EC1 ECHO APR/MAY 2020 N 3 FREE NEWS FEATURE HISTORY EC1Echo.co.uk Heating London Cabin fever: Pictures of @EC1Echo from the EC1’s hotel- Clerkenwell at war 75 underground up building boom years after VE-day EC1Echo@ /EC1Echo P 3 P 8–9 P 12 peelinstitute.org.uk Credit Rob Baker Ashton Clerkenwell suffers under Covid-19 or such a busy area, the EC1 district is currently and alarm- ingly empty. This is of course Fdue to the extraordinary strictures that have been imposed following the coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic. The ‘lockdown’ announced on 23 March urged us all to stay at home with the public only allowed to go out once a day to do one of a handful of activities: to exercise, buy food; get medical necessi- ties, provide care or to help a vulnerable person, and to undertake essential work such as the NHS workers and the police. Most importantly, many people in the area will be suffering. As well as keep- ing an eye on television and listening to the radio, those with internet access can look out for mutual support groups on Social Media. Islington’s Facebook group is called Islington COVID 19 Mutual Aid, the City’s is City of Lon- don Covid 19 Mutual Aid and there is Camden COVID-19 Mutual Aid. The three councils in the area – Isling- ton, Camden and the City of London – have extensive advice on their websites, aimed at containing the virus. At present, the advice includes: • to shop for basic essentials • to do one form of exercise a day • visit a pharmacy or deliver essential supplies to a vulnerable person • to travel to and from work – but only where this is absolutely necessary Stay at home if you have either: • a temperature • a new, continuous cough To protect others, do not go to places like a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Stay at home. Use the 111 online coro- navirus service to find out what to do. These measures will not last forever, Meet Harriette Ashcroft, whose musical ensemble Mrs H and The Sing-along Band has entranced but all advice should be taken seriously. children and parents at the church of Our Most Holy Redeemer in Exmouth Market for many years Meanwhile, we hope that the EC1 Echo Credit Rob Baker Ashton Turn to page 7 will give you some reading pleasure during this time of enforced isolation. EC1 ECHO NO.3 N 3 NEWS 2 APR / MAY Way to go Major new 2020 cycleways 1st Apr 31st May planned in EC1 ork on Cycleway 38 First Waxing Quarter Gibbous – due eventually to 51% / 0.52 65% / 0.55 W connect Farringdon to Palmers Green in Enfield – is to gain a significant link this year with a new cycleway between EC1 Echo is the area's Finsbury Park and Highbury free community Fields. When complete, Cycle- newspaper. We publish way 38 will offer protected cycle bi-monthly and tracks the length of the borough distribute 5,000 free and is being planned in line with copies door-to-door Vision Zero: the goal of which is in Clerkenwell as well to eliminate all deaths and serious as 500 copies to cafés, injuries on London roads by 2041. pubs, community “Ensuring that people in the centres, libraries and borough are able to enjoy an other venues active, healthy lifestyle is one of our main priorities,” said Cllr Publisher Rowena Champion, Islington David Floyd Council’s executive member for Editor environment and transport. “By Oliver Bennett encouraging more active ways of transport, we can enable Isling- Designer ton residents and visitors to Jonathan Duncan enjoy the beauty of our borough Head of Operations Clerkenwell in a way that reduces unneces- Paige Ballmi sary car journeys and therefore cuts down on air pollution and Contributors congestion.” She added that David Wilcox, Carla Manso, says no to single- Bruno Healy, Ed Sheridan, Islington hopes to become a net Yvonne Courtney, Nicola zero carbon borough by 2030. Baird, Mark Aston, Rashida use plastic The news follows Camden Taylor, Grace Roach, Chris Council’s consultation last win- Walker, Lisa Burrell, Alan ter to provide protected cycle- Wylie, Mark Aston, Tom he first “Low Plas- use plastic, with some buyers plastics in particular, is essen- ways on Gray’s Inn Road. When Currie, Leo Hamburger, tic Zone” or LPZ refusing to use businesses that tial for helping tackle the implemented, these cycleways Rob la Frenais, Matthew recently launched don’t take action. climate emergency. will provide safe cycling on the Baust, Holly Maltby in Clerkenwell. The LPZ launched at the “We know that businesses north-south route from King’s TAfter finding that 95 per Lazybones restaurant in want to reduce their envi- Cross and East Bloomsbury to CONTACT cent of consumers want local Cowcross Street. As Cllr ronmental impact, not only Holborn – although like the Far- Email