Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 12th October, 2018.

12th October, 2018.

Right … 

I’ve got to be quick, today: as I’ve got a dentist appointment, today.

But … 

I get a mention in this weeks Brentwood Gazette.

Basically?

Because my street, Rollason Way, is to be adopted by Essex County Council.

In other words?

Essex County Council will be responsible for enforcing any on-street parking controls.

Rather than original developers, Crest Nicholson.

I’m grateful: assuming this leads to less on-street congestion … and freer access for emergency vehicles.

That’s been a bugaboo of mine for a good few years.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14th June, 2018

14th June, 2018.

No, really … 

I’ve got something serious for you.

That’s if you don’t mind me burbling on about my street?

Here … 

That video’s the result of many things.

Partly?   It’s a response to the Grenfell Tower fire: today’s the first Anniversary, so you know.

But ALSO … ?

If you don’t mind me being blunt, it’s ALSO a response to the area I’m in.

I live in Brentwood: near the station.

My particular part of the area has — as I feel the video shows— always been heavily congested: with parked cars impeding any emergency vehicle access.

That’s something that’s been concerning me for the decade I’ve lived here.

And something — if memory serves — that also affected emergency vehicle access around Grenfell Tower, this time last year.

The congestion is something I thought — initially — wouldn’t last long.   The other end of Rollason Way was still a building site, when I moved in.

How long, I asked myself, would it stay a building site?

About three years, as it turns out.

Now … ?   The congestion’s being caused — mostly — by parked cars and delivery vans … 

And the building work around the corner.

The more things change …

~≈§≈~

That’s ONE thing.

The other?

We have what’s called a ‘stay put’ policy in place.

In other words?   In other words, if a fire breaks out in one of the flats on Rollason Way, other people are supposed to stay in theirs.

The compartmentalisation in these buildings is supposed to protect us.

One thing I DO know?   Is that the Grenfell Tower enquiry has highlighted the fact that — when it was refurbished a few years ago — the various works done affected this compartmentalisation: meaning the fire spread faster.

The blocks, here, haven’t been refurbished: they’s still relatively new.

But?

That was enough for me to contact my landlord: to see if the policy was to be reviewed.

I’ve not heard back.

Oh, I’ll contact my landlords.

And possibly the fire brigade.

But it is rather worrying … 

~≈§≈~

As is one final thing.

RIGHT now, the BBC are reporting a fire in a block of flats in Lewisham.

One that sounds like it could’ve been worse.

The report … 

Highlights the fact the alarms hadn’t gone off.

Don’t even get me started … 

We don’t have communal fire alarms …

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19-4-2018

19th April, 2018.

I’m very aware that regular reader, Olga, has already read this post.

And that her fellow regular, Debbi — along with her partner, Rick — will have seen the junction near me: and be aware of how narrow the road is.

It always bears mentioning, though.

For as long as I’ve lived on Rollason Way, I’ve been concerned about emergency vehicle access to my street.

I’m convinced the mix of the narrowness of the streets, and the amount of cars parked on it will delay fire engines, in particular.

And contribute to someone’s death.

Yesterday?

Someone made that worse … 

We have a building going up in Saint James Road.   Extra flats that will add more cars to the on street parking: along with the greater congestion.

Well … 

The workmen building that building?

Have narrowed the road, temporarily, in order to carry on the site.

Personally … ?

I couldn’t walk on that bit of pavement, before the cones went up: because of the number of parked cars.

I — temporarily — can’t walk on that pavement, because of the building site’s blocking of it.

I think a Vogon constructor fleet would be welcome: so long as it just demolished that site.

Because, frankly?

This will decrease emergency vehicle access.

That is good … 

~≈§≈~

Road Works …

 18th April, 2018

Yeah … 

 You’ll excuse the lack of a shirt, there, but I’ve just had a walk: just to get a bit of exercise.

And found that, just around the corner from where I live — on Rollason Way, in Brentwood — workmen building at the junction with Warley Hill … have closed off half the street.

Building a building that many in the area have long opposed, for a mix of reasons.

