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STRAND ON THE GREEN ...
Strand
on the Green sits alongside the river, between Kew Bridge to the west
and Chiswick Bridge to the east. John Zoffany, the eighteenth century
painter, lived here, and the wisteria-clad houses and river setting are
beautiful and inspirational. Taking a gentle stroll, you could be much
further up the river, into the countryside, yet you have all the amenities
of London on your doorstep. It is a short hop on to the A4 and the airport
or central London, and residents have all the benefits of Kew, Chiswick
and Brentford nearby. In Strand on the Green you will find unbeatable
river walks and a little piece of tranquility. Also, it is one of the
few remaining spots with free parking. Is this really London?
Food shops
Essentials
Babies and Kids
Health & Beauty
Playgrounds
Nurseries
Prep & primary schools
Activities for children
Outdoor Activities
Restaurants, Cafés & Pubs
Property
Food Shops
K Hammond sells great sausages and delicious
marinated chicken for an easy supper for 
worn
out parents. Also good quality fresh fruit and veg, and a few groceries.
The Grove Park Deli - (tel 020 8995 8219) is over on Fauconberg Road, and sells delicious homemade meals to take home, as well as the usual deli supplies, including Seggiano honey and organic chocolate. They also run a catering service
There is a great Farmers’ Market on Sunday mornings (10am till 2pm) held in Dukes Meadows just off Alexandra Gardens– very popular with families; combine with a river walk and feeding the ducks.
Essentials
The Post Office is in the little parade of shops
along Thames Road. Here you can also buy cards, newspapers, a few household
items, and do your photocopying.
Royal Dry Cleaners – on the way down from the bridge (tel 020 8742 7334), or a Laundromat, which also takes dry cleaning, further along Thames Road (tel 020 8994 2672).
Video rentals are available at the back of VG Foodstores on Grove Park Road, next door to Threshers.
Kew Retailpark – located just the other side of the river, facing Strand on the Green. Hop over Kew Bridge for an almost American shopping experience. Park for free and take your time in a huge Mothercare, Gap for adults and kids, M&S that sells everything and has a good café, a big sports shop (JJD), Next, and a huge Boots. Such an easy place to go with children, too – my little ones loved the mini trolleys in Mothercare and the gingerbread men in M&S, while I loved the parking.
Babies and Kids
Pixies
14 Fauconberg Road
tel 0208 995 1568
website
Open Tuesday to Saturday, this is a treasure trove for parents, and well-worth
traveling to. There is a big selection of nearly-new clothes, dressing
up outfits, toys, books and videos, and some new equipment and useful
kit, including the Stokke range of chairs and cots.
Yvonne, the owner, is something of a guru in this community of families, and has just set up a more formal way of giving advice to new parents – Pixies Baby Talk. She will come to your home and take you through what you will need as you embark on parenthood, and give advice on where to find it.
Mothercare
Kew Retail Park
Coffee mornings are held at the Treetop Café on Tuesdays from 10.30 to 11.30am. Games and push-along cars are on hand to keep children busy while you listen to a guest speaker with a relevant topic. Upcoming are potty training and water confidence – both great subjects for mums with summer approaching.
If you are preparing for parenthood or want to refresh your memory Christine
Hill runs antenatal classes in Strand on the Green
(tel 020 8994 4349).
Health and Beauty
Busby’s Chemist on Grove Park Road was
runner up in the Tixylix Child Friendly Pharmacy awards in 2003 –
and it is brilliant. Sue, the pharmacist, spends her days giving out advice,
and she has a great stock of children’s products, including the
Beech Nut organic jars. Busby’s also stock Clarins.
There are two local doctors:
Grove Park Terrace Surgery
tel 020 8995 1743)
and
Grove Park Surgery
Burlington Lane
tel 020 8747 1549
There is a dentist on Thames Road (tel 020 8995 0298).
Cascade Hairdressing (tel 020 8994 6055) is on Thames Road.
Playgrounds
There is a useful little playground just past the butcher’s
shop, but the best playground is down by the
river. Put wellies on when the tide is out and get very muddy while
having lots of fun.
For local open spaces, try the grounds of Chiswick House, Duke’s Meadows and Gunnersbury Park.
Nurseries
Teddies Nurseries
Old School Building
The Ham
Brentford
tel 0208 847 3799
website
Full and part time nursery places available year round, for 3mths to 5
years.
Elmwood Montessori School
St Michael’s Church Hall
Elmwood Road
tel 020 8994 8177
Strand on the Green Nursery
tel 020 8994 7921
on the primary school site.
