Assembly Fund bid to restore painted shop fronts?

[harrym]

Would anybody be interested in helping me put together a funding bid for the Sydenham Assembly Fund to help restore some of the shopfronts along the High Street? Starting in the Conservation area.

Would obviously need support of the shop owners but would really improve the aesthetics of the High Street. Could use funds for design expertise and materials but get local artists and tradesmen to donate their time on a special High St makeover day (think DIY sos!).

The deadline is in about a week so not long but please let me know if you are interested as would love to see if we could make something positive happen.

[Pally]

Would anybody be interested in helping me put together a funding bid for the Sydenham Assembly Fund to help restore some of the shopfronts along the High Street? Starting in the Conservation area.

Would obviously need support of the shop owners but would really improve the aesthetics of the High Street. Could use funds for design expertise and materials but get local artists and tradesmen to donate their time on a special High St makeover day (think DIY sos!).

The deadline is in about a week so not long but please let me know if you are interested as would love to see if we could make something positive happen.

I would have loved to help with this but unfortunately am away so I can't. Hopefully someone else can . I agree it would be great if some positive initiative with the support of local traders would be good ....

[mosy]

harrym: May I ask how many shopkeepers you have polled who'd be willing to change their signs to a painted19th Century look?

[Pally]

harrym: May I ask how many shopkeepers you have polled who'd be willing to change their signs to a painted19th Century look?

I cant comment on whether Harrym has polled anyone! The desire to try and do something is a good one though!

[leenewham]

No-one said anything about painting a '19th century look'.

That statement is simply wrong.

Signwriting and original sign panels can look contemporary. Stop being negative, someone is doing something. I got beaten by the wave of apathy and negativity in Sydenham.

Go for it Harrym.

[sugahill cafe]

We have one of London's leading traditional signwriters based in Sydenham with an office in Regent House http://www.nickgarrettsignwriter.com/ngs-courses/

[mosy]

@ leenewham, it was the sadly negative experience that you reported previously that few shop owners were interested that prompted me to ask harrym if he had done groundwork, hopefully showing positive response if funding were to be secured. harrym hasn't replied to my question so I assume neither you nor I can know what the current willingness is for improvement. I would add that it's unlikely that chains would change their signs so arguably they'd still dominate however tasteful independents' signs and shopfronts are.

Maybe getting planning permissions changed and even enforcing ones that are there would have effect, although that'd be activism rather than expenditure of any funding money.

[leenewham]

Chains are almost impossible to change, although we have managed a few times including the Post Office. They do change their signage if required to do so by planning. But no-one is talking about the chains anyway. Most chains signage is pretty clean and tidy. They aren't the major issue.

Planning doesn't need to be changed, it needs to be improved and enforced. Good signage isn't about making something look old, it's about making it look like the owners are proud and confident of the things they sell, service they provide and place in which they do it.

[leenewham]

Nick Garret is a very good signwriter (I didn't know he was now based in Sydenham). He painted the logo we designed for Trattoria on their wall. If you were going to do something like that locally, I'd get Nick to train some locals up (he's a very good teacher, he runs classes at the Lovely Gallery) and have a local signwriting team offering their services to make Sydenham look unique.

But it is difficult trying to get shops to improve signage and shop front, even when it's offered for free.

[Hissing Syd]

What kind of help are you after, Harrym? I'd be up for it in theory, but have so little time... Sounds great though.

[KPR]

Nick Garret is a very good signwriter (I didn't know he was now based in Sydenham). He painted the logo we designed for Trattoria on their wall. If you were going to do something like that locally, I'd get Nick to train some locals up (he's a very good teacher, he runs classes at the Lovely Gallery) and have a local signwriting team offering their services to make Sydenham look unique.

But it is difficult trying to get shops to improve signage and shop front, even when it's offered for free.

Really? Pretty sure it was a woman I saw painting Trattoria's wall.

[The Clown]

Original message - yes!

[leenewham]

KPR, when I said he, I meant his company, which was misleading on my part. It was his apprentice who painted it.