Guest Post: Two more interesting talks, at your Local History Societies this November.

  

Guest post by local historian Philip Grant in a personal capacity:

Willesden Trades Hall, during its time as the London Apollo Club.

 

Willesden Trades Hall, which was built as the Hamilton Hall in 1884, has a long and very interesting history. Unfortunately, it was not able to hold its planned open day last month, but there is a chance to see a newly released film about that history, and the plans for its future, at a meeting of Willesden Local History Society on Wednesday 18 November at 7.30pm.

 

A Grunwick Strike meeting at Willesden Trades Hall in 1977. (Image courtesy of Christine Coates)

 

The hall was used for music and dancing in Victorian times, and again as the London Apollo Club, a famous Reggae music venue from 1969. It has at times been a place of worship, but more especially as a centre of Trades Union activity, including during the General Strike of 1926 and the strike at the nearby Grunwick factory in the 1970s.

 

The meeting is taking place at St. Mary’s Parish Church Hall, next door to Willesden’s historic St. Mary’s Church in Neasden Lane, London NW10 2TS. This venue is easily reached by public transport, with the 297 bus stops at Wharton Close very close to the hall, and the 260 and 266 buses to Willesden Magistrates’ Court just round the corner. It is only a five-minute walk from Neasden Station on the Jubilee Line (or one stop from the station on the 297).

 

Location map for Willesden Local History Society meetings. (Based on Google Maps)

 

Willesden LHS welcomes visitors to its meetings, in return for a small donation, so if this subject is of interest to you, please come along by 7.30pm on Wednesday 18 November. You can find more details about this event, and Willesden’s history, on the Society’s website, HERE.

 

The illustrated talk at Wembley History Society, on Friday 20 November from 7.30 to 9pm, takes you further afield, to the shores of the Caspian Sea!

 

Poster for the talk on 20 November by Nick Higham.

 

The speaker is the well-known former BBC News journalist and author, Nick Higham, whose illustrated talk "Mavericks: Empire, Oil, Revolution and the Forgotten Battle of World War One" tells the story of 'a small group of enterprising, fearless and often reckless men', who set out to save an oilfield "for King and Empire". Although set over 100 years ago, the well-researched book his talk is based on gives an insight into the struggles by major powers to control the supply of oil from other lands, which continue until this day.

 

The Baku Oilfield, c.1918. (Image from the Imperial War Museum)

 

The talk takes place at St. Andrew’s Church Hall, Church Lane, Kingsbury NW9 8RZ (see poster above for transport details and location map). Visitors are welcome at all Wembley History Society meetings (non-members are invited to make a donation of £3, to help cover the cost of the hall and speaker’s expenses). If you are interested, please come along!

Philip Grant.

Guest Post: A safe space for Brent's young people is about to close. Here is why it matters.

 

Some of the youngsters who will be affected by the track closure (Pic: Track Academy)

 

Guest post by Patrik Ewe, CEO, Track Academy

I am the CEO of Track Academy, a youth athletics, education and mentoing charity based at Willesden Sports Centre. We have been there since 2007. We use athletics to reach over 500 young people a year and then provide mentoring, tutoring, lifeskills and enrichment for them.

On Monday 9 November, the indoor athletics track at Willesden Sports Centre is due to be taken offline. It is the only indoor track of its kind in Brent. It is being converted into a gym.

This is not a story about a gym versus a running track. It is a story about who gets to be active, and who gets left behind.

What the council's own documents say

The council's Equality Impact Assessment admits the loss will adversely affect girls, disabled young people, young people with special educational needs and ethnically diverse communities. It admits that the sports hall, the only alternative on offer, is "not a like-for-like replacement". It admits Saturday provision is "unresolved".

We were not consulted before the Cabinet decision on 22nd June. We were shown a completed design on 9th June. The Equality Impact Assessment was published 24th October, four months after the decision. The law requires equality impacts to be considered before a decision is taken, not after it.

This contradicts the council's own Youth Strategy

Brent's Youth Strategy 2025-2028 commits the council to ensuring young people have a voice in decisions that affect them, and to expanding opportunities for positive activities and personal development. Removing this track, without consulting the young people who use it, contradicts both commitments.

Track Academy is not simply an athletics club. We provide mentoring, leadership opportunities, positive role models and a safe environment for hundreds of young people. The preventative value of that work does not appear to have been weighed in the decision at all. A Brent Youth Parliament survey stated that only 28% of young people feel they have enough safe spaces to socialise.

Why this matters for Brent

We serve young people from some of the most deprived wards in the borough. 64% are from low-income families. 58% are girls. 90% are from Black, Asian, mixed and other minoritised ethnic backgrounds. 29% have a disability or long-term health condition.

