Carol Concert for Children with Special Needs at St Stephen's on Sunday

On Sunday 6th December St Stephen's Church on the Uxbridge Road is hosting a carol concert for children with special needs.  It's a very inclusive event; there is no need to book ahead and all are welcome. 

The event is part of the excellent community work done by St Stephen's; a church with a commendably broad and diverse congregation.  Full details of Sunday's event - which includes mulled wine and mice pies - are at the flyer below.

Meeting to Discuss TV Centre Development on Wednesday 2 December at 7pm

TV Centre - how it will look

Stanhope PLC, the developer who is re-developing TV Centre on Wood Lane, is organising a local neighbourhood meeting on Wednesday 2 December at 7pm. 

If you have questions about the future of this massive new development, which will change the face of our neighbourhood, or about nearby Hammersmith Park, then come along and make your voice heard.

For example, how do you feel about the massive skyscraper on screen left, which looks like it will replace the current car park structure on Wood Lane?

Will Heathrow Get a Third Runway? Protest on Friday 4th December at 10am outside Hammersmith & Fulham Town Hall

Don't let this be Shepherd's Bush. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

What will the Government decide? Will there be a third runway at Heathrow?

If you'd like to voice your opinion on this proposed blight on West London, join the protest on Friday 4th December at 10am outside Hammersmith & Fulham Town Hall.

An "Advan" with an entourage of cars will follow the likely new flight path created by a third runway, starting at the Town Hall in Hammersmith.  The Advan will carry the message "no ifs no buts" - the Prime Minister's promise not to permit a third runway.

What's (Not) Happening to Hammersmith Park? - Find Out on Monday 23 November at 7pm

Hammersmith Park

In September we reported that there was good news for Hammersmith Park, but expressed some skepticism that the proposed works would begin on October 5th, as promised by the Council.  Sadly our pessimistic view has proved right, and nothing much seems to be happening to get the project underway - no construction work has yet started.  Anyone who has an interest in the future of Hammersmith Park should attend the Community Advisory Board meeting on Monday Monday 23 November at 7pm.

Calling all Voters - Register to Vote By Friday!

Hammersmith Constituency on left

This Friday 20 November is an important deadline for voter registration. The electoral roll as it stands on 1 December 2015 will determine the size and shape of the new revised boundaries of our local constituency of Hammersmith.

Our government is reducing the total number of MPs and changing the boundaries of local constituencies, basing the size of the new revised constituencies on how many people are registered to vote. The new system is called Individual Electoral Registration (IER).

If voters in our Borough don't register, then the size of our local constituency will likely be reduced.  It all sounds a bit complicated - and does it all really matter?

Westfield Sparkles This Christmas, But No Street Decorations For Shepherd's Bush Again This Year

Westfield Christmas Lights

Love it or hate it, the Westfield shopping centre knows how to put on a good show. Their Christmas lights are impressive, their Shrek-themed Santa's grotto will surely pull in thousands of wide-eyed children, and they also host an ice rink and a Christmas Choir Competition.  But the sparkle at Westfield just underscores how dowdy the shopping streets in Shepherd's Bush have become by comparison.  Where are the lights and decorations on the streets of Shepherd's Bush, and why can't our Council put up a few sprigs of mistletoe?

Shepherd's Bush Likely To Become a 20mph Zone on Most Roads

30mph no more?

LBH&F began a consultation in June with local residents on plans for a 20mph speed limit throughout our borough.  The results are now in, and the answer, according to the Council, is a resounding yes, with a "staggering" 71% voting for a reduced speed limit on "most roads".

Our council originally proposed the lower borough-wide speed limit to "reduce the number of deaths and injuries on our roads, while improving the health of local communities and reducing delays".

Not everyone however is happy. A quick glance at the comments section of the story suggests that this is a very controversial move, with many residents strongly opposed. And the numbers are, frankly, a bit confusing.

Council Says Weekly Bin Collections Will Continue

Fly tipping in Shepherd's Bush

LBH&F have contacted The Bush Telegraph to say that Monday's story about rubbish collection being reduced to just once a week in our neighbourhood is just that - rubbish - and that there was never any intention to cut the service.  To read the full story, see this post from the Council.

In any event, the consultation on the subject is now closed, so that seems to be an end to it, for now at least.

Still, we would like to know more about the Council's plans to crack down on littering and fly-tipping. Anyone walking across Shepherd's Bush Green in the morning is greeted by a sea of detritus. Given the Council's enthusiasm for cracking down on parking offences, why not hand out a few tickets for littering as well?

Rubbish Collection: Should It Be Fortnightly? Have Your Say, But Hurry, Consultation Closes On November 12th

Fly-tipping in Shepherd's Bush

Our local Council is having a public - but not widely publicised- consultation on a new proposal to change our weekly rubbish collections to once a fortnight.  It's been a well-kept secret, and the deadline is 12 November - just three days away.

What do you think? If you live in a big house with large bins you may have plenty of space to store rubbish, but what if you live in a small flat where storage is a real problem? 

Surely weekly bin collections are the least we can expect our council to give us in return for the taxes we pay?

Humans of Shepherd's Bush - No7

I decided I would be a nurse at a very young age. My brother was killed in the [Second World] war, and my father was badly wounded at the Battle of the Somme.  My husband Selwyn, worked on the Arctic convoys during the Second World War, making the crossing eight times.

After the war, I became a midwife, working at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital when it was based in Goldhawk Road, Hammersmith.

I first sold poppies in 1921 when I was just six years old, on Twickenham Bridge with my mother.  I will go on as long as I can.  I’ll be 101 in January.  I do it because I’m able to do it. Someone has got to do it, why not me? I’m perfectly capable as long as I can sit. 

Fireworks!

Where can you see fireworks on Bonfire Night? Bishop's Park is hosting a fireworks display on Friday 6th November, and Ravenscourt Park is having fireworks on Saturday 7th November.  Both events are family-friendly, including children's fireworks at 7.15pm, and also "food, funfairs" and music. Tickets cost £6 in advance or £8 on the day.  To buy tickets, go to www.lyric.co.uk or call 020 8741 6850.

Will The Goldhawk Tavern Re-Open?

Goldhawk Tavern, Goldhawk Road. Photo: Google Maps

Recently a reader contacted us to ask "I'm wondering if you had any information on the Goldhawk Tavern which is still derelict after many years. It's a shame because this used to be one of my favourite pubs in the area." Sadly, we don't know the answer to this.  What is clear however is that pub closures are a sad feature of our times.  The streets of West London are full of ex-pubs - now converted into houses, nail bars, business premises, in short - anything but a pub.  The only ones that seem to survive are those on busy high streets that have effectively become restaurants.  So, is there hope then for the Goldhawk Tavern?