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Brentford FC - The Last Word

Anyone with an interest in football, Brentford FC or who had read "The Last Word" article in the programme last year would enjoy this new blog which will run the course of the 2013/14 football season.Follow the blog here: http://wp.me/3G1GC

Rachel Bruzon ● 4848d1 Comments ● 4845d

Channel 4 are after Brentford homes in need of a bit of TLC

WALLS NEED A LICK OF PAINT? BOOKCASE FALLING DOWN? BATHROOM NEED RETILING? MARY PORTAS HAS A TEAM OF HANDYMEN THAT ARE HERE TO HELP! Channel 4 and Mary Portas have set up a pop-up agency offering the best handyman services for households. Mary’s experts want to offer you their services at extremely competitive rates. So if you have a job that you are just too busy to get round to doing or are unable to do yourself, no matter how big or small, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss your requirements. Please email Work@plumpictures.co.uk

Simon Gummer ● 4849d2 Comments ● 4845d

Boy for William and Kate

its a boy

Gill Hutchison ● 4849d6 Comments ● 4845d

bedroom tax or mansion tax - which is fair?

Been reading a lot about these two taxes recently and neither strikes me as actually being in the slightest bit fair.  Our politicians however don't appear to care what's fair and what isn't, just in raising a ever larger tax burden and shifting it onto those they think will won't be voting for their party anyway.  So how about combining these two hated taxes and having a single extra tax based on the number of bedrooms.  Mansions are by definition large and with lots of bedrooms and we all know just about every London house will be caught by the currently proposed 'mansion' tax over the coming years; the starting rate will not change and London houses are way more expensive than anywhere else, so it's actually just another tax on those of us that live and work here.  The real mansions are those enormous great houses up north, in Wales and in Scotland that are occupied by the landred gentry with dozens of empty rooms and mortgages that wouldn't look out of place on a 2 bed London terrace house.  Would anyone vote for that?

Lorne Gifford ● 4985d137 Comments ● 4846d

New Ealing Road street lighting is awful

Came home late from work to find myself wondering if there had been an incident as I got off the bus.Ealing road seems to be in darkness and shadow.The new streetlights one or two of which do not work are completely inneffective.There are shadows everywhere especially in the pedestrian areas and the road is so poorly lit it is almost impossible to clearly make out a pedestrianThe colour temperature is so off that colours cannot be determined.So what is going on ? The existing lighting was very good and less than 12 years old. Why replace it with a seriously inferior lighting which is potentially dangerous on several counts.Can they get nothing right in this borough?

Raymond Havelock ● 4861d11 Comments ● 4847d

Highway to Hell

Its the latest release from Hounslow Highways. Featuring Enfield Road, yes folks a great hit with the locals after years of neglect a new road surface. A side they spray tar, B side they throw stones on top. Down side summer arrives temperature soars road melts,tyres stick, shoes stick, pets stick, carpets destroyed,car bodywork given new look pebble finish.E:mail sent, men arrive to throw more stones. Yes they have knocked the tar laying Travellers into second spot in the crap work parade.

Robert Ayres ● 4850d8 Comments ● 4847d

St Pauls' School needs more space. > Age Concern premises! !

The new team at Aged Concern /UK has plans to expand to cover a wider selection of it's caring services...and could ideally use the rest of the perhaps vacant rooms on that site. All seems on hold... and they may have to move elsewhere in Brentford if the Council can find them suitable premises.It's all because of the expanding population.. and the need for St Pauls' School to expand.Where will us poor old souls have to struggle to now.Shame Volunteer Roy has left.. His breakfasts ...and fish and chips in Fridays.. we're legendary.

Jim Lawes ● 4853d5 Comments ● 4847d

River Brent

Hello,Sad to say all the fish and tadpoles on the River Brent and the Grand Union Canal near Brentford Lock have all died. Might be something to do with the temperature reacting with the chemicals left in from all the Industry that once was.Bit grim.

