Shepherd's Bush Next Door is Here

Shepherd's Bush Next Door is a new-ish web platform for local communities that is starting to gain traction in Shepherd's Bush. A tech startup from the US that was launched in 2011, the site has since gobbled up Streetlife and looks to become a useful social media service for local neighbourhoods, including ours. So, what is NextDoor, and why bother anyway?

Why Next Door?
The most interesting reason to use it is to communicate with our local police, who are actively using the site to let the public know what they are doing to reduce crime and disorder in Shepherd's Bush.

Most recently,  Sergeant James Burgess of the Hammersmith & Fulham Police posted about the latest efforts by our local police to make Shepherd's Bush Green less of a magnet for Anti-Social Behaviour. There is a lot of traffic at the site, but the post below is a good example of our local coppers working to make Shepherd's Bush safer, and letting the public know what they're up to.

"As the Ward Sergeant for Shepherds Bush Green and Addison, I thought I’d try something different and use this platform to give a quick, short overview of what’s going on your Ward.  Shepherds Bush Green Dedicated Ward Officers PC’s Tom Cooke & Paul Davis along with Community Support Officer Ben Lambert have been working hard to tackle Anti Social Behaviour in the Ward, working closely with numerous betting shops and off licences. 

These seem to be attracting a lot of anti social behaviour for all the wrong reasons. Extra Patrols and the use of the ASB legislation seems to be doing the trick and we’re supporting local businesses by means of providing advice on how to capture best evidence. 

The team have also worked closely with McDonalds on Uxbridge Road which was impacting on local residents and businesses with the number of calls associated to ASB [AntiSocial Behaviour]. It was agreed with senior management from McDonalds that the WI-FI be turned off and the music was changed to play classical. 

McDonalds also revamped its security, who are not allowing entry to those intent on committing offences. LBH&F also removed the bike racks directly outside McDonalds which were being used for as seating. Caxton Village Residents Association were invited and attended a meeting with the owner of McDonalds along with Councillor Fennimore from LBH&F, where all agreed that the changes and police action had had a positive effect. 

A Ward Panel meeting has being arranged for the 21st of February at the Bush Theatre Please let the team know of any issues that are of a concern to you SNTFH-ShepherdsBushGreen@met.pnn.police.uk @MPSShepherdBush"

The downside to Shepherd's Bush Next Door is you get a lot more email (and which of us needs more email?), some of it advertising related. Some of it is people posting about crime, or asking for a dog walker. But, over all, it's a useful way to keep in touch with what's going on in the Bush.

The Shepherd's Bush Blog offers a personal view on life in Shepherd's Bush. If you would like to contribute a story about our neighbourhood, email us at shepherdsbushblog(at)gmail.com.