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London/West - informal division of London, England

Location of the West London area in London The outer western suburbs of Greater London form a diverse area that ranges from the densely-populated but tree-lined streets of Chiswick, Acton and Ealing, through to the semi-rural western districts that lie between Heathrow Airport and Uxbridge. As you might expect from the outer reaches of a metropolis, much of West London is suburban 'commuter belt' territory. Even so, a great many centres located on or near West London's key transport links have much to offer both the traveller and casual visitor in the way of accommodation, food, sights and experiences. Tracing a meandering course on the area's southern edge is—of course—the River Thames, the focus of many local opportunities.

Understand

Chiswick House West London's popularity with travellers and short-to-mid-term residents (backpackers, working holiday makers, etc.) can be explained by a number of factors, not least its proximity to Heathrow Airport, London's largest airport, and the area's multiple, easy transport connections with the West End and Central London.

West London was once part of the county of Middlesex, which no longer exists for administrative purposes; Middlesex, however, is sometimes still used as part of the postal address for these areas - don't let this confuse you!

Boroughs

West London consists of numerous suburbs, villages and satellite towns. Several areas are particularly popular with travellers and backpackers on account of their attractions, their facilities and their many accommodation options.

West London consists of the following boroughs:

  • Ealing—the centrally-located Borough of Ealing includes the following areas:
    • Acton, an area popular with visiting Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans. Popular with travellers on account of its entertainment options, relatively cheap accommodation (short stay and rental) and excellent transport links with the rest of London and further afield (Acton has the largest number of Tube and train stations that have 'Acton' in their name). Although part of the London Borough of Ealing, Acton very much retains its own identity.
    • Ealing itself, popularly known as the "Queen of the Suburbs"
    • Southall, also known as 'Little India', and a must-visit if you have the time to venture out of Central London. If you do only one thing when here, make sure you have a curry in one of the many authentic Asian restaurants. However beware, it is notorious for all the general street crime, especially pick pocketing, and may seem run down to an outsider.
  • Hounslow—the borough includes the following areas:
    • Chiswick, a leafy, generally well-heeled district, known for its wide variety of quality shopping and food outlets.
    • Brentford, situated on the main transport links from Heathrow airport to central London, this is a mainly commercial area. The riverside area on the north bank of the Thames has a number of new housing developments and hotels.
    • Hounslow, a largely working class area with many of the residents employed at nearby Heathrow airport. Known for being the king of 99p shops in the whole of London, and a good place to find a deal in its large High Street. It has become home to a multitude of budget and mid-range hotel chains (Travel Lodge, Premier Inn and Best Western amongst others) trading on its proximity to Heathrow Airport and good transport links into Central London.
  • Hillingdon—this westernmost Borough of Greater London includes:
    • Uxbridge, the administrative centre of Hillingdon Borough. A vibrant area on the edge of London, good shopping experience and good transport links to the West End.
    • Hayes, industrial and housing areas with good access to the airport.
    • Ruislip, a residential area with a lido and extensive woodlands, including a national nature reserve.

Get in

By Tube

Ealing Broadway rail and Underground station. Since the time this picture was taken, this station has been modernised to facilitate the new Elizabeth Line, which is now open in two sections.

West London is well served by London Underground (Tube) connections from Central London:

  • Piccadilly Line (solid blue) – runs through Chiswick, then divides at Acton Town with branches to Heathrow and Uxbridge. Heathrow Airport is a special fare sub-zone with journeys between there and Zone 1 being charged at peak rate at all times.
  • District Line (solid green) – runs through Chiswick, then divides at Turnham Green with branches to Richmond and Ealing Broadway
  • Central Line (solid red) – divides at North Acton with branches to Ealing Broadway and West Ruislip
  • Metropolitan Line (solid dark purple) – runs through North London, then divides at Harrow on the Hill with one branch joining the Piccadilly Line to Uxbridge (from Uxbridge to Rayners Lane which is served by both the Metropolitan and Piccadilly Lines, the Metropolitan Line is normally the faster route to Central London)

By train

The following routes are useful for areas of West London not well served by the Tube.

