Chiswick & The West March 2016 by Runwild Media Group

MANAGING EDITOR Francesca Lee EDITORIAL LEAD Tom Hagues EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Emily Adams

WHAT’S INSIDE An insight into this issue

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lesley Ellwood MANAGING DIRECTOR Eren Ellwood GENERAL MANAGER Fiona Fenwick SENIOR DESIGNER Lisa Wade PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Giles Ellwood EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sophie Roberts CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGER Friday Dalrymple SALES EXECUTIVES Joe Rutherford Kate Emmett PRODUCTION Alice Ford Hugo Wheatley Jamie Steele Danny Lesar PUBLISHED BY

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“During the USA presidential race in 2004, CBS aired a report about Bush’s military service but the documents used were widely considered fakes.” – FILM

“WE’D SUGGEST BAGGING YOURSELF A BAKER’S DOZEN, BUT YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST GET AS MANY AS YOU CAN AND SCOFF THEM BEFORE THEY DISAPPEAR OFF THE SHELVES UNTIL NEXT YEAR.” – FOOD AND DRINK

“The Apollo will be full of people singing along to Too Many Broken Hearts and Especially for You – his duet with Kylie Minogue. We know you’ll love it, even if his saccharine hits are your guilty pleasure…” – MUSIC

“THEY ARE NOW A FORCE OF NATURE IN THE DRINKS INDUSTRY – EXPLODING ONTO THE SCENE IN 2014 AND WINNING A BUSINESS AWARD FROM RICHARD BRANSON SOON AFTER.” – RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT

[editor’s letter and contents]

From the

editor

CONTENTS

e have a packed issue for you this month – starting on page four with our favourite events for March. Get out and about around the area

as the evenings get longer and enjoy some of the fun activities that are happening, from the boat race at Chiswick Pier House to a

The spring brings thoughts of the summer term, so flick to page eight for our term dates. We have an education-themed issue this month, as you’ll be able to tell when you turn to page 10. Here, we investigate the benefits of equine-assisted therapy with the Riding

great battle of coffee artists in Ealing.

charlotte’s w5, see page 23

REGULARS 4

WHAT’S ON IN MARCH

WORD ON THE STREET

school funding with Cllr Sue Macmillan on page 12. Technology is

The most pressing issues from vocal locals

always being used to improve the way we live our lives and this is

FEATURES

also the case when it comes to education, but what’s better: apps or

textbooks? We examine the evidence on page 14.

for the Disabled Association, and we learn about budgets and

All the best events to attend this month

ONce upon a time in the west Equine-assisted therapy with the Riding for the Disabled Association TO THE TOWN HALL We speak to Cllr Sue Macmillan about school funding

West Londoners are an entrepreneurial bunch, and the proof is

on page 20, where we interview the founders of Double Dutch, Joyce

and Raissa de Haas. Find out about their fabulous tonic waters and

their incredible journey.

Textbooks vs technology Comparing traditional books to apps and websites as education tools fascinating families Susan Lee Kerr talks about her novel, The Extraordinary Dr Epstein Dutch courage Talking tonic water with the masterminds behind Double Dutch A NESTING PLACE Talking to one Hammersmith resident about her new venture

We hope you enjoy the issue.

news, events and reviews 8

TERM DATES Keep up-to-date with the school year

a mad summer night’s eve

TURN UP THE MUSIC LOUDER

All matters musical in March

Scene one, take five

francesca Lee, Managing Editor ON THE COVER (left to right)

Our thoughts on the Lyric’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

This month’s film listings and our review of High-Rise

Machine Head © Travis Shinn; Cuckoo Hibou; Westfield indulgence © Westfield; Ludovico Einaudi © Ray Tarantino; Pete Yorn © Jim Wright;

Raissa de Haas; Charlotte’s W5 © Panayiotis Sinnos; head chef Mitz Vora from Foley’s Market Yard tasting kitchen

The cookbook Tasty canapés of food and drink news

Victoria Moseley in A Midsummer Night’s Dream © Tristram Kenton; Joyce and 23

DESERVING OF A HIGH FIVE A review of the brand-new Charlotte’s W5 in Ealing

Top picks for

MARCH

The best events to attend this month

12 March A MUSICAL INTERLUDE

15 March A LIGHT PAMPERING

16 March BRAVURA IN W4

Hammersmith-based Petros Singers are traipsing from W6 to W5 this month in order to sing their merry hearts out in Ealing for their spring concert. The music will exhibit some of Scotland and France’s rich heritage and is due to be directed by Richard Bannan for the first time – Bannan is an experienced baritone, arranger and conductor, as well as the lay clerk at St George’s Chapel Windsor, so expect good things. Simon Wall is the concert’s soloist and Matthew Jorysz is the accompanist on the church organ – we can already hear those pipes blaring.

K West Hotel & Spa is this month offering free nail art and mini blow-dries in partnership with hairdresser Jamie Stevens. The hotel has a brand new salon and treatment menu to go with it, and this event is the perfect chance to have a nose around and see what’s on offer. The blow-dries, nail art and hair consultations will take place on the couches in the library area of the hotel – an ideal place for a spot of grooming, apparently. Goody bags are available to guests along with a voucher for 20 per cent off at Jamie Stevens salons. Stevens was British Hairdresser of the Year three years in a row, from 2012 to 2014.

Someone has probably said: “There are only two things I need in life: music and food,” and if someone has said that, then they need to head to Chiswick this month. Villa di Geggiano is hosting an intimate music evening with soprano Charlotte Broker, accompanied by Harry Server on the villa’s Steinway piano. What’s more, dinner will be served during the concert and includes Crostini Toscani, marinated chicken and tiramisu. It looks set to be a culturally enriching evening, both for musiclovers and foodies alike. RSVP to chloe@ villadigeggiano.co.uk or call the restaurant.

Free, 6pm-9pm, K West Hotel & Spa, Richmond Way, W14 0AX, 020 8008 6600, k-west.co.uk

£47 per person, 7pm-9pm, Villa di Geggiano, 66-68 Chiswick High Road, W4 1SY, 020 3384 9442, villadigeggiano.co.uk

Advance £15, concessions £10, on the door £17, concessions £12, 7.30pm, St Barnabas Church, Pitshanger Lane, W5 1QG, tickets@petrossingers.org, petrossingers.org

a light pampering

row, row, row your boat

[what’s on]

21 March OUT OF THE KITCHEN

27 March ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT

31 March SORRY, I ASKED FOR DECAF

Plates, Mates and Automobiles is this show’s titles and we won’t patronise you by telling you what it’s all about. It’s around 20 years since James Martin first landed on our television screens and he’s consistently led the way with balancing cooking and entertaining in a wholesome way. Opening his first restaurant in his early twenties, Martin is a talented and energetic chef and his Saturday morning show used to pull in millions of hungry viewers every week. His night at the Apollo will feature plenty of surprises and special guests in order to keep the audience entertained throughout.

Grab your sunglasses, straw hat and umbrella (just in case) – it’s time for the boat race again. It might seem like only yesterday that people were lining the banks of the Thames in clothing that was all too optimistic for the actual weather, but we kid you not; a whole year has passed. Whether you want to get nestled in a riverside pub, or line one of the bridges, it’s bound to be a great day out for all the family. You’ll find us at Chiswick Pier House, though, because there’s a barbecue and Fullers bar available for the event, along with big screens and a live-action experience as the boats zoom past on the water.

This event is not as violent as it sounds (at least we hope so) so don’t fret. Latte Art Smackdown 2016: Battle of the Baristas sees a group of coffee art masterminds competing to create the most beautiful, intricate and stunning designs on top of their coffees. It follows last year’s hotly contested event, where there was a frenzied crowd cheering on the contestants. If you want to take part, or simply want to go along to watch, email natasha@ealingbroadwaybid.co.uk to secure your spot. There’ll be free coffee-inspired cocktails at the event, which will be made by eatery Maggie’s Vintage Beats & Breakfast.

