Author: David

David has lived in West Ealing since 1978 ,has been an allotment holder on the Northfield Ave site since 2000 and chair of West Ealing Neighbours since its early days. He is most interested in finding solutions to problems whether its rubbish on the streets, improved pedestrian safety at the Lido Junction or how we can keep the shopping centre as the heart of our community. He recently helped set up West Ealing Arts and its OPEN Ealing community arts project.
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OPEN Ealing is back and launches its Autumn programme of arts events

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OPEN’s new home  in the Green Man Lane Cafe

 

Having helped set up OPEN Ealing a while back I’m delighted they have found a new home and are ready to open up again.  Here’s their press release:

 

OPEN Ealing is back for the autumn, with a new programme of events, and brand new premises.

OPEN has been bringing the arts to Ealing for the last four years, most recently in a temporary shop on Drayton Bridge Road.


But it’s now based in a brand new cafe space in West Ealing.

It all kicks off on Monday 6th October, with an 11-week digital photography course. There are also weekly workshops in playwriting, music-making and art history.

 

There’s a full schedule of performances too, on Saturdays from 18th October, including cabaret, poetry, and the return of OPEN’s famous readings of short plays.

It’s all going to happen at the brand new Green Man Lane Cafe on Singapore Road, W13 0EP – just north of West Ealing Broadway. (Turn in at Iceland, left at the Magistrates’ Court and it’s 150 yards down on the far side of the car park). And more activities will be added as the season progresses.

 

To find out more, visit the website – www.openealing.com, or email info@openealing.com.

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The Council wants your views on street drinking, sale of alcohol and late-night entertainment

I think without doubt that West Ealing Neighbours has had more questions about street drinking and 24-hours off-licences than anything else since we were set up eight years ago.  For West Ealing, the single biggest cause for concern is probably having two 24-hour off licences within  almost 100 metres of one another and right by Dean Gardens. The Council’s draft policy recognises the problems caused by the availability of alcohol and the impact this has on street drinking but the key question is will anything be done about it?

The Council’s presumption seems to have been to grant nearly all alcohol licence applications regardless of how many off-licences are already in an area.  The draft policy talks about Cumulative Impact Areas where granting any new alcohol licences could make matters worse and the Council being able to refuse any new applications on this basis. West Ealing high street would surely be such an area and this new policy would be of some help in stopping the spread of off-licences.  The best way to get something done is to make your views heard.  By all means tell us what you think – is there a problem and what can and should be done about it?  But also, have a look at the Council’s draft policy and complete their online questionnaire 

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New monthly antique and vintage market to open in The Avenue on Sat 27th Sept

Clarence and Alabama dress

One of the vintage inspired dresses from regular West Ealing stallholder Clarence and Alabama

A new monthly antique and vintage market is to open in The Avenue in West Ealing on Saturday 27th September. It will be on the stretch of pavement near The Drayton Court Hotel and will run from 9am -5pm.  It will be on the last Saturday of each month through to March with extended hours in December. It’s all part of a trial run to encourage people to shop locally and if it’s successful it will be continued.

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Find out about the plans to transform the area around Ealing Broadway Station

Crossrail public exhibitions for area around Ealing Broadway Station

 

Ealing Council will hold two public exhibitions of its plans for the area around Ealing Broadway station, which is going to be to be transformed with the completion of the new Crossrail station in 2016. The exhibitions next week will give you a chance to comment on ideas for areas around the station which will be modified as part of the council’s plan to improve Ealing’s town centre.

The two sessions will be held between 4pm and 8pm on Tuesday, 2 September and Thursday, 4 September at the Ealing Broadway Station forecourt on Haven Green.
Picture boards will help people to understand the improvements which will delivered once the Crossrail works inside the station are finished at the end of 2016.

The changes will improve pedestrian links with a wider crossing area for pedestrians between the forecourt and Haven Green, new pick-up and drop-off points, better cycle links and an enlarged bus shelter outside the station. The station forecourt will be closed to traffic as part of the new Crossrail station and will become a pedestrianised area with upgraded lighting, seating and an area with the potential for other features such as artwork and a café. You will have an opportunity to ask detailed questions about the proposals and will be invited to complete a questionnaire at each session. Feedback during the exhibition will be used to help inform the plans as they develop.

