Furious traders have condemned the proposed redevelopment of their iconic market, with the building of a nine-storey building and 40 new homes raising ‘gentrification’ concerns.
The revamp of 111-year-old Shepherd’s Bush Market in the heart of west London is set to be undertaken by Yoo Capital, a private retail estate firm who won planning permission to refurbish the area in 2023.
The housing development and nine-storey building will be located on the Old Laundry Site land which is adjacent to the market and will see the demolition of buildings allegedly formerly used as a homeless hostel by charity St Mungo’s.
With the homes managed by the council and designed by architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), the refurbishment will also see parts of the existing market substantially modernised and altered.
Described as having ‘a lively and bustling atmosphere with diverse traders and independent business’, the market has been a well-known haven for local community and culture since it first opened to customers in 1914.
It’s even home to famous sandwich stall Sam’s Sandwiches. Dubbed ‘the best Algerian street food in the UK’, it has gone viral on social media platform TikTok for its array of high-ranked options.
Now, some of its longest traders have raised concerns for the future of their beloved market alongside their already precarious livelihoods, with one stall owner telling MailOnline he feels as though many of the traders have been ‘pushed into a corner’.
Tony (pictured), has been trading at the market for 40 years and fears that the development has the potential to cause issues for new traders looking to move into the market
The proposed development of 111-year-old Shepherd’s Bush Market in the heart of west London has caused fury amongst locals and traders
Sam’s Sandwich shop (pictured) is a famed part of the historic market in west London
Amir Zaman, who works for a long-standing family Butcher business that has been trading at the market for 75 years, said that the market ‘has not changed for a very long time’, with customer numbers slowly dwindling.
He said: ‘On the one hand, we want it to be up and coming, we want to bring more people into the market. However, we don’t know what’s going to happen when the developers come in.
‘Change is good if it’s in a positive way and is good for the people, but it does almost feel like we are being sold a dream.
‘It feels a bit like we’ve been pushed into a corner, this is my livelihood and we have no security at the moment, it’s quite stressful.’
Mr Zaman, who also shared fears and concerns for what the ‘reality’ of the market development said that the community feel in Shepherd’s Bush Market is ‘vital’.
Hamouda Mohammed, who trades at a popular falafel stall nestled in the heart of the market, believes that the development will undoubtedly ‘impact everybody’.
He added: ‘The developers aren’t telling us exactly when they are going to start or what is going to happen. It is stressful, even for the customers.’
In December 2023, a local council meeting to approve the development had to be abandoned after 20 protestors from from campaign group Protect Shepherd’s Bush Market disrupted the proceedings
Described as having ‘a lively and bustling atmosphere with diverse traders and independent business’, the market has been a well-known haven for local community and culture since it first opened to customers in 1914
Pictured: proposed plans for the refurbishment of Shepherd’s Bush Market
The revamp of Shepherd’s Bush Market is set to be undertaken by Yoo Capital, a private retail estate firm (Pictured: plans of the development)
The housing development and nine-storey building will be located on the Old Laundry Site land which is adjacent to the market (Pictured: plans of the development)
Shepherd’s Bush Market pictured in 1948, with traditional stalls set up
Tony has been trading at the market for 40 years, selling bags to his loyal customers who he says he’s witnessed grow up beneath his eyes.
He said: ‘But now, you could easily drive a truck down here.’
Tony has been trading at the market for 40 years, selling bags to his loyal customers who he says he’s witnessed grow up beneath his eyes.
He believes that the development has the potential to cause issues for new traders looking to move into the market, stating: ‘We can’t do anything, the campaigners are fighting but it is difficult.’
Local campaign groups Protect Shepherd’s Bush Market and Friends of Shepherds Bush Market have been tirelessly advocating against the proposed redevelopment and have also spoken of submitting a judicial review at the High Court if Hammersmith and Fulham Council continue to refuse the planning permission.
In December 2023, a local council meeting to approve the development had to be abandoned after 20 protestors from Protect Shepherd’s Bush Market disrupted the proceedings, TimeOut reported.
Amir Zaman (pictured), who works for a long-standing family Butcher business that has been trading at the market for 75 years, said he fears that traders are being ‘sold a dream’
Louise Page-Jennings, a spokesperson for Yoo Capital, assured that a sufficient community consultation process had taken place and that the market will ‘stay open throughout the works’ with the disruption ‘as minimal as possible’
Trader Mr Zaman said that historically on Saturdays ‘you could hardly walk’ through the stalls, but that now ‘you could easily drive a truck down here’
However, Louise Page-Jennings, a spokesperson for Yoo Capital, insisted that the company are ‘carefully curating the Market and will bring new tenants in via the Market Academy during construction.’
The Market Academy, which will be free for traders to use, seeks to provide training on visual merchandising, business management and marketing to traders.
She added: ‘We are also working to subdivide some of the arches, so they are more accessible for smaller businesses. Some of the trading space in the Market will also be available at a discount to market rate.’
She assured that a sufficient community consultation process had taken place and that the market will ‘stay open throughout the works’ with the disruption ‘as minimal as possible’.
Ms Page-Jennings also said that traders have been offered a package of support worth more than £5million to help them during the refurb.
The options provided to traders include staying at the market during construction, taking a free sabbatical during construction before returning or receiving a premium for lease buyout.
Hamouda Mohammed, who trades at a popular falafel stall nestled in the heart of the market, believes that the development will undoubtedly ‘impact everybody’ (pictured with his colleague Taj Mohammed)
Traders who choose to stay at the market will be offered ‘no rent or service charge and a reimbursement of business rates’, financial support including a payment of between £7,500 and £12,500, and an additional top-up of £30,000 to £50,000 profit loss compensation.
Meanwhile, those on sabbatical will be offered financial support between £1,800 and £3,000 per month, alongside brand new units of a similar size and in a similar location, or £10,000 to spend on upgrades to their existing units.
Ms Page-Jennings also assured that traders will have their rent fixed until five years after the construction is completed before the market is then opened to private buyers.
Protect Shepherd’s Bush Market and Friends of Shepherds Bush Market were contacted for comment.
Hammersmith & Fulham council and AHMM were also contacted for comment.
