Latest news with #Chiswick
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Pictured: Algerian thief who threatened to behead Aled Jones
A thief who threatened to behead Aled Jones with a machete went on to steal a Bridgerton actresses's phone after being released early from youth detention. Zacariah Boulares, an Algerian national who has 12 previous convictions relating to 28 offences, has now been pictured for the first time after turning 18. Aged just 16, he approached Jones, a BBC Songs of Praise presenter, who was walking through Chiswick in west London with his son, and threatened to cut his arm off with a machete unless he handed over his £17,000 Rolex. Wimbledon youth court was told he later threatened to behead the 54-year-old if he continued following him after the mugging on July 7 2023. He had also previously stolen a Rolex worth £20,000 from a 78-year-old man at Paddington station in west London. After stealing Jones's watch, Boulares appeared late to court hearings on several occasions before eventually pleading guilty to robbery and possession of an offensive weapon and was detained in youth custody. Two years later, having served 14 months of his 24-month detention and training order, he snatched the phone of Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour from a coffee shop table in Kensington, west London, in February. Chenneour played Miss Clara Livingston in the third season of the Netflix period drama. Boulares attacked the actress when she confronted him, leaving her with concussion and he also kicked and punched another customer who tried to stop him from escaping from Joe & The Juice. Boulares admitted stealing her phone and assaulting another customer when he appeared at Westminster magistrates' court last week via video link from HMP Wormwood Scrubs. In a separate charge, he pleaded guilty to another theft after he stole a black leather bag from a customer at a pizza restaurant. He has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on June 17.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Rolex thief, 18, who threatened to behead Aled Jones with a machete went on to attack Bridgerton star
A Rolex thug, who threatened to behead Welsh chorister Aled Jones with a machete and later went on to attack a Bridgerton star, was released from youth detention early. Zacariah Boulares served only 14 months out of his original 24-month detention after carrying out a terrifying attack against the Welsh chorister in Chiswick, west London in July 2023. The Algerian national threatened the 54-year-old with a 20-inch blade, demanding the 'f***king Rolex' on the singer's arm, while threatening to cut his limb off. Boulares could not be named at the time due to his age. After the terrified baritone gave the menacing youth his £17,000 Dayton, Boulares later said he would 'cut [Jones's] head off' if the Songs of Praise star continued to follow him. The now 18-year-old appeared late to magistrates court late several times before he eventually pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an offensive weapon at Wimbledon Youth Court. It was also heard the youngster had also stolen a £20,000 gold Rolex from a pensioner. His record was dubbed 'appalling' by Chairman of the bench Rex Da Roach. A Detention and Training Order (DTO) can be handed to teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17, where they serve half of their time in custody and are later supervised, by a Youth Offending Team. However after only 14 months the Algerian national was freed, and later went on to commit a spate of crimes, including robbing Bridgerton actress, Genievieve Chenneour of her phone last February. The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to stealing the phone when he appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court in May. Ms Chennour was left 'concussed and traumatised' by the ordeal. He also pleaded guilty to common assault against Carlo Kurcishi, another customer in the same cafe, as well as a separate charge of theft after taking a black leather handbag at a pizza restaurant. Magistrates were told he had 12 previous convictions for 28 offences, all relating to theft. The defendant has now been remanded into custody with sentencing scheduled for June 17 at Isleworth Crown Court in west London. The actress, who appeared in season three of the Netflix hit show as rumour-monger Clara Livingston, told the Mail on Sunday this month: 'They didn't expect me to stand up for myself – but I did.' Chenneour has previously spoken of the terrifying moment she fought off the teenage thug who set upon her while she was walking her dog. The actress, who appeared in season three of the Netflix hit show as rumour-monger Clara Livingston, told the Mail on Sunday this month: 'They didn't expect me to stand up for myself – but I did.' The robbery happened when Yorkshire-born Genevieve had stopped at a branch of Joe & The Juice in west London last February. She said: 'I was left with a concussion just before the Screen Actors Guild Awards and since then, I've felt constantly on edge. 'Even my dog was traumatised - now, if anyone touches me, he panics and tries to protect me. 'Getting a coffee shouldn't be something you need your wits about you for. 'I'm so grateful to the staff at Joe & The Juice – they were incredible during the incident and when I went back to see them after.' More than 70,000 phones were snatched in London in 2024, out of an estimated 100,000 thefts across the UK. A A source was previously quoted as saying: 'Genevieve showed real bravery throughout. It was a very shocking incident. 'It shows what is happening on London's streets on a daily basis. 'This was just another young woman going about her daily business. She's handled it brilliantly.' Chenneour is a former athlete who joined Team GB's artistic swimming team at the age of 15. She was awarded an Olympic scholarship before the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, but her sporting career was cut short by injury and she retrained as an actress. After appearing as a stunt double in the underwater sequences of period feature Gateway To The West, she landed her breakthrough role in the Regency drama.