The indoor track is the reason many of them come. It is warm, it is safe and it is available in the winter when the outdoor track can be unusable. For girls in particular, it is a place where they feel comfortable being active. For disabled young people and those with special educational needs, it is a place where the environment is adapted to them. For young people with nowhere else to go after school, it is a place to be.

Take it away, and they do not simply train somewhere else. Many of them stop coming altogether.

The public response

Over 1,100 people have signed our petition, 809 of them from Brent. Over 224 residents have written to councillors. Over 290 young people, parents and supporters have shared their stories.

Here are just a few of them:

    "My son is severely sight impaired, has complex medical needs and is autistic. There is no other track in close proximity that he can access. Losing this outlet would set us back." - Parent

    "My two daughters train with Track Academy. They suffer from asthma, which is triggered by cold air. Having an indoor track means their training is continuous rather than stopping and starting due to the weather." - Parent

    "Track is a place of safety to me. There's no pressure from school, and I'm staying active while having fun with friends." - Nyah, 12

    "Given the recent killings of young people in Brent, I would have thought this would be something the council would be driving people towards, not watching it be pushed out." - Parent

What we are asking for

We are not asking the council to break contracts or change its plans. We are asking for a pause until a suitable, funded alternative is agreed in writing.

Our solicitors have written to the council formally. We would much rather resolve this without legal action.

What you can do

Sign the petition and email your councillor. It takes two minutes. The full picture, including the council's own assessment, is here: https://trackacademy.co.uk/protect-brent-athletics

Brent's young people deserve better. They deserve somewhere to do athletics whatever the weather. In a borough where young people have lost their lives to violence, they deserve not to lose one of the few safe spaces they have left.

Patrik Ewe
CEO, Track Academy

 

Tiny Bookshop opens at Willesden Green Station tomorrow from Noon

 

From Tiny Bookshop

 

🎉 FINALLY, WILLESDEN GREEN STATION IS SLOWLY COMING TO LIFE! 📚

We are delighted to announce that TINY BOOKSHOP is opening this Saturday from 12pm!

Please come along and show your support! There will be a wonderful selection of children’s and adults’ books for sale.

❤️ VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

TINY BOOKSHOP is a registered non-profit and is looking for volunteers to help keep the shop open for as many hours as possible.

Having these spaces open, active and welcoming makes such a difference to the station and our wider community.

If you can spare just an hour or more, it would be hugely appreciated!

Please email: tinybookshopnw2@outlook.com

A huge thank you to everyone helping to bring some much-needed life back to Willesden Green Station.

PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT! ❤️

 

 

PETITION: 

Revitalisation of Willesden Green Station - Occupation of Vacant Commercial Units

Tiny Bookshop is the second of the disused units to open, the other is a confectioners (above). A petition has been launched urging TfL have them all the units opened.

 

The Issue

For years, Willesden Green Station has served as a vital transport hub for countless residents and commuters crossing this vibrant North London area daily. However, numerous commercial units within the station remain empty, including Units 1, 6, 7–8, and 9. These spaces, instead of enhancing our community, stand neglected, often boarded up or poorly maintained. This is not just an eyesore for us, the residents, commuters, and local business owners but is attracting  crime and increasing antisocial and intimidating behaviour, but also a missed opportunity for Willesden Green to thrive culturally and economically.

 

We, the undersigned residents, commuters, and local business proprietors of Willesden Green, formally call upon TfL/Places for London to take immediate and effective action to address the prolonged vacancy of commercial units at Willesden Green Station.

 

Statement of Concern

Willesden Green Station is a well-utilised transport hub; however, several of its commercial units (including Units 1, 6, 7–8, and 9) have remained vacant, boarded up, or inadequately maintained for an extended period. This ongoing vacancy materially detracts from the amenity, safety, and overall perception of the station environment, contributing to neglect and anti-social behaviour (ASB).

Furthermore, it is our considered view that the current rental strategy adopted by TfL/Places for London is misaligned with prevailing local market conditions. Rental levels appear to be set at a threshold that is prohibitive for small and independent enterprises. The resulting failure to secure tenants, and the prolonged vacancy of these units, demonstrates a lack of commercial prudence by effectively foregoing potential rental income and undermining the economic utility of these assets.

 

Adverse Impacts

 
Diminution of Local Amenity: The persistence of vacant units undermines the vitality and attractiveness of Walm Lane and its surrounding area.

Loss of Essential Services: The absence of active retail occupancy results in the loss of valuable local amenities, including cafés, newsagents, and independent retailers that serve the commuting public and local residents.

Economic Underperformance: Rather than contributing to employment and local economic growth, these units remain unproductive, increasing the risk of crime and anti-social behaviour.

 

Requested Actions

 
Review and Adjustment of Rental Terms: Undertake an immediate reassessment of rental pricing for all vacant units to ensure alignment with current market conditions, including the provision of flexible and commercially viable lease terms to support independent businesses, rather than exclusively targeting large corporate tenants.

