3 December 2010 – L&Q statement
L&Q Walthamstow Stadium consultation events postponed

“It is with deep regret that L&Q has had no alternative but to postpone its two remaining public consultation events for the former Walthamstow stadium site after fears about staff safety following the first consultation event held last night (2 Dec). The events were due to give local residents the opportunity to view L&Q’s proposals to create a new community for Waltham Forest consisting of 320 – 1,2,3 and 4 bedroom homes, public and private gardens, allotments and community and leisure facilities. After concerns about the safety of our staff however L&Q will now look to find alternative ways to engage with residents in consultation with the Local Authority.

In recent weeks L&Q has received individual and collective threats to members of staff from those opposing any plans that do not return greyhound racing and gambling to the site. Last night’s local resident event was occupied throughout by members of the Save our Stow (SoS) campaign. SoS’s leaders have sent increasingly aggressive messages to employees of L&Q and once again, after being subjected to aggressive behaviour and insulting comments, staff felt their personal safety was threatened. L&Q has not taken the decision to cancel the event lightly but has a duty of care to protect the safety of L&Q employees.

A formal complaint is in the process of being made to the police.

Steve Yianni, L&Q Regional Director, said: ‘It is with deep regret that we are postponing these events but we cannot put our own staff’s personal safety at risk from those who oppose our plans for redevelopment of the area. With over 15,000 people on the waiting list for homes in Waltham Forest we had planned to present our proposals for a new community on the site which, until its demise several years ago, had provided a great backdrop and focal point for the area.

“While the dog track was popular with some people it was running at a significant loss at the time of it’s closure and, our independent research showed that over half the local residents had in fact, never visited the stadium. A further 20% visited it no more than once a year. Meanwhile 41% of residents said they will move away from Waltham Forest in the future to find a property that meets their needs.

“As an organisation that has worked for over 45 years in Waltham Forest, we have been shocked by the constant barrage of insults we have received from dog racing supporters and bitterly disappointed that MPs who are acutely aware of the need for housing in the area, have provided no support for L&Q in light of the threats to which the staff have been subjected.”

In the past few weeks L&Q has faced calls from local MPs Stella Creasy and Iain Duncan Smith urging L&Q to negotiate with Bob Morton. The site is currently valued way in excess of the £4 million previously offered by Mr Morton and which was rejected by L&Q in August. L&Q has offered further talks but Mr. Morton has publicly backed out of his offer and no further offers have been received

David Montague, L&Q’s Chief Executive said “If Bob Morton has a viable offer for the site that is in the best interests of the local community then it is time for him to contact us directly, put forward his proposal or walk away and allow us to provide housing in a borough with a housing waiting list of over 15,000 people.
“We will not be bullied or bow to an orchestrated public campaign by greyhound pressure groups and local MPs, which is clearly aimed at applying undue pressure to a charitable housing organisation in order that we sell land at a heavy discount when there is a dire need for housing in the borough. We are a social business part-funded by public grant, but not wholly reliant upon it – how, where and what we invest in or choose to sell is for us to determine.
“We will however, as we have always stated, listen to reasonable offers for the site but so far neither he nor anyone else has produced anything of the sort.

“We have always been clear that we purchased the site in order to develop a housing-led mixed use scheme; we are after all a housing provider. We are not in the business of greyhound racing and as such this has never been a part of our plans. Again we have always been clear on this.
“Our first and only interest is to address London’s affordable housing problem and the investment we make back into local communities every year directly affects and improves quality of life for people across the capital.
“If elected MPs are telling us that housing is not important to their constituents then we will listen. But in no circumstances will I or my staff be threatened by them.”

L&Q has made Mr. Morton’s original offer open to the public via its website at www.lqgroup.org.uk/walthamstow so it can now be a matter of public record.”

On Thursday London Mayor Boris Johnson also called for the return of Greyhound racing to Walthamstow.

In response to Boris, Iain Duncan Smith, MP for Chingford, and Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, issued a joint statement:

“We welcome this breakthrough in trying to progress the future of Walthamstow Stadium – Boris joins us in wanting to see this site being brought back into use for the benefit of the local economy and the local community and being concerned at the antics of the housing developer who currently owns it. We hope London and Quadrant get the message loud and clear that they need to start talking seriously to developers like Mr Morton to see if a deal can be done to restore the track and bring housing to the area – the patience of the people of Walthamstow and Chingford will not stand for anything less.”

The Soul of Walthamstow: 75 years of “The Stow” from blackhorse road on Vimeo.

Having left Walthamstow’s much loved stadium to rot for two and a half years, L&Q recently decided to conduct a survey into residents views. Why they needed to do this when residents have made their views clear time and time again is unclear.

Now Save Our Stow- the campaign group for the dog track – are asking the people of Walthamstow to fill in their own “independent” survey. There are only 5 questions so it only takes a minute.

