400-500-Year-Old Oak Felled by Toby Carvery in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, Sparks Outrage

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Updated Apr 15, 2025, 11:41 PM

An ancient oak tree, estimated to be between 400 and 500 years old and with a diameter of 6.1 meters, was discovered felled in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, north London. The tree was found cut back to its stump by council workers on April 3. Enfield Council reported the incident to the Metropolitan Police, treating it as criminal damage, and has placed an emergency tree preservation order on the remaining stump. The felling has been attributed to Mitchells & Butlers, the owners of the nearby Toby Carvery restaurant at Whitewebbs House, who claimed the tree posed a health and safety risk due to its dead and split wood. The company stated that the action was taken to protect employees and guests, following advice from specialist arboriculture contractors in February. However, the Woodland Trust and local environmental groups have expressed outrage, describing the tree as 'irreplaceable' and ecologically significant, potentially hosting over 500 species, as noted by ecology expert Russell Miller. Local residents and campaigners, including Enfield resident and secretary of the Guardians of Whitewebbs group, Ed Allnut, are devastated by the loss, comparing it to the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, which was about 150 years old when cut down in 2023. The Woodland Trust has called for legal protections for ancient trees, highlighting the need for a robust system to safeguard England's most important trees. The incident has sparked a debate on the balance between public safety and environmental conservation, with tree surgery company Thor's Trees owner Lawrence-Thor Stephen emphasizing the tree's irreplaceable ecological value.

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#Whitewebbs Park #Enfield #London #Enfield Council #Metropolitan Police #Toby Carvery #Whitewebbs House #Woodland Trust #Russell Miller #Guardians of Whitewebbs #Ed Allnut #Sycamore Gap #England

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Sources

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La Provence

@laprovence

“I'm not ready to cut my big pine tree” 👉 https://t.co/lIY6yElLbE https://t.co/OJ8MmZal8J

Mashable

@mashable

Charcoal-coated seedballs are re-planting Kenya’s lost forests https://t.co/1ajBpmFQNc

PA Media

@PA

Toby Carvery has come under fire over the felling of an ancient oak tree thought to be more than 400 years old in Whitewebbs Park, north London https://t.co/IuH9elgk0w