From £34.75, doors 6.30pm, Eventim Apollo, 45 Queen Caroline Street, W6 9QH, 0844 249 1000, eventim.co.uk

Free, from 1pm, Chiswick Pier House, Corney Reach Way, W4 2UG, 020 8742 2713, chiswickpier.org.uk

Free to enter and attend, 6pm, Artisan Coffee, 32 New Broadway, W5 2XA, 020 8231 2369, makeitealing.co.uk

sorry, i asked for decaf

[what’s on]

Until March 20th MARKET YARD

Get a taste of Foley’s, a new restaurant due to open in Fitzrovia, at this fantastic event. Head chef Mitz Vora has put together a six-week tasting menu for Market Yard in W12, and it’s all delicious, modern world food.

mitz vora

To book Foley’s Tasting Kitchen, email rsvp@incipio-events.com or call 0203 137 1302. Shepherds Bush Yard, Goldhawk Road, W12 8HA, wefeast.co.uk

online chatter What’s got local tongues wagging recently?

@Chiswick_Nikki Wishing you a lovely Sunday and hoping you are doing what you love today...

Further afield

#positivity #GoForIt #photography #love

@LPQUK Le Pain Quotidien means ‘The Daily Bread’ and we believe in just that! To make life easier we deliver bread on Sundays in Chiswick and Fulham!

@CharlottesW4 Up early on a Sunday? It’s ok. We’re here for

image: Private collection, courtesy Duhamel Fine Art, Paris

you #coffeetime #chiswick

@LadyMeagher Is off to Chiswick house later for the Chinese lantern display. Should be magical!

@BBCFilms RIP Douglas Slocombe, Ealing Comedies & Indiana Jones British Cinematographer, who passed away last night.

@harold_thacker Venus after Botticelli, 2008 by Xin Yin, Guillaume Duhame

5 March – 3 July A RENAISSANCE MAN

Sandro Botticelli is recognised as one of the most celebrated artists of all time. The Florentine painter of the early Renaissance period is known for his mythological scenes and his work adorns the Sistine Chapel. Opening this month at the V&A is Botticelli Reimagined, an exhibition bringing together the biggest haul of his work London has seen in decades. Set to explore the enduring impact of his art, including his influence on the worlds of photography, fashion and design, expect to also see works by greats such as René Magritte, Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman. £15, members go free, V&A, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL, 020 7942 2000, vam.ac.uk

These trees from my home town of Tenbury Wells, will soon form a new community #orchard in Ealing.

@EatMeDrinkMeLDN Work in Ealing? We return to @EalingShopping every Fri/Sat from 4 Mar with #FoodStopW5 #HumpDayMotivation @Pulled_uk

@Tobyn123 @HarrisAndHoole big love for your Ealing branch, the chap with the long hair is

10-12 March Tipple Troubadours

Spend an evening (or three) sipping cocktails from 20 internationally-acclaimed bars in a stunning Grade I listed venue in Mayfair. The Cocktails in the City troupe are back with their beautifully bespoke three-day extravaganza, offering a vibrant and varied bar experience at the heart of London, all within the walls of One Mayfair. Tickets £15, Thursday & Friday 6pm-11pm, Saturday 5pm-11pm, 10-12 March, One Mayfair, North Audley Street, W1K 6ZA, 07557 478 762, cocktailsinthecity.co.uk

absolutely superb every time!

@simon_price01 OK, how about a Ziggy Stardust statue outside the Hammersmith Odeon?

Above: Hammer Price £13,500, A late 19th century icon

Auction every Tuesday from 6pm, viewing Saturday – Tuesday 10am - 6pm Right: Hammer Price £41,000, Emil Nolde (German, 1861 -1956), 'Kopf Junge Frau Rotes Kleid'

A unique auction house for fresh inspiration, individual interiors and antique finds, Hammer £95,000, a chinoise- furniture and porcelain. featuringLeft: fine arts, price silver, jewellery, rie bronze and cloisonné jardinière by this advertnecessary. Ferdinandseven Barbedienne Free valuations days a week, no Bring appointment with you and receive a free …….

30-34 Chiswick High Road, W4 1TE 020 8400 5225 | www.highroadauctions.co.uk Hammer Price £2,100 Hammer Price £1,500 Hammer Price £2,000

A 17th century Cypriot icon, Your local glykophilousa

Cartier. An 18 carat rose gold

A fine late 18th century mahogany

auction house offering FREE valuations 7 days a week, table clock Love bangle just pop in no appointment necessary Give us a call or email w4@highroadauctions.co.uk to arrange a house visit Auction of Antiques, Interiors & collectables held every Monday at 6pm, Viewing Saturday to Tuesday 10am-6pm On site café offering delicious home-made food

30-34 Chiswick High Road, W4 1TE | 020 8400 5225 | w4@highroadauctions.co.uk | www.highroadauctions.co.uk

[school dates]

Dates for

the diary All the upcoming term times for this academic year

nurseries and pRIMARY Schools

Contact details

Summer term dates*

Belmont Primary Head: Ms V Coates Belmont Road, W4 5UL

11 April – 20 T: 020 8994 7677 E: messages@belmont.hounslow.sch.uk July (half term: 30 May W: belmontprimaryschool.org.uk – 7 June)

Cavendish Primary Head: Mr Flaherty Edensor Road, W4 2RG

T: 020 8994 6835 E: office@cavendish.hounslow.sch.uk W: webfronter.com/hounslow/ cavendish

11 April – 20 July (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

Chiswick & Bedford T: 020 8994 1804 E: info@cbppschool.co.uk Park Preparatory W: cbppschool.co.uk School Head: Mrs C A Sunderland Priory Avenue, W4 1TX

19 April – 8 July (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

The Falcons School for Boys Head: Mr G Milne Burnaby Gardens, W4 3DT (pre-prep site)

19 April – 7 July (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

T: 020 8747 8393 E: admin@falconschool.com W: falconsboys.co.uk

SECONDARY Schools

Contact details

Summer term dates*

T: 020 7603 8478 Cardinal Vaughan E: mail@cvms.co.uk Memorial School Head: Mr P Stubbings W: cvms.co.uk Addison Road, W14 8BZ

12 April – 15 July (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

Chiswick School Head: Mr T Ryan Burlington Lane, W4 3UN

T: 020 8747 0031 E: enquiries@chiswickschool.org W: chiswickschool.org

11 April – 20 July (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

Godolphin and Latymer Head: Mrs R Mercer Iffley Road, W6 0PG

T: 020 8741 1936 E: office@godolphinandlatymer.com W: godolphinandlatymer.com

19 April – 6 July at 12pm (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

Latymer Upper School Head: Mr D Goodhew King Street, W6 9LR

T: 020 8629 2024 E: head@latymer-upper.org W: latymer-upper.org

20 April – 7 July (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

T: 020 8994 3385 Heathfield House E: pwpwilliamson@gmail.com School Head: Mrs Goodsman W: heathfieldhouse.co.uk Heathfield Gardens,W4 4JU

13 April - 13 July (half term: 30 May 10th June)

Sacred Heart High School Head: Mrs M Doyle Hammersmith Road, W6 7DG

T: 020 8748 7600 E: info@sacredh.lbhf.sch.uk W: sacredhearthighschool hammersmith.org.uk

11 April – 15 July (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

Strand on the Green Infant & Nursery Interim head: Mrs Townsend Thames Road, W4 3NX

T: 020 8994 7921 E: office@strandin.hounslow.sch.uk W: strandinfantandnursery.co.uk

11 April - 15 July at 1:30pm (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

West London Free School Head: Mr H Jones Bridge Avenue, W6 9JP

T: 020 8600 0670 E: admin@wlfs.org W: wlfs.org

11 April – 21 July (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

Little Ealing Primary School Head: Ms Lund Weymouth Avenue, W5 4EA

T: 020 8567 2135 E: information@leps.org.uk W: littleealing.com

11 April – 19 July (half term: 30 May – 3 June)

St Mary’s RC Primary (Chiswick) Head: Mr Oakley Duke Road, W4 2DF

T: 020 8994 5606 E: office@stmarys.hounslow.sch.uk W: stmaryschiswick.org.uk

11 April – 15 July at 1.30pm (half term: 30 May - 3 June)

William Hogarth Primary Head: Ms C Driscoll Duke Road, W4 2JR

11 April Tel: 020 8994 4782 Email: admin@hogarth.hounslow.sch.uk – 20 July (half term: 30 Website: williamhogarthschool.co.uk May – 3 June)

