Forum Topic

Why the name change?

Just read in The Gazette that Acton Town Hall will in future be referred to as The Everyone Active Acton Centre! For heaven's sake WHY? What is wrong with the original name of the building - Acton Town Hall?What a mouthful and meaningless drivel! Just for a moment try remembering the new name! It would take some effort! Acton Town Hall has served this community well, people know it's location and it is also a destination on the local busses. Can you imagine tfl having to get this new title on the location indicator?Who allowed this name change with no reference to Acton residents? Do we have no say in the matter or we being gnored by Ealing Town Hall as usual?

Jean F Fernandez ● 4553d35 Comments

"        The Everyone Active Acton Centre! For heaven's sake WHY?    "They obviously knew a change of name wouldn't please ' Everyone ', and those against, would be ' Active ', on behalf of ' Acton ', and their action would ' Centre ',  on voicing objection.

Fred Bray ● 4553d

Umm - maybe the £100,000 paid to the council by the company might explain the name change - seeing as it seems to be a commercial company paying to change the name to publicize its wares.Personally, it will be Acton Town Hall gym for me - appealing tho' the thought of "Everyone Active Library" is.

Sara Nathan ● 4553d

Is the gym in the old Town Hall I thought it was where the old swimming pool was?What is the monthly cost,  have looked on their website and nothing,  just cost if you pay per session.

Emilia Fitzpatrick ● 4552d

Well, if you'd signed up a couple of months ago, Emilia, you'd have got the early-adopters deal of £25 a month for life; there was plenty about this on the forum at the time. Now I fear it's something like £45, but pop into the office along the north side of the High Street, just east of the new gym and ask them what sort of a deal they're prepared to offer you.

Susan Kelly ● 4552d

We are writing to the Council to tell them how awful and tasteless it is and suggest you do the same.

Jonathan Rugman ● 4552d

In the Gazette article, the council points out that football stadiums are branded commercially and so that makes it all right to do the same with Acton Town Hall. But football stadiums are almost all privately owned and the owners agree to take the money, even though they will end up with structures with weird names like the 'Emirates Stadium' in north London! Acton Town Hall, on the other hand, is a municipal building, built and paid for by the residents of Acton (not Ealing back then). No one asked the present residents. Who knows - if 'Acton Town Hall' doesn't suit the structure now, we could have opted for the Adam Faith or Lionel Bart Leisure Centre! Something that at least would have reflected the area and its heritage. Instead the new branding has simply cheapened what could have been a real jewel in Acton's modest crown.And, I'm told, the Everyone Active lot are entitled to emblazon their name all over the front of the building, lights and all. That will be truly lovely, won't it?

Nancy Duin ● 4552d

The intended name change is pointless, daft and stupid.("Daft" meaning stupid, so I'm repeating myself!!!)Like much of what .................... does.

Rosco White ● 4552d

I'll definitely be protesting, Jonathan. It's just about the naffest thing imaginable, and a profoundly undemocratic imposition on Acton inhabitants - only saving grace being that the horrible name is too long to be of any use in conversation and hopefully the building will probably still be referred to  as the Town Hall - shame about the visual crassness that we will all have to endure, though, despoiling  our brand(ed)  new "community" (?)  asset.

Cathy Johns ● 4552d

I know it's selling out but personally I 'd take the money and run. Let them call it want they want as long as the money goes to regenerate Acton. No one will use the stupid name. It will always be Acton Town Hall

David P Archer ● 4552d

Who says the money will be hypothecated to develop Acton? Is there any evidence for that? Section 106 money from the Oaks could easily be spent in Southall - nothing in legislation to prevent it.And given the treatment of the Priory groups and the Town Hall Team, you can't believe much this Council says about the Town Hall development anyhow.So it's the Town Hall gym in all conversation and correspondence and we will see what lasts.

Sara Nathan ● 4551d

I sent an email to Julian Bell and Angie Bray expressing my dismay at the name change and the fact tha Acton residents were not even consulted on this matter.Actually I also said I am not surprised  because the views of Acton residents have been ignored regarding The Oaks and the expansion at the Hanson plant!I just hope that everyone will refer to Acton Hall by it's original name and I also hope that tfl keeps Acton Town Hall as  destination on the information on the front of the bus. I doubt whether the new name would fit annyway!

Jean F Fernandez ● 4551d

Hasn't the town hall been demolished? So I don't see why it's a particularly appropriate name for the new building. If Everyone Active are willing to run gyms for the Council at a fraction of what others gyms charge, then let them have their free publicity.

Susan Kelly ● 4551d

Town Hall has NOT been demolished - no doubt had it been possible, it would have been - but the facade, tower and another bit are all listed and so could not be.Does that demolish (!) your whole argument?

