Forum Topic

Building work in front of PC World

Does anyone know what is being build immediately in front of PC World on the Great West Road?

Duncan Cameron ● 7577d57 Comments

... gosh! Do you know what type of trees have been planted Paul?  Cherry trees would have been the most appropriate.  My neighbour often mentions the stunning affect the GWR had on her when the trees along it came into bloom.  It appears that trees are sometimes planted to get something through planning, and then they are not maintained.  If the trees are agreed as a part of the planning, is there not some obligation on the part of the developer to maintain them?  I am leading on to the ones in the Tesco Osterley car park ...  try finding some shade to park under!

Sarah Felstead ● 7242d

Sarah.Remember the August bank holiday is just around the corner.Maybe the wall could suffer the same fate as the Firestone building?I wonder if they included the planting of trees in between the old fence and the new wall to soften up the view and put some oxygen back into the atmosphere. 

Paul Allen ● 7244d

Paul, me old china.  What colour was that wall intended to be?  If you go past it now, after the winter of wet and poor quality London air - it is gaining a distinct grey hue!  You know you get the hint of a tint paints (apple white with a hint of green, etc) - what colour should we call it?Do you think that maintenance of the wall was covered in the planning permission? Will they wash it twice a year or paint it white once a year?  Will it be 2 tone - say with dark muddy grey at the bottom and a pale yellow ozone at the top?

Sarah Felstead ● 7244d

Yes Firestone decorations were a "Must to See".Didn't Trico (windscreen wiper people) have an illuminated sign too...and ..just remembered..Jansen's swimming costumes having a flashing (!) model of some sort.

Jim Lawes ● 7373d

"I understand that people came and drove along the Brentford stretch of the road just to see the decorations.  Our child minder used to pile her group of children into the car and take them off along the road, in the run up to Christmas.  This was well established as part of her routine 25 years ago, and she had been doing it since her Children were small."I remember that routine - I did it for our children and our eldest is 35+ years old now. Shame - Firestones at Christmas was an institution then.  :-(

Gerry Tan ● 7373d

Moi?  I am ducking to avoid Gerry, at the moment!I know that the Christmas scene on The Great West Road has historical significance because people have talked about the Christmas decorations along the road, for years.  I understand that people came and drove along the Brentford stretch of the road just to see the decorations.  Our child minder used to pile her group of children into the car and take them off along the road, in the run up to Christmas.  This was well established as part of her routine 25 years ago, and she had been doing it since her Children were small.I think somebody made a huge blunder over this development - bit like Wyke House grounds, y'know missing that significant piece of information out in the report.The only bits of the wall which you could reasonably highlight with lights at night, might be the remaining pillars?The pattern they have stretched out in lights along the wall look exactly like advertising hoardings, without the adverts (at the moment, anyway).Yuk.

Sarah Felstead ● 7373d

Sarah you little minx!But your posting about the Christmas trees jogged my memory (oiled the cog’s).So I went on a search of our Tardiss of a cupboard and found an old glass slide of Father Christmas sitting in his sleigh drawn by two reindeers, plus two large Christmas trees or more, all fantastically flood lit along the front of the Old Firestone factory.The slide was given to my father because he was one of the two sparks that installed them in the late Fifties.I don’t know if you can reproduce a photo from such an old slide, but if its possible maybe Matt could include it on the Brentford forum for all to see.Sarah I haven’t forgotten, I’ll deal with you later ;-)   

Paul Allen ● 7373d

Look, hey now, you know I am not a fan of this wall ... but is the scenic lighting at night, meant to be an even bigger wind-up?Disclaimer:...this posting is not intended as a newspaper headline - Paul is much better at writing those! ...  ;-)

Sarah Felstead ● 7374d

I want to know where they intend placing their Christmas trees?  Come on you History buffs, how long have there been Christmas trees fronting the A4 on this site?

Sarah Felstead ● 7379d

Jim,I will use one of Gerry's tacks...    "Memories light the corners of my mind,    Misty watercoloured memories of the way (things)           were..."

Ann S. Allridge ● 7379d

I cant comment on it Jim, it could be used by a third party without my permission.

Paul Allen ● 7379d

So: what do you think of it...?The Gatehouse was demolished and moved back further on the site..and that looks an improvement.The wall is massive...wavy along the frontage...painted cream?...with plantings of small shubbs and trees. The old Firestone bits are still there..no sure how to describe them..metal and pillars and all that.There is a cctv camera at the front to ..to catch graffiti artists.What do you think?.. and sad to see the green lawns gone.

Jim Lawes ● 7379d