A new future opening up for Kilburn

Well, it was always going to happen at some point - but it's so soon?

I have written before about how the musings, observations and features of this blog would change, alter and in some cases disappear.

http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/01/things-you-see-and-take-for-granted.html

I didn't for a minute think that some would be so immediate, dramatic or indeed as visible as Woolies!

But these pics I took deliberately for this very purpose of capturing what was going on over the course of an amazingly fast 2 weeks of the world economy 'melting down' and Woolworths being one of the victims.

http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/12/ian-drury-and-woolworths-on-high-road.html

The pictures are not high science but they are dramatic illustrators of the phenomena as it affected and now affects our local community. Kilburn has always had a high turnover of shops and traders - it's one of the reasons it is so vibrant and such lively fun - but in an economic downturn we also know that Kilburn risks looking vulnerable.

However, I remain very optimistic - Kilburn has a unique appeal and a diversity that gives it an incredible strength.

It has been a busy trading area with a transitional population for 2,000 years so these things all fit in context .

I am very clear that what now needs to happen is a strong and articulate case for Kilburn will help bring things back onto a more positive keel - i'm struck how that isn't happening now.

One of my hopes for the general Election - beyond the basic and simple political party ambition - is that under the new boundaries there will finally be an elected politician representing all of Kilburn for the first time.

Arguably for the first time since 878 but that's an obscure political point and not one I'm going to push over hard. :-)