Restaurant Chainsaws Ancient Oak: Settlement Reached

Toby Carvery has reached a settlement with Enfield Council following the unauthorized felling of a 500-year-old oak tree in April of last year. The incident, which occurred near a restaurant car park in Whitewebbs Park, sparked public outcry and parliamentary questions. As part of the agreement, the restaurant chain's parent company, Mitchells & Butler Retail (M&B), will finance the restoration of a community orchard in the borough and pay the council's legal expenses.

M&B has also agreed to fund treatment for the damaged oak, though experts express pessimism about its long-term survival. The company had asserted that the tree was dying and required removal for safety reasons, a justification contested by arboriculturalists. However, the settlement statement notes that M&B acted on the advice of professional advisors to mitigate health and safety risks.

The financial settlement will support the replanting of an orchard in Enfield's Ridgeway corridor, aiming to restore landscape character and biodiversity. Additionally, 1,000 trees will be planted near the new orchard. The Metropolitan Police had previously declined to investigate the felling, deeming it a civil matter. Separately, Tottenham Hotspur football club, which has financial links to M&B, denies any connection between the oak's felling and its plans for a women's football training academy on adjacent land.