Paul Lang ● 4847d1 Comments ● 4847d

Jagdish says I need a thick skin

Can somebody please help me to explain a simple and obvious point to Hounslow's most prominent politician?It is this...that when I object to him using the tragic deaths of two local residents in a fire to make some silly political point on behalf of his party at my expense it is not because I am over-sensitive or precious about what he has said about me.It is because I fear the relatives and loved ones of the deceased will have been through enough heartache already without having to witness the spectacle of the Leader of Hounslow Council using their tragedy for a political point-scoring opportunity.This is such a simple, straightforward and obvious thing.  Why then can these people not get this?The following article from the Hounslow Chronicle refers:http://www.hounslowchronicle.co.uk/west-london-news/local-hounslow-news/2013/07/23/row-amid-accusations-of-political-point-scoring-over-fatal-fire-109642-33643935/

Phil Andrews ● 4848d3 Comments ● 4847d

Charity

Hi all,Does anyone know of any local charities or charity shops  who will collect donations from your home? I currently have reduced mobility so can't take things to the shop as I usually do. Many thanks,Dionne (Brentford)

Dionne Monarch ● 4851d2 Comments ● 4847d

Likely disruption on Sunday 4th August

Here is an e-mail from TFL regarding bridge and road closures on Sunday 4th August.  This is likely to cause even more traffic on Kew Bridge and surrounding roads:-----------------------------------------------------------------I am writing to advise you of a major impact on road travel in London and parts of Surrey on Sunday 4 August, as a result of the Prudential RideLondon weekend cycling event. Don’t get caught out on Sunday 4 August  There will be a large number of road and bridge closures in east, central and southwest London and parts of Surrey, which will have a major impact on road transport, including buses along the route. The London bridges closures are as follows: - Tower and Southwark Bridges: from 04:00 to after 15:15- Chiswick Bridge: from 05:00 to after 14:30- Hampton Court Bridge: from 05:00 to after 15:30 northbound and 19:00 southbound- Chelsea, Albert, Kingston and Putney Bridges: from 05:00 to after 19:15- Westminster, Lambeth and Vauxhall Bridges: from 05:00 to after 19:30Bus services around the route will be affected including route 65.  For more information, a route map and details of affected roads including the A12, A13 and Blackwall Tunnel, please visit tfl.gov.uk/PrudentialRideLondon 

Paul Scullion ● 4850d1 Comments ● 4848d

Brentford Market

I have to say how wonderful the First Brentford market was Last Sunday, so many people turned up, great food, great atmosphere.  Well done and thank you to Andrew, Tim, Julia and Jo for There time and organisiation in making the markets such a great success. really looking forward to the next one.

Jo Day ● 4920d32 Comments ● 4851d

curtain/blind maker

Can anyone recommend a local curtain/blind maker please.

Pat Kingham ● 4852d1 Comments ● 4852d

For all who care about Brentford

I had an email today which I've pasted below.It concerns the future of Brentford and has some rather alarming aspects. The idea of more tower blocks amidst the low rise victorian houses and a Croydon like series of development opportunities leaves me cold, but that's what some of the aspects of this proposal/consultation could well lead to.Anyone who cares about the town we live in should take the time and read this stuff and answer in the questions.Copied below is an email which WRAG sent to its contact list earlier this afternoon.  Some of you may have already received it. Also attached are copies of the consultation version of the Local Plan and the PDF version of the questionnaire.  I do hope this doesn’t overload you inboxes. I hope the email below and the attachments are of some help.  Please don’t hesitate to email us if you have any questions. : As we explained last Saturday, the proposed “area of growth and regeneration” zone would enable developers to argue that they could build taller and more densely on key regeneration sites within the area than they would otherwise be allowed to.  A possible example could be the car park and car dealership on the former sidings site between Layton Road and the railway line.  Other sites could be the container storage between Orchard Road and the Station, and either side of Boston Manor Road between the railway and the A4. We really do hope that the low rise residential roads can be removed from the growth area and its boundaries reduced to just those employment sites which front directly onto the Great West Road. Please feel free to forward this email and attachments your contacts, as it’s vital that as large a number of residents as possible respond to the Council about the proposed Great West Road growth corridor and the proposals for the Reynard Mills site.  Just short submissions on these two issues would be an immense help. There will be a short briefing to councillors about the Local Plan consultation at next Thursday evening’s Isleworth and Brentford Area Forum at the Brentford Free Church near the Library.  The meeting is open to the public.  The following links might be useful: Agenda:  http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=576&MId=7783&Ver=4 Local Plan Presentation:  http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=81819

