Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Dehumanising Harringay - another civic space bites the dusts
This morning's planning applications list brought a reminder about the partial demolition of St Ann's Police Station.
Whilst in many ways the building standing on the corner of Hermitage Road and St Ann's Road is an unremarkable one, its passing ought to be noted. Firstly it's a part of our fast shrinking accessible civil society. This comes just a week after the news that Harringay's Post Office is likely to be closing soon and at a time when we are waiting a drastic reduction in the opening hours of our local libraries.
An article by Polly Toynbee I came across recently entitled Britain is Dehumanising had this to say:
The human face of the state is everywhere in retreat, no longer speaking to its citizens. HMRC has closed all its public counters, where people often came for help with paying their taxes. Libraries, that great fount of civic knowledge, are closing everywhere, occasionally replaced by well-meaning volunteers without the information people need on everything from benefit applications to local planning consultations.
The demolition is also a harbinger of more dramatic change soon to hit our neighbourhood. The development of St Ann's Hospital site is a certainty. It's shape though is yet to be determined.
One good bit of news in all this is that the shell of Victorian/Edwardian building will be retained, and only the newer parts behind the main building will be demolished.
Tags for Forum Posts: st ann's hospital, st ann's police station, st ann's redevelopment
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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I blame the internet myself
When you can buy something from Amazon and have it delivered gift-wrapped to the recipient, there's really no need ever to leave home.
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Permalink Reply by StephenBln on
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My parents lived on the corner of St Ann's Road, North Grove from their marriage in 1941 until we were hastily moved out in 1957, when the house started to fall in on itself. That's where my life began.
The police station was right opposite and their entrance mirror reflected ours. The police at Y division, I think it was, were very friendly, always greeted and I can remember that as a very young kid, I was allowed to sit in one of their cars. As the corner house, we had a strip of garden along North Grove to Ascot Road. My mum rented this out as parking space for an open top large green car, that was owned by a policeman. He'd take me out for rides in that too.
It's sad to think of the place being demolished. I have vague memories of the late 1950s, of St Ann's Road, from Black Boy to the Church as being a quiet wide road, and it was very green with many large trees.
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BTW Hugh, I don't want to get into an another 'exchange of opinions', but St Ann's/ Hermitage really is Tottenham.. and certainly not Harringay. Unless that is, Japan is now China too..
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Permalink Reply by Sarah on
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I did wish the police station by Turnpike Lane station had been open the other day, when I witnessed a vile man sexually harassing and racially abusing a woman (when I challenged his behaviour he then turned his attention to me). Right outside a police station, if only someone had been there! But I made him run away and hope he will think before acting that way again.
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Permalink Reply by Richard Hulbert on
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Hi Sarah
It sounds like he needs to be talked to by the police. I know it is tricky in the heat of the moment but I would suggest a 999 would have been justified if you had a phone on you.
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I made him go away by telling him I was calling the police. I called 101. By the time I'd finished dialling he was out of there.
I gave as good a description as I could and they said they would tell patrols in the area.
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Permalink Reply by JJ B on
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Yes... but we'll get more 'much needed homes' and the development is quite sensitive to the surrounding conservation area as the historic building will be entirely retained and renovated and the new build apartments will be relatively low rise - certainly lesss intrusive than those on the north side of St Ann's rd! The architects actually took on board the comments of the conservation officers. Also, the development is being carried out by the One housing Group and not some off-shore-based private developer.
There are other more grave things to worry about in Haringey too.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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The development looks like a good one, JJB. That's perhaps not the point here. The wider issue about loss of civic is part and parcel of the "more grave things" about which you worry.
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Agreed.
I am beginning to sign out though. As an citizen with a french passport I am preparing fro my own personal Brexit! No point in investing in a place that ......
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Oh non! I do hope Europe doesn't turn her back on us.
Don't forget the half of us (and probably many more) who haven't done so to Europe!
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Well it is Britain (England and Wales to be precise) that has turned its back on Europe! I can fully understand somebody with citizenship of another European country wanting to go back there. I hope even now it is not too late to turn Brexit round, many people have changed their minds, and the Tories risk falling into chaos with it...but if I had anywhere else to go I probably would!
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