On Tuesday evening, a large water pipe burst on West End Lane opposite the Bridge Cafe. Residents south of the tube station lost water or had low water pressure for almost 24 hours. Fixing the leak meant closing West End Lane, which remained closed for the rest of the week, causing enormous disruption to bus services, and clogging up surrounding roads.

This was followed by a burst pipe on Kingdon Road, another on West End Lane at the junction with Cleve Road , what looked like more problems outside Hidden Treasure, and another burst pipe on Mill Lane. Lets hope Camden is taking this up with Thames Water.

On the same day the original leak was being fixed, chemicals emanating from the back of a fridge in Cholmley Gardens brought the fire brigade out as the main leak was being fixed.

To add to the end-of-the-world feeling, an overhead cable came down around Radlett, which played havoc with First Capital Connect’s Thameslink services.

After months of silence on the Ballymore development at 187-199 West End Lane, it looks like construction will start in the summer. In the meantime, the parade of shops there is to be turned into a marketing suite for the development. Peppercorns is apparently moving into the site where the Chinese Herbal Clinic is at 260 West End Lane.

There are fears the money allocated for a lift at the Overground station could be taken away if work cannot be started by the agreed time.

Blue Daisy is closing its West Hampstead branch in the foreseeable future. New retailers wanted!

CRASH – the residents association for South Hampstead had all but evaporated, but it’s back with a new website.

The Daily Mail appeared to break the news to local councillors that the post office at Swiss Cottage was on a list earmarked for closure.

Monday’s Area Action Group meeting for West Hampstead & Fortune Green wards covered flood risk (appropriately for a week of burst water mains), policing, libraries and the Neighbourhood Development Forum.

Remember we found from the census that there was just one heavy metal worshipper in West Hampstead. Now, we know who he is!

This is 40 is NxNW6’s film of the week. We’ve tried a new style of local film listings this week – let us know what you think.

Simon Marcus, Conservative PPC for Hampstead & Kilburn, got his campaign rolling with the help of party chairman Grant Shapps. Meanwhile, it looks increasingly likely that Labour will draw up an all-women shortlist for candidates to replace Glenda Jackson.

Coming up
February
21st: Whampreview @ Hana SOLD OUT
21st: WHAT public meeting on local spending
25th: NDF meeting 7.30pm (venue tbc)
March
3rd: NW6 Film Club (details tbd)
28th: Whampgather XI

Tweet of the Week

@whampstead WEL road works added £4 to my cab fair last night. The cost of a bottle of Sainsbury’s Montepulciano or Pinot Noir.
— Naomii Chaplain (@NaomiiMay) February 16, 2013