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!
Are you looking for a new dentist that’s close to Morshead Mansions?
With London being so transient and people often moving from one area to another, finding a local and reliable dentist can sometimes be quite challenging. Fortunately, Morshead Mansions residents are lucky to be surrounded by quite a few Maida Vale Dental Practices, a selection of which are highlighted below.
These are listed for informational purposes only, as we’re not specifically recommending any of the practices highlighted. We’d always advise that you do your own thorough research and check their reviews before trying any of them!
Situated at the western end of Elgin Avenue, Maida Vale Dental Practice can be found at 2 Walterton Road, W9 3PN. This practice has been in existence for over 40 years and offers dentistry for all age groups, including children. Their website states ‘The calming atmosphere of our practice combined with our friendly and welcoming staff means that nervous or anxious patients are put at ease from the minute they walk through the door.’
This practice covers the full range of dental needs, including Invisalign Orthodontics, Cosmetic Dentistry, Boutique Whitening, Dental Hygiene and everything else you’d expect to find. The practice accepts both NHS and private patients and is dedicated to providing high-quality, patient-centred care in a warm and friendly setting.
Located at 284 Elgin Avenue, just opposite Maida Vale Station, is Elgin Dental Care. Founded in 1939, their website states ‘New patients are welcome and are offered a thorough check up, so our team get to know your needs. Our practice treats visitors to the UK, others who are working, or staying here for a few years, or residents seeking long term care for their families.’
They also say ‘Good dental skills and confidence in delivering them matter and we work effectively in the atmosphere we create. A welcoming, clean environment is part of this and more importantly, good communication. An ability to listen is key to effective treatment, as is sharing information, from explaining complexity, to suggesting useful home care routines.’
Elgin Dental Care caters for private patients only.
Probably the most modern-looking of the local Maida Vale Dental Practices is Maida Smiles. Located at 207-209 Sutherland Avenue, just opposite the Esso petrol station, the clinic was founded and set up in 2019 by Dr Pedro Gutierres, reportedly in response to ‘London’s growing need for minimally invasive cosmetic dentistry’.
Their website says ‘It’s our goal to become one of the best cosmetic dental clinics, helping and enabling patients from all walks of life to make positive, life-changing decisions about the future of their smile. With an emphasis on cosmetic, restorative and implant dentistry, our highly experienced staff are equipped to take care of any smile problem you might have.’
Located at 176 Shirland Road, this practice has been operating since 2003. As well as general dentistry hygienist services, they offer advanced treatments including invisible braces, dental implants, teeth whitening, as well as wrinkle reducing injections and facial rejuvenation treatments.
W9 Dental Health welcome NHS patients, providing essential oral healthcare subsidised by the UK Government. They also provide private treatment for the services the NHS doesn’t cover and can even provide interest-free payment plans with monthly payments for treatments over £1000.
Also on Shirland Road, at 142, is the Shirland Dental Practice. This practice is led by Dr Hamssa Mansour, who believes that visiting the dentist should be an enjoyable experience, free of fear or anxiety. She believes in giving back to the local community and actively supports local charities, in particular the Down’s Syndrome Association which is a charity close to her heart.
Their website states ‘It’s a small team at Shirland Dental Practice, so each time you will be greeted by a familiar, friendly face. Our dental nurses are fully qualified and highly experienced. All the team at Shirland Dental Practice genuinely care about the health and well-being of our patients and are happy to answer any questions or queries that you may have.’
This clinic can be found at 7 Clarendon Terrace, W9 1BZ, just around the corner from Clifton Parade. Their website states that they use the latest in technology, including materials, techniques, digital x-rays and computer aided intra-oral cameras to provide the highest level of clinical care, as with many other Maida Vale Dental Practices.
They provide Cosmetic Dentistry, Root Canal Therapy, CBCT, OPG, Veneer, minimally invasive dentistry, white fillings, surgery, socket preservation, pain free dentistry, nervous patient management and more, and say that their biggest skill is listening to all patients needs and wants, enabling them to welcome nervous patients, and discuss all possible treatment options – often available with 0% finance.
Needless to say, if you venture a little further afield you’ll find a lot more practices offering similar services, the selection we’ve highlighted though are probably the most convenient to get to from Morshead Mansions.
If you’d like to find out more about Maida Vale in general, just head over to our page titled ‘The Area’.
One of the strange things about living in London is that although we’re constantly surrounded by people, it’s often the case that many don’t really make much of an effort to reach out and talk to each other. Because of this, we can sometimes end up feeling a little bit disconnected. Fortunately, living in Maida Vale, Morshead residents are surrounded by a wealth of opportunity to connect with and meet like-minded neighbours.
What’s available for people living in Maida Vale?
A whole host of resources if you know where to look. For some helpful suggestions, read on…
Maida Vale Library
A good local resource, and one that many people probably wouldn’t think of, is Maida Vale Library. Situated on Sutherland Avenue, the library is open every day except Sundays. There are many useful resources to be found here, such as employment advice sessions, free Wi-Fi, photocopying, printing, scanning, reading groups and room hire. The library also offers a range of community involvement sessions, including the following:
Digital Support
These sessions are available on Mondays and Saturdays and can be booked by calling 020 7641 6200 or by registering at the library desk. Volunteers provide one-to-one support to anyone needing help with a computer or smartphone problem. They can also help beginners who want to get started.
Return to Work Coaching
These events are designed to help people who have been out of work for a while or perhaps had a career break. Provided by The Hustle Factory, they are hosted by Francoise Carbonnel, who comes with more than 25 years of experience. Designed for anyone looking to return to work or enhance their job search strategies, these sessions come with a wealth of valuable resources. The next course is on November 5th, from 10am-11.30am.
Mindfulness for Stress Reduction
A great opportunity to learn some self-care tools to help manage stress, these sessions offer useful advice on taking steps towards a calmer mind. This MBSR taster session is facilitated by Michelle, a British Association of Mindfulness Based Approach (BAMBA) registered Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher. You can contact her directly at hello@thetheraoy.garden. The next session is on Friday October 31st, from 4-5.30pm.
As well as the library, there are other opportunities for people living in Maida Vale to connect with other locals:
Yoga Sessions
Close to Maida Vale Station at the north end of Randolph Avenue is the Iyengar Yoga Centre. Open since 1984, it was founded by BKS Iyengar, who originally taught there. It offers daily beginners classes as well as specialist classes for children, teenagers, pregnancy, 60+, students with neurological conditions and remedial yoga. To find out more, click here.
Canal Boat Rides
The London Waterbus Company runs trips daily from Little Venice to Camden Lock, taking you through Regent’s Park and past London Zoo. These trips take 45 minutes each way and can be booked one way or return. They are scenic and relaxing and offer a unique way to see the local area. If booked online, there are special reductions for children. You can find out more by clicking here.
Nextdoor
Nextdoor is an online app that allows people to connect and interact with other people in their local area. Although Nextdoor connects people worldwide, when you sign up, it will filter for posts in your specific area. Useful for sourcing local tradesmen, restaurant recommendations and local news, it’s also often used for finding such things as cleaners looking for extra work or local second-hand bargains, as well as being a resource for locating lost pets. To sign up to Nextdoor, click here.
The Maida Vale Facebook Group
If you’re a Facebook user, there’s a handy local community group that aims to provide a platform to connect with neighbours, ask questions or advice, share local news and add recommendations.
If you’d like to see more information on living in Maida Vale and Westminster, take a look at our previous post here.
