Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Mugging in Seymour Road, Harringay Passage
We just found out from our neighbour, that his friend was mugged last Saturday, around 11pm, while walking past Harringay Passage. He was dragged into the Passage and had his phone, wallet and other valuables stolen. The police acted quickly and searched for the attackers but they were too late. Whas it just an isolated incident? It would be interesting to know what are the crime statistics for this area.
I've lived on the Ladder for over 4 years and felt quite safe here, even when I had to walk alone from the bus stop late at night. But now I am rather scared. I know taking a cab is the safest option after a night out but it's expensive. What we need is more police presence and better street lighting to prevent crime in the first place.
I've lived on the Ladder for over 4 years and felt quite safe here, even when I had to walk alone from the bus stop late at night. But now I am rather scared. I know taking a cab is the safest option after a night out but it's expensive. What we need is more police presence and better street lighting to prevent crime in the first place.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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My first reaction to this was 'how horrible, stuff like this happened to me as a kid and stays with you'. But then I thought about it a bit more. If a customer had intervened then they would most likely become the target of the girl's wrath and open themselves up to a possible prosecution from the police depending on how far things went. There are also plenty of 'lovely young men' out there who can be convinced to exact revenge for nasty little girls like them. The only way out of this would have been if the staff had asked them to leave. McDonalds should not be relying on their customers to police the restaurant.
I have not eaten McDonalds since reading Eric Schlosser's fantastic book Fast Food Nation in 2001. In it, among other things, he accuses McDonalds management of employing very young people, too young to be running a restaurant serving up sugar and carbohydrates to the working classes. In America, McDonalds restaurants are regularly held up by ex-employees and there are plenty of youtube videos of fights in McDonalds restaurants. I wish I had read that book at 15. It hasn't put me off meat but the cynical machinations of the company put me off Big Macs.
Of course I know you probably already know this but... Cafe Lemon is quite nice and they actually have adults serving the food. This is the kind of place you need to send your kids.
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Permalink Reply by Birdy_Too on
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Slightly off topic but I followed the Mclibel case in the early nineties and read the book written by a Grauniad journo which was a cout room diary of events.
Helen Steele on of the "two" is relatively close to here and even met her on a traffic demo on Harringay Green Lanes about eight years ago.
Weirdly Macs is one of the "better" fast food joints around now, even getting certain credits from Greenpeace and PeTA. Not eaten there since 1991, even worked in one up north in 1987, shakes heads in shame.
Gastly places IMO.
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Permalink Reply by MARY on
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We contacted McDonalds head office the day after our daughters' assault and received a damage limitation type letter after three days apologising for our daughters 'expierience' and promising a review of their security policy, which in itself is laughable because of its non-existence. My husband is very keen to contact an anti-McDonalds' group, I'm not convinced as to what purpose it would serve, my only interest would be if pressure could be brought to bear to improve security, as these outlets attract mainly youngsters it is only fair that they feel safe whilst there. On the day of my daughters assault a mum of two very young children approached me and informed me that her four year old son had witnessed the whole thing, his words to his mum were 'that girl is smacking the girls' head on the table' not what you expect your children to witness when they're taken out for a treat. My daughter has vowed not to set foot in a McDonalds ever again and I hope she sticks to that pledge, strange thing is they never had any intention of going there on that day either, it was an afterthought on a trip to the sports shop.
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You are absolutely right to pursue McDonalds. Imagine if this was a pub and the girls were 18, not fifteen? The publican would be recieving a visit from the Police.
Soudns like your daughter is being very cool about it. Good on her.
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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The 'McLibel' 2 live in Haringey and took on McDonald's in the longest running libel case in UK legal history. They know a thing or two about pursing McDonald's for bad practise. There is a person on this site who knows how to contact at least one of them.
It sounds as though the restaurant failed to provide adequate security measures in this case. Why wasn't or isn't a security guard employed within that branch. Plenty of other businesses in Wood Green have them. They are all linked by radio so they can respond to threats like this en mass. Why didn't the branch manager contact this security network;
The Shopwatch Initiative
Shopwatch is a crime fighting initiative that has been operating in Wood Green since May 2005. The scheme unites the Police and retailers and aims to make the town centre a safer place.
Retail staff volunteer as Special Constables and carry out patrols during some of their working hours, acting as additional eyes and ears for the Police.
Their presence seeks to actively deter theft and fraud and discourage antisocial behaviour, as well as offering additional reassurance to shoppers and residents.
.... and this also from the council's website;
The Townlink Radio System
Sixty retailers are currently connected to the system, which enables them to share information and intelligence on persistent offenders and other crime related activities in the town centre. They can request assistance from other users when detaining shoplifters, contact the CCTV control room and Police officers in the Business Support Team when their presence is required.
The Town Centre Management team facilitates confidential bi-monthly security meetings, which the retailers can use as a forum for sharing information and to deliver reports on incidents in their stores.
There are a lot of questions that need answering.
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This is for shops that suffer from shoplifting. If I were the McDonalds manager I would not see the benefit of being involved in this, especially as I am all the way down near Finsbury Park. They will only do something when people stop going there because they are scared.
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It's not clear to me which McDonald's is being talked about. If it is the Arena branch (lets call it) then there is still absolutely no excuse whatsoever for this branch not having a security guard. Other shops in the Arena complex do. OK shoplifting burgers & fries isn't going to happen but the company has a duty of care to provide a secure environment for isn't staff & customers.
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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Mary said the branch in Green Lanes, I supposed that meant the one at the Arena.
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True but their business model does not allow for that. Read Fast Food Nation, it's all in there. I did not stop eating it because I found out more about the food - I LOVE Big Macs. I stopped eating it because they were very cynical about their customers, to the point where things like this happen in McDonalds restaurants all over the world. Just don't go there. Go to Cafe Lemon or Nandos.
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Matt, I've been thinking about this too. With the expansion of the Arena shopping park has come another fast food outlet, a sports shop, a mobile phone shop , all of which are likely to attract a younger clientele, especially at the weekend and as we have read from Mary's account, as well as the teens who just want to buy a pair of trainers and have a shake, there arrive the mental ones who come for trouble. It seems doubtful that an initiative like shopwatch exists there and it is clear from these tales of fights in car parks and attacks on children that there is an urgent need to review the security and policing of this area.
Can you bring it up at your next police meeting? I'm going to raise it at the residents group.
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Permalink Reply by Helen1 on
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Mary, I hope the culprits get what they deserve. Even more, I hope that your daughter and her friend don't lose confidence after this, though it must have been awful for them. It won't be much consolation, but I wrote what I did in the spirit of sticking up for the good young people who need to know that there are some adults around who do care and who will help. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case on Feb 12th.
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Again, if this happened to older girls in a pub would you be blaming the people in the pub? McDonalds are at fault here, not any of the girls or the people in the restaurant.
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