During the morning of August bank holiday Monday, you may have noticed, or heard, London’s Air Ambulance in attendance at Paddington Recreation Ground. Landing just next door to Morshead Mansions, the team were responding to an incident close to the park. The bright red helicopter was in the park for just over an hour, before lifting off again to return to its base.
A familiar sight in the London skies, many people may not know that the Air Ambulance relies on public support for 94% of its annual funding. The yearly cost of running this service is around £15,000,000, with the majority coming from donations and the National Lottery.
London’s Air Ambulance was established in 1989, in response to a report by The Royal College of Surgeons, which documented unnecessary deaths from trauma and criticised the care that seriously injured patients received in the UK. Before this service existed, patients that may otherwise have been saved were dying because of the delay in receiving prompt and appropriate medical care.
Aside from the recurring costs, London’s Air Ambulance service recently faced the challenge of replacing the two helicopters it uses as they were near the end of their lifespan. This meant raising an additional £15 million over two years, a feat that they were ultimately able to achieve. As of today, London’s Air Ambulance now operates two state of the art Airbus H135 helicopters, selected for their suitability in built up urban environments.
A quote from their website states ‘We aim to save lives and achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients and their families, bringing hope through our specialist clinical care. With our future secured, we will continue to push the boundaries of pre-hospital care to make sure we are delivering a world-leading service for London for the years to come.’
If you’d like to find out more, or perhaps donate to the ongoing costs, please click here to visit London’s Air Ambulance website.
This year’s Notting Hill Carnival takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend, from the 29th to the 31st. Most Morshead Mansions residents will know that although not directly in the carnival zone, there can usually be some disruption to the local area. So why does this carnival exist and what should residents be aware of?
How the Notting Hill Carnival Began
In August of 1966, local social worker Rhaune Laslett organised a multi-ethnic children’s street fayre. This was initiated to counter the Notting Hill race riots that had been taking place over previous years, fuelled by anti-immigration tensions. Post-war Caribbean immigrants had settled in Notting Hill, and faced severe housing shortages, racism and social exclusion.
So, the event was put on to bring people from different ethnicities together and promote inter-racial harmony through shared music, food and dance. It has continued ever since and this year, the carnival celebrates its 60th year.
What area does the Notting Hill Carnival cover?
Attracting roughly two million people each August Bank Holiday weekend, the Notting Hill Carnival is an annual, community-led street festival that takes place around Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park. Morshead Mansions is to the east of the carnival zone and once the event is underway, access westbound beyond the Harrow Road isn’t possible. It should still be possible to drive through the area on Saturday the 29th, however, during Sunday 30th and Monday 31st multiple roads will be closed off completely to vehicle access.
So, if you need to travel to parts of West London over the Bank Holiday weekend, you will need to plan your route avoiding the carnival area completely. It’s worth bearing in mind that there are also often restrictions to the A40 Westway, as police tend to use this as a a vantage point to view the carnival activity below.
As a rough guide to the areas the carnival covers, the 2025 carnival map is highlighted below. Closer to the event, an official 2026 map will be available on the Notting Hill Carnival website, which you can access by clicking here.
The 2025 Notting Hill Carnival Map
Local Disruptions
If you need to travel over the Bank Holiday weekend, it’s a good idea to allow more time for your journey. Roads around the area are likely to be a lot busier than usual, as will public transport. Local stations, including Maida Vale, are likely to be especially busy in the early evening and there will be no entry to Westbourne Park station from 11am on Sunday and Monday. Night Tube and Night Overground in the local area will not run on Sunday or Monday nights.
Bus routes that will be disrupted include 7, 18, 23, 27, 28, 31, 36, 52, 70, 228, 295, 316 and 328 during the day and the N7, N27, N28 and N31 night buses. Cycle docking stations in the carnival area will be temporarily suspended from 2pm on Saturday the 29th to 8am on Tuesday 1st September.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that most of the carnival’s surrounding areas tend to get used for parking by people who drive to the event. Maida Vale is no exception. You can expect Morshead Road and the surrounding streets to be a lot busier than usual and parking spaces more difficult to find. If you need to go out locally, it may be worth considering walking instead of driving so that you don’t lose your parking spot.
To find out more about the Notting Hill Carnival and what is planned for the weekend, you can visit the official website here.
Following the recent heat wave, there can be no doubt that the summer season is well and truly with us. At this time of year, there’s also little doubt that Morshead residents are very fortunate to be surrounded by the communal gardens on one side and Paddington Recreation Ground to the other. Both are very pleasant places to be when the weather is warm and both can provide a green and leafy sanctuary to while away some free time. So, summer in Morshead Mansions is a very nice place to be!
