Lordy ..... Blackstock Road

jandb

Ok, not strictly SG, but just down the road .....

<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7317060.stm">news story from the bbc</a>

Giles

There was a helicopter overhead for ages this afternoon - I thought it was to do with the Sarko visit, but it might have had something to do with that.

Ed B

Yes indeed, i popped down to the bank earlier on and it was a bit crazy. Tonnes of police about searching people, mobile custody centre etc. I quite enjoyed watching it...

dominic

"popular shopping street". what was the last thing you bought off blackstock road (that wasn't from good for food)?

jandb

A gun, some hash and a cheap second hand mobile phone ... errr ... no sorry a loaf of bread and a pint of milk.

andy

Lordy indeed. But you always had the suspicion that there were far too many shops doing not enough business at that end of the street. I wonder if that will be a turning point for Blackstock Road?

andy

From:  <http://www.flickr.com/photos/red-n-white/320607904/>; to 

Ed B

Well, the weather was nice for it.

Colette

That's not even Blackstock rd

dion

It's probably St Thomas' Road - the Mosque one.

andy

No - that's the road they were hiding in.

Colette

Very discreet - you can barely see them.

rainbow_carnage

Dammit! I was going to go to Good For Food today, but I changed my mind. Can't believe I missed out on this.

andy

I don't believe it. It's never happened before. Colette's done a typo.

Colette

No I never.

eh, edit? WHATEVER.

I'm off to cry.

dion

<http://www.gcse.com/english/discreet.htm>; Sum handee hintz

SimonB

The police were raiding the 'hair salon' next to the yellow car wash by the station at about 7:20pm last night ... wonder if it was part of the general blitz?

Colette

That police photo is today's Guardian double-page photo.

poxy

Has anybody been down Blackstock Road today? Is it business as usual?

dominic

This comment is on the <a href="http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23466488-details/Thousand+police+raid+drug+gangs/article.do">Standard site</a>:

<i>As a resident of the area I'm delighted that the police have taken the level of crime here so seriously at last. Every single female neighbour that I know has been mugged and had her handbag stolen in or around Blackstock Road in recent years. The atmosphere at certain times of day feels very menacing for single females, and many friends avoid walking along this street because they feel so threatened. Altogether the theft and gang violence -stabbings etc -have blighted an otherwise excellent place to live.</i>

Stabbings? Gang violence? I didn't know we lived in The Wire.

David

How can a road that has a busy Haberdashery shop be menacing?

rainbow_carnage

They often have one of those yellow police boards on the street. I'm not sure how good of an indication that is of the overall crime rate, but it definitely makes people feel less safe.

I don't feel unsafe walking down the street, but it's not exactly pleasant. There are always groups of men standing around on the pavement, and they're not particularly accommodating when you want to pass.

Colette

That's just ridiculous. Having lived in the area for many years (now SGR, but my mum has lived off the blackstock rd for over 10 years), I have never had any problems (touch wood) walking back from finsbury park down the blackstock rd, even very late at night, and nor has my mum or any of her friends in the area. I've never found it intimidating at all - the Algerian blokes my stare or hiss, but they are totally harmless. In fact I like the fact that there are so many people around all the time - it feels safe, as long as you're not scared by the odd drunk or stoned person asking you for 50p for a bag of chips. Typically sensationalist article from the moronic Evening Standard. P*sses me off.

Colette

@ rainbow carnage, I find a good firm stare usually works to make them move out of your way. Or try French, that surprises them into moving out of the way...

dominic

On the telegraph site

<embed src="http://services.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1137883380" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1475735997&playerId=1137883380&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://services.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed>

Found the link on <a href="http://finsburypark.wordpress.com/">here</a> which I'd never seen before.

matt

My first girlfriend after I moved to London had a nervous breakdown whilst living on Blackstock Road. Thankfully, before she met me. And then left me for a guy she worked with. Bitter? Me? Never!

Colette

Sounds like you're well shot of her. Your current girlfriend is clearly made of sterner stuff.

ben

Hello everyone, I am a new member, a long term but silent fan of the site, and a friend of Colette's from university. I'm actually from the other side of the tracks, on the south side of the tube, so this Blackstock Rd thing has been pretty interesting. I agree that the coverage has been rather hyperbolic. I go down that road all the time at night, and although it can be a bit unpleasant sometimes, it's hardly downtown Detroit. Still, I have hope now that some of the crappier shops might shut down and be replaced by nicer places.

poxy

Ben: Is it now business back to normal on Blackstock Road? Have all the raided premises re-opened or not?

ben

Only one or two shops seem to be closed at the moment. It does feel a bit different: far fewer people just milling around outside the shops. Several of the shops have had signs advertising a meeting for the Algerian community (yesterday, I think) in the mosque, to talk about the future of the community. I have no idea if the tone will have been 'we must sort this out' or 'the police were very heavy-handed'. Meanwhile, the police have put a number of signs up on lamposts detailing the dispersal orders that they will now be able to give out to stop people hanging around in groups. It does pose a challenge to my liberal instincts: I really don't think it's right to stop people hanging around if they're not doing anything illegal or intimidating, but I have to admit that I wouldn't mind the place being a bit more like SGR!

poxy

Thanks.