Elmwood Residents Association and have been involved with the community for 14 years, firstly as a Neighbourhood Watch and then when we became a Residents Association I was voted in as chair. We have launched ‘ The Harrow Road Business Alliance’.
and over 20 businesses have signed up to the Alliance and have expressed eagerness to work with the community on such issues and regeneration, improving the footfall to the high street, rebranding the high street and building a working relationship with Brent Council.

Aliened with the Elmwood Resident’s Association whose membership is 150 and rising. There is a strong belief that improvements will follow.

We intend to use an empty shop to start community hub and advice centre, that will hold workshops designed to support small business. We also want to work on shop front improvement with a volunteer Urban design company and local business owners in partnership.

What we'll deliver:

• Organise open evening events, providing flyers, posters and publicity to introduce businesses to the community
• Rent shop Business owners advice and meeting space, facilitate the multiple languages and cultures represented
• Work with Urban developers to identify shop fronts that need refurbishment in collaboration with business owners

Why it's a great idea:

This is a great idea because it is one item of improvement which is an agreed target by all community groups and business owners alike. Investment and training will improve the living and working experience for all those residents and businesses in Kensal Green. In turn the improvements will introduce new customers as well as the local community to the services and shops available in their neighbourhood. It will improve understanding, communication and social cohesion. The Kensal Green High Street Harrow Road is considered a dilapidated shopping area that to date has not been a destination point for the ever increasing upwardly mobile residents. We would like to see the small business owners and local service providers benefiting from the thriving community that flocks to College Road fighting for seating in one of the two cafes, when our very own high street has cafes and restaurants in abundance. WE will improve the shopping experience, increase footfall, revive and our high street.

Steps to get it done:

• We will work with local business owners to plan a series of open house events
• We will work with Urban development company to identify shop fronts for upgrading agreed with business owner
• We have identified a vacant shop on the main high street that has been empty for 10 years

We have introduced the Harrow Road Business Alliance an inspiration borne of the fact that the local borough have been squeezing the sole traders by introducing much reduced services without consultation. Many feel they are facing closure or bankruptcy and we the Elmwood Residents Association believe that we should be supporting the businesses fully to protect our whole community and make living and working in Kensal Green an enjoyable experience for all.

We intend to raise funds to improve weathered shop fronts raising the overall appearance of the Kensal Green High Street, open an advice centre and hold open evening and weekend events that will bring the community in large numbers and introduce them to the local restaurants and service providers. By improving the appearance we feel that the community will be much more inclined to use the local trades and shops.