Forum Topic

Pergola Putney - isn't the fundamental question about trust?

there is one issue in all of the comments on this forum about the Incipio proposal for a massive bar on top of Putney Exchange, whether for or against, that has not been raised.  That is, the issue of trust.Do you trust a business that will publicly claim the endorsement of a venerated institution like the Royal Horticultural Society, without having actually asked for and been granted the endorsement?  To do so, as a business, demonstrates either a breathtaking lack of honesty, or a breathtaking lack of maturity as a business, probably both.  Would you do business with someone like that?  Would you trust them to run an operation that would seriously and negatively impact the local stakeholders?  I'm thinking probably not.  I wouldn't.Add on top of that their constantly changing marketing strategy, first promoting an RHS-endorsed venue that will help offset the strangling air pollution on the High Street (obvious lie - all the plants are indoors), then shifting to a strategy of capturing the mindless vote by promoting a venue with a pretty picture and no other information on Instagram to drum up support.  Then moving on to collusion with their potential landlord Putney Exchange to promote an image and a false statement of what is being requested in the actual planning documents, to try and gain local support by lying. They have to keep shifting their marketing efforts, because what they have submitted is in violation of quite a lot of planning law and policy for a residential area.Would you do business with someone like that?  I wouldn't.The only "marketing material" that is relevant to any discussion of this proposal is the actual planning documentation.  Anyone who has actually read it, and then compared it to what Incipio is marketing, I'm happy to hear from. And what I'd be most interested in hearing about is not whether you think it might save the High Street (a fairly complex issue), but having read the planning application in full, and compared that which they are actually proposing to what they are describing in their marketing efforts - would you trust that business?  would you do business with them?  That's what I'd be interested in hearing.

Mary McCue ● 2832d10 Comments

interesting..    after 24 hours, no one has anything to say about trust..  gosh.

Mary McCue ● 2831d

Mary. There's possibly a number of reasons for that. People could just be busy and not looking at the forum. Alternatively, I find a number of my postings are not responded to; I consider there are two reasons for this: either my argument is so good and every one agrees and can't think  of a suitable response, or people think Mike's gone off at a tangent again, let's not waste time responding ... But I think you're correct, no one on this forum will trust this organisation - but will that affect their planning application? I suspect the commercial pressures for Wandsworth council to support Blackrock, the Exchange owners, and the venue applicants will outway any trust issues with Putney residents ...

Michael Ixer ● 2831d

Personally I would do business with them.But I wouldnt trust them. I've had a number of businesses over the years and have learned NEVER to trust others. I would hope that The Planning Dept consider this when listening to all the misleading guff that applicants bombard them with.

Peter Miles ● 2831d

Hi Mary, I'm overseas, so hence the delay, but I completely agree with you.  There is no reason to trust the applicants.

Chantal Blake-Milton ● 2831d

I’ve no reason to mistrust them. I don’t know them and have never encountered them, so I’m keeping an open mind.  Call me naive, but I prefer to start from a position of optimism and consider what might go right, rather than immediately jumping to everything that could go wrong.  The High St is in trouble and at this rate I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t an Exchange in ten years.  At the same time the Borough is one of the youngest in the country with an average age of just 34.  It makes sense that the amenities should reflect that demographic, although right now all the investment, energy and positivity is being directed to Wandsworth.  This may be want people living nearby want - it will certainly reduce noise etc - but I would have thought that a vibrant High St was one of the reasons many people moved here.I am sceptical of the proposal and I fully expect this company to try to sell it in the most positive light - after all this is their business and they want it to succeed.  I also recognise why Blackrock are so keen to get them in - High St retail is on its way out, so the Exchange needs to adapt or face being unviable.  But in the same way I suspect that it won’t be the Garden of Eden promised, I am equally sceptical of the forecasts on here that it will resemble the last days of Rome.  I understand and sympathise with those who live nearby and the disruption it might cause but the level of hysteria and fear-mongering that takes place on this forum to ANY new proposal, is frustratingly predictable.  Personally, I’d like to see it being trialled - under strict conditions.  If those conditions (noise, litter etc) are breached it should, of course, be terminated.  I very much doubt, however, that it will get the green light

Craig Fordham ● 2830d

Well, I have encountered them at the consultation, where they lied to our faces.  And you just have to compare their marketing to what they are actually submitting in the planning application to know they will say whatever it takes to get what they want, whether it's true or not. Reminds me a certain US President.I would not do business with likes of them, and if others would, I guess that's their prerogative, I guess that's why I'll never be rich. I have this annoying belief that trust should form the basis of all good relationships including business relationships.

Mary McCue ● 2830d

Craig, it’s a lovely idea to just “trial” it and if we don’t like it, tell them to take it away. Unfortunately the world doesn’t work like that and if this development got consent, there would be very little that could be done if it turned out not to be the sweet, kiddie-friendly, rooftop garden that they’d like you to think it will be.  Don’t believe the marketing leaflets, just take a look at the venues they already run. Drinking and dancing large scale party venues. Even with palm trees!

Jenny Traynor ● 2830d

I'm not sure I understand, who is it that you're saying shouldn't trust them?

John Gorst ● 2830d

No one should trust them, but I am particularly concerned that many local people who read only their marketing material trust them, and also concerned that any of the decision-makers at the Council would trust them and hand them a planning consent based only on the technical rules of the planning process, without considering the material evidence that they are not a trustworthy business.

Mary McCue ● 2830d

It isn’t just about trust, in my opinion, I think people are a bit naive.  Until you live near somewhere that causes nuisance, you don’t really appreciate how bad it can be.

Martine Guy ● 2830d