It was a decade ago this week, that violent unrest and riots took place in Ealing and across the UK.

Ealing, and in particular Ealing Broadway, was targeted for looting, violence and unrest, resulting in huge losses and damage to our high streets between 6-11 August 2011.

At that time the community, both businesses and residents, came together to clear up, rebuild and support our local high streets; and that support is needed once again to help our much-loved high streets survive the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, Ealing Council’s cabinet lead for decent living incomes, said: “We all remember the horror and trauma of the riots that hit Ealing’s streets in August 2011, which saw businesses smashed, looted and faced massive setbacks.  The tears of so many business owners as they saw the overnight impact of that wreckage.  But the resilience of Ealing shone through, and we rebuilt our town centre.

“Now 10 years later, our businesses have been hit by almost 18 months of COVID, and it’s taken its toll.

“Let us use this opportunity to build back Ealing better than ever before. We want to welcome businesses that share a vision of that brighter future: good employment opportunities with well paid jobs; being greener than ever before.

“This isn’t just a health crisis, we need to overcome the climate crisis; and finally, the pandemic has exposed and deepened the divides in our society. An Ealing economic recovery is one where we also reduce these inequalities. We’ve been through this together and we need to make sure we look after each other going forward.

“Today it is not only local businesses that need support. Many residents have found themselves out of work or on long-term furlough because of the pandemic and we are working through Work West London to provide employment opportunities and support to get back into paid jobs.”

“Also, many Black and minority ethnic residents have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and Ealing’s independent race equality commission has been set up to come up with proposals to address the impact of inequality on their wellbeing and life chances.”

To find out more about the economic regeneration and opportunities that are available visit the town centre and high street regeneration pages of the council’s website.

To share your views on how we can rebuild Ealing as a fairer and more equal borough for all visit the Do Something Good pages.