That was the Worcester Park Christmas Evening - 2012

So did you have fun then at Worcester Park's Christmas evening? We heard Christmas carols, won cuddly toys on the tombola, drank mulled wine from Cheam Rotary club, got a goodie bag from Sean Hanna, chatted to Mis from The Vin Bin, didn't get a balloon animal of any shape or size (we left that to the little kids) and saw lots more besides.

Those who complained about previous Christmas festivities being overwhelmed by fairground rides had their wish come true and proceedings were dominated by local groups and businesses! I hope it worked out well for them and they put on a good show (did I mention the mulled wine?)

Mrs Brinkster was due to go out for the evening so we didn't make it any further up the road to see the Christmas shop or the pop-up shop so if you didn't make or, or did but can't remember much I've put together a short video!

Sutton Christmas Lights go on!

On Saturday myself and the younger Brinksters went in search of Christmas cheer in Sutton, which will seem to some of you to be an unlikely prospect I know, but buoyed up by the promise of Christmas lights and entertainment we bussed our way into town with bags full of expectation. The Brinksters were expecting an awesome Christmas evening while I....well..... wasn't, but was willing to be convinced.

With the Christmas lights due to be switched on at 6pm we got there in plenty of time to rumble through a couple of shops before heading up the hill to where the stage was set up as the youngest Brinkster was keen to claim a spot to so that he was sure of a good view.

Big weekend - Free Grit and Christmas Lights!

@SuttonGrit Twitter logo

This weekend is the last chance to get 10kg of free grit from Sutton Council so that, should the occasion arise during the winter months, you can use it to make safe your pavements and pathways. The nearest place to go from Worcester Park is the Kimpton Park Way recycling from 10-5 today or from 10-2 tomorrow.

At Kimpton Park Way residents have to bring their own container for the grit, but you can log on to www.sutton.gov.uk/kimptonwebcam to check if there is a queue before you go

Kimpton Park Way Reuse and Recycling Webcam - Live

In order to claim your free grit you will need to bring your council tax bill or a current utility bill. And anyone who wants to help an elderly friend or neighbour, or residents without cars, can bring along one of their bills and collect the grit on their behalf.

Residents who currently receive an assisted bin collection can have the grit delivered to them. Simply call 020 8770 5070 for details.

While you're at it you can follow @SuttonGrit on Twitter for the latest  information over the state of gritting in the borough and inform them if one of the council grit bins runs low. For more information take a look at the flyer below or visit http://www.sutton.gov.uk/gritting

While the turning on of the new Worcester Park Christmas lights is a week away you can get a foretaste of what's to come as Mrs Brinkster tells me that they've got the same lights down in Sutton. The official page is short on detail but says

Sutton Town Centre will get the party started on Saturday 24 November when the Mayor, Cllr Sean Brennan, will turn on the lights, accompanied by Father Christmas himself.

The lights will go on at 6pm marking the climax of the day's entertainment which will start at noon and include music, dance and extracts from theatrical festive favourites.

Another council page provides a little more details, such as a starting time and location

There will be festivities in Sutton High Street from 12noon. The Christmas Lights will be switched on, 6pm at Trinity Square, by Father Christmas and the Mayor of Sutton.

 If you're going to go all I can say is "Take a brolly".... and have fun

Tripping the light fan-plastic

One of the treats awaiting Worcester Parkers this Christmas is the new Christmas lights that we've been promised. The good news is that they're here and installed but instead of going for conventionally Christmassy theme such as angels, holly or even a snowflake they've gone for.... well.... take a look.

Apologies for the poor photo (I'm commuting in the dark at the minute) I'd have to call that "plastic and spiky" wouldn't you? If you can't tell what I'm referring to then I'm on about the things sticking out towards the top of the lamppost

Obviously they'll look better when they're actually turned on but I'm not persuaded that this is an improvement so far.

What do you think could make Worcester Park look more Christmassy?

The Eyes Have It

I notice that a variety of traffic monitoring cameras have sprung up on Central Road which is hopefully in response to the appalling traffic issues that have been noted in the local newspapers and many other places, including here.

