SIPSON village is used to fighting - but as hundreds move out of the village to escape the devastation caused by years of blight, what about those left behind? Reporter DAN COOMBS visited the village to speak to businesses who have branded it a 'ghost town', finding a pub and post office fighting for survival...
THE words 'third runway' and Sipson are synonymous, after a decade long battle.
For many, the fight for expansion of Heathrow Airpoty is over, or at least dormant, until the political pendulum swings back in its favour.
Hundreds of those who felt trapped in the village they loved, have taken BAA's money from their compulsory purchase offer, and decided to move on.
Most left in the village say they can't blame them, the price that was offered was so good.
Offered the 2002 market price, all their fees paid for plus a generous index price, the one-off chance to cut and run proved too good an offer to refuse.
Among those who have moved on were the chair of the Harmondsworth and Sipson Residents Association Jim Payne and his family, and No Third Runway Action Group (NoTRAG) stalwart Linda McCutcheon.
But for those still left, particularly the businesses, life is not the same as it once was.
Houses have been left empty, as BAA takes on a 'modernising' programme, which many feel has been allowed to drag on far longer than it should have.
Villagers feel that unless families and professionals are enabled to start moving in soon, and contributing to the local economy, what is left, will be allowed to die.
Sipson struggles for passing trade, as its location finds itself strangled between the behemoths of Heathrow Airport and the surrounding motorways, so businesses are reliant on regular customers.
Jackie Clark runs the Hair by Jackie hairdressers in Sipson Road.
She is the granddaughter of Jack Clark, one of Sipson's oldest residents to fight the third runway, who died in March 2009.
She tells a grim story of the current state of affairs of her business, blaming the fact many of her regulars have moved on.
"The opening up and sudden closure of the bond scheme caused panic for people.
"You constantly see removal vans in the village, and my customers are always coming in saying they will be leaving soon.
"They were offered great prices by BAA so I can understand, especially in today's market, but there has been nothing offered to us businesses. It has really divided the community.
"We can't sell as nobody wants a business here, we are blighted in the same way as with the runway.
"I have lost one quarter of my annual turnover, including clients I have had for over 20 years. It is turning into a ghost town, its not the thriving community I grew up in, BAA have destroyed the village.
She feels the constant flow of people moving away has had another effect.
"By my estimates, its close to 300 houses empty. They are all sitting in darkness,and are big properties with three to four bedrooms, which means there is less security for us here, it needs to be stepped up."
She is worried the threat of the third runway will one day return, and be even harder to resist.
"BAA won't sell the houses they now own, and will be the majority landowner in the village, so who will oppose them? Most of our fighters have gone. The residents association have gone, we don't know who to contact.
"In 10 years time the businesses won't be here at this rate, it will be a shanty town."
Jagjit and Kuldip Daurka, manage the Post Office in Sipson Road.
They say the queues which once reflected a busy and thriving village have now all but disappeared, leaving them with a trickle of passing trade.
Kuldip Daurka said: "We are not doing too well. We used to have big queues on pension day and child benefit day, but not any more.
"The problems started with the recession and got worse when the bond kicked in. BAA are supposed to be modernising and bringing people in, but everything is taking so long.
"We used to open at 7.30am until 9pm. Now we open at 8.30am and close at 7pm. It is pointless staying open the extra hours, we are paying electricity and staff wages that would see us making a loss."
Husband Jagjit said: "We are looking at putting an office into the building, to try to enable us to open a side business. This alone at the moment is a struggle.
"The fighters in the village have all gone, if they have moved, why should we stay? They did not think about us.
"It is good the people with family problems were able to move, but everybody was fighting against something so hard, they have been to quick to abandon what they were fighting for.
"At the very least BAA should give us the same option I feel like I do not want to carry on, but I'm stuck, we can't sell it and we have a lease for around seven years. It is catch 22."
Gerald Storr runs the butchers next door to the Post Office on Sipson Road.
He admits to running the business in near darkness to save on electricity, putting on the lights only when a customer enters.
"The number of people in the village goes down every week. This is usually a busy time of year but it has not been like that.
