Forum Topics

TFL Cycleway extension consultation

There's good and bad in this so imperative that local people get their say and not a repeat of people from afar do not dominate matters.https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/hounslow-brentford-walking-and-cycling-changes?cid=hounslow-brentford

Raymond Havelock ● 1676d1 Comments ● 1675d

Freya Summersgill to contest ward in May local elections

Freya is standing for the Brentford East but does she know anything about this side of Brentford,it is the forgotten part of Brentford as on the other side of the A4. The redevelopment is only in the west area of Brentford  I think the residents would like to know what she will offer Brentford east

Julie Brooker ● 1686d5 Comments ● 1680d

Bizarre scenes at McDonalds

5.15 Friday Evening at McDonalds by Ealing Road.Rode by and sat at lights.  Something odd.  Not a single Moped delivery rider in sight. Usually heaving with them on a Friday early evening. Rode around the corner and as I passed there was the answer. A handful of Police Officers making checks - only just one kid on a pushbike and one other, there to check.But where were the usual throng? And why did they all vanish en masse?And who tipped them all off to stay away?All very odd.

Raymond Havelock ● 1685d0 Comments ● 1685d

Well thanks for the drink but how much is it going to cost me

Now that Hounslow have given us ratepayers £20 each for a drink. I cant wait to see how much the council tax will increase this year.

Robert Ayres ● 1690d6 Comments ● 1685d

Removing plastic "windows" on card & envelopes - help

I am posting this copied from Chiswick W4 Forum."No you don’t have to remove plastic windows (from card and envelopes) or staples."Are you absolutely sure that LBH recycling can deal with these items?   I'm sure I've seen/read conflicting advice on this matter, possibly from Cllr Guy Lambert Cabinet Member Recycling and Waste etc.Apologies to Guy if you didn't say this but I am confused.  There are 2 separate places, there's the Lampton 360 brand new vastly over budget  sorting centre where most of our recycling goes and then there is the Waste Centre used by surrounding councils and some flats in LBH who do not have kerbside sorting.   Clarification would help.  My area has kerbside recycling.

Jennifer Selig ● 2986d13 Comments ● 1692d

5G inviting an aviation catastrophe over West London?

Is this really only now being revealed?I recall this being dismissed by paid advisors vehemently overtime it was raised.The fact that ATC over Heathrow Northolt and City Airport approaches already have the added issues of high rise buildings and interference as do digital TV signals which requires extra technology to safeguard, has this been tested to absolute safe parameters or circumvented?Anyone in the know on this?

Raymond Havelock ● 1696d11 Comments ● 1693d

Fourth Covid Jab

Just read Denmark to offer fourth covid jab. When will we be getting a fourth?

Nicholas Beard ● 1696d7 Comments ● 1693d

Door step parcel theft

Parcel deliveries which are being left on doorsteps are going missing in the Brook Road South and Hamilton Road areas.  Some torn open parcels have been found dumped near the railway footbridge with contents removed.  Residents of Hamilton Road have reported that their parcels are going missing.Please ensure that you are in to receive your deliveries or that you have organised with your neighbours or to have items delivered to your local shop to avoid theft.

Mark Skuse ● 1694d1 Comments ● 1694d

A tough month ahead for the Bees?

Brentford's footballers must be wondering how they will survive the next few games.Our dear Brentford FC are playing Liverpool! / Manchester United! / Wolves / Everton!/ and Manchester City!Challenging times... but we must be proud of our local Club moving in such circles. Your thoughts?

Jim Lawes ● 1702d3 Comments ● 1694d

How to make your phone ring even when it is on silent …

A tip from Moneysaving expert …If you lose your phone, there's a way to make it ring – even when it's on silentIf you lose your phone and realise you've it set to silent, you often despair and think it's pointless trying to ring it to locate it. Luckily, this isn't the case. There's a way to help you find it that could save you having to shell out on a new one or having to pay any insurance excess. If you're an iPhone user, you can use the Find My iPhone service on iCloud to make it ring.Go to Find My iPhoneLogin to your iCloud account (you must have one), select the device you want to emit a sound and click 'play sound'. Your device will ring whether it is on silent or not.If you've an Android phone, you can make it emit a noise with Google's Find My Device service, provided you've set up a Google account with the phone.Go to Find My Device, Login to your Google account (you must have one) and click 'play sound' on the device you want to ring. Your device will ring whether it is on silent or not

