Running for a Belsize Post Office

Last weekend I ran the Paris Half Marathon (see photo) in a reasonably respectable 1 hour 45 minutes. I'm older than you think, you know! My next targets are: the Mayor's Walk Round Camden, which I intend to run; the Belsize 5km Fun Run, which some of you may remember I organised last year; and the 2008 London Marathon.

I was trying to think of a Belsize charity that I could raise money for when I run the marathon, but then I wondered whether it might not be better to try to raise funds to secure a new sub Post Office on Haverstock Hill. After all, that's what the community really wants.

The Royal Mail is asking for £40,000 towards set-up costs which is a bit steep for a small business. So how about we - the community - start a collection to raise some of it? Let me know what you think.

The Belsize Safer Neighbourhoods Team needs you!

It’s been nearly a year since the Belsize Police Safer Neighbourhoods Team was set up under Sgt Jason Moseley. What have they achieved? Are their current priorities - burglary, car crime, and anti-social behaviour – the right ones? If not, what should their priorities be? Come and have your say at the Belsize Safer Neighbourhoods public meeting this Thursday (15th March) in the Swiss Cottage Community Centre in Winchester Road at 18:30.

The XO restaurant vs the Sir Richard Steele pub

The XO restaurant continues to tax minds in Belsize Village and at Camden Council. We already have enforcement procedures underway because they removed a double door in defiance of a rejected planning permission. And we found that they were illegally using our rubbish collectors to take their waste. Many residents say parking has become more difficult in the evenings because so many clients are coming from outside Belsize. And it now looks as though the XO is about to break the terms of its licensing application for the “XO to go” takeaway shop, which is supposed to sell cold food and drink for consumption off the premises only. They’ve installed tables and chairs as well as advertised for staff to serve hot and cold food. All these issues are now with enforcement officials at the Council, but if you have any comments then please do let me know.

The contrast with the Sir Richard Steele pub on Haverstock Hill just couldn’t be starker. Yesterday evening we had the latest meeting of the residents’ liaison group with the pub owner. It was a picture of friendliness and cooperation. The big topic was the smoking ban. Residents are concerned that when the ban come in on 1st July smokers will end up drinking, smoking and making noise on the street. The landlord is concerned that Camden Council staff or the police will then start harassing his clients for drinking in the street. The reality is that nobody knows what will happen.

One really exciting idea that came out of the Sir Richard Steele meeting was to put a green roof over part of the beer garden. The owner wanted to install a fancy awning. Residents were worried that this would provide no protection from noise. I suggested a green roof and everyone got very excited. For those of you that don’t know what a green roof is it’s quite simply a waterproof membrane covered with a layer of earth and then planted with grass or shrubs. It provides excellent insulation (warm in winter, cool in summer), it soaks up carbon dioxide, it slows down storm water run-off, and it’s good for bio-diversity (insects + birds).