Neighbours’ Paper Issue 71

Neighbours Paper ’

Issue No 71

Putting the People of Ealing First

Winter 2014/15

The Battle for Haven Green

Also in this issue:

Events around Ealing Save the STARLITE

Unpacking That Trunk Spicing Up EaLING’s EVenings

Free

Plea Tak se e On e

London Tigers

Acton | Ealing | Greenford | Hanwell | Northolt | Perivale | Southall

Read NP Online at www.neighbourspaper.com

E dito rial

Contents Contents Editorial................................................ 2 Events around Ealing.......................... 2

This edition looks at some problems arising from the Council’s shortage of funds.

Closing Heller House and making the iconic Town Hall a Hotel seem extreme measures. Yet a younger writer on page 10 shows how we can embrace change.

A Town Hall Night Club perhaps! We look at threats to our heritage in the Haven Green and Starlite Ballroom articles and at various campaigns in Ealing Notes. Yet there is also so much that is good about Ealing as other writers remind us. Manjinder Chijarh inspires us with his article about Akuba. Ealing Stroke Club the Little Ealing History Group and Valentine Festival show us the huge contribution of volunteers to our community.

COSIE up this winter............................ 3 Ealing Notes......................................4-5 The Battle For Haven Green............6-7 Save the Starlite................................... 8 Unpacking That Trunk......................... 9

We close with a big thank you to all our advertisers without whom there would be no Neighbours Paper. We want to remind everyone that we always welcome articles.

Do please send in contributions (see contact details on the right) We wish all our readers and advertisers a very Happy Christmas and New Year!

Guest Editors: Judy Breens and Will French

Events around Ealing Ealing Music and Film Valentine Festival 2015

Spicing Up Ealing’s Evenings............ 10 Ealing Stroke Club............................. 11 Local History Book............................. 11 London Tigers..................................... 12

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10th – 17th February 2015

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This year our focus is around Poland, a great European nation with a proud historical presence in the Borough of Ealing. Our Artistic Director has developed a Polish flavour programme bringing together a range of music and film, with the active involvement of Ealing Studios and the University of West London.

This will reach out to an ever wider audience in Ealing and across London.

The programme includes: The world-famous English Chamber Orchestra, The Ealing Youth Orchestra, star violin virtuoso Tasmin Little (an Ealing resident), The Ealing Symphony Orchestra and the acclaimed choir Tenebrae. There will also be films produced by Ealing Studios and tours organised of the Studios. Crowning the Festival will be a live discussion with Nigel Kennedy followed by a performance by his Polish Jazz Band. Given our theme, the music programme includes the music of Chopin, Panufnik and Wieniawski alongside stalwarts like Mozart and Elgar.

Details and tickets from www.ealingmusicandfilmfestival.org

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Walk In Free Health Check Every Thursday Lido Centre, 63 Mattock Lane, West Ealing, W13 9LA 12-3pm. www.healthcheck.nhs.uk www.ace-london.org.uk Lido future Health Events www.lidocentre.org.uk/publichealth T: 020 8280 2222

Ealing Animal Welfare Bazaar Saturday 7th March 2015 10.30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Hanwell Methodist Church, Church Rd, Hanwell London W7 1DJ Many participating societies. Information, gifts, lunch, refreshments.

Admission FREE. T: 020 8567 6739. www.animalwelfarebazaar.info 2

Putting the People of Ealing First

Email: neighbourspaper@hotmail.co.uk Editor: Tom Whiting (020 8840 5740) Guest Editors: Judy Breens & Will French Treasurer: Judy Breens Writers: John Boyd, Judy Breens, Manjinder Chijarh, Margot French, Will French, Michael Holmes, Sonia Nimley, Tom Whiting Designer: Jamie Anson Cover: Photo Will French Design Jamie Anson Webmaster: Sonia Nimley Advert Designer: Sandy Anson Printer: Pollyprint Ltd, 263 Northfield Avenue, Ealing W5 4UA, 0208 579 1441, www.pollyprint.co.uk Advertisement rates: Single Box £25, Double Box £45, Triple Box £70 Next copy deadline: 31st January 2015

Read NP Online at www.neighbourspaper.com

COSIE up this winter

By Tom Whiting It’s estimated that over 15,000 households in Ealing are ‘fuel poor’, which means they can’t afford to keep their homes adequately heated in the winter months. Do you know someone who needs help?

