Local business owners breathe a sigh of relief after being spared eviction in High Court battle with City of London Corporation.
A north London couple who own three cafes at popular beauty spots including Hampstead Heath and Queen's Park has won a small victory in their fight against eviction. Patrick Matthews and Emma Fernandez, the owners of Hoxton Beach, were informed by their lawyers that they do not have to vacate their premises next week as previously required.
The couple had been told just before Christmas that their leases had been awarded to Australian-inspired chain Daisy Green through a retendering process, leaving them with just days to find new tenants and avoid eviction. The move sparked a backlash from the local community and even actors Benedict Cumberbatch and James McAvoy, who have backed the campaign.
More than 22,000 people have signed a petition calling for the City of London Corporation to retain the current cafe operators, and Fernandez and Matthews have raised over £9,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to fund their legal action.
However, the corporation has vowed to take further action. A spokesperson for the authority stated that it had "followed a legitimate and open process in awarding the new cafe leases" and rejected any suggestion that the process was unlawful.
The City Corporation may now seek an order for possession in the county court if Fernandez and Matthews fail to vacate their premises voluntarily.
A north London couple who own three cafes at popular beauty spots including Hampstead Heath and Queen's Park has won a small victory in their fight against eviction. Patrick Matthews and Emma Fernandez, the owners of Hoxton Beach, were informed by their lawyers that they do not have to vacate their premises next week as previously required.
The couple had been told just before Christmas that their leases had been awarded to Australian-inspired chain Daisy Green through a retendering process, leaving them with just days to find new tenants and avoid eviction. The move sparked a backlash from the local community and even actors Benedict Cumberbatch and James McAvoy, who have backed the campaign.
More than 22,000 people have signed a petition calling for the City of London Corporation to retain the current cafe operators, and Fernandez and Matthews have raised over £9,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to fund their legal action.
However, the corporation has vowed to take further action. A spokesperson for the authority stated that it had "followed a legitimate and open process in awarding the new cafe leases" and rejected any suggestion that the process was unlawful.
The City Corporation may now seek an order for possession in the county court if Fernandez and Matthews fail to vacate their premises voluntarily.
OMG, I'm so stoked for these two cafe owners! 
They're literally fighting for their businesses and it's amazing to see how the community has rallied around them 
22k people signing a petition is insane and that crowdfunding goal of £9k? 
That's some serious hustle right there! 
And I'm loving how the actors got involved - who knew Benedict Cumberbatch had a soft spot for indie cafes? 
without losing their businesses.
Anyway, back to the cafe owners - I'm glad to hear they dodged the bullet this time! 
But seriously, what's with all the Aussie-inspired coffee places popping up everywhere? Can't we just have some good old-fashioned British tea and crumpets for once? 
️
. I'm no expert, but it seems like the City Corp did follow their own rules, but still... can't they see how this affects local livelihoods and character? Anyway, kudos to Patrick and Emma for fighting hard and raising so much cash for their cause 
. Fingers crossed they get a more permanent solution soon 
. hopefully they can find a way to stay put without having to take the city corp to court again