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ISSUE 3 AUTUMN 2011

Partners

In

Extra police help cut the crime rate 11

Glimpse Earls Court of the future 19

It’s a wrap! Top Christmas shops 32

Meet the Duchess of Cambridge! 42

The smile that says ‘I love my brand new school’34

Your Hammersmith

Where to Oooh and Aaah on Bon�re Night 9

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YOUR HAMMERSMITH Page 2 London Joggers AD.indd 1 21/10/2011 12:07:14

WELCOME>>

By Stephen GreenhalghLeader of

Hammersmith & Fulham Council

So proud of offering a first-class education to keep our children local

WHAT’S INSIDE

Editor Geoff Cowart Design Chris Chapman, Don Smith & Alison Tilley Advertising Sarah Baker, John Naylor & Sarah Harrison Words Tom Derbyshire, Rob Mansfield, Jon Weisgard, Delyth Bowen, Tim Harrison, Steve Dew-Jones, Nick Skoric & Kate O’Sullivan Pictures Leigh Quinnell, Jon Mikol & Justin Thomas

Published by Hammersmith & Fulham Council 2011

>> Former Blue Peter presenter Janet helps kids to read more books................pages 4-5 >> Extra bobbies on the beat are part of crime-cutting drive..........................page 11 >> Three fresh schools now open in the borough...................................pages 34-35

>> Boris Bikes wheel their way west in latest expansion of scheme..............page 22 >> High-speed rail hub could create lots of new homes and jobs..................pages 14-16

>> Brewpub has fine beers and good ideas for a royal approval...................pages 42-43 >> Ginger Pig butcher is a cut above in Shepherds Bush...............................page 45 >> Wine school has taste of success to finish off busy year....................................page 47

>> Exclusive interview with QPR striker and local lad DJ Campbell................pages 60-62 >> The fan who ended up with a dream job at Loftus Road..........................pages 64-65

>> NEWS

>> HOMES & TRANSPORT

>> FOOD & DRINK

>> SPORT

There are few things that have made me prouder as council leader than seeing the transformation of sec-ondary school education

in our borough.The majority of local parents once

shunned our secondary schools, prefer-ring to send their children out of the bor-ough or into private education.

However, what we have seen over the last few years is nothing short of a quiet revolution in school standards.

We now boast the best-ever exam re-sults, seven out of nine secondary schools are classed as ‘outstanding’ and H&F has been named the best authority in the UK for the number of state school sixth-form-ers going to a top university.

This is despite the fact that 30 per cent of pupils in the borough receive free school meals compared to 17 per cent na-tionally.

Schools that were shunned by many not so long ago are now oversubscribed. The number of H&F parents choosing lo-cal secondary schools has doubled.

This is a story we can all be proud of and it would not have happened without the hard work and dedication of pupils, teachers, headteachers and governors.

What has made me even prouder is that parents now have more choice than ever before. Not one, not two, but three new schools have just opened – Hammersmith Academy, West London Free School and Ark Conway Primary in Shepherds Bush.

More choice and competition is un-doubtedly leading to higher educational standards overall, as shown by the vote of confidence our parents are now giving to local schools.

H&F has never been prouder of its schools and never been prouder of the in-creased choice its parents now have.

Your Hammersmith & Fulham Magazine 3

YOUR MAGS Page 3 introduction and index.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:34:15

NEWS

SPEAKING VOLUMES

TV STAR & READING VOLUNTEER JANET ELLIS ON WHY SHE’S...

YOUR MAGS Pages 4-5 Janet Ellis Tudor Rose NEWS.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:32:44

so this is a nice way to put a love of stories into a practical setting,

rather than sitting at home grinding out theoretical

papers.”The Tudor Rose is a project

which people living in Fulham Court and Barclay Close have been closely involved in for more than 18 months.

Residents have helped suggest the activities the centre will offer, with the focus on getting young children prepared to start school, mother and toddler sessions, healthy eating classes and job advice.

The centre uses advanced

environmentally friendly technology. Solar panels on the roof turn sunlight into electricity to help run the centre, which also has a green roof planted with low-maintenance shrubs as well as a green plant-covered living wall.

“I’m delighted this wonderful new centre is already starting to be used so well,” said H&F cabinet member Helen Binmore. “It is a home for projects such as the doorstep library network, which helps children improve their reading skills.”

A£1million children’s and community centre has opened in Fulham, and the first groups

to use it are delighted with the new facilities.

Residents picked the name Tudor Rose for the two-storey centre, which has replaced a crumbling 20-year-old temporary wooden building in the Fulham Court estate.

The Tudor Rose combines a ground-floor children’s centre for families with children under five and a first-floor community centre which is able to host everything from youth groups to healthy eating classes.

Open to anyone living in central Fulham, and funded by Hammersmith & Fulham Council and the Government’s communities department, the centre features a giant mural on one outer wall, featuring flying swans.

Katie Bareham, 30, project manager of the Doorstep Library Network home-reading project, which has established itself in the new building, said: “It’s a great space!”

She co-ordinates eight volunteers who read books to 50 youngsters among the 440 households in the Fulham Court estate’s 1930s blocks.

“It’s a wonderful benefit for the people living here. It’s an amazing new building, and the children helped to paint the mural; they were so excited to be a part of it,” said Katie.

Local youngsters turned up with paintbrushes to assist artist Ben Tranchell paint the mural beside the Tudor Rose entrance.

The library network volunteers turn up after school on Tuesdays, then set off around the estate with rucksacks filled with children’s books, to lend, or read to youngsters aged 18 months to 11.

Volunteer Leanne Hooper, 27, explained: “I recently completed a masters in children’s literature,

A MOBILE STORY-READING

SERVICE IS ONE OF THE

FIRST GROUPS TO BENEFIT

FROM A TRANSFORMED

COMMUNITY CENTRE

AT FULHAM COURT,

wRITES TIM HARRISON

5Your Hammersmith & Fulham Magazine

l The dream of every boy of a certain age was to have former Blue Peter legend Janet ellis perched on the edge of their bed, reading a story.

Now fantasy is reality for the youngsters of the Fulham Court estate, where Janet (inset below in her Blue Peter days) has joined a team of volunteers encouraging new generations to fall in love with books.

“I love reading, and I love being read to,” she said as the Doorstop Library Network team settled into their new headquarters at the Tudor Rose centre. “When I was growing up I loved Winnie the Pooh, the Just William books and anything by enid Blyton – Secret Seven and Famous Five,” added the former children’s TV presenter, who has just turned 56 and still lives in the area.

It was Janet’s first day on duty. Like fellow volunteers emily Oliver and Leanne hooper, both 27, she was loading up her rucksack before setting off on her reading round.

“It’s great to involve yourself with families,” said Janet. “I read to my three children, although my son [Jackson, now

in his mid-20s] didn’t really start reading until he’d

left school. Then by 18 or 19 he’d read more than we had!”

Janet’s first daughter, the singer Sophie ellis-Bextor, has two sons… so granny has been

getting plenty of practice for her latest

project.“I’ve got two

grandchildren, and my seven-year-old grandson loves reading to you, to show he can! Once reading has clicked, it’s the doorway to everything else.”

>> A LOVE OF READING GAVE JANET ELLISTHE PERFECT EXCUSE TO JOIN NETWORK

The Tudor Rose

centre is already proving popular PICTUREs BY LEIGH

QUINNELL

YOUR MAGS Pages 4-5 Janet Ellis Tudor Rose NEWS.indd 2 20/10/2011 19:07:47

<< NEWS

6 Your Hammersmith & Fulham Magazine

The streets of hammersmith & Fulham are cleaner than ever before.

Official research shows that an incredible 98 per cent of streets in the borough comply with Keep Britain Tidy cleanliness standards.

Researchers from the environ-mental consultancy White Young Green investigated the cleanliness of 300 roads in the borough and were amazed with the lack of litter.

The company does similar work for other London authorities and h&F’s results place the borough among the top five authorities in the capital for street cleanliness.

The figures repres-ent a 10 per cent improvement on similar investigations that Keep Britain Tidy carried out last year and are better than any other research ever carried out in the borough.

h&F cabinet member Greg Smith said: “Residents tell us time and time again how highly they value clean streets and we work round the clock in order to ensure that they are maintained to the very highest of standards.

“We would like to thank residents for doing their bit to keep the streets of hammersmith & Fulham litter free.

“Cleaning litter from our streets is a very expensive process, so by not dropping it in the first place residents are helping the council to save money.”

To report suspected fly-tipping, or to alert the council to a litter issue call our hotline on 020 8753 1100 or email: [email protected]

l A plAnning application has been submitted to regenerate Shepherds Bush Market (pic-tured) and the adjoining land.

Orion Shepherds Bush ltd (OSBl) proposes to refurbish

the entire market and provide

improved

market stalls and a series of public spaces including a mar-ket square. it also hopes to build new homes and improve the existing entrance to the market from goldhawk Road.

if planning permission is achieved, OSBl proposes to offer businesses the opportunity

to remain at 30 to 52 goldhawk Road in brand new shop units that will be delivered through a phased construction programme.

The application will be heard by the council’s planning appli-cations committee at the end of the year or in early 2012.

Plans to breathe new life into Shepherds Bush Market are go

DID YOU KNOW?

l H&F Council operates a 24/7

street cleaning service which

includes all three town centres

l Each year, the council removes

more than 7,000 fly-tips and

sweeps every street at least

twice a week

hammeRSmiTh Library is the latest attraction in the borough to be named by mothers as one of the best free places to go in London.

The library, in Shepherds Bush Road (pictured), joins Bishops Park and Ravenscourt Park which have also won coveted Netmums awards.

There are plenty of events and facilities at the library that make it a worthy winner of the award. The venue hosts under-fives’ story and rhyme time ses-sions which are hugely popu-lar with mothers and their children.

Sessions take place on Wednesdays from 10.15am to 10.45am and from 11am to 11.30am and also on Thursdays from 10.30am to 11.30am.

BOROUGH

STREETS

CLEANER

THAN EVER!

Best foot forward:

Shepherds Bush

Market looks

towards the future

YOUR MAGS Page 6 Cleanest streets market library.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:15:48

For further information and to arrange a club tour

call 020 8743 4321The Park Club East Acton Lane West London W3 7HB www.theparkclub.co.uk

new indoor sports dome now open

west london’s ultimate family club

YOUR MAGS Page 7 Park Club AD.indd 1 21/10/2011 11:00:38

<< NEWS

1

4

6

9

32

5

7

10

WE HAD THE TIME

OF OUR LIFE!

SEPTEMBER 30

HAMMERSMITH

TOWN HALL 1 The ladies of the Elgin Close Resource Centre, in Elgin Close, Shepherds Bush, at their stall in the assembly hall

2 WW2 Burma veteran Joe Blake, 85, who lived in Fulham for 25 years, sings along to We’ll Meet Again. “I know them all,” he said. “I don’t need to look at the songsheet!”

3 Dave Vickers, 35, of Lillie Road, Fulham, with his painting of The Embankment which formed part of the H&F Mind show

4 Elizabeth Fawehinmi, 31, of Shepherds Bush Green took a photo of her face, cut it up, then painted the pieces for this unusual self-portrait for the Mind event

5 Rhona Nicholson, 69, displayed this interesting abstract in the show

6 Veronica Ikezue, 70, from the H&F Caring for Carers Association, was in charge of an impressive array of African artwork and musical instruments

7 All smiles on the H&F Sensory Impairment Team stall at the Town Hall. From left, Clare Davies, Wayne Ryan and Beata Duncan-Jones

8 Tanya Beresford from Fulham’s Lillie Road Fitness Centre was busy fielding inquiries about gym membership and fitness classes for the over 55s

9 Audrey Joseph of Fulham specialises in pictures of leaves

10 The Assembly Hall hosted various stalls

PICTURES BY TIM HARRISON8


YOUR MAGS Page 8 Time of your Life LEFT.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:17:28

Fireworks spectactular

Hammersmith & Fulham Council www.lbhf.gov.uk

HammersmithSaturday 5 November Ravenscourt Park, Paddenswick Road, W6

Myths & ghouls theme music, funfair, food & family fun!Gates open 6.00pm. Childrens’ fireworks 7.15pm. Main display 8.00pm (approx)Admission: On the gate £7, Under fives freeNo alcohol, sparklers, dogs or admission after start of display

Reduced price advance tickets £5 Online sales visit: www.lyric.co.uk or call 0871 221 1722 Lyric Theatre Box Office, Hammersmith

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www.potli.co.ukTel: 020 8741 4328

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Our sponsors for 2011

YOUR MAGS Page 9 Fireworks AD.indd 1 21/10/2011 12:05:06

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We need an extra 10,000 foster carers in the UK. If you can give a child a safe and caring home, we can offer you: • 24/7 support and advice • qualifications and career opportunities • a competitive fostering fee

makes life colourful

Wednesday 2 November Hammersmith Town Hall, King Street, W6 9JU, 9.00am to 2.00pm Presentations at: 9.15am, 11.00am, 12.30pm

Tuesday 8 NovemberDuke Street Church, Duke Street, Richmond, TW9 1DH1.00pm to 5.00pm Presentations at: 1.30pm, 2.30pm, 4.00pm


Drop-inSessions

YOUR MAGS Page 10 Fostering AD.indd 1 20/10/2011 10:51:48

Crime is falling again in Hammersmith & Fulham.

Locally, there were 11,740 crimes committed in the borough in the six months to September 30 – which is a four per cent reduction from the previous year.

If the decrease is maintained for the rest of the year, it would be one of the best-ever results against local criminals.

The impressive decrease was achieved despite the fact that large parts of London (including neigh-bouring Ealing) were affected by violent disorder and looting in August. Proactive work by the local police and council saw the borough emerge largely unscathed.

Early indications from the Metropolitan Police’s latest figures show ‘serious youth violence’ tumbling by 4.5 per cent locally – bucking an increase of 9.8 per cent across the capital.

Commercial robbery almost halved (down 46.9 per cent) – com-pared to a London-wide jump of 4.9 per cent over the six months. Total robbery was down 4.8 per cent in the borough, and residential bur-glary fell by 9.5 per cent.

Following the news, Met Po-lice Borough Commander Lucy D’Orsi (pictured inset below) praised the hard work of her officers as well as the council’s fund-ing for extra town centre patrols.

“Despite the challenges of August’s disorder across London the latest crime figures for the borough remain encouraging,” Ch Supt D’Orsi said.

“My team has tac-tically changed the way we deal with those who commit burglary and rob-bery and we have been rewarded with reductions in the number of victims.

“Higher levels of covert and overt patrols around Shepherds Bush Green has resulted in a reduction in vio-lence.”

NEWS>>

11

Borough bucks trend of rising crime despite riots across the capitalST PAUL’S

IS on Song

Your Hammersmith & Fulham Magazine

She added: “We have also intro-duced enhanced patrols to tackle those individuals intent on targeting young people on their way to and from school. It is my intention that we can reassure young people so that they feel safe.”

