My colleagues Ed Butcher and Laura Edge have discovered that Haringey Council has left two properties it owns vacant on Stroud Green Road for several years. They have written to the Leader of the Council asking him to take action to bring these back into use.
One of the properties is the former ‘dash’ drug treatment centre at 80 Stroud Green Road which has been empty for over the year (pictured). The other is shop 20 under Charter Court, which has been empty for several years.
I agree with Ed and Laura that if the Council can’t find commercial tenants they should be looking for community uses for the shops. One idea is that the Stroud Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team could relocate here from the current base outside the ward on the other side of Crouch End Broadway.
But worst of all by leaving the properties empty the Council is helping to make Stroud Green Road look run down and feel less safe – when it should be helping to improve the area.