Forum Topic

Acton Arms is now - The Aeronaut

I happened to visit the Aeronaut's sister pub on Saturday: The Dissenting Academy.Nice place - decor was a bit more grown up than the fit out that the Acton Arms had.Wasn't there long so i don't know if they do food, but i did notice that they had a regular film night.Looks like they are trying to recreate this focus on 'events' in Acton.I'm looking forward to seeing the building back in use i must say.

Jamie Carless ● 4754d27 Comments

The exterior is coming along really nicely.  The ground floor has been cleaned back to the original stone and the floors above have been painted a nice shade of green.

Maria Pettit ● 4754d

"The Aeronaut". Brilliant. Recognition of Acton's industrial heritage links to the aviation industry. I'll get my goggles...

Peter Millman ● 4754d

Peter, do you have any more info on 'Acton's industrial heritage links to the aviation industry'? I'd love to hear more or how to find out more.

Kim Rugg ● 4754d

As a start, the link below will take you to info on when Hanger Hill Garden Estate was formerly Acton aerodrome in the early part of the last century... http://www.hhgera.com/page16.htmand other manufacturers eg Napier in Acton Vale, made cars and also engines for the aircraft industry http://www.actonhistory.co.uk/acton/page10.html

Peter Millman ● 4754d

Thanks Peter, my son is plane crazy and will love knowing Acton's air heritage.

Kim Rugg ● 4754d

Additionally, Park Royal industrial estate was (is) part of Acton and so you had the likes of Standard Motor Company, Charles Vandervell (CAV) had a factory there building the Vanwall race car and notably Park Royal Vehicles where they built the Halifax bomber during the Second Wold War.http://www.prv.org.uk/And lets not forget George Lee Temple "The first Englishman to fly upside down in Great Britain"!Born and buried in Acton.http://earlyaviators.com/etemple1.htm

Neil Owens ● 4754d

'Part pub, part brewery, part circus'Sounds amazing

David P Archer ● 4754d

Sounds like a great place indeed - I don't usually go to local pubs as tend to meet my friends elsewhere (very rarely in a pub anyway), but maybe we should try to organize something on W3 to check out the venue once it has opened its doors.

Urs Esser ● 4754d

yes..great idea

David P Archer ● 4754d

I think this is a great name  ..... I am SOOOOOO bored of oak tree related themes. It is Acton's curse.

Richard Grange ● 4753d

Suggest 4th of October then, from 7 pm - get as many from this list to attend :)

Urs Esser ● 4753d

Doesn't open until November Urs

David P Archer ● 4752d

Due to open tomorrow at 1700, according to the banner outside. Seem to have made a good job of removing the red paint.

Patrick Green ● 4696d

Yes it looks good and we wish them great success

David P Archer ● 4696d

It is a very ambitious makeover, not at all like their other pub that i mentioned.Hope it's a big success. Hopefully me and the missus will get down there this weekend. Will report back.

Jamie Carless ● 4696d

hope they do  thai food

John Kennedy ● 4696d

Wot - just to annoy David? How unkind!

Sara Nathan ● 4696d

lol no

John Kennedy ● 4696d

Thanks john

David P Archer ● 4696d

Hearing a micro-brewery was installed there, we went to The Aeronaut tonight. Apparently people who went on to the pub's web site got coupons for free beer, so it was busy at 5.30 p.m. There will be circus artists and bands appearing there. There is a large yard at the back with booths for smokers. We had a few drinks there, an IPA, a dark one called Allcock & Brown and something else, but someone told us that The George & Dragon was serving Hogs Back T.E.A. so we went over there straight away. Two bits of George & Dragon news: The manager has been suspended and a temporary manager is there. A micro-brewery is imminent there too.https://www.facebook.com/AeronautActon

Fran Leslie ● 4695d

Hearing a micro-brewery was installed there, we went to The Aeronaut tonight. Apparently people who went on to the pub's web site got coupons for free beer, so it was busy at 5.30 p.m. There will be circus artists and bands appearing there. There is a large yard at the back with booths for smokers. We had a few drinks there, an IPA, a dark one called Allcock & Brown and something else, but someone told us that The George & Dragon was serving Hogs Back T.E.A. so we went over there straight away. Two bits of George & Dragon news: The manager has been suspended and a temporary manager is there. A micro-brewery is imminent there too.https://www.facebook.com/AeronautActon

Fran Leslie ● 4695d

I spoke to the Barmaid the other weekend and she mentioned that they were in the process of building a Micro Brewery at the back. I wonder what will happen to the resident cat with the Manager suspended.

Tony Crumpton ● 4694d

I hope they don't get rid of the cat as rats and mice will move in.The manager, a very nice person says the bar maid, has mental health issues. Let's hope these can be managed and he can get back.

Fran Leslie ● 4694d

Getting back to The Aeronaut, another Acton person with connections with aviation was Major-General Stanislaw Sosabowski who was commander of the 1st Polish Air Brigade which saw action by parachuting in under severe enemy fire  at Arnhem in September 1944 as part of Operation Market-Garden. He was portrayed in the film A Bridge Too Far by Gene Hackman. Stateless and in poverty, he worked after WW2 at CAV on the W3/W12 borders, but there is, so far as I know, no memorial to him at Factory Quarter (where the buildings have electricity industry connections) nor elsewhere in Acton, though there might be at the Polish War Memorial on the A40.A memorial to one of the many Poles who fought on the allied side in WW2 might be appropriate. For the present, a pub name will have to suffice.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanis%C5%82aw_Sosabowski

Dan Filson ● 4694d

It was absolutely heaving when we drive past at about 2330. - and people crowded outside too.How have they managed that when the previous owners couldn't get two chaps and a dog through the doors?

Sara Nathan ● 4694d

Quite like that idea. There's enough polish pubs about - so why not call one the Sosabowski?

Richard Grange ● 4693d

I went this evening, not realising it was their 'first night'.Great atmosphere and great fun. Not many places can claim that their local has a built in 'circus'.I hope they keep it up, it is a really lively and fun alternative for a Saturday night.

Mark Jarvis ● 4693d