The council’s Cold Weather Support in Ealing (COSIE) programme is a free advice service, offered to those vulnerable individuals in need in the winter months, on how to keep their homes warm and help control energy bills. Funded by the Department of Health, the assistance offered applies whether you own your own home or rent it from a private landlord, a housing association or from the Council.

Who is eligible Priority is given to those who are householders leaving hospital, the frail (especially those over 75 years old), residents with chronic and severe illness (including heart problems, respiratory conditions and dementia), families on benefits with children under the age of five, householders with a disability, and those living alone, with no relatives nearby.

Qualifying residents benefit from free home visits by ‘Green Doctors’ who can offer tailored energy advice and support, winter warmth packs with home and personal heating accessories such as fleece blankets, thermal socks and flasks. Energy saving measures, such as draught-proofing, low-energy light bulbs and reflective radiator panels could also be provided.

Advice on boiler repairs and smoke alarms has been offered in the past.

‘The Evangeliser’ David Rose, from the COSIE helpline (who quaintly refers to himself as ‘The Evangeliser’) informed Neighbours’ Paper: ‘Green Doctors can refer clients to other support services such as the Council’s handyperson service which can carry out repairs [within a financial limit] to improve heat retention and save energy in the home. Where necessary, some are offered indepth fuel debt advice. Some elderly residents can spend a third of their income on heating their house, so this support network can be critical.’

Since the COSIE programme began four years ago, more than 1,000 Ealing homes have been visited by the Green Doctors, and last year over 400 referrals were made to other support services.

Among the project partners are Age UK, Age Concern, Ealing Advice Service, MENCAP, and Volunteer Link.

to make a choice between eating or heating. COSIE is a free service that helps increase the health and safety of our residents over the colder months. If anyone you know is likely to be at risk during severe cold weather, please help them get the advice and support they need by contacting this free helpline.’

The COSIE helpline opened in October and will operate Monday to Friday from 9.30am until 5.30pm throughout the winter months. Ealing residents can phone the helpline on 0800 083 2265.

You can contact COSIE for yourself or on someone else’s behalf to access any of their support measures.

For general enquiries about the COSIE project, contact: Janet Rudge, Energy Officer, Housing Strategy Team, Ealing Council; email rudgej@ealing.gov.uk.

Tel: 020 8825 9394.

Not a case of eating or heating Ealing Council leader, Councillor Julian Bell said: ‘We don’t want vulnerable residents to feel they have

Putting the People of Ealing First

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Ealing Notes:

By J udy B reens & Will French

Walpole Park

Heller House, Southall Ealing Council says Government cuts mean its spending must reduce by £96m. Inevitably services in the Borough will suffer. Even so, it’s shocking that a Respite Centre for children with complex disability needs called Heller House is due to close. The centre, at 124 Norwood Road Southall, was bequeathed to Ealing way back and the Council has invested much in it since. For many the service is a lifeline. Hundreds of children have enjoyed the specialist facilities which allow parents a much-needed break.

It’s claimed the care can be purchased outside the borough but parents are justifiably dubious. Of course, costs are high for the number of children involved, but who can imagine the heroic daily struggle for parents and carers of very disabled

Meanwhile the Council proudly exhibits Walpole Park, refurbished at a cost of £5.4m or so. Next, Pitshanger Manor gets a similar treatment. Yes, half of this comes from the Heritage Lottery Fund and yes, it is great these facilities are spruced up, but are they really our top priorities? Didn’t someone once say “A society is judged by the way it treats its weakest members”?

