On Tuesday evening, a large water pipe burst on West End Lane opposite the Bridge Cafe. Residents south of the tube station lost water or had low water pressure for almost 24 hours. Fixing the leak meant closing West End Lane, which remained closed for the rest of the week, causing enormous disruption to bus services, and clogging up surrounding roads.

This was followed by a burst pipe on Kingdon Road, another on West End Lane at the junction with Cleve Road , what looked like more problems outside Hidden Treasure, and another burst pipe on Mill Lane. Lets hope Camden is taking this up with Thames Water.

On the same day the original leak was being fixed, chemicals emanating from the back of a fridge in Cholmley Gardens brought the fire brigade out as the main leak was being fixed.

To add to the end-of-the-world feeling, an overhead cable came down around Radlett, which played havoc with First Capital Connect’s Thameslink services.

After months of silence on the Ballymore development at 187-199 West End Lane, it looks like construction will start in the summer. In the meantime, the parade of shops there is to be turned into a marketing suite for the development. Peppercorns is apparently moving into the site where the Chinese Herbal Clinic is at 260 West End Lane.

There are fears the money allocated for a lift at the Overground station could be taken away if work cannot be started by the agreed time.

Blue Daisy is closing its West Hampstead branch in the foreseeable future. New retailers wanted!

CRASH – the residents association for South Hampstead had all but evaporated, but it’s back with a new website.

The Daily Mail appeared to break the news to local councillors that the post office at Swiss Cottage was on a list earmarked for closure.

Monday’s Area Action Group meeting for West Hampstead & Fortune Green wards covered flood risk (appropriately for a week of burst water mains), policing, libraries and the Neighbourhood Development Forum.

Remember we found from the census that there was just one heavy metal worshipper in West Hampstead. Now, we know who he is!

This is 40 is NxNW6’s film of the week. We’ve tried a new style of local film listings this week – let us know what you think.

Simon Marcus, Conservative PPC for Hampstead & Kilburn, got his campaign rolling with the help of party chairman Grant Shapps. Meanwhile, it looks increasingly likely that Labour will draw up an all-women shortlist for candidates to replace Glenda Jackson.

Coming up
February
21st: Whampreview @ Hana SOLD OUT
21st: WHAT public meeting on local spending
25th: NDF meeting 7.30pm (venue tbc)
March
3rd: NW6 Film Club (details tbd)
28th: Whampgather XI

Tweet of the Week

@whampstead WEL road works added £4 to my cab fair last night. The cost of a bottle of Sainsbury’s Montepulciano or Pinot Noir.
— Naomii Chaplain (@NaomiiMay) February 16, 2013

Yet another power cut hit the area. If you want to find out what’s being done to prevent these very frequent outages, call UK Power Networks’ customer relations team on 0800 028 4587

Local Conservatives elected Simon Marcus as their candidate for the next general election.

At a meeting about local transport the same night, there was support for Camden’s proposed 20mph limit.

One person enters West Hamsptead tube station every second during the peak of rush hour.

How is Camden doing in reaching the objectives of the Place Plan? I give a mid-term report.

Aldi, opening on Kilburn High Road this spring, is applying to sell alcohol from 7am-11pm.

The population of West Hampstead (as commonly understood) was 33,751 at the 2011 census.

The long-closed Bon Express, near the corner of Broadhurst Gardens and West End Lane, is opening as Pizzeria Naila (also serving “shawarma, subs, coffee”)

Swiss Cottage book group has spaces for new members – it meets the last Thursday of the month.

Silver Linings Playbook is the Film of the Week. Full local listings here.

What did NW6 Film Club make of Zero Dark Thirty last Sunday?

Artist Albert de Belleroche is the subject of the latest Kilburn History blogpost.

Coming up
February
6th: Whampart FULLY BOOKED
12th: Swiss Cottage police public meeting
21st: WHAT public meeting on local spending
March
3rd: NW6 Film Club (details tbd)
28th: Whampgather XI

Tweet of the Week

The Lib Dems announced Emily Frith as their Hampstead & Kilburn parliamentary candidate for the next general election.

Greene & Co. revealed its new fishtank office on West End Lane.

NW6 Film Club starts on Jan 27th with Zero Dark Thirty at the Tricycle

Django Unchained is NxNW6’s Film of the Week. Full local listings here.

WHAT hosts a public meeting about transport on Jan 30th.

Ben Brooks-Dutton, whose wife died in the West End Lane crash, was on the BBC Breakfast sofa talking about his “Life as a Widower” blog.

If you want to contribute for a plaque to commemorate Gerry Anderson you can.

Camden is consulting on mental heath day opportunities provision.

West Hampstead Life finally has a proper Facebook page – do go and like it, if you’re into that sort of thing

We had a great night at the Mill Lane Bistro for whampreview.

Coming Up
January
22nd: Whampbooks @ West End Lane Books
23rd: Kilburn ward AAGYa
24th: Swiss Cottage police drop-in surgery
27th: NW6 Film Club at The Tricycle
30th: Conservative PPC primary
30th: WHAT AGM & transport meeting
February
6th: Whampart at Camden Arts Centre
12th: Swiss Cottage police public meeting
March
28th: Whampgather XI

Tweet of the Week

Happy New Year everyone 

Everyone’s first day back at work on Wednesday was heralded by an amazing sunrise. 

TfL is investing £300,000 in improvements to Kilburn High Road, at least partly to address safety concerns.

The O2 centre is getting set to welcome a host of new tenants.

On the offchance that you haven’t got rid of your Christmas tree yet, here’s all the info.

Charles Chilton, author, radio producer and West Hampstead resident, died aged 95.

The Tweet of the Year 2012 award was won by @misshkwilson.

Sumatra Road could get new speedbumps, but some locals want it made a one-way street instead.

Here’s a great photo of an old fire engine and what looks like a very early Indian restaurant on West End Lane.

A blown fuse in the electricity substation by La Smorfia knocked out power on Sunday night for many people in West Hampstead.

Twenty eight women from the West Hampstead Women’s Centre Somali women’s group received certificates for completing their NVQ level 2 and 3 in Health and Social Care.

Our Property News pundit sticks his neck out on where house prices will end up at the end of the year

Need advice from MP Glenda Jackson? Her surgery times for the first six months of 2013 are available.

The Impossible is NxNW6’s film of the week – also see the full local listings.

Virgin Media has said that NW6’s broadband problems will be fixed by January 10th. It’s made similar promises before.

An aerial photography van was spotted around the streets of West Hampstead

Coming up
Put January 22nd in your diaries for the next #whampbooks event at West End Lane Books.

Tweet of the Week

Douglas Hutchison, the man attacked on Goldhurst Terrace on November 29th, died in hospital. He was better known to many as “Professor Whitestick”.

PC Ruth Marshall will be leaving the West Hampstead Safer Neighbourhood Team in the New Year.

The dispersal zone that covered the Lymington Road/Lithos Road area was wound up in November,  apparently without any consultation with relevant groups.

There was a fire outside Sainsbury’s on West End Lane that also caused a power cut.

What did Tom make of new West End Lane restaurant Hana?

La Brocca and Cycle Surgery were both broken into and West End Lane Books had an attempted break in on Thursday night. La Brocca also hosted a carol concert on Saturday with four tubas – it raised £265 for a homeless charity.

The latest release of census data revealed all sorts of facts about Camden, including the number of Jedis in the borough.

Cyclist Bradley Wiggins, the “kid from Kilburn”, won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The O2 lost its revolving doors but gained a minimalist Christmas tree.

The three Tories on the final shortlist for Hampstead and Kilburn are Simon Marcus, Seema Kennedy and Alex Burghart.

I rather like the new look West End Lane Cars sign.

Alan at West Hampstead Overground was awarded Metro’s “deed of the day“

Wifi is now available inside Swiss Cottage tube.

What are the quantifiable benefits of spending in local businesses rather than chains?

Do you think money should be spent on improving West Hampstead’s library facilities?

A new no frills gym opened in Kilburn.

Paramount won Best Single Agency London at the annual estate agents awards bash.

Grilled O Fried seems to have closed for good.

Cllr Theo Blackwell responded to Cllr Gillian Risso-Gill’s accusation that Camden is taking the easy option when it comes to finding new commercial tenants.

A new exhibition – Film in Space – opened at the Camden Arts Centre

Check out all the Hobbit options, plus some Christmas movie offerings via @NxNW6

Coming up
Monday: Santa’s dropping in to Blue Daisy in the afternoon.
Monday is also the end-of-year special at Good Ship Comedy.
Wednesday: Jacky Hyams will speak at the “a.m. club” at the library on “Bombsites & Lollipops“

Tweet of the Week

The Neighbourhood Development Plan published its draft core policies, which were discussed at a meeting last Thursday.

There was a violent assault on Goldhurst Terrace on Thursday.

A woman died on Sunday morning in a fire in a flat in West End Court on the corner of Priory Road and Greencroft Gardens.

Fire station cuts will affect Camden, but West Hampstead may be safe.

There’s a new tree on West End Green . Meanwhile another tree nearby was cut down after it was found to be diseased.

Amy Werner, injured in the car accident a few weeks ago, is still recovering in hospital. Her parents hope they’ll be able to fly her home on Wednesday.

A “romantic drama” was aired, featuring some prominent local inhabitants.

