What’s happened in the least 3 weeks 12th January 2020

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2020 and sorry we skipped on week…

Kilburn has outstanding Fish and Chips according to our local culinary expert, at the North London Tavern and at the Black Lion.

It was nice to see that on Christmas day most of Kilburn’s pubs were open and that also our 24/7 shops didn’t let us down…and there was sunshine allowing for leisulrely walks and pics!

Momentos of Kilburn’s rich musical history… and yes Bowie and the Tin Machine played at the Kilburn National, and the Smiths… Want to know who else played at the National? Click here

Looking for one of the best pub in London for live Irish Music?

The Cancer Research Shop at 187 Kilburn High Road are looking for volunteers.

The old William Hill shop at 143 Kilburn High Road is undergoing transformation. What will it be?

Unfortunately the window of our Launderette has been smashed.

Did you know Kilburn had a famous fire eater? Thank you Dick for the research and thank you for finding out about Timm’s in Maygrove Road.

Thank you to all who disposed of their Christmas tree properly in Grange Park this year. Here is the disposal space on 29th December and today. Unfortunately there was a hiccup on the Brent side as the map of recyling places was first unreadable and then parks were not opened… Oh well let’s hope they do better next year.

We had some fantastic skies during this period as well over Kilburn! Here and here

Kilburn Sky 29th Dec 2019

Global are appealing against the decision from Camden not to grant permission for this massive LED sign.

Coffee Kitchen at 328 Kilburn High Road are refurbishing. They are prolific offenders regarding the disposal of business waste, so let’s hope they incorporate a waste storage area.

2020 is the year of Euro 2020 and of Brent Borough of Culture. Will you be going to the opening event ‘Rise’ in Wembely Park? We found out that this event wasn’t part of the original programming and that Brent 2020 was lacking money, so let’s hope the funds have not been diverted from the Kilburn Street Party on 11th July 2020. In the meantime Time Out declared that ‘Kilburn is King’. We are so glad they did not refer to the horrible title that Brent 2020 have given to the Kilburn Street Party! Want to know more about the street party then do attend this on 14th January.

Really enjoyed ‘Snowflake’ at our local theatre. Go and see, it runs for one more week.

Brent consulted on ‘secret’ improvements of the public realm around Kilburn Station and on the move of the taxi rank by the tube station. Here is our take on the proposed improvements. We will be meeting with officers next week! Why does Kilburn need to dedicate 2 car spaces to taxis that no one has ever seen by Kilburn Station? Could that space not be dedicated to on street bike parking?

We are not the only ones saying that Brent Council could raise vast amounts of cash if only they enforced parking restrictions. That would also make our area a more pleasant and safer place to be!

When the ‘Kilburn Empire’ was famous and hosted shows for war orphans, now the Marriott Hotel. Want to know about this Irish family that emigrated from Kilburn to Australia but were desperate to come back?

This Hygiene rating might explain why the Sweet Spot, 284 Kilburn High Road, undertook emergency refurbishment in December. We are very disappointed by this hygiene rating of Hilal Food Stores! Let’s hope they improve soon…

Tfl do not seem to make it a priority to fix the shutter at Brondesbury Station. Been broken for 3 weeks now.

Are you looking for a Kilburn themed gift? Look no further than Kilburn Tattoo merchandise at 175 Kilburn High Road.

Bus shelters all along Kilburn High Road are filthy! Yet not much is undertaken by TFL to clean them.

Essex came to Kilburn, Wingmans to be precise.

Our Brazilian Restaurant, well kept secret, makes it into this list of Brazilian Restaurants to try in London. Have you tried it yet?

The killing of General Qassem Soleimani prompted large crowds to gather at the Islamic Centre of England, at the bottom of Kilburn High Road.

Glad that justice has been served and that the motorist who killed a pedestrian in Kilburn has been jailed.

S215 improvements notices seem to have an impact on the Brent side of Kilburn High Road. If only Brent could issue one for this Building on Willesden Lane!.

Kilburn made it in the list of London 2020 property hotspots…Shame they did not use a Kilburn picture though.

Maygrove Peace Park benefited from the efforts of Camden Green Gym and residents; new bulbs and borders!

Why does it take so long for major pavement defects in front of 306 and 322 Kilburn High Road to be fixed? We escalated and hopefully we will see a fix soon.

So wish that both Brent and Camden Councils would follow in Westminster’s footsteps to deal with the myriad of cluttering, dirty phone boxes!

We attended the Brent Connects Kilburn meeting and were perplexed that out of the 12 Councillors that could have attended, only Faduma Hassan attended but left before the soapbox slot. What is the point of these meetings if Councillors do not attend? Even the Chair and Vice-Chair didn’t attend. We deserve better, don’t you think?

Our lovely Communitiy Centres have new activities starting this term, so please refere to their websites. Plenty to do!

Do you have a community project that needs funding. The Mayor of London Fund could be the answer. Apply by 20th January 2020.

New Kids Football classes are starting in South Kilburn.

Because we think it’s in the public interest to know how much money Brent Council are generating by blocking our pavements with Monoliths Advertising signs we have escalated our Freedom of Information Request to the ICO!

The new Year din’t get rid of the pigeons in Kilburn Square…. They seem to be multiplying and are now not afraid of flying into pedestrians!

Want to know why the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines were closed this weekend?

And finally, trees, trees…Delivery partners were appointed for this South Kilburn Development, where the planning condition to replace trees had to be removed because there isn’t enough space, while this other regeration development seeks permission to abolish all green public spaces. Brent have continued with their on-street tree massacre, and selling agents reassure potential buyers of Park Place that the light in their flat would not be a problem as they plan to give the Grange Park trees a major shave. Concerned about Brent’s handling of street trees, here is the meeting to attend.

What’s happening this fortnight

14th January BRAT meeting at ICMP from 7pm to 9pm

14th January Kilburn Street Party meeting at the ICMP from 6 to 7.30pm

14th January Kilburn Pub Crawl organised by CAMRA

15th January Brent Street Trees Public meeting at 7pm

16th January 8pm at Charteris Sports Centre-Freinds of Paddington Old Cemetery meeting

17th January 7.30pm Tudor Allen, Camden’s Senior Archivist, is repeating his booked-out Illustrated talk on West Hampstead

18th January Honey B Mama at the Fiddler

20th January Free ‘Funding skills’ workshop at the ICMP

22nd January 7-9pm Safer Neighbourhood Panel (SNP) Proposed Kilburn Ward panel meeting

25th January 2pm to 4pm Kilburn Neighourhood Planning Forum AGM at Mortimer Hall

25th January last performance of ‘Snowflake’ at the Kiln.

26th January ‘Carnival Time’ at the Fiddler

What’s happening a bit later

31st January Common Eider King Eider + special guest: Evi Vine at the Fiddler

2nd February 1.30 to 4pm- History walk from Swiss Cottage to Kilburn led by Alan Howell.

6th February Al Ross & The Planets at the Fiddler

7th February See Thru Hands at the Fiddler

9th February The Kilkennys at the Fiddler

13th February First performance of ‘Pass Over’ at the Kiln

If you have news, an event, some local history or just a favourite corner of Kilburn you’d like to share please email us news@lifeinkilburn.com or tweet to @lifeinkilburn.