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Here we go again, there's another consultation about plans for the old brewery site

It's now eight years since beer was last brewed at the vast brewery site in Mortlake and since then progress on developing the site for residential and other use has been glacial.

 

The community has been consulted many times about the proposals, and now, don't hold your breath, we're being consulted again.

 

As we've reported over the past eight years there's been a great deal of wrangling about what form the development should take and although plans have been approved by Richmond Council they've been turned down by the Mayor of London on account of the small level of affordable housing in the mix and the incongruous height of some of the blocks of apartments that have been proposed.

 

The latest glitch in the planning process has been the need to add more fire safety measures in the light of post Grenfell legislation made by the Government.

 

Throughout all the to-ing and fro-ing over the site the campaign group set up to represent the views of local residents has been resolute in pointing out issues with the proposals - not least the impact over 1,000 new homes will have on local transport and other infrastructure.

 

They are hoping that engagement levels with this next round of consultation will be as high as they have been for previous ones. It's easy to be ground down by the relentlessness of the process but the group says that the impact of the site's redevelopment on every resident of Barnes and Mortlake is going to be considerable and it's important that the council and the developers are aware that their decisions are being scrutinised and where necessary opposed.

 

You can find details of how to see the latest plans and how to make your voice heard here in a link to an email from the Mortlake Brewery Community Group to its supporters by clicking on the button below.

Click for more information

At last, some good news on crime

Policing in Barnes is getting a boost with the arrival of a new dedicated police constable in the Barnes Ward and a new sergeant for the Barnes and Barnes Common and Mortlake wards. This is a significant increase in resources and will hopefully speed up both response and detection times for crimes in Barnes.  

 

Crime has been a hot topic locally this year. In January there was a spate of very visible break-ins to our high street shops and in May a video showing a local schoolboy being mugged was widely circulated. These events together with other robberies and muggings caused huge concern and the turnout at the local police liaison meeting in May was unprecedented with people being turned away from a packed venue.

 

Now it is clear that Richmond police have been listening to local concerns and responding to the rise in crime by bolstering our local police team.

 

In other positive news the police have been taking action in response to concerns raised at the May liaison meeting about anti-social behaviour and drug-related activity in the area. Last month our local Barnes PCSO Matthew Morbey emailed concerned residents to let them know that a person who is well known amongst local residents for begging and causing anti-social behaviour on Barnes High Street has been issued with a Community Protection Warning Notice and has been banned from the Barnes area for the next 12 months. The warning precludes him from being present in the SW13 and SW14 postcode areas, prevents him from begging or sitting outside any store or shop, instructs him not to cause alarm, harassment or distress to other residents and not to be in possession of any drug paraphernalia.

 

If you have any concerns about local crime you can meet our local police team at the next Barnes Police Liaison Group Meeting which will be held at 7pm on Monday December 11 at Jenner Place Hall, Boileau Road, SW13 9DB.

 

It's also very much worth knowing how to correctly report crimes. When crimes go unreported the police have very little leverage in turns of requesting funding for additional officers, so although individual crimes may or may not be solved every crime report contributes to the argument to increase police resources in our area.

 

We've provided a link below explaining who to contact and how for different levels of crime. The document also includes contact details for local social housing landlords for people wishing to report tenants for anti-social behaviour.

 

Click here for useful information about how to report crime in Barnes

'Tis the season

There's a chill in the air and some lovely Christmas trees outside our shops courtesy of the BCA. There's even been a hint of snow and, yikes, there are only 20 shopping days until Christmas. For the Bugle though Christmas doesn't really begin until the start of the BCA Christmas Festival.

 

We've already had the fabulous Barnes Turkey run, and tonight businesses in White Hart Lane will be open late offering you the chance to do some early Christmas shopping and raising funds for charities selling food and mulled wine. There's also a great raffle with some brilliant prizes to take part in.

