Shopkeepers unite to convince council to improve condition of pavements

Turnham Green Terrace shopkeepers have started a campaign to convince the council to do something about the condition of the street's pavements.

Widely considered to be one of Chiswick's premier shopping areas with its cherished independent businesses and award winning food shops, its footpaths do leave a lot to be desired.

The campaign, led by Marmalade's Simon Johnson, aims to secure council funding to improve the pavements and, ideally, install raised entrances making access to the shops easier.

Simon told ChiswickW4.com, "The state of the terrace is a disgrace, the road is pitted, rutted and full of pot holes. the pavement is also ugly and dirty. There are no hanging baskets block paving or attractive features, as an example of Chiswick’s shopping experience, Turnham Green Terrace leaves a lot to be desired.

"Several neighbouring streets have been treated to a face lift, but the Terrace is so important to the community of Chiswick that I cant imagine why we have been left out. The sooner the council can remedy this situation, the sooner independent retailers and the community as a whole will start to benefit."

Last year Devonshire Road received a much admired make-over. At the time LBH's Chris Calvi-Freeman told ChiswickW4.com "The Council applied for and received full funding for this scheme from Transport for London from their town centres programme, which aims to promote the continuing viability of borough town centres by making them attractive and easily accessible to pedestrians."

He went on to say "Devonshire Road is also a busy walk route between the Hogarth housing and industrial estates and the busy Turnham Green tube station.   The scheme has succeeded in achieving a balance between improved footway space and the need to retain carriageway space for parking, servicing and through traffic.  

"Under the Mayor of London's London Plan (2004), Chiswick is classified as a Major Town Centre, second in the borough only to Hounslow town centre, which is a Metropolitan Centre."

July 5, 2007