The council is spending £1.3million a year for three enhanced town centre squads of beat bobbies with local firms adding an extra £350,000 a year.

The additional cash means the borough has 44 more police officers than it would do otherwise.

H&F cabinet member Greg Smith said: “Our no-nonsense approach is reaping dividends.

Getting more warranted officers on to our town cen-

tre streets has been the cen-trepiece of the council’s successful crime fighting approach. Combined with strong and determined zero-tolerance style polic-ing, the results speak for themselves.” l For more details on how the

council and police are fighting crime

visit: www.lbhf.gov.uk/crime

An extra £1.3m a year

from H&F Council

and £350k from local

firms means there are 44 more police

officers in the borough

LATeST fIgUreS Show STrong PerformAnce from A PoLIce force bAcked UP by The coUncIL’S no-nonSenSe APProAch To crIme, rob mAnSfIeLd rePorTS

Joyful singing greeted the opening of a Hammersmith church’s extension.

More than 1,000 locals and the Bishop of london, Dr Richard Chartres, came to St Paul’s to celebrate the final stage of the building of its ambitious new community hub, known as St Paul’s Centre.

Sing Hammersmith, the St Paul’s community choir, the St Paul’s chamber choir and Nick and Becky Drake led the singing, and champagne and cupcakes followed.

The completion of the £5.5million centre marks the final phase in a £10m overall renewal of the site in Hammersmith Broadway.

l FRESH harvest festival offerings are just one of the many attractions the friends of South Park group has in store for a day of fun.

Saturday (october 29) fea-tures activities ranging from delicious autumn lunches to Halloween mask painting, from noon-2.30pm in the fulham park.

H&f mayor frances Stain-ton then officially opens the new adventure playground and a Halloween parade leaves at 3pm from the north gate and goes along Clancarty Road to Wandsworth Bridge Road.

Shopkeepers will have trick-or-treating for children from 3.30pm and evening events for adults include restaurant and shop discounts and live music at La Cuenta at 8pm.

l SkaTiNg fun in the warmth? Head for Westfield shopping centre in Shepherds Bush from November 19 until Janu-ary 8.

The ice rink is suitable for all ages from four although children under 12 will need to be accompanied by a paying adult. also, a Christmas grotto will be held from November 19-December 24. a 4D experi-ence is promised.

ice rink and grotto book-ings are available at: www.ticketmaster.co.uk

YOUR MAGS Page 11 bobbies.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:38:37

www.fulhambroadway.co.uk

Fulham Broadway is a great destination for shops, restaurants, a David Lloyd Health & Fitness Club

and a nine screen Vue cinema but don’t forget you can park here too!

Why park on the road when our covered, safe and secure car park is waiting for you?

The car park is open 24-7 with competitive rates from one hour to all day.

So now you know, there is a P in Fulham Broadway but we’re still going to spell it with an F.

There’s a P in Fulham Broadway...

YOUR MAGS Page 12 Fulham Broadway AD.indd 1 20/10/2011 16:41:35

NEWS>>

13

l A midwife has been given an award by the mayor of London for her charity work.

Jenny Smith, specialist midwife at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in du Cane Road, Shepherds Bush, was given a certificate from Boris Johnson for her ‘outstanding contribution to improving London and the quality of life for Londoners’.

She founded her charity, the Jentle Childbirth foundation, in 2007. it says pregnancy and childbirth should be a ‘positive and personal experience’ and aims to achieve this through education, training and research.

“what’s lovely about being a midwife is the challenge.

“if the mother can’t have a normal birth, we focus on making it a good experience,” said Jenny, who has worked at the hospital since 2000.

l ReSideNTS have been invited to play ‘dress up’ and try on some of the wonderful collection of costumes at fulham Palace during a family drop-in afternoon.

The events are from 2-3.30pm and the next ones are on Sunday, October 30, and Sunday, November 27.

for more details, visit: www.fulhampalace.org

RiCHARd Herring is part of the line-up at a very local venue for him on friday, November 4.

The Shepherds Bush resident performs with Stewart Lee, Gareth Richards and others at Bush Hall in Uxbridge Road for a night of comedy.

Lee stars in BBC2’s Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle and Herring can be heard on 6 music and Radio 4. meanwhile, Richards is an edinburgh comedy newcomer nominee.

for tickets or details visit: www.bushhallpresents.co.uk

Make sure the Halloween deadline to get your school place application in doesn’t come as a shock.

Parents are reminded to complete their applications for 2012 secondary school places well before the closing date of Monday, October 31.

The closing date for primary

applications is January 15, 2012.Since September 1, parents

have been able to apply for school places for children who will be entering either primary or secondary school next year.

Hammersmith & Fulham parents and carers are being strongly encouraged to fill out admissions applications online,

which has several benefits. If parents prefer, they can fill in the paper version.

The system is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, meaning parents can edit their application and change preferences right up to the closing date. l For more details see www.lbhf.gov.uk/Schooladmissions

Boo! School places deadline looms

herring

nets a

local gig

hg hgh

PM pops in for a quick cuppa in Fulham to talk energy savings

david cameron visited the BaYonne estate to see for himself how local residents Benefit from an insulation scheme, writes roB mansfield

An innovAtive project to keep homes warm and shield residents

from spiralling energy bills has been praised by Prime Minister David Cameron.

He toured the Bayonne estate on October 17 to see how council tenants are benefiting from new cavity wall insulation thanks to a combination of government grants and a partnership between

Hammersmith & Fulham Council and Climate energy Ltd.

New cavity wall insulation will help 283 homes on the Fulham estate – and the works coincide with the council’s Decent Homes programme to reduce the need for extra scaffolding and disruption.

With a cold winter predicted and energy companies under fire for spiralling energy bills, the PM decided to see for himself how the scheme is working. ann and John Ford, who have lived on the Bayonne estate for more than 20 years, invited him in for a a chat.

“We used to have a wicked draught w h i s t l i n g through our windows and from under the door,” John told

the PM. “But since the council has fixed them and we’ve just had our walls done we only need to put one radiator on instead of the four we had blasting last winter.

“We are warm now and we can have no complaints.”

The PM said the government was acting ‘harder and

faster’ to bring the price of bills down.

and H&F cabinet member a n d r e w Johnson said: “In these tough times we have

been doing our bit for residents

by cuttings bills like council tax, but now we also to want to insulate our tenants from spiralling energy bills where we can.”

David Cameron and

Cllr Andrew Johnson meet

Bayonne estate

residents Ann and John

Ford at their home. Below, Ann enjoys a cuppa during

the visitPICTURES BY

JUSTIn ThomAS


YOUR MaGS Page 15 cameron visits bayonnne LeFT NeWS.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:29:40

Pete Waterman and the high-

speed rail lovers (far left),

visionary Sir Terry Farrell

(left) and (right) council

leader Stephen Greenhalgh

shares his thoughts

HOMES &TRANSPORT

WELCOME TO CITY OF THE FUTURE>>>> A SPACE-AGE REDEVELOPMENT WITH 12,000 HOMES AND 115,000 NEW JOBS. AND EVERYTHING

BUILT AROUND A HIGH-SPEED TRANSPORT HUB. ROB MANSFIELD LOOKS TO THE FUTURE

YOUR MAGS Pages 14-15 High Speed Rail Old Oak HOMES TRANSPORT PAGES 1-2.indd 1 20/10/2011 18:18:24

shows 12,000 new homes and businesses and 115,000 extra jobs (40,000 in Hammersmith & Fulham alone) created around an unrivalled convergence of transport routes in north-west London.

The ambitious regeneration vision – which has been dubbed Park Royal City – was put together by H&F Council and renowned architects Farrells, and was released as a growing coalition of west London businesses leaders and residents came forward to back the plans.

The Department for Transport

“15Your Hammersmith & Fulham Magazine

WELCOME TO CITY OF THE FUTURE>>Futuristic images

showing how one of Britain’s poorest neighbourhoods could be transformed by the

UK’s first high-speed rail super hub have gone viral.

Thousands of people have viewed a YouTube clip which shows how vast swathes of derelict or underused industrial land – around Old Oak Common in NW10 – could be transformed into London’s newest city.

To the sound track of We Built This City by Starship, the clip

(DfT) will make a decision on the proposed stations for the high-speed rail line (HS2) from Birmingham to London in December this year and momentum is growing in favour of Park Royal City International.

H&F Council leader Stephen Greenhalgh said: “HS2 is the fastest way to deliver much-needed new homes, jobs and opportunities in one of London’s poorest areas and the case for an interchange station at Old Oak is overwhelming.”

“The Old Oak super hub is vital to making the overall HS2 plans CONTINUED NEXT PAGE>>

We built this city. A vision of how

underused industrial land

at Old Oak might look

The case for an interchange station at Old Oak is

overwhelming

YOUR MAGS Pages 14-15 High Speed Rail Old Oak HOMES TRANSPORT PAGES 1-2.indd 2 20/10/2011 18:19:17

<< HOMES & TRANSPORT


Old Oak Tenants and Residents Association,

said local residents were ‘100 per cent behind’ the Old Oak

interchange. “We are all for it,” he said,

“Anything that brings regeneration and jobs to this area will be welcomed. We are just crying out for new businesses and jobs.”

Retired factory worker Faith Machin, 86, of the Old Oak estate, said: “We are left out up here, and anything that will create jobs is needed for the area. It would be

brilliant.“ T h e r e

used to be a lot of factories up here, and a lot of jobs, but not any more. My husband worked at W i l l e s d e n

Junction but nobody has jobs like that near here any longer. People have to move away to work.”

Scarlet Julien, 21, owner of Lola’s Cafe in Erconwald Street, said: “It’s about time for this area. The business has been doing well since it opened, but this will bring even more people to the area.

“There haven’t been many new businesses opening up here. The only businesses are really in the

CONTINUED>> work properly as it will relieve pressure on central London terminals, such as Euston, that will not be able to cope with the huge number of additional passengers on their own.

“The YouTube clip clearly shows how HS2 could be the catalyst to create Park Royal City.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform a sometimes forgotten part of London into a thriving new city.”

The video shows new homes, businesses and a new waterside park along the Grand Union Canal built around a 21st century transport super-hub. The vision is compared to others designed by Farrells in China – at Guangzhou, Kowloon and Beijing.

Sir Terry Farrell said: “This project is of huge significance to the economy of London and will deliver new homes and jobs in an area currently occupied by brownfield land.

“It could revolutionise transport opportunities for the UK and the rest of the world.”

Residents and business in the area have also welcomed the plans, which would strengthen the economic capacity of Park Royal.

Brian Hinchley, acting chief executive of Park Royal Partner-ship, said: “We look forward to working with the council to make sure that this opportunity brings investment, regen-eration and jobs.”

Around half of working-age adults within 1.2 miles of the new city, including residents in the neighbouring boroughs of Brent, Ealing and Kensington and Chelsea, are unemployed.

And some parts of Old Oak are ranked in the lowest one per cent of most deprived areas in the UK.

Park Royal City is being promoted as the location for an HS2 station as it would take pressure off central London stations such as Euston, which would have to cope with 13,000 extra passengers an hour without the high-speed hub.

It would also link four of the nation’s major airports to the high -speed rail network for the first time. H e a t h r o w would be just 11 minutes away. Three other airports (Luton, Stansted and City) would be within 30 minutes of Old Oak.

In addition, the site has great road and rail connections as Great Western and West Coast mainlines, Crossrail, West and North London Lines, Bakerloo and Central underground lines, Heathrow Express, the A40 and the North Circular Road all run through it.

Paul Keegan, chairman of the

It’s going to highlight the area to people

who have never even thought about it before

high street. A big station opening nearby will bring more people here.”

Mathi Sada, 36, of Ankaram Food & Wine, also in Erconwald Street, said: “From a business point of view a new station would be a very good thing.

“A lot of people move away from the area or travel long distances to find work. It will be great for the area to have so many good jobs on their doorsteps.”

Roger Sleight, owner of Churchill Independent Estate Agent in Old Oak Common Lane, said: “We are right behind the interchange – it has to be beneficial.

“It will bring more people and it’s going to highlight the area to people who have never even thought about it before.

“We noticed in our Harlesden office that when the overland line to Willesden Junction was linked to Shepherds Bush it brought more people there.

“If that’s the benefit we get from a smaller station then just imagine what an interchange like this could do for the area. It’s been neglected here and it really needs a push. Even though it’s in zone two it really needs something.”l View the YouTube video at: http://bit.ly/mXehfj

Old Oak at the moment is rundown and neglected

but a high-speed rail hub could transform the area by bringing in lots of new

jobs and developments

www.lbhf.gov.uk /hs2

CLICK ON:

PROPOSED FIRST STAGE OF A NEW HIGH-SPEED RAIL 2 NETWORK

YOUR MAGS Page 16 High Speed Rail HS2 Old Oak HOMES TRANSPORT PAGE 3.indd 1 20/10/2011 18:16:40

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HOMES>>

Estates join forces to have major say on huge Earls Court scheme

Work starts on revamping Shepherds Bush Green in January.

H&F Council will be creating two new play areas for children, one of which for toddlers and the other for five to 13-year-olds.

The council will also be planting more trees and improving routes across the Green for pedestrians and cyclists.

RESIDENTS on two estates in north Fulham have grouped together to

negotiate the best deal for local people if plans to redevelop the area are approved.

Around 100 tenants and leaseholders on the West Kensing-ton and Gibbs Green estates have formed a ‘steering group’ to have a major say on the plans and what it would mean for them.

An outline planning application has already been submitted for the redevelopment of Earls Court, including the exhibition centres, which could see up to 8,000 new homes built and 10,000 jobs created.

The planning appli-cation has come from EC Properties, the owner of Earls Court and one of three landowners, which also include Hammer-smith & Fulham Council (H&F) and Transport for London.

EC Properties have also submitted a detailed planning application for 800 homes to be built in Seagrave Road, many of which could be available to tenants and leasehold-ers on the Gibbs Green and West Kensington estates.

Residents on the estates are negotiat-ing their own contracts should planning permis-sion be given and should


SECURE COUNCIL TENANT OFFER SUMMARY>>

l A new home in the redevelopment area while remaining as a secure council tenantl The home will come with new household goods such as fridge/freezer, washing machine/dryer, dishwasher, oven/hob and new carpets and curtains. People will also be compensated for any reasonable costs as a result of moving, such as removal expenses and re-routing of maill All secure tenants who have lived in their home for more than a year will be entitled to a home loss payment of more than £4,500 to compensate them for the movel Access to free independent advicel People will only have to move once their new home is ready

pEOpLE LIvINg IN ThE AREA COULD bE TRANSFORMED bY A MASSIvE REDEvELOpMENT hAvE TEAMED Up TO MAkE ThEIR vIEwS kNOwN, wRITES ROb MANSFIELD

l our aim as residents is simple: we want to get the best deal for people living on the estates.

It’s fair to say that we were op-posed to the idea of redeveloping the estates when we first heard about it. Many people who live here are still opposed.

But there are a large number of people who think change could be for the better. I have lived in Fulham

all my life and have seen a fair number of changes over the years – some good, some not so good.

