Hammersmith Chess Club.... New Players Welcome

If you like playing chess, but can't get a good game, 

then Hammersmith Chess Club is for you.

Enjoy a warm & friendly atmosphere among fellow chess players.

You'll have the opportunity to play in the London, Middlesex & Thames Valley leagues. Beginners of all ages are also welcome, with the chance to compete in some of the minor leagues.

International Grandmaster Julian Hodgson started with the club as a boy.
Membership is reasonable and concessions are available.

The club meets in Lytton Residents Hall, 

North End Crescent, West Kensington

every Monday (except Bank Holidays)

7.30pm to 10.30pm

• For contacts and more info: Hammersmith Chess Club

The Residents Hall is also available for hire.

It's a reasonable size, with kitchen, central heating and rest room facilities.
Unfortunately, parties and weddings are not allowed.
Groups looking for a regular venue are welcome.

For enquiries on renting the Hall only call the manager on

• • Contact: 07868478779 
  • 24hr, answerphone & SMS
  • Email: lyttonhall@gmail.com

Sainsbury's Licence Granted

Sainsbury's have been granted an alcohol licence for its new premises, at 3 North End Crescent ( the former Fox Pub /Crescent Nightclub), by H&F's Licencing Committee. The new stores opening hours will be 6am to midnight. There is no word yet of when the shop-fitting work will start or of an opening date. To see Sainsbury's application and a detailed floor plan of the shop, click the link below.

• Application for new premises licence

Vodafone & O2 Mast On North End Rd.

A new addition to our street furniture arrived today. Vodafone and O2 have placed a new mobile telecoms mast on the pavement outside Burne Jones & Samuel Richardson Houses.
Something of a surprise to those of us who don't stop to read every planning notice on the lamp posts.
Though not as obtrusive as some mobile masts, it still is a sizable presence on the street.
Having spoken to the installation engineers it is due to go 'live' next week.

Saturday Drop in at Lisgar Terrace - 29th January

Architects impression of  Lisgar Terrace after redevelopment

Everyone wishing to find out more about the redevelopment of the Lisgar Terrace buildings can now do so. Southern Housing are holding an Open Day in the Lisgar Terrace Community Centre on
Saturday 29th January, between 1pm & 4 pm
The plans for the redesigned buildings will be on show. You will also be able to talk with the project team about all aspects of the works. Light refreshments will be provided. The Community Centre is located inside the estate at the back of the buildings.

• Southern Housing Group
• Project Newsletter
• H&F Planning Application
• Email: service.centre@shgroup.org.uk
• Phone: 0300 303 1771

The Routemaster is back

A classic design in the shape of the Routemaster bus is again providing a working service along Kensington High St. The number 9 Heritage bus route, which previously stopped at the Royal Albert Hall, has been starting its extended journey from the Warwick Gardens bus stop, at our end of the High St.  All fans of this great piece of London history can again enjoy the service into town and through the West End to Aldwych; the bus departs every 20 minutes.

• Timetable. 
• Routemaster- Wiki Entry
• Routemaster the Icon
• London Buses route 9 (Heritage)

Drop-in Surgery at Barons Court Library- 24th January

Avonmore & Brook Green Safer Neighbourhood Team 

are holding a Drop-in Surgery at Barons Court Library on 
Monday, 24^th January, 4pm to 5pm

If you have any issues you wish to discus with the team please feel free to go and speak with them. LETRA can confirm to you they really are concerned if there is something you need to talk about. They have been enormously helpful on the Lytton Estate during the recent outbreak of anti social behaviour. The team want to hear from you.

• Neighbourhood Teams on-line site 
• Email: Avonmore.Brookgreen.snt@met.police.uk
• Phone: 020 8721 2581 & 07879 433281

Charles House Redevelopment

The redevelopment of Charles House, 375 Kensington High Street, is progressing at speed, the demolition of the old building is almost complete. The whole development is huge, with 7 new buildings, one at 17 storeys high, a total of 530 flats and some new retail / café / restaurant units. A new school is also part of the plan. To see for yourself check out the links below.

• Developers site
• K&C Planning App.

A National Day of Action For Libraries on 5th February

The campaign to save libraries nationwide is starting to liven up. With more than 400 libraries, and possibly up to 800, across the country threatened with being shut. 
A national day of action is planned for Saturday 5^th February. The campaigners are organizing 'read ins' at libraries facing closure.

