Little Britain Update
ByFrom this morning’s New York Sun:
British poet Rupert Brooke once designated a corner of a foreign field as “forever England,” but after a heated discussion last night, the traffic and transportation committee of Community Board 2 unanimously voted not to recommend co-naming a portion of Greenwich Avenue in the West Village “Little Britain.
The resolution will now go before the full board.
Sean Kavanagh-Dowsett, an owner of three British-themed businesses on Greenwich Avenue, including the restaurants Tea & Sympathy and A Salt & Battery, had made an impassioned case in favor of the naming. He said there is another British-style business on the block and still another likely coming. He also stressed the significant support from local businesses and residents. A stack of local letters, as well as an online petition of nearly 6,000 names in support (57% of which were from New York) was presented.
He also said naming the street Little Britain would draw business to the area, and help protect the charm of the neighborhood. “There’s a bit of an English feel to the neighborhood, Mr. Kavanagh-Dowsett, told The New York Sun.
But members of the committee expressed a few doubts. One committee member, Ian Dutton, pointed out that New York is already named for a part of Britain. Sean Sweeney, who is also on the committee, asked about the role of Virgin Atlantic Airways in the campaign to co-name the street. Mr. Kavanagh-Dowsett said he approached the airline, not vice versa, and that some of the plans for what has become the Virgin empire were first drawn up on a napkin at the White Horse Tavern on nearby Hudson Street.
More here.
8 Comments
July 11th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
As we just wrote in the previous post.
As of today 6,012 people have voted for Little Britain in the Big Apple, of which 57% are NY residents. Additionally, all the businesses on the block on Greenwich Avenue have written individual letters of support, and the residents support it.
The campaign continues and we will be making our case to the city.
July 11th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
I’m not convinced that this particular block is already a hub for British culture, even though Tea & Sympathy could certainly be called a hub for British culture.
If it doesn’t already exist as such, then this is no more than a bald attempt to spend a lot of money on a marketing campaign in order to buy the name of a street from the City of New York for commercial purposes. Just imagine the dire consequences if businesses get the idea that advertising spots are up for sale (in the guise of street co-namings) from the City of New York. I can just imagine walking home from the subway, down Green DryCleaner Alley onto PubLane, right onto JazzWay, then down Fortune Teller’s Alley.
July 11th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
In 1902 The New York Times wrote an article calling the neighborhood the “British Quarter”, and there is plenty of historical British references to this day, “Greenwich” being one. Not that this has been a requirement for other already recognized neighborhoods such as Little Brazil or Little India.
As we wrote previously it’s merely two words on one sign post to help preserve a section of the West Village. Say what you like about T&S but they are a small business who contribute to the personality and diversity of ther neighborhood, unless of course you want to see yet what another Starbucks or Ralph Lauren store.
Fortunately our numerous supporters would sooner see a small local business stand up for itself [and others] against the big brands.
July 11th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
How many Brits live there?
How many businesses British citizens owned and what have the British done to change or develop this locality?
Have the British made big differences the same way the Bangladeshi community have done in Brick Lane?
July 17th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Hasn’t Manhattan sold itself over to the Brits enough already? One sees more british flags waving over the streets than American ones. I suppose this is just more examples of Jew Yorks snobbery.
July 18th, 2007 at 6:47 am
Paul,
You have to regard this blog as a stream or river… keep it moving along (IE don’t write 94 posts on one issue) and it will stay fresh and clean but if you let it get stagnant by continuing to dwell on same topic day after day you get algae bulding up which takes all the oxygen out of the water which in turn kills the fish and everything goes to hell in a hand basket. If you could just move on from this passe Little Britain groove, you would not get targetted so easily by carrion eaters such as this fellow.
If you had paid more attention to Trout Fishing in America, you would know this
July 18th, 2007 at 9:00 am
Beau,
This coming from someone who complained yesterday about a writer not being “happy to use one word when he could use 27.”
As for our small-minded k jihaad, he seems oddly reminiscent of another author named Mario who had this to say in April:
“I thought all of Manhattan south of 85th street is “little britain.” I mean you see more british flags waving in Manhattan than US flags. Typical of the left wing snobbery that prevails that borough.”
Funnily enough they both have the same I.P. address too.
July 18th, 2007 at 9:18 am
I think the British National Party would be interested to hear that waving a British flag is left wing snobbery. Also, K Jihaad/Mario is not so much small minded as a liar and an idiot.