Five New Year's Resolutions for Shepherd's Bush

Few of us wouldn't benefit from a few improvements, and Shepherd's Bush is no exception. We live in a busy, vibrant community which is - let's face it - a bit rough around the edges.

What would make our neighbourhood a better place to live in 2019? Below are four suggestions for ways to make life in the Bush just a little bit better.

Macfarlane Road Residents' Association Meets 29 Jan 2019

Mark your calendars - the Macfarlane Road Residents' Association is meeting up again on 29 January.

What is the Macfarlane Rd Residents's Assocation? It's a local residents' group that gathers quarterly in Shepherd's Bush to try and improve our local neighbourhood. Our next meeting is on 29 January, so if you're a local and you'd like to get involved, come along and have your say.

Central Line Strike on Friday

Central Line is on strike again on Friday

Fancy some last-minute Christmas shopping in Central London this weekend? Don't bank on it.

Tube drivers on the Central Line are on strike again, from 9pm on Friday, December 21, and continuing into Saturday until Midnight.

St Stephen's Needs Your Help This Christmas

St Stephen's Newsletter Sunday 16 December 

St Stephen's church on the Uxbridge Road is looking for volunteers to help out this Christmas.

In particular, the church is looking for volunteers on monday at 11am to help out with a Christmas lunch for the elderly, and later at 5pm, for a Christmas dinner for rough sleepers.

No Christmas Lights Again for Shepherd's Bush

Christmas Lights at Westfield

Uncle Scrooge would be proud of our local Council, who once again have failed to find any money to put up Christmas decorations on Shepherd's Bush Green.

Every year, Westfield puts on a sparkling display to pull in the crowds.

Engine Idling is Now Illegal in Shepherd's Bush

One of the many gripes that comes up at residents' meetings in our neighbourhood is cars and lorries running their engines while they are parked, belching pollution into the air while their vehicle is stationary.

Recently, our Council has followed the example of Westminster, and have found a way to issue fines for drivers who run their engines while sitting motionless in the street. 

So, good news then for anyone who likes breathing clean air.

Council to Spend £350,000 on Shepherd's Bush Green

Waterlogging on Shepherd's Bush Green in 2016

According to an article in MyLondon (formerly GetWestLondon) in November,  Shepherd's Bush Green is to get a £350,000 makeover to solve the problem of waterlogging on the Green.

Waterlogging is definitely a problem, and a number of people have mentioned this over the years, that - especially in winter - the Green can get badly waterlogged.

Candelit Carols at St Stephen's on Sunday

On Sunday 9th December St Stephen's Church on the Uxbridge Road is hosting a candle-lit carol service.  It's a very informal 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 broad and diverse congregation, welcoming people from all parts of our neighbourhood.

The service starts at 5pm. After the service there will be mulled wine and mince pies.

London’s "Busiest Foodbank" Needs Donations

According to our Council, our local food bank, the Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank, is officially London’s busiest. Which, of course, isn't really something to be proud of.

Worse news is that the Foodbank urgently needs  help to meet the increasing demand from local people in need.

Over the last two years, the number of families fed by the Foodbank has apparently more than doubled, and "supplies of essential items are running low".

St Stephen's Christmas Fair Saturday 15 December

St Stephen's School on the Uxbridge Rd is hosting a Christmas Fair on Saturday 15 December from Noon until 4pm.

St Stephen's is an excellent local school, rated by the Sunday Times in 2017 as the fifth best primary school in the UK. Parents fight to get their children in, and one of the best things about the school is the energetic fund-raising carried out by FOSS - the Friends of St Stephen's.

The St Stephen's Christmas Fair is always busy and always popular, with, as you'd expect, tons of stuff for children and families. Donkey rides are rumoured for this year, along with all the traditional seasonal festivities.

DIMCO Applies for 7 Day Entertainment License Until 1am

DIMCO Buildings - an entertainment venue?

The DIMCO Buildings, The Grade II listed former bus shelter which lies (slightly incongruously) at the heart of the Westfield shopping centre, have applied for an entertainment license from our council.

If you would like to comment on the application, you can do so at the official site. Once you register a view, you will be notified of the time and date of the hearing and, if you feel strongly, you can attend the hearing and offer your views.

Albertine "Best Place to Drink" at LBHF Business Awards

Allegra McEvedy and her "Albertine" team

Our local Shepherd's Bush wine bar, The Albertine, recently won the "Best Place to Drink" at our Council's Business Awards.