Haven Stables There is huge local opposition to plans to demolish the 137 year-old former Stables Building – formerly the Haven Pub at 1A Haven Green and to replace it with a block of flats. Only this summer the Council designated the Stables a locally listed building. National planning policies require that permission should be refused for the loss of such a heritage asset. There is a Petition to save the building. To sign E-mail name(s) & address (with postcode) to vmfree@madasafish.com.

Perceval House Redevelopment and moving Ealing Library

children? Costs would be far higher if parents gave up, leaving entire care to the State. Couldn’t parents or charities help keep the centre going? Has Ealing Council tried? In Spring 2013 NP reported on the loss of two day centres for people with learning disabilities (following other disability day centre closures). So will another service be lost? There is a Consultation – Contact details: Ealing Parent and Carer Forum: Matthew Jeatt 7740-461551 info@epcf.org.uk or Ealing Carers Centre: Jane Barnes 020 8840 1566

Still no progress to report in restoring a cinema to Ealing, but October’s Cabinet meeting announced a bolder plan in its desperate quest to ‘regenerate’ Ealing town centre. The Council now want to bulldoze Perceval House. Just 30 years old, the fortress-like building is fully occupied by Council staff delivering services to local people. But with service cuts and potential redundancies, the Council plans to downsize.

And then, to help out the owners of Ealing Broadway shopping centre, Cabinet agreed in principle to relocate Ealing Central Library. The Library was only refurbished in 2008 at the cost of £4m and massive inconvenience for users. Easy come, easy go when library funds are concerned.

£10.00

Free NHS vaccine also available to ‘CARERS’ and to ‘AT RISK’ individuals** (ask our pharmacist for advice)

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Putting the People of Ealing First

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Photo: H eller House by Shaz Moghaddam

Photo: Teddy B ears’ Party by Harry Alvarez

NHS News

Ealing Broadway: Arcadia Phase 2 The refurbished Arcadia centre at 1-8 the Broadway has reopened for TK Maxx and McDonalds with Morrisons coming soon. Developers Benson Elliot, and their partners, Londonewcastle, are now unveiling ideas for the second phase of the old Glenkerrin site – the land north of Uxbridge Road between the Arcadia and Ealing Broadway station. Everything will go, including WH Smith, Sainsburys and Carphone Warehouse. In its place will be 200 homes and new shops centred around a new pedestrian route, running from the station to Uxbridge Road opposite the Ealing Broadway centre. Separate blocks would rise along Uxbridge Road away from 1-8 the Broadway and a residential tower set back beside the railway. Resident parking would be accessed from an entrance on Station Broadway and shop servicing off the existing Springbridge Road entrance.

Watch out for a public exhibition in the New Year.

Ealing Town Hall Hotel?

Central Ealing and Acton MP Angie Bray recently sent a newsletter to her constituents announcing £200 million infrastructure investment in new hospital buildings at Ealing and Charing Cross. What she did not say was that both hospitals plus Clayponds in South Ealing, would be demolished and the land sold for housing. Polyclinics/ cottage hospitals will then be built at Ealing and Charing Cross with outpatient clinics and some beds for rehab and observation. Angie claims Accident and Emergency services would remain at both sites “long term”. But A&Es cannot operate without the facilities of a fully operational hospital. Instead, as at Central Middlesex Hospital, both polyclinics would have 24/7 First Aid Stations (“Urgent Care Centres”) staffed by nurses and (with luck) GPs. Central Middlesex and Hammersmith Hospitals lost their ‘real’ A&Es in September.

The knock on effect has been lengthening waiting times and staff shortages at neighbouring Centres. Yet another worry is that between March and August 2014, ambulances arriving within the target time of eight minutes in Ealing dropped from 78 % to 58%.

The first step in Ealing Hospital’s downgrade will be closure in February 2015 of the Maternity Unit, despite its recent £300,000 upgrade. 3,000 babies are born a year in the Unit which is easy for everyone in the Borough to get to. Save our NHS held a Teddy Bears Party in St James’ Church in October to highlight this. Everyone had great fun but the closure plan remains.

