Harringay online

Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

"Please Change to Haringey Online"

We received the following message via our Facebook page today:

Hi, I am wondering why you don't switch to calling yourself haringey online, as opposed to the more limited geographically specific area of harringay. It's just I have noticed that a lot of the activities you cover happen outside of that strict geographical area you have in your title and I also think you would appeal to a wider audience. I know lots of people who don't live in harringay who feel slightly excluded by your name; I know that might sound slightly ridiculous and I feel sure I am not the first on to point this out to you, but I just think we all live in haringey and we all attend many of the same functions and events so why not embrace the wider name. Just a thought, not necessarily a criticism, more an observation. Kind regards.

Here's my reply:

Many thanks for your comment. It's certainly a thought. When the site was set up it was very specifically aimed at the neighbourhood of Harringay. We thought we were setting our sights high at 200 members. We never imagined it would grow into what it's become with 6,000 members and almost the same number again on Facebook and Twitter. 

Sites like this certainly work at the neighbourhood level once they get their head of steam and with enough gentle steering from the folks who run them. Outside London, they can also work at a city-wide level (Sheffield Forum, for example). As yet I haven't seen one work in a major subdivision of a major metropolitan city anywhere in the world. It may just be that no one's tried, but my suspicion is that there's a good reason for it. 

Nothing's fixed in stone, but for the time being we're likely to stick with focussing on Harringay. However, we will also continue to reflect how people live their local lives, so we will carry on including some stories and all events from other areas nearby. As always anyone's welcome to join in.

Thanks for the thoughts though. We always need to keep rethinking what we are and where we're going.


Any thoughts?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Maddy on February 4, 2013 at 21:32

The way I look at it, as one of the earlier members - Harringay online "belongs" to those of us on the Ladder/Gardens and surrounding streets. Anyone who lives elsewhere is welcome to join, to use the information and to comment (as many do) but not to change the basis on which it was set up. I really hope you won't, Hugh - it's quite big and widespread enough already.

Permalink Reply by Kit on February 11, 2013 at 9:12

'A local site for local people, we'll have no trouble here...'

 

Don't go changing, Hugh and Liz

Permalink Reply by Hugh on February 4, 2013 at 21:47
No change planned guys - glad there seems to be broad support for that
Permalink Reply by Alison P on February 4, 2013 at 22:54
I've come to this debate late, but seeing as I don't want it to change either that's fine!

I agree with the points made earlier about the site covering a range of local areas, but with Harringay as the central focus. Changing that to something that is borough wide wouldn't work as well. I don't think people would use it in quite the same way either, you'd perhaps avoid posting about things that are really local to you, or end up with the site getting divided into lots of smaller area subsites.

And yes, think of all those lost cat posts ...
Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on February 5, 2013 at 8:02

.assuming everyone in Harringay is a member

Now Jessica, which cheek is your tongue in?

Permalink Reply by Kamila on February 5, 2013 at 15:58

Definitely don't change the neighbourhood focus.  I live just off-Ladder but I enjoy HOL and look to it as a forum containing tips and chat about Harringay, the area - as well as some snippets that affect us as Haringey residents - but the real focus is at the neighbourhood level.  A Haringey online forum would be a completely different animal.  Keep it focused.

Permalink Reply by Dick Harris on February 5, 2013 at 16:03

I agree with those who say keep the territorial focus small, ie related to one's walking distance experience.

I think it's possible that some people might detect a slightly exclusive sentiment in some of the material posted and perhaps we should try to do something about it.  The home page headline "The online home of all things Harringay (you may say Harringay Green Lanes) with a good mix of Hornsey and Crouch End" could perhaps be reworked somewhat.   Surely, we want anyone who is interested in (or simply uses) the streets, parking, housing, transport, shops, schools, pubs, cafes, parks and gardens within (say) 10 minutes walk of the Salisbury to feel welcome regardless of where they live.

Permalink Reply by Abi on February 5, 2013 at 16:41

Yes, this is exactly my issue...I think if you're going to mention some neighbouring areas (let's face it, that's the 'posh' ones!) on the homepage then it's only fair to mention others with a user base as well. Maybe a poll of where everyone here is based would make sense?

Permalink Reply by Dick Harris on February 5, 2013 at 18:59

You can see that information by looking at the member map - see the drop down from "Members".

Permalink Reply by Stephen Middleton on February 5, 2013 at 19:13

Thanks for that. Not updated since Nov 2010, but still amazingly interesting....

Permalink Reply by Ms on February 5, 2013 at 20:32

Definitely stay as we are, Hugh and HoL! If we have anything to do with "Haringey" in our name we will just sound like a council website where people pay for parking tickets etc and we don't want to do that, do we?

MS

Permalink Reply by Peter on February 6, 2013 at 8:45

Under no circumstances change it !!!

You would lose the local nature of it, since Haringey is such a vast borough.

And as some replies have demonstrated: Even residents from just outside Harringay feel included.

Also, it would be like changing a trade mark.

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