*Above information correct at the time of printing

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Once upon a time

in the west

Elizabeth Finney takes the reins with Caroline Ward, communications manager at the Riding for the Disabled Association, to explore the world of equine-assisted therapy with this prolific international charity

iding is a pastime that dates back thousands of years, but nowadays learning while atop a horse is proving to be one of the most interesting and effective education techniques, as proven by well-known charity, Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA). It all started in 1952 when Danish rider Lis Hartel won a silver medal for dressage in the Olympics and went on to repeat this triumph in 1956, despite the fact that she had no muscle function in her lower legs. Her success spread inspiration across

Europe and throughout the 1960s, the benefits of what is now known as equine assisted therapy began to take hold. In 1964, an organisation was formed called the Advisory Council on Riding for the Disabled (ACRD); by 1966 there were 23 official disabled riding groups in the UK and in 1969, the ACRD was revised to become the Riding for the Disabled Association. Today, the RDA offers riding and carriage driving classes to more than 28,000 people from 500 groups around the UK and Ireland, thanks to its 19,000 volunteers. It is

widely recognised by medical professionals that there are significant therapeutic benefits for riders. “The warmth and three-dimensional movement of the horse is transmitted through the rider’s body, gradually making it more relaxed and supple, strengthening core stability, reducing spasms and improving balance, posture and co-ordination,” Caroline tells me. Those with learning disabilities can also gain from equine assisted therapy – the physical and emotional experience of riding goes above and beyond simply spending time

[education]

with a domesticated animal. “Riding offers an element of excitement and risk often denied to people with disabilities. It can be a means to relax or compete,” Caroline adds. “Horses can help children and adults gain confidence, improve their communication skills and learn how to take care of another living thing. Horses are non-judgemental and accepting, and the horse/human partnership relies on trust and respect.” Classes at RDA groups include activities for a range of abilities, from riding, carriage driving and dressage to vaulting, show jumping and endurance, which will often be the specific focus for the lesson. “Some riders are supported by side walkers and their horse is led, while others ride completely independently,” Caroline explains, knowledgably. “RDA supports riders of all abilities – all riders and drivers will have their own individual goals. This might be being able to sit up straight and balance, or preparing a complicated dressage test ready for competition.” Inevitably, no two lessons are the same as working with animals means there’s always room for the unexpected, but all volunteers undergo basic training which can then be expanded upon, depending on their interests in the field.

The Ancient Greeks noted the therapeutic value of working with horses back in 600BC Though the Ancient Greeks noted the therapeutic value of working with horses back in 600BC, a relatively recent explosion in riding as a form of therapy for adults and children alike has sent the RDA galloping onto our screens, and was featured on the BBC Lifeline Appeal of 2016 in January. Additionally, author and broadcaster Clare Balding continues to be a passionate supporter alongside Anneka Rice, Jonathan Agnew and Alastair Stewart. As a prominently keen rider, Princess Anne became a patron of the RDA in 1971 and has been the charity’s president since 1985. This year will prove to be a significant one for the RDA, as it has recently launched a quarterly magazine and will inevitably be highlighted during the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. “All of the current Team GB for para-equestrian dressage started out with the support of RDA,” Caroline says, proudly. “RDA is a remarkable charity where children and adults benefit from the powerful physiotherapy of riding and the life-changing bond between humans and

horses,” Ed Bracher, the chief executive of RDA UK, tells me ardently. “Achievement is celebrated in all its forms at RDA – whether that’s sitting up, walking unaided for the first time, or standing on the winner’s podium at the Paralympics.” With a never-ending list of success stories and groups blossoming all over the world, it’s hard to find fault in using riding as a learning tool, whether that’s for training the body or the mind. The RDA has created a much-needed community for people with disabilities, allowing them to break down barriers and build up their confidence through engaging and

stimulating activities. You certainly can’t call that horsing around. rda.org.uk

Your local RDA Group Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre Group, Wormwood Scrubs Park, Woodmans Mews, W12 0HU, 020 8740 0573, wormwoodscrubsponycentre.org

To the

town hall

Bethan Rees heads to the council to meet Cllr Sue Macmillan, the borough’s cabinet member for Children and Education, and to discuss the council’s concerns for school funding

n the Conservative manifesto and in November 2015, as part of the Spending Review, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne put forward a proposal intended to remove big regional differences in levels of per pupil funding and the government confirmed it would consult on a new national school funding formula from 2017. This commitment, named Fair Funding, pledges to balance the geographical differences in pupil funding that exist across the UK, by taking money from those authorities currently receiving

the most and redistributing it to those receiving the least. I ask Cllr Sue Macmillan to explain this further. “School funding is horrifically complex. For more than 20 to 25 years there have grown quite significant disparities in the amount of money that gets allocated to each local authority for its schools,” she begins. “It goes back to the ’90s when councils were given a pot of money from the government and could choose to add more money to top it up. At that time, a lot of inner London authorities decided to do that.”

Currently in London, schools get more money per pupil than elsewhere in the country. This is partly due to the government introducing the Dedicated Schools Grant in 2006, which became the principal source of funding for schools and related activities in England. However, the transfer of funding out of the previous formula grant was based on local authorities’ actual school budgets, which often considerably exceeded the national spending level on which the grant allocations had originally been calculated. “The government

[education]

cllr sue macmillan

didn’t want to penalise those authorities that had topped up by taking funds away, so the disparities have continue throughout. The national funding formula is an attempt to iron out the inequalities,” Cllr Macmillan tells me. Equality in funding does initially sound like a positive change for more vulnerable and less advantaged communities, but it’s when we delve deeper into the context and climate of schools in the local area that it gets slightly more complicated. “Recruitment and retention of teachers is a huge problem here. House prices in the local area have increased at 25 per cent a year and teachers can’t afford to live here. It’s been bubbling away but they are now saying it’s reaching crisis point,” Cllr Macmillan says. “Schools are having to pay extra from their budgets to agencies and having to look abroad too, and unfilled vacancies in schools means having to arrange extra cover at a cost.”

“Funding levels for schools have remained almost the same, year on year. However, this year there are three costs that have increased: teachers getting a one per cent pay rise, a change in National Insurance contributions; and schools having to contribute more to pensions. These costs are going up with no extra money coming in.” Looking at these figures, Cllr Macmillan and her team at Hammersmith & Fulham Council have made a forecast of what these might cost for this borough alone: £3 million, the equivalent of 61 teachers. “Schools are telling me this is going to be difficult; they’re saying they can make some efficiencies but it’s getting pretty close to the knuckle,” she explains. “I’m going to make the case as much as I can to the government, saying by all means top-up the authorities outside of London, but don’t take it away from us. It means cutting teaching assistants and teachers and taking away enrichment subjects such as music and

dance, which are so important for children in London. Some head teachers have started to question whether their school is even viable; it’s that bleak.” Cllr Macmillan backs up her argument with statistics on visible improvements in inner London schools with the hypothesis that the more that is spent on schools, the more they progress. She explains that from 1998 to 2009, school funding increased at around five per cent a year, and in 2002, 35 per cent of pupils received five A* to C grades at GCSE level, and by 2013, this figure had almost doubled to 64 per cent. “While I understand budgets are tight and that there is a limited amount of money to go around, here you have an area of government funding which has proven to have such an impact; it’s not an abstract notion, it’s made a massive difference to young people’s lives.” I ask her what the ideal outcome would be, in her opinion. “For the government to say we know there’s not a lot in the pot but here is something that is so important that we’re going to find the money and bring everyone else up to the level of London, because we know it works,” she replies. “London is different in terms of cost, and we have a far higher concentration of people from disadvantaged backgrounds than most other places in the UK and the cost of living is higher, so I think the government needs to recognise those two things and mitigate this,” says Cllr Macmillan. And as she stated in her recent post on this issue for The Huffington Post: “I’m pleading with the government to change its mind: don’t rob Peter to pay Paul.” lbhf.gov.uk

[EDUCATION]

