Meanwhile, the council has spent £24 million on its much-lauded Boulevard Project, a five-year scheme to improve the area through tree-planting, improved street lighting, more cycle lanes, and pavements resurfaced as fashionable, washable ‘boulevards’. ‘They spent £150,000 on improving the street aspect between Chalk Farm and Camden Lock bridge,’ says Proud. ‘This is money well spent. It’s making the place look nicer and feel safer. If you were down here at 1am a few years ago, you were terrified. Now it’s vibrant. But not like Soho, full of idiots vomiting.’
The notoriously chaotic tube station remains a problem since London Underground Limited (LUL) had its plan for redeveloping the corner site quashed. Chris Naylor, executive for housing in Camden and ward councillor for Camden Town and Primrose Hill, realises people are frustrated. ‘There’s no doubt we have to get a new tube station. The one we’ve got is overcrowded and doesn’t have proper disabled access. But the previous design was way too big, too modern and not sensitive to Camden’s feel at all.’
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The council is now consulting local people about any future planning on the tube station and Naylor promises that there will be clear rules for architects working on a new proposal. These will ensure that Camden retains its ‘special atmosphere’ and that the Electric Ballroom and market, endangered by the previous plan, will have a place in any new development. The council is also looking at opening up Camden’s railway heritage, which includes underground horse tunnels leading from beneath Lock Market to Primrose Hill, some areas near the Roundhouse and pump houses, according to Naylor.
Nearby, a plan by developers DE & J Levy to redevelop Arlington Road’s tiny Crown and Goose pub has attracted petitions from locals but at the time of going to press was still going ahead. ‘The public came down, supported us and signed a petition. They don’t want us turned into a JD Wetherspoon,’ says head chef Jackson Jones.
‘The best things in Camden are done by the people, not by architects or designers or breweries,’ says Nicholas. ‘What they’ve done to Koko is tremendous, the Hawley Arms is great, The Buck’s Head is being done up, the Proud Gallery is amazing. There isn’t any chain stuff. It just won’t wash in Camden.’
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1 comment
y turn camden into the same as every other stinking town or city in england ive been to camden several times and have never had any trouble what so ever and really enjoyed it! if these other shops like gap n topman are put in along with places like weatherspoons its gonna draw in more idiots like the chav culture and the hoodies which will make it a more hostile place to be try and remember we are not the criminals that rape and attack old ppl and ordinary innocent ppl 4 no reason!