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Your chance to help crowdfund a film about the Ealing Club’s place as ‘The cradle of British Rock’

I’m a big fan of the efforts being made to show just how crucial Ealing was in the birth of British Rhythm and Blues and I’ve taken my first dip in to crowdfunding with this film.  The target is to raise £6,000 by August 25th and as of writing this we’ve raised £963, so pretty good going as it’s only just been launched.


     

Feb 1965: The WHO & Fery Asgari at The Ealing Club 

Suburban Steps to Rockland is a documentary feature film focusing on the the story of the Ealing Club, a small venue in West London, where bands and artists like The Who, The Rolling Stones, Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton – just to name a few – started their careers in the early ’60s.

Your chance to support the film and get rewarded for participation

Many Interviews with veteran musicians and leading rock writers have already been completed including:  Bobbie Korner (Wife of Alexis) Don Craine (Downliners Sect) Ali Mackenzie (The Birds) Terry Marshall (co-founder Marshall Amps) John O’Leary (Savoy Brown) Pete Brown (lyricist for Cream)  Tom Newman (co-founder Virgin Records, Ealing Club veteran and Producer of Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells”) Mike Watt (The Minutemen, Iggy Pop and The Stooges) Damian and John O’Neill (The Undertones) Harry Shapiro (Rock Music Biographer) and Paul Trynka (Music Writer).  A special PROMO MOVIE can be viewed at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ealingclubfilm/suburban-steps-to-rockland

Supporters will receive copies of the completed film, access to exclusive merchandise and LIVE EVENTS being planned (please see Kickstarter for details) 

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Apply now for next round of the alley-gating scheme

I know there can often be problems with back alleys being used by burglars or just being used as a dumping ground for rubbish so I thought I’d pass on the details of the Council’s alley-gating scheme. In an advert in today’s Gazette it says that residents can apply to have alleys gated by the Council. Applications can be made from 1st to 30th August and you contact the safer communites team on 020 8825 7757 or email them at gating@ealing.gov.uk

 

 

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West Ealing Business Hub project to continue to next stage

West Ealing Hub Project Continues

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The West Ealing Hub Working Group has conducted a study to assess the feasibility of a coworking space in West Ealing over a three month period from April to July 2013. The study is now complete! Over 250 people input their ideas and comments to inform the final study. We would like to say thank you to everyone who has contributed.

 

Our research has shown that there is awareness in West Ealing that the area is changing. The hub idea was received with great enthusiasm, and many local people indicated that they would like to take an active part in developing an inspiring business coworking space on the high street.

 

We looked at various business models of coworking spaces and hubs all over London to find a model that would work best for West Ealing. The feasibility study found that there was a case to be made and a solid foundation to take forward the future enterprise.

 

A new operational group chaired by David Highton will be looking further into developing the right business model.

 

The West Ealing Hub Feasibility Study was supported by resources secured from Ealing Council’s High Street Innovation Fund and Riot Recovery funds.

West Ealing Hub Working Group

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Interested in helping with our West Ealing craft markets?

Help needed with our markets

We need some ideas, energy and enthusiasm to help us develop both our monthly craft markets and our annual arts and crafts fair.

We want to restart our monthly craft market in St James Ave again soon. We learnt a lot from our first year and we now want to take it to the next level.  I think we will be helped when the new Morrisons opens in Blockbusters as this is almost certain to bring many more people to St James Ave.

We’re looking for volunteers interested in any of the following:
•Choosing the stalls for each market
•Managing the booking and admin
•Helping manage the market on the first Saturday of each month

 

The monthly craft market in St James Avenue

 

On top of the monthly craft market, we need a number of volunteers to help with the annual arts and crafts fair each November in St James Church. Martyn has put on some 12 of these annual events and feels now is a good time for a change – so many thanks to Martyn for establishing the arts and crafts fair as a much-anticipated annual event.

 

The areas of interest are similar to the monthly market:
•Choosing the stalls
•Managing the bookings and admin
•Organising the lay out of the market in St James Church
•Helping run the event on the day
•Managing the volunteers who help set up and clean up

 

Both these events are fun to be involved and offer a great opportunity to be at the heart of what’s happening in West Ealing.

 

If you’re interested in helping please email us at westealingneighbours@gmail.com
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Keep an eye on this space in Leeland Road

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The Santa Rita café (on the left) has been closed for a while and rumour has it that this site is to be redeveloped and flats built above. Not necessarily a bad thing but with local house prices climbing ever higher, partly driven by Crossrail, there is likely to be more and more of these infill-type developments.

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The Battle of Britain Bunker museum in Hillingdon is well worth a visit

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Just thought I’d write this as it may be of interest with the school holidays upon us.

We were  part of a group that had a guided tour of the Battle of Britain Bunker at RAF Uxbridge. There are guided tours on weekdays at 10am and 2pm. You need to book but the tour is free though they do suggest a £3 donation per person.