 

On Friday it's Barnes High Street's turn. From 4-8pm, you can expect funfair rides and side-stalls (including candy floss!) for children on Barnes Green, together with a selection of festive BCA stalls along the path from Station Road to Côte. Local bands, choirs and bell-ringers will also be dotted around the village, Currie Motors Twickenham will have a festive vehicle on the Green and many local retailers will be laying on treats for late-night shoppers. Santa (thanks to Barnes Community Players) will be circulating Barnes in a ‘sleigh’ generously loaned by West London Suzuki, before arriving for his residency at Rose House in the magical BCA Santa’s Grotto - staged for the BCA again this year by award-winning local interior designers Ng Feathers.

 

Rose House will be busy with music and there will be festive face-painting and Christmas refreshments for all. Advance discounted tickets for the Grotto for BCA Member children can be purchased on the BCA website in advance and will also be available to buy on the night. 

 

Côte will have an outside bar serving festive drinks and the OSO will be operating their outside BBQ (weather permitting) and have their own Christmas Fair taking place inside.

 

Aside from the Christmas Festival there are some other great Christmas events to look forward to:

Additionally, churches across Barnes will have their usual array of special Christmas services and you can see their calendar of events by clicking here.

Magical Christmas scene

is an extra gift for Barnes

 

Sometimes news reaches us that is so heartwarming that even our inner Mr Scrooge has to crack a smile. One such story is the arrival on Atherton Road of a beautiful Christmas scene outside a private house.

 

In Victorian times scenes like this were called dioramas and this one is full of Victorian charm. It's there just to make passing children stop and smile in wonder but its makers also hope that charmed parents will donate to FiSH to say thank you for the effort put into to build it.

 

Olivia Eden volunteers for FiSH three times a week, at dementia classes, helping with their Coffee Corner and also assisting with food delivery. She knows what a difference the charity makes to so many people's lives and so when she was thinking about how to help them at Christmas the idea of this special display came to mind.

 

She and her husband constructed the perspex fronted box and filled it with animated Christmas models. There are skaters gliding around a rink and houses that light up with sparkle effects. It is ridiculously charming. 

 

Do wander along to Atherton Road (just off Ferry Road) and take some little ones in tow. Oh and don't forget to put a little something in the Fish donation box too.

Verdun Road residents prepare to battle again as threat of phone mast returns

Images clockwise from left: Similar mast pictured, thwarted mast delivery in 2019, residents blocking the street in 2019

The last time that a telecoms installation company working for network provider 02 tried to install a huge phone mast on Verdun Road battle ensued. Well, when we say battle what we mean is a very British stand-off in which residents staged a sit-in and also blocked the road with their cars until the phone mast installers eventually gave up and left with their tails between their legs. That was back in February 2019 but it seems the telecoms company has been biding its time and is once more hoping to install a 20 metre high 5G mast to replace the existing smaller mast it already has in place. The new mast if installed will be placed next to the sports ground entrance to the Harrodian School.

 

Local residents got wind that a new attempt to instal the 20m mast might be in the offing when they saw the site of an existing mast in the location being surveyed in November.

With the help of the BCA they were able to discover that a ‘pre-planning consultation document’ had been submitted to Richmond Council confirming their suspicions.

 

Local councillors and the BCA are now working with Verdun Road residents to try to get more information and ultimately prevent the new mast being installed. 

It’s no easy task as replacement masts are in theory allowed to be installed under permitted development rules. However, residents say that if Richmond council is unable to object to the mast, they will repeat their actions of 2019 and block the road to anyone attempting to install a new mast.

 

Some object to the mast on the grounds of it being an incongruous eyesore and an obstruction and others are concerned that the 5G mast constitutes a health risk and are worried about its proximity to four local schools (The Harrodian, The Swedish School, Lowther School and St Paul’s). 

 

Health issues aside (it's a controversial topic to say the least!), residents are concerned both by the visual impact of the huge mast but also by the potential obstruction on the pavement caused by the ancillary support boxes for the mast.

 

A spokesperson for local residents said “We are appalled by the lack of transparency by the mobile companies. The fact that residents haven’t been consulted is very worrying. Last time this happened we were completely in the dark right up to the moment a mast turned up on the back of a lorry but quick thinking by people living nearby luckily prevented the installation.

 

“This new mast and its auxiliary boxes will be right next to the entrance to a school. It’s on a busy road and in the heart of a tightly packed residential community. We strongly object and we won’t hesitate to repeat the preventative actions we undertook in 2019.”

