The west London suburb of Chiswick has a long high street lined with smart little shops and cafes. It has some grand houses and a smattering of celebrity residents. I forget that it possesses its very own stretch of the River Thames, which meanders up to Kew Bridge. It includes the wooded haven of Oliver’s Island and a smattering of quaint pubs and cottages.

A man and his dog were paddling as we walked, while the gulls were in fine form. Past the river you find the incredibly tall and ornate Kew Bridge water tower. As we pressed on, there was a less attractive encounter with the vast Chiswick roundabout and its flyover – this London neighbourhood has it all…

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