Chris Pretty on the closure of the Prettys Green Grocers on Northcross Road.

[alixandjames@btinter]

Chris at Prettys asked us to post this on his behalf because he wants people to know the sad truth about the closure of Prettys on Northcross Rd:

?The greengrocers has been at 47 Northcross Rd for 45 years set up by Charles Pretty ? 24 years ago he retired and I, Chris Burgess took over. My son Nick started working in the shop 11 years ago.

Mrs Pretty offered me the shop to buy in November 2013 but we could not raise the money at the time. She put it on the market this year and I met with the current owner before the deal went through and he discussed his plans.

We are sitting tenants and he confirmed we were safe downstairs and that he wanted to keep it the same but was going to improve the upstairs flat. After the deal went through we started to pay rent to the new landlord, after 6 weeks he gave us notice to vacate the shop by 30th march 2014 with no offer to negotiate a new lease because he wanted to re-develop the whole building and as a result we would lose our sitting tenancy rights. Apparently there is some loop hole whereby if he develops the property sitting tenants can be evicted.

I can?t understand how someone can do this, not only to my family which will be losing its livelihood but also to the area, which will be losing a shop which still has so much to offer.

Thank you to the 100?s of customers who have shown their support and signed the petition. If you know anyone with experience in these matters that can help advise us please let me know.?

Regards

Chris Burgess

[uncleglen]

Never believe anyone in property. In my experience they are never to be trusted and will go back on their word for the big penny any day.

[LauraHW]

I'm shocked and disgusted that such an amazing community asset can be treated this way with such wanton disregard for local feeling. Sods

[Earl Aelfheah]

Probably a long shot, but would it be possible to have it listed as a community asset?

[Jah Lush]

What a double crossing bastard.

I really hope that this can be resolved but it doesn't look good. Whatever happens, best of luck, Chris.

[reeko]

That's rough Chris. I'm very sorry to hear that you've been put in this position.

[Robert Poste's Child]

That's disgraceful. Pretty's is one of a small group of genuine local and and useful shops around here.

For people who haven't signed the petition yet, is it in the shop?

[J27]

I totally agree. I simply cannot believe someone could behave so shabbily, both to Chris and his family and to the local community who use and value the shop. It is a wonderful business for many reasons - above all, for me, its atmosphere, friendliness, quality of service ...

I suppose we could have a mass objection to the new owner's planning application - though that may come after the shop has closed - rather too late... There must be an EDF person who knows about the legalities of this situation, who could suggest something?

If there is something that we as the local community could do to help Chris & co, I know there would be many of us who would love to ...

[LauraHW]

This may be a bit simplistic but is there the possibility of opening up in another location, maybe combined with a market stall on north cross rd on Saturdays

[ed213]

Whilst it seems fair to say his longevity affords him status as a "pillar" of the ED community, it remains a shame that - behind all of this - his attitude to staff, taxes and property management left so much to be desired.

Still though, when you're marking up huge profit margins on "organic" food bought from Costco, I suppose it's quite easy to get quite full of yourself.

Nevertheless, sympathy where sympathy is due, a long-established ED family has gone out of business. Perhaps I recommend Chris speak to his son about trading in something more "exotic" than bananas?!

[jonty1494]

Hi there...

I will try to ignore the comment of one poster about no-one in property being trusted (after all anyone with a pension is likely to have 5 to 10% invested in property) and would suggest that the following is passed on to Chris from someone with 25 years experience in property:

clearly I do not know the full circumstances but I assume that Chris had a lease once and is now "holding over" - not a sitting tenant which is something very different and for residential premises. Therefore the landlord can get possession to re-demolish but only after going to court and proving the grounds for possession (planning consent, drawings, cash to do the work, etc...) - they cannot just serve a notice to quit (unless they had already been to court but Chris should know if this had happened). The attached linked gives some more detail - http://www.netlawman.co.uk/ia/lease-quit-2.

There is no alternative but to get some legal or proper property advice to know whether this notice can be contested - as they say each case will have it own set of circumstances but especially since the new owner bought in full knowledge of Chris' occupation of the shop then this should provide Chris with some additional protection.

Hope this helps (and this is not a pitch for the advice work!). Good luck.