An escaped prisoner made his way to the area, but was caught by police on Saturday.

Boris rules out step-free access to West Hampstead tube station.

How well is South Hampstead’s contraflow cycle scheme working?

Mill Lane businesses are trying to reinvigorate the street.

Wired, the new coffee shop on West End Lane, had a launch event with live jazz and joined Twitter.

Central European deli Old Bridge opened, and also joined Twitter.

Tom went wild at La Brocca a couple of weeks back.

Paperchase and Oliver Bonas have opened in the O2 centre.

Sightseers is NxNW6’s film of the week. Check out the full local listings.

Aldi is opening next to TKMaxx on Kilburn High Road.

West Hampstead screen prints are now for sale.

Keep an eye out for ATMs on West End Lane eating your card. There was a Lebanese loop scam week before last.

A series of major drug arrests were made at a Kilburn snooker club.

There’s a new toddlers group at Hampstead Synagogue.

The problems with Virgin broadband reared their ugly head again.

An independent school is thinking of moving into the vacant units in the Sager building (the newish block of flats on Fortune Green Road).

Coming up
Tuesday: West Hampstead Business Association social at The Gallery
Wednesday: West End Lane Books hosts Horologicon author Mark Forsyth
Also on Wednesday, Camden decides whether to proceed with the borough-wide 20mph scheme.
Saturday: West Hampstead Christmas market
And don’t forget #whampxmasdrinks on December 13th at The Gallery

Tweet of the Week

The fatal accident on West End Lane a week ago continued to make the news, while dozens of readers of this site expressed their condolences and asked how they could help.

Camden is imposing a 150% council tax on second homes left empty for more than two years.

The tenth #whampgather was a great night: 160 locals at The Alliance and £600 raised for The Winch in the raffle. Thanks to all who came. Only two people successfully solved the treasure hunt – congratulations to Carla and Lucy, and an honourable mention for Eugene.

A haberdashery will be opening at 47 Mill Lane – date to be confirmed.

Dutch & Dutch have been instructed to help the West End Lane post office relocate. The postmaster is closing it to “pursue other business interests”, although it will close only when a new post office is open nearby. The new post office could be incorporated into an existing shop or café.

Tom gave his verdict on Spiga’s revamped menu.

How do rents in West Hampstead compare with elsewhere on the Jubilee Line?

West Hampstead to Marylebone was mooted as a bike corridor.

The Master is @NxNW6’s Film of the Week.

The Kilburn History blog recalled the day in 1917 when a Zeppelin flew over the area.

60/62 Mill Lane – the former home of the West Hampstead Community Association – has a change of use planning application in for conversion to A2 use (financial/professional).

Paramount Properties collected more than 100 coats for Hands On London from locals. Great effort.

Coming up
Chelsea Square is planting a tree on West End Green at 11am on Monday. 
Later on Monday (6pm) Richard Osman and Alexander Armstrong will be doing a Pointless book signing at West End Lane Books.
The Irish Film Festival starts on Wednesday with screenings at The Tricycle, look out for more this week.

Tweet of the Week
Several strong contenders this week, but decided I had to go with a #whampgather related tweet from none other than Lauren:

J’s – the pizza and breakfast place on West End Lane has closed.

I learned that TS Eliot lived briefly in Compayne Gardens.

Find out what locals think of the neighbourhood (misty eyed or hungry for change?) These views will help inform the Neighbourhood Development Plan. There was a meeting about the plan a couple of weeks ago, with a progress update and lots of questions.

Camden’s 20mph limit proposal has proved emotive.

The original Gondar Gardens planning proposal has been passed by the Inspector. 16 units will be built there. More on this story this week.

Read about the plans for 65-67 Maygrove Road and their impact on Sidings Community Centre.

New bells at St Mary’s were blessed last Sunday.

If you have a spare winter coat, why not give it to someone who really needs it.

Sea Lantern is opening as Hana, another Persian restaurant apparently.

Bradley “Kid from Kilburn” Wiggins said that he’d get the bus up the High Road in this long Guardian interview.

A craft market has sprung up opposite the farmers’ market.

Rust and Bone is @NxNW6’s Film of the Week.

Roadworks on the southern end of West End Lane caused traffic gridlock in the latter half of the week.

Did you know Quex Road almost had a tube station?

Two of the Camden New Journal’s journalists won at the Regional Press Awards.

There’s a new community noticeboard outside the library.

105 years ago this week, a child was abducted in Kilburn.

Willesden Green’s Save the Queensbury campaign has a website.

NW2 Residents Assocation has published a useful list of local tradespeople

A few of us sent some very silly Halloween Hyperlocal tweets.

NW6’s favourite racehorse is back after a break.

Coming up:
Monday: Fireworks at Roundwood Park (the only large display in the area)
There’s a wild mushroom & game menu at La Brocca next Friday-Sunday
A murder mystery play at Kingsgate Community Centre starts on Friday

Tweet of the Week
Was it love at first sight, or first 1,000th sight?

Photo of the Week
Big changes near Kilburn Park

Camden is offering up to £25,000 to council tenants willing to downsize (this may also mean moving out of the borough).

Apparently, bailiffs seized Elephant Walk on West End Lane Thursday.

Full coverage of the Boundary Commission’s review of Hampstead & Kilburn constituency.

Does saving the Queensbury in Willesden, mean accepting the new library development?

Whampgather on Nov 15th has sold out but there is a waiting list.

Kilburn ward’s Safer Neighbourhood Team’s latest priorities were set: anti-social behaviour in Kingsgate Road estate & Webheath/Grange Park, along with tackling car crime.

If you want to join the West Hampstead Safer Neighbourhood panel then contact @WHlocalplod.

Belsize was named on a leaked list of fire stations to be closed.

Plenty of West Hampstead issues were raised at a Camden Transport meeting.

Tom went to Ciao Ciao in Kilburn.

Schultz Estates on Broadhurst Gardens is moving to Highgate.

Phone scams are rife again – with some West Hampstead people targeted. Never hand over your credit card at the door, or give your pin over the phone (even by entering the digits on the keypad).

Beasts of the Southern Wild is NxNW6’s film of the week.

Major changes to the way we recycle in Camden are afoot.

Shamrock dry cleaner has changed hands (and name).

Have you suffered at the hands of Royal Mail in the past year?

Coming up
Monday – the public meeting about the Neighbourhood Development Plan. Do come along and express your view.
Sunday: Help out on Fortune Green (there’s cake).
Sunday: a set of church bells will be blessed at St Mary’s – they’ll be the only set in West Hampstead.
Very early warning of Christmas drinks on December 13th at The Gallery – no tickets, no booking, just turn up.

Tweet of the Week
Because all #whampers are “Number one super guy”

Rained a bit didn’t it?

Gondar Gardens first appeal came to a conclusion.

The student accommodation being built on Blackburn Road had its topping out ceremony (ie, it won’t get any higher).

Powers has reponed after some remedial refurbishment.

For National Poetry Day, a few locals penned some verse.

There was a public meeting about proposed development on Maygrove Road.

The #whampfilm opening night screening of Skyfall sold out in 007 quick time.

Best One is making a comeback in Fortune Green – strangely.

Should we pay for our own civic amenities?

Read about the Tricycle’s new artistic director.

The billboards opposite the tube station have been removed.

Liberal Arts is NxNW6’s film of the week.

The Kilburn History blog has a post about all the record shops that have ever existed in Kilburn and West Hampstead.

If you live in Brent, you can get tickets for England v San Marino on October 12th for £20 (£10 for kids) if you take a utility bill to Wembley Stadium box office.

The Walkabout on Finchley Road has closed.

Photo of the Week
Good “health & safety” spot by @RogerSamuelRes here:

I’ve been two weeks out of the saddle, so what’s been happenng in Wild West Hampstead?

The West Hampstead Farmers’ Market opened this Saturday. Everyone seemed very pleased.

A plaque to author George Orwell was unveiled, followed by a reading in West End Lane Books by his son Richard Blair.

The Red Arrows swooped over West Hampstead after the London 2012 victory parade.

Timmy Mallett was among the stars at the annual Hampstead CC charity cricket match.

Chris Philp (Conservative) and Ed Fordham (LibDem) both announced they wouldn’t stand again for Hampstead & Kilburn at the next general election. This means three new faces to contest the seat next time around.

West Hampstead WI is on Twitter (it’s not all cakes and jam y’know) @WestHampsteadWI.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (yes, really) is @NxNW6’s Film of the Week.

The Camden housing office at 156 West End Lane will stay open until 19 October because of a delay in sending out letters to tenants.

Coming Up
Saturday: a charity night at The Railway starting at 8.30. Run by West Hampstead fire station for Help The Heroes. Live music, free buffet, raffle, £5 in.

Also on Saturday, the final old stock Met Line train will be making its journey from Moorgate, departing at 9.55am. I’m afraid the journey is already sold out, but you could always go to Finchley Road to see it.

Tweet of the Week
Amid all the gushing over pigeon breasts and kohlrabi, the inevitable farmers’ market related tweet of the week was altogether more prosaic.

In a week when we gawped at the exploits of Paralympians, and prepared to go back to school (with or without help from Michael Gove), what was happening closer to home?

The farmers’ market cow suffered a slight mishap at the start of the week. The market is on Facebook as well, and a banner went up.

There was a meeting about the proposed West Hampstead dispersal zone.

