The new fake wood shop front in Camden Passage

A NEWLY re-designed shop front has kicked up a conservation commotion.

A­ historic Camden Passage shop front has been changed without planning permission. Previously home to Arta’s Flowers, the shop front had a wooden Victorian façade with four panes of glass. It’s now been replaced by grey false wood and a single pane of sheet glass.

“It’s a conservation area and it’s an iconic street in Islington, so to strike away one of those classic wooden Victorian shop fronts without any consent is really what’s upset people,” said David Gibson, an architect and a member of the Islington Historic Society.

He added: “This shop front is very cheaply made – I don’t like it, and most people don’t seem to – it’s badly made, made out of plastic false wood on the outside, it’s badly put together, and the workmanship isn’t good, as far as I can see.

“The conservation area is what gives Islington its character and what makes it so attractive. It’s a great area with small independent shops that look in keeping and in character, and that continues the tradition of what Islington is about.

“That’s the takeaway thing, really – if they had applied for planning permission, they wouldn’t have gotten it in my view.

Nick Segal

“The council has the power to make them put it back again, and I’d like to see that. I think it’s appalling that people who ought to know better have just gone ahead and done it without any concern with what people might think, what the rules say, or what planning rules say.”

Nick Segal, the owner of Frederick’s restaurant in Camden Passage said, “I’ve completely refurbished the shop next to my restaurant. I got an architect and I got planning, and it’s a lovely little shop.

“I own Frederick’s and four shops, and what we put up lasts for a long time. So to put up something that’s shockingly awful will be there for years and years. We get so fed up with developers and landlords who don’t care about the environment.”

He added: “I want to see the streetscape look as nice as it can, and it’s an upward battle.”

Councillor Martin Klute, chair of the Town Hall’s planning committee, said “They’ve ripped the shop front out and put in the most appalling aluminium and plastic shop front. It’s completely inappropriate for the area.”

He also confirmed that the council has issued an enforcement notice on the freeholder to have it restored to its previous state.

The Tribune attempted to contact the freeholder via social media but received no response. We also called and attended another business he owns and runs in the area but received no response as it is currently closed for renovation.