Textbooks vs

technology

The way children are learning and what they’re learning about is changing and because it can be a bit daunting, Emily Adams looks at some books and apps to make the transition a little bit easier

a parcel of courage

The Homework App

There’s no excuse not to do your homework now thanks to The Homework App. There are plenty of these on the market, but we particularly like this all-in-one offering. It’s bright and colour-coded, simple and easy to use, with a timetable and calendar to give you an overview of all your assignments. You can’t possibly ignore that Friday morning English test now. Free, thehomeworkapp.com

Little Writer: The Tracing App for Kids

For younger learners, there’s the Little Writer app that teaches children to write letter by letter. Once they’ve mastered the basics, they can work on the difference between capitals and lower case letters, numbers, shapes and then words. The app is designed to make learning to write super simple and there’s even encouraging sound effects to praise good work and keep them motivated. Free, alligatorapps.com

A Parcel of Courage

A Parcel of Courage is a free interactive book for young children, with learning activities and educational games thrown in. The story, characters and games help teach problemsolving skills, hand–eye coordination for better handwriting, spatial awareness and working memory. There are also two modes, ‘I listen’ and ‘I read’ for different abilities, and there are seven tasks to complete within the story. Story time just got more interesting. Free, moonagroup.com

was really on the moon. Today, becoming an astronaut or working in rocket science is that little bit more realistic. This handbook teaches children everything they need to know to make that dream come true, from how to adapt to living in space and the everyday jobs astronauts carry out. With a dash of humour and some bright illustrations, they can dream big.

The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots books

By Beatrix Potter, £12.99,

Lift-the-Flap Computers and Coding

due for release on 1 September Published by Frederick Warne & Co

By Rosie Dickins, £9.99 Published by Usborne Publishing We can’t exactly say we know how to code, but it’s becoming more and more important for children growing up to understand it. There have been reports that kids are learning to code rather than learn a second language. This lift-the-flap book breaks it down for your child (and you), teaching them about the inner workings of a computer, from how a keyboard works to pixels and memory. Puzzles, quirky facts and useful words help to make the world of technology a lot less daunting.

There have been reports that kids are learning to code rather than learn a second language The Usborne Official Astronaut’s Handbook

By Louie Stowell, £6.99 Published by Usborne Publishing Maybe you dreamt of being an astronaut when you were younger, or wondered what

If you’re just not ready for the new age of education, here’s something classic for you. You may have heard the exciting news that a Beatrix Potter novel has been discovered. The publication date of The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots has been released, as well as the news that illustrator Quentin Blake will be providing the artwork. As one of the world’s best-loved children’s authors and creator of Peter Rabbit, it’s sure to be a great read.

Image courtesy Frederick Warne Co. the VA Museum

technology

the tale of kitty-in-boots

[BOOKS]

Fascinating

families Susan Lee Kerr tells Tom Hagues about her new novel, The Extraordinary Dr Epstein, and the journey she undertook to create it

he sun streams into Susan Lee Kerr’s Chiswick property and we nestle into a comfortable sofa. I ask Susan, rather simply, how she began The Extraordinary Dr Epstein. “I think everyone has someone in their family who is really interesting – be it a great uncle or grandparent. I certainly did,” she smiles. Ephraim Epstein, the story’s protagonist, is Susan’s great grandfather. “When I was younger, I spent a lot of time with my grandmother, who was Ephraim’s daughter, and it was her tales and stories of him – and about how great he was – that I had in my head, but it was enough to write this novel.” Based on a real man and guided by real events, dates and people, I ask whether the story is biographical or mostly fiction. “That’s a big toss-up for people writing family histories and stories; how do you go about writing it? I wasn’t into the genealogy and dry history side of things, I was more

interested in what made the man tick,” she tells me. Using her writer’s imagination, she wrote about what it was like when Ephraim was told to marry his cousin at the age of 17, and how he felt when he landed in America at the age of 20 – a narrative that only a writer can imagine and no historian could ever emulate. How did Susan go about starting such a monumental task? “At the end of his life he was on the editorial staff of a medical journal, in which he had a regular column. At one point he wrote an account of his life, called Why Do I Live So Long? because he was 80 years old at the time. It’s a whole description of his existence from the point of view of his illnesses and hardships that he’s overcome – there’s a certain sense of humour in it,” she details. That was her starting block and Susan exclaims: “You start with what you have!” The tale is fast-paced, fascinating and

enthralling; it traverses continents, decades and professions, all the while sticking to factual dates and real-life events. It’s certainly not a dry piece of history, and among the pages of this mesmerising tale, Ephraim founds a university, fathers 10 children, speaks seven languages and works as a doctor. It is remarkable to think that this is a real man – and he’s extraordinary indeed. Susan Lee Kerr will be giving a talk at The Chiswick Bookshop on 15 March, where she and Diane Chandler will be talking about weaving together fact, memories and imagination in order to write a novel. It’ll be full of tips and advice for budding writers.

Susan Lee KerR

Free, 15 March, 6.30pm-8pm, The Chiswick Bookshop, 12 Turnham Green Terrace, W4 1QP, 020 8994 8020, thechiswickbookshop.com. The Extraordinary Dr Epstein: RRP £10

[THEATRE]

A Mad Summer

night’s eve

Elizabeth Finney immerses herself in this crazy version of a Shakespeare classic

all photos by Tristram Kenton

rior to curtains up, the wonderfully animated Peter Quince, played by Ed Gaughan (who was multi-rolling as both a mechanical and a stand-up comedian throughout) warned the audience to have low expectations. As I settled down in the stalls at the Lyric Hammersmith to watch Filter Theatre’s adaption of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I readied myself for some cringe-worthy slapstick, but I could not have been more surprised by what followed. Set in ancient Athens, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is perhaps one of Shakespeare’s most performed (and most tampered with) plays. Co-directed by Stef O’Dirscoll and the Lyric’s own Sean Holmes, the storyline was brought into an alternate reality with no discernible era or societal context – the discarding of these concepts did not take away from the performance, though the storyline was left somewhat simplified. The mechanicals were played in part by the musicians, and their lack of stage flare was played on to great effect. The four lovers, also expertly cast, were strong as a team, and the chemistry between Demetrius (Hammed Animashaun) and Lysander (John Lightbody) had everyone is stitches with their schoolboy tiffs, flirting attempts and rivalries. As for Puck (Ferdy Roberts) and a very asthmatic Oberon (Jonathan Broadbent), their interactions inspire visions of a modernday Jeeves and Wooster – if the latter were a washed-up superohero. The curtains flew open revealing a neutral stage with paper flats (through which Puck and Oberon regularly tore through), with a

Hammed Animashaun as Demetrius

John Lightbody as Lysander and Victoria Moseley as Hermia

small section dedicated to a live band and a never-explained built-in bathtub complete with taps and ceiling-high white tiles. After a bizarre opening involving an apparently absent Ian McKellen and a ‘member of the audience’ offering to read in for his role of Bottom, things only became more peculiar as the show ran on. It was monumentally entertaining – though expressions of confusion or shock never left my face, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the stage for more than a second. It was utter bedlam – a multitude of unexplained gimmicks were made relevant by an extraordinarily strong cast, and though a lot of said ploys seemed unnecessary (most notably,

Victoria Moseley

Lysander and Demetrius battling in a Tekkenesque stand-off, complete with gaming sound effects and plastic guns), they were carried off with total conviction and, in most cases, reduced the audience to hysterics. Despite the abundance of seemingly redundant oddities, including a doughnut fight, a bottle of shower gel to portray the love-in-idleness flower and the old school video game controller used by Puck, the quality of the performance is worthy of high praise. Reinventing Shakespeare is a challenge that is continually disputed and often results in the butchering of his text, but somehow, the sensational cast carried it off breezily. Together, they translated the script for a modern audience through absolute anarchy. I’d recommend this show to anyone who might find distancing Shakespearean texts from RP accents and dust-ridden Elizabethan costumes entertaining – but take it with a pinch of salt. From £15, until 19 March, see website for performance times. Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Square, King Street, W6 0QL, 020 8741 6850, lyric.co.uk

[music]

