Traders in Brixton’s covered markets have been left in confusion today, after news that former owners InShops has gone bust.
InShops Centres Ltd, owned by French firm Groupe Geraud, announced on Wednesday that it will cease trading today, and many of its centres will close.
But it has emerged that Brixton Village (Granville Arcade) and Market Row markets were transferred to a separate company, Market Village Company Ltd, late last year. The markets’ manager today moved to reassure traders.
Operations manager Rachid Ghailane told the Blog: “The traders in Brixton Village and Brixton Market Row have nothing to worry about. They are now run by a new company, Market Village Company Ltd, which has been established and is in charge of the markets.
He added: “Yes, Inshops Centres Ltd has gone bankrupt, but it’s nothing to do with us in Brixton.”
Companies House Ltd records showthat Market Village Company Ltd, which now runs the covered markets, was called Inshops Ltd until an official change of name in July 2013. It is registered at the Group Geraud office and its three current directors are all senior executives at Groupe Geraud Ltd. Its parent company is listed as Geraud SA.
Traders spoken to by Brixton Blog today said they had not had any contact from InShops, market managers or Group Geraud about the changes. They were alarmed when they read reports online about other retail centres closing down as a result this week.
Binki Taylor, co-owner of Circus in Brixton Village, said: “We don’t know exactly where this leaves us and we would like to know. No-one has been in contact to explain things and we’d like to know how we’ll be effected by it.”
Head of property at Geraud UK, Philip Lamb, said: “The covered markets at Brixton are no longer associated with In Shops Centres Limited and are totally unaffected by the imminent liquidation of that company.”
EDIT: Comment from Philip Lamb added at 12.55pm Friday.
In am looking for a food shop
This is potentially excellent news – if it results in the eviction of the various tourist attractions that replaced the market stalls that actually served the longstanding local residents for many many years.
Heaven forbid that people should come to Brixton and spend money, filling the local economy up with their filthy cash that nobody wants, creating “jobs” and all sorts of other socially pernicious things like that.
I mean, honestly.
Those halcyon days of empty lots – ah yes a 3/4 empty Granville Arcade, I remember well, created a fine stalking ground for muggers and pushers alike; things will never be as good as that again,- and the occupied stalls; wow, the same old stalls selling the same old stuff to a minority, mainly ethnic group of customers, most of whom were not local but travelled to Brixton for those ethnic products from miles around ( tourists), where it was virtually impossible to buy a cup of non instant coffee, 25 fruit stalls neither of which would sell a raspberry, a pumpkin, a chicory – oh yes hey were fun shopping trips. Bring those days back, they were the ones!
Mark your remarks are a tad facile. In my opinion. Having shopped for 30 years in Brixton for what you call ethnic foods I appreciate and am discerning about my plantain.(one up the evolutionary scale than colored I guess)
Don’t blame us punters for the lack of stalls – running a stall in Brixton market has been hard graft for some very local families. As ever there has been politics,regional rivalries and yes indeed racism. Oh and really bad facilities for stall holders in arcades.
FYI there’s been an excellent shop for 3 decades offering fresh chicory by the way – AC Continental. Still does.
And fresh coffee from El Pilon Quindio in the 90’s and Sintras since at least 1985/86. And of course there was always social clubs run by various folk since the 1960’s. I used to go to an Italian locally in the early 1980’s.
And San a Marino used to be tucked into a tiny tiny bar before it’s present place. Outside service only.Think they must have been going at least 15 years? Possibly the best coffee in Brixton.
Still room for yam and breadfruit though in my book. And Jamaican ginger – so much tastier than the Chinese one every where (In my opinion) Have watched as socially folk get pushed out and cannot afford to live here. Funny as we moved here as it was the only place we could afford….plus already knew folk of course..Most impressive factor for me? CLR James.
Cheers.
The most shocking thing about this article is that there is someone called Binki running a place in Brixton Village. Made in Chelsea has come to Brixton.
Nah, I like it. If Brixton is to change, far better it be Chelsea-fied than Hoxton-ized.
Better a dozen Binkis than a single Nathan Barley.