  • South Western Railway — from London Waterloo and Clapham Junction to Chiswick and Hounslow (Chiswick mainline train station is located several hundred metres south of the Great West Road and Chiswick High Road)
  • First Great Western — from London Paddington to Ealing Broadway, Southall and Hayes
  • Elizabeth Line (light purple) — divides into two branches at London Paddington to Reading and Heathrow Airport. The Reading branch goes to Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall, Hayes & Harlington and West Drayton (trains further west are outside of TfL fare zones and require a train ticket). Heathrow Airport is a special fare sub-zone with journeys between there and Zone 1 being charged at peak rate at all times.
  • Heathrow Express — A premium express rail service between Heathrow Airport & Paddington.

By bus

A number of key bus routes exist that can readily transport visitors to West London from the centre of town:

  • Route 27. 24 hour service. Runs to and from Camden/Chalk Farm and Chiswick Business Park, via Baker Street, Paddington, Notting Hill, Olympia and Hammersmith. 2022-03-04
  • Route 94. 24 hour service. Runs to and from Piccadilly Circus and Acton Green, via Bayswater and Shepherd's Bush. 2022-03-04
  • Route 190. Runs to and from Richmond and West Brompton station, via Hammersmith, Ravenscourt Park and Charing Cross Hospital. 2022-03-04
  • Route 607. Runs from Uxbridge to White City via Uxbridge Road and Ealing Broadway station. 2022-04-30

Night bus services to and from Central London are more restricted but incredibly useful once the Tube has closed for the night:

TfL Map of Night Services

  • Route N11. Runs from Fulham Broadway to London Liverpool St in the City of London, via Ealing Broadway Tube station, Victoria, Chelsea and Hammersmith. 2022-03-04

  • Route N207. The N207 night bus covers the same route as the 607 bus, though it terminates at Tottenham Court Road station. 2022-10-17

  • Oxford Tube. Goes from Oxford to London Victoria runs every 15 minutes and stops at Hillingdon tube station on the Piccadilly/Metropolitan line. 2022-03-04

By car

The main routes through West London are:

By plane

Heathrow Airport (IATA: LHR) is in West London, connecting from many international locations.

By taxi

There is a taxi stand. Uxbridge Taxi Services are the most popular services. Uber is also available throughout West London including Uxbridge.

See

Although not nearly as concentrated as Central London, West London's attractions are many and varied:

Landmarks

  • Chiswick House and Gardens, Burlington Lane, Chiswick, ([undefined]Bus 190 (–)), 51.483279°, -0.2587°, +44 20 8995-0508. W-Su and bank holidays 1 Apr-31 Oct 10AM-5PM, Sa until 2PM. Maintained by English Heritage, Chiswick House is a famous and fine example of the 18<sup>th</sup> century Palladian style of British architecture. The third Earl of Burlington (1694–1753), who designed this elegant Classical villa close to the Thames, drew inspiration from his grand tours of Italy, while William Kent was employed to create sumptuous interiors to contrast with the pure exterior. The Neo-Classical gardens, although much reduced from their original size, are the perfect complement to the house. adults £6.10, children £3.70, concessions £5.50, English Heritage members free
  • Boston Manor House, Boston Manor Rd, Brentford, TW8 9JX (tube: , around a mile from the centre of Brentford along the Boston Manor Rd), 51.4919°, -0.3184°, +44 845 456 2800. A Jacobean manor house (built in 1622), it is a pleasant and informative place to while away an hour or two, particularly during the summer when the extensive open parklands to the rear of the building make for a delightful stroll.
  • Ealing Studios. Not open to the public. The oldest film studio in the world.
  • Ealing Town Hall, 5 New Broadway, Ealing, W5 2BY, 51.513156°, -0.307579°, +44 20 8579-2424. Victorian Gothic building built in 1888 and still in use as town hall.

