Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Corona Crisis - the View from Harringay’s High Street
As some of you will know, I became acutely aware of how the crisis was affecting our high street when I visited Snug last Friday: Anna told me that her business was down by half.
Reading of the distress on the high street throughout the continent, I wanted to better understand how it was affecting us. So, this afternoon I had a conversation with Rob Tao of the Harringay Traders Organisation.
In short, Rob made it clear that Harringay is suffering the same as everywhere else. It’s now the bars cafes and restaurants that are worst impacted. As with Snug, many of them are reporting that their takings have been reduced by 50%. Grocery and other food stores aren’t currently suffering to the same extent, but most physical businesses are impacted.
Rob thinks that the government’s business rates relief and the small business grants may be a life saver for some businesses. However, there’s a real need for clarity at the earliest possible point. Rob’s been in touch with the Council several times, but there’s still no explanation of exactly who qualifies and when things will be put in place.
“As things turn out”, Rob told me, “we’re at the end of this rates year and the start of the next one. So, the Council are hoping to simply not send out the 2020-21 business rates bills”.
“Even with this in place”, Rob explained, “the situation remains hugely challenging. Most of the businesses on Green Lanes have large rent and staff bills to pay. If their business is decimated, layoffs and business closures might well happen”.
Rob’s heard that 70 staff were laid off from Wood Green’s retail businesses yesterday. More are expected.
“Some of the bigger restaurants in Harringay have as many as 40 staff on their books. Closure or slow-down will have a widespread impact”, he told me.
“We hope that most businesses on Green Lanes can carry on. But, the longer the crisis continues, the more difficult it becomes to rule out the possibility that we will start seeing victims’.
Tags for Forum Posts: coronavirus
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Will on
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https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-...
There's a lot here. What stands out initially are the durations. We could be expected to maintain distancing for the best part of a year (with periods of relief if and when metrics fall below certain levels). There need for clear explanation of policy is also reiterated on several occasions... this has been a bit of a problem so far.
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A bit of a problem... is not going far enough. There has been both a lack of clarity and a lack of decisive action.
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Absolutely agree with Will. I’m afraid we’re talking about people dying versus businesses losing their income.
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Sorry, if shops can't shut for a while to save lives. If most "adults" cannot understand or wilfully defy the stark reality facing this country, then there is something deeply sick with our current system even before the disease!
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this is super important Hugh. I've heard that elsewhere restaurants are offering meal vouchers that could be redeemed post-crisis to help them deal with immediate cash flow issues.
Is there call (and demand) for such a scheme in Harringay? I'd be happy to help think through issues and logistics (the main one being that if the restaurant folded, you'd lose your money, but that's kind of the point).
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The lockdown should have started two weeks ago. Unfortunately there is a very large section of adults today who simply will not voluntarily change their behavioue to the extent required, including business owners. They have to be told what to do and compelled. The govt has noved far too slowly and we will inevitably have a pandemic in London and other parts of the UK much bigger than that in Italy or China Wuhan. Mark my words.
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