Demolition threat to City shopping parade

The 12 shopkeepers at London Central Markets in Farringdon Road have been given six months' notice after landlord Thornfield Properties was granted planning permission by Islington council for a 10-storey office block.

Some of the traders, including a butcher, greengrocer, deli, menswear shop and hairdresser, have been there for up to 30 years and fear they will be forced out of business.

Alan Fineman, 50, manager of Penessi menswear, said: "Small businesses just can't survive things like this. People are really upset and frightened for the future."

Nigel Armstrong, 50, of Meat City butchers, said: "This is the only retail parade of this standard and quality in the City. If I go - with rents and rates the way they area - this will be end of my business."

Deli owner Keith Alford, 41, said: "I'm just a small person going down the pan. They're bastardising London and the authorities don't want to know. There is no love for small businesses any more."

Thornfield Properties chairman Jason Marcus said all the leases for the retail units had break clauses in them in case of redevelopment and the tenants knew this when they signed them.

Cllr George Allan, chairman of Islington Council's south area planning committee, said: "It is of course unfortunate that retail premises have to go in the short term. But unfortunately there are no planning reasons to not allow the redevelopment of this undistinguished 1960s building.

"The new building does include retail units, and in the longer term the opportunities for a wide variety of retail premises are good in the Farringdon area, in the light of the nearby redevelopment of Farringdon Station and Smithfield Market."

The Evening Standard campaigns to protect small shops and preserve the character of high streets. Some councils are considering using planning powers to block new developments which would sweep away unique traders.