Latest Blog Posts
Town Hall to be transformed into new ‘civic campus’ for King Street
Wave goodbye to the ugly Hammersmith Town Hall Extension as demolition work is set to begin
Finally! Work has begun to demolish the ugly town hall extension and revitalise central Hammersmith.
We've got a ringside seat to watch the progress as the new Horton and Garton office is directly opposite the town hall site. So watch this space for all the updates on the exciting new project.
According to plans from Hammersmith & Fulham Council, the scheme will include a new four-screen cinema (to replace the old Cineworld – may it rest in peace!), new shops and cafes, new affordable homes and a ‘civic campus’ that includes homework space for children, start-up space for local entrepreneurs, a new public rooftop bar and facilities for weekend art exhibitions.
The demolition of the 1970s town hall extension should be under way by Christmas, the council reports. While the historic Grade II*-listed town hall building will begin to be transformed into an energy-efficient campus.
A new public square will sit at the centre of the new facilities.
You can view the architect’s images here.
Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of H&F Council, said: “Once built, the civic campus will play a key part in our mission to cut costs, modernise the council’s culture and improve services to residents and local businesses.
“I’m particularly grateful to the local volunteers who took part, along with all the local people who took the trouble to come to the many design exhibitions. The design took on board many of the suggestions which helped improve the look and function of the scheme.”
Click here for more details about the new civic campus.
Horton and Garton wear it pink on Friday
Our Hammersmith office will be stocked with cupcakes, games and prizes to raise funds for breast cancer awareness charity
We’re throwing a party on Friday to raise awareness of breast cancer. And you’re invited!
We'll be wearing pink in support of charity Breast Cancer Now. They aim to get as many people as possible involved in raising awareness and funds to help support life-saving research and life-changing support.
Stop by the office to enjoy some excellent homemade cupcakes, courtesy of staff member and expert baker Dominika Sielawa. We’ll also be playing our favourite board game – guess the price of the house – with bubbly prizes for the closest guesses!
“We meet a huge number of people in our business,” says Lettings Manager Ashley Clements, “who are moving home for a variety reasons. Usually, it’s a positive and happy story.
“But on occasion we meet people who are affected by personal health problems – and those experiences affect us all. It means a lot to help those clients in our role as the estate agent. So, we just wanted to do a little something extra and raise some money for this very important charity.”
The event takes place from 9am to 6pm on Friday. And you can make a small donation in our King Street office.
But did we mention the cupcakes? Dominika’s legendary baking needs no introduction to her fellow colleagues. Now it’s time for us to share with the world.
Baking is not just an occasional necessity. It’s a serious passion. “My mum and I bake as a hobby, everything from cakes to cupcakes to cookies,” Dominika (pictured above) says.
“It started with me sprinkling a few cupcakes at Christmas. And now we’re baking every weekend. We like to experiment with different flavours and decorations… and of course, we enjoy the tasting everything at the end!”
Some of Dominika’s creations are pictured here. Enough said! We hope to see you on Friday.
Rare historic home in St Peter’s Square hits the market
Fancy having the historic St Peter’s Square as your front garden?
If so, look no further than this four-bedroom period house in Hammersmith. It’s just hit the market with Horton and Garton – and it represents a very rare chance to let this home in the St Peter’s Conservation Area.
With four bedrooms, three bathrooms and views of the square, the house boasts more than 2,400sqft of living and entertaining space. With a private rear garden to boot.
It has a stucco front, loving maintained and sympathetically modernised over the years, and it retains many beautiful period features. A well-equipped kitchen leads directly on to a dining room for excellent entertaining space.
It’s a fantastic family home in a rarely available location.
If you’d like to learn more or have a look, please call lettings manager Ashley Clements on 020 8819 0511 or email: lettings@hortonandgarton.co.uk or click here
Home of Hammersmith Arts & Crafts legend to open for candlelit tours
One of Hammersmith’s most historic homes is opening its doors to candlelit evening tours - giving an atmospheric perspective to a charming time capsule of a house
Artist Emery Walker’s house at 7 Hammersmith Terrace (near the Black Lion pub) is staging the exclusive tours on Halloween and 1 November, when the home of the Arts & Crafts movement visionary who mentored William Morris will transport visitors back in time, using the minimal lighting of yesteryear.
One of the most revered authentic interiors of its age will be candlelit for the 7pm guided tours, preceded by drinks in the garden, weather permitting.
Emery Walker’s House has one of the largest in-situ collections of Morris & Co wallpapers in the world, while many of the objects and possessions in the building were created for Walker by his close friends and colleagues in the Arts & Crafts movement.
They include mirrors, books, paintings, emphemera, chandeliers, textiles, rugs, Chinese and Moroccan ceramics, and hangings.
