Blog 538 30th July 2026

On Friday I spent some time at Holly House, that small council block that has been so severely blighted ever since it appeared in my ward. It came after the boundary changes and I don't blame its blight on me becoming the relevant ward councillor, but as so often in the councilloring trade my inability to fix things in less than a century is frustrating.

I'd love to share my wonderful photos but Google photos seems to have indigestion and gets stuck on downloading photos. I immediately assume it's some dastardly plan to persuade me to upgrade or spend money but it seems everybody has the same problem. I suppose that might be very lucrative for Google or Microsoft or someone but in reality I suspect cockup rather than conspiracy.

You might think I'm paranoid, but I am a Green Councillor in Hounslow. Enough said, he says, looking nervously over his arthritic shoulder.

Ah, I got the pic after a couple of hours wait

Well Holly House is beginning to resemble an inhabitable block though, walking around with various residents and the managers of the contractor we find various attempts to spoil the ship for a ha'pence of tar, as the saying goes. Tiles on the short set of steps up to the entrance have nice tiles which were no doubt installed 50 years ago. So now they are covered with mould; many are chipped and some have been replaced with ones that don't quite match. Would you do that in your home, when you are doing a massive and lengthy refurbishment? New tiles would cost - I dont know - a few hundred pounds on something that has costs hundreds of thousands so the contractor is searching high and low for tiles that nearly match the old ones.

Holly House is in danger nevertheless of emerging as an attractive little blockin a few weeks' time, the very least the residents and leaseholders deserve, and the constructive approach of the constructors (yes, deliberate) is reassuring. The head honcho, sporting the most impressive winklepickers on his feet that I have seen, well, ever, tells me they have been designed as a tribute to the late Who drummer Keith Moon. And this in a world where everyone walks around in trainers.

Then I was off to Boston Manor Park. The gates were opening for the first of 6 days of concerts there so I wanted to check it out. A lot of young persons, some of them dressed in alarmingly skimpy skirts - and that's just the blokes - were exiting Brentford station and proceeding across the A4 a bit like Wildebeests crossing the Mara river. I didn't see any crocodiles but it was infested with BMWs. Nevertheless whilst I was watching they all made it across without mishap. Actually the atmosphere was pleasing -people having fun and as far as I could see behaving nicely.

In fact over the 3 days of concerts, complaints have been few: some parking tickets doled out to residents I think wrongly, a few people relieving themselves in alleys (ugh) and of course some resentment of repetitive bass notes. One resident sent me a long email which gave 'personal thanks for taking on-board feedback' from last year's experience and added constructive feedback on what needs more improvement. I remain of the view that we have to balance some inconvenience for neighbours against the benefits for the many who attend, and the financial contribution to the park and all who sail in it.

After BMP I decided to check out our NEW PUB the Dockhouse. I had a quiet pint and some spicy lamb meatballs, nicely served

On Saturday (yes I know I am weird) I finally made it to the Festival of the Unexceptionable. This is in reality a show of boring cars from the 1960s to 1990s. This is in the romantically named Grimsthorpe Castle in darkest Lincolnshire - an area invented to prove that not all of Lincolnshire is completely flat, just mainly.

It didn't take me long to realise it was just as boring as I suspected though it stirred memories of my time working for Ford (my boss obtained one of the first Morris Marinas to assess it against Cortinas: he was not impressed and managed - accidentally he claimed - to park it in an Essex ditch.) And Renault when I was involved with 1970s achingly cool cheese and wine parties in garage showrooms under the name Rendezvous with Renault. How French can you get? The Renault 15 was their answer to the Capri and was nearly as fast and trendy as a Hillman Minx.

I made my excuses and eventually found the exit. The local town is called Bourne and I remembered it was the home of BRM racing cars, a famous Heroic British Failure from 1949 to the mid-70s except 1962 when they took one of my heroes Graham Hill to the World Championship when I was 10.

You'd think they would make a bit of a fuss of this piece of their history but there is nothing visible. I did find someone put on a show to mark the 75th anniversary by putting half a dozen racing cars on show in the car park. I think they need Gianni Infantino to publicise and bring Trump to Bourne - I'm sure they will be able to conjure up a peace prize.

The only evidence of BRM there was that the local 'Spoons is called after BRM's celebrated (or the opposite) founder Raymond Mays, where I downed a celebratory pint.

In general a rather pleasant market town, ringed by new developments of what I used to call 'Wimpey houses' - pleasant if dull modern villas.

