Albertine Wine Bar to Close 18 March

The Albertine bids farewell to Shepherd's Bush

Sad news for Shepherd's Bush, our local and much-loved wine bar The Albertine is closing, forced out of business by Covid-19, Lockdown, and the general business climate. 

The last two years have been hard on anyone in the hospitality industry, struggling to stay afloat in spite of Lockdown restrictions.

Below is Allegra's farewell message.

Support Bush Businesses This Christmas

Albertine for sale?

This holiday season, don't forget to support our local businesses in Shepherd's Bush, which have been hard hit by the latest semi-lockdown.  Shops and restaurants have been half-empty, losing business at what is traditionally their busiest time of year.  Shepherd's Bush businesses have endured three lockdowns, and many will struggle to make it through to better times.

The Albertine is one of my favourite wine bars, a lovely local watering hole with a proud history - it's where the first script for "Eastenders" was written. Times have been tough, and the big For Sale sign above the door doesn't bode well. 

So don't forget to get out there and spend some money to keep our local businesses alive. Shepherd's Bush business needs our support. 

Humans of Shepherd's Bush - No 15

Meet Gary Rawlings, the finest window cleaner in Shepherd's Bush.  Gary knows everyone in our neighbourhood; his family have been in the area since 1880; his great-grandfather was a local coffin maker.

Today, Gary cleans the windows of the Bush with rain water he collects in his garden - purer than water from the mains, and better for your windows. 

Gary is a busy man and his order book is pretty full - but his inside-and-out service is well worth the wait.

Albertine Wine Bar Still Open - Now Doing Home Delivery

Allegra McEvedy at the Albertine

The Albertine, Shepherd's Bush's excellent local wine bar founded and run by celebrity chef Allegra McEvedy, is tenaciously fighting to survive the economic consequences of Covid-19 - by re-inventing itself as a take-out and home delivery kitchen and food shop.

According to a recent article in The Times, the Corona shutdown forced a complete re-invention of one of Shepherd's Bush's favourite wine bars.

On March 17th, when the shutdown began, as McEvedy put it: "on a night we might have taken £1,200, we took just £63." So began the fight to save the business.

Westfield Jamie's Italian Closes

Along with most of the rest of the Jamie's Italian restaurant empire, our local Westfield branch is no more.  The sign in the window dolefully records the end of the Jamie's era, and notes the email address of messrs KPMG, the official receivers, in case you have any queries.

To read some of the press, you'd think Jamie's Italian was never any good in the first place, but my recollection is quite different.

When it first opened back in 2008, our local branch of Jamie's Italian was a great place to go - the kind of place you could take your friends, you grandma, even your unruly children.

The food was good, the prices were reasonable, the ingredients were fresh, and the place had a sense of style and excitement about it. The trouble was, it didn't last.

Stanlake Rd Residents Object to Planning Application

Stanlake Mews - Google Maps

A number of Shepherd's Bush locals are unhappy about a new planning application in Stanlake Mews. The application is to convert some of the buildings on Stanlake Mews into a warehouse for Howden Joinery to trade & distribute kitchens.

This would help them to get a central distribution point vs being in an industrial building/estate. Locals are objecting because this new development would then mean that the traffic in the area would considerably increase - with vans & lorries picking up or delivering products to the warehouse.

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.

Best Nursery in Shepherd's Bush

The Montessori at Brook Green, also known as "Jane's School" is a wonderful nursery. I know this because both of my children go there, and they could not be happier. As a parent, I could not be happier either.

Run by the indefatigable Jane Alwey, founder and head teacher, this Montessori has excellent, caring staff who take a keen personal interest in all of the children.

Best Bike Shop in Shepherd's Bush

Notting Hill Gate, where I grew up, has lost most of its proper shops, almost all of which all seem to have turned into outposts of West End stores selling £3,000 handbags.

One of the good things about living in Shepherd's Bush is that, unlike shinier, sleeker Notting Hill, we still have old-fashioned shops where you can actually buy useful things.

Shepherds Bush Businesses Rates Up By Nearly a Quarter

Dorsett Hotel - flagship business in Shepherd's Bush

Businesses in Hammersmith and Fulham are likely be faced with a massive increase in the local Business Rate.

A leaked breakdown of changes in business rates show Shepherds Bush businesses are in line for a whopping 22.8% increase – a huge extra burden to carry.

The changes in Business Rates are designed to reflect rising rental property prices - and our borough is one of the worst affected. 

