Forum Topic

Elthorne Park

Why isn't there a cafe of any kind in Elthorne Park? Surely it's crying out for one for all those dog walkers, parents and children, runners and so on?

Rachel Sanger ● 4980d15 Comments

It is as there are few, if any, local shops of a size capable of hosting a community toilet and the nearest pub with a toilet is 500 metres away.The toilets in Elthorne Park were, for years, chained shut by the parkkepper (sadly missed) it was only when this role was withdrawn and they were left open 24 hours per day that the problems escalated. They were however never really clean and the stench was horrible.I believe the same problem arose, for the same reason, with the toilets at Hanwell Broadway.

Nigel Brooks ● 4973d

I am an Ealing resident, involved in many parks including Boston Manor Park which comes under Hounslow.  In this park there is a cafe (with toilet facilities) which is run by the community for the community and is open 11 months of the year.  If there are any social entrepreneurs out there something similar could be replicated in Elthorne but it does need real commitment.  Happy to give guidance to anyone who would like to take this on.

Linda Massey ● 4973d

Spotless toilets elsewhere (the incidence of which I concur on by the way) are, I suspect, a function of the usage to which they are put.To keep toilets adequately clean in London would, I suspect, require the kind of dedicated fulltime cleaning squads which, thankfully, have become the norm in recent years in our motorway service stations.The costs would be phenomenal and it is this which I believe is really behind the closing of so many public loos in the UK.The local trader initiave is a good one, but Elthorne is once again disadvantaged in this respect is it not?

Tony Colliver ● 4973d

I do leave my house from time to time you know :-) and go in search of a toilet when the obvious need arises.Srange that public conveniences have, for all sorts of reasons, been closed in and around London but in west Wales most towns and even tiny villages have spotless public toilets.Ealing Coucil are piloting a community toilet scheme in Hanwell where shops open their 'facilities' in return for a nominal payment.Details here:http://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/200508/street_care_and_cleaning/200/public_toilets/4This scheme works well in Richmond with well over 50 sites acros the borough, hopefully more businesses in Ealing will follow suit.

Nigel Brooks ● 4973d

Walpole almost couldn't be more central.Elthorne is the opposite.

Tony Colliver ● 4973d

Yes, well, living opposite the park I don't suppose you do.Those of us living a little further afield don't have the luxury or conveneince of nipping back to our own house to spend a penny in the undoubted warmth and comfort of our own personal facilities quite so easily.

Tony Colliver ● 4973d

Walpole has 'passing trade' all day, every day. You can pass through Walpole to get somewhere.Elthorne Park, on the other hand, leads to the Brent Walk and nowhere else.It may be viable to have a snack bar there but, having lived opposite the park for all of my marrried life it is a desolate place in winter.If there was a business model which could make it pay over a 6-8 month season I feel sure that someone would already have embraced it.

Nigel Brooks ● 4973d

Why is it viable in Walpole Park then? it is always busy at the cafe there and they don't even close in winter. Seems like people come to Walpole from all over Ealing just because the cafe is there: dog walkers, runners, families etc.

Rachel Sanger ● 4973d

I share your wish but not in London, too much hassle with petty bureaucrats and licencing.One of the most relaxed guys I know runs a tea bar in a lay-by on the A487 just north of Cardigan. Typical lay-by fare of burgers and sausages, teas and coffees complimented by his wife and daughter's wonderful cakes and pastries.Spent an age talking to him and he wishes he had done it years ago. We now make a beeline for him every time we visit west Wales.

Nigel Brooks ● 4976d

I doubt it's a sustainable business proposition but I'd love to travel round in one of those cool little vans that you can make coffees out the back of.  And supply delicious home made cakes too!

Diane Gill ● 4976d

Is anyone else old enough to remember the pavilion tearooms in Lammas Park - in the middle of the bowling greens. A formidable lady called Miss Greatrix used to play bowls there but she refused to call me Penny but preferred by 3rd name, Deborah !

Penny Crocker ● 4976d

That's a good idea save that 'wintertime is wintertime'.The cafe in Churchfields used to close down over winter and was down to one member of staff.I'd love to see something but I don't think the numbers stack up.

Nigel Brooks ● 4979d

Maybe a 'mobile' cafe could commute between parks!  Lammas is another one without facilities nearby, whilst appreciating it's a stone throw from many on Northfields. Having spent hours in parks in Ealing us Mums and Dads need some sustanance!

Diane Gill ● 4979d

Living opposite the park I am delighted that the toilets closed.Not only was Michael Boothe murdered but there were a number of rapes and a whole 'raft' of serious assaults over the years. Couple that with the cottaging and approaches to young people of both sexes by unsavoury types and their 'loss is no loss'.Agree though that some type of cafe would be a possibility, save that there isn't probably enough 'consistent' trade to make it viable other than at weekends and even then that would probably be seasonal.

Nigel Brooks ● 4980d

Fat chance. There aren't even any toilets. They were closed, later removed, after the 1990 murder of actor Michael Boothe by 6 men who didn't like the fact he was homosexual. They were never caught.

Tony Sleep ● 4980d