TAKE THE INDEPENDENT WALTHAMSTOW DOG’S SURVEY HERE (only 5 questions)

As a reminder of what we are missing while L&Q use public money to ignore multiple bids to reopen the track, here’s a video BAG compiled looking back at life at “The Stow”.

EVEN IN L&Q’s OWN SURVEY ONLY 15% OF RESIDENTS SUPPORTED L&Q’s PLANS!”

L&Q’s survey was designed to encourage respondents to give L&Q the answers they wanted, but it still failed. Take the question of “What would you like to see happen with the redevelopment of Walthamstow Stadium“? 10 options were given, yet nowhere did it say “Would like to see Greyhound Stadium reopen” either as part of housing development or on its own. L&Q simply state that “only 5% spontaneously said they wanted the dogtrack reopened”.

Read the results of L&Q’s survey

Residents were asked to pick two answers to the following:

6) As part of the redevelopment of Walthamstow Stadium site which ONE or TWO of the following would you most like to see happen?

A mix of homes and leisure 30%
Sports and leisure facilities 28%
New play facilities for children 27%
New facilities for teenagers and young adults 25%
New green space 24%
Shopping and entertainment facilities 19%
New homes 15%
Other 6%
Nothing/Do no want to see stadium redeveloped 3%

Even then 58% of all residents answered “leisure or sports facilities” either on their own, or with homes. Only 15% opted for L&Q’s preferred option of new homes on their own, and we dont know how many of those were 2nd choices.

An interview with an L&Q spokesperson back in Dec 2009:

BAG also spoke to one of the businessmen bidding to bring back the Stow as part of a mixed housing and leisure package:

On BBC London, the Mayor Boris Johnson described how L&Q’s plans made his “blood run cold“, pledging to invite those behind a bid to save the track to city hall.

ITV’s London Tonight reported on the “battle” for the Stow (Video here) while the Londonist website described the supposedly art deco “respectful” housing as being of a”characterless, pre-fab design that look like they’ve been thrown in from a stock library of such things“.

The stadium has sat empty for over a year now despite repeated attempts by investors to either buy and reopen it, or even temporarily lease it. Fresh from buying 50% of West Ham United David Sullivan is leading a bid to buy the site and invest in its redevelopment as not only a dog track but a multi-purpose sports and community facility (Read Press Release).
David Sullivan’s representative Nick Budimir spoke to BAG about their plans for the site (Video below). He expressed his frustrations at L&Q’s stalling tactics, lies about the profitability of the site, and exactly how many of the proposed houses are actually either affordable or will end up going to Walthamstow residents.

As someone who both owns and used to race dogs at the track, Walthamstow’s Labour MP Neil Gerrard has been a steadfast supporter of Save Our Stow’s plans to reopen Walthamstows only globally recognised landmark. Neil told us he would like to see L&Q stop stalling and get around the table to talk to those interested in buying the track.
Cllr John Macklin, the Liberal Democrat deputy leader of Waltham Forest council said: “Waltham Forest is in need of affordable houses, but it must not be at the expense of what little leisure facilities we have left. We have lost too many leisure facilities in this borough”.
See below for video.

Despite L&Q stopping us from conducting an interview inside the consultation room and then accusing the residents association of “being a front for Save Our Stow“, BAG also spoke to L&Q’s PR Chris Middleton. To give him his due, he talks a good talk, describing the development as beneficial to the area, stating it would reduce traffic, and claiming the silent majority in Walthamstow would prefer housing to the dog track.

Finally we talked to the leader of the Save Our Stow campaign Ricky Holloway. To keep uptodate with Save Our Stow’s campaigns you can join their mailing list here, or join them on Facebook.

Back in 2008 BAG put together a tribute video to Walthamstow Dogs, as recorded in documentary footage from 1937, 1968, 1986 and it’s “so far” final year 2008. Its a reminder of what the Stadium meant to the borough for jobs, entertainment, the community and as soemthing that put E17 on the map.

The Soul of Walthamstow: 75 years of “The Stow” from blackhorse road on Vimeo.

URGENT COUNCIL CONSULTATION

The council would like residents feedback on plans to site Willowfield school at the top of the Douglas Eyre playing fields.
Visit the Building Schools for the Future consultation here to give them your views.
As usual with council consultations they’ve waited until less than a week before the closing date to send details to residents!

The consultation closes on the 12th of January.

Here’s what this months BSF bullitin says on the subject:

Following the request from the Governing Body further to pursue the possibility of a site at the current Douglas Eyre Playing Field, discussions have been held with the owners (London Playing Fields Foundation), the adjoining housing developers and the Greater London Authority over the constraints within which use of part of the field might be acceptable. A Project Manager has been identified, and the next steps are to commission planning advisers and various other consultancies to support the development of a revised proposal.

LATEST ON THE TOWER BLOCKS
Thank you very much for all your support with the housing campaign Blackhorse Action Group Residents Association (BAG) started this year. We received emails and comments from over 150 residents unhappy with developers plans to build 10 blocks of flats up-to 23 storeys high on the site right behind Blackhorse Road tube station overlooking the Douglas Eyre playing fields.