Turn the

music louder Here are some of our top picks to keep you entertained with all matters musical in March bush hall

eventim apollo

20 March JASON DONOVAN

an evening with machine head

11 March AN EVENING WITH MACHINE HEAD

Coming all the way from California, this group just so happens to be one of the most popular heavy metal bands on the planet. The quartet is said to be one of the pioneering bands in the ‘new wave of American heavy metal’, and so the four of them are trendsetters to say the least. The style of music Machine Head produces is a crossover between thrash metal, groove metal, and heavy metal, so it’s not really the kind you can put on to help you sleep at night, however good it is. £32.25, doors 7pm

recommended show

This throwback to the 1980s will be great fun for pop fans and Donovanites alike. He’s touring with his album, Ten Good Reasons and taking songs from his Greatest Hits too, so the Apollo will be full of people singing along to Too Many Broken Hearts and Especially for You – his duet with Kylie Minogue. We know you’ll love it, even if his saccharine hits are your guilty pleasure…

10 MARCH PETE YORN Yorn is releasing his next album the day after this show, so pop along and support him on the eve of his big release. He is a vastly talented individual and his debut album was met with widespread critical acclaim. He’s often praised for playing

From £38.25, doors 7pm

most of the instruments on his records, in a sheer display of his musical prestige

Eventim Apollo, 45 Queen Caroline Street, W6 9QH, 0844 249 1000, eventim.co.uk

(we can’t help but picture him looking like Dick Van Dyke’s one-man band in Mary Poppins) and his folksy, original sound will have you downloading the new album in a flash. £15, 7.30pm, Bush Hall, 310 Uxbridge Road, W12 7LJ, 020 8222 6955, bushhallmusic.co.uk

jason donovan

16-18 March LUDOVICO EINAUDI

Nominated for a BAFTA for his music on the miniseries This is England ’86, Einaudi is an evocative musician. It’s hard to place his music into a specific genre, so we’ll have to turn to him for clarification: “There is something in it that comes from classical, but I have influences from different music I have experienced in my life, from African music to folk and rock.” From £34.25, doors 6.30pm

pete yorn

ludovico einaudi

Scene one,

take five

Take a look at March’s movie magic review

what’s on

High-Rise

n this adaptation of J G Ballard’s 1970s dystopian tale, Tom Hiddleston stars as the physiology doctor and bachelor Robert Laing who moves into a state-of-the-art high-rise that incorporates every facility one could need outside of the workplace. A series of events lead to things inside turning decidedly sinister and the community separates into armies of respective floors; yet the party still goes on amid the rubbish and ruins of the slowly disintegrating building that is steadily losing its power, food supplies, and sanity – eventually becoming completely cut off from the world outside. High-Rise is shocking, stylish, surreal, compelling, and contains some fantastic one-liners; but the most uneasy part of all is the recognition that this commodity-driven, self-conscious and high-tech world may not be so far away from ours. High-Rise is released in UK cinemas 18 March

Marianne Dick sums up High-Rise with a worrying conclusion

hail, caesar!

4 March HAIL, CAESAR!

Directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen Starring George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton and Scarlett Johansson This all-star Coen-brothers production won’t set the world on fire but it’ll definitely make for fun viewing. Eddie Mannix, a fixer of problems for Hollywood’s elite in the 1950s, becomes embroiled in a misadventure when actor Baird Whitlock is abducted and the problem can’t simply be fixed. Japes, calamity and hilarity ensues – and it’s nice to see Clooney doing something other than selling Nespresso.

4 March TRUTH

high-rise

Directed by James Vanderbilt Starring Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Topher Grace and Dennis Quaid Based on the true events of a televised CBS news report about George Bush’s military service and the resulting controversy, Blanchett stars with Redford and Quaid to detail what happened to the journalists and producers involved. During the USA presidential race in 2004, CBS aired a report about Bush’s military service but the documents used were widely considered fakes. The controversy cost careers, reputations and sanity, and this tense reallife story is beautifully played out in Truth.

[film]

truth

11 March KUNG FU PANDA 3

Directed by Alessandro Carloni, Jennifer Yuh Starring Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman and Angelina Jolie “A third one?” you cry out in disbelief. Yes, it’s true – there’s now a trio of these films about a panda bear and his various animal pals who are all very good at kung fu. “What on earth can this one be about?” you ask in utter horror. Po the panda faces two threats – a supernatural one and something a little less vague, and there’s no prize given for guessing how he’s going to get himself out of his sticky situations.

torn apart by witchcraft, black magic and possession. It’s set to be a spooky, dramatic and spine-tingling film with new-to-thescene actors and we can’t wait to see it.

of fans who fell in love with the original.

15 March MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2

Directed by Zack Snyder Starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams Batman takes on Superman after fears that his actions are going unchecked by anyone – but as they fight it out, a new threat terrorises Metropolis so they have to set aside their differences and team up with Wonder Woman to stop the dangerous Lex Luthor from carrying out his dastardly plans. It’s an allaction superhero smorgasbord of fist fights.

Directed by Kirk Jones Starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett and Michael Constantine Ding ding! Round two; and this one’s bigger and fatter and tells the tale of Toula and Ian, who are having marital problems while having to get on for this wedding. It’s a disaster waiting to happen, but it’ll be a welcome addition to cinemas for the league

11 March THE WITCH

25 March BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE

the witch

Directed by Robert Eggers Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie It’s New England and it’s the 1630s, so relatability levels for this film are low – unless you are part of a family that’s been

my big fat greek wedding 2

[RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT]

Dutch

courage

Tom Hagues speaks to twin sisters and Shepherd’s Bush residents Joyce and Raissa de Haas about their tonic water business that’s proving popular both here and in the USA

Raissa & Joyce De Haas being presented with a Virgin Startup award

’m looking forward to meeting the de Haas sisters as I settle down in my chair and wait for them to arrive; they are now a force of nature in the drinks industry – exploding onto the scene in 2014 and winning a business award from Richard Branson soon after. It all started from childhood, as Joyce begins to tell me. “In the Netherlands, our parents had a wine and spirits shop as a sort of hobby, meaning they got to know local distillers of different spirits. This meant that we were around it all the time and as we got older, we started making our own mixers because we thought it was a shame to be using certain spirits with the same mixer all the time.” The pair moved to London in 2013 and attended University College London to study a technology masters. “UCL is devoted to startup businesses,” Joyce tells me. “So it gave us a year to find a business opportunity within the drinks industry. We did our dissertation on this project.” The tonic water

work paid off and at the end of their time at UCL, the sisters were awarded a Bright Ideas Award for their product under the ‘most promising startup’ category. It was from this award and the accompanying grant that the girls were able to kick-start the business, producing their first batch shortly after. I get on to asking about the product itself. The flavoured range has cucumber and watermelon, pomegranate and basil and there’s a slimline and normal tonic water offering too, which are both fruity and crisp when compared to other plain tonics. “The flavoured ones are designed using food pairing techniques,” I’m told. “We wanted something that would complement the spirit instead of creating something overpowering, so we chemically analysed all the different flavour components in our ingredients – for example, the cucumber and the watermelon – and then compared it chemically to the key components in a lot of gins, vodkas and some tequilas.” The food pairing aspect means that these products are made from a scientific,

theoretical point of view, as opposed to Joyce and Raissa’s own palates. I ask whether they undertake this scientific experimentation themselves and Joyce laughs. “No, we have someone who can help us with that!” What’s coming up in the future? “We’re developing a fifth flavour that will go with darker spirits – we’re working with ginger, but it’s all in the development phase. It’ll go well with dark rums and cognacs,” they tell me. Richard Branson is a fan of the business and took Joyce and Raissa to the USA to pitch to supermarket chain Target – and they were successful. “We’ll be doing a trial across 300 Target stores during the beginning of the summer,” they beam. “If it goes well, we’ll be stocked in 3,000 stores.” It sounds like they’ve got it all under control with a very promising future ahead of them. doubledutchdrinks.com

combinations Pomegranate and basil goes well with more herbal, botanical gins and also tequila – it’s not just for shotting! Cucumber and watermelon is sweeter so goes well with a dry gin – think Sipsmith.

PROBABLY THE BEST KITCHENS IN THE WORLD!

