The Eritrean cafes, Asian manicurists, and Portuguese delis that occupy the railway arches in Brixton have been called the “spine” of the South London district. Now that spine looks like it is about to get ripped out. Business owners have now been handed surprise eviction notices from their landlord, Network Rail, as part of a plan to renovate the spaces. Current businesses will have to leave for at least a year, and are not assured a space in the newly improved and therefore more expensive arches. To the opponents of the plan, this looks like another inevitable step in the gentrification and social cleansing of London, with Brixton in particular being changed at a bewildering pace.
Here, some of the people who have built their businesses under the arches as trains rumble overhead, explain what the changes mean for them.
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Senait Tesfai at Joyful Cafe
We’re an Eritrean cafe, and we’re quite new here. We moved in two years ago, and the business is just starting to take off now.
I only heard about Network Rail’s plans from other people – I didn’t even get a letter. I went to speak to the owner of one of the other shops and he told me that we’re going to have to leave. I swear, my body was shaking when I came back to talk to my husband. He asked me what I was talking about and said I must be crazy. But I went to the Portuguese shop and they confirmed it.
We just finished refurbishing the shop ten days ago, and when we moved here in 2012 it was really damaged and we spent around £20,000 to sort it out the first time. We invested this money thinking that we had at least four or five years left on our lease. What are we going to do now?
If they kick me out from here, where am I going to work? Really where can I go? They’re throwing away my future, and it hurts so much.
When I came here from Eritrea in 2015 they said they want me to work, they want me to be dependent on myself, not to claim benefits. Actually, for me it would be easier to sign on for benefits and get my rent paid. But I don’t want this. I want to be an independent woman, to be able to look after my family. If they kick me out from here, where am I going to work? Really, where can I go? They’re throwing away my future, and it hurts so much.
Even if they offered us £10,000 or £20,000, it wouldn’t make up for it. For us to start somewhere else we have to invest a lot to make the place look good and everything. But also we have to build up the customers again, so it would take another two years to get back to this point. I don’t think it’s possible.
Anabella Cardoso at A+C Continental Deli
This business has been in my family for 25 years, and before that it was run by a Greek family. So as a deli, it’s been here for around 50 years.
We were numb when they told us we were going to have to leave. It’s horrific, people have got kids and mortgages, and they’ve given us six months. That night that we were told I don’t think anyone got any sleep.
The Network Rail guy didn’t know what he was doing. Brixton Arches is not like any other high street. People are really, really sensitive to what is going on here, particularly because of the changes that have been going on here for the last four or five years.
They don’t care because they don’t know us or the area. To them we’re just unit 598. They don’t come down here, they’ve never been here. Whenever there are leaks or things like that none of us dream of calling Network Rail because they won’t do anything about it. You just have to sort it out yourself.
I’m not in a big panic any more because of the support we’ve got and the amount of publicity that its attracted. I think we can fight this.
But I mentioned what is happening to a couple of customers and it’s just gone viral. The reaction has been amazing. The messages of support have been flooding in, but also practical help – one of our customers has designed a poster for people to put in their windows, others have said they want to do fundraising. I’m not in a big panic any more because of the support we’ve got and the amount of publicity that its attracted. I think we can fight this.
I can’t afford to move and the money they’re offering isn’t enough to relocate. If they do kick us out that would be the end of the business.
It’s really symptomatic of bigger changes, and it could be happening anywhere in London. All these areas that have been ignored for years in terms of investment, but have now become quite trendy, are becoming attractive to big business and that means they’re forcing out local businesses.
We were here when Brixton wasn’t such a desirable area, but we stuck with it and helped to build it up. But now they’re just like, “thank you very much, but get out”.
Malek Menad at Denmay Fabrics
This is Denmay Fabrics and it’s been here selling the same products since 1948 in this same spot. Myself, I’ve been here for 18 years.
I’ve got another nine or ten years left on my lease, and then now they say to me, “get out and let the big businesses move in so we can get more money”. We had a meeting with Network Rail this morning, and that was the first time that we’ve ever seen our landlord. The first time I see my landlord is so that they can kick me out. It’s amazing.
The people of Brixton protect Brixton. We don’t want another riot. Do not create one please.
There’s all kinds of businesses from all the countries here. You name it you can find it here. And we’ve worked hard to get to this point. Now is the time when we are just about happy with it. For the last five years there were times when we were losing money. The only time when we all got our businesses back on track was 2014. And then they start 2015 by telling us to go. Come on, give us a chance.
These customers need me, they don’t need John Lewis; they know where that is if they want to go there. They don’t want Pret a Manger, they want interesting food from around the world.
We offer something different that big businesses can’t. A personal service. A friendly service. We know the people and we know what they need. Some of these customers’ grandparents used to come to this shop.
I said to Network Rail, “come talk to us about money. Negotiate the price with us, why kick us out without any negotiation?” If they came to me and said they need more money we’re happy to do that. But I refuse to negotiate the move out. I refuse to go and I will not go until they handcuff me and drag me out of here.
I’m very concerned about Brixton. These people don’t know the area and they’re coming from outside to make all of these changes. I’m concerned that they could trigger something ugly. The people of Brixton protect Brixton. We don’t want another riot. Do not create one please.
Zelia (not pictured) and Joao Figuera at Max Snack Bar
We are a Portuguese cafe that has been here for 20 years. We have our customers, our community, and it’s our lives – really this is our lives.
On Wednesday morning we were fine, thinking that we were going to be here for many years to come, then by the afternoon it was like someone dumped a bucket of water over our heads. The sensation that it was all going to finish hung over us.
We have to fight this because it is our lives. They want to change Brixton. That’s fine, there are things that need changing but why not keep us here? When Brixton was down on its luck, we were here. Now we see Brixton going up, but they’re not willing to take us up with it, even though we got it to where it is now.
There are so many communities here. This area brings us all together and integrates us. We are all united in fighting this too, there are no divisions.
The traders were speaking to Patrick Smith
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