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Red tape hinders efforts to make Archway better
• THE Better Archway Forum welcomes the efforts of Lee Rickler to improve Archway and notes the comments by Chris Roche (Traders threaten parking demo, May1). It is interesting that he considers it should be the Better Archway Forum – an unpaid community group – which should “deliver” improvement to Archway.
He is perhaps unaware that, completely unpaid, the forum has achieved a policy for Archway which outlaws a superstore here; the extension of the conservation area to include Archway island; more trees planted; refusal of a lap dancing club licence; removal of the recycling bins outside Archway Mall and of bogus estate agent signs; employment of a town centre manager; the first shared food growing space in Archway (to get involved phone 020 7272 2351); and the creation of an eco-group working to reduce bills and CO2 emissions with home improvements (to join, email contact@betterarchway.info).
We have more than 1,000 members and listen to everything they suggest.
The forum has run seven community planning sessions, a major, government-funded consultation last October (on which we reported to major stakeholders) and just a few days ago a successful sustainability event. Did Mr Roche achieve anything equivalent in his former role?
The reason the forum doesn’t achieve more is the massive effort and time it takes to bring about even small changes. This is because, like the rest of the UK, we have to work with incredible levels of bureaucracy. One Islington staffer reports that the borough employs 8,000 members of staff, one for every 20 residents.
That bureaucracy means that, while residents have to go through hoops to get planning permission for a tiny kitchen conversion, Budgens was permitted to open without planning permission. And Iceland has demolished the old Woolworth frontage, but is going to be allowed to open for business, completely unhindered.
The Sustainability Bill has been designed to help communities tackle these kinds of issues, and Islington is to be applauded in signing up to it. However, we need to act on that – and soon.
KATE CALVERT
Chair, Better Archway Forum
• ARCHWAY Market cannot be reopened at the Mall in Junction Road because it is private land and the landowners don’t wish it. So, lacking tens of millions of pounds, that’s that.
It’s time to stop being angry about it and embrace the new location, which has blossomed into a really enjoyable place to visit only 500 yards from the station. Also, crucially, the traders are far better off where they are, in partnership with the council because they are now protected from the whims of landlords.
We have the chance to establish long term a terrific local resource that will continue to grow and flourish as long as people keep coming to visit us on the corner of St John’s Grove. It’s great that Lee Rickler cares, but he should at least do a little bit of research.
STEPHANIE SMITH and the traders of Archway Market
Ashbrook Road, N19
• THERE is already a business-to-business network in Archway and it’s called Archway Town Centre Management Group, which meets monthly. It was established in July last year and in this time we have organised a successful Christmas switch-on event, paid for new planters to improve the look of the area and produced a directory to encourage people to visit our shops and services.
We’re also tackling Archway’s worst problems. There has recently been a substantial reduction in the number of street drinkers and beggars because of the actions of this group working alongside the council and police.
At our recent annual meeting we agreed to continue to campaign for an end to Saturday parking restrictions and to launch our new website where residents can keep up to date with events, make suggestions and vote on issues.
It’s all too easy to be negative about the area and not acknowledge the efforts of many to improve the place. Instead of a Save Archway campaign, I’ll be launching a Celebrate Archway alternative.
HAK HUSEYIN
Chair, Archway Town Centre Management Group and
co-owner of Absolute Print
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