Where’s the love? Campaign to save ‘neglected’ Hornsey Road

Published: 06 August, 2010
by PETER GRUNER

A SCHOOL governor has launched a fight to save a “Cinderella” street in Islington where dozens of shops have closed or are being converted into private flats.

Holloway resident  and father of two Jonathan Ward has launched “Love Hornsey Road, N4,” because he is fed up with the way the area has been allowed to fall into neglect over the past few years.

Building engineer Mr Ward, 42, took the Tribune on a mile-long walking tour of Hornsey Road from Seven Sisters Road to Elthorne Park.

He pointed out serious signs of “decay and neglect”, with bags of rubbish allowed to litter the street and in some cases almost one in two shops and businesses closed.

Significantly, a large number of shops have been permitted to convert to private flats, with original shop fronts fitted with opaque glass to stop people looking inside.

Mr Ward said: “I’m not against people having homes. But we also need our shops because they are the heart of any thriving community. 

“Many of these private shop converted flats have no refuse or recycling facilities. It means that residents have to leave their rubbish on the street to be collected by Islington council on a daily basis. Think how much that must be costing.”

Mr Ward interrupted a meeting of the North Area committee last Monday and gave copies of his “Love Hornsey Road” manifesto to stunned councillors and members of the public.

He called for small incremental changes to brighten up the street, including potted plants and hanging baskets. 

He also suggested a relaxation in parking controls on Saturdays to help to attract more business, as has been proved in nearby Archway.

A conference on the issue is expected to be held in September.

Local Labour councillor Richard Watts thought it was better to have flats then empty shops.

But Council leader Labour councillor Catherine West gave her support at the meeting.

She said she felt that under the previous Lib Dem administration too much regeneration money had been spent on the upmarket south of the borough like the Angel and not enough in the north in areas like Hornsey Road.

Cllr West added: “Although money is tight we must try and help this run down and neglected area.”

Executive Member for Regeneration, Labour Cllr Paul Convery, said some of the best examples of improvement in the borough have come when people like Mr Ward argue their case. “We take what he says seriously. We need lots of different people to come up with ideas on what they can be done to improve this street.”

Mr Ward, who has lived in the area for almost 20 years with his family, added: “This is an area which has had the heart knocked out of it.”