Sais Cafe at Bounds Green

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Permalink Reply by Jane Perry on February 4, 2012 at 15:19

Ha ha!  Soon I hope!  However, isn't someone meant to be opening a nice little cafe on Middleton Road?  That's a start.... I'd love to open a cafe...but I'm afraid I'm rather tied up with other things.  Maybe one day.

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Permalink Reply by Mat Riches on February 7, 2012 at 11:21

Hi Jane

Yes, that is us with the cafe (bar and gallery too) on Myddleton Road, which is about two weeks away from opening now - we are a good three minute walk from Bounds Green tube admitedly! Here is our website.

www.thestep.co.uk

Sad to hear about the Sais cafe though, I always thought they sold very decent coffee at a good price and the hot chocolate was delicious. It would be great for the area if something could be done around the tube - the footfall round there must be excellent with the tube.

Best wishes

Mat

 

 

  

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Permalink Reply by Jane Perry on February 15, 2012 at 17:14

Hi Mat!

Really looking forward to popping over to The Step...I've no doubt it'll be a great addition to our community, and a welcome element to Middleton Road.

See you soon!
Jane and family 

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Permalink Reply by TomJH on February 5, 2012 at 16:08

I thought the coffee was pretty good. And very reasonable, maybe too reasonable! Ditto for the food. I found the service a little slow. A bakers would be great - fresh bread/combined with fast fresh coffee thats a business that would really fly. All that passing trade to the tube - they could hook up with the little place in station ... the possibilities are endless. !! 

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Permalink Reply by gerry kift on February 7, 2012 at 9:03

I hope we have a nice Bakery or a good Deli to replace Sais cafe and not another dreadful takeaway.

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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Kemball-Cook on February 7, 2012 at 9:32

Re: Sais cafe and the immediate area

It seems to me, not knowing anything about the problems that would be involved in doing this, that what would make a huge difference would be to close the little through-road that runs in front of Sais and the other shops in that little area - and pave over it, making a broad pedestrianised area that can be colonised by outdoor cafe-style tables and chairs, and maybe some market stalls at weekends. This would also have the benefit of forcing the parasitic clampers to move on.

In comparison with the mega-structural works that have been going on down at the N Circular, this would not be a huge amount of work.

I do feel that improving the environment for pedestrians (which often means improving takings for shopkeepers) is often done by de-emphasising the role of cars on our roads. Classic pedestrianisation has worked all over the world. Yes - car drivers don't like it, but frankly they already have the run of 98% of our road environment, and anyway, they can't park there!

Does anyone have an idea for how the local community could start a drive to get that area pedestrianised?

BW Geoff

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Permalink Reply by TomJH on February 7, 2012 at 19:23

The council could maybe compulsory purchase? It probably belongs to the freeholder of the building. Someone else mentioned that all the buildings around the Tube station are owned by the same person? Its a great idea but probably not practical. I am sure the council could put up big NO PARKING signs on the pavement so the clampers get no trade. I thought they had changed the law on clamping?

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Permalink Reply by Geoffrey Kemball-Cook on February 8, 2012 at 8:52

Thanks for this reply Tom.

However I don't believe putting up more signage would have much effect - and again, it's cluttering up the pedestrian environment with more car-related stuff. Regardless of how many signs there are, car drivers will always park opportunistically wherever they are not very obviously and immediately in danger of getting a ticket or being clamped. Watching what happens outside primary schools at dropoff and pickup time, despite plenty of signs and zig-zags painted on the road - and disabled parking spaces -  provides ample evidence of this.

Anyone else have any information about how to pedestrianise?

Geoff

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Permalink Reply by Richard McKeever on February 8, 2012 at 9:34

There is a national Charity / Campaign group called Living Streets.

Their website offers this description: "we work to create safe, attractive and enjoyable streets, where people want to walk. We work with professionals and politicians to make sure every community can enjoy vibrant streets and public spaces"

They also support local groups. You can find out more at www.livingstreets.org.uk

There may be also connections with the parallel discussion about Myddleton Road on this site.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Perry on February 15, 2012 at 17:17

Hi Tom,

I'm not entirely sure that parking stipulations in the are in front of those shops are determined by the council...I could be wrong, but I believe it's the owner of the property that has jurisdiction over this little side road.  A very lucrative business on the side....

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Permalink Reply by TomJH on February 18, 2012 at 21:24

I think the council are still within there rights to put a no parking sign as they are the owners of the public footpath. The parking stipulations are down to the owner of the land. I think it is very likely that the footpath in front of the shops is also owned and maintained by the council. This small bit of roadway is an oddity.

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Permalink Reply by Sue on February 15, 2012 at 12:38

I believe the site belongs to Wilkinson Byrne the Estate Agents.   I did hear that they were planning to extend their premises!

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