Forum Topics

Shops and restaurants that don't take debit/credit cards are so annoying eh?

Anyone else get annoyed at shops that are cash only?  What's that all about? Who carries large bundles of cash around these days??   As a business owner who has just paid a very punchy VAT bill I wonder if I have missed a trick there :-)

Sue Giacomet ● 5278d4 Comments ● 5277d

"the Big Brother bill",

The government intends to snoop on our e-mails.  The bill was introduced by the Labour administration but, abandoned due to fierce opposition from the Tories.  GCHQ, would have the power to spy on us, in that they could monitor traffic between suspected terrorists and other persons that pose a threat to our national security.  The proposal is expected to be mentioned in the next Queens speech.Is this a good idea, or is it Big Brother spying on us, the innocent?If it keeps the like of Abu Qatada pinned down, then it could be a good thing.

Nicola Howard ● 5281d19 Comments ● 5278d

Free Knitting Machine

My wife inherited a knitting machine from her aunt who bought it in the early 1960s and became an absolute whizzz at knitting all sorts of things on it, and they were of a very high standard.  My wife is a very infrequent hand knitter, and hasn't managed to come to grips with the machine. It needs a new, loving owner who is keen to learn how to make the best of it.It is an Empiral Knitmaster 321 Automatic, complete with ribbing attachment and automatic yarn changer.  In fact pretty much all the bits you could get for it at the time.  Plus a couple of box files of instruction booklets and pattern punchcards and patterns for machine knitting plus a table onto which it can be clamped.  Anyone interested in giving this a new home?

Paul Ambridge ● 5278d5 Comments ● 5278d

REMINDER: Digital TV switchover

I'm sure you all know by now that the first stage of Digital Switchover starts this Wednesday as the analogue BBC2 signal is switched off at Crystal Palace transmitter and ITV1 analogue will take it's place. Freeview viewers will need to retune their boxes on Wednesday to pick up the new higher power signals. The second and final stage of switchover in London happens on April 18 when all remaining analogue signals are switched off and Freeview channels receive a further power increase - a second retune of Freeview boxes will be needed on this date. Sky and cable viewers do not need to do anything to their equipment.

James Vertigan ● 5280d32 Comments ● 5278d

recycling vans

tuesday i was in hanwell and two guys in a 12 reg caged back van were collecting the recycling bin and bags but were mixing everything on the load.we have to seperate everything in our boxes or bags and if we dont they wont take it.now they come along and mix everything.whats going on ?wheres the usual trucks?today i saw the same vans in acton .

Gerald Dempsey ● 5278d1 Comments ● 5278d

Olympic Torch in Ealing

Knowing that the Olympic Torch would be passing through Ealing, I thought it would be interesting to see how LBE were 'celebrating' this event.  Nothing on the local websites, so googled and came up with a page from a council meeting last year. Followed the link which invited me to register for further information.  First request email address, fine, then a password? lots of boxes to tick and then full personal details including DOB. All I want to know is what time the torch will be carried through Ealing and the route, why on earth do they need my DOB etc?  Of course I could be a terrorist and giving these details would make it easier to find me.

Libby Kemp ● 5278d1 Comments ● 5278d

Bunting in Churchfield Road

Has anyone else noticed the crappy plastic stuff they have half-heartedly strung up on Churchfield Road as part of the 'Love Acton' effort. Wonder how much that cost? Looks like they bought some from a very cheap pound shop and got someone to write 'Love Acton' in felt tip on a few of the flags. It's so depressing. We're better off without it - or am I just feeling grumpy?

Clare Gittins ● 5279d8 Comments ● 5278d

St. Dunstans Greens up for auction again

Allsop Auction 29th March. Lot No.157 .No reserve,will it reach £11,000 this time.

John McNamara ● 5291d5 Comments ● 5278d

Can anyone recommend a handyman?

Can anyone recommend a good, reliable, reasonably-priced handyman (or handywoman) here in Acton? I currently need someone to help me replace some fence panels between my neighbour's garden and mine and fix a rain butt to a wall, but also have a few jobs that need doing indoors. Would ideally like to find someone versatile, practical and friendly, the sort of person you can turn to for a variety of household "fix-it" situations as and when they arise now and in the future. (Having their own van would be useful for the current job.)Thanks!

Anni Gee ● 5289d3 Comments ● 5278d

Handyman wanted

HelloI am in urgent need of a handyman the one i usually use is fully booked, please can you let me know if you have any suggestions as I need a few things done asap by the weekend eeeeek!!! any help will be very much appreciated.Thank you

Sarah Gates ● 5279d4 Comments ● 5278d

Aggregates and cement works to stay on Horn Lane

Have a look at the (rough edit) version of the council's just formally adopted Development Strategy (also known as the Core Strategy Development Plan Document), which 'sets out a vision for the future development of the borough and covers a 15-year plan period up to 2026' - you can download it from http://www.ealing.gov.uk/downloads/download/1322/adoption_of_the_development_or_core_strategy.Have a look at pp. 31-32. Here you'll find the following official policies:"(c) To retain the aggregates and cement works to the north of the station, as this is an important railhead for the distribution ofconstruction materials in West London. Opportunities will be sought to reduce further the environmental impact of the industrialactivities on the surrounding residential areas."These policies seek to explore the development opportunities surrounding the station in association with the refurbished Crossrailstation at Acton Main Line. In so doing this will create more of a sense of place at or near the station and help maximise the use andattractiveness of Crossrail for Acton residents. The policies also seek to consolidate and maximise existing freight use foraggregates and waste. There is also potential for improved bus interchange facilities."So it looks as if we're stuck with the pollution-causing works north of Acton Main Line station until at least 2026!