Self-Employed To Be Forced To File Tax Returns Four Times a Year

It's a funny business, politics. Recently we reported on how our Labour-controlled Council is set to privatise Council housing in Shepherd's Bush, a policy normally associated with the Conservatives.

By contrast, Chancellor George Osbourne's war on landlords, and his huge hikes in Stamp Duty, look suspiciously like Labour party policies.  But it still comes as a shock to find our Government waging a new war on small businesses, by forcing self-employed people to file their taxes no less than four times a year.

This massive new increase in red tape (not to mention accountancy costs) comes into force in 2020, and will damage precisely the people who the Conservative party traditionally supports - aspirational small business owners and entrepreneurs.

What's Going On At Imperial College White City?

Imperial College White City - as proposed at their website

Drive up Wood Lane past the A40 and you can hardly miss the massive new towers thrusting upwards, part of the new Imperial College White City Campus.  Imperial College is expanding its empire, and White City is a big part of the vision.  The style is unabashedly modernist, with concrete, steel and glass being the chief ingredients.  It's all part of the White City Opportunity Area, a redevelopment project set in motion a few years ago by our Council, The Mayor of London, and central government.  Imperial College's goal is to create "create a culture of research and innovation, electric with ideas".

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?

The Best Mexican Restaurant of the Year is ... on Uxbridge Road!

Congratulations to HABANERA which has scooped the LUKAS Best Mexican Restaurant of the 2015.

You may be surprised to hear, firstly, that there is a top Mexican Restaurant on Uxbridge Road, traditionally the home to the nation's top kebab and chicken shops, and secondly that it only opened last summer.

Shepherd's Bush Palladium Saved from Demolition - For Now

Shepherd's Bush Palladium, originally the Cinematograph Theatre, in 1910

The Shepherd's Bush Palladium, more recently known as the Walkabout Pub, has been saved from demolition - for now.  In a decision on 28 May, our Council rejected Dorsett Regency's plan to demolish the historic cinema and turn it into a 16 storey block of flats. Built in 1910 as the Shepherd's Bush Cinematograph Theatre, The Palladium stopped showing films in 1981, and was eventually converted into a pub, owned and operated for many years by the Walkabout chain. Its future remains uncertain and the owners can appeal this decision and/or submit new plans.

High Tech Autos - Best Garage in The Bush?

High Tech Autos - best garage in the Bush?

Where do you take your car to get fixed in Shepherd's Bush? When I first moved to the area in 2011, I had no local knowledge and no idea where to go - until I stumbled across a post written by Chris Underwood, author of the original Shepherd's Bush Blog.  Chris recommended High Tech Autos, a small garage run by Keith, under the arches next to Shepherd's Bush market tube station. And guess what? Chris is absolutely right - Keith's garage is exactly what everyone with a car to fix is looking for.

Draft House Pub Offers Half Price Food and Drink to Bush Locals From February 23 - 25

The Famed Hammersmith Palais - all that is left today is the sign. Photo: Wikipedia

Pubs are closing all across the country, but here in The Bush a new pub, The Draft House, is opening up on Shepherd's Bush Road. The pub will celebrate the historic music venue The Hammersmith Palais (all that is left is the sign above) which was demolished in 2013, despite having played host over the years to The Beatles,  The Rolling Stones, The Who, David Bowie and The Sex Pistols.  The Draft House is offering neighbours a special deal: from Feb 23-25 food and drink are half price for locals. What more could you ask?

Bush Theatre Offers 10% Discount to Local Residents!

Bush Theatre: Queen of The Uxbridge Road

Discounts on theatre tickets, food and drink are being offered throughout 2015 to anyone who lives or works near the fabulous Bush Theatre on the Uxbridge Road. The free Bush Local Scheme will continue this year thanks to a generous £6,000 donation by the West 12 Shopping Centre.

The Visual Effects Industry Comes to Shepherd's Bush

Escape Studios VFX Festival 2015

Who knew that Shepherd's Bush is a global hub for visual effects work? Walk a short distance south of Shepherd's Bush Green and you will find Escape Studios, who will be running their latest VFX Festival on January 28th 2014 at the VUE Cinema in the West 12 Centre. To find out more, and sign up, follow this link. The event is an excellent way to find out about careers in the visual effects industry, what jobs are out here and how to break in to the movie business.

A Bird in The Bush - Your Guide to Shepherd's Bush

A Bird in The Bush

A Bird in the Bush was an excellent blog about our neighbourhood. Now sadly discontinued, the archive is still accessible and you can see plenty of recommendations about places to go and things to see and do in our part of West London. Some of it is a bit our of date, but overall it's still a great resource.