Morrisons bought some of McColl’s branches out of liquidation in 2022 and have rebranded them Morrisons Daily, including the Barons Court branch. I haven’t been in yet but hope there will be some Morrisons ready meals on the shelves. Not the crap McColl’s used to stock to sell to students.
Oddbins has closed. It was doomed from the start because McColl’s and the corner shop (either side) both stay open late and sell cheap beer, wine and spirits.
The derelict adventure playground in Frank Banfield Park has been re-purposed as a “community garden”. I hope the developer of the flats on Fulham Reach, St George (part of the Berkeley Group), will step into the breach when it turns into a neglected wasteland. They maintain the rest of the park as a condition of their planning permission. Both the park and the landscape around the flats are a credit to them.
The Colton Arms, refurbed and re-opened in 2017 has gone into liquidation. It was much the best local in terms of food, service, architecture and ambience, so that’s a pity. Queens Club Gardens should have provided plenty of customers There are 33 blocks of late 19th century flats. I’m surprised I never wrote about it – too late now.
In WW II park railings and any old iron was taken away to be re-purposed for armaments. It turned out it was the wrong sort of iron and little was used. One result is that it is rare now to see graves with an iron surround like this.
Most of the work on the new tower block is now internal. I do not like the cladding. The terraces nearly at the top are supposed to be planted with trees. I fear they will not like the high winds we get so often these days.
Let’s see if it looks remotely like this. Most likely the trees will be discreetly removed after a few branches have blown away and been deemed dangerous.
One thing, I am pleased to report, does not change: Chiswick House, increasingly used by Bertie and me for agreeable walks.
