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The big issues for Chiswick residents in 2013 were the continuing controversy over a third runway for Heathrow Airport, the Brentford Football Stadium development at Lionel Road, the Grove Park CPZ, Hounslow Highways using tarmac on Chiswick pavements, the proposed new Picturehouse Cinema and controversy over the proposed closure of A & E departments in local hospitals.

Campaigners to have the Piccadilly Line stop at Turnham Green hailed a significant victory towards the end of the year, following the Mayoral announcement on the issue.

Parking in Chiswick , new restaurants, refuse collection and traffic stories were also popular local reads throughout the year. Property sales continued to make headlines and the year ended with the sale of Zachary House at Strand-on-the Green for over £6 milliion.

The arrival of Bill's new restaurant which is located on the sites of Gelato and Giraffe was of local interest. Chiswick also welcomed Vinoteca (on the site of the former Oriental Brasserie) but Brick Oven closed, as did the Turnham Green cafe which became a Japanese restaurant. Chella became tapas restaurant La Mancha. The popularity of Asian food was evident with the opening of Vietnamese cafe Ngoh and the announcement of Pho (opening early 2014). An Argentinian steakhouse was added to the list of local eateries, and cafe/bakery, Chateau Dessert took over the former Eco-Age shop which had been run by Livia Firth and her brother.

Some familiar faces disappeared during the year- Pissarro closed, and the High Road lost Blockbusters and the Body Shop (now Mint Velvet). The Picture Man framers closed and the Brasserie Gerard premises became KFH estate agents.

Local groups in Chiswick continued their hard work, from the High Road Action Group formed to monitor potential developments along Chiswick High Road, to residents' associations fighting to retain traditional paving in their area. Abundance continued its work planting bulbs in Dukes Meadows and organised the Edible High Road as part of the Chelsea Fringe. Several groups banded together to challenge the Lionel Road development but at an unusually long Planning Committee meeting at Hounslow in December, councillors voted to grant permission.

Justin Welby, who previously lived in Chiswick for several years with his family, became Archbishop of Canterbury.

Independent traders in Chiswick held a Street Party to publicise the benefits of local shopping and continued their campaign to have parking restrictions eased for 'stop and shop' to make it easier for residents to shop locally.

Crime in Chiswick throughout the year ranged from burglaries to phone snatches and street scams, and the area retained high figures for theft from motor vehicles. The local police station lost its 24-hour public reception access. Boots was burgled and on Christmas Eve, there was a raid on a G4 van outside Barclays Bank.

Chiswick Fire Station survived rationalisation which closed other stations in London.

Local celebrities continued to make the news with Colin Firth making the movie Railway Man and Sophie Ellis Bextor making it to the final of Strictly Come Dancing. Clare Balding had another successful year. Olympian James Cracknell became a Euro MP candidate for the Conservatives.

Local MP Mary Macleod continued to work on behalf of her constituents and Ruth Cadbury was named as the Labour candidate to fight for the Brentford/Isleworth constituency seat in the next election.

Councillors at the local Chiswick Area Forum discussed issues ranging from parking to the impact of the proposed new Cinema and urged local residents to attend the meetings and become more involved in what is happening on their doorsteps.

Local schools also brought in above average results in national exams.

Well-known local actor Richard Briers passed away in 2013 as did comedian Mel Smith, who grew up in Chiswick. Award winning director Jim Goddard also died during the year.

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