Forum Topic

Chiswick House and Grounds

Walked through today as part of my hour's exercise. On the S side of the lake ground staff were busy putting up net barriers to keep people on the path. Surely at this time barriers should be removed to allow people to pass at max clearance. Also, how about making paths one way, so that you can follow people along them, but you don't have to cross people coming the other way.And how about a jogger-only circuit?

Ken Munn ● 2403d41 Comments

It is ironic that Chiswick House have put up netting to protect the areas of grass that have had to be reseeded due to the damage caused by the CHINESE Lantern Festival and more than a little thoughtless at this time!It would be an idea to tell joggers to use the outer perimeter paths which are meant to be the only paths used by cyclists but as nothing is policed or enforced I guess it would just be ignored.

Fiona Campbell ● 2403d

Anyone tried contacting the bods in charge of Chiswick House & Gardens - no doubt a person on here will know the link/email for them.

Jennifer Selig ● 2403d

Why is 'Chinese' in capitals?

Diane Brown ● 2403d

Why do you think?

Carl Wynne ● 2403d

I'm glad you raised this topic, Ken. I was thinking about raising it myself as I was walking around CH&G yesterday, and being forced to walk within a couple of feet of some people as there was nowhere else to go (particularly families or groups who spread themselves across the path and saunter on regardless). I think the plastic fencing should be removed for the time being.

Colin Jordan ● 2403d

The message is STAY AT HOME.  The gardens should be locked up to prevent all the morons from having little strolls with families and children. Totally irresponsible. STAY AT HOME.  Plenty of exercises you can do at home so that you don’t have to be a selfish fool and contribute to spreading the virus.

Steve Taylor ● 2403d

"Why is 'Chinese' in capitals?"Xenophobia.

Paul Scullion ● 2403d

Steve, not everyone is lucky enough to have a garden or even apatio or balcony.  If children cooped up in flats can't walk around and get some exposure to the sun we'll end up with an epidemic of rickets.

David McLoughlin ● 2403d

Well said, David. The reported rise in domestic violence cases is another reason why people should be allowed out of their homes and be able to use public parks, provided they practice social distancing.

Richard Greenhough ● 2403d

"If children cooped up in flats can't walk around and get some exposure to the sun we'll end up with an epidemic of rickets."Rubbish - rickets takes months!! Plenty of exercises children could do at home.

Steve Taylor ● 2403d

"The reported rise in domestic violence cases is another reason why people should be allowed out of their homes and be able to use public parks"Rubbish - they must STAY AT HOME.

Steve Taylor ● 2403d

Rubbish - they must STAY AT HOME.Excuse me Steve but you are contradicting government guidelines.  Each citizen is allowed to go out once a day for exercise provided they are socially distant from others. You don't make the rules up, the government does.

Matthew Swain ● 2403d

There's a Government welfare  programme called Healthy start. It provides vouchers so that pregnant mothers and children aged 0 to 4 can get access to fresh fruit and vegetables plus vitamin drops.  You have to be on benefits but with the sharp increase in claims for Universal Credit many more people will, unfortunately qualify. There is , I think, a good case for extending this to older children.See: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/

David McLoughlin ● 2402d

I don't agree with Steve (Vitamin D is about sunlight, not exercise, btw) but there's something to be said for us all taking a Vitamin D supplement for the time being.

Susan Kelly ● 2402d

Wherever we get it from, we need vitamin D.  It's known to boost the immune system.Going out and getting sunlight is a good idea.  We are allowed (recommended?) to do it, as long as we follow the guidelines.

Al Webber ● 2402d

"Going out and getting sunlight is a good idea.  We are allowed (recommended?) to do it, as long as we follow the guidelines."But the morons don't follow the guidelines as evidenced by an earlier contributor."I'm glad you raised this topic, Ken. I was thinking about raising it myself as I was walking around CH&G yesterday, and being forced to walk within a couple of feet of some people as there was nowhere else to go (particularly families or groups who spread themselves across the path and saunter on regardless)."

Steve Taylor ● 2402d

Maybe stick to the wider paths and open areas for now?  You really don't need to take narrow paths.  If you go in at the Park Road entrance, that is pretty wide, just wait til no one else is around before going through the lake, then almost immediately turn left round the top of the pond - there is space to walk in the woodlands there, not just on the path, and follow that route all the way round to the open area by the statues and across the lawns in front of and to the side of the house and in front of the lake.

Claire Moran ● 2402d

racism?

Caroline Carrington ● 2402d

Gate, not lake.  Obviously time I ate something!

Claire Moran ● 2402d

Clare those paths are being netted off, so once you're on them you can't get off.

Ken Munn ● 2402d

So STAY AT HOME.Latest scientific advice today is also to keep your pets at home. Don't let cats out and don't take your diogs for a walk. Keep parks 100% closed.

