An ancient oak tree that was chopped down by the owners of Toby Carvery last year was alive at the time of its felling, an investigation by the Forestry Commission has revealed.
The tree, known as the Whitewebbs Oak, grew on land owned by the council, which was leased to the pub company Mitchells & Butlers, who operate the nearby Whitewebbs House Toby Carvery.
The oak was cut down after an arboreal consultant employed by M&B said that it was dead, The Times reported.
An investigation carried out by the Forestry Commission at the end of 2025 has now confirmed “green shoots” coming out of the tree, meaning the tree was, and still is, alive.
Ed Pyne, senior conservation adviser at the Woodland Trust, told The Times that finding out that the tree was alive at the time of its felling felt “inevitable”.
He said: “I visited the tree in the aftermath, and there was absolutely no doubt in my mind the tree was very much alive,
“There were still green shoots and healthy buds and, in fact, just before the felling, VET-cert [certified veteran tree] consultants found the tree was in good health with a full crown.
“It’s tragic that under ‘lopping and topping’ exceptions an irreplaceable tree was mutilated, because lopping and topping is outdated and no longer considered an appropriate management technique for trees.”
Pyne shockingly revealed that the tree had lived through the time of the Gunpowder Plot 400 years ago.
The local Enfield council started eviction proceedings against M&B through a Section 146 order, which is being challenged by the company.
A court has not yet been established, but it not take place before this December.
Tim Leaver, the deputy leader of Enfield council, said the company had “failed to engage meaningfully with the council or to make reparations”.
He asked Mitchells & Butlers to issue a public apology and provide financial reparations for the “irreversible damage” and council costs incurred.
The commission concluded that a lengthy investigation found “no breaches” of relevant legislation.
The tree was not protected by a preservation order, and the work fit a “lop and top” exemption under other legislation.
A spokesperson for Toby Carvery said: “We are unable to comment due to ongoing legal proceedings.”