Made it back in time for the very simpatico concert in Watermans Park, Sets from the Speak Out choir, and amongst several other local musicians the surprisingly talented 'Alfie' who was promoting the second edition of his book where he apparently reveals he danced with Princess Diana. I must have given away my first edition so have ordered the new one https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0H9Z3YF7R?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_wa_apan_dp_X4MBJ1ZFCNXPFEGRMXYF&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_wa_apan_dp_X4MBJ1ZFCNXPFEGRMXYF&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_wa_apan_dp_X4MBJ1ZFCNXPFEGRMXYF&bestFormat=true

Yes it means I have to use Amazon but beggars can't be choosers.

On Sunday I forgot there was a Brentford market on (we do need an event diary!) but did my favourite cycle ride down to Putney Bridge and back via Cycleway 9. There was the Food Market on in Chiswick and I selected Korean chicken dirty fries. Very nice, though too much for my appetite. I read ward councillors have been trying (and apparently succeeding) in stopping them having the once pleasing live music. Pathetic.

On Monday afternoon Craig and I had an online meeting about the trees in the Library garden. A few years ago one of the trees on the edge of Windmill fell down. I mainly remember that it took about a year to fix the garden wall (this seems to be par for the course - see wall by Watermans Park and the gateposts at BMP) but they are worried about all the other trees . The roots cannot penetrate under Windmill Road, so it means they are not stable and the arboriculturalists say they must be felled. When the old one fell it caused a lot of damage, but narrowly missed the war memorials and any passing walkers. The council rightly cannot risk a repeat, which is a serious risk.

Most of the trees affected are 'Trees from Heaven' which I investigated recently and now are classified as 'Trees from Hell' because they are not native, very good at propagating themselves and have some toxic ingredients, so you are not now allowed to buy them in the UK. So they will start some consultation on this, which I reluctantly accept is necessary, But I want a new approach to the library garden. It has been 'fixed' at least twice since I have been a councillor and has actually clearly got worse. Locals want to help but are turned away but we must have a new approach. It happens that this week the council has won a prize for our report, 87 pages of it about design of the public realm.https://www.rtpi.org.uk/find-my-rtpi/rtpi-english-regions/rtpi-london/london-awards-for-planning-excellence/best-plan-2026/

Congratulations to whomever made this happen, and I wonder how much creating this guide cost. But I have no argument against that, except as far as I can see, despite a lot of effort by councillors (well, at least one), council officers and local people we have done diddly squat to improve the public realm round here. No doubt this guide will live for several years in a drawer somewhere. This picture may be familiar. Well, the concrete and tarmac are.

I hope people don't think I'm being mean. Perhaps I am, but I do care a lot about the public realm, which I think has an important impact on people's pride in their town and their overall sense of wellbeing. I have given it quite a lot of attention over the years, but the results are negligible.

Anyway, do let me know about the library garden, Currently it is such a waste.

On Tuesday I went to Hogarth House for the presentation of the Hogarth Prize - a new art prize in Chiswick https://hounslowherald.com/winner-of-first-hogarth-prize-crowned-at-chiswick-event-p33407-313.htm

I missed the presentation and when I arrived a few minutes late I was the only Councillor in attendance so missed the photo-opp which made me cry for several minutes. It is all a bit upmarket for a pleb like me but I did like many of the pictures and had a chat with the winner Dr Adam Perchard. The winning picture was reminiscent to me of Mount Rushmore and I observed he seemed to have missed President Trump. He had the good manners to giggle. If you look at the news article you might think that Cllrs Rajawat and Grewal are stunted. In reality, this is an illusion created by Dr Perchard being about 8 ft tall.

Loved this pic

and this one made me giggle

My pictures of course are terrible, but you should go to the exhibition. Hogarth House is worth a visit anyway and this is an extra attraction.

On Wednesday we had a zoom lecture about personal security which is the kind of thing I often don't bother with but know I should attend, given politicians being bullied and murdered. We get insulted frequently (sometimes justifiably) and occasionally threatened and we should be careful, I suppose. Mr Farage (known in Clacton as Nigel Mirage) did his press launch 80 miles away in Norfolk in front only of picked journos, but has been seen emerging from his chauffeured Range Rover to talk to locals after they had been confirmed as supporters by his acolytes (I have a spy in Clacton!)

Later we will have a meeting on site in Gunnersbury Park between planning committe mebers and planners only to avoid being distracted by people from both sides giving their side of the story. These matters are always contentious and all the more so since someone decided Gunnersbury Park is in Chiswick rather than Brentford where it has always been, so a lot of people from Acton and Ealing are making a lot of noise!