Forum Topic

Amsterdam in Ealing?

''Ealing Council is bidding for £38million to try and turn the borough into  a Mini-Holland.''What!!!! 'Coffee' shops and ladies in windows? Ealing Broadway will never be the same again.

David P Archer ● 4647d14 Comments

Should have added that the one in Hanwell was well-known.I won't identify the street as new owners probably don't want to be identified with their home's past.Suffice it to say that it was number 30 on this particular road and was known to all and sundry as "dirty thirty".

Nigel Brooks ● 4646d

I don't know if there is a district Gerry but parts of Southall could be considered as such as there have, if I understand it correctly, been a number of 'ladies of the night' moved on for openly soliciting.The was a brothel closed down on Lady Margaret Road a few years back.There was of course the infamous 'Hanwell Sauna' reported on this site a few years back, the widely reported 'madam' convicted earlier this year of running a number of brothels including one in Ealing and doubtless there are some 'houses of ill-repute' in the leafy back streets of Ealing.

Nigel Brooks ● 4646d

Nigel, you seem to be a very knowledgeable and experienced bloke...please tell us if there's such a red-light district in Ealing? If so, where?

Gerry Tan ● 4646d

Bless you Os. It's the most famous 'red light' district in Europe.I have just looked at the 'Ealing Little Amsterdam' submission (link on the front page).Damned good idea in all seriousness as it gives cyclists protection and indeed forces use of dedicated lanes. Itr should cut 'conflict' rates.I hope that we get the cash but 'woe betide' the cyclist that uses the pavement if the plans are realised.

Nigel Brooks ● 4646d

Thanks Nigel for explaining. I never knew that about Amsterdam having such an area.

Os A Whittle ● 4646d

Er, more people riding bikes for a start!

Paul James ● 4646d

PaulYou are terribly good at identifying the problems.Within the economic constraints within which we will all have to operate for the foreseeable future, what would you propose as solutions?

Nigel Brooks ● 4646d

Terrible addiction?Cycling is a great addiction! It's the answer to pretty much every problem a city has, obesity and health (including mental health), congestion, high cost of transport, local pollution, mobility, local shops not having customers, dangerous road environment, noise pollution, overcrowding on public transport, road damage; I could go on.

Paul James ● 4646d

While we can make some provision for cyclists in London it is simply not possible to broaden every street or install cycleways like those in Amsterdam.Car ownership is lower in Amsterdam (my relatives lived there and in Voorschoten)because the provision for cyclists and an integrated public transport system built over 80 years is so good. There isn't the money to 'deconstruct' every major road to implement protected cycleways and light rail solutions.

Nigel Brooks ● 4646d

Is cycling an addiction? If yes where can these sufferers like Julian Bell and Boris Johnson get some treatment to 'wean' them off their terrible addiction.Or is the addiction more a function of electioneering to get re-elected? I guess a growing number of voters are joining the cycling cult.

Eric Alan Leach ● 4646d

Helenastraat is the main road running through Amsterdam's red light district. Famous for ladies 'plying their trade'.

Nigel Brooks ● 4646d

What exactly do you mean Nigel? "faux Helenastraat."

Os A Whittle ● 4646d

And Hangar Hill flattened sufficiently to match the average road gradients in Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

Sue Rowe ● 4647d

Bell's latest 'master plan'. The recently resurfaced Longfield Avenue to be dug up, at great expense, and turned into a canal. Red lights will be installed in the windows of Perceval House to make it a faux Helenastraat.

Nigel Brooks ● 4647d