If change is going to happen then our job is to make sure it is good for local people.

I think the deal we have negotiat-ed for tenants is good. We will make sure leaseholders and freeholders receive a good deal too. We have been promised brand-new homes,

new job opportunities and other neighbourhood improvements.

I may be too old to benefit, but I know that the area is crying out for this. I hope that people will look back in 20 years time and say that change has been good for the area and, most of all, good for people living on these estates.

If that happens, we will have done our job.

MY VIEW>>

By resident

Maureen Way

the estates be included in the redevelop-ment. The con-tracts promise all council tenants a new home in the r e d e ve l -opment a r e a , and the offer of an af-fordable proper ty with com-pensation for leaseholder s and freehold-ers.

H o w e v e r , opinion on the estates on whether

r e g e n e r a t i o n

would be good for the area is di-vided. The official tenants’ and residents’ association is concerned about the redevelopment, saying that the homes on the estate are in a perfectly good condition.

The overall plans for the area include the

creation of four ‘villages’, which are designed to build on the area’s heritage.

They would be linked via

a new high street with around

one-quarter of the land earmarked for open public space. The proposals, which are currently on show during the week, between 9am-5pm at Ham-mersmith Town Hall in King Street, include plans for a new school, health centre, community centre and leisure facilities.

DRAFT RESIDENT LEASEhOLDER AND

FREEhOLDER OFFER SUMMARY>>

l resident homeowners will get the full market value of their home plus compensation of 10 per cent of its valuel Those who choose to move to a new home in the development will also receive a discount if they sign up early. There will be no extra mortgage costsl Compensation for any reasonable costs as a result of moving, such as legal fees, removal expenses and re-routing of mail

An aerial view of the site involved in the Earls

Court masterplan, with red marking the outline

whAT IS ON OFFER

Earls Court exhibition

centre

Seagrave Road car

park

Empress State

Building

Tube and Overground

rail lines

Gibbs Green and West

Kensington estates

(picture courtesy John McAslan + Partners)

l A neW chief executive has been appointed to both

H&F and kensington and Chelsea, saving

taxpayers £200k a year. For details, visit: www.lbhf.gov.

uk/chiefexec

YOUR MAGS Page 19 west kensington NEWS RIGHT.indd 1 21/10/2011 11:31:19

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Blighting the lives of more than 1,600 Fulham residents, using less than two per cent of a vast open

space in Barn Elms or finding another solution to cleaning up the thames.

These are the options facing Thames Water when it comes to the future of its controversial multi-billion ‘super sewer’ project, according to local residents.

The Thames Tunnel, as it is also known, has sparked furious protests from riverside communities.

At a stormy meeting at St Matthew’s Church, Fulham, on Tuesday last week, bosses from the utility giant were bombarded with a series of questions from local people who want to prevent a huge sewer construction site from being dumped on Carnwath Road.

Thames Water’s Phil Stride faced the barrage in front of more than 200 angry campaigners at the Q&A session organised by the Peterborough Road & Area Residents Association (Prara).

The massive concrete tunnel is being promoted by the utility giant as the best solution to making the river cleaner despite

the fact that water industry experts are lining up to say there are other cheaper and greener alternatives.

The opponents – backed by Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council – believe Barn Elms, the other candidate to hold the shaft site, is more suitable as it is less densely populated and would have a far smaller human impact.Thames Water admits that just two per cent of the open land at Barn Elms would be needed – leaving 98 per cent for recreation and leisure activities.

Thames Water identified Carnwath Road as a possible sewer construction site in April, and is expected to formally name a small riverside plot as a possible site for its main super sewer shaft next month.

Mr Stride said there were ‘not any easy options’ when selecting construction sites for the sewer and tried to reassure residents by saying: “No decisions have been taken about construction sites.

“This is a genuine consultation and we are still evaluating Carnwath Road as an alternative to Barns Elms.”

The second phase of Thames Water’s sewer site selection consultation starts on November 3 – just days after Lord Selborne’s Thames Tunnel Commission is due to make its final recommendations public.

The council has been fighting the whole idea of the super sewer and has opposed locating the main entry site works in south Fulham, within 440 yards of family homes and local schools.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Nick Botterill, H&F Council deputy leader,

said: “When will Thames Water realise that no means no? Respected professors and industry experts have come forward to say there are other

cheaper and greener ways to clean up the river.”l For more visit: www.lbhf.gov.uk/sewer or to sign the petition

www.lbhf.gov.uk/sewerpetition


thames water bosses come under fire at public meeting from protesters who fear south fulham will have to host huge construction site, writes rob mansfield

Angry residents say no to super sewer

l Carnwath Road resident David McGinty said: “There is a community here that you want to destroy, but it’s not going to happen.”

l Sue Oriel (from Prara), Ann Rosenberg (from Rats) and H&F Cllr Nick Botterill

l Firdousi Ahmed, who also lives in Carnwath Road and would be just 50 yards from the possible construction site, said: “I am really ill and my immune system is down. I have no choice about where I live and if this site is used as a sewer construction site for seven years it will seriously affect not just me but the elderly and disabled people on the estate who also have medical conditions.”

l Lance Pierson, from Peterborough Road, said: “Thames Water’s plans for Carnwath Road are a non-starter and a total disgrace. There are far better alternative sites – namely in Barn Elms – and there are also other options, other than the super sewer, that can clean up the river.”

l Nigel Henson, from Rats (Residents Against Thames Sewer), said: “The case has not satisfactorily been made for either the current deep tunnel concrete solution and certainly not for using Carnwath Road. Rats has put in a detailed submission to Thames Water explaining why south Fulham is not suitable. Thames Water now has a choice between using a densely populated residential street or a small section of a vast area of open space where almost no one will be directly affected.”

super sewer your shout>>

NEWS>>Phil Stride

from Thames Water (left and inset

below) addresses a crowded St Matthew’s Church in

Fulham

YOUR MAGS Page 21 super sewer NEWS RIGHT.indd 1 21/10/2011 11:39:22

Major west London attractions such as Westfield shopping centre will benefit from ‘Boris bikes’ after the Mayor of London announced that the hire scheme would be rolled out westwards.

The Barclays Cycle hire scheme celebrated its first birthday in July and to mark the occasion Boris Johnson confirmed that Barclays had agreed to provide another £25million of sponsorship. The extra funding will help the scheme to expand throughout west and southwest London by the summer of 2013.

Transport for London (TfL) is now preparing plans for Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Wandsworth and also Lambeth.

Westfield is to provide funding to allow an early taster of the western expansion by extending the cycle hire to the mega-mall by spring next year. About 12 new docking stations will connect the existing cycle hire zone to Westfield White City and six docking stations will potentially be on the grounds of Westfield London itself.

the now familiar blue ‘boris bikes’ will be available at westfield and then the rest of the west, writes rob mansfield

Bike hire scheme wheels its way west in latest expansion

Where would you like to hop on a Boris bike?

Mayor of London Boris Johnson joins keen cyclists at Westfield shopping centre to launch the next phase of Barclays Cycle Hire – aka Boris bikes – across west London

<<TRANSPORT

Mr johnson said: “It is testament to the huge impact of Barclays Cycle Hire and to the rapidly increasing popularity of pedal power in London that I can announce we are now planning to swathe a huge chunk of the west of our city with our beautiful blue bikes.”

The news is a major boost for Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s

THe council’s on-line message boards have been deluged with suggestions after residents were asked to suggest possible sites for ‘Boris bike’ docking stations as part of the council’s Get Moving transport campaign.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, announced that Barclays Cycle Hire, as the project is officially known, would be wheeled westwards (see story above).

H&F Council is working with Transport for London (TfL) to identify locations for up to 60 docking stations – which need to be

capable of holding at least 24 bikes each.While council transport officials draw

up a list of possible locations, residents are being invited to suggest places that could accommodate docking stations. Hundreds of residents wrote in with their ideas for the consultation, which is still live.

Sites need to be at least 23 yards long and 2.2 yards wide, and meet rules about footpath width, accessibility and closeness to trees.

Cllr Nick Botterill, H&F Council deputy leader, said: “Rolling out Boris bikes into

our borough promises to relieve some pressure on our congested roads and jam-packed tubes, reduce pollution and give residents another option when choosing how to get around.

“Now the hard work starts in identifying suitable sites for the docking stations, and residents’ input will be vital in getting these locations right.” l To suggest a location for a docking station visit www.lbhf.gov.uk/getmoving

www.tfl.

gov.uk/

roadusers/

cycling

CliCk on:

we are now planning to

swathe a huge chunk of the west of our city with our beautiful blue bikes

“Get Moving campaign which aims to improve the local transport network.

In January the council called on the Mayor to extend the popular bike rental scheme westward so

that new sites including Westfield, Fulham Palace, earls Court, the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith Apollo, and Chelsea, Fulham and QPR football clubs were all covered.


YOUR MAGS Page 22 Transport LeFT.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:20:24

TRANSPORT>>

Look, I can ride a bike!CyClists were given a chance

to see how they look from the cab of a truck in an event de-signed to improve road safety and save lives.

they met lorry drivers to swap seats as part of the Exchanging Places campaign.

Officials also handed out i n f o r m a t i o n about cycling in general, gave out local cycling maps, and gave free bike mainte-nance check-ups.

H&F cabinet member Nick Botterill said: “We are committed to

improving safety for the many cyclists who live here, and those who travel through H&F.

“this gives people informa-tion about the potential dan-

gers they can face on the road, but more impor-

tantly about how to stay safe and en-

joy a bike ride.”l For more, visit: www.lbhf.gov.uk

Cycle club ready to start a new chain reaction

A CYCLING club will encourage residents to use pedal power after gaining a share of a £1.2million funding pot.

H&F Bike Project received £25,000 towards establishing the club in the borough, to include training and progression, competition and events.

The scheme was one of 27 local community services to benefit from the second wave of H&F Council’s £3.9m grants pot for the voluntary sector – one of the largest in London.

In the first wave, last July, 35 services were awarded £2.7m of taxpayers’ cash from the council’s voluntary sector grants funding.

Thirteen of the 27 given money in the latest grants received one

for the first time. H&F Bike Project was one, and others included:l Urban Studies Green Service (£10,000) – a service to educate, inform and encourage young people through creative environmental projects.

BIKE PROJECT IS ONE OF 27 COMMUNITY SERVICES SHARING £1.2MILLION IN THE LATEST POT OF FUNDING FOR CHARITIES AWARDED LOCALLY, REPORTS JON WEISGARD

l Hammersmith & Fulham Action on Disability (Hafad) (£40,000) – Peer support project to encourage disabled people to access mainstream services.

In total, the council received 70 applications from 51 organisations. This equated to £3.9m worth of applications received for £1.2m of funding available.

H&F cabinet member Joe Carlebach said: “Like councils the length of the country, we are under huge financial pressures as a result of the national budget crisis.

“However, we will do our absolute best to protect vital organisations and services from the budget pressures that we face.

“We have gone through a careful process to seek the best possible value for money for taxpayers in these circumstances.”

Other successful groups who were awarded funding from the £1.2m pot included the Community Transport Project, which received £45,000 to help fund a development worker and to deliver a coach voucher scheme offering free or low-cost coach outings to local older people’s groups.

The council is taking applications for the next round of fast-track funding this autumn with a decision made in spring next year. This pot provides grants of up to £10,000 for local groups.

The next round of large voluntary sector grants will take place next year.

SAFETY

DRIVE!

THeSe days student and mum-of-three Tigist Negash glides around on her bike with the greatest of ease.

But up to April last year the 34-year-old had never cycled in her life – until a course organised through her son’s school put her on the road to two-wheel freedom.

Life on the school run taking her two sons to Miles Coverdale primary and then her daughter to nursery, before heading off to college in Barons Court, is now so much easier.

Tigist took part in a course arranged by H&F’s Sustrans Bike It officer Owen Powell, aimed at

parents and carers. I was always running after my children,” she said.

“Now I cycle with them and it feels much safer as a whole family. Also, I can carry my daughter on the back of my bike.

Tigist is studying english at ealing, Hammersmith and West London College and hopes to go on to study nursing next year.l Visit: www.sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/bike-it

Peter Kanssen from Bikeworks group doing a free check. Below, Rob Orchudesh from H&F Council, local cyclist Fiona Munro and PC Justin Bennett

14th September 2011Cycle Safety event Beadon Road HammersmithL-RRob OrchudeshPC Justin Ben-nettLisa Long cyclist on her way to work

cycle secu-rity marking by PCSO Derek Fletcher

Local cyclist Lisa Long joins

in as PCSO Derek Fletcher marks a bike


YOUR MAGS Page 23 Transport RIGHT.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:21:46


www.lbhf.gov.uk/getmoving

Stuck in traffi c?Trapped on the train?

at our

Hosted by H&F Council’s Environment and Residents’ Services Select Committee

Transport summitTuesday 8 November7.00 - 8.30pm Hammersmith Town HallKing Street, London W6 9JU

YOUR MAGS Page 24 transport summit AD.indd 1 20/10/2011 16:47:13

YOUR MAGS Page 25 rehouse UK AD.indd 1 20/10/2011 16:48:08

YOUR MAGS Page 40 king street college AD.indd 1 20/10/2011 16:51:33

are spending the contribution from developers effectively and not leaving the money unspent in a remote account.”

Cllr Nick Botterill, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, said the council had ‘a strong track record’ when it came to negotiating Section 106 agreements with developers.

“Now that these details have been published online, residents will be able to see exactly how we are spending the proceeds to improve the areas in which they live,” he added.

“We hope that this transparency will encourage residents to come forward with ideas about the best way to spend the money in their neighbourhoods.”

H&F Council’s t r a n s p a r e n c y initiatives were recently praised by the Taxpayers Alliance, which said: “Hammersmith & Fulham should be congratulated for their moves toward greater openness and transparency.”

neighbourhood where a scheme is due to take place. Examples include funds to be spent on highways, recreational facilities, education and new housing to support new large-scale developments.

By visiting the council’s dedicated transparency pages, residents can now view outstanding Section 106 funds and the purposes for which they are identified.

H&F Council has led the way in openness and transparency and last year became one of the first authorities to put all spending above £500 online.

In addition, taxpayers can view senior officer salaries, details of all councillors’ expenses, the borough’s asset

register and departmental organisation charts.

Cllr Harry Phibbs, cabinet member for community engagement, said: “H&F Council wants to be a champion of openness and transparency to deliver value for money for our residents.

“Our taxpayers are the eyes and ears of the council and we want them to hold us to account and scrutinise us on how their money is spent and service provided.

“By publishing outstanding Section 106 details online, residents will be able to make sure that we The borough has become one

of the first in the country to let residents look online to make sure contributions from developers are being spent wisely.

It’s another pioneering move for Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council, known as one of the best local authorities in the country when it comes to transparency.

