Tesco is coming to West Hampstead

A Tesco convenience store is to open in West Hampstead. The pine shop Woods and Woods on West End Lane is currently holding a closing down sale. According to the Ham & High, the owner received an offer he couldn't refuse from Tesco - which plans to open a convenience store on the premises in the summer.

An actor's life in West Hampstead

The actor David Harewood reminisces in the Sunday Times about when he lived on Ravenshaw Street:

"It was a little hideaway. Down the road was a garden with flowers that smelt beautiful growing over the wall; there was a school with kids playing and a railway ran round the back...   If ever there was a time I could rewind to, it would be then in West Hampstead. It’s where my horizons got broadened and where I grew up as an individual."

More candidates for the Fortune Green by-election

Tulip Siddiq has been chosen as the Labour Party candidate for the Fortune Green council by-election.  She tells Northwest 6:

"I am 25 years old and I live on Finchley Road. My main concern is that the current council have stopped listening to the residents in Fortune Green and in Camden as a whole. I'm going to work hard to make sure this changes."

She has a campaign website at tulipsiddiq.com.

The Greens' candidate has been named as Tim Wilmott, who lives in the ward.

Candidates for the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives were announced previously.

Finchley Road bus lane

If you are a cyclist or motorcyclist, you will be aware that for about two years motorcyclists have been entitled to use the bus lane on the stretch of Finchley Road which passes West Hampstead. This has been part of a trial involving three routes in London to test the merits of allowing motorcycle use of bus lanes more widely.

The scheme has been controversial, with cyclists in particular complaining about having to share bus lanes with motorcycles.  Transport for London's evaluation of the trial has been much delayed as the Mayor's office considers how to navigate these tricky political waters.

Now the Daily Telegraph has obtained a leaked early draft of the report.  It suggests that allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes produces tangible improvements in safety not just for motorcyclists but for cyclists and pedestrians too. 

Transport for London calls motorcycles "powered two-wheelers" or P2ws.  The Telegraph says:

"According to the report's executive summary, there was a net reduction in collisions involving P2Ws and pedestrians (46 per cent) or cyclists (44 per cent), plus a 45 per cent reduction in P2W casualties.

The evidence is especially clear after traffic migration is taken into account. The report shows that large numbers of motorcyclists changed their routes into London to take advantage of the trial bus lanes, with P2W traffic increasing on the experimental routes by between 25 and 40 per cent and falling by similar amounts on parallel roads that were monitored."

Transport for London tells the Telegraph publication of the evaluation of the scheme has been delayed because of "methodological issues".

Mill Lane traffic management

Businesses in Mill Lane are expressing concerns about proposals intended to improve pedestrian safety.

Two primary schools (Beckford and Emmanuel) are on or close to Mill Lane, so a lot of children walk along it to get to school.  Camden Council has been seeking the views of the public on its plans to calm traffic along the road through measures such as additional zebra crossings, and lower speed limits on the roads around Beckford school.

Businesses on Mill Lane have told the Ham & High that the scheme is a costly mistake and that Camden should be spending the money on measures to improve the flow of traffic.  Yiannis Pareas of the Mill Lane Traders Association questioned the validity of the council's consultation:

"They should be coming out here and talking to us, as we are all very keen to talk about Mill Lane and the pockets of streets in the area.  We have been crying out for loading bays outside some of the businesses, like Brandon Tool Hire. Vans have to stop on the road and then block buses and traffic.

"And so many people are complaining about the traffic lights installed on the junction with West End Lane. They only let three or four cars through at a time, then cars are queuing up and send pollution right into the school."

Part of this appears to be how to manage the tension between the needs of shops on Mill Lane - who need loading and parking facilities if their businesses are to thrive - and pedestrians, particularly schoolchildren, who need safe streets.

However, the views of the traders receive some endorsement from the local lobby group West Hampstead Amenity and Transport - whose Virginia Berridge tells the Ham & High that she also suspects the consultation was inadequate:

"It was a tick-box exercise and bosses haven't given enough attention to the comments people gave.  We understand traders would like more loading bays on Mill Lane. But we are also concerned for pedestrians and about the tail-backs from the unwanted traffic lights at the junction with West End Lane.  A study into pollution levels affecting the school was carried out and we have been asking for the results, but so far they have not been made available."

It's not clear to what extent other shops in Mill Lane share these concerns.  You will recall back in November that the manager of Bake a Boo was describing the area as a great place to do business.

