[news link] Struggling traders set for emergency meeting in Finsbury Park with ‘fat-cat’ banks (Monday 8 March) Published: 5 March 2010 by PETER GRUNER BRITAIN’S “fat cat” banks stand accused of turning their backs on traders in Islington at a time when they desperately need financial help to dig their way out of the recession. The situation is so serious – with cash-strapped businesses threatened with closure, resulting in redundancies – that senior officials from the banks are being summoned to an urgent meeting in Finsbury Park on Monday to explain their position. The traders have the support of Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn, who has written to Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. Mr Corbyn said he had great sympathy for the traders and accused the banks...

[news link] Islington Tribune – by PETER GRUNER Published: 21 August 2009 Shiri Shalmy One year on… and gallery lies empty A YEAR after arts exhibitions were kicked out of a converted public toilet in 115-acre Finsbury Park, the building remains empty. And this week a row blew up over the eviction of arts promoter Shiri Shalmy from the gallery she had lovingly created with thousands of pounds of her own money. Haringey Council, which runs the park, ordered her out in July 2008 because the building was needed urgently for a new information centre. Paul Morris, chairman of independent enterprise board FinFuture, said: “Obviously, they may well have a practical and sensible use for the building in the future. Although they may have a more viable use for the...

[news link] Islington Tribune – by PETER GRUNER Published: 7 August 2009 From left, Business Forum chief executive Talal Karim, previous chief executive Despina Johnson, London Assembly member Jennette Arnold and Forum chairman Paul Morris £80m shops, offices and homes plan for buzzing fashion centre Entry arch to go up at street market under ambitious regeneration scheme THE man who founded Islington’s world-famous Business Design Centre at the Angel spoke this week about his vision for Finsbury Park. Paul Morris, born on the Woodberry Down council estate in Manor House, described how his family has been associated with Islington for more than 50 years. He spoke at an event on Tuesday night to welcome the new chief executive of Finsbury Park Business Forum,...

[news link] Neglect is hurting street, say residents nlnews@archant.co.uk 02 July 2009 ALMOST 100 people have signed a petition calling for a boost for a boost for one of Finsbury Park’s most interesting high streets. People living in the Stroud Green Road area of Finsbury Park say its diversity, lively cafes and pubs and rich variety of restaurants make it one of the area’s hidden gems. They have even created a slogan “Finsbury Park – only two stops from Paris! ” to try to unleash the area’s potential – but they say the council is letting it fall into wrack and ruin. Nadina Hopper, 54, a psychologist who lives in Regina Road, said: “People come from far and wide to meet in Stroud Green Road due to its wonderful transport links and range of...

[news link] slington Tribune - by PETER GURNER Published: 26 June 2009 Paul Morris: ‘Bitterly disappointed’ Row erupts over who takes clean-up credit Community group dismisses politicians’ claims AN embarrassing row has blown up in Finsbury Park over who is responsible for major environmental and anti-crime improvements to rundown Blackstock Road. FinFuture – an independent, community-led body representing residents and businesses – has written a stinging letter to Hackney Labour Party accusing it of “giving a false impression” that its three ward councillors were responsible for the work. The letter, from FinFuture chairman Paul Morris, owner of the Business Design Centre in Angel, called on Labour councillor Brian Bell to set the record straight. Hackney...

Councillors report for May/June 09 Council performance The Audit Commission have found that “Hackney Council has continued to ‘improve strongly’ and remains a ‘three star’ council. Hackney is delivering significant improvement in priority areas such as community safety, children and young people and adult social care. The pace of improvement is higher than the national average with three quarters of performance indicators improving in 2007/08. Overall resident satisfaction has improved with 60 per cent of residents feeling their views are taken into account. This is supported by the Service First programme. Challenges remain in the planning service and tackling childhood obesity. 2 The Council works well with partners to deliver wider community outcomes such as...

[news link] Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER Published: 3 April 2009 Jeremy Corbyn ‘We don’t want slums back’ MP’s warning at meeting aimed at saving Finsbury Park from falling victim to the recession ISLINGTON North MP Jeremy Corbyn has called for Finsbury Park to fight the recession and save young people from the danger of growing up in a “1980s-style slum where they waste their lives on benefits”. He spoke out on Monday night at a packed public meeting called to discuss the effects of the downturn, attended by more than 200 residents, traders and business leaders in the area. Mr Corbyn described Finsbury Park as a vibrant area with huge numbers of creative industries and people and a fabulous array of food outlets and restaurants. The three-hour meeting...

