Flower or Power?

A statement by The Herne Hill Society, dated 12 May 2018, follows:

The Herne Hill Society is very concerned to learn of Network Rail’s plan to demolish the Flower Lady Shop next to Herne Hill Station and to replace it with an electricity sub-station.  The shop occupies a prominent position and forms an important part of the attractive mix of small businesses that make up the Herne Hill “village”. This is an area that has undergone huge improvement in recent years and the refurbishment of the Network Rail shops, once completed, will further enhance this. It seems thoroughly perverse to contemplate a development that will do damage aesthetically and commercially to the heart of Herne Hill. We are also concerned at the lack of meaningful prior consultation with the wider community.

The flower shop provides a valuable local asset, the only one in the area. It is a business that Elaine Partleton, a very active and well-respected trader and member of our community, has built up over many years. We question whether alternative sites have been fully explored. Network Rail is a key participant in the community at the heart of Herne Hill and we would expect them to fulfil that role with proper regard and care for the wider interests of all in that community.