DOMINION CENTRE
MARTINWARE COLLECTION
The borough’s collection of
Martinware pottery has moved to
a specially designed, permanent
exhibition display in the new
library at the Dominion Centre.
along with the installation of audio
visual equipment. The hall is available
for the community to hire for events.
Meanwhile, three new meeting
and activity rooms can be used by
community groups in the evenings
and at weekends, and will also be
used by the council’s adults’ services.
Ealing Music Service continues to
be based at the centre.
INVITING AND ATTRACTIVE
Dr Patricia Walker, the council’s
cabinet member for leisure, culture
and customer services, said: “The
possibility of placing several services
together, and especially relocating
Southall Library, in one, accessible
‘hub’, and the opportunity to create
a lively venue everyone could use
and which would attract new people
to it, was important to our thinking.
So, after consultation with the Indian
Workers’ Association and regular
centre and library users, it was clear
that a considerable revamp was the
best way forward. A great deal of
thought and work has gone in to
making the building as inviting and
attractive as possible.”
Sandra Wichelow, Ealing Council’s
project manager of the Dominion
Centre upgrade, said: “The centre
has been transformed by clever use
of design, colour and space and we
hope that it will become very popular
with our residents.
“As soon as visitors approach
the gates they will see the new
landscaping and lighting and be
drawn in to see the rest of the centre.
We particularly look forward to
visitors enjoying the light, open and
accessible new Southall Library.”
The Martin brothers of Southall
were some of the first studio
potters and were well-known local
characters. They experimented
with techniques and decoration at
their studio, originally in Havelock
Road. As part of the Arts and
Crafts movement (1875-1920),
the four brothers became famous
for pioneering the use of saltglazed stoneware.
Visitors to the exhibition in the
George Twyman room will be
able to see more than 200 pots
of different shapes and sizes and
discover the brothers’ personal
stories as pioneering craftsmen.
MORE INFO
■
Visit www.ealing.gov.uk
■
Call the library
020 3700 1059 (10am–5pm
Mon and Fri; 10am–7pm Tues,
Wed and Thurs; 9am–5pm Sat;
and 1–4pm Sun).
around ealing
Autumn 2014
35