A pioneering surgeon is to get a blue plaque in West Hampstead.

Local MP Glenda Jackson chaired a meeting about Kilburn High Road which sought to re-establish cross-borough cooperation on improving the road.

Notable local Robert Webb called out a fan who tweeted about seeing him in the Black Lion.

The Westbury’s replacement, which opens at the end of the week, is no longer called The Hudson. It’s now called Love & Liquor.

The West Hampstead women’s centre held an East meets West art project.

Kingsgate Community Centre has an impressive range of courses for the new term.

The O2 has a new venue – Sparkle Bar and Lounge.

The paralympic torch skirted West Hampstead on Wednesday as it headed for the stadium.

Firefighters were called to a shed on fire in Broomsleigh Street on Thursday, no-one was injured.

Mill Lane Barbers celebrates its 10th anniversary with an amazing prize. Each haircut in Sept will entitle the customer to entry into a draw to receive a year’s worth of free haircuts!

Berberian Sound Studio is this week’s local Film of the Week.

It’s still a long way out, and full details/tickets won’t be available until the end of the month, but Whampgather X will be at The Alliance on Mill Lane on November 15th.

Coming up
Next weekend there are three outdoor screenings in Kilburn Grange Park and one in Queens Park.

Tweet of the Week
A late entry, but a good ‘un

post sponsored by Guardian

Warm isn’t it? While you were sunbathing amid the funfair on Fortune Green, what else has been happening in West Hampstead?

A hot dog stand and ice cream van popped up (not in the fashionable sense) on the widened Thameslink station. Then disappeared. Then appeared again. It’s not quite the farmers’ market though is it?

The original Café Bon, which seemed to have closed, has reopened.

Also preparing to open where Sushi Gen was is the geographically strangely named Picasso. Geographically strange because it’s offering “Italian street food”.

At least one Lymington Road resident isn’t happy with how the temporary school buildings on the sports ground are affecting her view.

Sarah Polley’s latest film Take This Waltz is one of this week’s local films.

A dispersal zone has been put in place for a large part of Kilburn. Meanwhile, a West Hampstead dispersal zone has been proposed by the police. There’s a consultation meeting about this on August 28th. Full post on this coming very soon.

West Hampstead cropped up in Samantha Womack’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are?

The third #whampbooks night at West End Lane Books was a big success. Thanks to all who came, to the bookshop for the late-night opening, and Chelsea Square for the wine.

Tweet of the Week
Seasonal greetings

Coming Soon
This Thursday Dame Janet Suzman is reading from her new book Not Hamlet at West End Lane Books. It’s free, but you need to reserve and I’d do it quick.

It’s been wall-to-wall Olympics in WHampstead Towers, but there’s been the odd bit of news in the area that’s worth catching up with.

The West Hampstead farmers’ market will open on September 22nd.

Sadly, Ammis Curry on the Kilburn High Road has closed.

I hear that Sushi Gen is going to become an Italian restaurant called Picasso (yes, I know Picasso wasn’t Italian).

There’s an art exhibition at Gloves Boxing Club (of all places) raising money for Broadway – a homeless charity.

There was another accident involving a pedestrian and a lorry on the Kilburn High Road, thankfully this one wasn’t fatal.Local cllr Thomas Gardiner has asked Camden’s transport chief to investigate, in co-operation with Brent & TfL.

Have your say on how Camden chooses the unheralded gems of West Hampstead.

I wrote about a perfect day out in NW London in The Guardian, but there’s a reason it was quite so highbrow!

Eames: The Architect and the Painter is this week’s Film of the Week.

The Kilburn Kid became the Chorley lad when he won gold in the time trial.

Tweet / Photo of the Week

As the Olympics edge nearer and the sun edges out from behind the grey clouds, what has been lighting up West Hampstead over the past week?

Bradley Wiggins rode to victory in the Tour de France and Kilburn became ignited with passion. Many articles referred to his Kilburn upbringing, but this one focused on it more than most. There are already twitter campaigns for a local road to be named after him. 

I wrote a two-part Olympic travel guide. Part 1 on whether our local stations can take the strain; and part 2 as a general guide to getting around once the Games begin.

What sort of local architecture do residents love and loathe?

The planning application for the Camden eruv has been submitted.

Pita up West End Lane appears to have its lease up for sale.

Life expectancy around West Hampstead station is 81, but the detail doesn’t matter.

Kilburn featured prominently in C4’s Undercover Boss programme

We held our first whampfilm event on the opening night of Dark Knight Rises at the IMAX in Swiss Cottage

Dark Knight Rises is the local Film of the Week.

Sunday was the second Secret BBQ, and once again the weather played ball. Full write-up this week.

A woman was killed in a traffic accident on Kilburn High Road on Wednesday.

Camden approved plans for the new Liddell Road school (an extension of the existing Kingsgate School).

The Westbury, which closed a few weeks ago, will reopen as The Hudson, a NYC-style (themed?) bar

Coming up
It’s Love Parks week, so there’s a host of activities on Fortune Green.
They include Tuesday’s outdoor film screening of Breaking Away.
Thursday: Charity quiz at The Alliance.
August 3rd West Hampstead Community Centre hosts a business brunch. 
August 16th: West End Lane Books twitter event (20% off books, free wine!)

Tweet of the Week

Photo of the Week
Both @misshkwilson and @Sam_Clicks snapped this little bit of vandalism, but @misshkwilson’s photo was more brazen and thus gets the nod.

Andy Murray lost, but Kilburn’s Bradley Wiggins assumed the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, so, y’know every cloud… well, every cloud seems to be passing over West Hampstead.

It’s been a quiet week of local news though, so this won’t take long.

The Ham & High reported how a local child can’t get a school place in the area. There is a petition to sign to try and get a new primary school in NW6.

Oliver Bonas and Paperchase are apparently moving into the O2 centre.

Fill in this Neighbourhood Development Forum survey to have input into how West Hampstead develops.

Spicy Basil and Ruchi both joined Twitter.

An evening at West End Lane Books revealed all about our very own 18th Century Olympic Games.

You’ve Been Trumped is the local Film of the Week.

Local artist Martin Robertson needs your help.

There are still places left for the Secret BBQ on July 22nd.

A new programme of activities for the over 50s begins at West Hampstead Community Centre: a dance class every Thursday (6.30-8pm) starting on 19th July (excluding 2nd & 9th August); and a series of monthly health sessions on Thursdays from 11am-1pm starting August 2nd.

Coming up:
Thursday 2-7pm, West Hampstead Synagogue: Camden wants to speak to local residents and businesses about their views on specific transport-related issues in the area. What do you think would improve the streets and traffic in the area? It’s a drop-in session.

Tweet of the Week

It’s been a week of Carrs, buses (or lack of them) and the inevitability of England losing a penalty shootout

Tour de France hopeful Bradley Wiggins spoke of his Kilburn childhood.

A gap in the fence meant Billy Fury Way was open to tracks. Twitter power brought it to the attention of the right people, and it’s getting fixed.

The Ham&High reported on the Black Path’s rise as a crime hotspot.

A man was hit with a bottle in The Betsy Smith.

Five excellent photos were added to the “Hampstead & Kilburn Then & Now”: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

And an even older image of Kilburn, painted by an astronomer, was discussed on the Kilburn History blog.

Monday is the last day to put your name in the ring for my North London quiz team that will take on South, East and West at the Museum of London.

What films are on locally?

Whampgather IX was a big success.

Coming up
Monday is the AGM of CRASH (the South Hampstead residents association), which is in urgent need of an injection of community fervour.
Feng Sushi opens this week.
Part of Mill Lane will be closed next Wednesday as a crane is removed
Kilburn Film Festival starts on Thursday.
Next Saturday and Sunday it’s the Jester Festival (West Hampstead’s answer to the village fete).
Also on Saturday, there’s free dog training and advice in Hampstead Cemetery (!) from 10am-3pm.
And next weekend is the Kingsgate Open Studios weekend as well.

Tweet of the Week
Luckily as both were at #whampgather, this tragedy didn’t come to pass…

It’s been a fortnight since the last newsletter and so much has happened in that time… The Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, the England team went to visit former concentration camps, and in other minor news the world economy lurched nearer to collapse and lots more Syrians were killed. But hurrah for lots of boats, eh?

There was more from the local Labour party on the lack of school places in our part of Camden.

I posted some statistics on Virgin Media’s poor internet performance in NW6.

The Gondar Gardens appeal (for the last but one plan) has been adjourned.

Meanwhile, the Iverson Road development (where the garden centre was) have been approved.

Mill Lane has been designated an “Olympic sensitive street”, which means one on which works may create unacceptable delays and disruption during the Olympic period.

A tattoo parlour is opening on Mill Lane where Best Beginnings was.

The lights at the West End Lane end of the Black Path are being fixed.

Parking is no joke in West Hampstead.

Swiss Cottage and St John’s Wood stations get Wifi in the first phase, West Hampstead and Finchley Road miss out.

What did we make of Sunday lunch at The Black Lion?

The Westbury in Kilburn closed – not quite sure why, though they’re saying that they hope to be back in some guise before too long and a new bar will open on the site in September.

Talking of closures, the owners of The Luminaire finally explained some of the reasons behind the end of the venue.

A £5 shop has opened on Kilburn High Road – is this the final sign of gentrification?

Remember all those Luton fans in West Hampstead recently?

