Lib Dem councillor for Highgate, Bob Hare has welcomed the installation of flower planters outside the shops in Archway Road, N6.

Cllr Hare has taken a key role in driving the idea of the planters forward. They were installed last month and have been welcomed by residents and local traders. They were one of the projects chosen by residents and councillors at the Muswell Hill Area Assembly and were paid for by the Assembly.

The initial idea had been for hanging baskets. However, Transport for London, who are responsible for Archway Road, said that installing baskets on lamp-posts, and the automatic watering devices and piping inside them, cause corrosion that greatly shortens the life of the lamp-posts.

Councillor Bob Hare then took photos of shops in Hornsey High Street which had set up elegant-looking planters of their own, and showed them to the Archway residents and businesses association, who agreed they would like a similar approach.

The planters contain a selection of flowering and leaf plants designed to look good for a long time, but plantings will be ‘refreshed’ in Spring. They are being watered by business owners. Paul McLean-Thorne, Chair of the Archway Road Residents and Businesses Association, is very pleased with the results. He says a couple of planters had their contents stolen early on, but these have been replaced.

Councillor Hare comments:

“It did take quite a while for Haringey Council and local people to sort out all the details and for the planters to be put in place, but the effort was well worthwhile.

“Archway Road is the A1, and carries a huge amount of traffic and heavy vehicles. All the restaurants, shops and other businesses on this road have to work extra hard to survive, and we need to do everything we can to help make the area look better for them, to help attract customers, and for residents.

“In addition, many people come to Highgate to visit Queens Wood and Highgate Wood, the Village and the famous Highgate Cemetery, so it’s important that this part of Haringey looks attractive for these visitors too.”