Forum Topics

Distant echoes of a coronavirus in China

A friend of mine just received the following apology from a supplier in China for the late refund for a broken product:"Hello XXX,So sorry for my late reply, I  able to reply to your email till now because of the raging  pestilence in our country, and  I am in the most serious area.I  hope you are doing well.Per your request, I have issued a full refund to you and you may receive the refund in 3-7 business days.SincerelyMolly"If the circumstances were not so tragic it might qualify for the "January Smile" category on the Forum, however, instead it is sad

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2421d8 Comments ● 2400d

Has there been a water stoppage Raymond Ave etc?

The water pumps are going full out, the hot water is off it's timer slot but the water is being pumped throughout the house I cannot think of any other reason. Not that much was used this evening to cause a shortage indoors.

Leslie Bailey ● 2402d0 Comments ● 2402d

Who pays for the tree damage?

Another big storm is descending on us with the possibility that more street trees will be blown over. Ealing Council says more than 30 trees were blown over in the borough last weekend. A near neighbour whose car and house was damaged by a falling Plane tree that had a rotten base has been told it was an "act of God" and therefore the council cannot be held responsible for this.Has anyone else in the borough been told the same thing by the council?

Ian Richardson ● 2404d4 Comments ● 2403d

Ealing Labour Council and the hypocrisy of building 27 Council Homes

Ref: Ealing Council building 27 council homes on Dabbs Hill and Eastcote LaneLooking at the land in question, they could have built a lot more than 27 homes for council housing purposes.The phrase 'smoke and mirrors' comes to mind, and I would like Ealing Today to ask why this large expanse of land is only suitable for a total development of 45 homes (when you add the shared ownership angle and 4 private ones) at 4 storeys high when developers are convincing the Council to build 300 homes in high rise buildings, at 30 storeys,  in North Acton with only a small fraction going to take anyone off the council waiting list.I suppose we all know the answer though don't we...housing developers approaching the council prefer the resale capability of Acton etc, closer to the City etc, more £ for building smaller units if you are a major house builder.It seems the Council will headline this development, get pictured in their non-pressed, non-matching chinos and suit jacket (my word is this man Julian Bell really the leader of our area?), but it does nothing to address the concerns of normal people in our area that we are having our amenity provision and character ruined for generations by a Council completely hell bent on following Sadiq Khan's housing target numbers - that will do wonders for him as national politician, but erode communities that make up our city.They make a big play on this consultation - they only consult when it suits them!  Ask the residents over the type of consultation that go on by their established partner A2 Dominion for instance,  they put an animated, line drawing together in their recent proposals for West Ealing that even masked the height of the development, and did one afternoon presentation in the basement of a pub, and this consultation was for 25 storeys!  You could always email in though.....They only consult properly when it suits them, and I implore Ealing Today and all media organisations to get to the root of the issues here not just picture them handing over a set of keys and run a press release from them.I am really, really disappointed in Ealing Labour generally, the glad handing on this and it's telling that James Murray MP has joined the charade as he like the rest of the MPs are quick to tell us that planning is the Council's responsibility - so can we now write to him now and expect a valid response on the monstrosities that are planned in our Borough?  That have a small fraction of social housing element, but get waved through planning on this basis?  He wants pictured here on a planning housing issue so is it now permissible he will get involved in all matters on housing?Anyway not long now for Ealing's Labour Council and friends annual jolly to MPIM, a property conference, and sell off more of our Borough!

Steve Young ● 2420d16 Comments ● 2406d

Ealing's Parking Permit Scandal Features in Private Eye's Rotten Boroughs

Our local council get a mention in the latest edition for raising loads of money from residents by not issuing reminders. Ealing Today gets an honourable mention.

Christine Mulligan ● 2414d5 Comments ● 2406d

PCNs to increase in Value consultation URGENT

The council has noted an increase in numbers of PCNs issued. It thinks they are too cheap and that because of this they have lost their deterrent value. Their is a consultation on the current consultations part of the council website that wishes to capture your views.After the "no reminder for resident  permit renewals scandal" not yet resolved that started back in July 2019, I wouldn't trust them with this either.Surely the rise in PCNs is to do with much larger area of CPZs and the frequently proven unworkable electronic system used to book in visitors clearly not fit for purpose.

Arthur Breens ● 2431d11 Comments ● 2406d

Verily, the reality is spoken . . .

"The truth is that those who run local authorities are no longer interested in providing what most of us consider proper public ‘services’, such as collecting the rubbish every week and helping children across the road.  They only care about raising enough money to keep themselves in the style and comfort to which they have become accustomed." Who said that?  RL, of course.

Tony Heath ● 2408d3 Comments ● 2407d

Tie Your Wheelie Bin Down Mate. Tie Your Wheelie Bin Down!

