Deserted neighbourhood big name shops keep leaving with rows of boarded-up homes
It's midday in The Alderman and seven customers are sat at the bar. The crisp, winter sun has illuminated the pub to show its outdated, but albeit welcoming interior. A last remnant of an old East London found easier in Basildon or Brentwood than Bow or Bethnal Green; The Alderman sits in its rightful place at the heart of the Harold Hill community.
"It’s the last proper pub in the area," a punter turns to say, carefully clutching a fresh pint of Guinness. "This is a place where people talk through their problems, find work or come to chat."
You would be forgiven for thinking the gentrification tide sweeping East London has missed this pocket east of Romford. But large blue boards in place around a neighbouring housing block remind customers their small oasis won't last much longer.
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The Alderman, along with the rest of the Farnham and Hilldene estate near Harold Hill town centre, is set to be demolished in a regeneration effort. The first step will see the pub and nearby flats in Chippenham Road replaced by 150 new homes.
Sandra Wyatt, who has managed the pub for 10 years will stay open for as long as possible but worries where her long-term customers won't have anywhere else to go. "For many people this is the only place they can chat to people," she told MyLondon.
"A lot don't even drink, they sit down for a few hours and have a cup of tea or coffee. Elderly people often come here in the morning for this reason. But we're the last ones clinging on."
Despite her sadness at the prospect of demolition, Sandra admits Harold Hill is in desperate need of renewal. Shops on Farnham Road are constantly fighting off shoplifters, residents of the Briar Estate are plagued by drug-fuelled crime and neighbours in Troopers Drive have witnessed an abandoned housing development go up in flames twice over the past year.
Sandra says this has combined to make the area fell less safe. "Years ago when I was younger you could go out," she added.
"One of my eldest granddaughters is 14, she’s told to come home straight after school. It’s too scary. You hear of crime so much, people being stabbed or phones being nicked."
Havering estate agent Rosemary Dawson agrees. Summing up the community's general mood, she told MyLondon large sections are still traumatised by the fate of 78-year-old granddad Bernard Fowler, who was beaten to death with his own walking stick on the platform of Harold Wood station last February.
She said: "Many elderly people, and I include myself in this bracket, are too scared to walk the streets when it's dark. All it takes is one mentally-ill person and that could be it for you."
Police data shows Harold Hill experiences more violent crime than its surrounding areas. Heaton and Gooshays (which Harold Hill is divided between), recorded 61 and 57 violent and sexual offences respectively in October last year.
This is more than twice as much reported in Harold Wood, and even in line with St Edwards covering Romford town centre where 58 of these offences were reported over the same period.
As a result of this, and Havering's council tax which is the fifth highest in London, elderly people are increasingly interested in leaving the area. Rose says Wickford and Leigh-on-Sea in Essex are popular options where buyers can get better value for money, while Devon and Cornwall have remained popular options since the COVID pandemic.
Younger families buying their first properties tend to be most willing to fill this void. The fresh Elizabeth line connection in Harold Wood is a key pull factor for City workers who make use of the higher supply of semi-detached and terraced homes.
This shift means there's been no discernible drop of interest in the area, despite it's teething crime and regeneration issues. She's also quick to praise the neighbourly spirit which has disappeared from other more developed parts of East London.
"There’s an underlying good community here," she said. "Many people have lived here for years. If someone's been burgled they'll quickly report it on our local Facebook group to alert other people living nearby. Or just if anyone at all needs a helping hand with something - people in Harold Hill are really generous."
'I’m not scared of gentrification or any -trification. We just need new shops here'
Emma Cooke, who owns F Cooke pie and mash shop in Farnham Road, believes the area can only redevelop if it becomes an attractive shopping destination once more. The business owner is great great granddaughter of Robert Cooke, who in the 19th century began a pie and mash dynasty in East London.
While the combination of pie and eels was reportedly dreamed up by Henry Blanchard of Southwark, legend has it Mr Cooke was the man who decided Londoners should pair their minced beef or kidney pie with mashed potatoes. Despite having the same entrepreneurial spirit as her ancestor to open the Harold Hill shop in 2010, Emma says a drop in footfall has made it increasingly hard to operate.
She said: "Just look at all the shops closing. We used to have three banks, and now’s there’s only a TSB. Why would anyone come shopping here? When we first opened there was a Woolworths and after that went everything else starting closing.
"You have to go to Romford now. This used to be a really busy road with great independent shops like Toy Land. I’m not scared of gentrification or any -trification. We just need new businesses here."
Despite regeneration plans which aim to spruce up the area, Emma believes Havering Council has not done enough to stop the exodus of traders from Farnham Road. "You’d think, this is great town and lovely people here. Let’s keep places open, but that’s not been happening," she added.
There were queues out the door for NatWest and Santander, but then they were closed. Those people in queues would then come here, or go to the butchers or do their weekly shop. That doesn’t happen now.
"It’s basic business sense. If you have a park, an ice cream man will do great business. People could come here and do everything under one umbrella. Now you can’t do everything here, so people don’t come altogether."
A Havering Council spokesperson said: “The Briar Road Estate is a friendly welcoming community in which some of our local councillors live. Community events are held on Bosworth Field where an active community centre exists and the area is part of the wider Harold Hill community. Empty properties have been secured to deter anti-social behaviour.
"They will be demolished as soon as possible in line with the Harold Hill master plan. We fully support and are working with the residents and businesses of Harold Hill with any concerns they raise with us.
“The Council’s community safety and enforcement teams plus police safer neighbourhood teams, carry out patrols and respond to reports of anti-social behaviour, which are taken very seriously, and acted upon. One example, is the Clear Hold Build initiative, which was launched in December 2023 and is part of an ongoing partnership in the Harold Hill area.
“The aim is to work with the local community to look at ways to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour, tackle it and work towards stopping the return of persistent crime. Since its launch, there has been a 50 per cent reduction in reported offences and anti-social behaviour, that had blighted the lives of residents and businesses in Farnham Road, Harold Hill and nearby areas.”
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