Listed Buildings in Shepherd's Bush - Wood Lane Post Box

Listed building on Wood Lane

Think of Listed Buildings and you tend to think of Georgian mansions and stately homes. Here in Shepherd's Bush we have few of those, but we do have a few buildings worthy of preservation.

To find them, follow this link to the listed building website, which gives a handy little map of the architectural high points of our neighbourhood.

Some of them are slightly eccentric, including this Listed Post Box on Wood Lane, which most people probably walk past without giving it a second glance.

On further inspection, it is a very handsome post box.

And woe betide anyone who tries to tear it down. This post box is protected with the full force of the law.

When Planning Goes Wrong

1A Macfarlane Rd Before (left) and after (right)

1A Macfarlane Rd is a newly built property in Shepherd's Bush which is mainly of interest because the owner, having got planning permission to demolish the old two storey Edwardian structure and build a new four storey building, built something that was quite different from what was approved.

It's an interesting case because most builders follow the approved plans pretty closely. In this case, the owner made significant changes to what was approved. The question now is - what to do about it? Our Council have requested changes to the building, but the owner has now applied for retrospective permission to vary the original plans.

New Wood Lane Tower Proposed

Proposed 227 Wood Lane

A new 25 storey tower (see photo, left hand side) is to be built on Wood Lane, near the A40, just West of the ziggurrat tower recently built on the Imperial College London campus in White City.

Architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris have designed a new 29-storey tower block to the north of the A40 at 227 Wood Lane (see photo, left hand side).

The proposed tower would replace Browning House, which is a four-storey social housing block owned by Women’s Pioneer Housing (WPH), a housing association providing specialist accommodation.

The Hammersmith Society, guardians of good architecture in our neighbourhood, is against it, but the area has arguably been ruined anyway.

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.

Covid-19 Update from Macfarlane Rd

Macfarlane Rd

In Macfarlane Rd, my local corner of Shepherd's Bush, the indefatigable Belinda Mitchell-Innes has been organising leaflets, a Facebook Group, and a WhatsApp Group to help keep an eye on the most vulnerable and make sure local people stay safe.

Belinda also posts a weekly newsletter, offering the latest on how to survive the lockdown in the Bush. See below for Belinda's full local roundup.

Imperial College Campus Almost Complete

Imperial College Campus viewed from South of The Westway

The Imperial College Campus which has been slowly rising on Wood Lane, North of the Westway, is almost finished.

What is now clear is just how very undistinguished the architecture is. An opportunity to create a new and beautiful campus from scratch has been lost; what has been completed is an odd jumble of weird-looking buildings.

The site is dominated by the 34-storey ziggurat which towers over the Westway and was politely described by the Hammersmith Society as "controversial". "Very ugly" would be a better word for this weirdly asymmetrical building which now dominates views north from Shepherd's Bush and White City.

Riverside Studios Community Events - Now Online

Riverside Studios

Riverside Studios re-opened on the north bank of The Thames this year, a new community arts centre for our neighbourhood.

Covid-19 has not been kind to their program of events, but there is much going on online.

Riverside Studios is hosting many free events to entertain and connect on Zoom.

Highlights include yoga, and a monday Culture Club at 8pm. See below for the full listing.

Bush Hall Needs Your Help

Bush Hall Needs Your Help. Like many businesses in our neighbourhood, Bush Hall has been crippled by Covid-19 and the subsequent Lockdown.

The music venue is therefore "reaching out for your support", hoping to raise money to cover the cost of cancelled gigs and lost revenue.

Bush Hall have set up an emergency crowd funder page and are asking everyone who can, to support them.

Fighting Corona Virus in the Bush

Macfarlane Rd

The Corona virus hasn't brought many benefits to the Bush but it has brought some communities closer together. In Macfarlane Rd, the indefatigable Belinda Mitchell-Innes has been organising leaflets, a Facebook Group, and a WhatsApp Group to help keep an eye on the most vulnerable and make sure local people stay safe.

Below is an edited version of her latest email, with some useful information on how locals are keeping their heads above water, and how you can get involved.

New Delina Kitchen at Shepherd's Bush Market

Local chef Nazareth Kelif is opening up a new venture, the New Delina Kitchen, under the arches in Shepherds Bush Market.

The new venture promises "delicious food, excellent cookery classes, and an amazing cultural experience". 

Naz needs to raise £1500 for the setup costs, so she is looking for support at indiegogo.com, hoping to crowdfund the startup costs.

Naz has taken a spacious arch in the market, where she will run cooking classes and serve Ethiopian food.  

Humans of Shepherd's Bush No 13 - Michael Schumm

Head Teacher Michael Schumm

Michael Schumm is the Headteacher of one of Shepherd's Bush best local primaries - St Stephen’s CE Primary School on the Uxbridge Road.

