Wembley: Difference between revisions

| constituency_westminster = [[Brent NorthWest (UK Parliament constituency)|Brent North]], [[Brent Central (UK Parliament constituency)|Brent CentralWest]]

| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 Census]]<ref>Wembley is made up of 7 wards in the London Borough of Brent: Alperton, Barnhill, Northwick Park, Kenton, Preston, Sudbury, Tokyngton, and Wembley Central. {{cite web|url=http://data.london.gov.uk/2011-census-ward-pop |title=Archived2011 copyCensus Ward Population Estimates &#124; London DataStore |access-date=9 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222202755/http://data.london.gov.uk/2011-census-ward-pop |archive-date=22 February 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

'''Wembley''' (/ˈwɛmbli/{{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ɛ|m|b|l|i}}) is a largelylarge suburbansuburb<ref towngroup="note">In inBritish north-west [[London]]English, [[England]]"suburb" inoften refers to the [[Ceremonialsecondary countiesurban centres of England|ceremoniala county]]city. Wembley is not a suburb in the American sense, i.e. a single-family residential area outside of [[Greaterthe London]]city anditself.</ref> in the [[HistoricLondon countiesBorough of England|historic countyBrent]], ofnorth-west [[MiddlesexLondon]]. It is about, {{convert|8|miles|km}} west-northwest of [[Charing Cross]],. andIt includes the neighbourhoods of [[Alperton]], [[Kenton, London|Kenton]], [[North Wembley]], [[Preston, London|Preston]], [[Sudbury, London|Sudbury]], [[Tokyngton]], and the partly high-rise district of [[Wembley Park]]. The population of the seven [[Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom|wards]] that approximately make it up totalledwas 102,856 as ofin 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.london.gov.uk/2011-census-ward-pop |title=Archived2011 Census Ward Population Estimates &#124; London copyDataStore |access-date=9 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222202755/http://data.london.gov.uk/2011-census-ward-pop |archive-date=22 February 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

Wembley was for over 800 years part of the [[Civil parish|parish]] of [[Harrow on the Hill#History|Harrow (also known as Harrow on the Hill)]] in [[Middlesex]]. Its heart, the [[hamlet (place)|hamlet]] "WemblyWembley Green", featured to the south-west a public house by 1722. Wembley Green was surrounded by agricultural [[manorialism|manors]] and generally their hamlets, largely taken in to Wembley's final definitions. The small, narrow, Wembley High Street is a [[conservation area (United Kingdom)|conservation area]] with a path to a replacement pub/hotel in the same protected zone. The railways of the [[London & Birmingham Railway]] reached Wembley in the mid-19th century, when the place gained its first church. Slightly south-west of the old core, the main station was originally called Sudbury, but today is known as [[Wembley Central station|Wembley Central]] in the heart of town. By the 1920s, the nearby long High Road hosted a wide array of shops and Wembley was a large [[suburb]] of [[London]]. Wembley then, within three decades, became an integral outer district of London, in density and contiguity. Wembley formed a separate [[civil parish]] from 1894, [[Municipal Borough of Wembley|incorporated as a municipal borough]] of Middlesex in 1937. In 1965, when [[London Government Act 1963|local government in London was reformed]], the area merged with the [[Municipal Borough of Willesden]], which was separated by the [[River Brent]], to create the [[London Borough of Brent]], one of the 32 [[Districts of England|local government district]]s (Boroughs) of Greater London.

The estate of [[Wembley Park]] was largely pleasure grounds when the [[Metropolitan Railway]] (Line) reached this part in 1894. It was chosen to host the [[British Empire Exhibition]] in 1924, resulting in the development of landmarks including the Empire Stadium, later known as [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], which in later years became an iconic football stadium.<ref name="failedarchitecture.com">{{cite web|url=https://failedarchitecture.com/how-the-british-buried-their-imperial-history-along-with-wembley-football-stadium/|title=How the British buried their Imperial History along with Wembley Stadium|first=Failed|last=Architecture|date=20 December 2019 }}</ref> Suburban protection of public parkland and low-to-mid building density of all but high-rise western Wembley Park means most of Wembley is integral to and archetypal of the once well-advertised &ndash; mainly Middlesex &ndash; [[Metro-land|Metroland]]. After years of debate, the 1923 stadium was replaced by a [[Wembley Stadium|modernised stadium]] with a grand, skyline [[arch]] which opened in 2007;<ref name="failedarchitecture.com"/> it is home to the [[England national football team]], hosts latter and/or final stages of annual competitions such as the [[FA Cup]] and has the greatest capacity nationwide. In the early 21st century the [[London Designer Outlet]] pedestrianised plaza was built.

