Ealing, often referred to as the ‘Queen of the Suburbs’, is a delightful blend of urban convenience and suburban charm. Nestled in West London, it offers an appealing mix of green spaces, excellent schools, and a vibrant community, making it a favoured destination for families, young professionals, and retirees alike.
At the heart of Ealing is Ealing Broadway, a bustling area that serves as the main commercial and social hub. Here, you’ll find a wide range of shops, from high-street favourites to unique boutiques, ensuring a diverse shopping experience. Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre is a focal point, providing a convenient location for all your retail needs. The area also boasts an impressive array of restaurants and cafes, offering cuisines from around the world, reflecting Ealing’s multicultural community.
It is benefiting hugely from the new Elizabeth Line station so giving great and fast access eastwards and westwards.
One of Ealing’s most endearing features is its abundance of green spaces. Walpole Park, with its beautifully landscaped gardens and historic Pitzhanger Manor, offers a peaceful retreat from the urban bustle. The park hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including festivals and open-air theatre performances, adding a vibrant cultural dimension to the community. Nearby, Lammas Park and Ealing Common provide ample space for sports, picnics, and leisurely walks, reinforcing the area’s reputation as a green haven.
Ealing is steeped in history, which is evident in its architecture and landmarks. The aforementioned Pitzhanger Manor, once the home of renowned architect Sir John Soane, has been meticulously restored and now functions as a museum and art gallery. This historic house, set within Walpole Park, offers a fascinating glimpse into Ealing’s past. It’s worth noting that there is also the wonderful Sir John Soane’s Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2; it’s one of the best kept secrets in London and a fabulous treasure trove of artefacts. It’s often struck me that individual’s eclectic collections are somehow more interesting than institutional collections because we get an insight into the particular aesthetic sensibilities of a specific person, usually someone extraordinarily wealthy and eccentric from a bygone era.
The Ealing Studios, the oldest continuously working film studio in the world, is another iconic landmark, contributing to the area’s rich cultural tapestry and earning Ealing the nickname ‘The Home of British Cinema’. It hosted the production of so many wonderful British films including ‘Kind Hearts and Coronets’, ‘The Lavender Hill Mob’ and ‘The Cruel Sea’.
