Gaming centre plan rejected

Hillingdon Council has refused planning permission for an adult gaming centre to open in the former Barclays Bank premises in Station Road. The decision was notified to objectors on Tuesday 21 October and was made in order to protect the retail use of premises in the southern end of the town centre.

The Council has a policy to limit non-retail uses to 15% in what is defined as the secondary shopping area. These include restaurants and takeaways, drinking establishments, betting shops, night clubs, casinos, amusement centres. minicab offices and other similar uses. The figure for this part of the town is already 21.5% and granting approval would have made matters worse. To see the decision notice and the officers' report click here.

Judging from previous experience, the applicants, Merkur Slots Ltd, are likely to lodge an appeal against the Council's decision. This is what happened when the application for a gaming centre in the former Santander bank was turned down by the Council. In that case the planning inspector overturned the decision but the location is in the primary shopping centre where the 15% limit does not apply.

To open new gambling premises an operator needs a licence as well as planning permission for any change of use that is involved. Merkur's licence application is going to the Licensing Sub-Committee on Monday 27 October and the report is available from this link. If the application is approved Merkur will not be able to proceed unless and until the planning position is resolved in their favour.

Don't forget the boat visit

This is a reminder that Elsdale II, the boat used for free rides at the Hayes Canal Festival will be visiting the Town Centre on Tuesday 28 October from 10am to 3pm for a Halloween-themed crafts event. It will be a free drop-in activity and all ages are welcome.

The boat will be moored on the Grand Union Canal in Western View near to Station Road bridge and the Old Crown pub.

Jobs Fair at Hayes Campus

Also on Tuesday 28 October there will be a Jobs Fair at the Hayes Campus of Uxbridge College. It is free to attend and there will be a wide range of employers present including those in catering & hospitality, construction, education & training, health & social care and sales & marketing. There will also be information on apprenticeships and volunteering.

The location is College Way, Coldharbour Lane and the post code is UB3 3BB. It will be open from 10am to 2pm and you can drop in at any time suitable for you.

Uxbridge College is also offering a free 10 week course to equip people who would like to go into health and social care. It involves attending the Uxbridge campus for six hours a week and there are guaranteed job interviews for those who successfully complete the course. Full details are here and to make an initial enquiry please send an email or call Zuzanna on 01895 853759.

Poundland challenged

The problems caused by Poundland lorries unloading in Station Road continue unabated. Together with Councillor Janet Gardner I have written to the Managing Director of the company calling upon him to take action. As well as causing long traffic queues and delaying buses the vehicles are a safety hazard when parked like the one in the picture. This was taken by a member of the public in April and he was furious after seeing a young girl almost hit by a passing vehicle while she was using the pedestrian crossing.

Poundland are not the only culprits but their store has a rear access in Crown Close and we are demanding to know why it is not being used.

Could you help in an emergency?

If there was an emergency or major incident in Hayes could your community group or place of worship provide assistance - space, volunteers, other resources? On Tuesday 4 November H4All, the Hillingdon Federation of Community Associations and the Council's Resilience & Emergency Planning Team will be holding a workshop designed for community and voluntary organisations to learn how they can support communities during emergencies.

It will take place in Hayes & Harlington Community Centre at the junction of North Hyde Road and Albert Road and run from 2pm to 4pm. To find out more and to book a place please use this link.

Policing the protests

The Metropolitan Police often face a nearly impossible task in trying to manage angry protesters. The ones aimed at the Heathrow hotels being used by asylum seekers have been especially tricky with officers being injured on one occasion. To inform and reassure the public the Met have issued the following statement:

"We understand the concerns raised by our communities in Hillingdon regarding asylum accommodation and related protest activity. We want to reassure residents that these issues are being taken seriously and that significant policing resources are committed to keeping people safe and maintaining public order.

Our priorities are clear:

• Protect life and prevent harm
• Investigate crime and bring offenders to justice
• Support lawful protest while preventing disorder

What we are doing:



Preventing offences and tackling criminal behaviour

Our focus remains on preventing harm and addressing criminality—not on commenting on every post or video circulating online. Multiple individuals have already been arrested following recent disorder, and further investigations are ongoing. We record and investigate all reports of crime, and while we cannot comment publicly on the specifics of ongoing investigations, every case is assessed and progressed in line with our established processes. Suggestions that we favour one group over another are incorrect. Our approach is based on evidence and the law, regardless of who is involved.

