“ "To all those that say the Barnet Society or the Barnet Residents Association are not representative of their view. Either join these organisations and have your voice heard, create your own organisation or stop your incessant whining."
Amanda - many of us have been members of one or both. Our voices went unheard. Some of us therefore got together in an attempt to oppose this. So I'm not really sure what your point is as we've covered much of the stuff you mention. When something comes along that will have an adverse impact on people's lives as the Premier Inn will, are they not allowed to complain?
Gordon - my recollection is that you said what is printed above. If I'm wrong on that, fair enough, but it's evidently what the Barnet Society reporter heard and also what other people present on the evening believed you said. And why does St Albans Road not count as a 'nearby road'? You failed to mention that the hotel had 77 objections against 40 'supports', many of which came about from more far-flung places in the area after Gail Laser asked people to support the project on her Love Barnet Facebook page. You described many of those objecting as being 'illi-formed' yet at least all but a very small handful of those 77 wrote about their individual concerns regarding the hotel, as opposed to copying and pasting Gail's Facebook message or leaving the comments section blank.
I still find your belief that you speak for a vast majority of Barnet residents ill-informed. You speak for your members, and are in no position to say what a majority of Barnet residents think beyond your 600 or so members. I think that both the BRA and the BS - for all the good they can undoubtedly do - have lost sight of this. And how much of a "cross-section of the local populace" do you really believe you represent? I'd wager that it's skewed to a certain demographic. ”