Forum Topics

NatWest closing West Ealing branch

The Royal Bank of Scotland group has announced it is closing 259 of its branches. The closures involve 62 Royal Bank of Scotland and 197 NatWest branches. list - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42192760 also Acton and Brentford

Fred Hunt ● 3244d5 Comments ● 3236d

Toxic Emissions From An Asphalt Plant Is Causing Ill Health In Southall

Please sign and share the online petition to hold FM Conway to account for their toxic emissions affecting the health of Southall residents.https://www.change.org/p/hillingdon-and-ealing-councils-hillingdon-and-ealing-councils-force-fm-conway-plant-in-hayes-to-improve-odour-control-measures?recruiter=508058618&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition

Angela Fonso ● 3237d1 Comments ● 3237d

The Avenue Antique, Vintage & Retro Market Xmas Special Sat 9th 9-5pm

The last vintage, antique and retro market of the year takes place this Saturday 9th as a special seasonal event.  As usual, many stalls with eclectic mixes of items from kitchenalia (gravy boats/cake stands etc) and doorknobs and knick knacks - all of which make great stocking fillers. Paintings, sculptures and bedpans for the more adventurous gift giver.  Opposite West Ealing Station and the Drayton Pub.  9-5pm.

Jools Lewis ● 3237d0 Comments ● 3237d

Sad passing of Roy Bartlett

Roy Bartlett 87, died on Sunday 12th November at his home in Ealing from heart failure. His funeral service will be held at Breakspear Crematorium Ruislip on Tuesday 5th December at 12.15 followed by a chance to share memories and stories of his life at Wealdstone FC, Grosvenor Vale, Ruislip.Roy led a fulfilled and varied life. He was a regularly contributor in the letters column in the Ealing Gazette and on the Ealing Today website and always managed to add his little sense humour to whatever the topic. He would also be seen every November sitting on his buggy in Waitrose (West Ealing) proudly selling poppies for the Remembrance Day.He was born the youngest of four to Mary and Edwin Bartlett on 14th June 1930 in South Ealing where he lived with sister Ivy and brothers Ted and BernHe formed Viking Sports at the age of 14 whilst at AEC at the end of the war in 1945. In over 60 years involvement, Roy occupied every role within the club where he started as GK then onto manager, physio, secretary, Chairman and finally as President. 1947 Roy organised the first overseas visit by a British youth football team to Europe after the warHe joined the RAF as part of his National service and was posted to Hereford and Yorkshire in the explosives unit. Roy met his wife Beryl at the football club and they married on Boxing Day 1954 and had their reception at Gunnersbury Park Mansion.  had their only child Gordon, in the following December. In 1965, he organised a momentous overland coach trip to the Soviet Union at the height of the ‘Cold War’ which proved to be an outstanding success in terms of enterprise and goodwill.In 1968 another Viking touring party were caught up in the ‘Warsaw pact’ invasion of the Czechoslovakia . As leader, Roy’s diplomacy and tact in dealing with the Russian led occupying forces successfully led the young party to the safety of Austria.These tours and the hosting of foreign opposition accrued a record number of 92 matches. After leaving AEC, he worked for Hyster, as a warranty claims officer before moving to Barlow Handling in White Waltham near Maidenhead where he was made redundant after suffering a heart attack in 1978. Always a fighter, he recovered well and it wasn’t long before he joined Beryl working at the Children’s home in Ealing as a part time ‘caretaker’ and was soon back on his mower doing various groundsman jobs. He served on numerous football committees’ and the Birkbeck residents association and was a tutor on the Duke of Edinburgh Award for groundsmanship and community skillsHe also became an author writing two books on his favourite subjects Viking and his childhood memories, ‘Life’s a Ball’ and ‘Little Boy’s War’. 2001 he was included in the New Year’s Day Parade at part of the London Roll of Honour for services to the London Borough of Ealing. Roy also featured in several national television broadcasts such as 'Blitz Spirit', 'Home Front' and 'Songs of Praise' - 'Wartime Christmas'.In 2015 Roy and Beryl celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a letter from the Queen.He continued Voluntary work with Gunnersbury Park Museum and Walpole Park educational programme well into his 80’s speaking to school children about the 1940’s experience. It seems fitting that he actually passed away in the early hours of Remembrance Sunday.Roy was an inspirational person who gave so much, to so many. He was a true gentleman who touched the hearts of many people during his life and leaves special memories of a kind and caring man. In lieu of flowers, Roy’s family request donations go to Dementia UK via Lodge Brothers website.

