Forum Topic

Sky pavilion in Walpole Park

Interesting to see Sky being promoted so assiduously by the Council because they donated to the Pitzhanger restoration and play a ‘significant part in the local economy’. I presume that’s through all those subscriptions paid to it by Ealing residents for the football.I wonder if they have actually paid to close off part of the park for 10 days? My kids school had to pay £1200 to the Council to use a small area of the park to hold sports days for a couple of hours over the last four days. No temporary structures were erected, nor were regular users of the park inconvenienced.Priorities eh?

Simon Hayes ● 2478d12 Comments

I bet she got a lot more than £15k for her efforts!

Simon Hayes ● 2465d

I am told the council earned about £15,000 for letting Sky use the park. They donated the plants that had decorated their "crystal palace" building to the park. The reason security was so tight was because the speaker on Thursday was none other than Hillary Clinton.

Terry Jones ● 2465d

GOOD question.And vis a vis LBE selling off everything.There's a big stink at the mo with LBE seriously considering leasing off a decent part of North Acton Playing Fields to the private Samurai Soccer Academy (or whatever it's called.).  Yes, you couldn't make it up.Parks are for all of US of course, and parts should never be "sold" off for private use, but that's ole "Four Jobs, Four Houses (and counting), Secret Council Loan (s???), 'It's the Tory cuts!'" for you. He doesn't give a flying fornication.Would some kind Lefty please come on here & defend him? :-)I thank you.

Rosco White ● 2473d

What the hell is a council doing charging a school to use the park anyway?!?!?

Tony Colliver ● 2473d

Therein lies the problem. It’s a park. It’s for the enjoyment of Ealing residents and workers. We are told all the time that we should exercise more and enjoy the outdoors, so why make that enjoyment more difficult?They had fences up last week. Surely that’s enough?

Simon Hayes ● 2473d

My colleague has just been for his usual lunchtime walk in the park, and says there are officious security guards stopping people approaching anywhere near the pavilion, and even stopping people using rights of way.This council will sell or rent off anything that's not nailed down.

Olga Sidoryk ● 2473d

I’m reliably informed that Sky are making a ‘substantial payment’ to use the park, which is as it should be. Unlike some other public land, such as Warren Farm, the Council has at least not provided it for free.What should concern us is how often and how much of our parkland is given over to private use in future. I understand the Council wants to monetise them as much as possible but there is a tipping point where it becomes invasive and inconvenient. I know people who live near Gunnersbury Park who are dreading the upcoming festivals there because of the noise and behaviour.

Simon Hayes ● 2474d

Not the point.  How much did Sky donate towards the Pitshanger development? - tax deductible? And how much are they paying Ealing or is the Pitshanger Trust to rent space in Walpole Park?

Libby Kemp ● 2474d

Given that they employee 7500 staff at Osterley I am sure many live in Ealing, in fact I know some who do

Declan Devine ● 2476d

Yeah, because nobody in London commutes more than a mile.

Susan Kelly ● 2477d

That’s Osterley, which is in Hounslow borough. Most people who work there don’t live in Ealing.

Simon Hayes ● 2478d

I assume that the significant contribution is their building at Osterley which must employ many people.

Susan Kelly ● 2478d