The funds come from what are known as Section 106 agreements, in which a developer provides a contribution to make any necessary improvements in a

NEW dEvElopmENts mEaN thErE is oFtEN a pot oF moNEy For improvEmENts iN thE arEa. aNd NoW you caN sEE iF it is usEd WEll, WritEs joN WEisgard

Now you can look online to check how funds are spent

A Section 106 agreement with Westfield meant the new Shepherds Bush Library could be built

NEWS>>


l A scheme to improve Fulham riverside has been approved by h&F council.

Developer st George was given the green light on september 23 to regenerate the Fulham Reach area by constructing 744 flats on a riverside site at Distillery Lane, together with new office space, gym, restaurants, swimming pool and a boat club, pictured left.

As part of the scheme, the council has negotiated a £12m community gain package from st George to spend on improvements to the surrounding area.

speaking after the meeting, local

residents spoke of their satisfaction that the plans had been approved.

Fulham resident Paul makaviglia said: “I am sure that this development will improve the area.

“I have been living here for around seven years and that bit of land has always looked a bit scruffy. When I look at what st George have done in Putney, I am sure that this will be an improvement.”

And h&F council’s deputy leader Nick Botterill said: “We recognise that there were differing views on this scheme but we believe the development will improve Fulham Reach and the surrounding area.” JW

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HOMES>>

Angela calls it a day as she ends her history-making role

Team who smooth the way to build up home comforts

Work starts on revamping Shepherds Bush Green in January.

H&F Council will be creating two new play areas for children, one of which is for toddlers and the other for five to 13-year-olds.

The council will also be planting more trees and improving routes across the Green for pedestrians and cyclists.

The work is likely to be completed in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

EdWard Burne-Jones and William Morris were friends and major figures in art history.

Morris lived in kelmscott House, Upper Mall, Hammersmith (pictured above), until his death in 1896, and the former coach house has a museum run by the William Morris Society.

It is the venue for a talk by Fiona McCarthy at 2.15pm on Saturday, November 5, looking at the two men’s relationship. Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris: a Great Victorian Friendship will re-examine the friendship and artistic collaboration between them in the light of her research for a new biography of Burne-Jones being published this autumn by Faber and Faber.

MacCarthy’s biography of Morris was published in 1994 and she has also written about artist Eric Gill, who lived for a time in Hammersmith Terrace.l Visit: www.williammorris society.org or call 020 8741 3735 for more details.

Angela Dixon is stepping down

If you are carrying out improvements to your home you need to make sure that the work

is carried out safely and legally.That is when Hammersmith &

Fulham Council’s Building Control Service can come in handy.

The team works on a not-for-profit basis, offering simple advice that can save residents and builders money. In particular, the service provides advice for home extensions, alterations to load-bearing elements such as chimney breasts and walls, loft and garage conversions, replacing kitchens and bathrooms and fitting new boilers and fuel-burning stoves.

They can also help with checking who is responsible for approving other work such as insulation, wiring and windows.

Council surveyors are on your doorstep and understand local conditions and homes. They have access to the council’s historic records as well as close relationships with organisations like the water authority and fire service.

They provide up-to-date information on the building regulations and other developments, keeping builders up to date with all the latest technical changes.

All local authority surveyors are qualified professionals with expertise in areas such as building design, energy conservation, emergency escape and noise prevention. They are also local and flexible meaning it is easy for them to carry out site visits, and

same-day appointments are usually available.

The council’s team is also expert on insulation and is familiar with green energy generation. Advice can shave pounds from your bills.

The building control team will act in the ultimate interest of you, the building owner. It provides independent professional advice and completion certificates that are recorded at the council for all future searches.

ART WE

gREAT

fRiEnds?

REvAmp AT

ThE gREEn


fACT fiLE hOmE impROvEmEnTs

l The law says home owners carrying out improvement work must tell their local council, have the work authorised and correct documents filed for future reference. People often delegate this to their architect, builder or contractor. But it is your responsibility and you can tell your builder you want to use our teaml If anything goes wrong the council’s team can deal with you in person. Copies of certificates can be provided to solicitors, mortgage companies and insurers so insist your contractor uses the local authority teaml The team can also provide assistance with solar panels and electricity generation, roof renewal, creating new rooms – including some conservatories – adding or altering drains and changing a building’s usel For more information call 020 8753 3387, fax 020 7753 2448, email [email protected] or visit Hammersmith Town Hall Extension 1st Floor Reception

l THe chairman of an organisation dedicated to safeguarding the borough’s history is stepping down from her role.

Angela Dixon was the leader of the Hammersmith & Fulham Historic Buildings Group.

The campaigners have many achievements to their name, such as securing repairs to the Fulham grave of Granville Sharp, father of the 18th century anti-slavery movement, and surveying the

sculptures of H&F. The group’s AGM was held recently at St Paul’s Church in Hammersmith and the theme was the archaeology of its graveyard.

Oxford Archaeology carried out exhumations on the church extension site, giving an insight into the health of 19th century Hammersmith residents.

Taking over from Angela is 76-year-old historian Dr Mary-Lou Jennings, who has a history BA, MA and doctorate, is a Birkbeck College fellow and is a new group member.

WAnT AdviCE fROm A nOT-fOR-pROfiT sERviCE dEdiCATEd TO bETTER COnsTRuCTiOn WORk? if sO, ThE COunCiL’s buiLding COnTROL TEAm CAn hELp, WRiTEs jOn WEisgARd

In 2007 this work led directly to the repair of the tomb of Granville Sharp, father of the 18th century anti-slavery movement, in Fulham churchyard. We hope other restoration projects will follow.

YOUR MAGS Page 29 building control HOMeS RIGHT.indd 1 21/10/2011 14:31:55

YOUR MAGS Page 30 ealing hammersmith west london AD.indd 1 20/10/2011 16:50:10

YOUR MAGS Page 31 warmzone AD.indd 1 21/10/2011 12:41:40

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EDUCATION

Toby Young, head Tom Packer and Mayor Boris Johnson at the WLFS openingPICTURES BY LEIGH QUINNELL

YOUR MAGS Pages 34-35 double the parents SCHOOL PAGES 1-2.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:45:28


MORE local children than ever before are being taught in the borough as three

new schools opened last month, with the borough being dubbed ‘the most free-school friendly council in Britain’.

The West London Free School opened its doors on September

7, while ARK Conway primary opened on September 15. The two free schools are joined by Hammersmith Academy which opened on September 8 – making it three schools to open in just over a week.

The school openings come at a time of record educational achievement:l More H&F children are starting secondary school in the borough than ever before. That figure stands at 61 per cent – an increase from 2006, when just 45 per cent of local children attended a secondary state school.l Last month’s GCSE results were the best ever: 71.6 per cent of students gained five or more A*-C grades, including English and maths – an increase of 16 per cent since 2008.l GCSE performance (where students gained five or more A*-C grades, including English and maths) at the borough’s state schools has improved hugely since 2007. At Burlington Danes Academy results increased from 36 per cent in 2007 to 75 per cent in 2011; Fulham Cross went up from 45 per cent to 72 per cent and Hurlingham and Chelsea rose from 42 per cent to 60 per cent. Under its new leadership, Henry Compton has been the most improved school over the past year.l H&F has been named the best authority in the UK for the number of state school sixth-formers going to a top university, despite the fact

AS HAMMERSMITH & FULHAM IS DUBBED THE MOST FREE-SCHOOL FRIENDLY COUNCIL IN THE UK, ROB MANSFIELDREPORTS ON THE NEW ARRIVALS, AND HOW THE EDUCATION LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED FOREVER WITH WIDER CHOICE AND BETTER RESULTS

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE>>

LOCAL SCHOOLSYOUR CHOICE

YOUR MAGS Pages 34-35 double the parents SCHOOL PAGES 1-2.indd 2 20/10/2011 17:31:35

<< EDUCATION


that 36 per cent of pupils in the borough receive free school meals compared to 17 per cent nation-ally.l State pupils in H&F are 50 times more likely to be accepted at Oxford or Cambridge than pupils in Hackney, Rochdale, Know-sley or Sandwell. Lady Marga-ret School in Parsons Green was named in the recent Sutton Trust report as having more pupils going to Oxbridge than any other state school in the UK.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council leader Stephen Green-halgh said: “One of the major pri-orities of this council has been the creation of schools of choice.

“For far too long, too many of our parents preferred to send their children to secondary schools out of our borough.

“That is no longer the case thanks to the huge improvement we have seen in our schools and to the creation of more education-al choice.

“Free schools have been borne out of parent power and we make no bones about doing all we could to help these exciting new projects flour-ish – we are happy to say that Hammersmith & Fulham is the most free-school friendly council in Britain.

“More choice and competition is un-doubtedly leading to higher educational standards overall, as shown by the vote of confidence our parents are now giving to lo-cal schools.

“The borough has never been prouder of our schools and has never been prouder of the increased choice our parents now have.”

H&F cabinet member Helen Binmore said: “This is an excit-ing time for education in the bor-ough and we are thrilled to see more parents choosing to educate their children locally.

“By embracing new exciting projects, such as the free schools and academies, we are continuing to extend parental choice and of-fer our children the best possible educational opportunities and start in life.”

Meanwhile, West London Free School chair of governors Toby Young said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have now opened.

“I can’t pretend it has been easy, but I hope that the fact we have managed to do it will inspire other groups of parents and teachers to follow in our foot-steps.”

Speaking about his experiences, Ark Con-way headteacher Da-mian McBeath said: “We have been working towards this day for the last eight months so we are very proud to open today.

“The school’s mis-sion is to inspire excel-lence and we hope to enable our pupils to go on and achieve fantastic things in life.”

More choice and

competition is leading to higher

educational standards

overall

“WHO? Three new schools: Ark Conway Primary Academy, Hammersmith Academy and West London Free School

WHat? Ark Conway Primary is a ‘non-denominational and non-selective school’ for four to 11-year-olds. Hammersmith Academy is a ‘non-denomination-al, all-ability, co-educational secondary school for 11 to 18-year-olds, with specialisms in creative and digital media and IT’. West London Free is one of the first free schools. It is a secondary school and has a music specialism

WHERE? Ark Conway Primary: Hemlock Road, W12. Hammersmith Academy: Cathnor Road, W12. West London Free School: Cambridge Grove, W6, on a temporary basis. It is set to move to Palingswick House in King Street, W6

www.lbhf.gov.

uk/Directory/

education_and_

Learning/

CLICK ON:

Pupils at the

opening of West London

Free SchoolPICTURE BY LEIGH

QUINNELL






CONTINUED>>

, with 10 per cent of its places reserved for ‘children who have a particu-lar aptitude for music’

YOUR MAGS Page 36 double parents etc SCHOOL PAGE 3.indd 1 21/10/2011 11:28:56

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the opening of a new Sands End community library based within the school.

H&F cabinet member Helen Binmore said: “I am really pleased with this outstanding result for Hurlingham & Chelsea and it is a tribute to the hard work of the teaching staff, parents, governors and of course the students.”

Mr Cross said: “Our suc-cess is the direct result of staff, students and parents working hard together to generate the current high standards.

“However, our remarkable journey is not complete. There is still much hard work to be done if we are to achieve our aim of being the best school in London.”

the council to withdraw this propos-al and now the 600-place school in Peterborough Road has been given a glowing report, with students gaining ‘an outstanding quality of education’ and making ‘remarkable progress’.

The latest Ofsted report praises headteacher Phil Cross’s leadership as ‘outstanding’ – a feat made all the more impressive by the diversity at the school where 50 per cent of students speak English as an additional language and an above-average number qualify for free school meals.

The vote of confidence will be further marked, in early 2012, by

A FulhAm secondary school has been trans-formed from ‘failing’ to ‘outstanding’ in one of

the most impressive turnarounds documented by Ofsted.

The tremendous result for Hurlingham & Chelsea School means that seven of the borough’s nine secondary schools are now of-ficially in the top category possible.

Seven years ago it was a very different picture, as the school had just been placed in special mea-sures after a damning inspection found unacceptably low standards including poor attendance and bad pupil behaviour.

These factors, combined with council scepticism about how long it would take to turn the school around, saw the local authority em-bark on a pub-lic consultation that could have resulted in the school closing.

H o w e v e r , the support the school r e c e i v e d convinced

seven years ago it made grim ofsted reading when it came to hurlingham & chelsea, but the school has turned it round superbly, writes tim harrison

From failing to outstanding as Fulham school fights back

E-asy does it with library courses

H&F mayor Cllr Frances Stainton is given a flavour of the new courses by e-learning manager Sam Mishra

education>>


Taylor Rowe, 16 and Shari Fraser, 16.

l A new way of learning launched at Shepherds Bush Library gives access to more than 10,000 courses.

The e-learning system lets anyone study at home, at the library or even on a laptop in a cafe to gain qualifications to help find work.

It was launched with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the library at Westfield shop-ping centre by H&F mayor Cllr Frances Stainton.

She was given a guided tour by staff of the Acton Training Centre (ATC), which launched the Learn Direct Centre with the library’s re-cruitment service Work Zone.

David Martell, ATC op-erations manager, said the flexible self-learning system was backed by advice from a tutor based at the library building. “There are thou-sands of courses people can do by themselves, to help

them get a job, gain promo-tion or continue in work,” he said.

Students have an initial meeting with the library-based tutor to assess which course suits them best.

e-learning complements the efforts of Work Zone, a project established by H&F Council on the first floor of the library in wood Lane, set up to help Westfield’s retail-ers recruit locally.

Sixteen-year-olds Taylor Rowe and

Shari Fraser, and Luke Coyne

(inset below), were among

Hurlingham & Chelsea’s GCSE

exam-takers this year

YOUR MAGS Page 39 Hurlingham & Chelsea SCHOOLS PAGE 5.indd 1 20/10/2011 19:12:14

<<education


Three popular primary schools prompt rise in local pupil places

As Another new school year begins, a package of improvements to hammersmith & Fulham’s schools means more primary places are being created in the north of the borough.

Three new entry year groups have been created for four-year-olds who are starting primary school in Flora Gardens in Dalling Road, Hammersmith, Good Shepherd in

Gayford Road, Shepherds Bush, and Wormholt Park Primary School in Bryony Road, Shepherds Bush.

It means that there are now 90 new places – 30 in each school – with children learning in brand-new buildings at Flora Gardens, and in

a mixture of new and refurbished classrooms at both Good Shepherd and Wormholt Park Primary.

This is in addition to the open-ing of the new Ark Conway Primary Academy in Hemlock Road.

In total, £550,000 has been spent on expanding and improving primary education in the north of the borough. It means that there are now 1,543 local primary places.

Work is also starting this month on a £1.3million extension at Old Oak Primary School, beside Wormwood Scrubs park.

The project, which is due to be finished by spring 2012, involves a building to house the early years department and remodelling of the existing school to create better reception classrooms.

The work will boost capacity at the school from a 1.5-form entry to a two-form entry.

