The Kempton Park neighbourhood sits nestled along the Thames, just west of Hampton. An idyllic suburban enclave, families are drawn to the area for the large Tudor-style family homes and the abundance of greenery. Most residents have their own private gardens, but for those who don’t, there’s the beautiful Kempton Park and Racecourse, as well as the Sunbury Cricket Club and Kempton Cricket Club. If visiting on a typical weekend day, you’ll find locals mingling their way through the bustling Sunbury Antiques Market, a favourite within the community. Others can be found catching up over a wonderful meal at The Shahin Restaurant, or laughing through pints at the Grey Horse Pub. With everything that Kempton Park has to offer, it’s no surprise that it’s one of West London’s best kept secrets.

Kempton Park was opened back in 1878. From its start, the park was used for horse jump racing. Later on, it began hosting the famous King George VI Chase, which began in 1937 and was named for the new monarch. Unfortunately, the outbreak of the Second World War, brought the race to a hold. Eventually, on Boxing Day of 1947, the annual race returned to the venue. This celebrated event continues to this day, always on Boxing Day, and draws in large crowds that sell out the racecourse every time!

The Kempton Racecourse played multiple roles in helping the war effort during the First and Second World Wars. In the First, the park served as a transit depot for the manor military vehicles. Later on, in the Second World War, the park served as accommodation for prisoners of war.

Kempton Park station is only serviced by South Western Railways. Unfortunately, this railway company has been infamous recently for its terrible service delays, making commuting from the area often frustrating and expensive for locals. Still, many residents have their own cars - and don’t mind driving to their destinations as an alternative, though this also causes its own environmental concerns.

In January of 2017, a proposal was made to close Kempton Park Racecourse in order to use the space that it occupies for a new housing development. It was met with condemnation, with Jockey Club Racecourses, who owned the course at the time, being roundly criticised. The plan was for them to work in partnership with Redrow Homes in order to build about 3,000 houses on the 230-acre estate. While the site’s development was never initiated, and Redrow Homes had to downscale its operations in and around London due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the racecourse’s potential closure is still an ongoing issue.