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Lot's Ait revisited... News: The boatyard being revived...

According to notes on a YOU TUBE entry:"The abandoned boatyard on Lot's Ait, between Brentford shore and Kew Gardens is to be restored to active use by John's Boat Works Ltd, a builder and restorer of traditional wooden boats."That bring back memories of an expedition around the little Ait opposite the Waterman's Art Centre some years back...when the remnants of some twenty two stolen bikes were discovered.But what a muddy place it is!

Jim Lawes ● 5486d6 Comments ● 5484d

Isleworth Baroque sings Handel's Solomon, 26-28 October

ISLEWORTH BAROQUE, Isleworth's own baroque opera company, presentsGeorge Frederic Handel's "Solomon"Wednesday 26 - Friday 28th October 2011 at 7:30 pmFree pre-performance talk at 6.30 pm in the foyer areaWest Thames College TheatreLondon Road, IsleworthTW7 4HSAll tickets £12Box Office: 020-8943 5261or visit  www.isleworthbaroque.co.uk for online bookingsor call in person at Deli-cacies, 14 South Street (next door to Isleworth Public HallProduction conceived and directed by Simon Pike Conducted by Leslie Anne LewisSolomon was composed as an oratorio in three acts reflecting episodes from the life of King Solomon. Isleworth Baroque will be providing a dramatic interpretation of the oratorio as a semi-staged production. The ‘story’ is as follows: •  Act 1 deals with the inauguration of the newly completed temple, and ends with Solomon beckoning his Queen toward the cedar grove INTERVAL•  Act II is based around the well known story of two women arguing over who is the mother of the new-born baby, and Solomon's sharp thinking to find a solution •  Act III portrays the visit of the Queen of Sheba (also known as the Queen of Egypt and Ethiopia), and her amazement at the glory and splendour of Solomon's court, and is entertained by a masque performed by Solomon's players. Footnotes1  The venue is different from previous years - don't buy a ticket and then turn up at Isleworth Public Hall !2   Tickets are for numbered seats (again, different from earlier years)3   This theatre has raked seating so the view is excellent from all parts of the auditorium.Isleworth Baroque is a Registered Charity: No. 1127803

Tom Beaton ● 5490d1 Comments ● 5484d

After they've gone...

...it would appear they are still fleecing us.Margaret Thatcher, it has been revealed, has claimed a total of £535,000 from the public purse since 2006.John Major has received £490,000.Tony Blair has been awarded £273,000 since 2007.  Indeed he received more in 2008-09 for "public duties" as a former PM than he did the year previously as a serving one!So if Dave doesn't make the grade you won't be seeing him selling The Big Issue in your local high street anytime soon.Does anybody know how much a sacked ex-postman is paid?  Or a redundant ex-nurse?http://news.sky.com/home/politics/article/16098067/

Phil Andrews ● 5485d7 Comments ● 5485d

Brent Way fire tonight: caused by discarded fireworks!

I little part of Brentford's Heritage (?) was nearly lost in flames this evening.  It was that open timbered warehouse building that you see when you use that Car Park close to Motorwise Autos and St Lawrence's Church...Rumour has it that local staff had had  a small firework display in Brent Way and then had buzzed off home. The cindering fireworks subsequently started burning the junk strewn around (in that open building) and "then really ignited."This was shortly after 5pm apparently..and the Firemen was still there hosing the place down when I arrived in the Car Park at 7.30pm.I was wondering why I was getting showered!So beware:  Cindering fires and fireworks.

Jim Lawes ● 5485d0 Comments ● 5485d

New cheese shop.

Cheddar Deli Northfields Ave.opposite the second hand furniture shop.Yummy!

Keith Iddon ● 5488d7 Comments ● 5486d

Good luck Magpie and Crown

The pub is currently in the top three to be the CAMRA Hounslow pub of the year.The result will be announced at the Twickenham Beer Festival tonight.The pub has come on leaps and bounds in the last year or so and is a real local attraction now.It is a successful local business that people come to in the evenings,which is one thing that Brentford needs if it is to have a future beyond just more flats and hotels.

Keith Iddon ● 5486d0 Comments ● 5486d

Aid trip to Libya

On November 11th I will be driving in a convoy taking ambulances and supplies to Libya. We’re all volunteers.There have been many, many thousands of deaths, and injuries (the exact figures aren’t known). Homes & schools have been destroyed. There is an urgent need for medical supplies, also bedding, clothes, toys for the children whose childhoods have been so brutally interrupted. As you can see from the official websitehttp://www.savelifesavetheworld.com/this trip is non political & non-aligned. The stuff we take will be available to everyone,Anyway, can you help me try to get some stuff to take? Or have you ideas I can try? Anything will be greatly appreciated. I have approached the well known pharmaceutical company in Brentford so fingers crossed they will come up with something, but as mentioned non medical stuff is desperately needed as well. I have tried phoning some shops but tend to be sent round in circles.I know times are hard with our own monetary woes but Libyans are in a desperate plight. Considering driving on the North Circular normally gives me the heebee geebees, it should be an interesting 6-day drive! If I can find a way to keep my Netbook charged (I don’t suppose the ambulance will have a cigarette lighter) I will be blogging.

