Harringay traders win £2m to revamp Green Lanes (From Haringey Independent)

Harringay Green Lanes Traders' Association wins £2m to revamp high street

3:20pm Wednesday 18th January 2012 in Top Stories By David Hardiman

A TRADERS’ group in Harringay is “overwhelmed” after winning more than £2m to transform the high street.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson announced yesterday that the cash would be given to Harringay Green Lanes Traders’ Association as they bid to renovate the ugly railway bridge, renovate shop fronts and create 14 mini-squares at junctions to encourage street vendors.

Secretary Rob Chau said: “I’m overwhelmed. I’ve been with the traders’ association for 23 years now and I can tell you the last time we had investment like this was 30 years ago.

“We went in bold and with a vision of what Green Lanes could be – to enhance it and make it more competitive and attractive than other town centres.

“We’re not going to be like Crouch End and Muswell Hill and we don’t want to be – we’re young and vibrant down here and we want to blend all of that into Green Lanes.”

The group plans to remove banners and install ambient lighting under the railway bridge and install an LED noticeboard with information about local news and events, in a bid to use it as a gateway to shops to the south.

Shop fronts will be replaced with a hard durable wood to encourage a traditional look, and junctions with Green Lanes will have benches and power points installed to act as focal points for street traders.

Mr Chau added that the plans – to be completed by 2014 – were subject to planning permission from Haringey Council, and that the group would soon put on an exhibition in the area for people to give their views and ideas.

The Mayor’s Outer London Fund, which was set up last March to fund regeneration of the capital’s high streets, gave £1.7m to the project, with around another £400,000 coming from traders.

Cash from the pot also funded the successful Harringay Food Festival in Green Lanes last summer.