The Parlour<\/strong> is a quirky boutique salon specializing in vintage, bridal, and bohemian hair styling. They also serve complimentary cakes and cocktails with every service. Established in Chiswick last August, founder Jacqueline said, \u201cThe community has been a big help in getting the word out for us. People out here seem to genuinely want to help the small businesses they love.\u201d<\/p>\n West London Business<\/strong>, as the name suggests, is a Chamber of Commerce for West London, providing services to a membership of 800 or so and promoting West London as a business location. They were established in the area in 2001.<\/p>\n The Good Wine Shop<\/strong> is an independent retail operation specialising in sales of wine, artisan spirits and craft beer. Their Chiswick shop opened 2 years ago, but the business has been operating in West London since 1999, when it began in St Margarets. They also have another shop at Kew Gardens in nearby TW9. Director Mark Wrigglesworth explained that Chiswick is a well known suburb of West London and is highly regarded, so having an address here helps build their profile further afield.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIn Ealing, people are truly passionate about the area. Although this is London, there is a huge community spirit, which we try to embrace as a shopping centre. It is also remarkably beautiful with heaps of parks, greens, trees and hanging baskets,\u201d said Lucy. Jacqueline from The Parlour added, \u201cIt feels like a real community. People look out for each other here.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark from The Good Wine Shop echoed this sentiment: \u201cIt is a very pleasant area to live and work in, it has a great mixture of coffee shops, bars and restaurants and independent traders. The community spirit is very active for a part of a big city. It is an area where you always feel pretty safe too.\u201d<\/p>\n Frank Wingate, Chief Executive of West London Business, listed a number of the area\u2019s key attributes: good commercial base, entrepreneurial, international, high quality of life, and international transport links nearby.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jacqueline mentioned that West London enjoys a slightly slower pace of life. \u201cThe W postcode gives off a certain warm \u2018village-y\u2019 vibe you don\u2019t normally find in big cities\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe heritage of the area, particularly Ealing and its link to the film industry,\u201d helps make the W postcode unique, according to Lucy. \u201cThere is a creative buzz all around and West London is world leading for fashion, style, food and a mecca for all things cultural.\u201d<\/p>\n Frank from West London Business mentioned the proximity of Heathrow Airport, an educated and multicultural workforce, and the excellent universities in the area.<\/p>\n According to Mark, West London combines work in one of the most vibrant big cities in the world with a very friendly and engaging local community.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to Lucy, Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre has very healthy competition from Brent Cross, Westfield London and Kingston. Frank also mentioned the traffic congestion, insufficient public transport, and skills shortages.<\/p>\n Jacqueline explained that \u201cThe main issue we\u2019ve had to overcome is brand snobbery. We\u2019re new, so people don\u2019t know us well enough yet and we (and our prices) often get compared to bigger high street chains.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark added, \u201cIt is a very competitive environment so we have to always be aware of what is going on. It is very fast paced in terms of customers who are often looking towards the latest trends and fashions, which we need to be fully aware of\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lucy stops by Yvon\u2019s patisserie on Oak Road for her caffeine fix. \u201cStrong delicious coffee. Perfectly paired with their almond croissant. And it\u2019s lovely to sip your coffee sitting outside on the pedestrianized street watching people hurry by.\u201d<\/p>\n Staff from The Parlour, meanwhile, can be found at Kitchen & Pantry on Chiswick High Street, while Frank recommends Greedies in Isleworth.<\/p>\n Mark told us that \u201cArtisan at Stamford Brook do the best coffee locally, although Hack and Veldt and Caf\u00e9 Parisienne also offer great coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jacqueline recommends Canta Napoli \u2013 they have a lovely atmosphere and excellent food. Lucy enjoys dining at Farm W5: \u201c[they] do the most delicious salads I have ever tasted and I because addicted to their Aubergine Yoghurt dip when I was pregnant with my daughter!\u201d<\/p>\n Frank suggests Memories Indian restaurant next to Osterley Park, while Mark said \u201cThe Swan on Acton Lane is a bit of a hidden gem when it comes to eating but is not often open during the day. Failing that, the Black Lion down by the river on Black Lion lane serves excellent food.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lucy from Ealing Broadway told us that \u201cAlbertine\u2019s wine bar in Shepherds Bush is amazing. Independent, cozy and home cooked food but exceptional wine selection. And you can pick the owner\u2019s brains about which wine to choose and what cheese to eat with it!\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Jacqueline recommends Charlottes Bistro, as it\u2019s always a good spot for a delicious cocktail on the way home. Mark seconds this recommendation, saying that their cocktails are as good as anything in the West End.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In this month\u2019s instalment of \u201cWhy We Love\u201d, we\u2019ll be taking a look at West London \u2013 from Kensington to Hammersmith, and Chiswick to Ealing. For this edition we\u2019ve interviewed a number of local businesses and influencers to find out exactly what makes the W postcode so special. Local businesses we\u2019ve interviewed: Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre was founded in March 1985, and has become a major part of the local community. In addition to large retailers including Marks & Spencer, H&M, River Island, Next, and Boots, there are also a number of independent shops too. Lucy Thomas, Marketing Manager at Ealing Broadway, explained that businesses in the W postcode thrive as it is a major thoroughfare for commuters, as well as having a stable community of residents. Although the shopping centre were affected by the recession, it is now seeing better quality retailers return, and an upturn in people\u2019s outlook and spending habits. The Parlour is a quirky boutique salon specializing in vintage, bridal, and bohemian hair styling. They also serve complimentary cakes and cocktails with every service. Established in Chiswick last August, founder Jacqueline said, \u201cThe community has been a big help in getting the word out for us. People out here seem to genuinely want to help the small businesses they love.