Dedar's Return Does Not Change Council's Record of Failure

Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert reports back

Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert

October 31, 2025

As promised (or threatened) last time I went to a motor museum on Thursday. This was in deepest Somerset. I had vaguely heard of the Haynes Museum but I had no idea of what a splendid collection it is, based in a quite remote area of the country. I knew of Haynes Manuals (who has ever had a car and not heard of them) but I didn't know the story. John Haynes had a remarkable life which seems to have blended natural entrepreneurship, passion and serendipity, but he built a fantastic publishing company, and built a museum round the corner from his home. For me, this is much more interesting than The National Museum at Beaulieu.

Apparently, he had a thing for red sports cars (which man has not had one at some point) and there is a room full of them. This lot are mainly Alfa Romeos. There is also a fab room of Americans including this Cord - a legend that I had not previously seen in the ‘flesh.’

Lots of others including very early cars , splendid Rolls Royces and spindly veterans.

I partly wanted to see an auction, which is becoming a hobby of mine. I am always tempted to make a pointless purchase but temper that by never getting around to register as a bidder. Fun to watch the auctioneer at work, plus the reality they make forecasts of prices but they are wildly out. Many of the ones I watched going through made less than half the estimate but this rather wonderful Bristol made nearly double .

Sorry, my catalogue got wet. Of course, I can't afford these gems and would not have a clue how to maintain or fix them (or probably drive them) but a man is allowed a fantasy and this one is relatively harmless.

Coming back to Brentford, I was attending a meeting of the trustees of the Hounslow Community FoodBox. I was caught in the wonderful traffic jam coming up Twickenham Road caused by one of the usual suspects digging up Busch corner for no doubt a good reason (or at least I hope so). One of the other trustees who lives in Isleworth moaned about the same jam and I started referring to the Hell hole called Isleworth. I got into trouble about 400 blogs ago for upsetting someone in Isleworth with a tongue in cheek remark. For clarity, Isleworth really is a gem in the world, easily surpassing Monte Carlo, Machu Picchu, the Grand Canyon and even Hemel Hempstead.

I have been trying to resign from my trustee role there for about a year, because I have been there too long and I think that is unhealthy. There are now a stunning set of trustees now in place, so this was my last meeting. I will, of course, continue to value and look to support the FoodBox but as a benevolent friend rather than an 'official'.

On Friday I knew there was going to be an event in the Market Square put on by Creative People and Places celebrating Polish Women so I moseyed down there. Wasn't sure whether I would be that interested but wanted to support it. I must say, I found myself spending quite a long time there, because the stories of these women were sometimes touching and inspiring.

This is just one of them. I don't think she really walks on water in high heels but I am no expert.

Then I went up to the library to see what was going on at the Community Hub. There was a fine looking display vehicle in the car park to do with health

And the usual set of officers waiting for 'customers' inside

The officers there are always enthusiastic and say a lot of people attend. Perhaps the 'customers' knew I was coming and made themselves scarce because whenever I go there - I do it every few weeks - it is usually either deserted or with very few residents attending.

The library is not exactly like Leicester Square but I saw a couple of passers-by showing some interest in the NHS van. I'm afraid, though, that I think all this is a noble effort to improve interaction with the council is in the wrong place and poorly advertised. I do try but I am not a publicity professional. There do seem to be at least a dozen of these working for the council and I think this needs improvement.

On Saturday I had my surgery - back at the library - and I had one visitor. I helped her with an application for a Taxi Card. A woman I didn't know from the estate where I live asked to attend as an observer. As the resident was happy with this, she sat in and I hope she learned what she was looking for.

There was a bit of wildlife in the library garden. Well, really tame wildlife.

I have led a sheltered life, I suppose, because I don't recall ever previously seeing a rabbit being walked on a lead. There were actually two of them in attendance. Perhaps I should get out more.

Later I went to help with the gardening at Watermans Park. Never my specialism but I try to help if I can. Same as a week before there were only two Friends of The Park in attendance, but this time I did try to help. They were basically pulling up weeds, but I'm afraid i only lasted a few minutes, because I was very light headed whenever I stood up and I got a bit worried. I went home and looked at the NHS website which suggested I might be short of iron, so I chewed on a few staples. In a dark part of my memory I remember my sister, who I think was pudgy when about 12, was given something called Radio Malt to boost her iron. I Googled this product and found Radio Malt "was often used in English boarding schools in an attempt to change skinny young girls into prettier roundness". Sister was not at boarding school and needed the opposite treatment if anything, so she did grow up to work as a model for a time. Apparently, it (Radio Malt, not my sister) was also a favourite of Molesworth 2, the derided brother of my schoolboy hero Nigel Molesworth. No Radio Malt for me.

