With all ‘out and about’ activities suspended because of the Coronavirus Pandemic, here is a wonderful chance for one lucky RTS member to own a unique wooden table 'The Silver River' featuring the River Thames in silver leaf and for all those who buy tickets to help an important River Thames charity.
About the table
Mike Orme has carved the river from source to sea in this beautiful table of Sheesham wood, illuminated in silver leaf, 1400 mm long, 465 mm wide and 455 mm high.
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Chairman: Hilary Pereira
020 8892 5086
Hon Secretary: Pat Speight
020 8948 0643
The Upper Tideway branch has a limited social programme of talks, walks and picnics, some together with other local groups.
We have a presence at various annual events, such as Tidefest, the Great River Race and Richmond Fair. With other local groups, we engage with the Thames Landscape Strategy, supporting and enhancing on our special local Arcadia.
We have an interest in planning matters, trying to preserve what is best about the river, and are ever watchful for applications, including any new non-mobile houseboats, that appear to encroach on precious river space.
The river authority for us is the Port of London Authority We responded last year to their proposals for changing the legislation under which they operate, but have yet to hear how they propose to proceed.
We are a small branch in terms of the length of the river we cover, but hope we punch above our weight, for example in relation to policy matters.
Current Activities - Branch Update (September 2026)
Our picnic on Saturday 22nd August at Buccleugh Gardens in Richmond was its usual success. Ahead, we have the Great River Race on the 12th September: the RTS will be at Ham at 3.30pm in time for the first finishers.
Future branch events are (1) a presentation by Dick Mayon-White on walks by the Thames and its tributaries on the 27th October and (2) our Xmas drinks on the 9th December at the Rose of York.
The biggest recent issue for the local river has been the continuing drought, with so little water coming over Teddington Weir the section by Richmond has been almost stagnant when the half-tidal barrier is down. The Mogden outflow is providing an uncomfortably high proportion of the flow through Syon. The heat wave meant the cancelling or abatement of several riverside events, like the relay in June celebrating the Thames Path. The swim from Kew to Putney on the 6th September was a success in spite of low flows.
The fishing contest at Tidefest on 6th September recorded record hauls, so river health is proving resilient.
The local committee has continued to be active in advocating for the river. A note of the annual stakeholders meeting with the PLA in June has been posted on the RTS website.
We have also been engaged with (a) the towpath group that has particular interests in the sections from Wandsworth to Kew, (b) the Community Advisory Group of the Thames Landscape Strategy, and (c) the steering group that is arguing for a Heritage Harbour at Watermans Park in Brentford. The PLA officer leading their masterplan process has been shown round Eel Pie Island and taken by boat from Teddington to Richmond. The masterplans for both Hounslow and Richmond – done jointly with the riparian Boroughs - should be out for consultation later this year: we expect to give detailed comments then. Brentford Walks tells us that Hounslow Council have determined in their favour to confirm a public right of way around Brentford Dock Estate, including the riverside: a move we had supported in spite of contrary comments from members who lived in the Estate. We are currently engaging with Richmond Council and the PLA over the unsightly build-up of a cruiser into a non-mobile ‘houseboat’ on the ‘Middleton’ moorings on the Twickenham bank near Richmond. There may be little we can do here.
At long last we have reports from the planning inspector on the River Thames Visitor Centre (RTVC) not far upstream from Richmond Bridge. This enterprise has consistently failed to deliver on and be limited by its planning approval: the RTS has supported the local authority planners throughout. For now, the collection of unsightly moored structures remains in situ, on a special riverside site close to Richmond Bridge. The next steps are unclear.
Hilary Pereira
Branch Chairman
