BBC London News covers LAP

27/02/2009

BBC London News covered the situation at Antiquarius, Camden Passage and Granville Arcade Yesterday. Gareth Hodges, one of the fishmongers from Granville, said: "The place needs tidying up, needs a lick of paint, needs this doing, needs that doing, but I can't say that redeveloping it and kicking everybody out for two years, and expecting us to relocate and still have a business left - I just think it's over-stretching things."

 It's on the BBC's website. 

When asked by the reporter whether LAP have got it in for London's markets, John Heller, LAP's Chief Executive said:"We certainly don't have it in for London's markets. We acquired a portfolio of properties that were markets, and where we think that there are better alternative uses, we've looked to have those uses made available there."  

Slightly strange use of the past tense in what he says - LAP acquired properties that ARE markets. It's only LAP that is stopping them from being so.   

The BBC reporter concludes: "The fight to save independent shops is country-wide, and with these battles being waged in different parts of the capital, where we shop is more political than ever."