Forum topic: The influential sing songs of Pray for improvement

It's just beyond believe the 3 influential musketeers seen here singing songs of Pray for improvements to the poor miserable state of Palmers Green, and surrounded by non existence Xmas decorations apart from the non faith Islamic Turkish Crescent seen around the Triangle and no Christian Star, angels or hearts that symbolises Christ & Christmas this might seem nothing to some but for those who do have believe and have faith it speaks volumes to why Palmers Green has become a horrid looking scrap heap made by those who do not care about anything, I have email and written endless letters to them because I care about the place I was born and bred and not one of them want to respond back to me to show they do care, it just shows they enjoy having their status and title but do not want to put the work in, if they don't want to support the area then they must give up and let others who do have the passion to put back the sparkle in the jewel as it was once, they have a huge responsibility & duty to bring back good quality varied shops and to encourage shop owners to beautify their shop fronts and ask Enfield Council to make good the upper buildings, what is the point of them if they do nothing for the communities.
If were shocked with what has happened to the area and what is continuing to happen then we need those with influential powers & who are responsible for the area to do their job right if we want no more closure of shops bring back a varied of traditional shops not the same boring shops we have already, we would like to see butchers, fishmongers, flower shop, artisan bakers, shoe maker, haberdashery etc u only need to visit Stoke Newington and you will see they have a good mixture of shops for all with a booming and buzzing ambiance, residents in Palmers Green should not have to visit other areas to buy things they should be buying in their own areas, and people would not have to shop online...Enfield Council you must give the public what they need otherwise what is the point of a town centre allowing it to turn into a sad ghost town...because you lack in ideas and imagination....I think we need a change of staff out with the boring and in with the excitement...

Haberdashery?

This isn't 1952. Harking for it won't help. Councils can do a lot to help but vibrant retail offer reflects consumer need. Councils can't just take shops out of private hands and install businesses (who runs them?!) to reflect your desires for a decades old hight street model/image.

Bought my Christmas tree from a beautiful florist on Aldermans Hill. I love going to Meatland butchers further down Green Lanes. If you think there should be more of these business in Palmers Green, and there's consumer demand to support it, why don't you go set one of them up????????

Joe Mark O'Connor, I am not a regular contributor to these forums so I assume I will not fall under your band of 3 muskateers, but I do want to react to this post and your others under the Six New Trees thread.

Your passion for Palmers Green is clear and is to be commended. Clearly many others are as passionate, even if they don't agree with you. I share your desire to see the high street revitalised, but I don't agree with much of your reasoning.

Regarding the cycle lanes, I am not a cyclist because I am not confident that I wouldn't get myself killed sharing the road with cars. But I do feel emboldened by the cycle lanes and once they connect all of London, I do imagine I will use them. I would love to be free of commuting by public transport and having returned to Palmers Green after an absence of 7 years, I cannot believe how much worse the traffic is. It's almost unbearable. Alternatives have to be sought. I think the same investment is needed in the trainline and welcome the forthcoming improvements and support the idea to put Palmers Green on the printed map in stations. We are a zone 4 borough of London and it makes sense that we are included on the map- I have to give friends endless instructions on how to get here which seems ridiculous when you think about it.

Another benefit of the cycle lane is the improvements to pavement and crossings. I simply don't agree with your position that it is less safe now than before. My sister is mentally and physically handicapped and we go to the high street together regularly. She has no issue navigating the crossings or adjusting her position on the pavement so she does not collide with cyclists. We are all capable of changing our behaviours to suit the environment. I realise that is only one persons experience but it is founded on first hand experience, so is worth something.

The changes have made such a huge visual improvement I'm really impressed. It should be viewed as a foundation for existing and new businesses and landlords to build on to change the appearance and image of the high street. Most people agree that many of the shops look tired and run down. The buildings above do too - thats for the landlords to sort out. Many people seem to favour the original look of shops - maybe that's something that will come back. It would also be great if we had the offer and diversity of somewhere like Stoke Newington. But those changes will be commercially driven, by new businesses being attracted to the area and existing ones making a change. It's also about the local population making it clear that they would actually shop in these places. They disappeared from high streets for a reason - no custom.

David is correct when he says that it is outside the Council's ability to force change in the type of businesses that operate here. LBE has invested in the public environment (and got a major bashing for the effort) and other than encouraging change of planning use applications for the units, or enforcing a strict design code for shop fronts (both of which would be welcome), it is limited in what other changes it can bring about.

As for the Council sitting back and not caring, in my experience, the Council do engage when practical ideas are put forward to create change, despite being under funded and running on a shoe string. Positive, creative and practical ideas always effect more change than simple attacks. Some of the people you attacked in your post are actively using their imagination and putting forward ideas to the Council and local businesses to try and put life back into the high street.

As for Christmas lights, you and Kaye have a similar passion for these. I've been investigating solar powered LED lights that could be a permanent fixture on the high street. Even powered LED lights are more economical to run than ever before, so they could be possibility to introduce these. But if the Council does not have funding for essential services, I wouldn't expect it to be their priority. Maybe another idea for the traders to group together and do something positive.

