Pondering the Tea Hut....... over the years

The Blackheath Tea Hut has been in existence for many years and is a big part of the history of the Heath.  Indeed, numerous people will fondly tell of the stories of how there fathers and even grandfathers would take them there for tea and the speciality for which it was well known for being the deliciously spiced up sausagemeat sandwiches.

It is proving difficult to establish exactly when it was given permission to be there and by whom. Many customers talk of a Royal Charter but as yet, no hard facts back this theory.  So if there are any interested, helpful, budding historians reading this, their input would be very much appreciated.

More testimony to the popularity of the Tea Hut is the fact that it is still there, despite many years of harrassment from certain members of local organisations.  Indeed in the thirty years I, as present owner, have been there, they have tried to get it removed.  Furthermore, the previous owners experienced similar problems.

These same organisations are well established, having committees and officers, but none of these have ever attempted to make contact with me concerning their grievances.  It has been described as being there unlawfully !! (Page 46, THE HEATH)  Surely, were that the case, would it have not been removed many years ago?

The fact that we are obviously trading legally has made these same people change their tactics.  Consequently, with the collusion of other like minded committees, the parking in and around the Tea Hut (on both sides of the road) has been systematiclly decimated. 

In or around 2001, many roads were closed to traffic across the heath, namely:

• Long Pond Rd
• A large section of Duke Humphrey Rd
• Whitefield Rd
• A small section of Mounts Pond Rd

The majority of these closed off sections were then reinstated as heath land.

Lewisham highways simultaneously upgraded Goffers Rd.  They also installed three lay-bys. The remaining one is halfway along the road near Whitefields Mount and the pond.  This lay-by is at times filled up with foriegn tourist buses.

The other two that were, at considerable expense, installed close to the Tea Hut, were mysteriously closed after only two months.  This obviously involved a lot of extra work adding further and unnecessary expenditure.

I have asked Lewisham Council to explain why these lay-bys were removed and at whose instigation.

I also pointed out what an enormous and frivolious waste of tax payers' money this was, if the reasons were merely to further diminish the parking facilities of the Tea Hut customers.

These comments were posted in an email sent to Lewisham Borough Council on the 13th May 2009.  To date, I have still had no reply.  This discourteous and disinterested attitude is deplorable, considering this is the same council to which I dutifully pay my business rates.

Support the Blackheath Tea Hut! 

If you would like to support  the Blackheath Tea Hut then just type SUPPORT: as the title.  We are currently collecting "signatures" from people to help our case with the council and the blackheath society.