Traders campaigning to stay at historic east London market win last minute reprieve after owners threatened eviction

Ella Wills27 October 2018

Business owners battling to keep trading at a historic market in east London have been granted a last minute reprieve after the owners threatened to close the building with two weeks' notice.

More than 20 business owners at Ridley Road Shopping Village in Dalston were ordered to vacate the premises by Friday following a surprise notice of eviction earlier this month.

The move sparked a backlash among locals and business owners, with more than 6,000 backing a petition in support of the traders.

Now traders have been told the management company representing the landlord of the building, Rainbow Properties, no longer intends to carry out the planned eviction.

However there remains uncertainty over the long term future of the Shopping Village, with local campaigners and traders set to voice their concerns at a demonstration at the site at 1pm on Saturday.

Ridley Road Shopping Village at Ridley Road Market, Dalston, East London
Daniel Lynch/Evening Standard

Long-standing traders were notified on October 11 that the Shopping Village was being closed down before the end of October.

Business owners were already expecting to be evicted by the end of the year as the site of the Shopping Village is earmarked for redevelopment into a luxury living, working and leisure building. The council is yet to approve planning permission.

But they were left were shocked by the new deadline, which would have seen them miss out on vital Christmas trading time.

In a letter, the landlord told traders the building would remain open until October 26, claiming that bosses had been served a notice by police for closure.

Traders received a notice of eviction earlier this month

"Unfortunately despite all our efforts, the police have now served us with a notice," the letter stated.

"We therefore have no alternative but to close the Ridley Road Shopping Village."

The letter came after the Metropolitan Police issued a community protection notice against the Shopping Village on October 9 due "to issues concerning drug dealing and associated criminal activity".

The Shopping Village owners were required to take specific actions including installing crime prevent measures, with the notice stipulating that any breach of the conditions would result in legal action against the market's management.

However Scotland Yard said any decision to close the market earlier than the original planned closure date was a decision for the management company.

The planned eviction was widely condemned as "gentrification" and thousands shared their support for the business owners in an online petition.

But in an update on Thursday, the petition organisers wrote: "The management company have made assurances that they no longer intend to carry out the planned evictions of traders, many of which have been at Ridley Road for years."

It followed a visit by traders to Rainbow Properties' offices to hand in a letter demanding that the eviction be halted immediately.

The petition organisers added: "This is a massive, massive step forward for the traders' campaign. But there's still a lot to be clarified, and the long term future of the Shopping Village is still under threat.

"To keep up the pressure, please come down to Ridley Road Shopping Village at 1pm on Saturday October 27, to demonstrate in support of the traders, and to find out more about how to defend the market in the months to come."

Mohamed Lamine Barry has run a clothing stall at the indoor market for nine years
Mohamed L Barry

Mohamed Lamine Barry, who has run a clothing stall at the site for nine years, said he felt "hopeless" after receiving the initial notice of eviction.

"Losing this place is like losing everything that I have built up for my career and my children," he said.

He added: "I was not expecting to leave before the end of this year. I have a lot of stock which I brought in for Christmas. I didn't have any storage to put them in."

Christine Notley, 65, who has run Raffles jewellery more than 30 years, told the Standard: "We all knew that it was going to close eventually but it's giving the traders more time to sort out. That's what we needed.

"The unfortunate situation is that some [traders] have already gone."

Christine Notley has run a Raffles jewellers at the Shopping Village since 1984 
Romain Beck

She added: "We have at least until Christmas to be about to trade which is a lucrative time for us personally in the jewellery trade.

"Locals will be able to buy their presents at Christmas and traders will have time to get something place."

Mayor of Hackney Philip Glanville welcomed the decision as he condemned the "appalling" actions of the management company.

Hackney Council had earlier denied claims that the eviction notice was delivered following conversations it had with the landlord.

Mr Glanville said: "The way traders at Ridley Road Shopping Village have been treated by their management company is appalling, and I am pleased to hear that, following my correspondence with them, the owners of the building have now stepped in.

"This feels like a significant result for all of us supporting the market, but the details of the offer are still vague."

Mr Glanville said he will be meeting with the owners early next week to seek assurances that traders will be able to remain in the Shopping Village until at least the end of the year.

He added: "I will be pushing for longer and better, more supportive management.

"The run up to Christmas is a crucial time for traders, and I will do all I can to make sure they can benefit from this busy period.

"These local businesses are part of the beating heart of Dalston, and I back them and local campaigners fully. I will also be seeking assurances from the owners that there will be suitable space for similar businesses in their new development, which has yet to receive planning permission.

"In the meantime, we will continue to offer support to affected traders, including discounted pitches at the outdoor market or help to find storage or alternative premises."

Guy Ziser, on behalf of the owners of the site Rainbow Property, said: “It’s a great market and we are sad that the market operator Ridley Road Shopping Village took the decision to close it now.

"Since that decision by the operator, we’ve been contacted by the Mayor of Hackney, Phil Glanville, and by traders themselves.

"Up until now, we haven’t had any contact with the traders, but in the two years or more that we’ve owned this site, we’ve been keen for this market to operate and for the traders to prosper.

"We would have been happy to see the market stay open until sometime next year, and certainly until Christmas, but it was the market operators decision to close.

"This is a priority for us, and we’re going to talk to the Mayor and the police and see whether anything can be done to reopen the market.

"We can’t guarantee anything at this stage as there are factors outside our control which means the decision not does necessary rest wholly with us.

"We know it is a gem of a market, and we understand the hardship of local traders forced to close early.

"As part of the long term improvements for this site, we’re also talking with Hackney Council about how we can bring in small independent traders and make sure we continue the spirit of this market.”

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