A Crossrail representative will also be available at the consultations to answer any questions on the improvement works taking place inside the station.

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Resident fined for cutting branches off a street tree

I saw this story on the Ealing Today website  whereby a man was seen cutting branches off a street tree in Perivale. He was seen, reported, charged with, and found guilty of, criminal damage and then fined £2,400.  I have to say that’s a pretty hefty fine but I was pleasantly surprised that the Council took the vandalism seriously.  Similar vandalism has happened near us in a street in West Ealing.  I don’t think anyone saw it happen but it’s worth knowing that if there’s sufficient evidence the Council will take action.

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WEN Abundance – Pesky parakeets pinch our apples!

Indian parakeets

Indian ring-necked parakeets – possible apple-eating culprits

There are all sorts of theories about how these Indian Ring-Necked parakeets came to this country – from escaping off the set of The African Queen being filmed at Shepperton Studios in 1951 to Jimi Hendrix releasing them in Carnaby Street in the 1960s. In the last few years their distinctive screeching has been a common sound and we’ve seen some in our back garden.  They love to perch right at the top of trees even when the flimsy twigs there barely seem strong enough to hold their weight. However, this year it seems they have taken a fancy to apples.

When we last visited the community orchard there looked to be a decent apple crop. When we went back to start picking we wondered where all the apples had gone? Gone to the parakeets is where they’ve gone. The owner of April Cottage next door to the orchard told us that he has seen parakeets eating the apples this year. They sit right at the top and work their way down. All part of living with nature I guess. Still, we hope to find enough apples from other trees to send some batches off for pressing in to apple juice.

We’re always keen to hear from people who want to volunteer to help with Abundance or who have surplus fruit they’re keen to see put to good use. Whichever it is you can contact us at wenabundance@gmail.com
And watch out for our stall at the SoundBite Festival in Dean Gardens on Saturday 13th September where we’ll have elderflower cordial, apple juice and chutneys on sale – all handmade from local produce.

 

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New pop-up cafe coming to Green Man Lane Estate next week

Every now and then I take a walk by the ever-changing Green Man Lane Estate to see what’s happening. I’m particularly interested in what’s going to happen in the community cafe.  And at last there’s something happening.  A pop-up cafe is opening next week.  It’s run by Coco Labelle who describe themselves as follows:

‘Coco Labelle is a family run local catering company offering exotic foods, live entertainment and childcare.

We are now providing pop ups in London to bring you the mauritian, jamaican and italian flavours that we love! We also share with you the finest musicians in London treating you to live jazz, soul, reggae and pop.

Best of all if you have kids, this is the place to be! A place to relax, eat, catch up with your friends, catch a gig all whilst your kids play safely in our creche enjoying our structured activities.’

The cafe is near the junction of Singapore Road and Brownlow Road. Children’s activities start on Tuesday 12th August and below is a (not very good) photo of their activities for the week. A detailed schedule is on their website

 

Coco Labelle

You can find out more about Coco Labelle here

 

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New from WEN Abundance – apricot butter now available as the perfect accompaniment to cheese

Yes, you can grow apricots in this country!  They may have come originally from China or Armenia but they have been adapted to grow in colder climates. Normally, the tree on our allotment gets hit by a late frost and that’s usually just about the end of the fruit for the year. However, this year the conditions must have been almost perfect and we had a bumper crop. So once we’d eaten some fresh and frozen some for later we still had a stack left. After a bit of experimentation the decision  was – let’s make apricot butter. Fruit butter, like fruit cheese, is a perfect accompaniment to cheese (the dairy sort). The difference is simply the amount of boiling involved. Fruit butters spread like butter and fruit cheeses need slicing.

If you fancy a treat then drop in to Cheddar Deli on Northfield Ave and buy a jar of our apricot butter and just taste how good it is with cheese. It works best, in my view, with hard cheeses and creamy ones. You may want to think twice before putting it with a blue cheese but no harm in trying it.

Cheddar Deli are also selling our elderflower cordial, apple juice, chutneys and lemon elderflower marmalade. Some of our produce is also available through Edible Ealing’s box scheme and we’ve just delivered some to The Fox Craft Barn next to The Fox pub in Green Lane, Hanwell. So, you’ll find our Abundance produce somewhere near you.  If you can’t get to any of these outlets then do please email us – wenabundance@gmail.com – and we’ll see how best we can help.