Market Update

The local council here has changed from Tory to Labour so I have been looking into what difference this might make to the campaign. I went to an Enfield Stakeholders "Characterisation Study" meeting last week, at which members of the public were invited to put forward their opinions on the character of Enfield, for better or worse and how they see it might best move forward in the future. Emphasis was placed by participants on the tragedy to community spirit of the building of the A10 and A406, the dangers of traffic/ need to reclaim the borough from the logic of the car via "shared space" initiatives and other traffic calming, pedestrianisation, bike and more generally community spirit friendly measures. Also the subject of Enfield being far removed from eg Palmers Green, Southgate and other peripheries of the Borough, and that this also adversely effects services and increases the need for community based initiatives to increase a sense of belonging.

Lots of talk also of its unique, mixed rural (ie farmed) and urban character, and the need defend green spaces from further concrete encroachment and indeed to actually re-green parts which are presently cemented. Within all these contexts - aswell as the wider one of economic stagnation and local food - the idea of community owned street markets which I put forward in a low key way was warmly received so that is a good sign. I am also in talks with a media advisor about the possibility of a documentary on Big Society / Big Idea which could possibly include our campaign...