Such feelings have been exacerbated by the Council’s failure to consult local businesses over the forthcoming Local Development Planning Framework and the realisation that Stoke Newington scores a huge zero in Hackney Council’s future plans for the Borough. Many local businesses feel that the Council’s failure to put Christmas lights on the whole length of Church Street speaks volumes about the Council’s attitude towards them. They also feel that the area is not the vibrant place it was a few years ago and, if anything, is in decline.

Local business concerns include drug dealing and abuse, dirty and unsafe streets, low police visibility, lack of CCTV, no public toilets in the area and the absence of parking permits for local businesses. One local businessman told N16 that he was sick of having his ‘staff threatened and young people urinating on the walls of his restaurant late at night’. He claims that he is losing good staff through anti-social behaviour.

Several Stoke Newington businesses, therefore, have launched an initiative to set up a Business Improvement Development area (BID) in Stokey. Under this arrangement, if a majority of local businesses agree (a simple majority in both votes cast and rateable value of votes cast) through a Council-run ballot, a BID will be set up. This would entail local businesses paying an extra small percentage on their rates but would set up a binding partnership between local businesses, the police and Hackney Council.

BIDs are already being set up in Maidstone, Coventry, Plymouth, Liverpool, New West End Company, Bedford, Lincoln and Birmingham Broad Street. BIDs are an investment in the local trading area through the provision with the Church Street of extra services, for example, marketing the area and extra street cleaning. They have a lifespan of five years. Local businesses would identify the boundaries of the area and the issues and put together a proposal, which would include delivery guarantees, performance indicators and a management structure. In effect, BIDs are democratic in that it is one business one vote, although whether local businesses decide to pull together remains to be seen.

A public meeting was due to be held on 21 March (after N16 had gone to press) at Abney Public Hall, to which all local businesses both in Church Street and on the High Street were invited. The object of the meeting was to gauge local feeling about problems in the area and to sound out the level of support to set up a BID. Local schools, resident and community groups were also invited, as were Local MP Diane Abbott, Superintendent Leroy Logan, Head of Stoke Newington police, local Councillors and Hackney Council officers.

Diane Abbott and Leroy Logan were very positive about the initiative. Superintendent Logan said: ‘We welcome this initiative as we need a feedback of intelligence.
We want word-based policing’. He also said that there are plans to allocate one squad of two PCs and three community safety officers to Stoke Newington. N16 will observe developments with interest. In the meanwhile, catch the latest news on our website.

Dear N16

I read Hannah’s interesting article about the singles scene in N16 magazine 
(issue 24) and was left with the conclusion that she ought to get a life outside of Church Street.

There’s a whole part of Stoke Newington that stretches from the Bird Cage in the north to the White Hart in the south where I am sure she could meet the man of her dreams. Should anyone enter the White Hart they’ll rapidly discover what a lot of people have - the friendliest community of young, old, black, white, straight, gay or lesbians in town. It’s easily got the best DJs, best food and best vibe of any pub in Stokey. And it doesn’t have any bouncers either.

Some people go in for the first time and never leave. But should Hannah care to travel to the frozen north, the Bird Cage also has a good vibe, with good food and a friendly mix of people dying to meet people like her.

I’m not so sure about Fresh and Wild as a pulling joint, either. The only thing that sets my pulse racing in there is the price of the food! And she shouldn’t write off those men toting youngsters with them. I know loads of single men and women in Stokey who would testify that having a kid is no bar to pulling a woman.

And my final point... I don’t think that Fresh and Wild would be the best place to have a lonely hearts notice board. Honestly, all she needs to do is go into the Jolly Butchers after midnight on a weekend. The Butchers is the melting pot for after-hours Stokey life, being the only pub that is open at that time. There is a whole smorgasbord of every type of person you would ever like to meet – and not meet – and if all else fails she can have a go at the karaoke.

Come Hannah, get out a bit more.

Tony Horrocks
Red Square, N16

Dear N16

I just wanted to congratulate you on an absolutely excellent cover with the Church Street night scene on issue 23 - I only wish a certain major London listings guide could resist pandering to the cult of celebrity and take a similarly creative approach..!

Oliver Vicars-Harris
Lordship Road, N16

(The picture was taken by Mike Roberts. Ed)

Dear N16

In a recent issue of N16 I was upbraided for using the term ‘care in the community’ when I wrote about a visit to Clissold Park Walking Group. The author was right to do so and I’d like to apologise here for causing offence.

The piece was written in a tearing hurry and when I saw it published I winced at my use of the term. My writing brief is to try to be amusing and ironic. I don’t always succeed.
In my defence I used the term generically not specifically about the people I met, but that doesn’t make it acceptable.

It serves me right that I’ve now put on 75 stone over the winter, wheeze like a squeezebox on mounting stairs and badly need the good services of Clissold Park Walking Group. But I’d probably get lynched if I showed my face again.

Yours
Sue Heal

Dear N16

It was with regret that I read about the closure of Totem Records (Issue 24). It was the first shop I entered on Church Street when I moved to the area in 1998. Much of my record collection originated in those crowded racks. Much time was spent searching for items to spend my wages on and I was never disappointed.

And if Tony or anyone else is wondering, I still haven’t managed to shift that collection of early 1960s Electronica. Totem will be sorely missed, even from the other side of the world.

Toby Roberts
Sydney, New South Wales,
Australia