Enfield Council has started forfeiture proceedings against Mitchells & Butlers following the company’s partial felling of an ancient oak tree.
The council had issued an emergency preservation order last April to protect the remains of the Whitewebbs Oak after it had been partially felled without the local authority’s consent.
Mitchells & Butlers, the company that owns the Toby Carvery at Whitewebbs Park, had ordered the tree to be axed due to an assessment that revealed its dead wood presented health and safety hazards.
The council has since served a Section 146 notice on Mitchells & Butlers, which warns that the company has breached its lease and requires the tenant to remedy the breach.
However, the local authority has confirmed that the Mitchells & Butlers had ‘failed to engage meaningfully with the council or to make reparations’ for the incident, with the council having now begun forfeiture proceedings.
Cllr Tim Leaver, deputy leader of Enfield Council, said: ‘The destruction of the ancient Whitewebbs Oak was a reckless act which caused huge damage to the tree and cut its expected lifespan. It shocked and angered our entire community.’
The local authority has also requested that Mitchells & Butlers provides a public apology, as well as compensating the council for the costs it has encountered and delivering financial reparations ‘for the irreversible damage they have caused’.
Cllr Leaver added: ‘The people of Enfield deserve accountability. This case is about upholding our duty to protect our environment and our shared heritage.’
A spokesperson for Toby Carvery, said: ‘There will be no further comment due to ongoing legal proceedings.’
