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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 9 November 2007

Arcade traders under threat: From left, Graham Thurston, Tony O'Loughlin and Ron Smith

Going... going... another antiques arcade

CAMDEN Passage antiques market suffered a new blow this week with the shock announcement that the popular three-storey Angel Arcade is to close.
At least 20 traders have been told they must move out by December 22 when work begins on converting the building into a furniture store.
They have accused the Town Hall of not doing enough to protect the world-famous Islington market. But the council maintains that unless there is a change in the law it cannot stop owners of buildings selling up.
Angel Arcade silver trader Graham Thurston, who was moved out of the nearby Georgian Village two years ago when that was sold off, said there was now nowhere else to go. “We only heard that our building, owned by Bush Investments, had been sold to furniture suppliers Lombok last week,” he added. “It is a shame that this should happen after 20 years of successful trading.”
The arcade has a jewellery market on Wednesdays and a popular military market on Saturdays.
Mr Thurston said that in the past eight years Camden Passage had lost York Arcade, Gateway Arcade (now Foxtons estate agents), Central Gallery (now empty) and the Georgian Village, which has become a clothing store.
“It all amounts to about 200 small shops and outlets, and has resulted in the Passage beginning to lose a lot of its individuality,” he said. “People come here from all over the world.”

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