Maintenance at Gray Court

As a fan of scaffolding Parkleys always has something to offer me because there is always work going on somewhere there.  This is Gray Court which sits in the corner of Parkleys road as it turns sharply towards Barnfield Avenue.

A new way into Richmond Chase

There is little going for Richmond Chase as far as I can see so it is good news that there will be a new route through it and even better news that this is a footpath a not a road.

This is the northern or the two connections to Latchmere Lane with the oppressive Richmond Chase ruining the view on the right.

The middle section of the short path is  looking good manly thanks to the mature trees.

Then it stops and I had to turn around and go back again. Hopefully it will be open soon.

It also needs more trees to screen the buildings.

A large extension in Upper Ham Road

I have been watching this large extension in Upper Ham Road for some time but those grey gates have been very good at keeping my prying eyes out. Indeed, the last time that I got a peek into this site was a year ago when all I could see was a pallet of bricks.

A year on and you get a hint of the scale of the extension and what looks large from this angle looks even larger if you look at the drawings submitted with the planning application which show that the original house is being doubled in size.

Work underway at Petersham and Ham Sea Scouts

Work has started on the new hut for Petersham and Ham Sea Scouts on their site nestled between German School and Petersham Lodge Woods. This view from Douglas Footpath shows the extent of the works and the absence of the old hut.

The view from the end of the access road reveals little more other than some impressive machinery which justifies the photograph.

PLEASE PUT PARCELS IN BLACK BOX

The owner's frustration is obvious and very understandable.

Living Italia comes to Ham Parade

Living Italia has arrived on Ham Parade taking the place once occupied by Kiko Gifts & Stationery which was previously called Sky News.

Obviously it is better to have an open shop that a closed one (there are two of those elsewhere on the Parade) and it is certainly attractive. Unfortunately, like Richmond Kitchens on the other side of the road, it is not a shop that is going to pull many people into the area. 

Still, on balance, this is a very positive move.

Grey cladding

In a previous post about the two new houses between Dukes Avenue and Maguire Drive I said that I was intrigued as to how they would look when finished because at that time the rear sections were just breeze blocks and now that question has been answered by the addition of some very nifty grey cladding.

The flat roof still worries me a little but I will wait until the job is finished before passing judgement on that. I have no qualms at all about the cladding.

New yellow lines around Ham Gate

Parking is always a problem in the area around Ham Gate so I was delighted to see bright new yellow lines around the junction of Church Road and Latchmere Lane. Cars used to park on the right here and I hope that will stop now.

This is the other end of Church Road, as it joins Ham Gate Avenue and it looks as though the new yellow lines extend further down Church Road that the old ones did. This is a busy and tricky corner for all users (pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, dogs) and making more space for all those flows to sort themselves out is clearly a good thing.

At Ham Gate one vehicle was breaking the no parking rule but seeing as that was the one bringing the people and the equipment to paint the lines I can easily forgive them.

Stylish carport

Almost a year ago I was celebrating this original garage in Woodville Road and now it has got even better with the addition of a carport that carries the V-shaped roofline forward. I think that the new works brilliantly with the old and this is a stylish addition to the street.

Sandy Lane Playground

I have wanted to post a picture of Sandy Lane Playground for some time (years!) but taking pictures with children in is got a great idea and so I had to wait until the covid-19 partial-lockdown to find it both empty and in daylight.

In the distance, houses in Meadlands Drive look curiously over the empty park.

Grey windows in Dysart Avenue

There is a lot of work going on at this house in Dysart Avenue and so far it looks promising with some lovely grey windows at the front of the house.

All Sold or For Sale?

The strange and worrying story of the Royal Oak / Ham Institute continues with boards proclaiming that it is both All Sold and For Sale.

I would like it to become a pub again one day, however I suspect that is unlikely despite the good work that the Ham Institute did on the interior. 

Paving Ham Street

First a moan about the technology; I have been using Blogger for this blog for many years, well before Google bought it, and in that time there have been a few updates with little change, until now. The option to edit the raw html has either gone or been well hidden so I do not have as much control of the formatting as I would like. I just hope that it still works well enough and that, for example, the text remains below the picture and not along side it.

Ham Street should be familiar to every reader of this blog as it runs through the heart of Ham and defines much of its character. Recently it has had a minor face-lift with the replacement of the paving in the area around the general stores. As with the other side of the road, the new paving looks nice but there is just not enough of it as the pavements should be wider.

Then and now: Ashburnham Road shops

This is another photo taken by Kenneth Kirchen in 1967. Obviously this is the parade of shops in the south-west corner of Ashburnham Road. I do not know if it has a name but it should to avoid confusion with the parade at the north-east end of the road.

It is not possible to recreate the original photograph today as Albany Court is in the way, filling the field of grass above, so I have tried to take one from a similar angle at least.

The parade has not changed much in general appearance though all of the shops are different and the trees have grown to hide some of them.

Changing windows

This is yet another view of the fairly major project underway at the end of Thamesgate Close. This time it is of the side of the house, which directly overlooks Ham Lands, and I have chosen ot because of the changes to the windows.

The slightly yellower bricks around the four windows (and the lack of glass) show that they are all new and, almost obscured by the tree, you can also see that a previous window has been removed.

Balconies

I have tagged this as Ashburnham Road as this is where these flats, Meadowview, are located but if you want to see these balconies you have to go around the back to Riverside Drive or Rushmead.

The lower of the two balconies is crying out for attention and deserves it. I also like the one above which is why I have included it, rather than cropping the picture. Both balconies show what can be done in a small space and they both reward a good look as you pass.

Wild flowers on Ham Village Green

I keep coming back to the wild flower gardens on Ham Village Green because I like them so much, and it is easy to see why. This is the patch of flowers on east side looking towards Ham Street.

There is another patch of wild flowers in the middle of the Green next to the recently added curved bench.