Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Tapas Bar, Wightman Road - Application for a Veranda/Deck to go with the New French Doors
There's an application [HGY/2009/0661] to construct a deck to face onto Wightman Road adjacent to the junction with Railway Approach:
http://www.planningservices.haringey.gov.uk/portal/servlets/Applica...
Is it a good idea? Well, presumably, it's on land belonging to the restaurant - are there any rights of way around the corner? It will involve narrowing access and vehicles will no longer be able to mount the pavement there [a good thing but not for the shop]. Clearly, there'll be tables on the deck in the warm weather for the smokers and Cafe Society eating - potential for noise issues with drinking and late opening, not good if you need to sleep and there are loud goodbyes and car horns at 12:30am. Are there any pollution issues? Mainly for the inhalation of exhaust fumes I would think. Will it create an improved ambience on the corner? Possibly. Will the appearance be aesthetically pleasing? Have a look at the plans! My intuition is that I'm positive about the idea subject to very tight conditions around noise and niusance, what do you think?
http://www.planningservices.haringey.gov.uk/portal/servlets/Applica...
Is it a good idea? Well, presumably, it's on land belonging to the restaurant - are there any rights of way around the corner? It will involve narrowing access and vehicles will no longer be able to mount the pavement there [a good thing but not for the shop]. Clearly, there'll be tables on the deck in the warm weather for the smokers and Cafe Society eating - potential for noise issues with drinking and late opening, not good if you need to sleep and there are loud goodbyes and car horns at 12:30am. Are there any pollution issues? Mainly for the inhalation of exhaust fumes I would think. Will it create an improved ambience on the corner? Possibly. Will the appearance be aesthetically pleasing? Have a look at the plans! My intuition is that I'm positive about the idea subject to very tight conditions around noise and niusance, what do you think?
Tags for Forum Posts: la vina
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by james walsh on
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Great idea if you want to sit and watch busy noisy traffic.
My guess is that it is to service patron smokers lost since the ban.
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Permalink Reply by Birdy_Too on
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As is sitting outside in most of any city?
Not the greatest views but I think this is a good proposal, obvious restrictions apply and I think the curfew (if adhered to) would be 10.30pm so everyone will have to be in side by then.
Green Lanes has changed so much over the last ten years and not all for the best. The early hour vibrant atmosphere is no more, sadly which was one of the best things about the place. If some folk had their way we’d be all tucked up in bed by 9pm : )
I keep forgetting about La Vina, one of the best tapas places I have been to and very friendly to boot.
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Permalink Reply by TTTH on
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Great idea! Still haven't managed to get to this restaurant after almost 6 years living here and it is the closest one to me. U can never have too much alfresco drinking/ dining, but the traffic is a off-putting. Will also be a smokers section mainly I guess, but any way of supporting local business is good by me.
In urban design terms, outside space is also good from a natural surveillance point of view - will discourage people from doing ASB which is most common around Transport hubs.
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Agree with Colin. It's a good place to eat, although I may not choose to dine alfresco on that particular stretch of Wightman Rd. I think that the place gives that corner and Railway Approach a less intimidating and 'used' feel to what could be, especially after work hours an area of potential ASB and fear of crime. A local business well worth supporting.
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Permalink Reply by Maddy on
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Actually, I think the view down Burgoyne Road is rather good, lots of sky. They could plant some grape vines on trellis to make the place a bit cosy and mediterranean. I think it sounds a fine idea for a rather unispiring little corner of the area.
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Permalink Reply by sparkle on
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I like the look of the new doors they have put in and think it's positive to encourage this long standing local business. I'm in favour..:)
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Permalink Reply by BBL on
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Don't know about extending the building - but they would want to do something about the food. I have eaten here several times - always hope over experience - and everytime it was second rate. Reheated ghatstly chicken, poor meat - never again
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How have they stayed open so long? I had hoped they were quite good. Good value for money would at least do?
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What ?
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Paul, I've just seen this (six weeks late - I was in Ireland that week). I notice your balancing of the pros and cons of this application, but also that just about everyone supported La Vina's al fresco development.
As an occasional (?monthly) devotee of the Tapas Bar at No.3 over recent years, but more as a daily customer of the Newsagent/Mini-grocer/Off-Licence at No.7 for most of three decades, I have to object belatedly.
I'm not usually in favour of vehicles driving onto, or parking on our pavement but the brothers who own the shop have (like their late father) been depending on this access to their own 'forecourt' for their family delivery van for over two decades.
La Vina's proposed deck, extending outwards to the pavement, would definitely block off this access. Other existing 'obstacles' (tree/s, pillar box, traffic island crossing, 'no parking') make the usual half-on/half-off parking impossible in front of the shop. I agree with the brothers that the deck would rob them of 'prescribed rights', which they've enjoyed for more than twenty years, to deliver their goods onto their own forecourt.
Rather than just lament, post mortem, the Tescoisation of Green Lanes/Wood Green and its effects on corner shops/newsagents/small mini-markets/off-licences/Greek bakeries/Dolcetti's . . ., maybe we should resist the sort of small local rather tatty developments which may favour those who must inhale, imbibe and ingest tapas simultaneously, but which make a small family "corner" shop's future very difficult indeed. True, it could be a better stocked, better priced, better run corner shop - then I would want to spend more than my usual £25-30 per week there. But then I rarely spend more than £25 per month on La Vina's tapas. However light this shop's present footfall, I think Wightman Road residents should value it more highly than a tatty stretch of veranda decking hanging off the new french windows next door.
Perhaps they should investigate the possibilities of the raised pavement around the corner which nobody uses along Railway Approach.
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