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May 31, 2007
Big switch off
Frustratingly due to technical problems - I don't know what they were - our website was down for much of yesterday playing havoc with the viewing figures which were shaping up nicely for the month.
Thankfully normal service has now been restored but, it is mildly irritating when something goes wrong which is totally out of your control.
A few days back I mentioned that my colleague Lindsay Coulson, editor of our sister paper the Harrow Observer was embarking on a five day marathon trek across Ireland to help raise money for St Luke's Hospice in Kenton.
Not only is Lindsay well on course to complete the walk but it seems that the Irish air has also inspired her on the blogging front. She is sending daily reports of her progress which make interesting reading and can be viewed at http://blog.harrowobserver.co.uk/
With only a couple of days left we all wish Lindsay well and look forward to hearing her walking woes and tales of wild nights in Ireland when she next visits Gazette House.
I managed to avoid the 'Big Brother switch off' last night as I was out with a friend at my favourite Chinese restaurant. Not that I would have watched it anyway even if I had been at home.
However, my journalistic instinct meant that I was scouring the nationals first thing this morning to see if anybody from the area had entered the house.
Thankfully they have not so we will not have to waste valuable space in the Gazette covering their antics which, I suspect we would have found ourselves doing.
Posted by aseal at 2:03 PM | Comments (0)
May 30, 2007
Rolling Wagon Wheels
Some people do the strangest things for their enjoyment .....
I always thought that you had to be slightly mad to take part in the many cheese rolling competitions that are held up and down the country. Throwing yourself down a steep hill in pursuit of a Stilton or Double Gloucester is certainly not my idea of fun - as much as I enjoy a tasty piece of cheese.
So were is this all leading you might ask?
Well I have just come across an even more madcap pursuit while reading through the pages of our sister title the Buckinghamshire Advertiser, which we sub edit out of Gazette House.
Over the bank holiday weekend a Wagon Wheel rolling competition was held in a pub car park in Fulmer. It was no less than the world's first contest involving rolling the famous chocolate biscuit and that well known celebrity Keith Chegwin was in attendance.
The event was held as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the famous Wagon Wheel biscuit and also raised a substantial amount for several local charities.
Reading the article I also discovered that apparently TV presenter Cat Deeley is said to be able to fit an entire Wagon Wheel in her mouth without breaking it and a large quantity of the biscuits were discovered in the KGB HQ after the Iron Curtain fell.
You can probably tell by this blog that it's a quiet day on the news front in Uxbridge but, it's early days and the first news meeting of the week later this afternoon will start to shape up next week's Gazette.
As for me, I am off to have a cup of tea and a Wagon Wheel....
Posted by aseal at 2:02 PM | Comments (0)
May 29, 2007
Magnificent Olympic venue
After the dull and dismal bank holiday weather at least there is nothing dull about this week's Gazette which has just been completed.
I have to say that I have not had a great deal of input into this week's paper. I had to day off on Friday to attend a wedding and then through a series of circumstances was a little later into the office than I would have liked this morning.
Going back to Friday and the wedding reception was held at Dorney Lakes near Eton, which will play host to the 2012 Olympic/Paralympic Games rowing and kayaking events.
It really is a magnificent setting with 400 acres of parkland surrounding the Olympic rowing course, which stretches straight down the middle of the complex.
Standing on top of the boathouse which looks down the course one could almost imagine the thousands of people who will throng the banks for the 2012 events.
It's a top class facility for British rowing and has already hosted the World Rowing Championships last year. For those interested the lake complex cost £17m to construct and is owned by Eton College.
Anyway, back to this week's Gazette and considering the bank holiday the news team have done a superb job to produce a bumper edition with a really good mix of stories.
We have splashed on protestors plans to stage 24-hour vigils as they attempt to force the Government and aviation industry to abandon plans to expand Heathrow Airport.
Also on the front page is good news for those who have campaigned so vigorously to save the Cwn Pennant Mountain Centre from closure.
