Kings Cross Local Environment

Old Eagle Pub 427 Caledonian Road - reopening applying for extended hours

There's an old pub on the Caledonian Road opposite Pentonville Prison on the corner of Brewery Road that used to be called the Eagle (427 Caledonian Road London N7 9BG).  It went bust and is now being reopened. They have applied for extended hours, quite late on a Friday and Saturday until 2am and until 0100 on Monday morning. If you wish to comment mail  [email protected] or [email protected] by 14 July.

A local resident who llives oposite the pub has contacted the site to say:

The Eagle pub on the Cally, has applied for a license for extended opening hours and music licence – til 1am - Sundays, Midnight – Tues to Thurs, and 2am Fridays and Saturdays.  The letter sent by the council didn’t reach me (I live in Carrick House, which is the block directly opposite the pub).

Don’t think that this is appropriate, this is a quiet part of the Cally, largely residential with some retail/offices.  If the pub is granted these hours, residents sleep is likely to be disturbed.  The pub has no facility for outside smokers, other than the street.

The deadline to make representations is 14 July, and they can be made directly to the Islington licensing officer, Dominic Ping ([email protected] or [email protected])....

During the time that it was open previously it was very noisy with people spilling out onto the pavement to smoke and being noisy-drunk hanging about the street, I was about to complain about it shortly before it closed.  It was called the Eagle then.

The hours seem excessive for a pub that's fairly remote from areas that are 'destinations' for people seeking late night entertainment so it represents a change in character to the location.

There are plenty of families and older people in the immediate neighbourhood who I think unlikely to want this kind of amenity (pity it couldn't have sought normal hours as a 'local' - I suspect it may be aiming at the student halls of residence near the Caledonian Tube station).

The Islington Council website makes me want to weep sometimes - i can't link direct to the application for you.  The applicant is the anonymous special purpose company ITH2 Limited registered at the premisis address.  The licensing system is supposed to be responsive to residents concerns so let them know.

Where would you like trees planted???

As many of you know, several of our community minded neighbours have over the years built up strong contacts with key members of the Council Staff in different areas.  One such area is the Tree Service.  Over the years we have worked closely with them to plant many new trees in our neighbourhood and when necessary get trees that have been vandalised replaced.

We have just receive an email from one of the staff of the Tree Service and he was asking for recommendations from local folks as to where new trees should be planted in the coming year.  This is your time to speak up and list your suggested locations in the Comments section below.  Time is of the essence as the Service must get it's list together next week.  So if you have an area that could benefit from some trees, please let us know now.

Cross Kings pub facing closure and eviction

Sad news from the Cross Kings pub:

'Being tied to Enterprise Inns has bled us dry and our last ditch attempt to sell to a sympathetic entrepeneur has fallen through. We've been served with a letter of eviction which means we have to leave the venue on Friday 9th July.
 If there's anything anyone can do to save this unique and brilliant venue, do not waste a moment...'

They have a facebook page explaining more.  If anyone has any suggestions get in touch with [email protected]

Islington West Area Committee 19:30 13 July question your local councillors

If you want your chance to have your say about local issues to your local councilors then West Area Committee is you best bet. It meets on 13 July in the evening - Laycock PDC, Laycock Street, London, N1 1TH - map .  The agenda builds up on the web here - check back the day before to see what else is added in.

There is a questions slot near the start of the agenda where members of the public who turn up can ask questions.  If you can't make it in person then email the Clerk of the committee Nodlaig Stoddart via [email protected] and she will ask it for you and ensure it gets answered, mailing the reply back to you.  If you are attending it's still worth submitting a question in advance there is more liklihood of getting a detailed answer on the night - I have done this and it works.

Also on the agenda is a report from the local Safer Neighbourhood Team and MAGPI (the group that deals with intractable anti social issues cutting across more than one agency) and the budget, which is always important.

Wharfdale Road greenwall update

A quickie update... I know it looks like nothing is happening to the ugly wall on Wharfdale Road, but the greenwall/sculpture will be making an appearing in the next few months.

We have just been given permission to dig a trial pit at the base of the wall to see if we can plant anything directly into land. If we can it'll help the long-term sustainability of the planting enormously. If not, we'll restrict ourselves to creating large deep planters.