The street view of our building is looking more colourful with the planting on the balconies coming through. The communal garden is also starting to show an array of colour, and although the recent hot weather has hampered some of the growth, there is still a wonderful variety of planting throughout.
In our recent post for May, we highlighted the importance of being considerate when using the garden, so if you missed this post, please take a minute to have a look. We share this space with our neighbours Wymering Mansions and using it considerately helps to keep it a special place for everyone to enjoy.
Paddington Recreation Ground has a choice of three quiet and secluded gardens close to the Morshead entrance. These gardens offer a peaceful place to relax, and have a variety of colour schemes and styles.
Another secluded space is the Ornamental Garden, which is close to the tennis courts and overlooks the recently updated cricket green. Here, the planting theme is centred around an array of reds and pinks.
So if you get a chance while the sun is shining, be sure to spend some time in both of these lovely areas. We’re fortunate to have them right on our doorstep and summer in Morshead Mansions is looking pretty good so far!
With the weather warming up and summer well and truly with us, it’s a great time of year to get out and about to experience some of the benefits of living in the borough of Westminster. Morshead Mansions residents are fortunate to have a wealth of entertainment within easy reach and there’s always a lot going on. If you feel like exploring the borough, here are some interesting examples of things to do in Westminster this summer…
BST Hyde Park
British Summer Time Hyde Park is a series of music concerts held in London’s Hyde Park, lasting for up to three weeks. BST Hyde Park offers free entry during its midweek event series, known as ‘Open House’, with major weekend concerts requiring paid tickets. The festival transforms the park into an open-air celebration of music, with highlights this summer including Lewis Capaldi, Duran Duran, Garth Brooks, Maroon 5 and Mumford & Sons. If you’d like to find out more, click here.
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
In the heart of Regent’s Park is the wonderful Open Air Theatre. Established in 1932, it was originally known for its Shakespearean productions. It now features a much wider variety of performances, including musicals, operas and plays specially adapted for children.
The 2026 season includes the world premiere of Sherlock Holmes, plus A Life in Four Seasons, Vivaldi’s masterpiece reimagined in a new electric dance work. Also featured will be A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Willaim Shakespear and a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS. For the full schedule and to book tickets, click here.
A Tour of Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace tours usually take place every summer between July and September. For 2026, they will be available from July 9th to September 27th. On these self-guided tours, you’ll have access to the 19 lavishly furnished State Rooms, which are used for receiving guests and official functions. You can also visit the Throne Room and the Grand Staircase, as well as the south side of the garden, featuring views of the lake and the palace.
Amongst the more visited Royal Parks in London such as Hyde Park and Regent’s Park, St James’s Park is one that is often overlooked. Nestled between Buckingham Palace, The Mall and Horse Guards, it’s a beautiful space featuring a small lake with two islands. These are West Island and Duck Island, which is so named named due to the lake’s impressive collection of waterfowl.
A resident colony of pelicans has been a feature of the park since a Russian ambassador donated them to Charles II in 1664. The pelicans are free to roam but tend to stay near the lake. Sociable by nature, they will often settle down on park benches next to visitors. They are usually fed around 2.30pm, next to Duck Island Cottage. This is a free to watch event and one of the more peaceful things to do in Westminster this summer! To find out more, click here.
Churchill War Rooms
The Churchill War Rooms became the centre of operations for the British Government during the Second World War and some of the most important decisions about the course of the war were made here. These rooms are preserved just as they would have been when they were in service and are open daily from 9.30am to 6.30pm.
Areas that can be viewed include the Cabinet Room and the Map Room, where the books, maps and calendars remain as they were the last time the room was used in August 1945. The interactive exhibits include recorded extracts from Churchill’s rousing wartime speeches; hundreds of letters exchanged with his wife Clementine and even one of his favourite cigars. Click here for booking information.
Visit Big Ben!
Big Ben is one of London’s top attractions and if you’ve ever wondered what it might be like inside, you can book a 90-minute guided tour. Once inside, you’ll be taken up 334 stairs to the clock mechanism room. This sits behind the four clock dials that are such a famous part of Westminster’s landscape.
If you’re interested in more community-based events in Westminster, the City of Westminster website features a wide range of varied options. These include IT Help Sessions, Digital Support Sessions, a Board Games Lounge, Lunchtime Music Concerts, Nature Walks and a Lego Club.