The centre in North Wales is used by schools across the borough and since we first broke the story about its possible closure earlier in the year we have been inundated with calls to save the centre.
Well there is some good news on the horizon with the council set to make a U-turn and keep the centre open. For the full story see this week's Gazette, which will be on the news stands from tomorrow morning.
Posted by aseal at 2:11 PM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2007
Lindsay's long trek
While many of us will be looking forward to a relaxing bank holiday weekend and perhaps the chance to put our feet up for a few hours that will certainly not be the case for a colleague of mine.
Lindsay Coulson, editor of our sister paper the Harrow Observer, is embarking on a 18 mile a day trek over five days along theWickow Way in Ireland. So it will be a case of putting her best foot forward rather than putting her feet up!
This marathon effort by Lindsay is all part of the annual St Luke's Walk which will raise money for St Luke's Hospice in Kenton and she will be joining 90 other intrepid walkers during the five days.
I know that Lindsay has been in training for a number of months now for the walk and has gained generous sponsorship for her efforts. Certainly everyone at the Gazette is supporting her efforts and we all wish her well on the walk.
If you want to find out how Lindsay is getting on she will be sending back daily blogs from Ireland which will appear on the Observer website http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk
I am sure there will be plenty of tales of aches and pains and perhaps a small insight into Irish pubs and evening's entertainment.
With the bank holiday looming it will be another busy few days at Gazette House. We already have a few decent stories on the boil for next week's paper but I have yet to see the completed newslist.
With content editor David Tilley an ardent Liverpool fan I get the feeling that it might be a little later than normal arriving on my desk as he tries to get over the disappointment of last night's Champions League Final defeat.
Still there is come consolation David, it was a better match than the FA Cup final for the armchair neutral - not that I think he will see it that way so I better tread carefully with him first thing this morning!
Posted by aseal at 7:38 AM | Comments (0)
May 23, 2007
First Arts Week
The first ever Hillingdon Arts Week is fast approaching and the Gazette has been delighted to support this welcome event in the borough.
Organisers have put together a varied programme of events which will run at venues across the borough from June 1-9.
As major supporters of the Arts Week we have been running regular features in the guide section of the paper highlighting some of the many events which are taking place.
These include visual arts and crafts, theatre, dance, music and poetry and prose and embrace a wide variety from an evening of music dedicated to peace in Sri Lanka to an opportunity to see our councillors in a different light as they recite their favourite poems and prose.
The week ends with a Gala Celebration at the Beck Theatre which will be compered by special guest star, comic and Red Dwarf actor Norman Lovett and will feature the range and variety of Hillingdon performing arts.
A lot of hard work has been put in by the organisers Hillingdon Arts Association and they fully deserve for the week to be a great success and for it to be supported by the public.
For more information on events throughout the arts week look out for our regular updates in the Gazette or go to http://www.communigate.co.uk/london/artsweek or you can find out more about Hillingdon Arts Association at http://www.hillingdonarts.org.uk
Posted by aseal at 2:32 PM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2007
Talking points and naked men
This week's Gazette is now completed and there are some real talking points in the paper which I am sure will create considerable interest around the borough.
Our front page splash highlights the growing problem of knife crime and how a group of teenagers in the borough are making their own efforts to encourage fellow youngsters to steer clear of the temptation to carry a knife.
With an alarming increase in serious knife crime across the country, and latest figures showing a rise in the borough of Hillingdon, any attempts to curb this worrying trend are to be applauded and supported wholeheartedly.
We also report on the mystery that surrounds the possible return of a county show to the borough next month.
The Middlesex Show was a firm annual fixture in the borough until 2004 when it finally ran out of steam and with mounting costs and falling attendances organisers decided to call it a day.
However, it appears that it may be returning again under the guise of The Middlesex Town and Country Show. The organiser is advertising the event on its website at a venue in Harefield but it appears the council, who own the site, have received no formal application from anyone to stage the show.
