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Islington Tribune - by JAMIE WELHAM
Published: 14 September 2007

Shella Trepovska

Rose-scented streets? Critics say idea stinks

Pressure for sewer improvements

PLANS to spray Angel with rose-scented detergent to mask the smell caused by late-night revellers have been dismissed as “absurd“ by angry residents.
They claim that without radical improvements to the Victorian sewage system the “Islington whiff” will continue to plague the area around Upper Street and Liverpool Road.
Shella Trepovska, who lives in Barnsbury Street, said: “They say the smell is just booze and urine from people out on the town at weekends, but it’s much worse than that. It’s definitely sewage.”
She added: “It’s like the big stink of the 19th century. Some people won’t even go outside. Spraying detergent might help businesses in the Angel but it’s not helping residents.
The Angel Business Improvement District is paying for pavement-washing machines to clean the streets with the fragrant detergent. Shopkeeper Shatilal Kara said the pong was keeping customers away. He added: “We seem to have third-world sewage in Islington. The drains stink and I’m sure people don’t come in because of the smell outside.”
Residents believe housing developments and the growth in the number of restaurants and pubs are putting too much pressure on drains and the sewage system.
Another Barnsbury Street resident said the stench is so bad she has to leave the area to wash her car. Rosemary Joseph added: “It‘s absolutely disgusting. When I wash my car, I have to move it to another street because I can’t stand the smell. I’ve been smelling this stink for years and something needs to be done about it.”
Thames Water, which is responsible for drains in the area, said it was unaware of any problems. Its spokeswoman, Hilary Bennett, said: “We have only had one complaint but we will investigate the operational condition of the drains.”
Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Islington South and Finsbury Bridget Fox said the key to tackling the odour was “sustainable development.”
She added: “If businesses in the Angel want to spend money on masking the smell then that is fair enough. There is obviously a wider issue with inadequate infrastructure that needs to be addressed and all parties need to work together on this.”

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