Roy Bartlett ● 3245d2 Comments ● 3238d

Greenfield v Brownfield - planners blunder!

On 9th June 2010, planning law was changed with the intent to give some protection to gardens of residential properties in built-up areas.Previously the garden grounds of houses were considered to be "Brownfield" land along with the houses to which the gardens belong, so that the whole curtilage including the green space was treated as possible for extra development. The change in the law followed years of campaigning by Councillors and MPs across all the parties protesting about so-called "Garden-Grabbing". However, on Wednesday 20th September 2017, garden lovers suffered an apparent setback when the expert planners of Ealing Council told the Planning Committee in writing and verbally on 4 occasions that normal domestic gardens are NOT to be treated as "Greenfield" (as intended by the Government Planning Minister at the time) if they belong to a house which is within the overall curtilage!Most private gardens do indeed belong to houses!Despite this bizarre and wrong information being given to the Planning Committee 4 times during their consideration of a rear garden proposed development at 33 Amherst Road (an Edwardian property with an L-shaped garden), neither the Assistant Head Planner (Ms Alex Jackson) nor the Planning Legal Solicitor (Ms Jackie Adams) saw fit to intervene as their Interim East Area Team Leader, Mr Miguel Martinez, floundered and confused both himself and councillors alike.It was left to astonished members of the public sitting upstairs in the gallery to call out  - of course, to no avail and at the risk of being evicted from the Public Meeting.Having (voluntarily) assisted residents in L.B.Ealing and elsewhere oppose "Backgarden Vultures" for over 31 years, I was amazed to hear the utter nonsense from the planners on the 20th September at Committee and I have subsequently written to the LBE Chief Planning Officer, Mr David Scourfield, with a formal complaint over his planners' handling of the case at 33 Amherst Road.I have uploaded my letter and its attachment to Dropbox and these can be read at the following link locations.https://www.dropbox.com/preview/Public/Greenfield%20-%2033%20Amherst%20Road/LettertoChiefPlanningOfficer22ndOct2017.pdf?role=personalhttps://www.dropbox.com/preview/Public/Greenfield%20-%2033%20Amherst%20Road/DelegationReport16.ChurchfieldRoad.pdf?role=personalI await a response from Mr Scourfield.Two other worrying matters have arisen from this case about which I am writing to Mr Scourfield and the Council's Committees Section separately.Yours sincerely, Victor Mishiku  29/10/17vmfree@madasafish.comPS. If there is any difficulty with the Dropbox links above, please let me know and I can send the two documents by e-mail.

Victor Mishiku ● 3277d5 Comments ● 3238d

Walpole cafe and PMGT

EalingToday - thank you for highlighting the plight of the lease holders of the current Rickyard and how conveniently Ealing Council have passed the buck on the shoddy treatment of the lease holders. Really Council Spokesperson; do you think we believe this was all done above board. You might have followed a "procedure" that makes the tender process look legitimate but no doubt weighted in favour of your preferred new supplier or the preference for a "big company" rather than a family run business that has built up the loyal clientele in the park. I suggest this loyal clientele is what will allow you to charge more for the lease and cut out the small family business.There has been no consultation, no debate, and sorry but this just smells bad. I mean very bad indeed. Perhaps, really a little sordid, perhaps not quite legitimate.

