Oh shock, horror! Our tweet suggesting that Spicy Basil might be relocating to Cricklewood received many responses of disbelief and shock. They are definitely applying to open in the McGoverns pub in Cricklewood. However we hope it’s a second branch!
Now it’s official! Kilburn High Road will be closed to all traffic on 11th July 2020 for a Brent Borough of Culture Parade now rebranded as “street party”. We met with the consultant back in February but were asked to keep the date quiet. We attended the Brent Connects Kilburn meeting on 18th June to find out more. Apparently Kilburn High Road was chosen as it is the A5, the road used by many immigrants to Brent. The street party’s main theme will be immigration. We are still very unclear about the content and how local residents, community groups and businesses can get involved though. We received reassurances that Camden Kilburn groups will be included and can apply for the Culture Fund. Apply here!
No injuries in the fire that destroyed a 4th floor flat in Watling Gardens. The local community was on stand-by to help, which is nice to see.
Next weekend, the Queen’s Park Book Festival is on. The festival is run by a charity and in its second year of revival needs your support. You can get day tickets at £18 per person. Queen’s Park is after all part of the Kilburn family as many old postcards and records state “Queen’s Park, Kilburn”.
Bistro 267, at 267 Kilburn High Road is under new management, while Meaty Buns at 262 Kilburn High Road is up for sale.
Offside Books at 92 Willesden Lane are having a sale, 50% off all books till the end of June.
Gormley, or at least his sculpture, rumored to represent himself, approved of the Maygrove Peace Park Clean-up!
Kilburn got a space in an article about new landmarks of literary London in the FT. Zadie Smith provides an insight on what to do in Kilburn to get writing material!
On the 12th June, Kilburn made it into the Daily Mail with the smash and grab at our Sainsbury’s Local. Speaking of Sainbury’s, did you know that Kilburn had 3 branches, all with lovely facades? The branch at 292/294 Kilburn High Road ( known as the Brondesbury Branch) opened in 1892 and closed in 1969. Another shop opened at 128 Kilburn High road in 1892 and expanded into 130 Kilburn High Road in 1897. Closed in 1969 when Sainsbury’s moved to its current location. We could not find pictures of the other shop at 96 Kilburn High Road.
Are Camden Council destroying the listed Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate by not keeping the original features in a drive to improve kitchen and bathrooms?
Maryam Eslamdoust, our Camden Kilburn Councillor, gave birth to baby Xerxes.
Indhu Rubasingham won the Eastern Eye Award for best Director for White Teeth. Congratulations! Have you seen “Wife” at our local theatre? It’s fabulous, so don’t miss out. Last show is on 6th July.
The number of bus users is declining in line with the increase of travel time for buses. We are asking, with London Travel Watch, for a review of outdated parking restrictions and bus lanes operation times on Kilburn High Road. We all know that Kilburn High Road is a car park on Saturdays and Sundays and in the evenings, making traffic more congested and the road less pleasant for pedestrians. If you agree please retweet our tweet. And then will speak about the poor parking enforcement levels…..
Did you know it was an offence to drive at 12/15mph on Kilburn High Road once upon a time? Read all about Arthur Rathbone, a prolific house builder who used to frequent the North London Tavern.
The Kilburn Cancer Research Shop is looking for volunteers. SHAK (South Hamsptead and Kilburn Community Partnership) are recruiting a part-time Youth Worker. Could that be you?
Want to know how to get fit? There’s a free session at the Abbey Community Centre on 26th June.
Have you got £1.75 Mil to spend?
Our neighbours in Willesden Green got a major victory with Brent refusing permission to demolish the Queensbury Pub. Well done! And our neighbours on the other side, in Fortune Green, also won an appeal to prevent the development of Gondar Gardens. It shows that when there is a strong community voice, the impossible is possible!
Work to lay electricity cables to Park View flats at 254 Kilburn High Road could last until 21st July, blocking the bus lane. Expect delays!
Please object to the 3 planning applications by Decaux to install advertising monoliths on our pavements. Pavements should be for pedestrians and not for advertising! Appplication numbers are 19/2006, 19/2001and 19/1997 and here is the link where you can object, just enter the planning application numbers.
And on the planning front, should the retail unit at 35 Willesden Lane become a residential unit?
When Alfred Phillips had a music shop where Traid now stands. Look up next time you go by, the heads of renowned musicians/composers are still visible!
Did you visit Kingsgate Workshops for the Open studios weekend? We went on the fabulous curator’s tour! 47 artist studios full of talent! Do not miss the next open day, normally in winter.
Now that the summer has arrived, Kilburn Grange Park is looking beautiful. Did you know it hosts a Mexican Bottle Brush bush? The Lavender edging in the rose garden is also a heaven for bees! Sadly, despite our repeated tweets the children water feature has still not been activated but we are glad to report that the Adventure Playground is at long last taking shape, with a giant swing, hammocks, and wooden structures that will be delighting children hopefully in time for Summer. Fingers crossed!
Pisa in Italy is famous for its leaning tower. Us, in Kilburn, we have a leaning pole! Still not fixed by Camden Council. County Antrim has a Giant Causeway, we in Kilburn have a “cracked” pedestrian causeway! Still not fixed by Brent Council.
Once upon a time, Kilburn Square had escalators to reach the first floor retail units as seen in this The Jam music video, and before that it had a Church, St Paul, the oldest in Kilburn.
Unfortunately we are still waiting for an answer regarding the reinstatement of the lighting of the barrier at the entrance of Grange Park, on Kilburn High Road, for comments about the removal of pedestrian guardrails promised by the 10th March 2019 but still not done and the reinstatement of the lighting of our mural by Kilburn station. Please do retweet these 3 tweets to show that you would like answers too!
And because Kilburn is Kilburn we have always had residents who like a joke. One even created a fake Roman Fort!
And finally a 1989 Kilburn experience. Pigeons already featured…
What’s happening this fortnight
24th June 6:30pm at the Ben Uri Gallery – David Herman on friendship and forced migration. Limited tickets available
27th June Eleanna at the Fiddler.
27th June 6.30pm Kilburn Camden Police meeting (Safer Neighbourhood Panel) All welcome
29th-30th June – Queen’s Park Book Festival
3rd July BRAT meeting
6th July Bright Nights live music at the Priory Tavern
7th July – Family wild day at Mapesbury Dell– Free 11am to 4pm
What’s happening a bit later
11th July The Modern Strangers at the Fiddler.
12th July Opening night for new exhibition and reveal of new billboard at Kingsgate Project Space.
14th July Headcage at the Fiddler
16th July open day at the Netherwood day centre from 4pm to 8pm.
27th July A Night of Pure Moby-Dickery at The Tin Tabernacle
11th August a Hampstead to Kilburn walk led by Alan, our local Camden tour guide. “Walk Hope and Charity”
19th September “Abbey Autumn Festival” at Abbey Community Centre.
12th October Heritage Fair at Sidings Community Centre.
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.