Lots of news this week, so we’ll crack on with it.

We seem to be experiencing a mini crime wave in the area, with burglaries and robberies up, as well as some more violent assaults. A woman who is six months pregnant was attacked with a knife near Kilburn tube on Monday. She fended off the attackers without suffering serious injury to her or her unborn baby.

A 16 year-old boy was stabbed by the O2 centre on Saturday, causing chaos as Finchley Road had to be closed for a couple of hours. The victim is said to be stable in hospital; police are appealing for witnesses.

Four people were arrested after another stabbing in Kilburn on Wednesday.

A prolific burglar out on licence was caught red-handed by local vicar Father Andrew Cain and his clergy with his hand in the church safe. Meanwhile, houses in Lymington Road and Sherriff Road were targeted by burglars.

Kilburn High Road’s dedicated Safer Neighbourhood Team will now share a seargeant with Camden’s Kilburn ward SNT.

At the Crediton Hill Residents Association, actor Greg Wise expressed his fears over “stilletos on the wicket”, as locals debated the plans for South Hampstead School to move onto the cricket club grounds (which it owns) for two years. Other residents were more concerned with parking, traffic and noise.

Camden’s large-scale plans to redevelop the Abbey area estates will have to go to City Hall having been deemed non-compliant.

The man who was told to stop using his flat as a workshop, is now to be evicted.

Diane West is West Hampstead Community Centre’s new manager. The centre in Dornfell Street will host an art gallery day on the last Monday of every month, starting today.

Concern is being expressed at Vince Powers’ application for a Feis festival village in Kilburn Grange Park for the duration of the Olympics, with a 2am licence on Fridays and Saturdays.

Meanwhile, the Tricycle Theatre will host the Trinidad & Tobago Olympic delegation.

Edinburgh Woollen Mill bought out Peacocks, but the Finchley Road branch will be closed. Specsavers has opened next door though.

47 Fairfax Road (currently trading as Hampstead Gallery Antiques) has been refused planning permission to become a takeaway, on the basis that it would result in an increase in late night activity, noise and disturbance.

Remember the story of the café refused planning permission due to an autistic child? The owners are appealing. They’ve restricted the new plan to just a café with no deli and have lots of supporting information to try and show no noise impact.

West Hampstead men’s hockey team continues its rich vein of form.

There have been endless complaints about Virgin Media broadband’s erratic performance in the area. One customer was told by the company that NW6 will have intermittent problems til mid March.

A new choir is seeking singers of all abilities. Tweet @StMark_HT for information.

Coming up
Musician and journalist Charles Shaar Murray performs tonight at Brioche from 7.30pm.
The next Neighbourhood Development Plan meeting is on the 28th at the Community Centre Dornfell St 7.30pm.
On March 3rd, the Priory Tavern hosts a Welsh night!

Tweet of the Week
After another bad week on the tubes: