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Emily Thornberry MP, left, and Labour councillor Barry Edwards, right, corner Network Rail’s Ed Wilson from the company’s corporate affairs department |
Arrivals: demo at rail bosses’ HQ
Traders fighting eviction from station forecourt protest on decision-makers’ doorstep
STATION forecourt traders took their battle for survival to the doorstep of Network Rail this week.
The Highbury Corner businesses, who have been given their marching orders by the rail company, were joined by customers, supporters and politicians at a protest outside the company’s King’s Place offices in King’s Cross on Monday morning.
The traders – some of whom have been working from the station forecourt for more than 20 years – have been given until the end of July to move out.
They have been told they will have to bid against other businesses for their places if they want to return after station improvements are carried out.
Hundreds have signed a petition showing their support for the traders.
Their campaign has won support from Lib Dem council leader Terry Stacy, Islington South and Finsbury Labour MP Emily Thornberry and Labour councillors Barry Edwards and Catherine West.
At Monday’s demo Ms Thornberry chanted “Network Rail, what a betrayal” as officials from the company were forced to face protesters outside the building.
In a showdown with officials, the MP demanded: “How big a petition do you need in order to change your mind? The community’s made it clear what its views are.
“You’re going to push them out by putting up their rents and presumably you’re going to have another Starbucks. We don’t want another, we’ve got four already.
“If what the public thought was important to you, you would pay attention. You’re flying in the face of a very large petition and going against the wishes of two MPs and the leader of the council – we’ve got cross-party support.”
She warned the officials: “We’ll find ourselves in six months’ time with anonymous traders. The community will not be happy and it will be your fault.”
Cllr Edwards accused Network Rail of being nothing but “a land developer who happens to run some trains”.
But a Network Rail official, who refused to disclose his name or job title, replied: “It’s not the size of the petition. We can look at it again but I don’t think the decision’s going to change.”
Harendra Bhatt, who runs a news kiosk outside the station and helped orchestrate the protest, said: “Support from the community, the MP and the leader of the council has been great. I admire the fact that they gave their time to fight for our cause. I hope Network Rail listens to our concerns, stops the tendering process altogether and lets us conduct our business.”
Igor Novak, of Caffe Mobile, which has been operating at Highbury Corner for 11 years, said: “We’re glad so many people turned up. Some of our customers are here. Our business is very personal. We have a relationship with many customers.”
Caffe Mobile customer Diane Shadwell said: “They do the best coffee. They are very friendly. I’d be genuinely devastated and wouldn’t use a Starbucks and that speaks for a lot of people. It’s important that we keep something real.”
A Network Rail spokesman said: “Every penny we receive in rent is reinvested straight back into the railway, which is why it’s important that revenues from our commercial sites reflect market value. We are inviting bids from interested parties, including the current tenants, and we are happy to work with them through the tendering process.” |
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