Sarah Felstead ● 1703d8 Comments ● 1694d

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

So, I looked up the Jubilee medal to check out who qualifies for the award and I found thishttps://www.royal.uk/jubilee-medal-be-presented-token-nation%E2%80%99s-thanks“ To mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, a special commemorative medal will be awarded to serving frontline members of the police, fire, emergency services, prison services and the Armed Forces. ““ Acting as a token of the nation’s thanks, the Platinum Jubilee Medal follows a long history of awarding medals to mark Royal Jubilee’s,…..”Made of nickel silver and being produced by at Worcestershire Medal Service in Birmingham, the medal will be awarded to:Serving members of the Armed Forces that have completed five full calendar years of service on 6 February 2022.Frontline emergency services personnel that have been in paid service, retained or in a voluntary capacity, dealing with emergencies as part of their conditions of service, and have completed five full calendar years of service on 6 February 2022.Prison services personnel who are publicly employed and are regularly exposed to difficult and sometimes emergency situations that have completed five full calendar years of service on 6 February 2022.Members of the Royal Household with one year of qualifying service.Living individual recipients of the George Cross.Living individual recipients of the Victoria Cross.I must say I like the list of who will qualify.

Sarah Felstead ● 1696d2 Comments ● 1696d

Telecoms mast on Layton Road by GWQ

I have just been informed by a neighbour that there are parking restrictions in place this week for a cherry picker to begin construction of a 'potential' telecoms mast on Layton Road.The residents have not received any communications in regards to this from the local authority or any company involved. However, there is a note on a few lampost mentioning the parking restrictions.When a neighbour contacted a local Councillor with their concerns, they were informed that "Planning law gives local authorities (and residents) little power to resist the erection of telecoms masts but there is normally, nevertheless, a planning application and a consultation exercise".My main concern is that there has been a large increase in the density of population with the GWQ and Baltic Avenue developments and to construct a mast here so close to residents will increase public health risks especially those residents that are elevated. Can anyone advise if we have any grounds as residents to resist this please? Thanks for reading.

Steve Allum ● 1703d8 Comments ● 1698d

Building Brentford’s community?

I may be late to this party, but bear with me…I was watching the news item on the proposed Ballymore development for a 51 storey tower block (with only one stairwell) near Canary Wharf this evening. They included a clip of the 19 storey Ballymore development in East London where a fire took place last May. In the corner of the screen, I spotted a branch of Johns & Co, the same estate agent that opened in the High Street a few months ago. I had a lightbulb moment. A quick Google revealed that Johns & Co was founded by the former international sales director of… Ballymore. I found this: -‘But John Morley is looking to change all that. Previously head of international sales at Ballymore, Morley set up his own management company, Johns & Co, to help take care of the growing number of investor landlords he felt were being dealt a bad hand by the market.One way he set out to differentiate himself was to provide management of the property ahead of completion. “Investors can buy off plan up to three years ahead,” he notes, “so we do a lot of hand holding.” He helps landlords with important decisions along the way to do with finishes, insurance, and tax. Morley also arranges handovers, checks snagging and arranges furnishing, before finding a suitable tenant.Having sold more than 1,000 apartments to buyers in Hong Kong, Singapore and China, Morley had a good understanding of the support those investors needed. Yet while the majority of buyers were once overseas investors, he says the market has changed significantly since 2012, and now around half of buyers in need of his services are UK investors.’ - City A.M. Thursday 12 May 2016Draw your own conclusions, but - unsurprisingly - the notion that Ballymore is striving to build a vibrant community in TW8 rings pretty hollow. It seems to confirm that it’s all about overseas investment leading to transient occupancy and a dormitory town centre. Meanwhile, the Duke of London community - a diverse, organically-grown collection of interesting small businesses (and EXACTLY what the area needs) - is due to be flattened, in order to build yet more flats and unaffordable retail units. In all probability, they will never be occupied. It’s just horribly depressing. 