Steve Taylor ● 2402d

Steve there is NO guidance to keep pets at home. No evidence that pets carry or pass on the virus. If you're going to quote an artucle at least give the facts no the Daily Mail version.Most people on this forum are a short hop away from David Ike and lap up this stuff - so please don't scare them any more than they are already

Richard Potts ● 2402d

"at least give the facts no the Daily Mail version."I don't believe I ave ever read the Daily Mail so I am unsure why you think it's appropriate to attemp to insult me.My source is BBC Radio 4 Today program this morning.It is also total rubbish to state that "Most people on this forum are a short hop away from David Ike"We all know about the one, conspiracy theorist who regularly posts on this forum; but what evidence do you have that the majority of contributors to the site are raving lunatics?

Steve Taylor ● 2401d

The spread of Covid-19 is based on two factors. 1. How dense the population is. 2. How dense the population is.

Steve Taylor ● 2401d

Steve it would be helpful if you would read the government advice that is being given on this subject rather than pronouncing what you think it probably is based on something you heard on the radio.However, you are right to pick Richard up on his unkind comments on the users of this forum. Compared to other places online, particularly Facebook, it is an oasis of sanity.

Francis Rowe ● 2401d

I know exactly what was reported on the BBC, Francis. I believe that everyone has the right to interpret what the 'government' says and what other organisations or scientists say. The government advice is all to often wrong isn't it??!!! Lest not forget that the LEADER of our government was proud to be shaking hands with all and sundry a few weeks ago - hence he possibly encouraged many loyal subjects to do the same.Our government is made up elected citizens - not experts!Some of them are not particularly bright and some are total fools. "The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has clarified its position in light of a report on the BBC news"

Steve Taylor ● 2401d

From British Veterinary Association.  The BBC later clarified their reporting in the light of this statement:https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/news-article/bva-statement-on-cats-and-covid-19/

Rebecca Singer ● 2400d

That is correct Rebecca.

Steve Taylor ● 2400d

ST: if you think you're such a smart-arrrse try taking some of the civil service application exams online and see how you get on.

Jeffrey Cope ● 2400d

What on earth are you talking about?

Steve Taylor ● 2400d

Anything to do with Chiswick House and Grounds, Jeffrey?

Ken Munn ● 2400d

SteveYou said"Latest scientific advice today is also to keep your pets at home. Don't let cats out and don't take your diogs for a walk. Keep parks 100% closed."You claim to have quoted that from BBC Today. But that was not the message on the BBC Today article and this has since been  "clarified" after people sensationalised the article.I believe I was correct to pull you up that.As to my comments that most people on this forum are "one hop away from David Ike" - I was perhaps exaggerating. I would rephrase that. A lot of people on this forum are one hop away from David Ike.It's a shame because I agree with what you say on a lot of things - espeically the need for lockdown.On a related subject...When we look back on this we should remember what out local elected leaders thought about the need for lockdown.  Cllr Sam Hearn on 19th March decried my post about the need for lockdown - not thinking it was needed and not wanting to learn from China. Then on 21st March Cllr Biddolph launched her "shop for the virus" campaign. Since 23rd March both have been silent.If we get a chance to vote again I hope we remember.

Richard Potts ● 2400d

Richard I acknowledged and accepted that the BBC had clarification of the RVLV some hours after the BBC broadcast but at the time of my post I accepted that what I heard on the BBC today program was factually correct.  Hence your ‘pulling me up’  was not correct. I am please that the BBC has now clarified the issue which, as you say, they possibly tried to sensationalise. However, the UK is still a long way from enforcing a proper lockdown to reduce the spread. Some third world countries are already way ahead of us.  We cannot afford total democracy at this time.

Steve Taylor ● 2400d

I agree with you Steve.We need a proper lockdown - France have just realised this but didn't learn from Italy until it became necessary who didn't learn from China until it became necessary. Why can't we see that far from "relaxing the lockdown" we are going to need a tougher lockdown and the sooner we do it the shorter it will be.It is so disappointing that we seem to have learnt nothing as a species. We default to distrust and blame of other countries rather than working with them on learning and acting together to solve it.

Richard Potts ● 2400d

"We default to distrust and blame of other countries rather than working with them on learning and acting together to solve it."AKA 'Taking Back Control'.

Ken Munn ● 2400d

Back to the original topic, there is now netting up on both the south side and north side of the lake, on both sides of the classic bridge, in the dog free area, on the top lawn, the paths towards the cricket pitch and around the Staveley road end of the cricket pitch.  Strange that Chiswick House choose to hamper the Governments instruction to socially distance and even more strange that the Chairman of the Trust is also Deputy Chair of Public Health England - wonder if he is aware that grass seed has been deemed more important than public health?

Fiona Campbell ● 2399d

Anyone have contacts at Chiswick House, to raise this with them?

Ken Munn ● 2399d

A friend of mine has emailed and called - so far zero response, but that's par for the course with Chiswick House

Loraine Pemberton ● 2399d

Boycott Chiswick House when this is all over. It is run by irresponsible people.

Steve Taylor ● 2399d

Here is Sir Derek Myers email address...derek.myers@chgt.org.uk

Mark Pritchard ● 2399d

Thanks Mark, email sent.

Ken Munn ● 2398d