“A level of service I believe goes above and beyond. Thank you Roger!” Louise, W4

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[food and drink]

The

cookbook

Fill up on our canapés of news from the local food and drink scene

THEY SEE ME ROLLIN’…

The head chef of The Anglesea Arms in Hammersmith, Philip Harrison, was recently crowned the winner of the Great Sausage Roll Off 2016, thanks to his black pudding purée and pheasant masterpiece. The competition was held in support of children’s hospice charity Shooting Star Chase. The event raised more than £400. angleseaarmspub.co.uk. Read more about the charity at shootingstarchase.org.uk

victorian Ice cream Mould

indulgent londoners

uk.westfield.com

PULLING PINTS

ONE A PENNY, TWO A PENNY

…hot cross buns! Head down to Gail’s this month to find yourself some sticky, fluffy and downright tasty hot cross buns until 8 April and see in the Easter Holiday with a warm, buttery bun. We’d suggest bagging yourself a baker’s dozen, but you might as well just get as many as you can and scoff them before they disappear off the shelves until next year… At least that’s what we’ll be doing. gailsbread.co.uk

Ealing’s The New Inn has some exciting additions to its list of available ales. It now serves Doom Bar, alongside Junction Bitter from Samsbrook’s Brewery and Fuller’s London Pride. There’s also a Young’s Special available from the pumps, which is a 4.5 per cent bitter, and a wheat beer offering of Erdinger Weissbier. Keep an eye out too for the Grandstand Bitter from Twickenham Fine Ales, which is due to hit the bar very soon. thenewinnealing.com

one a penny, two a penny

IMAGES COURTESY OF LOUISA BRADFORD

INDULGENT LONDONERS

Last month saw Westfield in Shepherd’s Bush give visitors the opportunity to sample some of the finest Marks & Spencer products. There were interactive activities that gave guests the chance to see how food can be created in various ways to make it absolutely irresistible to hungry stomachs and there was plenty for people to get their teeth into.

VICTORIAN MYSTERY SOLVED

Leiths School of Food and Wine in W12 last month proved it knows its food history. When Louisa Bradford, an ex-Leiths teacher and owner of cookery school Kincardine Cookery, tweeted pictures of an old cooking implement asking what it could be, Leiths responded, saying: “Two of our chefs have confirmed this is a Victorian ice cream mould.” We expect those chefs to be appearing on a new series of Antiques Roadshow anytime now. leiths.com

[food and drink]

Deserving of a

high five

all images © Panayiotis Sinnos

Tom Hagues sets aside his speechlessness to rave about the brand-new Charlotte’s W5, in an altogether frenzied way

he third edition to Charlotte’s Group flung its doors open properly last month. With its popular Gin School at the Chiswick site and a strong fine dining reputation at Charlotte’s Place on Ealing Common, W5 has a lot to live up to if it’s going to compare to its elder sisters. It’s owned by Alex Wrethman, and there’s a different vibe at the Dickens Yard-based Charlotte’s W5, which is referred to as ‘third place’. It’s an extension of people’s living rooms and homes – a place to go to work, relax or hold meetings. Indeed, even on a Tuesday

evening, I walk in and spot a few people enjoying some drinks, eating dinner and one or two beavering away at some work. It’s relaxed, the lighting is soft and warm and the staff cheery. I am excited almost immediately. The first port of call is the gorgeous marble bar in the conservatory. Crafted around the brickwork of the original building that was once horses’ stables, the marble-topped bar is stocked with drinks from independent distillers and the cocktails are devised by head barman Fredi Viaud and his team. A 52-page bar book is slapped down in front of

me and I thirstily flick through the sections, my head spinning with delirious excitement at the choice of cocktails. I try the God Save the Quince, expertly crafted in front of me – the homemade quince jam and vodka muddles with the other ingredients to create a refreshing, moreish drink. It’s worth noting that the Gin & Tea Party (containing dry gin and green tea) is a favourite and I can see why. Bustling through into the stable block for dinner, I’m confronted by the food menu and have the option to choose a variety of dishes in taster, small or large size. On the recommendation of the extremely helpful waitress, I select two taster-sized dishes to nibble on while deciding and waiting for the bigger plates to arrive; the cheese on toast (Charlotte’s take on a Welsh rarebit), which is palate-awakening and simple in a smileinducing way, as well as the truffle arancini with artichoke puree. These deep-fried spheres of pleasure are delicately touched by truffle and not overwhelmed by its usual heady taste. I also go for the octopus – its carpacciostyle looks as good as it tastes. After the cod loin (delicate, flakey) and sea bream (meaty, moreish) I take a deep breath and dig into the wood pigeon, pork belly and lamb breast. Each one is presented beautifully and entices moans and groans of pleasure to waft from my general direction. Charlotte’s W5 does food and drink brilliantly well, and it does experience exceptionally too. I can see myself dropping by in the morning to do some work and end up ordering some tasting dishes for lunch. And, because I’m easily persuaded (not that it’d take much), I’d still be there in the late evening, ordering every cocktail and dish I can manage. It’s not just a welcome addition to the local area – Charlotte’s W5 should be a Londonwide heritage spot. Charlotte’s W5, The Old Stable Block, Dickens Yard, Longfield Avenue, W5 2BF, 020 3771 8722, charlottes.co.uk

[resident spotlight]

A nesting

place

Cuckoo Hibou is a new concept café, boutique and workshop space for both parents and children. Bethan Rees speaks to its founder, Hammersmith resident Alice Erb-Malet

dorable pastel salt and pepper grinders match the array of chairs; children’s books fill the shelves while magazines hang in a stack on the wall and the scent of freshly baked French pastries fills the nose. This is the setting at the haven that is Cuckoo Hibou, a new concept café just over the border of Hammersmith and Fulham on New King’s Road. I arrive on a Friday afternoon and the café is buzzing with mums and babies, conversing in both French and English, sipping Radiance Daily green juices and nibbling on colourful So Choux macarons. Alice Erb-Malet, the owner and founder of Cuckoo Hibou, formerly a TV journalist in Paris, opened this little cosy nest at the beginning of the year. She moved to the UK with her husband and her son, and tells me: “I always had the feeling that I wanted to open something on my own, to have my own business, even when I was a kid.” “One of the reasons I wanted to open Cuckoo Hibou is because when I had just moved to London with my son, I would look for so many activities to do with him,” she begins. Alice describes London as “a city for kids” in comparison to Paris. “There are all

these fantastic places for children here, but not so great for parents. I love to play, but I also like to be in a nice place where my son can have fun and I can talk to other parents and share my experiences too,” she says. The café prides itself on being artistic and bilingual, hosting all of its workshops in both English and French. The programme of events aims to attract all the family and encourage people to watch their little ones discover and refine their talents. The Little Comédiens workshop seeks to develop children’s confidence in English and French through inventive and playful story-telling, using costumes and improvisation games while Little Artistes invites children to stimulate their creativity. Little Musiciens helps them discover music and develop rhythm through songs, games and nursery rhymes; Little Blingues is a way to cultivate the French language and Little Yogis welcomes parents and children to share a moment of peace and help both relax. “I want to develop the idea of parenting workshops. For example, baby massage and nutrition. I wanted to create a place where you can go and talk to professionals and other partnerships,” she explains. But why Fulham? “It was such an obvious

place for the café, I didn’t really have to think about it,” she tells me. “There’s such a big community here made of up different nationalities, including English and French. However, I don’t want this to be a place solely for French people, that’s not the idea; this place is universal and multicultural,” Alice continues. The café is also a place where parents can buy themselves and children some treats. From toys and books to homewares and beauty products, Alice handpicks the brands she stocks in Cuckoo Hibou. “I really like small brands with an interesting story, that’s really important to me. For example, Blossom Paris is a French designer who used to work at Nina Ricci, but left to start her own children’s label,” she says enthusiastically. So, whether you’re looking for a bit of quality time spent with your child, ways to enhance learning, gift inspiration or new touches for the home, head to Cuckoo Hibou and you won’t be disappointed. 181 New King’s Road, SW6 4SW, 020 7731 5552, cuckoohibou.com

alice’s hammersmith Food and drink I love the Bird in Hand; the atmosphere is nice and the food is good.

Outside space I really enjoy going to Ravenscourt Park with my son, and during the summer he loves the little swimming pool.

Three best things 1. Nice green spaces 2. It feels like a little village 3. I love the Brook Green Market & Kitchen at Addison Primary School.

