“ The truth about Milly.
I moved to Barnet 6 years ago, when there were friendly little shops inside the Spires, the lovely shaded arched entrance, its shiny cobbled stones, the well maintained flowers and little trees, the small coffee shops with mothers chatting, little children playing in the play area and watching the muppet show.
Milly the cat was always there in the middle, happy, greeting children and adults alike, letting herself be petted and occasionally being fed treats.
The passing away of Milly marks the end of the friendly local Spires, with the closing down of small local independent shops giving way to big corporate chains. Her death symbolises the end of Barnet as we know it and the beginning of a de-humanised, cold, new commercial Spires.
She died searching for the human warmth and pleasant surroundings she was used to for years. She died disappointed in not finding her usual cosy spots.
I saw Milly soon after Spires lost its local character, after the cobbled stones were gone and many of the little shops had closed down. It was heartbreaking to see her curled up on the cement. No longer were bowls of water left out for her anymore.
The death of Milly the cat marks the end of the Spires as we knew it, with characterless chains taking over. The local shops are all gone or on their way out.
Why is nobody complaining?
It is shocking that the weekly town food market is now being replaced by a cheap hotel, in line with the Spires' new owner's plan to increase their income, to the detriment of the local community. The cold and characterless, commercial environment they are creating, with cheap chain shops and big low budget restaurants, common for out-of-town developments but not for the centre of a small town.
All this only to increase their profits, yet without any consideration for the well-being of the local community.
Barnet high street is now a victim of the fast money hungry developers profiting from a new easy planning permissions policy.
The high street green spots are now being filled with new buildings, the existing buildings have floors added, or demolished in order to produce new apartments for sale.
Worryingly the town is losing its character and will keep getting worse.
The small shops have no support from the council to help them survive, and cherished outlets are being closed one after the other, unable to afford the increasing rents.
Milly’s death is a warning call for Barnet’s residents. Where are they and why is nothing being done to protect their town and life-style?
A concerned Barnet resident" ”