H&F cabinet member Helen Binmore welcomed the expan-sion of primary places. “Local schools are proving ever more popular, and we have been able to respond to that demand by expanding the intake at several primary schools, increasing choice for parents,” she said.

new entry year groups have been created at three schools in north of h&f for four-year-olds on top of the ark conway primary academy launching, as tim harrison reports

The BBC has reserved places on the award-winning tour of BBC Television Centre for local residents in Hammersmith & Fulham. On the tour, you can see what happens inside the most famous TV headquarters in the world! Well-informed guides will show you around the centre, making sure you see the most entertaining areas available.

Please note that Television Centre is a working building so no two tours are ever the same.

Free BBC Television Centre tours for W12 residents

To take advantage of these FREE places, please call 0370 901 1227 quoting ‘local residents offer’.

l The new term has seen Phoenix high School welcome students to its impressive new sixth form.

The colourful building is at the Phoenix site in The Curve, Shepherds Bush.

headteacher Sir William Atkinson (inset below) said: “Over the last five years many of our students have expressed a strong desire to continue their education after Year 11 at Phoenix with teachers they know and trust.

“With the completion of the new sixth-form building, we have a world-class facility to support our learners.”

showing the sixth sense

YOUR MAGS Page 40 Phoenix and three schools SCHOOL PAGE 4.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:55:53

TWENTY-ONE local residents have been chosen to sit on the first White City neighbour-hood forum.

The committee was created to give White City, Wormholt and Shepherds Bush a better voice when it deals with community issues.

The forum was launched at a community convention in September at the White City Community Centre.

Nominated to the forum were 14 representatives of local organisations. They were joined by seven local residents who were elected unopposed.

Harry Audley, chairman of the White City Residents’ Association, said: “We expect to share in-formation and resources to obtain maxi-mum benefit, not just for the opportunities that are cur-rently available to White City area but also ones that will be available in fu-ture.”

H&F cabinet member Andrew Johnson welcomed the forum as a valuable ini-

tiative in delivering new op-portunities to the area.

He said: “I am looking forward to working with the

new forum members to deliver their am-

bitions to unlock real opportuni-ties for cur-rent and future residents of White City.”

One of the forum’s tasks

will be to decide how best to spend

grant funding on improv-ing the area, particularly Batman Close, the Cleverly estate, White City Close, the White City estate and

the Wormholt estate.The seven resident

members of the forum are Niniola Adetuberu, Harry Audley, John Gordon-Smith, Susan Iwai, Hoss Malek, John Ryan and Junior Sterling.

The 14 organisational members are Andrew Ful-lerton, Sheraz Khan, Linda Moll, Penny Asumang, Vince Hines, Joseph Jacobs, the Rev Ben Humphries, Sgt Jason Carrigan, Sohail Ayaz (pictured inset left), Andrea Lemard, Garry McMillan, Bob Still, Andy Sharpe.l For more details, visit: www.ourwhitecity.com

NEWS>>

41

We are Let’s talk

l THE council has launched a new quarterly online ‘debtometer’ so that resi-dents can keep a track of the progress made in reducing

its debt. The amount owed by the authority has been falling steadily since its peak in 2004 when the council owed £176m

– costing £9.5m a year in interest repayments.

Since then, the authority has worked hard with a range of efficiency

measures to cut its debt to £122m at the start of the current financial year (2011-12), but that still drains around £4.3m in

annual interest payments before a penny is spent on public services.

The council now expects to wipe an-other £12m off its

longstanding debt by the end of this financial year and says it is ‘on track’ to halve its historic debt by April 2014.

H&F Council leader Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh said: “Nationally and locally we have seen the dangers of excessive debt and we are the only council in the country that is consistently cut-ting council tax and lowering the coun-cil’s debt.

“Spending mil-lions of pounds on

costly interest repayments just to stand still is a ticking timebomb if interest rates rise – as they must do at some stage.

“Therefore our strat-egy has been to reduce the council’s historic debt so that taxpayers’ cash, which had been spent servicing interest costs, can be redirected to protect front-line services like caring for the vulnerable, child protec-tion, street cleaning, more

police, schools and parks.

“Only by cutting debt can we secure the strong financial future that the borough de-serves and this year’s progress means we are on track.”l To view the council debt-ometer visit: www.lbhf.gov.uk/councildebt

The debtometer shows how the council is cutting historic debt – and interest payments paid every year, of course

H&F debtometer

council debt, coming down

£200m

£190m

£180m£170m£160m£1

50m

£140

m

£130

m

£120

m

£110

m

£100

m£90m

£0m

£10m

£20m

£30m

£40m

£50m

£60m

£70m

£80m

2004

£176m

Cost

to you

£9.5m

per year

Today£122mCost to you £4.3m per year

www.lbhf.gov.uk/

councildebt

CLICK ON:

WhiteCity.


Sax player ‘Drumbago’ entertains.

Left, Iona Wilson and

Charlene Ralston

PICTURES BY JON MIKOL

YOUR MAGS Page 41 debtometer NEWS.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:06:53

FOOD &DRINK

YOUR MAGS Pages 42-43 Duchess of Cambridge FOOD DRINK.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:44:11

have some on the gravity bar during the week and fill it at weekends and regular beer festivals

through the year with specialist beers, with

hand pumps as staple beers,” said Simon, 32. “With the gravity ones we’ll

have some fun and see what we can get, and see what people like.”

At a time when much of the borough is dominated by gastropubs and bars concentrating on food or attracting the ‘right kind’ of customer, Simon and Ruth’s pub is aimed at a diverse range of people.

As Ruth says, the key is not to exclude any section of the community. Indeed, if you are in the armed forces, NHS, a student or a member of Camra then you can even get a discount (with ID). “You h a v e to be

honest about what you are selling and make it accessible as possible to as many different people as possible,” said the 27-year-old.

“In every part of London you get all kinds of people living in one area. It would be a big mistake to alienate some.

“A pub, we believe, has always been about being local, part of the community, a home from home, and we want to bring it back to being that.”

Indeed, you get the feeling that pub-lovers who think the same way have rallied round to give The Duchess of Cambridge the best start in life.

It helps that it is the sister pub of an excellent Euston boozer called The Bree Louise.

Ruth and Simon drank there when she was managing nearby and got to know owner Craig Douglas. When he became interested in what had been The

Brook he asked them if they would like to

give it a go.Now, they can rely on

the support of brewers from across London and beyond, including H a m m e r s m i t h resident Duncan “

NamiNg a pub run on very traditional lines after Kate – wife to Wills and the darling

of the media – might seem a bit strange. a populist touch, maybe.

But, as landlord Simon Waind reveals, The Duchess of Cambridge title is very much entwined with the history of this transformed pub in Goldhawk Road.

“It used to be called the Queen of England – and will become the Queen of England again one day once she becomes queen,” he said.

Simon and his partner Ruth Boult are in charge of a place which was formerly a restaurant/bar called The Brook, standing on a prominent site where Goldhawk Road shifts south towards Stamford Brook, where Hammersmith becomes Shepherds Bush.

Not only are the couple, who live above the pub, firmly set on bringing the ‘local’ back to a boozer which had rather lost its way as a ‘fine dining’ restaurant, but they are even brewing in the borough. The Duchess of Cambridge is also a ‘brewhouse’ and will produce its own beers on site, with the equipment installed in December ready to have home-made ales on offer by January.

That tempting taster will be backed up by a brilliant array of brews from Britain and around the world, from real ale to craft beers.

A ‘gravity bar’ of individual barrels will have ale fans salivating just by the sight of it, while around eight hand pumps and 12 swan necks on the main bar and lots of bottled beers should mean no one goes thirsty.

“We will always

HAMMERSMITH couplE BRING BREwING To THE BoRouGH wITH THE lAuNcH of A NEw puB IN GolDHAwK RoAD foR GREAT BEER AND fooD, wRITES ToM DERBySHIRE


A pub has always been about being local, part of the community

www.the duchessof cambridge pub.com

clIcK oN:

Sambrook, of the successful Sambrook’s Brewery.

They hope to get a brewing expert involved in producing the beers and there has been plenty of interest. Food – reasonably priced traditional favourites such as steak, pork belly and duck breast – is from ingredients sourced locally as much as possible.

The pub is backing another pioneering drinks producer just a few streets away in Hammersmith. Spirits from Sipsmith, of Nasmyth Street, are flying off the shelves.

Family support also seems guaranteed, with Simon’s brother nearby at Waind Gohil Architects in Bulwer Street, W12, and other

relatives in Chiswick.Simon hopes the pub

will attract people from far and wide thanks to a location between three tube stations (Goldhawk Road, Stamford Brook and

Turnham Green) and the range of beers. “We are

trying to create a bit of a destination pub,” he said.If the idea takes off then Craig

has ambitious plans to expand the concept to Paris, but for now Simon and Ruth are content with the best of British at The Duchess of Cambridge.

Simon Waind and Ruth Boult in front of

the ‘gravity bar’ at

their new pub, The

Duchess of Cambridge

ROLL OUT THE BARRELS

YOUR MAGS Pages 42-43 Duchess of Cambridge FOOD DRINK.indd 2 20/10/2011 17:44:46

THE ANDOVER ARMSLondon’s hidden gem

57 Aldensley Road London W6 0DLTel: 020 8748 2155

[email protected]

www.theandoverarms.com

The Andover Arms pub holds a Pub Quiz most Sunday evenings. It is recommended you arrive as early as possible as seats and tables are quickly filled to capacity!

If you are looking for quality of service and fancy the best pint in the world then a Fuller’s Beer at The Andover Arms pub is for you. Most Fuller’s beers are always on tap or are only a keg away, London Pride, ESB, Discovery, Chiswick, HSB, Seafarers, Honey Dew, 1845, London Porter, Golden Pride, Vintage Ale, Brewer’s Reserve.

Tom and the team invite you all to a

.... Real Pub ...Real People

YOUR MAGS Page 44 andover arms AD.indd 1 20/10/2011 16:52:37

FOOD & DRINK>>

Butcher could be the key to make area a cut above

vintage clothes will join the goods on offer at a string of fresh businesses in askew Road.

Long Live vintage, which opened on October 5 – the very same day as neighbour-ing butchers, the ginger Pig – is the work of 24-year-old Kieran Williams and marks a remarkable change in fortunes for the former Sacred Heart Primary School pupil.

Kieran found herself out of a job when the economic downturn hit. She said: “i wasn’t working for a little while and decided to go to car boot sales.

“Friends and family gave me some stuff, which happened to be vintage, and from there i made a little bit of money and decided that was the way to go.

“the vision is to expand into larger premises, into men’s fashion as well, because i know that is a market that is a little bit untouched right now.”

Pictured above is Kieran (centre) along with Yvonne, Jonathan, nigel and Ricky Williams, with Sabrina tancredi and Sara Halouane.l Long Live vintage, 163 askew Road, W12

gh gh g

A new butcher in Shepherds Bush is all set to start a food revolution.The Ginger

Pig, the fifth of its kind in London, specialises in quality meat, eggs, pies and homemade chutneys, and comes as the result of local author Fran warde’s strong desire to bring change to the area.

The shop has been buzzing since opening on October 5 and Fran, who lives in Rylett Crescent, hopes a launch party in November will encourage others to bring good food to Shepherds Bush.

“Yes, you can write about the ginger Pig, but the bigger picture is the Askew Road, and I feel quite passionate about that,” said the author, who has written heaps of cookery books.

“We would really like a fishmonger, a vegetable merchant and a deli selling cheese because the response we’ve had has been mammoth.

“On Twitter, it’s been going mad. People are saying: ‘I can’t believe the ginger Pig has come to the Askew Road. At last, it’s going to change’.”

Fran has lived in the borough for 20 years with husband David Tatton, who runs West London Osteopaths in Vespan Road. “I really want to change the Askew Road,” she said. “This could be a fantastic road because there are great people who live around here and it’s a great street and deserves to have a heart and not just disappear and fall down.”

Local mother Tessa Brown was one of many residents to make her way to the butcher more than once in its opening week.

“It’s fantastic, a dream come true,” said Tessa, whose daughter Matilda, 11, goes to West London

Free School. “It’s something so special for Askew Road, which has so long been a bit down at heel and

not a very exciting place to be.

“Slowly we see little signs of life and we’re all very excited whenever there is a little bit of improvement, and this is a huge improvement!”

And Cathnor Park Area Action group chairwoman Annabel Clarke said: “The arrival of Sainsburys and

Tesco, as well as independent shops such as Laveli bakery and Askew Wine, has made the road a true destination for food-lovers.”

On opening day, ginger Pig’s project manager Tom Bothamley proudly welcomed the shop’s first customer, helen Williams.l Ginger Pig, 137-139 Askew Road, W12. For more details, visit: www.thegingerpig.co.uk

VINTAGE

SHOP ALSO

HITS ROAD

cHARITy

DINNER


BRitain’S brave wounded servicemen and women will benefit from a gala dinner on november 3 organised by H&F’s mayor at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium.

Money raised will help the Walking with the Wounded charity. there is also a French couture dress display and an auction with lots including Chelsea match tickets. ticket details from [email protected] or on 020 8753 2013.

Join us for our next networking meeting and learn tips from local food writer Fran Warde on how to select, buy and cook good meat. Fran co-wrote The ginger Pig Meat Book with Tim Wilson, farmer and proprietor of the ginger Pig group of butchers - which is opening a shop in Askew Road later this year.

fOODIES ARE THRILLED TO SEE GINGER PIG’S ARRIVAL IN ASkEw ROAD AND HOPE IT wILL INSPIRE OTHER SucH SHOPS TO fOLLOw, wRITES STEVE DEw-jONES

Ginger Pic butcher Steven Owens and (inset below) cookery writer Fran Warde, who co-wrote the Ginger Pig Meat Book with Tim Wilson, farmer and proprieter of Ginger Pig

YOUR MAgS Page 45 ginger pig RIghT.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:13:36

Open 7 days a week – from noon to 11pm

EXPRESS LUNCH MENU FROM £6.95

ALL DAY LUNCH MENU UNTIL 5PM: 2 COURSES & WINE £15.00

BOOK ONLINE @ www.charm-london.com

YOUR MAGS Page 46 charm AD.indd 1 20/10/2011 16:53:38

FOOD & DRINK>>

www.

westlondon

wineschool.com

CLICK ON:

Beer very fine and wine divine thanks to school dedicated to good drinks

Fish and chips and beer: it doesn’t get much better than that for many people.

A newly acquired alcohol licence at a shepherds Bush Road chippy means you can combine all three.

Following on from its first wine-tasting session, held earlier this month, Kerbisher & Malt is holding a tasting on November 1 to showcase its all-British beer list.

The wine and beer lists at the fish and chip shop will change regularly with tastings for both held every two or three months.l See www.kerbisher.co.uk

FLYiNG the quality wines flag for the north of the borough is the Albertine just off shepherds Bush Green.

The popular and friendly wine shop and bar in Wood Lane has been given the Wine Bar List of the Year award run by imbibe.com

“it can’t hurt that Albertine is near the thirsty employees

of the BBC in west London, but the fact that it’s been around for more than 30 years must be due to more than mere location. And a quick glance at the list bears this out,” said im-bibe.com in its summing-up.