Email eric@leachet.demon.co.uk for “Our NHS in Crisis” monthly newsletter. To join the Save our NHS Campaign email eveturner@btinternet.com

The Council surprised everyone at the same meeting by announcing plans to convert the Town Hall to a Hotel and/or housing. With £1m+ annual running costs and much unused space, it’s been obvious for years that the Town Hall was not paying its way. Back in 2010, NP contributors Ann Pavett and John Hummerston proposed using the space as a self-financing community arts centre. Some civic space will be kept including the Council Chamber and the Marriage Rooms, but what meeting rooms will there be? The Town Hall is the only venue in Central Ealing where large public meetings can be held. It’s vital these remain.

Putting the People of Ealing First

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Paving Paradise: Words

and

The Battle

Pictures By Will French

All who know Ealing know Haven Green as the arcadian green space greeting them as they leave Ealing Broadway Station. Not so many perhaps, are aware of the Green’s ancient history and why it is such an unusual open space amidst the hustle and bustle of a Town Centre. They may know still less about the threats it faces today.

Earliest times The Green’s origins reach back to the very mists of history. It stands at an ancient crossroads on the London to Oxford Road. An ancient track, now the South Ealing Road, ran south to Brentford. After fording the Thames near Syon House, Julius Caesar may well have marched north this way through Haven Green on his way to battle the Catuvellauni peoples of Hertfordshire.

North of the road to Uxbridge (Wixan’s Bridge), other tracks ran to Anglo-Saxon settlements at Twerverde (Twyford), Greneforde (Greenford), Hillindone (Hillingdon) and Northalla (Northolt).

The Norman kings made the Bishops of London the Lords of the Manor for Ealing. As well as Haven Green, the Bishops owned many of the Borough’s present day open spaces including Ealing Common, Ealing Green and Deans Gardens.

Parish Map 1823

Haven Green 1870

perhaps one of the last stops for these animals on their way to slaughter. The right to use the land – then described as ‘the Haven’ - as common grazing was by then well established and it meant the ‘free men’ of the area could graze their animals or ‘bag a partridge’ on it.

Haven was opened. Development around the Green accelerated during the second half of the 19th century as Ealing became a fashionable commuter suburb.

The earliest surviving buildings on the Green are Morton’s dental practice on the north side.

Until the 19th century, Haven Green lay away from Ealing Village, which had grown up half a mile to the south around St Mary,’s church. The parish map of 1823 shows it still largely surrounded by open fields, but it would have been a busy place with inns like the Feathers (now the Metro Bank) which dates from the 13th century and the Six Bells frequented by the drovers while their animals rested on the Green.

By the middle ages, Uxbridge Road had become an important drovers’ road a route along which Chiltern farmers drove their sheep and other livestock to market in London. Haven Green was

Brunel’s Legacy In 1838 Brunel built his Great Western Railway across the Green, cutting it in two, and a station called Ealing

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Putting the People of Ealing First

In 1877 the Church authorities transferred the Green to the Ealing Local Board. Legal covenants required the Board to keep it for public recreation. The Board - now Ealing Council – took its duties seriously. It planted the horse chestnut trees that are such a feature of the Green, and a walk lined with London plane trees along the south side. It even took the Vicar of Christ Church to court for setting up a coffee stall.

Soon, however, the demands of the station and increasing road

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For Haven Green traffic began to make themselves felt, testing the Council’s resolve to safeguard the Green for recreation.

Around 1900 a cab rank appeared for station passengers, next roads around the Green were widened and parking provided, and in 1930 plans for a coach station were announced on what is now Haven Court.

New safeguards By 1965, the Government had grown alarmed how much Common Land was being lost all around the country for new roads so it passed laws to protect what was left. Haven Green was included in the national register of Common Land. Strict laws now preserve it for the public to use ‘for air and exercise’. Buildings or ‘structures’ are forbidden except where they are needed for specified recreational purposes, as is resurfacing the land with concrete, tarmac or the like. If necessary however, land may be exchanged for other land but this must be ‘equally advantageous to the taken land’.

