Last summer I had to move out of a flat I was sharing just off Holloway Road and I have to admit, I was devastated. No more Bikram yoga - virtually on my doorstep. I had to say goodbye to my favourite vintage shop in the whole of London and then the quest to find a dry cleaner, local café, gym, (the usual) had to start all over again. 

You probably think that was bad enough. It wasn’t. My worst fear was an inevitable one. I was heading back to Tottenham and there was nothing I could do about it. I grew up in the area but having been away for the last five years - only ever popping in and out to see family – I had become a bit of a ‘Tottenham tourist’. I have been out spreading my wings and discovering the rest of London, and it’s been such fun. Hence the inconsolable state I was in when I realised I was heading back to reacquaint myself with the 341 bus; things looked bleak. 

My achy concerns centred around the need to travel out of town to get involved with the things I loved. If I wanted to watch a dance production, it would mean a trip up to Sadler’s Wells; to hang out with like-minded creatives, I would have to get used to staying out in east London.

But things have changed; I was wrong. M.I.A. for a while, and granted that I missed the after-riot-slump, I soon had all the proof I needed when Ballet Black came to the Bernie Grant Arts Centre. Not to mention the emergence of many creatives in the area painting the town, in some cases literally! In the past three months, I’ve seen or heard about everything from local murals to pop-up exhibitions; art collectives settling in converted warehouses and art installations near West Green Road.

One of the first things I did when I settled back in the patch, was to join the Tottenham Art Group led by Taslima Khatoon - a great bunch of laid-back people, keen to rediscover the area while being sociable, too. All with an underlying passion and interest in the arts, inquisitive about old and new haunts (or unmistakable classics like the Tottenham Marshes or the café on Broad Lane, you know the one…) and all unfazed by the gritty mix in the area. This group are all about exploring what Haringey has to offer and clued up on cool local start-ups – which include life drawing classes at Chances come Jan 2014, and the new Tottenham Theatre initiative - which is currently looking for local actors, singers, performers for a play called Tull by Phil Vasili. Naturally, there are also groups in the patch who have been functioning for a while like the Haringey Independent Cinema. They meet up every month in Park View School for an Indi flick at just a nip of the price of regular cinema tickets and they show great stuff. 

Changes in the area: the injection of new blood, new initiatives, new openings (I’ve spotted the Costa, too – don’t you worry. Have you popped to Marmalade yet? Far more exciting) are all setting a new course for locals to champion. Yes, we want to make use of our open spaces, dormant warehouses and buried talents – we always did but now we’re doing so together. It’s a new day in Haringey for celebrating everything local - businesses, culture, art and anything else I’ve forgotten to add. It’s not necessarily a new approach but let’s continue to encourage one another with creativity while applauding the town in the big and small steps. Yes, let’s ask questions and push each another but let’s also continue to create, discuss and revel in this moment. 

I read a quote somewhere this week about ‘running your own race’ and it stuck with me. I think that's us. We may have staggered a little (or taken a time out) but I like to think that was a small blip. We have gained back our momentum, wit and character. This is our own race, at our own pace and we’re off to a thrilling start.

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