The previous owner of a much loved wine business in Enfield will be standing as the Women’s Equality Party candidate in the local elections on 3 May.

Tulip Hambleton, who is in her 50s, from Southbury, has been an active resident of Enfield for the past 10 years and had a pop-up wine bar in the Dugdale Centre called Eco Vino Teatro, selling sustainably-sourced and organic wines and food.

Two of the key issues that she hopes to campaign on are the council’s plans to boost commercial spaces and to address violence against women and girls.

The New Zealander became interested in what Enfield Council can do for businesses – with female entrepreneurs as her key interest point.

If elected, she hopes to make sure that the council delivers on its promises in last year’s Master Plan so that Enfield Town’s commercial spaces can thrive.

Ms Hambleton, who once ran a pop-up bar in the Dugdale Centre, said: “Enfield needs a voice to champion local services, which have been cut to the bone while main political parties squabble with each other.

“Whilst they play the blame game, the simple truth is the only way to get change is to vote for a party from outside the establishment.

“The council has recently issued a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy, which I am concerned is simply a reworking of a domestic violence strategy.

“Along with the Enfield Women’s Equality Party, I’ve held meetings with local women’s organisations and heard about the impact of funding cuts, which have fallen disproportionately on women.

“I support the call from Solace Women’s Aid (SWA) for a pooled budget for the VAWG strategy in Enfield with one united response across the borough, to include prevention and early intervention.”