As the advertised date for the show is June 23-24 it appears that time may be running out and there is a certain amount of mystery surrounding the whole event, especially as the 'organisers' have proved difficult to get hold of.
Elsewhere in this week's paper we report on the prospects of an exciting new future for the Beck Theatre as it comes under new management. There is the promise of some much needed investment into the theatre which can only be good news for supporters of the arts across the borough.
And if you want some light hearted reading then you will not want to miss our page three story on the latest antics of The Last Supper Club.
This group of men who drink in the The Old Crown Pub in Hayes have previously featured in the Gazette and now they are producing a nude calendar to fund their alcohol-fuelled lifestyle.
I will let you make up your own minds whether or not you want to buy a calendar featuring a load of old men stark naked - but it does make a cracking story.
So, all in all there is plenty to talk about and read in this week's Gazette which will be out on the streets tomorrow morning.
Posted by aseal at 2:20 PM | Comments (0)
May 18, 2007
Merger is for the best
The news today that Hayes and Yeading Football Clubs are merging may come as a shock to many fans of the two clubs, but in the long term it can only benefit non-league football in the area.
Both clubs have been surviving on crowds of little more than 200 plus fans, in some cases less, for home matches as they struggle to compete against local Premiership and Football League sides.
It is quite clear that neither club can realistically expect to be a challenging force in non-league football with such a small fan base.
As a joint force they should have the capabilities to increase attendances, integrate rersources and hopefully create a new super-club on the non-league football scene.
It does not make a lot of sense having two clubs competing in the same league when they are only a mile apart - I certainly see the merger as a positive move for the local sporting community.
While Yeading have enjoyed some heady days in recent years with their spectacular runs in the FA Cup they have still struggled to attract decent crowds for home matches at The Warren.
Over at Church Road, the home of Hayes, the last few years have been a constant struggle on the pitch culminating in their 'relegation' from the Nationwide Conference South league this season.
Only Farnborugh Town's financial crisis actually saved Hayes from dropping out of Conference football altogether as they won a reprieve earlier this week.
I am sure there will be fans of both clubs who will be bitterly disappointed that their clubs will ose their own identity by the merger, particularly those of Hayes who were formed as far back as 1909.
Yeading are a much younger club, formed in 1960, and they have had a rapid rise through the non-league football ranks.
For the time being the newly merged club will play at Church Road. However, surely the plan must be to sell off this site and invest the obvious cash windfall it will bring to re-develop Yeading's ground and create a powerful non-league football side for the borough.
I am sure the merger will be a major talking point in the local sporting community over the next few days and we will be covering it in considerable depth in next week's Gazette.
If you want to voice your views on the matter then just go to have your say section on the site and post your comments.
Posted by aseal at 12:24 PM | Comments (0)
May 17, 2007
Football madness
I never thought I would see the advent of the £10 football matchday programme - but it's arrived.
That's what fans will be expected to pay at Wembley Stadium for Saturday's FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester United.
I am told that it's more like a glossy magazine than a matchday programme and has 150 pages of information. In that case supporters best get their copy well in advance of kick off otherwise they will spend the entire match reading the programme rather than watching the action on the pitch.
It still seems an excessive amount to pay for a football programme particularly when you add up all the other costs that supporters will expect to incur as the cup final returns to the new Wembley Stadium. Supporting your team on Saturday could prove to be an expensive family outing.
Without wanting to harp back to the good old days I remember as a young boy going to the 1971 FA Cup final between Arsenal and Liverpool and paying 10p for my matchday programme. That meant, I think, that I still had change from my pocket money to buy a hot dog and a can of coke - how times have changed.
Suffice to say I will not be going to Wembley on Saturday but will be watching the match from the comfort of my arm chair for nothing ....
Posted by aseal at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)
May 16, 2007
Sean's World
We have launched a new weekly column in this week's Gazette which I am sure is going to prove popular with our readers.
