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West Ealing – bloodied but unbowed

Plainly we need a miracle. One man stood in West Ealing Broadway all night and witnessed what happened. He described a scene of random violence and looting. Police cars sped through, presumably too outnumbered to dare to stop, as 2-300 young people, masked and hooded, went on a frenzied spree hurling paving stones into shop windows. The shop that sells fancy trainers was the first to go. Blockbusters was smashed open and emptied; Play Stations walked out and became currency on the street. Seba Electronics was emptied – one of the few remaining independent electronics shops owned by a gentle man who writes inspiring sayings on the wall outside. What will he do now? The Bargain Store – rugs, mobile phones, luggage – was broken into. Cash Converters put up a brave label, saying they’d be back.

The man who bore witness, Mike Sylvester, who runs Sylvester’s Hair and Beauty, just stood outside his plate glass window all night – and he’s planning to do the same tonight. ‘Weren’t you frightened?’ I asked him. ‘Not really,’ he said. ‘I just kept saying “don’t set fires”. You have to be careful. One young guy tried to stop them trashing Blockbusters and his face ended up covered in blood.’  Mike worries that young people are simply very angry and don’t care what they do.

Mike, and people like him, are a ray of light. One person said that Southall shops remained safe because the families that own them came out in force to stand guard.

We asked the people at the Bargain Store what help they needed, as they rushed to board up their shop – still wide open to the world at 7pm. They said it was enough we thought about them. We asked the Afghani veg and fruit shop, as they brought down the shutters early, what we could do for them. They said prayer was the only answer and gave us free bananas to thank us. All we could do was walk and talk. Mike said that things like Family Day on 24 September (a ‘new’ West Ealing tradition that started last year) are more crucial than ever. Meanwhile, he’s performing his vigil tonight again. I can’t help feeling it would have been worse last night without him standing there, an almost silent witness – a symbol of patient sanity, of adulthood.  I hope he stays safe. I wish I was brave enough to take him a cup of tea.

All we keep asking is ‘What can we do?’

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Volunteers and musicians needed for OPEN Ealing

OPEN Ealing is looking for volunteers to help on its reception between 11am and 5pm daily in August and then also between 5-9pm from September. We are also looking  for musicians who are interested in playing at our monthly lunchtime events starting in September.

This month we are busy with our 5 weeks of children’s workshops each weekday between 11am and 5pm. Then from September we will launch our autumn schedule for adults which includes a range of evening activities on most evenings in the week so need help on reception between 5pm and 9pm.

Reception is the public face of OPEN Ealing and the role covers:

  • registering children attending the workshops
  • registering adults attending classes and workshops
  • booking in people wishing to attend the workshops and classes
  • dealing with enquiries from the public both in person and on the phone

We are also looking for musicians who are interested in playing at our forthcoming series of monthly Friday lunchtime events. We can pay expenses and provide lunch. We are keen to have a wide range of music from classical, folk, jazz and more.

If you’re interested in volunteering please call us on 020 8579 5558 weekdays from 10am to 5pm or just drop in and visit us at 113 Uxbridge Road (opposite Ealing fire station). We’d be very happy to show you round and explain more about OPEN Ealing and the reception role.

David Highton

 

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Let us know what’s on your mind with our new forum and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Email and RSS

Our revamped blog is growing in popularity by leaps and bounds, and there’s lots of ways you can follow what’s going on in West Ealing, and let us know what you think about your local community.

We’ve recently created a new online discussion forum to talk about everything in West Ealing. We want to hear from you about what’s on your mind, from restaurant reviews to local planning. Have a look at what’s being said already, and start a topic of your own: http://www.westealingneighbours.org.uk/WEN-blog/wen-forum/

Continue reading “Let us know what’s on your mind with our new forum and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Email and RSS”

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Rural Ealing in July + blackberries nearly there

I just went to check the blackberries in the bunny park – and got some lovely photos of rural Ealing – the blackberries aren’t far off ready (another couple of weeks till the Big Pick -if you’re interested in getting involved  in this community activity and maybe subsequent cooking, email  wenabundance@gmail.com). Anyway, thought you might like the pix (click images to enlarge).

 

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Sell out last night for premiere of Opera Viscera’s Narcissus and Echo at OPEN Ealing

The first floor studio at OPEN Ealing was absolutely packed last night with over 100 people coming for the premiere of Opera Viscera’s Narcissus and Echo.  I make no claim at all to be able to write a review of the opera’s music and song but having managed to squeeze in right at the back I do know I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and did not find myself fidgeting or looking at my watch.  Without doubt it was what I would call a modern opera so some sharp edges and notes but totally listenable to and watchable. The sustained applause at the end said it all for me and talking afterwards to people who do know about opera the verdict was one of universal approval for a thoroughly well written and professional production.

