Car drives into Blackheath tea hut: Road closed
Roads across Blackheath are closed tonight after a Mercedes hit the Blackheath tea hut near Greenwich Park. It’s reported a member of staff was trapped inside. Three people have been taken to hospital.
It looks as though a fair bit of damage has been caused. Buses are diverted and numerous emergency services are on scene:
https://twitter.com/TfLBusAlerts/status/1214640767920148484
The 53 is also diverted. Police have blocked roads in the area.
Diverted traffic is slow moving through Greenwich.
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This is terrible news the tea hut on Blackheath as been there for as long as I can remember and well used by motorist and bikers a like along with vsitors to Blackheath and Greenwich Park. It ould not be the same with out the Tea hut.
Don’t worry they will rebuild, it is part of history.
My prayers are with the staff that where trapped underneath the wreckage and their families.
All them years of history gone we hope it’s open and fixed again soon I remember you famous animal burger
Yes it’s been there over 50 year’s. I hope nobody was seriously hurt. I’m sure it will be rebuilt, it’s part of Blackheath.
Kenny
Seems to have been there as long as I can remember and I’m 70. A regular stop for me for their wonderful sausage meat sandwiches …. hope all are OK and they can re-open soon…
The local Council has been trying to get rid of it for years! They have an excuse now. Shame!
The authorities have been trying to get rid of the tea hut for years! They must get a replacenent soon…..this may give the authorities the excuse now for not having the tea hut!
Appalling. Have been a visitor there for many years. Hope they can rebuild it.
There’s a fundraiser here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-blackheath-tea-hut
There’s further info on this if you look on the Facebook group “Blackheath tea hut & London Motorcycle Riders”.
“The authorities have been trying to get rid of the tea hut for years”
I remember, years back, there was antipathy to the tea hut by some members of The Blackheath Society for some reason; a classist one I expect…
Best wishes for a swift recovery to all involved.
So sad to read of this accident and my thoughts are with the member of satff trapped in the hut and all those taken to hospital. I hope they all make a full recovery.
Lets get the tea hut rrebuilt and reopened again soon. It has been there since I was a child and possibly before i was born.
It is a part of Blackheath and must remain.
EthicsGradient thank you for the link to the just giving page for the Blackheath Tea Hut. I have made a donation.
BBC London News have just stated the hut as been on Blackheath for around a 100 years. So is very much a pat of Blackheath history and must not be got rid of by the Local Authority
which i believe is Lewisham for that side of the road.
I hope the just giving pages= reaches and indeed exceeds the target of £1000 they are hoping to raise for the staff and towards getting the tea hut rebuilt.
Do encourage people to post around that fundraiser link. It’s by a friend of the lady who works in the hut who’s now in hospital.
I’m not aware of anything regarding ‘the local authority’ other than when they had to block off the pavement area opposite with concrete planters as boy racers were congregating there and using the A2 as an illegal racetrack; which whilst entertaining to watch was incredibly dangerous.
At 13:40 today £1.175 had already been raised for the tea hut. Which is a brilliant effort. Lets hope we can still get even more for the tea hut to re-built and for the staff who have lost earnings.
Saw this indeed. Excellent. I also noticed carpenters volunteering to help rebuild it pro-bono; which was particularly warming. Brings to mind spirit of the blitz or the rebuilding of Warsaw Post WWII.
This is excellentwith the helpof the fund raising and offersfrom carpenters to give their time voluntarily to help rebuild the Tea Hut.
The Tea Hut will be back despite the Local Authoritiy and some residents efforts to get the Tea Hut closed for good,
The Tea Hut is a local Blackheath landmark and part of Blackheath’s history so well done to everyone who donated and for offers of help. it is amazing..
The Local council are actually being very supportive.
There’s no “conspiracy” by such.
I saw this post earlier by the owner of the tea hut, look at the last comment:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/321618708000738/permalink/1555106421318621/
Quote:
” Dubster Arfurzee
I’m the general manager
Council Officials are mortified at this & are completely onboard with the plans to rebuild the hut
Thanks for all positive posts guys,..much appreciated “
Lewisham Council are now saying that planning permission will be required for the new tea hut. Lets hope planning permission will be granted and the tea hut will be re-built soon.
Greenwich Counillor Geoff Brighty (Blackheath and Westcombe) suggested moving it over the road to where the old toilet block now stands. This may actually be a good idea and worth considering. The tea hut would then come under Greenwich Council who are very supportive of the tea hut.
If that’s the case we’d best all keep abreast of planning applications and write supportive comments to counter anything the Georgian sectarian dogmatists at The Blackheath Society come up with. ^^
I suggest rebuilding to the original style of the tea hut, facing onto the heath not onto the road this also makes it safer for punters as they will not be close to the road.
This also give enough space to put barriers up so this never happens again.
As to moving the hut to the other side of the road.
This will not happen the tea hut has been on this site for over 100 years, this gives it historical value and people will fight to keep it there.
I know we have had our differences in the past. Hpwever, I do strongly agree EthicsGradient we must write supportive letters to support the planning application for the new tea hut. Otherwise planning could be denied and another part of Blackheath history gone forever.
Julia I agree the hut does give historical value to the heath but as rightly said by EthicsGradient the Blackheath Society have tried to get rid it of before and could raise objecions again at the planning stage to try and stop being rebuilt. Anything is possible.
The London Marathon runners and visitors to Blackheath and Greenwich Park will certianly miss it until it is rebuilt and open for business again. Which I hope will be soon.
Like some others who comment on here I really care about the Borough I live in and what happens in and around the Borough as it affects us all.
Graham, I completely agree.
I am wondering if they could get help from lottery
Funding, as well as blue plaque.
Also over the years there has been quite a few celebrities that have gone to the hut.
With the right people and funding involved the council will have more to gain by allowing the hut to be rebuilt instead of fighting against it.
“As to moving the hut to the other side of the road.
This will not happen the tea hut has been on this site for over 100 years, this gives it historical value and people will fight to keep it there.”
I agree with this; I don’t think changing its location is a good idea at all.
It has great historical and community value in its timeworn place.
Moving it to the opposite side would also be problematic for parking and traffic; the slip road there is very busy and many tourist coaches use it as a parking/dropping off point.
It’s nice how this is bringing out the best in people anyhow.
The British sense of humour in this is also fantastic; I saw one comment describing it as “Britain’s Notre Dame”. Priceless.
More info on 853 here: https://853.london/2020/01/09/blackheath-tea-hut-replacement-cafe-would-need-council-permission/
I totally agree Julia I would like to see the tea hut also listed on local tourist guides of the area.
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