‘We’ll buy Brooksby Mews to block developers’

Published: 22nd April, 2011
by PETER GRUNER

DOZENS of residents – including world famous actor Sir Antony Sher – could club together to buy a mews at the back of their homes to prevent developers moving in.

The strip of land at Brooksby Mews, off Liverpool Road in Barnsbury, will be put up for auction by owners Islington Council at a starting price of £200,000.

But residents in the two streets on either side of the mews – Brooksby Street and Bewdley Street – are considering raising the money between them to buy the 13,000 sq ft site.

The Town Hall had planned to put the cobbled land up for sale on May 11 but withdrew after complaints from residents that there had been no consultation.

In the early years of the 20th century it contained horse and cart ­stables. Today there are about 17 workshops in various states of disrepair, including a car repair business that has been occupied by the same family since 1952.

Sir Antony was not available to comment on the plan this week but other residents and neighbours held a meet on Wednesday night to discuss their next step.

Former Evening Standard theatre critic Nicholas de Jong, who lives nearby, said: “Residents are talking about possibly purchasing the site collectively and perhaps extending their gardens or putting up their own garages or workshops.”

Another resident, Matthew Saunders, who runs the national pressure group Friends of Friendless Churches, welcomed the council’s decision to postpone the auction.

He said: “After they heard  there was concern among the residents the council took it off the auction list to allow residents time to consider what to do.”

Great-grandfather Brian Southwood, 73, whose family have worked as car mechanics in the mews for more than 60 years, said he was annoyed that no one had spoken to him about the plan to sell the site.

“The first we heard about this was when we read about in the Islington Tribune,” he added. “It’s a bit discourteous considering we’ve been paying rent all these years. We are entitled to know what is happening.”

Mr Southwood believes that residents and those who have busines­ses in the mews should have a say on its future. 

He added: “The council should talk to people who have lived or worked here all these years, not to some anonymous developer. I would buy my three lock-up garages at a reasonable price. I should be given the opportunity.”

Barnsbury Labour councillor James Murray said as soon as he had heard that residents were not aware of plans for the mews he made sure it was taken off the auction list. It is in a very poor state and we need to do some­thing with it,” he added. “We’ll be interested in any ideas.”