Cllr Linda Chung asks whether Hampstead is still posh

The High Street is having a spate of shop crime. Shoplifters are rife, from the usual suspects who stealthily slip goods into copious bags, to those who run in, smash and grab, terrifying shoppers and staff.  

One staff member later wailed: “Hampstead isn’t posh anymore!”

By posh she probably meant money-rich, and hence there should be no common thieving; but criminality is a pervasive problem all over London, emboldened because of a depleted visible police presence and driven by the cost of living. 

But Hampstead never has been truly flash wealthy, apart from perhaps the few who may be super-rich, and even then they are super-discerning.

Cllr Linda Chung says Hampstead has never been truly wealthy (Image: Cllr Linda Chung) We are not impressed merely by fame and fortune, but we do admire writers and artists and those with talent and intellect. They may not be posh enough to be bothered to frequent expensive shops - though we all enjoy splashing out when we can - but generally we have more dash than cash. 

Regrettably, Camden Council thinks we are ‘posh’ and undeserving. I shan’t forget one Hampstead resident and strong Labour supporter saying: “Why are you trying to save libraries? You can get your books from Amazon. You don’t need a library."

There’s much to do, not to make Hampstead ‘posh’ but we need to protect our pride of history and place.

We lost our police station, but the new owner, who is Hampstead born and bred, is prepared to give space to the Met if only they would smell the coffee, wake up, and take up. 

I continue to have much to do in ensuring our town feels safe and secure, and to achieve a cleaner, greener environment. 

Hampstead’s ‘poshness’ relies only in very small way on its expensive shops. Its real richness lies in its generosity of spirit, its bohemian, diverse, caring people, where neighbourhoods hold clean-up days, and where we have societies and forums that stop adverse developments.

We have our own library and are lucky enough to have have centres for art, music and community. What can be posher than that?

• Linda Chung is Liberal Democrat councillor for Hampstead Town.