Telegraph
28-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
How a make do and mend café fixed a community (and my car)
It's a sunny Saturday morning and Peter Milligan is standing outside Christ Church Turnham Green in Chiswick, west London. Wearing a blue apron, he wields a power tool in one hand and two small blocks of wood in the other and is trying his best to whittle them down to size. 'Typically, I'm in charge of sharpening knives, tools and secateurs,' he says. 'But the carpentry team asked if I could help resize these pieces of wood.' Power tools are not typically associated with the Anglican church but once a month, this Grade II listed landmark is the setting for the Chiswick Repair Café, a voluntary initiative established to help reduce waste, share repair skills and bring a community together. The Rise of Repair Cafés There's been a rise in repair cafés across the UK in recent years. Held in community centres, churches, cafés, libraries and even pubs, these monthly meet-ups are a place where people can get their broken things fixed – everything from toasters that no longer pop to moth-eaten sweaters – often free of charge. The first repair café opened in Amsterdam in 2009 and today there are over 3,600 worldwide – everywhere from Alaska to New Zealand – driven by a desire to both combat throwaway culture and to strengthen local ties. In the UK there are more than 700 repair cafés up and running. The Chiswick Repair Café was launched in October 2022 by three local residents Charlotte Bullock, Jill Spencer and Marie-Claire Meisels who met through Hounslow Council's initiative to create 'environmental champions'. 'We were all doing our own environmental initiatives when we met, such as planting trees and litter picking,' says Marie-Claire 'but we wanted to do something more.' The trio joined the Netherlands-based Repair Café Foundation and spoke to the founders of the Twickenham Repair Café, which had started a few months earlier. After receiving a £1,000 'Thriving Communities' grant from the London Borough of Hounslow, securing the church space and finding willing repairers, they were good to go. Today, they have a team of 50 volunteers. A Broken Pedal-Car I have not arrived empty-handed, and I manoeuvre my way into the church entrance hall carrying my husband's navy blue metal Tri-ang pedal car in the shape of a Jaguar E-Type Series I Roadster. The car was a present for his fifth birthday and, for the longest time, it was his pride and joy. Now in need of a serious overhaul, I wondered if the repairers could help. I meet Ginny, one of the volunteers, who hands me a form to complete with details of my broken item, and I find an empty chair among the crowd of people waiting for a repairer to come available. Fortunately, there's coffee and cake (made by founder Jill) to distract us. Sitting next to me is Sarah Hymendorf who has brought along a small cream-coloured ceramic jug that belongs to a tea set from the early 1950s. 'I was given this tea service by my godmother when I was five,' says Sarah. 'I want to give it to my little granddaughter but the handle on the jug is broken so I'm hoping that they will be able to fix it here.' When it's my turn, I'm directed to a table manned by Brett Moss and Bryan Smith who describe their station as the 'woodwork and odd projects' desk. They look at my pedal car with a mixture of intrigue and, I think, trepidation but it's not long before they discover why the car has not been driving in a straight line for some 40-odd years. 'This wheel is not attached to the driving mechanism,' explains Scotsman Bryan, pointing at the front left wheel spinning freely. An industrial designer by trade, Byran has been with the Repair Café since it started. 'I love seeing the look on people's faces when they bring in something that they've broken and it belonged to their parents or grandparents and you can fix it for them,' he says. The hall is a hive of activity. There are teams dedicated to electrics, electronics, sewing, woodwork, toy fixing, knife sharpening, jewellery repair, ceramics and bikes, all staffed by talented volunteers. Working alongside Brett and Bryan are Jit Patel and Steve Shotton who are trying to screw a castor back onto the leg of an antique wooden Captain's Chair that local Adrian Gardener has brought in. 'These guys are just wonderful,' says Adrian. 'They just save things that people really like.' A Sense of Community Sat at a table around the corner is Ralph Charlwood, in charge of ceramics. 'A lot of the stuff I do has real sentimental value,' he says, handing a repaired glass bowl back to regular visitor Maggie. 'I've fixed a lot of children's plates and recently repaired a dish that was given to a lady for her 21st birthday in 1961.' But this is not the only reason why Ralph enjoys volunteering. 'It's the community aspect,' he says. 'There's a group bonding in a common purpose. In terms of getting people away from sitting in front of a screen and getting out and doing something, it's amazing.' Sitting at a large table towards the chancel are 10 women busy darning sweaters, re-stringing jewellery and repairing clothes. Much-loved teddy bears are another speciality. 'One woman brought in her grandfather's teddy bear that he had taken to the trenches in World War One,' says Dee Carpenter. 