SEBRA NEWS W2 PROBABLY THE Back by MOST TALKED ABOUT Public Demand!GARDEN PARTY IN WESTMINSTER JOHN ZAMIT PRESENTS ISSUE No 93 A SEBRA PRODUCTION SUMMER 2018 “ “ ““ CARRYCARRY ONON NHSNHS ‘U’ THANK YOU NHS SEBRA SUMMER GARDEN PARTY 5 JULY 2018 ON THIS DAY 70 YEARS AGO THE NHS WAS BORN INTRODUCTION In this Issue From the THE GREATEST INTRODUCTION 10 BRIDGE GRAFITTI 40 LITTLE BARBER SHOP FROM THE CHAIRMAN 3 Chairman FROM THE EDITOR 4 Chairman: John Zamit SAFETY VALVE Email: [email protected] DELIVERY SCOOTER WOES 6 Phone: 020 7727 6104 BANK CLOSURE AT SHORT NOTICE 8 Mobile: 074 3825 8201 AN UNWANTED DEVELOPMENT? 9 Address: 2 Claremont Court LABOUR UPS ITS VOTE 11 Queensway, London W2 5HX AROUND BAYSWATER STATUE SPARKLING AGAIN 12 elcome to the Summer Also, we advised our local Councillors Also as you have may have read in the ON THE BUSES - HOLD ON TIGHT 13 2018 issue of SEBRA of our surprise at the publication of the press and on seen on TV, Business Rates "NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE" 17 NEWS W2. It's another report during a "purdah" period during can be crippling. (These rates are not set LUNCH IN THE SUN AT POMONA'S 21 bumper edition running to the local elections. As a result the report by Westminster Council and nor do they POLICING THE CAPITAL 24 Wover 120 pages. We delayed publishing was pulled by Stuart Love, Westminstrer receive the full amount levied). NEWCOMBE HOUSE BATTLE LINES 29 due to some late stories we wanted to City Council's Chief Executive. Let's hope that the redevelopment of A TOUGH ELECTION 31 include. Hopefully they'll make good On a positive side we are confident that Whiteleys and improvements already ST MARY'S HOSPITAL SPECIAL 44 reading in the summer sun. working with the newly appointed cabinet happening with the shops and tenants MORE SMILES ST STEPHEN'S - NEWS "IT'S ALL UP IN THE AIR" 48 members (Richard Beddoe, Cabinet at the southern end of Queensway will 46 APPEAL BREAKS £2M 56 FROM THE PEWS THE BARD IS BACK! 50 LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS Member for Place Shaping and Planning attract more business to the area. This, MO FARAH AT HALLFIELD SCHOOL 58 Congratulations to all the Councillors and Tim Mitchell, Cabinet Member for along with the promised Public Realm elected in Westminster, I am sure they Environment and City Management) who improvements will we hope bring back THE ROYAL PARKS will work hard to serve those in their live locally and know the area, we can kick- shoppers in their droves! HYDE PARK UPDATE 72 Wards. Locally there were no surprises in start the project. On the subject of shopping I cannot KENSINGTON GARDENS UPDATE 74 the Hyde Park & Lancaster Gate Wards finish without a sad farewell to Marks FRIENDS OF HP&KG NEWS 76 but in Bayswater it was a different story. "MARMITE ART" AND MUCH & Spencer who are closing down in SERPENTINE GALLERIES 80 For the first time since 1986 a Labour MORE IN THE ROYAL PARKS Whiteleys on 28 July after trading there candidate, Maggie Carman, was chosen for 30 years. Perhaps an M&S "Simply POLITICAL COMMENTARY by the electorate. A mere 81 votes saw Food" store can be tempted back when Maggie oust Richard Holloway, possibly Queensway is developed. KAREN BUCK MP 84 due to Richard being Pro-Brexit in a MARK FIELD MP 85 Ward that very much sits in the Remain SEBRA GARDEN PARTY HIGH TIDE OR HIGH NOON? 86 camp. Our commiserations go to Richard. CELEBRATING THE NHS Two new Conservative Councilors were As you'll see from our front cover we are CITY HALL NEWS elected, Emily Payne and Richard Elcho. celebrating 70 years of the NHS at our Both have lived in the area and they THE ASSEMBLY WATCHDOGS 88 Summer Garden Party, which takes place know it very well. We hope all three new #MYWESTMINSTER 92 We've dedicated 12 pages in this issue on 5 July. That's precisely 70 years to the NEW BAYSWATER COUNCILLORS 94 Bayswater Councillors deal well with to the Royal Parks. We are fortunate to local issues. It will be interesting to see day that our health service was born. ONLY ANOTHER FOUR YEARS? 