Park Royal
Encyclopedia
Park Royal is an area in northwest London
, UK. It is the largest industrial and business park in London, occupying about 500 hectares (1,235.5 acre), and is promoted commercially by the Park Royal Partnership
(PRP). Park Royal covers part of London Borough of Brent
, London Borough of Ealing
and London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
.
The Central Middlesex Hospital
along with an Asda
supermarket
are both located at Park Royal Central.
On the northern side is the Network Rail
depot at Stonebridge Park
, which also has London Underground
Bakerloo Line
tracks running through it (and Harlesden
station nearby). On the eastern side, Park Royal is bound by Acton Lane and Park Royal Road (B4492). The Central Middlesex Hospital
is located here. On the southern side is the arterial Western Avenue (A40
), which leads to the Hanger Lane Gyratory System
. Park Royal Underground station
, on the Piccadilly Line
is located just off Western Avenue. To the west of Park Royal is the North Circular Road
(A406
).
As well as many small industrial firms, Park Royal is home to some large company buildings, including McVities and Heinz
. The old Guinness
brewery and sports ground site at the south-western extremity of the district has now been totally demolished. The first building erected adjacent to the new roundabout and bridge link to Western Avenue is occupied by international drinks company Diageo
, owners of the Guinness brand and the redevelopment site http://www.firstcentral.co.uk/start.htm. The Female Health Company which manufactures Femidoms has its worldwide manufacturing plant here too.
The Grand Union Canal
runs through the middle of the Park Royal industrial estate, with pedestrian access via the towpath.
as a permanent exhibition site for the society's annual show. After only three years the society sold the site, and returned to a touring format for its shows. With its road, rail and canal links, Park Royal was subsequently developed for industrial use, mainly during the 1930s.
For many years it was a centre of engineering, with firms including Park Royal Vehicles
, GKN
and Landis and Gyr
. A summary of industrial development up to 1980 is given in.
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
played on two grounds within Park Royal. The first was the Horse Ring, later the site of the Guinness brewery, which had a capacity of 40,000. When the Royal Agricultural Society sold the grounds in 1907, QPR moved to the Park Royal Ground, 400 yards (365.8 m) south, an almost exact replica of Ayresome Park
, with a capacity of 60,000. The club were forced to move out in February 1915 as the ground was taken over by the Army
.
The Guinness Sports Club hosted some of the field hockey
events for the 1948 Summer Olympics
.
In recent years, Park Royal has been a site for illegal squat parties, due to the presence of disused industrial buildings and remoteness from domestic housing.
's office published a draft Planning Framework which aspires to maintain, "growing economic clusters of food/drink, transport/logistics and television/film." The framework does not preclude use of parts of the site for housing.
In summer 2011, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham launched a 'Park Royal City' plan for Old Oak Common
, based around the immediate eastern border of Park Royal, including light-rail lines to surrounding areas.
, 226
, 228, 260, 440, 487 and PR2 serve the Asda and the hospital.
has its head office in Park Royal and in the London Borough of Brent
, on a former Guinness
brewery property. The brewery was closed in 2004; it had produced beer since 1936. Diageo planned to move its head office to Brent from Central London when the lease on the Central London office expired in 2010.
and the North and West London Light railway
.
In 2004, the multinational Diageo
company agreed to build extra Central Line platforms at Park Royal tube station
, as part of its First Central business park, built on the site of the (now demolished) Guinness
brewery. As of early 2011 this had not yet happened.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, UK. It is the largest industrial and business park in London, occupying about 500 hectares (1,235.5 acre), and is promoted commercially by the Park Royal Partnership
Park Royal Partnership
Park Royal Partnership is an urban regeneration partnership, promoting the economic development of Park Royal, London, Europe’s largest industrial area.-Activities:...
(PRP). Park Royal covers part of London Borough of Brent
London Borough of Brent
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 2,022. This rose slowly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 5,646 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth increased...
, London Borough of Ealing
London Borough of Ealing
The London Borough of Ealing is a borough in west London.-Location:The London Borough of Ealing borders the London Borough of Hillingdon to the west, the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Brent to the north, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to the east and the London...
and London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
.