Online bookings for the candlelit tours are restricted to eight per evening, click here for tickets
Open House London
The house is also taking part in the Open House programme on Sunday (September 22), 2-5pm; one of a host of buildings of interest open for free visits over that weekend.
Others in Hammersmith & Fulham open on both Saturday and Sunday (September 21-22) are:
- ArtWest Studios in Hythe Road, Old Oak, NW10 – a series of artists’ dens in a former Edwardian factory
- Bridget Joyce Square, Australia Road, W12; a public park built by Hammersmith & Fulham Council to manage rainwater and reduce flood risk
- The Bush Theatre, the former Victorian library at 7 Uxbridge Road, W12, with some backstage access
- The former governor’s house at Wormwood Scrubs prison, in Du Cane Road, W12, now Koestler Arts, the prison arts charity
- POSK, the brutalist Polish cultural centre at 238 King Street, W6
- The Roca Gallery at Station Court, Townmead Road, SW6
- St Augustine’s church, 55 Fulham Palace Road, W6
- Kelmscott House, 26 Upper Mall, W6. The former home of fellow Arts & Crafts legend William Morris
Open on Saturday (September 21) only:
- Colet House, the artists’ studio building at 151 Talgarth Road, W14
- Jonathan Tuckey design studio, 58 Milson Road, W14
- Kenneth Armitage Foundation, 22a Avonmore Road, W14; house of Arts & Crafts pioneer James MacLaren
- Lamda, the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art, 155 Talgarth Road, W14
- Studio McLeod, 32 Oaklands Grove, W12, a quirky family home built round an interlocking oak structure
- St Paul’s Girls’ School, Brook Green, W6
- Hurlingham Club, Ranelagh Gardens, SW6
- The Round House, 188 Blythe Road, W14; a stylish modern-design home
- Westworks, 195 Wood Lane, W12; the former BBC admin HQ
- Tin House, Smugglers Yard, Devonport Road, W12; an unusual urban home
- West Ken and Gibbs Green; meet on Mund Street Green, W14, for a resident-led guided tour of the estate
- Chapel of St Francis, Wormwood Scrubs prison, Du Cane Road, W12; the finest prison chapel in England
Open on Sunday (September 22) only:
- Fulham Palace, Bishop’s Avenue, SW6, the former residence of the Bishop of London
- Greenside Primary School, 51 Westville Road, W12, designed by Erno Goldfinger
Click here for more details on Open House London.
Even estate agents move home occasionally!
I’m coming home. Back to where I started decades ago – 172 King Street in Hammersmith
Roll back the years (or shhh, even the decades…) to my first day working at the Hammersmith office of a corporate estate agent. I was wearing my best blue blazer and grey trousers. But it didn’t take long until my manager gave me the fashion yellow card. He accompanied me to Moss Bros where I invested in my first pin stripe suit. He said to me: “You have to look the part now you’re working in Hammersmith.”
Wind the clock forward to 2019 and the previously ‘fashionably unmodernised’ office is still under a major refurbishment with a view that’s slightly changed – no more cinema. But with four years of building work starting to build a new Town Hall campus, things are finally changing for the better. The new branch of Horton and Garton opens later this year – watch this space for the invite!
New office, same values
We have built a robust business over the past 11 years and we’ve now outgrown our current premises. Likewise, our team has significantly grown and we’re making the big move two doors away.
I can genuinely and proudly state that Horton and Garton is the market-leading sales and lettings agency in W6 and W12. We have worked exceptionally hard to achieve this status and continue to extend our record in 2019 by working with the very best properties and clients.
Our 11 years of constant growth and expansion, breaking the mold and building relationships has resulted in our need for a new start. We’ve succeeded with our positive approach instead of resorting to the hard-sell tactics that appear so common in the industry these days.
We’ve studied every pocket of Hammersmith, Shepherds Bush, Chiswick, Brook Green and West Kensington to get to know the community and support many local groups and charities which form the fabric of West London.
Our goal is to provide a professional, dedicated and knowledgeable property service. What distinguishes us from other estate agencies is our ability to provide a bespoke level of customer and client service, plus our honest and ethical business ethic for the local community. And it’s this approach that has allowed us to continue to expand – we now employee 20 people at Horton and Garton.
Our wealth of experience, in-depth understanding of the property market and rock-solid work ethic makes us a force to be reckoned with when it comes to securing the best results for clients. We pride ourselves on our consistently outstanding service, while our integrity and client focus is part of everything we do. This ensures our clients receive a level of personal service not found at the corporate chains.
We’re returning home to an office that was previously an estate agent for 50+ years. So, if you’re considering selling or renting in West London, please continue to make Horton and Garton the first call and join our winning team.
