Out with the Old... Network Rail tell businesses to vacate Atlantic Road arches

[Baron]

Remember. NETWORK RAIL are evicting the independent traders, but are allowing the multiple chains to stay!
Big fight ahead. We all thanks you for your help.

 

[Rushy]

Remember. NETWORK RAIL are evicting the independent traders, but are allowing the multiple chains to stay!
Big fight ahead. We all thanks you for your help.

Did anyone get to the bottom of any this is? Is it simply that the multiples agreed to the new rents? Have they also been offered the staggered increase? Or was it a separate deal altogether?

Isn't Budget Carpets a multiple? What happened there?

Did Antic manage to do their deal before buying the lease to the Ekovision arch?

 

[Carpet man]

I employ 7 people over 4 Branches ! It's a family owned business where all of us having grown up in the area , we're not a multiple please
26 years ago NR gave us a 2 years rent free to encourage businesses into Brixton , now our face doesn't fit in ' Nu Brixton ' the only way to get us out is to triple our rent ! Is that fair ?

 

[SpamMisery]

I employ 7 people over 4 Branches ! It's a family owned business where all of us having grown up in the area , we're not a multiple please
26 years ago NR gave us a 2 years rent free to encourage businesses into Brixton , now our face doesn't fit in ' Nu Brixton ' the only way to get us out is to triple our rent ! Is that fair ?

Brixton Buzz apparently considers four shops a chain

I think you might be confusing urban with Brixton Buzz. As I recall, Barrio was described as a chain in a Buzz article when it was three outlets and looking for a site in Brixton. When it eventually opened here the owners objected to it being described as a chain and suggested it was a "family" but Buzz disagreed on the basis that there are four restaurants with the same name and similar theme and could not think what else it could possibly be described as. Buzz collectively concluded that the family description was nonsense.

I'm not sure I'd strictly agree with Buzz' criteria but reckon it is fair to say three is at least the beginnings of a chain. I guess it doesn't really matter what you call it. The more sites you add, the more distance there is between the personalities who moulded the first one and the business itself.

 

[Rushy]

I employ 7 people over 4 Branches ! It's a family owned business where all of us having grown up in the area , we're not a multiple please
26 years ago NR gave us a 2 years rent free to encourage businesses into Brixton , now our face doesn't fit in ' Nu Brixton ' the only way to get us out is to triple our rent ! Is that fair ?

Two years free rent when the properties and area were unattractive to business seems like a fair deal. I'm not sure how much I think that should inform the value of the rent a quarter of a century later.

My questions were more about how the multiples mentioned by Baron came to be able to stay? Is it simply that the multiples agreed to the new rents? Have they also been offered the staggered increase? Or was it a separate deal altogether?

Who is staying?

 

[Carpet man]

HT Pawnbrokers and William Hill bookmakers as they apparently signed ' non eviction ' leases when they moved in !
NR say they want everyone out to have full access for the ' refurbishment ' but it's only partial ! If 2 can stay why can't others ? What happens to the Traders business if it's closed for a year ? What do the staff do ?

 

[cuppa tee]

HT Pawnbrokers and William Hill bookmakers as they apparently signed ' non eviction ' leases when they moved in !
NR say they want everyone out to have full access for the ' refurbishment ' but it's only partial ! If 2 can stay why can't others ? What happens to the Traders business if it's closed for a year ? What do the staff do ?

so Eckovision cocktail lounge is shutting then ? that's a surprise cos the arch was refurbed not that long ago

 

[Carpet man]

There part of the Campaign to retain their present lease

 

[Greebo]

From FB and a mailing list: Tomorrow (Monday), 13:30 at Budget Carpets, Network Rail will evict two thirds of traders at the Brixton Arches. We invite you to join us to pay respect to those who are being evicted and to show solidarity with the one-third of traders who will not be leaving.

 

[editor]

Photos from today. Well down to everyone who showed up.

In Photos: Brixton Arches solidarity action in central Brixton, Mon 19th Sept

 

[editor]

Had a good chat with some of the traders who were, shall we say, none too impressed with the opinions expressed by one or two of the posters here. In other news, the Blog has disappointingly posted up a really half arsed 'report' with a blurry photo and a bizarre notion that the event took place in the evening.

 

[Rushy]

Sadly, they seem to be getting a lot of help with venting their justifiable anger but not much else. Any solution was always going to be a not very exciting middle ground but they were sold the lie that a public all or nothing battle was what was needed and that anyone suggesting otherwise is the enemy. Going by earlier posts, this appears to have even led to offers of professional support being refused on trust grounds.

It's a slow motion car crash for the smaller traders. But the public confrontation suits some posters quite well.