The heart of the visit is a descent down about 70 steps (didn’t actually seem that many to me) to the Operations Room. This is the one you see in the films with the big map and the WAAF team  moving the  blocks around to show where the enemy aircraft and  RAF fighters were. What strikes you is just how much information there was in that room for the Controller to absorb – available fighters, how long they’d been in the air, what reserves were available and then to use all this to decide over what air space to put the fighters to counter the enemy formations. During the Battle of Britain one person, Group Captain Lord Willoughby de Broke, was primarily responsible using the map and all manner of other information to oversee this country’s air defences. When you sit in that room you understand just how big a task that was and how much rested on his shoulders when he made decisions. And, in our age of technolgy, it’s an eye-opener to see how the Operations Room worked and information kept  up to date using a simple but very effective colour coded clock and coloured lights on a board showing the status of aircraft at the main sectors in southern England.

It’s a guided tour and includes a 20 minute film about the Battle of Britain – never shown on TV or at the cinema apparently. There is also a series of rooms with all manner of RAF and other WW2 items to look at. Apart from the two planes on display in the grounds there are no other planes to be seen as it was always an operations/admin base.

It’s well worth a visit if you’re at all interested in this part of our history. Full details are on their website – http://www.raf.mod.uk/battleofbritainbunker/

 

 

 

 

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Secret cinema in Ealing Broadway – great views and some cult and contemporary classic films from 31st July

The Rooftop Society: Cinema & sundowners in Ealing

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Ealing Broadway BID and Land Securities, in partnership with Ealing Council, are bringing a cinema back to Ealing, the home of London film.

From Wednesday 31st July until Sunday 8th September the seventh floor of Springbridge car park will be transformed into Ealing’s very own secret rooftop garden, and home to London’s favourite outdoor cinema the Rooftop Film Club. We are opening our garden to our friends, special guests and those in the know.

Come and join us from 7pm for a spectacular sundowner show with one of the best views of the sunset in London. After the lights go out, join us for an eclectic cinema programme, with the finest in cult & contemporary classics, including a few voted especially by you.

Feeling peckish? Take advantage of our ‘Best of Ealing’ kitchen – order from your local favourite restaurant (menu & numbers provided at our bar) and get it delivered directly to your cinema seat!

The films include:

Jul 31, 2013    Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Aug 1, 2013    Labyrinth (1986)

Aug 2, 2013    Top Gun (1986)

Aug 3, 2013    The Goonies (1985)

Aug 4, 2013    The Graduate (1967)

Aug 7, 2013    Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

Aug 8, 2013    The Big Lebowski (1998)

Aug 9, 2013    The Lost Boys (1987)

Aug 10, 2013  Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Aug 11, 2013  The Artist (2011)

Tickets are £12 and you’ll find details of how to buy tickets online at www.rooftopfilmclub.comhttp://www.rooftopfilmclub.comtherooftopsociety.com/

The cinema runs from Wednesday 31st July to Sunday 8th September, 5 nights a week (Wednesday to Sunday) The bar opens at 7pm each night, and the cinema starts at sunset. The event closes at 11.30pm.

Ealing Broadway BID, a Business Improvement District is delivering this in partnership with Cellar Door, Rooftop Film Club and Background Bars.

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The Walmer Garden bees are happy

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Beekeepers – from a safe distance

I know it’s a bit far away but the Ealing Transition beekeepers arrived this morning as we were tidying up around the apple trees in the Walmer Gardens orchard. I thought I’d take a look at what they were doing but saw lots of bees swirling around the hive so decided this is as close as I’m going. The bees get a weekly check and I’m told they are doing well. Last year was tough going for them so I hope this year is better and they can produce some honey.

As for the apple trees – they have a decent crop on this year. Last year was dreadful. So, looks like apple juice come September.

Our Abundance blog is the place to keep up to date with all these things  – http://westealingabundancew13.wordpress.com/about/ – and don’t forget we have Elderflower Cordial for sale through the w7emporium in Hanwell.

 

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West Ealing hotel site update – just Dean’s wall left standing

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This is the first of an occasional series of updates on the progress of the new hotel in West Ealing. I took this photo at about 9.30 yesterday morning (Thursday 11th July). The site is almost fully demolished. The wall behind Dean’s flower stall is the only bit still standing. It’s only function seems to be to hold up his awning. He tells me his awning will be attached to the wooden hoarding when the wall finally comes down. I think they have to dig up all the concrete base next so they can start on the foundations.  That could prove a bit noisy so be warned.

Oh, and one more thing – there’s talk of possibly adding another storey to increase the number of hotel bedrooms. Whether this is serious  or not we shall see. There are questions about impact on light on O’Grady Court and other nearby buildings but it does seem to mean the developers or hotel chain see this as a sound commercial opportunity and are willing to invest in West Ealing.