“Every wine has a tasting note, but owner Giles Philips (pictured) has been careful to ensure that they are short and helpful, rather than self- indulgent and unfocused.”

Another h&F winner was The harwood Arms in Walham Grove, Fulham, which was named Fine Dining Pub of the Year.

THEY say you should never mix grape and grain but a Fulham centre of drink-

ing expertise is managing it very well.

The West London Wine School, which is based in the unlikely but supremely quirky home of the Big Yellow Storage Company, has had a successful year and beer tastings are now a big part of that.

Including brilliant brews among its tastings has expanded the cours-es available at the school, which was launched by Jimmy Smith at the start of last year at that rather unex-pected base in Townmead Road.

Under the guidance of head tutor Jimmy and the Beer Academy’s Ru-pert Ponsonby (rated as the ‘posh-est beer guru in town’ by Tatler, apparently!), you can try seven to eight brews of different styles and character. The next one is on Friday, November 4, and looks at beers worldwide.

The Beer Academy also has close links with the powerhouse of ale excellence that is the famous White Horse in Parsons Green.

Jimmy, 28, said: “We have been innovative coming to the end of our second year and then in 2012 we have a lot of new and exciting part-nerships in venues across London. The demand has been so good we are recruiting for new tutors.

“The beer tasting is one area we have really developed, by teaming up with the Beer Academy. It also involves matching beer with food to open people’s eyes to the great British beer styles and make it more accessible for all.”

That busy year has of course included plenty of time spent on wine. One of the new ventures strik-ing a chord is Winemaker Dinners, launched this au-tumn at The Fulham Wine Rooms in Fulham Road. The venue opened in November last year.

The October dinner exploring the range from d’Arenberg, ‘one of the hottest wine properties from the

McLaren Vale in south Australia’, matching with a three-course meal and cheese, sold out. “More will be held in early December and Janu-ary,” Jimmy reassured disappointed wine-lovers.

To round off a satisfying 2011, the wine school is holding its

own Wine of the Year awards for the second time, with winners to be unveiled from December 13-15 during a special series of tastings.

The wines will be in stock, showing perfect timing for

Christmas.Jimmy said: “We have just held

the last round of judging with Si-mon Woods, [International Online Wine Columnist of the Year 2010], as guest judge.

“We all got together and 70 wines have been narrowed down to the final 16, covering 16 cat-egories.”

It was quite some task. As Jimmy reveals, the number of wines consid-ered started off at about 1,100. He has plenty of plans for new tastings and courses all over London but SW6 itself is certainly proving to be a wine-lov-er’s paradise, with the Wine Rooms and firms such as Vagabond open-ing recently.

“Fulham is the place to be for wine in London,” said Jimmy. “It is a top area.” And for beer. And food.l For details on future events: www.westlondonwineschool.com

ChIp IN &

taste aLe!

a LIst NOt

tO mIss


pRestIGIOUs wINe sChOOL based at a FULham stORaGe COmpaNy aLsO OFFeRs temptING beeR tastINGs aNd deLICIOUs dINNeRs, RepORts tOm deRbyshIRe

Head tutor Jimmy Smith of West London Wine School in Fulham

YOUR MAGS Page 47 Wine school RIGHT.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:25:19


<< FOOD & DRINK

HAMPSHIRE is a bit of a way from Hammersmith. They both have ‘ham’ in their names, though, which is entirely appropriate for a completely revamped pub in King Street, W6.

The Hampshire Hog title harks back to an original pub on the site dating from the 17th century and rebuilt in 1883.

The rather grand building had recently been dubbed Ruby Grand but the historical link has now been restored.

It is run by the same people who were behind gastropub The Engineer in Chalk Farm, now changed by owner Mitchells and Butler, despite a campaign to save it including the likes of Rob-ert Plant, Harry Enfield, Lisa Snowdon and Dermot O’Leary.

The Hampshire Hog title has a strong connection to the area. Controversial artist Eric Gill, who lived in nearby Black Lion Lane, sculpted a hog to advertise work-shops in Hampshire Hog Lane, which was once next to the pub.

These were aimed at helping and educating the working class of what was a very poor area down by the Thames once known as Little Wapping. A flying bomb in 1944 devastated much of what was left of this.

The new pub and pantry is set to open this month. l For details visit: www.thehampshirehog.com

l THE renowned White Horse in Parsons Green has built up an awesome reputation for the quality and range of its beers over the years.

Want proof? Well, the next event to be held there is the 29th annual Old Ale Festival.

From 11am on November 25 until the evening of the 27th the pub will be showcas-ing all the old historic beer styles of Great Britain.

You can expect to see more than 60 beers covering historic styles such as barley wine,

A hidden-AwAy gem of a pub in hammersmith has been given nationwide coverage on iTV’s Daybreak show.

The Andover Arms in Aldensley Road counts pre-senter Adrian Chiles among its

fans, and when a feature about the Guide Dogs charity was broadcast recently he was shown heading there on his usual route.

But it was a very different jour-ney to his normal wander – Chiles, who lives nearby in Brackenbury

G a v a g h a n has run The A n d o v e r Arms since 2007.

B e f o r e then he ran The T h a t c h e d House in D a l l i n g Road for seven years.

The Andover Arms is holding a beer festival from Novem-ber 24-27 and a Christmas menu runs from

December 1-23.l For more

details visit: www.theandoverarms.co.uk

and www.guidedogs.org.uk

Village, was blindfolded and led by a guide dog so he could find out what life is like for blind people.

Former BBC presenter Chiles became in-volved through his friendship

with Andover Arms regular Dave Kent, who is blind. Dave – the information officer for Guide Dogs – is often in the pub with Quince, a Labrador.

He linked up with Chiles as part of Guide Dogs week earlier this month.

Pub landlord Tom

White Horse rides high in Parsons Green

go the

whole hog

at new pub

mild, stout, porter, old ale, strong ale and winter warmers.

The White Horse says: “This year we have managed to

get some very special one-off brews in cask.

“Stuart Howe, the head brewer at Sharp’s, has created a three-year-old ‘massive’ ale. This has big, sweet flavours with a dry smooth finish for a 10 per cent beer.

“Ascot has also created a one-off special on cask for us.”

If you fancy learning more about brewing and the history of beer, The White Horse will be holding free seminars on the 26th.l See: www.whitehorsesw6.com

HOG WILD!

the andover arms has a starring role on itv’s daybreak featuring pub regular adrian chiles, writes tom derbyshire

Chiles friendly

This hampshire hog sculpted by Eric Gill for workshops in hammersmith was in a 2009 show at the Royal Academy featuring Gill, Jacob Epstein and henri Gaudier-Brzeska (picture copyright Estate of Eric Gill/Bridgeman Art Gallery)

Tom Gavaghan

outside his Andover

Arms pub in Brackenbury

Village

l AnoThER pub serving Fuller’s in hammersmith has reopened after a refurb. The stonemason’s Arms (pictured) in Cambridge Grove was closed at the start of october

YOUR MAGS Pages 48-49 pubs round-up FOOD DRINK.indd 1 20/10/2011 18:10:30


treasure

hunting

ritz bows

out after

62 yearsThe business had been going for 62 years and he was in charge for 38 of those, but Andreas Ioannou has now called it a day.

A sign in the window of his Ritz Greek & Grill restaurant in Goldhawk Road, Shepherds Bush, gave customers the sad news he had retired and thanked them for their custom.

Andreas (pictured above) had dreams of becoming a dentist but had to give up on that when he and his parents lost their home in Cyprus during the Turkish invasion in 1974.

he had to stop his studies be-cause of financial hardship and instead he decided to become a chef in the restaurant, which his father-in-law George Prodromou set up in 1949.

CAN you help to revive a Sunday market held in a Fulham pub?

Wheatsheaf landlord Lance Hamilton-Griffiths (pictured) established the Local Treasures event but says other business interests mean it has become too difficult to manage it as well.

he is appealing for any indi-viduals or groups who can help to get in touch – the market at the Fulham Road pub could change to once a month or take place on an evening, he added.

“I still strongly believe in the idea and concept. I love local people getting together and creating something interesting of their own,” said Lance.l Call 020 7384 1444.

Lala making music and Med delights

West London has a reputation for mixing local, authentic trea-

sures with up-market boozers. Not to mention all the cafes, coffee shops and eateries in between.

So it is perhaps difficult to know what to expect from Lala Brasserie, a Turkish and Mediterranean contemporary restaurant with live midweek music in the heart of Hammersmith.

Lala is a huge site, with two floors including a bright dining area and a less formal bar with shisha pipes sitting welcomingly next to the impressive back bar of spirits and liquors and a large downstairs area with what looks suspiciously like a DJ booth.

We started our contemporary Turkish experience with warm pitta bread dipped into pomegranate-infused olive oil, an unusual twist on the traditional Italian starter.

This was accompanied by a traditional selection of dips (humus, tzatiki, muhammara, baba ghanoush and hand-kneaded bulgar and herbs), all of which tasted zingy and fresh. The bulgar was a particular treat.

A brave collective of traditional falafel and spinach and filo parcels with tempura calamari, courgette and herb fritters and lamb ‘Adana’ roles provided the ideal accompaniment to the light dips without overpowering the more delicate flavours.

For the main courses we tried the mixed grill of lamb and chicken brochette, lamb chop and lamb Adana which came with t r a d i t i o n a l - s t y l e roasted vegetables, steamed bulgar wheat and brown lentils. The meat was well cooked and tender, but perhaps a

little generously portioned. The poached rainbow trout on a bed of crushed herb new potatoes and a spicy tomato sauce was

delicate, perfectly seasoned and avoided the usual temptations of dill overkill.

A Turkish blend of Merlot and Shiraz grapes stood up to the

meat and allowed the fish to shine; a light, refreshing end-of-summer red.

Dessert was a simple but effective chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream, which trod a thin line between too rich for milk chocolate lovers, too bland for chocoholics with a darker side.

Coconut creme brulee did what it said on the menu, and surprisingly well.

The brasserie boasts a large selection of cocktails and spirits, including the signature cocktail, the chilled saffron; a saffron gin, orange zest and basil blend balanced with sweet Vermouth, Southern Comfort and soda. An adventurous alternative to the usual espresso.

Lala Brasserie provides great food in a laid-back, fun atmosphere that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The casual ambience and contemporary decor make this lively restaurant a great place for dinner for two, a family meal or a large party.

An alternative venue with a traditional menu.l Lala Brasserie, 2 Queen Caro-line Street, Hammersmith Broad-way, W6 9DX. See www.lalaw6.com.

FOOD & DRINK>>

laid-back and fun atmosphere brings turkish and med dishes with midweek tunes to set the scene right in the heart of vibrant hammersmith, as kate o’sullivan finds out

Music and food are

both on the menu at Lala Brasserie in

Hammersmith (inset) and

food includes Turkish and

Mediterranean tastes, as

waitress Sarah Millar shows

(below)

YOUR MAGS Pages 48-49 pubs round-up FOOD DRINK.indd 2 20/10/2011 19:21:57

Wine tasting foreveryone

www.westlondonwineschool.com

For further information and booking details please call Jimmy Smith on 02081 442 444or book online by visiting our website

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YOUR MAGS Page 50 emilias wine school HALF ADS.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:35:32

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YOUR MAGS Page 51 mr india AD.indd 1 20/10/2011 16:55:10

Movie Meal Deal

YOUR MAGS Page 52 bodeans dance vello MIXED ADS.indd 1 20/10/2011 16:56:45

LIFESTYLE>>

Intense light could spell the end of waxing pain

Fulham Road in the pink to raise profile of specialist centrel Fulham Road will truly be in the pink as the area’s only specialist breast cancer support centre gears up to raise money and awareness.

The haven plans to cover the area from the Broadway to its base in Effie Road with 800 pink

balloons today (Friday, October 28).

Businesses will be decorating their windows, staff are dress-ing up, pink parties are being organised and there will be pink cakes, cocktails and smoothies all created specially for the day.

The event is part of the annual Breast Cancer awareness month.

a spokesperson for The haven, a national charity, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the Fulham community’s generosity and support and we can’t wait to turn Fulham pink

and create a buzz around The haven and local businesses.

“We hope this event will put a spotlight on Fulham and the amazing community spirit here.”

Visit: www.thehaven.org.uk for more details about the charity.

I F you can speak Spanish, the name of a newcomer to the borough beauty treatment scene gives the game away

about what they do.No Mas Vello simply means

‘no more hair’, and for many of us women who have been plucked, shaved and depilated it could mean an end to a process which is expensive, time consuming and, if you’ve ever had a bikini wax, bloomin’ painful.

What is the a l t e r n a t i v e r i g h t

now? Permanent laser hair removal usually costs in the thousands – an unachievably smooth dream for many.

But No Mas Vello is a Spanish franchise that has earned worldwide popularity for IPL. That’s intense pulse light, said to be the hair removal method which is affordable to the masses.

The firm has proved so popular they have just opened their

fifth franchise in London, in Shepherds Bush Road.

Owner of the W6 branch, Mike Georgio, 52, said that

the IPL treatment works by beaming

a laser of light, w h i c h

transmits

heat to the hair root, removing it permanently.

After every session the hair grows back weaker and thinner until it finally gives up the struggle and simply drops out.

“You need about four to eight treatments per area, depending on the person, until all the hair follicles are destroyed. Then the hair never grows back,” he added.

“Considering how much the average woman spends in a lifetime on hair removal products this is highly affordable.”

IPL works best on pale skin with darker hair, as the laser is attracted

to dark colours. It doesn’t work on very dark skin types, unfortunately, and a patch test is always conducted by the clinic beforehand. Even better, the treatment is practically painless.

Apparently, all you feel is a warm ‘ping’, like

a hot elastic needle against your skin.

And it’s not just for the ladies. Mike has had it done on his hands – which he assures me

used to be much hairier.

miranda Vinall l No Mas Vello, 54

Shepherds Bush Road, W6 7PH. Call 020 7602 6745 or email: [email protected]


Mike Georgiou

and Arshia Tousi of No Mas Vello in

Shepherds Bush Road

l WE aRE offering ThREE prizes of free tea parties for four people at Betty Blythe – the perfect autumn afternoon date – complete with macaroons!

Tea comes with a tempting array of Ganache macarons (as the French call them) at Betty Blythe, the deliciously stocked fine food pantry in Brook Green.

handmade Ganache macarons are the new thing after cupcakes, according to chic continental European foodies.

Betty Blythe has added them to the shelves this autumn. made of a crisp shell with a luscious centre, and a range of flavours, colours and textures.

Created by Ganache head chef audrey Cadostin, the ‘macarons’ are

the ultimate indulgence. They differ from the american coconut-based versions having a smoother surface. Flavours include gingerbread and peanut butter.

