Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
It feels like clean air isn’t aligned to the criteria of Haringey Borough of Culture
I’m a little confused, why doesn’t Haringey Borough of Culture want to celebrate a safe AND vibrant cuisine culture
Earlier in the year, and particularly around election time, we heard a lot about Haringey winning the bid to become 2027 Borough of Culture. Rather bizarrely termed The Rebel Borough (I don’t know…) councillors and wannabe councillors trumped the potential of closing Green Lanes for the day to have a big food festival, celebrating the cuisine of the grill restaurants. Oh, the hype, potential revenue and apparent community cohesion.
However, they forgot one key thing. Safety.
Maybe our local restaurants don’t have the funds to improve their filtration systems to avoid the massive plumes of air pollution I thought. So, what a great opportunity to bring together cuisine and safe air under the banner of culture. Our cash strapped council clearly don’t have the money to give grants for restaurants to put in safe filters. But the Borough of Culture comes equipped with oodles of funds in the name of culture. My application was submitted on time, backed by the data and with a clear plan for execution.
Which is why I was surprised to have quickly received a rejection that my application wasn’t even ‘eligible for consideration’. Apparently, they are ‘awarding funds that respond to our programme’s themes and priorities’.
So, there it is – a massive opportunity to clean up the food culture on Green Lanes missed. Haringey Borough of Culture is not about making a long-term legacy of clean air.
Amusingly, I am invited to ‘apply in a future round with an idea better aligned to the eligibility criteria’. I will apply again, but with the same proposal. If a legacy of clean air and children growing up in better health, alongside a thriving restaurant culture isn’t the best idea, I don’t know what is.
Shame on you Haringey Borough of Culture 2027.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter
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We've Done it! ~ we've pushed Haringey Council even closer to the edge!
"winning" [Buggin's turn] London Borough of Culture 2027 was a big deal for the previous council leader and doubtless for the well-paid (i.e. UK Prime Minister level) director and assistant directors of culture and their assistants. This is another one of those possibly nice-to-have items if you can afford it, that contributed to pushing the council nearer to bankruptcy.
Which us rebel citizens will pay for, via cuts in services or increased council tax. The previous satisfied Administration spent or wasted public funds with little regard to restraint or responsibility.
In the May elections, the "Rebel Borough' did not rebel against the Borough-of-Culture in particular, but some voters could be forgiven for thinking that this Bread'N'Circuses offering may have pushed other, more basic Borough needs further into the background. Such as the environment.
I hope the new Administration looks into the financing of the Borough of Culture Legacy Fund.
My top tip for the council is stop wasting public money and get the basics right first!
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