West Ealing Christmas Festival Thursday 12th December 4-8pm

We’re almost there!  Watch out for the marquee and carousels tomorrow in Dean Gardens.

We have carols from St John’s Primary School at 4pm and then more carols from the New Testament Choir at 7.30pm. Here’s the full running order:

4.00 – 4.20 St John’s Primary School choir

4.20 – 4.30 magician

4.30 – 5.15 Gypsy Dynamite (quartet)

5.30 – 6.00 Robert Brookfield

6.00 – 6.10 magician

6.15 – 6.55 The Onironauts

7.00 – 7.20 Piers Hogg

7.30 – 8.00 New Testament Gospel Choir

For your Christmas gifts we have stalls selling:

  • Handmade fragrances, lip gloss, lavender bags
  • Bags made from recycled juice cartons
  • Animal nighlights, metal signs
  • A wide variety of jewellery
  • Cushion covers, baby bibs
  • Greetings cards
  • Terracotta tiles, picture frames, bags
  • Mulled apple juice, quince cheese, jams, chutneys, marmalade

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Something different as the Ealing Pop Up Shop comes to West Ealing

Ealing Pop Up Shop

I seem to be taking photos of a lot of shop fronts recently. Here’s another one.  This time it’s the shop next to the new Morrisons, near the corner with St James Ave, which will be a pop up shop for the next few months.  The plan is to offer the shop at low cost to a range of people or groups to sell their products for a trial period. A competition has been run and decisions will be made next week. I believe the first group to take it on will be the winners of a Dragon’s Den type event at the nearby Westside Youth Centre. They will be selling urban clothes.  Watch this blog for more news on this shop as we get it.

I think it’s a great idea to give local people and businesses a chance to try out their ideas at a low risk and bring something new and different to our high street.

 

Papa John’s take-away pizza to open in West Ealing

Papa John's

Papa John’s is soon to open where Fu On used to be up near the juncton with Eccleston Road.  Papa John’s looks to be an expanding chain acros the UK.  It will be at least the third take-away pizza place in West Ealing, so competition is getting tough. if you try it please come back and tell us what you think.

Will every penny count? 97p shop now open in West Ealing

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With the strap line ‘every penny counts’ the 97p shop is now open.  What do you make of it? Do come back and let us know.

Update Monday 2nd December

Went in today and there’s some fresh pastries and bread plus some other food, DIY items along with quite a lot of household goods. It was pretty busy when I went in around lunchtime. Could be people having a look like me to see what’s on the shelves.

There’s no stopping betting shops on our high street

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The new Willam Hill betting shop due to open soon

It’s rarely that a sense of despair takes over but that’s my feeling when I read this week that in a letter passed to the Guardian,  ‘Ministers have privately assured Britain’s biggest bookmaker that attempts by councils to block the spread of betting shops would be frustrated by the coalition’s controversial planning changes, despite claiming in public that the measures were intended to revitalise high streets.’ The letter was written by planning minister Nick Boles to the betting chain Ladbrokes which had said that “some councils are now placing whatever obstacles they can in the way of our ability to obtain planning permission” for betting shops and attacked “alarming actions by unelected officials”.

In response, the Nick Boles wrote back to Ladbrokes saying: “I do recognise that this can be a significant problem and we are taking action to tackle it.” The letter cites new powers contained in a controversial “pro-growth” bill, which became law in summer.

Putting aside the very serious questions about the addictive nature of the Fixed Odds Betting Terminals which are now in nearly all betting shops, this approach to planning by government is surely wholly at odds with their localism agenda. How can this government’s support of localism, witnessed here in the West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum, sit alongside a central government which overrules any say locals might want in how their high streets develop and, in particular, whether or not we as residents want yet more betting shops in our high streets? The two are wholly incompatible.

 

Where to do your local Chrismas shopping

We’re heading for the Christmas event season and there’s plenty to choose from.  Here are just some of the ones coming up locally:
Ealing 135 Christmas Gift Fair
St Johns Church, Mattock Lane, Ealing, W13 9LA
Saturday 23rd November 2013
10:30- 13:30
Fun for the whole family!  A great selection of fabulous Christmas gifts, delicious homemade lunch and cakes, hamper raffle, activities for the kids and a visit from Santa.  All proceeds go to Ealing Food bank.

