Harringay online

Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Sainbury's/Homebase retail park yesterday

Was just wondering if anyone else had tried to go to Sainsbury's yesterday afternoon. It took me about 25 minutes to drive from the top of Green Lanes to the Sainsbury's end. I could have walked there and back quicker, and if I hadn't been en route to East London I would have. When I finally arrived at the entrance to the retail park uniformed guards told me that there weren't letting any more cars into the car park because it was taking up to 3 hours for cars to exit onto Green Lanes, and people were getting so frustrated that violence had broken out! It all felt like a Ben Elton futuristic satire for a moment. Can anyone tell me, is this normal for a Saturday? I don't usually shop at the weekend if I can help it so I've never encountered this before.

Tags for Forum Posts: sainsbury's

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Permalink Reply by GillianM on July 23, 2013 at 22:32

Maybe they could have a part-time exit from sainsburys via Finsbury Park avenue, only opens when it gets really busy. I suppose that would get backed up pretty quick unless they changed the traffic light phasing at the end of Hermitage Rd but would probably halve the waiting time?

Permalink Reply by Alison P on July 23, 2013 at 23:29
My (admittedly vague) memory of the discussion the last time this was made is that the road it would involve using is unadopted, meaning it wouldn't be possible to do this without residents agreeing. Which I'm sure they wouldn't, can't say I would blame them at all.
Permalink Reply by Lauren on July 24, 2013 at 9:34

Always puzzles me why there isn't an other entrance or exit at the other side.

Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on July 24, 2013 at 12:29

The other sides are residential and I think it was part of the original agreement that traffic wouldn't exit into these areas

Permalink Reply by Tam Neal on July 24, 2013 at 17:45

My wife was stuck in a long line of traffic from the Green Lanes Sainsburys to the main road a few weekends ago. It took about half an hour for her to get out (melted ice cream etc) ... the main problem seems to be the phasing of the traffic lights on the junction; the cars trying to join the queue from the front car park by Homebase; cars trying to join the queue coming out of the petrol station... in fact, too many cars - full stop! Much worse during the weekends, so avoid like the plague... Until the various retail outlets on the site get together with the Council to sort out the congestion everyone suffers - their business and our sanity. Don't hold your breath! If you feel strongly enough, write to the local MP and copy in the Council and Sainsburys PLC. Might work. Tx

Permalink Reply by aidan on July 24, 2013 at 21:52

Or just don't drive! The Arena is in walking distance for everyone in Harringay. Green Lanes is massively congested as it is, especially at weekends. Don't add to the problem.

There's a physical limit to what can be done about this without knocking down an awful lot of homes. The only, and I mean only, solution, is to decrease the number of car journeys.

Permalink Reply by Mavic Starfish on July 25, 2013 at 11:09

I was on the way to Homebase around 3.00 and after waiting 5 minutes on Green Lanes just turned up on to the ladder and went to Wilkinsons instead.  I swore I'd never go there on a Saturday after the last 2 hour horror show 2 years ago, but it just slipped my mind.  never again after reading this thread, walking is the best option.

Permalink Reply by Abi on July 26, 2013 at 10:08

This is why I get the bus...

Well, this and not having a driving licence of course. 

Permalink Reply by Lauren on July 26, 2013 at 10:26

I normally walk or cycle, but the times we went in the car we were picking up big heavy things from Homebase and Argos or doing the monthly cat litter/washing powder/tinned & dry goods shop. I'm never doing it again - home delivery all the way next time, or the Tesco at Colney Hatch.

Permalink Reply by CatC on July 26, 2013 at 13:47

This is exactly how and why the whole concept of the place fails as far as I can see. Even a regular walker-shopper like me will occasionally get lured into "Big Box shopping" by the proximity of the Homebase and the Argos. You find yourself thinking how easy it would be to run all your unwieldy errands in one go and fill your boot. But the inconvenience of waiting for deliveries pales in comparison to the hours of sitting in your car waiting to get out. I'm thinking of getting a tattoo for the back of my hand reading "Never. Drive. There. Again."

Permalink Reply by Churros on July 26, 2013 at 11:20

About five years ago I vowed never to drive there on Saturdays or Sundays. Ever. And don't even think about driving there in the few days before Christmas.

Permalink Reply by Lolup43 on July 26, 2013 at 13:12

This first started to happen about 5 years ago when Sainsburys expanded.  I got caught a couple of times (once my wife just simply got out, went back into Sainsburys with the kids, had lunch in the cafe, came back and found me in exactly the same place as we were before).

Sainsburys were pretty uninterested when I wrote to them about it, so I decided to vote with my wallet and shop elsewhere.

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