The billionaire developer closing London's pubs
6 days ago
- #London Pubs
- #Real Estate
- #Community Journalism
- The Londoner magazine offers free weekly editions featuring city briefings and in-depth long-reads.
- Steve Cornish shares his 35-year connection to the China Hall pub, centered around its beloved landlord Micky Norris.
- In 2017, the China Hall was bought by Hamna Wakaf, leading to Norris's eviction and the pub's decline despite community efforts.
- Asif Aziz, a billionaire real estate mogul, is linked to the closure or redevelopment of at least 29 London pubs.
- Investigations reveal a pattern where Aziz's companies buy pubs, hike rents, and leave them vacant to justify redevelopment.
- Community campaigns have saved some pubs, but many remain closed or converted, impacting local social fabric.
- Efforts to get a comment from Aziz's company, Criterion Capital, were unsuccessful despite multiple attempts.
- Activists like Michael Robertson and Steve Cornish criticize Aziz's impact on London's pub culture and urban life.