Sara Nathan ● 4551d

Honestly you do wonder about journalism standards sometimes...(but then I obsess about subbing as well)The front page says:"follows the six figure sponsorship deal which has enabled the renovation of the site, which includes a new leisure centre, swimming pool and library - all due to open soon."And then says the renovation cost £19 million. So how pertinent can £100,000 be? Certainly not enough to "enable the renovation of the site." And - compared to the prospective revenue generated by the extraordinary increase in property prices in Acton - is barely even a drop in the ocean.

Sara Nathan ● 4551d

SaraI have amended it and this will hopefully clarify.ThanksAnnemarieeditor@actonw3

The Editor ● 4551d

ta ever so!

Sara Nathan ● 4551d

Given that the site has been swathed in scaffolding and plastic for months, I think I can be forgiven for believing that it had been demolished. I'd ask how anything so ugly could be listed but I've seen the bridge at Kew Gardens station.

Susan Kelly ● 4551d

The Kings Room inside was amazing - but I don't know how much survived - will no doubt find out on the inaugural tour on April 12th

Sara Nathan ● 4551d

I shall call it the Everybody Active Gym ... or more likely just The Gym.Which king was that?

Susan Kelly ● 4551d

A sailor king...was it William or a later George - I can't recall - but it was all stucco with ships in the cornices and rather fine - and certainly unusual.The Gym could be any gym and I just can't hear you saying anything so infelicitous as the sell-out name.

Sara Nathan ● 4551d

"    I shall call it the Everybody Active Gym ... or more likely just The Gym.    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, . . .Everyone. . . . not Everybody,  . . . .sigh.

Fred Bray ● 4551d

Good point, Fred, and me sitting here with the timetable on my desk. 'Everybody' actually works better than 'everyone' in the name -- sort of scans better, if you know what I mean, with the extra syllable.

Susan Kelly ● 4551d

£100,000, and you can change it to 'Everbody'.

Fred Bray ● 4551d

Sara, We went on the tour of the building that the contractors organised a few months ago.  There was no sign of any King's Room.  They are only doing the part of the building relating to the gym/library etc.  They told us that the rest was being converted for residential use.  (Maybe that is where the King's Room is?)Susan, I believe it was only the chimney that was listed.  It now stands like a spare part in the middle of the building.

Vivienne Duggan ● 4551d

Some drip may come up with something like this.Ealinggoneactonsillygogogoch

Nikki Howard ● 4551d

The King's Room is the facade that is slowly being revealed from the scaffolding and will form the entrance way.  It is not ugly, but of historic value as the whole town hall is.  I too went on the tour on open house weekend, we could only see the shell of the works, not the conversion of the original building that will form the library and reception area.The greatest sacrifice in all of this is the overpriced rentals on the 'community space' that is already outpricing the ex- Priory groups who have to decant from what will be the residential section of the Old Town Hall.  The cost of the now overpriced membership for the gym for future members - yet again there is no real 'public' swimming baths, just another Virgin/Park Club etc etc I only hope that the library's new home can bring some light to its future as I fear for the 'old' library building and what price it may attract!  The name really is not in keeping with Acton's spirit!

Christine Siobhsn Oktay ● 4551d

Makes a horrible acronym - EAAG. Perhaps it's the sound of someone who's put 10kg too much on the weights machine. As sponsorship goes it's a bit dull, not really in the same league as the Simply Sausages Donnington Park Race Track.

Vlod Barchuk ● 4551d

I have had some assurances about the community space costs. If anyone wants to lobby the relevant people about this, I have the email addresses.What I can't get at the moment is an assurance that the charges for the Priory groups will be reasonable after the first six months.I can't understand why a Labour council, in particular, wants to make life so hard for groups that do so much for those with fewer resources. Seems counter-intuitive to me. Maybe Somali Women or teens learning through theatre just aren't from demographics that vote enough to matter. Disappointing though.

Sara Nathan ● 4550d

EAAGH!

Philippa Bond ● 4550d

Help ! Could someone explain? what does Christine mean 'there will be 'no public swimming pool'. I haven't been to the office as I was not interested in gym membership, nor received any info through the door so am ignorant. I have been looking forward for two years to going swimming again in Acton. Do I have to 'join' something to get into the pool?

Glenda Simpson ● 4550d

If you want to know what the plaster work of the King's Rooms looked like, there are some pictures, and information at http://www.actonhistory.co.uk/acton/pageKR.htm

Amanda Knights ● 4550d

I think there is a public swimming pool (two even) and that you can pay session rates without joining anything. Same for gym and classes.

Sara Nathan ● 4550d

Yes, you can just use the pools on a pay as you go system, as before. There are two pools, one with a floor that can be raised or lowered to alter the depth. That's what I was told.

Vivienne Duggan ● 4550d

Wow! A floor that can be raised or lowered sounds like quite a feat of engineering.

Susan Kelly ● 4550d

Not uncommon in new pools - helps learning to swim for the very young - also the disabled - Northolt had one when it was rebuilt - did have technical problems for a while but I think was sorted.

Sara Nathan ● 4550d