Forum Topic

Boston Manor Park

Just passing the park this morning and I noticed that a gate column has once again been knocked down. It's the one on the left hand side this time. Let's hope it doesn't take another 3 years before it's repaired.

Pat Kingham ● 1201d17 Comments

Yes Pat, it happened this morning just before 9.30am.  A trailer truck was entering the park and struck the pillar - this time the whole pillar collapsed apart from a small bit at the base. Truck had to go away as part of the entrance was blocked. Assume the truck was part of the preparations for the J2 concert as the trailer was full of stuff. Not a good start to the event. Such a shame when the park is now looking so good and both cafes and the house are open. In case anyone isn't aware, the car park is closed to the general public from tomorrow until the 27th.

Joan Adamson ● 1201d

Shambolic and once again both Gunnersbury and Boston Manor Parks are reduced in useable space on the eve of the school holidays and once again those locals get denied access to useable open spaces.I'm so grateful now that as kids we had freedom to roam, go where we liked, play how we liked and enough common sense between us all to stay safe- with the odd cut or bruise or broken bike !

Raymond Havelock ● 1201d

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reported_Road_Casualties_Great_BritainI don't know how old you are Raymond but you were about 4 times as likely to get a cut or bruise on the road in 1960 to 1970 than you would as a child today. Similar in 1930 - of course less kids then.

Guy Lambert ● 1200d

Notice that Mr Lambert declined to comment on the park in his reply, maybe he can explain why Hounslow council are going ahead with this festival? now two days but weeks of disruption, already Boston Manor Road, having delays due to vehicles entering the park, already damage to the park, shall we just say its another money grabbing scheme,

Declan Devine ● 1199d

Agreed,Raymond.Kids are more likely to get rsi on their thumbs now and suffer from eye strain or obesity than when I grew up in the 60's and 70's.I'll take a few cuts and bruises over being a phone or computer zombie anyday.

Keith Iddon ● 1199d

I have some misgivings about J2. In the previous years I was closely engaged, especially as there were problems in the first year. The second year was much better and the third year  was great, including a very popular family day with a free Disney film, petting zoo etc. Until the heavens opened and J2 insisted on taking down the event despite that they were chewing up the fields. I was cross about this and it took a long time to recover.The point of events like J2 is that they are very popular with (mainly) young people who otherwise rarely use the park, and yes, the organisers pay a substantial fee which offsets the costs of maintaining the park.There should be much more engagement with residents and local councillors, a point i have been making noisily.I have not been there for a few days because of injury but i will try to get there this afternoon. Council officers took a look yesterday after someone complained direct to me but did not find it as bad as this person said. like i said, i'll take my own look.

Guy Lambert ● 1199d

Thanks Guy, personal I am opposed to the festival in Boston Manor Park, the disruption both to the park and the surrounding areas is not in my opinion is not offset by the large sum of money the organisers pay, its the local people who have to put up with the effects, which as I said are already affecting daily use of both the park and Boston Manor Road,

Declan Devine ● 1199d

Meanwhile back here on Earth,who is going to foot the bill for the demolished section of gate/wall and when will the work be completed by?

Keith Iddon ● 1199d

I visited the House and park this afternoon and was impressed by the transformation. The café is charming and has such a wide variety of food for sale it was hard to know where to start.

Susan Kelly ● 1199d

The J2 organisers will pay for it. When it will be done, I don't know yet.

Guy Lambert ● 1199d

I hope the council has the right and the nous to impose a date by which they want the work completed,failure to comply resulting in a fine.

Keith Iddon ● 1199d

Guy,  a bit of a swerve there.  So let me clarify.1. In the 1970s2. Not allowed on the road until I passed a cycling proficiency test. And not allowed out on my own until parents were satisfied I was instinctive with kerb drill. Something notably lacking now & with far too many in charge of children.3. ( and the whole point I made) The parks were the place where you could go an play whatever sport , muddy biking, building camps and generally mucking about.Cuts and bruises ?  Yes.But Nothing to do with roads.

Raymond Havelock ● 1199d

I do wonder if the amount paid by event companies for enhancement to the park or site rented really goes to enhancement. Or is it really ending up spent  as putting right all the damage which ends up and annual event and sites never get back to their original condition.Ealing Common was very badly affected that way over 50 years and has never recovered properly.Or is it all a quick tosh over and ££££s diverted elsewhere? Hence why it all starts to look so beaten.Land takes time to recover.Walpole Park now is similar. Millions splashed out on one part ( which is often sealed off for 'lucrative' exclusive events) whilst the rest is looking tatty and a shadow of itself since larger events became the norm.Gunnersbury Park - well, one just has to look at how much of the year much of it is Out of Bounds to realise that it is in fact a small public park with a large part reserved for exclusivity and not the public.The Golf Course - once the domain of many rare birds and ground species living in the trees and rough safe from domestic predators is now a long grass toilet for partying humans and dogs. No sign of the many Birds and rare species.And not even an apology for the damage done in the name of profit centre.Yet it still has disgraceful footpaths and over salaried management with no time for local people unless they have deep pockets.

Raymond Havelock ● 1199d

I agree the J2 event is very popular with young people but I shouldn't think any of those attending would be prospective visitors in the future. The last time the gate post was knocked down it took a long time to repair it due to insurance issues we were led to believe.

Pat Kingham ● 1198d

The argument that holding music events in a park will encourage those attending to become regular visitors is laughable. Do those putting forward this line of thinking really believe that the J2 audience are all local to Boston Manor? Most will have travelled from well beyond Brentford, Ealing or anywhere remotely local.There are some really deluded people making decisions here.

Simon Hayes ● 1198d

With nearby access roads closed, a completely stuffed up c@*% Up of a key junction, Further road closures on the only relief route, most of Brentford Cut off going South or North, events at Gunnersbury and Boston Manor as well as the new football season already looming, it's going to be absolute chaos. And it was bad enough last time round.The utter contempt for local people of both Southern Ealing and Brentford is despicable. Silence from most councillors of both boroughs. Weak resistance and lamentable response from TfL and Highways executives and blinkered policies making matters worse on all fronts.It's killing Brentford, and dragging South Ealing, Little Ealing and Northfields into  and ever increasing fall out zone.

Raymond Havelock ● 1198d

How Neo-Liberalism changed the world:https://press.un.org/en/2018/gashc4239.doc.htmThe problem is everywhere and with reduced funds from central Govt funds for upkeep have to be sourced from elsewhere.  If you look at the Govt websites you will often see when different Depts have funds that they are offering - but you do have to bid for them. It would have been better to have invested in infrastructure  as has happened before after a global banking crash instead of embracing austerity so tightly and lengthily which has just put off investing in infrastructure with the chickens now coming home to roost.

Philippa Bond ● 1195d