Walking along West Ealing Broadway this afternoon at the closed, boarded up shops I wonder if they will ever re-open?
Seba Electronics is a small family run business trading in the area for some 40 years; all their stock stolen in one night. Goldmine is the same. And whilst Blockbuster is no small independent it has a role to play on the corner of St James Avenue, an area well known to the Police for drug dealing. With Blockbuster on one corner and Farah now on the other this area was looking partially revitalised. There are also plans in place for a monthly craft market here starting in the Autumn, specifically placed in St James to help with this problem.
On a brighter note I went into Luckhurts and bought some fine quality meat at great prices – support your local traders in these difficult times.
The worry is of course that local traders will not be insured at all or their policy does not cover “riot or civil disturbances”. There seem to be differing views talking to traders and on small business websites. Most of these policies were written in more innocent times of course.
I believe that any business or individual who has suffered loss through the rioting is able to make a claim or at least the notice of a claim within 14 days to their local council. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot_Act
Its awful to see. Goldmine has been my jewellers of choice for repairs, watch batteries and charms being added to my bracelet. They were always helpful, friendly and reasonably priced. It will be sad to see any of these local shops close. I’m sure the chain pound/cheaper shops will be ok, wouldn’t it be nice if they helped out their independent neighbours? Nice but unlikely I suppose.
I was just distributing leaflets down the broadway – all the shopkeepers are resilient and phlegmatic. None more so than the owner of Seba Electronics who had me in tears. His latest ‘saying’ is ‘Flexible Thursday: be like the river, run round obstacles’. As he stands there in the devastation that once was his shop.
I was heartened to see Goldmine Jewellers were replacing their windows today, so there is hope there.