[Robert Poste's Child]

ed213 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Whilst it seems fair to say his longevity affords

> him status as a "pillar" of the ED community, it

> remains a shame that - behind all of this - his

> attitude to staff, taxes and property management

> left so much to be desired.

>

> Still though, when you're marking up huge profit

> margins on "organic" food bought from Costco, I

> suppose it's quite easy to get quite full of

> yourself.

>

> Nevertheless, sympathy where sympathy is due, a

> long-established ED family has gone out of

> business. Perhaps I recommend Chris speak to his

> son about trading in something more "exotic" than

> bananas?!

That's quite an accusation. Do you have any evidence?

[NewWave]

This is such sad news, I love this shop and the wonderful fresh juices.

I would suggest Chris looks at The Horniman Museum farmers market every saturday as a means to try and keep his trade ticking over and perhaps placing flyers on his stall outlining what has occurred and asking for legal advice.

Also although not East Dulwich I know that Forest Hill is crying out for a decent fruit and veg shop and there are a few empty shops along Dartmouth road.

Good luck to the family though

I hate hearing stories like this...makes me so angry.

[maxxi]

Robert Poste's Child Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> ed213 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Whilst it seems fair to say his longevity

> affords

> > him status as a "pillar" of the ED community,

> it

> > remains a shame that - behind all of this - his

> > attitude to staff, taxes and property

> management

> > left so much to be desired.

> >

> > Still though, when you're marking up huge

> profit

> > margins on "organic" food bought from Costco, I

> > suppose it's quite easy to get quite full of

> > yourself.

> >

> > Nevertheless, sympathy where sympathy is due, a

> > long-established ED family has gone out of

> > business. Perhaps I recommend Chris speak to

> his

> > son about trading in something more "exotic"

> than

> > bananas?!

>

> That's quite an accusation. Do you have any

> evidence?

I think his 'evidence' is in his posting history.

[dimples]

Will this effect the cafe next door which belongs to Chris wife ?

[Robert Poste's Child]

maxxi Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think his 'evidence' is in his posting history.

You're probably right.

[Huggers]

can Chris move next door into the caff?

[Jah Lush]

As far as I know it won't affect the caf?, which will remain open.

[lane lover]

jonty1494 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi there...

>

> I will try to ignore the comment of one poster

> about no-one in property being trusted (after all

> anyone with a pension is likely to have 5 to 10%

> invested in property)

What a weird thing to say. The original comment was pointed at those who buy, sell and develop property. I actually agree - in my dealings, these people tend to be focused on making money, no matter what. The pension comment is unrelated; besides, most of us own property that is probably worth more than 5%-10% of our pensions. Especially if you own in ED ;-)

Anyway, moving on.

Rather than get into a legal battle and waste time and money - like previous posters have suggested, lets try and find an alternative location in ED. Preferably on NCR, but there are a few vacant properties that could be investigated.

[Captain Marvel]

Isn't Mrs Pretty Chris's mother in law?

[Huggers]

yes but there was a falling out

[Twirly]

Pretty's was one of my favourite shops in the area - being mostly veggie, I've spent a lot of money with Chris over the years. If it does go, it will be a sad loss to the area.

Depending on what Chris wants to do (and alixandjames, please do pass these comments onto him, and if you can feed back his opinions), I would have thought that a dual approach would be best:

1. Explore the legal side

It would be a real shame to just give up on that particular site if he does have any legal rights to stay there. He has invested time, money and energy in the premises, but also in building up local trade - he would have to do that all over again elsewhere. I also don't like the thought of the new owner riding roughshod over someone's livelihood like that. If I were in Chris's shoes, I wouldn't necessarily want to spend vast amounts of money on a legal battle, but to give up without a fight doesn't seem right either.

2. Looking for alternative premises

This might end up being the only possibility. Whether he could find something in ED I don't know. I guess that if he does move to another area the lovely butchers and fish shop won't have their equivalent for the veg. (I know that one of the chaps who works in there lives over near where we've just moved to - would love it if you could open up near Wallington ;-)

Good luck to Chris and his family/team whatever happens.

[Sue]

rahrahrah Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Probably a long shot, but would it be possible to

> have it listed as a community asset?

xxxxx

The Ivy House team might be able to advise on this?

[Peckhamrye]

As it has already been sold I would think it is too late to go down the community asset path?

[KidKruger]

"We are sitting tenants and he confirmed we were safe downstairs".

Verbal contract ?