Green Lanes Today (2009)

By John Hinshelwood and Stephen Rigg

Although the shops on Green Lanes have changed since the fine Victorian parades opened in 1900, it remains a vibrant shopping centre. Whereas the shops along Green Lanes in the early 20th century were predominantly small shops selling clothing, food and household items, in the 21st century they are mainly restaurants, fruit and vegetable supermarkets, jewellers, bookmakers and estate agents.

Although many of the shops and their frontages have changed, the superstructure of the buildings has remained much the same as when they were first built. The recent refurbishment of many of the buildings has improved the look of Green Lanes. The Disney store retains the character of the original frontage which opened in 1900 as Hughes Brothers Temple of Fashion in numbers 34-36 Grand Parade. Disney’s was first established as a small shop at number 74 Grand Parade in 1913 and only moved to its present position in 1938, taking over from Taylors the house furnishers. In 1953 Mr Disney sold the business to George Smith, but the Disney brothers brought the company back in 1985 and continue to run it today at numbers 34 and 35 Grand Parade.

Originally Harringay was home to the aspiring, mainly English, working class. In the1970s Harringay became a place of choice for the Cypriot population of north London that was moving away from Camden and Islington. Following the coup in 1974, and the declaration of the Turkish Cypriot state in 1983, Haringey was the borough that absorbed most of the refugees. Today Harringay is a rich mix of English, Cypriot, Turkish, and Eastern European peoples and many of the shops reflect the changes

Disney’s furniture store at 34 and 35 Grand Parade, retaining the appearance of the original Temple of Fashion store.