Camden New Journal - News: Traders furious at plans to turn market into bar

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Camden New Journal - by RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 18th October 2007

Alex Proud

Traders furious at plans to turn market into bar

Protest over move to glass building

GALLERY owner Alex Proud has unveiled plans for a glittering new bar in the listed Horse Hospital at the heart of Stables Market in Camden Town.
He is ready to spend £1 million on restoring the building, which previously housed antique dealers.
But traders who are being moved to a modern glass building as part of a multi-million-pound overhaul of the market in Chalk Farm Road are unhappy that they are having to make way for the new bar and gallery.
More than 100 have signed a petition calling on planning chiefs to intervene. Mr Proud is due to appear before a panel of councillors tonight (Thursday) to make his case.
“I can understand that stallholders would rather be in a historic building than the glass building but it won’t affect their livelihoods and this way the building will be in use all week rather than just a couple of days,” he said on Monday.
“We are not doing this to harm Camden Town. I love Camden Town and that’s why we have spent quite a bit of money in trying to stay here. I did not want to go to Shoreditch – it’s too pretentious. We will be spending £1 million on restoring the building, so this isn’t something we are doing lightly.”
The new venue would be just a step across the cobbled market from Mr Proud’s old bar in the Gin House building, which closed two months ago after establishing itself as a favourite haunt of celebrities, not least for its roof terrace.
A report – circulated among councillors who will have the final say on Mr Proud’s application – states: “A petition with 108 signatures has been received which raises objection to the proposal on the grounds that moving the antiques market into the modern building would be wholly inappropriate and would damage the reputation of Stables Market.
“The report also states that the use of the building as a gallery and a bar would do nothing to enhance the pleasure of visiting this unique site and building.”
Mr Proud must also convince planners that the new bar will not disturb residents living in nearby streets.
They have told the council that they are woken up by late-night revellers and how they are disturbed by taxi drivers keeping their engines running waiting for customers.
Mr Proud said: “We have spent money on soundproofing the bar, so there won’t be any more noise than there was from the old bar.
“We had a fantastic year there and, if you look at the records, you would see we didn’t have a single police call-out.”
He added that his staff would provide customers with details of a preferred taxi service in an attempt to discourage cab drivers from waiting outside the venue.

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I like Prouds gallery,it's quite a nice little spot, but this should not overshadow the rest
of the Camden stables market! There is already the outdoor area, large indoor bar area, another indoor room and another upstairs room for the Gallery and Bar, why do they need another extension? Camden stables market is a beautiful living antique, converting a large portion of this into a bar is totally against the wishes of the original tenants and against the wishes of most camdenites.
Robert M.