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Trouble brews for Starbucks as it neglects heritage
Ed Thomas
Starbucks is causing a stir in Camden Lock by failing to promote its heritage site.
The coffee chain has angered canal enthusiasts by failing to offer information about the waterways.
The café is housed in the Grade-II listed lock-keepers' cottages and a condition of its original planning application was to provide an information centre for Camden Town.
A wallchart inside outlines the history of the area but nothing is said about the waterways.
Leaflets have titles including You, Starbucks and Nutrition, Starbucks Coffee at Work and How are we doing? - but there is not a single mention of the Regent's Canal.
Del Brenner, from Regent's Network, an organisation formed to protect the canal, said: "When the area around the lock was refurbished a few years ago and Starbucks took over the derelict cottages, we insisted the information centre must carry on.
"It was secured with a section 106 agreement in the planning agreement, which Starbucks is obliged to obey.
"So if people want information about the canal, they can pick up a leaflet inside or ask a member of staff. They are meant to receive training from British Waterways but the agreement has been neglected.
"I was down on the lock at the weekend and, within 10 minutes, three people came up to me asking questions about the canal.
"It proves there is still a lot of interest in the waterways but people cannot get access to the information they need.
"The street sign points people in the wrong direction. The whole thing is totally unacceptable and it makes us very angry."
The Regent's Network received more bad news this week, with plans for a new pub at the former pumphouse in Kentish Town.
Buildings such as pumphouses and lockkeepers' cottages are fast disappearing throughout the country and the organisation is keen to uphold the heritage.
Mr Brenner added: "The building at Camden Lock is the most famous one on Regent's Canal - it's in all the postcards and old photographs.
"It was bad enough to see it turned into a Starbucks in the first place. The history of the canal is being eroded away, it's so objectionable.
"When I approached them about this, their attitude was simply, 'We're a global company.' It almost made me puke."
British Waterways admitted there had been a "breakdown in communication" regarding the provision of canal information.
A spokeswoman said: "We have now been in discussion with Starbucks and heard they have been refurbishing the café.
"They are nearly finished and will be restocking with leaflets as soon as they can. It is important to us that Starbucks provides this information as we have an agreement with them."
ed.thomas@hamhigh.co.uk
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