Brightening up the Castelnau parade

 

Richmond Council's High Street team has been working with local Councillors and our own Town Centre manager on plans to improve and street scene around the parade of shops at the north end of Castelnau. The aim is to support local businesses and to make the experience of shopping in north Castelnau more pleasant.

 

Proposals include a new focal point for the area in form of a community space at the bottom of Merthyr Terrace, new bike racks, seating and planting.  You can see the plans and comment on them here. 

Elm Bank Gardens, SW13                                          £2,500,000

Someone to watch...

Next time you cross Hammersmith Bridge in the wind and rain spare a thought for the watchmen/marshalls who are employed to keep order on the walkways.

 

They are out in all weathers and if they do try to prevent cyclists and scooter users from riding along the pedestrian walkways often all they get for their trouble is a tirade of abuse.

 

They also have to deal with more serious issues. Last month in the early hours of the morning a group of young men who were slightly the worse for wear from drink tried to climb over the bridge's scaffolding. They rained abuse on the marshall trying to stop them. The police had to be called and the situation was diffused but the bridge marshalls are the first people to bear the brunt of bad behaviour.

 

Even more upsetting is that they are often the first people on hand when sadly people try to take their own lives by jumping from the bridge.

 

There seems to have been an increase in people tragically attempting suicide from the bridge and one marshall is even reported to have got into the river via the river bank to pull out someone who had jumped.

 

We understand that all the marshals are now receiving suicide prevention training.

Olney's call for rickshaws across Hammersmith Bridge

In last month's King's Speech announcing the legislation to be considered over the next term of Parliament, new laws to regulate the use of rickshaws were announced.

 

The legislation has been proposed to curb the actions of tourist-trap rickshaw drivers in central London some of whom have been reported to have been less than transparent about the amount they charge for rickshaw rides, catching many unsuspecting visitors to the capital off guard.

 

However the legislation could also pave the way for a commercial rickshaw service across the bridge once the central span is open for bicycle use once more (don't ask us when that might be, the last date we heard was spring 2024, but there's no guarantee of that).

 

Local MP Sarah Olney lost no time in following up the announcement of the legislation with a request to meet transport minister Trudy Copeland to discuss a pilot scheme for a licensed pedicab service.

 

She says "The potential usage of rickshaws could be a real game changer for those who wish to cross the river, but are unable to walk to do so."

 

One love

our two local Anglican churches have issued a joint statement very much welcoming a Church of England change in policy which now allows same-sex couples to celebrate their love with a special service in church.

 

Both the Rev'd James Hutchings of St Mary's and the Rev'd Stephen Stavrou of St Michael and All Angels are looking forward to holding these special services as soon as they are officially approved and following endorsement from their respective parish church councils.

 

They expect this to take place in the next few months and are inviting any couples who wish to hold a service to get in touch with them. 

Local businesses in the news...

Two hospitality businesses with Barnes connections have been generating column inches lately.

 

Firstly the relaunch of the Brown Dog was marked by an article in the Evening Standard. The pub has had quite the spruce up thanks to investment from some serious backers including George Glasgow Jnr, the CEO of upmarket shoe brand George Cleverley, and private equity partner Sam Tidswell Norrish. A slew of other high profile investors are involved including Formula 1 racing veteran David Coulthard.  Many of those backing the pub are Barnes locals and they want the Brown Dog to be community focused with link ups with local groups such as the Barnes Mums Collective. On the food and drink side there's a new wine list an outdoor pizza oven with a dedicated pizza chef and a major focus on Sunday roasts.

 

Meanwhile, Barnes-based Michelin-starred chef Phil Howard's latest venture, a small chain of pasta bars (there's one in Piccadilly and one in Covent Garden) called NOTTO have been given top marks by The Times's restaurant critic Giles Coren.

 

He called the menu dazzling and praised the £17.50 set lunch both for its price and quality, and gave the restaurant a score of 100 (he usually only scores up to ten) for cooking, service and value. Now that's what we call a rave review.

What's the best road in Barnes?

Who hasn't daydreamed about which road in Barnes they might move to should the Euromillions jackpot suddenly land in their lap (at odds of 139 million to 1, it's bound to happen to any one of us at any moment)? 

