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Boston Manor Park cafe open Sats and Suns 9-4 !

Boston Manor Park was busy Saturday late afternoon...and you ought to pop in a have a look...even today..Sunday. the cafe will be open.You can drive into the car park..off Boston Manor Road, or cycle in as I did, or wander in ..perhaps with your dog!  The grass areas and flower beds are a delight to see and with children using the playground equipment, adults visiting the House and the grounds, some having picnics...and there's so much walking and cycling you could do there.It was special to see the area around the "lake"..with birds and ducks..lots of baby squirrels chasing around..and some 15 people around.watching the action..with small children so excited.However it was to see the cafe open which caught my eye..and the fact that top service is available from 9am till 4pm  Saturday and Sunday in a very tastefully decorated outbuilding..all profits in aid of the Park..means that ..you ought to pay it a visit. The place is a Brentford gem.

Jim Lawes ● 6567d14 Comments

That could be my new logo Joan..but I don't think my legs go around that fast!  But just wait..its National Bike Week starting next weekend..so I'll have to speed up if I'm not going to lag behind!!The wildlife in Boston Manor Park is very busy around the Pond... and children seem to love it. Pictures in the pipeline..

Jim Lawes ● 6563d

Have you been out on your again.  You have that ugly art there too. The M4 is quite a structure. I suppose it can get noisy standing underneath.  I would love to retire to that cafe and have tea and scones!!

Joan Perry ● 6564d

----------------------------------------------------------There are some unusual views to be had underneath the M4 Viaduct.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------There are long sheltered walks to be had..admiring the concrete structures and the Boston Manor Park greenery at the same time. This path leads to backwaters of the River Brent. Well worth exploring..especially if you can retire to the cafe afterwards!

Jim Lawes ● 6564d

Would love to be involved but I now live in OZ.I was part of the team, some 10 years ago, that worked on the original restoration of the downstairs rooms of the house. This was a Heritage Lottery project. Of all the heritage houses in the LBH Boston Manor is my favourite and could be used for so much. Wedings etc. It has a fully functioning commercial kitchen that has never been used.Best of luck with the cafe.

Neil Chippendale ● 6564d

Would love to be involved but I now live in OZ.I was part of the team, some 10 years ago, that worked on the original restoration of the downstairs rooms of the house. This was a Heritage Lottery project. Of all the heritage houses in the LBH Boston Manor is my favourite and could be used for so much. Wedings etc. It has a fully functioning commercial kitchen that has never been used.Best of luck with the cafe.

Neil Chippendale ● 6564d

The profits from the cafe will be going in to the main park rather than the House.  Regretably the house needs a fortune spending on it - perhaps Heritage Lottery Funding?  One of our local councillors Andrew Dakers has suggested a steering Committee to just deal with the house issues.  If you are interested in being involved, please let the Friends of Boston Manor know via their website info@fobm.org.uk.

Linda Massey ● 6566d

For pete's sake, Jim, will you stop it with these  pictures...I am beginning to wish I'd never left Brentford......!This morning I received a beautiful ecard from Audrey in USA which reduced me to tears - blimey!  I'm homesick after 32 gloriously happy years in Ireland.This too will pass.You may recall I've mentioned previously we used to live in the little flat roofed houses just over the park wall, almost under the flyover!

Ann S. Allridge ● 6566d

A return trip to Boston Manor Park next day.. to collect my mislaid cycle helmet!!  Yes..it was still there under Linda's care!Gosh that building is some 400 years old..located high on a hill above Brentford with no doubt splendid views all round.The Clitherow family..I've remembered. Have you visited the House ever?  And met Janet McNamara the curator/ heritage guide?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The pathway leading around the pond..lots of nature's creatures to admire!---------------------------------------------------------There were dozens and dozens of people around different parts of the park...including earlier someone from the heart of Brentford's waterways!---------------------------------------------------------It will be so easy to become a regular..as for cyclists it's all en-route to Northfields..and places further afield.And Linda and friends need support!---------------------------------------------------------""Tea and another banana and chocolate muffin please!!""Thanks Marie-Clare for those tasty cakes and topping up supplies for Sunday!!---------------------------------------------------------Remember there is a Friends of Boston Manor Park website..see that TW7 and TW8 list...perhaps!

Jim Lawes ● 6566d

Good to see that a cafe has opened. Well done to all.Does the profit go towrads just the park or is the house included.

Neil Chippendale ● 6566d

I am getting a buzz from people falling across our newly opened community cafe wondering why they have never noticed it before.  We opened quietly at Easter giving ourselves chance to learn how to make cups of tea and MC (MarieClare) who helps on a weekly basis needs no paractice to make her excellent home cooked food creations.  The thing to note is that we are all volunteers (in need of more) who for the time being open at weekends only but, more importantly, all the profits will go back into the park in some way.  Thank you Jim for noticing us and I look forward to welcoming the rest of Brentford!

Linda Massey ● 6566d

I just went to Google Earth and tried following the M4.  I gave up trying to find where it started and where it ends. It's all the exits that look confusing as they crossover the M4.A friend sent me an email a while ago showing a set of about 4/5 small roundabouts on the outside of a large roundabout. How confusing is that. I can't remember what town in the UK it was.You would laugh at our 'little' skyscrapers in Adelaide.  Sydney is the place to go to see the real skyscrapers.  I checked out a Dubai website and couldn't believe my eyes. They are super skyscrapers.  The GSK building is awesome. Would hate to clean all those windows!

Joan Perry ● 6567d

That's the M4 Motorway Joan..which starts in Chiswick..and proceeds in a double-decker fashion over the Great West Road.At Boston Manor Road, the M4 turns off on its own with a giant viaduct which crosses Boston Manor Park. It's quite spectacular really..and must have been quite a sight when it was being erected.The office block in the background is,I believe, a world-class design. It's a marvel to look at from different angles. It is the HQ of the pharmaceutical giant GSK Glaxo Smith Klein and in years gone by it had absorbed the local Beechams stable of companies.Here is another distant view taken last year...the Park's flower beds looking a treat then too.--------------------------------------------------------The Park is quite extensive to the west and north west..and this large field comes into view when you venture a little.--------------------------------------------------------Yes that's the new bike.. supplied by the whizzy shop in Brentford High Street...you're very observant Joan!!Was hoping that the lbs would  fly off...but not so far!!

Jim Lawes ● 6567d

Two things - What's the name of the overpass and the name of the building in the background in photo #1.  Now is that your trusty bike in picture #2!!

Joan Perry ● 6567d

You should see the dozen or so flower beds..the place is really coming on well after all the continued work by the teams of volunteers.--------------------------------------------------------Oh goodo..the cafe is open today..I wonder what it looks like inside!!--------------------------------------------------------That's Linda Massey serving..she's the busy and talented lady involved with all those Brentford Festivals in the past. What an organiser!!--------------------------------------------------------It's very comfortable in there..with pleasant decorations, pictures and all.  The home-made banana and chocolatecakes were excellent..I went back for more(!)..and it good to hear that plans for the forthcoming Festival in September are coming along fine... but more stallholders are needed ..there's plenty of room..even though 3000-5000 people are expected!!-------------------------------------------------------I believe that if you click on the pictures I post these days you may be able to get them to enlarge.  If not... right click on your mouse.. go to the menu.. click zoom  ++ and pictures should enlarge then.  Fingers crossed!------------------------------------------------------I'll be returning to the cafe tomorrow..Sunday..as I left my cycling helmet behind!!

Jim Lawes ● 6567d