where business is always evolving

and eight years later bit by bit that transformation is really taking shape.

& Osier Court Regeneration scheme to move on to, so enabling that regeneration to commence.

In the summer of 2015, there was a party on Market Square in Brentford town centre to celebrate the square’s completed refurbishment. Bands played and locals made merry on haybales by the newly installed water fountains. Tote bags emblazoned with ‘Brentford is Brilliant’ matched the iconic neon signs on lamp columns in the High Street.

Brentford’s brilliance is built on an industrial waterside heritage forged in its docks where the Grand Union Canal and River Brent meets the

Thames. Different industries came to the fore in the 20th century with the emergence of big businesses on the ‘Golden Mile’ like Firestone Tyres and Gillette – multinationals hitting on Brentford’s ideal positioning between Heathrow and the City.

Like all towns, Brentford has evolved and back in 2015, ambitious plans were being put in place to transform the town centre. Developer Ballymore’s vision in partnership with the Local Authority – The Brentford Project – was to reconnect Brentford to its riverside roots,

New homes – 876 in total – are naturally at the heart of the development, but the 4.79 hectare site will also contain 14,000 square metres of new retail, leisure and commercial property. New businesses are set to open their doors at The Brentford Project this autumn, culminating in the promise of an “extensive, thriving mix of dining, entertaining and shopping amenities; public spaces including a Waterfront Square as a dedicated space for outdoor markets, performance and public events”.

Hounslow Council’s section of the Brentford Project is nearing completion. Block D, as it is known, comprises 96 one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom flats and 12 new commercial units. The retail units are designed for local retailers which will complement Ballymore’s commercial offer. Block D homes will provide a local decanting opportunity to enable the residents at the Charlton and Albany House

Miranda Lee, sales executive of Marthe Armitage Prints, said:

The regeneration for Charlton House, Albany House, and Osier Court will provide 209 new residential dwellings with associated landscape, amenity, and public realm, alongside a local neighbourhood centre comprising of 1,190 square metres of commercial floorspace at ground floor. The architectural approach for this commercial floorspace reflects the ambition for flexibility, with a design to meet the requirements of a range of potential commercial users, including food retail, space for community activities or artists’ studios. While this flexibility will serve the specific requirements of future occupiers, foremost it is there to meet the day-to-day needs of the local community.

With Brentford’s businesses continuing to build on the rich heritage of the past, if they were saying Brentford is Brilliant in 2015, what will they be saying in 2025?

West London is where Marthe has spent the majority of her life and where the inspiration behind much of her artistic work has come from, so it was important for the team to move somewhere that was local to the company’s roots - and to the history and heritage of the original designs. There was also, of course, the factor of moving the extraordinarily heavy printing press, so the fewer miles the better!”

Brentford is Brilliant campaign founder Julia Quilliam of Brentford estate agent www.quilliam.co.uk. Julia was awarded a British Empire Medal for contributions to Brentford in 1999

Sam’s Larder

Sam Harrison is the owner of Sam’s Larder Brentford, which opened in November, and a new restaurant, Sam’s Waterside, which is due to open as part of the Ballymore Project in August.

“It’s an exciting time in Brentford,” said Sam, who also has a restaurant, Sam’s Riverside, next to Hammersmith Bridge, and two other Sam’s Larders in Chiswick and Hammersmith.

“We are in Phase One of the opening offering coffee and pastries and will be fully open as a fully functioning Sam’s Larder by spring. At the moment, it is a shared space with Ballymore, the project developer.

“I feel really good about recruitment in the area. Hospitality is still having a really tough time with recruitment generally, but a lot of my team will live in Brentford; there’s a lot of the younger demographic here.”

Sam said his business is very much West London based and he picked Brentford as his new site for both a Sam’s Larder and his new restaurant because of its proximity to the Thames, the positive development of the area and the juxtaposition of old and new buildings.

“The Ballymore development of 900 new apartments is exciting for the area, but there is much more to Brentford than the project,” said Sam.

“For me, as a local resident, it’s a mixed demographic, mixed ages. It has so much history. For many, it’s an undiscovered gem.”

Marthe Armitage Prints

Marthe Armitage Prints is an artisanal design company, producing exclusive, hand-printed wallpapers and coordinating screen-printed fabrics from handmade linocuts.

Last year, they moved from their previous and long-standing base in Chiswick to a new studio and showroom in the Brentford Lock West development on Commerce Road.

Miranda Lee, sales executive of Marthe Armitage Prints, said: “West London is where Marthe has spent the majority of her life and where the inspiration behind much of her artistic work has come from, so it was important for the team to move somewhere that was local to the company’s roots - and to the history and heritage of the original designs. There was also, of course, the factor of moving the extraordinarily heavy printing press, so the fewer miles the better!”

Viewing Brentford as a “remarkably cultural and artistic London hub”, the business knew it was the right site.

“As a small artisanal company, we wanted to find a spot that had just the right blend of urban busyness and community spirit, and felt Brentford was just the place,” said Miranda.

“A number of new developments underway, it’s not only a lovely place to work and be inspired, but also an exciting place to establish ourselves for the future.

“The Brentford Project, now well underway in terms of construction, has been on our radar for a few years now and was a key factor in our choice to move to the area. Set to attract a whole wealth of new businesses to the areawith a particular focus on emerging and independent retailers - we’re excited to be a part of this growing community and the regeneration that the Brentford Project will no doubt bring.

“We’ve also been made aware of another exciting new development - The Makers Yard - currently in the planning application phase. Should the development come to fruition, and with it the goal to attract crafts and artisanal brands to its studio spaces, we will welcome the presence of fellow creative players just down the road from us, as well as any future collaborations that may arise as a result.”

For more information contact hounslow.gov.uk/regen-brentford