Forum Topic

Little Shop of Horrors on Askew Road!!!!!

I am writing this as I am 'on hold' for the Environment dept. LBHF to report the following and now I have given up after 7 minutes. Here is the story:There is an empty shop on the corner of Askew Road and Becklow Road right opposite the florist and Adams Cafe and next door to the newsagent/post office. It has been empty for over 2 years. During that time it has become a home and breeding ground for pigeons and probably rats and mice.There is a pile of old junk and furniture literally covered with pigeon poop and feathers. The mail slot on the front pull down shutters is open and you can see right in. I wanted to take a picture but did not have my camera.Months ago I rang the council (took ages to get through to 'customer service adviser') about this as did the owners of the shop next door  (several times) and the environment officer said he would go around and see it.  Perhaps he did but nothing was done about it. Then I rang again about a month ago and someone in Environment who could not speak English very well and who seemed totally disinterested in the matter took a message and said they would pass it on to an officer.  Nothing had been done! Apparently the council cannot trace the owners or something. I took a look in this morning and it was worse then ever if it can be any worse. Correct me if I am wrong but is this not a health hazard? It beggars belief that a local authority can allow this to happen. Why cannot the council just seize the property and clear it out? I am sure if this shop was on Turnham Green Terrace or CHR it would have been dealt with long ago.

Marlene Plimley ● 6433d10 Comments

What we have to do is: accept the fact that the 'lsoh' is private property and the Council can't actually do much about it unless the building is going to fall into the street. You ring the selling agent and explain that the (quite expensive) anti-bird spikes have been damaged and that the state of the place isn't going to help sell it.  You find that the agent seems to agree but has to take his client's instructions and will get back to you - you wait for the response that hasn't yet come - but that was only 24 hrs ago!Actually, it's been closed for longer than 2 years.  We moved into the area in August 2003 and I thought "whoopee, a local computer shop" but...it was closed already! Richard SPS: if the shop was in Turnham Green Terrace it would have been sold long ago - and we might have a Starbucks.

Richard Scott ● 6237d

Kirsty,I have found the council very good when I have contacted them about fly tipping.  I live in the Wendell Park area.  If you go on to their website you can contact them direct and on the occasions that I have reported dumped items/bags of waste/rubbish by email, it has been removed within 24 hours.Unfortunately there seem to be a few people who cannot, or will not, read signs and continue to litter the streets.Askew Road over the last 20 years or more (during which time Labour held power in the Town Hall) has gone down and down.  Our local MP, Andy Slaughter and the current Conservative council are aware of the problem and I feel its worth giving them a chance to try and sort it out.Caroline

Caroline MacMillan ● 6252d

I live on Becklow Road and have the pleasure(?) of walking past this horrible sight every day. As a mother with a very young child (6 months) I find it disgusting that our council can let this happen. We also have a problem with people dumping their rubbish at that end of Becklow Road - we now have signs on the wall but people ignore those and leave their old sofas etc anyway.Generally I feel Askew Road could do with regenerating - as we are at the edge of the borough I feel that we are forgotten when the council allocate their funding. Is this just me or do other locals feel the same ?

Kirsty Clark ● 6253d

Did this ever get sorted???

Jo Smith ● 6343d

I have checked this out.The freehold is apparently owned by a housing association. Although the shop is empty, there is still a lease in place and the shopkeeper is responsible for clearing up the mess.A Council officer inspected this week, and we will be serving a statutory notice requiring the owners to clean and pest-proof. If they fail to comply with the notices, the Council can arrange work in default and prosecute.I will continue to chase this one.Mark

Mark Loveday ● 6428d

Just to advise who have posted on this thread that the Hammersmith Forum Drinks will be on Monday, 26 November, 6.30 onwards at the The Andover, 57 Aldensley Road, W.6.  Aldensley Road is north of King Street and Glenthorne Road.  Nice friendly local and I am asking them to reserve a table (or even two) in the corner.Do come along - it is always an informal, relaxed and interesting gathering.

Caroline MacMillan ● 6428d

http://www.fixmystreet.com/Perhaps try this website service (sponsored by the Government I believe)Lodge your complaint..and then they'll approach / bombard all sorts of Local Authority people! They have helped me.

Jim Lawes ● 6433d

Agree with Caroline the on-line service seems pretty good. If no response I suggest you contact your local counciller

John Kennedy ● 6433d

Have you tried reporting it on line to London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham?    If you go to their website and click Environment and Planning you could go to the appropriate department.  I have used their website to report fly tipping on several occasions, they emailed me back with a reference number and the fly tipping was sorted in a couple of days.  Very efficient.This is obviously a different situation, and a serious one from a health point of view, but putting it on line may be the answer rather than phoning.

Caroline MacMillan ● 6433d