For some years, now?

I’ve been concerned that the various planning decisions in my area mean getting police cars down my street is hard.

Getting ambulances and small delivery vans down it, harder.

Getting a fire engine down the street?

Extremely hard, indeed.

I’m also very aware that this wee, one of my neighbour’s smoke detectors went off.

At least once a day, over the course of three days, as a result of smoke generated by frying bacon!

Fire engines were called out, each day, to deal with it.

This was before the workmen narrowed the street.

~≈§≈~

When It Snows …

10th December, 2017.

OK, we knew it was — possibly — coming.

Yep … 

Brentwood’s got snow!

I should know: I’ve just been out in it.

Frankly?

I’m not surprised things got cancelled … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 10-7-2017

Hmmm … 

You may or may not know it, but I’ve lived on my street for about a decade, now.

And, in all that time?   I’ve strongly believed that the layout and parking in the area make emergency vehicle access to the area.

I’ve also opposed further development in the area: believing this, too, will contribute to access problems.

For a long time, now?   The council’s given approval for further development in Saint James Road: just around the corner from my flat, here in Rollason way.   Again, that’s something I’ve opposed.

The development, and the land it’s on?   Was owned by Taylor Wimpey.

Who’ve done the ground work on the site, but no actual building work.

I think things will be changing.

As, when I went past, last night?

There was a (pictured) sign up: telling us the site was being sold off by an agency called Savills.

Speaking personally?

I’m not sure how I feel about that.

The fact we’ve actually had no building work done for the past few months was a small mercy: it meant no building work would block emergency vehicle access to the area.

The fact it’s now for sale?

I’m not sure about the implications of that.

I’m annoyed that the owners of the land hadn’t built there.   Granted I wanted nothing done there, believing it to be harmful to the area, but, once work had started?   Believe it should have been finished, and finished quickly.

The plot being sold?

Means more years of faffing about.

~≈ß≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 16-6-2017

I have to confess, I’ve a bee in my bonnet.

Mostly?

Because of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Frankly?   As you’ll know, if you’ve been following Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar for a while, I’ve been concerned about fire safety on my street — Rollason Way — for some time.

Specifically, with emergency vehicle access.

One thing I ALSO know?

I’ve written a letter to my local paper: and it sounds like they want to have a natter about it.

As part of that?

I thought I’d check my building: to at least double check that it had no fire exit.

It doesn’t.

Neither does Watson Court, over the road, nor Torville Court, next door.

Yes, I know there’s an exit at the back of Damon House.   I bloody well campaigned ’til it got put there!   It’s not — strictly — a fire exit: it’s there to give tenants access to their gas meters.

But in theory?   We could go out that way, if needed.

But there’s no equivalent in the two other buildings I looked at.

There’s also no fire extinguishers, or a communal sprinkler system, in the communal areas.

Whether there’s supposed to be?

Whether they’d help?  (And I have my doubts about sprinklers.)

I don’t know.

But, in the light of the flames from Grenville Tower?

The lack seems odd.

I know, this, though.

The door that allows I and my neighbours to access our gas meters was put in by the original builders: put in, and paid for, by Crest Nicholson.

I get the feeling any retro-fitting that needs doing?

Will generate an argument about who’s paying.

~≈Ê≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 15-6-2017

Twelve people are dead, who were alive, yesterday.

As you know … ?

Grenfell Tower, a hi-rise in North Kensington, burnt to death, yesterday.

Twelve of the residents are known to have died as a result.

Residents were either jumping from windows: or throwing babies out, in order to save them

And many more are either in hospital … or missing.

Yes, I think saying the Tower has burnt to death, is the correct way of putting it.   It’s a community that’s died, as much as any of the inhabitants.

There’s talk.

Apparently?

The cladding used to insulate the tower has, apparently, been link to other hi-rise fires.   Smoke and fire alarms were, reportedly, inaudible.   And, apparently, gas pipes weren’t boxed off, correctly.

Obviously, there’s multiple factors involved.

Personally?

