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There have been some changes to Ruislip over the years, but as it was built as a sprawling estate in the 1930's not a lot of land was "wasted" and hence there have been less material changes than, perhaps, in other areas.

The changes below are those that are to, shall we say, "landmarks", places that anyone who had not seen Ruislip for many years would remember.

Of course there have also been many smaller changes over the years, too many to list them all here. Nevertheless if you live away from Ruislip and would like to know what "so and so" is like now then just send me an e-mail and I will see what I can do.

Meanwhile.....

The "roundabout" at South Ruislip, note the large Sainsburys where the BA building used to be. Actually the roundabout that used to be here was never round, it was always square! To the right of the picture is the turning to South Ruislip Station, going ahead will take you down towards the American Base (!).

If you remember the US air force base in South Ruislip, well this is it now. My only "real" memory of it is that the guy in the flat next door to us in Ruislip Manor where I lived as a child used to commute there, on roller skates!

Just to the right of this Kwik Fit is The Windmill pub. This Kwik fit stands where the Esso petrol station used to be. In the 60's it was known as Moons Garage, I wonder if this has something to do with the naming of J.J. Moons pub which is where Woolworths in Ruislip Manor used to be? Some years later the garage became Cornfield and Smith's and they only ceased trading  in Brickwall Lane in Ruislip High Street in 2002.

Times House in Ruislip was built as the headquarters for Times Furnishing and Willoughby Tailoring. That company ceased using the building (ceased trading??) and for a number of years the building was let and sub let as offices. It seems like it could never be filled, the "Offices To Let" board nailed to the front of the building had an element of permanence about it. Anyway, in 1999 the building was totally gutted and with only the main framework remaining was then re-built as luxury flats. With a railway to the rear, bus garage to the side and main road right in front of them I am not sure where the word luxury starts and finishes and having never been in one can only imagine what they are like at the lower levels for noise! They do, however, seem to find favour and certainly one pop star has one. 

Such a shame that nobody can be bothered to plant out the flower bed by the lights, even more so that they even built it, as these luxury flats have, as their frontispiece, a weed and rubbish filled "trough". 

Completed in 2001 this building stands where the Sainsburys in Ickenham Road once stood, (and stood closed for longer than it was open). The store was a planning disaster. Replacing the old cinema, the  Rivoli, (Ruislip once had two, see MacDonald's further down) it was the first really big supermarket to open in the area, and built without a car park. The result was the local streets becoming totally choked with traffic. The council then put down yellow lines in order to stop the cars parking and blocking the road with the result that the store could not attract customers and so closed. Sainsburys kept it open as a loss maker until the Waitrose store opened in Wood Lane (see further down the page).

If you look at the roof on the left hand side you will see that it has hanging tiles in a similar style to some other properties in the high street, this was done to help it blend in. The fact that the rest of the high street is either two or three stories high and this is six/seven is of no consequence.

Driving out of Ruislip and up the bridge towards West Ruislip underground station you will see this building. It is and old peoples home, where the views from the windows on the lower floors must be something to behold! 

If you lived at any time in Ruislip you must have gone to the Lido. Built as a reservoir to feed the Grand Union Canal it was developed in to a leisure "complex" in the 50's and 60's and was justifiably a major local attraction. Situated more or less between Park Wood, and Ruislip Common it's setting, given its proximity to suburbia, could be considered idyllic. No need to go all the way to the coast anymore, Ruislip Lido had it all and more. Apart from the lake (about 1 mile long, 1/3 mile wide) with its sandy beach and woodland walks you have rowing boats, paddle boats, swimming pool, crazy golf, cafeteria (in the building replace by that above) miniature railway, swings and slides, tea stall, ice cream stall etc. The Lido had it all, better still as it was one of the top water skiing areas in the country there was always something to watch and the boats made waves, so it really was like being at the sea side. The skiing world championships were once held at Ruislip Lido and several films were made there including, most famously, The Young Ones and Summer Holiday with Cliff Richard.

Then in the 70's the council got greedy and decided to charge for admission. Charge for something that had always been free. That was the end for the Lido. Fewer and fewer people went so the trade dropped off for the rowing boats, the cafeteria, ice cream stalls etc. and one by one they packed up. Then they found some weird algae and said you could no longer swim in it, then it sprang a leak and had to be drained. Then somebody clever said if you never filled it right up again it would work as a flood plain for Northwood....

The Lido today is making a comeback. You do not have to pay to get in, there is a tea stall there and the railway is now bigger than it has ever been. But the skiing has gone for good, the water level is low and you are advised not to swim in it. Where the art deco cafeteria once stood is a new pub, The Waters Edge, a restaurant with a bar, and very popular it is. 

The old building, where the pub is now, was destroyed in an arson attack, and with it went the last real remaining part of the "old" Lido. People often talk about how things were better years ago. With the Lido it was. RIP. 

Hit any one of the links above to read Ruislip Online's extensive section on Ruislip Lido

Once the Astoria Cinema, then the Embassy Cinema, then a pile of bricks.

The new building houses primarily  MacDonald's and Iceland. This picture was taken from Brickwall Lane. The MacDonald's is unusual as it is a franchise. Although this should make no if there is a special offer that requires you to surrender a coupon they will not take it.

Drive up from Ruislip Gardens in West End Road and you come to a fork in the road. To the right of this is the road to the High Street and to the left Wood Lane. Where once stood a detached house and and electricity sub station stands Masters Court. Flats aimed at the elderly, behind this is Sherleys Court, just about the same size as this block and behind that is Waitrose supermarket (vehicle access from Wood Lane). In order to build the supermarket a few houses had to be demolished in Wood Lane.

Next door to The Middlesex Arms in South Ruislip there once was an office block, and rather like Times House (above) it seemed to stand empty for rather long periods. During 2003 it was "changed" from an office block to a hotel (where really only the carcass was re-used) and almost on the stroke of the start of 2004 it opened as a hotel as part of the "Days Inn" chain. (Where "Days Inn" is a franchise, so it is not really part of any chain other than for booking and marketing.)

The bottom end of Wood Lane has changed a lot over the years, there are the old persons flats (see above) Waitrose and more recently the houses just up the road from where Waitrose now stands (so the lower even numbers) have been demolished and replaced by flats.

Finally, Victoria Hall has now been demolished. Once part of Lady Bankes School it has had many uses over the years, now razed to the ground the new building will be the library

If you have something you would like to see send Ruislip Online an e-mail or a picture of one of the above as it was.......

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