And from one high note to another, if I put my OPEN Ealing hat on, I can honestly say the opera company brought the building alive during their three week stay. They showed just what a buzz there can be in this one-time office block if we can get the building full of people and activities. Opera Viscera gave us a glimpse of our future if we can make the venue a success and I like what I saw – and heard. Thank you Opera Viscera.

David Highton

 

 

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Local picture framing with a difference

I’ve been meaning to write this up for a while so have finally managed it.  If you’re ever looking for someone to frame your pictures keep in mind an outfit called Accession. Accession is a local social enterprise that works with highly marginalised long-term unemployed people. So, for example, their picture framing unit is based down at the West London Mental Health unit near Ealing Hospital.

One of our artists at OPEN Ealing uses them regularly and says they are good quality and excellent value which sounds good to me.

You can find out more about Accession at http://www.accessionpartnership.com/

David Highton

 

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Well attended WEN meeting last night on tackling drug dealing

Just a brief report back on last night’s meeting for the moment. We had about 30+ residents come along and we heard from the police and Council’s Community Safety team.

Some useful ideas came up about the importance of high-visibility policing, the need to document local hot spots for various anti-social behaviour (such as the bus stop by Dean Gardens on Friday nights and weekends) and an offer by the Community Safety team to walk round some of these problem spots with local residents so they get a good feel for why people feel able to deal drugs etc in certain places.

As ever, the question is will any of this happen?  WEN wants to keep a close eye on this so we plan to include a progress report on these ideas and initiatives at our next public meeting in the autumn.

We’ll publish fuller notes of this meeting soon.

David Highton

 

 

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Local listing can help save West Ealing’s heritage

As part of conceiving Ealing’s Local Development Framework (LDF), Ealing Council has the opportunity to review its designated Local Listed buildings and open spaces. Local listing status does not guarantee protection from demolition or new development but it affords the lowest level of protection against it. (Much greater protection is provided by Conservation Area status and National Listing status). If St Helena’s Home at 51 Drayton Green, for example, had been Locally Listed it would have been much more difficult for Notting Hill Housing Trust to demolish it.

These local buildings and open spaces we want preserved need to be identified and reasons given as to why we like them and if there is a relevant historical associations to state what these are. Ealing Civic Society has taken on the role of collecting what they call ‘Local Gems’. WEN has agreed to collect details on West Ealing local gems and then pass them on to ECS, who will then merge them with gems from all over the borough and then submit them all to Ealing Council by 21 July, 2011. This is the date of the inaugural Ealing Council LDF Advisory Committee.

West Ealing Neighbours has published at www.westealingneighbours.org.uk the list of existing locally listed buildings and open spaces. Select the ‘Heritage’ button on the left hand Home Page menu. We have begun the process of identifying these buildings and open spaces and we’ve listed them below. If you would like to add to this list please email details ideally before 14 July to WestEalingNeighbours@gmail.com

You might live in a locally listed building! Click here to check our list.

Identified below are some new candidates for Local Listing:

1. The Foresters Public House, 2, Leighton Road, W13 9EP

A fine example of suburban pub building erected in 1909 to designs by T.H. Nowell Parr for the Royal Brewery of Brentford. Parr was a famous Brentford architect who also designed The Kent pub, Brentford Public Library and Brentford Fire Station. The Foresters boasts notable columned porticos, green-glazed brickwork and prominent gables. Internally are a number of Tudor arches, original fireplaces, and delightful floral Art Nouveau-style stained glass panels in the windows. CAMRA claim that the pub’s historic bell-pushes for waiter service are the only remaining ones to be found in any pub in London.

 

2.  156 Broadway W13

This Art Deco building is one of two remaining such buildings in West Ealing centre.

3.  96 to 100 Broadway W13

This second remaining Art Deco building in the centre of West Ealing and was for many decades the site of Woolworths.

4.  Northfield Avenue Allotments W13

These allotments are well used and were first established in 1832.

5.  14 Sutherland Road W13

This is the only remaining unaltered residential building of a group of four, four-storey, slim, elegant  Victorian Villas on Sutherland Road.

6.  91 to 97 Broadway W13

An elegent Victorian residential terrace with shops at ground level. Attractive Cape Dutch style gables, original stained glass windows and handsome chimneys.

 

 

 

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Next up – Blackberry Picking

West Ealing Pickers – you know who you are! (And, if you aren’t in the know, would you like to know more? See below). Blackberries are next on the picking calendar – could be as early as mid-July (but we’re checking out the picking fields shortly).

To stay in touch, there are many ways:

Come to the Star and Anchor, Uxbridge Rd on Weds eve for social eve.

The West Ealing Abundance Blog: http://westealingabundancew13.wordpress.com/

Email: wenabundance@gmail.com

Twitter: @WENeighbours

Facebook: West Ealing Neighbours