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| ANTIQUE TRADERS EVICTED |
Renowned market in crisis as 40
traders thrown out
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Graham Thurston
Mike Weeden
Traders (from left) Louisa Orza, Janice Crockett and Jan
Van Den Bosch
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WORLD famous antique market Camden Passage at the Angel was in
crisis this week with up to 40 traders – including a popular
farmers’ market – about to be evicted.
The dealers have been told to vacate the ornate two story Georgian
Village arcade and forecourt by the end of the month because the
arcade is being sold to developers.
The move is regarded as the biggest ever set back for the cobbled
tourist
thoroughfare since it was launched in the late 1950s.
“We’ve survived the Sars outbreak, foot-and-mouth, 9/11
and 7/7 – but you can’t fight young men in sharp suits
with lots of money,” said Graham Thurnston, a silverware trader
for 23 years who is one of those being evicted.
Furious dealers say that they have been given just six weeks’
notice to move out. The sale is being handled by solicitors A Oldschool
and Co of Islington High Street, representing the landlord.
Stephen Oldschool, a partner in the firm, was unavailable this week
despite a visit by this reporter to his office and many telephone
calls.
The identity of the buyer remains a mystery but its is believed
that there are plans to turn the building at the north end of the
thoroughfare into offices.
With the current down turn in the antiques market and no legal protection
for the Passage, existing traders fear a knock on effect on shops,
cafes, pubs and restaurants.
On top of that residents blame Islington council’s “draconian”
parking for making it difficult for visitors who want to come by
car.
Janice Crockett, who has sold high quality glass at the Georgian
Village arcade for 16 years said: “It’s very upsetting.
This is our livelihood. The landlord hasn’t told
us anything other than that he wants us out. I’ve tried to
talk to him but he
refuses to see people.
“I don’t know what I’m going to. I shall have to
find somewhere else.”
Luisa Orza of Koh-i-noor antiques said: “I’m too stressed
out to think about the future.
“After 22 years I’m finished here”.Silverware specialist
Jan Van Den Bosch said there is no way to appeal against the landlord.
“We’re dealing with solicitors. How are we going to win?”
Traders complain that every time an arcade or dealer closes it is
taken over by a mainstream shop, further diminishing the antique
business.
Mr Thurston said: “But people come from all over the world
to see the antiques. We’re in all the tourist books. At the
rate we’re going in a few years time there’ll be no antique
market left.”
Mike Weeden, chairman of Camden Passage Association, was saddened
by the closure of the village: “It’s the Notting Hill
effect, with property speculators
becoming greedy,” he said.
“The rest of Camden Passage is going strong but I’m obviously
worried about the future.”
In the past seven years three other arcades and small markets in
the Passage have closed, resulting in the loss of 180 dealers: they
are the York, opposite the York pub, which is now a hairdressers,
the Central market, now a café, and the Gateway, which has
been redeveloped.
Islington council leader Councillor Steve Hitchins said talks were
being held with the farmers’ market with a view at least to
finding them a new home.
””But we’re not the owner of the building and we
can’t stop someone selling it,” he said. “It doesn’t
mean, however, that we are not concerned about what has happened.
What we can do is study the proposals for the building when they
come up for planning permission at the South Area Planning committee.
“We obviously want Camden Passage to succeed. We have an Angel
Town centre management board and we have improved the roadway and
the cleaning of the cobbled pavements.” |
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