Email- 135christmasfair@gmail.com

 

YUM W13

Saturday 30th November
YUM W13 Food Festival @ The Forester Christmas Market
11am- 5pm
The Forester Pub, 2 Leighton Road, W13 9EP
Come along to ‘The YUM before Christmas’ and sample taster dishes from local restaurants and food specialists. Featuring Christmas fun for children, carol singing, open mic, craft stalls and more! Go to www.facebook.com/YUMW13 for more information.
Contact info:
Tel- 0781 203 7743

Email- YUMW13@gmail.com

 

Christmas Bazaar at St Stephen’s Church on Saturday 30th November 10.30am – 2.30pm

St Stephen’s Road, West Ealing W13 8HB

Entry free and in aid of the Ealing Churches Winter Night Shelter project

Annual Christmas Bazaar, this year with a theme of Friendship. 
 
Lots to do for children including free story telling, creative activities, puppets, face-painting and Father Christmas. 
 
Gift ideas with home made cakes and biscuits, Christmas Puddings and Cakes, pickles, flavoured oils, jams and marmalades; plants and bulbs.
 
Refreshments, lunches and BBQ.
 

Bric-a-brac, books, toys. Raffle, tombola and lots more for all the family.

Christmas Market on 30th November 2013 at St Melitus Church Hanwell, Church Road, Hanwell W7 3BA
from 11.00 a.m to 3.00 p.m.
Plenty of fabulous gift ideas with home made cakes and biscuits and other edibles,
Bric-a-brac, books and toys.
Refreshments and lunches
Raffle, tombola and lots more.

The Church’s website is http://www.saintmellitushanwell.org.uk/

Phone no 020 3067 0035 (Office)
Dean Gardens Christmas Festival on Thursday 12th December 4-8pm

Large marquee in Dean Gardens with:

  • Arts & Crafts Fair for your Christmas Gifts
  • Live music on stage with carols from local school choirs
  • Mulled wine, mince pies & roast chestnuts
  • Children’s activities: face painting, balloon artist and magician

 

 

West Ealing craft market on Saturday 10am-3pm

Craft Market Family Day 2012

 

Why not start your Christmas shopping a little early this year and come along to the craft market in St James Avenue. There will be a wide selection of goods and gifts on sale, including some from our Abundance project. You can get in early for our new season jams, chutneys and jellies as well as local apple juice.

Saturday 2nd November in St James Avenue from 10am – 3pm

97p shop set to open in West Ealing

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I’ve been wondering what was happening to the old Miss London shop which has been empty for months. It occupies a prime site on the corner of the Uxbridge Road and Singapore Road. Now I know, it’s going to be a 97p shop and will sell alcohol along with its many other products.

We seem to be battling against a tide of betting shops, money lending shops and 99p or, in this case, 97p shops.  The West Ealing shopping centre needs a balance so that our high street isn’t simply defined by budget shopping.  Otherwise, a whole swathe of local residents have little reason to shop locally and their money goes out of the local economy. We need to find a way to strike a balance and I just don’t think it can be just left to market forces.

 

 

 

Good news: Luckhurst butchers will be back in new year

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Here’s some good news from Tony Luckhurst:

Just an update that obviously the planned building works are taking longer than expected.

I wanted to reassure customers that we are still committed to returning to Melbourne Ave but this won’t be until the new year.
Sorry for any inconvenience. Thanks for your patience but this is very frustrating for us too.

Any enquiries 07831 510106 or email butcher@luckhurst.org.uk
We have a facebook page too.
Many Thanks, Tony Luckhurst

Visit the West Ealing craft market tomorrow for some locally made treats

Craft Market Family Day 2012

Next to the newly opened Morrisons on the corner of the Uxbridge Road and St James Ave, the West Ealing craft market is open for business tomorrow from 10am – 3pm.  If you’re doing your Saturday morning shopping just take a walk up to St James Ave and come and see what we have to tempt you with:

  • Knitted kids clothes
  • Sock Monkey
  • Cushions
  • Cards
  • Scarves
  • Abundance apple juice
  • Vegan cakes and sweets
  • Jewellery and gemstones
  • Sweets
  • Relishes