On 15 September, I met with councillors Sarah Young (Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport), Sheila Suso-Runge (Heritage Champion) and Richard Lufkin, together with representatives from Hackney Council’s Streetscene team, to discuss the future of Stoke Newington’s surviving historic street signs. At that meeting it was agreed that applying to the Hackney Community Fund is the only viable way to raise the money needed for their restoration. This has now kicked off the process of preparing a funding application in partnership with The Hackney Society and Streetscene. The application deadline is 6 October.

The proposal seeks to restore nine street signs dating from the 1930s–1950s – six of them with the heading “Borough of Stoke Newington”. These are important heritage assets that connect residents and visitors to the area’s history.

A few years ago, I urged the council to stop removing and destroying these signs. At the time, the policy was to replace any sign deemed “not fit for purpose,” with originals destroyed to prevent them entering the open market. After many emails and, eventually, intervention from the Mayor at the time, that approach was changed. Since then, my focus has been on securing restoration of the surviving signs.

Alongside this campaign, I carried out a Survey of Stoke Newington’s Heritage Street Signs, documenting 52 signs of various types and ages across the former borough. This research highlighted their historical significance and the risks they face from neglect or removal, and it underpins the case for their preservation.

Last summer, the council carried out a pilot restoration of four signs to assess the cost, approach and effort involved. This confirmed restoration is feasible. Our new application is the next step in completing the job and ensuring these rare signs are preserved for the long term.

I’ll share further updates as the application progresses.