We've long been fans of the Albertine, owned and run by celebrity chef Allegra McEvedy, who bought the Albertine a few years back, resurrecting an old family story in the process: the wine bar was originally founded by her Mum, back in the 1970s.

Today, the Albertine isn't just a great boozer, it has lovely food as well. Congratulations to Allegra and her team on a well-deserved win.

Council Threatens the Shepherd's Bush Blog

Hammersmith Bridge - overdue repairs

This morning brought a little excitement to my inbox, being threatened by our Council for - according to them - getting Monday's story about Hammersmith Bridge wrong.

Russell Butt, a "Communications Officer" at LBHF, complained that my story is wrong, and that LBHF, far from postponing repairs to the bridge, is "actively trying to drive the works forward and keep costs to a minimum, so to imply the council has deliberately slowed them down is wholly inaccurate".

Hammersmith & Fulham Historic Buildings Group AGM 29 Nov

Hammersmith and Fulham Historic Buildings Group are having their annual AGM at the refurbished Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, on Thursday 29th November.  Drinks at 6.30pm, and the meeting starts at 7pm. Anyone who is interested in the history of our neighbourhood - and its preservation - is welcome to come along and get involved. The historic fabric of our neighbourhood is under constant threat - last year we lost the lovely Art Deco Cineworld in Hammersmith - replaced by a big hole in the ground after our local Council killed the development, without any apparent plan for what might replace it.

Hammersmith Bridge Repairs Delayed Yet Again

Hammersmith Bridge

Hammersmith Bridge Repairs are to be delayed again, as our Council kicks the long-postponed repairs into the long grass.

And, as anyone who has ever postponed repairs to a leaky roof knows, the cost of the proposed works keeps on rising, as do the costs of continuing to patch up the problem.

Papers presented to the council's leadership on November 5 showed that the provisional price-tag has risen to £36m from the 2014 estimate of £25m.

Kite Studios Winter Event: 24th of November

Kite Studios Winter Fair

Kite Studios are having their annual Winter event on the 24th of November.

The event aims to raise money for the Kite Studios' sponsorship fund, which goes towards providing subsidised art and craft classes for children and also towards community art projects. 

The event runs from 2pm until 10pm at Kute Studios at 2B Bassein Park Road, just off the Askew Road. 

Included are all sorts of craft workshops, as well as handmade gifts for sale, and food and drinks.

You can buy tickets in advance at www.kitestudios.org or just turn up on the day.

The Shepherd's Bush Blog offers a personal view on life in Shepherd's Bush. If you would like to contribute a story about our neighbourhood, email us at shepherdsbushblog@gmail.com

Free Bicycle Marking Today at Shepherd's Bush Green

Free Cycle Marking today from 4pm

Today at Shepherd's Bush Green from 4pm to 6.30pm our local police are marking bicycles - for free.

What happens is they bind a non-removable marker to your bike and add it to a national register.

If it gets stolen, your bike can (in theory at least) be much more easily returned to you. Plus, anyone thinking of stealing your bike might think twice if it's registered.

Tube Strike Wednesday 7 November

Central Line is on strike on Friday

London Underground station staff on both the Central Line and the Piccadilly Line are to go on strike on Wednesday 7 November.

The planned Piccadilly Line strike will be a little later on the same day, starting in the afternoon.

Fireworks on Friday 2 Nov and Sat 3 Nov

Fireworks on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd November

Our Council is hosting a fireworks display in early November, not to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night, but to "bring the love to our popular fireworks displays in Hammersmith & Fulham this year".

The evening is branded as "H&F Loves Fireworks".

Poor old Guy Fawkes is getting gradually edited out of our national traditions. But then, perhaps it's not so surprising that an annual event to celebrate the burning of Catholic bomb plotters may, after a good long run, finally have had its day.

Dinner & Auction at St Stephen's Thurs 22 November

On Thursday 22nd November St Stephen's Church on the Uxbridge Rd is hosting a dinner and auction in aid of the Roof Fund.

Tickets for dinner are £20 each, and includes a Middle Eastern buffet.

St Stephen's is hosting the dinner to raise money for the decaying Victorian roof, which is in need of replacement - to find out more, see the official site here.

Your Chance to Vote on Hammersmith Park Playground

Hammersmith Park Playground is getting a makeover, and our Council has decided to let the public decide which design should win. 

Now is your chance to vote. Follow this this link to the official LBHF site, and have your say.

There are three designs to choose from, which you can see at the official site and also below.

