Ancient oak felled by Toby Carvery in Enfield was alive when it was cut down, investigation finds

"The tree, known as the Whitewebbs Oak, grew on land owned by the council, which was leased to the pub company Mitchells & Butlers, who operate the nearby Whitewebbs House Toby Carvery. The oak was cut down after an arboreal consultant employed by M&B said that it was dead, The Times reported. An investigation carried out by the Forestry Commission at the end of 2025 has now confirmed green shoots coming out of the tree, meaning the tree was, and still is, alive."

"I visited the tree in the aftermath, and there was absolutely no doubt in my mind the tree was very much alive, There were still green shoots and healthy buds and, in fact, just before the felling, VET-cert [certified veteran tree] consultants found the tree was in good health with a full crown. It's tragic that under lopping and topping' exceptions an irreplaceable tree was mutilated, because lopping and topping is outdated and no longer considered an appropriate management technique for trees."

The Whitewebbs Oak stood on council-owned land leased to Mitchells & Butlers, operators of the nearby Whitewebbs House Toby Carvery. An arboreal consultant employed by M&B advised the tree was dead, and the owners cut it down. A Forestry Commission investigation at the end of 2025 confirmed green shoots, indicating the tree was alive at felling and remains alive. Ed Pyne of the Woodland Trust observed green shoots, healthy buds, and noted prior VET-cert consultants had found a full crown. Enfield council issued a Section 146 eviction order against M&B, which the company is challenging; a court hearing is not before December. The commission found no legal breaches; the tree lacked a preservation order and work fell under lop-and-top exemptions.

Read at www.standard.co.uk