Re-Re-Revised Walkabout Plans

New building viewed from the north side of Shepherd's Bush Green

Dorsett Hospitality International, the group who renovated the old Shepherd's Bush Pavilion and have turned it into a successful upscale hotel, have unveiled re-re-revised proposals for the old Walkabout pub, formerly the Shepherd's Bush Cinematograph theatre. 

The fresh drawings have taken into account community feedback and aim to make the new building fit better into the context of the existing Dorsett hotel. 

Shepherd's Bush Flats in Flames

One of the big multi-storey blocks of flats to the south of the Shepherd's Bush roundabout was today in flames, as fire caused the evacuation of over 50 people. You can see the full story at the BBC here and also at ShepherdsBushW12. Shepherd's Bush Green has been closed for much of the day, leading to huge traffic jams and congestion. By tonight, fire chiefs were reporting that the blaze was under control. The London Fire Brigade was called at 15:44, with 999 control officers taking over 40 emergency calls to the incident. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Children's Funfair in Ravenscourt Park until 21st of August

Stuck for things to do with the kids this summer? The John Parnham children's funfair is in Ravenscourt Park until the 21st of August.

Entry to the funfair is free, but the rides are not. All rides and inflatables are token-operated.
Tokens are bought at the token box on site
£1 a token - 12 tokens for £10.

The fair is open every day from 3rd August - 21st August 2016 from 11-6pm

Pergola on the Roof Seeks Extension until December 23

Pergola on the Roof - now at TV Centre

Pergola on the Roof, the rooftop restaurant that has brought outdoor dining to the top of the old soon-to-be-demolished carpark on Wood Lane, has applied for planning permission to extend its rooftop run beyond the summer until the end of December.

Good news then for outdoor diners, but perhaps less welcome for the residents of Macfarlane Road who haven't necessarily been thrilled by the noise and general disturbance. 

St Stephen’s Michaelmas Fair on Saturday 24th September

St Stephen's

St Stephen’s Church on Uxbridge Road are hosting a Michaelmas Fair on Saturday 24th September. The fair will be held in St Stephen’s Church and the neighbouring hall, selling all sorts of gifts and goodies.

The fair is being held in aid of the St Stephen's Roof Fund, which is seeking to raise £200,000 to fix the Victorian roof, now leaking and badly in need of restoration.

The fair will include all sorts of things for sale, plus entertainment for children. And it's not too late to get involved yourself. Why not take a stall and sell some stuff?

Final Victory for Shepherd's Bush Market Traders?

Shepherd's Bush Market

Market traders at Shepherds Bush Market are celebrating a new legal victory, finally (it appears) seeing off the redevelopment project by Orion, which has been the subject of conflict and litigation for the past six years.

According to Leigh Day, solicitors for the market traders, Orion have abandoned their efforts to appeal the latest ruling in the ongoing legal battle over the future of the market.

"5 Star" Car Wash To Be Demolished

The "Five Star Car Wash" at 10B Shepherd`s Bush Road, just to the south of Shepherd's Bush Green, is to be demolished and replaced by - yes, you guessed it - a block of flats. Another piece of Old Shepherd's Bush will soon be history.

Arguably though, what is surprising is that relatively low-value businesses like this one have survived for so long as land values has risen. The car wash sits on prime development land and the planning application submitted will involved squeezing 28 residential units (10 x 1 bed, 15 x 2 bed, 2 x 3 bed and 1 x 4 bed) out of the site. Well, no-one can say we don't need more housing in our neighbourhood. To see the planning application, follow this link.

Why Is Our Council Failing Shepherd's Bush Green?

Recently we reported on the sea of litter that greets anyone crossing Shepherd's Bush Green in the morning.

The story got a good deal of traffic, and we received many comments and emails from local residents, suggesting that the state of Shepherd's Bush Green is something that people in our neighbourhood care about.

So we contacted our local Councillors, Mercy Umeh, Natalia Perez, and Andrew Jones to ask them if they could help us out in the fight to clean up Shepherd's Bush Green. What was the result?

Who Are Your Local Councillors?

Most of us have no idea who our local Councillors are, but we ought to. Why? Because Councillors are the link between the voters and the Council - it's the way in which local government is held to account by the electorate.

If you've got a problem in your local neighbourhood, the chances are your local MP won't be able to help much, because local issues are mostly decided at a local level.

But your local Councillors should know where the levers of power are located  - and also how to press them.  So, in Shepherd's Bush, who are our local councillors, and how can you reach them?

Review - Boys Will Be Boys

Here at The Bush Telegraph we're big fans of the Bush Theatre, our temple of culture on the Uxbridge road, currently undergoing a major renovation.

