Deliveroo to close dark kitchen on Finchley Rd!
After months of campaigning by locals residents and Camden Conservatives the Deliveroo Dark Kitchen is to close on Finchley Rd!
Camden have sent an email today stating 'formal letter will be sent by post, but I wanted to inform you that the appellants (Deliveroo) have now withdrawn their appeal. Which means the hearing will no longer take place. They have advised that they (Deliveroo) are relocating their business and will cease operating at the site by the end of May 2023, removing associated equipment by end of August 2023. They will continue to operate in accordance with the operation until May when they close.
We have been provided with evidence that notice has been given to the freeholder. Accordingly on the basis that the use will cease in May, formal enforcement action will not be taken at this stage. Deliveroo has been advised that any deviation from this timeframe will likely result in formal action.'
Earlier this year we wrote to residents keeping them up to date with the issue. We wrote
'We are delighted that Deliveroo has been refused permission to permanently maintain its dark kitchen. The kitchen, at the back of 115-119 Finchley Road, has caused huge harm to residents: noise, fumes, smells, blocking of the pavement, and anti-social behaviour at all hours.
Local residents had submitted the most in-depth litany of breaches Camden has ever seen - it was a truly amazing piece of work. Full credit to Edie Raff and other residents for compiling it!
Don Williams opposed Deliveroo opening there when he was your councillor, pre-2018. Calvin Po and Marx De Morais also objected to granting Deliveroo permission to keep causing mayhem.
Next steps
We were appalled that the council’s administration recommended that the Planning Committee approve the change. If it had been left up to Labour councillors, it would have been approved, with only 3 of them voting with residents. Fortunately, Conservative councillor Andrew Parkinson - himself a planning barrister - steered the opposition and secured a majority against it.
We were disappointed that the representations by Swiss Cottage councillor Leo Cassarani were ignored by most of his own Labour Party colleagues, but not surprised. Leo is being kicked off the council by his own party due to being critical of the leadership, and he, Nayra, and Simon have been replaced by ‘Yes men’. Read more at www.camden.team/yesmen
Its great that Camden Conservatives, and local residents once again stopped Camden Labour allowing our community to be degraded.