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:85%; margin-left:10px; width:50%"

|colspan="2" | [[Kingsbury, London|◄]] From abolition, 1 April 1934, of Kingsbury Urban District ({{convert|1827|acres|km2}}) until 1965<br> about, that is if static as at 1931, 16,636 residents, absorbed<ref>1931 Census of England and Wales, Table B, 'Areas altered between 26th April, 1931 and 30th June, 1934, showing constitution as at the latter date, in terms of constitution as at the former date, together with particulars of acreage and population'.; M. of H. Order No. 78096. The Middlesex Review Order, 1934; 8.2.1935. M. of H. Declaration under Section 145 of the LGA, 1933</ref>

===ToponomyToponymy===

The former Barley Mow pub was recorded in 1722 thus was the earliest long-lasting pub of Wembley.<ref name=conservation/>{{cite It has become a 1905 fire cause-replaced pubweb|url=http:/hotel, The Greenman/brent. The Greenman surpasses the destroyed building's grandeur and it is linked to the rest of Wembley High Street gov.uk/media/16402730/wembley-high-street-conservation -area (which is, otherwise, 1880s replacements to early Georgian buildings closely facing each other, on a rough footprint of the year 1274, and 119 to 135 Wembley Hill Road which comprise large inter-warappraisal.pdf houses and one set of [[Moderne architecture|Moderne apartments]]).<ref namearchive-url=conservationhttps:/> The connection is mainly greenery-lined open path/web.archive.<ref name=conservation>{{cite org/web|url=http/20200314150202/https://www.brent.gov.uk/media/16402730/wembley-high-street-conservation-area-appraisal.pdf |archive-date=2020-03-14 |url-status=live |title=Appraisal |publisher=brent.gov.uk |date= |accessdate=2021-10-05}}</ref>

In November 1905, the [[Great Central Railway]] (now, in this section, part of the [[Chiltern Main Line]]) opened a new route for fast expresses that by-passed the congested Metropolitan Railway tracks. It ran between [[Neasden Junction]], south of Wembley, and Northolt Junction, west of London, where a new joint main line with the [[Great Western Railway]] began. Local passenger services from [[Marylebone railway station|London Marylebone]] were added from March 1906, when new stations were opened, including 'Wembley Hill', next to what later became the site of Wembley Stadium – the national stadium of English sport – which opened for the [[1923 FA Cup Final|FA Cup Final]] of April 1923, remaining open for 77 years until it closed for reconstruction in October 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wembleystadium.com/gloriouspast/historyintroduction|title=History Introduction|last=TheFA|access-date=9 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101017232053/http://www.wembleystadium.com/GloriousPast/historyIntroduction|archive-date=17 October 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> After a long planning and redevelopment process dogged by a series of funding problems and construction delays, the new stadium finally opened its doors in March 2007.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6459415.stm | work=BBC News | title=Doors finally open at new Wembley | date=17 March 2007}}</ref> Wembley Hill station was renamed 'Wembley Complex' in May 1978, before getting its present name of '[[Wembley Stadium railway station|Wembley Stadium]]' in May 1987.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Mitchell |first1=Vic |last2=Smith |first2=Keith |title=Marylebone to Rickmansworth |series=Midland Main Lines |date=February 2005 |publisher=Middleton Press |location=Midhurst |isbn=1-904474-49-7 |chapter=Figure 51 }}</ref>

A [[British Army]] recruitment centre led away from the High Road and came under attack by an [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|IRA]] bomb in 1990, seeing a soldier die and four people injured (see [[1990 Wembley bombing]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/257998235/|title=The Observer from London, Greater London, England on June 3, 1990 · 3|website=Newspapers.com|date=3 June 1990 }}</ref>

The regeneration project is focused on the "[[Wembley Park]]" site which includes [[Wembley Stadium]] and [[Wembley Arena]], about a mile northeast from Wembley town centre. The [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Original Wembley Stadium]] closed in October 2000 and was demolished in 2003.<ref>{{cite webmagazine|url=http://www.nce.co.uk/features/nce-insite/wembley-towers-to-arches/8609503.article|title=Wembley: Towers to arches|websitemagazine=New Civil Engineer|date=22 December 2010|access-date=2016-07-03}}</ref> The new Wembley stadium was designed by a consortium including engineering consultant Mott MacDonald and built by the Australian firm Multiplex. It cost £798 million and opened in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wembleystadium.com/Press/Press-Releases/2013/4/90-Years-Of-Wembley-Stadium.aspx|title=90 Years of Wembley Stadium {{!}} Wembley Stadium|last=Stadium|first=Wembley|website=www.wembleystadium.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2016-07-03|archive-date=11 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611000017/http://www.wembleystadium.com/Press/Press-Releases/2013/4/90-Years-Of-Wembley-Stadium.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Grade II-listed Wembley Arena, now the SSE Arena, has been sensitively refurbished in keeping with its [[Art Deco]] style.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.johnsiskandson.com/uk/expertise/historic-building-restoration/wembley-arena|title=Wembley Arena {{!}} John Sisk and Son|website=www.johnsiskandson.com|access-date=2016-07-03|archive-date=16 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816221059/http://www.johnsiskandson.com/uk/expertise/historic-building-restoration/wembley-arena|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2004, Brent Council approved a mixed use plan by [[Buro Happold]] for the development of 55 [[acres]] (223,000 m²) adjacent to the stadium, which was presented by [[Quintain Estates and Development|Quintain Limited]].

