Boris backs small shops campaign

Boris Johnson has pledged to protect small shops from the congestion charge, high rents and predatory developers.

The Tory mayoral candidate threw his weight behind the Evening Standard's campaign to save small shops during a visit to Portobello Market.

He spoke to stallholders and shopowners - including one who remembered him when he lived there as a child - about concerns for the future of the market. Afterwards, he said he felt "passionately" that he wanted to help traders who were suffering a drop in takings of up to 50 per cent.

He told the Evening Standard: "I'm 100 per cent behind your campaign and will meet with businesses to come up with a series of thought out, proper policies to protect small shops from the impact of the congestion charge, excessively high rents and the predatory behaviour of some of the big companies. If you look at the number of empty slots here, it's pretty convincing evidence. We have to work much harder on this problem."

Mr Johnson admitted major reform of the congestion charge was "on the table". Measures thought to be under discussion included grading the charge to help small businesses.

He criticised Ken Livingstone's plans for a £25 charge as "bonkers" claiming it would simply encourage wealthy Londoners to buy a second, small car. Mr Johnson added: "He's lashing out now at what he thinks are the rich because they own these bigger cars and allowing the small cars into the zone free.

"What he neglects of course is that it's open to rich people to buy lots of small cars and get round it."

The Tory candidate pledged to produce hisown "London plan" to protect "sites of special sentimental interest", including markets which were under threat.

He would strike deals - known as section 106 agreements - with commercial developers to reserve some retail units for local traders. They would also face tougher action when they flouted planning rules.

"You've got to look at ways of protecting small shops and not allowing the big guys to move in and crowd them out and change the character of a place like the Portobello Road," he said.

"It's very important that as part of any agreement there should be an undertaking that their rents are bearable.

"If we're going to let developers move in they should allow the small guys to survive in ways which bring such benefits to the whole community."

Mr Johnson backed free 30-minute parking meters so people could "pop in" to small shops, part of a package of measures adopted by Kensington and Chelsea council last month.

"The traders say they lack that sort of casual trade. Some people do well because they're destination shops... but then there are shops which people might just pop into and they need a bit of help," he said.