Shepherd's Bush Market Plans Given Green Light by LBHF

Yoo Capital, owners of Shepherds Bush Market and neighbouring land, have won their battle for planning permission to redevelop the Market.  The vote in Hammersmith and Fulham Planning Committee was 3-2.

The redevelopment scheme involves the construction of forty new flats to be managed by LBHF.  Paying for the new subsidised flats is a large new commercial building.   You can read the full story at Time Out here and also at the Evening Standard.

Shepherd's Bush Market Meeting Abandoned

A meeting this week to determine the fate of Shepherd's Bush Market was abandoned following vocal protests.

The meeting was held on Tuesday at the Shortlands office building in a large meeting room, with space for LBHF councillors and seating for attendees and speakers.  A number of market traders attended, as well as shopkeepers, and also local residents. The meeting was abandoned following noisy protests that made it impossible to proceed.

St Stephens School Ranked "Outstanding" by Ofsted

Parents at St Stephen's Church of England school are celebrating another success for our local state primary - which was rated "Outstanding" in all categories by Ofsted, the school inspectorate. 

St Stephen's School is affiliated with St Stephen's Church, Shepherd's Bush and was built at the same time, circa 1849-50.  

St Stephen's is led by the charismatic Michael Schumm, a well-respected head whose good nature and pursuit of excellence helps to give the school its unique character. 

1A Macfarlane Rd Case Dismissed For "Improper Service"

The developers of 1A Macfarlane Rd have today won a further round in their legal battle to keep their housing development, first constructed in the Spring of 2020 (see before and after image on left). 

The developers' appeal against the Council's latest Enforcement Notice was upheld on a technicality - for improper service of the notice. 

1A Macfarlane Rd Appeal Hearing Tuesday 5 Dec 2023

Appeal Hearing Tues 5 Dec 2023 at 10am

Back in 2020 a new building was completed at 1A Macfarlane Rd, after the old Edwardian building was demolished. 

The new building 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.

Eventually our Council, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, issued an enforcement notice against the building. That notice was appealed by the owners, and the Inspector must now make a decision as to how to move forward. 

Tomorrow Tuesday 5 December there is an "informal hearing" at the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith to hear local views. All are welcome to attend and have their say. 

Deluxe Coffee Works - Welcome to The Bush

Deluxe Coffee Works

Coffee in Shepherd's Bush just got a little bit better (actually, a lot better) with the opening of the Deluxe Coffee Works in Macfarlane Rd.

Deluxe is located in a former light industrial building tucked in among residential houses in a small corner of The Bush - just off Shepherd's Bush Green. 

Deluxe is mainly a BtoB (Business to Business) operation, importing and roasting their own beans on the premises, but they also sell delicious fresh roasted coffee directly to the public. 

And, today, the opening day of the new "roastery", they are offering free coffee to locals.  But there is no sign on the door - you'll just have to follow the crowds. 

The Defector's Weld is Back - Tonight is Opening Night

The Defector's Weld is back

The Defector's Weld is back - reopening today after a long refurbishment.  The Defector's Weld is a pub on the corner of Uxbridge Road and Wood Lane, voted the Best Pub in The Bush by the old Shepherd's Bush Blog, as edited by Chris Underwood back in 2012. 

The vote was conducted by readers of the blog, and The Defector's Weld won by a large margin.  

St Stephen's Xmas Fair on Saturday 2 December

Advent starts on Friday - and from December 1st it will be officially time to get into the Christmas Spirit. On Saturday the 2nd December from 12pm to 4pm our local primary school - St Stephen's - is hosting a Christmas Fair, raising money for one of the country's top primary schools.

Come along on saturday to buy Christmas gifts, cakes, and maybe even come and meet Father Christmas, who (it is rumoured) may make an appearance in his grotto. 

Other kid-friendly treats include a bouncy castle, a kid's tombola (there's one for grownups too), teddies, and "Strictly Come Dancing" classes with St Stephen's very own song-and-dance thespian Miss Whiting. 

Outdoor Gym for Hammersmith Park - Have Your Say

The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham is consulting with local residents on whether to build an outdoor gym in Hammersmith Park and, if so what sort of equipment to install.

The location of the outdoor gym would be in a small triangle of grass located at the eastern end of the park, near the exit to TV Centre. 

You can have your say by emailing parks.projects@lbhf.gov.uk. 

The deadline for comments is today, Friday 15th September 2023.

Japanese Garden Community Day 6 August 2023

The Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park is hosting its annual Community Day on Sunday 6th August from 12.30pm to 5.30pm.  

The Japanese Garden Community Day will feature Japanese-themed activities for families and children.  Last year's events included origami lessons, a treasure trail, a Japanese calligraphy workshop, Japanese music, a "haiku walk", and Japanese sweets and snacks.

The Community Day is a family-friendly annual event, held to celebrate improvements to the garden such as the 2018 installation of new Japanese-style gates and rows of traditional stone lanterns.

The Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park dates from 1910, and is the chief legacy of the Japanese-British Exhibition that took place in White City.

Don't forget to bring a picnic.

