Petition: Save the White Swan, Protect and Boost Charlton Village!
[September 2023]
In September 2023 members of White Swan Music and Arts launched a petition that called upon Royal Borough of Greenwich Council to help force the current owners of the White Swan - Mendoza Limited - to undo the changes they had made to the building since it had closed. These changes included a severe deterioration in the outside of the pub, as well as the conversion of the upstairs function room into flats (for which planning permission had been refused).
The petition was shared far and wide, and also received a write-up in The Greenwich Wire, long term supporters of the Swan.
The response to the petition was overwhelming, with over 1200 responses in just a few weeks.
If you are one of the people who signed the petition... THANK YOU!
On December 6th, the petition was officially presented to Greenwich Council by local Charlton councillor Jo van den Broek (pictured).
Council Response.
The councils response to the petition was officially returned at the full council meeting on February 21st and was responded to by White Swan Music and Arts' chair Suzanne Hunt.
A write-up of the petition, the response, and the WSMA response was later published in the Greenwich Wire: 'We would have rejected plan to turn Charlton's White Swan pub into Tesco, council says'.
The full response from the council was included in the agenda in advance and can be downloaded below (PDF).
And now... we wait.
Earl of Chatham, if you were wondering.