Tracie Dudley Craig ● 1701d5 Comments ● 1700d

Congratulations Bev Tremayne

British Empire MedalCivil DivisionCentral Chancery of the Orders of KnighthoodSt. James’s Palace, London SW101 January 2022THE QUEEN has been graciously pleased to award the British Empire Medal (Civil Division) to the undermentioned:B.E.M.Beverley Susan Jill TREMAYNELeader, Brownies and Guides, Hanwell, London Borough of EalingFor services to Girlguiding and Trefoil, particularly during Covid-19.Hounslow resident Bev has been running Brownies, Guides at St. Thomas the Apostle, Boston Road for close on to 40 years, a well-deserved honour for someone who has kept a programme active during the pandemic.

N V Brooks ● 1713d3 Comments ● 1703d

Wakey wakey.. this website!

I recall very enjoyable evenings listening to traditional jazz at the Brewery Tap... now owned apparently by the Duke of London's empire.Information of events don't seem readily available.I've just checked the "Brentford Services..PUBS ETC on this website. ..and the information is so out of date.Pubs that I know are closed..are listed as being open.... and pubs I know are open are shown as being closed.Same with Restaurant listings.I know it must be tough being an Editor/Moderator but someone needs help!PS: Where would I find music listings in Brentford or at the Brewery Tap... Covid19 permitted?

Jim Lawes ● 1716d3 Comments ● 1704d

History of Middlesex Court, Glenhurst Road

I've often wondered what this building was originally. I know it's flats now but it has a grand bricked-up entrance and what looks like an old clock tower in the middle of its roof.  Has it always been flats or does anyone know its history - was it a court or am I reading too much into its name?!

Sarah Boulding ● 1708d16 Comments ● 1705d

Gunnersbury Park Debacle Rides On.

Neglected by two boroughs who could not manage to tie a shoe-lace together for decades, handed over in an appallingly formulated way to a Cop-out CIC, then packed out with Cronies of like mindsets and connections, a TfL approach to funding where even a tuft of grass is fiscally overpricedSome good stuff, but from a a lot of grant funding which is unaccounted for and overseen with sort of knowledge that would make an IKEA shelf priced at £2500 plus fitting seem "very reasonable". Much core infrastructure for a public park remains as poor as it has been for 25 plus years. A complete contradiction to 'Community Interest Company " and with not even a freedom of information clause - which needless to say this management wriggled out of. Because it's overseers, both Trustees and Councils, deemed it irrelevant.Even a Velcro shoe strap is too challenging for this CIOC who only know how to bully and manipulate with help from their 'friends'Loss of cheap affordable to all public park amenities and replaced by exclusivity with a patronising faux front of inclusivity.Change is welcome, but that will only be change for the better if ALL the existing league of cronies and those at the trough are not involved in any form.  A completely new broom of more open and honest management put in place properly answerable to the local people of Ealing, Acton and Brentford who seem to be considered as irrelevant unless they can afford it. Community groups must be on the board and as trustees, not just selected politicians and 'preferred' individuals.Local people, not council officers with close connections, or politicians who seem to have failed with Gunnersbury time and time again, need to be far more in control of a Park that was purchased at a knock down price on the premise that it was for the well being of All the local people of Ealing Acton Brentford and Chiswick.Will this be any better? With how things are carried out in our name?I doubt it. It seems more like another move to making it a pay to enter venue like Syon or Kew and not what it is supposed to be, a Public park owned in trust by two boroughs for it's inhabitants.

Raymond Havelock ● 1714d4 Comments ● 1705d

Waste and recycling

We are really pleased with how Hounslow maintains the collections through bank holidays, with minimal disruption.  With the additional difficulties of Coved, how are things going this year?

Sarah Felstead ● 1711d3 Comments ● 1706d

Demons in Brentford

I went into a second-hand record shop to buy a present for a friend who is learning blues guitar. I bought an LP from 1984 called Demons in Brentford, which has a map of Brentford as the album cover. It is marked with their favourite haunts: La Rosetta, The Beehive, The Red Lion etc. The Dew Drop Inn I'm guessing became Sami Spice. Demon Records themselves are marked on at the end of Harlequin Avenue. Anyone remember them?

David Lawson ● 1725d4 Comments ● 1714d

Night Sky

Does anyone have any idea what the red glow is in the north East sky at night. Viewed from Brentford

David Squire ● 1728d3 Comments ● 1714d