businesses to reduce plastics, Clyde Loakes of the North because it’s the right thing to ringdon Road cycle lanes they EC1Echo@ North London Waste Author- London Waste Authority said: do, but because it’s good for have not been without contro- peelinstitute.org.uk ity (NLWA) in partnership “Our research shows that the business. People are telling versy, with critics arguing that Post with Islington Council and majority of people are try- us that they are more likely to the lanes will slow buses and 7–11 Coppermill Lane, six other north London bor- use companies who are taking other traffic, adding to pollution. Walthamstow E17 7HA oughs, debuted the initiative action in this area so we are An unexpected boost to cycling in Cowcross Street, with a "[It] will be a confident that this flagship has come from the Covid-19 out- ADVERTISING view to reducing the single- win-win-win; initiative will be a win-win- break, as people try to avoid tubes use plastic given to customers win; for businesses, for con- and buses, and to exercise in isola- Contact Klaudia Kiss: and to take forward a Charter for businesses, sumers and of course, for the tion after spending time at home. Call 020 8521 7956 of Commitment. for consumers planet.” Increasing numbers Although Italy and Spain have Email The LPZ aims to encourage of cafes and takeaways allow imposed restrictions on leisure [email protected] and support local businesses to customers to bring their own cycling – in part to prevent the reduce the amount of single- and of course, containers and refuse the plas- potential of people needing hos- use plastic used – a particular for the planet” tic knife and fork. Shopping pitalisation – some countries have challenge in EC1 where street areas at Haringey, Camden, encouraged cycling including markets like Leather Lane and ing hard to reduce their use Barnet, Enfield, Hackney Germany, to the point of advocat- Exmouth Market cater for the of single-use plastic but are and Waltham Forest are also ing an emergency expansion of EC1 Echo is a member of IMPRESS: lunchtime takeaway diners. A frustrated at how difficult it attaining, or have attained, the cycle network. If you are get- The Independent Monitor of The Press. For more information on the recent survey showed public is to avoid when shopping or Low Plastic Zone status. ting back on your bike following EC1 Echo’s complaints policy and demand, with 95 percent of eating and drinking on-the-go. the Covid-19 epidemic check the how to make a complaint visit: More information: EC1Echo.co.uk/complaints respondents wanting local Reducing the amount of waste Visit wiseuptowaste.org.uk/ advice from the London Cycling businesseS to cut out single- we all create, and single-use businesses/low-plastic-zones Campaign at lcc.org.uk April/May 2020 NEWS 3 Public gives housing managers a pasting BY ED SHERIDAN, “Clearly the rate of upheld complaints tive” information in public, many resi- mission and watching residents, neither LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTER at the housing ombudsman is much dents continued to heckle and berate Irvine or Ackcral would be persuaded higher than the proportion of the homes. the housing boss over issues including to reveal the value of the contract held he company responsible for The ombudsman is upholding many antisocial behaviour, lack of engage- with the borough in public. managing Islington’s coun- more complaints than they are against ment, increased scaffolding charges and Irvine said: “I think it’s probably right to cil homes has once again us as a borough. delayed or botched repairs with frequent acknowledge that there are a large number faced the wrath of residents “That is an objective assessment of what of people in this room who are in principle Tat a meeting in which housing bosses we’re seeing in the room. We’re very much opposed to private finance initiatives. were directly confronted and heckled aware that Islington council tenants have “There are probably many who would by their tenants. lots of complaints about the council, but point out that the housing PFI contracts Partners for Improvement looks after over generally we get them resolved inhouse here in Islington were entered into by a pre- 6,000 properties through a PFI scheme set before they hit the ombudsman.” We want to vious administration. This is a matter of fact. up by the former Lib Dem administration. When Irvine responded that the figures “What is also a matter of fact is that these Many of these are in the EC1 area. behind those statistics would be quite make sure that contracts exist, and Islington Council and As the organisation prepares to hand low, he was heckled from the crowd, who Partners are in them.