 

If you are a connoisseur of local estate agents' listings you know that there are only a handful of streets that are given the honour of being named as 'one of Barnes' premier roads'.  Of course there's Castelnau and Lonsdale Road to the north and Vine and Scarth Roads to the south. Laurel Road and Ranelagh Avenue are right up there too. However, when the Daily Telegraph asked a group of estate agents to identify Britain's 50 best streets to live on none of our 'premier roads' made the cut. The honour instead went to Elm Grove Road (inexplicably renamed Elm Grove in the Telegraph). The blurb, which you can read here called the street “an idyllic family haven”, saying that the residents are "a tight-knit bunch with street parties and a lively WhatsApp group."

All together now

St  Osmund's School and the FiSH Neighbourhood Care daycare centre are just metres away from each other but each serve very different age groups. The gulf between the two could be huge, but what happens when you try to bridge that gulf?

 

That was the idea behind Common Ground, a project in which eight pupils from St Osmund's worked collaboratively with nine FiSH members to play games, share stories and sing songs over the course of four workshops. The final result was a wonderfully uplifting performance held at the FiSH day centre last week.

 

The children loved the project and so did the FiSH members. The magic of the event was summed up by one of the older participants Wendy Job who said "Whilst waiting for events to begin, I was pondering upon what on earth could we old duffers, children of the Steam Age, have in common with youngsters of today, born into this Supersonic Age. I should have had more confidence in the Common Ground organiser Jessica Morriss, however, as she had  a clever plan to draw out those memories which would prove her theory.

"I think the youngsters were surprised when hearing of our childhood experiences, falling out of wheelbarrows and falling from horses etc., were similar to their own. My realisation came when the youngsters were dancing to the old Elvis song, Blue Suede Shoes, and we senior types, who are past the age of jiving, were clapping along to the rhythm. (The Spirit is strong but the body is weak) as the saying goes!".

For the love of Bernie

At the Bugle we think you've made your mark in Barnes when everybody knows you by your first name. There's Angus at the Red Lion, Roger at Olympic Records, Malcolm at Two Peas in a Pod and of course Bernie at the Barnes Pantry.

 

Everyone loves Bernie, whose friendly smile makes shopping a pleasure and it seems nobody loves Bernie more than Ozzie, a seventeen-year-old Battersea rescue dog.

 

Last week the Bugle came across Ozzie's owner Mel Nicholls trying to encourage his besotted elderly dog to walk away from the entrance of The Barnes Pantry.

 

Ozzie was looking for Bernie but he was nowhere to be seen. Eventually Bernie had to be called from the  stockroom to solve the impasse and to favour Ozzie with a few dog treats. Mel says he's sure that his dog loves Bernie for Bernie's sake but the dog treats help too!

Making a turn for the worse a turn for the better....

Picture: BCA

Since Hammersmith Bridge closed in 2019 the residents of some formerly quiet residential streets in north Barnes have got used to looking out of their windows to see buses driving past.

 

It's been the cause of much local disquiet and for quite some time the Barnes Community Association has been working with local Councillors, TfL and council officers to find a permanent solution to the bus diversions.

 

Howsman, Lonsdale, Kilmington and Verdun Roads are subjected to hundreds of empty buses using the roads as an end of route bus terminus for the 33, 209 and 485 services. Following a council-led site visit with TfL and Bus Operators back in October, TfL has now agreed to look at the current arrangements as to offer a sustainable long term plan, and are currently looking into alternative solutions.

Music to our ears

We all know that to live in Barnes is to be spoilt. It’s beautiful and it’s busy too. It’s definitely not a place where nothing ever happens, and often when we compile the Bugle’s listings we realise that we’re not just spoilt but also spoilt for choice. When there are so many wonderful things to do it’s easy to take them for granted rather than stop and think that on any given night you can choose from cabaret and theatre, thanks to the OSO, or jazz and singer songwriters, thanks to the Bull’s Head, or epic cinema, thanks to the Olympic.
 