I don't know whether it's coincidental that they've appeared just as the Worcester Park Mosque plans come close to the end of their consultation but either way the information will hopefully go towards coming up with a long-term solution to the traffic issues, help feed some genuine traffic data into the Mosque planning decision, plus it will potentially give any local bigots and conspiracy theorists something to keep them occupied while the rest of us get on with our lives.

I'm not holding out much hope for a change in the traffic situation but I hope they do find something practical that they can do.

Brinkley Road flats refused again

A few weeks back I posted that Mr Hull had re-applied, from the safety of his million-pound mansion in Tadworth, to knock down number 34 and 36 and build a block of flats there. The decision is now out and the application has been refused, again, from the decision details shown on the planning website.

(1) The proposal, by reason of its design, siting, excessive bulk of the roof form and excessive parking area to the rear which does not allow sufficient space for landscaping and amenity areas, would represent an overdevelopment of the site which would be to the detriment of the character of the area and the streetscene and would thereby be contrary to policies BP12 and PMP2 of the Core Planning Strategy and Supplementary Planning Document 14 - Creating Locally Distinctive Places.

(2) The proposed development, by reason of its scale and close proximity to neighbouring property at 38 Brinkley Road would result in a loss of outlook through an increased sense of enclosure. The application is therefore contrary to policy BP12 of Suttons Core Planning Strategy, policy DM2 of the Site Development Policies and Supplementary Planning Document 14 - Creating Locally Distinctive Places.

My personal thanks to Sutton Council for defining Worcester Park as being a "Locally Distinctive Place" and hopefully that will be the end of it, though Mr Hull has been remarkably persistent so far....

So what did you buy from the French market ?

I have to say that I immensely enjoyed the French Farmers Market on Saturday as it seemed to bring a bit of a buzz to Central Road with what seemed to be larger than usual number of people out in Worcester Park shopping. I don't know if that buzz rubbed off on any of the regular shops on Central Road so I'd be interested if you know whether it did or not.

As it was we shed a few shillings at the market as you can see from the photo with a couple of cheeses, one cute and one more 'adventurous' plus a selection of olives and some pickled garlic. It's all the kind of stuff we could have picked up from Waitrose but being caught up in the spirit of the occasion we wanted to support the stall holders, particularly as we know that the way they work is that they all get to vote on whether to return so if even one stall made a loss then they may choose not to come back. We'll see eh?

So what did you buy then?

Nice smelling things

A selection of mottled meats

French Farmers Market takes shape

As I wandered down to the station this morning past the rows of stationary and grimacing car drivers I saw that the French Farmers Market was taking shape from the junction of Washington Road all the way down to WH Smiths. There are plenty of stalls but I do have to wonder whether the visiting "Farmers" may have been misled as to the amount of custom they're likely to get in a place like Worcester Park? We're a nice place to be sure but this is no Sutton High Street...

Customers or no they're due to be in Worcester Park from 9-5 today and tomorrow so if you have a desire for bags, CDs (do they GROW those?) and strangely mottled foreign sausages then you don't have to venture very far.

Transport woe, doom and gloom

As if commuting wasn't thankless enough the deities of the transport world have visited poxes and plagues upon the travelling folks of Worcester Park. Firstly the local Guardian reports on the horrendous traffic delays that drivers experienced on Tuesday

 "One driver took more than an hour to drive from Worcester Park to the Fountain roundabout in New Malden where traffic started to ease. Cars were desperately trying to take shortcuts through back routes to avoid the jam.On Twitter, 213 Bus Diaries said this morning: "Traffic simply not moving in Worcester Park. 500 yds in 40mins, nothing in last 10. Why is noone interested in schemes to ease these jams?"

Next there were train delays affecting trains through Motspur Park yesterday causing delays to services in the morning rush-hour and beyond,

"Emergency engineering works at Motspur Park means trains between Raynes Park and Chessington South/Epsom are running around 20 minutes late."

This morning I see from Radio Surrey that there's been another accident on the A3 and that traffic is backing up as a result:

TRAVEL: A3 northbound between Malden Junction and Shannon Corner, 2 lanes closed due to an accident. Queues from Hook.

I long ago gave up on jobs that required me to drive anywhere and leave at a time of the morning that usually means that I avoid most train delays, including yesterdays, but that leaves me in the fortunate minority.

Does anybody here love their commute?
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