If we accept that the pavement changes have happened, and try on build on the benefits they provide (even if they're not perfect), we will have better prospects of positive change.

N Morris, welcome to the PGC forums. I was casting around in my head thinking about how to respond to Joe's and Kay's complaints, but you've said it all, and more elegantly than I could.

David Eden, you are a rude & ignorant little man towards the residents on this site especially to Kaye who was born and bred in the area and her family still resides and knows the before and after of Palmers green more than you care, do you work for Enfield Council as you sound like you do... your comments are always very negative and poor, maybe you enjoy looking at ugliness, we certainly do not and frankly we have had enough of lame excuses... you are definitely not for progress and making improvements in Palmers Green town centre, you sound like one of those stubborn people who find Gratification in stopping others that do want to see a thriving and booming town centre and that means a huge change needs to be had.. to move forward.
If residents like myself are voicing on social media that Palmers Green has gone downhill its probably because of people like yourself who is just happy living in misery, we are asking for a variety of shops it's because we are stuck with the same old boring shops and if we feel frustrated and upset its probably because we can feel from people like yourselves trying to take ownership that the town centre belongs to you and nothing needs to be done, well it does! and it belongs to all and we have a right to a voice, I am a person who likes to move with the times unlike yourself, your self righteousness and irritability comes from your insecurities which is not what is needed for progress in the area.

Your dismissive haberdashery request is exactly what I am talking about... Of course there is a huge market for haberdashery, what has the year 1952 got to do with anything??? everyone needs and enjoys creativity in their lives, there are people and children who enjoy drawing, dress making, jewellery making, painting, pottery, home decor and knitting etc so you may be able to live without all of what I mentioned above but their is a huge market for arts and crafts and we do have the spaces in the area for a Hobbycraft just like the one they have in Enfield, we also need a department store i.e Pearsons that have all you need from good quality clothing to household goods etc, residents want to move with the times, it's time for a regeneration and to encourage and support shopowners to beautifying their shopfronts and high streets, it's the way to get people shopping more on the high streets, and not having to be stuck indoors hiding behind a computer to purchase items you cannot visibly see properly unless you zoom but still you cannot feel the item and that is the whole beauty of shopping on the high street and the excitement bringing bags home.
I and many can see from your dismissive attitude that Palmers Green will never progress with you in sighting negativity and this is what we are trying to eliminate so we can make progress in Palmers Green we need to bring back the sparkle as it was once, you are one of those people that try to discourage good, the high street in palmers green will only change for the better due to people like myself and those that do want a booming town centre with a VARIETY of shops, there are people like myself who have parents and I am sure like others who are not able to use a computer and so I have to order goods for them online which are not always correctly described and have to keep sending back and it is very time consuming when I work full time with a family, and it can be very disheartening when people like yourself are making excuses that all is ok and have to make do, if you are part of a community site you should be supporting a more sophisticated community then we do now and you should be encouraging for improvements and making residents lives much easier to purchase goods.

I am so glad that the official representatives of The Mayor of London have listened to my concerns and have comeback to me and asked me what changes i feel residents would like to see in the area and to fill out a form and indicate exactly what kind of shops are needed and other ways of making the area thrive.

David Eden just admit your position makes you not care and you mock every suggestion we make, you have no ideas nor imagination for what means varied beautiful looking shopfronts...you are definitely not the right person to be on this site your poor attitude reflects the miserable poor state of the area...

Joe - who is Kaye? I don't remember ever conversing with him/her. Sorry to disappoint but I work in the private sector in Central London, so not LBE, I just have my head screwed on and see the wider picture.

I've only lived in the area since 2009 but the changes I've witnessed, where effected by the Council, are largely positive - mainly EMH which is a massive improvement to the public realm. Every single negative claim you have made about it has been refuted.

Ref haberdashery - it's very simple, Joe, go open a haberdashery store if you think there is so much demand for it.

It really is THAT simple.

I want improvement, support it and have seen it. But if you think complaining on various internet forums whilst not actually doing anything about it is that way forward then please crack on. But if you think PG is, and can be, in any way isolated from issues affecting 99% of high streets across Britain then sadly I feel you are wrong.

Ironically, if more people walked and cycled, they may be more likely to shop locally and support local businesses. Increase in consumer spend would then be reflected in a more flourishing vibrant and varied high street. Sadly you are determined to negative EMH therefore people will stay in their cars and stick to driving on through.

N Morris - great post, thank you for taking the time. Interesting read from a slightly different perspective.

EMH is getting more user friendly by the day as peds and drivers become accustomed so please do give it a try!

Is there any conflict between, on one hand, repeatedly calling out for any sort of progressive change from 3rd parties and on the other, being a paid up member of no-changes-of-any-type-or- at-any-cost, Save Our Green Lanes?