Photo exhibition reveals The Grove in Ealing Broadway in the late 1970s – EALING.NEWS – The Voice of Ealing 7 towns

A free exhibition, EaLing’s 1970s Wasteland – The Grove, featuring previously unseen photographs of the destruction of the Grove in Ealing Broadway in the late 1970s to make way for the new Ealing town centre, will be held at Open Ealing.

Hosted by Ealing Civic Society, the images taken by local photographer Ian Cole between 1978 and 1979 show what happened in the area before the new town center was built in the early 1980s.

At one time the Grove was home to 200 households and consisted of rows of terraced cottages. The area was called unsuitable and plans were made to demolish the area to build a car park, wider roads and new homes in high-rise flats. Residents in the area were said to have been insulted that their homes were considered slums and wanted the area to be upgraded and not demolished.

Speaking to EALING.NEWS about his photos, Mr Cole said: “At the time I was working as a cameraman for animation studios in London, living in Ealing and not quite out of university. I had already started taking photographs in Ealing when Corinne Templar from Ealing Civic Society introduced me to the people who still live in the Grove and the volunteers who support them.”

A few of the houses still survive, but the vast majority have been demolished to make way for the new town centre.

Opening hours for Ealing’s 1970s wasteland – The Grove:

15 June 2024: 13:00-18:00
16 June 2024: 13:00-18:00
23 June 2024: 13:00-18:00
29 June 2024: 13:00-18:00
30 June 2024: 13:00-18:00

at: Open Ealing, Unit 14, School Lane, Dickens Yard, W5 2TD.

A special discussion and viewing will also take place on June 18, 2024, starting at 7:30 p.m.