There is a plan afoot to green – or perhaps colour – Loughborough Junction next spring by planting bulbs around the place this weekend. Some local businesses have agreed to have their plots bulbed and there are spaces here and there….
To get the bulbs we need donations! Donations of bulbs would be great, but donations of money are also acceptable if you prefer to contribute that way, as we can make a quick visit to a garden centre.
If you can provide either bulbs or money, please come to the Cambria this Sunday 8 November 1-2 pm where the gardeners will be there to collect them for planting Sunday afternoon.
Volunteers to plant the bulbs are also very welcome, probably best if you bring your own trowel, fork, whatever.
Following a recent Lambeth mailing that fell through our door (and yours?), I thought I would add the letter to the blog to try and get an idea of what you think the priorities in Loughborough Junction are. Lambeth have been very supportive of the LJAG (Loughborough Junction Action Group) and are keen to work with residents and businesses on resolving issues in the area.
If you are interested in getting involved with the continued improvement of Loughborough Junction then why not join the Loughborough Junction Action Group. LJAG (Residents / Businesses Only)
Camberwell Green was once a village green, but is now little more than a traffic island. A grant would help to restore it as a valuable community space by:
Following last Monday’s meeting at the Harry Caddick centre, I can confirm that the Loughborough Junction Action Group (LJAG) has now been officially constituted and four members have been elected, two co-chairs, Elise Leclerc and Tim Gaymer, and two co-sectretaries Conor Masterson and and myself Nick Wells. The position of Treasurer is currently open.
As a initial objective, we are endeavoring to put Loughborough Junction on the map with the support of the local councillors and give it a visual identity including lamp post signs, tree planting, flower boxes and notice board centrally located in the area for group updates.
Our next meeting is scheduled for the 24th November, where the group and councillors will be canvasing ideas for the area. The meeting will be held at the Harry Caddick centre on the corner of Lilford Road and Carew Street at 8pm.
We invite you to come to the meeting, please pass this on to your neighbors, friends and locals.
Rumour has it that the old Green Man pub may be about to be transformed by a new project for the area. I don’t yet know about the details of the project but work may commence before the end of the year. By the sounds of it, this project is just what the Junction needs, a new focus and a hub for the community. Sorry to be so vague but we should know more about it in the coming weeks.
The last poll that I ran looked at the top priorities in Loughborough Junction, it gave you the opportunity to select the main issue in the area. I gave five options, and as at the 26th August 08 the results are as follows
Empty Shops & pubs 57%
Crime 0%
Litter 0%
Noise 0%
Bad Pavements 29%
Other 14%
I think that the results are fascinating and particularly interesting in that it may show how much the area has improved by looking at the options that were not selected. 0% thought crime, noise or litter was a priority, so for the person that searched “Loughborough Junction is it safe” can rest assured that, yes according to our poll, Loughborough Junction is a pretty safe place. I certainly do not feel threatened in the area, in general 99% of the time our neighbors are as quiet as mice although when we moved here 6 years ago noise was a major issue. Litter I think is not a huge issue as the council are very diligent but I hate the bins stacked down the pavements and bags of recycling piled up down the street.
The biggest issues were empty shops & pubs 57% and bad pavements 29%. I don’t know why the shops have taken so long to attract new business’s, the strip between the supermarket and the house clearance shop have been shut for years, every now and then I see a some signs of work but as yet they remain firmly shut. The Mucky duck has been sold and something appears to be happening. The Green Man and the Warrior are crucial to the regeneration of the cross roads area.
The second biggest issue is the bad pavements, I certainly know which strip of bad pavement most of you are thinking about. Any sensible business would have it sorted out, however the shops beside the train station seem determined to be sued by someone falling.
14% percent of you opted for the wild card “other”. I’m fascinated to know what you think the top priorities are.
When we moved here six years ago, friends thought we were crazy, Loughborough Junction was a place to pass through but not stop. It had a reputation which it probably deserved, regardless of this having walked around and seen the sites including the Green Man which was still open, and people smoking weed at the Ruskin park playground, we took the plunge. Why did we move here again?
It was quite a shock having moved from Pimlico. “Home James” was a notorious gambling and drug dealing taxi company who supplied the local area including groups of dealers who loitered around on Coldharbour lane, Local prostitutes worked the streets and would just use people’s gardens (including ours).
Something had to be done, the community demanded better, an increased police presence, the closure of Home James, the betting shop, a crack down on the street dealers, the closure of a brothel on Coldharbour Lane and the closure of the Warrior, the Green Man and the demolition of a pub on the Herne Hill Road (The Anchor?) all contributed to a sharp turn for the better.
Since then Loughborough Junction has in our view got significantly better, none of the above are now an issue. New shops and refurbished housing are replacing the old Loughborough Junction haunts. The area is improving quickly and needs recognising as a valuable location in the centre of Camberwell, Herne Hill and Brixton.
Without question Loughborough Junction has further to go but for the time being it is a safe and well serviced neighbourhood.