Expedited Refurbishment Works: Prioritise and accelerate necessary repair and “make ready” works for units requiring structural or preparatory intervention (notably Units 6 and 9), ensuring they are brought to a lettable standard without undue delay.

Active Promotion to Local Enterprises: Implement a targeted strategy to market these units to local independent businesses that contribute positively to the character and needs of the community, with appropriate consideration given to the nature of prospective tenants.
Publication of Delivery Timeline: Provide a clear, transparent, and publicly accessible timeline outlining when each vacant unit will be brought into active commercial use.

A well-managed and fully occupied station estate is integral to the economic and social wellbeing of Willesden Green. We therefore urge TfL/Places for London to take prompt and decisive action to ensure these publicly owned assets are utilised effectively and responsibly, in a manner that reflects both sound commercial practice and community interest.

TfL/Places for London have the power and responsibility to transform these vacant units into thriving businesses that serve the local community. Let us not allow this wastage to continue. Join us in urging the relevant authorities to take swift and decisive action.

Sign this petition to support the revitalisation of Willesden Green Station's commercial units and help turn our vision into reality. Every signature counts towards creating a vibrant, safe, and economically prosperous community for all

Sign this petition

---

HS2 tunnelling. Will South Kilburn get that sinking feeling?

 

The route of the HS 2 tunnel (parallel black lines) - click on image to enlarge

On Sunday My London posted an excellent report on damage to homes in Kilburn by Luke Donnelly LINK that readers may have missed because the headline said West London rather than North West London.

Residents in Claremont Road reported cracks in their houses that they attributed to tunnelling by HS2 making the house sink. Brent Council erected scaffolding around one house that was affected.

HS2 told My London that they carry out a comprehensive monitoring and surveying programme of ground levels before, during and after tunnelling takes place to assess ground movement, and analysis of the monitoring data indicates that tunnelling-related ground settlement in this area has been small in magnitude and in line with expectations.

South Kilburn residents report an increase in surveying activity by HS2 in their neighbourhood of council-owned properties. They report a distinct lack of interest by Brent Council in HS2 issues for the last decade.

In March 2026 Wembley Matters reported LINK HS2 had sent a survey form to residents of Alpha House on South Kilburn that is clipped by the tunnel route (see map above). A local Tenants and Residents Association sent a copy to Brent Council (below) suggesting that they were in a better position to respond to the technical questions but received no reply.

 

We don't know whether Brent Council responded to the survey at the time but they haven't told residents if they have. They recently asked the TRA for a copy as the original had been mislaid.

Wembley Matters asked Brent Council for a comment on the MyLondon story on Monday but have received no response.

 

Workers Fight Back - Learning from Brent's Rich Labour Movement History Sunday 29th November 11am-7pm

 

This is the revised version of the event that was cancelled recently.

   

Sunday 29th November at Brent Black Music Co-op, 385 High Road NW10 2JR

 

 Workers Fight Back - learning from Brent's rich labour movement history -organised by Brent Trades Council

 

REGISTER HERE 

 

11.00 General Strike centenary film, followed by discussion introduced by Edd Mustill (author, Britain's Revolutionary Summer: The General Strike of 1926) invited, and Chris Coates, local labour movement historian on the General Strike in Brent

 

1.30-2.15 Lunch

 

2.15-2.45 Poets on the picket line

 

2.45 Grunwick strike film, followed by discussion introduced by Anitha Sundari, author Striking Women: Struggles & Strategies of South Asian Women Workers from Grunwick to Gate Gourmet

 

4.45-5.00 Break

 

5.00 Issues facing trades unionists today (probably Amazon, RMT,)

 

5.30 French trade unionists

 

5.45 Sarah Wooley, General Secretary BFAWU invited

 

6.00 Music

LETTER: New NHS GP Practice in Chaplin Road, Wembley, welcomes new patients

Dear Editor,

I'm contacting you on behalf of SMS Medical Practice, an NHS GP practice at Unit 116 Chaplin Road, Wembley HA0 4UZ.

With so many new homes being built in Wembley and Alperton, we know getting registered with a GP is a real concern for local residents. SMS Medical is welcoming new patients and can usually complete a registration within 24 hours.

You can register with SMS Medical Practice online here: https://www.smsmedicalpractice.co.uk/register-with-sms-medical-practice/. New patients can also register and book their first appointment at the same time through Bookable.

Kind regards,

Sophie Booth

Project Coordinator, Redmoor Health
On behalf of SMS Medical Practice

CONTACT 

London Assembly motion calls for effective regulation and enforcement to tackle illegal e-bikes, and better conditions for delivery riders to remove pressure on them to take risks due to low pay

  

The following motion has been proposed in the name of Caroline Russell AM and will seconded by Benali Hamdache AM for debate at tomorrow's London Assembly

 

“This Assembly recognises the importance of tackling the risks posed by illegal e-bikes to improve road safety and support the Mayor’s ambition to eliminate death and serious injury from London’s roads.

