Street market in revolt over rates

Traders in a vibrant west London street market say they are being driven out by huge increases in their business rates.

Shop and stall owners in Golborne Road claim the 20 per cent higher bills they face from this month will be the final straw for many.

They say parking restrictions and the western extension of the congestion charge zone have already driven away much of their mid-week trade.

The North Kensington street, also known as "Little Morocco" because of its large North African community, is seen as particularly vulnerable because it does not attract the highspending tourist trade enjoyed by the more famous Portobello Market.

Although it has undergone some gentrification in recent years with the arrival of residents such as Stella McCartney, Golborne Road remains an oasis of urban grittiness in the country's wealthiest borough.

Tony Richardson, who has worked at architectural antiques shop Arbon Interiors in Golborne Road for 13 years, said: "Over the past two weeks we've all been getting these demands through the post and everyone is aghast.

"We've been hit by so many things we're starting to get a persecution complex." Mr Richardson said his monthly business rates bill was rising from around £400 to almost £500.

He accused Kensington and Chelsea council of wanting to turn Golborne Road, a sometimes chaotic market under the shadow of Trellick Tower, into a Notting Hill-style shopping street. "But I think this is one of a few community streets left - we should be helped," said Mr Richardson.

Collum Gough, who runs an antiques shop, said: "I've never seen people so downcast and I've been here 30 years. This is a very dangerous time."

He said rents had been steadily creeping up while the number of people shopping on the street had declined.

This was partly because of the retreat of traders from the northern end of Portobello Road, which had left Golborne detached from the main market. Jacqueline Skott, co-owner of Skott Haircare, said rates had more than doubled from £500 a month to over £1,000 in just two years.

She added: "The area has got much quieter since the congestion charge came in. More shops are going under and staying empty."

Kensington and Chelsea council's official policy is to help preserve small independent shops.

A spokesman for the council said the borough only collected the rates and the levels were set by central government.

No one at the Department for Communities and Local Government was available for comment.