Brent proved to be one of the more unpopular of the mergers occurring during the creation of the modern [[London boroughs]]. Reasons for this included the limited road links between the two main areas of Wembley and [[Willesden]] (with the A4088 and A404 Harrow Road, the only major road links across the Brent valley boundary), the lack of a focal point or ‘heart’ for the borough and the contrasting characteristics; with Willesden more inner-city in nature, and Wembley more suburban. Widening schemes for the [[North Circular Road, London|North Circular Road]], which passed along the [[River Brent|Brent]] valley, close to the boundary between the two, increased this sense of separation. The clash quickly turned political amid the plans to build [[Chalkhill Estate]], as Wembley was [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] while Willesden was [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]; the balance of power between the two parties contributed to the borough council becoming a byword for polarised politics.<ref name="brent.gov.uk"/>

The unpopularity persisted and in 1989 more than ten thousand people signed a petition calling for Wembley to regain its independence or else join with the [[London Borough of Harrow]] with which it had historic administrative links, had better transport integration and had shared common suburban interests. The 1994, the Boundary Commission considered this, and other requests, considering a wide range of options<ref>Boundary Commission Report of 1994 [http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lgbce/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/11897/651.-london-borough-of-brent-and-its-boundaries-with-barnet,-camden,-ealing,-hammersmith-and-fulham,-harrow,-knc-and-westminster.pdf Boundary Commission Report of 1994]</ref> including restoring independence to the districts, or joining them to different neighbouring boroughs – an option the Commission preferred.

Wembley is known for its high degree of ethnic and religious diversity, and the population includes a large number of people of Asian, Afro-Caribbean and Eastern European origin.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4223322.stm|title=Multiculturalism the Wembley way|date=8 September 2005|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/comment-big-india-in-little-england-1156123|title=Big India in little England|first=Chelna|last=Khatau|date=15 March 2008|website=DNA India}}</ref> According to the [[1991 census]], 49.2% of the Wembley CentalCentral ward identified themselves as Asian (39% Indian). The ward along with neighbouring Tokyngton (eastern Wembley) and [[Alperton]] were in the top 10 most diverse in London. In the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]], 78.6% of the ward identified themselves as being of black or minority ethnic ([[Black and Minority Ethnic|BME]]) groups.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://intelligence.brent.gov.uk/BrentDocuments/Ward%20Profiles%20-%20Chapter%203a.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=21 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221195304/https://intelligence.brent.gov.uk/BrentDocuments/Ward%20Profiles%20-%20Chapter%203a.pdf |archive-date=21 December 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://intelligence.brent.gov.uk/BrentDocuments/A%20Profile%20of%20Brent.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=21 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611032210/https://intelligence.brent.gov.uk/BrentDocuments/A%20Profile%20of%20Brent.pdf |archive-date=11 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The White British population of Wembley Central (792 people, 5.3% of the population) in the 2011 census makes it the sixth least White British ward in London (seventh in the country).<ref name="auto">{{cite web|title = Wembley Central – UK Census Data 2011|url = http://www.ukcensusdata.com/wembley-central-e05000104#sthash.Cyv74tbC.dpbs|website = UK Census Data|access-date = 20 December 2015}}</ref> Other ethnicities include 7.0% Other White, 66.2% Asian (46.2% Indian), and 13.9% Black.<ref name="auto"/> In 2011, 86% of Wembley Central ward was of [[Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom|BAME]] background, which is the highest in Brent and 5th highest in Greater London. In Wembley the lowest BAME ward was Northwick Park, 68.8%.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/ward-profiles-and-atlas |title = Ward Profiles and Atlas – London Datastore}}</ref>

There are varying levels of social deprivation in the area. Places such as the central area and Chalkhill have had relatively high deprivation, with the latter having been troubled for a long time. In more recent years, regeneration has helped these areas fare better albeit with a higher general cost of living. Some parts of the town meanwhile are among the least deprived in the borough, especially Barn Hill estate and North Wembley's Sudbury Court Estate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thinkhouse.org.uk/site/assets/files/1481/smith0319.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919022526/https://thinkhouse.org.uk/site/assets/files/1481/smith0319.pdf |archive-date=2020-09-19 |url-status=live |title=Data |publisher=thinkhouse.org.uk |date= |accessdate=2021-10-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/brent-deprived-areas-ranked-by-postcode-3828862|title=Most 'deprived' areas revealed – new figures show rich-poor divide|first=Hannah|last=Somerville|date=19 November 2019|website=Kilburn Times}}</ref>

