Free Sports on Wednesdays at Hammersmith Park

Our council, LBHF, are organising a free multi-sports & play session at Hammersmith Park.

The event is run in association with the London Sports Trust and takes place weekly, every Wednesday from 4.15pm until 5.15pm, and is timed for kids getting out of local schools.

Sports played include tennis, football, tag rugby, and cricket, and it's all completely free.

To find out more, contact Jake at LBHF on 02087351589 or email at Jake@londonsportstrust.org

The Shepherd's Bush Blog offers a personal view on life in Shepherd's Bush. If you would like to contribute a story, email us at shepherdsbushblog(at)gmail.com. And don't forget to add your opinion in the comments section below.

Play Football in Hammersmith Park - How It Turned Out

Play Football - Fenced in

Play Football has finally opened its new football pitches in Hammersmith Park, after a long battle with local residents, and its new five-a-side facilities include a bar, cafe and clubhouse. The park has been the subject of a long dispute over its future, after the last Council administration granted Play Football a long lease to operate a number of paid-for football pitches, at the same time removing the existing sports facilities. Following a campaign by local author and resident Virginia Ironside, Play Football's plans were scaled back, with a promise to renew the tennis courts and also add a Multi-Use-Games-Area (MUGA).  So, now that the job is done, how does it all look?

Play Football Opens In Hammersmith Park

Play Football has opened its new football pitches in Hammersmith Park, after a long battle with local residents over the future of the park.

The event was not widely publicised, but you can see what you missed in the flyer to the left.

The new Five-a-side facilities include a cafe, and toilets which are open to all park users.

Hammersmith Park has been the subject of a long dispute over its future, after the last Council administration granted Play Football a long lease to operate a number of paid-for football pitches, at the same time removing the existing sports facilities.

Excellent News for Hammersmith Park

Hammersmith Park - good news at last

According to a recent email from local Councillor Guy Vincent, there is very good news at last for Hammersmith Park.  After a long battle, and some very protracted negotiations, Play Football and LBH&F have come to a formal agreement on the future of the park. And this future looks a lot better than might have been the case just a few months ago.

Hammersmith Park - Saved?

Hammersmith Park

The consultation of the future of Hammersmith Park has closed, and the results can be seen here. Of those local people who took part and offered a view, the majority voted for free tennis courts, no acoustic fence, no car park for private parking, the new bar to close early, and also a multi-use games pitch.  In addition, the Council have retained full possession of the Park, replacing the long lease agreed by the last administration with a renewable seven year contract.  So, a good outcome overall for Hammersmith Park?

Shepherd's Bush Debates Future of Hammersmith Park

Members of the public question the Council

At a meeting on thursday at the White City Community Centre, local residents questioned members of the Council about the future of Hammersmith Park, and what the recent changes to the proposals by Play Football might mean in practice. The meeting was nowhere near as bad-tempered as the last public hearing, when Play Football's Barry Hunter received a two hour public flogging from an angry crowd, but there was still a sense of frustration and anger from the many people who showed up.

Hammersmith Park Consultation Now Open - Have Your Say on May 14th!

Following a grass roots campaign led by local activist and writer Virginia Ironside, and supported by The Bush Telegraph, Play Football have at last agreed to revise their plans to convert around one third of Hammersmith Park into pay-per-use five-a-side football pitches.  Following the campaign, which you can read about here, and also here, the Council has now announced a new round of public consultations, in which local residents are strongly encouraged to participate. So, what is happening and how can local people get involved?

Reprieve For Hammersmith Park?

Hammersmith Park - worth saving?

There is good news at last about the future of Hammersmith Park, which has (until recently) been threatened with a proposed new development by Play Football which would see one third of the park effectively privatised and turned into pay-per-use football pitches. According to our redoubtable local campaigner Virginia Ironside, Play Football has agreed to a full consultation on a new scheme for the park that will keep it in public ownership and also upgrade its facilities. So, good news at last then?

Save Hammersmith Park!

Hammersmith Park - worth saving?

Bush resident, author and journalist Virginia Ironside is leading a campaign to save Hammersmith Park from development by Play Football, whose plans would in effect turn one third of the park into a pay-to-play football pitch. Contracts were signed and planning permission was given by the outgoing council, and while the new Labour administration oppose the plans, they are not able to speak out against them for fear of being in breach of contract. It is now up to local residents to decide the issue. If the voices against this private development are loud enough, it may yet be enough to persuade Play Football to change their minds.

Will Play Football Regenerate or Ruin Hammersmith Park?

Residents at White City Community Centre

On Thursday 2nd October a meeting was held at the White City Community Centre to help decide the future of Hammersmith Park. Play Football, the sports operator which last year won planning permission to lease around half of the Park and build approximately thirteen new pay-to-play football pitches, was there to hear the views of local residents. It was not a convivial evening.