On Sunday it was the Brentford market and I had volunteered to help with setting it up. Didn't do much, to be honest but it got constructed under my benign eye. It was very chilly and I went home after a bit to gird myself with something more woolly.

My picture was taken whilst it was still setting up, but it was actually not very busy when I went later and bought myself a very fine Samosa. Too windy and the sun didn't last long either.

Monday was a red-letter day in Brentford. We finally got a shop owned in the council block. They had been evicted from Albany Parade nearly a year ago. I have remarked before how unimpressed I have been with the way this has been handled. There are two other shop owners who are looking to move in sometime this decade but they have not yet succeeded and are not complimentary about the council.

Cllr Tom Bruce disagrees: " By progressing to procurement now, we’re ensuring we keep momentum, protect vital GLA and government funding, and stay on track to deliver the new homes our residents need. This is the Council in action planning carefully, investing wisely, and delivering for our borough".

When I worked in the private sector I would not have lasted as long as I did had I commenced procurement of a developer 11 months after the previous tenants who had been paying rent had been evicted. I would have faced my own eviction very promptly. Meanwhile the former tenants have had to survive for nearly a year without a premises to operate from. What has happened to the other 8 prospective tenants which I was assured were committed to occupy our shops a year ago (albeit who they were was a closely-guarded secret). It would be nice to know if any of them are left. Last time I enquired there were 5 now being offered to the market by estate agents. Actually, unless they are trying another estate agent there are still only 3 on the market and I can't find any mention anywhere. Oh, wait - according to the council's very own website there are 12 units available via Avison Young who I remember as our agency partner for several years. Well, 3 of those I know have tenants and to add to the mystery, Avison Young don't mention these. My (not very) educated guess is that there are 9 units still available. 3 are being rather unenthusiastically offered to the market, 6 are still a closely-guarded secret. One of the first times I crossed swords with the Hounslow Leader was when I observed the project management skills were lacking. This made him untypically react angrily and said it was outstandingly good. I stand corrected.

Meanwhile, the former housing office at 58/59 High Street was where the community tenant was evicted in April 2022 to establish there was no community need 😷. The former community user dropped his objection to the change of use when he heard the building was to be used for social housing for care leavers. For obscure reasons that plan was not progressed despite no doubt a lot of expense getting planning approved, and now it is being offered to eager potential tenants as a commercial opportunity. The only potential tenant I know laughed at the rent asked for a unit that would need extensive change to provide useful commercial use and in any case is not in a particularly attractive position. It is still on the books at Snellers Commercial . Actually I am slightly surprised it is not listed, especially as the former police station (I believe) next door is listed.

Well at least there is a little bit of good news regarding commercial tenants. The new single storey building in Pump Alley built by (or for) Teapigs, but that has been empty for a while, now appears to have a new occupant.

AV stumpfl is an Austrian family owned company that makes display screens and the like way above my pay grade. I will say Welcome to Brentford when I find someone on site who is not busy fitting the place out.

Of course the other good news from Monday was Dedar's supermarket Best Quality Food, late of Albany Parade finally opening. I attended the launch with John Dale of Brentford TV. For me this is big news for the regeneration of Brentford but no other councillor or council officer bothered to attend.

I think I was their first (or 1=) customer. Good luck to these nice people who have a strong following from their old place.

In the evening I went into the big city. It was in a theatre near Covent Garden. I have (probably temporarily because of imminent announcements) joined an organisation called Mainstream Labour, which is an organisation for the bit of Labour which is 'soft left' like me. I asked if I was allowed and yes, as long as I don't belong to another party. So it was a perhaps unique opportunity to go to a session where a couple of Northerners I admire from my old area were giving a talk - Andy Burnham (Mayor of Greater Manchester) and Steve Rotheram (Mayor of Liverpool City area). Being rather deaf I assumed there would be a Loop system which usually works very well for me. I couldn't get it working so although I could follow the talk it was a strain so I didn't stay the whole evening.

On Tuesday I had a brief session with local author Edwin Addis with whom I am cooperating on what one day spawn a book. Later I met a REAL Brentford author in the shape of Cllr Salman Shaheen who was launching his first novel Freebourne.

This book has rave reviews and is already a bestseller despite not having been launched (don't ask me!) so I was delighted to attend Anima for the launch. Hewsons, our once local bookseller (and still my bookseller of choice - by Kew Gardens station) was going to host this but the world has moved on (or backwards in Brentford, sadly) but they could sell me a book at Anima. Lots of chums from the town and from Brentford were there but I had great difficulty hearing them amongst the excited chatter so I made my excuses and left.

Well, I do ramble on, but I've finished now. No appointments to mention yesterday or today so I am finishing this by noon.

Wait for the next exciting episode next week. Will Blog 503 go into the history books? Well I can print it off I suppose and stow it in my Winston Churchill Second World War, which I inherited.

Councillor Guy Lambert