Paul Scoble ● 3238d0 Comments ● 3238d

RECOMMENDATION

CAN ANYONE RECOMMEND A GOOD ALL ROUND BUILDER/HANDYPERSON,THANK YOU,REGARDS JOHN.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3244d6 Comments ● 3238d

Techno rave goes ahead again... 8/9th June

So a bit like residents in Notting Hill...we can all plan a nice weekend away!Any suggestions?

Nick Jenkins ● 3239d1 Comments ● 3239d

Installation a cat flap into Double Glasing Door

Hello,I need to install a cat flap (cat door) into Double Glasing Door. Have someone done this? Do you have anyone, who you could recommend to do it?Many thanks.Regards,Helen

Helen Lavenchuk ● 3252d7 Comments ● 3240d

Big Trouble in Little Ealing - Post Office Shuts Down

Mystified customers milled around the South Ealing Road Post Office this morning finding it shut and its contents out on the street. The cash machine was powered up but the little screen said no service.A piece of paper in the glass door said "Shut for Two Weeks". People wondered where they were going to get their pension and whether they were going to get the parcels that they had ordered.The word on the street was that the owners of the Post Office franchise had sold the shop and no one knew where they had gone.This latest change comes on the crest of a wave of closures in the vicinity of Little Ealing. First the cab company closed (A4/Tiger/Link/M&M were some of the names that it had used). Then the insititution that was Carpol Insurance Brokers, and then Paperback Coffee Shop. Why are all these shops closing all of a sudden?

Mark Julian Raymond ● 3274d2 Comments ● 3241d

New school

Why no name given? http://www.ealingtoday.co.uk/default.asp?section=community&spage=common/contwyfordabbey001.htm

Graham Weeks ● 3245d1 Comments ● 3242d

A warm welcome awaits you

From me at http://www.ipc-ealing.co.uk

Graham Weeks ● 3243d1 Comments ● 3243d

Gerry Tan R.I.P.

For those if you who remember him and all his former forum contributions, it is with sadness that I inform you that Gerry has passed away. May he rest in peace. Condolences to his wife Sheila.

Sheila D. Brock ● 3249d19 Comments ● 3245d

Christmas & New Year Waste & Recycling

https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201167/rubbish_and_recycling/1021/changes_to_rubbish_and_recycling_collectionsI think you'll need to keep your old calendar to check which collections are in between the end of November and the date in January when everything is back to normal.  The changes to collection replace the regular collection routine during December and January.

Philippa Bond ● 3245d0 Comments ● 3245d

Giving gifts for children in care homes via police station

I clicked on the police website to do this via Ealing today but after entering my address it was blank has anyone else had this problem?

Stephanie Stanley ● 3252d2 Comments ● 3245d

November smiles

Scotsman visits other scotsman who is taking wallpaper off wall,is asked are you decorating, no is the reply, moving houseThe greatest question ever asked by a church trainee: "Ok I get justification but why did he nail 95 faeces to a door?"

Graham Weeks ● 3274d9 Comments ● 3245d

10 trains per hours to Central London from West Ealing station!?

