Sarah, Jim and David:Thanks for the good news Jim.To fill you in on part of what's happening from Friday. Ferry Quays residents have proposed a footbridge across the Thames – the most famous river in the world - to the Kew side. It's an original idea coming from people new to Brentford. I find it a quite interesting and valuable contribution. I know Jim commented a few weeks ago that he'd like the old ferry to be used across there but the bridge is quite a novel idea. There’s also an entrance planned to Syon Park from Augustus Close. So imagine - shopping in M&S or Waitrose in Market Place then 5 mins later in Syon Park for the Snakes & Ladders or relaxing stroll round the gardens. There was a ferry operating from the west of old Isleworth church straight across for a few years in the summer at weekends but that ceased about 5 years ago.Jim your photos are very interesting but I must say I like the real thing rather than past memories! I much prefer the boatyards, bridges, docks and buildings to be used in working form as now and in the future than to be in some on-line sepia album for rare items collectors or academic historian to mull over. I'm a Brentford Dock resident who walks through and enjoys this area many times each day. It's not just an item to be collected in a photo album. I see the boats being built, the skill of the workmen, the barges coming down the canals, the locks opening, the efforts made in keeping the iron footbridges and walkways going, the boat dwellers tending their gardens. I see the film and TV companies using the bridges and docks for their productions. I see occasional tourists, sightseers and former workers here viewing the boatyards or on the dock heritage walk. It’s an area that is busy, the businesses profitable and boat trade expanding with the canal’s greatly increasing popularity.And all this just a couple of minutes from the High Street with it’s true Market Square. This area is a real gem and is a large part of Brentford’s identity. High Street retail centres are much of a muchness but here we have the opportunity to create an exciting and prosperous centre by having quality shops close to an area of obvious tourist interest. On Friday Ruth Cadbury and Hounslow’s planning team took us on a walk from Ferry Keys with it’s prosperous restaurants, listed buildings and Thames views to Lots Ait, old Thameside ships and the soon-to-be-opened Kew Palace, past the cottages in Town’s Meadow onto the busy High Street and the impressive Heidelberg building, down the cobbled Dock Road bridge with its busy canalside boatyards to Thames Lock glimpsing the riverboats moored at Town Wharf, then to Johnson’s Island studio where there is an artists exhibition next week, past the busy Brewery Tap with its twice-weekly jazz nights so much part of London’s jazz scene for at least 20 years to the oldest working boatyard in the area – Ridgeways – built before the canal was constructed with a slipway and alley leading to market place. We went through the yard along the canalside under Brunel’s Augustus Close bridge round the turn of the picturesque canal where Syon Park could be viewed. There is a plan to have an entry point to Syon Park and its gardens from Augustus Close – again a couple of minutes from the High Street Market Place. We crossed back over Brentford Bridge viewing the 15th century tower of St Lawrence’s on Augustus Close to walk along the new canalside development on Brentford Lock with its picturesque view down the canal to the impressive international HQ building of GlaxoSmithKline to return through the historical Butts area to St Pauls.Yex and we didn’t need a car to do this. And on this varied circular tour I don’t think we were ever 5 minutes from the Market Place. And we were all the better for the exercise. I didn’t hear anyone complain.Come on guys. Look forward to a healthy, prosperous and visually exciting Brentford. Welcome new people – they make an area grow in business and ideas. This is a town with a strong working waterfront identity and real potential for the future. We have the Thames and the Grand Union Canal so close to our centuries old Roman High Street and Market Square. And the leading authorities on the Thames and waterways advise us to keep these gems alive.
Michael Fletcher ● 7024d