Brecknock Road's Bumblebee organic vegetarian stores fear closure by landlord refurbishment plans

Published: 17th December, 2010
by TERRY MESSENGER and BEN WHITELAW

HEALTH food enthus­iasts fear for the future of one of their favourite outlets – a chain of shops which has become a by-word for bohemian Islington.

They are agitated over a threat to the three Bumblebee organic vegetarian stores in Brecknock Road.

Bumblebee rents its premises from a landlord whose refurbishment plans could spell closure for the firm’s kitchen where hot take­away meals are prepared.

And without the takeaway trade, the firm could fail, fears owner Ian Ogilvie, who said:  “I would be faced with the choice of closing down or relocating.”

Customer Carol McNicoll, 67, said: “Bumblebee is a retail institution. People travel for miles to shop her because the food is so good. It would be tragic if it closed or moved.”

The threat stems from  a planning application submitted by landlord Sunil Devalia to limit the retail space at Bumblebee’s Brecknock Road site, replacing it with residential units.

The kitchen would be sacrificed for flats, believes Mr Ogilvie.

Bumblebee started 30 years ago to cater for an emerging market in vegetarian food.

Ms McNicoll added:   “It’s been there for years selling a massive range of spices, vegetables, loose grains and beans – and lovely cooked food for lunches. If the planning application goes through it will be the end of an era for this part of town.”

She said that Bumblebee represented the old hippy character of the area now falling victim to “corrosive, property-based capitalism”.

And she added:  “Without Bumblebee, the whole of the shopping trade in Brecknock Road is under threat because it attracts so many people to the area.”

Mr Ogilvie, 59, said:  “We were the pioneers of the whole organic food and natural food area, it didn’t exist before we started it. We began it. 

“I don't know what made me start it but it was something that was around in the 1970s and I just picked up on it and I thought that’s for me. 

“And I still believe it to this day, if you eat natural food as unadulterated as possible, it’s the best way to get your nutrition. 

He and Ms McNicoll will be attempting to persuade Islington councillors to reject the landlord’s plan.

Mr Ogilvie said:   “There’s no anger, no animosity, there’s been no negativity, no personal discord or anything; it’s a challenge. These things are sent to challenge us. We have a case to present.” 

Mr Devalia was unavailable for comment.