In the last few months BAG members have raised the residents concerns and have met many councillors and the regeneration officer for Blackhorse Lane. BAG have also maintained correspondence with English Partnerships who own most of the land the tower blocks would be built on.

BAG distributed leaflets at the tube station and through residents doors spelling out the sheer height and density of the plan. English Partnerships developers went on to change their plans twice only to receive negative feedback from the Commission for Architecture and Built Environment each time.

In late October, we tried to organise a meeting with English Partnerships. The response from them was: “All plans are slowing at the moment given the market and local context. We’ll come back to you when it’s a bit clearer what our aspirations for the site are” (English Partnerships)

A few weeks ago in a meeting with Cllr Terry Wheeler (Cabinet Member for Investment and Enterprise) BAG members discovered plans for the blocks of flats were “no longer an option”. Cllr Wheeler stated on the record the 23 storey towers had been scrapped. He went on to say that the most likely option for the site would be a new home for an expanded Willowfield School.

BAG is still waiting for official confirmation on this. At the time of the meeting the council was still in negotiations to acquire the site.

We’ll never know whether it was BAG’s campaigning and the massive response from residents outraged at this inappropriate development that stopped our skyline being overshadowed by vast tower blocks or if it was simply a consequence of the collapse in the housing market. Either way we’d like to thank residents for all their help, and feedback to both us AND the council.

Clearly this is not the end of the story, as the Arcade site at the top of the market enters its sixth year as a boarded up wasteland, its clear that even if the council acquires the site, they may not do the right thing by us as residents. We will renew our argument that any development on BHL2 should have mixed facilities for the local community. So far however we’ve got the strong impression the Council thinks this is very unlikely. So, one battle won but a big fight still looming.

TESCO EXPRESS
Opinion seems divided on plans for a Tesco Express store on the former site of the Essex Arms on Forest Road (2-3 minutes walk from Blackhorse Road tube).

The proposed store would have 9 car parking spaces, secure bays for 14 bikes and would be open between 7am and 11pm. Debate has raged over whether this will decimate local business’s and destroy diversity or whether it’s actually a good use of a derelict site.

LATEST NEWS: Tesco appear to have withdrawn their application for the site (link). Have they changed their mind about the store or are they reapplying? BAG will try and find out more.

EMD CINEMA UPDATE
Liberal Democrat Councillor, James O’Rourke contacted BAG to inform us the council are in talks with UKCG about a new planning application for the building. In 2003, in response to the demands of Walthamstow residents the government denied UCKG permission to convert the building into a church. In the 5 years that have followed nothing has changed at either the EMD or Arcade site. Will the church be given permission despite this clear ruling?

Cllr. O’Rourke, along with an English Heritage representative and the Council’s Conservation Officer visited the cinema recently and found it in a “sorry state”. Councillor O’Rourke commented that he was “encouraged plans are now being made to use the EMD”.

ST. JAMES STREET LIBRARY
A final open air library was held in December outside the former St James Street Library building. Despite being closed without warning or consultation the council has been steadfast in its refusal to reconsider.

Back in October a meeting of the Walthamstow West community council descended into chaos after councillors blocked plans for a feasibility study on reinstating the library, instead opting for a new plan for a scout hut.
Councillors refused to discuss the decision using a microphone so all could hear as requested, and in the end rejected the plan with Cllr James O’Rourke pointing out it was against council procedure. (Read the chair’s reflections on the meeting here.)

And so what was once a valued local library of vital use, in particular to the elderly and the young now has boarded up windows. Instead of educating the community the empty building now contributes to its decline with street drinkers and drug users replacing readers and families on the bench outside.

THE NORTH LONDON WASTE PLAN (NLWP)
Residents Against Pollution are tentatively reporting that plans for an Incinerator at Blackhorse Lane have been scrapped.

RAP’s website states “Though we only have verbal hints at this stage, it looks like Blackhorse Lane is now unlikely to be chosen as a new waste site. We are trying to get something in writing, and we won’t know for sure till the “preferred options” stage of the consultation process is reached in May, when it will be clear whether Blackhorse Lane is still an option.”

WALTHAMSTOW GOD STADIUM
Walthamstow Dog track sits empty as the housing collapse hits its developers (even though they claimed to be altruistically building “affordable homes”). While offers to buy or lease the track back for dog racing – even in the short term – have been blanked by developers, Kingsway International Christian Church were given permission to use the track for a huge New Year’s Eve service. 15,000 people were predicted to attend the event which was broadcast live to 217 countries on the God Channel.