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TL DJ YM advert-AW 14.1.16.indd 2

15/01/2016 06:58

[letters]

Word on

THE STREET The very latest from west London’s vocal locals

can keep your heels at London Fashion Week, it’s all about the hops for me! - Mr Lesarde

Family fun in the sun

CARE TO DANCE?

Care to dance? I would love my daughter to start dancing and join a ballet class but there’s just too many to choose from. I don’t want it to be strict or hard work for her, I just want her to have a bit of fun and learn something new. Part of me hopes she’ll live out my dream of being a dancer! Any ideas? - Mrs Allam

Let there be light The Magical Lantern Festival at Chiswick House and Gardens was just wonderful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so enchanting and the children were completely in awe of all the colour and light. Here’s to many more festivals in the future. - Mrs Mattersley

Money, money, money I always keep some spare change with me for parking, so you can imagine my surprise when I turned up at the train station and didn’t need to rummage about for some loose coppers. I used my phone to pay instead. I’m so very pleased that cashless parking has been rolled out through Chiswick – what a time-saver. - Mr Hughes

Now that the sun is starting to shine a bit more (touch wood), I want to get out and about with my family and enjoy what’s in the area. Does anyone have any suggestions for fun activities to do together, maybe in the local parks and gardens? We’ve heard about the new Go Ape in Battersea Park, but does anyone know of something similar in Chiswick or further west? - Ms Platt

Picture this I, like many others I’m sure, have hundreds if not thousands of photos on my phone, but none of them printed out. It’s high time I got some of my favourites printed and framed, but to be quite honest, I don’t know where to begin. I want it to be as uncomplicated and stress-free as possible and for someone to talk me through everything. Please help an old technophobe out! - Mr Bowton

PICTURE THIS

Bottoms up! I loved London Beer Week last month, especially with all the different places to go in the area. I particularly enjoyed heading down to The Italian Job to try its various craft beers and ales. You

FAMILY FUN IN THE SUN

If you have anything you’d like to share, ask or say, email us at chiswick.bg@residentsjournal.co.uk, write to us at Runwild Media Group, 6th Floor, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AX or tweet us @ChiswickWestJ

[PROPERTY]

Property

news

The view from SAVILLS The start of 2016 has seen varied activity across differing price bands in the West London market. The most active market has been that priced below £2million, with an increase of property entering the market at these price levels. If priced correctly, it has been selling rapidly. The market below £1million continues to be busy – demand for properties at this level is exceeding supply. The heightened interest in this threshold may well be driven by those wishing to beat the new stamp duty rates applicable to those buying additional properties from April. The market above £2million with familysized properties has been more subdued, but

realistically priced property is attracting buyers. Even though house prices in Prime Central London fell by -0.8 per cent in the final quarter of 2015, they rose by 0.5 per cent across the year. This small growth can largely be attributed to the performance of properties worth less than £2million, which saw an increase of 2.2 per cent last year. Prices for properties above the £2million mark were not as bullish, reflecting an adjustment to a less hospitable tax regime and successive increases in stamp duty rates. The introduction of a three per cent stamp

Crossrail’s New Name: The Lizzie Line

Sensibly, Crossrail isn’t going to be called Crossrail when it opens in December 2018; it’ll be known as the Elizabeth Line, after HM Queen Elizabeth, and it gets a very regal purple hue to go with the name. Her Majesty the Queen visited the under-construction Crossrail station at Bond Street, as Mayor Boris Johnson announced that the new railway will be known as the Elizabeth Line in her honour. Queen Elizabeth was the first reigning monarch to travel on the London Underground, when she opened the Victoria line service in 1969. Average property prices within a 10 minute stroll of Bond Street shot up by 82 per cent between July 2008, when Crossrail received Royal Assent, and Q4 2014, when Knight Frank analysed the numbers, outperforming neighbouring areas by more than 38 per cent. That was the biggest increase along the route by quite the margin, though: prices around the average Crossrail station increased by 43 per cent between Royal Assent in July 2008 and Knight Frank’s Q4 2014 figures; a 5 per cent uplift on non-Crossrail locations. In central London, residential property values within a 10-minute walk of Crossrail stations have risen by an average of 57 per cent; western stations have pushed up walkable home values by 28 per cent – outperforming local markets by 6 per cent

over that time – while stations to the east have seen local homes outperform neighbours by a cooler three per cent, growing by 21 per cent over the last six years.

duty surcharge on ‘additional homes’, which will come into effect for sales completed on or after 1 April 2016, is also likely to subdue growth, while increased mortgage regulation will prove constraining. As a result of these changes, the Prime West London market (heading west from Hammersmith to Ealing) saw property prices fall by -1.8 per cent in the last three months of 2015, leaving average values 3.9 per

Homecoming

Last month saw the release of Welcome Home, a minute-long commercial produced by London and country estate agent John D Wood & Co. The company worked with Brighton-based video agency SeeThat to create the heart-warming piece of film, which focuses on family life and everything that makes a home. Richard Page, marketing director of John D Wood & Co, said: “We wanted to communicate more of the personal side of property and evoke positive emotions in our audience. We are really excited by the result – this kicks off a big video push for 2016 with much more content to be released during the year.” John D Wood & Co. has 16 London and five country offices, with consultants in Sussex, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Hertfordshire, and has been selling residential property since 1872. johndwood.co.uk/welcomehome

cent higher than they were a year ago. This is not the first time stamp duty has affected growth at different price points. After changes in 2014, properties worth more than £3million saw average falls of -2.1 per cent between September 2014 and December 2015, while prices for homes worth less than £1million, which are subject to lower stamp duty charges, increased by 4.7 per cent. We expect prime London house prices to remain broadly flat throughout 2016 and most of 2017, as the market absorbs recent tax changes. We believe the fundamentals of global wealth generation will support a gradual return to positive rates of price growth and we are forecasting total price growth in the outer prime London markets of 18.2 per cent over the five years to the end of 2020. In the event you require more information, do not hesitate to contact Christopher Bramwell. Savills, 020 8987 5555, cbramwell@savills.com, savills.co.uk

LEt SHEPHERD’S BUSH

Guide £625 pw

CURWEN ROAD W12 2

Open new doors Move with Savills

600 sq ft

EPC=D

LEt EALING

Guide £507 pw

WIMBORNE GARDENS W13 3

to LEt

BROOK GREEN

£400 pw + fees apply*

SHARP HOUSE W12 1

512 sq ft

EPC=B

to LEt £510 pw + fees apply*

SINCLAIR ROAD W14 2

£461pw + fees apply*

MOUNT AVENUE W6 1

836 sq ft EPC=D

to LEt

BROOK GREEN

622 sq ft

EPC=B

880 sq ft EPC=F

HAMMERSMITH

£625 pw + fees apply*

CHISWICK HIGH ROAD W4 2

1,064 sq ft EPC=D

to LEt

BROOK GREEN

£1,250 pw + fees apply*

RICHMOND WAY W12 5

to LEt

EALING

1,889 sq ft EPC=E

CHISWICK

£1,495 pw + fees apply*

THORNTON AVENUE W4 5

2,313 sq ft EPC=D

* Fees to include drawing up the tenancy agreements and reference change for one tenant – £282 inc VAT one-off fee. £36 inc VAT for each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee – charged at the end of or early termination of the tenancy and the amount is dependant on the property size and whether furnished/unfurnished. For more details visit savills.co.uk/fees

6477|01 The West Journal Spread 1 ART.indd 1

26/02/2016 09:33

6477|0

6 09:33

Call us 7 days a week on 020 7877 4640 savills.co.uk

let Sale For

BEDFORD PARK

Guide £1.05 million

ESMOND ROAD W4 2

1,130 sq ft

EPC=D

let For Sale Guide £2.75 million

SUTTON COURT ROAD W4 3

3,369 sq ft

EPC=E

let Sale For Guide £2.1 million

SULGRAVE ROAD W6 2

2,056 sq ft

EPC=D

let Sale For Guide £1.75 million

TWYFORD CRESCENT W3 3

1,212 sq ft EPC=C

Guide £799,950

SKYLINE HOUSE W5 1

KING STREET W6 1

893 sq ft EPC=B

818 sq ft EPC=B

CHISWICK

Guide £1.4 million

BARROWGATE ROAD W4 3

1,432 sq ft EPC=D

let For Sale

RAVENSCOURT PARK

HAVILLAND MEWS W12

Guide £800,000

let For Sale

EALING

SHEPHERD’S BUSH

Guide £575,000 478 sq ft

EPC=C

BRENTFORD

Guide £699,950

WALLIS HOUSE TW8 3

1,076 sq ft EPC=B

With over 10,000 properties available to view online and 37 London offices, you can find a home wherever you’re looking in the capital.

