Entries by Mark Stonebanks

What have you missed since June 13th?

This past fortnight has been dominated by the European elephant in the room, the referendum. Overall, Camden voted 74% in favour of remain . Observers at the count put Fortune Green and West Hampstead wards slightly above this at about 75-80% each in line with our own unscientific poll. Highgate ward appeared to be most […]

Overground redevelopment starts soon… and takes how long?

The long awaited redevelopment of West Hampstead’s Overground station is poised to start in August. And to finish two years later. Not that you need reminding if you use it, but this is to cope with the exponential growth of Overground use since the line was upgraded.  In 2009/10 there were 1.3 million entries/exits from the station. By […]

Big Lunch proves a big deal

It was national Big Lunch weekend recently, and there were a number held in upper West Hampstead (aka Fortune Green): Ravenshaw Street, Gondar Gardens, Ingham Road and Achilles Road. How did they turn out? Ingham resident Susie Steiner, reported that “the great British weather wasn’t being very co-operative, especially early on, so the Ingham Road Big Lunch, […]

A really rubbish article

No, not a slipping of standards, but an article on something dear to your hearts: rubbish on West End Lane. The amount of rubbish on our busy commercial streets was an issue raised repeatedly at Neighbourhood Development Forum meeting, but fell outside its scope. And the saga of the Sainsbury’s bin, remember that?, also captured […]

What have you missed since May 30th?

It seems Ballymore and its building contractors for West Hampstead Square, O’Hare & McGovern, have parted company. Further delays to the completion are surely inevitable with industry insiders suggesting the end of 2016 – more than a year late. We asked Ballymore for a comment, but no-one returned our calls. In other West Hampstead Square […]

Film on Fortune Green: Easy right?

Watching a film is a great communal experience. Watching that film outdoors surrounded by your friends and neighbours is even better. But it doesn’t happen by accident. As well as taking on the role of editor of West Hampstead Life, I’m also involved with the Friends of Fortune Green (FoFG). This is the fifth year […]

What have you missed since… August 2015!?

The rumours are true. West Hampstead Life is back with a new editor but the same mission (and a familiar face is still involved). So, on with the news. West Hampstead resident Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was recently seized by Iranian security services on her way back to the UK after visiting relatives. She has been separated from […]

Welcome back to West Hampstead Life

What have you missed since August 2015? Obvious. The West Hampstead Life newsletter and website. Yes, it’s been nine months since Jonathan sent out the last newsletter and there has been a West Hampstead Life-sized hole ever since. I kept up a low-key correspondence with Jonathan during this time as I felt strongly that there […]