"A Toby Carvery restaurant in north London is at risk of being evicted from the site after staff felled part of an ancient oak tree. Council staff found the remaining trunk and chopped branches of the tree, thought to be around half a millennium old, in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, last April. Locals said the loss of the historic oak left them "devastated", while Enfield Council described it as a "reckless act of criminal damage"."
"In a statement, Tim Leaver, deputy leader of Enfield Council, said: "The destruction of the ancient Whitewebbs Oak caused huge damage to the tree and cut its expected lifespan. "It shocked and angered our entire community." He said the centuries-old tree, sometimes known as the Guy Fawkes Oak, was an "irreplaceable part" of Enfield's natural heritage and was felled without the council's knowledge or consent, in clear breach of the lease governing the site."
The pedunculate Whitewebbs Oak, estimated around 500 years old, was felled on 3 April on the edge of Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, overlooking a Toby Carvery. Council staff discovered the remaining trunk and chopped branches and described the act as criminal damage. Locals said they were devastated. Enfield Council has begun the process to remove the restaurant operator, Mitchells & Butlers, citing serious breaches of the lease and saying the company had not meaningfully engaged or taken steps to repair the harm. The council has demanded a public apology, financial reparations and compensation for significant costs. Toby Carvery declined further comment due to ongoing legal proceedings.
Read at www.bbc.com
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