This article from The Times, interviews local residents following the report last week which said that life expectancy in certain parts of Tottenham is 17 years less than in the most affluent parts of London (Kensington and Chelsea). Full story here
Forget Kensington and Chelsea, What about Crouch End and even Harringay! One and a half miles away is the high road this times article is referring too and we're going to live until we're 80, at least. Ten years in probably a mile!
This is not as embarrassing for the government as it should be because the people in the West of the borough bring us up to the national average and Haringey compared to other areas of Britain doesn't look so bad.
Permalink Reply by Liz on February 15, 2010 at 12:20
It's interesting that yet again, the spectre of the betting shop replacing 'real shops' raises its head in that article.
I was on Tottenham High Road last week and there was a large crowd outside one betting shop, with a large number of police and lots of shouting and arguing. This was at 2pm in the afternoon when mums were out with kids, old people doing their shopping were on the High Rd. A pretty stressful environment for all concerned.
It strikes me that our fight on Green Lanes against this invasion is a part of a bigger assault on East Haringey in general or even on poorer areas across the country. Reading an article about regeneration in Bradford I noticed one of the interviewees mentioned that the only new businesses that appear in the rundown parts of the city were betting shops.
This is now becoming a rampant problem across the country and if there is one thing that the next government whatever their hue can do to help, it is to review and repeal that dreadful piece of legislation that effectively gave a golden goose to the gambling industry.
Permalink Reply by Adam on February 15, 2010 at 12:53
I had a conversation over the weekend with someone who occasionally frequents betting shops on GL. He certainly didn't advocate an increase, but reckoned that if there were 15 betting shops on GL they would all be financially successful!!
Used car dealerships (and probably lots of other businesses) do much better when they congregate together. People make the trip to look for a car/gamble and go where they have the most choice.
That's the point, it's not spare cash is it? It's the small amount of capital that should perhaps go on today's Wheaties for their children but could possibly turn into tomorrow's bonanza for the family. "Woo hoo! £100 pounds! We're having Chinese tonight!"
Permalink Reply by Liz on February 15, 2010 at 21:45
Dickens wrote this about gin but I think it can be applied to equally to modern addictions:
...a great vice in England, but poverty is a greater; and until you can cure it, or persuade a half-famished wretch not to seek relief in the temporary oblivion of his own misery, with the pittance which, divided among his family, would just furnish a morsel of bread for each...{with the added incentive for the gambler, that as John says, his or her ship might just come in}
He also says that such places don't cause the misery but rather congregate where it can be found.
You will place betting shops where people may be poorer because they offer a bit of respite from overcrowded houses, loneliness and boredom.
I wonder if any of our local Labour members can enlighten us as to whether or not Dickens was required socialist reading. I suspect that John Prescott, who I believe did not want high streets full of betting shops in deprived areas but casinos full of the wealthy in rich areas, was not a Dickens fan.
So they're not gambling £1000 pounds at a time, they're gambling £100 with the DREAM of gambling £1000, perhaps even only £50. This is an addiction we're talking about.
I'd love to see the burglary figures for Haringey by proximity to a betting shop.