After another public meeting filled with speeches and empty of ideas, laden with representatives but light on solutions, one thing is clearer than ever: if we want to fix Putney High Street, we’re going to have to do it ourselves.
On Tuesday night, residents gathered once again in the hope of progress. And, once again, instead of hearing how we were going to work together to fix things, we learned just how hard and complicated it all is. Councillors and officials were keen to note that it wasn’t their fault that the main thoroughfare of this vibrant town continues to decline; that “data” somehow lies underneath it all like a a vague unstoppable current we are powerless to stop.
They told us to be more positive — as if cheerfulness alone could fix shuttered shops, anti-social behaviour and six months of avoidable traffic chaos. We were told they would ‘look into’ concerns they seem all too keen to look away from. This was engagement at its most banal: one-way, pre-scripted and something to endure for 90 minutes. Part of the job.
Wandsworth Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Cllr Jenny Yates, responsible for one of the most disruptive infrastructure periods Putney has seen in years, told residents who spend every morning stuck in traffic there was nothing she could have done about it. The decisions predate her, even though she took over the job two years ago.
Leadership means taking responsibility — not hiding behind process.
Taking credit
As for our MP, Fleur Anderson, her most significant contribution was to suggest that we come up with a Neighbourhood Plan that she can then take forward. Perhaps this is how the new government sees its role: as an advocate for others’ work. Management by delegation. If it’s important enough, the answer will be provided.
If so, it would explain how it’s possible to take credit for Marks & Spencer’s reopening — a decision made entirely independently — while making no mention of the loss of more shops just yards away.
Nicola Grant, who leads Positively Putney, was the most straightforward voice in the room. But even the BID, for all its polished events and seasonal campaigns, was never designed to speak for residents. It is a business initiative — a helpful one, but not a democratic one. It promotes, it markets, but it doesn’t dig into the deeper problems — the shoplifting, the empty units, the access issues, the imbalance of uses that leaves us with vape shops and nail salons instead of vital local services.
And here lies the real issue: no one put forward to represent the people of Putney is accountable to those who actually live here.
Would our councillors care more if they lived in SW15? Would our MP feel differently if she walked down Putney High Street each day, past the closed shops and fast food joints, rather than heading home to Balham?
This isn’t cynicism. It’s realism.
Putney High Street has been in trouble for years. Residents have shown up to meetings, filled in surveys, signed petitions, raised concerns. And still, the problems persist — or get worse. Shopkeepers speak out, only to be told crime is “complicated.” Residents call for action, only to be met with platitudes about long-term strategies and budget constraints. We’ve heard it all before, and we’ve heard enough.
It’s time to turn the page.
We need a residents’ voice that isn’t filtered through a stage-managed panel or buried at the end of an event. We need meetings that put residents first, where those most affected by these decisions lead the conversation — not just fill out the surveys. As one resident pointed out: Putney is not short of people who do this kind of work for a living.
We need urgency, ambition and energy. And if our elected leaders won’t bring that, then we must. That means organising. It means building something of our own — a residents’ group, an action network, it doesn’t matter what we call it so long as it results in a plan with real teeth and grassroots legitimacy.
We’re not against working with councillors, the MP, or the BID even while we continue to hope they will do more in future. But what this week has taught us again is that expecting them to drive the issue forward has only led to where we are now: blocked roads, boarded-up shops, and a broken cycle of buck-passing.
Putney deserves better. And we’re going to make sure it gets it.
Stay tuned.
Spot on…what a waste of time it was. Actually insulting to residents. How to big up the High Street? Invite friends to take up vaping and eat low quality fried chicken while gazing at miserable excuses for planters-that was the best they could suggest. Pathetic.
I share your frustration. Please tell me though how will a public action group help. We don’t make planning decisions, we have no control over the council or government, or control the rents etc. voting just brings in a different party who struggles in the same way. We should back the quality successful businesses by buying and making them successful and encouraging similar companies coming in. How often do you hear people moan about how this shop or restaurant has failed when they are so good, but they hardly visit. The problem of Hammersmith bridge is worthy of a big peaceful public protest on the scale of the poll tax march to get the government to listen. Government and Councils have to be embarrassed in clear sight of everyone to get action. And I know most people are suffering but we may need to pay more taxes to help. If we can find a way of targeting local taxes this will help. And finally let’s not moan about litter, dog poo, dying public flowers etc, pick it up, nurture the flora and treat the public spaces as our own homes.