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All change on the buses

Fewer 209s and 533s plus a change in route for the 378

 

A s if managing to commute with Hammersmith Bridge being closed to traffic wasn’t bad enough, Barnes is about to be hit with a reduction in bus services.

 

Cash-strapped TfL is planning wholesale changes to bus routes across London, and Barnes like many other London areas is about to be affected.

 

It’s not all bad news – the 378 which links Mortlake to Putney Bridge Underground station is being re-routed (see map below) and now residents who live near Church Road will see the bus stopping near them. On the other hand, this service is being reduced in frequency from eight times to four times per hour.

 

However, if you live in Mortlake or the Mortlake end of Barnes and want to get to the south side of Hammersmith Bridge your journey is about to get less easy.

The 209, a bus which in pre bridge closure and pre Covid times used to run every 5 minutes in peak time, is now having its frequency reduced from four times per hour to two times per hour. 

 

As far as we can tell the 33 bus which plies its trade frequently up Castelnau is not going to be affected so users of the 209 travelling to the bridge will now have the option to take the 378 and change at the bottom of Castelnau which will allow them to complete their journey but also slow it down. 

 

Residents living in North Barnes who want to travel to and from Barnes High Street will also be badly affected.

 

What about the 533 which takes you from Barnes to Hammersmith via Chiswick Bridge? Well, more stops have been reintroduced to the route making it slower, and in a masterpiece of euphemism TfL has said its frequency has been ‘widened’ (aka reduced) from one bus every 15 minutes to one every 17 minutes in peak times. As to the off-peak frequency, the Bugle can’t find any relevant information.

 

Once Barnes commuters do cross the river, they’ll find their travel options changed both at Hammersmith - where the 72 bus is no more - and at Putney where the 14 bus route has been removed. TfL has rejigged other services to try to make up for these losses but there’s no hiding the fact that there are just going to be fewer buses on the road.

 

TfL have announced the changes will start on Saturday July 16 and although they are running a ‘community engagement’ exercise it’s hard to know whether any of the comments on the forum (see images above this article) they have initiated will be heeded.

 

The Barnes Community Association says it is dismayed by the changes and will campaign against them “We will push back on the proposed changes and will continue to campaign for a frequent and reliable bus service for our community.  We hope the new 378 route will encourage more passengers to use the service and so will make it easier to argue our case for a reverse in the reduction.”

Wet wipe mountain changes the course of the Thames by Barnes

Image: Thames 21

An island made of wet wipes one metre deep, and two tennis courts wide has changed the course of the Thames just by St Paul’s school.

All of these wet wipes have been thrown down lavatories and eventually accumulated in this spot as well as many other places along the banks of the Thames.

Wet wipes are also contributing to the scourge of ‘fatbergs’ - monstrous accumulations of fat flushed down drains melded with raw sewage. The wet wipes work as the binding medium. Yuck.

Thames Water, which clears about 75,000 blockages from its network every year, is running a ‘bin it, don’t block it’ campaign to try to make people more aware of the damage flushed wipes cause. Environmental charity Thames 21 is calling for plastic wet wipes to be banned.

Clearing fatbergs costs Thames Water at least £12 million per year and the disruption the blockages cause also has an economic impact. Removing large fatbergs can close roads for days – in 2015 workers spent four days removing a fatberg the size of a jumbo jet from a sewer in Shepherd’s Bush. And even small fatberg removal can have scary consequences for householders. Recently residents of one street in Barnes were told to cover their lavatories with cling film and keep all their sinks plugged as there was a possibility that blow-back from the clearance of a blockage in the street’s sewer pipes would send sewage jetting into their houses. 

Hammersmith Bridge closure has led to 4,000 extra vehicles a day clogging Putney streets says local MP

As the saga of Hammersmith Bridge drags on and wears us all down, the Bugle has lost the will to write a long detailed article about the latest news regarding the bridge. We are also sure Bugle readers have also lost the will to read one. 

 

However, there have been some developments this month and here’s a quick summary of what’s been going on.

 

Debate in the House of Commons

Putney MP Fleur Anderson has again brought up the issue of the bridge in the House of Commons saying "It has resulted in between 500 and 4,000 vehicles a day coming through Putney High Street. Local residents complain constantly of increased travel times for journeys by bus and car, of increased congestion and pollution and of accidents on the roads, especially involving children near the schools on the most affected roads.

