Good Morning Neighbour! ☕
Someone at work wished me a Happy New Year earlier this week. It’s about time I told them we’ve already spoken at least five times since the new year. Also, it's February now.
In today’s Good Morning Pinner:
Morrisons Hatch End car wash returns
Roxbourne Miniature Railway call for volunteers
Pinner Women in Business meetup this Thursday
Let’s dive in.
- Chinar
This Week in HA5
It was an exhausting week for anyone travelling on the Metropolitan line. The week kicked off with minor delays on Monday and Tuesday due to driver shortages. Both Thursday morning and Friday evening saw severe delays across different sections of the route.
The long-awaited car wash at Morrisons Hatch End is now open again. It was closed early last year to make way for EV charging points. This is the only car wash in Hatch End and has been a big part of the community. Hatch End Councillor Matthew Goodwin-Freeman was regularly sharing progress updates on his socials over the past few weeks.
The Paines Lane Cemetery entrance refurbishment is complete. The walls, pillars and gates have been repaired after the Pinner Association prepared a detailed report in 2024 to draw Cllr Paul Osborn’s attention, who assisted in getting these works progressed by the Council.
Meet the Lovely Humans
Say hello to the lovely human at Carlen's Canines & Companions
Carlen has been based in Pinner most of her life, and started Carlen’s Canines & Companions right here eight years ago. What began as a local dog business has grown into a familiar face for many four-legged residents (and their humans) in Pinner.
Her favourite part of the job? Simple: meeting people and their dogs every day. It’s the connections that make it worthwhile.
She says there are no big “secrets” behind the business, just genuine care, consistency, and knowing some excellent local walking spots that regulars happily swear by.
When she’s off duty, you might find her grabbing a sausage roll from Meat Like It Used To Be or treating herself to pizza from The Social Dough.
Carlen describes the business as pretty transparent: what you see is what you get, a community-first service built on relationships, routine, and lots of happy dogs.
Get in touch:
🌐 https://www.carlenscaninesandcompanions.co.uk
📸 https://www.instagram.com/carlenscompanions/
Local Business News
The Pinner Women in Business meetup is back this Thursday! A lot of people reached out when I first posted about it in a recent issue. If you are running a business in or around Pinner, join the group this Thursday at The Whittington from 10:30am-12:30pm.
Civic Updates
Harrow Council and Meanwhile Space are organising a free online workshop for the council's Buildings Back to Life initiative on Thursday 12 February. They will discuss the key elements of a business plan, including defining and developing your idea, social impact, inclusivity, space management, projecting revenue and running costs. Register here.
What’s Happening This Week
(Got an event or activity you're organising? Hit reply and let me know – I'll shout it out next week!)
Events with (£) are paid.
Board Game Mondays | Queen's Head | Mon 9 Feb | 7:30pm - Free entry, bring your A-game (and maybe not Monopoly if you value friendships)
Adult Theatre Dance Class | Compass Theatre, Ickenham | Tue 10 Feb | 7:30pm (£) - Every month you learn a new routine from a musical. The first class is free to try. Email Leanne to book
Quiz Night | Queen's Head | Tue 10 Feb | 8pm (£) - £2 entry, with £1 going to Mount Vernon Cancer Centre – who's joining the trivia team?
Galentine's Sip and Paint | Queen's Head | Wed 11 Feb | 7-9:30pm (£) - ickets here
Quiz Night | Three Wishes Pinner | Wed 11 Feb | 7:30pm (£) - £3 entry per person, £50 bar tab for the winning team
Quiz Night | The Ascott | Wed 11 Feb | 8pm (£)
Speed Quiz | The Whittington | Thu 12 Feb | 8pm (£) - £3 entry, with cash prizes on offer
Ruislip Country Market | St Martin's Approach Car Park | Fri 13 Feb | 10am-12pm
Activities for Children
Junior Parkrun | Pinner Village Gardens | Sun 8 Feb | 9–9:45am
U9s Training and Trials | Parkfield Youth FC | Every Wednesday 6-7pm - Contact Jason at 07772671464 before attending.
Rapunzel Musical | Harrow Arts Centre | 14-16 Feb (£) - Tickets from £14, book here
Theatre
Home, I'm Darling | Pinner Village Hall | 19-21 Feb (£) - Tickets from £15, book here
The events and activities list is growing as I speak with more organisers each week to gather events. Reply to this email and let me know what you'd like to see here!
Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.
Community Corner
A lovely reader who volunteers with the Roxbourne Miniature Railway reached out to let me know they are looking for volunteers. If you've ever wondered what it feels like to be a train guard, this is your chance to experience it!
Northwood Youth FC White are looking for a reliable, confident goalkeeper to join their U14s. The group trains on Wednesdays and Saturdays with matches on Sundays during the season. Contact [email protected] for more details.
Transport
No planned disruptions on the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines next weekend. This is a 3-week streak now.
I was quite pleased with this last weekend, until the Met line caused havoc to everyone's commute later in the week. Nevertheless, I remain optimistic about the "no planned disruptions" streak.
Dog of the Week
(Something to cheer you up even more after reading about the good service next week.)
Say hi to Shelby!
📸 LNC Walks
Shelby is our beautiful fox-like Romanian rescue with an Einstein-level brain to match. When she first joined us, she was highly reactive to anything with a pulse, barking at the world around her. Over time, Shelby hasn’t just learned new skills; she’s learned how to create her own behaviours, even problem-solving in real time - like going to fetch the door keys when it’s time to head out.
Now she’s living her absolute best life alongside her fur friends and proudly holds her place as one of our role model dogs. She’s come an incredible distance, confidently showing new dogs how things are done, all while remaining compassionate, clever, and unapologetically sassy. Just the way we love her.
Shared by LNC Walks
Closing
Thank you for reading Good Morning Pinner today.
Reply with one local event happening next week – I read every email!
See you next Sunday, same time, same place.
P.S. - If you found something useful, please share it with a neighbour!