Weekend pedestrianisation of Northcote Road will begin at Easter Post Reply

[Community Editor]

As part of its efforts to support local business and improve the experience for shoppers and diners, Wandsworth councillors have once again agreed to the pedestrianisation of Northcote Road at weekends starting this Easter.



Between the easter weekend starting April 16 and the end of September, the popular shopping and leisure destination will be closed to traffic every weekend.

The change will mean its many bars and restaurants will be able to utilise the outside space to promote al-fresco drinking and dining in a move that’s proved popular with residents and businesses in previous summers.

The pedestrianisation was first arranged in the summer of 2020 when lockdown rules had been eased – so that its hospitality businesses could re-open safely by using the extra space to maintain social distancing.

It proved such a success that it was re-introduced last summer and will be repeated this year.

The move mirrors a similar council initiative in Wandsworth’s Old York Road whose hospitality businesses have also been given al-fresco space, and where consideration is now being given to its permanent pedestrianisation.

As well as boosting local businesses, both schemes have made these roads much safer for pedestrians and cyclists and are helping to support the town hall’s climate change targets.

Council leader Ravi Govindia said: “These measures have proved immensely popular in previous years so we are keen to continue with these changes and bring a welcome boost to local businesses and offer visitors and residents a much more pleasant shopping and leisure time experience.”

A recent consultation on the final design for the permanent pedestrianisation of Old York Road has now closed, but views can still be expressed via email to transportation@wandsworth.gov.uk.

All feedback from the consultation will now feed into the final design, due to be considered by councillors in June.

[annabelsarcadenl]

I think this should be a permanent change. The road should be pedestrianised on a permanent basis so the vendors can take better advantage of this. Not sure we need the speeding cars and occasional bus during the week!

[Helen1]

Last year I really enjoyed the pedestrianization of the Northcote Road which brings extra revenue to the Borough, but I watched elderly people desperately trying to negotiate a safe path through the tables and chair, and narrow space in the road, without being pushed and bumped by cycles, scooters and excited children. 
Older people can be unstable and fearful that they will be knocked over. 

I hope that this year the Council will have had more feed back from the locals and that there will be more organization of the spaces. and that the small path between them will be wide enough for us all to enjoy comfortably.

If the buses are diverted like before I do wonder how elderly people who cannot walk to St John's road manage to get about. The two frequent buses that go along the Northcote Road are a life line to so many people.

I did also wonder why the Road was closed from Wakefield, when there are no pavement activity in that area. 

 

[Jonny Dyson Property Consultants]

Thanks for your thoughts so far on this topic.  As one of the organisers of the closure I can confirm that there will be more defined guides as to where businesses can place tables and chairs this year, which in turn should make it easier to navigate up and down the road.  As far as the busses are concerned, they are diverted via Bolingbroke Grove so it is possible to walk up one of the side streets if you are quite far away from St John's Road.

There are also a number of hospitality businesses further south than Wakehurst Road - Macallaio, Pintus, Numero Uno, Manifesto pizza and the new Colette deli that all take part in the closure.

Jonny

[dudette]

If only we had better restaurants on Northcote Road. I don’t know how such an affluent and vibrant area has ended up with such a poor choice. VE Kitchen, Kibou (impossible to get a table) and Tamra are good but the rest are just dull and uninspiring. How many pizza/Italians do we need??

[Jonny Dyson Property Consultants]

I'd have to say that I do agree with Dudette on this comment.  We seem to have more pizza and burger places than anything else and even with Ole & Steen opening where Byron was, the choice of qood quality restaurants with more varied menus is pretty limited...

[storm35]

I agree with Helen1 to some extent. I live on Kelmscott Road and the section between us and Belleville Rd is empty and quiet. A few chairs on the pavement for Macellaio and that is it, not even in the road to justify the closure. Similarly on the other side, apart from Numero Uno and Pintus, it is super quiet and I think April to September is too long. By the time September came last year you could hear a pin drop all day and I was still having to drive long ways round whenever I left the house (not very eco friendly). It felt a waste of time.
However further down Northcote where the buzz is near the Bread Stall, it is impossible to move, bordering on the ridiculous. 
There should be a defined pathway down the middle of that section.
Sorry I don't think it should be made permanent. Summer months only ending end of August if you ask me

[NVHusband]

@Misty32- I disagree… you cannot keep Northcote Rd open for a short stretch and then close it further down (closer to Battersea Rise)….