 

"Recently, for Clean Air Day, I undertook readings using an ultra-fine particle counter—lent to me by Imperial College—along Putney High Street and the Lower and Upper Richmond Roads, the main diversion routes from the bridge. The readings were exceptionally high, even from inside homes along those roads. Residents have shown me the black soot that builds up in their homes, and companies tell me about the impact that the poor air quality is having on their business."

 

The MP also read out a statement from the Putney Society in which they said pollution in Putney was so bad that it has caused around 60 constituents to die prematurely each year.

 

You can see details of the debate, including an intervention by our own local MP Sarah Olney, here.

 

The Foster Cowi Bridge Within a Bridge
One of the interventions that could get traffic moving across Hammersmith Bridge sooner rather than later is the proposal from architects Foster & Partners and engineering consultants COWI for a temporary bridge within a bridge. Local campaign group Hammersmith Bridge SOS has heard that the viability of the scheme is currently being investigated by Professor Steve Denton who will report back to Hammersmith & Fulham Council in the autumn.

 

28 contracting firms have expressed interest in the bridge repair job
The magazine New Civil Engineer has revealed that 28 different firms have responded to a request from Hammersmith & Fulham Council for expressions of interest

Toll funding
As we reported in last month’s Bugle, Hammersmith & Fulham Council is looking to fund its share of the bridge repairs (potentially up to £50 million) through borrowing money that will be paid back by toll fees raised from drivers using the bridge.

At the Commons debate mentioned above, junior transport minister Trudi Harrison re-iterated that the government will release funds for the strengthening and renovation of the bridge once it has received an acceptable business case from Hammersmith & Fulham Council. It seems H&FC is about to start talking to potential lenders and the Bugle can only speculate that a business case acceptable to the government will only be possible once this process is complete. How long will this take? Now, there’s a question.  

 

The Bridge Task Force
Yet again there was no meeting of the bridge Task Force this month. If fact it has not met since November 2021.

 

Campaign group encourages Barnes residents to lobby our new local councillors
Campaign group Hammersmith Bridge SOS has met with our three newly elected local councillors to brief them on the bridge situation. They urged the councillors to ask Richmond Council to commission an independent survey into what Barnes residents wanted for the future of the bridge and to then advocate for solutions that work for residents on both sides of the river with Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
The group is urging anyone with concerns about the bridge and public transport to attend our new councillors’ regular surgeries (scroll down to see details at the end of the Bugle news section) to ensure that the councillors are aware of the strength of local feeling.

It's Barnes Fair this Saturday

When the world around us is so full of gloom it’s good to have days like Barnes Fair to look forward to.

It’s going to be a corker this year. The sun will be out and the fair will be packed with interesting stands with a mix of regular attendees and some new stallholders too. 
Food will come courtesy of The Crossing, Rick Stein, The Brown Dog, Ela & Dhani and Nuay’s Thai Bistro. There will also be a special festival area run in collaboration with & feast, The Ginger Pig and the Barnes Pantry.

Draft beer will come from Jefferson’s,  cocktails and mocktails from Dima’s Vodka and the BCA will be running its traditional Pimm’s tent.

Look out for music and performances galore at the BCA’s grandstand and, of course, all the traditional vintage rides will be back in the children’s area including the Gallopers, the Helter Skelter and Swing Boats.

The Fair is also a chance to meet up with many of our very active local groups from ‘Barnes Common' (the rebranded Friends of Barnes Common, see story below) to the team at the BCA.

One of the most exciting projects to catch up with is the Barnes Men’s Shed – if you’re interested in participating in this great new initiative do make a beeline to talk to the team behind it at the Fair.

Waterman's Arms closes

Sadly, one of our three riverside pubs The Waterman’s Arms has closed its doors. An Instagram post from its manager on June 30 said “I'm sorry to have to bear the sad news that the Waterman's Arms has poured its last pint.

I have had the pleasure of managing The Waterman's for the past 3 years surrounded by a fantastic team of staff and customers.

"In this time the pub has been through a tremendous amount. From a pandemic to offering takeaway to seemingly the whole of South West London, resulting in countless news articles spreading as far as Spain and Belgium! Court cases, Boat races, Floods! To name a few.

"It is very sad to see it go and I can say with a clear conscience that we have given it a good go."

 

The announcement was met with shock and surprise by the pub's fans who said they would miss “the best beer selection in the area” and “the best Sunday dinner.”