Meanwhile, we are being supported by locally based structural engineers, Conisbee to whom we are incredibly grateful. Our Kew-trained horticulturist and Yellow Book gardener Mike Jackson will design the planting scheme in conjunction with Marie Clarke whose vertical garden design experience will be invaluable.

Watch this space for news of the locally based artist we hope to commission to design and construct the sculptural elements of the wall, and for news of the locally based quantity surveyors who will also work closely with us.

The project is funded by LB Islington and managed by King's Cross Community Projects.

Kings Cross in 2015 - what do we want?

What do we want King' Cross to look and feel like in 2015?  The area has changed immeasurably since I first lived here in 1995, but how will it look in five year's time? What would the people who live and work here now want to experience in 2015?  Five years is a good time for decisions we take toady to come to fruition.  Rather than wait for some impenetrable planning documents from Camden and Islington why don't we have a go on the website.  A conversation in the pub last night suggested the following, in no particular order - what do you think let us know by email or in the comments:

• a world class pedestrian environment around Kings Cross and St Pancras stations and the gyratory - pedestrians first, cyclists second, buses third, cars fourth adding up to less pollution
• vibrant creative quarter making use of the many empty commerical properties in the Cally Road-Kings Cross quarter helping students spin out from the Arts Uni on the railway lands
• connected King's Cross - barriers such as the arterial roads and railways tracks over come with new crossings such as a bridge over the tracks at Wharfdale Road paid for by spendthrift Network Rail
• well maintained, secure, well run social housing with residents having a strong voice
• a secondary school taking boys - such as the Wren Street campaign
• end to murders - large scale holisitc approach to tackle the disturbing murders.  And a general trend to less crime.
• new community green space - such as the Islington Triangle - and continued greening of small spaces such as along the canal and Tiber Gardens.
• the station area to be improved - a Kings Cross Square designed by and for the community
• Kings Cross railway lands and station nearly finished with a stronger emphasis on the local community
• balance between pubs, bars, cafes and other businesses without a takeover by chains like Starbuck.

Join us for a website birthday drink Sunday 1700 in the Harrison

Just a quick reminder that a few of us are having some drinks in the Harrison pub on Harrison Street at five o clock on Sunday to celebrate this site's fourth brithday and all things Kings Cross. Would be lovely to see any of our readers and contributers. Details in the original post.

July eBulletin from Islington Council

For those of you who may not have subscribed to it, you can download Islington Council's monthly eBulletin here - Download eBulletin_July_2010

Major Picasso exhibition in King’s Cross

To have had some actual sun at home this summer is a pleasure. Perfect timing as London’s exhibition and festival season swings into gear. It’s an even greater pleasure to be able to see some of the most warm and decadent work of such a major artist right on one’s doorstep.

Picasso: The Mediterranean Years (1945–1962) runs until August 28. It is showing at the Gagosian — a cavernous commercial art gallery somehow tucked away on Britannia Street, WC1. The show has the makings of a minor blockbuster. The artist’s biographer and friend John Richardson and grandson Bernard Ruiz-Picasso have curated an impressive Picasso menagery of sculptures, large canvases, ceramics, prints and papercuts. Step off the hot cobbled street and into the cool, dark foyer, and a light-bathed terracotta vase painted with a yellow bikini sets the scene.

There’s vitality and whimsy clearly running through the whole show — this is Pablo Picasso in his sixties, successful and in rude health, with a new lover, new children, chasing the sun in the south of France. An exhibition not to be missed this summer. I'm going back for another solarium-like session.

Clare Hill

Keeping our neighbourhood clean!

Our neighbour, John Ashwell wanted to alert the readers of our Bulletin Board that the contact at the Council for the Street Environment in our area has changed from Chris Demetriou to John Rodwell - [email protected]

If people email John when they see rubbish dumped in our area in the streets or outside peoples houses when it shouldn't be, he will arrange for its removal.

It is important that residents act as their "eyes on the ground" for keeping the area clean.  In the past our former contact Chris was very efficient at responding and helping neighbourhood residents with most problems related to keeping our streets clean and trash pick-ups.  We assume John will be as effective and we wish him well in this new role.