The contractor responsible for the unauthorised partial felling of a 500-year-old oak tree in north London has been identified as Ground Control, a landscaping firm with a turnover of £190m. The incident occurred a year ago in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, and was carried out for the Toby Carvery restaurant chain, owned by Mitchells & Butlers Retail (MBR).
The felling sparked public outrage and parliamentary questions. MBR claimed the work was necessary for safety due to disease, but experts, including a Forestry Commission investigator, found the tree was healthy. The Guardian obtained documents showing Ground Control agreed to remove the tree, citing a large split in a main branch.
Dr Ed Pyne of the Woodland Trust criticised the lack of transparency, demanding evidence of danger and the qualifications of Ground Control operatives. Russell Miller, an old tree specialist, noted the trunk shows no signs of splitting and questioned the necessity of removing the entire tree.
Enfield Council has initiated legal action to evict Toby Carvery after MBR refused to apologise or compensate for the damage. Sources claim Ground Control's grounds maintenance team, not its specialist arborists, led the work, raising further doubts about safety justifications.
Ground Control's CEO declined to comment due to ongoing legal proceedings. MBR is majority-owned by Enic, which has financial links to Tottenham Hotspur, though the club denies any connection to the felling.
