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Fight in Dean Gardens… followed by an armed robbery at the NatWest bank

 

As I was walking to OPEN Ealing this morning I noticed part of Dean Gardens was cordoned off. Apparently there was a fight overnight/early morning and one person has been taken to hospital and another arrested.  The fight looks to have taken place in clear vision of one of the newly installed CCTV cameras. It’s an interesting question as to whether the newly installed CCTV acts as a deterrent or as a means of identifying and apprehending offenders?

Not long after this there was an armed robbery at the NatWest Bank on the corner of the Lido Junction. Seems the robbers got away with some cash.

Friday 1st June

A passer-by said ‘As I walked through Dean Gardens this morning (Thursday), there was a group of 8 people, 2 of which were slightly broken away, one was very aggressive towards the other (on crutches) and was pushed over onto the floor.  The separated 6 also seemed to be about to fight with each other.  They’d clearly been drinking, one I could see from my distance was holding a bottle still.  I scooted through pretty quickly and called the police who said they’d send a patrol round immediately.’

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Free folk music at OPEN Ealing next Friday lunchtime

OPEN Ealing, a new arts centre and creative arts platform in West Ealing, is proud to present folk musicians, Laura Victoria and Sarah-Jane Miller for a free lunchtime concert on Friday 1st June, from 12.30 to 1.30pm.

Sarah-Jane Miller’s Northumbrian roots and love for Romany and English traditions influences her musical style and she captivates audiences with her poignant songwriting and high-energy delivery. www.myspace.com/sarahjanemillermusic

Laura Victoria also originally from Northumberland performs original and traditional songs of love and life. Along with her striking ability to play the cello, Laura has been quoted as having a “powerful and individual vocal presence” (fRoots). Furthermore, Bob Fischer of BBC Radio Tees recently described her musical style as “absolutely unique – a brilliantly strange and haunting take on folk music”. www.lauravictoriamusic.com

United by their interests of exploring and interpreting traditional folk materials both Sarah-Jayne and Laura and will be performing a special set of solo and duo pieces for OPEN Ealing.

Join us on Friday 1st June 2012 for lunchtime music and snacks from 12.30 to 1.30pm
At OPEN Ealing 113 Uxbridge Road, London, W5 5TL
0208 579 5558  |  www.openealing.com

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West Ealing Jubilee Craft market – musicians and performers wanted

The next West Ealing Craft Market is in St James Avenue on Saturday 2nd June – the Jubilee weekend. With a bit of luck it may even be sunny!  It would be good fun to have some live music and other street performers involved to make a bit of a special occasion.  If you’re interested in volunteering to play or perform between 11am and 3pm do please email us at westealingneighbours@gmail.com .  At the very least I’m sure we can supply you with something to eat and drink.

As we get the market established we’re keen to make music and street performance a regular feature of the market so even if you can’t make it in June do still please email us.

 

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Bake & Cake and Roosters Piri Piri come to West Ealing

Walking along the Uxbridge Road this morning I spotted two new shops about to open.  Bake & Cake near Cudi and Roosters Piri Piri opposite Blockbuster. I’m not sure when they’ll open so if anyone gets the opportunity to have a closer look then let me know.

It’s nice to actually see a ‘healthy’ chicken place open amongst all the fried in West Ealing!

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Blues music and more coming up in Ealing soon

As a long-time Blues music fan I’m delighted at the revival of The Ealing Club. The team there have worked so hard to get live blues music back at the home of British Blues Music.  The Ealing Club is still in its original home, now called The Red Room, and is putting on regular music sessions.

This month the Blues nights are the 17th and 31st May:

The Ealing Club

Thursday 17th May

Blues Guitarist ROBIN BIBI + support from the Riotous Brothers. A must for any Blues fan at the Home of British Rhythm and Blues

Thursday 31st May

Louisiana Cajun and Zydeco music arrives to the heart of Ealing with the Creole Brothers.

Tickets at £5. Starts at 8.30pm. Box Office: 07927 965797

In addition, The Drayton Court Hotel continues its regular EELDADDY  music nights with the next session being:

Friday 8th June

S. Townshend, DuBellows and Blushing Bones

DuBellows and Blushing Bones recently appeared at OPEN Ealing so I can recommend them. Go to the Ealing Club website for more information and to buy tickets.