Parks

Osterley Park

  • Ealing Common, Ealing (tube: ), 51.511°, -0.294°.
  • Ealing Green, Ealing, 51.5097022°, -0.3058945°.
  • Fassnidge Park, Uxbridge, 51.5462442°, -0.4849943°.
  • Lammas Park, Ealing, 51.5036906°, -0.3117316°.
  • Osterley Park and House, Jersey Road, Isleworth, TW7 4RB (about a 20 minute walk from tube station), 51.489498°, -0.35289°, +44 20 8232-5050, osterley@nationaltrust.org.uk. House 4 Mar-1 Nov W-Su 1PM-4:30PM, gardens 3 Mar-1 Nov W-Su 11AM-5PM, park 29 Mar-24 Oct 8AM-7:30PM, 25 Oct-28 Mar 8AM-6PM. A Tudor manor house with a neoclassical facade and interior design resembling an Italian palazzo. It was owned by the Child family who were bankers to the royal family. Osterley Park is a popular filming location, the music room while small was used for Batman: The Dark Knight Rises and exterior shots of the house were used for an ITV production of Vanity Fair. House and gardens £13, children 5-16 £4.20, children under 5 free, family ticket (for two adults and up to three children) £21; gardens only £3.70, children 5-16 £1.85, children under 5 free; parking costs £7 for non-members
  • Ruislip Lido, Ruislip (tube: or , off the Ruislip to Northwood Rd). An artificial lake surrounded by woodland, the Waters Edge Pub/Restaurant, a sandy beach (No swimming allowed), narrow gauge railway rides around the lake.
  • Syon Park, Brentford, 51.4761°, -0.3080°, +44 20 8560-0881. House: 24 Mar-31 Oct W Th Su, bank holiday Mondays, Good Friday, Easter Saturday 11AM-5PM (last entry 4:15PM), gardens 10:30AM-5PM daily or dusk if earlier except 25-26 Dec. The stately home of the Dukes of Northumberland for 400 years, Syon House and its 200-acre estate are located between Brentford and Isleworth. The main house was built to a design by the English architect Robert Adams, the grounds laid out by Capability Brown. The Great Conservatory, commissioned to be built in 1826, was featured in the Peter Cook and Dudley Moore film Bedazzled, and is a popular local wedding venue; Syon House itself has appeared in a vast number of period dramas. Well worth a visit. Syon House & Gardens & Great Conservatory £7.50, concessions/child £6.50, family £17.00; Gardens & Great Conservatory £3.75, concessions/child £2.50, family £9.00
  • Walpole Park, Ealing (Just east of the town square). Relaxing experience. There is a small pond and an ice cream stall. There are also great playground facilities, and even a miniature zoo!

