London's Latino quarter where businesses fear they could soon be replaced by Starbucks and Costa
Businesses in London’s Latino quarter have said they are worried about their future, fearing they could soon be replaced by chains such as Starbucks and Costa.
Elephant and Castle is one of London’s fastest-changing areas, with two major developments taking place there at the moment. The newly renovated Elephant Park and the project at the town centre will bring in thousands of new homes and a whole array of shops, cafes and restaurants.
But while all these changes are happening, there are still several authentic Latino businesses hidden away under the railway arches of Elephant and Castle train station whose future seems more unclear every day.
READ MORE: 'I tried the Colombian bakery hidden under arches that's a favourite with London's Latinos'
John Walteros has run Elephant Coffee for around 14 years now. The building work has brought in lots of new customers for the business in the form of construction workers.
“I have had builders coming in all day for the last two years since the building work started, before it was more Latinos. I’ve also changed the menu, before it was Latin food, now it's things like sandwiches."
John says that the future of Elephant Coffee is uncertain. As the new developments in the area are built, he says it is likely his rent may go up. If new businesses such as Costa and Starbucks are built, this could also affect Elephant Coffee's future, he says.
“It’s sad because this is a Latin area, this is Elephant, it’s the Latin area. In two, three years there will be no Latins here.
“I know the rent will go up. The people behind this building, the rent has already gone up twice. If the rent doubles we might have to go.”
Despite this uncertain future, John still thinks the development has brought a lot of benefits to the area, which he says was ‘horrible’ before. The workers eating at the café have also been good for business, he says.
“I’m not worried about what’s going to happen, we don’t know what will happen and we’ll just have to see, I think it will be positive.”
Gloria Storey, who runs a Colombian bakery called Chatica, feels very strongly that the development is a great thing for the area. She said: “The area has changed into a lovely and good place. The development is a wonderful thing.”
Gloria has lived in England for 50 years, and has been running Chatica for 14. She says that before there was lots of council housing in Elephant and Castle, which has now been replaced by the newer buildings. She says she thinks that Chatica will benefit from any new offices which are built in the area, as workers will come to her bakery to eat.
“Businesses want everything from nothing. Everything that you see here, we did it ourselves. It’s the best place around.”
Nasly is a hairdresser working in one of the businesses under the railway arches. She says that businesses there are worried that they will be forced to relocate as part of the new town centre development.
“In one or two years all the businesses will have to go because these arcs will be completely changed,” she said. “I think the smaller businesses will be affected the most, because the rents will go up for them. I think lots of businesses will go as the development continues.”
Nasly says that she is too scared to walk around some parts of Elephant and Castle at night as a woman. She says that one positive from the development is that it may become safer as there will be more police in the area.
"The Latinos conform, we’re not thinking in the future. We’re living day to day. We’re thinking this will be a beautiful street, this will be a cool park, but I don’t think about what will happen to me.”
A spokesperson for The Elephant town centre development said that their work will deliver new dining and retail spaces, a university campus, homes and much more. They say that they are seeking to enhance the vibrant community and heritage already present in the area by working with the local community.
'We have been working closely with the affected businesses'
Their spokesperson said: “Our vision goes beyond the creation of a new town centre and seeks to enhance the vibrant community and heritage already present within the area. We are committed to working with the local community to create a town centre that delivers for the needs of the local area and the businesses within it.
“At the heart of the proposals is the desire to address the longstanding issues of pedestrian movement to and from the new town centre, which for years had been blocked by the former shopping centre and the railway viaduct.
"The acquisition of two of the existing railway arches to create an east/west walkway beneath the viaduct will provide much improved links between the new town centre and surrounding roads. We have been working closely with the affected businesses and are pleased that terms of agreement have now been reached to ensure that they can continue to trade locally, relocating them into new retail units within the town centre and a repurposed railway arch nearer to Elephant & Castle railway station.
“The Elephant will deliver a diverse range of benefits to the local community, and we are working closely with Southwark Council and other parties to ensure that all local businesses remain close by and continue to be an integral part of the new town centre scheme.”
Cllr Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes & Sustainable Development, said Southwark Council has been working intensely with the businesses under the railway arches to find a way forward that works well for everyone. She said: “We want nothing more than for the businesses to remain and flourish with the area.
“We are pleased to have made real progress towards this aim, as we work towards unlocking all the benefits of a better-connected town centre to the wider Elephant and Castle neighbourhood. This includes new homes, jobs, a new university campus, new shops, and a new Northern line entrance and ticket hall, future-proofed for extension of the Bakerloo line.”
Got a story? Please get in touch at katherine.gray@reachplc.com
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