The author is Sean O'Hara, pictured above, who lives in West Drayton and works as a reporter on our sister title the Buckinghamshire Advertiser in Chalfont St Peter.
Actually I have kind of nicked the idea of the column from the Advertiser. Sean started writing it a few weeks back and I found it rather amusing and as he is a local West Drayton lad thought it should also be shared with Gazette readers.
And it appears that Sean is already becoming something of a 'cult hero' with the people in Bucks who it appears can't get enough of his words. He has been described as 'a cheeky young scamp' and 'avid fans' have been demanding their weekly 'fix'.
The main topic of the column titled 'The World According To Sean' is based around his battle to give up smoking - highly topical considering the no smoking ban which comes into force in July.
He will also be giving you an insight into his 'weekend antics' and his quest to find 'true love'.
We will be posting the column on the website each week http://www.uxbridgegazette.co.uk/columnists and I will be interested to hear your views and comments.
I have to say I find it a highly amusing read and hope that you think so as well.
Posted by aseal at 9:05 AM | Comments (1)
May 15, 2007
Leadership battle
Do our readers really care that local MP John McDonnell is to challenge Gordon Brown for the leadership of the Labour party?
This is far more a national story than a local one but as John is MP for Hayes and Harlington it's a story that I still feel we should cover in this week's Gazette, and one that our readers will be interested in.
In the end we have devoted most of page two to John's bid to potentially become Prime Minister if he was to topple Gordon Brown, although you have to say his chances are slim to say the least.
We have also unearthed some interesting facts about the 55-year-old politician, who lives in Hayes, for our story.
He has a passion for sailing, is a Hayes Football Club supporter, likes listening to jazz rapper Soweto Kynch and until recently was the proud owner of a 20-year-old Sabb.
For those of you interested in the politcial side of things below is John's speech on why he is running for leader of the Labour party.
All in all it's a busy paper this week and we have just sent the final pages through to our pre-press department.
The splash for the Uxbridge edition is a terrifying knife attack on two teenage boys in broad daylight at a bus stop on a busy main road. There was not much debate that this was the obvious lead story of the week and one that is sure to get people talking in the area where it happened.
There is also a strong mix of hard news and human interest stories throughout the paper and a particularly touching tale about a five-year-olds battle with cystic fibrosis and the difficult issues his parents face with the illness.
We have also launched our Let's Do It Awards in conjunction with Barclays, which offers a local charity the opportunity to win cash to help them fulfil their dreams.
This is the second year of the awards and once again I am expecting a tremendous entry from groups across the borough.
Posted by aseal at 2:34 PM | Comments (0)
May 11, 2007
Rocking with Chris
The traffic reports say the M25 is a car park and it's going to rain all weekend.
After a busy week at Gazette House it's time to head off towards the 'car park' and let's hope that once again the forecasters have got it wrong - although on this occasion I fear not.
Still on the positive side the newslist for next week's Gazette is continuing to look healthy and we can look forward to Monday morning when our chief reporter Chris Longhurst, will no doubt be in fine fettle telling us all about the Bryan Adams concert he is going to at Wembley this weekend.
I just hope that he does not come into work singing any of the Canadian rocker's hit songs - I am not sure the newsroom - or me for that matter - could quite stomach that first thing on a Monday morning.
Have a good weekend.
Posted by aseal at 4:50 PM | Comments (2)
May 10, 2007
Tackling bus issues
Although it's only Thursday morning the news list for next week's Gazette is already looking extremely healthy.
We have several big issues on the boil and again we will be featuring heavily on the problems bus drivers across the borough are facing with an increase in the number of violent attacks on them by gangs of youths.
It seems that the call by Ruislip Northwood MP Nick Hurd for free bus travel for youths to be scrapped is already winning some support from Gazette readers judging by some of the comments we have already received following this week's lead story.
