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PCA Newsletter 13 - May 2006 |
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More
Co-op Controversy |
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Since the Coop opened in Pitshanger
Lane, large delivery vehicles have become a common
sight and often cause traffic hold-ups. Added to
that, an eagle eyed local resident has discovered
that the Coop has been opening its doors way outside
the currently permitted trading hours, which are 9am
to 6pm six days per week.
The Cooperative Group have now
submitted a new planning application to Ealing
Council, in which they have asked to open from 8am
to 10pm seven days per week. The PCA were keen to
know what members thought of this, so we conducted a
poll of all members who have access to e-mail. The
result of the poll suggests that local people are
strongly in favour of the proposed hours, which are
broadly similar how the Coop has actually been
trading (illegally) in recent months. People like
the amenity of a local store “open all hours”, and
some have mentioned the feeling of safety resulting
from the shop being lit and occupied late in the
evening.
But (and there had to be a but), we
don’t like the delivery arrangements. The PCA will
be sharing the results of the poll with Ealing
Council and the Cooperative Group, and will be
asking the Coop Group to reduce the impact of
deliveries to the shop. Individual residents have
until 30th May to comment on the proposal (Ealing
Council ref P/2006/1279). There is a thread
(mostly anti, at the moment) open
here. |
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What's
All This Then? |
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Welcome to your new soaraway
Newsletter! We’ve had a radical re-think about how
the PCA can best serve its members, and from now on
your committee will be producing a shorter, simpler
newsletter on a monthly basis. What’s more, we’re
going digital! Members with email will receive their
newsletter electronically – paper copies will be
available for members who prefer that, and copies
will also be distributed to non-members via shops
along the Lane, benefiting the PCA’s membership and
profile.
We hope to keep the best of the old
newsletter, but not the constant problems and delays
caused by the relative complexity of the production
process. We now do the design work ourselves leaving
just the printing to be done by outsiders. In
addition, we hope that regular publication will
encourage members’ letters and comment on local
issues. We will also be passing on news and
information from other organisations in the
community – schools, churches, etc. – and starting a
‘small ads’ section, free to members. |
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Brent
Clean-up Team Axed |
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The great work done by David Kay the river cleaner
and his co-workers has come to an end. Council officers have
decided to end the contract and disband the team. Expect a rapid
increase in the quantity of plastic, chemicals, used cooking oil
and other junk infesting the river, especially since the
protective boom at the A40 bridge is broken. Your committee will
be writing to the Council and involving our councillors in a bid
to get the decision reversed. The council has a responsibility
under the Environmental Protection Act of 1990 to keep the river
clean. |
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That's
My House, That Is! |
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Live on the Brentham Estate? Want to
be impressed? Then go to the Brentham Heritage
Society’s website (www.brentham.com),
click on ‘Virtual Tour’, click on the map, and
..bingo! That’s your house, that’s your garden, and
that’s your front hedge needs cutting, that is!
Actually, you don’t need to live on
the estate to be impressed. The much expanded
website is packed with information about Brentham
Garden Suburb. |
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A key feature of Wendy Sender’s
re-design is the ‘virtual tour’ comprising digital
images of every building in each of the 16 streets
that make up the Brentham Conservation Area. This
shows clearly how the different architectural styles
evolved, from stock Edwardian terraces through
quaint gabled Arts & Crafts cottages to distinctive
blocks of well-designed houses for working people,
as the estate developed over more than two decades. |
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Safer
Neighbourhoods |
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Both Cleveland and Hanger Hill Wards
now have four-member Safer Neighbourhood Teams, made
up of Police and Community Support Officers.
You may have already seen them patrolling the area.
Their job is to tackle those ‘quality of life’
crimes and issues that affect us on a day-to-day
basis: graffiti, vandalism, noisy neighbours, etc.
