The chains are taking over
Let Camden be Camden
We are the owners of My Village, serving fresh daily food in a homely, rustic and handmade environment. For over 10 years we built My Village, with the help of all our family & friends, layer by layer, plank by plank, as a place which supports the community, its artists, hobbyists and love
Offering my village walls for free to exhibit art work.
This was not a mass produced
2nd world war cannon wheel, used by the British Army in the 2nd World War.
The structure of the sitting area, we brought from a single English family, who had 80s, these pieces of wood, were recovered and restored.
This farm was sold to their grandfather, and they discovered that these pieces of wood were from the Spain Armada war, and have been used in the farm in northern England, and neglected since the collapse, in the storm of 1984, we carefully restored the pieces of wood ourselves, and they are now hanging proudly in My Village Cafe.
We don’t have WiFi we lose customers, base for social life, books, backgammon, socialise without the screen.
The rest of My Village, is made from repurposed wood, from different sources, with equally interesting stories. We did this so we can weave history into the experience and bring it back to life for the Camden’s community. That’s why when you step into My Village you sense history and feel good Vibes.
The journey has not been easy, we established My Village in 2006, in what was then a quiet part of Chalk Farm road, when the cafes and shops around us were struggling and shutting down. However, we survived and then later thrived thanks to the help of all our family, friends and customers.
Now 10 year on, we are at risk of being shut down, and all that I described above, becoming forgotten history again.
Most of Camden is being divided between a few private landlords, supported estate agents, and their aim is agree to raise all of the rent across Camden, making it impossible for independent small business owners to survive, your only chance of survival in this new world, is if you are major chain store, your own landlord or lucky enough to have a decent landlord who isn’t playing the game.
This is not only about small business owners, but its also about the people and students of Camden not having access to affordable food & drink. The chains will reduce the quality, the originality of Camden, and raise its prices, making it just another conformist area of London, not letting Camden be Camden.
As part of this wider game, our landlord has also started to demand an unrealistic rise in our rent, which would make it impossible for My Village to continue serving Camden. Camden is dominated by three landlords and Bruce estate agent and they are rising the rent to unbearable and unsustainable levels. Their aim is to push out small business and attract big chains to Camden . This would truly be terrible detrimental to this area . It would become another clone of many high street and loose the very uniqueness that has made it such a tourist magnet over so many decades.
If you believe that, its our duty to protect Camden, if you believe that Camden should be as free as possible from Chains, if you believe that Camden should keep its history, its originality, if you believe that my village and many like it, should have a right to survive,to keep Camden not be converted to another common, soulless business area, then please sign this petition and lend your support to this cause.
For further information about My Village Café please visit.
Facebook of My Village Café.
Website of My Village café. www.myvillagecafebar.co.uk.
Trip adviser.
the guardian link:
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-guardian/20170306/281706909472538
My Village Cafe
S Hamarash
07737892812