The Grove Park Playgroup runs daily from 9.15am
to 11.45am for children from 2 1/2 to 4 years at St Paul’s Church.
Call Natalie Sully for information on 020 8742 3844.
Top of page
Prep and Primary Schools
In the state sector:
The Strand on the Green Schools – two
schools on one site, on the Strand.
Infants and Nursery (tel 020 8994 7921) and
Juniors (tel 020 8994 7847).
Grove Park Primary (tel 020
8994 7405).
For private schools:
The Falcons School
Burnaby Gardens
tel 020 8747 8393.
Head over the river to Kew, for Kew Green Preparatory School, which is being launched in September 2004 by the team that set up the very successful Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School (tel 020 8948 5999).
The ever-popular Unicorn School (tel 020 8948 3926), is also a co-ed choice in Kew.
Chiswick is full of options: look at Chiswick and Bedford Park Prep (tel 020 8994 1804) and Orchard House (tel 020 8742 8544).
Activities for Children
While you walk along the river, don’t forget
to train spot – the district line trains cross over the river
here.
Set off on a lovely bike ride along the towpath, over bridges and through Dukes Meadows.
St Paul’s Church hosts a series of playgroups and drop-ins for mothers and young children. The church grounds have climbing frames and a sandpit.
Mothers and babies meet at the Vicarage (tel Hannah Sigge on 020 8400 3814) Tues 10-11am.
Mothers and toddlers meet in the Church Hall Tuesdays, 2–3.30pm (tel Anne Connolly on 020 8995 4864), and Thursdays, 1.30-3pm (tel Jo Duddy on 020 8994 7966).
Under 5s’ Music is held the Vicarage (tel 020 8979 8923).
The Steam Museum is close by on Kew Bridge Road – tel 020 8568 4757 for opening times.
Kew Gardens
24 hour information line 020 8332 5655
website. Just fantastic. Become a friend for the cost of three visits
over the year.
Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre
658 Chiswick High Rd
(just south of the A4)
tel 020 8994 9596 Has a brilliant swimming pool
with a wave machine and Tiny Tikes play centre.
Outdoor Activities
Sailing at the Strand-on-the-Green Sailing Club
tel 020 8995 0853
website
Call the Hon Secretary for new memberships
Gardening at the Thames Road allotments. Find some peace and quiet and grow your own veg – call 0845 456972 to rent an allotment and look at www.chsw.4.org for information.
Golf at Duke’s Meadows Golf Club
tel 020 8995 0537
9 holes and a driving range.
Restaurants, Cafés
& Pubs
Annie’s
café (tel 020 8994 9080), restaurant
and bar is on Thames Road, by Magnolia Road. They are very child friendly
and offer a children’s menu all day (risotto, fish and chips, pasta)
and a sweetie from Annie’s jar for eating up. There are baskets
of toys, books and crayons to keep little ones amused, and a lovely, relaxed
atmosphere in the daytime. Lots of mums and children come here after school
for tea and cakes. Draw a picture for Annie – she picks a winner
(with a chocolate prize) every six weeks or so. They will also let you
host children’s birthday parties, christenings and dinners in their
upstairs room. By night it is candlelit and romantic. Book for Sunday
lunch and evenings
The Burlington on Burlington Road, by Chiswick
railway station.
Café
Rouge (tel 020 8995 6575) is open every
day and good for a hot chocolate after playing by the river. It is very
popular with families at the weekend.
Café Revive in M&S over in Kew Retail Park – children’s lunch boxes for £2.75 and good sandwiches and coffee.
There are three cafés in Kew Gardens
to choose from – another reason to join as a 
friend
and just drop in.
Pubs
There are three pubs along this stretch of the river, with tables outside
to enjoy the setting – The Bell and Crown,
The Bulls Head and The City
Barge, which features Jazz on Thursday evenings.
Property
Two-bedroom flats from £250, 000
Three-bedroom houses from £375,000
Five-bedroom houses from £650,000 –
but waterviews make a big difference to prices.
The beautiful houses along the front rarely come on the market so keep
your eyes peeled and ear to the ground.
Agents:
Featherstone Leigh
tel 020 8994 6567
Whitman
tel 020 8747 8800
Tyser Greenwood
tel 020 8994 7022
John D Wood
tel 020 8940 6611
Foxtons
tel 020 8996 6000
Faron Sutaria
tel 020 8994 4111
First published in angels and urchins, Summer 2004