Public Spaces Protection Order for Shepherd's Bush

Shepherd's Bush Tube Station

Our local council, the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, are hosting a consultation on the existing Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in effect in the area outside Shepherd's Bush Tube Station.

The PSPO aims to tackle noise nuisance from busking, street entertainment and amplified public speaking.  The idea is "to stop individuals or groups committing antisocial behaviour in public spaces".
To take part in the consultation, and have your say, follow this link. 

BBC Car Park Demo Almost Complete

BBC Car Park Demolition - nearly there

The old BBC Car Park on Wood Lane is now almost demolished. 

Since June those residents living at the top of Macfarlane Rd have experienced considerable noise, disruption and even damage to their properties.  One local resident even had a ceiling collapse, caused by the vibrations from the demolition.

Demolition of the site is being carried out by Cantillon, overseen by developer Stanhope, whose work is at last nearing completion - only the ground and first floor remain to be ground down.  The old BBC car park is a massive reinforced concrete structure and demolition was always going to be a nasty business, but the end is in sight at last.

Gardening at St Stephen's Church on Sunday

St Stephen's Church Garden

St Stephen’s Church on the Uxbridge Road is looking for volunteers on Sunday November 14th from 2.30pm to 4pm to help weed and maintain the church garden.

St Stephen's relies entirely on volunteers to help maintain the church and its grounds. It's a family-friendly event, and children are very welcome.

There will be hot chocolate, coffee, tea and biscuits for volunteers. 

Got an hour or two spend on Sunday? Perhaps you have green fingers and - like most of us in the Bush - a tiny or even non-existent garden?

New Pond Skimmer for Japanese Garden

Pond Skimmer in Japanese Garden

Congratulations to our local council, the LBHF Parks Dept, and the Friends of the Japanese Garden for (at last) successfully installing a pond skimmer in the Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park. 

The pond skimmer removes floating debris off the surface of the pond - especially the duckweed which, if left unchecked, completely coats the surface of the pond. 

For many years, John Gordon-Smith and other volunteers at the Friends of the Japanese Garden in Hammersmith Park have been lobbying our Council to install a skimmer to clean up the duck weed in the Japanese Garden.  

Pubs with Wheel Chair Access in Shepherd's Bush

Crown & Sceptre - Good Wheelchair Access

Few able bodied residents of Shepherd's Bush probably think much about wheelchair access to local shops and amenities. 

For my part, I gave little thought to wheelchair access until I had children - and had to wheel their buggy up and down pavements and steps, discovering for the first time how difficult even a single step can be - if you are on wheels.

Shepherd's Bush resident Toni Sharpe is herself a wheelchair user, and she writes in this guest post about two of the best pubs in The Bush that offer effective access to wheelchair users.

St Stephen's Church Celebrates its New Roof

St Stephen's Church Celebrates its New Roof

St Stephen's church on the Uxbridge Road has finally completed work on the new church roof, a £250,000 project 10 years in the making.

Following a decade of fund-raising efforts, the church at last raised the £250,000 needed to re-roof the church buildings, the money coming from a blend of private donations, charitable grants, and church funds. 

It has taken the best part of a decade to raise the money, largely through the efforts of Juliet Byford, chair of the St Stephen's Roof Committee.