Viv Ellis ● 5486d0 Comments ● 5486d

Michael Jackson is Dead RIP so why do SKY drop the News to publicise it!!!

Sky is being stupid for the last fortnight we have had continuous coverage of the Doctor who treated M.Jackson on Sky News HD now they have put the bloody programme on Sky News all day and night or are they on strike?, we pay quite a lot of money to be given news updates from all around the world. If I wanted to watch a trial I would choose a series a good crime series so come on Sky there is a lot of news that we need to be informed about do what we pay you to do and report it.

Dawn Hardy ● 5487d9 Comments ● 5486d

BBC grammar?

What is it with TV journalists? Tonight on the BBC London news talking about a plan for 'green walls', the reporter informed us one of these walls was going to be installed at 'the MARLEYBONE flyover'. It's driving me nuts, can no-one pronounce Mary-le-bone properly anymore? Unfortunately the Beeb are not alone in this strangulation of the English language, they're all at it.

Vanessa Smith ● 5496d14 Comments ● 5487d

No wonder we're in a mess!

Two things in two different papers caught my eye and have left me wondering what sort of muppets we are in this country. First the ubiquitous Dave Hartnett of HMRC - beloved of 'Private Eye' for his sweetheart deals with big companies that are evading paying tax - Vodaphone being just one with their £6 billion owed. Mr Hartnett has been accused of lying to the Commons Public Accounts committee over yet another of his deals that spared Goldman Sachs a multi-million pound tax bill for its banker's bonuses. He admitted to 'a mistake'  that allowed this bank to avoid paying interest after settling a five year dispute with the U.K. tax authorities.Secondly the N.H.S. is owed £42 million - which it has written off - by foreigners who have left the country! But as only 66 from 118 NHS Trusts have responded to an MP's enquiry it could well be a lot more. The best Keith Vaz could come up with - and I find this laughable - is that all foreign nationals entering the U.K. should sign an agreement vowing they will not claim free NHS treatment. As if! The government fare hardly any better, they want to ban foreigners from coming back here if they have outstanding bills. What could we do with all this money? And why are those who govern us so bloody feeble that they can't come up with something more punitive and get our money back?

Vanessa Smith ● 5494d8 Comments ● 5487d

Why? are we giving more aid to Pakistan!!

Why has our government decided that more aid needs to go to Pakistan when they have their own Nuclear Programme, I don't mind donating to kids who need food but I'm damned sure that I do not want my money going to a country that has it's own agenda plus supports terrorists even though they insist this is not the case Bin Laden lived not 100 yards from a Military Complex for how long??

Dawn Hardy ● 5493d26 Comments ● 5488d

Local Pub Quiz

Are there any pub quizzes in Brentford on a Tuesday or Wednesday night?  Many thanks in advance.  Paul

Paul Scullion ● 5488d1 Comments ● 5488d

It is already a NO so why is Parliament voting on a Referendum!!

There is nothing that angers me more than Politicians thinking that we the people they are supposed to be representing are both stupid and thick!!! Why on earth are the Tories,Labour and Lib Dem going through the motions of voting on a referendum to come out of Europe when each of the respective party leaders have instructed their followers to vote a great big no!!!We the people have been systematically let down by each party that have been voted in, at the moment we are BROKE and yet we still have QUANGOS by the dozen that costs us at least 46 Billion Pounds per year,what good are they, our aid programme which good old David Cameron has decided to add to costs us at the moment 12.5 Billion Pounds per year add these two amounts together and we have saved us 58.5 Billion Pounds per year. With that money we can save the NHS,Schools, Libraries and support our own businesses thus ensuring unemployment going down.The whole of Parliament need to get their act together and do something constructive for we the people who are having a bloody hard time of it.

Dawn Hardy ● 5493d15 Comments ● 5488d

Political Correctness gone mad?

Hounslow High Street will be lit up this week, when the new festive lights are turned on. The lights have been designed in collaboration with students from Hounslow Manor School, and with support from the University of West London.As well as switching on the lights, the High Street will be packed with entertainment organised by Waterman’s Arts Centre, including: DJ Ritu - BBC DJ Bollywood Brass Band FlameOz Fire Show - Fire artistry, circus, martial arts and dance There will also be a pop-up drive-in cinema, showing Bollywood classic Devdas, in the Holloway Street car park behind the High Street. Parking is free, but spaces are limited to 100 cars on a first come first served basis.Cllr Ruth Cadbury, deputy leader of the council, said: "We have plans to make Hounslow High Street the best in West London and we are starting to invest in its future. Events like this are great ways to attract people to our town centre."This will be the biggest event seen there for some time, so it will be great to see as many local people coming along to enjoy the entertainment."The events are part of a range of projects being run in Hounslow over the next few months thanks to £499,000 of funding from the Outer London Fund. This is a Mayor of London initiative to help promote town centres, which also saw Brentford receive £226,500.The fun begins at 4pm on Friday 28 October, and the lights will be switched on at 6pm by the Mayor of Hounslow, Cllr Amrit Mann.A to Z of Services »

Paul Fisher ● 5489d10 Comments ● 5488d

Tessa Jowell shows the True Face of Labour!!!