ACTON

CHANCELLORS STREET W6 3

let For Sale

HAMMERSMITH

Guide £995,000

let Sale For

GROVE PARK

let For Sale

HAMMERSMITH

Move with Savills

3,165 sq ft

6477|01 The West Journal Spread 1 ART.indd 2

EPC=D

26/02/2016 09:33

Call us 7 days a week on 020 7877 4640 savills.co.uk

LEt

BROOK GREEN

Guide £400 pw

ELSHAM ROAD W14 1

570 sq ft

EPC=D

WEST KENSINGTON

£595 pw + fees apply*

TO LEt

974 sq ft EPC=D

to LEt £650 pw + fees apply*

BLADES COURT W6 1

805 sq ft

EPC=C

to LEt

1,518 sq ft 2

EPC=E

£923 pw + fees apply*

GAYFORD ROAD W12 5

1,903 sq ft

EPC=B

SHEPHERD’S BUSH

£1,350 pw + fees apply*

£380 pw + fees apply*

THE GREEN W5 1

571 sq ft 1

EPC=C

RANELAGH ROAD W5 2

596 sq ft

EPC=D

CHISWICK

£1,050 pw + fees apply*

EASTBURY GROVE W4 3

1,744 sq ft

EPC=D

2,503 sq ft EPC=B

BROOK GREEN

£400 pw + fees apply*

SHARP HOUSE W12 1

512 sq ft

EPC=B

to LEt

EALING

£692 pw + fees apply*

SUNNYSIDE ROAD W5 5

Guide £375 pw

to LEt

HAVILLAND MEWS W12 5

EALING

to LEt

SHEPHERDS BUSH

to LEt

EALING

DUKE ROAD W4

to LEt

HAMMERSMITH

Guide £1,200 pw

TO let

FITZGEORGE AVENUE W14 2

LEt

CHISWICK

1,916 sq ft EPC=F

CHISWICK

£450 pw + fees apply*

ST CATHERINE’S COURT W4 2

784 sq ft EPC=E

6477|02 The West Journal ART.indd 1

26/02/2016 09:40

6477|0

6 09:40

For Sale

WENDELL PARK

Price on Application

RYLETT STUDIOS W12 4

4,338 sq ft

EPC=B

For Sale Guide £4.35 million

MONTPELIER ROAD W5 3

4,726 sq ft

EPC=C

For Sale Guide £1.6 million

THE POWER HOUSE W4 1

1,609 sq ft

EPC=D

For Sale Guide £1.95 million

DALLING ROAD W6 2

1,711 sq ft

EPC=F

EALING

DRAYTON PLACE W13 1-3

538-969 sq ft

1-2

EPC=B

Guide £2.095 million

ST STEPHEN’S ROAD W13 4

6477|02 The West Journal ART.indd 2

2,153 sq ft EPC=F

3,358 sq ft EPC=D

Guide £1.75 million

WINDMILL ROAD W4 2

CASTLEBAR ROAD W5 1

226 sq ft EPC=D

EALING

Guide £2.695 million

MOLLISON HOUSE W13 5

3,843 sq ft EPC=C

CHISWICK

Guide £820,000

CASTLE ROW W4 2

893 sq ft 2

EPC=C

For Sale

CHISWICK

Guide £235,000

For Sale

EALING

For Sale From £417,500-£682,500

For Sale

BRACKENBURY VILLAGE 5

ARMINGER ROAD W12 5

For Sale

CHISWICK

Guide £1.4 million

For Sale

EALING

For Sale

SHEPHERD’S BUSH

1,625 sq ft EPC=D

CHISWICK

From £775,000-£1.45 million

HEATHFIELD TERRACE W4 4

732-1,256 sq ft GRADE II LISTED

26/02/2016 09:40

Call us 7 days a week on 020 7877 4640 savills.co.uk

LEt

BROOK GREEN

Guide £615 pw

RUSSELL ROAD W14 2

712 sq ft

EPC=D

LEt Guide £1,845 pw

RIVERCOURT ROAD W6 3

3,178 sq ft

EPC=E

TO LEt £720 pw + fees apply*

HAMLET GARDENS W6 1

817 sq ft

EPC=TBC

to LEt

1,707 sq ft 2

EPC=D

£2,750 pw + fees apply*

GIRDLERS ROAD W14 6

3,908 sq ft

EPC=C

SHEPHERD’S BUSH

£1,250 pw + fees apply*

£1,100 pw + fees apply*

STERNDALE ROAD W14 2

1,900 sq ft EPC=E

WESTGATE HOUSE TW8 2

912 sq ft

EPC=D

CHISWICK

£675 pw + fees apply*

CHISWICK HIGH ROAD W4 2

1,235 sq ft EPC=D

2,594 sq ft EPC=D

BROOK GREEN

£2,950 pw + fees apply*

ESLHAM ROAD W14 6

3,960 sq ft

EPC=D

to LEt

CHISWICK

£725 pw + fees apply*

BARONS GATE W4 3

Guide £475 pw

to LEt

DEVONPORT ROAD W12 5

EALING

to LEt

BROOK GREEN

to LEt

BROOK GREEN

MADLEY ROAD W5

to LEt

CHISWICK

Guide £623 pw

TO let

HAMMERSMITH

LEt

EALING

1,439 sq ft 2

EPC=C

CHISWICK

£2,350 pw + fees apply*

BURLINGTON GARDENS W4 6

3,165 sq ft EPC=E

6477|03 The West Journal ART.indd 1

26/02/2016 09:46

6477|0

6 09:46

For Sale

OLYMPIA

Guide £2.6 million

ADDISON BRIDGE PLACE W14 1,663 sq ft

TABOR ROAD W6

GRADE II LISTED

For Sale Guide £1.45 million

MACLISE ROAD W14 1

1,238 sq ft

EPC=D

For Sale CHISWICK

2,373-2,917 sq ft 3-4

EPC=B

For Sale Guide £525,000

SKYLINE HOUSE W5 1

EPC=D

Guide £2.3 million

HAMMERSMITH GROVE W6 5

2,185 sq ft EPC=B

Guide £449,950

DENBIGH ROAD W13 1

6477|03 The West Journal ART.indd 2

420 sq ft EPC=B

366 sq ft EPC=D

Guide 799,995

THORNTON AVENUE W4 1

CASTLEBAR PARK W5 5

1,981 sq ft

EPC=F

STAMFORD BROOK

Guide £525,000

STAMFORD BROOK ROAD W6 1

655 sq ft EPC=E

EALING

Guide £1.65 million

DISRAELI ROAD W5 5

2,314 sq ft EPC=E

For Sale

CHISWICK

Guide £1,499,950

For Sale

EALING

For Sale

HAMMERSMITH

For Sale

EALING

1,765 sq ft 2

For Sale From £2,650,000-£3,350,000

MILLS ROW W4 4-6

Guide £1.75 million

For Sale

OLYMPIA

For Sale

BRACKENBURY VILLAGE

958 sq ft EPC=D

CHISWICK

Guide £1.4 million

ROTHSCHILD ROAD W4 4

1,550 sq ft EPC=D

26/02/2016 09:46

Thornton Avenue, Chiswick W4 A stunning semi detached Victorian house Presented in excellent condition throughout, this family home was originally built as the master builders property and benefits from being the widest house on the street. 6/7 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen/dining/family room, double reception room, basement (with scope for development) west facing garden EPC: E. Approximately 340.38 sq m (3,664 sq ft). Freehold

Guide price: £2,800,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/CWK140003

KnightFrank.co.uk/chiswick chiswick@knightfrank.com 020 3757 6230