"My taking are around 30 per cent down and that is a conservative estimate.
"Five years ago business was fine and 10 it was brilliant. All the regulars have gone, and we are left with several short term rentals.
"BAA have created a monster because the village is dying.
"I don't know what can be done, they are supposed to be leasing the properties out and refurbishing them."
Shaun Walters is the landlord of the historic King William IV pub, and has to cope with the difficulties of his customers moving away, and the current state of the pub industry.
The 16th Century pub is the focal point of the village, and was a hub of activity months ago when television crews covered the story of the third runway cancellation.
Now that seems like a distant memory as pub regulars sell up and move on.
Mr Walters said: "The good news is that the brewery have finally agreed to fund some refurbishments to the car park and the front of the pub, which they wouldn't do with the threat of the runway hanging over us.
"But so many people have gone its going to be too late.
"There are countless houses sitting empty, I want to know why it is taking so long to get people in, it is costing us money. Regulars leaving can cost me up to £200 a week.
"We have had a few people in who are renting while they carry out work on the refurbishment of Terminal 2.
"It is important we get the right people into the village otherwise it won't be a community, its affecting me big time.
"We need professionals living down here, and families. At the moment nobody knows each other.
"I used to take 40 minutes to walk to work from Ashby Way as I was bumping into people I knew and would stop to chat. Now it takes me five minutes.
BAA claim that their figures show only around 100 properties acquired as a result of the bond scheme are currently empty.
They said the delays in finding new tenants for them is to make them suitable for living. They also say they intend to meet with Hillingdon Council to discuss how they can help meet the borough's housing needs.
However, they have said firmly that they are not looking to offer compensation to businesses.
Colin Matthews, BAA chief executive, said: "I recognise that our move to buy properties in Sipson was welcomed by some and not by others.
"We have worked closely with the Harmondsworth and Sipson Residents Association to support village life.
"For example, we jointly produced the enclosed leaflet which is given to all new tenants to tell them about the facilities and services available in the village. We also put together a joint Code of Conduct that all tenants must sign and adhere to prevent anti-social behaviour. This is working well.
"Nevertheless, the majority of properties we own have now been rented out, many to families or airport-workers who we hope are making use of local services.
"I appreciate these are difficult economic times for all businesses.
"While we are not able to compensate individual businesses, we would be happy to discuss other practical ways we might be able to help this and other businesses in the village."
John McDonnell MP for the area, has done a lot to fight for the village against the runway, and is continuing to take up the fight.
He is planning to arrange a meeting with BAA to discuss what can be done to help businesses.
"We are looking to see if we can get some business rate relief. It is a dire situation in the villages at the moment.
"The village needs to stabilise, and if we do not get what we want from BAA I will be taking the issue to Government ministers.
"The businesses such as the pub and the post office are the lifeblood of the community. If they go then what is there left?
"BAA did promise to let out the premises long-term to families or airport workers, they need to fulfil these promises.
A ray of hope?
THE Hillingdon Community Trust was formed back in 2003, as the result of the construction of Heathrow Terminal 5 and a commitment made by BAA to provide £1m a year for 15 years, which would be ploughed back into the community and supporting local businesses.
In September the Trust appealed to find out how communities across the south of the borough wanted this to be spent.
After feedback from village residents, a meeting has been set up to talk about how the Heathrow villages could benefit.
David Brough, one of the trustees of the charity, told the Gazette they were open to suggestions, and that the villages would be worthy recipients of the grant.
"We are going to hold a meeting to discuss how to rebuild Sipson and Harmondsworth, putting it out to public consultation, we want to help. The money has come from the airport, so it seems right that the villages who have suffered, get something back."
TIMELINE :
2002: Third runway announced on Government White paper
August 2007: Climate camp held in Sipson to protest as green campaigners highlight the cause
January 2009: Labour Government approve third runway
October 2009: BAA open bond scheme
March 2010: Campaigners supported by local councils win legal battle against the third runway
May 2010: Coalition Government scrap third runway
June 2010: BAA close bond scheme, and villagers begin to move out
December 2010: Businesses plea for help to avoid hitting the wall
