An Interview with John Zamit 

John Zamit, Chairman of the South East Bayswater Residents Association (SEBRA), once worked for Wonderbra and he still holds to the salesman’s mantra: “We care about the shape you’re in.”

Which is why the area he calls “the Kingdom of Bayswater” has no graffiti, fly posters or huge advertising hoardings. Signage, shop fronts and road markings are in good condition. Disability access is excellent and lighting has improved 99.5% thanks to SEBRA, he reckons.

Oh, and the area is full of foliage. “We are big in tree planting,” says Zamit. “You’ll find a tree everywhere a tree will go.”

He describes himself as solidly against solid roller shutters because, aesthetically, they are ‘dead’ frontage and they attract graffiti attacks. He is anti low-level satellite dishes, challenging engineers (quite often button-holing them in person!) not to take the easier option but to get them up and out of sight on the roofs. He believes his domain started practising the so-called “broken windows theory” (whereby you pay attention to fixing the smallest broken window to prevent a contagious atmosphere of petty crime and neglect) long before it was so famously espoused by Rudy Giuliano, when he was Mayor of  New York.

Zamit, whose background is in property, joined the SEBRA committee 15 years ago. Two years ago he became chairman. With his robust presence – he claims he used to send 5,000 complaints to Westminster City Council a year, but it’s “a bit better now” – the amenity group have scored some significant victories on behalf of the 1,000-plus residents they represent.

A decade or so ago, they saw off a rock venue mooted for the currently dormant TGI Fridays building. They raised £8,000 for a barrister, and with the Council and the police, won a major battle. The family-friendly TGI Fridays moved in instead.

They also saved Porchester Hall and leisure centre from being sold off to a developer. SEBRA campaigned. The result? “Now they’ve spent £5million on the centre, mostly on the spa and swimming pools, and £400,000 in the library. We consider it our mini town hall,” says Zamit.

He has also seen Queensway become a conservation area, which means a higher standard is expected in shop fronts and shop design, and contributed volubly to the movement to get the old Bishops Bridge replaced.

SEBRA’s members communicate their views and gripes to a committee of 16, which meets three times a year but are otherwise “in constant touch”, says Zamit, with his trusty mobile phone in hand. The work, voluntary and unpaid, amounts almost to a full-time job. Not only does Zamit (with his colleagues) scrutinize every planning and licensing application in the area,   he also publishes a full-colour newsletter three times a year, chairs an impressive AGM, hosts a big summer party every June in Cleveland Square, patrols the streets and is in regular contact with a host of individuals at the council.

“They think I’m a pain in the neck but for a good cause. I imagine they say ‘It’s bloody John Zamit again, but unfortunately he’s right!’” Now he’s hooked up to email, and set up an audit trail of messages sent where and when, he’s really got the council on their toes.

Who belongs to SEBRA? “Predominantly grammar school educated, white, retired residents with a couple of kids, not the new rich,” says Zamit. “The type of person who votes in local elections, cares about the community, recycles and has a bit of spare time.”
During his tenure, the group as become more organized and professional. “We’re more militant with a small m and more political with a small p. We’re also more pushy and demanding, but we don’t get involved in social issues.”

The primary objective is to go through all planning and traffic issues – including the implications of congestion charging. Zamit estimates they rigorously scrutinize a good 300 planning applications per year ranging from small extensions to socking great new office blocks. Concerns of the moment include the new licensing laws, Crossrail, the smoking ban and how that will affect the pavements outside the many pubs, restaurants and cafes in the area.

People too often live anonymously in central London. Zamit is keen for more active community integration, so look out for the new SEBRA website, and consider becoming a member. It’s all about improving the environment for everyone’s benefits. “This corner of Bayswater is never going to be Chelsea, but we’ve raised the bar in terms of standards,” he says.

 “I like my role as chairman of SEBRA. I also sit on the committee of Bayswater Residential Association (BRA). It’s very satisfying putting something back into society and it is a power thing too!” It is no false compliment to say every community needs a John Zamit.

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