The pressures persist But the pressures persist. Despite the new laws, the Green is an enticing area of unused ‘free’ land in the busiest part of the Borough, seemingly ideal for the ever-growing demands of the station to expand into. A succession of studies examined options for using the Green for a new bus station, and in 2008 Councillors only narrowly voted against one such scheme. Still, land has been steadily nibbled away - for the 65 bus layby, wider pavements,

Misuses of

the

Green : Substation

and

an electricity substation, a new cycle hub and stands for 110 bikes. Always, the land lost is said to be minimal, but overall the effect is huge.

Haven Green 1905

Friends of Haven Green

The problem is growing. With passenger numbers at Ealing Station due to increase by 45% due to Crossrail, levels of pedestrian overcrowding are forecast to be unacceptable. The temptation to use the Common land to relieve the overcrowding is becoming intense.

Friends of Haven Green was formed in 2011 to promote Haven Green, and work with the authorities to safeguard it as a place for future generations to enjoy.

The latest controversy Last year, the Council announced new plans to pave yet more land across the Common, but this time FoHG objected.

In September, a public hearing heard that land it proposed to exchange was already common land. The hearing was adjourned to give the Council more time to explain its proposals. A decision is expected in the new year.

FoHG has a 5 point agenda: • Maintain and improve the quality of the green environment.

• Protect and enhance the historic character of the buildings that surround the Green.

• Manage the traffic better and give pedestrians higher priority.

• Encourage appropriate recreational activity and curb anti-social behaviour.

• Protect the Green as Common Land and an historic Village Green.

This all creates a very difficult dilemma.

Should the authorities stick to the law and its commitments to the Church and protect the Common Land for recreation? Or should they address the pressures by expanding further into Haven Green? The scale of the problem was known for a long time. To a great extent, it could have been addressed when the station redevelopment was planned. It will take a costly fix to sort things out now.

To add your support to Friends of Haven Green or for more information, see the FoHG website at www.friendsofhavengreen.com

Cycle Racks Putting the People of Ealing First

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It’s not too late to save the STARLITE

By Sonia Nimley with Albertina McNeill and Erol Direkoglou Can you believe that bands like The Who, Pink Floyd and Cream (and possibly Stevie Wonder!) gigged in Greenford? The Starlite ballroom is another part of the rock and roll heritage that this borough is beginning to appreciate, thanks to the efforts of enterprising music fans. Yet planning permission has been awarded to developers to tear the Starlite down.

Built in the 30s the venue originally was an Odeon cinema. In the 60s it was gutted and renovated (which prevents it being listed now) and the Starlite Ballroom became a mod stronghold and intimate music venue. Later it was a snooker club and a bingo hall until finally it was left to deteriorate.

“Once it’s gone, that’s it, we haven’t got anything else” warns campaigner Albertina McNeill of Positive Greenford blog. “We need to preserve as much as we can.”

It’s not too late and the fact is that until the demolition takes place there is hope.

regeneration, a community space that could offer exhibitions and local amenities. It could encourage footfall to the local shops and even provide training opportunities for students at the nearby Greenwich School of Management’s new Greenford campus.

An older resident told Albertina about the wake held for her husband at the local pub which was closed a week later (now it’s flats). She had played bingo at the Starlite but there is nowhere to socialise now.

“If we want to build resilient selfsupporting societies we should be providing spaces where these encounters can happen not just places where we sleep.”

Locals are concerned about getting another faceless block of flats. The campaigners are working on a business plan, and seek fundraising and business management expertise from within Greenford to make it a truly local endeavour.

The campaigners want true

They also think the building should be recognised as an historic heritage asset. A look at Ealing’s current map of heritage sites reveals there’s a chunk of the borough that is ignored; Greenford in particular.

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Putting the People of Ealing First

The Save the Starlite campaign wants to make Allendale Road a leisure destination rather than somewhere you drive through. Located close to Sudbury Town station, The Starlite could form part of a musical or local history trail attracting tourists.

