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Something for everyone
Child-friendly café Crumpet is always popular with families and with its delicious cakes, organic baby food and play area complete with traditional wooden toys for children, it is easy to see why. The owner uses fresh locally-sourced food with local mums baking his cakes and cheese from Hamish Johnston. There's also the market stalls which are as varied as the shops behind them - stocking anything from vintage, one-off clothes, to fresh bread, sandwiches and pastries. The plant and flower stall is also popular while another stall does a roaring trade in olives, sun-dried tomatoes and other delicacies.
Today's businesses offer a variety of high quality shopping opportunities and give Northcote Road its unique charm Find out about the history of Northcote Road Visit www.ilovenorthcoteroad.org A victim of its success? The fear is that only the big national chains would be able to afford the higher rents. The smaller traders who make the road so unique may soon no longer be able to afford to stay. Larger stores could buy up two or three shop fronts and knock them into one shop - currently councils have no planning powers to prevent this. Northcote Road could then become an extension of St John's Road with its high street stores. No one who has been involved in the success of the area wants that to happen. Planning controls We have for many years fought to keep big retail stores in main high streets. We opposed the new Tesco at Clapham South in the courts before being given the go ahead by the former environment secretary Stephen Byers who overruled his own planning inspector. When they are sited in the heart of a town centre these big stores are a positive presence - but when they set up in a secondary parade away from established centres they simply bring more traffic onto the roads. They can also draw custom away from small local shops and undermine nearby town centres. The LDF review provides an opportunity to consider the effectiveness of these major policies and the impact of changing circumstances in individual areas like Northcote Road. This review is looking at issues affecting Northcote Road like the protection of smaller shops and the loss of some retail units to office uses in the middle part of the street. An action plan for Northcote Road The plan looks at the potential for forming a new community trust which could manage and invest in the street and preserve its unique character. There will also be a full survey of local shoppping habits and consideration of street design improvements that could create a more pedestrian-friendly environment Retail study With so much national concern about the fate of specialist shopping areas like Northcote Road the study's findings are sure to attract wide interest. The URBED consultants talked to residents, traders, shopper and landlords to work out the best way forward for the street.
Much of the work focused on property issues and retail opportunities. A further set of consultants - Colin Buchanan and Partners - will develop new design options for improving the use of road space here. This could bring better facilities for local shoppers. The study also looked at different models for managing this unique shopping street. As part of this study Buchanan's were commissioned to review the streetscape of Northcote Road. You can download a copy of their final report.
Help for businesses Town centre improvement grants are an excellent way of helping a business improve or extend its premises or provide a smart new shop front. The scheme provides cash help ranging from 1,000 to £15,000. For advice on the grants scheme call the town centre manager Lorinda Freint on 020 7627 3182 or email at: lfreint@wandsworth.gov.uk Find details of how to contact Northcote ward councillors The economic development office is continuing to support initiatives that help to keep the market thriving including improved signage, new bollards and a variety of marketing and promotional activities.
Northcote Business Network Every year the Network fund-raises to support the cost of the street's festive lights and hanging baskets. The money generated from business is always matched by the council. Sara is also Chair of the Clapham Junction Town Centre Partnership Board, which is supported and funded by the Council. Businesses interested in joining the Network can call Sara on 020 7223 4894.
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05/09/2008 Green fingered winners announced |
Northcote Road - a unique shopping street
Many of the shops have a long history of trading in the street. Dove Butchers has been there since 1889 and has been handed down through generations. Apart from the boutiques and specialist stores the street offers boasts dozens of cafes, restaurants and eateries. 
In the evenings there's a lively social scene. There's something for everyone from the cosy atmosphere of the Holy Drinker with its open fire and reclaimed theatre seats, to swanky cocktail bar, Iniquity and the lively Babel.
