The hope was to breathe a bit of life back into the main high street of Shepherd's Bush at a time when the cold winds of recession were already starting to bite.
At the time Councillor Nick Botterill, Deputy Leader of H&F said this:
“Small businesses and local traders are the lifeblood of our economy and this council will do everything it can to help them".But - and here's the bit that amazes me - despite publicising the scheme directly to businesses and through the media not one business took the Council up on the offer ... and after three years the scheme has been shelved. The money has been withdrawn, and the oppportunity is now gone.
“Westfield London can act as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of Shepherds Bush but this council will never forget the small and medium sized businesses that have historically given this area its edge.”
What were the businesses doing?! We've seen the emergence on neighbouring Askew Road a business network which seems to be going great guns and it surely can't be a total coincidence that that part of the Bush is now taking on a completely different air, winning rave reviews in listings magazines and with quality businesses beginning to invest in the road again.
The fate of this scheme seems to suggest something on Uxbridge Road might be needed too - unless it is to be completely colonised by fried chicken shops instead.
In the meantime, and just because it's Christmas, here's Monty Python's take on the Uxbridge Road:
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