Venn Street listed for several awards

7:00am Saturday 19th May 2012 in News

By Alexandra Rucki

Venn Street in Clapham has been listed for several awards

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A project which saw a congested street transformed into a Mediterranean style piazza has been shortlisted for a several awards.

Venn Street, in Clapham, used to be filled with cars until Lambeth Council started working with residents and businesses to transform the road into a weekly street market.

A new paved area has been created outside the Clapham Picturehouse, which accommodates market stalls at the weekends.

The £400,000 Transport for London-funded scheme has been nominated for a Municipal Journal award in the delivering better outcomes category.

It has also been shortlisted for the streets award by the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation.

Councillor Pete Robbins, Lambeth Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhood services, said: “Street markets are a vital part of London life and the Venn Street scheme has been a fantastic success
story, providing a permanent home for the market and giving the area a real buzz.

“People want markets that offer something a bit different from the normal products found in the supermarkets. They help support the local economy and make our town centres more attractive.

“The local community played a key role in shaping and developing this scheme and I’d like to thank them for helping to make it such a success.”

Canon David, whose predecessor at Holy Trinity Church Clapham was the Reverend John Venn, commented: “Balancing the needs of pedestrians and commercial traffic is not easy and often fraught with
difficulties.

“However, this stunning project has been negotiated sensitively, built imaginatively and detailed meticulously, transforming a quiet side road into a vibrant community.”

The Venn Street Shared Space was formally opened on September 30, with the Venn Street market going weekly on October 1.

It is now a pedestrian zone on Fridays to Sundays, which enables the market to operate during the daytime and restaurants and cafés to expand their outdoor seating area.

The council will find out whether it has won the awards in June.

Visit vennstreetmarket.co.uk

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