Published: 27 April, 2012

• THE Boston Arms, in Tufnell Park, has submitted a proposal to install a few mobile phone antennae on its clock tower.

Of course, it is an old building and maybe we should be doing all we can to protect it but in my ward in the past couple of years we’ve had a couple of successful battles to stop these things being erected and I always find myself somewhat torn between the anti view and the pro.

We all have mobile phones, and all curse when we cannot get reception.

Though this is an old building, in our extremely compact, some might say crowded, local environment the Boston is about as far from any large volume of housing as is possible (apart from siting one in the middle of a park).

It’s in a prominent position so could potentially aid any reception issues and I understand the antennae will be painted to blend into the building as far as possible.

Finally, the Boston is a fantastic local business, of a type that is all too often being driven out of business locally and right across London.

It’s a warts-and-all boozer.

We have a huge amount of smart gastro-pubs and trendy bars but a dearth of venues such as the Boston.

Local estates hold their tenants’ and residents’ association meetings there (for free).

It has regular boxing nights upstairs (which are fantastically well attended and a really great evening out) and a plethora of other locally centred events.

In the wider Tufnell Park/Archway area we have a large, fairly elderly Irish diaspora for whom the Boston is a welcome meeting/social point.

The Boston would be paid a fee by the phone company for the space and I think we should do what we can to support it, in this instance by not objecting to this application.

CLLR ARTHUR GRAVES
Independent, Junction ward