And there’s Chiswick too…
Meanwhile, our Chiswick office is going from strength to strength in its third year. In Turnham Green Terrace, Paul Cooney and his team are officially the second highest selling agent in W4 this year. Onwards and upwards!
Street party in Turnham Green caps a novel weekend of fun in Chiswick
Have you ever fancied taking over Turnham Green Terrace? If so – look no further than Sunday’s street party in Chiswick
Scrap your plans for the weekend. Because Abundance London, who lead environmental and educational community projects in Chiswick, is teaming up with the annual Cookbook Festival for a day of live music, free cooking demos, art, yoga, cycling, football – and even chickens!
The ‘Together on the Terrace’ street party fun starts on Sunday (September 15) at 11am. A new art installation will be unveiled by Hammersmith artist Sir Peter Blake at 1pm. And you can also buy food from local traders and take part in the big street lunch. The celebration of all things W4 runs until 4pm.
It’s a busy time in Chiswick. The Cookbook Festival runs from Thursday (September 12) to Monday (September 16) and promises to be a way to learn more about food and cooking. And it's perfect for anyone who loves eating!
There are talks, demos, workshops and suppers at various locations in Chiswick, and includes foodies such as Lindsey Bareham, Asma Khan, Henry Harris, John Whaite and Matthew Fort.
Tickets from £10. All proceeds go to charity as the Cookbook Festival is a not-for-profit organisation. For more details, visit: www.cookbookfestival.org
Meanwhile, book lovers should also stop by the Chiswick Book Festival. The 11th annual festival runs from Thursday (September 12) to Monday (September 16) as author AN Wilson opens the festival at Chiswick House on Thursday with a talk about his forthcoming book on Prince Albert. Wilson’s new book marks the 200th anniversaries of both Victoria and Albert – and recalls when Albert visited Chiswick House 175 years ago.
On Friday (September 13) the festival celebrates the life of the actor Richard Briers, who lived in Bedford Park for more than 50 years. The paperback edition of his biography, More Than Just A Good Life, will be launched with a panel session featuring its author James Hogg, Richard’s daughter Lucy Briers and his friend Peter Egan, who co-starred with him in Ever Decreasing Circles.
See the full programme of events and book tickets here.
Join us at this year’s Thames Tidefest and celebrate our splendid river!
If so, look no further than the Thames Tidefest - it takes place on Sunday, September 8, in Chiswick’s Strand on the Green.
Horton and Garton is a big supporter of Thames Tidefest, so please come along and let’s all enjoy the river together.
Now in its fifth year, Thames Tidefest is set to be the bigger and better than ever before. Dubbed London’s ‘family river festival’ it offers an eclectic mix of free and low-cost events revolving around the Thames.
The festival includes:
-live music
-paddlesports
-river cruises
-riverside pubs
-secret island adventures
-historical walks
-guided photography sessions
-stalls
-fishing
-river dipping, environmental lessons and more!
Various paddlesports have always been a huge part of Tidefest and it’s a brilliant opportunity for absolute novices to try their hand.
Most of the events are free. But you can also buy tickets for one of these low-cost special events: River Cruises for a fiver, Historic tours for £3, Bird-watching walks for £2 and that’s just the start.
For more details about the free Tidefest events click here
And for more details about the ticketed events at Tidefest click here
The Upper Room charity raises £2,300 with Indian Zing curry lunch
Nicky Flynn, Chief Executive of The Upper Room charity in Shepherds Bush, was joined by the Mayor of Hammersmith & Fulham, Cllr Daryl Brown, for a fundraising lunch at King Street restaurant Indian Zing.
On Wednesday (August 28) they welcomed patrons and volunteers from The Upper Room charity to the restaurant - my personal favourite in Hammersmith - for the summer get-together. The event was designed to promote all the good work the charity does in Shepherds Bush and beyond.
The charity raised an impressive £2,300 of donations over lunch! Well done.
Indian Zing owner Manoj Vasaikar, Rahul, Roy and the rest of the attentive Indian Zing staff were superb hosts and served an incredible meal full of the flavours of India. No need for supper later...
There was also a very popular raffle and an impromptu auction with super prizes, donated by many local businesses including Askew Wine, The Ginger Pig, and Dukes Meadow Golf and Tennis. I was fortunate enough to win a round of golf for four!
The Upper Room
The Upper Room runs three linked projects which aim to give beneficiaries the tools or skills they need to help them become more resilient and to improve their lives:
-UR4Meals provides free evening meals and one-to-one support 5.30-6.45pm, Monday to Friday.
-UR4Jobs is a multilingual employment support service which is open Mondays & Tuesdays, noon-5pm.
-UR4Driving is an award-winning project which teaches ex-offenders to drive in return for 80 hours of voluntary work.
The Upper Room has temporarily moved home for a few months while building work is done.