'It needed new stuffing and an ear sewn on. The woman was overcome when I finished – we were all completely overcome.' At another table, new volunteer Martin Essayan is busy adjusting the 'wonky' hands on a large wall clock for Francesca Raine who has come with her two-year-old daughter, Aurora. 'I retired in November and now volunteer at three different repair cafés,' says Martin. 'I love it because it's so rewarding. A lot of the time the repairs are not fundamentally difficult so what we try and do is teach people and encourage them to have a go.' Not everything can always be repaired, however. Secateurs-sharpening specialist Martin recalls someone arriving with a 1920s typewriter with no moving parts. 'It was a bit too much of a challenge for us to take on,' he says. Overall, the café's repair success rate is high. In 2024, the team completed nearly 800 repairs across nine events and in doing so, saved 1.4 tons of stuff from going into landfill. 'Normally I throw everything away or donate it to a charity shop,' says the clock owner Francesca. 'But I'll definitely come back, everyone's been super friendly.' As closing time looms, I head back to see how Bryan and Brett have got on with my husband's pedal car. 'You could have given us an easier fix,' laughs Brett. Nevertheless, the duo has managed to re-attach the wheel to the driving mechanism and I head home happy with a successful repair in hand. Top tips for repairing at home If you want to make-do-and-mend, then follow these tips. Use the right glue 'If anything needs glueing, use the right glue,' says Ralph Charlwood, who has 40 different glues. 'It's tempting to stick superglue on anything broken but one of the principles with repairing stuff is reversibility or retractability. You need to be able to rewind a bad fix and with superglue it's hard to do that. Make sure you have the right glue for the right material' Practise furniture maintenance Furniture needs to be maintained to ensure its longevity. That means checking the joints once or twice a year on wooden furniture and tightening the screws where necessary. Protect fabric furniture with stain protection spray, such as Scotchgard or RepelWell. Prevent moths 'If you find you have moths then put the item with moth holes in a plastic bag and place it into the freezer so that the moth eggs die,' says Susan Pearce who volunteers on the sewing table. 'Leave it overnight and then take it out, shake it and it's sorted.' Check the fuse first 'I always say to check the fuse first,' says Pedro Borrero on the electronics table. 'And then watch YouTube videos, usually the most common problems will have some kind of guide online.' Keep your knives and scissors sharp Knives can last for years and years if they are properly looked after. Invest in a Japanese whetstone, rectangular blocks of grinding stone, that ensure your knives are razor sharp. Remember to keep the angle constant when sharpening. Don't be afraid to take things apart 'Don't be afraid to take it apart,' says Richard Jenkins who volunteers on the electronics team. 'If it's already broken, it's going in the bin anyway so you might as well try, you won't make it any worse – but remember to unplug it first!' Extend the life of your bike Many bicycle problems can be prevented by regularly cleaning your bike with hot, soapy water and a garden hose. Tighten any loose parts with a wrench and use WD40 on moving parts to make the bike run smoother – just don't spray it on the chain! Bike chains require a special chain grease. Options include Finish Line Dry, Fenwicks all-condition or Muc-Off wet lube. Try, try again 'Don't get discouraged by the first failure you have,' says Brett Moss. 'It's not going to go right the first time round; you usually have to try something and then re-do it.' Learn to sew Learning to replace buttons and hemming trousers can ensure your clothes last longer. Look to YouTube for handy tutorials, like Evelyn Wood 's Vintage Dressmaking Skills for Modern Sewing. Use the Library of Things Londoners can borrow useful household items from the Library of Things, a social enterprise where you can borrow equipment – everything from drills and sewing machines to pressure washers and carpet cleaners – at a fraction of what it costs from big companies or buying a new one. The Library of Things has 21 kiosks across London where you can collect your thing(s) and return them when you are done. How to find your local repair café Most repair cafés take place once a month where you can bring your broken or worn items and volunteer repairers help to mend them, teach repair skills and give advice on what can be done. Visitors typically pay for any necessary parts and are asked to make a donation to the running costs. You can find your nearest repair café here.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Chelsea Flower Show digital photo exhibition launched
A digital photo exhibition examining the history of the Chelsea Flower Show (CFS) has been launched. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) archive material looks back at the event from its humble beginnings as a meeting about a potato, then a fete in Chiswick that went on to become one of the biggest gardening events in the details the show's various incarnations over the past two centuries, how it was set up and how the flagship event was promoted in the analogue 2025 show saw tens of thousands of people attend over the five day event - including the King and Queen.
