Ealing Council has formally decided to rename part of Havelock Road in Southall to Guru Nanak Road.

On 14 July 2020 Ealing Council’s cabinet decided to celebrate and commemorate the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak. As a result, it has been decided to make an order to rename part of Havelock Road to Guru Nanak Road.

The part of the road to be renamed lies between King Street and Merrick Road and includes the location of the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall.

The part of Havelock Road that is not on the section between King Street and Merrick Road, will remain unchanged by this decision.

Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall is the largest Gurdwara organisation outside of India. It provides thousands of FREE meals seven-days a week to local residents in need.

A consultation took place (21 October to 21 November) with residents and businesses directly impacted by the change, the Royal Mail and the emergency services.

The decision to make the change is also being taken in accordance with the Street Naming Protocol which ensures that any change proposal should ‘respect and balance cultural and historical identities, sensitivities, and heritage’.

The name change will come into effect early in 2021 and the council will be writing to households, businesses and organisations impacted in advance of the change.

Councillor Kamaljit Dhindsa, cabinet member for business and community services said: "I welcome this change. Ealing’s diversity is our strength and we have to make sure that the places we live reflect that diversity through our street names and buildings."

The council has also put in place an equality commission which will report back to the council by May 2021 with a review of all structural inequalities in Ealing. The 12-person commission will consider three key questions:

• How structural inequalities are impacting on race and outcomes.
• Identifying how race inequality can be addressed and prevented in the future.
• To what extent the history of Ealing’s built environment is impacting and perpetuating inequality.

Councillor Julian Bell, leader of Ealing Council said: "Ealing’s independent equality commission will explore what residents and businesses believe can be done to reduce inequality while improving outcomes. It will look at education, employment, crime and justice, health and housing, among others. The renaming of one of Ealing’s roads reflects the importance of celebrating the borough’s diversity and is a timely celebration of Guru Nanak's birthday on 30 November."