Instead of serving free evening meals and giving one-to-one support at its headquarters at St Saviour’s in Cobbold Road, it has shifted operations a seven-minute walk away to the Victoria House community hall in Becklow Road, off Askew Road, W12.
“Once the building works are complete later in August we will move back to St Saviour’s,” said a spokesperson.
Every year, 26,000 hot meals and takeaways are served to homeless and other disadvantaged people.
Recently, members of the public voted to back The Upper Room – which does essential work helping hard to reach members of the community – when it applied for funding in a competition sponsored by builders’ merchants Jewson.
The cinema is coming to Ravenscourt Park
A pop-up cinema is set to appear in Ravenscourt Park in September – as well as two parks in Fulham.
September’s open-air flicks screenings come to Ravenscourt Park on Friday 13, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 with, respectively: A Star is Born (15) The Greatest Showman (PG) and Pretty Woman (15).
The shows all start at 7.30pm (doors 6pm) on the lawn nearest the Ravenscourt Avenue entrance. Prairie Fire barbecue food will be on sale each evening.
You’re advised to bring warm clothes, as the temperature will fall away quickly, and bring something to sit on, unless you’ve booked a chair. If the weather looks iffy, texts update cinemagoers with up-to-date information.
The screenings at Bishops Park, alongside Fulham’s Craven Cottage stadium, happen on Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 with, respectively: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (PG), Bohemian Rhapsody (12A) and 10 Things I Hate About You (15). Each show begins at 8pm, with doors open from 6.30pm, and Sicilian street food (including artisan pizzas) is on sale. There’s also a full bar… or you can bring your own picnic and drink.
Then on Friday 27, the action switches to Parsons Green with a 7pm showing of The Incredibles 2 (U) at South Park on the lawn by the Clancarty Road entrance, followed by Back To The Future (PG) on Saturday 28 and The Little Mermaid (U) on Sunday 29. Big Dogs will be selling hotdogs.
Standard tickets: £13.75 standard, £8.80 U12s, £6.87 disabled + carer, £22 VIP (with drink and chair).
For more details or to book, visit: www.popupscreens.co.uk
Read more about plans to open two new cinemas in Chiswick and Hammersmith here
Lidl and Metro Bank arrive at Kings Mall in Hammersmith
Sited in the Kings Mall shopping precinct in King Street, Lidl will open in July 2020, providing competition to neighbour Sainsbury’s and increasing customers’ food shopping options. At 18,200sqft the new Lidl will be nearly double the size of the average UK branch of the German no-frills discount retailer.
Olu Johnson of Lidl, which operates 10,000 stores around the world, said the chain was delighted to be opening a major new outlet in the heart of W6. “We’ve seen incredible demand for Lidl stores across the country, and we look forward to offering our quality products and incredible value to shoppers in and around Hammersmith,” he said.
To put the new 18,200sq ft store in context, Lidl opened in the West12 shopping centre in Shepherds Bush last year, in the former Morrisons site, creating 40 jobs in a store with a sales area of just 13,400sq ft.
Metro Bank
Also poised to open in the recently refurbished and upgraded Kings Mall is another household name, Metro Bank, bringing seven-day-a-week banking to customers and superfast account opening in a 4,000sq ft branch currently being fitted out.
The new arrivals are a major boost to the Schroder UK Real Estate Fund which bought the 340,000sqft Kings Mall in 2015 for £153million, and set about revamping and upgrading the shopping centre.
Ian Walters, managing director of retail and business banking at Metro Bank, said: “As the revolution in British banking, we’re excited to be coming to Hammersmith. We’re committed to bringing amazing customer service to local residents and businesses in the area.”
Upgrades
The news follows increased investment in Kings Mall by Danish gift store Flying Tiger, America sportswear chain Footlocker (which has increased its lease by five years and is installing a double-height shopfront) and Okido, a children’s favourite which has been running arts and science workshops during the summer holidays, and now plans to extend its stay.
Schroder investment manager Rob Cosslett commented: “Our strategy to refocus Kings Mall is really taking hold, driving both shopper footfall and meeting the needs of retailers, particularly at a time when they are increasingly selective about where they operate physical stores.
“The lettings with Lidl and Metro Bank – and the commitment by existing tenants – are testament to the confidence in Kings Mall.”
Andrew Proctor, manager of the Kings Mall centre, said the arrival of Lidl and Metro Bank were certain to be ‘a big hit’ with customers. “They are huge high street names, so we are delighted to welcome them to Kings Mall, and it will be exciting to see the improvements in the Flying Tiger and Footlocker stores too,” he said.
Lidl first appeared in Britain in 1994, and – along with fellow German discounter Aldi – is now challenging the might of the ‘big four’ food supermarkets: Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.