Today I am filled up with such disgust I can hardly type, Tessa Jowell that name speaks for itself,how much did she rob from us under the expenses scam, she has the audacity to suggest that we people over 60 downsize our properties to enable younger families who are struggling to raise a family of their own in small flats or houses, all well and good Tessa however how many homes do you own or use because of your MP status.To use the phrase"empty nesters" is downright insulting just remember how much we oldies pay in accumulated tax also our votes do happen to count for rather a lot.Tessa are you willing to downsize with your many homes?To suggest a New Land Tax to encourage us to downsize is appalling, both you and the Intergenerational Foundation a left leaning think tank that aims to "promote fairness between generations" should be ashamed.My Dee and I worked long and hard never accepted a penny piece from anyone to own our house, it is not as you say empty on a daily basis the children and grandchildren are in to eat or just chat, it is a way of life.If your party had not opened the flood gates from Europe we would have enough housing to accommodate all UK Citizens. If this is the kind of thought and behaviour that is to be expected from Labour if you had hopes of winning the next election,Think Again!!!

Dawn Hardy ● 5493d44 Comments ● 5488d

Locata and Allocating Housing Stock

Jon HardyI couldn’t believe your post about increasing the amount of people that view a property at one time. Back in 2003, there were three candidates that viewed a property together, each candidate had a letter say that you were either the first person, 2nd or 3rd.I witnessed a candidate who had a letter saying they would be the first candidates to be offered the property. As the property wasn’t fit for human occupation it took that person some while to make up their mind, but all the while they were getting harassment and abuse from the 2nd and 3rd candidates. The HH officer finally had to escort the first candidate into the kitchen, shut the door and go and have a really harsh words with the other two candidates, which eventually forced the hand of the first candidate to agree to take the property.Just recently there were five candidates viewing housing In Feltham and I was told it was quite obvious who was going to be allocated them by the way they viewed the property, that could have easily started an argument. Did I read it right? You want 10 candidates to view each property to save time, that’s a recipe for a riot with the attitude of the under forties now days, this will put the HH officer at risk, and one of these days being hurt if an argument gets out of hand.Something else springs to mind about allocating of property Allegedly there are no properties for Disabled residents.When a property has been converted for a disabled resident, like wet rooms, chair lifts, extra grab rails and possible slopes outside, when that resident moves on for whatever reason the property is open for all residents to bid for, as it’s no longer a disabled person home.So if an able-bodied family is offered the property, allegedly HH will not fit a bath to the wet room or other alterations.So if that property has been allocated and a disabled resident is offered a property with no alterations, means that some how either HH or the council through grants has to adapt this property for them.Locator and HH know whom the disabled residents who are biding for properties, why then don’t the disabled get a property already converted? Doesn’t this save HH or the Council money?          

Paul Allen ● 5517d14 Comments ● 5489d

Another accident on A4

The road eastbound outside GSK was shut today for around 2 hours whilst somebody was cut out of their car.  I hope there weren't any serious injuries.It seems like every other week there is an accident on this stretch of road, often fatal.How can we make it safer?

Lydia Fowles ● 5493d2 Comments ● 5489d

Petition for Parliamentary debate on the future of libraries

Please sign this petition and forward to your friends. There is an on-line petition available for people to sign in order to get a Parliamentary debate about the future of libraries. The petition is only open to UK citizens. The details are:ePetition in Support of Public Libraries is available at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1269  Public Libraries are the responsibility Public Libraries are the responsibility of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.100,000 signatures are needed to trigger a possible Parliamentary debate. The petition reads as follows:I, the undersigned, believe that libraries are anessential local educational and information resource yet with manylibraries under threat, the future of the library service is at risk. Iwant to see the value of libraries recognised at both local and national levels and I am calling on the Government to honour both its commitment to act as a champion of the library service, and its duty ofoversight to ensure that a comprehensive and efficient library service is provided.

Hazel Dakers ● 5490d3 Comments ● 5490d

Best Restaurants

I'm writing an article on Hounslow and as a limited eater-outer, am struggling with "Best Restaurants". I use La Rosetta quite a bit, and much as I like it I don't think that's likely to be best! Would appreciate knowing about your favourites. Thanks!

Mike Paterson ● 5491d1 Comments ● 5490d

Local History Society's publications

http://brentfordandchiswicklhs.org.uk/book-shop/The Brentford and Chiswick Local History Society website is well worth a visit...and it was helpful to find a page devoted to publications about "the old borough". Click on the pictures and then they enlarge.And, of course, always worth a visit is the Brentford Dock Residents' website which has a wealth of local history articles and data.Well done them.

Jim Lawes ● 5491d0 Comments ● 5491d