child friendly London
London
London with a toddler
Gentrification as its sometimes called
14:03
On
Saturday we went over to Walthamstow to go and visit my in-laws. They still
live in the same house that they have lived in since the 70s and like most
Londoners they have been witness to quite a few changes. My Dad, who since the
80s has lived by Old Street and writing about what changes he and I have
witnessed is another story entirely!
In
Laws, P and Hubby and I went to visit the William Morris museum and Lloyd Park. Hubby looked out to the park and could not believe how much its changed.
It looked amazing, a really good playground for all with a lovely coffee shop
to boot.
The gallery was small but very insightful, P loved running around and engaged in a lot of child friendly activities especially the dressing up section in one of the rooms. The cafe was very much a gallery cafe with lots of scrummy cakes and tea. All types of people enjoying the park and gallery.
This above, is the positive side to “Gentrification”…I will refer to this word in quote marks for
the rest of this post because it deserves quote marks.
The
saddest part of the “gentrification” of Walthamstow is that it’s made property
prices rise and if were choose to live back to where hubby spent his all his life
in we wouldn't be able to afford it. And what is even worse is that we wouldn't
be able to move back to where I spent my childhood either, Kensal Rise. Wouldn’t
be able to afford that either. Hubby’s parents are forever changing their mind,
if they sell they would make a mint, if they stay they would enjoy the area more
than they used too.
As we
were driving back we observed on the pavement on the left, a couple, the man
could not stand up and kept falling down, drunk as a skunk, and both my in laws
and hubby chortled saying that Walthamstow still hasn’t changed. And they kind
of looked relieved. Then I mentioned about the the Keep Walthamstow a littlebit shit photo.
Gentrification
is a marmite monster, you either love it or you hate it. Is there a middle
ground?
It
can produce social cleansing of the community where the locals are not able to
stay or priced out the area. Therefore losing the vibe of why the area was special
place to live in the first place. In many areas of London “gentrification” has
created a them and us environment, where local people are not part of hub of
what has been created.
What
my greatest bug bear of “gentrification” is when people who have moved to a part
of London and they say “yes, there are some really nice areas, where we live, but
goodness there are some rough areas too” How very dare you! Are you referring to
the locals, the locals that some of which live on council estates, some of
which can just about mange to live there scraping past the poverty line..London
is the Rough with the Smooth..but sometimes the “Smooth” are the “Rough” and
the “Rough” are the “Smooth”
I can
accuse myself of such thoughts though, I must admit. Where we live at the
moment in Southgate, a bar on the high street has recently closed down. Much to
mine and hubby’s delight as it was a very townie type bar and we are waiting
with baited breath to see if a good ol’ lovely gastro pub that sells steak and artisan
baked chips on a wooden board will be assembled its place..i doubt it though.
The Gentrification beast is a monster of a thing but how
about a nice way of living for everyone, where everyone, local or just moved in
lives in good ol’ harmony. Where businesses that are investing in the area make
it all inclusive rather than exclusive.
Take it away William Morris…..
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