Location
Park Royal contains over 1,200 businesses, employing an estimated 35,000 workers.The Central Middlesex Hospital
Central Middlesex Hospital
Central Middlesex hospital is in the centre of the Park Royal business estate, on the border of two London boroughs, Brent and Ealing.-Hospital role:CMH is a teaching hospital of Imperial College School of Medicine and part of the...
along with an Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
are both located at Park Royal Central.
On the northern side is the Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
depot at Stonebridge Park
Stonebridge Park
Stonebridge Park could refer to:*Stonebridge Park, Liverpool, a new business centre in Liverpool*Stonebidge Park junction, a major junction in North-West London*Stonebridge Park station, a tube station in Tokyngton, London...
, which also has London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
Bakerloo Line
Bakerloo Line
The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
tracks running through it (and Harlesden
Harlesden
Harlesden is an area in the London Borough of Brent, northwest London, UK. Its main focal point is the Jubilee Clock which commemorates Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee....
station nearby). On the eastern side, Park Royal is bound by Acton Lane and Park Royal Road (B4492). The Central Middlesex Hospital
Central Middlesex Hospital
Central Middlesex hospital is in the centre of the Park Royal business estate, on the border of two London boroughs, Brent and Ealing.-Hospital role:CMH is a teaching hospital of Imperial College School of Medicine and part of the...
is located here. On the southern side is the arterial Western Avenue (A40
A40 road
The A40 is a major trunk road connecting London to Fishguard, Wales and officially called The London to Fishguard Trunk Road in all legal documents and Acts...
), which leads to the Hanger Lane Gyratory System
Hanger Lane Gyratory System
The Hanger Lane gyratory is a large, complex roundabout system at the intersection of Western Avenue , the North Circular and Hanger Lane in the borough of Ealing in west London. It covers an area of about 30,000 square metres. An above-ground section of the London Underground Central Line passes...
. Park Royal Underground station
Park Royal tube station
Park Royal is a station on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground. It is between and and is in Travelcard Zone 3. It is situated on the south side of the east-west Western Avenue , surrounded by residential Ealing and industrial Park Royal...
, on the Piccadilly Line
Piccadilly Line
The Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with...
is located just off Western Avenue. To the west of Park Royal is the North Circular Road
A406 road
The A406 or the North Circular Road is a road which crosses North London, UK, linking West and East London. It, together with the South Circular Road, forms a ring road through the inner part of Outer London...
(A406
A406 road
The A406 or the North Circular Road is a road which crosses North London, UK, linking West and East London. It, together with the South Circular Road, forms a ring road through the inner part of Outer London...
).
As well as many small industrial firms, Park Royal is home to some large company buildings, including McVities and Heinz
H. J. Heinz Company
The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
. The old Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
brewery and sports ground site at the south-western extremity of the district has now been totally demolished. The first building erected adjacent to the new roundabout and bridge link to Western Avenue is occupied by international drinks company Diageo
Diageo
Diageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
, owners of the Guinness brand and the redevelopment site http://www.firstcentral.co.uk/start.htm. The Female Health Company which manufactures Femidoms has its worldwide manufacturing plant here too.
The Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
runs through the middle of the Park Royal industrial estate, with pedestrian access via the towpath.
History
The name Park Royal derives from the short-lived showgrounds opened in 1903 by the Royal Agricultural SocietyRoyal Agricultural Society
The Royal Agricultural Society of England was established in the United Kingdom in 1838 with the motto "Practice with Science". The RASE aim is to promote the scientific development of agriculture. The society received its Royal Charter from Queen Victoria in 1840.From its early days the society...
as a permanent exhibition site for the society's annual show. After only three years the society sold the site, and returned to a touring format for its shows. With its road, rail and canal links, Park Royal was subsequently developed for industrial use, mainly during the 1930s.
Park Royal Vehicles
Dating its origins back to 1889, Park Royal Vehicles along with its Leeds-based subsidiary Charles H. Roe was one of Britain's leading coachbuilders and bus manufacturers based at Park Royal, west London, UK.-Associated Commercial Vehicles:...
, GKN
GKN
GKN plc is a multinational automotive and aerospace components company headquartered in Redditch, United Kingdom. The company was formerly known as Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds and can trace its origins back to 1759 and the birth of the Industrial Revolution.GKN is listed on the London Stock...
and Landis and Gyr
Landis+Gyr
Landis+Gyr, until early 2008 The Bayard Group, is a company focused on metering and other technologies which deal with management of scarce resources. Founded by Cameron O'Reilly, who is currently CEO, it has a revenue in excess of 1.25 billion USD per annum...
