first report was about the proposed parliamentary boundaries which will move the Lesnes Abbey
area of Belvedere from the Erith & Thamesmead constituency to
Woolwich. The Evening Standard ran a scaremongering feature on it and if you enjoy
reading nonsense head over to its web site now.
Apparently us snobby lot in “genteel Bexley” don’t like Woolwich “which has gone downhill big time”.
Well I suppose it has. In the late 1940s I lived in the Lea Bridge Road (Leyton) and if my parents had some significant
shopping to do we took a trolley bus to Stratford Broadway and another to East Ham. There we caught a 101 bus which
back then went all the way to the Woolwich Ferry where one could savour the stink of a
polluted river being thrashed by paddle wheels.
The big attraction for my parents was
Cuffs Department
Store and the Royal Arsenal Co-op and for me it was the trams along Powis Street.
There was no shopping centre in North East London which could rival it.
I will concede that the only thing that occasionally attracts me to Powis Street
now is the Clarks Shoes factory outlet.
Does anyone seriously consider constituency boundaries when moving house? I doubt it and
Diamond Geezer comprehensively demolished the story on his blog. A much
more intelligent and interesting read than the Standard’s.
I moved to Lesnes Abbey from near Plumstead bus garage in 1987 for two reasons,
houses were cheaper and Bexley’s rates (Council Tax) was
almost lowest in
London. Where did that all go wrong? Near to being most expensive now.
If I am asked where I live and say Belvedere to someone who does not live in
this part of the world I add “near Woolwich” because everyone seems to know
where that is. It never occurred to me that by so doing I was knocking thousands
off the value of my house. When Crossrail opens I will just say Abbey Wood.
Everyone who uses the Underground is soon going to know where that is.
That wasn’t the only crap Bexley story last week. The Council offered
advertising space on dog poo bags. How is that wrong? It will be less dangerous
than selling advertising space on roundabouts.
Once again
the Evening Standard took the lead on reporting the initiative
which Bexley Council is obviously taking very seriously. Click the image below
to see their eye catching advertisement in full.
Presumably those who throw dog poo bags into the trees will require planning
permission if they include advertisements.
