Residents and music fans in Perivale gathered last month to mark the opening of the Nicky Hopkins Piano Room at Pear Tree Park Bistro.
The space was formally opened on 25 January 2026 by the Mayor of Ealing, Counciloor Anthony Kelly, who cut the ribbon before guests were welcomed inside by Councillor Tariq Mahmood. Councillor Mahmood organised the event alongside Diana Zajdel, the bistro’s owner.
Hopkins, who was born in Perivale on 24 February 1944 and died in 1994, is regarded as one of Britain’s leading session pianists, performing on recordings by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Kinks,
During the ceremony, Councillor Mahmood announced the launch of The Friends of Nicky Hopkins, a community initiative aimed at raising funds for the Nicky Hopkins Scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music, where Hopkins studied in the 1950s.
He said: “Nicky Hopkins’ extraordinary talent and contribution to music continue to inspire generations of artists and fans around the world. With the opening of the Nicky Hopkins Piano Room and the launch of The Friends of Nicky Hopkins, we are not only celebrating his musical genius but also creating opportunities for young musicians to follow in his footsteps through the Royal Academy of Music scholarship.”
Pianist Paddy Milner, who has performed with Sir Tom Jones and appeared in the documentary The Session Man: Nicky Hopkins, played several of Hopkins’ compositions on the room’s new piano.
The bistro said the Piano Room will host regular live performances, intimate concerts and community events celebrating his contribution to popular music.