I’d love to know how that started.   I can only hope it wasn’t deliberate … 

~≈®≈~

Equally as personally?

I’m wondering what would happen on my street, Rollason Way, should a fire start?

I couldn’t tell you.

I’m no expert on fire regulations, fire safety, what have you.

I do know I lived in a Housing Trust bedsit, many years ago.   Basically, a room in a four-bedroom flat: with a shared kitchen, bathroom, and living room.   Whilst it didn’t have fire extinguishers, it did have a fire blanket in the communal kitchen.   So if the chip pan went up, you could put it out.

I lived in a bedsitter on Ingrave Road: run by Brentwood Council.   You had a bed-sitting room, a kitchenette, and a bathroom: and had access to communal gardens, and a shared laundry room.

I don’t recall if we had a fire blanket in each flat: I think there were, but it was a while ago.   There were fire extinguishers in the corridors.

You could, in theory, grab one, and do something.

Here in my Housing Association flat?

I have no fire blanket provided by my landlord: although I don’t know if the current regulations support that.   

There are no fire extinguishers in the corridors: again, I don’t know if current regulations are for or against that.

There is, in my building?   A Certain amount of compartmentalisation: you can shut a door to stop a fire spreading.   But no clearly marked fire exits.   There are in other building in the area, built at the same time.   

That’s before you get to an issue I’ve brought up on this blog for years,

That the parking on Rollason Way means emergency vehicle access was incredibly difficult: when I moved in, ten years ago.   It hadn’t improved, a few years later.   It’s just as bad, now, if not worse: new flats going up will add more parked cars, and impede access further.

I hope a building on my street doesn’t burn to death.

It … 

Well … 

We residents will have problems.

~≈®≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 16-11-2016

You know, I’ve said it for years: that more building in the area will cause problems.

As you may or may not know?

There’s an area around the corner from my street: where developers have been granted planning permission to build extra flats.

Over the strong objections of residents.

Including myself.

Unfortunately?

The various objections have been ignored: and work is to go ahead.

The area has been boarded up.

And, as you can see?

That car, on the left, makes things difficult for pedestrians to get past.

It’s worse at night. when more cars are parked on the pavement.

On both sides of the street.

Going on my own experience?

Once those flats are completed, and people have moved in, congestion in the area will increase, significantly.

I don’t know where that will lead … 

But am still convinced that this will seriously impede emergency vehicle access to my area, and contribute to someone’s death.

~≈Ê≈~

The Daily Teaser — 10-12-2015

Lord knows what happened, there, then … !

Did I tell you that I get up, at night, to go to the loo?

Every-so-often, I get up at night …   

Yeah, you get my point.

I managed it, this morning.   And couldn’t help but notice the flashing emergency lights,

And wondering what that was.

The WEIRD bit … ?

I’ve just had a reporter from the Gazette get in touch with me.

LITERALLY.

It turns out that a fire broke out in an electrical cupboard, in Torville Court.

I’m thinking, right now, that things could’ve been a lot worse.

Especially if, as I’ve maintained for years, the parking around here gets any worse than it is … 

~≈∑≈~

The Daily Teaser — 4-12-2015: The Dandy

Right … 

I managed to picked up the Brentwood Gazette, yesterday: a day later than usual.

And … ?   It seems there’s more problems with any potential plans to build a cinema in town.

Apparently?

A supermarket that’s looking at taking out a tenancy on the site is kicking off about the lack — or excess — of parking!

On top of that … ?

The patch of ground around the corner from me — that I’ve always spoken against, as I feel further development would impede emergency vehicle access — has no had planning permissions given: for more flats.

The fact the flat opposite mine was raided by the police, last night … ?

Is practically incidental.

~≈¥≈~

The Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser — 25-11-2015: The Mousetrap

Right, hopefully, those photos show up!

I’ve got to confess to happily — and quickly — having meet Joe Sturdy: up at Café Nero, in case regular reader, Debbi Mack, remembers the place.

Mostly … ?

Well, mostly because there’s a few technical details I wanted to clear up, about the regular posts I do on the Gazette’s site.