Supporting lawful protest, preventing disorder

We respect the right to peaceful protest. However, violent or unlawful behaviour will not be tolerated. We have committed significant resources to supporting lawful protest over the last two months and, when faced with criminality, have acted decisively.

Visible reassurance and partnership working

Officers are carrying out regular patrols at hotel sites and in affected areas such as West Drayton and Hayes. We are working closely with Hillingdon Council, Clearsprings, and community leaders to address tensions and investigate offences. We continue to commit additional resources to this challenge.

The ask: Intelligence and information are key

• Please report offences to us online, via 101 or 999 as appropriate.
• If you have useful information, please share this with us through the same channels.
• We collate, analyse, and use all this information to inform policing activity—even if we don’t provide updates on every report.

Crimestoppers can always be used if you’re concerned about anonymity".

Why are Councils going bankrupt?

In law, Council cannot actually go bankrupt but many, including Hillingdon, are rapidly running out of money. London Councils. the body that represents all London Borough Councils and the City of London Corporation has produced a short video to explain why this is happening. The basic explanation is that Councils are having to provide more services to more people but with less money from the Government than they received in 2010. You can see the video here.

Funding for the Best Start in Life

At a meeting of the Hillingdon Stronger Families Partnership on Friday 24 October there was some better news about Government funding. It has announced that from April 2026 every local authority in England will be getting the money to provide a Best Start Family Hub. This is part of a major plan to improve life chances for children. with 30 hours a week government-funded childcare already in place.

Early education and childcare provision is also being increased along with other measures to improve the training and status of those employed in these services. The Best Start in Life parent hub gives parents information on all the changes that are happening and how to apply..

New social club for girls

Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support (HACS) has a free social club for girls aged from 10 to 14 who have a diagnosis of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or who are awaiting a diagnosis.

The aim is to help girls create friendships, improve social skills and grow in confidence by taking part in arts, sports and talking circles.

The club meets on Wednesdays between 4 30pm and

6 30pm at the HACS base in Dudley Place, off Pinkwell Lane in Harlington. To register an interest use this link.

TOVF developers want your views

Last week's edition of Hayes Town News reported that developers want to provide 124 flats in the unoccupied Record Store building at The Old Vinyl Factory (TOVF) in Blyth Road. They had a community information session on the afternoon and early evening of Wednesday 22 October but by the time I turned up at around 5pm there had been only one other person. I explained that it might be due to the fact that many people in Hayes Town are fed up with yet more housing developments and no extra local services. They are also very unhappy with the OVF because the promised 4500 jobs and cinema have not materialised and the proposed GP surgery has been cancelled.

The developers, Eagle Street, will be seeking planning permission from Hillingdon Council to convert the empty offices into flats and to provide a single storey roof extension. In addition to the flats there will be a residents' lounge, gym and fitness studio plus co-working space.

Those responsible for the project assured me that they are really keen to hear from the community and you can tell them what you think by using this link. The closing date for comments is Tuesday 4 November.

Is there much ageism in London?

Age UK London is launching a new campaign, London Against Ageism. The number of Londoners over 65 is set to increase by 30% before the end of the decade and London is the fastest ageing city in the UK. Recent research by Age UK found that just one in five older Londoners said that they felt London was a place where older people are valued. Other research has had similar findings but they would like to find out more details by asking people to take part in this survey

Cancer Research shop to close

On Friday 24 October "Closing down sale" posters appeared in the windows of the Cancer Research charity shop at the corner of Coldharbour Lane and East Avenue. 50% price reductions are promised on selected items

It will be sad to see this shop go, not just because of the cause it supports but also because of the amount of money spent on refurbishing the premises only recently. It was closed for a lengthy period before the refurbishment and when it emerged that the building was to be demolished and replaced by a three storey block I wrote to Cancer Research asking if the costs had been met by them or their landlords. I never received a reply.