Anyone familiar with Hammersmith?

[Posey]

We're going to see the Hi5 show on Saturday in Hammersmith and I wonder if anyone knows:

• is there anywhere to park? Is it worth bringing the car or should we do public transport?
• is there anything that dh could do with ds who's 1 while we are there? Any good shops?

Thanks for your help

You can park under the Broadway Centre/Station or in the Kings Mall car park, the latter being the cheaper. Though there is a lot of public transport there.

There are also lots of shops, Mothercare, Habitat, M&S, Disney shop type of things, average high street stuff really. But its not especially kid friendly, no playgrounds etc unless you are prepared for a 15 minute walk down Kings Street to Ravenscourt park. Where is the Hi5 show?

At the Apollo.
Thats if we make it at all. Dd has chickenpox and if feeling a bit washed out. She is going to be so devastated if we have to miss it.

I live in Hammersmith - dh and ds are going to see this show this afternoon. Where are you coming from ? Hammersmith is on Picadilly and district lines, adn station is very close to Apollo. May be easier than parking especially as the Broadway can be a bit of a nightmare.

Shops are ok norhing exciting, but the river is very close and dh/ds could go and look at the boats (also a couple of reasonably child friendly pubs down there).

As Pie says, Ravenscourt park is a bit further, but really nice, with three different play grounds, a big sandpit etc etc

cheaper parking is in an open lot at the end of hammersmith grove, right on the roundabout. Hammersmith grove is one way north to south so requires a bit of fiddling about to get on it but the car park is much cheaper than broadway centre or kings mall.

no need to trek to ravenscourt park for swings - really nice clean good playground in the middle of brook green (5 mins walk up the shepherd bush road from hammersmith roundabout, on the right), half of it is for under 2s and has swings, cubby houses, little slides, sandpit etc.

Similarly although shops in hammersmith nothing to write home about, 5/10 minute busride from the broadway takes you onto ken high street, there is everything there shopping wise, including huge zara right at the far end. and entrance to holland park the closer, hammersmith end of the high street, good for a toddle around chasing squirrels. And beside the entrance to holland park is a big ASK restaurant which is super kid-friendly and has no objections to one year olds throwing plates of pasta on the floor.

alternatively for lunch, between hammersmith and the start of ken high street is olympia (the exhibition centre) - in one corner of olympia by the railway tracks there is quite a nice new-ish pizza express your dh could have lunch with your ds, also without worrying about food falling on the floor etc - v kid friendly and smoke free. That is about 5/10 mins walk from the brook green playground.

anything else you want to know just ask - was my stomping ground for about 10 years!

Thank you very much all.
We're only coming from Islington but I'm a centralish east and north Londoner so not familiar with Hammersmith. The reason we were going to come by car is that dd is getting over a bout of chickenpox and is feeling a bit weedy, so didn't want her to be completely knackered by the journey. And because I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to driving in unknown places dh said he'd drive us and do something with ds. I reckon the pub might appeal, especially if its still as cold tomorrow.
Vivat - how did your boys enjoy the show?