. A summary of industrial development up to 1980 is given in.
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
played on two grounds within Park Royal. The first was the Horse Ring, later the site of the Guinness brewery, which had a capacity of 40,000. When the Royal Agricultural Society sold the grounds in 1907, QPR moved to the Park Royal Ground, 400 yards (365.8 m) south, an almost exact replica of Ayresome Park
Ayresome Park
-External links:**-References:...
, with a capacity of 60,000. The club were forced to move out in February 1915 as the ground was taken over by the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
The Guinness Sports Club hosted some of the field hockey
Field hockey at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Final results for the field hockey competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics:Only a men's competition occurred that year.-Medal summary:Note: The shows also only these players as medalists. They all played at least one match during the tournament...
events for the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
.
In recent years, Park Royal has been a site for illegal squat parties, due to the presence of disused industrial buildings and remoteness from domestic housing.
Development
It is public policy to maintain Park Royal as an industrial area. It is designated as an Opportunity Area, and in 2008 the Mayor of LondonMayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
's office published a draft Planning Framework which aspires to maintain, "growing economic clusters of food/drink, transport/logistics and television/film." The framework does not preclude use of parts of the site for housing.
In summer 2011, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham launched a 'Park Royal City' plan for Old Oak Common
Old Oak Common
Old Oak Common is an area of London between Harlesden and Acton known for its railway depots, particularly Old Oak Common TMD. Further south lies an open area, Wormwood Scrubs Park, and Wormwood Scrubs prison...
, based around the immediate eastern border of Park Royal, including light-rail lines to surrounding areas.
Buses
Routes 187, 224London Buses route 224
London Buses route 224 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, UK. The service is currently contracted to First Centrewest.-History:Route 224 was introduced on 24 February 1990 using MCW Metrobus double-deckers...
, 226
London Buses route 226
London Buses route 226 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to First Centrewest.-History:When the 226 began in the early 1950s it was very different from the way it is today...
, 228, 260, 440, 487 and PR2 serve the Asda and the hospital.
Tube
- Park Royal stationPark Royal tube stationPark Royal is a station on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground. It is between and and is in Travelcard Zone 3. It is situated on the south side of the east-west Western Avenue , surrounded by residential Ealing and industrial Park Royal...
, for the Piccadilly linePiccadilly LineThe Piccadilly line is a line of the London Underground, coloured dark blue on the Tube map. It is the fifth busiest line on the Underground network judged by the number of passengers transported per year. It is mainly a deep-level line, running from the north to the west of London via Zone 1, with... - Hanger Lane stationHanger Lane tube stationHanger Lane tube station is a London Underground station. It is located on the West Ruislip branch of the Central Line, between Perivale and North Acton stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station is located in Hanger Hill....
, for the Central lineCentral LineThe Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
Economy
DiageoDiageo
Diageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
has its head office in Park Royal and in the London Borough of Brent
London Borough of Brent
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 2,022. This rose slowly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 5,646 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth increased...
, on a former Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
brewery property. The brewery was closed in 2004; it had produced beer since 1936. Diageo planned to move its head office to Brent from Central London when the lease on the Central London office expired in 2010.
Future
Three possible transport services have been proposed for the area; the West London Orbital, FastbusFASTBUS
FASTBUS is a computer bus standard, originally intended to replace CAMAC in high-speed, large-scale data acquisition.- Description :...
and the North and West London Light railway
North and West London Light Railway
The North and West London Light Railway , formerly proposed-named as Brent Cross Railway, is a potential light rail service proposed by the London group of the Campaign for Better Transport, intended to serve parts of north, northwest and west London, being similar to the Docklands Light Railway...
.
In 2004, the multinational Diageo
Diageo
Diageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
company agreed to build extra Central Line platforms at Park Royal tube station
Park Royal tube station
Park Royal is a station on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground. It is between and and is in Travelcard Zone 3. It is situated on the south side of the east-west Western Avenue , surrounded by residential Ealing and industrial Park Royal...
, as part of its First Central business park, built on the site of the (now demolished) Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
brewery. As of early 2011 this had not yet happened.