(Click here for one-page PDF version) Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow There’s been one big story all week. Twitter went a bit snow crazy at the first sign of flakes on Wednesday morning. Just after 9am the first reports of NW6 snow appeared although it was 20 minutes before West Hampstead […]
Tuesday night was #whampcarol night. Clear skies meant a cold night and, with the bridge still closed due to the flooding, West End Lane was eerily quiet with minimal traffic and surprisingly few pedestrians. Undetterred, the band (the magnificent @eastlondonbrass) arrived and together with @helenstone, @gitfinger and my fellow mince-pie maker @SarahReardon, we set up […]
(one-page PDF version available) Jubilee farce continues Confusion reigns over exactly how many more closures Tube Lines needs to finish work on the Jubilee Line. Is it six weekends? Is it 28? Depressingly, no-one seems to know, and the prospect of more disruption looms large. Surely the time has come for clarity and for leadership. […]
Anticipation for whampgather seemed to be building early Thursday evening as locals downed tools and began heading over to The Alice House on West End Lane. As people piled in, both the volume of the chat and the temperature began to rise. The complimentary bottles of wine soon vanished leaving people to deal with the […]
At several points during Darker Shores, the characters debate whether things are real because we perceive them, or whether they are real because we feel them. The 11-year-old boy next to me for last night’s performance both perceived and felt the reality of this Victorian Christmas ghost story all too vividly. Director Anthony Clark was […]
For a one-page PDF version, click here Supper Club trend hits West End Lane West Hampstead’s discerning diners were at The Wet Fish Café on Monday night for the restaurant’s first supper club. A few tweeters were present to sample the food including @mayfield22: “Andre the owner explained how he wanted to bring together local […]
Hampstead turned to Fiona Bruce and Raymond Blanc to switch on the Christmas lights. Lesley Garrett graced Highgate’s switch-on, and LoveCamden even got lucky “bumping into” a grinning Ricky Gervais to promote its Golden Ticket campaign. What early Christmas present does the O2 Centre come up with? X-Factor rejects. Thanks for that.
I’m really excited to tell you about a new #whampventure that I hope lots of you are going to get involved with. Last night @SarahReardon and I met Paul Perkins, who is the director of The Winchester Project (aka The Winch). The Winch is a charity that focuses on kids and young people. It is […]
Thanks to Jane (@mayfield22) for this review of Monday’s first supper club at The Wet Fish Café. I’m already quite a fan of The Wet Fish Café so when I saw a Twitter invitation to buy tickets to a special ‘supper club’ I was intrigued. The Wet Fish brings a welcome dose of sophistication to […]
(Click here for the one-page PDF version) Accidents, Algerians and aggrieved locals… It must be #whamptravel The challenges of getting to, from and around this part of London have once again dominated the local chat. Digest came out too early last week to catch the news of another traffic accident involving a bus on West […]
This week’s digest consists of the review of the Czech restaurant and a couple of other short pieces, including our first contributed piece. Thanks to @bubela. If you would like to write for Digest, drop me a line or DM me on Twitter. Access the one-page PDF here. Literati on the Lane by @bubela Most […]
Former Czech president Václav Havel smiled down at us from the wall. How could we fail to fall in love with the food and flock wallpaper? We were guided through to the high-ceilinged dining room because we were interrupting the Czech sitcom on TV in the bar, or at risk of waking the guy slumped […]
(for a one-page PDF version: click here) Whampagne Supernova Photo (c) Jerry Barnett. See more of Jerry’s work at http://www.blackandwhitebritain.com Ever since Camden council closed the Primrose Hill fireworks, locals have had to make more effort to go and see a decent organized display (although some people still just keep coming to Primrose Hill armed […]
Some progress on finding out what is happening with the commercial space at Alfred Court on Fortune Green Road. I just spoke to one of the agents who couldn’t reveal details yet as deals have not been finalised. What he could tell me, however, is that there is planning permission for retail, restaurant, and gym […]