The Sun
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Poundland to shut another store amid wave of closures – see the full list of locations
POUNDLAND has confirmed the exact date it will shut another of its stores for good. This would make it the third shop scheduled to close in coming weeks , with seven other branches having already shut down. The Chiswick High Road store will close for good on Wednesday, May 28, after months of speculation from locals and retail insiders. Signs announcing the closure have now appeared in the shop's windows, and staff had already been quietly informing customers last week. The store's departure from the west London high street follows rumours that the neighbouring Marks & Spencer has plans to expand into the vacated space. M&S recently confirmed a major investment in its Chiswick store but has so far refused to confirm whether the now-empty units on either side form part of its wider development plans. Poundland have confirmed the closure is due to a failure to "agree terms that would allow us to keep trading". A spokesperson said: "We operate from over 800 locations across the UK and Ireland and with so many locations, we constantly review our store portfolio as leases expire or come up for renewal. "We'd like to thank customers in Chiswick and look forward to welcoming them to our nearest store in Acton." Locals have taken to social media to share their disappointment with the latest closure. One shopper said: "This is so sad, I can't believe we're losing another store". Another added: "That's a shame it's closing. The staff are lovely." Whilst a third shared their concern of losing yet another high street name, writing: "We will end up with no shops. At all they are killing of pensioners as well ghost towns we will have all over." Poundland's £1m Elgin store opens Others were confused by the decision writing: "I don't understand, it was so popular, what a shame." Poundland's exit from Chiswick comes as part of a wider wave of closures sweeping the UK. Just last week, stores in Gravesend's St George's Centre, Clapham Junction station in London, and Liverpool's Belle Vale Shopping Centre all pulled down their shutters for the final time. Later this month, the Brackla store in Wales will also vanish from the high street, with its final trading day set for May 24. Other towns and cities have already been hit in recent months. In March, the Connswater Shopping Centre branch in Belfast was forced to shut after the centre entered receivership. Back in October, Maidenhead and Sutton Coldfield lost their local stores, while Macclesfield's branch closed last August. Full list of confirmed Poundland closures: Chiswick High Road – closing May 28 St George's Centre, Gravesend – closed last week Clapham Junction Station, London – closed May 2 Belle Vale Shopping Centre, Liverpool – closed May 6 Brackla, Wales – closing May 24 Connswater Shopping Centre, Belfast – closed end of March Maidenhead – closed October 2024 Sutton Coldfield – closed early October 2024 Macclesfield – closed August 2024 Retail analysts say store closures aren't always a sign of a retailer collapsing, they can sometimes indicate a strategic shift, such as moving to higher-footfall areas or investing in online shopping. But in Poundland's case, the wave of closures is closely tied to the deeper financial troubles facing its owner. Pepco Group, a Poland-based retail giant that operates over 800 Poundland stores across the UK and Ireland, has been grappling with serious challenges. The company made a staggering £642million write-down on its investment last December after Poundland reported a 3.6% drop in like-for-like sales and a 21.5% fall in underlying earnings for the year to September 2024. The situation has since worsened, with like-for-like sales plunging 7.3% in the first quarter of 2025 and revenue down 9.3% in the final three months of last year. Pepco is also facing rising operational costs. Increases in the national minimum wage and employers' National Insurance contributions have hit the retailer's margins hard. Chancellor Rachel Reeves' tax changes have also contributed to the squeeze. In March, Pepco enlisted advisory firm Teneo to explore a possible sale of the Poundland business, raising further questions about the long-term fate of the chain on UK shores. This decision follows Pepco's announcement that it is exploring "all strategic options" to separate Poundland from its portfolio of brands. The £641million profit loss revealed last year was described by Pepco as a 'non-cash impairment,' meaning the group has had to lower the estimated value of Poundland—largely due to reduced expectations of future earnings since acquiring the chain in 2016. Despite this, Poundland insists it remains committed to its UK customer base, pointing to the hundreds of stores still in operation across the country. But for residents in Chiswick, the departure of the local branch will leave a noticeable gap on the high streetand serve as another reminder of how Britain's shopping landscape is changing fast. Further closures could be on the horizon as Pepco reviews its UK operations, with retail watchers keeping a close eye on which stores may be next. RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024. Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."