Betty Blythe is at 73 Blythe Road, W14. Call 020 7602 1177. To be in with a chance of winning, answer this simple question. Is the Betty Blythe food pantry based in: a) Parsons Green; b) Brook Green; c) Reverend Green.

add name, address and phone num-ber and email [email protected], or post to Your Fulham, Room 39, Town Hall, King Street, W6 9JU. Winners will be chosen on Nov 11. Prizewinners must book in advance by December 1. The editor’s decision is final.

l TaNGO purists are joining Pavadita in the

hammersmith Club, Rutland Grove, W6, where experts

from Buenos aires put pupils through their paces in the traditional argentine form of the dance. New milonga

classes have been added on Sunday and Tuesday nights. Get the full picture at www.

dancetango. co.uk

WIN! MACAROONS & TEA!

YOUR MAGS Page 53 lifestyle RIGHT.indd 1 21/10/2011 15:59:34

arts

YOUR MAGS Pages 54-55 Bush Sixty Six ARTS.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:33:43

LAUNCHING the new Bush Theatre with Bible study might not seem the sexiest move in

the history of drama, but artistic director Josie Rourke insists it has cult potential.

Sixty-Six Books, now playing at the theatre’s new home in the former Shepherds Bush Library, features 130 actors giving their interpretation of some of the most familiar stories in literature.

The unusual show, linked to the 400th anniversary of publication of the King James Bible, features readings, poems and songs from Jeanette Winterson to Carol Ann Duffy, Bill Paterson to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Shepherds Bush actors Ralf Little (Royle Family) and Miranda Raison (Spooks).

“It is the most extraordinary group of 21st century writers,” Josie said. “We’ve been commissioning this for three years, and it is a wonderful way to open the new Bush Theatre.”

She predicts that the show, which includes several large-scale 24-hour performances, will go down in theatre history as one of those ‘I was there’ classics.

“Just imagine being able to say ‘I was at the opening of the Bush watching a 24-hour show involving 130 of the most gifted actors of the 21st century crossing the stage, guided by 23 of the most extraordinary directors.”

Among those taking part is Shepherds Bush actor Peter de Jersey, a TV and theatre actor who has lived in the borough for the past five years.

Perhaps best known as Jerome Taylor in The Bill, he has the rather daunting task of interpreting the history-laden Book of Samuel in 25 minutes.

Peter is using the writings of Nobel Literature prize-winning Nigerian writer Wole Soyinca, which relates the lives of kings

the opening of bush theatre in

its new home is marked by an

ambitious show involving 130

actors ranging from the poet

laureate to the archbishop of

canterbury, writes tim harrison


People who have booked

tickets know it will be an epic in their lives

and despots to modern rulers such as Idi Amin, Robert Mugabe and Muammar Gaddafi. He worked with Josie Rourke at the Royal Shakespeare Company five years ago.

“The piece is about tyrannical kings,” he said. “We’re trying to make it relevant to today.

“My piece is a 25-minute

Artistic director Josie Rourke (far left) says

Sixty Six Books at Bush Theatre,

starring 130 actors such as

Peter de Jersey, above, will be

a wonderful way to open the

new theatre in Uxbridge Road,

shown left

of biblical proportions

monologue, but the whole Sixty-Six Books project is like an album, full of different things. It’s very exciting – so many different people are involved. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many directors together in one place.”

Peter grew up in a religious home (his West Indian father was strongly religious), although his own interest in the King James Bible is more from a literary perspective.

The marathon performances of Sixty-Six Books feature Bibical-themed food for the dedicated members of the audience (loaves and fishes included), and many nights are already over-subscribed.

“People who’ve booked tickets know it will be an epic in their lives,” said Josie, for whom this is a last hurrah before she takes up her new post in charge of the Donmar Warehouse.

The play, which runs until October 28, is performed by playwrights, poets, songwriters and novelists, with a mix of different faiths – and no faith at all.

“The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, is giving his interpretation of The Gospel according to John, so we’re fairly sure he has faith,” laughed Josie.

As to her personal favourite, she diplomatically refuses to be drawn, but she points to the huge wall beside her desk, emblazoned with post-it notes, pictures and pages of script, to illustrate the immense preparation that has gone into the show.

The performers were given the brief of interpreting and reacting to individual Biblical books. Some contributions are 25 minutes of speech, while others are short poems or even a four-minute song.

“The range and depth of the responses has been incredible,” said Josie. One of the most unusual is a song by actor Arthur Darvill, better known as Amy Pond’s boyfriend Rory in the current Dr Who.

It concludes with an epic 24-hour event on October 28, when you can experience all 66 responses, and spend the night exploring the Bush’s new home, from attic to cellar. l The Bush Theatre is at The Old Shepherd’s Bush Library, 7 Uxbridge Road, W12 8LJ. Box office: 020 8743 5050 or visit www.bushtheatre.co.uk

YOUR MAGS Pages 54-55 Bush Sixty Six ARTS.indd 2 20/10/2011 17:34:26

<< ARTS


he admits his first involvement with the lyric in hammersmith was being ‘in the right place at the right time’, but elliott daley loves his work and is always busy – as he explains...

My naMe is elliott Daley (aka WordPlay) a spoken word artist, actor and practitioner of both.

I’m currently one of the young artistic associates at the Lyric Hammersmith funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

I wish I could say that this post was a well thought-out part of my plan for world domination. How-ever, as with most adventures, this one began with me being in the right place at the right time.

I was performing at a Lyric open mic night organised by actor and

drama practitioner David Baker, after which he came and told me he thought my lyrics were something young people could both enjoy and benefit from, and advised

me to get involved with the peer mentoring programme.

From there things snowballed and I worked with the Lyric whenever they called. My enthusiasm was spot-ted by the former director of young peo-ple, Jennifer Fordham, who told me about the associate roles.

I am fortunate to say that I have expe-rienced so much more than I ever expected.

I’ve had the op-portunity to work with practitioners from a variety of disciplines, from drama to graf-fiti, and art to dance, and everything in between. I learned games, techniques and built my confidence all the while.

And I’ve written and directed plays and taught poetry and drama to diverse groups of people with ages ranging from five to 85 from all walks of

life – offenders to church groups, schools and playcentres.

This year has been incredible so far. The offer to assistant-di-rect the Lyric Young Company’s

performance of 1984 with Nathan Curry of Tangled Feet, (a very creative, talented and very physical direc-tor from whom I am learning a lot) was accepted and I am loving it.

I lead sessions and contribute in production meetings, which gives me an insight into what needs to be taken into account when directing a professional play and how to go about it.

And I get to see my ideas come to life in a professional show and I’m having the time of my life.

The Lyric has pro-vided me an opportuni-ty to learn and grow as a practitioner and an artist and this is my favourite time yet.

Way with words led me to wax lyrical in young theatre role

as with most

adventures, this one

began with me being

in the right place at the right time

“WHO? Elliott Daley, 25, is local to Hammersmith and has been assistant director on the Lyric Young Company’s production of George Orwell’s 1984

WHat? Works primarily to involve local young people in the work of the Lyric and he ac-companies the artistic team on recruitment drives, handing out flyers to people in local schools, play centres and estates. Often speaks in school assemblies and runs taster workshops to give young people an idea of the kind of work the team does

HOW? If you want to sign up for projects and workshops, check out the Lyric website at www.lyric.co.uk or come into the ticket office and ask about how to register for projects. You can also call the ticket office on 0871 22 117 22 for more information

www.facebook.

com/Word.Plyclick on:

Elliott Daley at

the LyricPICTURE BY

aLExanDER fLEmIng

it’s cagney

and racy!

not shaggy

dog stories

‘LatE life adventures in sex and romance’ is how a Riverside Studios play featuring multiple Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress Sharon Gless is billed.

the Cagney & Lacey star appears until November 20 in A Round-Heeled Woman, based on a book by Jane Juska. this true-life tale chronicles her experiences after placing an ad in The New York Review of Books saying ‘before I turn 67 – next March – I would like to have a lot of sex with a man I like’.l Visit: www.riversidestudios.co.uk for ticket details

a DOG called Shoe stars in stories written by a former actress turned producer.

Nadine Hanwell (pictured above), who lives in the Grampians, Shepherds Bush Road, savoured ‘a slice of life in west London’ when taking her old Doberman for walks and her new book covers that.

“I wrote this back in 1997,” she said. “It was a year in my life which hap-pened to be the year Princess Diana died. that had an impact on me, being round Kensington Gardens, like living history, and I wrote a lot of things down.”

Her encounters included the ‘can people’ – street drink-ers in Shepherds Bush – but she added: “When you had a Doberman it was the tough dog, not like now when it is the Staffies and pit bull types. People certainly noticed me and there were characters that would talk to me.”

Nadine runs production company Nadine’s Window, which has staged many shows at Barons Court theatre.l Nadine Who?... and a dog called Shoe. Visit: www.shieldcrest.co.uk/nadine_who.html

YOUR MAGS Page 56 Arts Elliot and NIBS.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:26:33

Bush Local - form A4 ad.indd 1 11/10/2011 17:54

YOUR MAGS page 57 Bush Theatre AD.indd 1 20/10/2011 16:58:00

<<GARDENING


Bloom time for the gardeners of a very beautiful borough

A nAturAl approach helped Hammersmith & Fulham to sweep the board at a popular awards scheme – picking up an incredible 16 gongs.

london in Bloom invites neighbourhoods from across the capital to breathe new life into their local green spaces.

Judges visited H&F in the summer and were amazed at what they saw. they awarded the borough a silver gilt award and said the council ‘continues to maintain their parks and open spaces to high standards. A major success for such a small team’.

In addition to the overall award, the borough won 15 individual prizes. Frank Banfield Park in Hammersmith won a gold award. the park has seen major improvements recently and features a children’s play area, attractive new landscaping, improved railings and gates and new benches.

ravenscourt Park in Hammersmith also won gold. the park has tennis courts, basketball court, bowling green, lake and a cafe. By the entrance to Paddenswick road is a beautiful walled rose garden.

H&F also shared a gold award with Kensington & Chelsea for little Wormwood Scrubs. this park belongs to H&F but is used mostly by residents who live over the boundary in K&C. As a result, K&C Council maintains the park under a 20-year agreement

Cllr Greg Smith, H&F cabinet member for residents’ services, said: “these london in Bloom awards now sit proudly alongside the six Green Flag awards that we won earlier this summer.”

Wormwood Scrubs really does cement our close relationship.”

Hammersmith Park, Margravine Cemetery, Wormwood Scrubs and normand Park were given silver gilt awards. Hammersmith town centre and Hammersmithlondon (BID) won silver. Imperial Park at Imperial Wharf was named business premises of the year and the novotel in Hammersmith came third in hotel of the year category.

the Cross Keys pub in Hammersmith finished in third for pub and restaurant of the year and Phoenix Farm won the same award in the community garden category.

In July, ravenscourt Park, Frank Banfield Park and Margravine Cemetery, normand Park, St Peter’s Square and little Wormwood Scrubs collected Green Flag awards.

the mayor of the borough, Cllr Frances Stainton, added: “I am thrilled, also for friends of our parks and businesses, that we have won so many awards.

“Our wonderful parks and open spaces have never looked so good and I am glad that they are now getting the recognition that they so richly deserve. We are combining many of our services with Kensington & Chelsea and to share the gold award for little

Carol Palmer, landlady of the Cross Keys pub in Hammersmith, which was third in its London in Bloom awards category (above) and Lucian Ashford in the gold-winning Ravenscourt Park (left). Below, Mohamed Abdalla and Layli Sediqee show some of the produce at Phoenix school’s farm

parks led the way for hammersmith & fulham by winning green flag awards and the latest london in bloom awards have backed it all up, writes Jon weisgard

As the nights draw in and autumn approaches,

green-fingered residents are encouraged to get down to some composting.

Wilted bedding plants, grass trimmings and autumn leaves turn into excellent green garden compost and h&F Council can help make it happen with discounted compost bins from as little as £15 plus delivery.

A compost bin is a great way to combine tidying the garden while creating a good mulch to improve spring planting.

Composting also helps the council keep a tighter rein on spending. It currently costs the borough £128 to send a tonne of waste for disposal.

A compost bin is also best if you only have a small garden or if you want to keep things looking neat and tidy.

As well as green garden waste, you can compost fruit and vegetable peelings, egg shells, tea bags, pet hair and even shredded paper – which cannot go into a smart sack.

try to aim for a 50/50 mix of ‘greens’ (vegetable peelings, old flowers, grass cuttings, spent bedding plants) and ‘browns’ (garden prunings, coffee grounds, tissues and paper napkins, cardboard, vacuum cleaner dust).

If you have too many leaves for your compost bin, put the excess into a bin bag, make a few holes in it, and leave in a secluded spot to rot down. It will be a great soil conditioner in a few months. Another good tip is to use your lawnmower to collect up leaves. It shreds the leaves and helps speed the composting process.

this autumn’s compost will provide a free supply of nutritious soil conditioner to enrich your spring planting.

to order your compost bin call 0845 130 60 90 or visit www.lbhf.getcomposting.com

Bins begin at £15, plus £5.49 delivery, while other composting accessories are also available at special prices.

don’t let

garden

waste go

to waste

YOur MAGS Page 58 Compost and blooms GrEEn.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:10:18

*All match tickets are subject to availability.

Join today at www.fulhamfc.com/membership

Tickets are currently on sale to our Members for the following matches:

Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur – Sunday 6th November (4.00pm)Fulham v Liverpool – Monday 5th December (8.00pm)

Even our upcoming matches against Manchester United and Arsenal are on sale to Members from Tuesday 25th October* at 9am, so there is no better incentive to sign up today!

YOUR MAGS page 59 Fulham FC AD.indd 1 21/10/2011 12:33:56

SPORT7-PAGE QPR SPECIAL

DJ Campbell, summer signing for QPR, tries out his new club colours. Right, DJ scores against WolvesPICTURES BY BPI

YOUR MAGS Pages 60-61 DJ Campbell SPORT PAGES 1-2.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:06:09

between Manchester City’s visit and Rangers’ trip to Stoke.

It is proving an infuriating season for the forward who was born in Hammersmith in November 1981, and grew up a Hoops fan.

On October 13, with the last kick of a training game at the Rs’ practice ground near Heathrow, DJ cracked the fifth metatarsal in his left foot.

Last week he had surgery, to put a pin in the bone, and he will have to wear an aircast boot for three weeks... in contrast to the type of soft football boot which manager Neil Warnock holds responsible for failing to give players’ feet enough firm support.

If his recovery goes smoothly,

DJ hopes to be on the bench at Anfield on December 10, when the Hoops face Liverpool.

If anyone is equipped to cope with the frustration of the injury, it’s DJ. From six to 16 he was a junior at the Rangers academy, with a promising career ahead and an England U15 cap pinned to his bedroom wall.

But things went off the rails. He had an attitude problem, he began turning up late, at 16 he was a father, and Rangers decided enough was enough.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW DJ CAMPBELL

THERE is always something emotional about homecomings, so it felt extra special when

striker DJ Campbell returned to Loftus Road this summer, to wear the No9 shirt.

