Forum Topics

A4 chaos

Traffic was a nightmare this evening. I had to do thai take-away deliveries and the first to Chiswick took over an hour there and back. Then I read that a man had died in a taxi on the A4 after being hit by a truck.Makes you suddenly take stock. A few weeks until xmas and things will never be the same for this man's family.

David Archer ● 5806d2 Comments ● 5801d

Disruption to Greenford/Paddington services over Christmas/New Year period

Due to improvement works in the Reading area, disruption is expected from 27 December to 4th January. It looks as though a normal service is expected to run on Christmas Eve, although some services may finish earlier than normal. As usual, there will be no service on Christmas Day or December 26th. A full set of timetable alterations can be found here: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=4888

James Vertigan ● 5819d3 Comments ● 5801d

Meanest traffic warden in Ealing??!!

Last night (Friday 10th December) at around 6 pm I went to buy a Christmas tree from 'The Christmas Forest' outlet opposite the Ramada Hotel with my 10 year old daughter to buy a Christmas tree.I parked immediately outside of the fence to the outlet where there was a notice which said clearly that the area was 'designated parking for customers of the Christmas Forest'.Within less than 10 minutes we had purchased a tree but when we returned to the car to load up, an Ealing traffic warden was in the process of giving me a parking ticket.He refused to withdraw the ticket as apparently no-one from the company had had the area de-designated from a single yellow line which was in force until 6:30 pm, even though I said I was loading up. He said that there had been a couple of incidents before where he had pointed this out to staff working at the facility so effectively I am the sacrificial lamb(!). We tried to make him see reason and to take it up with the company but as the law stands I am unlikely to win an appeal, given that the notice was on private land, and that the company had apparently been warned that parking was not permitted on that road at that time. It also is an utter waste of my time in this busy festive season and caused my daughter considerable distress in what should have been a pleasant family experience.In future I will buy my Christmas tree from an outlet where a £100 parking fine does not come as part of the package....Have any other readers had a similar experience or know of other examples of council wardens showing a complete lack of flexibility or common sense?

Andy Holt ● 5803d6 Comments ● 5801d

Argyle Road - The House with the Lights

Not as many houses decorated outside this year. Guess the recession has hit home.Except the house on Argyle Road. Worth a driveby(see photo on next posting)

David Archer ● 5803d3 Comments ● 5801d

Well done Ealing Today

What a result (see front page story about the parking ticket at the Christmas Forest). Well done!

David Archer ● 5801d0 Comments ● 5801d

Time to reconsider the west london tram scheme

With the increasing number of flats being built along the Uxbridge Road, a new hotel, parking spaces lost in Dickens yard and  petrol prices going through the roof isn't it time the West London Tram plan was looked at again. Since it's postponement nothing whatsover has been done to provide an alternative and buses crawl along stuck in jams a tram would sail past. All the alternative schemes proposed by the noisy anti tram brigade have been forgotten it seems.Cross Rail is a good scheme but does not replace the need for fast, clean local transport as found in almost every modern European city.Yes I'm a fan. In my seventies I was a child in a Midlands city which once had a wonderful network of trams. A recent visit showed what poor servce a privatised replacement bus services offered.

keith mason ● 5930d146 Comments ● 5801d

Freecycle vs Streetbank

Hi there,As Christmas fast approaches and the prospect of unwanted presents looms, I'm wondering if anyone has any strong feelings about the benefits/pitfalls of sites like Freecycle or Streetbank? I'm thinking we might need a bit of a clean out after Christmas but don't want to be bombarded with spam. Thanks, Charlie

Charlie Banister ● 5805d2 Comments ● 5803d

Anyone know what has happened to Monty's?

Monty's has operated a successful tandori business in the South Ealing Road since 1979.We popped around for a meal last week and it was closed 'due to an electrical fault'. It's still in darkness.

Rob Russell ● 5804d3 Comments ● 5803d

Skip Hire

I need to hire a skip for my Scout Group as we are having a massive clearoutdoes anyone know any companies that do 1hr hire? as we need to keep costs down as we are a charity.

Mark Yates ● 5808d6 Comments ● 5805d

Cleaner required South Ealing

Can anybody please recommend a cleaner who could do a couple of hours a week for us in South Ealing?  Thank you.

Gillian Healey ● 5806d0 Comments ● 5806d

Cats

I was looking at some site about a bloke who has attached a camera to his cat.  Basically the cat goes around its business and when it gets back, the owner downloads the photos.What surprised me was the amount of other cats in the photos so am wondering if cats have friends that they hang out with.Any cat owners confirm or deny this?

G Lord ● 5808d2 Comments ● 5806d

Rainbows places available

Acton District Rainbows (part of Girl Guides) has places available for girls aged 5 and 6 years. Weekly sessions take place on Wednesdays from 5-6pm in the hall behind Acton Hill Church. Girls take part in games and crafts, learning and discovery. Contact Jennifer Dudley for more information: 07710 774620

Kim Bobsin ● 5807d0 Comments ● 5807d

Pop up Shops

I have heard there is a pop up art shop somewhere in Ealing. Does anyone know where it is?

