"Small Mercies": North London Cafe Owners Face Reprieve After Legal Challenge
A couple who run three cafes in north London's most popular beauty spots have breathed a sigh of relief after their landlord, the City of London Corporation, paused eviction proceedings against them. Patrick Matthews and Emma Fernandez, who operate cafes at Parliament Hill Lido, Queen's Park, and Highgate Wood, had been told just before Christmas that they would be unsuccessful in a retendering process for one of their sites.
The corporation awarded the lease to an Australian-inspired chain called Daisy Green, which will bring "relaxed and buzzing Australian food and coffee culture" to London. However, Matthews and Fernandez are pursuing legal action against the authority over what they claim was unfairness and a lack of transparency in the retendering process.
They argue that the decision was driven by commercial motives rather than a desire to improve services or protect local businesses. The couple has raised over £9,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to fund their legal challenge, with more than 22,000 people signing a petition calling for the corporation to retain existing cafe operators.
The City Corporation maintains that it followed a legitimate and open process in awarding new leases, and rejects any suggestion that the process was unlawful. However, they have left the door open for further action, stating that they may seek an order for possession if Matthews and Fernandez refuse to leave their cafes.
Despite this, Matthews has expressed relief at not having to vacate his premises immediately, saying that it would have been "practically impossible" for his business to survive. The couple's victory is a small one, but it provides a glimmer of hope for local businesses struggling against the tide of corporate takeovers in London's green spaces.
A couple who run three cafes in north London's most popular beauty spots have breathed a sigh of relief after their landlord, the City of London Corporation, paused eviction proceedings against them. Patrick Matthews and Emma Fernandez, who operate cafes at Parliament Hill Lido, Queen's Park, and Highgate Wood, had been told just before Christmas that they would be unsuccessful in a retendering process for one of their sites.
The corporation awarded the lease to an Australian-inspired chain called Daisy Green, which will bring "relaxed and buzzing Australian food and coffee culture" to London. However, Matthews and Fernandez are pursuing legal action against the authority over what they claim was unfairness and a lack of transparency in the retendering process.
They argue that the decision was driven by commercial motives rather than a desire to improve services or protect local businesses. The couple has raised over £9,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to fund their legal challenge, with more than 22,000 people signing a petition calling for the corporation to retain existing cafe operators.
The City Corporation maintains that it followed a legitimate and open process in awarding new leases, and rejects any suggestion that the process was unlawful. However, they have left the door open for further action, stating that they may seek an order for possession if Matthews and Fernandez refuse to leave their cafes.
Despite this, Matthews has expressed relief at not having to vacate his premises immediately, saying that it would have been "practically impossible" for his business to survive. The couple's victory is a small one, but it provides a glimmer of hope for local businesses struggling against the tide of corporate takeovers in London's green spaces.
after raising like 9k thru crowdfunding lol what even is the city corporation thinking trying to evict these ppl when they've already got a loyal customer base of 22k ppl signing petitions for them 
meanwhile daudy green cafe sounds super pretentious with their "relaxed and buzzing australian food culture" i mean can't we just have some decent avocado toast around here 
the good thing is that these owners are keeping each other's backs, they're like real life besties 
. It's like the City Corp just wanted to get rid of them without doing any proper due diligence on the situation. Those cafes are a big part of the community, you know? Not just some soulless corporate thing coming in and sucking the life outta it 
. Matthews and Fernandez were right to fight back, at least they tried 
. But it's not like this is gonna set a precedent or anything... probably just another example of the system looking out for itself 
. Still, I guess it's better than being forced out on the street with no money 
. Can't say I'm exactly thrilled about Daisy Green coming in and changing everything though 
.
they're fighting 4 their rights & it's about time someone stood up 2 those big corp chains 
Daisy Green might bring Aussie vibes, but Patrick & Emma's cafes are part of the community's 
heart 
... Like, yeah, they got their reprieve and all, but do we really think this is the best outcome? Those Aussie-inspired cafe chains are just gonna suck the soul outta our beloved London parks. And don't even get me started on the crowds that'll come with it 
. I mean, I love a good flat white as much as the next person, but at what cost? Our local businesses deserve so much better than some faceless corporation breathing down their necks. The fact they got thousands to crowdfund for this legal fight is just...meh 
I'm so relieved that they got to breathe a sigh of relief after all that stress. 22k ppl signing a petition is crazy, right? 
it just goes to show that there are still people who care about supporting local businesses and preserving our green spaces. let's hope the city corp doesn't get too aggressive with this, but for now, let's celebrate their win