Free Table Tennis at TV Centre

Table Tennis at TV Centre

TV Centre on Wood Lane have put up some big screens for visitors to watch Wimbledon, and also a number of table tennis tables for some summer entertainment. 

TV Centre even provide table tennis bats and balls (though it's advisable to bring your own; these have a tendency to wander off). 

Ukraine Open House Friday 7 July

On Friday 7 July The Ukrainian Open House will be held from 3.30 to 6.30pm at 30-32 Bradmore Park Rd, W6 0DT. The Open House events take place monthly, and are open to everyone - with Ukrainians being especially welcome. 

On Friday 9th of June the eighth Ukrainian Open House was hosted by the Hammersmith Business Meeting

Other attenders include local volunteers, a number of Councillors, the Ukrainian Embassy, the LBHF Refugee team, the Red Cross and the EERC (East European Resource Centre).

The Open House events offer opportunity to meet friendly faces and talk to English people who know the local area as well as to Ukrainians who are learning navigate their way around the UK and how the various systems work. 

All are welcome. The event is free.

Shepherds' Bush Market Plans - Deadline 29 June 2023

Market Proposals from Yoo Capital

Shepherd’s Bush Market is back in the news; owners Yoo Capital have applied for planning permission to redevelop the market; the chance to comment closes in two days. 

The new plans follow the failure of the last owners, Orion Capital, whose 2014 plans to develop the market were ultimately defeated back in 2016 in the Supreme Court after two years of litigation.  

The new proposals from Yoo Capital include a big office block and also affordable flats.  You can see the market plans in detail here at the official Yoo Capital site.

You can also view the plans and comment on them at the official LBHF website.  The closing date for comments is Thursday 29 June. 

Cherry Blossom in Hammersmith Park

This past week Hammersmith Park has been a riot of cherry blossom - on a sunny day visitors to our local park can sit on a bench beneath a cherry tree and watch the pink petals gently float away on the breeze.

The planting of cherry trees alongside the Japanese lanterns and the Japanese Garden means that at this time of year you can almost imagine yourself to be in Japan. 

New Tennis Nets at Hammersmith Park

Old (top) vs new (bottom)

Many thanks to the Parks Team at the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for the new tennis nets recently installed in Hammersmith Park. 

The old nets were in pretty bad shape, with holes so big it wasn't clear whether balls were going over the net or through it.

The tennis courts in Hammersmith Park are one of our best local amenities. You can't book them in advance - meaning that anyone can drop in at any time and play.  

You might have to wait a few minutes, but spontaneity is rewarded for the patient.  

Macfarlane Place "Ready by March 2024"

Macfarlane Place, as proposed, from Macfarlane Rd

Macfarlane Place, the new development on Wood Lane, is now well underway, following the year-long process of demolition of the old BBC car park.

The basic structure is almost complete, and the process of fitting out the new flats will last into early 2024. 

The new development will also offer a new route to TV Centre from Wood Lane, and a new pedestrian access to Hammersmith Park, underneath the railway arches. 

The new building will surely be a handsome addition to the neighbourhood. 

Public Consultation on Alcohol in Shepherd's Bush Green

Public Consultation on the Consumption of Alcohol

Our local council - The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF) - is running a public consultation on the Consumption of Alcohol on Shepherd's Bush Green.  The consultation runs until 2 April 2023. 

If you would like to comment, use the following link: https://haveyoursay.lbhf.gov.uk/. 

You will see a number of consultations currently ongoing; just scroll down to the relevant link.

Partial Closure Order of Shepherd's Bush Green to Close 27 Feb

PCO on Shepherd's Bush Green expires on 27 Feb

The Partial Closure Order imposed on Shepherd's Bush Green in November will expire at the end of the month, on February 27.

The PCO has been a part of a concerted attempt by the police to clean up Shepherd's Bush Green, by using extra powers to move on the drunks and drug dealers.

Of course, in some ways this just moves the problem on, but at least it shows action on the part of the police to deal with anti-social behaviour.  You can read more about it at the official LBHF site here.

Yoo Capital "Public Exhibitions" on 25-28 Feb 2023

Yoo Capital, the owners of Shepherd's Bush Market, are hosting a series of "Public Exhibitions" - in-person consultations with members of the public to view their new plans for Shepherd's Bush Market. 

The Public Exhibitions take place on Saturday February 25 at 2.30pm, and on Monday 27 February and Tuesday 28 February at 7.30pm.

Local residents are particularly welcome, as Yoo Capital seeks local support for its development plans.

Yoo Capital has been consulting with the public for over two years now;  as early as 2020 they organised Zoom calls with the public to air their early ideas for the development of the market and the wider area - and to receive feedback. 

Beware Uxbridge Rd Speed Cameras

Speed Camera on the Uxbridge Rd

New speed cameras are in action on the Uxbridge Rd - enthusiastic harvesters of tickets that will hunt you down if you go as fast as... 25mph. 

Most of the time you can't travel over 5mph on the Uxbridge Rd due to the weight of traffic, as it's usually pretty much gridlock. But on rare occasions - like Sunday mornings when the road is free of traffic - you can travel faster than a crawl, and whizz along at - the excitement! - more than 20mph.