Listening to talented musicians in an intimate venue is a rare privilege and if you’ve never been to one of the Barnes Music Society’s concerts you’ve been missing out on something very special indeed. Since the Society’s founding in 1950 performers as stellar as Jacqueline Du Pre, John Williams and Paco Pena have played concerts in Barnes.
 
These days there are eight concerts each year to look forward to, all featuring up-and-coming professional musicians as well as local well-known musicians.  Most concerts are held at St Mary’s Church with its beautiful acoustics and wonderful Steinway piano.
 
The music is always accessible and not just aimed at serious classical music aficionados . You can either pay for tickets as a one-off or join the society for just £60 per year (£50 if you sign up by standing order) – an extraordinarily good value deal when you realise that gives you access to all nine of the concerts on the Society’s programme.
 
Society Chair Charles Law says every concert has something to offer but that some are absolutely “spine-tingling”. He recalls a performance by Ukrainian artists three weeks after Russia’s invasion in 2022 where the concert’s impromptu climax was a performance of a Ukrainian composition was both poignant and sublime. When the Bugle asked ‘Why should someone new to the society come along for the first time?” Charles said “Many of our solo and ensemble performers are post-graduate or still-studying musicians who are early in their professional careers and the concerts are a virtuoso display of talent and promise.
 
“The performers at our concerts are future stars in the making and the programmes are always intriguing too. As we work with small ensembles, we tend not to feature symphonic music but smaller gems by well-known composers as well as the odd rare find which helps to expand our audience’s knowledge of classical music. We think the quality of our concerts compares well with venues such as the Cadogan or Wigmore Halls, and it’s all on our own doorsteps.”
 
For an example of the sort of music you can enjoy do listen here to a recent performance by the award-winning Kleio Quartet who graced the stage at the Music Society’s October concert.

Stop flooding start shovelling!

If you're fed up with flooding on Rocks Lane and Station Road there's one very simple thing you can do to help prevent it - pick up a shovel.

 

The team at Barnes Common are looking for volunteers willing to roll up their sleeves and help move gravel into new drainage ditches that direct rainwater off the road and into the Common. 

 

It's a win-win initiative, by helping drain water off the road they are increasing the amount of water on the the Common and improving its chances during drought conditions in the future.

 

Work has already begun on the project. In August with the help of local school children the Barnes Common team started to fill trenches will gravel to help new draining ditches last and to make things safer for walkers enjoying the Common. Now they need help to finish the job. They are starting next Tuesday and if you are free to help on December 12,13 or 14 they'd love to hear from you.

 

Find out more here.

Barnes Charity Ball

On Friday  February 2, the Barnes Charity Ball will once again bring glitz, glamour, and sophistication to the heart of Barnes.

 

The annual ball, which is held at St Mary's, this year has a theme of Midnight in Paris. The organisers promise that you will be transported to the City of Light, as you sip champagne, feast on a three-course meal, and be wowed by incredible entertainers before dancing the night away.

 

It's not only a great party, but the night also raises critical funds for various charities with an auction hosted by Vassos Alexander and a very special raffle. So bring your best sparkle and joie de vivre for this special evening which is always a highlight in the Barnes calendar.

 

Price: £1500 per table/£160 per person (discount of £150/pp if booked before 10th-Dec)

 

More information here.

Plus ça change plus c’ést la même chose 

W hen local Councillor Marjory Millum came across this 1937 booklet detailing byelaws in Barnes she was immediately struck how little things have changed.

 

A good local councillor takes residents’ concerns very seriously and Marjory is used to dealing with all sorts of issues that worry people across Barnes. Byelaws are a reflection of what we all feel are acceptable forms of behaviour and some from the 1937 booklet are still enforceable by Richmond Council who can pursue cases via the Magistrates Courts.

 

Back in 1937 it seems people were being just as annoying as they are today - there were 'touters' - today's equivalent of annoying door-to-door salesmen. 'Indecent language and gestures in public' were and still are prohibited. Poor pavement etiquette was covered by the 'Wilful Jostling' byelaw and littering was as much of a problem back in 1937 as it is now. Noisy fireworks and pets caused problems although today we've not heard much about problems caused by stink bombs.

