Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

"Please Change to Haringey Online"

We received the following message via our Facebook page today:

Hi, I am wondering why you don't switch to calling yourself haringey online, as opposed to the more limited geographically specific area of harringay. It's just I have noticed that a lot of the activities you cover happen outside of that strict geographical area you have in your title and I also think you would appeal to a wider audience. I know lots of people who don't live in harringay who feel slightly excluded by your name; I know that might sound slightly ridiculous and I feel sure I am not the first on to point this out to you, but I just think we all live in haringey and we all attend many of the same functions and events so why not embrace the wider name. Just a thought, not necessarily a criticism, more an observation. Kind regards.

Here's my reply:

Many thanks for your comment. It's certainly a thought. When the site was set up it was very specifically aimed at the neighbourhood of Harringay. We thought we were setting our sights high at 200 members. We never imagined it would grow into what it's become with 6,000 members and almost the same number again on Facebook and Twitter.

Sites like this certainly work at the neighbourhood level once they get their head of steam and with enough gentle steering from the folks who run them. Outside London, they can also work at a city-wide level (Sheffield Forum, for example). As yet I haven't seen one work in a major subdivision of a major metropolitan city anywhere in the world. It may just be that no one's tried, but my suspicion is that there's a good reason for it.

Nothing's fixed in stone, but for the time being we're likely to stick with focussing on Harringay. However, we will also continue to reflect how people live their local lives, so we will carry on including some stories and all events from other areas nearby. As always anyone's welcome to join in.

Thanks for the thoughts though. We always need to keep rethinking what we are and where we're going.

Any thoughts?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by caterina on February 6, 2013 at 14:12

I agree with Hugh . We should keep it as it is for the moment.I never realised you had 6000 followers.....I think it is important to focus on one area otherwise it becomes unmanageable for a user like me who is far from being a techee! As it is it gives me a sense of living in a village - a big one! I like it! Catarina

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Josephine on February 6, 2013 at 16:44

Another vote for Harringay. It is def the hyper- local angle that makes Harringay Online distinctive and useful.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by ingo pless on February 16, 2013 at 13:39

Agree. Think a wider sweep would render it too disparate. I'd suggest to people outside the area to use hol as a model and replicate to their locality.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by 3dabemynv2wyk on February 9, 2013 at 11:03

Changing a website name is pretty bad for SEO ; )

And I agree with what others have said here. I live outside the 'gay but I go there a lot to shop, visit friends, baby swimming lessons, pub etc. and I consider myself a local.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on February 11, 2013 at 8:15

Claire, if I ask you not to call Harringay by this twee abbreviation will I be accused of all sorts of unspeakable prejudice? Leave it to GLSG to mess around with our name.