A Cat at Mother Rugger and a Pint in the Black Dog

Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert reports back

Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert

August 9, 2024

On Friday I met with a couple of residents who were looking for advice/help on a few things. Sunny day so I arranged to meet in the Black Dog. Having avoided the evil drink for a few days I thought I could allow myself a quick pint, and very good it tasted. A few tasks around the ward to progress resulted from a pleasant discussion with nice Brentford people, one of the delights of being here.

In the evening I was off to Mother Rugger, a shop whose name I find a bit traumatic. I went to a school where rugby was the local religion and was determined to excommunicate myself from the religion when I left. The natives are friendly; however and it’s a nice shop and there is interesting stuff in there including an exhibition from an artist called Darcy Whent, who seems to hail from Bath. Some intriguing pictures and I’m always drawn to the quirky ones. This one I think is sold but there’s plenty more to choose from and the exhibition will be in Mother Rugger for a few weeks yet – take a look.

I had spent the afternoon roaming the ward and happened upon various developments, good and bad. I saw a couple of elderly vans in Boston Gardens and my attention was piqued by a message ‘If you want to sell this vehicle call…’. One of them had a MoT and tax but another doesn’t and appears to be gradually becoming part of the undergrowth and I have had complaints from some of the neighbours. This usually is a matter for the DVLA so we’ll see if anything happens.

In Boston Manor Road there is a really horrible waste management failure behind a small block there. I have been communicating with the landlord but it seems it is having no effect. It’s hateful that landlords and managing agents subject people to this.

I reported a few things on FixMyStreet as is my wont and was about to report graffiti on a telecom box.

But engaging my brain, such as it is, I thought actually the graffiti improved the box. In the said brain, an idea was germinated which makes me wonder whether there’s a better answer – actually encourage a bit of street art on these boxes.

Down in Layton Court, the 6 flats being developed for a housing association, which have caused a lot of difficulty for the people who already leave there, look like they are getting near to being finished.

The bloke I talked to on site didn’t know when it would be finished, but hopefully soon, when the mess around the site can be spirited away and people who live there can get their environment back – different from before but back from chaos.

On Sunday I went to Chiswick for the flower market which is always a pleasure. There was a steel band with players of various ages and various ethnicities – part of the delight of London – playing beautifully (seemed to me) and along a few yards there was a Poetry Take Away. The sign said they had sold out of poetry and were not taking new orders so it’s fair to assume it had been a roaring success.

It is part of the council’s initiative and the first time I had come across the storytelling festival. l Really welcome and I will try to catch some more events.

On Monday I popped into the library to check that the Brentford Town Plan was available (somebody told me it had been half-inched). It was, and it’s good to see there’s more life in the library than there once was. I was reminded of this poster reproduced in the foyer. I’m convinced this must have been an inspiration for The Beatles and their song ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite’. The similarities are very striking!

On Tuesday morning we had an online meeting with people who have been engaged by the developer of the GSK former site, to look at what they can do (and what we would like them to do!) to improve the community. We discussed a number of things. I’m not yet getting a sense of what they will do with the building/site and it’s good that they are engaging with us to get a view of our references. They also have a list of community organisations as long as my arm of community organisations they should talk to.

Then a cup of coffee with Air Quality Brentford in the person of the director (if that’s the right title!). They do a lot of good work around Brentford with planters etc and I am looking at ways we can support their efforts, They need modest support from volunteers (like they are) and it’s always a challenge to get lasting support. Anyone interested in helping with street planters etc let me know!

Then a date in the Digital Dock with some people from TfL who were presenting the plans for the next phase of the C9 cycle lane which is being designed to run from the County Court to the start of Syon Park. This is quite a tricky section with narrow roads (and a bridge!) and a lot of traffic of all sorts. I had nothing much to say about their proposals but you have an opportunity to comment on line.

Then we had an update on what appears still to be called Block D in the High Street. The good news is that they are about to start moving people in, as it has finally passed its tests. Also the 5 new houses on Windmill Road have already started being taken by tenants which is a relief to me and will be a much bigger relief to the people who will live there! I was very unhappy about the retail though. We talked to people on Albany Parade recently and the information is non-existent, not helped by the estate agents having recently sent out wrong information to some of the businesses. Watch this space.

I’m late with this so I’ll cover Thursday next time, but I can’t leave this without mentioning Dave Wetzel. Dave used to be the leader (I think) of Hounslow Council and certainly was a big leader on the GLC before Mrs Thatcher abolished it in a fit of pique against Ken Livingstone. He lived on York Terrace in Brentford until a couple of years ago and his wife Heather used to help me with canvassing in the ward. By that time, Dave had turned Green and became an important person in the Green Party, and over the last few years I got to know him and found him a really good soul, good company and a man with passion and the skills to promote it. Dave has passed away in the last few days, and the exchange I was having with him on WhatsApp will never be concluded. He has been a tower of strength and will be sadly missed.

Oh. On Wednesday I attended the ‘riot’ which was expected on the A4. It was a complete damp squib because about 300 people turned out os support refugees which made the few right wingers who turned up to cower away with their tails between their legs. Hooray. I hope, but am not confident, this nonsense is now in the past. Rioters are on the central reservation. Defenders are on the A4/Boston Manor Road pavement.

Councillor Guy Lambert