\u201d West London Business, as the name suggests, is a Chamber of Commerce for West London, providing services to a membership of 800 or so and promoting West London as a business location. They were established in the area in 2001. The Good Wine Shop is an independent retail operation specialising in sales of wine, artisan spirits and craft beer. Their Chiswick shop opened 2 years ago, but the business has been operating in West London since 1999, when it began in St Margarets. They also have another shop at Kew Gardens in nearby TW9. Director Mark Wrigglesworth explained that Chiswick is a well known suburb of West London and is highly regarded, so having an address here helps build their profile further afield. Why do you love West London? \u201cIn Ealing, people are truly passionate about the area. Although this is London, there is a huge community spirit, which we try to embrace as a shopping centre. It is also remarkably beautiful with heaps of parks, greens, trees and hanging baskets,\u201d said Lucy. Jacqueline from The Parlour added, \u201cIt feels like a real community. People look out for each other here.\u201d Mark from The Good Wine Shop echoed this sentiment: \u201cIt is a very pleasant area to live and work in, it has a great mixture of coffee shops, bars and restaurants and independent traders. The community spirit is very active for a part of a big city. It is an area where you always feel pretty safe too.\u201d Frank Wingate, Chief Executive of West London Business, listed a number of the area\u2019s key attributes: good commercial base, entrepreneurial, international, high quality of life, and international transport links nearby. What makes the West London area unique from other business centres in the UK and around the world? Jacqueline mentioned that West London enjoys a slightly slower pace of life. \u201cThe W postcode gives off a certain warm \u2018village-y\u2019 vibe you don\u2019t normally find in big cities\u201d \u201cThe heritage of the area, particularly Ealing and its link to the film industry,\u201d helps make the W postcode unique, according to Lucy. \u201cThere is a creative buzz all around and West London is world leading for fashion, style, food and a mecca for all things cultural.\u201d Frank from West London Business mentioned the proximity of Heathrow Airport, an educated and multicultural workforce, and the excellent universities in the area. According to Mark, West London combines work in one of the most vibrant big cities in the world with a very friendly and engaging local community. What are the challenges of operating a business in West London? According to Lucy, Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre has very healthy competition from Brent Cross, Westfield London and Kingston. Frank also mentioned the traffic congestion, insufficient public transport, and skills shortages. Jacqueline explained that \u201cThe main issue we\u2019ve had to overcome is brand snobbery. We\u2019re new, so people don\u2019t know us well enough yet and we (and our prices) often get compared to bigger high street chains.\u201d Mark added, \u201cIt is a very competitive environment so we have to always be aware of what is going on. It is very fast paced in terms of customers who are often looking towards the latest trends and fashions, which we need to be fully aware of\u201d. Where do you go for your morning coffee? Lucy stops by Yvon\u2019s patisserie on Oak Road for her caffeine fix. \u201cStrong delicious coffee. Perfectly paired with their almond croissant. And it\u2019s lovely to sip your coffee sitting outside on the pedestrianized street watching people hurry by.\u201d Staff from The Parlour, meanwhile, can be found at Kitchen & Pantry on Chiswick High Street, while Frank recommends Greedies in Isleworth. Mark told us that \u201cArtisan at Stamford Brook do the best coffee locally, although Hack and Veldt and Caf\u00e9 Parisienne also offer great coffee.\u201d Do you know of a hidden gem for business lunches? Jacqueline recommends Canta Napoli \u2013 they have a lovely atmosphere and excellent food. Lucy enjoys dining at Farm W5: \u201c[they] do the most delicious salads I have ever tasted and I because addicted to their Aubergine Yoghurt dip when I was pregnant with my daughter!\u201d Frank suggests Memories Indian restaurant next to Osterley Park, while Mark said \u201cThe Swan on Acton Lane is a bit of a hidden gem when it comes to eating but is not often open during the day. Failing that, the Black Lion down by the river on Black Lion lane serves excellent food.\u201d Where is your favourite spot for a drink after work? Lucy from Ealing Broadway told us that \u201cAlbertine\u2019s wine bar in Shepherds Bush is amazing. Independent, cozy and home cooked food but<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8386,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[86],"class_list":["post-1041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reports-and-research","tag-why-we-love"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Hammersmith](\"http:\/\/www.instantoffices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/shutterstock_159924344.jpg\")
Why do you love West London?<\/h2>\n
What makes the West London area unique from other business centres in the UK and around the world?<\/h2>\n
![\"Chiswick](\"http:\/\/www.instantoffices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/shutterstock_83714098.jpg\")
What are the challenges of operating a business in West London?<\/h2>\n
Where do you go for your morning coffee?<\/h2>\n
Do you know of a hidden gem for business lunches?<\/h2>\n
![\"strand](\"http:\/\/www.instantoffices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/shutterstock_25198222.jpg\")
Where is your favourite spot for a drink after work?<\/h2>\n