Flying recycling today - no not from a green box - but from a blown over wheelie bin thanks to Ciara.You can buy nets to tie onto your green box if you feel you need to - online.  Mine was fine today with nothing flyable on top - and all tins snd plastic bottles squashed so they wouldn't roll if they did happen to escape.  Stacking papers and plastic bottles upright Instead of laying them horizontally also seems to help

Philippa Bond ● 2408d0 Comments ● 2408d

Fuller Smith and Turner's Ecological Hypocrisy in Rose and Crown South Ealing's Plastic Lawn

Friends of mine continue to be shocked by the petroleum product based plastic lawn that now carpets the garden at the back. Not a living blade of grass. Not a living thing.Few who went into the Rose and Crown last summer were not shocked by the appearance of acres of plastic lawn. Home of the Hanwell and Ealing Allotment Group, the Friends of the Ascott Allotment, and even Transition Town Ealing (not to mention Ealing'g green vicar, Steve, next door in St Mary's Church with his own ecological movement) one could not fathom Fuller's rationale behind this, clearly it was not going to grow the business by dumping a ton of petroleum-sourced chemical grass in the back garden, was it trying to distance itself from the ecowarriors?Not according to Fuller's website:https://www.fullers.co.uk/corporate/csr/environment"Environment"Fuller’s is committed to a programme of continuous environmental improvement, constantly investigating new ways to cut carbon emissions, reduce waste and save water."By targeting high-energy areas of the business, including kitchen extract, refrigeration and the lighting and heating of our pubs, we aim to match or exceed the UK Government’s long-term carbon reduction targets."The Government targets came into effect in 2008, and seek to reduce the nation’s overall emissions to 2,782 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e)"There is much on the Fuller's website about environmental responsibility and in the annual report too.What has gone wrong here at the Rose and Crown in South Ealing, a rogue establishment creating a blot in the Fuller's eco-copybook and eco-play. How can the local environmentalists cope with this sacrilige of theire favourite (once eco) venue?

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2409d4 Comments ● 2408d

Perceval House Public Exhibition

Hi Folks, Did anybody manage to attend this exhibition in the Ealing Broadway Centre and if so any views/comments on this proposal which includes 236 affordable homes and our new library etc

Simon Swinn ● 2410d13 Comments ● 2408d

Beware of new NO ENTRY sign on Manor Road, West Ealing when picking up your parcels

In November my wife got two PCNs for ignoring a brand new NO ENTRY sign on Manor Road which stops you going straight back out to Argyle Road after you have picked up your parcels from the Post Office depot on Manor Road.  Talking to the bloke in the enforcement van/car this new restriction has been in place for three weeks and they are giving out lots of tickets.  My wife is not the type to ignore street signs but she is the type to not notice that the road layout has changed if it is only discreetly signed.   There is no NO LEFT TURN sign on the adjacent Drayton Road and there are no yellow additional information signs of the type the council was forced to put up when they changed the layout around the Town Hall.  It is a bit of a trap for the unwary.  I will post some photos underneath.  The council must know that Manor Road attracts infrequent but regular visitors who are likely to get caught by a change in the road layout.  I did ask the guy behind the counter in the Post Office if they could put up a sign to inform their customers but he was practically indignant that I should suggest such a thing.  Jobsworthism still alive and well in the privatised Post Office parcels business.  In passing I asked a CEO (traffic warden in old money) why they didn't ticket the Post Office vans on the single yellow lines outside the Post Office.  Apparently the parking managers insists they wait 20 minutes!  So one rule for the Post Office and one rule for everyone else.

Phil Taylor ● 2475d12 Comments ● 2411d

Free healing on Monday 10th February

Free healing on Monday 10th FebruaryThe monthly healing centre at the London Buddhist Vihara, The Avenue, Chiswick, will be open on Monday 10th February from 10.30am and 12.30pm. Healing helps any condition, from stress right through to physical illness. There is no charge made for the healing (all the healers are working on a voluntary basis), although a donation would be welcome and will be given to the Vihara.

Chris Edwards ● 2412d0 Comments ● 2412d

Ealing Park Tavern

Is the Ealing Park Tavern otherwise known as The Flys' Home closed for good or for refurbishment? Thanks.

Pat Kingham ● 2413d6 Comments ● 2412d

Large Capacity Tumble Drier - North Ealing

I was planning to wash some of my pillows and it has been recommended to me that I should use a large capacity tumble drier which can be found in some launderettes. Can anyone suggest one in the northern part of Ealing or perhaps around Pitshanger Lane?

Tricia Arbuthnot ● 2419d1 Comments ● 2412d

Heathrow – harassing residents again?

I see Heathrow is up to its tricks again. I’ve just received another one of those noxious “Land Referencing” letters, complete with a map of my street with my house coloured in. I’m pretty confident that this letter belongs in the bin. All the same, it’s a bit alarming. Is Heathrow trying to intimidate people? It certainly looks like it.

