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Traders face sale obstacles
• MANY members of the community will have received a letter from Islington Council’s Lib Dem executive in response to their support for the ‘Save Our Shops’ campaign started by Amwell Street traders and carried forward by Islington Traders Group.
In the letter the executive rightly sought political kudos for its capitulation to the demands of the affected leaseholders. We will now be given first option to match the market value as determined by a competitive bidding process between property developers.
It remains imperative that the public who have supported the cause of saving this diverse facility within our communities should be aware that the council’s preferred method of disposal is still en bloc sale to a single bidder.
The council’s proposed process continues to present significant obstacles to leaseholders who have expressed an interest in purchasing their freeholds.
Widely disparate preliminary guide prices, restricted time-scales and total lack of guidance as to the council’s requirements in letters of reference do not show support for small businesses.
This process has been foisted on business leaseholders without consultation or assessment of impact. In the last three months, 200 businesses have been forced by the Lib Dem executive to be constantly vigilant in order to protect their livelihoods and homes.
The electorate should be aware of this and warn their councillors that they are squandering Islington’s capital assets and any political capital they may retain
This is happening at a time when the Lib Dems nationally are supporting the Sustainable Communities Bill to try to stop and reverse the trend of closure of local shops and services in urban, suburban and rural communities.
DALE BARTER
Chairman, Islington Traders Group
• I WAS interested to read yesterday that nationally Lib Dem leader ‘Ming’’ Campbell is supporting the Sustainable Communities Bill in Parliament while locally Islington Lib Dems are forcing shopkeepers out of their properties, many after more than 25 years.
“Ming” has been calling for local high streets to keep their character. I’d like to know why this doesn’t apply in “flagship” Islington?
TIM MCLOUGHLIN
Highbury Grange, N5
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