 

As for what will now happen to the site, Barnes Town Centre manager Emma Robinson says she understands there is lots of interest from potential new tenants but that there is no definite news about what business will replace the pub and when.

The View at Barnes Bridge - team behind exciting new bridge project reveals plans

Images: Moxon Architects

The idea of turning the unused old railway bridge that sits next to Barnes Bridge into a ‘green bridge’ has been capturing people’s imaginations since the Big Barnes Ponder in 2013. Since then a team of local people have been quietly lobbying Richmond and Hounslow Council’s as well as Network Rail. All this hard work is beginning to pay off with a feasibility study now completed and architects appointed to draw up plans. As you can see from the images above the intention is to provide step free access from both sides of the river to a beautiful new green walkway with one of the best views in London.

The project has now been branded The View at Barnes Bridge and the team behind it is about to launch a new website on the day of Barnes Fair. If you want to find out more or even get involved in the project yourself come along and meet the team at Barnes Fair this Saturday.

 

You can also follow the project on Instagram - @theviewatbarnesbridge

The Friends of Barnes Common get a rebrand

Barnes Common is perhaps our most precious local resource. It's a haven for humans (how it helped during lockdown) but also a haven for animal and plant life. For thirty years the Friends of Barnes Common have helped maintain the delicate ecological balance of the landscape - clearing litter, cutting back damaged trees and invasive non native shrubs, and, most of all, managing the very precious soil. We're lucky enough to have acid grassland which is a rare and special thing and without the Friends' management it would be in danger of being totally eroded.

 

Over the years the Friends have taken on more and more, and now the charity has

over a thousand members, and helps to conserve and manage three sites including the Leg o’ Mutton reservoir and Vine Road Park. It supports community growing and the Barnes Community Gardeners and at the moment is gearing up for a major role in local Flood Resilience and providing formal and informal outdoor learning for all.

 

The charity's achievements are hugely impressive and from a small group of volunteers it has grown to be a hugely professional organisation. As part of recognising its new role it has decided to rebrand, and its new name is simply Barnes Common.

 

Community Engagement Manager Jackie Marie says "In the last year we have taken a fresh look at our vision, and our new brand reflects our plans for our future growth, with even more scope to engage and support the community across all our projects and initiatives.  Our new name and look will better underpin our campaigns, and applications for funding to support all aspects of our goals: 
Conservation. Biodiversity. Wellbeing. Lifelong Learning – for all."
 
 The charity's website, staff email addresses and social media links remain the same, except Twitter which will now be @barnes_common.

 

Find out more here.

The food bank needs your help

Every day we are assailed with headlines about inflation and the spiralling costs of essential food.  For those living on benefits and small incomes this is a true crisis and many people are having to go without food and household essentials.

 

Our local Trussel Trust food bank at the Castelnau Community Project which is co-ordinated by Holy Trinity Church with the support of local volunteers is facing unprecedented demand and is asking the community for help. 

 

The summer holidays are a time of particular need, as parents with children who would normally be getting free school meals are having to find the money for extra food.

 

Every donation however small will make a difference and we've listed the items that would be most useful below.

 

To make a food donation simply visit the foodbank at The Castelnau Community Centre on 7 Stillingfleet Road, SW13 9HW or donate at Holy Trinity Barnes or St Mary's Barnes (see drop off times below). Why not coordinate donations via your street WhatsApp group? Several streets in Barnes are doing this with one or more residents collecting donations from their neighbours and then making one single run up to the food bank to deliver donated food.

 

Drop off times

If you would like to donate, the drop off times at the Castelnau Community Project are Monday to Thursday between 9.am and 10.30am during term time where the Community Centre Manager will accept donations. You can also drop things off at Holy Trinity Church on Castelnau on Wednesdays between 9.30am and 11am or with the Food Bank team directly at the Castelnau Centre on Fridays (even during school holidays) between 9am and 11.15am. 

 

There's also a box inside the church at St Mary's where you can drop off items when the church is open.

 

See here for more information.

WHAT THE FOOD BANK NEEDS

Biscuits/Savoury Crackers
Cereal/
Tea /Coffee
Tinned Meat Pies, Tinned Chicken Curry, Tinned Chilli, Tinned Cold Meats etc
Instant Mash Potato/Tinned Potatoes,Tinned Peas, Mixed veg & Carrots
Peanut Butter, Marmite, Mayonnaise, Jams, Honey, Nutella
UHT Milk
UHT Fruit Juice
Tinned Fruit
Long life puddings, custard, rice pudding, 
Toothpaste/Brushes
Toilet Rolls
Deodorant
Body Wash
No perishables eg fresh fruit and veg

 

Ever felt overdressed?