The main shopping area was generally centred on Wembley High Road, Central Square, and Ealing Road. Unlike typical British [[high street]]s Wembley does not have a town centre network or pedestrianised high streets, with almost all commercial high street businesses along a 1000-yard stretch of road (High Road). In 1971 the High Road was seen as being the 11th best place to shop in London. However, it had fallen to 24th place by 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brent.gov.uk/media/387392/Wembley.pdf|title=Places in Brent Wembley and Tokyngton|last=Barres-Baker|first=M.C.|access-date=2016-07-03|archive-date=14 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140414022720/http://brent.gov.uk/media/387392/Wembley.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Ealing Road remains important as a centre of South Asian jewellery and gold shops,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2764476/Rallying-to-the-gold-standard.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2764476/Rallying-to-the-gold-standard.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Rallying to the gold standard|date=4 June 2002|access-date=2016-07-03}}{{cbignore}}</ref> attracting people from as far afield as [[Leicester]], but otherwise the focus of shopping has shifted north and east to the more recent development of [[London Designer Outlet]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.londondesigneroutlet.com/whats-on/in-wembley-park|title=Enjoy more things to do in Wembley Park / London Designer Outlet|website=www.londondesigneroutlet.com|access-date=2016-07-03|archive-date=23 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623003227/http://www.londondesigneroutlet.com/whats-on/in-wembley-park|url-status=dead}}</ref> in [[Wembley Park]], which is part of the Stadium's complex and also includes a fully pedestrianised street near the Stadium. The regenerations were co-funded by Brent Council to add an attractive shopping destination.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brent.gov.uk/media/16404341/d64-wembley-area-action-plan.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103123135/https://www.brent.gov.uk/media/16404341/d64-wembley-area-action-plan.pdf |archive-date=2020-01-03 |url-status=live |title=Action plan |publisher=brent.gov.uk |date= |accessdate=2021-10-05}}</ref>

[[IKEA]] Wembley is in the Brent Park retail area near North Circular Road, [[Neasden]]. It opened in 1988 and was the Swedish retailer's second store in the UK after the initial store in [[Warrington]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lep.co.uk/business/ikea-phenomenon-ikeas-long-history-north-west-290659|title=The IKEA phenomenon - IKEA's long history with the North West|website=www.lep.co.uk|date=18 May 2018 }}</ref>

The Roman Catholic [[St Joseph's Church, Wembley|church of Saint Joseph]], a post-war church, became equally listed in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1431030|title=Roman Catholic Church of St Joseph, Non Civil Parish - 1431030 &#124; Historic England|website=historicengland.org.uk}}</ref>

Brent's only [[English Heritage]] [[blue plaque]] is on Forty Lane, commemorating the comedian and entertainer [[Arthur Lucan]].<ref name="EngHet">{{cite web| url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/discover/blue-plaques/search/lucan-arthur-1887-1954-a.k.a.-arthur-towle-old-mother-riley|title=LUCAN, Arthur (1887–1954)|publisher=English Heritage| access-date=23 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brent.gov.uk/media/7031206/Arthur%20Lucan%20-%20the%20man%20who%20was%20Old%20Mother%20Riley.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305131401/http://www.brent.gov.uk/media/7031206/Arthur%20Lucan%20-%20the%20man%20who%20was%20Old%20Mother%20Riley.pdf |archive-date=2014-03-05 |url-status=live|title=Arthur Lucan – the man who was "Old Mother Riley"|last=Grant|first=Philip|access-date=2016-07-03}}</ref>

[[File:Marylebone train leaves Wembley Stadium - geograph.org.uk - 3154682.jpg|thumb|A short [[Chiltern Railways]] train[[British Rail Class 165|Class 165]] leaves [[Wembley Stadium railway station|Wembley Stadium station]]]]

#[[Stonebridge Park tube station|Stonebridge Park]] ([[Bakerloo Line]] and [[Watford DC line]])

* Scientist [[John D Barrow]] FRS, Professor of Mathematical Sciences at Cambridge University, cosmologist, Templeton prize winner and author of many popular science books and the award-winning play Infinities was born in Wembley in 1952 and attended Barham Primary School.

* Actor [[RobertRock McBainmusic|Rock]] (1932–2004),drummer who appeared in ''[[FawltyKeith TowersMoon]]'' andof ''[[A Fish CalledThe WandaWho]]'', was born in Wembley.