Museums

Battle of Britain Bunker plotting room

  • Gunnersbury Park Museum, Gunnersbury Park, Popes Ln, W3 8LQ (tube: ), 51.498°, -0.292°, +44 20 8992-1612, gp-museum@laing.com. Apr-Oct 11AM-5PM, Nov-Mar 11AM-4PM. Local history museum for Ealing and Hounslow, housed in the former home of the Rothschild family. Free
  • London Museum of Water and Steam (formerly known as 'Kew Bridge Steam Museum'), Green Dragon Ln, Brentford, TW8 0EN, 51.489°, -0.2904°, +44 20 8568-4757, info@kbsm.org. Tu-Su 11AM-4PM. This museum of London's water supply is well worth a visit for anyone with an interest in the industrial revolution. Housed in the former Kew Bridge Pumping Station (a fascinating building in its own right), the Steam Museum possesses the finest collection of steam-pumping engines in the world. Different engines are to be seen working on different days, so it is worth checking the website before visiting if a particular engine is of interest. Themed days are a feature of the Steam Museum's calendar, and the purchase of an entry ticket permits limitless further visits throughout the following year. Multi visit ticket £9.50
  • The Musical Museum, 399 High St, Brentford, TW8 0DU (near Kew Bridge[rail] station), 51.4878°, -0.29311°, +44 20 8560-8108. Tu-Su 11AM-5:30PM. Something of an undiscovered gem. It houses a vast collection of working automatic musical instruments, from barrel organs to player pianos and beyond. Tours with knowledgeable and highly enthusiastic guides are highly recommended, as is the opportunity to listen to the Mighty Wurlitzer (which rises from the floor in the main auditorium). In addition to its function as a museum, the venue also hosts occasional cinema screenings of classic films (preceded by music from the Mighty Wurlitzer, or - in the case of silent film - accompanied by it) and houses a popular cafe with Thames views. Among the unusual (and hard-to-find) items usually available in the gift shop are clocks made from 78 rpm shellac discs, and original player piano rolls. £10, concessions £7.50, children under 16 £4 2015-11-04
  • PM Gallery & House, Walpole Park, Mattock Ln, Ealing, W5 5EQ (tube: [rail]), +44 20 8567-1227. Tu-F 1PM-5PM, Sa 11AM-5PM. Houses Pitzhanger Manor House and an art gallery.
  • London Transport Museum Depot, 118-20 Gunnersbury Lane, Acton, London W3 9BQ (Cross over road from tube station then follow signs), 51.505410°, -0.281637°, bookings@ltmuseum.co.uk. Open to general public two or three weekends per year, guided tours more frequently. See website for details. This is the main storage facility of the London Transport Museum, holding items that cannot be fit into the main building at Covent Garden in central London. The building holds a wide range of railway carriages, buses, trams and trolleybuses, mostly restored, and many other exhibits, including signalling equipment, track items, tunnel segments, signs, models, and hundreds of small items. On open days preserved buses operate on tours of the surrounding area. £10 on open days, tour prices variable 2018-01-04
  • Battle of Britain Bunker, Wren Ave, Uxbridge UB10 0GG (about a mile east from station, there is a sign pointing left as soon as you leave the station), 51.5412°, -0.465278°, +44 1895 238154, bunker@hillingdon.gov.uk. 10:30am-4:30pm. The remains of RAF Uxbridge are a museum with the Battle of Britain bunker used to coordinate pilots of the No. 11 Group Fighter Command during World War II. The bunker can only be visited by a tour guide which can be booked via the website. 2021-07-08

Galleries

Other

  • Hounslow Urban Farm, Faggs Road, Feltham, Middlesex TW14 OLZ, 51.461962°, -0.4150756°, +44 20 8831-9658.
  • Brentford Dock, 51.48179°, -0.30223°. Fans of British TV may be interested to know that the riverside area to the south of Brentford High Street is frequently used for outdoor filming by popular series such as ITV's The Bill. The backdrop of the estate (sited on the former Brentford Dock, the terminus for GWR trains transferring goods to the Thames) appears frequently in shows requiring a 'gritty', urban atmosphere. The northern aspect of the Brentford Dock estate belies its extremely picturesque marina (filled with a variety of narrowboats, Dutch barges and pleasure craft) and waterside views, however. Indeed, for connoisseurs of post-war architecture, Brentford Dock is often cited as an example of a successful and aesthetically-pleasing social housing development from a period most commonly characterised by its failures.

Do

Ealing

  • Rugby League: London Broncos, Vallis Way, Ealing, W13 0DD (near Castle Bar Park[rail] railway station, 2tph to [rail] and [rail]), 51.524922°, -0.329496°, +44 20 8799 0404. Play in the Championship, the 13-a-side game's second tier. Their home ground is Ealing Trailfinders Sports Club, capacity 4,000. 2022-01-14
  • Ealing Jazz Festival, Ealing.
  • Ealing Beer Festival, Ealing.
  • Ealing Comedy Festival, Ealing. Ealing hosts an annual comedy festival in the summer. Speaking of comedy in Ealing, in the late 1940s and 1950s Ealing was famous for a series of comedy movies filmed there.
  • Questors, 12 Mattock Ln, Ealing, W5 5BQ, 51.5116°, -0.3097°, +44 20 85675184 (Box Office), jane@questors.org.uk. The cinema is under reconstruction, said to include over 10 screens!.