Meanwhile the SaveOurStow campaign continues despite a letter from the new owners L&Q dismissing the views of all those that love the track along with all offers put forward to buy the stadium. No planning application for the site has yet been made. Rumours have emerged of an American consortium who already own dog tracks and have a successful record of developing multi-function commercial sites who intend to start talks with London and Quadrant to acquire the site in the very near future.
Perhaps the sights and sounds of race night may yet return? Although don’t hold your breath.

If you haven’t seen it already BAG found some old Walthamstow Dogs footage from 1937, 1968 and 1986 down the back of the sofa, so we put together a 30 minute video tribute to “The Stow” through the ages.

Watch “The Soul of Walthamstow: 75 years of ‘The Stow’” here.

KICK OUT KIER
Six months after getting the money saving contract to clean Walthamstow’s streets and complaints about the Kier group’s service continue. The Waltham Forest Guardian reports that the “Row continues over borough’s filthy streets” and our “dirty and “neglected” playgrounds”.

There’s even a flickr group for people to send pictures of any rubbish strewn streets.
Kier also hold the contract for a mixed use redevelopment of Walthamstow Tube Station.

OTHER NEWS
Radio 5 Live visited Walthamstow market – Listen to their broadcast here
Hate all the “To-Let” Signs left long after properties have been rented out – Get rid of them here.

BAG WEBSITE
Last but not least for all the latest news and to discuss local issues keep visiting the BAG Blog.

Once again thank you very much to all residents for their support.

Happy New Year!!!

BAG.

We learned various details about bats and heard their noises on a “Bat detector” which was tuned into the appropriate bat frequency. We couldn’t see any bats as it was dark but the walk over Walthamstow Marshes with an orange moon hanging low over the land was very enjoyable indeed.  We were back outside the pub again at around 10.15 pm.

People must have enjoyed it as Jeanette, our bat walk guide counted the donations of everyone. The grand total came to £37.70.  Thank you everyone for your generosity.

In the future we will strive to organise more public events for residents to participate.

Without any further ado here’s the rest of the news:

LATEST ON THE BLACKHORSE ROAD TOWER BLOCKS

On the back of the comments you made individually and the ones we have passed on, we have had an opportunity to meet members of the council about the proposed 23 storey tower blocks to the back of Blackhorse Road. This shows that we are being listened to!

On the 27th August we met Bob Belam (Lib Dem), (Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration) and John Macklin (Lib Dem), (Portfolio Holder for Service Modernisation and Deputy Leader of the Council) who both seemed eager to hear our views and were sympathetic. On the 3rd September we also managed to meet Terry Wheeler (Lab), (Portfolio Holder for Enterprise and Investment). He stated that the original plan to build vast tower blocks has been shelved.

So if that’s true congratulations must go to everyone who gave their views to us and the council! It doesn’t end there though, a new architect is taking over and new proposals are being developed on which we have no details or assurances over quality, height or ways in which the whole project can benefit the community as a whole.

We have renewed our argument that any development on BHL2 should have mixed facilities for the local community, but we got the strong impression that the Council thinks that very unlikely. So, maybe one battle won but a huge fight still looming.

In addition, we will see new plans to be brought forward to meet the strategy to increase the amount of accommodation available in the Borough. We will keep fighting to be a part of the planning and thinking about them and will keep you posted.

Future meetings are in the pipeline with councillors as well as the developers including English Partnerships and Circle Anglia.

We will continue to put forward residents views at meetings with key players and will provide feedback – and ensure that you remain a part of the action.

NORTH LONDON WASTE PLAN

A new residents group has been set up to stop Waltham Forest becoming North London’s dumping ground. Six new ‘industrial’ sites are proposed, four of these are planned to be in the Lea Valley, and one is earmarked for Blackhorse Road.

There’s a demonstration against the plans on Tuesday the 30th September at 6pm on the Town Hall steps.

Visit Residents Against Pollution for more info and to download some of their very stylish posters.
*The Residents Against Pollution group is supported by the Socialist Party, although RAP have contacted BAG to point out that they are a residents group and not officially linked or funded by the Socialist Party (not that BAG has anything either pro or anti to say about the Socilaist Party!!)

TESCO EXPRESS

Opinion seems divided on plans for a Tesco Express store on the former site of the Essex Arms on Forest Road (2-3 minutes walk from Blackhorse Road tube).

The proposed store would have 9 car parking spaces, secure bays for 14 bikes and would be open between 7am and 11pm.

Debate has raged over whether this will decimate local business’s and destroy diversity or whether it’s actually a good use of a derelict site.

Visit here for more information and to give us your views.

LONG LIVE THE STANDARD

The Standard Music Venue has been given a temporary reprieve from the bulldozer. Developers have reportedly shelved the scheme, due to the slowdown in the housing market. There is however an agreement to buy in place that gives them the right to return to the deal whenever the housing market recovers.

Read more here.

SAVE OUR STOW

BAG found some old Walthamstow Dogs footage from 1937, 1968 and 1986 down the back of the sofa so we’ve put together a 30 minute video tribute to “The Stow” through the ages.

