New Development Stroud Green Road

sincers

The Italian Deli looked very good but very out of place on HR. It's been closed for some time now, but I've just noticed some activity going on behind the shutters....probably building a giant Starburger - that would be in keeping.

Mirandola

There was an Italian Deli? Damn. One shop on its own probably wouldn't work though. You'd need a few opening at the same time or something to attract people.

poxy

The Italian deli company is still in operation as a bakery. The deli relocated to CE, renamed as Spiazzo.

kerry

I have vague hopes the new development will bring in a crowd that will help the local shops and over time improve what's on offer along that stretch of road. That plus the Hornsey Baths redo etc. It is a big ask tho.

Mirandola

The landlord who rented out space to the Labour Party and then to the Deaf-Led Social Enterprise seems to have the right idea. Not because of who they rented it to (that's a matter of opinion) but because they chose to fill the space rather than leave it empty. It would be interesting to see if there might be other similar bodies that could move in - charities, artists, anyone who might be willing to put some work in making the space look good in exchange for cheap rent for a few months.

Arkady

Scaffolding up to, I think, the fourth floor, and a crane has returned today. How exciting.

ActionVerb

Some minor changes as part of this planning application on the site: https://www.islington.gov.uk/onlineplanning/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=P032682(MA02)&theTabNo=3 App: P032682(MA02) It's now called Vista House according to the Council's website.

Arkady

They were craning a massive box of materials onto the site this morning. The crane was working yesterday too, though there didn’t actually seem to be any workman onsite apart from the crane-operator, who spent most of his time reading the paper. Some days the site is swarming, other days nothing seems to be happening. Perhaps a supply-side issue.

Ali

Plan says it is called Palm Court ? maybe Railway Yard View would be more accurate !

Arkady

Yeah I noticed that. Odd. I don't see the connection with Palms. I guess it's high enough that the top floors have a view of the park, but I don't think the park contains palms either. The Finsbury Park masterplan documentation said that Network Rail had agreed that the railway yard could be redeveloped, though I don’t think anything ever came forward.

Kate Jones

It was closed down by the Fire Officer about a week ago. Work should start again properly in a weeks time. I have to say, as their current neighbour, they are a very courteous bunch!

ActionVerb

Some rather exciting news on this. An application has been submitted to allow the permitted three restaurant/cafe units at the bottom of the building to be amalgamated into one big retail unit, and to be occupied by... Sainsbury's.

Arkady

I'm not sure that's good news at all.

WillM

if it means tescos has any stock whatsoever on a sunday (such as, i don't know, bags to buy their produce in?!) morning, or that i have an alternative place to go, i'm all in favour of it.

sincers

I don't geddit? I'm a fan of Sainsbury's an' all, but this seems a bit silly.

Arkady

As much as I hate Tesco, I'd rather hope for three interesting shops than yet another homogenous supermarket.

Ian

As long as they don't shut the Sainsbury's at the top of SGR...

ADGS

I don't see why they would, they'd be at least as far apart as the two Tescos. But still, this doesn't seem like an ideal use of the units.

Ali

There is going to be one at the top end of Blackstock Rd as well

sophie

is it an application that will go to public consultation?

WillM

I agree that it'd be great to have some interesting shops, but given we've got none managing to take over the existing wigshops or fried chicken counters, I'd rather have a Sainsbury's than nothing. Could be the developers aren't having much luck finding any small interesting shops either...

miss annie

It would be lovely to have small, interesting shops but I really don't think that they'd do the turnover to pay the rents in that location. Home was probably the nearest thing we had to a small, interesting shop and that closed down, presumably due to lack of punters. Those kinds of shops do better in places like Hampstead, Highgate and Crouch End. Do Stroud Greenies really shop locally for anything other than food?

ADGS

The comics shop was moderately interesting, albeit hampered by really wonky stock which was clearly a result of overordering for retailer incentives elsewhere in the business, and Finsbury Park getting lumbered with the surpluses. But I already had a standing order in town at Gosh, and I wasn't going to desert them, so I suppose in that sense I was part of the problem.

Arkady

I suppose I’d rather have three different enterprises than one shop, even if they were chains like our newly-opened Costa. This also brings to mind what the original developer told us about wanting to ensure that the ground-floor businesses would not affect the value of the ‘luxury’ flats above. This seems rather out-of-step with that. The only plus would be if it bankrupted TESCO and forced them to completely redevelop that site.

ADGS

Come on, even the teensy Sainsbury's has already given us a less crowded, better stocked Tesco, or at least that's been my experience.

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Mirandola

What sort of small interesting shop?

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Mirandola

Do tell...

andy

I still think someone should pick up [my idea for small shops](http://www.stroudgreen.org/discussion/2139/making-the-area-better//#Item_17) (ahem, councillors)