“It feels as though only certain parts of the borough are posh enough to deserve some heritage and that Greenford is destined to be a dormitory,” Albertina notes.

“If we lose the Starlite that piece of Greenford will just look like anywhere else.”

With an election on the way, representatives should be listening.

Albertina says, “The campaign needs a surge of grass roots support. Supporters can begin emailing local councillors to ask them why an asset like the Starlite was allowed to rot for so long. They can write to Boris Johnson to ask why a rare example of London’s music heritage might be demolished when it could draw tourists to the city.”

See: www.facebook.com/ SaveTheStarliteGreenford @SavetheStarlite Read more about the Save the Starlite campaign on www.neighbourspaper.com

The Starlite Photo

by

Albertina McNeill

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Unpacking That Trunk by

Manjinder Chijarh

Many people have unsuspected treasures in their homes – mementos, antiques, or historic curiosities.

Last year, spoken word artist, Grace Quansah discovered the historical significance of her late father’s shipping trunk. Grace, who performs under the name ‘Akuba’ is now touring schools around Ealing with her ‘Unpacking That Trunk’ workshop to share the history of the trunk’s contents.

Her workshops are designed to entertain and educate children through poetry, storytelling and performance art.

Grace’s father, Solomon Andoh Quansah, was a radar operator who worked with Marcus Garvey’s Black Star Line shipping company from the 1960s to early 1970s. Thirty-five years after Solomon’s demise she found hidden documents, personal memorabilia and treasured photographs. They included lifelike sketches of the Nasir River ship liner and portraits of Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah, Marcus Garvey and the Nasir River captain. She also found the Black Star Line uniform and a photograph of young Akuba on Solomon’s desk.

Grace was astonished. “He wanted me to have this…he’s left these things for me.”

At first Grace – aka Akuba – presented

a ‘taster’ workshop, but she was encouraged to expand this very personal connection to the Windrush generation of ship liners through the sturdy trunk’s amazing contents.

So Akuba put together a whole teaching package to include the history of the Black Star Line and the Empire Windrush that she can use in primary, secondary schools and colleges.

Her ‘Unpacking That Trunk’ workshops now include: • Ghanian ‘Call and Response’ activities • An interactive storytelling performance by Akuba called ‘Anansi, the Trunk and the Freedom Voyage’ • Exploring the history of the Black Star Line and the Empire Windrush – based on the lives of people who were there through monologues, poetry and dramatization • Exploration of the cultural, historical and personal significance of shipping trunks worldwide • Students selecting trunk items at random and presenting spoken or written stories about them • An illustrated recitation of Akuba’s poem ‘Treasured Trunk’ Workshops aside, Akuba spends countless hours nurturing her own organisation, WAPPY – the Writing, Acting and Publishing Project for Youngsters – which works to develop the creative skills of young people through

Putting the People of Ealing First

teamwork, problem solving and ‘handson’ construction activities. Established in 2008, WAPPY encourages cultural and social understanding between individuals, peers and groups alike.

Registering as a company in 2013 has helped expand WAPPY’s portfolio further. They now range from WAPPY’s poetry, art and short story anthology in ‘The Soul of a Child’ and a much respected contribution to the ‘Sweet Beats for Keats’ poetry anthology published in 2011. A grant of £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund was instrumental in presenting the ‘Building Bridges’ project at Hanwell Library that ended this month.

WAPPY now hosts new events monthly.

Recently these have included Benjamin Zephaniah’s Discussion of Terror Kid’ in September, a WAPPY Fundraising Quiz Night and ‘Dream Journeys – Guyana meets Ghana’ both in October and the WAPPY Public Showcase this month.

If anyone is interested in inviting Akuba to perform at their school or just want to learn more about WAPPY, email Akuba at quansah@hotmail. com or visit www.wappy.org.uk

Photo

by

Duane Jay

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Spicing Up EaLING’s EVenings Story & Photos

by

Margot French

Two new openings, within doors of each other, have signalled a new youthful turn for Ealing’s nightlife.