Macfarlane Rd Residents' Association Meeting October 28

The Macfarlane Road Residents' Association is a local residents' group that gathers quarterly in Shepherd's Bush to try and improve our local neighbourhood.

Their next meeting is on October 28, so if you're a local and you'd like to get involved, come along and have your say.

Tube Strike on the Central Line on Friday

Central Line is on strike on Friday

London Underground station staff on the Central Line are to go on strike on Friday.

The strike is scheduled to start just after midnight, lasting 24 hours.

To see the full story, read the Evening Standard report.

Gunnersbury Park Restoration

The 18th Century "Large Mansion" at Gunnersbury Park

Ealing and Hounslow Councils have been working for many years, using funds awarded by the National Lottery, to restore the old Rothschild mansion and its extensive grounds at Gunnersbury Park.

The mid-18th Century "Large Mansion" and its park were sold to the public at a bargain price by the Rothschild family in 1926.

Since then however, the buildings had fallen into disrepair.

"Pick and Save" License Review on November 7

Pick and Save

Local Police are seeking a review of the alcohol license for Pick and Save, the off-license at 29 Goldhawk Road.  At a Ward Panel Meeting in Shepherd's Bush last night, licensing officers explained that Pick and Save "are not co-operating with the police" in helping to prevent late-night street drinking.

Street drinkers tend to load up on single cans of high strength beer. To discourage this, police try to get local off-licenses to limit or even refuse these sorts of sales.

Licensing is a subject on which local people can make a difference. Anyone who wants to comment at the official LBHF site can do so, and you can also make your voice heard at the hearing itself.

To see the official page for this Licensing review at the LBHF website, follow this link.

Community Car Boot Sale on 14th October

Fancy getting rid of your old stuff? Or buying more? The Edward Woods Community Centre is hosting a Car Boot Sale on Saturday 14th October from 10am until 2pm.

The event, which takes place at the Edward Woods Community Centre, at 60-70 Norland Road, W11 4TX, includes free face painting for children, as well as coffee and food stalls.

If you have stuff to sell (which of us doesn't need a good clear-out?), you can take a stall yourself for just £5.

Admission is free. To take a stall, call Jacquie Boyce on 020 7603 2324 or email ewccinfo@upg.org.uk

Hammersmith Park Goes Japanese

Stone Lanterns lining the northern entrance to Hammersmith Park

The Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park has been significantly expanded, following works carried out by the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, in association with the Friends of the Japanese Garden. A number of Japanese stone lanterns now line the Northern entrance to the park, and an ornamental gate has been installed. The project was financed by Japanese businesses and by the Japanese Embassy.

RIP Old Laundry Yard?

The Old Laundry Yard at Lunchtime a week ago

The Old Laundry Yard at Shepherd's Bush Market, launched in the spring of 2018, seems to have given up the struggle.

It's a real shame, as it was a potentially promising space for outdoor eating, but it seems not to have found an audience.

Friends of Hammersmith Park Meets 18th Sept

Hammersmith Park

Tuesday 18th September is the quarterly meeting of the Friends of Hammersmith Park.

Hammersmith Park (note: not in Hammersmith) is a small scrap of green space in a very urban part of our Borough, and could use a bit of help and support.

How to Stop Fly Tipping

You might think that the last thing a "no fly tipping" sign would stop is fly tipping. But it turns out that you'd be wrong.

The corner of Hopgood St and Macfarlane Rd in Shepherd's Bush has been plagued with fly tipping for years (see photo below), even after CCTV was installed in 2017.

The camera, put in place after long consultation with the Council and the Police, didn't make much difference - perhaps because would-be fly tippers didn't know CCTV was there.

Boundary Commission: Shepherds Bush To Join Willesden

Willesden and Shepherd's Bush

The Boundary Commission has made its decision and, assuming that Parliament votes in favour, the Parliamentary constituency of Hammersmith, born in 2010, is dead.

Long live the parliamentary constituency of Hammersmith and Fulham, abolished in 2010 and now to be re-incarnated.

What about Shepherd's Bush? It turns out we're to be hived off of the rest of the Borough and joined up with Willesden, in a new constituency named Willesden and Shepherd’s Bush.

Whatever Happened to Ginglik?

Whatever Happened to Ginglik, the Edwardian loo-turned-nightclub that closed a few years back?

Today you can still half-see the sign, as the former venue gently rots and adds to the general pervasive dilapidation of Shepherd's Bush.

