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Traders call for low rents
Plea for new small businesses to halt Harrow Road ‘freefall’
‘DON’T forget about us’ is the plea from shop owners in Harrow Road, who say the area is being neglected at the expense of more upmarket locations.
A depressing picture of boarded-up shops, petty vandalism and “urban blight” is painted by shop owners around the Prince of Wales Junction, who say “enough is enough”.
The message is echoed by the Labour group who have launched a stinging attack on Westminster City Council – accusing them of pandering to rich central areas and creating a “divided borough”.
The council does not dispute the predicament but denies neglect, citing an action plan targeting the area’s problems that will start in April.
Paul Walsh, a member of the newly-formed Harrow Road Trader’s Association and owner of Four Corners picture framing shop on the Prince of Wales junction said the area was in “freefall” and suffering urban blight. He said: “The Harrow Road as an area that has gone downhill very rapidly and that’s a fact.
“I wouldn’t lay the blame with the council but there is no doubt they could do more. The fact is, people turn left to go to Notting Hill and turn right to go to Maida Vale but no one wants to spend any money or time in the area.”
Mr Walsh went on to say that the council should be trying to lower rents and give small businesses incentives to move into the area.
He said: “I’ve seen at least a dozen shops close down in the last year. It’s very sad. Just the other day a nice looking Chinese restaurant opened up and I thought things were on the up. But in less than a month it was closed. People are just too scared to go out and eat at night time around here. Even the jobcentre closed, which is a pretty ominous sign. The council need to lower rents and encourage small entrepreneurs to set up here. That would start a buzz from the bottom up.”
Labour councillor Guthrie McKie, upped the ante on the council, saying they were “brazenly ignoring a whole area”.
He said: “They’ve got the funds to turn the area around. They’d just rather spend money on big ticket items like Leicester Square. They get away with it because the people who live up in the Harrow Road probably don’t vote for them and they just keep the right people happy. There is always going to be an inequality of wealth, Westminster has got to be the starkest.”
The council points to its upcoming action plan to get derelict shops back in use, as evidence that progress is being made.
Councillor Danny Chalkley, cabinet member for development and transport said: “We have several schemes underway to reduce crime and disorder and improve the street environment and economic regeneration in Harrow Road.
“We are aiming to encourage local people to shop locally, which not only helps the environment but fosters a sense of community spirit and encourages businesses to develop. There are dramatic improvements being made to the Harrow Road, with £2.6 million either already invested, or earmarked, for projects both last year and the year ahead.” |
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