DJ (it’s Dudley Junior, but you only ever hear the initials) hits 30 in three weeks’ time, midway


It’s the club I supported as a kid and QPR have played a massive part in my life

After stacking shelves in a warehouse for the yoghurt drink maker Yakult, he became a DHL delivery driver, complete with brown overalls.

Finally, at the ripe old age of 24, he became a professional f o o t b a l l e r after Martin Allen signed him to B r e n t f o r d for £5,000

on the strength of his 65 goals in 88 appearances for non-league Yeading.

From Griffin Park he went to Birmingham, with the Bees

THE dj wHo plays all THE

bEsT TunEs

AS HE FACES SIX WEEKS ON THE SIDELINES, THE HOOPS STRIKER TELLS TIM HARRISON ABOUT HIS TATTOOS, LONDON DERBIES AND GOING HOME TO HIS MUM

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE>>

YOUR MAGS Pages 60-61 DJ Campbell SPORT PAGES 1-2.indd 2 20/10/2011 17:03:45

<< SPORT


Meet the QPR

super fan who

doesn’t miss

a game

KEEP

READING:

pocketing a £495,000 profit in the deal, before rejoining Rangers for £1.25million after making his name in the top flight with Blackpool.

Last season, for the Tangerines, he scored two goals more than Wayne Rooney.

“It feels great coming back to play for QPR – it’s a dream I’ve always had,” said DJ, whose mother still lives in the family home in East Acton.

Does she come to the games? “Yeah, she comes to a few,” he said. And does it make a difference to the way he plays if he knows she’s watching? “No; it doesn’t make a difference,” he insisted. “It’s nice to have my mum there, and my friends, but I’m a professional.”

“QPR have played a massive part in my life,” said DJ, who now has an ambassadorial role in the club, drawing on his own experiences to help youngsters in the Shepherds Bush area. “It’s something I love doing,” he said. “I was very young [when I was first at QPR] so I just had my parents, and you have to grow up and become a man. I learnt for myself. It’s good to give back when you can after what I’ve been through… and I’ve been through a lot.”

Campbell’s keenness to play his part as an ambassador has delighted the team behind the club’s outreach programme. They see him as someone who can relate to young west Londoners, particularly those who have had brushes with authority, and someone who understands local youngsters’ needs.

He certainly has communication skills. He is a charming, chatty and relaxed footballer.

We were talking after the Hoops’ annihilation at Craven Cottage – the 6-0 defeat that left Rs fans shellshocked – but before he picked up his maddening foot injury.

How did he explain the scoreline? “Obv-iously it was so disappointing,” he said. “I really don’t know what happened. I can’t put my finger on it. But sometimes things happen for a reason, and maybe it was a blessing in disguise, getting us into gear. Hopefully, the lads have learned from that.”

DJ played the whole of the second half, coming on for Adel Taarabt, and was a whisker away from a consolation goal in stoppage time, when he curled a shot just wide of Mark Schwarzer’s goal.

“I think it may have grazed the bar,” he said, before saluting Rs fans, who defied reason by out-chanting Fulham’s army at the final whistle in a display of loyalty.

“The fans were just brilliant, and we don’t want [a heavy defeat] to happen again.”

Former Chelsea player manager Glenn Hoddle used

to say London clubs would always struggle

to win titles because of the number of derby games. Does

DJ agree? “The thing is, fans love derbies,” he said. “Well, they love winning them, so it’s unfortunate that we lost [at Fulham].”

QPR manager Neil Warnock said of DJ: “He is a QPR fan, and you can tell he has a great desire to do well for the club he supports.”

Campbell scored his first goal for the Hoops in the 3-0 away win at Wolves, and had felt he was getting back to full match fitness... before the curse of the metatarsal struck.

He believes Warnock is definitely the man for the job at Loftus Road. “He’s been great;

it’s 15 years since the glory days in the Premier League, and it’s great for the club to be back there. Neil achieved miracles last year in getting promotion, and we have to just keep pushing forward.”

Having experienced life outside football before getting his professional chance relatively late in his sporting life, DJ believes he can appreciate his top-flight playing days all the more.

Which just left us one burning topic. His famous tattoos. As an ambassador with ink designs all over his body, what advice would he give youngsters about tattoos?

DJ laughed. “Obviously first of all I’d make sure they were old enough!”

His own collection of tats is legendary. He has ‘Paris’ on one side of his neck – in tribute to his teenaged daughter’s name –

alongside a prominent cherub which cameras always seem to pick up when he scores.

At Blackpool he added a 15th tattoo when he popped into a local parlour in February to get an angel on his arm. People have remarked that with his tats, gold teeth and shaved head he often looks more like a rap artist than a footballer.

“Hey, I’m an individual,” he insisted. “A lot of people are getting tattoos these days; it’s just something different, and it’s something I like.

“I really like the artistic side to them. I used to draw a lot when I was at school.

“If you look at my body, I’ve got a lot of tattoos, and I designed some of them myself.

“If you’re a kid, and you’re old enough, and you really want them… why not?”

CONTINUED>>

DJ Campbell refuses to look back

PICTURE BY BPI

7-PAGE QPR FEATURE

YOUR MAGS Page 62 SPORT DJ Campbell PAGE 3.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:13:41

Established 1989

Shoe repairs Trophies & Engraving Key cutting

70 Fulham Palace Road Hammersmith W6 9PL

020 8748 4697

YOUR MAGS Page 63 sids tattoo o'don MIXED ADS.indd 1 21/10/2011 11:37:49


football club and community? it’s aa matter of trust

Many fans dreaM of a great job with the club they have always supported, and qpr in the coMMunity trust chief executive andy evans has just such a role – despite sleeping through his first gaMe, as he explains to dan levene

<<SPORT

Andy says: “In the Football League you have 72 clubs. That’s 72 members trying to get their share of the pie. I suppose now that we’re in the Premier League, the benefit is that there are 20 clubs, so the slice of the pie there for community activity is bigger.

“There is an opportunity to grow, and we will grasp that opportunity. But I think what is important on the

community side is that it remains about quality, and it remains about mak-ing a difference.

“It is very easy to run bigger pro-grammes across a

wider area and try to reach more people, but I think we must concentrate on what the actual needs are locally, and what difference we can really make.”

If Andy comes over as enthusias-tic about the work of the trust, then it shouldn’t be a surprise.

It’s taken up a decade and a half of his life. But when he talks about it he always uses a considered tone – something that goes out of the win-

dow when he gets on to an even bigger passion of his, QPR itself.

“I grew up in Notting Hill and we were very much a QPR family. My parents had season tickets here and we used to sit in the old Ellerslie Road stand.

“Dad brought me along here when I was four. Obviously I don’t remember that first en-counter. He tells me he thinks

it was an Easter Monday against Norwich and that it was 0-0, and that I slept throughout the whole game!

“I’ve got some memories of those European nights in the mid-70s, and I can remember seeing Stan Bowles out there.

“For some strange reason I have this memory of him playing against Wealdstone in the FA Cup.

“Then the whole of the 80s un-der (Terry) Venables, and the two FA Cup games against Totten-ham – they are completely vivid memories.”

His love for the Hoops led to him joining the old QPR supporters club team, where he says he made friends for life.

Keen to get into football admin-istration, his career briefly took him away from that passion, when he got involved in volunteering on match-days at Brentford.

But before long he was back on home ground with a role in the Lof-

tus Road ticket office.“I was just so excited being

here,” he says of those early days with the club. “I’m much more used to it now. But in those very early days, you’d be in the box office and Ray Wilkins, Trevor Sinclair or Les (Ferdinand) would walk in. And it was – wow!”

It was there he made the contacts and gained the experience which ensured that when the community trust kicked off, he was the ideal man to lead the new team.

The trust is based on a simple idea: football clubs have a unique place in the community involving wide and loyal support, as well as a selection of valuable resources not

Promotion brings not just an impact on the team, but on the whole club, says Andy Evans.

And the community outside, he might well have added.

Andy is the chief executive of the QPR in the Community Trust – the arm of the club that reaches out across Hammersmith and beyond, trying to improve people’s lives.

For the last 15 years, he and his team have been behind schemes such as QPR’s com-mended Tiger Cubs team for Down’s syn-drome footballers, as well as regular clubs specialising in anything from cricket to dance.

He is trying to find ways to con-vert QPR’s hard-earned Premier League status into projects that will give the local area a similar lift.

There is often talk of a club’s promotion to the big league bring-ing a bonus for the local community, but what does that actually mean?

7-PAGE QPR FEATURE

YOUR MAGS Pages 64-65 Andy Evans QPR SPORT.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:25:21

SPORT>>


always needed for team matters. Put this to the good, and there

is an opportunity to involve people others find it difficult to reach in activities that are rewarding for all concerned.

That often involves QPR play-ers going to schools and passing on important messages about educa-tion and life, and it can also see the club’s coaches training youngsters in the community.

“Bradley Orr has taken up the ambassador role with the Tiger Cubs,” says Andy. “He visits them regularly.

“And it’s great that we’ve signed Danny Shittu for another year. He’s an ambassador with the Prince’s Trust. You put Danny in front of young people and he really is inspirational.

“We’ve got fantastic coaches: role models who go in and deliver, and are very good at it.

And if you can get someone

like Danny who can go in alongside that, all of a sudden your messages become a lot stronger and have a lot more impact.”

Recently, in tune with the Government’s ‘localism’ policy, the trust has turned into a service provider and is now linking up with other organisations, such as the BBC, to see how it can improve people’s lives.

“We’re actually a regis-tered youth provider to the local authority,” Andy says.

“So we do get commissioned by them to deliver

certain proj-ects. We’ve got the White City Rangers,

a Friday-night project for teen-agers, which takes the form of a multi-sport programme. We have six differ-ent activities going on in and around the White City estate rang-ing from street cricket to dance.”

He adds: “It’s great that the team on the pitch has delivered this p r o m o t i o n , and there now seems to be a bit more pride among people living in the area to display the Hoops.

“Hopefully through the trust we can give local people even more to be proud about.”

Bradley Orr has taken up the ambassador role with the Tiger Cubs and he visits them regularly

Andy Evans has watched his Hoops heroes from the stands since childhood and is now chief executive of the QPR in the Community Trust

PICTURE BY LEIGH QUINNELL

the key clashes still to come

in 2011 Chelsea

games>>

Fulham

games>>

l After the 5-0 demolition of Genk last week, the Blues are on a bit of a European high... but it’s the nitty-gritty of the Premier League that matters most as Andre Villas-Boas keeps rotating his squad in the run up to Christmasl After the derby against Arsenal this weekend, Chelsea travel to Blackburn before hosting Liverpool at the Bridge on November 20, following the next international breakl On November 26, Wolves visit SW6 before Chelsea’s trip to Newcastle on December 3l Arguably the toughest match facing the Blues is when high-flying Manchester City come to Stamford Bridge on December 12 – a game which could help determine the final 1-2-3 in the leaguel After a visit to Wigan on December 17, Chelsea traipse up to White Hart Lane on December 22 ahead of the little matter of the west London derby on Boxing Day, when Fulham fans take over the Shed end at the Bridgel It is the first of two key holiday home games in under a week – the second being Aston Villa’s visit to the Bridge on New Year’s Eve

l The Whites know they have to keep accumulating league points to avoid another serious survival battle... but a string of London derbies between now and Christmas will not make Martin Jol’s task any easierl On November 6, Fulham host Spurs at the Cottage, before a tricky trip to the Stadium of Light on November 19 following the international gap, where Sunderland are now desperate for a winl The next capital derby is on November 26 at the Emirates, with Arsenal continuing to narrow the gap on the other teams fighting to secure one of next year’s European placesl December’s fixture list offers several real possibilities of points, even if Liverpool are visiting the Cottage on the 5th, and Manchester United on the 21stl It is the December 10 trip to Swansea, and the December 17 visit of Bolton to Craven Cottage that look the most promising fixtures for maximum points, if the club can replicate the domineering spirit which led to the astonishing 6-0 defeat of local rivals QPR on October 2l On Boxing Day, Fulham shuffle along the Fulham Road to play the other neighbours

YOUR MAGS Pages 64-65 Andy Evans QPR SPORT.indd 2 20/10/2011 17:26:06

<< SPORT


He Has not missed a home game

in 48 years – and he does not intend to start now that his beloved QPR are back in the Premier League.

Season ticket-holder Malcolm Oakley has seen his fair share of up and downs over the years on the pitch at Loftus Road in Shep-herds Bush, and says that even though he has to plan his holidays around fixtures he is a happy man these days.

“I am so delighted we are now playing in the Premier League.

“It had been 15 years since we last played in the top flight. And in that time we have seen some real lows but we also lived through some extremely good times,” said the 63-year-old. “Hopefully, we will enjoy

ourselves and let everyone know that we are back in the big time.”

Last season, QPR secured promotion to the top flight after an impressive campaign which has left a huge smile across Malcolm’s face.

Winning the Championship was one of the highlights in the Hoops’ history, despite the late drama after the transfer saga of Alejandro Fau-rlin threatened to ruin the club’s chances of playing in the Premier League.

“I was standing outside the ground as we all waited to hear the fate of QPR on the last game of the season,” said Malcolm, a father of

three. “When it was announced that we would not be docked points for the transfer of Faurlin everyone just went mad.

“Fans were bouncing down South Africa Road as it became a sea of blue and white and the football match that was about to start against Leeds United became secondary as we were going up to meet the big boys of English football.”

The die-hard fan would prefer a rather less dramatic time this season but is wise to the task that lies ahead.

He believes his side will be battling it out in the competitive

We used to go to games for a shilling and six pence

“relegation battle that sees more teams in-volved every year.

He will watch his team fight for survival from his seat in the South Africa Road stand where he has been for the last 30 years.

His dad, Ted, took him down to his very first game and they would stand behind the goal at the Loftus Road end of the ground.

“He was a life-long fan himself and we used to go to games for a shilling and six pence, which is something like s e v e n - a n d - a - h a l f pence. It is extraordi-nary when you com-pare that to the ticket prices of today,” said Malcolm.

One of his fond-est memories at Lof-tus Road was back in 2003 in the semi-final, second leg of the now League One play-offs against Oldham.

The Hoops had drawn 1-1 in the first game and would leave it late to secure a place in the final against Cardiff City with an 82nd min-ute strike from Paul Furlong.

“The stadium erupted when Furlong struck the winner. The South Africa Road stand felt like it was moving,” said Malcolm.

“It was the most amaz-ing feeling and such a pity that we could not follow the euphoria of that day with a win in the final.”

Furlong was still playing foot-ball well into his 40s.

With the new campaign well underway and QPR holding their own – despite a 6-0 thumping by borough rivals Fulham – Malcolm will be hoping his team show similar staying power in the Premier League.

7-PAGE QPR FEATURE

MALCOLM OAKLEY

TELLS NICK SKORIC

HE HASN’T MISSED

A HOME GAME IN 48 LONG

YEARS...

SUPERFAN!

YOUR MAGS Page 66 SPORT mad fan QPR.indd 1 20/10/2011 17:17:53

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Documents

Your Hammersmith magazine (autumn 2011)