From a packed events calendar to a waterside location that begs for you to get outside, rental living doesn’t get much better than summer at Greenford Quay. Here’s why this part of West London shines this sunny season.
Our annual summer series promises an exciting programme of events across Greenford Quay. Enjoy a cocktail against a backdrop of live music as the sun goes down at our Eats & Beats evening market or sample the best of West London’s street food at our Street Food Saturdays.
For the movie buffs, our popular outdoor cinema screenings running from 7-11 August promise blockbusters aplenty. Finally, our Canal Festival on 24 August celebrates our wonderful waterfront location with a variety of family-friendly arts, crafts and entertainment.
- Mouth-watering cuisine
Summer is the time to slow down and enjoy the finer things in life. So take a break from cooking and sample some of the tastiest dishes in town at Greenford’s vibrant restaurants. Koz Ocakbasi celebrates authentic Turkish grill culture with a menu of barbecued meat and fresh vegetables, while No.17 Dickens Yard in Ealing Broadway is a lively neighbourhood bar and eatery, perfect for after-work dinner and drinks. For those lazy sunny weekends, head to The Railway, a welcoming pub graced with a large beer garden, offering tempting sharers and pub classics.
- Fun and games
Fancy trying your hand at a new sport? Challenge your friends to a game of FootGolf, give dodgeball a whirl or divide and conquer with the ultimate competitive event, Battle Zone Archery. Horsenden Hill Activity Centre has a whole heap of outdoor activities to spice up your summer. There’s enough to keep the kids entertained over the school holidays too. Try a classic game of pitch and putt or maybe a round of discgolf, a winning combination of Frisbee and golf. If they’re celebrating a summer birthday, book a giant inflatables obstacle course for their special day.
- Surrounded by nature
Enjoy West London’s wildlife while doing your bit to protect it with Ealing Wildlife Group’s programme of events and volunteering opportunities. The group successfully re-introduced a family of Eurasian Beavers to Paradise Fields, marking a crucial step in restoring biodiversity to our local ecosystem.
And you can get involved by helping with one of its local conservation projects, such as getting stuck in at the group’s urban nature reserve in Greenford or by collecting species data while out and about in the borough. If you love capturing nature from behind the lens, submit your entries to the annual photography exhibition, in partnership with Ealing Council. Entries close at midnight on 31 July.
- Waterside location
Soak up the rays from the Grand Union Canal with a spot of canoeing with one of London’s best wild water racing clubs. The Sharks are holding sessions right on Greenford Quay’s doorstep on Mondays and Wednesdays for all ages and abilities (from school Year 3 and up).
The club works with schools and other organisations such as Greenford Quay to provide young people with the opportunity to try different water sports. Find out more.
- Rich culture
When the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming, where better to visit than the world-famous Kew Gardens, just 30 minutes from Greenford Quay? Home to more than 50,000 living plants across the 500-acre UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kew is a great day out for all the family. Discover rare and threatened plants in the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse or bask in the shade of more than 14,000 trees in the arboretum.
If you’re looking to fill your creative cup head to OPEN Ealing, West London’s landmark contemporary art gallery, holding exhibitions, art classes, live music, poetry and theatre. For starters, have a go at life drawing at OPEN’s regular classes being held throughout the summer.
- The great outdoors
Gather your friends, pack a picnic and head out to explore the abundance of parks and open spaces surrounding Greenford Quay. The ancient woodland and diverse wildlife of Horsenden Hill are a great place to start, where you can track down Mouse, Fox and friends on the Gruffalo Trail. Or head to hidden gem Grove Farm, an eight-hectare local nature reserve, buzzing with insects, birdlife and wildflowers.