I have to agree with the MP's views that the scheme is open to abuse and the fact that there has been a marked increase in the number of attacks on bus drivers says it all. I fear that once again it is the minority that is spoiling it for the majority but, some action has to be taken before these attacks reach epidemic proportions.
We will also be talking to Transport for London (Tfl) about the problems and getting their answers to what is without doubt a growing issue across the borough's bus network.
With several meetings planned for this morning and then a trip to Worcester Park later in the day to discuss reader travel activity over the past month I will not have a lot of time to catch up with developments to the newslist until tomorrow.
Just for your information it seems that trips to Disneyland Paris are once again the favourite destination at the moment for Gazette readers with the Edinburgh Tattoo a close second.
As usual there are some great holiday offers in this week's Gazette or you can go to our website http://www.travel-tms.co.uk for more information on all the breaks available.
Posted by aseal at 8:05 AM | Comments (0)
May 9, 2007
Litter louts
What do you do when you see someone hurl a piece of rubbish on to the pavement?
Do you stop them and politely ask them to pick up the discarded bit of rubbish and then watch them place it in a bin or do you just shake your head, tut and walk on.
I think most of us would take the second option. Not because we agree with people littering our streets with rubbish but because it's the safer option and means you won't have a load of abuse hurled at you or perhaps something even worse.
I have to admit that I have just taken the safe option after watching someone at the bus stops outside Gazette House discard their sandwitch wrapper on the pavement. I could have said something and wanted to but, in the end I just accepted it and carried on with my business.
The amount of rubbish strewn about by the bus stops in Bakers Road is quite frankly a disgrace and a complete blight on the town and, there are many other areas across the borough which are equally as bad.
I am not really sure what impression anyone arriving in Uxbridge by bus must get of the town - but it's not a pretty one!
Infact, the whole location of the bus station and the chaos it continually causes leaves a lot to be desired - but that's another story for another day.
With the forthcoming smoking ban the problem of litter on our streets is likely to increase dramatically as dog ends pile up on our pavements.
So what is the answer. Well fining people for dropping litter doesn't seem to work and I really can't recall I single instance where someone has been prosecuted.
Perhaps we should all gang up on the litter louts as it looks like the only way to stop this defacing of our streets.
Posted by aseal at 2:57 PM | Comments (2)
May 8, 2007
Pick up a free bargain!
A colleague has alerted me to a fascinating website called http://www.freecycle.org.
It's a site that has been set up for people to advertise items they no longer want, but you have to give them away for free.
The idea is that it will stop things going into landfill sites and is therefore environmentally friendly.
And, the site seems pretty popular with more than 1,500 people in the borough of Hillingdon having signed up as members. Meanwhile, in neighbouring Ealing there are over 4,000 members and in Harrow 2,500.
One example of how the scheme works is a member who advertised a tree from his garden that had grown too big. Two people came along and spent the day digging it up and were delighted with their 'free purchase.'
The site is easy to join and could be just the place to go if you are looking for a bargain!
This week's Gazette is going remarkably smoothly despite the Bank Holiday and the finishing touches are currently being put to the last few pages.
We are splashing on a story about mayhem on the borough's buses with drivers telling of gun attacks, arson and beatings.
The increase in violent attacks has also led to a call from a local MP for the scrapping of free travel passes for teens and the return of the good old fashioned bus conductor.
I am sure this story will encourage plenty of feedback from our readers - previous stories on the subject have led to some lively debate on our letters page.
Posted by aseal at 11:44 AM | Comments (0)
May 3, 2007
Community involvement
I had an extremely productive meeting yesterday afternoon with Nicholas Smith from Barclays as we look to launch another community initiative with the bank.
Nicholas is well known around the area in his role as Barclays Community & Events Manager and the bank's commitment to community events and projects fits in very much with the Gazette's own ideas.
For that reason we will again be running our Let's Do It Awards in conjunction with Barclays which looks to give local charities to opportunity to win cash to help them fulfil their dreams.
