The Greenwich Wire exclusive: Traders who served the new Kidbrooke Village community during the pandemic face being evicted from their pitches to make way for permanent shops.
One stallholder, Stefano Frigerio, fears it could be the end for his business after three years of serving coffees outside Kidbrooke station.
The pitches in Pegler Square have played a key role in making the Berkeley Homes development — which has replaced the notorious Ferrier Estate — into a sought-after place to live. But Frigerio said that he faces eviction in March and the developer has not spoken to him.
“I was the only one opening around here during the pandemic,” he said. “As traders, we were being treated like kings during the pandemic because they couldn’t open any shops. But then something changed.”
Frigerio said he was initially given three months to leave in August, but that was extended to March. He said that neither Berkeley nor Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (GCDA), which manages the stalls on behalf of the developer, had spoken to traders about their options, nor had they discussed any alternative accommodation with them.
“They don’t talk to us, that’s the thing,” the 34-year-old from Woolwich said. “They keep sending emails to everybody but us. We’re not involved. We we’re not taken into consideration in any negotiations. We’d be happy to keep working with them and collaborate with them, but let’s talk about it.
“We haven’t received any support from GCDA either. They had a meeting two weeks ago with Berkeley, and we haven’t had any news yet from either side. We are looking for some news and we want to be able to talk.
“Why don’t Berkeley Homes just say, you know what? They could manage the markets and increase the rates, but do whatever they want to do, but talk to us. Yeah. Nobody has ever talked to us.”
New outlets are being prepared around the edge of the square, and Frigerio’s van is next to a Starbucks and a coffee outlet in the station. He said the incoming business had not pushed for the removal of the traders.
“I spoke with one of the owners and they said, ‘we’ve got nothing to do with that – we’d be happy for you to stay,’” he said. “Berkeley Homes took the decision — it was shocking to find that out.”
Frigerio said he did not know what he would do he lost the pitch. “I’m considering different paths, but all the markets are pretty much already taken so it’s not easy to find another spot. Obviously shops are quite expensive in terms of business rates and everything.
“We are all independents. We do this to provide for our families, so it’s not easy to start a shop from scratch.”
When finished, Kidbrooke Village will have more than 5,200 homes. Another 600 homes being built by Transport for London and the Notting Hill Genesis housing association are close to completion on the other side of the station.
The traders’ plight has been picked up by Charlie Davis, a former Greenwich councillor who is standing as the Tories’ election candidate for Eltham & Chislehurst. He said: “The traders in Kidbrooke Village have been a vital part of the community over the past few years and have breathed life and vibrancy into the village.
“The fact they are being asked to leave without so much as a conversation with Berkeley Homes is deeply disappointing. I’m asking Berkeley to meet with me and the traders, and try to find a solution which allows the traders and new commercial tenants to coexist in harmony.”
GCDA declined to comment. Berkeley Homes told The Greenwich Wire: “Pop-up traders at Kidbrooke Village have always operated on a temporary basis. Creating permanent facilities and amenities for the community has always formed part of our long term vision for the Village, a decision which has already created over 80 jobs.”
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