Nancy Duin ● 5278d1 Comments ● 5278d

Royal Mail Announcement!

Today the Royal Mail has announced that Postage Stamps will be increased from 30 April.First Class will be 60pSecond Class will be 50pI think some Card Shops might lose business! Also ordering goods online will cost more with the increased postage!

Jean F Fernandez ● 5286d7 Comments ● 5278d

A Big Thank You

A big thank you to the members of the Goldsmiths Residents Association for inviting me to last night's AGM. It was lovely to meet you all and it's great to know that you like the site. Don't forget to send us news of all your forthcoming events so we can put them in the calendars.Any questions, drop me an email

Penny Flood ● 5278d0 Comments ● 5278d

Kirsty Allsop filming in perryn road atm..3april 14.50

Kirsty is filming a piece currently on perryn road, she is holding up bunting and talking about street parties. i went over and had a quick chat with her during a break, and i am pleased to say that she is as charming and lovely, as she appars to be in the prgrammes that she presents.not sure about the usage of perryn road/acton location, as they seem to using no2 perryn road as a base, and that house is often used for film/advert shooting. ( the 'activa' yought advert was shot indoors there, and the peugeot rally car advert was shot in the driveway )

caroline braitwaite ● 5279d1 Comments ● 5279d

Boundary Commission consultation on changing Constituency boundaries

The second round of consultation has just opened.The proposed change to Acton is wholly daft - givening us a chunk of Hammersmith & Fulham and no coherenceLast time I posted on behalf of the CCA. Do go on the Boundary Commission site to comment/support.http://consultation.boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/have-your-say/?urn=&response"Acton Central Ward changes parliamentary seat at every re-organisation. Our experience is that we are served better by our MP and council when the two are aligned. Your proposal moves us from a coherent place in Ealing Central and Acton where our MP, currently Angie Bray, deals wholly with Ealing Council. Hitherto we have oscillated between having this and having an MP who also relates to Hammersmith Council and, in our experience, devotes their time more to constituents in that borough. Furthermore, if you look at the proposed changed, it is wholly incoherent: There are two blobs making up the new constituency with little in common between them, like a figure of eight. The current constiuency has a shape, size and scale which is logical and coherent. The new one will ensure that, as a community association, we have the least possible leverage on planning and other decisions that affect our 200 members in the ward. Moving Acton Central Ward in with Hammersmith as opposed to Ealing has never been successful. There\'s no reason to think it will be different this time. Please reconsider."

Sara Nathan ● 5305d23 Comments ● 5279d

A Big Thank you

Thank you everyone for your good wishes.  I will carry the Olympic torch with pride, I feel very humbled to have been given this once in a life time experience.

Margaret Noel ● 5282d7 Comments ● 5280d

Cleaner wanted

Hi - I am looking for a good, reliable and diligent cleaner to work for about 3 hours every Friday (any time) on my house in central London.  I am fed up with using an agency and would rather pay a cleaner direct as opposed to an agency creaming off a large percentage for no added value! Any recommendations?

Anne Brown ● 5281d4 Comments ● 5280d

Grant for smartening up Acton that gets posted about every year?

Hi AllI may have remembered this incorrectly.I seem to recall that every year on here there there is a post calling for ideas on how to spend a pot of about 40k that is allocated to smarten up Acton.If i have remembered this correctly - can anyone tell me when this happens and how i would find out more?taJamie

Jamie James ● 5283d5 Comments ● 5280d

Logs and big stones!

I'm a born and bred Londoner and I moved into Avenue Road last September. I'm just gobsmacked by the amount of wildlife round here, for the first time in years I can actually hear a morning chorus worth listening to! Its brilliant waking up to bird song. I know, a bit soppy! Thanks to the many people on here who very kindly donated frog spawn for my new wildlife pond, pleased to say that the pond is full of tadpoles. I have oxgenating and marginal plants and water snails. I'm trying to make the pond ever more attractive to wildlife. Does anyone have any logs they want to get rid of so I can create a log pile closeby for insects and frogs/toads to hide in? Also my pond is one of those plastic preformed ones, so I need some biggish boulders and large stones to make a graduated side to the pond. Can anyone help? Thanks alot.     p.s. I'm not as mad as I sound! :))

Gareth Sinclair ● 5280d1 Comments ● 5280d

Packing boxes

Anyone got any they need to get rid of? Thanks in advance.

Colette Mcgahan ● 5285d2 Comments ● 5280d