Campaign to Save Goldhawk Road Shops Gains Momentum
Local people's fight reaches TV and receives celebrity support
The campaign to fight the redevelopment of Shepherd's Bush Market which includes the demolition of historic shops on Goldhawk Road has been boosted by celebrity support and a slot on BBC TV on Monday February 20.
Last week the Who's Pete Townshend joined the campaign, saying it was "inconceivable" that pie and mash shop A. Cooke's, which is among the threatened stores at 30 - 52 Goldhawk Road, should disappear from our streets.
He told the Evening Standard: "Cooke's is a part of the history of Goldhawk Road.
"I realise change is inevitable, but to think of Shepherd's Bush without Cooke's is inconceivable."
Cooke's was launched by the current owner's grandfather Alfred in 1899 and has been in its current premises since 1934. It appeared in the film Quadrophenia and became a popular meeting place for Mods - dozens of whom turned out earlier this month to show their support for the business.
The campaign also has the support of astrologer and TV personality Russell Grant, who describes Cooke's as a "landmark" and says: " An act of vandalism is so to be perpetrated in Shepherd's Bush in the wanton destruction of a community but this time with the backing, that's right with the BACKING of an elected council."
He adds to the campaigners: " You have my unequivocal support at all times."
The application for outline planning permission from Orion Shepherd's Bush Ltd - a joint venture between Orion Land and Leisure Ltd and Development Securities was approved, as expected, by the planning applications committee on Wednesday, February 8 despite objections from many local traders, shopkeepers and residents.
One member of the group campaigning to save the shops at 30 - 52 Goldhawk Road from demolition who attended last night's Planning Committe meeting said: " As predicted, the lying LBHF have pushed through the outline planning application. It was a complete travesty and the lies are truly breathtaking. "
This outline permission is set to be followed by a detailed application and if it receives approval, the developers say construction work is likely to commence in Summer 2013.
However, this is not the end of the matter. Owners of the shops at 30-52 Goldhawk Road have been granted a Judicial Review of the plans to demolish the premises, on the grounds that the council did not follow the correct planning procedure. This will go to to the High Court on May 15 and 16, and local people are determined to keep the momentum of the campaign building until then.
The story was highlighted on BBC1's Inside Out on Monday, February 20 at 7.30pm, and can be watched online at the Inside Out website.
The campaigners have also launched a petition and are asking as many local people as possible to add their signatures.
February 20, 2012