Michael Brandt ● 4859d17 Comments ● 4852d

Windows

Hi thereCan anyone recommend a good window cleaner who covers the Brook Road South area?Thanks

Matt Willey ● 4852d1 Comments ● 4852d

7000 new builds 5000 sold abroad

That's the statistic from Simon Hughes MP.Something that those in Brentford know only too well with so many new build apartments and developments in partial use.We have developers promoting buy to lets and almost all developments are unaffordable to local people who do not fit the councils criteria for social housing but now cannot ever afford a decent size of home even on what is supposed to be a good salary.Labour MP Hilary Benn ( once a South Ealing councillor) has also stated that residents should decide what gets built where and not developers in deals with councils.So one wonders if Cllr Curran mentioned any of this on his tour with GLA housing people?We have massive developments here almost all of which will not make any difference to the real crisis of homes for ordinary people.5000 new build properties out of 7000 sold to overseas investors is just part of the scheming to hype up prices and prize out local people.A crisis is being created simply to line the pockets of profiteers and local authorities have been duped hook, line and sinker in particular in this district.It needs to be stopped and local councillors must take this seriously .

Michael Brandt ● 4893d29 Comments ● 4852d

Archaeology in Gunnersbury Park!

Explore Archaeology! Free activity day at Gunnersbury Park and Museum Sunday 21 July 2013Archaeology in the park – all day Join the Museum of London Archaeologists for activities including geophysics workshops, site walks and an archaeology ‘treasure hunt’ around the park. Meet the archaeologists – all dayHandle 2000 year old artefacts and quiz our visiting archaeologists. Roman dress-ups - sessions at 11.15am, 1.15pm and 3.15pm.Bring history to life by dressing as a Roman legionary or Queen Boudicca.  Vicorian kitchens - sessions 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm.Experience life ‘below stairs’ in our original Victorian kitchens. Digging up the past – all day See what archaeological finds you can dig up in our sandpits.   No advance booking necessary, places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.               

Ellie Lewis-Nunes ● 4852d0 Comments ● 4852d

Join the Landscape Detectives at Gunnersbury 21 July

The Friends of Gunnersbury are contributing a map game as part of the Archaeology Day this coming Sunday (21 July, meet 12 noon outside the Museum. It provides a jolly opportunity to find the Gunnersbury Parks of the past. Around 350 years ago, Gunnersbury was owned by a lawyer, Sir John Maynard. And around 250 years ago it was owned by Princess Amelia, the daughter of the King. When Maynard or Amelia went for a stroll through their estates, what sort of grounds were they walking through? Were they full of trees, flowers, ponds and fruit? Did they live behind high walls? Or were there open lawns with distant views? One way to find out is to study the old maps and then to try to pin them onto today’s landscape. It’s hard work, but it might be possible. James Wisdom and I will lead this active event, using photocopies of historic maps to work our way around the park. It will be full of disagreements and discussions, because old maps are nowhere near as accurate as today’s GPS! But by the end, all the participants will have discovered something of the two earlier parks woven into today’s landscape.The exploration will last for about an hour, and we will do it even if it rains. Do join us!

Valerie Bott ● 4852d0 Comments ● 4852d

HAFTRA

I have today received a standard letter under the auspices of Councillor Steve Curran regarding "how it handles and processes money" and asking if we have any views to email communcations.  I do feel that a forum for  tenants and leaseholders should exist but since I know nothing about how HAFTRA is funded or what the money is used for don't feel I can have an informed view.  Can anyone suggest a relevant link that I can look at.  I do feel that it MAY be important for people to express their views.Many thanks

Samantha Barwell ● 4856d5 Comments ● 4853d

New Road

I'm sure Hounslow council employs some of the finest minds in the country, but I guess they must be on holiday right now. Otherwise, why did they suddenly announce a parking suspension for New Road the day BEFORE they wanted to commence resurfacing? Anyone who happened to be away for a few days is bound to have been caught unawares. I don't recollect anything coming through the post, either. Now, at the end of day one of a two day job, exactly nothing has been done to start work- thereby causing the maximum amount of inconvenience for the minimum result.

Mark Gormley ● 4854d1 Comments ● 4854d