Latest News
A Community of Gardeners, a talk on Thursday 15 September 2011 - Light refreshments from 7pm, talk at 7.30pm - all welcome Terrace Room, Small Mansion Val Bott's…
Explore Gunnersbury, London Open House, 18 September 2011 - Ealing and Hounslow councils have organised a chance to see Gunnersbury's historic buildings and join…
FRIENDS EVENTS - DATES FOR YOUR DIARY - Park Walk, Saturday 11 June, from 10.30am to 12 noon Walk round the historic landscape of the Park…
Joan Catterall (1941-2011) - Joan Catterall, one of the founder members of the Friends of Gunnersbury Park in 1981, died on 24 February…
Gunnersbury Park: A Rothschild House 1835-1925, 21 February 2011 - 7.30pm, 21 February 2011 An illustrated talk by Diana Davis, based upon research for her recent MA…
"Beware - Falling Masonry"
On Tuesday evening (11th) several chunks of masonry fell from the first floor of the Small Mansion. They had been pushed out by plant roots growing in the structure. Luckily no one was injured.
This would have been totally preventable with quality, competent maintenance. Two hand pump sprays of Roundup, at a cost of a few pence, would have prevented this damage. It is the utter neglect of these buildings and the poor maintenance that seems to be in place coupled with the "preferred option" to sell off 5.6 acres of the park and its trees to fix it all that infuriates so many.
thomas_bonasera on 28th August 2009 at 17:32 PM
In this instance, I broadly agree with Thomas. (not so sure about the nasty Roundup stuff though)
Both LA's have shown shocking negligence in respect of the park as a whole.
Perhaps it's time the LA's relinquished control of the park and handed it over to a stakeholders trust whose sole aim would be that of reinvigorating the park as a community asset for long term benefit well into the future.
RBezza on 18th September 2009 at 16:13 PM
What is the maintenance schedule for these buildings and how much is spent per year. The roots were growing in 2006 when the Small Mansion Arts Centre were evicted. If able to continue there would have been £150,000 in the pot to fix this. how much does it cost to take out plant roots on an annual basis - have the friends reported these problems over the years and if so what has been the response of the council. What are the friends doing about this dreadful state of affairs. It is not difficult to do basic maintenance on a building - if there is no will there is no way. What do the friends have to say about this
Linda Jane James on 1st October 2009 at 10:52 AM
There have been further thefts of lead from both the Large and Small Mansions. In the Large Mansion the newly-painted ceiling of the Chef's Room in the kitchen wing has been ruined. Museum staff have had to remove all the furniture and close this room to visitors.
Val Bott on 18th November 2009 at 11:24 AM
My mum and dad moved out of the small mansions a year ago today, and the place was starting to fall down around them when they were there.
They lived there for nearly 50 years,to both my brothers and me this was our family home, and it makes me feel sick to see the photos of the place like it is.
My old dad,bless his soul would of been gutted to see what the park is like now.
Angela Harwood on 5th December 2010 at 00:54 AM