A quick recap of the various #whampevents and ideas coming up. Thursday Nov 5: an informal trip to Roundwood Park in Willesden to see the fireworks. By which I mean, I’m going and if anyone wants to come along – or meet in Willesden – then let me know. Fireworks start at 8pm. Wednesday Nov […]
Bit of a change for this week’s digest. Have summarized and updated the blog posts below into one article on new retail developments in West Hampstead. Access the one-page PDF here. Updates to Newcommers [sic] The unit next to the florists may not be empty for long. There’s an application in for it to become […]
My anonymous commenter on the blog below mentioned that the Prime video rental site had permission to be changed from retail use to professional services use. A quick look at Camden’s planning website in fact revealed that Black Katz letting agents requested the change of use. The full application can be found here for those […]
A few new faces on West End Lane, and a continuing mystery in Fortune Green. Alexis the bakery up the north end of West End Lane has shut. To be replaced by… a bakery. But a bright orange bakery, if that makes any difference. There’s a Dylan’s already in Willesden (170 Church Rd), so presumably […]
(for a one-page PDF version: click here) Twitter Unplugged Parts of West Hampstead were plunged into darkness on Monday evening when an EDF substation failed. The CNJ reported on the impact on businesses following the 10-hour outage. Being off the grid didn’t mean being offline though. Some residents had to change their cooking plans for […]
I’ve bleated on about whampreview for a week or so without saying what it is. So here we go. Whampreview combines the social side of whampgather with the frequent requests for “Where’s the best…” Once a month I’ll announce a date and venue, which will initially be local restaurants in the West Hampstead/Kilburn area. If […]
(for a one-page PDF version: click here) “Whampgather” tweet-up makes the news The first ever whampgather took place on Monday 12th at The Alice House. An early glitch, when the staff were unaware that free drinks had been arranged, was soon rectified. There was a terrific turnout, despite tube and bus delays doing their best […]
I have just made the draw for the winner of an item of clothing from I Love My Postcode. There was no independent ajudicator, and no equipment was checked or verified in advance. However, I promise I did it properly, and The Guardian is free to report it if it so wishes. First all your […]
Last night was the inaugural #whampgather. It was a terrific turnout, despite tube and bus delays doing their best to slow people down. But there’s no stopping an NW6er when there’s free alcohol to be had. Thanks to everyone who came. We missed those of you that couldn’t make it, but the good news is […]
(for a one-page PDF version: click here) Live coverage of Hemstal handgun drama Crime was the big story of the week, following Tuesday’s gun drama on the streets of West Hampstead. Tweeting from the scene were @medcabnath (whose photo is below) and @2muchcoffeekate. BBC Travel confirmed the road closure but, as the excitement wound down, […]
If you live around West Hampstead, you’ll know that it feels fairly safe around here. Of course, we’re still in an inner-London borough and it’s not as if you’d leave you front door open but I never worry about personal attacks here any more than I would anywhere else. This is why the news earlier […]
Good #whampgather news. The Alice House has generously agreed to give a free cocktail to the first 15 er… Whampgatherers. So I hope this entices the alcoholic-minded among you to drop by (I know there are some followers who are partial to a drink or two). We have the sofa area reserved from 7.30pm on […]
OK everyone, don’t say I do nothing for you. Apart from telling you every weekend that the Jubilee Line is down, I now have prizes!! Well, a prize. But hey. Lets not get greedy now If you make it to #whampgather (and I hope lots of you do because I think it would be great […]
Thanks to Camden Council for sending me the % of votes for the recent European elections (so far they’ve only posted total votes). And also for sending the 2004 figures. Am posting the numbers for the key parties (>2% threshhold) below: BNP 04 1,103, 2.21%BNP 09 1,300 2.76% Conservatives 04 10,717, 21.43%Conservatives 09 10,400, 22.05% […]
Welcome to a new blog about all things West Hampstead. Don’t expect long entries, but there’ll be comments, reviews, and musings here from time to time about all things NW6. The blog complements the Twitter account (@WHampstead), so if you’re a fellow Tweep, follow me there too. For the moment this is my blog, but […]