Sea Lantern – now operating as a Persian Grill – got a string of good reviews from locals.

Tom’s Diner meanwhile, posted on Spiga and Small & Beautiful.

The Kilburn History blog delved into a South Pacific mystery.

Memories were jogged of Ushi – something of a West Hampstead legend in her time.

A man called Dan swam all the Olympic swimming distances back-to-back in Swiss Cottage pool.

West Hampstead Life got mentioned in The Guardian in an extract from a book about hyperlocal media.

Kilburn’s Job Centre joined Twitter @JCPKilburn, as did the Jester Festival @JesterFestival.

Whampgather on June 24th sold out quickly, as usual. You can always add yourself to the waiting list.

The first #whampfilm event also sold out in double-quick time.

There were a string of West Hampstead Jubilee events.

Fancy the cinema this week? Check out the local film listings, including those easily-missed one-off screenings.

Coming up
The next Area Forum is on June 19th.

Photo of the Fortnight
The Battle of Britain fly past came directly over West Hampstead and was captured by @photografter

Chelsea finally won the Champions League, Greece teeters ever more precariously on the brink, and the Olympic torch was allowed to fly business class to the UK. But what was happening in West Hampstead?

The Gondar Gardens campaign continues.

The West Hampstead-based police employee convicted of stealing from Scotland Yard escaped a custodial sentence.

See exactly how local wards voted in the London elections, with analysis.

Football fans took over West Hampstead for much of the weekend, first Blackpool, and then an unprecendented number of Luton fans on Sunday.

What did we make of One Blenheim Terrace at whampreview?

West Hampstead gets a mention from Thor himself on Capital Radio.

Homes and Property magazine raved about Kilburn.

Camden’s new mayor, Heather Johnson, is a long-time West Hampstead resident.

Camden’s parking consultation has started.

What’s on at the local cinemas this week?

Sea Lantern is now a Persian Grill.

There was an update from our local cllrs on policing and Blackburn Road.

Two Jubilee line trains received special Jubilee livery.

Scaffolding is starting to come down at the new Emmanuel School site on Mill Lane.

Coming up
It’s a long way off, but stick July 22nd in your diaries: it’s #whampbbq. Details soon.

Tweet of the Week
Very high standard this week, but this one made me laugh the most.

Boris and François won, Nick and Brian lost, Ken retired (yeah, right) and it still continued to rain. But what else did the first week of May have to say for itself in West Hampstead?

The Mayor and London Assembly elections were big news on Thursday and Friday. By now we all know the overall results, but how did we vote locally, and how did that compare to 2008?

Police, family and friends are still looking for missing actor Richard Gent. Meanwhile, a 14-year-old missing from her West Hampstead home for two months has been found “safe and well” in Kings Cross station.

There was a car accident on West End Lane on Tuesday.

Camden Police want to speak to 26 year-old Dean Hughes following random knife attacks in Kilburn.

GARA (Gondar Area Residents Association) has issued a call for financial support so it can contest the developer’s latest plans for Gondar Gardens, which will go before Camden on Thursday.

Fordwych Residents Association will hold a social event on June 2nd to coincide with the Diamond Jubilee.

WHAT published a summary of its April meeting.

West Hampstead featured in The Times’ Bricks & Mortar property section. The article is behind the paywall, but i’ve reprinted a few extracts.

Keith Chegwin was spotted with a camera crew roaming the streets around Fordwych Road on Friday. A glance at his Twitter feed suggests it was for PR company Hill + Knowlton.

The proposed Camden eruv, which includes West Hampstead, could slot into a set of eruvs across north-west London.

Coming up
Comedy for recent parents and expectant mothers with Lucy Porter at The Good Ship Sunday 13th May at 1.30pm

Tweet of the week
Haven’t done an “ooh, look at Kilburn” TOTW for a while, but this one made me laugh

Imagine it: sunshine and showers in April. But what’s been happening between the downpours in the finest neighbourhood in Old London Town? No, I don’t mean St John’s Wood.

Tragically, a woman died at Finchley Road tube station on Monday.

Netherwood Day Centre has finally been saved from closure.

Acol Nursery will be transferred from the council to a parents group.

West Hampstead is getting a weekly market – get your views in quickly for what sort of market you’d like to see.

Planning news aplenty: Abbey Area, Hampstead Cricket Club, and a round-up of everything else.

A butchers, Feng Sushi, and a new salon: it’s all change up near West End Green.

Cutting Crew has taken over from Gigi Barbers on West End Lane.

The new (Old) Black Lion decided to embrace Twitter – there was both confusion over the name, and some fallout over prices. It opens this Thursday.

Costa Coffee on West End Lane was broken into early last week. Apparently only coffee syrup was stolen!

Some of you saw some drama (literally) on the Thameslink service on Thursday.

On the evening of May 18th, there’ll be a free outdoor film screening of Oscar winning coming-of-age film Breaking Away on Fortune Green. Put it in your diaries.

Brioche has had a paint job.

Tom found room for a Wet Fish Café crumble.

What did we make of Guglee when we subjected it to the whampreview treatment?

Kilburn’s Powers bar has revamped its website.

Congrats to HampsteadCC’s women’s team who took silver in a 6-a-side competition last Sunday.

Karahi Master appears to have closed (although last I announced this, it was a false alarm).

Tweet of the Week
Really more for the hashtag than anything:

VAT on pasties, postage stamp rises, and petrol panic at the pumps! But what was pertinent for the people of West Hampstead as March petered out?

City Hall gave the all-clear to the large development at 187-199 West End Lane.

Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick mentioned this development on the campaign trail.

A Loomis van was robbed outside Sainsbury’s on West End Lane in broad daylight. Police quickly recovered the getaway car, but are yet to catch the robbers as far as I know.

West Hampstead will be one of the first Overground stations to get WiFi (and it will remain free after the Olympics).

Iceland looks like its moving into Finchley Road.

The CNJ covered the scaled down plans for the Feis festival during the Olympics.

Is a new WH Smiths opening at the Thameslink station?

Fabric magazine ran a spread (puff piece) about West Hampstead: Page 1 & Page 2.

A meeting in Swiss Cottage about HS2 seemed to go nowhere fast.

A new knitting club has started on Thursday evenings at Sainsbury’s O2. Contact @MrsChurchman for more details.

There were blogs on Pizza Express, and Banana Tree.

West Hampstead men’s hockey team were knocked out of the HA Trophy by Guernsey.

Tom went to Guglee, which will be the location of the next #whampreview on April 12th (put your name in the hat by Tuesday).

I posted the write-up of the last whampreview at Little Bay.

Coming up
Monday: Actor and writer George Layton is doing a reading and Q&A at Brioche (7.30pm).
Wednesday: Digital Switchover – you’ll need to retune your TVs/set-top boxes if you want to carry on watching television (you’ll need to do it again on the 16th).

Tweet of the Week
Stiff competition this week, but I rather liked this from @PNKnox

Mother’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Rebekah Brooks arrested, and cricketing god Sachin Tendulkar finally scored his hundredth international century. Busy week beyond the West Hampstead borders. Was anything to exciting happening closer to home?

There was a public meeting about the proposed lengthy festival in Kilburn Grange park over the Olympics. There are some watered down proposals, but the details remain unclear.

I wrote a round up of the lively the parking debate from last week (more pay & display needed, or too much traffic already?).

The proposed housing development on the old Iverson Rd garden centre site was due to be given the yes/no decision by Camden on Thursday, but debates on other plans in the borough took so long, the decision has been deferred.

Do you know anyone who might be eligible for help with the switch to digital-only TV broadcasts?

Sea Lantern’s has decided to move from being a fish & chips place to a pizzeria. Odd.

Even 100 years ago “signal failure” was causing problems on the tube around here.

The West Hampstead breakfast blog turned its attention to Pumpkin Café on Fortune Green.

The old Benihana site by Swiss Cottage will become a Shisha Lounge.

Camden council leader Nash Ali resigned.

Coming up
Local boy and rising comedy star Sam Wong does his first gig at the Good Ship this Monday. A fiver on the door for four acts – come along and support Sam on his home turf!

Next Saturday, Sington Nursery on Broomsleigh Street, a charity and a Camden Community Nursery, is having a “Nearly New” fundraising sale of children’s clothes, toys, books, games etc (for newborns to 5 years old) from 10am-1pm.

Tweet of the Week

It’s been a week where a horse has been the major talking point in the news. Surely something more meaningful happened in West Hampstead?

Camden council approved the large 187-199 West End Lane development, despite strongly worded objections from WHGARA, among others.

Will the council also approve Vince Power’s 18 day Irish festival in Kilburn?

Last Sunday, a five-year-old was saved from the Finchley Road tube tracks by a driver

Camden council tax has been frozen again for 2012/13.

The opening hours for West Hampstead library will change when it reopens in April.

A Kilburn man has been banned from the High Road and surrounding streets.

Developers are proposing to convert the old Luminaire music venue on Kilburn High Road into student flats.

Burglars have been breaking into West Hampstead shops through tiny windows and gaps. However, crime is actually down in Swiss Cottage ward.

The press – local and national – had a field day with our crimefighting cleric.

West End Lane could be getting a butchers in June, in the Chinese acupuncture place next to Dominos.

