The owners of three cherished north London cafes have secured a temporary reprieve from eviction after launching a legal challenge against their landlord, the City of London Corporation. Patrick Matthews and Emma Fernandez, who operate the Lido cafe at Parliament Hill Lido, plus establishments in Queen's Park and Highgate Wood, were told to vacate by Monday 2 February following a retendering process.
Legal Battle Over Cafe Leases
Matthews and Fernandez, trading through their company Hoxton Beach, have been running these cafes for several years, becoming fixtures at these popular beauty spots. Just before Christmas, they received the devastating news that they had been unsuccessful in the retendering exercise conducted by the City of London Corporation.
The corporation, which governs London's Square Mile and manages green spaces like Hampstead Heath as a registered charity, awarded leases for two of the couple's sites, along with two other cafes, to the Australian-inspired chain Daisy Green. The lease for their third site was handed to another operator.
Allegations of Unfairness and Lack of Transparency
The cafe owners have accused the authority of operating an unfair and opaque retendering process, which they believe was conducted primarily as a commercial exercise to raise revenue. Through their legal representatives, they have now been informed that they do not need to vacate the premises next week, though the corporation has indicated it may seek a court order for possession.
"We are grateful for small mercies," said Matthews. "We are very relieved we don't have to get out in a few days' time, which would have been impractical and probably would have destroyed our business."
Community Backing and Financial Support
The corporation's decision has sparked significant backlash within the local community and among loyal customers. Notably, actors Benedict Cumberbatch and James McAvoy have publicly supported the campaign to retain the current operators.
More than 22,000 people have signed a petition calling for the corporation to reconsider, while Matthews and Fernandez have raised over £9,000 through a crowdfunding campaign specifically to fund their legal action against the authority.
Corporation's Response and Daisy Green's Plans
A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation stated that the authority had "followed a legitimate and open process in awarding the new cafe leases" and rejected any suggestion "that the process was in any way unlawful."
They added: "Hoxton Beach have refused to leave the cafes they occupy despite their tenancies having been terminated. The City Corporation may if appropriate seek an order for possession in the county court. We want the approved operators to move in as soon as possible."
Daisy Green, which describes itself as bringing "relaxed and buzzing Australian food and coffee culture to London," operates 21 sites across the capital. The corporation has stated that Daisy Green has committed to retaining existing staff, paying them the London living wage, and purchasing equipment from current operators where feasible.
This ongoing dispute highlights tensions between commercial interests and community attachment to local businesses in London's green spaces, with the legal outcome potentially setting precedents for similar cases across the capital.
