Secret Cinema - and other matters

A report from Stephen and Miriam following the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust meeting on 14 December 2022

Dear Friends,

Here are the highlights of last evening’s meeting of the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust (WSCT), which Miriam Shea (MS) and Stephen Waley-Cohen (SWC) attended and took part in as non-voting co-opted members nominated by the Friends of the Scrubs (FOWWS).

SECRET CINEMA

At the last WSCT we had a presentation from this organisation who want to organise an event on the Scrubs in summer 2023, and authorised Officers to hold further discussions. They came to this meeting clearly thinking this was on a ‘deal done’ basis, and indeed had already distributed some leaflets on the Old Oak Common Estate inviting residents to sign up and to attend a meeting. PLEASE DO SIGN UP. Their leaflet is attached, which has the reference on it.

SWC and MS spoke strongly about the two months of use of the northern 2/3rds of the open football area - for setting up and taking down as well as the 3 weeks of performances, each capable of having 4700 audience members, paying an average of about £56 – and the Scrubs being the wrong place for such an event, with simply too many people, too much noise and light, too much intrusion onto nature, including birds and bats, and too disruptive to people’s enjoyment of the peace ad quiet and openness of the Scrubs. We said that FOWWS could not support the proposal, but if it happened, we would work to minimise its impact.

The Councillor members voted unanimously to approve the event, but acknowledged they had reservations along the lines of FOWWS.

Secret Cinema are a responsible and well managed organisation, and offer good community benefits (employment, free tickets, charity fund-raising etc) and the LBHF events team have worked effectively; although the financial arrangements are confidential, the prospective income is not ‘game-changing’ for WSCT. We just don’t believe the Scrubs is the right place.

Friends who are LBHF residents may wish to write to their Councillors, as well as attending the meetings with Secret Cinema on Wednesday 21 December.

[Editor’s note: Local residents are invited to the Secret Cinema meetings and we hope Friends will make their feelings known. The meetings are at 2pm and 7pm online and to attend you need to register on Eventbrite.

To register for the events please go to the Secret Cinema events page here or download their flyer here

Here are the public email addresses of the three councillors who vote on the WSCT: Alexandra Sanderson (chair) Alexandra.Sanderson@lbhf.gov.uk; Bora Kwon Bora.Kwon@lbhf.gov.uk; Dominic Stanton Dominic.Stanton@lbhf.gov.uk

We hope Friends and others who are concerned that the Scrubs is not the right place for a Secret Cinema will write to all three.]

The latest version of the Biodiversity Master Plan - to be financed by HS2 at about £3m, including ten years of management and maintenance – was presented, and appears to have taken on board many, though not all, of the reservations expressed in the spring of 2021 when it was last reviewed. In view of the short lead-time offered and failure to provide the presentation in advance, the meeting accepted SWC’s suggestion to have a special WSCT meeting to discuss the details while allowing Officers to move forwards with planning for its implementation once fully finalised and agreed.

The accounts for the year to March 2022 were considered and approved. They show a surplus of £92,592, thanks to the continuing rental from the temporary buildings for Kensington Aldridge on the Redgra Parade Ground.

Later in the meeting the budget for the current year was also presented, which shows a surplus of £214,611, again helped by the rental above, and also benefiting from the lower maintenance charge as a result of the new contract which is now specific to the Scrubs rather than part of a Hammersmith & Fulham (LBHF) borough wide agreement

We heard about the removal of the hoardings for the HS2 sewer diversion works, and the need for some protection from walkers, dogs etc; SWC asked that there be plentiful signage explaining why the area was restricted, which is to allow the re-seeding to take effect.

There was a long written presentation on the application for the Scrubs to become a Green Flag accredited area, and this was approved.

It was agreed to apply for Local Nature Reserve status for the meadow area (as proposed by FOWWS about 3 years ago) which already applies to most of the woodland on the Scrubs, including Braybrook Street woods, Martin Bell’s wood, and around the east and north sides.

The project to improve the site entrances at Braybrook Street, Wulfstan Street and Scrubs Lane should start in the week of 23 January and take about 4-6 weeks to complete. The ‘spoil’ – soil removed to enable the work to take place – will be kept on the Scrubs. The finance comes from OPDC

Funds were approved to continue the hedge-laying along the south side of the meadow area, with the need for co-operation and collaboration with Emma and the volunteers emphasised.

There will also be tree planting, including some potential hedge creation, along the northern border against the railway, following the demise of the chestnut avenue.

Steve Hollingworth has asked IDVerde to spread some of the sandy loam now before the hard ground turns to mud when the weather turns to warm and wet at the weekend.

There is a project to create a better access for larger vehicles whether for events or otherwise, and this is due shortly, focusing on the north east entrance from Scrubs Lane close to the railway line.

The creation of a proper ‘base-line’ survey of all species both animal and vegetable on the Scrubs was approved (this was originally an FOWWS suggestion) with annual updates thereafter.

We heard that the Kensington Dragons upgrading of pitches was progressing, with some financial support from WSCT; and that the Thames Valley Harriers Clubhouse upgrade to provide café and toilet facilities also for non-members, was also moving forwards, again with some financial support from WSCT. Officers were asked to keep a close watch on these and report back to WSCT.

The FOWWS proposals for an overall plan to upgrade Linford Christie Stadium and its facilities, and make provision for a possible Lido, were noted but in view of other matters taking up considerable time, these will be properly presented by MS and SWC at the next meeting for full consideration by WSCT.

The Law Enforcement Team gave a very brief review, pointing out that the Scrubs gets more attention than almost anywhere else in LBHF. The consultation on a Public Space Protection Order for dogs throughout LBHF is now live, and we do encourage Friends to respond to this at Responsible Dog Ownership - Public Space Protection Order | H&F Have Your Say (lbhf.gov.uk) often ticking ‘other’ which enables you to make a fuller comment explaining why some of the proposals may not be appropriate for the Scrubs. We have already circulated the FOWWS comments reprinted below.

So this was a difficult meeting covering important topics, on which individual Friends can helpfully and usefully follow up, especially on Dogs PSPO and Secret Cinema.

With best wishes

Stephen and Miriam