Tweet of the Week

It may have been Valentine’s week, but there was no love lost between David Haye and local boxer Dereck Chisora as they traded blows in Munich. What made the headlines closer to home though?

The West Hampstead and Fortune Green Neighbourhood Development Plan got rolling.

I reported back on the previous week’s placeshaping meeting.
 
A man living rough off Billy Fury Way was encouraged into accommodation in the cold weather.

A map shows how much deprivation levels in the area vary.

Police warned residents about a Safer Neighbourhoods scam. Burglaries and attempted burglaries also triggered a warning to close communal doors to flats.

A bus driver suffered GBH on West End Lane on Thursday about 6pm; police are asking for witnesses (020 8721 2697).

A local man was warned he had to stop building large contraptions in his flat.

The Tricycle’s departing artistic director Nicolas Kent spoke to The Guardian about his time at the theatre and reasons for leaving.

Tom roadtested the menu at One Blenheim Terrace.

Greene King updated us on developments at The Lion.

West Hampstead library will close for a month in March.

Sushi Gen will be closed on Tuesdays from now on.

Work starts this week on the “cycle permeability” scheme in West Hampstead. Sherriff Road, Gascony Avenue, and Smyrna Road will NOT be changing to two-way following the consultation. The other roads in scope will be re-signed accordingly.

A review of Camden’s parking controls starts in March.

Tweet of the Week
Another week of stiff competition, but as it was Valentine’s week, this one seemed by far the most appropriate. Ahem.

Facebook filed for IPO, Sarkozy said France needed German-style reforms, and snow hit London. One of these things received a lot more attention on Twitter than the others.

Yes, there was snow. It led to lots of nice pictures, but surprisingly little disruption on Sunday morning. Camden’s winter weather pages have all the information regarding gritting, closures, helping the elderly etc.

The Lion is closing. It’s hard to get the detailed facts, but the rumours are that it’s going to become a gastropub under new owners. They’ll need to fix the awning.

The Rotisserie, the steak restaurant on Fortune Green, has closed.

The old Thameslink entrance re-opened with ticket barriers, the ticket machine is still a couple of weeks away though.

The gas works at Fortune Green/Finchley Road should be done.

The consultation date for 187-199 West End Lane has moved to Feb 14th, meanwhile, City Hall has said the application is “non-compliant“.

Planning application is also in for 163 Iverson Road (site of the old garden centre).

And for Gondar Gardens  (enter ref: 2012/0521/P).

AND, if you want to look at the plans for the Abbey estates (Belsize Rd/Abbey Rd area), use 2012/0096/P in the planning search engine.

Local lobbying group WHAT has joined Twitter @WHATNW6

Kilburn (Camden) ward councillors published their Jan/Feb newsletter.

The fight is on to save a Cotleigh Road apple tree.

There’s a new blog focused entirely on breakfast in West Hampstead.

Bake-a-boo is making major changes to opening hours.

A West Hampstead small business struck it big after being featured on the BBC’s Sherlock.

Blue Daisy has joined forces with West End Lane Books in a cross-business discount scheme.

Belsize Road’s Cocoa Exchange has joined Twitter.

The King’s Troop leaves St John’s Wood barracks this week, so no more cavalcade of cavalry up West End Lane in the mornings.

A “Lebanese loop” was discovered in West End Lane Sainsbury’s cash machine on Wednesday. Do be vigilant when using ATMs.

In other ATM news – all First Capital Connect ATMs will be free as of mid-Feb/early March and one will be installed at West Hampstead Thameslink apparently.

Swiss Cottage youth charity, The Winch, will take over the running of Belsize Library.

The second #whampbooks event at West End Lane Books  on Tuesday was a big success, with lots of locals dropping in for wine and books. Look out for more events like this in the future.

Tweet of the Week
I don’t normally go for grumbly tweets about businesses in Tweet of the Week, but this one rather tickled my fancy.

While royal yachts came and went, what was floating your boat in West Hampstead?

There was a major fire in the Taplow tower in Swiss Cottage. Candles and a lot of newspaper were believed to be the cause of the accident on the 17th floor last Monday. Amazingly, no-one was hurt after fire crews evacuated 130 people from the 22-storey building.

Sustaninable development initiative Transition West Hampstead relaunched with a grow-your-own food project, and a “draught-busting” scheme for locals in older houses, especially with sash windows.

The deadline for submitting your views on the 187-199 West End Lane Ballymore development draws nearer. More on the blog this week.

An appeal was launched to raise £60,000 for a local child to have an operation in America so he can walk.

After yet more glorious sunrises and sunsets, there’s now a West Hampstead Views Pinterest page that collects some of the best (and a few other local snaps).

Those of you in Brent no longer need to separate your recycling.

Peacocks, with stores on Kilburn High Road and Finchley Road, went into administration. It is hoped that it will be sold as a going concern and the shops will remain.

Part of West End Lane was resurfaced after contractors used the wrong type of tarmac first time round.

A man suffered a cardiac arrest by Kilburn High Road station on Friday.

BBC legal drama Silk took over The Wet Fish Cafe for filming on Wednedsay.

The Kitchener is on Twitter @JNCookshop.

New restaurant Sea Lantern has closed already!

Tom enjoyed his Priory Tavern tart.

Coming up
Jan 31st Whampbooks at West End Lane Books: 7-9pm, 20% of all books, and free wine!

Tweet of the Week

It’s been a while since the last news round-up. Happy New Year, and all that jazz. Hope everyone enjoyed their break and thanks to those who came to #whampdrinks the week before Christmas. It’s been a fairly quiet time around West Hampstead, but amid the wind and the rain there have been a few things afoot.

The planning application for 187-199 West End Lane is in. It’s enormous.
You’ll need this reference: 2011/6129/P for this form.

South Hampstead tower block residents suffered flooding after the theft of metal pipes (which also hindered the fire service’s rescue)

TfL announced a £3.4 million investment in Camden – including the contentious 20mph speed limit and two-way cycling schemes in West Hampstead as well as signage improvements between the three WH stations.

Meanwhile, West Hampstead featured in a short BBC news piece about TfL fare rises.

It used to be so different – one of the best “Then and Now” photos yet?

Camden’s police force is trying Twitter again. And a new account: @WHlocalplod also began

Some news on our local eateries:
Bake-a-boo is closing weekdays in January.
Me Love Sushi has opened (on the former Strada site).
Spiga is now open 7 days a week, and there’s 10% off for take-away (collection).
Bon Express seems to be expanding into groceries!
Guglee is the restaurant moving into what was (briefly) Costello’s.

A tree blew over on Pandora Rd luckily missing the parked cars.

The utility works on Kilburn High Road finally finished.

The Kings Troop is preparing for its final departure from St John’s Wood. There’ll be no more disruption as 40 horses trot up West End Lane.

Here’s the latest steam train pulling into West Hampstead

Swiss Cottage youth charity The Winch has been confirmed by Camden as a ‘preferred partner’ to run Belsize library.

On the blog
Tom was disappointed by a Moment salad.
I don’t think anyone got all 11 questions right in my Quiz of 2011.
But did any of your predictions for 2011 actually come true?
Jon Kelly won Tweet of the Year.

Finally, #whampgather preparations continue apace. Looking forward to seeing lots of you on Thursday. We’ve got the band, we’ve got the cocktails, we’ve got the DJ, we’re going to blow away the New Year Blues. Tickets have all gone, but always worth chancing your arm on the waitlist.

Coming up
Advance warning of the WHAT AGM on Tuesday 24th January

Tweet of the Week(s)
We’ve got a tweet from the very end of 2011 and a photo from the start of 2012 for you

And a link to the photo of a dog in Kilburn High Road by @sjdowling (‘cos it’s All Rights Reserved).

While David Cameron vetoed something – although no-one seems quite sure what – storms lashed the country, what was creating waves closer to home?

Two people have been arrested and charged for @TheGalleryNW6 robbery and will be remanded in custody before appearing in court in February.

Armed robhbers who targeted the McDonalds in Swiss Cottage were jailed for more than 30 years.

The Guardian published a day in the life of a West Hampstead-based mounted police officer.

The historic Ebenezer Chapel in Kilburn Vale has been definitively safeguarded for the future.

Camden submitted its own comments to the Boundary commission regarding Fortune Green’s possible change of consitutency.

The Winch launched its new Promise Academy initiative. 

Parking and planning topped the agenda at Monday’s Area Action Group.

New plans have been submitted for the Gondar Gardens reservoir site.

West Hampstead overground station will get new lifts.

The wide walkway up Iverson Road to the new Thameslink station opened.

The West Hampstead Christmas market was a resounding success.

Twenty two of us went to Ladudu for whampreview – write-up later today!

West End Lane newcomer Costello has already closed – it will become an Indian restaurant.

The Save the West Hampstead Girl Guides campaign made the local press.

Coming up
Santa and his elves will be at LoveFood on Dec 17 & 18 from 3-7pm. £4 per child including a present and a hot chocolate.

Gondar Gardens development meeting at the synagogue hall on December 14th.

Reminder that #whampxmasdrinks will be at The Gallery on December 20th.

Save the date: #whampgather VIII will be on Jan 12th. People on the mailing list will be the first to hear the details, get tickets, etc.

Tweet of the Week

While the tabloid press has been hauled over the coals, and Curiosity disappears off to Mars, it’s been a fairly quiet week in West Hampstead – but there are quite a few things coming up over the next few days.