 

However, some forms of anti-social behaviour have gone out of fashion. We've not heard of anyone transgressing the Organ byelaw which prohibits the playing of steam organs near to any street or public place to the annoyance of residents. Similarly, the Carrying of soot or the Driving of bulls through the street byelaws don't seem to have been broken lately.

 

And while we've not come across any incidences of skinny dipping in Barnes Pond it's a relief to know that anyone doing so would be contravening the Indecent Bathing byelaw.

 

The Bugle's  favourite bylaw is no22 in the book and relates to orange peel and banana skins.

 

Orange Peel, etc. No person shall in any street or public place throw or leave any orange peel, banana skin or other dangerous substance on any footway.

 

Quite right too, we say.

Could you be the Barnes Young Musician of the Year in 2024?

Applications are now open until February 2024 for students Grade 6 and above; up to age 18 whom either live, attend school, or take instrumental lessons in SW13 or SW14.

 

The adjudicator will be Nicholas Daniel OBE, world class oboist, conductor, teacher. His Orion orchestra was founded to provide young musicians the opportunities to bridge the gap between music college and their professional careers. 

 

We are also offering, to all young musicians interested, a series of masterclasses in strings, woodwind, brass, keyboard and organ. They will be led by outstanding musicians who will offer their valuable insights.  

 

For more details and to fill the application forms go to the Barnes Music Festival website.
 

What's new on our shopping streets?

It's a case of hello and goodbye on our shopping streets this month, or in one case 'hello again'. We've said goodbye to the Maze Gallery on Church Road and our local Starbucks but there are two new businesses open. At the bottom of Castelnau you will find the brand new Barnes Village Spa offering a whole range of different massages, and over on White Hart Lane natural beauty product specialist Onolla has popped up again just in time for Christmas.

 

There are some new businesses in the offing as well - a pilates studio on Church Road and two cafés on Barnes High Street (in case anyone is getting caffeine withdrawal symptoms after the closure of Starbucks) but as yet we've got no information about opening dates.

Could you pass on your skills to the young entrepreneurs of the future?

A leading national charity (Young Enterprise) is looking for business mentors willing to volunteer with its annual Company Programmes which enables students to develop and run their own companies.

 

The Company Programme allows students aged 15 to 19 to establish their own companies, take on Director roles, and use their creativity in designing, marketing, and selling their own products or services. Registered as a branch of Young Enterprise and insured for public sales, these student-run companies can sell shares to raise capital and are equipped with a business current account.
 
The students will gain valuable experience by selling their products and services at markets across London. Any profits generated by the student companies are entirely theirs to keep!
 
Throughout the spring, these companies compete at Borough and Area levels, with the potential to progress to the London, UK, and European finals during the summer.

 

Volunteers will take part in 12-18 meetings with pupils held during term time and the charity provides full training and a DBS check. 

 

If you think you might be interested in helping you can find out more on the charity's website.

About the Bugle

The Barnes Village Bugle is an independent publication. People often think it's produced by the Barnes Community Association, but no, they have their own excellent email Prospect Plus. 

At the Bugle we endeavour to simply report what's going on in Barnes in as comprehensive and entertaining a way as possible. We have no agenda apart from spreading the word about the huge number of genuinely interesting things happening in and around Barnes and sharing information about local campaigns and news events.

If you have a story you would like to see featured in the Bugle do email us by clicking here.

We can't guarantee that we'll run it, but if we think it's going to be interesting to our readers then we'll publish your information.

If on the other hand you want to publicise a commercial venture then it's easy to advertise with us. Our mailing list has nearly 5,000 subscribers so you'll reach lots of people in Barnes very inexpensively.

The Bugle is a labour of love, not a profit-making venture. We pay to send it out and our mailing costs are covered by the fantastic support we get from Winkworth and our other advertisers. We'd love to get more advertising as that would at least go some way into covering the costs of our time, so if you advertise with us you'll not only be reaching a large audience you'll be keeping a local resource going.

At the Bugle we endeavour to check information for accuracy to the best of our abilities. However we are reliant on information provided to us by third parties. On occasion, dates and times of events may be subject to change and we would urge Bugle readers wishing to attend events, or use a service mentioned to verify information in advance. Where possible we provide links to websites to allow readers to double check the most recent information available, as details can be subject to change.

 

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