| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Commerce Road Public Consultation | |
| Posted by: | Simon Foster | |
| Date/Time: | 27/11/09 18:03:00 |
| I may be a bit behind the times with this post but have been looking through this with some interest. Until 2006 I worked in Commerce Road in one of the large warehouses at the end opposite the Bus Garage. As I understand it the main reason the company had to close was due to the fact that British Waterways, the landlord at the time, refused to renew the companies lease on the property. Unfortunately the man who owned the company was of an age where he didn't want the trouble and expense of moving the business so decided to close down and retire instead. I now work for another company in the same business (Steel) and am constantly hearing from ex customers of mine what a shame it was the Thames Valley Steels closed down and what a great company it was to deal with etc etc. Thames Valley Steels was a very succesful company and would doubtless be still trading today as they filled a unique hole in the market in West London. How many other businesses in Commerce Road would still be there today if they hadn't suffered the same fate. The really criminal thing is that if the company had not been effectively closed down by the actions of British Waterways and their agents 15+ people would still be employed there and the building and those neighbouring it would be in far better condition and upkeep than they are. I guess the point I am making is that if other companies had not been effectively evicted by the imposition of either short term leases or non renewal of leases the argument as to whether there is a need/demand would be acedemic because the industry would already be there. The story at the time was that they wanted the canal side of the road empty of tenants so the site could be sold for housing redevelopment. The planning permission would be a lot more difficult to get if there were any businesses trading there and people would be put out of work by the redevelopment. Obviously the way around this was to vacate all the units first and allow them to deteriorate to the extent that they have then you can knock them down and build overpriced rabbit hutches as desired to maximise profits. |