Picture: Alan Parry

The Bugle often cycles around Barnes Miss Marple style but we would like to make clear that we are always sensibly dressed. And we certainly weren't taking part in the naked cycle ride that whizzed through Barnes to the amazement of many spectators on June 10.

 

The ride was one of 10 across London celebrating World Naked Bike Ride Day which has its roots in eco protest movements in Canada and Spain. 

A harvest for the world

Two volunteers at Barn Elms allotments have got together with City Harvest, the food surplus charity, to make weekly donations of allotment produce, fresh food and groceries.

 

They are inviting neighbours and local people to donate their surplus food and garden produce for distribution to the charities, food banks, schools and community groups which City Harvest support, reaching some of the most deprived people in London.

 

If you are interested in helping them email us at the Bugle and we'll put you in touch.

Check out the intriguing wines at the Verdun Express

The post office and convenience store on Verdun Road is a lovely shop but it isn't necessarily the first place you would expect to find wines selected by a Master of Wine. However, think again, as on its shelves you will find some very interesting specially selected wines from Austria and India.

 

This exclusive selection has been put together by Master of Wine Andrea Hargrave who met the shop's owners by chance on holiday.

 

She runs a specialist business Character Wines which focuses on sourcing  fine wines from interesting locations and the owners at Verdun Express say that they have had amazing feedback on the wines from their customers with the Austrian wines in particular being best sellers.

Look who's booked for the Bookfest

If you thought that the line up for last year's Barnes Bookfest was stunning then wait until you see who is speaking at this year's Bookfest in September.

 

Taking place on 23 – 25 September, the weekend book festival starts on the Friday evening with veteran environmental campaigner Jonathon Porritt, followed by bestselling author Ben Macintyre.  Other well-known faces include: Theo Fennell in conversation with Richard E. Grant, Dame Eileen Atkins with Gyles Brandreth, Peter Snow and Ann MacMillan, plus Hilary and Michael Whitehall.  A special screening event includes Patricia Hodge in conversation with film and theatre critic Michael Billington.  

 

New writers and award nominees Yara Rodrigues Fowler and Natasha Brown, plus Bonnie Garmus, join the line up on Sunday, and the festival concludes with bestselling author Robert Harris discussing his new book, Act of Oblivion.

Living with Water - an inspiring new exhibition from Barnes Artists

Living in Barnes means living with water as we are surrounded by river on three sides, have the wonderful Barnes Pond at the centre and of course the beautiful Beverley Brook also runs through the village.

 

So vital, yet so difficult to capture, water has always been an inspiration for photographers and artists alike. It's a marvellous subject for a group show so the Bugle is really looking forward to the major group exhibition from the Barnes Artists group which will start at St Mary's Church on Saturday July 9.

 

Running until July 17 the show will features local artists and, photographers,  and two renowned international contemporary artists – Bruce Maclean and Zac Greening who will be showing his recent works inspired by sustainability of water.

Advertorial

Jean's big birthday

Jean Mackay, a resident at local care home, Viera Gray House, celebrated her 100th birthday in style last month, receiving an outpouring of birthday cards and wishes from the local Barnes community.

Jean has lived at the Greensleeves Care home for sixteen years, first moving to the home from the local area in 2006. Throughout her time at the home, Jean has formed close friendships with her fellow residents as well as team members, several of whom have been there since the beginning. 

Home Manager, Eleanor Watson-West, reached out to the local community via Facebook ahead of the big day to share the news and to let people know they were welcome to send birthday cards to mark the occasion and the response was huge.

 

Jean received cards from people all over the local area, including local businesses and schools as well as cards from residents across other Greensleeves Care homes. Of course, Jean also received her card from Her Majesty the Queen, made extra special due to it being the year of the Platinum Jubilee.

She was thoroughly spoiled by the team at Viera Gray House, who gifted her a vintage 1950s dress similar to those Jean remembers wearing to dances as a young woman. 

Jean spent the day celebrating with her family, friends, fellow residents and staff, and with a special performance from Graham, a local music therapist and friend to the home. Jean was also presented with a birthday crown and a special personalised cake made by the home’s catering team.
 

