Plus: Crouch End at war over Hornsey town hall arts centre, the Labour > Green defection machine continues, Catford's cursed cinema comfort, and an incredibly expensive suburban house.
With regard to pedicabs, why can't a Victorian era law be amended or repealed in such a way as to take this annoying form of transport of the streets. As the article states, the proposed regulations may encourage the drivers to go slow to rack up the time. What the afrticle doesn't mention is who will enforce these changes? This is the problem killing Britain, a lack of enforcement of rules.
Only the most optimistic of Crouch Enders ever thought the Town Hall would be a community arts centre rather than just (hopefully) a profit making arts centre. Not sure what events General Projects reckons it will put on at Hornsey Town Hall though given that they have not yet bothered with putting in either lights or a PA into the main concert hall space. The restoration is beautiful though.
Hornsey Town Hall looks like just another variation on the usual developers’ shtick by which they’ll promise anything to get planning permission but with no intention of carrying through on the bits that aren’t high-priced flats. Camden has its own example in a cinema supposedly to be installed in a much smaller development than Hornsey in Kentish Town but never actually realised, and in retrospect seemingly just a way of getting planning permission for more flats on the site. The huge furore over the proposed “film quarter” in the same area partly hinges on developers’ promises for glitzy facilities and social housing, which in practice is more than likely to see everything but expensive off-plan flat sales to overseas investors whittled down to as near zero as the builders can get away with.
Developers understandably want maximum profit from restricting supply and keeping property prices high, probably see s106 agreements as simply another construction cost with no actual commitment from them, and often appear to employ teams of expensive planning lawyers who run rings round overstretched, under-staffed (and perhaps inexperienced) local authority planning departments that are already hobbled by government policies and the lack of money for councils to build anything themselves. Hornsey Town Hall was always going to end up like this, because Haringey had no money for upkeep and no options but demolition or sale to a developer with absolutely no local connection or concern, whose only criterion is their bottom line.
The building is listed though and English Heritage were all over the restoration so the developer didn’t have any choice on all the function rooms - they had to stay pretty much as the original was. If they don’t use them for events they won’t be able to use them for anything else. There was a local arts operator involved but Covid delayed the restoration so long they pulled out.
Could the price of the Wimbledon house have anything to do with decades of deliberate strangling housing supply by assorted NIMBYs and those looking to boost their house values?
That's about right - plus there'll be a moderate premium because it's a short walk from the AELTC and so can be let out for forty grand for one month every summer.
I've often thought that a London Traffic Police service would be useful.
The Met often seem too busy to do basic traffic enforcement (which is fair in most cases) and individual council enforcement teams presumably are also busy (and perhaps whittled down due to 16 years of austerity).
Have also thought this. The infamous ice cream vans constantly parked up in bus lanes next to tourist sites (even with parking tickets stuck to their windows!) are another example of something that regular police simply don't have resource to police - especially when by tourists sites you probably have a load of other issues to police.
I think watching *where these cabs start moving to will be a big tell as to which boroughs have enough resource to really crack the whip with these regs...
I really don't understand what the problem TfL is trying to fix with their licensing of tbf pedicabs. Sure, they're very expensive, but if tourists are happy to pay that, what's the problem? They don't cause a particular nuisance over any other traffic, and the music generally makes people smile. Feels a bit like regulation for regulation's sake
That's a very sympathetic take. People have been outright ripped-off by being charged huge amounts at the end of their ride. They also often tout for business blocking roads, bike lanes or pavements. All while blasting loud music. I think I am OK with some regulation...
Oh for heavens sake. We have a Parliamentary system and a government with a huge majority. Surely they can repeal any historical "loophole" legislation and provide new laws that regulate pedicabs in light of the known issues. Why has this gone on so long? There can't be that much brown-envelope money
Great article as always. With the comparison between the proposals and now, where does the £41 come from? Reading the section above I’d worked out £5 + £11 + £3 = £19
Made a mental arithmetic cock-up while finishing this mailout very late last night. Excruciating. Apologies. I think it was caught before the email went out to everyone but will put a correction in future email edition to be sure.
The new regulated fares could, of course, spur demand by making rides more affordable — or they could make it unviable for the current operators. There's only one way to find out!
With regard to pedicabs, why can't a Victorian era law be amended or repealed in such a way as to take this annoying form of transport of the streets. As the article states, the proposed regulations may encourage the drivers to go slow to rack up the time. What the afrticle doesn't mention is who will enforce these changes? This is the problem killing Britain, a lack of enforcement of rules.