Cassie Blake ● 5813d5 Comments ● 5807d

Lost Cat in Hanwell - Clitherow Avenue

Hi,We've lost our cat, Pepsi. She is tortoise shell on top and white underneath with a pink collar. She went out last Thursday morning and hasn't come back yet. She is chipped and we have posters up in the area.Her picture is available at this link: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8598125/Pepsi.jpgPlease call me if you have seen her and if you live close to clitherow avenue please check whether she has got into your shed or garage - thanks very much,John.

John Walls ● 5832d15 Comments ● 5807d

How many gigs is "normal"

I recently went onto a “3” broadband dongle - and I am very pleased with its speed (MUCH better then Sky) but ….. Even though I do not down load movies, or music and just use the net for e-mail (POP)  and general  browsing I am getting through 3 gigs a week – I don’t  think that’s right …..?

Viv Ellis ● 5819d2 Comments ● 5808d

Check supermarket receipts

I have been asked to post the following, which seems to possibly be a new scam. I have not experienced it myself but do agree the bills need to be scrutined before leaving the supermarket and very often one does find " errors " have crept in. The most often occurring reasons being reduced items going through at the original price or taking an article from a place where it's price seems to be deliberately misleading. When that happens I always reject the item and call for the Manager and show them the area of the misleading item.        "CHECK YOUR RECEIPTS BEFORE LEAVING THE CHECK-OUT - READ ON...I bought a bunch of stuff, over £150, & I glanced at my receipt as the cashier was handing me the bags. I saw a cash-back of £40. I told her I didn't request a cash back & to delete it. She said I'd have to take the £40 because she couldn't delete it. I told her to call a supervisor.The supervisor came & said I'd have to take it. I said NO! Taking the £40 would be a cash advance against my Credit card & I wasn't paying interest on a cash advance!! If they couldn't delete it then they would have to delete the whole order. So the supervisor had the cashier delete the whole order & re-scan everything! The second time I looked at the electronic pad before I signed & a cash-back of £20 popped up. At that point I told the cashier & she deleted it. The total came out right. The cashier agreed that the Electronic Pad must be defective.Obviously the cashier knew the electronic pad was 'defective' because she NEVER offered me the £40 at the beginning. Can you imagine how many people went through before me & at the end of her shift how much money she pocketed?Just to alert everyone. My co worker went to Milford , XXXXXXXXX supermarket last week. She had her items rung up by the cashier. The cashier hurried her along and didn't give her a receipt. She asked the cashier for a receipt and the cashier was annoyed and gave it to her. My co worker didn't look at her receipt until later that night. The receipt showed that she asked for £20 cash back. SHE DID NOT ASK FOR CASH BACK!My co-worker called XXXXXXXXX supermarket who investigated but could not see the cashier pocket the money. She then called her niece who works for the bank and her niece told her this... "This is a new scam going on. The cashier will key in that you asked for cash back and then hand it to her friend who is the next person in the queue".Please, please, please check your receipts right away when using credit or debit cards!I wonder how many "seniors" have been, or will be, "stung" by this one????To make matters worse ...THIS SCAM CAN BE DONE ANYWHERE, AT ANY RETAIL ORWHOLESALE LOCATION!!!BEFORE LEAVING THE CHECK-OUT........CHECK YOUR RECEIPT!!!!!THIS COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE. CHECK YOUR RECEIPT BEFORE LEAVING THE STAND.PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS, KIDS, LOVED ONES. "

Tony Price ● 5819d22 Comments ● 5810d

Griiting well done 'for a change

Well done to Ealing's workmen for gritting the pavements the length of St Mary's and South Ealing roads yesterday. Those guys worked really hard and with a smile to passers by.Admittedly they went down one side and back up the other and the tube station area went ungritted till the afternoon, but it did get done, and properly.But the staff did work hard. Well done.Would be good if a dollop of grit could be left at each side street corner so the fitter residents could help do the pavements there.Noticeable that nothing was done in Brentford except at bus stops.

Oliver Gregan ● 5811d5 Comments ● 5810d

Stopping junk mail - Virgin Media

Over the course of nearly 8 years living in Ealing, not a single week has passed without junk mail from Virgin Media landing on my doormat. Every single one gets dumped unopened into the recycling box, but it does seem a ridiculous waste of my knee cartilage bending down to pick them up. Not to mention the hectares of rainforest being felled. Now I've tried to get them to cease and desist by registering with various opt-out schemes, however allegedly they manage to exploit a loophole in these schemes by cunningly addressing the letters 'To the Occupier'. (Seriously, is it that easy? I reckon my cat could have come up with more meaningful legislation than that!)I was reluctant to contact Virgin directly - by all accounts giving them my name and details would only increase the spamming frequency, however I have finally given it a go. I gave up after 10 minutes of ranting at automated correspondents, so no joy there. Has anyone else been suffering from their overly keen marketing? Or even better, know how to get them to stop?

Philip Slater ● 5815d10 Comments ● 5810d

Car Broken Into Milford Road

Our car had it's window smashed last night on Milford RoadNothing was taken but I think they had a look around insideDid anyone suffer anything similar?

James Green ● 5811d0 Comments ● 5811d

Car Broken Into Milford Road

Our car had it's window smashed last night on Milford RoadNothing was taken but I think they had a look around insideDid anyone suffer anything similar?

James Green ● 5811d0 Comments ● 5811d