96 have such a gem on our doorsteps and JACK GORDON ON how things unfold over the next four As ever, the event will be taking place MASTABA RISING I urge all members to make the best 82 86 LOCAL ELECTIONS PLANNING, LEGAL & LICENSING years as there's no doubt that Labour will of them all year round. This summer, in Cleveland Square Gardens and I look be pushing to gain control of the Ward as well as new Pavilion we have the forward to seeing as many of you as PROPERTY MARKET UPDATE 102 in 2022 and the Conservatives will be controversial "Mastaba" (above). It's possible, when we shall raise a glass to PLANNING BAYSWATER 104 fighting hard to win Maggie's seat back. made from 7,506 oil drums stacked in celebrate this rather special occasion. POT-POURRI OF LEGAL STORIES 108 It's fair to say that the NHS does have its DEAD END ROAD? the Serpentine. Do take a look, you'll LICENSING BAYSWATER 112 either love it or you'll hate it. critics and requires more funding but it is I am constantly stopped and asked: "what a fantastic national institution and where HIGHWAYS & TRAFFIC is latest on the promised Public Realm SHOPPING SECTION would we be without it? improvements in Queensway?" Well the HIGHWAYS REPORT 114 As you'll see on pages 66 to 70, some Best wishes and happy reading. answer is "Not much". Our last meeting CYCLE HIGHWAYS UPDATE 116 shopping streets in our area are doing with the council took place several months OXFORD STREET SUCCESS 117 well, others are surviving and some are ago and in the following months we have struggling. In particular in Westboune LETTERS & ABOUT SEBRA not heard a word more. Grove we have a high number of vacant The Council did try to sneak through a shops. In the short term we're not sure YOUR LETTERS 118 Cabinet Report on the matter on 20 April what can be done but we trust landlords JOIN SEBRA 120 but when we discovered this we pointed are being realistic, asking for reasonable ABOUT SEBRA 121 out that basic plans showing the full extent rents with incentives to entice new SEBRALAND 122 of the proposed works were wrong. retailers to the street. 2 www.sebra.org.uk SEBRA NEWS W2 - SUMMER 2018 3 SAFETY VALVE SAFETY VALVE LNER Class A3 Locomoti ve LETTER TO COUNCILLOR RICHARD HOLLOWAY: No. 60103 “Flying Scotsman”. DELIVERY SCOOTERS MAKING OUR LIFE A MISERY Pictured 10 September 2017 aft er Diana Burtt leaving Crowcombe Heathfi eld. Monmouth Road, W2 here has recently been a We can frequently hear their The warden explained that he was told problem with delivery scooters conversati ons the whole length of to treat the scooters as commercial in Kensington Garden Square, Monmouth Road as they chat to each vehicles and therefore they can park which has now moved wholesale other very loudly – possibly because for up to 20 minutes. We would be Tto Monmouth Road, off Westbourne some are wearing helmets and can’t hear interested to know if all of the drivers Grove. We believe the problem in otherwise. have paid commercial vehicle road tax Monmouth Road is much greater in There have been numerous instances of and have insurance for commercial use. extent. On one occasion we counted 18 delivery drivers urinati ng in the street, Because of the proliferati on of these bikes parked on both sides of the road. including through the railings into the scooters, Westbourne Grove is like This new commercial acti vity has grounds of College Park School. the Wild West during peak evening completely changed the character of On one occasion, on returning to the hours, with scooters careering at high speed in all directi ons. Someti mes Monmouth Road, which has been my street early evening, the pavement was even riding across the pavement when home for over 40 years. When I come obstructed by a large group of drivers. entering Monmouth Road. We believe home from work and turn the corner When we pointed out to them they were blocking the pavement we were subjected Westbourne Grove to be a MUCH more into Monmouth Road, I am confronted to a ti rade of aggressive and threatening dangerous place than it was previously. Safety Valve by a group of burly men, all dressed in abuse from a group of at least eight We invite you to visit Monmouth Road/ black, some wearing balaclavas. It is people. One of whom even told us to Westbourne Grove on a Saturday There are always issues in SEBRALAND that concern our members and as you'll see from the fi rst two pages, inti midati ng. ‘walk in the road’ if we didn’t like it. evening to witness the scene. delivery scooters and their riders conti nue to cause problems. The litt er is annoying, the incessant noise a The noise from these bikes’ engines Monmouth Road is a cul de sac, so we do In recent weeks a mobile scooter repair constant source of irritati on, and the verbal abuse is something that nobody should have to tolerate. Elswhere is intolerable. We hear this every few not have the opti on to leave the street at workshop van has been illegally parked in Safety Valve we have an excellent arti cle from SEBRA favourite Bob Rogers about the grafi tti on Bayswater's minutes at peak ti mes.