The planned eviction of over 20 traders from the Ridley Road Shopping Village with just two weeks’ notice is a fiasco. 

Traders were initially told that they had until 31 December before vacating the building.

They are now being told by the landlord that the Community Protection Notice served by Dalston Police means that they have only a few days left. Their leave date is Friday 26 October.

Ridley Road is the beating heart of Hackney, and yet the loss of the Shopping Village will be the beginning of the end. The traders of the Shopping Village have given decades of their lives to help keep the market running. And now they are being thrown out into the street. The Council, the police and the landlord need to coordinate immediately to delay the evictions. As of 21 October:

**  The plans to redevelop the building as luxury flats and shops are yet to be granted planning permission. After the evictions the building is likely to be left empty for years;  

**  traders have been offered no compensation to make up for the massive loss of business over the Christmas period;

**  no attempt has been made to provide the traders with legal documentation proving that they are required to vacate;

**  no offer of free storage has been to traders, most of whom have nowhere to turn at such short notice.  

This is a turning point for Ridley Road and for Hackney as a whole. The decision to close the Shopping Village is a choice. The landlord can choose not to evict. The council can choose not to grant planning permission for re-development. The police can choose not to enforce the Protection Notice. If the evictions do go ahead, then all of the above are directly responsible. 

Make your voice heard! Please urgently share this petition. Call one or all of the following and tell them to pull out all of the stops to give the traders more time:

*   Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney, on 020 8356 3220

*  Guy Nicholson, Hackney Councillor responsible for markets on 020 8356 3270

*  The Management of Ridley Road Shopping Village on 020 3189 1970 

Ridley Road Shopping Village Traders are supported by:

London Renters Union Hackney, East London Unite Community, Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants, Hackney Green Party, Decolonising Our Minds. Organisations from across Hackney and London – please get behind the campaign! Get in touch with the Ridley Road Shopping Village Traders to discuss ways in which you can provide support. Email <savetheshoppingvillage@gmail.com>.