Lynne Featherstone

Crouch End Lib Dem Councillor Ron Aitken is backing local residents who have complained to Haringey Council about film crews using their street to park their trucks, causing noise, litter and inconvenience in Hurst Avenue and the surrounding streets.

“It seems Crouch End is a Mecca for film crews which seem to like the tolerant atmosphere and the look of local buildings,” says Cllr Aitken. “However, some of the residents are a little fed up that they always seem to park in the same street – Hurst Avenue opposite the playing fields.”

Cllr Aitken raised the issue with the BBC, who recently filmed their Inspector Linley Mysteries in the area. The BBC said that places to park were either being used by other film crews or had been booked well in advance, but they did offer to make a donation to a local charity to compensate for the inconvenience to local residents.

Nevertheless, Cllr Aitken has asked Haringey Council to try to lessen the impact of filming on local residents. In a letter to Cllr Aitken the Council says that between April 2002 and March 2003 nine film shoots took place in Crouch End, and that from March to July there were a further eight shoots.

“Perhaps Crouch End is the new Hollywood?” says Cllr Aitken. “It is nice to be popular, but I will be monitoring the impact of this issue and reporting back to residents.”