Toby Carvery boss apologises after centuries-old tree felled outside one of its restaurants

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The chief executive of Toby Carvery has apologised for “all the upset that it has caused” after it felled a 400-year-old oak tree outside one of its restaurants.

The tree, in Whitewebbs Park, north London, on the border of a restaurant car park, had its branches cut off on 3 April after the company’s owner, Mitchells & Butlers, said specialists had advised that it was “a potential health and safety risk”.

However, an Enfield Council boss claimed its own team of experts had checked the tree in December and found it was “healthy and posed no risk to the neighbouring car park and its users”.

The remains of the trunk, surrounded by its severed branches, were discovered by council workers on 3 April.

Now, Mitchells & Butlers chief executive Phil Urban has written to residents saying the company had “acted in good faith” when it greenlit the work.

He said: “Clearly the felling of a beautiful old tree is a very emotive subject and is not something that any of us would undertake lightly.

“I can only apologise for all the upset that it has caused.”

Mr Urban claimed penalties for failing to “act on all health & safety issues” were “too great to contemplate”, which is why the company’s internal processes allowed work like the tree-felling to be “fast-tracked”.

He added that the company accepted it needed to “tighten our protocols” to prevent a repeat of the events in Enfield.

“We cannot undo what has been done,” he said. “On a personal level, I am very sorry for all the anger and upset that this incident has caused.”

Enfield Council previously reported the incident to the Metropolitan Police and said it was treating it as criminal damage.

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Ergin Erbil, leader of the council, said on Wednesday: “I am outraged that the leaseholder has cut down this beautiful, ancient, oak tree without seeking any permissions or advice from Enfield Council.

“This tree would have been home to countless wildlife, fungi and pollinators. This tree is a part of our ecological and cultural heritage.”