Two candidates named for Fortune Green by-election

The Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives have confirmed their candidates for the Fortune Green by-election - to be held on 21 February.  Both have picked people who live in the ward and who have been active in the community for some time.

The Liberal Democrats - defending the seat - have chosen Nancy Jirira who is a health visitor and a governor at St Mary's primary school (presumably the state school in Kilburn and not the fee-paying school with the same name in Hampstead).

The Conservatives are fielding Heather Downham, an actress, who stood for the party in Fortune Green in the 2006  council election and who is also a school governor, at Beckford primary school in Dornfell Street.

There is no word yet on who Labour are putting up or whether there will be other candidates.

The by-election is generating interest beyond West Hampstead. You can find blog commentary on the campaign here and here. There's even been coverage in Zimbabwe.

New blog in town

A new blog, called quite simply West Hampstead, has opened for business.  There's a strong emphasis on the retail attractions of the neighbourhood.  We're developing quite a pronounced presence in the blogosphere.

Swimming in pizza

La Pizza di Michele
Originally uploaded by Delfo.


The Camden New Journal gives a puff to the imminent opening in West End Lane of Strada, a pizza and pasta chain. Apparently this brings to eight the number of pizza joints in West Hampstead. I must say I hadn't noticed. When it comes to pizza, the only game in town is Pizza Express. La Brocca is ok for a change, but I much prefer their pasta.

Parking in Ravenshaw, Broomsleigh, Glastonbury and Dornfell Streets

Controlled zone
Originally uploaded by Grievous Angel.

You may have seen in the latest edition of Spotlight - the Liberal Democrats' local newsletter - that Camden will review the operation of the controlled parking zone in the four streets around Beckford School (Ravenshaw, Broomsleigh, Glastonbury and Dornfell Streets). The council will seek the opinions of residents.  There's also to be further consultation on the parking zone in the Greek roads north of Mill Lane (Achilles Road, Agamemnon Road, etc.)

One of the questions likely to be put to residents is whether the controlled hours in these streets should be extended to all day, as is already the case on Mill Lane and elsewhere in West Hampstead.

This development follows the completion of last year's consultation on parking controls across the borough.  A report on the results of the consultation was considered by councillors in November.  Referring to the streets south of Mill Lane, the report draws attention to campaigning activity undertaken in the neighbourhood at the time of the consultation:

"The consultation results show that opinion is divided about hours of control. A ‘survey’ was undertaken by some residents in this sub-area indicating an interest in longer hours, though this was not undertaken as a formal petition with signatures. Correspondence was received from residents in this area questioning the motives behind those undertaking the survey, who had misrepresented the Council’s own consultation, claiming that the Council was going to split the zone. Given concerns that the ‘survey’ may be biased the detailed findings are not included here."

Based on this information, and a petition from residents of the Greek roads seeking longer controlled hours, councillors decided that further consultation was appropriate in the CA-P(c) area which covers the Greek roads and some of the streets south of Mill Lane. (See earlier post for a map of the zone.)  The report says this further consultation will cost council tax payers £25,000.

The council will discuss the likely shape of the consultation with local groups before sending a questionnaire to homes in the area.  Councillor Flick Rea has told Northwest 6 that it will be several months before we receive the survey:

"It will not be until early summer at earliest.  A notice will be sent round by Camden - as before to set up a Steering Committee which will decide the terms of the consultation. Then every household will receive a consultation form.  The terms are likely to be the introduction of all day restrictions in common with most of the rest of West Hampstead."

The council may also undertake parking occupancy surveys in order to inform the final decision.

West Hampstead roadworks

Thames Water roadworks in Broomsleigh Street

2008 will not bring early relief from the extensive roadworks being carried out around West Hampstead by Thames Water.

Thames Water has confirmed to the Ham & High that the excavations - including these pictured in Broomsleigh Street - will continue until the summer.  The work is due to be completed in June.

Fortune Green by-election

A notice has been issued advertising the vacant seat on Camden council following the death of our local councillor, Jane Schopflin.

This is the first formal step in inviting candidates to put the names forward.  The most likely date for the by-election is Thursday 21st February, but this hasn't yet been confirmed.

Jane Schopflin

One of our councillors, Jane Schopflin, passed away over the Christmas period.  She'd represented Fortune Green since 1990.

Her colleague in the Liberal Democrats, Ed Fordham, has posted an obituary which charts a life given to journalism and public service.