Remington: "There will be no war".
Hearst: "You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war."

 

[Gramsci]

Sadly, they seem to be getting a lot of help with venting their justifiable anger but not much else. Any solution was always going to be a not very exciting middle ground but they were sold the lie that a public all or nothing battle was what was needed and that anyone suggesting otherwise is the enemy. Going by earlier posts, this appears to have even led to offers of professional support being refused on trust grounds.

It's a slow motion car crash for the smaller traders. But the public confrontation suits some posters quite well.

Remington: "There will be no war".
Hearst: "You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war."

They must be getting some professional support as some are challenging NR on legal grounds.

So the idea they refused support is wrong.

As you say "appears"- thats one poster here saying that. I have not heard it elsewhere offline.

 

[Gramsci]

It's a slow motion car crash for the smaller traders. But the public confrontation suits some posters quite well.

So what ru saying here? Why does public confrontation suit some posters well?

I for example would rather this whole arches issue never happened. Ive plenty of other things to do. In fact I feel I wished I had done more to help.

Really glad they have got a lot of support.

 

[Gramsci]

Had a good chat with some of the traders who were, shall we say, none too impressed with the opinions expressed by one or two of the posters here.

I have heard the same from local people who have been upset at the way NR have treated the traders.

 

[Gramsci]

Photos from today. Well down to everyone who showed up.

In Photos: Brixton Arches solidarity action in central Brixton, Mon 19th Sept

Good to see Cllr Rachel was there. She is a Cllr who does care.

 

[editor]

Station Road today.

http://bit.ly/2cWp9ZE

 

[editor]

Goodbye Cafe Max, Goodbye Cafe Rio, Goodbye Station Cafe, Goodbye Cafe Brixton.

Death of a community: The cafes are cleared out of Brixton Station Road

 

[Rushy]

I forget where but heard that Cafe Max is reopening very close by. Anyone else heard this?

 

[editor]

Another long serving business is hoofed out.

Brixton arches: another day, another eviction as S & S Textiles move out of Atlantic Road

 

[newbie]

Goodbye Cafe Max, Goodbye Cafe Rio, Goodbye Station Cafe, Goodbye Cafe Brixton.

Death of a community: The cafes are cleared out of Brixton Station Road

For years I bought coffee in the cafe in the tube arcade. When that died I went to San Marino by Nationwide. That lost its appeal when it moved and I settled into visiting the guys in Rio. Now that's gone (and I hope the staff get new jobs, there was despondency when I asked). Not sure what happens next.

The Buzz article (great photos btw) says Rio had been there 10 years. I wonder how long the Station Cafe was there?

 

[editor]

Anti-Tory street art appears on boarded-up Brixton Arches business

 

[newbie]

Has Jeff gone? his spot has been empty the last few times I've looked.

 

[colacubes]

Has Jeff gone? his spot has been empty the last few times I've looked.

He was there last Friday when I walked through.

 

[newbie]

He was there last Friday when I walked through.

oh good, I don't want him culled as well.

 

[CH1]

For years I bought coffee in the cafe in the tube arcade. When that died I went to San Marino by Nationwide. That lost its appeal when it moved and I settled into visiting the guys in Rio. Now that's gone (and I hope the staff get new jobs, there was despondency when I asked). Not sure what happens next.

The Buzz article (great photos btw) says Rio had been there 10 years. I wonder how long the Station Cafe was there?

I think at least from the early to mid 1970s when the underground station opened - so estimated 20 years. And frankly I can't see why that arcade is not open now. Just stands locked up empty. Probably 'elth and safety if you know what I mean.

 

[newbie]

I think at least from the early to mid 1970s when the underground station opened - so estimated 20 years. And frankly I can't see why that arcade is not open now. Just stands locked up empty. Probably 'elth and safety if you know what I mean.

maybe, but tbh I meant the Station Cafe that closed last week, not the one in the old arcade.

 

[Carpet man]

Another long serving business is hoofed out.

Brixton arches: another day, another eviction as S & S Textiles move out of Atlantic Road

4 of us left now ( Budget Carpets , The Baron , Denmark Fabrics & Brixton Tools ) plus the 2 that we're never going ( William Hill turf accounts & HT Pawnbrokers ) , shame on you NR & your bed partner Lambeth Council ! You finally got what you wanted !

 

[djdando]

Can someone please explain to me why the parasitic pawnbrokers and the betting some get to stay?

 

[SpamMisery]

Seems odd doesn't it - maybe those arches weren't in need of refurb? Seems unlikely. Maybe they had some unbreakable contract and have the resources to take NR to court if they turfed them out?

At least it quashes the idea that traders are being kicked out in favour of 'the right kind' of business.