Car wash or valeting in Harringay or surroundings?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John D on November 24, 2010 at 17:05

Either Wood Green Shopping City car park ( not sure if they do vacuuming ) or Homebase car park where Bounds Green Road crosses North Circular.

Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on November 24, 2010 at 17:16

Recommend the Big Yellow Hand Car wash in Finsbury Park (13 Stroud Green Road)

Permalink Reply by Vlad on November 25, 2010 at 1:07

Thanks for the tips. I decided to try Big Yellow last night before it closed at 7. On my way there during rush hour, I came across a small 'Hand Car Wash' on Upper Tollington Park (at Stroud Green), behind the Mini Cab and Nandos; £5 wash / £10 for wash in/out and vacuum.

It was fairly busy for such a small place, with 4 or 5 cars while I was there. They turned my car around in about 20 minutes and did a good job. On way home I stopped at Big Yellow to check prices; £6 and £10 respectively, but surprisingly for their location and how well lit and professional it looked, there were no cars getting washed.

As I'll be driving around the neighbourhood, I'll keep my eyes open for the Bounds Green Road and Hermitage Road car washes too, though surprisingly I was happy with the basic hand car wash place (don't know its name). Could be because they service mini cabs next door.

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on November 25, 2010 at 9:02

When people are choosing a carwash, can I make a plea for social responsibility as one of the factors you take into account.

By this I mean considering the environmental and other impacts of this type of business. For instance, you could ask whether or not the waste water/detergent goes to a surface/storm drain ─ and from there into a nearby stream. (Some years ago this happened with a carwash close to the River Lee.)

Is the particular business in a suitable location? This doesn't mean being an environmental health expert or planner. Apply the 'Golden Rule'. Would you like this particular carwash next door or opposite your house? With the traffic, parking and noise problems - if any - which you see.

Cllr Stuart McNamara is currently leading a local campaign objecting to a possible change of use to a carwash in a quiet Bruce Grove backstreet. As public service cuts lead to dismantling of controls, we still have consumer as well as resident power.

Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on November 26, 2010 at 8:51

ALL of us should be concerned about the environment generally and personally in our individual actions.

But when you've got a car to wash you've got a car to wash and most people would want the task done as quickly and easily as possible.

Few of us have the time or inclination to sit down and spend hours or days on researching the car wash that evinces the most social responsibility. Nor time to apply any "golden rule" asking, is the business is in a suitable location? That kind of thing ought to have been settled beforehand, by the council planning function.

(apart from being in a suitable location, there are any number of questions impinging on social responsibility that we could ask about how they run their business: are they paying their taxes? the minimum wage? recording VAT? etc)

Ordinary consumers are entitled to believe that a business which is up and running has already met existing planning & environmental requirements. And is subject to ongoing checks. There should be surely be no need for the average member of the public to run their own checks on a company (if there is a need, why and is the average person up to the job?). This is part of the reason why a council, acting in the collective interest, justifies it existence. Councils do or should, perform some useful functions.

We could all of us set out to learn jobs of environmental and trading standards inspectors but that's what we pay the council to do. Personally, I think this has long been an underfunded area. Is the golden rule perhaps that councils try to avoid responsibility?

Permalink Reply by pamish on November 26, 2010 at 11:49

When the LBH dustcart pneumatic lift pipe burst and sprayed boiling the oil the length of Pembroke Road, and from bumper to bumper of my car, I wasn't about to go out and sort it with a bucket. Went to the big drive-through at Tottenham Hale, who refused to do it as the oil would ruin his filters. I took it instead to a hand wash up Seven Sisters Road who did a great in-and-outside job. Now I wonder where the oily water went. Who licenses these?

And that reminds me - LBH still owes me fifteen quid. I got a no-commitment letter from an insurance company, months ago. Do all such 'claims' get put through insurers? How much admin cost to recover this one small amount? I only claimed as a principle, I thought I'd get a quick refund from petty cash. Didn't even charge for the two hours of my time.

Permalink Reply by John McMullan on November 26, 2010 at 12:03

Few of us have the time or inclination to sit down and spend hours or days on researching the car wash that evinces the most social responsibility

Clive! You seem to have oodles of time! What Alan said was completely reasonable and sensible.

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on November 26, 2010 at 13:01

Plainly, this is not from the careful and well informed Dr Clive.

What's the Golden Rule? The basic principle of reciprocity and justice. "Do unto others", as Jesus taught ─ but which is basic to most religions.

Which is one reason we should all be concerned about each other's environment. Including a carwash across the road from your house Clive, if it's significantly harming your and your neighbours' lives.

Or perhaps the rule is: "Hey guys, outta my way!" When Mr Carter's gotta go to a carwash, he's just gotta go. And is entitled to assume it meets all planning and environmental requirements. With ongoing checks by the Council. Each of these rely, of course, on Haringey doing its job professionally and effectively. An assumption remorselessly challenged by both Dr Clive and Mr Carter.

Anyway, Clive, do you really think we should just leave it to environmental and trading standards inspectors? That there's no place for community action and ethical consumer behaviour? If so, we may be in deep trouble when the Westminster barbarians finish their cutting. There may be a lot fewer of these vital people around.

Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on November 26, 2010 at 15:59

Alan LBH should always do its job professionally and effectively, whether it does in reality or not. I regard Trading Standards as one of the local council's more important functions. I know it has a low profile and a low priority at present, but I do think it is under-resourced. I fear that things like that are not regarded as glamorous (along with a few others that could be mentioned) and receive little attention and resources. Trading standards raises no money and is seen as a cost rather than a service to consumers.

Meanwhile, the publicity department has a fat budget and the PR function, including the profligate council magazine, is the area where the council can feel good about itself. The council would serve the public better, in my opinion, by scrapping HP mag and putting all those funds into additional Trading Standards Officers.

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on November 26, 2010 at 16:28

There’s an old joke about prisoners who’ve heard each other’s tired old stories so many times before, they just call out a number.

I numbered yours here.

Permalink Reply by Ed Gorman on November 25, 2010 at 10:50

there's one on tottenham lane, crouch end, on the wasteland next to the music palace, there's one on philip lane, just after the mini-roundabout junction with downhills park road, and there's one in the carpark at tescos lea valley (next to ikea). all v. good

Permalink Reply by Maddy on November 29, 2010 at 21:30

And there's a good place called Lumi, the cheapest I've found so far on Seven Sisters' Road just near the junction with St Ann's Road (along from Wickes). But if we're worrying about the ethics of it all, I'd be inclined more to concern about the poor Eastern European/ Latin American guys who work in these places in all weathers, probably for peanuts - they must be absolutely freezing this week.

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