If you’d like to find out more about what’s available, you can access the City of Westminster website by clicking here.
Of course, this is just a small selection of things to do in Westminster this summer, much more can be found by searching online. If you feel like trying any of these out, we hope you have a wonderful time!
If you’d like to find out more about the local area, take a look at our previous post ‘Living in Westminster‘.
With summer just around the corner and the weather set to get warmer, we wanted to remind all residents using the garden to be considerate when doing so. Our garden is shared with our neighbours Wymering Mansions and is intended for everyone’s quiet enjoyment.
The garden area is for the use of all residents, and friends when invited, and all are welcome. Please be aware that because of the height of both buildings, sound can tend to echo and be amplified, meaning that the surrounding flats can easily be disturbed by excessive noise, especially in the summer months when most residents will have their windows open.
Please ensure you read and familiarise yourself with the section that relates to using the garden in our ‘rules’ that are listed on the website. These contain items such as children needing to be supervised at all times, earliest times that they can use the garden and restrictions on ball games and rough play that might damage planting.
Considerate use of barbecues is permitted, please always be considerate of smoke or fumes that might disturb other residents, whether in the gardens or via open windows in their flats. Disposable barbecues are not permitted on the grassed areas and due to fire risk and consideration for other residents, the use of fire pits or any open flames is strictly prohibited.
The garden tables and chairs are for everyone’s use, if you move them around, please return them to their original positions before you leave. The coloured picnic tables belong to Morshead Mansions, while all other garden furniture belongs to our neighbours in Wymering Mansions. Private planting, gardening or modification of garden areas is not permitted.
In order to maintain peace and quiet for all residents, the playing of music, amplified sound or musical instruments in the garden is not permitted. When leaving the garden, please remove all litter, food, drink containers and other personal items. If you notice any damage or maintenance issues, please report this to our managing agents.
You are welcome to use the garden for private parties or events, however, you must notify Morshead Mansions Directors well in advance, so that suitable notice can be given to residents in both Morshead Mansions and Wymering Mansions.
If you are using the garden into the evenings, especially in the summer months, please try to keep noise to a minimum and vacate the garden by 10.30pm so that other residents can sleep peacefully if they retire early. Sound tends to travel even more at night.
The communal space is a real asset to residents of Morshead Mansions and Wymering Mansions alike, and we would ask that anyone using the garden takes good care of it, leaving it as they found it. We’d like to wish everyone a good summer, let’s hope that we have plenty of warm and sunny days to enjoy this special place.
The first red brick mansion block to be built in London is thought to be Albert Hall Mansions in Kensington, which was designed by Richard Norman Shaw and constructed in 1876. Designed in the ‘Queen Anne Revival’ or ‘Kensington Style’, the idea was to go for a more ‘fashionable’ aesthetic using red bricks. This differentiated the new mansion blocks from those previously built with the more common yellow bricks, used widely in late Georgian urbanisation.
The yellow bricks were made from London clay and during the 1800’s London was awash with brick-making businesses. These could be found in places such as Brick Lane, Kiln Place in Camden and Notting Hill’s Pottery Lane, which still has an original Georgian brick kiln, standing in the adjacent Walmer Road.
The original Kiln still standing at Walmer Road in Notting Hill
As London grew, more industrial areas were being developed for housing, much like development today. The growth of the Mansion Block coincided not only with the decline of London brick makers but also improved rail and canal networks. This made it more cost-effective to transport mass produced iron-rich, red-firing clays from outside London, predominantly from areas such as Essex, Kent and Sussex, and even as far north as the Midlands and beyond.
At the time when Mansion Blocks started appearing, flat living was largely associated with low-income housing, so using high-quality red brick, combined with decorative ornate finishings, greatly helped to overcome this stigma and open up a whole new way of living for the middle classes and the wealthy.
Red bricks were also often more resistant to the acidic soot and heavy pollution of Victorian London than the more porous local yellow bricks, helping these prestigious buildings maintain their appearance over time.
Albert Hall Mansions, thought to be the first red brick mansion block built in London
There’s no doubt that the introduction of red brick had a positive and lasting effect on London’s architecture. Red brick mansion blocks can be found in some of the capital’s most sought-after areas. These include Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Kensington, Regent’s Park, Marylebone, St John’s Wood, Maida Vale, Hampstead, Chelsea, Battersea, Fulham and Chiswick, and residents of Morshead Mansions are fortunate to live in arguably one of the most beautiful examples of the style.
