Useful information about our local area

To live in Acton is to live in multi-cultural, metropolitan Britain. However, the atmosphere, particularly within the boundaries of the parish, might almost be described as leafy suburban!

There are significant populations of Polish, Lebanese, Japanese, Afro-Caribbean, African, East Indian, Portuguese, Saudi and other Middle Eastern peoples, co-existing with the indigenous population. Even within the parish there is a very real social and racial mix. As a barometer, on Churchfield Road alone Indian, Lebanese, Afghani, Portuguese and Korean restaurants can be found, as well as two traditional working men's cafes. Acton lies within the borough of Ealing (known as 'Queen of the Boroughs').

Local Shops

Churchfield Road (up and coming, according to the estate agents!), boasts a variety of interesting little shops such as The Village Trading Store (gifts and coffee),  Heart and Soul (florist). If it's grooming you are after, then Arthur Razor (men's grooming) or Anthony Bell (hair salon) and Nara Health and Beauty are local favourites, or there is the Bark Club for your beloved pet. Morrisons supermarket and Sainsbury's local are also within walking distance.

A little further afield, Chiswick has a Sainsburys, as well as almost every other kind of shop imaginable. Nearby Ealing also has extensive high street shopping and a shopping centre. It is not far to Westfield, and there is an Ikea a few miles up the North Circular.

Food and drink

Some of the first so-called gastro pubs started in West London, and two relatively recent but very welcome and convivial additions are the Rocket and the Station House, both on Churchfield Road.  Laveli offers great coffees and light meals during the day. 

Nearby Chiswick boasts an enormous array of cafes, bars and restaurants, as does Ealing. Food from every corner of the globe can be enjoyed locally. There are weekly farmers' markets in Chiswick and Ealing, and a French food market in Acton town centre every six months.

Parks

We are lucky in Acton to be surrounded by many lovely parks and open spaces for playing and walking. Several of the larger parks host festivals, concerts and summer programs of events. Acton Park lies within the parish, and benefits from a playground, skate park, tennis courts, bowling green and a cafe. It also has some fine old oak trees and a duck pond. Other parks close by include Ravenscourt Park (Shepherd's Bush), and Gunnersbury Park, which has a great little museum, two playgrounds, a boating lake, year-round cafe, tennis courts, mini golf and fishing. It also hosts an Asian music festival (The London Mela) in August. Walpole Park in Ealing also has a gallery and birds. Brent Lodge Park in Hanwell even has a small zoo! Hogarth House, in Chiswick, has beautiful grounds and, yes, another gallery!

Perivale Wood Nature Reserve is an original and magnificent piece of primeval forest (the land has never been cleared or under cultivation) and is the second oldest nature reserve in Britain. Also within easy striking distance are Kew Gardens and Richmond Park (10-15 mins by Silverlink), and Hampstead Heath (15 mins by Silverlink in the opposite direction).

Heading west, Syon Park and Osterley Park feature beautiful parkland and are the cores of former country estates, once outside London.

Entertainment and the arts

Cinema

Multiplexes on the A40 and at Westfield, and other cinemas in Hammersmith and Ealing.

Theatre

Bush Theatre (Shepherds Bush), The Lyric (Hammersmith), Questors Theatre (a semi-professional theatre in Ealing), and the Richmond Theatre.

Music and Cabaret

Hammersmith Apollo, Bush Hall (Shepherds Bush).

Arts Centres

Riverside Studios (Chiswick). Waterman's Centre (Brentford).