According to an article in the Evening Standard back in 2008, the site is owned by our Council, who were unable to afford repairs to the premises, which therefore had to be closed, and "filled in with concrete".

Brook Green Day 15th September

Mark your calendars - Saturday 15th September is Brook Green Day, and for one day only Brook Green will be transformed into a giant funfair (see flyer to left), from noon until 6pm.

It's an annual event, organised by the highly efficient Friends of Brook Green, who we all have to thank for the excellent playground (top swings, and a brilliant slide); one of the best in West London.

I took my children to the same event last year and it was a great day - big, boisterous and full of families.

Consultation on Future of West12 Centre

West12 Centre in 2006

West12 Centre, the old-school shopping mall on the south side of Shepherd's Bush Green, is pondering its future, and wants your input.

Entering the West12 Centre can sometimes feel like stepping back into a 1970s time warp, so it is not surprising that the owners are considering their next move.

Retailers all across the country are facing increasing online competition, and even successful modern brands like Westfield are becoming more focused on experiences rather than just shopping.

Table Sale at St Stephen's Sunday 9 September

St Stephen's Uxbridge Rd

On Sunday 9 September St Stephen's Church on the Uxbridge Road is hosting a Table Sale after church.

The Table Sale involves a sale of books, DVDs, general bric-a-brac, household items, cosmetics, children’s toys, cakes, jam, handmade items and clothes.

St Stephen's is looking for donations and also for volunteers to help set things up from 3pm onwards on Saturday 8 September.

The proceeds of the sale are being donated to the St Stephen's Roof Fund, which is raising money to replace the decaying Victorian roof.

Got any stuff you'd like to donate? Or perhaps you'd like to come and help on the day? All donations and volunteers are welcome.

Hammersmith Society Awards 2018

Queen's Wharf building - award winner

The Hammersmith Society, guardians of good architecture in our neighbourhood, recently announced the 2018 winners of its annual awards.

There were two Main Awards given in 2018, for the Queen’s Wharf (see photo left) and Riverside Walk, Hammersmith, W6.

And, of course, there were wooden spoons for the new buildings which make our neighbourhood worse, not better.

Japanese Party Re-Scheduled for Friday 3 & Sat 4 August

The opening celebrations for Hammersmith Park's new expanded Japanese Garden has been re-scheduled to take place over two days,  Friday 3rd August and Saturday 4th August.

The official Opening Ceremony will be held on friday at 4.30pm, with a reception at 5pm,

The Japanese Party, with lots of activities for families and children, is to take place on Saturday from 12.30pm until 6pm.

Visitors will have the chance to make origami, do a calligraphy workshop, listen to Japanese music, or try some noodle soup.

The event is being held to celebrate recent improvement works: the installation of new Japanese-style gates and rows of stone lanterns in the Japanese Garden.

Family Cricket Match on 15th September

Cricket at Chiswick House

St Stephen’s Church and St Stephen's School will be battling it out on the cricket pitch on Saturday 15th September at a charity fund-raiser to be held at Chiswick House.

The event is being held in aid of the St Stephen's Roof Fund, which is seeking to raise £200,000 to fix the Victorian roof, now leaking and badly in need of replacement.

Families and children are welcome, and you are also welcome to bring a picnic.

Shepherd's Bush Green is Still a Mess

Shepherd's Bush Green yesterday morning

Two years after we first started started posting about the sorry state of Shepherd's Bush Green, and the failure of our Council to do anything about the enforcement of laws against litter, things are as bad as ever.

Walk across Shepherd's Bush Green in the morning and you will see piles of fast food, empty bottles and cans, and a depressing picture of destitute humanity, for many of whom the serious drinking begins at 8am.

The worst of it is that there doesn't seem to be any attempt by our Council to enforce the laws against dropping litter.

Japanese Garden Party Sun 29 July Postponed

Hammersmith Park

Hammersmith Park was to play host to a Japanese Garden Party on Sunday 29th July, from 12.30pm onwards, but the event has had to be postponed due to bad weather forecast. 

Visitors were to have the chance to make origami, do a calligraphy workshop, listen to Japanese music, or try some noodle soup.

The event - which will be re-scheduled - is being held to celebrate recent improvement works: the installation of new Japanese-style gates and rows of stone lanterns in the Japanese Garden. The party was to take place on Sunday 29 July, from 12.30pm.

Hammersmith Park Needs Friends

Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park

Hammersmith Park is a small but precious scrap of green space in a very urban part of our borough. 

