Wood Lane Esso Station to Become Art Installation

former petrol station on Wood Lane. Google Maps

Anyone who drives in London knows how hard it can be to find a working petrol station these days. The old Esso station on Wood Lane closed a while back (see photo above), and site owners Transport For London (TFL) don't seem to have an immediate plan for what do with it. In the meantime, it's fast attracting graffiti and rubbish. So, White City developers Stanhope have agreed to lease the site so as to "improve the area’s appearance and eventually introduce pop up uses."  Stanhope is taking a three year lease (with a two –year break clause) from TFL, and has appointed artists Craig Redman and Karl Maier to "create an art installation" at the former petrol station.

Installation by Craig Redman and Karl Maier

Later on, Stanhope has plans to "introduce pop up uses including street food as well as artistic collaborations with other artists including Royal College of Art students".

It all sounds like a fun - if rather eccentric - use of the old petrol station site.  Reading between the lines, it may be that Stanhope got a bit fed up with TFL for failing to do anything with their vacant land.

But what is surely oddest about the site is this - why it isn't being turned into flats like everything else in our neighbourhood?

It's clearly an obvious site for residential development, being right next to Wood Lane tube and the regeneration of White City.

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.