The Hanwell Hootie is back – live music from 30 bands on Saturday 5th April

Hanwell gets ready to rock as Hootie music festival pays tribute to ‘Father of Loud’, Jim Marshall.

I went to the first Hanwell Hootie last year and it was brilliant so if you enjoy live music from some great local bands then get ready for this year’s Hootie on Saturday 5th April from 4pm.

As last year, the Hanwell Hootie is sponsored by Marshall Amps. Jon Ellery, Managing Director of Marshall, said: ‘Our philosophy with the festival is about celebrating our roots, bringing fantastic live music to small venues in Hanwell and putting the area back on the music map.’

The 2014 Hootie features live music from 30 bands playing across six venues between 4pm – 11pm, including The Prince of Wales, The Inn on the Green, The Fox, The Duke of York, The Kings Arms and The Village Inn. There’ll also be ‘fringe’ music activities in around Hanwell, including The Clock Tower Café, Ryan’s Bar and W7 Emporium.

Confirmed acts include: the nine-piece swamp pop, New Orleans blues group, The Dirty Gentlemen; the raucous rock ‘n’ roll gypsy band, Tankus the Henge; and nothing short of a super group, Bad for Lazarus, who boast ex-members of Nine Inch Nails, The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster and UNKLE.

The festival will kick off with a Minute of Loud near Hanwell Clock Tower at 4pm. To keep up to date with who is playing where and when visitwww.facebook.com/TheHanwellHootie

March 25, 2014

Six Short Plays back at OPEN Ealing on Saturday 29th March 7.30pm

OPEN NEWSLETTER

SIX Short Plays 5

The return of Short Plays is back this week on SATURDAY 29TH March, 7:30pm at Drayton Green Road W13 0NG .

A format that is quickly becoming a tradition, Short Plays brings to Ealing a dynamic round of fresh and witty theatre in manageable doses.

Plays include: Excess, Selected Committee, The Elephant who was swallowed by a Boa Constrictor, The Dragon and the Butterfly, Merger Talks and Outbreak

Written by: Tom Jensen, Liam O’Grady and Wally Sewell, performed by Mary Drake and Andrew Loudon and directed by Anthony.

£5 on the door

For more details please email info@openealing.com

March 25, 2014

Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) consultation for Fielding school area

Parking problems are almost guaranteed to arouse passions amongst residents. Now those of us living south of the Uxbridge Road and west of Northfield Ave have our chance to get steamed up. The Council has received a number of requests for a CPZ in the Fielding Primary School area. Following these requests and a parking survey, the Council has issued a consultation about a CPZ. The consultation covers a wider area to take in to account the perennial problem of parking displacement whereby areas surrounding a new CPZ get more cars parking on their streets.

I always feel a bit ambivalent about CPZs. Living very close to the West Ealing shopping centre in an as yet non-CPZ zone I can understand the frustration of not being able to park anywhere near your house. Yet, and it is a big yet, I worry about the impact on local businesses and their staff who may have to drive to work as public transport doesn’t work for them. A light touch CPZ, say with one hour in the morning and one in the afternoon, should not have that big an effect on shoppers who can usually adjust their shopping times. But it’s far more difficult for people who come to work in West Ealing as they will usually have set working hours. How do they deal with the impact of a CPZ?

The consultation ends on 18th April. In the meantime, there is an exhibition about the consultation plans on Sunday 30th March 11am – 4pm at Northfield Community Centre in Northcroft Road.

March 20, 2014

Celebrate more Street Pastors out on the streets of West Ealing

March 19, 2014

The Grosvenor pub in West Ealing to re-open at end of April

Food and Fuel, the new owners of The Grosvenor pub, met up with locals in one of their ‘Maggie’s’ outlets on New Broadway W5 last night (Tuesday 18th March). The Grosvenor name will be retained as will the stained glass and beautiful, original wooden bar and panelling. Five real ales are promised as well as English/Mediterranean/Gastro Pub food. No talk of juke boxes, pool tables or Sky Sports! Opening at 11am seven days a week with proper coffee and family friendliness this all sounds like a winner.

The refurb/rebuild has proved somewhat costly and upstairs apart from a live-in manager’s flat the function room has not yet been restored. Hopefully it will be later in the year.

Eric Leach

March 19, 2014

West Ealing businesses vote yes to spending £1m to improve West Ealing

West Ealing businesses have voted ‘yes’ to setting up a Business Improvement District in West Ealing. A BID has been operating in Ealing Broadway for some years and their BID team worked long and hard to persuade West Ealing’s traders to follow their lead. The idea behind a BID is for businesses in the area to contribute about a 1% levy on their rateable value to the BID which then uses that money on projects to improve and promote the area – safety, marketing and promotion, special events and so on. Over the West Ealing BID’s initial five years the amount raised by this levy will be £1 million. Sarah Evans of Waitrose is currently the chair elect of the West Ealing BID and other businesses will be represented on its board of directors.

I’ve said this before but it feels increasingly to me that West Ealing is changing, partly driven by Crossrail, and we wish the West Ealing BID every success in playing its part in improving West Ealing.

There’s more about this story of the Ealing Today website

( On the same theme I’m trying to find out what was said about plans for The Grosvenor pub at last night’s meeting with the owners. The essence of the plan is to turn this once run -down pub in to a gastro pub)

March 10, 2014

The Land Without Music – Questors Choir at St John’s Church Saturday 15th March

March 6, 2014March 7, 2014

Time for Tea in West Ealing – vintage tea room comes to Pop Up Shop from 3rd March

From 3 March -15 March 2014, Tea Darling will transform #EalingPopUpShop into a vintage tearoom, where you can enjoy homemade cake while sipping a nice cuppa amongst a nostalgic British setting. At the same time you will be able to buy handmade cushions, throws, crochet items, candles and baby clothes.

The #EalingPopUpShop has been supported by the Riot Recovery Fund to help generate business in West Ealing. Opened by Ealing Council, the shop is located at 99 Broadway W13 9BP and is open from 10am-6pm, Monday to Saturday.

February 26, 2014

Charity Fundraiser Barn Dance at St James Church on Saturday 1st March from 7.30pm

Just giving a final shout out about our Charity Fundraiser Barn Dance… NEXT Saturday… ALL welcome, come alone, come with family/friends, colleagues… Great band, Raffle, Homemade Cakes… you can bring your own drinks (alcohol allowed). Tickets can be purchased on the night… so just come and join us for a great evening! & Support a local charity helping Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse (1 in 4 girls & 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused during childhood)… our charity is SO needed and we need support to keep us going.

February 24, 2014

Six More Short Plays at OPENEaling – Friday 28th Feb 8pm

SIX short plays 4

Another bunch of performed readings on Friday 28th February, 8pm at OPENShop, 13 Drayton Green Road, W13 0NG.

Six plays by writers: Tom Jensen, Liam O’Grady and Wally Sewell will be performed by actors: Olivia Busby, Robert Blackwood and Joan Blackham, directed by Anthony Shrubsall.

£5 on the door

SIX short plays 4

Another bunch of performed readings on Friday 28th February, 7.30pm at OPENShop, 13 Drayton Green Road, W13 0NG.

Six plays by writers: Tom Jensen, Liam O'Grady and Wally Sewell will be performed by actors: Olivia Busby, Robert Blackwood and Joan Blackham, directed by Anthony Shrubsall.

£5 on the door