Golborne Road, W10
Streets of London: Golborne Road, W10
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By Helen Jennings. Photography Travis Hodges
Posted: Fri Feb 8 2008 -
Just like the Trellick Tower that looms large over the area, the aesthetic appeal of this multicultural hotspot is winning new fans
In the shadow of the iconic slab of concrete that is Erno Goldfinger’s Trellick Tower and running parallel to the thundering Westway, Golborne Road has always been Ladbroke Grove’s shabby cousin. That said, it has seen its fair share of gentrification of late but still maintains its distinctive multicultural atmosphere.
This vibrant corner of Kensington and Chelsea was transformed from forest to farmland in the eighteenth century. In 1801, the Grand Junction Canal (now Grand Union Canal) arrived, followed by the Great Western Railway in 1837, bringing with it the relentless tide of industrialisation. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the area was one of the most overcrowded and poverty-stricken in London.
The thoroughfare was extensively bombed during WWII, after which the Victorian-era slums were cleared to make way for the Trellick and the Swinbrook and Wornington estates, which housed immigrant arrivals from Spain, Portugal and the Caribbean. More recently the area has been dubbed ‘Little Morocco’ having become home to the largest Moroccan population in England.
Feature continuesAdvertisementStella McCartney moved into a chapel on Golborne Road next to a curry house in 2002, heralding its arrival as a fashionable destination. Now going the way of upmarket Portobello Road (which intersects it), a rash of gastropubs has swallowed up the boozers (Goodbye, The Earl of Warwick. Hello, Golborne Grove) and chi chi boutiques jostle next to greasy spoons and butchers.
A Trellick Tower B Lisboa Pâtisserie C 88 Antiques D Casa D'Or E Ainsworth Nursery School Golborne Road has become, to use estate-agent speak, a prime example of ‘modern urban living’. In other words, it’s where you’ll rub shoulders with the well-heeled and light-fingered in equal measure. It has served as a backdrop to both Scarlett Johansson’s pout in Woody Allen’s ‘Scoop’ and Hugh Grant’s broken heart in romcom ‘Notting Hill’, yet however des-res it may seem, Golborne Road’s residents are still fiercely protective. The street has its own community website (www.golbornelife.co.uk) and green-fingered locals have turned nearby Meanwhile Gardens into a leafy haven with a kids’ play area and skate bowl. So it seems you can have your trendy cake and somewhere to eat it.
Shopping
Golborne Road market sells household goods, bric-a-brac, fruit and vegetables six days a week. For fashion there’s vintage emporium Rellik (Number 8; 020 8962 0089; www.relliklondon.co.uk) and womenswear store J&M Davidson (No 97; 020 8969 2244; www.jandmdavidson. com). And 88 Antiques (No 88; 020 8960 0827) is one of many treasure troves for second-hand furniture.
Going out
Members’ club NumberTen (No 10; 020 8964 4155) is a cross between a 1950s ski chalet and Regency-era drinking den. Portuguese eateries Café O’Porto (No 62; 020 8968 8839) and Lisboa Pâtisserie (No 57; 020 8968 5242) serve scrumptious pasties de nata (custard tarts) and galão (milky coffee). For north African specialties try Casa D’Or (No 108; 020 8969 2727) and Moroccan Tagine (No 95; 020 8968 8055).
Schools
Ainsworth Nursery School (47 Acklam Road, 020 8968 5622) is a stone’s throw from Golborne Road. Bevington Primary School (Bevington Road, 020 8969 0629) achieved an Ofsted grade 2 (good) out of 4. Sion-Manning RC School for Girls (St Charles Square, 020 8969 7111) is predominantly Roman Catholic and Holland Park School (Airlie Gardens, 020 7908 1000) is highly sought after with ‘an exceptional learning culture’.
Transport
Ladbroke Grove or Westbourne Park tube stations are on the Hammersmith & City line in Zone 2. Buses to the area include 7, 23, 28, 31, 52, 70 and 328.
Estate agents
Chard, 123 Notting Hill Gate, W11 (020 7243 4500/www.chard.co.uk).
Foxtons, 91-95 Notting Hill Gate, W11 (020 7616 7000/www.foxtons.co.uk).
