Good Morning Neighbour! ☕
Cabinet has a decision to make this week, and it comes with a number that will make fly-tippers wince. The festive season has its first proper date on the calendar, and a Stanmore sixth form has been named School of the Year.
In today's Good Morning Pinner:
Harrow's fly-tipping penalties going to Cabinet
A map of the borough's fireworks hotspots
A Stanmore sixth form named School of the Year
Let’s dive in.
- Chinar
If someone forwarded this to you, you can get the Pinner updates every Sunday at goodmorningpinner.com.
This Week around HA5
Pinner's Christmas trees and lights have a switch-on date. The Mayor of Harrow, Cllr Yogesh Teli, will switch them on at the High Street War Memorial on Wednesday 25 November, 4.30pm to 5.30pm, with local school choirs singing festive songs. The Pinner Association funds the trees and the festive lights on the High Street, so it is very much a neighbourhood evening rather than a council one. Details
Avanti House Sixth Form in Stanmore has been named School of the Year. The award was given on 5 November at the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards, run by Pathway Group with NOCN Group, which recognise schools and organisations helping young people into apprenticeship opportunities. Avanti House took it for its careers programme, which helped students secure more than 26 degree apprenticeship offers this year, with employers including Google, the BBC, Unilever, EY, PwC and Deloitte. The sixth form is rated Outstanding by Ofsted following a June 2025 inspection, and Principal Simon Arnell said: "This award belongs first to our students, who have worked with determination and ambition." Details
Meet the Lovely Humans
This week's lovely human is Donna Hilton, who owns ThePawsHQ, a small family-run pet business based in Ruislip.
Willow and Reggie love a good snack from ThePawsHQ
"Hi, I'm Donna, owner of ThePawsHQ! I have always loved animals, so in March 2026 I took a leap and turned my passion for animal welfare into my own business. I love knowing I'm helping pets enjoy delicious, natural treats without unnecessary additives."
The bit she secretly loves most: there is not much secret about it. "ThePawsHQ is a real passion project," she says, and every order means the world to them.
The treats themselves: natural dog treats and chews, with simple, quality ingredients and nothing unnecessary in them, and a lovely variety of treats and bundles for pups of all sizes.
When she's off-duty, you'll most often find her on a long walk around Ruislip Lido or one of the local parks, stopping to chat with fellow dog owners along the way. Home with her are Willow, her six-year-old German Shepherd, Reggie, her seventeen-month-old Labrador, and three crazy cats.
She would love to connect with more local pet owners, and is hoping to be at some local fairs soon.
Want to take the spotlight next week? Hit reply with a name and the one line that makes someone impossible to forget.
Local Business News
A banqueting hall for 530 guests has been approved at the old Debenhams in Harrow town centre. Planning permission was granted on 10 November for the fourth floor of Sambhav House, 275-287 Station Road, with the space to be used for weddings, receptions, corporate events and cultural celebrations. The work is mostly internal, guests would arrive through the old staff entrance on Greenhill Way, and there is step-free access from Station Road using the existing lift. Opening hours would be 9am to midnight, seven days a week, and no opening date has been announced yet. Details
What’s Happening This Week
General
Ruislip Duck Pond Market | The Great Barn, Manor Farm, Pinn Way, Ruislip HA4 7QL | Sun 15 Nov | 10am-3pm - The regular Ruislip artisan market with local artists, crafters, food producers and street food stalls, plus live musicians. Market details
Sunday Sound Bath | Eastcote House Gardens, High Road, Eastcote HA5 2FE | Sun 15 Nov | 10.45am-11.45am (£17) - An hour to rest, reset and recharge in the gardens, with your own mat, blanket and pillow. Book here
The Genie and Other Stories | Heath Robinson Museum, Pinner Memorial Park, 50 West End Lane, Pinner HA5 1AE | Sun 15, and Thu 19 to Sun 22 Nov | 11am-4pm (£8, £2 for 5 to 15s) - Michael Petry's glass and jewellery sits alongside Heath Robinson's Arabian Nights illustrations, and the museum is open Thursday to Sunday all week. Details
Borehamwood Community Choir | Ruislip Manor Methodist Church, Torrington Road, Ruislip HA4 0AS | Sun 15 Nov | 2.30pm-4pm (free) - Classic pop from the 50s, 60s and 70s, and you are welcome to sing along. Donations go to Karibuni Children in Kenya and Addo School in South Africa. Details
Sunday Sound Bath | Pinner Village Hall, Chapel Lane, Pinner HA5 1AA | Sun 15 Nov | 5pm (£20) - A sound bath to reset for the week ahead, with the bowls doing most of the work. Book here
Winter Reds & Cheese Tasting | Mouse & Grape, 120 Marsh Road, Pinner HA5 5NA | Tue 17 Nov | 7.30pm (£50) - An evening built around warming winter reds, tasting through four red wines from smooth and elegant to bold and full-bodied, each one paired with a different artisan cheese. Book here
The History of Ruislip Lido and its Railway | St Martin's Church Hall, High Street, Ruislip | Tue 17 Nov | 8pm (£3) - Local historian David Ray, who is also a member of the Ruislip Lido Railway, on how the lido and its train came about. Details
Yoga for Stress Release | Cannon Lane Methodist Church, Pinner HA5 1JD | Wed 18 Nov | 7.30pm-8.30pm (£15) - A gentle, supported hour of yoga built around breathing, mantra and meditation rather than effort or achievement. Book here
Jingle all the Way | Pinner Village Hall, Chapel Lane, Pinner HA5 1AA | Wed 18 Nov | 7.30pm-10pm - The Hatch End Flower Arrangement Group's festive session, and a good excuse to get the wreath or the table arrangement finished in time for December. Details