Basically, I think the text clippings I do — something of a feature of OS X, ever since I first got a Mac — are causing a knock on problem.

But I ALSO wanted to show him the patch of ground in Saint James Road: one that developers have wanted to build on, ever since I moved in, in 2008.

The pictured ones.

I’ve objected for years: on the grounds that the overspill parking in Brunel House already causes problems getting from Warley Hill, TO Rollason Way.

As I feel the clip shows.

Hopefully … ?   That will get SOME form of attention.   Or cause an uproar, something like that … 

~≈Â≈~

The Daily Teaser — 19-11-2015: World Toilet Day

Hmmm … 

I rarely get involved in politics, these days.

It’s just why too explosive a subject.

But Radio’s Four’s Today programme has just interviewed David, Lord Blunket, former Labour Home Secretary.

Who’s sounded very dubious, about party leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

Who I, personally, think is possibly the only principled party leader, currently in Parliament.

But there you go!

Actually, while we’re on politics?

The sign in the lower picture is on the fence surround the un-developed patch of ground: the one I’ve always felt should have no further development — commercial or residential — built on it.

If you, like I would wish to object, feel free to do what I did.   Go to the listed pay on Brentwood Council’s site — http://www.brentwood.gov.uk/index.php?cid=47 — click on ‘View Applications,’ feed in the relevant reference number — 15/01084/FUL — then leave a comment‡: making sure to tick the ‘Send Me an Email’ box, so they send a confirming email.   Then you can forward that to planning@brentwood.gov.uk.

The more the merrier, frankly … !

~≈Â≈~

There Goes The Neighbourhood …

Did I ever tell you I live in Brentwood … ?   In Essex … ?

I live in Brentwood: in Essex.

So you know.

And, again, so you know, I live on a street called Rollason Way: named after local girl, and sports journalist, Helen Rollason.

The street’s some seven or eight years old, now: and a mix of socially housed tenants, like me, part-buy residents, and private residents.

For many years … ?

For many years, there’s been a patch of ground in Saint James Road that’s not been built on.

Effectively?   Waste ground.

I’ve always taken the view that it should maybe used as extra parking space for locals: there’s really not enough, around here.

OR be used as a small park.

Something like that.

I’ve ALSO felt that building more flats — or offices, shops, what-have-you — shouldn’t be built there.

More shops would add to any congestion in the area.

Offices, likewise.

As would more flats: which would also add to any parking problems.

I went by the patch of found, this afternoon.

To find these signs up.

Hmmm …

~≈∑≈~

The Friday Question Set — 5-6-2015

Right … That’s the bills paid …

And the online shopping done.

Now all I have to do is wait for the new internal drive to turn up: and I’m laughing!

Although I HOPE I’m in, when it does … !

The mailbox theft in the area is a touch worrying, there: as I’m sure anyone reading this week’s Brentwood Gazette will tell you.

Now I know some of the neighbours will complain about that story.

But agents for my landlords have been in the area, and tell me they’re getting quotes for communal postboxes.

Which is all good.

Until you realise how easy it is to break into my block of flats, WITHOUT a key.

I realise my landlords want to pay the lowest amount of money for the work done.

But mail will still get nicked!

~≈†≈~

The Daily Teaser — 13-5-2015

Well, that’s that done … !

Did I mention my letterbox?   A couple of days ago, I found that the lock on my letterbox had been forced open.

This, after letterbox thieves have been caught in the area.

I have to admit, my landlords, Circle South Anglia, moved rapidly on this.

But … ?   I’ve been worked in retail customer services for many years.

One thing I’ve learnt as a result?   Is that customers — we tenants and part-owners, in this case — usually like being told what’s happening.

Frankly?

I think I and the rest of of us affected by both the letterbox theft, identity theft, and cannabis use in our block, would appreciate regular updates on what’s happening.

~≈†≈~

The Daily Teaser — 12-5-2015

Bloody … Hell … !

I mentioned — only a couple of days ago — that we’d had a certain amount of letterbox theft in Rollason Way.

