Woolwich late night event promoted by Greenwich in their inimitable way

After being awarded £130,000 last November Greenwich Council are promoting a late night event on Friday in Woolwich – and they’ve made a howler of it.

Where to begin? Well, the very first business listed on promotional material closed in November 2021.

Here’s an extract from the Greenwich Council site promoting the event.

Despite what is says, there is no event on at the Woolwich Works to link into. If they’d waited one night there is a gig on, and the following week sees events on Friday and Saturday.

But no. And the “late” event stops at 9pm anyway.

Then again this is the authority that fences off its main civic square – that cost millions to upgrade – for two weeks on the possibility of anti-social behaviour and are completely ignorant of the impression that presents.

Woolwich has such potential to draw people in but this event is bare bones at best.

The council are also running their “shop local” promo, which is funny given the authority ignore improving links between new-builds and existing High Streets at pretty much every project that comes before them.

Those 1,750 homes at Thamesmead being built now near to Plumstead High Street? Yep, they ignored allocating any money to improvements so new residents can safely and easily reach nearby shops and amenities.

Sorry, did I say 1,750? Last month the total number of homes was increased. Any chance of some dosh then? Don’t be silly. No Greenwich councillor raised it when giving the green light. Hope new residents like this walk.

Then there’s the 333 homes coming just north of that site. TfL said they should allocated income paid to the authority from developer Fairview to make it easier to reach shops in Plumstead. No said Greenwich planners. Greenwich councillors didn’t seem bothered either when it passed.

Let’s switch over the Greenwich. Fancy a walk from new homes on Greenwich Peninsula to shops in east Greenwich?

Me neither.

Once again we see lazy promotions from Greenwich Council but when it comes to spending a few quid they have coming in from thousands of new homes there’s no mention of real, on the ground improvements. Business that would benefit from the custom can go swivel.

It’s easy to print some pamphlets and put out a few ads. Unless they make an effort to link new developments into the fabric of existing shops, amenities and towns it means little.

As for Woolwich itself, the town has so much potential but at least get the basics right.