Watch “The Soul of Walthamstow: 75 years of ‘The Stow’” here.

The latest news is that representatives of Save Our Stow have met with housing developers L&Q.

L&Q issued the following press release:

L&Q acting on behalf of the above consortium met with the SOS consortium on the 17th September.

This was not, as has been reported, a meeting to negotiate the sale of the land. No deal has been agreed between us and the SOS consortium. Instead this meeting was an opportunity for the SOS consortium to actually introduce themselves, for them to present a more detailed business proposal and to provide evidence that funds are available for any proposed purchase. The proposal received on the 23rd July was far too brief to be considered.

Following this meeting we are now able to look at their proposal and give it our full consideration. Once a decision has been made we will contact the SOS consortium directly. As this is a private business matter until a decision has been reached we have no further comment with regards to the proposal.

VICTORIA STILL EARLY TO BED

BBC London has revealed that early closures on the Victoria Line are likely to continue throughout 2009 after a brief pause for Christmas and New year.

Watch the BBC London report including a look at the new trains.

The footage above from 1937, 1968, 1986 and this year looks back at some of the people that graced Walthamstow Stadium during its 75 years.

BAG will continue to support the fight to reopen the stadium and stop it being turned into 11 storey tower blocks (500 flats) but for the latest news head over to Saveourstow.co.uk.

The final Saturday was marked by hundreds marching on the town hall to present the 15,000 signatures gathered in just 2 weeks supporting the campaign to keep the stadium open.
Local MP’s Neil Gerrard and Ian Duncan Smith condemned attempts to portray the closure as unavoidable or as The Chandlers span it “regrettably we had no choice“. Echoing those that saw last years closure of Charlie Chan’s night club as a sign the owners wanted the stadium closed, they said the track had been under advertised, and systematically run down in order to portray its sale as tragic but financially unavoidable.

Campaigner Ricky Holloway saved the final shock till last, revealing that the Chandlers had agreed to sell the stadium on July the 6th 2007. For the following 9 months they (I’m struggling not to use the word lied here) denied there were any plans to sell when asked by MP’s (both local MP’s confirmed this), trainers and race goers. Trainers renewed leases on their kennels, remortgaged their homes and bought new dogs as a result of an emergency meeting in November 07 where Charles Chandler told them the track was not for sale, having agreed to developers “right to buy” some five months earlier.

WHERE DO THINGS STAND NOW?

London and Quadrant will take formal ownership of the stadium on September the 1st and initial plans show they want to create a circle of 11 storey tower blocks round the path of the racing track. There would be 500 flats, some of which will be “affordable“. No green space, parking, community or leisure facilities are planned. Pile ‘em in, stack them high.
A consortium wishing to continue dog racing at the Stow have already offered the developers a 1 million pound profit on their purchase and are meeting with L&Q and their legal team on the 17th September.

Local filmmaker Jonathan Brind reports that over the last week “seating and fixtures have been systematically stripped out of the stadium. It would now cost a relatively large fortune to refurbish it“. Not exactly the actions of people who have any interest in the Stadium remaining open, even on a short term lease, rather than let the site sit and rot while the current housing market collapse makes quick redevelopment very unlikely.

The following is republished from Save Our Stow’s website detailing what you can do to help:

Things you can do to help and issues at stake
Every London Borough is extremely challenged for housing that the local population can afford and any chance to build affordable housing is jumped up. However, we feel the loss of the Stadium far out weighs the gain…

What you can do:

Please email info@saveourstow.co.uk if you have any questions at all.

The level of support is growing, together we can make a difference, thank you

The fight continues with a march from the stadium to the town hall this Saturday. A message from the Save Our Stow team:

Please join us at the track before 12pm on Saturday 16 August 2008 for a march to the Town Hall in Walthamstow.
There is a real chance of winning this if we all pull together. Please promote this march as much as possible and as quickly as possible using all means available.

You can get more news from the Save Our Stow blog or by joining the Facebook group.

The Guardian has run several stories on the proposed closure, including the superb short film below, and the story of the effort to save it here.

BBC Radio 4′s Woman’s hour went to visit Lorraine Sams, trainer of the Greyhound of the Year, Spiridon Louis. Visit the page here or click here to listen again.

Meanwhile ITV’s London Tonight interviewed two employees of Walthamstow Stadium set to lose their jobs. After 64 years working at the track 94 year old Madge Goward and fellow worker Joyce Middleton (84) will be familiar to anyone who’s ever had a flutter at the Dogs. They both reminisce and try to imagine what they’ll do when housing developers bulldoze 75 years of history to build flats. Teddy Sheringham also gives his backing to the “Save Our Stow” campaign.

Viewers of BBC News wrote in to the “Your News” programme highlighting the closure. The programme sent its team of fluffy presenters to Waltham Forest to host the show (below).

Betfair radio talked to the British Greyhound Racing Board about efforts to save the Stow. Listen to the MP3 here.

