Closure of this website and Welcoming the New Website

The latest version of the Forest Hill Society website is now available at 

https://www.foresthillsociety.com/

This site remains available for archive purposes.

Forest Hill Walking Festival and Edible Plant Giveaway

The Forest Hill Society will be organising the very first FOREST HILL WALKING FESTIVAL on June 9th, 2024.


The Festival will showcase a series of local walks around the local area, each with a different theme, so that you can explore places and views you may not already know about, and meet other local residents and visitors while exploring our corner of London.


On Sunday 9th of June we will have maps for 5 different walks starting and ending at Forest Hill Station, each of which will include one walk at a specific time of the day that will be guided by a member of the Society.


There will be a range of themes, from local history, musical trivia, lots of nature and also some stunning views, and will also include some activities for children and families. The walks will be of different lengths, from 1 mile to over 5 miles, and levels of difficulty to suit a range of participants, so whether you want a challenge, or just a pleasant stroll, there will be something for everyone.


So put this date in your diary, break out the walking boots, and look out for more information coming soon on each of the walks, including themes and times for the guided tours.



EDIBLE PLANT GIVEAWAY

As the Forest Hill Society will have tables in the station car park for the Walking Festival, we will also be celebrating our popular Edible Plant Giveaway from 12:00 noon on 9th June.


We are once again offering a free edible “starter” plant to anyone who comes to our tables. The aim is to encourage people to grow their own edible plants, or plants with edible products. Maybe you can even pick one up after a walk!

There's no need for a garden, these plants can be grown on a window ledge or small balcony in any old container. Many of our plants are provided and grown by members of the Forest Hill Society Committee, but also by the Forest Hill Library garden team.

We recommend coming down as soon as possible after 12 o'clock as plants go quickly. We particularly welcome families to give children a chance to grow these edible plants. If you don't have children who wish to grow the plant then you are most welcome, but we want to give priority to children for the first 30 minutes.

Vermouth Tasting - Thursday 2nd May

 Following the success of the Vermouth tasting in March, we have arranged a second visit to allow for more people to attend.

Thursday 2nd May 2024 6.30 pm       
(Places limited to 12 on each evening)
Tickets: £26.95
Book here:  https://www.asterleybros.com/foresthillsociety

 

The Forest Hill Society invites you to join us and Asterley Bros. for an introduction to the world of Aperitivo Drinks and learn about English Vermouth, Negronis and Martinis in their production space at Keynote Studios, Dalmain Road, London, SE23 1AT. 

The Forest Hill Society has reserved the space exclusively for our members and their friends on 2nd May 2024.   Spaces are limited to 12, so don’t delay!

WHO ARE WE?

We are Asterley Bros, makers of award-winning English Vermouth and botanical spirits, and we are opening up our production space to welcome in visitors for the very first time!  Get ready to discover the secrets behind crafting the perfect aperitivo cocktails with our expert team. Whether you're a seasoned vermouth and cocktail enthusiast or a complete novice, this masterclass is designed to cater to all.

IS THIS LIKE A DISTILLERY TOUR?

Yes, exactly. This is a behind the scenes chance to meet the makers and learn all about botanical spirits with the very people who make them.

During the event, you'll learn about the history of vermouth production, learn about the processes and botanicals we use to make our spirits, and try your way across our full range with tastings and expert guidance.

AND THERE WILL BE DRINKS?

Of course! You'll get to try our range of botanical spirits as part of a guided tasting, along with some of our favourite serves. You will also learn how to create our favourite aperitivo cocktails, using high-quality ingredients and professional techniques. Our team will guide you through each step, sharing their tips and tricks along the way.

HOW LONG IS THE MASTERCLASS?

The event is 2 hours long. Not only will you have the opportunity to learn and taste amazing cocktails, but you'll also get to socialize with other cocktail enthusiasts in a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. So, grab your friends and join us for an evening filled with laughter, creativity, and of course, fantastic drinks.

Book now:  https://www.asterleybros.com/foresthillsociety

 

Sainsburys trials anti-obesity initiative at flagship Bell Green store

Customers of Sainsbury's Bell Green will have noticed the store has been gradually changing the location of stock but not immediately updating the location signage above the aisles. This is an initiative Sainsbury's is trialling to help address the UK's obesity crisis. The Disruptive Orientation Location Trial (DOLT) entails moving and mixing the location of stock on a regular basis to disrupt customers' familiarity with the store layout.  