St Stephen's is an excellent local school, one where parents are invited work together with staff to produce outcomes which have earned the school the classification of "Outstanding" from Ofsted.

Visit a classroom at St Stephen's and you will see happy children eager to learn, in an environment that feels both challenging (expectations are high) but also supportive and nurturing. Parents are encouraged to get involved and also to put their hands in their pockets for FOSS - Friends of St Stephen's.

In this interview, republished from an original interview at https://www.resource-arm.net/, head teacher Michael Schumm explains how he led St Stephen's from being a failing school in special measures to "Oftsed Outstanding" today.

Dimco "Exhibition London" Opens on Saturday

DIMCO Buildings - open until 3am?

The DIMCO Buildings, The Grade II listed former electrical station which sits at the heart of the Westfield shopping centre, is now an events venue, branded as Exhibition London.

Tomorrow, Saturday 8 February, sees the first event, the band Catfish and The Bottlemen - the first live music show.

SEN Classes at Music House

Music House for Children on the Uxbridge Road is celebrating 25 years of bringing music to babies, toddlers and children.

Music House on the Uxbridge Road is offering music classes for children with special educational needs (SEN) at a specially discounted rate.

Music House was founded in 1994 by Emma Hutchinson, who also co-owns the Bush Hall and Bush Dining Halls with her husband Charlie.

Music House is a not-for-profit organisation which focuses on making music accessible to all; their pricing for group classes, workshops and events is purposefully kept at affordable rates.

My own children went to Music House when they were very young, and were welcomed by the friendly staff even when they weren't exactly well behaved - which was almost all the time.

Winter Classes at Kite Studios

Kite Studios in Shepherd's Bush is a local arts centre with a progressive focus on kids with special education needs, or "SEN".

Kite Studios also run classes for adults, such the "Explore Art" class (see flyer to the left) and also a "Drop in and Draw" class (see flyer below)

Kite Studios runs art classes for children with Special Education Needs (SEN) on Thursdays at 4.30pm at their Askew Road home.

Ceilidh at St Simon's Brook Green on Jan 25th

St Simon's Church in Brook Green is hosting a family-friendly Ceilidh at the church on Saturday, 25 January from 6pm - 8.30pm.

Saturday night is of course Burn's Night - a night of whiskey, haggis and dancing which is pretty much compulsory north of the border and well worth celebrating down south, whether you're Scottish or - like me - Scot-ish.

Hammersmith Park Ranks No 9 in London "Tranquility Index"

Japanese Garden, Hammersmith Park

According to a recent article in the Evening Standard, Hammersmith Park ranks No9 in a new "tranquillity index" of quite spots in London.

A new start-up has spent the last three years figuring out the most peaceful places to get a break from noise and pollution in London.

They describe hidden spaces in the city which offer a welcome respite from the rat race, and have put together a “tranquillity index” for Londoners. 

Midnight Mass at St Stephen's Tonight

For anyone looking for a bit of Christmas cheer tonight, don't forget there is a midnight mass tonight at St Stephen's Church on the Uxbridge Road. The Midnight Mass takes place at 11.30pm tonight, and is led by the Rt Revd Dr Graham Tomlin, Bishop of Kensington.  The event is part of the excellent community work done by St Stephen's; a church with a commendably broad and diverse congregation.  For a Christmas message from our new vicar, the Rev Denis Adide, watch the video above. 

Ginglik Latest - New Tenant for 2020?

Edwardian loo, later Ginglik nightclub, now derelict

There may be some good news at at last for much-neglected Shepherd's Bush Green.

The site formerly occupied by Ginglik, the Edwardian loo-turned-nightclub that closed a decade ago, may have a new tenant in the New Year.

Thanks to Councillor Matt Thorley, who has pressed LBHF on our behalf for an answer on why the site has been derelict for so long, it appears that a new tenant will soon be moving in.

Help the Masbro Centre Run on Sunshine

The Masbro Centre in Brook Green is crowdfunding new solar panels, to help our neighbourhood go a little more green (and help them save money on their electricity bills).

The Urban Partnership Group want to install 64 solar panels to the roof of the Masbro Community Centre, to generate its own electricity and use the funds saved for much needed community projects.

To contribute a few spare pennies this Christmas for a local cause, follow this link. 

Riverside Studios is Back

Riverside Studios

After a five-year closure, and many million of pounds, Riverside Studios has re-opened on the north bank of The Thames in a brand-new building.

Right now the cafe and exhibition space is open; this will be followed by the theatre in January, with two cinemas opening in February 2020.

And, thanks to the new renovation of the Riverside Walk, you can now walk alongside Riverside Studios all the way from Hammersmith Bridge to Putney.