Overall, the standard of theatre is very high, comparable with the best of the West End, but lately we've noticed a bit of a detour into some less thoughtful programming. Think the naughtily-titled "F*ck the Polar Bears", or "Islands", a potty-mouthed rant against tax avoiders. It's not that these plays don't have something to say, it's just that what they do say isn't necessarily very well said.

"Boys Will Be Boys" continues this recent trend. Here is what our reviewer thought of the play, which is currently playing at Bush Hall until 30 July.

Shepherd's Bush Green Is a Mess

Shepherd's Bush Green yesterday morning

Anyone who walks across Shepherd's Bush Green in the mornings will be familiar with the sea of litter that is deposited there every night.

Food, empty bottles, soda cans, McDonalds wrappers - all sorts of junk gets left there - often right next to the bins. It's a depressing sight, and there doesn't seem to be any attempt to enforce the laws against dropping litter.

O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire Re-Opens at Last

O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire

Not that you'd know it if you walked past the building, but the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire has finally re-opened, after seven long months of emergency repairs. The extensive works apparently involved scaffolding the interior of the roof to make the building safe.

The Grade II listed Empire is one of Shepherd's Bush's historic landmarks - they even have their own Wikipedia page. It was originally built in 1903 for entrepreneur Oswald Stoll, starting life as a music hall.  To see what's on at the Empire, and admire their newly refurbished roof, follow the link to their official site here.

"Big Local" W12 Festival on Saturday 23rd July

W12 Festival 2016

The W12 Festival is coming to our streets this summer. The "Big Local" in White City is getting ready for this year's Summer Festival on Saturday 23rd July from 1pm until 7pm, in newly refurbished Wormholt Park.

It's a family-friendly day, full of activities, local performers, street food from local caterers and "an opportunity to celebrate all that’s good and inspiring about our little patch of London".

Best of all, entry is free.

Funfair Returns to Shepherd's Bush Green

Funfair

Pity poor Shepherd's Bush Green - the funfair is returning for two weeks, from 22 July until 7 August.

The trouble is, the big lorries that transport these funfairs cause huge damage to the Green, which even at the best of times often feels badly treated.

You can still see the trackmarks in the grass from the last fair, which left in early April.

Wood Lane Closed

Wood Lane (aka the A219) is closed in both directions today due to "emergency repairs" between South Africa Road and Shepherd's Bush Green.  According to the TFL website, the closure has been caused by a burst water main.

If you're driving, it's probably best to avoid the whole Shepherd's Bush area until the works are completed. 

As to when that will be, there is no information as yet. The closure has been in place since wednesday, with no end in sight. Meanwhile, gridlock on the streets of Shepherd's Bush.

LBHF "Unity" Day on July 17th

Polish Centre, Hammersmith

The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is hosting a "Unity Day" on July 17th, an event being organised by the council to "celebrate the diversity of our borough" and to show solidarity with those who experienced racial abuse in the aftermath of the Brexit vote.

The event will take place on July 17th with a march from Shepherd's Bush to the Polish Centre on King Street, and finishing in Ravenscourt Park with a community festival.

For details, see the Facebook page here.

Bush Theatre "Breaks Out" and Moves To Bush Hall

The Bush Theatre has "broken out" of its home on Uxbridge Road (where they have got the builders in all this year and early next) and taken up temporary residence at Bush Hall, a short walk west down the Uxbridge Road.

Bush Hall was originally a dance venue but today hosts all sorts of events including theatre, cabaret, comedy and live music.

The Bush Hall dining rooms are located conveniently next door, now serving pizza from their wood-burning pizza oven.

Should Hammersmith & Fulham Declare Independence?

According to our Council, the residents of Hammersmith & Fulham bucked the national trend in the recent referendum by a wide margin, voting 70% in favour of remaining in the European Union. Just 30% voted to leave, on a high turnout of almost 70%.  Hammersmith & Fulham Council Leader, Cllr Stephen Cowan also sought to calm the nerves of anxious Europeans in our neighbourhood. He said that the Council "wants to send a very clear and very warm message of welcome to the thousands of EU citizens that have made our borough their home."

St Stephen's Summer Fair Saturday 2 July at Noon

Summer Fair on Saturday

On Saturday 2 July St Stephen's School on the Uxbridge Road is having a summer fair.  

The Fair takes place from noon until 4pm and will involve lots of activities for families and children. 

Entry is 50p for children, £1 for adults, and £2 for families. 

So come along and support one of the best schools in our local neighbourhood. 

Night Tube To Begin On 19 August

The Night Tube, the 24 hour Underground service that was scheduled to start last September, is now due to start on 19 August, with the Central Line leading the way.

This means that trains from Shepherd's Bush to central London will run 24 hours a day, making London (like New York City) "The City That Never Sleeps".

A good thing then for late-night clubbers, and night-shift workers, but less welcome perhaps for anyone in Shepherd's Bush who wants a quiet life.