Barons Court Library

•  Article on this in the Independent

•  Map of closures nationwide

•  Voices for the Library

• Libraries for Londoners for Life

• Advice on holding a 'read in'

The New Sainsbury's Local Plans

The former Crescent Club

Sainsbury's have revealed the plans for its proposed new store in the former Fox Pub / Crescent Night Club. You can see the drawings yourself on the H&F planning application page (see link).

They are taking over the whole of the ground floor and basement.

The applied for Sainsbury's Local entrance will be on the corner of North End Rd. / Crescent. The plans for the store  show new sliding doors, a wall ATM and a in-store bakery.

This looks like being a great plus for our neighbourhood, with the promise of new jobs and trading opportunities for other shopkeepers, given the potential for the extra number of customers a popular store would bring to the area.

• View all the plans
• Ground floor plan

EDF Energy Fuel Grant Event

H&F are holding an EDF Energy Fuel Grant Event on Wednesday 19^th January 2011 

from 11am to 5pm at 
338 Uxbridge Rd. W12 7LL.

Residents who are customers of EDF and are having problems paying their energy bills, have the chance to clear or reduce their payments, by applying for a non-repayable fuel grant. General advice will be given to non EDF customers.
Click for Map

TRA's Fight Developers

Two of our neighbouring TRA's, Gibbs Green & West Kensington, are hoping new government legislation will allow their estates to become mutually resident controlled associations. They want to break away from H&F control because of the plans to develop their estates. To read the full story click the links below.

• H&K Times
• Fulham Chronicle
• W14 Blog posts on the redevelopment

Job cuts across the borough

Details of where the cuts in services that will be made by H&F are being published. Many of our residents on the Lytton Estate will be concerned, when they read the report in the Fulham Chronicle at the extent of the cuts, both to jobs and services borough wide. The councils own online service, H&F News, has also published the budget proposals. It confirms this blogs report, in stating that 'Residents and the council are proposing to get together to save Barons Court library from closure while also delivering a major budget saving. Instead of closing, it is now proposed that the library will be taken over by volunteers and the local school.' For the details click on the links below.

• Fulham Chronicle
• H&F News

New Plans For Barons Court Library

LETRA attended the H&F Cabinet meeting last night, at the Town Hall, although nothing concrete was mentioned about the library at Barons Court during the meeting, Cllr. Joe Carlebach related afterwards, that they were searching for funding for it to continue at the current site.

Today, after speaking to Cllr Robert Iggulden, it now appears the situation regarding the library’s future is changing. The facility will no longer run by the library service. Instead, Cllr Greg Smith, Cabinet Member for Residents Services, has proposed funding through the Education Services budget. Avonmore School has provisionally agreed to take over the running of the library in the building.

This would not just be a children’s service, adult sections will remain. All this is at an early stage of development and no firm proposals have been decided on - as to what hours or how many of the library's resources can be maintained.

If H&F stick with these proposals, we may still have some sort of library service at Barons Court. Let's hope so.

West London Showcase

Sat 15th & Sun 16th January 2011

Hammersmith Town Hall

From 12pm Till 8pm Both Days

If you can sing, dance, rap or even tell jokes and are aged between 13-21 years and from Hammersmith & Fulham then call to book your audition now by contacting the Neighbourhood Wardens on 020 8753 2645 or text/email your details to 07980 251 632 or nws@lbhf.gov.uk stating what day you can attend

Don't miss this chance to showcase your talents

Music Industry Prizes to be awarded on evening of the main event

Some More Library Updates

Check out the W14 Community Website for some further updates on the intentions of H&F regarding the library service, including the future of Sands End Community Centre and its library. It does not make for happy New Years reading. 
Here is part of the latest statement:- "The council is looking into the proposals to place a centre at the Baron’s Court library, which would become the Avonmore Neighbourhood Centre, run with the help of local community groups." 

It is still unclear if an adult library will remain in the building, with the children’s section moving to Avonmore School and any remaining facility being run by volunteers. See lastest posts on the W14 link below for more on this. It looks like closure.  

• W14
• H&F News
• Save Sands End Blog
• Plan to Save Sands End-  Chronicle