Only the most optimistic of Crouch Enders ever thought the Town Hall would be a community arts centre rather than just (hopefully) a profit making arts centre. Not sure what events General Projects reckons it will put on at Hornsey Town Hall though given that they have not yet bothered with putting in either lights or a PA into the main concert hall space. The restoration is beautiful though.
The group behind Castle cinema has also taken over running the Sidcup storyteller another previously failed cinema by the really local group.
Hornsey Town Hall looks like just another variation on the usual developers’ shtick by which they’ll promise anything to get planning permission but with no intention of carrying through on the bits that aren’t high-priced flats. Camden has its own example in a cinema supposedly to be installed in a much smaller development than Hornsey in Kentish Town but never actually realised, and in retrospect seemingly just a way of getting planning permission for more flats on the site. The huge furore over the proposed “film quarter” in the same area partly hinges on developers’ promises for glitzy facilities and social housing, which in practice is more than likely to see everything but expensive off-plan flat sales to overseas investors whittled down to as near zero as the builders can get away with.
Developers understandably want maximum profit from restricting supply and keeping property prices high, probably see s106 agreements as simply another construction cost with no actual commitment from them, and often appear to employ teams of expensive planning lawyers who run rings round overstretched, under-staffed (and perhaps inexperienced) local authority planning departments that are already hobbled by government policies and the lack of money for councils to build anything themselves. Hornsey Town Hall was always going to end up like this, because Haringey had no money for upkeep and no options but demolition or sale to a developer with absolutely no local connection or concern, whose only criterion is their bottom line.
The building is listed though and English Heritage were all over the restoration so the developer didn’t have any choice on all the function rooms - they had to stay pretty much as the original was. If they don’t use them for events they won’t be able to use them for anything else. There was a local arts operator involved but Covid delayed the restoration so long they pulled out.
Could the price of the Wimbledon house have anything to do with decades of deliberate strangling housing supply by assorted NIMBYs and those looking to boost their house values?
Kinda but it's also just the fact there aren't many large detached houses with big gardens on quiet streets close to posh high streets in zone 3.
That's about right - plus there'll be a moderate premium because it's a short walk from the AELTC and so can be let out for forty grand for one month every summer.
All sounds far too sensible re the pedicabs, I must be missing something. As somebody else says, whether it’s actually enforced is the key question.
I've often thought that a London Traffic Police service would be useful.
The Met often seem too busy to do basic traffic enforcement (which is fair in most cases) and individual council enforcement teams presumably are also busy (and perhaps whittled down due to 16 years of austerity).
Have also thought this. The infamous ice cream vans constantly parked up in bus lanes next to tourist sites (even with parking tickets stuck to their windows!) are another example of something that regular police simply don't have resource to police - especially when by tourists sites you probably have a load of other issues to police.
I think watching *where these cabs start moving to will be a big tell as to which boroughs have enough resource to really crack the whip with these regs...
I really don't understand what the problem TfL is trying to fix with their licensing of tbf pedicabs. Sure, they're very expensive, but if tourists are happy to pay that, what's the problem? They don't cause a particular nuisance over any other traffic, and the music generally makes people smile. Feels a bit like regulation for regulation's sake
That's a very sympathetic take. People have been outright ripped-off by being charged huge amounts at the end of their ride. They also often tout for business blocking roads, bike lanes or pavements. All while blasting loud music. I think I am OK with some regulation...
I had a house guest who got charged £250 by one of those con artists. They are a nuisance, if it was up to me I'd ban them completely!
Oh for heavens sake. We have a Parliamentary system and a government with a huge majority. Surely they can repeal any historical "loophole" legislation and provide new laws that regulate pedicabs in light of the known issues. Why has this gone on so long? There can't be that much brown-envelope money
Great start to the day! Will there be any restrictions on music levels?
“Vehicles will have to undergo regular safety checks, be banned from having external audio playing from the pedicab, and carry a numberplate.”
Great article as always. With the comparison between the proposals and now, where does the £41 come from? Reading the section above I’d worked out £5 + £11 + £3 = £19
Made a mental arithmetic cock-up while finishing this mailout very late last night. Excruciating. Apologies. I think it was caught before the email went out to everyone but will put a correction in future email edition to be sure.
The new regulated fares could, of course, spur demand by making rides more affordable — or they could make it unviable for the current operators. There's only one way to find out!