Finally its worth watching Ricky Holloway terrifying Sky’s Gary Newbon while rallying support for the Save Our Stow campaign.

OTHER POSTS ON THIS SUBJECT (CLICK BELOW)
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It’s taken us an age to produce a first newsletter, so apologies for that. The good news is that BAG now has over 120 members and hopes to continue growing and getting stronger.

Contact us or join here.

Without any further ado here’s what’s been happening in the last few months:

FUN DAY

A big thanks to everyone who came to the first Blackhorse Action Group Fun Day a couple of months back.  It was great to see people learning juggling skills, painting flowerpots, making badges, having a go on the ‘energy bike’, and having their face painted by Big Brother’s Carol Vincent.

We hope you also enjoyed the opportunity to find out a bit more about what you can get involved with in the local area, from community gardening and ‘time banking’ (a kind of skill swap) to saving energy at home and campaigning against unsuitable tower block proposals.  We also showed a film about Walthamstow market, raffled off prizes donated by local businesses, but also it was nice just to sit back, relax, and chat to their neighbours over a cup of tea and a cake or some delicious home-cooked Indian food.

We hope to put on more social events in the future. In fact there is a Quiz- and Music evening in the pipeline for September.  If you are interested in getting involved, please email the entertainments working group

FUND RAISING

Would you like your residents association to get some money to benefit the community, bring people together, and improve the area?  What are your priorities?  We would like to hear from you.  There are several possible sources of funding that we have identified, including the big lottery fund, the co-op, and the local West Walthamstow Community Council.  We can bid for anything from a few hundred pounds to up to ten thousand pounds.

The more feedback we have from residents on what YOU feel would benefit the whole community, the more likely it is that we will get some money, so please email us with your thoughts.

At the recent Organising meeting the committee came up with the following suggestions – please tell us which ones you like best, and why, or let us know if you have other suggestions.

·      Gardening tools and equipment to share, plus somewhere to store it
·      Gardening classes / workshops
·      Window boxes and hanging baskets plus workshops to fill them with flowers
·      Tea dance
·      Street party
·      Bicycle racks or a bike shed (where?)
·      A community noticeboard (where?)
·      English as a Second Language classes
·      A guide to the local area
·      A video camera

It would be helpful if you could let us know by 31st July if possible

WILLOWFIELD SCHOOL UPDATE

The council is currently supposed to be investigating whether there are any other possible sites to build Willowfield school, apart from on the green belt playing fields, and this report should be completed soon.
It is also still very unclear whether the Environment Agency will allow the school to be built on the land anyway, due to flood risk, but the council is still pursuing this option.

Caroline Molloy, member of the BAG ‘Development and Planning’ Working Group, said

“BAG has been saying to the council that the school should be built on higher ground, not on flood-prone green belt land just because that land is cheapest.  There are other sites nearby that could be used, including some of the land that is currently earmarked for high rise housing or other development.  We are also sceptical of the council’s repeated claims that the school will provide all the community facilities we need in the area.  We have asked them what facilities will be available for use by local residents, at what times of day, and at what cost, but they are so far refusing to answer.”

BAG will continue to raise this with the council.  If you are a parent, teacher or governor at Willowfield school, we would really like to hear what you think about this – please contact us.

HIGH RISE TOWER BLOCKS

Thanks to everyone who gave us feedback on the high rise developments behind Blackhorse Road tube station. We have received over 150 supportive emails from residents and that consolidates BAG as a strong representative group.

BAG was awarded a grant from The Glass-House, a community-led design charity who have provided us with the advisory services of an architect and town planner.

We’re setting up meetings with Ward Councilors, other relevant portfolio holders and the GLA member for our area. Some meetings have already taken place and Clr. Liaquat Ali has said that he does not want a ghetto in Blackhorse Road and he supports many of our points e.g. a more creative design which encourages social cohesion, the need for a mix-used development as there is complete uncertainty regarding timescales to create a hub opposite Blackhorse road tube station.

A letter has also been sent to English Partnerships, the landowners and we’re aiming to set up a pre-application meeting with them, council and developers.

If you have some time to offer please come and join the Development & Planning Working Group. There is much help needed to leaflet, attend meetings, write press releases, write emails etc and if you think you don’t have anything to offer join anyway and surprise yourself . We meet almost regularly every other Tuesday. Please email us.

BLACKHORSE TIME BANK

You will be pleased to hear that the time bank is now up and running.
A time bank is a pool of people who share their skills to help each other without money changing hands. The rule: ‘an hour for an hour’ strictly applies. For every hour spent sharing your skills you will get 1 time bank credit for which in return you can ‘employ’ someone else to help you with skills you need.  For example: I help you paint your living room and in return I get one hour Spanish tuition from someone else in the time bank. You do an hour babysitting for your neighbour and in return you get some help in the garden from another member of the time bank etc.

There is a person who has the all over view and connects the people whose needs and offered skills fit – the BROKER.