Limeyard, which opened on the 22nd September, looks like it belongs more in Shoreditch than in Ealing Broadway Centre. It offers a shabby-chic interior of painted brick, dimly-lit low-hanging lights and a sweeping high ceiling, along with a contrasting dinner menu of overly generous portions of fried chicken and healthy salads which pack serious punch. Not to mention a very reasonably priced cocktail menu.

And just a few doors down, occupying the old Ealing Broadway post office, Turtle Bay opened just four days later.

Turtle Bay now serves its customers tasty Caribbean cuisine as well as an impressive range of (mostly rum-based) cocktails. Best of all, the bar-restaurant has two happy hours daily, from midday to 7pm and again from 10pm to closing - making it ideal for after-dinner drinks. Unlike independently owned Limeyard, Turtle Bay is part of a small chain, but it is their first London outlet.

They are the latest in a number of new Ealing attractions. Independent Café Zee (opened July) and Maggie’s Vintage Beats and Breakfast (opened January), further signal Ealing can be a good location for budding entrepreneurs. While Café Zee opts

for a warm, homey yet discernibly individual vibe, Maggie’s is slightly quirkier with funky music played over its menu of traditional British and American favourites. Some small new chains are also breathing fresh air into Ealing. Artisan Coffee a small West London chain opened its third outlet here in August, while Creams, a gelato franchise, opened in July.

More Buzz Together these restaurants beginning to create a new and more buzzy evening scene in the town centre, one which is long overdue. Ealing Broadway has too-long offered a limited choice to fun-seeking 18 to 30 year-olds.

The all-too-familiar destinations of Wetherspoons, the North Star and the Grove caused many to spend their evenings elsewhere - Central London, Hammersmith, Kingston or Uxbridge.

Yet with house prices in zone one and two pushing more and more young professionals out of the centre, it is clear that many more young people

can be attracted to Ealing with its convenient transport links. And Ealing looks like it might at last be adapting to this changing demand.

Still Family Friendly Youthful nightlife needn’t threaten Ealing’s family-friendly ethos, as these new destinations demonstrate. While Limeyard is an all-day café and restaurant, Turtle Bay caters well for families. Indeed, it operates as a multi-market unit, offering dinner to all customers including families, while its late-night happy hour can tempt small groups of young people through its doors for drinks. Such a business model serves to bring different generations into the same social space, thereby promoting a friendly and responsible atmosphere.

As Turtle Bay explain, they are ‘looking forward to showing London our urban laid-back style’, we are sure in need for them to show us that. Let’s hope others follow.

Celebrating 1989

25 years

2014

Quality Property Ser vices in Ealing

Buying ... Selling ... Renting

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Putting the People of Ealing First

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Ealing Stroke Club have sent us this invitation to any who have suffered a stroke or are their carers.

Ealing Stroke Club Words By John Boyd A warm welcome and a friendly bunch are to be found on Monday mornings at St John’s Church, Mattock Lane in West Ealing. The Church kindly let us hire their room and kitchen for the Club’s meetings.

The Club is about 15 years old.

The Club has puzzles to complete, visiting actors, musicians and speakers, together with poems and book readings. There is also an annual outing. In the past these have included

canal trips, a tour of Kew Gardens, a visit to the Wet Lands in Barnes, lunch and tea in Richmond Park and a memorable ride on the Wheel at the South Bank followed by a visit to the Aquarium. There are annual Christmas and fish and chip lunches.

An objective of the Club is to give people who have had the misfortune to suffer from a stroke confidence to go out and take part in a sympathetic

environment. Members can, once registered, travel by Dial-a-Ride to and from the Club meeting which also accommodates wheelchairs.

The weekly subscription is £2 a week.

This money goes towards hiring the room, outings, entertainment and mid morning refreshments.