It’s lovely to see Spring starting to arrive in the Morshead Mansions communal garden. If you go for a wander around our shared space you’ll see a variety of colours starting to break through, giving a real sense of the arrival of spring in Maida Vale.
Spring is the season that’s often referred to as a ‘transition’ time of year. The days get longer, the temperatures start to rise and gardens begin to show signs of life and colour. There are differences in opinion over when exactly winter ends and spring starts. Some people go by Astronomical Spring and others by Meteorological Spring. Meteorological Spring starts on March 1st, while Astronomical Spring begins this year on 20th March.
Meteorological Spring
According to the BBC Weather website, in meteorology, the four seasons are each grouped into three months, with spring occuring during March, April and May. This means that Spring starts on March 1st and summer on June 1st.
Astronomical Spring
Astronomical Spring follows the date of the spring equinox, which is determined by the Earth’s tilt as it travels around the Sun. In the northern hemisphere, the spring equinox varies between March 19th to 21st each year. This year it will begin on March 20thand end on June 21st.
Whichever way of thinking you follow, there’s no doubt that it’s already starting to feel like Spring in Maida Vale. After the greyness and perpetual rain of the Winter, for most people that will feel like a bit of a relief and help to lift the spirits!
Across the road into Paddington Recreation Ground there’s more early Spring colour in evidence. If you have some time, it’s worth having a walk through the various gardens to take a look.
We hope you’re enjoying the warmer weather and if you’d like to find out more about the Morshead Mansions communal gardens, have a look at our previous post ‘Considerate Use of the Garden’.
Residents of Morshead Mansions will no doubt be pleased to hear of the Westminster Council Tax Freeze proposed for 2026-2027. At a time when most local authorities are planning to apply significantly increases to the amounts that residents are charged annually, Westminster City Council has proposed a 2% council tax rise this year. The Council has said it will not make use of a government exemption that would allow it to set an increase above the usual referendum limit next year.
Westminster City Council’s budget for 2026-2027 is set to be formally approved following a vote at Full Council on 4th March, but they have stated that their intention is to help local residents deal with the cost of living pressures and will not apply any significant increases to the amounts charged for 2025-2026.
Westminster has historically had one of lowest upper-tier Band D council taxes in the country and the second lowest in London, so Morshead residents continue to be fortunate to be able to live within the borough and take advantage of this.
If you’d like to find out more about the Westminster Council Tax Freeze and the plans that the council has for the future, just click here. If you’d like to know more about the resources available to residents throughout the borough, you can take a look at our previous post – Living in Westminster.
A reminder to all Morshead Mansions residents that we have a new Managing Agent. As from December 1st 2025, the street is now being managed by Esskay Management Services.
For any matters relating to the building and service charge accounts, please contact them directly. Their details can be found on our website under the ‘Info‘ tab and are also listed here:
It’s that time of year again when many Morshead Mansions residents will be thinking about decorating their flats to get into the Christmas spirit. For those who are fond of real Christmas Trees, you may be wondering where to look to find one.
For many years, the site of the 123 Launderette, on the corner of Elgin Avenue and Shirland Road, has had an annual pop-up shop where you could conveniently buy your tree. However, with the property now undergoing re-development, this is no longer the case.
Where can you find real Christmas Trees locally?
Pines and Needles, the company that used to sell on the launderette site, have an alternative shop which is fairly close to Morshead Mansions. If you head east along Elgin Avenue and over the Maida Vale junction, you can’t miss it. At the corner of Abercorn Place and Hamilton Terrace is St Mark’s Church, where they have a shop outside the Vicar’s residence. They are open from 9am-9pm on weekdays and 8am to 8pm on the weekends.
Clifton Nurseries
Located at 5a Clifton Villas, Clifton Nurseries also have a large selection of Nordmann Fir Christmas Trees. They are open from 9am to 6pm every day except Sunday, when opening times are 11am to 5pm. Clifton Nurseries also offer a delivery service for convenience.
Recycling your Christmas Trees
As with previous years, Westminster Council will have over 25 recycling sites where you can drop your tree off once the Festive Season is over.
The closest site to Morshead Mansions will be on the corner of Grantully Road and Ashworth Road, just a short walk from the block. Only trees taken to recycling points will be recycled and turned into woodchip and soil improver, so please don’t leave them on the street or anywhere else other than the designated sites.
We would kindly ask that residents carrying Christmas Trees in and out of the blocks take all necessary care not to damage any of the internal decorations. We wish all residents a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
