Traders fume at being ousted from the Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre
BY SAM COURTNEY-GUY
toby@slpmedia.co.uk
Traders have hit out at town hall chiefs and developers as up to 40 of them look unlikely to be moved to new premises while a £1billion development is built.
Shop owners are fuming at town hall officers who have told them they will not get relocation support after the demolition of the decaying 54-year-old Elephant & Castle shopping centre.
Southwark council has recognised 79 businesses as eligible for spaces on the new site in response to a Freedom of Information request in March, and officers appeared to assure councillors at a December meeting that at least that many could be rehoused.
Just 36 offers have now been made. Southwark and developer Delancey claim to be helping the rejected traders find other options, but they have been accused of failing to apply their selection criteria fairly and sidelining ‘undesirable’ businesses.
The Mayor of London’s office gave final approval for plans to demolish the complex in December after it secured an unprecedented level of support for traders affected.
The site will see 979 homes built alongside a new station, leisure and office facilities and a new building for the University of Arts, London.
A document circulated to traders last year suggested their financial records and “competitiveness” would be prioritised, followed by efforts to house them in similar sized units, maintain diversity and favour long-standing businesses.
Ecuadorian-born Alejandro Ortíz, 54, whose kiosk Los Colorados has stood at the foot of the centre for more than 20 years, said he had been rejected despite sending in complete financial records and a business plan.
Businesses just a couple of years old had been offered relocations, he said, leaving him feeling discriminated against.
Mr Ortíz called on the Mayor’s office to step in. “They are supposed to take care of us,” he said. Around 20 businesses have been left off Southwark council’s list of those eligible for relocation despite being told they will lose their retail spaces, according to campaign group Latin Elephant.
Two belong to Colombian-born Johanna Alvarez, 30, and Ecuadorian-born Lisette Pico, 23, who have spent a combined 14 years operating from one of the railway arches set for demolition.
The women say they were ejected from a recent traders’ meeting held jointly by Southwark council and Delancey to address traders’ concerns.
The pair were made to leave by Delancey representatives despite assurances from a councillor that they were welcome, according to Ms Alvarez. Security staff from the centre had been drafted in wearing plain clothes rather than their normal uniforms.
In the arch next to Ms Alvarez’s store, Colombian cafe and nightclub venue Distriandina has been offered a relocation unit.
The owner’s son, Mateo Quintero said his family was pleased by the news, though uncertainties remained over whether their late-night licences would be carried over.
He said news that Delancey will allocate £125,000 to neighbouring club Corsica Studios to comply with new mayoral soundproofing rules made him feel as though Latin American businesses were less welcome.
“I don’t think anybody has spared a thought for diversity, which is this place’s strength,” said Alan Dobson, who has run a vinyl record store on the site for more than five years.
“It doesn’t have to be like this – there’s a right way to do it.” A number of businesses are struggling to cope with the continued uncertainty, while some, like the Palace bowling and bingo venues, have now closed.
Amul Patel, 57, (main picture) manages the centre’s longest-standing business at 30 years of operation, Pricebusters. He is forced to keep a skeleton supply of stock, squeezing his margins as he can no longer buy in bulk.
Mr Patel said the lack of clarity over when demolition would start had cost him the right to compensation in the event that no unit big enough to sustain his business could be found, as Delancey could no longer offer leases.
“We have to take whatever we are given or go down the drain,” he added. A judicial challenge which could force the council to review its planning decision has been launched and has raised through crowdfunding.
Not everyone is fighting the redevelopment. “Things have to move forward,” said John Otagburuagu, owner of Black Cowboy Coffee, though he acknowledged he was in the minority.
He put down his success in securing a relocation offer to a larger unit to his efforts drawing up a strong business plan.
“Delancey don’t owe me anything,” he said.
Customer Libaan Igal, 33, has been visiting the centre for 15 years. “Change is good,” he said. “I don’t believe in giving something for nothing.”
Councillor Kieron Williams, cabinet member for jobs, skills and innovation, said: “Elephant’s independent traders are a vital part of the local community. That a large proportion have now been offered affordable units meters away is a really important step forwards.
The priority now is to find homes for the rest, in locations that work for them. I’m determined to make sure they get the support they need. We’ll be keeping the pressure on Delancey to deliver against its responsibilities to traders.
Our council support to help traders explore the other relocation options that are available in the local area continues. As does Tree Shepherd’s one to one business support.
The shopping centre’s businesses bring so much to the area, they are all open for business now, and we want to keep it that way.”
A spokesperson from Delancey said: “We are working with the traders to find suitable relocation options and are doing all we can to support with the process.
Our main priority is finalising the offers so that we can give traders the certainty they need to plan for the future. As each tenant has its own individual needs, it’s important we work this through properly to ensure we can provide bespoke support.
We are looking forward to updating the community once these conversations have been finalised with the traders.” An afternoon of music and festivities tomorrow from noon-3pm will celebrate the current occupants and raise money for the fight to get new premises for the traders.
Cllr Kieron Williams said: “Support will be available for every trader in the centre. Some who moved in after planning permission was granted will not get the same level of support as others, but there is support for everyone.”
Delancey also have a fund, totalling a minimum of £635,000, to fund the relocation costs of the 79 eligible traders, such as conveyancing and legal expenses.
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nothing wrong with cleanaing out some of the rubbish being sold – how many phone shops do we need? how many people selling cheap watches and belts do we need? Many of these so called small traders cater to one specific audience and are not representative of the area.
Since Palace Bingo as well as the Bowling Alley in the attic r shut with the London College of Art’s going into that spot, then Patrick might as well use that building, as it would be easier for able bodied customers as well as disabled customers to the it who live in other boroughs. When I was 16, I used to just walk in there & sit down… watching other people play when I should have been at school. My class teacher went in there with 3 pupils who saw me from the mini bus, as the female teacher was taking her class out for the afternoon. But when they saw me in the Bingo hall, I left the building. But I never started playing the game until I was 18/19! If u were going to close the shopping centre down, then at least go into every shop, look at the size of the place, measure the whole building & compare them to other buildings that u want to relocate them to. Instead of getting rid of the shopping centre completely. Yes, there are jobs going in London, but the Jobs should be for Londoner’s who were born over here. (Weather it’s up North, South, East or West London) We have rights over whose going to takeover the shopping centre & not anyone else who come over here for a holiday. In the college of Art’s, there’s no lift to get to the next level. Whereas if Patrick wanted to move into that building, then he’ll make it accessable for all his disabled customers to enjoy themselves & have as many lift’s in the place with 1 kitchen on each level. That building could be used on 3 levels. The ground level for disabled customers with a lift going up to the 1st floor for the abled bodied customers, the 2nd floor & the 3rd floor! The 4th floor would be for staff only. If staff started working there from 4/5am, the caterers would Cook food for customers who get there from 11am & still continue cooking with other staff members who sale ticket’s with Patrick giving large money away to winner’s into their account, rather then paying them cash in an A4 envelope. But then, not every customer has a current account. Please take this into consideration & do show Patrick this comment.