Summer Table Tennis is back at TV Centre

Outdoor Table Tennis is back at TV Centre on Wood Lane; the owners of upscale housing development and TV Sound Stages are putting up a big screen for visitors to watch summer sports, and have also provided two outdoor  tennis tables for summer entertainment. 

Children are welcome, and TV Centre even provide free table tennis bats and balls - though it's advisable to bring your own.  

Macfarlane Place Wins Hammersmith Society Award

Macfarlane Place wins Environment Award

Macfarlane Place on Wood Lane has won an Environment Award at the 2025 Hammersmith Society Awards, held last week at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith. 

According to the Hammersmith Society wesbite: "Finely detailed brickwork is the feature in this new development on the corner of Macfarlane Road and Wood Lane opposite Westfield, designed by Maccreanor Lavington for Peabody Housing Association. 

Table Tennis at Wood Lane Bus Station

The stretch of concrete on Wood Lane between the White City bus station and the main road is a rather windswept and unlovely place, but it has one redeeming feature - free all-weather table tennis tables, which (best of all) don't get put away in winter. 

Free Outdoor Table Tennis Returns to TV Centre

Outdoor Table Tennis is back at TV Centre on Wood Lane; the owners of upscale housing development and TV Sound Stages  have put up a big screen for visitors to watch summer sports, and also two outdoor  tennis tables for summer entertainment. 

Public Meeting at Du Boisson Village Hall Tonight

Du Boisson Village Hall, Wood Lane

Tonight at 6pm at the Du Boisson Village Hall (the old Drill Hall) on Wood Lane, "Sergeant Tom" from our local Police force is hosting at meeting to discuss the Partial Closure Order currently in force across Shepherd's Bush Green.

Is the PCO working? Does our local community approve, or disapprove? PCOs are a relatively draconian policy, and the current order expires on 27 February 2023. 

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the PCO has had a positive impact on crime and anti-social behaviour in our neighbourhood.  One local resident explained that the Sainsburys Local on Shepherd's Bush Green has reported a drop in shoplifting, for example.  Come along tonight at 6pm and share your views.

Stanhope and Mitsui Start "Phase 2" of Television Centre

Base of new 25 storey tower building at TV Centre

Developers Stanhope and Mitsui Fudosan have announced the start of Phase Two of the development of Television Centre.

Among the new buildings is a huge new 25 storey tower located just south of the Broadcaster pub on Wood Lane (see image left). 

Phase Two comprises a total of 511 homes in four separate plots. 

Albertine Wine Bar to Close 18 March

The Albertine bids farewell to Shepherd's Bush

Sad news for Shepherd's Bush, our local and much-loved wine bar The Albertine is closing, forced out of business by Covid-19, Lockdown, and the general business climate. 

The last two years have been hard on anyone in the hospitality industry, struggling to stay afloat in spite of Lockdown restrictions.

Below is Allegra's farewell message.

Kier to Start Construction at Macfarlane Place in March

Kier Construction

The construction company Kier has been appointed to start building the 142 new "affordable homes" to be created at Macfarlane Place, Television Centre, with work scheduled to start in March 2022. 

Macfarlane Place will replace the former BBC Car Park on Wood Lane which is now almost demolished - much to the relief of long-suffering local residents. 

BBC Car Park Demo Almost Complete

BBC Car Park Demolition - nearly there

The old BBC Car Park on Wood Lane is now almost demolished. 

Since June those residents living at the top of Macfarlane Rd have experienced considerable noise, disruption and even damage to their properties.  One local resident even had a ceiling collapse, caused by the vibrations from the demolition.

Demolition of the site is being carried out by Cantillon, overseen by developer Stanhope, whose work is at last nearing completion - only the ground and first floor remain to be ground down.  The old BBC car park is a massive reinforced concrete structure and demolition was always going to be a nasty business, but the end is in sight at last.

Wood Lane BBC Car Park Demolition - Latest

The old BBC Car Park on Wood Lane is being demolished, and a lot of locals aren't happy about it. In particular, those living at the top of Macfarlane Rd are experiencing considerable noise, disruption and damage. One local resident even had a ceiling collapse, caused by the vibrations from the demolition.