Full contact details are available on the PCA web
site links page
(click on Metropolitan Police). |
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Bye Bye
Balmers – We Will Miss You! |
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Without a doubt Pitshanger is a poorer
place since Paul and Judy Balmer left a few weeks
ago. Regular Newsletter readers will remember Paul’s
success in winning a BAFTA for his DVD of jazz
violinist Stephane Grappelli. More importantly for
Pitshanger he started the ‘Fast Forward’ Youth
Initiative, later adopted by the PCA, which aims to
forge links with local youths and solve that eternal
problem of finding them somewhere to go and
something to do. Paul and Judy have moved to
Northamptonshire where they will be teaching music. |
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Thank you,
Pitshanger |
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The popular owner of Pagoda Newsagents on the
Lane, Mr Dhirajlal Soneji, has been much consoled by the concern
expressed by residents and fellow traders after he was badly
assaulted during the recent robbery at his premises. He’s asked
the Newsletter to pass on his gratitude for the kind words and
good wishes expressed by so many. |
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Alison Stacey |
Don't
Panic |
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Pitshanger is the poorer for the passing of
Alison, a Harrow View Road resident who died recently of a brain
haemorrhage aged only 40. A mother of three young children,
Alison was the administrator at Avenue House school, and, in
husband Ian’s words, an ‘ever present’ in the community. Members
will undoubtedly wish to join the PCA committee in offering
condolences to her family. |
Members may have been alarmed by the
announcement on the park gates that the Council was
seeking a license to sell alcohol in the park (along
with other parks in the borough). Those who fear
that our open spaces are to be taken over by pop
festivals and corporate junkets can relax – the
license is needed under the new licensing laws to
enable alcohol to be sold at events such as Ealing
Jazz festival and our own Party in the Park. |
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John
Martin to Support PIP |
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We are delighted to announce that John
Martin Estates will continue its long association
with the PCA by once again sponsoring Party In The
Park. This money provides an important “safety net”
for the PCA, more or less guaranteeing that the
event pays for itself even if the heavens decide to
drop buckets upon us, or the brewery goes on strike.
John’s sponsorship of this and other local events
demonstrates his desire and willingness to support
the community that has supported him since the
establishment of John Martin Estates in 1995. |
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Youth
Club Setback |
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In the last issue, the Newsletter
announced the start of a three month trial period
for a weekly youth evening at the Brentham Club.
Unfortunately, the Club was unable to host the
event, and an alternative venue is being sought.
However, an intriguing opportunity has presented
itself – the old Schoolkeeper’s House at North
Ealing School. New head Bob Fletcher is looking at
various options, and using part of the building for
youth activities is one of them. |
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Welcome to
Pitshanger - At Last |
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There must be a maxim for this. The
slower the welcome, the longer the goodbye? To wait
upon a welcome is to wish upon a woe? Whatever,
after two years in the planning the Welcome Signs
are here - one by the Scotch Common roundabout and
the other outside St Barnabas. This means it’s
goodbye to the longest running item on the PCA
committee’s agenda (and the most repeated phrase in
the minutes – ‘Nothing to report’). |
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Reports |
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March 17th’s Ferret Night at the
Brentham Club attracted about 100 people and raised
over £600 for PCA funds. As before the event proved
to be a great fun evening and the Brentham’s
hospitality and bangers’n’mash were much
appreciated. There is a full report on the PCA
web site here.
The Brentham Heritage Society launched
its new DVD (see Ads below) at a reception in St
Barnabas Hall on April 11th. Somewhere around 200
people watched a trailer for the DVD and had the
opportunity to talk to the director, Martin
Mortimore, and others involved in the project.
The Pitshanger Fun Run, ably organised
by Dean Horridge of Fit For Sport and sponsored by
John Martin Estates, yielded a new world record: the
fastest PCA newsletter editor over 5 kilometres –
ever! May 7th 2006 will live on in communal memory
as the day this glorious feat was achieved in the
unfeasible time of 24 minutes and 3 seconds.
The 100-odd runners whose performances in the 5 km
race were so overshadowed were led home by
Christopher Dettmar in a blisteringly fast 16:24.
The 2.5 km race for kids, walkers and dogs also
attracted a large entry of around 200. The
agegroup winners were: U13 William Pinder (10:11),
U10 Joe Gilbert (10:57) and U7 Matthew Ellis
(14:59). The full results are on the PCA web
site here. |
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Upcoming |
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Upcoming events include: |
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Sat 17 Jun 06 |
North Ealing School Summer Fete |
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Sun 25 Jun 06 |
Pitshanger Party In The Park |
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Tue 11 Jul 06 |
PCA Question Time meeting, with a VIP panel |
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More details on the PCA diary dates page
here. |
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Things
To Do |
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Colour and Stitch workshop at the
Methodist Church Hall on Wednesday evenings and
Thursday mornings. More information – 8997 6987.
Brentham Ladies Choir at the Methodist
Church Hall on Thursdays from 1.30 to 3.15. Call Pat
on 8567 9158.
Pitshanger Park Bowls Club is looking
for new players. Call Michael Reynor on 8997 5371. |
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Ads |
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'The Brentham Story' - a stunning
70-minute DVD about our local Conservation Area, its
history, architecture and people, made by BAFTA-nominated
local director, Martin Mortimore. £12 from
Pitshanger Bookshop or direct from the Brentham
Heritage Society - email
sue@brentham.com.
'Brentham: the pioneer garden suburb'
by Aileen Reid - superbly illustrated centenary
history now reprinted in an updated version. £30
from Pitshanger Bookshop.
Wanted – decent set of wooden garden
furniture. Sue Unwin 8998 2203 |
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