 

Low pay and insecure working conditions faced by gig economy workers can put pressure on them to complete as many food deliveries as possible in a day to earn a minimum level of income, creating conditions in which riders may turn to unsafe and illegally modified e-bikes to carry out their work.

 

The Mayor’s Vision Zero Action Plan 2 proposes tackling illegal e-bikes through roadside stops, seizures and live facial recognition1.

 

While unsafe and illegally modified e-bikes pose risks to riders and other road users, focusing enforcement on an individual rider risks shifting responsibility away from delivery companies such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo. Seizing riders’ e-bikes can also take away riders means of earning a living and push workers who are already struggling financially into greater insecurity.

 

Possible’s Hot Wheels report examined the working conditions, road safety risks and transport choices of London’s food delivery riders.2 The report found that 91 per cent of surveyed delivery riders felt threatened by drivers, 85 per cent preferred to travel on low-traffic routes and only 19 per cent earned the London Living Wage. Some riders reported earning as little as £2 an hour.

 

The June 2025 report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking, Unregulated and Unsafe: The Threat of Illegal E-Bikes, showed how the practices of delivery companies can encourage unsafe e-bike use by pressuring riders to maximise deliveries to earn a minimum income3.

 

This Assembly believes that responsibility for improving road safety must extend beyond individual riders to include the Government, which has a role in establishing an effective regulatory framework.

 

Therefore, this Assembly calls on the Mayor to:

 

• Urge the Government to introduce effective legislation to regulate illegal e-bikes and prevent the sale and use of unsafe vehicles. 

• Work with the Metropolitan Police Service to ensure that enforcement against illegal e-bikes is proportionate. 

• Work with delivery companies and trade unions to address low pay, delivery targets and rider safety that put pressure on riders to take risks. 

• Work with Transport for London and London boroughs to expand cycling routes for delivery riders and other cyclists.

Brent opens consultation on sections of the Cycleway 72: Conduit Way, Stonebridge Park Station and Monks Park

The long awaited cycle link between Harlesden Station and Wembley Central Station takes a step (or pedal) nearer with a consultation on three sections. Click on the links for maps and full details.

  

Conduit Way https://haveyoursay.brent.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/conduit-way-cycleway-72-links-in

Summary:

• 20mph Zone and traffic calming features – A new 20mph Zone is proposed Conduit Way, Durand Way, Wyborne Way, Sunny Crescent, Twybridge Way, Meadow Garth and Pramukh Swami Road along with sinusoidal (smooth stop) speed humps to reduce vehicle speeds and the severity of accidents.
• Junction improvement – The existing mini-roundabout at the junction of Brentfield Road and Meadow Garth will be removed and replaced with “give-way” priority junction and raised speed table.
• Upgraded pedestrian crossing – A new parallel crossing (for use by pedestrian and cyclists) is proposed at the junction of Brentfield Road and Meadow Garth. This will improve priority and accessibility for both pedestrians and cyclists.
• Raised entry treatments – Raised speed tables are proposed at side roads junction with Conduit Way to reduce vehicle speeds and increase accessibility for pedestrians.

 

Additional greening – Additional trees and greening are proposed to improve the public realm along the length of the cycleway connection.

 

 

   

Stonebridge Park Station https://haveyoursay.brent.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/stonebridge-park-station-cycleway-72-links-in

 

Summary 

• New parallel crossing and cycle connection – A new footway, cycle track and parallel crossing (for use by pedestrians and cyclists) are proposed on the eastern side of Old North Circular Road to connect existing cycling facilities with Cycleway 72.
• Upgraded pedestrian crossing – A new zebra crossing is proposed at the entrance to Stonebridge Park station. This will improve priority and accessibility for pedestrians.
• Junction improvement – The layout of the Argenta Way / Old North Circular Road junction will be improved by removing the existing traffic splitter and tightening the corners.

 

Additional greening – Additional trees and greening are proposed to improve the public realm along the length of the cycleway connection.

   

  

Stonebridge Park Station https://haveyoursay.brent.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/stonebridge-park-station-cycleway-72-links-in

 

Summary 

• New parallel crossing and cycle connection – A new footway, cycle track and parallel crossing (for use by pedestrians and cyclists) are proposed on the eastern side of Old North Circular Road to connect existing cycling facilities with Cycleway 72.
• Upgraded pedestrian crossing – A new zebra crossing is proposed at the entrance to Stonebridge Park station. This will improve priority and accessibility for pedestrians.
• Junction improvement – The layout of the Argenta Way / Old North Circular Road junction will be improved by removing the existing traffic splitter and tightening the corners.

 

Additional greening – Additional trees and greening are proposed to improve the public realm along the length of the cycleway connection.