Demolition of the site is being carried out by Cantillon, overseen by developer Stanhope, who publish a regular newsletter (see left) to keep locals abreast of events. 

What should local residents do if their pictures fall off the walls and the ceilings cave in when demolition begins? The answer to the problem is not clear. The car park is a massive reinforced concrete structure and demolition was always going to be a nasty business. Should we seek to have it stopped? Or speeded up?

For now, it seems likely that all that most of us can do it grit our teeth - and hope the job gets done soon.

Demolition of BBC Car Park to Begin in June

The old BBC Car Park on Wood Lane is to be demolished; work will start on or around 11th June 2021. 

The old car park is a massive structure filled with concrete ramps, and with deep foundations.  It will take "at least 35 weeks" to remove it, so local residents in Macfarlane Rd must brace themselves for many months of noise, mess and general disruption.

The new building is to be constructed by Peabody Trust; it will be called Macfarlane Place, and comprises two buildings, including 142 "affordable" housing units. 

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.

Theatre Party at the Troubadour on 1st November

Outside Edge theatre company is having their 20th birthday party at the Troubadour in White City on Friday 1st November.

The event takes place at 6pm on Friday 1st November, and all are welcome.

Outside Edge Theatre Company describes itself as "the UK’s only theatre company and participatory arts charity focused on substance misuse and addiction."

So, everyone is welcome - but expect soft drinks rather than a full bar. 

What Happened to Our New Park?

Proposed public park. 

Back in 2016 we reported on a new park which was promised for Shepherd's Bush.

It was all part of the new Westfield development, and that of St James to the north - on the old M&S warehouse site east of Wood Lane.

The park was the price which was exacted by our former Conservative Council from the developers, in return for planning permission to redevelop the area.

It was never intended to be a big park; rather it would be a small green space tucked under the redeveloped Hammersmith and City tube line, running through the Westfield redevelopment.

The photo above shows what it was supposed to look like.  So, where is it? And what happened to it?

Elephant Cafe - How it Turned Out

Elephant - how it was meant to look

Last summer the old Esso petrol station on Wood Lane got taken over by Elephant Magazine, who promised to turn it into "a new space to act as a meeting place and hub for performance, discussion, film screenings, talks and workshops". Plus, of course, a  "café, shop and outdoor garden area". As often happens these days, the plans were accompanied by a shiny digital image of what the development might actually look like. So, how did it actually turn out?

Troubadour White City Theatre To Open This Summer

Troubadour White City

There is good news for theatre lovers in White City.

A new pop-up 1,200 seat theatre will open this summer in the old BBC car park on Wood Lane.

The venue will be known as "Troubadour White City Theatre", and will be one of the largest entertainment spaces in London when completed. 

Wood Lane Petrol Station Plans

Petrol Station on Wood Lane by Karl and Craig

According to a news item at WhiteNoise, the old Esso petrol station on Wood Lane is to be taken over by Elephant Magazine, who are to turn it into "a new space [to] act as a meeting place and hub for performance, discussion, film screenings, talks and workshops put together by our editors and curatorial team. A café , shop and outdoor garden area complete this."

So, in plain English then, the old petrol station will become an arts cafe.

White City Consultation Wed 25 April

White City is changing

White City Developers Stanhope are hosting a panel discussion on the future of White City on Wednesday 25 April at 6.30pm.

The panel will include representatives from Stanhope, our Council, Imperial College, and local residents' groups.

To sign up for the event, which is free, follow this link to the EventBrite page.  All are welcome.

Westfield to Open 20 March

John Lewis

At long last - we have a date for the long-awaited opening of Westfield London's massive new development.

The north extension of Westfield, which will make the shopping mall the largest in the UK, is scheduled to open on Tuesday, 20 March, anchored by a huge £33 million John Lewis store.

DIMCO Buildings to become Events Venue

DIMCO Buildings - an entertainment venue?

Westfield, as anyone in our neighbourhood can hardly have failed to notice, is building. But the great northwards expansion of the UK's sixth largest shopping centre does not include the DIMCO buildings, a former electrical station for the central line which (slightly curiously) has listed building status.

Westfield now wants your views on what the future of the DIMCO buildings should be. The current proposal is to turn them into a new entertainment venue.