Those who have suffered a stroke or are carers can obtain further information from John and Valerie Hillman by telephone 0208 868 5941 or by email johnhillman76@hotmail.com

A new local history book is published The Little Ealing History Group publishes An American President in Ealing: The John Quincy Adams Diaries 1815 to 1817 Adams, a leading nineteenthcentury American statesman and diplomat was a serious man with a strong sense of public duty. He was elected the sixth President of the United States in 1825.

Between 1815 and 1817 he served as the United States representative in Great Britain and lived with his family at Little Boston House on the border of Ealing and Brentford in West London.

Throughout his life Adams kept a detailed diary. The record of his two years in Ealing provides a fascinating insight, not only into his life and thought, but also into the life of the

area in the early nineteenth century.

In this book, using the diary and other sources, Little Ealing History Group explores the life of Adams and his family and the community in which they lived during their time in Britain.

Dr Jonathan Oates, Ealing Borough Archivist and Local History Librarian commented: “An American President in Ealing is attractively produced and well illustrated, well set out, reads well and reproduces a great deal of valuable material which will be new to many”.The book contains many quotations from the diary, a full historical commentary and is attractively illustrated.

About the Little Ealing History Group The Little Ealing History Group has eight members and was set up in 2000 to research the history of the local area. It previously published Little Ealing: a walk through history (2002).

For further information and to purchase visit: www.littleealinghistory.org.uk

Merry Christmas to all Putting the People of Ealing First

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London Tigers A new campaign to change young people’s lives through sport in Ealing is under way. NP reporter Michael Holmes meets Mesba Ahmed: Founder and Chief Executive Officer of London Tigers, a semi professional football club and award winning charity that aims to improve community relations in Ealing through sport.

Why did you launch London Tigers? I started playing football for Marylebone Football club, MFC in 1986 and saw an opportunity to encourage others to take up the sport. In 1999 London Tigers was formed as successor to MFC and went on to become a charity in 2003.

Too many young people were lacking opportunities and vision. We developed a programme to engage young people, providing them with a chance to improve themselves and their local community.

What are the benefits of the organisation? We have programmes for under 8’s to semi professional. A lot of our players go on to become professional coaches. For example: Our former player and sports development officer: Valdas Dambrauskas is now Head Coach/Manager of FK Ekranas Football club, currently in the Lithuanian Premiership. This is common among members who complete our coaching courses with licence and on graduation achieve the level 1, 2 or 3 Award.

Premiership and championship teams who also present this annual event.

London Tigers are currently in division 9 in the English football league system. We made it through to the 4th round in the FA cup and played in the FA Vase cup.

Isn’t London Tigers more a brand than a football club? I see you play a number of sports. That’s right Michael we train players and coaches in Cricket too. We play 5 teams from all ages. These teams have taken part in tournaments at Lords Cricket ground where we work closely with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and Middlesex County Cricket Club. It was a pleasure for the team to meet former England Cricket team captain Michael Atherton at Lord’s recently.

London Tigers celebrated their 25th anniversary last December. Going forwards where does the charity see itself in the next 25 years? Our motto is “Community Organisation Creating Opportunities and Fulfilling Dreams”.

We plan to do this by engaging young people into all kinds of sport form

What else can you share? We host the UK Asian Community Cup Football Festival. Along with the Football Association (FA) we work alongside

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Putting the People of Ealing First

football, cricket, netball, badminton and hockey. London Tigers has teams in those sports. We aim to improve community relations among our youth by encouraging them in social activities, self-discipline, education and employment training programmes.

In closing can you tell me more about the London Tigers sports complex in Southall? The Southall sports synergy is a partnership with Brentford football club and supported by Sport England.

The aim of the complex in Spikes Bridge Park is to host most London Tigers sport events as well as making the site available for multipurpose use to other clubs and organisations. There is an FA approved 11 a-side football pitch and junior cricket field. With such facilities we are confident of providing a foundation for the community taking us forward another 25th years and beyond.

Thank you so much for this info, You’re welcome Michael, Please see our website for more about London Tigers: www.londontigers.org