Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Why is Crouch End high street so much cleaner than Green Lanes?
I recently noted that people queue for buses in Crouch End but not Green Lanes and wondered why.
On my most recent excursion I noticed how markedly cleaner Crouch End is on a Saturday morning compared to Green Lanes and again wondered why?
Both are very busy on a Saturday morning (Crouch End arguably more so). Both have lots of cafes and restaurants. Both have bus stops.
But Green Lanes is littered with rubbish.
Why is it so?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by adamvietnam
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The people in a much richer area and presumably has more resource allocated to it.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Mahoney
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I doubt that the Council allocates more resources to Crouch End than other areas. Do they get more frequent street sweeping or Violia visits? Why would a Labour controlled council provide more resources to an area that generally votes for other parties (at least at a local government level)?
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Crouch End is a shopping destination. People travel there from other parts of the borough to shop and spend free time. It's still clean, safe and has a range of decent book shops, clothes shops, quality supermarkets and nice pubs.
So it's not that the local residents are better off per capita that explains it.
Maybe its just that the people who do live and shop there are the sort who appreciate a decent environment and don't want to ruin it.
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Despite being lovely - two Waitrose who could complain about that - one thing that always strikes me when I go to Crouch End is the number of empty shops. The retail environment feels very tenuous especially on Park Rd where the change of ownership of shops and restaurants feels almost weekly.
Topsfield Parade feels a bit more buzzy, but you can't help but think the only thing keeping the street alive is the preponderance of charity shops. I always get the impression that it's a couple of bad quarters away from becoming tumbleweed.
I've often wondered whether the cost of the renting or owning the beautiful housing of Crouch End is so high that its fine citizens can't actually afford to go out there.
For me, Crouch End is great for a visit but I'd much rather live "the wrong side of the tracks" on Green Lanes. The amenities, transport links and sense of community far outweigh its undeniable rough edges.
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Permalink Reply by Justin Guest
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I expect appropriate infrastructure has something to do with it.
That and some pride, or ability to be responsible for your own rubbish. I see shop keepers brushing rubbish out of their shops, and off the pavements- but rather than use a dustpan and brush to sweep it up, it goes into the gutter as though that solves the problem.
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