Protesters gathered outside the offices of a west London council last week as they called on the authority to reverse “devastating” rent increases on local businesses.
Last month, it was revealed that Hillingdon Council was increasing shops’ rent at Mulberry Parade in West Drayton by over 100 per cent in some cases, leading businesses to fear closure. The new figure was backdated by several years due to council delays, meaning rents had not increased when they should have. However, at the meeting on Thursday, September 24, it was announced the council’s position has changed.
Council's change in direction
Responding to five questions, Cllr Nick Denys, executive member for planning, housing and property, outlined the change in direction.
Cllr Denys said: “The council will consider agreeing to start when the new market rent is paid from a reasonable date, which means there will not be an automatic approach of insisting that any new rents are backdated to when the contract says it can be.
“Officers will also consider arranging a stepped increase in what is paid – which could mean increasing new rents incrementally during the beginning years of a contract to give shop owners reasonable time to gain an income to pay the new market rate amount.”
However, this change requires shop owners to agree to eventually pay the market rate. Cllr Denys added that if a shop owner does not want to pay the new rent, then they will have to vacate the site.
Walkout and protest
Seconds after he sat down, disgruntled shop owners unhappy with his answer walked out of the meeting shouting “shame on you”, leading the Mayor to intervene.
Dozens of residents also protested outside the Civic Centre before attending the meeting. This culminated in residents walking out of the meeting shouting “shame on you” at councillors after feeling disappointed by their answers in the chamber.
One of the shops threatened with closure is a one-year-old cafe called Nessie and Normans. Louise McGinty runs the cafe, and said people attending wanted to have their voices heard. She added: “We want them to listen to us, we’ve come out tonight, the shops are important and they need to be saved – Hillingdon Council listen, please.”
Residents' concerns
Among the protestors gathered outside was a former Labour councillor for Heathrow Villages, Lou Griffin, who lives near Mulberry Parade. He said: “These shops are incredibly important for us and vital for many people, particularly those elderly people and those with disabilities who can’t travel very far very easily to get what they need.
“For example, the chemist in those shops – all my medication comes through that shop. It’s literally 200 yards up the road from where I live.
“We can order medication from our doctor and it’s delivered there – sometimes the same afternoon – and then we’ve only got to go up road to get it…if these shops have to close because those people working can’t afford those horrific rent increases then we will have to travel two to three miles up the road to get our medication.”
Diane Faichney, a local resident, said the scale of the increase was the cause of anger. She said: “I’m not saying that the rent shouldn’t go up because everybody’s rent has gone up.
“But actually, to ask for so much in one go is really unfair and it’s unjust. It’s very unjust to do that.”
Hillingdon Council maintains it has a responsibility to Hillingdon taxpayers to manage its commercial properties properly and achieve best value. Previously, a spokesperson told the LDRS that rents have been below market value for a number of years and, where reviews or renewals are due, rents are being assessed against market evidence and in accordance with the leases agreed by tenants.