Westways, 20 Great Western Road, W9 (020 7289 6386/www.westwaysuk.com).- Add your comment to this feature
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12 comments
I lived in Hazelwood Crescent no 24 1951-1964 a Lot of happy memories, my mum was a cleaner at Renees the pie mash shop, and she worked in Holmeses the bakers and David Greigs, used to go to the Wedlake baths a lot used to walk over the halfpenny step Saturday morning pictures on the Harrow Road, went to North Paddington Secondary and Middle Row Primary I remember because hardly any traffic came into the street we used to do roller skating cricket hoola hoop and all sorts of games. Saturdays were my favourite day before I went into the pictures I used to collect my comics and magazines that I had everyweek, they were The Boyfriend, Mirabelle, and a couple of others I can't remember. I have only just found this sight thank you for all the memories from a woman who is in her 60th year.
lived in treverton street from 1939 went to balby road and wornington road birts penny drinks feathers club cobden club cristmas parties
lived in treverton street 40s and 50s barlby road middle row schools reenies pie mash the germans faggots and peas pudding playing in bombed houses great stuff
Hi I fall in love with golborne road since my first visit in 95 the people so friendly the atmosphere multicultural I though to stay there couldn't find a flat to expensive I' ve decided to open a business so I did now I ' me even changing the name to golborne hair salon visit us and ask about hemp and Argan oil the best hair product in the market organic miracle oil from morocco call 02089698140 !!!
i remember on the corner of golborne road and portobello road, an old lady selling peanuts. also taveners sweet shop and taverners toy shop, a cobblers shop and little johns which was a general hardware shop. in 1965 i used to work as a saturday girl in rosies cafe which was across the road from the church mission hall. i also remember when they were building trelleck towers, it started falling down and everyone was was held up at the top end of golborne road and portobello as i had gone to a cafe at lunchtime. the army were called in.
P. MC.CUTCHEON ..BRING BACK THE OLD GOLBOURNE EH WHAT ABOUT THE COBDEN CLUB IN KENSAL ROAD WHERE ALL US KIDS USED TO GO FOR THE XMAS PARTYS THE HIGH LIGHT OF OUR YEAR EXCEPT WHEN WE USED TO GO DAAN HOPPING TO WORK AN PLAY I BET YOUR MUM DAD AND FAMILY USED TO GO HAPPY HAPPY DAYS ..I WENT TO THE COBDEN UP TILL IT CLOSED AS THE WORKING MANS CLUB ..BUT THE BUILDING IS STILL STANDING ..
lived in branston st w10 1st 25yrs of my life from1944 have never found the same community spirit we had then we all knew everyone old and young looked out for each other we lived in slums but seemed more content the more we all have now can never replace the feeling of belonging to a community that cared for one another i can remember bonfire night all out together happy times
i used to live in wheatstone road in the 1950s. first i went to wornington road school, then st marys rc school in east row. i remember learning to swim in the wedlake swimming pool. going to the rolaty cinema in lancaster road on a saturday, then pie n mash at reenes. i loved holmes bakers as one of the women who worked there used to give me an iced bun for free. Remember Regs sweetshop in wornington road, and also old Berts across the road. My sisters and i went to the playcentre in Bevington road school in the summer holidays. Happy days. lots more in me old brain box.
I was born in 21 Adair Road in the 50s, over the mews the stall holders used. Golborne road was my area and I can tell you that Portobello never came near. Just ask me mum.
OH BOY , pie n mash at renee's, 'david greigs grocery shop,all that 'P. McCutcheon' mentions ,very fond memories, my mum used to send me for shopping,peace pudding n faggots, lovely.
I remember my mum saying 'Portobllo Road was more 'run down' than Golborne Road,she lived in Wornington Road through the war years,and always said 'hold on tight to your purse', my older brother used to work in the 'record shop' in Golborne Road.I agree stallhlders were all friendly , it was like everyone knew you and your family.
i cant agree with u more i was born in southam st w10 in 1954 i remember all those shops plus the record box shop the pram shop plus the shoe shops our mums used to do the full weeks shopping there with all the stall holders that all became friends as well as buisness people great memories.
You need your head examine Golborne Road was better then Portobello Road during the second world war upto the 1990
when I worked in Golborne Road we had the Pie and Mash shop run by Renne and Husband we had the Butchers that sold at the weekends faggots, savaloys, peace pudding, we had Holmes the bakers, Prices the green grocers, we had the church where some of the released prisoners use to stay till they got on there feet, you never hardly heard of anybody having their purses snatched, go down Portobello Road at the weekend and it was hold on tight to your purse there were so many pick pockets about. So please get your facts right I was born in the W10 area during the war and I found the stall holders to be the most friendly people going.