Toby Carvery owners admit to felling centuries-old tree

A centuries-old oak tree that has more ecological value than the Sycamore Gap” has been cut down by the owners of a nearby Toby Carvery.

- JABED AHMED

Reports were made to Enfield Council in London earlier this month over the felling of an ancient oak tree in Whitewebbs Wood, a woodland in the north of the capital, with locals having decried the incident as “devastating”.

The tree, which was thought to be in the top 100 of London’s 600,000 oak trees in terms of its size, sat on land owned by the council that was leased to Mitchell and Butlers, the hospitality group that operates the Whitewebbs House Toby Carvery in the park.

A spokesperson for Mitchell and Butlers said the tree was cut down after the company was advised by arboriculture experts that it caused a “serious health and safety risk”.

“This was an essential action to protect our employees and guests, to whom we have a duty of care,” the spokesperson said. “We took every necessary measure to ensure all legal requirements were met,” they said.

“We are grateful to our expert contractors for warning us of this hazard so swiftly, allowing us to act before anyone was harmed."