If you want to join the time bank do the following 3 things:

·      list up to 5 of your needs (help with walking the dog, cleaning the house, writing a letter etc)

·      list up to 5 of your offers (teaching German, cooking, organisational skills, doing the shopping for the old lady from across the road etc)

·      send your lists with your contact details to the broker:

Anyone can join the time bank who is willing to commit themselves for one year to do something at least once a month through the time bank.

People are assets 
the real wealth of any society is its people. Every individual has valuable experience, skills and connections to contribute to the wellbeing of others in their local community.
Working together 
We need each other. Giving and receiving are the basic building blocks of positive social relationships and healthy communities.

Contact BAG’s timebanking group – email

For more information on how timebanking works visit here.

For more information on the London time banks visit here.

WASTE AND CLEANING PROBLEMS

Blackhorse Road area residents are concerned about the quality of street cleaning and refuse / recycling collection lately.  A meeting was held by the BAG Waste and Recycling working group a couple of weeks ago, and more details and further guidance will be posted on that section of the BAG website.

Residents are encouraged to raise any complaints about waste with the cabinet member responsible (email him here) stating also that this is a formal complaint.

OTHER LOCAL NEWS

WALTHAMSTOW DOGS

With barely a month to go before 75 years of dog racing comes to an end at Walthamstow Stadium almost 9,000 people have joined a facebook group to protest at its sale to housing developers.  The current housing slump means that the site is likely to be left to rot for years, and as such an all party group of MP’s are lobbying for dog racing to continue at the track, at least on a short term lease.

Join the Facebook group

ST JAMES ST LIBRARY

Having been heavily criticised for closing the library without any consultation with the local community, the council reluctantly sent out a questionnaire to “some” local people. Unfortunately they deliberately asked the wrong questions and failed to mention the very Library they’d been ordered to consult about even once in the entire survey. A complete sham. Regular open air libraries continue the protest.

Reopen St. James St Library Website

After the shock of Walthamstow dogs being “sold” behind their back, local community anger and resolve to object to all new planning aplications for the site has grown along with the question, was there really no other option but to sell to property developers?

“We were left with no option but to sell the stadium to developers” Charles Chandler

BBC Radio 4′s PM programme reported on the success of other stadiums who have rejected the easy money of housing developers and instead made the effort with smart marketing to get punters flooding through the doors. Richard Perkins from Peterborough Dogs said “its about attracting recreational gamblers in, come have a night out, have a nice meal, a little flutter, and enjoy it“. PM also covered plans for new tracks in places like Swindon.

Interestingly a quick look on fish4jobs.co.uk reveals that Walthamstow Dogs are looking for Saturday night bar staff.  “For very busy Saturday evenings“ says the Job Ad.

On BBC London News (23rd May) Darren Kennedy, General Manager of Wimbledon Dogs rejected claims that the growth of online gambling made greyhound racing unsustainable saying it “affects it to a degree, but you dont have the exitement or the atmosphere of being at the live track“  A trainer added “Wimbledon is doing very well, with good crowds and at the weekend its absolutly packed with young people“.

Has anyone reading this enjoyed a night out at the dogs before? If so did you ever think “well I was going to go to the dogs tonight, but I decided to stay in and sit at the computer betting instead!?”. No? Didnt think so.

On internet forums and blogs debate raged as to why the potential loss of 400 jobs, a Grade II listed stadium and the boroughs main tourist attraction seemed to be being taken so lightly by local politicians and the council.  “Any bets on when they’ll drain Walthamstow marshes and build egg-box flats there?” asked one comment on the Waltham Forest Guardians site.

In a damning article The Racing Post questions whether the fourth generation of the Chandler family really wanted the Stadium to survive:

“They are, quite simply, no different from any other family, and had different ideals and goals. Some were pro-Walthamstow, others less so.

Those cracks were probably not helped by the increasing value of the land Walthamstow occupies. Even before the awarding of the 2012 Olympics to London, or rather the east of London, the land value was high

The temptation to sell was great, just as it must be for any other business which occupies a large area of land in a residential area, be it pub, garage or football club. When property values are high, greyhound tracks are vulnerable.

Business has to be good to withstand it, but also requires the determination to grow it. Walthamstow could have become a gambling or leisure emporium. It had the potential to part-develop as Shelbourne has done with the far side apartments overlooking the track.

But the clamour to do that was minimal seemingly amongst shareholders. The silent minority ultimately won the day with the decision to sell.“

If they don’t want to make the effort were there any offers from other people willing to take the track on as a business (even for less money than the cash rich “chuck some flats over it” developers?) In the opinion of Steven posting on this site: “So many times the term ‘unsustainable operation’ is a catchword for ‘poor management’.”

Most importantly why when in 2005 Wimpy pulled out of buying the track due to the unlikelyhood of obtaining planning permission does it now in 2008 with Grade II listed status granted appear a fait-accomply that the sale will go ahead along with planning permission. Is that what listing is there for???