Indeed, had written a letter to my neighbours about it.

I have to admit, things are getting … serious … 

Last night, I talked with one of my neighbours: one who’s been targeted by identity fraudsters as a result — we both felt — of letterbox theft.

He’d received four unwanted credit cards as a result of action by fraudsters.

With a credit limit, between them, of some £9000.

After post had seemingly been lifted from the front letterbox.

At any rate, that would’ve been money my neighbour would be liable to repay: if the thieves had spent anything on it.

One other point, there?   The thieves that HAVE been spotted — and caught — were spotted wearing hi-visibility jackets and carrying parcels.   It’s a modern variation of an old trick.   Burglars will scout out an area, wearing a hi-vis jacket and carrying a clipboard: disguising their activities by pretending to be surveyors or workmen, carrying out initials checks of an area.

There’s something else, too.   Yesterday, I came home, and checked my letterbox, to see if there was anything in it.

There was nothing.    But … ?   But I found that the lock on the box’s inside hatch — the hatch that let’s us get our post out, after the postman’s put it in — was jamming.   I believe my postbox has been forced: and any post stolen.

Frankly?   With my credit history, any one trying to get a credit card in my name will have trouble doing so.   But that doesn’t mean someone won’t try.

I immediately reported this too the police.   Who were brutally honest, and told me that there was little they could do, as no-one had spotted it, nor was there any CCTV footage.

And to my landlords, responsible for repairs.

As you can imagine, I’m not exactly happy about the police response.   Unhappy … 

And thinking I’d like know what on EARTH my landlords plan to do about this.    I know it takes a while for a big organisation to move.

But we’re not exactly hearing anything from them … 

~≈Â≈~

The Daily Teaser — 10-5-2015

Hmmmm … 

Did I tell you that — occasionally — I’ll knock out a letter to all of my neighbours?

I knock out a letter to my neighbours, occasionally.

The most recent one?

Was about the amount of letterbox theft we’ve been getting, recently.

With a couple of neighbours suffering identity theft as a result.

That recent letter suggested that our landlords should move the external letterbox from outside the building: to either individual letterboxes, by/in each front door, OR to a similar bulk letterbox.   But INSIDE the building, so there’s less temptation for opportunistic theft

The letter’s had various shades of response: mostly positive and lots of nervousness.   But also saw a friend of one neighbour banging on my door, last night, under the impression I’d named her and blamed her for lord knows what.

Lord knows what brought THAT on … !

At ANY rate … ?   At any rate, I’ve suggested to my neighbours that those deeply affected go on the record: and let the Brentwood Gazette know how they feel.   AND what they feel is to blame.

I hope they do.   I, for one, know how helpful the paper can be.

~≈fi≈~

The Daily Teaser — 23-4-2015: UN English Language Day

You know, it’s amazing!

No, really!

I’m talking about the stabbing that took place in Rollason Way: my street, in other words.

You would not BELIEVE the amount of gossip it’s generated … !

Or possibly you would.

I DO know that at least one other neighbour — Olga, a couple of floors upstairs from me, and ALSO affected by The Gas Meter Situation —has gone on record to say how shocking the incident is.

She does have a point.

Although, personally … ?

Personally, I think it could have been worse.

We could have seen a fire, there, yesterday.

We could be talking about a death toll, rather than injuries.

~≈Ê≈~

The Daily Teaser — 22-4-2015

You know, I was going to start by telling you that it’s official.

Workmen have started work on building a fence around the rear of our block of flats: and will be paving the area, then putting in a door at the back of our building.

They tell me they’ll be finished by Thursday.

All good!

Until last night, when I was heading off to work.

I got curious about the fact a neighbour — over the road from me — was looking out of his window, towards the other end of Rollason Way: just before I went to work, last night.

It turns out someone got stabbed.   In Torville Court, a few doors down from where I live.

Turns out two people have been taken to Queens Hospital: at least one of whom is in a ‘serious, but stable’ condition.

It’s all go, ’round here, I know that … !

~≈†≈~