Simple consequence is that Wakehurst, Belleville Road and Kelmscott Rd etc will be used as a shortcut for motorists from South Circular to Bolingbroke Grove and vice versa…

From a logistical point of view, it’s either all in or not in at all…

[readysteadycook]

It puts me off going to Northcote road when the bars/restaurants add an 'extra' to our bills to fund the road closures.  A family of 4 or 5 eating or even more so if you just want one drink - it makes already expensive bill, more so.

So on that basis, we avoid it.

[UghNoisyNeighbours]

We found it very difficult to navigate all the tables previously so are hoping it’s better organised this time. My biggest bugbear is the Tamara cafe all year round - it has tables out further than the four foot standard and there is a large telephone box opposite. Add in the large amounts of oblivious 20 somethings loosely queuing and it gets quite exasperating at times.
Adding to that, neighbours builders have been working over the weekend with power tools (the neighbours are away) and the increasingly noisy flight path, we can’t wait to move!
Yesterday was wonderful here, no noisy kids, barking dogs, parties planes or power tools! Back to my noise cancelling headphones now

[UghNoisyNeighbours]

We found it very difficult to navigate all the tables previously so are hoping it’s better organised this time. My biggest bugbear is the Tamara cafe all year round - it has tables out further than the four foot standard and there is a large telephone box opposite. Add in the large amounts of oblivious 20 somethings loosely queuing and it gets quite exasperating at times.
Adding to that, neighbours builders have been working over the weekend with power tools (the neighbours are away) and the increasingly noisy flight path, we can’t wait to move!
Yesterday was wonderful here, no noisy kids, barking dogs, parties planes or power tools! Back to my noise cancelling headphones now

[northcote_mum2]

we live off Northcote road, and to be honest we don't enjoy the road closure at all, it's very disruptive for nearby residents, costs a fortune to set up which is then passed on to customers, artificially raising the cost of living and running a business (as if it wasn't currently high enough !), it makes for frantic driving off webbs road and some of the other roads, the bus diversions are a pain and it goes on for too many weeks.
and it's not like there is anything special about it now, though it was a good idea to try during the pandemic,
we know lots of people who won't go the restaurants etc not to be charged the extra-, they just go somewhere else.
let's move on from that now

[northcote_mum2]

we live off Northcote road, and to be honest we don't enjoy the road closure at all, it's very disruptive for nearby residents, costs a fortune to set up which is then passed on to customers, artificially raising the cost of living and running a business (as if it wasn't currently high enough !), it makes for frantic driving off webbs road and some of the other roads, the bus diversions are a pain and it goes on for too many weeks.
and it's not like there is anything special about it now, though it was a good idea to try during the pandemic,
we know lots of people who won't go the restaurants etc not to be charged the extra-, they just go somewhere else.
let's move on from that now

[northcote_mum2]

we live off Northcote road, and to be honest we don't enjoy the road closure at all, it's very disruptive for nearby residents, costs a fortune to set up which is then passed on to customers, artificially raising the cost of living and running a business (as if it wasn't currently high enough !), it makes for frantic driving off webbs road and some of the other roads, the bus diversions are a pain and it goes on for too many weeks.
and it's not like there is anything special about it now, though it was a good idea to try during the pandemic,
we know lots of people who won't go the restaurants etc not to be charged the extra-, they just go somewhere else.
let's move on from that now

[Muddlemoo]

I've got to be honest, I find it a total pain as well.  It's lovely for a month or so in the summer - especially when it's quiet and the businesses need extra footfall but I do think it's going on for far too long and kind of ruins the fun of it all.

The bus diversion is such a pain as well.  We live the other end of Northcote Road and have a disabled son so we really rely on the buses.  I know they stop on Bolingbroke road (which in itself is so dangerous as kids on scooters etc) however they only stop outside the Bolingbroke Academy and then on Blenkarne so it's a long walk.

I think it's such a nice idea and we've really enjoyed it in the past but I just don't think it needs to go on for quite so long.

Sorry to be bah humbug!!!