I wish I could provide a scratch ‘n sniff card for everyone who looks at this image. The warm smell of fresh bread wafts across Greenford from the Hovis bakery every day, even on Sundays. I have sometimes caught the smell of chocolate and wondered if local sales of confectionary rise on these occasions. This building has even more of these distinctive trucks parked on its roof.
Images and text ©Albertina McNeill 2012. Please do not reproduce without permission. All rights reserved. Do not add any of these images to Pinterest or similar sites as this will be regarded as a violation of copyright.
I used to live in North Greenford between 1992 to 2007. I moved to Harrow due the poor secondary school choices available at that time. I have noticed they are building a new school bottom of Oldfield lane North (former GSK site). Too late for my kids, but it is going to be run by Twyford School of Acton (an excellent school btw).
North Greenford is going through rapid changes not only in development but in population as well. The Hovis building you captured above is going to be shut down (with a loss of about 200 jobs). Hence finding your site via Google. I have heard rumours that that site is going to be developed as well and wanted further more information. But it appears not in the Greenford Development Plan.
http://www.greenfordredevelopment.com/
So the interesting question is what is going to be the future. I hope its not another housing development. I would prefer to be used for small community local Arts & Craft companies.
Your site is excellent and capturing the essence of changing Greenford. I am familiar with most of your areas you covered and you shoot great pictures. Some ideas for further pictures:-
1. Top of Horsenden Hill. Especially in summer, you are able to see great views of surrounding areas.
2. Westway shopping centre and the massive post office centre ( Best seen from the Tube train heading into Greenford Station).
3. North Greenford Allotments on Whitton Ave (been there since 1930′s)
4. Oldfield lane South recreation ground. A nice little park tucked into high density housing. A panoramic view would be nice.
5. Some polish shops along Greenford road (Called the Polish Mile) there must be at least Polish 15 shops along that long road.
All the best and look forward seeing your pictures.
Glad you liked the photos, you’ll find the new school mentioned in these posts: http://wp.me/p267Ik-46 http://wp.me/p267Ik-dc http://wp.me/p267Ik-v5 http://wp.me/p267Ik-ik http://wp.me/p267Ik-CE and the Hovis closure covered here: http://wp.me/p267Ik-G9
I’m afraid that the GSK development will inevitably be housing with yet another supermarket and/or a cinema: http://wp.me/p267Ik-8D Manufacturing is less valuable than housing.
Unfortunately the blog was a 2012 project as I would not have been able to sustain the effort of taking photos in Greenford and posting them on the day forever. I did include the summit of Horsenden Hill http://wp.me/p267Ik-NY as well as other areas of it. Westway Cross got 11 mentions including these two: http://wp.me/p267Ik-75 http://wp.me/p267Ik-qR Allotments were included http://wp.me/p267Ik-5f http://wp.me/p267Ik-zR http://wp.me/p267Ik-dl as well as allotment shows: http://wp.me/p267Ik-al http://wp.me/p267Ik-kT http://wp.me/p267Ik-u5 I also mentioned the presence of Royal Mail http://wp.me/p267Ik-i7 and Polish delis http://wp.me/p267Ik-Nr Recreation grounds have also been included: http://wp.me/p267Ik-dl http://wp.me/p267Ik-sh
The ones about the Ealing Skate Jam http://wp.me/p267Ik-wG the Oldfield Tavern http://wp.me/p267Ik-mF and the original Greenford Hall http://wp.me/p267Ik-G2 are amongst my favourites.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Blimey, You have covered a lot. There’s probably nothing of Greenford that you have’nt captured. Must congratulate you on all your efforts. I am sure the site will be handy for future generations to see a glimpse of Greenford in 2012.
There is one more area that I couldn’t see in your photo’s that may interest your readers. If you go up Clare Road, then turn right onto Hadden Way. You go up a small alley way on the left. There is small park. Not many people are aware of it. They refurbished it the early 2000. I don’t know the state of it today. But it was a great place to take your kids.
All the best.
http://wp.me/p267Ik-gA