No longer will regular customers be able to quickly navigate the store and plan their route to efficiently select the items they want. Instead, customers will arrive at an aisle that had previously contained, for example, breakfast cereals, only to find it now contains toilet rolls, and so begins their exploration in search of their desired items. The aim is to send customers on a bewildering journey, testing their desire for treats to breaking point until finally forcing them to prioritise their search for essential items and give up looking for the biscuits.

One customer, Flora Opil, commented "At first I was exasperated that I couldn't find my regular items and had to wander all the aisles in search of things I used to be able to find straight away. But then I saw the sense of concentrating on just finding the essentials and only picking up treats if I happened to come across them in my expedition around the store. The decision to delay updating the location signage was a stroke of genius and greatly enhances my inability to find anything.  It hasn't completely prevented my consumption of high calorie treats but at least I can no longer find chocolates, crisps and biscuits in a single visit. And, of course, I use up more calories trekking around the aisles."

The frequency of relocating stock has yet to be finalised. 

Disorientation tails off after a few visits, as customers of Sainsbury's Forest Hill branch will understand, after their branch was renovated and reorganised last summer. The frequency could be as often as every six weeks, in order to keep customers on their toes.

Anti-obesity campaigners say the scheme doesn't go far enough as it only influences purchases made in-store and not orders placed online for home delivery. To combat this, Sainsbury's are exploring the feasibility of installing a foreign language program in their online ordering system, so that they can display high calorie items in a regularly changing selection of foreign languages. This would emulate the disorientating in-store experience and also help to address the decline in modern foreign language learning. The company is also in discussions about integrating fitness apps into Sainsbury's customer accounts to identify whether the scheme is reducing customers' calorie intake and, for in-store customers, how many extra steps they are walking. By installing the app Sainsbury's will leave cookies on your phone, giving you something to nibble on your extended foraging expeditions.

A spokesman said the outcomes of the Bell Green trial will be reviewed and, if successful, will be introduced at Sainsbury's Forest Hill to test it on a smaller store layout, with a view to extending the scheme nationwide by 1st April 2025, meaning customers would need to walk between multiple stores to get their regular groceries.

 

Aperitivo Time: A Vermouth Masterclass with Asterley Bros.

Thursday 7 March 2024 6.30 pm       
(Places limited to 12 on each evening)
Tickets: £26.95
Book here:  https://www.asterleybros.com/foresthillsociety

 

The Forest Hill Society invites you to join us and Asterley Bros. for an introduction to the world of Aperitivo Drinks and learn about English Vermouth, Negronis and Martinis in their production space at Keynote Studios, Dalmain Road, London, SE23 1AT. 

The Forest Hill Society has reserved the space exclusively for our members and their friends on 7 and 14 March 2024.   Spaces are limited to 12 on each evening, so don’t delay!

WHO ARE WE?

We are Asterley Bros, makers of award-winning English Vermouth and botanical spirits, and we are opening up our production space to welcome in visitors for the very first time!  Get ready to discover the secrets behind crafting the perfect aperitivo cocktails with our expert team. Whether you're a seasoned vermouth and cocktail enthusiast or a complete novice, this masterclass is designed to cater to all.

IS THIS LIKE A DISTILLERY TOUR?

Yes, exactly. This is a behind the scenes chance to meet the makers and learn all about botanical spirits with the very people who make them.

During the event, you'll learn about the history of vermouth production, learn about the processes and botanicals we use to make our spirits, and try your way across our full range with tastings and expert guidance.

AND THERE WILL BE DRINKS?

Of course! You'll get to try our range of botanical spirits as part of a guided tasting, along with some of our favourite serves. You will also learn how to create our favourite aperitivo cocktails, using high-quality ingredients and professional techniques. Our team will guide you through each step, sharing their tips and tricks along the way.

HOW LONG IS THE MASTERCLASS?

The event is 2 hours long. Not only will you have the opportunity to learn and taste amazing cocktails, but you'll also get to socialize with other cocktail enthusiasts in a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. So, grab your friends and join us for an evening filled with laughter, creativity, and of course, fantastic drinks.