Brentford

  • Watermans Arts Centre, Brentford, 51.4857°, -0.2987°. The Watermans Centre is one of West London's finest arts and cultural venues. Watermans is especially noted for its promotion of Asian arts, particularly in the fields of visual arts, theatre and comedy. It also houses a leading independent cinema, gallery spaces and a noted Indian restaurant.
  • Brentford FC, Brentford Community Stadium, 166 Lionel Road North TW8 9QT, 51.49°, -0.289°. "The Bees" were promoted in 2021 and now play soccer in the Premier League, the game's top tier. They left their Griffin Park stadium in 2020 and now play at Brentford Community Stadium, capacity 17,250, which they share with London Irish rugby union club. In 2022 the stadium hosted games in the UEFA Women's Euro Finals, postponed from 2021. 2022-07-28

Buy

Shopping in West London is varies depending on area. Chiswick in particular has upmarket shops.

Markets

Shopping centres

Ealing

Ealing Broadway Sq at Christmas time

Uxbridge

Both shopping centres are next to Uxbridge tube station.

  • The Chimes (formerly Intu Uxbridge), High Street, Uxbridge (tube: ), 51.545773°, -0.477235°. M-W & F-Sa 09:30-19:00, Th 09:30-20:00, Su 11:00-17:00. Includes H&M, HMV, Next, Toys R Us, Boots, Chiquito, Frankie & Benny's, Odeon Cinema. 2021-12-16
  • The Pavilions, 18 Chequers Square, Uxbridge, UB8 1LN, 51.5465°, -0.4811°, +44 1895 233926. Home to many high street names including Marks & Spencers and Argos.

Hounslow

  • Treaty Centre, Hounslow (tube: ), 51.468°, -0.364°. Home to the usual retailers you find on many High Streets up and down the country including JD and Debenhams.

Shops

Chiswick

The main shopping area in Chiswick is the Chiswick High Road. It has mostly chain shops:

  • Bookcase, 268 Chiswick High Rd, Chiswick, W4 1PD (tube: or ), 51.492617°, -0.259448°, +44 20 8742 3919. 10am-6pm. A small independent bookshop with a lot of discounted books. Take a look at the tables outside as you pass by. 2020-09-14
  • Foster Books, 183 Chiswick High Rd, Chiswick, W4 2DR (tube: ), 51.492387°, -0.256898°, +44 20 8995 2768. Th-Sa: 11am-5pm, M-W, Su: Closed. Antiquarian bookseller set in a small old-fashioned shop with a curved window. Apparently the oldest bookshop on the Chiswick High Road. 2020-09-14

Ealing

  • The square in Ealing Broadway, Ealing, 51.5124°, -0.3031°. Often eventful, with beautiful decorations at Christmas time and musicians performing in the Summer. Christmas and Easter markets also take place in the shopping centre square.

Uxbridge

  • Barnard's Books, 50 Windsor St, Uxbridge, UB8 1AB, 51.545738°, -0.479988°, +44 1895 232751. Tu-Sa: 10:30am–5pm, Su-M: Closed. A small independent bookshop. There's an extensive WWII section at the back.

Eat

Chiswick

Chiswick is an area of West London with a wide range of options. There are at least 30 restaurants in Chiswick. Chiswick High Road has the usual wide selection of fast food outlets and supermarket food. For the more discerning, an extensive range of restaurants and eateries exists for all tastes and budgets that makes Chiswick a definite destination for the gastronome.

