Forum Topic

West Ealng shopping is getting very cut throat

First we had a pound shop.Then a 99p shop.Now there's going to be a 97 p shop.

Viv Ellis ● 4515d17 Comments

The toys were amazing too!

Philippa Bond ● 4500d

to give credit here credit's due, the 97p shop is very good, loads of interesting stuff.

Viv Ellis ● 4500d

Surely you aren't old enough to remember the Penthouse Restaurant !The pram section (got our first Silver Cross there) was amazing as was the sheet music concession ?Music In Print?Abernethies was a wonderful traditional gentlemen's outfitters, along the lines of Alfred Sayers in Ealing Broadway whose windows are a sad sight to behold this week as they run down their stock prior to closure.

Nigel Brooks ● 4504d

Those names are blasts from the past, Nigel. I miss Daniels and their extraordinary penthouse restuarant specialising in boiled cabbage and pork chops. Very welcoming when kids were small.

Charlotte Carotenuto ● 4504d

On reply to comment about how long I have lived in Ealing.I have lived in Ealing for 35 years. I spent many years in retail and at one time before I moved here was responsible for the Dixons shops in West Ealing (Inside Rouse's, Uxbridge,Hammersmith, Richmond, Hounslow) and Ealing Broadway so I have a long standing memory of West Ealing over 40 years and the retail business in the general area.Woolworths has gone but Wilkinsons is an excellent replacement. I rarely do a big shop in Osterly Tesco finding all I need in West Ealing twice a week.West Ealing is an everyday shopping area, not a shopping destination such as Bond Street. It serves us well

Keith Mason ● 4504d

Absolutely correct, unless you like frozen reheated fish.

Nigel Brooks ● 4509d

So by logical implication one should not order the fish in a restaurant on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.  :-)

Tony Colliver ● 4509d

Chris fishmonger. The best fishmongers in the area by far IMO. He has been in west ealing for longer than I can remember and his fish is the freshest in the area. Beware a fishmonger that opens on a Monday that fish will not be very fresh! A good fish monger will sell all his fish off on a Saturday (at cost to local resaurants) and will restock on Tuesday morning when Billingsgate reopens.

Marie Shelny ● 4510d

Well said Keith M. - we find West Ealing to be a valuable shopping district, even after FH Rowses and M&S and Woolies. The new(ish) fish shop BigBen's is great - every kinda fish or seafood - fresh and a good deal cheaper than say Waitrose and Marks - and they prepare the fish in whatever way you wish. We bought a 1.5 kilo grey mullet last week which they prepared and gave us the head and bones back for fish stock. And they had fresh baby squids and Cromer sized crabs - all fresh. The International Food Store almost next door has a superlative bakery at the back of their shop, where they stock the freshest of baklavas, with honey dripping from the nut pastries - delicious. West Ealing is a shopper's treasure!

Gerry Tan ● 4511d

Don't forget; Abernethies, Bassetts Books, Shellshears (both sites) John Collier, Times Furnishing, the list goes on and on.West Ealing is now a tawdry, pale copy of what is was once, not too long ago.

Nigel Brooks ● 4511d

The new one is called 97p Sub http://97psub.com/ so looks like it might do fresh sandwiches which is at least a variation on a theme. I do remember West Ealing when it had FH Rowse, Arthur Howard, Laskys, Our Price, WHSmith, Mothercare, Marks and Spencers etc before anyone asks

Rupa Huq ● 4511d

How long have you lived in these parts Keith?

Keith Iddon ● 4511d

Don't knock west ealing. I find it a lively shopping area and use it on a regular basis. Great choice of shops selling the kind of everyday goods I need. Plenty of fresh fruit and veg, meat, groceries etc. No designer shops but, hey, who needs them.

Keith Mason ● 4511d

This is surely ba knock on effect of recession and having the likes of Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Lidl in the vicinity.Shops need to specialise and be interesting to survive.

Keith Iddon ● 4514d

I suppose West Ealing suffers as the bigger stores are present in the Broadway and the more upmarket independent shops and restaurants will be more attracted to Pitshanger and Northfields. Even Hanwell is doing OK for quirky shops and cafes away from the main drag.

John Walker ● 4514d

Yes West Ealing seems to be full of poundshops, bookmakers, charity places and loan operators - more than than when FH Rowses and M&S stores were around. But we've found the shops near Dean Gardens like Cudi Food Store, Big Ben fishmongers and B'way International Food Centre and a few others are very useful and varied - a real credit to that part of West Ealing.

Gerry Tan ● 4515d

Remember when west Ealing was a proper shopping street?It now seems to about the 'drive to the bottom' with 'pound' shops, charity shops, bookmakers and loan places.Shame.

Nigel Brooks ● 4515d