David Marshall ● 2421d22 Comments ● 2412d

Warren Farm

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/protect-warren-farm/?utm_source=backer_social&utm_campaign=protect-warren-farm&utm_reference=4fd28d1c5bc787e0b97b5f0f06635251&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_content=post_pledge_pagePlease help if you can, let's not loose this valuable piece of land  

Paul Franklin ● 2433d20 Comments ● 2416d

What are the hidden secrets of the Victoria Hall Trust? Will the trust deed ever be published?

As far as I can determine the only published material excerpted from the Victoria Hall Trust key to the controversial sale of the old Ealing Town Hall to become a private hotel are:"A Declaration of Trust was made in respect of the Hall on 6th November 1893.The Declaration specifies that the Hall be made available for hire for the purposes of “Meetings, Entertainments, Balls, Bazaars, and other Gatherings Whether Social or Political...”. The Declaration further specifies that any rental income generated, after deductions for the upkeep of the Hall, must be applied “as the Trustees may think fit between and among any Charitable or Philanthropic or Charitable Institutions in the District of Ealing Local Board as the Trustees may think fit...”.This was aired at the Ealing Council General Purposes Committee in September of last year. Trustees of such trusts are under no obligation to publish any details of such a trust unless they want to. As far as I am aware nothing else direct has been published anywhere.Are there secrets that we are unaware of in the full text of the document itself?What does the rest of the document say?

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2422d1 Comments ● 2420d

Heathrow – harassing residents again?

I see Heathrow is up to its tricks again. I’ve just received another one of those noxious “Land Referencing” letters, complete with a map of my street with my house coloured in. I’m pretty confident that this letter belongs in the bin. All the same, it’s a bit alarming. Is Heathrow trying to intimidate people? It certainly looks like it.

David Marshall ● 2421d1 Comments ● 2420d

Is Expanding Durston House School good for everyone?

I should say from the outset I'm very much against private education in principle and would readily accept its prevalence in the UK is divisive and chronically undermines social mobility. However we have the education system that we have and lack the funds to build a perfect one. Therefore we have to consider what is best for everyone. The big argument for private education and the general good is that it takes the cost of education a significant number of children away from the state. The provision of a hundred extra places by Durston House will be one hundred fewer than the rest of us have to pay for. There are good reasons for people in the area around the school to be concerned about extra traffic but most of this is not generated by the school rather it is the result of council policy. Traffic caused by the school will be concentrated into two relatively short and predictable periods each day. Having lived near a school myself I know it is just a matter of avoiding unnecessary travel at these times to ensure the impact on your life is minimal. The current application seems to provide the option of more facilities that will be available to the local community. What people shouldn't forget is that ultimately planning applications are decided on the basis of whether or not they are within planning law not whether they have public support. The land belongs to the school and if expansion is turned down they might consider alternative uses that would be even less welcome.

Dennis O'Shea ● 2701d25 Comments ● 2421d

Avoid B&Q Chiswick it no longer has toilets for customers, practically no plants in thegarden centre

I have written to B and Q, meanwhile the nearest facilities are probably a tree Gunnersbury Park 200 yards up the North Circular Road over the railway bridge. Be prepared. The question that comes to mind is B&Q running the Chiswick store down to close it?To the CEO of B & QWhere have the toilets gone in B&Q Chiswick? Why has the garden centre got no seasonal stock like trees and shrubs? Are you closing the store?Mr Graham BellCEOB and QUK and IrelandDear Mr Bell,I make no excuses about contacting a man as busy as you are as I was absolutely stunned when I (somewhat painfully) found out that the B&Q Superstore on the Chiswick Rooundabout in London no longer has toilets for customers. When I asked where they were I was told: "We don't have any". There have been toilets there in the past, I know I have made use of them. Is this a new policy for the whole of B&Q or unique to B&Q Chisiwck Roundabout (2 Larch Dr, Gunnersbury Ave, London W4 5QL)?.  As more progressive retailers move towards more enlightened facilities such as baby change and feeding areas. I find this move on the part of your company strange to say the least. I note that on your list of facilitieson the B&Q website  for this store include-Portable induction loops available-Customer wheelchairs available-Disabled parking bays availableBut with all this why no toilets?There is a bathroom showroom showing toilet, you can buy a toilet in the store, but there are no customer toilets for use by customers.I had noticed on recent visits the almost complete lack of living plant stock (to my inconvenience) in the garden centre which should be filled with trees and srhubs that are planted between late Autumn and early Spring, however it is barren. I must ask, are you about to close this store? That is the only explanation that I can find in my mind for the removal of basic sanitary facilities and the abscence of relevant seasonal garden stock?Somewhat flabbergasted,I remain,Yours sincerely,Mark Julian Raymond

Mark Julian Raymond ● 2433d15 Comments ● 2423d