The only bar in a new Thamesmead development could be forced to close in the new year because of a dispute between its owner and the landlord over its lack of ventilation.
Bouldr Bar, on Cygnet Square, opened last year, but its kitchen cannot be fitted out as there is no extraction system, meaning that its founder Stacey Ayeh has to bring in food from home for diners to eat. He says that Peabody has reneged on plans to install ventilation – while the housing association says that this is his responsibility.
Ayeh, whose venture was profiled in The Greenwich Wire last month, is also unable to install beer taps because his cold room cannot be fitted out as he has been barred from installing equipment outside the building.
The local MP and a key industry association have offered Ayeh their support.
“We’re unnecessarily having to fight for everything to get done,” he said. “It’s sad and disappointing when it should be so exciting.”
Bouldr Bar is at the heart of the recently-opened Southmere development, a key element of Peabody’s plans to regenerate parts of Thamesmead. It was built on the site of the old Tavy Bridge estate, which was demolished a decade ago.
Ayeh said that Peabody had dropped plans to install an extraction system that would allow him to fit out the kitchen – even though he had been discussing his plans with the housing association since 2018, while marketing materials for the Southmere development had told potential residents that there would be independent bars and restaurants on site.
As recently as July, Ayeh featured in Peabody publicity stating that he was preparing to install a new kitchen. Paying for the ventilation himself would cost up to £80,000, he said.
In a letter to Peabody’s chief executive, John Lewis, seen by The Greenwich Wire, Ayeh said that “the goalposts keep changing” in his dealings with the organisation.
So far Bouldr Bar is the only hospitality business to have opened up at Cygnet Square, with an adjacent unit remaining empty.
‘Peabody knew what our plans were’
Ayeh said that under Bexley Council’s planning rules, commercial kitchens need to be ventilated from the roof of the building rather than at ground level, which is permitted in other areas, he said. The business, off Harrow Manor Way, is 200 metres from the borough boundary.
“If this was the other side of the road, in Greenwich, we would have been able to do that,” he said of ground-floor ventilation.
“But that’s still an option Peabody could explore with the council to say, ‘let’s try and be reasonable.’ The kitchen space is three and a half metres by two metres – it’s a tiny cubby-hole.”
Ayeh, who sells his own Rock Leopard beers in the bar, told The Greenwich Wire that he only discovered from the council this month that Peabody had dropped plans to install ventilation.
“Peabody assured the council that none of the units here were going to be used for cooking, and therefore they didn’t need to install the ventilation,” he said. “And the council said OK, and it was signed off.”
He said: “To be in a situation where we’re going to have to spend £80,000 just for the extraction threatens the business. I make some good beers, after two or three drinks, you’re going to start thinking about food.
“If we’re not offering that, then you’re going to leave. And there are plenty of people that don’t drink, and we want this to be a space where they want to come. So it’s quite a frustrating situation that we find ourselves in.
“Peabody knew what our plan was: a microbrewery, a taproom and the kitchen, with all three as key components to make it an attractive offer and a viable business.”
‘I want Thamesmead to succeed’
To install the system, engineers would need to run a pipe through the empty unit next door to connect it to a void which was put in place for ventilation, so it could reach the top of the building. Ayeh says hospitality operators have bed looking at the unit next door, but no business has opened there since Cygnet Square was completed.
The lack of places for eating and drinking in Thamesmead was why Ayeh started Bouldr Bar – especially with the Elizabeth Line from Abbey Wood, just 10 minutes’ walk away, now making the West End an attractive alternative,
“Thamesmead as a whole is more or less owned by Peabody. But if you Google ‘cafe’ or ‘restaurants in Thamesmead’, you are going to come up with maybe three,” he said.
“When the opportunities come to build new development, hospitality businesses have to be key, because now we have a way for people to leave the town. It’s very easy to get on the Elizabeth Line and be in Paddington in 20 minutes or something.
“It’s great, but we want people to come to the town. I’ve lived in Thamesmead for nearly 25 years now, and have complained there’s nothing to do in Thamesmead. I’m trying to do something about it, and I’d hope that the key partner in this area would be at the very least not restricting me, but helping to make that a reality.”
He added: “I want Thamesmead to succeed.”
Ayeh said that neighbours had rallied round his venture, even if he is having to cook pizzas outside. “We’ve been very well supported,” he said. “But let’s be honest – there is no other alternative. And you know, they were promised that we were going to be here, and they love that we’re – kind of – here.”
Peabody could easily afford to fix the problems, he added, saying that the housing association spent £200,000 on an art project with a hot air balloon to promote the development.
He added: “Peabody’s head office is in Waterloo – when they come down here, where do they go and eat? It’s a mystery.
“They’re great at trying to hold community events, but you know, there’s not one single permanent place where people can sit and have a bowl of chips.“
‘Landlords must play with a straight bat’
Michael Kill, the chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, pledged its support. He told The Greenwich Wire: “Landlords must play with a straight bat when dealing with independent hospitality operators. Small businesses invest significant time, money and personal commitment into bringing venues to life, and they should not be left exposed by poor communication, shifting expectations or decisions made without transparency.
“The situation at Bouldr Bar raises serious concerns about the treatment of independent operators within major developments. Where a landlord has been aware of a business’s plans for years, there is a responsibility to ensure the premises are fit for their intended purpose and that planning requirements are properly addressed.
“Sadly, these challenges are not uncommon across the hospitality sector, where delays, infrastructure shortcomings and landlord disputes can put otherwise viable businesses at risk.”
Abena Oppong-Asare, the Erith & Thamesmead MP, said: “I’m very sorry to hear that the issues affecting Bouldr Bar remain unresolved. Local independent businesses play a vital role in our community, and I don’t want to see a business that has worked so hard to establish itself in Thamesmead struggle because of ongoing delays.
“I’ve raised these concerns directly with Peabody’s chief executive and have asked for an urgent intervention, including a meeting with senior representatives who have the authority to make decisions and set out a clear plan to resolve the outstanding issues.”
What does Peabody say?
Peabody said: “Certain commercial units in Cygnet Square can be adapted to prepare and serve hot food, provided they meet the council’s planning conditions and other regulatory requirements. This has always been the case.
“A riser is in place which provides an extract route to the top of the building. The owners of Bouldr Bar are responsible for designing and delivering their kitchen extract system that will link to this, as set out in the leasehold documentation they signed.”
Asked what Peabody would do to resolve the situation, it said: “There is nothing for us to resolve as we are following the terms agreed in the leasehold documentation.”
Bexley Council said: “National regulatory processes need to be followed, and we cannot prejudice the outcome of those, but we are very supportive of the ambition for the Bouldr Bar and hope they will be able to move forward soon.”
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