[news link] Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER Published: 20 February 2009 Tumi Monika, a shop assistant at Best Look in Fonthill Parade Street where chic meets cheap is to get all dressed up Parade of fashion shops will put up welcome sign as part of profile-raising makeover FINSBURY Park’s Fonthill Road fashion centre – frequented by television personality Vanessa Feltz, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond and X Factor finalist Alexandra Burke – is to have a makeover. A campaign is being launched to put the parade of clothes shops on the map nationwide. Ideas include a large sign at the Seven Sisters Road entrance, a lick of paint to spruce up the area and space and support for the work of young fashion designers based in the road’s shops. A public...

[news link] CALL TO RENOVATE TOWNHOUSES hg.editorial@archant.co.uk 16 February 2009 Townhouses have fallen into disrepair A charity has called on a squalid stretch of townhouses overlooking Finsbury Park to be restored to its former glory. The Victorian properties in Seven Sisters Road used to be prestigious residences but many have fallen into disrepair. Now FinFuture, the charity which works to improve Finsbury Park, wants the authorities to step in and breathe new life into the area. Despina Johnson, FinFuture chief executive, believes the proximity of the 2012 Olympic site could attract investment to the area. “The style of the buildings is wonderful and it would be great to bring them back to their former glory,” she said. Cllr Guy Nicholson, the cabinet member...

[from Islington Gazette] Traders’ power cut showdown nlnews@archant.co.uk 14 January 2009 Mark Adolphus, from EDF, MP Jeremy Corbyn and Despina Johnson, of FinFuture OUTRAGED traders plagued by 18 months of massive power cuts met with electricity bosses to demand compensation on Monday - only to suffer another blackout the very next day. More than 50 businesses and residents in Finsbury Park vented their anger at a public meeting chaired by Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North, on Monday after suffering repeated power cuts lasting for up to 10 hours at a time. Bosses from electricity supplier EDF Energy said they had spent £60,000 trying to fix six “highly unusual” faults in the area since September 2007 - and admitted their service had fallen...

[from Hackney Gazette] FACE TO FACE hg.editorial@archant.co.uk 09 January 2009 Residents and traders frustrated with a spate of power cuts in Finsbury Park can meet energy bosses face-to-face on Monday (January 12). Householders and businesses have complained that power cuts of up to four hours have disturbed the run-up to Christmas. The charity, FinFuture, is hosting the meeting at Finspace at 225 Seven Sisters Road from 7pm to 9pm. Mark Adolphus, the head of customer operations for EDF Energy, will be attending, alongside Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn.       ...

Finally, after a couple of years of ghost websites, FinFuture got a renewed one. Let’s hope it’ll be up to date with the latest from our area. Here the link.       ...

[from Islington Gazette] Rise in parking costs slammed nlnews@archant.co.uk 26 November 2008 ANGRY drivers say Liberal Democrat-run Islington Council is squeezing more cash out of them with new wardens and higher charges. It has recruited another 30 parking wardens and increased the cost of pay and display machines. In Finsbury Park the cost for a two-hour stay has risen by 150 per cent - from £2.40 to £6, causing local community group FinFuture to write to the council in complaint. FinFuture chief executive Despina Johnson said: “We were extremely alarmed to learn that the cost of using parking meters has risen. It is an outrageous increase in charges of over 100 per cent. People’s livelihoods and local jobs depend on Islington’s decision on this.” The changes...

[from Hornsey & Couch End Journal] ‘It’s not festive enough by half’ nlnews@archant.co.uk 19 November 2008 FESTIVE lights will grace a shopping strip once again, but critics say they only cover half the area they should do. Stroud Green Road will have its Christmas lights switched on in December, but they will stretch only from Finsbury Park station to the junction with Tollington Park, ignoring the second half of shops towards Stapleton Hall Road. For the first time Haringey Council has donated £2,500 to the £20,000 scheme for lights in five roads in the Finsbury Park area, the rest of which are in Islington. The other cash comes from Islington Council and the London Development Agency. It will be only the second year the road has been decorated with lights....

[from Islington Gazette] Locals strike back at ‘warts and all’ guide nlnews@archant.co.uk 12 November 2008 A NEW “warts and all” guidebook threatens to “let the cat out of the bag” about London - and Islington comes in for some serious abuse. The Not For Tourists Guide to London calls Archway “grimy”, Holloway “grotty” and one of the area’s best-known pubs “pretentious”. But local residents have come out fighting - and say the authors have not got a clue what they are talking about. The guide says of Holloway: “The borough of Islington is supposed to be either a byword for liberal middle-class cosiness or else grim inner city deprivation, depending on who you talk to. This bit has neither. Instead...