Beaujolais Day Tasting | Mouse & Grape, 120 Marsh Road, Pinner HA5 5NA | Thu 19 Nov | 7.30pm (£50) - Four wines from the Beaujolais region, including the newly released Beaujolais Nouveau, each paired with a French cheese. Book here
Mendelssohn Christmas Cantata | Pinner Parish Church, Church Lane, Pinner HA5 3AA | Sat 21 Nov | 7.30pm-10pm (£17) - The Christmas Cantata and choral treasures by Parry, Stainer and others, sung in the church. Concessions £15 and under-19s free. Book here
Free Forest Bathing | Kenton Recreation Ground, Carlton Avenue, HA3 8AX | Sun 22 Nov | 11am (free) - A slow, peer-led sensory walk through the park with the ParkBathe community team. Meet at the Carlton Road car park five minutes beforehand. More info
Activities for Children
Baby and Child First Aid | Ruislip Manor Farm Stables, Bury Road, Ruislip HA4 7QL | Sun 15 Nov | 11.30am (£30) - A practical session for parents, grandparents and carers on what to do in an emergency. Book here
Ruislip Lido Railway | Woody Bay and Willow Lawn stations, Ruislip Lido, Ruislip | Sun 15 and Sun 22 Nov | from around 12.20pm (adult £3.50, child £1.80) - Mad Bess the steam locomotive runs on Sundays at Ruislip Lido, with departures every 20 minutes from Woody Bay by the beach and the splash pad, or from Willow Lawn by the turntable and the tea room. Under 3s go free. Timetable
BACCES: Beauty & The Beast | Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes UB3 2UE | Wed 18 to Sun 22 Nov | evening shows, plus 2pm Sat and 1.30pm Sun - The British Airways Cabin Crew Entertainment Society's 55th annual pantomime, two and a half hours of song, dance and comedy, and suitable for all ages. Tickets
Ruislip High Street Christmas Lights | Ruislip High Street | Fri 20 Nov | 5.30pm (free) - Festivities from 5.30pm with carols from a local school at 5.45pm, and the Deputy Mayor of Hillingdon switches the lights on at 6pm. All welcome. Details
Michael Sobell House Winter Market | Fundraising Hall, Michael Sobell Centre, Gate 3, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood HA6 2RN | Sat 21 Nov | 10am-3pm (£3, under-5s free) - Festive stalls, seasonal treats, a raffle and a tombola, with parking free and the money going to Michael Sobell House and Harlington Hospice. Details
Plan Ahead
Festive Fun at the Woodland Centre | Ruislip Lido | Sat 5 Dec | 11am-1pm or 1.30-3.30pm (£4 per child, adults free) - Fun and games in the woods, then back to the Woodland Centre to make Christmas tree decorations. It suits ages 5 and over with their adults, and spaces are limited, so book ahead on 07961 157215. Details
Santa Special | Ruislip Lido Railway | Sat 5 and Sun 6 Dec | from 11am (£20, babies under 18 months £4) - A 12-minute train ride through the woods to Santa's grotto at Woody Bay, with a present for every child and a complimentary hot drink and mince pie for the grown-ups. You must book. Book here
Christmas at Roxbourne Railway | Roxbourne Park, Opposite Venue 5, Field End Road, Eastcote HA4 9PB | Sun 6 Dec | 1pm-4pm (£2 per ride) - Costumes welcome at the small community railway opposite Venue 5, with no need to book and cash or card accepted on the gate. More info
Organising an event? Submit it here to get it added.
Civic Updates
Harrow could start fining fly-tippers up to £5,000, and Cabinet votes on it on Thursday 19 November. The standard notice stays at £1,000, but serious cases could get a £5,000 penalty, which needs a senior officer's sign-off and could also end up in court. Littering would rise from £500 to £750, and breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order from £100 to £500. The council's own line is that fixed penalty notices must not be used as a revenue-raising mechanism. Details
Harrow has mapped 95 fireworks hotspots, and misuse now goes to the police. A two-week operation from 26 October to 10 November handled 256 reports, made 270 visits and issued 84 fixed penalty notices, 22 Community Protection Warnings and six Community Protection Notices, with 242 offences still under investigation. Marlborough, Headstone and Greenhill drew the most concern, and Pinner South was flagged too. Call 999 if there is immediate danger and 101 otherwise, and the penalty for setting fireworks off in a street or park is £100.
Harrow's rules for parks and public spaces close for comment today, Sunday 15 November. If you have not already had your say on the Public Spaces Protection Orders, this is the last day. Consultation
Hillingdon is looking for its unsung heroes for the 2027 People Awards. You can nominate an exceptional individual or an organisation making a difference in the community. Nominate
Transport
Today: no planned engineering works on the Metropolitan or the Piccadilly, so there is nothing scheduled to disrupt your journey for Pinner and the surrounding area.
Next weekend, 21 and 22 November: the Metropolitan will not run between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Uxbridge. The Piccadilly will not run between Hammersmith and Heathrow and Uxbridge either, and Friday and Saturday Night Tube is affected too.
Closing
Thank you for reading Good Morning Pinner today.
If you only do one thing today, get to Manor Farm in Ruislip for the Duck Pond market, which runs until 3pm. If you only do one planning thing, book the Mendelssohn Christmas Cantata at Pinner Parish Church for the 21st, because a £17 ticket for a full evening of choral music is a steal and under-19s are free. And if you only do one good thing for your local newsletter, hit reply with an event, a story, or a sign you have spotted in passing.
Got a story, event, local win, or random neighbourhood question? Hit reply. I read every one.
See you next Sunday, same time, same place.
P.S. - If you found something useful, please share it with a neighbour!
