Soho traders claim Berwick Street development has 'ruined lives'

Traders and residents in Soho have accused Westminster council of ignoring complaints about “life-shattering” disruption from a redevelopment.

Work to build a hotel, retail units and flats in Berwick Street began four years ago and is expected to end in late 2018. Locals said more than 30 businesses have shut, footfall in Berwick Street Market has halved and noise levels were unacceptable despite demolition officially ending last autumn. About 100 residents of Kemp House council block claim they are living in a building site.

The Berwick Street Traders Society, Kemp House Residents’ Association and Berwick Street Businesses have asked the council to guarantee that more businesses will not be forced out and called for the developer, PMB Holdings, to compensate people.

They said: “For four years we have lived and worked with massive, uninterrupted, filthy, life-shattering demolition and development.” Berwick Street Securities, a subsidiary of PMB, said it was in “constant” contact with the community.

It said: “The site is regularly scrutinised by Westminster city council to ensure we are doing all we can to mitigate impacts and it has always passed with flying colours.”

The council said it had “undertaken extensive work to ensure that disruption is kept to an absolute minimum” and would monitor the development.

It said it would support traders who have applied for business rates relief.