A suspect has been arrested and is being held on remand in connection with eight recent burglaries in the South Hampstead conservation area. The local SNT is also warning people not to leave garden tools lying around in the communal gardens, as some are being used to gain access.

Jedward were spotted in Cricklewood.

Strada closed down, and new fish & chips operation Sea Lantern opened.

A new sign has gone up at Vini Vivi on Mill Lane and the refurb of the dentists also includes a rebrand and sparkly sign.

Tom checked out West End Lane newcomer Costello, while another local posted a review of Ladudu (site of December’s whampreview).

Demolition work’s started on the Blackburn Road site that’s going to become student accommodation.

Coming up
On Monday, La Brioche hosts the Return of the Short Story, and on Friday, the owner’s band will be playing.

Tuesday is West End Lane Books’ Christmas bonanza day with 20% discount on all titles, mulled wine and other Christmas treats from 9am (bit early for mulled wine?) to 6pm.

On Thursday, The Winch is inviting people to come and hear abouts its exciting plans for the future. Definitely worth attending.

There’s a cookbook sale at Kitchen Table on Dec 4th, donations of your books very much welcome.

Photo of the Week
You really can never be too careful in Kilburn, as this photo by @CodinginLondon of an innovative bike locking device shows:

We bade farewell to Europe’s most, er, “flamboyant” politician and watched England’s boys in white prove that the best team doesn’t always win. But what made the headlines in West Hampstead last week?

First Capital Connect services were severely disrupted last Monday due to major signal failure around City Thameslink. Passengers flooded through West Hampstead to catch the tube. Refund info here.

There was a good turnout for Wednesday’s public meeting about the proposed 200-flat Ballymore development at 187-199 West End Lane. Look out for a blog from me this week on this topic. Meanwhile, Cllr Flick Rea wrote about general local developments, and Iverson Road in particular.

TfL is consulting over changes to Finchley Rd nightbuses.

Starting today, Danny Hewitt is the new temporary police sergeant for West Hampstead & Fortune Green’s Safer Neighbourhood Team. He will be in place for 4-5 months. Priorities in Fortune Green are residential burglary, drug dealing, Templar House & Cricklewood [which seems quite a broad priority!]

Meanwhile in West Hampstead, there are concerns that more benches on West End Lane could lead to more anti-social behaviour.

Residents around Mill Lane and some neighbouring roads combined forces to remove (painlessly) local foxes.

A restaurant application in Fairfax Road was turned down for very unusual reasons.

Whampgather went Stateside.

The mini-Christmas trees that adorn West End Lane were put in place

A fourth man has been charged in connection with the murder and attempted murder of two young men back in April.

Mill Lane Barbers joined Twitter.

There are increasing reports of front yards overflowing with recycling boxes and bags as well as with dustbin bags.

Volunteers are needed for the Christmas market on December 10th.

Abbey Road studios turned 80

Coming up
Wednesday: the new Business Forum launches to give local traders a voice

Tweet of the Week

The news this week was of eurozone bail outs, thermal imaging of tents and the demise of Jimmy Saville. Goodness gracious me, what do we have here? Why, it’s the weekly whampnews of course.

The West Hampstead community centre got plenty of coverage for its current woes – related to funding and premises. Will it stay open for the Christmas panto on December 18th?

The council launched consultations on two-way cycling on many of our one-way streets, and on turning all of West Hampstead into a 20mph zone.

Camden released its annual parking report.

A few more Overground trains will pass through West Hampstead from December.

Lots of you noticed the steam train that unusually whizzed past on the Chiltern Railways line rather than the Overground. Apparently, it was a special service from Marylebone to Birmingham to mark the retirement of Chiltern boss Adrian Shooter.

Thameslink released photos of the station development.

We discovered that we came close to having a motorway passing through the area in the late 1960s.

Camden arranged for some new planting in Kilburn Grange park, which turned into a photo-op for councillors.

Sarracino got a plug on The Guardian’s football podcast (ff to 28’10”).

Vertigo Films shot a short film for the Cultural Olympiad on the Alexandra & Ainsworth estate. Camden meanwhile is grumbling about a lack of central funding for the Games itself.

Roger Samuel estate agents and Kilburn’s newest pizzeria/wine bar Raw Brick joined Twitter.

A new wine shop – Vini Vivi – opened on Mill Lane, joining new bike shop Jazz Cycles.

The whisky & chocolate tasting at The Gallery was a hit.

Coming up
The Swiss Cottage Area Action Group on Monday evening (7pm, Crossfield Centre) will focus on recycling/rubbish.

Watch out for parking suspensions on Fordwych Road this week due to ongoing pavement works

There’s a meeting on Wednesday about possible new flats (up to 5 storeys) on the Iverson Rd garden centre site.

Residents associations are meeting on Monday evening to discuss a coordinated response to the various large-scale planning developments.

Sadly there are no free fireworks displays in the immediate area this year. The Roundwood Park display has been cancelled, as has the Alexandra Palace display for the second year running. Westway is the nearest for most people. Or relive the excitement of 2009 – the first Bonfire Night with enough people tweeting to make it interesting.

Tweet of the Week
Stiff competition this week, but this one sums up lots of people’s views about West End Lane’s café culture:

Liam Fox finally quit, Wales got booted out of the rugby world cup, and I spent three days in Paris. So what did I miss in West Hampstead this week?

BinCam still dominated the news, joining Twitter, featuring on BBC Radio London and triggerering some heated comments on my blog. Most interestingly though, the council has started cleaning the area around the bin more frequently – so a positive result so far.

A Harry Potter actor from Messina Avenue was charged with having a petrol bomb during the August riots.

Kingsgate Primary School will receive a pupil Premium of £106,384 next year, reflecting its high intake of pupils on free school meals.

Residents have started a vigil outside Kensal Rise library after the high court refused to overturn Brent council’s decision to close six of its libraries.

Two celebrities were spotted in West Hampstead: Olly Murs, and Spud, the actual Dulux dog.

Lots of people reporting problems with mail deliveries – prompted this response from Royal Mail.

The first overseas #Whampgather took place on Bleeker Street, New York City

A new pet shop is opening on Fortune Green Road, opposite the gym, and a sushi restaurant is opening on Finchley Road where Doon Valley was.

WhampAthletic won the league, having been runners up to the now disbanded WhampWanderers last season.

Someone produced a handy field guide to the elk of North London.

Tom ate sardines at Sirous.

Tweet of the Week

It’s still party conference season, but unseasonably warm weather has been the main national talking point this week. But what’s had tongues wagging in West Hampstead over the past seven days?

City Hall has said it will address Kilburn’s traffic problems.

West Hampstead had a double-page spread in Thursday’s Metro.

Camden is reviewing parking regulations in the borough.

Hampstead School’s class of 1961 had a 50th reunion.

Lymington Road residents association is launching a talent competition.

Network Rail is running a photography competition for the new Thameslink station.

Couple of new local Twitter accounts you might want to follow: Fordwych Road Residents Association (@FordwychRA), and Camden Police (@MPSCamdenPolice) (I’m working on getting the local Safer Neighbourhood Team tweeting!)

I know it’s too soon for Christmas, but if you want to help the West Hampstead Christmas market now’s the time to put your hand up.

Ariana II was a runner-up in Time Out’s new cheap eats awards.

Coming up:
There’s a public meeting to discuss next year’s Kilburn Festival at Kingsgate Community Centre on Oct 4 from 7pm.

The first West End Lane Crooks book group at West End Lane Books is also next Tuesday 

KJTuition is hosting a free music class at Love Food on Oct 7th at 10am. Parents + kids 1-5yrs welcome.

Tweet of the Week
A tweet/photo combination this week

Turned out to be quite a busy week for local news, so just as well that I was away all week and wasn’t able to stay on top of all of it. Nevertheless I’ve put together a few bits and pieces for you

The electoral Boundary Commission released its preliminary proposals on Tuesday (although they were leaked a day early). If they go ahead then there are major changes for Hampstead & Kilburn – but that’s a big if.

The Ham & High published a very positive write-up of #whampgather.

The Swiss Cottage Odeon finally re-opened – it now sports an Imax.

There was a fire in the flats above ShakeTastic on West End Lane – no-one was hurt

Meanwhile, West Hampstead fire station celebrated 110 years with an open day on Sunday.

Sunday also saw the third Hampstead Cricket Club charity match.

The Gaumont State in Kilburn was part of this weekend’s Open House programme, and plenty of people went to see the Wurlitzer.

The Priory Tavern celebrated its first anniversary under its present owners.

Café Bon’s empire expanded again with the opening of Bon Express, replacing Wood Grill with what looks like another kebab shop.

Monday’s public meeting on the 187-199 West End Lane development didn’t seem to have much outcome, other than to reinforce what we already knew.

Hilariously, the Marriott hotel on Kilburn High Road is not only on Twitter, but describes itself ther as being “In the heart of Bohemia”

Coming up this week
There’s a Safer Neighbourhood meeting on Wednesday.
On Saturday, the Gallery celebrates its 15th birthday.
A new bike shop opens on Mill Lane this week.

Tweet of the week

It was a short week this week, and the final hurrah of the summer holidays for many people, so another quietish few days for West Hampstead news fiends. But there are still a few morsels to tide you over.