Someone asked a question regarding the frequency of Crossrail services to Sadiq Khan during the Mayor's Question Time on 14 September 2017.The full question and the Mayor's answer are provided in full below.  In a nutshell, the Mayor says the intention is that there will be 10 trains per hour at peak time from West Ealing from December 2019 (when the final phase of Crossrail opens).  I never heard that before and if true, that it pretty tremendous news for anyone living close to West Ealing station (and its current four hourly trains to Central London)!Crossrail FrequencyQuestion No: 2017/3713Onkar SahotaFurther to MQ 2013/2656 & MQ 2013/2657, and given the considerable interest and concern that local residents along the route have for the future service they should expect from Crossrail; will the Mayor give reassurances to commuters using Hayes & Harlington, Southall, Hanwell, West Ealing, Ealing Broadway and Acton Mainline stations that they too will benefit from increased services at their stations as a result of the extra trains per hour being laid on West of Paddington; and will he confirm to me how many trains will serve each of these stations per hour in both directions?Written response from the Mayor received 10/11/2017I am pleased to say that following a review of the timetable, services on the Elizabeth line are set to be even more extensive and frequent than originally planned. This also includes plans itto call at Terminal 5 - meaning all Heathrow Terminals will be served by the Elizabeth line.A total of six Elizabeth line trains per hour will serve Heathrow Terminals from December 2019. Four will go to Terminals 2, 3 and 4 and two will go to Terminals 2, 3 and 5. Services will alsoincrease to Ealing Broadway, Southall and Hayes & Harlington. To facilitate the increase, the number of trains that will operate on the line will rise from 66 to 70.As Elizabeth line services share track with other national rail services, TfL is working closely with Network Rail and other operators to agree the final timetable and service frequencies.However, from December 2019 the intention is that customers from Acton Main Line stations will have four trains per hour, Ealing Broadway will have 12 trains per an hour, Hanwell will have six trains per hour and customers from West Ealing, Hayes & Harlington and Southall will have 10 trains per hour at peaks when travelling into central London.The full timetable will be confirmed closer to the start of services.Source:https://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/documents/b16054/Appendix%203%20-%20Written%20answers%20Thursday%2014-Sep-2017%2010.00%20London%20Assembly%20Mayors%20Question%20Time.pdf?T=9

Michael Charlton ● 3248d2 Comments ● 3246d

Street Lighting

My husband and I are unhappy to hear that Ealing Council have decided to dim the street lights after 10 pm as they think it will save money. This is surely a false economy. We were given the impression that the LED lighing would save money which was why they were introduced in the first place!Her are a few points to consuder before making any decision.Winter evenings especially are much darker since the LED lights were introduced.The LED lighting does not provide sufficient light to make one feel safe as they will be too dim to see properly when they are reduced after 10 pm.Streets are only swept once in every 6 weeks and we end up with piles of leaves which are slippery after rain. This could cause accidents!In winter when there is frost on the ground, walking in darkened streets will create a hazard.Walking through discarded rubbish is also a factor to consider. Bicycles attached to street furniture could cause people to trip.Crossing roads after 10 pm will be even more hazardous for residents, motorists may not be aware of people especially if they ars wearing dark clothing until it is too late.Dimmed lighting will be considered a godsend to ciminals, nice dark areas to conceal their activities. We have had recent reports of burglars in this area so hearing the strert lighting will be reduced even further is a great worry to residents.Please don't be penny wise and pound foolish, the lives of residents must be foremost in your minds. Do reconsider before making rash decisions.

Jean F Fernandez ● 3251d2 Comments ● 3249d

Re 9-42 Ealing Broadway

can anyone tell me why the council did not seek compensation from Benson Elliot the council payed them 74,000 pounds out of the public purse so why can they not get this money back they keep on about the money that the government keeps cutting back so this does not help Ealing does it

Harold John Ward ● 3252d1 Comments ● 3249d

The Art and Jazz Sparkle Fayre

We are really excited to welcome everyone to our first "Art and Jazz Sparkle Fayre" on Wednesday 29th November 7pm-10pm at The Coach and Horses Pub in Isleworth TW7 5BQ. It is great that Ealing Today have featured it and the 12 Ealing Artists and Crafts people have some really top quality Art, Jewellery, Wood, Ceramic and Vintage Clothing items for sale - making unique Christmas gifts.Jazz is provided by the Jozef Janik Trio with a festive party edge. This is a lovely pub with yummy food and drink. Frances Scott, the organiser and BEAT artist says "We hope that this Fayre can be a regular event, looking towards having another in the spring, thus offering another venue to promote the amazing and diverse Art talent we have in Ealing. We are all behind the CEPAC campaign- to develop a centre for performing and visual arts in the centre of Ealing. This Fayre is another step towards this".

Frances Scott ● 3252d1 Comments ● 3252d