This area is a delicious slice of Greenford and is nothing short of an underappreciated west London delight. The area is primarily residential, with a flourishing Polish population, as well as a tight-knit South East Asian community. The homes are mostly from the 1940s and 50s, when postwar housing has its moment in the sun. An area with its own quirky museum, the London Motorcycle museum, and a handful of splendid green spaces and reliable schools, this part of Greenford certainly has more than meets the eye. The population is a mixture of commuters and workers in the key industries, and the proximity of Western Avenue and Greenford tube and train station makes it a well-connected gem.

Interestingly, Greenford is one of the oldest places on record in Ealing, dating back to 848AD. However, age doesn’t always mean significance. From 848 to the 19th century, Greenford had very little to say for itself apart from the odd bit of farming. This was all until the fateful day in 1856, when William Perkin’s chemical factory lead to Greenford being the birthplace of aniline dye, and thus that of the modern organic chemical industry. Sadly, tragedy was just around the corner. After a factory explosion and the consequent death of two men, the business fell into decline and shut its gates in 1880. Luckily, new and equally significant factories came along, namely the Hovis bakery and J. Lyons and Co. As a result of all of this business innovation, the town grew into the industrial-residential hub it is today.

It’s said that the iconic and ill-fated Nolan sisters went to Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School. It is perhaps the location where they originally discovered their penchant for dancing. Interestingly, the Nolans were hugely successful in Japan, where they were the first European act to win the Tokyo Music Festival.

The architectural make-up of much of the residential areas is often considered uninspiring and repetitive, although not necessarily a traditional eyesore. Some might describe the area as ‘boring’ due to its family orientation. However, it’s one of the lowest areas for crime in the borough.

The biggest development that Ealing will see in a generation is the Greenford Quay project, which is expected to be completed fully in 2026. The plan is to create a brand new mixed-use neighbourhood on the banks of the Grand Union Canal, incorporating the old GlaxoSmithKline and Sunblest Bakery factories. The whole site is to cover 20.3 acres and transform the spot into nearly 2000 new homes, with many of the units already available for rent and sale. As well as allegedly producing around 1205 full-time jobs, the new development will also build a new primary school, nursery, commercial and leisure space. The development’s design is heavily oriented toward outdoor leisure and relaxation, with 40% of it consisting of pockets of green public open space, a canalside setting, play areas, new trees, a large water feature and a significant public square at the centre of the development.