Located in White City, next to the former BBC TV centre, it has been the subject of some local controversy in recent years.

The 2015 plans to install a series of football pitches run by Play Football, was a big concern for many local residents, especially the lack of consultation with residents' groups. 

More recently, a proposed expansion of the Japanese Garden has ruffled a number of feathers. We asked John Gordon-Smith, Chair of the Friends of The Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park, to explain what is being planned. 

LBHF Demolishes Climbing Frames in Hammersmith Park

Climbing Frame - demolished in March

Local parents who take their children to play in Hammersmith Park will be aware that both of the toddler climbing frames were removed in February and March of this year.

Four months later our children have nowhere to play, and our Council still have no concrete plans on what to put in their place. 

LBHF say that the climbing frames were dangerous, and had to be removed immediately.

Chicago Grill at 63 Uxbridge Rd Seeks 24 Hour License

Chicago Grill - 24 hour license?

Chicago Grill, a new chicken shop at 63 Uxbridge Rd a seeking a 24 Hour License.  Hardly news, you might think, but local residents have been fighting for some years to reduce the amount of late-night crime and disorder in our neighbourhood, which used to focus around the Walkabout pub and various 24 hour fast food restaurants and bars.

It's also worth knowing about the Shepherd's Bush Saturation Zone.  Most residents of Shepherd's Bush have probably never heard of it, or have the faintest idea what it means. But it is important, and it does matter.

Vanishing Hammersmith & Shepherd's Bush

Crane on Shepherd's Bush road

One remarkable feature of London life is the speed with which old buildings are demolished. You walk down a street and you see a big hole, and wonder - what used to be there?

This happened to me on Saturday, walking down Shepherd's Bush Road from Hammersmith, watching a huge crane (left) building another huge crane, on top of a huge new building site on the west side of the street.

What building had been there before, prior to demolition? Something beautiful? Something ugly? I could not remember.

Expansion of the Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park

Japanese Gate and Lanterns

The Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park is to be expanded, if plans put forward by The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, in association with the Friends of the Japanese Garden, go ahead.

Twenty Japanese stone lanterns and an ornamental gate will be installed, in the course of a project which is supported by a number of Japanese businesses and by the Japanese Embassy.  

LBHF are consulting with the community, canvassing local views, so make sure to have your say. 

The Old Laundry Yard Needs You

Old Laundry Yard

The Old Laundry Yard at Shepherd's Bush Market is a potentially promising space for outdoor eating, but so far it doesn't seem to be getting much footfall.

I had lunch there last week with an old friend, and at noon we were the only customers.

Which was a shame, as lunch was seriously delicious - and I'll definitely be going back.

Royal College of Art Show Starts 23 June

Animation by Marcia Stewart at the RCA

The Royal College of Art, our new neighbours in White City, and launcing their latest graduate show at White City Place on 23 June.

The exhibition will feature the work of many different artists including animators, designers and illustrators and is open to the public from Saturday 23 June until Sunday 1 July in the WestWorks and MediaWorks buildings at White City Place.

Free Ethiopian Food Tasting on June 2 & June 9

Shepherd's Bush is playing host to a Free Ethiopian Food Tasting event on June 2nd and June 9th, on the south side of Shepherd's Bush Green.

The event is hosted by Delina, and involves "delicious ready-to-eat Ethiopian food", sold from a little shop at the Petit-Miracle hub - a retail space promoting small businesses in our neighbourhood.

Petit-Miracle hub is located just on the south side of Shepherd's Bush Green in front of the W12 centre - see map on the bottom left.

You can also book a place here at Event Brite.

Summer Celebration on 16th June at Kite Studios

Kite Studios is hosting a Summer Celebration on 16th June, billed as "an afternoon of creativity, followed by a party in the evening.

The event is a fundraiser for the Kite Art CIC Sponsorship Fund, which provides free art workshops for children with special needs, from Wendell Park Primary School.

This programme is in its third successful year and Kite Studios hopes to extend it to other schools in our neighbourhood.

Wood Lane Petrol Station Plans

Petrol Station on Wood Lane by Karl and Craig

According to a news item at WhiteNoise, the old Esso petrol station on Wood Lane is to be taken over by Elephant Magazine, who are to turn it into "a new space [to] act as a meeting place and hub for performance, discussion, film screenings, talks and workshops put together by our editors and curatorial team. A café , shop and outdoor garden area complete this."

So, in plain English then, the old petrol station will become an arts cafe.