London Borough of Ealing

Districts and features

Ealing comprises several neighbourhoods with their own identities. Notable areas include:

• Ealing Broadway and the town centre, a retail and transport hub
• Acton, with its industrial heritage and growing creative industries
• Southall, known for a large South Asian community and vibrant high streets
• Hanwell, Greenford, Northolt and Perivale, each with local centres and open spaces

The borough contains many parks such as Walpole Park and Gunnersbury Park, offering recreational space and community events.

History and film heritage

The modern borough was created in the mid-20th century through the consolidation of earlier municipal areas. Ealing is particularly famous for its cinematic legacy: Ealing Studios, one of the best-known British film studios, has operated in the area for over a century and is associated with classic British comedies and a long-running contribution to filmmaking. The studios remain an active film studio and production site, attracting both national and international projects.

Transport, economy and community life

Ealing benefits from strong transport connections by Underground, suburban rail and the Elizabeth line, as well as major road routes that link central London with the west. The local economy is mixed: retail and service sectors in shopping centres, diverse small businesses, light industry and media-related activity around the studios. Community life is shaped by cultural festivals, markets, places of worship and a wide range of local voluntary groups.

Distinctive aspects

Among the borough's notable traits are its ethnic and cultural diversity—Southall’s South Asian businesses and community institutions are a prominent example—together with an ongoing balance between conservation of period architecture and pressures for development. Ealing is often described as offering the feel of suburban London with easy access to the capital's amenities and to green open space.