Media news aplenty as the Ham & High’s West Hampstead correspondent Georgia Graham defects to the Camden New Journal. Two of her H&H colleages, are apparently also leaving the paper. Tough times for owner Archant, which is merging the long-standing Kilburn Times into the “Kilburn & Brent Times”.

Cllr Mike Katz announced that Kilburn Grange Park adventure playground has been invited to join the OpenHouse project on the weekend of Sep 16/17. The newish apartment block on Fortune Green Rd is also part of the scheme.

Spiga, West Hampstead’s newest restaurant, opened during the week. I reviewed it, and so did Tom.

New Kilburn bar 366 also opened.

As did Cocoa Bijoux.

There were a couple of small fires on Priory Road, and a larger one the same night on Kingsgate Road.

The H&H covered last week’s Sherriff Rd story.

The Odeon Imax at Swiss Cottage is due to open on Sep 16th. 

It was steam train time again.

Coming up this week:
The third and final Camden summit to look at the riots takes place this Tuesday evening at Kingsgate Community Centre.

Whampgather is on Thursday – if your name’s not on the door, etc. etc.

And on Friday, La Brocca celebrates its 20th anniversary! (This week, the Good Ship celebrated its 6th).

Tweet of the Week
A few good ones this week and as always the decision to be made between reinforcing West Hampstead’s middle-class stereotype or reinforcing Kilburn’s reputation for being odd. Have sided with West Hampstead this time.

It’s been a week that started with more hand-wringing and has ended with major world news. But has it been silly season in West Hampstead?

There was finally a report on the stabbing in Kilburn from the week before.

The local Somali asylum seeker family got a lot of coverage.

The man who attacked someone by the Tricycle back in February was sentenced to 8 years.

Agents from Greene and Co. were found guilty of parking fraud.

Café Bon is taking over Wood Grill as well as Caffè West.

Two chocolate shops have moved into the area. The Cocoa Exchange on Belsize Rd, and a yet-to-be-named placed on Broadhurst Gardens.

The report of June’s place shaping workshop for West Hampstead was published.

The blog launched a new section: Tom’s Diner.

West Hampstead Wanderers won the league.

Can you help drive some old people to social events?

David Miliband came to LoveFood.

The New End Theatre in Hampstead has been forced to close – whether temporarily or permanently isn’t clear.

West End Lane Books has launched a crime writing readers’ group.

The Green Room has become Spiga – but is yet to open.

Whampgather sold out rather quicker than anticipated. If you have a ticket you know you can’t use, please release it back or let me know – the waiting list is lengthy!

Tweet of the Week
More of a sort of public service announcement this week in a double-header ToTW:

It’s August – traditionally the quiet news month. So we’ve just had the US’s credit rating downgraded, financial market meltdown, and riots in north London. Wake me up when there’s some real news. Have things been livelier in West Hampstead and surrounding areas? Well, actually it’s been extremely quiet in the ‘hood this week

The Ham & High reported a spate of muggings of teenage boys, notably on Mill Lane and around the O2 centre.

Meanwhile, the Camden New Journal tried hard to dig up a less positive take on the Billy Fury mural.

Lewis Hamilton apparently popped into West Hampstead (not just a sighting, someone spoke to him!).

Kingsgate Community Centre’s popular Cafe Mangobajito has closed.

The Tricycle is launching a Sunday Music Series featuring string chamber music and starting on Sunday 14th August.

Despite being the national “team of the season”, West Hampstead Hockey Club might need a new ground before the season starts again in October.

Talking of great local sports teams, West Hampstead Wanderers won its 5-a-side league, just pipping West Hampstaed Athletic on goal difference. Athletic spun off from the Wanderers’ underperforming 7-a-side team of earlier in the year.

And er… that’s all folks.

Except of course for Tweet of the Week.

(want to see your business promoted here?)

It’s been a strange week, starting with farcical scenes of the Murdochs under mild interrogation and ending with tragedy. And it rained a lot. And I was on holiday. And it rained a lot on my holiday.

Local councillor Andrew Marshall has been single-handedly cleaning up the mean streets of South Hampstead. First there was rubbish in Greencroft Gardens, then there were the plans to improve the open land, and finally there was the mysterious case of the oil trailer on Goldhurst Terrace.

There were also reports of overflowing rubbish in Gascony Avenue, and a request has been made for a bin at the junction of Crediton Hill and West End Lane.

West Hampstead’s Beckford school celebrated 125 years with a reunion of pupils from half a century ago.

An alteration/tailoring shop is opening on Finchley Rd roughly opposite the O2 centre.

Estate agents Brian Lack finally closed on West End Lane, to be replaced by Goldschmidt & Howland (as reported here some weeks ago).

The Alice House has applied for longer opening hours: until midnight Mon-Wed & Sun, and until 1am on Thursday.

Camden libraries have a new online borrowing system and e-books have been launched at Swiss Cottage library.

What did we think of the PrioryTavern when we went to roadtest the menu?

A woman was found in a distressed state by garages in Fairhazel Gardens late Saturday night. The police are investigating the circumstances.

On Wednesday a Kilburn Safer Neighbourhood meeting set two priorities: Rowley Way/Abbey estate and anti-social behaviour on the Kingsgate Estate.

On Tuesday, there was a large public meeting about the Abbey estate regeneration plans. Formal plans will be submitted in the next couple of weeks.

Tweet of the Week
Something non-derogatory about Kilburn for once:

Want to see your company’s name here?
You can now sponsor the weekly news blog post
Click for details of this and other commercial opportunities.

We may have lost one Sunday paper this week, but fear not – WhampNews lives on thanks to its fearless strategy of listening to people’s conversations on Twitter. So what scurrilous scandals have we unearthed and what litigious licence have we taken with the truth this week?

Nicholas Kent, the Tricycle’s highly regarded Artistic Director, has announced he will step down after 27 years in the job, citing funding cuts as the main reason.

Camden’s chief executive Moira Gibb has also resigned. 

In another bad week for First Capital Connect, its Twitter presence has improved and it’s eager to learn how it could do better.

Green-fingered thieves have targeted a West Hampstead pathway.

Kilburn-produced honey is just around the corner.

The Railway announced that two people have been arrested and charged following its recent break-ins

Café Bon is set to take over Caffé West in a couple of weeks, and the Mill Lane Bistro has been sold as a going concern.

Kingsgate School won an inclusion award.

The Winch has secured funding for a second full-time youthworker for three years from September!

Sunday was the Kilburn Festival. And, rarely, the Gaumont State building was open briefly.

Oh, and update your bookmarks – the blog has a new domain name: http://www.westhampsteadlife.com.

Whampzombie film of the week
You may recognise many of the locations in this short film.

Tweet of the Week
A double header of strange tweet and the proof of strange tweet via Abbey Road Studios!

There’s been whimsical weather at Wimbledon, and whooping or whingeing over Olympic tickets. But what’s been happening in and around West Hampstead this week?

The plans to develop Gondar Gardens have been rejected.
As have the plans to convet The Luminaire on Kilburn High Rd into flats.

The Finchley Road branch of Habitat looks likely to be retained as the rest of the company is sold off.

There was a bad car accident on Finchley Road opposite Waitrose on Saturday morning.

Monday’s Area Action Group discussed development, retail, libraries and We Are Camden.

Kinsgate Community Centre launched its summer playscheme and has some job vacancies.

Ed Fordham guest blogged about the latest passenger user group meeting of London Overground.

There’ll be some more outdoor gym equipment at Swiss Cottage.

Walnut on West End Lane is up for rent.

The all-conquering West Hampstead men’s hockey team are nominated for Team of the Season.

The Kilburn Film Festival line-up was announced.

La Brocca, The Alice House and an account dedicated to local wildlife all launched on Twitter.

And finally, Morrisey mentioned West Hampstead when he introduced guitarist and local resident Boz Boorer during his Glastonbury set.

Coming up
This weekend is the Jester Festival.

Tweet of the week
A very late Sunday night entry

What West Hampstead news have you missed while you were sheltering from the rubbish weather?

There was a triple bomb scare on Finchley Road, with the O2 centre, Waitrose, and Marks & Spencer all targeted.

A spectacularly local thunderstorm struck on Friday morning causing an electrical surge as everyone tweeted about it. It had more serious implications, knocking out the electrics at Sidney Boyd Ct and damaging Virgin’s local internet service.

Kilburn Boots had £1,000 worth of No.7 stock lifted on Saturday while the security guard took his lunch break.

There’s more detail on the Crime and Community Safety meeting on June 13th in Camden’s Kilburn ward.

Ladudu is getting closer to full service, and is offering a launch deal on June 20 & 21: two courses and a drink for £10 6:30pm-9:30pm.

West End Lane’s Maya has become Scampa and has applied for an alcohol licence.

Sri Lankan restaurant Elephant Walk is for sale.

The Gallery has joined Twitter (for the second time – but think it might stick around this time). 

Gerrymandering or sensible redrawing of constituency boundaries? Hampstead & Kilburn could be split (p10).

West Hampstead Transition Town kicked off on Monday.

Coming up
On July 7th Michael Simkins discusses his latest light hearted travel-lit-cum-biographical work, The Last Flannelled Fool at West End Lane Books.

Tweet of Week

 

It’s been a funny old week. President Obama came for a visit, Cheryl Cole came home, and Lionel Messi came to show us how to play football. But what about the comings and goings in West Hampstead?

