Rear Window

The story so far. Property developer, Dominvs Group, bought the old Magistrates’ Court on the Talgarth Road. They paid £50 million – nice money, if you have it. The site is between the Ark building to the west and a BP filling station to the east. On the south boundary are the Piccadilly and District lines, a car wash and then my house. Here is the view from my rear window.

The original planning application was withdrawn last year and a new architect appointed. When there’s a planning problem the go-to architects are Rogers Stark Harbour & Partners. They were originally on the river in Fulham and had an excellent works canteen; so good that it opened to the public as The River Café. RSH&P have moved downstream to the City but the cafe is still in business. I have been twice: once as a guest of a fund manager and once under my own steam with Robert. Both lunches were exceptionally good; the former more expensive than the latter. I will take a look at the revised planning application in a few days and report.

Meanwhile a few parish notices. Bertie has been barred from The White Swan in Richmond. The landlord found his melodious beagle baritone too much. A hundred yards away staff at The White Cross make a great fuss over him as do any customers sitting nearby. Transport for London will pay £25 million towards repairing Hammersmith Bridge. Sounds like good news but as the repairs will cost some £125 million maybe not. There are parliamentary elections in North Macedonia in April. As pestilence sweeps the land I’m wondering if it is responsible to travel to Ireland twice next month. I will take my lead from the Jockey Club; if Cheltenham is cancelled, I will cancel. I am a loriner; here is our anthem.