When we ran the awards last year we had a tremendous response from groups across the borough making final judging extremely difficult.
I expect a similar response this year and we will be launching the awards in the next couple of weeks in the Gazette - so look out for more details soon.
We will also be running the Let's Do It Awards in our other sister titles across West London and Bucks so I am sure there will be some healthy competition between us all to see who gets the most entries in.
With the bank holiday weekend fast approaching we are looking to get a good head start today on the Gazette so we are well ahead of ourselves by close of play tomorrow.
It looks like we already have a potential front page splash for next week in the bag which is probably why content editor David Tilley is walking around with a big grin on his face this morning.
On othe other hand it may be because his beloved Liverpool have reached the Champions League Final and Manchester United failed in their bid last night!
PS: Headline of the week after all the week's football action (for those of you interested) must be: 'Agger shows bottle to leave Drogba thirsty.'
Posted by aseal at 10:10 AM | Comments (0)
May 2, 2007
Runway patrol
Two members of the Gazette team had a rare insight into life at Heathrow Airport today - and it meant an early start to their working day.
Chief reporter Chris Longhurst and chief photographer Chris Berry were up at the crack of dawn -well 2am to be precise - as they had the opportunity to experience how the runways at Heathrow are maintained.
Runway maintenance is one of the most important aspects of safety at Heathrow and each night a team of airport staff check every inch of the runways, each one covering almost three miles in distance.
It was a fascinating insight into the safety measures taken at Heathrow and Chris Berry took some stunning pictures which we will feature in a special spread in next week's Gazette. Just to wet your appetite I have enclosed a couple at the end of this blog.
Like all good journalists the two Chris's returned straight back to the office after their early morning start to write the story and download the pictures - it promises to be a long day for the pair of them.
This week's Gazette is out and it's a particularly strong edition with a really good mix of stories.
The splash for the Uxbridge edition is an exclusive on the mayhem caused at KFC in Yiewsley when a mob attacked the restaurant. This was a particularly nasty attack and resulted in one member of staff bering rushed to hospital with 40 per cent burns to his back after a brick landed in the deep fat frier, splashing him with hot oil.
It was the type of story we might not have got to hear about had it not been for our reporter John Hugill being out and about in the Yiewsley area on Monday afternoon and has turned out to be aparticularly strong lead.
With the bank holiday weekend coming up there is no time to reflect on this week's issue for the newsdesk, who are now busy trying to get ahead of themselves for next week's Gazette.
The sun rises over Heathrow this morning
Reporter Chris Longhurst on the Heathrow runway
Posted by aseal at 9:25 AM | Comments (0)
May 1, 2007
Star reporter
Reporter John Hugill is the star of the newsroom this week as he still gloats on Sunderland's promotion back to the Premiership.
The boy from the North-East was out late yesterday afternoon chasing up a potential front page splash when he phoned in with an even better story.
I am not going to give too much away at the moment as the story he has unearthed is an exclusive and will certainly be our Uxbridge edition front page splash. However, it does involve a particularly nasty incident and is a much stronger story than the potential lead we had lined up.
All in all this week's paper is shaping up nicely with a strong mix of hard news and human interest stories. It's not always easy to get the right mix between the two but we seem to be achieving it this week.
At the moment we have decided to run with Hillingdon's bid to be named on the new edition of the Monopoly board as our page three lead and we have a particularly good picture of the council leader and acting chief executive playing the popular game.
I am also pleased to report that my colleague down the road Julie Voyce, the editor of the Buckinghamshire Advertiser, has now officially joined the world of bloggers.
She has launched her blog this week and is off to a promising start talking about lounging around on a sofa in Cyprus reading Peter Kay's autobiography.
If you want to find out more about what she was doing in Cyprus rather than editing her papers then go to http://editor.buckinghamshireadvertiser.co.uk
Posted by aseal at 8:30 AM | Comments (3)