Budget

Mid-range

  • High Road Brasserie, 162-164 Chiswick High Rd, Chiswick, 51.4928366°, -0.2548067°, +44 20 8742-7474. M-Th 7AM-midnight, F 7AM-1AM, Sa 8AM-1AM, Su 8AM-11PM. Highly reviewed in the local and national press. The menu includes brasserie classics, seafood platters, and fancy sandwiches. Daily set menu a real bargain at £15 a head for three courses. Three courses à la carte with wine averages £30-45
  • La Trompette, 5-7 Devonshire Rd, Chiswick (tube: 418 m, 821 m), 51.491862°, -0.255985°, +44 20 8747-1836, info@latrompette.co.uk. Probably the best restaurant in West London, great value French cuisine, excellent wine list. Prix fixe at £23.50 lunch, £29 dinner, although an a-la-carte meal would generally be over £50
  • Old Pack Horse, 434 Chiswick High Rd, Chiswick, W4 5TF (tube: ), 51.492879°, -0.268829°, +44 20 8994 2872. Despite being a Victorian Fuller's pub at the front, there is a Thai restaurant at the back. The menu is extensive, vegan friendly and the allergens are clearly marked. 2021-09-18

Ealing

  • At Thai, 24 New Broadway, Ealing, W5 2XA, 51.513143°, -0.306393°, +44 20 8567 9093. M-Tu, Th-Sa: 11:30AM-10AM. W,Su: 11:30AM-9PM. Inexpensive Thai food with the same menu as Angrid Thai in Oxford. 2020-09-23

Drink

You will never be short of a pub in West London. Upmarket bars and clubs are also plentiful.

Acton

  • The Aeronaut, 264 Acton High St., W3 9BH (walk north from Tube station), 51.508478°, -0.275189°, +44 20 8993-4242, aeronaut@drinkinlondon.co.uk. M-W noon-midnight, Th-Su noon-1AM, F Sa noon-1:30AM. Styled as a 'Pub, Brewery and Circus', the Aeronaut has been turning the Acton pub experience upside down. It was rated "London's Best Pub" by Design My Night Awards in 2018. This theme pub is inspired by Acton-born turn-of-the-century pilot, George Lee Temple (the first Englishman to fly an aeroplane upside down). Features its own micro-brewery and a program of cabaret acrobats and circus performers. 2018-12-08

Ealing

Pubs in the centre of Ealing tend to be lively and rather noisy.

Uxbridge

Uxbridge is home to a many fine eateries and public houses. Many pubs are located along historic Windsor Street.

Feltham

Brentford

Historically (and perhaps unsurprisingly, given its roots as an industrial working-class area) Brentford has been known as a "drinker's town". Indeed, it was long reputed that in the Victorian terraces surrounding the football ground, there was "a pub on every corner". To an extent this is still true today, with a sizable number of small drinking establishments still eking out a living in the backstreets to the west of the Ealing Road. Most are perfectly friendly to outsiders, while maintaining a core clientele of local drinkers, primarily men.

For the visitor to Brentford seeking a more eclectic drinking culture, pubs such as:

Visitors might wish to note that pubs such as the Albany Arms and Beehive are most heavily patronised by locals who might be less welcoming to outsiders than in the pubs noted above.

Beer-lovers with a taste for sampling local brews should note that many of Brentford's pubs are 'tied houses' (owned by the brewery rather than the landlord) serving Fuller's ales. Fuller's are a local brewers based in Chiswick (although serving a country-wide market for beers such as London Pride), less than 2 miles along the Thames. Drinkers can thus be assured that their pint of Fuller's is, if nothing else, both local and fresh.

Sleep

With its proximity to Heathrow Airport, Uxbridge has some good hotels. Many independent pubs offering accommodation in the local area.

Budget

Mid-range

Connect

Go next

West London

Date Time:Please wait...Timezone:Europe/LondonCoordinates:51.53, -0.26

Greater London

2nd-order administrative division

England

Primary administrative division

United Kingdom

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