Toby Carvery has settled a legal dispute over the unauthorized felling of a 500-year-old oak tree by agreeing to fund the restoration of an orchard and plant 1,000 new trees in Enfield. The restaurant chain also agreed to pay for the treatment of the damaged oak and the council's legal costs.
This settlement resolves a high-profile dispute over environmental damage and corporate responsibility, highlighting the consequences of unauthorized actions affecting protected natural assets and the complexities of balancing development with conservation.
The restaurant chain Toby Carvery has reached a settlement with Enfield council following the unauthorized felling of a 500-year-old oak tree in April last year. The incident, which occurred next to a Toby Carvery car park in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, caused widespread public outrage and led to parliamentary questions.
Mitchells & Butler Retail (M&B), the operator of Toby Carvery, announced the settlement on Wednesday. The agreement includes paying for the restoration of a lost orchard in Enfield's Ridgeway corridor and the council's legal costs. M&B will also fund the planting of 1,000 new trees and cover the treatment costs for the damaged oak, which experts believe has little chance of survival.
Enfield council had initiated eviction proceedings against the restaurant chain, citing the felling as a "reckless act" that caused significant damage. M&B has maintained that the chainsawing was necessary for safety reasons, as the tree was reportedly dying. However, this claim has been disputed by tree experts.
The agreed statement acknowledged that M&B acted on the recommendation of "reputable, professional advisers" to mitigate health and safety risks. The settlement aims to re-establish a publicly accessible community orchard, restore landscape character and biodiversity, and provide locally grown fruit.
Last year, the Metropolitan police declined to investigate the felling, deeming it a civil matter. Tottenham Hotspur, which has financial links to M&B's majority owner Enic and plans for a women's football training academy on adjacent land, has denied any connection between the felling and their development plans. A campaign group, Guardian of Whitewebbs, has expressed disappointment with the settlement, questioning the council's reliance on the tree risk narrative.