Who’d have had Giles Brandreth down as a dogs fan? On “The One Show” (see below) he physically grabbed a representative of the British Greyhound Racing Board by the collar and demanded to know if the welfare of the dogs themselves will be ensured.
Well done that man, now go grab the Chandlers by the collar and ask them why they chose the big money from house builders over 75 years of tradition, local employment and entertainment.

As mentioned in our previous post looking at the history of the dog track (here), David Lammy MP stated: “The main purpose of listing a building is to ensure that care will be taken over decisions affecting its future“

Now where’s that queue to object to planning permission?

Click here to see a fantastic aerial view of Walthamstow Stadium on Google maps… doesnt it look nice, shame in a few years it’ll just be more low quality housing.

Rehome a retired Greyhound

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So said the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in 2007 as Culture Minister David Lammy announced the listing of Walthamstow Stadium declaring it “wouldn’t be going to the dogs“. He stated:

“Its the best surviving and most architecturally interesting vintage greyhound stadium in the country, and a major East London landmark. It is only right that we should celebrate this architectural showpiece to popular entertainment by listing its key components.”

Many at the time questioned if the “key components” part of that spiel gave the green light for the bulldozers to destroy all but the neon sign.  Sure enough on Friday (16 May), barely 10 months after it was “saved“, the owners announced the sale of Walthamstow Dogs and its closure in mid August.

“The directors of Walthamstow Stadium Limited have agreed to the sale of the Company’s freehold property at Walthamstow Stadium to a development consortium led by Yoo Capital and K W Linfoot plc. Formal contracts have been exchanged and completion is expected on or before 1st September 2008. Racing will continue until the middle of August 2008“

So Walthamstow loses its “Las Vegas at the end of the Victoria Line“, the “Rolls Royce of Greyhound tracks” and a history dating back to 1933 but gains another new housing development.  Until recently VisitLondon, London’s international tourism site had the dog track with its art deco frontage as one of only 6 attractions outside of Central London deemed worthy of a visit!

Listed by Time Out as No.3 of 101 things to do before leaving London, and as one of the capitals “best nights out ever!“, the charm and atmosphere of the dogs has attracted everyone from thousands of ordinary Londoners, tourists, Brad Pitt, Vinnie Jones and even Boris Johnson in March. Perhaps unaware that a deal to close the place was all but sealed he declared “I’ve had great night – a brilliant night out for all the family. It was fantastic to get a real appreciation of the history of this magnificent old place from some of those who have helped make it.”

Its not just famous for sport, on the 4th of July 1945 Winston Churchill was booed and heckled (pictured) as he delivered the final speech of the election campaign to a crowd of around 20,000 East Enders. Although many came to see the man who’d “delivered victory“, huge numbers had come to demand new housing and a near riot broke out.  From Churchill to Goldenballs, the Dogs is also part of Waltham Forest’s David Beckham trail due to Mr Posh Spice’s former employment as a £10 a week empty glass collector. A letter and drawing of a Walthamstow Greyhound by a 16 year old Beckham raised a grand at auction a few years back.

The dog track also has its place in popular culture, Britpop’s most famous album “Parklife” by Blur was launched at the track as well as featuring pictures of the band at the Dogs, and boybands and musicians alike have danced in front of the famous neon lights. Countless adverts, films and TV shows have been filmed there from Guy Richies “Snatch“, the 1970′s “Gone To The Dogs“ comedy series, right upto date with the MI5 not 9 to 5′s Spooks (YouTube clip).

It should be noted that some find the sport of Greyhound Racing itself cruel, and may rejoice at the stadiums demise, in fact Greyhound Action Group released a statement saying they were “absolutely delighted to hear the news.”

Whether you love or hate it, the fact is that with its sale to “developers” Walthamstow will lose not only 75 years of history but also its only globally renowned landmark and tourist attraction.

The question is, how does selling a Grade II listed site to housing developers while publicly declaring there were no plans to do so constitute ensuring “care will be taken over decisions affecting its future” as set out in the requirements of its listed status.

Links

Walthamstow Stadium – Official site / History

News of the Stadiums closure makes The Guardian, Independent, Setanta, and Walthamstow Guardian.
Racing world left “stunned” says The Walthamstow Guardian

Some fantastic pictures of Walthamstow Dogs from Flickr users
Stowjudge’s wonderful clips of life at the dog track, including this poignant one pondering what life would be like if the dogs were ever to close! (Youtube)
Lovely Super-8 film of visit to the dogs (YouTube)
Shetland Pony racing at Walthamstow

Articles about the dogs:
A mistunderstanding over a boat and a ‘orse for a reviewer of the Paddock Grill.
The Living Scotsman ponders why celebs love Walthamstow Dogs
The Standard has a diamond night at the dogs but gets barred from Charlie Chans
Diamond Geezer loses all night but vows to return

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