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Peacock’s, window cleaning and spending money locally in West Ealing

The possible development site on the corner of the Uxbridge Road and Melbourne Avenue - on a dull and rainy day!

I’ve been trying to find out what’s happening to the now empty Peacock’s store and am told there have been holes drilled down in to the ground to look at the foundations. The view is that it’s testing the strength of the building for building flats above. I’m also told the owner of the store now also owns the empty store next door on the corner of Uxbridge Road and Melbourne Ave.  So, expect to see plans for a redevelopment of this whole corner before long.

Anyway, during my efforts to find out all this I got talking to a guy who cleans many shop windows in West Ealing and who I’ve seen about for years. He was telling me that more and more shops in West Ealing, and mostly those that are part of a chain, are stopping using his services and taking out central contracts with national companies. All of which means the money that was going in to the local economy is now going out of it.

It may only be one small example but multiply it for other services that shops and offices need and you start to build up to a significant amount of money that could be spent locally but looks gradually to be going out of the area. I don’t pretend to know how to stop this but it just struck me again that all of us who live locally need to be aware of the importance of thinking carefully how and where we spend our money. A conscious decision to use local shops and services could be a key factor in whether or not these businesses survive and people keep their jobs.

 

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It may have rained but craft market stallholders’ spirits were high!

Music in May – Steven Boyle playing under shelter!

Our second craft market last Saturday was a bit damp with the rain but the general feeling from stallholders was that more people were buying this time. It will take time for people to know the market is there in St James Ave on the first Saturday of the month but there feels to be a gathering momentum and a lot of good will. We had some music and that went down well. I think we need to investigate whether we can get some modest amplification for future music.  We’ll see if we can get more musicians for our next market on 2nd June which is Diamond Jubilee holiday weekend.

You can see photos of the May market on WEN’s website

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West Ealing craft market on Saturday and free music on Friday and Saturday lunchtimes

Craft Market on Saturday with free music from 12.45

Saturday (5th May) is the next monthly craft market in West Ealing. The market will be in St James Ave from 10am – 3pm and will have a range of stalls from cosmetics, candles and jewellery to wood turning, toys and leather goods. This time we also have some music at lunchtime with Greenford musician Steven Boyle playing his own songs and some favourites from down the years from 12.45-1.45 and WEN committee member Gill Adams playing folk with some friends from 2-3pm. As before, St James Church will have a stall offering free teas and coffees.  Do please come along and support us and enjoy some free music.

Our website has the full list of stalls – www.westealingneighbours.org.uk

 

OPEN Ealing free music at lunchtime this Friday 12.30-1.30pm

Friday 4th May sees OPEN Ealing’s next regular First Friday music event venture in to the world of Broadway musicals. May’s  free concert at lunchtime from 12.30-1.30  will see OPEN host 3rd year music students from the University of West London playing excerpts from their forthcoming production of Kander and Ebb’s Flora the Red Menace.  Best known for writing the hugely successful musical Cabaret, Flora the Red Menace was the songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s first Broadway musical.

There will also be an exhibition of artwork from local art group 4020 on display.

Details at www.openealing.com.  OPEN Ealing is at 113 Uxbridge Rd W5, opposite the fire station.

 

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Volunteers needed for stall at Queens’ Jubilee event 15th May

Volunteers needed for stall at Queen’s Jubilee event
The London Orchard Project
The London Orchard Project has been invited to have a stall at a big event forming part of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations in Richmond Park on Tues 15th May.The event is likely to attract 20,000 plus people and is to showcase some of London’s environmental projects. They really need some help on the day with their stall – juicing apples, children’s activities, apple bobbing and showcasing our pedal powered apple crusher.If you are interested in going along, please drop an email to kath@thelondonorchardproject.orgKath needs to let the organisers know everyone’s names and details in advance due to the heightened security. Should be a fun day and the Queen herself will be visiting their stall.

 Can’t miss an opportunity to see her madge bobbing for apples!