Permission granted to demolish boarded up shop which gained fame as a location in 1960s television crime series

A former street corner shop close to Barnet High Street which featured in scenes in the 1960s tv crimes series Gideon’s Way can now be demolished and replaced with a house.

A long-drawn-out dispute over the failure to grant planning permission has finally been resolved by a planning inspector who has ruled in favour of the demolition of the now boarded-up empty shop.

Until its closure 20 years ago, the shop – at the corner of Union Street and Coe’s Alley — had been a greengrocery and then a florist.

Once vacant it became a sorry sight and owner Roger Newell accepted that as he struggled without success to obtain planning permission, the building had become an eyesore and was a blot on the landscape in the Wood Street conservation area.

Approval for its demolition and the construction in its place of self-contained dwelling house represents a continuation of recent changes that have already taken place in Union Street where several former commercial properties – including The Albion public house – have been converted for housing.

The junction of Union Street, Coe’s Alley and Stapylton Road – as seen above when filmed as a location in the crime series Gideon’s Way – was then quite different.

In addition to the now to be demolished greengrocer’s shop, there was a grocery shop Yadav’s on the other side of the alleyway.

After two unsuccessful planning appeals, Mr Newell is delighted he has finally obtained the go ahead from a planning inspector who dismissed the objections raised by Barnet Council.

“This has been going on for nearly 20 years and I have been so frustrated.

“How could the council continue to refuse applications to remove an eyesore? Thankfully the inspector saw sense and decided that he could not support the council’s objections.

“For the first time someone in authority has had an overall look at these empty premises and acknowledged their replacement with a house would improve Union Street.

“What was so important is that the inspector concluded redevelopment of the site would not harm the Wood Street conservation area and that indeed, resolving the future of this derelict site would enhance the conservation area.”

The inspector also ruled that it was not appropriate to use a possible land charge on this application as a planning restriction and he saw no reason to refuse permission for an additional house on the grounds that it was within the CPZ and subject to Union Street’s parking restrictions.

He found there was a “low level” of parking stress in Union Street. The construction of an additional house was unlikely to have an adverse impact and the property should be allocated a parking space.

Mr Newell said the decision to give him approval came with a series of conditions affecting the construction of a new house and the need to safeguard the character and appearance of the Wood Street conservation area.

The new house would require a flat roof. With the removal of trees behind the empty shop, Mr Newell believes Coe’s Alley will be opened up and not so enclosed.

Mr Newell was forced to close the shop because it was broken into so many time that insurance became prohibitive.

The lock-up shop was built in the 1930s by Bunny Rees, who then lived next door at 63 Union Street, and who had an entrance in his hall to his greengrocer’s business.

Gideon’s Way was a British television crime series based on the novels by John Creasey.  It was produced in Elstree Studios and several of the episodes were filmed in Barnet with locations in Ravenscroft Park and St Albans Road as well as Union Street and Coe’s Alley.