Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Council force closure of community stall outside Budgens, Crouch End
The Budgens Stalls4All Co-ordinator has this evening circulated the following text in an email.
Stall4All outside Thornton's Budgens in Crouch End has been shut down by a Haringey council officer last Thursday the 7th of June on the grounds that our stalls needed to be licensed. When enquiring how I could go on about getting a license I was told we couldn't apply for one as the space (Budgens' own private space) in question is not considered a designated trading area.
This is extremely upsetting and frustrating for the stall holders we have been supporting for a whole year at a time of economic uncertainty. Stall4All is a not for profit organisation which has been supporting local residents in going back to work by providing them with a space to showcase and sell their work. In addition, we have been supporting local charities and community events such as the Crouch End Festival where children built their versions of the supermarket and the stalls outside, displayed at the library. Funnily enough, we have recently had an enquire from a council department to hire one of the stalls to help promote their services. How ironic, to say the least! Well, we will have to decline their application.
A big slice of our stalls' income goes to Pennies for Plastic which has been helping several charities in the area. By stopping us trading, the council is stopping money going to these causes which is just very unfortunate (and wrong).
We have been using the stalls for a year and I don't understand why they have caused a problem now and with no chance to sort it at all, even though we immediately ceased trading when told to and were willing to pay for a license to trade in our own pavement. I feel that my hands are tied and that I am letting down a lot of locals. Is there any way out of this situation?
I have copied a few media contacts into this email. I can only hope someone will see how unfair the situation is and make it public.
Thank you for reading.
Tags for Forum Posts: budgens, crouch end
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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I think it's highly unlikely that any bribes are being passed. Let's keep it real, folks.
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Permalink Reply by Anette on
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But we do not know that for sure.... It does baffle me that people in Crouch End are being jumped on, and people on Green Lanes who are blatantly blocking public pavements can get away with it, year in year out. Is that not a little suspicious? The pond shop in question is not only blocking the pavement, the inside is a complete fire hazard.
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No, we don't, not for sure, but for my part, without any evidence I'd conclude that the balance of probability is that it's not happening.
I'm not a great supporter of these here vs.there type conversations where there's an assumption that for whatever reason the Council treat Area A better/worse than Area B. I just can't see that there's either an explicit or implicit blanket Council policy on treating areas in this way.
What I do observe happening is groups with particular, usually non-wealth, non-finance related political clout getting an extraordinarily disproportionate amount of influence over what happens in a particular area. As much as I wish that influence landscape could be evened out, it's part of life's rich pattern, I guess.
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@Hugh, yes, the traders of Green Lanes seems to have a disproprtionate amount of power.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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Hugh you may or may not be right about the likelihood of bribes being passed; as far as I'm aware, there's no hard evidence of it.
However, it doesn't necessarily require the payment of bribes in order for there to exist an irregular or improper relationship with the council; benefits can pass in other ways, as you can imagine.
There does seem to be evidence of long-term "inconsistency", if I can put it like that, in law enforcement on Green Lanes. The council says they're keen to keep vehicular traffic flowing and this is enforced rigourously. The same principle does not apply to pedestrian traffic and yet we know there are laws about it.
Would you accept there appears to be selective enforcement of the law by the council? Do you have an alternative explanation for chronic law breaking and blind-eye turning?
BTW, well done on publicising the case of zealous enforcement outside Budgens. A case of community protecting community.
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Whilst avoiding the pitfall of focussing on a particular area, I think it's fairly evident that policies are not applied evenly. But I'm more of a chaos theorist than a conspiracy one. There are a whole range of human and non-human reasons that may underlie what happens. I suggested one in my previous post. What I'm asking is that the default position shifts away from conspiracy. I'm quite comfortable allowing the possibility of dirty dealing, but let's keep it in perspective until evidence is brought to bear.
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without any evidence I'd conclude that the balance of probability is that it's not happening
keep it in perspective until evidence is brought to bear
Evidence is important, but its not always available. I would add that absence of evidence does not comprise evidence of absence.
If, for the sake of argument, we first assume that there is no bribery, there will be perforce be no evidence of bribery.
If, for the sake of argument, we then assume that bribery is widespread, then it is indeed still "highly unlikely" that there will be any evidence of it. It's not the kind of thing that's declared on tax returns.
I'm more of pattern-seeking theorist than a chaos one. In these circumstances, we can surely only be guided by secondary or circumstantial evidence.
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Permalink Reply by JulieB on
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Maybe the huge amount of toilet tissue on the pavement is a health and safety measure in case any more of the tops of the buildings fall down on the pavement.
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Permalink Reply by David Barry on
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if it is not a "designated trading area" my immediate reaction is:-
What ARE the "designated trading areas" in Harringey?
And following from that how does one get an area "designated for trading"
I note for example that Coleridge School have their summer fair coming up. As no doubt do many other schools in Haringey. Are school grounds designated trading areas? There are going to be stalls on them.
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Permalink Reply by Poly Evangelou on
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As a regular crafter and Stall holderat Stall4all I am saddened that Stall4all has been forced to shut. This was the first space I found that gave me the opportunity and confidence to sell only jewellery that was designed and completely hadnamde by. I am self employed and it has always been a struggle to earn anything but a low wage as a crafter with my jewellery as there are very few fairs, markets, festivals that do not charge extortionate rents. Reasonably priced markets have cheap chinese jewellery that are hard to compete with. Many of better markets you can't get a spot no matter how hard you try or good stuff is. Beleive me I tried the lot Covent Garden 20 years ago didn't even have waiting list! Portebello even Spitafields full of Chinese costunme jewellery. There was no point showing my stuuf as all full.
Budgens is a beautiful store I have not known one like it that is so eco friendly and community based. The space was special a place of co-operation and creativity, where no one person hogged the space as some prime places. It was a pleasure being on Stall4all meeting all the wonderful crafters many who had never tried selling there goods before and being part of their excitement and trying to give support. Many community projects and charities not for profit benefited from the stall. How wonderful also that budgens was using profits from stall rent to go towards local charities. I want to thank Budgens and Andrew, Ana and also all my customers for their support.
I truly hope that there is some way that the stalls can continue altho' it sounds from Ana's posting that Harringey council are saying a big NO NO to applying for a licence. Typical of Harringey Council uninspiring and unsupportive.
Please support Stall4all as it truly is an inspiring and forward thinking place/space. One I believe that was truly apreciated by the local community.
PolyE
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Permalink Reply by gilly on
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Yes Polly well said. It is really hard for small business crafts people to find a selling space and it was lovely seeing you there and keeping afloat after all your hard work. I hope it sorts out you deserve it. x
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Thanks Gilly for this. It all sounds positive now. See you there again hopefully very soon.
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