Advertorial

 FiSH is looking for volunteers

Do you live in Barnes, Mortlake, East Sheen or the immediate area? Do you have an hour or two to spare during the week? If so then FiSH could really do with your help. They are in particular need of car drivers and shoppers but bakers, gardeners, handypersons, bus escorts, bus drivers and friendly people to help meet and greet at various activities are also needed.

 

During the last two years of the pandemic, in FiSH's greatest time of need, the local community rose magnificently to the challenge with many new volunteers joining their team to do a truly amazing job. However, some have now returned to work, are enjoying well deserved holidays, have retired or moved away from the area hence the urgent need for more volunteers.

 

They say "If you are interested in helping people and would like to do something really rewarding, please consider volunteering for FiSH. If you are coming to Barnes Fair do drop by the FiSH stall outside the Barnes Green Centre. You can meet the team and pick up an application form. You can also apply online at our website www.fishhelp.org.uk or call Linda on 020 8876 3336 for further details."

St Mary's Bike sale will be held in September

T he date of the annual bike sale at St Mary's has moved to September 17th rather than coinciding, as it has previously, with the Barnes Fair in July. The team behind the sale will be taking in donated bikes in August so look out for more information on this in next month's Bugle.

 

Also it's worth knowing that there is lots going on at St Mary's on the day of Barnes Fair including a chance to climb the bell tower to get the best view in Barnes, as well as a Pimm's tent, cake stall, children's activities and music from a jazz quartet.

Councillor surgery dates

Our new local Liberal Democrat councillors, Marjorie Millum, Andy Hale and Fiona Sacks are now holding regular joint monthly surgeries in Barnes. The next two surgeries to be held are:

 

25th July at the Castelnau Centre 6-7pm

14th September at BCA Rose House 6-7pm

 

They are inviting anyone to come along and share their concerns about local issues at these surgery events.

Make a donation to celebrate the life of Dame Deborah James

Very sadly, as we all know, the brilliant Dame Deborah James died last month, leaving Barnes bereft of her effervescence and rebellious hope. Before she died she had already raised over £6 million for her Bowelbabe fund which is supporting research into new treatments for bowel cancer and her death prompted a new wave of donations. Even if you have donated already you can still make a small donation in her memory and potentially make a big difference to people who receive the same diagnosis as Deborah. As she said in one of her last instagram posts "All I ask is that next time you pop for a coffee or grab a drink with a friend, please consider donating the cost of one extra for me. "

Click here to donate

Try a holiday beauty makeover

Holiday season is here and although holidays themselves are lovely opportunities to unwind, getting ready for them always seems stressful. We know there are some people who serenely plan their holiday wardrobes weeks in advance, then pack a capsule edit immaculately. On the other hand, there are the rest of us who throw things together at the last minute and realise only by the time they get to the airport that their holiday toiletry set is missing something essential.

 

However, holidays are a fantastic time to reset your beauty routine and a bit of forward planning can pay dividends, not least in saving you from the panicky dither in duty free or the Heathrow branch of Boots.

 

White Hart Lane natural beauty specialist shop Onolla has been doing some thinking ahead (so you don't have to) and has launched a collection of holiday minis. Just pop along talk to them about what you need on holiday and they'll recommend a mini product selection just for you. 

New Indian restaurant Postbox arrives in  Castelnau

Next week sees the soft opening of a brand new Indian restaurant in the parade of shops at the top of Castelnau. Postbox is a first venture for Leo Noronha who has had over 20 years experience in the hospitality business most recently working as Support Operations Manager for the hugely acclaimed Indian restaurant chain Hoppers.

 

Originally from Mumbai, Leo is passionate about authentic Indian food and he'll be joined in his new venture by his cousin Lorenzo who will be in charge of the kitchen.

 

The name is inspired by the practice across India of sending recipes to family members by postcard. This was particularly common post independence when many family members emigrated abroad and were requesting recipes from their relatives.

 

The food at Postbox will encompass the styles of many different regions of India from Goa and Kerala in the south to Delhi and the Himalayas in the north. There'll be no fusion twists says Leo, just total authenticity. 

 

To celebrate the opening week from July 12 to July 17 all the dishes on the menu will be half price. However to avail yourself of this offer you will need to follow the restaurant's instagram page and DM Postbox on Instagram to make your booking.

 

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