Brixton Hatter
Home is south London mate
As mentioned on the brixton chitter chatter thread, this one deserves a thread of it's own. Here's a summary:
I'm gutted. It's one of my favourite shops in the market. It sounds disgraceful the way they've been treated.
Nick h - do you get the feeling the owners are resigned to defeat? Or are they perhaps up for putting up a bit of a fight?
I would be more than happy to help them....
Nour Cash & Carry to close.Their rent is being increased massively.
Giant dog's cock. That's one of the most useful stores in Brixton by a long way, with a reliably huge range of stuff.
The balance in the market is taking a turn for the worst if they're being forced out, the predictions sadly coming true. No amount of sodding vegan cupcake and gluten-free fakeries will make up for the loss of affordable and everyday stores like that one.
In a way the vegan cupcake people are part of the problem. They paid top whack and made no attempt to negotiate the rent. But it is their first shop and perhaps they don't know the ropes. They're burning loadsamoney on fitting out their shop, marketing etc.
Seems to me that individual tenants are being bullied with ease by the market landlord. They don't seem to have any organisation. I'm no expert onthese things, but might it help if they all used the same commercial agent and organised some more public support. Is there someone on here from Friends of Brixton Market who could fill us in? There must be a few urbs who would pitch in to help. I would. Maybe the market needs its own thread?
Re Nour: That's very sad news indeed.... a real loss. It's an amazing shop.
That's awful news if it's true.
But if Nour - who are basically packed all the time - cant survive there, who can?
Increasing the rents could just lead to loads of empty shops no-one can afford to rent.
Had a chat with Shaheen the owner. Yes, they're closing in Sept, with no plans to relocate. Seems that he and many other tenants have been ruthlessly shafted by the landlord. One of the stunts they pulled was a retrospective rent increase swiftly followed by a demand for £10,000 rent arrears! The tenants have no organisation and negotiate individually. Trying to get them to work together has proven difficult in the past because they don't have time to close up and come to a meeting and they're scared of the landlord. Sounds like meat and drink for a commercial estate agent and a commercial property lawyer.
Just some anecdotal stuff about Nour's that justify supporting that place:
- The staff have always been so helpful to my Mrs when she's come in struggling with shopping bags + baby in hand
- They are the only people to stock my Arabic groceries + fresh fruit and veg at a price that's cheaper than the Arabic shops on Edgeware Road + big supermarkets
- Spice selection second-to-none
- I always come out with tons of shopping that always seems to come to less than a tenner
- Veg selection is ace
- Seasonal fruits at Nour's- it's how I discovered pomellos and yellow unripened dates
I'm gutted. It's one of my favourite shops in the market. It sounds disgraceful the way they've been treated.
Nick h - do you get the feeling the owners are resigned to defeat? Or are they perhaps up for putting up a bit of a fight?
I would be more than happy to help them....