Much of this week’s local news has revolved around the neighbourhood shops. Gustoso is turning into Lena’s restaurant and café. The shop half of the Kitchen Table & Stores is closing. Caffé Nero is opening. Estate agent Brian Lack & Co. (West Hampstead’s original agent) is closing but Goldschmidt & Howland is taking its place.

Cllr Keith Moffitt pointed out that people missing Atlanta (now Caffe Nero) can visit its mini-branch on Finchley Road,

Camden released its report on libraries. There are three proposals under consideration, the most extreme of which would see West Hampstead library close, but the most likely option would see library provision at Belsize, Heath and Chalk Farm move to an alternative provider. 

Following a community meeting, the Swiss Cottage/Kilburn dispersal zone has been extended for 6 months.

There was a crash on Thursday involving a C11 and two cars at the junction of West End Lane and Broadhurst Gardens.

A West End Lane man has been living in his car to avoid clamping.

Whampstyle was a big hit on Thursday.

There was a sizeable police presence on the Kilburn High Road before Saturday’s Champions League Final.

A new mapping project shows West Hampstead in the 1880s.

West End Lane Books has launched a book group.

The Swiss Cottage Odeon is going to have an IMAX screen AND a fancy bar when it reopens.

Interested in a more sustainable future? Head to St James’ Church on June 6 for a West Hampstead Transition Town kick-off meeting.

Tweet of the Week
Finishing where we began with the presidential visit:

While Jedward and Blue slugged it out in Düsseldorf and Stoke and Manchester City slugged it out at Wembley what was happening in West Hampstead?

Fortune Green councillor Flick Rea celebrated 25 years in office.

Councillor Abdul Quadir has taken over from Jonathan Simpson as Mayor of Camden.

Here’s an architect drawing of the plans for Cambridge Avenue in Kilburn.

The details of Kilburn’s History Festival were announced.

There was literally a daylight robbery at St Johns Wood Barclays.

The dispersal zone in South Hampstead/Swiss Cottage has been reinstated for 28 days following the fatal stabbing.

A local man unearthed a nuclear bunker while doing some gardening.

West Hampstead neo-natal charity Best Beginnings has received £170,000 from the Department of Health.

Our very own Bake-a-boo popped up on the radio (from 13’30”).

The Kilburn Times wrote about the local Womens Institute who meet in the NLT.

We went to Afghan restaurant Ariana II in Kilburn.

In the West Hampstead 5-a-side derby, the Wanderers aka Soliders of Fortune (Green) just pipped WHamp Athletic 5-4.

Interested in the Secret BBQ?

Coming Up
Next Sunday, celebrate 30 years of the Tricycle Theatre.

Tweet of the Week

Really very hard to think of anything at all that happened this week – either domestically or abroad. No. I got nothing. Luckily, there’s plenty of local news to keep everyone occupied.

Local resident and travel writer Peter Moss was killed in the Marrakesh café bomb. Many tributes were paid to him.

A 16-year-old appeared in court in connection with last week’s fatal knife attack last week on the Abbey estate.

At an extraordinary council meeting, it seemed that none of Camden’s libraries might have to close.

On the same night, Camden’s only hustings on the AV referendum took place at St Mary’s Church.

Two West Hampstead police horses took part in the royal wedding.

There were several street parties, including this one in Glenbrook Road.

Ladudu finally opened, albeit in soft launch mode until the gas gets connected.

West End Lane Oddbins will remain a wine shop.

Fancy working in the West Hampstead signal box and raising money for charity?

Author Marina Lewycka (A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian) will visit West End Lane Books on Wednesday at 7.30.

You can sign up now for Whampstyle – a free night of fashion, wine and local mingling on May 26th.

Tweet of the Week
Stiff competition this week, but this harking back for a simpler time takes the prize:

As the country began to go a little bit Royal Wedding crazy, what was happening in West Hampstead this week?

We found out that US daytime TV programme The Rachael Ray Show will be filming at Bake-a-boo next week. About the Royal Wedding.

Lymington Road residents association is holding a street party. Indoors. For the Royal Wedding.

Talking of parties – the sixth edition of #whampgather was another great success and we raised over £130 for The Winch.

The CNJ reported on the impending arrival of Caffé Nero. 

Armed robbers struck in Belsize Park.

Kingsgate Community Centre announced its spring/summer term programme.

There was confirmation of Peacocks moving into the Finchley Road Woolworths site.

The engineering works on the Jubilee Line were supposed to move us from 24 to 33 trains an hour. That’s been revised down to just 27. Just three trains more for all that work?

Perhaps steam is the way forward? This train pulled into West Hampstead on Wednesday. But never made it back after breaking down on its return journey.

New on Twitter: @kilburn_ward for Brent Kilburn ward news

Camden’s only AV referendum hustings will be held in St Mary’s Church on April 27th. Andrew Marshall and David Aaronovitch will be arguing for Yes, and Chris Philp + a.n.other for No.

The West Hampstead Wanderers salvaged some pride in the last match of the season.

Hampstead Cricket Club kicked off its season with a home draw against Cambridge.

Tweet of the Week
For once not a cheeky dig at the eccentrics of Kilburn but something more positive about our own neighbourhood:

While protests gathered momentum in Yemen and India beat first Pakistan and then Sri Lanka to clinch the Cricket World Cup, what was happening closer to home?

The PC who tackled last summer’s knife wielding man in West Hampstead received a bravery award. Sadly, due an off-duty stabbing, he was unable to attend the ceremony.

BBC London reported on the attempts to save Charteris Sports Centre, but by the end of the week, Brent announced it would close

In better news, the West Hampstead Alzheimers care centre has been saved.

Kilburn’s Queen of the Supper Club @MsMarmitelover published her first cookbook.

Arts Council England funding was announced. The Tricycle had funding cut by 11%, while Camden Arts Centre had funding raised by 15.6%

If you’re 18-25, living in Brent and have a creative streak this trainee programme might be for you.

Between 2007 and 2010, Camden overall became less deprived, but Kilburn still has a child poverty problem.

Ninety years ago, last Monday, the magnificently named Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde was born in Hemstal Road. He’s better known as Dirk Bogarde.

Oddbins went into administration this week. There was a lot of speculation on Twitter as to what might take the place of the West End Lane branch should it close.

I went to the Cock Theatre for the first time.

On April 1st there were a couple of bits of breaking news.

The West Hampstead Wanderers couldn’t play their penultimate match of the season due to
failed floodlights.

Tweet of the Week

Obviously a lot of very major international news this week, but I was in the US all week where the media seemed concerned largely with the potential radiation fallout in the Tri-State area. And St Patrick’s Day. So what was happening closer to home?

After all the hullabaloo over Sainsbury’s opening, you turned out to be disappointed with the range on offer and the bad stock levels. Meanwhile, Costcutter by the tube station has closed for a 2-week refit.

A consultation process began for cuts to childrens’ centres, including Acol, while, the Netherwood Alzheimers centre received some heavyweight backing.

Caffé Nero confirmed it was looking to open in West Hampstead by May, and Cllr Keith Moffitt said that it would not need permission for a change-of-use to take over Atlanta Food & Wine.

A new graffiti fox popped up by Thameslink , while Mona Lisa appeared by Oddbins.

The troublesome Legacy nightclub on Finchley Road was given permission to open until midnight on Mondays but not on Sundays.

On Monday 21st, there’s a meeting about the Kilburn Festival at 7.30pm in the Kingsgate Community Centre. If you’re interested then go along.

At the Olivier Awards, La Bohème at the Cock Tavern was the surprise winner of best new opera production. 

The air ambulance was called to a car accident late Sunday afternoon on Finchley Road.

People struggled to get good photos of the supermoon, but the next day saw a classic sunset and yours truly snapped this pic.

It was another disappointing result for the Wanderers after a really strong performance.

While Charlie Sheen was “winning” and everyone gave books away (a bit like a library), what were the good folk of West Hampstead up to?

Charlotte Louis De Canonville was made Camden’s PCSO of the year for her work in transforming West Hampstead’s neighbourhood watch.

The West Hampstead safer neighbourhoods base is the most expensive in the borough.

There was high drama on Saturday night with armed police and the area around Sumatra Road/West End Lane closed to pedestrians. Still no confirmation as to the cause, but one report talks of a man on the loose with two swords.

There was good news and bad news for local services:
A West Hampstead nursery had its hopes for reprieval dashed.
The campaign to save Netherwood Alzheimers care centre got celebrity backing and even made it on to ITV’s coverage of Camden’s budget protests.
The Acol children’s centre still looks set to close despite protests.

We’ve got two years (yes, years) of roadworks on Finchley Rd to look forward to.

TfL had updated its network upgrade webpages. Here’s the Jubilee page and calendar of closures.

Karahi Master could be yours for £50,000.
Hampstead Food Mart has had a 24hr alcohol licence application refused.
Sainsbury’s on West End Lane (with its insanely bright sign) opens at 7am on Friday.

Some 139 bus love with a time-lapse video and a blog.

The West Hampstead Wanderers struggled to get off the bottom of the table with another defeat.

Final reminder for #whampreview at Gung Ho on March 23rd. Names drawn from all those who want their name in the hat at midday on Monday 7th.

And advance notice that the next #whampgather (the big local get-together held every 3-4 months) will be on April 14th. Venue to be decided.

Tweet of the Week