Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
New tenants found for Coliseum Shop after Campaign Blocks Bookies
After almost a year, it seems that HoL's campaign to prevent yet another bookie opening on our High street has resulted in a long-lasting success.
Last summer we heard that the lease for the Coliseum site, at the St Ann’s Road junction, was due to be signed over to Cypriot bookies Tipco. KFH who held the lease but had never occupied the property, had experienced trouble finding a buyer for the lease and were delighted to find takers in Tipco.
I was less pleased and figuring that with KFH's customer facing business they may be amenable to working with the community to find another solution, I suggested to Rob Tao of Harringay Traders that an approach be made to KFH.
Rob picked up the baton and passed things over to the GLA team involved on the Green Lanes regeneration project. As summer progressed and turned to Autumn, all seemed to be going well. GLA supported plans had been hatched to let the shop and use it as a community pop-up space for an interim period.
Then out of the blue, the Haringey Council licensing team received an application for a licence to operate the premises as a betting shop.
That's when I launched HoL's campaign to persuade KFH to change their tack and the community made their concerns clear. After a week or so, I got a call from KFH expressing their discomfort at our campaign and suggesting a way may be open.
Once again I passed matters over to Rob and he worked with KFH to try and broker a solution. In the meantime, the residents who live above the premises also got involved.
It seems that KFH listened to community concerns. Credit is due to them for this.
I'm pleased to be able to announce that a new tenant has now been confirmed. After long negotiations with an ice cream and desert shop, it has been confirmed that solicitors Ersan & Co. have taken a lease on the premises. The firm is currently based near Turnpike Lane.
Whilst I can think of a number of things I'd have preferred to a solicitor in that spot, I'm delighted to have them rather than a bookie and welcome them to the high street.
Tags for Forum Posts: betting, gambling, kfh, kinleigh folkard hayward
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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I don't think KFH have made any money so much as they've curtailed an ongoing expense that was giving no return. I sy credit to them because it's easy for businesses not to listen. KFH appear to ave done so.
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I think you worry too much, Stan. They took a commercial decision. We can assume they knew what they were doing.
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Permalink Reply by Anette on
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So what's your point Stan? Would you rather have another betting shop there? "Middle class vigilantism"? Explain please. Are you an estate agent perhaps? Do you actually work for KFH?
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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What's wrong with being middle class ( whatever that is these days ).
Are you a prole ?
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They took a commercial decision, Stan. Who can say what underpinned it, but I don't think they are shedding any tears over it and nor ought we to. I do, however repeat my thanks to them for the decision they took.
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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I am sure the Coliseum has ample ground floor area for a local Brothel, if only KFH had been more imaginative - but I guess soliciting on Green Lanes is the next best thing, so long as the practice members don't start fanning out westwards toward Wightman Road.
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Permalink Reply by Christopher Fowler on
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Congratulations, Hugh and all involved. Driving the betting shops out should be our number one priority. There is no hope for our area, and for improvements in the community, while it is blighted by gambling, drinking and protection rackets. I'm sure a solicitors firm will make a lot of money, provided they deal in criminal law and don't mind being paid in used fivers. When oh when oh when will Starbucks move in, help drive up the property values, help drive out the gangs, and fulfill our ambitions to be the next Crouch End or "Stokey"?
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Permalink Reply by TTTH on
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I second that Christopher, well done Hugh and co. This would not have happened without quick community action. Can I ask whether Haringey Council rejected or stalled the licencing or planning for the betting shop during the process? Just interested to know if any neighbourhood planning or localism was in action here.
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My comment on Starbucks was a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it would be really nice to have a more varied mix of eating places on Green Lanes, like the new Blend etc. I'm very happy to see the success of the newer Turkish/Kurdish places (double-fronted or otherwise), but everyone would benefit from more of a mix, especially if the premises were taken over from the betting shops.
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The Council have few options with controlling betting shops since 2005. Skip through the attached story of the 2005 Gambling Act.
As has been pointed out previously, David Lammy was the minister in charge of the Department for Culture Media & Sport when the Act was passed. However, he was in fact newly appointed to post when the legislation was enacted and all the work had been done before his time. So, I imagine he can't really be held accountable for the passage of this faulty legislation, other than as a member of the Government that steered it through. He is now one of those leading the charge for a change.
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