Change on Chatsworth Road

Clapton

Does anyone know if Chatsworth Road has any official residents and/or traders association, or any other group that ‘takes care’ of it? I know there are the people organising the Market – does anyone know who they are?I’m concerned that the amount and speed of change and attention the street is getting will cause it to change very fast without any established vision or framework that can guide or control this. So, (as a redundant urbanist) i’m looking to see if i can help put something like this together – but it would be meaningless without the support of all the traders and property owners along it.

27 Comments

  1. The Traders and Residents association are behind the market, they have a site http://www.chatsworthroade5.co.uk with more info about them and contact details.

  2. I know. Do you know who they are – as in what shops, when they meet, etc?

  3. I don’t I’m afraid @marty21 might, he lives a little closer than I do

  4. I don’t know tbh, but they should be in evidence when the saturday market starts, which is soon isn’t it? (or is it a Sunday market?) I reckon the bloke who runs the deli would be a good person to speak to.

  5. Was wandering along Chatsworth Road today and saw the opening party of Nixie. Had a peek in – looks nice! Seemed like a mix of vintage and handmade things. Some really cute kids’ stuff. Then I had a hot choc in Venetia’s that had a heart on it, and some delicious carrot cake. Bought tons of fruit and veg in M F R, some tea in L’Epicerie, and onion bhajis in Kashmir Kebabish. Chatsworth Road rocks!

  6. Chatsworth Road is a mix of emotions for me! I love Venetia’s and MFR, but L’Epicerie has rude staff (I’m not going back). I was sad to see the hardware store turn into a bookies, also Thang Long is no more and I’ll be really sad when Edwards and A.E. Barrow signage is removed. Chatsworth Road is changing fast, I wonder what the market will bring.

  7. Yeah I totally agree it’s sad about the lost/hidden signage. I was hoping that new shops would keep the old signs – like places like Jaguar Shoes or Superstore have done. Fingers crossed Edwards and A.E. Barrow signs will stay on show – or did you hear they’re defo being removed? I’ve got a photo of A.E. Barrow from a couple of years ago when the giant Wrigley’s packets were still there – I’ll have to dig it out. The speed of change is a little scary, but I’m excited about the market…

  8. Also agree it’s bad about the hardware store turning into a bookies – there are way too many in Hackney already. Was very sad to see The Railway Tavern at Hackney Central is now a Paddy Power.

  9. @Deedee re: photo of A.E. Barrow – I have it in my collection, see London Shop Fronts in Chatsworth Rd here http://www.londonshopfronts.com/tagged/chatsworth_road (currently around 20 pics)Railway Tavern was sad – I did help keep William Hill out of the bigger shop on Lower Clapton Rd that Tesco are now after.

  10. Thanks @ewebber – great pic. I love your whole shop fronts collection. That’s brilliant you helped keep WIlliam Hill out… so frustrating that now Tesco are after that site too.

  11. @ewebber: I think rude staff in L’Epicerie must have been an aberration. They’ve always been polite when I’ve been in. Especially Remy, the owner.Not cheap, certainly; but polite.

  12. @deedee the Tesco planning permission is being heard on Weds at the Town Hall – protest beforehand at 6pm

  13. @euan A nice little piece in the FT last week about chatsworth rd. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/3adc7c60-c5ec-11df-b53e-00144feab49a.html

  14. Nice to see that people feel strongly towards Chatsworth Road. And @ewebber is right, the pace of change is frightening. Having worked in regeneration for seven years this is both a good thing and a bad thing, property prices go up and a lot of the things that make the place good in the first place can be pushed away. Anyway, having recently been made redundant i’ve decided to put my skills to use in the local area and have been thinking about setting up a \Chatsworth Charter.” I’ve done things like this before and they can be really effective in giving the community a unified voice. If anyone here is interested in helping out it would be much appreciated. On the 18th of October there is the Clapton Conference which unfortunately i won’t be able to attend but it would be great if someone could go and promote this idea of the Chats Charter.wow – sorry long post!”

  15. @euan I am planning on going to the meeting, but I have my hands full with Clapton Pond issues (gotta keep it hyper-hyper-local). I can put you in touch with the Clapton Pond Neighbourhood Action Group who are running the meeting, so you can ask them to raise it for you.

  16. Has anyone been to that ‘juice bar’ on Chatsworth Road?

  17. Do people know about the Last of The real High Streets Exhibition at Chats Palace. Has been put together by locals Colin O’Brien (photographs) and Jane Egginton (writing). Oh and its all about ChatsExhibitionOpen Wed–Sat12–5pm (‘til 9pm Thu)Tel: 0771 874 9895Chats Palace42-44 Brooksby’s WalkLondon E9 6DFwww.chatspalace.comLondon Overground – HomertonBuses – 236, 242 and 276Info, images, interviewsContact Jane, jegginton@btopenworld.com

  18. Chatsworth Road is now closed. If you want to visit or move in, it is too late. Go away! If you want to sit in The Chatsworth Kitchen/Venetias or L’Epicerie, wearing an indiginous Alpaca hat or a linen shirt while talking of wild nights in Mykonos/Borneo/Marrakech, then you really need to be in Broadway market. Thankyou.

  19. @euan Cllr Ian Rathbone mentioned that he was involved with the Chatsworth Road Traders Association and the Market, on top of that he is the chair of the Clapton Pond Neighbourhood Action Group who are running the Clapton Conference – you really should get in touch with him about the charter you were talking about. Let me know if you’d like his details.

  20. @ewebber Ian is on board with the idea of making a neighbourhood plan. I sent him an outline proposal that he’s discussing with Graham Loveland, Head of Planning. They are both very busy people though and have lots of other things going on, so i’m moving things forward anyway. I’ll send you the proposal i sent Ian as it sounds like you might want to help out ;-). I was thinking of introducing the idea to the community on the last market day of the year (12/12).

  21. @euan fwiw – we took a stab at a charter for the residents and traders association – and should be able to furnish you a copy. interesting because those communities may have different goals. get involved… everyone has day jobs which explains the fact it may seem slightly opaque.

  22. @monkchips interesting, Ian didn’t mention it. Does it have any planning weight? Was there much public consultation behind it? I’ve worked on similar documents in the past, and if they are not adopted as policy it’s quite hard to make them effective.

  23. planning weight? no – it was just a constitution for the residents and traders association, as i remember it. i must admit i havent looked at it for a bit.public consultation- was at the public meetings that were held about the creation of the market.

  24. @monkchips Are you part of the CRTRA? I’ve been trying to arrange informal meetings with relevant people to get an idea of what has been done before and how to move things forward. I’ve given Cllr Ian Rathbone a proposal that he’s passed on to Graham Loveland (Hackney Planning). I work on these things professionally, but i’m now in between jobs, so have a bit time to give to Lower Clapton.Who do you suggest are the most active CRTRA members?

  25. euan- i should be able to hook you up with the relevant people. to be honest Remy from L’Epicerie has been a driving force- I suggest you pop in there for coffee and a chat. of course we’d appreciate more help! \am i part of” – great question. while i have volunteered to help i did manage to dodge a bullet of becoming an officer. Frankly i travel too much on business and with a 4mo time commitments didn’t make sense. I think Ian knows everyone at the association”

  26. In case anyone is interested, here is a (working) survey of existing businesses on Chatsworth Road i did. It was being handed out during the market … http://ma3t.co.uk/chatsworthroad/Chatsroadmap.pdf

  27. @euan, nice I did pick up a copy of that

Comments are now closed for this post.