Book now:  https://www.asterleybros.com/foresthillsociety

 

Planning: Objection of M&S Food in Bell Green

The Forest Hill Society has objected to plans for M&S Food in Bell Green, just as we did when Aldi was proposed for the neighbouring store.

DC/24/134364: Insertion of mezzanine floor in connection with the sub-division of Unit 5B, Bell Green Retail Park, Bell Green SE26

Impact on Local High Streets:

We are concerned that an additional supermarket in this location will pull more people from the existing high streets in Sydenham and Forest Hill. The opening of Savacentre (now Sainsburys) saw a series of closures in the high streets. The creation of Aldi in the Bell Green retail park in 2018 put further pressure on local high streets as a second large food retailer chose to open in this out of town centre rather than in one of the town centres. The opening of a third supermarket in this location will further exacerbate the decline in local district and town centres in this part of Lewisham.

We would refer to government guidelines on town centre development which states that:

The sequential test guides main town centre uses towards town centre locations first, then, if no town centre locations are available, to edge of centre locations, and, if neither town centre locations nor edge of centre locations are available, to out of town centre locations, with preference for accessible sites which are well connected to the town centre. It supports the viability and vitality of town centres by placing existing town centres foremost in both plan-making and decision-taking.

ref: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ensuring-the-vitality-of-town-centres

In this case it is clear that at least one potential site for a supermarket is available in a local town centre (vacated recently by Paddy Power in Forest Hill, which was once a Tesco store), and for this reason the planning department, in applying the appropriate sequential tests, should recognised that this location for a new supermarket is inappropriate at the present time.

 

Contrary to Core Strategy and Site Allocations:

Bell Green is designated as a local hub, which is secondary to the District Hubs (such as Forest Hill and Sydenham). Under the Bell Green specific part of Spatial Policy 4 the floorspace on the allocated site is limited to that which had permission at the time of the adoption of the Core Strategy - specifically to limit impact on adjacent town centres.

The Site Allocations Policy DPD allocates the Bell Green site as SA26 and whilst identifying the need for development clearly identifies a risk of impact on nearby town centres and a need to seek to reduce car dependency. This application is directly in contravention of the site allocation in both these regards. Existing planning permission and designation in the Core Strategy and Site Allocations Local Plan specifically excludes food retail, allowing only for A1 use for non-food retail.

Core Strategy, Spatial Policy 4, June 2011

Bell Green

1. Designate as an out-of-centre retail park within the Council’s retail hierarchy.

2. Limit the floorspace and range of goods sold to that contained in the granted planning permission to protect the viability of adjacent town centres.

Ref:

https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/planning/policy/Documents/CoreStrategyAdoptedVersion.pdf (page 68)

 

Site allocations local plan, June 2013

SA26: Former Bell Green Gas Works (Phases 2 & 3), Perry Hill Sydenham, SE26 Phase 2: Mixed use business, industrial or warehouse, non-food retail and associated garden centre, restaurant, use of Livesey Memorial Hall as a social club Proposals for this out-of-centre site should be considered in the context of protecting existing town centres within the borough's hierarchy and, allow for comprehensive redevelopment of the site. Proposals should seek to reduce car dependency, improve public transport, cycling and walking access and promote more sustainable forms of development.

Ref: https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/planning/policy/LDF/siteallocations/Documents/SiteAllocationsAdoption.pdf (pp 91-92)

 

Further Development Management Policy 30 sets out that "the Council require all development proposals to attain a high quality of design". Which is not the case in this application because of the way it:

a) fails to create activity and frontage at ground level,

b) fails to create coherent built form that relates to the local topology,

c) does not make a positive relationship with existing townscape,

d) creates large areas of parking and servicing, and

e) fails to recognise the positive character of the existing gas holders or reflect its

positive qualities in the scheme.

Ref: https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/planning/policy/LDF/developmentpolicies/Documents/DMLPAdoption.pdf (page 85)

As a result of the issues above, we ask the planning authority to reject this application as being contrary to URB 18d, DM Policy 30, Spatial Policy 4, and national policy on supporting high streets.

We would encourage retailed such as M&S Food to look for suitable locations close to Forest Hill and Sydenham Town Centres for new stores, which we are sure would be welcomed by residents.