Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Ugly shop fronts
I was on my way home from Sainsbury's in Green Lanes last night, when I noticed some really bright, loud and generally ugly shop fronts. They are often below pretty Victorian flats. How do they get away with them? Has anybody ever complain complained about them? Did the shops actually apply for planning permission? To give you an example, think of the three shops rights next door to the Tesco (next to the Salisbury).
Tags for Forum Posts: Wightman Road, visual character
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Hugh on
-
Completely agree. Don't know. Do you know a solution.
PS: Just saw one of the remaining three victorian shop fronts, opposite the Salisbury, torn out last week for yet another glass-fronted hairdresser's. THer are now just 2, well 11/2 really, left.
-
Permalink Reply by Justin Hinchcliffe on
-
Perhaps we could lobby the council to turn Green Lanes into a conservation area? Does anyone know if this is feasible? In the meantime, though, the council needs to do an audit of all the shop fronts in Green Lanes to check if planning permission was ever granted in the first instance and, perhaps, carry out a review in consultation with local residents and traders.
-
Permalink Reply by matt on
-
Justin, there is an 'off-line' drinks evening happening on Tue March 4th, 8:30pm at The Salisbury. A chance for people to meet each other and if they wish, connect up with ideas for positive change for Harringay.
One wider issue to be discussed is how to put the Grand back in the Parade. Looking at the feasibility of turning the Parade into a conservation area with limited restrictions (as Stephen suggests) is one such approach. Turning the Parade into a pedestrian zone is another!
Clearly the state of the Parade is appalling. It's dirty, noisy, polluted, dangerous, attracts criminal activity and it appears the councils planning office has no consistent approach to the area, if indeed they have any control.
I agree, change, real change needs to happen.
-
Permalink Reply by StephenBln on
-
Green Lanes as a conservation area
You mean to say it isn't already..? But the Salisbury surely is, isn't it?
I would imagine Grand Parade stands a good chance, but I personally think the whole ensemble, Ladder & Gardens should be a conservation area. But, be under no illusions that there will not be many detractors from such a scheme.
After living away from the UK for many years, in a more highly regulated country, it always amazes me, how some new window replacements actually get planning permission. To me, there don't seem to be any regulations at all. That ugly window replacemnets affect everyone, not only the owners of a property, seems clear to me. That they have a detrimental affect on the area and "quality of life", how ones perceives the local environment, also seems clear.
On the other hand, England has turned into a "quasi disneyland/heritage museum", with fake "victorian lamp standards" being planted everywhere, with silly flower baskets hanging from them. To a visitor, it all looks so cheap and nasty, as well as contrived.
Also, lots of residents would surely be up in arms, if they had to replace their windows to bring them back to something like how they should look. BUT, that is what needs to be done. In the long term, such a conservation area would only benefit residents and traders alike.
Regarding Shopfronts, it's obviously too late to do much now, but surely guidelines should be set and I think at least a "token" one remaining "original" victorian shopfront should be preserved.
Lastly, my comments are not meant to be negative, but more as food for thought. Sometimes it is necessary for someone from outside, to make others aware of what they take for granted. I personally would advocate a softly, softly approach to conservation. A "soft" conservation area with certain guidelines, that must be adhered to, would seem to be the right approach for me (as a non-(ex)resident).
-
Permalink Reply by Birdy_Too on
-
One company is responsible for 85% of shop signs in Harringay, that’s N & N Signs opposite Sainsburys.
The loud, over saturated tat that some of the shops and cafes have is nothing short of criminal, design wise.
It seems to be the more homemade digital photos of food they have on there, the better. I suppose it maybe a cultural thing, I look at some of the photos people have for weddings and why would they want the Golden Gate Bridge or Mickey Mouse in the background?
I am all for making the Parade Grande again, but as someone has said there seems to be little or no restrictions when converting shop fronts, apart from a compulsory kiche sign above the shop.
-
Permalink Reply by Susannah on
-
Agree about the shop fronts but what about the huge billboards? And the wonderful signs on every other lamp-post telling us how wonderful our Council is? Has anyone consulted local people about whether they actually want this kind of visual pollution?
People complaint about rubbish and traffic as forms of pollution, but what about visual pollution? Think there should be a concerted campaign against billboards, ugly shopfronts, estate agents signs, the ridiculous plethera of street 'furniture', forests of lamp-posts etc etc that make London such a visually chaotic and ugly place.
-
-
I quite agree Susannah. See my Getting it off my chest about Green Lanes signage clutter! post of a few weeks ago.
This was also featured in the survey - still open till midnight - see box on main page.
-
Permalink Reply by Anette on
-
Totally agree!
Does estate agents signs that are left, and left and left and left apply as well? They're not pretty either. Or is that another discussion entirely?
-
-
"One company is responsible for 85% of shop signs in Harringay, that’s N & N Signs opposite Sainsburys" - that's VERY interesting, Birdy-Too. Thank you.
-
-
I have a thing about the signage clutter see my old post Getting it off my chest about Green Lanes signage clutter!
-
Permalink Reply by hannah on
-
I agree. When I moved to Harringay, one of the first thoughts that struck me was the height and rather faded grandeur of the terraces fronting Grand Parade. If you look at them closely, some of the features and mouldings are beautiful. (Not long ago I spotted a tourist snapping away at one of the frontages and this caused me to take a closer look - there was some true craftsmanship there - just up a bit between the Old Ale Emporium and the bridge). The second thought that struck me, in my newly- arrived-days, was that if this was NW3, the street at least would have been a conservation area and not be ruined by bright yellow shop fronts and trashy illuminated awnings. I do think this is a forgotten corner of north London, and if we could campaign to make it a conservation area I am all for it. (How nice it is to air these thoughts - at the time it was virtually impossible to find out if anyone else minded apart from stopping them on the street!).
-
-
I quite agree Hannah. Did you see the Green Lanes Architectural Detailing photo album I posted on this site some weeks ago? Maybe I was your tourist!
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
